Send listings two weeks in advance to stage@seattleweekly.com.
Openings & Previews
365 Days/365 Plays Suzan-Lori Parks’ yearlong theater project, a cycle of 365 short plays, offers free one- to ten-minute performances from a great variety of performers in venues across the city. Week 13, through Sun. Feb. 11: SiS Productions. Week 14, Mon. Feb. 12-Sun. Feb. 18: Festival Sundiata. See www.365seattle.com for locations and times.
ACT Season Preview An open house offering excerpts from their 2007 lineup (opening April 5 with The Clean House). 700 Union St., 292-7676, www.acttheatre.org. Free. 3 & 6 p.m. Sun. Feb. 11.
Afternoon of the Elves Two girls bond over the discovery of an elf village in this adaptation of Janet Taylor Lisle’s book. Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Center, 441-3322, www.sct.org. $16-$32. Opens Fri. Feb. 9. 7 p.m. Fri., 2 & 5:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sat. March 24.
Buddy Billy Joe Huels stars as Buddy Holly in this bio-musical. The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., 625-1900, www.5thavenue.org. $20-$73. Opens Tues. Feb. 13. 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Wed., 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sat., 1:30 & 7 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. March 4.
Chocolate Confessions Joan Freed’s one-woman musical visits a confectioner and her zany customers. Shorecrest Performing Arts Center, 15343 25th Ave. N.E., Shoreline, 417-4645, www.shorelinearts.net. $13-$15. 7:30 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10 only.
Hate Mail Love goes wrong, in epistolary form, in this comedy by Bill Corbett and Kira Obolensky. Eclectic Theatre Company at the Odd Duck Studio, 1214 Tenth Ave., 800-838-3006, www.brownpapertickets.com. $12-$16. 8 p.m. Fri. Feb. 9-Sat. Feb. 10 only.
Jane Eyre/The Mill on the Floss Stage versions of two classic novels (both about strong women struggling against repression) on alternating nights (see Web site). Playhouse Theatre, 4045 University Way N.E., 543-4880, http://depts.washington.edu/uwdrama. $8-$15. Previews: Jane, 2 p.m. Sun. Feb. 11; Floss, 7:30 p.m. Tues. Feb. 13. Opens Wed. Feb. 14. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. March 4.
No Black Male Show Carl Hancock Rux’s song/poetry/dance exploration of the black male in pop culture and American myth. Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, 800-838-3006, www.brownpapertickets.com. $15-$20. 8 p.m. Fri. Feb. 9-Sat. Feb. 10.
Piece of You An encounter between James Dean and heiress Barbara Hutton, reimagined by (Weekly visual arts writer) Sue Peters in her first full-length play. LiveGirls! Theater, 2220 N.W. Market St., 800-838-3006, www.brownpapertickets.com. $12 (pay-what-you-can Mon.). Opens Fri. Feb. 9. 7:30 p.m. Fri., Sat., and Mon. Ends Sat. Feb. 24.
Pre-cum A cabaret on the topic of love and sex, or as they put it, a “night of verbal and visual ejaculations by local artists.” Bus Stop, 508 E. Pine St. Free. 8 p.m. Mon. Feb. 12.
Souvenirs d’Amour Reviving classic le-jazz-hot French cabaret with chanteuses Fathia Atallah and Mercedes Nicole. Crepe de Paris, 1333 Fifth Ave., 623-4111, www.fathiainseattle.com. $18 w/o dinner, $45 with. Opens Thurs. Feb. 8. 6:30 p.m. dinner, 8 p.m. show Fri.-Sat., plus Wed. Feb. 14. Ends Sat. March 10.
Super Females! Drag-queen superheroes battle evil condo developers and other villains. Bad Actor Productions at Northwest Actors Studio, 1100 E. Pike St., 324-6328, www. nwactorsstudio.org. $12. Opens Fri. Feb. 9. 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Ends Sat. March 3.
A Tale of Two Cities Dickens’ dashing epic of the French revolution, adapted by Jane Jones and Kevin McKeon, with music by Joshua Kohl. Book-It Repertory Theatre at the Center House Theatre, Seattle Center, 216-0833, www.book-it.org. $15-$32. Previews Wed. Feb. 7-Thurs. Feb. 8. Opens Fri. Feb. 9. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat.. 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sun. March 4.
