tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1757315716806743482024-03-16T03:59:02.375-07:00Good Life NorthwestThis blog celebrates life in the Pacific Northwest, past and present.Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.comBlogger335125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-73068320922413726922017-09-19T12:50:00.002-07:002017-09-19T12:53:40.811-07:00"SOMETHING ROTTEN!" at The 5th Avenue Offers Both Shock and Awe, For Better or Worse<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh883axfZeGTnz2vNETQsnjKUQxeTlDnIEAE31eLw9Uf-JnTgx2dzMSVk7uOH9aLoPOVxBX5aD2DqX_S1-ybvxaq8PmNf5LogKW0IDrc_YPxBFlst1ISSbDCsOkCGEUJzyFNQzSXKMUcw/s1600/1._Cast_of_the_Something_Rotten%2521_National_Tour_-_Photo_Credit_Jeremy_Daniel-600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh883axfZeGTnz2vNETQsnjKUQxeTlDnIEAE31eLw9Uf-JnTgx2dzMSVk7uOH9aLoPOVxBX5aD2DqX_S1-ybvxaq8PmNf5LogKW0IDrc_YPxBFlst1ISSbDCsOkCGEUJzyFNQzSXKMUcw/s400/1._Cast_of_the_Something_Rotten%2521_National_Tour_-_Photo_Credit_Jeremy_Daniel-600x400.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Cast of the Something Rotten! National Tour - Photo Credit Jeremy Daniel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/">The 5th Avenue Theatre</a> in Seattle just opened its 2017-2018 season with t</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he touring Broadway musical comedy </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/something-rotten">Something Rotten!</a></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, which runs now through October 1, 2017. It should </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">completely delight </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the most ardent fans of musicals. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I mean people who <i>really </i>love musical theater, those who can hear a snippet of a song and name the title and show, who eat up every cliché the genre can possibly offer. <i>For them</i>, this quick-paced, colorful, and clever production is a feast. However, to others, <i><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/something-rotten">Something Rotten!</a> </i>might feel like an orgy of excesses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It comes from a team with very impressive credentials. Casey Nicholas, a Tony Award winner who did <i>The Book of Mormon </i>and <i>Aladdin</i>, directs this production and also did the choreography.<i> </i>Wayne Kirkpatrick (a Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee) and Karen Kirkpatrick (Golden Globe Award winner and Tony Award nominee) wrote the music and lyrics, with </span>Karen Kirkpatrick also writing the book with best-selling author John O-Farrell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The show opens with the Minstrel (Nick Rashad Burroughs) starting off the fun and funny </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">"Welcome to the Renaissance." </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He is soon joined by the chorus </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as we move into </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a lively </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">London street scene, including the Globe Theatre. This is the </span>1590s world of William Shakespeare (who is also a primary character, played by Adam Pascal). </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I instantly loved the colors of the set and costumes, by Broadway veterans Scott Park and Gregg Barnes, respectively. Rich shades of rust, gold, brown, and teal pleased me, as did Jeff Croiter's perfect lighting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/something-rotten">Something Rotten!</a> </i>revolves around the dilemma faced by two playwright brothers, Nick and Nigel Bottom (Rob McClure and Josh Grisetti, respectively) Struggling to survive in the shadow of Shakespeare, whose success has turned him into the rock star of his times, they must come up with a new play on short notice, to compete and keep their troupe going. Unfortunately, the two brothers disagree on almost everything. Nick, unbeknownst to his wife Bea (Maggie Lakis) uses their meager savings to hire a soothsayer named Nostradamus (Blake Hammond), to give him a winning idea and reveal the next big thing in theater. This Nostradamus is the nephew of <i>the</i> Nostradamus, and his clairvoyance is not quite spot on. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Cast of the Something Rotten! National Tour - Photo Credit Jeremy Daniel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As Nostradamus describes his vague vision of a potential smash hit we recognize as Shakespeare's future play <i>Hamlet</i>, he interprets the title as <i>Omelet. </i>Running with the idea, Nick comes up with a completely ridiculous, over-the-top-silly script involving chefs with frying pans and dancing omelets. Most importantly, Nostradamus makes the seemingly outlandish suggestion that the playwrights have actors <i>sing </i>their lines, rather than speak them, setting the whole play to music and including dance. Ta da! They are about to invent something completely new—musical theater! Is this insanity or genius? Can it succeed?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Something Rotten!</i> also involves romance of course. The sensitive and poetic brother, Nigel, falls in love with Portia (Autumn Hurlbert), daughter of a Puritan preacher, Brother Jeremiah (Patrick John Moran), a man whose repressed sexual fantasies causes enough Freudian slips to rate as psychological banana peels. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speaking of music, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Peter Hylenski's sound </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">design, along with Phil Reno's music direction of Glen Kelly's arrangements and Larry Hochman's orchestrations, bring out the full potential of the amazing musicians we never see but so appreciate. A combination of the <i>Something Rotten! </i>orchestra (conducted by Brian P. Kennedy) and our beloved 5th Avenue Theatre Orchestra, delivers a wide variety of music so skillfully you would think they had all played these exact tunes for years. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Cast of the Something Rotten! National Tour - Photo Credit Jeremy Daniel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, with great music, singing, dancing, sets, and costumes, what's not to like?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After all, the annoying woman sitting behind me burst out with ear-splitting cackles over <i>everything.</i> The show begins with so much dazzling sensory sensations, it later struggles to maintain that high. There was plenty of genuinely good humor, which I, too, enjoyed, to a point, because there was also plenty of in-your-face crassness that started to get old. There is good reason it is recommended for those 10 years of age or older. Ironically, much of the bawdy humor would go over the heads of younger children whereas kids over 10, in today's society, would probably catch the implications. <a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/something-rotten/#content-advisories">Content Advisories.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How many times can you ask an audience to find the same thing funny (like winking references to the brothers' surname of "Bottom" or the outrageous behavior of the repressed Puritan?) How much attention must be focus on the exaggerated <a href="http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/04/01/bringing-back-the-codpiece/">codpiece</a> portion of the men's costumes? (You <i>are</i> going to want to click on that link to read a fascinating article.) How many musical "quotes" from other Broadway shows can you stomach? How many sexual innuendos of the same type do we need to get the obvious point? How much belief must we suspend to believe what some of these characters do, like the Puritan daughter getting drunk? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Picture this scenario. You invite a group of notable chefs into the kitchen and provide them with unlimited quantities of the highest quality ingredients, some of which are best used judiciously. Then, they each add </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">every one </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">of those high quality ingredients with abandon, plus extra, for good measure, stir it all together, and crank up the heat. The end result might make you say "WOW," but does that make it good? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I will let you decide. Audience reaction on opening night indicated how many people loved this show. If you are in the mood for a meal of many flavors, colors, textures, and tunes, go, and enjoy yourself. However, after this experience, you might decide the best chaser would be a glass of plain water and a quiet drive home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-44117659380376849082017-09-16T14:08:00.000-07:002017-09-16T14:32:18.835-07:00"Witness to Wartime: The Painted Diary of Takuichi Fujii" Opens at Washington State History Museum<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Takuichi Fujii</span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Minidoka, “This is barbed wire around Block 24,” </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(not dated). </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Watercolor on paper, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">13½ × 10 inches. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Collection of Sandy and Terry Kita.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At a time in when immigrants and people of color have many reasons to feel less secure than ever, a new exhibit at the <a href="http://www.washingtonhistory.org/">Washington State History Museum</a> in Tacoma is particularly relevant. <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.washingtonhistory.org/page.aspx?uid=63&id=709">Witness to Wartime: The Painted Diary of Takuichi Fujii </a></i>opens on Saturday, September 16, 2017 and will continue through Jan. 1, 2018. Visitors will see 70 works of art expressing an intimate view of Japanese American imprisonment in detention camps during World War II. They stand as a testament to one artist's perseverance, resilience, and will to create, even in the worst of circumstances. No official photos offer this personal point of view.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Takuichi Fujii</span></b><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">, High School Girl, </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">ca. 1934-1935. Oil on canvas, 22¾ × 29 inches. Wing Luke Museum Collection. Photo: Richard Nicol. (Painted while in Seattle)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A book titled </span><a href="http://www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/JOHHOP.html"><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">The Hope of Another Spring: Takuichi Fujii, Artist and Wartime Winess </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(University of Washington Press)</span></a><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">, by </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Barbara Johns, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">inspired this exhibit. She is also the curator. </span>As an art historian, Johns knew of Fujii's artistic career in pre-war Seattle. However, no one seemed to know what happened to him once the war began. While doing research on the topic of Seattle's first-generation Japanese (Issei) artists, for her doctorate dissertation, Johns discovered the starkly revealing works Fujii created during the </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3½ years he and his family spent in detention. During that time, he produced 250 works of art, including </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">130 watercolor paintings, ink drawings, and some three-dimensional pieces. Johns</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> also became aware of Fujii's grandson, Sandy Kita, who happened to be translating the captions and comments in Fujii's 400-page "diary" of images. Visitors to the exhibit can see a digital copy.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Takuichi Fujii</span></b><i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">, Minidoka, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">“This area’s famous phenomenon of the sandstorm can make even the day dark. It is really something,”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">(not dated). </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Watercolor on paper, 10½ × 14½ inches. Collection of Sandy and Terry Kita.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fuji was born in Japan in 1891. Arriving in Seattle in 1906, he made a life there as a businessman, husband, father of two daughters, and also as an artist. He painted views of the city's Japantown, the waterfront, as well as landscapes of the more arid eastern half of the state. Although he did paint images of people, including portraits of his daughters shown in the exhibit, he seemed to be more fascinated with capturing a sense of place. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By the 1930s, Fujii had made a name for himself as an artist, both in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. His work was on display in places as far away as New York and Chicago. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Takuichi Fujii,</span></b><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Minidoka, mess hall abstraction, </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(not dated). <i> </i></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ink on paper, 6¼ × 7½ inches. Collection of Sandy and Terry Kita.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, everything changed. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, giving the Secretary of War the authority to establish "military areas." Nowhere in this document are the words "Japanese" or "Japanese Americans," yet this piece of paper would bring about the incarceration of more than 110,000 persons of Japanese ethnicity (even if only 1/16 Japanese) without having been charged with any crime and without due process. Approximately 60% were American citizens. The rest, born in Japan, were forbidden by U.S. law to become citizens, no matter how much they desired to do so. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In May of 1942, Fujii and his family members were forced to leave Seattle, joining hundreds of other Puget Sound area Japanese families temporarily housed in livestock barns at the Washington Sate Fairgrounds in Puyallup, Washington. He was 50 years old at the time. Then, crowded into train cars in extremely hot weather, they were sent east to Idaho, to the Minidoka "War Relocation Center" (as this prison was euphemistically called). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The camp closed in October of 1945. As in the case of so many other prisoners, the disruption of relocation, the loss of property (real and personal), livelihoods, homes, and community, made a return to their pre-war existence impossible. Many politicians and others still did not want them anywhere near the coast. A great number of Japanese American families, including the Fujiis, settled in Chicago.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Takuichi Fujii</span></b><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">, Fusano and Takuichi Fujii, </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">ca. 1943-1945. Wood, left: 8¼ × 3 inches, right: 9 × 4 × 3¼ inches. Photo: Richard Nicol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While in Minidoka, Fujii did some of his paintings on corrugated cardboard or whatever material he could acquire. Other pieces, being undated, might have been created from memory after the war. No one could ever forget. Fujii </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">remained in Chicago for the rest of his life, which ended in 1964. Fortunately, his wife, Fusano Fujii, saved his wartime creations, as did her daughter, who ultimately passed them along to her son, Fujii's grandson, Sandy Kita who, along with his wife, Terry Kita, has graciously made them available for this exhibit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"To find a previously unknown collection of this depth and caliber is an extraordinary experience, and doubly so to be able to bring it to public attention," Johns said . "I'm deeply pleased that the <a href="http://www.washingtonhistory.org/">Washington State History Museum</a> will present Takuichi Fujii's work—in the region in which he first made his home in America, and in this 75th commemorative year after the mass exclusion of West Coast Japanese Americans." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A visit to this exhibit is sure to affect the viewer profoundly. Art has never served a greater purpose than to make us think. Unfortunately, those in our society and government who <i>ought </i>to see this type of exhibit, and would possibly learn from it, seem to have the least interest in doing so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For complete information on planning <i>your </i>visit, please click <a href="http://www.washingtonhistory.org/visit/wshm/">here</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Please "like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodLifeNorthwest/">Good Life Northwest on Facebook</a>. Thank you!</i></span>Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-70455314877071942332017-08-13T17:52:00.000-07:002017-08-15T07:18:58.506-07:00Musical Version of Jane Austen's "PERSUASION" at Taproot Theatre — A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Life rarely offers us second chances, but now you have one if you have not yet seen </span><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Taproot Theatre</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">'s production of </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Persuasion</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. In fact, this musical adaptation of </span><a href="http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/austenbio.html" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Jane Austen</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">'s novel by the same name is about second chances, and much more. It is at Taproot's Jewell Mainstage Theatre, in Seattle, through August 26, 2017. Thanks to positive audience response, it has been extended with extra performance times. Don't miss the opportunity.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0_tr0RIQ0XxN8Yj5SpyXWXjMBG2sapTpevvcnYlnI5a2a2cf_n7tPPVmHcOjgpfha-XeJe9oJTNq88kOLqz3_-1xkguh_QDnxghtYZp9J8pVHv6JUDm4O3go6FgLqhyphenhyphenfdT8_zypNrg/s1600/20170711_211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0_tr0RIQ0XxN8Yj5SpyXWXjMBG2sapTpevvcnYlnI5a2a2cf_n7tPPVmHcOjgpfha-XeJe9oJTNq88kOLqz3_-1xkguh_QDnxghtYZp9J8pVHv6JUDm4O3go6FgLqhyphenhyphenfdT8_zypNrg/s640/20170711_211.