Stage
Openings & Events
Bach at Leipzig Itamar Moses’ play, structured like a fugue, examines the intrigue surrounding an open Kapellmeister post. Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., 781-9707, taproottheatre.org. $20–$40. Previews May 15–16, opens May 17. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat. Ends June 15.
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Mike Birbiglia SEE THE WIRE, PAGE TK.
A Celebration of Clayton Corzatte Honoring the recently deceased Seattle theater veteran. 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., 625-1900, 5thavenue.org. Free. 7 p.m. Mon., May 20.
Family Affair Jennifer Jasper hosts this monthly performance-art cabaret (every third Wednesday through Aug. 21) on the theme of family. JewelBox/Rendezvous, 2322 Second Ave., jewelboxtheater.com. $10. 7:30 p.m. Wed., May 15.
The Frog Prince The Seattle Pacific University Theatre Department presents the Grimm fairy tale. E.E. Bach Theatre, McKinley Hall, 3307 Third Ave. W., 281-2959, spu.edu. $6. 7:30 p.m. Tues., May 21–Fri., May 24, 2 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., May 25.
Hedgebrook Women Playwrights Festival Readings of excerpts of new works by participants., acttheatre.org. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., acttheatre.org. Free. 4 p.m. Sun., May 19.
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Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie SEE THE WIRE, PAGE TK.
Jet City Improv Turns 21 Finally able to legally drink! Celebrate with two special birthday shows. Wing-It Productions, 5510 University Way N.E., 781-3879, jetcityimprov.com. 8 7 10:30 p.m. Sat., May 18.
The Language Archive Julia Cho’s play explores love and communication. Seattle Public Theater at the Bathhouse, 7312 W. Green Lake Ave. N., 524-1300, seattlepublictheater.org. $15–$30. Preview May 16, opens May 17. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends June 9.
Ross Mathews The Chelsea Lately regular and author of Man Up!: Tales of My Self-Delusional Self-Confidence performs stand-up. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St., stgpresents.org. $28.50. 8 p.m. Sat., May 18.
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The Neverending Story Journey with Atreyu in this stage adaptation of Michael Ende’s novel. Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 S.E. 40th St., Mercer Island, 232-4145 x109, youththeatre.org. $13–$17. Opens May 17. 7 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends June 2.
Not All Clowns Are Bozos V: Not Our First Rodeo Ear to the Ground’s Western-themed clown cabaret. Center House Theatre, Seattle Center, eartothegroundtheatre.org. $15–$20. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., May 16–Sun., May 19.
Paradisiacal Rites Theatrical troupe Saint Genet presents a work inspired by “hysteria, elastic moral codes, conformity, the Jonestown Massacre, and the Manson trials.” On the Boards, 100 W. Roy St., 217-9886, ontheboards.org, saintgenet.org. $12–$20. 8 p.m. Thurs., May 16–Sun., May 19.
Through the Looking Glass: The Burlesque Alice in Wonderland: Lily Verlaine and Jasper McCann bring Lewis Carroll’s tale to life, bawdily., 838-4333, tripledoor.net. The Triple Door, 216 Union St., Seattle, www.thetripledoor.net, $30-$38, Wed., May 15, 6:30 & 9:30 p.m.; Thu., May 16, 6:30 & 9:30 p.m.; Fri., May 17, 7 & 10:30 p.m.; Sat., May 18, 7 & 10:30 p.m..
The Twilight Zone: LIVE! Schmeater’s annual revisit to the land of Serling, with three new stage adaptations of the original TV scripts. Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave., 800-838-3006, schmeater.org. $15–$18. Opens May 17. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends June 15.
Y-WE Speak: A theater piece—exploring race, gender identity, social pressures, and more—generated by participants in the Young Women Empowered program. Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center, seattlerep.org. Free, but RSVP at 443-2222. 6 p.m. Sat., May 18.
Zooman and the Sign Brownbox Theatre presents Charles Fuller’s drama about a murder in an African-American neighborhood. Rainier Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3515 S. Alaska St., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $15–$20. Opens May 16. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., plus Fri., May 24 & 31. Ends June 6.
Current Runs
Bill & Peggy Hunt Playwrights Festival: Four weekends of new shows (one-acts and full-lengths) by Washington playwrights. 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends May 26. See website for lineup., 242-5180, burienlittletheatre.org. Burien Little Theater, S.W. 146th St. and Fourth Ave. S.W., Des Moines, www.burienlittletheatre.org, $10, Fridays-Sundays. Continues through May 26.
