CELLING IT: ARIEL SHAFIR AS RAMZI YOUSEF IMAGE: OWEN CAREY

REVIEW

CELEBRITY ROW

High profile criminals make for high art at the hand of playwright Itamar Moses.

[STAGE] Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. In 2001, prior to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, Latin Kings gang leader Luis Felipe and World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef held daily meetings. What's even more incredible, the federal government not only knew about and condoned these meetings, but also facilitated them. The venue for these star-studded gatherings? The exercise room of ADX-Florence, a maximum-security prison in Colorado. That's right, the Colorado Supermax, also known as the Alcatraz of the Rockies, once held all four criminal masterminds on the same floor at the same time. This strange coincidence is the launching point for playwright Itamar Moses' new play Celebrity Row, an unsettling mix of comedy and tragedy set beneath the harsh lights of death row.

But Moses' world premiere is less about what might have transpired during the time the four spent together toning their abs, and more about the questions an intelligent, passionate outsider would ask these high-profile terrorists if she had the opportunity—and the courage. Enter Maze Carroll, a fictional prison educator with a soft Southern drawl and a razor-sharp intellect who's determined to bring the depressed gang leader Felipe out of his shell. But don't jump to any conclusions about Maze's likeness to the stereotypical bleeding-heart liberal female who tries to save the soul of a killer and ends up being saved herself. The playwright is all too aware of the stereotype. Unlike, say, Sister Helen Prejean in Tim Robbins' film Dead Man Walking, Maze never lets her compassion for the incarcerated individual overwhelm her concern for the good of society.

Moses' portraits of the four criminals are equally surprising and fresh: McVeigh is an outgoing, frat-boyish jokester; Kaczynski is a disheveled mad-scientist type with a hilarious air of elitism. As the obsessive-compulsive Unabomber, local actor and playwright Ebbe Roe Smith steals every scene he's in with quick, perfectly timed quips, absurd, deadpan rants and subtle but hilarious physicality.

The play's structure—a dizzying collage of flashbacks and debates—sometimes spins out of control, leaving some audience members squirming in their seats, itching for a more focused narrative. But for those with a taste for fleshy fragments and unanswerable questions, Moses' play is sure to lodge a satisfying lump of fear and fascination in your throat. JOHANNA DROUBAY.

Portland Center Stage performs Celebrity Row at the Winningstad Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 274-6588. 7 pm Tuesdays-Wednesdays, noon and 8 pm Thursdays, 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2 and 7 pm Sundays. Additional show 2 pm April 15. Closes April 16. $20-$56.

STAGE

Amber Martin

[CLOSES TUESDAY] House of Cunt's Amber Martin and her band of blasphemous guest artists hijack Wild Abandon Restaurant. Wild Abandon Restaurant, 2411 SE Belmont St., 232-4458. 9 pm Tuesday, April 4. $15 advance, dinner and drinks not included.

Bugsy Malone

A tribute to 1920s gangster flicks for ages 6 and up. Northwest Children's Theater at NW Neighborhood Cultural Center, 1819 NW Everett St., 222-4480. 2 pm Wednesday-Sunday through April 2. Additional shows 2 pm Sundays, April 9 and 16. Closes April 16. $18, $14 youth.

Celebrity Row

See box, page 49.

Cirque du Soleil's Varekai

The first hour of Varekai was filled with enchanting gymnastics and gravity-defying acrobatics. My favorite part was the clever yet incompetent magician and his chubby sidekick. For me, Cirque was an evening to step out of reality television and diehard teachers into a world of crazy characters and whimsical surroundings. During the final applause, the performers took off their wigs to show they are normal people. Yeah, right. MADELEINE ZUSMAN, age 15. Blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau on Southwest Moody Avenue under the Marquam Bridge, 1750 SW Moody Ave., 1-800-678-5440. 8 pm Tuesdays-Thursdays, 4 and 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 1 and 5 pm Sundays. Closes April 23. $35-$70, $31.50-$63 students and seniors, $24.50-$49 children, $129.50-$185 VIP passes.

Crowns

A hat-centric fashion show with stellar performances and engrossing storytelling. Even if headgear and gossip circles aren't your bag, go for the out-of-towners: A number of the cast members hail from Broadway. JOHANNA DROUBAY. Portland Center Stage at Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 274-6588. 7 pm Tuesdays-Wednesdays, 8 pm Thursdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 pm Saturdays, 2 and 7 pm Sundays. Closes April 9. $20-$56.

Don't You Know Who I Think I Am?

A one-man play written and performed by Stephen Lisk. Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 230-2090. 10:30 pm Fridays-Saturdays. Closes April 22. $10.

Fever Theater and Pandemonium Institute Fundraiser

Rally the troops and support Fever Theater and Pandemonium Institute's spring production of Mitlaufer. The evening includes a preview of the show, music by Hurtbird, Iretsu, the Red Channels, Nick Jaina and Seattle's DJ Lincoln Up, plus a silent auction. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 239-7639. 8 pm Sunday, April 2. $5-$10 sliding scale.

