Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - But Why Bump Off Barnaby? (Olympia Little Theatre)

Olympia Little Theatre’s But Why Bump Off Barnaby succeeds most when it embraces its absurdity. It’s a show that understands its own silliness, and when the timing clicks, it hits that sweet spot of old-fashioned farce. A little more pace in delivery would make the laughs more consistent, but as it stands, it’s a pleasant, escapist evening of theater—a lighthearted parody that gives its audience permission to just sit back and enjoy the ridiculousness of it all.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Anything Goes (Reboot Theatre)

Reboot’s production of Anything Goes doesn’t just revive a classic—it reimagines it for a new era, balancing nostalgia and innovation with wit and heart. This piece stands tall as both an homage to Broadway’s golden age and a testament to Reboot’s boundary-pushing spirit. It’s a show that reminds us why musical theatre endures: because when it’s done this well, anything truly goes.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - The Manor (MAP Theatre)

In a sublime and memorable ensemble performance and a powerful thought-provoking script, The Manor teaches us that despite our best efforts for gathering power, prestige and sanctuary, there will always be an element of chaos and entropy that can scrap our best-laid plans. Those who refuse to accept change will perish at the hand of it. Those who embrace the flow of change will survive long enough to witness the dawning of new eras and new perspectives.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - In the Upper Room (Pacific Northwest Ballet)

In its latest production, PNB spotlights new works and emerging choreographers that explore the human relationship with technology. Staged alongside a classic from Twyla Tharp, it's a good blend of classic American dance and contemporary exploration that makes for rich viewing.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - The Fantasticks (Dukesbay Productions)

What Dukesbay has achieved here is a strong, and beautiful, reminder of what live theatre can do when stripped of unnecessary layers. The Fantasticks is a fable about innocence, experience, and rediscovery, and in this production, those themes are reflected not only in the performances but in the very act of presentation—voices unamplified, music live and intimate, storytelling simple yet profound. It’s a musical that feels like it’s being sung directly into your heart, and Dukesbay’s talented ensemble makes sure every note lands exactly there.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Eulogy: Or How to Plan Your Own Funeral (and have fun doing it) - Pony World Theatre

Pony World Theatre’s Eulogy isn’t just a play about dying—it’s a play about living fully and deliberately. Brendan Healy’s performance, coupled with the sincerity of his collaborators, transforms what might have been a farewell into something closer to a celebration. It’s funny, honest, and disarmingly hopeful, reminding us that confronting mortality isn’t about giving up—it’s about finding meaning in every remaining moment. This production, under the keen direction of Sophia Franzella is a quiet triumph, and for audiences willing to face the big questions with open hearts, it’s a night worth celebrating.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - The Humans (Sound Theatre Company)

Director Teresa Thuman handles the story and cast quite nimbly. She gives us themes that resonate in today’s American family and America as a whole. “The Humans" is funny and scary, while tough and relatable. It will keep you thinking long after the lights go out.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - A Murder is Announced (Olympic Theatre Arts)

A Murder is Announced at Olympic Theatre Arts offers their own take on what fans of Agatha Christie come for, and they deliver it with a unique design and some solid performances, which give this production its own identity, proving that even in a genre built on formula, creativity can still surprise.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Leading Ladies (Bremerton Community Theatre)

This production is proof that Leading Ladies doesn’t need reinvention — just precision, trust in the material, and performers who understand that the best farce comes from absolute commitment. From staircase to skirt hem, this one commits completely. In the end, Bremerton Community Theatre’s Leading Ladies is a fast, funny, and fully realized romp that delivers on every promise of a Ken Ludwig comedy. It’s polished without losing its sense of play, bold without slipping into excess, and heartfelt enough to remind us that even the most ridiculous deceptions can lead to moments of genuine truth. Audiences looking for a night of sharp humor, strong performances, and impeccable stagecraft will find it all here.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Little Foxes (Intiman Theatre & The Feast)

This rendition of Little Foxes offers us an intimate look at the various guises that prejudice, cruelty, and love can take – and what happens when all those facades get ripped away. Intiman Theatre and The Feast immerse us in a world that demonstrates how expansive privilege can be while revealing how that same privilege can produce fear and claustrophobia, offering its beneficiaries few escapes despite the abundance of luxuries. Replete with a talented ensemble and a wonderful set design, this is a reimagining of an old play worth revisiting now.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Ted & Gary

