OPENING AND CURRENT RUNS

AN INSPECTOR CALLS
A young girl dies and the enquiring inspector makes everyone very uncomfortable. Taproot Theatre, 204 N 85th St, 781-9707. $15–$30. Thurs at 7:30 pm. Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2 and 8 pm, Wed at 7:30 pm. Through March 4.

BOSTON MARRIAGE
"In a weird hybrid of Mamet acerbity and formal Victorian flourish, characters toss around terms like 'twat' and 'douche' while delighting in sweetmeats in the drawing room." (Lindy West) Seattle Public Theater at Bathhouse Theater, 7312 W Green Lake Dr N, 524-1300. $12–$20. Thurs–Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Feb 26.

CATCH 22
"The WWII comedy about the military and its maddening bureaucracy is broad, anarchic, and sometimes unconscionably sloppy, just like Joseph Heller's novel." (Brendan Kiley) Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500. $18, Thurs by donation. Thurs–Sat at 8 pm. Through Feb 25.

recommended THE COMPENDIUM OF NASTINESS
Extended. "A twisted Gothic romance with Freudian undertones performed in a velvet-lined garage." (Brendan Kiley) The Womb, tickets and directions available at 800-838-3006. $20. Fri–Sat at 8:30 pm. Through March 4.

THE COWGIRL PLAY
Opening. All your Old West favorites: romance, gunplay, guitar pickin', and shadow puppets. Macha Monkey at Freehold Theater, 1525 10th Ave, www.brownpapertickets.com. $12–$15. Previewing Thurs Feb 9 at 8 pm, by donation. Opening Fri Feb 10 at 8 pm. Sat at 8 pm. Through March 11.

DATE OF BIRTH
"John Kaufmann's pursuit of the poetic everyday continues with DOB, a play of excerpts from true-life transcripts—one from the day of Kaufmann's birth, the other from the day his nephew was born, 30 years later. Despite capable performances by Mark Boeker, Tina LaPadula, and Aaron Allshouse, the play is too long and too precious." (Brendan Kiley) Open Circle Theater, 429 Boren Ave N, 382-4250. $12. Thurs–Sat at 8 pm. Through Feb 25.

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

FIRST CLASS
One weekend only. A one-man show about Theodore Roethke, the man who wrote: "At the field's end, in the corner missed by the mower... Among the tin cans, tires, rusted pipes, broken machinery—/One learned of the eternal." Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030. $5–$7. Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm.

FOOL FOR LOVE
Opening. Whiskey, lust, and a cheap hotel room in the Mojave Desert. By Sam Shepard, of course. Ghost Light Theatricals at Odd Duck Studio, 1214 10th Ave, www.brownpapertickets.com. $10–$12. Opening Fri Feb 10 at 7:30 pm. Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Feb 26.

GOD'S COUNTRY
"The play uses familiar symbols—screaming Aryan Nation preachers, a skinhead with a hammer spazzing out to oi music, and other crude symbolic bludgeoning. These are cheap emotional punches—easily administered, easily forgotten—but not deep, artful cuts." Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 800-838-3006. $18–$35. Thurs–Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm, Wed at 7:30 pm. Through Feb 19.

I PAGLIACCI
One weekend only. A rockin' version of the 19th-century opera about a Seattle pizzeria run by sad, sad clowns. Featuring modern dance, visual projections, and bangin' percussion. Renegade Opera at Theater 47, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, www.brownpapertickets.com. $10–$35. Fri–Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 4:30 pm.

THE IKEA CYCLE: TINY DOMESTIC DRAMAS
Twelve vignettes performed in the IKEA showrooms—a remount of Keri Healey's site-specific theater experiment. Printer's Devil Theatre at IKEA, 600 SW 43rd St, Renton. Free, no reservations required. Sat at noon. Through April 1.

LEVIATHAN
See Theater News. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 800-838-3006. $12. Thurs–Sat at 8 pm. Through Feb 11.

PETER AND THE WOLF
A kid-friendly adaptation of the Prokofiev symphony with "Buster Keaton–style clowning." Seattle Children's Theatre, 201 Thomas St, 441-3322. $15–$22. Fri at 7 pm. Sat at 2 and 5:30 pm, Sun at 5:30 pm. Through March 18.

PLAINSONG
Opening. An adaptation of Kent Haruf's novel about bachelor farmers, a pregnant high schooler, and other characters on the Colorado plains. Book-it at Center House Theatre, Seattle Center, 216-0833. $15–$30. Previewing Thurs Feb 9 at 7:30 pm. Opening Fri Feb 10 at 7:30 pm. Sat at 2 and 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through March 5.

recommended RADIO GOLF
See Stranger Suggests, page 40. Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St, 443-2222. $10–$46. Tues–Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 2 and 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Feb 18.

