(OUTview NW) RE-view: Fantastic Z's Psycho Beach Party is Camp, Beefcake and More!

Mommie Issues?                                  (Garland)

by MK Scott

Last year at this time, Fantastic Z (a Seattle LGBTQ theater company) brought us a Trans/Western called Sidewinders (Yes, Really) that I gave a mixed review. What a difference a year makes, their latest, Psycho Beach Party by the genus, Charles Busch, is a Campy HIT. Considering the source of the material, it was going to be a hit, but in this production it is the actors that make the show shine.

As a fan of the film, this was my first viewing of the original play. The play is more about Chicklet and her multiple personalities than the film's major plot of a serial killer on the loose.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Artswest's Season of Substance, ends with the 'Heartbreaking' SALESMAN!

Thankful for no more traveling! (Brunk)

by MK Scott

This was quite an Arthur Miller season, having started at Seattle Rep last fall with a View from the Bridge to Artswest closing its "roller coaster" season  of substance with Miller's American Classic, Death with a Salesman . 

They say that Willy Lohman is one of the best characters that every character actor will play eventually. In this he isn't really sympathetic as well as his 2 sons, only Mrs. Lohman has any rooting value.

So, Artswest delivers this classic, thanks to director, Matthew Wright and including a FAB performance by Seattle legend, David Pichette as Willy, the aging salesman who wastes his life and humiliates himself to pay off his house payments for his family. The guilt and pain is so overwhelming that his family ignores all the signs of his depression.

(OUTview NW) Seattle Rep's "Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem" Brings IT and More!

"Blame the Americans"            (Bennion)

by MK Scott

It has been 3 years, since we first saw R. Hamilton Wright's (and David Pichette) hugely adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles and is poised to create a series of plays based on the Holmes and Watson but not a particular Sir Arthur Conan Doyle book. Wright's (without Pichette) latest is a new and original play with Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem.

This play we actually get to see more of Darragh Kennen's Hysterical Holmes, in Baskerville,  he was mostly MIA in Act 1 and shows up in Act 2 in disguise. Not so in this version and Kennen is quite entertaining as he gets involved in a case with an American Celebrity, Annie Oakley (Christine Marie Brown), herself!

(OUTview NW) RE-view: My Name is Asher Lev is Perfect Testament of the Battle between ART and FAITH!

(Bakketun)

by MK Scott

Last Fall, I reviewed the unforgettable and chilling FESTEN at New Century Theater Company and was intrigued with what they would do with, "My Name is Asher Lev” Based on the best-selling book by Chaim Potok, this adaptation by Aaron Posner and Directed by Sheila Daniels.

The play is about Asher Lev (the always Fab, Conner Neddersen), a Brooklyn bred Hasidic Jewish Painter with Conservative parents and the talent and drive to paint.

His parents are played by Amy Thone and Bradford Farwell, who played the father and mother in FESTEN and this time you have an overbearing, but passionate father and the ultra religious mother horrified at Asher's nude sketches that they drew as a teen.

Then we see Farwell as the supportive Rebbe who refers Asher to Jacob Kahn (also played by Farwell with a Brooklyn accent) to mentor the young Asher to come to terms that Art should be separate from religious morals. In one scene, Thone appears as a Topless model for Asher that helps to create a forbidden piece of his parents that goes against his religious beliefs to a crushing conclusion.

Separate, but Equal.

NCTC's My Name is Asher Lev continues through May 21st at 12th Ave Arts. Click HERE for TIX and INFO.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Theater Schmeater's 'Fatal Footlights' is a "What If" Whodunit, with Great Performances!

Elementary, my dear sis, Gwendolyn! (Hastings)

by MK Scott

Last October I attend my first production ever at Theater Schmeater for our fave, Tom Stewart's performance in 'Welcome to my Secret Lair" and found it to be quite entertaining. So when Stewart stars in a show, you go and be prepared to be mesmerized.

This time around it is a Steampunk murder mystery set in 1885 London called Fatal Footlights by our pal, John Longenbaugh along with Louis Broome with a "What if" scenario that brings George Bernard Shaw (Matthew Middleton), Bram Stoker (John McCenna) Dame Ellen Terry (Niki Visel) and Oscar Wilde (Tadd Morgan) all together to tell this story in a very Phantom of the Opera way with little Sherlock Holmes in the form of the Sexually fluid,  Cyril (Jeremy Adams) aided by his sister, Gwendolyn  (Katherine Grant-Suttie). I realized this was part of a Series of plays, and now I am intrigued for more.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: "PARADE" is a Triumph for Sound Theater!

