Backstage at The 5th

You ain't heard nothin' yet!

2011-05-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

Our lobby was filled with beautiful music this morning as the 5th Avenue orchestra—led by maestro Joel Fram—played through Bruce Monroe’s Guys and Dolls orchestrations. Stunning! Stay tuned next week for a behind the scenes video with Bruce as we chat more about our fabulous new production!

Fridays at the 5th!

2011-04-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

Once or twice a show, around 100 high school kids join us for our Fridays at The 5th workshop! After a great pizza party in our lobby, they get to attend a workshop with cast and crew members! The most recent Fridays at The 5th workshop was last Friday and featured performers from the current run of 9 to 5: The Musical! For more information on our Education and Outreach programs, visit http://www.5thavenue.org/education/

A special message from Dolly Parton

2011-03-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Alice Ripley at Barnes and Noble

2011-03-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

On March 3rd, we ventured down to the Pacific Place Barnes and Noble with Tony Award winner Alice Ripley to meet and greet her fans, and sign copies of her new cd Daily Practice, as well as the Next to Normal cast recording. We were greeted by nearly 40 fans, some of whom had been waiting for hours!!! Thanks to everybody who came out, and especially to Alice Ripley and Barnes and Noble, for making the event such a success.

As an added bonus, any purchase made at Barnes and Noble, or BarnesandNoble.com when using the code: 10441491 through the end of the Next to Normal run (March 13th) will have a percentage of the proceeds go to The 5th Avenue Theatre!

Check out some pictures from the event below:

Alice even signed the event poster!

Some fans had been waiting for almost 2 hours!

These two Cornish College of the Arts students had a great time chatting with Alice!
They are excited to see Next to Normal at the matinee on March 10th !

Decked out in Next to Normal gear!

Alice signed the Next to Normal cast album, as well as her own new cd, Daily Practice!

She even signed some extra copies of Daily Practice for people who couldn't make it to the signing. People from all over the country had been calling, hoping to order a copy!

Meet the Cast of Vanities: A New Musical-Cayman Ilika as Kathy

2011-02-28T17:03:00.001-08:00

A Seattle Times Footlight Award winner (for Village Theatre’s Show Boat), Cayman Ilika’s “startlingly beautiful voice (Seattle Weekly) and “winning stage presence” (The News Tribune) are just the right combination for the mysterious character; Kathy. David Armstrong, the director of Vanities: A New Musical, remembers Cayman from an even earlier performance--as a high school senior in the 2003 5th Avenue Theatre High School Awards. “We were so taken with her voice that we’ve followed her ever since,” he says. “She’s not only strikingly beautiful but has an astonishing voice as well.”

Cayman's past credits include Candide and Buddy at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Showboat and The Gypsy King at The Village Theatre and Always...Patsy Cline at ACT: A Contemporary Theatre. Of Vanites: A New Musical, she says:

“Vanities is the story of a journey taken by three women in a time of dramatic social change in the United States. Im also going on a journey where I hope to come to understand and embody the character Kathy and her complex relationships with her two high school friends. The fact that we are aging almost 30 years right before the audience’s eyes is what really excites me! No one is exactly the same person at 40 that they were at 18…parts of us flourish, some parts die away. It’s an exciting challenge to bring those intricacies to life on the stage.

Cayman Ilika as Kathy in Vanities: A New Musical, playing now-May 1st at ACT.

Photo: Chris Bennion

For tickets and more information, visit http://www.5thavenue.org/show/vanities1011/

Memphis to be filmed live for Nationwide release!

2011-01-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Tony Award® winning Best Musical MEMPHIS will be captured live-in-performance by Broadway Worldwide for high definition exhibition in digital cinemas nationwide this spring. For the first time ever, audiences around the country will be able to experience Broadway's current Tony Award® winning Best Musical in their own home town movie theatre during its Tony Award®-winning year. The Broadway production of MEMPHIS will be captured live during regularly scheduled performances January 18-21st at the Shubert Theatre, utilizing multiple high definition cameras and 96 tracks of sound recording.

The timing of the high definition recording and exhibition of MEMPHIS is historic, providing a unique opportunity to brand and market the show to national audiences in support of both the current Broadway engagement and the forthcoming touring production. Emmy Award®-winning director Don Roy King (Saturday Night Live, CBS' The Early Show, Survivor) and Grammy® and Emmy Award®-winning sound producer Matt Kaplowitz (Ghandi, PBS' To Bear Witness) lead the production team for Broadway Worldwide.

Details about the national theatrical exhibition schedule for MEMPHIS will be announced in the spring.

Read more: http://broadwayworld.com/article/MEMPHIS_to_be_Filmed_Live_for_Nationwide_Digital_Cinema_Distribution_20110113#ixzz1BQInk78B

LIFE IN RALPHIE’S WORLD

2010-12-15T15:39:00.001-08:00

The world of Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story, The Musical! is very different from life today.

Televisions were very rare. Instead, radios and newspapers provided an information lifeline for Americans. Whole families gathered around the radio to listen to news broadcasts and popular programs like “Little Orphan Annie,” quiz shows, mysteries, dramas, music and sports.

Before Harry Potter, Ralphie and his friends might have read books like Daniel Boone and Make Way for Ducklings. But one of the most popular forms of entertainment was found at the local movie house where films like National Velvet, Lassie Come Home, Flash Gordon, Roy Rodgers and Superman costs about 25 cents and included a cartoon. A candy bar costs five cents.

Because personal computers were decades away from being conceived, there were no cell phones or email, Xbox or Wii. One of the earliest computers, the ENIAC was completed in 1945; it weighed 30 tons and was two stories high. A small portion of the computer is pictured to the left. Many of the toys, activities and historic events mentioned in A Christmas Story, The Musical! are unheard of today.

Here is a brief glossary to help you better understand Ralphie’s world.

Red Ryder BB Guns were the preference of Red Ryder, a fictional comic book cowboy in the 1940s, but the Red Ryder air gun, with its lever-action, spring piston, smooth-bore barrel, adjustable iron sights, and a gravity feed magazine with a 650 BB capacity was a real product and highly desired by many American boys. The Red Ryder Range Model Carbine Action BB Gun in the movie A Christmas Story was a fictional model from Jean Shepherd’s’ imagination; it included components like a compass and timepiece which were never a part of a Red Ryder prototype. The “Buck Jones” Daisy air rifle did have a compass and sundial in the stock and could have served as an inspiration.

To see Ralphie, played by Clarke Hallum, sing a song about how much he wants a Red Ryder BB Gun, watch the video clip below.

The Little Orphan Annie Show was one of the first 15-minute daily radio serials made for children. The show was sponsored by Ovaltine and ran from 1930 to the early 1940s. It was inspired by the daily American Comic strip by Harold Gray about a young orphan girl, her dog, Sandy, and her guardian Daddy Warbucks. They encounter many adventurous predicaments sometimes including gangsters, spies and kidnappers. The show was also known for its opening theme song sung by Pierre Andre.

Ovaltine is a brand of milk flavoring created in 1904 in Switzerland and is still available today. The powdery mix, made of sugar, malt extract, cocoa and whey, is often mixed with warm or hot milk. As a sponsor for “The Little Orphan Annie Show”, Ovaltine offered secret decoder rings in exchange for proofs of purchase.

Decoder rings similar to this one were all the rage during the golden age of radio, lending an air of participation to popular radio shows like “Little Orphan Annie”.

Shirley Temple Dolls were manufactured by Ideal Toy and Novelty Company and were fashioned after Shirley Temple, the child star known for her films like Bright Eyes, Heidi and The Little Princess.

Lionel Trains were electric toy trains and model railroads that were embellished with hand-painted details and authentic elements. Elaborate train displays were often featured as part of department store Christmas displays and a Lionel train set was routinely found under the tree on Christmas morning. This photo is of an all-metal Lionel steam engine from around 1938-1942.

The Dionne Quintuplets, born in Canada in 1934, were the first female identical quintuplets to survive infancy. While multiple births are today subjects of television shows like “Jon and Kate Plus 8”, 75 years ago, they were a medical rarity. From their birth, public interest in the Dionne quints was insatiable. The babies became a popular phenomenon and were put on display to the public. Dolls and other souvenirs were created and sold with their likenesses.

Open Road for Boys was a popular boy’s outdoor adventure fiction magazine from 1919 to 1950 that featured advertisements for model airplanes and Red Ryder products.

Jujubes were a candy drop created in 1920 and are still available today. Originally it was a hard candy that you had to suck on and the original flavors were lilac, violet, rose, spearmint and lemon.

-Used with the permission of Kansas City Repertory Theatre

Walt Spangler Gets in the Spirit of “A Christmas Story”

2010-12-15T15:37:00.001-08:00

When A Christmas Story: The Musical! was slotted to take the stage in Kansas City last winter, Walt Spangler accepted the task of designing a set for the fun-filled musical. This season, the show about 9-year-old Ralphie Parker and his quest for the Christmas present of his dreams is coming to Seattle with Spangler’s design in tow. Inspired by a brand new score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Spangler has adapted and enhanced his design to suit The 5th Avenue Theatre’s vast house. This is not the first time Spangler’s designs have graced The 5th’s stage. Loyal patrons may remember his eye-popping sets for both Mame (2008) and On the Town (2010) and can look forward to seeing his work in Oklahoma (2011).

Audience members can expect a grand set with magically quick transitions and plenty of beautiful pieces to please the eye. “I really enjoy fantastical, very imaginative, very theatrical ideas…(the show) offers a nice combination where there are some scenes that are very theatrical and vivid and colorful. And then there are scenes, especially in the house, that really pull you back down to a sense of almost Norman Rockwell holiday intimacy.” Because the setting changes so often, Spangler strove to create a design that matches the pace and the rhythm of the music, as well as maintains a cinematic flow to echo the feeling of the film.

The first step in Spangler’s process of recreating the world of the Parker family for the stage was to re-watch the iconic movie. The film premiered in 1983 when Spangler was a teenager, and he soon became one of its countless annual viewers. “Getting the opportunity to design it, I already felt like I was ahead of the game because I was so familiar with the story.” he reminisced.

However, there was an aspect of the musical that the film could not prepare him for: The Jean Shepherd Show. “(The musical) begins in a 1960s radio station as a story that’s being told on the radio by a man and a bunch of foley artists. The idea is to visualize that for the audience so we have a framework that suggests the 1960s radio station, and then when we open up the curtain we reveal onto the world of Hohman, Indiana back in the 1940s.” Spangler was inspired by many elements when creating the town. The Higbee’s Department Store Santa Land plays a crucial part in some pivotal moments of the show so Spangler felt the need to integrate it throughout. Furthermore, when watching the movie, he was struck by the constant blanket of snow enveloping the town. Spangler and his team decided they wanted to frame the town in a frozen blizzard, “seen through the eyes of a Higbee’s Department Store decoration.”

More importantly, Spangler calls on his own yuletide memories to put a personal stamp on the town. “I really love when you go get the Christmas tree, and when I grew up we did that as a family ritual. We actually didn’t purchase Christmas trees because we had family who lived up in the mountains of Virginia and they had a lot of pine trees on their property, so we as a family – my mother, my father, my sister and I – would drive up at some point right after Thanksgiving and get a Christmas tree. We’d go get it, find it, cut it down, and bring it back! That really is my favorite part of the pre-holiday season, more so than the actual day of Christmas which is usually much more chaotic and hectic. And that’s the way it is in the show.” Spangler uses his own family’s holiday aesthetic and traditions to adorn the Parker’s home: a mix of heirloom and hand-made ornaments, a homemade table cloth on the dining room table for a special Christmas spread, and a medley of wrapped and unwrapped gifts beneath the tree.

Spangler is confident that A Christmas Story: The Musical! will appeal to those who have never seen the movie and to die-hard fans alike. He was careful to include the memorable landmarks from the film while keeping in mind the demands of a live show. Ultimately, it’s the spirit of the season that will make audiences fall in love. “It’s one of those things where we all have our memories. I think that certainly my memories of Christmas are classic American ones. [The audience] will be reminded of their own family and that’s the point of the show. It’s very much about family and the relationship and the ups and downs of the family but then ultimately Christmas gels it all together. It makes everyone realize how much they appreciate their family members.”

-Lauren Smith, Education Intern, The 5th Avenue Theatre

To get just a taste of the gorgeous set design, watch this short clip from A Christmas Story the Musical, as the cast sings the title song, "A Christmas Story".

5 Musical Theater Terms You Should Know

2010-12-15T15:36:00.001-08:00

1. Eleven o’clock number—A show tune which provides a big finish shortly before the musical ends.
2. Entr’acte—1. Orchestral opening to the second act of a musical; 2. A dance, musical number or interlude performed between the acts of a play
3. Libretto—Text of an opera or musical
4. Sitzprobe—A seated rehearsal where the singers sing with the orchestra, focusing attention on integrating the two groups. It is often the first rehearsal where the orchestra and singers rehearse together.
5. Wandelprobe—When singers go through the actions (wander) on stage while the orchestra plays.

10 Questions + One with Justin Paul and Benj Pasek

2010-12-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

1. Where do you find inspiration?

Justin Paul (JP)—As a person? From my wife -- I don't think I could do what I do without her. And from my amazingly supportive family -- my dad, mom, brother, but also my grandparents, aunts and uncles, the whole lot of them -- they are all my heroes. Truly. And creatively, I suppose I find it in other artists who are passionately driven and insanely talented. I've been lucky enough to work with some people who are true geniuses at what they do, and it is humbling and inspiring in so many ways. And while I'm on the subject of inspiration, I gain so much of it from my faith, my spiritual beliefs. Whenever I'm feeling empty, I know I can always fill up on God.

Benj Pasek (BP) —Sitting in coffee shops and observing people. I love wondering why they do what they do, think what they think and say what they say.

2. Which artist’s work do you most admire and why?

JP—One single artist? I could never pin down one! In terms of musical theatre writing, I'd say the old cliché of worshipping Stephen Sondheim. That's definitely true for me. But there's actually a few other songwriters/arrangers that I would say have been so influential on my feelings towards music, and on writing music, that I truly admire them the most. Stevie Wonder -- possibly the greatest songwriter in the past 50 years or more. And there's a lesser-known guy, a guy by the name of Rob Mathes, who is a music director/arranger/pianist/songwriter/vocalist. He's insane. I want to grow up to be him. I sit and listen to his music and one half of me wants to go out and write a symphony. The other half wants to go into dentistry.

BP—Those who expose the ugly, beautiful and fascinating parts of themselves and their larger world through their work.

3. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

JP—Well, I didn't know Rob Mathes at the time, so it wasn't him. I always thought I'd end up as a lawyer or politician. All the way up to my senior year of high school, I was looking at colleges to go to where I could do some kind of pre-law work. I was always fascinated by the legal system, by our government, and I was one of the thousands of kids who thought he could be president one day. Or at least vice president.

BP—I'm still trying figure that out… but maybe I'll be a fireman one day, or a figure skater.

4. Who is your real life hero and why?

JP—I said it earlier -- but I'll say it again: my family. My wife, who is the most solid, dependable, creative, brilliant person I've ever met. I'm astonished by her every day. And my parents—they were strong but not demanding, unconditionally supportive of what I wanted to pursue, and they modeled a way of living that I'm still striving to achieve. They passed down traditions of faith and morality that I'm so thankful for. They are my heroes... because at the end of the day all that life stuff is a heck of a lot more important than writing show tunes, right?

BP—My mom and dad. They taught me to see what could be rather than what is.

5. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?

JP—Well, I'm hoping that I haven't achieved it yet! But thus far, I'm really proud of the scores we've written, and of the collaboration and friendship Benj and I have formed as writing partners. But as far as accomplishment goes -- it's up to my wife. If she says I have been a good husband, then that would really be the greatest accomplishment I could claim so far in my life. Being a good husband, being a good father. Those are my goals in terms of accomplishments. Only time will tell.

BP—Surviving middle school

6. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

JP—Perfect happiness is living where I can see the water, being in a funk band that plays at local clubs just for fun, having a happy home and happy family, and writing musicals that mean something to people. Aaahhh…

BP—Eating Thai food and playing running charades with the people I love.

7. What do you most fear?

JP—Drowning. Not pursuing opportunities aggressively enough. Running out of ideas.

BP—Crocodiles, serial killers, and falling short of personal goals.

8. What is the trait you love most about yourself?

JP—While it makes me a somewhat intolerable person, I really enjoy the organization and structure of my life. I like that I make to-do lists practically every day, and I have my entire life scheduled in my iPhone, which immediately and remotely syncs to both of my computers. I'm happy to be a hyper-structured person. It just makes living with me a very difficult task.

BP—My spontaneity.

