April looks like a good month for Free and Cheap theatre. There’s a mix of things–readings, dogs, Judas, superheroes, Chay Yew, and women. Lots of women. Here’s a culled list of Pay What You Can, $12 and under, or free performances and readings happening in April.
April 6-22—Last Days of Judas Iscariot at Ballard Underground produced by Ghost Light Theatricals. If you’ve never seen this play, the time has come. Humanizing the demonized character of Judas Iscariot through a courtroom drama, and featuring characters like Lucifer and Mother Teresa, there’s a lot to love. Tickets start at $12. [Ghost Light adds: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot has Pay-What-You-Can performances on Thursdays and Monday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m.]
April 16—Pipeline Series with New Century Theatre Company at Solo Bar in Queen Anne. Pipeline is my favorite reading series in Seattle. New Century selects (mostly) amazing plays, reads them for you, and hosts a discussion afterwards while you drink to your heart’s content. They hold Pipeline every third Monday of the month, so if you can’t make it this time, check them out next month.
April 17 & 18—Book-It’s Art of Racing in the Rain at Center House. I love Book-It, but I can rarely afford to see their shows unless I go to previews, or luck out with a Goldstar find. Book-it brings to the stage a story about a dog, complete with ridiculous narration, and performed by a professional dog trainer and actor, David Hogan. This should make for a highly entertaining night of theatre. There are only two nights of PWYC tickets. PWYC tickets are available at the door on the day of the performance if they haven’t sold out.
April 19-May 19–On the heels of Emerald City Comicon, Annex Theatre presents a new riff on a superhero team called Team of Heroes. From the same group who brought you Alecto: Issue #1, this promises insanity in spandex. Annex Theatre has PWYC ticket prices every Thursday. But if you want to go on another night, it’s $15. [Annex adds: “every performance of both Team of Heroes and our other production Sideshow will have $5 student tickets and a PWYC Monday performance as well.”]
April 19-May 9— Double XX Fest at Stone Soup Theatre. You know what’s awesome? Women. This festival is three weekends long showcasing female work from all areas of performance. The first weekend will be a mix of solo artists, burlesque, and spoken word. The next two weekends are one act plays. Tickets start at $10 for each performance.
April 20-May 12—ReAct Theatre presents Language of Their Own by Chay Yew at Richard Hugo House. Singapore banned Yew’s work for its depictions of homosexual life as awesome. And though Language of Their Own trods the well-worn path of couples developing their own way of speaking, Yew’s language makes for a compelling story focusing on queer Asian men. If you haven’t seen or read a play by Chay Yew, rectify and purchase. Tickets start at $6.
April 28 & 29—Mirror Stage hosts staged readings of new works called “Feed Your Mind.” This month features Ground by Lisa Dillman. I last heard Dillman’s work at ACT’s Construction Zone (see below) so I’m curious to see what this play has to offer. After the reading, Mirror Stage hosts a discussion about the most essential question we ask as theatre artists: why this play now? Tickets start at $8.
April 30—ACT’s Construction Zone. ACT recently started this new play program and it’s phenomenal. They haven’t announced what’s being read this month, but the past two have been about cupcakes (and cupcake hybrids) and the punk art movement. There’s really no telling what’s next. After the reading you’re invited to workshop the piece with the playwright and dramaturg. Tickets are $10, or free if you have the ACTPass.
If you like the free event, don’t forget to drop a couple of bucks in the donation jar. They entertained you because they wanted to, help them out so they can do it again.
Didn’t see something that should be on the list? Leave it in the comments!