Sarah Rose News

Company Founder & Executive Artistic Director AJ Baker who recently brought her successful 3-decade long career as founder and partner of her own law firm to a close in order to dedicate herself to the company and its projects full time has asked a broad array (see what we did there?) of Bay Area women writers, performers and theatre-makers to reimagine history 'knowing what we know now' at the 9-day Festival; highlights include Mother Lear; an evening dedicated to the theme of 'Hindsight is 2020' and 'flipping the script' that includes a short play & tip of the hat to Caryl Churchill's Top Girls called Bottoms Up!; an evening of LezWritesBTQ performances, and the staged readings of the two Salon Series finalist's plays competing for the Festival Prize: Swimming with Puppies by Susan Jackson and Meth by Elizabeth Flanagan

It seems these days that every other musical opening on Broadway is based on a popular film. From PRETTY WOMAN to BEETLEJUICE, Broadway has been home to film adaptations for years. Sometimes these can be a mixed bag, but sometimes they shine as brightly (or even brighter) than their original source material. Such is the case for LEGALLY BLONDE, with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin and Book by Heather Hach, which is currently playing at the Enfield Annex, produced by the Opera House Players.

It's 2050 and Andres Salazar is running for office. In an America where Latinos are now considered part of the racial majority, he has tough decisions to make. Will identifying himself as a Mexican American help or hinder him on Election Day? Will denying part of his identity be worth the potential political benefits?

3Girls Theatre Company returns to Z Below for its 8th New Works Festival, the first since company Founder and Executive Artistic Director AJ Baker brought her 3-decade long private law practice to a close in order to dedicate her time and energy to the company exclusively. 'My specialty as a lawyer has been employment law, often revolving around high-stakes contracts and payouts. I've seen firsthand how unless you take action to stop it, history has a way of repeating itself. So, 'flipping the script' is an important tool to understanding our world, which is why this year's theme is 'Hindsight is 2020.' I'm thrilled that close to a decade after starting the organization I've arrived at the place where I can dedicate myself to it full time.'

Oh my! What a year! We've seen bad-ass gospel singers, lost Jewish plays, mythical towns of excretion and even an octopus wrestler or two. No, those aren't allusions to the crazy theater going on in Washington D.C. but the crazy wonderful theater going on right here in the Seattle area. It was tough coming up with just one winner (or even just a few Honorable Mentions) but I managed to do it a?? for the most part. Plus, some shows that more of you should have seen. (Yes, that's me nagging you all, Dear Readers, to check out more of the smaller or obscure theaters around here.) But what it all comes down to is, we're blessed here in the Northwest with an over-abundance of theatrical riches and I'm so fortunate to be able to share some of my favorites of the year with you with the BWW 2019 Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (Jay's Picks). So, let's get started, shall we?

Actors' Playhouse has announced the complete cast for its production of global smash-hit musical Mamma Mia! playing January 22 - February 23, 2020 at the Miracle Theatre.

The DCPA Theatre Company, the producing regional theatre arm of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA), is proud to announce full casting and creative teams for the world premieres of Bonnie Metzgar's You Lost Me and Tony Meneses' twenty50.

West Side Story: Classic. Powerful. Groundbreaking. Heartbreaking.  All words that have been used to describe one of Broadway's most memorable and iconic pieces of musical theatre.  The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in collaboration with Broadway Palm will present West Side Story as the first production in their brand-new Broadway at the LPAC series.  The show will run from November 14th through December 1st.

The Peabody Institute's 2019-20 concert season continues with Peabody Opera Theatre's staged premiere of Pride and Prejudice, an opera by Kirke Mechem, based on the novel by Jane Austen. The production will be performed November 20-23 at 7:30 pm in Peabody's Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall under the stage direction of Samuel Mungo, accompanied by the Peabody Opera Theatre Orchestra conducted by Joseph Young.

Most people are familiar with Jane Austen's a?oePride and Prejudicea??. Whether it's from the book, the mini-series, the movies (even the zombie one), or just from general pop culture, most people know the story. So, turning this into a musical is a bit risky especially with so many Austen-philes out there. But writers Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs, have pulled it off (to an extent) with their new musical a?oeAusten's Pridea??, currently at the 5th Avenue Theatre, and have even tripled the daunting task by making the melodies soar while fitting in the period, combining it with a story of Austen herself, and still retaining the charm and heart of a?oePride and Prejudicea?? along the way.

