Paramount & Artusi - January 22, 2018

After having visited many of the area theatres, my husband and I finally made it to the Paramount Theatre to see “The Book of Mormon” recently.  First of all, WOW what a show!  We discovered quickly why it has won nine Tony Awards for Best Musical.   It was really one of the funniest shows we have ever seen.  Sadly, the run was short for this outrageous musical comedy and by press time it will be gone.  Next time this show tours I would encourage you to book your tickets early and go! 
 
Suffice it to say though, the Paramount hosts some pretty amazing shows throughout the year, and the next one up is “Hamilton” which has definitely won its share of Tonys as well!
 
You can also enjoy dance, jazz, live concerts, speakers, comedy, special events, family shows, and movies (including The Silent Movie Mondays Series).
 
The theatre is stunning with a beautiful gold leaf ceiling that takes your breath away.  Although there are over 2,800 seats for patrons, the setting is intimate with a very large balcony to give everyone a good view of the stage.
 
Like many theatres in downtown Seattle, the Paramount has a long and storied history having originally opened in 1928.  Although it was deemed as “Seattle’s Most Opulent Movie Palace” when it opened, it went through many transformations through the years along with financial difficulty in the 80’s and 90’s requiring assistance to restore and renovate the Paramount to its former glory.  Thankfully that happened when Ida Cole, a former Microsoft Vice President, purchased the historic landmark. It eventually become part of the nonprofit now known as the Seattle Theatre Group.  This prompted a full renovation and the Paramount reopened in 1995.
 
The Paramount is located at 911 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101.  Visit www.stgpresents.org for more information.
 
Following our usual M.O., we decided to try a new restaurant prior to the show.  We had heard about a place called Artusi from a friend and headed out for an early dinner on that Sunday night. 
 
What a cool spot!  Artusi is a casual bar with really hip décor  and  a  varied menu of light bites that is perfect for sharing (or a light dinner before a show).  As luck would have it, we stumbled upon their Pasta and Wine Night (offered Sundays and Mondays).  The special features two pasta dishes off the menu and a bottle of wine (three special wines are picked for the night) for $35.  What a deal considering most establishments would easily charge $35 for the wine alone.  We added a cheese plate appetizer, and overall had a delicious meal (without feeling overly stuffed) prior to the show.
 
Artusi is located at 1535 14th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122.
 
They are open 7 days a week from 5 p.m.
 
Visit www.Artusibar.com for more information.

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