9. What is the trait you hate most about yourself?

JP—I hate that I cannot stop eating cookies and pies and cupcakes. I really, really hate it. I have the most horrible sweet tooth, the most awful gluttonous spirit when it comes to food and dessert. And I know I'm doing something wrong, there is just this place deep within me that demands more and more. It's absolutely an addiction.

BP—Being disorganized. I'm working on that though...

10. What is your most treasured possession?

JP—Three things: 1) This one isn't actually mine... it's my parents' baby grand piano. I like to think we share it; it just permanently lives at their house. But it was at this piano where I spent a large portion of my childhood. 2) I have a collection of notes, cards, and sweet messages my wife has left me since the time we first started dating. I cherish these. 3) My Bible. While it's certainly true that I don't read it enough, I could never live without it.

BP—Old photo albums.

11. What do you love most about musical theater?

JP—I love the storytelling and I love the invitation to suspend the rules we've lived by for just a few hours and transport to a different world. The coolest thing about musical theater is that every story we see up on the stage is ours -- it resonates, it relates, it reminds of something or someone from our own life. And yet we don't realize because we're watching something magical and out of this world. Characters sing big productions, giant sets move on and offstage, animals come to life, magic is real -- and we buy it all. Because we know that underneath it all is a story that feels as natural and familiar to us as the conversation we had yesterday with a friend or the journal entry we wrote last night. I love being deceived into thinking I'm watching something other-worldly, but then reminding myself that it couldn't be more like my life.

BP—That you get to capture memories and stories in songs.

Watch the video below to hear a portion of the song "Somewhere Hovering Over Indiana", written by Pasek and Paul.

Memories of Jean Shepherd by -Lorraine McConaghy, Professor of Museum Studies, University of Washington

2010-12-15T15:32:00.000-08:00

Jean Sheperd. Photo by Fred W. McDarrah (above)

As a girl my transistor radio – a pale beige plastic box with rounded edges – first opened nighttime worlds to me. My Uncle Charles, a dashing bachelor, drove out to our tract house in northern New Jersey each Christmas from his New York apartment. Even as a child, I saw his sophistication, his polished and urbane contrast to my parents. And he always gave me Christmas gifts I really wanted. One year, it was a subscription to Seventeen magazine. Another year, a gift certificate to Bloomingdale’s. Each year, each gift, my mother frowned and shook her head. But finally, in 1959, I unwrapped my own transistor radio, with the batteries already installed, and took my transistorized Nutcracker to my little pink bedroom and closed the door. In the Christmas afternoon’s deepening twilight, with snow drifting past the window, I began to explore the world through my radio. Those parts of the world, at least, that boasted a strong enough signal. It was great. I learned that there were alternatives to our drab suburban life of meatloaf, layoffs and property taxes.
I especially liked listening to the radio after dark, in my bed – the house was still, my imagination worked better and so did the reception. I pressed my face to the transistor radio on my pillow, so that my mom wouldn’t hear that I was still awake, listening to “that damn thing.” Occasionally, I could get stations from Philadelphia, Washington, DC and Wheeling, West Virginia – I’d hold my breath so I could hear better. I heard my first gospel, my first jazz, my first folk music. But radio was much more than music. I also heard my first John Birch Society member, my first Marxist, my first holy roller. And, boy, did I listen. My transistor radio opened the world for me.
My first great AM radio love was Jean Shepherd, who broadcast out of a New York studio on WOR. I stumbled on him, just cycling through the stations, and after that, I listened to Shep’s show every night. He seemed to be speaking just to me, in the dark, over the transistor radio, creating an extemporaneous and magical story. I thought of him much differently as a kid than I do now. Jean Shepherd was a brilliant American humorist and writer, a gifted monologist, an uncompromising social critic and a Renaissance man of many skills and interests. But back then, he was just Shep. He had grown up in Hammond, Indiana, and remembered the town, its people and himself with penetrating insight.
Shep began so many radio stories, “So I’m this kid, see…,” and his voice was warm and confiding. And then he would weave a story before the eyes of my imagination – his mom stirring a pot in the stove wearing her rump-sprung chenille robe, his dad doing battle with the coal-fired furnace, his kid brother sobbing quietly under the kitchen sink, his teacher Miss Shields, the neighborhood bully Scut Farkus, and his pals Flick, Bruner and Schwartz. Shep invoked Ovaltine promos, a guy’s batting average, freezing your tongue to a metal pole on a triple-dog dare, gazing at the allure of a lamp modeled as a woman’s leg, ads from Popular Mechanics – “Do you really know any popular mechanics?”, he would ask, “I mean, really? Are there any, anywhere?” And then he would chuckle, a deeply amused and knowing rumble. He moved easily back and forth between being a kid and being a grownup, exploring the mutually incomprehensible terrain. Shep could convince me that a Red Ryder BB gun was a kid’s holy grail, and that grownups just didn’t get it. “You’ll shoot your eye out!”, they all said, foolishly. But there it was, under the Christmas tree. As a kid myself, I felt liberated by Shep’s triumph but, after all, his dad did buy the gun for him and he nearly did shoot his eye out. Life, I learned from Shep, was nicely complicated.
Jean Shepherd was a satirist who mined his own life to develop his art, and his humor was benevolent and wise, endearing and enduring. And so we are drawn to the gentle satire of “A Christmas Story,” which Shep was working on in his monologues when I began listening to him in 1959, on my little transistor radio. For all of us, Jean Shepherd is the voice of our childhood and somehow, also, the voice of our adulthood. We see both, through his eyes, and we just have to smile and shake our heads.

Adapted from “Waves and Signals: Greenwich Village and Jean Shepherd,” originally published in Humanities Washington’s Port, 1999, with many thanks to Humanities Washington.

First dress rehearsal with Sarah Davis

2010-11-29T11:19:00.001-08:00

Tonight is our first orchestra dress rehearsal! I will probably be watching from the balcony to get a different perspective of the show.
A friend of mine is in town and she is also swinging on a tour right now and she thought my little color coordinated books for the actors were amazing and super organized! Score! The more I watch the show the more I fantisize about going on for Miss Shields... Sadly, I'm not the Miss Shields understudy ( but I have all her blocking down just in
case!) I'm pretty sure if I ever went on for Miss Shields for some odd reason I would just be playing Carol Swarbrick as Miss Shields, which could also be quite hilarious. Carol Swarbrick is a complete genius. She is the most hilarious woman on and off stage and no one should miss this opportunity to see her in the show.

We have our first preview Friday and it occured to me that I need to be just as prepared to perform Friday as the rest of the actors, which is slightly frightening because that means mastering all 6 tracks but I have no doubt that I would be ready and I know my cast would help me out.

Starting with our first dress tonight I will start to really focus on one track at a time because now I have all 6 written down and it's time to really follow one at a time, and I'm finding that to be the hardest part of being a swing at this point. I have so many details and notes flying through my head that it's hard to focus on one thing at a time...
(point being made... I just got distracted writing this because three ensemble members dressed as elves just did the single ladies dance on stage... I love it here) and I could write a whole blog on how fabulous Clarke Hallum is as Ralphie... But sadly I do not cover him so I will save my gushing for later.

Sarah

Tech week with Sarah Davis

2010-11-24T12:22:00.000-08:00

Tech week went really well... We finished up our 10 out of 12s yesterday and we got through the whole show! Amazing! It's so much fun to watch and I'm amazed that it is still hilariously funny to me and I've seen it so many times. Sitzprobe was Sunday....there are no words for how beautiful the arrangments are! Ian wanted Jared and I too sing along with the ensemble which was really fun. I can't lie though...
It's very different sitting in the house watching for 12 hours as opposed to being onstage the whole time. Both are exhausting in very different ways. I'm certainly getting a whole new perspective on being an actor though... Being able to watch how everything comes together on the stage and taking that step away from it all to look at the big picture has been really interesting. My tracking books are coming together though ... Almost all caught up with writing all the entrance and exits and such, but as expected things are changing so I will keep updating them.

This is Sarah Davis’ method to swinging the show – a
different color highlighter for every track she’s covering.

A Swing-ing Blog!

2010-11-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

We've asked our Male and Female Swings, Jared Michael Brown and Sarah Davis to give us a backstage perspective on what it means to be a Swing in a brand new show like A Christmas Story: The Musical! First, get to know Jared with this fun journal entry from last week's tech rehearsals.

We’re underway with day four of tech rehearsals for ‘A Christmas Story,’ starting Act II this afternoon and hopefully wrapping up the entire show before tomorrow at 11:30pm. I can tell you, from my seat in Row J, orchestra right, it’s been a whirlwind of a tech rehearsal process. This will be my second experience here at the 5th Avenue Theatre, but my first main stage show I’ve been involved with. I was a part of the Adventure Musical Theatre tour last season and had an absolute blast! ‘A Christmas Story’ has more than a few rolling backdrops, though, and by looking around the house right now, I see a lot more people involved in the process.

My role in the show is a ‘Swing.’ As defined, I am a cover for the seven ensemble men in the show, able to step in for any of the actors at a moment’s notice, and responsible for performing the track exactly as the other actor would. And because I’m not on stage during the tech process I’m able to observe and take extensive notes on each of the actors’ track. These notes will be moved into separate track scripts I’d be able to use if I ever had to step in for someone. It’s a daunting task and it’s a lot of work, but it’s so much fun.

During the long hours of tech rehearsals people get a little run down after dancing a number 15 times to try and time lights out perfectly. Run down, and sometimes a little crazy. I’d like to take this time to share with all of you some of the gems we’ve heard here at the swing table during rehearsal:

“Let’s take it from the top of the Riverdance” – Amy (Stage Manager)

“Can I wear these shoes in my fantasy? / Can we make it so I slide down the banister into my fantasy?” - Carol Swarbrick (Miss Shields)

“People are much funnier on God Mics.” - Sarah Davis (Swing)

(Upon discovering that the lamp doesn’t light) “Boys, check the fusebox!” – John Bolton (The Old Man)

“You’ve got the longest legs in the world, Carol!” – Kelly, “Three of ‘em!” – Carol Swarbrick during the leg lamp dance.

“Funny, Eric, but be gentle with your leg.” – Amy (Stage Manager)

“Kids, please don’t eat the snow… It’s plastic.” - Kelly Devine (Choreographer)

Meet the Kids of A Christmas Story: The Musical!

2010-11-15T14:38:00.001-08:00

Need another reason to catch A Christmas Story: The Musical? We've got 13, and despite these hilarious lyrics, trust us, these kids are anything but wimps! Catch a sneak peek of the children's ensemble performing "When You're a Wimp" from A Christmas Story: The Musical! here:

Meet the Parkers—And All of their Neighbors!

2010-10-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the cast for A Christmas Story: The Musical!, the 5th Avenue Theatre’s upcoming holiday production. The roster features an impressive array of Seattle area talent, as well as three actors from New York.

After a coast-to-coast search that included auditions in New York, Seattle and Los Angeles, as well as video submissions from across the country, Olympia, Washington-based actor Clarke Hallum (left) was chosen to play the lead role of Ralphie Parker. The 11-year-old Hallum has most recently appeared at the Capital Playhouse as Charlie in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

“I’m proud, but not surprised that, after a nationwide search, we found our Ralphie right here in the Pacific Northwest,”

says 5th Avenue Theatre Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong. “Casting Clarke -- as well as the many other children who will be featured in this exciting production -- says a lot about the incredible talent pool of performers of all ages who live here in the Puget Sound.”

The adults in A Christmas Story: The Musical! include several familiar faces, as well as performers new to 5th Avenue audiences. The principals are John Bolton (The Old Man), Anne Allgood (Mother), and Frank Corrado (Jean Shepherd). Featured performers include Carol Swarbrick (Miss Shields), Orville Mendoza (Elf/Waiter), Eric Polani Jensen (Pierre), and Matt Wolfe (Santa).

The rest of the children in the cast have also primarily been drawn from the Puget Sound area. They include Keenan Barr (Grover Dill), Ashton Herrild (Scut Farkus), Matthew Lewis (Randy Parker), and Dexter Johnson (Flick). River Aguirre (Schwartz) joins us from New York. The ensemble includes Walker Caplan, Wilder Cufley, Larson Eernissee, Drea Gordon, Shaye Hodgins, Olivia Mora, Erich W. Schleck, Cameron Washington, and Mira Wellington.

More About the Cast
John Bolton is a New York-based actor who has originated roles in several Broadway productions including Curtains and Spamalot. Anne Allgood has performed locally at ACT, Seattle Rep, Intiman, Village Theatre, and of course at The 5th, where she was seen in a bravura turn as The Old Woman in last season’s critically-acclaimed Candide. Frank Corrado, a veteran of the Seattle theater scene, last appeared at The 5th Avenue in White Christmas as General Waverly. He is joined by Carol Swarbrick, who also appeared in White Christmas as Martha Watson. Orville Mendoza is based in New York and his work has included a Drama Desk-nominated performance in Adrift In Macao. Eric Polani Jensen, another 5th Avenue regular, was last seen behind an astonishing moustache as The Governor in Candide. And Matt Wolfe graced our stage in Catch Me if You Can.

Rounding out the cast are Seattle-based performers (and 5th Avenue favorites) Jadd Davis, Candice Donehoo, Brandon O'Neill, and Billie Wildrick as the Radio Quartet. Joining them are Krystle Armstrong, Jared Michael Brown, Sarah Davis, Aaron Finley, Frances Leah King, Jenny Shotwell, and Ty Willis as members of the Ensemble.

In the Heights is a Hit!

2010-10-05T12:19:00.001-07:00

The reviews are in and Seattle critics agree-- In the Heights is a smash hit!

Check out some of the highlights below in our review roundup:

From the Seattle Times - “This Tony Award-winning Broadway musical first devised by Lin-Manuel Miranda arrives on tour with a splendid cast, and its street-smart humor, sentimental soul and fiery dancing intact."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2013051088_heights02.html

From the Woodinville Weekly - “This fast-paced, moving, funny and internationally-flavored story sizzles with an exciting score, inspired choreography and terrific performances by a charismatic cast that knows how to rock the house."
http://www.nwnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2022:salsa-fueled-in-the-heights-explodes-with-gusto&catid=55:going-out&Itemid=87

The Examiner - "The energetic and highly talented cast of performers bop, sway, salsa, and hip-hop their way to the show’s upbeat ending.”
http://www.examiner.com/theater-in-seattle/in-the-height-brings-its-american-dreams-to-seattle

The Broadway Hour - “It is the catharsis that we all need from time to time to connect us to what is truly important: family, friends and embracing who you are. No wonder it won the Tony for Best Musical.”
http://broadwayhour.blogspot.com/2010/10/in-heights-5th-ave.html

Only two weeks remain to catch the smash hit-- get your tickets at 5thavenue.org!

Sneak a Peek of A Christmas Story: The Musical!

2010-09-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

If you happened to attend Spotlight Night September 16, you were privy to a surprise world premiere from A Christmas Story: The Musical! performed by composer and lyricist team Benj Pasek & Justin Paul. If you hadn't heard of Broadway's hottest young songwriters before, chances are you were scouring the search engines for more shortly thereafter (or maybe that was just our staff...). The charming pair so entertained our audience that we received several requests for videos of their performance -- and, despite it being a little early for Christmas, we happily obliged! Here is the FIRST clip of their performances. Stay tuned for more performances and backstage interviews to come!

Spotlight on In the Heights: Videos are UP!

2010-09-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

For those of you who didn't catch our first Spotlight Night of the season, here's a preview of what you missed!

Broadway producer Kevin McCollum (Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights) shared his trade secrets on what makes a Tony Award-winning best musical and gave a preview of the upcoming Broadway tour of In the Heights. Check out interview clips below -

And stay tuned for more Spotlight Night clips, including performances from A Christmas Story: the Musical! composer and lyricist team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul!

In the Heights Events

2010-09-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

Looking for a pre-show dinner or fun event to heighten your theater experience? Whether you're more intellectually or gastronomically inclined, we've got something for you!

Free Events! - The 5th Avenue Show Talk: Sponsored by Macy's

Meet theater artists and special community guests throughout the run of In the Heights as we examine many of the topics and themes from the show, including:

New York as a Musical Theater Character
Hip-Hop Storytelling Slam Poetry
Displacement Issues within Minority Groups
Immigration Debate in the United States
Dominican Culture and Community
Communities in Change

Show Talk events are free and open to the public - find dates and details here.

Pre-Show Spotlight Dinner

For the perfect pre-show dinner and drink spot, check out our neighborhood restaurant partner Sullivan's Steakhouse located just two blocks from the Theatre. See a sneak peek at their special 3-course Spotlight Menu below:

Make reservations and find information, here.

In the Heights opens next week! Don't miss out on the Tony Award-winning best musical, get your tickets today!

Top 10 Reasons to Come to Spotlight Night!

