Gold – Play – Review – Annex Theatre

@showsiveseen Marcus Gorman's "Gold" #play at Annex Theatre. Starring Rebekah Nachman. Good multiple character portrayal by Sophie J. Sen. Adventurous dive into grandpa's little black book. Only 4 more performances before it closes next weekend!  Review: showsiveseen.com/11402 Photos:  Sayed Alamy & Laura Johnston Director: @Jasmine Joshua Stage Mgr: Kristin Brown #theatre #showsiveseen ♬ Wander On – Jeddy Knox

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Marcus Gorman’s Gold play at Annex Theatre. Good multiple character portrayal by Sophie J. Sen. Adventurous dive into grandpa’s little black book. Only 4 more performances before it closes next weekend!

Recommendation:
See it if you’re Jewish or you want to support new works.


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: Low to medium

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Frankie’s grandpa died and left her a mysterious little black book that kept score of all his sexual affairs. Determined to learn more about her background, she embarks on a journey across the country to meet the mistresses who were part of his secret past.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: When 19-year-old Frankie inherits her late grandfather’s little black book, she goes on a cross-country road trip to meet his mistresses. As she and her college bestie travel across the United States and through decades of her family’s secret history, she learns not just who her grandfather truly was…but also a key to her own identity. GOLD is a funny and relatable drama about what we leave behind. And also, some psychedelic dinosaurs.

Type: Play

World Premiere: Yes

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Static

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Union Actors: 0

Total Actors: 6

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.25 hours

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

  • The Women: Sophie J. Sen embodied all of Grandpa’s romantic interests, each reflecting the distinct vibe of their era. It started with the polished, buttoned-up 50s-60s to the wild, experimental drug-filled 60s-70s, and finally, the opulent success of the 80s.
  • Choreography: Despite being a play, this show featured an unexpected amount of quirky dance routines by Flossy Beatrice.
  • Mona: Megan Huynh (who played the best friend Mona) radiated positive energy and strongly projected her voice. Her portrayal took me back to her memorable roles in Down the Rabbit Hole and Vietgone.
  • Favorite Line: “Time is aways running out. Do what you want.”

Rant(s)

  • Sound Balancing: At times, the line delivery was too faint, or it was overshadowed by the background music.
  • Psychedelic Trip: One of my theatre pet peeves is when characters act drunk or high on stage. Call me a scrooge, but it often feels gratuitous and pandering than serving the story. I also loathe T-rex costumes. They just strike me as too Portlandia-esque or weird for the sake of being weird. It reminded me of the random quirkiness in The Skin of Our Teeth. The timeline of the psychedelic trip didn’t make sense either. There was a scene of delusions, followed by a driving scene without delusions, and then a scene with more delusions. I’ve never been high myself, but it would seem more natural for the hallucinations to be more continuous. There were just too many random, zany moments for me to fully engage. You can probably tell I’m the life of the party! 😛

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

  • Phone Calls: There were several phone call scenes where both characters were portrayed simultaneously, while in others, only one character was seen. This inconsistency felt a bit off. I can’t think of any other productions that use this approach. Is this common in theatre?
  • True Story: The production touts itself as “A True-ish Jewish Story.” Was there was actually a grandchild with a little black book meeting their grandfather’s mistresses in real life?

Theatre Company: Annex Theatre

Venue: Annex Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 1100 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

Price Range: $25

Ticket Affordability Options: You can self-select pay-what-you-can tickets as low as $5.

Dates: January 17 to February 8, 2025

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Street parking is extremely limited since it’s Capitol Hill. Since I don’t visit Annex Theatre often, I’m still at a loss for an affordable place to park. Maybe East of Cal Anderson Park on 11th. I highly suggest taking the bus if that’s an option. I’m still bitter that I ended up desperately paying $26 for a terrible parking location since I was almost late to the show on a Saturday night.

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

Pictures: See production pictures below by Sayed Alamy and Laura Johnston

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.

Photo by Laura Johnston.
Photo by Sayed Alamy.
Photo by Sayed Alamy.
Photo by Sayed Alamy.
Photo by Sayed Alamy.

