Fuchsia Sale:

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s spring and that means a chance to buy plants for your yard. The Eastside Fuchsia Society will hold one of its biggest sales at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, 12001 Main St. www.nwfuchsiasociety.com

Friday, 5-11

Miniature Art Exhibition – Artists Reception:

6 to 8 p.m. Internationally known artist, Donna Leavitt, will jury entries from around the United States and around the world. Park Lane Gallery, 130 Park Lane, Kirkland. www.explorekirkland.com

Saturday, 5-12

Washington Native Plant Sale:

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Washington Native Plant Society calls this a huge plant sale. It’s at the Bellevue Botanical Garden, 12001 Main St. www.wnps.org

Sunday, 5-13

Kirkland Half Marathon & 5K:

7 a.m. Starting and finishing at Juanita Beach Park, the Kirkland Half Marathon offers a scenic tour through the five boroughs of Kirkland, inclusive of views along Lake Washington. Held on Mother’s Day each May, the event offers a special opportunity for the mothers of our community. Over 65 percent of race participants are female and the event offers gender specific technical fabric shirts for the half marathon race registrants. Juanita Beach Park, 9703 NE Juanita Drive Kirkland. ww.explorekirkland.com

Run Like a Woman:

8:30 to 10:30 a.m. For women who don’t want the competition of the Kirkland event above, they can celebrate Mother’s Day with a women only 5k fun run and a kids’ 1-mile run around Warren G. Magnuson Park in Seattle. The benefiting charity is Outdoors For All which works to enrich the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through outdoor recreation. Warren G. Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE. www.runlikeamotherrace.com

The Ravine Experience:

12:30 to 1 p.m. Here’s a different way to see nature. This new nature trail at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens includes a 150-foot suspension bridge over a ravine. The time above is for the grand opening ceremony, but you can come any time. Be prepared for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. A Mother’s Day social will follow at one with refreshments and music. www.bellevuebotanical.org

Saturday, 5-19 to Sunday, 5-20

Rhododendron Sale and Show:

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Beautiful Northwest rhododendrons will be available with proceeds benefiting the Cascade Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. It’s at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, 12001 Main St. www.arscascade.org

By Gabrielle Nomura | Photos courtesy of Teatro ZinZanni

Teatro ZinZanni’s newest, “¡Caliente!” (pictured above) sets itself apart from the dinner-theater’s previous shows in many ways.

First of all, there’s the feisty, Latino vibe and Spanish-language music. And, unlike other ZinZanni shows, “¡Caliente!” won’t just make audience members peal with laughter.

It will also make them think.

In a plot where the characters are handed pink slips and forced to fight to save the day, faced with impending closure of dinner-theater, the audience will be reminded of similar hard times. In fact, there may even be a few 99 percent jokes.

This contrast of qualities, a whole lot of humor with a pinch of satire, is what the director, Ricardo Salinas, is known for.

Before he was brought in to help direct this show, Salinas was best known for his work with the almost 30-year-old comedy trio, Culture Clash, which has performed on more than 5,000 stages across the country and was made into a series for Fox Television.

Based out of San Francisco, the trio celebrates Chicano culture and American diversity in skits and plays laced with socially-conscious humor.

“For example, we do a bit where Lewis and Clark are eating a burrito and suddenly proclaim, ‘From now on, this will be known as a wrap.’ That’s the kind of satire I love,” he says.

The word Chicano, Salinas explains, is a word born from the ’60s in a climate where Latinos, as well as black Americans and women, were standing up for their rights. It refers to an assimilated Mexican, someone with authentic roots, but who can’t really claim the identity, he says.

But, while growing up in an urban melting pot like San Francisco has given him an eye for this type of work, it hasn’t come without its own sacrifices.

In the late ’80s, Salinas was shot in his own multi-ethnic neighborhood, stopping to help a man who was getting beat up.

He would have died if he hadn’t been five minutes away from the local emergency room.

This was a defining moment for the director.  He says it’s made him appreciate his life in the arts, and the moments of pure joy a show like ‘¡Caliente!’ can bring.

“I can’t separate that from social commentary,” says the El Salvador-born artist, writer, director and activist. “I think it gives some weight to my material.”

For tickets and more information, go to http://dreams.zinzanni.org/. Teatro ZinZanni is located at 222 Mercer St., Seattle.

Ricardo Salinas, director of ‘¡Caliente!’

Live Irish music on St. Patricks Day at Paddy Coyne's in Bellevue, March 17, 2009.

Saturday, 3-10 to Sunday, 3-11

Bellevue Chamber Chorus presents ‘Choral Journeys’ at the Theatre at Meydenbauer Center and Mercer Island Congregational Church

This musical excursion takes listeners through the songs of China, India, Spain, Estonia, Scandinavia, Argentina, and the U.S. En route, savor a potpourri of sacred and secular music from classical to folk, plus, hear the regional premiere of a new work by American composer and conductor André Thomas.

The Saturday show is at 7:30, located at 11100 NE Sixth St., Bellevue and the Sunday show is at 3 p.m., 4545 Island Crest Way, Mercer Island, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/

Saturday, 3-11

Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra presents Masterworks Concert II

The show will include Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 9” and Arr. Ralph Ford’s “Video Games Live” in this show of living composer’s work. It includes a pre-concert lecture by KING FM’s Steve Reeder.

