Musicals – Page 11 – Shows I've Seen

Twelfth Night – Musical – Seattle Shakespeare Company

@showsiveseen “Twelfth Night” #musical adaptation of #Shakespeare‘s classic by Shaina Taub & Kwame Kwei-Armah at Seattle Shakespeare Company. Directed by Ruben Van Kempen & music directed by RJ Tancioco. If anything, see it for the Broadway quality score & the great voices! Seattle-ites will be sure eat up the gender themes. Review: showsiveseen.com/5330 #12thNight #TwelfthNight #theatre ♬ Play On – Shaina Taub & Ato Blankson-Wood & Nikki M. James & ‘Twelfth Night’ Company

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Twelfth Night musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic by Shaina Taub & Kwame Kwei-Armah at Seattle Shakespeare Company. Directed by Ruben Van Kempen and music directed by R.J. Tancioco. If anything, see it for the Broadway quality score and the great voices! Lots of gender themes Seattle-ites will be sure to eat up. #12thNight #TwelfthNight

Synopsis from the Theatre: Viola and her brother Sebastian are separated in a devastating shipwreck. Naturally, Viola decides to disguise herself as a man in this new land and, now as Cesario, get a job for Duke Orsino, with whom she instantly falls in love. Duke Orsino, however, loves the countess Olivia, and sends Viola-as-Cesario to woo her. Olivia, unaware of Viola’s disguise, falls in love with Cesario. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Viola, Sebastian has been rescued and is about to add another angle to this love shape. Shakespeare’s romantic comedy of mistaken identity and self-discovery is given a rousing musical adaptation originally premiered at New York’s Public Theatre, featuring an onstage band and a score inspired by jazz, soul, and showtunes from critically acclaimed musician Shaina Taub.

Reviewed Performance: 5/13/23 Semi-opening Weekend – The company performed a couple of previews and I think even the opening night. But COVID prematurely closed opening weekend and the weekend after that. This was the first full weekend that they performed, which is unfortunate since that means COVID basically wiped-out half of their performances. The original run was scheduled for 4/26 to this weekend’s 5/21.

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: This is best enjoyed by those familiar with the original Twelfth Night Shakespeare play story.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes, but it’s difficult to follow if you can’t understand Shakespearean English like me. 🙁

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes, a 6-person band with the ensemble occasionally jumping in. James Shilling played the trombone. Karin Terry (Feste) played the accordion. If I’m not mistaken, I think another actor played the ukelele.

Recommendation: See it, especially if you can follow Shakesperean English or you’re familiar with the original Twelfth Night play story. Honestly, I’m not familiar with the play and I couldn’t follow the story (Shakespeare English is hard!), but the Broadway-quality score and great voices made this show worth attending! You’ll like this show if you enjoyed the Head Over Heels mashup between old English and modern musical elements.

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Probably not but it was very good

Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value:
4.5 stars (Out of 5 Stars)

Equity Actors: 5

Total Number of Actors: 14

Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.5 hours

Intermission: No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Broadway-quality Music: Since the set and graphic design was Seattle-themed with Pike Place Market and Rainier beer logos, I initially assumed this was a world premier written in Seattle. From the very first lively opening song hook “Play On” to the funky interludes like “Word on the Street” to the final gospel choir-like “Eyes of Another” song, I kept thinking that the music could be on a Broadway or West End original cast album recording. Later, I found out that this wasn’t a Seattle world premiere and there actually was a New York City production with a cast recording! Below are a couple of other song highlights:
- “Is This Not Love?” – Sung by Feste (Karin Terry). It sounded like a classic Broadway ballad.
- “What Kind of Man R U Gonna Be?” – This was in the style of 80s fitness training songs. Performers wore retro wrist/head bands. It reminded me of the Miss Step musical and Jane Fonda.
- “Count Malvolio” – Sung by Malvolio (Jon Lutyens). It reminded me of vintage golden age can-can showbiz energy. A tap dance number would have been a perfect addition!
- “You’re the Worst” – It sounded like a classic Broadway comic relief song.
- “Crazy in Love”: There was a brief wink to Beyonce’s smash hit song.
Voices: Obviously, Andi Alhadeef (Olivia) and Alexandria J Henderson (Viola) showcased their amazing diva-quality voices. They made sweet harmony together especially in “I Am She.” Their harmony was also exceptional in “If You Were My Beloved” when Hisam Goueli (Orsino) joined in. I was surprised when I heard Hisam sing since I’ve seen him so many times on-stage in Seattle in only non-singing roles. Honorable mentions to Danny Kam (Sir Toby Belch) and Jimmy Shields (Sir Andrew Aguecheek) for hitting the high notes.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Seattle Theme: As mentioned previously, the set and the graphics were Seattle-themed. Was this because of similarities between Seattle and Illyria? Or was it just chosen to indulge the Seattle audience? Let me know in my social media link comments below!
Gender Themes: Seattleites will be sure to eat up the gender bending, gender fluidity, non-binary, gender equality/empowerment themes in this show.

