Stage

Openings & Events

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Tennessee Williams’ dysfunctional-family classic. ACT, 700 Union St., 292-7676. $15–$44. Previews begin April 17, opens April 23. Runs Tues.–Sun.; see acttheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends May 17.

The Caucasian Chalk Circle Bertolt Brecht’s political allegory. (I know, that doesn’t exactly narrow it down.) Ballard Underground, 2200 N.W. Market St., 395-­5458, ghostlighttheatricals.org. $12–$15. Opens April 17. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sun.; also 7:30 p.m. Mon., April 20 and 2 p.m. Sun., April 26. Ends May 2.

Complex Movements: Beware of the Dandelions is an interactive “pod” performance, in which small audiences (limit 35) become survivors in a post-apocalyptic community. On the Boards, 100 W. Roy St., 217-9886. $12–$23. Runs Thurs.–Sun. April 16–19 & May 7–10; see ontheboards.org for exact schedule.

Cradle Will Rock Marc Blitzstein’s political musical made waves in the ’30s when the Federal Theater Project backed it. Raisbeck Performance Hall, 2015 Boren Ave., cornish.edu. Free. 8 p.m. Tues., April 21, Thurs., April 23, Sat., April 25; 2 p.m. Sun., April 26.

• 

Don Nordo del Midwest The “deconstructionist dinner theatre” takes residence with a new show in the former Elliott Bay Book Company space in Pioneer Square. Nordo’s Culinarium, 109 S. Main St., cafenordo.com. $75 ($100 w/wine flight). Opens Thurs., April 16. 7:30 p.m. Thurs. & Sun., 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends May 31.

Flamingo The Can Can’s all-new tropical themed cabaret. Can Can, Pike Place Market, 877-280-7831. Preview April 16, opens April 17. $30–$85. Runs Wed.–Sun.; see thecan
can.com for exact schedule. Ends Oct. 11.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile The artist meets Einstein in Steve Martin’s absurdist comedy. Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way S.W., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $15–$18. Opens April 17. 7:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends April 26.

Robin Hood The evergreen adventure tale promises not to be too intense. But will it turn your kids to socialists with all that talk of robbing from the rich? Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Center, 441-3322, sct.org. $20 and up. Opens April 16. 7 p.m. Thurs.–Fri.; 2 & 5:30 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Sun. Ends May 17.

Saturday Morning Cartoons Kids’ play ideas are brought to life by adult playwrights and actors. Pocket Theatre, 8312 Greenwood Ave. N., the1448projects.org. $5–$14. Opens April 18. 10:30 a.m. Sat. Ends May 9.

Ten-Minute Play Festival New work by Cornish students. Cornish Playhouse Studio. Seattle Center, cornish.edu. Free. Opens April 18. 7:30 p.m. Sat.–Sun. Ends April 26.

Twelfth Night Cornish juniors take on Shakespeare. Cornish Playhouse Studio at Seattle Center, cornish.edu. Free. Opens April 17. 2 p.m. Fri.–Sun. Ends April 26.

Yer Cheatin’ Heart Theater/burlesque troupe the Libertinis take us to the dusty, dying hamlet of Hope Springs, where it decidedly doesn’t. TPS Blackbox, Seattle Center Armory, thelibertinis.com. $20–$30. 
7:30 & 10 p.m. Fri., April 17–Sat., April 18.

CURRENT RUNS

• 

The Best of Enemies In 1971 Durham, N.C., racism 
is the norm and segregation a fact of life, as confronted by two locals nominated to the federally mandated school-integration committee: a black civil-rights activist, Ann Atwater (Faith Russell), and a white KKK member, C.P. Ellis (Jeff Berryman). Enemies takes them on an inevitable journey toward reconciliation, along the way exploring notions of poverty and education that still bedevil the South today. ALYSSA DYKSTERHOUSE Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., 781-9707, taproottheatre.org. $20–$40. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat. Ends April 25.

