Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): How I Learned What I Learned by August Wilson & Todd Kreidler performed by Steven Anthony Jones at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Random storytelling of black Pittsburgh. Like listening to a kindly grandfather ramble on “in my day.” Entertaining voices. Funny dig at Justin Bieber and Clarence Tomas. Well-designed stage. #play
Synopsis from the Theatre: Actor Steven Anthony Jones is here to tell you a story. Many stories, in fact. One of the greatest American playwrights, August Wilson, learned many lessons over his life, and “Wilsonian Warrior” Jones imparts them to you in one non-stop, spellbinding performance. From life-or-death moments to the deepest love, from comedic stand-up to bursts of pure joy, Wilson’s poetry and timeless stories radiate from the Bagley Wright stage, where he himself premiered this piece. Witness the 20th anniversary production of How I Learned What I Learned where it all started and follow one of the greats from his beginning as a young Black poet from Pittsburgh to the literary giant we honor today.
Reviewed Performance: 4/26/23 Opening Night
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: There weren’t any scenes, just lots of stories recounted
Several or Few Settings: There weren’t any settings, just lots of stories recounted
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You’d probably enjoy this show more if you’re familiar with August Wilson’s work
Defined Plot/Storyline: No, it was several random stories
Recommendation: See it if you like either one-person plays or listening to your grandparents tell stories about the past
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes
Equity Actors: 1
Total Number of Actors: 1
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours, which is too long for a one-person show
Intermission: No
Theatre Company: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue: Bagley Wright Theater at Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Parking: There are paid lots and paid street parking. I usually park on Mercer to the West of 1st Ave. There’s usually also a lot of 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.
Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures by Jenny Graham under video
@showsiveseen "How I Learned What I Learned" by #AugustWilson & Todd Kreidler performed by Steven Anthony Jones at Seattle Rep. Random storytelling of black #Pittsburgh. Like listening to a kindly grandfather ramble on "in my day." Entertaining voices. Funny dig at Justin Bieber & Clarence Tomas. Well-designed stage. Review: showsiveseen.com/5060 #play#theatre♬ Head in the Clouds – Carly Pearl
Steven Anthony Jones in August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Photo by Jenny Graham. Steven Anthony Jones in August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Photo by Jenny Graham. Steven Anthony Jones in August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Photo by Jenny Graham. Steven Anthony Jones in August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Photo by Jenny Graham.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Between Two Knees play at Seattle Rep by The 1491s. Outrageously (and uncomfortably?) funny, mildly controversial, and uniquely designed/written show about Native American history since Wounded Knee centering on one multigenerational family. Definitely a hit for woke Seattle.
Synopsis from the Theatre: The first play by acclaimed intertribal sketch comedy troupe The 1491s—best known for the hit television series “Reservation Dogs”—takes audiences on a searing and absurdly funny series of vignettes through American history centered on one family’s account of their experiences from the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890 to the protests there in 1973.
Reviewed Performance: 3/8/23 Evening on Opening Night
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Recommendation: See it especially if you’re familiar with Native American history from the past 1-2 centuries.
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 still good.
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: All
Total Number of Actors: 8
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.5 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Surprise Humor: It’s said that humor comes from truth, surprise, or superiority. This play definitely touched on the surprise element. There were several random funny WTF moments like the Mortal Combat-like scene where the protagonists fought drag nuns and ended with a glorious “finish him!” I loved when they used the “Indian burn” as an attack in this scene. The jeering nuns in the background were a nice touch from the video game. Another example of random funny moments is a goodbye scene when somebody said “I wish I knew how to quit you” like in Brokeback Mountain.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Historical Events: The play supposedly portrayed Native American history from 1890 to 1973 through the life of one multigenerational family. Since I personally knew nothing about Native American history (other than the traditional mainstream likely whitewashed/inaccurate stories such as Pocahontas and Squanto), I probably missed a lot of good nuances. But the play doesn’t need prior knowledge to enjoy it at superficial face value. To me, it was just a well told story. I wonder how this play would look like through the eyes of someone well-versed in the past 1-2 centuries of Native American history.
