Seattle Blog Theater

What could be more perfect to kick off the holiday season than the nostalgic tale of Cinderella at the Wade James Theater? The Edmonds Driftwood Players delivers a delightful performance of the Broadway version of Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Cinderella, emphasizing the importance of generosity and coming together despite differences to make a better world. There’s no wrong place or time of year for these messages, but they really resonated at a little community theater around the holidays. The lobby was elaborately decorated with wintery themes, pictures of the cast, and a Cinderella photoshoot. All of the ushers, and many of the younger audience members, were wearing tiaras, showing the production team’s excitement to be putting on this musical.

This more contemporary rendering keeps the classic tale of Cinderella while introducing dragon-slaying, the creation of a representative government, the power of kindness over ridicule, and an array of energetic, catchy songs. In this version, Cinderella meets Prince Topher for the first time after he gets back from a mission to kill a dragon that has been terrorizing the kingdom. Topher, under his advisor Sebastian’s influence, decides to host a ball to find a bride. Meanwhile, a revolutionary named Jean-Michael attempts to convince the citizens that they need reform because the people’s land was unjustly taken, but his message is diminished by the announcement of the prince throwing a ball to find his new bride. Cinderella longs to go to this ball, but her stepmother refuses to let her go, similar to the classic Cinderella story. After they leave, Cinderella comes across Crazy Marie, a vagrant woman who Cinderella has always been kind to. Crazy Marie turns out to be a fairy godmother and she helps get Cinderella to the ball. Once there, in addition to falling in love with the prince, Cinderella begins to tell him about the wrongdoings occurring in the kingdom that he hadn’t noticed, leading to reform and a happy ending all around. These twists on the classic tale offer just a little more magic to make all of Cinderella’s fresh and relatable dreams come true.Tamara C. Ford (Madame), Lydia Salita (Charlotte), Jessica Hamilton (Gabrielle), Miki Murray (Ella). Photo by Dale Sutton.

Soft rain echoed through the audience, the noise coming from the stage. On October 12, at 7:30 PM, the empty stage at Leo K. Theater was complete with a ballet barre, window, and glowing exit sign above a door with light streaming through it. It was cozy, if a bit lonely. The theater was set up as a dance studio, but when the performance began, it became clear that the story extended far beyond the aspects of dance. Instead, the world premiere of the play Fancy Dancer feels uniquely like a conversation with a friend, saying, “You are not alone.”

Seattle Rep and Seattle Children’s Theater have collaborated to introduce this autobiographical play, written by Larissa FastHorse and directed by Chay Yew, to a variety of ages. FastHorse and actress Burgandi Trejo Phoenix alternate performances, playing the show’s single role of Lara. Lara grew up in a small town in South Dakota off the Lakota reservation with her adoptive parents. Half Lakota and half white, she spent many of her formative years feeling like she was too much or not enough of both sides of her heritage. This discontent with her identity was mirrored in her body. She struggled with tibial torsion, which made it difficult for her to rotate her legs outward, also known as turnout. Because of this, she was deemed unworthy of dance opportunities again and again, from her second-grade ballet class to her eventual college one. Still, she persevered with her dream and set herself on following the footsteps of Maria Tallchief, a famous prima ballerina, who was also half-Indigenous. This link between identity, emotions, and dance is the core of the production.Larissa FastHorse in Fancy Dancer (2025) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Sayed Alamy.

On Saturday, October 18th members of the TeenTix New Guard went on their first Arts Outing of the year: a visit to Seattle Public Theater for their production of Stage of Fools!

About the show: A scrappy feminist theater company is about to go under when they receive an offer they can't refuse: has-been 80s action movie star Jake Stone will endow them with more money than they've ever dreamed of, if they'll produce King Lear, with him in the titular role. Never mind that he's an entitled, egotistical blowhard. These women can survive anything for the sake of the theater they love...right? (courtesy of Seattle Public Theater)The cast of Stage of Fools. Photo by Colin Madison Photography.