• 

Dina Martina—Tonight! All-new songs, stories, and videos from the incomparable, indescribable entertaineress, with Chris Jeffries on keyboard. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $20–$25. 8 p.m. Fri–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends April 26.

• 

Fail Better: Beckett Moves UMO Beckett’s work is explored through UMO’s unique style of physical theater. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, umo.org. $30. 
8 p.m. Wed.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., plus other matinees; see acttheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends April 26.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Sondheim’s Greek-inspired farce. Seattle Musical Theatre at Magnuson Park, 7120 62nd Ave. N.E., Building 47, 800-838-3006, seattlemusicaltheatre.org. $20–$35. 7:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., plus 7:30 p.m. Thurs., April 23. Ends April 26.

Goodnight Moon Based on the bedtime book by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, this musical debuted here in 2007. Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Center, 441-3322. $20 and up. Runs Thurs.–Sun.; see sct.org for exact schedule. Ends April 26.

Into the Woods Sondheim’s dark fairy-tale mashup, presented by STAGEright Theatre. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., seattlestageright.org. $17.50–$22. 7:30 p.m. Fri., Sat., & Mon., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends April 25.

Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well & Living in Paris Belgian crooner Jacques Brel’s songs were a touchstone for postwar Europe, their fragililty and terror, beauty and hopefulness a reflection of his world. It’s not a bad fit in our world, either, and this production of this 1968 revue, directed by David Armstrong, tries hard to make that point. Brel’s musical punch lines are crisp, his desperation real, his anger frightening. And the cast does a fine job of bringing these songs to life. MARK BAUMGARTEN ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, acttheatre.org. $15–$49. 7:30 p.m. Tues.–Wed., 8 p.m. Thurs.–Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., 2 & 7 p.m. Sun. Ends May 17.

Live! From the Last Night of My Life In Wayne Rawley’s black comedy, a gas-station attendant vows to off himself at the end of his shift. 12th Ave Arts, 1620 12th Ave., 800-838-3006, theatre22.org. $14–$25. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends April 18.

Lizard Boy One component of Justin Huertas’ new musical is a look at relationships in contemporary Seattle, centered on a lonely young gay man, Trevor (Huertas), who, though scarred, needs to get back on that horse while trying to jump the hurdle separating meaningful connection from superficial one-nighters. Trevor has a unique backstory, though: As a kindergartener he was doused in the blood of a dragon that escaped from Mt. St. Helens—hence the mysterious mental connection that draws him to damaged rock star Siren (Kirsten deLohr Helland). Here the show pivots into extravagant comic-book fantasy, including superpowers, mind control, a dragon attack, and a climactic battle—yet, ineffectively, it’s played with exactly the same earnestness as the slice-of-life stuff. GAVIN BORCHERT Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St. (Seattle Center), 443-­2222. $17–$67. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Sun. plus some Wed. & weekend matinees; see seattlerep.org for exact schedule. Ends May 2.

The Most Deserving Catherine Trieschmann’s comedy examines the snakepit that is civic arts-council grant-giving. Theater Schmeater, 2125 Third Ave., 324-5801, schmeater.org. $22–$29. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends April 18.

• 

No Way to Treat a Lady Douglas J. Cohen’s 1987 gore-free, family-friendly musical comedy was originally inspired by the Boston Strangler—according to source novelist William Goldman. Suffering a deadly devotion to his late mother, failed thespian Christopher “Kit” Gill (Nick DeSantis) dons various disguises and adopts different dialects whilst murdering women who remind him of her. The cat-and-mouse script smartly balances engaging action with witty dialogue and lyrics. ALYSSA DYKSTERHOUSE Village Theatre, 303 Front St. N. (Issaquah), 425-392-2202. $35–$67. Runs Wed.–Sun.; see villagetheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends April 26. (Also runs May 1–24 in Everett.)

SecondStory Originals Three local writers, three plays, three weekends. SecondStory Repertory, 16587 N.E. 74th St., Redmond, 425-881-6777, secondstoryrep.org. $15. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends April 18.

