SEATTLE THEATER REVIEWS

THE REVOLUTIONISTS at ArtsWest is a revolutionary dream fugue of an implausible meeting of four great women during the French Revolution. They have individual battles and seek to better the world, yet find a way to support each other. Their imagined sisterhood is a fresh take on could happen if peop...

Everyone loves a good Romantic Comedy, and when people find a good one, they latch onto it. Such a RomCom was the 1937 play a?oeParfumeriea?? by Miklos Laszlo. Now, if you're not familiar with that one maybe you're more familiar with some of the films that were based on it. There was the 1940 Jam...

a?oeBohemiaa?? is back! That fabulous burlesque show from the minds of Opal Peachey and Mark Siano is back for one last time at The Triple Door before they wing their way off to Berlin to perform at the Ballhaus Berlin. With new cast members and characters, the classiest burlesque show you'll ever...

Believe it or not, Dear Readers, I was a dancer in my youth. I took tap lessons for 12 years starting in 3rd Grade. And while I didn't do much in the way of competitions, I did see my fair share of stage moms and dancer heartache. So, a play such as Clare Barron's a?oeDance Nationa??, currently b...

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Paramount Theatre brings heart and humor in a winning combination. With soaring music, reinvented choreography, and its timeless story, FIDDLER provides the elements we have always loved with a freshness that makes us love it more. Bartlett Sher's production has cemented the s...

What would you do if you could peek in on the memories of your ancestors? That's the question posed in the World Premiere play by Darren Canady, a?oeReparationsa??, currently offered from Sound Theatre Company. In a play filled with thought provoking ideas and stirring performances, they metaphori...

While viewing the opening night of Seattle Shakespeare Company's production of Richard Brinsley Sheridan's a?oeThe Rivalsa??, one old adage kept springing to mind. a?oeThrow it against the wall and see if it sticks.a?? Well, aside from a few standout performances, not much stuck. But that wasn't ...

a?oeSummer, The Donna Summer Musicala?? opened last night, New Year's Eve, at the Paramount like a shiny ball descending on Seattle signifying the new year. But just like the ball dropping and switching from one year to the next, it amounted to very little other than a reason to party. With a book...

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, sugar plums dancing in your head, and candy canes intertwined. These are some images that spring to mind when you think of the holiday season. Now what if those were euphemistic chestnuts, sugar plums, and candy canes and they were all naked and singing? Do I h...

There was no one like Robin Williams. Let's just state that right now. And when you think of Robin Williams, many gravitate towards his 1993 comedy smash a?oeMrs. Doubtfirea?? where he created an enduring, iconic character as a divorced father who posed as a female nanny in order to remain in the ...

Becky-June Beasley-Jones (played by the irreverent Butch Alice), the Jessica Fletcher of Café Nordo, a young girl who can't help but stumble into murder after murder (so much so that I'm not certain she's not perpetrating them) has returned to rock your holidays with a?oeThe Christmas Killings at C...

First off, Dear Readers, let me emphasize that the Harry Potter Plays, a?oeHarry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2a?? are NOT here in Seattle. And, personally I doubt they ever will be considering the amount of technical wizardry needed to pull it off. They'd have to practically remodel the...

Back in the late 80's and early 90's we witnessed the rise of theatrical shows that were all about making music and dance with everyday items and not so much about story. There was a?oeThe Blue Man Groupa??, a?oeTap Dogsa?? and of course the mega-hit a?oeStompa??. I will admit that in my youth, as...

A VERY DIE HARD CHRISTMAS at Seattle Public Theatre will have you dying from laughter. With gags, antics, witty remarks, and tomfoolery, the cast manages to tell a fairly accurate story. While the gunfire and explosions may be downgraded to squirt guns and Nerf guns, there is nothing downgraded abou...

Taproot Theatre breathes some fresh air into the holiday season with their production of THE BISHOP'S WIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY. While other theater leans on the old standards, Taproot is rolling the dice and presents a new adaptation of a lesser-known work. Their gamble is already paying off with smi...

Back in 2017, Dear Readers, Book-It Repertory Theatre brought us the highly anticipated musical adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones beloved book, 'Howl's Moving Castle', adapted by Myra Platt with music and lyrics from Justin Huertas. The show was certainly a charmer but, personally, I found the storyt...

Back in 2018, a little show came along to Broadway called a?oeHead Over Heelsa??. All I knew was that it was the story of Sir Philip Sydney's a?oeArcadiaa?? with the songs of the 80's pop group, The Go-Go's. OK, another jukebox musical, we'll see. Then I went to NY and it didn't quite make the li...

John Kander and Fred Ebb's a?oeCabareta?? is a bit of a perplexing show for me. Perplexing in that it's done quite often, and it shouldn't be. It should only be done if you can do justice to the story. With a book by Joe Masteroff and based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christophe...

Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Have you heard of her? Maybe not (I know I hadn't before last night). But even if you're unfamiliar with her, you're more than likely familiar with one of the many artists she's influenced. Artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Little Richard to name just a few. ...

There's a reason that Frank Loesser's a?oeGuys & Dollsa?? has endured all these years and keeps coming back, it's a near perfect musical. It's fun and frothy with that rare breed of songs that all move the story along and tell a story of their own. But with these songs, and because of them, you ne...

Dear Readers, I've been a fan of a?oeMiss Saigona?? for years now, ever since it first came out back in 1991. I've seen tours, local productions, revivals on Broadway, and even a one-man interpretation that needs to find new life somewhere. So, I know what I'm looking for in any production; amazin...

The Granddaddy of horror icons has descended upon Seattle and he's just as romantically malevolent as you might want him to be. ACT has brought us Steven Dietz's retooled adaptation of Bram Stoker's a?oeDraculaa?? and this classic tale of the original bloodlust is just what you need for your Spooky...

Seattle Shakespeare Theater gives THE TEMPEST a new edge and makes it sharper than ever. Filled with intrigue, love, revenge, plots, ploys, and magic, this show has something for everyone. With a fresh look and clever casting, Seattle Shakespeare makes this show its own....

We all know that person, be it friend or co-worker or maybe you ARE that person, who's just a little too PC and a bit too a?oewokea??. They're the first one's to jump on your when you're being culturally insensitive as they see it as their duty to make the world as a?oewokea?? as them. Well now wi...

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 ...