Stage

OPenings & Events

Archipelago eSe Teatro presents a reading of Caridad Svich’s latest. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, eseteatro.org. $10. 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 21.

Checkoff in the Sun A dying woman’s friends gather one last time in Leonard D. Goodisman’s comedy. Eclectic Theater, 1214 10th Ave., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $12–$25. Opens March 20. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends April 19.

Circa The Australian contemporary circus group pushes the boundaries between circus and dance. Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-4880, uwworldseries.org. $10–$46. 8 p.m. Sat., March 22, 2 p.m. Sun., March 23.

The Construction Zone WET and ACT partner to read Andrew Hinderaker’s dark-comic porn expose, Dirty. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., 292-7676, acttheatre.org. $5–$10. 7 p.m. Tues., March 25.

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The Importance of Being Earnest SEE THE PICK LIST, PAGE 24.

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Andy Kindler SEE THE PICK LIST, PAGE 25.

Knotty Words This “evening of inappropriate poetry and prose” includes performances by Litsa Dremousis, Cole Hornaday, and many others. Lucid, 5241 University Way N.E., seattlepublictheater.org. Free. 7 p.m. Fri., March 21.

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Moisture Festival SEE THE PICK LIST, PAGE 24.

The Rainy City Comic Con Caper! A priceless comic book is stolen and geek icons are the suspects in the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Theatre Group’s show. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave., 285-2282. $10–$20. 7 p.m. Fri., March 21–Sat., March 22.

Royal Blood The premiere of Sonya Schneider’s play about a dysfunctional family and their illusions. West of Lenin, 203 N. 36th St., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $20–$25. Preview March 20, opens March 21. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sun. Ends April 4.

The Suit A restaging of Peter Brook’s adaptation of the South African apartheid tale. Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-2222. Opens March 19. Runs Tues.–Sun.; see seattlerep.org for exact schedule. Ends April 6.

The Tutor This new musical by Andrew Gerle and Maryrose Wood has a New York writer trying to balance difficult teen clients with his blocked novel. Village Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah, 425-392-2202. Preview March 19, opens March 20. Runs Wed.–Sun. plus some Tues.; see villagetheatre.org for exact schedule. Ends April 27. (Then runs May 2–25 in Everett.)

Uncle Vanya “Disillusionment, environmental decay, unrequited love, and deferred dreams.” Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs, 2336 15th Ave. S., 800-838-3006. $15–$22. Opens March 21. Runs Thurs.–Sun. plus Wed., April 2; see akropolisperformancelab.com for exact schedule. Ends April 5.

Current runs

Black Vengeance

Othello as a punk opera, created by Nathaniel Porter. The Ballard Underground, 2220 N.W. Market St., 800-838-3006, ghostlighttheatricals.org. $12–$15. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. Ends March 22.

The Boy at the Edge of Everything A bored 12-year-old meets his doppelganger—in space! Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Center, 443-0807. $15–$36. Runs Thurs.–Sun., see sct.org for exact schedule. Ends April 6.

The Elephant Man In Bernard Pomerance’s drama, young doctor Frederick Treves (Brian Lange) discovers the debilitatingly disfigured Joseph Merrick (Matthew Gilbert) in a London freak show and saves him by providing a permanent home at his hospital. Sans prosthetics, the script demands that Gilbert portray misshapen Merrick through physicality alone, which he does. The essence of The Elephant Man is appearances, and the more stripped-down and actor-focused it is, the more mind-blowing. ALYSSA DYKSTERHOUSE Inscape, 815 Seattle Blvd. S., 800-838-3006, seattlestageright.org. $15–$20. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. & Mon. Ends March 22.

Girl You Know It’s True A frustrated playwright has a wheelchair-bound lesbian stand in for him—and watches interest in “her” work skyrocket—in Bixby Elliot’s satire of the arts biz. Theater Off Jackson, 409 Seventh Ave. S., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $15–$20. 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. plus Mon., March 24. Ends April 5.

Julius Caesar Robert Downing’s solo version of Shakespeare’s political tragedy. Ark Lodge, 4816 Rainier Ave. S., 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com. $5. 7 p.m. Mon. Ends March 31.

The Kentucky Cycle Robert Schenkkan’s multipart story of three families over two centuries. Bainbridge Performing Arts, 200 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, 842-8569, bainbridgeperformingarts.org. $19–$27. Part 1: 7:30 p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. Sat. Part 2: 7:30 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends March 30.

