TeenTix Blog

Review of Romeo and Juliet by Molly L., age 13You think you know the story: young lovers defy the rift between their families to be together in a love that finally leads them to die for one another. But do you remember the whimpering babies in that story? The moaning dogs or all the picnicking? Welcome to the Amphitheater at Volunteer Park on a Sunday night where many people have come together to enjoy a double feature. No, there aren’t two plays showing tonight but there’s just as much drama offstage here as there is onstage. The audience arrives early to stake claims marked with blankets and garden chairs with the legs cut off. Here everyone is asking themselves “is my chair too tall?” Near the stage the action has already begun as well.Hana Lass and Michael Place in Wooden O's Romeo & JulietPhoto by John UlmanAn aisle is staked with bright pink ribbon, huge set pieces are being assembled with the assistance of hammers, nails and scaffolding in a high-speed construction project. The audience finally sits down in their previously claimed seats, picnicking on Ezell’s chicken, Kettle Chips, and fresh fruit. Everyone is talking and mingling; there are no outsiders. Kids run from blanket to blanket, listening to the laughter. Everyone is catching up with old friends, putting up umbrellas to shield them from the sun. Without the stage up front it would look just like a closely packed picnicking area, not a theater.At this open-air theater there are no lights to go down when the show starts, only the sun, sinking behind the trees. You can see the backstage on the actual platform, but it’s really only a few white tents. Everyone is still talking. Will the noise ever go away? But then, 15 minutes late, the actors come on stage and the crowd suddenly seems to have disappeared because of the quiet.The play begins. The audience is drawn in by every word spoken by each character. An ice cream truck comes by but it won’t get much business here, the play is providing all the sweet and savory satisfaction that anyone needs. An airplane passes low above and the action stops as the actors stare at it. The crowd laughs, enjoying the entertainment. Attention remains upfront and towards the actors speaking the beautiful lines of the balcony scene, playing off each other, showing real emotion.“Is love a tender thing?” Romeo asks as the sun sinks and the lighting changes, casting shadows over the audience who cuddle together to keep warm. Night has almost fallen as each lover dies for the other and adds to the chilling thoughts that the suicides inflict.You walk away with a new perspective on the story, one that includes picnicking people and noise-making babies. The tale of Romeo and Juliet is no longer just another Shakespeare play. It is now the double feature that you’ll remember. With action onstage as well as off until they blend together and there is no separation between audience and actor, we’re all together breathing the same air, our lives sharing the same stage.- Molly L.July 13th, 2008For another viewpoint on Wooden O's Romeo & Juliet, read Michelle K's review.Romeo and JulietWooden O Productionsseattleshakespeare.org/woodenoSHOW SCHEDULE:Thursday, July 17 - 7pmLuther Burbank Park, Mercer IslandFriday, July 18 - 7pmLuther Burbank Park, Mercer IslandSaturday, July 19 - 7pmLuther Burbank Park, Mercer IslandSunday, July 20 - 3pmEdmonds City Park, EdmondsWednesday, July 23 - 7pmLynndale Park, LynnwoodThursday, July 24 - 7pmLynndale Park, LynnwoodFriday, July 25 - 7pmAngle Lake Park, SeaTacSaturday, July 26 - 7pmPine Lake Park, SammamishSunday, July 27 - 6pmFisher Pavilion, Seattle CenterWednesday, July 30 - 7pmRichmond Beach Community Park, ShorelineFriday, August 1 - 7pmCity Hall Open Space, RedmondSaturday, August 2 - 7pmSno-Isle Library Marysville Branch, Marysville

