Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Potted Potter show w/ Seattle Theatre Group at Moore Theatre. Left the muggle world for a spell to see a British slapstick comedy retelling of all 7 Harry Potter books. Energetic actors & lots of pop culture references. Slytherin house FTW! #silly #corny
Synopsis from the Theatre: Playing to sold out houses all over the world, the Olivier Award nominated Potted Potter – The Unauthorized Harry Experience – A Parody by Dan and Jeff takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books into seventy hilarious minutes. Even if you don’t know the difference between a horcrux and a Hufflepuff, Potted Potter will make you roar with laughter. Created by two-time Olivier Award-nominated actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, Potted Potter is perfect for ages six to Dumbledore (who is very old indeed).
Reviewed Performance: 12/28/22 Opening Night – The real opener 12/27/22 was delayed because of the weather.
Type: Play-ish Comedy Show
World Premiere: No
Awards: Nominated for an Olivier Award
Recommendation: See it if you’re into Harry Potter and British slapstick comedy
Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: Yes
Length: 70 mins
Intermission: No
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Energy: Brendan Murphy was the jester half of the duo. He played opposite Scott Hoatson, who portrayed the sensible Harry Potter. Kudos to Brendan for maintaining his child-like energy throughout the show while portraying around 25 characters.
Pop Culture: I was surprised with how many pop culture references they included like when Brendan picked up a copy of 50 Shades of Grey instead of Harry Potter. Fun fact, Christian Grey’s condo in 50 Shades of Grey was at the Escala building, which is two blocks away from the Moore Theatre where this show is performing.
Favorite Lines:
Something like “Dumbledore was the greatest wizard who ever lived … so he went into teaching?”
When mentioning that that the original British title was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone while the American release was re-titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, one of the actors said in a stereotypical uneducated American hick accent, “I’m an American and I don’t know what a philosopher is.”
Rant(s)
Video: As usual, I’m not a fan when live theatre includes a segment for the audience to watch a video. I’m here for live theatre, not something I can watch on YouTube! Fortunately, the segment was not that long.
Theatre Company: National Tour (in conjunction with Seattle Theatre Group)
Venue: Moore Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 1932 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Medium to Expensive
Dates: Only December 28, 2022 to January 1, 2023 – This is a limited Seattle run so buy your ticket today if you want to see this show. The good news there are 2-4 performances on each of the remaining days. Whew!
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: I usually walk or transit here. Street parking is typically difficult around here. There’s obviously paid garage parking since this venue is in downtown. I think the cheapest garage lot is the old Bed Bath and Beyond garage (1930 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101) or the car rental garage (255 Stewart Street, Seattle, WA, 98101). Again, this is 3rd Ave area and it often feels dodgy on certain blocks. Stay safe!
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Harry Connick Jr’s Christmas concert at Benaroya Hall. He’s still handsome, talented, & charming as ever. Classic xmas vocal jazz music w/ a novel New Orleans flair!
Synopsis from the Theatre: Harry Connick Jr. invites you to celebrate the holidays with him and his band as 2022 draws to a close. One of the most beloved artists performing holiday music, Harry has been thrilling audiences around the world for decades with his definitive take on Christmas classics, as well as his own originals and fan favorites like “(It Must’ve Been Ol’) Santa Claus” and “When My Heart Finds Christmas.” Harry Connick Jr. has exemplified excellence in every aspect of the entertainment world. He has received recognition with multiple Grammy and Emmy Awards as well as Tony nominations for his live and recorded musical performances, his achievements on screens large and small, and his appearances on Broadway as both an actor and a composer. He has sold millions of holiday albums which have become the soundtrack to Christmas for fans around the world.
Reviewed Performance: 12/19 Opening Night
Type: Concert
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes – It included strings, brass/reed, drums, bass, synthesizer(?), and a of course Harry on the piano. The brass section often performed downstage closer to the audience to showcase their talent. The string section actually mostly consisted of Seattle Symphony members!
Recommendation: See it if you’re either a fan of Christmas music, Harry Connick Jr, New Orleans music, or jazz.
Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: Yes, this is the first time I’ve seen him live.
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Yes
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.75 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Length: 2 hours
Intermission: No but we desperately needed one. Many audience members frequently stepped away mid-concert to use the restroom. I’m not sure how customary it is for concerts to include an intermission though. Michael Buble in the Tacoma Dome did not have one. I don’t think Diana Krall at Chateau Ste Michelle Winery did either. However, Norah Jones in Benaroya Hall did include an intermission.
