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| Part of the cast of Bernie's Apt. (Maryssa Lagervall) |
There are some “big” shows opening this month. A sprawling
adaptation of a sprawling The Brothers K at Book-It, and a huge effort for Billy Elliot at Village… Intiman’s festival kicks off… and plenty more. May
is coming for ya!
The Brothers K, Part
One: Strike Zones and Part Two: The
Left Stuff, Book-It Repertory Theatre,
5/3/16-6/26/16 (in repertory)
This two-part adaptation (similar to Book-It’s work last
year on Kavalier and Clay)
encapsulates the sprawling tale of four brothers, influenced by a strong
father, that spans the middle decades of the 20th century. The Chance family in
Camas, Washington is baseball-immersed, but the story includes the interplay of
faith and spirituality, war and politics, family, and love. The title also
refers to notifying a ball thrown as a strike, with either a forward or
backward “K”. A cast of 26 actors play 83 roles in two full-length parts.
(Options for seeing both parts in one day are available.)
Romeo and Juliet, Seattle Shakespeare Company, 5/4-22/16 (at
Cornish Playhouse)
You know Shakespeare’s doomed lovers. For a new take,
Seattle Shakespeare Company will construct a playing space on the stage with
audience members on both sides watching the game/play unfold. Director Vanessa Miller
has added two characters to the production: Fate and Dream who operate outside
the “game,” manipulating the action on the stage and serving as game masters.
Bernie’s Apt., eSe Teatro, 5/6-28/16 (at ACTlab)
Rose Cano's world premiere play, directed by Julie Beckman,
is a modern-day Latin-American exploration of Lorca's classic tale The House of Bernarda Alba. Instead of
being confined by the strict codes of conduct of the early 1900s, the women in Bernie's Apt. find themselves isolated
by cultural oppression, house arrest, physical ailments, and failed foster
care. Bernie, the matriarch of the family is responsible for a biological
daughter, foster daughters and an aging mother. At once tragic and darkly
comedic, Bernie's Apt. offers a unique perspective into social factors that
cause some contemporary women to feel trapped.
The Realization of
Emily Linder, Taproot Theatre
Company, 5/11/16-6/11/16
Emily Linder believes she knows the time of her death.
Summoning her daughters to share her news, she has a list for them to accomplish
within the week. A new caregiver calls Emily’s bluff and teaches her a lesson
or two. A quirky comedy.
Billy Elliot the
Musical, Village Theatre,
Issaquah: 5/12/16-7/3/16, Everett: 7/8-31/16
Based on the film, this Elton John musical won 10 Tony
Awards. Set amidst the chaos of the 1984 miners’ strike in northern England,
the story revolves around the motherless Billy Elliot, who stumbles out of the
boxing ring and into a ballet class, where he discovers a passion for dance
that inspires his family and community—while changing his life forever. The
role of Billy requires singing, dancing, emoting, and a great deal of skill and
stamina, as well as the maturity to work in a high-intensity professional
production. Village has cast four
local boys to play Billy and trained them for the last six months.
Caligula, Arouet, 5/13-28/16 (at Ballard
Underground)
Caligula is a French absurdist play based on the tyrannical
Roman emperor. Arouet will place the story in a modern, hyper-nationalistic
fictional Roman Empire. Inspired by Kanye West, memes, Game of Thrones, cat
photos, Arouet will be taking this classic play on a culty blood-stained pop
art joyride.
Caught, Seattle Public Theater, 5/19/16-6/5/16
Layers are peeled in this play. A reverie on China and its
relationship to art… First layer begins with an onstage art exhibition, a
gallery to walk through before being seated. Second layer: an autobiographical
lecture by the artist of these works, Lin Bo. Third layer: an editor of the New
Yorker and a naïve journalist try to find out what's true and what's not in Lin
Bo's prison story they have just published. But Playwright Chen isn't finished
with us, not by a long shot.
Stick Fly, Intiman Theatre, 5/24/16-6/19/16 (at
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute)
A play about secrets, family tensions, race and privilege, the
play invites you to peer into the vacation home and life of an affluent
African-American family as two brothers introduce their girlfriends to their
parents for the first time. The LeVays’ relaxing weekend takes a turn as family
members clash during conversations about class and secrets unravel.
http://www.intiman.org/2016-festival-stick-fly/
(single tickets on sale May 4)
Psycho Beach Party,
Fantastic.Z, 5/26/16-6/11/16 (at
Eclectic Theater)
A spoof of the teenage beach and surfing movies of the
1960's. Chicklet wants to learn to surf like one of the guys. But unbeknownst
to her friends, Chicklet has a split personality. Think Beach Blanket Bingo
meets All About Eve meets Gidget.... on acid.
Creature, Theater Schmeater,
5/27/16-6/25/16
By former Seattleite (and Obie winner) Heidi Schreck, the
play is set in 1400 and Margery Kempe, new mother, mayor’s daughter, and
successful brewery proprietor has a vision. But can anyone tell if it’s a visit
from Jesus, or a deception of Satan? Schreck’s script, offered in surprisingly
modern terms, draws a portrait of a woman trapped between irreconcilable
worlds: secular and profane, or spiritual and sacred. Either could get her
burnt at the stake.
The Mystery of Love
& Sex, ACT Theatre,
5/27/16-6/26/16
A coming-of-age story that challenges the heart of a modern
family, as childhood friends Charlotte and Jonny begin a romance when they go
off to college. Written by Bathsheba Doran (Boardwalk
Empire, Smash, and Masters of Sex contributor.
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