The Roommate at ArtsWest is a beautiful play that will make you laugh, cry, and consider the question, how much can a true friendship change you? Written by Jen Silverman and originally debuting at the Actors Theatre of Louisville in 2015, The Roommate follows two middle-aged women, Sharon and Robyn, and the budding friendship that starts when they become roommates. The two women are as opposite as can be. Sharon is a recently divorced, lonely homebody from a small town, while Robyn is free-spirited, from the Bronx, and in search of a new life. This dynamic leads to an emotionally captivating, comedy-rich play that will keep you both on the edge of your seat and contemplating its themes for weeks.

ArtsWest is a perfect venue for this show. It’s a small Black Box theater. No elevated stage. The actresses are only a few feet away from the front row. The only thing separating the stage from the audience are the small vinyl mats that mark the edges of the set. The set, designed by Devin Petersen, is a small kitchen decorated like a typical house from a Disney Channel sitcom. There are a few plants in the window nook above the sink; a small round table you can imagine a family breakfast around; and a fridge with colorful magnets holding up a few pictures of a young boy who no longer lives there. From the beginning to the end of the play, the set only changes as Robyn’s belongings supplant Sharon’s space. Her plants, weed, and boxes upon boxes don’t drastically change the set, but they make it clear that this isn’t just Sharon’s home anymore. It becomes less a stereotypical family home and more Sharon and Robyn’s home, a mix of Sharon’s more traditional values and Robyn’s careless and sometimes cluttered lifestyle. As we watch this change in the set, we also experience the women beginning to connect. They become entwined in each other's lives just as their things intertwine in their new home. Sharon’s house only becomes their home when Robyn and Sharon start to find home in each other. The Roommate is advertised as a dark comedy, so I expected something much less emotional than what I came away with: a bittersweet story about two completely opposite women finding love for each other and changing each other’s lives for the better.Mari Nelson and Sarah Harlett in The Roommate at ArtsWest. Photo by John McLellan.

Exotic Deadly: One Strange History Lessonby Clara Thorsen

Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play is an absurd comedy, coming-of-age drama, and historical lesson packed into just under two hours. Exotic Deadly made its Northwest debut at Theatre Off Jackson, a cozy venue nestled in the Chinatown-International District. The play follows an Asian-American high school student, Ami (Karis Ho), whose world comes crashing down after discovering her family invented the flavor enhancer MSG.

Fooling someone from the distance of a traditional stage is one thing. Fooling someone sitting directly in front of you is much more difficult—and astounding. I discovered this when I was ten years old, during my magic trick phase. I spent hours carefully practicing card tricks from books, and yet my demonstrations failed to elicit the awe that I hoped for from my family. In The Unfair Advantage at Seattle Rep, Australian card shark and magician Harry Milas has mastered the ability to fool and amaze his audience up close.

Using a simple but effective format, Milas exposes techniques used to cheat at cards. First, he demonstrates an awe-inspiring card trick, then—unless the trick is strictly for the sake of magic—he explains the secret behind it. Along the way, he sprinkles in anecdotes from his personal magic journey. Audience members must sign a confidentiality agreement before the hour-long show, which is followed by an optional Q&A session. I admit that the NDA made me dubious, but as I soon discovered, The Unfair Advantage is not just a tell-all. Instead, Milas reveals the methods used by card sharks while still preserving the mystery and quiet wonder associated with magic.

Laughs in Spanish by Alexis Scheer in many ways, serves as a tribute to the vibrant city of Miami. The production more or less conveys a sense of the city, particularly through its set design, use of Spanglish, and lively dancing. However, while the play generally succeeds in this regard, the overall experience feels lacking, like being on the periphery rather than fully immersed in the moment. The play is playful, unserious at moments, yet the plot tends to be anticlimactic and low stakes, particularly towards the end. 

