This place gives me that old school feel. I went to watch my favorite Maddy Smith on a Friday night and it did not disappoint. The venue was small and made for a great experience! The stage needs some sweeping but I guess it adds to the aura. Place is just a little bit hard to find for people who have not been in the area. read more

Another one of the cool fringe companies carving out a niche in Seattle theater. Every time you see a company struggle, another company, or ten, reminds you how well things are going for it--as of this writing, Annex is coming up on its 25th anniversary. "Longer than some of you have been alive," as our host and master of ceremonies reminded us last night. Yeah, if only. Now, when I say "cool companies," I am most definitely not talking about the auditorium here. Evidently, "HVAC Installer" is not a role that gets credited in the program at most smaller companies, so they never cast for it. Now, I get it. That's a toweringly massive expense for a small independent theater troupe. But, yeah, it was pretty warm and sultry in here on an August evening last night. But that's not what matters. What matters is the cool vibe they have set up, and how that feeds into the chances for artistic success. You walk up a couple flights of stairs clearly hammered together by capable volunteers, and find your way into a space that has done just enough to pull it all together: 100 or so seats in an intimate auditorium, exactly two seats in two very intimate unisex bathrooms, a highboy table to serve as the box office, and, most importantly, a large and welcoming bar. The prices on beer, wine, cocktails, and candy are very reasonable. The service is charming at every turn. Most importantly, the programming on the boards is adventuresome and ambitious. The Strange Misadventures of Patty, last night, was a very uneven play mounted with great enthusiasm and invention by the company. Marianna de Fazio was fantastic in the lead. Looking forward to seeing more productions here in the future. read more

Saw their first Friday show Spin the Bottle. The door looks like it goes to apartments and you have to walk up a flight of stairs to a door being held open by vise grip. The shadyness is all part of the atmosphere eclectic and different. There is a bar and the drinks are cheap, plus you can take them into the theater. The theater space is what I would expect from a second floor theater. Black walls, a few inch high stage, exposed wood beams and recycled chairs from another theater which aren't attached to the floor. As for the show, Spin the Bottle is a monthly variety show so my experience won't be yours. Show was hit or miss for me in the acts. The improv group BottomZ Up got better over time, the sing has a good voice, the geisha burlesque dancer was good with her surprise ending. Much of the comedy was low hanging fruit jokes which is good to warm up the audience but I find tiring after 5 minutes. They know their liberal Capital Hill demographic audience so if that's not you best not to go. I did find the back audience to be super annoying. They sounded like a laugh/cheer track; too loud and set off by anything such as "Hi," "people," and "space." read more

It's basically a hole in the wall theater. Honestly, when I first attempted to locate this place, I was afraid because it seemed so sketchy outside. It's actually right across from Value Village if you need a reference point. The wall has a sign that says Annex Theatre so you're in the right place when you see that. It seems like you're in an alley way almost, which gives you this dark and eerie feeling. You have to go up the stairs in order to reach the theater itself. Once you enter the door, you are greeted by the ticket worker. My group of friends had to come here for a poetry assignment and we heard that annex theatre was having a song and story play. So we decided to check it out. Students can get in for five dollars, but if you're paying general admission, it'll cost you ten dollars. The theater itself has only about 40 seats so it's pretty small. The stage is also very small and it's a bit run down but it seems like a place for beginning actors and musicians to start their career. The people here are pretty tight and close. They all seem like they are from Capitol Hill and come often as regulars. You can already tell through their laughter and their conversations that each individual knows each other. My group didn't know anybody which is why we sat in the back. We had tickets for the show called 17 Debutants and a Mother's Praise. A man came out as the story teller and there were 3 ladies and one gentleman singing as the story progressed. The singing was great and the story teller had great emotion and enthusiasm. However, we didn't get the jokes all the time but the community did. So we felt that the story was more geared towards the humor and laughter of the community that they normally perform to. The jokes were still funny and the music and singing was great but we got tired after listening to the story for 40 minutes. There was a ten minute break and we decided to leave because we had completed the assignment and wasn't sure if we could spare the time to listen to Mother's Praise. They have talent - no doubt. And I think that the community that they have here is amazing. To see so many people so tight knit and supporting one another is always pleasing to see. However, this kind of thing just isn't a passion of mine. I feel like I gave my money to support good people though. Hopefully they'll be able to renovate and become big one day. read more

I was laughing so loud my friend hit me in the shoulder. But isn't that what comedies, even dark ones, are for? It was a solid suicide joke. The space is the definition of charming. read more

My sci fi fanboy son was in town, and we stumbled on a poster for Annex's production of "HP Lovecraft: Standup Comedian." We had no idea to expect. Certainly I had noticed their modest theatre entrance rambling around Capitol Hill, but never hear much about their performances. We were very pleasantly surprised and delighted at this performance. The lead, Scotto Moore (also the playwright) delivered a believable, emotionally engaging performance in this absurdist story. His girlfriend and stage manager Erin Ison was a giant stage presence... Driving the drama along admirably. And then there was Andy Buffelen, who knocked our socks off with his beautifully creepy portrayal of Gus/dark underlord. We had a sweet evening at Annex. Will be returning for "Bunnies." PS: they have a cozy lounge as well, with cheap but good beer selections. read more

