Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Andrew Lee Creech’s Last Drive to Dodge world premire play at Taproot Theatre w/ The Hansberry Project. Well-written dialogue, cute repartee, dimensional characters, and lots of audience reactions. #showsiveseen #theatre
Synopsis from the Theatre: Prophet and Ro are chasing dreams faintly whispered on the wind that sweeps the dusty Texas plain, where ranching is brutal work and change is on the horizon. Set at the end of the Cowboy Golden Age, Last Drive to Dodge examines race, love, and legacy in a time when everyone is scrambling for their piece of the American Dream.
Several or Few Settings/Locations: A couple of locations on a ranch
Static (Stationary) Set: Yes
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Mostly yes, but there’s only so much that can occur on a ranch
Equity Actors: 2
Total Number of Actors: 4
Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium speed
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.25 hours
Was there an intermission?: Yes
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
Recommendation: See it, especially if you either like 1) plays about race in the USA 2) or plays that are heavier on the dialogue than action
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Audience Reaction: You know it’s a good play when you hear lots of reactions from the audience like laughter, gasps, groans, “humphs,” and “hmmms.” I noticed these audience reactions more in the second act. I won’t spoil anything, but I specifically remember audibly groaning when somebody took off their hat in the second act.
Dimensional Characters: The characters in this play were not simply good or bad and black or white (no pun intended). The playwright added some depth to their backstory that influenced their motivations. Ironically, I enjoyed the least complex character (Millie played by Jonelle Jordan) the most since she had the funniest lines.
Dialogue: The dialogue was well-written and there were some sly funny random quips. I loved the way Ro (played by Dedra D Woods) dressed down Millie regarding Millie’s ignorance of her own personal white privilege. The climactic scene towards the end of the play when Ro and Prophet (played by Yusef Seevers) debated the unfairness of black responsibility reminded me of when Michelle Obama said her family faced more scrutiny under the public eye than other presidential families because of race.
Twist: The reveal at the end of the first act was unexpected.
Rant(s)
Audience Hazard: One of the actors hammered a fence post on-stage and particulates flew everywhere. This was a potential eye injury hazard especially since the audience was so close to the stage.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Montage (Slight Spoiler): What did the “I am” video montage mean in the second act? And who were the people in it?
Prophet vs Profit: In the second act, I realized the name “Prophet” also sounds like “profit.” I wonder if the playwright intentionally considered this.
Hook: They were probably taking advantage of the fact that sex sells during the play’s first act hook with the post-coital scene.
Theatre Company: Taproot Theatre and The Hansberry Project
Venue: Jewell Mainstage at Taproot Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Clint Bull, Jayde McCarrell, Kody Smith, Anna Van Vleet, Eric Wu
Scenic Strike/Load-In
Michael Adler^, Seth Branum^, Thomas Moore^
*Member of Actors Equity Association **Members of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society ^Member of IATSE No. 15 ^^Member of United Scenic Artists Local 829
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
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Hello Girls musical by Peter Mills and Cara Reichel at Taproot Theatre. Starring Cassi Q Kohl & Rico Lastrapes. Direction by Karen Lund and musical direction by Michael Nutting. Story about the unsung American female switchboard operators in WWI. #helloGirls #girlPower #war #theatre
Synopsis from the Theatre: “Imagine a time when the world was divided. … A world where freedom is under assault … A world where nationalism is on the rise… We’re talking about the year 1918, of course.” Helmet, check. Gas Mask, check… Lipstick, check. In this new musical, Grace Banker and her fellow switchboard operators are answering the call when the Bell Battalion Telephonic Ladies’ Switchboard Unit #1 makes history as America’s first female soldiers.
Reviewed Performance: 7/14/23 – Opening Night
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you might appreciate this more if you’re a little familiar with World War I.
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it if you enjoy the specific genre of shows Taproot Theatre tends to produce like A Civil War Christmas, Bright Star, and The Spitfire Grill. You might also enjoy this show if you like women’s choral music like Seattle Women’s Chorus since there was a lot of female harmonies.
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: I’d consider another professional production
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4 stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 2
Total Number of Actors: 10
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.75 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Cassi Q Kohl: I didn’t even recognize Cassi compared to her recent roles in Cinderella and Miss Step! It goes to show her versatility as an actress.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Actor Musicians: Some actors in the show also were part of the band. I saw Jeremy Steckler on the bass and Rebecca Cort on the guitar. But I didn’t see the other actor musicians listed in the program like Rico Lastrapes on the clarinet, Jeremy Steckler on the guitar, Lauren Engstrom on the keyboard, and Casey Raiha on the keyboard. I wish I could also see these additional actors play their instruments. They were probably hidden in the back due to Taproot Theatre’s stage space constraints.
