OPENING AND CURRENT RUNS

ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHISTDario Fo's tragic farce about an actual pacifist-anarchist who "fell" from a fourth-floor window while in the custody of Italian police. With Darragh Kennan (Arturo Ui) in the lead. Directed by Gabriel Baron of Collaborator. Strawberry Theatre Workshop at Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, www.brownpapertickets.com. $15–$20. Thurs–Sun at 7:30 pm. Through Oct 9.

THE BEAUTY PAGEANTJust like a real beauty pageant, except it isn't rigged—and it wants to be funny. Wing-It Productions at Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, www.thebeautypageant.com. $8–$10. Thurs–Fri at 8 pm. Through Sept 23.

BEYOND THE FRAMEOne weekend only. Performances of short plays (by local writers like Ki Gottberg and Paul Mullin) based on classic paintings. Fundraiser for Theatre Puget Sound. Theatre 4 at Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St, 770-0370. $25 Thurs, $10 Fri–Sat. Thurs Sept 15 at 7 pm, Fri–Sat Sept 16–17 at 8 pm.

BLOODOne weekend only. An opera (by Jay Hamilton) about a Renaissance physician to the Medici family who prescribed drinking blood. Gallery 1412, 1412 18th Ave, 322–1533. $10. Sat–Sun Sept 17–18 at 8 pm.

CATHAY: THREE TALES OF CHINAStories from China's past and present told with over 140 puppets. Written and directed by Ping Chong. Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St, 443-2222. $10–$46. Tues–Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat–Sun at 2 pm. Through Oct 9.

CRAVESee review this issue. Washington Ensemble Theatre at Little Theatre, 608 19th Ave E, Seattle, 800-838-3006 or www.brownpaperticket.com. $10-$15. Thurs–Mon at 8 pm. Through Oct 3.

DEFENDING THE CAVEMANOngoing. A mid-'90s relic about the supposed prehistoric propensities of the two sexes. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $39.50–$45. Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 3 pm. Tickets available through Oct 30.

DINNER & DREAMSOngoing. The new fall edition of the dinner theater extravaganza, with European-style cirque performances as garnish. Teatro ZinZanni, 2301 Sixth Ave, 802-0015. $99. Thurs–Sat at 6:30 pm, Sun at 5:30 pm (some additional Wed shows).

FEIFFER'S PEOPLEOpening. An ensemble sketch show written by cartoonist and social satirist Jules Feiffer. Northwest Actors Studio, 1100 E Pike St, 324-6328. $10–$12. Opening Fri Sept 16 at 8 pm. Fri–Sat at 8 pm. Through Oct 1.

GEORGE M!A tribute to George M. Cohan: vaudevillian, dancer, and composer of bombastic hits like "You're a Grand Old Flag." Civic Light Opera, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, 363-2809. $25–$35. Fri–Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Sept 25.

GREASY DEMON HEAT"Greasy Demon Heat came off as college students discovering performance art. Yet the sudden, structurally smart ending as well as several vivid sequences (the crackle of sticky feet on concrete and pan elegantly peeling off his syrup-soaked shirt) make this crazed, chaotic, cycle worth another visit." (Christopher DeLaurenti) Villainaire's Academy at Vertebrae Theater, 321 Third Ave S, 526-8093. $5–$15. Fri at 8 pm. Through Sept 30.

GREEN NIGHTSee review this issue. Macha Monkey Productions at Chamber Theater, 915 E Pine St, fourth floor, www.brownpapertickets.com. $12–$15. Fri–Sat at 8 pm. Through Sept 24.

HAMLET X: THE TRAGEDY OF EL-HAJJ MALIK EL-SHABAZZSee Theater News. Brownbox Theatre, Rainier Valley Cultural Center, 3515 S Alaska St, 335-7020. $12–$15. Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 3 pm. Through Oct 2.

INTIMATE APPAREL"Esther is a hardworking black seamstress in early-20th-century Manhattan who sews custom undergarments for white uptown socialites and black downtown prostitutes. At two and a half hours, Intimate Apparel drags ass. The characters aren't interesting enough, and the social context isn't nuanced enough, to justify its length." (Brendan Kiley) Intiman Theatre, 201 Mercer St, Seattle Center, 269-1900. $10–$46. Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2 and 8 pm, Sun at 2 and 7:30 pm, Tues at 7:30 pm, Wed at 7:30 pm. Through Sept 24.

