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Published 4:20 pm Monday, May 22, 2023

Actor perform a scene in Collaborative Theatre's production of "Into the Woods." See listing for details

The Rogue Valley has a vibrant theater arts community. Check out our list of local live productions and livestream options.

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Barnstormers Theatre

112 N.E. Evelyn Ave., Grants Pass. See barnstormersgp.org, email at barnstormersgp@gmail.com or call 541-479-3557 for showtimes, tickets and information. Group discounts are available.

‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’: A progressive white couple’s proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter brings her Black fiance home to meet them in this fresh and relevant stage adaptation of the iconic film “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” Blindsided by their daughter’s whirlwind romance and fearful for her future, Matt and Christina Drayton quickly come to realize the difference between supporting a mixed-race couple in your newspaper and welcoming one into your family — especially in 1967. But they’re surprised to find they aren’t the only ones with concerns about the match, and it’s not long before a multi-family clash of racial and generational difference sweeps across the Draytons’ idyllic San Francisco terrace. At the end of the day, will the love between young Joanna and John prevail? With humor and insight, this play begins a conversation sure to continue at dinner tables long after the curtain comes down. Directed by Denise Baker. Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays, June 9-25. Tickets begin at $18.

Camelot Theatre101 Talent Ave., Talent. Tickets and information available at camelottheatre.org or 541-535-5250. Group and discounted season packages, as well as special rate performances, are available. Box office hours are noon to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. See website or call box office for current COVID-19 requirements.

‘Hello, Dolly!’: A Broadway classic, this musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s hit play “The Matchmaker’’ bursts with humor, romance, high-stepping dances and some of the greatest songs in musical theater history. It took home 10 Tony Awards in 1964, including Best Musical. It follows the story of Dolly Gallagher Levi, a strong-willed matchmaker, as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a wife for the miserly “well-known half-a-millionaire,” Horace Vandergelder. Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays, through May 28. Tickets are $33-$38.

Collaborative Theatre Project555 Medford Center, Medford. Tickets and information are available at ctpmedford.org, on Facebook, or by calling the box office at 541-779-1055. Group rates are available. See website or call box office for current COVID-19 requirements.

‘Into The Woods’: A collection of fairy tale characters’ stories intertwine as they journey into a dark, forbidding forest — Cinderella, Rapunzel and their respective Princes; the Baker and his Wife who yearn for a child and are denied by the witch next door. This musical covers multiple themes — growing up, parents and children, accepting responsibility, morality, and wish-fulfillment and its consequences. Almost everything in this fairy tale goes wrong, and nothing is quite what it seems. James Lapine said that the most unpleasant person (The Witch) would have the truest things to say, and the “nicer” people would be less honest. In the Witch’s words: “I’m not good; I’m not nice: I’m just right.” Directed by Christine Williams, with musical direction by Laurie Hunter. This production is suitable for ages 6 and older. Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. Sundays, through May 28. The entrance gallery will showcase art pieces by Annekatrine. Regular tickets are $35, $28 for seniors and students.

Oregon Cabaret Theatre241 Hargadine St, on the corner of First and Hargadine streets, Ashland. Tickets and information are available at oregoncabaret.com or by calling 541-488-2902. Reservations are required for pre-show dinner and brunch. Appetizers, beverages and desserts are available without reservations. See website or call box office for current COVID-19 requirements. Student rush tickets are $15 and can be purchased 30 minutes before curtain with valid ID, subject to availability. Group discounts available.

‘Five on Fire — Groundbreaking Women of Song’: Five powerhouse musicians bring some of the world’s most famous songs to life on the Cabaret stage and tell the stories behind their creation. A concert-style celebration of the greatest hit-makers from the 1960s to today, “Five on Fire” features music from Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Carol King, Carly Simon, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Shania Twain, Stevie Nicks, Aretha Franklin, and many other influential women of song. Created by Natasha Harris, Carrie Lyn Brandon, Sarah Wussow and Valerie Rachelle.The musicians in this Cabaret play multiple instruments in the show. Directed by Lauren Blair. Performances are set for 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, Mondays and select Wednesdays, and 1 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, through June 4. Were it a movie, “Five on Fire” would be rated PG, with some mild adult themes. Tickets are $43, $39 or $29.

