STOP—Hammer TIME! Mark Morris Dance Group at the Schnitz.

STAGE

Ardiente Paciencia

An unpretentious, lyrical production that could benefit from a more developed script. JOHANNA DROUBAY. Bellas Artes at Milagro Theatre, 525 SE Stark St., 236-7253. 7:30 pm Thursdays, 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Thursday and Sunday performances of this all-Spanish production include English supertitles. Closes April 29. $14-$18.

Chasing Empire's Soul

[ONE NIGHT ONLY] A highly choreographic exploration of the Lewis and Clark legacy commissioned by Artists Repertory Theatre. World Trade Center, 121 SW Salmon St., 241-1278. 7 pm Wednesday, April 19. $5.

Cirque du Soleil's Varekai

[CLOSES SUNDAY] 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. Cirque was an evening to step out of reality television into a world of crazy characters and whimsical surroundings. 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 Wednesday-Thursday, 4 and 8 pm Friday-Saturday, 1 and 5 pm Sunday. Closes April 23. $35-$70, $31.50-$63 students and seniors, $24.50-$49 children, $129.50-$185 VIP passes.

Dolly Parton vs. Bjork

[ONE NIGHT ONLY] Our money's on Dolly. Brought to you by Mr. Zebra, local musician Holcombe Waller and House of Cunt's Amber (make that Amby) Martin. Stick around for Sissyboy's "fuk off" dance party after the show. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 888-7563. 11 pm Wednesday, April 19. $5.

Don't You Know Who I Think I Am?

[CLOSES SATURDAY] A one-man play written and performed by Stephen Lisk. Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 230-2090. 10:30 pm Friday-Saturday. Closes April 22. $10.

An Experiment with an Air Pump

Playwright Shelagh Stephenson's drama about ethics and technology. Portland Actors Conservatory, Firehouse Theatre, 1436 SW Montgomery St., 274-1717. 7 pm Thursdays, 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays. Closes April 30. $15-$25.

Frogz

[OPENS THURSDAY] Imago's popular work of mask theater. Imago Theatre, 17 SE 8th Ave., 224-8499. 7:30 pm Thursdays-Fridays, 1:30 and 7:30 pm Saturdays, 1:20 and 5:30 pm Sundays. $27+ (Tickets West), $24+ students and seniors, $16+ children.

Frozen

A chilling meditation on the nature-nurture debate that's quick and compelling despite its initial monologic manner, its tiny cast and its dark, spare setting. JOHANNA DROUBAY. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1516 SW Alder St., 241-1278. 7 pm Tuesdays-Thursdays, 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2 and 7 pm Sundays. Closes May 7. $15-$40.

The Full Monty

[EXTENDED RUN] Crowd-pleaser based on the 1997 movie about a group of unemployed blue-collar workers who discover that stripping can be lucrative. LAURA PARISI. World Trade Center, 121 SW Salmon St., 624-0403, fullmontypdx.com. 8 pm Friday. Closes April 28. $35.

Incrimi-Nation

An improvised crime and trial story based on an audience member's account of his or her evening. Brody Theater, 1904 NW 27th Ave., 224-0688. 8 pm Saturdays. Closes May 13. $10, $7 students.

The Liberators

[CLOSES FRIDAY] This quirky troupe of six improv-sters looks to have loads of potential, but on this Friday night it seemed as though they still had yet to perfect their comedic interactions. Still, there were some highlights, including Nicholas Kessler, a tall, witty player who was the boyishly cute glue that held the show together. Shelley Besemann had moments of Molly Shannon-like madness, pulling laughs out of the crowd with high-pitched one-liners and hilarious expressions. And quick wit John Breen used one audience member's cell phone to full comedic effect. My only complaint: With a show runtime of scarcely half an hour, I left feeling as though I wasn't quite done laughing. ELIANNA BAR-EL. ComedySportz Arena, 1963 NW Kearney St., www.theliberators.net. 10 pm Friday. Closes April 21. $5.