Theatre Company: Seattle Shakespeare Company

Venue: Center Theatre at Seattle Center Armory

Venue Physical Address: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109

Price: Medium

Ticket Affordability Options: Surprisingly (for a Seattle theatre company) I could not find anything.

Dates: April 26 – May 21, 2023 with 2 weekends canceled because of COVID-19

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Paid street parking or paid lot/garage parking. I usually park on the street near the skating park (313 Taylor Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109) East of the theatre. It’s more expensive on Climate Pledge Arena event days though. In that case, I might take the bus or park in South Lake Union around Dexter Avenue and Harrison Street.

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Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

Role	Name
Illyrian	Simone Alene
Olivia	Andi Alhadeff*
Fabian, Illyrian	Ania Briggs
Illyrian	Natalya Czosnyka
Orsino	Hisam Goueli
Viola	Alexandria J. Henderson*
Sir Toby Belch	Danny Kam
Malvolio	Jon Lutyens*
Sebastian, Illyrian	Donovan Mahannah
Maria	Pilar O’Connell*
Backstage Illyrian Singer	James Schilling
Sir Andrew Aguecheek	Jimmy Shields*
Feste	Karin Terry
Antonio, Illyrian	Jarron A. Williams
—	—
Olivia (Understudy)	Simone Alene
Viola/Sebastian (Understudy)	Ania Briggs
Fabian/Maria (Understudy)	Natalya Czosnyka
Feste (Understudy)	Pilar O’Connell*
Orsino/MaIvoIio/Toby (Understudy)	James Schilling
—	—
Keyboard/Conductor	R.J. Tancioco or Ben Bentler
Trumpet	Pavel Spichak or Harlan Feinstein
Reed	Jay Easton or Nathaniel Schleimer
Guitar	Anthony Pooley
Bass	Olivia Hamilton or Ethan Sabotta
Drums	James Pingenot or James “Rif” Reif
Orchestration and Band Arranger	Mike Brun
—	—
Director	Ruben Van Kempen
Composer and Lyricist	Shaina Taub
Writers	Kwame Kwei-Armah, Shaina Taub
Music Director	R.J. Tancioco
Choreographer	Kathryn Van Meter**
Scenic Designer	Parmida Ziaei
Costume Designer	Jocelyne Fowler
Lighting Designer	Kristi Matthews
Sound Designer	Benjamin Radin
Properties Designer	Robin Macartney
Intimacy Director	Jasmine Lomax
Fight Choreographer	Harry Todd Jamieson
Assistant Music Director	Benjamin Bentler
Text Coach	Makaela Milburn
Stage Manager	Elizabeth Stasio*
Fight/lntimacy Captain	Pilar O’Connell*
Dance Captain	Jimmy Shields*
Assistant Stage Manager	Clair Kaminski*
COVID Safety Officer	Jocelyne Fowler
Technical Director	Benjamin Radin
Assistant Technical Director	Andrew Long
Master Audio Engineer	Conor Fortner
Master Electrician – Rehearsal/Tech	Danny Herter
Master Electrician – Performances	Clint Bull
Master Painter	Jessica Christensen
Wardrobe Master	Emily Kight

*The Actors and Stage Managers Are Members of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**Members of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

Contest Winner – Sweeney Todd – 5th Avenue Theatre

Congrats Nathaniel Lee for winning a ticket from Shows I’ve Seen to the 5th Avenue Theatre Sweeney Todd Stephen Sondheim musical! Stay tuned for the next contest ticket giveaway soon.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Musical – 5th Avenue Theatre

Giveaway: ~~I’m giving away a free ticket to this show. See more details here.~~ Congrats to Nathaniel!

