Author: encore

Running September 2023 to May 2024, Intiman’s upcoming season will celebrate 50 years of the Seattle theatre company. The four productions of the 2023/24 season will delight, challenge, educate, and celebrate audiences of all eras. Member pre-sale tickets and group sales are available now.

Cindy of Arc

A comedy and music extravaganza about the problem men have with lying and where that’s gotten the rest of us, particularly women. And Jews. Starring writer and performer Cynthia Kaplan, Cindy of Arc speaks truth to politics, religion, Nazis, dogs, and the guys who wrote Delta Dawn, all in a blisteringly hilarious 70 minutes. Select performances will benefit local women’s and reproductive rights organizations.

November 1–4, 2023

Black Nativity

Langston Hughes’ Gospel Song-Play returns to Seattle with an all-new, reimagined production! Celebrate the Christmas story with actors, dancers, soaring vocalists, a rousing city-wide gospel choir, and the chance to sing-along. A stirring and joyful holiday experience for families of all backgrounds and beliefs. Presented in partnership with The Hansberry Project.

December 12–30, 2023

The Lower Depths

As timely now as it was when it first debuted at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1902, Maxim Gorky’s masterpiece is brought to life in a new adaptation created by The Seagull Project over an 18-month process. Neglected, seeking refuge and hope, fourteen lost souls battle for love and humanity while pushing at the limits of the human spirit and a society at the breaking point.

February 6–24, 2024

The Lion Tells His Tales

Delbert Richardson’s national award-winning museum comes to life on stage for a brand new theatrical experience. Audiences will be transported on a journey of awakening as the brilliance, resistance, and resilience of Black people from Africa to the Americas is brought to life. Music, dance, and spoken word carry our hero through time as we all gather to engage and learn.

May 1–5, 2024

Summer is on its way and the San Francisco Symphony has released their programming for July and August. With amazing artists, films with the live orchestra, classic masterworks, and even performances outdoors, the SF Symphony will make this summer one to remember.

Time for Stars: Hear thrilling concerts by Queen of Mariachi Aída Cuevas, soul star Maxwell, and a Wizard of Oz/Elton John mashup with the famed San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.

Time for Classics: Experience classical masterworks like Dvořák’s New World Symphony and Elgar’s Enigma Variations, along with a showcase of classic Hollywood film scores.

Time for Film: Watch blockbuster favorites like Ratatouille, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and The Batman with the scores performed live by the San Francisco Symphony.

Time for Music Outdoors: Hear the Symphony fill the summer air with music in beautiful outdoor settings at Shoreline Amphitheatre and Stanford University’s Frost Amphitheater.

Explore the full summer and buy tickets today!

San Francisco Ballet has announced their 2023–24 season which will be full of firsts. First season with Tamara Rojo as Artistic Director. First season to offer two encore programs. First experiential and immersive program. And the first time SF Ballet will perform Marguerite and Armand and Song of the Earth.

Nutcracker

Experience the magical winter wonderland of toy soldiers, King of the Mice, Sugar Plum Fairy, and so much more. This dazzling production is a kaleidoscope of over 150 dancers accompanied by the SF Ballet Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s beloved score. Create everlasting memories with loved ones.

December 13–30, 2023

Mere Mortals

Artistic Director Tamara Rojo launches the 2024 season with an immersive sensory experience where sound is influenced by dance, and dance is shaped by orchestral and electronic music. The new work with music by Floating Points and choreography from Aszure Barton contextualizes the ancient parable of Pandora’s Box for our current technological world.

January 26–February 1, 2024

British Icons

Songs of the Earth

“A man and a woman; death takes the man; they both return to her and at the end of the ballet, we find that in death there is the promise of renewal.” Sir Kenneth MacMillan weaves a story of love, loss, and bittersweet death through poetic choreography set to Mahler.

Marguerite and Armand

Created in 1963 for two of ballet’s superstars, Nureyev and Fonteyn, this passionate tale draws inspiration from history’s most famous tragic love stories. Of all the ballets that Frederick Ashton created, Marguerite and Armand stands out as his most passionate as it whisks us through their tragic love affair. The lush designs tell a tale of their own, imbuing the ballet in an unforgettable period drama.

February 9–15, 2024

Swan Lake

Ballet’s greatest love story returns. Deeply moving and visually stunning, Swan Lake is the quintessential classical ballet, steeped in themes of temptation, jealousy, deception, and drama. Set against Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, Tomasson’s strikingly modern production updates this story of love and betrayal and features sleek and elevated designs by Tony Award–winning Jonathan Fensom.

