Allen Galli as Sancho Panza and Tom Skerritt as Don Quixote, with Pacific Northwest Ballet company dancers in Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote. Photo © Angela Sterling, provided by PNB, and used with permission.

Now, the literary character of Don Quixote takes on a new form at the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB): that of long-time actor Tom Skerritt. With a career that spans from the 1960s to the present and from the big screen to the stage, Tom is known for roles such as that of Captain “Duke” Forrest in the 1970 film M*A*S*H. However, these days he is a 78-years-old non-ballet dancing champion for true love as a very convincing Don Quixote.

Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Carla Körbes (Kitri) and Karel Cruz (Basilio) in Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote. Photo © Angela Sterling, provided by PNB, and used with permission.

The PNB’s production of Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote tells a slightly different tale from that of the original text penned by Miguel de Cervantes, which was entitled The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha (or El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha in Spanish). With music by Ludwig Minkus and Choreography by Marius Petipa, Alexander Gorsky, and Alexei Ratmansky this production makes up the “American Premiere” of this ballet, which was originally performed on December 14, 1869 by the Imperial Ballet in Moscow. (Last Friday night, your Hedonista attended Opening Night as a media guest.) With his neighbor, the comical and somewhat blundering Sancho Panza (perfectly performed by guest artist Allen Galli), acting as his squire, Don Quixote sets out on his grand adventures.

Although we even see a few windmills (projected on the backdrop screen), this tale is really a love story about two lovers: Kitri, the innkeeper’s daughter (performed beautifully by Carla Körbes) and the young barber Basilio (performed by the long ‘n’ leggy Karel Cruz). Although the innkeeper Lorenzo (performed by guest artist Uko Gorter) wants his daughter to marry the rich-yet-foppish Gamache (performed hilariously by Jonathan Porretta) who lives across from the inn, in the end, true love prevails: Don Quixote persuades Lorenzo to give his blessing to her marriage to Basilio in an hilarious trickery-laden series of events.

By far, the most hedonistically beautiful feast for the eyes takes place in Act Two, Scene Two, so be sure to watch for it. The only real critique of this production was that the series of dance performances during the wedding celebration in Act Three, Scene Two seemed to go on and on … and on.

In the end – although somewhat coincidentally – the lovable Don Quixote still manages to be a true hero in this production. (Just like each and every one of us.)

Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote runs February 3rd until the 12th, 2012, just in time for Valentine’s Day/V-Day. Just six performances remain: evening performances on Thursday through Sunday, with additional 1:00 p.m. matinée performances on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets range in  price from $28 to $168, depending on the seating. (I was also informed that seniors 65  years of age and older can get tickets at 50% off if they purchase them in person at the door on the day of/just prior to the show.)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

The fireplace in the lobby at The Inn at Gig Harbor rests amidst historic photographs provided by the Gig Harbor - Peninsula Historical Society.

Take Gig Harbor, for instance. Self-promoted as “Washington’s Maritime Village,” this area is rich in everything one could expect from a coastal town: seafood, beverage pairings, outdoor adventure, art, culture, and history. Not too long ago, your Hedonista enjoyed a media stay at The Inn at Gig Harbor. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, this property was first opened in 1997. Touted as a full-service hotel and event center – including conferences and weddings – this property features 64 rooms, some of which have with jacuzzi tubs and fireplaces. Other property amenities include an outdoor jacuzzi, in-house massage studio, and an on-site Enterprise Car Rental desk. They are also pet-friendly in all of their standard rooms on the second floor. I stayed in a Corner Jacuzzi Suite (with a room rate ranging from $149-$205/night plus tax, depending on season ans availability). It was very spacious, with a fabulous jacuzzi soaker tub with shutters that can open up to the rest of the room, so you can watch TV while soaking! Unfortunately, it wasn’t a great day to enjoy a view Mount Rainier (ah, well).

From room to table (left to right): The Narrows Room of the Heritage Restaurant served breakfasts like The Heritage Homestyle Country Breakfast ($9) and The Heritage Breakfast with pancakes ($8.50).