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Stephen Sondheim musical at The 5th Avenue Theatre. I’ve forgotten how deliciously dark & twisty this show is. Glorious, rich orchestra and voices. I had to eat a hot savory vegetarian “meat” pie after the show! #theatre

Synopsis from the Theatre: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a deliciously thrilling story of revenge and retribution, continues our celebration of the titan of musical theater: Stephen Sondheim. After 15 years in exile, Sweeney Todd, an unsettling man with a mysterious past, arrives in a dark and gritty London, hungry for vengeance against the judge who destroyed his life. Todd joins forces with Mrs. Lovett, the unhinged proprietress of a failing pie shop, and together they develop a spinetingling plot to exact revenge. When the lights go down and the curtain goes up, you won’t dare look away. Where Into the Woods is a tangled musical web about what can be accomplished when we come together, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a piercing investigation of a society tearing itself apart.

Reviewed Performance: 4/29/23 Opening Night

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings: Several

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: None

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes, a large 19-person orchestra

Recommendation: See it!

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: No, I previously saw this twice in professional (Houston Grand Opera) and semi-professional performances. This was probably the best performance of the 3.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Three times is already quite a lot of performances already. I’d probably only see it if another professional theatre I highly respect (like Village Theatre) adds it to their season lineup.

Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value:
4.75 stars (Out of 5 Stars)

Equity Actors: 20

Total Number of Actors: 20

Length (Including Any Intermission): 3 hours

Intermission: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Glorious Score: The first second of this production starts with a glorious sudden dissonant chord on the organ. The ensemble and orchestra later further fill the theatre sound space in that first song prelude “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.” What an awesome audience hook! The performers continued to deliver that same energy throughout the entire show.
Rich Voices: The cast was a collection of impressive voices like the Yusef Seevers’s (Sweeny Todd) and Jesus Garcia’s (the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli) rich tenors, Leslie Jackson’s (Johanna) beautiful soprano vibrato, and Deon’te Goodman’s decadent baritone. Even the Sean David Cooper’s (Judge Turpin) speaking voice was full-bodied!
Background: The vibrant saturated blood red background coupled with the creeping shadows of the ensemble conveyed a wonderful foreboding darkness.
Beggar Woman: I loved the costume design decision to dress the beggar woman in a dirty gown with slutty undertones and a gaudy train. It conveyed that this person has fallen far from her previous elegance, beauty, and innocence. Porsha Shaw’s portrayal reminded me of when she played the Witch in 5th Avenue Theatre’s last show Into the Woods, which was also incidentally another Stephen Sondheim musical.

Rant(s)

Chair: Sweeney Todd’s fancy barber’s chair in the previous two productions I saw converted to a slide with a lever. The trap door was also directly underneath the chair in those previous performances. However, this production required the actors to walk a couple steps to reach the trap door, which made the “misfortunate events” less believable. However, I appreciated that the stagehands were in costume when they secured the chair after it ominously descended from the ceiling. But, I wonder if Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett could have secured the chair themselves instead.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Oven Window: There was a huge missed opportunity for an actor to dramatically grope at the oven window. Maybe they thought it would be too cliche. But I personally think it would have made the scene enjoyably gruesome.
Sex: There was a sex scene I don’t remember from the previous two performances I saw. This musical is growing up! 😛
Self-flagellation Scene: There was a creepy scene in the first production I saw where Judge Turpin whipped himself. It was unfortunately missing from this production.

Theatre Company: The 5th Avenue Theatre

Venue: The 5th Avenue Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Price: Expensive

Ticket Affordability Options: Check out their discounts page. Goldstar or TodayTix usually offer good options too.

