No small amount of sizeable drama appears on the big screen and intimate stages all summer.

Coming nationwide movie releases and local theater productions offer sweet summer escape, seasoned with serious and substantial work, for those long, lazy days when you want to get away (or get connected). Also great: The Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series every Wednesday and Thursday from June 12-Aug. 29 and the Outdoor Forest Theater’s Films in the Forest series now through July 21. (See Calendar.)

• THEATER •

Love, Loss and What I Wore

June 7-30 • Carl Cherry Center

Five women re-enact monologues from the off-Broadway show of the recollections and observations of Nora Ephron (writer of Silkwood, Sleepless in Seattle, Julie and Julia), her sister Delia and their friends, as compiled into the bestselling book.

Hamlet

June 27-July 25 • Outdoor Forest Theatre

That’s a Barrymore – John Blyth Barrymore Jr. – directing the play and reprising the role made not just famous but hallowed by the grandfather and patriarch of the Barrymore acting clan, John Barrymore Sr. This can be good.

Side by Side by Sondheim

July 6-27 • Western Stage Main Stage

This musical revue gathers the biggest hits of one of the most important creators of Broadway musicals, Stephen Sondheim, with highlights from Company, Follies, West Side Story and others.

Les Miserables

July 25-Aug. 18 • Monterey Peninsula College

This powerful and emotional musical of Victor Hugo’s epic story is going to be the theater show of the summer.

Buddy Holly & Friends… in Concert

Aug. 1-Sept. 1 • Golden Bough Playhouse

This hit musical tribute to 1950s and ’60s rock ‘n roll “stars” Buddy Holly, Elvis, Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Dusty Springfield, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Sam Cooke, et al.

I’m Not Rappaport

Aug. 16-Sept. 15 • Magic Circle Theatre

A Broadway hit comedy about elderly folks – Jewish political radical Nat and African-American building superintendent Midge not ready to fade into the background.

Peter Pan

Aug. 22-Sept. 29 • Outdoor Forest Theatre

J.M. Barrie’s fantastical boy’s tale is about the retention, not the loss, of childlike innocence and how that can keep life an adventure. Pac Rep’s flying stunts by Las Vegas’ ZFX don’t hurt.

• MOVIES •

Monsters University

June 21 • Dan Scanlon

Billy Crystal, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi voices sync with sumptuous CGI, colorfully freaky creatures.

How to Make Money Selling Drugs

June 26 • Matthew Cooke

A documentary that purports to be a how-to but is really a what’s-up of the drug trade, from ineffectual enforcement and capitalism to penthouses and prisons, featuring 50 Cent, Eminem, Rick Ross and Russell Simmons.

I’m So Excited

June 28 • Pedro Almodovar

Almodovar continues charming, smart and sexy movies with merrily gay flair that shows his inclusive, poppy side with help from Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz and Javier Camara.

Pacific Rim

July 12 • Guillermo del Toro

Big monsters, big robots. It’s not Michael Bay, it’s Guillermo del Toro, getting all big Hollywood summer destruction in this ode to Japanese monster fare like Shogun Warriors and Godzilla.

The Wolverine

July 26 • James Mangold

Maybe the most intense and overlooked chapter of the Wolverine storyline in X-Men comics took place in Japan and involved samurai culture. Yes.

Fruitvale Station

July 26 • Ryan Coogler

Forest Whitaker produced this true story about the 2008 New Year’s Eve police shooting of Oscar Grant on BART.

Elysium

Aug. 9 • Neil Blomkamp

Blomkamp’s District 9 brought his cool future gear, his South African socio-political smart bombs and Matt Damon and Jodie Foster with him.

We’re the Millers

Aug. 9 • Rawson Marshall Thurber

Suburban values twist into funny and dark shapes in this story of a cobbled-together “family” on a drug-run road trip. Along with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudekis, it features a mobile home. Let the good times – and movies – roll.