Jay Irwin - Page 6

A one-woman show is not easy. A show chronicling the loss of a loved one is even harder. To put the two together is a herculean task. But Melinda Lopez’s “Mala”, currently playing at Seattle Public Theater, attempts just that. And while at times it comes off as a little overly profound, Lopez and performer Pilar O’Connell manage to engage the audience beyond a simple tale of woe.

For a play to be a truly satisfying journey we need compelling characters, conflict between those characters and some kind of resolution to the conflict where the characters grow or are richer for the experience. And while ArtsWest’s World Premiere of Christian St. Croix’s “Monsters of the American Cinema” certainly has the first two elements it lacks the third making for an unsatisfying evening.

Dear Readers, some of you may remember the 1997 animated rendition of “Anastasia” that the current musical production at the Paramount is based on … loosely. We still have most of those lovely Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty songs from the animated version and the story is still about a young girl discovering that she is the lost Romanov daughter and trying to make her way to Paris to reunite with her grandmother. But don’t expect to see the magical immortal Rasputin as the villain or a wise cracking bat for comic relief. However, if you really wanted that animated version on stage, you may be in luck as many of the performances last night were inexplicably cartoonish in a show with a few memorable songs but a convoluted story that made little sense if you pay attention to it.

In life, Dear Readers, there are, if you’re lucky, moments of excitement and unbridled fun. If you’re really lucky, there are moments when you’re at a show at the Can Can with even more excitement and unbridled fun. And then there was last night when the audience was beyond lucky to witness an all-new production from the Can Can, “Ooh La La!”, that pushed that excitement and unbridled fun beyond the limits.

Dear Readers, before I talk about the current Seattle Rep production of Cheryl L. West’s, “Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer” I need to step up on my soapbox for a minute. And if what I’m about to talk about offends, then something tells me you wouldn’t want to see the show anyway, so you can just move on. But I need to address the lack of advance knowledge I had about Fannie Lou Hamer and the struggle for black people to get to vote in this country. A struggle that sadly still exists today, making this show quite timely. But the fact that this stain on our history, among others, are not readily taught in our schools is appalling and why the inclusion of Critical Race Theory needs to be included in our curriculum. We’re more than happy to talk about the atrocities of other countries but when it comes to our own, we look the other way. And I doubt I was the only one last night who wasn’t familiar with the works of Hamer and the horrors she endured. Something we all should think about. OK, off the soapbox, let’s talk about Fannie.

If you’re familiar with Jason Robert Brown’s song cycle, “Songs for a New World” then you know it needs a few crucial elements to be a success. You need killer voices, as there’s only four of them, but more importantly you need clear voices as the show is all sung through, and the stories are within the lyrics. Without that it could just be a muddled mess. Luckily the folks at Village were quite aware of this and cast four powerhouses who could carry the load. There were a few minor issues that we’ll get to but for the most part, four soaring voices. But beyond the talent, director Devanand Janki managed to tell these tales in such a way as to put a very relevant spin on them, making the evening all the more evocative.

It’s happening Dear Readers, it’s really happening! Theaters are starting to open back up. Well, they started last fall but now, with the new year, they’re really coming back strong. And so I thought we’d take a look at the Top 10 shows I’m looking forward to this year.

Dear Readers, let’s set the way-back machine to 1976, when a fledgling theater, ACT, put up their inaugural production of “A Christmas Carol”. Now I don’t know if I was at that one, but I very clearly remember being taken to the theater at around 7 or 8 years old to see “A Christmas Carol” at ACT when they were still down in Queen Anne. I remember being awe struck by the wizardry they could create on stage. Leaning over to my mom and asking, “How did that ghost just walk through the wall?” and my mom, being a good theater Mom saying, “Shhh, I’ll tell you after.” And thus began my love for theater. Now, several decades and one hiatus due to the pandemic later and ACT is back with that staple of holiday fare. And it’s just as magical as it ever was with a few updates to keep it up to the times.

Seattle’s Can Can brings back it’s holiday festival of magic and pasties with their dazzling “Wonderland”. But they’ve also brought back some blasts from the past with the return of favorite performers, Jordan Taylor and Madison Oliver, making this an evening with both old and new surprises.

Everyone has their holiday traditions, Dear Readers. Whether it’s trimming the tree or eight nights of presents, or ice skating with the ones you love, these are important events that make our holidays merry and bright. Well, last year, like with so many, our holiday traditions got replaced by staying away from everyone and many events being shut down due to … well, you know. But I’m overjoyed to say that one of my favorite holiday traditions is back this year and just as insane as ever, the annual production of “A Very Die Hard Christmas” from Jeff Schell and the folks from The Habit. Now for some bad news, the show is already completely sold out. But all is not lost as I have it on good authority from Mark Siano, the producer, writer, director, composer, and narrator of the piece, that they have a waitlist of no show tickets each night. But we’ll get into the details of that in a bit, first, to the show.