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Cayman Ilika & Matthew Posner in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Persuasion</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Harold Taw wrote the book, and Chris Jeffries the music and lyrics. Together, they have given a new life to an old tale. It takes place during the Regency era in England, roughly from the late 18th century through the first two decades of the 19th century. Just as today, we see a society with its own "1%" versus "99%" imbalance. We step into the world of a titled English family desperately clinging to its phony, snobbish, aristocratic lifestyle, a family that refuses to quit spending lavishly or putting on airs, even though the money is basically gone. The protagonist, Anne Elliot (Cayman Ilika), is the only family member with common sense, genuine compassion, and humility. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTdt-OThOeyCp9iEycLUfO02tnn7gTeREWEeFY3AwVilhNzdd3cZApbDMMZkr7axtEFVgD56V7RL8muXLgNdMYfSPWlvHFunN_dBvh1pIDtISROpn0M7ytrs00zeNODrUQ3w97DOQew/s1600/20170711_386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTdt-OThOeyCp9iEycLUfO02tnn7gTeREWEeFY3AwVilhNzdd3cZApbDMMZkr7axtEFVgD56V7RL8muXLgNdMYfSPWlvHFunN_dBvh1pIDtISROpn0M7ytrs00zeNODrUQ3w97DOQew/s400/20170711_386.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Matthew Posner, Sophia Franzella, Ryan Childers, Chelsea LeValley, Cayman Ilika & Randy Scholz in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Persuasion</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Apparently doomed to spinsterhood, and with liberal views concerning women and the worth of those in the lower classes, she is almost an embarrassment to her father, Sir Walter Elliot (Nick DeSantis). Her mother died previously. One sister, Mary Musgrove (Kate Jaeger) is married. The other one, Elizabeth Elliot (Chelsea LeValley), is the father's favorite, looking for a rich husband who will indulge her as he has. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Anne Elliot </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">would have been married, had she not rejected the love of her life, a member of the British navy, after being </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">persuaded </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to end the match based on their class differences. Her status-conscious godmother, Lady Russell (Caitlin Frances) did most of the persuading. At the beginning of the musical, we learn this lost love has returned, eight years after being jilted. Now, known as</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Captain </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wentworth </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(Matthew Posner)</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, he returns a hero of the Napoleonic Wars. This was at a time in English society when changing views allowed for accomplishment, rather than merely inherited wealth, to be considered a path to full acceptance as a gentleman. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Nick DeSantis, Cayman Ilika & Matthew Posner in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Persuasion</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Anne Elliot's emotional struggles over her regrets, the feelings she still has for him, and the idea of a woman exerting her own will against the forces imposed on her by family and society, form the basis of the story. Will they reunite, or not? The lasting pain of of their shared past and the love each still feels provide a poignancy the fine acting and expressive voices of Ilika and Posner make relatable and deeply moving. Director Karen Lund has nurtured another winner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The hope of having a second chance, and then the question of whether or not to make the most of that chance when it is offered, is a facet of human experience as relevant today as 200 years ago. Austen completed this novel, her last, in 1816, then died in 1817. It was published posthumously in 1818. She knew, first hand, about </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the barriers between the social classes and the rigid restrictions on women's choices. Born into a genteel but impoverished family, Austen's only hope of a better life was through marriage. Yet, she was not considered a suitable bride for the young man she loved, whose family persuaded him to marry for money instead. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjph2Gmdai2GNWvq-xpEOT0Zxw3vmHTfgf7jT2FaNpsl4EczKlkstuqr3MvxKC0qjtnqLzO1dwzjgEJzncQIdMriYvqi7zhLYVj2qrijRNLa5zwteQa2iKGFMx590IaphPuiluv0omB-g/s1600/20170711_674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjph2Gmdai2GNWvq-xpEOT0Zxw3vmHTfgf7jT2FaNpsl4EczKlkstuqr3MvxKC0qjtnqLzO1dwzjgEJzncQIdMriYvqi7zhLYVj2qrijRNLa5zwteQa2iKGFMx590IaphPuiluv0omB-g/s400/20170711_674.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Caitlin Frances, Nick DeSantis & Matthew Posner in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Persuasion</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The novel's cast of characters are not all actually seen in this musical, and the audience must accept the fact that some actors play multiple characters who physically resembled each other perhaps a bit too much. But this did not really detract. All actors gave excellent performances! Lovely costumes by Sarah Burch Gordon and authentic dancing, choreographed by Katy Tabb, helped create the feel of the era. So did the work of Dialect Coach Ben Wippel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The novel's rather complicated plot has been simplified here, but some knowledge of that source would help in understanding who is being referred to and what is happening. Another difference is that, in the musical, the character of Anne Elliot is more impassioned about the rights of women. She leaves little doubt about her progressive feminist views, whereas in the novel, she seems to have less of a sense of victimization and more tolerance for the idea of maintaining social order, even at the expense of personal freedom. In both the book and musical, Anne upholds the ideal of a marriage in which partners are equal.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Cayman Ilika, Sophia Franzella, Caitlin Frances, Chelsea LeValley & Kate Jaeger in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Persuasion</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The musical <i>Persuasion</i> was created in 2015 during the </span><a href="http://5thavenue.org/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">5th Avenue Theatre's</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> intense month-long event called </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/new-works-program#nextfest">NextFest: A Festival of New Musicals</a></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. Then, in 2016, it underwent refinement at the Texas Musical Theatre Workshop. The results will impress you. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At first, the idea of a Jane Austen novel as a musical seemed strange, but I loved every minute. The music was so pleasing, and the lyrics expressed complex emotions and situations in a way that felt natural. I could hear every word clearly, with perfect volume. This production offers</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> a delightful blend of serious social commentary, romantic tension, good humor, memorable characters, and the suspense of not knowing for sure what decisions those characters will make. With all of that, it added up to a most engaging performance. I highly recommend it. If you allow yourself to be influenced by my own p<i>ersuasion</i>, you will thank me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tickets will be gone soon! Order yours <a href="http://www.taproottheatre.org/theatres/jewell/#bt">here</a>.</span><br />
<br />Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-80270767650911616942017-06-21T15:25:00.001-07:002017-06-21T19:08:45.064-07:00A Review — "Downstairs" at ACT Theatre is Riveting Drama<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Photo provided by MR Toomey Photography</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Seattle premier of the play <a href="http://www.theatre22.org/downstairs/" style="font-style: italic;">Downstairs</a>, written by <a href="http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/Downstairs#ThePlaywright">Theresa Rebeck</a> and directed by Julie Beckman, features a cast of three who create an </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">intense drama. Within the walls of The </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bullitt Cabaret at <a href="http://acttheatre.org/">ACT-A Contemporary Theatre,</a> in Seattle,<i> </i>this play is set in </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a cluttered basement room. There, safety, danger, shelter, exposure, love, hate, fear, hope, and courage all share space far from the light of day. Not even the room's dark corners provide a place for the characters to hide. They must face painful truths about themselves and others before they can emerge as changed human beings, except for one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Producing Artistic Director Corey McDaniel founded <a href="http://theatre22.org/">Theatre22</a>, which partnered with ACTLab to cooperatively produce this play. </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Downstairs </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">has </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">its roots in the ACT Construction Zone, a festival focused on new plays. From a field of 100 works solicited for the event, <i>Downstairs</i> was among four finalists presented as readings in the autumn of 2016 before being chosen as the <i>one</i> to be fully produced. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Photo provided by MR Toomey Photography</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Downstairs </i>tells the story of a troubled and destructive marriage overlapping the relationship between adult siblings, a brother and sister scarred by their late mother's apparent mental illness and their father's early death. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Caught in the middle is Irene, both wife and sister, played by Christine Marie Brown. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Brandon Ryan portrays her highly intelligent but sometimes semi-unintelligible brother, Teddy. Disheveled, unemployed and seemingly homeless, he justifies his extended "visit" and occupancy of Gerry and Irene's basement by claiming he is owed the favor. He feels cheated of his inheritance. According to Irene, however, when their mother's estate was being settled, he was too unstable to receive and handle his share. Teddy also </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hints at imminent plans, entrepreneurial opportunities he refuses to reveal. His</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">presence, deeply resented by Gerry, changes the status quo of the marriage and becomes the catalyst for a crisis capable of destroying everything. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Irene, at first, is rather cool toward her brother. Yet, i</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">n the contradictory and strange dance of their relationship, they each display frustration, annoyance, disagreement, nervous concern, and tender affection. None of this is ever boring. In fact, the play grows more interesting with each line.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> We realize Irene is <i>nervous</i> for both of them. The more she talks, the more we see her loneliness, low self-esteem, and isolation. She is trapped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">John Q. Smith plays the part of Irene's husband, Gerry, who does not actually appear until the second act. By the time he does, the siblings have already revealed enough about him to mix trepidation with the anticipation.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although Irene makes excuses for Gerry's behavior, she also lets slip to her brother how she has seen the monster within. Her lines included:</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Something came out and looked at me. It showed its face." and "He says mean things, terrible things."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The basement room contains a sofa, a workbench above which Gerry's tools hang, a coffee pot, often handled and looked at, but seemingly never containing fresh coffee, a trunk on which sits a supposedly non-working computer (which will become signifiant), some shelving, and various pieces of clutter, such as cardboard boxes and an old lampshade. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A curtain covers the doorway to a bathroom, and stairs lead up into the house. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Within this environment, Teddy survives on cereal and food his sister prepares and brings to him. He never leaves until the traumatic day he must. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Photo provided by MR Toomey Photography</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Blankets and afghans lie around on the sofa, floor, and elsewhere. When Irene ventures downstairs to talk to her brother, her handling of these props reveals her mental and emotional state. One minute she is testily tidying, folding them and placing them on the nearby shelves as an attempt to create order from the chaos of her existence. The next minute, she curls up on the sofa with one around her shoulders, seeking comfort. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Likewise, the exchanges between the siblings can sound sensible or indicative of a mutual madness. Teddy is more obviously mentally ill, but sees certain truths clearly. Irene protects herself with extreme denial and tries to hide a festering anger. Her comments vacillate between near panic over her husband's growing and dangerous resentment to her rosy recollections of life with the mother she and Teddy view quite differently</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Members of the audience may, themselves, feel vulnerable on their ride through this </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">gripping tale. Beware—it deals with abuse. Emotional abuse is built into the script. The threat of physical abuse hovers, ever present. For anyone who has experience either, it might hit too close to home. A disturbing reference to animal cruelty also occurs. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As the tension builds, characters become emboldened and surprise us. This drama makes you aware of how a human being who never seemed the type could be pushed to the brink of violence. A few actions will literally startle you.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Photo provided by MR Toomey Photography</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Only the best cast and creative team can make this play work. (Learn more about them <a href="http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/Downstairs#CastandCreativeTeam">here</a>.) Brown's advanced skills enable her to navigate a complex role and sob so convincingly one truly feels her pain. She is a fearful "pleaser" with plenty of suppressed anger. Ryan, as Teddy, draws our empathy along with some suspicion. His rambling lines would not be easy to memorize or execute, but he has mastered them. Smith gave a stunning performance. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the most chilling moments comes when Gerry finally appears on those stairs. Without saying a word, at first, Smith makes his character terribly threatening, his palpable malevolence coiled behind a thin wall of feigned civility, waiting to strike.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In response to a comment from Teddy, Gerry coldly says, "Trust me, you will know when things are not polite. I don't care what you think , and I don't care what she thinks."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Photo provided by MR Toomey Photography</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, this is a dark tale, but not entirely, or forever. If even offers small doses of humor. At the very heart of it, and as its motivation, lie hope and the potential for healing. A story, in order to be a story, must take characters on a journey, and this one does. Each will reveal inner weaknesses and strengths, for good or evil, as they follow the paths to their inevitable futures. If you prefer an evening of light entertainment, see something else. If you want to experience truly riveting theater,</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/Downstairs#Tickets" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">get your tickets now</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Note: Although these photos appear dark, the lighting on stage is much brighter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-84735776086109514702017-06-19T17:53:00.000-07:002017-06-19T18:57:27.895-07:00"ROMY AND MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION" is probably much more fun than yours was — A Review<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Cortney Wolfson as Romy and Stephanie Renee Wall as Michele in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I could begin this review of the musical <i><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/Romy-and-Micheles-High-School-Reunion">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</a></i> with the words, "<a href="http://5thavenue.org/">The 5th Avenue Theatre</a> has done it again!" But then I would be repeating myself. The 5th is renowned for the number and quality of its <a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/new-works-program">new works</a>. I</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">n the past 17 years, the amazing talents there have created 18 new musicals, including this one. Nine of them have gone on to Broadway. Two have won Tony Awards® for Best Musical. Therefore, I will begin instead with the ending—a standing ovation accompanied by as much applause as I have ever heard within the walls of <a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/about/about-the-5th">this historic theater</a>. That level </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">is likely to continue every night during its run, which ends on July 2, 2017. Everyone can relate to its messages. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This high-energy, colorful, and fun musical, is based on the 1997 film by the same name, which I must confess I have never seen. Regardless of how it might compare with the film, this production dazzled the crowd on opening night.