Sydney Andrews

Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley announced today that the cast of a?oeMelrose Placea?? will reunite on a very special edition of a?oeStars In The House,a?? airing Tuesday, April 28th at 8 PM ET on the Stars In The House YouTube channel.

If you're an aficionado of theater here in Seattle, then you've probably heard of Yussef El Guindi or at least seen one of his plays. An ACT 2018 core member, this prolific writer has had numerous plays around Seattle and beyond. And when reading the synopsis of his current piece making its World Premiere at ACT, a?oePeople of the Booka??, you may think you know what to expect and what hot button topics he'll hit upon. And he does. But he also manages some literary acrobatics bringing in surprise after surprise making this a deliciously complicated show with an ending that may leave you with more questions than when you came in.

A Contemporary Theatre People of the Book, a world premiere play by award-winning playwright and ACT 2018 Core Member, Yussef El Guindi,takes its audience on an emotional thrill ride of secrets, hidden truths, jealousy, and the lies we tella?"to ourselves, to the ones closest to us, and about our country.

Seattle's critics' circle announces Nominees 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 in the myriad of professional theater productions that we reviewers attend in a year.

Mounting something as complex as a Chekov play is not an easy undertaking and should only be handled by professionals. Luckily, in Seattle, we have the Seagull Project who has been tackling these works the last few years including the absolutely incredible "Three Sisters" they put up a few years back. But as crystal clear the intent of the characters in their current production of "The Cherry Orchard" at ACT is, thanks to the stellar performances and direction, I wonder if the translation they chose isn't doing them any favors as I was never quite certain who many of these people were.

In Beth Henley's play "Crimes of the Heart", currently playing at Village Theatre, the character of Meg says, "To talk about our lives. It's an important human need." Well an important theatrical need is for the characters in a play to listen to each other and not just wait for their next bit but there was very little listening going on in the show I saw last night and that was just one of the issues that sapped the heart right out the show making this Pulitzer Prize winning play feel more a sitcom.

Dear Readers, I hope you've all fared well over the holidays and had a good time with your families. It's been a tumultuous year with lots of great theater for us to take in. And so I'm pleased to share with you some of the best things I saw this past year and the ones that I felt worthy of getting my Critic's Choice Awards for 2015. So settle in and allow me to expound on all the amazing I saw over the year. The envelope please.

In our jaded and cynical world sometimes our inner cup of hope and romance can get a little low and we can use something to refill it. Well never fear romance seekers as ACT's World Premiere production of Steven Dietz's "Bloomsday" is here. This sweet little charmer is bound to fill up the romance cup of even the most jaded among us, at least a little bit.

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Bloomsday by Steven Dietz. Set against the backdrop of James Joyce's masterwork, Ulysses, an American man searches for the Irish woman who first captured his heart 30 years earlier while leading a "Bloomsday" walking tour in Dublin. We meet the couple at different points of their lives, as their younger and present selves. Told with humor, wit and heartache, this buoyant and moving new play commissioned by ACT brings the power and importance of living in the present to the light.

Sometimes not even Batman can save you from the atrocities of the world. Such is the case in Book-It Repertory Theatre's current production of Chris Cleave's "Little Bee". With a brutal and visceral tone at times the show manages to show off how the innocent lives of those trod upon in foreign countries can affect the lives of those in Western Civilization.

Every season productions come along that are so good that they remind me why us theater folk perform, produce and see theater. Personally, these are the shows that recharge my theatrical batteries so I can sit through the not so great ones (I'm looking at you "Flashdance: The Musical"). Such a show is the latest installment from The Seagull Project, Chekhov's "The Three Sisters" which manages such clarity of story, intent and meaning that you can practically feel the pain and frustration in the character's lives along with them.

ACT and Director John Langs completely nailed it again and then some. I saw the production last year of ACT's Seattle tradition of "A Christmas Carol" and found myself struck by how well they conveyed this classic tale. And as much as I enjoyed it last year there was something even more magical and special in the air for this year's production (or they spiked my eggnog) as I completely found myself swept away by this incredible show and, yes, crying my eyes out.

Sometimes a fun night is just a dead lock. Such is the case when you take three of Seattle's most gifted and seasoned actors and put them in the off kilter world of a Christopher Durang play as has happed over at ACT with their current production of "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike". I have to admit going in I had very little doubt that I would have a good time with all those elements combined and I was not disappointed. But beyond the sure thing of comedy that resulted what also emerged was a truly thoughtful and resonant look at some ways society has been brought down as it's built up.

Seattle Theater Writers critics' circle presents the winners' slate of the 2013 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, theater awards devoted to recognizing excellence across the economic spectrum of professional Seattle theaters.

This winter, Mirror Stage continues exploring one of our country's most inflammatory questions: what does it mean to be black (or white) in America? From the early days of the civil rights movement to the racial profiling of today, the question of color remains ablaze in controversy and contentiousness. The popular Feed Your Mind staged reading series presents the West Coast premiere of Honky by Greg Kalleres on February 8 and 9, 2014. Directed by Suzanne M. Cohen, Feed Your Mind: Honky features Sydney Andrews, Elena Flory-Barnes, Tim Gouran, Carl Kennedy, James Lapan, Andrew Litzky, Corey Spruill and Tyler Trerise. All performances will be presented at the Ethnic Cultural Theatre in Seattle's University District.

Seattle Theater Writers, a critics' circle of local theater writers and reviewers, today announces the 2013 slate of nominees of the third annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, theater awards devoted to recognizing excellence across the economic spectrum of professional Seattle theaters.

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre presents its 38th annual production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, adapted by Gregory A. Falls. This year, A Christmas Carol is directed by John Langs with Artistic Director Kurt Beattie returning to play Ebenezer Scrooge, in alternating performances with first timer Peter Crook making his first appearance in the role. Also new to the cast, G. Valmont Thomas, who's performance in 'Master Harold and the Boys,' just earned him the 2013 Gregory Award for Outstanding Actor. Mr. Thomas recently returned to Seattle after a long stint at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and will take on the charismatic role of Spirit 2 (Ghost of Christmas Present).

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre presents its 38th annual production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, adapted by Gregory A. Falls. This year, A Christmas Carol is directed by John Langs with Artistic Director Kurt Beattie returning to play Ebenezer Scrooge, in alternating performances with first timer Peter Crook making his first appearance in the role. Also new to the cast, G. Valmont Thomas, who's performance in "Master Harold and the Boys," just earned him the 2013 Gregory Award for Outstanding Actor. Mr. Thomas recently returned to Seattle after a long stint at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and will take on the charismatic role of Spirit 2 (Ghost of Christmas Present).

Undo, the first full-length play from local playwright, actor and dramaturg Holly Arsenault, opens Annex Theatre's 26th season, running tonight, January 18th-February 16th.