Eight choices this weekend at Kitsap theaters, two more on the way.

Already feeling overwhelmed by the holiday spirit, and not in a good way? If you want to escape for a few hours, recharge your shopping batteries or just have a good belly laugh, consider heading to a local community theater.

Right now they are all in full swing with productions which are perfect for a holiday de-stressing session.

I don’t mean to put any pressure on you here, but several plays are ending soon or play this weekend only, so you better get a move on.

Ending their runs this weekend are “Forever Plaid” at the Jewel Box in Poulsbo and “The Odd Couple” at Bremerton Community Theatre.

“Forever Plaid” is an entertaining swing through the songs of yesteryear, performed by a talented quartet in a most amusing way. And the Jewel Box is now a comfy little theater with the recent addition of real folding theater seats.

“The Odd Couple” at BCT is Neil Simon’s female version of his original hit, and it’s just as funny in Bremerton as it was on Broadway. The cast of mostly female actors makes the slob/neat freak scenario just as plausible with girl-oriented jokes as it was with two guys.

Playing this weekend only is “Peter Pan,” staged by the young actors of the Bainbridge Performing Arts Theatre School, at The Playhouse. These kids may be young, fifth to eighth grade, but many of them have been acting in Theatre School productions for years. You can barely call them amateurs, and the production promises to be up to the BPA’s usual high standards. See the story in this issue for details.

The young actors at the Western Washington Center for the Arts are having a ball putting on the costume-laden Disney epic, “Beauty and the Beast” at the WWCA theater in Port Orchard. It’s a fun outing for youngsters who know the songs by heart, and for parents who are tired of putting in the video over and over.

Taking you back to the WWII era is “1940s Radio Hour” at CSTOCK in Silverdale. It’s fun to get lost in the swinging big band tunes, but the interaction between the characters at the radio station is also absorbing theater.

Beginning their runs this weekend are “The Curious Savage,” by the King’s West Performance Company in Silverdale, “A Partridge in a Pear Tree,” by the PAGSK players in Port Orchard and the Roving Players’ production of “The Homecoming” in Indianola.

“The Curious Savage” is a bit of a black comedy, as the plot involves a bunch of scheming children who commit their mother to a mental institution to keep her from giving “their” inheritance to charity. The players are all students at King’s West School, which is technically Bremerton, but is really just off of Old Silverdale Way, on Chico Way.

The Performing Arts Guild of South Kitsap should be commended for putting on a holiday play at all, since they lost their theater space at the Towne Square mall in Port Orchard and had to look for a new “home.” They are temporarily housed at 703 Prospect St.

“A Partridge in a Pear Tree” is a one-act play based on the 12 days of Christmas, set in medieval Europe.

If “The Homecoming” seems familiar, maybe it’s because it’s based on the same story as “The Waltons.” This is real family theater, with no off-color jokes or swear words. It’s safe to take the kids and grandma. Full story in this issue.

If your head isn’t spinning from all these choices, plus the “Nutcracker” ballets being staged in the weekends leading up to Christmas, there are two more musicals coming up. You didn’t think you could escape without at least one “A Christmas Carol” did you?

Ovation! Musical Theatre Bainbridge opens the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Charles Dickens’ classic tale Dec. 9 at the Bainbridge High School. Ovation! always pulls out the all stops for their musicals, and this one is no exception.

Opening Dec. 10 at Kingston Jr. High is the Kitsap Children’s Musical Theatre production of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” another classic. Who can forget the poor little “Charlie Brown Christmas tree?” If this play doesn’t get you in the holiday mood, nothin’ will.

Information on all the plays and musicals underway is in the Goings On calendar in this issue. Full stories on the Ovation! and KCMT productions will be in the next issue. wu

For questions or comments, contact Marcie Miller at mmiller@northkitsapherald.com.