the teen tix blog

Undulating Like Currents

2012-01-27T18:04:00.000-08:00

Review of Hamelin Performs Chopin at Seattle Symphony by Galen C.

World premieres seemed to have become an important part of Seattle Symphony’s first season under new executive and music direction. On Thursday night, So Far So Good, composed by rising star Nico Muhly, had its first performance under the baton of Ludovic Morlot. The fluid piece was programmed alongside Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Although the pieces had clear contrasts, there were common elements that united the works into a cohesive entity.

Marc-André Hamelin

Photo by Rachel Papo for the New York Times

Muhly’s piece started with warm, smooth chords that instantly set the mood for the evening. The dynamics swelled smoothly as the notes undulated like currents, echoing around the string sections; the winds and brass pierced through with a contrastingly sharp but surprisingly compatible sound. So Far So Good is a very steady and flowing piece, albeit with an abrupt, but not necessarily inappropriate, ending. The orchestra sounded unified not only in its entrances and releases, but also in its phrasings and moods.

The Unfinished Symphony began with a rich tone in the lower side of the string section, and maintained the warmth despite Schubert’s sudden switches from minor to major moods. The piece’s dynamic changes were executed in perfect unison; it was as if every member of the orchestra was truly melded into one living, breathing organism. The effect was thrilling, enough to captivate even the most skeptical listener. Fittingly, the piano concerto that followed continued the sense of fascination.

Chopin is sometimes criticized for his uneven orchestration, causing the piano to struggle to be heard over the orchestra; this was not the case in Thursday’s performance. Marc-André Hamelin played delicately while giving a relaxed and bold presentation of the technically challenging concerto. The second movement, particularly, demonstrated the lyricism and beauty of Hamelin’s interpretation, as he, along with the audience, felt the emotion in every note.

Seattle Symphony delivered a cohesive and satisfying concert with the performance of a stirring world premiere alongside dynamic and delicate pieces. In the past few months, the Symphony has become a tighter ensemble with a warm, gorgeous sound to accompany its musical unity. To use the words of another: so far, so good.

Hamelin Performs Chopin
Final Performance: Saturday, January 28 @ 8:00 PM
Seattle Symphony

Pick of the Week

2012-01-25T11:00:00.000-08:00

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead @ Seattle Public Theatre

In the little-known olde tyme play Hamlet, after all of the important characters have already died, an ambassador from England enters to announce that "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern," a couple of messengers who nobody cares about anyway, "are dead."

Enter the genius of Tom Stoppard, who took these two nobodies and gave them a whole play. A hilarious, brilliant play. My drama geek friends and I were obsessed with it in high school, and you and your drama geek friends should be, too. One drama geek to another, just trust me, okay? Go.

Oh, and, P.S., Seattle Public Theater has recast the two rubes as ladies, played by the beautiful and talented Angela DiMarco and Alyssa Keene. Yay!

- Holly

ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD
Seattle Public Theater
The Greenlake Bathhouse
7312 West Green Lake Dr. N. Seattle, WA 98103
map

Preview Thursday, January 26
Opens Friday, January 27
Runs through February 19
$5.00 Teen Tix day-of-show for each performance until sold out.
Availability of Teen Tix tickets is not guaranteed. We recommend calling ahead: 206-524-1300

cure for boredom

2012-01-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

TONIGHT!

Hollis Wong-Wear, rising star of the Northwest spoken-word poetry scene + some awesome poets from Youth Speaks Seattle + thousands of records = a killer listening party at Seattle Art Museum's RECORD STORE in Pioneer Square. This event is free and open to the public.

RECORD STORE is a temporary SAM installation in a storefront in Pioneer Square. Nothing is for sale there, but anyone can walk in and play music from the store's vast collection of vinyl. Tonight, Wong-Wear and the Youth Speaks folks will be performing poetry and playing music for YOU. Check it out.

RECORD STORE LISTENING PARTY with
Hollis Wong-Wear & Youth Speaks Seattle
[storefront] at Olson Kundig Architects
406 Occidental Ave. S
Seattle, WA 98104
map

HOURS
Tues| Wed | Thurs
12 – 4 pm and 6:30 – 9:00 pm

Icepocolypse Day Three: Escape Your Family

2012-01-20T15:45:00.000-08:00

Feeling a little stir crazy? Got Wii Tennis arm? All hot chocolated out? GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE. Here's a list of what's on and off (but mostly--hooray!--on) for tonight at our participating organizations.

Boating with Clyde: Snow Snow Snow Your Boat from Do it for the girls on Vimeo.

(3D glasses recommended!)

Tonight's 7:30 performance of All Through the Night at ArtsWest is ON!

Rabih Mroué: Looking for a Missing Employee at On the Boards in ON, and they have added a 4 pm matinee tomorrow (Saturday, January 21st) to make up for last night's missed performance.

This weekend's remaining performances (Saturday and Sunday) of Attila at Seattle Opera are ON.

Pacific Science Center's IMAX Theatres and Laser Dome are OPEN!

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, and The Olympic Sculpture Park are OPEN!

Henry Art gallery is closed. Sad trombone.

SIFF Cinema and Uptown Cinema are OPEN!

Tonight's 7:30 performance of How to Write a New Book for the Bible at Seattle Rep is ON!

Tonight's Seattle Symphony Performance Cancelled

2012-01-19T11:18:00.000-08:00

Seattle Symphony has cancelled tonight's performance Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony

Just going to post cancellations as they come in today, so stay tuned to the blog (or, if there's something you're wondering about, you can always call the organization directly. All of the numbers are listed on our our website).

Snowpocolypse!

2012-01-18T14:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Snow Day! Here is a rundown of what's on and what's off today and tonight at our participating organizations:

Photo by Annabelle Allen via Joey Veltkamp

For Wednesday, January 18th (in alphabetical order by organization name):

- Tonight's performance of All Through the Night at ArtsWest is postponed
- Bellevue Arts Museum is closed
- The Burke Museum is closed
- Cornish College of the Arts is closed and all events are cancelled
- EMP Museum is closed
- Henry Art Gallery is closed
- Northwest Film Forum is OPEN! Pull on your snowboots and go see a movie! Check their website for showtimes.
- On the Boards will be open this weekend (Thursday - Sunday) for Rabih Mroué: Looking for a Missing Employee
- Pacific Science Center's IMAX theaters are OPEN!
- Pacific Science Center's Laser Dome has no shows today
- Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, and the Olympic Sculpture Park are all closed
- Tonight's 7:30 performance of Attila at Seattle Opera is ON! We recommend calling ahead to ensure that Teen Tix tickets will be available: 206.389.7676
- SIFF Cinema is closed
- Tonight's performance of How to Write a New Book for the Bible at Seattle Repertory Theatre is cancelled
- Unexpected Productions will NOT hold TheaterSports at Intiman Theatre this weekend
- And finally, in case you were wondering, the Space Needle is closed.

Check back tomorrow for another update.

"The place where unicorn and pegasus combine into one."

2012-01-10T12:47:00.000-08:00

Hey, here's a non-standard suggestion for a little late-week/early-weekend entertainment:
A PERFORMANCE BY:
Tender Forever & Your Heart Breaks
Thursday, January 12
7-9 pm
Henry Art Gallery Auditorium
Teen Tix $5 at the door

Tender Forever is an “Alien With Extraordinary Abilities” who will entertain you, make you experience feelings about yourself and others, sing to you out loud what you softly think and everlastingly stamp your memory with unforgettable joyful and epic souvenirs. In this new performance, Tender Forever takes us on a musical multimedia journey to explore her own perspectives on the concepts of origin and world citizenship, survival and the abundance of our computerized world through her unique whimsical lens.

Clyde Petersen is a local animator and musician. The longest lasting member of Seattle based band Your Heart Breaks, Clyde uses a loop station to create lush songs about travel, adoration, and outer space. In addition, he is a transgender artist and teacher, creating music videos and short animated films for his company, Do it for the Girls Productions. Your Heart Breaks is queercore & hot makeout parties. The place where unicorn and pegasus combine into one. Corndogs [2 for 99 cents]. Pinata parties. Dancing up front at all-ages shows. Sharing the mic. Monkeys, the squirrels of south america. Squirrels, the monkeys of north america. A severe case of ocean waves.

More info at henryart.org

The Song of Purple Winter

2012-01-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

Review of Spring Awakening at Balagan Theatre by Jenny S.

Photo by Pamela M. Campi Photography

From the same Broadway generation that birthed shows like RENT and Next to Normal came Spring Awakening, a black and blue pop opera based in the late 1800s about teenagers without the benefits of roomy back seats, the last rows in movie theaters, the space under the bleachers, or even health class. Kids who are ignorant of the most basic facts about reproduction. Based on the long-banned 1892 play of the same title by Frank Wedekind, the 2007 musical is famous for its embrace of the taboo: bottoms and breasts are bared in the eerie blue light, f-bombs are hurled at authority figures, actors simulate masturbation under spotlights, and the stage is mangled with the stamping of feet. On opening night at Balagan Theater’s new space in Capitol Hill (they recently became the resident company at Seattle Central Community College's Erickson Theater), patrons’ demeanor mirrored that of the characters on stage. The crowd’s age averaged 25, their piercing voices announced that they are ‘Theatre People’ (the European spelling is implied,) and they were buzzed. The space and crowd screamed Seattle Hipsters in a way that would make the Occupiers proud, but the beer bottles clinking morosely from the audience during a silent funeral scene punctured the atmosphere.

Brian Earp as Melchior and Diana Huey as Wendla

Photo by Andrea Huysing

Through song, movement, and sparse dialogue, 13 actors and 8 ensemble members tell a story of love and curiosity between two teenagers as it exemplifies the frustration of late 1800s German society in which sex is secret, children are sheltered, and discipline is paramount. Wendla (Diana Huey) and Melchior (Brian Earp) have been friends since childhood but were separated into their respective single-gendered schools and friend groups when they hit puberty. The teens face academic demands that put today’s SATs and AP exams to shame, and struggle to live in an oppressive and intellectually closed society. Eric Ankrim’s production takes few liberties with the original staging, but his choices are thoughtful and ultimately evocative. Actors trample the minimal set in black oxfords boots, wearing suits and dresses like straightjackets. Huey as Wendla is an enraged, sexed-up porcelain doll, her voice versatile and her commitment to her role constant. Earp, too, is engaged and alluring, one moment rational, the next overwhelmed by hormones. The rest of the ensemble is overall less than noteworthy in solos, but when the cast sings as one, Kimberly Dare’s musical direction comes to a perfect, folk rock fruition.

Too often, Spring Awakening is dismissed as angst without art, a musical for the braces and Clean and Clear set who have no greater worry than what kind of car they’ll get for their 16th birthday. In fact, the material of the show is very real: pressure from parents, domestic violence, sexual abuse, peer pressure, suicide, and abortion. These are not issues the world left behind in 1892. Often adults still justify horrific actions with, “Child, the lord won’t mind.” The Victorian era setting and dress juxtaposed with contemporary American music and speaking creates a world to which audience members can relate. The score by Duncan Sheik and Stephen Slater is stirring even if you never endured a Green Day phase. The winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Spring Awakening is exciting, lovely, and uncomfortable in all of the right ways.

Spring Awakening
Balagan Theatre
Through January 15
Recommended for ages 17+
Must be at least 14 years old to purchase tickets

The Other 99%

2012-01-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Review of Coriolanus at Seattle Shakespeare Company by Sandrine G.

Photo by John Ulman

Introduced by theater-movingly loud music and clad in piecemeal armor that lies somewhere on the badassery spectrum between LARPing and Mad Max, soldiers in Seattle Shakespeare Company’s Coriolanus exist only to be slaughtered by the title character (David Drummond) as he towers over them all by at least half a foot. The eponymous Roman warrior is first shown thriving in his element to later contrast with the trials he must face when thrust into the foreign world of politics. A scene-setting voiceover continues the non-Shakespearean introduction and further primes the audience for the iambic whirlwind to come.

Not that the action is hard to follow. As with any good interpretation, the actors flesh out Shakespeare’s pentameter with emotional relevance, helped along particularly well in this case by Carol Wolfe Clay's sets and Pete Rush's costumes. In this Coriolanus, the plebeians are the 99%, and their cry of WE MUST HAVE CORN takes shape on the illustrated fists of Occupy signs. Though there are many sad similarities between a stratified Rome, a feudal Britain, and an occupied Seattle in what has been called “Shakespeare’s most political play,” there are few answers to be had in the tragedy. As if to drive home this point, the set consists of beautiful fresco-like screens painted with confused images of gods and map coordinates that are pushed around the stage in multifarious configurations, used both to conceal and to emphasize movement throughout the play.

David Drummond as Caius Martius Coriolanus and Therese Diekhans as Volumnia

Photo by John Ulman

A chillingly intimate counterpoint to the grand sweep of social revolt, some of the most powerful scenes show Therese Diekhans’ portrayal of Coriolanus’ steely mother and her interaction with the soldier’s son (Jack Taylor). Through their scenes, the audience is afforded an opportunity to glimpse the making of a warrior. Shakespeare’s characteristic comic relief, however, overshadows the terror and disorder of war. Whenever Joseph P. McCarthy’s First Citizen shows up in various everyman roles, the laughter of the audience is greater than the tears of the characters following Rome’s missteps.

Seattle Shakespeare’s Coriolanus is a work deeply rooted in conflict; it is at once a glorification of war and recognition of the personal sacrifices of public service, a portrait of an upstanding soldier and an exposé of the government he stands to protect, a primal tragedy of one man’s failure and a darkly humorous tale with universal wit. Perhaps such tale of political downfall is not the most auspicious for newly-confirmed Artistic Director George Mount, but the timing of his company’s revival of Coriolanus couldn’t be better for this crucial election year. And the attention placed on the importance of nurture to produce nature in the next generation of warriors, voters, and protesters is the most relevant point of all.

Coriolanus
Seattle Shakespeare Company
Through January 29

On Beethoven and the Birth of Pop

2012-01-03T13:58:00.000-08:00

Review of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at Seattle Symphony by Bethany B.

I head to Benaroya Hall on December 26th, which (if you remember back to your Facebook news feed) is around the time everyone is buzzing about the top 100 hot songs of 2011. So while we find our seats and the orchestra tunes up, pop music is stuck eternally in my skull. But with applause, concert mistress, and conductor, the music starts. The first piece is a suite from Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdink (Princess Bride anyone?). The music is light, beautiful, and energetic. The prelude starts with the French horns, and then grows to the winds, and finally strings. Each movement tells the story of sweet Hansel and Gretel, and the piece is everything you want in a performance. The piece that follows is Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, which is really one of the most exhilarating pieces of classical music I have ever heard. Orchestra, conductor, chorale, and four singers all work together to create the music. Christine Goerke, Soprano, Lurette Bybee, Mezzo-soprano, John Mac Master, Tenor, and Greer Grimsley, Bass-baritone, really steal the show with their rich, stunningly beautiful voices. It’s strangely interesting that the same top 100 pop hits we have today originated from pieces like the Beethoven’s symphony. In the same way that mankind develops technology and medicine, art transforms from its origins to a point that’s almost unrecognizable. As for which one is better? I’ll let you decide, but I’ll take a mix of both, with an extra helping of Beethoven.

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is closed
Next up at Seattle Symphony: Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20
January 5 & 7
More info at seattlesymphony.org

Just Be

2011-12-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

Review of Theaster Gates: The Listening Room @ Seattle Art Museum by Samantha V.

It is unusual to hear music in an art museum. And yet from the very back of SAM's contemporary gallery, you can now hear warm 70's jazz calling you closer to take a look, inviting you to take a seat. Welcome to The Listening Room. Here you can find something that you normally don't in an art museum, an invitation to explore. Not just with your sense of sight, but with all of your senses, except taste. Artist Theaster Gates, shows the history of our country's culture in a way that makes you stop and think a little. Now if you're like me and just want to talk about and listen to good music, that's fine too. Either way you are doing what The Listening Room was designed to do. To start a conversation.

Theaster Gates at the Tea Shack, 2008. Photo by Sarah Pooley.

Mr. Gates is big on reclaimed artwork and this work is no exception. The room itself feels a little like a church. The occasional gospel song only adds to that feeling. So does the DJ station that looks like an alter and the benches that resemble the tops of steeples. Of course the thing that ties it all together and the biggest draw for me is the music. And the music would not be here at all if it wasn't for a little record store called Dr. Wax. Having fallen on hard times, Dr. Wax had to close up shop. And before they did, they sold all of their leftover records to Mr. Gates. As a result, the record collection in this exhibit is quite large. I did not have time to go through it all. I did however have the time and the luck to find an Across America record by Prince. Sitting all alone with my headphones on, watching the record spin, its like I wasn't in a museum. That was a well needed pause.

Of course this pause can't last forever. Neither can a good song. Whatever your case, The Listening Room is the ideal place to think, explore, talk, or just plain be. We all need a breather once in a while. So for now, go ahead. Let yourself be lost to time.

The Listening Room, by Theaster Gates
Through July 1
Seattle Art Museum

Sweet Sounds (and a Gorgeous Dress!)

