This Bitter Earth – Play – Seattle Public Theater

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): This Bitter Earth play at Seattle Public Theatre. Commentary on race & interracial/interclass relationships today. Great projections. Ironic ending … life is so random/unfair! Take care of your blessings! #LGBT #gay

Synopsis from the Theatre: A deep love is challenged by divisive political realities. Jesse, an introspective black playwright, finds his choices called into question when his boyfriend, Neil, a white Black Lives Matter activist, calls him out for his political apathy. As passions and priorities collide, this couple is forced to reckon with issues of race, class and the bravery it takes to love out loud.

Reviewed Performance: 1/28/23 Opening Weekend – Sorry for the late review. I’ve been busy with my dad in town.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Not really. It was a mix of events alternating between past and present.

Recommendation: See it if you’re 1) into commentaries on race 2) or okay with plays with only 2 actors

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: None

Number of Actors: 2

Length (Including Any Intermission): 105 mins, which was a little long. An intermission-less show shouldn’t be longer than 90 mins in my book.

Intermission: No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

  • Projections: They depicted an NYC taxi ride in a way I’ve never seen before. For the video, I think they attached a recorder to the back of a car driving around downtown. The performers acted a taxi scene while the video projected in the background. The home window projections were pretty good too. However, they shouldn’t project windows on a red brick wall. It doesn’t look as realistic as a flat white surface.

Rant(s)

  • Timeline: I’m personally not a fan of shows (or even books) that alternate between past and present frequently. The occasional flashback is okay but when it is frequent, the timeline is usually muddled and disjointed.

Other Musing(s)

  • Moral of the Story: The script felt like it was trying to make a statement, but I couldn’t grasp what it was. Maybe “take care of your blessings?” Also, what statements was it trying to convey about race and class? Leave a comment in my social media post links below about what you think is the message of the play.

Theatre Company: Seattle Public Theater

Venue: Seattle Public Theater

Venue Physical Address: 7312 West Green Lake Dr N, Seattle, WA 98103

Price: Cheap

Ticket Affordability Options: Every performance is pay-what-you-can. You can pay $5-50 per ticket online. It’s all honor system. The standard price is $36.

Dates: January 27 – February 19, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Free lot outside the theatre. It’s one of the public lots for Green Lake Park.

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Other Video +/- Pictures: See below pictures under video and in video by John Ulman

Cast and Production Team: See below video

@showsiveseen "This Bitter Earth" #play at @seattlepublictheater. Commentary on #race & #interracial/#interclass relationships today. Great projections. Ironic ending … life is so random/unfair. Take care of your blessings! Review: showsiveseen.com/3695 #LGBT #gay #theatre #BLM ♬ Remedy – Shaq Rayes
RoleName
Brodrick Santeze RyanJesse
Tyler RogersNeil
——
Harrison David RiversPlaywright
Brandon IvieDirector
Nate TenenbaumAssistant Director
Lowell DeoArtistic Liaison
Emily Marie HarveyStage Manager
Michael LathamAssistant Stage Manager
Lex MarcosScenic Designer
Amber ParkerLighting Designer
Meghan RocheSound Designer
Bella RiveraProperties Designer
Ahren BuhmannProjections Designer
Michael NotestineCostume Designer
Jasmine LomaxIntimacy Director + Fight Choreographer
Jennifer EwingScenic Charge
Locke LandisLead Electrician
Annie LareauArtistic Director

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