53% Of – Play – Review – Sound Theatre Company – Shows I've Seen

@showsiveseen Steph Del Rosso's "53% Of" #play by @Sound Theatre Company at @Seattle Center Theatre. Funny parody of social justice warriors. And I always love a portrayal of conservative WASPy suburban housewives. Good dialogue & execution. Show closes on 6/30! #whitePeople #whiteGuilt #caucasians #showsiveseen #theatre Review: showsiveseen.com/8997 Photos: @giaoo2 Directors: @Mona_Lisa_Turtle ♬ Blue Butterfly – Neon Dreams

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Steph Del Rosso’s 53% Of play by Sound Theatre Company at Seattle Center Theatre. Funny parody of social justice warriors. And I always love a good portrayal of conservative WASPy suburban housewives. #whitePeople #whiteGuilt #caucasians

Recommendation
See it if you’re okay with plays that are more dialogue than action.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Named for the percentage of white women who (according to initial exit polls) voted for Trump in 2016, 53% Of skewers different voter demographics: a conservative Pennsylvania moms group, their husbands, an enclave of progressive 20-something New Yorkers planning a march–as long as it doesn’t interfere with their yoga. This election year satire, set during 2016-17 with an all-female-presenting cast, holds an unfiltered mirror while asking us how truthfully we see ourselves.

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Listen to conversations between white Americans on the right and left of the political spectrum. None are in the center.

Attended Performance Date: Opening Night 6/15/24 – Keep your eyes peeled for preview posts on my website and social media if you want earlier notification of shows I’ve seen. Buy your tickets now since the show closes on 6/30.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: 4 scenes

Several or Few Settings/Locations: 4 locations

Static (Stationary) Set? Yes

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You should be aware of the American political zeitgeist before and after the 2016 election.

Defined Plot/Storyline: No, it was more dialogue than plot. Usually, I don’t enjoy dialogue plays as much, but this one was actually alright.

Equity Actors: 1

Total Number of Actors: 6

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to fast speed. Usually, I frequently check the clock in dialogue plays, but this time I did not.

Was there an intermission? No

Length (Including Any Intermission): 100 minutes

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No

Mainstream Appeal: Medium to Low

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Social Justice Warrior Scene: Coming from a Texan living in woke Seattle, I enjoyed the parody of holier-than-thou Brooklyn social justice warriors one-upping each other and finding new ways to be triggered/offended. I had to look up what the heck “intersectionality” meant after the show! Were the necklaces made of tampons? The scene culminated into a bizarre white guilt frenzy reminiscent of Pentecostals speaking in tongues.
Conservative Suburban Housewives: I always love a good portrayal of WASP-y suburban (desperate) housewives. The more “Stepford,” the better. Bring in the marshmallow salad and PTA mom cat fights! Clutch those pearls and let the red wine flow in the Real Housewives of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Rant(s)

Male Portrayal: The male characters played by female actors didn’t seem very realistic. I’m not sure if it was the script or the execution.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Message from the Playwright: The play was entertaining, but I couldn’t decipher the moral of the story. Was it just “Both conservatives and liberals are crazy?”
Title: I rarely read the synopsis of a show before I attend it. Throughout watching this this play, I continued to wonder why the playwright named it 53% Of. I still don’t understand why even after the seeing show and after reading the synopsis. The play wasn’t about the 53% of white women Trump supporters.

Theatre Company: Sound Theatre Company

Venue: Center Theatre at Seattle Center

Venue Physical Address: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109

Price: $25

Tickets: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36643/production/1199127

Ticket Affordability Options: You can self-select the $5 inclusion price level on the ticketing website.

Dates: June 15 to June 30, 2024

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Paid street parking or paid lot/garage parking. I usually park on the street near the skating park (313 Taylor Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109) East of the theatre. It’s more expensive on Climate Pledge Arena event days though. In that case, I might take the bus or park in South Lake Union around Dexter Avenue and Harrison Street.

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