Rafer Guzman

You'd be surprised. 'Jagged Little Pill' is no blast-from-the-past jukebox musical but an urgent, rock-driven slice of modern life that tackles nearly every issue of the day: sexual identity, opioid addiction, racial tension, rape. As its writer, Oscar winner Diablo Cody ('Juno'), has readily admitted, just about anything with a hashtag is in here. What makes 'Jagged Little Pill' work so well is its multigenerational storyline, a self-aware sense of humor and Morissette's surprisingly sturdy songs. (The production includes selections from other albums and two new numbers by Morissette.)

Named for the too-few number of days that Crystal had with his late father, '700 Sundays' is an irresistible blend of Borscht Belt shtick and heartwarming schmaltz. Crystal, still a savvy crowd-pleaser at 65, also salts this comfort food with just the right amount of coarse humor. The jokes sometimes sound pre-modern -- retail-obsessed Jews, Italian meatheads, hulking black high-schoolers -- but never mean-spirited. Only an entertainer as big-hearted as Crystal could make such stereotypes sound so affectionate.