Sex’d Handwritten Productions updates/techs up Schnitzler’s 1897 La ronde. Lab at INScape, 815 Seattle Blvd. S., handwrittenproductions.org. Pay what you will. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends April 25.

For many more Current Runs, see seattleweekly.com.

Dance

• 

Pacific Northwest Ballet: Swan Lake SEE REVIEW, PAGE 19.

• 

Coriolis Dance Natascha Greenwalt and Christin Call’s Unfixed Arias promises “sardonically vamped-up alien women of sci-fi camp, the detached forces of mass, charge, and rotation that create black holes, and wili-like preying mantis women.” Open Flight Studio, 4205 University Way N.E., 800-838-3006, coriolisdance.com. $20–$25. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sun. Ends April 19.

• 

Lyon Opera Ballet SEE THE PICK LIST, PAGE 18.

Monica Bill Barnes & Company

Happy Hour is 
billed as the “first-ever cocktail party dance show.” Velocity Founders Theater, 1621 12th Ave., 325-8773, velocitydancecenter.org. $12–$20. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., April 16.

• 

Cornish Dance Theater SEE THE PICK LIST, PAGE 18.

Classical, Etc.

• 

Seattle Symphony Shostakovich’s massive Seventh Symphony (1942) is a requiem for Leningrad—as destroyed by Stalin or by Hitler, take your pick. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave. & Union St., 215-4747, seattlesymphony.org. $35–$120. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., April 16; noon Fri., April 17; 8 p.m. Sat., April 18.

Benjamin Verdery This recital is the highlight of Cornish’s Northwest Guitar Festival, Fri.–Sun. PONCHO Recital Hall, Cornish College, 710 E. Roy St., cornish.edu. $15–$25. 8 p.m. Fri., April 17.

R. Andrew Lee On Friday, this pianist premieres Nat Evans’ Desert Ornamentation, which incorporates field recordings of buzzing power lines made in southern California; on Saturday, he’ll play Randy Gibson‘s The Four Pillars . . . , which promises more than three hours of “immersive drone experience.” Chapel Performance Space, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., waywardmusic.org. $5–$15. 8 p.m. Fri., April 17, 7 p.m. Sat., April 18.

• 

Simple Measures Classical (Dvorak, Shostakovich, Milhaud) meets jazz with the Turtle Island String Quartet. At Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 7:30 p.m. Fri., April 17; and Mt. Baker Community Club, 2811 Mt. Rainier Dr. S., 2 p.m. Sun., April 19. $15–$30. 853-5672, simplemeasures.org

Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers Roupen Shakarian guest-conducts Handel’s Israel in Egypt. First Free Methodist Church, 3200 Third Ave. W., osscs.org. $10–$25. 7:30 p.m. Sat., April 18.

Thalia Symphony Beethoven’s Third, plus Tchaikovsky, Verdi, and Weber. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., thalia
symphony.org. $15–$20. 2 p.m. Sun., April 19.

Michael Partington This guitarist plays Boccherini’s “Fandango” quintet (in which the cellist doubles on castanets) alongide a Mozart quartet and a few solo works. Queen Anne Christian Church, 1316 Third Ave. W., 726-6088, galleryconcerts.org. $15–$30. 3 p.m. Sun., April 19.

Music Northwest Two Beethoven piano trios. Olympic Recital Hall, 6000 16th Ave. S.W., 937-2899, music
northwest.org. $16–$18. 3 p.m. Sun., April 19.

Byron Schenkman & Friends From this keyboardist, chamber and solo pieces by Handel and Telemann. Benaroya Recital Hall, Third Ave. & Union St., 215-4747, byronschenkman.com. $10–$42. 7 p.m. Sun., April 19.

UW Bands The Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band play (among other things) Andrew Rindfleisch’s American Scripture. Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-34880, music.washington.edu. $10–$15. 7:30 p.m. Mon., April 20.

• 

Emerson String Quartet SEE EAR SUPPLY, BELOW.