My Lord, What a Night focuses on the unlikely friendship between renowned physicist Albert Einstein and the reluctant Civil Rights icon and famous contralto Marian Anderson, but it represents so much more.  This play shows that in times of crisis, in which social and political climates are charged and we as humans are at a crossroads, it’s only by banding together in love and friendship that we can develop the strength to overcome.  This was as true in 1937 as it is today, and My Lord, What a Night is both enlightening and entertaining, well designed and masterfully performed.   

The Lakewood Playhouse production of Godspell may not be the Godspell that you or your parents have grown up with, but the heart of the story is still here, the parables and their lessons are presented, they just may be a little harder to get to.  Presented by a cast that clearly has talent, with a little more volume and a little less chaos, I feel like this has the potential to shine, it just need to get there.

In Damn Yankees, Joe Boyd is the typical sports fan, willing to do just about anything to help his beloved Washington Senators win. When he has a taker in a devilish stranger, the two of them put into motion a race against time and for Joe’s soul. The Reboot Theatre production is a fun and entertaining twist on this classic, led by the magnificent Jessie Selleck in a performance that itself is worth the price of admission. And as we approach the end of this year’s baseball season, Damn Yankees is perhaps the best way to take your mind off the hometown Mariners woes.

For those unfamiliar with Pride and Prejudice, the Harlequin Productions adaptation is an entertaining introduction to a classic story. For those more familiar with the book, or the multitudes of films or stage adaptations, this is a unique and humorous twist, almost an inside joke that is at the same time a tribute, or even a love letter, to the original source material. Moreover, it’s a showcase for the amazing talent the region has in its acting corps, from individuals portraying multiple and distinct characters, to masterful delivery of dialects and nuance.

There’s so much to enjoy about POTUS. It’s a winner from top to bottom, with so much humor delivered by a cast of actors who understand satire and how to deliver a political farce in a way that drives home its points while invigorating the audience through laughter. Our social and political climate is rife with stress, and what a joy it is to have the ability to escape that if only for a few hours, and that’s the true beauty of POTUS, and it’s just one more chapter in the increasing legacy of former Artistic Director John Langs’ tenure at ACT Contemporary Theatre.

Guards at the Taj is, at its heart, a story of friendship and its perseverance through difficult choices and shared trauma.  When two friends are called upon to commit an act so intensely cruel and inhuman, they must come to terms with what they have done, together and on their own.  The co-production from Pratidhwani and ArtsWest presents this emotionally charged piece anchored by extremely strong performances from its two actors and a with a design that is sewn together by threads of both hope and despair, coming together to make a work of art that is easily the high water mark to date for a local production of a Rajiv Joseph play.

Farces seem to be the order of the day in both Pierce and Kitsap counties right now, with One Man, Two Guvnors on stage at Tacoma Little Theatre and Run For Your Wife at Bremerton Community Theatre. One Man, Two Guvnors is a farce in the classic sense and with a cast led by a perfectly entertaining performance from Blake R. York as the “One Man”, it’s a laugh-a-minute experience that shouldn’t be missed. And in Run For Your Wife, Director Dan Estes seems to have dialed in the trick to making a farce work, with a cast that clearly understands what they are portraying here, and one that has mastered the art of comedic timing.

New and original works aren’t exactly a dime-a-dozen in Seattle.  Coming out of Covid especially, few theaters are willing to risk putting up a new show, opting instead for known entities, with their own drawing power.  So, kudos to producer Outrage Onstage and SecondStory Rep for coming together to present Come On, Get Tappy!  The new production from Harry Turpin and Stacie Hart is a fun and funny musical with catchy songs, a good story, and excellent singing, dancing, and acting that come together with a well executed design to present a show that most definitely has a future, once it gets tightened up a bit.  And while it runs a bit long in its current incarnation, the foundation is there, and given how entertaining it is now, I can’t wait to see what it becomes as it matures.

Miss Holmes isn’t your average Sherlock Holmes mystery. It has all of the ingredients found in the standard detective fare, but it’s layered with a message of female empowerment that makes it an important piece, while still being an entertaining and funny whodunit. It’s great to see Latitude Theatre as one of the new residents at TPS’ Center Theatre and Miss Holmes is a great choice to open at their new home.

There aren’t many shows that I come out of and think, “Wow, everyone NEEDS to see this”, but Justin Huertas’ new musical Lizard Boy is right up there near the top of that very short list. This story of friendship, love, and that elusive moving target of hope is pure gold, and he tells it all the while redefining what it is to be a hero. In all aspects, musically and theatrically, Lizard Boy is a winner. I wish I had seen it in Seattle before it moved to OSF, but I’m genuinely happy I’ve gotten to see any version of it at all, much less this fantastic one currently on stage at Ashland. And if you can’t make it to OSF this year, let’s all work together to make sure that the show builds a life of its own, and it comes back to Seattle, and beyond.

