THE GAME OF LOVE & CHANCE • GREX
HERSTORY OF PORN: REEL TO REAL • Annie Sprinkle
IT COMES AROUND • Theater Under the Inflamesuence
MOZART'S MAGIC FLUTE • Carter Family Marionettes
NORTHWEST NEW WORKS • On the Boards
RED, WHITE & TUNA • Moore Theater
ROMANCE WITH DOUBLE BASS • Book-It Repertory
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY • Seattle Mime Theater
WALKING THE WALLS • NW Actors Studio
ONE WEEK ONLY
CHINESE OPERA SPRING '99 • Chinese Opera R&D
CIRQUE INGENIEUX • Paramount
FUSION DANCE • Broadway Performance Hall
HE WOULD NOT COME DOWN • Total Experience Gospel Choir
RAIN CITY READINGS • Elliott Bay Book Company
SWING FLING • Seattle Center
CLOSING THIS WEEK
DINA MARTINA LIVE! • Re-Bar
OPENING AND CURRENT RUNS
DESIGN FOR LIVING--Ah, the bohemian life in Paris. You love her, she loves him, he loves his art. Noël Coward's play is set in 1933, and was originally written as a vehicle for himself and his two close friends Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne. The Rep's version features Mark Chamberlin, Francesca Farinday, Jared Reed, and Jeff Woodman. Directed by Stephen Wadsworth (An Ideal Husband). Seattle Repertory Theater, Second & Mercer, 443-2222. Tues-Sun at 7:30, Sat & Sun at 2, through April 18. $10-$39.
DINA MARTINA LIVE!--Dina Martina, Seattle's treasure (though she claims to be from Las Vegas), returns to Re-bar after a year's absence. "Dina Martina is a kind of Frankenstein of kitsch for thirtysomethings--she'd be drag even without the drag. Martina's show is packed with pop references that play to a very specific house. If you're not a Re-bar regular, or if you're not in your 30s (in other words, if you didn't spend your high school years driving around in rusty Dodge Darts listening to groups like Taco and Toto), Dina could seem much more freakish than funny" (Tonia Steed). Re-Bar, 1114 Howell (at Boren), 323-0388. Fri-Sun at 8, through April 4, $10. 21 and over.
EVER SINCE IRMA LADOUCE--During puberty, Hal realizes that his mother and he are becoming men at the same time. Now Hal is 20, and his mother Francis affects the lives of a random cast of small-towners. Former casting director for Northern Exposure Laurie Thomas writes and directs what she describes as "a comic romp of uniquely American personalities." With Susan Finque as Francis. See review this issue. Theater Off Jackson, 409 7th Ave S, 340-1049. Thurs, Fri, Sat at 8, Sun at 4, through April 10. $10.
THE GAME OF LOVE & CHANCE--Marivaux, the French dramatist and novelist, is apparently enjoying a revival in American theater as new translations of his classics hit the shelves. The Game of Love and Chance, which originally premiered in 1730, pulls the old servant/master switcheroo, resulting in all sorts of laff riots and revelations. Directed by Joseph DeLorenzo. Nu Black Arts West Theater, 153 14th Ave & Fir, 985-1019. Thurs-Sat at 8, through April 17. $10.
HERSTORY OF PORN: REEL TO REAL--Annie Sprinkle brings porn to light, including a how-to. Velvet Elvis Lounge Theater, 107 Occidental Ave S, 624-8477. Wed-Sun at 8, through April 18. $22.
IT COMES AROUND--Before playwright Y. York and director Mark Lutwak leave for new projects in Hawaii, they're presenting one last play in Seattle. Written by York, It Comes Around demonstrates what happens when one woman's powerlessness hits her in the face one too many times. Produced by Theater Under the Influence, "a company dedicated to under-represented themes and plays." Union Garage, 1418 10th Ave, 720-1942. Thurs-Sat at 8, through April 24. $10.
LATE NIGHT CATECHISM--And the nun goes on. Somebody really likes cute Catholics. This is an evening of audience participation and interactive improv theater: think Sister Windy crossed with Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You. First Covenant Church, 400 E Pike, 292-ARTS. Thurs-Sat at 8, Sun at 2, extended for eternity. $24.50-$29.50.
*NORTHWEST NEW WORKS--New work from the area's most innovative performing artists. See Calendar Lead. On the Boards, 100 W Roy, 217-9888. Thurs-Sat at 8, through April 17. Festival passes $30, students $20. Individuals $8-$12.
*A PALE AND LOVELY PLACE--Multi-talented Kevin Joyce's wicked cabaret, directed by (also multi-talented) Kevin Kent. ACT Theater, Bullitt Cabaret, 700 Union St, 292-7676. Thurs at 7:30, Fri-Sat at 8, Sun at 2 & 7, through April 11. $10.