Mrs Frank (Spero) is Determined!   (Holmes)

by MK Scott

All the attention of turn of the century south has mostly gone to the work of the late great, Harper Lee in her book, To Kill a Mockingbird, about a racially prejudiced frame up of a crime of an innocent Black man, how we forget that is was not just racism in the south, but was antisemitism was alive and well in the deep south. In Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown’s musical, Parade, currently being produced by Sound Theater and directed by our Fave, Troy Wageman, the same kind of story happens which is 100% documented of which the lowest man on the totem pole is a New York-bred, Jewish business man, Leo Frank (Played by the Fab, Jeff Orton) being accused of the Rape and  murder of a 13 yr old girl that he didn't commit.

Uhry’s book, which dramatizes the story of Leo Frank, pointedly underlines a variety of societal failings: a corrupt government eager to appear tough on crime, an economically goaded wave of racial tension, a media consumed by blood lust that makes this story very timely in today's society. The book’s lack of subtlety actually works well in concert with Brown’s complex but the FAB score from folk to gospel to military marches to jazz under the direction of Nathan Young is a delight to a very lackluster story.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: REED's Performance in Seattle Rep's 'Luna Gale' is "Authentically FAB"!

Reed is Convincing! (Alabastro)

by MK Scott

It isn't very often when an actress is so perfect in a role that it becomes bigger than the material of the play, that is what I felt when seeing Pamela Reed play Social Worker, Caroline in Seattle Rep's production of Rebecca Gilman's "Luna Gale", directed by SRT's artistic director, Braden Abraham. Now I have seen Reed numerous times including,  SRT's "Who's Afraid of the Virginia Wolf?" and ACT's "Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike", but it is this performance in 'Luna Gale', Reed is at her finest.

Caroline (Reed) is an Iowa social worker tasked with deciding who should raise an infant taken into protective custody after the baby’s young meth addicted parents failed to seek prompt medical attention for her.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: "OZ anew"-The Concert, a Work in Progress but almost there!

The Top 4 and their Costumes were a Triumph! (Jacobs/206)

by MK Scott

Our Pal, Michael Gershowitz has been busy this past year fine tuning his Musical now turned Operetta version of the Wizard of Oz, the only version to actually base it by the original works of L. Frank Baum.

All the songs in OZ anew, are new and unique and in the course of a year went from 85 to 34 songs, mostly written by Gershowitz. I had the pleasure to attend his special Live Concert, this past weekend at the Annex Theater in Seattle's Capitol Hill.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Artswest's 'VIOLET' is Good Old-Fashioned Fun with a Beautiful Message!

Violet feels Beautiful! (Brunk)

by MK Scott 

In 2014, the Fab Broadway star, Sutton Foster was nominated for a TONY for Violet, but I then learned that Violet was nominated as a revival. I had never heard of this show before.

This operatic musical based on a short story by Doris Betts and adapted for the stage by Brian Crawley and Jeanine Tesori opened off-Broadway in 1997 as a TWO Act and then reduced to a 120 min One Act as a TONY nominated revival on Broadway in 2014.

Now, our friends at Artswest Playhouse in West Seattle are staging this show by bringing Intiman's Artistic Director, Andrew Russell as the director and a few of our faves are in the cast.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: It's DOLLY'S Score Along with a Strong Cast that makes SMT's '9 to 5', PURE Gold!

Let the Revenge Fantasies Begin! (Jeff Carpenter)

by MK Scott

It was 5 years ago in 2011, when the Hit Broadway Musical, '9 to 5' toured through Seattle and played the 5th avenue theater and the biggest star was Dolly Parton, herself as she narrated the story and was projected on a big screen.

Now that local theaters can produce the show, I was curious on how they would be able to do the show without Parton's pressence.

This past weekend, I attended the opening of Seattle Musical Theater's 9 to 5 and it is still PURE Dolly, and it is the music that is the true star.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: The All-Star Cast and Music of Centerstage's "Ring of Fire" is a 'Must-See' and worth the trip down to the South Sound!

Brown and Ilika are MAGIC!

 by MK Scott

Now, you must know that I am not a country music fan, but I do appreciate the talents of some legends like Patsy, Dolly, Hank and even Johnny Cash. I even took my mom to Million Dollar Quartet that was on tour at the Paramount in 2012 that featured actors playing Cash as well as his long time drummer, Fluke Holland, who the real Holland just happened had attended the performance, was sitting right behind my seldom stunned, Mother.

I also really enjoyed the 2005 Cash Biopic, 'Walk the Line' that garnered, Reese Witherspoon her Academy Award.

