2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS
Musical theater in the hands of music majors about their lives in music. Written by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt. Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-2222. $15-$46. Tues-Sun at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun matinees at 2 pm. Through June 1.
7 STRANGERS
EXITheatre returns to its unscripted, Real World-based performance piece of a few months back for what's being called the "season finale." EXITheatre, 5611 11th Ave NE, 851-6730. $10. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through May 17.
ART
Final week. Art, friendship, and stupidity: Yasmina Reza's Tony Award-winning play charting the "what is art?" tail chase, over dinner. "Yasmina Reza's play then takes a turn for the worst, devolving into a series of sentimental crises as the characters begin babbling about their feelings for one another." (Christopher Frizzelle) Steeplechase Productions at Liberty Deli, 2722 Alki Ave SW, 935-8420. $29 with dinner, $15 show only. Fri-Sat at 8 pm. Through May 10.
CATS
Final week. Now...and forever. Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St, 467-5510. $14-$52. Tues-Sat at 8 pm. Sat-Sun at 2 pm. Sun at 7:30 pm. Through May 11.
DEATH OF AN INFORMER
One night only. Perfidy over pasta: a steakhouse becomes a 1920s speakeasy, just in time for Mother's Day. Northwest Murder Mysteries at Rock Salt Steakhouse, 1232 Westlake Ave N, 706-7575. $60 with dinner. Sat at 8 pm.
FINISHING SCHOOL
See review this issue. Theatre Babylon at Union Garage, 1418 10th Ave, 720-1942. $12. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through May 24.
GIGI
Lerner and Loewe's classic musical is undertaken by Seattle's Civic Light Opera. Seattle Civic Light Opera at Jane Addams Summit School Auditorium, 11051 34th Ave NE, 363-2809. $20-$30. Fri-Sat at 2 and 8 pm, Sun at 2:30 pm. Through May 17.
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
Opening. Bring me the head of the man who introduced David Mamet to the word "fuck." Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 786-5715. $8-$22. Opens Thurs, May 8 at 8 pm. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through May 31.
* GO THERE
See profile pg. 27. "Sara Rudinoff's one-person show is just about the best one-person show I've seen this side of ever. There isn't a moment of this show I'd change, and that's the most I can say for any show." (Adrian Ryan) Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 323-0388. $13. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through May 24.
GUM
Final week. The sexual deviancy inherent in sticky candies forms the basis of Karen Hartman's brief tale of two repressed sisters. Ethnic Cultural Center, 3940 Brooklyn Ave NE, 543-4635. $7-$10. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 3, 8 pm. Through May 11.
JOE SHMOE
Opening. Founding Habit member Jeff Schell presents his latest psuedo-surrealist production--a satire of bureaucracy and the madness it inspires. The Habit Productions at Northwest Actors Studio, 1100 E Pike St, 696-8430. $11. Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 8 and 11 pm. Through May 31.
* NORA
"The production is clean, the acting competent and all in all, the play succeeds by delivering exactly what I want to see: the 19th century, the dilemmas of the rising middle class, and the bleak Scandinavian Weltanschauung." (Charles Mudede) Intiman Theatre, Seattle Center, 269-1900. $27-$42. Tues-Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2 and 8 pm, Sun at 2 and 7:30 pm. Through May 18.
PIGS! THE ROCK MUSICAL
Youth theater production of the Three Little Pigs, set to music. Guaranteed to "blow your house down." Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 SE 40th St, 232-2202. $11-$15. Fri-Sat at 7:30 pm. Matinees Sat-Sun at 2 pm. Through May 18.
POLAROID STORIES
Final week. See review this issue. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 568-0728. $10-$12. Fri-Sat at 7 pm through May 3, at 10 pm May 9-10. Through May 10.
PROJECT X: BEFORE THE COMET COMES
Opening. See Stranger Suggests. Empty Space Theatre, 3509 Fremont Ave N, 547-7500. $22-$40. Sun-Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 pm. Through May 31.
RUTHLESS! THE MUSICAL
"The show's one bruise lies in falling victim to its own object of scorn--cuteness. Like sweet leading ladies of yore, the sardonic mode has become its own cliché. A line delivered darkly by a drag queen does not a joke make." (Brendan Kiley) ArtsWest Playhouse, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0339. $10-$24. Wed-Sat at 7:30 pm, 3 pm matinees May 3, 11, 17. Through May 17.
STAR-CROSSED LOVERS
This week only. A "light-hearted" (?) adaptation of that whole Capulet/Montague feud, Seattle Rep and the Center School present a misguided day-time talk show variation of that boring old Shakespeare rubbish. The Center School at Center House Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-2210 ext. 2205. Free (requires reservation). Thurs, May 8 at 7 pm. Fri, May 9 at 10:30 am.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Opening. "Get a little Wilde!" invites Seattle Public Theater's press release--and with wordplay like that, you know they've just got to do justice to this clever classic. Seattle Public Theater at Bathhouse Theater, 7312 W Greenlake Dr N, 890-1362. Free. Thurs-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through May 25.
THE SHAKESPEARE STEALER
Based on the children's novel of the same name, director Rita Giomi presents an Elizabethan tale of friendship and theft. Seattle Children's Theatre, 201 Thomas St, 441-3322. $12-$26. Fri at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 and 5:30 pm. No shows the weekend of May 23. Through June 15.
THINGS BEING WHAT THEY ARE
"The story is as emotionally engaging as a box of saltines. The acting's good, the direction's fine, the theater craft in general is okay. I just lament that the effort didn't go toward a story that went somewhere or characters I could manage to give a fig about." (Adrian Ryan) Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St, 443-2222. $32-$46. Tues-Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 and 7:30 pm. Through May 25.