Cinderella is one of those classic stories that we’re all very familiar with, and we’ve all probably seen multiple versions of the tale. Kitsap Forest Theater, in choosing to present the Broadway version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, gives us a more layered and more human story than perhaps we’re used to. And having someone as talented as Carin Young in the lead role surrounded by a cast under the direction of Trina Williamson, who clearly is familiar with designing shows in this unique space, most definitely makes for a wonderful telling of this unique version of the familiar story we’ve all come to love. Cinderella is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon outdoors, and something suitable for the entire family.

Jane Eyre has been engaging readers, viewers, and theatre goers for almost 200 years. Its themes of female independence and empowerment, socioeconomic disparity, and class are in some ways even more impactful today than they were when Charlotte Brontë first published the story. The OSF production brings this classic to life in all its gothic splendor, adapted by Elizabeth Williamson, directed by Dawn Monique Williams, and featuring a cast that is skillful and engaging. Brontë’s story lives on in this adaptation and it feels like its place in OSF’s Allen Elizabethan Theatre is exactly where it is meant to be.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about Urinetown through the years, though I’ve never seen it until last week’s opening night performance presented by Ballyhoo Theatre. Performed by a cast that is talented, confident, and strong, and under the direction of Shileah Corey, this production on one hand makes me wish I hadn’t waited so long to see Urinetown, but on the other hand I’m glad that this was my introduction to it. A funny, irreverent, and tragically topical comedy, Urinetown is a show that will entertains from start to finish.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a classic that most of us, if not all, are familiar with, mostly through the film version. The musical captures all of the magic from the film and the Port Gamble version of this family friendly story from James Bond author Ian Fleming is something that adults and children can and will enjoy together. It’s a magical trip with a special car and an even more special cast that is a great way to spend a summer day out of the hot sun.

With the lion’s share of theaters winding down for the summer, Taproot Theatre has taken up the professional mantle with the production of its summer show, Sister Act. With a design that makes the most of Taproot’s layout in its Jewell Mainstage, to a cast that is funny and extremely talented, all under the superb direction of Bretteney Beverly, Sister Act is exactly what we need this summer, the perfect salve for the heat and and stress of current events. The songs are catchy, the humor laugh-out-loud, the pace of the show quick, and the level of quality from top to bottom is just excellent. It’s everything anyone can ask for in a summer hit.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies. With five intersecting storylines threaded together by a wedding between the Duke of Athens and the Queen of the Amazons, the story includes fairies, a quartet of lovers who get mixed up in a vengeful plot, and a rag tag troupe of actors who bumble their way on to the stage of the Duke. The story is funny and entertaining in its own right, but in the hands of director Elizabeth Allum and the fantastic cast that she has but together, the BPA production of this classic soars, a wonder in the more wondrous setting that is the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island.

The timelessness and unfortunate timeliness of Cabaret is underscored by the sheer number of versions that have appeared on Seattle area stages this year. The latest is on stage in Olympia and is produced by Harlequin Productions. While the design of the show is stunning and grand, it misses some of the key thematic elements that make the Kit Kat Klub and Cabaret feel like the seedy underbelly of pre-war Berlin and it limits the ability of the production to spread its wings, creating a show that feels more choppy than smooth and prevents this cast, led by the wonderfully versatile Karin Terry, from shining as bright as their talent proves they can. It is worth taking in, if only because Cabaret is a show that still has relevance after so many years. The fact that this cast is so good in every aspect of their performances is just icing on the cake, and more than makes up for any shortcomings on the show’s design.

Virgins to Villains (My Journey with Shakespeare’s Women) feels like a perfect fit for this year’s Oregon Shakespeare Festival season. It depicts the influence that theatre, and Shakespeare, can have on a life, and the fulfillment that it can bring. And while the show at times feels academic, Robin Goodrin Nordli is an engaging, funny, and thoughtful storyteller who clearly has a passion for the Bard, is proud of her performances of her work, and is not afraid to let herself be vulnerable in her life’s reflection.

Move Over Mrs. Markham is a farce in every sense of the word. A story in which a faithful married couple’s flat turns into the unlikely arena for a love triangle (or two) is so full of laughs, you’ll be talking about how funny this show and these characters are well after the play ends. Director Eric Lewis has assembled a cast that understands how good comedy works, whether it’s of the physical variety, or by delivering situationally funny dialogue in the most straight and serious way. Move Over Mrs. Markham is a wholly entertaining comedy, and the fact that the show has been extended for an additional week can only mean that more people will get to see it, and that’s a good thing.

Ride the Cyclone is a quirky, funny, and very Canadian piece of musical theatre, and SecondStory Rep’s final production of its 2023-24 season is every bit the carnival ride that you’d expect from this out of this world show. There’s something we can all learn about being better humans from riding the Cyclone, and while the lessons aren’t altogether shrouded in mystery, Director Harry Turpin’s production, which features a stellar cast of versatile and talented actors, shows that regardless of the destination, sometimes the best part is the journey. Head on over to Redmond to Ride the Cyclone, you’ll laugh, tap your feet along with the catchy music, and be wholly entertained for the 90 minutes of its run time. You might actually find that you’ll learn something about yourself along the way.