Closing This Week
A Christmas Carol
Taking a cue from the real text of Dickens (as adapted by David McCann), director Chris Coleman has chosen to cast this Carol as a horror show. From the moment patrons enter, they are greeted by the stark black stage with a prone body (dead? sleeping?) and giant clockwork gears straight out of a German expressionistic film, telling them that this Scrooge story might not be as full of humbug as others they've seen. The cast is uniformly strong, young Colton Lasater is requisitely cute as Tiny Tim, and he gets his own eerie moment, marking out Scrooge's tombstone in the future. Watch for a couple of cross-dressing moments as well, including one in which a lesbian debtor couple expresses joy at Scrooge's demise. PORTLAND CENTER STAGE, 1111 SW Broadway, 274-6588, Almost daily; call for show times, ends Dec 24, $12-41
A Christmas Carol
PAULA PRODUCTIONS, AT THE UPTOWN CAFE, 232 NE Lincoln St, 640-9393, 8 pm, ends Dec 23, $10
Babes in Toyland
Toys come alive to love and fight each other. MUSICAL THEATER COMPANY, EASTSIDE PERFORMANCE CENTER, 531 SE 14th Avenue, 916-6592, Fri , 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun, 1 pm and 5 pm, through Dec 23, Call for prices
I love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
A musical paean to the joys of romance, now moved to the World Trade Center Auditorium, 121 SW Salmon. TRIANGLE PRODUCTIONS! AT THEATER! THEATRE!, 3430 SE Belmont St, 239-5919, Fri-Sat, through Jan 28, Call for ticket prices
Current Runs
Angel's Secret Santa Survivor Holiday Homegame
Melinda Pittman takes on Christmas. ANGELTIME PRODUCTIONS AT THE SCOTTISH RITE CENTER, 709 SW 15th, 288-5181, Thur-Sat, 8 pm, $16-$18
A Gay Christmas Carol
The Triangle Theatre's take on Dicken's X-mas ghost story. TRIANGLE PRODUCTIONS! AT THEATER! THEATRE!, 3430 SE Belmont St, 239-5919, Thur-Sat, 7:30 pm, through Dec 23, Call for prices
Ain't Misbehavin'
The musical about the life and songs of jazz musician Fats Waller. ARTISTS REPERTORY THEATER, 1516 SW Alder St, 241-1278, Sun 7 pm, Tues-Thurs 7 pm, through Dec 30, $13.50
Always... Patsy Cline
A two character version of the C/W singer, played by Stephanie Shininger. SYLVIA'S CLASS ACT DINNER THEATER, 5115 NE Sandy Blvd, 288-6828, Wed-Sat, 6:15 pm, Sun, 5:15 pm, through March 17, $26.95
Christmas Crisis in Las Cruces
The arrival of a mysterious stranger threatens the holiday harmony of a Mexican village. MIRACLE THEATER GROUP, 525 SE Stark St, 236-7253, Fri-Sat, 8 pm, and Sat-Sun, 2 pm, $10-12
Goblin Market
A musical about the erotic life of two Victorian-era sisters. STARK RAVING THEATER, AT THEATER! THEATRE!, 3430 SE Belmont St, 232-7072, Thur -Sat, 7:30pm, Sun 4 pm, ends Dec 31, Call for ticket prices
It's Your Wonderful Life
An improvisational holiday celebration. BRODY THEATER, 1904 NW 27th Ave, 224-0688, Fri-Sat, 7 pm, $10
Late Nite Catechism
A Chicago nun conducts an adult education class in the catechism, where she calls on "students" (the audience) to answer questions and sometimes "reprimands" them in a semi-scary nunly fashion. 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 Jan 28 , $24.50-$29.50
Meet Me in St. Louis
The Judy Garland musical finds stage realization. NORTHWEST CHILDREN'S THEATER, 1819 NW Everett St, 222-4480, Call for showtimes, ends Dec 23, $10-$16
Off the Wall
The mono-monickered Shuhe presents a puppet show. TEARS OF JOY THEATRE, AT THE WINNINGSTAND THEATER, 1111 SW BROADWAY, 248-0557, Sat, 8 pm, $8-10
There's a Nightmare in My Closet
Mercer Mayer's children's story. TEARS OF JOY THEATRE, AT THE WINNINGSTAND THEATER, 1111 SW BROADWAY, 248-0557, Weekends, call for showtimes, $9-13
Tony 'n Tina's Wedding
The interactive comedy about a chaotic wedding ceremony. HEY CITY, AT THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH, 1011 SW 12th Ave, 790-2787, Wed-Fri, 7 pm, Sat, 5 and 8:30 pm,
* Up in the Air
Unpredictability is the key word with Do Jump's "extremely physical theater." DO JUMP, AT ECHO THEATRE, 1515 SE 37th , 224-8499, Fri-Sun, 7:30, ends Dec 28, $13-18
What Mrs. Santa Forgot
A kids' play for the youngest offspring. LADYBUG THEATER AT OAKS PARK, 8210 SE 13th St, 232-2346, Tue-Fri, 11 am, $4
Whatnot
An interactive play featuring mask, puppetry, and dance. OTHER HAND PRODUCTIONS AT THE HOPE THEATER, 1807 NE 39th, 282-7048, Sat, 11 pm, through March 3, $10
