Plays – Page 27 – Shows I've Seen

Matt & Ben – Play – ArtsWest

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Matt & Ben play at ArtsWest by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers directed by Zenaida Rose Smith. Nabilah Ahmed and Jacquelyn Miedema portray Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in a play reminiscent of Wayne’s World or SNL.

Synopsis from the Theatre: From the mind of multi-award winning writer and actress Mindy Kaling, Matt & Ben depicts its Hollywood golden boys – before J-Lo, before Gwyneth, before Project Greenlight, before Oscar… before anyone actually gave a damn. When the screenplay for Good Will Hunting drops mysteriously from the heavens, the boys realize they’re being tested by a Higher Power. Originally performed by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers in the title roles, Matt & Ben is a hilarious satire on the real and imagined difficulties of pursuing a dream.

Attended Performance Date: 9/7/23 (Opening Night)

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Few

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Just a living room

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You should be familiar with the Hollywood pop culture surrounding Ben Affleck and Matt Damon like Good Will Hunting.

Defined Plot/Storyline: No, it was mostly dialogue

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 2

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow

Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.5 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: No

Recommendation: See it if

You’re a fan of Matt Damon or Ben Affleck
You’re okay with 2-person plays
You’re okay with plays that are mostly dialogue in a single room
You like slapstick or silly humor

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Impersonations: Jacquelyn Miedema impersonated Ben Affleck’s douchey meathead frat jock bro vibe well. Her Gwenyth Paltrow expressions were pretty good too.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Moral of the Story: What message was this play trying to convey? Was it purely just for entertainment value? Was it a commentary on cis white male privilege similar to ArtsWest’s previous Zak production?
Switched Roles: I’m curious how different this play would be received if the actors switched roles.

Theatre Company: ArtsWest

Venue: ArtsWest

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

Price: Cheap to Medium

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

Dates: September 7 to October 1, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

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

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

https://www.artswest.org/events/matt-ben/

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Jennifer Crooks.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen "Matt & Ben" #play at #ArtsWest by #MindyKaling and Brenda Withers directed by Zenaida Rose Smith. Nabilah Ahmed & Jacquelyn Miedema portray #MattDamon and #BenAffleck in a show reminiscent of Wayne's World or SNL. Photos: Jennifer Crooks. Review: showsiveseen.com/6637 #theatre #showsiveseen ♬ Sunshine State of Mind – Kurt Stevens

Role	Name
Matt	Nabilah Ahmed
Ben	Jacquelyn Miedema
—	—
Director	Zenaida Rose Smith
Playwrights	Mindy Kaling & Brenda Withers
Scenic Designer	Adair Margaret
Lighting Designer	Chih-hung Shao
Costume Designer	Maggie Carrido Adams
Props Master	Cory Southwell
Sound Designer	Erik Siegling
Stage Manager	Kimberly Le*
Production Technical Director	Andrew Long

* Member Of Actor’s Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers

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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