Category: Theaters, Performance Spaces, and Production Companies

SHe Said – Musical – Broadway Performance Hall

Elevator Pitch/Thoughts/Tweet: “SHe Said” world premiere show by Jen Ayers at Broadway Performance Hall. Mashup between a concert & “one-ish” person musical. Reminiscent of a gentler “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” show. Very Seattle. Fascinating wife’s perspective as her husband transitions to a trans woman. Cool background videos. Packed audience! Lots of love & support. #transgender

Type: Musical/Concert

Recommendation: See it if you like “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” or one-person shows or Seattle music.

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4 stars

Other Rant(s)

  • Background vocal volume needs to be increased. I could tell there was good harmony but I could barely hear it.

Other Rave(s)

  • Pretty nifty how the program included the lyrics. Reminds me of compact disk case inserts from back in the day.

Venue: Broadway Performance Hall (Seattle Community College) – 1625 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122

Price: $$ (Medium)

Dates: October 6 to October 9, 2022

Seating: General Admission

Social Media Posts: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Link(s):

Other Media:

@showsiveseen “SHe Said” world premiere show by #JenAyers at Broadway Performance Hall. Mashup between a #concert & “one-ish” person #musical. Reminiscent of a gentler Hedwig show. Very #Seattle. Fascinating wife’s perspective as her husband transitions to a #trans ♬ Forever Love – Jen Ayers
Mike Mitchell Photographer
Mike Mitchell Photographer
Mike Mitchell Photographer
Mike Mitchell Photographer
Mike Mitchell Photographer
Mike Mitchell Photographer
Ailisa Newhall Photographer
Ailisa Newhall Photographer
Ailisa Newhall Photographer
Ailisa Newhall Photographer
Ailisa Newhall Photographer
Ailisa Newhall Photographer

What the Constitution Means to Me – Play – Seattle Rep

Elevator Pitch/Thoughts/Tweet: “What the Constitution Means to Me” at Seattle Rep. Intellectually stimulating mashup between a TED Talk, play, & debate. Appreciate the free ACLU book of rights. The 4th wall was broken. Abolish or keep the constitution? #speech #USA #UnitedStates #penumbra #theatre #feminism

Type: Play-ish Show/Talk

Recommendation: See it if you like TED Talks, debates, law, or feminism. Don’t see it if you’re looking for a play with a plot.

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4 stars

Other Rants

  • There were a lot of random tangents but I guess they were required for comic relief.

Theater Company: Seattle Rep

Venue: Seattle Rep – 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109

Price: $$$ (Medium to Expensive)

Dates: September 30 – October 23, 2022

Seating: Assigned Seating

Social Media Posts: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Link: https://www.seattlerep.org/plays/202223-season/what-the-constitution-means-to-me/

Other Media:

@showsiveseen “What the #Constitution Means to Me” at #SeattleRep. Intellectually stimulating mashup between a #TEDTalk, #play, & #debate. Appreciate the free @aclu book of rights. The 4th wall was broken. Abolish or keep the constitution? #speech #USA #UnitedStates #penumbra #theatre #feminism ♬ American Idiot – Green Day
Cassie Beck in What the Constitution Means to Me. Photo by Joan Marcus
Cassie Beck in What the Constitution Means to Me. Photo by Joan Marcus
Cassie Beck in What the Constitution Means to Me. Photo by Joan Marcus
Leah Scott in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Sayed Alamy.
Cassie Beck and Gabriel Marin in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.
Cassie Beck and Gabriel Marin in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.
Cassie Beck and Gabriel Marin in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.
Mara Gonzalez Moral in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Sayed Alamy.
Mara Gonzalez Moral in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Sayed Alamy.
Gabriel Marin and Cassie Beck in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.
Cassie Beck in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.
Mara Gonzalez Moral and Cassie Beck in What the Constitution Means to Me at Seattle Rep. Photo by Bronwen Houck.

Avenue Q – Musical – Renton Civic Theatre

Elevator Pitch/Thoughts/Tweet: “Avenue Q” musical at Renton Civic Theatre. Puppets in “adult Sesame Street” teaching so many important life lessons. Compared to the professional tour, this production was actually pretty good. Best show out of the 3 I’ve seen at this theatre. Great band. #puppet #puppetry #AvenueQ

Type: Musical

Recommendation: See it especially if you like community theatre.

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4 stars

Other Rants

  • While the Christmas Eve actress was great, a more Asian-looking person should play this part or else it looks like “yellow face.”
  • Need to work on better sound balancing. That being said, the balance significantly improved from the previous “Hair” and “Jekyll & Hyde” I saw at this theatre.