Dates: April 21 to May 14, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: When I don’t walk to the theatre or park on the street, I park in the paid garage at the Motif hotel NW of the theatre. The entrance is on 5th Ave. Do NOT park in the Hilton garage (entrance on 6th ave). That’s where most of the audience parks so it’s a nightmare to leave. However, the Hilton garage is the closest garage to the theatre and it has underground access to the theatre if you wanted to avoid the elements. But this benefit is not worth it in my opinion.

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Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Mark Kitaoka and Tracy Martin

@showsiveseen "Sweeney Todd" #StephenSondheim #musical at 5th Ave Theatre. I've forgotten how deliciously dark & twisty this show is. Glorious, rich orchestra & voices. I had to eat a hot savory veggie "meat" pie after the show. Photos by Mark Kitaoka & Tracy Martin. Review: showsiveseen.com/5083 #theatre #Sondheim #vengeance #revenge #SweeneyTodd ♬ The Ballad of Sweeney Todd – Michael Ball & Imelda Staunton & The 2012 London Cast of Sweeney Todd

Anne Allgood and Yusef Seevers in *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Mark Kitaoka

The cast of *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Tracy Martin.

The cast of *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Mark Kitaoka.

How to Break – Musical – Village Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): How to Break hip hop Latino mashup dance musical at Village Theatre. Interesting to attend the final concept after already seeing as a developing beta musical years ago. Cleaver lyrics. #dancing #theatre #Cancer #Latin

Synopsis from the Theatre: An electrifyingly innovative world-debut Mainstage production of new work developed by Village Theatre! Featuring a dynamic kaleidoscope of music, poetry, breakdancing, and beatboxing, How to Break follows two hospitalized teenage hip-hop dancers and how they navigate their adolescence in the confines of a hospital room, finding ways to love and learn amidst IV bags and chemotherapy as inspired by real-life events in writer Aaron Jafferis’ time as an artist in residence at a children’s hospital. Part commentary on the American health care system, part moving autobiography, and part profound journey through the joy and pain of growing up, How to Break reveals just how resilient the human spirit is in the face of change and transformation.

Reviewed Performance: 3/31/23 Opening Night – Sorry for the late review! But in my defense, you have about 2 months to see it. 🙂

Type: Musical

World Premiere: Yes

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings: Several

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes, but most (if not all) of the scenes took place in a single hospital ward and there’s only so much that can occur unless it’s a TV show like Grey’s Anatomy!

Live Band/Orchestra: I don’t think there was a live band especially since they didn’t credit a band in the program. I assumed it was mostly pre-recorded synthesized music. However, Olivia Griffin’s character played the guitar and John Kent Rickenbacker Jr’s character beatboxed, which was a unique mashup.

Recommendation: See it if either

You like musicals with substance
You like stories about poor inner-city teens like in Sister Act 2 and Freedom Writers
You liked the hip-hop and rapping portions of Hamilton
Or you’re not triggered by adolescent cancer

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: No, I previously saw this as a developing beta musical.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: No, I think twice is enough for me. In my defense, I’d say the same thing about Hamilton. I know, sacrilege!

Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value:
4 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)

Equity Actors: 3

Total Number of Actors: 6

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours, which seemed a bit long especially without an intermission

Intermission: No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Beatboxing: John Kent Rickenbacker Jr’s character was a nurse who provided the beat and sound effects in this musical. He uniquely did not speak any lines and it was fun guessing what he was saying when he beatboxed his responses to other characters in “dialogue.”
Stage Design: The scenic design was simple with clean lines but still dramatic. Ironically, it reminded me of the Loony Toons concentric circles stage background. See the stage in my video below.
Stagehand Costumes: I appreciated that the stagehands wore scrubs when they performed their duties on-stage so they didn’t look out of place.
Powerful Voices: Talia Thiesfield and Olivia Griffin frequently showcased their showstopping voices in this production.
Favorite Line: When Maddy asked the Aana to join yoga or some other new age holistic therapy, Ana responded something like “if my family walks in, they’ll think we’re worshiping the devil.”
Medical Accuracy: As an oncology healthcare professional, I was impressed by the many correct aspects of cancer treatment they explained to the audience like the common acute lymphoblastic leukemia chemotherapy regimen consisting of an anthracycline, vincristine, and a glucocorticoid. For the record, they could have included pegaspargase though. Also, I’ve never seen an oncologist participate in yoga or chess with patients. Maybe they do that in pediatrics?

