Local theaters reopen the red curtain.

By Haley Shapley

When the pandemic upended life as we knew it, regional theaters were among the hardest hit. Thanks to innovation and perseverance, Seattle’s theater scene is climbing back on stage this year. Check out these theaters and companies for a lineup of inspiring and provocative productions.

For ocean-themed productions, get in line for the world premiere of Bruce, a musical about the making of Jaws at Seattle Rep (155 Mercer St) through late June. In a converted bathhouse on idyllic Green Lake, Seattle Public Theater (7312 West Green Lake Dr N) is staging Titanish (July–August), an “unsinkable” comedy that is a parody of the movie Titanic.

With a mission to tell stories of hope, Taproot Theatre Company (212 N 85th St) features in its 2022 season Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee (July–August) and a brand-new cabaret of stories and songs in A Night with the Russells: The Legacy of Us (September–October).

Literary theater experiences await at Book-It Repertory Theatre (305 Harrison St, The Seattle Center Armory), which will stage a production of Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter in June and July. Set in Seattle’s verdant parks, the Seattle Shakespeare Company is producing two free outdoor shows in July and August: Cymbeline and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

If you’re looking for a laugh, check out the improv shows put on by Unexpected Productions (1428 Post Alley)—and make a night out of it with dinner at Pike Place Market.