 |
| Sunam Ellis and Ayo Tushinde in Sheathed (Laura Dux Photography) |
 |
| A moment from Indecent at Seattle Repertory Theatre (Bronwen Houck) |
The Top of the List:
While there was, as always, some terrific work on stage, I
am celebrating two works in particular as the kind of theater that I long to
see every time. Indecent at Seattle Repertory Theatre was full of
everything brilliant about theater. The subject matter packed in layer upon
layer by the brilliant Paula Vogel. The execution by director Sheila Daniels
and an absolutely sublime cast. The best technical support and a trio of
musicians that had to act, sing and move around a stage like no one’s business!
It was not without trepidations that I became an audience member, but I left
bursting with feelings and ideas that continue to weave through my mind.
In a very different, wonderful way, the new work, Sheathed,
by inventive and lovely (local!) playwright Maggie Lee, was a wholly new
work of essentially sci-fi fantasy, where strong sword-fighting women (Ayo
Tushinde and Sunam Ellis) quested and struggled with deep questions
of vengeance versus reconciliation. Adding to the atmosphere of this Macha Theatre
Works production, live music by Leanna Keith also enlivened the event in
essential ways.
Other Significant Productions:
Style points must be given to ACT Theatre’s production of Dracula,
updated by (sometimes local) playwright Steven Dietz to focus on Mina instead
of Jonathan Harker. Again, crucially, live music performed by Rachael Beaver
intertwined with an urgent, unforgettable power. Puppetry and dramatic blood walls
enhanced the telling.
Both the script and the productions of the following
impressed me very much. Take Me Out, by Strawberry Theatre Workshop, included
an incredible cast and taut storytelling about a racist baseball player. The
Christians by Pony World Theatre confronted religious fundamentalism in a
simple format in real churches and made everyone think. Lungs, a challenging
two-hander by Really Really Theatre Group, starred Erika Vetter and Arjun
Pande as a couple trying to factor in their impact to “climate” in
everything – including having children.
Kathryn Van Meter had a great 2019 with two strong
performances that showed her range and depth in acting. The mother figure in Fire
Season at Seattle Public Theater was gritty, dirty, desperate, and
pragmatic. A similar mother in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-Time at Village Theatre used a lighter touch. A star turn by Michael
Krenning allowed this top production to shine.
Another gritty work was produced by Book-It Repertory
Theatre, where Ian Bond played the most desperate of addicts in American
Junkie. The timely piece and Fire Season, shed light on what is
going on across the country, or maybe in the house next door to you.
Gin Hammond brought back her astonishing family story
of Returning the Bones, courtesy of Book-It Repertory Theatre. It was an
honor to see it and her again.
Social and Racial Justice:
2019 included a significant number of productions focused on
waking us up to racial and social injustices and allowing and inviting minorities
to the stage. My favorite production of that group was Sound Theatre Company and The Hansberry Project’s Citizen,
a powerful and cogent, challenging work about racism with an ensemble that was
ready to confront it and stand tall.
Other such productions included Pass Over at ACT
Theatre, White at Theatre22, The Call and Thanksgiving Play
at Seattle Public Theater, and Bulrusher at Intiman Theatre. Peeling
at Sound Theatre Company focused on the excluding of those with physical challenges.
Seattle Repertory Theatre produced rousing biographies of Nina Simone (Nina
Simone: Four Women) and Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Shout Sister Shout!).
Three productions “just” celebrated living and including
culture in their lives. The Brothers Paranomal at Pork Filled
Productions pulled off a whole lot of mysterious stage “business” while having
spooky fun. Washer/Dryer by Pratidhwani and SiS Productions had fun with
the clash of Chinese and Indian families. Kim’s Convenience at Taproot
Theatre similarly used humor to tell a Korean-immigrant tale.
Theater Oddities:
The “hive mind” that sometimes appears in Seattle gives us oddities
like two productions of Uncle Vanya (The Seagull Project and Theatre9/12)
almost simultaneously, and two productions of The Revolutionists (one in
2019 by Theatre22 and one that appears in 2020 at ArtsWest). Sometimes, though,
there are fortunate “echoes” and amplifications where this year, AJ Epstein
presented Mat Smart’s play, The Agitators, where Carol Roscoe and
Reginald Andre Jackson went toe to toe as Susan B. Anthony and Frederick
Douglass, and then Taproot Theatre produced Necessary Sacrifices where Lamar
Legend and Ted Rooney sparred as Frederick Douglass and Abraham
Lincoln. A few might also have seen a reading of Rachel Atkins’
developing musical, This Is Not (Y)Our History, which focuses on the
suffragist movement and included Susan B. Anthony, as well! This intersecting
is a unique way to delve into a subject area and expand your awareness!
Musical Brightness:
Justin Huertas had a great 2019. Justin wrote us the
world’s quirkiest musical, The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion
(ArtsWest), and an update of Book-It’s popular Howl’s Moving Castle
which significantly tightened the story. Watch for him to bring more top-notch
work in 2020!
Two superb productions could hardly have been better. The 5th
Avenue Theatre and ACT Theatre co-produced the best Urinetown I can
imagine, highlighting climate change in a way that makes this musical resonate
well beyond what the writers might have intended. Village Theatre reprised Million
Dollar Quartet, one of their Broadway exports, with the most amazing cast I’ve
ever seen. The “quartet” of singing musicians who had to stand in for famous
performers, Skye Scott, Brian Grey, Jason Kappus, and
particularly John Countryman, created jaw-dropping energy.
I enjoyed the heck out of seeing Brenna Wagner head
up Bright Star at Taproot Theatre, and having the chance to find out
what that Steve Martin-Edie Brickell musical was like. I loved seeing Taproot’s
mounting of Always, Patsy Cline again with the sultry singing of Cayman
Ilika and the delightful Kate Jaeger.
The surprise fun was how well Head Over Heels (ArtsWest)
included the Go-Gos’ songs into a musical, and watching the snappy choreography
by UJ Mangune as performed by a bunch of new-to-me young ensemble
dancers.
Also, we were treated to a wonderful concert-style performance
of The Light in the Piazza by Showtunes Theatre Company where music
director Nathan Young created the full lush Broadway orchestral sound in
all its complicated glory. Having concerts employing the fantastic musical-theater
talents in this town do these musical concerts is a highlight.
2020 already has some significant productions headed our
way. I hope you enjoyed my salute to the productions of 2019.
No comments:
Post a Comment
This is a moderated comment section. Any comment can be deleted if the moderator feels that basic civility standards are not being met. Disagreements, however, if respectfully stated, are certainly welcome. Just keep the discussion intelligent and relatively kind.