Stage
Openings & Events
Across a Little Red Marker Jim Moran’s tangled mystery. Odd Duck Studio, 1214 10th Ave., eclectictheater company.org. Opens March 14. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends April 7.
Cat Pack “Four swingin’ cats and one lovely kitten” celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in this improv cabaret. Unexpected Productions Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 587-2414, unexpectedproductions.org. $10. 8:30 p.m. Sun., March 17.
Cedar & the Redwoods Copious Love Productions’ original play is set during a road trip through Northern California. Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave., 800-838-3006. $12–$15. Opens March 14. Runs 7 p.m. (most) Thurs.–Sat.; see copiouslove.org for exact schedule. Ends April 6.
Diamonds The Heavenly Spies call their 10th-anniversary show their most glamorous yet, with “20 girls, 40 pasties, and 1 big-ass band!” The Triple Door, 216 Union St., 838-4333, thetripledoor.net. $20–$30. 7 p.m. Thurs., March 14, 7 & 10 p.m. Fri., March 15–Sat., March 16.
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Good People For a comedy rooted in the class politics of South Boston, Good People arrives with excellent Emerald City cred. Its award-winning 2011 Broadway run was directed by Daniel Sullivan, who formerly led the Rep, and the cast includes supporting performances from two of this city’s most deft character actresses, Marianne Owen and Cynthia Lauren Tewes. The play concerns struggling, middle-aged “Southie” Margie (Ellen McLaughlin, the original Angel in Angels in America), a single mother fired from her job at the dollar store. With encouragement from a couple of wisecracking sidekicks (Owen and Tewes), she decides to reach out in not-so-good ways to a “good” person, an old flame who managed to break the crippling grip of the ’hood to become a prosperous doctor (John Bolger). Trust that this will all register painfully true: Saint grew up in the Boston area, and playwright David Lindsay-Abaire is a Southie himself. STEVE WIECKING Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-2222. $12–$80. Opens March 13. Runs Wed.–Sun.; see seattlerep.org. for exact schedule. Ends March 31.
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Grey Gardens SEE THE WIRE, PAGE 17.
Late Night With Lucifer “All Hell breaks loose when Satan is late to host his live late-night talk show . . . leaving his woefully inept co-host, Anna Nicole Smith, to start the show which features dead celebrity guests.” The Ballard Underground, 2220 N.W. Market St., ghostlight theatricals.org. $5. Opens March 15. 10:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends March 23.
Love’s Labour’s Lost Shakespeare’s comedy time-travels to the 1920s. Center House Theatre, Seattle Center, 733-8222. $22–$45. Previews March 12–14, opens March 15. Runs 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Sat. plus weekend matinees; see seattleshakespeare.org for exact schedule. Ends April 7.
Mardi Gras! Aerial acts, performance art, and dance in this Carnival-themed show. Emerald City Trapeze Arts, 2702 Sixth Ave. S., 800-838-3006, emeraldcitytrapeze.com. $35–$70. 9 p.m. Fri., March 15–Sat., March 16.
Measure for Measure SPT’s Youth Program presents Shakespeare’s dramedy. Seattle Public Theater at the Bathhouse, 7312 W. Green Lake Ave. N., 524-1300, seattle publictheater.org. Free. 7 p.m. Fri., March 15, 2 & 7 p.m. Sat., March 16, 2 p.m. Sun., March 17.
Next Fall Adam and Luke fall in love in Geoffrey Nauffts’ 2010 play, but there’s one problem: Adam’s an atheist, Luke a believer. ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave. S.W., 938-0339, artswest.org. $10–$34.50. Opens March 13. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends April 6.
Showcase Showdown Tamara the Trapeze Lady, Sailor St. Claire, and others star in this burlesque game show to benefit PAWS. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St., sailor stclaire.com. $15–$20. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., March 14–Sat., March 16.
Sweeney Todd Recommended for ages 13 and up, Studio East cautions. Well, I would hope so. Studio East, 11730 118th Ave. N.E., #100, Kirkland, 425-820-1800, studio-east.org. $12–$14. Opens 6:30 p.m. Fri., March 15. 7:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2:30 p.m. Sun. Ends March 24.
Teatro ZinZanni: St. Patti’s Late Night Comedy duo Dos Fallopia hosts this naughty all-woman show starring Lily Verlaine, Inga Ingenue, the Seattle Irish Dance Company, and many others. Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St., 802-0015, zinzanni.org. $45–$55. 11:15 p.m. Sat., March 16.
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12 Minutes Max SEE THE WIRE, PAGE 18.
Current Runs
The Adventures of Gilbert & Sullivan Improv operetta: The librettist and composer themselves become characters in a Victorian fantasy (or wherever the audience decides to send them). Wing-It Productions, 5510 University Way N.E., 781-3879, jetcityimprov.com. $12–$15. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Fri. Ends April 19.