Boeing Boeing: Everything good about this lollipop of a period piece comes from the Rep, starting with the decision to close its 50th season with this half-century-old play in tribute to the jet-age spirit of our World’s Fair. Playboy Bernard (Richard Nguyen Sloniker, radiant with charm) has a scheme to juggle three stewardess girlfriends, which is threatened when Boeing’s improved engines shorten their flight times and muddle his precision scheduling. As those girls, Bhama Roget, Angela DiMarco, and Cheyenne Casebier pile loads of zip and personality upon playwright Marc Camoletti’s stale ethnic stereotypes. Mark Bedard stirs the pot as Bernard’s Wally Coxian friend Robert; Anne Allgood makes the very most of the testy maid Berthe. It’s a bubbly exercise in sheer theatrical style, as sharp and slick as Don Draper’s haircut, in the service of one of the weakest scripts I’ve ever seen on a stage–two hours of flat lines, pointless incidents, and endless expository dialogue. Even the promise of the premise was lamely withheld; what finally gets the three girls in Bernard’s apartment simultaneously is bad weather, not the title company’s technological advances. Allison Narver directs. (7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sun. plus some matinees; see website for exact schedule. Ends May 19.) GAVIN BORCHERT [See Gavin’s full review.]., 443-2222, seattlerep.org. Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St. (Seattle Center), Seattle, www.seattlerep.org, $12-$80, Wednesdays-Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Continues through May 19.
Cafe Nordo: SMOKED!: Their new culinary/theater experience bites off a lot, pardon the pun, “channel[ing] the spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone and the oppression of Monsanto-style agribusiness with lawyers and lobbyists portrayed as gun-toting sociopathic thugs.” 7:30 p.m. Thurs. & Sat. ($70), 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. ($80). Ends June 16. The Kitchen by Delicatus, 309 1st Avenue S., Seattle, 206-623-3780, www.delicatusseattle.com, cafenordo.com, Thursdays-Sundays. Continues through June 16.
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Chicago: Andy Warhol gets credit for everyone’s claim to 15 minutes of fame, but Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins had a much earlier and prescient take on America’s celebrity obsession. Transfixed as two vampy murderesses had their way with the courts and media, she turned their tale into a 1926 Broadway play. And wow, what mileage her satirical musings would get in the ensuing years. Her Chicago, best known in the 1975 Bob Fosse/Kander and Ebb musical adaptation, has also been turned into several films, including the Oscar-winning 2002 movie starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger. But the 1996 Broadway revival of the Fosse version is still playing, thanks, ironically, to the canny use of celebrity stunt casting–it’s not only the longest-running revival in Broadway history, but the third-longest running Broadway musical ever. That revival is slick, streamlined fun for the masses, but director Steve Tomkins would like this local staging to bring back the edgy flash that the Broadway production lacks. “There’s no sense of period, of where it’s taking place,” he says. “We want to get some of the feeling of the era and the town. We want something very Art Deco, something classy but trashy underneath.” He’s got the cast, too, led by Taryn Darr as Roxie Hart. Back in 2003, she was the showstopper selling “tits and ass”; in the 5th Avenue’s production of A Chorus Line. Give her another 15 minutes of fame, and she’ll get away with murder. STEVE WIECKING., 425-392-2202, villagetheatre.org. Village Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah, www.villagetheatre.org, $24-$63, Tuesdays-Sundays. Continues through July 28.
A Chorus Line: Marvin Hamlisch’s record-setting musical about the lives of Broadway gypsies. 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends May 26., 842-8569, bainbridgeperformingarts.org. Bainbridge Performing Arts, 200 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org, $19-$27, Fridays-Sundays. Continues through May 26.
Frank Oliver’s Twisted Cabaret: Magic, juggling, knife-throwing and more in this one-man vaudeville evening. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., 7:30 & 10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends May 26., TwistedCabaret.com. Hale’s Palladium, 4301 Leary Way N.W., Seattle, 206-706-1544, www.halesales.com, $14-$35, Thursdays-Sundays. Continues through May 26.
