Having the ability to look back on adolescence — because somehow we survived it — can be a tremendous joy, though one we may avoid to save us from reliving utterly cringe-worthy moments we’d prefer to forget.

Last night at Van Andel Arena, New Kids on the Block merged nostalgia with innovation. The set list was filled with ’80s and ’90s superstars, namely NKOTB, Salt-N-Pepa, Debbie Gibson, Naughty By Nature, and Tiffany, and yet the show felt entirely new and unconventional.

There are reasons to see a show above and beyond the quality of the script. And in the case of the comedy “Love, Lies, and the Doctor’s Dilemma,” which runs one week only at The Barn Theatre in Augusta, those reasons are many. In this case, it’s actually a special treat to see how much an enormously talented resident company can do with their imaginations and skill to create wildly hilarious entertainment with so little.

Every now and then, the perfect show comes at the perfect moment. The stunning production of “Fun Home” currently at Farmers Alley Theatre in Kalamazoo is that rare case.