OPENING AND CURRENT RUNS



ANNA KARENINA

"Helen Edmundson's script, which is propelled by meta-commentary from alternating protagonists Anna (Samara Lerman) and Levin (Chris Mayse), gets a little episodic at the end. The fault is exaggerated in an uneven production like this one, in which one strand of narration is far more compelling than the other. Lerman could probably hold up well enough against a strong partner, but she keeps being cast opposite anemic men: Aaron Ousley, in the role of her lover Vronksy, lacks all heft. Their scenes end up looking starved, especially next to the touching relationship of Mayse and Regan deVictoria (as Kitty), who inject an improbable humanity into their blandly idealistic characters." (Annie Wagner) Atlas Theatre at Open Circle Theatre, 429 Boren Ave N, 679-1565. $8-$10. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through April 2.

BAREFOOT IN THE PARK

Final week. "Neil Simon's early comedy about a pair of newlyweds in New York is dated (Barefoot in the Park had its sexy, decidedly pre-feminist debut in 1963), and it certainly doesn't make for a challenging addition to the ArtsWest season. But thanks to the quick-paced direction of Mavis Lamb and an effervescent performance from Greta Bloor as the young bride Corie, it makes for an amusing evening. " (Annie Wagner) ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0339. $10-$30. Thurs-Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 3 and 7:30 pm. Through March 26.

BEAU JEST

Previewing. Timothy Hornor (who was fabulous in Taproot's Much Ado About Nothing) stars as Bob, a Jewish guy Sarah has hired to impersonate her gentile fiancé. In the original play, Bob is a male escort, but it appears family-friendly Taproot has downgraded his profession to "actor." Taproot Theatre, 204 N 85th St, 781-9707. $17-$21. Preview performance Wed March 30 at 7:30 pm. Through April 30.

BRENT OR BRENDA?

A remount of the crazily popular Scot Augustson play about a poor little straight dude who just wants to wear lacy underwear. Same Brent (Ben Laurance), same ensemble (Jennifer Jasper and Stacey Plum); plus an all-new Hungarian narrator (Wendy O. Henry). Ethereal Mutt at Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 325-6500. $15. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through April 2.

DEFENDING THE CAVEMAN

This mid-'90s relic by comedian Rob Becker is about the supposed prehistoric propensities of the two sexes, and is performed by former Portlander Isaac Lamb. There was no excuse for this show then; there's none now. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $35-$39.50. Thurs-Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 5 and 8 pm, Sun at 3 pm. Tickets available through April 17.

DINNER & DREAMS

Ongoing. A new musical version of the rabidly successful dinner theater/circus hybrid opens this week, with Martha Davis of the Motels as Madame ZinZanni and L.A. actor Frank Ferrante in the role of Chef Caesar. Aerialist Duo Artemiev and Ukrainian contortionist Vita Radionova are still onboard--or in-tent, or whatever. Teatro ZinZanni, 2301 Sixth Ave, 802-0015. $89-$109. Thurs-Sat at 6:30 pm, Sun at 5:30 pm.

ELECTION SHOW

The improvised satire on electoral politics is back for two months to raise money for a tour of spring comedy festivals. Wing-It Productions at Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, 325-6500. $10. Sun at 7 pm. Through April 24.

FISSION

A new play by Ashland playwright Molly Best Tinsley, Fission is about Lise Meitner, the European Jew who contributed to the discovery of nuclear fission. Live Girls! Theater, 620 Alaskan Way, second floor, 568-1985. $12. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm, Mon at 8 pm. Through April 3.

GLITTRA'S MISSION

Final week. SCT partner Speeltheater Holland developed this adaptation of a children's story about an inquisitive 6-year-old Swede named Martin and his guardian angel Glittra, who's skilled at getting the kid out of all kind of scrapes. Seattle Children's Theatre, 201 Thomas St, Seattle Center, 441-3322. $14-$28. Fri at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 and 5:30 pm. Through March 26.

HELLHOUND ON MY TRAIL

Denis Johnson (best known for Jesus' Son, a book of short stories adapted into a movie by Alison Maclean) wrote this play about "a sexual-misconduct investigator who misconducts herself sexually," a renegade Jehovah's Witness, and other inhabitants of the American West. Rob West (A Eulogy for Citizen, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) directs. Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 324-5801. $15. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through April 16.

HOBSON'S CHOICE

Final week. "This early 20th-century play, about a hard-drinking, bourgeois store owner named Henry Hobson and his three uppity daughters, could have been enlivened by a production highlighting the electric charge of social transgression. Instead, director Keith Dahlgren boxes his actors into corners of the clunky set and drains every ounce of conflict out of long, static scenes. " (Annie Wagner) Exchange Theatre at Seattle Public Theatre at the Bathhouse, 7312 W Green Lake Dr N, 425-254-0090. $18-$20. Thurs-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through March 27.

HONK! (THE MUSICAL)

Opening. A musical for kids based on the Hans Christian Andersen story of the Ugly Duckling. Studio East, 402 Sixth St S, Kirkland, 425-827-3123. $9-$11. Opening Fri March 25 at 7:30 pm. Sat at 2:30 and 7:30 pm. Through April 10.

