The 5th Avenue Theatre invites you to

Thursday, December 3 at 6:30 p.m.

At The 5th Avenue Theatre
1308 5th Avenue, Downtown Seattle

Join us for holiday fun, music, special guests and treats as we welcome the newest addition to Seattle’s bright lights, the theatre’s vertical marquee!

The show begins at 6:30 with music from the Blue Four Trio, continues with the dedication at 7:00, and then at 7:15 we throw the switch and light up our sign. Be a part of history as we celebrate our legacy as Seattle’s premier home of musical theatre and the great years still to come!

This event is free and open to the public.

Marquee details:

Designed by NBBJ, architects Eric Levin and Yusuke Ito

Built by: Everett’s CREO Industrial Arts

Height: 57’6”. Weight: 5,500 lbs

Approximately 2,000 energy-efficient LED bulbs powered by 72 amps

Cost: $300,000, generously underwritten by Christabel Gough in memory of her father Roger L. Stevens and his friend James M. Ryan.

A New Sign of Life Downtown!

5th Avenue Theatre gets a new marquee, invites the public to its illumination

SEATTLE, WA –On Thursday December 3 The 5th Avenue Theatre kicks off its upcoming 30th Anniversary Celebration with the lighting of their brand new vertical marquee. Inspired by both the Theatre’s original sign that hung at the entrance to the theatre at its 1926 opening as well as its famous Chinese-inspired interior, the new marquee was designed by Eric Levine and Yusuke Ito of NBBJ and built by CREO Industrial Arts in Everett. Featuring an aluminum frame that weighs a remarkably light 5500 lbs. and energy-efficient LED illumination of approximately 2,000 lights, the sign nearly reaches to the 8th floor of the Skinner building, home of The 5th Avenue. It is state-of-the-art yet respectful of our illustrious history.

The sign was made possible thanks to a generous gift from Christabel Gough, the daughter of founding Unico chairman and legendary Broadway producer Roger L. Stevens. Stevens’ illustrious career included bringing such shows as West Side Story, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Annie to Broadway, founding the Kennedy Center, serving as the first Chairman of the NEA, and brokering famous property deals such as the purchase of the Empire State Building in 1951. The sign honors both Stevens and his good friend James M. Ryan, CEO of Unico Properties, who spearheaded the renovation efforts that saved The 5th Avenue and transformed it into Seattle’s premier home of musical theater.

When the renovations of The 5th Avenue Theatre began in 1979, the community leaders who’d raised the $2.6 million to make it possible knew that not all of their plans would come to fruition. One change that couldn’t take place was replacing The Theatre’s aged vertical marquee (the second of two which had held that position), which had fallen into disrepair and was removed as part of the renovations to the theatre.

Then two years ago Gough contacted The 5th Avenue. A patron of the theatrical arts like her father, she wanted to memorialize him and James M. Ryan, and suggested that a great way to do so was to complete the Theatre’s renovation by underwriting the cost of a new vertical marquee. “Going to opening nights with my father is such a lovely memory for me,” recalls Gough. “It was like Christmas and New Year’s all rolled into one, and the bright lights of the theatres were such a big part of that.”

“We started with a white canvas, no clue what to do,” says NBBJ’s Yusuke Ito, who assisted architect Eric Levine on the design of the sign. “The initial thing we did was say ‘let’s not think about the marquee, let’s think about the history and aesthetics of The 5th and its interior design.’ When we eventually looked at photos of the 1926 marquee, we had many ideas, but that was such an amazing design we wanted to bring elements of that in too.” And one last touch makes the sign particularly special: the “5th” at its summit rotates. “I’m honored to have worked on this,” says Ito. “I’ve seen a lot of shows at the Theatre in the last couple of years, and now it suddenly feels like it’s my first time up on a stage. I’m excited to hear what people think!”

“We were thrilled when we were asked to participate in the production of such an iconic piece for the historic 5th Avenue Theatre,” said Jeff Braaten, CREO’s Account Executive on the project. “CREO does work throughout the country and around the world, but it’s always more rewarding when you can participate in such a notable project right in your own backyard. It took extensive collaboration between the Theatre, NBBJ and CREO to produce the sign, and we can only hope that the public is as pleased with the end result as we are.”

