Brenda Joyner News

I've always been leery of transplanting locales and time periods of classic plays just because we can. Naked 'Macbeth', 'Romeo and Juliet' in a high school, cartoon lions in Africa doing 'Hamlet'. Often times it's just to shake things up and lends nothing to the story. But the current production of 'The Taming of the Shrew' from Seattle Shakespeare Company setting those battling lovers in a Trailer Park not only works but is also completely inspired. In an era of reality TV showing rednecks right and left, a story of feuding siblings, ball busting women and swaggering men is a perfect fit. And while I usually hate reality TV for it's mocking of people it feels are inferior, this production shows no hate or contempt for the trailer park set but revels in their joy and boisterousness and invites you to laugh right along WITH them. And laugh you do!

A rowdy, rural romance takes the stage when Seattle Shakespeare Company presents a revival of its popular trailer park version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shew. Originally produced in 2009 as part of the company's outdoor Wooden O shows, The Taming of the Shrew will be brought indoors to the Playhouse at Seattle Center April 25 through May 12. Director Aimee Bruneau along with many of the original cast members return for the revival.

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW by William Shakespeare, directed by Aimee Bruneau will open April 26 at the Playhouse at Seattle Center (formerly Intiman), 201 Mercer Street, Seattle, Washington. The production closes Sunday, May 12, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

A rowdy, rural romance takes the stage when Seattle Shakespeare Company presents a revival of its popular trailer park version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shew. Originally produced in 2009 as part of the company's outdoor Wooden O shows, The Taming of the Shrew will be brought indoors to the Playhouse at Seattle Center April 25 through May 12. Director Aimee Bruneau along with many of the original cast members return for the revival.

The critically acclaimed New Century Theatre Company (NCTC) enters their fifth season by producing the world premiere of Kenneth Albers (Oregon Shakespeare Festival) recent adaptation of Franz Kafka's THE TRIAL. NCTC will take this story to new heights by presenting this powerful play inside Seattle's historic INS Building.

The critically acclaimed New Century Theatre Company (NCTC) enters their fifth season by producing the world premiere of Kenneth Albers (Oregon Shakespeare Festival) recent adaptation of Franz Kafka's THE TRIAL. NCTC will take this story to new heights by presenting this powerful play inside Seattle's historic INS Building.

Theresa Rebeck has made a name for herself with her rich and engaging characters on stage and most recently with her look into the underbelly of theater with her hit TV show, "Smash". And along those lines her play "The Understudy" currently playing at Seattle Public Theater manages a fun and illuminating look into show business as well. And while the play doesn't always have the most original concepts out there, this production manages some finely layered performances from its ensemble cast.

Seattle Theater Writers, a critics' circle of local theater writers and reviewers, today announces the 2012 slate of nominees of the second annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, theater awards devoted to recognizing excellence across the economic spectrum of professional Seattle theaters.

Seattle Shakespeare Company will present a revival of its popular trailer park The Taming of the Shrew at the Playhouse at Seattle Center, April 25 through May 12, 2013. Many of the cast members from the original production will reprise their roles including Kelly Kitchens as Kate and David Quicksall as Petruchio. Directed by Aimée Bruneau, the production will also serve as a launch to the 20th Anniversary celebration of Wooden O in the summer of 2013.

SPT will present The Understudy, a biting comic examination of the entertainment industry, by Peabody Award Winner and creator and producer of NBC's Smash, Theresa Rebeck, running January 25-February 17, 2013 at the historic Bathhouse Theater on Green Lake.

The problem I've always faced in the past with productions of Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie" is no matter how engaging the story is I just don't find myself invested in the characters. The show is a memory play and with that most productions fall into the trap of over accentuating the obvious flaws and guilt of the characters within Tom's memory. But what director Braden Abraham and the cast of the current production at the Rep have done is to keep those flaws but still present real and honest characters which allow the audience to care about their mistakes and well being. And that's what makes this production a complete success.

The impetus to cast a largely male Shakespearean show such as "Titus Andronicus" (or any show for that matter) with an all female cast can come in a number of guises. A juxtaposition of male cruelty coming from the mouths of women or the opportunity for the ladies to take on these meaty roles normally slated for men, to name just a few. Well, the former, if that was an intent in Upstart Crow's production, was kind of lost on me as about 10 minutes into the show the novelty of women playing the parts wore off and these talented actresses disappeared into their male roles. This fact only strengthens the latter reasoning as the women brought the pain and betrayal just as well (if not better) than any men.

upstart crow collective presents an all-female production of Shakespeare's bloodiest tragedy, Titus Andronicus tonight, September 6th to October 7th, 2012 at the Lee Center for the Arts on Capitol Hill. From the same team that brought you the popular and critically-acclaimed all-female King John in 2006, their newest production brings together some of Seattle's most respected female classical actors, who rarely get to meet each other onstage within Shakespeare's work.

upstart crow collective presents an all-female production of Shakespeare's bloodiest tragedy, Titus Andronicus, September 6th to October 7th, 2012 at the Lee Center for the Arts on Capitol Hill. From the same team that brought you the popular and critically-acclaimed all-female King John in 2006, their newest production brings together some of Seattle's most respected female classical actors, who rarely get to meet each other onstage within Shakespeare's work.

Seattle Shakespeare Company launches their 20th anniversary season with the uber-Shakespeare classic, "Hamlet". I'll admit I was hesitant to go see it. "Yet another production of 'Hamlet'." But, this production with its "less is more" mentality is a near note perfect production and one to be remembered for years to come.

Seattle Shakespeare Company launches their 20th anniversary season with the uber-Shakespeare classic, "Hamlet". I'll admit I was hesitant to go see it. "Yet another production of 'Hamlet'." But, this production with its "less is more" mentality is a near note perfect production and one to be remembered for years to come.

Seattle Shakespeare Company opens its 20th anniversary season with a masterpiece of world drama - Hamlet. Award-winning director John Langs returns after his much-lauded production of The Merchant of Venice to stage and rediscover this exalted classic.

Greenstage presented Seattle's Outdoor Theater Festival in Capitol Hill's Volunteer Park over the weekend of July 10th and 11th to kick off the many Summer park shows around the Puget Sound area. The festival encompassed 11 shows from eight different companies and while they mostly followed a Shakespearean bent there were also a few decidedly non-Shakespearean shows but all good fun for all ages and it's all FREE.