Seattle Spotlight  

What a Catch!

Aaron Tveit (© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)

On the way to Broadway -- again! The 5th Avenue Theater's world premiere musical, Catch Me If You Can (July 23-August 14), based on the film and true story of Frank Abagnale that inspired it, features music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman (Hairspray), a book by Terrence McNally, and costumes by the legendary Bob Mackie. The cast is headed by Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz, up-and-comer Aaron Tveit, Tony nominee Kerry Butler, Broadway veteran Linda Hart, and musical and Dukes of Hazzard star Tom Wopat.

ACT Theatre resurrects Das Barbecü (July 31-September 6), with book/lyrics by Jim Luigs and music by local wonder Scott Warrender. Seattle Opera originally commissioned this comic adaptation of Wagner's Ring Cycle in 1991, and it's a blast for opera buffs and anybody who loves a good time. Intiman imports an acclaimed production of Othello (July 2-August 2) by Theatre for a New Audience, directed by Arin Arbus and starring Sean Patrick Thomas in the title role, John Campion as Iago, and Elisabeth Waterston as Desdemona. Taproot brings us Smoke on the Mountain: Homecoming, a regional premiere and the third and final chapter of the continuing saga of the Sanders Family, created by Connie Ray and Alan Bailey (July 10-August 15), with bluegrass, folk and gospel tunes to set your hands clappin' and your feet tappin'.

14/48 at On the Boards (July 31-Aug 1, Aug 7-8) is the twice annual 14-plays-in-2-days-for-2-weekends speed production festival. Artattack Theatre sneaks in Criminal Hearts by Jane Martin (July 24-August 15), in which a middle of the night female burglar tries to steal from a woman whose husband has just taken everything they own. Newly relocated theater company Woman Seeking Theatre opens their first Seattle production, Jane Chambers' Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, at Hugo House, July 16-August 1. In it, a woman rejected by her blood family as a lesbian makes her own family and they spend a summer at the beach. Strawshop, in the Erickson Theater at Seattle Central Community College, examines The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance (July 10-August 9), the powerful story of a disfigured, marginalized, but brilliant man, and the doctor who tries to save him. Seattle acting stalwart, David Pichette stars.

If you like bad singing, you'll love Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins by Stephen Temperley at SecondStory Repertory (July 24-August 15). Florence couldn't sing a note, but bulldozed her way into a concert career -- true story! Revenge and Sorrow in Thebes (Stone Soup Theatre, July 10-26) is a new adaptation of Euripides' The Bacchae by local writer Persephone Vandegrift and her company. ArtsWest's young adult apprentice program is presenting Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (July 15-25), the musical by Stephen Sondheim about a murderous barber.

Summer means Shakespeare In The Park! Productions of Greenstage's King John and Comedy of Errors and Wooden O's Richard III and Taming of the Shrew will be found in multiple state and city parks in the area all summer. Another production of Taming of the Shrew will be mounted by Balagan Theatre and performed at the Fremont Troll, through July 12.

Aside from all kinds of children's summer camp productions to participate in or see, Tacoma Musical Playhouse presents the musical version of Wizard of Oz (July 10-August 2) to delight the younger ones.

 

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