Now in its sixth year, Summer Play Fest or SPF (get it?) has partnered with the Public Theater to give you action-packed, must-see theater from aspiring playwrights to while away the steamy summer evenings. At $10 a ticket, it’s certainly cheaper than air conditioning. This year, 1,400 submissions were winnowed down to a final eight by an elite selection committee. One of those winners, Alena Smith, recently sat down with Mark Peikert to discuss her play The Sacrifices and her feelings about summer. Read more

Each summer there are certain things we all look forward to: fireworks on the 4th of July, barbecues on rooftops or in gardens and the unveiling of the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, which inevitably features some sweet young thing looking to beef up her resume and make good with a New York crowd. This summer’s first show, Twelfth Night, opens June 10, and it looks as though the tradition will continue. Below, a brief history of the trend. Read more

Marathon 2009 After 30 years, Ensemble Studio Theatre’s One-Act Play Festival is still going strong, with options ranging from the economy to a showdown between a nun and her most rebellious student. If unproven talent gets you down, the E.S.T. Festival is for you during the summer months. May 22 through June 27, E.S.T., 549 W. 52nd St., at 10th Ave., 212-247-4982, www.ensemblestudiotheatre.org Thank You for Being a Friend If Bea Arthur’s death has still got you bummed, try some communal healing at this musical parody about roommates Blanchette, Dorthea, Roz and Sophie, and their feud with next-door-neighbor Lance Bass over his loud, outdoor gay sex parties. Last time that happened to us, we had to move. Thanks, Lance! (May 24 through July 12, The Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th St., betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves., 212-352-3101, www.horsetrade.info Read more