Plays – Page 11 – Shows I've Seen

Edgar & Annabel – Play – Review – Pony World Theatre

@showsiveseen Sam Holcroft's "Edgar & Annabel" #play by Pony World Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Seamless coordination between what's real vs fake. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" or "Alias" vibes. Begins with a novel optional interactive spy remedial training. Tickets selling out w/ only 4 more performances left till the 11/30/24 closing! Review: showsiveseen.com/10433 Director: Charlotte Peters Stage Manager: Kimberly Le #theatre #showsiveseen ♬ Play Pretend – bby ivy

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Sam Holcroft’s Edgar & Annabel play by Pony World Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Seamless coordination between what’s real vs fake. Mr. & Mrs. Smith or Alias vibes. Begins with a novel optional interactive spy remedial training. Tickets selling out with only 4 more performances till the 11/30/24 closing!

Recommendation:
See it.

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): A spy couple strugges to balance their real personal life vs their fake professional life. But at what cost? Is it worth it?

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Conscientious recycling, karaoke parties, home cooked meals: Edgar and Annabel enjoy the perfect, middle-class marriage. And they can keep it if no one finds out they’re actually Nick and Marianne, two resistance fighters who assume fake identities to avoid the detection of an Orwellian government. With every moment of their lives literally scripted to support the subterfuge, the slightest surprise puts them and their whole organization at risk. When rewrites and improvisations throw their plans into chaos, they wont know who they can trust least of all each other. A darkly comedic spy thriller, Edgar & Annabel explores the lines between public and private, asking what we would sacrifice to stay free. Prior to performance of this riveting tale, the audience is invited to arrive early to participate in a collection of puzzles meant to train the next generation of Agents tasked with seeking out subversive elements. This training is available as early as 7:00pm, with cohorts of recruits allowed into the theatre roughly every ten minutes until the start of the show. While these puzzles are optional and merely observing is perfectly allowed, PWT encourages everyone to arrive early to take advantage of the full experience.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Only 2-3

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Static

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: None

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Union Actors: 0

Total Actors: 7

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? No

Length (Including Any Intermission): 80 minutes

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No, but it was good

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Real vs Fake Life: The script and actors expertly switched between portraying what the spy characters wanted to show to their enemies versus revealing to the audience their true emotions. It was as if they were performing for two audiences: the one watching in the theatre and the one monitoring them through surveillance.
Interactive Training: Before the main performance, audience members were encouraged (but not required) to participate in mock spy remedial training exercises that consisted of audio surveillance, a cluster scan, and a crime scene investigation. While I personally don’t gravitate to interactive theatre (pillow princess here!), Seattleites and Portlanders people would eat this up. I will say that the crime scene investigation answers were impossible!

Theatre Company: Pony World Theatre

Venue: 12th Ave Arts

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

Price Range: $24

Dates: November 1 to November 30, 2024

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. Street parking is extremely limited since it’s Capitol Hill. Even if you can find street parking, it often costs more than some parking lots. I highly recommend the paid lot at 1300 E Olive St with the entrance on 14th Ave.

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Pictures: See production pictures below.

Cast and Production Team: See pictures below.

Yellow Face – Play – Review – Roundabout Theatre Company’s Todd Haimes Theatre

@showsiveseen David Henry Hwang's "Yellow Face" #play at @Roundabout Theatre Company starring Hollywood celebrity, @Daniel Dae Kim. Delightful Asian father portrayal by Francis Jue. We laughed, fumed, & cried. Performing till 11/24/24. Review: showsiveseen.com/10365 Photos: Joan Marcus Director: Leigh Silverman Stage Managers: Charles Means & Janet Takami #theatre #showsiveseen #broadway #yellowFace #asian ♬ People Like Us – Revel Day

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face at Roundabout Theatre Company starring Hollywood celebrity Daniel Dae Kim. Delightful Asian father portrayal by Francis Jue. We laughed, fumed, & cried. Performing till 11/24/24.

Recommendation:
See it, especially if you’re Asian. Like most theatre productions, there were sadly few Asians in the audience despite being an Asian-themed play!

