Showtunes Theatre Company Presents NINE at Benaroya Hall This Weekend

Seattle-based SHOWTUNES Theatre Company wraps their 15th year with a fun, sexy concert version of the Tony award winning musical Nine. For two performances only, Nine runs tonight, March 28th at 8:00pm and tomorrow, March 29th at 2:00 pm inside Benaroya Hall's acoustically rich Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall. This rarely produced concert musical will be directed by David Hunter Koch with Mark Rabe as music director. Nine (of course) musicians will join a talented 12-person cast (performing "on book") of Seattle-area musical theater professionals. Cast includes: Jose Gonzales (Guido), Christian West (Young Guido), Beth DeVries (Luisa), Danielle Barnum (Claudia), Taryn Darr (Carla), Cheryl Massey-Peters (Mother), Candace Donahoo (Sarraghina), Sandra Singler (Mama Maddelena), Carolyn Magoon (Stephanie), Anne Allgood (Liliane La Fleur), Christine Riipi (Lina) and Jenny d'Armand (Lady of the Spa).

Plunge into the sultry pool of sexy 1960s Venice with world-famous larger-than-life movie director Guido Contini. Relish the captivating and powerful women in Guido's life. The wife, the mistress, the temptress, the muse -but of course, Guido has them all! He is also faced with the dreaded 40th birthday, and a massive midlife crisis. Guido's creative impulses are blocked and he's trapped himself in a web of romantic difficulties.

Based on Italian director Frederico Fellini's comic masterpiece, 8 ½, Maury Yeston's musical Nine follows Guido's exploits as he prepares his latest picture and juggles the many captivating women in his life. Arthur Kopit wrote the book and together with Yeston (music and lyrics) they crafted an enchanting musical essay on the power of women. The original Broadway production opened in 1982, ran for 729 performances, and won five Tony awards, including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Original Score.

Tickets are $31 - $46. Student and Senior tickets are $21. Tickets are available online at SHOWTUNESTheatre.org, over the phone at 206.215.4747 or in person at the Benaroya Hall Ticket Office on the corner of Third Avenue and Union Street. Ticket Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Saturday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m.