Category: Village Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Miss Step throwback musical at Village Theatre by Kit Yan and Melissa Li. Feel good love letter to the 80s that emphasized the “T” in LGBT! Bodacious dance ensemble. Totally tubular spandex aerobic-inspired choreography/costumes. Jane Fonda would be so proud.

Synopsis from the Theatre: Pam Carter is an unremarkable trans woman, working as a toll collector on the New Jersey turnpike. When a family tragedy uncovers her late father’s secret passion for competitive aerobics, Pam decides to step into her father’s sneakers and vault herself on a remarkable journey. This sweet, fun, 80’s throwback musical is a comedy for family members of all ages and genders. So slap on that spandex, throw on a headband, and get ready to clap your hands for MISS STEP!

Reviewed Performance: 2/16/23 Evening – Sorry for the late review. Since this wasn’t a press ticket and there were only two more shows left on this short run, I didn’t prioritize the review.

Type: Musical

World Premiere: “Pre-World Premiere” – It’s still in the development phase as part of the Village Originals Beta Series

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes – There was only a keyboardist and a drummer. I didn’t even notice there were so few musicians during the show. I was shocked there were only two band members listed in the playbill I read after the show.

Recommendation: See it!

Was This the First Time I Saw a Production of this Show: Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Absolutely! I’d love to compare and contrast this developmental production with the final world premiere production.

Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value:
4.5 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)

Equity Actors: 9

Total Number of Actors: 14

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours but it felt like the perfect length

Intermission: No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

• Transgender/Queer Representation: This musical normalized LGBT+ characters/actors especially those who are trans. I like how the song “Unremarkable” punctuated how commonplace it was to be trans in this world. However, it felt like the cast was missing a bisexual character and it wouldn’t hurt to add another trans man. I thought it was interesting when an audience member from the aftershow talkback pointed out the juxtaposition between an older trans woman character who subscribed to traditional gender binary roles while her child supported a more modern non-binary gender role.
• Cassi Q Kohl: I didn’t know Cassi Q Kohl (who played Cindy) had such a powerful voice! I’ve only seen her in Village Theatre’s previous production Cinderella where she played the fairy godmother. I guess her previous role didn’t let her showcase her voice as much.
• Ending Reveal: The revealing twist at the end with the father was pretty cleaver.
• Emcee: I previously saw Joel Domenico on-stage in Verlaine and McCann’s Land of the Sweets – The Burlesque Nutcracker as the charismatic emcee. He reprised a similar role in Miss Step as the competition emcee and as part of the energetic dance ensemble.
• 1980s Theme: As someone born in the 80s, it was fun being reminded of elements that were popular in my childhood like Michael Bolton, John Stamos, kazoos, Operation boardgame, ankle warmers, headbands, Madonna, leotards, New Kids on the Block, wrist slappers, corny humor, the ThighMaster, and effortless plot resolutions.
• Second Act Ballad: Janet (played by Bobbi Kotula) sung a wonderful ballad with a lovely melody. The playbill said the song was called “He Was My Trophy” but I thought it was called “It Wasn’t Me.” Since this was a dynamically-changing beta musical still in development, they might have added/changed the ballad after the playbill went to press.

Rant(s)

• Microphone Queuing: There were numerous instances when the microphone turned on late. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that it was because of the dynamically-changing nature of a beta musical in development.
• Accompaniment Key: There were 1-3 songs in the beginning that felt like the accompaniment key didn’t match well with the transgender performers’ best vocal range. The song(s) need(s) to be transposed.
• Deadbeat Reasons: The show didn’t explained well why the dad left his family. The few potential reasons I gathered during the second act didn’t seem like compelling enough reasons to leave a family.
• First Act Ballad: There was a slower song that Pam (played by MJ Rawls) sang in the beginning that either started too abruptly from a more energetic scene or ended too abruptly to a more energetic scene. I don’t remember.

Theatre Company: Village Theatre

Venue: Village Theatre – Hunt Family Theatre First Stage

Venue Physical Address: 120 Front St N, Issaquah, WA 98027

Price: Cheap

Ticket Affordability Options: Pay-what-you-will on 2/16/23

Dates: February 11 to 19, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Free street parking and free lot parking. If you park in the lot, make sure the spot is not reserved for a business. As a last resort, you can always find parking at the library (10 W Sunset Way, Issaquah, WA 98027) but it’s a little far. Remember, there’s a bottom floor parking lot under the library’s main parking lot that most non-locals don’t know about.