2011-12-19T12:06:00.000-08:00

A Review of Handel's Messiah @ Seattle Symphony by Monet C.

As I walked into Benaroya Hall, a wave of memories swept over me, making me wonder if this year’s Messiah could compare to last year’s; however, I lost all thoughts within the first few bars of tenor Thomas Glenn’s opening accompagnato. His tones are well rounded, and his enunciation impeccable. From a singer’s standpoint, he has huge lung capacity (which, given the smooth runs up and down the scale in the Messiah, is a must), and a sure, strong voice. The aria played perfectly into Steven Hegedus’ (bass) following piece, which, due to the rich, deep, wonderful notes that comprise it, blew me away. The choir nailed the classic Hallelujah chorus, and stayed completely on pitch throughout the whole thing.

Honestly though, I felt rather part of the audience, and not drawn in to the music, as I prefer, until Ms. Nathalie Paulin (soprano) began to sing. Her vocal skills and sweet, clear, bell-like, softly accented voice (not to mention her gorgeous dress!!!) captured my attention, and I sat looking forward to each of her arias. Filling out the quartet of harmony was Ryan Belongie, countertenor. I honestly was not expecting a voice as unique as his, as I was naive to what a countertenor sounds like. For those of you who aren’t into music beyond listening to it, a countertenor is along the same lines as an alto.

At the end of the show, I was highly privileged to meet all four soloists, and got to interview Ms. Nathalie.

Monet: Where are you from, Ms Nathalie?
Nathalie Paulin: A tiny town by New Brunswick, Canada.
Mo: What are your favorite parts of the Messiah?
NP: The Hallelujah chorus and my last aria. It is such a pure piece.
Mo: You have the prettiest dress!
NP: Thank you! I got the fabric in Singapore, so it’s a one of a kind dress!
Mo: Thank you so much for your time!
NP: You are welcome, and thank you for coming to listen!

Handel's Messiah
CLOSED
Next at Seattle Symphony
Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20
January 5

Cure for Boredom

2011-12-16T14:41:00.000-08:00

The Catechism Cataclysm @ NW Film Forum

What happens when you put a disgraced priest and a former metal band guitarist in a canoe?

Chaos.

When Father Billy is discovered telling inappropriate parables, he's forced to take a sabbatical to clean up his act. He recruits his high school idol, Robbie, and together they take a trip down the river that ends in, well, horror. Innovative storytelling and wacky antics make this mouthful of a film, The Catechism Cataclysm, one of the best satires of the year.

Watch the trailer:

NOTE: This film contains mature material. Recommended for ages 17+.

The Catechism Cataclysm
December 20 - 22
Northwest Film Forum

Pick of the Week

2011-12-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

Handel's Messiah @ Seattle Symphony

It's that time of year! Seattle Symphony is proud to present its annual performances of Handel's Messiah, and we're even happier to give you $5 tickets to this special event! This year there will be a food drive put on by Food Lifeline, Washington’s largest hunger relief organization. Stop by before or after the show and donate non-perishables to families in need this holiday season.

Here's a video of the Seattle Symphony Chorale in a flash mob last year:

Happy Holidays from Teen Tix!

Handel's Messiah
December 16 - 19
Seattle Symphony

Witty Fast-Forward

2011-12-14T08:55:00.000-08:00

Review of Every Christmas Story Ever Told @ ArtsWest by Melissa C.

As a theatre kid in West Seattle, I have spent a lot of time at ArtsWest - the local theatre and gallery - and I was not disappointed. The gallery exhibit was impressive and less outrageous/disturbing than usual. It featured 3D paintings, unbelievable colored pencil drawings, and paintings of food that were a treat before the show.

From left: Justin Huertas, Brian Lange, and Nick Edwards.

“One thing was for sure, Marly was dead” …The show began as seemingly your average Christmas Carol with Brian sitting center stage with a spotlight focused on him, then in crashed his costars, begging him not to do another version of this Dickens classic. The audience was eating it up, roaring with laughter as this play began to feel like improv with organically delivered, funny lines and audience participation. The first act was a series of fast moving skits incorporating the holiday classics and transitions of stand up about Christmas traditions around the world. The fast forward version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas was hilarious and their rendition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was a witty montage. However, there were certain sections that went on far too long. I quickly lost interest in the ‘Santa: real or not? debate’, and their rendition of Rudolf had a level of humor that was more infantile and less enjoyable than the rest of the show.

From left: Brian Lange, Justin Huertas, and Nick Edwards.

In the second act the three energetic actors got into the swing of things once they finally gave Brian the chance to sum up the Christmas Carol as he had been begging to do all along. He was gleaming with pleasure until Scrooge was visited by his old business partner - Clarence from It’s a Wonderful Life. At first Brian was outraged that Nick was planning to tarnish his beloved Christmas classic however, he eventually gave in and had the audience on the edge of their seats so that they wouldn’t miss one brilliant moment. This mash up was clearly the highlight of the show to the point that it seemed the rest this hilarious play had been written around it to fill up time. Finally ‘Every Christmas Carol Ever Sung’ ended the play on an adorable note.

Every Christmas Story Ever Told
Through Dec 24
ArtsWest

A Superb Visual Spectacle

2011-12-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

Review of Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol @ Seattle Public Theatre by Monet C.

In a damnation of his own making, Jacob Marley finds, much to his chagrin, that the only way to a better non-existence--since he is “not just merely dead, but sincerely, utterly, and totally dead”--is to redeem the one person worse than himself, namely, Scrooge, with a bogle at his shoulder. (To find out what a bogle is, see the show!) At first, he believes that it is impossible, that the old man could never have a complete and willing change of heart; however, as time moves forward, back, and freezes, he finds that the old miser might just have a chink in his shell after all. Conveyed through wonderfully expressive acting, beautiful wording, and impressive lighting, the journey through space, time, and memories is a superb visual spectacle.

Featuring Jim Lapan(Of Mice and Men), Patrick Lennon, Pam Nolte (A Wedding Story), and Evan Whitfield (My Wonderful Day, The Violet Hour), I found myself entranced by the 3rd person narratives and the effortless slips into first-person acting. Although there were a few scary moments, they were perfectly placed, and not over the top. If there was anything I would change about this glorious show, it would be to have it in a bigger venue, so more people could enjoy it at once!

Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol
Through December 24
Seattle Public Theatre

Pick of the Week

2011-12-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory @ SIFF Cinema

The classic romp through a life-size game of Candy Land returns to SIFF Cinema after winning a Teeny Award last year! Follow Charlie as he (spoiler alert) finds the golden ticket and travels to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, meets Oompa-Loompas, is witness to the selfishness of the other children, and is tempted to ruin Wonka's secret to the evil Mr. Slugworth. "Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination!"

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
December 9 - 11
SIFF Cinema

UPDATE: Ticket Availability for Holiday Pops at Seattle Symphony

2011-12-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

This just in:

Seattle Symphony's upcoming performance of Holiday Pops with Marvin Hamlisch has limited ticket availability.

If you want to attend, Teen Tix are only available for the following two dates:
Thursday 12/8 at 7:30pm
Friday 12/9 at 8pm

Ring in the Holidays with Marvin Hamlisch and the Seattle Symphony with classics like "O Holy Night," "My Favorite Things," and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." Bring on the holiday cheer and let it snow!

You can find more information on the concert here.

Holiday Pops with Marvin Hamlisch
December 8 & 9
Seattle Symphony

Cure for Boredom

2011-12-06T19:52:00.000-08:00

Teen Night Out @ Seattle Art Museum

Attention, Teen Tixers! We just caught wind of a great opportunity for teens at SAM: A FREE Teen Night Out Featuring Hip-Hop and Asian Culture. This event is just for high school students who love art, are looking to love art, or those who just want to have a great night of tours, performance, and music!

At this awesome event, you'll get FREE admission to Theaster Gates: The Listening Room and Luminous: The Art of Asia. The doors open at 7PM, when you'll be serenaded by the Seattle Symphony. After that, there's a whole lineup of talented artists, including--get this--the wildly popular hip-hop group, the Blue Scholars! There will be tours offered randomly throughout the night, and art-making activities all night long like silk-screening, button making, and much more.

Remember! You must be in high school to attend this event. You can glean more information about this event here.

Teen Night Out
December 9th @ 7PM
Seattle Art Museum

Ominous and Surreal

2011-12-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

Review of Zoe|Juniper: A Crack in Everything @ On the Boards by Jackie A.

The rippling hedges on the empty stage set a peaceful but ominous atmosphere as I waited for the show to begin. Those hedges predicted the beautiful yet mysterious Zoe|Juniper: A Crack in Everything, presented at On the Boards from December 1st to December 4th.

Choreographer Zoe Scofield and visual artist Juniper Shuey fuse dance and visuals together to create a piece that felt on the cutting-edge of modern performance, and one that I was heavily absorbed in throughout.

Scofield and Shuey promise an “examination of the gap between cause and effect”. They slow time and stretch each moment into a lifetime. One dancer, as she moves unhurriedly across a glass wall, traces her outline with a red marker to create a history of her movement. A single instant is thereby transformed into a prolonged, painful struggle. During other moments, the frenetic ticking of a clock speeds up time, while also serving as an anchor in reality.

The dance, performed impeccably by dancers Christiana Axelsen, Diana Deaver, Raja Kelly, Anna Schon, and Zoe Scofield, consists of jerky and twisting movements. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, and reminded me of the uncoordinated yet determined motions of a newborn animal.

The piece has a surreal quality that is baffling at times. During one section, a dancer grips a red string in her mouth that is pulled tight from offstage, and moves slowly backwards, stretching the string with her. This was bizarre, but completely engrossing to watch.

A Crack in Everything is strange and somewhat alien, but one part in particular is unmistakably human. One male and one female dancer strip and sit in chairs, naked, facing each other, and then unexpectedly, they begin to bark aggressively at one another. The audience laughed, undoubtedly recognizing the familiar yet embarrassing human tendency to bicker in even the most foreign of creatures.

The piece advertised to explore elements of the Greek Tragedy Oresteia, but I hardly got a sense of it, except for the warrior-like costumes. However, if you watch the piece through ‘Greek Tragedy glasses’, you will probably find multiple ‘Greek’ moments. In one scene, I got a clear sense of the classic theme of power: as the four female dancers move forward, the single male dancer repeatedly picks them up and moves them backward, setting back their progress. In the end, he fails to achieve his goal, as the four females successfully make it to safety offstage. Greek interpretation: the omniscient ruler is eventually overpowered by weak but numerous underlings. A stretch, but this abstract and intriguing show begs for multiple interpretations.

As much I as wanted to make sense of A Crack in Everything at times, I couldn’t. Maybe this enigmatic quality is why I left craving more.

Zoe|Juniper: A Crack in Everything
CLOSED
Up next at On the Boards:
12 Minutes Max

Escaping Suburbia

2011-12-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

Review of Dragonslayer @ Northwest Film Forum by Rosemary T.

Director Tristan Patterson’s youth-and-revolt documentary Dragonslayer chronicles the life of a young anarchist skateboarder named “Screech” over the course of eight months in and around Fullerton, Calif.

“I see this as a lovers-on-the-run film,” says director Patterson, who dropped by for the opening of his new film showing at the Northwest Film Forum now through Wednesday. “Instead of escaping the law, they’re escaping suburbia.”

Screech and his girlfriend live moment-to-moment-–looking for a place to sleep, getting stoned, getting drunk and, of course, skateboarding--in what Patterson describes as a post-apocolyptic existence that coincides with the beginning of the country’s economic crash.

The film’s throbbing soundtrack of punk rock and indie-rock bands such as The Smiths, Best Coast and Dungen echoes the counter-culture attitudes of Screech and this So-Cal subculture where sex and drugs and rock-n-roll are only secondary to finding the next abandoned swimming pool for boarding.

The cinematography is gorgeous, making ordinary back yards look like Hollywood sets and rendering beach fire pits into epic moments, even though the content of Screech’s thoughts don’t go much beyond pot-hazed and beer-soaked child-like ponderings about his perfect world.

You may not get a satisfying sense of character arc or even plot (as Dragonslayer ends, Screech is stoned again, boarding again, with his young son on the side of the pool and you think, “Oh, that’s his son’s future?”). But you will be exposed to the free-spirited landscape of Fullerton’s skateboarding culture.

NOTE: Contains mature material, esp. drug and alcohol references. Recommended for ages 17+.

Dragonslayer
December 2 - 7
Northwest Film Forum

Fear Not the Amphibians!

2011-11-30T19:26:00.000-08:00

Review of A Year with Frog and Toad @ Seattle Children's Theatre by Jennifer K.

A Year With Frog & Toad is a wonderfully heartwarming tale about the strength of friendship despite individual differences. Based on the characters of a popular children’s storybook, the musical is highly entertaining and enjoyable for audiences of all ages.

From left: Christian Duhamel, Jennifer Sue Johnson, MJ Sieber, Auston James and Vickielee Wohlbach in SCT's production of A Year with Frog and Toad. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The sets and costumes are perfect for each setting, and there’s a certain element of fantasy that the kids find innocently mystical. All of the songs that they sing are filled with a certain holiday happiness that the viewer can’t help but smile while watching the entire show.

Despite it being based on a children’s book, A Year With Frog and Toad addresses complexities that exist in people of all ages. Toad is often insecure and the two friends endure a mild skirmish which they eventually manage to overcome through opening up to each other and forgiving.

MJ Sieber and Auston James in SCT's production of A Year with Frog and Toad. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Some words and jokes can be a tad complex for younger children, but at the same time it makes the production more accessible to audiences of all ages. If you’re in your late teens, fear not! There are plenty of older viewers who attend as well.

A Year with Frog and Toad
Through January 15
Seattle Children's Theatre

Pick of the Week

2011-11-30T10:33:00.000-08:00

Owen Meany's Christmas Pageant @ Book-It Repertory Theatre

Short, sweet, and memorable--Owen Meany knows that this is his year to play Baby Jesus in the annual Christmas pageant, and this pint-sized guy is going to get his wish, whatever the cost!

Josh Aaseng, center, as Owen Meany. Photo courtesy of Book-It Rep.

Book-It made an online version of the program for all to enjoy this Christmas season, and it's packed with holiday horror stories, the usual run down of cast, crew, and author John Irving, and "True Confessions of Christmas Pageant Survivors." You can check it out here.

Owen Meany's Christmas Pageant
November 29 - December 23
Book-It Rep

Truly Heartfelt

2011-11-29T13:25:00.000-08:00

Review of Granito: How to Nail a Dictator @ SIFF Cinema by Jennifer K.

Granito is an inspiring film about the massacre of the indigenous Mayan tribe in Venezuela and the current generation’s journey to demand justice from a corrupt government. In the absence of effective media focus, the crimes of the Guatemalan government have gone completely unnoticed, and the genocide is often overlooked in history.

The creator of the documentary also produced When the Mountains Tremble to increase awareness of the Mayan extermination campaigns. Her dedication and passion towards the subject matter can be felt through the medium of film, and provokes the audience to be proactive about the issues that exist today in less fortunate societies.

A still from the movie Granito: How to Nail a Dictator

There is an abundance of footage that the filmmaker took herself, providing an extensive pathos driven argument for her case. Although the effort is greatly admirable, half of the film is in Spanish and the viewers must often read the subtitles, which could be difficult for some. However, it truly is heartfelt to listen to the Mayan people recounting their experiences encountering Venezuelan soldiers who were ordered to massacre entire towns.

The human injustice is baffling and the film evoked sympathy and frustration in light of the suppression of the people by a corrupt government. As the years pass with no significant progress toward justice, the filmmaker attempts to make the past experiences relevant to the current generation so that the Mayan victims will not be forgotten.

Granito
Through Nov 29
SIFF Cinema

A Whole Lotta Ugly

2011-11-29T09:06:00.000-08:00

Review of Hairspray @ Seattle Musical Theatre by Melissa C.

I was hoping to once again be surprised and delighted by Seattle Musical Theatre, whose building looks like a warehouse from the outside and feels intimate and friendly on the inside, but is capable of putting on high quality performances that belie its appearance. Not this time. This performance had so many problems that rather than being entertained by the inspirational story of how a chubby high school student achieving fame and success in integrating the Corny Collins Show, I found my attention diverted by the poor performances, which were numerous enough to produce unintentional comedy, instead of purposeful laughs from well delivered lines.

When I first entered the theatre I was surprised at the intricacy of the set. While the other Seattle Musical Theatre’s shows that I have seen have had simple, clean backgrounds. This set was a whimsical, colorful, and impressive collection of platforms, doors, curtain, sliding beds, and flipping walls. But the tech crew was not able to follow through at this higher level and the audience was left waiting while they stumbled through a clumsy scene change. That was only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the technical issues in this play. Every light and sound clue was late and awkward so that actors were left singing and dancing in the dark and exiting under bright lights. Not to mention the fact that the mic system was atrocious. Tracy Turnblad, played by Kate Moyer, luckily was a belter and her amazing voice carried through the audience even after her microphone cut out. However, Kate’s positive attributes ended there. She stiffly turned to the audience and said each line in a mocking tone as if making fun of the script. When dancing in the chorus she fell far behind all others when her character was supposed to be outshining all her peers.

