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Carole King is one of those once-in-a-generation songwriters, the kind who absolutely deserves not just a jukebox musical, but this type of theatrical biography on stage. A lot of folks know her seminal album Tapestry and her collaboration with longtime platonic soulmate James Taylor. But she had a thriving songwriting career beforehand. Beautiful tracks her stunning girl group anthems (“One Fine Day” or “Loco-Motion,” anyone?) and her fraught relationships with male collaborators. Can they keep this “natural woman” down? Of course not, but watch her rise while grooving to King’s victorious anthems.

The first of two Summer Stock Austin productions this summer (stay tuned for Guys & Dolls on August 2), Disney’s The Little Mermaid revives Hans Christian Anderson’s enduring tale of a sea-maiden who dreams of life on land and enlivens it with standout music and lyrics by Disney Renaissance dream team Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. High school and college students make up the cast, but don’t confuse their youth with amateurishness: With 20 years under its belt, Summer Stock Austin knows how to put on a helluva show. – Kimberley Jones

The tale of a conservative town that overreacts to a tragedy by banning dancing might seem a little, um, familiar in theme right now. Authority taking drastic measures and fostering extreme fear is as relevant as ever. Resist and bask in a bit of hope with an upbeat musical full of rocking Eighties tunes (thanks, Kenny Loggins). We are holding out for a hero, and Footloose: The Musical might be the one we need. Besides, a free show under the starry Texas sky? Almost paradise indeed. – Cat McCarrey