OPENING AND CURRENT RUNS

14/48: THE WORLD'S QUICKEST THEATER FESTIVAL
See Stranger Suggests, page 23. This week's stir-crazy writers include Bret Fetzer, Keri Healey, Wayne Rawley, and Sarah Rudinoff; cabin-feverish actors include Chuck Leggett and Bhama Roget. Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, 325-6500. $14.48. Fri–Sat at 8 and 10:30 pm. Through July 23.

ARCHANGELS DON'T PLAY PINBALL
See review this issue. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 388-0500. $15–$18. Thurs–Sat at 7:30 pm. Through July 30.

BORN YESTERDAY
Final week. "A perfectly civilized production of a more or less civilized play, Born Yesterday is an amusing middlebrow riff on government corruption." (Annie Wagner) ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $10–$54. Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri–Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 and 7:30 pm. Through July 17.

DEFENDING THE CAVEMAN
This mid-'90s relic by comedian Rob Becker is about the supposed prehistoric propensities of the two sexes. There was no excuse for this show then; there's none now. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $35–$39.50. Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 3 pm. Tickets available through July 31.

DESPERATE LIAISONS
"From the negative press blurbs on their posters to their 'We suck!' moniker, Bad Actor Productions understands the value of lowered expectations. Trudging into Desperate Liaisons, Bad Actor's self-described 'parody of [the 1988 film] Dangerous Liaisons set on a gay cruise ship!', I expected exactly nothing, and soon found myself delighted beyond all nonexistent expectations. Praise be to playwright M. Santos, who peppers his shambles of a script with bits of bright wit (often spun around rich, dark subject matter), and to director Lee Lawing, who keeps this knowingly ridiculous confection moving at a breakneck pace. Make no mistake—the show's a mess, but for every belabored single entendre and regrettable tech element there's an inspired bit of theatricality or some hilarious quip that cuts deeper than you'd expect. If you're one of the many who enjoy watching intermittently hilarious theatrical train wrecks, go see Desperate Liaisons." (David Schmader) Bad Actor Productions at Thumper's, 1500 E Madison St, 328-3800. $10. Fri–Sat at 8 pm. Through July 23.

DINNER & DREAMS
Ongoing. The rabidly successful dinner-theater/circus hybrid, with tap dancer Roxanne Butterfly. Teatro ZinZanni, 2301 Sixth Ave, 802-0015. $89–$109. Thurs–Sat at 6:30 pm, Sun at 5:30 pm.

CIRCUS CONTRAPTION'S GRAND AMERICAN TRAVELING DIME MUSEUM
"Circus Contraption's new and improved version of Dime Museum shows they've been studying their circus skills." (Brendan Kiley) Magnuson Community Center Auditorium, Magnuson Park, Bldg 47, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, www.brownpapertickets.com. $20. Fri–Sun at 8 pm. Through July 30.

THE FANTASTICKS
Opening. The love-bug musical, featuring a rousing song containing the line "You can get the rape with Indians, a truly charming sight!" Karen Lund directs. Taproot Theatre, 204 N 85th St, 781-9707. $15–$30. Opening Fri July 15 at 8 pm. Sat at 2 and 8 pm, Wed at 7:30 pm. Through Aug 20.

KAZOO! IN CONCERT
Opening. The sketch-comedy troupe does an all-music show. Rendezvous, 2322 Second Ave. Tickets at the door only, $10 (21+ w/ID required). Opening Fri July 15 at 8 pm. Sat at 8 pm. Through July 23.

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, Sun at 2 pm.

MACBETH
The Scottish play, performed in the Pacific Northwest. I guess that means you should expect Utilikilts. Sheila Daniels directs. Free. Wooden O at Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave E, Sun July 17 at 7 pm. At various locations through July 31.

MISCONCEPTIONS
One day only. An "Elizabethan serial" with a plot that appears to have been ripped off from Shakespeare in Love. Troupe du Jour at Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave E. Free. Sun July 17 at noon.

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." (Annie Wagner) Market Theatre, 1428 Post Alley, 781-9273. $15. Fri at 8 pm. Through Aug 19.

REALITY WORLD
An improvised faux-reality show, wherein you get to vote the actors offstage. Jet City Improv at Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, www.ticketwindowonline.com. $8–$10. Thurs–Fri at 8 pm. Through July 22.

THE TEMPEST
Opening. A prosperous island and its beautiful, monstrous, and otherworldly residents. Cara Anderson directs. GreenStage at Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave E. Free. Sat July 16 at 7 pm, Sun July 17 at 2 pm. At various locations through Aug 28.

