Frommer’s Seattle day by day

Best Place to Hear Chamber Music One Night and a Talk on Religion in Politics the Next

The Pacific Northwest Ballet.

The Comedy Underground PIONEER SQUARE Comics from around the country keep the audience in stitches here every night of the week. The roster includes winners of regional comedy contests, late-night TV guests, and up-and-comers. The historic club is headquarters for the Seattle International Comedy Competition. 109 S. Washington St.

206/628-0303. www.comedyunderground.com. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 85, 99. Map p 147.

Experience Music Project The EMP hosts live concerts in its beautiful Sky Church auditorium; check the website for a calendar of events and ticket prices. 325 5th Ave. N.

206/770-2700. Ticket prices vary. Monorail or Bus: 3, 16, 30, 82. Map p 147.

Town Hall FIRST HILL From chamber music to science lectures to political discussions, you never know what you might hear at Town Hall, Seattle’s cultural gathering place–despite the name, it is not connected to city government. The beautifully restored Roman-revival building houses two performance halls. 1119 8th Ave.

206/652-4255. www.townhallseattle.org. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 2, 12. Map p 147.

The Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

Zootunes FREMONT Every summer, locals head to Woodland Park Zoo one evening during the week to lounge on a grassy meadow and hear concerts by old favorites and new groups. You might hear anyone from Art Garfunkel to Roseanne Cash. The concert starts at 6, just inside the northern zoo gate. Lots of folks bring picnic baskets and low chairs or towels, but food is also available. You can buy tickets at the zoo, but many concerts sell out, so check the website in advance. N. 59th St. & Evanston Ave.

206/548-2500, ext.1164. www.zoo.org/zootunes. Prices vary but are reasonable; kids 12 & under free. Bus: 5, 82. Map p 147.

Pacific Northwest Ballet QUEEN ANNE One of the country’s largest and most acclaimed ballet companies, the PNB gives more than 100 performances a year, mostly at the beautiful Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, culminating in the beloved Nutcracker—complete with spectacular Maurice Sendak sets—over the holidays. 321 Mercer St.

206/684-7200. www.pnb.org. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 3, 16, 82. Map p 147.

UW World Series UNIVERSITY DISTRICT The University of Washington brings in world-class dancers, musicians, and other artists from around the globe to perform at Meany Hall on the UW campus. The season runs October through May. UW Arts Ticket Office: 3901 University Way NE. Meany Hall is on the west side of the UW campus. 15th Ave. NE & NE 40th.

206/543-4880. www.uwworldseries.org. Tickets $30–$55; $20 students (advance). Bus: 25, 43, 49, 70. Map p 147.

The Paramount Theatre.

Can Can PIKE PLACE MARKET This avant-garde cabaret venue is for the daring and open-minded. It’s on the cutting edge of neo-burlesque. Dinner/show packages are available, and there is also a happy hour menu. Can Can brings in local and national acts, and also has its own house cabaret troupe. Almost anything can happen here! 94 Pike St.

206/652-0832. www.thecancan.com. Show $5–$10. Bus: 19, 99, 113, 121, 122. Map p 147.

The Pink Door Cabaret PIKE PLACE MARKET There’s almost always something out of the ordinary going on here, be it a trapeze artist or accordion player. But Saturday nights are reserved for the fun and naughty burlesque show in the lounge, which starts at 11pm and incorporates cross-dressing and elements of striptease. Come earlier and you can enjoy a delicious Italian meal in the dining room before the show. 1919 Post Alley.

206/443-3241. www.thepinkdoor.net. Cover for burlesque show $15. Bus: 10, 99, 113, 121, 122. Map p 147.

A performer at Teatro ZinZanni.

Teatro ZinZanni QUEEN ANNE Talk about overstimulation! This incredible spectacle of sights and sounds, set inside a huge tent, is accompanied by a first-class five-course meal by none other than legendary Seattle Chef Tom Douglas. This 3-hour mix of acrobatics, circus acts, cabaret, comedy, and audience interaction must be experienced to be believed. Teatro is housed in a spectacular building just across from McCaw Hall. 222 Mercer St.

