Ghost Writer – Play – Woodinville Repertory Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Ghost-Writer play by Woodinville Repertory Theatre at Sammamish Valley Grange. Inherently boring subject matter becomes interesting & beautiful. The instrument evolves into a musician! Loved the sophisticated prickly old wife. Nice touch with the playbill. What was the secret phrase? #ghostwriter #writer #author #typist #punctuation

Synopsis from the Theatre: In the early 20th century, New York author Franklin Woolsey hires Myra to type his popular novels. As Myra’s involvement in the mechanics and interpretation of Franklin’s dictation deepens, their metaphysical interplay becomes as entwined as their repressed attraction to each other. Even after Woolsey suddenly dies, Myra continues to finish his novel, to the consternation of his jealous wife Vivian. Is Myra channelling the words of a dead man, concocting a skillful scam, or finding her voice as a writer?

Reviewed Performance Date: 10/29/22 Evening – Sorry for the late review. I would have attended sooner and prioritized writing the review sooner if this theatre company provided me w/ a press ticket like most other theatres do. 🙁

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Recommendation: See it if you’re okay with plays with less action and plot. I usually don’t prefer them but this was actually good.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: Yes, if it was produced by an Equity company.

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.25 stars

Rant(s)

  • It was a little weird how an actor that just died awkwardly stayed standing on stage. I wonder how the original production depicted this.

Other Thought(s)

  • This is the first Woodinville Repertory Theatre show I attended. It kind of reminded me of As If Theatre Company or Heart Repertory Theatre.
  • The theatre was so intimate I could see that the leading actress had nice teeth!

Theatre Company : Woodinville Repertory Theatre

Venue: Sammamish Valley Grange

Venue Physical Address: 14654 148th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072

Price: Cheap

Dates: October 14 to November 6, 2022

Seating: General Admission

Parking and Cost: Free lot parking. Watch out for bad online directions though. Google Maps incorrectly led me to the parking lot of J Bookwalter Tasting Studio, Market Vineyards, & Pepper Bridge Amavi Cellars!

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

Link(s):

Cast and Production Team Leadership: Under the video.

Other Video +/- Pictures:

@showsiveseen “Ghost-Writer” #play by Woodinville Repertory Theatre at Sammamish Valley Grange. Inherently boring subject matter becomes interesting & beautiful. The instrument evolves into a musician! Loved the elegant prickly old wife. What was the secret phrase? Nice touch with the playbill. Review: showsiveseen.com/1851 #ghostwriter #writer #author #typist #punctuation #theatre ♬ The Author – Livingston
Character RolePerformer Name
Myra BabbageMary Leedy
Franklin WoolseyCurt Simmons
Vivian WoolseyMelanie Workhoven
Production/Creative RoleName
PlaywrightMichael Hollinger
DirectorCynthia White
Costumes Design and PropsChris Curino
Lighting DesignDavid Baldwin
Stage ManagerTyler Petty
Audio EngineerAlex Trewin
Sound ConsultantHjalmer Anderson
ProducerCharley Blaine
PhotographerSandro Menzel
Production ManagerJane Ryan

Starmites Pro – Musical – SecondStory Repertory

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Starmites Pro musical at SecondStory Repertory. A sci-fi inter-dimensional fantasy comic book story comes to life! Unique subject matter for theatre. Deliciously 1980s corny humor. Villain had a great rich voice. Favorite line was “May we fluff them?” #comics #comic #nerdy

Synopsis from the Theatre: Shy teenager Eleanor has built a fantasy world around the sci-fi comic books she collects. To the distress of her mother, she has learned to avoid the pains of growing up by escaping into fantasy, imagining herself to be an unrecognized superhero. When she is mysteriously thrust into the Website World of her favorite comic book, Eleanor is drawn into the conflict between Shak Graa, Arch-Creep of Chaos, and the Starmites, guardian angels of Innerspace. She turns out to be the legendary Milady, teen superhero who must lead the Mites on their Quest to save the Galaxy.