Mildly Controversial Nature: Various people will find some scenes/lines uncomfortably funny, mildly offensive, and not politically correct. Even the design around the stage with the curtains down was filled with culturally-appropriated stereotypical charicatures (see my video below). There were several moments when they didn’t pull any punches on controversial humor that I thought “Whoa, did they really just say/do that?!” I won’t spoil it too much for you, but the show ends in a WTF surreal exercise with the audience joining in uncomfortable baffled unison chanting something people don’t say in polite company. Woke Seattleites with white guilt will be sure to eat it up. I love how one of the characters say, “We wash his ears so that he will not hear people lecture him on what should be considered racist or offensive when they themselves have only a minimal understanding of how uncensored humor borne from trauma is actually beneficial to community healing!” Seattle is a perfect city to explore this controversial cringy material since the pendulum has swung to arguably excessively PC here.
Theatre Company: Seattle Repertory Theatre, McCarter Theater Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Yale Repertory Theatre
Venue: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Price: Medium
Ticket Affordability Options:
Seattle Rep offers free tickets for self-identified Native individuals. To request complimentary tickets, call the Patron Services Office at (206) 443-2222.
Ask the theatre if there are discounts associated with your employer, school, or alma mater.
Dates: March 3 to 26, 2023
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 a lot of 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. In those cases, I’ll park further north up on Queen Anne Hill.
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Metamorphoses play at Seattle Repertory Theatre based on the Roman Ovid’s epic magnum opus. Poetic storytelling at its finest. #Mythology #vignettes
Synopsis from the Theatre: A daring and intimate new production inspired by Ovid’s epic poems of transformation. This modern interpretation performed by a quartet of actors weaves together a collection of both well-known and rarely told myths that excavate the extremes of human experience through the purest forms of theatrical storytelling.
Reviewed Performance: 2/5/23 on opening weekend – Sorry for the late review. I’ve been busy with my dad in town.
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: No, it was multiple unconnected mythological tales
Recommendation: See it especially if you like Greek or Roman mythology. I read the Iliad and the Odessey but I’m unfamiliar with Ovid and I’ve actually never heard of any of these stories.
Was This the First Time I Saw 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: All
Number of Actors: 4
Length (Including Any Intermission): 1 hour and 30 mins
Intermission: No
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Silence and Shadow: The absence of sound (silence) was a big theme in Philomela and Procne’s story. You could hear a pin drop in the theatre. Additionally, this production created dramatic shadows (absence of light) on the walls with flashlights and spotlights. The silence and shadows complemented with the simple scenic design.
Nike Imouru: Nike Imouru was a good choice as one of the storytellers by just her accent alone … not to mention her acting. What is it about the British accent that makes storytelling so much more enchanting? I especially enjoyed when she poetically spun the tale of the spider (Arachne).
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
Beginning: The first story in the play was about how the Earth began and it reminded me of Genesis from the Bible. I wonder what the similarities are between the Genesis text and the actual Metamorphoses text.
Climate Change: I was surprised there was a myth about climate change. I wonder if the playwrights intentionally framed the Phaethon myth to remind the audience about climate change or if Ovid’s original tale was inherently about climate change.
Theatre Company: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Ask the theatre if there are discounts associated with your employer, school, or alma mater.
Dates: January 27 to February 26, 2023
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 a lot of 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. In those cases, I’ll park further north up on Queen Anne Hill.
Nike Imoru in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Kjerstine Rose Anderson and Meme García in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Darragh Kennan in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters. Nike Imoru and Kjerstine Rose Anderson in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Nike Imoru, Meme García, and Kjerstine Rose Anderson in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Darragh Kennan and Nike Imoru in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Meme García, Nike Imoru, and Kjerstine Rose Anderson in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Kjerstine Rose Anderson and Meme García in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Kjerstine Rose Anderson and Darragh Kennan in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Kjerstine Rose Anderson and Darragh Kennan in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Nike Imoru in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters
Role
Name
Ensemble
Kjerstine Rose Anderson
Meme García
Nike Imoru
Darragh Kennan
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter play based on the book at Seattle Rep. Diverse audience/cast takes me back to San Antonio. Sly, wry, and unexpected-but-well-timed comedic quips to the 4th wall. Deliciously dramatic Quinceanera climax right before intermission.