2010-09-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night (Thursday, September 16) is the first Spotlight Night of the season! For those of you still debating whether to sign up for your FREE tickets (yes, they're free, so what's the debate about?) here are 10 reasons to log on and sign up now:

10. It's FREE! Spotlight Nights are a mini-production from The 5th. That means you get the same top-notch talent, entertainment and experience you've come to expect from The 5th, but best of all, it's absolutely FREE!

9. You'll get the inside gossip. Host Executive Producer & Artistic Director David Armstrong has been known to get pretty excited during Spotlight Nights, and when David gets excited about a production, he sometimes spills the beans on top-secret info. (And by "sometimes," we really mean often...) That means you'll get behind-the-scenes gossip and news before anyone else!

8. Special offers.

7. Premiere performances! Last season Legally Blonde composer and lyricist Laurence O'Keefe performed a sneak peek of his new work Heathers -- and our Spotlight Night audience was the first in the world to hear it! Expect more of the same this season, starting tomorrow night...

6. Did we mention it's free?

5. Eric Ankrim. The Gregory Award nominee and upcoming star of Oklahoma! will perform with upcoming 5th Avenue performers Cayman Ilika, Jennifer Sue Johnson and

4. Billie Wildrick. Star of countless 5th Avenue productions such as On The Town, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George, the songstress will preview songs from the upcoming season, including Vanities: A New Musical.

3. The Theatre. While many of our admin staff enjoyed sunshine-filled activities outdoors this summer, many of the crew were hard at work inside the Theatre during the three-month break. Be the first to see the fruits of their labor as we unveil a surprise!

2. Kevin McCollum will be there. If you haven't yet heard of the Broadway hall-of-famer, tomorrow is your chance to hear first hand what it's like to produce some of Broadway's hottest hits. Kevin's repertoire includes the Tony Award-winning productions of Rent, The Drowsy Chaperone, Avenue Q and In the Heights.

1. Surprise guests! Due to the nature of show biz, airlines make a killing off some of our illustrious guests and their ever-changing schedules...which means some of our guests won't be announced until they arrive at the event. Trust us, it's worth the wait!

Availability is limited -- sign up for your FREE tickets now at 5thavenue.org!

Searching for Ralphie, Randy, and their friends! Kids Auditions!

2010-08-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

All tickets, All Shows, On Sale Now! (Special presale!)

2010-08-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

Thank You & Giant #FollowFriday

2010-07-30T16:41:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all who have participated in our Christmas in July one-day sale through buying tickets and spreading the word!

For those of you on Twitter, you'll recognize the term #FollowFriday. Follow Fridays are posts where people recommend other twitter accounts as ones their fans should also follow. We often get recognized in #FollowFridays that talk about great arts orgs in Seattle - merci!

In honor of the #FollowFriday tradition, we would like to dedicate this post to all of you who have spread the word! We're sure there are hundreds of you not listed, so feel free to post your Facebook name/Twitter name in the comments if we didn't include you!

A HUGE "Thank You" goes out to the following individuals and organizations for supporting The 5th Avenue and helping to spread the word about our Christmas in July sale for A Christmas Story: The Musical. 5th Avenue fans, be sure to follow these guys - there's a reason they are our friends!

Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureau

Seattle Chamber of Commerce

Downtown Seattle Association

Inn at The Market

Heavy Restaurants (Purple Cafe & Wine Bar, Barrio, Lot No. 3)

Seattle Metropolitan

Seattle Magazine and Inside Seattle

Shuttle Express

Warm 106.9

Spectrum Dance Theatre

Seattle Repertory Theatre

Pacific Place

Fairmont Olympic Hotel

Made in Washington Stores

Hotel Max

Marqueen Hotel

Hotel Andra

Seattle Events

Rosemary Jones

Oliver's Lounge , Andaluca & Mayflower Park Hotel
Clear Awakening Massage

Seattle Night Out

Four Seasons Hotel

Suite 410

Argosy Cruises

Also a great thank you to @twit_willow, @clarknuber @mylifebalance, @rumstrypze, @keridwyn, @kcrep, @thejathan, @sandmear, @dealpop, @k8malone, dnm_sea_travel, @whatagooddeal, @denaliswisher, @glutenfree23, @2pawprints, @juliatran, @superbetch, @chrismarcacci, @rickjameswife ...and SO may more!

"Find The Leg Lamp" Contest!

2010-07-27T16:12:00.001-07:00

It's Leg Lamp Week!

Gearing up for Friday's Christmas in July sale, we decided to launch a fun contest this week as well!

Somewhere in downtown Seattle, our Leg Lamp is out on display! Solve this puzzle to find out where the Leg Lamp will be (now through Friday) and visit its location for your chance to win!

When you find the Leg Lamp, simply fill out a form to enter to win VIP tickets to A Christmas Story: The Musical. Bring your camera with you - when you email us a photo of you with the leg lamp (or post the photo on our Facebook wall) you will be entered to win for a second time!

Here's the puzzle - happy hunting!

From the Atlantic to the _ _ _ _ _ _ _, A Christmas Story has a special _ _ _ _ _ in the hearts of many.

Based on the _ _ _ _ of short stories by Jean Shepard, this holiday classic movie comes to life as a “delightfully over the top” musical this holiday season.

Don’t miss out on all the fun that is in _ _ _ _ _!

It's "Christmas In July" this Friday - save up to $50!

2010-07-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Christmas in July is this Friday, July 30th!

Get tickets to A Christmas Story: The Musical for only $30 (save up to $50)!

To celebrate our 30th anniversary, The 5th Avenue Theatre is giving you a special gift – on Friday, July 30 – for one day only, tickets to our new holiday production of A Christmas Story: The Musical will be on sale for just $30!

Discount applies to performances from November 26 – December 8. Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate the holidays with this hilarious musical inspired by the classic 1983 film.

The special pricing will be available online at 5thavenue.org, in person at the box office at 1308 5th Avenue, or over the phone at 206-625-1900.

*Price does not include $3 facility fee per ticket. Service fees apply to all web and phone orders. No refunds or exchanges, all sales are final. Limit 9 tickets per person. Sale runs online from 9:30am Friday July 30 - 9:30am Saturday July 31. Box Office & Phones open 9:30am- 6:00pm on Friday.

For more info on A Christmas Story: The Musical, click here.

Contemporary Classics features 5th Avenue performers

2010-07-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Our casting associate and artistic project manager, Brandon Ivie, has a busy job supporting the artistic department in a wide varity of ways. Somehow, Ivie still finds time outside of The 5th to be an active freelance director and artistic director of Contemporary Classics, a company dedicated to producing and developing contemporary musicals in Seattle.

This summer, Brandon and Contemporary Classis bring two great musicals to Seattle - and brings 5th Avenue Theatre fans the opportunity to get tickets at 25% off.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Now - August 14 at Ballard Underground Theatre) is the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical about six social outcasts competing for the biggest spelling championship of their pre-pubescent lives. Spelling Bee features 5th Avenue Theatre actors Brian Demar Jones (Hello, Dolly!) and William Williams (Adventure Musical Theatre). Use discount code social5thave on BrownPaperTickets to recieve 25% off.

Playing July 23 - August 1, The Yellow Wood is an exciting new rock musical about a 17-year old boy with ADHD trying to memorize the poem “The Road Not Taken” without his Ritalin. The world of the poem starts to come to life in the hallways of his school as he tries to navigate his way through all the facets of his not-so-normal life. The Yellow Wood explores the angst, joy and highly imaginative state of one teen's amazing brain. The Yellow Wood features 5th Avenue Theatre actors Diana Huey (Mame), Heather Apellanes (Joseph...), Jared Michael Brown (Adventure Musical Theatre), Bob DeDea (Into The Woods) and is directed by Brandon Ivie. Sarah Davis, 2003 Award Recipient for Best Actress at The 5th Avenue Theatre High School awards, also takes the stage. Use discount code social5thave to receive 25% off tickets, here.

5,000+ Celebration Contest!

2010-07-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

This week, we passed 5,000 followers on Facebook! In honor of the Facebook "occasion" and all our fans, we are celebrating with a very special contest!

The winner will recieve:

LIVE THEATRE!

Two VIP Tickets to The 5th Avenue Theatre (Winner chooses between A Christmas Story, Guys & Dolls or Oklahoma!)

HOTEL NIGHT!

A Night's Stay at Inn at The Market - with an amazing water view room (value $400!), including valet parking. Inn at the Market is Seattle’s only hotel in Pike Place Market, with view of the market and Puget Sound. Wait until you see their deck! This 5th Avenue Theatre favorite is a fabulous treat for out of towners or your own staycation!

GREAT FOOD!

or

Dinner at your choice of Purple Café & Wine Bar (amazing global wine selection and a menu that blends classic American styles with seasonal northwest ingredients in downtown Seattle) or Barrio Restaurant ($50 value) (creative, classic and Latin focused cocktails and a menu that takes a unique and modern approach to Mexican inspired cuisine).

How to enter:

1. Be sure you're following us on Facebook, here.

2. In honor of our 30th anniversary, write YOUR favorite memory from The 5th Avenue on our facebook wall. You can post the memory on our wall directly or link us to a blog entry you write about one of your visits to The 5th Avenue Theatre. (If you haven't yet been to The 5th Avenue, you can tell us who you'd bring and what show you're most excited to see in the coming 2010/2011 Season.)

3. Share our page on your facebook wall or invite your friends to join our page!

Thank you to all our fans on Facebook - you are so important to us!

Join us online!

5th Avenue Theatre Facebook Page
5th Avenue Theatre on Twitter

Inn at The Market Facebook Page
Inn at The Market on Twitter

Purple Cafe & Wine Bar Facebook Page
Barrio Restaurant Facebook Page
Heavy Restaurant (Purple, Barrio & LOT No. 3) on Twitter

Entries must be posted by July 22nd. One entry per person. 5th Avenue Theatre tickets valid for one of the first eight performances of each run of the select shows, excluding Saturday evenings. Inn at hte Market gift certificate is valid October 1, 2010 until May 31, 2011. Not valid New Years Eve or Valentines Day weekend. Reservations must be made in advanced and will be based on availability. Winner will be chosen by using random.org on July 23rd.

Groups of 10 or more save 30%!

2010-07-15T14:17:00.001-07:00

Seattle's Allen Fitzpatrick joins Broadway Memphis cast!

2010-07-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

Seattle Star, Allen Fitzpatrick, is returning to NYC to play the role of Mr. Simmons in the Tony Award winning musical, Memphis! Fitzpatrick created the role of Simmons at the La Jolla Playhouse and returned to play the role here at The 5th Avenue Theatre's production.

Instead of heading to Banff for two weeks (with Ian Eisendrath, David Pichette, Brandon O'Neill, Billie Wildrick, and other 5th Avenue folks to workshop Loulou The Acrobat), he will be joining the Memphis Broadway cast for a multi-week engagement.

Fitzpatrick begins his performances tonight, for an 8 week run. Give our regards to Broadway, friend!

Seattle Star & In The Heights cast appear in So You Think You Can Dance!

2010-07-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Tonight, watch the cast members of the Tony-award winning musical tour of In The Heights, as they show their moves on 'So You Think You Can Dance!' on Fox!

We're excited to see In The Heights cast member and Seattle Star, Daniel Cruz on the program! Cruz has been seen on stage at The 5th Avenue Theatre in West Side Story, A Chorus Line, Hello, Dolly!, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and more.

Many Seattleites remember Cruz as Director/Choreographer of local dance group Cruz Control. Cruz has worked with artists such as Prince, Ashanti, N'sync, and Michael Jackson with renowned choreographers Wade Robson, Brian Friedman, Margueritte Derricks, and Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo. He has appeared on TV at MTV VMA's, BET Awards, Much Music Awards, and more. Daniel was also in the North American tour of Fame.

Cruz and the rest of the In The Heights touring cast perform at The 5th Avenue Theatre September 28 - October 17th. Tickets on sale in August. Click here for more about the show!

Free Concerts This Summer!

2010-06-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Stop by our table at the following Downtown Seattle Out to Lunch concerts this summer to enter to win tickets to The 5th Avenue Theatre!

Enjoy free outdoor music in this great city. Out To Lunch Concerts are from 12 Noon - 1:30pm at various locations.

The 5th Avenue Theatre will have a giveaway table at the following concerts:

Wed June 30: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (Funk/Rock) at Occidental Park

Wed Aug 4: Jovino Santo Neto (Brazillian Jazz) at Two Union Square

Fri Aug 13: Lucy Woodward (Jazz/Blues/Funk) at Harbor Steps

Fri Aug 27: The Dusty 45s (Rockabilly/Swing featuring 5th Avenue's own Billy Joe Huels) at Harbor Steps

Wed Sept 1: Grupo Ashe (Contemporary Cuban) at Westlake Park

For more info on the Out To Lunch concert series, click here.

Alternate Show Titles

2010-06-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

Our box office staff has delighted the rest of us with a list of "alternate" show titles that anonymous patrons have used when requesting tickets over the past season. We don't judge anyone who gets a title wrong, of course, but some of the confusion on show titles does bring a smile to our face, so we had to share some of our favorites:

Catch Me If You Can has been called "Can't Take It With You," "To Catch a Thief," and "Catch You if You Can." (Perhaps the last one is a solo show?)

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has been called "Joseph and his Music Colored Raincoat," "Joseph and the Technical Raincoat," "Joseph's Jacket," "Joseph and his whatever" and ""Joseph and the Amazing Democrat."

South Pacific was once referred to as "Blue Lagoon."

That "elle" of a show, Legally Blonde, might also be known to some as "Illegally Blonde," "The Gal in Pink" or "Legally Blind."

Candide was a tricky one, too. A rarely produced show, the pronunciation was a bit confusing - but we have to give people credit from trying. "Candida," "Candy-Man," and "Canada-eh," were some of the attempts that brought smiles to our face.

We wonder what fun titles will come out of next season's shows! Don't worry, though, we'll still be happy to find you great seats to In The Heights if you call it "Up in the Air" or Vanities if you ask for tickets to "Vain Mirror Musical!"

Memphis success continues

2010-06-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Since winning the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Orchestrations, Best Original Score, & Best Book for a Musical of 2010, the cast recording went from #81 to #9 on the Billboard Charts!

On Friday, July 2nd, ABC will air the President making the finale address in "America Celebrates July 4th at Ford's Theatre. Tony-nominated Memphis star, Montego Glover, joins the star-spangled special by singing her knockout solo, "Colored Woman," and General Colin Powell will honor five distinguished veterans who have recieved the Medal of Honor.

For more updates, visit the Memphis website: http://www.memphisthemusical.com/

If you missed David Armstrong's personal report from the Tonys, check it out here.

Last Week of Candide - special offers, including $20 see it again tickets!

2010-06-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

Only 5 shows left of Candide! Now - June 13.

Experience the theatrical event of the season, Candide, for the first time...or see it again for just $20!* And don't forget, Social Media fans can get 50% off tickets through Friday evening - details here.

Don't miss the show the Seattle Weekly calls "Irresistible" and The Seattle Times declares "a rare treat." Ticket start at just $25.50.

*See it again details: Turn in your paid ticket stub in person on the day you wish to attend at The 5th Avenue Theatre Box Office to redeem your $20 ticket. Limit one ticket per paid ticket stub. Cash only. Subject to availability. Offer not good on previously purchased tickets, or in combination with any other offer.

Also, tune in to KUOW today at 2:44pm to hear Seattle Times reviewer Misha Berson's take on Candide and why she loves this 5th Avenue production. After the live airing, you'll be able to hear it again on the KUOW website, here.

Jeannette d'Armand & Seattle Storm game

2010-06-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

By now you have probably seen Jeannette d'Armand on our stage either in one of our Spotlight Nights, one of our productions, at our gala, or as one of The Daffodils, our popular girl trio, with fellow singers Candice Donehoo and Billie Wildrick accompanied by Albert Evans on piano.

Jeannette will be singing the National Anthem at Friday, June 11th's Seattle Storm basketball game! 5th Avenue fans can save big on tickets to Friday's game by clicking here and entering promotion code anthem. Get tickets for $15 - $25 (regularly $19 -$55) by selecting June 11's game, entering promo code, creating an account and then selecting your tickets. (Note: June 11 is currently the only upcoming game that we have scheduled a 5th Avenue Theatre performer to sing the anthem).

Jeannette recently released her debut CD "Stage Road." While she has been a Seattle resident for nearly 20 years, Jeannette still keeps her connections to the New York scene and recorded "Stage Road" in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. Her two producers were Laurel Massé, founding soprano of Manhattan Transfer, and Hubert "Tex" Arnold who did the arrangements and played for Margaret Whiting for 20 years and has also arranged for Rosemary Clooney and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Here's what Jeannette had to say about producing her first CD:

"One of the most challenging aspects of making my first CD was narrowing down the material. There is such a plethora of phenomenal music in the world and I love to sing so much of it. I went through just about every song I've ever known sung by singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan to Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Paul Simon and a zillion more, including a trip to the Library of Congress in D.C. to research Peggy Lee's lesser-known compositions. The challenge was how to release a cohesive album that one could listen to without feeling they just changed the station on the radio six times. This is where working with Laurel Massé and Tex Arnold came in. Using primarily one arranger allowed me to bring the songs together and produce them in such a way that my varied choice in music could live together on one album."

