It seems somehow fitting that the world’s most famous star-crossed lovers should meet under the stars at the Old Globe’s Festival Stage where, in a traditional Renaissance setting, they play out their romantic but sad saga.

Romeo and Juliet plays through Sept. 28 in rotation with All’s Well That Ends Well and The Merry Wives of Windsor as part of the Old Globe’s summer Shakespeare festival.

The violence of 14th century Verona is revealed in the first scene – a brawl between Capulets and Montagues, broken up with stern admonitions from Prince Escalus (Jonathan McMurtry). But the feud between these two houses will not be ended by fiat.

Romeo and Juliet is sometimes seen as a story about how the rashness and impetuosity of youth can lead to tragedy. Director Richard Seer sees it rather as a reflection of a society in which many characters make choices which compound and eventually leave the young lovers no option but death. Escalus banishes Romeo; Capulet threatens Juliet with disinheritance; Friar Laurence gives Juliet the potion – reasonable enough individual actions, but the totality leads to tragedy.

Seer’s sure-handed direction takes the drama seamlessly through the tonal shift from the lighthearted banter and colorful party atmosphere of the first part to the murders of Mercutio and Tybalt. After that, the airy Botticellian palette gives way to the shadows and darkness of the impending tragedy, underscored by York Kennedy’s terrific lighting design.

The technical and directorial strengths of this production are matched by one of the strongest casts I’ve seen for this play. Heather Wood is utterly convincing; Graham Hamilton less so, but adequate. Kudos to costume designer Anna R. Oliver for helping to create a youthful look for Wood.

Owiso Odera’s Mercutio is one of the best I’ve ever seen – quick-witted, fleet of foot, quick to anger and completely captivating onstage. Sloan Grenz’s Peter (Capulet’s servant) stands out in a small but memorable role. James Winker’s Friar Laurence, Kandis Chappell and Wynn Harmon as the elder Capulets, Deborah Taylor’s Nurse, Anthony von Halle’s Tybalt – it’s an embarrassment of riches.

Fine directorial flourishes like the ball scene in which Juliet spins away from her partner and into Romeo’s arms and a most effective final scene right out of Caravaggio leave us with unforgettable dramatic images.

On a fine summer night, you can do no better than this fine production of one of the most famous stories in the literature.

Romeo and Juliet plays through Sept. 28 in rotation with All’s Well That Ends Well and The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Lowell Davies Festival Stage. For tickets, call 619-233-5623 or visit www.theoldglobe.org.

CCT Musical Theater gives Alice in Wonderland a wild new rock musical treatment by local actor/composer Jon Lorenz through Aug. 10 at East County Performing Arts Center. Lorenz directs.

Lorenz’s Alice (Kaitlyn Terrill) is in high school and not so much looking for adventure as pondering her future and what she wants to do with it. But what she wants now is to be noticed by the handsome hunk in her class, who is clearly attached to another girl.

Alice’s talent is singing, and when R. Abbott (who wears a white suit—get it?), agent for the rock group Red Queen, invites her to his office to meet lead singer Delilah (Erika Jermasek), she throws caution to the wind – and falls down that (R. Abbott) hole to the Wonderland Agency, despite the “don’t do this dumb thing” admonition of nerdy-but-nice classmate Donnie (Noah Fish). Tech wizard Nick McNamer gets props here for creating the spectacular Peter Pan-inspired “Falling” number which has Alice and many household objects flying through space.

In Wonderland, she meets other strange folk such as Madd Hadder (Perry Lee, Dora Mauze, Danica Russell) and the Tweedles Piz and Chaz (Brad Davis and Sean O’Donnell).

Alice is a huge undertaking, with a cast of 46, a tricky set that moves in all directions, numerous costumes and terrific choreography by Jason Russell. My favorite dance is provided by “The Collective,” a visually stunning Thai chorus line with amazing moves.

This show, first presented at Disney’s ASCAP Musical Theater workshop in 2005, needs some tweaks and polish. The show is lopsided – the first act runs 90 minutes, the second about 30. On opening night, the sound and light cues weren’t always spot-on, and the mood is ruined in the first 15 minutes or so by the house lights going up and down, presumably so latecomers can find their seats.

The music is standard rock – loud, with often incomprehensible lyrics. Since this is a world premiere, the show needs either a printed libretto, opera-style supertitles or more attention to diction.

But these are fixable problems. Kudos to Lorenz and his dedicated cast, and especially to Kaitlyn Terrill, an adorable little girl with a mighty voice who seems to have no trouble navigating the often-tricky music.

Leonard Patton’s Chester the elevator man (a.k.a. Chat, Lorenz’s play on the Cheshire cat) is also memorable in his “Mad Mad Wonderland” number with Alice.

Catch this show, but you’d better hurry. It closes Sunday.

Alice plays through Aug. 10 at the East County Performing Arts Center. Shows Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. For tickets call 619-588-0206 or 800-696-1929 or visit www.cctmusicaltheater.com.

That biblical Joseph is a “walking work of art” in more ways than one as he struts the stage in his fabulous multicolored coat through Aug. 10 at Moonlight Amphitheatre. The popular Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is directed by Carlos Mendoza.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a story of envy, bad behavior, redemption and forgiveness, was Rice and Webber’s first produced show and it’s still an audience favorite, with its large cast, many production numbers and riffs on musical styles from Elvis to Calypso, gospel to French cabaret.

Director/choreographer Carlos Menoza leads a sterling cast headed by James Royce Edwards (last seen in San Diego Musical Theatre’s Bye Bye Birdie) as Joseph and Stephanie Burkett Gerson as the Narrator.

Edwards is not just a strong singing actor; he’s also a gymnast and has obviously been pumping iron (evident when he winds up nearly naked in an Egyptian jail). This Joseph isn’t just good; he’s good to look at.

Gerson, beautiful lead production singer on Holland America cruise line, has a high, powerful voice that could carry without amplification.

Joseph also has a fine (and large) supporting cast, too numerous to mention. But the brothers are first-rate, and so is Paul Clausen playing three roles (Jacob, Potiphar and the Elvis-inspired Pharaoh, resplendent in gold lamé and a huge pompadour).

Brenna Fleeman-Daley is also great as the sexy Mrs. Potiphar, who gets Joseph tossed into jail in the first place.

Kudos to Mendoza, whose sure directorial hand keeps the 40-plus cast members and dancers in line.

Color, energetic dancing, bouncy songs, a great cast – oh, and that fabulous dreamcoat: how can you go wrong? But hurry, Joseph closes this weekend.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat plays through Aug. 10 at Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. Shows Wednesday through Sunday at 8 p.m. For tickets call 760-724-2110 or visit www.vistixonline.com.