Seattle Blog Theater

A Great Wilderness tells the story of Walt, played by Michael Winters, who has spent his life counseling young boys out of their homosexuality at a remote summer camp in the woods. Walt is aging, and he is taking one last boy before moving into an assisted living home. This last boy, played by Jack Taylor, disappears, influencing the events that transpire during the rest of the show. This play features questions of aging, religion, and self-acceptance.

From the moment you walk into the theater, you are transported to a cabin in the woods. The set is so beautifully designed, with an amazing number of intricacies, that it is hard to pull yourself out of the play. The team at Seattle Repertory Theatre put good work into ensuring that the show was everything that it could be aesthetically. Furthermore, this is a beautiful, extremely well-cast play. Every single actor seems to have a deep understanding of their character, and the work put into making the show believable and compelling is apparent throughout. Normally, I am kind of put off by an excessive amount of overly-dramatic moments (e.g., frequent crying and deep conversations) because I believe they can get old fast and can make the important moments less striking, but I found that the drama was done so well in this show that I wasn’t bothered by the number of head-in-hands, let’s-talk-about-death moments. The cast is truly all-star, and I think that this group of actors could carry almost anything and do it well, but the writing is so good it could stand on its own as well. Playwright Samuel D. Hunter has written complex characters who are all but dull. I walked into this show expecting to see the story of a fanatic, hard-to-empathize-with, hyper-religious man whose entire life is dedicated to torturing away homosexuality. I imagined that this man would come to realize his wrong-doings with the help of a charismatic, intelligent young boy. This was not the case. Hunter writes characters who reject any and all stereotypes. They are not one-sided, black and white, or villains and heroes. I felt deeply for each character, and I came to understand each of their situations. This show does not feel like an attack on any belief system or group, nor did it seem to present an obvious moral. Rather it presents the audience with a question that is up to us to answer. I highly recommend A Great Wilderness to anyone. I think that it serves as a good catalyst for conversation and is truly one of the most thought-provoking theater experiences that I’ve had in a while. Every element of the show stands out — from the set to the actors to the writing — so please, go and see all three.

Have you ever thought of trying Oaxacan mole flavored cupcakes? Or savory wasabi cupcakes with framboise? American Wee-Pie invites you to discover the wonderful possibilities in life when you open up to new things, opportunities, and flavors.

Lisa Dillman’s American Wee-Pie takes place in a “dead end” town as Zed (Evan Whitfield) returns to his hometown to attend the funeral of his mother. As a middle-aged adult, Zed’s life is at the pinnacle of dreariness, with a sprinkle of despair. He is a textbook editor who seems tired all the time. As the play unfolds, little by little Zed learns to open up to new possibilities that will ultimately change his life.

Let me start off by saying that I am a huge fan of Downton Abbey. I love all of the drama, romance, and, of course, the beautiful costumes. Jet City Improv’s new improvised take on the show, entitled Upside Downton, has all of these plus hilarious mockery of the show I love.

I know that Downton Abbey is over-the-top dramatic, and Jet City’s take on it made me laugh at that fact. I loved Molly Arkin’s hilarious turn as Lady Eleanor, a Lady Mary-esque countess who won’t reveal who the father of her unborn child is because she was too drunk to remember.

14/48: The World's Quickest Theater Festival is a 48-hour festival in which 14 plays are written, cast, directed, rehearsed, scored, designed, and premiered all within those two days. The 14/48 Festival at ACT is renowned for its ability to produce a plethora of plays at a breakneck speed, being able to produce them quite well, and put on a great show all the while.

And last weekend — the first of two making up the entire festival — 14/48 did exactly that! The plays, each unique to the nights they were performed, were all very energetic, if not in movement, then in emotion and thematic progress. And they were all very well played-out, more or less. The 14 shows, as a whole, were a solid mix of both comedy and drama. Some were written better than others, I have to admit, but both nights began and ended well, that’s for sure.

“Want it to be just like old times, with baby Jesus by my side, I want my old wings back as well, wanna get out of this dump called Hell, but first and most importantly, I want a f-ing apology!” So says Satan in this zany, crazy, unfettered opera in which Jerry Springer — of the famously raucous talk show — has a day that is, quite literally, hell. The poor man has to deal with a crazily obsessed warm-up man, guests who act completely insane, and a very annoying inner Valkyrie. That's enough to send anyone over the edge!