West Side Story: Classic. Powerful. Groundbreaking. Heartbreaking. All words that have been used to describe one of Broadway's most memorable and iconic pieces of musical theatre. The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in collaboration with Broadway Palm will present West Side Story as the first production in their brand-new Broadway at the LPAC series. The show will run from November 14th through December 1st.

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced the full cast for its new production of Austen's Pride: A New Musical of Pride and Prejudice, which is now in rehearsals and begins performances in Seattle on October 4, 2019.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced today that 15 young professionals have been awarded fellowships for the 2019-20 season. Theatre graduates from universities across the nation apply for this program that provides a year-long deep dive into the operations of the award-winning theatre. Fellowships cover a variety of artistic and administrative disciplines and provide specialized training that assists fellows with embarking on a professional career in the arts. Additionally, fellows participate in career development seminars, build professional contacts, and even serve as mentors themselves for Berkeley Rep's annual Teen One-Acts Festival.

When well-known drama critic Mortimer Brewster has wooed and won the woman of his dreams, what can go wrong as he plans to bring her into his loving family of aunts and uncles? Find out for yourself as Possum Point Players present the American comedy classic a?oeArsenic and Old Lace.a?? Written by Joseph Kesselring, show dates are Sept. 13, 14, 20, and 21 at 7:30 PM; and Sept. 15 and 22, at 2 PM at Possum Hall, 441 Old Laurel Rd, Georgetown. Tickets are $20 for adults and $19 for students and seniors. Call (302) 856-4560 or visit www.possumpointplayers.org to purchase tickets or for more information.

With The 19th Annual Festival of New Musicals taking place this upcoming weekend, Village Theatre is excited to announce the casting for XY, an uplifting musical about identity and coming to terms with your past; Cold Turkey, a wild and funny satire; Modern, an inspiring tale about a group of Amish teenagers; Eastbound, an poignant story about Chinese brothers in search of a home they've never known; and Cowboy Bob, an adventurous rock musical about a bank-robbing woman. The Festival will take place in Issaquah August 9-11, 2019 and provides an essential platform for writers to develop new works. Past Festival shows include Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning shows such as Next to Normal and Million Dollar Quartet, as well as Broadway and Off-Broadway hits: It Shoulda Been You, Desperate Measures, Lizzie, and many more.

Have you visited your sweet little old aunts lately? The ones that make their own sweet elderberry wine? Now's your chance to catch up with them as Possum Point Players present the American classic a?oeArsenic and Old Lace.a?? Written by Joseph Kesselring, show dates are Sept. 13, 14, 20, and 21 at 7:30 PM; and Sept. 15 and 22, at 2 PM at Possum Hall, 441 Old Laurel Rd, Georgetown. Tickets are $20 for adults and $19 for students and seniors. Call (302) 856-4560 or visit www.possumpointplayers.org on the web for tickets or more information.

What a wonderful way to kick off the Music Conservatory of Westchester's 90th Anniversary! With more than $335,500 raised at the Conservatory's 18th Annual Golf & Tennis Classic and Gala on Monday, June 24 at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, NY, it is truly a time to celebrate. Iconic comedian and Westchester resident Robert Klein and award-winning music composer and lyricist Marc Shaiman, were honored for their illustrious careers with musical performances by Broadway stars Kate Baldwin, Jennifer Damiano, and Gizel Jimenez, emceed by WQXR radio host Elliott Forrest.

JOLT Productions presents the musical comedy The Wedding Singer Saturday, June 15 through Sunday June 23 at the Olympic Heights Performing Arts Theater in Boca Raton.

JOLT Productions presents the musical comedy The Wedding Singer Saturday, June 15 through Sunday June 23 at the Olympic Heights Performing Arts Theater in Boca Raton.

JOLT Productions presents the musical comedy The Wedding Singer Saturday, June 15 through Sunday June 23 at the Olympic Heights Performing Arts Theater in Boca Raton.