Category: 5th Avenue Theatre

Giveaway: I’m giving away a free ticket to this show. See more details here. Congrats to Nathaniel!

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Stephen Sondheim musical at The 5th Avenue Theatre. I’ve forgotten how deliciously dark & twisty this show is. Glorious, rich orchestra and voices. I had to eat a hot savory vegetarian “meat” pie after the show! #theatre

Synopsis from the Theatre: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a deliciously thrilling story of revenge and retribution, continues our celebration of the titan of musical theater: Stephen Sondheim. After 15 years in exile, Sweeney Todd, an unsettling man with a mysterious past, arrives in a dark and gritty London, hungry for vengeance against the judge who destroyed his life. Todd joins forces with Mrs. Lovett, the unhinged proprietress of a failing pie shop, and together they develop a spinetingling plot to exact revenge. When the lights go down and the curtain goes up, you won’t dare look away. Where Into the Woods is a tangled musical web about what can be accomplished when we come together, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a piercing investigation of a society tearing itself apart.

Reviewed Performance: 4/29/23 Opening Night

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings: Several

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: None

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes, a large 19-person orchestra

Recommendation: See it!

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: No, I previously saw this twice in professional (Houston Grand Opera) and semi-professional performances. This was probably the best performance of the 3.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Three times is already quite a lot of performances already. I’d probably only see it if another professional theatre I highly respect (like Village Theatre) adds it to their season lineup.

Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value:
4.75 stars (Out of 5 Stars)

Equity Actors: 20

Total Number of Actors: 20

Length (Including Any Intermission): 3 hours

Intermission: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

• Glorious Score: The first second of this production starts with a glorious sudden dissonant chord on the organ. The ensemble and orchestra later further fill the theatre sound space in that first song prelude “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.” What an awesome audience hook! The performers continued to deliver that same energy throughout the entire show.
• Rich Voices: The cast was a collection of impressive voices like the Yusef Seevers’s (Sweeny Todd) and Jesus Garcia’s (the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli) rich tenors, Leslie Jackson’s (Johanna) beautiful soprano vibrato, and Deon’te Goodman’s decadent baritone. Even the Sean David Cooper’s (Judge Turpin) speaking voice was full-bodied!
• Background: The vibrant saturated blood red background coupled with the creeping shadows of the ensemble conveyed a wonderful foreboding darkness.
• Beggar Woman: I loved the costume design decision to dress the beggar woman in a dirty gown with slutty undertones and a gaudy train. It conveyed that this person has fallen far from her previous elegance, beauty, and innocence. Porsha Shaw’s portrayal reminded me of when she played the Witch in 5th Avenue Theatre’s last show Into the Woods, which was also incidentally another Stephen Sondheim musical.

Rant(s)

• Chair: Sweeney Todd’s fancy barber’s chair in the previous two productions I saw converted to a slide with a lever. The trap door was also directly underneath the chair in those previous performances. However, this production required the actors to walk a couple steps to reach the trap door, which made the “misfortunate events” less believable. However, I appreciated that the stagehands were in costume when they secured the chair after it ominously descended from the ceiling. But, I wonder if Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett could have secured the chair themselves instead.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

• Oven Window: There was a huge missed opportunity for an actor to dramatically grope at the oven window. Maybe they thought it would be too cliche. But I personally think it would have made the scene enjoyably gruesome.
• Sex: There was a sex scene I don’t remember from the previous two performances I saw. This musical is growing up! 😛
• Self-flagellation Scene: There was a creepy scene in the first production I saw where Judge Turpin whipped himself. It was unfortunately missing from this production.

Theatre Company: The 5th Avenue Theatre

Venue: The 5th Avenue Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Price: Expensive

Ticket Affordability Options: Check out their discounts page. Goldstar or TodayTix usually offer good options too.

Dates: April 21 to May 14, 2023

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 NW of the theatre. The entrance is on 5th Ave. Do NOT park in the Hilton garage (entrance on 6th ave). That’s where most of the audience parks so it’s a nightmare to leave. However, the Hilton garage is the closest garage to the theatre and it has underground access to the theatre if you wanted to avoid the elements. But this benefit is not worth it in my opinion.

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:
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Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

• https://www.5thavenue.org/shows/2022-23/sweeney-todd/
• Program

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Mark Kitaoka and Tracy Martin

@showsiveseen "Sweeney Todd" #StephenSondheim #musical at 5th Ave Theatre. I've forgotten how deliciously dark & twisty this show is. Glorious, rich orchestra & voices. I had to eat a hot savory veggie "meat" pie after the show. Photos by Mark Kitaoka & Tracy Martin. Review: showsiveseen.com/5083 #theatre #Sondheim #vengeance #revenge #SweeneyTodd ♬ The Ballad of Sweeney Todd – Michael Ball & Imelda Staunton & The 2012 London Cast of Sweeney Todd

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Into The Woods fairy tale musical opening night at the 5th Avenue Theatre. After seeing this show a third time, I finally realized it’s filled with modern life lessons and difficult philosophical questions. Cinderella’s family and the witch (Porscha Shaw) were a hoot! #theatre

Synopsis from the Theatre: “Happily Ever After” has never been so complicated. That’s what Little Red, a Witch, Cinderella, the Baker, and his wife discover as they invade one another’s stories and find themselves tangled in a web of unexpected consequences. They quickly find this web is too big to untangle on their own and that they must work together to set everything right in the kingdom. Into the Woodsreminds us that only together can we defeat the wolves and giants of the world. With a stunning, unforgettable score featuring “No One is Alone,” “Children Will Listen,” and “Giants in the Sky,” this iconic show will enchant, entrance, and delight! A Tony Award®-winning Broadway hit and feature film sensation, Into the Woodscontinues to enthrall theater lovers more than three decades after its creation. This is the first of a rare and remarkable two-show celebration and exploration of the theatrical genius of Stephen Sondheim.