There’s also The Heritage Restaurant, which serves all three meals seven days a week. It’s apparently got quite a following of local patrons. I enjoyed a breakfast there, which was pure old-school comfort food. Two of their signature plates include: The Heritage Homestyle Country Breakfast ($9) which features one hand-breaded beef cutlet and baked biscuit drenched in a tasty old-style sausage gravy along with three eggs and a choice of has browns, home fries, or in-season fruit; and The Heritage Breakfast ($8.50) complete with two eggs, a choice of meat (from honey-cured thick cut bacon, smoked ham steak, or country sausage links), a choice of potato/fruit (from hash browns, home fries, or in-season fruit), a choice of bread (from toast or house made biscuit) or opt out of the potato/fruit and bread and opt for two buttermilk pancakes instead (I did).

So for a bit of old-school charm accommodation-style, this inn may be just the place.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

There’s a new play in town – a world premiere, in fact – that addresses these questions and, in so doing, redefines what is the Bible, what is holy.

In short, it’s family.

That’s right family – pure and simple. The Bible is filled with stories about people – people and their families. Bill Cain certainly seems to think so, for both in interviews and in the play, he comments on how the Bible is not a rule book, but rather the story of a family.

I couldn’t agree more.

Left to right: Aaron Blakeley, Tyler Pierce, Linda Gehringer, and Leo Marks star in the world premiere of Bill Cain’s How to Write a New Book for the Bible at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Photo courtesy of kevinberne.co, provided by SRT and used with permission.

Right now, How to Write a New Book for the Bible is running at the Seattle Repertory Theatre (SRT) from January 13th until February 5th, 2012. (Your Hedonista attended as media last Sunday night; Snowmageddon – a word now defined by Wikipedia, by the way – caused the cancellation of the January 18th and 19th shows). Directed by Kent Nicholson and written by Bill Cain, this play portrays the playwright’s own nuclear family. Writing about what he knew – knew best, mind you – for this play was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time.

It has a four-member cast, each member of which possesses impressive credentials. The cast – Aaron Blakely as the older son/brother/soldier/teacher Paul, Linda Gehringer as the mother Mary, Leo Marks as the father Pete, and Tyler Pierce as the younger son/brother/writer/priest Bill (Bill Cain, that is, who is also a Jesuit priest in real life) – really kick it up several notches. They are, quite simply, brilliant. The characters they portray are genuine. Sincere. Kind. Courageous. Self-sacrificing. Honest. Real. What true reality entertainment should be. All this, when portrayed within the intimate setting of live theatre, makes audience members feel that they are witnessing something truly sacred.

And they are.

Heed your hedonist when I say that this play is an absolute must-see. I laughed, I cried. Hell, I laughed while I cried. This play uses average, ordinary characters who do average, ordinary things, both with and in their lives. However, it’s within the ordinary that we find the extraordinary: the dark, the light, and the life, complete with all of its actions and emotions – both tragic and comedic, good and bad – that create what is truly holy.

A dozen performances of this show remain, including tonight. Tickets range in price from $12 to $69: $12 for those aged 25 years and under, $22 for students over 25 years of age, and a range of $20 to $69 for the general public, depending on the date, time, and location of the seats.

(Go see it.)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

All Through the Night is a play written by Shirley Lauro that is currently running at ArtsWest. (Opening night was originally to be January 18th, but got pushed back a couple of nights due to our snowy skies … and streets. Thus, your Hedonista attended last Friday as media.) It’s an all-woman play (save for Director and Set Designer Christopher Zinovitch, who is ArtsWest’s Artistic Director, and Stage Manager Ryan Floresca, who’s also an actor, having performed in such past ArtsWest productions as Amy’s View, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Measure for Pleasure, and Evil Dead, The Musical).

Jillian Vashro (left) and Colleen Carey (right) depict conflict among two Nazi military women.