The title of the album has a bit of a story behind it. Jeannette is not only the daughter of two classical singers but the granddaughter of Jeanne Merrill, who starred on Broadway in the 1940s, sang with the New City Opera Company and sang for a weekly radio show during World War II. Aptly enough, the street Jeannette was raised on in her youth was called "Stage Road".

"Stage Road" can be found on cdbaby.com, iTunes and amazon.com.

Win two seats to private reading of A Christmas Story!

2010-06-09T11:41:00.001-07:00

Update: Winner has been chosen: Michelle J.F. Congrats Michelle!

On Friday June 11th at 11:30am, a selection of fantastic local actors will be doing a read-through selection from Act 1 of A Christmas Story, which premieres at The 5th Avenue Theatre November 30th - December 19, 2010.

One lucky winner will receive two passes to this private event - you can't buy a seat, you only can win them! Be one of the first of your friends to hear the songs and script of this exciting new musical.

To enter, simply

post a comment on this blog entry

write a comment on our facebook wall

or write a tweet that uses @5thavetheatre in the body of the tweet, such as "You'll shoot your eye out, @5thavetheatre - I want to win!"

One entry per person - entries must be posted by 3pm Thursday June 10th (winner will be contacted by 4pm).

Please note, this is a special reading - elements to the show may be added or removed before performances begin. As this show has not been officially cast, the actors in the reading may not be the actors you see on stage.

Watch the 2010 High School Musical Theatre Awards

2010-06-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

Free Event - part of Seattle Celebrates Bernstein festival

2010-06-03T16:45:00.001-07:00

Monday June 7, 2010 7:30pm

FREE !
STG Presents WEST SIDE STORY Stories – Memories of Lenny by Martin Charnin on Monday, June 7, 2010 at 7:30pm in STG’s Paramount Theatre lobby. This free event includes Martin Charnin's (one of the original Jets) personal reminiscences of Leonard Bernstein, and features a never-before heard reading of a 1987 conversation recorded at the Dramatist Guild in New York between Bernstein, Sondheim, Lawrence and Robbins, with Seattle actors portraying the four giants. Bernstein songs performed by Showtunes cast members will round out the event. This free event is part of the Seattle Celebrates Bernstein Festival. To learn more, visit http://www.seattlecelebratesbernstein.org/

Learn more about Summer School programs and enter to win!

2010-06-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

Want to know more about Summer Musical Theatre Schools this August at The 5th Avenue Theatre for ages 11 - 20?

Email contest@5thavenue.org with the subject line Summer to receive more information on summer camps and be entered to win 2 tickets to A Christmas Story November 30 – Dec 3. One entry per person, contest ends June 10th.

For more on Summer Musical Theatre School, click here.

Glowing Reviews & Great Offers for Candide!

2010-06-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

We've been so appreciative of all the glowing reviews we've recieved from press, bloggers and fans on our social media sites, so we've decided to extend our social media discount offer for Candide!

Use promotion code FANS to receive 50% off all remaining Sunday evening - Friday evening performances.

Buy tickets over the phone at 206-625-1900, in person at the box office or online using promotion code FANS. When ordering online, be sure to sign in to your account and use the promotion code FANS at that time, before choosing your seats.

Click here for more info on the show, which ends June 13.

Find us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with all our offers, contests, news and more!

Not valid on previously purchased tickets or in conjunction with any other offer. Not valid on Pearl or Side Balcony seats.

The reviews:
From the Seattle Times: "Candide is a celebration of how far Seattle's musical theater scene has come - and what, at full strength, it is capable of." Read the full review here.
From Broadway World: "...perfect staging, soaring voices, hysterical and touching performances and of course that brilliant Bernstein score, the 5th Avenue has definitely turned this diamond in the rough into the sparking gem it was always meant to be and has proved that this production truly is the best of all possible worlds." Read the full review here.
From Seattle Metropolitan: "...a smart, salacious epic with a booming score and voices to match." Read the full review here.
From The Examiner: "...Candide the musical is wholly unexpected and bitterly insightful; therein lies its genius and fascination." Read the full review here.
From The P-I Blogs: "...an enchanting evening that is a fitting tribute to arguably the greatest musical talent America has ever produced." Read the full review here.

About the show:

Having been taught by his beloved tutor, Dr. Pangloss, that "everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds" our handsome, yet hapless, hero Candide sets off on an epic journey to find his one true love -- the beautiful Cunegonde. Along the way he encounters wars, plagues, shipwrecks, earthquakes, pirates, swindlers, the Old World, the New World, the fabled lost city of Eldorado, and the Spanish Inquisition! Inspired by Voltaire’s classic satire this legendary musical features a sparkling score by the great Leonard Bernstein that includes the famous "Candide Overture", the hilarious and bravura showstopper "Glitter And Be Gay", and the moving and inspiring anthem "Make Our Garden Grow". This Seattle professional première offers you the rare opportunity to experience one of "the best musicals you’ve never seen!"

Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics by Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker, John Latouche, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein
Book adapted from Voltaire’s novel by Hugh Wheeler, in a new version by John Caird
Directed by David Armstrong

High School Musical Awards happening soon!

2010-05-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

Along with the glowing reviews for Candide (including this one from The Seattle Times), we’ve been getting some good coverage for the upcoming 5th Avenue High School Musical Awards:

Seattle Times

and some select articles from regional papers:

PNW Local News

Tri City Herald

Broadway Hour

The Olympian

Issaquah Press

It’s a great time to be part of The 5th Avenue family!

Giveaway for Kooza Tickets!

2010-05-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

Update: Contest has ended - congrats to winner Rebekah K.

Want to check out the new Cirque du Soleil show, KOOZA? Email contest@5thavenue.org by 4pm today with the subject line KOOZA to enter to win a pair of tickets to the opening night premiere performance next Wednesday, June 2 @ 7:30 PM at Marymoor Park in Redmond. One entry per person. For details on the show, click here.

Highlights of rehearsal from Lauren Smith, performance intern

2010-05-24T16:47:00.000-07:00

written by Lauren Smith (Ensemble, Candide). Being a performance intern, she gets to be a part of our production of Candide while getting college credit.

An internship is often thought of as a thankless job. After spending the last month as a performance intern (and the last five in the Education Department) at The 5th Avenue Theatre, I will strongly disagree. The rehearsal process for Candide has been undeniably demanding. However, it has been full of many delights that make all of the hard work worthwhile. Naturally, I’m thrilled to be singing with some of the most talented actors in the area in my very favorite theater. That is an enormous joy.

Here are a few of the smaller joys that make me love what I do:

David Armstrong is a graceful man. Watching him decide what steps to include in “Easily Assimilated” was surely a highlight.

Hearing Anne Allgood’s accent in the initial reading. Beyond hilarious.

Listening to Laura Griffith sing “Glitter and be Gay” for the first time.(And the second. And the twentieth.

Congratulating our four Cornish interns on their graduation.

The stage managers really take care of us! I was pleased to see stations filled with pencils, pens, highlighters, cough drops and water set up for us throughout the rehearsal space. They really think of everything!

Being treated to a spontaneous performance of “All That Jazz” (complete with choreography) from Stanley and David P. spurred by Stanley’s sultry wall slide.

Joel Fram is not only a fabulous music director; he is King of the Camera. It’s a lot of fun watching him snap photos of goings-on onstage and off.

Mike McGowan frequently describing delicious dishes he cooks at home. Someone get that man a show on the Food Network!

The Female Ensemble’s dressing room is where it’s at. Our resident DJ, Corinna Lapid-Munter, is always willing to spin a “get pumped” tune to get us geared for our 10-out-of-12s.

Tech rehearsals can be rough, but I’m constantly in awe of what the designers and hardworking crew members have come up with. It’s incredible watching the tech elements build on top of each other.

After a long rehearsal, there’s nothing like a long dinner break to unwind, bond with the cast, and take advantage of the nearby happy hour appetizers!

The 5th Avenue’s house is easily one of the most gorgeous I’ve seen, so I was surprised that I fell even more in love with it when all of the lights were out. Standing on the stage, all I could see were the footlights illuminating the aisles. My stomach did back flips.

Many of our actors go shirtless at various points in the show. It’s very endearing watching them huddle for warmth.

Some members of the cast set out to rename Captain Vanderdendur. A couple of the more popular renditions included Captain Chicken Tender and Captain Kindergartener.

The entire Wandelprobe was a pleasure. The orchestra is jaw-dropping phenomenal. I couldn’t tell you how many people teared up when we ran through “Make Our Garden Grow.”

I’m so excited to open this beautiful production and I’m beyond honored to be part of it. Here’s to many more delightful moments in Candide!

***
Tickets to Candide are still available! For a special social media discount, click here.

The joys and challenges of music rehearsal

2010-05-19T10:52:00.000-07:00

written by Billie Wildrick (Paquette in CANDIDE)

When someone is trying to calm you down and they say “go to your happy place," most people go to a tropical beach or a mountain vista or a cabin by the fire. I go to music rehearsal. I love music rehearsal more than maybe any other part of my job. And I love it most especially with The 5th’s own spectacular Ian Eisendrath (On the Town) and the wonderful Joel Fram (Candide). And it’s not because they’re mellow, gooey and kind. (Joel introduces himself at a meet and greet as Music Dictator.) But rather, it’s because they both work incredibly hard and in great detail on the score, and they expect the same investment from their singers. It is transcendent, the musicality specificity of emotional intention can bring to a score. The audience probably doesn’t know how much they have a musical director to thank when they can hear and understand every lyric in a show – how much a crisp, snotty “k” at the end of a word can provide in story telling.

Here is a copy of my music for the very last 12 bars of Candide – 12 bars out of a 300 page score.

Every circle and highlight and dynamic marking must be memorized along with the lyrics, notes and rhythms. And I’m sure there will be a few more marks before opening night. But that depth of technical precision and emotional investment is what makes it thrilling to the ear and the heart. Ian Eisendrath’s stirring work on “Sunday” in Sunday in the Park with George is another great example of this.

It’s such hard, detailed work requiring skill, practice and lots of focus. But for a singer who has strived and studied to speak the language of song, it’s like a student who fiercely loves and studies French getting to go live in Paris. Someone recently asked me what my favorite part of theatre is. Music rehearsal, and scene work for that matter, is better than applause and lights and costumes and a well-landed laugh. And I think that falling in love with the work and not the feedback or perceived “glamour” is what makes my life in the theatre so wonderful and satisfying. I’m a lucky girl!

**
Special blog offer for Candide still available. Details here.

Contest Time - Karaoke Contest

2010-05-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

Join Jet City Improv this Sunday for their second annual Karaoke Fundraiser, benefiting Wing It Productions and its Education Program for At-Risk Youth. Witness a hilarious karaoke competition and participate in their silent auction to help support the education program that brings free weekly improv classes to homeless and incarcerate youth.

5th Avenue Theatre fans are invited to enter to win 2 tickets to the event (value $40) by writing a comment on this blog, posting a note on our facebook page wall or sending us a message on twitter. Be sure to mention "karaoke" when you enter! Winner will be chosen at noon on Friday!

**
Are you a karaoke performer? They still have a few performance spots available! Visit their site for info on how to enter! They have great prizes for the contestants!

For more details and tickets, click here. Tickets are $20 and include one drink. 100% of the proceeds go to Wing It Productions' At Risk Youth Education Program.

For the Karaoke Facebook event page, click here.

Vote once a day and enter to win a VIP package!

2010-05-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

Each day you vote for The 5th, let us know you voted on the wall of our Facebook page or fill out the form on our website and you’ll be entered into a drawing for 10 tickets for you and your friends to come see Candide and have a private backstage tour! We will give away two of these packages! Your vote will help The 5th restore the luster of our magnificent lobby. Click here for more details and pictures of the project and don’t forget to VOTE!!

The Walk-on Role Experience!

2010-05-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

by Gary Fuller, Board Member, on his experience with a walk-on role in On The Town

Imagine being a ‘Star’ of a 5th Avenue Theatre production! Imagine the cast of On the Town stopping by your dressing room for a photo-op! Imagine being on stage in front of 2,000 people in a glorious musical!

It happened to us last Friday when we appeared in walk-on roles during the Museum scene in On the Town. We were met at the Stage Door by Lonnie Angle, Special Projects Manager at The 5th Avenue and Jennifer Richard from Team Photogenic who was there to capture all of our backstage experiences. We signed the call sheet and were escorted to our dressing room, complete with our names on the door, a beautiful floral bouquet, special framed Playbill with OUR names above the title and a poster signed by the cast. After changing into our costumes we were met by our cast wrangler, Gabe Cory, who took us on stage, behind the closed curtain, to walk thru our role while the evening’s audience could be heard filling the auditorium on the other side of the curtain. Gabe explained all we had to do was keep out of the way of the moving 30’ tower which would be coming off stage as we entered, watch out for the dinosaur which was dropping from the fly space above us, follow Rich Gray’s lead to the very front of the stage as he led our ‘tour group’ through the museum, and, oh yes, do a stylized shuffle as we walked in unison with our group. Were our hearts racing a little faster as we realized we were going to actually perform? You bet!

While on stage, Laurel Horton, head carpenter at The 5th, described how the motorized set operated and how much activity goes on back stage during a performance. Although the stage looks pretty big when you’re sitting in the audience, it’s actually filled with scenery, props, cast, crew and dressing areas during the show. There’s not an inch of space that is not being used.

Since our scene was not at the top of the show, we relaxed in the Crew lounge and watched the show on a monitor, hearing all the scene, lighting and sound cues. At our appointed time, we were led to our place on back stage to join our fellow cast members. Rich Gray reminded us to follow him, did a warm up joke, and then we were ON! I’m not sure we really remember anything that happened while we were on stage other than we didn’t run into any scenery or fall into the orchestra pit. It’s very easy to see how actors can love their work. There is something magical about being on stage, filled with the brightest of lights and hearing the laugher of an audience. We also gained a greater appreciation of what it takes to be a performer. It’s far more than having acting, singing and dancing skills. Every moment of a production is so carefully choreographed and every single person on stage needs to be in the right place at the right time.

After successfully exiting the stage we were escorted back our dressing room, where we changed back into our street attire and then were taken to our seats in the theater to watch the remainder of Act I. At Intermission, we greeted our ‘Fans’ in the Producer’s Lounge at a champagne and dessert reception. We were grateful for all their kind words and allowing us to enjoy our brief moment in the spotlight.

Did we have a great time? Yes we did. Would we do it again? We’d be there in a heartbeat! We have so many people to thank for making our walk-on role an evening we will never forget.

***
Walk-On Roles are available at A NIGHT AT THE 5TH, our annual Fundraising Gala taking place on June 19, 2010. This fabulous experience is auctioned off during the Live Auction portion of the evening! If you’re interested in attending the gala or want more information, click here or contact Lonnie Angle in the Development Office at 206.625.1418 x271 or via e-mail at langle@5thavenue.org

Save big on CANDIDE!

2010-04-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

Social media fans can now save 50% on select performances of Candide!

Candide begins May 25 and tickets are on sale now.

Use promotion code FANS to receive 50% off performances Tues May 25 - Fri May 28.

Buy tickets over the phone at 206-625-1900, in person at the box office or online using promotion code FANS. When ordering online, be sure to sign in to your account and use the promotion code FANS at that time, before choosing your seats.

Click here for more info on the show.

Not valid on previously purchased tickets or in conjunction with any other offer. Not valid on Pearl or Side Balcony seats.
About the show:

Having been taught by his beloved tutor, Dr. Pangloss, that "everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds" our handsome, yet hapless, hero Candide sets off on an epic journey to find his one true love -- the beautiful Cunegonde. Along the way he encounters wars, plagues, shipwrecks, earthquakes, pirates, swindlers, the Old World, the New World, the fabled lost city of Eldorado, and the Spanish Inquisition! Inspired by Voltaire’s classic satire this legendary musical features a sparkling score by the great Leonard Bernstein that includes the famous "Candide Overture", the hilarious and bravura showstopper "Glitter And Be Gay", and the moving and inspiring anthem "Make Our Garden Grow". This Seattle professional première offers you the rare opportunity to experience one of "the best musicals you’ve never seen!"

Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics by Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker, John Latouche, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein
Book adapted from Voltaire’s novel by Hugh Wheeler, in a new version by John Caird
Directed by David Armstrong

Like "those last summer camp days"

2010-04-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Rudinoff (Hildy, On The Town)

First show of the week means a fresh towel and washed make-up brushes. It is our final week and it always feels like the pangs of those last summer camp days when your posse will be broken apart and you will go back to life as usual again. The cast is so large but we have gotten close and I am going to drink in these last seven shows.

Time to go put on my eyebrows!

Paul Hansen, percussionist/drummer, takes a seat in the theatre

2010-04-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

Paul Hansen is one of The 5th Avenue Theatre's staff musicians and has been a percussionist and drummer with us for 25+ years.

We spotted a glowing review of On The Town on his facebook status recently (completely unsolicited!) and asked him to write a review as an audience member. Read on:

On The Town review
By Paul Hansen

As a regular member of The 5th Avenue Orchestra, many of my friends
and colleagues will tell you that my favorite place on earth is in the
stage left corner of the orchestra pit behind a jumbled rig of
instruments commonly called "The Percussion Section". This is my
home. So it is on rare occasion do I get to step out of the pit and
enjoy a 5th Avenue performance as a regular audience member, as I was
able to do earlier this week at On The Town.

After fielding questions from several audience regulars who were
wondering what I was doing out of uniform and who was minding the pit
(for the record, it was my incomporable stand partner Chris Monroe
handling the solo chores), I sat down for the journey.

My first reaction was of course "Yeah! How 'bout that band, best in
the country! Wish I were down there with them." Then the real
astonishment set in and continued to grow throughout the evening. I
knew we were good, but what I saw and heard that night with our home
grown singers, dancers, crew and production staff clearly rivals or
surpasses anything I've seen in New York, London, Paris or Rome.

I left the theater that night speechless, and chomping at the bit for
the parts for Candide to arrive. New cast, new crew, new show - On The Town, you've set us a new high water mark to strive for.

But Billie [Wildrick] and Greg [McCormick Allen], watch it with those clubs, willya? How many times has the crew had to put that thing back together?

Paul in his element

2010-04-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

Free open house and tours this weekend!

2010-04-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

Stop by The 5th Avenue Theatre for free tours and an open house!

Saturday May 1: 9:30am - NOON
Sunday May 2: 9:00am - 11:30am

Free Admission

We will have lobby tours, discussions of the restoration process and how it relates to this project, displays of materials used for a restoration, and a photo gallery of both original, historic photos of the lobby and of past restoration projects. Michael Pennington a restoration painter who has worked here at The 5th will be on site as well to talk about restoration projects.

Don't forget to vote daily to help us win $125K! http://bit.ly/5thvote

Save the Date! Spring Arts Fling 2010

2010-04-26T11:33:00.001-07:00

SAVE THE DATE! Spring Arts Fling tickets go on sale at Noon (12:00 PM) on Wednesday, April 28 with only 250 tickets available. These tickets are on sale to the public as well as the young professionals groups of all nine participating organizations, so they will sell out fast. Being a member The 5th Avenue Theatre's Avenue Club or a 30 and under subscriber does not guarantee admission. This event is 21+ and for 20 and 30 somethings.

About The Event:
Spring Arts Fling is back for its third year, this time bringing nine of the area’s top arts organizations together to celebrate and connect with the 20 and 30-somethings with an interest in theatre, opera, cirque, and more! Spring Arts Fling attendees will get an exclusive look at what is up-and-coming in the world of arts and entertainment. The night will feature live, special performances from participating organizations.

Organizations involved
• 5th Avenue Theatre, Avenue Club
• ACT: A Contemporary Theatre
• Intiman Theatre
• Pacific Northwest Ballet, Backstage Pass
• Seattle Opera, BRAVO! Club
• Seattle Repertory Theatre, The Crew
• Seattle Symphony, WolfGang
• Teatro ZinZanni, The Troupe
• Village Theatre, CURTAIN CALL

Come roam through ACT Theatre’s gorgeous Bullitt Cabaret and Falls Lobby spaces while being dazzled by exciting video projections and roving performers. Last year’s event was a sell-out success, and this year there are only 250 tickets available! Get tickets as soon as possible.

Tickets are $15 in advance, and will be available on Wednesday, April 28 at Noon (12:00 PM).

There will be a cash bar with reduced drink prices and complimentary light bites by Joanie’s Catering (www.joaniescatering.net). Ages 21+, open to 20 and 30-somethings.

Spring Arts Fling 2010 is sponsored in part by Seattle Weekly, KING FM 98.1, and Team Diva Real Estate.

Tony Awards VIP Package - Ebay Auction now on!

2010-04-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

Be a star at our Gala before the night even begins! For the first time ever, you have the opportunity to bid on a LIVE auction item before the Gala begins!

2 TICKETS TO THE TONY AWARDS...and BEYOND!
"New York, New York it's a helluva a town!" Jet off to the Big Apple and soak in all New York has to offer!
•Spend three luxurious nights at The Time Hotel where you’re situated in the heart of the vivid action-packed metropolis!
•Spend a night out at THE TONY AWARDS! You and a guest will be seeing the stars, watching them perform, and hearing the news right when it breaks!
•Of course you can’t leave the city before seeing a Broadway show! SO, to complete this fabulous weekend of theatre, you will also receive two tickets to a Broadway show of your choosing!
•Worried about transportation? No problem! A car will deliver you to and from the airport to make your travel needs a breeze!

Click here to visit our Ebay Auction page!

Special offer to celebrate our social media fans!

2010-04-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

In an effort to say thanks to all our blog, facebook and twitter followers, we are extending a 50% off ticket offer for all remaining productions of ON THE TOWN, which plays now through May 2nd.

Use promotion code FANS to receive 50% off all remaining performances.

Buy tickets over the phone at 206-625-1900, in person at the box office or online using promotion code FANS. When ordering online, be sure to sign in to your account and use the promotion code FANS at that time, before choosing your seats.
Click here for more info on the show.

Not valid on previously purchased tickets or in conjunction with any other offer. Not valid on Pearl or Side Balcony seats.

Paint the Big Apple red with three sailors as they try to cram a lifetime of romance and excitement into a day-long adventure in the city that never sleeps! From the creative team who brought Seattle the wildly popular productions of West Side Story and Cabaret, director Bill Berry and choreographer Bob Richard partner again with Seattle’s exciting Spectrum Dance Theater to bring Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins’ dance spectacular to life. Get ready for an unforgettable night On The Town – this madcap comedy is one helluva show!

Contest Time - celebrating Seattle theater!

2010-04-21T11:26:00.001-07:00

We love to support the Seattle performing arts community, and in that spirit are hosting a contest for tickets to Intiman Theatre!

2 lucky winners (one on Twitter and one on Facebook) will each recieve a 4-pack of tickets to Paradise Lost at Intiman Theatre.

How to enter:

Twitter followers:
1. Be sure you are following @backstage5thave
2. tweet between now and 4pm with our twitter name in the body of your tweet.

Facebook Page followers:
1. Make sure you are following our page, here.
2. Click the +Share button at the bottom of page to share on your profile and/or suggest the page to friends.
3. Write on our wall to let us know you'd like to be entered.

Individuals are welcome to enter once on twitter and once on facebook. Entries must be made by 4pm, Wednesday, April 21. Prize tickets valid for any performance April 21 - April 25. Winners will be contacted through facebook and twitter.

About Paradise Lost at Intiman Theatre:

When you wake up from the American Dream, there's no turning back. In the battle over the land of opportunity, who will come out on top - the gangsters or the idealists? Intiman Theatre's exciting new look at Clifford Odets' Paradise Lost delivers a "fascinating, pulsating...gutsy" performance (The Seattle Times). Read more at www.intiman.org.

5th Avenue's Diana Huey wins GLEE Audition!

2010-04-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

One of our wonderful Adventure Musical Theatre performers, Diana Huey (also seen in MAME at The 5th Avenue), was selected as one of ten finalists to be chosen for a “Golden Audition Spot” on the television series, Glee! This morning, they announced that she won the contest. Diana’s audition tape is guaranteed to be seen by the casting directors of Glee with a potential of her being chosen as a new cast member of the show! Congratulations, Diana!

For the video of Diana’s performance on Q13 on Friday, click here.

Here's a little blurb from Diana (written before all the votes were in) about how she heard about the contest and what she went through to enter:

"Hi my name is Diana Huey. I am currently touring in Adventure Musical Theatre here at The 5th Avenue. I love being out on the road with the AMT crew bringing musical theater to kids all over the Northwest! On Sunday I saw a commercial on Q13 Fox for their Glee Casting Call Competition. Future Glee hopefuls were required to write an original song about why they want to be on the Fox hit TV show Glee. The deadline was the next day!

I spent the day writing my song. When time came to record it to and send it in, I grabbed my almost dead digital camera and set up a make shift recording studio...in my bath tub. I wanted to find the best sound! I found random house objects to stack up to balance my camera on. After many trail and errors I decided on my makeup box on top of a humidifier and stood on top of a folded up bath towel in the tub to get the correct height set. Crammed up against the bath tub faucet, I recorded my audition video and found of two days later I won a spot on the Top Ten!!

The ultimate winner will get a "Golden Pass" to be guaranteed that their Glee audition will be seen by the Glee producers. Thanks to everyone for helping me make my dreams come true!"

VOTE once a day to help us win $125,000!

2010-04-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Vote every day to help The 5th Avenue Theatre!
Click here to vote for The 5th Avenue to help us win $125,000!

The 5th Avenue Theatre is excited to announce that we are one of 25 organizations in the greater Puget Sound Area in the running for a grant as a part of a program called Partners in Preservation.

The theatre lobby is decorated in the ornate fashion of Imperial Chinese architecture. Winning this voting contest will help us with restoration and preservation of the original lobby decorative painting. Since the theatre first opened in 1926 this awe-inspiring décor has faded and deteriorated from cracking plaster, water damage, and old age.

If we win, we will use the funds as a kick off to restoring the luster of the irreplaceable 5th Avenue Theatre lobby. Funds for this project will be used to hire conservation, restoration and design expert Michael Pennington. Michael and his team will repair plaster, clean painted structures, murals and architectural elements, as well as repair, match and repaint areas of the theatre lobby that require in depth restoration.

It is our hope that you will support us! The grand prize will be awarded to the organization who receives the most public votes online (just like American Idol). Voting is simple and only take a minute of your time each day. A person can vote once a day, per e-mail address. Simply click here and log in and you are one minute away from helping The 5th win the grand prize grant.

Facebook Fans love The 5th Avenue

2010-04-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

A huge thank you to all of you who have fanned our Facebook page and/or follow us on Twitter!

Recently, we asked our fans what they love about The 5th Avenue. Here are some responses:

"There are so many things that the 5th Avenue brings to the Puget Sound Area. We can talk about the shows, the talent, the oppertunities for young and upcoming artists and performers. But I think the thing I love most about the 5th Avenue is that it is Classic Theatre at it's best. You see it as soon as you walk by on the sidewalk. It isn't full of modern glass and stainless "glitz", it is a Classic Theatre that takes you back to the day when Theatre was an outing - a "Destination". A show was something you dressed up for, maybe had your hair done, even (God forbid!) wore a tie and jacket. Although few of the patrons do this these days the Theatre has that "Air of Memory" about it.
Every time I go by, every time I enter the lobby or the auditorium I catch my breath." - Scott S.

"I love all the great musicals The 5th Avenue brings to Seattle at affordable prices! Some of my favorites in recent years have been The Buddy Holly Story, Edward Scissorhands, and the classics West Side Story and Singin' in the Rain. SO looking forward to seeing one of my favorite musicals, On The Town!! I also really love the design of the interior of the 5th!" - Melissa J.

"I do love The 5th, they have the best shows and such variety. I get very excited near the announcements of each new season." - Heather J.

"I love the wonderful, quality shows at 5th Avenue AND for providing at affordable costs an educational focus with the "Friday at the 5th" program for high school students. Thank you 5th Avenue for an atmosphere that is truly "Worlds Away from the Everyday!" - Carol J.

"My family has had season tickets to the 5th for twenty seasons now and I have so many memories there :) I feel like I know the staff because of the (super awesome) high school workshops! Also, I feel like The 5th has really given Seattle theatre the great name it has now. :) Look at all the shows that have started/are starting here! Go us!" - Maddie S.

"I love the fact that The 5th brings Broadway to Seattle and sends musicals to Broadway! Memphis, to mention one, was fantastic! The theatre is run by amazing caring people. They give us great entertainment, curtious service and great refreshments also! I have not seen one show there that I didn't like. Everyone should enjoy a lot of Broadway and CAN in our own backyard thanks to The 5th Avenue." - Gena A.

"My wife and I have been season members at the 5th for a few years. We've loved the plays and the atmosphere! It's a great night out." Mike P.

"Where else can you go in Seattle to be in on the creation of new musicals? And the special educational opportunities are fantastic!" - Terry J.

We so appreciate our fans supporting our theatre by writing on our Facebook wall, inviting others to become fans of our pages or joining us on twitter. Your involvement with us in social media is a great way to support our local non-profit theatre. Feel free to write us questions, mini-reviews, post photos and more!

Special Workshop for On The Town gives high school students great experience!

2010-04-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

High School students - there are still spots available for our Fridays at The 5th Workshops for On The Town!

Students will be working with Brandon Ivie on developing a character for musical theatre, with special emphasis on adding period-specific details.

Fridays at The 5th
Musical Theater Workshops for High School Students
The 5th Avenue Theatre presents special workshops for high school students with a strong interest in musical theater. Students have the opportunity to sing the songs, learn the choreography, and meet with the cast and crew for most productions on our stage. As a part of each workshop the students enjoy a pizza party, tickets to the show, and a talkback with the cast after the evening’s performance. Workshops are for high school students, ages 14-18 only. Parents or chaperones who wish to purchase tickets for the evening's performance should contact the box office at 206.625.1900 / 888.5TH.4TIX or purchase tickets online.

2009-2010 WORKSHOP DATES
•April 16, 2010 - On the Town
•April 23, 2010 – On the Town
Cost per student: $20 registration fee includes the workshop, dinner and one (1) ticket to the evening’s performance.

To register and for more information, e-mail educationprograms@5thavenue.org or click here.

Parents & Chaperones - ask about our special offers for you to see the show that your student attends!

Original Hildy from OTT Movie writes to our Hildy!

2010-04-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Rudinoff, Hildy in ON THE TOWN

I got home last night from rehearsals to a letter in my mailbox from Betty Garrett who played Hildy in the movie of On the Town. She sent an amazing card with exploding confetti inside saying she she had heard they were doing the show in her hometown of Seattle and she hoped I loved the role as much as she did and to break a leg. How wonderful is she? Viva Betty!

Betty Garrett montage:

Antennae up the nose trick

2010-04-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Rudinoff, Hildy in ON THE TOWN

I ADORE the new rehearsal spaces and it is amazing to all be in the same of the rooms together. But we are in a basement and now we are doing runs of Act I which has all 34 of us together with no natural light or fresh air for 6 hours at a stretch. So things like this happen:

When the dancers are dancing, which is often, we have to keep ourselves occupied. I caught Rich Gray (who has been in over 20 shows at the 5th as either an actor or playing in the band) doing his "antennae up the nose" trick. See what happens when there is a lack of air?

Sneak Peek at the Sailors - "New York, New York"

2010-03-30T17:28:00.001-07:00

Get a sneak peek of The 5th Avenue Theatre's production of On The Town! From the creative team who brought Seattle the wildly popular productions of West Side Story and Cabaret, director Bill Berry and choreographer Bob Richard partner again with Seattle's exciting Spectrum Dance Theater to bring Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins dance spectacular to life. Get ready for an unforgettable night On The Town this madcap comedy is one helluva show!

Featuring performances by Joe Aaron Reid, Matt Owen and Greg McCormick Allen, the following is a clip from Spotlight Night, hosted by David Armstrong.

Save 50% on On the Town tickets

2010-03-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

On The Town starts April 11!

Social media fans on our blog, facebook and twitter recieve 50% off tickets to our upcoming show!

Paint the Big Apple red with three sailors as they try to cram a lifetime of romance and excitement into a day-long adventure in the city that never sleeps! From the creative team who brought Seattle the wildly popular productions of West Side Story and Cabaret, director Bill Berry and choreographer Bob Richard partner again with Seattle’s exciting Spectrum Dance Theater to bring Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins’ dance spectacular to life. Get ready for an unforgettable night On The Town – this madcap comedy is one helluva show!

Use promotion code FANS to receive 50% off performances Tuesday April 13 - Friday April 16

Buy tickets over the phone at 206-625-1900, in person at the box office or online using promotion code FANS. When ordering online, be sure to sign in to your account and use the promotion code FANS at that time, before choosing your seats.
Click here for more info on the show.

