Region – Page 8 – Shows I've Seen

Peter Pan – Musical – Review – Paramount Theatre

@showsiveseen @Peter Pan the Musical family-friendly #musical national tour from @Seattle Theatre Group & Broadway Seattle at the Paramount. Starring @nolan and @Cody Garcia. Impressive stage magic with aerial flying, fairy effects, shadow tricks, and beautiful projections that would certainly fill children & adults with wonder. Closes 8/25. Review: showsiveseen.com/9499 Director: Lonny Price Stage Manager: Megan Belgam & Kendall Stevens Conductor: Jonathan Marro #theatre #showsiveseen #peterPan #Neverland #CaptainHook ♬ I Won't Grow Up – The Fools

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Peter Pan family-friendly musical national tour from Seattle Theatre Group and Broadway Seattle at the Paramount. Starring Nolan Almeida and Cody Garcia. Impressive stage magic with aerial flying, fairy effects, shadow tricks, and beautiful projections that would certainly fill children and adults with wonder. Closes 8/25.

Recommendation
See it if you enjoy kid-friendly musicals or you want to take your kid to the theatre.

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): It’s the classic story of Peter Pan, the magical boy (accompanied by his fairy Tinkerbell) who never grows up. He flies Wendy and her brothers to Neverland, where they encounter the lost boys, Tiger Lilly with her indigenous gang, and Captain Hook with his pirate band.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: This high-flying musical has been thrilling audiences of all ages for close to 70 years and is now being brought back to life in a new adaptation by celebrated playwright Larissa FastHorse, directed by Emmy Award winner Lonny Price and choreography by Lorin Latarro. The adventure begins when Peter Pan and his mischievous sidekick, Tinker Bell, visit the bedroom of the Darling children late one night. With a sprinkle of fairy dust and a few happy thoughts, the children are taken on a magical journey they will never forget. This extraordinary musical full of excitement and adventure features iconic and timeless songs including “I’m Flying,” “I Gotta Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Neverland.” PETER PAN embraces the child in us all so go on a journey from the second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning – your entire family will be Hooked!

Attended Performance Date: Opening Night 8/21 – Buy your tickets now since the show closes on 8/25!

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set? No, it was dynamically changing

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’d probably appreciate this show more if you’re already familiar with the classic tale in any iteration. I personally saw the Disney film and the movie Hook.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Equity Actors: All

Total Number of Actors: 24

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.5 hours, which might be too long for a show targeted to kids

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: Medium

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Stage Magic:
- Aeriel Flying: This production expertly incorporated aerial flying throughout the show starting with Peter Pan’s glitter filled grand entrance. The actors seamlessly transitioned between flying and walking. The aeriel flying would surely fill children with a sense of wonder. I certainly personally wondered when they found the time to unobtrusively attach and detach their flying cables on-stage in the middle of scenes!
- Fairy Effects: This production portrayed the Tinkerbell fairy well with “simple” little light bulbs, which often required coordination between actors and some lite puppetry skills.
- Shadow Tricks: Peter Pan’s shadow was so convincing. It “moved” scenery pieces like a picture frame and curtains. I didn’t even realize it wasn’t Nolan Almedia’s actual shadow until the last half of the scene. Tight synchronicity!
- Projections: Thankfully, the projections weren’t an overused crutch like I’ve often seen in other shows. The projections augmented the flying scene spectacularly. However, it was a cop out to portray the actors in the projections during part of that scene. The vibrant realistic backgrounds blended well with the physical scenery pieces. They sometimes created wonderful transitions between settings like the jungle and ship. However, there were a few moments where movement was obvious cheesy fake CGI like water splashes, flying birds, and falling leaves.
Scenic Design: I love the lush, vibrant green motif, especially the beautiful jungle sets.
Bookends: Peter Pan’s visits to the real world nursery at the beginning and end of the show mirrored each other well.
Pirates: Cody Garcia and Kurt Perry flamboyantly portrayed Captain Hook and Smee respectively. It was cleaver to see their band of pirates as an actual music band.

