Find a complete list of theater, dance, and comedy events in Seattle this spring on our Things To Do calendar.
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THEATER
NOW THROUGH MARCH 4
Scary Mary and the Nightmares Nine
Scary Mary and the Nightmares Nine sounds a bit like Dante's Infernoâbut with a fairy-tale spin and plenty of puppets. Mary must endure nine horrible nightmares to save her soul. Written by Amy Escobar and directed by Eddie DeHais.
Three Americans: Voices of Hope
Director Anita Montgomery brings you performances by three monologuists in an effort to inspire hope and passion for diverse American voices. Every Friday night, there will be a post-program discussion. The plays and actors are The Birds Flew In (by Yussef el Guindi and performed by Annette Toutonghi), DĂ©jĂ Vu (by Regina Taylor and performed by Cynthia Jones), and a selection from Draw the Circle (by Mashuq Mushtaq Deen and performed by Megan Ahiers).
Well
Thereâs a lot going on in Tony Award-winning Lisa Kronâs Well, a darkly comic, socially engaged, meta-theatrical âsolo show with people in it," as Kron describes it. Sarah Rudinoff plays the playwright, Lisa, who can't understand how her mother found the energy to save her neighborhood from being gentrified but who now struggles to get off the easy chair. They both suffer from the same invisible "hereditary" illness, but Kron managed to kick it by moving to New York, coming out as a lesbian, and eating good food. Using dark humor to handle emotionally intense biographical material is in Kronâs wheelhouse. She adapted Alison Bechdelâs Fun Home into a smash-hit musical on Broadway, and she also created another "solo" show called 2.5 Minute Ride, which dramatizes a trip Kron and her fatherâa Holocaust survivorâtook to Auschwitz. âItâs actually very funny,â Rudinoff told me. Well will be, too. RICH SMITH
NOW THROUGH MARCH 11
Bright Half Life
This play by celebrated playwright Tanya Barfield (known for her play Blue Door, as well as her acclaimed work on the TV show The Americans) depicts Vicky and Erica's relationship from first love to marriage to fights to the end of life. This New Century Theatre Company production is directed by HATLO, who helmed Thatswhatshesaid.
NOW THROUGH MARCH 12
Bring Down the House
Bring Down the House is a two-part adaptation of William Shakespeare's Henry the VI trilogy, aka the history plays about the War of the Roses, wherein a backstabby personal beef between the House of Lancaster and the House of York grows increasingly backstabby while the country rots around them. (Sound familiar?) Seattle Shakespeare Company has never produced the Henry VI plays before. They've also never collaborated with Rosa Joshi and Kate Wisniewski of upstart crow collective before, a group that produces plays with all-female casts. And I don't think I've ever seen a director employ hyper-dramatic (and hyper-loud) Taiko drums in a Shakespeare play before. All of that seems like reason enough to go. Plus, any time Keiko Green is in something, it's probably worth a look. RICH SMITH
NOW THROUGH APRIL 2
A Moveable Feast
CafĂ© Nordo and Book-It will team up to bring you A Moveable Feast, a show based on Ernest Hemingway's memoir about living as a struggling writer in 1920s Parisâpaired with a four-course meal and signature cocktail. Conceived by Jane Jones and Judd Parkin, adapted by Judd Parkin, and directed by Jane Jones.
MARCH 1
Waning
Kamaria Hallums-Harris's Waning is a coming-of-age story about Luna, a black teenager who falls in love with a woman and then later falls in love with a man. Before she's sorted out her sexuality and her feelings for the woman, she becomes pregnant. Meanwhile, a spiritual familiar, Leuanna, guides her through the history of people brutalizing and lynching black women. On Tuesday night shows, the crew will lead audiences through a self-care breathing ritual involving lavender packets, and on Wednesdays there's an open mic following the performance. White audience members are encouraged to bring a friend of color. Directed by Sadiqua Iman and co-produced with Earth Pearl Collective. RICH SMITH
MARCH 3-26
Tribes
Nina Raine's Tribes is about a Jewish family that loves to banter and quibble. Their routine consists of lamenting, shouting, complaining, and exclaiming, at and around each other, all day long. Each of the family members has settled into this patternâeven Billy, although the family's style of communication often leaves him isolated. Billy is deaf and reads lips; he doesn't know sign language. That changes when he meets a girl who's losing her hearing...and the family dynamic changes too. The play raises a lot of interesting questions about disability and belonging, while offering seemingly effortless humor and playful intellectualism.
MARCH 10-25
Macbett
Macbett is one of French avant-garde playwright Eugene Ionesco's more overlooked playsâget acquainted with it via this Ghost Light Theatricals production. It's a parody spin-off of Shakespeare's Macbeth, loosely inspired by the power-grabs, rebellion, guilt, and murder in the original.
MARCH 16-APRIL 8
26 Miles
26 Miles is written by playwright and composer Quiara Aolegria Hudes, who wrote the book for Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical In the Heights and won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play Water by the Spoonful. The plot centers on an estranged mother and daughter who take an impromptu road trip to Yellowstone, and deals with themes of Cuban-American identity, broken families, and the American landscape. Directed by Julie Beckman.
MARCH 17-APRIL 15
Dry Powder
Charles Isherwood's review of Dry Powder for the New York Times begins, "Calling all Bernie Sanders fans," so this was an appropriate choice by the Rep for Seattle audiences. Dry Powder, written by first-time playwright Sarah Burgess, skewers the world of high finance with humor and gusto. Directed by Marya Sea Kaminski.
MARCH 23-APRIL 1
Seattle Fringe Festival
Five years after its re-launch, Seattle Fringe is back with two weekends of surprisingly good/bad, offbeat theatrical performances. This ain't the Rep. This is where the new, raw, just-bubbled-up stuff is, which can be exciting! I'm pumped to check out Sara Porkalob's Dragonbaby, Dacha Theatre's Shakespeare Dice, Jeffrey Robert's The Gay Uncle Explains It All To You, and Arson Nicki + Friends âFringe Fest is Such a Drag." RICH SMITH
MARCH 23-APRIL 16
Grounded
There are plenty of plays about unexpected pregnancyâbut this one, by George Brant (Elephant's Graveyard) shows the unique consequences for a star fighter pilot. She can no longer take to the sky, so now she sits in a trailer and operates drones. Timely and inquisitive, Grounded is an empathetic play (with slightly less political punch than you might expect). This production will be directed by Kelly Kitchens.
APRIL 13-23
Deep Space Lez
Performer ilvs strauss (whose 2015 production Manifesto was either "a parody of modern dance" or "really smart and bold") is behind Deep Space Lez, a work described as "comedian lesbian theater."
APRIL 28-MAY 15
Cherdonna's Doll's House
The local powerhouse and "female impersonator impersonator" Cherdonna Shinatra (Jody Kuehner) deconstructs and reconstructs Henrik Ibsenâs arguably already feminist classic. Will Nora realize that her life doesnât necessarily exist in relation to a manâs life, but for real this time? Will Cherdonna bust into the middle of scenes and sing surprisingly relevant pop songs in an operatic voice that make the play more intersectional? Kuehner work defies divining of any kind. But if sheâs doing a thing, you go and you see that thing. Those are the rules. Presented by Washington Ensemble Theatre, adapted by Ali Mohamed el-Gasseir and Jody Kuehner, and directed by Ali Mohamed el-Gasseir. RICH SMITH
MAY 5-JUNE 3
...And Starring Claire from Hollywood
Set in a little seaside town, Jim Moran's ...And Starring Claire from Hollywood presents a play-within-a-play premise about a D-List Hollywood star taking a role in a local production of NoĂ«l Coward's 1930 play Private Lives. In that play, a couple gets divorced, they each meet new partners, and they go on their honeymoonsâonly to discover they're staying at the same hotel. Presented by Macha Monkey Productions: "producers of fearless, funny, female theatre."
MAY 16-28
Sueño
La vida es sueño is a mesmerizing 17th-century verse play by Pedro CalderĂłn de la Barca about free will, fate, and the human conditionâand Sueño is a modern translation and adaptation by award-winning playwright JosĂ© Rivera (who wrote plays including Marisol and References to Salvador DalĂ Make Me Hot, and adapted the screenplay for The Motorcycle Diaries). This production is directed by Book-It founder Jane Jones.
MAY 31-JULY 1
The Realistic Joneses
The Realistic Joneses is a precisely-titled realist play about two neighboring couples with the last name "Jones," written by playwright Will Eno (whom Charles Isherwood at the New York Times called "a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart generation"). The Realistic Joneses earned a number of accolades and some rave reviews on Broadway in 2014 for its humorous, character-driven take on illness, marital life, and intimacy. This production is presented by New Century Theatre Company and directed by Paul Budraitis.
JUNE 1-25
Barbecue
Intiman will kick off its 2017 season (co-curated by multi-hyphenate performer Sara Porkalob) with a production of Robert O'Hara's dark comedy Barbecue, about two families, one white and one black, that each must cajole one of their members into a rehabilitation program.
MUSICAL THEATER
NOW THROUGH MARCH 5
The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game, the 1950s musical with music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, is a love story, a labor dispute set in the golden age of American manufacturing, and an excuse for a bunch of big dance numbers. In the production at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Billie Wildrick plays Babe, the head of the factory's grievance committee, who butts heads with Sid, the new superintendent of the factory. From the moment Sid stumbles out during "I'm Not at All in Love," the song Babe sings to convince her coworkers she's not romantically interested in him, their chemistry is palpable. She sings with bright, winning clarity and he has a deep, buttery baritone. But their love story is upstaged by an impressive array of supporting performances. The show drags in places because of Bob Richard's choreography, which strikes me as beneath this cast's abilitiesâlots of jumping around and gesturing and little else. But director Bill Berry builds enough visual delight into the staging that it's still a pleasure to watch the story unfold. CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE
MARCH 17-18
Rising Star Project: The Pajama Game
After you soak up the hit numbers from Broadway's Golden Age in Bill Berry's production of 1954 musical The Pajama Game, check out the Rising Star Project for the same musical performed by local high school students.
APRIL 7-MAY 28
Here Lies Love
David Byrneâs critically adored disco musical about the life and times of Imelda Marcos, disco-obsessed wife to Ferdinand Marcos. She danced by his side (and by Richard Nixonâsâlook it up on YouTube) while his dictatorial ass terrorized the country. Unlike other musicals, you donât have to forgive this one for its melodramatic, sappy songs. The fast numbers are groovy disco bangers and the slow numbers are touching, tropically inflected twee rock/pop. Production-wise, this show will be unlike anything youâve ever seen at the Rep. The installation of mobile dance floors will significantly change the theaterâs seating situation, and the audience will be dancing (according to the demands of the dictator, of course) throughout the show. RICH SMITH
APRIL 14-MAY 6
The Secret Garden
The quietly mesmerizing musical The Secret Garden (written by Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman with music by Lucy Simon) comes to 5th Avenue Theatre, directed by David Armstrong.
MAY 9-14
An American in Paris
This new musical, based loosely (very loosely) on the movie starring Gene Kelly and featuring the songs of George and Ira Gershwin, took home four Tonys (including set design and choreography) plus a slew of other awards and nominations.
MAY 11-21
Rising Up: A Queer Social Justice Musical
Rising Up: A Queer Social Justice Musical is a rock opera by poet and performer Ebo Barton.
MAY 11-JULY 2
Dreamgirls
Village Theatre presents Tony- and Grammy Award-winning musical Dreamgirls (not officially about the Supremes' rise to fame, but containing many parallels) which was made extremely popular by the 2006 film starring Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and the inimitable Queen B. Come for Motown tunes, commentary about celebrity, dramatic ultimatums, and flashy dance numbers.
JUNE 1-JULY 1
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
ArtsWest presents Stephen Sondheimâs Sweeney Todd, a musical offering murder, cannibalism, and barbershopsâplus songs that are creepy, catchy, quick, and witty.
DANCE
MARCH 2-5
Rambunctious #3: The Immigrants
This is the third installment of Spectrum's Rambunctious series, this time focusing on classical composers who are also American immigrants (especially immigrants from contested/"controversial" countriesâwe doubt you'll find a French expat in the mix). The music will be performed live by guest artists as dancers tell stories (and "Make the Invisible Visible") with their bodies.
MARCH 3
Guest Artist Series: Danielle Agami / Ate9
Dancer Danielle Agami used to be a part of the world-renowned Batsheva Dance Company (founded in 1964 by Martha Graham and Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild) and then founded Los Angeles-based dance company Ate9. This is the world premiere of her frantic, mesmerizing, unsettling, unquestionably creative new work, Calling Glenn, which is set to the music of Wilco's drummer Glenn Kotcheâand at this performance, Kotche himself will be providing a live score.
MARCH 9-APRIL 1
Made in Seattle: KT Niehoff
This new production from Velocity is titled Before We Flew Like Birds, We Flew Like Clouds, and features the results of longtime choreographer KT Niehoff asking extraordinary people, "What does it feel like to be in your body?" Get a glimpse of the physical and emotional experience of an astronaut, a professional speed skater, a survivor of a near-death experience, and a paraplegic rower, communicated through dance, music (both prerecorded and live), and virtual reality video.
MARCH 11-12
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Shortly after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., renowned dancer and choreographer Arthur Mitchell founded the first African American classical ballet company: the Dance Theatre of Harlem. They've highlighted works by choreographers from George Balanchine to Jerome Robbins, and are known first and foremost for their thoroughly impressive performances and innovative commissioned works. Do not miss their two-day Seattle stop.
MARCH 16-18
Jessica Jobaris & General Magic: A Great Hunger
A Great Hunger is a wild and expressive work by Jessica Jobaris and her collaborative dance company General Magic. With elements including exhibitionism, pranksters, ritual, and "a willingness to jump from a hypothetical cliff," expect an honest and brazen inquiry into human nature. They add: "It's a new church for the new millennium." How could we describe art more accurately?
MARCH 17-26
Director's Choice
Director's Choice is PNB artistic director Peter Boal's spring breeze of ballets, specially selected to show off innovative new work and modern-era classics that could stand another look. This year the stage will blacken with David Dawson's sharp and agressive Empire Noir, then yield to the slo-mo, geometric entanglements of William Forsythe's duet-heavy New Suite, then burst into color with Jessica Lang's "Her Door to the Sky," which looks like a Georgia O'Keeffe come alive. RICH SMITH
MARCH 26
Shaping Sound
Dancer and choreographer Travis Wall is best known for his contributions to So You Think You Can Dance (as both a contestant and a choreographer). See his new collaboration with Shaping Sound dance company, After the Curtain. Broadway World writes that the story is about "a man fighting to find his creative voice after the death of his one true love."
