2013-14 is a big year for Washington University’s Performing Arts Department. Whether attending one or all of the myriad productions performed by the PAD, audience members can expect a perfect blend of pure enjoyment and intellectual stimulation—not that the two are or have ever been mutually exclusive. Below is a list of the shows to expect, along with descriptions.

Our ongoing coverage of the Performing Arts Department’s performance of “Cabaret” continues with the second part of our Q&A session with the cast (Pete Winfrey, a senior, playing the Emcee; Sarah Palay, a junior, playing Sally Bowles; Ariel Saul, a junior, playing Fräulein Schneider; and Anna Richards, a sophomore, playing Fräulein Kost.

While the Performing Arts Department production of “Cabaret” may be officially opening on Friday, there will be an unofficial chance for students to see the action early. Thursday, Oct. 18, there will be a free dress rehearsal open to students, with 18 seats on the actual stage of the Edison Theatre.

“All the world’s a stage / And all the men and women merely players.” That famous, ubiquitous line is from William Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy “As You Like It,” the final show in the Performing Art Department’s (PAD) series of performances this year.

“The more the merrier” should be the unofficial subtitle of That Uppity Theater Company’s new theater festival “Briefs,” which will be premiering in St. Louis this weekend. “Briefs” is a collection of eight short plays that focus on topics important to members of the LGBT community, and the double entendre in the name is a nice touch as well.

The five characters of Danai Gurira’s “Eclipsed”—four wives married to the same high-ranking officer and peace advocate—find themselves trapped not only by rebel fighting but also by their own beliefs. These women live in a rebel army camp during the last leg of the Liberian Civil War.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” may date to the 1590s, but the Performing Arts Department’s latest production of Shakespeare’s classic is as fresh as ever. All elements of the show contribute to a magical experience, as the audience travels to Fairyland and back. Make every effort to see “Dream” this weekend; even an ass would not miss it.

The cast of “The Giver” never stops moving. Presented by Edison Theatre and Metro Theater Company, this production of “The Giver” acts as if walking is outlawed in this community and sprinting is the only legal form of transportation.

The Performing Arts Department’s production of “Curse of the Starving Class,” playing in the Hotchner Theatre this weekend, narrates the hardship and absurdity of a wretched family in a powerfully poignant manner. For an unsettling but insightful look at American family life, check out “Curse of the Starving Class” this weekend.

With the arrival of Parents’ Weekend, students should ponder how best to repay parents for a trip to Schnucks. Consider instead a night at the theater savoring the Performing Arts Department’s latest production, “The Threepenny Opera.” This musical is an excellent entertainment option for anybody.