OPENING AND CURRENT RUNS
52 CARD PICK UP
One night only. An improvisational show that takes its cue from scenes described on randomly selected playing cards. Theater simple at Rose Hill Junior High School Auditorium, 13505 NE 75th St, Redmond, 425-556-2392. $7-$11. Sat March 27 at 7 pm.
CENTER OF GRAVITY
Opening. A vaudevillian play about the Wright brothers; the actors playing the siblings alternate roles each night. Theatre Babylon at Union Garage, 1418 10th Ave, 720-1942. $12-$15. Preview performance Thurs March 25 at 8 pm. Opening Fri March 26 at 8 pm. Sat at 8 pm. Through April 17.
CHEAP RENT
One weekend only. A one-woman storytelling show for grownups. Midnight Sun Performance Space, 113 N Columbia St, Olympia, 360-754-7114. $5-$10, tickets available at the door only. Opening Fri March 26 at 8 pm. Sat-Sun March 27-28 at 8 pm.
CORPUS CHRISTI
See review this issue. Gaydar Productions at Northwest Actors Studio, 1100 E Pike St, 267-2750. $19. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 7 pm. Through April 25.
CRANE & TURTLE
Opening. Traditional Chinese tales, told with meter-high rod puppets. Dragon Arts Studio at Northwest Puppet Center, 9123 15th Ave NE, 523-2579. $7.50-$9.50. Opening Fri March 26 at 7:30 pm. Sat-Sun at 1 and 3 pm. Through April 11.
* CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY
See Stranger Suggests. Book-It Repertory at Center House Theatre, 305 Harrison St, Seattle Center, 216-0833. $15-$26. Thurs-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through April 10.
DAISY IN THE DREAMTIME
The West Coast premiere of a new play about the historical figure Daisy Bates and her fight to protect the interests of Australian Aborigines. Golden Fish Theatre at Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 800-838-3006. $15-$20. Thurs-Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2 and 8 pm. Through April 3.
DRAWER BOY
A Canadian playwright goes to work on a farm in order to gather material for his next project. Tacoma Actors Guild, 901 Broadway, Suite 600, Tacoma, 253-272-2145. Thurs at 7 pm, Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 and 7 pm, Tues at 7 pm, Wed at 2 and 8 pm. Through April 4.
ELEEMOSYNARY
Two weekends only. This tale of three generations will teach you the meaning of the title, plus “limicolous,” “logodaedaly,” and scores of other scintillating words. Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 SE 40th St, Mercer Island, 339-7785. $8. Opening Fri March 26 at 7:30 pm. Sat at 7:30 pm. Through April 3.
ELEPHANTS ARE CONTAGIOUS
Final week. “As texts, the seven playlets of Elephants Are Contagious are a mixed bag; each script has appealing moments or a startling turn, but a little surreality goes a long way. Undaunted, the exuberant cast and the spare but inventive direction of Sherrine Azab keep things fresh and engaging. ” (Bret Fetzer) Strike Anywhere Productions at JEM Arts Center, 6012 12th Ave S, 763-5830. $10. Fri-Sat at 8 pm. Through March 28.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
“If I were a rich man, ya ha deedle deedle….” SecondStory Repertory, 16587 NE 74th St, Redmond, 425-881-6777. $18-$22. Fri-Sat at 8:15 pm, Sun at 2:15 pm. Through April 3.
FOOLS
Opening. Neil Simon’s comic fable about a Ukrainian village under an unfortunate stupidity curse. Taproot Theatre, 204 N 85th St, 781-9707. $10-$28. Preview performance Wed March 31 at 7:30 pm.
GUIDE TO VISITORS
One night only. A curated selection of real stories told by real people–it’s the real thing. Jazz performance follows. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave, 388-0521. $8, tickets available at the door only, 21+ w/ID required. Thurs March 25 at 7 pm.
HANSEL & GRETEL
One weekend only. An opera by Engelbert Humperdinck, performed by Cornish students and faculty. Finally. PONCHO Concert Hall, 710 E Roy St, 325-6500. $8-$10. Opening Thurs March 25 at 8 pm. Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm.