LATE NITE CATECHISMOngoing. "The real point is not the adult-catechism monologue—which by this point in the run sounds understandably stale—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. What distinguishes Late Nite from the walking cartoons at Disneyland is that your name, your background, and your behavior become the crux of the performance." (Annie Wagner) Cloud 9 Productions at ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $24.50–$29.50. Thurs–Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm.

THE LAST FIVE YEARSA Jewish wannabe novelist and Catholic wannabe actress meet, fall in love, and sing about it. ReAct Theatre at Freehold's East Hall Theater, 915 E Pine St, second floor, 364-3283. $12–$18. Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 8 and 11 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Oct 2.

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICALOpening. Four women meet at a lingerie sale and sing about the end of menses, when the ovaries stop producing estrogen and the reproductive system shuts down, often accompanied by vasomotor symptoms such as vaginal dryness, palpitations, and increased depression and anxiety. Tentatively endorsed by the New York Times and that sage of art criticism, Joy Behar from The View! ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $45. Opening Thurs Sept 15 at 8 pm. Tues–Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 4 and 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Nov 6.

MY LAST YEAR WITH THE NUNS"Occasionally amusing and frequently gross, the show, while chock-full of period detail and tasty local flavor (and who doesn't love a little old-timey Seattle yarn-spinnin'?) is nothing more than a slow, disjointed trudge down somebody else's memory lane." (Lindy West) Unexpected Productions at Market Theatre, Pike Place Market, 1428 Post Alley, 781-9273. $15. Fridays at 8 pm. Through Sept 23.

recommended RIFF RAFF"Riff Raff (by Laurence 'Morpheus' Fishburne) is a drama of tangled and sometimes hidden allegiances—involving stolen heroin, guns, and childhood friends—but it is primarily a thriller. I only wish there had been more literal and figurative juice." (Brendan Kiley) Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500. Thurs by donation, Fri–Sat $18. Thurs–Sat at 8 pm. Through Oct 1.

recommended SKETCHFEST SEATTLENorth America's first sketch comedy festival soldiers on, featuring local troupes Flaming Box of Stuff and Champagne, plus Elephant Larry (NYC), Animal Club (Chicago), and more. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, www.brownpapertickets.com. $15 per show (see sketchfest.org for complete lineup). Thurs–Sat at 8 and 10 pm. Through Sept 17.

SEUSSICALOpening. A Dr. Seuss tribute musical by Ahrens and Flaherty, who created the score for Ragtime. Seattle Children's Theatre, 201 Thomas St, 441-3322. $15–$30. Preview performance Thurs Sept 15 at 7 pm. Opening Fri Sept 16 at 7 pm. Fri at 7 pm, Sat–Sun at 2 and 5:30 pm. Through Nov 18.

TUXEDO MANOpening. A character study of nightclub singer Nick Sands, written and performed by Zach Hoffman. Odd Duck Studio, 1412 10th Ave, 706-0086. $12. Opening Thurs Sept 15 at 8 pm. Thurs–Sat at 8 pm. Through October 9.

VERBATIM VERBOTEN"Verbatim Verboten is a succession of minimally staged scenes bringing dirty voice mails, court transcripts, and other modes of celebrity embarrassment to life. Hilarity abounds, especially when we're treated to a nattily done naughty bit, a rehashing of bitchy Orson Welles outtakes, or anything involving Coco the gorilla, but just as often the actors don't interpret the transcripts so much as read them aloud. If the actors had instead taken the play firmly in their grasp, the scandal-heavy script could have soared." (Mariesa Bus) Clove Productions and Quade

VINCENT IN BRIXTONSee review this issue. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $10–$54. Tues–Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri–Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 7:30 pm. Through Oct 2.