Rant(s)

Kid Friendly: This is probably the most childish show I’ve seen from Broadway Across America in Seattle, San Antonio, and Houston … even more than any Disney national tour musical! I guess this is appropriate if you’re taking kids to the theatre. But it will definitely turn off childless grinch patrons like me. A part of me thinks this show is better suited for professional children’s theatre (like Seattle Children’s Theatre) instead of the Paramount. Adults acting childish with exaggerated movements (when theatre movements are already inherently exaggerated) is not my cup of tea. I also generally detest seeing elementary school children on stage since they typically milk the cuteness factor, which distracts from their actual performing talent.
- Dying Scene (No Spoiler): Because I detested the childish elements of this show, I was drawn (like a pendulum thirsty for grown-up theatre) to the most solemn scene in the show when a character was dying. But they ruined the moment by breaking the fourth wall (vomit) and resolving it with a family-friendly pantomime cop out. Die Mufasa!
- Moon: WTF was the talking moon? That random transient character was uncalled for and unnecessary. It shattered the suspension of disbelief. Get out of here!

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Mermaid: Unlike most Peter Pan story iterations, there were no mermaid characters in this script. Even the Peter and the Starcatcher prequel included mermaids!
Score: The songs were fine, but not iconic. They were well-performed, but not inherently memorable. The kid-friendly nature didn’t help things out either. For example, I wasn’t a fan of Disney-like “Friends Forever” and that god-awful song about crowing. Speaking of Disney, I wish they could include some Disney Peter Pan songs like “You Can Fly.”
Indigenous Theme: I noticed that Larissa FastHorse (who is Native American) was credited for book modifications to the 1954 script. I’m so curious how drastic her changes were to the portrayal of indigenous characters. I remember in my woke 2024 hindsight that the Disney film was racially problematic.
- Tiger Lilly: Tiger Lilly’s (played by Raye Zaragoza) song lines were often in a lower alto-ish range. With most female leads singing soprano, I wonder what the reason for this musical decision was. Side note, Raye Zaragoza in this role strangely reminded me of Jennifer Garner in the movie 13 Going on 30.

Theatre Company: National Tour Brought by Broadway Across America and Seattle Theatre Group

Venue: Paramount Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 911 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101

Price Range: $40 to 135 plus the insane Ticketmaster fees. Buy your ticket at the box office to avoid most of the Ticketmaster fees. Down with the Ticketmaster Live Nation monopoly!

Ticket Affordability Options: Seattle Theatre Group might partner with an organization you’re affiliated with for discount tickets. For example, I believe UW employees/students are eligible for an organization discount.

Dates: August 21 to August 25, 2024

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Paid street parking and paid garage parking. The best parking garage is under the convention center w/ the entrance on Pike around the Pike and Terry intersection. Last I checked, this is one of the cheapest, least busy, and closest garages. Alternatively, you can probably find street parking as you move closer to the West Precinct (810 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101). Do NOT park where the Paramount subscribers park. Last I checked, they usually park in the garage attached to the Cheesecake Factory. It’ll take you at least 30 minutes to exit that garage after the show.

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Pictures: See pictures below by Matthew Murphy from MurphyMade

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.

“Hook’s Tarantella.” (center) Cody Garcia as Captain Hook and the cast of *Peter Pan*. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

“I’m Flying.” (from L) Micah Turner Lee as John, Reed Epley as Michael, Hawa Kamara as Wendy, Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

“I Won’t Grow Up!” Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan (center) and the cast of *Peter Pan*. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

“I Gotta Crow.” (from L) Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan, Hawa Kamara as Wendy. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

“Friends Forever.” (from L) Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan, Kenny Ramos as Acoma, Raye Zaragoza as Tiger Lily and the cast of *Peter Pan*. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

(from L) Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan, Cody Garcia as Captain Hook, Hawa Kamara as Wendy and the cast of *Peter Pan*. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Vietgone – Play with Music – Review – Pork Filled Productions, SIS Productions, & Theatre Off Jackson

@showsiveseen Qui Nguyen's "Vietgone" #play w/ #rap music by @Pork Filled Productions, SIS Productions, & Theatre Off Jackson. Starring Josh Erme and Megan Huynh. Basically #Vietnamese Hamilton. Refreshing to experience stories through an #Asian American lens. Closes 8/24. Review: showsiveseen.com/9426 Photos: @giaoo2 Director: @Suginamimi Music Director: @YUELAN 乐澜 Music: Shane Rettig Stage Manager: Omar Faust #vietgone #vietnam #viet #refugee #refugees #asians #theatre #showsiveseen #asians ♬ Cheeky – Albert Posis & Patrick Hizon

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone play w/ rap music by Pork Filled Productions, SIS Productions, & Theatre Off Jackson. Basically, Vietnamese Hamilton. Refreshing to experience stories through an Asian American lens. #refugee

Recommendation
See it, especially if you’re Asian American.

