This Week in Arts: Wednesday Roundup (7/24)
Highlights this week include three terrific shows that are closing (so cram them in if you can); plus three multi-artist festivals that run only this weekend; and an important fundraiser reading next week.
For details (like times & ticket info) on these shows and more, view them by date on the Calendar page.
Last Call
We’re starting here, because closing this week are three shows NWT highly recommends: Man of La Mancha, a reinvention of the classic musical from Harlequin Theatre at the State Theater in Olympia (closing Saturday) (see NWT’s review here); Citizen: An American Lyric, a profound stage interpretation of Claudia Rankine’s powerful book, from Sound Theatre and the Hansberry Project at Center House Theatre (closing Sunday) (see NWT’s review here); and The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion, a new musical from Justin Huertas at ArtsWest in West Seattle.
A bustling closing weekend continues with four more. Also closing this week are the traveling show of Measure for Measure from the Primrose Players (closing Saturday afternoon up north in La Conner); Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan’s Princess Ida, or The Castle Adamant (closing Sunday at the Seattle Rep); Death and the Maiden from Theatre 9/12 (closing Sunday on First Hill); and Village Theatre’s blockbuster Million Dollar Quartet (closing Sunday in Everett) (see NWT’s review here).
Short Runs
Also robust this week are short runs, which play only this week.
Running Friday and Saturday, with both a daytime and night show on Saturday, are the Strictly Seattle Performances, put on by Velocity Dance Center and showing at Broadway Performance Hall. They represent the culmination of a week-long intensive, and feature choreography from mega-hitters Pat Graney, Dani Tirrell, and more.
Showing Friday through Sunday is As If Theatre Company’s festival of short plays, called the Kenmore Quickies. New work from eight playwrights will show, in the form of 10-minute plays, with two twists: the works are all inspired by an enormous mural in Kenmore celebrating the city’s history, and audience members won’t know who wrote what until the end (after voting for their favorite, for the audience-choice award). Playwrights include Marcus Gorman, Julieta Vitullo, and more.
Saturday is the South End Heritage Festival, a music festival held throughout Columbia City and Hillman City, with one pass (for $25) gaining access to all participating venues. There’s also a free community festival held Friday night. and Saturday daytime. Info and tickets here.
On Monday at Copious is a reading of selected scenes from The Clinic, by Will Brumley. Admission is on a pay-what-you-can basis, in a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood.
On Thursday, two recurring series events occur: Nights at the Neptune (featuring musical performances in Mixed Resonance) (free), a weekly series through August 15; and the Seattle Playwrights Salon (a monthly reading of new works, with this month’s featuring the musical Fur Pajamas, with book and lyrics by David Ceci and music by John Allman (suggested $10 donation).
Openings This Week
It’s another slow week in openings, but here are at least two to get you started.
Opening this week at ACT (after previews last week) is The Year of Magical Thinking, based on the Joan Didion memoir. It runs through August 11, and several events at ACT around grief and loss are scheduled throughout the run. Also opening this week is The Little Mermaid, the mainstage kids’ summerstock show at Village Theatre in Issaquah, which runs through August 4.
Wednesday Roundup is a weekly feature, with NWT’s picks for the upcoming week and recaps around town.
Want to plan your show schedule further out? See what’s happening on NWT’s Calendar page. And for news on all the openings this month, see Miryam Gordon’s July coverage here.