Pick almost any Seattle theater stage this month (and next), and you’re bound to find an award-winning play behind the curtain. If you feel like laughing, check out Seattle Rep. If an engrossing historical drama lights you up, head on over to ACT Theatre. Compassion and emotion? ArtsWest has it in spades. 

All award-winners, there’s a wide range of experiences for every taste, and for every mood. Our recommendation? Spread out the love for local stages and hit up all three productions – you won’t be sorry.

Seattle Rep

“Fat Ham” (Winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize, Nominee for the 2023 Tony Award)

There’s a lot more to it than the funny (although it will certainly crack you up), “Fat Ham” is a fresh take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Juicy, a young Black man wresting with grief and family drama, is visited by the ghost of his father demanding revenge. This Pulitzer Prize-winning play tackles weighty themes with wit. When is the last time you’ve seen an actor nail a karaoke version of Radiohead’s “Creep” then immediately turn and address the audience with Shakespearean prose? 

ACT Theatre

“The Lehman Trilogy” (Winner of the 2022 Tony Award for Best Play)

The financial crisis may be 16 years in our rearview mirror, but we all still likely recall the fall of Lehman Brothers. “The Lehman Trilogy” traces the Lehman’s start as humble immigrants to their pinnacle perch as Wall Street titans. Their ambition, success and unchecked power are all laid to bare in this Tony Award-winning production. 

ArtsWest

“English” (Winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Drama)

Step into a classroom in Iran as four adults prepare for the TOEFL – a Test of English as a Foreign Language. Sanaz Toossi’s award-winning play explores the intricacies of language learning and identity. Through word games, listening exercises (and cultural clashes) the play highlights the struggles and aspirations for those in pursuit of fluency in hopes to unlock a brighter future.