7-10 p.m., 11100 NE Sixth St., Bellevue, ww.byso.org

Saturday, 3-17

Third Annual St. Patty’s Day Dash in Lake Hills

Bring your friends and family for a run on this 5K course, which has been mapped out on the trails surrounding the Lake Hills area. New this year is a special 1K course for kids. Participants are encouraged to dress up and show their Irish spirit. Awards will be given for most spirited and other fun categories. Lucky, the leprechaun, will make a surprise appearance and will be available for photos. Snacks and drinks will be provided after the race. Price: $20 – $55.  Souvenir T-shirts are included in the cost and will be available for pick up two weeks after the event.

8-11 a.m., 15231 Lake Hills Blvd., Bellevue. 425-746-1160, www.samena.com

Saturday, 3-17 to Sunday, 3-25

Pacific Northwest Ballet school presents ‘Snow White’ at McCaw Hall

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Snow White, of course. Cast out of her father’s home, Snow White seeks refuge with seven dwarves. Determined to derail Snow White’s happiness, the evil Queen repeatedly attempts to harm the poor maiden. The Queen thinks she’s succeeded after Snow White bites a poison apple and falls into a deep slumber. The Prince sees the sleeping Snow White, falls in love, wakes her, and a grand wedding is planned. Danced by the students of Pacific Northwest Ballet School, “Snow White” is a narrated, hour-long, version of this beloved classic. Running Time: one hour with no intermission. Tickets range from $22 to $67, and lower rates are available for children.

Times vary. 321 Mercer St.,  Seattle. 206-441-2424, www.pnb.org

Tuesday, 3-20 to Sunday, 3-25

STG Presents the national tour of “Mama Mia” at Paramount Theatre

A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget.

More than 45 million people around the world have fallen in love with the characters, story and ABBA music that “Mama Mia” the ultimate feel-good show. Writer Catherine Johnson’s funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

Times vary. 911 Pine St., Seattle. 1-877-784-4849, www.stgpresents.org

Saturday, 3-24

Sing-a-long Sound of Music at the Theatre at Meydenbauer Center

Get ready to yodel in Bellevue. This is your chance to sing a long to the most successful movie musical of all time. This family event encourages audience participation and includes subtitles for all the songs. The cost is $17-$62. Groups rates are available.

The sing-a-long is 7-10:30 a.m., at 11100 NE Sixth St., Bellevue. 425-450-3810, www.meydenbauer.com

Friday, 3-23 to Sunday 3-25

KIDSTAGE presents ‘Hot Mess’ at First Stage Theatre

This play dives headfirst into the whirlwind world of beauty pageants. Behind the glitz and glamour, six girls attempt the impossible: inviting an outsider into their clique and teaching her the tricks of the trade. But will these girls be able to walk the fine line between courtesy and competition on this cutthroat stage? Exploring the ever-evolving world of teenage girls, “Hot Mess” is a cheeky comedy that paints an in-depth portrait of how young women communicate and behave with each other when the stage lights are off.

The show is at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23-24 and at 2 p.m., Feb. 25 at 120 Front St. N., Issaquah.  425-392-1942 x100, www.villagetheatre.org

Wednesday, 3-14 to Sunday, 3-25

‘It Shoulda Been You’ a new musical comedy at Village Theatre

The bride is Jewish. The groom is Catholic. Her mother is a force of nature, his mother is a tempest in a cocktail shaker. And when the bride’s ex-boyfriend crashes the party, the perfect wedding starts to unravel faster than you can whistle “Here Comes the Bride.” Plots are hatched, pacts are made, secrets are exposed – and the sister of the bride is left to turn a tangled mess into happily ever after. A musical comedy for anyone with parents, “It Shoulda Been You” is set to shine on the mainstage.

Times vary. 303 Front St. N., Issaquah. 425-392-2202, www.villagetheatre.org

Saturday, 3-24 to Sunday, 3-25 & Friday, 3-30 to Saturday, 3-31

Lyric Light Opera of the Northwest presents ‘South Pacific’ at Kirkland Performance Center

Set in an island paradise during World War II, two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile. Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile’s proposal of marriage. Meanwhile, the strapping Lt. Joe Cable denies himself the fulfillment of a future with an innocent Tonkinese girl with whom he’s fallen in love out of the same fears that haunt Nellie. When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe’s life, Nellie realizes that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices. The cost is $35-$37.

Times vary. 350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland . 425.893.9900, www.kpcenter.org

Some of the most talented artists on the Eastside aren’t old enough to vote or legally drink. And yet, they are already making serious tremors in the arts and entertainment community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Here’s a run-down of some of the most artistic Eastsiders age 21 and under.

Jessica Pelluer, 15

Dancer

This lanky ballerina (pictured, top) was born with natural turn-out and grace. But she’s had help from her teacher, former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal, Deborah Hadley. “She helped me find my inner passion for ballet,” Pelluer says. This passion has already taken the teen far. Stay tuned, as she will soon be moving across the country to study with the Joffrey Ballet’s prestigious trainee program in Chicago.