Even though, I adore Cash, it was really the actors that I was excited to see and gave me reason to trek all the way down to the curvy roads of Federal Way to the Centerstage Theater to see my pals, Tom Stewart (Children's Hour, Welcome to my Secret Lair) and Jared Michael Brown in 'Ring of Fire' a Muscial Revue of Johnny Cash.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Seattle Rep's “Constellations" is a Unique Love Story that Travels Through Time and Space!

Who is Kissing Who? (Alan Alabastro)

by MK Scott

About 20 years ago at the Seattle Fringe Festival, I remember seeing a play that started at the ending and moved backwards to the beginning, the play, "Betrayal" by Harold Pinter, was unique and that is how much I admired Nick Payne’s “Constellations”, a One Act, currently at the Seattle Rep.

There is big difference with 2 characters, who are British and are played in 3 or 4 alternated realities.

For example,  Roland (Max Gordan Moore) and Marianne (Alexandra Tavares) , meet at a barbecue and strike up a conversation at the same time in space, all characters are similar but different scenarios in the other realities. Get It? 

(OUTview NW) THEATER RE-view: Artswest's All-Star Cast, 'Really Really' is Really Really Good!

What is Cooper's Agenda?            (Brunk)

by MK Scott

It is hard to imagine that there are cruel people in this life with secret agendas, but there is and most of those are screwed up by abuse of some kind and they crave the drama they can create. I have lived this and friends have lived it when college life brings all those dysfunctions to the surface.

This  past weekend at West Seattle's Artswest Playhouse, they went there and took the daring move to tell the story that is so politically incorrect that most theaters would steer away from this story of  Paul Downs Colaizzo’s Really Really directed by Makaela Pollock.

The set (by Julia Whelch) is 2 Apartments the top one is nicely decorated that features Leigh (Jessi Little) and Grace (Annelih Hamilton) coming home drunk from a party and bragging about Leigh having sex with a guy she always wanted. Leigh is upset that the guy never called her after their encounter.

(OUTview NW) CABARET RE-view: Seattle Vice is BACK and is 'PURE' Entetainment!

(John Cornicello)

by MK Scott

I admit I never saw last year's sold out run  of ACTLab's Seattle Vice, and I am so glad I waited because the show is back with more musical acts, a larger cast, a revised script, a bigger band, and more (incredible) dance numbers.

The new venue works perfectly for more reasons than one. The Triple Door - was once the historical home of The Embassy, once a XXX burlesque and vaudeville theatre. You feel you are taken back to the 1950's and 60's to a ritzy, jazz club that you only see in the movies.

Inspired by the book Seattle Vice by Rick Anderson, this cabaret musical set in 1965 combines dancing, comedy, and original music created by Mark Siano (Bohemia, The Habit, Soft Rock Kid) and Opal Peachey (Bohemia, Modern Luv, Café Nordo). A lively, historical peep-show, Seattle Vice is an immersive experience that takes the audience underground into one of Frank Colacurcio's (Jeff Spaulding) notorious night clubs. Vice tells the story of how Colacurcio came to dominate vice and crime during Seattle’s infamous “anything goes” era.

Seattle Vice features nightly guest burlesque and cabaret performers and is accompanied by the live seven piece band The Enablers.

(OUTview NW) Theater RE-view: Seattle Rep's "DISGRACED" is a WOW!

And this was the calm before the Storm!     (Liz Lauren)

by MK Scott

It took some time, but the sparks really flew towards the end of Seattle Rep, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Goodman Theatre co production of “Disgraced” by Ayad Akhtar, in which I attended this past weekend.

The production starts with the playful couple of a Pakistani-American born lawyer, Amir (the FAB, Bernard White) and his Blond and Beautiful, Painter Wife, Emily (the gutsy, Nisi Sturgis).


But in the 90-minute one-act (Yes, another one), directed by Kimberly Senior with an incredible New York Apartment set by John Lee Beatty, Amir's character goes through several changes as he goes from charming to frustrated as he doesn't get the promotion he was longing for.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Zero Errors and Much ado of Fun at STC's 'Holiday of Errors'!

Charlie just may have found the Queen's G-spot!  (STC)

by MK Scott

You get a 'What If' vibe when you see Seattle Sound Theater's new classic, Holiday of Errors, written by NW Treasure, Frank Lawler, along with Daniel Flint. As you know if I can spot the concept, that means it is very, very good. The original concept is Shakespeare in Love Meets a Christmas Carol, with a little of Something Rotten.