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Stephanie Renee Wall (Romy), Cortney Wolfson (Michele) and the cast of </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Directed by Kristin Hanggi, </span><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/Romy-and-Micheles-High-School-Reunion" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> takes a realistic look at the anxiety surrounding any 10th high school reunion. In this case, it's taking place in 1997 for the Class of 1987 from fictitious Sagebrush High in Tucson, Arizona. Devoted best friends, Romy White (Cortney Wolfson) and Michele Weinberger (Stephanie Renee Wall) have been roommates since graduation, now living in Los Angeles. One is employed and one is not. They spend a lot of time in bathrobes, sitting on the couch in their messy apartment, watching TV. Or maybe they dress in the over-the-top fashions they prefer and hit the club scene. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When Romy and Michele receive a reminder that their class reunion is happening in two weeks, they debate whether to attend or not. Once they agree to go, they are in a mad dash to come up with facetious ways to impress their classmates and hide the fact that they have next to nothing to show for an entire decade after graduation. They pretend to be business women, each claiming (separately) to have invented Post-it® Notes. The results of how they clumsily execute these falsehoods, along with revelations of their real feelings about and for each other, test their friendship and give the story the tension it needs to be more than a cliché. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJlS6uZ7EoTDURv_vHJ5WLszJ1kcUEJMOMv93T5S9pVmhCgx9c7l6Jev8BciqUzAT7855Vieb1jN0weYAlxNiUdzV9dL9vRTxmSkND3t2UFSEwf43HiHRam4w-iPEe5XbW9LQPipKHw/s1600/1_Cortney_Wolfson_%2528Romy_White%2529_and_Stephanie_Renee_Wall_%2528Michele_Weinberger%2529_in_Romy_and_Micheles_High_School_Reunion_-_Photo_Credit_Tracy_Martin-600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJlS6uZ7EoTDURv_vHJ5WLszJ1kcUEJMOMv93T5S9pVmhCgx9c7l6Jev8BciqUzAT7855Vieb1jN0weYAlxNiUdzV9dL9vRTxmSkND3t2UFSEwf43HiHRam4w-iPEe5XbW9LQPipKHw/s400/1_Cortney_Wolfson_%2528Romy_White%2529_and_Stephanie_Renee_Wall_%2528Michele_Weinberger%2529_in_Romy_and_Micheles_High_School_Reunion_-_Photo_Credit_Tracy_Martin-600x400.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Cortney Wolfson (Romy White) and Stephanie Renee Wall (Michele Weinberger) in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit Tracy Martin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/Romy-and-Micheles-High-School-Reunion">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</a></i> explores the nature of friendship, the viciousness of high school's mini society, the pressure to succeed and to survive harsh judgement, and the self discovery and self acceptance hopefully acquired with maturity. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Who doesn't remember a caste system dominated by your own high school's equivalent to this musical's "A-group," clique of snobbish girls? In this case, they are the cheerleaders, a unfair stereotype, to be honest, but one often held up as an example. Their mean-spirited leader is Christie Masters (Tess Soltau) who has claimed and will dominate the school's most popular male heart throb, Billy Christianson (Michael Starr). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP85z0EAFKSXILTK0Lcl8uko4_tupUJurHv6KfDl35e3zSZofLGdF7jl6BtAAuKaZwx2wEwhWJeceGlwrrAmR2VMHPA4XFY7Gq0sV-sCcR_eDUE8Oxy7QI01Dv6S_fi_AK53u0RO-zvw/s1600/Hannah_Schuerman_%2528Toby_Walters%2529_in_Romy_and_Micheles_High_School_Reunion_-_Photo_Credit_Mark_Kitaoka-600x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP85z0EAFKSXILTK0Lcl8uko4_tupUJurHv6KfDl35e3zSZofLGdF7jl6BtAAuKaZwx2wEwhWJeceGlwrrAmR2VMHPA4XFY7Gq0sV-sCcR_eDUE8Oxy7QI01Dv6S_fi_AK53u0RO-zvw/s640/Hannah_Schuerman_%2528Toby_Walters%2529_in_Romy_and_Micheles_High_School_Reunion_-_Photo_Credit_Mark_Kitaoka-600x900.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Hannah Schuerman (Toby Walters) in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sometimes insecurity and immaturity can make "nice" people be cruel. Then there are the not-nice ones who will always be that way. As in real life, elevated social status in high school does not always last. Most of us have seen popular kids end up losers and some of the so-called "losers" end up great successes. To its credit, the musical is honest in showing how even the victims and the heroines themselves were capable of hurting others in turn. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Among those carrying wounds from the past are three quintessentially typical characters every class has. They are the rebel "bad girl" smoker Heather Mooney (Jordan Kai Burnett), the cheerful goody-goody, Toby Walters (Hannah Schuerman) who is nice to everyone, even those who laugh at her behind her back, and the nerdy guy whose attentions are always rejected, in this case Sandy Frink (Michael Thomas Grant). Like the two co-stars, all these other cast members, </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">and the ensemble</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, gave outstanding performances.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Jordan Kai Burnett (Heather Mooney) in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit Tracy Martin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The show's fine acting and singing, impressive dancing, and, more made for non-stop enjoyment. The music and lyrics, by Gwendolyn Sanford and Brandon Jay, don't hold back. Fabulous choreography by Peggy Hickey and the work of Dance Captain Trina Mills made it hard to even blink your eyes. The dance moves synchronized perfectly with the music. Tim Symons directed, and played in, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a great combo of keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums. Amy Clark dressed the cast in the ideal costumes. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another fine aspect was The 5th Avenue's typically versatile, well-functioning, and clever stage sets, this time designed by Donyale </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Werle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although the truths presented in this musical exist in every generation, certain aspects of the show can make the viewer aware of generational differences too. Its flavor, and rightfully so, is definitely of the 1980s and '90s, making those of us who were busy being parents by then feel uncomfortably old. The music stuck me as being a bit too loud, but I think people who did graduate in 1987 probably liked it that way. On the plus side, even with the volume up, I could hear and understand all the lyrics, so kudos to Christopher Walker's excellent sound design and the engineering. Some of the bright lights shining right in my eyes at times bothered me a little, but again, I might be extra sensitive to that. The lighting overall greatly enhanced this musical. It was definitely a visual treat in so many ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Of course it is silly. Of course some aspects of the plot seem farfetched. But we go to musicals to escape the real world for a couple of hours and be happily entertained. No one fulfills that wish with as much style, class, quality, and pizazz, or true success, as this wonderful venue. Considering all that, I guess I <i>will </i>end up repeating myself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"The 5th Avenue Theatre has done it again!" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Treat yourself to the pleasure of <i><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/Romy-and-Micheles-High-School-Reunion">Romy and Michele's High School Reunion</a>. </i>For your convenience, here's a link to the <a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/syos/Romy-and-Micheles-High-School-Reunion">online box office</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Please "like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodLifeNorthwest/">Good Life Northwest on Facebook</a>. Thanks!</i></span></span>Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-11179090632241970622017-06-15T17:53:00.000-07:002018-03-20T18:04:36.923-07:00"Cultural imPRINT" Exhibit at Tacoma Art Museum Highlights Northwest Native Printmakers<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Ben Davidson (b. 1976)
Haida First Nation<br />
</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">Just About</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, 2014
Screenprint
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">281⁄2 × 181⁄2 inches<br />
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Ben Davidson (b. 1976), Haida First Nation, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">Just About</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, 2014. Screenprint, 281⁄2 × 181⁄2 inches. Burke
Museum of Natural History and Culture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you think of Northwest Coast Native and First Nations art, you probably picture three-dimensional carvings, jewelry, or basketry, but an exhibition at the Tacoma Art Museum will expand your perceptions.<i> </i>Titled <i><a href="http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/exhibit/cultural-imprint-northwest-coast-prints/details/">Cultural imPRINT: Northwest Coast Prints</a></i>, it provides a stunning survey of printmaking by contemporary Northwest native artists. Artists from these indigenous communities have been exploring <i>and innovating</i> within this two-dimensional art form as a means of cultural and personal expression since the 1960s. The ancient stylized images of animal, human, aquatic and other forms seen in nature, and the typical colors most of us associate with native art, translate beautifully into prints. However, this display of close to 50 pieces also includes some most interesting surprises. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/exhibit/cultural-imprint-northwest-coast-prints/details/">Cultural imPRINT</a> </i>resulted from a partnership between Northwest native art enthusiasts north and south of the 49th parallel. Tacoma Art Museum's Haub Curator of Western American Art, Faith Brower, and guest curator and Haub Fellow, India Young, from Victoria, B.C., cooperated to create and present this wonderful display for the museum's visitors to enjoy. The works are presented with a theme, which Brower refers to as "intergenerational legacies." This exhibition closes on August 20, 2017 and is not to be missed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Marika Swan (b. 1982)<br />
Nuu-chah-nulth, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation
</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">Becoming Worthy—State I</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, 2016<br />
Digital print<br />
28</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">3⁄8 </span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">× 321⁄2 inches<br />
Courtesy of Stonington Gallery
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Marika Swan (b. 1982), Nuu-chah-nulth, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">Becoming Worthy—State I</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, 2016.
Digital print, 28</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">3⁄8 </span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">× 321⁄2 inches. Courtesy of Stonington Gallery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">"We really hope that our visitors are able to take away a greater appreciation for the Northwest coast region and a better understanding for the people who live in this area," Brower said. "</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We also hope that the exhibition is able to communicate the idea that a lot of these contemporary artists are able to honor their cultures and traditions through this artwork, and they are also able to find their own voices and bring their own experience into the artwork."</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Many people are less familiar with this type of art in print form than others, et these artists have been very prolific. Young estimated the potential number of prints in circulation to be up to 10,000. She also mentioned that, while showing artists familiar to many people, the exhibition also shows those who "continue to share their specific cultural knowledge in new ways." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Phil Janzé (b. 1950; d. 2016)
Gitxsan First Nation<br />
</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">Robin’s Egg</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, 1981<br />
Digital print
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">11 × 15 inches<br />
Courtesy of Lattimer Gallery
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Phil Janzé (b. 1950; d. 2016), Gitxsan First Nation, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">Robin’s Egg</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, 1981. Digital print, 11 × 15 inches.
Courtesy of Lattimer Gallery. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"It’s just an imprint, because there’s so much work out there," Young said. "We can only capture a small portion of that history and ongoing legacy."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Even that small portion offers a </span>visually<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> rich, interesting, and educational experience. You will be glad to have discovered this particular printmaking world.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"This show is filled with incredible work," Brower said. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I could not agree more.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Click <a href="http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/visit/hours-admission/">HERE</a> for information on hours and admission, and please remember that every third Thursday is FREE between 5 and 8 p.m. The next third Thursday will be June 22nd, this coming week. Do you need directions or other information? Please see this <a href="http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/visit/plan-visit/">"Plan Your Visit"</a> link.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Robert Davidson (b. 1946)
Haida First Nation<br />
</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">Before the Snag</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, 1997
Screenprint
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">58 × 44 inches<br />
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Robert Davidson (b. 1946), Haida First Nation, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">Before the Snag</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 11.000000pt;">, 1997. Screenprint, 58 × 44 inches.
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two other news items related to this exhibition might also be of interest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://Robert Davidson (b. 1946) Haida First Nation Before the Snag, 1997 Screenprint 58 × 44 inches Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Robert Davidson (b. 1946), Haida First Nation, Before the Snag, 1997. Screenprint, 58 × 44 inches. Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture.">CALL FOR NATIVE FASHION DESIGNERS!!!</a> DEADLINE JUNE 27, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Coming up on Saturday, August 19, 2017 </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> FREE "IN THE SPIRIT" COMMUNITY FESTIVAL—</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.7px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Held in partnership with the Washington State History Museum, the annual “In the Spirit” community festival combines both museum’s popular festivals, allowing the community to come together and experience a cultural showcase. The festival features art exhibitions at both museums, a market and a fashion show. Be sure to catch the art exhibitions, as both exhibitions close the next day, August 20. Check this link (<a href="http://www.washingtonhistory.org/visit/wshm/eventsprograms/festivals/spirit/"><span style="color: blue; line-height: normal;">http://www.washingtonhistory.org/visit/wshm/eventsprograms/festivals/spirit/</span></a> for more details on this event!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Please "like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodLifeNorthwest/">Good Life Northwest on Facebook</a>. Thank you!</i></span></div>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-69387494921166570042017-05-31T18:15:00.000-07:002017-05-31T18:15:38.754-07:00Antique Tractor Show and Pull This Weekend on the Olympic Peninsula<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you love antique tractors, here is a fun idea for the weekend. Members of the <a href="http://www.opatea.org/">Olympic Peninsula Antique Tractor & Engine Association</a> have been busy for months preparing for the club's annual tractor show and pull. It takes place on June 3-4 at the south end of the <a href="https://www.airnav.com/airport/4WA9">Port Orchard Airport </a>property, easy to find from Highway 16 on the Olympic Peninsula. Click <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Port+Orchard/@47.4376645,-122.6820466,13.3z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x1157497df908d5fb!8m2!3d47.4359085!4d-122.6634212">HERE</a> to view a map.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_224841766"></span><span id="goog_224841767"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLDRetJw6SmQNaqPJzv4JQ3ZewvLddGtUU3yTluOFcK2wWvpG5rd8jsIif0-IFe4YKip561MBErnfuo3HOK9y7A3wODMzHNhwrrUxBfPeb9DqUeIVnPSMAb4TsSnfxgmK0jcwaXCbpQ/s1600/2017-Show-Flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1164" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLDRetJw6SmQNaqPJzv4JQ3ZewvLddGtUU3yTluOFcK2wWvpG5rd8jsIif0-IFe4YKip561MBErnfuo3HOK9y7A3wODMzHNhwrrUxBfPeb9DqUeIVnPSMAb4TsSnfxgmK0jcwaXCbpQ/s640/2017-Show-Flyer.jpg" width="465" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you're wondering what this event will involve, please take a look at the schedule shown below. There are all kinds of activities to participate in or enjoy watching. What a fun way celebrate the (unofficial) arrival of summer!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Please "like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodLifeNorthwest/">Good Life Northwest on Facebook</a>!</i></span></div>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-70653391502094421872017-05-22T15:07:00.000-07:002017-05-24T19:59:58.657-07:00Review of "Busman's Honeymoon" at Taproot Theatre—A Murder Mystery With Something to Say<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLcHvYk3VCYpcc0MY42yrAQR8NZzjnlJfSELt7w7tltQfy23GoIbIqfpkcoWpxjOY6-lbXmPlOci00Cup4nlAYP6H85M_gTRFfjjJI2_45Kj0aC-ZFa0bJKeREYX2wpQO2g7Vy-vr_Q/s1600/20170516_571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLcHvYk3VCYpcc0MY42yrAQR8NZzjnlJfSELt7w7tltQfy23GoIbIqfpkcoWpxjOY6-lbXmPlOci00Cup4nlAYP6H85M_gTRFfjjJI2_45Kj0aC-ZFa0bJKeREYX2wpQO2g7Vy-vr_Q/s640/20170516_571.