Not valid on previously purchased tickets or in conjunction with any other offer. Not valid on Pearl or Side Balcony seats.

"An incredible experience," says Courtney Iventosch

2010-03-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

by Courtney Iventosch (Ivy Smith in On The Town)

Wow! This has been an incredible experience so far. It is an honor to be working with The 5th Avenue Theatre and such an amazing group of people. I am so grateful to be here in Seattle doing what I love most! Rehearsals are a blast. And I love how we start off each day with ballet class so we can really be warmed up and ready to go. Everything is fun...the dancing, singing, acting...I love it all. I am looking forward to the next couple weeks of rehearsal and a wonderful run of shows!

Brian Kerrick, Performance intern with an OTT Blog

2010-03-26T00:12:00.000-07:00

Brian Kerrick is a little short on time these days. As he puts it, "From March 18th to May 2nd, we have only six scheduled days off!" Kerrick, a performance intern in On The Town, is getting school credit for performing and is assigned to keep a daily blog.

Today's rehearsal started with 45 minutes of ballet and then leaped in to staging "Lucky to Be Me." Here're an excerpt from today's entry:

"After finishing the dream ballet of "Lucky to Be Me", we spent some time on "Miss Turnstiles." In this scene, Ivy Smith played by the amazing Courtney Iventosch is chosen to be Miss Turnstiles: A special yet ordinary New Yorker. This dance has Courtney and the dancers flying around the stage showing off their many talents - I won’t give anything more away but I do promise you, you are going to be blown away!

We finished the afternoon choreographing another ballet for Lonely Town - this will inevitably be one your favorite parts of the show. Six dancers from Spectrum Dance Theatre perform an awe-inspiring couples piece while Joe (Gabey) sings the beautiful ballad. I had the pleasure of watching this performed three times today, and each time I was simply blown away. Everyone in the cast is so talented and brings endless talent to the show giving Bill Berry (Director) and Bob Richard (Choreographer) so much to work with. It seems there are no limits for this cast - from hilarious goof-ball scenes to beautiful ballets, this show has it all - and I’m so grateful to be apart of it."

We're excited to have Brian Kerrick as our Donut Vendor in Times Square and can't wait to hear more.

2010 2011 Season General Auditions and special workshop!

2010-03-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

2010-2011 5TH AVENUE THEATRE AUDITIONS

5th Avenue Theatre General Auditions
The 5th Avenue Theatre will hold 2010-2011 season auditions for principal singers, actors, and ensemble singers April 21-24 12pm-5pm and April 25 4pm-8pm. Auditions will be held at The 5th Avenue Theatre’s rehearsal space (1326 5th Avenue, downtown – Skinner Building). Adult performers over the age of 18 with professional musical theatre experience are sought for principal, supporting and ensemble roles in A Christmas Story – The Musical!, Vanities, Guys & Dolls and Oklahoma!

Auditions for principal actor/singers and ensemble singers for April 21- 25 are by appointment only. Qualified performers must schedule an audition appointment by calling The 5th Avenue Theatre at 206-625-1418 beginning March 30 from 11am to 4pm. Any actor/singer who appeared on the 5th Avenue Theatre’s stage during the 2009-2010 season should not attend these auditions. Auditions for children’s roles will be held at a date to be determined.

All auditioners must bring a resume and a recent 8x10 headshot, which will not be returned. Additionally, auditioners should bring sheet music in their correct key for two songs that demonstrate vocal ability, acting ability and stage presence. Please prepare one musical theatre pop song and one song from the “golden age” of musical theatre. Selections should be no more than one verse and one chorus in length. All songs should be from the musical theatre canon. Please no opera arias, pop songs, etc. An accompanist will be provided. Taped accompaniment or singing a cappella will not be permitted.

5th Avenue Theatre Dance Audition
The 5th Avenue Theatre will hold an open audition for experienced DANCERS WHO SING on Sunday, April 18 7pm-10pm and Monday, April 19 3pm-6pm at The 5th Avenue Theatre’s rehearsal space (1326 5th Avenue, downtown – Skinner Building). You only need to attend one of these dance calls. Adult performers over the age of 18 with professional musical theatre dance experience are sought for ensemble roles in A Christmas Story – The Musical!, Guys & Dolls and Oklahoma! SINGERS WHO MOVE SHOULD NOT ATTEND THIS CALL.

Dancers must register in advance by calling The 5th Avenue Theatre at 206-625-1418 beginning March 30 from 11am to 4pm. All dancers who wish to be considered as a dancer must attend these auditions, even if you appeared on the 5th Avenue Theatre’s stage during the 2009-2010 season.

Dancers should come to the audition dressed to dance and must be prepared to follow combination steps under the choreographer’s direction. Advanced backgrounds in jazz and ballet are required. Dancers should be prepared to sing and bring sheet music in their correct key. No separate audition appointment is needed. An accompanist will be provided.

The 5th Avenue Theatre values diversity in all areas of its operations. We welcome and encourage auditions from people of all ethnic and cultural groups. Dedicated to nurturing talent and hiring locally, The 5th Avenue Theatre encourages auditions from both Equity and Non-Equity singers, actors and dancers.

***
HOW TO AUDITION FOR MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOP
To assist performers in the audition process, David Armstrong, Executive Producer and Artistic Director, will lead the workshop on Monday, March 29 7pm-10pm at 5th Avenue Theatre’s rehearsal space (1326 5th Avenue, downtown – Skinner Building). The three-hour workshop will focus on the ten things actors especially need to know for effective musical theatre auditions in New York City, Los Angeles or Seattle. The workshop is designed for all levels of professional performers. The workshop is a suggested $15 donation, and all proceeds will benefit The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Educational Programs. Drop-ins welcome.
Full information and registration form is on our website: http://www.5thavenue.org/education/developmentworkshops.aspx

Bucks Off Bernstein - One Day Sale!

2010-03-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

To help kick off the Seattle Celebrates Bernstein Festival,
NOTE: This sale ended at 9:59am Tuesday, March 23, 2010.we are now hosting a special 24-hour sale on the next two shows in our season, Leonard Bernstein’s riotous musical On The Town, and his mid-career masterpiece Candide.

Starting today at 10am, patrons can purchase tickets to select performances of these two musicals using the promo code 24HOUR for only $19.18, to celebrate Bernstein’s birth on August 25, 1918. This special price is good for any Friday evening performance of either show:
On the Town April 16, April 23, April 30
Candide May 28, June 4, June 11
Good for ALL seats, excluding Pearl section.

Sale ends at 9:59am Tuesday, March 23.

Tonight at 7:00, join the kick-off for Seattle Celebrates Bernstein at our Spotlight Night, a regular free event at The 5th that has drawn record crowds this past season. Join Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong as he’s accompanied by a collection of Seattle’s favorite talent for a look at the life of Bernstein, a sneak preview at upcoming Festival events, and a tune-filled evening that delves into the history of these two landmark shows.

On The Town was Bernstein’s first musical, written in 1944 with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and choreography by Jerome Robbins. This madcap comedy follows the fortunes of a trio of sailors on 24-hour shore leave in New York City, where they dance, joke and sing their way through misadventures, marvels and romance. Director Bill Berry’s production of On The Town earlier this year for New Jersey’s Papermill Playhouse received critical raves, including The Star Ledger (“a magnificent revival”), Curtain Up (“For the sheer number of belly laughs and for simply having a helluva good time, you can’t beat the jovial and rambunctious carrying on by the three sailors…”) and The Wall Street Journal (“...gets everything right, all the way down to the last detail, and the results are lovely and amazing to behold…. better than any musical now playing on Broadway.”)

Candide was written by Bernstein in 1956, but it didn’t become a hit until 1974 when Hal Prince’s Broadway production ran for nearly two years. Having been taught by his beloved tutor, Dr. Pangloss, that "everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds" our handsome, yet hapless, hero Candide sets off on an epic journey to find his one true love -- the beautiful Cunegonde. Along the way he encounters wars, plagues, shipwrecks, earthquakes, pirates, swindlers, the Old World, the New World, the fabled lost city of Eldorado, and the Spanish Inquisition! Inspired by Voltaire’s classic satire this legendary musical features a sparkling score by the great Leonard Bernstein that includes the famous "Candide Overture", the hilarious and bravura showstopper "Glitter And Be Gay", and the moving and inspiring anthem "Make Our Garden Grow". This Seattle premiere, directed by David Armstrong, offers you the rare opportunity to experience one of "the best musicals you’ve never seen!"

Tickets for this special offer are available by using the promo code 24HOUR online via The 5th’s website at http://www.5thavenue.org/, or in person at the box office, 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle. Service fees apply to online orders. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Spotlight Night begins at 7:00 p.m. tonight. The event is free, but attendees must reserve their tickets. They can do so over the phone by calling 206-625-1900/toll-free 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849), in person at the box office at 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, or online at http://www.5thavenue.org/.

Our thanks to our 2009-2010 Corporate Sponsors Safeco and US Bank.

Sarah Rudinoff on starting rehearsals for On The Town

2010-03-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Rudinoff (Hildy, On The Town)

I love the new rehearsal space! This is the first show I have rehearsed right under The 5th and to able to sing and then dance and then get a costume fitting and then walk to Pike Place on a break is a total treat. We are also getting a big gift in having many pieces of the set already built and Matt [Owen] and I get to stage our scenes in the actual enormous cab and not a bench pretending to be a cab. Thank heavens for joint productions! The first few days seem to always be about reminding the voice what it is like to sing this much and not run out of steam. Looking forward to dancing more this week and a photo shoot tomorrow. So happy to be back in the saddle...

***
Sarah Rudinoff was last seen at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Wonderful Town.

***

“In case you haven’t already, you should now officially put Sarah Rudinoff at the top of your Reasons to See Live Theater list. She gives a performance so entertaining you know everyone else will get a kick out of it, but so filled with singular pleasures you’ll swear you’re the only one who really knows what makes it work.” - Steve Wiecking, Seattle Metropolitan Magazine

The Cast of On The Town

2010-03-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Announcing the cast of On The Town! Featuring many fabulous familiar faces and a few new ones, this production features 5th Avenue stars and Spectrum Dancers! From the creative team who brought Seattle the wildly popular West Side Story and Cabaret, 5th Avenue Theatre and Spectrum Dance partner again to bring Leonard Bernstein dance spectacular to life. Get ready for an unforgettable night On The Town – this madcap comedy is one helluva show!

The Cast

Gabey: Joe Aaron Reid
Ozzie: Greg McCormick
Chip: Matt Owen

Brunhilde Esterhazy: Sarah Rudinoff
Claire Huddesen: Billie Wildrick

Ivy Smith: Courtney Iventosch
Madame Dilyovska: Suzy Hunt
Lucy Schmeeler: Jenny Sue Johnson
Judge Pitkin: Allen Fitzpatrick
Bill Poster, Announcer, Figment, MC: Richard Gray
Workman Solo, Uperman, Nedick's: Ekello Harrid Jr.
Old Lady, Nun: Frances Leah King

Male Ensemble: David Alewine, Jeffrey Alewine, Gabriel Corey, Vincent Lopez, Joel Meyers, Patrick Pulkrabek, Dane Stokinger

Female Ensemble: Kelly Ann Barton, Brittany Jamieson, Geneva Jenkins, Kylie Lewallen, Nikki Long, Amber Mayberry, Mia Monteabaro, Kasey Nusbickel, Tory Peil, Marissa Quimby

Performance Interns: Dana Blasingame, Ty Alexander Cheng, Brian Scott Kerrick, Arwen Morgan, Sage Michael Price

Going on for Warner! - Seattle part 3 of 3

2010-03-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

Week 8 - SEATTLE! (Part 3 of 3)

Going on for Warner!
or "It's Time to Get Serious"

by Jason Kappus, Legally Blonde cast member, Seattle native

It's happening! I was hoping that I would get to on as Warner at some point before we leave Seattle, and with just a couple days to spare, here we are! I'm going on tonight (Friday) for the first time as Elle's initial love interest. Should be fun! (Although thinking about it, I like my normal track so much, I'll actually kind of miss it.)

In other news for the week, Lucia Spina makes her debut as Paulette this weekend, while Natalie Joy Johnson is on vacation. We also have Sara Shepard (an LB tour vet) coming back to play Mom starting this weekend (Yay!). And we're on our last three days of shows in Seattle (Boo!). It has been magical to be here, and be a part of this amazing show. The audiences have been great, the experience un-paralleled and I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. If you haven't caught the show yet, you've got time! Ladies, bring your friends, Moms, daughters! Guys, you'll like it, too! There's sports (watch closely for football, golf, and a whole jump rope number), rockin' music, and girls dancing around in various states of undress! Everybody I've talked to has loved the show - don't miss it right here in Seattle!

And if you're free tonight, I'll sing a rock ballad just for you! =)

click the Jason Kappus tag below to read all of Jason's backstage blog entries!

Is this the Face of Harvard Law? - Seattle part 2 of 3 by Jason Kappus

2010-03-12T11:28:00.000-08:00

Week 6 & 7 - SEATTLE! (Part 2 of 3)

or "Is This the Face of Harvard Law?"

By Jason Kappus, Legally Blonde The Musical cast member, Seattle native

It's obviously nice when we spend more than one week in any city because we get a REAL day off, instead of just a day to travel. It just so happens that I'M lucky enough here in Seattle to spend that whole day off at home with my wife and cats - heaven! =) It was particularly nice to come to the day off because we have been spending a LOT of time in rehearsal. That's partly for me, because I have still been learning the two tracks that I cover (Dad and Warner), and also because there have been a number of full cast rehearsals to clean both music and dances. Everybody knows that Seattle is a big theatre town, so the producers came out to see the show here, and the creative team wanted to make sure that the show was in great shape.

As I mentioned in the last blog, I got to go on for a new track in the middle of week one in Seattle. The man who plays Dad/Winthrop/Reporter was in Hawaii on vacation, so Barry and I combined to cover his track for the week. (Every person in the show is covered by at least two people - three for Elle.) It was a little nerve-wracking, as I sort of feel somewhat new to my OWN track, but especially after the first performance (where I was largely concerned about just making sure I wasn't in anyone's way) it was a lot of fun... especially because within the span of four shows as Dad, I ended up having two different daughters and two different wives - never a dull moment!

Speaking of which - here's a tour fun fact. As you can tell, we end up with swings and understudies on pretty regularly, as people have vacations, take personal days, or are sick or injured. So far, I have done 31 shows with this tour, and I have yet to do a show with the full cast. We've always been missing at least one person - keeps it interesting! =)

Also in our second Seatte week, I got to participate in my first understudy rehearsal, where I played both Dad and Warner. The Dad stuff was pretty easy as I'd just done it in the show, and it was great to get to run through the show as Warner, which I have not yet gotten to do yet. Here's hoping I get to go on for Warner this last week before we leave Seattle! If I find out, I'll post it on here right away! More soon!

***

For all blog entries by Jason Kappus, click on his name in the tags below!

5th Avenue star returns to Seattle - on tour! Pt 1.

2010-03-05T11:35:00.000-08:00

by Jason Kappus, Ensemble, Legally Blonde The Musical (Seattle-native)

Week 6 - SEATTLE! (Part 1 of 3)
The Return or "Let's Go Home Before Someone Cries"

Week 5 was great, and Portland's a great town, so we had a good time. After a few weeks away from home and my wife, though, I was READY to be home. Lucky me, that's exactly where we were headed. Since it's so short, we took two buses instead of flying for this trip. It was really nice not having to deal with security, baggage weight, or keeping your elbows to yourself. I couldn't keep a stupid grin off my face as we rolled past Olympia, Tacoma, finally hit Southcenter and then Seattle proper. How cool is this?! Not only do I get to do a national tour, but I get to do it AT HOME for three weeks! I was a little worried that I may have talked the town up too much to the rest of the cast - but of course, the city did not dissapoint. Everyone LOVES it here (duh).

The coming home feeling I got driving up I-5 was just enhanced the first day at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Especially after the amazing experience I had here this summer with Catch Me If You Can, I was ecstatic to be back.

A few unique things about the 5th Avenue:

1) I had been telling everyone about how beautiful the theatre is, and it was fun to watch everyone taking in this gorgeous house on the first day. The bulk of the theatres we play are more multi-purpose performing arts center types. This theatre, as most of us here know, has more class and character than most you come across, including a lot of the theatres in New York.

2) A somewhat less well-known fact is that the backstage area at the 5th Avenue is particularly small. In fact, a lot of the national tours specifically take this theatre into account when planning their sets, as we have one of the smallest backstage spaces they will come across. Our tour is not particularly set-heavy, but even so, everyone really has to work hard to fit backstage!

3) The audiences here are FANTASTIC. I heard happy comments from a number of cast members on opening night, and it hasn't quit since then. The good ol' PacNW theatre goers are theatre savvy, but know how to show their appreciation! Makes for a fun show on our end!

