Opening & Current Runs

Brody Theater
The usually prolific Brody Theater improv group confines itself to an evening featuring a two-act improvised play. BRODY THEATER, 1904 NW 27 Ave, 224-0688, Fri-Sat 9 pm, through Sep 2, $8

A Piece of Cake
Raymond Barry's play "contains sexual situations, nudity, violence, and adult language," according to the program. We're there. STARK RAVING THEATER AT THEATER! THEATRE!, 3430 SE Belmont St, 232-7072, Fri-Sat, 10 pm, through Aug 12, $9.50

Burgundy and Paris Court Cordelia
A variation on themes and characters in Shakespeare's King Lear, written by Brett Heiney. RED 76 AT THE MARTIAL ART GALLERY, 18 NW 3 Ave, 248-0152, 9 pm, Thur-Fri 5:30, Sat-Sun, 9 pm, $6

Death and the Fool
Sam Wallin directs Hugo von Hofmannsthal's play. 23 PRODUCTIONS AT THE BACK DOOR THEATER, 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 233-9933, Fri-Sat, 10:30 pm, $7

Grimm Silence
A corps of Portland actors do their take on the Brothers Grimm in a set of skits written by Sarah Grace McCandless, with some improvisation by the performers. TOAD CITY, AT STARK RAVING THEATER, 3430 SE Belmont St, 736-1027, Thur-Sat, 8 pm, through Aug 11, $10-12

Hellcab
A day in the life of a Chicago cabbie (Keith Cable), as written by Will Kern and directed by Nanette Pettit. THEATRE VERTIGO AT THE RUSSELL STREET THEATER, 116 N Russell, 306-0870, Fri-Sat, 10:30 pm, $8

* Kissing Booth (Kaboom!)
A canival hides a cache of explosives in this play by Robert Quillen Camp that examines "the world of the senses and the world of the spirit." CONSTANT THEATER AT THE BACK DOOR THEATER, 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 233-9933, Thur-Sat, 8 pm, through Aug 19, $8-15

Late Nite Catechism
A nun is conducting an adult education class in the catechism. She calls on "students" (the audience) to answer questions or take the damn gum out of their mouths. It's a cute, mildly entertaining, interactive, one-person play with francises in seemingly every town in America, like Burger King. Maripat Donovan is good as the latest incarnation of the sister, and with time she will probably iron out moments of uncertainty and flatness. CLOUD 9 PRODUCTIONS AT THE MAIN STREET THEATER, 904 SW Main St, 790-2787, Thur-Fri 8 pm, Sat 2 and 8 pm, Sun 7 pm, through Sept 30, $24.50 $29.50

Our Town
A blast of Americana from Thornton Wilder, director John Monteverde and actor Tobias Andersen. MOUNT HOOD REPERTORY THEATER AT MHCC, 26000 SE Stark St, 423-9363, Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, though July 30, $12-15

Parts
Paula Productions enlivens the summer season with this intriguingly titled play. More later, as news comes in. PAULA PRODUCTIONS, AT THE JACK OAKES THEATER, 2820 NE Sandy Blvd, 238-6928, Thur-Sat 8 pm, through Aug 24, $10

* Stories from India
The month-long Portland International Performance Festival winds down with compilation of Indian tales in mime, dance, and performance by actor and writer Mahesh Dattani with his Story Theater of India Workshop. LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL, AT PSU, 1516 SW Alder St, 725-3307/725-3105, Fri, 8 pm, $9-$18

The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine
An orgy of Drammy winners gathers to adapt Robert Morgan's play. Trish Egan directs Chris Herman and Laura Smith in this comedy about marriage. THEATRE VERTIGO AT THE RUSSELL STREET THEATER, 116 N Russell, 306-0870, Thur-Sat, 8 pm, through Aug 12, $10

The Comedic Tragedy of Macbeth
Another take on Shakespeare's bloody Thane, this one by Sam A. Mowry and Marc Weaver. SIX ON SHAKESPEARE, AT THE MIRACLE THEATER, 525 SE Stark Street, 788-8558, Thur-Sat, 8 pm, through Aug 5, $8-10

The Glowing Pumpkin Incident
From readings to production, Sean Miller's plays is the latest fruit from the tree of Stark Raving's Summer Rave Festival. STARK RAVING THEATER AT THEATER! THEATRE!, 3430 SE Belmont St, 232-7072, Sundays, 7:30 pm, through Aug 6, $6-15

The Rock Star
The career of a '50s songwriter who has the chance to impress Elvis is chronicled in this original musical conceived by Greg Tamblyn and others. LAKEWOOD THEATER COMPANY, 368 S State St, 635-3901, Thur-Sat, 8 pm, Sun, 7 pm, through August 31, $20

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Continuing on, the late, anodyne newspaper comics creator receives the inevitable homage from this dinner theater combo. SYLVIA'S CLASS ACT DINNER THEATER, 5115 NE Sandy Blvd, 288-6828, Thu-Sat 8 pm, Sun 7 pm, through Sept 2, $21.95-$31.95