THURSDAY NOV 8


Jennifer Steele

(DANCE) Jennifer Steele holds two degrees from the University of Oregon, one in English literature and the other in business. But it's not her knowledge of money and elegant books that has marked her career, it's her spectacular nude fire show. Her fire-breathing routine has won Steele such titles as World Exotic Fire Champion 2000, Miss Exotic Dancer 2000, Miss Nude Petite Porn International, Miss Erotic USA, Miss Nude USA Audience Favorite, and Miss Nude Porn Showgirl 2000. Jennifer is also part of The Godfather's "Ho Train" for the World Wrestling Federation, and has appeared onstage with Kid Rock. This is American entertainment at its best. CHARLES MUDEDE

Deja Vu, First Ave and Pike St, 342-9160, Thurs Nov 8-Sat Nov 10, 9 pm, $20. Also at the Lake City Deja Vu, 14556 Bothell Way, 362-5851, Mon Nov 12-Wed Nov 14, 9 pm, $20.


FRIDAY NOV 9


"Croon!"

(KARAOKE) Though his column "I Love Television" still runs regularly within this here rag, many people may not realize that Wm.â„¢ Steven Humphrey (a.k.a. "The Hump") no longer lives in our fair burg. No sir. He's gone south, you see, down to Portland where those undeserving Portlanders (i.e., potheads, strippers, men who wear socks with sandals, etc.) are routinely blessed with his innumerable talents. However! For one night only, the Hump is returning to the city that made him to host a night of karaoke at the Breakroom, and it will most surely be an event to remember. Whether you wish to sing or simply gawk, show up and watch Hump shake his honey-baked ham. It's only $5, or outright FREE if you fill out a Stranger Personal ad, so what have you got to lose? (Note: The Hump's favorite song is "American Pie" by Don McLean, and I'm sure he'll be extremely flattered if you ask him to sing it for you. All of it. In its entirety.) BRADLEY STEINBACHER

The Breakroom, 1325 E Madison St, 860-5155, 9 pm, free/$5.


Elvis Mitchell, Quincy Jones

(LECTURE) We live for events like this. Tonight New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell hosts a look at Quincy Jones' contribution to cinema and television. Elvis Mitchell is an excellent moderator with a charming sense of humor, and Quincy Jones' scores (In Cold Blood, In the Heat of the Night, The Color Purple, and the Sanford and Son theme song, to name a few) demand serious consideration. On Sunday, November 11, Quincy Jones (who, by the way, is a graduate of Seattle's own Garfield High School) will appear in person at EMP to sign his new autobiography, Q, and hold a conversation with Elvis Mitchell about why he is so amazing. CHARLES MUDEDE

JBL Theater at EMP, 325 Fifth Ave N, 7 pm, $5/$7. Call 770-2742 for tickets; visit www.emplive.com for complete schedule.


SATURDAY NOV 10


Cross-Cuts, Close-Ups

(PERFORMANCE) "Genius" is a title that is slung around way too freely (e.g., "I'm a chicken genius!"--Colonel Sanders), but have no reservations about applying it to Gregory Hischak. Hischak is the mastermind behind the macabre marvel of xerography that is Farm Pulp, a zine that tackles topics such as cousin bronzing and the End of the World Bake Sale. He is also a member of the spoken-word ensemble Staggered Thirds, along with Titlewave Readings impresario and wine merchant Doug Nufer and Anna Mockler, who is the veteran of many, many literary journals. Staggered Thirds has conflated various media since 1998, and this weekend the group performs Cross-Cuts, Close-Ups, their most theatrical production to date. Cross-Cuts consists of two 40-minute sets of two- to 10-minute scripts that satirize cinematic narrative and technique via three-part spoken harmony. Although Hischak's part will be played by Theater Under the Influence member Amy Fleetwood for this show, Cross-Cuts was written in part by his crispy little brain--a guarantee of brilliance. MEG VAN HUYGEN

The Little Theatre, 610 19th Ave E, 329-2629, Thurs Nov 8-Sun Nov 11, 8 pm, $8/$10.


Pinback

(MUSIC) The new Pinback release, Blue Screen Life, is the very best work yet by this excellent band. It's buoyant, almost danceable, and... well, "swoopy," as one esteemed colleague suggests. Pinback is the duo Armistead Burwell Smith IV (of Three Mile Pilot) and Robert Crow (of Thingy and Heavy Vegetable). Fans of Three Mile Pilot can expect the thick, melancholic, bass-driven live sound that Smith stamped on that band, but if the new Pinback release is any indication of what this year's live show will sound like, expect some light, great, uplifting pop as well. JEFF DeROCHE

Crocodile Cafe, 2200 Second Ave, 441-5611, all-ages show at 5 pm, 21+ show at 9:30 pm, both shows $10.