“As we head into our 30th Anniversary as Seattle’s premier home for musical theater,” says The 5th’s Managing Director Marilynn Sheldon, “we’re proud to do so with a brand new marquee that reaffirms downtown as a great destination and pays homage to our lively past. Now, because of a daughter’s love for a father who was a theatrical visionary, there is a new and literal ‘sign of life’ downtown, reminding people that during good times and tough times, The 5th remains a great place for a great time.”

Details on the sign:

Designed by: NBBJ, architects Eric Levine and Yusuke Ito

Built by: Everett’s CREO Industrial Arts

Height: 57’ 6”

Weight: 5,500 lbs

Illumination: Approximately 2,000 energy-efficient LED bulbs powered by 72 amps

Cost: $300,000, generously underwritten by Christabel Gough in memory of her father and his friend James Ryan

Details on the marquee lighting event, which will run from 6:30 to the official illumination at 7:15 on December 3, will be forthcoming. You can also check out our website for the event at TK.

The 5th Avenue’s revival of White Christmas, which sold out three years ago, begins previews on November 28 and opens December 3, running till December 30. Tickets and multi-show subscriptions are available over the phone by calling 206-625-1900 / toll-free 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849), online at 5thavenue.org or in person at the box office at 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101.

Contemporary Classics’ New Voices Settles into Second Show Produced by The Central Heating Lab at ACT

New Voices 8 Premieres at ACT’s Falls Theatre Dec. 28, 8:00 p.m.

Seattle, WA – November 23, 2009 – He’s young, enthusiastic, and a little bit twisted! Local musical theatre producer and founder of Contemporary Classics, Brandon Ivie has a lust for musical theatre and an insatiable appetite for irreverent lyrical experimentation. On December 28, 2009 at 8:00 p.m., the Central Heating Lab at ACT presents the eighth edition of his very popular New Voices songwriter showcase series, featuring a new collection of songs and an expanded band. “I have discovered that ACT’s Central Heating Lab is absolutely, positively the best place to let our type of edgy energy roam free,” said Ivie.

New Voices 8 is a one-night only songwriter showcase in the Falls Theatre at ACT, allowing for the largest capacity crowd in New Voices history. Like previous shows, audiences will delight in hearing brand new music from this country’s most innovative composers and lyricists, sung by this city’s best musical theatre talent. But this time Ivie takes it up a notch with frequent collaborator, and one of Seattle’s busiest music directors RJ Tancioco (5^th Avenue Theatre’s HAIR, Village Theatre’s Chasing Nicolette). Tancioco will direct a full band with piano, drums, guitar, cello, and four backup singers.

In the spirit of hot Broadway musicals like Spring Awakening and Next to Normal (which was previewed at New Voices 4 in 2006 and went on to receive three Tony Awards), New Voices 8 brings together young, fresh writers who combine modern pop/rock music with a contemporary musical theatre style. Their sound is distinct and their lyrics deal with issues facing people today. It’s an opportunity to witness the next generation of composers getting scrappy and strutting their stuff with an irreverent attitude. Edgy, catchy songs like I'm Not Pregnant… I'm Just Fat, Joey Is A Punk Rocker, No One's Gonna Love You…Bitch , and Expectations of a Man may move onto big Broadway musicals someday. And Seattle heard them first!

Since its conception, New Voices has introduced more than 40 new writers to Seattle audiences. And the talented New Voices 8 cast features a bevy of “New Voices Virgins” including: Angie Louise (5^th Avenue Theatre’s Cabaret), Reba Buhr, Keely Avery, Thomas Dutton (of the band Forgive Durden), and Eric Ankrim (Seattle Children’s Theatre Peter Pan). A glamorous selection of returning favorites will join in as well: Nick Garrison (5^th Avenue Theatre’s Cabaret), Don Darryl Rivera (Seattle Children’s Theatre’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and Gregory Award Winner), Ryah Nixon (Village Theatre’s Meet Me in St. Louis), Kate Jaeger (Village Theatre’s Chasing Nicolette, Centerstage Theatre’s Always… Patsy Cline), Jessica Skerritt (Village Theatre’s Chasing Nicolette, Stunt Girl), and Jennifer Paz (5^th Avenue’s Joseph…Dreamcoat) among others.

New Voices 8 contains adult content. Tickets are $20 and are available through ACT Theatre’s ticket office at 700 Union Street, Downtown Seattle, (206) 292-7676, or online at www.acttheatre.org.