The play opens in utter disarray as paintings have been stolen, and Mari, the main character, is expected to hold an art gallery show that evening. With no paintings to display, her fiery temper (panic mode)  and workaholic nature add to the overall chaos of the situation. However, with the support of her friends and family, the situation begins to stabilize. Juan, a Miami police officer, leads the investigation, while his girlfriend, Caro, offers to lend her paintings for the show. Additionally, Mari’s mother, Estella, unexpectedly arrives in Miami,  accompanied by her assistant and former school friend, Jenny, who further helps.  

Have you ever wanted to see a telenovela, pero, different from all the traditional ones? Laughs in Spanish serves up all the drama and chaos you expect but in a more modern way. 

The play Laughs in Spanish, written by Alexis Scheer and directed by Dámaso Rodríguez, is an amusing, chaotic and  heartfelt comedy that mixes both English and Spanish to deliver the perfect blend of both. Set in Miami during Art Basel, the story kicks off in the middle of a crisis followed by family drama and unexpected discoveries, showing a realistic mother-daughter relationship, strong chemistry between the characters and themes of inclusivity. The talented cast includes Diana Burbano, Diana Garle, Cheyenne Barton, Gabriell Salgado and Beth Pollack.

Laughs In Spanish tells the story of an art show in Miami as an unexpected turn threatens to derail the whole show. While the show has this mysterious turn, it also highlights themes such as family relationships, romance, parenthood, marriage, and real-world themes often faced in today's society. 

Overall, Laughs in Spanish was a mixture of comedic and serious, with lots of plot twists, shocks, and even hidden romance. Although the play did fall short in the opening music and the language department, the play was still an enjoyable experience. 

Laughs in Spanish promises just that. It’s filled with energy, secrets and an awkward love story. You’ll gasp between the laughs and won’t want to look away, except for maybe the romance scenes. Immediately, Laughs in Spanish takes the audience to a vibrant day in Miami. It centers around a gallery owner, Mariana, who has to figure out how to fix things a day before her art show. The play does a good job showing what Miami is like with the cool sounds and visuals, making the play overall entertaining to watch but the romance in the story feels a bit awkward and out of place. The day before Mariana's art show, her paintings disappear while her mom Estella, a movie star, appears and tries to help out. But things only get more complicated and involve themes of family and relationships. Estella's assistant Jenny, who is also Mariana’s love interest, is introduced as well. Her intern Carolina, who is also an artist, uses her art to save the show while Carolina's boyfriend Juan, the cop, tries to figure out who stole the paintings. 

One way the play was successful was being entertaining, keeping the audience engaged. Right from the beginning, it grabbed the attention of the audience with the powerful acting in Mariana’s reaction to her paintings being stolen. It was packed with yelling and panic, making the audience invested in the problem. The plot had surprising twists like when there was a scene where Carolina and Juan both made an unexpected confession and got the audience eager to see what will happen next. There were also random moments of dancing that were fun to watch and got the audience reacting. However, some people might’ve thought that there was a little too much going on, with all the different things happening and it may have been confusing or boring for them. Or that even though there were surprises, some may have been able to predict some of the things that happened because similar things have happened in other stories or movies. For example, it wasn’t shocking how Mariana and Estella's relationship got fixed or the identity of the thief. But even with these potential counter arguments, the strong acting and high energy throughout the play still made it fun to watch. 

Laughs in Spanish was a play performed at Seattle Rep, written by Alexis Scheer. It's set in Miami, Florida, during the holiday season. The play is funny, entertaining, and keeps the viewer wanting more. It's a good play that I would ultimately recommend, even with there being some critiques I would make, such as the set. There are a lot of strong suits, though, like how it was a very light-hearted play even through the deeper topics they talk about and the characters' outfits. The play follows Mariana, an art gallery director, in the Miami area along with her assistant Carolina. The night before an art exhibition was supposed to happen, all the paintings were stolen. Juan, who happens to be Carolina's boyfriend, ends up being the cop on the scene after Mariana calls the police. Shortly after Mariana's mom, Estella, and her assistant, Jenny, show up.

