As is its wont, TheatreWorks this season is bringing in several shows that haven't been seen in the area (or, in some cases, the state) before. Next up is the Kenneth Lin drama "Warrior Class," about a rising political star, the son of Chinese immigrants, who gets dubbed "The Republican Obama" but is threatened by a youthful indiscretion. The play opens Oct. 12 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts at 500 Castro St.

The protagonist of Lauren Gunderson's "Silent Sky" faces other hurdles as a woman astronomer at the turn of the century, one of the few females in her profession. The play opens Jan. 18 at the Mountain View center.

Also on the docket is a goofy adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Hound of the Baskervilles," revamped as a comedy play by Steven Canny and John Nicholson. It stars a small horde of actors playing a host of roles, and opens April 5 at the Mountain View Center.

Other shows in TheatreWorks' season are the musical "Little Women," "Once on This Island" and "Marry Me a Little." 650-463-1950, theatreworks.org

Meanwhile, the Pear Avenue Theatre answers the dramatic question "Can one actor play both Clarence and Mr. Potter?" He can if he's theater veteran Michael Champlin, doing a one-man version of "It's a Wonderful Life," called "This Wonderful Life." He brings his show, in which he plays all the characters, to the Pear from Dec. 6 through Dec. 22.

Other titles in the Pear season are: "The Tempest," "A King's Legacy," "Quality of Life," "Fool for Love," "Pear Slices 2014" and "Pygmalion." Shows are at 1220 Pear Ave., Unit K, Mountain View. 650-254-1148, thepear.org

Foothill Music Theatre

Foothill's musical-theater extravaganzas attract singers, dancers and actors from the community at large. On deck: "Little Shop of Horrors," going up in February at the Lohman Theatre. 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. foothill.edu/theatre/music.php.

Los Altos Stage Company

Formerly known as the Bus Barn Stage Company, the group has these shows planned for the coming season: "The Fantasticks" (now playing through Sept. 29), "The Sunshine Boys," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Harold and Maude" and "Company." 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. 650-941-0551, losaltosstage.org

Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

Besides hosting many TheatreWorks and Peninsula Youth Theatre productions, the center sometimes brings in other theatrical productions. "Manya: A Living History of Marie Curie," a one-woman show starring playwright and actress Susan Marie Frontczak, runs Sept. 19-24. 500 Castro St., Mountain View. 650-903-6000, mvcpa.com

Palo Alto Children's Theatre

Mainstage season: "The Jungle Book," "The Nutcracker," "Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat" and "Seussical The Musical." 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. 650-463-4930, cityofpaloalto.org

Palo Alto Players

"In the Heights" (now through Sept. 29), "God of Carnage," "The Heiress," "Young Frankenstein," "The Farnsworth Invention." 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. 650-329-0891, paplayers.org

Peninsula Youth Theatre

CenterStage Musicals performed at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: "Peter Pan," "The Sound of Music," "Oliver!" and a to-be-announced PYT premiere. 500 Castro St., Mountain View. Company contact: 650-988-8798, pytnet.org

Stanford Summer Theater

The annual festival of theater and film just concluded a season centering on Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett; next year's details will be up at summertheater.stanford.edu.