Reviewed Performance: 2/17/23 on opening night

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Recommendation: See it if you like Stephen Sondheim musicals.

Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: No, I’ve seen it once in a Galveston, TX community theatre and once at Village Theatre.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Since I’ve seen it so many times and I’m not a huge fan of Stephen Sondheim, I’d probably only see the national tour in the future.

Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value:
4.25 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)

Equity Actors: All

Total Number of Actors: 15

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.75 hours

Intermission: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

• Deeper Meanings: Since this was the third time I’ve seen the show and because I usually watch shows for their entertainment value, I was finally able to grasp some of the deeper meanings in the musical. Little Red Riding Hood’s wolf was a life lesson for young women to be wary of men with a “bad boy” appeal. Additionally, they asked difficult philosophical questions when was okay to kill or is it worth it sacrificing a few for the greater good? I liked how Cinderella and the Baker juxtaposed two potential deaths simultaneously.
• Princes and Wolf: Casey Raiha and Antonio Mitchell’s over-the-top flamboyant portrayal of the princes were a nice comedic relief. The same also applies to Casey’s wolf portrayal. Kudos to Casey for filling in as Louis Hobson’s understudy on opening night!
• Cinderella Family and Witch: Shaunyce Omar, Trina Mills, Shanelle Nicole Leonard, and Porscha Shaw added a desperately-needed groovy flair as Cinderella’s family and the witch. I always loved Shaunyce’s role in her past shows and her afro-tastric stepmother portrayal was no exception. The stepsisters’ fabulous costumes also reminded me of trendy outfits from the movie Clueless.
• Stage: It looks like the 5th Avenue Theatre reused the same thin horizontal catwalk-like platform downstage in front of the orchestra that they used in The Wiz (their previous show) to allow the actors closer access to the audience. The novelty of it has not worn off on me yet. I’m still a fan!
• Baker’s Wife Voice: There were at least two songs that showcased Cayman Ilika’s strong and brilliant voice.

Rant(s)

• Stagehands: There was a scene transition that required the stagehands to wheel in a ladde centerstage. It was a little obtrusive and might have been less distracting if the actors wheeled it in themselves.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

• Magic Beans: What happened to the last magic beans that were thrown on the ground?
• Witch: What happened to the witch at the end?
• Witch Transformation: Why did the witch need to run offstage for a hot second during the transformation scene if the transformation eventually occurred on-stage? Could the stage magic occur without running offstage?
• Malfunctioning Prop?: Was there a malfunction when the goose prop did not lay a golden egg? If so, the actors played off the malfunction well in a comedic way.
• Scenic Design: I was surprised that they chose an austere theme. I half expected to see an actual forest like in The Wiz. The design reminded me of a hip dance club with modern fluorescent/neon lights.
• 1st Act vs 2nd Act: Into the Woods is notorious for leaving audience members confused at the end of the first act since all the stories seem to already conclude with some sort of finality. The first act unfolds with familiar fairy tales, but in the second act, the audience might be thinking “WTF is happening to these familiar fairy tales!”
• Stephen Sondheim: Honestly, I personally don’t prefer Stephen Sondheim’s style and I’m a little sad the 5th Avenue Theatre is producing two of his shows this season. Sacrilege, I know … especially since he just passed away in 2021. Honestly, the 5th Avenue Theatre is probably producing two of his shows as a tribute to his legacy due to his recent passing. I’ve seen Assassins, Company, Sweeney Todd, and Into The Woods. I found all 4 inherently tepid. The songs have a weird quality where the actors sometimes talk their lyrics without a pitch. A mainstream beat is also hard to find and there’s too much dissonance. In the end, the songs are not memorable, you often can’t sing along, and I wouldn’t listen to them in my car. That being said, I don’t doubt that he’s a genius and a legend etc. It’s just not my cup of tea.

Theatre Company: The 5th Avenue Theatre

Venue: The 5th Avenue Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Price: Medium to Really Expensive

Ticket Affordability Options: Check out their discounts page. Goldstar or TodayTix usually offer good options too.

Dates: February 10 to March 5, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: When I don’t walk to the theatre, I park in the paid garage at the Motif hotel NW of the theatre. The entrance is on 5th Ave. Do NOT park in the Hilton garage (entrance on 6th ave). That’s where most of the audience parks so it’s a nightmare to leave. However, the Hilton garage is the closest garage to the theatre and it has underground access to the theatre if you wanted to avoid the elements. But this benefit is not worth it in my opinion.

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:
Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

• https://www.5thavenue.org/shows/2022-23/into-the-woods/
• Program

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Mark Kitaoka and Tracy Martin

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen “#IntoTheWoods” #Sondheim #musical at 5th Ave Theatre. After seeing this show a 3rd time, I finally realized it’s filled with modern life lessons & difficult philosophical questions. Cinderella’s family & the witch (@musenmelanin) were a hoot! Review: showsiveseen.com/3995. Photos by Mark Kitaoka & Tracy Martin. #theatre #fairyTale #StephenSondheim ♬ I Know Things Now – Stephen Sondheim & Michelle Dowdy