PU'UHONUA--"Perceptions of race and the nature of love" fuel this exploration of life outside a 1940s Japanese internment camp. Pu'uhonua is a solo piece written and performed by Maria Glanz. Co-presented with Michael Robinson's Return to Crusoe's Island, which redefines the "civilized savage" found in Dafoe's classic. Open Circle Theater, 429 Boren Ave N, 382-4250. Thurs-Sat at 8, through April 10. $10-$12.
RED, WHITE & TUNA--Tuna, Texas, is the setting for Joe Sears and Jaston Williams' tale of redneck independence, the third in the "Greater Tuna" series. The Moore Theater, 1932 2nd Ave, 292-2787. April 6-25. Call for times and prices.
ROMANCE WITH DOUBLE BASS--Book-It Repertory presents stories by Anton Chekov, whose rightfully celebrated plays are mere piddles compared to his gorgeous, masterful short stories. Book-It bravely chooses four: "Romance with Double Bass," "Anyuta," "The Chorus Girl," and "The Grasshopper." Book-It Theater, 1219 Westlake Ave N #301, 216-0877. Thurs-Sat at 8, Sun at 2. $10-$15.
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY--Physical theater and literature collide in four short stories, interpreted by Seattle Mime Theater. George Lewis directs Walter Mitty and Bailey White's The Dance of the Chicken Feet; Pat Graney directs Raymond Carver's Cathedral; and Rita Biomi creates The Buck, by Joyce Carol Oates. Chamber Theater, 915 E Pine St, 4th Floor, 324-8788. Fri-Sun at 8, through April 11. $15/$12.
TERRA NOVA--In the race to reach the South Pole, tragedy ensues. Ted Tally's 1977 play based on British explorer Robert Falcon Scott's personal journals makes for doomed drama. Directed by Scott Nolte. Taproot Theater, 204 N 85th St, 781-9707. Wed-Thurs at 7:30, Fri-Sat at 8, Sat at 2, through April 24. $20-$22.
TITANIC: A NEW MUSICAL--Horrendous tragedy is transformed into rambunctious singing-n-dancing entertainment in this multiple Tony award-winning musical. Fifth Avenue Theater, 1326 Fifth Ave, 292-ARTS. Tues-Sun, call for times, through April 18. $21-$65.
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA--An updated version of Shakespeare's cross-dressing love-fuck, directed by M. Burke Walker. UW Ethnic Cultural Center, 3940 Brooklyn Ave NE, 286-0728. Thurs-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 2, through April 11. $10-$18.
WALKING THE WALLS--S. P. Miskowski's "white trash road comedy." See Calendar Box. NW Actors Studio, 1100 E Pike, 324-6328. Fri & Sat at 8; Sun at 7, through April 24. $10/$8.
FESTIVALS, CABARETS, & COMEDY
BONANZA --Printer's Devil Theater's annual workshop series. Week #6 features Scab, by Sheila Callaghan, which includes a malevolent statue of Mother Mary. Speakeasy Cafe Backroom, 2304 Second Ave, 860-7163. Mon & Tues at 7:30, through May 18. Donation.
CHINESE OPERA SPRING '99--Excerpts from four classic Chinese operas illuminated by traditional dance and costume. Includes excerpts from The Peony Pavilion, which has been described as "a Ming Dynasty Romeo and Juliet in reverse" (NY Times). Meydenbauer Center, 11100 NE Sixth, Bellevue, 425-637-1020. Sat at 7. $15/$10.
CIRQUE INGENIEUX--Strongmen, jugglers, aerialists, bizarre creatures, and contortionists recreate a childhood fantasy of the Circus in what promises to be "an entirely new genre of theatrical experience." Warning: score by Kitaro. Paramount Theater, 911 Pine St, 292-2787. Wed-Fri at 8; Sat at 1, 4:30 & 8; Sun at 2 & 7, through April 4. $19.50-$35.50.
HE WOULD NOT COME DOWN--An Easter musical featuring the Total Experience Gospel Choir that depicts the Easter story in music, dance, and narration. Curry Temple CME Church, 172 23rd Ave, 322-7904. Sunday at 5. Free.
JULIE CASCIOPPO EXPERIENCE--Songs and characters you may grow to love. The Pink Door, Pike Place Market, 1919 Post Alley, 443-3241. Tues at 8:30 & 11. No cover.
MIDNIGHT MYSTERY THEATER--Candlestick. Billiard room. Mrs. Peacock. Belltown Theater Center, 115 Blanchard, 728-7609. Every third Wed at 7. $6.
MOZART'S MAGIC FLUTE--Mozart's fantastical opera comes with strings attached--to animals, fairies, and antique zoomorphic airships--as performed by the hand-crafted Carter Family Marionettes. NW Puppet Center, 9123 15th Ave NE, 523-2579. Fri at 7:30; Sat at 1 & 3; Sun at 1 & 3. $5.50-$7.50.