This play – which is a Jefferson-nominated Best New Chicago play of 2006 that originally opened on October 2, 2009 in New York City’s Marjorie S. Dean Little Theatre – is dark play with depths that reaches both the bowels as well as the ovaries of humanity. It not only serves to remind us of the horrors of WW II, but the particular suffering endured by German gentile women.

Based on actual interviews by women who suffered through – and survived – fascism under Adolph Hitler, All Through the Night offers a gut-wrenching account of getting by on the inside, so to speak. Schisms among citizens, neighbors, and family abound in this production – and once again reveal that not all of Germany was pro-Hitler during this time. However, such dissension came a at a price in the form of sacrifices and compromises. Sacrifices and compromises that were chosen to be made in the name of self-survival and the survival of one’s loved ones, often with a lifetime of guilt, remorse, and regret as a result.

The entire cast of this latest production by ArtsWest, a play written by a woman, starring all women, and really for everyone.

A cast of five women, listed here in order of appearance, make up the entire play’s cast of characters: Cindy Bradder (Ludmilla), Kate Witt (Angelika, also had her directorial début in ArtsWest’s Love Song), Colleen Carey (Frau Lehrerin/Frau Direktorn/Frau Fuhrerin/Frau Oberaufseherin), Jillian Vashro (Gretchen) and Erin Stewart (Friederike). All are strong performers, who take on challenging roles in German accents – accents which they seem to slip out of when addressing the audience directly, but then slip back into when done with such sidebars. This direct audience interaction is designed to destroy the typical illusory quality of the stage and thus force the audience to think about what they are seeing with a critically analytical mind rather than merely losing themselves in the entertainment. This style or concept of the performing arts is known as the “distancing effect” (often mistranslated as the “alienation effect” or Verfremdungseffekt in German). Originally coined by 20th century poet, playwright, and theatre director Bertolt Brecht, this method forces its audience to process a given performance more like an enlightened student than a mere playgoer.

A wise choice for this play, as lessons abound throughout.

We can afford to be such balanced, well-meaning hedonists today because of the sacrifices made by individuals throughout history. I would like to hope that we foster a future based on making people happy, self-fulfilled, and part of a community. In other words, all (balanced) hedonists.

All Through the Night is recommended for ages 13 years and older. It runs at ArtsWest from January 20th through February 12th, 2012 at ArtsWest, with Wednesday through Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. performances on Sundays. Tickets range in price from $10 (under 25 years of age) to $34.50, both group and senior discounts are also available.

NOTE: Tonight, January 23rd, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. there will be an ON STAGE “talkback” session with the cast and director. This event – which takes place the first Monday following opening night, is free and open to the general public. A Gala Event as a part of their Friday Night Event Series is also planned the evening of Friday, February 3rd at 6:00 p.m. for a special ticket price; this event includes a catered reception with delicious hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and pre-show entertainment in addition to the regular performance of All Through the Night. (Check out their Friday Night Event Series webpage for more details.)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Canadian bass-baritone John Relyea from Toronto, Ontario as Attila (left) and bass-baritone Michael Devlin from Chicago, Illinois as Leone (right). Photo by © Elise Bakketun, provided by Seattle Opera, and used with permission.

For Attila – whichever way you choose to pronounce it – is currently enjoying its première at the Seattle Opera (which, incidentally, is closed today, with the following in white lettering on a blood-red banner across the top of their homepage: “Due to inclement weather the ticket office will be closed today. Tickets and subscription packages for Attila can still be purchased online.”) Your Hedonista attended opening night as media on Saturday, January 14th.

Attila was the leader of the Hunnic Empire and ruler over the Huns, who were Eurasian nomads. Known as Attila the Hun, this barbarian leader ruled from 434 CE until his death in 453 CE (allegedly from a nosebleed, of all things). Although he and his warriors on horseback ravaged Italy’s northern regions, he failed to take Rome before his death.

Attila is a bel canto opera by one of the most influential composers of the 19th century, Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (1813-1901). This, Verdi’s number 9 out of a total of 28 operas he composed in his lifetime, is set to an Italian libretto penned by Temistocle Solera, which in turn is based on an early 19th century play by Friedrich Ludwig Zacharias Werner entitled, Attila, König der Hunnen (Attila, King of the Huns). Its original première took place on March 17, 1846.

