Summer Stages: BWW's Top Summer Theatre Picks -Sacramento & Bay Areas

What better way to get away from the summer heat than to enjoy a fantastic show in a nice, cool air-conditioned theatre! BroadwayWorld's Harmony Wheeler gives you all the details on your upcoming summer of performing arts!

Orphan of Zhao - American Conservatory Theatre - San Francisco - June 4 - 29

Billed as the Chinese version of Hamlet, The Orphan of Zhao looks to be a fascinating, historical production - the stuff of legend, much like the work of Sophocles and other classic writers. The play follows a young orphan as he discovers the shattering truth behind his origins. http://act-sf.org

Marry Me a Little - TheatreWorks - Mountain View - June 4 - 29

TheatreWorks has your Stephen Sondheim fix for the summer with this two person musical that includes songs from Company, A Little Night Music and more. http://theatreworks.org/

Once - SHN - San Francisco - June 17 - July 13

The Tony Award winner Once comes to SHN's Broadway in San Francisco. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, Once tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who's about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. https://www.shnsf.com/

Man of La Mancha - Modesto Performing Arts - Modesto - June 21 - 29

Dream the impossible dream this summer with Modesto Performing Art's Man of La Mancha starring local favorites Curt Nelson and Krista Joy Serpa as Don Quixote and Aldonza. http://www.modestoperformingarts.com/

Mary Poppins - Music Circus - Sacramento - July 8 - 13

California Musical Theatre's summer season offers plenty of colorful, magical musicals. In addition to Disney's "practically perfect" Mary Poppins, the season also includes A Chorus Line, South Pacific, Brigadoon, and La Cage Au Folles. http://www.californiamusicaltheatre.com/

Pixar in Concert - San Francisco Symphony - July 17 - 20

If you're looking for something classical with a bit of theatrical flair, San Francisco Symphony has the perfect option. After their May 31 - June 1 concert of Disney's Fantasia, the Symphony offers a fun and family friendly concert of music from Disney Pixar's films. http://www.sfsymphony.org

Life Could Be A Dream - Center Rep - Walnut Creek - August 29 - October 5

We have two great options for your end-of-summer musical. In Walnut Creek, catch the new sequel to The Marvelous Wonderettes at Center Repertory Theatre at the Lesher Center for the Arts. The Center has a great art gallery for pre-show relaxation and entertainment, and Center Rep's musical features an all-star cast including Ryan Drummond (Paint the Clouds at 42nd Street Moon), Tim Homsley (The Snow Queen at San Jose Rep), Derek Keeling (Grease on Broadway), Jerry Lee (Les Miserables at Contra Costa Musical Theatre) and Sharon Rietkerk (Little Women at TheatreWorks). http://www.centerrep.org/

The Phantom of the Opera - SHN - San Francisco - August 26 - October 4

Go big or go home, right? If you're looking to end your summer with a big excursion in the city or a high-end, brand new production of one of the most extravagant, famous Broadway musicals in existence, you won't want to miss Andrew Lloyd Weber's The Phantom of the Opera at SHN San Francisco. https://www.shnsf.com/

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Follow Harmony Wheeler's theatre adventures on Instagram and Twitter @HarmonyWheeler.