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Autobiographical account of David Henry Hwang’s experience with historical yellow face casting controversies in the NYC theatre scene.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Broadway’s new triumph is the New York Times Critic’s Pick, the “relevant, insightful, and very funny” (Greg Evans, Deadline) Broadway premiere of Yellow Face. Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-O) heads the cast of Tony Award® winner David Henry Hwang’s hilarious is-he-or-isn’t-he comedy of identity, show business, and (perhaps) autobiography, directed by Tony nominee Leigh Silverman (Violet, Suffs). Kim stars as an Asian American playwright who protests yellowface casting in the blockbuster musical Miss Saigon, only to mistakenly cast a white actor as the Asian lead in his own play. The repercussions resonate wildly in this laugh-out-loud farce about the complexities of race that “builds to a climax of startling power” (Daniel D’addario, Variety).

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Dynamic

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: To appreciate the story fully, you’ll need to know about the NYC theatre scene in the 1990s and late 1980s. I’m curious if this play would do well outside NYC since most audience members outside NYC will not be familiar with some references.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Union Actors: All

Total Actors: 7

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? No

Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.5 hours

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

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Scenic Design: I’m always a fan of modern minimalism. It was reminiscent of an even more minimalist version of Company‘s scenic design. Arnulfo Maldonado uniquely designed two L-shaped shadowbox-like structures that rotated to indicate location changes in the story.
Projection Design: Yee Eun Nam presented newspaper articles in a visually appealing way.
Reporter: The scene between David (played by Daniel Dae Kim) and the reporter (played by Greg Keller) was well-written and skillfully executed as a great “fuck you!” moment for people with a public platform. I’m so curious how much of that account was historically accurate. I already feel a bit betrayed by a major plot point that the script later conceded wasn’t real.
Jane Krakowski: Marinda Anderson’s(?) impersonation of Jane Krakowski was spot on, at least compared to the Ally McBeal version.
Emotional Response: As an Asian American, I felt the indignation of the cultural appropriation and microaggressions toward Asians. My dad, too, was moved to tears by other portrayals toward the end of the show. They say that great art should evoke emotion, and this piece certainly did!
Favorite Line: Something like “Did you catch your [non-Asian] boyfriend put butter on his rice?”

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Commentary on Yellow Face Casting: The script presented some interesting points in defense of yellow face casting. But it was hard to determine what the Asian American playwright David Henry Hwang actually intended to convey on his stance. Additionally, the show started out as a preachy morality play seemingly written for the playwright’s vain commentary, but the show eventually hit its stride and became entertaining.

Theatre Company: Roundabout Theatre Company

Venue: Todd Haimes Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 227 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036

Venue Classification: Broadway

Price Range: $58-348 plus the ticketing fees if you’re not buying at the box office.

Ticket Affordability Options: Download the TodayTix app for digital rush tickets. You can only purchase the digital rush tickets on the app and not the website. You can also likely buy discount tickets at the TKTS booth like I did.

Dates: September 13 to November 24, 2024

Seating: Assigned Seating

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https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/2024-2025/yellow-face/

Pictures: See production pictures below by Joan Marcus.

Cast and Production Team: See pictures below.

Ryan Eggold, Marinda Anderson, Daniel Dae Kim, Kevin Del Aguila. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Daniel Dae Kim, Ryan Eggold, Marinda Anderson. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Daniel Dae Kim, Ryan Eggold. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Daniel Dae Kim, Ryan Eggold, Shannon Tyo. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Daniel Dae Kim, Greg Keller. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Francis Jue, Marinda Anderson, Kevin Del Aguila, Daniel Dae Kim, Ryan Eggold, Shannon Tyo. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Daniel Dae Kim, Kevin Del Aguila, Marinda Anderson, Francis Jue. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Preview Post – Edgar & Annabel – Play – Pony World Theatre

Edgar & Annabel play by Pony World Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Performing till 11/30/24. Stay tuned for my full review!

