Jay Irwin - Page 44

Saturday night I went to a party. I wasn't sure what to expect at this party but when I got there I saw that two old friends were there. These are the kind of friends everyone wants to have as they are the coolest people you know. And when they come to a party you know you'll have a good time as Kevin will always tell the best stories and Simone will always sing the most wonderful songs. OK, so it wasn't a party I went to it was the Seattle Rep's extremely limited run (only two performances) of Kevin Kling and Simone Perrin in "A Fool's Paradise". But from the moment they stepped on stage, it felt like we were at a party with old friends and that there was nowhere on Earth we would rather be.

If you choose to take a date (first or otherwise) to the new World Premiere musical "First Date" currently being presented at ACT and co-produced through ACT and the 5th Avenue Theatre, you may end up getting quite sentimental and mushy towards your date as the evening wears on. Or you may end up breaking up as you laugh a little too hard at some of the baggage of these characters that hits a little too close to home. Either way, you're bound to have a good time (at least until the fighting begins) at this fun and funny bit of cotton candy.

Right from the moment we first meet Aphra (Kirsten Potter) at the top of the Seattle Rep's current production of "Or," by Liz Duffy Adams, we know we are in for one hell of a ride. And what a ride it is! This deliciously naughty look into one of the first female playwrights will keep you rolling with laughter while still managing an undercurrent of sweetness.

Religion vs. Science. Psychology vs. Faith. Such is the debate of the ages and specifically of two of the greatest minds of the 20th century, C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud with almost polar opposite attitudes. And such is the topic of the west coast premiere of the Off-Broadway hit "Freud's Last Session" currently playing at Taproot Theatre. An interesting discussion of two iconic figures but unfortunately not really enough variety to sustain for an evening.

Theatrically the questions of "What is art?" and "Can art be commercialized" are not new ones. But that is precisely what John Logan's Tony Award winning play "Red", currently playing at the Seattle Rep, is putting out there. And while not a new issue, the play still results in an interesting look into the mind of two artists, one established and one fledgling, and above all turns in some stellar performances from the actors involved.

A play is only as strong as its weakest link and when that link is the structure of the play then the rest will suffer immensely. Unfortunately Theater Schmeater's current show, "Lark Eden" suffers from that link and a few others. And while it has its moments, ultimately it's weighed down by some forced and cliche plot points and a structure that keeps betraying itself.

I don't mean to be cruel, dear readers, but I'm about to tell you about one of the most gloriously simple and quietly profound shows that you'll probably not get to see. "Holy Days" by Sally Nemeth from New Century Theatre Company stars some of the finest performers in the Seattle area at the top of their game in a play that's silent grace will stay with you long after it's over. Currently playing at Raisbeck Performance Hall, it unfortunately is only up for this weekend and if their ticketing website is any indication those shows are already close to sold out.

OK, so I'll admit I was hesitant to start reviewing at the Children's Theatre. But then at the urging of others and the insistence that they are putting up some of the better shows in town, I relented. And if their current offering, "A Single Shard", is any indication, then I seriously need to rethink my attitude. Yes, it's children's theater in that it's theater that's OK for children to see, but it's so much more and better than you may expect.

I don't mean to be cruel, dear readers, but I'm about to tell you about one of the most gloriously simple and quietly profound shows that you'll probably not get to see. "Holy Days" by Sally Nemeth from New Century Theatre Company stars some of the finest performers in the Seattle area at the top of their game in a play that's silent grace will stay with you long after it's over. Currently playing at Raisbeck Performance Hall, it unfortunately is only up for this weekend and if their ticketing website is any indication those shows are already close to sold out.

Village Theatre has a tradition of bringing up new musicals (often ones showcased in their Village Originals Festival) onto the Mainstage. Sometimes it works ("Next To Normal" or "Iron Curtain") and sometimes it doesn't ("Take Me America" from earlier this season) and sometimes you have a really promising show that just needs a little more time to cook. Such is the case with "It Shoulda Been You" currently playing at Village. An incredibly strong cast in a show that doesn't always hit the mark or flow the way it could.

