Jay Irwin - Page 10

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 Halloween season.

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 with Larissa Fasthorse's a?oeThe Thanksgiving Playa?? currently being offered from Seattle Public Theater, we can finally laugh in that person's face. Or if you are that person, maybe you can find some moments to laugh at yourself.

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 out there. But writers Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs, have pulled it off (to an extent) with their new musical a?oeAusten's Pridea??, currently at the 5th Avenue Theatre, and have even tripled the daunting task by making the melodies soar while fitting in the period, combining it with a story of Austen herself, and still retaining the charm and heart of a?oePride and Prejudicea?? along the way.

'They're coming to get you, Barbara!' Yes, you'll definitely hear the iconic line in Weasel Productions inaugural show, 'Night of the Living Dead, LIVE!' Based on George A. Romero's classic zombie film, this parody has everything you'd expect including a delightfully monochrome feel. Unfortunately, the production from this fledgling company also suffers from pacing issues making it drag at times and thus lose its comedy edge.

If you're going to put up an autobiographical play, then you need at least one of two things. You either need a life, or a moment in your life, in which something extraordinary happened, or you need to have moments that amount to a message or meaning that is not widely known by your audience. The Seattle Rep's world premiere of Anna Ziegler's a?oeThe Great Momenta?? has neither of these things. Instead, it amounts to one of my theatrical pet peeves, someone else's therapy on stage.

On the surface, Craig Wright's a?oeThe Paviliona??, currently being offered from Strawberry Theatre Workshop, doesn't have all that much going for it. It's not a particularly enticing or thought provoking subject, a couple reconnecting at a reunion. But what it does have going for it is a cast of three performers, throwing their considerable talents into the roles, and that's what engages about this show more than anything.

There are so many wonderful things going on in a?oeBon Appetit! The Julia Child Operettaa??, the show about one of the world's most recognizable cooking personalities, Julia Child, that it's unbelievable it all happens in under an hour. But then Julia always did make magic happen in such a short time herself.

As we enter the Halloween season, we'll be seeing more and more theater with a spooky or creepy vibe. So, it makes sense that the Can Can would bring back their spooktacular a?oeZombie Cheerleaders from Hella??. The problem is, these zombies are not so terrifying as they are hilarious and titillating. Lucky us! Maybe they should combine the terms to describe their show. a?oeTitifyinga??!

When putting up a show for Children's Theatre, one of the main things you need to concern yourself with is how are the adults doing watching your show. The kids may be having a great time but if there's nothing for the adults who brought the kids to latch onto, then they might not bring the kids back next time. Seattle Children's Theatre usually has that covered with some wonderful performances and artistry. And while their current production of a?oeBlack Beautya?? certainly looked great with some fantastic puppets from Annett Mateo, the story lacked much of an arc and, at least for this adult, failed to thrill.

When the Seattle Rep announced their season and I saw they were taking on Paula Vogel's incredible play a?oeIndecenta?? I was thrilled. But even more so I was surprised as to how many of my friends hadn't heard of it. I mean, it was nominated for a Tony, and even had the entire thing shown on PBS at one point. But still it was only the major theater geeks that had this one on their radar. Well, now that it's here I'm pleased to state that the Rep's production completely met and exceeded my expectations and now I can share my thoughts on this stunning play with you, Dear Readers, and explain why you need to catch it.

Dear Readers, a few years back I was fortunate enough to see a production made possible by ACT and the Kenan Fellowship in Directing, a?oeGuards at the Taja??. A show that still sticks with me to this day. And I say a?oefortunate enougha?? as it was only on stage at ACT for a few performances. Now ACT has brought us the latest recipient of the Kenan Fellowship, Rey Zane, and her production of Anna Jordan's a?oeYena?? and I can tell that this brutal and gripping play will also be one to stick with me thanks to some stunning direction and performances.

A really good Café Nordo show needs more than a good premise and good food. It needs a good script that really tells the story, complimenting the food, and a good pace. Their current incarnation, a?oeViolet's Attica??, has a wonderfully creepy premise which leads us into a fabulously whimsical meal. But the script and pace, while having some fantastic moments, suffer from too many long, drawn out sequences with little payoff.

