William A. Williams News

Balagan Theatre made three major announcements during a packed Season Preview Party at the Moore Theatre on Monday, June 10: 'Nirvanov' as the fifth show in the 2013-2014 mainstage season, a star-studded trio of leading ladies in Carrie: The Musical, and a newly created New Works Program, whose Summer Series debuts July 6.

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.

I'm not always the biggest fan of transplanting established shows to another time or place. "Hamlet" doesn't need to be set in space and "Our Town" without that old time Grover's Corners feel would just be wrong. And don't even get me started on the thought of moving "Oklahoma". But sometimes, when it's well thought out and well executed, it works. Such is the case for the modern reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, "Jesus Christ Superstar" currently at Village Theatre. But while I appreciated the concept and approach, some of the cast left me wanting.

I'm not always the biggest fan of transplanting established shows to another time or place. "Hamlet" doesn't need to be set in space and "Our Town" without that old time Grover's Corners feel would just be wrong. And don't even get me started on the thought of moving "Oklahoma". But sometimes, when it's well thought out and well executed, it works. Such is the case for the modern reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, "Jesus Christ Superstar" currently at Village Theatre. But while I appreciated the concept and approach, some of the cast left me wanting.

It is with great excitement that Village Theatre announces the return of Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winner Brian Yorkey (Next To Normal) to the director's seat for the upcoming production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Set to open in Issaquah on May 12, 2011, this incredibly dynamic production features some bold choices by Yorkey including non-traditional casting and shared roles between two of the most legendary musical theatre characters-Jesus of Nazareth and Judas Iscariot.

It is with great excitement that Village Theatre announces the return of Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winner Brian Yorkey (Next To Normal) to the director's seat for the upcoming production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Set to open in Issaquah on May 12, 2011, this incredibly dynamic production features some bold choices by Yorkey including non-traditional casting and shared roles between two of the most legendary musical theatre characters-Jesus of Nazareth and Judas Iscariot.

What happens when you take an already wonderful show and, due to popular demand, remount it in a larger venue? Well, sometimes the results can be disastrous. But Balagan Theatre's remount of their production of "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog", which sold out back in August, manages to take what worked before, improve upon it, and then add in the resources of ACT to create a show to rival the first. If the Six Million Dollar Man taught us anything it's that, "We have the technology. We can make him bigger, stronger, "and even more Horrible!

What happens when you take an already wonderful show and, due to popular demand, remount it in a larger venue? Well, sometimes the results can be disastrous. But Balagan Theatre's remount of their production of "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog", which sold out back in August, manages to take what worked before, improve upon it, and then add in the resources of ACT to create a show to rival the first. If the Six Million Dollar Man taught us anything it's that, "We have the technology. We can make him bigger, stronger, "and even more Horrible!

Contemporary Classics and RK Productions have collaborated to put up the Seattle Premiere of William Finn's hilarious musical "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at the Ballard Underground. And while the show is missing some of the deeper moments, on the surface it's a fun frolicking good time.