Join Artswest Theatre for a night of nostalgia!
Filled with satirical comedy and 90s television references, ZACH by Christian St. Croix, offers tons of chuckles and nostalgia at Artswest Theatre. The enthusiasm of director Sara Porkalob and the wonderful talents of Amber Walker and Michael Nevárez really created a beacon of shining light on this production. Zach referenced some of the classic 90s high school sitcoms such as Boy Meets World, Full House, and Saved By The Bell,
Playing with some of your classic 90s sitcom tropes, the story centers around Gina (Amber Walker) and PJ (Michael Nevárez), who are minorities in a majority white school. Satirically they tell their stories as they wrestle with identity and relationship issues. Meanwhile, they work together to thwart the tricks by the new boy at Malibu High, Zach, a charismatic white boy with an agenda.
Christian St. Croix, the playwright of ZACH, hit the nail on the head in gaging the level of interest for nostalgia. The script hit all the 90s sitcom characteristics in a comedic and satirical way, that was both charming and cringy at the same time. ZACH offered plenty of laughter for those who remember the era.
Since only two actors played an ensemble of ten people, their performances were impressive. Even watching them switch characters was entertaining.
The set made you feel as if you were sitting on the filming of a 90s reality TV/game show; it was very vibrantly colorful while complimented by 90s music and sound effects. The costumes also did a wonderful job of contributing to the nostalgic atmosphere. Both Walker and Nevarez had excellent vocal ability and differentiated the voices of the different characters well.
Zach is definitely a show to see if you enjoy classic 90s sitcoms and are looking for a good trip down memory lane. Even if you aren’t too familiar, like I am, you can still certainly get a laugh out of the popular references among media. It was a fun production to watch because of the excitement and charisma of the actors and the quality of the set and sound.
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ZACH devised by Christian St. Croix. ArtsWest Theatre Company, ArtsWest Theatre, 4711 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116. May 3 – 28
Tickets and Info: https://www.artswest.org/events/zach/
Street parking. Multiple parking lots around the corner of the block. Take the Lightrail to University St and the C-Line from University St Station.