206/802-0015. www.zinzanni.com. Showtimes 6:30pm Thurs–Sat (& some Wed); 5:30pm Sun. Tickets $99–$165 depending on day & seating area. ($10/ticket more in Dec.) Bus: 1, 2, 8, 13, 15. Map p 147.

Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley hosts some of jazz’s finest acts.

Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley BELLTOWN If you’re a jazz-lover, don’t miss Dimitriou’s while you’re in town. The lineup of world-class performers at this large, yet somehow intimate, dinner/jazz club never fails to amaze. 2033 6th Ave.

206/441-9729. www.jazzalley.com. Ticket prices vary; check website. South Lake Union Street Car 98, Bus: 25, 123, 250, 252. Map p 147.

The Triple Door DOWNTOWN Jazz is just part of the attraction at this hot club, known for its eclectic roster of performers. Its offerings even include chamber music by a group of musicians from the Seattle Symphony. 216 Union St.

206/838-4333. www.tripledoor.com. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 143, 157, 158, 159, 161. Map p 147.

Seattle Opera QUEEN ANNE Housed in the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, this fine company performs the great operatic repertoire and an acclaimed “Ring” cycle every 4 years. 321 Mercer St.

206/389-7676. www.seattleopera.org. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 3, 16, 82. Map p 147.

5th Avenue Theatre DOWNTOWN This elegant playhouse produces some of the liveliest theater in Seattle, including original and Broadway-bound shows and Broadway musicals. 1308 5th Ave.

206/625-1900. www.5thavenue.org. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 250, 252, 257, 260, 261. Map p 147.

ACT (A Contemporary Theatre) DOWNTOWN The focus at this energetic venue is on newer plays and playwrights, rather than the classics. 700 Union St.

206/292-7676. www.acttheatre.org. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 306, 312, 522. Map p 147.

The Moore Theatre DOWNTOWN Seattle’s oldest theater, the Moore hosts some of its edgier acts. It’s always a diverse lineup; you might see anyone from cross-dressing Dame Edna to Ladysmith Black Mambazo—with perhaps a children’s play scheduled in between. 1932 2nd Ave.

206/467-5510. www.stgpresents.org. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 10, 25, 99, 113, 121. Map p 147.

A performance by the Seattle Opera.

Cheap Tickets

If you want to catch a show in town but don’t have tickets, try the theater box office—you can sometimes score a great deal an hour before a performance. But first try www.goldstar.com (click on “Seattle” at the bottom of the page), where you can get discounted deals on many local shows, as well as on lake and harbor cruises.

Paramount Theatre DOWNTOWN From Broadway to rock shows, the Paramount offers superb entertainment in a glamorous historic setting. 911 Pine St.

206/467-5510. www.stgpresents.org. Ticket prices vary. Bus: 10, 11, 14, 43, 49. Map p 147.

Seattle Repertory Theatre The Rep’s offerings tend to be important, beautifully performed literary and artistic productions. The theater itself is an elegant venue, located at Seattle Center. 155 Mercer St.

206/443-2222. www.seattlerep.org. Prices vary; check with box office or on the website. Bus: 1, 2, 8, 13, 15. Map p 147.

Showbox PIKE PLACE MARKET One of Seattle’s premier music clubs, the legendary Showbox has a lot going for it: great bands, elbowroom, good acoustics, and lots of all-ages shows. (The under-21s have their own section.) Around since 1939, the ballroom has hosted everyone from Duke Ellington to Pearl Jam. There is also a Showbox in the Sodo district. Market location: 1426 1st Ave. Sodo: 1700 1st Ave. S. Info line for both:

206/628-3151. www.showboxonline.com. Ticket prices vary by event; check website. Bus: 99, 113, 121, 122, 143. Map p 147. •

A performance of The Women at ACT.