Chris Ensweiler News

If you're going to tell a story, especially one based on a real event, you need to decide who the story is about, what you are trying to tell and why are you trying to tell it. And those are just a few of the downfalls with the new play from Ana Brown and Andrew Russell "John Baxter is a Switch Hitter" currently from Intiman Theatre.

When local gay softball league favorites the Seattle Fireflies go up against the champion San Francisco Hornets, an all-American pastime turns into an impromptu inquisition as one team halts the game to accuse their opponent of having too many 'straight ringers' on their roster.

When local gay softball league favorites the Seattle Fireflies go up against the champion San Francisco Hornets, an all-American pastime turns into an impromptu inquisition as one team halts the game to accuse their opponent of having too many "straight ringers" on their roster.

A series of journal entries may work well as a literary device but as a theatrical endeavor it tends to fall flat. Unfortunately, Village Theatre's current stage interpretation of Jules Verne's famous novel "Around the World in 80 Days" falls into the latter category as the storytelling gets itself mired in such a passive voice that it just wasn't very interesting.

Oh my! It's been a hell of a year for the Seattle Theatre scene and I can say we've been quite fortunate to see the incredible shows we have. So many amazing shows in fact that picking just a few stand outs (let alone a "best") is a near impossibility. But I have searched the deep dark recesses of my memory to find the shows and performances that really stood out and stuck with me beyond the evening and throughout the year. And so, without further ado, I'm thrilled to present the BWW 2014 Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (or Jay's Picks). Let the awesomeness flow!

Two tramps waiting by a tree in the middle of nowhere does not sound like the most engaging evening of theater. But when it comes from the absurdist mind of Samuel Beckett, you have one of the most thought provoking plays of the 20th century with his brilliant, "Waiting for Godot". But it's still not always engaging unless you have the right team putting it up. Fortunately Director George Mount has assembled a superb cast with an excellent take on the show that keeps it completely riveting.

Seattle Shakespeare Company's WAITING FOR GODOT by Samuel Beckett will be directed by George Mount at the Falls Theatre at ACT Theatre, 700 Union Street, Seattle, WA. The show opens tonight, September 5, 2014, and plays through Sunday, September 21, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Performance and reality blend into an imaginative landscape in Seattle Shakespeare Company's production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. Directed by George Mount, Waiting for Godot launches the company's 2014-2015 indoor season in September. Waiting for Godot is part of the city-wide Seattle Beckett Fest running August through November 2014.

In my opinion One Act plays are an underutilized form in the theatrical world. Too short to take up an entire evening's entertainment and so they get overlooked. Thankfully ACT has chosen not to shy away from the form with their current offering, "An Evening of One Acts" and has even chosen works by some iconic American authors. And while the evening was loaded with quirky fun, two of the one acts felt as if they could have ended a few times over and ran a bit long.

A full plate of theatre portioned out in three short plays, ACT - A Contemporary Theatre presents An Evening of One Acts. The line-up begins with a curtain raiser by Steve Martin, Patter for the Floating Lady, followed by Woody Allen's Riverside Drive, and the evening culminates with Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand. All three plays deliver an experience that will stretch the imagination with magic, surprise, wonder, and a dose of science fiction fantasy.

A full plate of theatre portioned out in three short plays, ACT - A Contemporary Theatre presents An Evening of One Acts. The line-up begins with a curtain raiser by Steve Martin, Patter for the Floating Lady, followed by Woody Allen's Riverside Drive, and the evening culminates with Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand. All three plays deliver an experience that will stretch the imagination with magic, surprise, wonder, and a dose of science fiction fantasy.

If you've seen it you know you love it. "August: Osage County" has got to be one of the most powerful stories to grace the stage in quite some time. And soon everyone will love it as it's about to be turned into a movie due out next November with a powerhouse cast. But until that time you can still visit with the Westons right here in Seattle with the regional premiere of this stunning work brilliantly put up by Balagan Theatre.

It's always a risk when a professional company such as the Rep dusts off an old chestnut such as "Inspecting Carol". I mean, it's kind of become a go to Christmas show for hundreds of regional theaters and might be a little dated. But I can understand why since it was created at the Rep back in 1991 by then Artistic Director Daniel Sullivan and the Seattle Repertory Theatre Resident Company. And while the remount this year definitely had some laughs, overall it felt clunky and filled with holes and didn't deliver the constant barrage of gut busters I was expecting.

It's difficult when you have an iconic show to work with such as "The Producers" currently playing at Village Theatre. The Mel Brooks classic movie turned Mel Brooks mega hit stage musical turned Mel Brooks movie musical is definitely a big piece of musical theater history. Add in huge stars like Gene Wilder, Zero Mostel, Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane to that history and the result of subsequent productions can vary from bland imitation to just plain not in the same league to the other end of the spectrum with spot on awesome, but you'll always kind of compare with the original. Well, luckily the Village production is on that latter end of the spectrum. With their couldn't-be-better-if-they-tried cast they manage an amazing show and even a few departures along the way that only made it stronger.

ACT -A Contemporary Theatre rings in 2012 with new and continuing efforts that recognize achievements in outstanding playwriting and create the atmosphere for the development of new work. Playwright Angus MacLachlan (author of the highly acclaimed film Junebug) is named the 2012 ACT New Play Award winner for Abundant Acreage Available. Two FREE staged readings will be presented in ACT's Bullitt Cabaret February 25-26, 2012. Immediately following each reading are post-play discussions with the playwright and the director, Anita Montgomery.

ACT -A Contemporary Theatre rings in 2012 with new and continuing efforts that recognize achievements in outstanding playwriting and create the atmosphere for the development of new work. Playwright Angus MacLachlan (author of the highly acclaimed film Junebug) is named the 2012 ACT New Play Award winner for Abundant Acreage Available. Two FREE staged readings will be presented in ACT's Bullitt Cabaret February 25-26, 2012. Immediately following each reading are post-play discussions with the playwright and the director, Anita Montgomery.

Village Theatre announced today casting for its upcoming production of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, which opens January 18 in Issaquah.

There are many words I can use to describe Seattle Shakespeare Company's current production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". But the one word that kept popping up so many times while watching it was "HOT!" This production is just plain hot as director Sheila Daniels has put together a fearless production that puts in all the love, lust and sex you could ask for while also throwing in a bit of a twist and still keeping Shakespeare's ethereal comedy true to itself and fun as hell.

There are many words I can use to describe Seattle Shakespeare Company's current production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". But the one word that kept popping up so many times while watching it was "HOT!" This production is just plain hot as director Sheila Daniels has put together a fearless production that puts in all the love, lust and sex you could ask for while also throwing in a bit of a twist and still keeping Shakespeare's ethereal comedy true to itself and fun as hell.