Anne Allgood News

Alice Childress' 'Wedding Band' is an important show-but can feel a bit academic. It isn't overwritten with clever gags or attention-grabbing circumstances, and while this can make the play feel slow, the creative skill of the cast and crew elevates the production.

The 2016-2017 SHOWTUNES Theatre Company season defies expectations and dazzles audiences with three rarely produced concert musicals and two very special musical theatre events. With the introduction of a cabaret in February, Defying Expectations, and a musical theatre-themed Writer's Initiative in May, SHOWTUNES continues to diversify their offerings while demonstrating their unparalleled devotion to this all-American art form. The season begins with three performances October 22-23 at ACT's Allen Theatre. Shenandoah is directed by Matt Wolfe with music direction by RJ Tancioco. The expanded season also includes two concert musicals inside Benaroya Hall's Ilsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall: Leap of Faith on December 3-4 and The Unsinkable Molly Brown on March 11-12, 2017.  

It's something most of us have to do at least 5 days a week, go to work. So you'd think a musical about folks and their working lives would resonate more. But the musical "Working", despite being loved by musical theater nerds, never really caught on. In fact it only ran for 24 performances on Broadway back in 1978. But thankfully the folks at Showtunes have done what they do and dusted this one off for a weekend so more people can discover how wonderful it is.

Showtunes Theatre Company is thrilled to announce the final concert musical of their 16th season, WORKING.

Showtunes Theatre Company is thrilled to announce the final concert musical of their 16th season, WORKING.

Rebecca Gilman's play "Luna Gale" currently performing at the Seattle Rep has no good guys in it. But then it also has no bad guys in it. Instead of preaching morality or her own agenda what she's done is to present a raw and honest look at people. You may not agree with them, but are they wrong?

Seattle Repertory Theatre presents Rebecca Gilman's critically acclaimed new play, Luna Gale, a powerful and arresting drama that follows the story of a social worker - played by veteran film, television, and theatre actor Pamela Reed - grappling with decisions that will forever change the course of a foster child's life. Directed by Seattle Repertory Theatre's Artistic Director Braden Abraham, Luna Gale runs March 4-27, 2016 in the Bagley Wright Theatre. Tickets are available now through the Seattle Rep Box Office at (206) 443-2222 and online at seattlerep.org.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC has joined the ranks of blockbuster musicals at The 5th Avenue Theatre, becoming the most-attended holiday show in box office history.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'The Sound of Music' is one of those mainstays of the American Musical Theater canon that has endured over the years. Pretty much anyone with a passing interest in musical theater has seen it in some form whether the Julie Andrews film, countless stage productions or even the recent live broadcast on TV (which I like to pretend never happened). And why has the show endured for over 55 years? Because it's simply a well written show. But the problem I find with most productions (especially that one that didn't exist) is the performers sing the well-written songs well but the character and thus the story is lost. Well that is not the case with the current production at the 5th Avenue Theatre which had so much character and story in addition to the beautiful voices that I almost felt like I was seeing the show for the first time.

Rehearsals started this week at The 5th Avenue Theatre for the exultant classic musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, the iconic show sweeping Seattle for the holidays. Boasting such beloved songs as 'Do Re Mi,' 'My Favorite Things,' 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen,' and 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain,' this production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music will be presented as only The 5th can do, complete with a sensational live orchestra, stunning costumes, and incredible sets. Under the direction of David Bennett and with choreography by Trina Mills and music direction by Kat Sherrell, this musical will feature an exuberant all-local cast of fresh faces and favorite performers that includes Anne Allgood as the Mother Abbess, joining the previously announced David Pichette as Max Detweiler and Jessica Skerritt as the Baroness Elsa Schraeder, with Hans Altwies as Captain Georg von Trapp and Kirsten deLohr Helland as Maria.

Anne Washburn's hit play "Mr. Burns, a post-electric play", currently playing at ACT, does a fine job at exploring the genesis of mythology and still keeps itself very funny. But that exploration tends to draw itself out a little too long with too little payoff for the time spent.

A Contemporary Theatre is thrilled to present the imaginative dark comedy of MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY by Anne Washburn (The Internationalist, A Devil At Noon, and The Small). Spanning several years to several decades after the end of the world, survivors must begin again to create a new society. As the survivors bond by recounting the popular 'Cape Feare' episode of The Simpsons, the story evolves into its own mythos.

A Contemporary Theatre is thrilled to present the imaginative dark comedy of MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY by Anne Washburn (The Internationalist, A Devil At Noon, and The Small). Spanning several years to several decades after the end of the world, survivors must begin again to create a new society. As the survivors bond by recounting the popular "Cape Feare" episode of The Simpsons, the story evolves into its own mythos.

I have to say that when it comes to Kander and Ebb's "Cabaret" I prefer my Kit Kat Club dirty, my Sally Bowles damaged and my Berlin dangerous. And while the current production at Village Theatre has all of those elements, they're all very safe versions of those elements. And while director Brian Yorkey attempted a very thoughtful telling of the story, often times the pacing was so deliberately slow as to lose any urgency of the moment.

I've never quite understood why Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit's "Nine" is so under produced regionally. It's fun, flirty and sexy with some of the most stunningly beautiful songs that unfortunately too few are familiar with. It could be that in order to produce it correctly you need one killer ensemble of women (and Guido of course) who can handle the piece. Well, as is their way, Showtunes Theatre Company has taken this underdone gem and dusted it off and thankfully found that stellar ensemble to tackle it in their current concert version. Too bad it's only for two performances.

Seattle-based SHOWTUNES Theatre Company wraps their 15th year with a fun, sexy concert version of the Tony award winning musical Nine.

Seattle-based SHOWTUNES Theatre Company wraps their 15th year with a fun, sexy concert version of the Tony award winning musical Nine.

If you read my previous review, Dear Readers, of SMT's production of 'Sweet Charity' you'll know that I already had the occasion this weekend of a show where the leading lady just didn't connect for me. Well, that seems to be a trend as the 5th Avenue Theatre's current production of 'Carousel' also had a leading lady who was lacking. There's plenty of good things happening in the show but their Julie Jordan (Laura Griffith) came across as emotionless and stone faced making me wonder why or even if she was falling in love.

Under the direction of Producing Artistic Director Bill Berry, The 5th Avenue Theatre presents a fresh and exciting new take on the tempestuous romance, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel. In its fourth major collaboration with Spectrum Dance Theater, The 5th is thrilled to welcome Tony Award-nominated choreographer Donald Byrd to the creative table, and a host of Seattle's theatrical royalty to its stage.

This exciting new staging will star the radiant Laura Griffith as Julie and 5th Avenue favorite Brandon O'Neill as Billy in his first Seattle production following his Broadway debut in Disney's Aladdin. The cast also includes local luminaries Anne Allgood, Eric Ankrim, Allen Fitzpatrick, Sean G. Griffin, Cynthia Jones, and Billie Wildrick, and marks The 5th Avenue debut of rising talent Joshua Downs.