STEVE DUNKELBERGER: TOO MANY PLAYS, SO LITTLE TIME >>>

The first night of the Festival of Northwest Plays is over. You missed it. Get over it and move on. There are other nights to attend, so you can redeem yourself in the eyes of your cultural soul then.

You missed Geography Club, the premiere staging of a theatrical version of Tacoma author Brent Hartinger's novel. The book was put on lists of banned books in some parts because it dared to cover the struggles of coming out as a gay teenager.

On tap for Friday is In the Sawtooths, an award-winning work by Boise playwright Dano Madden that covers the affects a tragedy has on a friendship. Other works will be staged through Sunday, then Thursday through Sunday next weekend as well. There will be short-shorts and full length works. Expect more theater dispatches and the festival progresses.

[Theatre on the Square, Feb. 21-March 2, $9-$12, 915 Broadway, Tacoma, 206.325.6500, www.ticketwindowonline.com; www.northwestplaywrights.org]