Pamela Reed News

As Americans we tend to love to witness a good familial car wreck. That's why dysfunctional family dramas are so popular (not to mention the hoards of people behaving badly on reality TV). But long before the Weston's of Osage County hurled their first insult or popped their first pill, George and Martha of Edward Albee's classic dark comedy “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, currently playing at the Seattle Rep, were knocking back two or three or 15 stiff ones and letting the secrets and venom fly. And Albee's play feels just as fresh today as it ever has, due in no small part to this pitch perfect production. So I guess bad manners never go out of style.

Holy Crap! That's really the most emphatic sentiment I can use to describe the internal battles I had when trying to pick my top picks for this past year. There were so many amazing performances and achievements that to pick just one was almost an impossibility (and as you'll see, WAS an impossibility for one category). But the battle is over and it's my distinct pleasure to announce my picks for the 2013 Broadway World Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (or Jay's Picks, if you prefer).

It's a fine line between a biting familial dramedy and diving head first into the realm of back biting reality TV. One lends itself to insightful views on the nature of parent/child dynamics and the other has an overweight little girl spewing forth "Oh no she di'in't" like a circus act to make the viewers feel better and superior about themselves. Luckily Jon Robin Baitz searing play "Other Desert Cities", currently playing at ACT, falls into the category of the former. Yes, the family can get pretty vicious at times but you can also see the heart and compassion through the barbs bringing out the power of the piece.

Conservative parents and their Liberal children square off in Jon Robin Baitz's thrilling drama, Other Desert Cities.

Winning a Guthrie Theatre commission, and chosen for development by The Katselas Theatre Company's INKubator program, the West Coast Premiere of SEXSTING is the inaugural production for KTC's 2013 season. OVATION RECOMMENDED, the stellar cast includes Gregory Itzin (Tony, Drama Desk, and Emmy Award nominee), JD Cullum (Stones in His Pockets-Mark Taper Forum, Of Equal Measure-Kirk Douglas Theater), The Cripple of Inishmaan (Geffen Playhouse).

Winning a Guthrie Theatre commission, and chosen for development by The Katselas Theatre Company's INKubator program, the West Coast Premiere of SEXSTING is the inaugural production for KTC's 2013 season. Opening at the popular Skylight Theatre Complex tonight, February 23rd, the stellar cast includes Gregory Itzin (Tony, Drama Desk, and Emmy Award nominee), JD Cullum (Stones in His Pockets-Mark Taper Forum, Of Equal Measure-Kirk Douglas Theater), The Cripple of Inishmaan (Geffen Playhouse).

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre single tickets go on sale to the public for all 2013 Mainstage shows February 12, 2013. ACT is offering 50 percent off of adult price tickets for all Mainstage preview shows throughout the season for one-day only February 12. ACT also shares a glimpse of the casting for the first half of the upcoming Mainstage season.

ACT has announced some of the casting for the first half of the upcoming Mainstage season. ACT's own Artistic Director Kurt Beattie gets back on the boards alongside Jeff Steitzer, Marianne Owen, Julie Briskman, and Laura Kenny in Assisted Living. In Other Desert Cities the critically acclaimed Marya Sea Kaminski makes her ACT debut going head to head with television actress Pamela Reed (Parks and Recreation, Kindergarten Cop) who is a UW Drama alumni and Washington resident. Many other notable local actors will be returning to ACT or making their debut including Jessica Skerritt, Matt Owen, Lori Larsen, Suzy Hunt, Aaron Blakely, and Kirsten Potter to name a few. See the current listing of committed artistic and production talent below.

Winning a Guthrie Theatre commission, and chosen for development by The Katselas Theatre Company's INKubator program, the West Coast Premiere of SEXSTING is the inaugural production for KTC's 2013 season. Opening at the popular Skylight Theatre Complex on February 23rd, the stellar cast includes Gregory Itzin (Tony, Drama Desk, and Emmy Award nominee), JD Cullum (Stones in His Pockets-Mark Taper Forum, Of Equal Measure-Kirk Douglas Theater), The Cripple of Inishmaan (Geffen Playhouse).

Bella Vita Entertainment in association with the Whitefire Theatre (which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary) will present a world premiere play, SLOW DANCE IN MIDTOWN, written and directed by Elizabeth Sarnoff ("Lost," "Deadwod," Alcatraz") and stars Don Swayze, Meredith Scott Lynn, Nick Stabile and Tricia Small. SLOW DANCE IN MIDTOWN will preview on Tuesday, April 3; Wednesday, April 4 & Thursday, April 5 at 8pm and will open on Friday, April 6 and run through Saturday, May 12 at the Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks.

Bella Vita Entertainment in association with the Whitefire Theatre (which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary) will present a world premiere play, SLOW DANCE IN MIDTOWN, written and directed by Elizabeth Sarnoff ("Lost," "Deadwod," Alcatraz") and stars Don Swayze, Meredith Scott Lynn, Nick Stabile and Tricia Small. SLOW DANCE IN MIDTOWN will preview on Tuesday, April 3; Wednesday, April 4 & Thursday, April 5 at 8pm and will open on Friday, April 6 and run through Saturday, May 12 at the Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks.

Malubu's J. Paul Getty Museum has announced the cast for ELEKTRA. The show will mark the fifth annual outdoor production in the Getty Villa's Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater.

Malubu's J. Paul Getty Museum has announced the cast for ELEKTRA. The show will mark the fifth annual outdoor production in the Getty Villa's Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater.

As the theatrical community of NY gathered on the Great White Way to celebrate their own for the 2010 TONY AWARDS, the Los Angeles thespian society congregated 3000 miles away to cheer their colleagues via a LIVE feed, courtesy of Direct TV, as THE ACTORS FUND and host Tommy Tune honored TONY Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell at their 14th Annual Tony Awards Party with the Julie Harris Award. Former High School chum and dance partner Annette Bening presented the award in recognition of not only 'Stokes' theatrical accomplishments, but also his leadership as Chairman of the Board of The Actors Fund. The gala, which included a memorable performance of 'You Made Me Love You' by Lorna Luft dedicated to the evening's honoree, was produced and written by Marc Cherry and David Rambo.

Representing the print and electronic media, 23 members of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle announce the winners of 37 Drama awards and 37 Musical awards from 257 nominated actors, designers, productions, and more reviewed in 2008. Over 400 productions were seen in 2008 by Circle critics reviewing theatre from San Jose to Santa Rosa, San Francisco to Concord.

Here are the Nominations for Outstanding Awards from the San Francisco Bay Theatre Area Critics Circle. Winners will from each catagory will be announced in approximately two weeks. A Gala Cocktail party will be held for the winners in each catagory at A.C.T. Columbia Room on May 4th. AEA Members are noted in * For 'Entire Production' and 'Best Ensemble' AEA Theatres are * THEATRES OVER 300 DRAMA

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) artistic director Carey Perloff today announced the final casting and design team for A.C.T.'s 30th anniversary production of Sam Shepard's classic interrogation of the American dream, Curse of the Starving Class