TWO ROOMS
See review this issue. Odd Duck Studio, 1214 10th Ave, 297-3064. $10. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm, Sun May 11 at 2 pm. Through May 17.
VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE
Opening. Operating under the coffin-nail guise of "rock opera," Voyage follows three Norwegian roommates on their tour of the open seas. Written by Herbert Bergel. Little Theatre, 610 19th Ave E, 219-3161. $7-$12. Sat at 4, 11 pm. Through May 31.
FESTIVALS, CABARET, & COMEDY
THE BIG IDEA
Opening. Two weeks filled to the absolute brim with undergraduate theater, featuring the Undergraduate Ten Minute Play Festival, improv, cabaret, faculty discussions, and even some outdoor Shakespeare. Cabaret Theater, Hutchinson Hall 205, University of Washington Campus, Ethnic Cultural Theatre, 3931 Brooklyn Ave NE, 543-6450. $5-$15. Contact uwbigidea@hotmail.com for specific details. Through May 24.
CHINA DOLLS
"Hmmm... you're a middle-aged, middle-class, middlebrow closeted homosexual in town for business, and you'd like to find a revue that indulges your persistent and inexplicable desire to watch strident, self-congratulatory drag queens and drama-school dropouts belt out show tunes without a trace of irony. Well, fasten your seat belt--have I got a show for you!" (Tamara Paris) Wait... what? Productions at Standard Lounge, 527 S Main St, 605-6033. $18-$25. Thurs-Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun at 7:30, 9:30, and midnight. Through May 25.
FRENCH CABARET ON BROADWAY 2003
Buncha French songs, sung in French by Frenchies. Le Centre Français, 623 Broadway Ave E, 726-4843. $8-$10. Sat at 8:30 pm. Through May 17.
GIRL VS. BOY DRAG SHOW
One night only. A fundraiser for local queer spoken word troupe Or-A-Trix, a drag cabaret that pits hazy gender versus hazy gender in a battle of the, um, sexes? Re-Bar, 1114 Howell, 233-9873. $7-$10. Wed, May 14 at 8 pm, doors at 7 pm.
THE GOBLIN AND THE POET
One day only. The Thistle Theatre and their horrifying little puppet people perform a classic tale by Hans Christian Anderson. Thistle Theatre at Langston Hughes Cultural Center, 104 17th Ave S, 524-3388. $6-$8. Sat, May 10 at 1 pm.
HEART'S DESIRE
One night only. Improv based on the personal stories of audience members. Playback Theater at Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N, second floor, 726-1415. $10. Fri, May 9 at 8 pm.
MATERIAL GIRLS
One night only. Comediennes from across the region stand under bright lights in hopes that you will laugh at them. Seattle Comedy Underground, 222 S Main St, 628-0303. $6. Tues, May 13 at 8:30 pm.
MENU
"Improv that's made to order." Market Theater, Post Alley, 781-9273. $10. Fri-Sat at 8 pm. Through May 17.
SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL
One week only. Culled from a worldwide survey of children's performers, the 17th annual festival offers five days of disparate entertainment for a bunch of ingrateful little monsters. Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St, 684-7338. $12. See www.seattleinternational.org for more details. Through May 17.
THE SNEEZE OF HERCULES
Opening. Opera, as performed by expensive dolls. Northwest Puppet Center, 9123 15th Ave NE, 523-2579. $18-$22. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 pm. Through May 18.
YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
This week only. The fourth annual festival features staged readings by professional actors of plays produced by Seattle area junior and senior high school students. Rainier Valley Cultural Center, 3515 S Alaska St, 890-6517. $3-$5. Fri-Sat at 7:30 pm.
DANCE
* BOWIE: INSIDE/OUTSIDE
This week only. See Stranger Suggests. On The Boards, 100 W Roy St, 217-9888. $12-$25. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through May 11.
KALEIDOSCOPE IN CONCERT
This week only. The oldest modern dance company in Seattle is, apparently, made up of kids between the ages of 8 and 16. Here they are, directed by Anne Green Gilbert. Kaleidoscope Dance Company at Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway Ave, 625-6500. $6-$12. Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 2, 7:30 pm, Sun at 3:30 pm.
LATE NIGHT
* CARLOTTA'S LATE NIGHT WING-DING
The delightful alter ego of Troy Mink returns with a late-night talk show, featuring a wealth of local talent. Northwest Actors Studio Cabaret Space, 1100 E Pike St, third floor, 625-6500. $8-$10. Fri-Sat at 10:30 pm, bar opens at 10 pm. Through June 7.
THE EDGE
One night only. The troupe formerly known as HA! Comedy Improv! continues its tradition of uncomfortably inane monikers with the new and improved "The Edge." Grrr! ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0963. $7. Fri at 10:30 pm.
SCATTERBRAINS
One night only. An improv troupe since 1995, Scatterbrains "delivers 'the funny'" with an evening of late night hilarity. Scatterbrains at ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0963. $7. Sat at 10:30 pm.
LONG RUNS
BROADVILLE CARNIVAL at Cafe Venus, 624-4516.
CABARET: THE ResERECTION at Coffee Messiah, 861-8233.
* THE HOKUM SHOW at Hokum Hall, 937-3613.
JET CITY IMPROV at the Ethnic Cultural Theater, 781-3879.
LATE NIGHT CATECHISM from Seattle Theatre Project at ACT, 292-7676.
QUEER AS A THREE-DOLLAR BILL at the Comedy Underground, 800-992-8499.