I really enjoyed how the play touches on some deeper topics while still maintaining a more lighthearted demeanor. It touches on insecurity, identity, and feeling unready. Mari really struggles with comparing herself to her mom because her mom was a huge movie star, being immensely popular and not wanting to be like her. Mari won best in show for a painting she made. To celebrate, she went to a bar. She left momentarily to get money out of the ATM. When she came back, all the attention was on her mom. Before Mari told Estella about what actually happened though Estella was making jokes about what could have happened, she said, “I swear to god if he put a finger on you I will hunt him down and cut his dick off” which ultimately led to it feeling like a calmer conversation than if there weren't any jokes. Caro also expresses how unready she felt when she told Juan she was pregnant, she did not know if she wanted to bring a child into the world. Although throughout her talking to Juan, she was making jokes which helped it from being a hard, almost rigid conversation. Instead, it was easy and felt more free flowing. While they were talking, Caro said, “I hope it-THEY-I hope they feel empowered to be whatever gender or non-gender they feel.” It was said in a very non-serious tone, and it helped maintain the light-hearted feeling they were going for instead of an abrupt sad scene.

Have you ever stolen a famous painter’s artwork to help your pregnant girlfriend’s dreams come true? Juan the police officer did, in the wild and articulate play Laughs in Spanish, written by Alexis Scheer. This chaotic, emotional, and hilarious story is centered around Mariana, a post-college Latina woman who runs an art gallery in Miami. Just before the biggest art show of her career, her artist's paintings are mysteriously stolen. To make things even more stressful, her famous actress mother shows up unexpectedly, stirring things up even more. What follows is a fast-paced mess of events involving pregnancy, stolen art, court orders, love, and lots of hilarious and heartfelt moments. Laughs in Spanish is a unique and powerful representation of Latinx and queer identities, filled with real life struggles and very funny moments.

One of the things I appreciated most about this play was how it showcased the ups and downs of queer and Latina life without ever feeling preachy or too serious. The characters felt authentic, their chemistry was strong, and their personalities were very extravagant  in a good way. Even though the play had a lot going on, it was clear that the writer, Alexis Scheer, put a lot of care into making every character feel like they belonged and had a purpose, even if some of the plot lines felt a bit overwhelming (which I’ll talk more about later).

From the moment the lights go up, you’re exposed to the stage full of Miami energy, pulling you into a fast-paced and heartwarming narrative that balances humor and cultural depth. The play quickly evolved into a relatable exploration of identity, family, and culture. Laughs in Spanish proves to be a celebration of what it means to live, laugh, and love in two languages.

Laughs in Spanish, written by Alexis Scheer, is a fast-paced play set in Miami. The play follows Mariana’s immersive world as a gallery owner who has to handle valuable paintings disappearing right before a major art show. The plot is based on Mari as she scrambles to recover from a disaster that could ruin her career. She’s joined by her assistant, Caro, a struggling artist, and a bumbling cop, Juan, who is dating Caro. Things get even more dramatic as her plan to fix everything gets interrupted by her mother, Estella, and her assistant, Jenny. The characters are bold and complex, the different dynamics bring humorous and emotional depth to the play. As characters interact, secrets are revealed, tension rises, and we are taken through a hilarious journey in the life of a Latina family. Immediately captivated by a chaotically heartwarming and relatable plot, Laughs in Spanish is a culturally rich play that is full of humor. 

Have you ever gone to the theater expecting one of those remake comedy shows only to leave completely changed in opinion, by that I meant utterly transformed, by a performance that makes you both laugh and pause? Laughs in Spanish at Seattle Rep demonstrates this transformation with a precise blend of wardrobe choices, props, and, most notably, the actors’ commanding presence. The journey unfolds in phases, from moments that leave you speechless, to intimate, raw exchanges, and finally, a display of compassionate, captivating artistry.

