Leave a comment mentioning a musical (other than “Les Misérables”) you haven’t seen but want to see and why. I’ll choose a winner after 6/7 11:59 PM.
Post your comment submission on my Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. This is a free SINGLE ticket for any available seat worth about $189-219 (depending on your chosen date) to any remaining “Les Misérables” musical performance at the 5th Avenue Theatre. The production run ends next weekend. Read my review at showsiveseen.com/5665.
Giveaway: I’m giving away a free ticket to this show. See details here. Congrats Anthony!
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Hello, Dolly! musical at Village Theatre starring Bobbi Kotula as the iconic matchmaker. Light, classic, traditional musical. Reminiscent of The Music Man.
Synopsis from the Theatre: Starring the incomparable Bobbi Kotula as Dolly Gallagher Levi, Hello, Dolly! triumphantly comes to Village Theatre this summer. Often revered as one of the greatest collections of songs in all of musical theatre history, this legendary musical follows the romantic and comedic exploits of Dolly Gallagher Levi, turn-of-the-century matchmaker and “woman who arranges things.” Hello, Dolly! celebrates a brilliant pioneering woman forging her own path in a world that constantly underestimates her. Through a cavalcade of joy, glorious song, and stunning dance, this is classical musical theatre at its best! “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” and catch this definitive musical “Before The Parade Passes By!”
Reviewed Performance: 5/27/23 – Opening Weekend
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it, especially if you like old-timey musicals like The Music Man.
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Maybe if it was on Broadway or if it was a national tour
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4 stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 11
Total Number of Actors: 24
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.75 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Business Cards: When Dolly handed business cards throughout the show, it reminded me of Village Theatre’s beta musical ZM. I wonder if Hello, Dolly! inspired the hillarious business card bit in ZM.
Advertising Theme: Cary Wong uniquely designed the stage with a vintage advertising theme. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that on-stage. Almost every scene background was designed like a newspaper ad. Coupled with the warm bright lighting, the scenic designed conveyed a wonderful nostalgic feel.
Costumes: Just like the scenic design, the intricate costume design by Esther Garcia transported the audience back to a different era where people actually dressed up … as opposed to “Seattle casual!” See stunning costumes in the pictures at the end of this article.
Favorite Line: As an increasingly-cynical (male) feminist, I loved the line “marriage is a bribe to make a housekeeper think she’s a householder.”
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Tap Dance: I sooo wish they included a tap dance number in the “Hello, Dolly” theme song. The performers moved their feet as if they were tap dancing but they weren’t wearing tap shoes!
Theatre Company: Village Theatre
Venue: Village Theatre
Venue Physical Address:
Issaquah: 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027
Issaquah: Free street parking and some free parking lot. Lot parking availablity is pretty difficult to find though. I’ve basically given up on that. I usually end up parking on Rainier Boulevard North. As a last resort, I think you can always find parking at the library but it’s a little far. Remember, there’s a bottom floor parking lot under the library’s main parking lot that most non-locals don’t know about.
Everett: Free street parking and some paid parking lots/garages.
Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Angela Sterling.
@showsiveseen "Hello, #Dolly!" #musical at Village Theatre starring Bobbi Kotula as the iconic #matchmaker. Light, classic, traditional musical. Reminiscent of "The Music Man." Unique vintage ad-themed scenic design by Carey Wong. Directed by Timothy McCuen Piggee. Photos by Angela Sterling. Review: showsiveseen.com/5737 #theatre♬ Hello, Dolly!
Bobbi Kotula and the cast of Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).John David Scott and the cast of Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).Allen Fitzpatrick and Karen Skrinde in Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).Bobbi Kotula and Allen Fitzpatrick in Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).Bobbi Kotula and the cast of Hello, Dolly! (2023) at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).John David Scott and the cast of Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).Sarah “SG” Garcia, Rhys Daly, Jessica Skerritt, and Markcus Blair in Hello, Dolly! at Village Theatre. Photo by Angela Sterling (2023).
Giveaway: I’m giving away a free ticket to this show. See more details here. Congrats to Anamaria!
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Les Misérables musical at the 5th Ave Theatre. Glorious, exciting, thrilling, and grand with a diverse cast. Nick Cartell’s voice (as Valjean) reminded me of Aaron Tveit.
Synopsis from the Theatre: Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables. This brilliant staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed as “Les Mis for the 21st Century” (Huffington Post), “a reborn dream of a production” (Daily Telegraph) and “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune). Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” “Master of the House” and many more. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals.