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:
Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

• https://web.archive.org/web/20230129204532/https://villagetheatre.org/shows/miss-step/ – Village Theatre took down the original page after the show’s run
• https://www.missstepmusical.com/

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen "Miss Step" throwback #musical at Village Theatre by @kityanpoet & Melissa Li. Feel good love letter to the #80s that emphasized the "T" in #LGBT! Bodacious dance ensemble. Totally tubular #spandex #aerobic-inspired choreography/costumes. Jane Fonda would be so proud. Review: showsiveseen.com/4076. Photos by @nikkilong_. #theatre #aerobics #1980s ♬ Jump (Originally Performed by Van Halen) [Instrumental] – Backing Track Central

Role	Name
Gail	Kathryn Van Meter *
Pam Carter	MJ Rawls *
Janet	Bobbi Kotula *
Cameron Carter Sr	Ethan Carpenter *
Cindy	Cassi Q Kohl *
Rachel Weissman	Bridgid Abrams *
Eli	Vincent Milay
Pauline	Irene Rising *
Topaz	Leah Sainz-Jones
Jay	Tom Avery
Ensemble	Joel Domenico Mackenzie Mathotra Nehemiah Hooks * Tori Gresham *
—	—
Keyboard/Conductor	Elisa Money
Drums	Scot Sexton
—	—
Director & Co-Choreographer	Connor Gallagher
Co-Choreographer	Jay Jackson “Laganja Estranja”
Writer/Composer	Kit Yan and Melissa Li
Scenic Designer	Jason Sherwood
Costume Designer	Chelsea Cook
Lighting Designer	Chih-Hung Shao
Sound Designer	Erin Bednarz
Projection Designer	Ahren Buhmann
Stage Manager	Jessamyn Bateman-Iino
Gender Consultant	Josephine Kearns
Dance Arrangements	David Dabbon
New York Casting	Judy Bowman
Music Director	Elisa Money
Assistant Director	Charlie Johnson
Assistant Stage Manager	Kallen Pishue
Assistant Scenic Designer	Jeremy Hollis
Production Assistants	Liam Nellis, Lainie Schwartz
Vocal Coach	Danny Kam
Head Stage Carpenter	Andrew Long
Head Lighting Engineer	Zac Andersen
Head Sound Engineer	Alex Wren
Wardrobe Lead	Malena Langlie
Projection Technician	Ahren Buhmann

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Village Theatre by developing youth actors. Interesting to see how a 6-7 person show works w/ 15 people. Favorite line was something like “He met a fury. No you’re a furry!” #percyJackson #greekMythology #musical #theatre

Synopsis from the Theatre: As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus’s master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. To succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and come to terms with the father who abandoned him. Adapted from the best-selling book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed mythical adventure “worthy of the gods” (Time Out New York). –Concord Theatricals

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Recommendation: See it if you like supporting developing actors in high school. Many talented major Seattle actors participated in Village Theatre’s Kidstage program growing up. For example, I think the Kataka Corn, who played Dorothy (lead role) in 5th Ave Theatre’s The Wiz, is a Village Theatre Kidstage alumnus.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: Yes if it was an Equity production. This is actually the second time I’ve seen this musical. The first time was the national tour.

Equity Actors: 0

Length: 2 hours

Intermission: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

• Playbill: Loved their new upgraded glossy playbill. In the past, Village Theatre Kidstage productions didn’t print color graphics or actor headshots.
• Favorite Actors: Powerful steady voice from Mia Basulto (Clarisse – Ares’ Daughter) and good acting from River DeJong (Ares/Gabe/Ensemble)

Other Thought(s)

• Deviations from the Original Productions: Did the tour or original production refer to the Oracle as a “mummy?” I don’t remember that. Was the Medusa scene in the original productions or was that a new?

Theatre Company: Village Theatre Kidstage

Venue: Village Theatre First Stage

Venue Physical Address: 120 Front St N, Issaquah, WA 98027

Price: Cheap

Dates: December 2 to December 18, 2022

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Free street parking and free lot parking. If you park in the lot, make sure the spot is not reserved for a business. As a last resort, I think you can always find parking at the library (10 W Sunset Way, Issaquah, WA 98027) but it’s a little far. Remember, there’s a bottom floor parking lot under the library’s main parking lot that most non-locals don’t know about.

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:
Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

• https://villagetheatre.org/shows/the-lightning-thief/

@showsiveseen "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson #Musical" at #VillageTheatre by developing youth actors. Interesting to see how a 6-7 person show works w/ 15 people. Favorite line was something like "He met a fury. No you're a furry!" Review: showsiveseen.com/2807 #percyJackson #greekMythology #theatre ♬ Drive – Chris McCarrell & Kristin Stokes & George Salazar & James Hayden Rodriguez & The Lightning Thief Company & Rob Rokicki

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): This ain’t your granny’s Rodgers & Hammerstein Cinderella musical! Colorful retro costumes/hair. Stunning orchestra w/ the occasional funky beat. Nice ballroom choreography. Soothing voice from Prince James Schilling. Proud to see Pinay Ays Garcia play Cinderella at Village Theatre. Takes me back to Brandy & Whitney Houston’s TV special.

