Stage Openings & Events The A/V Club David Nance’s improv comedy

By By Gavin Borchert • May 28, 2013 3:42 pm

Stage

Openings & Events

The A/V Club David Nance’s improv comedy sets high-schoolers (as in The Breakfast Club) commenting on a bad movie (a la MST3K). Eclectic Theater, 1214 10th Ave., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $10–$15. 10:30 p.m. Fri., May 31–Sat., June 1.

Homebody The New City Ensemble presents Tony Kushner’s play. New City Theater, 1404 18th Ave., 800-838-3006, newcitytheater@comcast.net. $15–$20. Opens May 30. 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends June 22.

In the Land of Rain & Salmon Stories and oral histories in this theatrical adaptation of the book Family of Strangers: Building a Jewish Community in Washington State. Co-produced by the Washington State Jewish Historical Society and Book-It Repertory Theatre. Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, 104 17th Ave. S., 774-2277, wsjhs.org. $18–$36. 2 p.m. Sun., June 2.

King’s Wish Teatro ZinZanni’s weekend kids’ show stars Caspar Babypants and a cast of jugglers, acrobats, and more. Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St., 802-0015, dreams.zinzanni.org. $19–$24. Opens June 1. 11 a.m. Sat. & some Sun. Ends June 30.

Jen Kirkman

Chelsea Lately ’s Kirkman has taken the road less traveled—a child-free life. This decision sparked a book: I Can Barely Take Care of Myself: Tales From a Happy Life Without Kids. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St., 233-9873, rebarseattle.com. 7:30 p.m. Fri., May 31.

Murder Abbey Kate Hess plays all the parts in this murder-mystery spoof of a certain popular PBS costume drama. Annex Theatre, 1100 E. Pike St., 728-0933, annex
theatre.org. $10. 8 p.m. Wed., May 29.

Other Desert Cities A daughter’s frank memoir roils her conservative family in Jon Robin Baitz’s drama. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676. $41 and up. Previews begin May 31, opens June 6. Runs Tues.–Sun.; see act
theatre.org for exact schedule. Ends June 30.

SketchFest A month of comedy from a dozen or so ensembles, including the Pork Filled Players and Ubiquitous They. The Ballard Underground, 2220 N.W. Market St., 800-838-3006, sketchfest.org. $10. Opens May 31. 7 & 8:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends June 29.

Tall Skinny Cruel Cruel Boys WET premieres Caroline V. McGraw’s tale of a professional clown, which “weav[es] fantasy, clown, and puppetry with brutal reality.” The Little Theatre, 608 19th Ave. E., 325-5105, 
washingtonensemble.org. $15–$25. Preview May 30, opens May 31. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Mon. Ends June 24.

Tennessee Williams One-Acts Six of them, presented by the UW School of Drama. Penthouse Theatre, UW campus, 543-4880. $10–$20. Previews May 29–30, opens May 31. Runs Wed.–Sun.; see drama.washington.edu for exact schedule. Ends June 9.

The Vaudevillians At the Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center, Major Scales and drag queen extraordinaire Jinkx Monsoon star as Kitty Witless and Dr. Dan Von Dandy, 1920s performers frozen and then thawed back to life in this comic revue. Seattle Center, 800-838-3006, brown
papertickets.com. $10–$25. 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Sun., June 2.

Current Runs

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Bach at Leipzig Screwball wordplay powers Itamar Moses’ 1722-set farce about the intrigue surrounding an open Kapellmeister post. 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 June 15.

Cafe Nordo: SMOKED! Their new culinary/theater experience bites off a lot, “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.” The Kitchen by Delicatus, 309 First Ave. S., cafenordo.com. 7:30 p.m. Thurs. & Sat. ($70), 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat. ($80). Ends June 16.

Captain Smartypants The Seattle Men’s Chorus’ offshoot comedy troupe sends up ghost stories in “Tales from the Pants.” Erickson Theatre Off Broadway, 1524 Harvard Ave., 388-1400, captainsmartypants.org. $25. 
8 p.m. Fri., 7:30 & 10 p.m. Sat. Ends June 1.

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Chicago If you were casting a Carol Burnett biopic, it’s unlikely you could do better than Desiree Davar, who looks a lot like her and belts tunes in that same dusky alto. Not so much the CBS Saturday-night Burnett, that is, but the late-career, been-around-the-block Sondheim interpreter Burnett—which makes Davar excellent in the role of Velma Kelly, one of the two bombshells in Kander and Ebb’s Chicago. She leads Village Theatre’s fine cast: As Roxie Hart, Taryn Darr balances trashy and adorable as adroitly as she handles Kristin Holland’s razzmatazz choreography; Timothy McCuen Piggee has plenty of serpentine moves to match his portrayal of snake-in-the-grass lawyer Billy Flynn; and Shaunyce Omar brings a dazzling vocal versatility to Mama Morton, from puma-in-heat growls to a full-on Jennifer Hudson. Still startlingly cynical after all these years (and an Oscar-sweeping movie), Chicago believes in nothing—not motherhood, justice, patriotism, or religion—except showbiz, so appropriately this production seems to have poured the most money into Karen Ann Ledger’s lavish, scrumptious costumes. GAVIN BORCHERT Village Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah, 425-392-2202. $24–$63. Runs Tues.–Sun.; see villagetheatre.org for exact schedule Ends July 28.

