Anne of Green Gables is one of those stories that we’ve all come across along the way in our lives, whether through the original novel or on TV or film. The version on stage in Marysville, presented by Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts, hits all of the story’s marks, is transportive in how it presents the setting, and fun in how it’s told by a cast of actors led by Hazel Weber as Anne Shirley. It’s a show that’s entertaining for the entire family, and one that is enjoyable both for those familiar with the story as well as newcomers to it.

David Eldridge’s Beginning, the first in a trilogy of plays that focus on the stages of human relationships, presents the story of Laura and Danny, who meet at the close of Laura’s housewarming party. This intimate story of two strangers navigating the hurdles of a budding friendship while carrying the baggage of their respective pasts and dealing with ulterior motives is about taking risks, and the courage to lay yourself bare to someone new in order to establish trust. Performed beautifully by Lucy Pearce and Gerald Germajesty Price, the Burien Actors Theatre production of Beginning will draw you into this pair’s story, and make you fall in love with them, as much as you hope they fall in love with each other.

Letters From Max, the story of playwright Sarah Ruhl, her former student Max Ritvo, and the friendship they cultivated as told through the many letters they exchanged from the time they met as teacher and student through his illness and cancer treatments, is a play about love and the power of language and how it reaches into our soul to provide a deeper level of communication. Featuring strong performances by Marianna de Fazio and Alexander Kilian, under the direction of Amy Poisson, and presented with a beautifully intimate design, Letters From Max, despite its heavy leaning subject matter, will leave you feeling hopeful, hopeful that as individuals and as humans we can strive to be as vulnerable and open as Sarah and Max, and as such we too can build a relationship that is lasting, despite the seriousness of any challenges that may befall us.

It seems like everywhere you turn this season, there’s a version of Blithe Spirit in the offing. The latest is a co-production from Circle of Fire Theatre and SecondStory Rep, and is currently running on stage in Redmond, a production that is unique in its design, dark, mysterious, and looming, and superb in its presentation, which includes a cast that understands the energy and pace that is needed to make a devilish farce like Blithe Spirit work. The result is a fun show, hauntingly good, and magnificently delivered, one that continues SecondStory’s trend of excellence and also one that is starting to cement Circle of Fire as a solid up and coming troupe in the region.

The Laramie Project is a difficult play that presents some pretty heavy subject matter, the story of Matthew Shepard’s robbery and subsequent murder at the hands of two young men in Laramie, Wyoming, a crime committed in a most gruesome way against a person ostensibly just for being gay. It’s a play that is uniquely constructed, and one that is timely in a social climate that seems to be skewing toward a viewpoint where crimes like this aren’t out of the realm of possibility. What differentiates the Lakewood Playhouse production of The Laramie Project, under the direction of Joseph C. Walsh, is the amount of love that the cast and creative team has put into it, enough love to present a show that is memorable and impactful, one that has the potential to change minds and hearts. It’s important to know what you’re getting into when you go to see this play, and you most definitely should go and see it, but when you do, you’ll see a production that reaches into its collective soul to draw you into this young man’s heartbreaking and tragic story, and provides a sense of empathy to those who society views and degrades as others.

Out of all the plays in Lauren Gunderson’s catalog, Silent Sky may be the most representative of what makes her work so good and so popular. With themes of female empowerment, strength, and independence, the story of Henrietta Leavitt’s scientific impact achieved in a world where women were often kept in the shadow of men, presents those themes in the context of math and science in a way that only Gunderson can. Sonja Usher leads a wonderful group of actors, under the direction of Jay Stratton, in an breakout performance that is filled with energy and light, an alluring turn that hits every emotional note and presents Henrietta Leavitt as a strong, independent, intelligent, and unforgettable woman, the kind that made Lauren Gunderson want to write about this sisterhood of astronomers.

