Summer has always been a down time at the Aiken Community Playhouse, but no anymore.

"The ACP family is pleased to offer its inaugural season of summer shows," said board member Maureen Woltermann, who served on the summer season committee.

Three shows are scheduled for July and August at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts.

"It's an eclectic mix," she said.

The performances include the Greek tragedy Medea on July 18-20 and 25-26; the comedy The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) on Aug. 8-10 and 15-16; and the musical tick, tick ... Boom on Aug. 22-24 and 29-30.

According to its director, Danny Lee, tick, tick ... Boom is an autobiographical piece by Jonathan Larson, the creator of the Broadway hit Rent. Mr. Larson died just before Rent's New York premiere in 1996, about a week before his 36th birthday.

"It is a haunting piece, especially when we know that just five years later he would die way too soon and before he could see his dream of writing something new for Broadway that would change the venue forever and move it forward became true, which, of course, Rent did," Mr. Lee wrote in an e-mail.

Ms. Woltermann said she hopes the inaugural summer season is a hit with audiences. The playhouse's volunteer and audience bases have grown in the past few years, and people were interested in seeing more productions, she said.

"Summer seemed the best time," Ms. Woltermann said.

Medea and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) will be in the Bechtel Experimental Theatre. Tickets will be $8 for 2007-08 playhouse members and $10 for the general public. tick, tick ... Boom will be performed on the main stage of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets will be $12 for 2007-08 playhouse members and $15 for others.

For more information on the summer season, call (803) 648-1438 or visit www.aiken communityplayhouse.com.