Allen Fitzpatrick News

You know when you go on vacation and come across that amazing restaurant that serves one of the most surprising dishes you've ever had that you pine over for years and then you find a restaurant back home that makes the same recipe? And maybe they don't have all the best ingredients or maybe the chef isn't quite as good but it just doesn't live up to the original? Well, unfortunately that's the equivalent of what I witnessed last night at "Grey Gardens" currently at ACT. It's still the same amazing show by Doug Wright, Scott Frankel, and Michael Korie and definitely had some outstanding moments but the whole just didn't quite compare to when I saw it on Broadway with the incredible Christine Ebersole.

GREY GARDENS, a co-production with The 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT will play on the mainstage tonight, March 16-May 26 with a press opening of March 21.

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre single tickets go on sale to the public for all 2013 Mainstage shows February 12, 2013. ACT is offering 50 percent off of adult price tickets for all Mainstage preview shows throughout the season for one-day only February 12. ACT also shares a glimpse of the casting for the first half of the upcoming Mainstage season.

ACT has announced some of the casting for the first half of the upcoming Mainstage season. ACT's own Artistic Director Kurt Beattie gets back on the boards alongside Jeff Steitzer, Marianne Owen, Julie Briskman, and Laura Kenny in Assisted Living. In Other Desert Cities the critically acclaimed Marya Sea Kaminski makes her ACT debut going head to head with television actress Pamela Reed (Parks and Recreation, Kindergarten Cop) who is a UW Drama alumni and Washington resident. Many other notable local actors will be returning to ACT or making their debut including Jessica Skerritt, Matt Owen, Lori Larsen, Suzy Hunt, Aaron Blakely, and Kirsten Potter to name a few. See the current listing of committed artistic and production talent below.

Asa Somers' original rock musical, Something as Big as This, will receive a January 2013 developmental workshop at Seattle's award-winning Balagan Theatre, a follow up to the recent NYC workshop starring Brian d'Arcy James and Emma Hunton. There will be a public presentation of selected music and scenes at Balagan tonight, January 14th at 8pm.

Asa Somers' original rock musical, Something as Big as This, will receive a January 2013 developmental workshop at Seattle's award-winning Balagan Theatre, a follow up to the recent NYC workshop starring Brian d'Arcy James and Emma Hunton. There will be a public presentation of selected music and scenes at Balagan January 14th at 8pm.

In Seattle, Seattle Equity Actors, Mainstreet Musicals and the Balagan Theatre are presenting a concert performance of A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS CAROL tonight, December 10th, at 7:30 PM BALAGAN THEATRE 1524, Harvard Avenue, Seattle, Washington.

I'll admit I was one of the first to roll their eyes in disdain when I heard they made a musical of the Will Ferrell movie "Elf", back in 2010. "Oh Good," I thought, "another overly sweet yet bland movie adaptation designed to get families in the theater and sell merchandise (in this case, elf hats)." And so even more eye rolling occurred when the 5th Avenue Theatre announced they would be putting up a production of it this year. And while the show may be most of those things I mentioned (especially the elf hats) what it isn't is bland. More importantly what the production at the 5th Avenue manages is a super engaging and absolutely adorable evening of elfish fun.

In Seattle, Seattle Equity Actors, Mainstreet Musicals and the Balagan Theatre are presenting a concert performance of A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS CAROL on December 10th, at 7:30 PM BALAGAN THEATRE 1524, Harvard Avenue, Seattle, Washington.

Buddy the Elf is bringing the North Pole to Seattle this holiday season when ELF - The Musical takes over The 5th Avenue Theatre. Under the direction of Seattle's theatrical superstar Eric Ankrim (in his 5th Avenue directorial debut), Elf will feature Seattle's singing and dancing wunderkind Matt Owen as Buddy, the iconic Christmas groupie, alongside Broadway's Kendra Kassebaum as his true love, Jovie. Owen and Kassebaum are joined by Broadway vet Kim Huber, and Seattle stars Sean G. Griffin, Allen Fitzpatrick, Cynthia Jones, Nick DeSantis, and Jessica Skerritt.

