This Week In Theater: Something For You, Whoever You Are

Perhaps you thought last week’s roster couldn’t be topped in terms of breadth; we wouldn’t blame you really, but a quick glance at what’s on offer this week will put that notion to rest. There’s not just one, but two experimental pieces making their way into the world; two Seattle premieres, one world premiere of a local work, the latest offerings from a couple of the bigger houses AND an enormous undertaking happening down in Portland. Once again, our region’s ambitious nature shows its true colors, and it’s all enticing enough to take a gamble on.

For example, take The Salesman is Dead. Long Live The Salesman!, a new workshop production created and guided by Paul Budraitis (he of the Viennese version of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, as previously discussed here). Via his productions of Mamet’s Edmond and Shakes’ Hamlet and King Lear - all of which leaned heavily on Budraitis’ training in Biomechanics among other disciplines - Budraitis has established himself at the forefront of Seattle’s experimental theater scene. In this instance, the production uses the American Theater classic, Death of a Salesman, as the launching point for a wordless exploration of the Willie Loman character in an attempt to figure out why we keep returning to him and his story.

Thursday through Saturday at 8:00p.m. // West of Lenin, 203 N 36th St // $10

The other grand experiment taking place this weekend is taking place at Queen Anne’s On the Boards, unsurprisingly enough, as they have let local agent provocateurs SuttonBeresCuller take up residence inside its building and allowed to do what they will with their To Be Determined installation, which runs this weekend only. Earlier today, Seattlest’s Jenise Silva wrote a great primer about SBC, who are among Seattle’s most consistently audacious artists.

Thursday through Sunday at 7:00p.m. // On the Boards, 100 West Roy Street // $15

Next we come to the Washington Ensemble Theater's 2011/2012 season opener. This year, WET’s seasonal theme is HOMEGROWN, though it is the unofficial motto (“by Seattle for Seattle”) that has us excited for what these adventuresome artists might bring. To that end, WET presents MilkMilk Lemonade by Joshua Conkel, a World Premiere production about a whimsical and fey boy, his tormentor and the secret they have from the boy’s grandmother. Their press material warns us to be ready for a “hilarious barn-burner” and considering the bucolic setting used in the play’s trailer, we wonder if we shouldn’t take that literally.

Thurday through Monday at 7:30p.m.; September 16 - October 10 // WET’s Little Theater, 608 19th Avenue // $10 - $25

Next, we come to Cherry Manhattan's presentation of The Beebo Brinker Chronicles, which received its Seattle Premiere at Rebar this weekend. In case you haven’t seen any of the attention the press has been giving this production, Beebo is an adaptation of Ann Bannon’s seminal (for lack of a better word) lesbian pulp series of the same name. If the inordinately steamy and mildly NSFW trailer Cherry Manhattan put out is any indication, Beebo seems to capture both the noir and the campy pulpy titillating exploitation aspects of the genre, aimed at the women for once.

Thursday through Sunday at 7:30p.m.; September 15 through October 9 // Rebar, 1114 Howell Street // $18 - $25

We can’t remember the last time Book-It Repertory decided to feature an author from the Pacific Northwest on its stages - although Berkeley Breathed and Tom Robbins have both had the honor in the last 10 years - this weekend they are presenting their adaptation of Jim Lynch’s Border Songs. Concerning itself with the doings of a laconic border patrol guard as he observes the patterns of the drug trade, illegal immigration and how it all blends with the nature of small-town life in a border town, this promises to be a somewhat authentic look at life in the upper left coast. [Update:As it turns out, this would be the second Jim Lynch novel adapted by Book-It Rep; Lynch is also just the latest in more than a handful of local authors that the company has covered.-ed]

Wednesday through Sunday 7:30p.m. (various 2:00p.m. matinees available, see their calendar for information); September 17 through October 9 // Book-It Repertory, Center House Theater at the Seattle Center, 605 Harrison Street // $20 - $42

If all of the above sounds too modern, and you find yourself yearning for something that’s period, historical or a ripping yarn about powerful matriarchs, the folks at ACT have you covered with their production of Mary Stuart. Peter Oswalt’s Tony winning adaptation of Friedrich Schiller’s 19th century classic focuses on the juicier aspects of this story which is about all of the intrigue surrounding the fate of Mary “Queen of the Scots” Stuart and her cousin Queen Elizabeth who is deliberating whether or not to have Mary executed. Throw in some espionage and ACT’s trademarked stellar casting and this looks to be a fun time at the Eagle’s Aerie #1.

Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8:00p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00p.m., Sundays at 7:00p.m.; September 14 through October 9 // ACT's Allen Theater, 700 Union Street // $15 - $37.50 (tickets are Pay What You Can on the day of show after 1:00p.m. in person at the box office)

As if all of that weren’t enough, Theater Schmeater is hosting the long-awaited return of one of Seattle’s more promising playwrights, Wayne Rawley. The mastermind behind the fabled Money and Run late night series and celebrated adaptation of Chekhov's The Seagull, Rawley has written and directed Live! From The Last Night of My Life, a story about a young man who determines to commit suicide, but on his terms, which seems to involve song, dance, 80s references and people on roller skates - the usual Rawley inspired mayhem, in other words.

Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00p.m.; September 16 through October 15 // Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Avenue // $15 - $22

And if for some reason all of that weren’t enough, and you were looking to get out of town to experience a marathon of theatrical storytelling, Mike Daisey will be performing in Portland’s T:BA festival in a particularly insane undertaking. All The Hours In The Day is Daisey’s attempt to create a 24 hour event, something he’s dreamed of doing for quite some time, it seems. Featuring a story taking place in each time zone (and with planned dinner and sleeping breaks), Daisey aims to pull out all the stops in order to create on a giant canvas built with words. Audacious and risky, this is a project that will be talked about for a while to come.

Saturday at 6:00p.m. // Washington High School (part of the T:BA Festival) // $35 - $40