Frozen

[OPENS FRIDAY] Artists Reportory Theatre artistic director Allen Nause directs Bryony Lavery's haunting tale about the disappearance of a young girl. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1516 SW Alder St., 241-1278. 7 pm Tuesdays-Thursdays, 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2 and 7 pm Sundays. $15-$40.

The Full Monty

Based on the 1997 movie about a group of unemployed blue-collar workers who discover that stripping can be lucrative, director Greg Tamblyn's The Full Monty is a crowd-pleaser (who doesn't like stripping?) chock-full of funny (if somewhat sentimental) dialogue and flawlessly delivered punch lines. LAURA PARISI. World Trade Center, 121 SW Salmon St., 624-0403, fullmontypdx.com. 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays through April 1, 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays, April 6-15. $35.

Going to St. Ives

[CLOSES SUNDAY] A thought-provoking but imperfect production of Lee Blessing's lyrical two-woman drama. JOHANNA DROUBAY. Integrity Productions at Theater! Theatre!, 3430 SE Belmont St., 286-3456. 8 pm Thursday-Saturday, 4 pm Sunday. Closes April 2. $15, $5-$15 sliding scale Thursdays.

Hit Me in the Stomach

[NEW REVIEW] The most remarkable feat that Carol Triffle's play inspired by observations made in a gambling casino achieves is the fact that the two leading men hardly ever blink. For a little over an hour, you watch people stare into space and talk disjointedly about their unfulfilled lives. Jackie, played by Danielle Vermette, has the attention span of my pinky finger and enough bizarre facial gestures to rival Jim Carrey; the others just sit there and take up space. Riddled with awkward scenes that vaguely make you want to laugh, this short play feels like an eternity. LAURA PARISI. Imago Theatre, 17 SE 8th Ave., 231-9581 or 224-8499 (TicketsWest). 7:30 pm Thursdays, 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays. $10-$16.

In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Playwright Heinar Kipphardt's drama about the secret investigation in 1954 of the Atomic Energy Commission, an inquest that revoked atomic bomb father Oppenheimer's security clearance. Northwest Classical Theatre at Shoebox Theater, 2110 SE 10th Ave., 274-4771. 7 pm Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Closes April 15. $18, $12 students, seniors.

Kick the Squirrel Improv Comedy

[ONE NIGHT ONLY] A night of improv comedy. Proceeds will help this comedy troupe pay its way to the D.C. Comedy Fest. Lucky Lab Public House, 7675 SW Capitol Highway, 750-5363. 7:30 pm Monday, April 3. $10.

The Mark

[NEW REVIEW] Gretchen Icenogle's world premiere The Mark is a character-driven drama that explores the unforeseen effects of several complicated relationships. Local playwright Icenogle posits that memory is a living thing—each of the three acts focuses around a recent death, with the "recently departed" sharing the stage with the living. Sometimes the dead are ghostlike, interacting with the living, and sometimes the dead exist only through flashbacks. That these dead folk seamlessly blend in and out of the play's action is less a testament to Icenogle's writing than to the talent of three actors inhabiting the script's 13 characters. Darcy Lynn, who most notably played Ellen and Jane, gives a standout performance. Her ability to move between the living and dead, and memory and reality, provided emotion and depth to an otherwise soap opera-esque play. PAIGE RICHMOND. Stark Raving Theatre at CoHo Theater, 2257 NW Raleigh St., 232-7072. 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays (no show March 23), 7 pm Sundays. Additional opening-night show 8 pm Wednesday, March 22. Closes April 22. $10-$20, Thursdays are "pay what you can."

Mr. Cucumber's Hillbilly Noodle Show

[ONE NIGHT ONLY] All-star improv with Brody Theater founder Brian Kameoka plus David Wahl and John Faga from Seattle's Unexpected Productions. Brody Theater, 1904 NW 27th Ave., 224-0688. 8 pm Saturday, April 1. $10, $7 students.

The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940

Playwright John Bishop's comedy. Lakewood Theatre Company, Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S State St., 635-3901. 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays, 7 pm Sundays. Additional shows 2 pm March 12 and April 9. Closes April 9. $24, $22 students and seniors.

Once There Was

[EXTENDED RUN] Johnny Stallings' new play. Brooklyn Bay, 1825 SE Franklin St., Bay K, 956-6743. 8 pm Friday-Saturday, March 31-April 1. $15.

Theatresports

Two teams of improvisers compete while judges keep score. Brody Theater, 1904 NW 27th Ave., 224-0688. 8 pm Fridays. Closes April 28. $10, $7 students.

