Preview Post – Laughs in Spanish – Play – Seattle Rep

Happy opening night to the Seattle Rep production of Laughs in Spanish comedy play. Performing until 5/11/25. Look out for my full review! #jaja #jajaja

Tickets: https://www.seattlerep.org/plays/202425-season/laughs-in-spanish

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Preview Post – Parade – Musical – The 5th Avenue Theatre

Happy opening night to the Parade musical national tour at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Closes 5/4/25. Stay tuned for my full review. #georgia #theSouth #south #southern

Tickets: https://www.5thavenue.org/shows/2024-25/parade/

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Life of Pi – Play – Review – Paramount Theatre

@showsiveseen "Life of Pi" #play from @Seattle Theatre Group & Broadway Across America. Starring @manlykoala. Incredibly realistic puppetry. Hauntingly beautiful story. Mind blown at the final reveal. You’ll rethink everything. #Review : showsiveseen.com/12510 Playwright: L Chakrabarti Director: Max Webster, Ashley Brooke Monroe (Tour) Stage Mgr: Kelsey Tippins, Matthew Brooks, Fouad Hassan #lifeOfPi #theatre #showsiveseen @Life of Pi Broadway ♬ Queen of the Jungle – Klergy & ADONA

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Life of Pi play from Seattle Theatre Group & Broadway Across America. Starring Taha Mandviwala. Incredibly realistic puppetry. Hauntingly beautiful story. Mind blown at the final reveal. You’ll rethink everything.

Recommendation:
See it, especially if you enjoy stage puppetry like in The Lion King.


Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Probably not, but it was good.

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Yes

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Pi and his family leave behind their idyllic life in India (along with the animals from their zoo) setting sail for Canada to escape growing political unrest. But their voyage quickly turns into a harrowing fight for survival where nature is unforgiving, and the rule is simple: eat or be eaten.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: A THEATRICAL EVENT UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE! Winner of three Tony Awards® and the Olivier Award for Best Play, the Broadway and West End sensation LIFE OF PI is “an exhilarating evening of theater” (The Wall Street Journal). Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel that sold more than 15 million copies and became a worldwide phenomenon, LIFE OF PI is an epic story of perseverance and hope that speaks to every generation and “gives new life to Broadway” (The Today Show). Told with jaw-dropping visuals, world class puppetry and exquisite stagecraft, Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation of LIFE OF PI creates a breathtaking journey that will leave you filled with awe and joy.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: A couple

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Dynamic

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you might appreciate this more if you read the book or saw the movie.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Union Actors: All

Total Actors: Too many to count

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to fast speed – I was surprised how quickly we reached the end of the first act.

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.25 hours

Other Rave(s)

  • Puppetry: While I’m typically not a fan of stage puppetry, the animal puppetry design and execution were incredibly realistic and detailed. It felt like the puppets had minds of their own – wild and fierce! Think of the puppets in The Lion King but with a vengeance. It was probably the most well-executed puppetry I’ve seen on stage. Side note, they designed the tiger so toned and muscular. If he were on the apps, he’d be getting swipes all day!
  • Symbolism: The reveal at the end recontextualized everything I’d just seen. You know it’s a good twist when it causes you to mentally replay and reevaluate the scenes after the show. It reminded me of the satisfying reveal in ArtsWest’s recent Covenant play.
  • Tough Love with Teeth: At the start, Pi came off as an infuriatingly naïve child. He was curious to the point of recklessness and in desperate need of a reality check. When his father discovered Pi wandered near the tiger Richard Parker, the punishment his father ingeniously devised was brutal but undeniably effective to traumatically brand Pi’s mind with the lesson. In a move that was both horrifying and unforgettable, he placed Pi’s beloved goat, Buckingham, in the tiger’s enclosure so Pi could witness the raw, unforgiving nature of wild animals. I have to admit, given how exasperating Pi was at first, a twisted part of me welcomed the lesson. That’ll teach ‘im! Sometimes, harsh truths bite hardest when they’re served with teeth.
  • Favorite Line: “To choose doubt [agnosticism] as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as means of transportation.”

Rant(s)

  • Paramount Theatre Seats: As I’ve often noted, the seating arrangement at the Paramount Theatre is infamous for obstructed views due to a shallow floor incline. I found myself struggling to see over the person in front of me. I’m not short and they weren’t tall.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

  • Survival: The harrowing portrayal of survival was both disturbing and deeply affecting. I can only hope I’m never faced with such a horrifying desperate fight for existence.

Theatre Company: National Tour from Broadway Across America and Seattle Theatre Group

Venue: Parmount Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 911 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101

Price Range: $35 to 130 plus the insane Ticketmaster fees. Buy your ticket at the box office to avoid the exorbitant fees. Down with the Ticketmaster Live Nation monopoly!