Ben Kadie, 16

Award-winning filmmaker

With a computer-scientist father who keeps his son’s camera batteries fresh, and a mother with a background in theater and costume design, Kadie says he has the perfect parents. Film school is definitely in the future for this Interlake High School junior, whose nine films have brought home 30 awards, and maybe, a few walks down the red carpet. Watch his work at slugco.com.

Keaton Whittaker, 15

Actress

While many actresses aspire to be on Broadway,  Whittaker has already been there, done that. At age 13, she performed alongside  Catherine Zeta-Jones in “A Little Night Music,” and attended the Professional Performing Arts School while in New York. Suzie Bixler, programs manager at Village Theater’s KIDSTAGE program in Issaquah, has watched Whittaker’s acting evolve. “She has a powerhouse voice and is a joy to watch on stage.”

Christina Corbitt, 17

Jill-of-all-trades

It’s hard to imagine how this Issaquah High School senior has time for all of her activities. While some people are merely triple-threats, Corbbitt has a few more tricks up her sleeve, including teaching. Having first performed as a 2-week-old in her family’s Christmas nativity scene, she’s now a ballroom dancer, a soprano  singer and a drill team competitor. She recently performed in Eastside Lyric Theatre’s “Mikado.” As a mentor, she manages a summer drama camp from her home and teaches piano, violin and voice to elementary-aged kids. Oh yeah, and she also loves physics.

Ariel Pocock, 19

Everything Jazz

With classical pianists for parents, music is in Pocock’s veins. She started playing piano and violin at age 3, and would later win Downbeat Magazine’s Outstanding Soloist for jazz piano in 2008 and the Essentially Ellington competition for jazz voice in 2011. Pocock will never forget the thrill of opening for Sheryl Crow at a Starbucks Shareholders Meeting, and she is now a recording artist herself, having signed with Verve Records. Expect “amazing things” from this young woman, says Bellevue Downtown Association marketing manager Jordan Slaymaker. who helps organize the BDA’s summer jazz festival. Watch for Pocock’s album release next year.

Hadley Nelson, 18

Artist

At 2 a.m. Nelson can be found with canvases sprawled across her kitchen counter, paint brush in hand.  She’s finished in the top four at the International School Art Show five years in a row and claimed “Best in Show” by the Bellevue School District Art Show in 2011. One of her pieces is currently on display in the Bellevue Arts Museum. She credits her art teacher Enid Smith Becker. “Her genuine passion and support for all her students combined with the fantastically chaotic environment has made art my favorite class for many years,” Nelson says.

Hip-Hop group “Kung Foo Grip”

Both of these teen rappers wrote lyrics and dropped rhymes as tweens before combining forces to create their smooth-talking duo three years ago. They credit family with their success, “I had people in my life who saw potential in me … who encouraged me to keep rapping and expressing myself,” Cypher says. These young emcees have had the honor of playing the Capitol Hill Block Party, earning them a spot in the semi-finals in the 10th Annual Sound Off! Competition. Expect more solid lyrics in the future from this rhythmically eloquent pair, who are proud to represent the Eastside in a predominately urban hip-hop scene. Listen to their music at kungfoogripbbj.bandcamp.com.

Taylor Niemeyer, 20

Actress

If you saw Taylor Niemeyer in Village Theatre’s “Annie Get Your Gun,” you’d know she’s a director’s dream. From her perfect ballet split, or ponche, to her powerhouse voice, “She is dynamic on stage,” says Bixler, with KIDSTAGE in Issaquah.

Benaroya Hall

200 University St., Seattle, 206-215-4800

3-3: Benny Carter’s Peace Warrior – Tribute to Martin Luther King

3-6: The American Beauty Project

3-17: A Little Barn Moosic

3-29/31: Count Basie Orchestra

3-30: Count Basie Orchestra

3-31: Count Basie Orchestra

More: www.seattlesymphony.org/benaroya

Columbia City Theater

4916 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle, 206-722-3009

3-8/10: Disney After Dark

More: www.columbiacitytheater.com

Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley

Sixth Avenue and Lenora Street, Seattle, 206-441-9729

3-1/4: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

3-15/18: Toots Thielemans’ 90th Birthday with Kenny Werner,  Oscar Castro-Neves & Airto Moreira

3-20/21: Chuck Loeb Quartet with Mitchel Forman, Lionel Cordew and Eric Marienthal

3-29/31: Anthony Jackson and Simon Phillips

More: www.jazzalley.com

El Corazon Seattle

109 Eastlake Ave., E., Seattle, 206-381-3094

3-2: The Growlers

3-2: Roberta Wynia

3-15: Idols, Burning Twilight, A Hope Not Forgotten, Numbers,
Envisionist and Signs

3-24: The Wonder Years, Polar Bear Club, Transit, The Story So Far and Into It. Over It

3-28: We Came As Romans, Emmure, Blessthefall, Woe Is Me and The Color Morale

More: www.elcorazonseattle.com

Emerald Queen Casino

5700 Pacific Highway East, Fife. 253-594-7777

3-9: Willie K – Ohana & Friends

3-30: Keith Sweat

More: http://www.emeraldqueen.com/

The 5th Avenue Theatre

1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle, 206-625-1900

3-1/4: Oklahoma!

