Features & Columns

The Mousetrap

Arclight Repertory Theater Theatre on San Pedro Square; 29 N. San Pedro St, San Jose; $15/$25. 408.287.7664. The Taming of the Shrew As part of Shakespeare on the Square Festival, the company updates the famous battle of the sexes comedy to the land of 1950s sitcoms. May 20–Jun 6.

Broadway by the Bay San Mateo Performing Arts Center; 600 N. Delaware Ave, San Mateo; $15–$48. 650.579.5565. Annie The popular musical raises the question, What will people think of Daddy Warbucks after the Wall Street debacle? Jul 15–Aug 1.

Broadway West Theatre Company 4000-B Bay St, Fremont; $15–$22. 510.683.9218. The Crucible Arthur Miller's drama about the Salem witch trials. Runs through Jun 12.

Bus Barn Stage Company Bus Barn Theatre, 97 Hillview Ave, Los Altos; $24–$32. 650.941.0551. Little Shop of Horrors Runs through Jun 19. Smokey Joe's Café Opens Sep 2.

Cabrillo Stage 6500 Soquel Dr, Aptos; $16–$38. Three musicals run in repertory. 831.479.6154. I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change Jun 18–Jul 3. Swing Jun 25–Jul 18. Cabaret Jul 23–Aug 15.

California Theatre Center Three productions in repertory. Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 E. Remington Dr, Sunnyvale; $12–$20; 408.720.0873. The Mousetrap Agatha Christie' famed, long-running stage mystery. Jun 3–Jul 24. Black Comedy/The White Liars A one-act farce about a light-fingered man and his antique-collector neighbor, by Peter Shaffer. It is double-billed with Shaffer's comedy about eccentrics at the seaside. Jun 10–Jul 23. A Midsummer Night's Dream Jun 24–Jul 25.

Children's Musical Theater of San Jose Montgomery Theater, 271 S. Market St, San Jose; $21–$23. 408.288.5437. Miss Saigon A Mainstage production. Jul 23–Aug 1. High School Musical 2 A Rising Stars production. Jul 9–18. Rugrats: A Live Adventure! Aug 5–8.

City Lights Theater Company 529 S. Second St, San Jose; $15–$40. 408.295.4200. Second Weekend in September A world premiere of Andrew Black's play about a businessman and his affair with a male college student; presented in conjunction with San Jose Pride. May 20–Jun 20. Rent The rock-musical version of La Bohème. Jul 22–Aug 29.

Dragon Theatre 535 Alma St, Palo Alto; $16–$20. 800.838.3006. Anton in Show Business Runs through May 23. Seascape An Edward Albee play about the need to go on living. Jul 16–Aug 8.

El Teatro Campesino 705 Fourth St, San Juan Bautista; $5–$12. 831.623.2444. Corridos! Tales of the Mexican Revolution A new cabaret-style musical. Jun 18–Aug 1.

Foothill Music Theater Smithwick Theater, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Rd, Los Altos Hills; $10–$26. 650.949.7414. Anything Goes A Cole Porter musical. Jul 23–Aug 15.

Hillbarn Theatre 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City; $17–$34. 650.349.6411. Gypsy Strip for success. Runs through May 30. Los Gatos and Mid-Peninsula Shakespeare Festival Oak Meadow Park, Los Gatos; $15–$20. 800.838.3006. The Taming of the Shrew Jun 5–Aug 7. Treasure Island Jun 11–Aug 6. The Importance of Being Earnest Jun 18–Aug 5.

Los Gatos Ballet West Valley College, 14000 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga. $15/$20. 408.399.7577. Alice in Wonderland May 28–29.

Lyric Theatre of San Jose Montgomery Theatre, Market and San Carlos streets, San Jose; $10–$35. 408.986.1455. The Mikado Gilbert and Sullivan classic. Jun 19–27. The Dollar Princess Semistaged performances of a Viennese operetta with a Jamesian plot about the sister of a rich American come to London to find a nobleman to marry. Part of the Discovery Series. Jul 24–25 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View.

Northside Theatre Company Olinder Theatre, 848 E. William St, San Jose; $15/$20. 408.288.7820. Vanities A comedy about three Texas friends across the course of a decade. Jun 17–Jul 11.

Palo Alto Children's Theater Hot Dog Summertime Shows. 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto. 650.463.4930. Busytown Jun 16–26. Robin Hood Jun 30–Jul 17. Androcles and the Lion Jul 21–31. Barnum Aug 4–14.

Palo Alto Players Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto; $20–$31. 650.329.0891. Jewtopia A comedy about stereotypes and romance. Jun 11–27.

The Pear Avenue Theatre 1220 Pear Ave, Unit K, Mountain View; $15–$30. 650.254.1148. The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams. Runs through May 30. The Shaker Chair A lonely woman finds meaning in animal-rights issues; by Adam Bock. Jun 25–Jul 11. Peninsula Youth Theatre Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View; $7–$20. 650.903.6000. Seussical Runs through May 23. The House at Pooh Corner A Stories on Stage presentation. May 21 at 9:30 and 11am, May 22 at 11:30am and 1:30pm. $6/$10. Chrildren's Theatre in the Park During the summer on the outdoor ParkStage. Jun 25–Aug 13 at 6:30pm. Footloose Jul 31–Aug 8. $12/$20.