Like I Say

See box, page 56.

The Mark

[CLOSES SATURDAY] Gretchen Icenogle's world premiere The Mark is a character-driven drama that explores the unforeseen effects of several complicated relationships. PAIGE RICHMOND. Stark Raving Theatre at CoHo Theater, 2257 NW Raleigh St., 232-7072. 8 pm Thursday-Saturday. Closes April 22. $10-$20, Thursdays are "pay what you can."

Redwood Curtain

[NEW REVIEW] Maybe the most interesting thing about Redwood Curtain (written by Lanford Wilson in 1992) is that in the post-9/11 era, Vietnam no longer has the evocative power it once had as our nation's freshest wound. This dated drama, about a child of the Vietnam War who becomes a piano prodigy then delves into the forests of Northern California in search of her American father, seems ripe with possibility. Too bad, because the play is disappointing and sterile. The characters' motivations feel inconsistent and contrived. And in a conceit that's too unexplained not to be laughable, Geri is able to magically control the weather, sort of like Storm from X-Men. JONATHAN WEATHERFORD. Profile Theatre Project at Theater! Theatre, 3430 SE Belmont St., 242-0080. 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Closes May 14. $28, $23 seniors, $13 students.

Shakespeare Birthday Bash

[ONE DAY ONLY] Celebrate the Avon man's 442nd b-day with staged readings of Shaw and Chekhov plays that pay homage to the Bard, plus enjoy cake, tea, an open-mic free-for-all and a silent film version of Richard III. Northwest Classical Theatre at Shoe Box Theater, 2110 SE 10th Ave., 274-4771. 2 pm Sunday, April 23. Free.

Shylock

[CLOSES SATURDAY] Playwright Mark Leiren-Young's one-man play stars William B. Eissler as an actor playing Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, 5340 N Interstate Ave., 736-1027. 8 pm Thursday-Saturday. Closes April 22. $13-$15.

A Thought About Raya

[NEW REVIEW] Remember those Saturday Night Live skits in which Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri played the Spartan Spirit cheerleaders? How they were hilarious but really desperate and sort of annoying? A Thought About Raya is like that, except the pep squaders here have taken some acid and are cheering about the antirational, nonlinear verse of Russian absurdist author Daniil Kharms. A collaboration of Insight Out Theatre and New York's Debate Society, this play features several of Kharms' nonsensical vignettes acted out by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen. While it is indeed funny—especially when Bos eats an entire stick of butter in one bite, or when Thureen's hands are replaced by an oversized knife and fork—its rapid pace and lack of logic can be overwhelming at best. PAIGE RICHMOND. West End Theatre, 1220 SW Taylor St., 234-0973. 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays. Additional show 3 pm Sunday, April 23. Closes April 29. $5-$15.

The Water Principle

[CLOSES SATURDAY] 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 Thursday-Saturday. Closes April 22. $15, $8-$15 sliding scale Thursdays and Sundays.

Write Myself a Letter

A die-hard fan writes letters to her favorite singer in Kim Bogus and Corey Brunish's original play. 8 pm Thursdays-Fridays. Additional shows 8 pm Saturdays, April 15 and 22. Closes April 27. $15, $13 groups.

CLASSICAL

The Many Faces of China—Fear No Music

Combining traditions of the East and the West, composer Randy Raine-Reusch and Mei Han, who plays the Chinese zheng (a 21-string zither) collaborate with the fEARnoMUSIC ensemble (Erin Furbee, Inés Voglar, Joël Belgique, Adam Esbensen and Joel Bluestone) to perform John Oliver's "Purple Lotus Bud" and Jin Zhang's "No Rush." JAMES BASH. Wieden & Kennedy, 224 NW 13th Ave., www.fearnomusic.org. 7:30 pm Friday, April 21. $10-15.

