Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s “Play On!” Community Tour brings free performances of Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” to libraries, parks and community centers in the Lehigh Valley region.

The inaugural tour launched in 2023 with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and played to more than 1,100 people at 13 locations.

With a goal of strengthening collaborative relationships with community partners, the “Play On!” tour marked PSF’s commitment to increase accessibility to theater for under-resourced populations in the region. “Play On!” performances are free and open to the public.

Jessica Bedford directs “Comedy of Errors,” following last season’s “Sense and Sensibility.”

Bedford, a Philadelphia actor, director, dramaturg and playwright, is an assistant professor of theater at DeSales University.

She recently received six Barrymore Award nominations for her co-written version of “Jane Eyre” at Philadelphia Artists’ Collective.

“The Comedy of Errors” follows the escapades of two sets of identical twins separated at birth and residing in the same town. Mistaken identities make for hilarious complications until chaos gives way to clarity, and mayhem to mirth, when brother is reunited with brother and a town turned upside down is turned right-side up.

Tour dates for “The Comedy of Errors” are noon May 31, ArtsWalk Pocket Park, 65 N. Church St., Allentown; noon June 1, National Museum of Industrial History, 602 E. Second St., Bethlehem; 2 p.m. June 2, Union Terrace Amphitheater, Union and St. Elmo streets, Allentown; 6 p.m. June 4, Burnside Plantation, 1461 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem; 6 p.m. June 6, Allentown Public Library, 1210 Hamilton St., Allentown; 6 p.m. June 7, Hills at Lockridge Park band shell, 7100 Scenic View Drive, Lower Macungie Township; 11 a.m. June 8, Easton Farmer’s Market, 128 Larry Holmes Drive, Easton; 5 p.m. June 9, lawn, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley; 6 p.m. June 12, Bethlehem Area Public Library, 11 W. Church St., Bethlehem; 6:30 p.m. June 13, Kutztown Park band shell, 421 E. Main St., Kutztown; 6 p.m. June 14, Victory Park Amphitheater, Grove and Second streets, Slatington, and 3 p.m. June 15, 16, Peddler’s Village, 100 Peddlers Village, Lahaska.

“The Comedy of Errors,” May 31 to June 16, various locations. 610-282-9455, https://pashakespeare.org/

Pennsylvania Playhouse takes audiences back to gritty 1930s Berlin with its production of “Cabaret” that features innovative staging and a live orchestra on stage, May 31 to June 16.

As the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies (Cody Jackson) welcomes the audience in a Berlin nightclub, and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the “Cabaret.”

With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, “Cabaret” explores the dark, heady and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich.

Cliff Bradshaw (Dylan Miller), a young American writer newly arrived in Berlin, is immediately taken with enigmatic English singer Sally Bowles (Talia Sites). Meanwhile, Fräulein Schneider (Trish Kane Steele), proprietor of Cliff and Sally’s boarding house, tentatively begins a romance with Herr Schultz (Robert Torres), a mild-mannered fruit-seller who happens to be Jewish.

With a score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, “Cabaret” explores themes of love, desire, freedom and the loss of innocence against the backdrop of a rapidly-changing and increasingly dangerous world. It is known for its memorable musical numbers, including “Willkommen,” “Cabaret,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Two Ladies” and “Maybe This Time.”

“This legendary musical remains deeply ingrained in the hearts of audiences across the globe, and we’re thrilled to unveil our distinctive rendition that adeptly encapsulates the allure and complexity of this unforgettable era,” says director Kathy Pacheco, who is Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity Chair of the board at The Pennsylvania Playhouse.

Musical direction is by Liam P. Mulligan. Choreography is by Anthony Mauriello.

An orchestra returns to the Playhouse for the first time since before the Covid pandemic.

The cast includes Moriah Faith, Shaun Hayes, Annie Westcott, Elisa Purizaca Carillo, Avante Kendall, Cindi Greatsinger, Cheryl Moritz, Mia Lobach, Johnny Bertone, Anthony Kompa, Elliot Mercedes, Joseph Mowad and Jim Wildin.

Understudies are Andrew Maldonado (Emcee), Lucy Moore (Sally Bowles), Denise Shelton (Fräulein Schneider), Paul Rossi (Herr Schiultz) and Meghan McGorry, Will Windsor Wrwin, Malana Wilson and Bethany Wentling.

The June 7 performance will feature the understudy cast.

“Cabaret,” 7:30 p.m. May 31, June 1, 7, 8, 14, 15; 6 p.m. June 2, 9, 16, Pennsylvania Playhouse, 390 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem. 610-865-6665, http://www.paplayhouse.org/

Touchstone Theatre presents “Fresh Voices: Land of the Lockdown, Home of the Active Shooter,” a new, two-person show created and performed by Touchstone Theatre-Moravian University MFA students Amber Charest and Jenny Pacanowski, 7:30 p.m. June 1 and 2 p.m. June 2.

In the immersive performance, audience members will experience what it is like to be a student in the United States today.

Inspiration for the performance came from a class on viewpoints, which focuses on performance creation through physicality as opposed to language.

“A key moment in the development of this piece was when Amber and I realized how similar our backgrounds are even though Amber is an educator and I am a combat veteran,” says Pacanowski.

As an educator, active-shooter drills are a dreaded part of the job,” says Charest. “How do you answer all of the ‘What if?’ questions that come your way? I’ve seen an increase in social-emotional needs, especially after COVID-19, and I wonder how we can better support our students.”

“Fresh Voices” has been a staple of Touchstone’s apprentice program for more than 20 years, which gives students an annual opportunity to explore and create solo and ensemble-based performances.

This season marks the fifth year of Touchstone’s partnership with Moravian University, converting the longstanding apprenticeship into an MFA-granting curriculum.

“Fresh Voices: Land of the Lockdown, Home of the Active Shooter,” 7:30 p.m. June 1; 2 p.m. June 2, Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem. 610-867-1689, https://touchstone.org/

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com