Rant(s)

Downer Show: As I alluded to previously, this musical has substance. But usually that means it’s a downer. They present an important perspective in this show, but I personally see musicals as an escape. Who wants to escape to sick kids? It didn’t help that a little too much silence and a little too much runtime (with no intermission) contributed to the slow pace. This was Village Theatre’s annual world premiere production where they choose one beta developing show from the last season. I much rather would have preferred Village Theatre to choose The Passage (which was also about cancer) than How to Break, since The Passage had more comedic relief and was overall less serious.
Inner-city Teen Trope: I mentioned this in my previous review, but I’m not a fan of stereotypical inner-city teen characters with nobody-understands-me rude attitude. It’s a tired old annoying trope.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Be the Match: This show inspired me to get on the ball and sign up for Be the Match. This nationwide non-profit helps match you with patients that need bone marrow transplant. It is especially important that people of color (like me) sign up since it’s usually difficult for POCs to find matching donors (like the main character). Bone marrow donation is similar to donating blood and does not require surgery. I’ve been meaning to sign up but always never get around to it. This musical is a perfect opportunity for Village Theatre to promote Be the Match.

Theatre Company: Village Theatre

Venue: Village Theatre – Issaquah

Venue Physical Address: 303 Front St N, Issaquah, WA 98027

Price: Medium

Ticket Affordability Options: Check out their discount tickets page. TodayTix and Goldstar usually offer good options too.

Dates: Issaquah March 29 – April 30, 2023 | Everett May 5 – May 28, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Free street parking and some free parking lot. Lot parking is pretty difficult to find availability though. I’ve basically given up on that. I usually end up parking on Rainier Boulevard North. As a last resort, I think you can always find parking at the library but it’s a little far. Remember, there’s a bottom floor parking lot under the library’s main parking lot that most non-locals don’t know about.

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Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video below

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen "How to Break" #hipHop #Latino mashup #dance #musical at Village Theatre. Interesting to attend the final concept after already seeing as a developing beta musical years ago. Cleaver lyrics. Photos: Angela Sterling. Review: showsiveseen.com/4676 #dancing #theatre #cancer #Latin #theatre ♬ Girl That Was Perfect – Alina Smith

Cheryse Dyllan and Andrés López-Alicea in Village Theatre’s *How to Break* (2023). Photo by Angela Sterling.

Cristian Rodriguez in Village Theatre’s *How to Break* (2023). Photo by Angela Sterling.

Cheryse Dyllan and Cristian Rodriguez in Village Theatre’s *How to Break* (2023). Photo by Angela Sterling.

Cheryse Dyllan and Talia Thiesfield in Village Theatre’s *How to Break* (2023). Photo by Angela Sterling.

