Stage
Openings & Events
Barefoot in the Park He’s straight-laced, she’s kooky; can this marriage be saved? Since this is Neil Simon, my guess is yes. TPS Theatre 4, Seattle Center, Center House, 4th flr., 800-838-3006, localjewell.com. $12. Opens Sept. 20. 8 p.m. Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat. Ends Oct. 5.
The Dream of the Golden Clown The China National Acrobatic Troupe performs this show, written and directed by PNB alum Hengda Li. McCaw Hall, Seattle Center, 800-745-3000, mccawhall.com. $30–$110. 7:30 p.m. Fri., Sept. 20, 2 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., Sept. 21.
Family Affair Jennifer Jasper’s “sick, hilarious, and ultimately relatable” cabaret on the theme of family. JewelBox/Rendezvous, 2322 Second Ave., jennifer jasperperforms.com. $10. 7:30 p.m. Wed., Sept. 18.
JOYstick! Level 2 SEE THE GEEKLY REPORT, PAGE 56.
Macha Monkey Season Kick-Off Party! A preview of two of this season’s premieres, plus the usual food, drink, and auction. Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center, machamonkey.org. $20–$25. 7 p.m. Sat., Sept. 21.
The Matchmaker The Thornton Wilder play that inspired Hello, Dolly! Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., 781-9707, taproottheatre.org. $15–$40. Previews Sept. 18–19, opens Sept. 20. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat. Ends Oct. 19.
Seattle Fringe Fest SEE AGENDA, PAGE 55.
The Secret Diaries of Anita Goodmann Timothy Thomas shares the backstory of his drag alter ego, long a familiar face on Seattle’s alt-cabaret scene. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St.,800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $15–$20. 8:30 p.m. Fri., Sept. 20–Sun., Sept. 22.
She’s Come Undone Book-It adapts Wally Lamb’s tale of put-upon 40-something Dolores Price. Center House Theatre, Seattle Center, 216-0833. $24–$38. Previews start Sept. 18, opens Sept. 21. Runs Wed.–Sun.; see book-it.org for exact schedule. Ends Oct. 13.
SketchFest Two weekends of comedy from groups from across the country. $15. Opens Sept. 19. Runs Thurs.–Sat.; see sketchfest.org for schedule and venues. Ends Sept. 28.
The 39 Steps A cast of four plays over 150 characters in this murder-mystery sendup. Renton Civic Theater, 507 S. Third St., Renton, 425-226-5529, rentoncivictheater.org. $15–$22. Opens Sept. 20. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Oct. 5.
Current Runs
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Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo SEE REVIEW, THIS PAGE.
Break-Up Songs Your tales of romantic trauma become improv theater. Unexpected Productions Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 800-838-3006, unexpectedproductions.org. $12–$15. 8:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends Sept. 21.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Two con men in France vie to see who’s the con-iest. Seattle Musical Theatre, 7400 Sand Point Way N.E. # 101N, 800-838-3006, seattlemusicaltheatre.org. $30–$40. 7:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., plus 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 3. Ends Oct. 6.
Les Miserables Balagan’s production replaces Broadway epicness with “intensely intimate and immersive staging.” Erickson Theatre Off Broadway, 1524 Harvard Ave., balagantheatre.org. $5–$30. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Sept. 28.
Men of Action Jet City’s improv takeoff of adventure movies and their intrepid heroes. Wing-It Productions, 5510 University Way N.E., 781-3879, jetcityimprov.com. $12–$15. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Fri. Ends Sept. 20.
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Middletown Starting with its title, threads of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town weave through Middletown wry, eerie tapestry of place. Like Wilder’s stage manager, the “Public Speaker” (R. Hamilton Wright) welcomes us, but not with situational or background information about the town. In another nod to Wilder, Jennifer Zeyl’s set austerely outlines two adjacent houses on risers—though unlike Wilder’s neighbors, their inhabitants don’t know each other yet. New to town and married to someone who travels a lot, Mary (Alexandra Tavares) quickly meets jack-of-various-unsatisfying-trades John (Eric Riedmann). As awkward as that meeting is (he’s riddled with anxiety), chaste sparks fly as these two random humans, lonely in their own ways, find themselves liking each other. But in Will Eno’s agile, meandering 2010 play (directed by John Langs), the majority of scenes are free-standing encounters between various denizens, a collection of moments that more closely approximates the rhythm of real-life experience than a more tightly escalating structure would. In a fantastic meta-scene supposedly set during intermission (don’t get up just yet, a real intermission will follow), five fake audience members banter like a Chekhovian chorus. Perhaps as a way of showing that all humans are made of similar psychological matter (where most other plays try to suggest otherwise), all the characters in Middletown share certain traits. Each surge of self-assertion gets checked by a jolt of self-effacement, before settling in some central place of acceptance. MARGARET FRIEDMAN ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676. $41 and up. Runs Tues.–Sun., see acttheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends Sept. 29.