Uniform Purchase Requirement: Did (does) the army really not pay for uniforms? If you’re putting yourself in harm’s way and contributing a specialized skill to the war effort, the least the government can do is pay for your uniform.
Switchboard: This production would have greatly benefitted from a switchboard prop.
Costume Legs: I’ve never seen such weird leggings on American military uniforms that resembled culottes or knee breeches. But I guess they’re historically accurate since they resembled the pictures Google showed for “World War I American Uniform.”
Theatre Company: Taproot Theatre
Venue: Jewell Mainstage at Taproot Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Jeeves Takes a Bow play at Taproot Theatre directed by Scott Nolte adapted by Margaret Raether based on PG Wodehouse stories. Fast-moving light play … just how I like it! Chaotic comedy! Great job Jeeves understudy Mark Waldstein. It must be nice to have a butler to cushion your falls in life!
Synopsis from the Theatre: Bertie’s back! And this time his talent for trouble trails him to the Big Apple. When childhood chum Binkey Binkersteth knocks, one knacky notion leads to masterful mayhem and soon the notorious Knuckles McCann is fitting Bertie for a Chicago overcoat. Fortunately, the unflappable Jeeves is close at hand with a stiff cuppa joe and a penchant for putting things right!
Reviewed Performance: 5/19/23 – Opening Night
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Few
Several or Few Settings/Locations: One, the living room of a luxurious New York City apartment
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but I suspect you’d probably appreciate the play more if you’re familiar with PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves character. I only knew about Ask Jeeves from the 1990s prior to this performance.
Defined Plot/Storyline: Not particularly extensive. There’s only so much story that can unfold in a single room. It was more about comedic antics than unfolding complex plot.
Recommendation: See it, especially if you like chaotic comedies that Taproot Theatre tends to produce like The Nerd and See How They Run. Usually, I don’t prefer shows with focused on hijinks and antics but this one was actually pretty good.
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
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.5 stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 2
Total Number of Actors: 6
Perceived Pace of Show: Fast
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours that flew by. Time flies when you’re having fun!
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Delightful Characters: Many amusing personalities filled this play with funny 1930s dialogue. The prude Vivienne Duckworth was probably my favorite since I grew up with her repressive moralistic mentality. Kelly Karcher’s energetic portrayal of Vivienne reminded me of her previous Taproot Theatre role where she shined as Lydia in The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. The flapper-like NYC stardom-obsessed Ruby LeRoy (played by Claire Marx) was a wonderful contrast to prim British Vivienne. Speaking of contrasts, there was an “opposites attract” storyline, which I always eat up. It’s also worth mentioning Calder Shilling’s (Bertram Wilberforce Wooster) and Miguel Castellano’s (Nigel Bingham-Binkersteth, aka “Binkey”) lively portrayals of their British characters.
Scenic Design: While the design didn’t feel like 1910s-1920s era (seemed more 1980s-1990s), it was still visually pleasing. I was particularly drawn to the way high rise windows and the fire escape was designed.
Song: I was pleasantly surprised when Claire Marx sang a number in the second act. When I saw her name in the program, I remarked to myself that I usually see her in more music-related roles instead of pure acting parts. I’m glad she still briefly showcased her great musicality in her Ruby character.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Opening Remarks: The mundane opening remarks (like acknowledging the show sponsors) we hear before live theatre was pre-recorded like an old timey on-era NPR-like radio broadcast. Nice attention to detail.
Twist: Good unexpected twist with the gangster at the end of the first act!
Western Play Segment: Where did this chaotic scene come from? Very left field in my opinion.
Theatre Company: Taproot Theatre
Venue: Jewell Mainstage at Taproot Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video
@showsiveseen "Jeeves Takes a Bow" #play at @TaprootTheatre directed by Scott Nolte adapted by Margaret Raether based on PG Wodehouse stories. Opening night starring understudy Mark Waldstein & Calder Shilling w/ food from @Zylberschtein’s. Fast-moving light show – just how I like it. Chaotic #comedy! Photos by Robert Wade & @Giao Nguyen. Review: showsiveseen.com/5611 #theatre♬ original sound – Shows I've Seen