Jay Irwin - Page 6

Larry Shue’s raucous comedy “The Nerd” was a staple of midrange to small theaters all over back in the 80’s and 90’s. It was zany, smart, and didn’t require too many outlandish elements. So, I was fairly excited to catch this new local production currently being offered at Taproot Theatre, especially with the people in the cast. However, I’m not sure if the show is just not that funny anymore or if this production missed the mark but, while still having some definite gut buster moments, much of it fell flat.

In a joint production between Langston and Seattle Public Theater, local playwright Andrew Lee Creech brings us the World Premiere of his play “Riverwood”. A play that tackles some seriously tough and topical subjects affecting underdeveloped neighborhoods and people of color and that contains some wonderful writing and moments but unfortunately lacks focus and a main storyline to carry it all through.

Dear Readers, I think it’s time for me to come out to you all. I am here to say that I am an out and proud fan of Barry Manilow. Yes, I’m a Fanilow. From “Mandy” to “American Bandstand” to “I Made it Through the Rain”, I love them all. And, of course, there’s the best, “Copacabana”. Now take that fandom and combine it with my love for Seattle’s Can Can and you’d think their current show would be a sure-fire hit. And you’d be right. “Lola” the latest incarnation from Artistic Director Chris Pink, Choreographer Fae Pink, the delicious folks at the Can Can is not only a hit but one of the best shows I think I’ve ever seen from them (and that’s saying something) and one not to be missed.

For many, the days following the election of Donald Trump to the White House were harrowing, fraught with uncertainty and angst but especially for undocumented immigrants whose livelihood seemed to be the focal rallying cry of the former President and his base. So, setting a play such as Benjamin Benne’s “Alma” with its Latinx characters in this tumultuous time instantly amps up the emotion. However, the current production at ArtsWest also leaned in fairly heavily into introspective moments which, while emotional, aren’t that interesting to watch.

Dear Readers, by now you know that one of my major pet peeves for any show is what I call “someone else’s therapy on stage”. Other people’s problems just aren’t interesting, and I don’t need to see you work through them. Such is the first issue of many I have with the new musical “Afterwords”, currently playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre. The second main issue being that the show appears to have been written with a cliché search engine.

Lynn Nottage has swiftly established herself as one of the current darlings of the theater scene. With her Pulitzer Prize for her play “Sweat” currently playing at ACT, as well as her other fantastic recent works such as “Clyde’s” and “Ruined” to name just a few, her vibrant characters beautifully reflect the trappings of society today. And while “Sweat” is no different and a riveting story, at times I felt it meandered a bit and lacked the dramatic hook her other pieces have.

Dear Readers, if you too are sick of the dysfunctional white family play then you’re not alone. Leah Nanako Winkler, author of “Two Mile Hollow”, currently being offered from Intiman Theatre, has certainly had enough of them. So much so that she wrote her own version of one. And while I appreciate the dissection of the trope, her play as well as the Intiman production did so in such an incoherent, over the top, muddled way, that I failed to find it all that funny, just loud.

The lies we tell ourselves and each other, Dear Readers, and the information we choose to divulge and that which we choose to keep to ourselves, those choices are at the heart of “Selling Kabul”, the current show playing at the Seattle Rep.

Dear Readers, if you’re going to do a show, any show, you need to have confidence in what you’re putting up on that stage. And while the current production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” at Village Theatre has a bunch of fun moments, the show as a whole seemed to lack the confidence to go for it, just like its title character.

Dear Readers, remember Mad Libs from when we were kids? That little book of puzzles where you would ask for random items from a group in order to fill out a story. And remember how when we got the final result we would laugh and laugh at the ridiculousness of it all? Ever tried to read those again? They’re not that funny. Now imagine reading those for 90 minutes. Unfortunately, the current show from Washington Ensemble Theatre, “Tin Cat Shoes” feels as if it were written by a series of Mad Libs as it’s a mishmash of ridiculous elements thrown together in a manic way for 90 minutes and the awkward laughs that it might have elicited from the start of the show quickly waned.

Dear Readers, if you’ve ever been to a Showtunes show, you know the amount of joy and fun that floods off the stage from those insanely talented performers. And their current production of “9 to 5: The Musical” is no exception.

Jukebox musicals are a mainstay of the American Musical Theater. They have recognizable hit songs built in and instant appeal for fans. But they’re difficult to get right, needing a good book to incorporate the songs into a cohesive story. Even more difficult is the jukebox bio-musical where they’re trying to tell the story of the artist’s life with their own songs. Read our critic's review.

In the past, Dear Readers, when I’ve attended shows at Nordo there’s been a definite story to accompany the fine dinner within the theme of the show. But last night’s sojourn to their latest show, “Down the Rabbit Hole” brought a few changes I wasn’t expecting.

To say that Henrik Ibsen’s play “Ghosts”, currently playing at the Seattle Rep as translated from the Norwegian by Paul Walsh, is bleak is an understatement to say the least. A play filled with secrets, lies, infidelities, sexual assault, venereal disease, incest, and euthanasia to mention just a few, sounds like enough bleak to bring anyone down. And while this sounds like a horrible evening at the theater, the superb cast including a couple of notable powerhouses, make the bleakness engaging and, dare I say, entertaining.

Dear Readers, I’ve said it before, a good ending of a play can forgive a multitude of sins that came before. But how about a cute beginning of a story that finishes off laying there like a dead fish? Unfortunately, that’s the case with “Mrs. Caliban”, the current offering from Book-It Repertory Theatre. This fishy love story has a good hook but lacked a decent tail to swim it on home.

Do you like a good ghost story, Dear Readers? I do. I love it when a creepy tale can make my flesh crawl and jump out of my seat. But there are so few creepy tales on stage. Well, enter Lucas Hnath’s “The Thin Place” currently performing at ACT. Not only is this a truly terrifying tale but it’s from one of the hottest new playwrights around today, author of “Dana H” and “A Dolls House, Part 2”. Add into that a stellar cast and you have a frightfully fun evening on your hands.

Dear Readers, if you’re familiar with Dominique Morisseau’s play, “Pipeline”, currently playing at Seattle Public Theater, you know what a striking play it is. Filled with resonant themes and high intensity moments, the show can knock you off your feet. But more than anything, it’s about real people and real situations in our all too real, and all too troubled world. So, it needs to feel real. And while most in the SPT production were up to that task, there were some that I didn’t feel the commitment to being real which took me out of the piece.

Dear Readers, I’ve often commented on the basics of any good show, storytelling. Without good storytelling, the ability to spin an engaging tale, then what’s the point of putting up a show? ArtsWest’s current season purports itself to be all about, myths and legends and telling a good story. Well, I’m happy to assert that with their current show, “This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing” by Finegan Kruckemeyer, they have honored that claim as this fable is overflowing with some first class, simple, and effective storytelling. So, let’s gather around the campfire and listen to the tale.

The provocative title, “Teenage Dick”, for the current show at the Seattle Rep is giving some people pause while others just find it hilarious. Yes, I’m sure it’s intentionally provocative to get attention and yes, it’s funny. But it’s just the nickname for the main character, Richard, and he is a teenager, so let’s get the giggles out of our system now. I’ll wait. All good now? OK, Dear Readers, now I can tell you all about this incredible show and how I was left super excited for “Teenage Dick”. Dammit! I guess it wasn’t all out yet.

Dear Readers, I want to tell you a story about a show. You probably never heard of it because it’s not very important. Wait! No, it is important, and you should have heard of it. At least since the show in question is the winner of 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical, “The Band’s Visit”, currently playing at the Paramount Theatre. But sadly, too few do know this show but let’s try and remedy that, shall we?