INFLUENCE

Final week. "Influence is a semi-autobiographical play about a pompous theater critic who writes and directs a semi-autobiographical play, and while the premise sounds ripe, the fact that the plot of the play-within-a-play is so close to the play itself means that the line between writing that is consciously bad (the inner play) and unintentionally bad (the outer one) is fatally blurred. There is, however, some decent acting (Brandon Whitehead, in the role of the playwright/director, does some pretty hilarious open-mouthed breathing)." (Annie Wagner) Theatre Babylon at Velocity MainSpace Theatre, 915 E Pine St, second floor, brownpapertickets.com. $12-$18. Fri-Sat at 8 pm. Through March 26.

KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS

An original adaptation of the 1949 comedic screenplay, in which a man sets about murdering his way into the aristocracy. SecondStory Repertory, above Borders, Redmond Town Center, 425-881-6777. $16-$20. Fri-Sat at 8:15 pm, Sun at 2:15 pm. Through April 2.

LATE NIGHT CATECHISM

Ongoing. Long-running interactive Catholic-school comedy, in which a nun tells you everything you need to know about your everlasting soul. Cloud 9 Productions at ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $24.50-$29.50. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm.

MY BOAT TO BAINBRIDGE

"This one-man show by Matt Smith is an extremely low-key tribute to a middle-aged crisis of heterosexual masculinity. Mainly this tired theme takes the form of a creepy obsession about his pet dog's severed testicles, but there's also a good deal of lame nostalgia for the Seattle of yore, and frequent mimicking of birdcalls. " (Annie Wagner) Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 781-9273. $15. Fri at 8 pm. Through April 29.

REBECCA

Final week. "One of the most bungling theater productions I've seen in at least two months. Massively popular among women of a certain age, the novel is a bizarre hybrid of Gothic romance and murder mystery; its appeal comes from women's desire to identify with the abject naiveté of the heroine--and from the horrified satisfaction we take in finally seeing her punished for marrying up. So when director Jane Jones casts Annette Toutonghi in the role of the second Mrs. de Winter, I have to wonder what the hell she's thinking. Toutonghi is a fine actor, but she's not exactly dewy, and watching her character bleat cute little lines like, "I wish I were a woman of 36, dressed in black satin with a string of pearls!" is just embarrassing." (Annie Wagner) Book-It Repertory Theatre at Seattle Center House Theatre, 216-0833. $15-$30. Thurs-Sat at 7:30 pm. Through March 26.

THE SECRET IN THE WINGS

Final week. "This whirlwind of economical narration and dense production design is constantly brushing up against hard-wired taboos and instinctive horrors. The stories are packed with the sort of gruesome, medieval fears that modern retellings usually excise. There is infant mortality. There are witch-hunts. There's a lot of incest. But Secret also dabbles in rubbery slapstick and gross-out standup comedy. It's wonderfully inventive, terrifyingly lush theater." (Annie Wagner) Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St, 443-2222. $10-$46. Thurs-Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 7:30. Through March 26.

SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO; SURE THING

A double feature of plays directed by Laura J. Parkening (The Pickle). David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago is about a pair of lovers and their meddling confidants; David Ives' Sure Thing explores what a first encounter might be like if the two flirts made no false starts. Paper Trail Productions at Northwest Actor's Studio, 1100 E Pike St, 324-6328. $12. Fri-Sun at 8 pm. Through April 3.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS

Final week. "I don't think it betrays too much of the play's contrived ending to say that Adam's passive transformation at the hands of his girlfriend Evelyn can't hope to compete with the gruesome complicity of contestants on The Swan. In ReAct's tepid production, it's hard to dredge up much sympathy for David S. Hogan, who plays Adam as a dull, puppy-dog victim. Angela diMarco, as his seductress Evelyn, makes a perfectly ditzy MFA student, but she hasn't fully internalized the script's bitter misogyny. " (Annie Wagner) Repertory Actors Studio at Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 364-3283. $9-$12. Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2 and 8 pm. Through March 26.

WRECKAGE (THE REWRITE)

One week only. Lauren Weedman's acclaimed autobiographical show has been shined, buffed, and rewritten and is in town for just one weekend. On the original production: "Lauren Weedman's new autobiographical solo show demonstrates a hint of calm reflection as she revisits a horrendous lie she told in her college days, interspersed with episodes from before, during, and after the collapse of her marriage. Which is not to say that she's quiet or low-key; Weedman still bounces, shimmies, and shrieks as she whirls through a host of characters, including an aspiring weathergirl for the Playboy channel, an absent-minded medium, and a glib karaoke-singing boyfriend. Wreckage is perhaps the best work yet from this powerhouse performer." (Bret Fetzer) Freehold's East Hall Theatre, 1525 10th Ave, 706-3710. $12-$15. Thurs-Fri March 24-25 at 8 pm, Sat March 26 at 7 and 10 pm, Sun March 27 at 7 pm.

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD

The Tony Award-nominated musical is based on the children's books by Arnold Lobel, with music by Robert Reale and book and lyrics by Willie Reale. Seattle Children's Theatre, 201 Thomas St, Seattle Center, 441-3322. $14-$28. Fri at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 and 5:40 pm. Through June 5.

