Performance Type – Page 22 – Shows I've Seen

Hotdish – Play – Pony World Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Brandon Healy’s Hotdish play by Pony World Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Directed by Charlotte Peters. Midwest repression/escapism that felt universal. Funny caricatures from Jessica Robin’s. Good acting delivery from James Hyun Lee (returning from an 8-year hiatus). Novel live video component and nice stage.

Recommendation
See it if you enjoyed Dream Hou$e.

Synopsis from the Theatre: For this world premiere play, simply combine 3 “hotdishes” (casseroles for you non-Minnesotans), one dysfunctional family, one reality TV show, tater tots, black pepper, your grandmother’s rose water perfume, a few dashes of joy, and a pinch of heartache. Kayla Liggett has taken in her unemployed brother, Toby, while he looks for work. But Toby thinks the answer to all his troubles is winning his favorite reality TV cooking show, Champion Chef. As Toby falls deeper into this enticing fantasy, their mother Evelyn faces her own financial crisis. It falls to Kayla to save them both, but she can barely keep her own life together. Guided by a magical being who happens to be the glamorous host of Champion Chef, the family must face what fractured their lives in the first place. Hotdish tells a story about family, food, and fixing the cracks in all our hearts.

Attended Performance Date: 11/9/23 – See my previous preview posts here.

Type: Play

World Premiere: Yes

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set: Yes

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You’d probably appreciate the script more if you’re familiar with Midwest themes. For example, the hotdish concept is traditionally from the Midwest, which I didn’t know until after the play.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Mostly yes

Equity Actors: Zero

Total Number of Actors: 5

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium speed

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.25 hours

Was there an intermission? Yes

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Scenic Design: The home kitchen reminded me of Village Theatre’s Book Club stage. The fridge remarkably occasionally doubled as an entrance/exit and an actual fridge.
Novel Live Videography: Some scenes were portrayed like a reality TV cooking show competition where a stagehand recorded the actors and the video replayed on the audience like a TV show in real time. Occasionally they combined the live video with pre-recorded clips. They’re definitely working double time in A/V room during this production! The live video component reminded me of the basketball player in Village Theatre’s Songs for a New World. This novel videography was very effective for the non-speaking parts. However, there was a noticeable slight delay in the live video while the actor was speaking to the camera. I also observed this delay at Village Theatre. And if I’m not mistaken, I also noticed this delay at the Blue Man Group national tour. So, I’m not sure that there is any good solution. Maybe transmit the video via a cable instead wirelessly for better latency?
Reveal (Slight Spoiler): There was a reveal in the second act that reminded me of Gabe’s birthday scene in Next to Normal. I’m now second guessing the scenes I saw previous to this reveal!
Universal Themes: The script seemed to focus on Midwest repression and hopelessness, but it felt universal. The need for fantasy/escape was similar to the theme in She Kills Monsters. I empathized with Toby Ligget (played by James Hyun Lee) as he described his alienation, depression, and failure. And I felt Kayla Liggett’s (played by Sydney Kaser) yearning as she described the need for familiar safe physical company as she copes with being the strong one in the family. The white noise during Toby’s longing made the pressure in his mind all the more tangible.
Caricatures: Jessica Robins portrayed a plethora of caricatures like a rough tap-dancing Irish bartender, a phone operator, and a grisly seasoned tow-trucker. Her reality TV show host persona reminded me of Tessa from Dream Hou$e, which was also produced at 12th Ave Arts. My absolute favorite personality was the bank officer with a delightful Midwest accent especially during her funny mini monologues on doughnuts and coffee (pronounced “cawfee”). Kudos for the several the costume changes behind the bar/counter, which were probably uncomfortable!

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Reality TV Exploitation: The reality TV cooking show theme of this play reminded me of a Matteo Lane comedy bit (see segment between 2:00 to 3:30) where he noted that American reality TV shows exploit contestants’ backstories while the British shows ignore them.

Theatre Company: Pony World Theatre

Venue: 12th Avenue Arts

Venue Physical Address: 1620 12th Ave #203, Seattle, WA 98122

Price: Cheap

Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6146488

Dates: November 3 to December 2, 2023

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. Street parking is extremely limited since it’s Capitol Hill. Your best luck would be East of Cal Anderson Park on 11th or 12th Ave. The cheapest paid lot close by is at 1300 E Olive St with the entrance on 14th Ave. I highly suggest parking far away or taking the bus since the lots are expensive in Capitol Hill.