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Terry Edward Moore and Alyson Scadron Branner in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Busman’s Honeymoon</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even the most carefully planned honeymoon can have a few unpleasant surprises. For the newlyweds in </span><a href="https://www.sayers.org.uk/dorothy.html" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Dorothy L. Sayers</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">' play </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.taproottheatre.org/theatres/jewell/#bt">Busman's Honeymoon</a></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, at </span><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Taproot Theatre</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> in Seattle through June 24, 2017, the biggest surprise is the discovery of </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">a corpse</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. </span>As horrifying as this would be for anyone, it causes complications for the couple as they negotiate their respective roles, goals, and priorities in their new marriage. He is the aristocratic Lord Peter Wimsey (Terry Edward Moore), a veteran of World War I and sometimes detective. His bride, the former Harriet Vane, now Lady Peter Wimsey (Alyson Scadron Branner) writes detective novels. Although far more interested in each other than yet another case, they cannot avoid becoming involved in solving the crime that has occurred in their own newly purchased English country house.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8n6RoA3UOwf-6lw_WwQPwkzrTkS78BMjAEts5Y3i4Mr5dlKB8IlMPGj3MyKTUrVCqefwtwtuwn5r5A9HOQlAQDR4OKofnp-JIeCvFWLV90ib2dPo9SkCa_0cyb2tNiMqRH0CxQJaP6w/s1600/20170516_097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8n6RoA3UOwf-6lw_WwQPwkzrTkS78BMjAEts5Y3i4Mr5dlKB8IlMPGj3MyKTUrVCqefwtwtuwn5r5A9HOQlAQDR4OKofnp-JIeCvFWLV90ib2dPo9SkCa_0cyb2tNiMqRH0CxQJaP6w/s640/20170516_097.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Robert Gallaher, Reginald André Jackson & Jenny Cross in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Busman’s Honeymoon</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Any fantasies they have of a romantic honeymoon vanish as soon as they arrive, even before the body is found. In spite of prior arrangements, the house is not ready. In fact, on their first night there, we come to learn, the neglected fireplace chimneys smoke so badly a chimney sweep, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mr. Puffett (Reginald André Jackson) is called in to help. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The play opens to a realistic scene in the living room of the country estate with the soot-covered Mr. Puffett at work with his broom inside the fireplace and all the furniture draped with sheets. The entertaining Puffett approaches his work with pride and professionalism. He also has plenty of opinions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The cleaning lady and neighbor, Mrs. Ruddle (Pam Nolte), whose character and honestly could possibly be questioned, attends to her chores while gossiping non stop. The resentful gardener and mechanic Frank Crutchley (Kevin Pitman) wants money to open his own garage, and the butler Bunter (Nolan Palmer) tries his best to maintain order. In the midst of the chaos, Miss Twitterton (Jenny Cross), the niece of the home's former owner, arrives to introduce herself and pay her respects. She, like everyone else, is shocked to learn her uncle has sold his house. To add to the confusion, no one has seen him for days. When the butler heads to basement to retrieve some beer, the discovery of the uncle's body explains his absence. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvouN2R76HFMSFFdTbPwx4D6mQijCC6P5ln9GwIPDC360NAHdBoXixcJhev04WsqqPjt7fanQsiPr95dJAFOE2rG4KaWNVrLOXPp2lgwuZrNoQ683inQAWY8dbwl43Rf6QohTKWxAGA/s1600/20170516_424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvouN2R76HFMSFFdTbPwx4D6mQijCC6P5ln9GwIPDC360NAHdBoXixcJhev04WsqqPjt7fanQsiPr95dJAFOE2rG4KaWNVrLOXPp2lgwuZrNoQ683inQAWY8dbwl43Rf6QohTKWxAGA/s640/20170516_424.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Brad Walker, Frank Lawler &Terry Edward Moore in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Busman’s Honeymoon</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Additional characters are the policemen, Superintendent Kirk (Frank Lawler), Constable Sellon (Brad Walker), as well as The Reverend Simon Goodacre (Robert Gallaher) and Scotsman Mr. MacBride (Keith Dahlgren), a debt collector. Like all the characters, they contribute to the drama and intrigue of a many-faceted mystery involving various relationships, personal problems, motivations, and other forces that drive the narrative and keep the audience wondering. Producing Artistic Director Scott Nolte makes it all work beautifully. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From a visual standpoint, Mark Lund has designed yet another great set, and the amazingly talented Sarah Burch Gordon's costumes could not have been better. I especially loved Harriet Wimsey's stunning red and black ensemble. The entire production team deserves praise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In spite of the play's more serious aspects, such as its look at class distinctions, gender roles, cultural expectations, it is full of delightfully lighthearted moments and good humor. All characters have strong and memorable personalities, sometimes complimenting each other, sometimes clashing, sometimes sparkling with energy and liveliness. The chemistry between Lord and Lady Wimsey feels especially genuine, flirtatious, and fun, but not without some push and pull. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I would love to see these two actors perform as a couple again. On the side of less fun, t</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he angst of young Constable Sellon and heartbreak of the spinster Miss Twitterton are palpable. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhii7nooLuvv7DwOX-Lica13Qfh7kjhEEDYLNXHmOQnOD0cznq0jzemvvNZ2kVkqTTy7RQUaFgTtopo1FJmurhn8-Bx90VoE5K7q6sV_udiUA3LU0KtsdPiPV2w8sXJv_NXji7jIroPew/s1600/20170516_505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhii7nooLuvv7DwOX-Lica13Qfh7kjhEEDYLNXHmOQnOD0cznq0jzemvvNZ2kVkqTTy7RQUaFgTtopo1FJmurhn8-Bx90VoE5K7q6sV_udiUA3LU0KtsdPiPV2w8sXJv_NXji7jIroPew/s400/20170516_505.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Kevin Pitman & Jenny Cross in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Busman’s Honeymoon</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.sayers.org.uk/dorothy.html">Dorothy L. Sayers</a> first wrote <i><a href="http://www.taproottheatre.org/theatres/jewell/#bt">Busman's Honeymoon</a></i> as a play, in 1936, before publishing it as a novel in 1937. B</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">eyond writing a mere a detective story, Sayers examined the actual consequences, to <i>both</i> the accusers and the criminal, of establishing guilt and enacting justice. These serious concerns probably reflected her thoughts on the aftermath of World War I and warfare's lasting effect on soldiers. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lord Wimsey cannot possibly approach the investigation with business-like detachment. He is all too aware of how his conclusions can literally mean life or death for the accused.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Just as these characters are caught up in their circumstances, allow yourself to be caught up in this engaging play. Unlike them, you can be entertained and still walk away with your life unchanged, except perhaps having gained some material for deeper thought about the struggle between what we want and what duty requires us to do. You will also enjoy playing detective yourself as you ponder the clues in this clever "who done it" tale.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Terry Edward Moore & Alyson Scadron Branner in </span><em style="color: #656b6f; font-family: raleway, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Busman’s Honeymoon</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #656b6f; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-31976382157000876522017-04-25T11:28:00.000-07:002017-04-25T11:31:17.828-07:00"The Secret Garden" at The 5th Avenue Theatre Brings Grown-up Depth to a Childhood Favorite<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Among the many books I read as a girl, Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic children's book <i>The Secret Garden </i>remains a favorite<i>. </i>I fell in love with it all over again on opening night of </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">t</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he revival of the award-winning 1991 Broadway musical </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/The-Secret-Garden">The Secret Garden</a> </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">at</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://5thavenue.org/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 5th Avenue Theatre</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, in Seattle. It runs there until May 6, 2017.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The story, originally serialized in 1910, appeared shortly after in book form and remained popular throughout my 1960s childhood, at least. As an adult, I now </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">appreciate this story even more, as moving and meaningful in a most grown-up way. Presented with stunning beauty in all aspects of the sets, lighting, sound, music, costumes, and special effects, it becomes a magical experience.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 5th Avenue Theater's Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong not only directs this masterpiece but also did the choreography. His exceptional taste and talents maximize the potential of Marsha Norman's book and lyrics, Lucy Simon's music, and the fine cast. The production is the product of a collaboration between The 5th Avenue and the <a href="http://shakespeartheatre.org/">Shakespeare Theatre Company</a> in Washington D.C. It includes impressive and award-wining actors from our nation's opposite shore as well as the Pacific Northwest. (You can learn more about cast members and read their bios by clicking <a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/The-Secret-Garden/#meet-the-cast-and-learn-more">here</a>.) </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Josh Young as Dr. Neville Craven in</span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> The Secret Garden</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">- Photo Credit: Tracy Martin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like all children of rich, indulgent, but indifferent parents, who provide material things in place of genuine love and closeness, the young protagonist, Mary Lennox (Bea Corley) was already a miserable, bossy, unappealing, and lonely child when orphaned in late 19th century India. Her parents, there as part of the British Raj, die in a cholera epidemic. So does the woman who comes closest to being her surrogate</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> mother, the servant Aya (Maya Maniar)</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Other servants abandon the household out of fear, leaving the child completely alone. After being discovered by British military officers, she is sent back to England to live at the Yorkshire country estate of her appointed guardian, a reclusive and hunchbacked uncle named Archibald Craven, played by Broadway and West End star Tam Mutu. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"><span id="goog_2132537263"></span>Daisy Eagan as Martha and Bea Corley as Mary Lennox in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Secret Garden</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit: Tracy Martin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the estate's staff tries to be loving and patient with this difficult girl who needs to learn how to get along with others. She has not known parental love and normal family life, or even friendships with peers. Seattle favorite Marianne Owen gives a fine performance as the housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock. So does Daisy Eagan as the warm and charming maid, Martha. Coincidentally, Eagan herself played the role of Mary Lennox in the original Broadway production of <i>The Secret Garden</i>. She became the youngest female actor to win a Tony Award® for Best Musical as a result. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Tam Mutu as Archibald Craven and Lizzie Klemperer as Lily Craven in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Secret Garden</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The actual garden in "The Secret Garden" was the special haven of Archibald Craven's young wife, Lily (Lizzie Klemperer). After her death, he sank into a pathetic existence as a mournful recluse who cannot accept or move beyond his loss. Long before Mary's arrival, the gate to this walled garden was locked and the key hidden. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Special effects abound in this spectacular production. My favorite was the large artist's portrait of Lily, complete with the rich and glowing colors of a Maxfield Parish painting. From within the frame on the wall, she comes to life and sings, her unforgettable soprano voice filling the theater. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ignored by her uncle in his vast estate on the Yorkshire moors, Mary's only companions are her nursemaid Martha, Martha's brother Dickon (Charlie Franklin) and the old gardener, Ben Weatherstaff (Seán G. Griffin). From them, this lost and lonely child begins to discover the joys of both nature and friendship, instead of being entirely focused on herself. She also obsesses about the overgrown and neglected garden and wants desperately to get inside. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLF2beS_L4OtgPj3GlxFWLkwrOR5gYlvu_pm-EG812j4es9iCAMnkMWkDDKtjddap7jd-gCsujRQFhO5cFM0K2x0voSfJPxY3xM6G2WBfHuwpZPamCY4OSBECHQEJVK3wyTjtjlLXJw/s1600/Bea_Corley_as_Mary_Lennox_and_Lizzie_Klemperer_as_Lily_in_The_Secret_Garden_at_The_5th_Avenue_Theatre_-_Photo_Credit_Mark_Kitaoka-600x302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLF2beS_L4OtgPj3GlxFWLkwrOR5gYlvu_pm-EG812j4es9iCAMnkMWkDDKtjddap7jd-gCsujRQFhO5cFM0K2x0voSfJPxY3xM6G2WBfHuwpZPamCY4OSBECHQEJVK3wyTjtjlLXJw/s400/Bea_Corley_as_Mary_Lennox_and_Lizzie_Klemperer_as_Lily_in_The_Secret_Garden_at_The_5th_Avenue_Theatre_-_Photo_Credit_Mark_Kitaoka-600x302.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Bea Corley as Mary Lennox and Lizzie Klemperer as Lily Craven in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Secret Garden</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After hearing cries in the night, young Mary discovers another secret. Confined to his room is her equally miserable cousin, Colin Craven (</span>Guthrie Greenwood Bettinger), a boy about her age. He is the son of her Uncle Archibald and late Aunt Lily. After his mother died in childbirth, for all the following years, he was hidden, kept in bed, and sometimes drugged by a physician uncle, Doctor Neville Craven (Josh Young), Archibald's younger brother. The decision was supposedly an attempt to preserve the seemingly fragile life of the tiny infant, and out of fear that he would inherit his father's deformity. This part of the story is the most difficult to fathom, but true to the book. Archibald, because of his unbearable grief, sees his son only when the boy is asleep. The doctor, whose motivations complicate the plot, has convinced the child that he cannot walk and will die. After Mary's intervention, his life will change. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The garden will come to symbolize the very idea of spring and rejuvenation, both botanically speaking and within the human heart. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Lizzie Kelmperer as Lily Craven and Coleman Hunter as Colin Craven in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Secret Garden</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mary and Colin, each dealing with challenges and circumstances imposed on them by adults, will finally discover within the walls of the Secret Garden the freedom and joy every childhood should include. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Both of these young actors amazed me with singing abilities beyond their years. They sang with confidence, clarity, and volume, worthy to perform with the adult actors around them, whose vocals were <i>consistently</i> excellent, moving, and beautiful. At times, this musical seems more like opera, accompanied by the theater's outstanding orchestra, at its best. In fact, this entire production is The 5th Avenue at its best, in every way.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Cast of </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Secret Garden</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> - Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you need to be uplifted by a story about hope and the renewal of the spirit, this is it. And speaking of spirits, this musical is populated with them, eight spirits in all. Illuminated and ever present, they poignantly suggest that past and present may exist simultaneously, with our absent loved ones still near, though unseen. The loved ones surrounding me when I was the little girl who read this book decades ago, seemed close as I sat in the audience. Revisited your own memories of childhood wonder and innocence, in the context of your adult perspective. Make plans now to see </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/The-Secret-Garden">The Secret Garden</a>. </i></span></div>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-90936106467207305112017-04-06T13:52:00.000-07:002017-04-07T10:25:27.853-07:00"Evidence of Things Unseen" at Taproot Theatre Poignantly Mirrors Real Life — A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No matter who you are, the play </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/about-evidence-of-things-unseen/">Evidence of Things Unseen</a></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, at Seattle's </span><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Taproot Theatre</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> now through April 29, will feel personal to you. Life is complicated, for all of us. This finely crafted drama by Seattle native </span><a href="https://www.playscripts.com/playwrights/bios/619" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Katie Forgette</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> takes the raw clay of that simple truth and sculpts a story filled with the pain of grief and the release of humor, tension and tenderness, the desire for revenge and the need to let go. Forgette's complex characters will remind you of friends, family members, or even yourself. Their conversations sound natural and believable, spiced with wittiness. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Above all, this beautifully acted play is a story of finding grace.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyBCEUn9idJZutbiDQc-s4UKa1I-Gnpb7idoOnF7KabFabV7I_EiX8HLc0aRVCxDCg2oJdnfcd-kOZZkR4nBL3WA7cs10XvvvvXKX2DrjVaYwpN0eAG9lLyS4DLl6dQAmNP6L9eeqZA/s1600/20170328_086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyBCEUn9idJZutbiDQc-s4UKa1I-Gnpb7idoOnF7KabFabV7I_EiX8HLc0aRVCxDCg2oJdnfcd-kOZZkR4nBL3WA7cs10XvvvvXKX2DrjVaYwpN0eAG9lLyS4DLl6dQAmNP6L9eeqZA/s640/20170328_086.