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Voice: Harry’s albums don’t do his voice justice. He has a beautiful baritone that’s especially rich with a pinch of vocal fry (in a good way) when he sings deeper notes. It was a treat listening to him with Benaroya Hall’s superior acoustics.
“Not Boring” Jazz: Unfortunately, jazz has a reputation of being boring. Think of elevator music. Even an episode in The Office said, “There’s nothing classier than boring jazz music.” Fortunately, the performers kept the audience entertained and this concert didn’t fall prey to the common stereotype. The only times I was close to getting bored was during the occasional long intros that jazz is known for.
Harpejji Instrument: Harry introduced many people in the audience to a new instrument that’s part guitar and part piano. Imagine percussing your fingers directly on the strings of a tiny piano similar to how you would touch the strings on the neck of a guitar. The result sounds most closely to a guitar. It’s possible to even modify the sound with vibrato hand technique that slightly oscillates the pitch. Harry also modified the sound with a wah-wah pedal that makes the harpejji sound funky.
Lighting Design: The colored lights projected on the walls of the stage were a nice festive touch. I don’t think these lights are unique to this concert though. If I’m not mistaken, the Seattle Men’s Chorus (which I was a part of!) does the same thing for their Christmas concert at Benaroya Hall.
Piano Talent: From the perspective of someone who was classically trained in piano and who sometimes sings while playing the piano, I was struck by Harry’s effortless improvisation and his use of the concert grand piano keyboard’s entire length. I was also impressed that he maintained complex finger-key technicality while singing without a hitch. I wish there was a good way to see his face and fingers at the same time but you usually get one or the other for piano players … or worse, the back. Speaking of face, it was fascinating to watch him closely track the band members during their solos as he determines when to chime in on the piano. He’s not just a pretty face yall! Sometimes God gives with two hands.
New Orleans Flair: The heavy New Orleans big band influence on the repertoire was an innovative way to re-imagine the Christmas theme for those tired of the same old cash cow Christmas songs. It was also a fresh way for Harry to re-invent his jazz sound. I like how he explained New Orleans music. Basically, go heavy on the piano’s base keys and sprinkle a little of the right hand like hot sauce … then you can occasionally slam down any couple of notes! I’ll be honest, sometimes the piano or band sounded like cacophony at the climactic moments with this music style … in a good way! It’s funny how he admitted that neither he nor his Cajun(?) step mom knew what one of the songs (“Papa Noel”) was saying.
Drummer: It was entertaining watching Arthur Latin II’s talent on the drums. This is coming from someone who typically doesn’t find drums that interesting (albeit necessary in modern music). There were times when he was even playing the drums on one hand and the tambourine in the other. Apparently, Neal Caine (the bassist), Harry, and Arthur have been performing together since the 90s.
Charisma: There was a funny segment where Harry graciously stopped someone in the front row from excessively recording. He said something like, “Now I don’t mind yall taking occasional videos or pictures but I noticed you’ve been recording since we’ve started the concert. You can already make a million dollars off that long footage! Now there’s two reasons you shouldn’t be recording so much 1) You gotta live in the moment especially when I’m 2 feet away from you! 2) Nobody looks good at the angle you’re pointing your phone at me. It’s 45 degrees below my face and my ENT doesn’t even get to see this much up my nose.” He then proceeded to take a selfie with her and mention her name frequently to his rendition of “Blue Christmas.”
Audience Participation: Like many other typical Christmas concerts, Harry let the audience sing along with him for one song (“Silent Night”). Of course he had to say Seattle was the best audience he’s heard on the tour! Also, at the ending encore, a couple started to dance in the aisle. Harry cheered them on but an usher told them to sit down! 🙁
Song Commentary: Harry’s commentary on each of the songs was usually interesting or funny. For example, he remarked how “What Are You Doing New Years Eve” was basically a beta guy about to get turned down. And apparently, Judy Garland’s original lyrics to “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” were a downer especially with the line “Until then [Christmas] we’ll have to muddle through somehow.”
Rant(s)
Spotlight: They were sometimes aimed at the wrong person or mistimed. Maybe we can blame it on a case of the Mondays. What a weird day to host a performance! For theatre folks, Mondays and Tuesdays are basically their weekend.
Beginning: The concert started slightly shaky. Harry seemed a little awkward and not as energetic. Plus, I could hear him and the band slightly not in tune with each other. At least it shows he’s not using autotune! After about 2-3 songs, they hit their stride. Again, Mondays!