Preview Post – Gold – Play – Annex Theatre

Sold out performance of the Gold play at the Annex Theatre. Closes 2/8/25. Hang tight for my full review! #infidelity #secrets

Tickets: https://annextheatre.org/season-38/mainstage/gold/

Final Full Review: https://www.showsiveseen.com/gold-play-review-annex-theatre/

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Preview Posts About this Show:

Preview Post – Dial M for Murder – Play – Village Theatre

Happy opening night to Village Theatre’s Dial M for Murder play production. At Issaquah till 2/23/25 and Everett till 3/23/25. Keep a look out for my full review!

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

Final Full Review: https://www.showsiveseen.com/dial-m-for-murder-play-review-village-theatre/

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Preview Posts About this Show:

The Museum of Broadway – Review

@showsiveseen The #Museum of #Broadway in New York City's #Manhattan #Theatre District. Offered a surprising amount to see, with plenty of photo-worthy spots perfect for selfies! Review: showsiveseen.com/11337 Executive Producers, Creative Directors, Conceived By: Julie Boardman & Diane Nicoletti General Manager: Elie Landau Curators: Ben West, Jennifer Ashley Tepper, John Kenrick, Michael McDonald, & Lisa Zinni #nyc #newYorkCity #newYork #musicals #plays @The Museum of Broadway ♬ #BrooklynBloodPop! – SyKo

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Museum of Broadway in New York City’s Manhattan Theatre District. Offered a surprising amount to see, with plenty of photo-worthy spots perfect for selfies and Instagram!

Recommendation:
See it, especially if you enjoy plays and musicals. Bonus points if you also like reading the dramaturgical articles in playbill programs.


Was This the First Time I Visited this Museum? Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Yes, if their exhibits changed by more than 50%, so I could see something new.

Mainstream Appeal: Medium to high

My Synopsis: The experience begins with Broadway’s theatrical roots and the Ziegfeld Follies. It continues through each era, highlighting iconic musicals such as Oklahoma!, Company, West Side Story, Hair, and Rent. Special exhibits also delve into the creation of a musical, exploring behind-the-scenes roles like stage management, and a focus on Disney musicals.

Synopsis from Company: Walk through Broadway’s history, starting in 1732 with the first documented performance in NYC, and go backstage with your favorite Broadway stars to learn how a show is made. As you walk the timeline, you’ll come upon exhibits dedicated to groundbreaking moments in Broadway’s history – those that pushed creative boundaries, challenged social norms, and paved the way for those who would follow. The Museum of Broadway was designed by internationally renowned artists, designers, and theatre historians.

Type: Museum

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’ll obviously appreciate this experience more if you know a little about musical theatre.

Length: It’s whatever length you make it. I spent around 1.5 hours there.

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

  • Photo Opportunities: The museum did a great job in ensuring there were plenty of Instagram-able moments. For example, the museum allows you to sit in the letter “C” (from the musical Company) and take a selfie. I’ve always wondered where the below iconic picture came from that I see everywhere on Instagram.
  • Lockers: Complimentary lockers were available to store belongings so you wouldn’t need to haul them around the museum.
  • Content Quantity: For a venue with such a tiny footprint, there was unexpectedly an almost overwhelmingly number of exhibits to see! I was originally anticipating much less at the Museum of Broadway since I visited the Museum of Sex earlier (a 25-minute walk away), which was surprisingly sparse.
  • Unsung Heros: Some exhibits towards the end focused on roles in live theatre that don’t get much spotlight like stage management, stagehands, and sound board operators.

Venue: The Museum of Broadway

Venue Physical Address: 145 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036

Price Range: Around $40-50

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

Production Team: See after pictures below.

Photo by Emilio Madrid.
Ziegfeld Follies Exhibit. Photo by Darren Cox.
Exhibit on Jukebox Musicals. Photo by Darren Cox.
The Phantom of the Opera Costumes. Photo by Monique Carboni.
Exhibits on Rent and Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk. Photo by Monique Carboni.
The Making of a Broadway Show Exhibit. Photo by Darren Cox.
The Making of a Broadway Show Exhibit. Photo by Darren Cox.