Retro Dome 1694 Saratoga Ave, San Jose. 408.404.7711. Barbra, Bette and Carol Burnett A benefit night with Bay Area vocalists belting out favorite songs by big-time divas. May 27. Sisters of Swing: The Story of the Andrews Sisters A regional première about the swinging singing sisters. Jun 11–Jul 25.

San Jose Repertory Theatre The Rep, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose; $28–$57. 408.367.7255. Sonia Flew A drama about family ties and patriotic duties. Runs through Jun 6. The Marvelous Wonderettes A m musicals comedy about four girl singers seeking fame in the '50s and '60s, with pop hits like "Mr. Sandman" and "Son of a Preacher Man." Jun 15–27. FDR Ed Asner in a one-man dramatization of the Depression-era and wartime president's life. Jul 14–18. Black Pearl Sings A white woman studying African-American music meets a Texas prison with a killer voice. Sep 2–26.

San Jose Stage Company The Stage, 490 S. First St, San Jose; $20–$45. 408.283.7142. Red, White and Tuna The third installment of the popular comedy series set in the mythical Texas town. Jun 2–Jul 4. Monday Night Live Annual fundraiser that skewers local politicians; George Shirakawa hosts. Jun 21. Top Honor Awards Presentations honor high school musical productions in the Bay Area. Jun 7 at 7pm at the California Theatre.

Santa Clara University Drama Fess Parker Studio Theatre, Santa Clara University; $5–$18. 408.554.4015. Thoroughly Modern Millie May 28–Jun 5. New Playwrights' Festival May 31–Jun 1.

Shady Shakespeare The Bard in the great outdoors; dress appropriately. Sanborn Park, 16055 Sanborn Rd, Saratoga; free, parking $6. 408.569.0360. The Merchant of Vance Jul 30–Sep 3. Much Ado About Nothing Aug 6–Sep 5.

Shakespeare in the Park A traveling production by the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival; free. www.sfshakes.org/park. Two Gentlemen of Verona Aug 14–29 at Cupertino's Memorial Park Amphitheater.

Shakespeare Santa Cruz UC–Santa Cruz campus; three plays in repertory, Jul 20–Aug 29. See www.shakespearesantacruz.org for ticket and schedule details. The Lion in Winter; Love's Labor's Lost; Othello.

South Bay Musical Theatre Saratoga Civic Theater, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga; $13.50–$30. 408.266.4734. Hello, Dolly! Runs through Jun 5.

South Valley Civic Theatre Community Playhouse 17090 Monterey Rd, Morgan Hill; $14–$18. 408.842.SHOW. The King and I Aug 6–22.

TheatreWorks Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View; and the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto; $24–$62. 650.903.6000. Opus A tale about a string quartet that can't get along; a regional premiere of Michael Hollinger's play. Jun 2–27 in Mountain View.Auctioning the Ainsleys World premiere of a comic drama about a family of auctioneers selling it all. Jul 14–Aug 8 in Palo Alto.New Works Festival A chance to see new plays in the making. Aug 7–22 in Palo Alto.The Light in the Piazza A Broadway musical about love in Florence. Aug 25–Sep 19 in Mountain View.

West Valley Light Opera Saratoga Civic Theater, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga; $18–$30. 408.268.3777. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do A musical with the songs of Neil Sedaka, set in a Catskills resort in the 1960s. Jun 26–Jul 24.

Dance

Abhinaya Indian dance at various locations. www.abhinaya.org. Arangetram, Chinmayi Aryasomayajulu May 22 at 5pm at Mission City Center for Performing Arts, 3250 Monroe St, Santa Clara. 30th Anniversary Celebration Includes a collaboration with San Jose Taiko. Aug 14 at 7pm, Aug 15 at 4pm at Mexican Heritage Theater, 1700 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose. Arangetram, Amrita Mohan Aug 28 at 5pm at McAfee Center, 20300 Herriman Ave, Saratoga.

Asahar Dance Foundation Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View; $17–$31. 650.903.6000. Zahara Flamenco dance fusion. Jul 10.

Ballet San Jose California Theatre, 345 S. First St, San Jose; $16–$47. 408.288.2800. The Ugly Duckling and Strauss Showcase for students at Ballet San Jose school. May 29–30.

Smuin Ballet Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino; $38/$53. 650.903.6000. Spring Program Featuring dances by Kiri Kylian, Ma Cong and Smuin. May 29–30.

Stanford Lively Arts and Dance Division Still Life With decoy An outdoor danace work by Ann Carlson using Stanford students and various Stanford locations. May 27 at 7pm, beginning in front of Roble Gym.

Western Ballet Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View; $17–$31. 650.903.6000. Danzon Latin-American ballet. Jul 23.