One of the greatest compliments that can be paid to a production of Rumors is that it feels effortless. In reality, farce is among the most difficult forms of theater to execute successfully, requiring tremendous coordination between performers, director, and technical team. Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts makes it look easy. Through sharp direction, excellent casting, strong design work, and an ensemble that understands exactly how this style of comedy works, this production delivers exactly what audiences hope for when they attend a Neil Simon farce: two hours of escalating chaos, expertly orchestrated and consistently funny from beginning to end.

In a theatrical landscape often focused on polished final products, Dream, Carl, Dream celebrates the creative process itself. It reminds us that ideas are better when shared, that collaboration can produce surprising results, and that strangers can become collaborators when given the opportunity. By the end of the evening, the dreams may belong to Carl, but the experience belongs to everyone.

Combined with strong performances, and an attractive, detail-rich production design, Bremerton Community Theatre’s presentation of Perfect Crime delivers the suspense and intrigue that have allowed Warren Manzi’s thriller to captivate audiences for decades. For those who enjoy mysteries that challenge audiences not simply to determine what happened, but to question the very nature of what they’re seeing, Perfect Crime offers an evening of thought-provoking theatrical suspense.

Lakewood Playhouse reminds us that representation, humanistic experience through storytelling, revolving historic evolution and KINDNESS are all things that will be overlooked if we keep repeating history, unless we make change that holds strong for generations to come. I recommend coming to see “Carrie the Musical” and succumbing to a much different version/ meaning behind the beloved King novel and movie.

Murder on West Moon Street is exactly the sort of production that has become synonymous with Phoenix Theatre at its best: smart, energetic, ensemble-driven comedy performed by artists who understand precisely how to deliver a laugh without sacrificing character. For audiences looking for an evening of clever farce, sharp performances, and plenty of Victorian absurdity, this production is easy to recommend. More importantly, it serves as another reminder of why Phoenix's personality has become so endearing. When the company leans into this style of comedy, it consistently produces some of the most entertaining theatre in the region, and Murder on West Moon Street stands comfortably among its best efforts.

Frida…A Self-Portrait is a story about finding meaning through art. It explores how creative expression can help us process pain, celebrate identity, preserve memory, and connect with others. By intertwining her own experiences with those of one of history’s most celebrated artists, Vanessa Savero has created a work that feels deeply personal while also bringing to life a woman’s tragic life, one that led to a plethora of extraordinary creations. The result is a thoughtful, engaging, and emotionally resonant performance that demonstrates exactly how powerful a one-person show can be when placed in the hands of an artist with something meaningful to say.

Actorcraft's production of Detroit does not offer easy answers, nor should it. Instead, it presents those questions through a committed ensemble, confident direction, and a clear understanding of the story's humanity. More importantly, it demonstrates once again the quality of work being cultivated through the company's educational programs. If Detroit is any indication, the future of Actorcraft P2S looks exceptionally bright.

What is undeniable, however, is the quality of Tacoma Little Theatre's production. María Valenzuela and her cast embrace the material fully, supported by a creative team whose design work consistently reinforces the play's themes. The result is an evening that rewards patience with thoughtful performances, evocative imagery, and a moving exploration of memory, history, and human connection.

Disappearance at the Rocky Mountain Leatherdyke Snowpicnic, a new play written by Marty Rozema and directed by Adrian Prendergast follows a group of partygoers into the wilderness, anticipating a weekend of fun and debauchery. They get that, along with maybe some things they didn’t expect. What the audience gets is a fun, ensemble comedy.

Part of what has allowed A Midsummer Night's Dream to endure for more than four hundred years is its flexibility. Every generation discovers new ways to tell the story, finding fresh perspectives within Shakespeare's timeless exploration of love, desire, jealousy, and imagination. Marcela Lorca's production rises above most others because it understands that innovation does not require abandoning tradition. By building upon a foundation of exceptional textual understanding, imaginative design, memorable performances, and joyful physical comedy, Oregon Shakespeare Festival has created a Midsummer that feels both familiar and entirely new. For audiences encountering the play for the first time and for those, like myself, who have spent years revisiting it, this production offers a reminder that even the stories we think we know best can still surprise us.

More than twenty years after the events it depicts, Come From Away remains one of the most uplifting experiences in contemporary musical theatre. Its success is not rooted in sentimentality, but in its belief that compassion matters. Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s production captures that spirit beautifully. It reminds us that even in our darkest moments, people are capable of remarkable kindness, and that those acts, no matter how small they may seem, can ripple outward in ways we may never fully understand. In a time when stories of division often dominate the conversation, Come From Away offers something increasingly valuable: hope.

Through thoughtful direction, excellent design work, and a collection of strong performances, this production reminds us why A Raisin in the Sun remains one of the most important plays ever written. It is not simply a story about one family in Chicago. It is a story about all those who continue to dream of something better, even when the odds seem stacked against them, and about the courage required to keep moving forward when the world would prefer that you stay exactly where you are.

With You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World, what begins as an intimate family story evolves into something much larger. It becomes a meditation on life, death, acceptance, legacy, and humanity’s responsibility to the world it inhabits. Yet despite those expansive themes, the production never loses sight of the individuals at its center. Funny, moving, thought-provoking, and deeply human, You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World demonstrates exactly what makes Keiko Green such a distinctive playwright. She finds profound truths in ordinary people and then uses the unique tools of the theatre to expand those truths into something universal. In this excellent Oregon Shakespeare Festival production, Keiko’s remarkable script receives a staging that embraces both its humanity and its theatrical imagination, delivering an evening that lingers long after the final curtain.

Village Theatre’s commitment to developing new musicals has given audiences the opportunity to experience countless new works over the years, and We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon and Parfunkel Musical stands as another strong example of that mission in action. Funny, inventive, musically accomplished, and unexpectedly touching, the production delivers far more than a simple spoof. Beneath the fake documentaries, fabricated histories, news reports, and wonderfully ridiculous songs lies a heartfelt story about friendship, collaboration, and the bonds that survive even when everything else seems determined to pull people apart. Much like the fictional duo at its center, the show succeeds because of the strength of the partnership behind it, and audiences are the beneficiaries of that collaboration.