Seattle Theater Reviews Page 5

Review: JAGGED LITTLE PILL at The Paramount Theatre
by Jay Irwin - November 09, 2022

Dear Readers, I’m going to offer up a few unpopular opinions of mine. First, I’m not a huge fan of Alanis Morissette. Not that I dislike her, but her album of “Jagged Little Pill” was never my jam. And second, the jukebox musical “Jagged Little Pill”, currently playing at the Paramount Theatre, that...

Review: MACBETH from Seattle Shakespeare
by Jay Irwin - October 29, 2022

In this time of year with black cats, ghouls and ghosts, and things that go bump in the night, it stands to reason that Seattle Shakespeare would bring out one of the bloodier and creepier of Shakespeare’s canon, “Macbeth”, or “the Scottish play” as it’s known by superstitious theater folk who don’t...

Review: THE GLASS MENAGERIE at Original Theatre Black Dog
by Kelly Rogers Flynt - October 23, 2022

THE GLASS MENAGERIE invites you to lean in and join the world of the Wingfield Family. Hopes and fears trouble the waters of an uncertain future with equal measure. The ties that bind us can bring us closer, but they can also prevent us from growing. THE GLASS MENAGERIE explores the multitude of emo...

Review: LA TOFANA'S POISON EMPORIUM at Macha Theatre Works
by Jay Irwin - October 16, 2022

A world premiere play, set in the 1650’s, that resonates so much with today? That’s what we currently have from Macha Theatre Works with their production of “La Tofana’s Poison Emporium”. While this piece presents an actual murderess/savior from history, it also, deftly correlates to the woes of tod...

Review: THIS IS HALLOWEEN at The Can Can
by Jay Irwin - October 15, 2022

The Can Can, Seattle’s fabulous burlesque house, celebrates the 15th anniversary of their collaboration with The Triple Door by bringing back their ode to Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” with their tantalizing “This Is Halloween”. And while this naughty nightmare has much of what you’d...

Review: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at The Paramount Theatre
by Jay Irwin - October 12, 2022

Chances are you were forced to read Harper Lee’s classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird” in school. And why not, it’s stunning. But have you seen the recent Broadway adaptation? This adaptation from the amazing Aaron Sorkin, directed by Bartlett Sher, currently playing at the Paramount Theater, takes all t...

Review: THE FOREIGNER at As If Theatre
by Kelly Rogers Flynt - October 08, 2022

THE FOREIGNER at As If Theatre provides a farcical romp of entertainment while yet managing to deliver a poignant message on racism and fear of others that remains as relevant today as when Shue wrote it forty years ago. Thoroughly seeded with absurdities and archetypes, the play offers easy laughs....

Review: A WHITE HAUNTING at MAP Theatre
by Jay Irwin - October 08, 2022

If you’ve ever seen a MAP Theatre show, Dear Readers, then you know they tend toward the odd little stories laced with humor, but ultimately fairly dark and twisted. But you also know they tend to do those odd little stories, quite well. Their current production of Brian Dang’s “A White Haunting” is...

Review: WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME at Seattle Rep
by Jay Irwin - October 06, 2022

The problem with a one person show, Dear Readers, or even a mostly one-person show is that often the author can tend to ramble. They get lost in their own exorcising of whatever demons they’re trying to get out and go on tangent after tangent. Heidi Schreck, author of “What the Constitution Means to...

Review: CLOUD TECTONICS from Sound Theatre Company And Earthseed
by Jay Irwin - September 25, 2022

Dear Readers, I am a sucker for both a sweet love story and even more so when we mix in a little magical realism. Movies like “Amelie” or plays like “O Lovely Glowworm, or Scenes of Great Beauty” are some of my favorites. So, something like Jose Rivera’s “Cloud Tectonics”, currently playing at 12th ...

Review: A NIGHT WITH THE RUSSELLS at Taproot Theatre
by Kelly Rogers Flynt - September 25, 2022

The air is electric. The room is filled with smiles, greetings, hugs, and a huge amount of anticipation. From bated breath to roaring cheers, the audience welcomed the Russells onto the stage. The stories and songs shared by Faith Bennet Russell, Be Russell, and Sarah Russell turned the evening from...

