SCT Review Crew takes on "Peter Pan"

Another excellent review of "Peter Pan," this one from Meg D. and family of the SCT Review Crew.

The Holidays are upon us and what better a gift than a night at The Seattle Children's Theatre! This classic story is brought to life with an amazing and talented cast.

Linda Hartzell celebrates her 25th year as Artistic Director of Seattle Children's Theatre. She is truly the best gift ever to the Seattle Children's Theatre and her direction of this show is one of her best yet!

Newcomer Eric Ankrim is wonderful as Peter Pan. His energy is contagious and he carries the show like a pro. David Pichette as Captain Hook is deliciously evil and very funny. I think the adults had an even better time as Hook quotes Shakespeare and demands his gang to play various tunes of music for him. The Pirates were my favorite characters. Auston James as Smee is perfect, funny and always fun to see on stage. The gang of pirates don't let the audience down a moment with their songs and fight scenes.

David Pichette as Capt. Hook with his gang of pirates (clockwise from left) Auston James, Hugh Hastings,
Maggie Stenson, Dane Stokinger, Peter Crook and Geoffrey Alm. Photo by Chris Bennion.

My two boys though LOVED Nana played by Jadd Davis and the Crocodile played by Eric Brotherson. The animal costumes designed by Scott R. Gray make these two fine actors able to crawl, slither and climb easily about the stage.

The set is breathtaking and cheers go to Carey Wong for all the details done in the hildren's nursery. Music Direction by Mark Rabe is wonderful and you can even catch two of the pirates as back-up drummers in the Ugg-a-Wugg song.

The age recommendation for this show is 6+/Grades 1+.. We had little ones all around us and I was a bit concerned at the start, but the wonderful Cry/Family Room is available in case a quick exit is needed!

Get your tickets now and treat your family to a one of a kind live theatre experience!

SCT Review Crew: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
by SCT Review Crew members Meg D. (mom), Seth D. (age 10), and Dale D. (age 8)

Seattle Children's Theatre has done it again with the amazing adaptation by Jody Davidson of the beloved story If You Give A Mouse A Cookie! My two sons and I have never laughed so hard and were talking about it for hours afterwards.

Take two amazingly gifted performers; MJ Sieber as the boy, who's animated narration of the story and comedic timing are perfect. MJ is so believable as the boy you forget that he is an adult and you truly believe the predicament he is in. And Don Darryl Rivera, as the mouse, who by far is the funniest, set-climbing, mess-making mouse ever to grace the stage. My younger son loves his work, and thought this was by far his best role yet at SCT.

MJ Sieber and Don Darryl Rivera. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Director Rita Giomi staged this non-stop adventure, with classic bits of comedy and great moments where you laughed so hard you didn't think it could be any funnier. But it does, and by the end of the show you have lived the story that I know many parents have read to their kids at least a hundred times.

Take a great set designed by Jennifer Zeyl that is larger than life and filled with all sorts of fun objects for the mouse to get tangled up in. The larger than life bag of chips, cotton balls, cookies and hose from the kitchen sink are fantastic additions. Sound Cues provided by Chris R. Walker added just the perfect touch to certain scenes in the play. My older son loved the 'yodeling' sound bit when the mouse takes upon himself to climb up the refrigerator to hang his picture. Heidi Ganser's fun costumes fit the characters to a T.

This play is just what my family needed to see. A chance to escape our busy lives and to spend an evening laughing and enjoying the audience members experience around us. I hope that every parent, teacher or Seattle Children's Theatre Patron will go see this little show that is as delicious as a cookie and glass of milk will ever be!

SCT Review Crew: Mysterious Gifts

Another great review of "Mysterious Gifts: Theatre of Iran", this time from the newest members of the SCT Review Crew, Anita S. and Akaash S.

The show begins with the entrance of the Director, Performer- the audience does not realize yet that they are in for an unique experience. He starts off quite casually into numerous song and dance from all regions of Iran. One can tell that the audience is captivated by the short “mini-dances” which are performed. But wait, the entire tone of the performance shifts in one fell swoop.

