Fathers and Sons - ACT

Fathers and Sons
ACT
May 1 – May 25, 2008
Tickets and Information

Evey family has a story that no one wants to tell. Every man has experiences he'd rather take to the grave than speak aloud. Sometimes, there's nothing for it. Sometimes, these stories must be told and closure must be found. When and where this happens is not up to us.

ACT is proud to present the world premier of Fathers and Sons, by Michael Bradford and directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton, which chronicles the story of three fathers and three sons; what they've done that they regret and of what they've done that they're proud. It would be massively difficult to point out any one aspect of this show over another. The lighting by L.B. Morse, sound by Eric Chapelle, costumes by Melanie Taylor Burgess and set by Matthew Smucker all nail the story and their purpose. Curtis-Newton's direction of the piece brings the dead to life, literally, and is one of the most seamless works Seattle's seen in a very long time.

William Hall Jr., Wilbur Penn and Reginald Andre Jackson. Photo credit Chris Bennion 2008

The story bounces between different moments in the past several years up to the present. Marcus Goodwater (Reginald Andre Jackson) struggles to deal with the issues between his father, Leon (William Hall Jr) and himself as well as battling for his own son. Meanwhile, Leon's father, Bernard (Wilbur Penn), a deceased jazz trumpeter interrupts and tries to find his own peace with his son. Throughout all the action, Yvette (Tracey A. Leigh), Marcus' wife, comes in and out with mind-blowing precision and speed in new costumes, new hairdo's and new attitudes from the beginning of their relationship to the present.

Fathers and Sons is unbelievably captivating from start to finish. The time skipping is handily dealt with using costumes and lighting and the jazz interludes presented by Wilbur Penn are inspiring to say the least. The entire piece is a tour de force for all involved and is a testament to each and every individual and the company as a whole. It truly brings to life the meaning of 'ensemble.'

Review by Nigel Andrews and Lia Morgan

SHREK THE MUSICAL

Welcomes Puget Sound Native Keaton Whittaker

To The Seattle Cast As Young Fiona

Download Photo: http://www.5thavenue.org/press/downloads.aspx

SEATTLE - DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. are pleased to announce that Puget Sound native Keaton Whittaker has joined the cast of SHREK THE MUSICAL for the Seattle engagement. Eleven-year-old Whittaker will be playing the role of Young Fiona at certain performances of the world premiere at The 5th Avenue Theatre.

Whittaker lives in Bothell , WA with her family and attends King’s Elementary School in Shoreline. She played the role of ‘Susan’ in The 5th Avenue Theatre’s production of White Christmas and appeared in the children’s ensemble of Whistle Down the Wind. She starred as ‘Scout’ in Intiman Theatre’s production of To Kill a Mockingbird and appeared as ‘the Narrator’ in Village Theatre’s Kidstage production of Aladdin.

SHREK THE MUSICAL will play an exclusive pre-Broadway engagement at Seattle ’s 5th Avenue Theatre August 14 – September 21. The production will officially open at the Broadway Theatre in New York on December 14, 2008. Preview performances begin November 8.

Weekly Update - 5/1/2008

The Broadway Hour
KSUB Seattle
**Listen in to hear Nigel Andrews, Rick Skyler and Jack Jarden**
WEDNESDAY's from 8-10pm

Open Circle Theater
at Theater Schmeater
ON SALE NOW
Ghost Sonata >April 11 - May 10, 2008
*STARRING NIGEL ANDREWS (aka. Andrew Perez) and LIA MORGAN (aka. Kenna Kettrick)*

Seattle Shakespeare
ON SALE NOW
All's Well That Ends Well >June 5 - 29, 2008

Seattle Children's Theater
ON SALE NOW
According to Cyote >March 14 - May 11, 2008
Busytown >April 25 - June 15, 2008

Intiman Theater
ON SALE NOW
The Diary of Anne Frank >March 26 - May 17, 2008
Namaste Man (Lost and Found in Kathmandu) >June 4 - 22, 2008
A Streetcar Named Desire >July 9 - August 2, 2008
The Little Dog Laughed >August 20 - September 13, 2008
All the King's Men >October 3 - November 8, 2008

Seattle Repertory Theatre
ON SALE NOW
The Cure at Troy >April 3 - May 3, 2008
Aurelia's Oratoria >May 7 - 11, 2008

ACT Theater
ON SALE NOW
Fathers and Sons >April 25 - May 25, 2008
A Marvelous Party: The Noel Coward Review >June 13 - July 13, 2008
Intimate Exchanges >August 15 - September 14, 2008
Eurydice >September 5 - October 5, 2008
Becky's New Car >October 17 - November 16, 2008

