Happy opening night to the Parade musical national tour at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Closes 5/4/25. Stay tuned for my full review. #georgia #theSouth #south #southern
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Sara Bareilles’ Waitress romantic comedy musical by The 5th Avenue Theatre & Theatre Under the Stars on Pi Day! Starring Kerstin Anderson w/ beautifully clear vocals. Hilarious comic relief from Kennedy Kanagawa. Quality rivaled the national tour production. #romCom
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Yes, if another theatre company I respect produced it.
Mainstream Appeal: High
If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Definitely
My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Inspired by the original film, this musical follows Jenna, a talented pie-making waitress trapped in an abusive marriage. When she unexpectedly becomes pregnant from her deadbeat husband, she finds solace in her kind married obstetrician. Determined to create a better future for herself and her child, Jenna searches for the courage to change her life.
Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Sara Bareilles’s pop-rock musical is filled with scrumptious pie–so much pie–and is one of the most famous musicals from the past decade. It’s a story of friendship, chosen family, and embracing love from unexpected places. Jenna dreams of leaving behind a life she didn’t imagine for herself, and the announcement of a baking contest could be her ticket out. Supported by her best friends, Jenna chooses to open her heart to the messier parts of life, which certainly don’t come with a recipe.
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Dynamic
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You’d probably appreciate this show more if you’ve seen the movie, but I’ve never seen it myself.
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Union Actors: All
Total Actors: Too many to count
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed
Was there an intermission? Yes
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.5 hours
Other Rave(s)
Production Quality: During intermission, the audience member behind me remarked, “This is a really high-quality production.” I couldn’t agree more, especially when comparing it to the national tour. In fact, I hardly noticed any differences from the touring production scenic design. I was particularly impressed with scenic designer Julia Hayes Welch’s diner set and the vibrant neon restaurant signs, which added an authentic and visually striking touch to the atmosphere.
Abusive Husband: Dane Stokinger’s portrayal of Earl brought to life a deadbeat, abusive husband that the audience could easily loathe. Stokinger fully embodied Earl’s self-centered, manipulative nature. While the audience sometimes laughed at the absurdity of his gaslighting, it was a chilling reminder of how real-life victims can still succumb to such tactics. It reminded me of when the American Dad “Abusive Terrestrial” episode parodied melodramatic made-for-television Lifetime movies featuring abusive relationships. It leaves you asking the age-old question: “Why do they stay?!”
Voices: Kerstin Anderson brought both power and clarity to her performance as Jenna, delivering a strong, belt-like vocal that captivated the audience. The crowd erupted in cheers at the climax of “What Baking Can Do” in the middle of the song, and her moving rendition of “She Used to Be Mine” earned her an extended ovation. Meanwhile, Porscha Shaw (who played one of Jenna’s spirited sidekicks, Becky) commanded the stage with effortless skill and vocal prowress in her feature number, “I Didn’t Plan It.”
Kennedy Kanagawa: I’m usually not a fan of silly portrayals on stage, but I have to admit that Kenny Kanagawa as Odie (alongside Tori Gresham as his love interest, Dawn) delivered genuinely hilarious comic relief to the show. Kanagawa brought boundless energy to the role, playing an infatuated, slightly unhinged, elfish nerd. He was a tax auditor by day who dabbled in amateur magic, clog dancing, and spontaneous bursts of poetry. Truly a Renaissance man! I loved how he cleverly wielded his inhaler like a cool T-Bird from Grease puffing a cigarette. With the film’s 2007 release and the musical’s 2016 Broadway debut, it’s interesting to view Odie’s character through a post-#MeToo lens. I mean, technically, he was a persistent creepy guy who refused to take no for an answer from a woman. The optics aren’t great if you see it that way!
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
“Bad Idea” Song: As much as I love “Bad Idea” (which is my favorite song in this musical), the band and the actors’ clapping often overpowered the lyrics. I even overheard an audience member complaining about this during intermission. Fortunately, since I own the soundtrack and frequently listen to this song on my Broadway playlist, I was already familiar with the words.
