Desert Storm

Desert Storm: Jim Tommaney's antiwar fable balances three stories: soldiers on the war front, their concerned parents back home, and inside the Oval Office as the first President Bush and aides discuss U.S. involvement in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. The fictional plight of the soldiers and families hits hard but is unnecessarily juxtaposed with tedious political talk that doesn't inform or add substantially to the heart-wrenching reality faced by people the war has affected. (Through June 27 at EDGE Theatre, 3627 NE First Ct., Miami, 305-531-6083.)

Crazy for You: The show zings with one-liners, vintage glamour, and high-energy music and dance la Fred and Ginger. With only six weeks of rehearsal, Director/Choreographer Marc Carmen whipped more than 20 dance novices into a toe-tapping sensation. Whether tap dancing on house siding, swinging on a pick ax, or creating music with a plunger, the cast leaves the audience wanting more. The lighting and clever scene changes add to the fun. Originally produced in 1992 by Ken Ludwig and Mike Ockrent, this play is loosely based on George and Ira Gershwin's 1930's Girl Crazy and is filled with classics like "I've Got Rhythm" and "Someone to Watch Over Me." Wannabe dancer Bobby Child (Denny Schaber) warms up in his character as a man trapped between his frustrated, over-the-top fiancée, Irene (Sharon Owens), and his materialistic mother (Shannon Jami Dolan). At his mother's insistence, he goes to the dead-end town of Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose on the Gaiety Theater. Things change when he meets the owner's daughter, Polly (Katie Angell-Thomas), a cowgirl whose warm heart, strong voice, and even stronger will make him melt. The real comic relief eventually includes winks at Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, and other greats. (Through June 20 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth, 561-586-3549.)