Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Flight Before Xmas play w/ Macha Theatre Works @ West of Lenin. Delayed holiday flights at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport! Interesting tidbits of world Christmas traditions. Shelley Douma nailed her Karen vibes. Cute voice/energy from Lila Bahng. Novel catwalk shaped stage. #theatre #airport #SeaTac
Synopsis from the Theatre: With all the stress of the holidays, spending Christmas Eve stranded in an airport with a bunch of strangers is the last thing anyone needs! With endless delays, kids shuttling between stepfamilies, a rogue cat on the loose, an important business deal at stake, and missing your grandson’s first Christmas morning, the holiday spirit can disappear quicker than your lost luggage. But sometimes, all you need is to be a little late in order to truly appreciate what you’re rushing toward.
Recommendation: See it if you’re looking for a family-friendly Christmas play.
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.25 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 0
Length: 75 minutes
Intermission: No
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Favorite Line: Something like “Why are we wearing matching shirts as a family? We look like a cult!”
Rant(s)
Missing Cat Discovery: It took a bit too long for the characters to realize the cat was missing. It only takes a second to see a cat isn’t in a cage … not 15 seconds!
Other Thought(s)
Immersive Theatre: If they wanted to add a touch of immersive theatre energy to the play, the actors could use the empty seats in the audience front rows as airport chairs.
Theatre Company : Macha Theatre Works
Venue: West of Lenin
Venue Physical Address: 203 N 36th St #204, Seattle, WA 98103
Price: Cheap
Dates: December 2 – 23, 2022
Seating: General Admission
Parking: There’s paid lot parking or free street parking. I can usually find spots in the streets behind the theatre closer to the water.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Dashing Through the Snow play at The Phoenix Theatre. Four short comedy stories at a Texas bed and breakfast. Unexpected Mrs. Claus affair twist. The dramatic self-involved thespian story was hilarious! #corny #xmas #inn #christmas
Synopsis from the Theatre: A mad-capped comedy that’s more fun than a joyride with friends in a one-horse open sleigh! Meet Trina the innkeeper of the Snowflake Inn in Tinsel, Texas. She’s frantically trying to prepare for the holidays while dealing with a mixed bag of challenging guests and employees who leave comedic chaos in their wake
Reviewed Performance: 12/2 Evening
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Recommendation: See it if you like 1) plays by Jones Hope Wooten, 2) ABC Family TV shows with a laugh track 3) or plays portraying stereotypical Texans.
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 0
Length: 2 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Texas Portrayal: While a lot of the Texan/Southern acting was purposefully over the top and overtly stereotypical (thankfully there were no cowboys!), the play reminded me of when I used to live in Texas especially when I lived in a tiny town with only had one stop light. The actors also portrayed fancy trailer trash really well in the last segment!
Favorite Line: When Mrs. Claus seductively said something like “You were the LARGEST elf. That’s why I noticed you.”
Rant(s)
Scene Length: The scenes felt too long but this is likely just a problem with the script.
Offstage Dialog: I usually don’t like watching actors conversing with someone offstage via intercom, telephone, or even yelling to someone the audience can’t see. I want to see both speakers involved in the dialog.
Theatre Company : The Phoenix Theatre
Venue: The Phoenix Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 9673 Firdale Ave, Edmonds, WA 98020
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Q Brothers Christmas Carol hip hop musical at ArtsWest. Clever lyrics. Funny cast doubling. Loved the pitiful gangsta Tiny Tim segments. Chriss-my-ass-mas! #theatre #rap #christmas #xmas #CharlesDickens #Scrooge #AChristmasCarol
Synopsis from the Theatre: In this hip-hop remix of Dickens’ classic tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Hip-Hop Past, Present, and Future…and a Jamaican Jacob Marley. As Scrooge is shown the path of rhythm and redemption, will he throw off his selfish chains and join the beat? Q BROTHERS CHRISTMAS CAROL mixes everything from reggae to rock, updating and funkifying this beloved tale of love, forgiveness, and Christmas spirit – and transforming it into something altogether new.
