Author: encore

Here’s some news from Seattle’s performing arts community and beyond:

Meet Emmy-winning recording engineer/producer Dmitriy Lipay. He makes all of Seattle Symphony‘s CDs.

Meet local actress Lauren Du Pree. She’ll appear in 5th Avenue Theatre‘s coming production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

There’s only a few more days to watch Matilda at the 5th Avenue Theatre. It’s ‘magnificent.’

Are these the 101 greatest plays of all time?

Modern opera is all the rage.

Symphony is dying.

And SpongeBob is heading to Broadway.

Here’s some news from Seattle’s performing arts community and beyond:

Seattle Opera is getting rave reviews for its world premiere production of An American Dream. The show, about the interment of the Japanese during WWII, is “exquisite,” “a triumph,” and “gripping.”

Meanwhile, at th 5th Avenue Theatre, Matilda is delighting audiences. It’s “inventive,” “delightful,” and reminds one reviewer of the Muppets.

Intiman Theatre is presenting John Baxter is a Switch Hitter. Actor Reginald Andre Jackson is interviewed about the show, here.

In some bleaker news, Seattle Repertory Theatre has amassed an operating deficit more than $800,000 the past three years.

Also, wildfires and outdoor theater don’t mix.

Finally, how is Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet anyway?

Here’s some news from Seattle’s performing arts community and beyond:

Have you seen Pippin, showing now at the Paramount Theatre? You should. In fact, you should “cancel your plans and go see it.”

Have you seen Nabucco at the Seattle Opera? Travis Vogt went his with grandma.

Talking about the Seattle Opera, the world premiere of An American Dream is coming soon. It’s about the internment of the Japanese during WWII.

Matilda just opened at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Before you see it, meet Tim Minchin, who gave the show its voice.

Intiman Theatre is presenting John Baxter Is a Switch Hitter. It’s a new play by Ana Brown and Andrew Russell. Russell was recently profiled by City Arts, here.

Finally, what emotions are better for creativity? These ones.

Here’s some news from Seattle’s performing arts community and beyond:

There’s been a spate of unfortunate cell phone disruptions in theaters of late. Brett Hamil discusses it here.

Seattle Art Museum‘s new African art exhibition, Disguise, is “arresting.”

Seattle Weekly just named their Best of Seattle arts and culture winners. Congratulations!

Drought-related fires have caused some havoc on Oregon Shakespeare Festival‘s outdoor performances.

It’s official. Twin Peaks is returning.

It’s official. Steve Jobs…the opera.

Finally, immerse yourself in art and you’ll live longer.

Here’s some news from Seattle’s performing arts community and beyond:

The inaugural Seattle Art Fair was this last weekend. It was big. So big the New York Times covered it. So did City Arts.

Seattle Opera‘s production of Verdi’s Nabucco begins this weekend. Before heading over to McCaw Hall, meet the cast and learn about the show.

Village Theatre‘s 15th Annual Festival of New Musicals is this weekend. A preview here.

There are a bevy of summer theater opportunities for Seattle audiences. A quick look.

Seattle’s first civic poet – Claudia Castro Luna.

Have $2,500? Invest in a Broadway show.

Finally, a lost F. Scott Fitzgerald story is finally getting published.

Here’s some news from Seattle’s performing arts community and beyond:

Taproot’s recent production of Godspell is all the rage. It’s “high-energy” and “unique.”

Meanwhile, 5th Avenue Theatre’s Grease is the word. It’s “got groove,” “excellent,” and is “just plain fun.”

$10,000 in prize money to the person who wins Seattle Symphony’s inaugural piano competition. 

Congratulations to Tacoma’s Broadway Center for the Performing Arts on their coming 2015-16 season. 

Anyone have fun at the Capitol Hill Block Party last weekend? A slideshow. 

The Seattle Art Fair this weekend is a big deal. 

The Seattle Art Museum’s new African art exhibit is discussed here.

Celebrating Seattle’s literary community, the Seattle Review of Books just started. 

Finally, ten songs that define Washington’s music history. 

Here are some news bits from Seattle’s performing arts community and beyond:

Grease is the word, now playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Kirsten deLohr Helland, the actress playing Rizzo, is interviewed here. The good reviews call the show an “ebullient new staging.” Another review says the show nails it.

Wicked is spellbinding audiences at the Paramount Theatre.

Everyone is getting excited over the inaugural Seattle Art Fair, coming at the end of the month. 

Everyone is excited about the annual Pianos in the Parks, where artistically-designed pianos are found in many Seattle-area parks, free for the playing.

How does the old Kingdome help the arts today? This way. 

Retired General Director of the Seattle Opera, Speight Jenkins, discusses teaching 400 years of opera, here.

Talking about teaching – the U.S. Senate has just designated music as a core subject.

And what does the oldest known cello look like? Like this.

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s artistic director Peter Boal has announced six new dancers will be joining PNB in their upcoming 2015-16 season as members of the corps de ballet.

The new dancers:

Guillaume Basso from Dijon, France.

Henry Cotton from Portland, Oregon.

Cecilia Iliesu from New York City.

Miles Pertl from Seattle.

Madison Sugg from Gig Harbor, who has performed with Ballet West in several performances.

Angeli Mamon from Seattle has been hired as an apprentice, making her the first female student from Pacific Northwest Ballet School’s DanceChance program to join the Company.

Seattle Opera has been busy!

Have you seen their new website? It’s bold!

To celebrate their coming season they’ll be holding a Season Kickoff event this Saturday at McCaw Hall to introduce opera audiences to the six new shows coming up in 2015-16. There will be previews of costumes as well as live opera-based improvisation performances and more. Audience members will also have the rare opportunity to sing on the McCaw Hall stage.

The coming season will include productions of Verdi’s Nabucco, Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

Here are some news bits from Seattle’s performing arts community and beyond:

Fifth Avenue Theatre is presenting Grease. One guy just watched the movie for the first time. And the girl playing Frenchy was recently interviewed here.

Wicked is returning to the Paramount. A cast member discusses the show!

Intiman’s summer theatre festival is coming soon. It’s discussed here and here.

Women have been taking center stage in Seattle theatre recently and that is outstanding.

Seattle is embracing its literary roots with Folio: the Seattle Athenaeum. 

Finally, did you hear about the Broadway audience member who tried to recharge their cell phone…ON STAGE?

Photo by Mark Kitaoka.