(L)IMITATIONS OF LIFE
See review this issue. Loosely based on the Douglas Sirk film Imitation of Life, Susan Finque’s latest explores the envy and secret desires harbored by the actors playing opposite the radiant Lana Turner. Featuring local beloveds Nick Garrison and Sarah Rudinoff. Empty Space Theatre, 3509 Fremont Ave N, 547-7500. $10-$35. Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2 and 7:30 pm, Wed at 7:30 pm. Through April 17.
MACBETH
Final week. A youth performance of the Scottish play, cross-cast–with the wise exception of Lady Macbeth (nobody likes to hear a prepubescent boy claim to have given suck). Stone Soup Theatre, 4053 Stone Way N, 633-1883. $8. Fri at 7:3 pm, Sat at 3:30 and 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 and 5 pm. Through March 28.
MYSTERY OF ATTRACTION
See review this issue. Passion, obsession, and the rather more mundane matter of personal debt. Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500. $12-$15. Thurs-Sat at 8 pm. Through April 24.
THE O’CONNER GIRLS
See review this issue. A comedic family drama from local playwright Katie Forgette. Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-2222. $10-$29. Thurs at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 and 7:30 pm, Tues-Wed at 7:30 pm. Through April 10.
THE PICKLE
Final week. “The Pickle is sitcom-y fluff, but the production knows it and doesn’t try to be anything more (and smartly keeps itself to an hour in length). As Annie and Mona, Courtney Lewin and Diane Stern play their parts broadly but with charm; they have a rapport that makes their friendship believable, despite their wildly divergent personalities. ” (Bret Fetzer) Northwest Actors Studio, 1100 E Pike St, 324-6328. $8-$10. Fri-Sat at 8 pm. Through March 27.
QUEST FOR PLANET X
Opening. Bunraku puppet theater with a futuristic theme. Thistle Theatre at Sacred Heart School, 9450 NE 14th St, Bellevue, 524-3388. $7-$9. Sat-Sun March 27-28 at 2 and 4 pm. Through May 1.
THE SHAPE OF A GIRL
“Throughout the one-woman show, it’s impossible to forget that Carol Roscoe isn’t 15 and doesn’t really have any idea how to approximate being 15. It’s embarrassing, like Gabrielle Carteris on 90210 was embarrassing, and Carteris never spent 90 solid minutes frolicking around on a fake beach, giggling and flirting and over-enunciating at everyone. Can you imagine being a teenaged girl and getting dragged to see this thing by your parents?” (Meg van Huygen) Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Center, 441-3322. $14-$26. Fri at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 and 5:30 pm. Through April 4.
STARLIGHT EXPRESS
Opening. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical about trains, featuring singers on roller skates. Now with 3D film sequences! Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St, 292-2787. $20-$58. Opening Tues March 30 at 7:30 pm. Wed at 7:30 pm. Through April 4.
STOLEN LANDS: BORDER CROSSINGS
Final week. A collectively authored play about immigration, prejudice, and fear. Seattle Central Community College Atrium, 1701 Broadway Ave, 325-6500. $10-$15. Thurs-Fri at 7:30 pm. Through March 26.
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
The Tony Award-winning musical based on the incredibly weird film, set in Manhattan at the height of the Jazz Age and detailing the kidnapping and exporting of saucy flappers to the Orient. Like, seriously. 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave, 292-2787. $18-$67. Thurs-Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2 and 8 pm, Sun at 1 and 7 pm, Tues-Wed at 7:30 pm. Through April 4.
DANCE
FLOOR OF THE FOREST
Cornish and UW dance students perform a 1970 dance by Trisha Brown in conjunction with Brown’s Henry Art Gallery exhibition. Stroum Galleries at Henry Art Gallery, 543-2280. Free with museum admission ($6-$8). Thurs at 6:15 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Through July 18.
JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ PROJECT
One night only. Jazz dance from a Chicago-based company, directed by Billy Siegenfeld. Roosevelt High School Theater, 1410 NE 66th St, 363-7281. $10-$18. Fri March 26 at 8 pm.
LET IT BE
One night only. A series of Beatles-inspired dance vignettes. (Insert Let It Be… Naked joke here.) Odyssey Dance Theatre at Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, 425-893-9900. $10-$30. Sun March 28 at 7:30 pm.