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Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and/or video below

@showsiveseen "#Hotdish" #play by Pony World Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Directed by @charlotte. #Midwest repression/escapism that felt universal. Funny caricatures from @jrobartist. Good acting delivery from @DogtorJames (returning from an 8-year hiatus). Nice stage & novel live video component. Photos: Tanya Izadora & Ken Holmes. Review: showsiveseen.com/7259 #theatre #showsiveseen #Minnesota #realityTV #cooking ♬ Keeping Everything Inside – Sophie Pecora

Cast of *Hotdish*. Photo by Tanya Izadora.

Rebecca as Evelyn, confronting Sydney as Kayla. Photo by Ken Holmes.

Jessica Robins and James Lee. Photo by Ken Holmes.

Miranda Interviews Toby. Photo by Ken Holmes.

The Final Family Showdown. Photo by Ken Holmes.

Jessica Robins as Miranda Pashant. Photo by Ken Holmes.

Miranda Tries Toby’s Cooking. Photo by Ken Holmes.

Jessica Robins and Sydney Kaser. Photo by Ken Holmes.

Sydney, Rebecca, and James as the Liggett Family. Photo by Ken Holmes.

Jessica Robins as Miranda with Van Lang Pham as Kevin. Photo by Ken Holmes.

Role	Name
Toby Liggett	James Hyun Lee
Kayla Liggett	Sydney Kaser
Evelyn Liggett	Rebecca Goldberg
Kevin	Van Lang Pham
Miranda	Jessica Robins
—	—
Director	Charlotte Peters
Playwright	Brendan Healy
Stage Manager	Kristin Brown
Assistant Stage Manager	Michael Latham
Scenic Designer	Sann Hall
Lighting Designer	Chih-Hung Shao
Props Designer	Andrea Spraycar
Sound Designer	Justin Johnson
Projections Designer	Brendan Mack
Costume Designer	Luna McMeen
Video And Additional Assets	Peter Antoniou & Charlotte Peters
Technical Director	Justin Duffiance
Scenic Charge Artist	Annie Duffiance
Production Manager	Ellie Hughes
Artist Liaison	Lisa Viertel

Preview Post – Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Village Theatre

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical opening night at Village Theatre. Performing until 1/28/24. Saw the national tour twice before this production. Stay tuned for my full review! #caroleKing

Final Review (Posted 12/4/23): https://www.showsiveseen.com/beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-village-theatre/

Tickets: https://villagetheatre.org/shows/beautiful/

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Islander – Musical – Seattle Rep

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Finn Anderson & Stewart Melton’s Islander musical at Seattle Rep staring Sylvie Stenson, Stephanie MacGaraidh, Lois Craig, & Julia Murray. Novel audio concept that every played accompaniment & sound effect was dynamically recorded on-stage minutes/seconds earlier. High improv-like stakes!

Recommendation
See it if either 1) you like non-traditional musicals with a novel gimmick like Freestyle Love Supreme 2) you appreciate modern British theatre 3) or you’re okay with small-cast shows.

Synopsis from the Theatre: Myth and reality collide when the tide washes a mysterious stranger onto the shore of Eilidh’s lonely island, changing her life forever. Join us for a musical showcase of epic storytelling, intimately staged with a contemporary Scottish folk-inspired score. Two actors embody a host of characters while weaving, building, and layering their voices using live looping technology. This internationally acclaimed hit will create an expansive, ethereal soundscape for the ears and imagination as Seattle Rep kicks off the North American Tour.

Attended Performance Date: 10/25/23 (Opening Night) – See my previous preview posts here.

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set: Yes, because it was austere

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You need to understand fast British accents.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: The performers and the mixing boards were the “band” in that they recorded sounds on-stage and dynamically generated an accompaniment when they weren’t singing acapella. There were no instruments or pre-recorded tracks … although we can’t prove the absence of pre-recorded tracks!