Reviewed Performance: 12/1 Evening
Type: Hip Hop (or Rap?) Musical
World Premiere: No
Live Band/Orchestra: No
Recommendation: See it if 1) you’re familiar with A Christmas Carol, 2) you want to see something different than the traditional play of this story, 3) and you like Hamilton, rap, or hip hop.
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: I’d be curious to see Q Brothers from Chicago perform this.
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.75 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 0 but they were all good
Length: 85 mins
Intermission: No
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Set and Scenic Design: I’m surprised this is the first time I’ve seen a show set designed like a department store. It reminded me of Target. However, the story only briefly took place at the department store. Side note, someone should really make play or musical with the story staged mostly in a department store.
Tiny Tim: I’m actually not a fan of the Tiny Tim character in the book or traditional plays. He’s usually portrayed as too cute, too sentimental, and too pitiful, which I find really annoying. Similarly, Gretl von Trapp from the Sound of Music annoys me too. I LOVED how this musical poked fun of the traditional Tiny Tip portrayal and depicted him as a pitiful hard rapper in a plush gangsta coat w/ a cane instead of a crutch.
Belle and Young Scrooge: The romantic scenes with Belle and Ben (aka eBENnezer Scrooge) were hilarious especially the parody “Let’s Get Fiscal” instead of the Olivia Newton-John song “Let’s Get Physical.”
Ghost Light: I don’t know if it was intentional but it was cleaver using a theatre ghost light-looking prop as part of the ghost of Christmas past segment.
Scrooge Dances: It looked cool when the spirits used their magic to make Scrooge dance
Rant(s)
Pitch: In the first number, I could hear someone going out of pitch, which worried me for what was in store for the rest of the show. Fortunately, those pitch issues eventually resolved after that opening number when the lyrics became more rap-like. Or maybe the offender just needed one song to warm up their voice.
Accompaniment: A live band would significantly elevate this show. Had I known that there was no live band, I might not have given this show a chance since pre-recorded accompaniment tends to make musicals more karaoke-like. Plus, I can usually hear when the singers aren’t in-sync with the recorded accompaniment as opposed to a live band making impromptu timing adjustments to follow the singer’s rhythm. Despite the recorded accompaniment, I did not notice these two common problems in this show, and I have no regrets attending. It probably helped that the music was hip hop (or rap?) which tends to have more synthesized sounds that don’t typically require a traditional musical band. Plus, rappers tend to focus more on rhythm than typical singers in a musical, so synchronization problems are probably less.
Other Thought(s)
Burp: Will someone leave me a comment in my social media links below telling me what the burping thing was in the Cratchit household? Was it their youngest baby? Were they talking about eating it? Thanks Corinne (@tigersandgold) and Hannah (@paintastory) for clarifying in Instagram. Yes, the burps were from their other kid and yes they were talking about eating him. LOL, weird!
Christmas Light Necklace: There were Christmas light necklaces (see my video below) placed on random chairs. It’s a fun idea but I was a little confused if we were supposed to wear them during the performance, turn them on during the last number, turn them on after the “curtain call,” and/or or take them home as a gift, etc. Let me know your ideas on the intention in my social media comment links below! I think the most fun scenario would have been for the performers to tell the audience during the last song “Let me see your lights yall! If you don’t have a necklace, wave your phones in the air!” or something.
Theatre Company : ArtsWest
Venue: ArtsWest
Venue Physical Address: 4711 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
Price: Cheap to Medium – They have easy pay-what-you-can options in the online ticketing portal so you don’t need to shamefully verbally tell the box office you can’t afford regular-priced tickets.