‘Kinky Boots’: With music by Cyndi Lauper, Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie, a young man trying to save his family’s shoe business. Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, a drag entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible … and discover that, when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world. Performances are set for 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, Mondays and select Wednesdays, and 1 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, June 16-Sept. 3. Were it a movie, “Kinky Boots” would be rated PG-13, with some coarse humor, mild coarse language and sexual situations. Tickets are $43, $39 or $29.

Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon UniversityTheatre Arts Building, Black Box Theatre and Main Stage Theatre, 491 S. Mountain Ave., Ashland. Tickets are available at oca.sou.edu/box-office or by calling 541-552-6348.

‘Everybody’: American theater’s newest wunderkind, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, offers a kaleidoscopic, funny and deeply poignant update of the quintessential medieval morality play, “Everyman,” in which the title character learns about life while journeying toward death. Jacobs-Jenkins masterfully mixes contemporary issues of identity, representation and the fluidity of self with the original’s address to life’s biggest mysteries. Directed by Vaun Monroe. Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturdays, May 25-June 3, and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 3-4, in the Main Stage Theatre. Were it a movie, the play would be rated PG-13 for language and difficult content that includes death and child abduction. Please note this production features bright, flashing strobe lights. Tickets are $20, $15 for seniors, $10 for SOU alumni and free for full-time students.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival15 S. Pioneer St., Ashland. Showtimes, ticket prices and information available at osfashland.org or at 800-219-8161. See website or call box office for current COVID-19 requirements. Group discounts available.

O! digital: OSF’s interactive and immersive digital content platform, O! can be accessed for free at osfashland.org/digital. Some content carries a fee, including streaming plays.

Cyberland Cinema House: Curated OSF favorite short films celebrating the boundless theatrical imagination will be screened at 5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m. Sundays, through July 16, in the Thomas Theatre. Lose yourself in our award-winning short films created by theater-makers, featuring powerful stories, breathtaking visuals, and unforgettable characters.

Live Performances:

‘Romeo and Juliet’: One of the most famous stories of young love explodes with intense passion in this contemporary production — as two star-crossed lovers from different backgrounds sacrifice all to be together. Set on the West Coast, this production explores the financial and class divisions of our current time. Directed by OSF Artistic Director Nataki Garrett, written by William Shakespeare. The show runs through Oct. 15, in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. Tickets are $35 to $75.

‘Rent’: In this Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, a group of young artists fights for justice and visibility during the AIDS crisis, drawing strength from the beautiful bonds of friendship and chosen family. With its profound message of joy and hope in the face of uncertainty, this iconic musical reminds us to measure our lives by what truly matters — love. Directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, with book, music, and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. The show runs through Oct. 14, in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. Tickets are $35 to $75.

‘The Three Musketeers’: An inspiring tale filled with laughter and adventure, “The Three Musketeers” is a reminder to all that courage, honesty and valor can change the world. Kirsten Childs’ adaptation finds its inspiration in the oft-ignored fact that writer Alexandre Dumas was of French-Haitian heritage. Directed by Kent Gash. The show runs May 31 through Oct. 14, in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. Tickets are $35 to $75.

‘Twelfth Night’: Shakespeare’s hilarious yet heartbreaking tale of unrequited love takes over the OSF stage. A ship is wrecked on the rocks; Viola is washed ashore, but her twin brother Sebastian is lost. Determined to survive on her own, she steps out to explore a new land. In this production, inspired by early blues and jazz greats like Bessie Smith, music is the food of love, and nobody is quite what they seem. Directed by Dawn Monique Williams. The show runs June 1 through Oct. 13 in the Allen Elizabethan Theatre. Tickets are $35 to $75.

‘Where We Belong’: In 2015, a Mohegan theater-maker moves to England to pursue a Ph.D. in Shakespeare, grappling with the question of what it means to remain or leave, as the Brexit vote threatens to further disengage the UK from the wider world. Moving between nations that have failed to reckon with their ongoing roles in colonialism, Achokayis finds comfort in the journeys of their Native ancestors who had to cross the ocean in the 1700s to help their people. Playwright Madeline Sayet asks us what it means to belong in an increasingly globalized world. Directed by Mei Ann Teo. The show runs Aug. 24 through Oct. 15 in the Thomas Theatre. Tickets are $35 to $75.

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