VeeShapeStage

VeeShapeOpenings & Events

VeeShapeBlack Lodge Burlesque Subtitled “Cabaret Inspired by David Lynch,” it also includes comedy, aerial arts, music, and some damn fine prizes. Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave. S., 722-3009, blacklodgeburlesque.com. $15 (VIP table $100). 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. Fri., Aug. 29.

A Chorus Line Marvin Hamlisch’s iconic backstage musical, with an all-star local cast. 5th Avenue Theatre, 308 Fifth Ave., 625-1900, 5thavenue.org. $29 and up. Previews begin Sept. 3, opens Sept. 11. 7:30 p.m. Tues.–Wed., 8 p.m. Thurs.–Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., 1:30 & 7 p.m. Sun. Ends Sept. 28.

House of Ink Improv in the style of the master of film suspense. Unexpected Productions’ Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, unexpectedproductions.org. $5–$7. Opens Aug. 29. 10 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends Oct. 4.

Live! Performance! MASH UP! theater simple’s two-night performance omnibus, with Waxie Moon, Jennifer Jasper, and plenty more. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, acttheatre.org. $10–$20. 8 p.m. Wed., Sept. 3–Thurs., Sept. 4.

The Great Soul of Uzbekistan Hear tales 
from Tashkent as The Seagull Project became the 
first American theater troupe to perform there, in 
April. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, 
acttheatre.org. $10–$15. 7 p.m. Tues., Sept. 2.

CURRENT RUNS

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Angels in America Decades of critical praise, often laced with superlatives, have thoroughly schooled theatergoers on the intellectual and spiritual vastness of Tony Kushner’s ginormous two-part epic about politics and AIDS during the ’80s, first staged in 1993–94. But with all the gushing over the cerebral, transcendent, era-defining, every-award-winning blah-blah-blah, it can be forgotten that Part I, Millennium Approaches, is also a taut, absorbing story with aching, flawed characters you’ll both feel for and laugh at.

For the uninitiated, infected Prior Walter (Adam Standley) fears losing squeamish lover Louis (Quinn Franzen). Mormon Joe (Ty Boice) hides his true desires, while his unhinged wife Harper (Alex Highsmith) escapes through Valium-coated dreams. Closeted Republican and real-life historical villain Roy Cohn (a wonderfully smug Charles Leggett) loses his grip to sickness after a lifetime of strong-arming. It’s Reagan’s “Morning in America,” but these folks are sick—or worse, lost. Sex, death, and lies have collided and sent ’em sprawling. No place for them at Ronnie and Nancy’s breakfast nook. (If the AIDS crisis feels less urgent today, the political arguments remain disturbingly relevant in our Tea Party era.)

Directing the play, Intiman’s Andrew Russell, a former Kushner assistant, clearly understands the material, well, intimately. Part I is respectful without major changes to the text; though one or two of the younger actors might trade some of that respect for a tad more passion.

Invest emotionally now, before things get super-weird. Sure, Millennium Approaches enjoys shared hallucinations, ghostly relations, and an erection-inspiring heavenly visitation, but it can’t compete with the fantastical theatricality or religious-philosophical strangeness of Part II, Perestroika. (Angel orgasms fuel creation, for starters.) Expect more blood, both figurative and literal. Prepare! STEVEN GUTTIERREZ Cornish Playhouse, Seattle Center, 441-7178. $25 and up. Millennium Approaches runs through Sept. 21; Perestroika, runs Sept. 3–21. See intiman.org for complete schedule.

Balconies With its huge cast and lofty ambitions to lampoon not only the gaming industry, but also celebrity, politics, and religious cults, Scotto Moore’s new comedy almost bites off more than it can chew. On a pair of adjoining condo balconies are two competing bashes: one a costume party to celebrate a new video game called Sparkle Dungeon 5: Assassins of Glitter; the other a U.S. Senate fundraising cocktail event hosted by the candidate’s daughter. Competing agendas are compounded by the fact that much of the would-be senator’s support comes from a shady, controlling, unnamed church. The satire is slow to get underway, and the show is too long; that said, as both playwright and director here, Moore has a gift for setting up a great joke, then riffing on it; and by its conclusion, the farce finally delivers on its promise. Katherine Karaus is warm and winning as Anna-lise, the condo owner whose mother’s political ambitions may be her undoing. Drew Highlands is the nerdy neighbor Cameron, who’s too timid to say hello until the night of their rival parties. The supporting cast is large and variable, one reason Balconies has difficulty maintaining momentum. Rather than editing out the conversational pauses, Moore ought to have edited his own script. KEVIN PHINNEY Annex Theatre, 1100 E. Pike St., 728-0933, annextheatre.org. $5–$20. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends Aug. 30.

Black Comedy Peter Shaffer’s one-act is literally titled: it’s set during a power outage. Erickson Theatre, 1524 Harvard Ave., 800-838-3006, strawshop.org. $18–$36. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends Sept. 20.

Brainstorm One word launches a whole show from Improv Anonymous. Unexpected Productions’ Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, unexpectedproductions.org. $5–$7. 8:30 p.m. Thurs. Ends Sept. 25.

Caught One-Handed Noah Duffy’s solo comedy about growing up gay, fundamentalist, and horny. Annex Theatre, 1100 E. Pike St., annextheatre.org. $5–$10. 8 p.m. Tues.–Wed. Ends Aug. 27.

HItchcock Improv 
in the style of the master 
of film suspense. 
Unexpected Productions’ Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, unexpected
productions.org. $5–$7. 8:30 p.m. Sun. Ends Oct. 12.

I Gelosi STAGEright Theatre presents David Bridel’s play about commedia dell’arte intrigue. Ballard Underground, 2220 N.W. Market St., seattlestageright.org. $15–$20. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. & Mon. Ends Aug. 30.

Other Desert Cities In Jon Robin Baitz’s play, secrets are revealed among a powerful family. Eclectic Theater, 1214 10th Ave., 800-838-3006, localjewell.com. $18. 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Sept. 14.

Teatro ZinZanni: When Sparks Fly Maestro Voronin headlines this mad-scientist-themed show. Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St., 802-0015. $99 and up. Runs Thurs.–Sun. plus some Wed.; see zinzanni.com/seattle for exact schedule. Ends Sept. 21.

VeeShapeClassical, Etc.

VeeShapeCappella Romana Choral music commemorating/
celebrating/lamenting “The Fall of Constantinople,” 
in preparation for their European tour. St. Joseph’s Parish, 732 18th Ave. E., 503-236-8202, cappella
romana.org. $22 and up. 8 p.m. Fri. Aug. 29.

Olympic Music Festival Chamber-music favorites in a repurposed barn, 2 p.m. each Sat. & Sun. through Sept. 7. This weekend, Tartini, Brahms, and Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata. Quilcene, Wash., 360-732-4800, olympicmusicfestival.org. $18–$33.

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