Romantic Development: The first time I saw this show during the national tour, I didn’t notice just how abruptly the romance between the two main characters unfolded. But on a rewatch, it felt way too sudden, even by romantic comedy standards!
Theatre Company: The 5th Avenue Theatre and Theatre Under the Stars
Venue: The 5th Avenue Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Price Range: $40 to $169
Ticket Affordability Options: The 5th Avenue Theatre often partners with organizations you’re affiliated with for discount tickets. For example, they sometimes offer a discount for my employer affiliation. Rush tickets are typically also available the day of the performance at the box office.
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 northwest of the theatre. The entrance is on 5th Ave. Do NOT park in the APA Coast Seattle Downtown Hotel garage (entrance on 6th Ave). That’s where most of the audience (and I think the subscribers) parks, so it’s a nightmare to leave. However, the APA Coast Seattle Downtown Hotel garage is the closest garage to the theatre and you can access the theatre through a tunnel if you want to avoid the elements. But, in my opinion, this benefit is not worth the time wasted leaving the garage.
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Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.
Tori Gresham, Kerstin Anderson, and Porscha Shaw in Waitress at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Tracy Martin. Courtesy of The 5th Avenue Theatre.Porscha Shaw, Kerstin Anderson, and Tori Gresham in Waitress at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Tracy Martin. Courtesy of The 5th Avenue Theatre.Kerstin Anderson and Adam Standley in Waitress at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Mark Kitaoka. Courtesy of The 5th Avenue Theatre.Porscha Shaw, Kerstin Anderson, Tori Gresham, and Kennedy Kanagawa in Waitress at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Mark Kitaoka. Courtesy of The 5th Avenue Theatre.Credits from the printed Encore program.Credits from the printed Encore program.Credits from the printed Encore program.Credits from the printed Encore program.
Congrats to The 5th Avenue Theatre and Theatre Under the Stars on the opening night of their Waitress musical production. Now I’m craving pie. “Sugar, butter, flour!” Performances till 3/30/25. Keep posted for my full review! #baking
@showsiveseen @JRB's "The Last Five Years" #musical at @acttheatre w/ @The 5th Avenue Theatre. Starring @Cassi Q Kohl & @Jeff (or @Coleman Cummings & @lani tsunami). Novel immersive orchestra placement allowed the audience to soak up the artistic/technical nuances of the score. Review: showsiveseen.com/11791 Production Videos: Allison Borgida (ThirdReel) Director: Shermona Mitchell Conductor: RJ Tancioco or Michael Nutting Stage Manager: Jeffrey K Hanson #showsiveseen#theatre#love#relationships♬ Moving Too Fast – Jeremy Jordan
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Last Five Years musical at ACT Theatre w/ The 5th Avenue Theatre. Starring Cassie Q Kohl and Jeffery Wallace (or Coleman Cummings and Keola Kapulani Holt). Novel immersive orchestra placement allowed the audience to soak up the artistic/technical nuances of the score.
Recommendation: See it if you’re okay with watching shows lacking a traditional chronological plot.
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No, twice is enough for me.
Mainstream Appeal: Medium
If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Probably
My Synopsis (No Spoilers): This musical explores the lifespan of a long-term straight romantic relationship, unfolding from two opposite perspectives. In a “Benjamin Button”-style narrative, the man experiences their love story chronologically from beginning to end, while the woman relives it in reverse starting from the breakup and moving back to the first spark.
Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: The winner of two Drama Desk Awards, this modern musical takes a devastatingly honest look at Cathy and Jamie and their journey of falling in and out of love over five years. Through clever storytelling and sharp lyrics – Cathy’s songs start at the end of the relationship, while Jamie begins at the start of their love affair – Jason Robert Brown’s cult favorite is a raw and intimate window into two perspectives of one relationship. This acclaimed musical is an unforgettable chronicle through the joy and ache of love.
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Sparse and stationary
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Not quite. It was two perspectives of the same story moving in opposite directions. Each scene/song was a milestone in their romantic relationship with month/year gaps in between scenes.