WE'RE NO ANGELSOpening. A stage adaptation of the 1955 movie that was a film adaptation of a stage comedy about three escaped convicts who help a needy family. SecondStory Repertory, 16587 NE 74th St, Redmond, 425-881-6777. $18–$24. Preview performance (by donation) Thurs Sept 15 at 8:15 pm. Opening Fri Sept 16 at 8:15 pm. Fri–Sat at 8:15. Through Oct 8.

DANCE

12 HOUR PLAYOne weekend only. A 12-hour nonstop musical and dance improvisation featuring dancers Tonya Lockyer, Alia Swersky, Amelia Reeber, and Beth Graczyk and musicians Gregory Reynolds and Jason E Anderson. 108 Gallery, 912 12th Ave #108, makejetsilent.com/12hourplay. $3–$5. Sat Sept 17 at 6 pm to Sun Sept 18 at 6 am.

WEST SEATTLE NEW DANCE FESTIVALOne weekend only. Works by Pablo Cornejo, BetterBiscuitDance, Mark Haim, and Holly Eckert, performed by D9, Aiko Kinoshita, and others. ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0339. $12–$20. Thurs–Sun at 7:30 pm.

CABARET

THE ATOMIC BOMBSHELLSBurlesque at Triple Door, 216 Union St, 828-4333. $15 advance, $18 day of show. Tues at 7:30 pm. Through Sept 27.

BACK TO SCHOOL BURLESQUEOne night only. Hosted by Headmistress Indigo Blue at Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, tickets at door. $5.99. Fri Sept 16 at 8 pm.

A FOXIE CABARET!Gag burlesque troupe the Von Foxies at Rendezvous, 2232 Second Ave, tickets at the door or vonfoxies@yahoo.com. $10. Thurs at 7 and 8:30 pm. Through Sept 22.

IMPROV & COMEDY

CASH LEVY at Comedy Underground, 222 Main St, 800-325-7328. $6–$12 (21+ w/ID required). Thurs at 8:30 pm, Fri–Sat at 8:30 and 10:30 pm. JOE VESPEZIANINI and OWEN STRAW at Giggles Comedy Club, 5220 Roosevelt Way NE, 526-5653. $12. Fri Sept 16–Sat Sept 17 at 8:30 and 10 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. Fri–Sat at 8:30 and 10 pm. THEATRESPORTS at Market Theatre, 1428 Post Alley, 781-9273. $8–$12. Sun at 7 pm. UNHINGED (featuring Blaine Reeder and friends) at Mirabeau Room, 529 Queen Anne Ave N. $6. Wed Sept 21 at 8 pm.

LATE NIGHT

MONEY & RUN: JUKE BOX MOMMA!Our favorite late-night serial, featuring the ass-kicking denizens of Cudrup County, is back. Writer (and former co-director) Wayne S. Rawley has moved to California and most of the original actors who made Money & Run great are gone. Can this new version live up to its progenitor? Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500, www.ticketwindowonline.com. Thurs by donation, Fri–Sat $12. Thurs–Sat at 11 pm. Through Oct 1.

SPECIAL EVENTS

COMEDY FOR A CAUSEOne night only. Jet City Improv donates all ticket sales from their late show to a fellah who was in a bad car wreck. Jet City Improv at Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, 325-6500. $8–$10. Fri Sept 16th at 10:30 pm.

THE MAGIC OF AARON WHEELEROne day only. He's magic, man, and tells jokes appropriate for children and dowagers. Seattle Public Theater at Bathhouse, 7312 Green Lake Dr N, 524-1300. $8. Fri Sept 16 at 2 pm.

RAT CITY ROLLERGIRLS SEMIFINALS BOUTOne night only. Dames on skates with the Feminist Karate Union, DJ Boo Berry, and halftime band River City Rebels. Hangar 27, Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, www.brownpapertickets.com. $15. Sat Sept 17 at 6 pm.

SEATTLE OPERA SEASON PREVIEWOne night only. A "witty and fast-paced" introduction to the coming season, which includes The End of the Affair, Macbeth, Die Fledermaus, and Cosi Fan Tutte. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 389-7676. Free. Thurs Sept 15 at 7 pm.

$10–$12. Fri–Sat at 8 pm. Through Sept 24.