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): A gallant Vietnamese pilot who fought for the Republic of Vietnam against the Viet Cong travels from an Arkansas refugee camp across the USA trying to return home overseas. In contrast, a beautiful Vietnamese woman flees Vietnam and embraces assimilation in the USA.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Arkansas, 1974, after the fall of Saigon. Two young survivors (who may or may not be the play-wright’s parents) meet in America. Will this strange new land of burritos, bikers, and pot allow them to fall in love? Flipping stereotypes and remixing history, Vietgone cooks up a sexy, funny romp that’s a secret origin story for playwright Qui Nguyen (author of Raya and the Last Dragon)!

Attended Performance Date: Opening Night 8/9/24 – Keep your eyes peeled for preview posts on my website and social media if you want earlier notification of shows I’ve seen. Buy your tickets now since the show closes on 8/24!

Type: Play with Rap Music

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set? Mostly yes, since it’s such a small theatre.

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’d probably enjoy this show more if you’re Asian American. I doubt Asians without an American background would appreciate it nearly as much as Asian Americans.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 5

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.75 hours

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? No, I previously attended Vietgone at Seattle Rep.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Maybe, but twice might be enough for me. It would definitely need to be another professional production like the one I saw at Seattle Rep … not to say that this one was bad.

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Asian Perspective and Representation: As an Asian American who grew up in Texas, it’s always refreshing (dare I say “novel”) to see Asian perspectives and representation on the stage. We’re not the “cultural other” in this story. Instead of Asian Americans speaking incomprehensibly, it was the other way around where the white American characters spoke weird broken English to depict their difficulty speaking Vietnamese. There were also many references in the play about living in a white-dominated society that many non-Asians wouldn’t understand. Additionally, it was a welcome change seeing the male romantic lead as an Asian man (Joshua M Erme as Quang) with sex appeal, muscular physique (Gurrrrl, look at that body!), and a masculine profession in the armed forces. This representation is still so important today even in the woke PNW where I know a half-Asian kid who literally expressed that they didn’t want their Asian features. Role models and goals!
Rap: Vietgone is a play with rap music. This production also incorporated a live band. The group sitting behind me said “I didn’t know this would be like Hamilton!” Personally, I’m not a fan of rap and I think Hamilton was good, but not amazing. However, I recognize the talent and skill involved in writing and executing the rap music in these two shows. My favorite song was Tong’s (played by Meghan Huynh) first number at the beginning.
Food Gag: As a vegetarian, I can totally relate to the running commentary throughout the show that American food is generally all meat or deep-fried greasy vegetables. There’s a reason why I hate eating at American food restaurants. In contrast, Vietnamese cuisine is so fresh with many vegetables. It might be my favorite cuisine.
Montages: The “days of the week” montage was a bit unnecessary and corny, but the Ninja montage was pretty good. It was a nice touch that the band even participated on-stage in this scene, especially Yuelan on the retro 80s keyboard. Side note, I was so concerned about the banana prop on the floor after a racing scene. If that wasn’t intentional, Huong (played by Wendy Chinn) improvised a good funny save.
Contrasting Motivation: The playwright devised contrasting motivations between the lead characters well. Quang was torn from his home country and wanted to go back while Tong fled her home country and was focused on American assimilation.
Favorite Line: “North and South Vietnam may be at war, but at least we’re not fighting each other over something as stupid as the way we look [like the Americans].”

Rant(s)

Temperature: Theatre Off Jackson is always too hot in the summer.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Shadow Boxes: Rectangular stage pieces switch positions throughout the show to indicate location changes. These structures need to be thicker to look less flimsy and to be less precariously fall prone. They fell at least once during opening night.
Reverse Racism: The script contains some mild racist jabs towards Caucasians. These quips were rooted in the shared trauma of the racism and microaggressions that Asians experienced throughout the years and even today. While the jokes were funny and I would assume most white people today wouldn’t be terribly offended, when do the jokes become inappropriate? When does reverse racism reverse back to straight up racism? If the shoe was on the other foot against Asians, these jokes definitely wouldn’t be received as well. It reminds me of Avenue Q‘s funny and insightful song “Eveyone’s a Little Bit Racist.”
Last Scene (No Spoiler): The last scene felt a bit out of place from the rest of the show. It was a different energy and I’m not sure I fully grasped or agreed with the message. It presented a novel perspective about the Vietnam war different from what Americans conventionally believe. Does this perspective apply to the war in Ukraine or Palestine? Should the USA be the police officer of the world?