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Union Actors: 2
Total Actors: 2
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed
Was there an intermission? No
Length (Including Any Intermission): 80 minutes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above
Orchestra: The musical was staged at the theatre-in-the-round, creating an immersive experience unlike a traditional front-facing setup. For this production, they cleverly carved three shallow orchestra pits (one each for the string section, piano, and guitar ensemble) into the stage so the musicians were fully integrated into the action. This truly unique arrangement soaked the audience with music, making every technical and artistic nuance more palpable. The delicate string ornamentations and the subtle intricacies of the guitar plucking would have been lost in a conventional front-facing setup. The immersive orchestra design risked overpowering the singers or farther instruments, but I never found this to be an issue. Perhaps this was because of my seat’s equidistance from all three orchestra pits. Sound designer Haley Parcher adequately ensured that the sound balancing felt controlled and not overwhelming.
Song Highlights: PNW theatre veteran Cassie Q. Kohl (as Cathy Hiatt) delivered standout performances in “I Can Do Better Than That,” “Goodbye Until Tomorrow,” and “A Summer in Ohio.” Opposite her, Jeffery Wallace (as Jamie Wellerstein) shined in “Moving Too Fast” and brought great energy in the playful “na nana na” sections of “The Schmuel Song.” However, the lyrics of the latter song felt more like lighthearted comic relief filler rather than a meaningful contribution to the narrative.
Bookends: The bookend elements of the hanging letter and the furniture covering/uncovering were excellent artistic choices in this austerely staged production. They appropriately signaled to the audience that we’ve reached the end of the show.
Rant(s)
Temperature: The Allen Theatre often feels too cold in the winter months. It’s always a bad sign when I need to wear my coat in the theatre. It reminded me of what I experienced in ACT Theatre’s A Christmas Carol years ago.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Story Structure: I can’t say that I’m a fan of the Benjamin Button-style storytelling in opposite directions. While it’s a novel concept, it can also be confusing and difficult to pinpoint where the characters are in their relationship. This is just an inherent quality of the script since I remember feeling the same way the original time I saw this.
A/B Casting: This production used A/B casting, with some performances starring Cassie Q Kohl and Jeffery Wallace, while others featured Coleman Cummings and Keola Kapulani Holt. This approach likely helps avoid concerns about understudies forgetting their lines, but I couldn’t help but feel a bit of FOMO since there was an actor in each cast group that I would have preferred to see more.
Cassie Q Kohl : It so different seeing Cassie without her signature hair and glasses! I thought the same thing when she starred in Taproot Theatre’s The Hello Girls.
Theatre Company: ACT Theatre and The 5th Avenue Theatre
Venue: Allen Theatre at ACT Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 700 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101
Price Range: $73-104
Ticket Affordability Options: Check out the theatre’s official discounts page. Just a word of warning, I notice that joint productions between theatre companies tend to offer less discount options.
Dates: 2/8/25 to 3/16/25
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. If I don’t walk to this theatre, I park in the old convention center garage with the entrance between Seneca and Pike. There is indoor access from the garage to the theatre if you walk through the old convention center.
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Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.
Coleman Cummings (Jamie Wellerstein). Photo by Rosemary Dai Ross.Keola Kapulani Holt (Cathy Hiatt). Photo by Rosemary Dai Ross.Coleman Cummings (Jamie Wellerstein) and Keola Kapulani Holt (Cathy Hiatt). Photo by Rosemary Dai Ross.Coleman Cummings (Jamie Wellerstein). Photo by Rosemary Dai Ross.Cassi Q Kohl (Cathy Hiatt) and Jeffery Wallace (Jamie Wellerstein). Photo by Rosemary Dai Ross.Jeffery Wallace (Jamie Wellerstein). Photo by Rosemary Dai Ross.Cassi Q Kohl (Cathy Hiatt). Photo by Rosemary Dai Ross.Credits from the printed Encore program.Credits from the printed Encore program.
Happy opening night to ACT Theatre and The 5th Avenue Theatre’s The Last Five Years musical production. Performing till 3/16/25. Don’t miss my full review coming soon. #relationships #love