Reviewed Performance: 5/26/23 – Opening Night
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Recommendation: See it! – Especially if you like grand musicals like Phantom of the Opera
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: No, I saw this 3 times already at the Paramount a couple years ago, a Houston community production (awful), and the movie theater
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: I’m not sure … 4 times is already quite a lot for me
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 5 stars (Out of 5 Stars) and that’s saying a lot since this is not my preferred genre
Equity Actors: All of them
Total Number of Actors: A whooping 40!
Perceived Pace of the Show: Fast, which is surprising for a 3 hour show
Length (Including Any Intermission): 3 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Glorious Songs: From the prologue’s opening moments, this musical was filled with many gloriously-executed songs. I don’t remember feeling this impressed at the first Les Mis national tour I attended at the Paramount a couple years ago. It was particularly thrilling when the entire ensemble joined in song, especially in “At the End of the Day,” “Lovely Ladies,” “Master of the House,” “Look Down, “One Day More,” “Wedding Chorale,” and “Do You Hear the People Sing?”
Voices: Obviously in a national tour, the cast was filled with amazing voices. Many reminded me of golden voices from classic Disney masterpieces. Haley Dortch’s (as Fantine) pure voice w/ a slight vibrato in “I Dreamed a Dream” was enchanting. Devin Archer (as Enjolras) showcased his rich voice in “Red and Black.” Nick Cartell’s voice (as Valjean) reminded me of Aaron Tveit. Kudos on that long last note in “Bring Him Home.”
Projections: This production utilized projections well without overdoing it like how Anastasia went overboard on the projections. I like how the actors moved in place while stumbling in the sewers or while marching on the streets as the projection background zoomed in and created the illusion of movement progression. The projections also provided a neat transition from the battleground to the sewers. I loved how actors emerged mysteriously from the projected background from an obscured door in the screen. It took me a while to figure out that stage magic! Additionally, the projections coupled with suspending/flying cables provided novel suicide scene effects.
Shot Scene: They dramatically executed (no pun intended) how one of the lovable characters was shot on the barricade. The lights suddenly converged on the actor, and they fell.
Balcony Scene: Strangely, I don’t remember this scene from the last 3 productions I saw. Gregory Lee Rodriguez (as Marius) played a likably-awkward “Romeo” here.
Air Conditioner: Thank you 5th Avenue Theatre for turning the A/C on full blast! 🙂 Coming from Texas (yeehaw!), I hate how stingy Seattle is with the A/C.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Tatoo: Why didn’t Javert look for the chest tattoo on his mistaken Valjean? That’s bad detective work.
Ballroom Scene: I wish this musical was more like the bright ballroom scene. But I guess bright scenes don’t go well with a show title that literally means “The Miserable Ones.”
Cute Kids: Call me a Scrooge but I’m annoyed by overly-cute kids on-stage … even if they’re good performers. They remind me of the ridiculously sentimental Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol. Cute kids on-stage are too pandering to the audience and their cuteness distracts from their performing abilities.
Theatre Company: National Tour
Venue: The 5th Avenue Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Price: Expensive
Ticket Affordability Options: $49 day-of-show rush tickets at the box office are available for in Zones 3, 4, and 5. Contact the theatre directly for organizational discount affiliation possibilities like from your job. Goldstar or TodayTix usually offer good options too.
Dates: May 24 to June 17, 2023
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: When I don’t walk to the theatre or park on the street, 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 want to avoid the elements. But this benefit is not worth it in my opinion.
“One Day More” from Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Master of the House” from Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.Christine Heesun Hwang as Éponine in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.Preston Truman Boyd as Javert in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.(From L) Gregory Lee Rodriguez as Marius, Christine Heesun Hwang as Éponine, Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean, Addie Morales as Cosette in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.(From L) Preston Truman Boyd as Javert & Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Dog Eat Dog” – Matt Crowle as Thénardier and Gregory Lee Rodriguez as Marius in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Fall of Rain” – Christine Heesun Hwang as Éponine and Gregory Lee Rodriguez as Marius in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Red and Black” – Devin Archer as Enjolras and company in Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.“Beggars at the Feast” from Les Misérables. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Jeeves Takes a Bow play at Taproot Theatre directed by Scott Nolte adapted by Margaret Raether based on PG Wodehouse stories. Fast-moving light play … just how I like it! Chaotic comedy! Great job Jeeves understudy Mark Waldstein. It must be nice to have a butler to cushion your falls in life!