February 23–March 3, 2024

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Enter Shakespeare’s enchanted forest of whimsy, mistaken identity, and jest—where fairies rule and love (eventually) reigns supreme. A delight for all ages, the Shakespearean favorite choreographed by George Balanchine returns to our stage set to music by Mendelssohn, with updated costume and set designs by celebrated French designer Christian Lacroix.

March 12–23, 2024

Next @90 Curtain Call

Violin Concerto

Originally commissioned and created for our 90th Anniversary, Possokhov’s Violin Concerto reimagines Stravinsky’s celebrated score with a fresh and bold interpretation. Steeped in classical vocabulary that shows off the steely technique of our dancers, it was met with standing ovations and rave reviews as a standout piece of the next@90 festival.

Madcap

A crowd-pleaser from our next@90 festival, Rowe’s MADCAP was decidedly dubbed a “triumph” by the San Francisco Chronicle. It features Rowe’s love of storytelling and theatrics as she masterfully dissects the anatomy of a clown. Hagström’s eerie, carnival-inspired score transports us into Rowe’s sinister world of the clown after the circus lights go dark.

Gateway to the Sun

Former SF Ballet Principal Dancer Nicolas Blanc returned to our studios to create this poetic and moving ballet in five movements, set to celebrated contemporary composer Anna Clyne’s exquisite score for cello and orchestra. Blanc models Gateway to the Sun after a poem by 13th-century Sufi mystic Rumi.

April 2–13, 2024

Dos Mujeres

Carmen

Cuban-born choreographer Arielle Smith guides us into the story of Carmen, a strong and feisty woman who craves love and independence without the traps of obsession or jealously. Smith, an Olivier Award winner, is carving out her space as a forward-thinking creator known for pushing the boundaries of dance, theater, and film. Together with a score from Grammy Award–winning Arturo O’Farrill bringing the story to life.

Broken Wings

Enter the colorful and creative world of Frida Kahlo with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s critically acclaimed Broken Wings. This mini masterpiece explores the life and art of the celebrated Mexican painter. An experience unto itself, it’s a unique opportunity to enter into the realms of the paintings themselves through the lens of Kahlo’s wildly creative spirit.

April 4–14, 2024

Swan Lake Encore

Ballet’s greatest love story returns. Deeply moving and visually stunning, Swan Lake is the quintessential classical ballet, steeped in themes of temptation, jealousy, deception, and drama. Set against Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, Tomasson’s strikingly modern production updates this story of love and betrayal and features sleek and elevated designs by Tony Award–winning Jonathan Fensom.

April 30–May 5, 2024

Spend an evening with a true Broadway legend as three-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone performs her concert Don’t Monkey with Broadway on September 9, 2023. This event will benefit Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus.

In Don’t Monkey with Broadway, Ms. LuPone explores—through indelible interpretations of classic Broadway show tunes by the likes of Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Jule Styne, Stephen Schwartz, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin—how her life-long love affair with Broadway began and the unpredictability of the Great White Way!

Don’t Monkey with Broadway will take place at McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $45, plus, take a look at the VIP packages available.  

$1,250 Package

• Preferred Dress Circle seating
• Valet Parking
• Special Gift Bag
• Pre-cocktail reception
• Sit down dinner

$600 Package

• Reserved seating in dress circle
• Access to valet parking
• Pre-event hosted cocktail reception
• Special gift bag

The West Edge Festival will take place July 22 through August 13 at The Scottish Rite in Oakland. Series tickets are now on sale for the festival. Single tickets will go on sale June 1. Learn more about each opera that will appear in the summer festival below.

The Coronation of Poppea

The mistress of Emperor Nero plots to remove his wife from the Roman court so that she can become empress. Spoiler alert: she succeeds. One of our earliest operas, Poppea seduces the audience with gorgeous sultry music. It’s also hilarious!

July 22–August 3, 2023

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna

A dying man dreams of the life he left behind in Mexico many years ago. Learning about that former life for the first time, his American family makes a reunion happen in his last hours. At times joyous, funny, touching and tragic, Cruzar is unforgettable.

July 23–August 5, 2023

The Nightingale

Hans Christian Andersen’s uplifting fairytale is an early critical metaphor about art versus our modern fascination with technology. In ancient China, the emperor invites the greatest artist of the land­—a nightingale—to perform for him and he is delighted. But the arrival of a mechanical nightingale captures his attention and he abandons the real nightingale, nearly costing him his life.

July 29–August 6, 2023

Erwartung

A woman, desperately seeking her lover in a dark forest, experiences disjointed but mounting emotions. We witness her stream of consciousness as random thoughts combine with murderous revelations to shred her sanity—all set to an ultra-expressionistic score that broke the path for 20th century modern music.