Soprano Ana Lucrecia García from Coro, Venezuela as Odabella, all decked out in her Salvation-Army-uniform-meets-Smurf costume. Photo by © Elise Bakketun, provided by Seattle Opera, and used with permission.

Overall, Saturday’s performance was brilliant from an aural perspective. The most difficult role – one that demands endless stamina, seemingly boundless range, competition with a very loud orchestra, and significant colorature agility – is that of the warrior-heroine Odabella. This role was sung most impressively by Ana Lucrecia García. And Canadian John Relyea’s booming voice was as battle-like as his character Attila. But unfortunately I found much of the stage presence of the cast to be somewhat stiff and lacking in the passion and animation that are warranted in such times, places, and struggles.

The costumes and set reminded me of my recent attendance at the Seattle Shakespeare Company’s Coriolanus; again, that minimalist, modern-day warfare theme for both settings and costumes seems downright ubiquitous, these days. I did enjoy the projector screen, which in mere moments could transform the set from the war-tone Italian city of Aquileia (located near Venice) to Venice and its lagoon, to a secluded, silent fort at night.

Filled with political intrigue, pro-Italy sentiments, divided interests, and a love triangle, this opera ends with one of the shortest death scenes in the opera world: Odabella gets to kill Attila with the sword of her father, the king of Aquileia, whom Attila’s men kill in the opera’s prologue. This opera may be all about Attila, but really it’s more about his not-really-true-to-history dramatic downfall and demise.

Attila runs for only six performances from January 14th until the 28th, with five performances remaining, including the next performance to be held on the 18th and a single matinée on the 22nd. Tickets range in price from $25 to $213, depending on the section and performance date.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

That said, sometimes folks just need a “fresh start” – a deadline/dateline that prompts one to get off one’s hedonistic hiney and (to quote the Nike motto): “Just do it.”

So here you Hedonista stands – well, actually, as I write this, sits – with her own health improvement: the social betterment of Heed the Hedonist.

How, you ask?

At last! Your Hedonista (and Heed the Hedonist) can now finally "connect and share" with all you fellow hedonists out there! Whoo-hoo!

Why, by finally creating that Heed the Hedonist Facebook (FB) page (http://www.facebook.com/heedthehedonist) that I confess I’ve been meaning to set up – OK, more like dreading to set up – since I began this blog in late 2009. Not that there’s anything fancy about it right now, mind you. In fact, it’s pretty bare (I’m currently working on my Jacqueline Pruner (Hedonista) page: http://www.facebook.com/jacquelineprunerhedonista). (NOTE: I also have a Twitter page – https://twitter.com/heedthehedonist – and handle: @heedthehedonist).

Granted, I realize that, although I am typically striving to be on the cutting edge, only just now I joined the some 800 million active FB users (the FB stats are quite interesting, if you care to have a look-see.) I’m even using bitly now – whoo-hoo!

However, I’m just thrilled I’ve gotten this far (with the help of a friend or two, to whom I am eternally grateful), so please feel free to reach out/”friend”/”like” whatever you crazy FB hedonists out there are doing these days. Also, any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated also, please just be patient as I evolve with this latest e-medium.

As for me, I promise to keep at it … and, with great satisfaction, cross one of my New Year’s Resolutions off of my 2012 list.

Enjoy the snow days while they last, dear hedonists … and be safe out there.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Coriolanus is a fighter, not a politician (although he has the ego for both). However, he’s also a bona fide momma’s boy, so he agrees. Things eventually go awry, since he’s against the notion of popular rule, likening it to that of allowing “crows to peck the eagles.” Complicated political intrigue and relationships between sworn enemies take place, resulting in a bloody outcome and disaster for all.

Mother and son: Therese Diekhans as Volumnia (left), Peter A. Jacobs as Menenius Agrippa (center), and David Drummond as Caius Martius Coriolanus (right). Photo by John Ulman, provided by the Seattle Shakespeare Company, and used with permission.

