dance

Oregon Ballet Theatre: Celebrate
Apr 17–26, Newmark Theatre
This show celebrates the final performance by retiring Principal Dancer Alison Roper, whom we profiled in our April issue (along with a slide show journey through her career). Dances include new works from Nacho Duato and Helen Pickett, as well as last season's sexy and gorgeous standout by Matjash Mrozewski, The Last Dance (read our review).

Body Vox Dance Ensemble: Skinner/Kirk
Thru April 26, BodyVox Dance Center
Last year’s production by choreographic couple (and BodyVox regulars) Eric Skinner and Daniel Kirk featured a synergy of shape-shifting plexiglass sculptures and original, live music. How will they top it this year?

comedy

The Aces
Thru May 3, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center
The Aces is a duo of power players. McLendon is the brains behind Bad Reputation Productions, where she’s turned iconic ’80s movies like Road House and Lost Boys into hilarious, sold-out stage shows. Fetters, meanwhile, has such exquisite control of his body he brings to mind the physicality of Michael Richards as Kramer on Seinfeld. Read more about the duo in our April comedy story.

Late Night Action with Alex Falcone
Saturday, Secret Society
Hosted by comedic powerhouse Alex Falcone and sidekick Bri Pruett, Late Night Action delivers all the things you love in a talk show but with a decidedly Portland twist. Guests includecomedian and former Simpsons writer and showrunner Bill Oakley, video game creator and designer Steve Gaynor, comedian Shane Torres, singer Laura Gibson, and more. Read about Falcone and Pruett in our roundup of four hot comics in our April issue.

Chelsea Handler:  Uganda Be Kidding Me
Saturday, Keller Auditorium
In her latest collection of humorous essays, Uganda Be Kidding Me, Handler shares more outlandish stories and intoxicated encounters with her signature deadpan sarcasm and comedic observations.

theater

Othello
Thru May 11, Portland Center Stage
"The dazzling, revolving set by Scott Fyfe; gorgeously realized period costumes from Susan E. Mickey; and appropriately moody lighting design by Peter Maradudin lift up an already strong cast. Shakespeare's story, of a celebrated warrior and the inexplicably evil-hearted standard bearer who drives him to ruin by convincing him of his wife's infidelity, is as tangled and riveting as ever, and PCS's production is simultaneously generous to the material and to its audience. It should leave most viewers transfixed..." Read our full review.

Pool (No Water)
Thru May 4, Shoebox Theatre
When a gathering of old artist friends takes a horrible turn in this black comedy, the artists, full of latent love and jealousy, decide to do what they do best: make art of it.

Closing Midsummer: A Play With Songs
Thru Saturday, CoHo Theatre
Third Rail flirts with its first musical in this two-person romance about trying desperately not to fall in love. “Midsummer wears its irreverence like a badge of honor: an early dialogue-heavy sex scene sets the tone for a production that holds no punches when it comes to depicting the intimate awkwardness of early relationships, particularly when there's booze and pot involved..." Read our full review.

classical music

FearNoMusic: To Brooklyn and Back: Kenji Bunch Retrospective
Thursday, Alberta Rose Theater
Meet Portland prodigal son Kenji Bunch, who made his name in New York City for compositions that have graced over 40 orchestras and earned him accolades from the New York Times, at this 20-year retrospective of his chamber music. He recently moved back to take FearNoMusic’s helm as the artistic director. His retrospective is aptly titled To Brooklyn and Back.

film

Best of 40th Northwest Filmmakers ' Festival
Thursday and Saturday, Whitsell Auditorium
If you missed November’s Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival, the best of the fest will be traveling the region for an encore screening, including some of the award winners and audience and critic favorites.

concerts

Shakey Graves
Friday, Mississippi Studios
Having thrilled the crowds at Pickathon last year, Austin singer-songwriter Shakey Graves comes to town with his arresting, blues-influenced, one-man show. He’s known for using foot percussion built from an old suitcase while he picks his guitar.

special event

Cirque du Soleil: Totem
Thru May 4, Portland Expo Center
Cirque du Soleil brings back its blue-and-yellow big top for its latest cavalcade, described as “somewhere between science and legend.”