The Winter’s Tale has been called many things, a romance, a comedy, and a psychological drama to name a few, and it’s also been considered a difficult, or problem play. At Key City Public Theatre, what others see as a risky play worth avoiding, Executive Artistic Director Denise Winter views as a challenge. By taking this classic play and combining all of the romance, comedy, and dramatic aspects of the original, then modernizing and simplifying it, what Denise has done has seemingly made the difficult look simple. This is an expertly constructed adaptation, it’s emotional, dramatic, funny, and fun, and features an outstanding cast led by an absolutely stellar performance from Geoffery Simmons. If you think you know The Winter’s Tale and feel that it is chaotic and without a clear identity, or have stayed away from it for any reason, this is an adaptation that you’ll want to see, it’ll most definitely change your mind, a clear example of making the difficult look easy, an adaptation from a genuine sprezzatura.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, the show meant to welcome people back to the reimagined Renton Civic Theatre, has a lot of pressure thrust upon it, as a bellwether of future shows and audience attendance to say the least. The show is a safe choice, in that it’s familiar, funny (i.e. not a drama), and relatable, and as a musical it has songs that will get the audience’s feet tapping for sure. Under the direction of Mauro Bozzo, a small but mighty cast tells the story of the lifecycle of romance, literally from the cradle to the grave, so, with this show, a director who knows a thing or two about delivering musical theatre, an experienced creative design team, and with a cast of superior vocalists and expert character actors, the new and improved Renton Civic Theatre not only made the safe choice to open back up with “I Love You…”, they made the right one.

The Valley Center Stage production of Treasure Island, adapted by Scarlett Jonas, is a new version of the familiar story, one that sheds a lot of the detail in the original young adult oriented novel, replacing it with humor and fun geared toward younger audiences in a play that is something the whole family can enjoy. Presented by a cast of scallawags and storytellers that understand Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel as well as the audience to which they are performing, and a creative team that recognizes the space they’re in and makes it feel bigger than it is, while keeping it intimate at the same time, Treasure Island is a play that has a little something for everyone.

The Bremerton Community Theatre production of Spider’s Web does very well with this unique play from Agatha Christie’s catalog of murder mysteries. Heavier on the humor than a lot of Christie’s work, the cast that Jeffrey Bassett has assembled delivers the Christie twists and turns in a play that is more fun that suspenseful, a play with a crime that seems straightforward and is anything but, and with a scenic design that takes the blueprint for the genre and elevates it to a higher level of excellence, Spider’s Web is different kind of Agatha Christie murder mystery, and one that is worth taking in.

Though Blues for an Alabama Sky is set in 1930s Harlem, it sure feels topical with its themes of economic struggle, women’s reproductive rights, and differing attitudes toward human sexuality. Valerie Curtis-Newton always finds a way to present important works that amplify black voices amid these experiences using exquisite designs and by casting brilliant actors to tell stories that matter. Blues for an Alabama Sky is the latest example of a piece that matters to all of us in a time of up upheaval in our country, a play that is so wonderfully produced and presented, it can’t help but make an impact. Let’s hope that its message spreads beyond the walls of the theatre.

Crave, produced by Intiman Theatre, should probably have a disclaimer attached to it. It’s most definitely not for the faint of heart, and not designed for all audiences. If you’re the kind of theatre goer that wants a nicely packaged story, that makes sense emotionally and doesn’t require a lot of thought or discussion, Crave will not be your cup of tea. But if you like to be challenged, especially emotionally, by a play that asks you to check your analytical mind at the door and let its words and artistic elements flow over and through you, then Crave may just be what your looking for. It’s a challenging play from a unique playwright, but where this piece excels is in its production and presentation, it’s just a beautifully told piece of performance art.

No Exit tells the story of three individuals stuck inside a hell that is represented by a windowless room and a locked door, trapped there with nothing but each other and the revelation that they have to live together as each others’ mirrors and decide between keeping up a charade hoping to make it easier or be honest about their lives, take responsibility for their actions, and learn to deal with each other in that context for eternity. Performed by a cast of four that bring this allegory to life in a thought provoking way, the Olympia Little Theatre version of No Exit will leave you contemplating your own actions, and how your self-validation is guided by others’ perceptions or your own, which mirror is the most important to be seen through.