Photo by Chris Bennion

He is now in a dark room of some sort and appears to be tortured by something or someone- and hence begins a wonderful display of physicality and puppetry. Is this a battle with one self? Is this a bad dream? Is this a philosophical struggle between good and evil? What is the meaning of this particular “story”? This is the wonder of what we, the audience, are experiencing: a story being told by movement, expression, and pure physical presence. Not to mention the mysterious music in the background. The point being; not one word has been spoken.

Photo by Chris Bennion

After intermission, the stage comes alive in a potter’s environment. Or is it the laboratory of a mad scientist? This story is simply mesmerizing, mysterious, spiritual and curious. One is left wanting more- no wait, it cannot be over…


If you'd like to become part of the SCT Review Crew and share your reviews of SCT productions, contact Marketing & PR Manager Jim Jewell at jimj@sct.org.

Guest Reviewer: Mysterious Gifts: Theatre of Iran

From time to time, we invite members of our community to see a show and tell us, and you, what they think. Our first guest reviewer is Sarah Pedro, who was sent to us by a local Artistic Director. Sarah saw a performance this weekend, and here is what she had to say.

Finding words to describe the marvel of Mysterious Gifts seems impossible and obsolete in the same way Yaser Khaseb has proven the same of describing the true beauty of life and the connections between all humanity. Khaseb strips away the identities of language that separate us from each other, and brings our similarities into full, undeniable view. Using movement, color, music and expression, Yaser and his cast portray the constant toil and philosophical questions every human battles with, regardless of culture or beliefs.

Hamid Etemedi Todeshki and Yaser Khaseb. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Painting a timeline of the human mind's spiritual struggle, we are first born a compacted being, that must use its entire mind, spirit, and energy to simply survive, and learn to be. The task to unfold, to stand, to walk, to see, soon transform to the quest to understand, to create, to transcend. The character in the battle with the self transcends the barriers between the physical and philosophical, and transforms them into one. We see our mental and spiritual conflicts physically manifest on stage through body language and movement, and this embodies the philosophical struggle better than words ever have. The constant battle between fear and failure, and determination and success that every human experiences over and over again in the wonderment of how and why to live.

Yaser Khaseb in "Mysterious Gift." Photo by Chris Bennion.

Immediately after the stage went black, I had an overwhelming need to see it all over again. I had never before felt so understood, and understanding at the same time.

The most amazing part of this understanding was that I did not know this person, I did not grow up as he had, and I did not even speak his language, yet we understood each other. It is truly an experience that has changed me for the better, and forever.

Wow - thank you, Sarah. If you are interested in sharing your thoughts about SCT productions, you can join the SCT Review Crew. Just drop a line to Marketing & PR Manager Jim Jewell for more information.

Our Teen Reviewer Tackles "I Was a Rat!"

Another review from teen reviewer Kathryn L., who previously reviewed "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Goodnight Moon".


When I was in 5th grade, I took part in the Global Reading Challenge at B.F. Day Elementary School. One of the books we had to read was I Was a Rat! by Philip Pullman. Immediately, I fell in love with the poor innocence of Roger, the hospitality of Bob and Joan, and the craftiness of Oliver Tapscrew.

Peter Crook, Caety Sagoian and Don Darryl Rivera. Photo by Chris Bennion.

So, when I came to the play, it was only to fall in love all over again with the characters I had loved back then. Not only were their personalities brought to life and made even more believable then they already were, but the set was a story in itself. The idea of making the set out of the Daily Scourge added to the story by so much. It showed how a community and their actions can be fueled by a misprint in a paper, and how gossip can sometimes rule the lives of many.

Over all, the play was a very good, very believable adaption of the book by Phillip Pullman. It highlighted all of the important aspects from the book and gave personality to even the inanimate objects, such as the set, and the tiniest characters that really have no role at all, like the Philosopher Royal’s cat.
I highly recommend it to people of all ages - to adults because it helps to capture lost youth, and to the youth itself because it is set in a fantasy-world only imaginable to young minds.


"I Was a Rat!" runs through June 7th in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

More on "Rat" from the SCT Review Crew

Before we share more from the SCT Review Crew, I thought I'd take a moment and explain these "spoiler tags" you're seeing.

"I Was a Rat!" has something of a surprise involved in the story. It isn't a secret if you've read the book, and the more astute members of our audience will probably pick up on the clues and figure it out quite quickly. And, anyway, the surprise isn't really what the story is about.

But, to make sure we preserve the surprise for anyone so inclined, I'm putting spoiler tags on reviews from our Review Crew that might let the secret slip. Just click the spoiler button for the full tale.

All that being said, let's get on to the review from SCT Review Crew-er Nadine S.


SCT's new production, "I Was A Rat!," is a twisted fairy tale.
SPOILERS!

What happens if one of the rats turned into a footman by Cinderella's godmother doesn't revert back to a rodent at midnight? The main character of "I Was A Rat," is in this fix, and he suddenly finds himself a boy, with no idea how to act like a human and no one to care for him. Bewildered and afraid, the rat/boy knocks on the door of a kind, childless couple and with the explanation, "I was a rat," the story begins. Like the couple, we don't learn until later how the rat became a boy or why (he ran off from his post as Cinderella's footman to take her to the ball and was never reverted to his true self at midnight), so that we, too, are thrown confused into a world in which the rich live in a fairytale castle and the rest of the people live in a depressed, gray, and poor world, populated with unscrupulous grifters and desperate orphans who have to live hard to get by.

Through a series of mishaps, the boy, named "Roger" (Don Darryl Rivera) by the kind couple, finds himself on display as a "monster," vilified by rumour and fear spread by newpapers that serve not to inform, but to make a buck. It takes a princess to save him, leaving us with the relief and hope that fairytale endings can happen anywhere.

Don Darryl Rivera as Roger the rat-boy. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Roger's journey is staged by the SCT like a Dickens novel. The set is dark, gray and urban with lurid newspaper headlines slashed all over the stage. The kind couple are dressed in depression-era clothing and their warm, cobbler's cottage is the only homey place on this stark set. The other characters are dressed in Victorian rags and tags, ruffians straight from Oliver Twist. A fairytale castle looms behind, far in the distance. Some characters in the play, such the evil Fagin-like grifter who attempts to put Roger on display as the monstrous "Rat Boy," and the street urchin who, like the Artful Dodger, has a good heart but steals and connives to survive, make us fear that Roger will come to a tragic end.

The play shows the best and the worst of humanity and, thankfully, all turns right for Roger. The SCT once again lightens the story with humor and the actors made this crazy fairy-tale seem real. Our daughter (7) loved this play and so did we. It gave us the perfect chance to talk with her about how to decide if what you read in the newspaper is always true and how sometimes fear leads people to do the wrong things. The happy ending left us with the feeling that even in such a difficult world, most people are really good at heart.


"I Was a Rat!" runs in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre through June 7th.

SCT Review Crew's first review of "I Was a Rat!"

Our first SCT Review Crew review of "I Was a Rat!" from veteran Review Crew-er Aimee W. and daughter Kira W.

From the newspaper wrapped set, to the marvelously talented cast, to the incredibly quick costume changes, I Was A Rat! is a not-to-be-missed show! My daughter Kira (age 7) and I (age withheld), thoroughly enjoyed this delightful, surprising romp. This is both a funny and touching story of a rat who turns into a boy and all the adventures of misunderstanding and prejudice he encounters.

Luckily, he first encounters a cobbler Bob (Rob Borgess)and his wife, Joan (Marianne Owne), who makes the most delightful toasted cheese sandwiches and ginger “snap” cookies. They decide to call him Roger. Roger (Don Darryl Rivera) eats everything... really! He nibbles through newspapers (The Daily Scourge), pencils and even his mattress and bed clothes. This delighted my daughter to no end, as did his bizarre, rat-like habits.

Rob Burgess, Don Darryl Rivera and Marianne Owen. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Unfortunately, Roger ends up in some sticky situations – even getting thrown in jail because he is suspected of being a sewer monster. An amazing thing since Roger still looks a lot like a boy, clearly indicating that people choose their own context even if there is evidence to prove otherwise literally staring them straight in the face.