Ticket Affordability Options: Seattle Theatre Group might partner with an organization you’re affiliated with for discount tickets. For example, I believe UW employees/students are eligible for an organization discount.

Dates: 4/15/25 to 4/20/25

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 move closer to the West Precinct (810 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101). Do NOT park where the Paramount subscribers park. Last I checked, they 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.

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Pictures: See production pictures below by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.com.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.

Taha Mandviwala as ‘Pi’ and puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner, Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis as ‘Richard Parker’ in the National Tour of LIFE OF PI. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024.
Taha Mandviwala as ‘Pi’ and puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner, Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis as ‘Richard Parker’ and the cast of the National Tour of LIFE OF PI. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024.
Taha Mandviwala as ‘Pi’ and puppeteers Anna Leigh Gortner, Shiloh Goodin and Toussaint Jeanlouis as ‘Richard Parker’ in the National Tour of LIFE OF PI. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024.
Pragun Bhardwaj, Taha Mandviwala and the cast of the National Tour of LIFE OF PI. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024.
Taha Mandviwala as ‘Pi’ and Austin Wong Harper (puppeteer) in the National Tour of LIFE OF PI. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024.
The cast of the National Tour of LIFE OF PI. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024.
Taha Mandviwala as ‘Pi’ and the cast of the National Tour of LIFE OF PI. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade 2024.
Credits from the printed Encore program.
Credits from the printed Encore program.
Credits from the printed Encore program.
Credits from the printed Encore program.

A Raisin in the Sun – Play – Review – Taproot Theatre and Acts on Stage

@showsiveseen Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" #play by @TaprootTheatre & @ACTSONSTAGE. Engaging dialogue. Phenomenal "woe is me" moments from Marlette Buchanan, Shermona Mitchell, & @TeferiMagic. Closes next weekend! #Review: showsiveseen.com/12440 Photos: Robert Wade Director: @Bretteney Beverly Stage Mgr: Leila Cheung #showsiveseen #theatre ♬ Wishing on a Star – Rose Royce

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun play by Taproot Theatre & Acts on Stage. Engaging dialogue. Phenomenal “woe is me” moments from Marlette Buchanan, Shermona Mitchell, & Arlando Smith. Closes next weekend!

Recommendation:
See it, especially if you enjoy dialogue plays.


Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? No, I previously saw this at Seattle Rep. I think it was the first time I visited Seattle Rep!

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Probably

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Yes

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Following the death of her husband, the matriarch of a poor African American family receives a windfall life insurance payout. What begins as a moment of financial relief quickly sparks a passionate family debate over how the money should be spent – revealing dreams, tensions, and racial struggles.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: An American classic! A life insurance payout provides a path for Lena Younger to move her family from their cramped apartment on the south side of Chicago to an affordable home in a historically white neighborhood. But racial intolerance threatens to turn their American dream into heartbreak.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: A couple

Several or Few Settings/Locations: An apartment living room

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Static

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes, but it was more dialogue than action

Union Actors: 3

Total Actors: 9

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.75 hours

Other Rave(s)

  • “Woe is Me” Moments: I was completely captivated by the show’s “woe is me” moments of raw, emotionally charged monologues. It was as if the characters were wailing out in biblical anguish, weeping and gnashing their teeth, donning sackcloth and ashes. Shermona Mitchell (as Ruth Younger) delivered a poignant breakdown in hysterics, desperately offering to clean the entire country so her dream would come true. Arlando Smith (as Walter Lee Younger) gave a searing performance, collapsing emotionally as he wailed, “That money is made of my father’s flesh!” And finally, Marlette Buchanan (as Lena “Mama” Younger), who normally maintained a calm, dignified, positive presence, lost it and allowed her composed exterior to crack in Act II, when she learned of a heartbreaking betrayal.
  • Dialogue: The script featured engaging dialogue, kicking off with a verbal spar between siblings Beneatha (played by Deja Monet Culver) and Walter Lee. Although the play leaned heavily on dialogue, it never felt weighed down by it, which was a pleasant surprise for me since I typically don’t gravitate toward dialogue-driven pieces.
  • Mama: Marlette Buchanan portrayed a delightful family matriarch as Lena “Mama” Younger. She embodied the warmth of an indulgent grandmother with a genteel accent and precise diction. She reminded me of Adele Webber from Grey’s Anatomy – gracious, yet formidable when it counted. I especially loved the quiet authority she displayed in an entrusting moment with her son Walter Lee during Act I and the resolute, almost ultimatum-like challenge to him in Act II.
  • Contrast: A thoughtful juxtaposition emerged between Mama and Beneatha as they flanked Ruth like opposing forces with Mama embodying the nurturing, traditional “good angel” while Beneatha challenged norms as the fiery, progressive “bad angel.” It was a striking clash of generational values: the enabling mother versus the fiercely independent, feminist agnostic.
  • Comparison to Seattle Rep: Taproot Theatre’s production felt far more engaging than Seattle Rep’s version from 2016. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve grown older, Taproot Theatre’s production itself is stronger, or that I appreciate plays more now. I attended Taproot’s version with some skepticism, shaped by vague memories of being bored at the Seattle Rep. But to my surprise, Taproot’s production won me over and I ended up enjoying it far more than I anticipated.

