BREWER – One of the region’s most beloved summer theatre traditions is once again gracing the great outdoors.

Ten Bucks Theatre is offering up their annual outdoor Shakespeare adventure. This year’s production is “Romeo and Juliet,” running through July 31 at Brewer’s Indian Trail Park before moving to Fort Knox in Prospect for performances Aug. 4-7. All shows start at 6 p.m. You can find out more at www.tenbuckstheatre.org or by checking them out on Facebook.

There’s nothing quite like sitting outside and letting the brilliance of the Bard wash over you. Ten Bucks Theatre has been giving area audiences that opportunity for years; why not take advantage of the opportunity to see one of his greatest works play out in the bright sunshine?

Now, you probably don’t need me to explain the plot of “Romeo and Juliet” to you – it’s one of the most well-known stories in the entire Western canon. In fact, why don’t I let Prince Escalus give you the heads up? He spells it all out in the Prologue, after all.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

I mean, that’s pretty great, right? And it’s even better when you hear Ben Layman deliver it.

There’s a lot to love about summer in Maine.

Once again, summer’s arrival is upon us. The weather is warming up and the days are approaching their greatest length. People near and far are going to descend on our state’s beaches, mountains and forests; people are going to swim and hike and boat and generally experience the outdoors in a fashion that one can only achieve in Maine.

But there are other summertime perks, too.

For those who love live theater, there are loads of options. Companies near and far are bringing exciting work to stages all over the region; no matter where you might be, there’s a good chance that you’ve got some excellent theater happening nearby.

Our focus is on the greater Bangor area, but we also go fairly far afield, venturing in every direction to show you just how many great summertime offerings there are out there. Comedies and dramas and musicals, classics and new plays – there’s something for just about every theatrical taste coming our way over the coming months.

It’s well worth your time to experience some of what our area’s summer stages have to offer. Here’s a look at just some of what’s to come.

BANGOR – Two local theatre companies have collaborated on a holiday production unlike any you’ve seen before.

Ten Bucks Theatre Company and True North Theatre Company have joined forces this holiday season to offer up their production of “Greetings!” The play – written by Tom Dudzik and directed by Tellis K. Coolong – is running through Dec. 19 at the Ten Bucks Theatre space in the Bangor Mall.

The show is a … let’s call it unconventional take on the usual holiday fare, one that utilizes some familiar tropes of the genre only to subvert them in service of a tale that is far weirder than what you usually see this time of year. Weirder, but no less heartfelt because of that. It’s a story of families and the difficulties that they can have, the pitfalls of communication (and lack thereof) and what it means to believe.

BREWER – Something wicked this way comes … to Brewer this weekend, courtesy of one local theatre company.

Ten Bucks Theatre Company will present “Scary Stories,” a staged reading of classic stories and poems aimed at celebrating this spookiest of seasons. The event will take place at TBT’s outdoor home at Indian Trail Park in Brewer; performances will take place on Oct. 16 and 17, with two readings on each date – one at 1 p.m. and one at 4 p.m. Admission is free, though donations will be accepted (and appreciated).

BREWER – One of the region’s most beloved summertime cultural traditions is back in action in Brewer. Or should I say – the Forest of Arden.

Ten Bucks Theatre Company is presenting its annual Shakespeare Under the Stars production. This year’s offering is the pastoral comedy “As You Like It.” The show runs July 22-25 at Brewer’s Indian Trail Park, followed by a final weekend – July 29-Aug. 1 – at Fort Knox in Prospect. All performances start at 6 p.m.; tickets are $15 and available at www.tenbuckstheatre.org.

It’s a story of palace intrigue, love, family ties and the many ways in which country life and court life differ – as well as a few in which they are very much the same.

BREWER – The spirit of live theatre is alive and well in Brewer, courtesy of the spirits of the dead.

Local companies Ten Bucks Theatre and True North Theatre have come together in collaboration for their outdoor production of the Edgar Lee Masters classic “Spoon River Anthology.” The show – which has limited audiences and socially distanced seating – is running at Brewer’s Indian Trail Park, with performances at 1 and 4 p.m. on October 24 and 25. Tickets, as well as information about safety protocols and guidelines, are available at www.tenbuckstheatre.org.