Role	Name
Ana	Cheryse Dyllan
Joel	Cristian Rodriguez
Dr. Aden	Talia Thiesfield*
Nurse Bowen	John Kent Rickenbacker Jr.
Maddy	Olivia Griffin*
Mr. Ramos	Andrés Lopez-Alicea*
—	—
Ana u/s	Ash Fetherbay
Joel u/s	Dan Haile
Dr. Aden u/s	Charles L. Simmons*
Nurse Bowen u/s	Edward-Vincent Montemayor Bantasan
Maddy u/s	Jasmine Joshua
Mr. Ramos u/s	Quetzie Taborga
—	—
Director	Logan Vaughn
Writer and Lyricist	Aaron Jafferis
Composers	Jacinth Greywoode, Rebecca Hart, and Kiriakos “Yako 440” Prodis
Conceived by the Mixing Texts Collective	Aaron Jafferis, Adam Matta, Christopher Edwards, Gabriel “Kwikstep” Dionisio, & Ana “Rokafella” Garcia
Scenic Designer	Jack Magaw
Projection Designer	Elizabeth Barrett
Choreographer	Kevin Boseman
Lighting Designer	Robert J. Aguilar
Sound Designer	Andrea Allmond
Music Director	Jacinth Greywoode
Costume Designer	Pete Rush
Stage Managers	Miranda C. Pratt, Erin B. Zatloka
Assistant Stage Manager	Isabella Marziello
Director of Breaking	Jerome Aparis
Dramaturg	Morgan Smart
Associate Director	Tré Cotten
Intimacy Choreographer	Moises “Moy” Hinojos
Assistant Projection Designer	Hannah Gibbs
Associate Lighting Designer	Casey Price
Original Projection Content	Marcy Suarez
Production Assistant	Kimberly Le
NYC Casting	Base/Valle Casting (Gama Valle and Harriet Bass)
—	—
Head Stage Carpenter (Issaquah)	Whitman Paylor
Head Stage Carpenter (Everett)	Chris Mikolaizik
Head Sound Engineers (Issaquah)	Lisa Finkral, Abigail Graham
Head Sound Engineer (Everett)	Josh Blaisdell
Lead Stagehand — Deck (Issaquah)	Justin Babbitt
Lead Stagehand — Deck (Everett)	Kyle Morgan
Lead Stagehand — Props	Chandler Eichele
Head Electrician (Everett)	Brandon Cullinan
Head Electrician (Issaquah)	Paul Arnold
Head Wardrobe (Issaquah)	Kate Simpson
Head Wardrobe (Everett)	Courtney Kessler-Jeffrey
Head Projection Techs	Derick Avitt, Hannah Tran
Programmer	Zac Andersen
Followspots	Casey Leugemors, Olof Sander
Scenic Painter	Gabrielle Duong
Scenic Carpenter	Blake Whitmore

*The Actors And Stage Managers Are Members Of The Actors’ Equity Association, The Union Of Professional Actors And Stage Managers In The United States.

110 in the Shade – Musical – Reboot Theatre Company & Seattle Public Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): 110 in the Shade musical w/ Seattle Public Theatre & Reboot Theatre Company. Wonderful production that touches on what it means to be a woman … through the lens of genderblind casting! Loved the juxtaposition between life choices of nomadic adventure vs quiet stability.

Synopsis from the Theatre: Reboot Theatre Company, known for its intriguing deep dives and fresh interpretations of theater, brings to life 110 in the Shade, a beautiful exploration of love, hope, and acceptance. From the creators of The Fantasticks, 110 in the Shade is a touching and intimate musical adaptation of the hit play The Rainmaker. Set in a small western town besieged by drought, Lizzie, intelligent and independent, struggles with the societal pressure to do as a “woman” should do. One blistering hot day, Lizzie’s family urges her to marry the recently widowed Sheriff File, while charismatic stranger Starbuck comes to town with promises of being able to make it rain. Immediately suspicious, Lizzie tries to pick apart Starbuck’s story, but realizes a deeper truth about herself along the way. While the source material was written in the 1950’s, director Scot Charles Anderson will take a closer look at the seemingly simplified gender roles in classic Reboot style.

Reviewed Performance: 3/17/23 Opening Night

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings: Several

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes, they also included a banjo, bass, and a fiddle for that authentic country feel. Some cast members even played instruments like the guitar and ukelele!

Recommendation: See it!

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Yes

Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value:
4.75 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 12

