Summer Stages: Five to Watch for in Portland

Here are five upcoming productions in the Portland area that should make the summer more interesting. Of course, I'll keep my eyes open for other shows, and I'll review the best of them in this space as the weeks go by. And please don't forget the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, which is not part of the Portland area, but is certainly worth the drive for great theater in a beautiful setting.

The Taming of the Shrew by Willam Shakespeare and The Tamer Tamed by John Fletcher at Portland Center Stage, July 10 to August 4: A fascinating project. Everyone knows about The Taming of the Shrew, the original battle-of-the-sexes romantic comedy. It's been adapted a million times, into works as varied as the 1940s musical Kiss Me Kate, the 1990s teen movie 10 Things I Hate About You, and a classic episode of the 1980s TV show Moonlighting. But here it's joined by John Fletcher's little-known sequel, The Tamer Tamed, which finds Shakespeare's hero Petruchio remarried to Maria, a feminist arguing for women's rights. What's amazing is that this companion piece isn't a modern rethinking of Shakespeare's text, but a play originally published in 1647.

JAW: A Playwrights Festival at Portland Center Stage, July 15-29: The scripts have not yet been announced, but every summer since 1999 PCS has presented new and experimental works chosen from over 200 nationwide submissions. In addition, a handful of high school students will be chosen to have their scripts developed by theater professionals. All plays will be presented in staged readings for the public. JAW is a unique way of seeing works in progress that may eventually become famous, or at least to get a peek into the playwright's process.

Trek in the Park: The Trouble with Tribbles at Cathedral Park in St. Johns, Saturdays and Sundays in August: For the fifth and final year, Atomic Arts will present a classic episode of the original Star Trek series live and in person. Admission is free. The project was founded by siblings Amy and Adam Rosko, who have presented a series of unusual live performances all over Portland in addition to their re-creations of classic 1960s sci fi. Live long and prosper!

Avenue Q at Triangle Productions, June 13-29: Just in time for Pride, the return of the Tony Award-winning musical, which was previously produced at Triangle in 2012. Avenue Q is a hilarious Sesame Street for young adults, with a neighborhood filled with human actors and puppet monsters learning how to deal with concepts a lot more intricate (and R-rated) than numbers and letters. Featuring many of the actors from Triangle's acclaimed production, this is sure to be one of the funniest shows of the summer.

Show Tunes: Bill Dickey's Big Broadway Bash at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on June 15: No, it's not a play, but if you're a theater fan you should be there. Also timed for Pride weekend, the Portland Gay Men's Chorus is offering an evening of Broadway classics...and there will be audience participation involved. Warm up your vocal cords and bring your jazz shoes!