Really bad puns, noir-ish intrigue and juggling; what more do you need for an evening's entertainment? Well you're in luck, as the Northwest's celebrated comedy juggling troupe, The Flying Karamazov Brothers is back reviving their noir thriller a?oeClub Sandwicha?? at the Broadway Performance Hall. And while at times it may seem like they don't have a clue what's going on, trust me, these gifted performers and improvisors know exactly what to do, even when it all goes wrong.

Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel's soaring romantic and tragic musical a?oeLight in the Piazzaa?? is not often tackled a?? thank the theater Gods. I'm not saying it's bad by any stretch of the imagination, it's just that I'd hate to see every small company, without the resources to handle it well, take it on. Fortunately, they've built in a few traps that may dissuade. First off, it's not your typical, rollicking musical with songs you'll be singing after. Second, there's all that Italian that your cast needs to learn and deliver authentically. And finally, it's some tough music. It needs to be done by insanely talented professionals who can handle these beautiful melodies that fly up into the rafters (often in Italian) as well as the heartfelt story. Enter Showtunes Theatre as they begin their 20th season, who routinely gather together the cream of the crop of Seattle artists for just a few weekends, books in hand, and you'll find yourself gifted with the mind-blowingly gorgeous evening that is their current production of a?oeLight in the Piazzaa??.

Dear Readers, let's set the way-back machine to May of 2005 when a musical theater geek got to take his first trip to New York and see his first Broadway shows on Broadway. He sat there in Circle in the Square and marveled at a new William Finn show called a?oeThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beea??. Now this was during its previews so not a lot of buzz on it yet, which made it even more special, as he got to experience its greatness as it unfolded. He laughed, he cried, he fell in love with this silly little show. Obviously that geek was me. Since then I've seen numerous productions here and abroad. The show is a staple of musical theaters as it's inevitably a winner. I wouldn't say it's bulletproof but it's bullet-resistant. As long as you have a decent cast that can have fun playing kids, you're good. But few have taken me back to that original moment and evoked the tears at the end or from one particular song a?? until now.

If you're an aficionado of theater here in Seattle, then you've probably heard of Yussef El Guindi or at least seen one of his plays. An ACT 2018 core member, this prolific writer has had numerous plays around Seattle and beyond. And when reading the synopsis of his current piece making its World Premiere at ACT, a?oePeople of the Booka??, you may think you know what to expect and what hot button topics he'll hit upon. And he does. But he also manages some literary acrobatics bringing in surprise after surprise making this a deliciously complicated show with an ending that may leave you with more questions than when you came in.

Equity. Joy. Imagination. These were the words conveyed to us by Angie Kamel, the Director of Public Works at the Seattle Rep, before the opening performance of Public Works' production of “As You Like It”. And as with their inaugural production of “The Odyssey” back in 2017, those words say it all. Bringing together people from all walks of life across Seattle, professionals and non-professionals alike, to tell a story in such a positive way brings joy and imagination to life in the most equitable way possible.

Washington DC may have the Koch brothers, but we have a Koch brother and sister, specifically David and Lisa Koch. Two of the funniest humans out there, they've brought their delicious satire to Seattle and abroad for years. In fact, 20 years ago their 70's pop duo parody a?oeThe Carpetersa?? were all the rage at Cabaret de Paris. Well, they've reunited that delightful original cast, and brought in some new friends, to make The Carpeters live once again in a concert of their original show, a?oeThe Carpeters: Uncomfortably Close to Youa??. And with the insane laughter and applause, the roof of the Triple Door may never be the same.

Context is Key. Without context, your message can be completely lost. Such has happened with Washington Ensemble Theatre and their season opener, Aleshea Harris' a?oeIs God Isa??. If you look up information on the show or even read the promotional material put out by the theater, the show a?oeInspired by Spaghetti Westerns and Afro-punk, this electrifying play follows twin sisters who go on a killing spree to exact revenge on their creatora?? bringing up notions of allegory and some comedic undertones. In fact, from what I could find about the original production, that's where they aimed. But here they've missed the mark on the context and are left with a story of violence and revenge leaving me, after the show, to ask a?oewhya??.

Eighty percent of having a successful show is casting. If you have the right cast, even the dullest show can shine. However, that means the opposite is also true. You can have a good play, such as Eisa Davis' a?oeBulrushera??, currently being offered from Intiman Theatre, but if the cast isn't there, then neither is the decent storytelling. In the case of Intiman's show, the cast is mostly there, but one glaring weak link sapped the energy and emotion from a piece that should be filled with energy and emotion.