On Theater:

While Vanguard University prepares to mount the second of its American Coast Theater Company productions for 2009, the Costa Mesa college also is mapping plans for its 2009-10 season.

Following the comedy “Greater Tuna,” which closed last weekend, Vanguard is getting ready to celebrate the music of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s with a show co-created by one of its instructors.

“Boomers,” which originated in San Diego back in 1990, was written by Kerry Meads and Vanguard’s Vanda Eggington. They’ll be at the helm when the show opens in Costa Mesa on July 10 with Meads directing and Eggington serving as musical director.

“The baby boom generation changed the music, the mind set and the entire culture of the nation,” Eggington said. When she and Meads first collaborated on the show in 1990, “We never dreamed it would become one of the most successful musical revues in the history of San Diego.”

“Boomers” — which includes songs such as “I Got You Babe,” “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Stairway to Heaven” and “Respect” — will play for five weekends at Vanguard’s Lyceum Theater, through Aug. 9. Tickets may be reserved by calling the box office at (714) 619-6424 or online at www.vanguardtickets.com.

The new Vanguard season arrives Oct. 30 with a mixed-gender version of the classic TV drama and movie “Twelve Angry Men.” This version, titled “Twelve Angry Jurors,” features men and women in this celebrated story of a jury deciding the fate of a man accused of killing his father.

Artistic director Susan K. Berkompas will stage the adaptation of Reginald Rose’s story, which first appeared on TV’s “Studio One” and later became a movie with Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb. The show will run through Nov. 8.

Eggington returns to direct “The Fantasticks,” the world’s longest running musical with 17,162 off-Broadway performances. The fantasy by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt centers on a young boy and girl falling in love with an assist from their parents. Performance dates are Sept. 18 to Oct. 4

Just in time for Christmas will be Daniel Sullivan’s “Inspecting Carol,” a comedy about a Midwestern theater company and its difficulties producing its annual production of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Marianne Savell directs with performances slated from Dec. 4 to 13.

“Shakespeare’s King, Lovers and Fools,” ticketed for Feb. 26 to March 7, is Berkompas’ compilation of the Bard’s characters and familiar scenes brought together through a common theme. Characters from classic comedies and tragedies are juxtaposed against modern times in this new rendering, to be directed by Berkompas, and which will play from Feb. 26 to March 7.

One of the theater’s most popular musicals closes out the Vanguard season from April 9 to 18 when “Bye Bye Birdie” hits the Lyceum stage. Inspired by Elvis Presley’s induction into the Army, the show focuses on a Midwestern town turned upside down by a famous rocker’s visit.

Then, as Vanguard University tackles its huge renovation project, the American Coast Theater Company is due to present its fourth summer season at the school.

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot.