30th Anniversary Season Announced!

We open our 30th Anniversary Season with the current Broadway smash In the Heights, winner of four 2008 Tony Awards and the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. In the Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant community in Manhattan’s Washington Heights – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind. In addition to winning the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show’s creator, won the Tony Award for Best Music and Lyrics, Andy Blankenbuehler won for Best Choreography, and Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman won for Best Orchestrations. The original cast recording won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, and Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on the smash hit musical.

Our next production, A Christmas Story–The Musical!, is both a big, splashy holiday favorite and the premiere of an exciting new musical. Inspired by the classic 1983 movie and the stories of popular radio humorist Jean Shepard, this hilarious show takes you back to the 1940s and follows the adventures of young Ralphie Parker and his desperate quest to receive the most desirable and forbidden of all Christmas presents–“An Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle.” With its tuneful score, wicked wit and unexpected emotion, A Christmas Story–The Musical! is certain to become a new Seattle holiday tradition.

Then it’s the Northwest premiere of Vanities–A New Musical, presented in collaboration with Seattle’s acclaimed ACT Theatre Company. Follow the journey of three best friends as they travel from high school cheerleaders, to sorority sisters, to housewives and liberated women in a funny and moving trip through the turbulent 1960s, ‘70s and ’80s. With David Kirshenbaum’s evocative score and Jack Heifner's sparkling adaptation of his long-running off-Broadway play, Vanities is a musical scrapbook of an era and a generation. This production will be performed in ACT’s intimate Falls Theatre located just three short blocks from The 5th Avenue Theatre.

Next up is another current Broadway smash, Next to Normal. This groundbreaking new show that “pushes Broadway in new directions” (Rolling Stone) got its start locally when writer and lyricist Brian Yorkey and composer Tom Kitt premiered it under the title Feeling Electric at Issaquah’s Village Theatre as both a reading and a workshop. Now this Tony-winning musical, an emotional powerhouse about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other, returns to Seattle in its fully-realized glory.

Just in time to brighten up the final grey days of spring will be 9 To 5: The Musical. This outrageously funny recent Broadway delight is adapted from the popular film and features not only the movie’s blockbuster title tune but also18 new original songs by the one and only Dolly Parton! Parton’s Tony-nominated score mixes Broadway, pop and country with her signature witty lyrics, and tells the story of three overworked and harassed secretaries who turn the tables on their chauvinistic boss.

The season will conclude with two timeless classics from the Golden Age Of Broadway, beginning with the brilliant Guys & Dolls. The swinging music of Frank Loesser finds its perfect subject in Damon Runyon’s stories of the denizens of New York’s underworld, including fast-talking Nathan Detroit, host of “the oldest-established-permanent-floating crap game in New York,” his sexy and long-suffering girlfriend Miss Adelaide, the cool and clever gambler Sky Masterson, and the unlikely visitor Sarah Brown, an inner-city missionary unexpectedly swept off her feet by Sky. Featuring such treasured Loesser tunes as “Luck Be A Lady,” “Bushel And A Peck,” “If I Were A Bell”, “Sue Me” and “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat,” Guys & Dolls is considered to be one of the greatest musicals of all time.

We will close this 30th Anniversary Season with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s masterpiece Oklahoma! This groundbreaking musical, an influence on every show since its premiere, is set in Oklahoma Territory in the early days of the new century, when a land a people faced unexpected challenges and triumphs. Like their masterwork South Pacific, Oklahoma! combines the immortal music of Richard Rodgers with the psychological complexities of Oscar Hammerstein’s writing, which won the 1944 Pulitzer Prize. Two romances, that of cowboy Curly and spunky farm girl Laury and their counterparts, flirtatious Ado Annie and patient Will Parker, drive the story and set the scene for such soaring tunes as “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “I Can’t Say No,” “Surrey with the Fringe on Top” and the title song, this landmark musical brings a fitting close to a season of great shows at a great Theatre.

Legally Blonde features Seattle’s own Jason Kappus

One of the delights of our presentation of Legally Blonde – the Musical has been welcoming back our own Jason Kappus to The 5th.

Over the past few years Jason has appeared at theatres all over the region including our productions of West Side Story and Catch Me If You Can. Jason has been writing a blog about his experiences on tour with Legally Blonde and you can read about it here.

But remember this is the FINAL week to see him in the show the Seattle Times called "more sugar than spice, more bubble gum than pink champagne, which delivers nonetheless an evening of solid entertainment.”

Broadwayworld said...
“it is one of those wonderful evenings of theater that are just plain fun. You'll walk out humming the tunes and giggling all the way home.”

Seattle Gays News raved...
“‘Ohmigod, ohmigod you guys!’ Legally Blonde is a complete guilty pleasure. The music is toe-tapping. The lyrics are clever. The show is enjoyable, and the actors look like they are having as much fun on stage as the audience is watching them. What more could one ask for?”

Legally Blonde opens in London and Seattle!!!

The hit Broadway and MTV musical opened in London just a few weeks ago and has become that city’s biggest hit in years -- but you can see it right here at the 5th! Here is what the London critics had to say:

“The Best Legal High in Town!”
– Time Out, London

On-stage Soldier is Real-life Hero!

The Seattle Police Department rewarded New York actor Peter Rini for his actions on Monday February 8 when he helped to apprehend a driver who’d hit two parked cars, both occupied, while driving a stolen van.

According to the statement from the Seattle Police, Mr. Rini, who is appearing in the Lincoln Center production of South Pacific currently playing at The 5th Avenue, was walking on East Republican Monday morning when he noticed a white van colliding with a pair of cars, and heard the female driver of one vehicle scream after being struck. The driver then hit a telephone pole and left the vehicle. As the suspect tried to flee on foot, Mr. Rini tackled the suspect to the ground and subdued him until the officers arrived.

Rini, who plays the role of Commander William Harbison in South Pacific, is a veteran New York actor whose Broadway roles have included Neil Simon’s Proposals; A View From The Bridge, and Tartuffe, and whose film and TV appearances have included roles in Boiler Room, Sleepers, and ironically enough numerous appearances on Law and Order, where he has played police officers and detectives.

“Mr. Rini clearly acted out of instinct and goodwill,” the police statement continues. “Had it not been for Mr. Rini’s actions, the arriving officers would have had to eventually set up delayed containment in the neighborhood and actively searched for the suspect on foot, making it difficult at best to find the suspect in this densely populated area of Capitol Hill.”

Rini was honored on February 17th at a special ceremony of the downtown Seattle Police Headquarters, where he was presented with a Citizen’s Recognition Award for his voluntary actions in apprehending the suspect.

We at The 5th Avenue are proud to call attention to Mr. Rini’s selfless act of heroism, and applaud his civic mindedness and courage. You can watch a video here at KIRO TV, or read more at Playbill, Broadway World, Seattle PI and Seattle Times.

SONDHEIM TONIGHT! (and all weekend)!

Beginning tonight five 5th Avenue stars will share the stage and the spotlight with Marvin Hamlisch and the Seattle Symphony Pops in a program highlighting the brilliant music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim in honor of his 8oth Birthday.

The concert will feature:

Carol Swarbrick who starred in our productions of Sweeney Todd, Sunday In the Park With George, Into The Woods, Mame, and White Christmas.

Allen Fitzpatrick who played the title role here in Sweeney Todd and also appeared in Sunday In The Park, Cabaret, Memphis and will appear in Candide later this spring.

Patti Cohenour who starred as Abigail Adams in 1776, Most Happy Fella, Sunday In The Park and The Wizard Of Oz.

And Brandon O’Neill, a 5th Avenue favorite who was seen in Sweeney Todd and Wonderful Town and will also be one of the stars of Candide.

They will be joined by the great Broadway singer Liz Callaway – one of the finest voices ever to grace the Great White Way!

You can read more here at The Seattle Times. I can’t wait to hear it!

Spotlight Night on Seattle Channel!

Seattle Channel is airing our South Pacific segment of Spotlight Night beginning this week. They'll have it running throughout the next few weeks -- for specific times visit their site at seattlechannel.org. OR, if you'd prefer, watch it online here.

11 Reasons Not To Miss South Pacific

The spectacular Lincoln Center Theatre production of Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s South Pacific begins performances on our stage tomorrow night and here are 11 reasons why you will not want to miss it. (I tried to keep it to 10 but it just wasn’t possible!)

11 Reasons Not To Miss South Pacific

1. This production received 7 2008 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and has been sold out in New York for most of the last two years.

2. The show was directed by Bartlet Sher, who for the last 9 years has served as Artistic Director of Seattle's Intiman Theatre. Bart received the 2008 Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical for this production.

3. It features one of the most glorious Rodgers & Hammerstein scores ever created -- almost every song in the show become a hit including SOME ENCHANTED EVENING, NOTHIN' LIKE A DAME, YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME, I'M GONNA WASH THAT MAN RIGHT OUT OF MY HAIR, WONDERFUL GUY, HAPPY TALK, COCKEYED OPTIMIST, THIS NEARLY WAS MINE, and BALI HA'I and we will use a full 26 piece orchestra performing the original Robert Russell Bennett orchestrations.

4. Adapted from James Michener’s collection of short stories based on his personal experiences during WWII, the book by Joshua Logan and Oscar Hammerstein is as dramatic, funny, moving and engaging as when the show was first opened on Broadway in 1949.

5. This production was choreographed by Christopher Gattelli who also choreographed our production of Sunday In The Park With George last season.

6. Rod Gilfrey stars as the mysterious French planter Emile de Beque. Rod is one of the most acclaimed Opera stars of his generation whose credits include creating the role of Stanly Kowalski in the world première of Andre Previn’s opera A Streetcar Named Desire at the San Francisco Opera.

7. Carmen Cusack stars as Ensign Nellie Forbush. Carmen toured the US and Australia as Elphaba in WICKED, played Fantine in Les Miserable in the US, the UK, and Shanghai, and starred as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera in the UK.

8. Anderson Davis stars as Lt. Joseph Cable. Anderson appeared on Broadway in Les Miserable and Damn Yankees and is featured on the cover of our new 5th Avenue magazine Take 5.

9. Keala Settle returns to Seattle to play Bloody Mary. Keala stared as Tracy Turnbald when Hairspray came back to The 5th on its National Tour in 2002 and she quickly became an audience favorite.

10. Mathew Saldivar returns to Seattle to play Luther Billis. Mathew was one of the stars of The Wedding Singer when it had its world premier production here at The 5th in 2006.

11. Our own Chad Jennings plays Radio Operator Bob McCaffrey. This Yakima native has appeared in many 5th Avenue productions including Wonderful Town, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and Sunday In The Park With George.