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.5 hours

Intermission: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Scenic Design: Nice rustic design with a windmill and a circular stage. Very Restoration Hardware. Who knew you could make such a great background with a bunch of two-by-fours! See pictures and video at the end of this article.
Dramatic Climax: I’m a huge fan of scenes when a character is verbally eviscerated on-stage. The simple “you’re plain!” pronouncement toward the end of the first act conveyed the same thrilling ring as “you’re a virgin who can’t drive.”
Delightful Characters: It was pleasure watching June Apollo Johns (Bill Starbuck) and Walden Barnett Marcus (Jimmy Curry) portray their characters on-stage. Tessa James (as the ditsy Snookie Updegraff) made the scenes with Walden even more delightful!
Lizzy: Paris Manzanares was well-cast as the female lead character Lizzy. Paris manifested a graceful feminine energy with a good country accent. It was interesting to observe the script’s commentary on what it means to be a woman when a trans actress played the female lead. The line “if you don’t believe you’re a woman, you’re not” was particularly poignant with this casting decision. Paris’s vocal range difference from her character’s soprano melodies also didn’t detract from her performance. I loved how this production paired a trans woman opposite of a traditionally handsome/ideal cis male (the dashing Ricky Spaulding who portrayed Sheriff File). I typically don’t see a lot of those pairings in theatre or the media. It didn’t hurt that they had great chemistry too.
A Simple Life: The message in “Simple Little Things” song rang true for me since I don’t particularly crave an exciting life … other than seeing ~3 shows per week! Some may even consider my career boring, but I kind of like boring. I also hate surprises, traveling, adrenaline rushes (like skydiving), and partying. I’m more of a homebody. “Simple Little Things” says that’s okay.
Sound Effects: Instead of recorded audio clips, the cast and band generated most of the sound effects like radio music, a rusty windmill, a train, and an owl.
Fireflies: It was novel how the ensemble depicted fireflies in the background during the evening scenes as they surrounded the main characters. I’m glad it gave them something to do since I kind of felt bad for them sitting on-stage excluded from the main action.

Rant(s)

Sound Balancing: The actors were not mic’ed and the band sometimes overpowered the singers, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the recent Rock of Ages I attended. I suggest finding a seat far away from the band like on the right side of theatre (if you face the stage). My seat was on the left side of the theatre, which was the same side as the band.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Genderblind Casting: In true Reboot Theatre Company fashion, they “genderblindly” cast many roles. It was very woke Seattle. However, as I frequently rant in my reviews, genderblind casting in musicals is sometimes a problem if performers sing parts that were originally written for a different vocal range. As mentioned above, this thankfully wasn’t a problem with Lizzy for some strange reason (maybe they transposed for her?), but it was occasionally a problem for other cast members. Singing an octave higher or lower than the original melody usually doesn’t sound good. I don’t know a great solution for this. Gender inclusivity is important in theatre, but I also want to hear melodies without awkward vocal placement.
Heat: For a show with a hot temperature in its name, I thought there’d be more references to heat. I feel like the only mention of heat was during the first couple of minutes. There were a lot of references to dryness/drought but that doesn’t necessarily mean hot.
Lizzie Appearance Flaw: I was confused with what was supposedly wrong with Lizzie. The dialogue frequently mentioned that Lizzy was plain, but the actress was actually beautiful. While the wig looked nice, the actress didn’t look terrible without it. Was this mismatch of what I saw vs what I heard a commentary on how internal/external voices can negate how beautiful we truly are? They say your biggest critic is yourself. Let me know what you think in my social media comment links below!
Gun Holster Belt: I kept worrying Sherrif File’s holster would fall! Do they usually sag so low?

Theatre Company: Reboot Theatre Company and Seattle Public Theatre

Venue: Seattle Public Theatre (aka Bathhouse Theatre)

Venue Physical Address:7312 West Green Lake Dr N, Seattle, WA 98103

Price: Cheap

Ticket Affordability Options: You can self-select ticket prices as low as $5 on the ticketing website for those who find the higher options a financial barrier to enjoying great theatre. There is also no seat placement difference between ticket prices.

Dates: March 16 to April 9, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Free plentiful parking lot of Greenlake Park, which is adjacent to the theatre

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Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video below by Colin Madison Photography

@showsiveseen “110 in the Shade” #musical w/ @seattlepublictheater & Reboot Theatre. Wonderful production that explores what it means to be a woman … through the lens of genderblind casting! Loved the juxtaposition between life choices of nomadic adventure vs quiet stability. Based on “The #Rainmaker” play. Photos by Colin Madison. Review showsiveseen.com/4434 #theatre ♬ Lizzie’s Comin’ Home – Will Geer & Steve Roland & Scooter Teague