The cast of Hairspray at Seattle Musical Theatre. Photo by Jenni El Fattal.

Amber Von Tussel, whose character was supposed to be the least talented of them was one of the best dancers and actors present. Meanwhile, her mother blundered angrily around the stage, clearly the polar opposite of the talented, put-together Ms. Baltimore Crabs she was supposed to be. Her costar, Corny Collins, livens up the show with his energetic attitude and perfect singing, even though his dancing looked like a mental patient getting an electrical shock. But nothing was as disturbing as Colleen Gillon consistently ending her fun and dynamic characters with the line “I am so lonely” which immediately turned the audience’s chuckles into baffled silence. However, she was one of the better actors, and in general it was the smaller characters that shone - especially Michael Gibbs, whose producer, cop, and principal were simple but hilarious, and gave a reality check to the overdone characters and cheesy lines which dominated the stage.

There were some main characters that were able to pull it together. Lil’ Inez was an adorable bundle of talent who won the audience’s hearts. And her mother, Motormouth Maybelle somehow made her rhyming lines seem natural and had the crowd on its feet after her rousing ballad. This was not the only showstopper. The choreographer showed what he was capable of in the number ‘I Can Hear the Bells’ when Link Larkin was carried around like a life size Ken doll.

While this was one of the worst professional shows I have ever seen and a huge disappointment knowing what this theatre company is capable of, it was far from boring. However, if you come, make sure to “brace [yourself] for a whole lotta ugly comin' at you from a never ending parade of stupid.”

Hairspray
Through December 11
Seattle Musical Theatre

Theatre's Best Friend

2011-11-25T15:07:00.000-08:00

Review of Sylvia @ Seattle Repertory Theatre by Olivia M.

I’ve always kind of wanted a dog, a best friend to play Frisbee and snuggle with, but after seeing Sylvia, I know what I really want: an adult human woman pretending to be a dog who can speak English while maintaining the mannerisms of a dog, and who frequently swears quite vulgarly at cats. And I know I want this from spending an evening watching Sylvia at the Seattle Rep.

In this gratifying play that is now being revisited after 15 years, we are let into the lives of empty nesters Greg and Kate (Alban Dennis and Mari Nelson), who have moved back to New York City and are both focusing on their careers, when Greg brings home a dog named Sylvia (hilariously portrayed by Linda K. Morris), who was mysteriously found in a park. I was a little confused by the nonchalance of this stray dog acceptance, but who am I to argue with a dog lover’s logic when I have never been graced with a dog in my home. Kate fights back against Greg bringing Sylvia into their apartment, as she wishes to maintain her clean, fun life, sans small life forms who depend on her, namely children or animals.

Linda K. Morris, Alban Dennis, and Mari Nelson in Sylvia. Photo courtesy of Seattle Rep.

Those three central actors are accompanied by a fourth, Darragh Kennan, who surprised me by portraying three roles. Kennan was my favorite part of the show, consistently making me laugh as Tom, Greg’s dog park buddy, Phyllis, a suspiciously high voiced lady socialite friend of Kate, and finally the super odd, new age marriage therapist Leslie, that Greg and Kate end up going to because Greg’s blossoming affection for the dog makes him refuse to give her up.

The bottom line of this show is that I went into it fairly stressed about all the homework I still had to do on that Wednesday evening, and was instantly pulled laughing into the storyline. This is not to say that I didn’t feel my fair share of heartache from the story progression, but without spoiling anything, I will admit that I did walk away satisfied, with both a mended and warmed heart. The set is really fantastic, with the different scenes shifting and the furniture mysteriously pulled on and off screen by what I can only deduce is magic, or possibly invisible string? The puzzle remains.

For a few hours of escaping the drudgery that is daily life in Seattle’s winter, I would very much recommend Sylvia to both dog lovers and those lacking furry friends.

Sylvia
Through December 11
Seattle Rep

Pick of the Week

2011-11-23T07:28:00.000-08:00

The Nutcracker @ PNB

Bring on the Sugarplum Fairies, the Snowflakes, and the Toy Soldiers and celebrate with PNB's annual performance of The Nutcracker!

Our friends at Pacific Northwest Ballet are offering a special ONE NIGHT performance of The Nutcracker just for Teen Tix Members. 200 Teen Tix tickets will be available for sale on November 27th at 4:00 PM at the PNB box office. Get your tickets on a first-come, first-served basis and enjoy the show! (No companion tickets available.) This is a great opportunity to spend a night in the magical world of The Nutcracker.

Check out last year's trailer:

NOTE: This performance is the only one of its kind. All other performances of The Nutcracker are NOT Teen Tix eligible.

The Nutcracker
November 27 @ 5:30 PM
PNB

A Night of Surprisingly Spooky Fun!

2011-11-22T17:56:00.000-08:00

Review of All Ages Dance Party: Vampires vs. Werewolves @ EMP by Melissa C.

I am not a huge fan of either horror movies or the rap bands that were scheduled to perform at this teen organized event honoring the opening of the new exhibit, so it was warily that I entered the EMP. Immediately I was greeted by enthusiastic makeup artists. These friendly professionals quickly did up our faces and sent us off to be photographed. As I wandered up the stairs the music was pounding, and I prepared myself for a dark, sexy dance party, but I was disappointed to see a small group of teens gathered close to the low stage and a few scattered on the sides looking bored. Once I joined the masses around the stage, my enjoyment increased tenfold. The two young men onstage commanded us to keep our arms up as they busted out some rhymes about life as young rappers and eventually slowly backed off the stage, leaving the crowd cheering for more. They were followed by a tedious but satisfying student made horror film to fill the space before the next artist. Meanwhile, downstairs the horror exhibit was open for spooky flashlight tours or just wandering through as we dared. The exhibit was both informative and scary. Even the security guards were friendly and passionate about their jobs. I ended up walking out of the event with my arms full of complimentary gifts, a new appreciation for rap, and a promise to watch at least three classic horror movies. I spotted groups of people grabbing their coats and dipping early because of the small crowds and little known bands but this late night dance party ended up educating and entertaining me far beyond my expectations.

All Ages Dance Party: Vampires vs. Werewolves
CLOSED
EMP
SHOWING NOW: Can't Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film

Truthful and Relatable

2011-11-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

Review of The Swell Season @ SIFF Cinema by Chloe L.

Without having seen the movie or knowing about the band beforehand, this movie did not hold as much appeal to me as it could to others who have an understanding of the characters. No one is introduced, it is just assumed that we know the characters; therefore, it is important not to walk into this movie without background information. Even so, this movie had a certain appeal to me. The film grows on you with its extremely realistic approach and odd ability to capture the moment. Interspersed with songs, clips of landscapes, and quotes from interviews, the viewer gets a feeling for the high stress and emotions that these two artists had to go through during their tour.

As we follow Glen and Markéta through their two year tour after winning their Oscar, we also watch as they fall apart. We feel the stress of life on the road and get a feeling for the struggles they endure. The black and white picture make the story seem that much more intimate and unrefined. The movie’s rawness can also make it feel choppy and uneven, yet the portrayal has an ability to pull a person into the story. You almost feel as if you were there and looking back on the event and you get caught in the emotion of the film. Through the truthful rendering of this film, we gain new light on what it really means to be an instant celebrity and all the trials that ensue. This film will be loved by all those who love the couple and understand the background of the movie. It also gives a fair warning to all those who are chasing this lifestyle in the spotlight. Look forward to a movie of startling truthfulness and relatability.

The Swell Season
Through November 23
SIFF Cinema

Keep the Flag Flying Free

2011-11-21T20:30:00.001-08:00

Review of Hell and Back Again @ SIFF Cinema by Monet C.

Opening at the SIFF on November 18th, 2011, this gut-wrenching documentary-turned-action film hooked me from the start. FYI – don’t watch this if you are sensitive to blood or language. I traveled from my comfy chair in Everett, to a place where the incongruity of fully-suited soldiers running through freshly plowed fields and fruit trees didn’t strike me as funny, but as scary.

I went into Afghanistan with 25 year-old Marine Nathan Harris, and saw the horrors of war. I never realized how little is actually left over there. My heart stopped when a boy is killed by a missile and I saw him held together by a few threads of muscle. I feared for the men currently over there, as that can happen to them, and has, time and time again.

I can’t think of much to say about this movie, except that I feel honored to be protected by men like Harris and my uncle, yet, at the same time, I feel amazed that other men and women would willingly lay down their lives on a routine basis to keep me safe, and the flag flying free. Thank you to all our armed forces and to the veterans and wounded soldiers here at home.

NOTE: Contains mature material. Recommended for ages 17+.

Hell and Back Again
Through Nov 23
SIFF Cinema

Startlingly Stunning

2011-11-17T10:51:00.000-08:00

Review of Luminous: The Art of Asia @ Seattle Art Museum by Chloe L.

The Great Wave, Katsushika Hokusai. Courtesy of SAM.

It is hard to understand the diverse cultural backgrounds of Asian art and to be able to understand the diverse themes and ideas behind the works. The art of Asia is so different from the art we see in most of Seattle’s museums it is almost startling. But as you walk through Luminous: The Art of Asia, you start to absorb the aura of this culture and cultivate a new respect for it. Walking through the exhibit you can’t decide whether you are walking through an art museum full of wonderful sculptures, paintings, and pottery or through a history museum exploring the diverse growth of Asian artwork through time. In the end, you decide it is both. The pieces shown are all beautiful in their own way. From the broken sculptures highlighting a scarred history to paintings from the current century that highlight the continuous culture of the area, all art has a story to tell. Give yourself plenty of time to walk through this exhibit of 160 pieces. The awe and wonder of these pieces can’t be fully felt unless you find time to read the information on the artwork. Allow yourself to be dumbfounded by the well-preserved art from the 600’s as well as contemplate Do Ho Suh’s “Gate”. Although the striking and colorful art often catches ones eye first, be sure to look closely at the more humble pieces. This exhibit illustrates the finite attention to detail that is in much of Asian art. The kimonos on the walls are easily overlooked, but have stitch work and designs that teach. The “bojagi“ show the culture of the women of Asia and tell us a story of how the girls are taught patience and diligence. Luminous: The Art of Asia is an experience worth spending hours absorbing. What better way is there to understand a new culture than to delve into its soul through its art?

Luminous: The Art of Asia
Through January 8
Seattle Art Museum

Pick of the Week

2011-11-16T19:52:00.000-08:00

Double Indemnity @ ACT

dou·ble in·dem·ni·ty: a provision in a life-insurance or accident policy whereby the company agrees to pay twice the face of the contract in case of accidental death

John Bogar as Walter Huff in Double Indemnity. Photo by Chris Bennion

Set in the dusty 1930's in Los Angeles, join Walter Huff, an insurance agent who's got the blues and decides to do something about it. Double Indemnity follows him as he searches for a new life, full of lust, intrigue, and cliffhanging twists.

Want to learn more? ACT put together a study guide for the audience members who desire to delve deeper into the slang, the history, and the genre. You can view it here.

Double Indemnity
Through November 20
ACT

The Beauty of Love

2011-11-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

Review of Love Stories @ PNB by Naomi T.

The Pacific Northwest Ballet heats up the frosty Seattle autumn with Love Stories, it’s second mixed-bill production of the season. Love Stories features some of ballet’s greatest moments from its many tales of love, the Balcony pas de deux from Roméo et Juliette, the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake, and Aurora’s Wedding from The Sleeping Beauty. Also on the program were two PNB premiers, George Balanchine’s Divertimento from “Le Baiser de la Fée,” and Jerome Robbins’s Afternoon of a Faun.

Dancers Jerome Tisserand and Kylee Kitchens in Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun. Photo © Angela Sterling

The highlight of the evening for me is by far the middle portion, with the Afternoon of a Faun with gorgeous music by Debussy, and the Balcony pas de deux from Prokofiev’s Roméo et Juliette. The Afternoon of a Faun was achingly beautiful, with impeccable performances from corps members Kylee Kitchens and Jerome Tisserand. The couple portray the fantasy of two dancers in an empty studio. The plain costuming and simple white backdrop set the ethereal atmosphere perfectly. Following this is Roméo et Juliette with choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot. Premiering at PNB in 2008, the tale of the two star-crossed lovers was a hit in Seattle, and its Balcony pas de deux as part of Love Stories is no different. Kaori Nakamura and Lucien Postelwaite depict the warmth of Romeo and Juliet’s love delightfully. Nakamura brings out Juliet’s tender and coy disposition, and Postelwaite gives a flawless portrayal of the absolutely smitten youth Romeo.

Dancers Kaori Nakamura and Lucien Postlewaite in the Balcony pas de deux from Roméo et Juliette. Photo © Angela Sterling

However, the obvious audience favorites are the two Tchaikovsky works, particularly Kent Stowell’s version of the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake. Carrie Imler’s seductive Black Swan has just the right flair to make her the ultimate femme fatale, and Postelwaite again plays the part of the infatuated young man wonderfully. The refined technique of the two dancers sparkle as well, and Imler executes the legendary 32 fouettés spectacularly. Aurora’s Wedding from The Sleeping Beauty did not receive the same standing ovation as the scene from Swan Lake, but it is nonetheless a magnificent feast for the eyes and ears, especially the famed Bluebird pas de deux.

Dancers Lucien Postlewaite and Carrie Imler in the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake. Photo © Angela Sterling

The opening piece, the Divertimento from “Le Baiser de la Fée” set to Tchaikovsky-esque music by Stravinsky is somewhat lackluster in comparison to the rest of the program. Although the dancing is fantastic, it seems to take the dancers a little bit of time to really get into it.

Dancer Brittany Reid (in yellow, front) and company dancers in Divertimento from “Le Baiser de la Fée” Photo © Angela Sterling

Despite the one less spectacular work, PNB yet again does not disappoint. Love Stories is a perfect opportunity to step in from the cold to enjoy an evening of exquisite music and dance.

Love Stories
Through November 13
Pacific Northwest Ballet

Pick of the Week

2011-11-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

Hairspray @ Seattle Musical Theatre

Join SMT for this status-quo-smashing, fun-as-heck 60's style musical that reminds us all to be who we really are. Tracy Turnblad just wants to dance for the Corny Collins show, but once she gets her big chance she becomes aware of the startling discrimination surrounding her and the TV business. See Tracy fight for equality (and fall in love with Link Larkin, the dreamiest dancer on the show) accompanied by some of the craziest dancing and biggest hair you've ever seen. You can't stop the beat of Hairspray!

Hairspray
November 11 - December 11
Seattle Musical Theatre

Cure for Boredom

2011-11-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

After Hours @ EMP

The moon rises over EMP Museum on November 12 for After Hours, an all ages dance party designed by teens for teens. An evening of monsters, music, and madness, this killer dance party honors EMP’s new exhibit Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film.

Deadly attire is encouraged, so hit the Halloween clearance aisle and break out your scariest wares. (We recommend Value Village!) Prizes awarded for Best Blood Sucker, Best Shapeshifter, and Most Killer Costume. Horror makeup masters will be on hand to help release your inner monster. Plus, hear some groovy live music!

All Ages Dance Party: Vampires vs Werewolves
Saturday November 12, 2011 at 7:30pm
Experience Music Project

Let Loose!

2011-11-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

Review of ¡Carnaval! @ Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture by Iman B.

Vibrant colors, playful masks, and music. What do they have in common? Well, they are all parts of the celebration of life from every corner in the world.

The Carnival exhibit provides an entry way for an exhibit attendee to become engulfed in the fun imagination of festival participants. And through the intimidating knowledge of the exhibit assistants, the exhibit gives information and background about the different festivities and how they pertain to each city’s culture. The various forms of cultural art further enhance the beauty of each celebration.

But, the best part of the exhibit is the area for trying on the masks. It allows one's identity to be stolen away to something surreal. The wide variety of masks keeps one pondering what it must've been like to wear one in the middle of a cultural celebration. You can put one on and lose yourself to the mask's identity.

The diverse examples of carnivals are euphorically colorful. However, it reminds the attendee that no matter where you are from, how you party, what color scheme you prefer, or what instrument you play, it is necessary for people to take a break and understand that the concept of letting loose in order to celebrate life is universal. This exhibit is for any art fan or individual that wants to see a lot of color and feel ready to let loose.

¡Carnaval!
Through January 8
Burke Museum

The Good, the Bad and the Pauses In Between

2011-11-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

Review of Circle Mirror Transformation @ Seattle Repertory Theatre by Joyce R.

Confession: I have developed a tiny crush on a man more than twice my age. Scandalous, I know, but after seeing Michael Patten in Circle Mirror Transformation, I think it is perfectly understandable.

Set in a summer theater class, the junction of the lives of five very different people, we see characters develop beyond their superficial personalities, and remind us that everybody, from the most exuberant to the most awkward, has problems. Patten plays Schultz, an awkward, recently divorced man. He really shines in this part and I love his cadence of speech. The rhythm he talks with is so distinct, and so seamlessly pulled off that I can’t even imagine how he would talk in real life. His comedic timing is so great, and his presence kept me deeply amused throughout the entire play.

