Stage Review - Stage of Fools (Seattle Public Theater)

Stage Review - Stage of Fools
Presented By: Seattle Public Theater - Seattle, WA
Show Run: October 03 - November 02, 2025
Date Reviewed: Sunday, October 26, 2025
Run Time: 110 Minutes (including intermission)
Reviewed By: Sameer Arshad

This timely new comedy, about the perils of running a feminist-oriented theatre company in Seattle, is bravely deliberate about shedding light on the challenges of securing funding for the arts in a hyper-misogynistic political landscape. Stage of Fools brings in wave-after-wave of intense laughter as well as subtle giggles in response to its clever social commentary.

In a premise that sets up a raucously hilarious self-referential farce, we discover The Front Theatre, an all-femme Seattle theatre with its own ageing venue, struggling to stay afloat after being denied a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts. The Front is led by Michelle, played passionately with immense emotional and intellectual honesty by Kate Jaeger. Alongside Michelle is her wife, Raven, the Technical Director, played by Daniela Melgar, in a deeply radiant performance of this consummately compassionate character that really resonated with the audience. To save the theatre, they agree to accept an investment from a washed-up misogynist talentless action-movie star, Jake Stone, played with satisfying bombast and deft precision by Charles Leggett, in return for producing a vanity production of King Lear, with him in the title role, problematically departing from the theatre’s feminist mission statement.

The dysfunction and conflict that ensues is exciting to watch, even without the sharp wit and comical efforts to save their doomed production, that the rest of the characters initiate. Alba Davenport is effervescent and delightful as Val, the costuming genius, who supports the rest of the characters through their various meltdowns and mishaps. The character Fiona, a trained British actress who just moved to Seattle, is played skillfully and authentically by Cate O’Kane, bringing us that understated British observational humor that elevates the comedic rhythm of the play. The adorable and charming romance between Ginevra and Megan give us an added element of vibrant joy to the storyline, with a very intriguing pair of performances by Ays Garcia and Leah Jarvik, playing two behind-the-scenes rocks-of-support who recognize their kindred spirits as they turn to each other while everyone else leans on them. As Ginevra, Ays stands out in a deeply honest portrayal of the life of a stage manager, taking care of so many things quietly in the background in ways that may sometimes not be visible or fully appreciated. As Megan, we see Leah convincingly portray, with great empathy, the thankless existence of a personal assistant to a self-indulgent Hollywood narcissist, managing her character’s growth arc gracefully as she gains inspiration from the other women. Rounding out the cast is Elizabeth Wynn, playing Becca, a young actress at a crossroads in her career, in a dazzlingly earnest performance that captures the promise of how rewarding a life in theatre can be, as well as the community-building potential it has as an art form.

There are several design and execution elements in the show that work together to bring excellent comedic timing, particularly in the physical comedy that transpires in the second act. Much appreciation is warranted for Bailey Dobbins and Indira Rampersad for making sure all the stage elements come together for the cast to execute what looks to be a marathon of comedic moments that come together to elicit roars of laughter from the audience.

This is an immensely fun script that demonstrates the exhausting levels of effort, patience, guile, coping and anxiety involved in surviving as an artist, especially a female artist, in this current political reality. This is something that anyone, of any gender, from any industry, can appreciate as well. In a social reality of ethical collapse and escalating malfeasance, we are being offered laughter as a medicine, to help us cope. The powerhouse duo of Amy Poisson directing this Joy McCollough script (their fourth collaboration!) is definitely the right kind of medicine that this reviewer also wants to prescribe to you.

This brilliant show is a context-specific love-letter to the Seattle Theatre Community and its audiences. It was made for us, by us, about us. Come on down and fill out those seats for the remaining performance. Your medicine awaits.

Stage of Fools runs on stage at Seattle Public Theater on Green Lake through November 2. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://www.seattlepublictheater.org/.

Photo credit: Colin Madison Photography