Review of A Streetcar Named Desire by Sophia B., age 16When Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer-winning A Streetcar Named Desire first hit theatres in 1947, it was considered one of the most shocking and brilliant works ever written. Now, sixty-one years later, it's hard to argue with that line of thinking.Jonno Roberts as Stanley Kowalski and Angela Pierce as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire at Intiman Theatre; Chelsey Rives (behind Roberts) plays Stella. Photo by Chris Bennion.Streetcar, with its raw emotions, unconventional characters, and daring plot, is certainly a well-written one; but we all know that what even the most stunning play can't be brought to life by insipid actors. Luckily, the cast of Intiman's production was anything but. Every one of them, from the rambunctious but kind neighbor woman (Khatt Taylor) to the battered but loyal Stella (Chelsey Rives) were masters of inflection, timing, and expression. Rives provided a nice touch by infusing her character with more strength than would be expected from such a character.The most important players are Stanley Kowalski (Jonno Roberts) and Blanche DuBois (Angela Pierce.) The prissy Blanche relentlessly criticizes the common, rough-hewn Stanley, who has married her sister Stella. Since clashes of pride and background are what ultimately lead to Streetcar's heart-wrenching conclusion, one shoddy actor could spoil the play. Instead, both actors gave their all, and the results were brilliant. Roberts perfectly toed the line between charismatic and loathsome, his character by turns humorous, menacing, and pitiable. At times he did veer towards melodrama, but given his loud and violent character that is to be expected.Pierce too was melodramatic, but for her fractured and cartoonish character, melodrama was more than appropriate; it was necessary. Blanche DuBois is, in a sense, three characters; and Pierce played them all, switching seamlessly from voice to voice and pose to pose. Furthermore, she applied small touches that erased any skepticism about her ability to emote subtly. In one charged scene, something as small as her arm shaking struck me as one of the most effective conveyances of emotion I have ever witnessed.Intiman is a small theatre, and there was one setting for the entire play. Luckily, it was an exquisite one, with carefully constructed squalor and glorious lighting. The sound effects, which included a live piano, served not only to entrance the audience but to throw light upon Blanche's fragile psyche. At one point, the use of thunder made me fear a descent into cliché, but my fear was unfounded; thunder was used only once. The grand finale, a haunting rendition of the folk song Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child, would leave any listener breathless. I exited the theatre babbling about the sheer splendor I had just experienced.I was not the only one.- Sophia B.July 9th, 2008A Streetcar Named DesireINTIMAN TheatreThrough August 2ndhttp://www.intiman.org/Intiman's Ticket Office: 206-269-1900Did you see this show? Leave a comment and tell everybody what you thought!

'Wizard Rock the Vote' by Harry and the PottersHey guys, its that time of year again. Every July in Seattle, when the Harry Potter junkies come out from under the stairs in their red and gold striped scarfs, you'll know Harry and the Potters (or 'HATP') have arrived in the Emerald City. In past years, they've had free shows at local libraries to promote summer reading and summer rocking. Kids from age 5 to 35 are seen in their Hogwarts house's garb, accompanied by their muggle friends & family rocking out to Potter-themed ditties. However, this year they're touring on the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo (aka "Camp Jump and Yell for Boys and Girls and Wizards) with fellow nerd-rockers Math the Band and Uncle Monsterface. They'll be at Neumos on the 23rd, and its not-so-free. They charge $12 at the door for general admission, and all ages are welcomed to come (although not recommended for those especially little wizards and witches). Doors open at 7pm and the show is likely to sell out. Fully worth the $12.Also, NOT A TEEN TIX EVENT!Sorry kids, but I'm afraid this is full price for everybody.

Very fine review. Having read all of Jane Austin's books and watch every video of them that I can find, your review makes me sad to have missed the production!

...doesn't mean you won't. Here are audience reactions to A Marvelous Party, currently playing at ACT. (Actually, there is one young - and very enthusiastic - cutie in there.)And here's what our teen reviewer, Paulina P, had to say:"The pair of black upright pianos makes one wonder what kind of party one is about to step into, and evaluate the fact that maybe you should have dressed a tad more formally. All those worries disappear however when the four singer-characters step on the stage to give the audience some insight into why they are here...Do bear in mind that the audience was mostly older people who were there for the Noel Coward wit. That did not stop others—such as myself—from having a good time and laughing at the amazing physical comedy and witticisms of Noel Coward. A Marvelous Party runs until July 13 at the ACT, and as Coward said “Tell your friends”." Read Paulina's whole review here.A Marvelous Party closes this Sunday at ACT.

I've just spent a most enjoyable half-hour listening to the boys from local underground art collective PDL talk about their work. You should listen to it, as they have a cool, unpretentious style that I'm told appeals to you teenage types.Then, you should go to Kerry Park this Saturday, the 12th, between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm to see them unveil their latest, super-secret work of art. And don't say I never told you anything that would make you seem cool to your snobby friends.PDL, by the by, are the guys behind the Unauthorized Tour of SAM, which this year's Young Critics experienced and reviewed, and about which they said things like:"PDL are satirical geniuses." - Ashraf"...this tour almost is an inadvertent act of reverse psychology. The more the creators poke fun at serious pieces of art, the more the observer finds themselves willing to unpack and analyze the piece." - Elsa"Have you ever heard of PDL? If so: you are impossibly hip. If not: don’t worry there is still time." - LeahPDLs "Eaglets", with Alexander Calder's "Eagle", at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Photo by Belltown via Flickr.Thanks to Jen Graves over on the good ol' Slog

I'm a big fan of Improv Everywhere! One of my favorites is Food Court Musical.

