The Buzz: Theater
Shakespeare, abridged: It's not entirely clear who's to blame for the truncated season of Shakespeare on the Common, reduced this year from three weeks to one. But it is clear what to do about it: Get out there, enjoy your free "Midsummer Night's Dream," and send a message to the city -- and Citibank, which now holds the purse strings -- that Boston loves and needs its outdoor drama, even when it's not at Fenway. Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, July 24-29. 617-532-1212, free, shakespeare.org
Songs of a summer night: Watertown's New Repertory Theatre and Cambridge's American Repertory Theatre are each presenting a program of midsummer melodies this year. Rick Lombardo directs "Side by Side by Sondheim" at New Rep, July 7-22 ; 617-923-8487, newrep.org . And Scott Edmiston takes the ART helm for "A Marvel ous Party! The Noel Coward Celebration," using the glittering "Onion Cellar" set (and its cash bar) at Zero Arrow, July 13-29; 617-547-8300, amrep.org .
Live, if not in person: There's still more singing in the city, with local impresario Tony McLean's long-awaited collaboration with actress Kathy St. George , "And Now Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Judy Garland," starting a limited run June 8 at the Lyric Stage Company; 617-585-5678, lyricstage .com. Meanwhile, for a more sober (and presumably songless) bioplay, there's Jack Holmes's "RFK," which was nominated for an Outer Critics' Circle award in New York and starts a limited run June 7 at the Stuart Street Playhouse; 800-447-7400, telecharge.com.
All hail Queen Tina: Shakespeare & Company artistic director Tina Packer extends her Lenox-based kingdom from last year's Elsinore, where she ruled the roost opposite her son's Hamlet, to the Nile. If her Cleopatra is anything like her thrillingly sensual Gertrude, you'll want to book a barge and follow right along. Nigel Gore shares the spotlight in "Antony and Cleopatra," July 27-Sept. 2. 413-637-3353, shakespeare.org.
Linda Hamilton, RN: The "Terminator" star has a roost of her own in Stockbridge, where she returns to the Berkshire Theatre Festival for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Could Nurse Ratched subdue robotic aliens single-handed? Don't doubt it for a second. July 10-28 , 413-298-5576, berkshiretheatre.org.
North stars: Up the road, the Williamstown Theatre Festival has lured a few luminaries, too, from B.D. Wong (as a child star possessed by a tap-dancing dwarf [!] in "Herringbone" ) to Kathleen Turner (though she's directing "Crimes of the Heart," not acting). Most promising may be Nicholas Martin directing Kate Burton in "The Corn Is Green," Aug. 1-12 . New works include "Dissonance," June 27-July 8 ; "Villa America," July 11-22 ; "Party Come Here," July 25-Aug. 5 . 413-597-3400, wtfestival.org.
LOUISE KENNEDY 
