Kimball Allen’s “Triple Threat” is a Talent Show with Actual Talent…Including Mr. Savage & Mama Tits

The Man of the Hour and Host, Kimball Allen.
Photo: Matt Baume

Four years ago, Kimball Allen decided he’d had enough of working in the recreation/nonprofit industry, called it quits, and got into showbiz. The YMCA’s loss is Seattle’s gain.

After a successful off-Broadway show and storytelling stints around the Pacific Northwest, he’s landed here in town with a new (hopefully recurring) show called Triple Threat at The Triple Door Theater.

It’s like a talent show, but with actual talent. From his hosting station behind a desk, Kimball rotates through a grab bag of local performers like a star-studded episode of The Tonight Show. Here’s a magician! Here’s a ballerina! Now a stand-up! Now a drag queen! Don’t like any of those things? Don’t worry, here’s a gay men’s chorus!

“I had a creative calling,” Kimball said. He moved to Seattle two-ish years ago, wrote a few plays, and last Friday he gathered a dozen or so of his talented friends to put on a good old fashioned show.

Triple Threat opened with Captain Smartypants and a chorus of parody songs. (Watch for their upcoming show, themed loosely around brotherhood, this fall.) From there, it was on to Tanya Brno, lovely mistress of the air, twirling overhead on a ring.

Kimball threw an unexpected twist into the show here: just like a talk show, he invited the talent to join him at his desk for a little chat. Tanya revealed that she’s just been accepted to compete at the Burlesque Hall of Fame competition in Las Vegas, so now you know who to root for.

Host Kimball Allen gifts guest Dan Savage with a “Dirty Pillow”. Photo: Matt Baume

And then: sexy fun time with Dan Savage, who talking about his new book, American Savage (“a lasso around a lot of ideas I’ve been wrestling with”) and Hump! (coming up in November, so start shooting your porn now). Dan also revealed that husband Terry Miller recently surprised him by acquiring a second dog, bedecking it in a bow tie like a tiny Mo Rocca so Dan couldn’t get too upset.

Kimball presented Dan with a pillow printed with a Rachel Robinson photo of Dan licking Terry’s armpit. “I have a straight teenage son who’s not going to like seeing this at home,” Dan laughed.

Chelsea LeValley appeared next to sing a song from the upcoming musical, Angry Housewives at Arts West, then the fantastic Summer Waldron, who told a story about nearly being killed in a tornado with a bunch of terrible 5th graders. Check out more Summer at Magic Hat at the Rendezvous in Belltown.

Mama Tits sings.
Kimball Allen listens.
Photo: Matt Baume

And then royalty emerged: Mama Tits blew the crowd’s mind with a rendition of “Feeling Good,” then sat down for some hot dish. Kimball showed the famous video in which Mama confronted a protestor at last year’s Seattle Pride Parade.

“I was so annoyed that this man was not taking responsibility for the words that were coming out of his mouth,” Mama said. As any responsible adult already knows, you can see Mama every Sunday at Mimosas with Mama at The Unicorn & Narwhal.

Next came the stand-up: Wilfred Padua told a story about seeing a hipster on stilts wandering casually by his house. “I think I felt what it’s like to be racist,” he said. “I don’t want that shit in my neighborhood.”

Prom Queen closed out the festivities at Kimball Allen’s “Triple Threat” at The Triple Door, Friday, April 3, 2015. Photo: Matt Baume

And then the headliner: Prom Queen, and incredible time capsule that traveled to us from the 1960s to bring us formal wear and feelings.

Kimball’s hoping he can bring the show back as a regular thing. What a coincidence! So are we.