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;">Michael Winters, Christine Marie Brown and Jenny Vaughn Hall in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Evidence of Things Unseen</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two very different sisters each love their elderly father and want to help him deal with a tragedy even as they struggle to do so themselves. Jane (<a href="http://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/421971-jenny-vaughn-hall">Jenny Vaughn Hall</a>, who impressed me before in <i><a href="http://goodlifenw.blogspot.com/2015/04/best-of-enemies-at-taproot-theatre.html">Best of Enemies</a></i>) turns to her Christian beliefs while her sister Abigail (<a href="http://talent.tpsonline.org/?M=6743">Christine Marie Brown</a>) has little patience with all of that. Their opposing views create seemingly irreconcilable conflicts. In spite of their obvious love for each other, jealousies and insecurities surface. Choosing action over passivity, Abigail seeks justice above all, but will find that it is not a simple or satisfying matter. Their most lovable father, Jack (<a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/seattle-actor-michael-winters-on-why-shakespeares-his-man/">Michael Winters</a>), a former academic, is living in a care facility, where bird watching remains his only joy. Their three-partner dance involves fluid shifts of protectiveness, parent/child dynamics, and personal power. They perform this dance to the music of genuine love and concern for each other, even while not always quite in step.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The fourth character, Daniel (<a href="http://talent.tpsonline.org/?M=10927">Chip Wood</a>), seems to be the axis of guilt and regret, from which fateful consequences swirl outward to envelope other lives. Yet he has his own story too. The script raises seriously questions about responsibility and accountability when personal pain leads to choices that affect others.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then there are the ghosts who also dwell on the edges of this expanding universe, beyond reach, but forever a part of it. We all have those. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;">Christine Marie Brown, Michael Winters and Jenny Vaughn Hall in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Evidence of Things Unseen</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another kind of loss examined, if lightly, in this play is the very real loss of personal power over one's bodily capabilities, range of choices, and living circumstances, as aging occurs. Jack's sense of losing his significance to society feels painfully real, thinking of our own parents and what lies ahead for each of us. What he must face reminds me of a sad observation. No matter how well life is lived, or how many decades people have faithfully "paid their dues," they never seem to reach the point where the work is done and they can simply, happily, coast along. Even to the very end, most of us will continue to be called upon to face and adjust to loss and change.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We all have families. We all experience loss. We all struggle, at times, to understand why things happen the way they do. And that goes for even the most religiously devout among us. At one point, the frustrated Jane looks heavenward and says, "You can step in any time now!" Is there really a grand plan behind the way lives intersect as they do, or do events happen randomly? Can we love and work together for a greater good, even we disagree? These questions and more, make the play relatable to every person in the audience.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Beautifully spare in terms of props, actors, and explanations, the play manages in only about 80 minutes, and with a storyline covering only a few days, to give us the sense of decades of marriage, misunderstandings, mistakes, and personal journeys of growth. Scott Nolte's excellent direction draws the best from these fine actors and a powerful script that also includes many very funny lines. I have seen so much great acting at Taproot, and this is some of the best. </span></span><br />
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Michael Winters and Jenny Vaughn Hall in <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Evidence of Things Unseen</em> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Through the use of sound effects—singing birds and flowing water—we immerse ourselves in the peacefulness of nature. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In contrast to these imagined bucolic scenes, however, is the background to this stage set, which, frankly, detracted. I have always loved the sets at Taproot, and expect to again, but not this one. I would describe it as a tangled, thorny-looking, and slightly disturbing frame at the back of the stage that seemed incongruent with the story, although dramaturg Sonja Lowe would disagree. In an article in the program titled </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fragmented Wholeness, </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">she explains how the abstract structures Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira creates from found scraps of wood, refuse of the streets, inspired scenic designer Amanda Sweger. Meant to represent "brokenness and wholeness," its symbolism was apparently too subtle for my mind. Instead, it merely distracted from a beautiful, although painful, story. At times, I felt the same way about the music, although the sound design in general was well done.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Those were the only two slight negatives in this most worthwhile and moving production. As usual, Sarah Burch Gordon's costume design is pure perfection. The way she dressed these characters said as much about their personalities and tastes as any lines spoken.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This intense and beautifully acted play brings memories of our own moments of family drama, sibling tensions, and questions that remain unanswered. The tenderness I felt toward the father, Jack, clearly came from my own experiences at the end of my own father's life. In the case of this particular family in <i>Evidence of Things Unseen</i>, the things unseen, the "truths," can only be viewed from a distance, by stepping back far enough from ourselves and our own perceptions to see the greater whole, the biggest of the big pictures. The evidence that meaning does exist must be, simply, the existence of love. Reconnect with yours at Taproot. I highly recommend this play.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For tickets, see <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/">http://taproottheatre.org </a> or call (206) 781-9708. </span></span><br />
<br />Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-85496236860226272852017-02-20T12:49:00.005-08:002017-02-20T13:33:57.847-08:00Review of "THE PAJAMA GAME" at The 5th Avenue Theatre — No slumber at this lively party.<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/The-Pajama-Game">The </a></i></span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/The-Pajama-Game">Pajama Game</a>, </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, now through March 5, 2017, invites your news-weary brain to</span><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;"> slip into something more comfortable. But don't expect to get any sleep. This rollicking musical packs great music, dance, and song into a tale of workplace romance, office politics, and labor union woes, all with a happy resolution. Based on a 1953 novel called <i>7 1/2 Cents</i>, by Richard Bissell, it portrays both romantic and economic conflicts in a story about the struggles employees of the Sleep-Tite pajama factory face when they ask for a raise in that amount. The company's owner, Mr. Hasler (David Pichette), will have none of it and expects his handsome new hire, Supervisor Sid Sorokin (Josh Davis) to support and enforce his views. When Sorokin falls for the union's Grievance Committee head, Katherine "Babe" Williams (Billie Wildrick), the sexual tension heats up, especially with the two of them on opposite sides of the issue. The story is dated, true, but put it in the context of society in the 1950s, get past the issues, and just enjoy it for what it is.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Sid Sorokin (Joshua Davis) and Katherine "Babe" Williams (Billie Wildrick) in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Pajama Game</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> at The 5th Avenue Theatre.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;" /><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Photo credit Tracy Martin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;">George Abbott and Richard Bissell wrote the book for this musical, which first opened on Broadway on May 13, 1954, winning Tony Awards</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">® in 1955 in three categories— Best Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, for Carol Haney, and Best Choreography, for Bob Fosse. </span>Richard Adler and Jerry Ross wrote the music and lyrics for this and their other hit, <i>Damn Yankees</i>, before Ross died suddenly and unexpectedly in 1955. Unlike other teams, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Adler and Ross were each </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">both </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">composer and lyricist </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">contributed their skills equally. Post war musicals, like the era's pop music (not counting rock 'n' roll) had a tamer, more civilized sound than during the </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Swing Years</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he energy of </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Pajama Game</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> harkened back to the spectacularly jazzy and lively musicals of the 1930s. Tunes like </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Steam Heat</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hey There</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There Once Was a Man</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hernado's Hideaway</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> thrilled audiences and became hits in their own right. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Gladys (Sarah Rose Davis) dances at Hernando's Hideaway in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Pajama Game</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> at The 5th Avenue Theatre.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;" /><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Photo credit Tracy Martin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No group of musicians could have performed these tunes better than the fabulous orchestra at <a href="http://5thavenue.org/">The 5th Avenue Theatre</a> did when I attended on opening night. With musical direction by Joel Fram, this orchestra deserves much of the credit for The 5th Avenue having become the nation's supreme home for musical theater. The 17 members were flawless in their abilities. Even the volume seemed perfect. And speaking of sounds, Sound Designer Ken Travis made magic. Touches like the hiss of steam irons helped bring it all to life.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT6j0hRychwe0tzx7GzWAvIvluGWo_1QF500yJkrn2TJlOQ_kLiFCICl5PMRcXDfYgo0kQNKp2Vv2GS401f_vQTW8TptMDIiNPm9R4mm_0K-4BCug42AHdklUE_szP8Eg7VjtQaZSNQ/s1600/The_Company_of_The_Pajama_Game_-_Photo_Credit_Mark_Kitaoka-600x257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT6j0hRychwe0tzx7GzWAvIvluGWo_1QF500yJkrn2TJlOQ_kLiFCICl5PMRcXDfYgo0kQNKp2Vv2GS401f_vQTW8TptMDIiNPm9R4mm_0K-4BCug42AHdklUE_szP8Eg7VjtQaZSNQ/s400/The_Company_of_The_Pajama_Game_-_Photo_Credit_Mark_Kitaoka-600x257.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The company of </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Pajama Game</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> at The 5th Avenue Theatre.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;" /><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Photo credit Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Director Bill Berry brought out the absolute best in this talented cast, where even minor parts make major contributions to a production packed full of fun. Here is an Ensemble so full of characters with distinct and memorable personalities. The chemistry of the lead couple felt realistic in their portrayal of the hot and cold, angst and ecstasy of being madly in love. The first chance to hear Davis sing was his solo number <i>A New Town is a Blue Town. </i>The power of his voice made me eager to hear more. Then, when he and Wildrick sang as a duo, I loved the way their two fine voices seem as made for each other as their characters were. They blended beautifully, which is not always the case. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO3-VpY34nJLc06MKFs65jctpBHomIN1kuKTbWUP8HB3gd5MPLCN9MofV-zaQYioTYXmSnDUhq5Foz2SjVGovAJASoVz30rpmdXuZn4Qe_qCM4jnchEgVgHm55lNYB0v0T4EXwzKAQQ/s1600/Greg_McCormick_Allen_and_Shaunyce_Omar_in_The_Pajama_Game_-_Photo_Credit_Mark_Kitaoka-600x554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO3-VpY34nJLc06MKFs65jctpBHomIN1kuKTbWUP8HB3gd5MPLCN9MofV-zaQYioTYXmSnDUhq5Foz2SjVGovAJASoVz30rpmdXuZn4Qe_qCM4jnchEgVgHm55lNYB0v0T4EXwzKAQQ/s400/Greg_McCormick_Allen_and_Shaunyce_Omar_in_The_Pajama_Game_-_Photo_Credit_Mark_Kitaoka-600x554.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Hines (Greg McCormick Allen) and Mabel (Shaunyce Omar) in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Pajama Game</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> at The 5th Avenue Theatre. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;" /><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Photo credit Mark Kitaoka</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Other relationships, whether romantic or casual, offered just as much sparkle. Factory foreman, Hines (Greg McCormick) has a serious jealousy problem concerning his flirtatious girlfriend, the boss's secretary Gladys (Sarah Rose Davis). He deals with it (unconvincingly) with hilarious help from the receptionist, Mabel (Shaunyce Omar) in the song </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll Never be Jealous Again. </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Omar, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">McCormick, Omar, and Davis all infused their characters with so much personality they will stick in your mind. So will the boss, Mr. Hasler. Pichette gave a fun and fiery performance. So did Taryn Darr as Mae, the hot blooded, redhead union member. Other fine performances were given by Kyle Robert Carter, as the union "Prez," Allen Galli, as Babe's "Pop," and the charismatic Lauren Du Pree in the role of the employee Brenda and as a member of the Ensemble.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5JOhvYd_zx-2_nvchpo9KXcQ1sh74FR8MY2oAsp_v4KWQ-Ex0fr5M2f0JIUYNbGU2QTWjXF5NWVy1-0uI5Th1HaRpCsFxxTF67iMt64_FJQU742ChcvKByGfLiaUC5FofI7VzoRNmA/s1600/Kyle_Robert_Carter_and_Taryn_Darr_in_The_Pajama_Game_-_Photo_Credit_Tracy_Martin-600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5JOhvYd_zx-2_nvchpo9KXcQ1sh74FR8MY2oAsp_v4KWQ-Ex0fr5M2f0JIUYNbGU2QTWjXF5NWVy1-0uI5Th1HaRpCsFxxTF67iMt64_FJQU742ChcvKByGfLiaUC5FofI7VzoRNmA/s400/Kyle_Robert_Carter_and_Taryn_Darr_in_The_Pajama_Game_-_Photo_Credit_Tracy_Martin-600x400.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Prez (Kyle Carter) and Mae (Taryn Darr) in </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Pajama Game</em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;"> at The 5th Avenue Theatre.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;" /><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Photo credit Tracy Martin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bob Richard's perfect choreography (including the tap numbers I always crave) contributed so much to the revelation of character and emotion, as much as any singing or acting. Director Bill Berry, in addition to allover excellence in direction, would be the one to thank for the impactful touches of physical comedy so important to the enjoyment factor in this production. </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This cast is obviously having a great time, and the audience feels that vibe.</span><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Outside of the non-stop movement and actual dancing, the greatest visual impact came from the wow-worthy set designs, costumes, and lighting, by Carol Wolfe Clay, Rose Peterson, and Robert J. Aguilar, respectively. Wooden posts supporting the roof inside the factory magically turned into the trucks of leafy trees in a park or surrounding a house. Period perfect clothing was a delight, and the lighting used during the scene of the company picnic on a summer day seemed so natural I could almost feel the heat. Other times, as in the nightclub scene at Hernando's Hideaway, creative use of lighting made the mood.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxU-XPTYjqHQl-S8ssWO8Xofr7eemN-LccgLqF41wlkFt9s1Su7qRqxa7jzlqPLKob8wLuEALw_QrrzopVIhUP1rU5L4BAJZW0Je7Qgq2pBI6HmKfmIpd_ag8K9NhlZQs5bClzT3GZBA/s1600/The_company_of_The_Pajama_Game_-_Photo_Credit_Tracy_Martin-600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxU-XPTYjqHQl-S8ssWO8Xofr7eemN-LccgLqF41wlkFt9s1Su7qRqxa7jzlqPLKob8wLuEALw_QrrzopVIhUP1rU5L4BAJZW0Je7Qgq2pBI6HmKfmIpd_ag8K9NhlZQs5bClzT3GZBA/s400/The_company_of_The_Pajama_Game_-_Photo_Credit_Tracy_Martin-600x400.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The company of </span><em style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">The Pajama Game </em><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">at The 5th Avenue Theatre.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;" /><span style="font-family: , "helvetica neue light" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "helmet" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5600004196167px;">Photo credit Tracy Martin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whenever I watch a performance, I think about what it takes, including behind the scenes, to pull a great show together. Everyone involved gives it all they have. However, even as a reviewer who likes to emphasize the positive, I still often observe aspects of plays and musicals that, in my opinion, detract at least slightly. On our long drive home after each show we see, my husband and I discuss and compare our impressions. In this case we heartily agreed that<b> this production of <i>The Pajama Game </i>is a masterpiece, possibly the best musical we have ever seen at The 5th Avenue.</b> Dare I call it <i>flawless</i>? YES! For the first time ever, I will!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I recommend going to the theater's <a href="https://www.5thavenue.org/show/syos/The-Pajama-Game">online box office</a> right now to order tickets for <i>The Pajama Game </i>immediately. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please "like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodLifeNorthwest/">Good Life Northwest on Facebook</a>. Thanks!</span><br />