About Contemporary Classics

Contemporary Classics is a new production company dedicated to producing Seattle premieres of contemporary musicals and the development of the future’s composers, lyricists, and librettists, all while using the best up-and-coming talent Seattle has to offer. Contemporary Classics produced the Seattle premieres of john & jen, The Last Five Years, A New Brain, the recent Footlight Award-winning Zanna, Don’t!, world-premiere readings of Razia’s Shadow and Over Seas, as well as The Songs of David A. Austin concert and the popular New Voices series.

INTIMAN THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS 2010 SCHEDULE

Kate Whoriskey’s First Season as Artistic Director Includes the Pulitzer Prize-Winner Ruined by Lynn Nottage, a World Premiere by Seattle-Based Playwright Sonya Schneider, a New Adaptation of The Scarlet Letter by Naomi Iizuka, Paradise Lost by Clifford Odets and a New Adaptation of Molière’s A Doctor In Spite of Himself by Christopher Bayes and Steven Epp

Season will run March-December, 2010 with directors including Kate Whoriskey, Andrew Russell, Lear deBessonet, Dámaso Rodriguez and Christopher Bayes

SEATTLE— Intiman Theatre Artistic Director Bartlett Sher, Co-Artistic Director Kate Whoriskey and Managing Director Brian Colburn announce the lineup of plays for Intiman’s 2010 Season, the first under Whoriskey’s artistic leadership. Subscription packages are available now from www.intiman.org or 206.269.1900.

“Kate’s first season at Intiman includes great plays that will inspire conversation—and listening,” says outgoing Artistic Director Sher. “It is a season in which Intiman audiences and the Seattle community will have the chance to see her vision, hear her ideas and be part of the journey of one of the most ambitious theatres in the country. I’m honored to have spent a decade at Intiman, and to introduce one of the most adventurous directors I know to the best audience I can imagine.”

Intiman’s season reflects Whoriskey’s interest in supporting the environment of talent, curiosity and innovation that characterize Seattle’s artists, audiences and community. The lineup will feature diverse, relevant and exciting work, both new plays and classics, which speak to the power of theatre to effect change. Whoriskey’s debut season includes artists and productions that offer the possibility of surprise, new ideas and unexpected opportunities for programs that extend conversation and debate beyond the theatre into our community.

Intiman’s 2010 Season will open with Paradise Lost, written by Clifford Odets and directed by Dámaso Rodriguez, March 19 to April 25 (opening March 26). Directed by Dámaso Rodriguez, the Associate Artistic Director of Pasadena Playhouse and a co-founder and the resident director of Furious Theatre Company in Los Angeles , Paradise Lost will continue Intiman’s tradition of activating classic drama to resonate with contemporary ideas.

The season will continue with The Thin Place, a new play for one actor written by Seattle playwright Sonya Schneider based on interviews conducted by KUOW arts journalist Marcie Sillman, and directed by Andrew Russell. This world premiere will give voice to 12 individuals in the Puget Sound region who have questioned, confronted or discovered their faith. The Thin Place will run May 14 to June 13 (opening May 21).

In the summer, incoming Artistic Director Kate Whoriskey will direct the critically acclaimed play Ruined by Lynn Nottage, winner of this year’s Pulitzer Prize, as the first production of Intiman’s new five-year International Cycle, Ruined will run July 2-August 8 (opening July 9). Through the International Cycle, Intiman will program one play each year designed to foster relationships with countries underrepresented to the American artistic community. The most acclaimed new play of last season, Ruined will be co-produced with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and travel to South Africa , where it will be produced at the Market Theatre. Through this collaboration, Intiman will also create programming opportunities to reach the large Congolese refugee population now living in South Africa ; details about these initiatives will be announced at a later date.

Director Christopher Bayes, one of the foremost directors and master teachers of physical comedy, clown and commedia, returns to Intiman (where he previously worked on The Servant of Two Masters and Scapin) to co-adapt and direct Molière’s A Doctor in Spite of Himself, co-adapted by Steven Epp, a company member of the late Theatre de la Jeune Lune. The production will star Daniel Breaker, who is currently appearing on Broadway in Shrek the Musical. Breaker previously appeared on Broadway and in Spike Lee’s film version of Passing Strange, for which he received Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations and Theatre World and Audelco Awards. A Doctor in Spite of Himself will run September 3-October 10 (opening September 12).

