Summer is turning out to be the premier season for premieres at Long Island theaters.
This season an unusual number of shows are being performed for the first time on local stages, including "Jersey Boys," "Summer — The Donna Summer Musical," Rupert Holmes'stage version of "A Time to Kill," the Parrotheads' delight "Escape to Margaritaville," Steve Guttenberg's autobiographical "Tales From the Guttenberg Bible" and "Beautiful— The Carole King Musical." There's even the original show"Double Helix," which mixes science into the musicalformula.
Here are 21 shows you won't want to miss this summer, including a few familiar favorites as well.
SOMETHING ROTTEN (Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson, through June 24; 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com) Set in Elizabethan England, this romp deals with two brothers who don't think Shakespeare is any great Shakes, especially after he thwarts their theatrical endeavors. Their only way to top him is by writing "Omelette," the world's first musical.
DOUBLE HELIX —THE MUSICAL (Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts, 1 Bay St.,Sag Harbor, May 30-June 18; 631-725-9500, baystreet.org) Madeline Myers' musical is set in the 1950s and deals with the race to discover the structure of DNA. You can bet the cast has singing and dancing down to a science.
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TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Carriage House Players, 180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport, 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, 7 p.m. Sundays, June 4-30, 516-557-1207, carriagehouseplayers.org) Shakespeare's comedy abouttwo best friends falling for the same woman gets updated to the Mediterranean countryside circa 1910.
THE SHAPE OF THINGS (South Shore Theatre Experience, 115 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, June 9-17, 631-669-0506, southshoretheatre.com) Call it revamp of the nerd as an English lit major changes his physical appearance and cuts ties with his friends, all for the art student he loves in Neil LaBute's introspective four-character play.
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (Eastline Theatre, various locations, June 9-July 29; 516-749-5047, eastlinetheatre.org) Falstaff tries to solve his money problems byseducing the two merry wives of the title who seek revenge when they discover his scheme. All performances are outdoors and free. For specific times and locations, send an email toinfo@eastlinetheatre.org.
SUMMER—THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL (The Gateway, 215 S. Country Rd., Bellport, June 16-July 16; 631-286-1133, thegateway.org) Three performers work hard for the money as they portray the disco diva during different phases of her life in thisjukebox musical. Hot stuff, indeed.
A TIME TO KILL(Manes Studio Theatre, 141 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, June 30-July 16; 631-226-8400, studiotheatreli.com) John Grisham's bestselling novel about a murder trial that rocks a Southern town goes from page to stage in Rupert Holmes' adaptation.
DIAL M FOR MURDER(Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts, 1 Bay St.,Sag Harbor, June 27-July 23; 631-725-9500, baystreet.org)A retired tennis star plots revenge on his philandering wife, but it may not be her number that's up in Frederick Knott's classic thriller. Who knew rotary phones could be so deadly?
GREASE (The Argyle Theatre, 34 W. Main St., Babylon, July 6-Aug. 27; 844-631-5483,argyletheatre.com) It's the original high school musical featuring greasers, the Pink Ladies,a beauty school dropout and even an ode to Sandra Dee.
MACBETH(Carriage House Players, 180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport, 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, 7 p.m. Sundays, July 7-Aug. 6, 516-557-1207, carriagehouseplayers.org) Double double toil and trouble will abound in this version of the Scottish play that will also pay homage tothe folk horror tales of1800s New England.
ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE (John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, July 13-Aug. 27; 631-261-2900, engemantheater.com) A bartender finds love— and maybe even his lost shaker of salt — in this tropicaltunefestinspired by the songs of Jimmy Buffett.
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT (Modern Classics Theatre Company of Long Island, BACCA Arts Center, 149 N. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, July 15-30; modernclassicstheatrecompanyoflongisland.net) An 15-year-old math genius exhibiting autism-like behavioris determined to find out who killed his neighbor's poodle. So why don't his fellow neighbors andhis father want him to know?
TALES FROM THE GUTTENBERG BIBLE(Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts, 1 Bay St.,Sag Harbor, Aug. 1-20; 631-725-9500, baystreet.org) North Massapequa son Steve Guttenberg has adapted his 2012 memoir "The Guttenberg Bible" into a comic play narrated by him and featuring three other actors taking on more than 90 characters.
JERSEY BOYS(The Gateway, 215 S. Country Rd., Bellport, Aug. 4-Sept. 10; 631-286-1133, thegateway.org) There are many piques and a Valli in this dramatic jukebox musical aboutthe ups and downs of '60s hit makersthe Four Seasons.
LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST(Carriage House Players, 180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport, 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, 7 p.m. Sundays, Aug. 11-Sept. 8;516-557-1207, carriagehouseplayers.org) It's a royal romcom as a king and three of his friends woo a princess and her trio ofladies in waiting. When the princess must return home, both the ladies and gentleman are in waiting for a whole year before they can marry. But can they remain faithful?
A BRONX TALE — THE MUSICAL(CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Hwy., Oakdale, Aug. 12-26; 631-218-2810, cmpac.com) A kid in the 1960sBronx idolizes amob boss, much to the displeasure of the boy's blue-collar father in this musical featuring a book by Chazz Palminteri adapted from his 1993 screenplay.
DANCE NATION (Eastline Theatre, BACCA Arts Center, 149 N. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Aug. 12-27;516-749-5047, eastlinetheatre.org)A group of preteen dancers are putting their best feet forward to win the Boogie Down Grand Prix, but the real prize may be discovering who they really are.
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION (Manes Studio Theatre, 141 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Sept. 1-17; 631-226-8400, studiotheatreli.com) Guess who's coming to dinner and never leaving? It's a young con artist who claims to be the son of Sidney Poitier and worms his way into the homes ofmembers of Manhattan's upper crust in John Guare'splay based on real events.
BEAUTIFUL — THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL(John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, Sept. 14-Oct. 29; 631-261-2900, engemantheater.com) King's hits are woven into this musical tapestry about the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter'slife and career.
INTO THE WOODS(CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Hwy., Oakdale, Sept. 16-30; 631-218-2810, cmpac.com) Be careful what you wish for is the moral of this fairy tale musical featuring a book by James Lapine and songs by Stephen Sondheim.
THE PROM(Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson, Sept. 16-Oct. 21; 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com) A troupe of flamboyantactors head to rural Indiana to help a teenage girl who has rocked her conservative town with her decision totake her girlfriend to the prom.
8 Broadway shows to see this summer
GREY HOUSE (Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St., in previews, opens May 30; 212-239-6200,telecharge.com)After a car crash, acouple seeks refuge in a mountain cabin where things go bump in the night — and the daytime — in this eerie offering starring Laurie Metcalf and Tatiana Maslany.
ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME(Marquis Theatre, 210 W. 46th St., in previews, opens June 22;ticketmaster.com) Cinderella, Snow White and other fairy tale femmes look for a new happy ending with help from Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" and the lyrics of Britney Spears' songs.
JUST FOR US (Hudson Theatre, 141 W. 44th St., begins previews June 22, runs from June 26-Aug. 19; thehudsonbroadway.com) Comic Alex Edelman's unlikely Off-Broadway hitmoves uptown. It's based on the covert visit he made toa White Nationalists meeting after being trolled byanti-Semites.
HERE LIES LOVE (Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway, begins previews June 17, opens July 20;212-239-6200,telecharge.com) David Byrne and Fatboy Slim are the creative forces behind this all-Filipino musical about former Philippines first ladyImelda Marcos. So does this mean she hadseveral pairs of dancing shoes in her collection?
THE COTTAGE (Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St., begins previews July 7, runs from July 24-Oct. 29; 212-239-6200, telecharge.com) Love, sex and marriage all come under fire in this comedy starringEric McCormack and directed by Jason Alexander.
BACK TO THE FUTURE (Winter Garden Theatre, 1634 Broadway, begins previews June 30, opens Aug. 3; 212-239-6200,telecharge.com) Time to rev up the DeLorean as Marty McFlytravels back to the 1950s in this musical based on the popular 1985 movie.
THE SHARK IS BROKEN (John Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th St.,previews begin July 25, runs from Aug. 10-Nov. 19; 212-239-6200, telecharge.com) The summer's biggest catch may be this comedy about the making of the 1975 blockbuster"Jaws." Ian Shaw, who co-wrote the play with Joseph Nixon, also sinks his teeth into the role of his dad, Robert Shaw, one of the stars of the big fish tale.
EL MAGO POP (Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 W. 47th St., Aug. 17-27; elmagopop.com) Abracadabra! The Spanish-born illusionist is about to work his magic on Broadway. He's only there for 10 days, so get tickets fast before he disappears. -- DANIEL BUBBEO
By Daniel Bubbeo
daniel.bubbeo@newsday.com
dbubbeo1014Daniel Bubbeo is an assistant entertainment editor and has been with Newsday since 2000. He edits Long Island arts and technology coverage.