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OPENINGS & PREVIEWS
The Call
Each year, Profile Theatre highlights the work of a different playwright. This year's selection is Tanya Barfield, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated Portland-born playwright. Barfield explores the gap between the first and third world in her play about a couple who discover they can't have kids of their own and decide to adopt a two-year-old child from Africa. Extra shows 11 am Wednesday, Feb. 10 and 7:30 pm Wednesday, Feb. 17. SOPHIA JUNE. Profile Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., 242-0080. 7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday and 2 pm Sunday, Feb. 4-21. $38, $20 under 30.
Forever
The Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris is famous as the final resting spot for some of history's most famous artists, and it's the jumping-off point for Pulitzer finalist Dael Orlandersmith's one-woman show. Walking through the graves conjures up her memories of growing up with an alcoholic mother. The raw and emotional tell-all won praise from The New Yorker when it opened off-Broadway last spring. Domestic trials, confessional monologues, pathos for the well-educated—PCS has a formula. That said, it normally adds up. Ellyn Bye Studio at the Armory, 128 NW 11 Ave., 445-7300. 7:30 pm Tuesday-Sunday, noon Thursday and 2 pm Saturday-Sunday. Feb. 5-March 20. $40. 16+.
I Should Have Had a Party For all the Thoughts I Didn't Say
Besides a physical and metaphorical goodbye, a funeral may as well be a party for everything you never said. This site-specific, interdisciplinary show combines Russian music, dance and theater to explore the idea of remembrance, ceremony and things left unsaid in the form of a funeral party for Anton Chekov. Theater people know Chekov used his words sparingly. But even for a playwright who created some of the world's most famous plays, there is still so much left to say in a life. Source Material Collective have devised this show as a love letter to Chekov. The subject isn't surprising; the show's director, Samantha Shay, became inspired by Russian theater when she studied at Moscow Art Theatre. The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave., 222-2301. 8 pm Thursday-Tuesday, Feb. 4-9. $15.
Mr. Kolpert
When one oddball young couple hosts another for dinner, they tell a morbid joke to entertain themselves: the trunk in the living room holds the remains of wife Sarah's co-worker, Mr. Kolpert. Darkly comedic and weirdly political, David Gieselmann's play makes you wonder if there's truth to the joke. The London shows drew comparisons to Hitchcock and Tarantino, which fits with Third Rail's preference for giving suburban themes a sharp twist. Third Rail artistic director Scott Yarbrough directs, carrying through a lot of cast and crew from last year's Static.Imago Theatre, 17 SE 8th Ave., 235-1101. 7:30 Wednesday-Saturday and 2 pm Sunday, Feb. 5-27. $42.50.
Much Ado About Nothing
Twilight Theater Company transplants Much Ado from 16th-century Italy to rural, millennial Texas, but stays true to the tangled web of the plot. Two couples in conflicted love bumble through a series of hits and misses, and folk songs of varying quality, much like the theater itself. Twilight Theater Company, 7515 N Brandon Ave., 847-9838. 8 pm Friday-Saturday and 3 pm Sunday, Feb. 5-27. $15.
Mustache Party!
Subtitled The Salvador Dalí Show, this nontraditional theater experience, set in the speakeasy-like Steep and Thorny Way to Heaven, blends Dalí's surreal style with a commedia dell'arte. A slapstick trio called Box of Clowns hosts the show. When asked about its format, their answer: "it's a party!" Which begs the question, how would Dalí party? SOPHIA JUNE. The Steep and Thorny Way To Heaven, SE 2nd Ave. and SE Hawthorne Blvd., 2 pm Saturday, Feb. 6 & 13 and 7 pm Sunday, Feb. 7 & 14. $10.
Pilot Season: Doomageddon
Every year, Action/Adventure hosts four aspiring playwrights for four weekends of four brand new shows. Audiences pick their favorite at the end, and it wins a full run. Doomageddon is third—it's an absurdist, black comedy that's packaged as an educational children's show. Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton St. 8 pm Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 4-7. $12-$15.
Richard III
Shakespeare's addled king gets squeezed into a 20-seat underground arts club in this classic literature remake from the Steep and Thorny Way to Heaven's artistic directors. They're playing up the psychological and bloody aspects of the play, and using the tight space to mix audience members and actors. If Shakespeare isn't your usual cut, you might try again. This "boutique theater" does performances unlike anywhere else in town, and they leave an impact—for better or worse. The Steep and Thorny Way to Heaven, SE 2nd Ave. and SE Hawthorne Blvd. 7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 5-27. $10-$22.
What Every Girl Should Know
1914. Catholic girls reformatory. Masturbation. There are things that every girl should know, and when a newcomer named Joan brings Margaret Sanger's writings and birth control tips to three budding teens, she spurs an unholy mess. Triangle theater likes their plays to include penises, sparkles and politics—as many as possible, as often as possible. Planned Parenthood is pairing with the theater for a talkback after the show Sunday, Feb. 21. The Sanctuary at Sandy Plaza, 1785 NE Sandy Blvd., 7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday, and Sunday Feb. 14 & 21. Through Feb. 27. $15-$35.
