My 2025 in Theatre

My 2025 in Theatre

Speaking of gifts, as we do in the holiday season, I received some special ones in my 2025 year in theatre. Among others, I directed again (twice) and I had a review published. Neither of those things had happened for about a decade.
Directing
I put my name in to direct a short play for As If Theatre Company's Kenmore Quickies. Surprisingly, they said yes. It was surprising because my experience with directing included one show and one show only. I had produced and directed a short play for the Pocket Theater’s Fringe Explosion in 2015.
Their risk and mine paid off. Our show was a success and won the vote for audience favorite. That never would have happened, though, without the excellent script by Vincent Kovar and wonderful actors assigned to the show. It all melded.
That led me to the second directing gig. Vincent asked me to direct a staged reading of his play, The Iron Whore for Driftwood Theatre’s First Draft program. Also a success! At the talkback afterwards, the audience indicated that they got the exact message I felt the play was trying to send.
I have some leads on possible future opportunities to direct. It’s every bit as fulfilling as an artist, maybe more so in some ways, as acting. I’d jump at another chance.
Writing
You might know I write reviews on Facebook and on my blog. I had been looking for a platform to reach a wider audience, and in 2025, I found it. The Sound on Stage blog put out a call for reviewers. I responded and they posted my review of Life on the Moon, a new play by local playwright Anna Tatelman.
Before that, the last thing I had published was in either the Edmonds Beacon or My Edmonds News in 2014. My records aren’t clear but I had written for both of those publications, reviewing shows at Driftwood, Phoenix Theatre, and maybe others.
I enjoy writing. And I don’t know if it’s arrogance or foolishness leading me to say this (and I’m not fishing for compliments here) but I like what I write. I hope and plan to continue.
The stage
I haven’t abandoned the stage. I was lucky enough to be cast in SecondStory Rep's Glengarry Glen Ross and got to play the cop, Baylen, who comes in as the hammer of justice and absolutely ruins Shelly Levene’s big day. Beyond that, Woodinville Rep held season auditions in the summer and they have cast me in two shows, Perfect Arrangement and Native Gardens. Rehearsals start soon.
The rest
I did my usual front-of-house work and some play-testing with Dacha Theatre; volunteered for a TPS event for Pride; went to a few play-reading nights with Latitude Theatre and others; and saw 48 shows, nearly reaching my yearly goal of 50.
The end (or is it)
The other thing we speak of in the holiday season is gratitude. I am immensely grateful for all of this and for everyone who opened their doors to me and everyone who came to play. Thank you to: Cindy Giese French, Vincent Kovar, Josephine Cessna, Ashlie Blaske, Terry Boyd, Tom Fraser, Trent Latta, Mark Velednitsky, Shelby Windom, Kevin Finney, Katie Soule, Anna Tatelman, Jeremy Radick, Greg Heilman, Mark Chenovick, Alicia Mendez, Jack Anderson, Scot Charles Anderson, Rick Wright, Jay Jenkins, Christopher Bailey, Lucien Oberleitner, Jay Stratton and Woodinville Rep, and everyone else I encountered in the theatre world or outside of it.

Picture: me at the theater in 2009, taken by Linda Danforth

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