David Quicksall News

The Prince of Thieves and his Merry Men do all the wrong things for all the right reasons! Fantastically funny and fast-paced, Seattle Children's Theatre's Robin Hood opens the 20th Anniversary season of The New Victory Theater with a two-week run from from October 2-11, 2015.

Back in 2011 some friends told me about this amazing production of "Robin Hood" going on over at Seattle Children's Theatre and like a dolt I missed it. (Bad theater reviewer!) Well luckily for me and for all of us that amazing production, complete with the same cast, director and set, is back and fairly well blew me away as to how incredible it is for both young and old.

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director George Mount announced plans for the company's 25th Anniversary season that includes performances at the Leo K. Theatre, the return of directors Jeff Steitzer, David Quicksall, and Victor Pappas, and the mainstage directing debuts of Jane Nichols and Vanessa Miller

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.

How many times have we all seen "Twelfth Night"? It is one of Shakespeare's most accessible and arguably one of his best plays and therefore one of his most often trotted out pieces. Even Seattle Shakespeare Company admits this current production is the fifth time they've done it in their 24 year history. So I'll admit to a less than enthusiastic attitude when I was off to see it. I mean, what can they do with "Twelfth Night" really? Well, apparently, they can fill it with a stupendous cast, direct it with a kind of 1920's yet otherworldly vibe, liven up all the comedy and flourish it with some hauntingly melancholy original music and turn it into a feast for the senses making this war horse once again a glittering show pony.

Shipwrecked romantics get washed ashore in Seattle Shakespeare Company's sparkling comedy Twelfth Night directed by Jon Kretzu at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center. Performances are October 21-November 16, 2014 (Previews October 21-23, Opening Night Friday October 24). Performance times: Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 PM with selected Saturdays at 2PM and selected Sundays at 2PM and 7:30PM

Shipwrecked romantics get washed ashore in Seattle Shakespeare Company's sparkling comedy Twelfth Night directed by Jon Kretzu at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center. Performances are today, October 21-November 16, 2014 (Previews October 21-23, Opening Night Friday October 24). Performance times: Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 PM with selected Saturdays at 2PM and selected Sundays at 2PM and 7:30PM

Shipwrecked romantics get washed ashore in Seattle Shakespeare Company's sparkling comedy Twelfth Night directed by Jon Kretzu at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center.? Performances are October 21-November 16, 2014 (Previews October 21-23, Opening Night Friday October 24). Performance times: Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 PM with selected Saturdays at 2PM and selected Sundays at 2PM and 7:30PM

Seattle Public Theater's (SPT) Youth Program presents Anne Ludlum and David Quicksall's adaptation of Miguel de Cervante's Don Quixote directed Shawn Belyea.

Seattle Shakespeare Company's free Wooden O productions of The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Julius Caesar start performances tonight, July 10.

Seattle Public Theater (SPT) at the Bathhouse on Green Lake is pleased to announce that as of June 1st, 2014, it has relocated Executive Offices to the historic University Christian Church (UCC) at 4759 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105.

Seattle Public Theater's (SPT) Youth Program presents Anne Ludlum and David Quicksall's adaptation of Miguel de Cervante's Don Quixote directed Shawn Belyea.

Casting is announced for Seattle Shakespeare Company's free Wooden O productions of The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Julius Caesar which start performances on Thursday, July 10. Both productions will perform in park venues throughout King County (please see attached schedule) and then transfer to Walla Walla, WA as part of Shakespeare Walla Walla.

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director George Mount announced the company's programming plans for 2014-2015 that include expanding to five plays for its indoor season, the return of directors Jon Kretzu and John Langs, and the mainstage directing debuts of Desdemona Chiang and Makaela Pollock.

Sure, it's a story about a monster, but a monster that is looking for love and acceptance and his creator who's looking for power and the redemption they both seek from their mistaken paths to find their goals. Mary Shelley's novel manages all that within a simple gothic romance and David Quicksall's adaptation manages a somewhat gripping stage representation of that tale. Unfortunately while much of the staging of "Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus", currently presented by Book-It Repertory Theatre, offers chilling moments, many other choices within the show detract so much as to pull you from the story and leave it muddled.

OK, so I've seen it several times. I mean there are the movies plus countless productions about town. It's done a lot as it's one of Shakespeare's more accessible plays with its quick wit and very clear heroes and villains (one hero is even called Hero). But that doesn't mean I don't still love it. I always tend to find something new and appealing in most productions of what has become my favorite of his canon. And the current production of 'Much Ado About Nothing' from Seattle Shakespeare Company is no exception as they have tapped into much of the comedy of the piece as well as infused it with some wonderful jazz renditions of the Shakespearean songs from the piece.

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Much Ado About Nothing takes on the flavor of the Riviera in 1953 in Artistic Director George Mount's season opening. Highlights in the production include original music by Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra's Michael Brockman, and a lagoon with water in the Center Theatre. Check out a first look below!

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Much Ado About Nothing takes on the flavor of the Riviera in 1953 in Artistic Director George Mount's season opening. Highlights in the production include original music by Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra's Michael Brockman, and a lagoon with water in the Center Theatre.

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!