Lindsey Larson News

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!

One of the things I love about William Finn's shows is that he draws such rich and flawed characters which makes them all the more real and relatable. This is extremely true in his most popular work, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee", currently playing at Seattle Musical Theatre, where the kids of the Bee, as well as the adults, work through their own idiosyncrasies. But the lovely thing about the show is that since the subjects are children, they don't deny their flaws but embrace them as a part of themselves and use them to their advantage. And the cast and crew of the SMT production recognize that and never poke fun of the characters but embrace and love them as well and that's what makes this show an absolute joy.

Opera has long been considered at the epitome of class and sophistication. Well it's time to give up that idea as 'Jerry Springer: The Opera' has come to town from Balagan Theatre in association with Seattle Theatre Group, and they've taken the highbrow nature of Opera and defecated all over it. And guess what, it's awesome! And before you think this is just some crass parody with a lot of bathroom humor and sex jokes, well it is, but it's also a smart and meaningful show with soaring operatic performers who would (some of whom have) fit right in at Seattle Opera.

It's the day after Thanksgiving and suddenly I feel myself getting attacked from a Thanksgiving turkey. No, it's not my Sister's cooking but the world premiere offering from Balagan Theatre of "Thankskilling, The Musical". It's still the completely offensive and hilarious show I saw in the summer as part of Balagan's Summer New Works readings but now a little more fleshed out. And while the humor is still there the production felt it needed a little more cooking time. The bird was just a tad underdone.

Balagan Theatre will present the world premiere of ThanksKilling the musical, adapted from the eponymous cult-hit horror movie about a possessed turkey on a deadly mission to avenge his tortured ancestors, Friday, November 29, through Saturday, December 14, in the Cornish Playhouse Studio at Seattle Center. Single tickets are on sale now at balagantheatre.org.

It's not the happiest or most easily accessible of shows, which is probably why it's not often done. But those that know it and can allow the score to wash over them know "Floyd Collins" is an absolutely beautiful score with a somewhat hopeful yet heart aching story. And the folks over at STAGEright have once again taken their outside-the-box look at things and taken this piece on; a daunting task to stay the least. And while at times some of the power of the piece and performers was a bit lacking, they still manage some stunning moments in a solid production of an under sung gem.

Jeff Thompson, Jordan Mann and Balagan Theatre should be ashamed of themselves as last night they opened Balagan's New Works Summer Series with Thompson and Mann's musical horror spoof "Thankskilling" based on the indie horror film of the same name. It was crude, lowbrow, crass, offensive … and one of the funniest things I've seen in awhile.

Village Theatre opens its 2012-2013 with Big River. This Tony Award winning musical is unique among the Broadway musical cannon for its powerful Bluegrass/Country score. The music and lyrics for Big River are by legendary chart topping country singer-songwriter Roger Miller. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

At the top of the show for Village Theatre's production of "Big River, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" we are greeted with a quote from Mark Twain and the original book. "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot." And while clever, showing that quote at the top of the show doesn't excuse the fact that there is little through line or story arc to this production. There's a ton of talent performing throughout the evening but at times they felt like they were in different shows.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's epic voyage, The 5th Avenue Theatre is presenting Titanic: The Concert. With music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and book by Peter Stone, Titanic: The Concert is a unique way to celebrate the centennial of one of the most memorable events of the last century. Actors will sing with the support of a 25-piece orchestra and the 80 voices of the award-winning Pacific Lutheran University Choral Union. The story of the Titanic will come to life through music on The 5th Avenue stage on nights that coincide exactly with the ship's historic journey and tragic end.

Seattle Musical Theatre is starting off their new season of musicals through the decades with the 50's tuner, "The Pajama Game" by George Abbott, Richard Bissell, Richard Adler and Jerry Ross and direction from local theater veteran David Edward Hughes. With an evening full of fun and frothy numbers the watchword for the evening could really only be described as "hot" but in both good and bad ways.

Seattle Musical Theatre is starting off their new season of musicals through the decades with the 50's tuner, "The Pajama Game" by George Abbott, Richard Bissell, Richard Adler and Jerry Ross and direction from local theater veteran David Edward Hughes. With an evening full of fun and frothy numbers the watchword for the evening could really only be described as "hot" but in both good and bad ways.

Boston Conservatory Musical Theater students join the Boston Pops in celebrating Bernstein on Broadway as 123rd season opens at Symphony Hall

'New Voices 3,' presented on August 6, was the third in a series of showcase concerts giving voice to Seattle's next generation of musical theatre performers.