Dates: November 25 – December 23, 2022
Seating: Assigned
Parking: There are paid lots and free street parking. I usually park on 44th or 45th Ave behind the theatre.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Mr. Dickens & His Carol play at Seattle Rep adapted from the same-titled book. Backstory on how Charles Dickens’ wrote A Christmas Carol. Always cool to see a rotating stage. MJ Seiber’s characters were a delight. Didn’t expect the perpetrator’s reveal in the end. Still working out the mystery behind Tiny Tim’s mom. #theatre #Christmas #xmas
Synopsis from the Theatre: Charles Dickens should be looking forward to Christmas. When his latest book is a flop, putting both his popularity and finances in peril, his publishers give an ultimatum: write a Christmas book within a month or lose everything. Adapted for the stage from Samantha Silva’s critically acclaimed novel, this tale set in the heart of Victorian England weaves a fictional take on Dickens’ past, present, and future into a comedic and poignant new holiday classic.
Reviewed Performance: 11/30 Evening – Opening Night
Type: Play
World Premiere: Yes
Recommendation: See it if you like A Christmas Carol but you want to see something new.
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 13 out of 14
Length: 2.5 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Set and Scenic Design: There were no curtains hiding the left and right side of offstage. I’ve noticed Seattle Rep uses this uncommon scene design more often in recent performances with Ghost and Where We Belong. So the audience was able to see the actors who were not performing, the technical equipment, and the set design pieces that weren’t used in the current scene. This exposed offstage decision seems novel and modern to me … for now.
Clock: The clock at the top of the stage frame was a nice centerpiece. I wish it worked though. If it’s too expensive to create moving hands, maybe they could just project hands on the bare clock face.
Central Contraption: There was a strange-looking contraption at centerstage where much of the action occurred. It had stairs and it could be split in two. The stage could also rotate it to convey a scene location change to the audience, which was effective. Check out my video below for a view of what I’m talking about.
Rant(s)
Microphone: It was difficult to hear the speaking characters and they needed better mic-ing. I actually wondered if they even wore microphones.
Dickens and Christmas References: One of the street urchins told Charles Dickens, “Please sir, I want some more” when Dickens gave the urchin money. There was also an instance where a market seller yelled out “Buy chestnuts on an open fire!” While I appreciate sprinkles of these “easter eggs” in the dialogue that feel like a wink to the audience, the script went too overboard on them.
Other Thought(s)
Tiny Tim’s Mom: Will someone send me a message telling me what happened to Tiny Tim’s mom? I’m so confused and I have some theories but I won’t spoil the story for my readers.
Theatre Company : Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Price: Medium to Expensive
Dates: November 25 to December 23, 2022
Seating: Assigned
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.
Adam Standley and members of the cast of Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Members of the cast of Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Adam Standley and Ryan Vincent Anderson in Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Sunam Ellis and Julie Briskman in Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Adam Standley and Basil Harris in Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Members of the cast of Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Wiz musical at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Well-cast Dorothy. Groovy gospel-like tunes. Stunning voices. Elaborate/colorful set, hair, & costumes. Retro vibe. Uncommon stage floorplan often put actors 3 ft away from us at the front row! “Ease on down the road” & buy your tickets to this awesome show! #Oz #WizardofOz #black #POC #BiPOC
Synopsis from the Theatre: Feel the power of love overflowing at this dazzling reimagining of The Wizard of Oz! With a soaring soul, R&B, and gospel score featuring hit songs “Brand New Day,” “Ease on Down the Road,” and “Home,” this fun, fresh 5th Avenue Theatre production is a hit the whole family will enjoy. When Dorothy finds herself in the fantastical world of Oz, she sets out to seek the aid of the mysterious Wiz, forging powerful new friendships with a Scarecrow, a Tinman, and a Lion along her way down the yellow brick road. But when she battles the devious Evillene to save her new friends, she learns that no matter where you’re from, home isn’t really where you live; it’s who you love. Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, The Wiz is an effervescent explosion of music, dance, magic, and delight. Don’t miss this 5th Avenue Theatre original staging!
Reviewed Performance: 11/27 Evening – Opening Night
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it … period!
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: Absolutely. I wish I had time this holiday season to see it again.
