Everything old is new again, and that goes double for musicals.

The three shows coming to West neighborhood stages this week prove that point, whether it's an ageless classic like "Guys and Dolls" or the nostalgia of much more recent shows, such as the 2004 Elvis musical "All Shook Up" or "Back to the 80s," which debuted in 2001.

Rochester Area High School's musical director, Ted Watts, said he held auditions first, then chose "Guys and Dolls" to fit his cast. But he said he had another reason for picking a show about the New York underworld.

"Sometimes it's a challenge to involve the high school guys in a musical. But with this one, I knew they'd think it was cool."

Debuting on Broadway in 1950, and based on the short stories of Damon Runyon, "Guys and Dolls" hinges on a wager: gambler Nathan Detroit bets Sky Masterson he can't make the next girl he sees fall in love with him.

The odds are on Detroit's side because the next girl is crusading do-gooder Miss Sarah Brown, played by Jennifer Tame. Meanwhile, Detroit's nightclub singer girlfriend Miss Adelaide, played by Danielle Lodovico, wants a wedding ring. Will the boys go legit?

Mr. Watts said the ninth-grader who plays Sky Masterson, Artrell Allen, and the tenth-grader who plays Nathan Detroit, Stephen Harvey, both display talent. "They have a great future in the theater if they want it."

Besides the big numbers, like "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" and "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat," Mr. Watts said his cast enjoyed the comedy bits in the show.

He added that because so many in the cast participate in other school activities together, they work well as an ensemble. "These kids play sports together, play in the band, cheer together. They're pretty comfortable with each other."

This is Mr. Watts' second year directing at Rochester, and the Point Park University graduate said his experiences with the community, school and students have encouraged him to continue. "It's amazing how committed everyone connected to this program is. Everyone just pitches in to get it done. And you don't find that just anywhere."

Ambridge Area High School director Lora Oxenreiter said she thought this year's musical, "All Shook Up," was going to become very popular among area schools.

The musical, which features the songs of Elvis Presley as narration for a 1950s version of Shakespeare's comedy "Twelfth Night," is so new that the performance rights only became available last year.

"It's a very cute story, a little Shakespeare with a lot of Elvis," said Ms. Oxenreiter, who is in her ninth year of directing Ambridge musicals. "Many of the kids weren't familiar with the music, and they're loving it."

She described the show as "a big rock guitar musical" and said although she felt "Heartbreak Hotel" was one of her cast's best numbers, audiences were going to like the big dance finale of "Burnin' Love."

Brad Perciavelle stars as rebel biker Chad, while Ali Lewandowski is Natalie, the girl who masquerades as "Ed" to be near him.

Ms. Oxenreiter also noted three Ambridge faculty and staff members would appear as the warden during "Jailhouse Rock," including principal Alan Fritz tonight.

The musical isn't the only new thing at Ambridge. The cast and crew are enjoying the state of the art auditorium in the new school building that opened last month.

"The lighting and sound equipment are so complex the kids and I are still trying to figure out how to use it," said Ms. Oxenreiter. "But now we have room for mammoth sets."

Western Beaver County musical director Don Hixon said he didn't know what he was getting himself into when he chose "Back to the '80s."

Written by Australian Neil Gooding, performance rights for the show only became available in the United States last year. So although Western Beaver County will be among the first schools in the country to perform it, that also means Mr. Hixon and his cast have little to go on.

"It's a lot of work, because you have to come up with all your own ideas," he said, adding, "YouTube has been a big help," since some Australian productions have posted clips to the video sharing site.

The full name, "Back to the '80s, the Totally Awesome Musical," hints at some of the show's influences, including the "Back to the Future" films. Told in flashbacks by the now 30-something Corey Palmer, the show revisits the graduating class of William Ocean high school by way of almost 30 classic '80s tunes, including "Walking on Sunshine," "Material Girl" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go."

Ken Breaden plays the adult Corey, while Brian Ewing plays the younger. Sarah Depew plays Corey's crush, Tiffany Houston, while Matt Turyan plays his rival Michael Feldman. Those familiar with the '80s, said Mr. Hixon, will find the characters' names familiar: they're all combinations of popular '80s stars.

Since Western Beaver County is a combined Junior/Senior High School, the cast includes 7th- through 12th-graders. With 480 students, the show's cast of 60 includes one out of every eight students.

Mr. Hixon said the music is such a big part of the show that the band, which includes electric guitar and full drum kit, will play on stage. "The band acts as characters in the story. Some of them are even wearing fake mullets," he added, referring to the short on top, long in back hairstyle popular in the '80s.