Raegan Ballard-Gennrich 8/18/26 Raegan Ballard-Gennrich 8/18/26

Your Weekend Plan: What the Funk?! BIPOC Burlesque at Triple Door

Puckduction, in association with The Stay Up Late Show and powered by Shunpike, proudly announces the return of What the Funk?! An All BIPOC Burlesque Festival. Celebrating its milestone 7th anniversary, the three-night spectacular will take over the historic mainstage of The Triple Door from August 20 to August 22, 2026.

Gray Harrison 7/29/26 Gray Harrison 7/29/26

Shadow Girls Cult Conjures Self-Exploration with Mixed Media

The Queer shadow puppetry and performance art duo produce enigmatic, dark fantasy worlds through the art of projection. Their latest show, UNRAVELING, ran July 16-18 at Theatre off Jackson. It presented seven vignettes exploring, per the director’s note, “themes of isolation, longing, and fractured identity through a surreal lens.”

Gray Harrison 7/22/26 Gray Harrison 7/22/26

Spooky Tales Traverse Seattle with ‘KAIDAN: Japanese Ghost Stories’

Japanese ghost stories are coming to Seattle in August. Za Trans-Pacific Productions and director Mimi Katano will present KAIDAN: Japanese Ghost Stories in August at locations around the city. Ghost stories go way back in Japan’s history. Kaidan, or traditional ghost stories of yūrei (ghosts) and yokai (supernatural beings) are steeped in literary and theatrical tradition.

Calista Robbins 7/21/26 Calista Robbins 7/21/26

Seattle Vice Revives Burlesque Series of Tenderloin Histories at Triple Door

“We liked exploring the ‘70s in particular,” said Mark Siano when interviewed, “because this is where the clubs started to spiral out of Frank’s control and started to take on a life of their own. We saw the emergence of Burlesque, Cabaret, Follies, and more Queer-oriented entertainment like what was happening at The New Paris Theatre in Pioneer Square (Seattle’s original gay neighborhood.)”

Gray Harrison 6/26/26 Gray Harrison 6/26/26

Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate Weaves Musical Stories at Seattle Symphony

On June 12, Octave 9 hosted an evening of music at Benaroya Hall from Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. The chamber pieces were performed by a string quartet composed of Emerson Millar and Jacqueline Audas on violin, Ursula Steele on viola, and Katherine Audas on cello. One of the pieces, entitled “MoonStrike,” also featured live narration from Washington local musician, actor, and storytelling legend Swil Kanim.

Calista Robbins 6/17/26 Calista Robbins 6/17/26

Don’t Sleep on Dacha’s ‘Dream, Carl, Dream’

Part improvisation, part structured pathways, and part chaotic fun, the show challenged audience members to think outside the box and get creative, lest Carl’s subconscious overwhelm him.

Gray Harrison 5/6/26 Gray Harrison 5/6/26

Noveltease Illustrates Our Splendidly Fluid Selves with ‘Orlando’

I was obviously intrigued when I heard that Noveltease Theatre, Seattle’s literary burlesque company who blend burlesque, dance, and theater storytelling, were putting on an adaptation of Orlando. I was curious how Noveltease would interpret this dense literary text into visual language and choreography. And yet, speaking with the production’s director, Alyza DelPan-Monley, it quickly became clear how intuitive it was to make a burlesque version of the story.

Lynette Evans 4/24/26 Lynette Evans 4/24/26

‘The Orca Show’ is the Perimenopausal Fever Dream We Deserve

Let’s be clear: Society treats the onset of menopause like a slow-motion car crash into a nursing home. Menopausal women are expected to go quietly, perhaps draped in a drab beige sheet, clutching a bottle of magnesium oil and apologizing for their sudden lack of utility. But Aysan Celik isn't interested in apologies or beige aesthetics. In The Orca Show, Celik takes the change of life and dunks it headfirst into the freezing depths of the PNW. It turns out, if you want to understand why you’re currently possessed by the spirit of a 5-ton apex predator, you have to look at the only other mammalian girly who loses her period at forty: the orca.

Raegan Ballard-Gennrich 4/8/26 Raegan Ballard-Gennrich 4/8/26

Noveltease Arouses, Enlightens with Intersectional Literary Burlesque

If you believe burlesque isn’t for you or you’ve never attended a show before, Noveltease offers an experience that highlights the intersection of literature, dance, music, and history in a small venue, creating an intimacy that provides multisensory entertainment. I left feeling good, emboldened, and creative. And though glamorous clothes were shed, the message of the evening—particularly within the selected poems—was that of reclamation, self-affirmation, and pleasure without shame or exploitation.

Calista Robbins 3/31/26 Calista Robbins 3/31/26

Artistic Freedom to Object Given Space at Flinch/Punch

These spaces—these great halls of reflection—are necessities in our communities, especially in times of war, oppression, and authoritarianism. Annex Theatre, Seattle’s oldest fringe theater, saw this need growing as tensions rose amidst the 2016 election. So they developed a resistance program called Flinch/Punch.

Mary Adner 3/25/26 Mary Adner 3/25/26

Steven Marcus Releford’s Popup Comedy Injects Levity into Vegan Scene

Vegan. Black. Comedy.

