ArtsWest

Caught American Idiot the other night, the first time we were in this intimate theater off Junction. Seating capacity is very limited, with shows likely selling out quickly. A pop-​up bar ahead of shows is a nice touch and doesn’t soak thirsty patrons. A little rickety inside, but it adds to the ambiance.
Will return.

Wow! I just saw American Idiot last night and though I suspected I would enjoy the show since I’m a fan of Green Day, I couldn’t believe how impressed I was with the performance, the talent, and the set up of the theater. I live very close to here in the Junction, but this was my first time going to ArtsWest. My husband and I will definitely be back again. Great venue! It was intimate, with several rows on different sides with the stage in the middle. I’m not sure what kinds of adjustments they made based on this specific show, but I am already looking at the upcoming season to find the next performance I’m interested in. Can’t wait to go back! There are lots of restaurants/​bars right by the theater, too. It was the perfect date night! West Seattle=Best Seattle :)

We just seen American Idiot here and was a very good produced play we did the submissive options and was fun cause we got to see other views on the play. The kids doing the play were fun and enjoyed the play a lot and was a memorable experience. The theater was set up nice and small which isn’t a bad thing … We will be going back there as soon as there is another play we want to see there

A small venue with a mini feel of the big theater shows so close ot home.
I just went to my first show «Dogfight» at this cute little theater in West Seattle. We saw dogfight it was a good «little show» I liked the layout and cleanliness of the theater. I was very impressed with the acting and overall experience. The seating is up close and comfortable. You can really see the actors expressions. Arts West is a very nice theatre comparatively to most small venues I’ve been to. Everything is clean and well updated. I would reccommend to experience a show here for anyone liking theater or living in West Seattle.

Shirley Valentine was the best!

We bought season tickets and have yet to be disappointed with a show. Small intimate theater with fantastic talented actors. We always look forward to our «theater night» which has always been fantastic and hysterical. Bonus, being able to look at the art during intermission.
A true true gem in West Seattle!

How I wish we had a theater like this in Portland! We have a few small theaters but not of this caliber! The theater is very nice and I loved how it was setup with the art gallery and refreshments.
We had the pleasure of seeing Evil Dead the Musical which was hysterical!

I saw the Musical, Evil Dead. I haven’t laughed that much in a long time. They did a great job. I will go back next year. :)

Great little intimate theater/​art gallery tucked away in West Seattle.
I went to Evil Dead last night with some friends and it was so much fun! Every seat in the theater would be a good seat considering there are only 5 rows of seating. Everyone is close enough to see every actor’s facial expression. When do you get that kind of closeness in theater without paying $ 100 for tickets?
The show was a lot of fun. The actors were talented. The manager introducing the play was funny and personable. The outside of the theater in the hallways is an art gallery with a variety of interesting pieces.
Definitely want to go back! Tickets were $ 30 which is reasonable. I’ve heard they have $ 10 tickets if you’re 25 and under. Lots of places within walking distance to have dinner or a drink before the show. Love the personable feel of this theater!
Tip: It seems most if not all of the shows are geared towards adults so this is probably not the best place to go for family night.

Neat theater in my neighborhood. Currently playing Evil Dead, the Musical –a hilarious and entertaining job well done.

Artswest presentation of Evil Dead, The Musical is a live stage show that takes all the elements of Sam Raimi’s cult horror classic Evil Dead trilogy and combines them into the only musical with a splatter zone.
The sets are excellent with familiar items from the movies (Loved the moose head) and the campy lines & catchy songs were well presented by the outstanding cast. My personal favorites were the hilarious «What the F*ck was that?» song and the oversexed Tree scene.
Now let’s talk about the cast. They were brilliant! Perfectly in character, extremely enthusiastic, and well costumed. And there was a lot of screaming, dancing around, and BLOOD.
This musical is destined to be a cult classic in its own. Must see!

After a great snack and some coffee at the Husky Deli my friend and I scooted down the street to see «Reasons to be Pretty» at Artswest. At first I was struck by how small the venue was and it honestly made me a bit uneasy (you are practically onstage with the actors and I was afraid to move around in my seat for fear of distracting people) but as the play progressed I got over it and settled in. The seats are comfy and the theatre itself is very well kept and up to date. During intermission we checked out the artwork from local artists and entered a raffle for a seven day cruise to Mexico… please god let me win! My only complaint is it was absolutely FREEZING. I’m not sure what happened between the first and second acts, but the temperature must have dropped twenty degrees, and our teeth were chattering for the last hour. Concessions are only a dollar so thankfully we were able to warm up with some coffee. But despite the cold, I will definitely be seeing another show there, probably «Evil Dead the Musical» which starts in October. I mean, how could you not?