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The Lion King A smash for Disney, thanks largely to the vision of director Julie Taymor, the tunes of Elton John and Tim Rice, and the onstage menagerie—wonderfully realized by the costumes, part actor, part puppet. BRIAN MILLER The Paramount, 911 Pine St., 877-784-4849. $85–$135. Runs Tues.–Sun.; see stgpresents.org for exact schedule. Ends April 6.

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Little Shop of Horrors SEE REVIEW, PAGE 26.

Odysseo The dancing horse show from traveling circus troupe Cavalia. Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway N.E., Redmond. $34.50–$149.50 ($154.50–$229.50 w/dinner). Runs Tues.–Sun.; see cavalia.net for exact schedule. Re-re-extended through April 6.

Pretty Fire Charlayne Woodard’s solo show about motherhood. Isaac Studio Theatre, 208 N. 85th St., 781-9707, taproottheatre.org. $15–$25. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 
2 & 8 p.m. Sat. Ends March 22.

Third At an elite New England college, Professor Laurie Jameson (a well-cast Marty Mukhalian) preaches radical interpretations of King Lear ; her student Woodson Bull III (smartly played by Mark Tyler Miller) posits an alternative theory in an essay. However, because he wrestles and aims to become a sports agent, she deems him incapable of having written it—a plagiarist, in other words. Wendy Wasserstein’s 2005 dramedy is a witty midlife reckoning for an ego-blinded pedant, and Mukhalian gives Jameson some depth—pompous, clumsy, fragile, lost, and ridiculous. MARGARET FRIEDMAN ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave. S.W., 938-0339, artswest.org. $45. 7:30 p.m. Wed.–Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends March 22.

See seattleweekly.com for more Current Runs.

Dance

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Pacific Northwest Ballet: Director’s Choice SEE REVIEW, PAGE 26.

Anna Conner + CO The premiere of choreographer Conner’s “dark and delicately violent” Luna. Velocity Dance Center, 1621 12th Ave., 800-838-3006, annaconner
andco.com. $15. 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 21–Sun., March 23.

Pacific Northwest Ballet: Pinocchio The annual performance by PNB students—one act, ideal for families. McCaw Hall, Seattle Center, 441-2424, pnb.org. $25–$68. 3:30 p.m. Sat., March 22.

Yavanika Joyce Paul Siamak’s dance-theater work,
derived from Indian classical dance. Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland, 425-893-9900, arpanarts.org. $25. 8 p.m. Sat., March 22.

12 Minutes Max Local talent in all disciplines in OTB’s spring omnibus. Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave., onthe
boards.org. $8. 7 p.m. Sun., March 23–Mon., March 24.

Classical, Etc.

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Richard Goode A pianist’s pianist: not quite a household name, but revered by his colleagues. He’ll play Debussy and more. Meany Hall, UW campus, 543-4880, uwworldseries.org. $46–$51. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., March 20.

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Seattle Symphony SEE THE PICK LIST, PAGE 25.

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Seattle Symphony “Celebrate Asia” includes a new work by UW composer Richard Karpen; Julia Tai conducts. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 215-4747, seattle
symphony.org. $19–$76. 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 21.

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Bach Suite Marathon Cellists celebrate J.S.’s 329th with his six suites. Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave. N. Free. 10 a.m. Sat., March 22.

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Music of Remembrance SEE THE PICK LIST, PAGE 25.

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Seattle Choral Company Music from Norway: lots of Grieg, of course, plus folk music and Hardanger fiddle tunes. Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 1245 Tenth Ave. E., 800-838-3006, seattlechoralcompany.org. $25. 
8 p.m. Sat., March 22.

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John Teske The score for his new ensemble piece, topographies, is metaphorically akin to cartography. Chapel Performance Space, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., johnteskemusic.com. $5–$15. 8 p.m. Sat., March 22.

Spencer Hoveskeland Contemporary music for bass. Brechemin Auditorium, School of Music, UW campus, 685-8384, music.washington.edu. $15. 2 p.m. Sun., March 23.

Mostly Nordic Chamber Music Series Violin and piano music from Sweden. Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 N.W. 67th St., 789-5707, nordicmuseum.org. $22–$27 ($47–$55 w/smorgasbord). 4 p.m. Sun., March 23.

Salish Sea Early Music Festival Music from the court of Louis XIV, from a recently discovered manuscript. Christ Episcopal Church, 4548 Brooklyn Ave., 633-1611, salishseafestival.org. $5–$20. 7:30 p.m. Tues., March 25.