Seattle Rep 2020/21 Season
Mr. Mustang and I have been season subscribers to the Seattle Rep Theater since 2014, with our first date seeing “All the Way” (minus Bryan Cranston). We were a bit dejected to hear that the rest of the 2019/2020 season has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, we are supportive of their decision.
That being said, we recently received their lineup for the 2020/2021 season and we’re extremely impressed with the new batch of plays. I originally wanted to do a summary of thoughts from the previous season first, but due to the cancellation of the last two plays, “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “Lydia and the Troll” (the latter was the one we were most looking forward to seeing), I decided to do a ‘first thoughts’ summary for the upcoming season instead.
Upcoming Season
The Winter’s Tale, August 28th - 30th
Not technically under the typical season subscriber list of plays available, however, I am still kicking myself for missing “The Odyssey” from two seasons ago, so I will not be making the same mistake this year. “The Winter’s Tale” is a play by Shakespeare and is considered one of his ‘problem plays’, where the first half is riddled with drama and the second half is a comedy. I am more a fan of Shakespeare's comedies, with my favorite being “Midsummer’s Night’s Dream” due to my sister’s first performances in acting getting cast as ‘Puck’. I did like how Seattle Rep reinterpreted “Macbeth” last season, and with “Winter’s Tale” being considered a ‘problem play’ (and being an interesting pick to start the season), I am optimistic about this one.
What the Constitution Means to Me, September 29th - November 1st
When reading the synopsis, this is a play about a young woman who achieved a scholarship by doing constitutional debates, and it reflects on previous generations of women and how their lives have been shaped throughout history. The description is relatively vague, but I do like plays that dive deep into human conditioning and understanding one's self. I am (hesitantly) optimistic about this play, but some plays that dive too deep into human behavior (like “The Humans”) sometimes lose the audience’s interest.
The Iliad, October 30th - 29th
One of my favorite stories is “The Odyssey” which is why I am still kicking myself for missing Seattle Rep’s performance of the play - I will not miss this one. Based on Homer’s “Iliad”, I imagine the theater will do a modern take on the ancient tale.
Bruce, November 27th - January 3rd
I love plays that focus on stories that are not particularly history worthy, but still interesting, nonetheless. “Bruce” is an upcoming play about the story of the actual robot shark, nicknamed Bruce, built for the movie “Jaws”. Anyone who is a fan of the movie “Jaws” knows of the mountain of issues the robot had during the production, so I am super eager to see this play.
Emma, January 22nd - February 20th
Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors and my favorite work is Pride and Prejudice, however, Seattle Rep’s reinterpretations of it were...disappointing, to say the least. I am a bit pessimistic on this play (after having flashbacks of the previous attempt to adapt Jane Austen’s work being so crass), but I will see it regardless.
XY, February 5th - March 14th
Seattle Rep is one of my theater houses and the one thing I feel they excel at is musicals. From the financial success of “Come From Away”, I already have high expectations for XY, considering it's a musical of a man who thinks back at his life’s ‘firsts’.
Ghosts, March 5th - April 3rd
I beamed like a little girl when I saw this on the Seattle Rep Lineup. One of my favorite plays I’ve seen at Seattle Rep was “Isben in Chicago” in 2018. That was a play within a play of “Ghosts”. Now Seattle Rep is going one step further by producing the actual play that has been regarded as one of Henrik Isben’s greatest works. To say I’m excited is an understatement.
Poor Yella Rednecks (aka Vietgone pt 2), April 23rd - May 23rd
Vietgone was a play in 2016 that focused on two Vietnamese refugees during the war who got to relocate to the American Midwest. What really made this play special was the way the playwright approached dialogue and accents that helped the audience differentiate between when someone is speaking in Vietnamese vs English. It was super clever, and Mr. Mustang and I still talk about the play to this day. The play “Vietgone” was based on the playwright’s parent’s experience of being relocated to the United States, so I imagine the sequel will be about their struggles to assimilate into American culture post-war. I’m really looking forward to this play.
Fairview, May 21st - June 20th
When reading the description of this play, it rings similar to a hybrid version of both the plot of “The Humans” and “The Great Moment”, where a woman is trying to host a family gathering, but everyone invited has their own agenda. I like ‘slice of life’ plays, but with so many characters involved in this play (at least 6 characters on the stage of the Leo Theater - the smallest of the two at Seattle Rep), I feel like some actors might get cast aside to make room for the bolder personalities. I’m a bit pessimistic about this play.
Overall
This upcoming season looks strong with a few original plays, a few adaptations, a handful of classics, and a musical as the cherry on top. There are some that worry me a bit, but there are others that have me at the edge of my seat in anticipation. I believe the next season at the Seattle Rep will be its best yet.
See you in the autumn!