Cirque du Soleil Inspired by The Tempest, this touring show isn’t heavy on plot. Kids will appreciate the acrobats, juggling, and costumes, and the traveling Grand Chapiteau—a climate-controlled, 2,600-seat tent—adds to the spectacle. GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy. N.E., Redmond, 800-450-1480. $43.50 and up. See cirquedusoleil.com for exact schedule. Ends March 24.
Cliffhouse Macha Monkey presents Allison Gregory’s rather Hitchcockian-sounding play. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends March 30.
Crossing Delancey Seattle Jewish Theater Company presents staged readings of Susan Sandler’s play of Manhattan romance. Eight performances through March 30; see seattlejewishtheater.com for full info.
Distracted Lisa Loomer’s dramedy looks at a 9-year-old who may or may not have ADD. Bainbridge Performing Arts, 200 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, 842-8569, bainbridgeperformingarts.org. $19–$27. 7:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends March 24.
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress Rogue Theatrics stages Alan (Six Feet Under) Ball’s comedy set at a Tennessee wedding reception. Theatre Puget Sound, Armory, Seattle Center, roguetheatrics.com. $15–$20. 7 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends March 17.
Jesus Christ Superstar An all-female production seems a little out-there for Burien, but good for them. Burien Little Theater, S.W. 146th St. and Fourth Ave. S.W., Des Moines, 242-5180, burienlittletheatre.org. $7–$20. 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends March 24.
Paper Bullets John E. Ellis resets Much Ado About Nothing in tabloid journalism. Ballard Underground, 2220 N.W. Market St., 395-5458, ghostlighttheatricals.org. $12–$15. 7:30 p.m,. Thurs.–Sat. plus 7:30 p.m. Mon., March 18 and 2 p.m. Sun., March 24. Ends March 24.
Puss in Boots The classic French tale. Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 S.E. 40th St., Mercer Island, 232-4145 x109, youththeatre.org. $10. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Fri., 2:30 p.m. Sat.–Sun. Ends March 17.
reWilding Presented by the Satori Group, Martyna Majok’s play has the loftiest of ambitions: to provoke as well as entertain. This is not an adventure for those who demand the comforts of relatable characters or a narrative roadmap. Random strangers drift together in a forest and embark on a social experiment, rejecting the tenets of the world they’ve left behind. Satori has transformed its new space in the former INS Building into a 360-degree environment in which the audience is strategically placed as voyeurs or participants in the events around them. It’s the kind of fully realized alternate reality that, even when the plot lags, is simply an intoxicating place to spend time. Squatters come and go, and if there’s anything that resembles a plot here, it’s in seeing how newcomers behave when Agnes (Greta Wilson) introduces Edith (LoraBeth Barr) into the enclave. Caitlin Sullivan knows how to stage a scene for maximum dramatic effect, and her cast is ferociously talented, but her reluctance to stifle creativity leaves too many loose ends and too little focus. What’s left is a mesmerizing, elliptical presentation of a world that seems to exist simultaneously as a real place and in a parallel universe. It’s inconclusive, perhaps willfully so, but what an amazing trip. KEVIN PHINNEY Inscape, 815 Seattle Blvd. S., 800-838-3006, satori-group.com. $10–$15. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sun. Ends March 17.
SPF VII It stands for Solo Performance Festival. Solo performers include Jennifer Jasper, Peggy Platt, Lisa Koch, and others; see theatreoffjackson.org for complete lineup and schedule. Theater Off Jackson, 409 Seventh Ave. S. $15, Ends March 23.
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Teatro ZinZanni: Dinner at Wotan’s It’s Ragnarok eve, aka the final battle of good vs. evil, and Wotan and the rest of the Wagnerian pantheon are ready to par-tay! Geoff Hoyle plays “Dinner at Wotan’s” host; soprano Kristin Clayton plays Brunnhilde; PNB alumna Ariana Lallone adds statuesque beauty with her dance routines; and the “Vertical Tango” team of Sam Payne and Sandra Feusi return from TZ’s previous show to earn the evening’s wildest applause. Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St., 802-0015. $106 and up. Runs Thurs.–Sun.; see dreams.zinzanni.org for exact schedule. Ends May 12.
Dance
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Pacific Northwest Ballet Their mixed bill “Modern Masterpieces” sits Concerto Barocco, George Balanchine’s neoclassical analysis of J.S. Bach, next to Twyla Tharp’s postmodern endurance test In the Upper Room and Ulysses Dove’s contemporary Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven. Add to those a premiere by company ballet master Paul Gibson, who doesn’t get a chance to make new work very often, so this should be a rare treat. SANDRA KURTZ McCaw Hall, Seattle Center, 441-2424. $28–$173. Opens March 15. Runs Thurs.–Sun; see pnb.org for exact schedule. Ends March 24.
International Ballet Theatre Tchaikovsky’s music was adapted for their Alice in Wonderland., Meydenbauer Center, 11100 N.E. Sixth St., Bellevue, 800-838-3006, ibt bellevue.org. $25–$50. 2 p.m. Sat., March 16–March 17.