“Spoon River Anthology” was first published in 1915, a collection of free verse poems that purported to be epitaphs of the now-deceased residents of the titular town, based largely on Masters’ hometown of Lewistown, Illinois. Consisting of 212 characters and, in all, nearly 250 accounts of their lives in small-town rural America. In the years since, it has become a mainstay of theatrical groups of all levels – a rare work that allows for production flexibility while also remaining evocative and compelling. That flexibility makes it an ideal offering for the current time and place.

BREWER – When it comes to Ten Bucks Theatre Company’s annual Shakespeare Under the Stars production, the show must go on – pandemic be damned.

This summer’s offering – directed by Amy Roeder – is “The Taming of the Shrew,” with performances at three different venues: Brewer’s Indian Trail Park (July 16-19, 23-24), Old Town’s Hirundo Wildlife Refuge (July 25-26) and Fort Knox in Prospect (July 30-31, Aug. 1-2). All performances start at 6 p.m.

Due to the current circumstances, social distancing measures will be in place (including for the cast). Audiences will be limited to 50 people and the show will be presented without an intermission.

There are a lot of challenges that come with trying to mount a show right now. By all appearances, Ten Bucks has met all of them with enthusiasm and passion. This is a difficult piece to do well under ideal conditions, let alone now. Yet this intrepid crew has overcome the obstacles of circumstance. The result is a charming, engaging piece of theatre – one that might help you escape, if only for a couple of hours. These days, that’s a precious gift.

December is here, and hence the holiday season is in full force. The snow has started falling, the lights have started shining and the shopping has started in earnest. Hopefully, you’re out there shopping local whenever you can – a thriving community depends on consumers buying from their neighbors.

But shopping local doesn’t end with retail. You should shop local when it comes to your Yuletide entertainment as well. And here’s the thing – you can do that, because there is an embarrassment of riches out there for locally-offered holiday performance.

Sure, you could sit at home and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the umpteenth time or run through your Christmas Spotify playlist. But where’s the fun in that?

Especially when you take into account that our region is absolutely jammed with possibilities. There are stage shows and concerts galore. There is comedy and drama and so much music. There are holiday classics and brand-new creations. All of it right here in your backyard.

Look, if you want to stay home and drink hot toddies in front of a roaring fireplace, that’s perfectly OK. No judgment – sounds like you’ve figured out what it is you want from the holiday season and life in general. But if you’re looking to be entertained, well … you’re in luck.

In recent years, it seems as though every December has had a wealth of options. But this year more than ever, it feels like there really is something for everyone out there.

Please note that this isn’t even close to everything out there. I’ve just chosen a handful of options that might pique your interest. Keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground, because there is just so much out there, with so many people celebrating with their own joyful noises.

BANGOR – Vaudeville is alive and well (well … sort of) on a local stage.

Ten Bucks Theatre Company is offering up their production of the Neil Simon comedy “The Sunshine Boys” at their theater space in the Bangor Mall. Directed by Ben Layman, the show runs through Oct. 20.

It’s a tale of a friendship gone sour, featuring a pair of stubborn men whose once-intimate connection is long in the past, courtesy of a number of slights both real and perceived. It’s about what a monumental task it can be to forgive (even if age has made it a little easier to forget). A love of show business can run deep, but deeper than a friendship?

Depends on the friend.

BREWER – The winter of our discontent shall be made glorious summer, courtesy of Ten Bucks Theatre Company.

TBT’s latest installment of their Shakespeare Under the Stars series is “Richard III,” which played last weekend in Brewer’s Indian Trail Park. Subsequent performances will take place at the Orono Public Library’s amphitheater (July 25-28) and at Fort Knox in Prospect (Aug. 1-4).

Directed by Daniel Hanchrow, it’s the story of one person’s twisted plan to usurp the British throne and their willingness to indulge in whatever vicious acts, terrible deceptions and base betrayals necessary to achieve that single-minded aim. Featuring fluid casting, stripped-down production values and some bold aesthetic choices, it’s a production that is both unique in the annals of TBT’s history with the Bard and very much of a piece with some of the big swings of Shakespeare past.

Seriously – with women cast in men’s roles (in a reversal of the tradition of Shakespeare’s day) and a visual palette inspired by the ‘90s gangster oeuvre of filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Guy Richie, this is outdoor Shakespeare the likes of which you don’t often see.