West of Lenin – Shows I've Seen

Bethany Sees the Stars – Play – Copious Love Productions

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Happy closing last weekend to Bethany Sees the Stars world premiere play by Emily Golden with Copious Love Productions at West of Lenin theatre. The beginning reminded me of Dacha Theatre’s quirkiness and imagination. Unexpected twist at the end. #greekMythology

Synopsis from the Theatre: 15-year-old Bethany spends her days in an eternal funk. But when a letter arrives inviting her to be a crew member on the first manned mission to Mars, she has an opportunity to leave it all behind. With her journey fast approaching, Bethany must turn to the all-knowing constellations for the answer to an impossible choice. Funny and tender, this world premiere play is a cosmic meditation on hope, loss, and the ability of relationships to hurt us or heal us in our most vulnerable seasons of life.

Attended Performance Date: 9/2/23

Type: Play

World Premiere: Yes

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: Knowledge of some Greek mythology is preferred

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes-ish but the story wasn’t very extensive

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 5

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours

Intermission Included: Yes

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: No

Recommendation: See it if you like shows about teenage angst, grief, and depression.

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Human Cellular Chimerism Scene: Leanne’s (played by Olivia Lee) explanation of human chimerism from pregnancy was fascinating.
Lauren Megan McCarthy: Lauren switched between her two distinct characters (Fey and Andromeda) seamlessly.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Manic Pixie Dream Boy: The Atlas character (played by Lola Rei Fukushima) was a little reminiscent of a manic pixie dream boy contrasting with the sullen Bethany character (played by Jade Guillory-Kaub).

Theatre Company: Copious Love Productions

Venue: West of Lenin

Venue Physical Address: 203 N 36th St #204, Seattle, WA 98103

Price: Cheap

Dates: August 24 to September 9, 2023

Seating: General Admission Seating

Parking: There’s paid lot parking or free street parking. I can usually find street parking behind the theatre closer to the water.

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Brett Love.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen Happy closing last weekend to "Bethany Sees the #Stars" #worldPremiere #play by Emily Golden w/ Copious Love at West of Lenin. Directed by Kathryn Stewart. Starring Jade Guillory-Kaub. The beginning reminded me of Dacha Theatre's quirkiness & imagination. Unexpected twist at the end. Review: showsiveseen.com/6442 Photos: Brett Love. #greekMythology #theatre #showsiveseen #mythology ♬ Paradise – Aiden Myers

Role	Name
Bethany	Jade Guillory-Kaub
Fay / Andromeda	Lauren Megan McCarthy
Atlas	Lola Rei Fukushima
Father / Perseus	Daniel Christensen
Cassiopeia / Leanne	Olivia Lee
—	—
Director	Kathryn Stewart
Playwright	Emily Golden
Stage Manager, Tech, & Run	Nik Nolen
Props Designer / Assistant Stage Manager	Christy Fox
Lighting Designer	Adem Hayyu
Sound Designer	Alison Kozar
Costume Designer	Fantasia Rose
Scenic Designer	Jordan Gerow
Production Manager / Rehearsal Stage Manager	Megan Merydith
Painter / Master Carpenter	Garrett Dill
Company Liason	Tony Simmons

Preview Post – Bethany Sees the Stars – Play – Copious Love Productions

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Bethany Sees the Stars by Copious Love productions at West of Lenin. Closes next weekend. Stay tuned for my full review/video!

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Hedda Gabler – Play – General Gabler’s Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): “Hedda Gabler” Ibsen play by new theatre company General Gabler’s Theatre at West of Lenin staring Natalie Schmidt and a cast of only female or non-binary actors. There’s something alluring about an antihero.

Synopsis from the Theatre: Join us in 19th century Christiania (Oslo) at the spacious home of a woman with plenty of will but no room to exact it. She thought she made a wise deal with the man she just married. She would be his wife, and he would provide her with the safe and respectable means to occupy her active mind. But when it becomes clear that her husband can’t fulfill his end of the bargain, her active mind quickly turns toward the dangerous.

Attended Performance Date: 8/11/23 (Closing Weekend)

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: I think it was just 3 scenes

Several or Few Settings/Locations: One

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes, but there’s only so much that can occur in a single room and 3 scenes. Most of the storyline was conveyed through storytelling and not action.

Recommendation: See it if you’re okay with plays that contain few scenes and locations

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

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: I’d consider seeing an Equity production

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

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 7

Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow to medium

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours

Intermission Included: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Favorite Characters/Actors: I enjoyed Judge Brack (played by Joyce Thi Brew) and Hedda Gabler (played by Natalie Schimidt) the most. They reminded me of the toxic interactions between Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf in the Gossip Girl TV show especially with the negative, cold, controlling/calculating personalities of Hedda and Blair.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Moral of the Story: What message was the playwright trying to convey with this work? Was the play purely for entertainment value or was there a moral to the story?
Fire: The fire in Hedda Gabler reminded me of the circumstances surrounding the fire in Ibsen’s Ghosts.

Theatre Company: General Gabler’s Theatre

Venue: West of Lenin

Venue Physical Address: 203 N 36th St #204, Seattle, WA 98103

Price: Cheap

Ticket Affordability Options: Pay-what-you-can … even free!

Dates: August 4 to 12, 2023 – Sorry, for the late post! I attended a closing weekend performance.