This tale is told with punctuations of headlines from the local, tabloid newspaper, The Daily Scourge. The cast plays multiple characters so well it feels like a cast of thousands. Each character has his or her own musical theme. I must admit, I didn’t notice this feature, but it was called to our attention when the cast came out on the stage at the end of the show to answer questions and talk to the audience. It makes me want to see the show again so that I can pay special attention to that detail.

The things my daughter loved are listed below – her top ten but in no particular order:
[Editor's note: This list has some spoilers in it, so be warned before you click the list name to reveal it.]

Kira W.'s Favorite Parts

1. The headband on Roger’s head at the end
2. When Roger hid in the trashcan
3. Eating pencils!
4. When Billy rescued Roger from Professor Tapscrew’s
5. The sewer guy’s costume was great because it was dirty like he was from the sewer
6. Liked how Roger stood straight like a pole when he was hiding from the police
7. Loved it when he ate the peppers – it was funny!
8. Liked it when the princess turned the rat into a cleaned up boy to get him out of jail
9. Liked how the picture had Roger in it
10. Liked the scene where Bob and Joan gave the princess the red shoes.

We both loved the show and could have probably created a much longer list than this. This show is fun for ages 6+. And unlike some toys with a starting age that really represents a range of about 2 years beyond, the plus here really means 6 and up. My 11 year old would have loved this, and, well, that plus includes me and I loved this, too.

"I Was a Rat!" runs in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre through June 7th.

An actor and parent reviews "Goodnight Moon"

Another family review, this time from local actor Dan Spiegelman, who joined us with his son for opening night of "Goodnight Moon."

Sharva Maynard, Matt Wolfe and Jayne Muirhead (operating the Mouse puppet). Photo by Chris Bennion.

I was super excited to be bringing my almost four year-old Ben to see "Goodnight Moon." I have an affinity for SCT; I feel like I grew up there between the plays I saw as a kid and the classes I took.

Ben has always enjoyed the book and was pretty excited about going to a show also. As soon as the play started, he was completely engaged, smiling and laughing the whole time.

After the show, he went down to meet all of the actors and was stoked that Matt Wolfe (Bunny) signed his poster. We have the poster hanging in his bedroom now and he voluntarily tells the story of how we went to see the play "Goodnight Moon," and how it was very, very funny.

"Goodnight Moon." runs through June 7th, 2009.

Family review: "Goodnight Moon"

Another review from Kathryn L. (you may remember her "A Tale of Two Cities" review), ably assisted by sister Rachel and brother Jared.


I am a fourteen-year-old girl, and I am her twelve-year-old sister. We have known Goodnight Moon since we were little girls. We’ve always liked it, the colors, the little details, the rhyming of the words. We have a brother who is six. Goodnight Moon has been read to all of us since we were little, and we have a copy of that and Runaway Bunny handy at all times on the bookshelf in our house.

Auston James, Matt Wolfe, Sharva Maynard and Jayne Muirhead. Photo by Chris Bennion.

When we went to the Seattle Children’s Theatre’s play version of the book, we were all excited to see how the much-loved children’s book would be transformed into a full play. The set delighted me and my sister who spent the last five minutes before the play started discussing the set and playing find the piece.

“Look! There’s the curtain rod.”

“It even has the arrow at the tip!”

“I know. Hey! The bears-”

“In their chairs? I know!”

“And the picture of the Runaway Bunny!”

“And the mitten and kitten!”

“And the night table and the brush!”

“And the bowl full of mush!”

We had a lot of fun, and afterwards, my brother said “The set was just like the book, but full of surprises!” He said he couldn’t wait to see it again with his school (an outing he is still patiently waiting for), and the next night during dinner while we were still in the kitchen eating, he even left to act out scenes from the play for us.

The acting and the colorful singing had my mom wanting to accuire [sic] a cd of the songs sung in the play, and my brother saying: “It wasn’t just a play, it was a musi-cool!”

"Goodnight Moon" runs through June 7th in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

An artist and parent reviews "Goodnight Moon"

In addition to our fabulous SCT Review Crew, we sometimes invite members of the community to write reviews of our productions. In the last year, we've had guest reviewers from Hugo House, 826 Seattle and TeenTix. This past weekend, we invited local solo performer/writer/actor/educator Maria Glanz and her son Finn (age 4 and 3/4) to see "Goodnight Moon" and share their experience with us.


