Jerick Hoffer News

The smash-hit musical Spring Awakening receives its regional premiere in Seattle this January, courtesy of the award-winning Balagan Theatre and featuring the very best of the Seattle theatre scene's next generation.

Let me just start out saying that I don't like this show. Right from the moment it first came out and I first heard the cast album, I thought it was forced and a little pretentious. Then I saw a touring production and came to understand it more and I got where they were going with it but still found it a little forced and pretentious. That is until I saw Balagan's production which was packed with so much unbelievable talent and honesty that I can't help but change my tune on this show and proclaim it as one of the first must see shows of the new year.

The smash-hit musical Spring Awakening receives its regional premiere in Seattle this January, courtesy of the award-winning Balagan Theatre and featuring the very best of the Seattle theatre scene's next generation.

Balagan Theatre will produce the regional premiere of Spring Awakening this January, directed by Seattle musical mainstay Eric Ankrim and featuring promising young local actors Brian Earp, Jerick Hoffer, and Diana Huey as the leading trio in this coming-of-age rock musical.

The smash-hit musical Spring Awakening receives its regional premiere in Seattle this January, courtesy of the award-winning Balagan Theatre and featuring the very best of the Seattle theatre scene's next generation.

Balagan Theatre will produce the regional premiere of Spring Awakening this January, directed by Seattle musical mainstay Eric Ankrim and featuring promising young local actors Brian Earp, Jerick Hoffer, and Diana Huey as the leading trio in this coming-of-age rock musical.

Last night the incredible talent from Contemporary Classics stepped up to the mic once more for the 11th installment of their wildly popular "New Voices" series, spotlighting new works from composers around the country. Some local composers and some abroad, some new-ish pieces and some brand spankin' new for this show, Host Brandon Ivie and Music director R.J. Tancioco gathered together some of the most obscenely talented performers in the area to blow the doors off ACT Theatre and there was not a door standing when they were done.

Contemporary Classics' New Voices played two standing-room-only shows on August 15 at ACT Theatre in Seattle. Hosted by Brandon Ivie, the show featured a slew of the hottest musical theatre writers today including world premieres by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, Chris Jeffries, and Michelle Elliot and danny larson. The cast included Broadway's Kendra Kassebaum, Louis Hobson, Vicki Noon, Ryah Nixon, and many of Seattle's best talent.

Contemporary Classics presents the latest installment of its songwriter showcase concert series New Voices, which will perform two shows on August 15 at ACT Theatre in association with the Central Heating Lab program.

Contemporary Classics presents the latest installment of its songwriter showcase concert series New Voices, which will perform two shows on August 15 at ACT Theatre in association with the Central Heating Lab program.

Getting up on stage by yourself is, to say the least, a daunting task. If you forget a line, or a bit of staging, there's no one there to turn to other than you. So it's a good thing we have such amazing talent here in Seattle to pull it off. This is why Theatre Off Jackson is back with their 5th annual Solo Performance Festival (SPF #5). And while I was only able to catch two of the seven acts running over the next few weeks, if the others are anything like these two, then who needs a full cast as these performers have enough talent and energy for 100 people.

Slide into the seedy underworld of Mac the Knife, a dapper criminal who leaves a trail of broken hearts and slashed throats wherever he roams. In this musical satire of 'respectable' society, betrayals abound while new alliances form between the dashing thieves, saucy prostitutes, and scheming entrepreneurs in this crowning achievement of musical theatre.

Red Ranger Came Calling was first performed in 2003 for Book-It's 14th season, and by popular demand was reprised in 2004. Berkeley Breathed's illustrated classic returns again for Book-It Repertory Theatre's 21st season adapted and directed by Myra Platt with music by Myra Platt and Edd Key. Red Ranger is a fun, affordable holiday show that runs from November 23 until December 23 in the Eve Alvord Theatre at Seattle Children's Theatre, with previews November 23, 24, 26 and 27.

Red Ranger Came Calling was first performed in 2003 for Book-It's 14th season, and by popular demand was reprised in 2004. Berkeley Breathed's illustrated classic returns again for Book-It Repertory Theatre's 21st season adapted and directed by Myra Platt with music by Myra Platt and Edd Key. Red Ranger is a fun, affordable holiday show that runs from November 23 until December 23 in the Eve Alvord Theatre at Seattle Children's Theatre, with previews November 23, 24, 26 and 27.

Red Ranger Came Calling was first performed in 2003 for Book-It's 14th season, and by popular demand was reprised in 2004. Berkeley Breathed's illustrated classic returns again for Book-It Repertory Theatre's 21st season adapted and directed by Myra Platt with music by Myra Platt and Edd Key. Red Ranger is a fun, affordable holiday show that runs from November 23 until December 23 in the Eve Alvord Theatre at Seattle Children's Theatre, with previews November 23, 24, 26 and 27.

The political chicaneries of war get a satirical send up in Seattle Shakespeare Company's 1960s-themed production of Henry V. Directed by Russ Banham, Henry V begins previews on April 15 and opens on Friday April 16 at the Center House Theatre. Henry V will run through May 9, 2010.

Finishing up their 19th season, the Seattle Shakespeare Company is presenting one of William Shakespeare's most beloved histories (at least it's one of my personal favorites), "Henry V". But this time they have traded in their tunics and swords for uniforms and guns by transplanting it to 1962. And while the show is a solid one I question the decision to retell it in this era.

The political chicaneries of war get a satirical send up in Seattle Shakespeare Company's 1960s-themed production of Henry V. Directed by Russ Banham, Henry V begins previews on April 15 and opens on Friday April 16 at the Center House Theatre. Henry V will run through May 9, 2010.

The political chicaneries of war get a satirical send up in Seattle Shakespeare Company's 1960s-themed production of Henry V. Directed by Russ Banham, Henry V begins previews on April 15 and opens on Friday April 16 at the Center House Theatre. Henry V will run through May 9, 2010.

The political chicaneries of war get a satirical send up in Seattle Shakespeare Company's 1960s-themed production of Henry V. Directed by Russ Banham, Henry V begins previews on April 15 and opens on Friday April 16 at the Center House Theatre. Henry V will run through May 9, 2010.