Photo by Keri Kellerman

That being said, the play is a little slow; too slow for my tastes, and too long to go without an intermission. Maybe it is the “impatient teenager” part of me speaking, but the development of the characters dragged, and the long awkward pauses, where the characters just stared at each other, only added to this never-ending feeling. Playwright Annie Baker said that “when it feels like nothing is taboo anymore — we can have sex and violence on stage and no one blinks an eye — I think the one thing left that really makes people uncomfortable is empty space and quiet.” Well, she definitely succeeded in making me feel uncomfortable, but is that really a good thing? Does anybody go to the theatre to feel uncomfortable for 2 hours?

Also, there were times when the characters struck me as obnoxious. Only at times, and not enough to make me not like the play, but even though I know a story doesn’t need to have likeable characters in order to be a good story and that a character’s likeability is subjective, it was difficult for me to root for these characters when in reality, I didn’t want to befriend any of these people, not even Schultz, who has a special place in my heart. Because of this, I wasn’t completely with them when they overcame their challenges, and I found it difficult to really sympathize with them. Unfortunately this made the moments where the characters reveal their insecurities, when we are supposed to feel for them and connect with them, fall a little flat for me.

Regardless, I did like the play. As I said before, Michael Patten was very funny, and Elizabeth Raetz, playing the “hooping” Theresa, also had her moments of hilarity. All in all, it was an enjoyable experience.

Circle Mirror Transformation
Through November 20
Seattle Repertory Theatre

UPDATE: Flamenco at Seattle Symphony

2011-11-04T11:20:00.001-07:00

Sad news: We've just heard that Flamenco, playing in the Recital Hall at Seattle Symphony on November 4 and 5 are SOLD OUT.

That means there will be no Teen Tix tickets available to this performance.

But you can still see this:

Isabelle Faust Performs Schumann's Violin Concerto
Thomas Dausgaard, conductor
Isabelle Faust, violin
Seattle Symphony

Schumann: Violin Concerto in D minor
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E major

Saturday 11/5 at 8pm and Sunday 11/6 at 2pm.
Wyckoff Masterworks Season concerts are part of the Seattle Symphony’s new Family Connections program, which offers free companion tickets for up to two children between the ages of 8 and 18, when accompanied by a paying adult. Companion tickets are available by phone or in person through the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office in Benaroya Hall, beginning three weeks prior to the concert.

Predictable from the Beginning

2011-11-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

Review of Janie Jones @ SIFF Cinema by Anna M.

Janie Jones, which opened at Seattle International Film Festival on Friday, tells the tale of Ethan Brand (Allesandro Nivola), a washed up, drunken, unsuccessful indie rock musician and his new-found, 13 year old daughter Janie Jones (Abigail Breslin). Breslin’s character is brash and worldly, no doubt from the negligence of her drug addicted mother (Elizabeth Nivola) who most recently disappeared, leaving her with Ethan. The story develops as Ethan is thrown out of his band, leading him to further resent the presence of his daughter Janie. Eventually they both bond over their mutual musical talent, etc., etc. Sound familiar? It should. This movie is predictable from the beginning, with the cliché and overused plot surrounding an angry and out of touch musician; enter redemption agent, in this case his daughter Janie. Furthermore, this movie dropped f-bombs like Halloween candy, to the point where the powerful word loses its potency and becomes obnoxious. At base, Janie Jones explores the relationship between parent and child, and the shifting of generations. It does so in an, albeit creative but nonetheless ineffective way.

Abigail Breslin in Janie Jones

That being said, it wasn’t all bad. To start out, Breslin, as usual lights up the screen. Her acting brings the inherently exaggerated and annoying character of Janie to the point of being tolerable. This could be said for all the actors; well portrayed but hackneyed characters. I was also surprised to find that Breslin is an awesome singer, which is highlighted throughout the film in multiple solos and duets. In fact, I’ve been humming what I would call the indie/easy listening soundtrack all day. This movie also has some really nice lighting effects and is aesthetically pleasing.

All in all, I would rate this movie six out of ten. If you need something to do in the coming cold, wet, Seattle November, it’s worth seeing, if only for the music and the always lovable Abigail Breslin. But bear in mind that although the movie is not rated, there is an array mature, drug related, content and offensive language.

NOTE: Contains mature content. Recommended for ages 17+.

Janie Jones
Through November 3
SIFF Cinema

Laughing to Death

2011-10-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

Review of Evil Dead: The Musical @ ArtsWest by Iman B.

"Guess who's evil now!” is both the proclamation and the loud, obvious, and in your face statement that a character would shout after being consumed by the evil dead. The simplicity of the most frequent line in the play exemplifies the smart aleck vibe the play has.

Ash, the main character, his girlfriend, his best friend, his best friend's hook up, and Ash's sister go out to an abandoned cabin in the woods over spring break for some fun. What could go wrong? The set up is one for a cliché horror story. Frankly, the story is a cliché horror story, but the horror story turns into a smart aleck approach to horror; Going all the way back to the roots of horror – humor. Instead of scaring you to death, the actors cause the audience to laugh to death.

The small cast is able to transition from scene to scene in the intimate theatre where the front row audience members are drenched in fake blood; just a tease of some of the “horror" in the play.

Ryan Demerick, Elise Campella, James Padillo, EmilyRose Frasca, and Lisa Hill in Evil Dead: The Musical

The script is loaded with quirky references to everyday life, other plays, and movies that keep the audience roaring with laughter. It also in a way keeps you on your toes, not with suspension, but rather with the script’s ability to scream out the implied when you thought it was implied. The thrown at your face rhetoric keeps you guessing what is going to happen next because, frankly, you can't tell what to expect: the expected or the unexpected. If it's expected, will I have to just mentally imply it, or will the actor colorfully yell it at me? Also, the unexpected constantly switches from cliché responses to original and outlandish statements that keep the audience on their toes and never allows them to get bored.

The songs are hilarious. Based around everything you wouldn't expect them to say when using their vocal cords, but manage to do so anyway. They take tid bits of the script, load them into the song and present them in a profane and unconventional way that will keep any audience "deathly" content.

Kate Jaeger and James Padilla in Evil Dead: The Musical

Walking away from the play you realize, “Heck I should enjoy life and every moment of it because, to be morbid, who knows when evil is going to sweep me up and take me to the afterlife.” This play is a fun and funny experience for anyone looking to go and have a good laugh. Granted, I must give playgoers a fair warning: make sure you are going with weathered ears and mature individuals.

Evil Dead: The Musical
Through November 20
ArtsWest

NOTE: This play contains mature material. Suitable for ages 15+.

Explosive, Exciting, and... Explicit?

2011-10-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

Review of Robin Hood @ Seattle Children's Theatre by Bethany B.

As a toddler my parents took me to Seattle Children’s Theatre at least twice a year. It was a big, exciting excursion, and in the plays we saw magic come alive, and adults become the children they portrayed. SCT has and probably always will be one of my favorite play houses in Seattle for just those reasons. It’s arts just for kids. It’s magical and everyone is always entertained, whatever the age.

Robin Hood was different. To start, the things I enjoyed about the production. For one, the actors did a simply stunning job of their roles. There were only four actors for over fifteen roles, and all the characters made clear distinctions in an amazing way. The only issue was Maid Marian, who occasionally dressed up as a boy, the actress who played her also had a role as one of Robin’s Merry Men. Believe me; it’s even more confusing in real life.

The stunts were incredibly impressive, what with sword play, tricks, and climbing and sliding all over the set. It made the whole play more explosive and exciting, and gave even more credit to those talented actors. Speaking of the set, the play gets major cool points for that too. In the beginning, it seems like a basic stage, but as the play unfolds, the stage becomes more complex. The secrets of the set were slowly told as each part was climbed over, spun, and crawled under. In truth, casting, set, lights, and costumes were all incredibly well done, with precise expertise.

David Quicksall, left, and Hans Altwies in Robin Hood. Photo by Chris Bennion.

But sadly, that’s not all I have to say about this performance. My magical Seattle Children’s Theatre fell short of its usual standards. It’s true that I laughed for a good part of the play, and enjoyed it well enough, but it didn’t feel like SCT. The humor included junior high boy/men in mid-life crisis jokes, and it was degrading to the standard. Also, back in my day as a seven-year-old, if there was a romantic mini-plot, the climax was holding hands, or a long endearing look. However, Robin Hood got a considerable amount of smooching time and a few too many suggestive comments for a children’s play. If I was going to any other playhouse in Seattle, I wouldn’t count it as an issue. But the wiggling two-year-old in front of me, and the grade-schoolers surrounding me, makes it totally unacceptable to diverge into soap-opera territory.

In my mind, the whole point of a children’s theater is to get kids excited about arts. Maybe it’s the first play they’ve ever seen; maybe their memories of SCT will lead them to continue on going to the theater. But also, this is what makes kids want to try acting, or all kinds of different art forms-singing, dancing, painting, whatever it will be. This playhouse is just about the kids, not the complex interests of late-teens, adults, or school teachers.

Robin Hood was full of good aspects, but the story of Robin Hood is full of potential, and perhaps SCT just tried too hard. In truth, the problem was that SCT tried too hard. The developing of the story, the lessons that were meant to be shown, and the need to appeal to everyone, and the fact the play had to finish before an eight-year-olds bedtime, was simply a net cast too wide. But, although I do have these gripes with the play, in general, I did still enjoy it. The production poured with talent, and it was exciting to watch. And besides that, the crowd in attendance (the mostly under four feet variety) seemed to enjoy it too.

Robin Hood
Through November 27
Seattle Children's Theatre

Pick of the Week

2011-10-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

Carmen @ Seattle Opera

This opera is one of the most sensual, dangerous, and thrilling of them all. Plus we've all heard this song! Carmen is Bizet's tale of the ultimate femme fatale. See this temptress's fatal love story at Seattle Opera before it's gone.

Carmen
Through October 9
Seattle Opera

Eerie Ambience, Excellent Rendition

2011-10-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

Review of A Midsummer Night's Dream @ Seattle Shakespeare Company by Jennifer K.

It’s yet another production of the world-renowned Midsummer Night’s Dream, and it’s absolutely amazing how each director seems to interpret the play differently from one another. In this rendition by Sheila Daniels, the play is slightly skewed by the replacement of the character Lysander. Hermia’s lover is now Lysandra, a woman. No prior knowledge of this revision could confuse some viewers, but the similarity in name makes the connection instantaneous.

Amy Thone as Titania and Todd Jefferson Moore as Bottom. Photo courtesy of Seattle Shakespeare Company

The casting of a woman for Lysander makes this version of Midsummer Night’s Dream much more contemporary. With the recent legalizations of gay marriages in several states, this could act as a tribute to homosexual relationships.

Before attending, be sure to read a synopsis of the story, or even just read the entire play! It’ll save you from a hefty amount of confusion, since it’s often difficult to make out the plot when it’s told in inverted Shakespearean language.

Chris Ensweiler as Puck and Reginald Andre Jackson as Oberon. Photo courtesy of Seattle Shakespeare Company

Each of the actors and actresses in the cast seem incredibly fitting for their roles. Theseus demands a certain amount of respect with his large stature and booming voice, while Helena and Bottom are hilarious in their own right. The background music and setting truly create an eerie ambience to represent the magical woods.

Overall, this is an excellent and humorous rendition of a classic which is sure to elicit many laughs from any audience. The play is recommended for an audience 12 years old and up, mainly due to several implicit and explicit sexual references.

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Through November 13
Seattle Shakespeare Company

Needed Direction

2011-10-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

Review of Sci-Fi at the Pops @ Seattle Symphony by Emma M.

Most everyone knows music science fiction. Even if you don’t like Star Wars, I bet you can recognize the theme. The sweeping melodies and dramatic crescendos are as integral to sci-fi as shiny spacesuits. Doing an evening of sci-fi music at the symphony sounds like a great idea. And it is! It needed a little help in the actualization to make it truly an “evening amongst the stars”.

When you first sit down in the grandiose Benaroya Hall and flip to the section in your program that is devoted to Sci-Fi at the Pops, you’re in for a bit of a surprise. There seems to have been a mistake at the printer, for along with sci-fi staples like E.T., Battlestar Galactica, and Star Wars, you find Ghostbusters (say what?). And unless we now believe that Michael Jackson was either an alien, or abducted by aliens, I really don’t see what a mash-up of “Thriller” and “Beat It” has got to do with anything.

Conductor Victor Vanacore

As the lights dim and the show begins, we start off with “The Star Spangled Banner”— which isn’t random at all! But the show doesn’t really get started until Jonathan Frakes walks out onstage. Because you know half the audience has come to see Commander Riker. He’s old, balding, wears glasses, and has the same dopey jokes in his script as every other emcee, but we all love him. He has a beautiful voice which rumbles out into the hall, and manages to take the jokes with a grain of salt, making them much more bearable to the audience. The other main attraction, visiting conductor Victor Vanacore, is another matter. It was a bit like watching a human metronome. After waving his arms around like that for a couple hours, I bet he was quite sore! It’s unclear how affective it was either. In the sweeping phrases in between the familiar melodies, it lacked gusto. The strings were very soothing, almost inviting you to take a nap.

Jonathon Frakes back in the good ol' days

As a conductor he didn’t really get into the swing of things until he started playing his arrangement/mash-up of “Thriller” and “Beat It”. All my fears and bad memories of pop songs gone symphonic vanished as the song took off. It also didn’t hurt that we had the distraction of a couple dozen dancers dressed up as zombies dancing on the edge of the stage. Perhaps there wasn’t enough space on the edge of the stage to do justice to their dance. Or perhaps the iconic “Thriller” dance should just not be tackled, because let’s face it; no one will do it better than Michael. Whatever the reason, it was not enjoyable. Awkwardly shuffling zombies isn’t exactly the kind of high art that you expect to go along with your forty dollar ticket.

Fortunately things get much better in the second half. The orchestra and Vanacore seem to have come to some understanding and things become much more engaging. That is until we get to “Name that Sci-Fi Theme”, and Vanacore plays themes from shows like I Dream of Jeanie, and Bewitched. This is the point at which you realize that this show was really not about sci-fi. But what was it about? Even now I’m trying to figure that out. If you are going to call a show “Sci-Fi at the Pops", it should be about sci-fi. Needless to say it really needed some cohesive direction.

Despite all of the crazy selections and the uncertainty of what you might hear next (Vanacore kept mentioning Bonanza, was he going to play that theme song next? Where is this going? Cowboys and Aliens?! At least that’s sci-fi), the show was quite enjoyable. How can you not help feeling great and a little like Han Solo or Luke Skywalker when listening to the swelling melody of John William’s Star Wars? It also didn’t hurt that Frakes instructed us to all “live long and prosper” on our way out, and all trekkies in the disguise of symphony goers went wild. It was fun. It was silly. It wasn’t high art, it wasn’t even that great of a line up what with the Bewitched theme song and a slightly rock ‘n roll version of 2001: A Space Odyssey theme (somewhere a kettle drum player is weeping), but the audience liked it. We brought them back for an encore. And we all left the hall with “Raiders March” from Raiders of the Lost Ark hopelessly stuck in our heads and a smile on our face.

Sci-Fi at the Pops
CLOSED
Next at the Seattle Symphony:
Halloween Hooray

Pick of the Week

2011-10-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

A Midsummer Night's Dream @ Seattle Shakespeare Company

The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania by Sir Joseph Noel Paton

Fear not this Shakespearean comedy! This hilarious romp through the forests of Athens is one of the most clear and accessible of the Bard's plays and it will leave you laughing for more. When two pairs of young lovers attempt to escape their families' tyrannical rule, they instead fall prey to a love potion set in motion by the mischievous inhabitants of the woodland netherworld. Simultaneously, a less-than-perfect theatre troupe is sabotaged by the same inhabitants. Watch the hilarity unfold in the shadows of the trees at the Seattle Shakespeare Company.

A Midsummer Night's Dream
October 20 - November 13
Seattle Shakespeare Company

World Renowned

2011-10-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

Review of Khaled Hosseini @ Seattle Arts and Lectures by Safaa D.

Picture a girl of a little over average height (due to the aid of heels) racing down the hall of Benaroya Hall and skidding to a halt in front of the box office. I had a panicky feeling that they would not let me in but to the best of luck they did.

I was about ten minutes late but Seattle Arts & Lectures (SAL) still allowed me in to slide down the ramp to my seat where I could sit and listen to Khaled Hosseini speak.
Hosseini is a world renowned, best selling author. His first book, The Kite Runner, has sold over seven million copies -not counting boot legged - and has inspired a film and charity.

Hosseini originally had no intention of becoming a writer. Born in Kabul to a father who worked at the foreign ministry and a mother who was a principal at a school he grew up watching cinema from all around the world and enjoyed lots of eastern and western reading. When his family relocated to California he enrolled in Santa Clara University, where he earned a degree in biology and would later go to school for a medical degree. In this lecture he communicated the fact that his writing, in the beginning, was a good way for him to de-stress from his day job as an internist at a hospital. Getting up at 5:00 AM to write until 8:00 AM may or may not sound pleasant to you but it helped him eventually become a full time writer, which he would do after completing The Kite Runner, going on to write Land of 10,000 Suns and more recently produce a graphic novel for The Kite Runner.