Opening Night: We walk into the Eve Alvord Theatre at SCT, and after climbing the steps and choosing a bench, we turn – and our smiles stretch all the way up to our eyes as we look at the Great Green Room come to full-size life in Jennifer Lupton’s wonderful set. Finn’s first words, as always, are:

“What’s that?”

And we look at the giant windows, with stars shining through, and the picture of the Cow Jumping Over the Moon, and Finn says:

“There’s Kittens! And a Little House… and the Bowl Full of Mush!” I notice the title, Goodnight Moon, tucked cleverly on a big tall book spine on stage left, right behind the piano. Before the play even begins we are falling into another world, something that always seems to occur effortlessly at SCT. Even when I know how much long, hard work goes into these wonderful productions – it always looks effortless, easy, magical.

And when the performance begins, the magic grows. Finn whispers to me, “I see a Big Red Balloon!” and we watch the balloon follow his friend Bunny across the stage. The script, wonderfully adapted by Chad Henry – who also wrote the marvelous music and lyrics - begins with little Bunny saying “Hello!” to all of his friends, the clocks and socks and mittens, and we feel his joy as we settle into his world.

Matt Wolfe as Bunny. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The cast is perfect. Matt Wolfe shines as the boy Bunny, playing with delight through his adventures. His easy, funny, happy performance gives a strong central core to the show. Auston James, Jayne Muirhead and Sharva Maynard play multiple roles beautifully. Jayne’s Little Mouse was one of Finn’s favorites, and mine too, with her dry sense of humor and perfect timing. And boy - can these four sing and dance! For me, the songs were a highlight of the evening. Music Director Mark Rabe plays the piano (with help from Matt for one funny number) and he’s terrific. The Three Little Bears sitting on Chairs come right down from the wall and tap dance through a fabulous game of musical chairs, thanks to the choreography of Marianne Roberts. And the Cat with a Fiddle, Dog with a Drum, and Dish Who Ran Away with the Spoon make three fun appearances, singing the tale of Clarabelle the Cow and her efforts to jump over the moon. All of the costumes, designed by Cathy Hunt, are fantastic. The Dish in particular is breathtaking – I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I also liked Auston’s very dapper Tooth Fairy, although I don’t think Finn quite understood my delight.

Finn did love the fire when it came to life with eyes opening and rolling. And he was both a tiny bit scared of, and then completely entranced by, the mystery and wonder of exactly what is inside that Little House. I won’t spoil it here by describing it – the wonder is worth the wait. Another favorite moment for both of us was a guest appearance by The Runaway Bunny book, gorgeously rendered, with the story told through another toe-tapping song.

Auston James, Matt Wolfe, Sharva Maynard and Jayne Muirhead. Photo by Chris Bennion.

It’s clear that the cast and crew, led by SCT Artistic Director Linda Hartzell, love what they are doing - and even more, love these books by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd. When theatre is made with this kind of love, we in the audience receive such a tremendous gift. I could also feel and see the spirit and gifts of Doug Paasch all through the production; I only wish my Finn could have met this lovely man [longtime SCT Puppet Master Paasch passed away unexpectedly this past fall]. But I’m grateful that he and countless other kids gets to enjoy his puppets, still.

Finn was tired as we were heading home last night, and didn’t much want to talk – so I wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about the show. This morning, I heard him talking to himself in his room, and he was saying:

“We saw a Fire with Eyes. We saw a Big Giant Runaway Bunny Book! Just like Finn’s little Runaway Bunny book!”

And he had both books out – Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny – and he wasn’t reading them (they weren’t even open, actually) – he was holding them up and dancing them in front of his eyes, playing with all the memories held right in his own little hands.


"Goodnight Moon" runs through June 7th in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

Another SCT Review Crew review of "A Tale of Two Cities"

The latest from the SCT Review Crew - "A Tale of Two Cities" reviewed by Aimee W. and Teagan W.


