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GO: Mark Smalls
Standup comedian Mark Smalls takes the stage at Helium Comedy Club for crowd work, casually poignant observations, and more golf references than one might expect. (Smalls is a member of Country Club Adjacent, a golf comedy podcast. Yes, apparently there is such a thing.) Smalls has worked with such comedy world heavy-hitters as Nikki Glaser, Bobby Lee, Andrew Schulz and the late Norm Macdonald, along with hosting a thriving Twitch stream where you can watch him play your favorite video games while screaming at the TV. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., 503-583-8464, portland.heliumcomedy.com. 8 pm Wednesday, Jan. 24. $22–$30. 21+.
WATCH: A Thousand and One
One year after nabbing the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, a growing crowd of people are discovering this gem of storytelling and artistry for themselves. Set in mid-’90s New York, A Thousand and One follows the experiences of Inez (Teyana Taylor), a struggling mother who kidnaps her 6-year-old son out of foster care to build a life together as a family. The secret that has defined their lives threatens to destroy everything they’ve come to know. The Tomorrow Theater is billing it as the “best movie of the year;” see for yourself. Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St., 503-221-1156, tomorrowtheater.org. 7 pm Thursday, Jan. 25. $15.
WATCH: USS Improvise: The Next Generation: The Musical
Spoofing the quintessential ‘80s and ‘90s sci-fi TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation, this fan-favorite show at the Funhouse Lounge is back with more missions to entertain. Catch wild, unscripted performances of Next Gen “episodes” featuring fun interpretations of the cool Commander Riker, the steely Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and everyone’s favorite inquisitive android Lieutenant Commander Data. So, grab your away team, set tachyon phasers to stun, and engage! Funhouse Lounge, 2432 SE 11th Ave. 503-841-6734, funhouselounge.com. 7 pm Thursday–Saturday, through Feb. 10. $18–$90.
GO: The Flop House Live
In the entertainment genre of “stage show versions of popular podcasts” comes an evening with the hosts of The Flop House. Elliott Kalan, Dan McCoy and Stuart Wellington are longtime friends who have been expressing their kinship by offering hilarious takes on cinematic train wrecks for our podcasting pleasure since 2007. Portlanders are in for a treat because at the trio’s Aladdin Theater tour stop they will be discussing the 1991 Vanilla Ice opus Cool As Ice. Other targets on their West Coast swing include 1986 Sylvester Stallone action-trash classic Cobra and Bennifer’s legendary 2003 mega-flop Gigli. Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., 503-234-9694, aladdin-theater.com. 8 pm Thursday, Jan. 25. $25.
WATCH: Hairspray and Polyester
Celebrate director and cultural icon John Waters at the Tomorrow Theater with a double feature of Waters’ filthiest hits. First up is the surprise crossover hit Hairspray about a teenager (Ricki Lake) achieving her dream of becoming a regular dancer on The Corny Collins Show with a backdrop of 1960s racial tensions. Next up is the twisted tale of Polyester, a story about a suburban housewife played by screen legend Divine. In classic Waters fashion, her world falls apart when she finds that her pornographer husband is cheating, her daughter is pregnant, and her son is suspected of being the foot fetishist who has been breaking local women’s feet. Free drawn-on mustache with each ticket purchase! Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St., 503-221-1156, tomorrowtheater.org. Hairspray at 6 pm, Polyester at 9 pm Friday, Jan. 26. $15.
GO: Portland Fine Print Fair: Benefit Preview
Get a sneak peek at the Portland Art Museum’s prints before the general public gets a chance. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, wine and priority purchasing from 15 dealers exhibiting fine prints from Old Master to contemporary. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the activities and acquisitions of the Department of Prints and Drawings. They’ll proudly be displayed for the 11th year in the historic Fields Ballroom at the most comprehensive print fair on the West Coast, according to PAM. Whether you’re a true connoisseur or just someone who likes cool art, beauty is in the eye of the beholder at this preview. Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave., 503-226-2811, portlandartmuseum.org. 6-9 pm Friday, Jan. 26. $50-$65.
LISTEN: The 2024 PCSO Spectacular at the Reser
Last year’s special guest vocalist Jimmie Herrod is back for the Portland Columbia Symphony’s signature concert. Bloco Alegria, Portland’s Rio-style samba band will bring the heat and the beat of Brazil to the stage, while Herrod wows. The PCSO Spectacular showcases the symphony’s mission to make orchestral music fun and accessible for everyone in this “celebration of both virtuosity and versatility.” Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, 12625 SW Crescent St., Beaverton. 971-501-7722, thereser.org. 7:30 pm Saturday, Jan. 27. $19–$59.
GO: The Stupidest Bitch Pageant: The Finale
The Clinton Street Theater has combed the Pacific Northwest for seven finalists to battle it out for the coveted title at this crazy annual competition, which is also a fundraiser for Pious Projects, providing direct humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The finale of this two-day pageant will “discover who is so wild, so unhinged, so twisted, and so hilarious that they will win the tiniest crown in Portland,” at least for a year. Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St., 971-808-3331, cstpdx.com. 7 pm Friday, Jan. 26. $15.