Category: Puget Sound (Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia/Bellevue)

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Miss You Like Hell musical w/ Strawberry Theatre Workshop at 12th Ave Arts, starring Maggie Carrido & Stephanie Roman, directed by Nicholas Japaul Bernard. Best part was when an audience member loudly exclaimed, “Oh no!” Didn’t end like I expected. Pilar O’Connell rocked! Craved a tamale after the show.

Synopsis from the Theatre: A teenager and her estranged mother—an undocumented Mexican on the verge of deportation—embark on a road trip across the United States to mend their frayed relationship. Combined with the musical talent of Erin McKeown, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes artfully crafts a story of the barriers and the bonds of family, while also addressing the complexities of immigration in today’s America.

Attended Performance Date: 10/14/23 (Opening Night) – See my previous preview posts here.

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set: No

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Equity Actors: 1

Total Number of Actors: 9

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours

Was there an intermission? No

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes and it was also my first time attending a musical by Strawberry Theatre Workshop. I’ve only previously attended their plays, which are typically good.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Maybe if it was a full-fledged professional production

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

• Pilar O’Connell: Pilar’s singing and acting stole the show as Mo, a gay dude in leather chaps.
• Beatriz: I think this was my first time seeing Maggie Carrido on-stage. Her unique sultry voice served her well for a role (Beatriz) that was originally portrayed by Daphne Rubin-Vega in NYC. Honestly, I prefer Maggie’s voice!
• Favorite Lines: This musical was filled with lines that were shocking and funny. Sorry if the following examples are not quoted 100% verbatim!
  • “I was crying so much my mascara was down to my ankles”
  • Olivia told her mom “You’re a MILF”
  • “My boobs were like snow cones”
  • “My parents weren’t married. So, technically I’m a bastard.”
  • “I thought I was bleeding from my pussy”
• Clerk Scene: The best part of the show was when an audience member loudly exclaimed “Oh no!” and passionately nearly stood up during a scene where a deliciously unlikable court clerk (played by Olivia Sutherland) rudely spoke to the main characters.
  
  

Rant(s)

• Book and Music: Since this musical’s score and book is inherently tepid, it won’t appeal to wide audiences, especially if the production isn’t from a full-fledged professional theatre company. I’m curious how audiences received the original NYC production because the original cast soundtrack didn’t sound too impressive.
• Sound Balancing: Hopefully this was only an issue on opening night, but the non-ensemble characters were not equally mic’ed. For example, a major character wore a microphone but I’m not sure that it was even on. Like I recently mentioned in my last review of Seattle Public Theater’s Macbeth production, try to sit away from the band so it’s easier to hear the singers. Unfortunately, that means you’ll sacrifice a little on the view.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

• Stage Layout: I’m not a huge fan of the parallel-style seating arrangement in the image below. The audience ends up seeing too many actors’ backs. An okay alternative is when the seating is more U-shaped.
  
• Sullen Teenager Trope: I’m also not a huge fan of the sullen “nobody understands me” teenager trope. It’s tired and annoying. I want to tell these characters, “Oh boo hoo! Grow up, get over yourself, and join the real world!”
• Vocal Range: Again, like I recently mentioned about Seattle Public Theater’s Macbeth production, gender-inclusive casting (though well-intentioned) often needs transposition when an actor sings a part that was written for the opposite gender in mind. Without transposition, the performer either sounds like they’re singing too high or too low.

Theatre Company: Strawberry Theatre Workshop

Venue: 12th Avenue Arts

Venue Physical Address: 1620 12th Ave #203, Seattle, WA 98122

Price: Cheap

Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/strawberrytheatreworkshop/994759

Dates: October 12 to November 11, 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://www.strawshop.org/miss-you.html

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

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and/or video below

@showsiveseen Quiara Alegria Hudes & Erin Mckeown's "Miss You Like Hell" #musical w/ Strawberry Theatre Workshop at 12th Ave Arts, starring Maggie Carrido & Stephanie Roman, directed by @Nicholas Bernard. @Pilar O'Connell rocked! Best part was when an audience member loudly exclaimed, "Oh no!" Didn't end like I expected. Craved a tamale after the show. Review: showsiveseen.com/7127 #showsiveseen #theatre #immigration #Mexican #deportation #roadTrip ♬ Dance with Me – Daphne Rubin-Vega & Danny Bolero & Latoya Edwards & 'Miss You Like Hell' Original Cast Ensemble