It’s been a long time since we’ve been so moved that we had to sit for a while after the curtain call just to get our bearings. Seattle Children’s Theatre does not disappoint with their production of A Tale of Two Cities - far from it. This is a poignantly moving tale that reminds us that people are often more emotional than rational – are made of both dark and light – vengeance and honor.

Rafael Untalan (background), Chelsey Rives, Connor Toms and Philip Davidson. Photo by Chris Bennion.

This production tells this tale in a powerful, moving way – honoring the Charles Dickens classic. The acting is superb! We were quite impressed with the caliber of acting in this show. There were no weak links – everyone held their own. We were especially impressed with the incredible job done by Jim Gall (understudy) who had his chance to go on in a large role as Monsieur Defarge. He didn’t miss a beat and it felt like the role was his from the beginning. He was fiery and passionate in his portrayal of Monsieur Defarge, a man who is conflicted between the cause and his loyalty to a friend.

Rafael Untalan as Sydney Carton. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The award-winning performance goes to actor Rafael Untalan who played Sydney Carton. His journey from self-centered, troubled defense attorney who makes a drunken promise to the woman he loves - to a sober, selfless man who actually carries through with that promise, was done in such an artful way that we were moved to tears as the final lights went out, signifying his death by guillotine. Another notable performance was by Amy Thone as Madame Defarge. She created a role that was sympathetic and malevolent – complex and myopic. Seattle Children’s Theatre continues to attract top talent. This cast was wonderful!

The set design by Carey Wong was superb. It artfully wove both impoverished and privileged into a rough, angular set that shifted between both worlds with ease and yet always had the sense that things were unsettled and not yet finished.

The costume design by Sarah Nash Gates was lovely, well-researched and added just the right touches of color to a neutral set when needed.

All of these elements from the acting to the lighting wouldn’t be what they are without the insightful direction of Rita Giomi. Ms. Giomi has a keen sense of themes and creates them without being heavy handed. She develops moments of power and angst through sound, lighting and movement. The only distracting direction happened with the scenes on the second level where the actor’s were seated. Sitting in the fifth row, center – we often had the faces of the actors blocked by the railing. We would have preferred that these scenes were done standing rather than sitting.

There is only one week left for this play – this is one you won’t want to miss. Stop reading this and call the box office right now to buy your tickets before it’s too late!!


A Tale of Two Cities closes April 12, 2009.

More on "Tale" from the SCT Review Crew

Here's the newest review from our group of intrepid subscribing-and-reviewing families known as the SCT Review Crew. Today's reviewers are Connie D., Kathi W. and Kelsey W.

Our Thoughts On A Tale of Two Cities

We loved A Tale of Two Cities. The playwright did a great job of remaining true to the book. We liked the way the playwright and director brought out Dickens’ compassion for the underdog, his understanding for the complications of class roles, and his focus on the character of individuals.

Right from the beginning of the play, we were hooked. Having several characters narrate the “It was the best of times…” phrases and the ominous sound in the background was powerful.

We liked the set, which worked in all locations. The coach carrying the Marquis (David Quicksall) was beautifully done (although for those of us near the front, a blanket over his lap would have helped the distraction of seeing all of his legs, etc.). Our other minor frustration was the fence in front of the balcony. In some scenes, it was difficult to see everyone completely. I appreciated how some of the actors leaned down so their faces were visible under the bar.

(top) Darragh Kennan and David Quicksall (bottom) Peter A. Jacobs and Philip Davidson. Photo by Chris Bennion.

We had differing opinions on the accents (or lack thereof). The youngest or us said during intermissions that she would have liked French and English accents so she could keep track of who was French and who was English. We older folk liked the emphasis on acting and clarity versus messing with accents. In our experience, actors trying to maintain perfect accents throughout a play tend to have less energy and force left for their acting.

The costumes were wonderful, especially those of the main characters and the upper and middle class. The Defarges’ (Allen Galli and Amy Thone) clothing was great, but one of us thought the mob scene extras’ costumes seemed a little too theatrically patchy. We know there’s a limit to budget and time, though, and the choice to spend more on the main characters was absolutely right.

