Whether you spent the summer lounging by the pool or cooped inside an office running coffee to executives, one thing is for sure-the Brandeis fall semester has finally arrived. It's time to buy new books, make new friends, reunite with old friends, explore classes and perhaps get around to declaring your major. right?Whoa! Hold on a second, slugger! Slow down! You just got here. Take a moment to unpack and breathe a little. And what better way to relax than to see some theater? As many of the upperclassmen know and new first-years will soon find out, at Brandeis, there is never a shortage of theater.

This season, Brandeis is sure to see at least two Brandeis Theater Company productions, two undergraduate plays, a Shakespearean play, an undergraduate musical, three sketch comedy shows, a student-written one-act festival and many theatrical workshops and projects.

As always, the Brandeis theater season begins with a sketch comedy show by Brandeis' premier sketch comedy troupe, Boris's Kitchen. On Sept. 25, hundreds will pack into the Alumni Lounge to see what BK's newest members have to offer. As the troupe's senior members delve into the sketch archives, they will join forces with the new members to perform their aptly named Old Sh*t Show. Without fail, BK's newest group will make the entire room roll on the floor in laughter.

Shortly after the undergraduate season begins, BTC opens its season with Anton Chekov's play The Three Sisters, adapted by Tony awardwinning playwright Tracy Letts. This production is sure to be particularly amazing-not only because of the rich theatrical history that accompanies the play or because it comes from the brilliant mind of one of the biggest-name playwrights in the modern theatrical scene, but also because it is the east coast premier. This is sure to be one show that each BTC show of the coming season will have to live up to as the graduate students complete their final year.

From Oct. 14 through 17 Brandeis Ensemble Theatre will present The House of Yes, a modern play that presents a dysfunctional family Thanksgiving like you have never seen before.

From Oct. 28 through 31 Typanium Euphorium, Brandeis' musical theater club, will present the controversial musical The Wild Party, composed by Andrew Lippa. The musical brings to life the famous Joseph Moncure narrative poem of the same name.

If iambic pentameter and lengthy soliloquies are more your style, Hold Thy Peace, Brandeis' Shakespeare society, will play host to a production of the Bard's The Winter's Tale from Nov. 4 through 7.

Before going on Thanksgiving break, be sure not to miss a weekend packed with theater. From Nov. 18 through 21 BTC wraps up its fall season with the classic Stephen Sondheim musical Sunday in the Park with George. Based on the famous George Seurat painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte," the show follows a painter through his process, dot by dot, and how it affects his relationships, past, present and future.

That same weekend, Hillel Theater Group will present Black Comedy/White Lies. Akin to Pixar movies, the event will open with the short one-act sarcastic farce of a play White Lies, while the main event of the evening, however, will be the ironic slapstick play Black Comedy.

After the Thanksgiving break, as always, Boris' Kitchen will begin to close the season with as much comedic grace as they opened it. On Dec. 3 and 4, BK will present its 11th Annual Sketch Comedy Show. Each night will be a different performance, as Brandeis plays host to different sketch comedy troupes from around the nation. This event will surely provide the stress relief that you will need while studying for finals.

The fall theater season will come to a close on Sunday, Dec. 5 in traditional fashion, with BET's presentation of the fifth-annual Quickies One-Act Festival, a festival of short student-written -directed and -acted one-acts. Submissions will be accepted throughout the semester.