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We'll cut to the chase: Theater is one of this planet's greatest pleasures, and there are two plays worth seeing this weekend in the South Sound.

The Musical of Musicals, the Musical!

Written by Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell in 2003, The Musical of Musicals, the Musical! gives a lovingly satirical treatment to some of the Great White Way's most famous shows, from The Sound of Music to Phantom of the Opera. Unless you're obsessed with musicals, you might not get all of the show's references — after all, there are five acts and nearly 50 songs included — but it is entertaining nonetheless. Unless you really hate musicals. Then you really shouldn't go.

Weekly Volcano theater critic Joann Varnell highly suggests you catch Tacoma Musical Playhouse's version of Musical of Musicals.

The costumes were fabulous and the dance numbers were terrific. The set was minimal but extremely effective. Directors Pauls Macs (musicals one and three), Maria Valenzuela (plays two and five), and Jon Douglas Rake (musical four) did a wonderful job with their casts and created a hilarious production. TMP provides a wonderful opportunity to laugh with AND at theater people.

Read Varnell's full review of The Musical of Musicals, the Musical! in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks

The setup sounds awfully cute: A tart but lonely matron contracts the services of a mouthy gay dance instructor. Each scene revolves around a different dance -- waltz, fox trot, tango, etc. -- as our odd couple gets to know each other.

Weekly Volcano theater critic Christian Carvajal agrees.

For better and worse, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks at Tacoma Little Theatre is a very cute play. For some in our Sunday matinée audience, it was LOL funny. Mostly, though, patrons appeared to be charmed but not laughing, and they grumbled through its minutes-long scene changes. The jokes in Richard Alfieri's script are unremarkable, so it falls on the actors to flesh out his characters instead.

Read Christian Carvajal's full review of Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

LINK: Arts and entertainment calendar in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area