Theater News

Seattle Spotlight: October 2008

Get in the Car

Steven Dietz
Steven Dietz

Theaters large and small premiere new work this month. ACT debuts Becky’s New Car by Steven Dietz (October 17-November 16), a world premiere about an ordinary woman who crosses paths with a billionaire widower, and is offered the chance to test drive a very different kind of existence. The world premiere of Mike Daisey’s first full length production, The Moon is a Dead World, opens at Annex Theatre (October 17-November 15) about a dead cosmonaut called back to Earth on a radio wave. Annex is also presenting Eating Round The Bruise (October 24-November 14) by Barret O’Brien as a late night show.

Yet another world premiere is Macha Monkey’s Don’t You Dare Love Me by Keri Healey, directed by Carol Roscoe (October 24-November 22), a story about late night phone calls, blind dates, compromising threesome negotiations, and other mishaps of Seattle dating. Artswest premieres Black Gold, by Seth Rozin (October 22-November 15), in which a Detroit inner-city resident purchases an oil rig on eBay, and discovers oil reserves right under his own backyard. Bobbie and Jerome, written by Daniel W. Owens, world premieres at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (October 7-26), as two cousins fight their addictions and each other trying to save a stone-carving yard.

Sing in the rain with musicals galore this month, as The 5th Avenue presents The Drowsy Chaperone (October 28-November 16), winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. Nostalgia favorite Georgia Engel comes to town as Mrs. Tottendale for the tour. The Paramount brings in Spring Awakening (October 14-19), the dark musical about teens caught up in discovering their sexuality in Germany circa 1891. Tacoma Musical Playhouse lures us to South Pacific, (October 3-26), Bat Boy: The Musical hangs around SecondStory Repertory (October 31-November 29), Drood – The Mystery of Edwin Drood gets solved at Renton Civic Theater (October 24-November 8), and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance is swashed and buckled by Northwest Savoyards, (Historic Everett Theatre, October 24-November 16).

Halloween specials include Open Circle Theater’s new creation of HP Lovecraft’s The Necronomicon (October 10-November 15); The Cabiri, a troupe using aerial work, dance and spoken word, present the interactive dessert show, The Ghost Game: Tales of 13 Witches (Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, October 31-November 1); and WARP (Writers and Artists-Reading and Performing) showcases new work in Corn on Macabre (Seattle Center House, October 17-31).

Seattle Shakespeare Company presents both parts of Henry IV (October 21-November 16), featuring David Pichette as Falstaff; Antony and Cleopatra rule at Harlequin Productions (October 2-25); and Ghost Light Theatricals presents Measure for Measure (October 3-19).

Seattle Repertory thrusts with The Three Musketeers by Ken Ludwig (October 2-November 15). Art Attack Theater asks how far would you go for your child, in Bright Ideas (October 16-November 9). Balagan spellbinds with Arabian Nights (October 16-November 8). Tom Stoppard is featured at Stone Soup Theatre (October 29-November 23) with After Magritte & The 15 Minute Hamlet. Driftwood Theatre offers A Memory of Lizzie — Borden, that’s who — (October 24-26). Eclectic Theatre Company presents The Little Death (Odd Duck Studio, October 10-November 1), Rosemary Poole-Carter’s adult content, darkly erotic Southern gothic tale.

Brian Kooser and Monkey Wrench Puppet Labs reveal UFO the Puppet Show (October 10-November 8), finally drawing the veil from the Roswell Incident of 1947. Coming Attractions at Straight Edge Theatrics (October 31-November 7) takes aim at celebrity, and the lengths to which some men will go to attain it! Noel Coward’s Private Lives honeymoons at Bellevue Civic Theater (October 17-25). God’s Ear, by Jenny Schwartz, has a West Coast premiere (October 10-November 10) at WET, with a couple mourning the death of their young son getting help from the Tooth Fairy and a life-size GI Joe.

Lots to entertain the kids this month. Seattle Children’s Theatre shows that different isn’t bad in Bluenose (October 17-December 14) and brings back their show for one-to-four year olds, The Green Sheep (October 1-November 2), as well as presenting its Halloween treat, Night of the Living Dead, especially for ages 13 up (October 3-November 1). Annie Warbucks warms hearts at Showtunes Theatre Company, (October 11-12), directed by Martin Charnin, who wrote the lyrics for the Broadway show. SecondStory Repertory reveals The Emperor’s New Clothes (October 3-19), and StoryBook Theater presents Pinocchio (October 25-November 23).

Finally, more than 50 theaters participate in the 4th Annual Live Theater Week (October 13-19) and many special events are planned for the October 16: Free Night of Theater.