3-10/31: First Date

More: www.5thavenue.org

Hard Rock Cafe

116 Pike St., Seattle, 206-204-2233

3-17: The Staxx Brothers – The Acorn Project

3-24: Kim Archer Band

3-30: Kracklefest

More: www.hardrock.com

Key Arena

305 Harrison St., Seattle, 206-684-7200

3-3: The Rock and Worship Road Show

3-9: Blake Shelton with special guests Justin Moore with Dia Frampton

3-20: Lady Antebellum with special guests Darius Rucker and Thompson Square

More: www.keyarena.com

Kirkland Performance Center

350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland, 425-893-9900

3-2: Guitar Republic

3-3: Nellie McKay – I Want To Live!

3-4: Benny Carter’s Peaceful Warrior

3-8/10: Keith Highlanders Pipe Band Live

3-11: Erin Go Bragh

3-11: An Evening with Leo Kottke

3-12: The Four Freshmen

3-16: India Calling

3-17: Geoffrey Castle’s St. Patrick’s Day Party!

3-18: Sousa! Circa 1912

3-24/31: South Pacific

More: www.kpcenter.org

McCaw Hall

321 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-733-9725

3-16/24: New Works Contemporary

More: www.seattlecenter.com/events

Meydenbauer Center

11100 NE Sixth St., Bellevue, 425-637-1020

3-1/2: Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters

3-4: Trilogy Dance Showcase

3-10/11: Bellevue Chamber Orchestra presents
Choral Journeys

3-24/25: Sing-a-long Sound of Music

More: www.meydenbauer.com

Moore Theatre

1932 Second Ave., Seattle, 206-812-3284

3-16: Savion Glover’s SoLeSanctuary

3-17: Need To Breathe

3-23: More Music at The Moore

3-31: Zakir Hussaih & The Master of Percussion

More: www.stgpresents.org/moore

Nectar Lounge

412 N. 36th St., Seattle, 206-632-2020

3-9: Return of The Prince & Michael Experience

3-10: Bollygrooves

3-17: Sherik’s Bandalabra – A St. Patty’s Day Celebration

3-21: Free Funk Night with Trip The Light, Fortune Dwellers & Gravity

More: www.nectarlounge.com

Neptune Theatre

1303 NE 45th St., Seattle,
206-781-5755

3-1: Railroad Earth

3-2: MarchFourth Marching Band

3-3: The Lonely Forest with Seattle Rock Orchestra

3-4: US Men’s Glee Club

3-6: Punch Brothers

3-12: Guster (Acoustic)

3-17: Stew & The Negro Problem

3-19/20: Magnetic Fields

3-21: Little Feat

3-23: Kronos Quartet

3-24: Nada Surf

3-25: Sharon Van Etten

3-26: Of Monsters and Men

3-27: Young Jeezy

More: www.stgpresents.org/neptune

Neumos

1426 First Ave., Seattle, 206-709-9442

3-7: Javier Colon

3-9: Fresh Espresso, Don’t Talk to the Cops! and White China Gold

3-13: Saul Williams and CX Kidtronik

3-17: Uniting Souls 15 Year Anniversary

3-23: The Black Radio Tour with the Robert Glasper Experiment

3-24: Tyrone Wells, Joe Brooks and Tommy Simmons

3-25: Lucero with The Drowning Men

More: www.neumos.com

Pantages Theatre

901 Broadway Tacoma. 253-591-5890

3-10: The Bad Plus – On Sacred Ground Stravinksy’s Rite of Spring

3-23: Peter Frampton

More: www.broadwaycenter.org

Paramount Theatre

901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253-591-5890

3-9: The Deadmeat Tour with Steve Aoki & Datsik

3-13: Flogging Molly

3-20/25: Mamma Mia!

3-30: Hot Java Cool Jazz

More: www.stgpresents.org/paramount

Rialto Theatre

901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253-591-5890

3-18: Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra

3-25: POPS – Hollywood’s Greatest Melodies

3-30: La Boheme

More: www.broadwaycenter.org

Showbox At The Market

1426 First Ave., Seattle, 206-628-3151

3-10: Woody Guthrie Project featuring Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames

3-17: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic

3-20: Drive-By Truckers

3-27: Say Anything with Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band, Fake Problems and The Front Bottoms