Synopsis from the Theatre: As she grieves the death of her older sister, Júlia Reyes faces pressure to put her own dreams of becoming a writer on hold. She finds herself caught between her family’s expectations and the less than perfect life she grapples with every day as a 15-year-old growing up in Chicago. A rich and poignant exploration of how to transcend your circumstances while remaining true to who you are.
Reviewed Performance: 1/18/23 on opening night
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Awards: None for the stage adaptation but several for the book
Defined Plot/Storyline: Plot was semi-defined. It felt more like several chronologically consecutive stories and not one big story. But I guess that’s real life!
Recommendation: See it especially if you have any connection to Mexican American culture
Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Maybe
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: All actors are Equity but all understudies are not
Length: It felt a little long at 2.5 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Romantic Scenes: Unlike the first act, the second act included more romantic comedy scenes, which I’m usually a sucker for. The main character Julia (pronounced in Spanish who-lee-yah) told the 4th wall that she felt like Julia Roberts. The non-explicit sex scene was funny and well-executed.
Mystery: I didn’t guess the mystery correctly about Olga’s secret life. That probably bodes well for the play.
Depression: I appreciated how they touched on mental illness especially when there’s a genetic predisposition. It’s a taboo subject in immigrant family culture … let alone American culture! I only wish they showed the audience ways to manage the depression.
Rant(s)
Microphones: Did Seattle Rep stop using microphones or has it always been like this? I noticed ths same thing in their last production. Update 1/21 PM: One of the actors messaged me (thank you!) that Seattle Rep doesn’t typically use microphones on their actors in plays … which baffles me! They likely use them for musicals though.
Hospital Scene: There was a major scene in a hospital that felt forgotten once the scene was complete. It was a major event in one of the characters’ life and the next scene felt like nothing critical happened at all.
Other Thought(s)
Missing Envelope: I think a second large envelope was supposed to fall from the ceiling in the second act. If there was a technical malfunction, kudos to Karen Rodriguez for the good improvised save.
Mom: I wonder how the play’s portrayal of Julia’s mom compares to the book. The mom in this play needed to chill out! She seemed more like an evil stepmother than a biological mother. I still don’t understand why she treated Julia worse than Olga especially with the twist at the end that revealed the mom’s background. I also felt like their reconciliation was too easy and sudden given her terrible treatment throughout the play.
Ceiling Furniture: There was an odd transition that felt out of place when a chairs and a dining table were lowered from the ceiling. The juice wasn’t really worth the squeeze for this advanced transition especially with the distracting visible cables. I think they would have been better off manually wheeling in the furniture from backstage.
Theatre Company: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Ask the theatre if there are discounts associated with your employer, school, or alma mater.
Dates: January 13 to February 5, 2023
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 a lot of 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. In those cases, I’ll park further north up on Queen Anne Hill.
Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Nate Watters.
Cast and Production Team : See below pictures
@showsiveseen “I Am Not Your Perfect #Mexican Daughter” #play based on the book at Seattle Rep. Diverse audience/cast takes me back to San Antonio. Sly, wry, & unexpected-but-well-timed comedic quips to the 4th wall. Deliciously dramatic Quinceanera climax right before intermission. Review + Photo Credit: showsiveseen.com/3348 #theatre♬ Bidi Bidi Bom Bom – Selena
Karen Rodriguez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters. Jazmín Corona, Karen Rodriguez, Leslie Sophia Pérez, and Eddie Martinez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Karen Rodriguez and Jazmin Corona in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Karen Rodriguez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Karen Rodriguez and Michael Monicatti in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Karen Rodriguez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Karen Rodriguez and Leslie Sophia Pérez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Members of the cast of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Karen Rodriguez and Leslie Sophia Pérez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Marco Antonio Tzunux, Karen Rodriguez, and Leslie Sophia Pérez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.Karen Rodriguez and Sofía Raquel Sánchez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters.
Role
Name
Olga
Sofia Raquel Sanchez*
Júlia
Karen Rodriguez*
Amá/Mama Jacinta
Jazmín Corona*
Apá/Tio Chucho
Eddie Martinez*
Juanga/Esteban
Marco Antonio Tzunux*
Mr. Ingman
Aaron Blakely*
Connor
Michael Monicatti *
Lorena/Belen
Leslie Sophia Perez*
Understudy Apa
Jesse Calixto
Understudy Olga/Ama
Sophie Franco
Understudy Mr. Ingman
Drew Highlands
Understudy Julia/Lorena
Pilar O’Connell
Understudy Juanga/Connor
Jason Trevino
—
—
Scenic Designer
Efren Delgadillo Jr.
Costume Designer
Danielle Nieves
Lighting Designer
Robert J. Aguilar
Sound Designer and Composer
John Nobori
Intimacy Director
Jess K Smith
Vocal Coach
Kate Myre
Dialect Coach
Mischelle Lopez-Rios
Quincy Choreography
Isaac Gomez
Stage Manager
Stina Lotti
Assistant Stage Manager
Stefania Giron Zuluaga
Seattle Casting
Kaytlin Mcintyre & Shawna Grajek
Addtional Casting
X Casting (Victor Vazquez, CSA)
Playwright
Isaac Gomez
Novelist
Erika Sanchez
Director
Juliette Carrillo
*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Mr. Dickens & His Carol play at Seattle Rep adapted from the same-titled book. Backstory on how Charles Dickens’ wrote A Christmas Carol. Always cool to see a rotating stage. MJ Seiber’s characters were a delight. Didn’t expect the perpetrator’s reveal in the end. Still working out the mystery behind Tiny Tim’s mom. #theatre #Christmas #xmas
Synopsis from the Theatre: Charles Dickens should be looking forward to Christmas. When his latest book is a flop, putting both his popularity and finances in peril, his publishers give an ultimatum: write a Christmas book within a month or lose everything. Adapted for the stage from Samantha Silva’s critically acclaimed novel, this tale set in the heart of Victorian England weaves a fictional take on Dickens’ past, present, and future into a comedic and poignant new holiday classic.
Reviewed Performance: 11/30 Evening – Opening Night
Type: Play
World Premiere: Yes
Recommendation: See it if you like A Christmas Carol but you want to see something new.
Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)
Equity Actors: 13 out of 14
Length: 2.5 hours
Intermission: Yes
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts
Set and Scenic Design: There were no curtains hiding the left and right side of offstage. I’ve noticed Seattle Rep uses this uncommon scene design more often in recent performances with Ghost and Where We Belong. So the audience was able to see the actors who were not performing, the technical equipment, and the set design pieces that weren’t used in the current scene. This exposed offstage decision seems novel and modern to me … for now.
Clock: The clock at the top of the stage frame was a nice centerpiece. I wish it worked though. If it’s too expensive to create moving hands, maybe they could just project hands on the bare clock face.
Central Contraption: There was a strange-looking contraption at centerstage where much of the action occurred. It had stairs and it could be split in two. The stage could also rotate it to convey a scene location change to the audience, which was effective. Check out my video below for a view of what I’m talking about.
Rant(s)
Microphone: It was difficult to hear the speaking characters and they needed better mic-ing. I actually wondered if they even wore microphones.
Dickens and Christmas References: One of the street urchins told Charles Dickens, “Please sir, I want some more” when Dickens gave the urchin money. There was also an instance where a market seller yelled out “Buy chestnuts on an open fire!” While I appreciate sprinkles of these “easter eggs” in the dialogue that feel like a wink to the audience, the script went too overboard on them.
Other Thought(s)
Tiny Tim’s Mom: Will someone send me a message telling me what happened to Tiny Tim’s mom? I’m so confused and I have some theories but I won’t spoil the story for my readers.
Theatre Company : Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Price: Medium to Expensive
Dates: November 25 to December 23, 2022
Seating: Assigned
Parking: There are paid lots and paid street parking. I usually park on Mercer to the West of 1st Ave. There’s usually also a lot of 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. In those cases, I’ll park further north up on Queen Anne Hill.
Adam Standley and members of the cast of Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Members of the cast of Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Adam Standley and Ryan Vincent Anderson in Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Sunam Ellis and Julie Briskman in Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Adam Standley and Basil Harris in Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.Members of the cast of Mr. Dickens and His Carol at Seattle Rep. Photo by Lindsay Thomas.