This production wastes no time in disorienting its audience in the best possible way. Early in the show, as the stage bursts with bold, saturated colors and rapid-fire dialogue illustrating Miami’s vibrant art scene kinda vibe, the sudden color changes come to a stop. During Mari’s (Beth Pollack) meticulously planned gallery opening, displays of artworks mysteriously vanish. Rather than spiraling into immediate panic, the stage sinks into a hushed quiet as the lighting softens to a warm, almost hypnotic glow. In that hushed intensity, Mari, typically the embodiment of control, stands alone in the center of the gallery. The backdrop of swirling abstract art in hues of blue and orange evoked a delicate boundary between order and chaos, making every detail even more striking. 

What happens when an art gallery becomes ground zero for unexpected chaos? Laughs in Spanish takes its audience on a journey full of fast-paced dialogue combined with unforeseen scenes. The stage performance alternates between powerful dramatic moments and comedic scenes, which drew me in because of its energetic energy throughout the play. I attended the Seattle Rep Theater production of Laughs in Spanish last week. The story follows Mari, a director of an art gallery in Miami when her major art exhibition collapses due to both stolen paintings and family conflicts. The play by Alexis Scheer takes place in Miami while combining comedic elements with deep themes about cultural identity and ambition. Through laughter and disorder, the play investigates how people manage their life ambitions against their family obligations. 

The play begins during the setup for a high-profile Miami art event. Mariana, a gallery director who wants to succeed, is about to lose her job. She finds out that some expensive paintings have been stolen. It’s a serious problem that gets worse when her intern Carolina, Miami cop Juan, and her mother Estella get involved, each making the situation more complicated. But beneath the humor and chaos, Laughs in Spanish is a story about self-worth, identity, and the ways we fight to be seen in the spaces we occupy.

The rich Goldbergs are coming over at 6 PM, and Mari needs to appeal to them to stay successful. Laughs in Spanish takes place in an art gallery, where Mari, the owner, has to juggle executing a party while all the paintings have been stolen. This play is charismatic, vibrant, and touching. 

During the play, many things start popping up as Mari tries to handle everything independently. Just as when we thought everything was going well, we learn that the wrong catering order was delivered to the gallery. It’s no surprise that it’s Mari’s responsibility to maintain the spotlight, but with all the pressure to get it under control, we see her on the verge of losing it. As for her mom, Estella only shows up when necessary. She chose to show up before the party to uncover a dark past. On the other hand, Mari has this huge problem to fix, and she doesn’t want her mom to be here, making it worse, when Estella has been absent for most of her life. This play was successful because it’s a great demonstration of family dynamics. For example, Mari plays this angry façade for most of the play until she decides to talk to her mom about these problems and what has been frustrating her. It’s a realistic moment where most people can relate. It shows how Mari had to put down her walls to build new walls of trust with Estella. This scene speaks volumes about communication and love. To move on, the spectacle works well in the play, even in this scene. At one point, Mari returns from shopping and reveals an intense, scarlet dress with a glittering, uneven hemline. As the stage lights turn on, it illustrates Mari’s new persona; she’s become much more luminous with a simmering, feisty attitude. She’s not as cranky as she once was, and in her transformation, we see Mari overcoming the barriers of vulnerability. 

In most stories about people of color, the plot is always about how the character struggles as they try to achieve success. Rarely do stories start with a minority character who is already successful and tell us what they have sacrificed for that achievement. 

However, Alexis Scheer, a half-Colombian playwright, focused on these perspectives in her play called Laughs in Spanish, an engaging and meaningful play centered on Hispanic characters.

After seeing Seattle Rep’s Laughs in Spanish, I was both energized by its lively humor and left with some challenging questions to ponder.  I attended the 90-minunte play, written by Alexis Scheer and directed by Dámaso Rodríguez, as a Spanish student hoping to practice my listening skills and curious about what a “part telenovela, part whodunit” comedy would be like. Although the Spanish portions of the play turned out to only be brief phrases sprinkled into the dialogue, I could not have asked for a production more chock full of jokes, telenovela tropes, and big questions about identity and decision-making.

