SEATTLE THEATER REVIEWS

Before any theater company even considers attempting Elton John and Tim Rice's rock musical "Aida", they need to have, at the very least, four things in place. An awesome band to back up the amazing ensemble. A dashing Radames and a larger than life Amneris, both with fantastic pipes of their own,...

Yes, Dear Readers, it's "Uncle Vanya" … again. Now, don't get confused. I know I just reviewed this a few weeks ago but this is a different production. This is Theatre9/12, those plucky actors who pour over scene work week after week until they come up with a full play they'd like to present, t...

The idea of stunt casting, the practice of taking a big name and putting them in a role just to get butts in seats, has always terrified me. And I've seen it result anywhere from the sublime such as Neil Patrick Harris killing it as "Hedwig" to the shudder inducing Molly Ringwald completely out of ...

OK, so putting up a dark and moody production of Anton Chekhov's 'Uncle Vanya' may sound redundant but remember, this is The Seagull Project. They've spent the last eight years killing it with all things Chekhov and now with the completion of the main plays, the dark and moody tone isn't so much th...

If you're going to put up a new musical, such as Annex Theatre's current world premiere 'The Devil and Sarah Blackwater' you need a few things on board. First, an editor, to make sure that the show and the story is as tight and clear as you can make it. And second, a music director to present the ...

Seattle Public Theater is currently offering a play you've probably never heard of, "Fire Season". And you've never heard of "Fire Season" because it's a World Premiere having been written by author Aurin Squire under the auspices of having won the inaugural Emerald Prize, Seattle Public Theater's ...

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE at Taproot Theater is what Aunt Abby would call a 'fine howdy doo.' This production proves why Joseph Kesselring's play is considered a classic. The play contains not only great humor but also smarts. The talented cast has a great rapport and will take you on an adventurous ride...

In David Henry Hwang's play "M Butterfly" there's a few things you can take away. First there's the actual historical comparison to the real relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a Peking opera singer. Second there's the cultural lesson of Westerners predilection t...

After a shaky start (sorry to all you folks who got bumped from the Wednesday performance) the 2017 Tony Award winner, "Dear Evan Hansen" is here at the Paramount. Now, I managed to catch this phenomenal show on Broadway when it was still in previews, so I got to see the original cast. The cast I'...

Steven Dietz is touted as being 'one of America's most successful, prolific living dramatists' (The Seattle Times, 2018) and it's no surprise given his rich, engaging characters, raw, honest dialog, and stories that feel effortless as they slip in the emotional knife before you know it. Such is cer...

Dear Readers, if you deem to venture into the sultry world of Can Can's newest show, "Bonbon", you may walk away with several feelings. First, you'll probably have a need to hit the gym more because, well, damn! Second, there's the impetus to slink and sashay down the street afterward humming a se...

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' play "Everybody", currently at 12th Ave Arts from Strawberry Theatre Workshop, tells us from the beginning that we're in for a show about death. The House Manager (Justin Huertas) lets us know that this is a story that has been told before, many many times. But what makes "...

As a self-proclaimed musical theater geek, I'll admit to some gaps in my geekdom and Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's 1966 musical "I Do! I Do!" falls squarely into that gap. Before going to see the current production at Village Theatre I knew nothing about it. I don't even think I've heard the erra...

With all the focus dedicated to the language and story, Seattle Shakespeare breaths new life into this old classic while maintaining all its traditions. While current trends rely on new interpretations, new locations, different time periods, this production stays true to the Bard and delivers the go...

Any good play wants to contain a solid beginning, middle, and end. But you know the old adage, give them a strong ending and they'll forgive a lot. But what happens when a one-act, one hour and 35-minute show just has a strong middle? I'll tell you, a lot of me checking my watch near the end and ...

Dear Readers, I'm going to start out by coming clean to a fact that may cause a few gasps. I've never liked "The Lion King". Unlike much of the rest of America I didn't think the movie was that great and I seriously don't care for the stage version. The story is just a watered-down version of "Ha...

Book-It Repertory Theatre has a winner on its hands. MY ANTONIA sings with triumph as a story we both know by heart and one we long to hear. It deftly deals with the issues of love and loss, class divide, and immigration. Whether a century ago or current day, the story of My Antonia is remarkable fo...

Dear Readers, I need you to stop what you're doing right now (including reading this review) and go to www.seattlepublictheater.com and get your tickets to the most ridiculous fun you'll have this holiday season, 'A Very Die Hard Christmas'. Seriously tickets are going fast so do it now and then co...

Seattle Musical Theatre has taken on Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" for the holidays, that bright and frothy, crowd-pleaser of a tuner. And while for this production they've managed to gather up some stellar talent, that talent sometimes has a hard...

You may say, Dear Readers, that it's impossible to have a bad production of the Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse, and Martin Charnin classic "Annie". Throw some precocious kids on stage, belt out those recognizable tunes and you're gold. Well, I beg to differ as I've seen my share of "Annie" product...

Before there was "Hamilton" there was "In the Heights". I know I'm a nerd, but it floors me how many people don't know that. Most theater aficionados know of "Hamilton" and by extension of Lin-Manuel Miranda but have a blind spot for "In the Heights" the Tony winning show that put Miranda on the m...

Taproot Theatre's production of MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY offers a holiday diversion of wit, charm, and heart. Mary Bennet, the middle sister, steps from the shadows to take command of her own story. With a gathering of family and a visit from a distant cousin, the recipe is ripe for misun...

ArtsWest gives new life to an old story with its production of JANE EYRE. The musical is presented in an updated chamber version in its West Coast premier. The story is a classic. The lessons of following your heart and forgiveness are universal. But above it all is the music. The glorious music wil...

A few years ago, Dear Readers, Seattle audiences were treated to the tour of Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin's lovely musical version of Roald Dahl's "Matilda". A clever little tuner that managed to go beyond simply adding songs to a beloved book and find the heart of the story. Unfortunately, the co...

PARLIAMENT SQUARE by Pony World Theatre pulls at your heart and gut but leaves your intellect unengaged. The show is a feast of tension, activism, and drama with a side of emotional manipulation. The story falls to match the actors or design in terms of inspiration and fizzles from lack of specifici...