The Latest

I didn't drop off the face of the planet, I've just been in Hawaii. Go ahead, hate me. It was 80 degrees and sunny. But, surprise, surprise, Seattle is not. Which, I guess, means it's a good time to head to the theater. So, before I head out for the night, I just wanted to catch you up on a few things.

1. Back Home Again: A John Denver Holiday Concert closes on Monday, Christmas Eve. I saw it last Sunday, and it is actually quite charming. You should know that it's a full-on concert, not a theatre piece, with a mix of Christmas songs and John Denver classics, and Mr. Denver won't be there. Because, he's you know, not living. But the music is great, many of the musicians used to play with John, there's a little twang, fiddle, and boot stomping, and it's the perfect sort of uplifting holiday entertainment to bring your family to. I know, I brought my parents and they loved it. And I even bought them tickets. You can get yours here.

2. We're gearing up in a big way for The Breach, a fascinating new piece by three playwrights responding to Hurricane Katrina with three different stories. We have some great actors already on board, including John Aylward (of ER and West Wing fame).

We also have a ton of great programming lined up to deepen our understanding of what happened in New Orleans during Katrina and what is still happening. Times-Picayune journalist and author Chris Rose is coming to speak, Elliot Bay Bookstore is hosting a reading, The 5-Spot, with a New Orleans-themed menu, will be offering diners discounts to the show, we'll be selling art from NOLA-based artists in the lobby (proceeds going right back to them), and plenty more. I'll keep you updated, and there will be a calendar on our website, but you heard it first, as they say.

3. It's still raining. Ugh.

John Denver Sing-a-Long

Last Friday our Education Associate Jess and I went downtown to see if shoppers at Westlake Center 1. Like John Denver and 2. Would sing his songs for us on camera (because, you know, we're opening Back Home Again: A John Denver Holiday Concert tonight. The results? Seattle likes John Denver AND they like to sing (you can be the judge of whether or not they can sing).

By the way, we got a sneak peek of the music (performed by former members of John's band, including Dan Wheetman who co-wrote Fire on the Mountain, which we did last season). It was awesome. I didn't even think I liked John Denver, and surprise! It almost brought me to tears. Take me home, country roads.

2007-08 in 10 easy steps

From Joanna Horowitz, Communications Department

I have a goal to try to write shorter blog entries. I know I can be a little long-winded, but I mean really what do you have to do on a Friday at work besides read my (brilliant) musings? Anyway, here you go, short and sweet, our recently announced 2007-08 season. For the details I am omitting for the sake of goal achievement, go here.

In the Bagley Wright Theatre
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (Drunks and cross-dressing!)
The Cook by Eduardo Machado (Cuba!)
The Breach by Catherine Filloux, Tarell McCraney & Joe Sutton (Hurricane Katrina...which I think should be sans exclamation point)
The Imaginary Invalid by Molière (Satire on the medical profession!)
The Cure at Troy by Seamus Heaney (Greek adventure!--I'm hoping for hot, bare-chested men)

In the Leo K. Theatre
By the Waters of Babylon by Robert Schenkkan (Cuba pt 2!)
how? how? why? why? by Kevin Kling (Hilarious!)
Murderers by Jeffrey Hatcher (Hilarious pt. 2!)
TBA (There was a scheduling mishap at the fault of the previously scheduled play's publisher)

Holiday Special Presentation
Back Home Again: A John Denver Holiday Concert (Take me home, country roads...Fire on the Mountain creator Dan Wheetman returns!)

We Didn't Start the Fire (Actually We Did)

From Joanna Horowitz, Communications Department

If you were wondering why I haven't written in two weeks, it's not because I'm too busy at work or anything. I've just been at Disneyland. Sorry. But eventually everyone has to leave Space Mountain and a diet of beer and churros to return to the real world, and lucky for me, I returned just in time for the Fire on the Mountain meet and greet.

This morning the Seattle Rep company got together to listen to the cast of our upcoming bluegrass musical play and sing some snippets from the show. I was in heaven because I love bluegrass music and these performers are amazing. Dan Wheetman, who co-wrote the show (based on interviews with Appalachian coal miners), used to be John Denver's fiddle player. I couldn't help tapping my feet, and anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I'm not really a toe-tapping kind of girl. The show goes into previews next Thursday, Feb. 22, and runs until March 24. Dan and his collaborator Randal Myler wrote Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, which they performed at the Rep in 2004. I didn't see it, but apparently both shows have the same sort of documentary feel to them, coupled with stellar music.

After the songs, we all gorged ourselves on a giant cake that was ordered to celebrate cast member Margaret Bowman's birthday/60th wedding anniversary/Valentine's Day. Margaret is a talented musician, of course, but I was most excited when I found out she played the costumer in Waiting for Guffman. Am I totally dorky?

Oh, and happy Valentine's Day. What a great day to go to the theater (hint, hint). Blue Door is still playing and the audiences are LOVING it. And by audiences, I mean my parents, who came this weekend while I was in L.A. and left me a note that said "We LOVED Blue Door! P.S. We left some chicken in the fridge." Ok, other people love it too, but when my parents like something I know most people will. They're smart, like to be entertained, and are suckers for anything that takes them on some sort of emotional journey. Since I've been out of town, I haven't seen Blue Door yet, but I'm going tomorrow and then I will be able to tell you in all honestly to see the show, assuming it's as awesome as everyone is saying.