“Peter and the Starcatcher,” Cascades Theatrical Company’s first show of the 2017-18 season, opens Aug. 18 at Cascades Theatre in Bend.(Submitted)

You may not realize it from the high temps, deep tans and disoriented tourists, but the start of such autumnal delights as theater season lies right around the corner. This weekend, Cascades Theatrical Company will offer a glimpse of what it has in store for 2017-18 via its Annual Sneak Peek.

If you’ve attended before, you already know the fun and 
theatrically concise evening that awaits. And if you’ve never been to CTC’s Sneak Peek, or you’re curious — or skeptical — as to the kind of quality and talent you can find on the community theater stage, you owe it to yourself to get thee to Cascades Theatre for the Sneak Peek, which includes a scene from each of the season’s shows.

GO! spoke to CTC’s Makenzie Whittle, CTC’s office manager and producer, and a member of the play selection committee, about the upcoming season.

Main stage

• “Peter and the Starcatcher” (Aug. 18-Sept. 3).

First up is this whimsical show based on the 2004 Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson book “Peter and the Starcatchers.” Directed by John Kish, it’s a humorous, action-filled prequel to J.M. Barrie’s famed “Peter Pan,” by Rick Elice (play) and Wayne Barker (music).

“Rick Elice and Wayne Barker made sort of a musical. It’s not a full-on musical; it’s basically a play with music,” Whittle said. “It’s super fun and charming, and it’s got jokes for the kids and for the parents. It’s the Neverland you never knew.”

• “Lost in Yonkers” (Oct. 6-22)

Directed by Richard Jenkins, this beloved comic drama by Neil Simon comes to the stage in October. Set in 1942, it’s the coming-of-age story of two brothers thrust into their grandmother’s household when their widower father, a salesman, takes off for the road.

• “A Christmas Carol” (Dec. 1-17)

This classic holiday tale about Ebenezer Scrooge and his holiday miracle needs little introduction, but “We’re actually doing something a little different,” Whittle said. “We’re adding a Saturday matinee as well as an evening show to our Saturday performances, and we’re going to make it a little more inclusive. The lobby will be super-decorated, there will be carolers. It will be a whole event besides just the show. We’re real excited for it.” Kelley Ryan directs.

• “Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie” (Jan. 19-Feb. 14)

According to the New York Times, this “Juicy, gaslit melodrama … illuminates the challenges that Marie Curie faced in pursuing a career in the sciences at a time when it was virtually unheard of for women to take prominent roles in academic or public life.”

Marla Manning will direct the play. Written by Alan Alda, explores the personal life of Curie after the death of her husband and fellow scientist Pierre.

• “August: Osage County” (March 9-25) Sandy Silver will be in the director’s seat for this barn-burner of a play by Tracy Letts about a trio of sisters that get the what-fer from Mom when they return to their Oklahoma home after the disappearance of their father.

• “And Then There Were None” (April 27-May 13)

Brad Thompson will direct this Agatha Christie whodunnit, “a nice, good classical mystery,” in Whittle’s estimation. “We’re excited about that. We’re excited about everything really; I keep saying that.”

• “9 to 5: The Musical” (June 15-July 1)

“We’re closing it out with our musical, ‘9 to 5,’” she said. Based on the classic early ’80s movie about a trio of fed-up working women, “Dolly Parton actually wrote the music for it, so it’s got that little bit of Dolly flair in it.” Musical theater talent Karen Sipes will direct.

Black Box

CTC will continue its smaller Black Box series, offering different kinds of fare more focused on acting and solid writing than elaborate sets or costumes.

• Cascades 10 Fest (Nov. 2-5)

Though doing one-act plays is not new to CTC, this year is focused on new, original plays.

“We’re actually doing a 10-minute play festival from local (and) state-wide writers,” she said. “We opened up submissions from basically anybody in Oregon who wants to submit. Writers can submit until Aug. 31. It’s going to be really awesome to see what kind of talent we have in our little state.”

• “Grounded” (March 30-April 8)

Lilli Ann Linford-Foreman will direct her daughter, Kathryn, in this one-woman show about an ace military pilot reassigned to operate military drones.

All Aspects and Children’s shows

CTC will continue its mission with teen actors via its All Aspects Teen Theatre, and will try to instill a love of theater to even younger kids by way of its new Cascades Theatre for Children program.

Once again, Brad Thompson will direct this year’s All Aspects shows, starting with the Halloween show “Mysteries and Zombies” (Oct. 26-29). The teen company will present the one-night-only fundraiser, “Welcome to the Monkey House,” adapted by Christopher Sergal from the works of Kurt Vonnegut (Nov. 11). “The Mouse that Roared,” about a tiny country in Europe that decides to declare war on the U.S., follows (Feb. 8-10).

“Mouse on the Move” marks the inaugural Cascades Theatre for Children show (Jan. 3 and 8). Follow the adventures of two mice who decide to move to the moon, which of course is made of cheese. In April comes “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (April 11 and 14).

“(It’s) adults performing shows for the littles of our community, pre-school and really early elementary — starting to light a fire of being a lover of theater for the little kids,” Whittle said.

What: 2017 Sneak Peek

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Cascades Theatre, 148 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend

Cost: $10 suggested donation

Contact: cascadestheatrical.org or 541-389-0803