You For Me For You
A supernatural and emotional tale of two North Korean sisters who are separated at the border while fleeing to America. Minhee falls down a dry well and is trapped in North Korea while her sister, Junhee, escapes, only to find a baffling brave new world in the U.S. Korean-American playwright Mia Chung tries to make her plays "magical realism," making the U.S. look especially like a rat race and North Korea like a labyrinth—the London premiere last December used a mirrored, hexagonal set. Chung came to Portland for rehearsals with the cast, who are all newcomers to the Portland Playhouse stage. Portland Playhouse, 602 NE Prescott St., 488-5822. 7:30 pm Wednesday-Saturday and 2 pm Sunday, Feb. 5-28. $32-$36.
NEW REVIEWS
Great Expectations
Expectations are exactly what you have when going to Portland largest and most polished theater. And Great Expectations delivers, with panache. The adaptation, originally commissioned by Seattle's Book-It Repertory Theatre, is surprisingly light for a 3-hour, melancholy Dickens tale about a downtrodden orphan named Pip. That's thanks to New York's Stephen Stocking, who embodies 7-year-old Pip with all the wide-eyed and dramatic quirkiness of a British starveling. By the end, Pip is 23 and Stocking has appeared in every scene of the long show—but thanks to the actor's vivacity, we're not tired of either. He's helped by an armada of special effects and a looming set that looks like Disney's Frontierland meets The Addams Family—a labyrinth of wooden stairs, a rotating clock that's multiple stories tall and covered in cobwebs and plenty of smoke and spotlights. But the real star is the script, as it should be. Rather than straight dialogue, the characters narrate themselves. It could seem like a cop-out to use Dickens' writing instead of adapt it fully, but as the characters segue seamlessly between lines of dialogue and speaking what Dickens wrote, it adds humor to what could be the doldrums of classic British literature. From the dark opening in a foggy graveyard, Pip is doomed to endless trials. Sad for the little orphan, a lot of fun for us to watch. Extra show noon Wednesday, Feb. 10. ENID SPITZ. Gerding Theater at the Armory, 128 NW 11th Ave., 445-3700. 7:30 pm Tuesday-Sunday, 2 pm Saturday-Sunday, noon Thursday, through Feb. 14. $25-$70.
ALSO PLAYING
Golden Boy
Violin and prizefighting are cousin crafts, at least for 1930s legend Joe Bonaparte. In this 1937 Broadway classic by Clifford Odets, Joe seems golden as a violin prodigy, until the glamour of the ring ropes him in. Lakewood—the little Oswego theater that could—might be playing it safe here, but they're planning a strong showing at the Fertile Ground Festival later this month, so this is a good chance for die-hard grounders to test the waters at their home base. Extra shows 7 pm Sunday, Jan.17 and 7:30 pm Wednesday, Jan. 20. Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S State St., Lake Oswego, 635-3901. 7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday and 2 pm Sunday, through Feb. 14. $32.
Geronimo Stilton: Mouse in Space
Oregon Children's Theatre stages the epic space journey of Geronimo, star rodent of Elisabetta Dami's Geronimo Stilton book series. When evil forces attack his home in New Mouse City, Geronimo lives up to his name (first, not last) and gets launched into space to head the rescue mission. Low income students get a free ticket and a book to bring home as part of the Ticket to Read program. Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 228-9571. 2 and 5 pm Saturday, 11 am and 2 pm Sunday, through Feb. 14. $18-$32.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Six awkward tweens vie for first place in what's become American pop culture's most famous spelling bee. The Tony-winner is pure family theater, essentially a sing-along about how to come of age, cope with the 'rents and take losing in stride. Annie Kaiser directs, reaching for another Drammy nod to follow last years', and the adult cast is mainly children's theater veterans, or newcomers making the jump from Lake Oswego's small Lakewood Theatre. Broadway Rose Theatre, 12850 SW Grant Ave., Tigard, 620-5262. 7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday, 2 pm Saturday-Sunday, through Feb. 28. $20-$44.
COMEDY & VARIETY
The Benefits of Gusbandry Premiere Party
The feminist, LGBTQ, post-marriage comedy series The Benefits of Gusbandry premieres its fourth episode, "Gateway Gays," starring YouTube star Paige McKenzie of The Haunting of Sunshine Girl. The first three episodes will play before four drops, and creator Alicia J. Rose will be there, doing snacks and drinks with Brooke Totman of MADtv and Kurt Conroyd of Wild. Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi Ave., 234-7837. 7:30 pm Friday, Feb. 5. Free.
Curious Comedy Open Mic
Sign up start at 7:15, and every comic gets a tight three minutes onstage in this weekly show hosted by Andie Main. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 8 pm Sundays. Free.
