Theater bits and pieces

There was a blogging lag the last couple of weeks since the great first day of the Seattle Outdoor Theatre Festival. There's plenty of news to report on theater since.

SOTF day two. After a gorgeous, perfect day and four fun plays July 11, the weather turned gloomy for the second day on the 12th. My Sweetie, the official scorer, and I skipped the Young Shakespeare Workshop production of Twelfth Night, then enjoyed a fine production of King John by Greenstage. We watched Theater Schmeater's staging of The Sorcerer's Apprentice again. It was fun. But it really started to rain hard, with lightning and thunder, so we bailed out before Wooden O's Taming of the Shrew. We're not sure if the show went on or not. They don't like l

ightning. But we did go home and watch a tape of the Shrew episode of the old TV series "Moonlighting."

Pippin. Balagan Theatre (full disclosure: Weisenheimer is president of the board at Balagan) put on this teen production of Pippin. It's the first in what the company hopes will be many educational efforts for young people in the community. It was pleasantly entertaining, too. The musicians were fabulous and the cast sharp with their timing on lots of good gags.

Schmorgasborg. Balagan does a monthly late-night variety program of music, acting, and comedy. The July 18 lineup included not just one, but TWO, burlesque acts: Kitty Stripper and Clown Stripper! Both hilarious! Also J&J Music Factory, with special guest Chris Bell, performed a heartbreaking rock opera of love, deceit, hate, infidelity, and flexible sexuality. Good times! Free. The Schmorg has a Facebook group. Join and get notices of upcoming shows.

The Comedy of Errors. We saw the great Greenstage production directed by Ryan Higgins again, this time at Camp Long in West Seattle. It rained some during most of the last two thirds of the show. Few left, though.

Upcoming: 14/48 -- The World's Quickest Theater Festival -- runs the next two weekends at On the Boards. An all-festival pass is just $35. Gobs of rapidly created theater. Greenstage performances of The Comedy of Errors and King John run through August 15. My friend Kelly strongly recommends a production of The Elephant Man produced by Strawberry Theater Workshop. I'm not familiar with the company, but the cast includes David Pichette and MJ Sieber, and that's most promising. It's playing at Erickson Theatre Off Broadway through August 9.

Finally, Balagan's 2009-10 season opens August 6 with The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, starring the talented Terri Weagant and directed by the talented Lisa Confehr. Balagan season tickets are on sale now! Ten shows for a mere $120. Go here now.