This lecture is definitely not the best I've ever been to and probably the first SAL event I've not been 100% satisfied with. The interviewer, along with some of the audience members, seemed more interested in learning how to write a best seller rather than questioning about culture and perspective on politics.

I was very much looking forward to a talk centered more on culture and activism but alas, it was not meant to be. I still do enjoy Hosseini’s work and SAL events are still not to be missed. SAL brings people from around the world and from all walks of life to Seattle. This can leave lasting impressions and give incentives to get out in your community. So go to a Seattle Arts & Lectures event. Even if they’re hit and miss, you can’t take a chance at missing the good ones.

Khaled Hosseini
CLOSED
Next up at Seattle Arts and Lectures:
Stacy Schiff

Cure for Boredom

2011-10-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Luminous: The Art of Asia @ Seattle Art Museum

A few highlights of the exhibit's tour in Japan

For almost 80 years many of the treasures from this exhibit have belonged to the Seattle Art Museum, and now in an epic creation of history are coming together to become Luminous. There was a recent tour of these historically rich items in Japan where they were eagerly received--just as well as their homecoming will be. The best part of Luminous, though, is the video installation by Do Ho Suh, including a commentary on the richness and value of the artifacts themselves and how they relate to our current world. This display is an enlightening celebration of genius cultural works, and will mark the first time in SAM history to have a major exhibition of Asian art in the downtown gallery space.

Luminous: The Art of Asia
October 13 - January 8
Seattle Art Museum

Pick of the Week

2011-10-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

The 16th Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival @ Three Dollar Bill Cinema

It's here! It's queer! It's the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival at 3DB, and this year's lineup ranges from the bizarre to the heartwarming.

A few titles we're loving right now:

-Varla Jean and the Mushroomheads profiles a semi-famous drag queen from New Orleans in this mockumentary as she attempts to create an educational program for children.

-Married in Spandex is a documentary about two women who travel to Iowa from Philadelphia to tie the knot (in spandex lamé, of course) while trying to gain acceptance from their families and the world.

-Saturgay Morning Cartoons is a series of short animations and classics we all know and love. 3DB encourages you to wear your PJs to enjoy the FREE cereal they'll be serving up with your 'toons.

There are TONS of other films (some more appropriate than others). We suggest going to 3DB's website and browsing the titles and descriptions to see which films will be best for you and whoever you bring with you. No matter what you choose, you're sure to have a fabulous time!

The 16th Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
October 14 - 23
Three Dollar Bill Cinema

PLEASE NOTE:
Films contain mature themes and language. Appropriate for ages 18 and up.
Many of the films take place at different theatres, and you can find a full list of them here.

Riddled with Hormones

2011-10-10T23:50:00.000-07:00

Review of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead presented by Balagan Theatre @ ACT by Rachel T.

“Good grief!” Admit it, doesn’t this two word phrase instantly trigger a flashback to your childhood and the many hours spent watching holiday specials chronicling the story of a little bald kid named Charlie Brown with a striped shirt, an endless list of doubts, and a loyal pack of companions?

Then we left that world behind and became teenagers. But what would it be like if the Peanuts gang grew up with us? This is the question that Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead boldly sets out to answer by taking Charles Schulz’s classic creations and launching them into a future riddled with hormones and teen issues like bullying and homophobia.

CB and the gang on the mean teenage streets. Photo Credit: Balagan

I was curious to see how my childhood companions would deal with the worst years of their lives. The play chronicles their experiences in the form of a darkly funny dramedy that’ll have you laughing at all the wrong places. The play opens with CB (all the characters go under different aliases, and I’m sure you can guess who this one is) lamenting over his dog Snoopy, who’s been put to sleep after a rabies-driven attack on the little yellow bird known as Woodstock. From there, Dog Sees God plunges into a spiral of sarcasm-soaked satire and teenage angst.

The acting is top notch and very believable; the actors really embody the characters. When something bad happens, you’ll find yourself empathizing with them. There isn’t a weak link in the bunch. The set is well-crafted and fitting, with a familiar red doghouse right on center stage. The nod it gives to its Peanuts origins makes it really fun to watch. It’s all there: the unintelligible “wah-wah-wahs,” of unseen teachers, Lucy playing psychiatrist, even the trademark striped shirt. And if you spent your childhood in a cave and don’t know anything about Charlie Brown, have no fear! No prior knowledge is required to understand the show; it just makes everything a little funnier.

Photo Credit: Balagan

Overall, I really enjoyed this, and although the teenage scene was warped into that clichéd caricature of drugs, sex, and violence that’s constantly used in teen movies, I was still able to relate to it. A word of caution: don’t take your parents (or younger siblings) unless you’re prepared for an awkward experience, since the play is chock full of suggestive content and not-exactly-G-rated humor. It’s about teenagers, what’d you expect?

It’s what everyone’s always wanted – the guilty pleasure of witnessing the Peanuts gang in the rocky, depressing, and hilarious adventure everyone has to suffer through: high school. The kids have gotten bigger, and so have their problems. So if you like a play that breathes life into cartoon characters you grew up with, with a plot that tugs at your heartstrings while simultaneously makes you roar with laughter, you should definitely check out Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead.

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead
Through October 30
Presented by Balagan Theatre at ACT

NOTE: Contains mature themes and language. Appropriate for ages 18 and up.

Teen Tix Member Profile

2011-10-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

Survey Winner: Congratulations, Ariana S.!

Ariana was the winner of our Fall Survey contest to win a $50 gift card! Thank you to everyone who participated, your results will help us improve our program and make the arts more accessible to YOU.

"Since I joined Teen Tix about a year and a half ago, my whole view on the arts has taken a complete turn-around. Before, I had assumed that going to operas, plays, and ballets, for example, were only for pompous middle-aged people who have been active participants in the arts their entire lives, the opposite of myself. However, I quickly found out that that's not the case. I finally went to an opera at McCaw Hall over a year ago, and I absolutely loved it; everything about the experience amazed me. Shortly after that, I went to another opera, and another. I had finally experienced the sort of art form that many people never get to enjoy even once in their life.

Now, I pride myself in discovering Teen Tix because it has exposed me to the truth about the arts, even though I've only been to operas and ballets. In all reality, the arts are not only for those who have had a rich background in music or theater or painting - anyone can appreciate and experience them firsthand without criticism and have the best time of their lives! I am so grateful to have discovered the Teen Tix program, and I will be absolutely devastated the day I become too old to use its great advantages. Thank you so much, Teen Tix!"

-Ariana S.

Short, and Anything but Sweet

2011-10-07T12:48:00.001-07:00

Review of The Beast @ Spectrum Dance Theatre by Olivia M.

Looking through the multitude of notes I took at this performance, one stuck out as a summary for the whole experience: “Short, and anything but sweet.” This piece, only 55 minutes long, is a blunt, dramatic look at domestic violence and it is one of the few times I left an artistic performance feeling as if I had undergone an emotional trial, but in a good way! I would 100% recommend this to everyone.

This piece was first commissioned in 1996 by the UW’s World Series and Dance Umbrella in Austin, choreographed by Donald Byrd, and was used to promote domestic violence awareness (which it still does, with domestic violence awareness and resource pamphlets arranged in the front entrance of SDT.) This is a mixture of: what, due to my dancing ignorance, I would call contemporary dance; live music by a pianist, accordion and percussionist, violinist and woodwind player and acting done mostly by the main actors in both facial expressions and body movements.

Photo by Ernie Sapiro

Byrd re-imagined his original piece for its second debut here at SDT, keeping the same steps but this time making it much more “theatrically interesting”, and making use of the characteristics of a theatre style called epic theatre. This included adding literal announcements by a dancer with a megaphone, adding a talking disembodied head which screams at the abusive groom, representing his inner urges, and having a bare stage save for a few chairs and a table used in different scenes. This combining of dance and theatre brings out the best of both mediums with blatant yet subtle presentation of the troubling subject matter. This is evident in scenes such as “The dance about the joke of the perfect wife” where the leads have the most individual version of the misogyny themed choreography, where Monthy crawls like a dog with Jones’ beer can balanced on her head, which is a very clear, narrative ridden chain of events, but with three other pairs of dancers doing similar choreography, but with less individually bold movements, like back-up dancers for a play.

Photo by Ernie Sapiro

Due to how much I liked most parts of this performance, I find it hard to narrow it down for this review, but here are three main points:

1) Leading dance artists (that’s really the only way to describe them properly) Donald Jones Jr. and Kate Monthy do an amazing job in their roles of abusive groom and abused bride, and I can see in the future attending shows just to see either of them. Jones’ best scene was announced as “The Beast Breeds”, wherein a powerful solo dance honestly gave me shivers, outshining his bride as she gives birth while screaming with almost comical loudness. Noteworthy scenes of Monthy’s include her in “She Has A Fantasy” where she mutilates various pieces of fruit that correspond to Jones’ body (yes, she does chop a banana with the most crazed look on her face, and yes, that banana does correspond to his penis,) as well as a very sad scene where she watches other pairs of dancers act out violent scenes, which seemed to be to be representative of her past experiences in her own relationship in the piece.

2) I can pretty much guarantee you will enjoy this performance, and be genuinely glad you made the trek down to Madison Park. The entire cast is emotionally invested in the piece, making their performance all the more intense. Monthy admitted to having cried on the way home from rehearsals on occasion due to the emotional stress of the subject. Where was I able to hear this sensitive information? Well, during the time available after each show to ask questions of Byrd, Monthy, Jones, and a third dancer, Ty Alexander Cheng, of course! I felt so lucky to take advantage of that time to pick the brains of the people who masterminded and performed what I had seen only minutes prior.

3) Last, but certainly not least, it’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is probably the best way to acknowledge and learn about a common occurrence in our society that I would guess a significant portion of us rarely think about.

NOTE: The Beast contains mature subject matter and is recommended for ages 16+.

The Beast
Through October 16
Spectrum Dance Theatre

Weird of the Week

2011-10-06T18:44:00.000-07:00

Angélica Liddell: Te haré invencible con mi derrota @ On The Boards

Starting tonight! Don't miss Angélica Liddell's North American debut of her piece dedicated to cellist Jacqueline du Pré. This piece includes body art, a blowtorch, and a paintball gun in a deliciously successful commentary on pain, death, lust and the creative spirit.

Learn more about this incredible performer on the OTB website here and here in an exclusive interview.

Angélica Liddell: Te haré invencible con mi derrota
October 6 - 9
On The Boards

NOTE: This show contains smoking on stage.

Pick of the Week

2011-10-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

Khaled Hosseini @ Seattle Arts and Lectures

Khaled Hosseini is the author of the infamous novel Kite Runner, known as an international bestseller (seriously, it's been published in over 40 countries!) Native to Kabul, Afghanistan, Hosseini is one of the most influential and inspirational writers of our time. He is currently at work with a humanitarian group in Afghanistan which you can read more about here, and will be interviewed by Nassim Assefi, a local academic, humanitarian aid worker, and underground salsa dance teacher.

Khaled Hosseini
October 11 @ 7:30
Seattle Arts and Lectures

Holding My Breath

2011-10-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

Review of The Cryptogram @ Seattle Public Theatre by Jessica B.

Reading David Mamet can be a profoundly frustrating experience. Anyone who has experience with Mamet’s work can spot his style from a mile away: sparse and mundane language, full of repetition and characters with a propensity to misunderstand each other. Such is the case with The Cryptogram. The play centers on the taut, frayed communications at the center of one family. Ten-year-old John (Rowan Calvert) is eagerly awaiting his father’s arrival; tomorrow, he and his father will take a camping trip out into the woods. But even as the hours tick on and John’s father has not arrived home, John waits, drifting between fitful rest and chaotic wakefulness. Yet John senses that his mother, Donny (Emily Grogan) and family friend Del (Richard Nguyen Sloniker) know something that he doesn’t. The things Donny and Del say to each other don’t seem to make sense and John struggles to discover what they are keeping from him—and each other.

The stops and starts in The Cryptogram’s dialogue, the crowding of the language, and inability of the characters to aptly communicate can fall incredibly flat without a talented cast. With a talented cast, however, each facial expression, stray gesture, and chopped syllable becomes a clue of the utmost import.

11-year-old Rowan Calvert as John in The Cryptogram. Photo by Paul Bestock.

Seattle Public Theater (also known as the Bathhouse Theater) at Green Lake has provided such a cast. The cast fills in the sparse “Mamet-speak” and parses together the fragmented consciousness at the center of their respective character. Without such skill, under the careful guidance of an excellent director (such as this production’s Kelly Kitchens) the play would simply unravel and disintegrate into a mind-numbing and laughable lack of communication.

But with this wonderfully talented cast, one need not fear such an end. Grogan and Del demand much from the audience with the careful presentation of their characters; every action, inflection, and twitch is full of thought and can be attributed to their great talent. The young newcomer, Calvert, likewise handles the challenging script with great skill, delicately balancing the innocence of childhood with the devastating realities of adulthood. The Seattle Public Theater’s production of David Mamet’s The Cryptogram is dissonant, aggravating, frustrating, terrifying, but most definitively intriguing—drawing in the audience with the powerful and subtle skill of Grogan, Sloniker, and Calvert. I was held captivated by the puzzle of this family and the theater’s artful use of suspense had its desired result: I found myself holding my breath at the end, enveloped in the story. And that, my dear readers, is what good theater should do.

The Cryptogram
Through October 23
Seattle Public Theatre

Wide-Eyed Vigor

2011-10-05T00:21:00.000-07:00

Review of Morlot Conducts The Rite of Spring @ Seattle Symphony by Galen C.

Ever since the notably young Ludovic Morlot took over as the new music director of the Seattle Symphony, Benaroya Hall seems to have been infused with a new energy. From the fuchsia lights in the main lobby to the fresh sound of the orchestra, there is a vibrant sense of novelty and excitement that was not present before. There was certainly no exception to this at Thursday’s performance of The Rite of Spring.

Ludovic Morlot, music director at Seattle Symphony

The bassoon solo that opens Stravinsky’s masterpiece is delivered so delicately by principle Seth Krimsky that one is almost fooled into thinking the rest of Rite will be in the same vein. Within a few minutes, however, it becomes obvious why this piece caused riots during its premiere in 1913. The chaotic yet rhythmic structure presents itself in a heavy mixture of strings, brass, and percussion, but Morlot and the Symphony somehow manage to imbue in it a sense of clarity and precision. At the heart of the orchestra are the solid beats of timpanist Michael Crusoe, keeping the ensemble in check. In this piece, rhythm and volume of sound are just as important, if not more, than melody and harmony; this idea would be amplified by Edgar Varèse’s Amériques later in the program. Morlot coaxes the dynamics to crisply rise and fall as Stravinsky adds and removes layers of parts. However, the lightness in the orchestra stays, alongside an intensity and concentration that refuses to waver under any circumstance.

The audience responds enthusiastically to Rite, and I even hear a man near me say, “Wow, did you see the strings at the end? Their arms were moving so fast!” This awe is manifested in a different form during Gershwin’s An American in Paris—Morlot and the entire orchestra are animated and alive with the wide-eyed vigor of a young George Gershwin’s first time in Paris. The performers are clearly having fun, and there is one word that easily sums up the spirit of the performance: happy. An appropriate lightness is presented—though very different from the lightness in the Stravinsky—that makes the audience simply smile, sit back, and enjoy the piece.

Amériques begins with a mysterious and sweetly delivered flute solo heavily reminiscent of the bassoon solo in Rite. This, too, is not representative of what soon bursts out as a multitude of explosions of rhythm, a large range of dynamics, and pure sound. In order to listen, one has to focus on those elements, because the traditional concepts of melody and harmony are virtually nonexistent. It is so different, so strange, and so alarming that I just cannot help but be completely fascinated by it. What I remember the most from Amériques was the sheer power of the orchestra, especially at the armrest-gripping climactic end of the piece.

In a program with an emphasis on rhythm, sound, and contrast, Morlot and the Symphony presented these elements refreshingly and in a variety of ways. The maestro has recently made it clear that Benaroya Hall is a place where all are welcome, and this concert certainly emphasized the fact that all, indeed, should come.

Morlot Conducts The Rite of Spring
CLOSED
Up next at Seattle Symphony: Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances

Weird of the Week

2011-09-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Can't Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film @ EMP/SFM

"Don't open the door!" We've all been there: sitting in the movie theatre, clutching our popcorn for dear life and sitting on the edge of our seats awaiting the hero of the film to get absolutely destroyed by whatever's behind that door. The question is... why do we like that so much?

Glove worn by Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, 1989. Courtesy of Wesley Cannon

EMP/SFM's new exhibit, Can't Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film attempts to answer this question. Featuring an interactive scream booth, footage from horror films old and new, artifacts from famous films, and more, this exhibit will be sure to make your spine tingle.