Missing Favorite Songs: My favorite Harry Connick Jr Christmas songs were missing for the concert set list. I was looking forward to hearing “I’m Gonna Be the First One” and “The Christmas Waltz.” To be fair, these are obscure songs in his old albums and he was trying to promote his new one. Although, I’d argue that he could have replaced the non-Christmas concert songs with these two.
Band Singing: It was difficult to hear what the band was singing in “It Must’ve Been Ole Santa Claus.” Maybe they could add an overhead unidirectional microphone above the band for those short moments.
Other Thought(s)
Sheet Music Score: Who composes the score for the band and orchestra? Is it Harry? Let me know in the comments of my social media links below!
Accent: I didn’t know Harry had a slight accent and I couldn’t place the region. I never noticed it when he was a regular cast member on Will and Grace. Let me know in the comments of my social media links below what you think it is.
Center Band Member: There was a guy at a console centerstage behind Harry between the strings and brass. Sometimes, he would queue the band when Harry did not, which by the way could be difficult with not all band members (especially the bass player) directly facing this mysterious person. What was he playing? I think it was a synthesizer but I could only identify one song with synthesized sound (an organ). Let me know in the comments of my social media links below!
Variety: While this show is billed as a Christmas concert, they performed other styles like New Orleans (as mentioned above), a Jazz standard (“Someday When I’m Awful Low”), & his original blockbuster hit (“It Had to be You”).
Set List: Below are the songs I could remember
Sleigh Ride
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
When My Heart Finds Christmas
It Had to Be You (from the movie When Harry Met Sally… )
The Way You Look Tonight
Blue Christmas
Silent Night
I Pray on Christmas
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
(It Must’ve Been Ol’) Santa Claus
Please Come Home for Christmas (aka “Bells Will Be Ringing”)
Papa Noel
Make it Merry (Title song of his new Christmas album)
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
What are You Doing New Year’s Eve
Someday When I’m Awfully Low
A New Orleans-style ending song with lots of colorful instrumentation that I couldn’t identify … sorry!
Venue: Benaroya Hall
Venue Physical Address: 200 University St, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Very Expensive
Dates: Only December 19 – 20, 2022
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: I usually walk or transit here especially since the lightrail station is directly underneath Benaroya Hall. Other than that, there’s obviously paid garage/street parking since this venue is in downtown. I think the cheapest garage lot is generally the Russell Investments Center garage (1301 2nd Ave #1950, Seattle, WA 98101). I don’t recomment parking in the Benaroya Hall garage since it’s really expensive and I imagine it takes a long time to exit after a performance.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Rich Gray’s Forbidden Xmas w/ Showtunes Theatre Company at Cornish Playhouse At Seattle Center. Strong vocals in this revival of a satirical #cabaret-like #Christmas concert show celebrating life in #Seattle & #PugetSound. #theatre #PNW
Synopsis from the Theatre: Showtunes brings back a Seattle holiday tradition. Rich Gray’s Forbidden Xmas is the perfect pairing for the 2022 holiday season in the northwest. A bit of silly seasonal satire for the whole family. Make this part of your holiday tradition this year. Forbidden Xmas was an annual holiday tradition for many years in Seattle. Written by Seattle’s own Rich Gray, this holiday musical parody show is updated to poke fun and celebrate the northwest during the holidays. It’s time to bring this hit back to the northwest with some new songs and sketches as well as some of the favorites from its past productions in the 90s. Showtunes brings back Forbidden Xmas to life at Cornish Playhouse this December 17 and 18 with an all-star Seattle cast.
Reviewed Performance: 12/17 Opening Night – THERE ARE ONLY TWO SHOWS in this limited run so buy your ticket today if you want to see this show!
Type: Cabaret-like Concert Show
World Premiere: No – This is an updated revival of an old annual show from the 90s.
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it if 1) you like satirical cabarets with no plot 2) and if you’ve lived in Seattle for a couple of years. I’ve lived here for 6 years so I was able to appreciate most of the Seattle references.
Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: Yes
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: The program doesn’t mention this but I wouldn’t be surprised if all 4 main actors were Equity.
Length: 2 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Song about Seattle Theatre: As a person who loves to watch musicals about musicals (like The Prom and Something Rotten!), I enjoyed the song that mentioned many Seattle theatre references. It was one of the first songs … maybe “Cash Cow”. I’m proud to say that I understood all the sly references and saw all the shows they mentioned that are currently playing! 🙂
Theatre Kids Song: Other than the song mentioned above, I particularly enjoyed “In Her Eyes,” which was about how children can still enjoy shows while adults (like me!) nitpick problematic elements.