Intiman’s subscription season will conclude with its next American Cycle production, a new adaptation of Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, adapted by Naomi Iizuka, the award-winning writer of plays including 36 Views and Polaroid Stories, and directed by Lear deBessonet, who has been acclaimed for her work developing interdisciplinary and site-specific music-theatre projects, which she has paired with active community organizing. The Scarlet Letter will run October 22-December 5 (opening October 29). A series of classic stories, the American Cycle is the largest annual initiative of Intiman’s season. Each Cycle play is the centerpiece of numerous initiatives that inspire a city-wide conversation about issues relevant to our community, encompassing free community programs and events that reach out to people for whom there is otherwise little or no access to the arts.

Additional information about the season, including casting and Intiman’s community initiatives, will be announced in early 2010. Season subject to change.

Subscription packages are on sale now from 206.269.1900, ranging in price from $108 to $348. In addition to the full five-play season, Intiman offers three- and four-play packages and Flex Pass vouchers for the convenience of its patrons.

Seasonal support for Intiman Theatre is provided by ArtsFund; Intiman Theatre Foundation; Kreielsheimer Remainder Foundation; The Leading National Theatres Program, a joint initiative of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; and Washington State Arts Commission.

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH A JOLT OF SOUL AS THE GOSPEL MUSICAL BLACK NATIVITY PLAYS ITS FINAL SEASON AT INTIMAN

This year’s production will run December 1-27, with the opening night on Friday, December 4 at 8 pm; all adult tickets during the first two weeks are $25

SEATTLE— Intiman Theatre invites audiences to “hear again the Christmas story” with its annual production of Black Nativity, a holiday favorite that features 40 singers, dancers and musicians. This will be the gospel musical’s last season at Intiman, where it has been a tradition since 1998. Intiman and members of the creative team are currently exploring new options for the future, including a move to a larger venue in King County .

Black Nativity is directed by Jacqueline Moscou and choreographed by Kabby Mitchell III, with music direction and arrangements by Pastor Patrinell Wright, Seattle’s “Gospel Queen” and founder of the Total Experience Gospel Choir. Written by Langston Hughes, the production is a showcase for gospel music performed by soloists from churches and stages across King County ; gravity-defying choreography and tap in the tradition of past dance legends; and an on-stage band. This season’s production features actors Josephine Howell and Jimi Ray Malary joining Pastor Wright and the Rev. Mr. Joseph E. Connor in the leading roles, and dancers Bryson D. Conley and Pamela Yasutake as Joseph and Mary.

“Black Nativity is a vital and treasured part of Intiman’s mission,” says Managing Director Brian Colburn. “It brings to our theatre wonderful artists, community members and audiences who thrill to the talent, heart and joyous expression of faith that make this show so unique and special. But with 40 artists on stage and sold-out houses, it has outgrown the capacity of our space. In collaboration with Jackie and Pat, we are looking at larger venues in King County for the 2010 production. We look forward to honoring its history this season, and to exploring new scenarios that will continue to make this a holiday event for the entire family in future years.”

To celebrate the production’s 12 years here, Intiman is offering special pricing opportunities during the first two weeks of performances and will participate in a “12 Days of Christmas” series of civic programs throughout the run, during which Intiman staff and artists will take part in public events that contribute to the health and well-being of our community.

All adult tickets for every performance from December 1-13 are on sale for $25. Adult tickets for performances from December 15-27 are $45. Youth tickets for all patrons age 18 and younger are $15 for the full run of the production. Tickets are on sale now from 206.269.1900 or www.intiman.org.

“Black Nativity has grown each year at Intiman, with each year’s show bigger and better than the year before,” says Moscou, who has directed the annual production since its first season. “We all feel that it’s time to look at a new venue that will support its continued growth.”

“Looking at a shorter run in a larger venue closer to the holidays is an exciting idea,” says Pastor Wright. “We want Black Nativity to always have the spirit of Intiman’s non-denominational church, but this will serve our artists and our audiences by making the production a Christmas event.”

Intiman Theatre performs at 201 Mercer Street at Seattle Center . Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings at 7:30 pm; Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm; and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 pm. There will be a special Christmas Eve performance on Thursday, December 24 at 4 pm and no performances on Christmas Day.

Seasonal support for Intiman Theatre is provided by ArtsFund; Intiman Theatre Foundation; Kreielsheimer Remainder Foundation; The Leading National Theatres Program, a joint initiative of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; and Washington State Arts Commission.

Taproot Theatre presents staged readings of Sherlock Holmes

and the Case of the Christmas Carol despite Greenwood fire

Theatre plans to present world premiere production in 2010

SEATTLE – November 12, 2009 – Taproot Theatre presents two staged readings of John Longenbaugh’s Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol this December 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. at Seattle Pacific University’s McKinley Hall. Forced to postpone the world premiere production until 2010 due to the Greenwood fire on October 23, Taproot Theatre producing artistic director Scott Nolte and playwright John Longenbaugh still wanted to offer a taste of what is to come.

“When the extent of the damage from the fire was clear and we had to make the decision to postpone the show I was as heartbroken as anyone at Taproot,” said Longenbaugh, who has been actively involved in the Seattle theatre scene for years. “Scott had pulled together such an incredible cast for the show and rehearsals were giving me a chance to truly hone the script. I’m immensely grateful that the Theatre is giving the cast, and me, a chance to give Seattle a little peek at this play that we’re all so excited about.”

The Greenwood fire happened just days after the cast met for the first rehearsal. While Alex Robertson, Jesse Notehelfer and Eric Riedmann were recast in Taproot Theatre’s new holiday production, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, at its temporary location, the other actors return to perform in the staged readings in the roles in which they were originally cast. Terry Edward Moore returns as Sherlock Holmes and David Nail as Watson, plus David Dorrian, Aaron Lamb and Pam Nolte. They are joined by Kevin Brady and Charity Parenzini.

“These readings should be a lot of fun and give audiences who were anticipating the show something to whet their appetite,” Longenbaugh said. ”For me, the feedback from a live audience is crucial in developing this work, which we hope to be able to present to our audiences in a full production next year.”

The staged readings of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol take place at McKinley Hall at Seattle Pacific University, located at 3307 Third Avenue West. Tickets will be available on a pay-what-you-can basis at the door only, with proceeds benefitting the Greenwood Fire Relief Fund. For questions or more information, please call Taproot Theatre at 206-781-9707.

Taproot Theatre plans to produce the world premiere of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol next year. In the meantime, it’s presenting It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, adapted for the stage by Joe Landry, at the Stage One Theatre at North Seattle Community College this holiday season from November 25-December 30.

From White Christmas to the Great White Way!

Broadway’s newest star got her start at The 5th—and she’s still only 13 years old!

SEATTLE, WA –Keaton Whittaker, the young actress who got her start in professional theater at The 5th Avenue in our 2006 production of White Christmas, is currently in rehearsals for the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, opening November 24, starring Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Whittaker was originally cast in White Christmas after being “scouted” by 5th Avenue staff during a karaoke contest at the Crossroads Mall. After playing the role of Susan Waverly in both the SeattleWhite Christmas and the 5th Avenue production’s tour to Sacramento, Whittaker went on to play Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird at Intiman, young Jane in Civic Light Opera’s Jane Eyre, and a host of other roles in shows at The 5th, including Whistle Down the Wind, Sunday in the Park with George and Shrek The Musical. production of

Her performance as Young Fiona in Shrek initially impressed the producers and they had plans to take her along to the Broadway run, but as her mother Nancy relates, “the girl who played Young Fiona also had to be able to go on for young Shrek, and by the time we came to the production, she’d grown to where that wasn’t possible.” Fortunately for Keaton, the casting director for Shrek recommended her for the Night Music audition, and another year and a half of growth and experience in Seattle turned out to be a great preparation for her Broadway debut as Fredrika in the Sondheim classic.

Keaton’s experience working at The 5th and other Seattle theaters makes working at Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre surprisingly comfortable. “It doesn’t feel a lot different at all,” she says, though she’s still adjusting to working with not just the cast but the stars. “Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones are actresses I’ve watched my whole life. I can’t believe I’m on the same stage with two people I admire so much.”

Keaton credits her Seattle experience for not only helping her develop her acting and singing skills, but for teaching her focus, discipline, and how to respect her fellow cast members and director. “It’s also taught me that every opportunity you get to audition, you go for it. If you don’t get it, there’s always another show opening somewhere.” And for her friends back in Seattle, she sends her love and gratitude—particularly to Lauren Carlos, who’s playing, with Drea Gordon, the same role in this year’s production of White Christmas that got Keaton her start. “She’s my best friend. So if you can mention just one thing, say this: I love you Lauren. And I’m so proud of you.”

The 5th Avenue’s revival of White Christmas, which sold out three years ago, begins previews on November 28 and opens December 3, running till December 30. Tickets and multi-show subscriptions are available online at 5thavenue.org, over the phone by calling 206-625-1900 / toll-free 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849), or in person at the box office at 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101.

Taproot Theatre’s insurance increases Greenwood arson award to $25,000

SEATTLE – November 10, 2009 – Taproot Theatre is using its Burglary and Arson Insurance coverage to allocate $15,000 to the NW Insurance Council’s award for apprehending the Greenwood arsonist or arsonists, bringing the award up to $25,000.

“We recognize the impact the fires have on our entire community, from the businesses who lost everything on October 23 to the fear the fires have instilled in many others,” said Taproot’s producing artistic director, Scott Nolte. “It is our hope that the crimes will be solved before any more arsons are committed.”

The NW Insurance Council announced this morning that the Arson Award Fund, which it sponsors along with the Arson Alarm Foundation, is now at $25,000, and encouraged anyone with information to call their local authorities or the Arson Hotline at 800-55-ARSON.

Fight Prostate Cancer One Moustache at a Time

Gentlemen, start your moustaches! Ladies, help them out! We're fighting Prostate and Testicular Cancer with the best weapon our natural creation has given us: Facial Hair! Welcome to:

MOVEMBER!

http://www.us.movember.com/mospace/232837

Movember is a a month-long donation-raising expedition raising money that will go directly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Testicular Cancer foundation.

Andrew J. Perez of Broadwayhour.com has shaved off his handlebars to regrow whatever moustache he can while raising money to fight Prostate and Testicular Cancer. Kenna M. Kettrick of Broadwayhour.com is supporting his moustache growing with donation-getting of her own!

This is where you, our loyal readers and friends, come in.

We need donations. We are trying to reach a goal of $1500.00. It's a modest goal considering some of the amazing fundraising that is happening around us, so help us smash it and blast forward with as much as we can muster. Prostate Cancer affects one in six men in their lifetimes and Testicular Cancer is the most common cancer affecting men ages 18 to 35.

Help us raise awareness by growing a moustache! Help us fight back by donating! Join our team (The Illyirans) and raise money as well! Every cent counts. When I sent out a facebook invitation I've tried to get people to understand that if every person who received that invitation had donated $2.00, we would have hit our goal in one shot. Help us get there and help us go the extra mile. Fight Cancer, look hot with a moustache and be part of the newest craze that's sweeping the Nation and the World: MOVEMBER!

To donate, join or track our progress, follow any of the links above or this one right here:
http://www.us.movember.com/mospace/232837

We at SMT are very excited about our next production, HONK! premiering November 13 and running through November 29.

Based on Hans Christian Andersen's poignant tale, "The Ugly Duckling," HONK! tells the story of an odd looking baby duck, Ugly, and his quest to find his mother after he is seduced away by a wily Cat who wants to eat Ugly for dinner. After escaping, Ugly encounters a beautiful swan, Penny, tangled in a fishing line. After he frees her, the two fall in love, but she must return to her flock and fly south for the winter. Left all alone, Ugly’s mother finds him frozen in snow. Her warm tears manage to thaw him out and he comes back to life – as a handsome swan! Soon, Ugly is reunited with Penny and the two swans decide to live the rest of their days in the same pond as Ugly’s loyal mother.

While obviously appropriate for young theatre-goers, adults of all ages will enjoy the hilarious dialogue and beautiful songs sung by the various barnyard creatures, together with a great many “fowl” puns.

Friday and Saturday performances at 8pm

Sunday matinees at 2pm

One Thursday performance on November 19 at 7:30 pm

Seattle Shakespeare Company presents

Twelfth Night

December 3-27, 2009 at the Center House Theatre

SEATTLE - This December, Shakespeare's only holiday-themed play, Twelfth Night sweeps onto the stage featuring traditional music and caroling, jokes and laughter, and some smooching under the mistletoe. Artistic Director Stephanie Shine stages this beguiling comedy of romantic misadventures which opens on Friday, December 4 at the Center House Theatre and will run through December 27.

Support for Seattle Shakespeare Company's production of Twelfth Night is provided by the Washington State Arts Commission, ArtsFund, the National Endowment for the Arts, and KUOW.

During a holiday party, Duke Orsino pines for Lady Olivia, but she's too busy mourning for her dead brother. Olivia's randy uncle, Toby Belch, chases after Maria the maid, the snooty butler Malvolio scrambles to keep everything under control, and a mystical fool Feste tosses off shrewd bon mots to anyone who will listen. Into festivities drops a pair of magnetic, identical twins, Viola and Sebastian, arousing passion wherever they turn, and weaving healing magic for everyone.

The cast of Twelfth Night features John Bogar (Malvolio), Michael Dooly (Antonio/Captain), Chris Ensweiler (Feste), Ray Gonzalez (Sir Toby Belch), Tim Gouran (Sebastian), Brenda Joyner (Olivia), Darragh Kennan (Andrew Aguecheek), Frank Lawler (Fabian), Susannah Millonzi (Viola), Carter Rodriquez (Valentine), Carol Roscoe (Maria), Jose Rufino (Duke Orsino), and Sean Patrick Taylor (Curio)

Set design for Twelfth Night is Andrea Bush, with costume design by Melanie Burgess, lighting design by Andrew D. Smith, with music by Sean Patrick Taylor.

Performances of Twelfth Night are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 pm (December 12 & 19) and Sundays at 2:00 pm. There will be additional 7:30 pm performances on December, 22, 23 and 27 and a 2:00 pm matinee on December 23. There will be no performance on December 25.

Special "Shakespeariences" will be offered in conjunction with Twelfth Night including: "Jumpstart into Twelfth Night" a facilitated introduction to the play (December 10 at 6PM - $10) and post play discussions on selected performances.

Tickets to performances of Twelfth Night are now on sale and range from $30-$36 for adults and $22-$25 for seniors and students. Pay-What-You-Will previews are on December 1 and 2 at 7:30 PM. Discounted tickets are available for groups of ten or more.

For ticket reservations, call the Seattle Shakespeare Company box office (206) 733-8222 or go online at www.seattleshakespeare.org. Regular box office hours are Tuesday through Friday 1:00-6:00 PM. During performance weeks, in addition to regular hours, the box office opens Saturdays 1:00-6:00 PM and Sundays 12noon to 4:00 PM. Seattle Shakespeare Company performs at the Center House Theatre at Seattle Center.

Kurt Beattie Returns as ‘Scrooge’ in ACT’s

34^th Annual Production of A Christmas Carol

Seattle, WA – November 4, 2009 – ACT- A Contemporary Theatre presents its 34^rd annual production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, adapted by Gregory A. Falls. This year, A Christmas Carol is directed by Kurt Beattie and R. Hamilton Wright and also features boththe first time in more than a decade. alternating in the role of Scrooge, with Beattie returning to the role for

A Christmas Carol has been a Seattle holiday tradition since 1976. ACT’s highly-acclaimed adaptation follows the original Dickens tale and takes audiences along on Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformational journey.

“A Christmas Carol is profoundly theatrical. It doesn’t rely on massive pieces of scenery to create its magic. It’s pure storytelling. And it doesn’t try to amplify or write more for Charles Dickens– nearly everything that’s in the script is out of the novella,” said ACT Artistic Director Kurt Beattie. “Our adaptation, with great economy, gets the most salient points of the story, and in an unsentimental way. It puts the power of the storytelling in the hands of the actors which allows the play to move very quickly, and fluidly, just as Dickens’ story does – he wanted to evoke a whole society and a whole life’s journey at the same time, and I think ACT’s production achieves that as well.”

A Christmas Carol runs November 27 through December 27, 2009. An audio described performance for the blind and visually challenged community is on December 19 at 2:00 p.m. An ASL performance is on December 11 at 8:30 p.m. A Christmas Carol is recommended for ages five and up.

Traditional British Holiday Fun in Federal Way ?

Centerstage Produces Jack and the Beanstalk as a “Panto.”

Run Dates: Nov. 28 - Dec.20, 2009. (Fri-Sun)

Press Night: Sat. Nov. 28; 8:00 p.m.

Federal Way, WA – Can you really get a big heaping spoonful of traditional British holiday fun in Federal Way ? Yes indeed. For the past three seasons Centerstage’s managing artistic director, and British ex-pat, Alan Bryce has included a theatrical tradition from his homeland in the Centerstage Season –The English Pantomime (informally, panto). First with Cinderella, then with Aladdin, and now with the highly anticipated Jack and the Beanstalk this year’s Christmas Panto promises to deliver even more laughter, song and silliness than ever before.

New this year, families can incorporate a little food or drink into their holiday outing through the Dinner & A Show package with Salty’s at Redondo Beach, or the Wine with the Director night on December 5th. Choose the dinner or brunch package from Salty’s which includes a ticket to the show and either a three-course meal or a bountiful buffet all for only $50 ($18 for children under 12). This family-friendly Wine with the Director starts at 7:00 pm. It features warm and cozy mulled wine and hot chocolate along with a director chat, Q&A and cast meet n’ greet. Tickets to Wine with the Director are $10 and space is limited.

