Bruce Monroe News

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a hilarious, interactive whodunit mystery musical that allows the audience to enter the action and become the ultimate detectives. The show, based on Charles Dickens' unfinished novel of the same name, was the creation of composer lyricist Rupert Holmes. In small town of Chesterham, England, the young and charming Edwin Drood has been mysteriously murdered. But by whom?

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a hilarious, interactive whodunit mystery musical that allows the audience to enter the action and become the ultimate detectives. The show, based on Charles Dickens' unfinished novel of the same name, was the creation of composer lyricist Rupert Holmes. In small town of Chesterham, England, the young and charming Edwin Drood has been mysteriously murdered. But by whom?

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a hilarious, interactive whodunit mystery musical that allows the audience to enter the action and become the ultimate detectives. The show, based on Charles Dickens' unfinished novel of the same name, was the creation of composer lyricist Rupert Holmes. In small town of Chesterham, England, the young and charming Edwin Drood has been mysteriously murdered. But by whom?

Nearly 80 high school students from across Washington State are gathering regularly in Downtown Seattle to mount a wickedly funny production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, featuring an all student cast, orchestra and technical crew for four performances only at The 5th Avenue Theatre.

Nearly 80 high school students from across Washington State are gathering regularly in Downtown Seattle to mount a wickedly funny production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, featuring an all student cast, orchestra and technical crew for four performances only at The 5th Avenue Theatre.

The uproariously funny satire on corporate ladder-climbing, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, starts rehearsals this week at The 5th Avenue Theatre. This Pulitzer Prize and multi-Tony Award-winning musical takes place in TV's Mad Men era, following window washer J. Pierrepont Finch's journey from mail room to the top of the World Wide Wicket Company, all with the help of a cunning guide book. A sharp-witted send-up of the corporate rat race that will keep audiences rolling in the aisles, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is gracing The 5th Avenue stage for the first time. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast!

Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady" is one of those enduring classics that when done correctly can amount to a magical evening. But to do it correctly there's a shopping list of elements you must have such as a terrific and upbeat pace, lively and fun choreography, breathtaking costumes and of course a superb cast especially a sweet, strong, and loveable Eliza with the voice that can hit those impossible Julie Andrews notes. Without those elements, really, why bother? Well lucky for us director Brian Yorkey and the folks at Village Theatre seem to have gotten ahold of my shopping list and confidently checked off each item as their current production of the classic amounts in some ways to one of the best I've seen.

Rehearsals started this week at The 5th Avenue Theatre for the exultant classic musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, the iconic show sweeping Seattle for the holidays. Boasting such beloved songs as 'Do Re Mi,' 'My Favorite Things,' 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen,' and 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain,' this production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music will be presented as only The 5th can do, complete with a sensational live orchestra, stunning costumes, and incredible sets. Under the direction of David Bennett and with choreography by Trina Mills and music direction by Kat Sherrell, this musical will feature an exuberant all-local cast of fresh faces and favorite performers that includes Anne Allgood as the Mother Abbess, joining the previously announced David Pichette as Max Detweiler and Jessica Skerritt as the Baroness Elsa Schraeder, with Hans Altwies as Captain Georg von Trapp and Kirsten deLohr Helland as Maria.

Under the direction of Producing Artistic Director Bill Berry, The 5th Avenue Theatre presents a fresh and exciting new take on the tempestuous romance, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel. In its fourth major collaboration with Spectrum Dance Theater, The 5th is thrilled to welcome Tony Award-nominated choreographer Donald Byrd to the creative table, and a host of Seattle's theatrical royalty to its stage.

This exciting new staging will star the radiant Laura Griffith as Julie and 5th Avenue favorite Brandon O'Neill as Billy in his first Seattle production following his Broadway debut in Disney's Aladdin. The cast also includes local luminaries Anne Allgood, Eric Ankrim, Allen Fitzpatrick, Sean G. Griffin, Cynthia Jones, and Billie Wildrick, and marks The 5th Avenue debut of rising talent Joshua Downs.

Seattle Theater Writers critics' circle just announced the nomination slate of the fourth annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards,theater awards devoted to recognizing excellence across the economic spectrum of professional Seattle theaters in the prior calendar year.

OK let me start off by saying, Babs she ain't and thank God for that. OK, now before you all form the lynch mob, I love Babs. But if anyone is going to even attempt to put on "Funny Girl" the worst thing they could do it try to pass off an imitation of an icon. And Sarah Rose Davis in Village's current production manages to pull off carrying the show with aplomb while still putting her own stamp on the role.

I hope you will indulge me, Dear Reader, as I will not be reviewing the current production of "The Pirates of Penzance" at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Instead let's call this what it is, a thank you letter to the remarkable cast and crew at the 5th Avenue for infusing a musical theater classic with such heart, fun, humor, talent and beauty that even a diehard fan of the show found himself leaving the theater with a huge grin on his face and a renewed love for the piece. (I'm referring to myself, of course.)

Seattle Theater Writers, a critics' circle of local theater writers and reviewers, today announces the 2012 slate of nominees of the second annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, theater awards devoted to recognizing excellence across the economic spectrum of professional Seattle theaters.

This holiday season Village Theatre brings the beloved Tony Award-winning musical to both Issaquah and Everett stages. The Issaquah run is: November 7 - December 30, 2012; and the Everett run is: January 4 - January 27, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the production photos below.

That old familiar chill is creeping closer. And the inevitable Fall looms palpably now, just down that darkening road. So why not join Sandbox Radio LIVE! as we greet the growing shadows with an eager offering of Something Wicked This Way, today, October 1st at 8:00pm at Fremont's newest theatre, West of Lenin.

That old familiar chill is creeping closer. And the inevitable Fall looms palpably now, just down that darkening road. So why not join Sandbox Radio LIVE! as we greet the growing shadows with an eager offering of Something Wicked This Way, Monday, October 1st at 8:00pm at Fremont's newest theatre, West of Lenin.

Village Theatre presents Mel Brooks' multi-Tony award-winning musical production of The Producers. This is the final production in Village Theatre's 2011-2012 Mainstage Season. Opening night is tonight, May 10 at 8PM.

Theatre is gearing up to present Mel Brooks' multi-Tony award-winning musical production of The Producers. This is the final production in Village Theatre's 2011-2012 Mainstage Season. It previews Wednesday, May 9; opening night is Thursday, May 10 at 8PM.

Damn Yankees is headed to The 5th Avenue Theatre! This musical comedy is the story of an aging baseball fan who makes a deal with the Devil so his beloved hometown team can beat the Yankees in the race for the pennant. From the songwriting team of The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees is filled with hit songs including "Two Lost Souls" and the sultry favorite, "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets." The Paper Mill Playhouse production will slide into Seattle this April. The creative team includes direction by Mark S. Hoebee (Paper Mill's Producing Artistic Director), music direction by Ben Whiteley, and choreography by Denis Michael Jones.