One word pretty much defines the D.C. theater scene in July, and that word is FRINGE.

We’ll be providing exhaustive coverage of the Capital Fringe Festival as it draws closer, but know that it runs July 10 - 27. A list of shows is available here if you want to start planning in advance how to delegate your $15 per show.

Some of D.C.’s theaters have Fringe offerings as well – keep your eyes open for Forum Theater’s Marat/Sade (July 17), GALA’s Mystic Warriors (July 10), Georgetown Theatre Company’s The Girl In The Iron Mask (July 11), Journeymen’s Ball And Chain (July 10), Woolly’s If You See Something, Say Something (July 11) and Studio’s Jerry Springer; The Opera (July 23).

Beyond the festival, openings in July are actually more extensive than usual.

We have the jam-packed summer season of Rorschach. Two new plays appear from the “in exile” theater company – they stage Thorton Wilder’s The Skin Of Our Teeth (July 13), and a four-part serial play from co-artistic director Randy Baker called Dream Sailors (July 17).

Open Circle’s annual production this year is Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland (July 19).

Apparently Bethesda Theatre is all about the battle of the sexes. After last year’s I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, they come back with Defending The Caveman (July 9).

Also this month:

• The lovely Huck Finn musical Big River is at Olney (July 2).
• Hear me heroes and wizards and serpents of sin: Keegan Theater is doing Man of La Mancha (July 10).
• Quotidian Theater does Long Day’s Journey Into Night (July 11).
• Kennedy and Krushchev face off in American Century Theater’s production of The Titans (July 18).
• The Oregon Shakespeare Festival comes to DC for the new American play Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter at Kennedy Center (July 19).
• Natascia Diaz, Signature’s Spiderwoman, stars in Rooms: A Rock Romance at MetroStage (July 25).

Still playing:
The July 5 weekend is the last for Landless' Debbie Does Dallas, St. Mark's Gospel at H Street Playhouse and the Roman Rep series at Shakespeare Theater. On July 13, Arena's amusing Irma Vep and Mamma Mia! at the National close. You have until July 20 to see Firebelly's version of A Body Of Water, Rorschach's mesmerizing This Storm Is What We Call Progress, WSC's plague parody Red Noses, and both of Olney's shows, The Mousetrap and Stuff Happens. Say goodbye to Rene when Shakespeare Theater's The Imaginary Invalid leaves July 27. Kennedy's Lion King and Toby's Dinner Theater production of All Shook Up extend into August.