Andi Alhadeff News

There's just a few weeks left to make your voice heard and submit your votes for the 2019 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards, brought to you by TodayTix! The people have spoken nominations are set, and now you can vote to make sure your favorite local theatre's achievements and performers are recognized!

Back in 2017, Dear Readers, Book-It Repertory Theatre brought us the highly anticipated musical adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones beloved book, 'Howl's Moving Castle', adapted by Myra Platt with music and lyrics from Justin Huertas. The show was certainly a charmer but, personally, I found the storytelling confusing and muddled. Platt and Huertas have now remounted the piece with some welcome additions. Still a few confusing bits and superfluous elements but this new adaptation brings so much more of the story to life making the evening of fantasy even more charming.

It's December! Voting is now underway for the 2019 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards, brought to you by TodayTix! Now you can vote to make sure your favorite local theatres and performers are recognized. Check out the first set of stats below.

Voting is NOW OPEN and the first votes are in for the 2019 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards, brought to you by TodayTix! The nominees are set, and now you can vote to make sure your favorite local theatres and performers are recognized!

Book-It Repertory Theatre is proud to announce the return of their smash hit musical Howl's Moving Castle, adapted from the novel by celebrated fantasist Diana Wynne Jones. Adapted and directed by Myra Platt with original music & lyrics by Justin Huertas and musical arrangements & orchestrations by Steven Tran, Howl's Moving Castle plays November 29 a?" December 29, 2019 (Opening/Press Night on Saturday, November 30) at The Center Theatre.

When the Seattle Rep announced their season and I saw they were taking on Paula Vogel's incredible play a?oeIndecenta?? I was thrilled. But even more so I was surprised as to how many of my friends hadn't heard of it. I mean, it was nominated for a Tony, and even had the entire thing shown on PBS at one point. But still it was only the major theater geeks that had this one on their radar. Well, now that it's here I'm pleased to state that the Rep's production completely met and exceeded my expectations and now I can share my thoughts on this stunning play with you, Dear Readers, and explain why you need to catch it.

Seattle Rep presents Indecent, a powerful drama from Pulitzer Prize-winning Jewish playwright Paula Vogel.

Seattle Rep today announced complete casting for its production of the Tony Award-winning play Indecent, a powerful drama from Pulitzer Prize-winning Jewish playwright Paula Vogel.

With The 19th Annual Festival of New Musicals taking place this upcoming weekend, Village Theatre is excited to announce the casting for XY, an uplifting musical about identity and coming to terms with your past; Cold Turkey, a wild and funny satire; Modern, an inspiring tale about a group of Amish teenagers; Eastbound, an poignant story about Chinese brothers in search of a home they've never known; and Cowboy Bob, an adventurous rock musical about a bank-robbing woman. The Festival will take place in Issaquah August 9-11, 2019 and provides an essential platform for writers to develop new works. Past Festival shows include Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning shows such as Next to Normal and Million Dollar Quartet, as well as Broadway and Off-Broadway hits: It Shoulda Been You, Desperate Measures, Lizzie, and many more.

URINETOWN is running at the 5th Avenue Theatre through June 2, 2019.

Since the joint production between the 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT of "Urinetown" was announced I heard far too often from people that they wouldn't want to see that. A stupid musical about pee? "I don't care for shows that are all bathroom humor," I would hear. And I'd have to defend this wonderful show explaining that it's a super funny, well written show, yes with peeing as the basic setting, but that it was so much more as it pokes fun at government corruption and is an homage to famous musicals who came before. I guess Little Sally from "Urinetown" was right that nothing can kill a show faster than bad subject matter or a bad title. But then her stating that is why this self-referential, meta show works so well. It knows it's ridiculous and it embraces it. And the same could be said for this wonderful production that went for every bad joke with brilliant comic timing and then some.

BroadwayWorld has a first look Urinetown, this season's co-production between The 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT - A Contemporary Theatre!

The cast for Urinetown, this season's co-production between The 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, has been announced.

Andy Warhol wants your vote! But so does Andy Warhol and Andy Warhol. Who do you trust to lead the country during these turbulent times?

Andy Warhol wants your vote! But so does Andy Warhol and Andy Warhol. Who do you trust to lead the country during these turbulent times?

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.

Newly announced 2018 Jonathan Larson Grant Recipients ZOE SARNAK (music & lyrics) and EMILY KACZMAREK (book) are bringing their new, original musical AFTERWORDS to the stage, as part of the Beta Series at Village Theatre, a leading producer of musical theatre in the Pacific Northwest. 

Afterwords, a contemporary musical currently in development, will begin its Beta Series production at Village Theatre's First Stage Theatre in Issaquah on February 16, 2018. While current Broadway productions cater to mostly male heteronormative story lines and production teams, Afterwords aims to change that by featuring a story focused on three strong and unique queer women, and led by a female creative team with a book by Emily Kaczmarek, music & lyrics by Zoe Sarnak, and direction by Adrienne Campbell-Holt.

The 5th Avenue Theatre is presenting an evocative new production of Ragtime, now through November 5, 2017. A tale of family, heart and perseverance at the turn of the 20th century, Ragtime is a vital story about the headstrong and determined individuals and their families who helped make the United States a diverse and thriving nation. Below, watch Joshua Carter (Tateh) perform 'Gliding' from the show!

The 5th Avenue Theatre is presenting an evocative new production of Ragtime, now through November 5, 2017. A tale of family, heart and perseverance at the turn of the 20th century, Ragtime is a vital story about the headstrong and determined individuals and their families who helped make the United States a diverse and thriving nation. Below, watch Douglas Lyons (Coalhouse Walker, Jr.) and Danyel Fulton (Sarah) perform 'Wheels of a Dream' from the show!