There are some authors who just have a complete mastery of storytelling and the English language so that their works live on forever. No, oddly enough considering the source of the production, I am not talking about William Shakespeare but George Bernard Shaw. This is never more evident than in his master work, "Pygmalion" which is currently being presented by the Seattle Shakespeare Company. And as wonderful as the play itself is, Seattle Shakes current production is equally as rich and vibrant and pays full homage to the work and the man.

OK, so I'll admit I was hesitant to start reviewing at the Children's Theatre. But then at the urging of others and the insistence that they are putting up some of the better shows in town, I relented. And if their current offering, "A Single Shard", is any indication, then I seriously need to rethink my attitude. Yes, it's children's theater in that it's theater that's OK for children to see, but it's so much more and better than you may expect.

What do you do with a dated overdone musical that every High School on earth has done in order to make it fresh for a professional run? Well, you could pair up with a local dance theater to punch up those outrageous dance sequences to give the audience something new. That's exactly what the 5th Avenue Theatre did when they teamed up with Spectrum Dance Theater in order to try and polish up their production of "Oklahoma". The problem is that it punched up a bit too much and made it feel a bit too new. Luckily the leads of the show still knew how to tell the story and that's what made the show enjoyable.

For musical theaters "A Chorus Line" is pretty much the holy grail of musicals. Most people love it and it has some of the most iconic and recognizable songs and characters out there. But few theaters are brave enough to tackle it especially smaller regional or community theaters, and with good reason. You basically need an entire stage of ethnically diverse triple threats (amazing dancers, singers and actors) to pull it off. And while I don't think I saw any true triple threats at SMT's current production, I did see a few two and a halfs and a bunch of twos.

Theatrically the questions of "What is art?" and "Can art be commercialized" are not new ones. But that is precisely what John Logan's Tony Award winning play "Red", currently playing at the Seattle Rep, is putting out there. And while not a new issue, the play still results in an interesting look into the mind of two artists, one established and one fledgling, and above all turns in some stellar performances from the actors involved.

There are some authors who just have a complete mastery of storytelling and the English language so that their works live on forever. No, oddly enough considering the source of the production, I am not talking about William Shakespeare but George Bernard Shaw. This is never more evident than in his master work, "Pygmalion" which is currently being presented by the Seattle Shakespeare Company. And as wonderful as the play itself is, Seattle Shakes current production is equally as rich and vibrant and pays full homage to the work and the man.

Anyone who knows me knows of my love for Howard Ashman. I consider the time he, Alan Menken and Tim Rice worked on Disney movies to be the Golden Age of Disney Musicals with "The Little Mermaid", "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin". Unfortunately, try as they may, Disney's attempts at making stage musicals out of "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin" have been less than stellar. Thank God we have the gem that is "Beauty and the Beast" to keep Howard's legacy alive. And while over the years the stage version has been toned down for touring, the majority of the magic is still there and they even managed a few surprises for me in the current production at the Paramount Theatre.

It's not easy coming up with a new twist on a beloved classic especially a beloved children's classic such as E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web", but that's just what writer and director Brendan Mack and the folks at STAGEright have done with their current production of "Web". And while I felt the play could do with some editing and the production lacked a bit of focus at times, ultimately the show comes across as a fascinating reimagining and expansion of a tale of unconditional love.

When tackling a play such as "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead", as is currently being tackled by Seattle Public Theater, you need to make sure you have two powerhouse actors in the titular roles, especially when putting in the twist of casting women rather than the traditional men in the roles. Check! Mission accomplished there. And as amazing as these women are, I have to say the production could have used a little more variation in pace as it rarely wavered from the breakneck speed with which it began.

A con-man who expounds on his own piety only to eventually be discovered as the most unscrupulous hypocrite of them all. No this is not the latest Senatorial scandal from Washington DC, but the season opener for Taproot Theatre as they present Moliere's comedy in verse, "Tartuffe". And while at times I felt they went a little too broad with the characters and lacked focus, they still managed to turn in a raucous evening.