"THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART" By Artist's Rep @ The Tiffany Center

The Tiffany Center is the best ART On Tour benue yet. The immersiveness of the show, taking place on all sides of the ballroom "pub"is innovative, as is the idea of eating a pre-show meal pf pub-fare pre-curtain. But, sometimes one performer steals the whole show. In this case, that actor is Darius Pierce. It would be a monumental spoiler to reveal to you what role he really playsm but as one of Portland's most fully-committed actors, who seems most comfortable in odd roles that allow him to let genuine strangeness shine through, this is a role he was born to play. His big-reveal occurs at the very end of Act I, just as the comedy mined from Academic Politics was growing a little tiresome. His performance lends the show some badly needed momentum. It's worth seeing the show for, all by itself.

"It Happened One Christmas," @ Broadway Rose

With "It Happened One Christmas," Broadway Rose reclaims its rightful place on the Nice List. For years on end, Broadway Rose has been the go-to theatre for holiday cheer. Then came last year's "A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol"a show with a decidedly melancholy tone. I remember that a few audience members were not shy in expressing their disappointment in the shift. Much of this was surely due to the fact that audiences had come to count on Broadway Rose as the one theatre seemingly immune to the impulse to skew their holiday production in any direction other than festive. I'm happy to report that "It Happened One Christmas" has them back on the right track. I'll be sure to inform Santa. Also, if memory serves, there seem to be quite a few new songs in this one, which is always nice. If you want to get into the spirit of the Season, this is where to go.