The War Project: 9 Acts of Determination

A surprising meditation on war that's both unsettling and memorable without preaching. Every time the play arrives at a nice digestible conclusion, the actors yank it away and go on to deepen the conversation. It's a complicated performance, and the Sojourn actors deliver it pretty skillfully. Tahni Holt (Monster Squad dance company) gives the performance a remarkable physicality with her choreography. The play's rare weak spots really come when the actors are bickering over why we fight. It's supposed to highlight the intensity of disagreement, but there are moments when one is reminded that there's a fine line between watching an onstage argument and a high-school debate practice.JONATHAN WEATHERFORD. Sojourn Theatre at Sojourn Studio, 215 SE 9th Ave., Suite 401, (971) 544-0464. 8 pm Thursdays-Fridays, 7 and 10 pm Saturdays, 7 pm Sundays. Closes April 15. $12-$15, $10 students.

The Water Principle

This production of Eliza Anderson's play has a number of creepy elements—an eerie yet brilliant score, a claustrophobic all-white set, and characters who periodically collapse from starvation—that present a terrifying portrait of what life could be like after civilization destroys itself. It's a thought-provoking show, but the back-and-forth theme of trust and betrayal gets awfully tiresome. And watching people flounder around from hunger is truly disturbing. LAURA PARISI. Sowelu at Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 230-2090. 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays. Also 4 pm Sundays, April 2 and 9. Closes April 22. $15, $8-$15 sliding scale Thursdays and Sundays.

The Wrestling Season

[OPENS FRIDAY] Laurie Brooks' drama (for ages 13 and up) is about teens wrestling with peer pressure and social stereotypes. Northwest Children's Theater at Artists Repertory Theatre, 1516 SW Alder St., 222-4480. 7 pm Thursdays-Saturdays. Opens March 31. $12.

CLASSICAL

Nixon in China

Who would've thought of Richard Nixon as a hopeless romantic? That's the way he comes across in John Adams' Nixon in China. Tricky Dick, deftly played by Robert Orth, waltzes, leads a conga line and wants peace and brotherhood. Nancy Allen Lundy delivers an impeccably upbeat Pat Nixon, and both Nixons try to make all of the right moves during their historic trip to China in 1972. Although the repetitive wording feels at times like a dentist's drill, the dramatic propulsion of the story works well until the third act, when the principals become mired in poetic quicksand and the lack of action erodes the impact of the opera. JAMES BASH. Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St., 248-4335. 7:30 pm March 30 and April 1. $42.75-$153.75.

Symphony Soiree

Young professionals (40 and younger) can hobnob over cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and meet Gregory Vadja, resident conductor of the Oregon Symphony. The ticket price covers the cost of the concert and a swanky social event. JAMES BASH. Oregon Historical Society, Miller Pavilion 1200 SW Park Ave., 416-6375 or orsymphony.org. 5:30 pm Friday, March 31. $32.

Front Row Center-Romeo and Juliet

The Oregon Symphony plays music inspired by Shakespeare's play. But this performance is enhanced by actors who will present dramatic selections, as well as insightful commentary by maestro Carlos Kalmar on the literary and musical connections. The program includes selections from works by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Berlioz and Bernstein. You can think of this concert as Front Balcony Center. JAMES BASH. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 228-1353, www.orsymphony.org. 7:30 pm Friday, March 31. $15-55.

Oregon Viola Society-Workshop/Concert/Viola Toss

This "Congress" of violists features an all-viola orchestra concert with Kalmar conducting. There's also the viola toss during the noon hour. Registration includes workshops and master classes. JAMES BASH. Portland State University-Lincoln Hall, room 75, 1620 SW Park St. For more info and to register, email anbviola@aol.com. 8:30 am Saturday, April 1. $13-$23 for workshops and all events.

Portland Music Remembered

This concert series explores the music that was popular in P-town from the time it was still Stumptown. In the first program of this series, Gayle and Philip Neuman present "A Thread of History," music from the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition (1805) to the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition in Portland. JAMES BASH. Central Library, 801 SW 10th Ave., 988-5234 or www.multcolib.org/events. 1 pm Sunday, April 2. Free.

Don Quixote

The Oregon Symphony performs one of Richard Strauss' musical gems. Principal cellist Nancy Ives gives voice to Don Quixote, and principal violist Joël Belgique represents his squire Sancho Panza. The orchestra also plays Benjamin Britten's Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell and the moody and dreamy Métaboles by Henri Dutilleux. JAMES BASH. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 228-1353. 7:30 pm Sunday, 8 pm Monday, April 2-3. $20-$83.

Inside Chamber Music Class

Learn more about chamber music from cellist Hamilton Cheifetz, a PSU teacher, member of the Florestan Trio and guest artist of many ensembles. JAMES BASH. PSU-Lincoln Hall, room 75, 1620 SW Park, 224-9842. 5:30-7 pm April 3–June 12, $100 covers all classes.