Theatre Company: Pork Filled Productions and SIS Productions

Venue: Theatre Off Jackson

Venue Physical Address: 409 7th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

Price Range: $10-50

Dates: August 9 to August 24, 2024

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Paid street parking is usually available north of the theatre on the hill close to the park. You can also try free parking on Jackson Street under/past the I-5 bridge, though it’s a dodgier area. As usual, there are paid parking lots nearby as well.

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Pictures: See pictures below and in video by Giao Nguyen.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.

Wendy Chinn and Van Lang Pham. Photo by Pork Filled Productions.

Van Lang Pham and Megan Huynh. Photo by Pork Filled Productions.

Megan Huynh and Wendy Chinn. Photo by Pork Filled Productions.

The Hippie Couple (Van Lang Pham, Wendy Chinn). Photo by Giao Nguyen.

Best buds Quang (Josh Erme) and Nhan (Hank Tian) run headlong into a road trip. Photo by Giao Nguyen.

Tong (Megan Huynh) and Huong (Wendy Chinn). Photo by Giao Nguyen.

Quang (Josh Erme) and Tong (Megan Huynh) in a romantic clinch. Photo by Giao Nguyen.

The 21st Annual Festival of New Musicals – Staged Musical Readings – Review – Village Theatre

@showsiveseen Congrats to Village Theatre for a successful 4-show weekend marathon of The 21st Annual #Festival of New #Musicals. 3 true stories, 2 folky scores, & 26-ish hours to prepare for most staged reading performances. As @Brandon Ivie said, it was a feat worthy of the current Olympic season. Totally better than the Olympics or Sky Angels! Read More: showsiveseen.com/9328 "The Oscar Micheaux Project" By Alphonso Horne, Jesse L. Kearney, Jr, @Cara, & Peter Mills "Wakeman" By @jenngrinels "We Ain't Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical" By Gregg Hammer & @Louis Pardo "And Sometimes … Love" By @Michael Mott & Gretchen Suárez-Peña #showsiveseen #theatre #musical ♬ Summer Never Dies – The Foxies

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Congrats to Village Theatre for a successful 4-show weekend marathon of The 21st Annual Festival of New Musicals. 3 true stories, 2 folky scores, & 26-ish hours to prepare for most staged reading performances. As Brandon Ivie said last weekend, it was a feat worthy of the current Olympic season. Totally better than the Olympics or Sky Angels!

Review Caveat: Due to the shows’ dynamically developmental nature and the theatre’s preference, I’m holding back my rants, raves, and reviews of the musicals featured in this festival. This post will be more factual than opinion. If you want to hear my personal opinions about these shows, feel free to email me.

Recommendation
See it if you’re okay with staged readings.
Mark your calendars for August 2025!

Festival Lineup:

The Oscar Micheaux Project:
- Creators: Alphonso Horne, Jesse L. Kearney, Jr, Cara Reichel, & Peter Mills
- Director: Kimille Howard
- Music Director: Nathan Young
- Stage Manager: Laurel Nichols
Wakeman:
- Creator: Jenn Grinels
- Director: Kelly Kitchens
- Music Director: Elisa Money
- Stage Manager: Miranda C. Pratt
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical:
- Creators/Performers: Gregg Hammer & Louis Pardo
- Director: Scott Weinstein
- Stage Manager: Laura Karavitis
And Sometimes … Love:
- Creators: Michael Mott & Gretchen Suárez-Peña
- Director: Peter Flynn
- Music Director: R.J. Tancioco
- Stage Manager: Anna Vraney

My Synopsis:

The Oscar Micheaux Project: True story about one of the first great black film producers/directors. Set to a unique Jazz-ish sound.
Wakeman: True story about a woman pretending to be a man so she could fight for the Union in the American Civil War. Folky music with a 90s PNW flair.
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: Fast-paced random hilarious hijinks throughout American 20th century history between two childhood best friends performing folk music.
And Sometimes … Love: True story about the love between a middle-aged older woman and a younger Italian Frenchman. Based on a video the creators saw on Facebook.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company:

The Oscar Micheaux Project: Cinematic pioneer Oscar Micheaux’s legacy as Hollywood’s first Black filmmaker comes to syncopated and soulful life in this tuneful and historic new jazz musical.
Wakeman: This incredible true story of American Civil War soldier Rosetta Wakeman — who dressed as a man to fight for the Union army — chronicles her heroic journey with a thrilling modern-folk-rock-meets-Americana score.
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: A zany, laugh-out-loud jukebox musical about — and featuring the songs of — a band that never existed, with a hilarious score spoofing your favorite 60s-70s folk artists.
And Sometimes … Love: An intimate and emotional story of a Latina empty-nester working in France who experiences romance for the first time with a man she’s just met: her passionate Italian lover, many years her junior.

