A Theatre Lover's Guide to DC/Capital Area Theatres – July 2011 Offerings

There's a lot of 'steam heat' on DC area stages and outside, so if you're visiting DC for the annual July 4th fireworks extravaganza, stop by and see a show before you roast on the Mall waiting for the concert and loud "booms" to fill up the sky. And if you couldn't get into the sold-out Oklahoma!, Aquarium, Clybourne Park, or The Importance of Being Earnest - earlier this year - you have a chance now! And then there's The Capital Fringe Festival with dozens of new shows to choose from.

TOP PICKS -SHOWS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IN JULY 2011

FROM JULY 7TH TO 24TH, CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL.

With over 120 productions this year, the Capital Fringe Festival will have a little bit of everything – new musicals, comedy, solo performances, and plays, and some hits returning from last year or past Fringe Festivals. It's always exciting when you find a 'gem', but it can also be head-turning sitting through some really 'not ready for prime time' productions. But that's what makes The Fringe so much fun! Happy Fringing!

FROM JULY 8TH TO AUGUST 6TH, VISIT TO A SMALL PLANET, AT AMERICAN Century Theater, IN ARLINGTON, VA.

American Century Theater is presenting Gore Vidal's 1956 play Visit to a Small Planet, which ACT calls "a comedy with keen and witty observations about American and human foibles.and lampoons the Cold War and world domination…In an ill-conceived solo alien invasion, the extraterrestrial Kreton lands his space ship in the middle of a suburban rose garden-the Speldings' home in Manassas, VA. Dressed in Civil War regalia and eager to join the Battle of Bull Run, Kreton soon realizes his time machine is off by a hundred years. But he doesn't return to his planet of intellectual, mind-reading superiors: he decides to take over the world." Doesn't this sound like fun?

Rip Claassen directs Bruce Rauscher (Kreton), John Tweel (General Tom Powers), Steve Lebens (Roger), Kelly Cronenberg (Reba), and Megan Gravesas Ellen, who play members of the Spelding family. Minnow Cronenberg plays Rosemary the Cat. Noah Bird is Conrad, Brendan Haley is the Aide, and Delton 4 is played by Tamra Testerman. The Technician roles are played by Kecia A. Campbell and Peter Johnson.

FROM JULY 8TH TO OCTOBER 2ND, OKLAHOMA!, IN THE FICHANDLER AT Arena Stage, IN WASHINGTON, DC.

It's back! It was such a smash when it opened the newly renovated Arena Stage to sold-out houses, that Director Molly Smith is dusting off the 'surrey with the fringe on top' and bringing Oklahoma back for 3 months. Tickets again are selling like hotcakes!

Returning are cast members Eleasha Gamble (Laurey), Helen Hayes Award winner Nicholas Rodriguez (Curly), adorable June Schreiner (Ado Annie Carnes) high kicking Cody Williams as Will Parker, feisty E. Faye Butler as Aunt Eller, and Aaron Ramey as Jud Fry. Parker Esse's Helen Hayes Award-winning choreography is back, as is George Fulginiti-Shakar'a Helen Hayes Award-winning Musical Direction.