A deluge of theater arrives in Bend this week with the premiere of three productions. Audiences will have the opportunity to see “God of Carnage” by Ellipse Theatre Community, “The Last Five Years” by The Greenhouse Cabaret and “Fiddler on the Roof” by Cascades Theatrical Company.

“God of Carnage” director Bill Alsdurf said he was less concerned about three shows opening the same week when he realized how different each one of the productions is. Each offers a distinct experience for the audience, he said.

“So really, people can go see all three over the course of the next three weeks.”

‘God of Carnage’

“God of Carnage,” opening Thursday at Unity Spiritual Community of Central Oregon, is a 90-minute roller coaster ride that will have audiences laughing and crying, potentially at the same time.

Alsdurf referenced Dolly Parton’s famous line in “Steel Magnolias,” “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion,” saying it is applicable to the production.

“There’s definitely opportunities for all of those feelings in the show,” he said.

“God of Carnage” was written in French by playwright Yasmina Reza. The plot follows an evening spent between the parents of two 11-year-old boys who meet to discuss a playground incident. The parents hope to resolve the situation civilly, but good graces fall away as cracks in the relationships between the adults are exposed.

Whitney Garner, who plays Veronica, is acting in her third production in Bend after Cascade Theatrical Company’s “One Acts” and “You Can’t Take It With You.” In her biography, Garner writes that she hopes audiences have a wonderful time and “are just the right amount of uncomfortable.”

“God of Carnage” pulls back the veneer of polite society and holds up a mirror to audience members, asking them to examine their own choices and behaviors, Alsdurf said.

The show marks the launch of Ellipse Theatre Community’s new program, ETC NEXT, an effort by the performing arts nonprofit to offer edgy, thought-provoking and conversation-starting theatre, according to a press release.

“While we’ve had tremendous success with our past productions, we recognize the desire from our community to see and experience newer, boundary-pushing plays and I am excited for them to experience this specific piece,” said Craig Brauner, ETC president and founding member.

Alsdurf said the play does exactly what art is meant to do.

“Art is supposed to make us feel a certain way. It doesn’t always make us feel good. It makes us feel uncomfortable and makes us question and wonder,” he said.

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‘The Last Five Years’

The Greenhouse Cabaret launches its 2024 season with a limited two-week run of “The Last Five Years” on Thursday.

The production revolves around the five-year relationship between aspiring novelist Jamie Wellerstein (Ben Walker) and struggling actress Cathy Hiatt (Lindsay Fuller). It reminds spectators there are two sides to every love story along the way.

The musical uses an innovative form of storytelling: Jamie’s story is told chronologically from the exhilarating beginning of the relationship to the bitter end, while Cathy’s side is told in reverse, beginning at the couple’s divorce and moving back to the initial spark.

“You never know who the bad guy is in a relationship. You never know where it went wrong. You never know. There’s never answers in relationships, especially the ones that end,” said John Kish, producer of the show and founder of The Greenhouse Cabaret.

Kish said he was approached by Walker and Fuller, who contacted him because they were interested in acting in a show together. Over coffee at Palate, the group discussed how to bring the idea to life. Kish consequently found Grey Conant to direct the production.

Kish describes “The Last Five Years” as a song cycle, rather than a full-fledged show. The music, which is mainly composed of cello and violin, tells the story between the couple against the backdrop of a grayscale apartment.

According to Kish, Jason Robert Brown is among the leading musical composers of the millennial generation.

“His music is brilliant,” he said.

The story was also adapted into a 2014 film of the same name with Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan.

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‘Fiddler on the Roof’

For its production of the classic ’60s musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” CTC’s Cascades Theatre will be transformed into an early 20th century Russian village of Anatevka, the home of dairy farmer Tevye (Trey Hinkle), his wife, Golde (Marla Manning), and their five daughters. If family life and parenting three of the girls nearing marrying age, the Russian persecution of Jews is also approaching town.

Getting 22 cast members on a stage the size of Cascades Theatre’s also proves challenging, said director Richard Choate.

“It doesn’t really lend itself to the big and bodacious,” Choate said. “It just doesn’t, but we end up doing large productions there anyway. I think what’s fascinating any time I do anything on that stage is that we can actually pull it off and make it look like a real production as opposed to something stuck on a postage stamp.”

Having a group of singers and dancers in tight quarters could be a recipe for heightened drama onstage and off, but it takes a village to pull off such a show, and Choate praises their spirit of cooperation.

“I don’t have a lot of that prima donna kind of thing going on. Everybody is just so supportive of one another and caring, and it really makes a huge difference.”

Michelle Mejaski is director of choreography for the show, and Marianne Thomas is the music director.

“We have some remarkable voices,” Choate added. “I’ve been blessed with really good singers, dancers. Overall, it’s a really talented cast.”

In the show, Tevye relies on traditions to help maintain balance, much like a fiddler atop a dangerous roof, Choate said, but change is inevitable, and his daughters teach him to adapt.

“Tevye has to change in order to keep his balance, and that’s just life,” he said.

“Art is supposed to make us feel a certain way. It doesn’t always make us feel good. It makes us feel uncomfortable and makes us question and wonder.”

— Bill Alsdurf , “God of Carnage” director

What: “God of Carnage”

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday; additional performances 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18-20, 2 p.m. Jan. 20

Where: Unity Community of Central Oregon, 63645 Scenic Drive, Bend

Cost: $25

Contact: etcbend.org, info@etcbend.org

What: “The Last Five Years”

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday; additional performances 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18-21

Where: The Greenhouse Cabaret, 1017 NE Second St., Bend

Cost: $50-$75

Contact: thegreenhousecabaret.com, 541.699.2840

What: “Fiddler on the Roof”

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; additional performances 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday till Jan. 28

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

Cost: $42 adults, $39 students and seniors

Contact: cascadestheatrical.org, 541-389-0803