Leslie Law News

How far back can you remember? When you were 10? 5? Do you remember the day you were born? Probably not. That is what makes the subject of D.W. Gregory’s Memoirs of a Forgotten Man so incredible, he can. Thalia’s Umbrella’s productions of the four-person play, masterfully directed by Terry Edward Moore and housed at 12th Avenue Arts, has officially opened, and this is one you truly don’t want to miss…or forget.

Thalia's Umbrella will present MEMOIRS OF A FORGOTTEN MAN, a NW premiere by DW Gregory. Don't miss this captivating new play!

The magic of A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens' classic story of redemption and charity, comes to life as ACT - A Contemporary Theatre presents the timeless tale this year as a radio drama, complete with dialogue, Christmas carols, Adam Stern's musical score and sound effects. Imagine Scrooge, Marley, the Ghosts and all of the characters you know and love… coming to your home for the holidays.

It's that time of year again. One of my favorite times of year. That time when I get to spend the weekend at Village Theatre checking out the shows brought together by the folks at Village, spotlighting new works around the country. Some amazing, some needing work, but all showing promise. Now, of course, I can't review any of these. They're all still works in progress and not fully staged. But I can share what went on over the weekend as a potential coming attraction of musicals to come to a theater near you.

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.

Rehearsals are in full swing for The 5th Avenue Theatre's production of Kiss Me, Kate, which begins performances next Friday, April 6.

Good satire needs two things: merciless mockery, and a compelling narrative. Sandbox Radio's farcical 63 Trillion nails the mockery, but focuses so much of its attention on cramming in as many double-entendres as possible that the narrative becomes secondary to the dick jokes.

Spanning 28 theater companies and 59 productions, from the largest and most prominent to small, humble and innovative, the Gypsy Rose Lee Awards honor as much professional theater as we reviewers can cram into our year.

The 'large theater' productions of ACT Theatre's The Royale and The 5th Avenue Theatre's How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying take top honors and the 'small theater' productions of ArtsWest's Death of a Salesman and Washington Ensemble Theatre's The Things Are Against Us take top honors - for most category wins!?

Spanning 28 theater companies and 59 productions, from the largest and most prominent to small, humble and innovative, the Gypsy Rose Lee Awards honor as much professional theater as we reviewers can cram into our year.

Joe McDermott, King County Council member and candidate for Congress, will lead a post-play discussion immediately following tonight's June 23rd performance of Sorry.

Joe McDermott, King County Council member and candidate for Congress, will lead a post-play discussion immediately following the Thursday, June 23, performance of Sorry. Sorry, by Richard Nelson, is a smart, funny and timely play that asks how we make the right choices, both at home and in the larger political world. In an election season marked with so much anger and shouting, Sorry offers instead a "lovely . . . feeling of shared citizenship,' (New York Times) where one family, trying to make the right choice in their own difficult decision, still manage, with humor and grace, to talk to one another using their 'inside voices.' Joe McDerrmott's participation makes tangible this intimate, vital connection between the personal and the political, the local and the national.

Pramila Jayapal, a Washington State Senator and candidate for Congress, will lead a post-play discussion immediately following the Sunday, June 19, matinee performance of Sorry. Sorry, by Richard Nelson, is a smart, funny and timely play that asks how we make the right choices, both at home and in the larger political world. In an election season marked with so much anger and shouting, Sorry offers instead a "lovely . . . feeling of shared citizenship,' (New York Times) where one family, trying to make the right choice in their own difficult decision, still manage, with humor and grace, to talk to one another using their 'inside voices.' Pramila Jayapal's participation makes tangible this intimate, vital connection between the personal and the political, the local and the national.

Thalia's Umbrella announces their third production: Sorry, by Richard Nelson. Sorry will be performed June 9-26, 2016, in the MainStage Theater at 12th Avenue Arts.

American Theater Company (ATC) presents the world premiere of Bruise Easy by Dan LeFranc,now through Feb. 14, 2016. Directed by Joanie Schultz, Bruise Easy is ATC's second collaboration with LeFranc, a writer on Showtime's 2015 Golden Globe-winning drama The Affair and playwright of ATC's blockbuster world premiere The Big Meal-which went on to an extended off-Broadway run at Playwrights Horizons. Single tickets for Bruise Easy range from $43-$48 and are available by calling the ATC box office at 773-409-4125, or visiting www.atcweb.org.

American Theater Company (ATC) announces casting for its world premiere of Bruise Easy by Dan LeFranc, Jan. 8-Feb. 14, 2016, about two estranged siblings who reunite at their childhood home for the conversation of a lifetime. ATC Ensemble Member Kelly O'Sullivan performs the role of Tess, returning after starring in ATC's critically acclaimed world premiere of The Humans last season. Matt Farabee makes his ATC debut performing the role of Alec. The ensemble includes ATC Youth Ensemble Members Matt Gomez-Hidaka, Jenna Makkaway, Michael Sandoval and Leah Schiffman, with Dante Guinazzo, Leslie Lawrence and Sandy Nguyen. Bruise Easy is the first mainstage production in ATC's history to feature Youth Ensemble members among the company.

The July Project: Brendan Behan's The Hostage!