DANCE



5 1/2

Opening. A semi-anniversary performance, with dances by Mary Kay Bisignano-Vadino, Steve Castell, Holly Eckert, Dominique Gabella, Jesse Jaramillo, and Janis Zetlen. Next Stage Dance Theatre at Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway Ave, 325-6500. $12-$16. Opening Fri March 25 at 8 pm. Sat at 8 pm. Through April 2.

BALANCE

One weekend only. A mixed-repertoire program, including excerpts from Swan Lake adapted for the trapeze. ARC Dance Productions at Shorecrest Performing Arts Center, 15343 25th Ave NE, Shoreline, 325-5400. $15-20. Fri-Sat March 25-26 at 7:30 pm.

FADE

"This evening-length work starts promisingly, with an impressive confluence of set and music and choreography that's all too rare in Seattle dance. Etta Lilienthal's oceanic plastic tarp and Yann Novak's electronic score give a primordial gravity to the opening sequences, and distract from the shortcomings of the dancers, who (with the exception of Chay Norton) tend to soften the choreography. As the work wears on, movements become more and more scattered, and there are frequently three or four people onstage engaged in their own closed circuits of gesture." (Annie Wagner) Crispin Spaeth Dance Group at Consolidated Works, 500 Boren Ave N, 381-3218. $12-$15. Fri-Sat at 8 pm. Through April 2.

THE MERRY WIDOW

This lavish Ronald Hynd ballet was last seen in 2002. Pacific Northwest Ballet at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St, Seattle Center, 441-2424. $20-$137. Thurs-Fri at 7:30, Sat at 2 and 7:30 pm, Sun at 1 pm. Through March 27.

THREEWAY

One week only. A "tri-coastal" (Seattle, New York, and--er, Los Angeles) dance project from choreographers Colleen Dunagan, Sue Hogan, and Erin Mitchell. Chamber Theater, 915 E Pine St, fourth floor, 324-9464. $15. Thurs-Sat March 24-26 at 8 pm.

CABARET



BRUNCH WITH DINA MARTINA

A cabaret pick-me-up from Seattle's own demented diva, Dina Martina (also known, sans makeup and garish dresses, as Grady West). Thumper's, 1500 E Madison St, 328-3800. $10. Sun at noon and 3 pm. Through April 10.

MOISTURE FESTIVAL

Opening. A comedy/variety festival that ranges from burlesque to family-oriented panto performances. For details, see www.moisturefestival.com. Hale's Palladium, 4301 Leary Way NW, www.brownpapertickets.com. $5-$20. Opening Wed March 30 at 8 pm. Through April 10.

MUSICA VITAE! CABARET

Ongoing. A cabaret about the search for a musical holy grail. Century Ballroom, 915 E Pine St, 325-6500. $15 (under 21, cabaret only)-$55 (dinner, cabaret, dancing). Sat at 7:30 pm.

SEATTLE FOLLIES: CABARET WITH A POLITICAL TWIST

One night only. John Keister of Almost Live hosts this edition of the cabaret for squares and politicos. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 652-4255. $15-$18. Thurs March 24 at 7:30 pm.

WHEN PIGS FLY

A grab bag of songs, dances, and running gags, directed by Rick Anderson (best known for Party). Gaydar Productions at Thumper's, 1500 E Madison St, 328-3800. $15. Fri-Sat at 8:30 pm. Through April 9.

LATE NIGHT



EXOTICA

Burlesque from the Atomic Bombshells. Mirabeau Room, 529 Queen Anne Ave N. $10 (21+ w/ID required). Wed at 10 pm. Through May 18.

THE TWILIGHT ZONE: LIVE!

Opening. Yet another doubleheader of live adaptations of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone. "The Invaders" is about the scariest place on earth: rural America. And then there's Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?, which is pretty much self-explanatory. Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-1600. $10. Preview performance Thurs March 24 at 11 pm. Opening Friday March 25 at 11 pm. Sat at 11 pm. Through April 16.

IMPROV & COMEDY

Jet City Improv at Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, 325-6500. $8-$10. Fri at 10:30 pm, Sat at 8 and 10:30 pm. Scatterbrains (improv) at ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0339. $5-$7. Sat at 10:30 pm. Cathy Sorbo at Comedy Underground, 222 S Main St, 800-325-7328. $6-$12. Thurs at 8:30, Fri-Sat at 8:30 and 10:30. Theatresports at Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 781-9273. $8-$10. Fri-Sat at 10:30 pm, Sun at 7 pm.

SPECIAL EVENTS



ANGEL OF MERCY

One night only. A reading of a new Bret Fetzer (Red Eye, Mars Is a Star Who Defies Observation) play about a nurse who murders her patients. Seattle Dramatists at Theatre Off Jackson, 409 Seventh Ave S. $2. Mon March 28 at 7 pm.

OPEN BOX: A PLAYWRIGHT'S OPEN MIC

One night only. Rendezvous, 2322 Second Ave. Tickets available at the door only, $3. Sat March 26 at 4:30 pm.