THIS IS OUR YOUTH
Final week. "Despite its clichés, This Is Our Youth is a piercing study in self-defeatism, abusive friendship, and girl trouble. Solid acting, capable direction (Mark Gallagher), and gallows humor keep our attention." (Brendan Kiley) Direct Flight Productions at The Little Theater, 608 19th Ave E, www.brownpapertickets.com. $10–$15. Thurs–Sat at 8 pm. Through July 16.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS
Beth Peterson directs this adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas novel. Theater Schmeater at Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave E. Free. Sat–Sun at 4:30 pm. Through Aug 6.

THE TRICKY PART
Opening. See Theater News. See Stranger Suggests, page 23. The Intiman Playhouse at Seattle Center, 201 Mercer St, 269-1900. $27–$46. Preview performances Fri–Sat July 15–16 at 8 pm, Sun July 17 at 7:30 pm, Tues July 19 at 7:30 pm. Opening Wed July 20 at 7:30 pm. Through Aug 13.

TWELFTH NIGHT
A tale of shipwreck and mistaken identity, performed in the great outdoors. Susanna Lapan-Wilson directs. Wooden O at Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave E. Free. Sat July 16 at 2 pm. At various locations through Aug 3.

THE VIOLET HOUR
Opening. Richard Greenberg's play about a young publisher trying to decide between two manuscripts: a novel by his best friend or a memoir by his clandestine lover. ReAct at Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 364-3283. $6–$12. Opening Fri July 15 at 8 pm. Sat at 2 and 8 pm. Through Aug 7.

DANCE

SEED
Two nights only. A collaborative dance/video/live music piece by Keely Isaak Meehan and Jeremy Bieger. Manifold Motion and the Shunpike at Freehold's East Hall Theater, 1525 10th Ave, www.brownpapertickets.com. $12. Fri–Sat at 8 pm. Through July 16.

LATE NIGHT

JET CITY'S LAST CALL
"Fast-paced, ethanol-fueled comedy." Jet City Improv at Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, 325-6500. $5. Sat at 12:30 am. No closing date set.

TRAIN OF THOUGHT: LAID OFF
"A bad sketch show can be truly mortifying, but a good one, especially when combined with a heavily poured gin and tonic or three, is like a night out with your funniest friends. Not only does Train of Thought: Laid Off not totally suck, it's actually a solid evening of ably constructed, pretty good jokes peppered with pockets of awesome. Tenuously clinging to the familiar and rather bland theme of office life, much of Laid Off's success rests on the amiability of its performers. All three guys are good-natured and Ryan Miller is particularly good, so you're willing to stick with them through the rough patches. Kudos to Train of Thought for eschewing the easy laughs of absurdism and gratuitous dirtiness, and for launching a long-overdue campaign against 'coworker-on-coworker awkwardness.' Laid Off is definitely hit-and-miss, but the sequence of increasingly inappropriate 'Yield for the Bus' advertisements is just plain funny, if a bit formulaic, and the rest of the show features enough Loverboy tracks, dolphin abuse, and Indian burial grounds to keep even comedy snobs like me entertained. I'm for it." (Lindy West) Northwest Actor's Studio, 1100 E Pike St. $8–$10, tickets available at the door only. Fri–Sat at 10:30 pm. Through July 30.

THE TWILIGHT ZONE: LIVE!
Opening. Two new theatrical adaptations of old Twilight Zone episodes, one about a man who loves to read and another about a space traveler. Silas Lindenstein directs; cast includes Troy Mink. Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500. $10. Opening Fri July 15 at 11 pm. Sat at 11 pm. Through Aug 6.

IMPROV & COMEDY

DON FRIESSEN at Comedy Underground, 222 Main St, 800-325-SEAT. $6–$12 (21+ w/ID required). Thurs at 8:30 pm, Fri–Sat at 8:30 and 10:30 pm. 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. THEATRESPORTS at Market Theatre, 1428 Post Alley, 781-9273. $8–$12. Fri at 10:30 pm, Sun at 7 pm.

SPECIAL EVENTS

BENEFEST
One night only. A (mostly sketch) comedy show, featuring Train of Thought, Pork-Filled Players, Champagne, and more. Benefits Sketchfest Seattle. Comedy Underground, 222 S Main, 628-0303. $10. Wed July 20 at 8:30 pm.

SELL YOUR SOUL TO LOCUST
One night only. A tour fundraiser for Amy O'Neal's company locust, with performances by Reggie Watts, Bridget Irish, and... locust! Lo_Fi Performance Gallery, 429B Eastlake Ave E. $10–$20 at the door only. Sat July 16 at 8 pm.

STAR OF GOLIATH
One night only. A multimedia show by Dave Lippman that "encapsulates modern Holy Land history and imperial machinations." The Chocolate Factory, 3400 Phinney. $7–$12. Thurs July 14 at 7 pm.

WATCHING FOR WOLVES
One night only. Joy McCullough Carranza's new play gets a reading. Seattle Dramatists at Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500. $2. Mon July 18 at 7 pm.