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-29143850393228420732017-02-08T15:39:00.000-08:002017-02-09T11:33:41.699-08:00"Room Service" Delivers at Taproot Theatre in Seattle— A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;">Christopher Morson in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Room Service</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On February 3, Seattle's Taproot Theatre opened its 2017 Jewell Mainstage season with the classic comedy<i> <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/room-service/">Room Service</a></i>. It sounded as appealing to me as a bowl of hot soup on that rainy, gloomy evening in this particularly dark winter, and it was. It </span></span><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;">warmed, cheered, nourished, and satisfied, but with different seasonings than I expected. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As with real room service, you don't know until you lift off the shiny domed cover whether or not the order will match the image in your mind. This did not quite match mine, but still pleased me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Knowing a bit about this work's history will help shape your own expectations. Although its promotion includes references to the famous <a href="http://www.marx-brothers.org/">Marx Brothers</a>, attendees need to understand that the original play </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">inspired </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the <a href="http://www.marx-brothers.org/watching/film/Room_Service.htm">1938 Marx Brothers movie</a> by that name, not the other way around. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;">D</span><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;"><span style="background-color: white;">aniel Stoltenberg, Erwin Galán and Eric Hampton in </span></span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Room Service</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Written by Allen Boretz and John Murray in 1937</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, the play <i>Room Service </i> lifted the spirits of </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">audiences during the Great Depression and became a hit. That success led <a href="http://rko.com/">RKO Pictures</a> to buy the rights in order to produce the 1938 film version, using the Marx Brothers. It was not as successful as other films written specifically for them, or as successful as the original play itself, which ran through 500 performances. Yet, if </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">you are a diehard Marx Brothers fan, you might expect this production's actors to imitate that unique brand of silliness, and be disappointed. Let go of that notion and appreciate it for its own merits.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;">Mike Spee, Bill Johns, Nikki Visel and Christopher Morson in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Room Service</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like the movie, Taproot's <i>Room Service, </i>directed by </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Associate Artistic Director Karen Lund, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tells</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> the story of an intrepid theater troupe, high on enthusiasm but short on funds as they try to produce a play</span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">.</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Their producer, Gordon Miller (Erwin Galán), is running up huge bills by housing all of them in the White Way Hotel while he waits to find a financial backer. Coincidentally, the manager of the hotel, Joseph Gribble (Mike Spee) is married to Miller's sister. This relationship puts poor Gribble in a most awkward and stressful position, (made all the more tense by Spee's fine acting) especially after </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hotel company executive, Gladys Wagner (Nikki Visel) arrives to whip the White Way into shape. She has had enough of Miller's overdue bills and threatens to kick out the whole theater company.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Miller, his director, Harry Binion (Daniel Stoltenberg), and his business manager, Faker England (Eric Hampton) prepare to hastily leave town when two things happen that give them hope <i>and</i> complicate matters.</span><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;"> The young playwright, small town mama's boy </span><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;">Leo Davis (Christopher Morson) unexpectedly </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">shows up at the hotel, penniless and owing money on his typewriter. With no place to go, he stays in a room shared by others who will exploit him in several ways, stealing the typewriter to buy food, and having him fake a serious illness to prevent their expulsion from the hotel. </span><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;">About the same time, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Miller's girlfriend, Christine Marlowe (Melanie Hampton) seems to have found a backer at last.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;">Eric Hampton, Melanie Hampton, Daniel Stoltenberg, Erwin Galán and Christopher Moron in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Room Service</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That backer, a well-known person, is represented by a woman named Sylvia Jenkins (Kim Morris) who arrives for a meeting with Miller to give him a check (that ultimately bounces because she stops payment). Morris's performance in this role was one of the best and funniest in the production, perfect, really. The combination of Jenkin's gushy, lady-like demeanor and obvious lust for young males creates a delightful and engaging character. Morris has also mastered the art of subtlety, making the role all the more enticing by causing one to wonder if Jenkins is really who she claims to be, or is possibly pulling off a trick of her own. In addition to playing the part of Jenkins, Morris also appeared in the smaller role of Thelma Hogarth, a representative of a collection agency, with equally hilarious results.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The tension in this play arises from several sources. Will the money come through in time to keep the troupe from being thrown out on the street? Who will be fired? Will the staged illness and possible (faked) death of Davis result in </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">scandal</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> against the hotel too great for Wagner to risk, thereby forcing her cooperation? Will Davis see his play be produced and successful, solving all their worries? </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;">Laura Lee Caudill and Christopher Morson in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Room Service</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many other facets of this fun farce offer good entertainment. A romantic attraction between Davis, and hotel employee Hilda Manney (Laura Lee Caudill) provides awkward moments. A Russian-American actor named Sasha Smirnoff (Bill Johns) wants desperately to audition for a part, to the point of bringing food from the kitchen to the theater troupe's starving leaders in exchange for the opportunity. The talented Johns excelled in this role, as well as three others. He also played Dr. Glass, a bank messenger, and Senator Blake. Stoltenberg, as the director, Binion, was another of my favorites. He could drop a hilarious comment like no one else. Hampton, as business manager Englund, offered some good laughs too, through his goofy character. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Galán, as </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Miller, the part played by Groucho Marx in the film version, is not Groucho, nor does he need to be. Without the cigar, monotone voice, and animated eyebrows, this very experienced actor did a fine job of creating his own unique version of a lively character who will do anything to produce the play, even if that involves shenanigans. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/">Taproot Theatre</a> serves up this production of <i>Room Service </i>with the perfect place setting. All action happens within a single hotel room complete with just the right furnishings and multiple doors as props. Much of the show's non-stop action involves them opening and slamming shut as character find themselves locked in or out, coming, going, hiding, and escaping. It's madcap fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The costume staff, true to my observations at all Taproot productions, did an outstanding job. Lighting, sound, and stage direction were excellent too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nikki Visel, Bill Johns and Mike Spee in <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Room Service</em> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If the play has any drawbacks at all, it could be those references to the Marx Brothers and some bits of physical comedy that came close to their style, but still fell somewhat short. The production might have tried too hard to replicate that particular zaniness, unnecessarily, since it can stand on its own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As a comedy, rather than a drama, </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Room Service</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> delivers a light meal, but one worth enjoying. It also serves to remind us, as our nation faces uncertainty, that humor helps buoy hope and the arts are critical to any society's collective intellectual and emotional well-being. (So please support live theater!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;">The show runs through March 1, 2017. In addition to the </span><a href="https://taproottheatre.secure.force.com/ticket" style="font-family: '"verdana"', sans-serif;">regular schedule</a><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;"> (with more than 20 performances remaining as of the date of this post's publication), the theater offers some special events. One is a </span><a href="https://taproottheatre.secure.force.com/ticket#sections_a0F36000008BlRtEAK" style="font-family: '"verdana"', sans-serif;">Valentine's Day performance</a><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;"> at 7:30 on Feb. 14. </span><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/intergenerational-matinee/" style="font-family: '"verdana"', sans-serif;">Intergenerational Matinee </a><span style="font-family: "\22 verdana\22 " , sans-serif;">at 10 a.m. on Feb. 15, followed by an educational post-play discussion. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/">Taproot Theatre Company</a>, a professional, no-profit theatre company, is located at 204 N 85th St., Seattle WA 98103 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Box office hours are noon-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Phone (206) 781-9707</span><strong style="border: 0px; color: white; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">O</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">X</span></strong></span><strong style="border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333332061767578px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> </strong></div>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-89854892536486514692017-01-25T12:42:00.003-08:002017-01-25T14:16:49.546-08:00PORTRAITS OF THE HOMELESS IN SEATTLE - a tent city gallery <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViivgO-5grYIe8k5w1joifBkG8WRtd5lGLwSxAlcXc7KerhPvecEFO18ZQkiGZgM_-nl83_Zv3Ccsp1Jfq158uk14s3y3OH2qQpPjGMXoWdZWGqU68viSeda2c1mAUSPs3vm5KkxvtQ/s1600/15977249_10154321302856482_306592332806856031_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViivgO-5grYIe8k5w1joifBkG8WRtd5lGLwSxAlcXc7KerhPvecEFO18ZQkiGZgM_-nl83_Zv3Ccsp1Jfq158uk14s3y3OH2qQpPjGMXoWdZWGqU68viSeda2c1mAUSPs3vm5KkxvtQ/s640/15977249_10154321302856482_306592332806856031_n.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "verdana";">The series of black and white photos, anonymous portraits, held my gaze because of their sensitivity and intimacy. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "verdana";">The work of Dr. Terry Rogers of Shoreline, Washington, they reminded me of images seen in Life magazine or National Geographic. Expressive eyes of total strangers connected with mine. Their faces seem oddly familiar, because they could belong to co-workers, friends, family members, or neighbors. As fellow humans, they were not so different from me, except for one thing. Every one of them is homeless.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "verdana";">Many of us lucky enough to live in better circumstances, at least for now, quickly assume most homeless people are criminals, drug addicts, drunks, or mentally ill. Certainly some are (as are some people who live in houses). But negative stereotypes make life as as a homeless person even more difficult for all the other who are not. I think of the young married couple I met who spent all there money to come to Seattle for promised jobs that did not materialize. Consider the family that could not pay their rent, the mother with children escaping domestic violence, the teenager who ran away for good reason, the old man, the veteran whose life fell apart, the sick and disabled without help. Yet they are, for the most part, treated as invisible human beings. Many people avoid eye contact or cross the street rather than to have any conversation. Automatic condemnation helps to justify a lack of caring or assistance.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";">Rogers, a retired Seattle area specialist in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine, is a member of <a href="http://sdchp.org/">Saint Dunstan’s Episcopal Church</a> in Shoreline, one of many Northwest churches effectively helping the homeless. When Saint Dunstan’s hosted a “tent city,” Rogers had the opportunity to meet some of the camp’s residents. I asked him to share his story of taking these photos and what the experience taught him.</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class=""><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>Good Life Northwest: </b>Please tell me about your church's efforts to help the homeless.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> This is about the third time we’ve hosted a tent city group. They usually come for about a three-month period of time. We have some undeveloped land to the east of the church on the property, so it works out pretty well for them to use this as a site.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">GLN:</b> You titled the collection of photos “<a href="http://greaterseattlecares.org/encampments/">United We Stand</a>.” What does that name represent? </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> It’s the name of this group. They named themselves and present themselves this way. This is an organized group of people who have gotten together to be an entity. There are various kinds of homeless camps. There are the sort of ad hoc spontaneous ones that just develop, but then there are groups that actually get together and support each other and try to do things that help them get along and prevail. </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">GLN:</b> How many individuals are in this group, and have you hosted them before?</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> I think we have about 30. It varies in number, but it’s between 30 and 35 people. This is the first time we have hosted this particular group. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpPtqsUB-Y7QBHF8RzXiGmrw-jrt9G_rKfyJRB7x5krbmKEdcSG-O2Vd7_Z7Ez5wYZ-iFSbc8A08P84G7e3xxylT_A06keg1b8WhZVM07vY_b6ypLXTzIlA7uwrsq6yvg-S-Ryc2_Ww/s1600/16105876_10154321303261482_6219093460578036458_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpPtqsUB-Y7QBHF8RzXiGmrw-jrt9G_rKfyJRB7x5krbmKEdcSG-O2Vd7_Z7Ez5wYZ-iFSbc8A08P84G7e3xxylT_A06keg1b8WhZVM07vY_b6ypLXTzIlA7uwrsq6yvg-S-Ryc2_Ww/s640/16105876_10154321303261482_6219093460578036458_n.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">GLN:</b> How did this opportunity to photograph the group members arise? </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> I was curious about wanting to do a project like this, so I approached the minister, the Rev. David Marshall, and asked if he thought it would be an appropriate thing to do. He said, “Yes. Just go down and talk with them.” So I did. </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";">They have sort of a central tent where they administer, or govern, their entity. I just went down and introduced myself, told them what I wanted to do. I wanted to know if anyone was interested in having a portrait taken. I would provide an 8½ x 11 copy for anyone who wanted that to occur. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6SAU4MfOKDArmmZsHQoxXGJZ0caLoc9b9snAWO8tHVQqxQxeLC23FeZuI1_Ouy7ak3uuI9rwTBw-CqxIFPS2rmy5_wHMW6QJv8tUWjgvMqdm5Y6TSDqMtWc80HXzu-x8jaNGvjyPcA/s1600/16142646_10154321303051482_6287245377958533952_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6SAU4MfOKDArmmZsHQoxXGJZ0caLoc9b9snAWO8tHVQqxQxeLC23FeZuI1_Ouy7ak3uuI9rwTBw-CqxIFPS2rmy5_wHMW6QJv8tUWjgvMqdm5Y6TSDqMtWc80HXzu-x8jaNGvjyPcA/s640/16142646_10154321303051482_6287245377958533952_n.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";">He [the group’s spokesman] said, “Sounds good. Let me bring you to our all-member meeting then.” They meet every Monday afternoon or evening. I’d left him my number and he called me on Tuesday and said, “We have some folks, so let’s do it.” </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";">There were probably five people that I took photos of initially. I printed them up and brought them back. Then a couple of days later, I got a call asking if I would come back and do some more. So that’s how it all transpired.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuU2dsDefiJUD-wK_VIuzUGSZH6q-aiv-ZUtj0DzQpMl43pms2Lg-TgueqyjK32ZtxlbC5IO1CUs8XGbdCIUPs2Sjr-f6Zk53Iki6LpysxBTBMfEyOnkO3MrEiK1rbMKIfgA0RtA-dDg/s1600/16114595_10154321302356482_1445320633037319007_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuU2dsDefiJUD-wK_VIuzUGSZH6q-aiv-ZUtj0DzQpMl43pms2Lg-TgueqyjK32ZtxlbC5IO1CUs8XGbdCIUPs2Sjr-f6Zk53Iki6LpysxBTBMfEyOnkO3MrEiK1rbMKIfgA0RtA-dDg/s400/16114595_10154321302356482_1445320633037319007_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">GLN:</b> What comments did you receive from them, before, during, or after?</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> Honestly, I haven’t heard too much. They were pleased. They’d say “Thank you.” It was good to hear that. I delivered them and basically that was it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";">I’ve only had some discussion with two or three of them who thanked me and said, “This is really good. I’m pleased to have it.” There was one couple, the black couple with their heads together, smiling…she actually used to model when she lived in the Los Angeles area. She wanted to have some more pictures taken, so I said “Sure. Let’s go ahead and do it.”