This year's Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) is not unlike a "who's who" and "greatest hits," with several popular actors and directors returning for a 22nd season that includes a huge musical, comedies and rarely-staged works of The Bard at DeSales University, Center Valley.

Jim Helsinger, Orlando Shakespeare Festival artistic director who has delighted PSF audiences, is back to direct and appear as Lady Bracknell in "The Importance of Being Earnest," July 10 - Aug. 4, Main Stage.

The Oscar Wilde comedy is presented in repertory with "Measure for Measure," July 18 - Aug. 4, Main Stage, in its PSF debut. The repertory cast includes PSF favorites Greg Wood, Wayne S. Turney, Brad DePlanche, Zach Robidas, Alexie Gilmore and Suzanne O'Donnell.

Also in its PSF debut is "Henry VIII," July 24 - Aug. 4, Schubert Theatre. In the tradition of William Shakespeare's company, there's no director or designers. Actors choose costumes from the PSF wardrobe and rehearse for a few days, compared to the usual four weeks.

Dennis Razze, the go-to-guy for musicals at PSF, directs the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II classic, "Oklahoma!," June 12 - 30, Main Stage.

Steve Burns (TV's original "Blues Clues"), Anthony Reimer and Genevieve Perrier are directed by Matt Pfeiffer as some 150 characters in "The 39 Steps," a comedy based on the Alfred Hitchcock film noir, June 19 - July 14, Schubert Theatre.

Two acclaimed one-night shows include Wayne S. Turney,' "The Gospel According to Saint Mark," 7:30 p.m. June 24, and Anthony Lawton, C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters," 7:30 p.m. July 29.

The PSF gala, "Luminosity," was held June 1.

The children's show, "Beauty and the Beast," by Michele L. Vacca and directed by Gina Lamparella, opened and runs May 31 through Aug. 3, Schubert Theatre.

"Shakespeare for Kids," directed by Erin Hurley, is July 24 - Aug. 3, Main Stage.

You might say, to quote Rodney Dangerfield from the movie "Back to School" (1986), the philosophy at PSF is "Shakespeare for everyone."

Here's more of what's in store for PSF 22, from those who are putting on the Lehigh Valley region summer theater's really big shows.

Patrick Mulcahy

Repertory theater, in its third year at PSF, "continues to be pretty exciting for everybody," says Patrick Mulcahy, PSF producing artistic director. "It helps us attract better actors because they get to play two roles rather than one."

Of "The Importance of Being Earnest," Mulcahy says, "It's one of the funniest classical plays ever written. I think it's Wilde's masterpiece. Having Jim Helsinger both direct the piece and play Lady Bracknell is pretty exciting.

"There's a tradition of having men play that role not always. Brian Bedford did in recently on Broadway. Geoffrey Rush did it. Jim is one of the funniest people I know on stage.

"I think one of the reasons it's so appealing is that Lady Bracknell brings both kind of feminine and masculine energies. She's forceful, direct and domineering, but she engages those energies as a matrarch who is very much attached to appropriate Victorian formality.

"Casting a man underscores the more conventionally-masculine traits but in the preservation of feminine decorum.

"But the biggest reason to do it is it's a wonderful comic role and Jim is a wonderful comic actor. His innate comedic sense goes right to the bone. Every ounce of him is engaged in what is funny in a given moment n a performance."

Matt Pfeiffer is associate director. Bob Phillips is set designer. Lisa Zinni is costume designer.

Alexie Gilmore, a DeSales theater department graduate who plays Gwendolyn in "The Importance of Being Earnest," has an extensive film and TV resume, including "Mercy" (2010), starring James Caan; "Surfer, Dude," (2008), opposite its star Matthew McConnaughey; and "World's Greatest Dad" (2005), starring Robin Williams.

As an example of the caliber of PSF performers, Spencer Plachy was to be in rep for "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Measure for Measure," but was lost to Broadway for "Romeo and Juliet," starring Orlando Bloom, with previews Aug. 24 for a Sept. 19 opening at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Los Angeles actor Blake Ellis, who had auditioned, stepped into the PSF rep production.

Zach Robidas has a list of TV credits and was in "Arbitrage" (2012), starring Richard Gere, and "It's Complicated" (2009).

"These two plays are not at all similar," Mulcahy says of "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Measure for Measure," adding, "That's the fun of rep there's a different skill set and energy to them."

"Rep is very challenging, but actors love it. When an actor is in school, they're working on multiple projects all the time. So, those muscles do get flexed.