Can't Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film
Opening October 2
EMP/SFM

NOTE: Due to the sometimes graphic nature of the exhibit, it has been given a PG-13 Rating

Pick of the Week

2011-09-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

The Beast @ Spectrum Dance Theatre

Kate Monthy and Donald Jones Jr. in The Beast. Photo by Ernie Sapiro.

ROAR! Featuring moves by the infamous Donald Byrd and a raw, original score by theatre and dance composer Andy Teirstein, The Beast at Spectrum Dance Theatre is sure to be one of the most choreographically brilliant shows you will see all year. SDT's website calls it an "unflinching look at love at its most knotty; violent and broken, savage and inhumane."

The Beast
September 30 - October 16
Spectrum Dance Theatre

NOTE: Contains mature subject matter, recommended for ages 16+. Quoth the Marketing and Communications Manager at Spectrum, "This show is intense."

Lavish Parties, Beautiful People

2011-09-27T18:04:00.001-07:00

Review of An Ideal Husband @ Taproot Theatre Company

Ah, Victorian London—a world of lavish parties, opulent homes, and beautiful people. Taproot Theatre’s production of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband is set in the midst of this era of perfection, when everyone and everything is expected to be without fault. The protagonist, Sir Robert Chiltern (played by Ryan Childers), seems to fit in with this perfect view of society; he is a wealthy, successful politician with an admirable moral compass. His wife, Lady Chiltern, adores him as though he were a demigod. Yet when a beautiful and clever divorcée appears with a letter from Sir Robert’s past, it is discovered that he is not quite the husband his wife thought him to be.

Candace Vance, Anne Kennedy, Ryan Childers, and Aaron Lamb in An Ideal Husband.
Photo by Erik Stuhaug.

The first half of An Ideal Husband is slow going—more due to the play itself than any shortcomings on Taproot’s part. While the main plot is introduced fairly quickly, the first half is too full of emotional dialogue for my liking. It seems to be just one anxious, fearful conversation after another. The intention might’ve been to build the drama to an explosive end, but I ended up fidgeting in my seat while hoping for some comedic relief. A little visual variety might’ve helped to break up the long dialogues, yet there are no significant changes in the set or lighting during the first half (instead, I spent the time admiring the lovely costumes).

Ryan Childers and Nikki Visel in An Ideal Husband. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.

In contrast, the second half is very enjoyable. With all the drama out of the way, the actors are finally able to let loose with the humor. Aaron Lamb as the partying bachelor Lord Goring is by far my favorite, practically stealing the show from lead Ryan Childers. Lamb, especially when partnered with his obedient butler (played by Joe Monroe) and disapproving father (Nolan Palmer), is the perfect comedian. I also appreciated Nikki Visel as the sly villain Mrs. Cheveley, whose feminine wiles nearly bring her victory. With this more lighthearted second half, Taproot’s wonderful actors are finally able to shine in their respective roles.

Although the beginning of An Ideal Husband may not seem promising, it’s really just a case of delayed gratification; I left the theatre smiling and satisfied. After all, Oscar Wilde was not one to expect perfection of human beings, and neither am I.

An Ideal Husband
Through October 22
Taproot Theatre Company

The Humor Appeals to Everyone

2011-09-27T17:33:00.001-07:00

Review of Harold and the Purple Crayon by Katie M.

The world premiere of Harold and the Purple Crayon at the Seattle Children’s Theatre is a production not to be missed. The play is based on a very popular children’s book series written in the 1950’s. This show includes elements from three of the books: “Harold and the Purple Crayon”, “Harold’s Trip to the Sky”, and “Harold Under the Sea”. The best aspects of each story are combined to create one cohesive production.

The story follows Harold, a little boy with a huge imagination. One night, unable to sleep, he grabs his purple crayon and starts to draw. Much to his surprise, the pictures come to life! Accompanied by the Sun and Moon, Harold sets out on an exciting night of adventure. Just a few of his escapades include making friends with a puffer fish, baking pie for a porcupine, and riding on an alien spaceship.

Don Darryl Rivera as Harold in Harold and the Purple Crayon.

One of the most intriguing parts of the show is the use of props and technology to portray the story. Since the storyline of this show is so simple, attention to detail is very important. I have been to some Seattle Children’s Theatre productions in the past, and they always succeed with the details. The most crucial prop of the play is Harold’s purple crayon. In a Q&A session following the show, a young viewer asked if the crayon really could write. Don Darryl Rivera, who played Harold, explained that there are actually 12 crayons used in the show which can do different tricks. Other remarkable props include: a pair of singing French puppets, a giant crab, and a majestic dragon. Annet Mateo, the puppet master, and Matthew Smucker, the scenic designer, do a fantastic job of bringing these books to life.

Another part of the show I enjoyed is the telling of the story. Music and dance plays an important role in conveying the plot. Choreographer Wade Madsen cleverly interweaves transitions with dances so that the scenes flow smoothly in context. One of the most memorable routines is when Harold goes to outer space. The characters start dancing and singing to a groovy beat inspired by the 80’s, complete with a disco ball. Caety Sagoian and Khanh Doan, who played the Sun and Moon, are talented singers that add to the ambiance. Rivera, Sagoian, and Khanh form a strong trio in all aspects of dancing, acting, and singing.

Overall, the main theme of the show is the importance of creativity. The actors cleverly utilize the power of suggestion to get their point across. Since the books consist of very few words, comedy and gestures are essential. Something as simple as a facial expression got even the youngest viewers laughing. The humor used appeals to everyone, from my grandparents to the four-year-old in front of us. Overall, the play is charming, funny, and simple. I guarantee it will get you using your imagination!

Harold and the Purple Crayon
Through October 30
Seattle Children's Theatre

Dense Emotional Force

2011-09-25T20:57:00.000-07:00

Review of ALL WHEELDON @ Pacific Northwest Ballet by Sandrine G.

This is a retrospective on a 38 year-old-artist. Christopher Wheeldon, though young, is already beyond his “promising” phase. Using a vocabulary of motion familiar to the classical tradition, he reveals the possibilities of dance beyond the prancing clichés that are unfortunately associated with ballet. Just as pioneering biologists in carefully calibrated labs first uncovered the secret activity of our own DNA, Wheeldon uses powerful dancers to circumscribe dynamic, wheeling helices on the boards. His works build on elemental motions and animalistic impressions to vividly illustrate the accompanying music.

Carla Körbes and Batkhurel Bold in After the Rain pas de deux. Photo by Angela Sterling

So the show starts, and there is the yellow dress featured on the promotional posters wheeling around in an orgiastic waltz of color and variety. The dance pulses with a heartbeat counted in three as the yellow dancer careens around the rest, held in a tight orbit around them by her attraction to the central figure in the pack. This first piece, Carousel (A Dance), passes quickly to a flirtatious duet between the two outliers, combining the themes of the musical Carousel in a particle collider of dense emotional force. The following duet in the After the Rain pas de deux takes away all the bright costumes of Carousel and replaces them with stark simplicity. The orchestra is replaced with a piano and violin that are lighted at stage right. The dancers fold like yogis.

PNB Company dancers in Polyphonia. Photo by Angela Sterling.

After the first intermission, Wheeldon’s seminal work, Polyphonia, is unfurled to György Ligeti’s difficult music. Polyphonia proves Wheeldon’s reputation as a diverse artist. Through numerous pairings of eight dancers, all star-limbed like splitting chromosomes, Wheeldon makes Ligeti’s ordered chaos visual. The second intermission is the step that separates the sublime from the ridiculous, and the evening closes with a witty comedy. Choreographed to and named after Felix Mendelssohn’s Variations Sérieuses, the piece pokes ironic fun at the institution of ballet from the antics of the strutting diva to the costuming of sherbet-colored fairy ballerinas. Perhaps mimicking the stereotypes of ballet a bit too faithfully, the dance within the dance seems to continue for longer than needed. The comedy redeems itself, however, with a deliciously morbid end.

The dilated veins on a ballerina’s athletic legs and telling spots of sweat – showing through a light grey shirt and glistening on exposed skin – make obvious the physicality of Wheeldon’s dance. In such natural terms, Pacific Northwest Ballet’s All Wheeldon realizes the drama of the human body and its enormous potential.

ALL WHEELDON
Through October 2
PNB

Cure for Boredom

2011-09-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

¡Carnaval! @ Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture

Junior Moco Jumbie stilt walkers, 2001. Courtesy Museum of International Folk Art. Robert Jerome.

How did we come to celebrate Mardi Gras? Carnivals with rides and games? ¡Carnaval! explores the tradition of the carnival worldwide: traditions, meaning and arts including the music, masks, and costumes. Learn about eight different communities throughout the Europe and the Americas where these kinds of celebrations are the highlight of the year.

¡Carnaval!
September 25 - January 8
Burke Museum

Pick of the Week

2011-09-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony @ Seattle Symphony

Beethoven contemplating the complexities of life.

This is a triple threat event: First, hear Frank Zappa's Dupree's Paradise from his 1984 album The Perfect Stranger. Then, enjoy Tree of Dreams by Henry Dutilleux on the French violin. Finally, for the main attraction, hear one of Beethoven's most famous symphonies, "Eroica". Originally named the "Bonaparte Symphony" after Napoleon Bonaparte, the "Eroica" Symphony is representative of Beethoven's middle period and of the 18th century's romantic style. First performed by Beethoven himself in 1804, it's now your chance to be present to one of the most infamous and moving pieces of classical music ever composed.

Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony
Through September 25
Seattle Symphony

A Diamond in the Rough

2011-09-22T11:23:00.001-07:00

Review of Border Songs @ Book-It Repertory Theatre by Chelsea D.

With all the recent hullabaloo over the Mexican border, many Americans have forgotten our northernmost (and much less fussed over) Canadian border. However this border is what Brandon Vanderkool’s (the protagonist of Book-It theatre’s adaptation of Jim Lynch’s acclaimed novel, “Border Songs”) life revolves around.

Brandon is different from any other person in northern Washington. Perhaps even in the United States. Brandon is a 6’8”, dyslexic, socially awkward bird-watcher who manages to channel his strangeness and love of nature into border patrol. However, the plot is far more unexpected than what we may think of the Canadian border. In a plot full of smuggling, drugs, and the FBI, “Border Songs” takes a storyline one may normally think boring and turns it into a thought-provoking (yet occasionally comedic and strangely romantic) play.

Patrick Allcorn as Brandon Vanderkool in Border Songs. Photo by Alan Alabastro.

Like all other Book-It productions I have seen, “Border Songs” flows so smoothly into dramatization that upon seeing a play shortly afterwards not in their trademark Book-It style, I was almost confused. The characters come to life on stage, with Patrick Allcorn shining as the lead of Brandon. With such a small cast (per usual in a Book-It production, “Border Songs” has only 12 actors, though several play more than one part) the chemistry between characters is tangible.

Though at first, I’ll admit, I was slightly skeptical of the choice of adaptation — this play turned out to be a diamond in the rough. As proven by their multitude of northwest-based adapted plays, Book-It theatre has become the master of finding the perfect local book for the Seattle crowd.

Border Songs
Through October 9
Book-It Repertory Theatre

Stellar Battle

2011-09-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

Review of Mary Stuart @ ACT Theatre by Emma M.

It’s a battle of monarch proportions at ACT, as Mary Queen of Scots and her cousin Queen Elizabeth go toe to toe in the stellar new production of the classic Mary Stuart. If you’re a little rusty on your 14th century world history, here’s how it goes: Mary Stuart the ex-queen of France, and current queen of Scotland, after being chased out of Scotland seeks asylum in England. She promptly gets locked up because of her strong claim to the English throne (she is Elizabeth’s cousin after all), and she’s devoutly catholic (remember Elizabeth’s dad formed the Church of England expressly so he could divorce his wife and marry Elizabeth’s mom). After being locked up for nineteen years, Elizabeth’s court—fearing that Mary might spark a revolt in the kingdom—decides it’s time to finally get rid of that meddlesome Stuart woman. They hold a kangaroo trial in which they accuse Mary of conspiring to kill the Queen and they find her guilty. Mary’s life hangs in the balance as Elizabeth and her advisors battle back and forth about what should be done with this queen. Now don’t think that by watching the play you get to snooze in world history class, some significant parts of the play are fictional, or shall we say ‘tastefully embellished’ by the German playwright Friedrich Schiller.

Suzanne Bouchard and Anne Allgood in Mary Stuart

The main attraction is rightfully the two queens. Anne Allgood as Mary brings the play together with her outstanding performance. She gracefully handles the somewhat cuckoo-for-Coco-Puffs queen with a gentleness and grace that her formidable experience has provided her.

Queen Elizabeth I is a huge personality that has been talked about for over five-hundred years, and we all have our own preconceptions about what she was like. Suzanne Bouchard as Elizabeth really brings the massive personality of the queen down to a relatable level. That said, I think Bouchard could’ve been even more powerful by being more regal at the beginning of the play, giving her somewhere to build to emotionally as the play carries on making the fabulous ending even more poignant.

The solid performances by both of the queens are enriched by the amazing supporting cast. Peter Crook shines as Lord Burleigh with immaculate control over his every move and emotion. R. Hamilton Wright portrays a captivating Earl of Leicester, and even though he’s a total skunk you are drawn in by his intense charisma. No wonder he’s captured the queen’s heart.

ACT has a wonderful in-the-round theatre, which was unfortunately rather awkward for this play. This play is very old, actually it was written in 1800, and consequently has an almost Shakespearean vibe to it—mainly it’s full of monologues. Monologues are better when you are looking at the person’s face and not their back. Of course with in-the-round theatre someone is going to be seeing the actor’s back you just can’t escape it. All that leaves the audience to go on is the inflection of the voice for these lengthy monologues of important plot-forwarding dialogue.

The ACT’s new production of Mary Stuart isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty darn close! With the best Seattle cast I have seen accumulated together on one stage, it is possibly the best play that will be produced in Seattle this season.

Mary Stuart
Through October 9
ACT Theatre

Swept Away

2011-09-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

Review of Travelers: Objects of Dream and Revelation @ Bellevue Arts Museum by Iman B.

Many of us view traveling as going on a vacation somewhere, whether it is the Grand Canyon or Disneyland. However, the Travelers: Objects of Dream and Revelation exhibit will strip away any prior thoughts of what you envision traveling to be. The exhibit does a superb job of living up to its subtitle, "Objects of Dream and Revelation," due to the fact that everything you see seems to have materialized from a dream or fantasy.

Margarita Cabrera: Vocho, 2004

Each artist brings their own unique flair and form to their art as they try to recreate the feel of traveling. However, a common trend between the artists is, no matter how much you try to run away from or ignore your problems, there is no escaping the harsh reality of life. Even as the artists display this harsh reality, they still manage to illustrate how traveling captures one’s imagination.

The works of Walter Martin & Paloma Munoz appear to have come straight out of a children's Christmas book. The use of the delicate and dreamy white color allows the viewer’s imagination to be carried away; yet, with closer examination, the viewer sees the minute reminders of the harsh reality of the world. These works clearly demonstrate the contrast and coexistence of good and evil in life while allowing every individual to come up with their own unique interpretation of what traveling means.

Marc Dombrosky’s piece, "Out Here On The Perimeter There Are No Stars,” is full of childlike scribbles and letters to random musicians, which makes the onlooker reminisce about his or her childhood. However, with every bit of positive reminiscing or splat of childish imagination there seems to be a stark reminder of the brutality of life.

The Travelers exhibit is one that will carry anyone's mind, heart, and soul to another dimension. Throughout the exhibit, the patron will be baffled as they try to understand what the artists were contemplating as they created their pieces of art. This exhibit is a must see by any art appreciator or individual that wants their mind to be swept away into a land of dreams, fantasies, and realities.

Travelers: Objects of Dream and Revelation
Through December 31
Bellevue Arts Museum

Overdramatic, Unbelievable Atmosphere

2011-09-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Review of Amy's View @ ArtsWest by Joyce R.

Amy's View is hectic. Though there are only 6 characters, there is so much going on in this play. Problem after problem comes up, so much so, that I find the main storyline hard to follow. There is Amy’s new boyfriend that her mother doesn’t approve of, pregnancy, husband troubles, money troubles, debates on the death of theatre, how to be a good actor, mother-daughter relationship, aging grandmother, death, trust, judgment, and many more. Perhaps I’m just being thick, but I can’t put my finger on the exact plotline.

Photo courtesy of ArtsWest

Though the acting is good, I find that the many problems that arise give the play an overdramatic, unbelievable atmosphere, and make the play feel directionless. Writer David Hare seems to try to encompass and give commentary on every aspect of life, and in doing so, the play gets lost in a labyrinth of problems. But it is impossible to encompass ALL of life. There is just too much to fit into a 2 and a half hour play, and overstuffing the play with drama has the negative effect of making the play feel aimless. A quality I personally don’t enjoy.

There are many redeeming aspects though. In addition to the good acting, there are moments of profoundness, moments that are though-provoking, and relatable. Though the heightened drama seems unrealistic to me, there are moments when Esmé, Amy’s mother (Julie Jamieson), is arguing with her daughter, that I can find parallels to my own arguments with my parents. There are moments when Amy’s words, be them blissfully naïve or filled with many years of experience, that I see parts of my own ideas and emotions. These moments feel very real, no matter how absurd I find the situations to be.