Grey Gardens:
Grey Gardens is based on the eponymous 1975 documentary about Jackie O’s relatives, who then lived in a decrepit Long Island mansion of the same name. Doug Wright’s book for the 2006 musical does what the Maysles brothers’ co could not: We get to see firsthand the lofty roost from which the Beale/Bouviers fell to earth. In the first act, Wright transports viewers from the squalid cat preserve inhabited by “Little Edie” (Jessica Skerritt) and her mother “Big Edie” Beale (Patti Cohenour) back to the moment of no return, circa 1941, when the duo sealed their pact of mutual loathing and codependency. Little Edie is engaged to Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (Matt Owen), but Big Edie upstages the nuptials, which sends Little Edie away for decades. In Act 2, Little Edie returns (now played by Cohenour, with Suzy Hunt now playing her mother). By 1973, it’s unclear if Little Edie is just eccentric beyond the telling, or if she’s lost her mind entirely. Big Edie lives off canned soup and memories of getting everything she wanted until there was nothing left. The music–score by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie–is full of haunting contrasts between the frivolous then and the fallen now. It’s Sondheimesque in the best way, more intent on creating moods than hummable hits. Cohenour, Hunt, Skerritt, and Owen all shine in their roles, and the supporting cast is never less than stalwart. Director Kurt Beattie wrings what compassion he can for these two characters, but the Beales are merely porcelain figurines broken by their fall from Camelot. Identify with them and you’re bereft; decline and you’re asleep. (Runs Tues.-Sun.; see website for exact schedule. Run extended through June 2.) KEVIN PHINNEY [See Kevin’s full review.]. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., Seattle, 206-292-7676, www.acttheatre.org, $55-$77, Tuesdays-Sundays, 8 p.m. Continues through June 2.
Gypsy: The Styne/Sondheim/Laurents classic about the stage mom to end all stage moms–considered by some the greatest musical ever. 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. plus Thurs., May 16; 2 p.m. Sun. Ends May 19., 363-2809, seattlemusicaltheatre.org. Seattle Musical Theatre, 7400 Sand Point Way N.E. # 101N, Seattle, www.seattlemusicaltheatre.org, $35-$40, Fridays-Sundays; Thu., May 16. Continues through May 19.
The Harrowing Haunting of Apparition Falls: Blood Squad and Balagan co-produced this improvised trilogy of ghost stories. 11 p.m. Sat. Ends May 18., balagantheatre.org. Balagan Theatre, 1117 E. Pike St., Seattle, 800-838-3006, www.balagantheatre.org, $10, Saturdays. Continues through May 18.
Improv Happy Hour: Early-evening spontaneous theater., unexpectedproductions.org. Unexpected Productions Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, 206-587-2414, www.unexpectedproductions.org, $5, Fridays, Saturdays, 7 p.m..
Judgment: Staged stories of Judgment Day from an all-ages cast., 255-4510, kingschapelseattle.org. King’s Chapel Seattle, 504 S. 3rd St., Renton, www.kingschapelseattle.org, Free, Through May 15, 7 p.m..
Othello: Shakespeare’s tragedy of manipulation and jealousy. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends May 26., eclectictheatercompany.org. Eclectic Theater, 1214 10th Ave., Seattle, 206-679-3271, www.eclectictheatercompany.org, $15-$25, Thursdays-Sundays. Continues through May 26.
Rapunzel: Studio East and StoryBook Theater present the classic fairy tale in venues in Renton, Kirkland, Everett, and Seattle through May 19; see website for exact schedule., storybooktheater.org. Various locations, 0 St., Seattle, N/A, $10, Saturdays, Sundays. Continues through May 19.
Team of Heroes: No More Heroes: The finale of Alexander Harris’ revisionist superhero satire. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. plus Mon., May 13. Ends May 25., 728-0933, annextheatre.org. Annex Theatre, 1100 E. Pike St., Seattle, www.annextheatre.org, $5-$20, Thursdays-Saturdays. Continues through May 25.
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Teatro ZinZanni: Lucky in Love T (Their new Vegas-themed show, “Lucky in Love,” runs May 16-September 19.)., 802-0015, dreams.zinzanni.org. Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St., Seattle, www.zinzanni.org, $106 and up, Thursdays-Sundays. Continues through Sept. 19.
The Temperamentals: Jon Marans’ docudrama about Harry Hay, Rudi Gernreich, and the birth of the gay-rights movement. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., plus 7:30 p.m. Mon., May 13 and 2 p.m. Sun., May 19. Ends May 25., 800-838-3006, arouet.us. The Ballard Underground, 2220 N.W. Market St., Seattle, www.ghostlighttheatricals.org, $12-$20, Thursdays-Saturdays; Sun., May 19. Continues through May 25.
33 Variations: Moises Kaufman’s play time-leaps between two ailing individuals: Beethoven and a modern-day musicologist studying him. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends May 25., 938-0339, artswest.org. ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave. S.W., Seattle, www.artswest.org, $10-$34.50, Wednesdays-Sundays. Continues through May 25.
World’s Fair: No, not our 1962 affair: In this improvised crime thriller, a serial killer is on the loose at the Columbian Exposition of 1893. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Fri. Ends June 21., jetcityimprov.com. Wing-It Productions, 5510 University Way N.E., Seattle, 206-781-3879, www.wingitproductions.com, Thursdays, Fridays. Continues through June 21.