"I think it elevates everybody's game. There's more excitement in the building. The actors know that what's demanded is going to stretch them. I think they're at the top of their game as a result. They're more artistically alive.

"It gives the audience a chance to see what an actor can really do especially if they see it in the same day or weekend. They get to see transformation."

Of "Measure for Measure," Mulcahy says, "This is a really terrific play. And it's not one you're going to get to see that often. It's not one of the Top 10 plays you're going to read in high school.

"The central plotline is so fascinating. There's such dramatic tension with a man who's built his career and his identify on the purity of his virtue.

"While it's not on the high school reading list, it's definitely on the college reading list. If you take a course in Shakespeare plays, you're definitely going to read this.

"It's probably in that second tier of popular plays. It is held in high regard. It's one of those really interesting plays which is hard to categorize. It's classified in the folio as a comedy. There are funny scenes and funny characters. It's funny in the way 'The Merchant of Venice' is funny."

"Measure and Measure" and "Henry VIII" are the 25th and 26th plays of the estimated 39 in the Shakespeare canon produced by PSF. Fontaine Syer, who directed "King Lear" (2008) and "Othello" (2006) at PSF, is directing "Measure for Measure." Bob Phillips is set designer. Marla Jurglanis is costume designer.

Of "Henry VIII," Mulcahy says, "If 'Measure for Measure' is a play that you might get to see once in a decade, 'Henry VIII' is a play you might get to see once in a lifetime.

"Part of the fun of doing it this year is that it's 400 years after what we believe is the first production in 1613. June 29, 1613, is when the Globe burned to the ground when they fired off a cannon in the middle of 'Henry VIII' and it lit the thatch on fire.

"The only injury was to a man whose britches were set ablaze. But a pot of ale took care of that. No cannons will be fired in this production," Mulcahy promises.

"Henry VIII" includes PSF all-stars: Ian Bedford (King Henry VIII), Susan Riley Stevens (Queen Katherine), Christopher Patrick Mullen (multiple roles), Anthony Lawton (multiple roles), Richard B. "Doc" Watson (Cardinal Wolsey) and Brandon Meeks (Duke of Norfolk).

Dennis Razze

Says Dennis Razze, PSF associate artistic director, of the 22nd season, "Patrick [Mulcahy] and I carefully picked it to be a really good variety of offerings. I think each of the shows are really different. Each show couldn't be more different in look and feel.

"'The 39 Steps,' 'Oklahoma!' and 'Measure for Measure' are three shows we've wanted the festival to do for a long time. The opportunity finally came up to schedule them."

Of the PSF season-opener, "Oklahoma!," Razze says, "The 1998 Trevor Nunn production that starred Hugh Jackman changed everybody's mind about it that it had a great story and great depth."

"Oklahoma!" is based on the play, "Green Grow the Lilacs" by Lynn Riggs. Says Razze, "Oscar Hammerstein had this idea to turn it into a musical. He asked Jerome Kern and Lorenz Hart to collaborate. Hart gave Oscar his blessing to do it with Richard Rodgers."

Christine Negherbon, a DeSales theater grad who was in the "Crazy For You" national tour, makes her PSF debut as Laurey. "I always thought if I did 'Oklahoma!,' I'd want her as Laurey. She's such a perfect soul for the role."

Doug Carpenter plays Curly. "We searched for a long time for the right Curly. We hired a New York City casting director. He brought in quite a few name people. Doug has a rich, warm baritone voice that you need for the romance in those songs. He's got this gorgeous voice."

Nathan Diehl conducts a 13-person orchestra.

"These Rogers and Hammerstein musicals are like our American opera. They are our classic repertoire.

"The team and I are very interested in treating it as a play about real people. We have the feel of real people living on the plains of Oklahoma."

Michael McDonald, Tony-nominated for "Hair," is costume designer. David P. Gordon is set designer.

"Oklahoma!" is a kind of prequel to the Dust Bowl, California-bound Okies of the Great Depression.

"The people in this story are the same people who end up being in 'The Grapes of Wrath,' which is kind of sad," Razze says. "They were so optimistic. This is about Oklahoma becoming a state. When the economy tanked, the American Dream was kind of shattered there.

"The piece was written for a World War II audience. One of the reasons it was so popular is because it was so patriotic at a time when people really needed to hear that.

"The original production had more of the emphasis on the comedic and romantic quality of the script and didn't necessarily treat the characters in it as really, hardworking kind of pioneer Americans.

"They were caricatures or cartoonish. The Trevor Nunn production showed that the characters had real depth and that the show had real depth.

