Stage Review - Perfect Arrangement (Woodinville Rep)

Stage Review - Perfect Arrangement
Presented By: Woodinville Repertory Theatre - Woodinville, WA
Show Run: February 20 - March 15, 2026
Date Reviewed: Friday, February 20, 2026 (Opening Night)
Run Time: 2 Hours, 20 Minutes (including a 20-minute intermission)
Reviewed by: Anna Tatelman

Just in time for a belated Valentine’s Day, Woodinville Repertory Theatre’s current production  is an exploration of love’s many nuances: the beauty, the ways in which it can be used as a weapon, and the impossibility of truly loving others or yourself when the act of loving becomes policed. Their rendition of Perfect Arrangement is replete with stellar performances all around and design elements of a surprisingly high caliber for a smaller theatre.

Perfect Arrangement, written by Topher Payne, debuted Off-Broadway eleven years ago to great acclaim. The story centers around two queer couples: Jim and Bob, and Norma and Millie. It’s the early ‘50s though, so since the couples can’t officially marry their beloveds, they’ve entered into lavender marriages that allow them to pose as two heterosexual couples who are close friends. Both Norma and Bob work for the U.S. State Department tracking down anyone with suspected communist affiliations. The play kicks off when their boss announces that, to ensure they’re rounding up everyone who poses a security threat, the department is going to start looking into other fringe groups – including what he refers to as sexual deviants.

Director Jay Stratton highlights the complex tensions simmering in this script through leaning, alternately, into ‘50s sitcom energy and much weightier drama. Whenever the couples entertain their boss and/or his socialite wife, they’re constantly fake-laughing to cover awkward moments, overlapping one another in their eagerness to tell mindlessly endearing anecdotes, and being overly jovial. The atmosphere changes completely when their guests leave; the four no longer put on their fake personas, and instead plainly express their love or (increasingly, as tensions heighten) anger or fear.

These extreme yet seamless tonal shifts are a testament both to the production’s direction and the actors playing the couples. Izzy Murphy, who plays Norma, captures her character’s increasing frustration with the pressure of maintaining her marriage façade while hunting down people who might be like her for a paycheck. Norma gets a few choice monologues and one-liners in this show, which Murphy pushes to incredible limits with her anger, heartbreak, and confusion over how to make their lives better. Natalee Merill-Boyet portrays Millie, Norma’s partner; Millie is growing exasperated too with their lives, but frequently uses her background as a poet to spin exciting lies to their guests. Merill-Boyet offers us the richness of a character who is torn between her more naturally whimsical, kind-hearted nature and the systemic powers that threaten to crush her spirit. Both Murphy and Merill-Boyet especially capture the dichotomy of their lives that sometimes resemble ‘50s adverts and other times reveal precarious underpinnings; their vocal intonations often go up several pitches and they speak much quicker when talking to guests.

Bob (played by BJ Smyth) is Millie’s legal husband and works a few ranks above Norma at the State Department. Smyth depicts a man far more calm and detached than the other three; he understands that his character’s separation from his own emotions is his survival mechanism, whether chosen or forced or (frequently) both. Rounding out the ‘perfect arrangement’ is Jim (portrayed by Renni Elliot). Elliot gives the presence of a steady peacekeeper for most of the play, the person that the others can count on – but when tensions boil over, his Jim exerts a surprising, quiet strength.

There isn’t a weak member in this seven-person ensemble. Patrick Hogan portrays Norma and Bob’s boss named Ted Sunderson. Hogan offers a character who is a complement to Bob: someone who also leans toward logic and control, but without Bob’s lurking sense of a secret beneath. Ingrid Sanai Burton (who plays Kitty Sunderson) brings much-needed comic relief with her ditzy nature, but is also endearing with her wholesome sweetness. Last but absolutely not least is Brynne Garman as Barbara Grant, an international translator under investigation by the State Department. She is the only guest on whom the couples’ many façade-tricks don’t work. Garman is not fooled by the circular stream of distracting anecdotes and refuses to join in with the canned laughter. It’s remarkable to watch her unimpressed energy force the couples out of their sitcom schticks and into situations where they must confront the truth head-on.

As with every production I see at Woodinville Rep, I was impressed with the quality of the production elements given the smaller venue and budget. The set offers an elaborate interior of Norma and Millie’s home, replete with paneled kitchen windows and homey touches like flower vases. There are also working front door entrances to both their house and the men’s, along with a door that leads, fittingly, to the closet (set design and props by Molly West). Cheerful ‘50s music greets audiences when they arrive and plays during scene changes (sound design by Chris Edgers). The lights offer a few ambient shades, ranging from deep blue to honey yellow (light design by Leroy Timblin).

Woodinville Repertory Theatre’s current show invites us into a theatrical experience that feels urgent, emotional, and topical without veering into preachy. Their production of Perfect Arrangement uses a slice of history to illuminate the paradoxes and moral dilemmas that remain pertinent for many of us, while impressively balancing this with moments of levity and love. Featuring a talented seven-person ensemble and spectacular design elements, this one is worth making the trek beyond Seattle.

The Woodinville Rep production of Perfect Arrangement runs on stage at the Restaurant at DeLille Cellars through March 15. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://www.woodinvillerep.org/.

Photo credit: Sandro Menzel