Thursday, August 2, 2007 12:13 PM CDT

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Stages alive in summer

By Dan Craft
dcraft@pantagraph.com

Whether you prefer your summer theater al fresco or with the air conditioner running inside, there's no shortage of choices this season as Central Illinois' troupes get ready to entertain both the vacationing hordes and regular working stiffs.

Here's a preview of what's in store on area boards between now and Labor Day weekend:

Conklin's Barn II, Goodfield

• What the Rabbi Saw, comedy, now through July 1.

• Tom, Dick and Harry, comedy, July 5 through Sept. 2.

For tickets, call (309) 965-2545; the indoor theater is located a mile northeast of Goodfield.

Community Players, Bloomington

• Big River, musical, tonight through Sunday and May 17 through 20.

• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, July 12-15, 19-22 and 26-29.

For tickets, call (309) 663-2121; the indoor Players theater is located at 201 Robinhood Lane.

Corn Stock Theater, Peoria

• Little Shop of Horrors, musical, June 1 through 9.

• The Nerd, Larry Shue comedy, June 22 through 30.

• The Fantasticks, musical, July 13 through 21.

• Incident at Vichey, drama, Aug. 3 through 11.

• Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, musical, Aug. 24-Sept. 1.

For tickets, call (800) 220-1185; the open-air theater is located in Upper Bradley Park.

Country Workshop Theatre, Cissna Park

• Something's Afoot, mystery-comedy, May 24-27 and 31, and June 1-3 and 7-10.

• Bedside Manners, comedy, June 21-22, 24 and 28-29, and July 5-7.

• Enchanted Sleeping Bear, youth musical, July 12-15.

• Monkey Business, musical comedy, July 26-27 and 29, and Aug. 2-4 and 5-11.

• I Take This Man, comedy, Aug. 23-24 and 26, and Aug. 30-31 and Sept. 6-9.

For tickets, call (815) 457-2626; the indoor theater is located two miles northwest of Cissna Park, off Ill. 49.

Heartland Theatre Company, Normal

• Original Illinois Playwrights, staged readings, May 18-20.

• 10-Minute Play Festival: One Shoe, New Shoe, Red Shoe, Blue Shoe, eight short plays, May 31-June 2, June 7-10, 14-16 and 21-24.

For tickets, call (309) 452-8709; the indoor theater is located at One Normal Plaza, Lincoln and Beech streets.

High School Summer Theater, Normal

• Little Shop of Horrors, musical, June 14-17 and 21-24.

• The Music Man, musical, July 19-22 and 26-29

Tickets sold at the door only; the shows will be performed at Normal Community High School if the new outdoor theater in Normal is not completed in time.

Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Bloomington

• Henry V, drama, June 27 and 30, July 6, 15, 17, 20 and 27, Aug. 4, 8

• Much Ado About Nothing, comedy, June 28-29, July 7-8, 14, 18, 22, 24, 26 and 28, Aug. 1, 3, 9 and 11

• Love's Labour's Lost, comedy, July 12-13, 19, 21, 25, 29, 31, Aug. 2, 5, 7, 10, 12

For tickets, call (309) 438-8110; the outdoor is located at Ewing Mano, Towanda Avenue and Emerson Street.

Lincoln Community Theatre, Lincoln

• Once Upon a Mattress, musical, June 8-16

• Honk!, children's musical, July 6-14.

• Cinderella, musical, July 27-Aug. 4.

The performances are in the indoor Johnston Center for the Performing Arts on the Lincoln College campus. For tickets, call (217) 735-2614.

Little Theatre on the Square, Sullivan

• Hairspray, musical, June 6-24.

• My Fair Lady, musical, June 27-July 8.

• Crazy For You, musical, July 11-22

• The Sound of Music, musical, July 25-Aug.5.

• La Cage Aux Folles, musical comedy, Aug. 8-19.

For tickets, call (888) 261-9675; the indoor theater is located on Sullivan's downtown square.

Miller Park Summer Theater, Bloomington

• Annie Get Your Gun, musical, June 15-17, 22-24 and 29-30, and July 1.

• Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, children's fantasy, July 20-22 and 27-29.

All performances are free; the outdoor theater is located on the Miller Park Bandstand. Call (309) 434-2260 for information.

The Muni, Springfield

• Miss Saigon, musical, June 1-3 and 6-10.

• Peter Pan, musical, June 22-24 and June 27-July 1.

• Grease, musical, July 13-15 and 18-22 .

• Oklahoma!, musical, Aug. 3-5 and 8-12.

For tickets, call (217) 793-6864; the outdoor theater is located on East Lake Drive at Lake Springfield.

New Salem Theatre in the Park, Petersburg

• Brigadoon, musical, May 25-June 3.

• Gypsy, musical, June 15-17 and 21-24.

• The Miracle Worker, drama, July 6-8 and 12-14.

• Once on This Island, musical, July 20-22 and 26-29.

• Visiting the Lincolns, drama, Aug. 3-4.

• Li'l Abner, musical, Aug. 10-12 and 16-19.

• The Trip to Bountiful, drama, Aug. 24-26 and Aug. 30-Sept. 1.

For tickets, call (800) 710-9290; the outdoor Theatre in the Park is located at New Salem State Historic Site near Petersburg.

Prairie Fire Theatre, Bloomington

• Songs For a New World, musical, June 15-17 and 22-24, St. Patrick's Church, Bloomington.

• Annie Get Your Gun, musical, Aug. 3-5 and 10-11, IWU Westbrook Auditorium.

For tickets, call (309) 824-3047; indoor performance venues are as noted above.

Streator Community Players, Streator

• Blithe Spirit, comedy, May 20-26.

• Cheating Cheaters, comedy, June 10-16.

• Beauty and the Beast, musical, July 8-14.

• Urinetown: The Musical, musical, July 29-Aug. 4.

• Golden Faces, anniversary revue, Aug. 19-25.

For tickets, call (815) 672-3584; the indoor Engle Lane Theater is located south of Illinois 18 at Streator's west edge.

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Lori Adams rehearsed her part as one of three witches in last summer's Illinois Shakespeare Festival production of "Macbeth." This year's fest shows at Ewing Manor will be "Henry V," "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Love's Labour Lost." (Pantagraph file photo/CARLOS T. MIRANDA)

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