August is traditionally a quiet month on stage, but Seattle is keeping it lively. There are still plenty of options to catch free Shakespeare in the park, either by GreenStage or the Wooden O, but here are a few inside options to keep the sun off your back.
July 26 to Aug. 11, Dacha Theatre at the Glenn Hughes Penthouse Theatre, pay what you can
I’m breaking my own rules here by including a show that started in July, but since the “Dice” series by Dacha breaks all the rules, I think that’s okay. Dacha’s unique “Dice” series sees a cast of seven local actors memorize an entire classic play and then roll the dice at each performance to see who plays what role. “Midsummer” is ideal for this kind of ridiculousness, as the plot points of an elf queen falling in love with a donkey, lovers falling in love with the wrong person and sneaky tricksters pulling the strings behind it all sort of demand a weird production. Each performance is different, so reserve a few nights this month to take in some of the Bard!
Aug. 2, at ACT Contemporary Theatre, pay what you can
The title of this small festival says it all: We need new plays! Theater doesn’t happen without playwrights, so this Seattle-based short play festival is celebrating those creative people behind the written word. Six works will be performed at this new celebration; it’s a great time to get on the ground floor and support art where it’s made.
Aug. 2–25, Latitude Theater at the Center Theatre, $35, pay what you can Aug. 5
Sherlock Holmes is one of the most consistently reinterpreted heroes in modern literature, and local playwright Christopher M. Walsh has taken a stab — this time recasting (but thankfully not renaming) Holmes as a woman. Holmes (played by Camilla Kintana) and her new friend Dr. Dorothy Watson (Jesica Avellone) have not only a mystery to unravel but society’s prejudices to withstand.
Aug. 9–24, Pork Filled Productions at Theatre Off Jackson, $10–$50
The upcoming production of “Vietgone” is one of my most anticipated shows of the summer. “An all-American love story about two very new Americans” is an incredibly charming way to describe any show, and the photos of Josh Erme and Megan Huynh, playing leads Quang and Tong respectively, already have me believing in their love. While I can’t promise “Vietgone” is happy all the way through, I’m excited by any narrative that challenges the idea that stories about the Vietnam War have to be dreary, sad and heart-wrenching. There is joy everywhere, and love gives us all new chances to find it.
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Henry Behrens is the Arts Editor of Real Change. They handle the arts coverage and design the weekly print paper. Contact them at [email protected].
Read more of the July 31–Aug. 6, 2024 issue.