Adaptations of popular musicals are a dime a dozen, but every once in a while one comes along that feels brand new, that feels like a fresh telling that surprises even those that are familiar with the characters and their story. Such is the co-production of The Last Five Years, from the 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT Contemporary Theatre. This is a show that is so well performed that it will reach into your soul and bring out the happiest and most hopeful of joys and the most heartbreaking and agonizing of despairs, all while making you appreciate experiencing actors reaching new heights in the mastery of their craft.

Xanadu is a musical that understands its intent, and leans into it, that being to exist as self-deprecating and fun, to laugh at itself, and bring the audience into its humor while presenting it all with a soundtrack that is reminiscent of the film on which it was based, as critically panned as it was. Aside from an awkward bit of stagecraft, the TMP production of Xanadu, directed by Jon Douglas Rake and featuring Emma DeLoye and Jesse Geray, is just about everything you’d hope for out of a show that puts entertainment value above all. Don’t expect Xanadu to change the world, but you can bank on the two hours spent at the theatre taking it in to be a lively and amusing time.

Miss Nelson is Missing, the first in-house production from the Admiral Theatre’s Theatre for Young Audiences program, is a humorous and entertaining show suitable for the whole family, aimed at younger audiences, but designed and performed in a way so that it can be appreciated and enjoyed by older folks as well. Cast with actors and vocalists familiar to Kitsap County audiences, Miss Nelson shows us what can be accomplished when a team comes together in a historic venue to produce a fun and entertaining piece of musical theatre. I, for one, would love to see the Admiral make a habit out of this.

Alice By Heart is a lesser known derivative of the Alice in Wonderland canon, but with catchy songs and an emotional and human story, it’s one that when it’s seen it’s not soon forgotten. The latest production of Alice By Heart just closed at South Kitsap High School, but to consider it a high school production doesn’t give it nearly enough credit. The overall quality of the production, from the scenic design to the lighting and sound, music and choreography, are all on par with anything that is on community theatre stages in the region, while the performances from this cast, and especially leads Shelby Skinner and Tyson Wolfe, have a quality and a maturity well beyond their years. And while the production has closed, keep an eye out for more from this group, both at the high school and community levels in the next few years, and down the line on much larger stages.

Covenant is a multi-layered story that asks us to consider what we really know about each other, the secrets that folks keep versus those that we think they’re keeping, and the mistakes we make between that two that lead to gossip and innuendo, and inform our attitudes toward them. The play also asks us to consider our faith, and how we can reconcile that with the behavior of others amid those preconceived notions based on the secrets we assume they are keeping. The ArtsWest production is a beautifully designed and produced piece of theatre from a creative team and cast under the direction of Nicholas Japaul Bernard that immerses the audience in the hard life of 1930s Georgia where this folksy, gothic, and suspenseful tale takes place that mixes secrecy, superstition, gossip, and heartbreak.

Second Samuel is a play that presents a time that has passed and yet it feels so current as we, once again, deal with racial injustice while at the same time witness entire groups of people struggling to deal with a changing world, judging people on their physical characteristics and not their character. Perhaps the world would be a better place if we all took a lesson from the play’s character B Flat, and looked at life, and people, a little more simply. And while a play like this stands pretty well on its own, this particular production, under the direction of Keith Dahlgren, and featuring a stellar performance from Ian Wight and a phenomenal ensemble, soars.

With Constellations, Theatre33 proves that sometimes the best theatre can be found in the smallest places. Magnificently designed, soulfully acted, and just superbly put together, Constellations, a story of love and perseverance, asks us to consider the choices we make, or don’t make, and what impact each have on our lives, and how with an infinite number of outcomes that our lives and relationships could have, that the path and time on which we find ourselves is precisely the one we need to be on.