Leave a comment mentioning a musical (other than “Les Misérables”) you haven’t seen but want to see and why. I’ll choose a winner after 6/7 11:59 PM.
Post your comment submission on my Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. This is a free SINGLE ticket for any available seat worth about $189-219 (depending on your chosen date) to any remaining “Les Misérables” musical performance at the 5th Avenue Theatre. The production run ends next weekend. Read my review at showsiveseen.com/5665.
Giveaway: I’m giving away a free ticket to this show. See details here. Congrats Anthony!
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Hello, Dolly! musical at Village Theatre starring Bobbi Kotula as the iconic matchmaker. Light, classic, traditional musical. Reminiscent of The Music Man.
Synopsis from the Theatre: Starring the incomparable Bobbi Kotula as Dolly Gallagher Levi, Hello, Dolly! triumphantly comes to Village Theatre this summer. Often revered as one of the greatest collections of songs in all of musical theatre history, this legendary musical follows the romantic and comedic exploits of Dolly Gallagher Levi, turn-of-the-century matchmaker and “woman who arranges things.” Hello, Dolly! celebrates a brilliant pioneering woman forging her own path in a world that constantly underestimates her. Through a cavalcade of joy, glorious song, and stunning dance, this is classical musical theatre at its best! “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” and catch this definitive musical “Before The Parade Passes By!”
Reviewed Performance: 5/27/23 – Opening Weekend
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it, especially if you like old-timey musicals like The Music Man.
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Maybe if it was on Broadway or if it was a national tour
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4 stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 11
Total Number of Actors: 24
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.75 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Business Cards: When Dolly handed business cards throughout the show, it reminded me of Village Theatre’s beta musical ZM. I wonder if Hello, Dolly! inspired the hillarious business card bit in ZM.
Advertising Theme: Cary Wong uniquely designed the stage with a vintage advertising theme. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that on-stage. Almost every scene background was designed like a newspaper ad. Coupled with the warm bright lighting, the scenic designed conveyed a wonderful nostalgic feel.
Costumes: Just like the scenic design, the intricate costume design by Esther Garcia transported the audience back to a different era where people actually dressed up … as opposed to “Seattle casual!” See stunning costumes in the pictures at the end of this article.
Favorite Line: As an increasingly-cynical (male) feminist, I loved the line “marriage is a bribe to make a housekeeper think she’s a householder.”
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Tap Dance: I sooo wish they included a tap dance number in the “Hello, Dolly” theme song. The performers moved their feet as if they were tap dancing but they weren’t wearing tap shoes!
Theatre Company: Village Theatre
Venue: Village Theatre
Venue Physical Address:
Issaquah: 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027
Issaquah: Free street parking and some free parking lot. Lot parking availablity is pretty difficult to find 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.
Everett: Free street parking and some paid parking lots/garages.
Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Angela Sterling.
@showsiveseen "Hello, #Dolly!" #musical at Village Theatre starring Bobbi Kotula as the iconic #matchmaker. Light, classic, traditional musical. Reminiscent of "The Music Man." Unique vintage ad-themed scenic design by Carey Wong. Directed by Timothy McCuen Piggee. Photos by Angela Sterling. Review: showsiveseen.com/5737 #theatre♬ Hello, Dolly!
Bobbi Kotula and the cast of Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).John David Scott and the cast of Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).Allen Fitzpatrick and Karen Skrinde in Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).Bobbi Kotula and Allen Fitzpatrick in Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).Bobbi Kotula and the cast of Hello, Dolly! (2023) at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).John David Scott and the cast of Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).Sarah “SG” Garcia, Rhys Daly, Jessica Skerritt, and Markcus Blair in Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).
Giveaway: I’m giving away a free ticket to this show. See more details here. Congrats to Anamaria!
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Les Misérables musical at the 5th Ave Theatre. Glorious, exciting, thrilling, and grand with a diverse cast. Nick Cartell’s voice (as Valjean) reminded me of Aaron Tveit.
Synopsis from the Theatre: Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables. This brilliant staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed as “Les Mis for the 21st Century” (Huffington Post), “a reborn dream of a production” (Daily Telegraph) and “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune). Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” “Master of the House” and many more. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals.
Reviewed Performance: 5/26/23 – Opening Night
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it! – Especially if you like grand musicals like Phantom of the Opera
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: No, I saw this 3 times already at the Paramount a couple years ago, a Houston community production (awful), and the movie theater
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: I’m not sure … 4 times is already quite a lot for me
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 5 stars (Out of 5 Stars) and that’s saying a lot since this is not my preferred genre
Equity Actors: All of them
Total Number of Actors: A whooping 40!