OH, COWARD!--A revue of songs and plays by the post-Victorian but prolifically closeted playwright Noël Coward, featuring Joel Carlton (Annie Get Your Gun), Patti Cohenour (The Phantom of the Opera), and David Pichette (Nixon's Nixon). Directed and choreographed by Stephen Terrell. Seattle Repertory Theater, Seattle Center, 443-2222. Tues-Sun at 7:30, Sat & Sun at 2, extended through April 10. $15-$39.
PARALLEL LIVES: THE KATHY & MO SHOW--Deli theater with a real bite, featuring cult-wannabes the Supreme Beings. Authentic New York-style deli buffet included. Liberty Deli, 2722 Alki Ave SW, 935-8420. Fri, Sat, Sun through April 11. $20.
RAIN CITY READINGS--Playwrights Elena Hartwell, Dawson Nichols, and Y. York read from their own plays. Hartwell is the author of Playing Chess with Joey; Nichols has written I Might Be Edgar Allan Poe and Escher's Hands; Y. York's most recent offering, It Comes Around, is being presented at Theater Under the Inflamesuence. Elliott Bay, 101 S Main St, 624-6600. Wed at 8. Free.
SWING FLING--Swing to Casey MacGill and the Spirits of Rhythm, with special guest Frankie Manning, as a benefit for the Northwest Folklife Festival. Mercer Arena, Seattle Center, 781-1453. Sat at 8:30. $15.
*TEATRO ZINZANNI--Three hours of fancy food and thrilling spectacle from the world over, presented in an antique European dance hall imported from Belgium for the occasion. Worth the price just to watch local wonder Kevin Kent work his jaw-dropping magic on crowds of people who'd never set foot in a fringe theater. Seattle Center, 222 Mercer St, 281-7788 ext 700 or 292-ARTS. Thurs-Sat at 7:30, Sun at 6:30, extended through May 30. $88.
THERE'S NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT HUNGER--The third annual benefit for Food Lifeline, featuring comedians Sue Murphy, Dana Gould, and others. The Comedy Underground, 222 S Main St, 628-0303. Thurs March 25 at 8:30. $6, or free with six non-perishable food items. 21 and over.
*THREE DOLLAR BILL--Seattle's original Gay/Lesbian/ Bisexual stand-up comedy show still stands in its second year. "Defying all expectations, $3 Bill is refreshingly raunchy, full of scathing goodness." (Steven Grimm) Comedy Underground, 222 S Main St, 324-8025. Tues at 8:30. $6.
DANCE
FUSION DANCE--Fusion Dance Company and the Deborah Birrane Dance Company present works incorporating Haitian, jazz, and hiphop choreography by Anthony T. Manuel. Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway at Pine, 784-7119. Fri & Sat at 8. $10/$12.
LATE NIGHT
THE A.M. CABARET--Amoral entertainment for insomniacs, promising naked poetry, music, strippers, and drag queens. You may think you're dreaming. Coffee Messiah, 1554 E Olive Way, 860-7377. Sat from 2-4 am. $5.
JET CITY IMPROV--Improv comedy and music based on audience suggestions. Ethnic Cultural Theater, 3940 Brooklyn Ave NE, 781-3879. Fri & Sat at 10:30.
LO BLO--Catholic school girls in trouble, transvestite stalkers, meaty jewelry, and naked hippies make up this late night sketch comedy orgy. Union Garage, 1418 10th Ave, 323-8390. Fri & Sat at 11 pm, through April 17. $5.
SPIN THE BOTTLE-- Annex's late-night performance is a slumgullion of juggling, dance, singing, and silhouettes, cultivated by the finely tuned Bret Fetzer. Annex Theater, 1916 Fourth Ave, 729-0933. First Fri of every month. No reservations. $5.
THEATER ON THE SPOT--A sketch comedy show, with audience participation, featuring the Wheel of Improv. Belltown Theater Center, 115 Blanchard St, 728-7609. Sat at 11. $6.
THEATER SPORTS--Improv comedy with a competitive edge, brought to you by Unexpected Productions. Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 781-9273. Fri & Sat at 10:30, $9; Sun at 7, $5.
CALLS
THE A.M. CABARET--Seeking strange and unique performers for (very) late night show. Anything exceptionally good or exceptionally different. Call 860-7377.
THE ANYTHING GOES GONG SHOW--Seeking freaks, clowns, and so-called professionals. Acts must be seven minutes or less. Call 264-7413.
PACIFIC NW THEATER ASSOCIATES--Now accepting registrations for its 1999 workshop series, offering hands-on experience with veteran theater designers and production professionals. For more information, call 622-7850 or 800-622-7850, or e-mail sales@pnta.com.
RICHEY PRODUCTIONS--Now holding auditions for Pickers, a feature-length film to be shot this summer. All ages and ethnicities. Bring headshot, resume, and best two minutes to the NW Actors Studio, April 1, 6-9 pm, 1100 E Pike, 329-9167.
SPIRIT OF PUGET SOUND--Hiring males for singer/ dancer/entertainer. Auditions April 2 at 4. Call 674-3499 for appointment.
