Tanesha Ross

While millions of people are becoming accustomed to virtual gatherings and live streaming of music events during the current coronavirus pandemic, for the non-profit Melodic Caring Project (www.melodiccaring.org), it has been a way of life throughout its nearly 10-year history. The Seattle-based 501c3 charity has been bringing personalized live music performances by a wide range of touring artists directly to the hospital beds of sick children in various forms of isolation or quarantine since 2011. 

John Kander and Fred Ebb's a?oeCabareta?? is a bit of a perplexing show for me. Perplexing in that it's done quite often, and it shouldn't be. It should only be done if you can do justice to the story. With a book by Joe Masteroff and based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood, the themes in the play are complex and dark with a bite underlying the sweetness and fun. And when combined with Kander and Ebb's songs which tell stories all on their own, the show has promise to be a gut punch. Unfortunately, the current production from the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society, while having some wonderful voices, continually misses the mark on the story making the show an uneven revue of fun numbers but no depth.

A thrillingly fresh production of the iconic musical CABARET will come to life for a limited run in an immersive Berlin cabaret setting at 12th Avenue Arts. The beloved and devastating story and score have captivated audiences around the world and will receive a ground-breaking new staging from director Phil Lacey and choreographer Alyza DelPan-Monley.

Before any theater company even considers attempting Elton John and Tim Rice's rock musical "Aida", they need to have, at the very least, four things in place. An awesome band to back up the amazing ensemble. A dashing Radames and a larger than life Amneris, both with fantastic pipes of their own, and of course a killer Aida who can handle the powerful, belt your face off in the back-row songs she has to sing throughout. Enter Seattle Musical Theatre who has had a rocky time of it as of late but has been struggling to make a comeback. And with their current production of "Aida" and I'm thrilled to report from that list; check, check, check, and CHECK!!! Now before we move on I must inform you that thanks to Snowmageddon 2019, Seattle Musical Theatre had to cancel their entire opening weekend of this production, and by the time this is up after me seeing it over the second weekend you'll only have one weekend left. Start making plans for seeing it during that weekend while you read the rest of this.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Seattle Musical Theatre presents Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA.  Based on Verdi's beloved 19th century opera, AIDA is a story of forbidden love set on the banks of the Nile. Conflict between Egypt and Nubia gives birth to star-crossed lovers Aida and Radames. Together they must decide to follow their hearts or lead their people

It's a whole new year with a whole new slate of fabulous theater coming to Seattle and the surrounding areas. So many exciting shows ready to thrill and astound us, make us laugh and cry. And so, I thought I'd let you in on the Top 10 shows coming up that I'm most excited about (actually 11 since I couldn't narrow it down to 10 but 'Top 10' sounded better) in chronological order.

It's never been one of my favorite shows to begin with. I mean I enjoy "In the Heights" for what it is, I was excited about it when it first came out since it was fresh and new and not based on a movie, but it's never been one of those shows that I get all giddy about when one of its songs comes on my iPod. It's entertaining but nothing that wows me. And the same thing could be said for the current production at Village Theatre. It was entertaining enough but nothing quite blew my doors off.

IN THE HEIGHTS, featuring Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, plays at the Village Theatre in Issaquah, WA, tonight, September 18 through October 26, followed by a run in Everett from October 31 to November 23, 2014. Among the cast members are original National Tour stars Perry Young (Usnavi) and Kyle Robert Carter (Benny).

IN THE HEIGHTS, featuring Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, plays at the Village Theatre in Issaquah, WA, September 18 through October 26, followed by a run in Everett from October 31 to November 23, 2014. Among the cast members are original National Tour stars Perry Young (Usnavi) and Kyle Robert Carter (Benny).

This week at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, February 4-10, 2013, features Cutting Edge Composers, Richard Thompson, Diane Cluck, Losers Lounge, Lady Rizo, Nora York and Joey Arias.

After sold out shows at the Canal Room, the Laurie Beechman, and NYMF, Cutting-Edge Composers will be presented at Joe's Pub on Monday, February 4th at 7:00pm. $25 tickets can be purchased at www.joespub.com.

Each week Joe's Pub at The Public presents some of New York City's most eclectic programming ranging from world to classical, pop, singer-songwriter, jazz and more. At the center of Joe's Pub's genre-blind booking is The Public Theater's mission to bring world-class performance to New York City's diverse cultural community.

After sold out shows at the Canal Room, the Laurie Beechman, and NYMF, Cutting-Edge Composers will be at Joe's Pub on Monday, February 4th at 7:00pm at Joe's Pub in New York City. $25 tickets can be purchased at www.joespub.com. Up-and-coming musical theater writers are teamed with Broadway's hottest performers in this concert series directed and produced by Laura Pietropinto (Next to Normal) and co-produced by Jillian Robbins with Musical Direction by Julie McBride.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU), now celebrating its 21st year as a not-for-profit service organization, has announced a lineup of Broadway stars performing at their annual TRU Love Benefit, Making the Impossible Possible!. The previously announced honorees include producer Van Dean of The Broadway Consortium; director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell for his work with Broadway Bares; and legendary downtown entrepreneur Edith O'Hara and the 13th Street Repertory Company. The event will take place tonight, November 11th at the brand new midtown Lucky Cheng's at 240 W. 52nd Street, with generous sponsorship support from Peroni Beer, The Players Theatre, Pure Audio Systems and open captioning for people with hearing loss provided by C2 Caption Coalition. The festivities begin at noon with wine, drinks and appetizers served as only the Lucky Cheng's girls can serve them, followed by a luncheon at 1pm and the awards ceremony and performances at 2pm.

Tony & Drama Desk nominated Gabriel Barre (Lippa's Wild Party) will direct and Louis Hobson will produce the developmental workshop of David Klein's new play, Synchro, with a invite-only reading in New York today, November 9th.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) has announced that Stark Sands, star of TV (Six Feet Under), movies (Pack of Dogs, Shall We Dance) and stage (American Idiot, Tony nominee for the Broadway revival of Journey's End) will be offering up a preview of the new incoming musical Kinky Boots by Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein at the 2012 TRU Love Benefit. The event will be held Sunday, November 11th with cocktails and hors d'ouevres at noon, luncheon at 1pm and performances at 2pm. Attendees will get a preview of a new Broadway song as well as a new venue: it all takes place at the wild and notorious Lucky Cheng's, which only just recently opened its new branch at 240 W. 52nd Street in New York's theater district.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU), now celebrating its 21st year as a not-for-profit service organization, has announced a lineup of Broadway stars performing at their annual TRU Love Benefit, Making the Impossible Possible!.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU), now celebrating its 21st year as a not-for-profit service organization, has announced a lineup of Broadway stars performing at their annual TRU Love Benefit, Making the Impossible Possible!. The previously announced honorees include producer Van Dean of The Broadway Consortium; director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell for his work with Broadway Bares; and legendary downtown entrepreneur Edith O'Hara and the 13th Street Repertory Company. The event will take place Sunday November 11th at the brand new midtown Lucky Cheng's at 240 W. 52nd Street, with generous sponsorship support from Peroni Beer, The Players Theatre, Pure Audio Systems and open captioning for people with hearing loss provided by C2 Caption Coalition. The festivities begin at noon with wine, drinks and appetizers served as only the Lucky Cheng's girls can serve them, followed by a luncheon at 1pm and the awards ceremony and performances at 2pm.

Tony & Drama Desk nominated Gabriel Barre (Lippa's Wild Party) will direct and Louis Hobson will produce the developmental workshop of David Klein's new play, Synchro, with a invite-only reading in New York on November 9th.