Favorite Lines: When Jason Kappus said, “I’m gonna drain the ole goose. Honk! Honk!” Or when Billie Wildrick as a caroler greeted, “Wassail!” There was a funny lyric that said Seattle “men smell like moss and Women like it.” During a song about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) someone said, “I couldn’t help but notice that you’re singing in a minor key.”
Rant(s)
Off-brand Songs: The show could have done without two songs that were randomly aboutthe Titanic movie and Seattle sports. These two songs felt out of place in a Christmas show. It didn’t help that I don’t like sports either.
Microphones: Most of the time, all 4 main performers were equally/adequately mic’ed. But I noticed in the beginning that 3 performers drowned out one person. There were also 4 “ensemble” performers who doubled as stage crew. The group microphone that the 4 minor performers shared was effective but when they had to speak/sing several feet away from their group microphone, it was difficult to hear them and it obviously didn’t equalize well with the 4 main performers. I suggest giving the 4 ensemble performers microphones when they’re not at their main group microphone.
Theatre Company: Showtunes Theatre Company
Venue: Cornish Playhouse
Venue Physical Address: 201 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Price: Medium
Dates: Only December 17 – 18, 2022
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: There are paid lots and paid street parking. I usually park on Mercer to the West of 1st Ave. There’s usually also a lot of street parking around Safeway. If there’s an event in Seattle Center or Climate Pledge Arena, street parking is usually limited and much more expensive. In those cases, I’ll park further north up on Queen Anne Hill.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Moulin Rouge! The Musical w/ Broadway at The Paramount & Seattle Theatre Group. Ostentatious dazzling scenic design. Fabulous costumes. Endless catchy modern pop culture song mashups not in the movie. Dances set to exciting heart-pounding beats. Truth, beauty, freedom, love! #bohemia #extravaganza #theatre #jukebox
Synopsis from the Theatre: Enter a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur, and glory! A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment. Welcome to Moulin Rouge! The Musical! Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film comes to life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza. Directed by Tony Award® winner Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a theatrical celebration of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and — above all — Love. With a book by Tony Award® winner John Logan; music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Tony Award® winner Justin Levine; and choreography by Tony Award® winner Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge! is more than a musical — it is a state of mind.
Reviewed Performance: 12/16 Opening Press Night – There were major call outs that required the understudies. Denzel Tsopnang portrayed the Duke, which was usually David Harris. Andrew Brewer portrayed Christian, which was usually Conor Ryan. And Adéa Michelle Sessoms portrayed La Chocolat, which was usually Harper Miles.
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it whether or not you watched the movie. I’m still in awe at how breathtaking and entertaining the show was.
Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: Yes but I’ve seen the movie
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Yes!
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 5 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: The program doesn’t mention this but I assume all of them are Equity.
Length: 2.5 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Song Mashups: I’m simply amazed at the number of pop culture songs they fit into this jukebox musical. They must pay through the nose in royalties! The original classic songs in the movie (like “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”) were outnumbered by reimagined mashups of more modern songs written after the film was released. There were times I couldn’t determine if the heavy thump in my chest was from the orchestra’s strong driving beat or my excitement from hearing songs like Britney Spears’s “Toxic” and Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” The chorus in Katy Perry’s “Firework” was also particularly spectacular. A couple other favorites include Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” Regina Spektor’s “Fidelity,” Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn,” & Sia’s “Chandelier.”
Scenic Designs: Gorgeous, stunning, gaudy, and glamorous! There were lots of diamonds, hearts, and saturated colors everywhere. At times, it felt like Valentines Day and Lisa Frank exploded on stage … in a good way! The sets of the Parisian scenes outside the Moulin Rouge establishment were starkly opposite and it definitely shows the range of talent from the scenic designers.
Male Lead Understudy: Andrew Brewer, the understudy for Christian, had such a nice voice.
Opening Scene: The performers effectively hooked the audience early on with the glitz and glamour of the Moulin Rouge establishment. This is in contrast to other musicals like Wicked and The Wiz that honestly start out a little boring.
Absinthe: Novel green-lit props showed absinthe’s eerie properties and the amount the characters consumed.
Breakup Scene: Maybe it’s the “Mean Girl” in me but the way Satine (Courtney Reed) cut Christian at the knees for his safety was particularly delicious.
Costumes: They were extravagant, interesting, and intricate. Two favorites were the tuxedo tutu dresses and the headpiece that looked like fallopian tubes.