Now, Coriolanus is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in the 17th century. Last Saturday, your Hedonista attended the Seattle Shakespeare Company’s version of this play as media. (NOTE: After serious review of some 50+ applicants, this theatre company recently selected its own George Mount at their new (permanent) Artistic Director. Mount founded the Wooden O productions back in 1994, which merged with the Seattle Shakespeare Company in 2008.)

For me, this was the first time I ever saw this play performed; I was surprised to see the modernity of the setting; from the Dune-like hockey-gear-meets-recycled-laptop-case armor to uniforms that resemble something Che Guevara would have worn during the Cuban Revolution. The actors are strong and convincing. In sum, this is a play of war-and-politics, with ample stage blood in the final scene, it’s worth a look-see if these topics are up your alley.

Coriolanus runs January 4th through the 29th, 2012. at the Center House Theatre. Tickets range from $22/$25 (senior/student) to $32/$38 a piece, depending on the time of the performance. Post Play “Q&A” discussions take place throughout the month; the remaining ones will be held on January 12th and 15th.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

But there’s another option for those who want to step off of a plane and feel salon-like with a recent facial treatment in tow.

Air Repair Skincare Kit ($34.95). Think of it as a first aid kit for your face when you travel ... serious skin care.

It’s called the Air Repair Skincare Kit ($34.95). The two recyclable bottles (Soothing Facial Cleansing Milk and Complexion Quenching Facial Mist) and three recyclable tubes (Beauty Balm, Rescue Balm, and Super-Hydrating Eye Cream) are all 2 fluid ounces or less, so they’re carry-on friendly, but still large enough to last you weeks, rather than just days. These products come in a recyclable plastic see-through zippered bag (again, TSA-friendly) with a clip for easy access and storage in one’s carry on or purse. The kit even comes with its own “how to” instructions.

Your Hedonista received a media sample of this kit a few days ago; this morning, I finally gave the kit a try. First, I used the chamomile-scented cleansing milk – it took off the night’s “crusty sleep face” and left it feeling smooth and refreshed. Next, I spritzed on a bit of the facial mist, which furthered the refreshment by adding a tingling sensation (note: it can also be used – and applied – as a toner). I followed this by stippling on the eye cream. (I happened not to sleep very much last night, so when I awoke my eyes were darker and puffier than usual; this product seemed to help reduce the effects of that lack of sleep.) Finally, I applied both the citrus-scented beauty balm facial cream and the rescue balm lip and skin salve to my lips; the former tingled (it contains hyaluronic acid, apparently to aid in moisture retention) and the latter product is yellow in hue, geranium-scented, and feels and smells more like hair product than lip and skin salve (it is recommend using this product to line the inside of your nose when flying, to keep it moist and reduce nosebleeds). That said, its effect on the lips and skin was soothing and smoothing. The entire “treatment” took less than five minutes; I left my bathroom this morning feeling as if I’d just had a spa facial (that or a double espresso shot for my face).

Then, this afternoon, I spoke with San Francisco-based Visage Studio’s owner and Air Repair Skincare’s founder and CEO, Denise M. Spanek. A 30-year-plus veteran of the aesthetics/TV and film celebrity make-up artist biz and a licensed aesthetician, Denise had a history of seeking out niche brands and products throughout Europe, specifically in France and the United Kingdom. Seeking to create her own proprietary brand, in 2007 she began the concept for air repair skin care, which was launched at the end of 2008/beginning of 2009.

Why air repair, which to me looks and feels like a blue and white travel first aid kit?

“I was tired of landing looking like a Shar Pei,” confessed Denise, “like I was ten years older.”

Be it a 2-hour puddle-jump or an all-night-long red eye, the stresses of environment, climate, and flight fatigue take a toll on any traveler, regardless of age or gender.

“It’s considered to be a ‘natural brand’ coupled with high-end ‘active ingredients’ but none of the ‘no-no ingredients’ like paraben, petroleum, and mineral oil,” Denise informed me.