Panto is a boisterous, high energy musical designed for kids from 5 to 105 and Jack and the Beanstalk is full of painfully funny gags (many of which you have heard before), guys dressed as gals, gals dressed as guys, popular songs and glorious costumes. Audiences will marvel at the massive splendiferous giant created by Vashon Island ’s own puppeteer artists,The Zambini Brothers and this colorful production is guaranteed to brighten even the chilliest winter's day.

Three years ago Alan Bryce entered into this collaborative relationship with the "godfather” of the modern British pantomime, Paul Hendy (www.paulhendy.com); and each year Federal Way audiences have demonstrated their support and enthusiasm for the genre with a flurry of early ticket sales. Paul Hendy is thrilled to “spread the gospel of panto” through stateside collaborators like Alan Bryce. Hendy is best known as the host of England’s Wheel of Fortune but remains dedicated and passionate about growing the genre through his own company Evolution Productions. Hendy has written, directed and acted in dozens and dozens of pantos for more than 25 years. He has written over 30 scripts and his vast inventory of sets and costumes have crisscrossed the Isle from Guildford to Sheffield, over to Canterbury and back again.

Direction, costumes and sets for this production however are a purely “American Affair.” Roger Curtis directs, Eia Waltzer choreographs, Ron Leamon is designed costumes and the set/lighting designer is Craig Wollam. The cast of 15 locally-based actors, including four school-aged children, are: David Roby (Jack), Roger Curtis (Dame Trott),Melanie Moser (Fleshcreep), Rosalie Hilburn (Fairy), Scott Polovitch Davis (Billy) Alicia Mendez (Jill) and Dale Bowers (King),Tracy Lewis, Rian Wilson, Meghan Derr, Hannah Smith, Lesley Lemon, Ellis Cox-McAllister, Natalia Efremova, and Olivia Roberts.

Jack and the Beanstalk is part of the discounted 5-show Season Pass which is on sale now. Single tickets for all 15 performances are on sale now and available by phone, (253) 661-1444, online at www.centerstagetheatre.com, and in person at the Knutzen Family Theater box office. Single tickets are $25 for adults; $20 for seniors, military, students 18 & over with ID; and $10 for youth 17 & under. $17 tickets are available for groups of 10 or more. All shows are performed at the Knutzen Family Theatre and are general admission. There are 4 performances a week on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm plus a Saturday and Sunday matinee at 2:00 pm.

Joshua Wolf Shenk, Author of Lincoln’s Melancholy, to Speak at Intiman Theatre following the November 15 Matinee of Abe Lincoln in Illinois

Presented as part of Intiman’s American Cycle series, the event will include a lecture and questions from the audience, and is free to the public

SEATTLE— Intiman Theatre is honored to present a free public lecture by Joshua Wolf Shenk, author of Lincoln’s Melancholy, one of the most acclaimed and influential contributions to recent Lincoln scholarship, as part of the American Cycle programming around its current production of Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Mr. Shenk’s talk, this season’s Writers & Artists lecture, will include questions from the audience and will follow the 2 pm matinee performance of the play on Sunday, November 15.

This event is free and open to the general public. Seating will be general admission, with priority given to patrons attending the matinee performance. Individuals attending only the discussion should arrive at Intiman, 201 Mercer Street at Seattle Center , at 4:30 pm. For more information, patrons should call 206.269.1900.

Lincoln’s Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness, was named one of the best books of 2005 by the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and has won awards from the Abraham Lincoln Institute, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the National Mental Health Association.

An essayist and former director of the Rose O’Neill Literary House at Washington College , Mr. Shenk has contributed to the Atlantic Monthly, Time, Harper’s, the New Yorker, the New York Times and the national bestseller Unholy Ghost: Writers on Depression, edited by Nell Casey. He is a member of the advisory council to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

Writers & Artists is the annual humanities forum of Intiman’s American Cycle series of classic American stories. A city-wide initiative, the Cycle is a catalyst for local civic dialogue, with free-standing events that encourage conversation and debate about our shared history and contemporary issues that people face in their own lives.

The American Cycle is sponsored by Ameriprise Financial, The Boeing Company, Microsoft Corporation, Nesholm Family Foundation and PONCHO. Media Sponsorship is provided by KUOW.