Someone else might find metaphors and deeper meanings hidden in the plot twists, but I don’t. Though the play isn’t unpleasant and there are some lines that make me laugh, I don’t enjoy how the storyline doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be, and I left the play feeling unsure of what the author is really trying to say.

Amy's View
Through October 1
ArtsWest

Recovery and Enlightenment

2011-09-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Review of A Lie of the Mind @ ACT's Central Heating Lab by Olivia M.

In my 17 years on this planet, I never expected to see a grown man wrapped in an American flag shaving his face wearing only boxers, nor a brain damaged woman exclaim with utter conviction, “I am a shirt man”. In A Lie of the Mind I witnessed both.

Ray Tagavilla and Aimée Bruneau in A Lie of the Mind

The play is indeed about three hours long, but at no point did I ever want to leave and go home, regardless of the homework I still had left to do. This is the story of two families who must deal with two sides of the trauma of domestic abuse when one family’s son, Jake, beats his wife, Beth, to the point of having lasting brain damage. Even though he is the antagonist, I found myself identifying with Jake, played by Ray Tagavilla, because of his very evident struggle with the guilt he feels from what he has done. No, I have not personally given someone brain damage, but I cannot help but feel empathy for someone who wants to repent for his wrongdoings against Beth, played by Aimeé Bruneau, as he does. Although the two share only the final scene, they have a wonderful report throughout the whole play as they go through kindred stages of recovery and enlightenment. Jake recovers from insanity brought on by what he thinks is the loss of his wife, and meanwhile Beth physically heals from horrible brain injuries.

With two intermissions, I found myself guessing at what was going to happen next, but my speculations were wrong each time. This was not due to any incoherent plot, but because the play was an emotional ride, pleasantly surprising (or confusing) at every turn. The most surprising twist for me was when Beth’s brain damage causes her to forget her husband, and instead fall in love with her husband’s brother, Frankie (played by Tim Gouran), who is stuck in Beth’s house with a bullet wound in his leg (Yes confusing, but also rewarding).

A quote that struck me during the play (and is conveniently located on the playbill) illustrates how this play made me feel: “There’s this thing in my head. This thing that the next moment, the moment right after this one will... blow up. Explode with a voice.” The third act ferociously builds to a thought-provoking cliffhanger that lingered until I fell asleep that night. In summation: the cast suffers no weak links; the stage is visually unique with spotlights separating the stage into two areas of focus; and a live musician plays banjo and guitar to perfectly accent the whole show. This all adds up to a night I would be more than happy to repeat.

A Lie of the Mind
Through October 1
ACT's Central Heating Lab

Note: Recommended for ages 16+.

Pick of the Week

2011-09-14T18:49:00.001-07:00

Border Songs @ Book-It Repertory Theatre

Brandon Vanderkool, a 23-year-old 6'8" patrol officer, lives in a U.S.-Canada border town deflecting foreigners and drug-smugglers. A dyslexic, loveable bird-watcher, Brandon would much prefer communicating with nature than the felons he encounters on patrol. It's no wonder he's got such social anxiety, what with the problems at home: his father's growing paranoia that terrorists have poisoned the cows on his dairy farm and his mother's beginning signs of Alzheimer's. Yet his life brightens immensely when he meets a beautiful marijuana grower from across the border and falls in love. Follow this charming story in Book-It's adaptation of this touching novel.

Border Songs
September 14 - October 9
Book-It Repertory Theatre

Cure for Boredom

2011-09-06T19:18:00.001-07:00

Beauty and Bounty @ Seattle Art Museum

Puget Sound on the Pacific Coast, Albert Bierstadt, 1870

We know what you're thinking. "Yeah, yeah, landscapes are cool, but I can see them anywhere." Think again! Many of the works featured in Beauty and Bounty at SAM have never before been seen in any other exhibit. Our reviewer Bethany B. wrote a great review that you can read here, saying "Even if art museums aren’t your normal hangout, these works are such breathtaking portrayals of nature that you can almost hear the birds chirping and the water laughing... If you lean close to the paintings, you’ll find millions of intricate details on the rocks, trees and people. This art may not challenge your mind to think as deeply as contemporary pieces do, but the paintings will take your breath away nevertheless." So feast your eyes on these rare and dazzling works created by some of the most influential and talented American landscaping artists.

Beauty and Bounty
Through September 11
Seattle Art Museum

Pick of the Week

2011-09-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

The Pajama Game @ Seattle Musical Theatre

Derek Hanson as Sid Sorokin and Kirsten Helland as Babe Williams. Courtesy of SMT's Press Photos.

There's trouble in paradise at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory. The handsome new manager, Sid Sorokin, refuses to give the workers a raise despite their demanding and hard work. What's more, the leader of the Union Grievance Committee, Babe Williams, falls hopelessly in love with him--thus setting the stage for a real conflict of the heart. Set in the good ol' fashioned 1950's, The Pajama Game illustrates the struggle between power and love in a downright dandy musical.

The Pajama Game
September 9 - October 2
Seattle Musical Theatre

A Spirit and a Blessing

2011-09-06T16:01:00.000-07:00

Review of The Whale @ SIFF Cinema by Samantha V.

When we think about wild animals, we believe that the ways in which they communicate and interact with each other, if those are the right words, are so different from our own that they're almost alien. It's like there's an invisible wall separating us from them. But one little lost orca named Luna changed all that for the residents of Nootka Sound by just, well, being an orca.

This documentary takes place on Vancouver Island which is part of the breath-taking country we call Canada. As you can imagine, the main character in this film is Luna. But there are so many others who play a critical role in his story. Like the First Nations who felt that Luna was a spirit and a blessing, the community who just wanted to know him better, and the wildlife officers who thought that Luna would be better off on his own. It was, dare I say it, a serious “tug of whale”. And that was not the only thing that was being tugged. My heart kept on going back to that adorable killer whale. So much so at times, that I wanted to reach right into the film and hug him. Anyway, through all this struggle, triumph had to come sooner or later and it did, for a little while.

Throughout this documentary it was clear that Luna wanted something. Most likely friendship and that's just proof of how much an orca really needs their pod. You could look at him, and know that he was intelligent and that in some ways, you were equals. Maybe that's just me. All I know for sure is that Luna made me laugh and cry and laugh again with his antics. Though we communicate differently doesn't mean that we're all that different in a way. It's just another way that Luna took down a piece of that invisible wall.

The Whale
Through September 15
SIFF Cinema

Have you taken the Fall Survey?

2011-09-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

We take our job here at Teen Tix very seriously: How to make the arts more fun and accessible for YOU. But alas, we only know so much. So help us out by filling out this survey and telling us how much you use your pass, your past experiences with participating organizations, and even share your opinions about how to make the arts more teen-friendly. One lucky teen who fills out the survey will win a $50 gift card! What's not to like about that? Our survey runs through the end of this month, so hurry and enter your name for a chance to win the big bucks!

Pick of the Week

2011-09-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Polaroids by Andy Warhol @ Henry Art Gallery

Andy Warhol. Princess Christine Carimati.

Andy Warhol cherished his Polaroid Big Shot portrait camera. His models, ranging from Marilyn Monroe to Muhammad Ali would sit, pose, and be captured so that Warhol could then turn these photographs into his infamous screenprints. Polaroids by Andy Warhol represents his process, his passion, and over 100 of his artistic subjects in a serial exhibit at Henry Art Gallery.

Polaroids by Andy Warhol
Through October 30
Henry Art Gallery

Cure for Boredom

2011-08-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

The 6th Annual Seattle Bike-In @ NW Film Forum

Join NWFF at Cal Anderson Park this Saturday for the 6th Annual Bike-In. As always, it will feature live music and booths for and by Seattle bicyclists. However, this year the Bike-In will feature a LIVE SCORE to a classic bike movie. Quicksilver, starring Kevin Bacon, follows the life of a successful young floor trader who loses all of his money, then decides to become a bicycle messenger. Come early and stay late for this amazing outdoor bicycling extravaganza!

The 6th Annual Seattle Bike-In
Saturday, August 27 @ 6PM
Northwest Film Forum

Pick of the Week

2011-08-24T13:57:00.001-07:00

Travelers: Objects of Dream and Revelation @ Bellevue Arts Museum

Timothy Horn: Mother-Load, 2008

We're all familiar with that butterflies-in-your-stomach, aching-to-go, so-happy-you-could-burst feeling right before you take a trip somewhere--and Travelers does a darn good job of recreating that very feeling. This exhibit brings nine contemporary artists together to take us on a journey through travel itself and explore the methods and objects we normally associate with it. The audience is left dreaming, hoping, expecting, and anticipating the journey, all while experiencing breathtaking and unique motifs of the thrill of adventure.

Travelers: Objects of Dream and Revelation
August 26 - October 1
Bellevue Arts Museum

Overcast Memoryscapes

2011-08-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

Review of The Sky Turns @ NW Film Forum by Sandrine G.

An audience member asks, “Does it end when they all die?” The Sky Turns features the 14 remaining elderly inhabitants of an ancient Spanish village. The film moves as they move: slowly but deliberately, satisfying essential requirements while taking time to contemplate the Big Questions. It takes a subject, like the one posed by the inquisitive viewer, and twists it into metaphor.

It is not a beautiful movie, but the overcast memoryscapes of the windswept Iberian countryside perfectly complement the wistful narration by graying villagers. They talk over each other like extended family at the dinner table as they discuss the desiccated old elm tree. Pictures of it in its prime dance across the screen, revealing that more people once gathered around it during a single party than the entire current population of the town. But it became diseased as time marched on and families departed the old-fashioned agrarian community. The disease and yellow lichen worked away at its bark, and its knots and cavities are easily imagined into grotesque faces by minds searching for human familiarities. Its branches cut off, it stands in solemn isolation in the courtyard of a mysterious palace.

Some of the morbid secrets of the land are exposed meticulously by the archeologists who excavate the stony remains of a pre-Roman township whose history ended in mass suicide. But sometimes stones are unearthed by the inheritors of the land themselves as they till the soil and tend flocks in their ancient manner. Director Mercedes Álvarez, the last child to be born in the village before her family moved away, uses this information to fuel reflection. Death and history are thematic, every gray frame hinting at the transience of life, but the slow, thoughtful rambling of the villagers and the humorous bleating of their exotic Arab sheep are entertaining in a fitting way. They belong to a certain place and to an instant when the villagers were still young and the scars of the Spanish Civil war had not yet been romanticized by the passage of time. That moment has already begun to depart, but it will never end as long as there are movies like this and people to watch and question.

The Sky Turns
Through August 25
Northwest Film Forum

After-School Opportunity

2011-08-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Young Playwright's Program @ ACT Theatre

ACT's Young Playwright's Program (YPP) is now being offered as an after-school program! Whether you're a seasoned writer, or the only writing you do is in your diary, this program will help you utilize your personal experiences, thoughts, and ideas and transform them into words and stories on paper. After-School YPP ends with a student showcase on December 6, with a chance for your play to be featured in ACT's 2012 Young Playwrights Festival!

To get more information on how to sign up, go here.

Young Playwright's Program
For teens ages 14 - 18
September 20 - December 6
ACT Theatre

Hey You! With All the Ideas! Get Over Here!

2011-08-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about our Teen Steering Committee?

It's a group of opinionated and highly dedicated individuals who are committed to making the arts accessible for young people. Once on the committee, you get to see shows, organize and come up with marketing techniques for promoting the arts to teenagers, help set the course for the future of the Teen Tix program, and much more!

Sound interesting? Fun? Exciting? It is. It's easy to sign up and this could even qualify for Service Learning Credit at your school! To learn all about this fabulous opportunity, visit this page.

Cure for Boredom

2011-08-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

Soul Nite! @ NW Film Forum

Join Northwest Film Forum for their popular soulful dance night, featuring vintage performance footage of artists such as Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Otis Redding. Celebrate heart and soul, dance, groove and passion with the Film Forum!

Soul Nite!
August 20
Northwest Film Forum

Weird of the Week

2011-08-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

The Talent Show @ Henry Art Gallery

Amie Siegel, My Way 1

There are only three days left to see this bizarre and intriguing exhibit at Henry Art Gallery. The Talent Show addresses the growing need for fame, popularized by reality television shows and social media crazes such as YouTube and Twitter. Popularity has become a force of its own--not just in America, but all over the world. In contrast, web services such as Google Maps and World have severely reduced the universal right to privacy. This exhibit examines the complicated relationships that have arisen due to all these factors, attempting to comment on the value of privacy and the desire for recognition.

To read the review on The Talent Show by Chloe L., go here.

Talent Show
Through August 21
Henry Art Gallery

REMEMBER: The Henry is ALWAYS FREE for Teen Tix members, and you can always bring a guest for $5!

Pick of the Week

2011-08-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

Footloose @ Three Dollar Bill Cinema

When teenage Ren McCormack moves from Chicago with his family to a small Western town, he's disappointed to find out that his new home doesn't allow rock music or dancing. To make matters worse, Ren falls in love with Ariel, the daughter of the bible-thumping minister who is responsible for the repression of dance. Even though his classmates also oppose the law, only Ren has the courage to stand up to the minister so he can take Ariel to the prom.

This classic tale of teenage rebellion and true heart from '84 will have you on the edge of your seat with honest and moving performances from Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer, and rockin' and rollin' through popular hits like "Let's Hear it for the Boys" and, of course, "Footloose."

Note: This showing is FREE!

Footloose
August 19
Three Dollar Bill Cinema

Special Teen Tix Deal: BUMBERSHOOT TICKETS!!

2011-08-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

Attention Music Lovers! Bumbershoot is making a special offer just to Teen Tix members. You can order single day Bumbershoot tickets in advance, for just $25 (plus fees). That's a savings of $10 off the advance price, or $20 if you waited to buy at the gate! And they can be used any day of the weekend. Buy now and decide which day to attend later. An awesome good deal on an awesome music festival. Bumbershoot runs September 3-5 at Seattle Center. For tickets, visit The Stranger ticketing website here.
Be sure to enter the password TEENTIX. Limit of 4 tickets per person. Do it now while supplies last!!

A Well-Oiled Machine

2011-08-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

Review of Seattle Confidential @ ACT Theatre by Chelsea D.

Walking into one of ACT Theatre’s stages to see Seattle Confidential, I am almost worried I have walked into the wrong venue. Instead of the customary even rows of seats marked with neat plaques, the stage looks more like a coffee shop than a formal theatre. Small tables with people clustered around them fill the room, with the small stage in the front — suspended just a foot or so above the ground.

ACT Theatre's Seattle Confidential spills the beans quarterly

Chatting with my friends, we await the start of what will surely be the most unusual and intriguing type of theatre I’ve ever heard of. The idea behind Seattle Confidential is genius. Seattleites contribute their own true stories anonymously to ACT. Four times per year, a select few are chosen and read theatrically by professional actors. In fact, there is a high chance that most (if not all) authors of the ridiculous, romantic, or plain hilarious stories presented here were submitted by the person sitting at a table next to you.

August 8th’s theme is “Adventures Abroad,” in which eight stories about the trials and tribulations of being out of country are presented. Safely seated in the theatre, we become dog medication dealers in Dubai, are seduced by African Safari leaders (“Have you ever had sex in the African bush?”), learn how to say “enormous penis,” in Dutch, and work on a European organics farm.

Ian Bell, the show’s creator, exceeded my expectations with this show. Not only do they have excellent actors and actresses (Gretchen Krich, Imogen Love, Brandon Romans, and Scott Shoemaker) performing the stories, but it is a well-oiled machine, and runs without a hitch or mistake. Not only does Bell succeed with Seattle Confidential’s general idea, but I can see it becoming bigger and bigger.

By the end of the evening, I am intrigued by the notion that it is quite possible that the woman in front of me has considered becoming the third wife of a safari man named Ali, eager to attend next quarter’s theme --- “Holiday Horrors.”

NOTE: Recommended for ages 16 and up.

Seattle Confidential
Next Showing: November 14
ACT Theatre

Pick of the Week

2011-08-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Real Story of the Quileute Wolves @ Seattle Art Museum

Thank you, Twilight. Yeah, we said it. Let's face it, if not for the books and films that brought the Quileute people to life (even if mistakenly stereotypically) it's likely that the vast majority of America never would have heard of them at all. But thankfully for them and for us, Twilight inspired this exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, which cleared up a lot of, er, misconceptions... most notably that each male member of the Quileute tribe runs around shirtless at all times.

Quileute Children, 1907, Sarah Endicott Ober, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections

Truly, The Real Story of the Quileute Wolves explores the very real culture of the coastal Washington tribe. It includes interviews with actual members talking about their way of life, art, and preserving tradition. There are also historical artistic Quileute artifacts, many of which have never before been displayed. This exhibit is the first in existence about the "real Quileute wolves" that seeks to provide an authentic, first-person account of their experiences.

It has been almost a year since this exhibit opened at SAM, and if you haven't seen it yet don't hesitate to experience one of the most beautiful cultures of the Pacific Northwest.