Those aren’t words that come up in the same sentence—let alone the same event—ever, if at all. But Steven Marcus Releford is changing the landscape of how we perceive standup comedy at the intersections of Blackness, veganism, and West Coast vibes.

Izzy Christman 3/11/26 Izzy Christman 3/11/26

Mornyng Knight Queers ECCC with ‘The Solo Swordfight’

The gender-defying scoundrel known as Mornyng Knight—a stage character who is an amalgamation of drag and Renaissance faire theatrics—has come to the Pacific Northwest. And they’re armed! Embodied by the Jeff-nominated actor, combat choreographer, and producer Chloe Baldwin, Mornyng Knight transforms your inner demons into physical objects (possibly balloons), then stabs them! In their own words, it’s a show of “epic poportions.”

Izzy Christman 3/8/26 Izzy Christman 3/8/26

Queers Confidently Flourish Amid ECCC’s Commercialism

ECCC was so very Queer this year. Not in a rainbow capitalism kind of way (at least not exclusively). There was an authenticity to this queerness that wasn’t planned or staged or made exclusively for profit. There were simply lots of gay-ass people around, stopping and gabbing and hyping each other up—even talking about their various artistic pursuits. This year, ECCC felt more like a public forum than it has in a long time. And that truly feels worth celebrating.

Parker Dean 2/26/26 Parker Dean 2/26/26

Emerald City Comic Con Returns with Sparks of its Former Glory

Finish up your cosplay and grab your favorite comic books—Emerald City Comic Con is back! ECCC is a time-honored (and super nerdy) Seattle tradition, held at the Seattle Convention Center on March 5-8 this year. Attendees will be preparing for four days of panels, screenings, fan meetups, cosplay contests, after-dark partying, and perusing the wares of Artist Alley, where local artists come together to hang out, create, and sell fun products.

Gray Harrison and Calista Robbins 2/24/26 Gray Harrison and Calista Robbins 2/24/26

‘Ashes, Ashes’ Snapshots Family, Grief, Humor in Kenmore

Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down, written by Gretchen Douma, premiered February 5-8 at As If Theatre. The play, with its familial themes and living room-confined location suited the small, homey venue well. Staff greeted guests with warmth, ensuring all felt welcomed into the budding Kenmore arts community. Upon entering the Kenmore Community Club, a donation-based concession stand sold fresh, homemade cookies which added a unique layer of care, commitment, and connection to the performance and the theater space that often goes unfelt by patrons at larger venues.

Calista Robbins 2/7/26 Calista Robbins 2/7/26

Teatro ZinZanni Lowers Final Curtain in Seattle

A spiegeltent crafted of wood, canvas, and velvet, adorned with stained glass, vast mirrors, and regal chandeliers overtook an empty lot on Mercer Street. An arching sign marked the threshold of the new world of Teatro ZinZanni, welcoming guests to their first show, Love Chaos and Dinner, which featured a unique cast of acrobats, clowns, and various other talents. What was meant to be an 11-week run sprouted roots and secured ZinZanni as Seattle’s staple circus destination for nearly three decades.

Gray Harrison and Calista Robbins 1/31/26 Gray Harrison and Calista Robbins 1/31/26

As If Theatre Debuts New Works Program with ‘Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down’

Described as a “dramedy about what happens when the skeletons in the closet meet the ashes in the jar,” Ashes, Ashes is Gretchen’s first full-length play produced for the stage. The playwright has over thirty years of experience as an actor, ten years of writing as a theater critic, and more recently joined the storytelling community à la The Moth. She first began developing the idea for the play in 2017 while taking a playwriting class with Rebecca Touriño Collinsworth, founder of Parley Productions.

Parker Dean 1/22/26 Parker Dean 1/22/26

‘SHe Said’ Delivers Rockin’ Story of Relationship Evolution

On January 15, the Intiman Theatre in Capitol Hill debuted SHe Said, a musical inspired by Trans love, resistance, and a whole lot of rock ‘n roll. Jen Ayers, along with a talented backing band, tells the true story of her partner coming out as transgender and the whirlwind of emotions that ensued. SHe Said is a heartfelt musical, touching on every feeling, heartbreak, and swirling thoughts that Jen experienced, along with the love for her partner that kept her aloft.

Vera McLaughlin 1/21/26 Vera McLaughlin 1/21/26

Queerly Beloved: We are Gathered Here to Laugh at This Thing Called Life

As a cultured Queer, I only recently learned straight people also do improv. Jet City Improv’s monthly Queerly Beloved, quite obviously, is not one of those instances.

Gray Harrison 1/15/26 Gray Harrison 1/15/26

‘Lear Alone’ and ‘Walking on a Paper Moon’ Lead Baker Theater Workshop’s Winter Lineup

Last month, I was fortunate to attend the Pacific Northwest premiere of Anna Tatelman’s play Life on the Moon, produced by Ba ker Theater Workshop and performed at ReAc t Theatre. The play examined the challenges a family experiences when trying to authentically communicate their feelings with each other over the holidays. Furthering on the theme of familial complexity, Baker Theater Workshop will present two plays together from January 10-19 which dig into family dynamics: Lear (alone), and Walking on a Paper Moon.

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As a cultured Queer, I only recently learned straight people also do improv. Jet City Improv’s monthly Queerly Beloved, quite obviously, is not one of those instances.