3-29/30: Dark Star Orchestra

3-30: Dark Star Orchestra

3-31: Carolina Chocolate Drops

More: www.showboxonline.com/events.php

ShoWare Center

625 West James St., Kent, 253-856-6999

3-22: Kelly Clarkson

More: www.showarecenter.com

Showbox SODO

1426 First Ave., Seattle, 206-628-3151

3-23: Galactic featuring Corey Glover and Corey Henry with Orgone

3-28: Mindless Self Indulgence with Hyro Da Hero

More: www.showboxonline.com/events.php

Snoqualmie Casino

37500 SE North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, 425-888-1234

3-11: Toni Braxton

3-29: Paul Rodgers

3-30: Gladys Knight

More: www.snocasino.com

Theatre on the Square

Broadway between Ninth and 11th Streets, Tacoma

3-17: Sailing the Musical Seas

More: www.broadwaycenter.org

Town Hall

1119 Eighth Ave., Seattle, 206-652-4255

3-3: PSSO – Winter Concert

3-4: Medieval Women’s Choir – The Medieval 4 Seasons

3-10: Seattle Children’s Chorus Spring Concert – There’s No Place Like Home

3-11: Simple Measures – Krishnaswami-Salman Duo’s 20th
Anniversary Concert

3-16: Global Rhythms – Lo Cor de la Plana

3-24: Saturday Family Concerts – Gustafer Yellowgod with Seattle Rock Orchestra

More: www.townhallseattle.org

The Tractor Tavern

5213 Ballard Ave., NW, Seattle, 206-789-3599

3-2: Reckless Kelly with Rose’s Pawn Shop

3-10: The Twilight Sad and Micah P. Hinson

3-12: The Tallboys

3-16: Zepparella

3-17: The Paperboys

3-21: Mudhoney with special guests from Australia Feedtime

3-26: The Tallboys

3-27: Poor Moon and Lost in the Trees

More: www.tractortavern.com

Triple Door

216 Union St., Seattle, 206-838-4333

3-2: Vagabond Opera

3-2: Funk Night – Youngblood Groovement

3-8/9: LeRoy Bell and His Only Friends

3-10: The Dudley Manlove Quartet

3-14: Lucy Wainwright Roche

3-15/17: Modern Luv

3-23: Darrell Scott

3-30: Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings

3-31: Ian McFeron Band with Kate Lynn Logan

More: www.tripledoor.com

Tulalip Resort Casino

10200 Quil Ceda Blvd., Tulalip, 360-716-6000

3-4: Kiss Army – Tribute to KISS

3-7: The Popoffs

3-16: Oncore

3-17: SpaceBand

3-18: Appetite for Deception – Tribute to Guns N’ Roses

3-21: The Popoffs

3-23: Kry

3-25: Whiskey River – Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd

3-30: Magic Bus

3-31: 80’s Invasion

More: www.tulalipcasino.com

Village Theatre

303 Front St. N., Issaquah, 425-392-2202

3-14/31: It Shoulda Been You

More: www.villagetheatre.org

Wednesday, 2-1 to Sunday, 2-12

‘Cavalia’ at Marymoor Park

This show is a fresh mix of equestrian and performing arts, multimedia and special effects. Conceived by Normand Latourelle and often labelled an equestrian ballet, ‘Cavalia’ is a moving tribute to the relationship between men and horses throughout history. The animals express themselves, often completely free, in all their splendor, nobility and strength.

Times vary. 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond.
1-866-999-8111,  http://unrevedeliberte.cavalia.net/en/

Thursday, 2-2 to Sunday, 2-5

Bellevue Civic Theatre presents ‘Hay Fever’ at the Theatre at Meyenbauer Center

Beloved British Playwright Noel Coward sends the audience on holiday with the eccentric, and somewhat self-absorbed, Bliss family. The four Bliss family members spend the weekend in their country home and, unbeknownst to each other, have each invited a romantic prospect. As the unsuspecting romantic prospects begin to arrive and family members each discover the increasing number of guests, the Bliss family lives up to its name as the “quiet weekend” comes to an exhausting and hilarious finale.

Times vary. 11100 NE Sixth St., Belleuve. 800-838-3006. brownpapertickets.com

Thursday, 2-2 to Sunday, 6-10

‘¡Caliente!’ at Teatro ZinZanni

Unleash your inner jalapeño at this show, where Christine Deaver and Robert Lopez (a.k.a. El Vez) return to Seattle to create the new characters Tres and Cinco, a brother-sister team who electrify the circus tent with Latin flavor.

Times vary. 222 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-802-0015, dreams.zinzanni.org

Friday, 2-3

‘Tao: The Way of the Drum’ at the Moore Theatre

Athletic bodies and contemporary costumes meet explosive Taiko drumming and innovative choreography in a show that has critics raving about TAO’s extraordinary precision, energy, and stamina. The troupe offers a young and modern take on a traditional art form.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. 1932 Second Ave., Seattle. 1-877-784-4849, stgpresents.org.

Saturday, 2-11 to Sunday, 2-12

‘Chop Shop: Bodies of Work’ at the Theatre at Meydenbauer Center

Now celebrating its fifth year, Chop Shop is the only annual contemporary dance festival held specifically for the Eastside. This event serves up a unique sampling of contemporary dance from leading national and international award-winning dance makers from the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Show times: 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 and 3 p.m. Feb. 12. 11100 NE Sixth St., Bellevue. 206-799-6004, chopshopdance.org.

Wednesday, 2-21 to Sunday, 2-26

STG Presents ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at Paramount Theatre

“Be our guest” to this Disney-inspired family favorite.

Times vary. 911 Pine St., Seattle. 1-877-784-4849, stgpresents.org.

Playing now until Sunday, 3-25

‘The Odd Couple’ at Village Theatre

One of Neil Simon’s most recognizable and timeless comedies, ‘The Odd Couple’ has been entertaining audiences for nearly 50 years. Coming together as a last resort, two roommates are out about to enter into a hilarious battle of wills that will lead to sheer mayhem and laugh-out-loud comedy.