Improv Everywhere is a New York City based performance art collective that, despite its terrible name, is unassailably cool. They've struck again, this time by creating a hall of mirrors on the 6 train: If you haven't seen it, though, you've got to check out Frozen Grand Central, which remains my favorite:Delightful.Thanks to Slog.

I was a devil in that production

Photo by Peter Dylan O'ConnorFor all you up-and-coming theatre directors out there, here's a profile of the woman who should be your guru. Her name is Sheila Daniels, and she recently took on the title of Associate Artistic Director at Intiman after 15 years of kicking butt in the local fringe scene. From the article:The stage and the audience are more than twice the scale she's used to. And the budget? "Nothing on the set will be from my living room. That's a first," Daniels says...This play is Shakespeare," she says. "Shakespeare with New Orleans accents and 100 props.Her first big project at Intiman was directing A Streetcar Named Desire, which previews this week. Read Brendan Kiley's profile in the Stranger, then go see the show (which is recommended for people 16 and up). I have a feeling you won't regret it.A Streetcar Named Desire previews July 3rd - 8th and performs July 9th - August 2nd at INTIMAN Theatre.

Casino Royale is playing this weekend as part of SIFF Cinema's Bond...and Beyond series. It plays on Monday, July 7th @ 9 pm. For the full weekend's lineup, go to siff.net

Hey! We're finally on flickr. Join our group!

British theatre critic Lyn Gardner posted on The Guardian's arts blog a couple of days ago on Britain's healthy demand for theatre critics (versus film and TV critics, who are apparently being discouraged from writing reviews as PR people hope that bloggers will write more favorable reviews.) She talks about her belief that blogs and traditional print media can coexist happily: "I don't see my role as a traditional broadsheet reviewer being threatened or usurped by the rise of the blogosphere, but complemented by it and sometimes shaken up by what it has to say."She also says this (paraphrasing Alan Davey): "...public discourse about the arts needs to match that of sport if the arts are going to be valued and well funded in this country. As things stand we often feel uncomfortable talking about art, but actually we need to make talking about King Lear or the latest Punchdrunk or Robert Pacitti showaround the water cooler seem as natural as talking about Kevin Pietersen's switch hit."I agree, though I think it's a lofty goal. Still, it's an interesting little read, plus, it's cute how she talks about cricket like it's a real sport.

Review of A Marvelous Party by Paulina P., age 18The pair of black upright pianos makes one wonder what kind of party one is about to step into, and evaluate the fact that maybe you should have dressed a tad more formally. All those worries disappear however when the four singer-characters step on the stage to give the audience some insight into why they are here.Mark Anders, Anna Lauris and David Silverman; Richard Gray (piano) and Chris Monroe (drums) in A Marvelous Party. Photo: Chris Bennion.A Marvelous Party is a musical celebration of Noel Coward. The piece is a showcase that allows the audience to get a taste for the kind of music Coward wrote. They flow seamlessly between each other and no song sounds like a repeat.Each song was unique but how each song ended up in the show was not always so unique. Near the middle of the second act there is what is dubbed the 'Music Hall Medley.' These were a suite of six songs that were presented like a rock band’s set list, the audience was told what song it was and then the actors would roar on stage and give a fantastic performance.Those individual performances were fantastic but that kind of presentation seemed to be a cheap trick just to shove a few more songs that the writers liked this musical celebration. The songs in that suit seemed to flow only moderately well together except for the first and last songs, which brought us into the idea of a dance hall and then out away to sea for the next set of songs.The second half brought us into the later age of Coward and created a more somber and serious tone for the audience that had become accustomed to the roaring hilarity and wit of the early half. It had fewer quotes by Coward and more solos that allowed the performers to be showcased as well as the songs themselves.The song “Mad About the Boy” sung by Anna Lauris instigated roars of applause by the audience. Anna at the end of the last act had been a goof ball, performing an entire mini musical—The Coconut Girl—for the audience. The character that stepped onto the stage for “Mad About the Boy” was human, serious, but still funny. It took the stage like a soprano's aria in an Opera but gave some little jokes as well.She told a moving story to the audience that wasn't something light hearted and the audience understood it. Do bear in mind that the audience was mostly older people who were there for the Noel Coward wit. That did not stop others—such as myself—from having a good time and laughing at the amazing physical comedy and witticisms of Noel Coward. A Marvelous Party runs until July 13 at the ACT, and as Coward said “Tell your friends”.Paulina P.June 19th, 2008A Marvelous PartyACT TheatreThrough July 13thacttheatre.orgTicket office: 206-292-7676Did you see this show? Leave a comment and tell everybody what you thought!

