Connecticut's TOP THEATER PICKS for July 2017

By Lauren Yarger
Summer might mean break time for students or those planning vacations, but the warm weather just means lots of hot selection on Connecticut theater stages, especially during July. Here are my TOP PICKS:

THEATERWORKS

Playwright Jacques Lamarre turns the heat up in the kitchen with a memoir-with-recipes of Chef Rossi's life journey in RAGING SKILLET at TheaterWorks. Marilyn Sokol, George E. Salazar and Dana Smith-Croll star. Lamarre previously scored gourmet box-office crowds at TheaterWorks with his food play I LOVED, I LOST, I MADE SPAGHETTI.

July 20-Aug, 27. theaterworkshartford.org

GOODSPEED

Director Jenn Thompson (BYE BYE, BIRDIE) returns to Goodspeed to direct the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic OKLAHOMA. Katie Spelman, who served as an associate choreographer for Broadway's AMELIE, will choreograph.

July 14-Sept. 23 goodspeed.org

IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE

Stephen Mir and Mia Pinero are the modern-day Romeo and Juliet n WEST SIDE STORY at Ivoryton Playhouse. The musical, with a score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, will be directed and choreographed by Todd Underwood.

Through July 30 ivorytonplayhouse.org

Westport Country Playhouse

GROUNDED by George Brandt has some hot awards in tow. It won the 2016 Lucille Lortel Award, a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and was short-listed for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award. It is a contemporary drama about a US Air Force fighter pilot who is grounded by an unexpected pregnancy. Playing the role of the pilot in this solo production is Elizabeth Stahlmann, a recent graduate of Yale School of Drama. Liz Diamond, chair of Yale School of Drama's Directing department and resident director at Yale Repertory Theatre, directs.

July 11-29. westportplayhouse.org

NUTMEG SUMMER SERIES

NEWSIES, with its Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman, closes out the Nutmeg Summer Series at CT Repertory Theatre. Christopher d'Amboise will direct and choreograph.

July 6-16. crt.uconn.edu

PLAYHOUSE ON PARK
The eighth season at Playhouse on Park wraps with some Shakespeare. Well, all of Shakespeare, really. Enjoy the silly farce by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, as all of the Bard's works find their way into THE COMPLETE WORKS OF William Shakespeare (ABRIDGED). This edition has been revised to incorporate more contemporary references.

Through July 30. playhouseonpark.org

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