A Broadway classic, a Disney movie-to-stage musical, and an original drama are set to light up the fall season on the Lehigh Valley stage.

Pennsylvania Playhouse presents the Stephen Sondheim hit musical “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” Oct. 6 - 22.

Civic Theatre of Allentown presents the beloved Disney musical “The Little Mermaid,” Oct. 6 - 22.

Crowded Kitchen Players premieres a Vietnam War-era play, “Mothers Shall But Smile,” Oct. 6 - 22.

With music and lyrics by Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, “Sweeney Todd” was inspired by a character from serialized Victorian popular fiction, known as Penny Dreadfuls.

The musical, opening in 1979 on Broadway, was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning eight Tonys, including Best Musical. It is a again a hit on Broadway with Josh Groban in the title role.

The Playhouse production is directed and choreographed by Darah Donaher, with music direction by Alex Garrido, set design by Brett Oliveira and costumes by Todd Burkel and Heather Sheldon.

The play follows the journey of Todd (Nick Conti), an exiled barber who returns to a dark and gritty London 15 years later, hungry for vengeance against the Judge (Robert Trexler) who destroyed his life.

Joined by Mrs. Lovett (Beth Linzer), proprietress of a failing pie shop, the two concoct a dark plot to exact revenge. While a troupe of actors guides the audience through the story, the immersive production is intended to compel the audience to look into the eyes of the Beggar Woman (Alexis Connolly).

The leads in the cast include Jonathan Riker (Anthony Hope), Grace Oddo (Johanna), Dylan Penyak (Tobias Ragg), Sean McFarland (Beadle Bamford) and Mason McGowan (Adolpho Pirelli).

To ensure performances can be presented in case of illness, eight actors cover lead roles. The actors, who perform the roles in the Oct. 14 show, are Gregory Wintle (Sweeney Todd), Moriah Wilt (Mrs. Lovett), Ava Sardi (Tobias Ragg), Matthew Asti (Judge Turpin), Robert Torres (Beadle Bamford), Carina Cohen (Johanna), Marquett Ferrell (Adolpho Pirelli) and Megan Amorino (Beggar Woman).

The cast includes Harrison Fox, Maya Costanzo, Dylan Miller, Lindsey Sommons, Suzanna Durner, Joey Leyrer, Elliot Mercedes, Laura Sweeney Riker, Mackenzie Hall, Relena Kiser, Wendy Borst, Samantha Prentice, Bethany Wentling and Mitchell Hendricks.

There’s a fundraising performance for Rotary District 7430 Rotaplast Program, Oct. 21, with complimentary beverages and food, and talk-back with the cast after the show.

Playhouse officials say that the wearing of face masks is not required but strongly encouraged.

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21; 3 p.m. Oct. 8, 15, 22, Pennsylvania Playhouse, 390 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem. Tickets: box office, 610-865-6665, http://www.paplayhouse.org/

Vietnam-era play premieres:

Crowded Kitchen Players presents the world premiere of a Vietnam War-era play, “Mothers Shall But Smile,” Oct. 6 - 22, Charles A. Brown Ice House, Bethlehem.

The drama, written and directed by Ara Barlieb, is inspired by real-life events as described by Barlieb’s brother, an Army captain stationed at Bien Hoa during the Vietnam War.

Barlieb says the title of the play is derived from William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” in the scene where Mark Antony is contemplating the consequences of the assassination of Caesar.

“Mothers Shall But Smile” follows two young recruits during the conflict in Vietnam in 1971 and 1972. Andrew (Robert Tollinger) is an adjutant to his battalion’s colonel (David Oswald) on Bien Hoa Air Base, and Troy (Dave Donado) is a Huey helicopter transport pilot who flies harrowing daily missions into combat zones.

Andrew’s clerk, Quan Nguyen (Phuong Tran), has returned home to Vietnam after being conscripted by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.

“Quan serves as the play’s conscience and voice of reason as he attempts to make the American liberators understand the devastation and chaos they are creating during their occupation of his country,” Barlieb says.

Andrew and Troy find themselves at odds when a report of the death of a civilian at the hands of U.S. troops is assigned to Andrew for a thorough investigation. A Vietnamese woman claims that her son, a farmer, was wrongly killed by a helicopter gunner who believed him to be a Viet Cong soldier.

This occurs in the wake of the My Lai massacre and reports of other alleged atrocities. There is political pressure on Andrew and Quan to dispel the accusations and clear the case as quickly as possible.

The cast includes Sharon Ferry, Bruce Brown, Katie MacMillan and John Cusamano.

“Mothers Shall But Smile,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21; 2 p.m. Oct. 8, 15, 22, Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Bethlehem. Tickets: box office, 610-704-6974, https://www.ckplayers.com/

“The Little Mermaid” at Civic:

Civic Theatre presents the beloved Disney musical “The Little Mermaid,” Oct. 6 - 22, Nineteenth Street Theatre, Allentown.

The musical, adapted from Disney’s Broadway production and Disney’s 1989 Academy Award-winning animated film of the same title, has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glen Slater, and book by Doug Wright.

Will Morris, Civic Theatre of Allentown Associate Artistic Director & Production Manager, directs the Civic production.

“The Little Mermaid,” based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories, is the story of beautiful young mermaid, Ariel (Katie Semon), who longs to leave her ocean home and live in the world above. She’ll have to defy her father, King Triton (Sawyer Whitted), make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula (Richie Warmkessel) and convince the handsome Prince Eric (Julien Abergas) that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been seeking.

The musical, which opened on Broadway in 2007, was nominated for two Tony Awards and a Grammy for the cast album.

Songs include “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl,” “Les Poissons,” “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and “She’s In Love.”

The cast includes Veronica Cummings (Sebastian), Karima Brown (Flounder), Nate Rosario (Scuttle), Bill Joachim (Grimsby) and as Ariel’s sisters: Deana Mogianesi, Miki Fuentes, Bry Pye, Bianca Burns, Sam Miley and Gabi Hondorp;

Also: Abby Creighton, Shaun Hayes, Deven Windisch, Victoria Spruiell, Omar Sanchez, Elyn Milheim. Brianna Moyer, Ainsley Quay, Luci Loftus, Angie Dries, Lauren Verna, Chelsi Fread, Jada Fontanez, Jillian Petrie, Abby Sanchez, Janaya Morgan, Audrey Dendy-Hightower, Zoli Heft, Harrison Denithorne, Dan Quay, Paul Reed, Kayden Taylor, Jaedon Muhl, Luke Hauck and Jack Warnke.

“The Little Mermaid,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6, 7, 11, 13. 14, 19, 20, 21; 2 p.m. Oct. 8, 15, 22, Civic Theatre of Allentown, Nineteenth Street Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown. Tickets: Box Office, 610-432-8943; https://civictheatre.com/

Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com