IMO, this movie interests teens who are already interested in science, but for most teens, it may be uninteresting. This is more of an educational film. If you are looking for a good teen film, try this one.

Review of I Am My Own Wife by Manal H. , age 18Museum. Furniture. Man. This was the order in which Charlotte Von Mahlesdorf lived her life. Living through the harsh period of the Second World War, Mahlesdorf explained how each of these three subjects caused her to live through times of great joy and great tragedy. Disregarding the strict regime of the controlling Nazis and communists, Mahlesdorf continued to house antique furniture in her own private museum, as well as make the personal decision to dress as what she wanted by her own standards, and not by ones that had been branded through the ideal of western society.Nick DeSantis as Charlotte von Mahlsdorf in I Am My Own Wife. Photo by Matthew Durham.This play, I Am My Own Wife, was a brilliantly constructed one-man play in which the actor, Nick Desantis, was able to play as many as three characters all at once. Whatever particular role he played in however, he still kept on the attire of Charlotte Von Mahlesdorf: a dress that consisted of a black skirt running down to ankle length, and a black blouse, accentuating two protruding lumps (that could easily and skillfully be mistaken as breasts). She wore white pearls dangling around her neck, black shoes, and a black handkerchief wrapped around her head, a wardrobe that was able to remind the audience of how much Mahlesdorf not only shined through this play, but also into the period in which she once lived. She was in many respects a true Berlin original.Manal H.May 23rd, 2008Did you see this show? Leave a comment and tell everybody what you thought!

Review of All's Well That Ends Well by Emma M., age 14Seattle Shakespeare has taken on the daunting task of William Shakespeare’s play, All’s Well That Ends Well. It’s sometimes labeled as a “problem play” and it is an awkward story. But all’s well that ends well!Helena is an orphan living with the Countess of Rossillion and her son Bertram. Helena loves Bertram secretly. But when Bertram leaves for Paris to attend the king’s court, Helena devises a plan to follow Bertram and cure the dying king. The king is grateful to Helena and grants her request to wed the man of her choice. She, of course, picks Bertram. Bertram is outraged at being forced to marry this woman without his consent and decides to runaway to Italy, where the king is currently at war. He sends Helena a letter in which he tells her that he will not accept her as his wife until she has done two things, has his ring, and conceived his child. Helena follows Bertram to Italy, then things get crazy.Paul Morgan Stetler and Connor Toms in All's Well That Ends Well. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.The themes in this play are definitely adult since they deal with marriage, love and sex. There’s a scene at the beginning of the play about why one should keep or lose one’s virginity. There are no sex scenes, however.Directed by Seattle Shakespeare’s Artistic Director Stephanie Shine, this production interprets the play as being about love. Perhaps passion might have been a more accurate interpretation.This production interprets Helena as a heroine and Bertram as the one who does her wrong. But it’s not that Helena is a pure and brave hero and what she does is justified by her love. She is so infatuated with Bertram that she does crazy things to get him. Bertram does the same; he gets angry about being forced into marrying Helena and does crazy things. The characters could have been so silly about making these crazy choices that you end up liking them, but at the end of this production, I didn’t really like Bertram or Helena.One character I did like was Parolles played by Paul Morgan Stetler. Stetler was hilarious. Playing the fool is hard work and his character could have been really unlikable but Stetler did a great job in making sure you cared about the character.I also thought the performances from Michael Patten as the King of France and Marianne Owen as the Countess of Rossillion were fabulous too.Although this production falls short, the outstanding performances made it fun to watch. So I guess Shakespeare was right when he said, all’s well that ends well!Emma M.June 6th, 2008All's Well That Ends WellSeattle Shakespeare CompanyThrough June 29thhttp://www.seattleshakespeare.org/Ticket office: 206-733-8222Did you see this show? Leave a comment and tell everyone what you thought!

Review of Some Assembly Required by Bianca G., age 18Some Assembly Required is a documentary on six teams of tweens entering a toy design contest. The line “It’s OK to be smart!” is literally what results.This documentary tricks you into believing it will be great, like its counterpart Spellbound about kids competing in the National Spelling Bee. However, instead of quirky and charming kids, Some Assembly Required found very annoying kids at the peak of what is the most unpleasant time in life. Instead of Spellbound’s interesting adults with various motives surrounding their child in the spelling bee, the adults in this movie are a large cheerleading team. I fast forwarded through minutes of talking heads about how smart/creative/enthusiastic their children are, concluding that they think they have a pretty good chance in the competition. Because there are six teams, this happens six times. Then the benefits of giving children cognitive challenges are stated. For example, a teacher assures us that this is really a fabulous teamwork exercise. Then there are tangents of the unlikeable children playing lacrosse to bad pop music, as if this movie needs to fill time it doesn’t have. Not only are the kids uninteresting, but they’re also not cute. The movie climaxes with the competition results, which are complimented by a solid ten minutes of high-fiving footage. “They’re still winners in our minds,” says adult.Bianca G.Some Assembly RequiredSeattle International Film FestivalFriday, June 13th @ 4 p.m. @ SIFF CinemaSunday, June 15th @ 11 a.m. @ SIFF Cinemawww.siff.netDid you see this film? Leave a comment and tell everybody what you thought!