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Live Band: Yes

Recommendation: See it if you like nerding out, community theatre, and/or 80s comedy!

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

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.25 stars

Rant(s)

  • Individually, they were great singers. But collectively, there was less synergy than expected. I could actually hear someone going out of tune in some parts. I anticipate this will improve as they perform together more during this production’s run.

Other Rave(s)

  • I loved when they made the “arms above head pointing in the same direction diagonally while head was down” pose when they uttered “Aragala” or other revered names of lore. If anybody knows what that salute is called, tell me in my social media comments below! It’s been bothering me and Google hasn’t been helpful. I loved when they dabbed (or “made a dab pose?”) when they uttered “Aragala” or other revered names of lore. Thanks Buddy Todd and Jessica Robins for letting me know what this was called!

Theatre Company : SecondStory Repertory

Venue: SecondStory Repertory

Venue Physical Address: 7325 166th Ave NE f250, Redmond, WA 98052

Price: Cheap

Dates: October 28 – November 13, 2022

Seating: General Admission

Parking and Cost: Free lot or free garage parking provided by the Redmond Town Square outdoor mall where the theatre company rents.

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

Link(s):

Other Video/Pictures: Scroll under the table below.

Cast and Production Team Leadership:

Writer Barry Keating & Stuart Ross
Director Buddy Todd
Choreography Angela Snyder
Music Direction Tatiana Kruse
Stage Manager Annie Simonton
Mark Chenovick Set, Lighting, Costume, & Sound Design
Show Sponsor Beth Moursund
Eleanor Fairchild Taylor Davis
Diva Jessica Robins
Shak Graa/Trinkulus Shane Smith
Spacepunk Matt Langenhop
Diggety Razzledazzle Max Lopuszynski
Herbie Harrison Tristan Carruthers
Ack Ack Hackerman James B. Webster
Canibelle Marlena McHenry
Balbraka Jackie Alves
Shotzi Lee Iris Thomas
Hollaback Kaira Hensler
@showsiveseen “#Starmites Pro” #musical at SecondStory Repertory. A #scifi interdimensional #fantasy #comicbook story comes to life! Unique subject matter for #theatre. Deliciously #1980s #corny #humor. Favorite line was “May we fluff them?” Villain had a great rich voice. Review: showsiveseen.com/1832 #comics #comic #nerdy #nerd #nerds ♬ original sound – Shows I’ve Seen

Murder on the Orient Express – Play – Tacoma Little Theatre

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Murder on the Orient Express mystery play by Agatha Christie at Tacoma Little Theatre. Once again, detective Poirot surprised me w/ the reveal at the end. Impressive rotating stage & digital background especially for community theatre. Varied accents. Loved the stereotypical portrayal of Americans. #whodunit

Synopsis from the Theatre: Eight suspects, one thrilling ride with this new adaptation by Ken Ludwig! Board the exotic and mysterious Orient Express as it takes off into the opulence and grandeur of the 1930s. Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of year, but by the morning, it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case they decide to strike again. Join Poirot as he battles the clock to figure out “whodunit” in this sleek, stylish, and surprisingly comedic murder mystery.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Recommendation: See it if you like murder mysteries!

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: Yes if it was produced by an Equity Theatre

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.25 stars

Other Thought(s)

  • Did the 10/23/22 actor portraying the train attendant or the conductor feel ill during the big reveal? They were acting strangely and had to sit. I wasn’t sure if it was part of the script.
  • I wished the brutish/thugish American tycoon had more lines! He was great.

Theatre Company : Tacoma Little Theatre

Venue: Tacoma Little Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 210 N I St, Tacoma, WA 98403

Price: Cheap

Dates: October 21 – November 6, 2022

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking and Cost: Mostly street parking. I usually like to park one block away on North Yakima Ave. Season ticket holders and donors have a free parking lot access agreement.