Seattle Opera
ON SALE NOW
Il Puritani >May 3 - 17, 2008

Paramount
Tickets and Information
Avenue Q >June 10 - 22, 2008
A Chorus Line >August 5 - 10, 2008
The Phantom of the Opera >September 10 - October 4, 2008
Spring Awakening >October 14 - 19, 2008
The Color Purple >December 16 - 28, 2008

The 5th Avenue Theatre
SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW!
Shrek The Musical >August 14 - September 21, 2008 - ON SALE JUNE 13, 2008
The Drowsy Chaperone >October 28 - November 16, 2008
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers >December 3 - 28, 2008
Memphis >January 27 - February 15, 2008, 2009
Hello, Dolly! >March 8 - 29, 2009
Sunday in the Park With George >April 21 - May 10, 2009
Grease >May 12 - 30, 2009

__________________________________________________________

Dimitrou's Jazz Alley
Tickets and Information

Looking for a Great Read?
Brett Dean McGibbon's Different Fish Bookstore

Weekly Update - 5/1/2008

The Broadway Hour
KSUB Seattle
**Listen in to hear Nigel Andrews, Rick Skyler and Jack Jarden**
WEDNESDAY's from 8-10pm

Open Circle Theater
at Theater Schmeater
ON SALE NOW
Ghost Sonata >April 11 - May 10, 2008
*STARRING NIGEL ANDREWS (aka. Andrew Perez) and LIA MORGAN (aka. Kenna Kettrick)*

Seattle Shakespeare
ON SALE NOW
All's Well That Ends Well >June 5 - 29, 2008

Seattle Children's Theater
ON SALE NOW
According to Cyote >March 14 - May 11, 2008
Busytown >April 25 - June 15, 2008

Intiman Theater
ON SALE NOW
The Diary of Anne Frank >March 26 - May 17, 2008
Namaste Man (Lost and Found in Kathmandu) >June 4 - 22, 2008
A Streetcar Named Desire >July 9 - August 2, 2008
The Little Dog Laughed >August 20 - September 13, 2008
All the King's Men >October 3 - November 8, 2008

Seattle Repertory Theatre
ON SALE NOW
The Cure at Troy >April 3 - May 3, 2008
Aurelia's Oratoria >May 7 - 11, 2008

ACT Theater
ON SALE NOW
Fathers and Sons >May 1-25, 2008
A Marvelous Party: The Noel Coward Review >June 19 - July 13, 2008
Intimate Exchanges >August 21 - September 14, 2008
Eurydice >September 11 - October 5, 2008
Becky's New Car >October 23 - November 16, 2008

Seattle Opera
ON SALE NOW
Il Puritani >May 3 - 17, 2008

Paramount
Tickets and Information
Avenue Q >June 10 - 22, 2008
A Chorus Line >August 5 - 10, 2008
The Phantom of the Opera >September 10 - October 4, 2008
Spring Awakening >October 14 - 19, 2008
The Color Purple >December 16 - 28, 2008

The 5th Avenue Theatre
SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW!
Shrek The Musical >August 14 - September 21, 2008 - ON SALE JUNE 13, 2008
The Drowsy Chaperone >October 28 - November 16, 2008
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers >December 3 - 28, 2008
Memphis >January 27 - February 15, 2008, 2009
Hello, Dolly! >March 8 - 29, 2009
Sunday in the Park With George >April 21 - May 10, 2009
Grease >May 12 - 30, 2009

__________________________________________________________

Dimitrou's Jazz Alley
Tickets and Information

Looking for a Great Read?
Brett Dean McGibbon's Different Fish Bookstore

Central Heating Lab Premieres

Black and Tan – A Juke Joint

Hosted By Laura “Piece” Kelley Jahn

After Hours Jazz & Poetry Event at The Bullitt Cabaret May 3, 10, 16, 24

Seattle, WA – April 28, 2008 – The Central Heating Lab at ACT continues its springtime programming with Black and Tan – A Juke Joint, a companion piece to the mainstage production Fathers and Sons. Nationally-acclaimed Seattle poet, hip-hop artist, vocalist and arts educator Laura “Piece” Kelley Jahn (HBO’s Def Poetry Jam) is the evening’s host and curator. Together, with local jazz musicians Joseph Mascorella, Farko Dosumov Mark L. Sampson and Owuar Arunda, the poets will improvise and fuse their spoken word with a series of avant-garde style jazz sets. Featured poets include Tina LaPadula, Matt Gano, Roberto Escalon, Lucien Grant, Angela Dy, and Ragnii Edins. Poets and vocalists are welcome to join in for an open-mic set. Tickets for Black and Tan – A Juke Joint are available at the ACT Ticket Office, 700 Union Street , Downtown Seattle, (206) 292-7676 or online at www.acttheatre.org.