Rafael Untalan, Allen Galli, Darragh Kennan, Marianne Owen and Carol Roscoe. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The mob scenes would have been more dramatic with more people, and again we understand there are financial limitations… but maybe you could have had some volunteers or stagehands or prop people come out for those scenes to make it feel more like a real, crowded, out-of-control, city mob.

The acting was excellent, especially Rafael Untalan as Sydney Carton. He was very believable in a role that could be overplayed. He felt very true to the person he was at each point in the story.

We really loved the directing by Rita Giomi. There were great transitions between scenes and ideas, great unity of narration, great use of the stage, sound and actors. There were a number of extremely poignant moments, such as the finale, which were done perfectly.

The final impact was superb. The relationship of Carton and the seamstress, pointing out his true compassion despite himself, was touching. We momentarily had a tough time transitioning with the same actress being the pitiful seamstress right after she’d been the cruel Mme. Defarge. Luckily, Amy Thone is such a great actress that we were able to forget the Mme. Defarge in her within a few seconds.

Rafael Untalan as Sydney Carton. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The long climb around and up to the guillotine, the darkening red sky, and the rhythm of the heads/guillotine falling coming closer together as the seamstress and Carton waited their turn made for great tension. Having the stage completely and suddenly darken when the guillotine finally fell on Carton was perfect. It’s not often that it takes the audience such a long time to catch their breaths and gather their wits enough to applaud. We noticed that many people were tearing up at the end, including Untalan. We (and he) were so involved in Carton’s last minutes that we felt it was brave for the actor to come back on stage after that experience.

Of course, we felt that this play was very relevant to today. (Did you choose this before Wall Street toppled and even more people lost their jobs and homes?) The point of caring for others and living for others really came across.

Thanks again for a wonderful show.


A Tale of Two Cities runs through April 12, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

SCT Review Crew kicks off with "A Tale of Two Cities"

A couple of months ago, we came up with an idea for the SCT Review Crew. At the time, the closing of the Seattle P-I was imminent instead of in the rearview, and column inches for arts coverage were (and are) drying up everywhere.

So, we turned to our audience, and asked for subscribers willing to write reviews for the plays they see this year, and the SRC was born. Today, we unveil the first SCT Review Crew submission, a review of A Tale of Two Cities penned by Review Crewer Karilynn W.


Off the bat, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this play—it stands out as one of my favorites for this age group. I even hauled my father to the theater, which I do occasionally, and he also thought it was really well done.

Rafael Untalan, Chelsey Rives and Connor Toms. Photo by Chris Bennion.

I’m still in the midst of reading Dickens’s classic and with all due respect to the novel, sometimes it’s a more enjoyable experience to see certain works in a different medium than the original. For me, SCT succeeded by presenting A Tale of Two Cities in a fluid and engaging stage performance, lightening up some of the dense prose and plot without losing the themes and impact of the original novel. The result is an exciting, thoughtful and accessible story, sometimes funny and sometimes dramatic, that stays true to the novel’s interwoven narrative while still retaining clarity between the different plot threads. There is never confusion as to what or where events are taking place—I was caught up in the story without having to stop and figure out what just happened.

Rafael Untalan (background), Chelsey Rives, Connor Toms and Philip Davidson. Photo by Chris Bennion.

I also thought the set design (by Carey Wong) was stellar, playing a big part in the flow and tone of the story. In the darkened light, the wooden walkway stretching around the stage and the multi-tiered set pieces set the mood and worked wonderfully during the “split screen” scenes—simultaneous events taking place in different cities and in different past/present times. The English major part of my brain was even tickled in that, particularly in the France scenes, the multilevel set played on the class divide conflict—the aristocracy at the top and the “common” citizens at the bottom. Of course the set and lighting, especially striking during the guillotine scene, was great with or without a nagging English major brain.

Props to the cast—my experience is that SCT casts consistently do a great job and I always love seeing familiar faces from previous plays. Both Monsieur and Madame Defarge (Allen Galli and Amy Thone) were strong characters and played well against each other, shedding light on the different lengths one might go to for such a cause. (Thone also stood out to me because her of very recent appearance in another wonderful play, Tomás and the Library Lady.) I also really want to highlight Mr. Carton’s character (Rafael Untalan) — for me, using him as the primary mouthpiece for the story transitions brought focus to him and anchored the final act, where as the story’s heart, his decision hits home—at the end, I felt the pricks of emotional eye burn (you know that feeling you get behind the eyes when you’re moved by something). At the same time, he also brought some lightness and humor to the tale. He was the smart, smart-alecky guy that we liked; he wasn’t bad, just unmotivated and uninvolved until he found something that mattered.

