Rafael Molina

Village Theatre's 'You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown' opened on Friday last week. It will run through May 22 in Issaquah before moving the Everett, May 27-June 19. 

Dear Readers, if you’re going to do a show, any show, you need to have confidence in what you’re putting up on that stage. And while the current production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” at Village Theatre has a bunch of fun moments, the show as a whole seemed to lack the confidence to go for it, just like its title character.

Linus, Lucy, Schroder, and the whole Peanuts gang are making their way to the Village Theatre stage this spring for a fresh take on the hit musical comedy, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown. In his Village Theatre directorial debut, Jimmy Shields (Seattle Rep, 5th Avenue Theatre, Village Theatre) helms this production with musical direction by R.J. Tancioco and choreography by Cy Paolantonio.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre will continue its 2021-22 Season with Allison Gregory's Wild Horses, a woman's hilarious account of one wild summer in her youth, from September 17 through October 3 at various alternative locations and via video on demand, according to Nancy L. Donahue Artistic Director Courtney Sale and Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas.

A part of PRIDE Plays this season is a new work from Broadway veteran turned playwright Rodney Hicks (Come From Away, Rent)- Just Press Save.

Seattle Theater Writers Seattle's theater reviewers circle announces the Winners of Excellence in Seattle theatrical productions. Spanning dozens of theater companies and productions, from large and prominent to small and humble, the Gypsy Rose Lee Awards honor the excellence found across the area.

Seattle's critics' circle announces nominees for the 2020 Gypsy Rose Lee awards celebrating excellence in Seattle theatrical productions.

Everyone loves a good Romantic Comedy, and when people find a good one, they latch onto it. Such a RomCom was the 1937 play a?oeParfumeriea?? by Miklos Laszlo. Now, if you're not familiar with that one maybe you're more familiar with some of the films that were based on it. There was the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film a?oeThe Shop Around the Cornera??, or how about the 1949 Judy Garland-Van Johnson musical version a?oeIn the Good Old Summertimea??. No? Well I'm sure you remember the 1998 Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan feature a?oeYou've Got Maila??. And beyond those, the play also spawned one of the most underrated and underappreciated shows in American Musical Theatre, a?oeShe Loves Mea?? by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick with a book by Joe Masteroff, currently playing at Village Theatre. a?oeShe Loves Mea?? has been revived on Broadway since it's 1963 beginnings twice, plus a concert version in 1977, but still there are too many people who don't know the glory of this show. Well, Dear Readers, let's try and change that.

Called a?oethe most romantic of all Broadway musicalsa?? by The Wall Street Journal, Village Theatre is delighted to bring She Loves Me to the stage beginning this January. The charming musical, which inspired the hit film You've Got Mail, has been revered by critics and audiences alike since it first debuted on Broadway in 1963 a?' going on to be nominated for over 50 awards including the Tony, Drama Desk, and Olivier Awards. She Loves Me will run at the Francis J. Gaudette Theatre in Issaquah January 16 a?' February 23, 2020 before moving to the Everett Performing Arts Center February 28 a?' March 22, 2020. 

Dear Readers, let's set the way-back machine to May of 2005 when a musical theater geek got to take his first trip to New York and see his first Broadway shows on Broadway. He sat there in Circle in the Square and marveled at a new William Finn show called a?oeThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beea??. Now this was during its previews so not a lot of buzz on it yet, which made it even more special, as he got to experience its greatness as it unfolded. He laughed, he cried, he fell in love with this silly little show. Obviously that geek was me. Since then I've seen numerous productions here and abroad. The show is a staple of musical theaters as it's inevitably a winner. I wouldn't say it's bulletproof but it's bullet-resistant. As long as you have a decent cast that can have fun playing kids, you're good. But few have taken me back to that original moment and evoked the tears at the end or from one particular song a?? until now.

Village Theatre is thrilled to inaugurate their 40th Anniversary Season with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The fast-paced and irreverent Tony Award-winning comedy is set to run in at the Francis J. Gaudette Theatre in Issaquah September 12 a?" October 20, 2019 before moving to the Everett Performing Arts Center October 25 a?" November 17, 2019.

