Fall Arts Preview: Theater

The usual heady mix - world premieres, plays never before seen in Philadelphia, and established shows that bear restaging - make for a promising first half of the theater season in Philadelphia and the suburbs, a region where professional companies continue to thrive. (Go online for even more enticing possibilities.)

As usual, I can't vouch for most of these productions because they're not yet running. But they're promising, and presented in the order of their opening dates. We'll be back with a spring list in January.

Love Story, the Musical (Walnut Street Theatre main stage, through Oct. 21, 215-574-3550 or www.walnutstreettheatre.org) Putting Erich Segal's 1970s best-seller to music means never having to say you're sorry without a tune to back you up.

New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza at Talmud Torah Congregation, Amsterdam, July 27, 1656 (Lantern Theatre Company, through next Sunday, 215-829-0395 or www.lanterntheater.org) Last year's extended sellout - the best seller of Lantern's history - is back, full of big ideas about faith and justice.

Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika (Wilma Theater, through Oct. 21, 215-546-7824 or www.wilmatheater.org) The Wilma staged Part One of Tony Kushner's celebrated work about AIDS, politics, and America last season, and here's the second and final installment. There will be occasional marathons of both parts.

Gutenberg! The Musical! (Montgomery Theater, through Oct. 6, 215-723-9984 or www.montgomerytheater.org; Act II Playhouse, Oct. 9-Nov. 4, 215-654-0200 or www.act2playhouse.org) Two Montgomery County professional stages coproduce this spoof on the man who is credited with inventing the printing press. It's a two-hander, with Tony Braithwaite and Steve Pacek.

Oleanna (Bristol Riverside Theatre, Sept. 25-Oct. 4, 215-785-0100 or www.brtstage.org) Carol's college grade will improve if she continues to meet with her professor, but what are these meetings really about? The drama is by David Mamet.

Next to Normal (Arden Theatre Company, Sept. 27-Nov. 4, 215-922-1122 or www.ardentheatre.org) Arden mounts its own production of the show that had the audacity to be a serious Broadway musical about mental illness and its effect on a family - and succeeded.

The Assassination of Jesse James (EgoPo Classic Theater at Plays & Players, Oct. 3-28, 215-552-8773 or www.egopo.org) An all-gal cast portrays everyone from the outlaw Jesse James on down in a pastiche script built from old road shows. This opens an EgoPo season celebrating American vaudeville.

Mark Twain: Sacred Cows Make the Best Hamburgers (People's Light & Theatre Company, Oct. 10-Nov. 4, 610-644-3500 or www.peopleslight.org) Tom Teti plays the beloved humorist, coming back to the present day in this world premiere, to regale us with his work.

The Exit Interview (InterAct Theatre Company, Oct. 19-Nov. 11, 215-568-8079 or www.interacttheatre.org) In William Missouri Downs' play, a fired university prof faces his exit interview while mayhem ensues on campus.

Stars of David (Philadelphia Theatre Company, Oct. 19-Nov. 11, 215-985-0420 or www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org) This world-premiere musical is adapted from Abigail Pogrebin's book, which uses public figures to examine American Jewish identity. The original music is by some well-known composers including the recently deceased Marvin Hamlisch.

The English Bride (Theatre Exile at Studio X, Nov. 8-Dec. 2, 215-218-4022 or www.theatreexile.org) A world premiere by Lucile Lichtblau follows interrogations after an attempted bombing of an El Al flight.

War Horse (Academy of Music, Nov. 20-Dec. 2, 215-893-1999 or www.kimmelcenter.org/broadway) This simple Tony-winning World War I story is a magnificent evening of theatricality, although it remains to be seen how effective the national tour is on a traditional proscenium stage rather than in the intimate Broadway setting.

Dave & Aaron Go to Work (1812 Productions at Plays & Players Theatre, Nov. 29-Dec. 31, 215-592-9560 or www.1812productions.org) Actors Dave Jadico and Aaron Cromie in an original wordless comedy with music about two roomies, with puppets, magic, slapstick.

Here are more promising stage possibilities from Howard Shapiro for the first half of the 2012-13 season, arranged in order of their openings.

Cooking With the Calamari Sisters (Society Hill Playhouse, begins Sept. 27, open-ended run) Is it a public-access cable cooking show or a drag show about two outrageous women who slave over the stove? Maybe both. (215-923-0210 or www.societyhillplayhouse.org)

The Giant Squid (Annenberg Center, Sept. 28-29) A hit in the Live Arts/Philly Fringe festival several years back, this inventive riff on a monster animal was a hoot. It's being revived by its creators, the Berserker Residents. (215-898-3900 or www.annenbergcenter.org)

A Slow Air (Inis Nua Theatre Company, Oct. 2-21) David Harrower's play, well-received Off-Broadway last year, is about an adult brother and sister who haven't talked for 14 years - and then the next generation butts in. (215-454-9776 or www.inisnuatheatre.org)

RFK (New City Stage Company, Oct. 3-21) Russ Widdall plays Robert F. Kennedy in this bio-show, a one-man play that covers the final four years of Kennedy's life, which ended when he was murdered during his 1968 presidential primary campaign.

A Bright New Boise (Simpatico Theatre Project, Oct. 3-21) A guy comes to town and takes a job at a crafts store, but there's something revealing for him about one of the people he works with. Samuel D. Hunter's play is set at the store - and at the possible beginning of the Rapture. (215-423-0254 or www.simpaticotheatre.org)

The Crucifer of Blood (Hedgerow Theatre, Oct. 4-Nov. 25) Paul Giovanni's play with a young Sherlock Holmes on the case of a vanished man with a secret comes from Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sign of the Four. (610-565-4211 or www.hedgerowtheatre.org)

Othello (Quintessence Theatre Group, Oct. 10-Nov. 4) The Moor, his ambitious pal, and his woebegone wife: Shakespeare's recipe for trouble. (215-240-6055 or www.quintessencetheatre.org)

The Outgoing Tide (Delaware Theatre Company, Oct. 10-28) Bruce Graham's spot-on play about an aging mind and the way it affects others got a great production last season at the Philadelphia Theatre Company. Now, Delaware Theatre Company tries its hand, in a production it will then take Off-Broadway. (302-594-1100 or www.delawaretheatre.org)

Behind the Eye (Gas and Electric Arts at the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, Oct. 24-Nov. 18) Carson Kreitzer's theatrical portrait of Lee Miller follows the model whose body became a part of Man Ray's art. (215-407-0556 or www.gasandelectricarts.org)

Home in Waterfront South (South Camden Theatre Company, Oct. 26-Nov. 11) This 1997 play by South Camden's leader, Joseph M. Paprzycki, traces the changes in Camden over 30 years, ending in 1990. (1-866-811-4111 or www.southcamdentheatre.org)

Pookie Goes Grenading (Azuka Theatre, Oct. 31-Nov. 8) A world premiere of J.C. Lee's comedy tells of a group of high-schoolers who try to make a movie. (215-563-1100 or www.azukatheatre.org)

Dr. Dolittle (Media Theatre, Nov. 20-Jan. 27) Former Channel 29 sportscaster Bill Vargus talks to the animals - the ones on stage, not in the locker rooms or TV booths. (610-891-0100 or www.mediatheatre.org)

Plaid Tidings (Walnut Street Theatre Independence Studio on 3, Nov. 20-Dec. 30) That boy group from the far-and-beyond in Forever Plaid comes back to Earth for some holiday cheer. (215-574-3550 or www.walnutstreettheatre.org)

The Real Inspector Hound (Curio Theatre Company, Nov. 29-Dec. 29) Playwright Tom Stoppard has a good time skewering murder mysteries. (215-525-1350 or www.curiotheatre.org)

Winter Wonderettes (11th Hour Theatre Company at Theatre Horizon, Dec. 7-30) That girl group from another era is back, after wowing 'em last season, but this time with a holiday twist. (267-987-9865 or www.11thhourtheatrecompany.org)

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Bucks County Playhouse, Dec. 13-30) Just what it says: the iconic Christmas film, done as if it were on old-time radio. 215-862-2121 or www.bcptheater.org)