Plays – Page 10 – Shows I've Seen

Preview Post – Last Drive to Dodge – Play – Taproot Theatre and The Hansberry Project

Andrew Lee Creech’s Last Drive to Dodge play packed opening night at Taproot Theatre w/ The Hansberry Project. Performing until 10/21/23. Stay tuned for my full review! #showsiveseen #theatre

Tickets: https://taproottheatre.org/shows/2023/last-drive-to-dodge/

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Dream Hou$e – Play – Washington Ensemble Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Dream Hou$e play by Eliana Pipes at 12th Ave Arts w/ Washington Ensemble Theatre starring Antonieta Carpio & Adriana Hillas. Commentary on gentrification, identity, & heritage in the frame of a reality TV game show. Loved Holly Vander Hyde’s TV host character! #Spanish #Latino #Hispanic

Synopsis from the Theatre: Set in a rapidly changing neighborhood, two sisters sign up for a reality tv show to sell their childhood home after the passing of the family matriarch. As Julia and Patricia perform for the camera, they confront their own desires, aspirations, and the sacrifices they are willing to make to achieve them. What is the cultural cost of progress in America? Is cashing in always selling out?

Attended Performance Date: 9/8/23 (Opening Night)

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Just a house

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You should be familiar with reality TV and TV game shows

Defined Plot/Storyline: Mostly yes but there’s only so much that can occur in a house

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 6

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium

Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.75 hours

Intermission Included: No

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: I’m not sure … *maybe* if it was produced by an Equity theatre

Recommendation: See it especially if you enjoy reality TV or TV game shows

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

TV Host: Holly Vander Hyde’s TV host Tessa character was a delight to watch. There’s something alluring about a squeaky-clean personality on the outside despite what’s on the inside. When I heard/saw her TV anchor laugh at the beginning of the play, I knew I’d like this character.
Powerful Scenes:
- One of the last scenes when Tessa asked Patricia (played by Adriana Hillas) to sell various belongings
- One of the middle scenes when Patricia showed Julia (played by Antonieta Carpio) their mother’s feeding tube
Favorite Quotes:
- Something like “I want to be so rich that I can send my steak back to the chef”
- Something like “White people are the only people who say ‘latinX'”

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Scenic Design: The set was more austere than what I’m used to seeing with Washington Ensemble Theatre.
Weird Factor: This play felt more mainstream than the typical edgy weirdness I associate with Washington Ensemble Theatre shows like Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, Arlington, or Tin Cat Shoes. Don’t get me wrong though … I actually prefer mainstream!
Sentimentality vs Pragmatism: I definitely identified more with Patricia’s pragmatism. I was a little annoyed with Julia’s sentimentality. Gurl, sell out and take the money!
Crew: I felt bad for the camera crew actors since they didn’t have any speaking parts.

Theatre Company: Washington Ensemble Theatre

Venue: 12th Avenue Arts

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

Price: Cheap

Dates: September 8 to 25, 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.

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

https://washingtonensemble.org/dream-house/

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Marcia Davis.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen "Dream Hou$e" #play by Eliana Pipes at 12th Ave Arts w/ @Washington Ensemble Theatre starring Antonieta Carpio & Adriana Hillas. Directed by Suz Pontillo. Commentary on #gentrification, identity, & #heritage in the frame of a #realityTV #gameShow. Loved @Holly Vander Hyde's #TV host character! Review: showsiveseen.com/6602 #Spanish #Latino #Hispanic #theatre #showsiveseen ♬ Let's Play House – Beachcrimes & Tia Tia

