Performance Type – Page 60 – Shows I've Seen

Zach – Play – ArtsWest

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Zach play by Christian St. Croix at ArtsWest directed by Sara Porkalob starring Amber Walker and Michael Nevárez. Reminiscent of Saved by the Bell and Funny or Die’s Zach Morris is Trash series through the eyes of minority sidekicks. Complete with a 90s sitcom laugh track!

Synopsis from the Theatre: A satirical comedy that lovingly skewers the popular tropes of the 90s teen sitcom, Zach introduces us to the lives and loves of Gina and P.J., a Black girl and a Latino boy at an affluent, majority-white Southern California high school. P.J., a lovesick surfer boy, and Gina, a budding fashionista, are overjoyed when they’re invited into the inner circle of Zach, the white, charismatic, prank-happy new kid at school. But when Zach plans a new prank that goes too far, P.J. and Gina must race to stop him before it’s too late – and along the way, learn to see their peers, and themselves, with fresh eyes.

Reviewed Performance: 5/5/23 Opening Weekend

Type: Play

World Premiere: Yes

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings: Several

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You’ll probably appreciate this piece more if you watched 90s teen sitcoms as a kid

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Recommendation: See it especially if 1) you watched 90s teen sitcoms like Saved by the Bell 2) or you like discussing/exploring/dissecting/exposing straight white male privilege.

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 pretty good

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

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 2

Length (Including Any Intermission): 75 minutes

Intermission: No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Sitcom Theme: It was novel to see a play portrayed as a sitcom. I’ve never seen any play with this theme. It was like Saved by the Bell, Boy Meets World, Blossom, Clueless, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, or any one of the Disney formula sitcoms on-stage. There was even a laugh track and an opening scene similar to sitcom opening credits. The opening scene would have been perfect if it began with a projection of the TV show name “Zach” on the wall followed by character names while each character posed for the camera. Think of the Full House opening credits.
Cast Doubling/Size: Usually, I’m hesitant seeing a show that only contains two actors. But since I saw Sara Porkalob (who was amazing in her one-person self-written show Dragon Lady) was the director, I knew I should give this play a chance. It’s surprising how many 90s sitcom character tropes Amber Walker and Michael Nevárez played. I loved how their racial background contrasted with their portrayal of Zach (inspired by Saved by the Bell’s Zach Morris) poignantly revealed how problematic he was as a privileged white straight male who didn’t experience consequences. It’s so interesting how 90s sitcoms subconsciously indoctrinated this bias in American kids.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Ending (No Spoiler): I’m proud to have predicted the twist resolution at the end of the play. It was definitely a cliche oopsie that we see often in high school-themed shows and movies.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar: I recently learned a fun fact on TikTok that Mark-Paul Gosselaar (who played Zach Morris in Saved by the Bell) is half-Asian and his blond hair was dyed in the TV show. It’s funny that this play exposes Zach Morris’s white privilege but the original actor wasn’t even fully Caucasian!

Theatre Company: ArtsWest

Venue: ArtsWest

Venue Physical Address: 4711 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Price: Cheap

Ticket Affordability Options: You can self-identify as needing the inclusion rate when purchasing a ticket online.

Dates: May 3 – 28, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: There are paid lots and free street parking. I usually park on 44th or 45th Ave behind the theatre.

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https://www.artswest.org/events/zach/

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

@showsiveseen "Zach" #play by Christian St. Croix at #ArtsWest directed by @Sara P. starring Amber Walker & Michael Nevárez. Reminiscent of "Saved By the Bell" & @Funny Or Die "Zach Morris is Trash" series through the eyes of minority sidekicks. Complete with a 90s #sitcom laugh track! Review: showsiveseen.com/5227 #theatre ♬ Pronoia – Carly Pearl

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.

Our Dear Dead Drug Lord – Play – Washington Ensemble Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Our Dear Dead Drug Lord play by Washington Ensemble Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Middle-class suburban private school teens gone wild with cocaine, ouija board seances, & blood sacrifices. #PabloEscobar

Synopsis from the Theatre: Set in the face of the 2008 presidential election, the Dead Leaders Club meets in an abandoned treehouse to summon the ghost of Pablo Escobar. Are these teenage girls actually summoning the leader of the Medellín Cartel? Or are they just playing tricks on one another? This roller coaster ride through the trials and terrors of girlhood dabbles in blood sacrifice, the uncertainty of growing up, and a journey to unleash their personal power.

Reviewed Performance: 4/29/23 Opening Weekend

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings: One, a treehouse

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: None

Defined Plot/Storyline: It was consecutive but not quite defined. There’s only so much plot and storyline one setting can accomplish!

Recommendation: See it if you like plays that are weird and unconventional

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

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

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 4 but there were 2 other actors mentioned in the program who I assume were the background voices

Length (Including Any Intermission): 90 minutes

Intermission: No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Trapdoor: The play takes place in a treehouse, so the actors entered/exited from a trapdoor, which was novel.
Tissue: One of the characters blew their nose with tissue from their padded bra. It was a funny way to show the audience how young the characters were.
Favorite Line: “I lost my virginity while watching [President] Bush II’s ‘we got him’ speech. So basically, I’m fucked.”