Other Raves

  • The audience money collection segment was a cute touch. I don’t remember that from the professional tour. Maybe I was too high up in the balcony then!
  • Brittany Todd (Lucy the Slut), Alyssa Hope Maas (Kate Monster), and Graham Arthur Blair (Princeton) are outstanding! Peter McCarthy King (Brian) has an amazing rich voice!

Theater Company: Renton Civic Theatre

Venue: Renton Civic Theatre – 507 S 3rd St, Renton, WA 98057

Price: $ (Cheap)

Dates: September 23 – October 8, 2022

Seating: Assigned Seating

Social Media Posts: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35408/production/1123382

Other Media: Photos in video and below video are by Kelsey Graham Photography

@showsiveseen #AvenueQ at Renton Civic Theatre. #Puppets in adult @sesamestreet teaching so many important life lessons. Compared to the professional tour, this production was actually pretty good. Best show out of the 3 I’ve seen at this #theatre. Great band. Pix by @kelsygram. #puppet #puppetry ♬ original sound – Shows I’ve Seen

Swimming While Drowning – Play – ArtsWest

Elevator Pitch/Thoughts/Tweet: “Swimming While Drowning” play at ArtsWest. Delightful funny repartee between runaway teenagers that are total opposites rooming together at a gay homeless shelter. Sweet innocent bed scene. What was the address at the end? #poetry #lgbt

Type: Play

Recommendation: See it if you like plays with only 2 actors and plays that are mostly dialogue. I usually don’t but this wasn’t bad.

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4 stars

Theater Company: ArtsWest

Venue: ArtsWest – 4711 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Price: $ (Cheap)

Dates: September 29th – October 23rd, 2022

Seating: Assigned Seating

Social Media Posts: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Link: https://www.artswest.org/theatre-plays/swimming-while-drowning/

Other Media:

@showsiveseen “Swimming While Drowning” #play at #ArtsWest #Theatre. Delightful funny #repartee between #runaway #teenagers that are total opposites rooming together at a #gay #homeless shelter. Sweet innocent bed scene. What was the address at the end? #poetry #lgbt ♬ You – Louyah

The Griswold’s Broadway Vacation – Musical – 5th Avenue Theatre

Megan Reinking (Ellen Griswold), Hunter Foster (Clark Griswold), Livvy Marcus (Audrey Griswold), and Nathan Levy (Rusty Griswold). Photo Credit: Tracy Martin.

Elevator Pitch/Thoughts/Tweet: “The Griswold’s Broadway Vacation” mmusical at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Pleasantly surprised it featured Hunter Foster. Fantastic bright sets, props, & costumes. New York tourist trap haven. Easy 1980s sitcom-like conflict resolutions. Basic all-American themes, heart, & family. Loved the hick chic fashion montage. #theatre #NYC #Manhattan

Type: Musical

Recommendation: See it! Even if you didn’t see the movies (I didn’t).

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.5 stars

Other Rants

  • Did a the teacher go on dates with the student back in the day? Weird.
  • A little too all-American. Despite the inclusive casting, the perspective isn’t very accessible to ethnicities. But I guess that’s not the fault of the musical but more the fault of the movie series.
  • Have they not heard of Stub Hub? Major plot hole here!

Other Raves

  • Loved Rusty Griswold’s side quests

Theater Company: The 5th Avenue Theatre

Venue: The 5th Avenue Theatre – 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Price: $$$$ (Expensive)

Dates: September 13 – October 2, 2022

Seating: Assigned Seating

Social Media: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Link: https://www.5thavenue.org/shows/2022-23/the-griswolds-broadway-vacation/

Other Media:

@showsiveseen “The #Griswold‘s #Broadway #Vacation” #musical at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Pleasantly surprised it featured #HunterFoster. Fantastic bright sets, props, & costumes. #NewYork #tourist trap haven. Easy 1980s sitcom-like conflict resolutions. Basic all-american themes, heart, & family. Loved the hick chic fashion montage. #theatre #NYC #Manhattan ♬ Welcome To New York – Taylor Swift
Megan Reinking as Ellen Griswold, Livvy Marcus as Audrey Griswold, Jen Cody, Nathan Levy as Rusty Griswold, and Hunter Foster as Clark Griswold. Photo Credit: Tracy Martin.
Hunter Foster as Clark Griswold and Livvy Marcus as Audrey Griswold. Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka.
Jen Cody as Madame Sherie, Megan Reinking as Ellen Griswold, and Alan H. Green as the Naked Commando. Photo Credit: Tracy Martin.
Jay Klaitz as Cousin Eddie. Photo Credit: Tracy Martin.
Megan Reinking and Hunter Foster star as Ellen and Clark Griswold in the world premiere of The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation. Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka.
Alan H. Green (center) as the Naked Commando and the cast of The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation. Photo Credit: Tracy Martin.