Opening This Week

* Am I Turning to a Fish?
Sowelu has been quiet for a while, and they've been missed. Finally they present a new show, about the work and fantasy lives of seven office drones. Pacific Crest School, 116 NE 29th, 230-2090, Fri-Sat 8 pm, through April 24, $10-15

* Missing Mona a.k.a. Leo's Lost Notebook
We love Imago's oversized puppets, but it's always nice to see their more adult original works, too. Carol Triffle created this one, an off-kilter riff on Leonardo da Vinci that uses historical figures and classical texts to explore alternate universes. It's also rated R for "sexual content and language"! This ain't no Frogz! Imago Theater, 17 SE 8th Ave, 231-9581, Thurs 7:30, Fri-Sat 8 pm, $10-15

* The Outsiders
S.E. Hinton's amazingly persistent young adult novel about a family of greasers and the war they wage on arch enemies the Socs possesses the kind of epic street melodrama that belongs on a stage. Now, it is. Northwest Children's Theater, 1819 NW Everett St, 222-4480, Fri-Sat 7 pm, Sun 2 pm, through April 25, $14-18

To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday
Michael Brady's old standard about a dude coping with the loss of his wife and his family, who all want to shake him out of his grief. Pretty good cast here, including Julie Starbird, and Jared Roylance. Magdelyn Theatre Company, 403 NW 5th, (971) 544-1736, Opens Fri, runs Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, through May 15, $12-14

One Week Only

Puppetry of the Penis
If Puppetry of the Penis entailed what the title implies, it would be pretty cool. But instead of a puppet show in which the puppets are made from the shafts of men, Puppetry is no puppet show at all, but a series of different "art installations" put together by the contortions of some very elastic dicks. Admittedly, this sounds initially intriguing, but is it really something worth watching for hours on end? Puppetry of the Penis, at the Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 224-4400, April 6-8 @ 8 pm, April 9-11 @ 7 pm, $35-$39

Thoroughly Modern Millie
Broadway in Portland brings another big-budget musical on through. This one's based on the Oscar-winning film of the same name, about a Midwestern girl named Millie who arrives in New York City during the roaring '20s determined to raise some Hell. Allegedly features "all the jazz-age razzmatazz you could want." Broadway in Portland, at the Keller Auditorium, SW Third and Clay, 790-ARTS, April 6-10 @ 7:30 pm, April 10 @ 2 pm, April 11 @ 1 & 6:30 pm, $23-63

Launch Party for Global Pulse
An upcoming magazine focused on global issues for women and children, Global Pulse, is throwing a launch party with Wade McCollum, DJ Anjali, and an "International Fingerfood Buffet." the Fez, 316 SW 11th, 331-3900, Thurs April 1, $15-25

* Star Can't Dead
The performance troupe Star Can't Dead will throw sketch comedy, stand-up, and other forms of live entertainment at you, but what they really do well is make absolutely hilarious digital video shorts. This month's theme: "Politics, Bitch!" Jasmine Tree, 401 SW Harrison St, 223-7956, Tues 8 pm, $3

Closing This Week

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Portland Center Stage approaches Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer-winning play from a purist angle, with a stage dripping with Southern elegance and sunset light. Portland Center Stage, 1111 SW Broadway, 274-6588, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, $16-51

Current Runs

Accomplice
Might be worth braving exorbitant ticket prices and Lake Oswego for this one: a suspense/adult comedy thriller starring awesome actors Susan Jonsson, Scott Parker, Amelia Zirin-Brown. Lakewood Theatre Company, 368 S State St, 635-3901, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 7 pm, through April 18, $22-24

* Business as Usual
Here's a Tony & Tina style interactive dinner theater show with a gangster theme a la The Sopranos and a production cred from Rowdy Roddy Piper. Portland Meadows Clubhouse, 1001 Schmeer Rd., 737-1069, Thurs & Sat 7 pm, $42

* Sneaky Little Armageddons
This original play by Fever Theater is an elegant example of Portland's potential for great, thoughtful works of collaboration. Fever Theater at the B & O Warehouse, 107 SE Washington, 233-4420, Thurs-Sun 8 pm, through April 11 (extended), $10-15 sliding scale

The Drawer Boy
With a bushy beard and a shuffling stride, the normally strapping William Hurt is nearly unrecognizable in Drawer Boy as a mentally disabled Canadian World War II veteran named Angus. He's the best part of an otherwise entirely unmemorable show. Brain damaged by an explosion, Angus is cared for by Morgan (ART stalwart Allen Nause), his best friend from childhood, fellow veteran, and hardworking farmer. One day, a local actor, Miles (Patrick Wohlmut), arrives to study the two old farts for a play he's working on, and everything changes. Michael Healey's script had potential, but winds up being surprisingly plot-driven, with Miles less a character than a tool Healey uses to dig out a dark secret that Morgan has been keeping from Angus. But the secret is so convoluted Healey must resort to scenes of brutal exposition for it to even make sense. JWS Artists Repertory Theatre, 1516 SW Alder St, 241-1278, Wed-Thurs, Sun 7 pm, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sat-Sun 2 pm, through April 25, $20-45