Equity Actors: Zero but I assume it was because this tour was from the UK

Total Number of Actors: 2

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.5 hours

Was there an intermission? No

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Unique Audio Source: All the sound effects and accompaniment were recorded and mixed on-stage in front of the audience. Seconds or minutes later, the audience would hear the sounds interleaved in an audio track with different autotuned pitches and rhythms. Every time I heard a new sound, I tried to determine what portion of the show it was recorded from. Sometimes the actors would later harmonize with a recording of their own voice. This was very similar to how Taylor Swift performed her 1989 world tour “Blank Space” song in this clip (see 3:45 – 5:15). In musicals, performers are expected to dance, act, and sing. Add “operate a mixing board” to that list of duties in this musical!
Storm Scene Lighting: The strobe-like flashing lights were a cool (albeit easy) way to depict a lightning and rain storm.
Favorite Line: “Can I ask you something?” “You just did.”

Rant(s)

Story Comprehension: It was difficult to differentiate between characters since there was extensive cast doubling with only two performers. Plus, there were no costume changes between characters. The strong British accents also made it difficult to follow the dialogue. This is coming from someone who doesn’t attend much Shakespeare because the old English is hard to understand.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Pedal: Will anybody enlighten me what happened when someone pressed the foot pedal? Leave a comment on my social media links below!

Theatre Company: National Tour

Venue: Seattle Repertory Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109

Price: Medium to Expensive

Tickets: https://www.seattlerep.org/plays/202324-season/islander/

Ticket Affordability Options:

Theatre’s official pages about discounts and pay-what-you-can performances
TodayTix

Dates: October 20 to November 19, 2023

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 plentiful 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.

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and/or video below

@showsiveseen Finn Anderson & Stewart Melton's @islandermusical at @seattlerep staring Sylvie Stenson, @Steph MacGaraidh, @Lois Craig, & Julia Murray. Directed by Amy Draper. Novel audio concept that every played accompaniment & sound effect was dynamically recorded on-stage minutes/seconds earlier. High improv-like stakes! Review: showsiveseen.com/7197 #Islander #showsiveseen #theatre #scottish #scotland #whale #whales #musical ♬ love song (hesitations) (sped up) – Lofuu & Shiloh Dynasty & dprk

Stephanie MacGaraidh and Sylvie Stenson in *Islander*. Photo by Nate Watters.

Julia Murray and Lois Craig in *Islander*. Photo by Sayed Alamy.

Sylvie Stenson and Stephanie MacGaraidh in *Islander*. Photo by Steve Tanner.

Lois Craig and Julia Murray in *Islander*. Photo by Steve Tanner.

Julia Murray and Lois Craig in *Islander*. Photo by Steve Tanner.

Preview Post – Hotdish – Play – Pony World Theatre

Hotdish play by Pony World Theatre at 12th Ave Arts. Performing until 12/2/23. Stay tuned for my full review!

Final Review (Posted 11/21/23): https://www.showsiveseen.com/hotdish-play-pony-world-theatre/

Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6146488

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Miss You Like Hell – Musical – Strawberry Theatre Workshop

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Miss You Like Hell musical w/ Strawberry Theatre Workshop at 12th Ave Arts, starring Maggie Carrido & Stephanie Roman, directed by Nicholas Japaul Bernard. Best part was when an audience member loudly exclaimed, “Oh no!” Didn’t end like I expected. Pilar O’Connell rocked! Craved a tamale after the show.

Recommendation
See it if you were affected by American immigration laws.

Synopsis from the Theatre: A teenager and her estranged mother—an undocumented Mexican on the verge of deportation—embark on a road trip across the United States to mend their frayed relationship. Combined with the musical talent of Erin McKeown, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes artfully crafts a story of the barriers and the bonds of family, while also addressing the complexities of immigration in today’s America.

Attended Performance Date: 10/14/23 (Opening Night) – See my previous preview posts here.

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set: No

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Equity Actors: 1

Total Number of Actors: 9

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours

Was there an intermission? No

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes and it was also my first time attending a musical by Strawberry Theatre Workshop. I’ve only previously attended their plays, which are typically good.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Maybe if it was a full-fledged professional production

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Pilar O’Connell: Pilar’s singing and acting stole the show as Mo, a gay dude in leather chaps.
Beatriz: I think this was my first time seeing Maggie Carrido on-stage. Her unique sultry voice served her well for a role (Beatriz) that was originally portrayed by Daphne Rubin-Vega in NYC. Honestly, I prefer Maggie’s voice!
Favorite Lines: This musical was filled with lines that were shocking and funny. Sorry if the following examples are not quoted 100% verbatim!
- “I was crying so much my mascara was down to my ankles”
- Olivia told her mom “You’re a MILF”
- “My boobs were like snow cones”
- “My parents weren’t married. So, technically I’m a bastard.”
- “I thought I was bleeding from my pussy”
Clerk Scene: The best part of the show was when an audience member loudly exclaimed “Oh no!” and passionately nearly stood up during a scene where a deliciously unlikable court clerk (played by Olivia Sutherland) rudely spoke to the main characters.

