Kelly Rogers Flynt - Page 4

KIM'S CONVENIENCE at Taproot Theatre is full of laughs and heart. A convenience store is often the hot spot of a community, where you can find a little of whatever you need. For the Kim family, the convenience store is much more than that. It is their hope, their conduit to a brighter future. Its constant need of attention is also an albatross and point of contention. When an unsuspecting police officer responds to a 911 call from the store, he finds more than a variety of snacks. KIM's CONVENIENCE is a witty look at everyday life with surprising insight into human nature.

AS YOU LIKE IT by Seattle Shakespeare Company is a grab bag of experiences. It has moments of delight mixed with quite a few confusing bits. The show takes a while to get going, but then the comedy pulls it along with fresh energy. At times it seemed as if some of the characters were in a different show altogether, projecting a very different tone and vibe. The visuals were both appealing in sets and confusing in costumes. The acting carried the day, but in the end the show left your scratching your head.

WE WILL NOT BE SILENT at Taproot Theatre is a glimpse into the heart of courage. The story of Sophie Scholl and her resistance to the Nazi regime is one of inspiration and fortitude. Without bells and whistles or fanfare, this show focuses on the heart of the matter. When the laws of the land conflict with what you believe to be right, how will you respond? When the stakes are high, how much are you willing to dare?

JOHN at ArtsWest is an enigma wrapped in a conundrum, nestled in a puzzle. The show is peppered with interesting bits of information, side stories, tangents, and seemingly pertinent details. However most of these bits only serve to fully realize the characters rather than apply to the plot. You can easily find yourself chasing meanings in references that are never explained or even mentioned again. The amount of detail and richness of backstory is amazing. The amount of unanswered questions is frustrating. JOHN is a show rich with characters and short on plot.

CAUGHT presented by Intiman Theatre will catch you off guard and make swiss cheese of all your theories of what is art and what is theater. Christopher Chen's play combines visual art and theater into a playground of ideas. What is truth, your perception, and intention are all challenged with thought-provoking dialogue and action. Just when you think you have grasped the essence of the piece, it shifts direction and reveals a twist, another level, and leaves you once again wondering what is real.

Seattle Children's Theatre brings another classic book to life in their production of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. The book by Kate DiCamillo tells the story of a china rabbit that is given as a gift to a young girl, Abilene, by her grandmother. The girl adores the rabbit and names him Edward. Edward, however, is only interested in himself and his own thoughts and fails to appreciate or connect with those around him. The grandmother who seems to sense Edward's aloofness, warns that she is disappointed in him, and that loving others is the whole point of existence. Through a series of events, Edward is separated from Abilene and spends years moving in and out of the possession of various people. Along the way he learns what it means to be loved and how to love others. Through chance or fate or maybe miracles, Edward is given the chance to love those who first loved him.

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE at Taproot Theater is what Aunt Abby would call a 'fine howdy doo.' This production proves why Joseph Kesselring's play is considered a classic. The play contains not only great humor but also smarts. The talented cast has a great rapport and will take you on an adventurous ride full of surprises.

With all the focus dedicated to the language and story, Seattle Shakespeare breaths new life into this old classic while maintaining all its traditions. While current trends rely on new interpretations, new locations, different time periods, this production stays true to the Bard and delivers the goods. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL is a bittersweet tale of love, war, and relationships. The show questions why we love who we love and who is deserving of love, romantic and familial.

Book-It Repertory Theatre has a winner on its hands. MY ANTONIA sings with triumph as a story we both know by heart and one we long to hear. It deftly deals with the issues of love and loss, class divide, and immigration. Whether a century ago or current day, the story of My Antonia is remarkable for its beauty and authenticity.

Taproot Theatre's production of MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY offers a holiday diversion of wit, charm, and heart. Mary Bennet, the middle sister, steps from the shadows to take command of her own story. With a gathering of family and a visit from a distant cousin, the recipe is ripe for misunderstandings between people who manage to talk so much and say so little. Taproot Theatre has provided a show that should be on everyone's holiday wish list.

ArtsWest gives new life to an old story with its production of JANE EYRE. The musical is presented in an updated chamber version in its West Coast premier. The story is a classic. The lessons of following your heart and forgiveness are universal. But above it all is the music. The glorious music will haunt you, enrapture you, and seep into your very bones. You may come for the story, but it is the music that will make you want to see it again and again.

PARLIAMENT SQUARE by Pony World Theatre pulls at your heart and gut but leaves your intellect unengaged. The show is a feast of tension, activism, and drama with a side of emotional manipulation. The story falls to match the actors or design in terms of inspiration and fizzles from lack of specificity.

Seattle Shakespeare's ARMS & THE MAN visits the past and finds the present. With wit, humor, and richness of production, the show presents a classic tale of a chance encounter that changes everything. From the pithy dialogue to the talented cast, Seattle Shakespeare has chosen well for its second show of the season.

FADE at Seattle Public Theater is a quiet little show that's worth making a lot of noise about. The play by Tanya Saracho is both a witty and scathing examination of classism, racism, and sexism. An immigrant looks to climb the corporate ladder in Hollywood, but the price of success may be more than she bargained for. Identity, heritage, and friendship are all tokens of negotiation.

Skeleton Crew at ArtsWest Theatre is a double punch of grit and heart. The recession is wreaking havoc on the auto industry in Detroit, and the plant workers are caught in the crossfire. When you can't control the forces at work around you, your reactions to the circumstances are all you have left. Stress, uncertainty, power plays, and self-preservation are all in the mix. The small but powerful cast will suck you into their world and leave their pain and worry stirring uncomfortably in your belly. In Skeleton Crew nothing comes easy, but building a good life is worth the fight.

The Phantom of the Opera has been wowing audiences for decades. The Paramount Theater offered a select few a sneak peek behind the scenes of the production. What we discovered was inspiration, glamour, and magic.

Rules of Charity by Sound Theater Company is a production that is long overdue. Representation matters. We hear that phrase a lot and the effects of that sentiment are slowly making their way into theater. The disabled community seems to be the last group invited to join the party. Sound Theatre Company's 2018 theme of radical inclusion is on display front and center is this provocative play by John Belluso.

The Williams Project latest collaboration with Equinox Studios is the very ambitious production of Blood Wedding. The story by Frederico Garcia Lorca is a twist on doomed lovers who are prevented from marrying by their families. The English version is a translation by Langston Hughes and retains both the fiery passion of the original Spanish and the poetic language of forbidden love. Equinox Studios invites the audience in to witness the story as part of the crowd.

Sweet Land at Taproot Theatre is a sweet treat of a show. Full of humor, wit, challenges, and struggles, the story of Inge Altenberg and Olaf Torvik becomes an everyman's story. The path to the American dream is paved with suspicion and hardship for immigrants both past and present. Their trials and travails parallel the stories of so many others. In the end, we find that their differences are much smaller than our commonalities. Communities can unite or divide. It is up to each person to decide where and with whom they will stand.

Lady Day at Arts West is a study of nuance and subtleties. It is the story of Billie Holiday. Her life and music come to you through song and stories, music and monologues, told in a nightclub setting from Holiday near the end of her life. Just like her life, the show moves through humor, inspiration, tragedy, and triumph.