Jay Irwin - Page 39

There's an old show business adage that if you give the audience a strong ending, they'll forgive most anything that came before. And it's a good thing that still holds true for "Sister Act" currently playing at the Paramount Theatre as the top of the show was filled with painfully forced dialog and exposition but the show managed to break that habit (pun intended) and end on a much stronger note. Not brilliant but stronger.

Balagan Theatre continues their effort to get new musicals a place to be heard with their New Works Summer Series and their offering of the new musical “Island Song”, a show exploring the lives of the young and ambitious in a city that can at the same time foster and crush such ambition.

It's a really good thing the air conditioning is working in the Seattle Center Armory because something has to cool the audience down after Sound Theatre Company's current production of "The Wild Party". Not only is it a sultry good time but the fear, love, lust, anger and danger coming off the cast is palpable.

Wagner's 'Ring' is back in town at Seattle Opera. Some say for the last time (at least as it is now) as Speight Jenkins is stepping down from the organization. So it's only fitting that the abridged twangy retelling the cycle, 'Das Barbecu' make it's way back again. But unlike the productions in the past (like the most recent at ACT) this one is a bit trimmed down into a concert version (music in hand). But not to worry as the three night only run is still filled with hilarity and heart as the performers shine like some magic gold.

It's one of my favorite weekends of the year. The weekend I get to spend three days listening to exciting new works as presented by some of the best performers Seattle has to offer. And this year Village Theatre did not disappoint as they invited members, performers, staff and press to partake of their Village Originals 13th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Some good, some maybe not so, some needing a little more work than others but all showing a deep love for the art and presented by some of the best voices in town. Now, I can't review them as they're still works in progress but I can tell you about the shows presented over the weekend and let you know about the one show that while still in development is still running one more weekend and can have tickets purchased to by non-members (that would be you, Dear Readers).

I like absurdist farce, raucous hijinks and Italian commedia as much as the next guy and Dario Fo is certainly a master of all three. However when a production of one of his plays such as the Intiman's current production of "We Won't Pay, We Won't Pay" starts off going 100 miles an hour and stays there for the entire show, it becomes old and wearing and really not all that funny.

Balagan Theatre continued its Summer New Works program the other night with their reading of the Anton Chekov and Kurt Cobain inspired, 'Nirvanov'. And Broadway World was given exclusive access to bring you photos from the reading of this fascinating look into one of Seattle's biggest and most tragic citizens.

When melodrama is done right, it can be a ton of fun. Maniacal cackling villains, stalwart heroes, and everyone gets what they deserve. And while the current steampunk production from Pork Filled Productions, "The Clockwork Professor", playing at Theatre Off Jackson has much of that melodramatic style going for it, they could use a bit more of a focused over the top tone to make it sing. But what they do have going for them is an original story by Maggie Lee that is at the same time funny and fascinating.

This is not your Grandfather's "Lysistrata". It's not even your Great great great great (you get the idea) Grandfather's version. The Intiman has taken this classic Anti-War story and amped it up to 11 making it resonate with modern sensibilities and given it a hard hitting ending that you won't soon forget.

As part of their Start Up Stagings Initiative, The Intiman Theatre is currently presenting a brand new musical in progress, "Stu For Silverton" included in the Intiman Theatre Festival running through this summer. And while it's a little too soon to give a critical review of the piece as it's still being developed, I can share with you some images from the show and a bit of a synopsis (and maybe a quick opinion or two).

It's a tough thing to follow up such a widely acclaimed show as Azeotrope's offering of "Jesus Hopped the A Train" last season. Especially when you only put up one show a season. And while their current production of "Gruesome Playground Injuries" may not be as engaging of a script, the cast and crew still manage to show off what solid professionals can do.

Even from childhood we've always wanted what the other kid has. You never wanted to play with a toy so much as when someone else is playing with it. Such is the way sometimes with relationships, specifically the ones in "Rapture, Blister, Burn" currently playing at ACT. But even the relationship issues are only a small part of the show as it also takes a witty look at how far feminism has come and how far we still have to go.

You know how you've always said, "I could've gotten that one" when watching those games shows on TV? Well, now's your time to put up or shut up as Theater Schmeater gives you a chance to immerse yourself into the inner workings of a TV quiz show complete with all the drama, backstabbing and, yes, prizes for a lucky few who can ring in with the correct answer before time runs out. The script may be a bit thin and predictable (although there were a few surprises I didn't see coming) but the antics of the cast and the interactivity with playing the game makes up for it and amounts to a good time.

I hope you will indulge me, Dear Reader, as I will not be reviewing the current production of "The Pirates of Penzance" at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Instead let's call this what it is, a thank you letter to the remarkable cast and crew at the 5th Avenue for infusing a musical theater classic with such heart, fun, humor, talent and beauty that even a diehard fan of the show found himself leaving the theater with a huge grin on his face and a renewed love for the piece. (I'm referring to myself, of course.)

Art and integrity or money and success? Which do you strive for or can you have both? That's the underlying issue at hand in Intiman's current production of Alice Childress' "Trouble In Mind". And what begins as a wry little comedy eventually becomes a seething indictment of racial inequality in the arts and beyond. And much of that delicious intensity is due to the stirring performances from the cast and brilliant storytelling from director Valerie Curtis-Newton.

John Patrick Shanley's Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play "Doubt" is and intense and stunning piece of work to be sure but it's far from bullet proof. In order to fully realize the power of the play you need four amazing actors willing to dive into the conviction and vulnerabilities of the characters. And while I've seen better (how can you compete with Cherry Jones on Broadway?), Theatre 9/12's current production may start off to an uneven start but it ultimately amounts to a solid and engaging piece of theater and is completely worthy of the script.

Jeff Thompson, Jordan Mann and Balagan Theatre should be ashamed of themselves as last night they opened Balagan's New Works Summer Series with Thompson and Mann's musical horror spoof "Thankskilling" based on the indie horror film of the same name. It was crude, lowbrow, crass, offensive … and one of the funniest things I've seen in awhile.

It's a very easy trap to fall into when dealing with a small town period piece, taking that wholesome and naive mentality and over infusing it into the show. Such is the issue with ReAct's current production of William Inge's 50's era tale of forbidden love, 'Picnic'. And with that over-stylization the situation becomes more comical and less passionate.

Let me start out, Dear Readers, by saying there is no way for me to not be biased about this show. I have loved it since I saw the original preview at the 5th way back when (twice) and all productions since then have never failed to make me happy. Hell, I've even done the show before (hence the bias). So please take that into account as I talk about the current concert version of "Hairspray" being presented at the 5th Avenue in conjunction with the Seattle Men's Chorus. While the talent and fun energy was definitely up there on the 5th Avenue stage, some keys roles seemed to be missing that spark of camp that is so crucial for the show.

I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again, you practically have to take a masters class in whatever Tom Stoppard is writing about in order to fully get his plays. Whether is be Shakespeare, Czech History or Mathematics it helps to have some kind of advance knowledge before you sit down. Having said that, while "Dogg's Hamlet and Cahoot's Macbeth" definitely had me saying "Huh?" a few times, what it amounts to is a clever, funny and engaging look at language and power.