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 5 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: All of them
Length: 2.25 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Voices: The main characters’ voices were out of this world! There was Shaunyce Omar’s booming voice as the wicked witch of the West. Innocent Dorothy (Kataka Corn) surprised me with her powerful upper register. Be Russel easily handled the vocal range of the Wiz role, which was originally written for a man. Her real life sister (Sarah Russel) and Trina Mills easily wowed the audience with their belt as the witches of the North and South.
Stage Floorplan: The mainstage rotates like in Hamilton. There was a thin horizontal catwalk-like portion downstage in front of the orchestra to allow the actors closer access to the audience.
Cowardly Lion: Nate Tenenbaum was such a delight with his fierce walk, cat licks, tail twirling, and screams.
Toto: Nessa was such a well-trained dog. She “stayed” and sat quietly on-stage while watching the actors reciting their lines. I wish she were in more scenes though.
Favorite Lines: There were too many of them. “You’re the best wicked witch killer in this country,” “Girl, I’m gonna wear white to the funeral,” “If you don’t have STP, Crisco will do just fine,” “Owls don’t give answers. They just ask questions. Like Whoo?”
Gospel Music: The gospel influence on the musical score was wild! You could hear it in “Brand New Day (Everybody Rejoice),” “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News,” and “Born On The Day Before Yesterday.”
Scenic Design: The set was impressively ostentatious especially the Wiz’s throne room and the Emerald City.
Kalidahs: The red eyes reminded me of Cylons from Battlestar Galactica.
Rant(s)
Cold: My companion and I were freezing! I ended up wearing my wool top coat and donning my mittens. It shouldn’t be that cold for a show that can cost up to $180 per ticket for premium seats.
Set Movement: Minor pet peeve here. There was one scene in the end where the actors had to push two large set pieces towards the back of the stage. It would be less distracting if backstage workers could pull the set pieces so the audience doesn’t see this work.
Other Thought(s)
Twister Scene: There was an actress dressed in gold during the twister scene. I think she represented the eye of the twister. If that’s true, she needs to do more twirling to show that she’s the twister. If she wasn’t the twister, let me know in the comments of my social media posts below!
Tap Dance: I love watching tap dance in musicals. While I appreciated the tap dances in this show, it was mainly just the tin man performing them solo. I suggest the tap dances be more group than solo.
Theatre Company : 5th Avenue Theatre
Venue: 5th Avenue Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Medium to Expensive to Really Expensive
Dates: November 20 to December 23, 2022
Seating: Assigned
Parking: When I don’t walk to the theatre, I park in the paid garage at the Motif hotel NW of the theatre. The entrance is on 5th Ave. Do NOT park in the Hilton garage (entrance on 6th ave). That’s where most of the audience parks so it’s a nightmare to leave. However, the Hilton garage is the closest garage to the theatre and it has underground access to the theatre if you wanted to avoid the elements. But this benefit is not worth it in my opinion.
Nate Tenenbaum as Lion (foreground) and Phillip Attmore as Tinman and Kataka Corn as Dorothy (background) Photo Credit: Mark KitaokaKataka Corn (they/them) stars as Dorothy in The Wiz Photo Credit: Mark KitaokaNehemiah Hooks as Scarecrow, Kataka Corn as Dorothy, and the cast of The Wiz Photo Credit: Mark KitaokaSarah Russell as Addaperle and the cast of The Wiz Photo Credit: Tracy MartinThe cast of The Wiz Photo Credit: Mark KitaokaShauynce Omar as Evillene in The Wiz at The 5th Avenue Theatre Photo Credit: Mark KitaokaNate Tenenbaum (Lion), Kataka Corn (Dorothy), Be Russell (The Wiz), Nehemiah Hooks (Scarecrow), Phillip Attmore (Tinman) and the cast of The Wiz Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka(Dorothy), Trina Mills (Glinda), and the cast of The Wiz at The 5th Avenue Theatre Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka