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club – Immersive Musical – Review – August Wilson Theatre 

@showsiveseen "#Cabaret" at the @KitKatClubNYC in the August Wilson #Theatre on #Broadway. Starring @Adam Lambert, Calvin Leon Smith, & Auliʻi Cravalho. Novel #immersive food/bar/club experience of a #musical #revival. #showsiveseen ♬ Cabaret – Liza Minnelli

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway. Starring Adam Lambert, Calvin Leon Smith, & Auliʻi Cravalho. Novel immersive food/bar/club experience of a musical revival.

Recommendation:
See it!


Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? No, I’ve probably seen this musical in around 5 different past productions (including the national tour).

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? I don’t know … 5 times is already an awful lot of times to see a musical. Maybe I would if the next show has an even more unique gimmick than this production.

Mainstream Appeal: Medium to high

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

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): An American writer relocates to pre-WWII Berlin and witnesses German society’s gradual fall to the Nazis through the eyes of a cabaret at the notoriously risqué Kit Kat Club.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: The denizens of the Kit Kat Club have created a decadent sanctuary inside Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre, where artists and performers, misfits and outsiders rule the night. Step inside their world. This is Berlin. Relax. Loosen up. Be yourself.

Type: Immersive Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Static and austere

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You should have a very general knowledge of Nazi Germany

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Union Actors: All

Total Actors: Too many to count

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.75 hours

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

  • Immersive Experience: Other than the celebrity casting, the main draw of this revival was the unique immersive experience.
    • Alley and Basement: One hour before the main show began (7PM on an 8PM ticket), the doors opened, and ticket scanners ushered us in. They led us down a dimly lit, green-tinged alley, evoking the feeling of entering a hip, secret underground club. Soon, we found ourselves packed like sardines in a cramped basement, standing room only, with a small stage and two dance platforms. Performers mingled among the crowd while dancing, miming, and playing Yiddish-inspired music on a clarinet, violin, accordion, and bass. All of this unfolded beneath the watchful gaze of a mesmerizing, rotating eye overhead.
    • First Floor Lobby: Patrons could wander up the stairs to the orchestra-level lobby, where actors performed at a naked upright piano. With so much happening in this freestyle scattered atmosphere, I felt a feel a bit of FOMO, unsure of where to focus as performers roamed across two of the venue’s three floors. But thankfully, none of the pre-show immersion activities were consequential to the main performance of the musical. Eventually, an overhead announcement encouraged guests who wanted to order food (nothing too substantial) to head to their seats. Later, another announcement invited patrons who wanted a drink to do the same. However, drinks were already available at any lobby bars in the basement, first floor, or second floor.
    • Main Theatre Performance Space: The immersive performing troupe eventually made their way to the main theater, which had been transformed from its traditional front-facing seat configuration into a theater-in-the-round. On the ground level, tables with waiter service surrounded the stage, offering a more intimate setting, while more traditional theater seating was arranged behind them, each with a drink bench in front and ample leg room. The second level featured the orchestra positioned on either side of the stage, with mezzanine and balcony seating facing both the front and back of the stage. For a better understanding of the complex lay of the land, refer to the seat maps at the end of this article. The immersive actors occasionally weaved through the tables, engaging with the audience closest to the stage, before culminating in a final performance on the stage. At this point, the main cast took over as the lights retracted to the ceiling. The immersive performers were a distinct group, separate from the main cast. Once the musical began, their immersive role appeared to have concluded for the evening.
    • Second Floor: The mezzanine/balcony area was devoid of any novelty found in the basement and first floor. The seating was ordinary, there was no table service, and no interactive performers appeared on that level.
    • Verdict: After about 30 minutes of the 60-minute pre-show immersive experience, I was over it and headed to my seat, especially since I attended alone. The immersive experience would be more enjoyable with friends, as you’d have the chance to chat together *and* be entertained during the pre-show, which is opposite from a traditional musical experience where you can’t talk during the show. Regardless of whether you go solo or with companions, make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes before the main performance starts to fully experience the novelty and to milk the most bang for your buck. That said, the pre-show isn’t essential for enjoying the main performance.
  • Stage: While I’m inherently not a fan of theatre-in-the-round configurations (since the actors sometimes face away from you), it worked well for the show’s theme on novelty. The tiny central stage was sadly austere with no set design, but it featured a trap door and rotating mechanisms. Additionally, the tiered, wedding cake-like pedestal mechanism was a perfect for the theatre-in-the-round setup.
  • Costumes: Tom Scutt (who was also the scenic/theatre designer) created memorable costumes for the show’s stars, including a bejeweled, skeleton-inspired outfit and a creepy, old-timey clown mime costume for Adam Lambert (who played the emcee). Auli’i Cravalho’s (who played Sally Bowles) baby doll dress was also a standout.
  • “Don’t Tell Mama” Song: Auli’i Cravalho wore her baby doll dress during “Don’t Tell Mama,” while her supporting performers donned baby bonnets. The baby theme was a perfect choice for the scene, and it even incorporated the viral Gen-Z TikTok meme “I’m just a baby!”
  • Prairie Oyster: Did Auli’i really drink a whole raw egg on stage? If so, bless her. If not, that was good stage magic!
  • Showstopper: The audience was captivated by Auli’i’s emotional rendition of “Cabaret,” delivering the song with such feeling that it earned her an extended ovation.
  • Pineapple Innuendo: Steven Skybell (who played Herr Schultz) cleverly added a touch of sexual innuendo by licking his fingers and placing his pineapple in a brown bag. It was a playful nod to more mature themes!
  • Shattered Glass: Transitioning from the joyful Jewish tradition of breaking the glass at a wedding to the violent, Kristallnacht-inspired Nazi vandalism was a powerful artistic choice. It effectively shattered the sense of hope for the protagonists, symbolizing the stark contrast between celebration and the looming threat of destruction.
  • Nazi Portrayal: The eerie, identical blonde Nazi dolls were another effective artistic choice. Initially introduced during the song “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” where they appear as unsettling figures rotating on stage, the dolls serve as a haunting foreshadowing. In the final scene, this imagery is echoed when most of the cast appears blonde dressed in identical Nazi uniforms, stripped of their vibrant Kit Kat Club personas, silently rotating on the stage. This stark transformation emphasizes the loss of individuality and the regime’s oppressive conformity.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

  • Guidance and Direction: Throughout the pre-show immersive experience, I often felt uncertain about where to go. For instance, the audience (myself included) was packed tightly together like sardines in the basement for a while and unaware that we could explore upstairs for more. The audience relied heavily on ushers to direct us, which, while helpful, diminished the hip underground free-spirited club vibe.
  • Phones: After initially passing through the green alley corridor and before entering the building’s maze, ushers placed stickers over our phone camera lenses as a reminder not to take photos or videos, even before or after the actual performance. It’s unfortunate that capturing the ambiance wasn’t allowed, especially since it’s difficult to conceptualize or verbally describe. However, I understand that this is done to preserve the copyright and regulations of the pre-show immersive performance. That said, it might have been reasonable to allow photos during intermission, when there were far fewer immersive performers present. Allowing patrons to capture the unique atmosphere for social media would encourage more ticket sales.
  • FAQ: I *highly* suggest reading the show’s frequently asked questions to prepare yourself on what to expect from this unique experience.

Venue: August Wilson Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 245 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

Venue Classification: Broadway

Price Range: $52-500

Ticket Affordability Options: You can likely buy discount tickets at the TKTS booth.

Dates: First preview was 4/1/24 and opening night was 4/21/24. As of 1/14/25, you can buy tickets as far as 7/20/25.

Seating: Assigned Seating

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

Pictures: See production pictures below

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.

Adam Lambert and Auli’i Cravalho. Photo by Gina Manning.
Michelle Aravena as Fritzie Kost. Photo by Julieta Cervantes
Calvin Leon Smith as Clifford Bradshaw. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.
Adam Lambert (center in black) as Emcee. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.
Adam Lambert (center) as Emcee. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.
Adam Lambert and Auli’i Cravalho.
Steven Skybell as Herr Schultz and Bebe Neuwirth as Fraulein Schneider. Photo by Marc Brenner.
Screenshot from First Floor Layout from SeatGeek.
Screenshot of Second Floor Layout from SeatGeek.
Production Credits from Playbill.
Production Credits from Playbill.
Production Credits from Playbill.
Production Credits from Playbill.
Production Credits from Playbill.
`Production Credits from Playbill.
Production Credits from Playbill.
Production Credits from Playbill.