Now safely embedded in Seattle!

I just saw my very first Seattle Civic Light Opera production, and I loved it!

The Civic Light Opera was founded 29 years ago as an alternative opera venue, but it soon turned into a musical theatre company. They produce 5 shows a year, each running for a total of 10 performances to 2,300 patrons, of which 1,500 are subscribers. They are based in the Magnuson Park Community Center, which is an old movie theater on a de-commissioned Naval base in North Seattle. CLO is a non-profit.

I think the best way to describe it would be as a "professional community theatre".

Their production of THE BAKER'S WIFE was real old-timey musical fun. Joyous and raucous, and with a large cast, the show reads and was presented as a big musical.

Old World charm permeates every moment of the bittersweet, wise and gently off-beat fable of life, love and bread by Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof) and Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Children of Eden, Pippin). Schwartz is at his romantic best in this rich, melodic score.

I'd never been to a CLO production, but I felt like a musical so on Saturday afternoon I bought two tickets at the half-price booth at Pike Place Market (the "Public Market") and took a shot. I thought "...for $18, how bad can this be?"

I'll admit to some nervousness as I drove onto a de-commissioned Naval base, and walked into a 1950s-vintage movie theater with a temporary proscenium erected as scaffolding. Gulp. But then the show started (there was no, um, "curtain") and I immediately relaxed.

The opening number, with 18 cast members, was a fun, raucous look at a small town in France that had lost its Baker. I was impressed with the talent on the stage, as well as the sets and costumes which significantly exceeded my expectations for a 10-show non-profit theatre.

By the end of the First Act I was thoroughly enjoying myself, and the only thing which marred 100% enjoyment were the people behind me who were providing a running translation, in Russian, OF THE ENTIRE SHOW to their non-English speaking friend. Yikes. When I turned to look at them at one disbelieving point, they shrugged as if to say "...hey, how were we supposed to know the show wasn't in Russian?" Never did trust them Ruskies.

The Second Act was particularly strong, helped by a new pair of seats closer to the stage and without the whispered Slavic translation hanging in the air.

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