Opening and Current Runs

365 DAYS/365 PLAYS
A short play a day, written by Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog, the first black woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for drama), performed throughout the city by companies from the Seattle Rep to WET. See www.365seattle.com for schedule and details. Various Locations, Across Seattle. Daily. Through Nov 13, 2007.

ANYTHING GOES
The musical inspired by the opening number in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: "Yi wang si-i wa ye kan dao/Xin li bian yao la jing bao jin tian zhi dao/Anything goes." Second Story Repertory, 16587 NE 74th St, Redmond, 425-881-6777. $20-$26. Fri, Sat, 8:15 pm and Sun, 2 pm. Through Dec 2.

BEDROOM FARCE
Alan Ayckbourn's comedy about the volcanic relationship of a married couple and how it ruins parties, spoils friendships, and keeps everyone—parents, friends—awake into the small hours of the night. Stone Soup Theatre, 4035 Stone Way N, 633-1883. $10-$22. Fri, Sat, 7:30 pm and Sat, 3:30 pm. Through Nov 25.

THE BOOK OF NATHAN
See review this issue. Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500. $18. Thurs-Sat, 8 pm. Through Dec 9.

BYE BYE BIRDIE
A 1960 musical about a 1950s Elvis-ish rocker and teens furiously trying to pick the locks on their chastity belts. Village Theatre, 303 Front St N, Issaquah, 425-392-2202. $25-$49. Wed-Sat, 8 pm, Sat, Sun, 2 pm, Sun, 7 pm and Tues, 7:30 pm. Through Dec 31.

CHILDREN OF EDEN
The 1986 Stephen Schwartz musical loosely based on the book of Genesis. Civic Light Opera at Magnuson Park, 400 Sand Point Way NE, 363-2809. $25—$35. Fri, Sat, 8 pm and Sun, 2 pm. Through Dec 3.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Ongoing. The familiar Christmastime story, directed by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. (No whites allowed.) ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $15-$44. Fri—Sat at 7 pm, Sun at 1 and 4 pm, Tues at 1 and 7:30 pm, Wed at 10 am and 12:30 pm. Through Dec 24.

THE COMPENDIUM OF NASTINESS
"The solo play, written by Ki Gottberg and starring Elizabeth Kenny, is a big romance in a small garage. Splicing boilerplate Gothic romance with topical references, Compendium is a mess of sexuality and revenge: a virgin lusting after a junkie monk, an uncle slavering over his niece, and a sodomy-loving demon queen." (Brendan Kiley) The Womb, call for directions, 800-838-3006. $25. Fri, Sat, 8:15 pm. Through Dec 9.

A DANGEROUS AGE
See review this issue. Balagan Theatre at Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 800-838-3006. $12—$15. Thurs-Sat, 7:30 pm and Sun, 2 pm. Through Dec 2.

THE DINA MARTINA CHRISTMAS SHOW
The psycho-drag sweetheart sticks her finger in your sugarplum. (Tee-hee!) Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 233-9873. $20. Thurs-Sun, 8 pm. Through Dec 30.

DINNER & DREAMS
Ongoing. The European-style dinner theater with cirque performers as garnish. Teatro ZinZanni, 2301 Sixth Ave, 802-0015. $99-$125. Thurs-Sat, 6:30 pm and Sun, 5:30 pm.

AN EVENING OF THORNTON WILDER ONE -ACTS
See review this issue. East Hall Theatre, 1529 10th Avenue, 683-2749. $12-$15. Thurs-Sat, 8 pm. Through Dec 1.

THE GREAT GATSBY
"It's a hell of a task, adapting a well-known piece of literature for the stage, especially a piece of literature as pleasurable and complex as F. Scott Fitzgerald's third novel, but playwright Simon Levy and director David Esbjornson have made something you'd never expect: a boring disaster. How do you make The Great Gatsby boring? You boil the novel down to a couple extremely obvious themes, cast it poorly, scrap a lot of that aforementioned complexity, and add several incomprehensible new elements. The parties, the dancing, the boozing, Gatsby's pink suit, Daisy's white dresses, the car accident, the billboard, the swimming pool, the shootings, the green light (I never saw it, but it's described)—all of these are here, but the sum total is jumbled and hollow." (Christopher Frizzelle) Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St, 443-2222. $10-$34. Thurs-Sun, 7:30 pm, Sat, Sun, 2 pm and Tues, Wed, 7:30 pm. Through Dec 10.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY
Five actors play 50 characters in this 1940s-style radio broadcast. Directed by Karen Lund. Taproot Theatre, 204 N 85th St, 781-9707. $15-$30. Fri, Sat, 8 pm, Thurs, 7:30 pm and Sat, 2 pm. Through Dec 30.

JASON AND THE GOLDEN FLEECE
A new adaptation of the old story about Jason and the Argonauts—including a young Hercules and a poet named Orpheus—trying to get a golden sheepskin from a badass dragon. (This being the Children's Theatre, they'll probably drop the part about Medea.) Seattle Children's Theatre, Seattle Center, 441-3322. $16-$32. Fri, 7 pm and Sat, Sun, 2 and 5:30 pm. Through Nov 26.