* SHOW + TELL
See Stranger Suggests. One night only. Three local dance companies–Mary Sheldon Scott/Jarrad Powell Performance, 33 Fainting Spells, and Crispin Spaeth Dance Group–discuss the creative process and preview new work. Kick at Chamber Theater, 915 E Pine St, fourth floor. Free, reservations not required. Mon March 29 at 7 pm.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
One weekend only. Works in progress by Ricki Mason, Beth Dilley, Corrie Befort, and more. Velocity MainSpace Theater, 915 E Pine St, second floor, 325-8773 ext. 1. $8. Sat-Sun March 27-28 at 8 pm.
WEST SEATTLE NEW DANCE FESTIVAL
One weekend only. The inaugural West Seattle dance festival, with two local modern dance companies–the obstinately italicized AcornDance and the spit-spewing Phffft!. ArtsWest Playhouse, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0339. $12-$14. AcornDance performances Fri-Sat March 26-27 at 7:30 pm. Phffft! Dance Theatre Company performances Sat March 27 at 3 pm, Sun March 28 at 7 pm.
WITHOUT A NET
Final week. Elevated choreography from local aerialist performers, presented–as promised–without a safety net. Consolidated Works, 500 Boren Ave N, 325-6500. $12-$15. Fri-Sat at 8 and 10:30 pm. Through March 27.
FESTIVALS, CABARET, & COMEDY
THE CABARET OF DR. CALIGARI
One night only. Magic and mayhem, care of Philemon Vanderbeck and guests. Rendezvous, 2320 second Ave, 853-7336. $8-$10. Sun March 28 at 7 pm.
AL FOXX, TODD SAWYER
One weekend only. Standup comedy at Giggles Comedy Club, 5220 Roosevelt Way NE, 526-5653. $10. Fri-Sat at 8 and 10 pm.
LOUNGE LIZARDS 2: THE CHARITY TELETHON
A cabaret revue about an amateur telethon. Crepe de Paris, 133 Fifth Ave, 623-4111. $16 (show only)-$42 (dinner included). Fri-Sat at 8 pm. Through April 10.
OFF-LIMITS IMPROVISATIONAL THEATER
One night only. Improv comedy at Rendezvous, 2320 Second Ave, 441-5823. Donation. Sat March 27 at 7:30 pm.
* STIFFED: FRINGE ARTISTS GETTING IT UP AGAIN
Final week. Fringe Artists Task Force presents a fundraiser cabaret, part of an effort to pay Seattle Fringe Festival artists and venues who’ve been left in the lurch. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave. $10, tickets available at the door only, 21+ w/ID required. Tues at 8 pm. Through March 30.
BRAD UPTON, BRAD BRAKE
One weekend only. Standup comedy at Comedy Underground, 222 S Main St, 628-0303. $6-$12. Thurs at 8:30 pm, Fri-Sat at 8:30 and 10:30 pm.
VINCE VALENZUELA AND THE UPSTANDING PRO SHOWCASE
One night only. New work from standup comedians at Rendezvous, 2320 Second Ave, 325-6500. $7. Mon March 29 at 8 pm.
LATE NIGHT
ARTSWEST SHOWCASE 1
One night only. A monthly performance showcase. ArtsWest Playhouse, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0339. $5-$7. Fri March 26 at 10:30 pm.
SCATTERBRAINS
One night only. Improv comedy at ArtsWest Playhouse, 4711 California Ave SW, 938-0339. $5-$7. Sat March 27 at 10:30 pm.
TWILIGHT ZONE: LIVE!
Opening. Two new episodes (“The Chaser” and “The Shelter”) from Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave, 325-6500. $10. Preview performance Thurs March 25 at 11 pm. Opening Fri March 26 at 11 pm. Sat at 11 pm. Through April 24.
LONG RUNS
BIG WHEEL BINGO at Rendezvous, 441-5823.
DON’T TELL MOMMA at Thumper’s, 328-3800.
* THE HOKUM HALL VARIETY SHOW at Hokum Hall, 937-3613.
JET CITY IMPROV at Historic University Theatre, 352-8291.
LATE NIGHT CATECHISM from Seattle Theatre Project at ACT, 292-7676.
TEATRO ZINZANNI at 2301 Sixth Ave, 802-0015.
THEATRESPORTS at the Market Theater, 781-9273.