We Are Not These Hands Sheila Callaghan’s play about disaffected teenagers and the global economy was inspired by a trip to China. Macha Monkey at Theatre Off Jackson, 409 Seventh Ave. S, www.theatreoffjackson.org. $12-$15. Preview 8 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8. Opens Fri. Feb. 9. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. Ends Sat. March 3.
Who Says This Isn’t Love? Romantic vignettes by local playwrights, from the sentimental to the sexy. (The vignettes, not the playwrights.)(Presumably.) WARP at Northwest Actors Studio, 1100 E. Pike St., 229-7919. $10. Opens Fri. Feb. 9. 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., plus Wed. Feb. 14. Ends Sat. Feb. 17.
Last Chance
Animal Farm The actors also play instruments in Ian Wooldridge’s musical adaptation of Orwell’s allegory. Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 S.E. 40th St., Mercer Island, 232-4145 ext. 109, www.youththeatre.org. $11-$15. 7 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sun. Feb. 11.
The Bacchae “Don’t piss off Dionysus” would be the main take-away of Euripides’ tragedy. Meany Studio Theater, UW campus, 543-4880. $8-$15. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. Feb. 11.
The Baker’s Wife Stephen Schwartz’s musical about a May-December romance in Provence. I’d like to publicly point out that the press release contains no performance times, ticket prices, or venue info. Civic Light Opera, 7400 Sand Point Way N.E., 363-2809, www.clo-musicaltheatre.org. $25-$35. 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun.; also 7:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8. Ends Sun. Feb. 11.
How I Got That Story SEE REVIEW, JAN. 31. ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave. S.W., 938-0339, www.artswest.org. $10-$32. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sat. Feb. 10.
Lady from Dubuque SEE REVIEW, JAN. 24. Seattle Repertory Theatre at the Bagley Wright Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-2222, www.seattlerep.org. $10-$48. 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Sun., 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun.; also 2 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7. Ends Sat. Feb. 10.
Side by Side by Sondheim Five singers, two pianos, and a genius. SecondStory Repertory, 16587 N.E. 74th St., Redmond, 425-881-6777, www.SecondStoryRep.org. $20-$26. 8:15 p.m. Fri-Sat.; also 8:15 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 8. Ends Sat. Feb. 10.
Tape Three high school friends and a dark secret converge in a motel room in Lansing. The New Space, 17517 15th Ave. N.E., Shoreline, 425-220-7365, www.myspace.com/newspaceshoreline. $8-$10. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. Ends Sat. Feb. 10.
Continuing Runs
Aesop’s Fables “The Raven and the Swan,” “The Lion and the Mouse,” and “The Tortoise and the Hare,” told with music (some by Ann and Nancy Wilson). Thistle Theatre at Northwest Puppet Center, 9123 15th Ave. N.E., 523-2579, www.nwpuppet.org. $8.50-$10.50. 7:30 p.m. Fri., 1 & 3 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sun. Feb. 18.
Blue Door Confronted by his ancestors’ ghosts, a professor is forced to address his cultural history and their legacy in Tanya Barfield’s play. Seattle Repertory Theatre at the Leo K Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-2222, www.seattlerep.org. $10-$40. Opens Wed. Feb. 7. 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Sun., 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sun. March 4.
A Clockwork Orange: Remixed One of the most controversial films of all time, Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 expose of ultraviolence was banned until 2000 (after his death) in England. Fortunately, teenagers and other assorted stoners on this side of the pond have always had access to this most psychedelic relic, which follows crazed delinquent Alex on his rampage of sex and senseless brutality. So how to translate this to the stage? Open Circle Theater’s not telling: “This production takes the ethos of hip-hop sample pirates, who mine source materials and then imagine completely new worlds with them,” reads their announcement. “Imagine several moving screens playing different streams of film, interacting with dancing actors, while the audience is encapsulated in a cocoon of light and deconstruction.” Welly, welly, welly, very interesting indeed. Open Circle Theater, 429 Boren Ave. N., 382-4250, www.octheater.com. $15. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. through Sat. Feb. 24. RACHEL SHIMP
An Enemy of the People SEE REVIEW. Strawberry Theatre Workshop at Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., www.strawshop.org. $20 (pay-what-you-can each Thurs.). 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. Ends Sat. Feb. 17.
