Summer Stages: BWW's Top Summer Theatre Picks - Charlotte!

Check out these summer theater picks for Charlotte!

THE TEMPEST by William Shakespeare – May 31 – June 17— Directed by Matt Cooper, uptown at The Green. Free with suggested donation. Produced by Collaborative Arts Theatre www.charlotteshakespeare.com.

CHARLOTTE SQUAWKS: 8 MISBEHAVIN' - June 8-30 – Booth Playhouse - Broadway meets Saturday Night Live meets Charlotte in CHARLOTTE SQUAWKS!  Returning for their eighth edition, the creative team of Mike Collins and BrIan Kahn collaborate with the area’s most talented singers, dancers, actors and egomaniacs to parody pop-culture, politics, sports and our beloved Queen City. From the Cam Newton to the Democratic National Convention, nothing is sacred! http://www.blumenthalarts.org/.

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – June 26-July 1 – Belk Theater – BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. http://www.blumenthalarts.org/.

NATIONAL POETRY SLAM – August 7-11 – Blumenthal Performing Arts - More than 1,000 people from across the country will come to Charlotte in early August for the largest team performance poetry event in the world, the National Poetry Slam (NPS). Hosted by Blumenthal Performing Arts, SlamCharlotte and Poetry Slam Inc. (PSI), NPS 2012 will bring 72 teams from North America together from August 7-11 to compete for the national championship. Over the course of these five days, Blumenthal Performing Arts will use all of its campuses to host the 46 official bouts that make up nationals (40 Preliminary Bouts, 4 Semi-Finals, 1 Group Piece Finals and 1 NPS Finals), culminating with the National Poetry Slam Finals on Saturday, August 11 at the Knight Theater. http://www.blumenthalarts.org/.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE by William Shakespeare — August 15-26 at the McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square. Produced by Collaborative Arts Theatre. http://www.blumenthalarts.org/