However, after dealing with a bisexual man who is cheating on the woman he is cheating on his fiancée with, a man who wants to be his baby's baby, and a red-neck who is part of the tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan, Jerry doesn’t get to just go home and sleep. The Prince of Darkness recruits Jerry to put on a special show for him after our host is shot in order to get an apology from Jesus. Now, there are two rules he gives Jerry: 1) read the cue cards and 2) get that apology. If Jerry doesn’t get the Devil the apology, he will have barbed wire shoved into the most unsavory of places. The Devil really steals the show. Sean Nelson, formerly of Seattle indie-rock band Harvey Danger, plays the Prince of Darkness, and he has a simply phenomenal voice that brings tremendous power and, dare I say, sex appeal to his dastardly role. Costumed in a deep purple smoking jacket, he reminds us all that "everyone must go down" in the end. Between threatening Jerry with barbed wire and awkwardly slow-dancing with God, Nelson as Satan really captured my interest. His range is astounding, and his lung capacity stole my heart. I have rarely seen or heard someone with lungs like his, and that was enough of a treat for me that I'm going to go back to see Jerry Springer: The Opera a second time! Now, this isn’t a show for the novice theater-goer, or for the under-17 crowd. Nor is it a show you would take your conservative parents or your significant other’s family to. This is a show you go to so you can laugh at everyone, relax, cuss your heart out, and generally have a blast. I leave you with the final words of Jerry himself: “It’s been a hell of a day. I’ve learned that there are no absolutes of good and evil and we all live in a glorious state of flux. What can I say? You’re not looking at a dying man here… you’re looking at yourselves in a matter of months or years or whatever. And for better or worse, history defines us by what we do, and what we choose not to do. Hopefully, what will survive of us is love. So, until the next time, take care of yourselves and each other.”

What’s the first play you think of when I say Shakespeare? One of the tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth? Or one of the comedies, like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing? Most likely, you don’t think of Richard II, a history play about the life and death of a king of England. Is that memorable yet? No? You’re right. If that was all there is to this play, I wouldn’t have much to say about it. But Seattle Shakespeare Company’s production of Richard II is one of the most moving Shakespearean plays I’ve ever seen. The poetic King Richard (played by George Mount) starts strong in his rule, but he slowly crumbles as the play progresses. The vulnerable ruler loses everything but earns the audience's attention with a final realization. Set in a classic time period with elaborate costumes, you don’t necessarily feel like you’re sitting through a history or that you’re learning something. Instead, it’s a moving drama with heroes, villains, and action. The set is a single throne that is moved, lit, and used dynamically throughout the play. The simplistic design of the chair with the lights is the perfect portrayal of the play. It’s a perfect piece to set the story around, as the crown and throne go hand-in-hand. As Richard falls from favor, he loses his place, and instead of sitting in the throne he lies, crumbled, before it. Even though I loved the entire production, you should know what you’re getting yourself into; it’s a two and a half hours long history play that is rarely performed. Though there are fights, sabotage, banishment, and even murder, you may find your focus wandering during some parts. If you’re looking for quick entertainment and drama, this may not be the best choice (maybe try The Bachelor). But if you’re up for an investment, you will find this production to be rewarding. Instead of a shallow plot and quick thrills, Richard II pulls you into the king’s story and his head. With poeticism and quick wit, this production is more than just a history play. It’s a masterpiece.

Richard II Seattle Shakespeare Company January 8-February 2

Have you ever seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show? If you have, and it didn’t scare you, then you’d probably enjoy seeing Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Moore Theatre (running for only 3 more days!).

Okay, I know all you’re thinking about right now is “What’s the angry inch?” But I can’t tell you. Not because it’s a big secret or anything — if you ask anyone else (particularly anyone from Jinkx Monsoon’s cult following), they’ll tell you immediately — I just can’t bring myself to type what it is.

All month long, we'll be sharing these videos of TeenTix members talking about memorable arts experiences, so check back often. Without the financial support of the families who use TeenTix, like yours, these kinds of experiences would be out of reach for most teens. We are working to raise $5,000 by December 31st.