Role	Name
Julia	Antonieta Carpio
Patricia	Adriana Hillas
Tessa	Holly Vander Hyde
Crew	Ayla Wallace
Crew	Cassidy Mitchell
Crew	William Johnson
Tessa Understudy	Emily Huntingford
Julia Understudy	Ariana Polanco
Patricia Understudy	Yolanda Suarez
—	—
Director	Suz Pontillo
Assistant Director	Rylie Latham
Playwright	Eliana Pipes
Stage Manager	Emily Doorenbos
Scenic Designer	Bella Rivera
Lighting & Projections Designer	Hannah Gibbs
Props Designer	Elana Lessing
Sound Designer	Andi Villegas
Costume Designer	Fantasia Rose
Choreographer	Zara Martina Lopez
Intimacy Coach	Jasmine Lomax
Stage Management Sub	Bella Marziello
Run Crew	Mischa Gregory
Production Manager	Ellie Hughes
Technical Director	Ryan Dunn
Shop Supervisor	Justin Duffiance
Resident Scenic Charge	Annie Duffiance
Master Electrician	Robert Mitchell
Mental Health Coach	Zoe Tsiotis Shields

Peter and the Starcatcher – Play – Reboot Theatre Company

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Peter and the Starcatcher play (adapted from the book) with Reboot Theatre Company. Fun origin story of Peter Pan starring Rhys Daly, Mariah Lee Squires, and Karin Terry. Strong, energetic acting and vocal projection.

Synopsis from the Theatre: Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair… and the bonds of friendship, duty and love. A young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain’s cabin, which contains a precious, otherworldly cargo. At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training who realizes that the trunk’s precious cargo is starstuff, a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands. When the ship is taken over by pirates – led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own – the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure.

Attended Performance Date: 9/9/23 (Opening Weekend)

Type: Play with music

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You’d probably enjoy this more if you’re familiar with the Peter Pan story.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: The actors played the ukelele, trumpet, kazoo(?), and guitar during a few numbers. There were 1-2 songs with piano accompaniment, but I couldn’t determine if it was live or recorded.

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 15

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to fast

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.25 hours

Intermission Included: Yes

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: No, I saw this at ArtsWest when I first moved to Seattle. But there were many scenes/elements in this production that I don’t remember from the ArtsWest production. Maybe I’m getting older…

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Probably not … it’s a well-written show but two times is enough for me

Recommendation: See it, especially if you enjoy British-inspired humor/acting.

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

End of First Act: The song before the intermission was a grandiose showstopper, which is impressive for a show that’s not even a musical!

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Narration: The narration was in the style of the actors narrating each other’s actions or their own actions. It reminded me of many past plays produced by the recently-closed Book-it Repertory Theatre.

Theatre Company: Reboot Theatre Company

Venue: Theatre Off Jackson

Venue Physical Address: 409 7th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

Price: Cheap

Ticket Affordability Options: You can self-select the $5 inclusion rate option on the website

Dates: September 8 to 23, 2023

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Paid street parking is usually available north of the theatre on the hill close to the park. You can also try free parking on Jackson Street closer to the I-5 bridge. As usual, there are paid parking lots nearby as well.

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

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

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen "Peter & the #Starcatcher" #play (adapted from the book) with Reboot Theatre directed by Riley Gene. Fun origin story of #PeterPan starring @Rhys, Mariah Lee Squires, & Karin Terry. Strong, energetic acting, & vocal projection. Photos by Colin Madison. Review: showsiveseen.com/6573 #showsiveseen #theatre ♬ past life – elijah woods

Role	Name
Ted	Henry Behrens
Mrs. Bumbreak/Sanchez	Kendra Tamär Budd
Grempkin/Mack/Prawn	Rolando Cardona-Roman
Boy/Teacher	Rhys Daly
Bill Slank/Clam	Anamaria Guerzon
Prentiss	Morgan Gwilym Tso
Smee	Jayne Hubbard
Alf	Helene Minassian
Ensemble/Understudy	Adrian Prendergast
Ensemble/Understudy	Monty Rozema
Lord Aster	Dan Ruiz Salvatura
Captain Scott	James Schilling
Molly	Mariah Lee Squires
Black Stache	Karin Terry
Ensemble/Understudy	Miles Wingett
—	—
Director	Riley Gene
Playwright	Rick Elice based on a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Composer	Wayne Barker
Musical Director/Sound Designer	Kate Falconer
Stage Manager	Emily Grierson
Assistant Stage Manager	Valerie Reid
Associate Stage Manager	Ryan Long
Scenic/Props Designer	Robin Macartney
Lighting Designer	Jacob Viramontes
Costume Designer	Elsa Goodmon
Fight Director	Adrian Prendergast
Poster Designers	Brad Walker, Noel Pederson
Production Managers	Xandria Nirvana, Easterday Callahan
Photographer	Colin Madison Photography