Seattle Repertory Theatre and The Center School Analyze Mother - Daughter Relationship with Boxes

by Andrea Allen Directed by Scott Koh

May 21 and 22, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.

Seattle, WA - Under the guidance and direction of Seattle Repertory Theatre teaching artists, over 50 high school students from The Center School will present a new play Boxes written by Seattle Rep Education Director Andrea Allen on May 21 and 22 in Seattle Rep's Leo K. Theatre. Over the last four months, the students have learned about costume and set design, set construction, playwriting, and acting in two different TCS classes, and then applied those skills to bring the script to life. Tickets are $5.00 general admission or free with student ID and are on sale now at 206-443-2222. Drama Intensive, now in its seventh year, allow students who are enrolled in the Rehearsal and Performance class build their acting techniques and offer personal responses to Allen, which she then incorporates into the script. Once the script is finished, the acting students audition for roles and begin an intensive rehearsal process, under the direction of Scott Koh and Music Director, Christopher Dewar. At the same time, students in the Design and Production class learn from professionals about set and costume design for theatre while also getting the chance to see and respond to local theatre productions. Under the leadership of Design and Production lead Teaching Artist Jess Smith, Emily Sershon (sets), and Wyn Pottinger-Levy (costumes), the Design and Production students help design and build the technical elements of the show. The Play: This year's Drama Intensive, Boxes, is a modern retelling of the Greek myths of Pandora and Persephone. Allen explores mother-daughter conflict and the themes of loss, regret, and hope through the stories of two modern teenage girls who are finding their way in the midst of the pressure to be perfect, popular, and true to themselves. Once they have released the good, the bad, and the ugly from the box, they are left to pick up the pieces and find the one remaining quality left in the box: hope. The production includes original music by Chris Dewar, performed by a talented cast of student musicians and actors. "I've been interested in the Greeks for a long time - since well before my Latin scholar days in high school," said Allen. "The stories are mythic, of course, but always seen through the lens of humans and their daily struggles and needs. I find that combination fascinating. Early on in the writing process, I started thinking about the story of Pandora. A voice came into my head: ‘This is a story about a box.' And that is still the first line of the play." Info about the Seattle Rep can be found here.

Laughter Explodes out of ACT’s Central Heating Lab

A Four Part Comedy Cornucopia Series May 4, 11, 18, 25

Seattle, WA – April 24, 2008 – The innovative Central Heating Lab initiative, which launched at the beginning of ACT’s 2008 season, is thrilled to announce a four-part comedy series to take place on consecutive Sunday evenings in the month of May in the Bullitt Cabaret space. The Comedy Cornucopia series falls under the “Long Term Project” category of The Central Heating Lab and includes many of Seattle’s funniest standup comedians, short filmmakers, and performance artists. Comedy Cornucopia is one of the countless activities exploding out of ACT that opens doors for artists and inches the organization one step closer to its mission to become a true art center. Justin Freet, a collaborative partner for RAWSTOCK, explains how the Central Heating Lab is crucial to his development as an artist, "In any artistic community, there inevitably manifests a struggle between following your muse and settling into established formulas that feel ‘safe’. The Central Heating Lab provides an eclectic mix of collaborative partners and also allows us as artists to feed the muse; to not just allow, but encourage fringe filmmakers, dancers and actors to get gonzo."

Tickets for the Comedy Cornucopia series are available at the ACT Ticket Office, 700 Union Street , Downtown Seattle, (206) 292-7676 or online at www.acttheatre.org.

Seattle Men’s Chorus & Seattle Women’s Chorus Announce
2008-2009 Season

Debbie Reynolds Performs with Seattle Men’s Chorus in Spring 2009

Two, three, and five show subscription packages to both Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus will go on sale to the public on Monday, April 28, 2008. Supporters enjoy many benefits, and season subscribers are
expected to pounce on the opportunity to lock in extra tickets early to the highly anticipated Men’s Chorus Spring 2009 Concert. As Seattle Men’s Chorus takes one step closer to their big anniversary season, Flying House Productions is thrilled to announce that America’s Sweetheart, Debbie Reynolds, will headline the Seattle Men’s Chorus’s 29^th Season Spring Concert in March 2009. Who better to usher in the Men’s Chorus’s 30^th year of singing (in the rain) than the “unsinkable” Ms. Reynolds.

And with five solid seasons under their belt, Seattle Women’s Chorus has hit their stride; subscriber and single ticket sales numbers have grown steadily each year for the women with plans for some knock out guest artists. More special guest artists and additional local/regional concerts will be announced in the coming months. All performances are under the artistic direction of Dennis Coleman.

