So you’re bi-curious ?
Recently two young millennials, when the subject of having children came up, stated that they did not think they could cope with the inevitable climatic catastrophe and raise children at the same time. Boom, which opened at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle on Friday Nov. 4th, speaks to this generation’s angst.
An evening of storytelling by Scot Augustson, Kelleen
Conway Blanchard, and Bret Fetzer
Animal Saints and Animal Sinners, the interesting trio of rather eccentric storytellers has returned to 18th and Union with a delightful 90 minute show, Up from the Underground.
For their final world premiere, Parley Playwright’s Playwright’s Group presents two live online performances of Yom Kippur, by Nelle Tanus, directed by Rebecca Tourino Collinsworth. To quote from Parley’s press release, “Four homos party hard for the high holy days on the anniversary of a traumatic event. But guilt hangs over them like a curse. It lives in the walls, in the food they eat, their every breath, and they’re all complicit in different ways. As the night wears on, they all must come together and begin the messy work of atonement, moving beyond blame towards uncertainty and repair.”
Yom Kippur, 2 live performances only Nov. 5 and 6, 7 pm PST, Pay What You Can. Tickets: https://www.parleyproductions.com/
CONTENT ADVISORY: conversations about sexual and patriarchal violence, mentions of incest, internalized misogyny, and a very messy accountability process.
Unexpected Productions is setting up for some ghoulish weekend fun preparing a full slate of pre-Halloween events. “Poe Unexpected” as
Dirty Beasts: rough plays in early development
In a moving, unconventional festival, Parley presents seven short plays, seven renditions of life’s most momentous and most mundane moments. Written by Katherine Jett, Dustin Hageland, drew david combs, n8 Heneghan, Carolynne Wilcox, Asha Dore and Carol Y. Lee, each of these new works tackles an unsurmountable beast, from mental health illnesses and identity crises to generational trauma and childhood memories. A good combination of complex themes and humor, I was at points captivated by the raw monologue of a character with schizophrenia and at others brought to laughter by a religious chicken’s musical performance.
To Bean or Not to Bean, the current and last episode of the long-running staged sit-com, Java Tacoma, is at the Merlino Arts Center, in Tacoma. Produced by Dukesbay Productions, and written by Aya Hashiguchi Clark, it is loosely, as in very loosely, based on Hamlet, and in my opinion, more closely resembles a send-up of a melodramatic soap-opera. Also, in my opinion, it is rib-ticklingly funny and kept me and the audience laughing for a full 90 minutes!!!.
Covid may have briefly interrupted the Russell family’s run at the Taproot, but proving as indefatigable as their onstage personas, the mother and daughters have dug their heels in and extended the run of their entertaining musical production through October 29. Director Jimmy Shields keeps the 90-minute show running briskly as “A Night With the Russells” has all three women exploring a song catalogue that ranges from their homeland Jamaican gospel to modern Broadway hits. The show is a heartfelt ode to the persistence and strength these three black women have displayed as they continue to make their way through a life of onstage performing.
The Woodinville Repertory Theatre is (finally, gladly) back in person after two years, with a production of Michael Hollinger’s Ghost Writer. Inspired by real-life Theodora Bosanquet, a secretary and typist who was said to be able to hear her employer after his death, Hollinger wrote this play back in 2010 and won the Barrymore Award in 2011.
A three-person play – four, if you count the typewriter –, Ghost Writer centers around Myra Babbage’s (Mary Leedy) relationship with acclaimed writer Franklin Woolsey (Curt Simmons), first as his typist and later as his romantic interest.
Dirty Beasts, a short play festival of fierce, vulnerable new works by Parley playwrights, is coming to West of Lenin’s upstairs studio. Observe these beasts in their natural habitat for 2 performances only! Perhaps the works of Katherine Jett, Dustin Hageland, drew david combs, n8 Heneghan, Carolynne Wilcox, Asha Dore, and Carol Y. Lee will venture out of hiding, if you’re quiet. Better blend into the landscape, though – they’re feral.
Dirty Beasts. 7 Short Plays. at West of Lenin upstairs studio space. 203-26th Ave, Fremont, Seattle, WA 98103. Two nights only. Fri. Sat Oct 21, 22. 8:30 PM. No elevator, long flight of Stairs. Pay what you can. Parking is extremely difficult, as is crossing 36th Ave. https://www.parleyproductions.com/ 
Staged Reading at Fund-raiser
“Good evening, I’m Inspector Carter. Take my case. This must be Charles Haversham! I’m sorry, this must’ve given you all a damn shock…”
HEART Repertory Theatre will be performing a staged reading of their September 2023 production of The One Act Play That Goes Wrong at their fundraiser event on November 19th, 2022 at the Kenmore Community Club. This event will feature a silent auction and encourage sponsors for their upcoming 2023 season of Silent Sky, The Glass Menagerie and The One Act Play That Goes Wrong.