What a gem. I went to my first play there last night and was impressed. I have seen a ton of smaller theaters but this one nails it. The stage is so close that you can see the actors sweat! I personally love this intimacy. The production «Measure for Pleasure» was not for the prude or faint of heart but very well done and enjoyed by most in attendance. We loved the ribald nature of the play and only wish that we could recommend others to see it but alas, it was closing night. That said, the venue is fantastic.

Artswest is a little play house on California Ave SW. I love theater and I love small venues even more! As far as small theaters go, this is one of the best I have been to. It is clean and well organized.
I love that they feature local artist work on the walls which you can purchase.
We came here to see Sweeny Todd. Brilliant performance, the actors who played Sweeny Todd and Johanna were amazing! If I lived closer, I would come here for every production.
The staff are friendly, the actors are good and the venue is nice. It is also less expensive than other community theaters I have been to.

I just went to my first how at this cute little theatre in West Seattle and I was very impressed! I love local theatre, especially small venues. I used to go to shows all the time in SF because it was cheap, interesting, and, well… live. You can really see the actors expressions and sweat and spit. Very intimate. Arts West is a very nice theatre comparatively to most small venues I’ve been to. Everything is clean and well updated (no broken chairs, graffiti, with multiple bathroom stalls that work!).
The show I saw was:
GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!
April 15 — May 17, 2009
by Scott Brown and Anthony King
Directed by Stephanie Farhood
It’s was a great show! I was thoroughly entertained the entire time. It’s very funny, energetic, engaging and catchy. The actors, Doug & Bud, were hilarious and hokey. I have never seen a musical set in a small theatre with only 2 actors and a piano player, but I am certain it won’t be the last. Please see the show! You’ll walk out with a smile on your face.

I was a subscriber, but dropped it as the shows were just too depressing and mildly better than a High School. For a place that supports the arts, I saw their manager testify at a meeting suggesting that art be replaced with another use… guess their sense of art is different than mine.

From time to time I wonder why the masses flock to such abysmal virtual-​reality schlock as the «Lord of the Rings» film trilogy, unless it simply to see themselves reflected in the thousands – well, millions – of dwarfs, beasts, and other extras stampeding across the screen – all calibrated with computer-​generated special effects.
A few nights ago I went to see Doug Wright’s «I Am My Own Wife» with some reservations as I was neither a fan of «Hedwig and the Angry Inch,» also about an (East) German transvestite, nor especially interested in the narrow confines of specifically GLBT subject matter.
But I was amazed at how gripping, haunting, and theatrically compelling this one-​man play, based on the playwright’s interviews with a real person, Charlotte Mahlsdorf, was.
Mahlsdorf survived the Nazis and the Stasi, saving artifacts spanning half a century and turned both the basement of her house and her own memories into a museum in both the literal and figurative senses. She become a celebrity in Germany after the Wall was torn down.
Granted the play had already won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award a couple of seasons ago in 2004…
I’m not sure that any review, such as the one I had read in the New York Times, can capture more than a glimmer of the magic of a live performance.
But in the imaginative depths of this play – enhanced by the evocative set design and lighting – were well plumbed by this production.
Nick De Santis, a young local actor, played ALL the parts (sometimes in conversation with each other) in a gender-​bending, accent-​sure tour-​de-​force performance.
The magic of acting is to make you believe the actor and the character are one, and this is what happened. In most Hollywood movies, I rarely believe this is so: it is a Movie Star pretending to be someone other than him or herself. But in most cases I don’t believe it for a moment.
As for the other plays I have seen here, I can’t say much, many of them being more entertaining rather than dramatic fare.
Occasionally an interesting selection of a play – I missed the Caribbean-​flavored musical «Once on this Island – makes a trip to West Seattle here well worthwhile.
Arts West compares favorably to the Seattle Public Theater at Greenlake, the Taproot, and the now defunct Empty Space Theater. The theater and gallery are housed in a new building. The seats are comfortable.
For my money, «I Am My Own Wife» was as good if not better than anything I have seen Intiman, Seattle Rep, or ACT Theater.
In October of 2008, Artswest was the first theater here to stage David Hare’s conroversial «The Vertical Hour» after its Broadway debut in 2006.

ArtsWest is an adorable little theatre. I’ve been several times (each Christmas to see Voices of Christmas!) and have thoroughly enjoyed it each time. There’s an intimate feel as seats are located practically on the stage and you are very close to the actors.
I also like how the theatre has different artists’ work on display whenever I go. Many pieces are also available to purchase (though I must say they are out of my just-​graduated-​from-​college range) and they vary in themes and medium.
If you’ve never been to a show here, you really should check it out. Support this wonderful, local theatre!

A cute little theater in West Seattle. The shows are great and tend to relate to what’s going on in the world today. The gallery changes with each show and always has interesting art on display. If you are ever looking for something to do and ArtsWest has a show running I highly suggest going to see it you won’t be disappointed.