Welcome to Skeleton Theatre 2023!

As reported by the West Seattle Blog, yes, this will most likely be the last year for Skeleton Theatre. It's year number 18, and it's been fantastic, thank you to everyone who has come out to see our shows!

The name of the show this year is "Junior", and it's unlike our previous shows in a couple of major ways. This year, we're inviting you backstage. In between the animated performances, you can come up onstage and see how the magic works.

Also, you can watch the animated performance from the front like usual, or watch from the side and backstage where people are working. Basically, you can watch the stuff we usually hide.

And this part here just makes me happy. The West Seattle Blog has been wonderful about mentioning us every year, and here I am stealing their picture. Yes, this picture was taken by the Blog for the Blog...but I like it, I hope they don't mind me using their work!

Thanks again everyone, we hope you like the show!


In the interest of full disclosure - if you've been to this site before, then you've read what's below here (I am legit horrible at keeping this site updated, obviously). The only update is above.

NEWS:
In 2012 we built all-new skeletons with more animation (Dave calls them "The Mark 2's"), the new skulls especially were great! In 2013 we changed the servo control boards and the power/data delivery - which really helped with skeleton reliability.

Then this year I discovered that we'd wired the 5 volt and the 9 volt power leads to the opposite poles on the new servo boards. I'm actually amazed the skels worked at all...but this does explain some anomalous behaviours we experienced. So I'm glad to have caught THAT.

For "Beyond The Pale" we're having to build - for the first time - stunt doubles. Because of the nature of the show, we'll need four different Mason skeletons (the star), and two Katya skeletons. So we're building five new skeletons, seven skulls, and we're re-using all four of our skeletons from "Ulna-13" - though only two of their skulls.

Plus we've got a bunch of large scenery to build. We'll be setup in the use-the-entire-yard model, like our "Pirates Of The Scary Beings" shows in 2008-09. Thank goodness for scaffolding. (he said cryptically)

And just a shout-out: besides the hardcore stalwarts who've been working on this show from the beginning, we continue to get a new person or two each year who is willing to come out and help. Thank you to all y'all! Since we're all volunteers, and sometimes one year or two is enough for somebody (this show works ya hard), it's nice to get new people now and then. Thanks! And btw: those people are listed on the "People" page...eventually.

Here's a little gloat-out, and because we're tickled about it. I've always asked the best actors I know in Seattle to do the voices for our characters. Turns out New York thinks so too. From the cast pictures on the "People" page, two of those folks are on Broadway now (Don and Brandon). Nice...and we got 'em first.

We've had the Facebook page for a couple years now. We try to post behind-the-scenes updates to it occasionally during the last few frenzied weeks of build. If you post a question to it, probably somebody will answer it fairly quickly...for a given value of "fairly".

PRESS:
This is our ninth year doing Skeleton Theatre, yikes. We've gotten some nice press over the years, here are links to those pieces:

- Seattle Times article our very first year! 10-2006

- West Seattle Blog preview, video interview with Chris, 10-2008

- KUOW Public Radio interview with Chris, 10-2008

- West Seattle Blog pocket review, video clip from the show, 10-2009

- West Seattle Blog sneak peak, video interview with Chris, 10-2010

- West Seattle Blog pocket review, 2 video clips from the show, 10-2010

- West Seattle Blog review, video clip from the show, 10-2011


It's been great to have the support. If we didn't get crowds, this wouldn't be nearly as much fun!

As a treat for those of you who read all the way down the page, here's a clip of outtakes from the 2008 "Pirates" recording session.

You can see videos and pics from previous years shows on our Shows page. The Build page also has vids and pics showing how it was all done. People gets you behind the scenes with intros of the people on the Skeleton Crew, and Find Us shows you where to see the show.

And if you'd like to help support Skeleton Theatre, Thanks!


Lastly, you can e-mail me (Chris) if you have questions or comments.