Review of All Robbins by Kaitlin S., age 19Are football-playing, red meat-eating boys allowed to enjoy a ballet? Whoever answers, "no" to that question has probably never seen All Robbins.Jerome Robbins, who is most famous outside the ballet arena for his choreography in Broadway hits like Westside Story, Fiddler on the Roof, and The King and I, often used ordinary people as the subjects of his ballets. This seems to make them more accessible to a broader audience.Front to back, Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Noelani Pantastico and Louise Nadeau with Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Casey Herd, guest artist Rasta Thomas, Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Jonathan Porretta, and guest artist Glenn Kawasaki (at bar) in Jerome Robbins' Fancy Free. Photo by Angela SterlingPacific Northwest Ballet’s regular patrons will most likely have had greater exposure to the works of George Balanchine than Jerome Robbins. Although Robbins and Balanchine worked together for the New York City Ballet and each respected the other’s work, their styles of choreography were drastically different. The quick and confident Balanchine often composed abstract, ethereal pieces, whereas the slow, self-doubting Robbins composed earthy pieces about real people. If George Balanchine was the Claude Monet of ballet, Jerome Robbins was the Norman Rockwell. The three works selected for All Robbins are quintessential examples of this.The first sketch, Fancy Free, portrays three sailors on shore leave in New York City on a hot summer night in 1944. Within the first few minutes of the sketch, it becomes obvious that they are good friends, but when only two pretty girls enter the scene, those bonds of friendship are quickly forgotten, and a massive attempt to impress the girls ensues.In the Night, the second sketch, depicts three relationships: young love, married and trusting, and fighting passion. A pas de deux (duet) is dedicated to the depiction of the private relationship of each, and at the end, the couples meet together to give the audience a glimpse into their more public interactions. The costumes and lighting subtly accent the amorous ideas Robbins portrays. In the Night is one of six pieces Robbins set to Chopin Music.When people daydream at a Chopin concert, what might they be thinking about? Jerome Robbins’ opinion of the answer to this question is given in All Robbins’ third and final sketch. This genuinely refreshingly original piece is another of Robbins’ six works set to Chopin music. Members of the audience are sure to laugh at this carefree, lighthearted piece.Since this ballet deals with everyday people, and because it is so well put together, it is sure to be a hit with a really broad audience.--Kaitlin S.May 29th, 2008

May 29th through June 8th More information and show times: www.pnb.orgTicket Office: 206-441-2424Pacific Northwest Ballet is located at 301 Mercer St. at the Seattle Center.

Review of Over the River and Through the Woods by Ari S., age 17Over the River and Through the Woods is, without a doubt, one of the best productions I have ever seen. While the play's premise is wonderfully simple, the concepts it brings into consideration are surprisingly affecting. And yet, to the great delight of any viewer, these serious issues are surrounded by a constant layer of laugh-out-loud humor.Kevin Brady, Gretchen Douma, Charity Parenzini, Bill Johns and Kim Morris in Joe DiPietro's Over the River and Through the Woods. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.Though the writing of the play is superb, it is of course the actors which make the real impact. Kevin Brady does exceptionally well at playing the conflicted-yet-modern grandson, while Charity Parenzini is an exemplary good-hearted blind date. However, it really is the four grandparents who steal the show. As Nunzio says at the family's first dinner, "We're old! We're adorable!" It couldn't be more true, with every best line, every best expression, and every best moment coming right out of their performances. And although these aging Italians had me in stitches throughout the entire show, it was also them who eventually moved me to tears.This allover stunning performance is what I have come to expect from Taproot Theatre. Just as I think it can't get any better, each new show amazes me even more. Over the River and Through the Woods is a must-see production, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.Ari S.May 16th, 2008Over the River and Through the WoodsTaproot TheatreThrough June 14thMore info and show times: www.taproottheatre.orgTaproot’s Ticket Office: 206-781-9707Ticket office hours: Tuesday – Saturday, Noon – show timeDid you see this show? Leave a comment and tell everybody what you thought!