ON STAGE 

By Kathryn G. McCarty

A heavenly guy-group, fresh off the Ohio bingo-hall-and-pancake-breakfast circuit, takes the stage in Center Rep’s ALTAR BOYZ. During their “Raise the Praise” tour, the pious boy band combines sinfully spectacular dancing and irreverent humor while saving the world one screaming fan at a time. May 26-July 1, Walnut Creek, lesherartscenter.org.

 

It’s AS YOU LIKE IT when Desdemona Chiang makes her Bruns Amphitheater directorial debut in Cal Shakes season opener. William Shakespeare’s gender-bending comedy of love and transformation highlights the journeys taken in search of home and family. Through June 18, Orinda, calshakes.org.

Artistic Director Helen Means closes the Onstage Repertory Theatre’s 39th season with OFF THE SHELF AND ON STAGE, a festival of 15 one-acts featuring local playwrights over a six week span. Through June 24, Martinez, onstagetheatre.homestead.com.

Feeling lucky? Enter the digital lottery for a chance to pay $10 to see Lin-Manuel Miranda’s HAMILTON. The Bay Area’s hottest show is the winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 11 Tony Awards and a Grammy-winning score. Through August 5, San Francisco. shnsf.com.

When a woman arrives home to discover THE UNEXPECTED GUEST standing over her murdered husband, everyone is a suspect. Mystery abounds in Starlight Village Players production of one of Agatha Christie’s most suspenseful works. June 3 – July 1, Orinda, orsvp.org.

With a delicate balance of humor and pathos, playwright David Greig examines humanity confronted by cruelty in THE EVENTS. Berkeley Alumni Chorus and the Rockridge Chorale are among the 20 different choirs performing in the Shotgun Players production. Through May 28, Berkeley, shotgunplayers.org.

Spend A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN, the queen of rock ‘n’ roll, whose legendary voice exploded onto the music scene. Joplin landed in San Francisco during the 1967 Summer of Love, the same year American Conservatory Theatre took up residency at the Geary. June 7–July 2, San Francisco, ACT-sf.org.

Is it possible to be AN IDEAL HUSBAND?  A successful politician is haunted by a mysterious woman who produces evidence of his past misdeeds in Oscar Wilde’s witty comedy which pokes at the institution of marriage. June 3 - 24, Lafayette, townhalltheatre.com.  

Love and romance fill the air when a young princess meets a handsome American reporter in ROMAN HOLIDAY – THE COLE PORTER MUSICAL. Discover the magic of Rome and the promise of love in this classic musical. May 24–June 18, Golden Gate, shnsf.com.

 A storm brews as relatives from around the globe gather in Delhi to celebrate an arranged marriage between an upper middle-class Indian family’s only daughter and an American man she’s never met. The forecast calls for torrential rain, drama and showers of laughter in Berkeley Rep’s MONSOON WEDDING.  Through June 25, Berkeley, berkeleyrep.org.