Pacific Northwest Ballet Their narrated, hour-long Hansel and Gretel, starring PNB School students, is an excellent intro to ballet for kids. McCaw Hall, Seattle Center, 441-2424, pnb.org. $22–$67. Noon & 3:30 p.m. Sun., March 17, 3:30 p.m. Sat., March 23.
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Dance Cinema Quarterly SEE THE WIRE, PAGE 18.
Classical, Etc.
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Composer Spotlight Composer Rinus van Alebeek’s presents “I have been awake long enough, it is time to dream.” Jack Straw Studios, 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E., jackstraw.org. Free 7:30 p.m. Wed., March 13.
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Quasar Saxophone Quartet Music by Seattle composer Donald Stewart and much more from this Montreal-based group. Part of the Washington Composers Forum’s “Transport” series. Chapel Performance Space, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., washington composers.org. $5–$15. 8 p.m. Wed., March 13.
Seattle Symphony Romantic faves by Bruch and Elgar, plus Michael Tippett’s Ritual Dances. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 215-4747, seattlesymphony.org. $19–$112. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., March 14, 8 p.m. Sat., March 16.
Balkan Night Northwest Three nights of folk music, including the “face-melting blasts of brass band music.” Russian Community Center, 704 19th Ave. E., Runs March 15–17; see hearthmusic.com for exact schedule.
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Sean Osborn A CD-release party/performance for this clarinetist’s latest (Messiaen, Stravinsky, his own works, and more). Jack Straw Studios, 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E., osbornmusic.com. Free. 7 p.m. Fri., March 15.
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Northwest Sinfonietta Charlie Chaplin wrote his own score for his The Gold Rush; the NS plays it live during a screening. Benaroya Recital Hall, Third Ave. and Union St., 866-833-4747, nwsinfonietta.org. $19–$49. 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 15.
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UW Symphony Always good to hear Beethoven’s Ninth, but I’m declaring a moratorium on using it in commercials. Meany Hall, UW campus. 543-4880, music.washington.edu. $10–$15. 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 15.
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Metropolitan Opera at the Movies 10 a.m. Sat., March 16: a luscious oddity from Riccardo Zandonai, Francesca da Rimini. (Encored April 3.) 6:30 p.m. Wed., March 20: Wagner’s mystical ritual/opera, Parsifal. See metopera.org for participating theaters. $24.
Ugandan Orphans’ Choir Traditional music, dance, drumming, and storytelling. Shoreline Community College, 16101 Greenwood Ave. N., 417-4645, shorelinearts.net. $8. 11 a.m. Sat., March 16.
Salish Sea Early Music Festival Early-baroque chamber music for a “broken consort,” instruments of different families—here flute, violin, viola, and harpsichord. Christ Episcopal Church, 4548 Brooklyn Ave., 633-1611, salishseafestival.org. $5–$20. 7:30 p.m. Sat., March 16.
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Seattle Choral Company Italian religious music by Verdi (his odd “Ave maria”) and others. Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 1245 Tenth Ave. E., 800-838-3006, seattlechoralcompany.org. $10–$27. 8 p.m. Sat., March 16.
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Cascadian Chorale New music by local composer Greg Bartholomew, plus Tallis’ 40-voice “Spem in alium.” At St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 8398 N.E. 12th St., Medina, 7 p.m. Sat., March 16, and Lake Washington United Methodist Church, 7525 132nd Ave. N.E., Kirkland, 3 p.m. Sun., March 17. cascadianchorale.org.
Lyric Opera Northwest Stephanie Rodousakis takes the title role in Bizet’s throbbing Carmen. The Moore, 1932 Second Ave., lonw.org. $30–$37. 4 p.m. Sat., March 16–Sun., March 17.
Gallery Concerts Flamboyant vocal and chamber music from the Italian baroque. Queen Anne Christian Church, 1316 Third Ave. W., 726-6088, galleryconcerts.org. $15–$30. 7:30 p.m. Sat., March 16, 3 p.m. Sun., March 17.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream The Early Music Guild presents an abridged family version, with lots of period music. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 325-7066, earlymusic guild.org. $5–$10. 1 p.m. Sun., March 17.
Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers SEE EAR SUPPLY, PAGE 27.
John Grew This McGill University organist plays Gibbons, Buxtehude, and more. Kane Hall, UW campus, 685-8384, music.washington.edu. $15. 3 p.m. Sun., March 17.
Northwest Chamber Chorus Faure’s Requiem is quiet and consoling—none of that Last Judgment argle-bargle. At Plymouth Congregational Church, 1217 Sixth Ave., 3 p.m. Sun., March 17, and Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave. N., 7:30 p.m. Sat., March 23. $12–$22. 523-1196, northwestchamberchorus.org.
Seattle Philharmonic Schumann’s “Rhenish” Symphony: like one of those Viking River Cruises, but without the motion sickness. Meany Hall, UW campus, seattlephil.org. $10–$18. 3 p.m. Sun., March 17.