Cookin’ at the Cookery, Northlight Theatre, through Jan. 11. A glimpse into the unusual and fascinating life of the late, great blues/jazz icon Alberta Hunter, much of whose music is faithfully reproduced by Ernestine Jackson in this highly entertaining piece. (Reed) James Joyce’s The Dead, Court Theatre, through Dec. 28. This unlikely but winning combo of James Joyce and musical comedy is an intensely emotional tale of love and perceived betrayal, set at a circa-1900 Dublin Xmas party, with haunting, authentic-sounding Irish music. (Abarbanel) The Man from Nebraska, Steppenwolf, through Jan. 18. Tracy Lett’s quiet drama about a Midwesterner’s crisis of faith and journey of self-discovery holds power and truth in its silences. Bravura performances, innovative staging, and unforced poignancy. (Reed) Social Security, Raven Theatre, through Jan. 11. In a quiet neighborhood playhouse, this cozy intergenerational comedy of romantic geezers and the parents—oops, children—who just don’t understand them is the perfect time-out for overstressed clan elders. (Barnidge) By Jonathan Abarbanel, Mary Shen Barnidge and Rick Reed