All the info can be found at www.flyinghouse.org

Busytown

Seattle Children's Theatre
April 25 - June 15
Tickets online at Seattle Children's Theatre
Despite its presenting view as a show directed towards the younger crowd, The children’s Theatre’s Busytown is a dynamic and humorous production that appeals to people from every age group. This new musical, based on the work of Richard Scarry, not only tickles the imagination of the excited young ones in the audience but elicits laughs and enjoyment from the older crowd, even bringing forth nostalgic feelings from some. The show’s designers and performers employ a variety of stage craft in their pursuit of entertainment, including puppetry, audience interaction, and well built set pieces and props that bring the world to life.

The story follows the wandering mind of Huckle Cat as he wanders about his town figuring out what people do all day and looking for a way to help out and get involved. In the process he comes across many interesting jobs and meets new people. The through line comes from his interactions with Betsy Bear who is in a frenzy planning a birthday party for her grandma. With the help of Huckle Cat and the rest of the folks in Busytown, the birthday is a smashing success.

From remote controlled pickle cars to a life size loaf of rising bread, the show boasted obvious collaboration among the designers leading to a well-constructed show with effective and creative sets (Jennifer Lipton), props and costumes (Catherine Hunt). Numerous times the stage pieces were used as visuals in the telling of a story, whether building a house, baking bread or mailing a letter, and each segment never failed to pull a smile out of a transfixed child or a chuckle from an accompanying parent. The developing imagination is continually given a chance to grow and be amazed.

The talented cast of actors brought many gifts to the show including skilled puppetry. The puppet of Lowly Worm, touched by numerous actors, had the flexibility and personality to be one of the most humorous characters onstage. The humor also stems from a basis in slapstick, which the actors skillfully performed to the audience’s delight. And the performance talent doesn’t end with the actors. Mark Rabe is a constant onstage presence as he brings the musical score to the show, accompanying the fun lyrics and silly interactions.

Bring the family, bring a friend, and come see Busytown as it delights both the young imagination and the adult’s funny bone. Busytown is running April 25 – June 15, 2008.

Reviewed by: Rick Skyler

Weekly Update - 4/26/2008

The Broadway Hour
KSUB Seattle
THE BROADWAY HOUR IS AT A NEW TIME!!!
**Listen in to hear Nigel Andrews, Rick Skyler and Jack Jarden**
WEDNESDAY's from 8-10pm

Open Circle Theater
at Theater Schmeater
ON SALE NOW
Ghost Sonata >April 11 - May 10, 2008
*STARRING NIGEL ANDREWS (aka. Andrew Perez) and LIA MORGAN (aka. Kenna Kettrick)*

Seattle Shakespeare
ON SALE NOW
All's Well That Ends Well >June 5 - 29, 2008

Seattle Children's Theater
ON SALE NOW
According to Cyote >March 14 - May 11, 2008
Busytown >April 25 - June 15, 2008

Intiman Theater
ON SALE NOW
The Diary of Anne Frank >March 26 - May 17, 2008
Namaste Man (Lost and Found in Kathmandu) >June 4 - 22, 2008
A Streetcar Named Desire >July 9 - August 2, 2008
The Little Dog Laughed >August 20 - September 13, 2008
All the King's Men >October 3 - November 8, 2008

Seattle Repertory Theatre
ON SALE NOW
The Cure at Troy >April 3 - May 3, 2008
Aurelia's Oratoria >May 7 - 11, 2008

ACT Theater
ON SALE NOW
Fathers and Sons >May 1-25, 2008
A Marvelous Party: The Noel Coward Review >June 19 - July 13, 2008
Intimate Exchanges >August 21 - September 14, 2008
Eurydice >September 11 - October 5, 2008
Becky's New Car >October 23 - November 16, 2008

Seattle Opera
ON SALE NOW
Il Puritani >May 3 - 17, 2008

Paramount
Tickets and Information
Avenue Q >June 10 - 22, 2008
A Chorus Line >August 5 - 10, 2008
The Phantom of the Opera >September 10 - October 4, 2008
Spring Awakening >October 14 - 19, 2008
The Color Purple >December 16 - 28, 2008

The 5th Avenue Theatre
SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW!
Shrek The Musical >August 14 - September 21, 2008 - ON SALE JUNE 13, 2008
The Drowsy Chaperone >October 28 - November 16, 2008
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers >December 3 - 28, 2008
Memphis >January 27 - February 15, 2008, 2009
Hello, Dolly! >March 8 - 29, 2009
Sunday in the Park With George >April 21 - May 10, 2009
Grease >May 12 - 30, 2009

__________________________________________________________

Dimitrou's Jazz Alley
Tickets and Information

Looking for a Great Read?
Brett Dean McGibbon's Different Fish Bookstore