7 STRANGERS
Opening. EXITheatre usurps Intimate Theatre's shtick with a reality-television-inspired production taking place in a residential home. EXITheatre at 3637 23rd Ave W, 851-6730. $10. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through Nov 23.
THE BIG FRIENDLY GIANT
A kind vegan suffering from a crippling speech impediment and an extraordinary case of acromegaly befriends an orphan, meets the Queen of England, and saves the continent. Seattle Children's Theatre, 201 Thomas St, 443-0807. $12-$26. Fri at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 and 5:30 pm. Through Dec 22.
DAVID COPPERFIELD'S PORTAL
This week only. The world's most drop-dead alluring illusionist does it again, with his greatest feat yet: What if, like, you could just disappear, and totally reappear, like anywhere in the world? KAZAAM! "Uh, hey David, where ya at now?" "That's right folks, now I'm in Fargo, ND! How'd ya like them apples?" David Copperfield at Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St, 467-5510. $19-$53. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, with Sat and Sun matinees at 1 pm, 4 pm.
THE EDUCATION OF RANDY NEWMAN
See review this issue. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, 292-7676. $37.50-$50. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun-Thurs at 7:30 pm, matinees Nov 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, Dec 1 at 2 pm. Through Dec 1.
THE FOURSOME
Four former chums dye out the gray and squeeze their fat asses into their old size 31 jeans for a college reunion. Edge of the World Theatre, 9673 Firdale Ave, 542-7529. $17-$20. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 7:30 pm, with matinees Sat at 4 pm, no Thanksgiving performance. Through Nov 30.
* GILGAMESH, IOWA
See review this issue. Union Garage Performance Center, 1418 10th Ave, 352-1777. $12. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through Nov 23.
INVADERS FROM EARTH
Consolidated Works continues its multimedia exploration of duality with Invaders from Earth, Dawson Nichols' original adaptation of the eponymous pulp sci-fi novel. "The instantiated whole is far less than any one of its theoretical parts, not to mention the sum. That is to say, Invaders does not fulfill its promise. In fact, it stinks. It takes itself seriously, but not seriously enough; it occasionally winks at its own kitsch-factor, but not so much that we can laugh along with. Instead, we laugh at. And, sometimes, wince." (Brendan Kiley) Consolidated Works, 500 Boren Ave N, 325-6500. $14. Fri-Sun at 8 pm. Through Nov 23.
LIGHT UP THE SKY
Onstage glamour versus offstage pandemonium focuses Moss Hart's 1948 self-referential deconstruction of the paradoxical nature of Broadway productions. Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St, 443-2210. $15-$40. Tues-Sun at 7:30 pm, with matinees Sat-Sun at 2 pm. Through Dec 15.
* THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
You are secretly as excited as I am. Seattle Children's Theatre, 201 Thomas St, 441-3322. $12-$26. Fri at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 and 5:30 pm. Through Jan 11.
THE LOVER
Final week. Based on Ivan Turgenev's novel On the Eve, The Lover concerns the romance and revolution of young idealists just prior to the Crimean War. UW School of Drama at Meany Studio Theatre, University of Washington campus, 543-5140. $8-$12. Wed-Thurs at 7 pm, Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Nov 17.
MY LADY'S HAND
Penned by local playwright Tess Thompson Hardwick, My Lady's Hand finds a young novelist forced to cope with sudden paralysis and a collapsing marriage. Moonlight Productions at Open Circle Theater, 429 Boren Ave N, 325-6500. $12. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through Nov 23.
NO MIDDLE GROUND
Local playwright Jeff Stilwell's latest--a reflection on family secrets and "the courage to heal." Seattle Center House, Theater 4, fourth floor. $10. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Nov 23.
NORA
Final week. Ingmar Bergman's revision of Henrik Ibsen's deconstruction of holy matrimony, the controversial A Doll's House, as sparsely directed by University of Washington professor Jon Jory. UW School of Drama at University of Washington, Hutchinson Hall, Studio 201. $9. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm, Wed-Thurs at 7 pm, with late-night performance Fri Nov 15 at 11:30 pm. Through Nov 17.
* NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND
See review this issue. Theater Simple at Capitol Hill Arts Cooperative, 1621 12th Ave NE, 568-0728. $10-$12. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through Nov 23.
ONE RED FLOWER: LETTERS FROM 'NAM
Final week. Vietnam: The Musical! Village Theatre, 120 Front St N, Issaquah, 425-392-2202. $20. Wed-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Nov 17.
* RASH
"Dear God, thank you for Lauren Weedman. There is so much in Rash to thank you for, Lord. Thank you for the multitude and richness of the human creatures Weedman manifests in this one-woman show. But, Lord, do not forgive anyone who does not run out right now and get a ticket to this show." (Rebecca Brown) Lauren Weedman at Empty Space Theatre, 3509 Fremont Ave N, 547-7500. $10-$35. Tues-Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun matinees at 2 pm. Through Nov 24.