The Equation Charles Waxberg’s play skips through time, to Depression-era New York City and back, to unearth a mystery. Balagan Theatre at the Capitol Hill Arts Center Showroom, 1621 12th Ave., 800-838-3006, www.brownpapertickets.com, www.balagantheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Sat. Feb. 17.
The God Committee One heart and four patients who need it—how will the docs decide? Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., 781-9707, www.taproottheatre.org, 292-ARTS, www.ticketmaster.com. $23-$32. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sat. Ends Sat. March 3.
Goodnight Moon An adaptation of the children’s slumbertime classic, with book, music, and lyrics by Chad Henry. Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Center, 441-3322, www.sct.org. $16-$32. 7 p.m. Fri., 2 & 5:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sat. March 10.
Late Nite Catechism Maripat Donovan’s one-woman show explains everything you wanted to know about the Catholic faith, but were too scared you’d get rapped across the knuckles to ask. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, www.acttheatre.org. $24.50-$29.50. 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Open run.
The Mandrake In the preamble to his raunchy 16th-century satire of sexuality, fidelity, and morality (in Wallace Shawn’s translation), Niccolò Machiavelli, ever the little ray of sunshine, predicted that audience members would “each sit in [their] little seats…and sneer at this play.” From the start, though, with live players serenading the audience and then ducking behind pillars, and an honest-to-God Italian gigolo (complete with undone silk shirt, chunky chain, and hip gyrations that would make Elvis blush) playing the part of a lovelorn swain, the audience gobbled it up like sacrament. Under the custody of her corrupt confessor (John Bianchi) and her aging husband (Richard Clairmont), the pious Lucrezia (Tina Albro) is an object of lust for Callimacho (Jason Marr), who plots to seduce her. With transvestites of both genders (including some truly hideous drag queens), exquisitely executed physical humor, ribald jokes, and pornographic shadow-puppetry, you’ll stay eagerly tuned in from Machiavelli’s gloomy opening prognosis until the nonexistent curtain drops. Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave., 800-838-3006, www.brownpapertickets.com, www.schmeater.org. $15-$18 (pay-what-you-can each Thurs.). 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. Ends Sat. Feb. 17. JENNA NAND
Menopause: The Musical Jeanie Linders’ tuneful celebration of That Time of Life is back at ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, www.acttheatre.org. $45. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 2 & 5:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sun. Feb. 25.
The Sisters Rosensweig Wendy Wasserstein’s look at three Jewish sisters. Bainbridge Performing Arts, 200 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, 842-8569, www.theplayhouse.org. $15-$18. 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. Feb. 18.
Small Town SEE REVIEW. Annex Theatre’s Gail Stellner Studio at Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave., www.annextheatre.org. $7-$10. 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Wed. Ends Wed. Feb. 21.
Travesties SEE REVIEW, JAN. 31. Seattle Public Theater, 7312 W. Greenlake Dr. N., 524-1300, www.seattlepublictheater.org. $14-$24. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Extended through Sat. Feb. 17.
The Twilight Zone Stage adaptations of two episodes of the TV suspense classic which center on writing: “The Obsolete Man” and “A World of His Own.” Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Ave., 800-838-3006, www.brownpapertickets.com, www.schmeater.org. $10-$12. 11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Ends Sat. Feb. 17.
Cabaret & Variety
The Bedroom Club A show harkening back to the heyday of burlesque, featuring live music, sketch comedy, and dessert—or “Dinner in Bed,” too, if you want it. Burning Hearts Burlesque at The Last Supper Club, 124 S. Washington, 748-9975, www.bedroomclublive.com, www.lastsupperclub.com. $10. 9 p.m. Wed. Open run.
Burlesque Behind the Pink Door Performers include Babette La Fav and Miss Indigo Blue. 21 and over. The Pink Door, 1919 Post Alley, 443-3241, www.thepinkdoor.net. $10. 10:30 p.m. Sat. Open run.
