They don't call it the doldrums of August for nothing -- openings this month tend to be sparse. The silver lining? We've got quite a few sneaking up at the end of the month, and those shows that are premiering look pretty damn intriguing.

Olney Theatre will take us down the Rabbit Hole, a play about a couple whose lives are changed by a tragic accident (Aug. 6).

If Jason Grote's Maria-Stuart, premiering at Woolly, is half as intriguing as his recent This Storm Is What We Call Progress, we're in for a ride (Aug. 18).

We always look forward to Open Circle's annual production, and this year's no exception; they'll stage Story Theatre, based on fables and myths (Aug. 22).

No one does world premiere musicals like Signature, and this month they open their season with Ace, about a young boy's journey back in time (Aug. 26).

Also this month

• Catalyst offers its take on 1984 (Aug. 27).
• RepStage's Trumbo: Red, White and Blacklisted explores that dark time in Hollywood (Aug. 27).
• The energetic Daniel Beaty returns to Arena with Resurrection (Aug. 29).
• The Kennedy Center has a couple one-night events: Cappies International Theater's Musical!--Anasazi and and One Stage's A Change is Coming - also look for its Page to Stage festival Aug. 30.
• Lion King's sold out this month, but catch the performers in a charity event, "The Lion Rocks Tonight," Aug. 11.
• Hear the People Sing at Wolf Trap, when the Les Miserables tour stops by (Aug. 29).

Still playing
This weekend's the last for Olney's Big River, Shakespeare's clowning The Imaginary Invalid and Bethesda's Defending the Caveman; two shows close the Aug. 10 weekend, Forum's exhilarating Marat/Sade and Rorschach's faithful The Skin of Our Teeth; you've until Aug. 16's weekend to catch The Titans at American Century, Man of La Mancha at Keegan, Studio's Jerry Springer: The Opera and Rorschach's serial Dream Sailors; if the scalpers are your friend, hit them up before Lion King bows Aug. 24; MetroStage's Rooms: A Rock Romance (which DCist is seeing next week) runs into September.