July 29–August 6, 2023

Dolores

Dolores Huerta is a legend in the fight for farm workers’ rights. In June of 1968, the movement lost a major ally and Dolores lost a friend when Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. The opera focuses on Dolores’ struggles, triumphs, and tragedies during some of the most iconic and charged weeks of American history.

August 13, 2023

Statewide arts grant opportunities fund arts engagement and infrastructure to bolster well-being, resilience, and vitality of California’s arts workforce.

The California Arts Council (CAC) has announced the opening of its 2023 grant season, with online applications now being accepted for six grant programs.

The California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. The Arts Council is California’s only public arts grants provider with funding that is accessible to all 58 California counties.

The California Arts Council 2023 grant program offerings have been carefully designed to benefit the whole of California’s arts and culture ecosystem, with focused considerations for first-time applicants, small and mid-size arts and organizations, folk and traditional art forms, county local arts agencies and arts service organizations, and balanced opportunities with deep investment for both general operating and project-based support.

“Much discussion, deep-thinking and active listening have brought us to where we are today, and we are so proud to announce that our 2023 grant season is now open to the ever-expanding landscape of arts and cultural organizations across our great state,” said CAC Executive Director Jonathan Moscone. “This scope of this year’s programs and their allocations were created with holistic intentions, and with the open ears and open hearts of our Council members and agency staff to the needs of our expansive and diverse communities.”

Those interested in applying for grants can find videos, resources, and more information on The California Arts Council’s website.

Seattle Rep closes their 2022/23 season with Lydia and the Troll, a brand-new musical by local actor and playwright Justin Huertas (Seattle Rep: Lizard Boy). Set in the Fremont neighborhood, this fantasy and folklore-inspired musical is grounded in Seattle’s noted landscape and landmarks.

“The excitement around Lydia and the Troll has been building since it was originally part of The Other Season in 2017,” says Seattle Rep Artistic Producer Kaytlin McIntyre. “Lydia has had quite a journey since the original workshop with a pandemic cancellation, a virtual concert, and more — this homegrown show about a local colossal statue is one that Seattle Rep audiences have been waiting for. We’re looking forward to sharing this magical synth-pop musical from Justin, Steven, and Ameenah with all of Seattle.” 

About the Cast

Lydia and the Troll will feature performances by Janet Krupin as Jane (Broadway: Bring It On: The Musical); Sarah Russell as Lydia (The 5th Avenue Theatre: Into the Woods); and Adam Standley as Pete (ACT Theatre: Stupid F*cking Bird.)

The cast also features understudies Esther Okech (Seattle Shakespeare Company: Macbeth) and Ricky Spaulding (Washington Ensemble Theatre: Arlington.)

About the Creative Team

The creative team features Ameenah Kaplan (Director); Justin Huertas (Playwright/Composer); Elisa E. Money (Associate Music Director; Conductor/Keys/Guitar); Steven Tran (Music Supervisor; Additional Music; Music Production); Bryce Cutler (Scenic/Projections Designer); Danielle Nieves (Costume Designer); Robert Aguilar (Lighting Designer); Erin Bednarz (Sound Designer); Cherelle Guyton (Hair & Wigs Designer); Guy Garrison (Puppeteer & Designer); Daniel Arthur (Music Assistant; Copyist); Scot Sexton (Musician); Jessica Bomball (Stage Manager); and Malie Fujii (Assistant Stage Manager.)

About Justin Huertas (Playwright/Composer)

Justin Huertas (he/him) is an award-winning playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, and musician best known for his original musical Lizard Boy (Seattle Rep, Diversionary Theatre, NAMT Festival of New Musicals, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Hope Mill Theatre Manchester, Edinburgh Fringe, Original Cast Album streaming on all platforms). His performance as Trevor has earned him regional theatre awards in every city Lizard Boy has performed. Justin and collaborator Steven Tran recently premiered a new musical at the Kennedy Center called The Mortification of Fovea Munson based on Mary Winn Heider’s novel. They also composed original music for Marvel’s Squirrel Girl: The Unbeatable Radio Show! podcast. Other works include The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion, The Lamplighter, and We’ve Battled Monsters Before. This June, Lizard Boy will make its Off-Broadway debut with Prospect Theater Company.