Seating: General Admission Seating

Parking: There’s paid lot parking or free street parking. I can usually find street parking behind the theatre closer to the water.

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

https://www.generaltheatre.org/hedda

Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video by Joe Iano.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen "#Hedda Gabler" #Ibsen #play by new #theatre company General Gabler's Theatre at West of Lenin staring Natalie Schmidt & a cast of only female or non-binary actors. There's something alluring about an #antihero. Directed by Helen Mariam. Photos: Joe Iano. Review: showsiveseen.com/6360 #showsiveseen #heddagabler ♬ Undertow (Sped Up) – Flight School & XIRA

Role	Person
Hedda Gabler	Natalie Schmidt
Jörgen Tesman	Ann Pielli
Judge Brack	Joyce Thi Brew
Thea Elvsted	Danny J. Hassett
Ejlert Lövborg	Aarti Tiwari
Juliane Tesman	CaroIynne Wilcox
Berte	Rebecca Pugh Parker O’Neil
—	—
Playwright	Henrik Ibsen
Translator	Eva Le Gallienne
Director	Helen T. Mariam
Stage Manager	Bailey Dobbins
Assistant Stage Manager	Indira Rampersad
Scenic Designer	Garrett Dill
Lighting Designer	Dani Norberg
Props Designer	Jessamyn Bateman-Iino
Sound Designer	Lisa Finkral
Costume Designer	Zoé Tziotis Shields
Choreographer	Rachel Blaze Ferguson
Composer	Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel
Production Photographer	Joe lano
Poster Designer	Adriana Lippy

The Flight Before Xmas – Play – Macha Theatre Works

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Flight Before Xmas play w/ Macha Theatre Works @ West of Lenin. Delayed holiday flights at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport! Interesting tidbits of world Christmas traditions. Shelley Douma nailed her Karen vibes. Cute voice/energy from Lila Bahng. Novel catwalk shaped stage. #theatre #airport #SeaTac

Synopsis from the Theatre: With all the stress of the holidays, spending Christmas Eve stranded in an airport with a bunch of strangers is the last thing anyone needs! With endless delays, kids shuttling between stepfamilies, a rogue cat on the loose, an important business deal at stake, and missing your grandson’s first Christmas morning, the holiday spirit can disappear quicker than your lost luggage. But sometimes, all you need is to be a little late in order to truly appreciate what you’re rushing toward.

Reviewed Performance: 12/3 Afternoon – Opening Weekend!

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Recommendation: See it if you’re looking for a family-friendly Christmas play.

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

Equity Actors: 0

Length: 75 minutes

Intermission: No

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

Favorite Line: Something like “Why are we wearing matching shirts as a family? We look like a cult!”

Rant(s)

Missing Cat Discovery: It took a bit too long for the characters to realize the cat was missing. It only takes a second to see a cat isn’t in a cage … not 15 seconds!

Other Thought(s)

Immersive Theatre: If they wanted to add a touch of immersive theatre energy to the play, the actors could use the empty seats in the audience front rows as airport chairs.

Theatre Company : Macha Theatre Works

Venue: West of Lenin

Venue Physical Address: 203 N 36th St #204, Seattle, WA 98103

Price: Cheap

Dates: December 2 – 23, 2022

Seating: General Admission

Parking: There’s paid lot parking or free street parking. I can usually find spots in the streets behind the theatre closer to the water.

Social Media Posts About this Performance from Shows I’ve Seen: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

Other Video +/- Pictures: Pictures in video and under video are by Joe Iano

@showsiveseen “The Flight Before #Xmas” #play w/ Macha Theatre Works @ West of Lenin. Delayed #holiday flights at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport! Interesting tidbits of world #Christmas traditions. Shelley Douma nailed her Karen vibes. Cute voice/energy from Lila Bahng. Novel catwalk shaped stage. Review: showsiveseen.com/2599 #theatre #airport #SeaTac ♬ (There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays (1959 Version) – Perry Como

La Tofana’s Poison Emporium – Play – Macha Theatre Works

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): La Tofana’s Poison Emporium play by Macha Theatre Works at West of Lenin Theatre. Based on a fascinating true story. Timely piece for women’s agency & Roe vs Wade. Wonderful costumes, set, & props. Loved seeing my profession represented. Packed audience on a Thursday evening. #arsenic #apothecary #feminism #pharmacy

Type: Play

World Premiere: Yes but don’t let that discourage you from going. This play ranked highly among the many world premieres I’ve seen.

Recommendation: See it!

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: Yes

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.75 stars

Theatre Company : Macha Theatre Works

Venue: West of Lenin

Venue Physical Address: 203 N 36th St #204, Seattle, WA 98103

Price: Sliding scale pay-what-you-can-ish. Tickets as low as $10.

Dates: October 14-29, 2022

Seating: General Admission

Parking and Cost: Paid lot or free street parking. Tons of street parking closer to the water.

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

Link(s):

https://www.machatheatreworks.com/la-tofanas-poison-emporium

Other Media: Photos in video and below video are by Joe Iano Photography.

@showsiveseen “La Tofana’s #Poison Emporium” #play by Macha Theatre Works at West of Lenin Theatre. Based on a fascinating true story. Timely piece for women’s agency & #RoeVsWade. Wonderful costumes, set, & props. Loved seeing my profession represented. Packed audience on a Thurs evening. #arsenic #apothecary #feminism #pharmacy ♬ Poison – Astero & Matvey Emerson