SEATTLE THEATER REVIEWS

THE FOREIGNER at As If Theatre provides a farcical romp of entertainment while yet managing to deliver a poignant message on racism and fear of others that remains as relevant today as when Shue wrote it forty years ago. Thoroughly seeded with absurdities and archetypes, the play offers easy laughs....

If you’ve ever seen a MAP Theatre show, Dear Readers, then you know they tend toward the odd little stories laced with humor, but ultimately fairly dark and twisted. But you also know they tend to do those odd little stories, quite well. Their current production of Brian Dang’s “A White Haunti...

The problem with a one person show, Dear Readers, or even a mostly one-person show is that often the author can tend to ramble. They get lost in their own exorcising of whatever demons they’re trying to get out and go on tangent after tangent. Heidi Schreck, author of “What the Constitution Mean...

Dear Readers, I am a sucker for both a sweet love story and even more so when we mix in a little magical realism. Movies like “Amelie” or plays like “O Lovely Glowworm, or Scenes of Great Beauty” are some of my favorites. So, something like Jose Rivera’s “Cloud Tectonics”, currently pl...

The air is electric. The room is filled with smiles, greetings, hugs, and a huge amount of anticipation. From bated breath to roaring cheers, the audience welcomed the Russells onto the stage. The stories and songs shared by Faith Bennet Russell, Be Russell, and Sarah Russell turned the evening from...

The Griswolds’ have been to Wally World, they’ve visited family for Christmas, and they’ve nearly destroyed Europe on their vacations. And now, they’ve loaded up the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and are hitting Broadway in the new musical at the 5th Avenue Theatre, “The Griswolds’ Broadw...

Dear Readers, I’m going to set the “Way Back Machine” to 2011 where I was first introduced to the works of playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney as the Seattle Rep had produced his stunning “The Brothers Size”, a show that hit me so hard in the gut that I think about it to this day. And while I...

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s “Little Shop of Horrors” is arguably one of those near perfect musicals. I will argue with you on this from now until the plants take over the earth as it remains my absolute favorite. But it needs to be done right. That’s not to say it needs to be done the sa...

A secluded inn full of guests, a massive snow storm, and a murderer on the loose combine into a delicious murder mystery, masterfully written by Agatha Christie, and delightfully produced by the Driftwood Players. Secrets abound and people are not who they appear to be....

The history of colonization of indigenous lands in this country and other countries is a sensitive subject that many shy away from. But then to look at it from the viewpoint of those that have been displaced goes a long way to recognizing the issues and keep them from continuing. Madeline Sayet and ...

What did our critic think of NONSENSE AND BEAUTY at Theatre22?...

The Can Can is back, Dear Readers, with their ode to all things that go bump and grind in the night, “The Hitchcock Hotel”. And just like past offerings, they continue to up their game with this new spooky, sexy show....

ALMOST, MAINE at Heart Repertory Theatre beckons us to stop a while and enjoy a brief time of shared moments with average people in average situations, a slice of life if you will. Through the sharing of these moments, Heart Rep reminds us of the universal threads that connect our experiences to tho...

The juggernaut, the glory, the hot ticket in town has returned. Yes, “Hamilton”, that multiple Tony Award winning phenomenon that’s still a big seller on Broadway has made its way back to Seattle and, good news, you have a bit over a month to catch it. Even better news, they’re doing the l...

Dear Readers, if you feel you don’t want/need to see the musical “Come From Away”, currently playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre, I’m here to tell you, you’re wrong....

The Habit has done it again! First, they wowed us with their hilarious sketch comedy, then branched out into sidesplitting playwrighting with the recurring “A Very Die Hard Christmas”, not to mention their “Indiana Jones” send up. But now The Habit in conjunction with Seattle Public Theate...

Something missing, someone dead, many with motives, and none telling the whole truth. Taproot Theatre invites you to lean in and study the scene. With a marvelous set, dynamic characters, and some unexpected humor, Black Coffee is a delightful romp through Agatha Christie’s world of mystery....

Dear Readers, every now and again something comes through town that takes musical theater to a whole new level. The Tony Award winner for Best Musical “Hadestown”, currently playing at the Paramount Theatre is one of those shows. And sadly, even with its Tony win, too few people know about it....

Dear Readers, if you’re not familiar with the rock musical “Lizzie” with music by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt and Lyrics by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer and Tim Maner then I pity you. This kick ass, girl power show has one of the most infectious scores that I’ve come across in ...

Memories, secrets, and what is believed to be true are held in a delicate balance in the hands of The Bonesetter’s Daughter at Book-It Repertory Theatre. There are the stories we tell and the stories we hide. Can you really know who you are if you don’t know the past? The bonds of mothers and da...

Metaphor in storytelling is fine. If you need/want to disguise your main themes in a fable, great, but make that fable something interesting. Instead, Julia Izumi’s “miku, and the gods” currently playing at ArtsWest disguises a journey through grief, illness, and loss with an allegory that m...

Dear Readers, I need to ask you a question. Have you seen the movie “Jaws”? The original and first big summer blockbuster from 1975. Read our review. ...

I am aware, Dear Readers, that for some the ABBA jukebox musical “Mamma Mia” is not for them. Maybe they aren’t fans of ABBA or maybe they just don’t like fun but whatever the case, I can unabashedly state that I am NOT one of them.  ...

Dear Readers, we’ve discussed this before. Not every movie needs to be made into a musical....

Dear Readers, as we enter Pride month, I can’t think of a more delightful way to celebrate than having the national tour of the gay romp “The Prom” come to us at the 5th Avenue Theatre. ...