SEATTLE THEATER REVIEWS

Dear Readers, it struck me last night, while watching The Can Can’s current production of “The Hitchcock Hotel” of the intersection of horror, humor and sex. Any horror movie fan knows that a good laugh is the perfect way to release that tension after a good scare. And sex certainly plays a pa...

While watching the opening routine in “Passengers”, currently playing at the Seattle Rep, I found myself seeing a move I knew. We referred to it as a “coffee grinder” in my tap-dancing days and I was totally able to pull it off … when I was nine. Also, that was the only time I watched this...

Author Ken Ludwig has certainly had a prolific career filled with some wonderful gems, “Crazy for You”, “Lend Me a Tenor”, and “Moon Over Buffalo” to name just a few. So, Village Theatre’s new production of his 2017 work, “Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood” sounds like a rolli...

In these tumultuous theatrical times, it’s of little surprise that The 5th Avenue Theatre would head back under the sea with a remount of “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”. I mean, they just did it back in 2016. But it’s a crowd pleaser and I suspect a bit of a cash sea cow so here we are. ...

Dear Readers, I’m thrilled to say that my opinion of “Tina, The Tina Turner Musical”, currently playing at the Paramount, has changed. I saw it way back in 2018 in London and was not impressed. The show, while having tons of talent, also had tons of problems. Fast forward to now and it seems l...

DANCING AT LUGHNASA at SecondStory Repertory is a glimpse into the past and a way of life that has disappeared. It is not an idyllic revelry but rather an examination of a time when people who were caught between two wars struggled to find balance amidst many opposing forces. It is a show where the ...

The outstanding cast and provocative production, merged with Wagner’s indisputably monumental music and drama, made this Rheingold a de rigueur happening...

GreenStage brings the classic tale of ROMEO & JULIET to life with wit and charm and heaps of teenage angst. Beneath the canopy of trees, the denizens of Old Verona weave their magic. Whether you are Team Capulet or Team Montague, you’ll enjoy the battle. The timeless tale of love is full of laughs...

The Can Can has never been one to shy away from sexual boundaries. Hell, emcee Jonathan Betchtel will flirt with anyone he lays his eyes on. But now with their new show, “Crimson and Clover”, they’ve ventured into their first unabashedly queer storyline, still with their usual sparkle and humo...

How do you know when a show is really, really good? Often it is something beyond the story, the performance, and the staging that takes you to a place that can only be described as magic. Less than twenty minutes into the show, I leaned over to my theater companion and quietly whispered, “I’m al...

Dear Readers, The Queens have arrived at the Paramount with the North American Tour of “Six” and attention must be paid to these divas. Maybe you’ve seen bits on late night shows or performances on the Tonys but there’s nothing like catching this Tony winning show live....

One thing that can be said about Book-It Repertory Theatre, Dear Readers, is that they know how to surprise and thrill. Their 2016 productions of “The Brothers K” still live rent free in my head. So, when I heard they were tackling a novel such as Stanislaw Lem’s “Solaris”, currently playi...

This was a hugely demanding program, and Morlot and his musicians together produced an awe-inspiring accomplishment....

In the musical theater world, there are classics and then there are Classics (with the big “C”). Jerry Herman’s “Hello, Dolly!” is certainly a big “C” Classic and I’m here to fight anyone who says different. It’s a delicious throwback to the Golden Age of musicals and certainly a s...

UNNECESSARY FARCE at the Driftwood Theatre is a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled, high-octane laugh-fest. If your funny bone is out of practice, this show will whip you into shape in no time. From slapstick, innuendo, deadpan, comedy of errors, and wordplay, UNNECESSARY FARCE finds a million different ...

I’ve seen many productions of “Les Misérables” over the years, Dear Readers. I’ve seen local productions and tours. I’ve seen with the turntable and without. And, of course, I’ve seen good and not so good productions. And with all those viewings under my belt, I had to ask myself, “do...

Yowza indeed! JEEVES TAKES A BOW at Taproot Theatre launched into opening night full throttle on the comedy pedal. The beloved characters of PG Wodehouse take the audience on a delightful romp across the New York stage, through the seedy underbelly of the big city, and even a ramble into the wild, w...

Dear Readers, just as theater professionals have unique ways of communicating a story, so too do children have their own ways of communicating their issues, especially when traumatized. Now take those two unique perspectives and combine them and you get the singular “Wolf Play” by Hansol Jung, c...

He’s a Seattle favorite. He inspires magic and wonder and just brings a smile to the faces of those who see him. No, I’m not talking about Justin Huertas, composer of the locally (and beyond) renowned musical “Lizard Boy” (about to make its Off-Broadway premiere in NYC, by the way), although...

TWELFTH NIGHT at Seattle Shakespeare is loaded with music, mischief, and magic. With the Bard’s trusty plot devices of mistaken identity and a prank gone awry, the show traipses its way through the lives of the Illyrians on the way to their happy endings. Clever lyrics embellish the story, touch t...

Dear Readers, I’m baaack! It’s been months since we’ve spoken or even since I’ve been in a theater due to a medical issue that’s kept me homebound. So, one of my favorite shows, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s bloody masterpiece “Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”, c...

I HATE HAMLET is a delightful romp for Shakespeare aficionados and newbies alike. The witty repartee just keeps coming as playwright Paul Rudnick dishes out great dialogue and some killer one liners. Nothing is funnier than actors making fun of actors, and I HATE HAMLET does it well. Despite its foc...

HAIRSPRAY is a toe-tapping, dance in your seat, good time show with a message we still need to hear. With an audience who came ready for a party, the show hummed along with enthusiastic support from the crowd. With catchy tunes, over-the-top characters, and energetic dance numbers, HAIRSPRAY is a wh...

The theater scene has been as parched as a midwestern prairie waiting for a show like this. And Paris Manzanares is a tall drink of water during a drought. With a magnificent score by composer Harvey Schmidt and lyricist Tom Jones, Reboot Theatre and Seattle Public Theater have found new meaning in ...

WEVERY BRILLIANT THING is a show about awareness - awareness of yourself, of others, of obstacles and challenges, of feelings and emotions, and the beauty of life right down to the smallest detail. While framed within the story of darkest depression, the show illuminates how much joy there still is ...