The drama begins when Mariana (Beth Pollack) discovers that all the paintings have been stolen from her Miami art gallery on the morning of her biggest show of the year. Juan (Gabriell Salgado), a decidedly unhelpful police officer, is on the scene. Juan also happens to be the boyfriend of Mari’s intern, Carolina (Diana Garle), a graduate student studying painting. Both are more focused on getting Mari to show Caro’s paintings in lieu of the intended artist’s work than on solving the crime. Then, Mari’s theatrical telenovela-star mother Estella (Diana Burbano), with whom she has a fraught relationship, arrives unexpectedly, bringing with her a whole new source of drama. Things get even more complicated when Estella’s assistant, Jenny (Cheyenne Barton), turns out to be Mari’s old crush.

In June of 2020, in the wake of the rising Black Lives Matter movement, more than 300 theater artists published the statement, “We See You, White American Theater.” This statement tore into the long-established racism within the theater industry: “Our love of theater has often meant surviving an industry-wide culture of fear poisoned by racism [...] Achieve cultural competency in us. Address your vocabulary, behavior, implicit bias, and lack of understanding. We are the experts, not the accessory.” The letter laid out a clear list of changes that needed to be made, highlighting the inadequate worker rights and representation. 65 years before “We See You” was published, playwright Alice Childress addressed near-identical issues through Trouble in Mind, yet the systemic racism of Broadway prevented its production and mainstream success until 2021. Before becoming a playwright, Childress was involved in years of local theatre, eventually making it to Broadway in the ‘40s. Her first-hand experience makes this play an invaluable perspective on Black actors’ experience prior to and during the civil rights movement. Centerstage Theatre’s production highlights the relevance of Trouble in Mind, playing a crucial role in addressing the long-running and unchanging racism within theatre.

Trouble in Mind is a satirical, challenging critique of racism within the theater, following a primarily Black cast in the rehearsal of an “anti-lynching” Broadway production called “Chaos in Belleville,” directed by a white man. Despite the progressive image of “Chaos in Belleville,” the egotistical director’s racism and biases are ingrained in the characterization and plot. The protagonist, Wiletta, is an experienced, strong actress accustomed to complying with stereotypical roles in the theater to make a decent income. Despite giving similar advice to the newer Black actors in the production (“You either do it and stay or don’t do it and get out”), she gradually becomes more openly opposed to the director, culminating in a heated argument that ultimately ends the production of the play. Trouble in Mind follows a variety of characters that differ in perspective on “Chaos in Belleville,” with a satire that still feels very relevant today. The cast of Trouble in Mind. Photo provided by Centerstage Theatre.

The intensity of Cathy Hiatt’s expression as her gaze seared through the lifeless house she had once shared with her beloved Jamie was unforgettable. The power she harnessed to preach a thousand relentless words without daring to open her mouth magnetized my attention. I felt the world slow down around me as I tried to detect the character’s thoughts in the indefinite silence. Helplessly, I watched the last pittance of hope that Cathy grasped slowly escape her heart as she moved cautiously away from center stage. We simultaneously realized how the trials of romance are unexpectedly vulnerable, opening oneself up to the possibility of either blissful change or weathering agony.

Watching The Last Five Years at ACT Theatre (co-produced with The 5th Avenue Theatre) was undoubtedly a memorable experience. Since I discovered the musical in my freshman year, everything about the production felt captivating: the orchestral fuel and intricate lyricism behind each song, the personal journeys and evolution of Cathy and Jamie both individually and as a couple, and that classic, gut-wrenching question: how did they get here? The theatre-in-the-round staging of ACT’s Allen Theatre added an extra layer of intimacy and immersion to the story, providing the audience with sacred moments where they could almost look straight into the eyes of both characters. Synchronously, the audience could feel the impact of the characters’ current emotional state, whether they be embracing joy, battling fear and insecurity, or simply in constant wonder. The venue maintained a state of constructional simplicity; the furniture of the set was strategically limited so it became unbearable for the audience to observe what seemed like infinite space between Cathy and Jamie as they endured their separate experiences within a slowly deteriorating relationship. This invisible spatial barrier between the two made one particular scene all the more precious.