</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrD58mU2cKtaRuZW7dQR01LPgoyDs03sHIR4cTFrMbF5kUDgWSMk3mC3SMMYnotOJfL3NIVzEAC5lKkOQDq_bTMHnL9XaV4vjg889enZshafo9zXnaLDR0r54RtW-M2onFAvyN9um5GA/s1600/16003282_10154321302926482_3819153367822667072_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrD58mU2cKtaRuZW7dQR01LPgoyDs03sHIR4cTFrMbF5kUDgWSMk3mC3SMMYnotOJfL3NIVzEAC5lKkOQDq_bTMHnL9XaV4vjg889enZshafo9zXnaLDR0r54RtW-M2onFAvyN9um5GA/s640/16003282_10154321302926482_3819153367822667072_n.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">GLN:</b> Have you heard some stories from these folks, about how they ended up homeless?</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> When they came, I’d say “What part of the country are you from? What sort of work have you done? How’d you end up in Seattle?” That sort of thing. They come from various parts of the country — Tennessee, Kentucky, California, Montana, Minnesota—and they all have stories. “I used to do construction,” or “I’ve been injured.” One guy shattered his leg, and he lost his house. He had a couple of kids he hasn’t seen. The stories just go on and on. One guy owned a store that he lost because of the financial crisis. They all have their stories. Any of us could get into a situation like that. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMJsLf43YFx4a9r5Rg1chhA_RD_D9DmGHijPb4Owxaax91IDpHpZhutujGWEqeM_LZk1cpQlPcpiFuMkIIYMUux0UsLSVy89qd_Ax3akPPq0pZwDmMA8URqdZvoJEPewKi4eUBxjaTg/s1600/16002952_10154321302651482_6882832991747727887_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMJsLf43YFx4a9r5Rg1chhA_RD_D9DmGHijPb4Owxaax91IDpHpZhutujGWEqeM_LZk1cpQlPcpiFuMkIIYMUux0UsLSVy89qd_Ax3akPPq0pZwDmMA8URqdZvoJEPewKi4eUBxjaTg/s400/16002952_10154321302651482_6882832991747727887_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";">The other thing our church does is sponsor a <a href="http://sdchp.org/community/community-dinners/">community dinner</a> every Tuesday night and it has grown considerably. It’s open to anyone, actually, but a lot of people in the community, particularly the homeless and downtrodden, know about it. We feed 300 plus people every Tuesday night. Over the time that this has been going on now, we’ve served over 31,000 meals. It’s all done volunteer. It’s all done with food that’s obtained as day-old food or food that was going to be thrown out from <a href="http://local.safeway.com/wa/shoreline-3213.html">Safeway</a>. The protein (meat) does need to be purchased, but the money is donated.The link that we have is the guy who actually does the cooking. He’s a member of our church, and he works for Safeway. That’s what has kept this going as another part of the support for this population of people. </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";">Our pastor, David Marshall, wrote a <a class="" href="http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-cheap-workable-model-to-solving-hunger-in-seattle/"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">guest editorial</span></a> in the Seattle Times within the last three months. It basically says, we can solve hunger. If <i class="">one</i> tiny church in North Seattle can do this with the excess food from <i class="">one</i> Safeway, just think what could be done across the community.</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";">[Note: According to the church’s website, Saint Dunstan's serves about 100 on the premises and deliver food to about 200 more in other camps. After our interview, Rogers sent an email with an example situation: </span><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>"</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Tonight we served 117 dinners, with at least 200 more people being served at their tent gatherings. Out of pocket expenses for tonight’s meal were $275, so 300 people <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">ate a great meal (and it was good) for less than a dollar per head. And lots of volunteer help."</span></i></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "helvetica";">]</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkcL52wWtdyIsckCDv6sIwDyHwdTaYh9T7Mwp6RuQdFyp8RvN_ImLAUzIJwfwGJgNIsHFBGuxbTZWggHV2v8c6w0ZG2gda-dtsQyTM1vqnBtL5V5Bna6GfAjzbo-cyxwTl0JnfGM4pg/s1600/16142406_10154321303151482_6367170361436238216_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkcL52wWtdyIsckCDv6sIwDyHwdTaYh9T7Mwp6RuQdFyp8RvN_ImLAUzIJwfwGJgNIsHFBGuxbTZWggHV2v8c6w0ZG2gda-dtsQyTM1vqnBtL5V5Bna6GfAjzbo-cyxwTl0JnfGM4pg/s640/16142406_10154321303151482_6367170361436238216_n.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">GLN:</b> What is the reaction from people living in the neighborhood? Are any of them pitching in to help, or is it just the congregation?</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> We get various people who help. Initially, the neighbors were a little wary of embracing this notion, but as it turns out, [neighborhood crime did not increase at all]. They police themselves very well. There are no drugs or alcohol allowed on the premises, which is <i class="">their </i>rule. They are very careful about being good citizens. They keep the place tidy and are proud of and responsible for their actions and for their community. I think our surrounding neighbors have accepted the fact that this is a good thing to do and it has not hurt them in any way. (Please read this article from the Seattle Times — <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless-camp-gets-a-bad-rap-from-ballardites/">"Homeless camp gets a bad rap from Ballardites"</a>)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMu72dszFpMjH1GkfqrgwE3KMPI985xLoOlBZ01KBUt8TXO2t1tVTKgumeaqdoXGuwiGTBXW1Ck9Wkvqu6JDio0YZ8Y-3zCKqtu5M3khyHveZ8b5BJ5wTyltKuOhzL7YzMUh7Yi_5nA/s1600/16114186_10154321302476482_2548208804208496648_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMu72dszFpMjH1GkfqrgwE3KMPI985xLoOlBZ01KBUt8TXO2t1tVTKgumeaqdoXGuwiGTBXW1Ck9Wkvqu6JDio0YZ8Y-3zCKqtu5M3khyHveZ8b5BJ5wTyltKuOhzL7YzMUh7Yi_5nA/s400/16114186_10154321302476482_2548208804208496648_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Terry Rogers</td></tr>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">GLN:</b> Your photos are beautiful.</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> Thank you. I enjoy doing it, to be able to connect and have someone trust you enough for them to show who they really are is very gratifying.</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">GLN:</b> What did you take away from this? What was the most profound aspect of the experience?</span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "verdana";"><b class="">Rogers:</b> Everybody has a story. We all have stories. Some of our stories lead to things we have hoped for in the past, and some lead to things we had not hoped for. In spite of all that, every one of the people has pride. That sense of self-worth was pretty impressive for me. </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "verdana";">These are people who are our brothers and sisters, people, just like us. At the very least, respect them. And say hello. Reach out. They would enjoy it, and you will be rewarded by it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">FOR INFORMATION ON RESOURCES, CAMPS, ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED, AND HOW YOU CAN HELP PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE OF <b><a href="http://greaterseattlecares.org/">GREATER SEATTLE CARES</a>. </b></span></div>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-10703736697806060632017-01-20T16:19:00.000-08:002017-01-20T16:19:29.906-08:00ANNOUNCEMENT! SIXTH ANNUAL GYPSY ROSE LEE AWARDS NOMINATIONS <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SeattleTheaterWriters/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Seattle Theater Writers</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> critics group will soon announce the winners of the coveted Gypsy Rose Lee Awards in 33 categories. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These awards represent the organization's sixth year of work to honor the best productions seen on the city's stages. They also represent another year of intense effort on the part of the group's members, who see as many productions as possible before writing deeply thoughtful critiques. Please scroll down to see this year's nominations. Then watch for the winners in one week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The famous entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee was born in Seattle in 1911. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Learn more about her <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0497346/bio">here</a>.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And the Nominees are….</span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Seattle Theater Writers Announces the </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sixth Annual </b></span></div>
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<b>Nominations of the </b><b>2016</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Gypsy</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Rose</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Lee</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Awards</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Seattle, WA - January 20, 2017 (Embargoed till January 20, 2017) </b>(publication encouraged and requested ON January 20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Spanning 28 theater companies and 59 productions, from the largest and most prominent to small, humble and innovative, the <i>Gypsy Rose Lee Awards</i> honor as much professional theater as we reviewers can cram into our year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well known large companies such as Seattle Repertory Theatre with 6 nominations and ACT Theatre with 15 nominations and Seattle Shakespeare Company with 8 nominations contrast favorably with small companies such as Sound Theatre Company with 14 nominations, ArtsWest with 14 nominations and Theatre22 with 13 nominations. Musical theater companies The 5th Avenue Theatre and Village Theatre inevitably share 15 and 12 nominations a piece as the top musical providers in our area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Seattle Theater Writers, Seattle's only critics’ circle, presents the 6th annual <b><span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Gypsy</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Rose</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Lee</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Awards</span></b>, theater <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">awards</span> devoted to recognizing excellence across the economic spectrum of professional Seattle theaters. Our aim in developing the <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">awards</span> is to entice the general </span><br />
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to consider seeing excellent theatrical events at myriad venues they may never have entered before! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Miryam Gordon, head writer-wrangler, says, "We know that human nature seems to love <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">awards</span> and we hope to draw more people to pay attention to (and perhaps even attend) an art form that we love. We also feel that a blended opinion, especially from people who often do not agree, is perhaps a more powerful opinion. If we agree on excellence, we think it means more than any one opinion alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“The winners represent coming to a consensus, which can be quite a challenge. It’s not easy to bring people with very different opinions to agreement. We all take these selections quite seriously. Invariably, we each champion different people or productions and sometimes there is vigorous debate before we settle on our slate.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The winners will be announced January </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">27, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"2016 </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">was a challenging year, from powerhouse co-productions to the proliferation of tiny companies with mighty visions that continue to populate our cultural landscape,” says Gordon. "Our nominations are an</span></div>
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enormous acknowledgement of the vibrancy of our theatrical community.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Media Contact:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Miryam Gordon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Seattle Theater Writers</span><br />
<a href="tel:%28206%29%20367-7130" target="_blank" value="+12063677130"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(206) 367-7130</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:seattletheater@gmail.com" target="_blank">seattletheater@gm</a><a href="http://ail.com/" target="_blank">ail.com</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And without further ado, arranged in 33 (one more than last year) categories in two divisions (Large Theaters and Small Theaters) - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 2016 <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Gypsy</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Rose</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Lee</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Award</span> Nomi<wbr></wbr>nees are (by category, in alpha order by name):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Excellence in Production of a Play:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>9 Circles</i> - Strawberry Theatre Workshop</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>A Raisin in the Sun</i> - Seattle Repertory Theatre</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl64" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Royale</i> - ACT Theatre</span></td></tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Winter's Tale</i> - Seattle Shakespeare Company</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl63" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Wedding Band</i> - Intiman Theatre</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>A Hand of Talons</i> - Pork Filled Productions</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Caught </i>- Seattle Public Theatre</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Death of a Salesman</i> - ArtsWest</span></td></tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Last Days of Judas Iscariot</i> - Sound Theatre Company</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Pride</i> - Theatre22</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Production of a Musical:</span></b><br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Billy Elliot </i>- Village Theatre</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying</i> - The 5th Avenue Theatre</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Disney's The Little Mermaid</i> - The 5th Avenue Theatre</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Parade</i> - Sound Theatre Company</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Violet</i> - ArtsWest</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="h5">
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Direction of a Play:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Greg Carter</b> - <i>9 Circles</i> (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Desdemona Chiang</b> - <i>A Tale For The Time Being</i>(Book-It Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Valerie Curtis-Newton</b> - <i>Wedding Band</i> (Intiman Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ameenah Kaplan </b>- <i>The Royale</i> (ACT Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Victor Pappas</b> - <i>Mrs Warren's Profession</i> (Seattle Shakespeare Company)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Julie Beckman</b> - <i>Annapurna</i> (Theatre22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Valerie Curtis-Newton</b> - <i>The Motherfucker With The Hat </i>(Washington Ensemble Theatre/Hansberry Project/eSe Teatro)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Julia Griffin</b> - <i>In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings</i> (Theater Schmeater)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Corey McDaniel</b> - <i>The Pride</i> (Theatre22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Mathew Wright</b> - <i>Death of a Salesman</i> (ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Direction of a Musical:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Bill Berry </b>- <i>How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying</i> (The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Andrew Russell </b>- <i>Violet</i> (ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Steve Tomkins</b> - <i>Billy Elliot</i> (Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Troy Wageman</b> - <i>Parade</i> (Sound Theatre Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Schele Williams</b> - <i>My Heart is the Drum</i> (Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance in a Play as a Lead Actor (Male):</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Gavin Hoffman</b> - <i>The Brothers K</i> (Book-It Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Conner Neddersen </b>- <i>9 Circles </i>(Strawberry Theatre Workshop)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Alex Silva</b> - <i>Treasure Island </i>(Book-It Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="38" style="height: 28.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="38" style="height: 28.5pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Jarrod M. Smith</b> - <i>The Royale</i> (ACT Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Adam Standley</b> - <i>Stupid Fucking Bird</i> (ACT Theatre)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Erwin Galan</b> - <i>The Motherfucker With The Hat</i> (Washington Ensemble Theatre/Hansberry Project/eSe Teatro)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Trevor Marston</b> - <i>The Pride</i> (Theatre22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>David Pichette</b> - <i>Death of a Salesman</i> (ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="38" style="height: 28.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="38" style="height: 28.5pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>David Roby</b> - <i>One Man, Two Guv'nors </i>(Sound Theatre Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>John Q. Smith</b> - <i>Annapurna</i> (Theatre22)</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Male):</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Eric Ankrim</b> - <i>How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying</i> (The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Nathan Brockett</b> - <i>Assassins</i> (ACT Theatre/The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Matthew Kacergis</b> - <i>Disney's The Little Mermaid</i> (The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Jeff Orton</b> - <i>Parade</i> (Sound Theatre Co.)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Jesse Smith</b> - <i>Violet</i> (ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance in a Play as a Lead Actor (Female):</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Denise Burse</b> - <i>brownsville, b-side for tray</i> (Seattle Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Mi Kang </b>- <i>A Tale For The Ti</i></span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">me Being</i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> (Book-It Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Pamela Reed</b> - <i>Luna Gale</i> (Seattle Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Alexandra Tavares</b> - <i>The Brothers K</i> (Book-It Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Dedra Woods</b> - <i>Wedding Band</i> (Intiman Theatre)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="h5">
