Contemporary Classics features 5th Avenue performers

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.

"We are still waiting, still hesitating..."

blog entry by Heather Apellanes (Ensemble, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)

It's been a little over three weeks (and only a little over two for the women) since rehearsals started for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and it feels like ages have gone by with the amount of things we've learned and accomplished.

Two dozen colors, over 75 crazy costume pieces, 20 cow heads, and 52 children later, we are at tech week for Joseph - and it's only just begun. For me, this show has been a great experience, not knowing much about the show going into it, and entering the world of The 5th Avenue Theatre after four years of being gone for too long since their May 2005 production of Miss Saigon. It's been an honor working with this amazing and talented cast, and I am very grateful to be a part of this project.

The songs will be unforgettable, the children's voices will be beautiful, the incredibly silly costumes will be endearing, and the story gives way to themes and lessons we all come across through life. Dream. Pick a dream, any dream. And never focus on how something won't work, or else...it just won't work. Despite how "kooky" the numbers have felt, I am pretty touched when I think deeper about the meaning of each one, and the story of Joseph. I see him as a guy who followed The Four Agreements (if any of you have ever read that book) to rise to the top of every situation he was in: Don't take anything personally, always be impeccable with your word, don't make assumptions, and always do your best.

With that said, here are just a few moments captured behind the scenes as we put this show together for you. Enjoy.