Preview Post – Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood – Play – Village Theatre

Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood play opening weekend at Village Theatre. Performing until 11/12/23. Stay tuned for my full review!

Tickets: https://villagetheatre.org/shows/sherwood/

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Bethany Sees the Stars – Play – Copious Love Productions

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Happy closing last weekend to Bethany Sees the Stars world premiere play by Emily Golden with Copious Love Productions at West of Lenin theatre. The beginning reminded me of Dacha Theatre’s quirkiness and imagination. Unexpected twist at the end. #greekMythology

Synopsis from the Theatre: 15-year-old Bethany spends her days in an eternal funk. But when a letter arrives inviting her to be a crew member on the first manned mission to Mars, she has an opportunity to leave it all behind. With her journey fast approaching, Bethany must turn to the all-knowing constellations for the answer to an impossible choice. Funny and tender, this world premiere play is a cosmic meditation on hope, loss, and the ability of relationships to hurt us or heal us in our most vulnerable seasons of life.

Attended Performance Date: 9/2/23

Type: Play

World Premiere: Yes

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: Knowledge of some Greek mythology is preferred

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes-ish but the story wasn’t very extensive

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 5

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours

Intermission Included: Yes

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: No

Recommendation: See it if you like shows about teenage angst, grief, and depression.

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Human Cellular Chimerism Scene: Leanne’s (played by Olivia Lee) explanation of human chimerism from pregnancy was fascinating.
Lauren Megan McCarthy: Lauren switched between her two distinct characters (Fey and Andromeda) seamlessly.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Manic Pixie Dream Boy: The Atlas character (played by Lola Rei Fukushima) was a little reminiscent of a manic pixie dream boy contrasting with the sullen Bethany character (played by Jade Guillory-Kaub).

Theatre Company: Copious Love Productions

Venue: West of Lenin

Venue Physical Address: 203 N 36th St #204, Seattle, WA 98103

Price: Cheap

Dates: August 24 to September 9, 2023

Seating: General Admission Seating

Parking: There’s paid lot parking or free street parking. I can usually find street parking behind the theatre closer to the water.

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Brett Love.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen Happy closing last weekend to "Bethany Sees the #Stars" #worldPremiere #play by Emily Golden w/ Copious Love at West of Lenin. Directed by Kathryn Stewart. Starring Jade Guillory-Kaub. The beginning reminded me of Dacha Theatre's quirkiness & imagination. Unexpected twist at the end. Review: showsiveseen.com/6442 Photos: Brett Love. #greekMythology #theatre #showsiveseen #mythology ♬ Paradise – Aiden Myers

Role	Name
Bethany	Jade Guillory-Kaub
Fay / Andromeda	Lauren Megan McCarthy
Atlas	Lola Rei Fukushima
Father / Perseus	Daniel Christensen
Cassiopeia / Leanne	Olivia Lee
—	—
Director	Kathryn Stewart
Playwright	Emily Golden
Stage Manager, Tech, & Run	Nik Nolen
Props Designer / Assistant Stage Manager	Christy Fox
Lighting Designer	Adem Hayyu
Sound Designer	Alison Kozar
Costume Designer	Fantasia Rose
Scenic Designer	Jordan Gerow
Production Manager / Rehearsal Stage Manager	Megan Merydith
Painter / Master Carpenter	Garrett Dill
Company Liason	Tony Simmons