DAVID SHINER IN THE ROUND
"David Shiner is a Tony-winning performer renowned in his field, and at least a third of the audience was practically crapping itself with glee over Mr. Shiner and Co's classic vaudevillian clowning. And it's pretty good clowning, maybe even very pretty good, but the corn is as high as an elephant's trunk full of dime store magic tricks, and this uncomplicated, innocent, and good natured bag o' tricks bored me stiff." (ADRIAN RYAN). ACT Theatre, 700 Union, 292-7676. $24.50-$29.50. Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri-Sat at 8 pm, with matinees Sat-Sun at 2 pm. Through Nov 23.
THE STOPS
Tongue placed firmly in thickly blushed cheek, Dramaqueen (Seattle's new drag performance troupe) performs Eric Lane Barnes' comedy about three church organists touring the country in hesitant support of their recently outed mentor. Dramaqueen at Thumpers Oak Room, 1500 E Madison, 328-3800. $12.50. Fri-Sat at 8:30 pm. Through Nov 30.
TANK PLAYS
Opening. Dr. Spock and a headless panda, life inside a Vegas snow globe, and the tragic life of a cornflake: Peggy Stafford's insular capsules of the absurd. Annex Theatre at Little Theatre, 608 19th Ave E, 329-2629. $7. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 7 pm. Through Nov 23.
THE TEMPEST
Shipwrecked sailors hallucinate sprites and ogres. Romantic high jinks ensue. Seattle Shakespeare Company at Seattle Center House, Seattle Center, 325-6500. $12-$24. Thurs-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through Nov 24.
FESTIVALS, CABARET, & COMEDY
THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO
World-renowned stringsmiths the Carter Family Marionettes play with their very expensive dolls to tell the story of the world's most famous puppet. Carter Family Marionettes at Northwest Puppet Center, 9123 15th Ave NE, 523-2579. $7.50-$9.50. Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun at 1 pm and 3 pm. Through Nov 24.
ALL JANE NO DICK
This week only. Portland's nationally recognized, testosterone-challenged improv troupe visits its grateful neighbors to the north with an evening of ovarian hilarity. Rendezvous, 2322 Second Ave, 325-6500. $8. Fri-Sat at 8 pm.
GLAMAZON FOLLIES
Following a 10-year hiatus, Miss Misty Stevens returns triumphantly to the stage for an evening of pancake makeup and strategic duct tape. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 233-9873. $12. Fri-Sat at 8 pm. Through Nov 23.
THE LIVING TAROT
An Austin-based improvisational troupe that combines interactive modern theater with the ancient study of tarot. The Living Tarot performance troupe at Northwest Actors Studio, 1100 E Pike St, 324-6328. $12. Fri-Sun at 8 pm. Through Dec 1.
DANCE
CHOREOGRAPHERS' SHOWCASE
One night only. One-stop shopping for all of your modern dance needs, with performances by Seattle-based SD Prism Dance Theatre, Kinetic Images Dance Company, Fusion Dance Company, plus the debut of the Seattle Jazz Dance Company. Also, don't miss Philip Borunda, choreographer of the recent Against the Grain: Men in Dance productions, who, despite previous allegations, is in fact too straight. Fusion Dance Studios, 340 15th Ave E, 818-1353. $8. Fri Nov 15 at 8 pm.
IMPRINTS
This week only. Dappin' Butoh continues its intimate stage production with a remounting of Imprints, featuring Mish Curtis, Mary Cutrera, Joan Laage, Willy Manalang, d. K. Pan, and Helen Thorsen. Dappin' Butoh at a home in Green Lake, 526-5756, call for directions and reservations. $12. Sat Nov 16 at 8 pm, Sun Nov 17 at 7 pm.
WORLD PREMIERE
Final week. Though its umbrella title is a little illusory (three-fourths of the pieces involved are at least 30 years old), Pacific Northwest Ballet promises an array of versatile works including Balanchine's Concerto Barocco, José Limon's The Moor's Pavane, Glen Tetley's Voluntaries, and the only piece produced this decade, Paul Gibson's Rush. Pacific Northwest Ballet at Mercer Arts Arena, 363 Mercer St, 389-7676. $16-$110. Thurs-Sat at 7:30 pm, with Sat matinees at 2 pm. Through Nov 16.
LATE NIGHT
VEGAS MARTINI SOCIALS
Theatre on the Rocks presents its final show--a comedic blowout featuring the Harmonica Pocket, 3rd Floor Portland, the Flaming Ships, and many more. Theatre on the Rocks at Union Garage, 1418 10th Ave, 720-1942. $10. Fri-Sat Nov 15-16 and Fri Nov 22 at 11 pm. Through Nov 22