There’s plenty of holiday cheer filling up the Seattle Public Theater at the Bathhouse this season. Between its two holiday performances, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and The Santaland Diaries, Seattle Public Theater meets all wintery needs.

A very family-oriented show, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever offers the lightheartedness and caring the holidays are meant to inspire. It’s a show about understanding, giving, and empathy — the essential qualities often forgotten amidst Christmas chaos.

Please help us welcome our newest partner organization, The 14/48 Projects! Yay!!!

Everybody knows that ACT's Christmas Carol is "the granddaddy of Christmas shows". It's just not the holidays without it. But everybody also knows that A Christmas Carol is the one show in ACT's season is that is NOT TeenTix-eligible. But, wait! What's that you say? ACT *is* making several showings of A Christmas Carol available to TeenTixers? Why, it's a Christmas miracle!

ACT loves you and you love them back (they've won the Teeny Award for Best Theatre two years running). So, as a token of their affection, they wanted to offer you this special gift. The following showings of A Christmas Carol are TeenTix-eligible. And there was great rejoicing!

Regarded as the first modern play, Woyzeck — written in 1836 by Georg Büchner — certainly embraces the idiosyncrasies of modern writing as it has come to be known. The Undergraduate Theater Society at the University of Washington takes on the fever dream of Franz Woyzeck’s life, complete with the fragmented scenes, impending sense of the absurd, and social commentary that have established this play’s long-running reputation.

I made the mistake of going into Woyzeck knowing absolutely nothing about this actually really well-known play. My complete lack of background knowledge and context left me baffled by the performance. I spent at least the first half of the play trying to mentally stitch the scenes together and wondered whether or not they were even in chronological order, given the absence of transitions. I had difficulty understanding scenes as they unfolded because my thoughts were still trying to make sense of the ones I had seen prior, and it took several scenes before I could gather a working idea of the world director Elizabeth Schiffler was portraying.

Let me preface this by saying that I love one person shows. I love them. I find them incredibly interesting and admirable; as someone who participates in theatre, watching an actor seamlessly switch between completely different characters in less than a split second for upwards of an hour and a half is just awe-inspiring. It never ceases to amaze me that an actor can memorize more than an hour of dialogue with specific ticks, mannerisms, and voices for each character. This show was no exception.

Bo-Nita at the Seattle Repertory Theatre is beautiful. It captures the unique voice of a young teenager in an unconventional way, and manages to be charged and convey an array of emotions without seeming forced, over-the-top, awkward, or dishonest. By the 10-minute mark of the performance, I already found myself loving this strange girl and her way of viewing the world. Playwright Elizabeth Heffron's writing thoughtfully develops Bo-Nita's quirks and way of speaking; the character feels real and honest. Hannah Mootz carries this show beautifully, she has the gift of comedy but can transition into weighty dialogue with ease when necessary.

If you’ve got an evening to kill and are looking for something fun and light with somewhat original and spontaneous energy, go see Jet-City Improv’s Blak Cloud. This show is an interesting experiment combining the qualities of improvisation and humor with the story in The Crucible, a recognized literary work of art, but the execution of the performance left me wanting more and feeling like I’d just watched an acting exercise, not a play.

In seeking to describe an experience that’s neither overwhelmingly good nor bad, it becomes difficult to explain the grey areas of comedy. It’s easy to describe the curiosity and interest that come with experiencing a live improvised play, and the sparse moments of laughter did lift my mood and spirits, even if only momentarily. It’s more difficult to describe when the performance doesn’t seem to connect completely. A humor-driven improvised show comes with the risk of letting you down ever so slightly when you don’t have that moment when you think you’ll pee your pants because you’re laughing so hard. Maybe it was an off night, or there wasn’t enough audience participation, but I wasn’t sold completely on the combination of improvisation and literature within a play.

Everyone knows what a "sugar daddy" is, but does innocent out-of-towner Sasha understand how dangerous they can be? When Sasha saves Val from getting hit by a car, Val seems like just another nice man trying to do good things in the world. When she hears just how sweet she is to his "Nephew Freddie," Sasha is even more convinced that Val is an amazing man. Her sister, Chloe, and downstairs neighbor, Ashlee, however, see right through him.

