Plenty of plays this summer

The summer-season floodgates are open this week, with a mix of old standbys and contemporary works.

• "TRUE WEST," Sam Shepard's gritty comedy examining the aspect of duality within the human psyche, is being staged by the newly formed Shortcut Theatre Company, playing Wednesday-Saturday in the Lab Theatre/Studio 115 of the University of Utah's Performing Arts Building, located directly west of the campus bookstore.

The plot revolves around two brothers who seem to be polar opposites but cannot exist without each other. Hugh Hanson is directing. The cast includes Whit Hertford, Eric McGraw and Tony Larimer.

Curtain is 7:30 all four nights, with one Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets, available only at the door, are $6 for students and $7 for adults.

• "SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK LIVE! JR.," a "junior-edition" stage version of ABC's musical TV series of the mid-1970s and '80s, is being staged by Youth Theatre at the U., the U.'s teen-oriented company.

Directed by Amy Oakeson, the show features a cast of 12 young people (ages 10-16), with one adult, local actor Glen Carpenter (seen most recently as Sancho in the Grand Theatre's "Man of La Mancha" and the Cat in Rodger's Memorial Theatre's "Seussical the Musical").

Oakeson said that many of the youths involved have previous experience with such groups as Children's Dance Theatre, Janet Gray Studios, Ballet West, Pioneer Theatre Company, Hale Centre Theatre and others.

Performances are Mondays-Saturdays, June 15-25, at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m., in the Babcock Theatre of the U.'s Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S. 1400 East.

Tickets are $5 for youths 3-18, and $10 for adults (ArtTix outlets or 581-7100). For school and group rates, call 581-6098.

• "GUYS AND DOLLS," the Broadway classic based on Damon Runyon's colorful collection of Times Square characters, kicks off Emerson-Smith College for the Arts' 2005 summer-stock series in the Villa Theatre, 254 S. Main, Springville.

The cast includes Josh Francis as Sky Masterson, Matt Hogan as Nathan Detroit, Jessica Huffaker as Sarah, Jill Bell as Adelaide, Jordon Willie as Nicely-Nicely Johnson and Rob Young as Arvide.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. nightly except Sunday, beginning Thursday and playing through June 27.

Season passes are $20 per person or $69 for a family pass. Single tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children. Group rates are also available (471-7193).