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Fela! “He was Africa’s James Brown, its Bob Marley, its John Lennon”—he is Fela Kuti, and this is the 2010 Tony-winning musical experience based on his life. Director/choreographer Bill T. Jones puts the audience inside the Nigerian icon’s personal entertainment compound. We hear his rousing protest songs from the late ’60s right up until his death from AIDS in 1997. Part sex, part history lesson, and wall-to-wall-to-roof-raising song and dance, it’s the jukebox musical as performance art. STEVE WIECKING The Paramount, 911 Pine St., 877-784-4849, stgpresents.org. $20–$85. 7:30 p.m. Wed., May 29–Fri., May 31; 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., June 1; 1 & 6:30 p.m. Sun., June 2.

Grey Gardens Based on the 1975 documentary about Jackie O’s relatives who lived in a decrepit Long Island mansion. Doug Wright’s book for this 2006 musical does what the Maysles brothers could not: We get to see the lofty roost from which the Beale/Bouviers fell to earth. The music—score by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie—is full of haunting contrasts between the frivolous then and the fallen now. KEVIN PHINNEY ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, $55–$77. Runs Tues.–Sun.; see acttheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends June 2.

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, seattle
publictheater.org. $15–$30. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends June 9.

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. 7 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends June 2.

Teatro ZinZanni: Lucky in Love The spiegeltent becomes Casino ZinZanni in this Vegas-themed show. Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St., 802-0015. $106 and up. Runs Thurs.–Sun.; see dreams.zinzanni.org for exact schedule. Ends Sept. 8.

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. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends June 15.

Zooman and the Sign 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. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., plus Fri., May 31. Ends June 6.

Dance

Pacific Northwest Ballet Two Balanchine classics (Agon and Diamonds) and a premiere by Christopher Wheeldon in this “Director’s Choice” program. McCaw Hall, Seattle Center, 441-2424, pnb.org. $28–$173. Opens May 31. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., plus 2 p.m. Sat., June 1 and 1 p.m. Sun., June 9. Ends June 9.

Classical, Etc.

UW Choirs The University Chorale and Chamber Singers present music by Bernstein, Tormis, and others. Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-4880, music.washington.edu. $10–$15. 7:30 p.m. Wed., May 29.

Seattle Symphony Smetana, Beethoven (the Violin Concerto with soloist Alina Ibragimova), and Dvorak.Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 215-4747, seattle
symphony.org. $19–$112. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., May 30, 8 p.m. Sat., June 1, 2 p.m. Sun., June 2.

UW Bands Bernstein, Ives, Milhaud, and much more.Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-4880, music.washington.edu. $10–$15. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., May 30.

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Bainbridge Symphony A premiere by composer Brett Kroening, plus music by Conus, Hindemith, and Weber. Bainbridge Performing Arts, 200 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, 842-8569, bainbridgeperformingarts.org. $16–$19. 7:30 p.m. Fri., May 31, 3 p.m. Sun., June 2.

International Music and Organ Festival Five recitals of church music: not just the organ, but choirs and handbells too. May 31 at Trinity United Methodist Church; 6512 23rd Ave. N.W.; the rest at University Temple United Methodist, 1415 N.E. 43rd St. See utemple.org for full info. Donation. 7:30 p.m. Fri., May 31, Sat., June 1, Fri., June 7, Sat., June 8; 10:30 a.m. Sun., June 2.

Joyful! Noise From this choir, music from films. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard St., 800-838-3006, joyful
noiseseattle.org. $15–$20. 8 p.m. Fri., May 31.

UW Guitar Ensemble Debussy, Franck, and more. Brechemin Auditorium, School of Music, UW campus, 685-8384, music.washington.edu. $5. 7:30 p.m. Fri., May 31.

UW Mallethead Series Jazz takes on ‘60s faves. Meany Studio Theater, UW campus, 543-4880, music.washington.edu. $12–$20. 7:30 p.m. Fri., May 31.

Cascadian Chorale In “Far From Home,” music of travel and exile. St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 8398 N.E. 12th St., Medina, cascadianchorale.org. $12–$17. 7 p.m. Sat., June 1.

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Seattle Modern Orchestra From Seattle’s most ambitious group, showcasing the high-modernist music practically no one else touches, works by Kurtag, Xenakis, and co-director Jeremy Jolley. Chapel Performance Space, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., seattlemodernorchestra.org. $10–$20. 8 p.m. Sat., June 1.

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Seattle Peace Chorus Performing Canto General, Mikis Theodorakis’ setting of poems by Pablo Neruda. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., seattlepeacechorus.org. $18–$25. 7:30 p.m Sat., June 1 & June 8.

UW Gospel Choir 100 strong, led by Phyllis Byrdwell. Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-4880, music.washington.edu. $10–$15. 7:30 p.m. Mon., June 3.

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Seattle Symphony New-Music Readings First hearings of works by UW students Douglas Niemela and Jeff Bowen, followed by a panel discussion: an incomparable opportunity for developing composers., seattlesymphony.org. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., seattlesymphony.org. Free. 3:30 p.m. Tues., June 4.