More Dinner Theatre in Seattle

From circus and burlesque, to dinner cruises and murder mystery, dinner and a show promises double the fun for a night out in Seattle.  I recently shared a behind-the-scenes look at the unique, local venue, Teatro ZinZanni, and Chef Erik Carlson’s formula for bringing food and art together. Here are a few more options available to Seattleites craving a one-of-a-kind experience that blends dining and entertainment. Burlesque Theatre: The historic Triple Door was originally home to the Embassy Theatre, a vaudeville house that opened in the late 1920’s. Its transitioned several times over the years, including a stint as a burlesque house for over 20 years, and was renovated in the late 1990’s in order to build a music and dinner theatre. The renovation sought to bring this space back to all its previous glory and lavishness by preserving the original stage proscenium and ceiling fixtures, embellishing it with plush fabrics and ornate décor, and finally, punctuating it all with comfortable booth seating and a state of the art sound system. While many musical and stage performances are held here nightly, The Atomic Bombshells were the first troupe to bring burlesque back to the Triple Door. This local group integrates the worlds of burlesque, drag, dance, and theatre into their productions, incorporating a bit of campiness and playful humor, professionally-choreographed dance routines, and spectacular costumes to create shows with a unique style. Additional burlesque productions, such as Burlesco Divino: Wine in Rome and the annual holiday delight, Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker, are produced throughout the year at the Triple Door by another local company Lily Verlaine and Jasper McCann Present. Dinner is not included in the ticket prices, but guests can order from the Wild Ginger kitchen just upstairs from the Triple Door. The Southeast Asian menu features foods from China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia. The Can Can in the Pike Place Market offers another burlesque entertainment choice for Seattleites. This venue features both national and local entertainment in addition to the Can Can’s own talented dance troupe, The Castaways. Ticket options with or without dinner are available, but the chef’s emphasis on local, seasonal menu ingredients sourced fresh daily from the Market may sway you to splurge a little here.  There are even special VIP packages that guarantee a private table in the VIP section, and the Celebration Add-On that ensures an up-close-and personal dance on stage for your guest of honor. Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre: If murder-mystery entertainment is more your speed, there are several choices in Seattle to become part of the action and help uncover who-done-it. During these evenings actors in-disguise mingle among guests while diners try and solve the “crime”. Once a week, the Argosy Murder Mystery Dining Cruise takes to the water for a seated, served dinner, night views of the Seattle skyline and Events on the Edge Productions’ unique brand of interactive comedy. During the cruise, professional actors blend in with guests as a “detective” leads an investigation to help the audience solve a mystery. Audience participation is completely voluntary. Guests choose the level of involvement they are comfortable with. Those who do not wish to participate can simply enjoy watching the story unfold or one can join in the excitement of the show by helping to decipher the clues. For the more brave souls, who choose to be involved in the action (or who might want to set up one of their unknowing friends or family!), sharing information ahead of time - that is used to further the plot - can put you right in the middle of the adventure. On weekends at the historic French Creek Manor in Snohomish The Murder Mystery Co. serves up its monthly-themed interactive game of mystery and intrigue alongside a three course dinner. Dressing up to fit the theme is encouraged! The Dinner Detective at Hotel Deca in the University District features a four course plated dinner and an improvised and interactive mystery comedy show where anyone in the room, even your dinner date, could be the suspect. As a bonus, there is a prize for the sleuth who comes closest to solving the crime!