The SunBreak » Courtney Meaker

Please Don’t Encourage Them — Sugar Daddies at ACT

Courtney Meaker — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 18:30:41 +0000

At the end of Sugar Daddies (at ACT through Nov 3; tickets), I thought, “Did that just happen?” Yes. Yes it did, and much like with my experience at First Date at ACT a couple of years ago, I can’t un-see it, I don’t understand why people were amused by it, and I can’t let … Continue reading →

Solid Performance, Predictable Story: Broke-ology at Seattle Public Theatre

Courtney Meaker — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 17:09:09 +0000

Ever since the economic decline (you know, the one that’s going for so long that we’re kind of numb to it except we realize that we have to buy the value pack of chicken ramen instead of real chicken), theaters have been pushing the financial sufferings of families. Insert something clever about having to pay … Continue reading →

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Courtney Meaker — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 22:00:18 +0000

Directed by noted Seattle actor Michael Place, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, by Rajiv Joseph at Washington Ensemble Theatre (through October 7; tickets), poses existential questions with a poetry and fluidity that makes it at once heartbreaking and brutal. Though these questions are handled with delicacy, the revelations are nothing new, so while I was not … Continue reading →

A “Gruesome” Twist on Romance from Azeotrope

Courtney Meaker — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 21:28:27 +0000

Gruesome Playground Injuries is another strong piece of theatre from Azeotrope (they produced Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train last year at ACT to wild acclaim). Hopefully, the run will succeed even without the marketing of ACT behind it. The talent of Chiang, Sloniker, and Zarr should not be wasted on small houses.

Chaotic, Melodramatic, Western Musical Seeks an Audience that Can Keep Up

Courtney Meaker — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:24:31 +0000

The story is broken into six acts (though they are all relatively short) and every act has a "style" or generator of a theatrical movement associated with it. There are well-known names like Peter Brook, Growtowski, The Wooster Group, and the absolutely amazing Gob Squad (which of course you saw at On The Boards a few months back because you were a smart, smart person).

See the World Through K.’s Eyes at New Century’s Creepy, Erotic “Trial”

Courtney Meaker — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:32:54 +0000

Once in a while Seattle theatre surprises my jaded, fed-up sensibilities with a production so wonderful and necessary that I can hardly find fault in it. Unsurprisingly, the newest production to make the list comes from New Century Theatre Company, a theatre company I take as seriously as my southern brethren take communion.