It should be a measure of my love for theater that when I take a break from reviewing South Sound plays, I head to Ashland's Oregon Shakespeare Festival to see a few of theirs. I've had my vacation booked for months, so of course this is the weekend several local troupes elected to debut their latest offerings. We simply can't see them all, so here are two shows we can only preview optimistically.

First, remember last autumn when Dukesbay Productions opened Driving Miss Daisy, and it was such a crazy pre-holiday weekend that I didn't have time to see it? Well, Dukesbay is now reprising that show with the very talented Syra Beth Puett in its title role. Malcolm West returns as chauffeur Hoke Colburn, and Miss Daisy's son Boolie will be played by ... wait for it ... Robert Puett. The critics who did see Driving Miss Daisy last November were very fond of it, so I can only imagine it'll be even better now that everyone but me has the chance to enjoy it. Such is life on the way to the Piggly Wiggly.

DRIVING MISS DAISY, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through July 27, Dukesbay Productions, 508 6th Ave. #10, Tacoma, $15, 253.267.0869

Second, when the press release for a play, in this case Jean Genet's classic one-act The Maids, describes it as "infamous and sexy," it tends to capture my attention. Then, when I see that show is helmed by one of our most detail-conscious directors, Marilyn Bennett of Toy Boat Theatre, I start kicking myself for not taking my Ashland vacation a week later. This'll be an especially interesting production, as it's staged in the back of King's Books after hours. Apparently its script is such a carnival of sexual and gender perversity that it earned raves from Jean-Paul Sartre. I mean, that's not only French and intellectual but kinky! Sold! You'd better act fast, though, as the show will have only four performances with limited seating each night.

THE MAIDS, 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday through July 19, King's Books, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, $10, 253.272.8801

Between Joann Varnell and myself, we are taking in an Oz-themed The Tempest at Olympia Little Theatre and Young Frankenstein at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. Watch for reviews of those productions soon.

In the meantime ... "Pu'in' onna Riiiitz!" Sorry. Had to get that out of my system.