Rafael Untalan as Sydney Carton. Photo by Chris Bennion.

I know in the performance I attended, the play was enjoyed by a wide audience, from preteens on up to the older couples that attended, including me and my guest. After the final scene, the audience gave a standing ovation and on the matinees I usually go to, I don’t see that very often. I think we had a slight guillotine technical malfunction at the end, but it didn’t disrupt the onstage action. This is a great choice for preteens and up, all the way up to fathers like mine—if I lived farther north, it’s one I wouldn’t mind seeing again.


A Tale of Two Cities runs through April 12, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

"A Tale of Two Cities" Teen Review

Opening weekend of "A Tale of Two Cities" is behind us, and our very first review comes from a teen member of our audience, Kathryn L., a student at Bishop Blanchet High School. (spoiler alert - critical plot points are revealed)


I am fourteen and have only heard of Charles Dickens. You say Dickens and I think of Oliver Twist, a whale, and milkshakes. I attempted to read A Tale of Two Cities before coming, but could not get a hold of a copy as it is apparently a very popular book. Going in, all I knew were two things. One, I was going to watch a play based of a story by the famed English author Charles Dickens; and two, the story and play took place during the French Revolution.

Philip Davidson, Connor Toms, Chelsey Rives and Rafael Untalan. Photo by Chris Bennion.

On the way out, I knew three more things. One, it was terrific, even though I had no idea what the story was about going in. Two, it made me cry and was definitely better than reading The Odyssey for school. And three, (was that my [Language Arts] teacher I just saw walking out? Well, it wasn’t - thank goodness for that) I couldn’t wait for junior year during which I will read the book because of school requirements, and not only was I excited, but also dreading the idea of crying again when Carton (Rafael Untalan) and Darnay (Connor Toms) switch.

The sets were very realistic and I marveled at the well painted-backdrop and the richness portrayed in the Marquis’ (David Quicksall) room. I could almost feel the imaginary crowds’ spit as it rained from their angry mouths while they yelled for the death of Darnay at the trial. The devotion the cast and crew had for the making of the play shined through the dynamics of their voices, movements, and spectacular effects. Fast costume changing is right - it went by so quickly that I almost forgot that there were only a few people total.

(top) Darragh Kennan and David Quicksall (bottom) Peter Jacobs and Philip Davidson. Photo by Chris Bennion.

By far the drunken confession of love by Sydney Carton for Lucie Manette (Chelsey Rives) to the empty streets and then later the neighbors was the best. His sarcastic comments coupled with Charles Darney’s earnest do-gooding compliments made for very interesting conversation regarding Lucie. The sobs of the dying sister and Lucie as death is brought to whomever are life-like and chilling, and the shock on Mr. Lorry’s (Peter Jacobs) face as Carton says goodbye is priceless, as are Dr. Manettes’ (Philip Davidson) mad mumblings. The fierceness and loyalty shown by Miss Pross (Marianne Owen) towards her “ladybird” is matched only by Samwise Gamgee towards Frodo Baggins, and the determination and partiotism for France (in a unique way) is only for Monsieur and Madame, excuse me, the Citizens Defarge (Allen Galli and Amy Thone). The devastation of losing a child is evident of Gaspard’s (Darragh Kennan) face, as is his nonchalance at committing the murder of the Marquis to avenge his Babbette.

Rafael Untalan, Allen Galli, Darragh Kennan and Marianne Owen. Photo By Chris Bennion.

All together, the set and the superb acting of the actors are what make the show, and the sound effects are truly wonderful.

The play makes me want to read the book, and I only have two complaints. That it didn’t go on for longer, and that Carton didn’t live. But hey, you can’t control that, the original author’s dead, and the book is only known world-wide.


A Tale of Two Cities runs through April 12, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.