Times vary. 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027. 206-802-0015, villagetheatre.org.

Saturday, 2-25

‘Stars on Ice’ at KeyArena

The Emmy-award winning tour includes innovative choreography, music and stunning costumes, featuring skating superstars Sasha Cohen, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Ilia Kulik, Kurt Browning and many more performing live.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. 305 Harrison St., Seattle. 1-800-745-3000, keyarena.com.

Saturday, 1-14 to Saturday, 1-28

Seattle Opera presents ‘Attila’

The King of the Huns and his conquering hordes clash with cunning women warriors and a scheming Roman general in this work of historical fiction. “There’s some very nasty, but fascinating characters,” says Jonathan Dean, director of Seattle Opera’s public programs and media.

Times vary. 321 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-733-9725,
seattleopera.org.

Tuesday, 1-10 to Sunday, 1-15

STG Presents the national tour of “West Side Story” at Paramount Theatre

More than 50 years ago, one musical changed theater forever. Now it’s back. From dance numbers, to songs of longing between urban star-crossed lovers, “West Side Story” is an  iconic American love story. This show is best for people 13 and older.

Times vary. 911 Pine St., Seattle. 206.682.1414, 206-682-1414. http://stgpresents.org/

Saturdays: 1-14, 1-21 and 1-28

Chop Shop: Bodies of Work contemporary dance festival presents ‘Reading Dance’ and ‘Introduction to Modern Dance’

What is modern dance? How are dances made? These community programs serve as companion events to the Chop Shop festival in February at the Theatre at Meydenbauer. “Reading Dance” is an engaging lecture demonstration that reveals the creative process of how contemporary dance is made. These are followed by beginning modern dance classes that are open to ages 8 to adult (please come in comfortable clothing.)

Classes are free but require registration. Times vary.
425-452-6800, chopshopdance.org

Wednesday, Jan. 18 to Sunday, Feb. 26

Village Theatre’s ‘The Odd Couple’

Arguably the funniest comedy ever, this Neil Simon classic is one of the most famed stage plays in American history. Meet Oscar Madison, an unkempt, divorcé, and his new roomie, Felix Unger, an uptight, fastidious man, recently separated from his wife and practically suicidal. While it would seem that bunking together would be a last resort for these two, the decision to do so mixes slob with neat-freak, leading to total madness for them, and laugh-out-loud comedy for us.

Times vary; 303 Front St. N., Issaquah. 425-392-2202, villagetheatre.org.

‘Push Play’ is coming to Bellevue Arts Museum.

Monday, 1-19 to Sunday, 7-17

Bellevue Arts Museum presents Push Play: the 2012 NCECA Invitational

Want to play?  The “Push Play” exhibit showcases the work of more than 35 important and emerging ceramic artists from across the globe, exploring how the act of play effortlessly expands human potential while also entertaining us. This is presented in conjunction with the 46th Annual Conference of NCECA (The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts), taking place in March.

Times vary. Bellevue Way and Northeast Eighth Street. 425-454–8096, bellevuecollection.com.

Friday, 1-20 to Sunday, 1-29

Seattle Dance Project and the Inverse Opera present ‘Project 5’ at ACT theater

Project 5 continues Seattle Dance Project’s tradition of collaborating with choreographers and musicians to create new works. Headlining the performance is “Brahms Afoot,” created in conjunction with The Inverse Opera and choreographed by Penny Hutchinson, founding member of Mark Morris Dance Company. The show will also include a new work by Jason Ohlberg, former Hubbard Street Dance Chicago member, incorporating audio from dancer interviews into the score. Rounding out the program are audience favorites by Molissa Fenley, Edwaard Liang and former Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director, Kent Stowell.

Times vary. 700 Union St., Seattle. 206-292-7676,
acttheatre.org/.

Tuesday, 1-18 to Sunday, 2-5

‘Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse’ comes to Marymoor Park

“They have tears running down their faces” says Cavalia founder, Normand Latourelle of the people who come to see his show which combines equestrian arts and all the acrobatic marvels of Cirque du Soleil. People are so moved because the connection between man and beast is thousands of years deep. “It’s in their blood,” Latourelle says.

Times vary. 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond. 206-205-3661, www.cavalia.net/en.

Friday, 1-27

Bellevue Youth Theatre annual benefit event

Enjoy a fabulous evening of entertainment, food and fun and excerpts from ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ to benefit the BYT program and a new theater. A second performance of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ will be held the following day, at 7 p.m., Jan. 28.

16661 Northup Way, Bellevue. 425-452-7155, bytf.org

Now to Sunday, 1-29

Teatro ZinZanni’s Bonsoir Liliane!

With tickets more than $100, Teatro’s ZinZanni’s current show isn’t a typical date night – more of a decadent splurge. But the price covers a dynamite show, plus a gourmet meal and a festive, over-the-top atmosphere unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.

Times vary. 222 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-802-0015, dreams.zinzanni.org.

Cavalia is coming to Redmond in January.

