Opening This Week

Cornered in the Dark
The new company Insight Out, founded by local celeb Wade McCollum, presents a new play about sexual violence written and directed and starring Lenelle N. Moise, who, considering she's only 24 years old, has one of the most impressive theatrical resumes we've seen. That said, we've never heard of her. Firehouse Theater, 1436 SW Montgomery St, 234-0973, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, through Nov 20, $15

Julius Caesar
This production of one of Shakespeare's most overdone histories actually sounds pretty cool; it's directed by film director Fred Walton (When A Stranger Calls, 1979, with Charles Durning, is probably his best-known work), who has streamlined it into a mere 95 minutes. Magdelyn Theatre, 403 NW 5th, 274-4771, Fri-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2:30 pm, through Nov 28, $15

Keep Tightly Closed in a Cool Dry Place
The always interesting Sowelu ensemble presents their debut of a 2004-2005 season that will feature new one-act plays. Keep Tightly is a diatribe on misogyny by Megan Terry, features Sowelu's usual lineup of all star performers (Lorraine Bahr, Jared Roylance, etc.), and in a neat twist will be performed twice each night-once by an all-male cast, and once by an all-female cast. Back Door Theater, 4321 SE Hawthorne, 230-2090, Opens Fri, runs Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, through Dec 18, $8-15

Vitriol and Violets: Tales From the Algonquin Round Table
This is a play about 1920s New York and the great creative forces like Dorothy Parker and Robert Sherwood who used to kick it at the Algonquin Hotel. It's been done before as a staged reading, and now receives a full production, not to mention an Oregon Book Award nomination for best dramatic work. Lakewood Theatre Company, 368 S State St, 635-3901, Opens Fri, runs Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 7 pm, through Dec 12, $24

One Week Only

* Trigger Kids
See review this issue. Tribe Theatre and Art Gallery, 403 NW 5th, 227-3976, Fri-Sat 8 pm, $6

* Show Tunes Night
This just sounds too fun to be true. Bring your show tune sheet music, props, and costumes tonight and join the party in an open mic free-for-all of Broadway musical madness. Bold Sky Cafe, 3943 N Mississippi Ave, 287-0154, Thurs 8 pm, $10 sug. donation

Current Runs

Boston Marriage
Things are stirring again at Coho, which opens its 2004-05 season with David Mamet's play about two Victorian women of fashion who live together as if married. Coho Theatre, 2257 NW Raleigh, 220-2646, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, through Dec 4, $21

Pure Gold Baby
A new play conceived by Michelle Keil and Sherry Okamura about the seedy world of exotic dancing. We don't think Showgirls' Elizabeth Berkely will be making an appearance, though at 30 bucks a crack, they could almost afford her. Milk & Honey Studio, 2512 SE Gladstone, 224-8499, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, through Nov 13, $25-30

The Stendhal Syndrome
This season the Profile Theatre Project "profiles" Terrence McNally, beginning with his two spankin'-new one-acts on the immortality of art: Full Frontal Nudity and Prelude and Liebestod. The Profile Theatre Project at Theater! Theatre!, 3430 SE Belmont, 242-0080, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, through Nov 14, $12-25

Portland Story Theater
In an era of colossal special effect and technological innovation, nothing continues to touch the human spirit like a good story, well told. Portland Story Theater celebrates the art of storytelling with three late-night creepy tales of murder and the supernatural: "The Moonlit Road," "The Two Tutus," and "Isabelle." Coho Theatre, 2257 NW Raleigh, 220-2646, Fri-Sat 10:30 pm, through Nov 13, $8

Comedy/Improv

* The Bards
The Brody presents an evening of improvised musicals, which, almost more than any other improvised genre, walk a fine line between utterly hilarious and totally, eye-gougingly terrible. Brody Theater, 1904 NW 27th Ave, 224-0688, Fri-Sat 8 pm, through Nov 20, $10

A Kick the Squirrel Variety Show
An evening of comedy fun from the improv troupe Kick the Squirrel, with long-form improv, musical guest Tweed's Mob, and comedian Aaron Ross. Brody Theater, 1904 NW 27th Ave, 224-0688, Fri 10:30 pm, $7

Dance

Penta
The fourth installment of Cydney Wilkes' yearlong outdoor dance cycle representing the five elements. She's onto METAL now, and will convey her relationship to this hearty substance with an eccentric blend of ground and aerial duets. South Waterfront Park, 2100 SW River Parkway, cydneywilkes.org, Thurs-Sun 6 pm, free

Transformation: The Cycle of Relationship
A contact improvisational performance from a group called DancEpiphany, featuring Stuart Phillips, Katie Arrants, Whitney Tucker, and Laurel Levasheff. Performance Works NorthWest, 4625 SE 67th Ave, 777-1907, Fri 8 pm, $12