Seattle theater finished the year strong and brings in 2023 with a slate of new productions that are sure to challenge and entertain. We take a look at the latest from Seattle Rep, ACT Theatre, and  Washington Ensemble Theatre (WET).      

Seattle Repertory Theatre opens Wednesday, January 18, with a production that is based on a NYT’s bestseller and a National Book Award Finalist. Even if you are no longer reading YA novels, you’ll come away from the Rep’s staging of “I’m Not your Perfect Mexican Daughter” asking yourself why you haven’t cracked open a YA book in a while.

This story is not solely for the 12 – 18 year-old crowd, it’s a story for everybody.

From Seattle Rep:

“As she grieves the death of her older sister, Júlia Reyes faces pressure to put her own dreams of becoming a writer on hold. She finds herself caught between her family’s expectations and the less than perfect life she grapples with every day as a 15-year-old growing up in Chicago. A rich and poignant exploration of how to transcend your circumstances while remaining true to who you are.”

The stage adaptation of the novel by author of Erika L. Sánchez premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre in 2020. This is your chance to catch it in Seattle before it hits the streamer, Netflix, in America Ferrera’s film directorial debut.

Seattle Reparatory Theatre
I’m Not your Perfect Mexican Daughter
Opens January 18. Runs through February 5
Ticket information

Also at Seattle Rep 

A perfect production to take over the Leo K. stage, “Metamorphoses” focuses on four characters who bring the 2,000-year-old poems of Ovid to life. You really don’t need to be familiar with Ovid, or poetry for that matter. This modern interpretation was a hit in London several years ago, and it’s sure to be a hit in Seattle as well. In fact, this is the first time that the production will be seen outside of the U.K.

Seattle Rep
Metamorphoses
January 27 – February 26
Ticket information

Talk about showcasing local talent. ACT Theatre will be home of the world premiere of “History of Theatre: About, By, For and Near.” Produced in partnership with The Hansberry Project, this production starts with the work of ACT’s Core Company writer and artist Reginald André Jackson.

On top of that, Valerie Curtis-Newton directs while Donald Byrd choreographs this historic tale that spans over 200 years. 

What more can we say? Let’s check in with ACT:

“Full of music, dance, and profound insights, the show traces the brilliance, perseverance, and artistry of our theatrical fore-bearers restoring and highlighting forgotten and unsung artists to their rightful place in history.”

ACT Theatre
History of Theatre: About, By, For and Near
Opening Night, February 2  through February 12
Ticket information

Three sections make up “Arlington,” the dystopian tale from Irish playwright Enda Walsh.

Is it a love story? Yes. Is it bleak? Yes. Is it heartfelt and engaging? Yes, it’s all of that and more, packaged in a stark 90-plus minute production from the Washington Ensemble Theatre.

You may be most familiar with Walsh’s work from his production of Once, a musical love story of sorts, that was adapted to the big screen. But this is something entirely different.

We caught an early dress rehearsal before the official opening and even with a few technical stops and starts, this production left us absorbed throughout.

As the New York Times wrote in 2017:

“The fine Irish tradition of spinning a good yarn rattles with desperation in Enda Walsh’s “Arlington,” which has turned St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn into an electric shock ward for the narratively challenged.”

Washington Ensemble Theatre
Arlington
January 13th-30th
Ticket information