The Real Story of the Quileute Wolves
Through August 14
Seattle Art Museum

Endearing Tenderness

2011-08-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

Review of In The Next Room, or the vibrator play @ ACT Theatre by Joyce R.

Sex.

Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about the play In the Next Room.

Just the premise of the play sounds hilarious. This is a play about the creation of the first vibrator! Are you not laughing already? Are you not even a little curious as to what possible absurdities are going to occur? I know I was. With funny, smart, well-written dialogue, charming characters, and a touching story, playwright Sarah Ruhl (The Clean House – 2005 Pulitzer Finalist) will show you love, marriage, humor, loss, and sex.

Yes, sex.

This play is erotic enough that I wouldn’t want to take my parents, but at the same time in a sweet, innocent, romantic way, in a way that doesn’t make me squirm uncomfortably in my seat. I am also utterly won over with these quirky characters. Whether it be tactless, or awkward, or overly-analytical, the actors portray their characters wonderfully, and I fell in love with all their unique little idiosyncrasies. Especially the ever awkward Mr. Daldry (Michael Patten), jumping in at the worst times saying things like, “I like sausages.” And Dr. Givings (Jeff Cummings), talking about the weather whilst administering “treatment” on his patients’ nether-areas. And Mrs. Givings’ (Jennifer Sue Johnson) thoughtless comments on wanting to have “a few extra kids around” just in case one of them dies. And… heck, I like them all!

Jeff Cummings as Dr. Givings and Jennifer Sue Johnson as Mrs. Givings

Photo by Chris Bennion

This comedy had me laughing, but also surprised me with moments of solemnity, insight on life, and endearing tenderness. The time in the theater passed by quickly. The idea so absurd, the script so clever, I was thoroughly entertained the entire 2 hours and 15 minutes that the play ran.

Having only ever been to big productions at the Paramount of at 5th Avenue, I was also pleasantly surprised by the intimacy of the ACT, where the play is being shown. Additionally, the late-18th century set and costumes were gorgeous and very well suited for the play.

All in all, my first gut reaction after seeing this play is that I like it immensely. All the factors, the quirky, lovable characters, the beautiful set and costumes, the witty script, and the absurdity of the premise meshed together nicely, and unless you are touchy and embarrassed at even the thought of sex, I recommend all to go see this curious little play about the invention of the first vibrator.

Note: This play contains adult material and is recommended for ages 16+.

In the Next Room, or the vibrator play
Through August 28th
ACT Theatre

Weird of the Week

2011-08-03T21:21:00.000-07:00

Labyrinth @ Three Dollar Bill Cinema

Overwhelmed with angst, 15-year-old Sarah wishes her baby brother Toby to be taken away by goblins, though hardly expects it to happen. But when Jareth, the Goblin King (played by David Bowie) shows up in her room in the form of an owl and her baby brother is missing, Sarah realizes her mistake. She is then transported on a long journey through an enormous maze-like otherworld to search for Toby: along the way meeting fantastically puppeteered fairies, dwarves, beasts and other mystical creatures. Will she rescue Toby from the Goblin King or will she be lost in the Labyrinth forever?

Special Teen Tix Announcement

2011-08-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! We have a whole-new website!

Hey Teen-Tixers, our website has been updated.
Seriously, go look at it.
It's decked out with a color-coded calendar, a cool scrolling picture bar and easy-to-follow links--all at the ready for you to use!

No more wasting time lookin' for stuff you want. Link to our newsletter, get more info on our participating organizations, and connect to any of our social networking sites. If you'd like to pay us a visit, go here.

Pick of the Week

2011-08-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead @ Young Americans' Theatre Company

Ever wondered how the Peanuts characters would do "all growed up?" Good ol' Charlie and the gang (equipped with new names special to the parody) are finding out what real life is like--and it ain't pretty. This dark, high school comedy presented by the Young Americans' Theatre company is an unexpected twist in one infamous childhood comic strip. Tackling issues like death, the afterlife, image and acceptance this play is both hilarious and upsetting and sure to amuse both those familiar with the comic and those who aren't.

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead
August 4 - 7
Young Americans' Theatre Company

A Celebration of America's Pastime

2011-07-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

Review of Our National Game @ Seattle Art Museum by Olivia O.

Aaah, baseball. Even when the home team is on a losing streak, what makes a better summer day than watching a good game with some peanuts and crackerjack? Just in time to answer that question comes Our National Game at Seattle Art Museum, a celebration of America’s pastime as well as a commentary on the legacy of the color barrier and discrimination in sports.

The three artists featured in the exhibit are Norman Rockwell, Douglas Tilden, and Jacob Lawrence, who each bring a different perspective to the game. Tilden’s sculpture, from which the exhibit takes its title, perfectly captures a moment in time; you can practically feel the breeze blowing through the field as the player prepares to bat. Rockwell’s painting The Dugout comically shows the reactions of the disappointed Cubs fans whose team was having a bad season, something any Mariners fan can relate to. I’ve always been a Rockwell fanatic, so it was wonderful to finally see a painting of his live.

The Dugout, Norman Rockwell, 1948.

However, the works that were most fascinating to me were Jacob Lawrence’s two paintings, Strike and The Long Stretch. His paintings are pretty abstract, a wild departure from Rockwell’s and Tilden’s more realistic works. At first glance, they look like a simple expression of the motion and agility in the sport, which they do brilliantly. But look a little closer and you’ll see Lawrence’s observations on the state of racial equality in the major leagues of the 1940s.

The Long Stretch, Jacob Lawrence, 1949. Courtesy of Seattle Art Museum.

Although the three artists’ works are the focus of the exhibit, there are several other photographs and paintings to give a historical context to the art and tell the story more fully. There are pictures of teams that were integrated as early as the 1880s (until the infamous Gentlemen’s Agreement that segregated baseball until 1947) as well as women’s teams, known as “Bloomer Girls,” who were playing a whole generation before Title IX.

Our National Game not only features the work of extremely talented artists, it’s also a great education in an important milestone in the nation’s history. The artwork and historical documents are a powerful visual history of the sport that unites our country.

Our National Game
Through November 27
Seattle Art Museum

"Rocky" with a Vengeance

2011-07-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

Review of Rocky Horror Picture Show @ ArtsWest by Dana F.

ArtsWest’s Musical Theater Apprenticeship Program’s performance hits you with the sense-shocking bang that only The Rocky Horror Show can. Complemented by an impressively minimalist set, the show’s wacky antics are allowed to shine brightly, absorbing the audience’s whole focus.

Photo by Michael Brunk

The young actors bring a boatload of fresh spark and energy to the cult classic tale, as well as a colossal amount of talent. Vocal performances by Becca Orts (playing Janet Weiss) and Ryan Floresca (playing Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter), as well as the rest of the cast, did more than simply live up to the time-honored tunes, and I found myself wishing I had the soundtrack to take home and listen to again. The cast demonstrated a powerful love of and commitment to the show, throwing themselves into character with a vengeance.

Photo by Michael Brunk

The show did seem to have some difficulty, however, in deciding what it wanted to be. Costumes and staging frequently deviated from the ever-popular film version of Rocky Horror, giving the performance its own unique identity. At the same time, audience participation lines customarily shouted in movie theaters were incorporated into the ArtsWest script, inserted by various members of the ensemble cast. These additions proved distracting and more than a little confusing, and I would imagine especially to those in the audience less familiar with the Rocky Horror story, who might feel as if there’s a joke they’re just not getting. They also elevated the traditionally mature content to a more extreme level, bordering on obscene.

But while this show is not for the faint of heart or the unaware Rocky Horror “virgin”, it will thrill die-hard fans with its talented cast, surging energy, and commitment to anything and everything Rocky.

Rocky Horror Picture Show
CLOSED
Coming up next at ArtsWest: Amy's View

Pick of the Week

2011-07-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

Xanadu @ Three Dollar Bill Cinema

When a broke artist named Sonny Malone returned to his job creating album cover art, he never expected that one of his creations would come to life. A beautiful woman by the name of Kira (bearing uncanny resemblance to the woman from his painting) unexpectedly appears to Sonny, kissing him and disappearing just as quickly as she came. Sonny becomes obsessed with finding her and along the way meets an ex-big band leader who has also lost inspiration. Kira appears yet again and encourages the men to start a business together--a nightclub that features a roller skating rink called "Xanadu".

Three Dollar Bill Cinema gives us the muses, mischief and mayhem that isXanadu at Cal Anderson Park (for FREE!) If you like big hair and 80's kitsch, this movie is perfect for you!

Xanadu: where time stops and the magic never ends!

Xanadu
Friday, July 29
Three Dollar Bill Cinema

Keep Away from Onkalo

2011-07-27T14:16:00.001-07:00

Review of Into Eternity @ NW Film Forum by Samantha V.

The topic of nuclear waste is complicated. With the threat of things like earthquakes, the way that nuclear waste is handled now is not at all safe in the long term. Into Eternity is a documentary that looks at how the country of Finland plans to deal with its nuclear waste, and how they will keep it safe from contamination in the near future and into the distant future. This film has a strong Sci-Fi feel and also acts as a message to the future, helping to communicate the fact that this issue is not just ours, it's also the issue of our great-great-great grand children and beyond.

The Finnish government's answer to this issue is Onkalo, an underground repository for nuclear waste - a place you should always “Remember to forget”. When talking about what future generations might make of Onkalo, it's clear that there are “Things that you know that you don't know, and things that you don't know that you don't know”. It is unnerving to think what that statement might mean further down the road. Like if future humans mistook Onkalo for a tomb, and were accidentally exposed to the radioactivity upon opening it. Or worse. I believe that that is one of the things that this documentary was supposed to do...put you on the edge of your seat and in doing so, really get you to think about things like this.

There were a few things that I did find odd about this film. One was that there was a point near the middle where I thought that it was over (it wasn't), and two, that it seemed to drag a bit near the end. On a good note, the audio was at times very intense, and yet it didn't take away from the film at all. This documentary sheds a new, if not a kind of creepy light on the extremely sensitive subject of nuclear waste. I know that I'll tell my grandchildren to keep away from Onkalo. Will you?

Into Eternity
Through July 28
Northwest Film Forum

Creative Minds and Talented Hands

2011-07-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

Review of Beauty and Bounty @ Seattle Art Museum by Bethany B.

Many different art exhibits travel through Seattle Art Museum. Some pieces take creativity of thought to invent and discover. A modern artist may only be able to draw a stick figure, but their brain has no boundaries or limits, and they can invent masterpieces. In the case of Beauty and Bounty, these artists have both creative minds and intricate talented hands. The pieces you see have the most stunning display and tiniest details.

Puget Sound on the Pacific Coast, Albert Bierstadt, 1870

These American Artists showcase pieces over the Pacific Northwest, like Mount Rainer and the Puget Sound. They also have America’s masterpieces, like Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and so much more. Even if art museums aren’t your normal hangout, these works are such breathtaking portrayals of nature that you can almost hear the birds chirping and the water laughing. The exhibit is full of autumn trees, sunsets, and scenery that each artist has skillfully imagined. If you lean close to the paintings, you’ll find millions of intricate details on the rocks, trees and people. This art may not challenge your mind to think as deeply as contemporary pieces do, but the paintings will take your breath away nevertheless.

The photography that is also part of the exhibit is extraordinary as well. Each piece represents a different subject or emotion, and takes the simplicity of the scene, and challenges it. My personal favorite part of the photography is a room that holds around twenty frames, each having two pictures enclosed, that are exact copies of each other. There are stereo glasses in a bin, and if you use them to look at the picture, the photo becomes 3-D. They’re scenes of nature similar to the paintings, and are kind of fantastic. It’s true, minions or horcruxes won’t jump out at you like in Despicable Me or Harry Potter, but the work in the photograph is incredible, especially considering the time.

Beauty and Bounty is a truly fantastic exhibit at Seattle Art Museum, possessing a cabaret of American history and beauty. You will experience the masters of the 19th and 20th centuries, majestic nature, and countless other galleries if you get bored. Does this get any better?

Beauty and Bounty
Through September 11
Seattle Art Museum

Teeny Awards: The Video

2011-07-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

Relive (or, y'know, live for the first time) the magic as the Teeny Awards Delivery Squad surprises the winners of the 2011 Teeny Awards!

Thank you to our incredible, tireless delivery squad, Aeon, Megan, and Ivy, and to our choreographers, Laura and Christy.

See you next year!

For a full list of Teeny Award winners and runners-up, go here.

And the Winners Are...

2011-07-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

Yay! It's here! It's the moment we've all been waiting for, when we reveal the winners of the Most Prestigious Arts Awards in Seattle ^TM: The Teeny Awards!

All day long, we've been surprising the winning organizations, busting up boring meetings and rehearsals with an incredible cheer and dance routine, choreographed by Christy McNeil, and performed by the AMAZING Teeny Awards Delivery Squad, Megan, Ivy, and Aeon. Video is forthcoming, but, for now, please enjoy these results and photos. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts to ALL of our participating organizations for making us feel so welcome all year 'round.

Category: Best Date Venue

Winner: Seattle Art Museum
1st Runner-up: Pacific Northwest Ballet
2nd Runner-up: three way tie between SIFF, Seattle Opera, and EMP Museum

Category: Best Seats in the House
Winner: Seattle Symphony
1st Runner-up: Pacific Northwest Ballet
2nd Runner-up: ACT Theatre

Category: Best Box Office Experience
Winner: Pacific Northwest Ballet
1st Runner-up: Seattle Art Museum
2nd Runner-up: three-way tie between Seattle Children's Theatre, Taproot Theatre, and ACT Theatre

Category: Best Bathrooms
Winner: McCaw Hall, home of Pacific Northwest Ballet and Seattle Opera
1st Runner-up: Seattle Art Museum
2nd Runner-up: Benaroya Hall, home of Seattle Symphony

Category: Best Group Venue
Winner: Pacific Science Center's IMAX & Laser Dome
1st Runner-up: EMP Museum
2nd Runner-up: Unexpected Productions

Category: Venue I Want to Attend More
Winner: ACT Theatre
1st Runner-up: Book-It Repertory Theatre
2nd Runner-up: Henry Art Gallery

Category: Favorite Organization, Large
Winner: Pacific Northwest Ballet
1st Runner-up: Seattle Art Museum
2nd Runner-up: Seattle Symphony

Category: Favorite Organization, Medium
Winner: Seattle Shakespeare Company
1st Runner-up: Book-It Repertory Theatre
2nd Runner-up: tie between Spectrum Dance Theatre and Taproot Theatre

Category: Favorite Organization, Small
Winner: Seattle Musical Theatre
1st Runner-up: Unexpected Productions
2nd Runner-up: Young Americans' Theatre Company

Category: Best Film Organization
Winner: SIFF
1st Runner-up: Pacific Science Center's IMAX
2nd Runner-up: NFFTY, the National Film Festival for Talented Youth

Category: Best Museum or Art Gallery
Winner: Seattle Art Museum
1st Runner-up: EMP Museum
2nd Runner-up: Henry Art Gallery

Category: Best Performing Arts Organization
Winner: Seattle Repertory Theatre
1st Runner-up: Seattle Symphony
2nd Runner-up: Book-It Repertory Theatre

Category: Best Multi-Disciplinary Organization
Winner: Seattle Arts & Lectures
1st Runner-up: Cornish College of the Arts
2nd Runner-up: On the Boards

Category: Best Art Exhibit
Winner: Nick Cave: Meet Me at the Center of the Earth at Seattle Art Museum
1st Runner-up: Battlestar Gallactica, The Exhibit at EMP Museum
2nd Runner-up: Shadows of a Fleeting World at Henry Art Gallery

Category: Best Dance Performance
Winner: A Midsummer Night's Dream at Pacific Northwest Ballet
1st Runner-up: All Tharp at Pacific Northwest Ballet
2nd Runner-up: Cornish Dance Theater Spring 2010 Concert at Cornish College of the Arts

Category: Best Play
Winner: Hamlet at Seattle Shakespeare Company
1st Runner-up: Of Mice and Men at Seattle Repertory Theatre
2nd Runner-up: A Doctor in Spite of Himself at Intiman Theatre

Category: Best Musical or Opera
Winner: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog at Balagan Theatre
1st Runner-up: Chicago at Seattle Musical Theatre
2nd Runner-up: The Magic Flute at Seattle Opera

Category: Best Film or Film Event
Winner: Willy Wonka in Smell-o-Vision at SIFF Cinema
1st Runner-up: NFFTY, the National Film Festival for Talented Youth
2nd Runner-up: Louder Than a Bomb at SIFF Cinema

Category: Best Music Performance
Winner: Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue at Seattle Symphony
1st Runner-up: SoundOff! 2011 at EMP Museum
2nd Runner-up: The Music Man in 60 Minutes at Seattle Symphony

Category: Best "Other" Show
Winner: TheatreSports at Unexpected Productions
1st Runner-up: Laser Nirvana at Seattle Laser Dome
2nd Runner-up: Joyce Carol Oates at Seattle Arts & Lectures

And, last but not least, our CRUSH OF THE YEAR, Spectrum Dance Theater's Amber Mayberry!