"It approaches the characters who have real struggles and real dreams. They don't necessarily know that everything's going to turn out wonderful, but that's what they choose to believe."

The PSF production set design symbolizes this dichotomy.

"It's not like a Norman Rockwell farmhouse. It's a rough place. It has violence in it and violent weather not the easiest place to live at all. Yes, it has natural beauty but it also has natural threat."

We only need think of the May 20 tornado that destroyed or damaged 4,000 homes and businesses in Moore, near Oklahoma City, and claimed 24 lives and the 1999 tornado there in which 44 perished.

Judd Fry is the villain of the piece. "Instead of just playing him as a demented evil villain, he's a troubled lonely person. He's become a bit of a psychopath because of the extremes that his lonely existence has driven him to."

Razze adds of the PSF "Oklahoma!" production, "It's the most dancing we have attempted. Act 1 ends with a 10-minute long ballet. We're attempting to not have separate dancers come in and dance it but to have the principal actors dance it.

"Usually, they have a Dream Curly and a Dream Laurey and they come in and do the dance, and then they have a separate company come in and do the ballet."

Choreographer Stephen Casey won't reproduce the original Agnes de Mille dances. "But any choreography is going to be influenced by de Mille's work, which is iconic," says Razze.

"She had choreographed Aaron Copland's 'Rodeo.' She already had the expertise at cowboy ballet. Definitely the dances in 'Oklahoma!' are one of the hallmarks of the musical."

Casey Gallagher

Casey William Gallagher, PSF managing director, is akin to the chief operating officer, overseeing marketing, development, finance, production, box office and front of house. Gallagher's the guy who signs the checks.

Once casting and artistic staff is decided, Gallagher deals with negotiations with Actors Equity Association and the United Scenic Artists, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

PSF has 140 to 150 summer season employees and 11 employees year-round with a $2-million annual budget that includes The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour fall education program to high schools.

"In the summer, it's keeping it all going and making sure we're running at peak efficiency," says Gallagher. "Off-season, there's the season brochure, development, auditions, hiring. You need to keep that running. It's not like 'Brigadoon,'" Gallagher says. "If I'm doing my job right, the summer staff can focus on their work."

Of course, there are matters even beyond the control of Mulcahy, Razze and Gallagher, who recalls the 2006 PSF season when a thunderstorm knocked out electricity opening night of "My Fair Lady."

"That moment is my theater story. It's the best example as to why I work in the industry," Gallagher recalls. "Everyone, Patrick [Mulcahy], to Lisa [Higgins Pechter, PSF Director of Marketing and Publicity], to myself, the production staff, goes gets flashlights. Someone brings the piano from the pits."

The show went on "without all the bells and whistles," says Gallagher. "The entire 'Othello' cast was standing backstage and watching it. The energy was palpable. That's what theater is.

"I was not particularly happy our lights went out, but I can say it wasn't because we didn't pay our bill."

Of his behind-the-scenes role, Gallagher says, "Patrick [Mulcahy] and I work very closely together on the season budget. We're now having discussions about the 2014 season."

Off season, Gallagher works on PSF projections and cost analysis. "Lisa [Higgins Pechter] and I have been called big data geeks. And we take that label proudly."

A committee of 20 works on the "Luminosity" gala. "While my administrative skills are strong, my carpentry and sewing skills are not."

Of the PSF audience, Gallagher says, "We continue to draw a very healthy core from the Lehigh Valley. We do have a pretty far reach.

"Last year, we ended up drawing from a total of 32 of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania ... Bucks County ... the greater Philly area ... New Jersey 20 counties ... Also, some from Delaware ... the Wilmington area ... Florida snowbirds, New Hampshire, Virginia, Maryland and D.C."

Gallagher was especially pleased to showcase PSF during The Shakespeare Theater Association's annual conference in January at DeSales. There were 120 representatives from 50 organizations in 30 states and nations, including Chicago, Utah and Oregon Shakespeare festivals. "They consider us compatriots, in the same league, which was good to hear," Gallagher says.

PSF has an average attendance of 30,000. The season record of 34,000 was set in 2011. Adding in the WillPower Tour, the audience swells to 50,000.

For its 20th anniversary season, PSF developed "Vision 2030." While there's no timeline, the future may include a third venue, staging three shows simultaneously and a weekend of from four to six shows. "We're hoping to became a destination theater," says Gallagher.

"This year, we are on track to do very well. Right now, fingers crossed, things are looking good," Gallagher says.