Como parte del programa de Formación Literaria, la Coordinación Nacional de Literatura del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura abre siete diplomados en Creación literaria que por vez primera se impartirán en municipios de Tabasco, Guerrero, Quintana Roo, Guanajuato, Durango, Baja California Sur y Tamaulipas. Las sesiones comenzarán el 19 de julio y concluirán el 7 de diciembre.

Village Theatre will close out the 2019 Season of the Beta Series with Hart Island, an emotional tale of an immigrant woman fighting for her child, and the unexpected compassion of a disillusioned Rikers Island inmate who is the only person who can help her.

The new musical Hansel & Gretl & Heidi & Gunter, which will have its West Coast premiere at Village Theatre outside of Seattle in 2020, will receive an industry reading co-directed by Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza) and Jerry Dixon (If/Then) on May 3, 2019 at 3PM.

Seattle Children's Theatre brings another classic book to life in their production of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. The book by Kate DiCamillo tells the story of a china rabbit that is given as a gift to a young girl, Abilene, by her grandmother. The girl adores the rabbit and names him Edward. Edward, however, is only interested in himself and his own thoughts and fails to appreciate or connect with those around him. The grandmother who seems to sense Edward's aloofness, warns that she is disappointed in him, and that loving others is the whole point of existence. Through a series of events, Edward is separated from Abilene and spends years moving in and out of the possession of various people. Along the way he learns what it means to be loved and how to love others. Through chance or fate or maybe miracles, Edward is given the chance to love those who first loved him.

Several years ago, I remember watching the Tony Awards and seeing Broadway power couple Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker presenting the award for Best Score and getting all giddy and nerdy over it because "NEW SONGS!" Well that's how I feel every summer at Village Theatre's Festival of New Musicals. I get to see what's out there up and coming and maybe get to walk away seeing a new gem. And this year was no exception with a couple of shows blowing me away. Now, of course, these are workshops and staged readings of shows, so we cannot really review them, but I can at least tell you what they offered us.

With one week left until The 18th Annual Festival of New Musicals, Village Theatre is excited to announce this summer's casting and creative teams! Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza) will direct Hansel & Gretl & Heidi & Gu?nter, a hilarious family adventure of what happens after Hansel and Gretl escape. Village Theatre's new artistic director Jerry Dixon (If/Then, Once on this Island) will direct the kick-off show Elysium: An American Fable, the moving story of a family dying under the weight of their own secrets; and associate artistic director Brandon Ivie (Jasper in Deadland) will direct The Passage, a coming-of-age mystery about a boy battling a monster holding his father captive. Joining them will be music directors Jason Hart (American Psycho), Rona Siddiqui (Bella: An American Tall Tale), R.J. Tancioco (Here Lies Love), and resident music director Tim Symons (Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion), among others.

Village Theatre is excited to present ZM, a new Broadway-style musical comedy with music & lyrics by Mark Hollmann and book & lyrics by Greg Kotis - the creators of the Tony Award-winning show, Urinetown. ZM will run at Village Theatre's First Stage Theatre in Issaquah from June 1-10, 2018.

The 5th Avenue Theatre is a vibrant hive of musical theater activity as the projects of NextFest: A Festival of New Musicals have started rehearsals this week. A three-week musical theater intensive development cycle, NextFest has played a role in the creation of musicals ranging from Persuasion by Harold Taw and Chris Jeffries (Taproot Theatre, 2017) to  Come From Away by Irene Carl Sankoff and David Hein (Broadway). Nationally recognized for its contribution to the contemporary musical theater cannon, The 5th Avenue Theatre is a celebrated incubator for new musicals. Each year, the nationally renowned theater company connects writers at all stages of development with some of the region's most brilliant performers, giving life to the words on the page and allowing book writers, composers and lyricists to see their work in action. This year's various works are brought to life by Alexandria Henderson, Justin Huertas, Matthew Kacergis, Shaunyce Omar, Brandon O'Neill, Timothy Piggee, Hannah Schuerman, Billie Wildrick and many more.

The winners of the 2017 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards are announced by the Seattle critics circle, Seattle Theater Writers!