Megan hilty played the role of Glinda in ‘Wicked’ the Broadway musical from 2006-2009. COURTESY PHOTO

By Gabrielle Nomura

Hanging out at Pike Place Market, shopping at Bellevue Square and eating at Wibbley’s Gourmet hamburgers – these are first on Megan Hilty’s to-do list whenever the Broadway star returns to her hometown.

“I loved growing up in Bellevue and I love even more that I get to come home there,” says Hilty, 30, who always sang and got her first taste for theater as a participant in Bellevue Youth Theatre programs. There, she got to do everything from learn choreography to help build sets.

“It gave me a purpose,” Hilty says. “It made me think, ‘I really want to do this.”

Surprisingly, Hilty never got parts at local venues such as Village Theatre, or Sammamish High School, where she attended for part of her secondary schooling. She was never the right age or quite what they were looking for.

Little did anyone know she would become a Broadway performer.

Hilty got her big break in 2006, replacing a role made famous by Kristin Chenoweth – Glinda the Good Witch, in the musical “Wicked.” In 2008, she would play another role pioneered by  another famous blonde bombshell –  Dolly Parton. The role was Doralee Rhodes in “9 to 5” the musical.

It was a daunting task – having to step into characters already established by these beloved women, Hilty says.

“I had to say, ‘I’m not Kristin Chenoweth. I can’t make A, B and C funny, but maybe I can make D, E and F funny. You have to step away from what others have done before and say, ‘I’m good enough to make this mine.’”

Since making her mark in the musical theater world, Hilty has been working on NBC’s new show about Broadway, “Smash,” which will premier this February, plus she’s also got an animated movie slated for 2012, “Dorothy of Oz” and a budding voice-over career with Nickelodeon and Disney.

Still though – there’s work to be done, opportunities to consider and a career to plan.

“I think if I ever get too comfortable and say, ‘I’ve arrived,’ I won’t be doing my job,’” she says.

By Gabrielle Nomura | Photos courtesy of Kevin Kent

When I arrive early for an interview with performer Kevin Kent – he’s not there yet; apparently, he had “some beauty thing,” possibly an eyebrow wax or facial.

Kent is renowned at Teatro ZinZanni for his memorable drag queen act, combining on-the-spot humor and unforgettable audience participation that involves flirting with male members of the audience. While wearing a dress.

Kent is just one standout in the ZinZanni show – a spectacular display of acrobatics, cabaret, comedy, dance and music over a gourmet, five-course menu designed by chef Tom Douglas.  If that sounds like a lot of fabulousness crammed into one evening, you’d be right. The experience has an over-the-top factor of Cirque du Soliel, Zagat-worthy entrees and unique performers, such as 80-year-old Liliane Montevecchi, former prima ballerina and star of, “Bonsoir Liliane!” currently playing at ZinZanni, or people such as Kent, who’s been gaining fans from the dinner-theater since 1998.

As I wait for Kent to arrive in ZinZanni’s Seattle Center offices, I wonder if he’ll have a diva attitude to match the sassy persona I’ve seen him bring to the stage.

In framed photos that line the office walls, Kent poses like an amazon pinup girl with kissy lips; in another, he’s pictured in his signature Queen of Hearts getup – the ultimate centerpiece for a gay pride parade.

Aside from the thick eyeliner and luscious lips he applies himself, the transformation to drag queen is completed by the way he carries himself, like he’s a pompous, British monarch. He forces his voice into a high, almost prissy register, ending  many of his sentences with the spirited phrase, “Very good,” as he instructs audience members to show off their seduction skills.

Kevin Kent in drag

The Act

Much of Kent’s act stays the same each night.

But there’s about 30 percent that changes each show as he rolls with the punches; or more accurately, with the ridiculous situations, comments or reactions he gets from the audience members – whether it’s someone being shy, or someone really getting into the act by giving Kent a coquettish wink.

“Big, muscly straight guys” who come with a wife or girlfriend are fair game for being plucked from the audience. People who look miserable, or who are dateless, Kent doesn’t mess with. He also doesn’t tend to pick on women, as he says it can create an unnecessary tension, and, of course, he tries to avoid picking gay men.

“Because then it’s just a gay man putting a dress on a gay man,” Kent would later tell me during our interview. He literally transfers part of his costume, a ball gown, to an audience member and gussies him up with rouge in “Bonsoire Liliane!” – he loves role reversal, gender dynamics and of course, dress-up.

Getting to interact with the audience, both during his act, and when he gets to walk around and mingle throughout the show, is what Kent loves about performing with ZinZanni.

Once, Kent was schmoozing with a table that included a married couple and their two adult daughters. During the conversation, the mother started joking around with the drag queen, as she laughingly commiserated with Kent on the burden of having to wear a padded bra.

When Kent looked over at the daughters, they were crying.

As it turns out, that was the first time their mom had been able to openly acknowledge that she was a survivor of breast cancer – and with humor, no less. It’s only one ZinZanni story Kent will never forget.

The real Kent

When he shows up for the interview, it pulls me back to reality – this isn’t what I thought the queen would look like underneath the “falsies.” We sit in the vintage circus tent, the chairs upturned over the tabletops. This place where magic happens at night looks so different in broad, unromantic daylight. But, it’s in this light that I can finally see the person beneath the drag makeup.

