New and Noteworthy: Theater

Reviewed by Jim Rutter (J.R.), David Patrick Stearns (D.P.S.) and Toby Zinman (T.Z.).

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Bucks County Playhouse). Six kids face unfamiliar words and life issues in William Finn's popular musical. Through Sept. 4.

Defending the Cave Man (Penn's Landing Playhouse). Men and women have been trying to figure each other out for a very long time. Through Aug. 30.

Heathers (Vulcan Lyric at the Prince). Mean girls musicalized, with much shallow cruelty on view, plus every high school angst cliché extant, but not a moment of genuine emotion. Ends Sunday. - T.Z.

No Sex Please, We're British (Hedgerow). There's a reason this farce - too complicated to synopsize - ran for eight years in London. Through next Sunday.

Rage of Achilles (Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company at Drexel). World premiere of Paul Parente's worm's-eye view of Homer's Iliad sparkles with Homeric language and illuminates the waste of war. Ends Saturday. – J.R.

Stella and Lou (People's Light). Bruce Graham perfectly captures two middle-age South Philadelphians as they face a turning point: move forward or stand still? Through next Sunday. - D.P.S.

The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (Cape May Stage). In Jane Wagner's brilliant one-woman show (Lily Tomlin originated the role), Trudy the Bag Lady tries to bring a committee of aliens up to speed on late-20th-century life. Through Sept. 4.