Sounds like a balance of the best of both worlds.

This kit can be found at the air repair skincare online shop, at the two Seattle Tacoma International Airport Massage Bar locations, and at Metropolitan Market.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

Miss Indigo Blue as The Countess of Candies (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy).

For it’s burlesque time again at The Triple Door – (your Hedonista attended as media at last year’s performance, and once again this year). From what I could remember, Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker 2011 was pretty much the same as last year’s performance, but no less entertaining. Put on by Lily Verlaine (artistic direction and choreography) and Jasper McCann (technical direction, script and lyrics), the inspiration for this sensual show comes from The Nutcracker Ballet.

Complete with ballet dance moves performed en pointe – by both men and women alike – as well as pastie wearing – again, by both men and women alike – this sh0w was both sexy and funny. It’s a perfect date-night or group-night outing. But tickets go fast; this year, I attended opening night of their 6th annual performance last Wednesday, December 14th, where I was told that they were already 80% sold. (So you’d better hurry.)

Tickets range in price from $28 to $45; the show was originally scheduled to end December 24th, but it looks like they’ve added at least one additional show, on December 17th. Early shows are 17 years and older; late shows are 21 years of age and older (slightly more naughty, I gather). And they have both a food and bar menu with their newly-launched Triple Door Backstage Ale made by the Elysian Brewing Company and selling for $6.

So if a little ecdysiastic pageantry is what you crave, check this show out and give your peepers (and maybe your fellow peepin’ peeps) some pleasure this holiday season.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.

When the shoe doesn't fit (left to right): Prince Christopher (Brandon O’Neill) tries that glass slipper Cinderella left behind on every maiden in the land - even Cinderella’s wicked Stepsisters Joy (Nick Garrison, center) and Grace (Sarah Rudinoff, right). Gee, but you'd think Prince Chris would at least remember what the new love of his life looked like, no? Oh well. Photo by Mark Kitaoka, provided by 5th Avenue Theatre, and used with permission.

If you want to get your fancy shoes on and even give a pair or two to charity, now is the time to attend a performance of that beloved folk tale Cinderella - Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, no less – at 5th Avenue Theatre.

With music by Richard Rodgers, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, this production was adapted for the stage by Tom Briggs from Robert L. Freedman’s teleplay. The tiny Jennifer Paz (with a pair of lungs that really belt out those songs with panache) plays the starring role, with Brandon O’Neill (Saving Aimee) as her Prince Christopher. Kendra Kassebaum makes for a very entertaining Fairy Godmother and Suzanne Bouchard an evil-esque Stepmother. And the wicked Stepsisters – Sarah Rudinoff as Grace and Nick Garrison as Joy are absolutely perfect, even with wardrobe malfunctions like uncooperative hairpieces and snagged sashes. (I didn’t even realize that Joy was a guy until I read the Who’s Who in the program; I just figured she was a really long and lean woman!)

This production runs from November 25th to December 31, 2011. Tickets start at $29.

What’s more, 5th Avenue has partnered up with Treehouse, a King County non-profit that is committed to improving the lives of foster children so that they have the kind of childhood every child should have. From now until December 31st, 2011, 5th Avenue patrons who either bring a new pair of shoes to the Box Office (1308 5th Avenue), or drop them off  in the lobby during a performance of Cinderella, will receive a 25% off coupon for a ticket purchase for this season’s future 5th Avenue productions: Oklahoma!, Titanic: The Concert, Damn Yankees, or Rent.

“We are so pleased to partner with Treehouse again,” said Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong.  “We had the opportunity to work with this great organization during our production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and we managed to collect a staggering 250 coats!  We want all of Seattle to get in the holiday spirit and help us beat this record by bringing a new pair of shoes to our Box Office through the end of the year.”

In speaking with Bridget Summers, the Public Relations Manager of 5th Avenue today, I was informed that they are already several pairs over 250 pairs of shoes, so already they’ve beaten last year’s record!

So if any of you hedonists out there want to go, go – you’ll be a shoe-in (*Chortle!*)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.