THE ROAD TO MECCA
Previewing. Art, patriarchy, and friendship in small town South Africa. Stone Soup Theatre, 4035 Stone Way N, 675–8497. $15–$20. Previewing Wed Feb 15 at 8 pm. Through March 11.

STONES IN HIS POCKETS
"This two-man show is like a well-made sandwich—warm, charming, and full of cheese.." (Brendan Kiley) Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 388-0569. $15 adv/$18 DOS. Thurs–Sat at 7:30 pm. Through March 11.

SWIMMING IN THE SHALLOWS
Opening. An absurdist-flavored comedy about straight love, gay marriage, quitting smoking, a shark tank, and a woman named Carla Carla. WET at the Little Theatre, 608 19th Ave E, 800-838-3006. $10–$15. Opening Fri Feb 10 at 8 pm. Sat–Mon at 8 pm. Through March 6.

TWO ROOMS
Opening. Lee Blessing's political drama about an American held hostage and his wife's attempts to get him back. West of Brooklyn Theatre Company at Chamber Theatre, 915 E Pine St, 706-3716. $10. Opening Fri Feb 10 at 8 pm. Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Feb 19.

WALLFLOWERS
Final week. A comedy about awkward sixth graders at a school dance and the fantasy worlds they live in. Wing-It Productions at Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, 325-6500. $8–$10. Thurs–Fri at 8 pm. Through Feb 10.

THE WEDDING SINGER
Opening. "Remember that time in Puerto Rico when we picked up those two, uh... I guess they were prostitutes, but I don't remember paying." 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave, 292-2787, $19–$71. Opening Thurs Feb 9 at 8 pm. Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2 and 8 pm, Sun at 1:30 and 7 pm, Tues–Wed at 7:30 pm. Through Feb 19.

DANCE

STAU
One weekend only. A duet by choreographer Anouk van Dijk (of Amsterdam) that invites the audience to wander across the stage. Velocity Dance Center, 915 E Pine St, 325-8773. $13–$15. Fri–Sat at 8 pm.

UNDERCURRENTS
One weekend only. Works by Wade Madsen, Deborah Wolf, Rain Ross, and other local choreographers. Lehua Dance Theatre at Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, 898-1320. $15–$17. Fri–Sat at 8 pm.

VALENTINE
Final week. See Theater News. Pacific Northwest Ballet at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St, 441-2424. $20–$134. Thurs–Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 1 pm. Through Feb 12.

IMPROV & COMEDY

Lord Carrett at Comedy Underground, 222 Main St, 800-325-7328. $6–$15 (21+ w/ID required). Thurs at 8:30 pm, Fri–Sat at 8:30 and 10:30 pm. Funny stuff at Giggles Comedy Club, 5220 Roosevelt Way NE, 526-5653. $12. Fri at 8 and 10:15 pm, Sat at 6 and 10:15 pm. Jet City Improv at Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, 325–6500. $8–$10. Fri at 8 and 10:30 pm. Sat at 10:30 pm. Theatresports at Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 781-9273. $8–$12. Fri and Sat at 8 pm.

DAVID CROWE'S LAUGH LOVER'S BALL
One night only. An orgy of comedy; unfortunately not a comic orgy. Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St, 292-2787. $30–$50. Tues Feb 14 at 8 pm.

SEATTLE FESTIVAL OF IMPROV THEATER
Comic improvisers from Seattle, New York, Chicago, Vancouver, and elsewhere. Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, and Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 800-838-3006. $15. Wed at 8 and 10:30 pm. See www.seattleimprov.com for full schedule. Through Feb 19.

LATE NIGHT

recommended BEDTIME STORIES: NEW FAIRY TALES
Final week. Bret Fetzer performs his original fairy tales. Not the cutesy, fractured kind, but stories that perform the true labor of fairy tales—to edify and entertain. Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, www.brownpapertickets.com. $7. Fri–Sat at 10:30 pm. Through Feb 11.

BREAKING UP
Sketch comedy about love and losing it. Train of Thought at Northwest Actors Studio, 1100 E Pike St, 324–6328. $8–$10. Fri–Sat at10:30 pm. Through Feb 25.

CAPITOL HILL HIGH
Opening. A late-night serial about high-school "hipsters, haters, and fags." Bad Actor Productions at CHAC, 1621 12th Ave, 800-838-3006. $10 (21+ w/ID required). Opening Thurs Feb 9 at 10:30 pm. Fri–Sat at 10:30 pm. Through Feb 25.

CRESCENDO FALLS, EPISODE ONE
A dysfunctional family soap opera, complete with backstabbing and bed hopping. Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 324–5801. $12. Fri–Sat at 11 pm. Through Feb 25.

CUPCAKE
Sexual references, suggestive dancing, and lascivious buffoonery. Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way NE, 325-6500. $5. Sat at midnight. Through Feb 25.