MAY 18-19
reSET
Curated by Mark Haim, Babette Pendleton, Ali Mohamed el-Gasseir, and Alice Gosti, reSET is a sort of arts-share dance series put on by the Washington Ensemble Theatre. Choreographers perform new pieces using the set for whatever play the company happens to be producing at that time. They will reimagine the stage for Cherdonna's Doll's House to suit their artistic needs. RICH SMITH
JUNE 2-10
Whim W'Him presents Approaching Ecstasy
According to press materials, Approaching Ecstasy "incorporates 40 singers, 5 instrumentalists, and 7 dancers and is inspired by the poems of Constantine Cavafy, who lived as a closeted gay man in Egypt at the end of the nineteenth-century." When the show opened largely to critical acclaim back in 2012, City Arts' Rachel Gallaher described artistic director Olivier Wevers's choreography as "passionately driven." Eric Banks and The Esoterics sing the poems in Greek along with music (a throwback to the lyre-accompanied poetry readings of yore) and then read them in English. If great choral music and dance doesn't do it for you, then go for the poems of Cavafy. In his erotic poetry, he's the loneliest of the lonely boys, and while reading him you can feel how constrained he was by the homophobia of his time and place. Read "Half an Hour." Read "The Next Table." RICH SMITH
JUNE 2-11
Pictures at an Exhibition
This Pacific Northwest Ballet program includes Balanchine's 1968 ballet La Source (with music by Leo Delibes, and originally created for renowned French ballerina Violette Verdy), NYCB ballet master and Broadway legend Jerome Robbins' 1979 ballet Opus 19/The Dreamer, and finally, what looks to be the highlight of the production: Alexei Ratmansky's 2014 ballet Pictures at an Exhibition. The music is by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky, inspired by his tour of a memorial exhibition for artist, architect, and designer Viktor Hartmann. Each musical number comments on an individual piece of art by Hartmann, and this production promises to pair the music and dance with geometric images by Russian painter Wassily Kandinksy. At the very least, it's an ambitious attempt to seamlessly merge dance, music, and visual art inside a new piece of choreography (whose history goes back centuries).
CABARET, BURLESQUE, DRAG & VARIETY
NOW THROUGH MAY 28
French Kiss
French Kiss is a sexy production that features dancers performing original choreography by Fae Pink, elaborate sets and projections, and themed food and cocktails.
Mimosas Cabaret
The great protest art of the Donald Trump era is already happening, with the Mimosas crew choosing a daring show to stage as their latest 30ish-minute musical. They're doing the show Cabaret, a song-and-dance extravaganza set in the days of Hitler's rise to power. The allegories to today are chillingly perfect, from nationalist Nazis singing "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" to the gut-wrenching appearance of the Star of David. For 50 years, Cabaret has been a reflection on the past, but now it's a scream of alarm about the future. You won't just cry at this show, you will sob. MATT BAUME
MARCH 3-4
Genre Bender
Looking for a little question mark in your weekend? A dash of surprise? Consider Genre Bender, curated by Stranger Genius Award-winning designer Jennifer Zeyl, which involves "kicking artists out of their comfort zones," pairing them up, and seeing what happens. The first Genre Bender was part of the City Arts festival in 2011. This year, see Thunderpussy's frontwoman Molly Sides with street artist No Touching Ground, rapper Yirim Seck with Genius Award-winning filmmaker/artist DK Pan, artist Mary Anne Carter with choreographer Dani Tirrell, musician Ben Hunter with (ANOTHER Genius Awardee) filmmaker Tracy Rector, and Genius-nominated dramatist HATLO with musician Shontina Vernon. BRENDAN KILEY
MARCH 16-APRIL 9
Moisture Festival
The Moisture Festival unites a vast kaleidoscope of burlesque and variĂ©tĂ© performers at Teatro Zinzanni, Hale's Palladium, and Broadway Performance Hall. Whomever you fancyâclowns, comedians, tightwire artists, aerialists, jugglers, singersâyou can find someone who's traveled from regions as far flung as Basque France or Wallingford to perform for you.
MARCH 31
La Petite Mortâs Anthology of Erotic Esoterica
See "the darker side of performance art" at this eerie, secretive variety show with circus arts, burlesque, music, and more. Feel free to wear a mask if you'd rather not be seen.
MAY 19-20
The Future Is 0
This DIY game show (filmed with a live studio audience right here in Seattle) is described as âequal parts Double Dare 2000, nihilist performance art, and sarcastic TV experiment.â
EVERY FIRST & THIRD MONDAY
SH*T GOLD
Velocity invites artists from all media and genres to contribute up to five minutes of risky material to this very supportive open mic night.
EVERY FIRST FRIDAY
Spin the Bottle
This is Seattle's longest-running cabaret and has seen just about everythingâdance, theater, comedy, paper airplanes, tears, stunts, music, romanceâfrom just about everyone.
EVERY SECOND SATURDAY
Rapture
Oh sure, you've been to more than your share of drag shows with lip-synching and wigs and princess gloves. But where are the fringed monsters, the viscous fluids, and the couture that you initially mistake for a pile of abandoned construction equipment? Kick-start your weird Saturday with Rapture, hosted by unidentified frocking object Arson Nicki. Expect to see the avantest of the avant-garde creatures, peculiar performances, and a runway that may double as a portal to the Negaverse. You will be unable to forget any of what you seeâor to make anyone believe that it happened. MATT BAUME
EVERY THIRD WEDNESDAY
Family Affair
Jennifer Jasper hosts this monthly variety show described as "cabaret, served up family style," with each event benefiting a different local, artistically engaged family dealing with an unexpected crisis.
EVERY FOURTH TUESDAY
Highbrow/Lowbrow: A Very Varied Variety Show!
Highbrow/Lowbrow promises a very varied (in style, form, and apparent classiness) variety show that features drag, burlesque, musical theatre, and dance.
COMEDY
MARCH 3-4
Tom Green
Television jack-of-all-trades Tom Greenâbest known for "performing jaw-dropping acts of bad taste" on MTV's The Tom Green Showâwill perform for two nights in Bellevue. Keep in mind that Green was a contestant on Donald Trump's The Celebrity Apprentice, and said he was ready to rip into his "old boss" on this stand-up tour.
MARCH 5
Greg Proops: âšThe Smartest Book in the World
Greg Proops is best known for the improvisational humor he regularly dropped as a panel member on the TV hit Whose Line Is it Anyway?, as well as his stand-up comedy and his podcast The Smartest Man in the World. Come for observational jokes about cultural norms, some riffing about baseball, and plugs for his 2015 book The Smartest Book in the World: A Lexicon of Literacy, A Rancorous Reportage, A Concise Curriculum of Cool. Here's a good Greg Proops quote: "You leave white people alone in constant isolation for 2,000 years, and you know what their musical contribution will be? Riverdance!"
MARCH 8, APRIL 11, MAY 10
Fist and Shout
Local comedic geniuses El Sanchez and Marita DeLeon sail onto new territories with their latest project, Fist and Shout, a QTPOC-centered comedy and variety show.
MARCH 16-18
D.L. Hughley
Actor, political commentator, and television personality D.L. Hughley (known for The Hughleys, CNN's D.L. Hughley Breaks the News, and the afternoon radio show The D.L. Hughley Show) will bring some timely, politically informed stand-up comedy to Bellevue.
MARCH 17-18
Ali Wong
This performance comes after the release of Ali Wong's Netflix special Ali Wong: Baby Cobra, and before the premiere of her new ABC comedy American Housewife. Catch her between projects, doling out intimate and bizarre laughs, at this event at the Moore.
MARCH 18
Sessions of She
This multidisciplinary arts event (with art, comedy, and music) aims to establish a sense of comfort and community between artists and audience members by interspersing performances with on-stage interviews. February's feminist showcase will bring you comedy from Hope Linden, art by Blanca Santander, and music by Coreena. In March, it's Naoko Morisawa's art, Summer Azim's comedy, and Holly Ricciardi taking over the tunes.
MARCH 23-25
Vir Das
Extremely popular Bollywood comedian and actor Vir Das (who has appeared in films including BadMaash Company, Delhi Belly, and Revolver Rani, and has performed stand-up comedy all over the world) will come to Bellevue for the weekend.
MARCH 24
Patton Oswalt
You'll probably recognize Patton Oswalt from his numerous appearances on TV shows from Veep to Parks and Recreation, or from his six comedy specials (the latest of which is titled Talking for Clapping). He's a talented comedian and very active Twitter user (of the sane, liberal variety), and appears in the upcoming screen adaptation of Dave Eggers's tech dystopia novel The Circle. Unfortunately, his name has been in the news frequently in the past year because last April his wife died unexpectedly in her sleepâbut in response, he has publicly offered careful, thoughtful, sincere statements about grief and loss.