Attended Performance Date: 8/2/24 to 8/4/24 – One weekend only!

Type: Musical

World Premiere: These shows were “pre-world premiere” in development

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set? N/A, these were staged reading performances still in development without any set design.

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required:

The Oscar Micheaux Project: No, but you’d probably appreciate this more if either 1) you’re familiar with black film industry history, 2) you enjoy black art history in general, 3) or you liked History of Theatre.
Wakeman: No, but you’d probably appreciate this more if you grew up in the United States
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: No
And Sometimes … Love: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Each staged reading performance featured minimal live accompaniment to give the audience a taste of what the score could sound like with a full-fledged band or orchestra.

The Oscar Micheaux Project: Piano
Wakeman: Small band with drums, bass guitar, regular guitar(?), and piano.
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: Guitar, piano … and spoons all played by the actors. This will probably stay the same since the show will debut its world premiere next month.
And Sometimes … Love: Piano

Equity Actors:

The Oscar Micheaux Project: 7
Wakeman: 7
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: 2
And Sometimes … Love: 2

Total Number of Actors: These numbers are subject to change as the shows develop further.

The Oscar Micheaux Project: 9
Wakeman: 12
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: 2
And Sometimes … Love: 3

Perceived Pace of the Show: Email me for my answer!

Was there an intermission? This is subject to change as the shows develop further.

The Oscar Micheaux Project: Yes
Wakeman: Yes
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: No
And Sometimes … Love: No

Length (Including Any Intermission): These numbers are subject to change as the shows develop further.

The Oscar Micheaux Project: 2.75 hours
Wakeman: 2.25 hours
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: 100 minutes
And Sometimes … Love: 1.5 hours

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes, these shows are all still in development.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Email me for my answer!

Mainstream Appeal: Email me for my answer!

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Wakeman: Throughout the musical, I kept thinking that it reminded me of Jagged Little Pill. Ironically, Jade McLeod (who starred as Wakeman at Village Theatre) was in the national tour production.
We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical: The creators/performers performed multiple stage reading iterations of this show for a couple months/years already. In fact, they’ll debut its world premiere at the Phoenix Theatre next month. It was like seeing a free polished preview performance of [title of show] or Gutenberg! The Musical!. 🙂
And Sometimes … Love: This reminded me of the TV show Younger featuring the ageless Sutton Foster.

Theatre Company: Village Theatre

Venue: Francis J. Gaudette Theatre at Village Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 303 Front St N, Issaquah, WA 98027

Price Range: Free, thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts and the Wilke Family Foundation

Dates: August 2 to 4, 2024

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Free street parking and certain free parking lots. Lot parking availability is very difficult to find though. I’ve basically given up on that. I usually end up parking on Rainier Boulevard North. As a last resort, 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 mostly only locals know about.

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https://villagetheatre.org/new-works/festival-of-new-musicals/

Cast and Production Team: See below.

Preview Post – Vietgone – Play with Music – Pork Filled Productions, SIS Productions, & Theatre Off Jackson

Happy packed opening night to Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone play-with-rap-music from Pork Filled Productions & SIS Productions at Theatre Off Jackson. Performing until 8/24. Stay tuned for my full review! #viet #vietnam #asian #refugee #refugees #vietnamese #asians

Final Full Review (Posted 8/15/24): https://www.showsiveseen.com/vietgone-play-with-music-review-pork-filled-productions-sis-productions-theatre-off-jackson/

Tickets: https://pork-filled.ticketleap.com/vietgone/

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Sister Act – Musical – Review – Taproot Theatre

@showsiveseen "Sister Act" #musical at @TaprootTheatre might be "THE" theatre show of the season. Great casting & costumes. Plus, Alan Menken music is always a crowd-pleaser. Wah wah pedal FTW! Starring Alexandria Henderson. Extended till 8/17. #catholic #nun #nuns #theatre #showiveseen #disco #sisterAct Review: showsiveseen.com/9150 Photos: Robert Wade Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Bill and Cheri Steinkellner Director: @Bretteney Beverly ♬ Take Me to Heaven – Sister Rosalie Taller

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Sister Act musical at Taproot Theatre might be “THE” theatre show of the season. Great casting and costumes. Plus, Alan Menken music is always a crowd-pleaser. Wah wah pedal FTW! Starring Alexandria Henderson. #disco

Recommendation
See it, especially if you saw the movie or if you grew up Catholic.