If you want incredible creativity and inspiration look no further. The events here are always unique. I've enjoyed plays and performances in the theater forever, but recently a new element has been added that is even more incredible: the basement studios. Studio Current is an event space that hosts all the underground theater you can shake a stick at. Geekspace TV is a local production non-profit that runs shows on twitch.tv and focuses on inclusion, representation, and LGBTQIA+ stories. Their casts are always diverse and their stories intriguing, moving, and often hilarious. read more

I went to this quirky little theater recently and had a blast. Fun show, very small intimate seating. We sat up towards the back because we were late, and had a perfect view. There was probably only 20 rows of seats. Got a bottle of Fat Tire and a soda for $3!!! They do only have two restrooms, so the line is lonnng! But quirky, fun and super reasonable. I will be back. read more

If you're looking for adventurous fringe theater, this is the place to go! Annex has been an institution in Seattle for over 20 years, and is now located at the heart of Capitol Hill's thriving bar neighborhood, up a few flights of starts in a cozy 80-seat theatre. The lobby has it's own bar, perfect for grabbing a drink before the show. Check the website for their current shows, or drop by the first Friday of every month at 11:00 p.m. for their long-running series, "Spin the Bottle", which features comedy, music, and other types of performance curated by Bret Fetzer. read more

I was so pleased to see "Caught One-handed" with Noah Duffy tonight at this theater. What a cool space to see this one-man act. Highly recommend both this show and this space. Affordable food and drink that you can enjoy in the theater - what could be better? I can't say enough how much I enjoyed Noah's performance - it makes me want to come check out other shows at this theater. I was lucky enough to sit by the window, so I wasn't overheating during the show - if you're prone to overheating sit on the window-side of the venue! Also there are only two unisex restrooms in the third floor theater, so make sure to go before the show and get there quickly at the end of the show to relieve yourself. read more

Little theater with an underground vibe. Upon entering you go up the stairs and are greeted by the host. After checking in you can wait in their lounge, where you can purchase snacks and drinks for a reasonable price. We came to see "Blood Countess" and were blown away by the performances. (Special shout out to Terri Weagant as the countess, you were amazing!) The actors were great at bringing the story to life and had me on the edge of my seat. What really moved me was I never knew I could be creeped out and scared during a live performance as they did an outstanding job making you believe it was really happening. For a small production they gave it their all and then some. Much better date night than going to the movies, so go out and support the arts! read more

Love this hole in the wall theater. I liked how this place had shows for all ages. They have monthly shows like Spin the Bottle, which is a variety show on the first Friday. I recommend this if you appreciate theater, acting, and music. They have very talented actors, and are hilarious. I attended Mating Games. The crowd was mainly adults from mid 20s to late 40s. It was a more mature audience. The space is small and intimate. It's really cute and has an artsy feel to it. Tickets are easy to purchase and they aren't expensive either! Totally worth it especially if you are a student! read more

I came to see "Black Like Us." Wow! What an amazing show. Superb writing and acting. It is nice to see theater that takes the audience out of their comfort zone and asks them to truly think. The attention to detail in this show was impressive. I was blown away by the amazing sound design by Shane Regan. The act was superlative. The person at the box office was personable and helpful. The bar has a nice variety. The physical theater in a walk up. It seats about 100. I have fallen in love with this place and look forward to returning. Don't miss a chance to see a performance at Annex Theatre. read more

Saw an off-night show and it was a cute little venue. Weird selling technique (they have 99 seats but only sell half online for some reason) and then have a huge walk-up line they have to seat at the last minute and the show started 20 minutes late. I don't get it, but good luck. The stuff they do seems interesting and I'll totes go again. The back row is still excellent in this quant little venue. read more

Annex is a cool little venue on Capitol Hill that hosts some unusual performances. They've got a cozy bar where you can wait and toss back a few drinks before the show. The auditorium is small and intimate--perfect for fringe theater. My only complaint is the seating. I sat in the second row behind some guy with big bushy hair. Because the seats aren't staggered and the second row isn't elevated above the first, I had to constantly shift in my seat and strain my neck just to see the performance. It was rather uncomfortable and annoying. By all means, come catch a show at Annex--just avoid the second row. read more

What a cool space! I went to "Spin the Bottle" (and loved it). I'm surprised that I did not know about this sooner. I like the entire setup. It's big enough, but small enough, to produce a good show but still have an inviting feeling. I will definitely be back! read more

Cute little theatre. I had a good time watching the play Blindspot. If your bored on a Friday or Saturday I highly recommend stopping by and checking out a play. read more

I saw "Nightmare Cabaret Before Christmas" on 12/17/11. Flashes of brilliance (Diva le Deviant, Gale Force, the guy who played Jack all had the chops for this production), weighed down by mediocrity (burlesque scenes that seemed completely out of step with the storyline). This was my first burlesque show and perhaps you have to be part of that cult to really enjoy it. The person I went with (A Rabid Burlesque Fan) said it was medium-to-high range quality for burlesque performances in Seattle. Doesn't give me much hope for the scene, but I'll give it another try. I'll remember to bring my earplugs to drown out the "whoooooooo" parts. read more

This is a very nifty venue with some very fun shows. So far, I've only been here twice. Both were fun if a little odd. It is a great, intimate theater with limited seating. Snacks and drinks are reasonably priced. And you are allowed and encouraged to bring them with you to your seats. Based on my experience, any show they put on will probably be quirky but memorable. read more