Opening This Week

The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow
See My, What A Busy Week, pg 17. Portland Center Stage, 1111 SW Broadway, 274-6588, Opens Fri, runs Tues-Wed, Sun 7 pm, Thurs 12 pm, Fri-Sat 8 pm, Sat-Sun 2 pm, $15-56

The Laramie Project
Director Beth Harper and her Conservatory students present Moises Kaufman's Laramie Project, culled from real interviews surrounding the murder of Matthew Shepard. Portland Actors Conservatory, 1436 SW Montgomery St, 274-1717, Opens Fri, runs Thurs 7 pm, Fri-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, $12-20

One Week Only

Drunk Puppet Night
Tears of Joy and Seattle's Monkey Wrench Puppet Lab return with the always fun Drunk Puppet Night, a funny, dirty, slobbery, adults-only evening of short pieces performed by some of the best puppeteers in the northwest. Winningstad Theater, PCPA Building, 1111 SW Broadway, 248-0557, Fri-Sat 8 pm, $12-15

Opera Theater of Oregon
In an attempt to reach audiences that "do not traditionally attend opera," the fledgling Opera Theater of Oregon is staging a preview of its upcoming show (opening Feb 23) at hip Music Millennium. The show pairs two Puccini works: Gianni Schicchi and Seven Deadly Sins. All we need now is PBR on tap and a smoking room. Music Millennium NW, 801 NW 23rd, 248-0163, Sat 3 pm, free

Closing This Week

Beginner's Luck
A cast of grown-ups, including Lawrence Howard, Rick Huddle, and Olga Sanchez, tell grown-up stories about not-so-grown-up first encounters with relationships, love, and sex Brooklyn Bay, 1825 SE Franklin, Bay K, 720-0397, Fri-Sat 7:30 pm, closes Feb 18, $15

Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights
defunkt theatre brings to life Gertrude Stein's wicked take on the Faust legend, which marries music and poetry with Stein's own unique, challenging voice. Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne, 481-2960, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, closes Feb 18, $10-15

Kindred
This intriguing dark comedy, produced by the Insight Out Theatre Collective, tracks, in real time, 90 minutes of a prisoner's life in jail. Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, 5340 N. Interstate, 234-0973, Wed-Sat 8 pm, closes Feb 18, $5-15

Current Runs

The Seagull
Chalk up yet another success for ART with their current production of The Seagull. Joseph Fisher's adaptation of Chekhov's classic is compelling and clear, accentuating the humor of the work without sacrificing a bit of emotional depth. AH Artists Repertory Theatre, 1516 SW Alder, 241-1278, Tues-Thurs 7 pm, Fri-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, 7 pm, $15-40

Comedy/Improv

Juan's Dog
A show that promises to deliver cutting-edge comedy from some of the hottest improv and sketch groups in town. This week, Feb 22: improv super-group The Liberators and a group called Rustic Justice, whom we know nothing about. Coho Theatre, 2257 NW Raleigh, 220-COHO, Wed 8 pm, $7

The I-5 Corridor Road Rage Comedy Tour
Yes, you most certainly do want to head out to a hotel near Jantzen Beach to catch an evening of entertainment from three stellar local standup comics: Dwight Slade, Dax Jordan, and Kevin-Michael Moore. This is their kick-off show before heading north for an eight-stop tour between Seattle and Portland; learn all about it at www.i5comedytour.com. Jubitz Truck Stop in the Ponderosa Lounge, 10350 N Vancouver Way, 345-0300, ex 8501, 7:30 pm, $7

The Kelley & Jason Show
Portland's funniest married couple return with another evening of high video/comedy entertainment. Skits have names like "F*@ck Those People With Clipboards Buggin' Me All The Time On The Street," and DJ Teenage spins all the hits before and afterwards. Fun will ensue. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, Wed 10 pm, $3

Dance

The Dog in This Here Box
Dancers Rebecca Harrison, Esther LaPointe, Paige McKinney, and Tim Parsons join choreographer Catherine Egan, of the Eggshell company, for an evening of new dance that features "an exploration of architecture and the act of escaping; a stream of consciousness standard; a stage deconstruction meets a bike wreck; a Bach dance; and finally, a social commentary on life through the examination of a day." Conduit Studio, 918 SW Yamhill, 4th Floor, 221-5857, Fri-Sun 8 pm, $12

Bits and Pieces
Oh snap! The Skylark Tappers are in the hiz-ouse, with an evening of tapdance magic that promises to include "rhythm tap, swing, jazz, hiphop (!!), show tap and comedy"! PCC Sylvania Theatre, 12000 SW 49th Ave, 245-3994, Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2 pm, $12-18

Winter Program
Oregon Ballet Theatre warms up this brokenhearted month with an eclectic tripod of an evening: The world premiere of Trey McIntyre's Just, as well as Balanchine's Gershwin tribute Who Cares, and OBT artistic director Christopher Stowell's "sassy" piece, Quick Time. Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay, 222-5538, 7:30 pm Feb 18, 24-25; 2 pm Feb 19, $8-96