One Week Only
The Gospel According to Tammy Faye
The Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre presents a staged reading of The Gospel According to Tammy Faye, a musical that follows the life of the beloved televangelist turned gay icon who is perhaps best known for her dedication to eye makeup. Coho Theatre, 2257 NW Raleigh, 220-COHO, Fri-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, $10
Closing This Week
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Proof that the depressing trend of updating Shakespeare to make his work "relevant" may never die, Lakewood presents a version of A Midsummer Night's Dream that's set in California and soundtracked by the Beatles, the Doors, and the Beach Boys. Lakewood Theatre Company , 368 S State St, Lake Oswego, 635-3901, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 7 pm, $22-24
The Case of the Dead Flamingo Dancer
Broadway Rose presents this musical mystery about a tap dancing detective who must solve the case of a corpse found in the drawing room. Broadway Rose Theatre Company, at the Deb Fennel Auditorium, 9000 SW Durham, 620-5262, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, $19-26
Current Runs
The Rainmaker
There's nothing terribly sophisticated about the West End Theater and Home Planet's co-production of The Rainmaker; it's a straightforward production of an old-fashioned play, with tried-and-true characters and a predictable plot (an ugly duckling turns into a swan, etc). The West End and Home Planet endow the cheesy script with a certain classiness, though, in no small part due to the artful, elegant set design, which makes some of its hokier moments a little easier to stomach. The cast holds down their end of the bargain as well, allowing nary a hint of irony to mar the play's surface. While this production won't be blowing any minds, it could certainly serve as a primer for how a certain kind of play should be performed: plays in which earnestness triumphs over banality, and they all live happily ever after. AH West End Theater, 1220 SW Taylor, 234-0973, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 3 pm, $10-15