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Meaning: I couldn’t assimilate the message from this play. Was there any symbolism? If so, I missed it.

Theatre Company: Washington Ensemble Theatre

Venue: 12th Avenue Arts

Venue Physical Address: 1620 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Price: Cheap

Dates: April 28 to May 15, 2023

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. Street parking is extremely limited since it’s Capitol Hill. Your best luck would be East of Cal Anderson Park on 11th or 12th Ave. Cheapest paid lots are on 11th Ave next to the park. I highly suggest parking far away or taking the bus since the lots are expensive in Capitol Hill.

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Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

https://washingtonensemble.org/season-19/season-19-our-dear-dead-drug-lord/

Other Video +/- Pictures: Sorry, I’m still waiting for the theatre company to send me press pictures. In the meantime, see my video below.

@showsiveseen "Our Dear Dead Drug Lord" #play by Alexis Scheer w/ @wet.seattle at 12th Ave Arts. Middle-class suburban private school teens gone wild w/ cocaine, ouija board seances, & blood sacrifices! Review: showsiveseen.com/5170 #PabloEscobar #theatre ♬ Da Girls – Ciara

The Squirrel Plays: Infestation, Compensation, Eradication – Play – Mirror Stage

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Squirrel Plays – Infestation, Compensation, Eradication by Mia McCullough w/ Mirror Stage at 12th Ave Arts. Allegory on government/politics. It was fun guessing what each thing symbolized. Probably the best opening performance reception spread I’ve seen! #play #symbolism #symbolic

Synopsis from the Theatre: Tom and Sarah finally find the suburban house of their dreams with probably the nicest garden on the market. Everything is blissful, until an unwanted squirrel gets trapped in the attic, interrupting their lives and causing a rift in their marriage. Once an exterminator, the neighborhood association, and animal control all get involved, violence and turmoil unsettle the entire subdivision.

Reviewed Performance: 4/30/23 Opening Performance Matinee

Type: 3 connected consecutive plays

World Premiere: No but USA premiere

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings: Few – Around three settings

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: None

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Recommendation: See it if you like exploring symbolism in live theatre or other art forms

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

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

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 6

Length (Including Any Intermission): It was 2.25 hours with a long 1st act and a shorter 2nd act. I suggest moving some material to the 2nd act.

Intermission: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Symbolism: Halfway through the first act in a sudden epiphany, I finally realized what the squirrels represented. I scrambled to replay the previous scenes in my mind to gather any missed nuances. If I had the time, I would rewatch those scenes with my newly-opened eyes. However, later on, it felt like the playwright changed what squirrels represented. Whether or not this change was intentional, the squirrel symbolism seemed unsatisfactorily inconsistent. Other than squirrels, this play was full of other political symbols. It was fun guessing what each thing represented. But for the life of me, I still couldn’t successfully guess what the bird feeders meant. Leave a comment in my social media links below if you have any ideas!
Stagehands: The stagehands were costumed and in-character as home movers. I always appreciate when the technical crew does not stick out on-stage.

Rant(s)

Stage Curtain: It’s a shame they covered part of the stage when scenes weren’t occuring there. The stage looked much more complete with all the curtains open, and it would have made a better first impression to audience members walking into the theatre space. When half of the stage is covered, it looks awkward and incomplete.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Numerous Commentaries: The play has a lot to say politically but it needs to hone its focus more to avoid becoming a hodgepodge of random leftist ideas.
Ending (No Spoilers): While I appreciate the conclusiveness of the ending, it felt a little too clean and idealistic. The raised social issues aren’t neatly resolved with a bow in real life.
Sounds: There were scenes that felt a little too quiet. Maybe include more background noise. But what does suburbia sound like? Maybe rustling leaves or birds chirping? What non-musical background noise do they play in Desperate Housewives? The transitional music between scenes was appropriate though.

Theatre Company: Mirror Stage

Venue: 12th Avenue Arts

Venue Physical Address: 1620 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Price: Cheap

Ticket Affordability Options: Pay-what-you-can (PWYC) and 20 radical hospitality free tickets for every performance

Dates: April 27 to May 20, 2023

Seating: General Admission

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

Mirror Stage, *The Squirrel Plays*, featuring [L to R] Emily Hoffman, Valerie Ryan Miller, Caitlin Frances Branston, Jason Marr and Serin Ngai . Photo by Michael Poggenburg.

Mirror Stage, *The Squirrel Plays*, featuring [L to R] Valerie Ryan Miller and Jason Marr. Photo by Michael Poggenburg.

Mirror Stage, *The Squirrel Plays*, featuring [L to R] Caitlin Frances Branston, Serin Ngai and Jason Marr. Photo by Michael Poggenburg.

Mirror Stage, *The Squirrel Plays*, featuring Angie Bolton. Photo by Michael Poggenburg.

Mirror Stage, *The Squirrel Plays*, featuring Valerie Ryan Miller. Photo by Michael Poggenburg.

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