Seattle Rep's 'BREAKIN' HEARTS & TAKIN' NAMES - 'Great Stories'

Kevin Kling's latest collection of stories from his life, "Breakin' Hearts & Takin' Names", playing at the Seattle Rep, is less and evening of theater and more an evening with an old friend who has great stories to tell.  Returning to Seattle from their previous hit at the Rep, "How? How? Why? Why? Why?", Kling, a regular contributor with NPR, along with singer/accordionist Simone Perrin weave together and evening filled with laughs, songs and left the audience walking out with a huge smile on their faces.  Where Kling's last show was more about how he dealt with the obstacles in his life (he was born with a congenital defect that left him with out use of his left arm and a motorcycle accident in 2001 claimed the use of his right arm), his latest collection of vignettes, music and stories deal more with love in all it's forms. 

Kling delves into all kinds of love, from brotherly love, to romantic love to the love of a stranger you just met in a bar (my personal favorite of the stories).  Each story is told with such enthusiasm and heart that you cannot help but listen and enjoy.  And Perrin's song breaks throughout the show not only punctuate what Kling is talking about but compliment it perfectly.  And it's not everyday you see a torch singer with an accordion.  Her voice is sublime and she puts just the right amount of emotion into each tune to pull it off.  And if her brand of song styling takes off, we could see a day where the accordion becomes sexy again (if it ever was to begin with). 

Kling shines from the moment he steps on stage and shows himself as the consummate storyteller that he is (and there are so few of them around these days).  He sets the audience at ease right away and you end up leaning forward in your seat, completely engrossed in his tales.  Couple that with mesmerizing song interludes from Perrin and you have an evening that will send you off with a new spring in your step.  So do yourself a favor, get to the Rep and pull up a bar stool.  Your old buddy Kevin has some stories for ya. 

"Breakin' Hearts & Takin' Names" plays at The Seattle Repertory Theatre's Leo K. Theatre through May 10^th.  For tickets or information call the box office at 206-443-2222 or toll free at 877-900-9285 or visit them online at www.seattlerep.org.

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