Taproot closes with romantic comedy

Taproot Theatre Company closes its 2005 season with Arlene Hutton’s romantic comedy, “Last Train to Nibroc,” opening tonight at the Seattle theater.

A train ride through the Midwest in December 1940 leads two passengers to an unlikely friendship. May is a missionary hopeful and Raleigh is a young soldier with dreams of becoming a writer.

Their unexpected friendship develops as they travel by train from California with the coffins of, as Raleigh notes, “two of the greatest authors of the century,” Nathaniel West and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Though their individual dreams lead them to separate destinations they are reunited at the Nibroc Festival a year and a half later. They soon discover their hopes and their relationship are on different tracks.

Performances continue through Oct. 29.

“Menopause the Musical”: Four years, 40 cities and six countries after its world premiere, “Menopause The Musical” celebrates its fifth year of international success with a new locally cast production playing at ACT Theatre in Seattle.

Set in Bloomingdale’s department store, where four women with seemingly nothing in common but a black lace bra meet by chance, the musical pokes fun at things such as hot flashes, memory loss, mood swings, night sweats and eating binges.

A parody of 25 classic baby boomer hits, the 90-minute show features chart-toppers such as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “You No Longer See 39” and the disco favorite “Stayin’ Awake! Stayin’ Awake!”

Where to see it

“Last Train to Nibroc”: A Taproot Theatre production today through Oct. 29 at Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., Seattle. Tickets, information, 206-781-9707, www.taproottheatre.org.

“Menopause The Musical”: Opening tonight for an extended run at ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., Seattle. Tickets, 206-292-7676, www.acttheatre.org.

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