In Seattle we are blessed with an abundance of theatrical riches and none more welcome and prolific as composer and storyteller Justin Huertas. Ever since he burst on the scene in 2015 with the brilliant “Lizard Boy”, Huertas has continued to thrill audiences with his singular musical theater storytelling with shows such as “Howl’s Moving Castle”, “The Lamplighter” and “The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion”. Now he’s back at ArtsWest with his latest, “We’ve Battled Monsters Before” and, while it takes a bit of time to take off, it comes together nicely leaving the audience itching for more.

With the return of theater, we now see the return of the holiday favorites. Seattle Public Theater has two such offerings, both a departure from the usual holiday fare. We’ll get to the second one, “Die Hard”, when it returns next week. But for now, we focus on the gem that is Wayne Rawley’s “Christmastown: A Holiday Noir”. With three new cast members, the show is just as fun and thrilling as before.

Back in 2004, Tina Fey brought us the movie “Mean Girls”, a cute little teen comedy that could have been just another blip in a bevy of teen comedies were it not for the stellar writing of Ms. Fey and a killer cast. Because of that, the movie has become a bit of a classic in the genre. A shining example of how to do it right. Then Fey, along with husband Jeff Richmond for the music and Nell Benjamin for the lyrics chose to convert her classic into a Broadway Musical. They brought over all that stellar writing from the movie, and that’s part of the problem. The other part of the problem is that the new elements, the music and lyrics, don’t quite live up to the writing. So, what we’re left with is a faded carbon copy of the original that while still fun, isn’t quite as “Fetch” as the original.

Can Can keeps bringing the goods in show after show and their current show, “Masquerade” is no exception. But then why would it be when “Masquerade” features some of the best numbers from previous shows such as “Bon Bon”, “Peacock”, “El Dorado” and more. But even with all these hits from the past, they still manage to surprise with each new show.

Like so many companies, Pony World Theatre was in the middle of rehearsals back in March of 2020 when everything shut down due to the pandemic. Now cut to October of 2021 and things are starting to happen again in the theater community and among them is Pony World’s second shot at the West Coast Premiere of Blake Hackler’s harrowing play, “What We Were”. And while the play is a tad predictable, it’s no less hard hitting especially with the powerful performances from the small cast.

If you’ve been to the Can Can Culinary Cabaret, Dear Readers, you know pretty much what to expect. Amazing singers and dancers, high energy acrobatics, and loads of tantalizing flesh. You also expect to see Jonathan Betchtel, with his bawdy humor and gravity defying glutes, he’s been a staple there as the emcee for the past 15 years. So, you can imagine my surprise when I attended their current production of “Zombie Cheerleaders Return” and Jonny was nowhere to be found, instead having the evening helmed by their resident chanteuse, Jasmine Sim. And while this resulted in a very different show than I was used to, it was no less delightful.

The 1970’s and early 80’s had a lot to set it apart but nothing more than the three D’s, Disco, Disease, and Denial. Even as the Gay rights movement was starting to put LGBT folks into the spotlight, their very existence was threatened by an insidious plague that seemed to target only them (mostly gay men), AIDS and HIV. A plague that was largely unmentioned by the country's administration. But they still found moments of exuberance and freedom within the Disco clubs. And this is what “amber”, an installation from Washington Ensemble Theatre aims to explore.

There’s a pandemic raging across the world, the streets are filled with Nazis, thugs, and the mentally unstable out for blood, and big corporations want to take away your livelihood and cast you out for not being able to pay your bills. No, I’m not talking about the reports from last night’s 11 o’clock news but an all too familiar set of circumstances from a 1994 play, “Marisol” by José Rivera, currently being offered from The Williams Project. And while the circumstances of the play, as well as our own world, seem bleak, this outstanding production from the always amazing Williams Project can give us a little hope.

Dear Readers, I have some amazing news for you. Everyone’s favorite denizen of bawdy jokes, killer moves and more skin than you can shake a tassel at, The Can Can, is back. And now bigger than ever. With their expanded cast, in their new space, and a blinding amount of rhinestones, their show signifying their resurgence from the pandemic, “Glitter Gala”, proves to be a welcome return to theater filled with tons of happiness.

Dear Readers, as we inch back into the world of live theatrical experiences, the excitement to put out incredible art is palpable. And when you have a stunning outdoor venue such as the Cave B Winery Estates in George, WA, not to mention some of the A-listers of Seattle theater talent involved, that excitement can be overwhelming. But don’t let that excitement blind you to when a show just is not there, as was the case with “How Can I Love You” from Composer Rand Bellar and Playwright, Librettist, and Lyricist Vince Bryan.