SUNDAY NOV 11


Superchunk

(MUSIC) Superchunk's latest album, Here's to Shutting Up, finds the band continuing to mature while remaining young at heart. Longtime fans will be glad to note that the record sounds at once exhilarated, pensive, and contemplative, but takes some lovely moody diversions through guests who play violin, keyboards, and pedal steel. Superchunk's show at Seattle Center was perhaps last summer's best; if you missed out, here's your chance to revisit your adolescent angst. KATHLEEN WILSON

Showbox, 1246 First Ave, 628-3151, $10/$12.


Seán Curran

(DANCE/SYMPOSIUM) Dancer/choreographer Seán Curran has done work at venues high and low, everything from Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival (esteemed by discerning critics) to Sesame Street (esteemed by discerning four-year-olds). Before he started his own company, he'd been a dancer with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and an original cast member of Broadway's STOMP! This breadth of experience makes Curran an ideal candidate for an in-depth symposium, and Cornish College for the Arts is giving you the opportunity to pelt him with questions. The focus will be his career and the development of his own work, which is interesting in and of itself; but as a core sampling of what's going on in the world of dance today, this could be even more illuminating. To add to that broader perspective, former artistic director of On the Boards Mark Murphy will be moderating. BRET FETZER

Cornish College of the Arts at PONCHO Concert Hall, Kerry Hall, 710 E Roy St, 12-4 pm, free.


MONDAY NOV 12


The Beard of Avon

(THEATER) Playwright Amy Freed has made a career of literary impersonation. Many of her plays center around writers and poets--be it Edgar Allen Poe in Claustrophilia or thinly disguised stand-ins for Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath in The Psychic Life of Savages--and she writes uncanny (and often very funny) imitations of their style. Now she's tackling the great white whale of English lit in this comedy about whether the historical man named William Shakespeare, a modestly educated London actor, wrote the plays that bear his name, or whether some noble used Shakespeare as a front to avoid being associated with theater riffraff. Director Sharon Ott hasn't shown a very sure hand with contemporary plays, but with a stellar cast including Dan Donohue, Laurence Ballard, Nick Garrison, Eric Ray Anderson, and Lori Larsen (as Queen Elizabeth), it'll be hard for her to go wrong. BRET FETZER

Seattle Repertory Theatre, Second Ave & Mercer St, 443-2222, Tues-Sun at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 pm, $15-$39. Through Dec 22.


TUESDAY NOV 13


Local H

(MUSIC) It happens every time! Zion, Illinois' excellent two-piece grunge band Local H comes to town for the first time since God knows when, and it's the same night as another must-see show. Once again Seattle audiences will have to cut out of one to get to the other, because Local H is the place to end the night. Sparklehorse's prettiness is great and all, but c'mon, guitarist/bassist/singer Scott Lucas proves that one man can play two instruments at the same time while singing, drummer Brian St. Clair (formerly of Triple Fast Action) lays out why he's Bun E. Carlos' drum tech, and both demonstrate once and for all why grunge is so damn sex-ay. Expect to hear new songs--Local H is set to release a new album, Here Comes the Zoo, in February. KATHLEEN WILSON

Crocodile Cafe, 2200 Second Ave, 441-5611, $6.


Audition

(FILM) I'm not sure whether Audition is a great film, or even a good one, for that matter--and to be honest, it doesn't really matter. It amazed me, regardless. To explain: I walked into the matinee completely blind, with no foreknowledge whatsoever of what I was about to see, and two hours later I stumbled toward the exit completely shocked, disgusted, horrified, and, in the end, giddy. In short, I was floored, and without revealing too much about the film (in the hopes some will have the same experience I had), let me just say: You will never hear someone say the word "deeper" again without both cringing and smiling. BRADLEY STEINBACHER

See Movie Times


WEDNESDAY NOV 14


Linda Farris LOOK

(HOLIDAY SHOPPING) Former gallery owner Linda Farris' holiday enterprise is a very, very dangerous place. She's got art--paintings, editioned pieces, prints, photography--from the likes of girl-land photographer Justine Kurland, Japanese Pop sensations Yoshitomo Nara and Takashi Murakami, conceptual sleuth Sophie Calle, graffiti guy KAWS, and sneaky tour guide Janet Cardiff. There's clothing and accessories from Lulu Guiness, Elise Jiminez, Anna Kazer, and Christina Yu, and beautifully designed objects from Snowcrash and Droog. But don't be selfish: Remember that Christmas is a time for giving, not for stocking your own closet full of gorgeous duds. EMILY HALL

Linda Farris LOOK, 3425 E Denny Way, 322-0994, open every day until Dec 30, 11 am-7 pm. Visit lindafarris.com for more information.