I could ramble on forever about how great it is to be back here on tour. I've had friends at EVERY performance so far, get to work in the heart of my FAVORITE city, and sleep in MY OWN BED every night. Are you KIDDING ME?! And as if things weren't fun enough, I got to make my debut in a new track in the middle of week one. More on that in part 2, coming soon!

Don't miss Legally Blonde The Musical - it closes in just over a week on March 14! Tickets and info, here.

It's time to play GUESS THE SEASON!

2010-03-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

Check out our website this Sunday, March 7th for a listing of our 2010/2011 Season of Musicals!

Already announced: NEXT TO NORMAL & VANITIES!

Now it's time to play: Guess The Season!

Guess what shows are going to be part of our upcoming season! All correct guesses will be entered to win two tickets to our upcoming production of ON THE TOWN! Each contestant can guess up to 5 shows.

Here's how you enter:

FACEBOOK:
Visit our Facebook Page (here) and write on our wall YOUR guesses for what shows will be in next season
or
Write a status update using @5th Avenue Theatre in your status update to have it post directly to our page.

TWITTER:
post a tweet including @backstage5thave in the body of the tweet along with your show title guesses

Each person, once eligible by making a correct guess, will be entered into the drawing once! Entries must be posted by end of day Friday.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD GUESSING!

LAST WEEK of Legally Blonde offer

2010-03-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

Legally Blonde The Musical closes March 14th, which means we are fast approaching the LAST WEEK of performances. The last week to catch the show that critics are raving about - the last week to cheer with the Delta Nu's - the last week of Bruiser, the UPS guy and Elle!

We would like to extend a LAST WEEK offer to all our social media fans.

Use promotion code PINK to receive $25 off tickets to March 9th & 10th performances.

Buy tickets online, over the phone at 206-625-1900 or in person at the box office!
Click here for more info on the show.

To receive this discount enter promotion code PINK when signing in to your account or creating a new account. Not valid on previously purchased tickets or in conjunction with any other offer. Not valid on Pearl, Upper Balcony or Side Balcony seats.

Omigod, it's a Dream Come True!

2010-03-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

by Jason Kappus, Legally Blonde ensemble, Seattle Native.
Week 4: Denver (continued)

Wednesday, Feb 10th was my opening night! Show number one for me, show number 500 and something for the company. I remember when former Seattle and 5th Avenue actor Steven Taylor was joining the Broadway cast of The Lion King, he said it was weird because it was his Broadway debut, but for everyone else, it was just another day at work, so it didn't feel like the big celebration it maybe should be. I thought my experience might be similar, but everybody in the cast and crew made a BIG DEAL about my first show. They were very excited, encouraging, and happy for me throughout the whole day.

We had a put-in rehearsal in the afternoon, for both Michael Rupert and myself, so that we both got to practice all our scenes (and costume changes) once through with the cast before our first show. That was actually a little bit more nerve-racking than the actual show, since all eyes were on me during my scenes and it was the first time a lot of my new friends/colleagues were seeing me work. But the put-in went very smoothly - I discovered a couple helpful things about quick costume changes, and how some on-stage traffic works with people actually there.

When I got to the theatre for the show that evening, there was a lovely opening night present from some of the boys in the cast, as well as some flowers from my wife - both very nice surprises. I went over everything in my head during half-hour, got dressed and ready (WAY earlier than I needed to - ha) and then all of a sudden, the overture was starting, and we were underway. My first night on my first national tour. Wow.

Spotlight Night on On The Town & Candide!

2010-02-28T19:09:00.001-08:00

Reserve your FREE tickets now to Spotlight Night, online, over the phone at 206-625-1900 or in person at the box office.

Monday, March 22 at 7pm

Spotlight Night on On The Town & Candide

The final Spotlight Night of our 2009-2010 season will take you behind the scenes of two of “the greatest musicals you’ve never seen” -- On The Town and Candide, as well as preview this spring’s exciting Seattle Celebrates Bernstein Festival

Act 1

Seattle Celebrates Bernstein!

Over the next four months an unprecedented consortium of 19 of the region’s leading arts organization with join forces to celebrate the life and music of legendary American composer Leonard Bernstein. David Armstrong will provide a sneak peek of the incredible potpourri of concerts, theatrical performances, lectures, film screenings and special events that will make up this unique, first-of-its-kind citywide arts festival.

Act 2

The Best Of All Possible Worlds: Bernstein On Broadway

In this music-filled segment a host of our Seattle’s finest singers will help us review the life and glorious songs of Leonard Bernstein – featuring selections from his legendary Broadway musicals and other theatrical works including West Side Story, Wonderful Town, Trouble In Tahiti, Mass, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, On The Town and Candide. With musical performances by Greg Allen, Anne Allgood, Candice Donehoo, Mary Jo DuGaw, Brandon O’Neill, Matt Owen, Sarah Rudinoff, Billie Wildrick and guest artists Laura Griffith, Joe Aaron Reid and the Seattle Woman’s Chorus.

Act 3

I Can Cook Too: Serving Classic Musicals To A Modern Audience

Candide’s director, David Armstrong, and On The Town’s director and musical director, Bill Berry and Ian Eisendrath, will give you an inside look at how they approach the challenges and rewards of whipping up classic “Golden Age Of Broadway” musicals to meet the taste of a contemporary audience.

Seattle Times says Legally Blonde is...

2010-02-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

"A sweet, pink frothy concoction...solid entertainment!"

Check out The Seattle Times review of Legally Blonde, here.

Tickets still available! Order online at 5thavenue.org call 206-625-1900 or visit the box office in person.

Legally Blonde The Musical plays The 5th Avenue Theatre Tuesdays - Sundays, now until March 14.

Q 13 Video with Elle & Bruiser

2010-02-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

Check out this video with Q13 interviewing Becky Gulsvig (Elle) and Roxie (Bruiser)and great clips from the show

Video: Actors who play Elle and Bruiser on King 5 TV

2010-02-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

Check out this great video to see interview with Becky Gulsvig (Elle) and Roxie (Bruiser understudy) on King 5 TV. The dogs in the show were rescued and are trained and owned by Bill Berloni who trained the original Sandy in Annie.

"Back in the Game, Back in the Fray!"

2010-02-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

by Jason Kappus, Ensemble, Legally Blonde The Musical

Week 3 - Denver, CO

First of all - Denver's cool! (Figuratively and literally - the first snow I've seen all winter - finally!) Neat city, good vibe, but the altitude does some pretty funny things to people. I was lucky in that I got a week of hanging out in the city rehearsing before having to actually do the show, so I had more time to acclimate. But with less oxygen around, there are definitely some extra challenges to singing, dancing, jumping rope, and sleeping.

That said, the show goes on, and the Denver audiences LOVE it - I watched it a few more times here and people have so much fun at this show. It's nice to see first hand the effect this show has on people. It makes it very exciting to start.

Oh, and did I mention that my first performance will also be the first performance of Michael Rupert as Callahan? If the name doesn't ring a bell, Michael, who won a Tony in the revival of Sweet Charity, originated the role of Professor Callahan on Broadway. So, while he and I are the "new guys," he's a step or two ahead of me. Ha!

I continued rehearsals in Denver, and started to get a little anxious to go on. And I thought I might go in early for a while, as the cast was dealing with a little round of injuries. In fact, I don't think there was one show the first week in Denver that had the same configuration of cast members. Keeps things interesting!

Alas, didn't get to go on early - but now I only had two days to wait!

Learning The Show (or "Time to Study!")

2010-02-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

by Jason Kappus, Ensemble, Legally Blonde The Musical

My first week was spent rehearsing during the days, watching the shows during the evening, and going out at night with the cast to meet everyone and start putting names to faces.

I spent the days with one of the dance captains who taught me the show either on stage or in the theatre lobby if the stage was being used. This is one area where an actor's imagination is very helpful, because although you're on a bare stage, you have to envision as many as twenty other people, where they are, and where they're going. Not an easy task, but luckily, a good dance captain (like the ones we have) can tell you exactly where each of those people are and your relationship to them - which I always find impressive.

It's a pretty quick and dirty process in a situation like this. I had one session with the music director to "learn" the music, where we basically went through every song once, or twice if necessary. He gave me all the specifics, like cut-offs/dynamics/etc. and from that day on, I was just expected to have it down. Similarly, we got through the staging of the show in about two days, and the next day, it was time to run the show. Luckily, I had taken the time to do my homework at the hotel, and had also paid close attention while watching the show, so this went pretty smoothly.

At the end of the week, I was pretty confident in what I'd learned, and felt that if there was an emergency, I could go on early if they needed me to (which apparently is more common than not). Interestingly, we then had the layoff week, so it was back to Seattle for a week. This was a blessing and a curse: great to be home for a week, but I also had to make sure to retain on my own everything that had been crammed into my head in the last 6 days.

Back to Seattle! Wheee!

Legally Blonde discount for our social media fans!

2010-02-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

We're so thrilled you're a fan of our blog, Twitter and Facebook!
As a thank you, we'd like to offer you $25 off tickets to performances February 23 - 26!

Use code word SOCIAL when buying tickets online, over the phone at 206-625-1900 or in person at the box office!

Not valid on previously purchased tickets or in conjunction with any other offer. Not valid on Pearl, Upper Balcony or Side Balcony seats. Valid for performances Feb 23 - 26.

Click here for more info on the show and to order tickets!

Here's what the reviewers have been saying:

“SO MUCH FUN IT OUGHT TO BE ILLEGAL!”
-Boston Metro

“If you are looking for a guilty pleasure, Legally Blonde is what you're looking for.”-Philadelphia Inquirer

“Blonde, Brainy and Tuneful”
-Philadelphia Inquirer

“GUYS – A GREAT show to bring a date to!

GALS – Grab a girlfriend and GO!
PARENTS – Your daughters will LOVE it!”
- CBS-TV St. Louis

“At a time when the world seems bent on making everyone feel crummy, LEGALLY BLONDE is clever, feel-good fun. Why were musicals invented anyway?”- Houston Chronicle

South Pacific actor to be honored by Seattle Police Department!

2010-02-16T14:35:00.001-08:00

You all may remember this article from Friday on the PI site about South Pacific actor Peter Rini tackling a hit-and-run driver after he attempted to flee on foot:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlearts/archives/194385.asp

Well the word on Mr. Rini’s exploits has spread.
Click the following links to read articles:
Broadway World

Playbill

Seattle Post Globe

and Capitol Hill Blog!

Peter’s just been interviewed by KIRO TV for a piece to run later today.

For those who are interested, Mr. Rini will be honored tomorrow at 1:30 at the downtown Seattle Police Headquarters, 610 5th Ave. The event is open to the public.

Company members of CABARET form band The Love Markets

2010-02-16T12:59:00.000-08:00

The Love Markets
Featuring Angie Louise and Nick Garrison

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17
@ CAN CAN
94 Pike St. (under the Pike Place Market)

For facebook event page, click here.

Doors at 9:30 pm / Show at 10 pm
Ticket Price: $5
Valentine-Mardi Gras Combo Show!

The Love Markets are a Weimar Berlin-inspired band who play “songs of the past and future”, interweaving vintage Weimar cabaret songs with new songs written in the Weimar spirit. The band is fronted by Angie Louise and Nick Garrison, each a longtime presence in Seattle theatre and cabaret; together, the two chanteuses confront and seduce with an array of songs about love, art, politics, and whores. Louise writes songs and plays keys; other musicians are Earshot Jazz award-winner Dave Marriott on trombone, Rob Witmer of “Awesome” on accordion, and perennial 5th Avenue Theatre musicians Dave Pascal (bass) and Chris Monroe (drums).

The Love Markets were hatched in a hot tub in San Jose during The 5th Avenue Theatre’s 2008 touring production of Cabaret. A seed was planted as cast members Garrison and Louise shared whiskey and chocolate with their Kit Kat Klub Band; a month later the Love Markets debuted at Town Hall, and a mutant child was born. Clad in military lingerie, the Love Markets manage to be simultaneously decadent, subversive, stylish and absurd - highbrow enough to tackle Kurt Weill and Hans Eisler, but lowbrow enough to pelt the crowd with Slim Jims amidst a risque duet about wiener schnitzel. The world of Weimar Berlin wouldn’t have batted an eye.

PRESS FOR THE LOVE MARKETS’ ANGIE LOUISE AND NICK GARRISON

“Angie Louise has a rich voice and powerful pipes, and she handles comedy and near-tragic
downfall with equal dexterity… Nick Garrison knows his German decadence.” - Seattle Times

“Nick Garrison is a pocket-sized Piaf, with outsized charisma and a chameleon’s ability to
become any song he sings… A voice like a Chet Baker trumpet.” – Seattle Metropolitan Magazine

“Louise caresses you one moment, and then wham! socks it to you, showing an emotional
range most performers shy away from. Her incredible instrument takes flight and you are
transported… Nick Garrison is a superstar performer.” - Seattle Gay News

“Garrison’s got subversive presence… He spontaneously combusts when he interacts with the
audience.” – Seattle Weekly / “I now worship at the altar of Angie Louise.” –TheatreSeattle.com

“Nick Garrison is dazzling… Angie Louise is captivating.” – The Stranger

“Angie Louise is terrific, a powerhouse vocalist…Nick Garrison is very funny and very poignant.” – Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“The sublimely comic Nick Garrison… the always amazing Angie Louise.” - TalkinBroadway.com

http://www.thelovemarkets.com/

Oh My God - This is Happening! By Jason Kappus

2010-02-11T12:02:00.001-08:00

by Jason Kappus, Legally Blonde The Musical (Ensemble)
The First Week on Tour- Tucson, AZ

I left on a rare sunny Seattle Tuesday morning, and headed for an overcast drizzly Tucson, Arizona - how's that for ironic? I had the luxury of only packing for six days to start because the second week of my contract was a layoff week: back home - yay!

I got there just in time for the weekly company meeting (first day in each new city) where they go over any specificities of the theatre, hotels, and the city. The theatres vary greatly in size and space week to week, so sometimes there are backstage traffic changes or even some cut set pieces in very small spaces.

Also, at this particular meeting, I was a point of order as they officially introduced me to everyone ("Jason, meet 75 people - Go!"). Stage management made sure to connect me with Nick, who I was to replace. He was very welcoming and gracious, insisting I let him know if I had any questions or needed anything.

After that, we also do a sound check before the first show in each city, so I got to watch and listen to that. They do almost half of the music in the show while they try to nail down the mix in the new space.

Then, I got my comp ticket (front and center) to that night's show, found my seat, and had my first second to stop and think about where I was and what I was doing.

Midway through the first number of the show, the girls sing "Oh my God, this is happening..." and I said to myself "Yeah it is."

An "Elle" of a Party!

2010-02-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

An “Elle” of a Party at Swink Style Bar!

Thursday February 25 6pm - 8pm

When Swink Style Bar, Legally Blonde The Musical, Julep Nail Parlor, and Betsey Johnson come together in one big event, it’s An “Elle” of a Party!

Sip pink champagne at Swink Style Bar and celebrate with your girlfriends at this super stylish event!

Enjoy free polish changes and hand massages from Julep Nail Parlor (value $18)

Enter to win two tickets to the March 3rd performance of Legally Blonde The Musical (playing The 5th Avenue Theatre Feb 23 – March 14)

Experience Swink Style Bar hairstyling at a special $20 rate.

Enter to win a free handbag by Betsey Johnson!

Pink Champagne sponsored by Dish-it-Up. Light hors d’oeuvres sponsored by The Wandering Cafe.

Fabulous Gift bags for the first 25 through the door!

You DON'T want to miss this “Elle” of a Party! Limited Space Available so RSVP now directly to us at rsvp@swinkstylebar.com

Spread the word with our facebook event page: http://bit.ly/dtpOe7

Photo credit Becky Gulsvig by Joan Marcus

How I Got The Job (part 2)

2010-02-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

How I Got the Job - Part 2: Keeping the Faith
or "You Gotta Fight to be Legally Blonde"
For Part 1, click here.

After the summer, I had a couple months off before my next project, which was playing John Truitt in Meet Me in St. Louis at Village Theatre. As I had no idea when, or really… IF a call would come for Legally Blonde The Musical, I moved on with things as usual in Seattle, while at the same time trying to put myself in a good position to get the job whenever the call came. This meant familiarizing myself with the show, continuing my training, and getting whipped into the best shape possible. You’ll see when the show gets to Seattle - these boys are FIT.

The call did eventually come, though not for a while. It was early December, midway through the run of St. Louis, when they called and said they wanted me to come to New York in about four weeks. This was actually much more advance notice than I had expected, so that was nice).

And as luck would have it, they wanted me to come in right in the middle of a three day break from St. Louis, so I didn’t even have to deal with a conflict I started to feel at that point that perhaps some stars were aligning for this.