Rant(s)

Book and Music: Since this musical’s score and book is inherently tepid, it won’t appeal to wide audiences, especially if the production isn’t from a full-fledged professional theatre company. I’m curious how audiences received the original NYC production because the original cast soundtrack didn’t sound too impressive.
Sound Balancing: Hopefully this was only an issue on opening night, but the non-ensemble characters were not equally mic’ed. For example, a major character wore a microphone but I’m not sure that it was even on. Like I recently mentioned in my last review of Seattle Public Theater’s Macbeth production, try to sit away from the band so it’s easier to hear the singers. Unfortunately, that means you’ll sacrifice a little on the view.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Stage Layout: I’m not a huge fan of the parallel-style seating arrangement in the image below. The audience ends up seeing too many actors’ backs. An okay alternative is when the seating is more U-shaped.
Sullen Teenager Trope: I’m also not a huge fan of the sullen “nobody understands me” teenager trope. It’s tired and annoying. I want to tell these characters, “Oh boo hoo! Grow up, get over yourself, and join the real world!”
Vocal Range: Again, like I recently mentioned about Seattle Public Theater’s Macbeth production, gender-inclusive casting (though well-intentioned) often needs transposition when an actor sings a part that was written for the opposite gender in mind. Without transposition, the performer either sounds like they’re singing too high or too low.

Theatre Company: Strawberry Theatre Workshop

Venue: 12th Avenue Arts

Venue Physical Address: 1620 12th Ave #203, Seattle, WA 98122

Price: Cheap

Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/strawberrytheatreworkshop/994759

Dates: October 12 to November 11, 2023

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. Street parking is extremely limited since it’s Capitol Hill. Your best luck would be East of Cal Anderson Park on 11th or 12th Ave. Cheapest paid lots are on 11th Ave next to the park. I highly suggest parking far away or taking the bus since the lots are expensive in Capitol Hill.

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

https://www.strawshop.org/miss-you.html

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and/or video below

@showsiveseen Quiara Alegria Hudes & Erin Mckeown's "Miss You Like Hell" #musical w/ Strawberry Theatre Workshop at 12th Ave Arts, starring Maggie Carrido & Stephanie Roman, directed by @Nicholas Bernard. @Pilar O'Connell rocked! Best part was when an audience member loudly exclaimed, "Oh no!" Didn't end like I expected. Craved a tamale after the show. Review: showsiveseen.com/7127 #showsiveseen #theatre #immigration #Mexican #deportation #roadTrip ♬ Dance with Me – Daphne Rubin-Vega & Danny Bolero & Latoya Edwards & 'Miss You Like Hell' Original Cast Ensemble

Role	Name
Ensemble/Higgins	Antonieta Carpio
Ensemble/Pearl	Jade Guillory-Kaub
Beatriz	Maggie Carrido
Ensemble/Mo	Pilar O’Connell*
Ensemble/Officer	Andreya Pro
Olivia	Stephanie Roman
Ensemble/Clerk	Olivia Sutherland
Ensemble/Manuel	Carolynne Wilcox
Ensemble/Lawyer/Ramona	Beth Pollack
—	—
Director & Choreographer	Nicholas Japaul Bernard
Book & Lyrics	Quiara Alegria Hudes
Associate Choreographer	Lexi Warden
Music & Lyrics	Erin McKeown
Music Director	Olivia Pedroza
Property Manager	Adam Zopfi Hulse
Costume Designer	Pete Rush
Lighting Designer	Chih-Hung Shao
Stage Manager	Megan Kay Wright
Scenic Designer	Greg Carter
Assistant Stage Manager	Claudia Landau
Graphic Designer	Melanie Wang
Dramaturg	Ana Maria Campoy
Box Office Manager	Galen Joseph Osier
Construction Designers	Andy Swan, Aiyana Stephens, Megan Carleton, Forrest Leonard
Band	Simon Alpren, Sam Brown, Toby Bruce, Thomas Cripe, Phil Demaree, Charles Eliot

* Member Actors Equity Association