Columbia City Cabaret Tamara the Trapeze Lady and her titillating troupe’s Friday-night shows have been extended (nudge nudge) through February. This week, Mama Lou, Babette La Fav, Miss Trixie Lane, and pianist Tim Kennedy. Columbia City Theatre, 4916 Rainier Ave. S., 605-9920. $20. 8 p.m. Fri. Feb. 9.
Heavenly Spies Burlesque with a touch of Bond— or as they call it, “sexpionage”—in their show Bang Bang. The Can Can, 94 Pike St., 652-0832. $10. 10 p.m. Fri. Ends Feb. 23.
OW! A Beatnik Lovers’ MEOW Macha Monkey’s Valentine cabaret will include magic, bellydancing, music, and, yes, Bret Fetzer. Jewel Box Theater at the Rendezvous, 2322 Second Ave., www.machamonkey.org. $5-$10. 8 p.m. Wed. Feb. 14.
Sinner Saint Burlesque Weekly revue hosted by Mr. Dane Ballard. SSB at Noc Noc, 1516 Second Ave., www.sinnersaintburlesque.com. $5. 10 p.m. Thurs. Open run.
Teatro ZinZanni: The Trickster’s Trunk “Love and Lunacy” is the latest installment of the big-top dinner theater. Teatro ZinZanni, 2301 Sixth Ave., 802-0015, http://dreams.zinzanni.org. $104-$155. 6:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 5:30 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. Apr. 15.
Sketches & Stand-Up
Clean Slate Improv Family-friendly comedy on a Granta-like rotating list of themes, every other Saturday night. This time, “Sexuality,” which should prove interesting from the SDA perspective. Green Lake Church of Seventh-Day Adventists, 6350 E. Green Lake Way, 522-1330. $3 suggested donation. 9 p.m. Sat. Feb. 10.
Comedy Underground The long-running humor hangout spotlights seasoned pros as well as up-and-comers. Tuesday at 8:30 is Non-Profit Comedy ($10), benefiting a revolving list of causes and institutions. 222 S. Main St., 628-0303, www.comedyunderground.com, www.nonprofitcomedy.com. $6-$15. See website for times and shows.
Giggles Comedy Club Stand-up comedians and other entertainers. Thurs. at 9 p.m. is a free open-mike night; Sun. at 9 p.m. is a free “Comedy Showcase”; Fri. and Sat. at 8 & 10 p.m. feature headliners. 5220 Roosevelt Way N.E., 526-JOKE, www.gigglescomedyclub.com. See website for times and shows.
Jet City Improv Funny, fast-paced theater based on audience suggestions, including Cupcake, Fridays at midnight:30; their live talk show, Late Night with Satan, Saturdays at midnight:30 through March 31; and “Twisted Flicks,” bad movies with improvised dialogue. Historic University Theater, 5510 University Ave. N.E., 352-8291, www.jetcityimprov.com. See website for times and shows. Open run.
Laugh Lover’s Ball Reggie Watts and others in this comedy showcase, “an evening of sophisticated silliness.” Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., www.ticketmaster.com. $15-$50. 6 & 8:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 14.
People’s Republic of Komedy Alternative stand-up, sketches, and music, under various names, each Wednesday. Capitol Hill Arts Center, 1621 12th Ave., www.capitolhillarts.org. $5. 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Wed. Feb. 7., 9 p.m. Wed. Feb. 14.
Sarah Silverman From alt-weekly covers to Comedy Central sitcoms, this elfin, blithely un-p.c. comic—who made “What the cock is that shit?!” a household catchphrase (at least at my house)—is achieving a Bret-Fetzer-like degree of ubiquity. The Showbox, 1426 First Ave., 628-0888, www.ticketmaster.com. $35. 7 p.m. Sun. Feb. 11.
Unexpected Productions Various improv shows including Black Eyed Blonde, in film noir style, running Fri.-Sat. at 8 through Feb. 10. Their Valentine’s Day show, Comedy of Love, takes your love life as its inspiration. $15. 8 p.m. Wed. Feb. 14. Market Theatre, 1428 Post Alley, 587-2414, www.unexpectedproductions.org. See website for other times and shows. Open run.