Nothing radical or iconoclastic went into the making of Elephant's Graveyard—just meticulous storytelling by a midcareer playwright (George Brant), disciplined direction (by Jason Harber), and a fantastic 13-member ensemble (including Ray Tagavilla and Michael Blum). In 1916, Sparks Circus pulled into the muddy town of Erwin, Tennessee—true story—and things went fatally sideways. The Rashomon-like, multiple-perspectives-on-one-event trick is an old one, but Balagan makes it fresh all over again. (Balagan Theatre, 1117 E Pike St, 800-838-3006. 8 pm, $15. Through Sept 26.)