With this brilliant in-the-round show, you feel so in-tune with the actors and story that you just can't take your eyes off the beautifully acted and wonderfully staged action. Playwright, director (and living legend) Sir Alan Ayckborn has knocked this American premiere out of the park. Questioning your life, relationships, and view on the world is a definite when going to see this show. With people getting hit by cars, an awkward girl learning how to walk in heels, moments that make you belly laugh, and moments that will take your breath away with tension, ACT Theatre's Sugar Daddies will keep you guessing all the way until the very last line.

As I left the theater after seeing The Walworth Farce, I was already sending texts. I'll be seeing this play again tonight, and I'm bringing friends.

The Walworth Farce is a story about a father haunted by his ghosts who then forces his adult sons to reenact his past as a farce. This family is held together by little more than fear, obligation, and alcohol. And as the curtain goes up this family is on the verge of snapping. When an outsider arrives, this family is sent into a psychotic tailspin. These tortured minds, and desperation along with a few bodies in the closet combine to make this play a total triumph, and a masterfully woven story of trying to rewrite our past mistakes.

“Gonna make me feel any worse?”

It was not only the question on the character Malcolm King’s lips, but the one running through my mind during the entirety of Seattle Public Theater’s current production, Broke-ology. For those not yet versed here is a definition: Broke-ology: 1. the study of being broke 2. a play by Nathan Louis Jackson detailing the lives of a poor, African American family: two brothers, their sick, aging father and his visions of their deceased mother And since I am a tenured “list-ologist,” here are the top three reasons to see this play: 1. Stubby, the “incog-negro” garden gnome. 2. The smile-inducing relationship between Ennis King (Corey Spruill) and Malcolm King (Tyler Trerise), the brothers who haul Stubby into the living room. 3. The refreshing cast of four and well-dressed set, amplified by the singular intimacy of Seattle Public's Bathhouse theatre. That being said, side effects of this play may include: 1. General melancholy. 2. Guilt, possibly echoing regret for splurging on that nice, new pair of shoes. 3. Garden gnome-induced heebie jeebies. The mood in the room at the end of Broke-ology is much akin to the Seattle weather outside. Though that isn’t to say the play isn’t funny; it is. It’s punctuated by snippets of dark and biting humor, the kind that makes you laugh really hard until your brain catches up with the speed of the dialogue to remember, “Oh no, that was a joke about lynching.” Still, somewhere in that goofy, gloomy game of survival, is an examination of illness, optimism, responsibility, dreams and sacrifice. And all of it is somehow squeezed into two hours spent in the King family’s living room. In those meager minutes, Jackson begins a discussion: How do we care for our parents as they begin to deteriorate? How do we care for our children when we are too frail to help them? What are you willing to sacrifice for those you love? On opening night, during the very last scene, when those questions breathed down the spectators’ necks, the audience’s eyes were fixated… though it varied between fighting back tears and staring vacantly at the box of Quaker Oats in the corner. If you’re looking for the answers to those immense inquiries, you won’t find them here. What you will find is a newfound appreciation for settling scores with dominoes, and another surge of musings about life, love and family as the cast returns for their bows.

Middletown, written by Will Eno and directed by John Langs, is a contemporary retelling of the American classic Our Town. Middletown is startlingly true and poignant. In keeping with the theme of the original play, Middletown has a stark set only including two outlines of houses, a sidewalk, a bench, and a rock. The lack of set is a true metaphor for the play, a wonderfully quiet work about socially awkward people. Middletown is not afraid of silence and some of the best moments on stage are without dialogue. The performances by Alex Tavares and Eric Riedmann are reserved in just the right ways.

Alexandra Tavares portrays Mary Swanson with a true and moving humor. Her character is a woman who just moved into Middletown and is waiting for her husband to arrive. She quickly develops a friendship with her neighbor, John Dodge, played by Eric Riedmann. Their relationship is masterfully developed by Eno and the performances by Tavares and Riedmann are some of the best performances I have seen all year.

The results of seeing ACT Theatre's Rapture, Blister, Burn by Gina Gionfriddo:

1. My abs hurt for three days from laughing too hard.

The newest inductees to the TeenTix Press Corps saw Intiman's Trouble in Mind last week. Here are a few bits of their thoughts about the show.

Leon V: