Region – Page 2 – Shows I've Seen

Preview Post – Blithe Spirit – Play – Seattle Rep

Congrats Seattle Rep on the opening night of their Blithe Spirit play production. Closes 12/22/24. Look out for my full review soon! #medium #psychic #ghost #poltergeist #seance #exorcism #comedy #supernatural

Final Full Review: https://www.showsiveseen.com/blithe-spirit-play-review-seattle-rep/

Tickets: https://www.seattlerep.org/plays/202425-season/blithe-spirit/

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Preview Post – Mary Poppins – Musical – The 5th Avenue Theatre

Happy opening night to Disney & Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins musical at The 5th Avenue Theatre. On stage till 12/26/24. Keep your eyes peeled for my full review! #Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Tickets: https://www.5thavenue.org/shows/2024-25/mary-poppins/

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Shubert Brothers & Beyond – Tour – Review – Broadway Up Close

@showsiveseen "Shubert Brothers & Beyond" walking #tour from @Broadway Up Close. A mix of history & storytelling w/ an insider's interesting perspective on #NYC's rich theatrical heritage. The 1st stop of my 1st (gasp!) pilgrimage to #Broadway. #showsiveseen #theatre ♬ Ok I Like It – Milky Chance

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Shubert Brothers & Beyond walking tour from Broadway Up Close. A mix of history and storytelling with an insider’s interesting perspective on NYC’s rich theatrical heritage. The first stop of my first (gasp!) pilgrimage to Broadway.

Recommendation:
See it.

My Synopsis: A walking tour of the Broadway theatres primarily owned by the Schubert Organization located in the middle portion of the theatre district.

Synopsis from the Company: Our SHUBERT BROTHERS & BEYOND TOUR will explore all of the Broadway theaters in the middle of the Broadway theatre district from 44th Street to 46th Street. As Times Square transformed from an area full of manure and horse stables to one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world, a battle for Broadway was brewing between a group of theatrical titans and three scrappy brothers with the last name of Shubert. Set against the backdrop of Broadway’s most famous theaters, tour-goers will hear about the Shubert Brothers who monopolized Broadway against all odds with the help of an awkwardly named architect. Add in the true origins of the Tony Awards and rarely heard stories from famous musicals ranging from Oklahoma! to Hamilton and we promise you’ll walk away with a new appreciation for just how far Broadway has come over the past 100 years. Utilizing iPads chock full of rarely seen photographs and videos from years of research, tour-goers will see Broadway’s past and present merge before their eyes. Each Green Team Guide is a professional actor or stage manager who will interweave their personal stories to provide an up close glimpse at the life of a theatrical artist.

Type: Walking Tour

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but it probably makes more sense sequentially to start with their Broadway Beginnings tour.

Union Actors: One – The tour guide was a member of the Actor’s Equity Association

Perceived Pace: Medium speed

Length: 1.75 hours and 0.5 miles

Was This the First Time I Attended This? Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? I would attend a different tour from this group. I’m particularly interested in the first tour of the series Broadway Beginnings or the interior theatre tour Hudson Up Close.

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

Company: Broadway Up Close

Location: The Theatre District at 44th, 45th, and 46th streets starting at Lyceum Theatre and ending at Times Square

Price Range: $41 for the regular public tour. Additional price options are available for children and for private tours.

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https://www.broadwayupclose.com/shubertbrothersandbeyond

Pictures: See pictures below by Sascha Reinking.

Preview Post – Happy Christmas, Jeeves – Play – Taproot Theatre

Congrats to Taproot Theatre on the opening night of their Happy Christmas, Jeeves world premier play. Performing until 12/31/24. Stay tuned for my full review! #xmas #holiday #holidays

Tickets: https://taproottheatre.org/shows/2024/happy-christmas-jeeves/

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Primary Trust – Play – Review – Seattle Rep

@showsiveseen Eboni Booth’s "Primary Trust" #play by @Seattle Rep. Starring Stephen Tyrone Williams. Featuring @Justin Huertas on the keys, guitar, cello, ukelele, etc. Must be nice to have an imaginary friend like @Andrew. Script w/ heart & beautiful characters portraying universal human experiences. Only 4 more performances left till 11/27 closing. Review: showsiveseen.com/10431 Director: Kaytlin McIntyre Stage Manager: @Melissa Hamasaki #theatre #showsiveseen #growth #friendship #connection #babySteps ♬ Only Human – Acoustic – Ryan Mack

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Eboni Booth’s Primary Trust play by Seattle Rep. Starring Stephen Tyrone Williams. Featuring Justin Huertas on the keys, guitar, cello, ukelele, etc. Must be nice to have an imaginary friend like Andrew Lee Creech. Script with heart and beautiful characters portraying universal human experiences.

Recommendation:
See it.

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): An awkward man in a sad lonely repetitive existence with an imaginary friend is forced to take baby steps to grow and come out of his shell.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Kenneth has lived his entire life in the same small town. Every day he works at the bookstore, then shares happy hour Mai Tais with his best friend. And so what if his best friend is imaginary? Every day is the same, just the way Kenneth likes it—until he is laid off and his world is turned upside down. Thrown out of his comfort zone, Kenneth must find the courage to face his biggest fear: change. This 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner and intimate, offbeat new comedy by Eboni Booth tells a surprising story about one man’s leap of faith and the friends he makes along the way.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Mostly dynamic

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: None

Defined Plot/Storyline: Mostly yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes, there was live instrumental music from Justin Huertas

Union Actors: All

Total Actors: 4

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? No

Length (Including Any Intermission): 90 minutes

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No, but it was good

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Imaginary Friend: Although it was a coping defense mechanism (and honestly a mild psychotic break), having an imaginary friend like Bert (played by Andree Lee Creech) must be nice – a personal cheerleader and confidant all in one.
Cast Doubling: Allyson Lee Brown and Rob Burgess masterfully curated a diverse range of characters to life. Rob first portrayed a grumpy boss with a heart of gold, then shifted to a kind supervisor bank manager still stuck reminiscing about his college football days, before switching gears to play a dainty waiter. One of the funniest moments was when Allyson had a lively argument with herself, seamlessly switching between her roles as Corrina and her coworker Duncan.
Script: At first, the script seemed to meander about nothing, but it gradually blossomed into a beautiful exploration of universal human experiences—loneliness, loss, grief, trauma, separation anxiety, and fear of change. I loved was how it encouraged taking baby steps toward growth, stepping out of your comfort zone, and putting yourself out there in the hope of genuine human connection, fulfillment, and success.
Live Music: The live instrumental music was a nice touch to the play, and of course, I’d always prefer it instead of a recorded track. Additionally, Justin Huertas is incredibly talented with his many musical abilities. But I question whether the live music was a necessary expense for this production. Honestly, the experience wouldn’t have been diminished without it. And I say this as someone who hates attending musicals without live accompaniment.
Favorite Line: “That man [Stephen King] doesn’t want me to sleep with the lights off.”

Rant(s)

Bell: The bell sound effect between scenes might have been slightly overplayed.

Theatre Company: Seattle Rep

Venue: Leo Kreielsheimer Theater at Seattle Rep

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

Price Range: $60-85

Ticket Affordability Options: See the theatre’s official pages about discounts and pay-what-you-can performances

Dates: October 24 to November 27, 2024

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.

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Pictures: See production pictures below by Bronwen Houck.

Cast and Production Team: See pictures below.