MARCH 25
Marc Maron: The Too Real Tour
Writer, stand-up comedian, podcast host, musician, actor, director, producer, and extremely busy person Marc Maron (probably best known for The Marc Maron Show and WTF with Marc Maron) will treat Seattle to an evening of his comedic stylings.
APRIL 21
The Seattle Process with Brett Hamil
Described as "Seattle's only intentionally funny talk show" and "a mudpie lobbed into the halls of power," The Seattle Process with Brett Hamil offers politics, exasperation, information, and comedy, plus tons of guest appearances from artists to government officials.
MAY 20
Paula Poundstone
Paula Poundstone is best known for her regular appearances on NPR's weekly quiz show Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! for which she apparently holds the record for game lossesâbut that doesn't stop her from being one of the most beloved panelists on the show, thanks to her quick wit and endearing frankness. She's also a celebrated stand-up comedian, so come see her perform for one night at the Moore.
W. Kamau Bell
W. Kamau Bell is a political comedian known for his 2012 FX series Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, as well as CNN's new travel show The United Shades of America, and the two podcasts he co-hosts (Denzel Washington Is The Greatest Actor Of All Time Period with Kevin Avery and Politically Re-Active with the great Hari Kondabolu). Bell is truly funny and offers refreshingly honest (and well-informed) takes on race, politics, and societyâin the age of Trump, his commentary is more necessary than ever.
EVERY MONDAY
The Magic Hat Presented by Emmett Montgomery and Friends
Five "brilliant humans(?)," ranging from seasoned stand-up comics to sketch performers to audience members, are selected (presumably out of the Magic Hat) throughout the show to perform weekly at this comedy variety show, otherwise described as a "friendship machine that will make the world a better place."
EVERY TUESDAY
Comedy Nest Open Mic
Comedy Womb has become Comedy Nest in the name of inclusivity, and unsurprisingly, they write that "although the name has changed the mission is still the same." The rules of this pro-lady stand-up night are refreshing in their simplicity: no misogyny, racism, homophobia, hatred, or heckling. Based on the size, quality, and diversity of the crowds it attracts, the rules work. Every Tuesday night, fans pack the Rendezvous Grotto to watch two and a half hours of comedy, about half of which is delivered by women. Having so many women onstage and in the crowd makes male comics more mindful of their sets and their audience, while reinforcing what should be obvious: Women can be just as funny (or unfunny) as men. Equality, hurrah!
EVERY SATURDAY
Naked Brunch
Alyssa Yeoman and Matthew Valdespino host (what they claim is) Seattle's only all-improvised comedy open mic every week.
EVERY FIRST SUNDAY
Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery
On the first Sunday of each month, comedy, variety, and "a parade of wonder and awkward sharing" are hosted by the self-proclaimed "mustache wizard" Emmett Montgomery.
EVERY SECOND SUNDAY
Wine Shots: Comedy's Happiest Hour
This all-female comedy variety show comes complete with an all-female Michael Bolton cover band, Lightning Bolton. Organized by the very funny Elicia Sanchez, itâs every second Sunday of the month in the Grotto at the Rendezvous, and every audience member gets a free shot of wine.
SPECIAL EVENTS
MARCH 16
Studio Supper: Donna Moodie of Marjorie
Studio Suppers at On the Boards are Seattle civic treasures that manage to turn the dinner-and-a-show formula into something truly exciting. Before the opening performance of one of OtBâs provocative shows, you join 50 other people at a communal table for a family-style meal prepared by a local chef. Thereâs lots of wine and, because diners get to pay on a sliding scale ($25â$100), youâll actually have interesting conversations with a diverse mix of people. This Studio Supper, on the opening night of Jessica Jobaris and General Magic's A Great Hunger, features dinner by Donna Moodie of Marjorie. ANGELA GARBES
MARCH 25
Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Science
Celebrity chef Alton Brown (who was in town a few months ago promoting his book EveryDayCook, which features 101 recipes sorted by time of day) will host a live show that blends science, music, "talk-show antics," interactive elements, games, multimedia presentation aids, and "potentially dangerous" food demonstrations for a performance that highlights stunts he has "never been allowed to do on TV."