About Ameenah Kaplan (Director & Co-Creator)

AAU Film School for Directing. NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for acting. Immersive Experience Director: Star Wars Galactic Star Cruiser. Resident Director: Disney’s The Lion King. Lydia and the Troll at Seattle Rep. Sister Act at PCLO, ABC’s Encore!, The Wiz at First Stage, Our Country’s Good at American Players, Meet Vera Stark at Purdue U., How to Break at Village Theatre, The Royale at ACT, Bash’d at Celebration Theatre. Shorts: Man with a Movie Camera and The American Failure. Choreography: The Royale at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, The Dancing Granny at the Alliance Theatre, ABC’s Encore!, “Dancing with the Stars.” Gregory, Ovation, Sherwood, Queen of Angels, NAACP, and LA Weekly Awards for choreography, fight choreography, and directing.

Single tickets are on sale now online.

With a fresh Illuminations theme and new Artist in Residence, 18 artist debuts and 11 company debuts, six world premieres, and more than 80 events overall—to name just a few highlights—there is so much to explore! Subscriptions go on sale April 21 to the Cal Performances 2023/24 season.

Go deeper into the newly announced season with article and videos on the most exciting elements of the season!

2023/24 Season Illuminations: “Individual & Community”

WATCH: Jeremy Geffen, john a. powell, and Illuminations artists discuss how concepts of individual and community impact society, their work, and their creative practice.

Conversation with Artist in Residence Mitsuko Uchida

WATCH: Acclaimed pianist Mitsuko Uchida speaks with Jeremy Geffen about plans for her Cal Performances residency as well as her two 2023/24 performances.

Spotlight on 2023/24 Season Premieres

READ: A fascinating deep dive into some of the most anticipated new works on the season.

Rising Stars Share Their Musical Journey in Photos

READ: The 2023/24 season’s rising star artists share photos from key moments in their careers thus far.

2023/24 Dance Season

WATCH: Executive and Artistic Director Jeremy Geffen and renowned dance company directors guide us through an exhilarating season of dance.

Get that giving feeling!

We all get a good feeling when we show up for others—whether it’s a family member, neighbor, or community organization. Giving is supposed to feel good—and who couldn’t use more of that?

Early giving is now open! Visit GiveBIGWa.org to discover and donate to nonprofits that are making good things happen in your community and around Washington state.

In every community, nonprofits provide critical programs and services. They provide before and after school programs, keep our waterways healthy, assist seniors who want to remain in their homes, and put food on the tables of the 30% of Washingtonians experiencing hunger.

Many of the things we all love about our communities depend on nonprofits. They bring us music, dance, and theatre. They care for parks and public spaces and safeguard the health of our waters and fisheries. They provide services essential to the lives of people with disabilities and those dealing with mental or physical health challenges.

The GiveBIG platform has more than 1,400 Washington nonprofits for you to explore. Find one, find many! And get that giving feeling today.

The 2023/24 season for Meany Center for the Performing Arts has been announced! Twenty-one enthralling artists and ensembles will take the stage to perform for Seattle audiences. Meany Center offers four different series for subscribers: Dance, Chamber Music, Piano, or Crossroads.

By subscribing to Meany Center’s 2023/24 season, you’ll save up to 20% off regular single ticket prices. You’ll also receive priority seating, same seats from season to season, free ticket exchanges, lost ticket replacements, 10% off extra regular-priced single tickets, and the option to purchase pre-paid weekday parking passes (Saturday parking is free!). See more information regarding the season here.

Dance Series

Six innovative dance ensembles performing their latest work.

Grupo Corpo on October 19–21, 2023

Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca on November 16–18, 2023

Compañía Nacional de Danza on January 25–27, 2024

Circa on February 15–17, 2024

Mark Morris Dance Group on March 14–16, 2024

Cie Hervé KOUBI on May 9–11, 2024

Chamber Music Series

Five performances by the world’s leading chamber ensembles.

Turtle Island Quartet on October 6, 2023

Roomful of Teeth with Gabriel Kahane on November 2, 2023

Wu Han, Philip Setzer & David Finckel on February 20, 2024

Calder Quartet with Antoine Hunter’s Urban Jazz Dance Company on March 28, 2024

Israeli Chamber Project with Karim Sulayman on April 16, 2024

Piano Series

Five intimate solo recitals by internationally acclaimed pianists.

Isata Kanneh-Mason on October 5, 2023

Garrick Ohlsson on November 8, 2023

Michelle Cann on February 1, 2024

Hélène Grimaud on March 9, 2024

Yefim Bronfman on April 18, 2024

Crossroads Series

A five-event showcase of music at the intersection of genres and cultures.

Hamid Rahmanian’s Song of the North on October 27, 2023

Small Island Big Song on February 24, 2024

Carnival of the Animals on April 6, 2024

Rhiannon Giddens on April 19, 2024

Chris Thile on May 4, 2024