Perceived Pace of the Show: Fast, which is surprising for a 3 hour show
Length (Including Any Intermission): 3 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Glorious Songs: From the prologue’s opening moments, this musical was filled with many gloriously-executed songs. I don’t remember feeling this impressed at the first Les Mis national tour I attended at the Paramount a couple years ago. It was particularly thrilling when the entire ensemble joined in song, especially in “At the End of the Day,” “Lovely Ladies,” “Master of the House,” “Look Down, “One Day More,” “Wedding Chorale,” and “Do You Hear the People Sing?”
Voices: Obviously in a national tour, the cast was filled with amazing voices. Many reminded me of golden voices from classic Disney masterpieces. Haley Dortch’s (as Fantine) pure voice w/ a slight vibrato in “I Dreamed a Dream” was enchanting. Devin Archer (as Enjolras) showcased his rich voice in “Red and Black.” Nick Cartell’s voice (as Valjean) reminded me of Aaron Tveit. Kudos on that long last note in “Bring Him Home.”
Projections: This production utilized projections well without overdoing it like how Anastasia went overboard on the projections. I like how the actors moved in place while stumbling in the sewers or while marching on the streets as the projection background zoomed in and created the illusion of movement progression. The projections also provided a neat transition from the battleground to the sewers. I loved how actors emerged mysteriously from the projected background from an obscured door in the screen. It took me a while to figure out that stage magic! Additionally, the projections coupled with suspending/flying cables provided novel suicide scene effects.
Shot Scene: They dramatically executed (no pun intended) how one of the lovable characters was shot on the barricade. The lights suddenly converged on the actor, and they fell.
Balcony Scene: Strangely, I don’t remember this scene from the last 3 productions I saw. Gregory Lee Rodriguez (as Marius) played a likably-awkward “Romeo” here.
Air Conditioner: Thank you 5th Avenue Theatre for turning the A/C on full blast! 🙂 Coming from Texas (yeehaw!), I hate how stingy Seattle is with the A/C.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Tatoo: Why didn’t Javert look for the chest tattoo on his mistaken Valjean? That’s bad detective work.
Ballroom Scene: I wish this musical was more like the bright ballroom scene. But I guess bright scenes don’t go well with a show title that literally means “The Miserable Ones.”
Cute Kids: Call me a Scrooge but I’m annoyed by overly-cute kids on-stage … even if they’re good performers. They remind me of the ridiculously sentimental Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol. Cute kids on-stage are too pandering to the audience and their cuteness distracts from their performing abilities.
Theatre Company: National Tour
Venue: The 5th Avenue Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Expensive
Ticket Affordability Options: $49 day-of-show rush tickets at the box office are available for in Zones 3, 4, and 5. Contact the theatre directly for organizational discount affiliation possibilities like from your job. Goldstar or TodayTix usually offer good options too.
Dates: May 24 to June 17, 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 want to avoid the elements. But this benefit is not worth it in my opinion.
“One Day More” from Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Master of the House” from Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.Christine Heesun Hwang as Éponine in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.Preston Truman Boyd as Javert in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.(From L) Gregory Lee Rodriguez as Marius, Christine Heesun Hwang as Éponine, Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean, Addie Morales as Cosette in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.(From L) Preston Truman Boyd as Javert & Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Dog Eat Dog” – Matt Crowle as Thénardier and Gregory Lee Rodriguez as Marius in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Fall of Rain” – Christine Heesun Hwang as Éponine and Gregory Lee Rodriguez as Marius in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Red and Black” – Devin Archer as Enjolras and company in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Beggars at the Feast” from Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.
Leave a comment tagging your favorite live theatre venue or theatre company and why. I’ll choose a winner after 5/23 11:59 PM.
Post your comment submission on my Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. This is a free SINGLE ticket for any section B seat to any of the remaining How to Break musical performances at Village Theatre in EVERETT, Washington. The production run ends this weekend. Read my review at showsiveseen.com/4676 #theatre
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Lydia and the Troll musical by Justin Huertas at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Origin story of the Fremont troll w/ a timeless message to love yourself and to cherish the life you live.
Synopsis from the Theatre: Lydia is struggling to find her voice. As a Black woman on the brink of breaking through the music industry, her dreams of being a record producer feel just out of her reach. But when a mysterious stranger offers her a chance to level up, Lydia embarks on a thrilling journey of self-discovery to take back what is hers. Inspired by the fantasy and folklore of Seattle’s landmarks, playwright and composer Justin Huertas (Lizard Boy) conjures up fresh Pacific Northwest magic through a riveting electronic/pop score and multi-media landscape in this world-premiere musical.
Reviewed Performance: 5/10/23 – Opening Night
Type: Musical
World Premiere: Yes
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: None
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes, consisting of only two people. Most of the music sounded synthesized.