Synopsis from the Theatre: “Do I love you because you’re beautiful? Or are you beautiful because I love you?” Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella comes to life in a timeless new production full of theatrical invention, tuneful melodies, and romance galore. With favorite songs like “In My Own Little Corner” and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful,” Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was last seen on the Village Theatre stage in 1985. Now, under the inspired direction of the acclaimed Desdemona Chiang, with a script drawn from the 1997 television adaptation, Chiang’s production of Cinderella brings the story into the present with scintillating new costumes, a top-tier cast of Seattle stars, and a spectacular 16-person orchestra you’ll have to hear to believe. With an assist from her fairy godmother, as Cinderella dreams of finding her own place in a perfect world, she steps into her glass slippers to meet the prince of her dreams —only to lose him as the clock strikes midnight. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella promises to be an unforgettable trip to the theatre, perfect for the whole family as memories are made together.

Reviewed Performance Date: 11/18/22 Evening

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Live Band/Orchestra: Yes

Recommendation: See it!

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: Always! This is the second (maybe 3rd if you count the TV special) time I’ve seen a separate version of Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Rating (Out of 5 Stars) Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value: 4.5 stars

Equity Actors: 13 out of 20

Length: 2 hours

Intermission?: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

• Kiss: I kinda liked that Cinderella made the first move. The conservatives would have been reeling though!
• Shoulder Sleeves: The puffy shoulder sleeves on Cinderella’s initial dress were a great touch. I wonder if it was an intentional nod to retro Filipina/Filipinx/Filipino fashion since the Cinderella actress was Pinay. I assume it was since Village Theatre included a barong in their previous production of Mamma Mia.
• Fairy Godmother: Novel portrayal of a non-traditional fairy godmother who’s typically either in an unflattering frumpy-albeit-comfortable muumuu-like dress, in a tulle-ly dress, or a granny. This one had a more butch lesbian vibe (I can say that since I’m gay right?) in a sparkly pant suit. Reminded me of the time the 5th Ave Theatre fairy godfather in Bliss was an actual gay Italian man.
• Pharmacist: As someone in the pharmacy profession, thank you Village Theatre for recognizing most pharmacists are doctorate graduates!
• Shadow Box Set: I’m a huge fan of shadow boxes in home decor and it was cool seeing them as set frames. However, I suggest removing the vertical lines from Cinderella’s house so it doesn’t look like a shipping container … unless it was intentional to show the family’s financial status.
• Favorite Line: Something like “A glass slipper. A pumpkin. What a night!” Not sure why this was so funny.
• Down to Earth: Ays Garcia portrayed Cinderella as someone more relatable. Usually, Cinderella is typically portrayed as someone more regal, unrealistic, with a dash of Stepford. I wonder what children would think of this Cinderella if they’ve never seen any other portrayal.
• Stepmother: She made some amusing trembles! 😛

Rant(s)

• Flow: Some of the acting flow was a little awkward and stilted. This production needs more time to cure. However, I attended the opening night and this problem will certainly improve as they continue to perform this piece.
• Stage Space: Great ballroom choreography but the stage space looked too cramped for the dancers.
• Stained Glass: I wasn’t really a fan of using a stained glass motif around the sides of the stage. Not sure why. I think it felt like wasted space on the already tiny-for-ballroom-scenes stage. Maybe it would be more suitable for Beauty and the Beast?
• Staircase: Should have been more regal than a simple metal wobbly thing. It would have been nice to see a more dramatic Cinderella entrance on it.
• Carriage: Should have been more pumpkin-looking. Although, a pumpkin carriage might be too big for the stage.
• Puffer Jacket: I loved their groovy costumes. But a Patagonia-like puffer jacket as a ballroom costume piece? Oh the PNW … I guess they know their audience!

Other Thought(s)

• Glass Slipper: I wish there was a better way to show live theatre audiences a glass slipper than just a glittery shoe. It’s easier to do this on-screen but nearly impossible to do this on a stage. Some people in the audience wouldn’t even see a glass slipper but just feet since the slipper is transparent.
• Technical Pause: They had to stop in the middle of the second act for a technical glitch. I think one of the set pieces wasn’t moving. I wouldn’t hold it against them too much since it’s part of the the magic of live theatre!
• Dress Down: While I appreciated Stepmother’s scathing figurative dress down, I would have also loved to see a more dramatic literal dress down of Cinderella’s first dress where the stepsisters eviscerate it in cat fight-like fray. But to be fair, I think most Rodgers and Hammerstein Cinderella musicals actually don’t show a first dress like in the Disney versions.
• Lyrics and Songslist: I recently learned the songlist and lyrics between each Rodgers & Hammerstein Cinderella production I’ve seen have been different. It’s interesting to observe these variations.
• Animals: Not sure how I feel about the incorporation of animal characterization and puppetry in this version of Cinderella. I don’t think we normally see this from other Rodgers & Hammerstein Cinderella productions. If anything, it’s novel to see!