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): A disco lounge singer witnesses a crime and must hide in a convent disguised as a nun. She ends up leading the choir.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: A feel-good musical comedy like “nun” other! Deloris dreams of fame and fortune, but after witnessing a murder she lands in protective custody. Being disguised as a nun can’t cramp her style, and soon she’s inspired the whole choir.

Attended Performance Date: Opening Weekend 7/13/24 – I couldn’t attend the actual opening night since the show was so popular! Keep your eyes peeled for preview posts on my website and social media if you want earlier notification of shows I’ve seen.

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set? Mostly yes, since it’s such a small theatre. However, this production reused the rotating door from Taproot Theatre’s previous show Sherlock Holmes & the Precarious Position to facilitate scene changes.

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’d probably enjoy this show more if you saw the original film or if you grew up Catholic.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Equity Actors: 3

Total Number of Actors: 12

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to fast speed

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.5 hours

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? No, I previously attended Sister Act at Cornish College of the Arts.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Absolutely, but only professional productions like this one.

Mainstream Appeal: Medium to high

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Casting: Bretteney Beverly (the director and casting director) did a great job picking actors that matched the energy of the original movie characters especially the refined/uptight Mother Superior (played by Anne Allgood), the contrasting casual down-to-earth Deloris Van Cartier (played by Alexandria J. Henderson), the timid petite vocal bombshell Sister Mary Roberts (played by Rebecca Cort), and the jolly Sister Mary Patrick (played by Hannah Schuerman).
Costumes: Kudos to Esther Garcia for her fantastic costume design. She took me back to the funky 1970s with the sparkly disco sequins, tacky wide collars, plaid bottoms, earthy leather coats, gold bling, groovy bell-bottoms, and leopard print. In particular, I loved Deloris’ white suit at the end of the show. She finally lived her Donna Summer dream. “She showed up simple, all in white. Yeah, she looked so classy… and she sang so nasty!” Also, Eddie Souther’s (played by Charles Simmons) double costume transformation was impressive. For a professional theatre with a lower budget than many other Puget Sound professional theatres, I was surprised that they pulled off this stage magic!
Sweaty Eddie: Speaking of Charles Simmons, I was impressed by his smooth 1970s voice in “I Could Be That Guy” reminiscent of Brian McKnight. The audience was surprised when he sang his first line and they ate up his performance.
Choreography: Surprisingly for a small stage, Jimmy Shields was able to devise entertaining fun choreography. Obviously, it would have looked better in a bigger space though.
Positive Energy and Joy: As someone with RBF, I love musicals where I catch myself smiling during songs like “Lady in the Long Black Dress” (with Bee Gee’s falsetto), “Raise Your Voice,” and “Sunday Morning Fever.”

Rant(s)

Original Songs: It will certainly disappoint viewers of the original film that this musical didn’t contain any original movie songs. I suspect it was due to licensing fees or licensing disagreements. That being said, Alan Menken always writes wonderful masterpiece suites.
Microphones: The wireless wearable microphones occasionally distractingly crackled like there was loose wire/connector. Also, the handheld microphone often overpowered the speakers.
Thrust Stage: Taproot Theatre’s Jewell Mainstage is a thrust stage where the audience sits in a U-shape surrounding three of the four sides. Every time I sit on the sides, I experience major FOMO. The actors (understandably) prioritize blocking towards the back of the theatre space, not the sides.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Christian Songs vs Love Songs: It’s amusing how both the movie and the musical poked fun at how love songs and Christian songs have interchangeable lyrics. In “Take Me to Heaven,” Deloris and the nuns separately sang “Don’t know how you do what you do. It’s like you’re almost too good to be true. You’re my hope. You’re my dream. You rock my world. You reign supreme.” Deloris first sang it to her beau, but later the nuns sang it to God. Turn on Christian contemporary radio and you’ll hear the same similarities.

Theatre Company: Taproot Theatre

Venue: Jewell Mainstage at Taroot Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 204 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103

Price Range: $25-62

Dates: July 10 to August 17, 2024

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Paid lot or usually-free street parking. I always find free street parking on Greenwood Ave just South of the theatre.

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