Thru July 5: San Jose Stage Co. presents The Great American Trailer Park Musical. When Pippi, a stripper on the lam, arrives at Armadillo Acres, Florida’s most exclusive trailer park, she whips up a storm between agoraphobic Jeannie and her tollbooth-collector husband. What follows is a hilarious, irreverent comedy with big laughs around every corner. Wed-Thurs, 7:30pm; Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. (San Jose: 490 S. First St.; 408/283-7142; www.sanjose-stage.com)
July 7-12: San Jose Rep presents Forbidden Broadway, the snarky, runaway-hit comedy revue that parodies and celebrates American musical theater. Watch as your favorite musicals, such as Avenue Q, Wicked, Little Shop of Horrors, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia! and The Producers get skewered onstage. It’s a gut-busting good time! Tues, 7:30; Wed-Fri, 8pm; Sat, 3 & 8pm; Sun, 2pm. (San Jose: 101 Paseo de San Antonio; 408/367-7255; www.sjrep.com)
July 15-Aug 16: TheatreWorks presents the world premiere of Tinyard Hill, a spirited new musical about a young, small-town blacksmith in the 1960s whose rural existence is turned upside down with the arrival of a beautiful stranger and a draft notice. The musical is the centerpiece of the company’s annual New Works Festival, and is a tale of romance, rebellion and patriotism in a turbulent period of American history. Previews July 15-17, 8pm; Tues-Wed, 7:30pm; Thurs-Fri, 8pm; Sat, 2 & 8pm; Sun, 2 & 7pm. (Palo Alto: Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd.; 650/463-1960; www.theatreworks.org)
July 16-Aug 23: City Lights Theater Co. presents The Who's Tommy. After young Tommy Walker is stricken deaf, dumb and blind after watching his father kill his mother's young lover, he retreats into the world of pinball to seek solace. When his mother cures him, Tommy becomes a cult icon known for his miraculous recovery and mad pinball skills, but how high of a price must he pay for fame? With music and lyrics by The Who's Pete Townshend, this is the ultimate epic rock opera. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm (July 26 & Aug 2) and 2pm (Aug. 9, 16, & 23). (San Jose: 529 Second St.; 408/295-4200; www.cltc.org)
July 21-Aug 30: Shakespeare Santa Cruz kicks off its new season with three plays: Shakespeare's well-loved magical romantic comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (July 22-Aug 30) and his stark political drama Julius Caesar (Aug 1-30); and Donald Margulies' clever and wildly inventive Shipwrecked! An Entertainment: The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (July 21-Aug 30). Various times. (Santa Cruz: UC Santa Cruz Theatre Arts Center; 831/459-2159; www.shakespearesantacruz.org)