Theatre Company : Village Theatre

Venue: Village Theatre Issaquah (Additional Performances in Everett)

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

Price: Medium

Dates: Issaquah Nov 16 – Dec 23, 2022 | Everett Jan 6 – Jan 29, 2023

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Free street parking and some free parking lot. Lot parking is pretty difficult to find though. I’ve basically given up on that. I usually end up parking on Rainier Boulevard North. As a last resort, I think 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 most non-locals don’t know about.

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

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

• https://villagetheatre.org/mainstage/cinderella/
• Program

Cast and Production Team: See under the multimedia below.

Other Video +/- Pictures: B-reel clips in TikTok video by Nyhuis Creative

@showsiveseen This ain’t your granny’s @rodgersandhammerstein #Cinderella #musical! Colorful retro costumes/hair. Stunning orchestra w/ the occasional funky beat. Nice ballroom choreography. Soothing voice from Prince James Schilling. Proud to see #Pinay @aysgarcia play Cinderella at #VillageTheatre. Takes me back to @brandy & @whitneyhouston’s TV special. Review + Video Credit: showsiveseen.com/2047 #theatre ♬ “Ten Minutes Ago” (Reprise) – Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella Original Broadway Ensemble

Role	Name
Fairy Godmother	Cassi Q Kohl* Candice Donehoo* (u/s)
Grace	Carly Corey* Bridgid Abrams* (u/s)
Lionel	Jason Weitkamp* Fune Tautala (u/s)
Cinderella	Ays Garcia* Beth Pollack (u/s)
Joy	Mia Mooko Mackenzie Neusiok
Queen Constantina	Candice Donehoo* Rebecca Maiten
Stepmother	Anne Allgood* Beth DeVries*
Christopher	James Schilling Kawika Huston
King Maximillian	Brandon O’Neill* Mark Emerson*
Ensemble	Bridgid Abrams* Beth DeVries* Keola Kapulani Holt Sade Aset Mark Emerson* Mackenzie Neusiok Ethan Carpenter* Kawika Huston Fune Tautala Gabriel Corey* Charlie Johnson
Ensemble Swings	Lisa Kwak Christopher Sweet
—	—
Director/Conductor/Keyboard 2	R.J. Tancioco
Violin 1/Concertmaster	Winnie Dungey
Violin 2	Valerie Tung
Cello	Grant Olson
Bass	Olivia Hamilton
Reed 1	Alicia Suarez or Susan Telford
Reed 2	Koryn Orcutt or Bruce Carpenter
Reed 3	Jay Easton
Reed 4	Robyn Watson
Keyboard 1	Benjamin Bentler
Trumpet 1	Greg Lyons
Trumpet 2	William Ward
Horn 1	David McBride
Horn 2	Jill Jaques
Trombone	Keith Winkle
Percussion	Jesse Whitford
—	—
Stage Manager	Jamie J. Kranz*
Assistant Stage Managers	Michelle Chesley Alyx Kruger
Composer	Richard Rodgers
Book and Lyrics	Oscar Hammerstein II
Adapted by	Tom Briggs from the teleplay by Robert L. Freedman
Scenic Designers	Lauren Nichols Arnel Sancianco
Costume Designer	Chelsea Cook
Lighting Designer	Andrew D. Smith
Sound Designer	Kurt Conway
Choreographer	Katy Tabb
Director	Desdemona Chiang

Type: Musical

Recommendation: See it!

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.5 stars

Theater Company: Village Theatre

Venue: Village Theatre

Price: $$ (Medium)

Dates: ISSAQUAH SEP 14 – OCT 23, 2022 | EVERETT OCT 28 – NOV 20, 2022

Seating: Assigned

Link: https://villagetheatre.org/mainstage/little-shop-of-horrors/

@showsiveseen “Little Shop of Horrors” #musical opening night at #VillageTheatre w/ @midorilei. #Funny sprinkles of #campy gestures/quips. Well-chosen Seymour. Loved the inclusive casting choices. Incredible Audrey 1 voice especially in “Suddenly, Seymour.” #LittleShopOfHorrors #theatre ♬ Prologue / Little Shop Of Horrors – Soundtrack / Cast Album