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

Link(s):

Other Video/Pictures: Scroll under the table below. Photos in the video and photos under the video are by Dennis K Photography

Cast and Production Team Leadership:

Writer Book by Agatha Christie Adapted by Ken Ludwig
Director Melanie Gladstone
Stage Manager Ellie Rutt
Hercule Poirot Craig Rock
Monsieur Bouc Jacob Tice
Mary Debenham Andrea Gordon
Hector Macqueen Ton Williams
Michel the Conductor Alan Plaster
Princess Dragomiroff Rosalie Hilburn
Greta Ohlsson Marisa-Clare Hissey
Countess Andrenyi Canae Machelle Gray
Helen Hubbard Jenifer Gillis Rifenbery
Colonel Arbuthnot Brandon Fair
Samuel Ratchett (Understudy Poirot/Michel/Colonel) Josh Johnson
Head Waiter (Understudy Macqueen/Bouc) Josie DeRosier
Understudy Princess/Helen Haylee Gregory
Understudy Greta/Countess/Mary Jean-Michele Gregory
@showsiveseen “#Murder on the Orient Express” #mystery #play by #AgathaChristie at @tacomalittletheatre. Once again, #Detective #Poirot suprised me w/ the reveal at the end. Impressive rotating stage & digital background especially for community #theatre. Varied accents. Loved the stereotypical portrayal of Americans. Review & Photo Credit: tinyurl.com/yc27zhzv #whodunit ♬ The Locomotion – Little Eva
Princess Dragomiroff (Rosalie HIlburn) & Greta (Marissa-Clare HIssey)
Helen (Jenifer Gillis-Rifenbery) & MacQueen (Ton Williams)
Ratchett (Josh Johnson) & Poirot (Craig Rock)
MacQueen (Ton Williams) & Ratchett (Josh Johnson)
Helen (Jenifer Gillis-Rifenbery) & Bouc (Jacob Tice)
Countess Andrenyi (Canae Machelle Gray), Bouc (Jacob Tice) & Poirot (Craig Rock)
Ratchett (Josh Johnson) & Poirot (Craig Rock)
Countess Andrenyi (Canae Machelle Gray), Poirot (Craig Rock) & Bouc (Jacob Tice)
Bouc (Jacob Tice) & Poirot (Craig Rock)
The cast of Murder on the Orient Express
Countess Andrenyi (Canae Machelle Gray), Poirot (Craig Rock) & Greta (Marissa-Clare Hissey)
Poirot (Craig Rock) & Bouc (Jacob Tice)

Rocky Horror Show – Musical – Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Rocky Horror Picture Show musical sold out night at Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts. Complete w/ audience props & heckling. Energetic audience & cast. Great talent from Magenta, Frank, & Columbia. Brad & Rocky definitely looked the part. Awesome community theatre production! #cultClassic #camp

Synopsis from the Theatre: Oh, Rocky! In this cult classic, wholesome sweethearts Brad and Janet take refuge from a storm in the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is stripped away, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including Frank-N-Furter’s latest creation — a muscle man named Rocky. This deliberately kitschy rock ‘n roll sci-fi gothic musical by Richard O’Brien encourages audience participation.

Type: Musical

World Premiere: No

Recommendation: See it! Especially if you like supporting community theatre.

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now?: Of course!

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.25 stars

Other Rant(s)

  • Sound balancing between the actors and the band needed improvement.
  • One of the main characters was a bit tone deaf.
  • The heckling wasn’t in-sync enough so it was a little hard to understand. I also suggest the actors on stage not do it. It’s better if there are audience plants so it seems more spontaneous for those who haven’t seen the movie or musical.

Other Rave(s)

  • Maybe I’m a little biased since it’s my favorite song in the show but Magenta (Lauren Hayes) did a great job on “Science Fiction, Double Feature.”

