Troupes aim for the Pacific Northwest's great outdoors

A riddle: What's often (but not always) free, takes place in the great outdoors and offers you a chance to commune with Robin Hood, Hamlet, clowns juggling fiery torches, Maria von Trapp and other assorted larger-than-life characters?

Why, the 2006 open-air theater season in the Pacific Northwest, of course. This annual alfresco array of musicals, Shakespearian works and pyro displays gets going in earnest this weekend with the Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival at Volunteer Park (see box on next page) and continues through the summer at parks and amphitheaters from Ashland, Ore., to Vancouver, B.C.

An addition to the calendar this year: DXM Theater (Deus X Machina), a new Seattle troupe that is offering their debut show in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. And an encore act after a hiatus last summer: Shakespeare NorthWest's Skagit River Shakespeare Festival, a Mount Vernon event (previously called the Western Washington Shakespeare Festival).

We recommend for the park shows with unreserved seating that you bring blankets and/or folding chairs (not too tall if you're a good citizen), a picnic and, for climate control, a hat (plus a sweater or jacket).

And be a sport. Bring some loose bills and change to pop into the hat, if you're so moved. It's not mandatory, but if you liked a show and didn't have to pony up for a ticket, showing the actors a little love when they ask for donations helps keep theater alive in local parks.

"Hamlet" (through Aug. 2)

The Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival


Got stamina? You can take in up

to seven different shows in a single weekend, all in the fresh air of

Seattle's Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill, as this free annual summer event unfolds Saturday and Sunday. (Definitely bring your own seating for this one.) Shakespeare plays, "Robin Hood" and other works

will be performed by the Young Shakespeare Workshop, Greenstage, Wooden O Theatre, Theatre Schmeater and Last Leaf Productions; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday

and noon-7 p.m. Sunday.

For the full lineup, see

www.outdoortheater.org.

and "As You Like It" (through July 30)

The most artistically reliable of the area's outdoor Shakespearean troupes, with some impressive actors and directors, mounts two of the Bard's greatest hits in parks on Mercer Island, in Seattle and other nearby locales; free (206-931-3516 or www.woodeno.org).

"The Tempest at NewHolly"

(Thursday-July 23)

This new Seattle outfit interweaves documentary modern stories of immigration and family into an original adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," by Andrea Allen. The cast blends trained actors with residents of the NewHolly, a mixed-income housing community on Beacon Hill, where the performances will take place (directions and details: 206-296-2313 or www.dxmtheater.org).

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" (through Aug. 26) and "Henry VI" (July 27-Aug. 27)

This hearty troupe, formed in 1989, continues to offer free Shakespeare works in local parks from Fall City to West Seattle (206-748-1551 or www.greenstage.org).

"Robin Hood" (Saturday-Aug. 26)

He's an archery whiz who gave to the poor what he stole from the rich, and he returns with his merry men in a new outdoor version of his saga. Volunteer Park, Seattle; free (206-324-5801 or www.schmeater.org).

"Summer Family BBQ" (July 28-30, Aug. 4-6)

The zany pyromaniacs are at it again, juggling and pratfalling and twirling with fire in a charbroiled vaudeville show that can be a lot of silly fun for blaze-lovers of all ages. At Magnuson Park, Sand Point, Seattle; $7.50-$20 (800-838-3006 or www.cirquedeflambe.com).

"The Sound of Music" (through Sept. 2), "The Music Man" (Wednesday-Sept. 1) and "Showboat" (Aug. 2-30)

The popular alpine musical-theater company offers three shows: two on outdoor Leavenworth stages ("The Music Man" and the perennial "Sound of Music"), and a third indoors ("Showboat"); $14-$25 (schedule and other info: 509-548-2000 or www.leavenworthsummertheater.org).

"Hamlet" and "Comedy of Errors" (running in repertory, Aug. 2-20)

Graced with a new name, this Shakespeare fest takes place in Mount Vernon's Edgewater Park, along the banks of the mighty Skagit River; $12.50 (360-336-8955 or www.shakesnw.org).

"Oklahoma!" (tonight-July 30) and "The Baker's Wife" (Aug. 18-Sept. 3)

This outdoor community theater specializes in musicals. Impact Amphitheatre at Impact Church International, 4819 Hunt St., Gig Harbor; $5-$14 (253-858-2282 or www.encoretheater.org).

"Two Gentlemen of Verona"

(ends Sunday) and "Annie"

(July 29-Sept. 3)

You can purchase a picnic dinner at the site or bring along your own for shows at this rustic Fall City theater, located on 95 acres of scenic wood-

lands (425-736-7252 or www.foresttheater.org).

"Macbeth"(through Aug. 12) and "Much Ado About Nothing" (through June 30)

The Monroe-based Shakespeare ensemble performs shows in parks in Seattle, Monroe, Issaquah, Arlington, and Snohomish (360- 805-9379 or www.geocities.com/lastleaf99).

Through Sept. 24

Vancouver's professional Shakespeare operation, which offers shows in open-flapped tents high above English Bay, presents the following in rep this summer: "Troilus and Cressida," "Measure for Measure," "A Winter's Tale" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream." (Details: 877-739-0559 or www.bardonthebeach.org).

Through Oct. 29

The venerable Oregon drama complex presents an assortment of modern and classical works in rep. The outdoor offerings — Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and "Two Gentlemen of Verona," and Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" in the Elizabethan Theatre — run through Oct. 7. (Complete info: 541-482-4331 or www.osfashland.org.)

Misha Berson: mberson@seattletimes.com