Review: THE GRISWOLDS' BROADWAY VACATION at The 5th Avenue Theatre
by Jay Irwin - September 23, 2022

The Griswolds’ have been to Wally World, they’ve visited family for Christmas, and they’ve nearly destroyed Europe on their vacations. And now, they’ve loaded up the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and are hitting Broadway in the new musical at the 5th Avenue Theatre, “The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation”...

Review: CHOIR BOY at ACT Theatre
by Jay Irwin - September 22, 2022

Dear Readers, I’m going to set the “Way Back Machine” to 2011 where I was first introduced to the works of playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney as the Seattle Rep had produced his stunning “The Brothers Size”, a show that hit me so hard in the gut that I think about it to this day. And while I was still...

Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Village Theatre
by Jay Irwin - September 18, 2022

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s “Little Shop of Horrors” is arguably one of those near perfect musicals. I will argue with you on this from now until the plants take over the earth as it remains my absolute favorite. But it needs to be done right. That’s not to say it needs to be done the same way e...

Review: MOUSETRAP at Driftwood Theater
by Kelly Rogers Flynt - September 17, 2022

A secluded inn full of guests, a massive snow storm, and a murderer on the loose combine into a delicious murder mystery, masterfully written by Agatha Christie, and delightfully produced by the Driftwood Players. Secrets abound and people are not who they appear to be....

Review: WHERE WE BELONG at Seattle Rep
by Jay Irwin - September 15, 2022

The history of colonization of indigenous lands in this country and other countries is a sensitive subject that many shy away from. But then to look at it from the viewpoint of those that have been displaced goes a long way to recognizing the issues and keep them from continuing. Madeline Sayet and ...

Review: NONSENSE AND BEAUTY at Theatre22
by Jay Irwin - September 10, 2022

What did our critic think of NONSENSE AND BEAUTY at Theatre22?...

Review: THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL at The Can Can
by Jay Irwin - September 08, 2022

The Can Can is back, Dear Readers, with their ode to all things that go bump and grind in the night, “The Hitchcock Hotel”. And just like past offerings, they continue to up their game with this new spooky, sexy show....

Review: ALMOST, MAINE at Heart Repertory Theatre
by Kelly Rogers Flynt - September 04, 2022

ALMOST, MAINE at Heart Repertory Theatre beckons us to stop a while and enjoy a brief time of shared moments with average people in average situations, a slice of life if you will. Through the sharing of these moments, Heart Rep reminds us of the universal threads that connect our experiences to tho...

Review: HAMILTON at The Paramount Theatre
by Jay Irwin - August 05, 2022

The juggernaut, the glory, the hot ticket in town has returned. Yes, “Hamilton”, that multiple Tony Award winning phenomenon that’s still a big seller on Broadway has made its way back to Seattle and, good news, you have a bit over a month to catch it. Even better news, they’re doing the lottery f...

Review: COME FROM AWAY at 5th Avenue Theatre
by Jay Irwin - July 23, 2022

Dear Readers, if you feel you don’t want/need to see the musical “Come From Away”, currently playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre, I’m here to tell you, you’re wrong....

Review: TITANISH at Seattle Public Theater
by Jay Irwin - July 16, 2022

The Habit has done it again! First, they wowed us with their hilarious sketch comedy, then branched out into sidesplitting playwrighting with the recurring “A Very Die Hard Christmas”, not to mention their “Indiana Jones” send up. But now The Habit in conjunction with Seattle Public Theater have s...

Review: BLACK COFFEE at Taproot Theatre
by Kelly Rogers Flynt - July 16, 2022

Something missing, someone dead, many with motives, and none telling the whole truth. Taproot Theatre invites you to lean in and study the scene. With a marvelous set, dynamic characters, and some unexpected humor, Black Coffee is a delightful romp through Agatha Christie’s world of mystery....

Review: HADESTOWN at The Paramount Theatre
by Jay Irwin - July 13, 2022

Dear Readers, every now and again something comes through town that takes musical theater to a whole new level. The Tony Award winner for Best Musical “Hadestown”, currently playing at the Paramount Theatre is one of those shows. And sadly, even with its Tony win, too few people know about it. Le...

Review: LIZZIE from Just Us Girls & Co.
by Jay Irwin - June 25, 2022

Dear Readers, if you’re not familiar with the rock musical “Lizzie” with music by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt and Lyrics by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer and Tim Maner then I pity you. This kick ass, girl power show has one of the most infectious scores that I’ve come across in years. ...