Final Full Review : https://www.showsiveseen.com/edgar-annabel-play-review-pony-world-theatre/

Tickets: https://www.ponyworld.org/onstage

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Preview Post – Tennessee Rising: The Dawn of Tennessee Williams – Play – Intiman Theatre Cabaret

Happy opening night to Jacob Storms’ Tennessee Rising – The Dawn of Tennessee Williams one-person play production at Intiman Theatre Cabaret. Don’t wait for my full review to buy your tickets if you want to see this show since there are only 2 more performances left!

Tickets: https://www.intiman.org/tennessee-rising/

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Vladimir – Play – Review – Manhattan Theatre Club & New York City Center

@showsiveseen @Manhattan Theatre Club's "Vladimir" #play at @New York City Center starring Francesca Faridany, Norbert Leo Butz, & David Rosenberg. For a play named after Putin, I was surprised how little it was personally about him! Clever accent switching acting method. Closes 11/10/24! Review: showsiveseen.com/10040 Photos: Jeremy Daniel Director: Daniel Sullivan Stage Management: Shanna Allison & James FitzSimmons #russia #press #journalism #russian #theatre #showsiveseen #Vladimir ♬ delulu – NESYA

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Manhattan Theatre Club’s Vladimir play at New York City Center starring Francesca Faridany, Norbert Leo Butz, & David Rosenberg. For a play named after Putin, I was surprised how little it was personally about him! Clever accent switching acting method. #russia #press #journalism #russian

Recommendation:
See it if you’re interested in modern Russian history.

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Two journalists navigate the challenges of conspiracy and repression in Putin’s Russia. It’s a cautionary tale about societal complacency and maintaining the status quo. If you can’t lick ’em, join ’em?

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: This haunting world premiere unfolds in Moscow, where an independent journalist covering Putin’s first term struggles to maintain sanity and hope in increasingly hostile circumstances. She finds herself on the brink of an explosive story — but as danger mounts for her and her sources, she questions whether her bravery will make any difference at all. Written by Erika Sheffer, Vladimir is about standing up to immorality no matter the cost, when you know your nation is headed for disaster. Directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan.

Attended Performance Date: 10/26/24 – If you’re interested in this show, buy your tickets now since it closes 11/10/24!

Type: Play

World Premiere: Yes

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set? Yes

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You should know some general post-USSR Russian history from the past 30 years.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Union Actors: 7

Total Actors: 7

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.25 hours

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No

Mainstream Appeal: Low to medium

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Accent Switching: The actors portraying Russian characters cleverly spoke American-accented English to convey that they were talking in Russian, and they also spoke Russian-accented English to convey that they were talking in English. I overheard fellow audience members enthusiastically praising this novel acting technique. It reminded me of the play English.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Energy: The entire production exuded a harsh subdued austere energy through the acting, scenic design, and lighting. It was a quietly intense show … matched by an audience that barely clapped! Lighting designer Japhy Weideman created a visually dark “cloak and dagger” atmosphere, except for the spotlights illuminating the actors and the scene’s key props. The black abundance in the photos below clearly show this effect. The lighting was sometimes strikingly severe, for example against the startlingly white wedding dress costume. Additionally, the Mark Wendland’s scenic design was utilitarian, contributing to an overall energy that felt distinctly Russian.
Putin: It’s interesting that the play was titled “Vladimir,” yet the script seldom mentions Putin. Perhaps this is beneficial though. I believe there is no such thing as bad publicity. Any negative or positive press coverage on an individual amplifies their influence and power. Even former President Trump’s considerable popularity is partially attributed to his negative press coverage. The fact that the play barely mentions Putin and espouses personal integrity shines light on the complicit Putin enablers (and Trump-supporting Republicans?) who look the other way for their own survival, benefit, or power.
Parallels: The descriptions of the historical Russia-Chechnya conflicts curiously mirrored what we’re hearing today in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Theatre Company: Manhattan Theatre Club

Venue: New York City Center – Stage I

Venue Physical Address: 131 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019

Venue Classification: Off-Broadway

Price Range: $79-119

Ticket Affordability Options: See the show’s website for information on rush tickets, student tickets, and “$30 Under 35” tickets.

Dates: September 24 – November 10, 2024

Seating: Assigned Seating

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Pictures: See pictures below by Jeremy Daniel.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.