Synopsis from the Theatre: Bertie’s back! And this time his talent for trouble trails him to the Big Apple. When childhood chum Binkey Binkersteth knocks, one knacky notion leads to masterful mayhem and soon the notorious Knuckles McCann is fitting Bertie for a Chicago overcoat. Fortunately, the unflappable Jeeves is close at hand with a stiff cuppa joe and a penchant for putting things right!
Reviewed Performance: 5/19/23 – Opening Night
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Few
Several or Few Settings/Locations: One, the living room of a luxurious New York City apartment
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but I suspect you’d probably appreciate the play more if you’re familiar with PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves character. I only knew about Ask Jeeves from the 1990s prior to this performance.
Defined Plot/Storyline: Not particularly extensive. There’s only so much story that can unfold in a single room. It was more about comedic antics than unfolding complex plot.
Recommendation: See it, especially if you like chaotic comedies that Taproot Theatre tends to produce like The Nerd and See How They Run. Usually, I don’t prefer shows with focused on hijinks and antics but this one was actually pretty good.
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
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.5 stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 2
Total Number of Actors: 6
Perceived Pace of Show: Fast
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours that flew by. Time flies when you’re having fun!
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Delightful Characters: Many amusing personalities filled this play with funny 1930s dialogue. The prude Vivienne Duckworth was probably my favorite since I grew up with her repressive moralistic mentality. Kelly Karcher’s energetic portrayal of Vivienne reminded me of her previous Taproot Theatre role where she shined as Lydia in The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. The flapper-like NYC stardom-obsessed Ruby LeRoy (played by Claire Marx) was a wonderful contrast to prim British Vivienne. Speaking of contrasts, there was an “opposites attract” storyline, which I always eat up. It’s also worth mentioning Calder Shilling’s (Bertram Wilberforce Wooster) and Miguel Castellano’s (Nigel Bingham-Binkersteth, aka “Binkey”) lively portrayals of their British characters.
Scenic Design: While the design didn’t feel like 1910s-1920s era (seemed more 1980s-1990s), it was still visually pleasing. I was particularly drawn to the way high rise windows and the fire escape was designed.
Song: I was pleasantly surprised when Claire Marx sang a number in the second act. When I saw her name in the program, I remarked to myself that I usually see her in more music-related roles instead of pure acting parts. I’m glad she still briefly showcased her great musicality in her Ruby character.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Opening Remarks: The mundane opening remarks (like acknowledging the show sponsors) we hear before live theatre was pre-recorded like an old timey on-era NPR-like radio broadcast. Nice attention to detail.
Twist: Good unexpected twist with the gangster at the end of the first act!
Western Play Segment: Where did this chaotic scene come from? Very left field in my opinion.
Theatre Company: Taproot Theatre
Venue: Jewell Mainstage at Taproot Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video
@showsiveseen "Jeeves Takes a Bow" #play at @TaprootTheatre directed by Scott Nolte adapted by Margaret Raether based on PG Wodehouse stories. Opening night starring understudy Mark Waldstein & Calder Shilling w/ food from @Zylberschtein’s. Fast-moving light show – just how I like it. Chaotic #comedy! Photos by Robert Wade & @Giao Nguyen. Review: showsiveseen.com/5611 #theatre♬ original sound – Shows I've Seen
Left to right: Calder Shilling and Miguel Castellano in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.Left to right: Calder Shilling, Richard Nguyen Sloniker, and Miguel Castellano in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Giao Nguyen.Left to Right: Claire Marx and Miguel Castellano in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Giao Nguyen.Left to Right: Richard Nguyen Sloniker and Calder Shilling in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Giao Nguyen.Left to Right: Calder Shilling and Richard Nguyen Sloniker in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Giao Nguyen. Clockwise from left: Calder Shilling, Claire Marx, Miguel Castellano, and Richard Nguyen Sloniker in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Giao Nguyen.Calder Shilling and Miguel Castellano in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade. Left to right: Calder Shilling and Miguel Castellano in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade. Calder Shilling in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade. Left to right: Tyler Matthew Campbell and Kelly Karcher in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade. Miguel Castellano on the floor, then left to right: Calder Shilling, Claire Marx, Kelly Karcher, and Tyler Matthew Campbell in Jeeves Takes a Bow at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Robert Wade.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Monstrous Regiment play adaptation (by Christopher Hainsworth) of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novel. Directed by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom. Latitude Theatre’s historic first show ever! A group of monstrous/misfit army underdogs defy traditional gender roles. Unexpected reveal at the end. #girlPower #igor #vampire #troll #Discworld
Synopsis from the Theatre: From the pages of the Discworld(TM) novels, comes a story filled with loyalty, love, monsters, and mayhem. Borogravia is at war. Again. When Polly Perks’ brother goes missing in action, she disguises herself as a young man, enlists in the army and heads to the front lines in search of her sibling. But all is not as it seems, and Polly soon learns that she isn’t the only one in this band of “brothers” protecting secrets. Making their way to the front, this misfit company might just overcome insurmountable odds to become unlikely victors. A wickedly funny look at the absurdities of war and ambiguities of identity.