He’s soft-spoken (in front of me, at least), with piercing blue eyes, cropped whitish hair and almost iridescent skin, scrubbed clean from the last show.  I can only see a glimmer of the drag queen in this serious man, and I don’t dare ask him about his beauty appointment. Still, he’s polite; nothing like the wild and unruly queen.

When you see things more clearly, you often learn that your original perceptions were off-base.

I would sooner have thought that Kent was an aspiring Broadway performer from New York City than an architecture major from New Mexico. He didn’t make the switch from designing buildings into improvisational acting, and then later, drag, until he’d had his first taste of college.

New Mexico, believe-it-or-not, is where Kent returns when he isn’t with Teatro ZinZanni. His off-season gig? Cattle rancher.

Driving a pickup truck, relying on solar energy, and even hunting from time-to-time, the seemingly-glamorous performer lives off-the-grid in stark contrast to his other life.

“It’s definitely a different speed; a different setting,” Kent says. “Life slows down.”

I can’t believe I ever thought he’d be a diva. You can’t judge a book by its cover –  or a man, by his eyeliner.

Kevin Kent (right) with Teatro ZinZanni aerialist Andrew Adams (left) and Adam’s baby, Seamus.

Bake’s Place

4135 Providence Point Dr. S.E., Issaquah, 425-391-3335

12-3: Kris Orlowski

12-17: Tingstad and Rumbel – Special Holiday Show

12-31: Little Bill and the Bluenotes – Annual New Year’s Eve Bash!

More: www.bakesplace.org

Benaroya Hall

200 University Street, Seattle, 206-215-4800,

12-3/11/18/19/22/23: Seattle Men’s Chorus – Cool Yule

12-8/9/10/11: Holiday Pops with Marvin Hamlisch

12-16/17/18: Handel’s Messiah

12-20: Go Tell it on the Mountain – The Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Show

12-28/29/30: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

12-31: New Year’s Eve – Concert, Countdown & Celebration!

More: www.seattlesymphony.org/benaroya

Dimitriou’s
Jazz Alley

Sixth Avenue & Lenora Street, Seattle, 206-441-9729

12-6: Mike Stern featuring Richard Bona, Dave Weckl and Bob Franceschini

12-9 to 18: Taj Mahal Trio

12-28/29/30: Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band

More: www.jazzalley.com

Emerald Queen Casino

5700 Pacific Highway East, Fife, 253-594-7777

12-2: Uncle Kracker

12-17: Queensryche

More: www.emeraldqueen.com

Key Arena

321 Mercer Street, Seattle, 206-733-9725

12-7: Deck The Hall Ball 2011 – Mumford and Sons, Death Cab for Cutie & More

12-16: Guns N’ Roses

More: www.keyarena.com

Kirkland Performance Center

350 Kirkland Avenue, Kirkland, 425-893-9900

12-9: Geoffrey Castle’s Celtic Christmas

12-11: The Many Worlds of Christmas

12-16/17/18: KPC’s Old-Time Holiday Show

More: www.kpcenter.org

Meydenbauer Center

11100 NE Sixth Street, Bellevue, 425-637-1020

12-4: Eastside Jazz Club’s Annual Jazz Extravaganza

12-4: Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra presents The Magic of Mistletoe

12-31: Seattle Choral Company presents Carmina Burana

More: www.meydenbauer.com

Paramount Theatre

911 Pine Street, Seattle, 206-467-5510

12-5/6: Sting

12-14: An Evening with Tori Amos

12-17: Tony Bennett

12-18: The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller

More: www.stgpresents.org/paramount

Snoqualmie Casino

37500 SE North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, 425-888-1234

12-15/16: Bob Rivers Twisted Christmas featuring Spike & the Impalers and Richard Lewis

More: www.snocasino.com

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

8398 12th Street N.E., Medina, 425-454-9541

12-10: Northwest Boychoir 2011 Christmas Concert

12-17: Cascadian Carols

12-31: Annual Evening of Music from Jazz to Opera

More: www.stthomasmedina.org

Triple Door

216 Union Street, Seattle, 206-838-4333

12-4: The Round’s Holiday Show

12-8: Ted Vigil – A John Denver Tribute!

12-9: Flamenco De Raiz

12-10: The Billy Joe Show Holiday Spectacular

12-29: The Bobs After Christmas Holiday Show

12-31: Coco Montoya

More: www.tripledoor.com

Mumford and Sons

Want more? Check these out:

Chop Suey,  www.chopsuey.com

ColumbiaCity, www.columbiacitytheater.com

Crocodile Cafe,  www.thecrocodile.com

El Corazon,  www.elcorazonseattle.com

Key Arena, http://www.keyarena.com/

Moore Theatre, http://stgpresents.org/moore/

Nectar Lounge,  www.nectarlounge.com

Neumos,  www.neumos.com

Neptune Theatre, www.stgpresents.org/neptune

Pantages Theatre, www.pantages-theater.com

The Tractor Tavern, www.tractortavern.com

Tulalip Casino, www.tulalipcasino.com

WAMU, http://wamutheater.com/