The story goes like this, Will Shakespeare (Played with ease by Lawler) is nearly destitute the night before Christmas with his lead actor, Dick (Matt Fulbright) confirming that a letter by Queen Elizabeth herself, had arrived  over a month ago, asking for a holiday themed play for the twelth night to be performed at Wolf Hall and Will must create a play, ASAP.

So Will, afteran appearance by the spirit of the flamboyant writer, Christopher Marlowe (Daniel Stoltenberg),  decides to write a musical holiday version of Richard III (played by Dick) and we meet Charlie (Marianna de Fazio), an actor playing the female part.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Artswest's 'Wonderful Life' is 'WONDERFUL' Thanks to Creech's Strong Performance!

(Michael Brunk / nwlens.com)

by MK Scott

The Frank Capra Holiday film, It’s a Wonderful Life is a Classic. It was only a matter of time that this film would be turned into a stage play (It's already a 1990's musical) but this version written by Helen Pafumi and Jason Lott is being staged by our pals at Artswest Playhouse in West Seattle with ONE man (the fabulously talented, Andrew Lee Creech) playing all the characters in an 80 Min. One Act directed by Erin Murray.

The set by Shawn Ketchum Johnson, is of a foggy overpass over train tracks and we meet a Man (Creech) with no name and just when he is about ready to jump, he recites the whole Wonderful Life film, going from character to character with audio and lighting cues. The most interesting parts was when he was playing the woman characters (Mrs Bailey) in which Creech did at ease and provided much need comedy for such morbid subject matter. To add more insight, each character spoke with an eye witness account of the life of George as if it was being filmed for a documentary.

However, we never know the man's real name or the reasons why he wants to throw himself off the overpass, but what is clear is that the Wonderful Life story was inspirational enough to keep an average man going and until he realizes his own life is Wonderful.

'Wonderful Life' at Artswest Playhouse in West Seattle continues through Dec 27th, Click HERE for Tix and Info.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: This Year's HAM for the HOLIDAYS is One of the Bitchiest Ever!

Domenico dominated the SGMC sketch!     (Bennion)

By MK Scott

It is that time of year again that we get to Check IN with the Spudds and the Drama queens of the Sequim Gay Men's Chorus and more at Ham for the Holidays: Who's Afraid of Virginia Ham?  Always performed by Seattle comedy legends of Lisa Koch and Peggy Platt! Also last but not least the supporting talents of DJ Gommels and Michael Oaks, newcomer, Abbie Drake and the ripping beefcake of Joel Domenico (Judy's Scary Christmas, Robbie Turner Revue).

Once again (For 3 years in a row) with a larger budget at ACT Theater and a Full house, this comedy masterminds went from sketch after sketch with professional ease.

(OUTscene NW) RE-view: Falls' A Christmas Carol' at ACT celebrates 40 years as the Abbreviated Dickens Classic!

Beattie as Scrooge      (Bennion)

by MK Scott

I enjoyed ACT theater's production of the Dickens' Classic, a Christmas Carol, so much last year that I wanted to see it again to prove a theory that I have that this classic is rich with gay overtones and I am more convinced than ever that Dickens had an secret Gay agenda.

The adaptation into a ONE Act, 90 min. version now in its 40th year by ACT Founder, Gregory Falls and Directed by new Artistic Director, John Langs has cleverly woven this classic story and staged it in the ROUND, with lots of trap doors and projected images on tapestry. The Dickens Carolers set the mood and the tone as we meet Ebenezer Scrooge (Outgoing Artistic Director, Kurt Beattie and alternating with our pal, Charles Leggett) and Bob Cratchit (Mathew Floyd Miller) as he is forced to work on Christmas Eve.

As Scrooge prepares for bed, he is visited by the ghost of his late 'Partner', Jacob Marley (G. Valmont Thomas) with a warning of 3 spirits, Past (Hillary Clemons), Present (David Drummond) and Future (Connor Neddersen).

(OUTview NW) Theater RE-view: SRT's "Come From Away" is Phenomenal and could be Broadway's Latest Sensation in the Coming Year!

Colella was a Stand-out!       (Bennion)

by MK Scott

It was bound to happen, a "9/11 Musical", but not about the attacks itself, but the inspirational stories that came from it and nothing was as remarkable as the story about the events in Gander, Newfoundland. This story as well as an incredible soundtrack is the basis for "Come From Away", currently at the Seattle Rep.

Making its NW/World Premiere, 'Away' made its official World Premiere this past summer at the La Jolla Playhouse near San Diego, directed by famed Broadway Director, Christopher Ashley (Memphis) and many from the La Jolla cast reprise their roles in the Seattle production. "Come From Away" has Broadway Bound written all over it.