Arts & Culture in Solana Beach

For those who struggle to read CliffsNotes without the guidance of a Sherpa, a night of fast-paced live-action literature at San Diego REP helps keep things clear, entertaining, and to the point. With 37 of Bill’s works performed in 97 minutes, the show traverses a mind-spiking storyline full of laughs, tears, and historical nuggets. One moment you're mourning the tragic death of yet another character, and the next you're realizing why your 8th-grade English paper scored modest marks.

Hello, Dolly! is the much-loved tale of matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi, who is hired to arrange a marriage but unsuspectingly falls in love with the groom, the parsimonious half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder. The story unravels in a musical fashion, with tunes such as "Before the Parade Passes By" and "It Only Takes a Moment" dotting the plotline. Performances are August 19 through September 5, showing Thursday through Sunday at 8 p.m.