Favorite Lines: A couple include “Gaga ooo la la? Hmmm … we might want to rethink that” and “I want to make desperate love to each and every one of you.” The double entendre scene where Satine was talking about sex while Christian was talking about singing was also particularly funny. When Baby Doll replied, “Tell me about it” to Satine saying, “This corset hurts like hell, I’m all tied down,” were they making a drag queen joke about tucking? Let me know in my social media links below!
Rant(s)
Trumpets: The actors playing the trumpets should make it look more realistic.
“Shut Up and Dance” Song: I was pleasantly surprised to hear them include this Walk the Moon song in the Moulin Rouge! The Musical repertoire since it’s often played in my car playlist. But I was a little disappointed with the weak execution. I think it’s an inherant problem with the composition since the original Broadway cast recording of this song sounds weak too.
Other Thought(s)
Tuberculosis: As a healthcare professional especially in the COVID era, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Satine was just spreading her consumption to all her friends. Mask up gurl!
Sword Trick: What stage magic allowed the actors to swallow swords in the beginning? Leave a comment in my social media links below if you have any ideas!
Theatre Company: Broadway Across America Tour and Seattle Theatre Group
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 911 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Expensive
Dates: Dec 14, 2022 – Jan 1, 2023
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: Paid street parking and paid garage parking. The best parking garage is under the convention center w/ the entrance on Pike around the Pike and Terry intersection. Last I checked, this is one of the cheapest, least busy, and closest garages. Alternatively, you can probably find street parking as you get closer to the West Precinct (810 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101). Do NOT park where the Paramount subscribers park. Last I checked, the usually park in the garage attached to the Cheesecake Factory. It’ll take you at least 30 minutes to exit that garage after the show.
Courtney Reed and Conor Ryan in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeThe cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeThe cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeCourtney Reed and David Harris in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeCourtney Reed and Conor Ryan in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeThe cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeAustin Durant and the cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeConor Ryan in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeCourtney Reed in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeConor Ryan as Christian and Courtney Reed as Satine in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeThe cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeHarper Miles, Libby Lloyd, Nicci Claspell and Andres Quintero in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeThe cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeThe cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeGabe MartÍnez as Santiago and Libby Lloyd as Nini in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeThe cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeConor Ryan as Christian, Gabe MartÍnez as Santiago, André Ward as Toulouse-Lautrec and Austin Durant as Harold Zidler in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeDavid Harris as The Duke of Monroth in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeAdéa Michelle Sessoms and Jennifer Wolfe in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeCourtney Reed as Satine in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMadeConor Ryan as Christian and Courtney Reed as Satine in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Village Theatre by developing youth actors. Interesting to see how a 6-7 person show works w/ 15 people. Favorite line was something like “He met a fury. No you’re a furry!” #percyJackson #greekMythology #musical #theatre
Synopsis from the Theatre: As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus’s master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. To succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and come to terms with the father who abandoned him. Adapted from the best-selling book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed mythical adventure “worthy of the gods” (Time Out New York). –Concord Theatricals
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it if you like supporting developing actors in high school. Many talented major Seattle actors participated in Village Theatre’s Kidstage program growing up. For example, I think the Kataka Corn, who played Dorothy (lead role) in 5th Ave Theatre’s The Wiz, is a Village Theatre Kidstage alumnus.
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: Yes if it was an Equity production. This is actually the second time I’ve seen this musical. The first time was the national tour.
Equity Actors: 0
Length: 2 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Playbill: Loved their new upgraded glossy playbill. In the past, Village Theatre Kidstage productions didn’t print color graphics or actor headshots.
Favorite Actors: Powerful steady voice from Mia Basulto (Clarisse – Ares’ Daughter) and good acting from River DeJong (Ares/Gabe/Ensemble)
Other Thought(s)
Deviations from the Original Productions: Did the tour or original production refer to the Oracle as a “mummy?” I don’t remember that. Was the Medusa scene in the original productions or was that a new?
Theatre Company: Village Theatre Kidstage
Venue: Village Theatre First Stage
Venue Physical Address: 120 Front St N, Issaquah, WA 98027
Price: Cheap
Dates: December 2 to December 18, 2022
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: Free street parking and free lot parking. If you park in the lot, make sure the spot is not reserved for a business. As a last resort, I think you can always find parking at the library (10 W Sunset Way, Issaquah, WA 98027) but it’s a little far. Remember, there’s a bottom floor parking lot under the library’s main parking lot that most non-locals don’t know about.