Rosemary RiOT [productions] debuts with Seth Tarkus’ punk-flavored drama about a girl trying to escape Bremerton. Inscape, 815 Seattle Blvd. S., 800-838-3006. $10. Runs Thurs.–Sun.; see brown papertickets.com for exact schedule. Ends Sept. 21.
Secondhand Lions The premiere of a musical based on the Michael Caine/Robert Duvall fantasy/adventure film. 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., 625-1900. $29 and up. Previews through Sept. 25, opens Sept. 26. Runs Tues.–Sun.; see 5thavenue.org for schedule. Ends Oct. 6.
Soft Click of a Switch MAP Theatre’s second production is Carter W. Lewis’ play about two ordinary guys who start building bombs. West of Lenin, 203 N. 36th St., 800-838-3006, map-theatre.com, brownpapertickets.com. Pay what you can. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. plus Mon., Sept. 23. Ends Sept. 28.
Teatro ZinZanni: Hail Caesar: Forbidden Oasis Frank Ferrante returns as mad chef Caesar, with Dreya Weber as his sultry accomplice Cleo. Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St., 802-0015. $108 and up. Runs Wed.–Sun.; see dreams.zinzanni.org for exact schedule. Ends Jan. 26.
Words, Sounds, Silence Unexpected Productions’ new improv show: “This edgy show illuminates three things present in a single moment. We often only hear the words, but it is the sounds that accompany the words that give us a chance at understanding the meaning behind what was said. It is in the silence that we truly see the impact of the message conveyed between the lines of verbal language.” Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, 800-838-3006, unexpectedproductions.org. $7. 8:30 p.m. Thurs. Ends Sept. 26.
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Xanadu SEE REVIEW, PAGE 57.
Dance
Tale of Ten Green DASSdance partners with Survival International to present a new work by Daniel Wilkins inspired by the uncontacted tribes of the Amazon, threatened by logging., Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave., 800-838-3006, dassdance.org. $15–$20. 8 p.m. Fri., Sept. 20–Sat., Sept. 21.
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Lola Arias SEE AGENDA, PAGE 55.
Classical, Etc.
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Joshua Kohl New pieces by the Degenerate Art Ensemble founder to celebrate the opening of his monthlong sound installation. Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave., fryemuseum.org. Free. 7 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 19.
Roomful of Teeth This innovative vocal group opens Town Hall’s Town Music series. (Curator/cellist Joshua Roman previews the entire season beforehand at 6 p.m.) Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 652-4255, townhallseattle.org. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 19.
Seattle Symphony A reprise of Bolero, the highlight of Ludovic Morlot’s SSO debut concert two years ago, climaxes this all-Ravel concert. (Friday’s concert is part of the one-hour “Untuxed” series.) Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 215-4747, seattle symphony.org. $17 and up. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 19, 7 p.m. Fri., Sept. 20, 8 p.m. Sat., Sept. 21.
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The Esoterics Choral music on the theme of eternity, including works by winners of the choir’s composition competition. At Queen Anne Christian Church, 1316 Third Ave. W., 7 p.m. Fri., Sept. 20 (an open rehearsal with the composers); St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 732 18th Ave. E., 8 p.m. Sat., Sept. 21; and Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 4142 42nd Ave. S.W., 2 p.m.Sun., Sept. 22. $10–$20. 935-7779, theesoterics.org.
Vashon Opera Strauss’ waltz-drenched Die Fledermaus. Vashon High School Theatre, 20120 Vashon Highway S.W., Vashon, vashonopera.org. $32. 8 p.m. Fri., Sept. 20, 2:30 p.m. Sun., Sept. 22.
Jack Straw Open House All kinds of music, a New Media Gallery installation by Steve Peters, and more at Seattle’s premier center for sound art. Jack Straw Studios, 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E., 328-7694, jackstraw.org. Free. 2–6 p.m. Sat., Sept. 21.
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Broken Bow Ensemble From this pathbreaking 26-piece chamber orchestra, the premiere of John Teske’s mer. At Rainier Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3515 S. Alaska St., 8 p.m. Sat., Sept. 21, and Chapel Performance Space, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., 8 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 26. $5–$15. johnteskemusic.com.
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Seattle Symphony: Day of Music All kinds of music in every corner of Benaroya Hall—plus food trucks!—to celebrate its 15th anniversary. The SSO itself will premiere a Native Lands Community Composition, a collaboration with composer Janice Giteck and artists from several Northwest tribes. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., seattlesymphony.org. Free. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun., Sept. 22.
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Octava Chamber Orchestra Opening their season with new works by Giuliano Belotti and Jeffrey Brody. Maple Park Church, 17620 60th Ave. W., Lynnwood, octavachamberorchestra.com. $5–$15. 6 p.m. Sun., Sept. 22.
Peggy Dees and Friends From this clarinetist and others, chamber music by David Maslanka., cornish.edu. Cornish College/PONCHO Concert Hall, 710 E. Roy St., 726-5066, cornish.edu. $5–$20. 7 p.m. Sun., Sept. 22.