Theatre Company : Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts

Venue: Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts

Venue Physical Address: 9315 State Ave #J, Marysville, WA 98270

Price: Cheap

Dates: October 21 to November 6, 2022

Seating: General Admission

Parking and Cost: Free lot parking in the strip mall where the theatre is located.

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

Link(s):

Other Video/Pictures: Scroll under the table below. Photos in video and photos below video are by Kenny Randall.

Cast and Production Team Leadership:

Narrator Ivan Hodder
Brad Majors Layton Gaskins
Janet Weiss Katie Wallace
Riff Raff Kendall Collins
Magenta Lauren Hayes
Columbia + Dance Captain Krista Patt
Dr. Frank N Furter Josiah C Miller
Eddie & Dr. Scott Garrison Whaley-shartp
Phantoms (Ensemble) Daniel Hanlon, Ely Skywater, Briar Scott, Andi Leach, Gayle D Staker
Director Robert Bogue
Music Director Stephanie Phillips
Stage Manager Kate Wallington
Assistant Stage Manager Andy Wallington
Choreographer Gayle Staker
@showsiveseen “#RockyHorror Show” #musical sold out night at @redcurtainarts. Complete w/ audience props & heckling. #Energetic audience & cast. Great talent from Magenta, Frank, & Columbia. Brad & Rocky definitely looked the part. Awesome community #theatre production! Review & Photo Credit: tinyurl.com/5fw6c3dh #campy #cultclassic ♬ original sound – Shows I’ve Seen
Columbia (Krista Patt), Magenta (Lauren Hayes), Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Josiah C. Collins), and Riff Raff (Kendall Collins)
Handyman Riff Raff (Kendall Collins), mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Josiah Miller) and crazed domestic Magenta (Lauren Hayes)
Frank-N-Furter (center, played by Josiah Miller) leads guests Janet Weiss (left, played by Katie Wallace), Brad Majors (right, played by Layton Gaskins), and creation Rocky (far right, played by Kennan Miller)

The Glass Menagerie – Play – The Original Theatre Black Dog

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Glass Menagerie play by The Original Theatre Black Dog at eXit SPACE NOD Theatre. Artsy almost poetic piece capturing several universal human experiences like escapism, aimless inadequacy, regretful loss, longing, & dashed hope. Unusual that the 2nd act was better than the 1st (usually the opposite).

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Other Rant(s)

  • There was no heat in the theatre space. Turn on the A/C!
  • The stage was huge! I suggest adding a curtain closer to the audience to fill the area.
  • Arguments between the son and mother had so much more potential for dramatic forceful dialogue.
  • The restaurant/bar next door was too noisy. Although, I overheard some attendees mistakenly thought it was an intentional audio track of the city!
  • Since the stage is originally a dance studio and since the studio is so big, the space doesn’t have good acoustics to project the actors’ lines. I suggest giving the actors microphones or choosing a smaller theatre space.

Theatre Company : The Original Theatre Black Dog

Venue: eXit Space – NOD Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 1621 12th Ave Seattle WA 98122

Price: Cheap

Dates: October 21 to November 12, 2022

Seating: General Admission

Parking and Cost: Paid lot or paid street parking. Street parking is extremely limited since it’s Capitol Hill. Your best luck would be East of Cal Anderson Park on 11th or 12th Ave. You may also find luck in the streets southeast of the theatre. Cheapest paid lots are on 11th Ave across from the park.

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

Link(s):

Other Media: Photos in video and photos below video are by Anthony Floyd.

@showsiveseen “The Glass Menagerie” #play by the Original Theatre Black Dog at eXit SPACE NOD Theatre. Artsy almost poetic piece capturing several universal human experiences like #escapism, aimless inadequacy, #loss, #longing, #regret, & dashed hope. Unusual that the 2nd act was better than the 1st (usually the opposite). #GlassMenagerie #Theatre ♬ Everybody – Spencer Sutherland