Reviewed Performance: 5/18/23 – Opening night and debut show of Latitude Theatre’s inception!
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’d probably appreciate it more if you read the book. I haven’t read the book and I was still able to follow the story.
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes
Equity Actors: 0
Total Number of Actors: 11
Length (Including Any Intermission): 3 hours-ish , which was a bit too long
Intermission: Yes
Theatre Company: Latitude Theatre
Venue: Isaac Studio at Taproot Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 212 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Price: Cheap
Dates: May 18 to June 4, 2023
Seating: General Admission
Parking: Paid lot or usually-free street parking. I always find free street parking on Greenwood Ave just South of the theatre.
Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below
@showsiveseen "Monstrous Regiment" #play adaptation (by Christopher Hainsworth) of Terry Pratchett's #Discworld novel. Directed by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom. Latitude Theatre's historic first show ever! A group of monstrous/misfit army underdogs defy traditional #gender roles. Unexpected reveal at the end. Photos by James Murphy. Review: showsiveseen.com/5577 #girlPower#igor#vampire#troll#theatre♬ original sound – Shows I've Seen
The evil Prince Heinrich (Rowan Gallagher, center) is captured by members of the Monstrous Regiment (Jacq Babb, Ali Kidder-Mostrom, Steven Sterne, L-R) in the stage adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Monstrous Regiment adapted by Christopher Hainsworth, directed by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom No playing at the Isaac Studio Theatre, produced by Latitude Theatre.Sergeant Jackrum (Steven Sterne, right) prepares the members of the Monstrous Regiment for the realities of war in Latitude Theatre’s production of Terry Pratchett’s Monstrous Regiment adapted by Christopher Hainsworth.Polly (Lola Rei Fukushima, center) holds her own sparring against Corporal Strappi (David Elwyn, right) under the watchful eye of Sergeant Jackrum (Steven Sterne, left) in Latitude Theatre’s production of Terry Pratchett’s Monstrous Regiment adapted by Christopher Hainsworth, directed by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom.
Role
Name
Polly Perks
Lola Rei Fukushima
Igor
Ali Kidder-Mostrom
Maladict
Jacq Babb
Carborundum
Kirsten Traylor-Thorson
Tonker
Leah Sainz-Jones
Lofty
Annabel Klein
Wazzer
Emily Fortuna
Sgt Jackrum
Steven Sterne
Lt Blouse, Barman
Jonathan Swindle
Cpl Strappi, Sgt Towering, Gen Froc
David Elwyn
Handsome Young Man, Death, Lord Rust
Rowan Gallagher
Polly (Understudy)
Annabel Klein
Maladict/Lt Blouse (Understudy)
Skye Farrell
Igor/Carborundum/Tonker/Lofty/Wazzer (Understudy)
Jacqueline Alves
Strappi, et al/Death, et al (Understudy)
Alex Hogue
—
—
Director
Christopher Kidder-Mostrom *
Assistant Director
Hannah Lund
Playwright
Terry Pratchett
Set Designer
Rhys Strohmayer
Set Builder
Benji Strohmayer, Niclas Brown, Alex Hogue
Costume Designer
Ali Kidder-Mostrom
Costume Assistants
Jane Ryan, Jennifer Nielsen
Lighting Designer
Gwyn Skone
Sound Designer
Amber Granger
Composer
Charlie Sandford
Props Designer
Jennifer Nielsen
Stage Manager
Sam Williamson
Assistant Stage Manager
Alex Hogue
Fight Choreographer
Stacey Bush
Fight Captain
Kirsten Traylor-Thorson
Dialect Coach
Rowan Gallagher
*Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union
