BWW Review: BRUCE at The Seattle Rep
Dear Readers, I need to ask you a question. Have you seen the movie “Jaws”? The original and first big summer blockbuster from 1975. Read our review.
Village Theatre Will Kick Off the Next Series of Beta Productions with XY, a New Musical
Village Theatre kicks off the next series of Beta Productions with XY, a new musical written by Oliver Houser and developed and directed by Hunter Bird that runs at Village Theatre's First Stage Theatre in Issaquah from February 14 - 23, 2020. The production marks the beginning of an exciting collaboration between Village Theatre and Seattle Rep, who will continue development of the show in a future season.
Casting Announced For Village Theatre's FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS
With The 19th Annual Festival of New Musicals taking place this upcoming weekend, Village Theatre is excited to announce the casting for XY, an uplifting musical about identity and coming to terms with your past; Cold Turkey, a wild and funny satire; Modern, an inspiring tale about a group of Amish teenagers; Eastbound, an poignant story about Chinese brothers in search of a home they've never known; and Cowboy Bob, an adventurous rock musical about a bank-robbing woman. The Festival will take place in Issaquah August 9-11, 2019 and provides an essential platform for writers to develop new works. Past Festival shows include Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning shows such as Next to Normal and Million Dollar Quartet, as well as Broadway and Off-Broadway hits: It Shoulda Been You, Desperate Measures, Lizzie, and many more.
BWW Review: BEHOLD THE DREAMERS from Book-It Left Me Wanting
Finish strong and they'll forgive a multitude of sins. This old adage of the theater rings truer than ever in this TV-binging, short attention span world in which we live. Unfortunately, the folks at Book-It Repertory Theatre didn't take that into account with their current production of "Behold the Dreamers" which started off slow, then picked up and really engaged in the middle and then ended with a whimper.
Reaching For The American Dream In BEHOLD THE DREAMERS By Imbolo Mbue
To close out their 29th season, Book-It Repertory Theatre (Book-It) presents Imbolo Mbue's Behold the Dreamers. Adapted and directed by Myra Platt, Mbue masterfully weaves a story of class divide, immigration and marriage in her remarkable debut novel. Jende and Neni Jonga have recently emigrated from Cameroon to America to try to make a new life for themselves and their young son. When the Great Recession starts to upend the economy, the Jongas begin to grasp the fragility of the American dream. Behold the Dreamers plays June 6-30, 2019 (Opening/Press Night on Saturday, June 8) at The Center Theatre.
Reaching For The American Dream In BEHOLD THE DREAMERS At Book-It Repertory Theatre
To close out their 29th season, Book-It Repertory Theatre (Book-It) presents Imbolo Mbue's Behold the Dreamers. Adapted and directed by Myra Platt, Mbue masterfully weaves a story of class divide, immigration and marriage in her remarkable debut novel. Jende and Neni Jonga have recently emigrated from Cameroon to America to try to make a new life for themselves and their young son. When the Great Recession starts to upend the economy, the Jongas begin to grasp the fragility of the American dream. Behold the Dreamers plays June 6-30, 2019 (Opening/Press Night on Saturday, June 8) at The Center Theatre.
BWW Review: Village's HAIRSPRAY is a Triple Threat of a Show
Once again, Dear Readers, we've ventured into the realm of one of my favorites. We recently had my all-time number one in town, but I'd have to say Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's "Hairspray", is certainly in the top five with its infectious and rousing score and incredible book from Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. I've seen countless productions including the original cast and even had the honor of being in the show. And now Village Theatre has thrown their wig in the ring with their own production and I have to say in some ways it surpasses all those others. With its Beat, Power, and Humor it's a true show triple threat.
You Can't Stop The Beat With HAIRSPRAY At Village Theatre
Village Theatre is closing out their season with an all-new stage production of the Broadway hit musical, Hairspray. Tracy Turnblad is a big girl with big hair and an even bigger dream: to dance her way onto national TV, dethrone the reigning teen queen, win the affections of the local heartthrob, and integrate a TV network… all without denting her 'do! The Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning Best Musical teach us to look past skin color and size in the fight for equal rights. "What excites me about this show," says co-director Timothy McCuen Piggee, "is that we get to tell stories that humanize in a world that constantly works to dehumanize. This play is really clever because it offers the opportunity to examine issues like racism, sizeism, homophobia, and bias. This show is thoughtful and courageous and I'm excited to bring it to life with such a strong team of individuals."
You Can't Stop The Beat With HAIRSPRAY At Village Theatre
Village Theatre is closing out their season with an all-new stage production of the Broadway hit musical, Hairspray. Tracy Turnblad is a big girl with big hair and an even bigger dream: to dance her way onto national TV, dethrone the reigning teen queen, win the affections of the local heartthrob, and integrate a TV network… all without denting her 'do! The Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning Best Musical teach us to look past skin color and size in the fight for equal rights. "What excites me about this show," says co-director Timothy McCuen Piggee, "is that we get to tell stories that humanize in a world that constantly works to dehumanize. This play is really clever because it offers the opportunity to examine issues like racism, sizeism, homophobia, and bias. This show is thoughtful and courageous and I'm excited to bring it to life with such a strong team of individuals."
The 5th Avenue Theatre's Third Annual NEXTFEST: A FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS Launches This Weekend
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a vibrant hive of musical theater activity as the projects of NextFest: A Festival of New Musicals have started rehearsals this week. A three-week musical theater intensive development cycle, NextFest has played a role in the creation of musicals ranging from Persuasion by Harold Taw and Chris Jeffries (Taproot Theatre, 2017) to Come From Away by Irene Carl Sankoff and David Hein (Broadway). Nationally recognized for its contribution to the contemporary musical theater cannon, The 5th Avenue Theatre is a celebrated incubator for new musicals. Each year, the nationally renowned theater company connects writers at all stages of development with some of the region's most brilliant performers, giving life to the words on the page and allowing book writers, composers and lyricists to see their work in action. This year's various works are brought to life by Alexandria Henderson, Justin Huertas, Matthew Kacergis, Shaunyce Omar, Brandon O'Neill, Timothy Piggee, Hannah Schuerman, Billie Wildrick and many more.