Rant(s)

  • Slow Start: The show opened with an extended, quiet sequence of a household slowly waking up. While it may have aimed for realism, it lacked a strong hook. In an era dominated by fast-paced, flashy, 1-minute entertainment like TikTok, this kind of slow burn risks losing the audience before the story even begins.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

  • Cast and Characters: A cast of nine felt uniquely sizable for Taproot Theatre. It was also a bit strange that several actors were introduced only in the second act like the well-to-do George Murchison (Donovan Mahannah), the white HOA representative Karl Lindner (Tim Gouran), and Walter Lee’s business partner Bobo (Jeffrey Cheatham II).
  • Joseph Asagai: Nigerian international student Joseph Asagai (portrayed by Dimitri Woods) exuded charm, but at times came off too smooth like a slick salesman particularly when peddling lofty, idealistic visions that felt detached from the lived realities of African Americans. His second-act monologue, while passionate, lacked clarity and left me uncertain about its ultimate message.
  • Idealism vs Pragmaticism: Call me a heartless sellout, but I wouldn’t have taken the noble path at the end of the play. When it comes down to it, money talks. Some people don’t have the luxury of missing out on a significant monetary opportunity for the sake of proving a point that very well may fall on deaf ears. Maybe I’d feel differently if I were African American. But to be fair, I still have the perspective of a racial minority.
  • Slap: I’m always a fan of a well-timed, literal slap in the face when a character says something truly offensive. There’s something cathartic about it. But in this production, the moment lacked impact (pun not intended). Just to be clear, I’m not advocating to hurt actors. But the illusion could’ve been more gasp-worthy.
  • Manhood: The script centers on Walter Lee’s journey toward the responsibility of manhood … or more accurately, his transformation from a spoiled, entitled, and squandering little boy. But what’s striking is that the family never actually needed a man to “save” them. Three clear-headed, resilient women managed just fine without him. In fact, Walter Lee was the source of many of the family’s struggles, not their solution. Additionally, the script exposes the double standard of how society treats men and women. Men like Walter Lee are given a free pass to stumble, fail and “find themselves.” Their missteps are excused under the tired old banner of “boys will be boys.” Meanwhile, women are expected to “go be a nurse like other women or just get married and shut up!” The play isn’t just about one man growing up, it’s about how the patriarchy inhibits growth, potential, and justice. Down with the patriarchy!
  • Set Design: Initially, the set seemed to depict a house, but it gradually became clear it was meant to be an apartment … albeit an unusual one, with a bathroom oddly situated outside the front door. Was that historically accurate? The staging also raised a logistical oddity: characters exiting through the front door never seemed to cross paths with those entering moments later.
  • Title: The script itself never explicitly explains the origin of the title “A Raisin in the Sun.” I looked it up and the phrase is actually drawn from Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem,” which asks, “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” The reference suggests that when dreams are left unfulfilled, both the dreams and the dreamers risk withering away, stunted by circumstance and time.

Theatre Company: Taproot Theatre and Acts on Stage

Venue: Jewell Mainstage at Taproot Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103

Price Range: $25-62

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Paid lot or usually-free street parking. I always find free street parking on Greenwood Ave just South of the theatre.

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Pictures: See production pictures below by Robert Wade.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.

Shermona Mitchell, Channing Gistarb, and Marlette Buchanan in A Raisin in the Sun at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.
Marlette Buchanan, Tim Gouran, and Shermona Mitchell in A Raisin in the Sun at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.
Arlando Smith and Jeffrey Cheatham II in A Raisin in the Sun at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.
Shermona Mitchell, Deja Culver, Marlette Buchanan, Arlando Smith, and Channing Gistarb in A Raisin in the Sun at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.
Donovan Mahannah, Shermona Mitchell, and Deja Culver in A Raisin in the Sun at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.
Deja Culver, Arlando Smith, and Shermona Mitchell in A Raisin in the Sun at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.
Marlette Buchanan and Dimitri Woods in A Raisin in the Sun at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.
Credits from the printed Encore program.
Credits from the printed Encore program.

Preview Post – Athena – Play – ArtsWest & Salle Auriol Fencing Club

Happy opening night to ArtsWest & Salle Auriol Fencing Club’s Athena play production. Performing bouts till 5/4/25. Look out for my full review! #friendship #competition

Tickets: https://www.artswest.org/events/athena/

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