Musical Hijinks: Something Rotten! opens the Sharon Playhouse season. The hit Broadway musical turns Shakespeare into an egotistical superstar. Trying to compete with him, playwrights Nigel and Nick Bottom develop the very first musical. The show runs from Friday, June 23 to Sunday, July 9. For tickets, visit SharonPlayhouse.org.

Ivoryton Is Singing: Ivoryton Playhouse is alive with The Sound of Music, which opens Friday, June 30 and runs through Sunday, July 30. Director Jacqueline Hubbard has a fine cast to work with: Broadway and opera star David Pittsinger plays Capt. Von Trapp with opera star Patricia Schuman as the Mother Abbess and Broadway performer Adrianne Hick as Maria. For tickets, visit IvorytonPlayhouse.org.

A Perfect Sandwich: Playwright Lynn Nottage is known for her sympathetic portrayal of working Americans. Clyde’s, which runs at TheaterWorks Harford from Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 30, is about formerly incarcerated kitchen staff at a truck stop sandwich shop. The employees are trying to reclaim their lives and create the perfect sandwich. For tickets, visit TWHartford.org

Think ‘40s Swing: Playhouse on Park is closing its season with the musical Bandstand from Tuesday, July 12 through Sunday, Aug. 20. The musical focuses on a group of WWII vets who strive to win a national competition for the nation’s next swing band sensation. The after-effects of the war and the pressure of the competition test their talent and willpower. For tickets, visit PlayhouseOnPark.org.

Playwriting Co-Chair: Maracus Gardley is joining the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale as co-chair of the playwrighting program with Anne Erbe. Gardley’s play The House that will not Stand had its world premiere at the Yale Rep in 2013.

Upcoming Season: TheaterWorks Harford has announced its upcoming season, which opens with Lizzie, a rock musical about the infamous ax-murderer (Sept. 29 to Oct. 22. After a return of Christmas on the Rocks (Nov. 29 to Dec. 23), the new year opens with The Garbologist, described as “an out-of-the-box comedy,” from Feb. 2 to Feb. 25. Next is Sanctuary City from March 29 to April 22. This is in partnership with Long Wharf Theatre. The season closes with Sandra (May 31 to June 23), billed as a theatrical thriller. For more information or subscriptions, visit TWHartford.org

Musicians Afterall: The producers of the Broadway musical, Here Lies Love reached an agreement with the American Federation of Musicians. There will be a 12-piece orchestra that plays during the show together with some prerecorded tracks. The show is in previews now.

The Tony Awards: I hope you watched the show. The unscripted show seemed to move faster without the strained banter between presenters. The big winners were Leopstadt and the musical Kimberly Akimbo. Special awards were presented to composer John Kander and performer Joel Grey. Some Like It Hot picked up awards for best performer in a musical and choreography, among others. Life of Pi won for projections and other production awards. Best revival of a musical went to Parade. As predicted, Sean Hayes won for best performance in a play.

An Ominous Sign: It is another sign that regional theaters continue to struggle following the pandemic. Many in the theater community were stunned when Los Angeles Theater Group announced it will not present any productions at the acclaimed Mark Taper Forum this upcoming season and that it was laying off some staff. It will have productions at the Ahmanson Theater and the smaller Kirk Douglas Theater.

Karen Isaacs is an East Haven resident. To check out her reviews for New York and Connecticut shows, visit 2ontheaisle.wordpress.com. She’s a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle, New York’s Outer Critics Circle, the League of Professional Theater Women, and the American Theatre Critics Association.