So my wife and I got two cheap plane tickets (yay!) to New York and took a mini business/leisure trip. I realized before the audition that Jerry Mitchell would not be able to be there as he was in the middle of putting up Legally Blonde on London’s West End (which has now gone over as a huge hit and is already extended into 2011!). So I sent him a message, told him I was excited for the opportunity, and thanked him for calling me in. He responded and said he would make sure to give a call to the folks doing the casting and put his two cents in. Now, considering that Jerry’s two cents is more like the whole dollar, this was an exciting thing to hear. The producer, Hal Luftig, who also produced Catch Me, who you may have seen at Spotlight Night, also said he would speak on my behalf: Woah.

A couple days before the audition, I got a call from the casting agency, Telsey & Co., asking if I could come in an hour before my appointment to have a private session with Justin, the casting director. Justin and I had become friends over the summer and fall, and he wanted me to get a chance to run through the material in the room before the team showed up – awesome! That portion went very smoothly, and helped reduce my nerves for the real thing. Consequently, the real thing went very well. Part of the job is covering (or understudying) the role of Warner, so they had me sing his song, “Serious,” and also read a scene from act two. They said things like “That was great!” “Thanks Jason” “Really good.” which in truth, are pretty standard responses, but there did seem to be a tone of sincerity to their compliments, so I felt good. I was asked to come back for the dance call, so I knew things were going well so far.

I hung out around Times Square for a couple hours and then returned for the dance call. I hadn’t had a good sense yet of how many other guys were called in for this spot, but however many they started with, there were seven of us total at the dance call. Not the best odds in the world, but again, I felt like I might have a slight cosmic edge, so I was going in with a good amount of confidence.

We did a short combination from “What You Want,” one of the big dance numbers in the first act. This was brief as they just wanted to get a sense of how everyone moved. The real test was to follow. This particular track we were auditioning for involved a heavy dose of jumping rope (yes, jumping rope). There is a number in the show that is basically a live workout video, and there are four guys who do a whole jump rope routine. So we proceeded to jump rope for over an hour: Woah. Not knowing we were going to be doing that, and therefore not being fully stretched or prepared, I ended up straining my left calf, which luckily was completely healed by the time I joined the tour! This was a unique audition challenge, but luckily I had done a good bit of jumping rope in college (thank you, Fight Class!).

We finished up, and everyone chatted a little in the lobby as we got our stuff together to leave. I was completely exhausted, physically and mentally, and walked back up to Times Square, where I just sort of wandered for a little bit, taking in the city, and processing my day. After about fifteen minutes, I got a text from Justin that said “Let’s talk about today. Meet me at the Starbucks at 43rd and 9th?”. My heart leapt, but then quickly sank, because that message sounded like I was in for a “Hey, you did great today/Keep up the good work/Maybe next time” sort of talk. So with my stomach in knots I walked past about eight Starbucks to get to Starbucks.

I walked in, saw Justin, headed toward him, and he stood up and said “I just wanted to tell you in person…” (oh crap, here we go) “…congratulations.” (wait… what?!). “Oh and by the way, they want you to start in six days.”

I can’t really articulate the emotions that were happening for the next few hours – ranging from elation, to anxiety about having to leave my current show, Seattle, and most importantly, my wife for the better part of seven months – but over the top of it all, was the realization that I had just booked the biggest job of my career so far. Luckily, the tour was able to wait one extra week, which gave me the time I needed to get all my stuff in order .

I got a chance to correspond with Jerry a little more after I had gotten the job, and he congratulated me and let me know that he indeed had put in the good word he said he would. This whole process, from summer to winter, really drove home for me that in this business (just like in most others) it’s about who you know, and more importantly, what kind of a reputation you have. There is so much luck and random circumstance that plays into casting, that the best thing you can do for yourself is to make sure everyone loves to work with you, and knows that you’ll do a good job. Most of the rest of the stuff you can’t control.

South Pacific reviews are in - the show is a HIT!

2010-02-08T17:03:00.000-08:00

The reviews are in - the critics LOVE South Pacific! (Even The Stranger!)

City Arts finally caught up with South Pacific for a review: “Bart Sher's South Pacific is the real thing, a can't-miss masterpiece.“

Some critics like the show so much that they refer to it as “my South Pacific:”

The Everett Herald says this is the one you can’t miss: “If you see any show at The 5th Avenue this year, make it ‘South Pacific.’”

"An Enchanting Evening...graceful, with frisky humor and crowd-pleasing numbers,”-- Seattle Times

"It's got style. It's got substance. It's got Rod Gilfry's big baritone."--Seattle P-I

“Sher found exactly what South Pacific wants to be and gave it wings. For big Broadway shows, it doesn't get much better.”—The Stranger

Seattle Examiner:
“a perfect little Valentine treat. Sun-soaked beach, romantic villa on hill, mist-bound island in the distance, and two love stories (one happy, one sad, take your pick which moves you the most),”—Rosemary Jones, Seattle Examiner

“So much is wonderful about this virtually flawless production that it is hard to know where to begin.”-- Audrey Gervasi, Seattle Examiner

“What Sher has accomplished is a revival that makes us feel like we're hearing this story for the first time, and from people who were there, whose lives were changed by the things that happened…. this was as good a production of this great musical as I'm likely to see for quite some time.”—Jerry Kraft, Seattle Actor

"You Gotta Fight to be Legally Blonde!"

2010-02-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

by Jason Kappus, Ensemble in LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL

How I Got the Job - Part 1: The Real Audition
or "You Gotta Fight to be Legally Blonde"

My life changed at the Starbucks on 43rd and 9th in Manhattan... but that's jumping a little far ahead.

This past summer, I had the amazing privilege of spending most of the beautiful Seattle sunny days in basement rooms rehearsing Catch Me if You Can at The 5th Avenue. Spending two months working with some of the best in the business (on both sides of the table) was a dream come true and stands out as a highlight of my Seattle career.

Our choreographer for Catch Me was the brilliant Jerry Mitchell, one of the foremost Broadway choreographers today - who had recently made his Broadway directorial debut with Legally Blonde The Musical (he also did the choreography).

Jerry and I had a couple of talks over the summer about my career: about my "type," some advice, some ideas on projects and roles for which I should angle. In one of these talks, he mentioned that I could be a good fit for the national tour of Legally Blonde. I said "That would be awesome!" or something similarly ecstatic while trying to sound calm and cool.

Now, I was already determined to do a good job and make a good impression with "the New York folks" coming into Catch Me, so now with some extra motivation, well... needless to say, I worked my butt off. (Literally. I lost almost 10 pounds just doing Jerry's crazy-fast high-energy choreography.)

As any of you who saw Catch Me can probably imagine, we had a blast. The whole process was an amazing experience, and everyone's hard work and love paid off in many ways. For my part, Jerry and I talked a couple more times about New York and the future, and he referred me to the casting director for Legally Blonde (one Justin Huff). Through talking with the both of them, it became pretty clear that they were interested in looking at me for the show, and that I would get a call to come to NY to audition once the right spot opened up.

Then Catch Me ended, we all went our seperate ways, and I waited...

(to be continued...)

XANADU 50% discount offer

2010-01-21T10:15:00.000-08:00

5th Avenue Theatre blog readers, facebook fans and twitter followers are invited to get 50% off tickets to Xanadu at The Paramount, for tonight's performance. Discount applies to regularily priced $40 and $60 tickets.

Tickets at www.STGPresents.org. Use the code ARTS to take advantage of the 50% discount.

Chad Jennings - backstage with the guys

2010-01-19T15:27:00.000-08:00

The tour of South Pacific brings back Seattle native Chad Jennings (Ensemble) to The 5th Avenue Theatre. We armed Chad with a flip camera to take some shots of his fellow cast members behind the scenes. Chad gives us a peek at the regular work out routine of the sailors:

Spotlight Night Tuesday 1/5 - South Pacific & Legally Blonde!

2009-12-28T15:38:00.001-08:00

Don't miss the next Spotlight Night at The 5th Avenue Theatre!
These popular free events take you behind the scenes of our upcoming production.

Reserve your tickets in advance by calling 206-625-1900 or stopping by the box office.
You can also reserve your tickets online here:http://bit.ly/8NBVpA

Three of the most important people of the American Theatre will be on our stage for this special free evening: songwriter Laurence O'Keefe, Tony-Award winning producer Hal Luftig and Seattle's Own Tony-award winning director, Bartlett Sher.

ACT 1: “Oh, My God You Guys!”
Meet the Co-Composer/Lyricist and the Lead Producer of Legally Blonde The Musical.

Legally Blonde songwriter Laurence O’Keefe and Tony Award-winning producer Hal Luftig will take us behind-the-scenes of the creation of this big, hit Broadway musical based on the popular film. O’Keefe will play and sing excerpts from his musicals (including the cult favorite Bat Boy) and Luftig will share experiences of his 20-year career as the producer ofBroadway hits such as Thoroughly Modern Millie, Movin’ Out, the current Broadway revival of West Side Story and the upcoming Catch Me If You Can.

ACT 2: “Some Enchanted Evening”
The Rebirth of a Classic Musical

Director Bartlett Sher’s smash-hit Tony Award-winning revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific brought spectacular new life to a musical that hadn’t been revived on Broadway since its original production in 1949. Join Sher—the outgoing artistic director of Seattle’s Intiman Theatre and resident director at Lincoln Center Theatre—as he discusses how he and his team made a classic come alive for a new generation.ACT 3: “A Grand Night for Singing”The Art and Artistry of Rodgers & HammersteinSouth Pacific’s creators, Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II, revolutionized the American musical by creating what they called “the musical play.” The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director David Armstrong will tell the story of this legendary team, from their early shows with other collaborators to their historic partnership, their timeless shows and their enduring effect on the musical theater. Featuring musical performances by some of Seattle’s finest singers including Patti Cohenour, Jessica Skerrit and Eric Ankrim performing selections from Oklahoma!, Carousel, Flower Drum Song, Cinderella, The King and I and The Sound of Music.

Spotlight Night is sponsored by US Bank.
Performances and guest appearances are subject to change.
Facebook event page here: http://bit.ly/7OUODv

New Voices is back and better than ever! ACT Theatre Monday December 28

2009-12-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

Back and better than ever, NEW VOICES gives Seattle its first look at the future of musical theatre. An exciting blend of Sondheim and pop/rock, this next generation of composers is turning Broadway on its ear.

In its' eighth incarnation, NEW VOICES brings Seattle audiences something unique and incredibly entertaining: the chance to hear new musical theatre numbers sung by some of the best vocal talents in town. NEW VOICES will not want to miss out!

Join the Facebook Event Page: http://bit.ly/91CA4t

Order tickets through ACT Theatre: http://bit.ly/6NhzT8

5th Avenue Theatre alumni include:

Nick Garrison (Emcee, CABARET; ROCKY HORROR...; Re-Bar's HEDWIG)

Brandon O'Neill (JOSEPH..., MISS SAIGON, ROCKY HORROR, BUDDY, CABARET)

Eric Ankrim (Jack, INTO THE WOODS; PETER PAN at Seattle Children's Theatre)

Angie Louise (Frau Kost, CABARET)

Nick DeSantis (SUNDAY IN THE PARK...)

Jennifer Paz (Narrator, JOSEPH...)

Tanesha Ross (HAIR)

Diana Huey (MAME)

Cayman Ilika (BUDDY: The Buddy Holly Story; PATSY CLINE, CenterStage/ACT)

nd R.J. Tancioco (JOSEPH..., HAIR) at the piano. (we hear there's also a guitar, bass, cellist and drummer, too!)

Makes a great gift for any musical theatre fan. Or, if you're on santa's "nice" list this year, treat yourself to a fantastic evening of theatre.

It's this coming monday, so clear your calendar and get your tickets!

More details here.

Broadway Fit - work out to Broadway tunes!

2009-12-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

Broadway Fit Aerobics Class

Get in shape while dancing to your favorite Broadway standards!

This aerobics-style dance class is designed for adult musical theatre lovers of all levels and backgrounds.

Whether you are a beginner, or a more advanced dancer looking for a fun, energetic workout, Broadway Fit is for you.

The instructors, all 5th Avenue dancers, create an encouraging, light-hearted, and fun atmosphere for all skill levels. Each class includes a warm-up that focuses on stretching and flexibility, a cardio-workout focusing on strength, and a fun dance combination from your favorite musicals.

Winter Session: January 4-March 10, 2010

Mondays & Wednesdays 6:30-7:45 pm

Class prices vary. Please click here for information, or call the education department at 206 625-1418.

Dance Classes for Kids & Teens!

2009-12-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about our Saturday dance classes for teens? This makes a great gift for the holidays for the dancers and performers in your life!

For Broadway-bound children and teens, The 5th Avenue Theatre offers Saturday morning classes in ballet, jazz and tap. Whether you’re just starting out, or well on your way to the Great White Way, you’ll find a class to fit your needs.

All classes are taught by professional dancers and choreographers.

THREE NEW CLASSES ADDED:

NEW! Intro to Musical Theatre Dance (ages 8-13)This is a mixed level class that introduces musical theatre dance to young students. Emphasis will be on ballet and jazz techniques and will combine barre, center work and basic dance combinations from musicals. Jazz or ballet shoes required.

NEW! Beginning Tap for Musical Theatre (ages 13-18)This class is designed for the beginning tap student, or students looking for a refresher course on the basics of tap dance. Students will learn tap techniques from the first step through the basic steps that any tap dancer must know including shuffle, flap, cramp-roll, riff, pullbacks, and wings. Class will focus on introducing the basics and learning beginning tap dance combinations. Tap shoes required.

NEW! Intermediate/Advanced Tap for Musical Theatre (ages 8-13)This class is designed for the more advanced tap student. Students will practice basic tap steps while learning essential skills that include transition steps and combinations such as flap-ball-change,waltz clog, maxi ford, shim sham, time steps, etc. Focus will be on presentationand musicality and students will learn essential tap dance skills to prepare for auditions. Tap shoes required. We also have classes in Ballet and Jazz for Musical Theatre. Prices and times vary. For more information and to download a registration form, please visit www.5thavenue.org/education/danceclasses

Have a FEE FREE Holiday & get the best seats available!

2009-12-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

Create a holiday memory that your family will never forget!

White Christmas plays The 5th Avenue Theatre now through December 30.

We've heard the rumors, but they're not true! You can STILL get great seats to White Christmas!

As a reader of our blog, facebook and/or twitter, you get the inside scoop:

Best seats available are for performances December 26 – 30!

Have a FEE FREE Holiday!

Buy any ticket for White Christmas for December 26 – 30 performances

(including a special added Monday evening performance)

and use the code NOFEES when buying to avoid all service fees!

Online at www.5thavenue.org over the phone at 206-625-1900 or in person at the box office!

Not valid with any other offers or on previously purchased tickets.

To take advantage of this limited-time offer, use codeword NOFEES when logging in at 5thavenue.org or when purchasing tickets over the phone at 206.625.1900.

White Christmas has TWO monday evening performances 12/21 and 12/28!

Sing-A-Long Sound of Music Giveaway on Facebook!

2009-12-14T16:28:00.000-08:00

Enter to win 2 tickets to Sing-A-Long Sound of Music!

Here's how:

1) Visit and join our event page at http://bit.ly/SASOM09

2) Scroll under photo on right to SHARE button, hit share and share on your profile to all your friends (feel free to include a personalized message

3) visit http://www.facebook.com/5thave and write on our wall! Your message should include something about Sing-A-Long Sound Of Music (whether that's your excitement, costume idea or experience at a past year, it doesn't matter)

1 entry per person, entries taken until Thursday 12/17 at 11am! We will use a random number generator to pick the winner from all the valid entries on our wall!

The "Susans" of White Christmas create "Cookies for a Cause!"

2009-12-10T14:48:00.000-08:00

Since moving into their dressing room, Lauren Carlos (10) and Drea Gordon (12), who play Susan Waverly, have been having a blast with White Christmas and have become great friends.

One night during a sleepover, the girls decorated several dozen gingerbread cookies and brought them to rehearsal the following morning to share with fellow cast & crew members. The cookies were in such high demand that the girls decided to sell them for 50 cents a piece with all proceeds going to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. And "Cookies for a Cause" was born!

The girls keep bringing in homemade cookies and selling them almost too fast to keep up with. As of last saturday, they've raised over $200! Lauren says. "At our half-hour call, the stage manager announced what kind of cookie we had, and all 70 cookies were sold in one evening!"

Drea has high hopes for the pair's charity of choice..."Our goal is going to be to raise $400" she says. "I think we can do it!"

So far the cookies have ranged from gingerbread, to pumpkin chocolate chip, and candy cane shortbread. Their fundraiser is doing so well that the girls have started asking for donations of cookies to sell!