The Time Machine at Tacoma Little Theatre is more than a clever science fiction adventure — it is the latest adaptation of a story that has helped define the very idea of time travel for generations, and a reminder of how fragile and consequential time truly is. This version invites us not only to marvel at the possibility of traveling through history, but to consider the moral cost of doing so, and the ways a single moment can ripple outward to reshape countless lives. With excellent performances, richly detailed design, and a production that balances spectacle with thoughtfulness, this is theatre that entertains while quietly asking its audience to reflect on the past, the future, and the choices that define the space between.

Taproot’s world premiere staging of Karen Lund’s new adaptation of the C.S. Lewis story Till we Have Faces embraces the uncertainty of the original piece with thoughtful craftsmanship, strong performances, and design work that supports the mythic scale while never losing sight of the intimate human core. The story reminds us that before we can reach for what lies beyond us, we must first come to terms with what lies within. In bringing this messaging forward with such clarity, and in delivering a production that is both intellectually engaging and theatrically compelling, Taproot has offered an achievement worthy of this literary work: a powerful reminder that the gods may not be revealed until, at last, we have faces.

SecondStory Repertory’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike beautifully highlights the tender-heartedness underlying this tragicomedy while getting great humorous mileage from the script’s many allusions and word play moments. Replete with an ensemble that plays in harmony with one another and fantastic design elements across the board, this current production is a smart and funny start to what promises to be another great year at SSR.

Ovation Performing Arts NW’s production of Into the Woods is all about people, choices, and the uneasy space between what we want and what we’re willing to live with once we get it. This production embraces both the charm and the cautionary nature of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s work, allowing humor and heart to coexist with consequence and loss. It’s a thoughtful, well-crafted staging that trusts its audience to follow the story beyond the wish and into the aftermath, reminding us that happily ever after is rarely an ending — it’s simply where the real work begins.

With Biosphere, Steve Lyons has created a play that works not because it recreates a historical experiment, but because it interrogates the human impulse behind it. This production understands that the real story isn’t about whether a sealed ecosystem can survive, but whether the people inside — and those controlling it from the outside — are capable of putting collective responsibility ahead of ego, ambition, and image. What Steve and director Mark Kuntz have crafted here is a piece that feels intellectually rigorous without being academic, theatrical without being overstated, and deeply relevant without ever preaching. It’s a play that feels relevant even forty years after the experiment on which the story is based has concluded, and it’s a reminder of what can happen when an original work is given the time, care, and trust it deserves. Biosphere is thoughtful, compelling storytelling — and very much worth the drive.

At its core, Trifles is not about a murder so much as it is about who is allowed to interpret it. Saltfire Theatre’s production understands that Susan Glaspell’s play is an indictment of systems that dismiss emotional labor, domestic knowledge, and women’s lived experience as irrelevant. By honoring stillness, patience, and the so-called “small things,” this staging makes a quiet but forceful case: justice cannot exist without empathy, and truth cannot be found by those who refuse to see. More than a century after its debut, Trifles remains unsettlingly relevant—and in this intimate, thoughtfully staged revival, Saltfire Theatre reminds us why listening still matters.

The Heart Sellers is a play about the bravery required to be vulnerable — to open your door, your table, and your heart to someone who was a stranger only hours before. The play gently reminds us of what becomes possible when we allow ourselves to be seen. It’s a story that feels both rooted in its time and urgently relevant today, offering a powerful reminder that progress is not just measured in laws or policy, but in moments of shared humanity, forged over food, wine, and the simple act of listening.

For those who aren’t quite ready to pack away the decorations or let the season slip quietly into memory, this cabaret offers a gentle extension of holiday cheer—a reminder that joy, music, and connection don’t need to end when the calendar turns. In a time of year when the lights often dim too quickly, A Not So Silent Night serves as a welcome encore to the season, led by performers who understand that sometimes the best way to celebrate the holidays is simply to keep singing a little longer.

This production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame refuses to shy away from the story’s darkness, embracing its moral weight with conviction and care. This is not a softened fairy tale, but a challenging and emotionally charged work that asks audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about power, faith, and compassion. With powerful performances and design elements working in thoughtful harmony, this production stands as one of the most powerful — and emotionally resonant — musical experiences of the season, delivering moments of genuine beauty that linger long after the tones of the Notre Dame bells fade.

The story is classic, the experience is more than enjoyable, the costumes, sets, designs and actors are all over the top in professionality and quality, and you will not regret spending a day if you are lucky enough to catch tickets before they sell out, at CenterStage’s Red Riding Hood.

Whether you come to see the beloved story of the cat in the hat, or you come to support your friends, or you just want to see what all the fuss is about over at Lakewood Playhouse, Seussical the Musical is a show dedicated to family, friendship, change, diversity and safety, just like the artists who are in front and behind the curtain of this production.

The entire acting ensemble and production team should be praised for making this oft told tale a true theatrical experience, one that hits all the emotional beats and brings a tearful smile to your heart.

What a beautiful, moving, cosmic trip I had just experienced. Do yourself a favor and take the journey. You’ll be thankful you do.

By the time As You Like It reaches its many reconciliations and unions, this production feels both playful and sincere. The Original Theatre Black Dog delivers a thoughtful interpretation that honors Shakespeare’s humor while giving space to emotional resonance. Anchored by a standout performance from Tamara Burgess and supported by cohesive design and strong ensemble work, this As You Like It offers a rewarding journey into the Forest of Arden — and a compelling reminder of the power of transformation, both onstage and within the characters who inhabit it.

The Past, a Present Yet to Come is a story about the courage it takes to believe that people can change, even when all evidence suggests otherwise. That idea is carried by excellent performances across the board, with a cast that invests fully in the sincerity of the piece. While the production occasionally struggles with pace, particularly in its transitions, those moments never diminish the commitment or clarity of the storytelling. Through Fred’s unwavering optimism and the ensemble’s thoughtful work, Burien Actors Theatre offers a holiday production rooted in hope rather than nostalgia—a reminder that transformation often begins not with the person who needs to change, but with the one willing to insist that change is possible.

Georgiana and Kitty is a play with a clarity of purpose. Like the first two chapters in the Christmas at Pemberley trilogy, it understands that growth doesn’t come from grand gestures, but from honest conversation, careful listening, and the courage to speak when silence is easier. Seen together, the trilogy forms a thoughtful, emotionally resonant portrait of women learning to define themselves within—and sometimes beyond—the expectations placed upon them. SecondStory Rep delivers a production that honors its source material while confidently expanding the world it inhabits. As a concluding chapter, this installment feels both complete and deeply connected to what came before. It’s festive without being frivolous, thoughtful without being heavy, and anchored by a group of artists who clearly trust one another. This play is a delight, a joyful conclusion to the trilogy, and a superb addition to the holiday theatrical menu. Perhaps Henry Grey might describe it best, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley is indeed resplendent.

I’d say “get your tickets now,” but the show is sold out, with the rush list giving you your best chance at getting in. Good luck and Yippie-kai yay to you all.

If you let it, this show might have you exiting the theater with an extra holiday spring in your step.

Sugar Plum Done is exactly the kind of merry mayhem you hope for when a show asks, “What if Santa bailed on Christmas and headed for Vegas?” The ensemble throws themselves into the fun, keeping the story moving even as chaos swirls around NPHQ. Directors keep the large cast—youth and adults alike—on track with patience and a clear love for theatre, and the festive set and clever costumes add just the right amount of sparkle. . It’s a lighthearted holiday romp that’s as playful as it is spirited—well worth catching before Santa decides to take another vacation.