Things are about to get pretty serious

This summer will mark Gordon Davidson’s final fling as the artistic director of the Mark Taper Forum. And it might provide some of the most probing fare of his nearly four decades in the job. Don’t look for summertime fluff.

Davidson is personally staging the American premiere of David Hare’s “Stuff Happens,” opening June 5, about the path that led the U.S. and Britain into Iraq. Keith Carradine, from the Carradine clan of actors, will play President Bush, from the Bush clan of politicians.

The Taper’s next show, opening Aug. 11, is “Radio Golf,” the final entry in August Wilson’s 10-play chronicle of African American life in the 20th century. “Radio Golf” concludes the cycle in 1997, in a real estate redevelopment office in Pittsburgh. This time, Wilson looks at middle-class characters and their relationship to their roots.

Another, more local play cycle also will conclude this summer: Cornerstone Theater’s examination of faith-based communities. “A Long Bridge Over Deep Waters,” opening the Ford Amphitheatre season June 4, adapts the structure of the sexual roundelay in “La Ronde” to the subject of cross-religious encounters in L.A.

Gender crossing is one of the themes of the award-winning “I Am My Own Wife,” about a German transvestite who survived the Nazi and communist years. It opens at the Wadsworth Theatre under Geffen Playhouse auspices on June 15, and comes to La Jolla on Aug. 10.

The approach of the witches of “Wicked” has racked up $10 million in advance sales for this musical prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.” They officially alight at the Pantages Theatre on June 22.

A rarely seen 1970 musical about a smooth-talking preacher, “Purlie,” arrives at the Pasadena Playhouse on July 1.