Critic's Choice 2012-2013

Every summer since 2004 I have published my Critic’s Choice, my choices for the best in South Sound theater. This year I am going to do it differently. Since The News Tribune has cut back on the number of my theater reviews they publish, I have not reviewed as many plays in Tacoma and Lakewood as I used to, and I have had to completely stopped reviewing shows in smaller venues in places like Puyallup and Gig Harbor. I live in Olympia and cannot afford the commute for reviewing plays I don’t get paid for. I reviewed only 38 plays this season. In the not too distant past I typically reviewed 50 to 60 plays in a season.

Picking the best actor or best director would not be fair to the theaters whose performances I did not review. So, instead of ranking I am honoring those actors, directors, set designers and so forth whose work is worthy of special recognition.

Jana Tyrrell turned in an award-worthy performance in “Next to Normal” at Capital Playhouse, which was directed by her husband, Brian Tyrrell. This stylized and hard-hitting musical-drama was made surreally beautiful by Bruce Haasl’s set and lighting by Matt Lawrence.

Kristin Burch electrified audiences with her portrayals of Nancy in “Oliver” at Capital Playhouse and as Roxie Hart in “Chicago” at Tacoma Musical Playhouse.

Bruce Haasl as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at Harlequin Productions. Set by Linda Whitney

Bruce Haasl knocked my socks off four years ago as Judas in Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at Capital Playhouse, and did it again as Jesus in the same show at Harlequin. Put this guy on stage, any stage, and he owns it.

Jesus Christ Superstar at Harlequin and Next to Normal at Capital Playhouse both took South Sound musical theater to a higher level. (I’ve heard that the same can be said for Ragtime, now at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, but I did not get to see it.

Deya Ozburn is the South Sound’s Meryl Streep. She grabbed our hearts and wouldn’t let go as Martha in “The Children’s Hour” at Lakewood Playhouse.

The Children’s Hour at Lakewood Playhouse was as riveting and heartfelt as a drama can be. Teen actor Kira Zinck’s portrayal of the hateful Mary Tilford was breathtaking. Zinck is a young actor to watch for.

Kira Zinck and Carol Richmond in The Children's Hour. Photo by Dean Lapin

Joy Luck Club at Tacoma Little Theatre, directed by David Hsieh, was a wonderful show with a large ensemble cast and unique staging.

Ingrid Goebel’s comic stylings in The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood at Olympia Family Theatre clearly puts her in the rank of best comic actors.

Olympia Family Theatre is a new theater company that has taken big risks with world premieres of locally written plays and has blended professional-level adult and children’s theater in the most exciting and entertaining ways. Kudos to OFT for their hilarious The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood and their world premiere of Cinder Edna by playwright and composer Ted Ryle, adapted the play from the children’s picture book by Ellen Jackson, and their world premiere of The Abolitionist’s Wife by Sky Meyers and Barbara Gibson. Ryle, Meyers and Gibson are all local playwrights.

Kate Hayes’ knockout performance as The Artful Dodger in “Oliver” at Capital Playhouse puts her in the ranks of the best youth actors in the South Sound area if not anywhere.

The great Scott C. Brown proves that Fringe Theatre is still alive and vital in his disturbing portrayal a hostage in Lee Blessing's Two Rooms, which was performed in both Seattle and a one-night-only performance at Lakewood Playhouse.

Pug Bujeaud’s originality of vision as a director was something extraordinary in the presentation of not one but two versions of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, with separate ensemble casts, one all-male and the other all-female.

Jon Douglas Rake beautifully cloned Bob Fosse’s choreography for Chicago at Tacoma Musical Playhouse.

Brie Yost turned in a masterful job of directing the excellent ensemble cast in a soul stirring The Laramie Project at Tacoma Little Theatre.

(From L to R Michael Cooper, Jeremy Thompson, Martin J. Mackenzie, Mark Peterson, Jefri Peters, Rachel Fitzgerald, Russ Coffey). Photo by Galen Wicks Photography

Linda Whitney is superlative in so many ways. Her set design and direction of Jesus Christ Superstar at Harlequin was phenomenal and was aided by outstanding lighting and video by Amy Chisman. The work of the tech gods on this production was comparable to that of much larger theaters with bigger budgets.

Special recognition goes to director Marilyn Bennett and the cast and crew of The Importance of Being Earnest for outstanding staging and ensemble acting.

Musical reviews, mostly bombastic rock shows have become standard fare at both Centerstage! Theatre in Federal Way and Harlequin in Olympia. This year’s It’s Only Rock and Soul at Centerstage with performances by DeWayne Andrews Jr., Bobby Barnts, Stacie Calkins, Trista Duvall, Jesse Smith, Ashanti Mangum, Meg McLynn and Zack Wheeler was the kind of musical event I wish I could have videotaped to enjoy regularly at home.

OK, I said I wasn’t going to do a “Best Of” this year, but how about the best musical to play at two different theaters. That honor goes to the smashingly delightful Legally Blonde at Tacoma Musical Playhouse and Capital Playhouse, starring Leah Wickstrom at TMP and Bailey Boyd at Capital.

The Israel Horovitz Award for outstanding drama goes to… Israel Horovitz for Gloucester Blue. Credit Scot Whitney for making Horovitz and honorary citizen of Olympia.

Congratulations to all for a stunning season!