Curious Comedy Showdown featuring Pipes
It's a musical, a comedy and an improv show all in one, where the audience suggests a subject and Curious Comedy's in-house ensemble riffs it into a full performance. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 7:30 pm Friday, Jan. 29. $12-$15.
Dave Attell
There are very few comics who have logged as many hours being hilarious as Dave Attell. With hit shows like Insomniac and Dave's Old Porn, appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and even a memorable appearance as himself playing Tobias on Arrested Development, Dave Attell has a résumé that rivals that of any professional joke teller. Attell comes to town for a six-show, three-night run that continues the trend of all-star comedy in Portland in 2016. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., 888-643-8669. 8 and 10 pm Thursday, Feb. 4, 7:30 and 10 pm Friday-Saturday, Feb. 5-6. $32-$40. 21+.
The Dirty Dozen
Once again, the time has come to see just how far you are willing to go for a laugh. Hosted by local funnyman Jacob Christopher, the Dirty Dozen brings together twelve of Portland's best joke tellers to tell you the kind of jokes that will make you cringe. Joining Christoper this time around to share their raunchiest, dirtiest and most obscene jokes will be Becky Braunstein, Hyjinx, Marcus Coleman, Katie Nguyen, Jeremy Eli, LoRain Smith, Ed Black, Jon Washington, Amanda Arnold, Curtis Cook and Nathan Brannon. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., 888-643-8669. 8 pm Wednesday, Feb. 3. $12-$20. 21+.
Friday Night Fights
Every first and third Friday, Curious Comedy pits two improv crews against each other and the audience picks the winner, who goes on to fight against new blood in the next round. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 9:30 pm first and third Fridays. $7-$10.
Jay Shingle Comedy Master
Jay Shingle has been in the ranks of some big comedy shows since moving to Portland six months ago, including the Hard Times at Kickstand with Jason Traeger and Paradox at the High Water Mark with Traeger and Christian Ricketts. Now, expanding beyond filming YouTube videos in his friend's basement, this is his first show as host. Kickstand Comedy Space, 315 NW Davis St. 9:30 pm Wednesday, Feb. 3. Free.
Maria Bamford
Maria Bamford is a comic like no other. She was voted one of the 50 funniest people around by Rolling Stone, her The Special Special Special was one of the top specials of 2012 according to Salon, she provides voices for animated favorites BoJack Horseman and Adventure Time and is an original member of the vaunted Comedians of Comedy group . Bamford brings her totally original comedy stylings for a special midweek engagement. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., 888-643-8669. 7:15 and 9 pm Tuesday, Feb. 9. $27-$35. 21+.
Open Court
This weekly, long-form improv show combines performers from many Portland theaters and troupes. Newbies are welcome and teams are picked at random, then coached by an improv veteran before taking the stage. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 7:30 pm Thursdays. $5.
Playground
Pro and amateur comics can bring whatever improv, video, sketch or musical act they're working on and try it out at this late-night playground, right after the weekly Open Court show. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 9:30 pm Thursdays. Free.
Random Acts of Comedy
The Curious Comedy crew perform sketches and standup acts chosen at random by the audience. Tickets are $5 if you're staying after seeing the night's headliner. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 9:30 pm Saturdays. $7-$10.
The Ranger Station Open Mic
Sign ups start at 8 pm for a weekly open mic night hosted by Victor Johnson, set in the whiskey-heavy bar WW once compared to "a Roosevelt-era public works cabin." The Ranger Station, 4260 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 894-8455. 8:30 pm Wednesday. Free. 21+.
Speechless
You've probably seen presentations all your life, but you've never seen one quite like this. Speechless puts some of the city's best improvisers on stage with PowerPoint presentations they've never seen. Watch as a number of outstanding comedic actors are assigned a topic at random, TED talk, startup pitch or self-help seminar, and turn an improvised presentation into a competitive showdown. The audience selects the names for each presentation, and the performers attempt to leave the them speechless. Competing in the inaugural installment of Speechless will be Dylan Reiff, Kirsten Kuppenbender, Bri Pruutt and Jay Flewelling. Siren Theater, 315 NW Davis St., 771-6433. 8 pm Friday, Feb. 5. $10
Sunday School
Workshop students, veteran crews and groups that pre-register online perform long form improv every Sunday. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 6 pm Sundays. $5 suggested donation.
Supernova
Brody's students showcase their improv, sketch and standup skills—a different class each week. Brody Theater, 16 NW Broadway, 224-2227. 7:30 pm Thursdays. $5.
Thursday Night Throwdown
Curious' twice-monthly competition pits teams that apply in advance online against one another for a chance to compete in Friday Night Fights the next week. It's first come, first served, and every groups gets 17 minutes. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 9:30 pm every second and last Thursday. Free.
DANCE
Burlesque S'il Vous Plait
Every first Friday, Zora Phoenix hosts a striptease showcase of classic and neo-burlesque acts from locals and dancers just passing through. Crush Bar, 1400 SE Morrison St., 235-8510. 9 pm Friday, Feb. 5. $12-$15. 21+.
Willamette Week