LATE NITE CATECHISM
Ongoing. "The real point is not the adult-catechism monologue, but the script's gaps, in which Sister Aubrey Manning dispenses tissues to cover salacious displays of flesh and kitschy prizes to reward the dumbstruck targets of her improvisations." (Annie Wagner) ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $24.50-$29.50. Fri, Sat, 8 pm and Sun, 2 pm.

MEMORY HOUSE
Mom bakes a pie, daughter tries to finish a college essay, and their unresolved fears and resentments run roughshod over each other's egos. Directed by Allison Narver. Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St, 443-2222. $10-$40. Thurs-Sat, 7:30 pm, Tues, Wed, 7:30 pm and Sat, Sun, 2 pm. Through Dec 17.

MENOPAUSE: THE MUSICAL
Ongoing. "What makes this toweringly formulaic and very demographic-specific crap about dusty uteruses even moderately bearable? The consummate cast was ferocious and fast—they rush in, slap you around with jokes about memory lapses and no sex and saggy boobs that you can't help giggling at, and then they rush out." (Adrian Ryan) ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $45. Thurs, Fri, 7:30 pm and Sat, Sun, 2 and 5:30 pm.

NEVER SWIM ALONE
A story about two men, friends—and rivals—since childhood, and a young woman with a secret from their shared past. Directed by Roger Bennington (Crave). Washington Ensemble Theatre, 608 19th Ave E, 800-838-3006. $10—$18. Thurs-Mon at 8 pm. Through Dec 18.

A TUNA CHRISTMAS
Two quick-change comic actors play 24 citizens in Tuna, the third-smallest town in Texas. Burien Little Theatre, 425 SW 144th St, 242-5180. $5-$18. Fri, Sat, 8 pm and Sun, 2 pm. Through Dec 17.

A WHITE CHRISTMAS
Previewing. Apparently not about cocaine. Who knew? 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave, 292-2787. $20-$75. Sat, 2 and 8 pm, Sun, 1:30 and 7 pm and Tues, Wed, 7:30 pm. Through Dec 20.

Dance

THE NUTCRACKER
Music by Tchaikovsky, sets and costumes by Maurice Sendak, choreography by His Holiness Kent Stowell. McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St, 684-7200. $18-$108. Fri, Sat, 7:30 pm, Sat, 2 pm and Sun, 1 and 5:30 pm. Through Dec 28.

SEATTLE SALSA CONGRESS
One weekend only. The salsa congress involves classes and socials and dance performances by salsa superstars, including Puerto Rico's Jayson Molina. Hyatt Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way NE. www.seattlesalsacongress.com. $15-$35. Fri, 9 pm, Sat, midnight and Sun, 10 pm. Through Nov 26.

Cabaret

THE BEDROOM CLUB Last Supper Club, 124 S Washington St, 748-9975. $10. BURLESQUE BEHIND THE PINK DOOR Pink Door, 1919 Post Alley, 443-3241. $10. Sat, 10:30 pm. LIVE BURLESQUE SeaMonster Lounge, 2202 N 45th St, 633-1824. Free. Tues, 11 pm.

BURLESQUE FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
Featuring Tamara the Trapeze Lady, the Swedish Housewife, and a dozen more. Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison St, 324-8000. $15. Sun, Nov 26, 8 pm.

Improv & Comedy

27TH ANNUAL SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL STANDUP COMEDY COMPETITION
This is the finals of the competition. Comedy Underground, 222 S Main St, 800-325-7328. $10. Sun, Nov 26, 8:30 pm.

THE COMEDY SHOP
Columbia City Theatre, 4916 Rainier Ave S, 723-0088. $12 adv/$15 DOS. Sat, 8:30 and 10:30 pm.

COMEDY UNDERGROUND
222 S Main St, 800-325-7328. $6-$15. Fri, Sat, 8:30 and 10:30 pm.

THE CORY AND DOUG SHOW
Sketch, standup, and improv hosted by Cory Nealy and Doug Willott. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 388-0569. $8. Tues, 7:30 pm. Through Nov 28.

FUH-GEDDABOUDIT: AN INTERACTIVE MAFIA MUSICAL
The name says it all. Julia's Restaurant, 300 Broadway E, 860-1818. $44.90. Sun, 6:30 pm.

GIGGLES COMEDY CLUB
5220 Roosevelt Way NE, 526-5653. $12. Fri, Sat, 8:30 and 10:30 pm.

JET CITY IMPROV
Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, 352-8291. $8-$10. Fri, Sat, 10:30 pm and Sat, 8 pm.

THEATRESPORTS
Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 587-2414. $8-$12. Fri, Sat, 10:30 pm and Sat, 8 pm.

Late Night

THE TWILIGHT ZONE
The late-night live-stage Twilight Zone episdoes are back, this time featuring "A Most Unusual Camera" and "What You Need." (Free preview Nov 23 at 11 pm.) Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500. $12. Fri, Sat, 11 pm. Through Dec 16.

Special Events

MAGICSNOW
Pacific Place's annual behavioral art experiment, wherein a shower of "biodegradable, nontoxic, nonstaining, eco-friendly" flakes turns the vast commercial cavern into a giant snow globe, yanking the scales from shoppers' eyes, demonstrating that they are but miniatures, trapped in a diorama of their own devising. Pacific Place, 600 Pine St, 652-2404. www.pacificplaceseattle.com. Free. Daily at 6 pm. Through Dec 24.