Three to See: July — Escape From New York

We’re at midsummer and while Broadway is looking a bit dormant these days with the recent closings of After Midnight, Casa Valentina, Mothers and Sons and the closing notices for Violet (August 10) and Newsies (August 24), perhaps it’s time to look beyond the Great White Way for some terrific theatrical endeavors. Here are our picks for the month:

Into the Woods premiered at The Old Globe nearly 30 years ago. This production, staged by Fiasco Theater that originated at the McCarter Theatre Center, reinvents the fairy tale mash-up with a cast of 10 actors, a handful of musical instruments and simple stage props. The production arrives in New York as part of Roundabout’s season with performances beginning December 18.

Into the Woods
The Old Globe
July 12 – August 10

Williamstown Theatre Festival, located in the bucolic hills of the Berkshires, presents a dynamic season that includes productions of Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love and Kander and Ebb’s The Visit. We’re most intrigued by A Great Wilderness, a new play by Obie Award-winning playwright Samuel D. Hunter. The play navigates complex moral terrain, exploring the shifting motives and inconstant strength of personal convictions as a gentle-natured leader of a Christian retreat that endeavors to “cure” gay teens must face his previously unwavering moral compass.

A Great Wilderness
Williamstown Theatre Festival
July 9-20

Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook, Illinois, has received raves for its staging of The 25^th Annual Putnam County. “The show’s underlying theme about the universal struggle to fit in, to be cool, to not lose, and to feel comfortable in one’s own skin seems to resonate with audience members of all ages by reminding us what it feels like to be human,” says director Scott Calcagno. The critics agree. Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun Times says it’s a “deliciously grand-scale revival… this production is a sure winner!”