Recommendation: See it, especially if you enjoy Justin Huertas’ works
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 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: 5
Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.5 hours
Intermission: No
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Neon Trim Lighting: I always love modern clean lines in design. The neon trim lighting accented the stage nicely. The multicolored light show during certain numbers was particularly dazzling.
“Black Hair” Song: The powerful “Black Hair” song was my favorite number in this musical because of the message to cherish the cards you were dealt in life because it could always be worse. While “Black Hair” was referring to African American hair, I feel like it could also be applied to other races as well. I know Asians sometimes bleach their hair blonde (I’m guilty of this) because of colonialism and colorism.
Puppetry: As I mentioned in my Wolf Play review. I’m usually not a fan of puppetry. But again, this was not your typical furry Muppets or Avenue Q variety. The puppetry was more shadow effects on a white backdrop against bright projected lights. The audience actually rarely saw the actual puppets but only their shadows. I liked that the puppeteers were shortly showcased during one of the final chase scenes where they were visible on-stage without the backdrop obscuring them.
Favorite Line(s):
“I always leave a person better than I found them” – It reminded me of the TV show Dollhouse.
“Do Over” – The couple occasionally said this before performing a funny bit where they pretended to rewind life like a VHS tape.
Rant(s)
Background Crew Visibility: I’m not sure if it was because of my vantage point on the side of the balcony but it felt like the stagehands and the puppeteers were sometimes too visible. In particular, I could see the stagehands or puppeteers via the “Pepper’s Ghost” effect from glass reflections.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Troll Sizes: Why was the final troll huge, but the earlier trolls were not?
Troll Voice: Why did the female trolls have normal voices, but the male troll did not?
Seattle References: There were some Seattle references throughout the show like Columbia City Theatre (which I still have never attended!), Aurora Ave, and obviously the Fremont Troll. I thought there would be more references though. Maybe the references went over my head, especially since I’m not from the PNW.
Running Song: The crowd went wild during the running song. Did I miss an inside joke? Major FOMO here.
Theatre Company: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue: Leo Kreielsheimer Theater at Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Parking: There are paid lots and paid street parking. I usually park on Mercer to the West of 1st Ave. There’s usually also a lot of street parking around Safeway. If there’s an event in Seattle Center or Climate Pledge Arena, street parking is usually limited and much more expensive.
Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Bronwen Houck
Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below
@showsiveseen "Lydia and the Troll" #musical by @Justin Huertas w/ Steven Tran & Ammenah Kaplan at Seattle Rep. Staring @Sarah Russell & @Janet Krupin. Origin story of the Fremont #troll w/ a timeless message to love yourself & to cherish the life you live. Photos by Bronwen Houck. Review: showsiveseen.com/5328 #theatre♬ original sound – Shows I've Seen
Janet Krupin in Lydia and the Troll at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck. Sarah Russell in Lydia and the Troll at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck. Janet Krupin in Lydia and the Troll at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck. Adam Standley and Janet Krupin in Lydia and the Troll at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.Sarah Russell and Adam Standley in Lydia and the Troll at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck. Sarah Russell and Adam Standley in Lydia and the Troll at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.Janet Krupin and Sarah Russell in Lydia and the Troll at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.
Role
Name
Jane
Janet Krupin
Lydia
Sarah Russell
Pete
Adam Standley
Puppeteer
Guy Garrison, Sophia Franzella
—
—
Jane, Lydia (Understudy)
Esther Okech
Pete, Puppeteer (Understudy)
Ricky Spaulding
—
—
Writer, Composer, and Lyricist
Justin Huertas
Co-Creator and Director
Ameenah Kaplan
Additional Music, Music Production, and Musical Supervision
Steven Tran
Lighting Designer
Robert J. Aguilar
Sound Designer
Erin Bednarz
Hair/Wig & Makeup Designer
Cherelle D. Guyton
Scenic & Projections Designer
Bryce Cutler
Costume Designer
Danielle Nieves
Puppet Creator
Guy Garrison
Associate Music Director & Conductor
Elisa Money
Stage Manager (May 5 – 28)
Jessica C. Bomball
Stage Manager (May 31 – June 4)
Stina Lotti
Assistant Stage Manager
Malie Fujii
Conductor/Keys/Guitar
Elisa Money
Drummer
Scot Sexton
Music Assistant & Copyist
Daniel Arthur
Music Consultant
Aaron Norman
Projections Programmer
Ben Goldberg
Stage Management Apprentice
Rosemary Lisa Jones
A2
David Misner
Head Audio
Evan Rees
Directing Apprentice
Daira Miranda Rodriguez
Wig Build
Shelby Rogers
Wig Run Crew
KD Schill
Lighting Apprentice
Mel Williams
Stage Management Apprentice
Max Zamorano
The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