Tony Song Plays Brahms' Concerto No. 2

The Columbia Symphony once again shows off some of Portland's best young talent. This time it's Tony Song, who returns to his hometown to perform the delicious Brahms Piano Concerto No 2. Also on the program is Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 3 (a.k.a. "Renish"). JAMES BASH. First United Methodist Church, 1838 SW Jefferson St., 234-4077. 8 pm Friday, April 21. Also at Good Shepherd Community Church, 28986 SE Haley Road, Boring. 3 pm Sunday, April 23. $10-23.

Chris Botti

The Grammy-winning trumpeter headlines an Oregon Symphony Pops concert that is sort of a homecoming for the Oregon native. JAMES BASH. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 228-1353, 8 pm Saturday and Monday, 3 pm Sunday, April 22-24. $27-76.

Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit 2006

View, test and purchase exquisite handmade guitars, harps, lutes, dulcimers, violins, mandolins and more at this exhibit of handcrafted instruments. Artists perform throughout the day at Wiegand Hall. JAMES BASH. Marylhurst University, 17600 Pacific Highway (Highway 43). Noon-5 pm Saturday-Sunday, April 22-23. $3, free for children under 12.

Portland Youth Philharmonic's Chamber Music Concert

Some of the best instrumentalists from the Portland Youth Philharmonic perform a variety of works. They will perform works by Morley Calvert, Antonin Dvorák, Carlos Chavez, Franz Schubert, Anton Reicha, Dmitri Shostakovitch and Darius Milhaud. JAMES BASH. Eliot Hall Chapel at Reed College, 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd., 223-5939. 4 pm Sunday, April 23. $8-10.

Ethel

This string quartet specializes in the newest of new music and is known for its eclectic style, theatrics and taste. The band (Ethel's members shy away from the string quartet tag) is scheduled to play its "Greatest Hits," which will likely be more improvisational than you'd expect. JAMES BASH. Kaul Auditorium, Reed College, 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd., 224-9842. 3 pm Sunday, April 23. $15-30.

DANCE

Mark Morris Dance Group

It's not every day that a mover comes along who can channel the musical soul of both Mozart and Bob Willis & His Texas Playboys. But legendary choreographer/dancer Mark Morris is such an individual. Blessed with an equal overabundance of style and wit, his muscular, intricate dance works vault mere human motions to the embodiment of sound and rhythm itself. And no, I'm not exaggerating. He and his 18-member troupe are simply that awesome. Tonight's 25th-anniversary program brings the return of the long dormant Mozart solo Rondo as well the exciting prospect of seeing the man himself prance and swerve through From Old Seville. KELLY CLARKE. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 245-1600 or Ticketmaster 790-2787. 7:30 pm Wednesday, April 19. $19-$43.

"Family Path": Benefit for Burlingame Cooperative Preschool

"Family Path" marks the return of Peruvian dancer and choreographer Lucian Proaña, and her husband, local jazz musician John Butler, to the stage. The concert features voice, Latin-influenced jazz, and dance vignettes. Aladdin Theatre, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., 233-1994. 1 pm Sunday, April 23. $16 for adults and $14 for children advance (Ticketmaster), $18 adults, $16 children at the door.

Holy Goats!

Part of a near-monthly series devoted to experiments in dance and music. Performance Works NorthWest, 4626 SE 67th Ave., 777-1907. 2 pm Sunday, April 23. $7, including coffee, tea and bagels.

Rasika presents Krishna Bhakti

This musical temple dance from India tells the story of mystic saints and Krishna devotees Andal and Meera. This elaborate dance is performed in Tamil and Hindi with English narratives. Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 531-7266. 4 pm, Sunday April 23. $16-$28, 10 percent off for PICA members, students and seniors; 50 percent off for children.

Oregon Ballet Theatre's All Mozart Program

OBT's contribution to Portland's Month of Mozart includes three ballets set to Mozart's music: George Balanchine's Divertimento No. 15, James Kudelka's Almost Mozart, and Lars Lubovitch's Concerto Six Twenty-Two. Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St., 222-5538. 7:30 pm Saturday, 2 pm Sunday, April 22-23. $8-$96.