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But for lots of people, the fecal matters pale in comparison to the joys of having a dog to love. This must explain the giddy exuberance that resonated through the crowd at the Friday opening of Portland Center Stage's Sylvia, now playing at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. The play is the story of a depressed husband who brings a stray mutt home to a city apartment, much to the horror of his wife. Katherine Heasley, who plays the dog, was sick the night Steffen saw the play, which is a shame because she is wonderful. She moves like a dog, sniffs like a dog, shakes like a dog, scratches like a dog. In fact, thanks to her I unrepressed a childhood memory in which I was awakened in the middle of the night by Brother, a visiting basset hound as long as I was tall, humping my entire body. Ugh. I felt sorry for the wife. Line of the week: At the announcement of the 1998-99 Best of Broadway series lineup on the floating Sternwheeler, Portland Opera publicist Jim Fullan said "You'll be glad to know we're not bringing Titanic." (They are bringing Showboat.) The two series that brought Broadway plays to Portland have merged into one, which should, among other things, mean easier scheduling at the heavily booked Civic Auditorium. It also means that for the 225,000 people who saw Broadway shows in Portland last year, there is no longer a choice of series. But this lineup offers a good mix of shows, from war horses (Annie, The King and I) to some of the newest Broadway hits (Chicago, Tap Dogs). Given Stomp, Riverdance, Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk and now Tap Dogs, tap dancing is clearly the current craze. So I was delighted when a young woman ingenuously asked me during the opening night cast party for 'da Noise, 'da Funk, "Are you with the company?" I wish. Portland Brewing introduced its new ethnically promiscuous menu at the Flanders Street Brewpub last week to a wall-to-wall crowd. Though buffet tables were laden with all sorts of offerings--from chicken Caesar salad to beef stroganoff, honey beer steamers to garlic-artichoke dip and jalapeño poppers (my favorite dish)--the crowd was most intense around the sushi table. A microbrewery/sushi bar doesn't sound like a hit, but stranger things may have happened. Sushi will be supplied to Flanders daily by Murata Restaurant. Stout and sushi? I would never have believed it. |
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