At Theatre 3’s 47th birthday party Wednesday Theatre 3’s new season was announced — and Theatre Too’s, too. As usual, the roster includes a number of area premieres and first local productions, particularly of smart, smaller-scale Broadway and off-Broadway musicals. But see if you can spot something of a theme — perhaps even an obsession in the 2009-2010 season.

THEATRE 3:

The Royal Family (June 30-Aug. 30) George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber’s classic comedy of theater life from 1927. America’s family of “acting royalty” is full of eccentrics and must be aided by agents and servants to survive.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (September 24-October 25) The hit Broadway musical about six kids at a spelling competition — with audience members getting involved as well. The first local production.

Talley’s Folly (November 19-December 20) Lanford Wilson’s beloved two-hander about an evening courtship for an unlikely pair trying to bond during World War II in the South.

Amy’s View (December 31-January 31) Sir David Hare’s epic, four-act play follows a mother-daughter relationship across two decades  — and like The Royal Family, it’s a play about life in the theater. Mom is a famous stage actress who doesn’t like her quiet daughter’s new husband.

To Be Announced (February 25-March 28) No show for this slot is set yet.

[title of show] (April 22-May 23) This will be the area premiere of the off-Broadway hit about two theater geeks trying to put together a musical for a theater festival. Yes, it’s another show about theater life. This will be the area premiere if Theatre 3 gets the rights for it.

Take the jump for Theatre Too’s season.

THEATRE TOO

Woody Guthrie’s American Song (June 19-July 26) The Dallas premiere of Peter Glazer’s new musical about the Depression-era singer-songwriter.

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks (August 28-September 20). A Florida widow dusts off her ballroom dancing with a younger, middle-aged man. Each week’s lesson in Richard Alfieri’s 2001 comedy gives us a new style (waltz, foxtrot) and a new emotional clash (she’s a Baptist, he’s foul-mouthed).

Snake in the Grass (October 23-November 15) Alan Ayckbourn, Britain’s comic master of stage manipulations, tries his hand at a mystery and ghost story about a father dying (perhaps aided by his daughter) — and that old question about who stands to inherit everything.

Another Night Before Christmas ()November 27-December 20) Written by the pair who created A Dog’s Life, Leah Okimoto and Sean Grennan, this 2007 musical finds a disillusioned woman facing an intruder who claims to be Santa.

Songs of the Redhead: The Music of Danny Kaye (January 7-January 24) The return of Don Alan Croll’s one-man tribute to the actor-comedian-UNICEF spokesman.

I Love You, You’re Pefect, Now Change (January 29-February 28) The title is fitting for this perennial. For Valentine’s Day — the return of the long-running off-Broadway comic review by Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts about dating and marriage.

Bill W. and Dr. Bob (March 26-April 18) The story behind the start of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The season begins July 20. Season subscriptions and single-show tickets may be purchased by calling Theatre Three’s box office at 214-871-3300.