Theatrical Double-Header: “Spin the Bottle” and “Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery” Annex Theatre, April Fool’s Day and April 3rd.

Stranger's Brenden Kiley in last month's "Spin the Bottle". Photo by Ian Johnston

The wise theater nerd/offbeat entertainment fan is well aware of these opportunities, but for those NOT in the know there is quite an abundance of live theater at your finger tips in the Emerald City. Do you know where to go to get the most laughs, the most cries, or the most gasps, AND at a bargain price? One of the mystical places on my list is Annex Theatre. This weekend there are two whimsical and out of this world events that you should mark on your calendar for cheap and quality live theater and for those of you who live in Capitol Hill, it’s only walking steps. On April 1st (Fool’s Day) Bret Fetzer’s long-running monthly avante-garde showcase “Spin the Bottle” will take you through all the feelings that commensurate your body and soul. The show is a late night show beginning at 11 p.m. and there is a plenty of cocktails to be had that you can take with you into the theater. Tickets are only $10 and its worth the minimal funds to get a taste of a generalized palate of local talent, both new and old. In an interview with Bret Fetzer, Seattle Gay Scene got some answers from this visionary who is the former Artistic Director of Annex Theatre.

Seattle Gay Scene: For those who don’t know what “Spin the Bottle” is all about or what it consists of, how would you describe this event to a stranger?

Bret Fetzer: It’s a puu-puu platter of entertainment. It’s an entire meal of appetizers, and you end up feeling like all of your taste buds have been stimulated.

SGS: “Spin the Bottle” has been around since the 90s – what is different about this monthly event in comparison to when it was, presumably, “hot” and “happening” back in those days?

Bret: It’s actually been through a couple of waves! It started pulling in solid audiences back when Annex Theatre was on 4th Avenue downtown, then it dipped after we moved out and started doing it in the Oddfellows Hall, then it surged back up for a while, and now it kind of rises and falls depending more on each month’s acts. We were lucky in the mid-aughts because acts like “Awesome” got their start there. Currently we have plenty of great acts, and you never know what might suddenly shoot off like a rocket.

SGS: What does “Spin the Bottle” mean to you as the curator? What’s in store in the future for “Spin the Bottle”?

Bret: No idea. I want to get more consistent about holding auditions — I used to go out and see all kinds of stuff and so pulled in acts from all that, but I’ve been doing a lot more directing recently, which is insanely time-consuming. So I hope acts will start coming to me if I put out the word. And that’s the key to discovering startling new things you would never have thought possible, really.

And on April 3rd at 7:30 p.m. you can catch the ultimate comedy show with “Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery”. Tickets again are only $10 and there is a full bar to fulfil your quench before you laugh your insides out. We interviewed the doctor of comedy, Emmett Montgomery.

SGS: For those who don’t know what “Weird and Awesome” is all about or what it consists of, how would you describe this event to a stranger?

Emmett Montgomery: “Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery” is my love letter to the Seattle performance community. I have been fortunate enough to be involved in and exposed to a lot of wonderful things in this city. The point is to have amazing people do what they are really good at or something out of their comfort zone. Oh, we also have prizes and Annex has a great bar with wonderful people behind it, so everyone wins. I kind of want the evening to be a boozy awkward hug that everyone feels good about stumbling into.

SGS: This is still a fairly new monthly event at Annex Theatre – what do you feel like is the highlight of event and why should people come to Annex Theatre and your show compared to a large house comedy club?

Emmett: One of the real highlights has been Barbara Holm’s laugh, as my assistant producer and partner in crime on stage she has really infused a lot of hope and enthusiasm in the show. So far we have had ghosts, robots, human puppet shows, singalongs, dance numbers, and some really honest moments among other things. I love the traditional club setting but Annex gives the performers the freedom and the intimacy they need to create something really interactive and dynamic.

SGS: What message would you like to convey with “Weird and Awesome” to Society?

Emmett: I am hoping that some eyes will get opened to what is out there when people come and see the things that we have collected. It has also been really good to see performers push themselves and do new things. I am really hoping to be able to provide a place for people to do that.

Annex Theatre is located on the corner of 11th Avenue and Pike Street East on the second floor. For more information, please visit their website.