One of the biggest pitfalls of casting "Romeo and Juliet" is that you need to find younger actors (the lovers are supposed to be 14 years old) who can handle these characters and this play without devolving them into petulant teens. And this was the major issue I had with the current production at the Intiman as neither of the two eponymous lovers seemed to connect with each other or the flowery speeches and therefore didn't connect with the audience. Luckily many of the other members of the cast turned in some stellar performances making the more interesting play, "Romeo and Juliet's Family and Friends".

What starts off as a seeming battle of wills and words between two writers soon devolves and reveals itself to be more of a geo-political statement in John Patrick Shanley's "A Dirty Story" which opens the Intiman's Summer Theatre Festival. At times a bit clunky and forced the show ultimately amounts to a crazy ride with some outstanding performances that will give you plenty to discuss afterward.

Tony-award winning Intiman Theatre turns 40 this year and will celebrate by launching a new summer theatre festival with four plays: Romeo and Juliet, Hedda Gabler, Miracle! and Dirty Story. The artists leading the charge - Dan Savage, Valerie Curtis-Newton, Andrew Russell and Allison Narver - are bringing passion projects with a twist to awaken the theatre, and the company of 17 local actors features established heavyweights and new forces, twisting and turning to play more than 40 roles in more than 80 performances. Similarly, the design team is stretching and shifting to build a versatile playground on the mainstage that will support several shows while simultaneously creating a separate universe in Intiman's studio space.

Tony-award winning Intiman Theatre turns 40 this year and will celebrate by launching a new summer theatre festival with four plays: Romeo and Juliet, Hedda Gabler, Miracle! and Dirty Story. The artists leading the charge - Dan Savage, Valerie Curtis-Newton, Andrew Russell and Allison Narver - are bringing passion projects with a twist to awaken the theatre, and the company of 17 local actors features established heavyweights and new forces, twisting and turning to play more than 40 roles in more than 80 performances. Similarly, the design team is stretching and shifting to build a versatile playground on the mainstage that will support several shows while simultaneously creating a separate universe in Intiman's studio space.

Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre presents Paper Mill Playhouse's production of Damn Yankees- the story of an aging baseball fan who makes a deal with the Devil so his beloved hometown team can beat the Yankees in the race for the pennant. From the songwriting team of The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees is filled with hit songs including 'Two Lost Souls' and the sultry favorite, 'Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets.' The creative team includes direction by Mark S. Hoebee (Paper Mill's Producing Artistic Director), music direction by Ben Whiteley, and choreography by Denis Michael Jones. Check out 'Six Months Out of Every Year' below!

Awards season is in full swing and to celebrate all of the 2011-2012 nominees, we've dug deep into our archives to bring you vintage photos of all of the talent during special moments in their careers. Check out the 2011-2012 Tony-nominated men below!

Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre presents Paper Mill Playhouse's production of Damn Yankees- the story of an aging baseball fan who makes a deal with the Devil so his beloved hometown team can beat the Yankees in the race for the pennant. From the songwriting team of The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees is filled with hit songs including 'Two Lost Souls' and the sultry favorite, 'Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets.' The creative team includes direction by Mark S. Hoebee (Paper Mill's Producing Artistic Director), music direction by Ben Whiteley, and choreography by Denis Michael Jones.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's epic voyage, The 5th Avenue Theatre presented Titanic: The Concert, April 13-15. With music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and book by Peter Stone, Titanic: The Concert was a unique way to celebrate the centennial of one of the most memorable events of the last century. Actors sang 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 came to life through music on The 5th Avenue stage on nights that coincided exactly with the ship's historic journey and tragic end. Go behind the scenes of the concert below!

Damn Yankees is headed to The 5th Avenue Theatre! This musical comedy is the story of an aging baseball fan who makes a deal with the Devil so his beloved hometown team can beat the Yankees in the race for the pennant. From the songwriting team of The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees is filled with hit songs including "Two Lost Souls" and the sultry favorite, "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets." The Paper Mill Playhouse production will slide into Seattle this April. The creative team includes direction by Mark S. Hoebee (Paper Mill's Producing Artistic Director), music direction by Ben Whiteley, and choreography by Denis Michael Jones.