MARCH 30
Studio Supper: Renee Erickson of Sea Creatures Restaurants
Studio Suppers at On the Boards are Seattle civic treasures that manage to turn the dinner-and-a-show formula into something truly exciting. Before the opening performance of one of OtBâs provocative shows, you join 50 other people at a communal table for a family-style meal prepared by a local chef. Thereâs lots of wine and, because diners get to pay on a sliding scale ($25â$100), youâll actually have interesting conversations with a diverse mix of people. This Studio Supper, on the opening night of Heather Kravas' visions of beauty, features dinner by Renee Erickson of Sea Creatures Restaurants (Bar Melusine, Bateau, General Porpoise, Barnacle, The Whale Wins, and The Walrus and the Carpenter). ANGELA GARBES
APRIL 8
Legendary Children
Experience the power of QTPOC voices in art at Legendary Children, an event presented in celebration of "the beautiful, the transgressive, and the unique." Expect performances, DJ sets, and art by some of Seattleâs most talented queer artistsâand enjoy free admission to Jacob Lawrence's stunning 60-panel masterpiece, The Migration Series.
APRIL 19-20
Who Am I / Who I Am
A program of local all-stars (choreographer and dancer Markeith Wiley, playwright Nelle Tankus, painter Starheadboy, and photographer Angel O'Leary) spent 21 days collaborating on an immersive exhibition curated by Barry Johnsonâand you only have two days to go experience this promising combination of live performance and visual art. They'll offer commentary on "gender, sexuality, identity, societal roles and community," as well as a full bar, live music, and a playful "pARTy" vibe.
APRIL 28
Lush Us
Celebrate the artists behind Gay City Arts' Season 4: Uncontained (featuring shows including Sweet T: The Physical Album, How I Learned To Be a Particular Kind of Lady, Deep Space Lez, and Rising Up: A Queer Social Justice Musical) at this showcase featuring headliner Sonya Renee Taylor, founder of The Body is Not An Apology.
MAY 4
Studio Supper: Julian Hagood of Harry's Fine Foods
Studio Suppers at On the Boards are Seattle civic treasures that manage to turn the dinner-and-a-show formula into something truly exciting. Before the opening performance of one of OtBâs provocative shows, you join 50 other people at a communal table for a family-style meal prepared by a local chef. Thereâs lots of wine and, because diners get to pay on a sliding scale ($25â$100), youâll actually have interesting conversations with a diverse mix of people. This Studio Supper, on the opening night of The People's Republic of Valerie, features dinner by Julian Hagood of Harry's Fine Foods. ANGELA GARBES
MAY 6
On the Brink: Seattle House Dance Project
Dani Tirrell and Amy O'Neal present this investigative take on the Seattle-based house dance and music community, including a panel discussion and a dance battle featuring house dance, vogue, and whaacking/punking.
MAY 18
Studio Supper: PK Kounpungchart of Little Uncle
Studio Suppers at On the Boards are Seattle civic treasures that manage to turn the dinner-and-a-show formula into something truly exciting. Before the opening performance of one of OtBâs provocative shows, you join 50 other people at a communal table for a family-style meal prepared by a local chef. Thereâs lots of wine and, because diners get to pay on a sliding scale ($25â$100), youâll actually have interesting conversations with a diverse mix of people. This Studio Supper, on the opening night of Tesseract, features dinner by Little Uncleâs PK Frank, whose excellent Thai food is influenced by her own family, as well as the many family-run restaurants in Thailand that keep the countryâs culinary traditions alive. ANGELA GARBES
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