(Ted & Gary) is about proximity—how close we can get to understanding darkness without falling into it. And in that dimly lit corner of Jules Maes, experiencing the hauntingly good performances of Seamus C. Smith and Ryan Higgins, the definition of immersive theatre is on full display, where the line between observer and participant grows terrifyingly thin.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Ms. Frankenstein’s Monster (Phoenix Theatre)

The thought that lingers after the show, having experienced a play that is extremely silly, though not altogether well constructed by its author—that the “monster” might not be in the lab at all, but in the choices we make and the systems we build. It’s both a clever and oddly touching reflection on power, identity, and the ways we define creation itself. With Ms. Frankenstein’s Monster, The Phoenix once again proves that comedy, no matter how silly, can be just as illuminating as tragedy.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - The Da Vinci Code (Tacoma Little Theatre)

Tacoma Little Theatre’s The Da Vinci Code succeeds precisely because it doesn’t try to outdo its famous predecessors. Instead, it trusts its cast, its design, and its audience. By paring down the story’s global sprawl into something more personal and immediate, Trina Williamson and her team have created a production that’s less about cracking a code and more about decoding ourselves — our history, our beliefs, and the symbols we cling to. Through disciplined staging, thoughtful design, and a cast that balances intellect with heart, this Da Vinci Code is a mystery well worth solving.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Stage of Fools (Seattle Public Theater)

This brilliant show is a context-specific love-letter to the Seattle Theatre Community and its audiences. It was made for us, by us, about us. Come on down and fill out those seats for the remaining performance. Your medicine awaits.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Jane Eyre, the Musical (Enoch City Arts)

Jane Eyre at Enoch City Arts succeeds because it understands the heart of the material. It doesn’t try to overwhelm with spectacle; it trusts the text, the music, and the sincerity of its performers. Through careful direction, thoughtful use of lighting and sound, and a cast that believes in the story they’re telling, this production manages to make Brontë’s world feel as immediate and human as ever. It’s a reminder that in theatre — as in life — intimacy often speaks louder than grandeur.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Shrew (Union Arts Center)

At its heart, this Shrew succeeds not by softening Shakespeare’s thorns but by leaning into them, wrestling with the discomfort rather than running from it. The result is a production that is messy, funny, provocative, and undeniably alive—everything theatre should be when it dares to reexamine the classics through a modern lens. Union Arts Center’s inaugural Shakespeare outing proves that risk and reinvention can coexist with reverence, and that there’s real power in holding a mirror up to a play that still unsettles us centuries later.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - Dracula (Renton Civic Theatre)

The Renton Civic Theatre production of Dracula is an adaptation that relies more on character work than on shock or gore, and under Brad Lo Walker’s direction, the production finds a balance between human emotion and eerie suspense. It’s a strong interpretation—faithful yet fresh—a darkly elegant and well-paced retelling that leans into mood and atmosphere over spectacle, with performances that serve both the humanity and horror of the story. It’s intelligent, well-crafted theatre—a perfect tale for this time of year.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - The Liar (Bremerton Community Theatre)

The Bremerton Community Theatre production of The Liar stands out, not just for the precision of its comic wordplay, but for the joy of it all. You can feel the ensemble’s energy feeding off the laughter in the Stewart Performance Hall, like an endless shared and delightful moment between performer and audience. That’s the hallmark of good comedy: the sense that everyone, on stage and off, knows they’re part of a grand, ridiculous dance, and The Liar is a very good comedy. Kristi Ann Jacobson has assembled a cast of actors that seem tailor made for their roles, and with a design that excels in its simplicity along with her direction, The Liar is a hilarious romp that deserves more than just a two week run.

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Greg Heilman Greg Heilman

Stage Review - The Play That Goes Wrong (Bainbridge Performing Arts)

This Play That Goes Wrong gets just about everything right. Bainbridge Performing Arts has crafted a gloriously unhinged production that celebrates the art of imperfection with exacting skill. It’s a love letter to the unpredictability of live theatre—a night of laughter, mishaps, and creative brilliance that only a director with the chops of Ken Michels and company as confident and capable as this one is could pull off.

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