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Suzanne Bouchard </b>- <i>Ghosts</i> (ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Angela DiMarco </b>- <i>The Pride </i>(Theatre22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Stephanie Kim-Bryan</b> - <i>A Hand of Talons</i> (Pork Filled Productions)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Teri Lazzara </b>- <i>Annapurna</i> (Theatre 22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Eleanor Moseley</b> - <i>Death of a Salesman</i> (ArtsWest)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Female): </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Kate Morgan Chadwick</b> - <i>Bad Apples</i> (ACT Theatre/Circle X Theatre/ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Diana Huey</b> - <i>Disney's The Little Mermaid</i> (The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako</b> - <i>My Heart is the Drum</i>(Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tori Spero</b> - <i>Parade</i> (Sound Theatre Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Brenna Wagner</b> - <i>Violet</i> (ArtsWest)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Male) - any non-lead:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sam Hagen</b> - <i>9 Circles </i>(Strawberry Theatre Workshop)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>William Hall Jr.</b> - <i>Sorry </i>(Thalia's Umbrella)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>MJ Sieber</b> - <i>The Winter's Tale</i> (Seattle Shakespeare Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>G. Valmont Thomas</b> - <i>Stick Fly</i> (Intiman Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>R. Hamilton Wright</b> - <i>The Royale</i> (ACT Theatre)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Moises Castro</b> - <i>The Motherfucker With The Hat </i>(Washington Ensemble Theatre/Hansberry Project/eSe Teatro)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Nik Doner</b> - <i>In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings</i> (Theater Schmeater)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Doug Fahl </b>- <i>The Pride </i>(Theatre22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Erwin Galán</b> - <i>The Last Days of Judas Iscariot </i>(Sound Theatre Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ray Tagavilla</b> - <i>The Last Days of Judas Iscariot</i> (Sound Theatre Company)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Male):</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Greg McCormick Allen </b>- <i>Singing in the Rain</i> (Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Justin Gregory Lopez</b> - <i>Paint Your Wagon</i> (The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Casey Raiha</b> - <i>Violet </i>(ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Adam Standley</b> - <i>How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying</i> (The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Dane Stokinger</b> -<i> Disney's The Little Mermaid </i>(The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Female):</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Anne Allgood</b> - <i>Wedding Band </i>(Intiman Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Molli Corcoran</b> - <i>Joyful Noise</i> (Taproot Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tracy Michelle Hughes</b> - <i>Wedding Band</i> (Intiman Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 31.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="42" style="height: 31.5pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako</b> - <i>A Raisin in the Sun</i>(Seattle Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Amy Thone</b> - <i>The Winter's Tale</i> (Seattle Shakespeare Company)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Keiko Green</b> - <i>Caught</i> (Seattle Public Theater)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Rachel Guyer-Mafune</b> - <i>Puny Humans</i> (Annex Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Meg McLynn</b> - <i>The Motherfucker With The Hat </i>(Washington Ensemble Theatre/Hansberry Project/eSe Teatro)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 31.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="42" style="height: 31.5pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Shermona Mitchell</b> - <i>The Last Days of Judas Iscariot</i>(Sound Theatre Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ayo Tushinde</b> - <i>In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings </i>(Theater Schmeater)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Female) - any non-lead:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Delaney Guyer</b> - <i>Parade</i> (Sound Theatre Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="25" style="height: 18.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="25" style="height: 18.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Mari Nelson</b> - <i>Billy Elliot</i> (Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="41" style="height: 30.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="41" style="height: 30.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sara Porkalob</b> - <i>Pump Boys and Dinettes</i> (Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="43" style="height: 32.25pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="43" style="height: 32.25pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Jessica Skerritt</b> - <i>How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying</i> (The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Jessica Skerritt </b>- <i>Singing in the Rain </i>(Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Performance as an Ensemble:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>9 Circles</i> - Strawberry Theatre Workshop (Norah Elges, Sam Hagen, Sylvester F. Kamara, Conner Neddersen)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>A Tale For The Time Being</i> - Book-It Repertory Theatre (Khanh Doan, Mi Kang, Mariko Kita, Scott Koh, Kevin Lin, Michael Patten, Rachel Rene, Annie Yim)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Royale</i> - ACT Theatre (Lorenzo Roberts, Jarrod M. Smith, Zenobia Taylor, G. Valmont Thomas, R. Hamilton Wright)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Sorry </i>- Thalia's Umbrella (Macall Gordon, William Hall, Jr., Leslie Law, Terry Edward Moore, Jeanne Paulsen)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Big Meal</i> - New Century Theatre Company (Jonelle Jordan, Darragh Kennan, Maire Kennan, Todd Jefferson Moore, Hannah Mootz, Julian Mudge-Burns, Conner Neddersen, Betsy Schwartz, Amy Thone)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Duels</i> - stokes/amador (Daniel Christensen, Marianna de Fazio, Carter Rodriquez)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings</i> - Theater Schmeater (Draeko Damen, Nik Doner, Brandon Felker, Elena Flory-Barnes, Samuel Hagen, Drew Hobson, Jacquelyn Miedema, Michael Ramquist, Andrew Shanks, Yolanda Suarez, Ayo Tushinde)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Puny Humans</i> - Annex Theatre (Patty Bonnell, Kevin Bordi, Grace Carmack, Rachel Guyer-Mafune, Lauryn Hochberg, Cole Hornaday, Kelly Johnson, Ben McFadden, Nic Morden, Heather Persinger, David Rollison, Zenaida Smith, Te Yelland)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Pride</i> - Theatre22 (Angela DiMarco, Doug Fahl, Trevor Marston, Andre Nelson)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Toxic Avenger</i> - STAGEright (Ann Cornelius, Sara Henley-Hicks, Brian Lange, Jessi Little, Nick Michael Watson)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Set Design:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Michael Ganio </b>- <i>Luna Gale</i> (Seattle Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Shawn Ketchum Johnson</b> - <i>Daisy</i> (ACT Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tommer Peterson</b> - <i>The Birds</i> (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Matthew Smucker</b> - <i>Brooklyn Bridge</i> (Seattle Children's Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tom Sturge & David Sumner</b> -<i> How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying </i>(The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Brandon Estrella </b>- <i>A Hand of Talons</i> (Pork Filled Productions)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Silas James</b> - <i>Duels </i>(amador/stokes)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Robin Macartney</b> - <i>Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. </i>(Washington Ensemble Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Michael Mowery</b> - <i>Annapurna</i> (Theatre22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="60" style="height: 45pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="60" style="height: 45pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Julia Welch</b> - <i>The Things Are Against Us</i> (Washington Ensemble Theatre)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Costume Design:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Nanette Acosta</b> - <i>Joyful Noise</i> (Taproot Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Melanie Taylor Burgess</b> - <i>A Raisin in the Sun</i>(Seattle Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 31.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="42" style="height: 31.5pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sarah Burch Gordon</b> - <i>The Trial of </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Eben</i></span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">e</i><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">zer Scrooge </i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">(Taproot Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="20" style="height: 15pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Catherine Hunt</b> - <i>Dangerous Liaisons</i> (ACT Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class=""><b>Rose Pederson</b> - <i>How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="">(</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">The </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">5th Avenue </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Theatre</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="h5">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>): </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Chelsea Cook </b>- <i>Amadeus</i> (Seattle Public Theater)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Jocelyne Fowler</b> - <i>A Hand of Talons</i> (Pork Filled Productions)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="42" style="height: 31.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="42" style="height: 31.5pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Carolyn Hall </b>- <i>The Wedding Gift</i> (Forward Flux Productions)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="20" style="height: 15pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Helen Roundhill </b>- <i>The Toxic Avenger</i> (STAGEright)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>K.D. Schill</b> - <i>Puny Humans</i> (Annex Theatre)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="h5">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Lighting Design:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>): </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Robert Aguilar </b>- <i>Wedding Band</i> (Intiman Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Alex Berry</b> - <i>Billy Elliot</i> (Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Reed Nakayama </b>- <i>The Birds</i> (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tristan Roberson</b> - <i>A Tale for the Time Being</i>(Book-It Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ben Zamora</b> - <i>The Royale</i> (ACT Theatre)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small </u></span><u style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Theaters</u><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ahren Buhmann </b>- <i>The Pride</i> (Theatre22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ryan Dunn</b> - <i>Death of a Salesman</i> (ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tess Malone</b> - <i>A Hand of Talons</i> (Pork Filled Productions)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Alyssa Milione</b> - <i>Ghosts</i> (ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tristan Roberson</b> - <i>The Things Are Against Us </i>(Washington Ensemble Theatre)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Excellence in Sound Design:</span></b><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Large Theaters</u>): </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Brendan Patrick Hogan</b> - <i>The Birds</i> (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sharath Patel </b>- <i>The Royale</i> (ACT Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Kyle Thompson</b> - <i>Treasure Island </i>(Book-It Repertory Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Nathan Wade</b> - <i>Titus Andronicus</i> (Seattle Shakespeare Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="44" style="height: 33pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="44" style="height: 33pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Robertson Witmer</b> - <i>Daisy</i> (ACT Theatre)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<u>Small Theaters</u>):</span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 360px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 270pt;" width="360"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Erin Bednarz</b> - <i>The Lost Girls</i> (Annex Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Brian Brooks</b> - <i>King Kirby</i> (Ghost Light Theatricals)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Erick Johnson</b> - <i>The Pride</i> (Theatre22)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Alex Potter</b> - <i>Puny Humans</i> (Annex Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="44" style="height: 33pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="44" style="height: 33pt; width: 270pt;" width="360"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>James Schreck</b> - <i>The Things Are Against Us </i>(Washington Ensemble Theatre)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Musical Direction:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Dan Pardo</b> - <i>How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (</i>The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Brandon Peck</b> - <i>The Toxic Avenger</i> (STAGEright)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tim Symons</b> - <i>Billy Elliot</i> (Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>R.J. Tancioco</b> - <i>Violet</i> (ArtsWest)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Nathan Young</b> - <i>Parade</i> (Sound Theatre Company)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Excellence in Choreography or Movement:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Scott Brateng</b> -</span><br />
<div class="gmail_default" style="display: inline;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Parade </i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">(Sound Theatre Company)</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Donald Byrd </b>- <i>Medea</i> (Seattle Shakespeare Company)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sonia Dawkins</b> - <i>My Heart is the Drum</i> (Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Bob Richard</b> - <i>How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying</i> (The 5th Avenue Theatre)</span></td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Katy Tabb</b> - <i>Billy Elliot </i>(Village Theatre)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div>
</div>
<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Excellence in Local Playwriting:</span></b></span></span></div>
<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Rose Cano</b> - <i>Bernie's Apt. </i>(eSe Teatro)</td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Laura Ferri </b>- <i>A Tale for the Time Being</i> (Book-It Repertory Theatre)</td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Maggie Lee </b>- <i>A Hand of Talons</i> (Pork Filled Productions)</td></tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Nick Stokes</b> -<i> Duels </i>(amador/stokes)</td></tr>
<tr height="24" style="height: 18pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="24" style="height: 18pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Seayoung Yim </b>- <i>Do It For Umma</i> (Annex Theatre)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
</span></span><br />
<div>
<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Excellence in Local Composing:</b></span></span></div>
<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 322px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 242pt;" width="322"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Shenandoah Davis</b> - <i>Medea</i> (Seattle Shakespeare Company)</td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Paul Lewis</b> - <i>The Pride</i> (Theatre22)</td></tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="40" style="height: 30pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Paul Lewis, Carrisa Meisner Smit</b> - <i>The Crossing</i>(Theater Schmeater)</td></tr>
<tr height="44" style="height: 33pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl65" height="44" style="height: 33pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Lauren Wilder</b> - <i>The Mechanics of Love</i> (SiS Productions)</td></tr>
<tr height="44" style="height: 33pt;"><td class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-xl66" height="44" style="height: 33pt; width: 242pt;" width="322"><b>Annastasia Workman</b> - <i>To Savor Tomorrow </i>(Café Nordo)<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Excellence in Video Design (New Category for 2016):</span></b></div>
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<span class=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Founded in 2010 by Miryam Gordon and comprised of local writers and reviewers, Seattle Theater Writers is a group of critic/reviewers dedicated to raising public awareness of theater practitioners and the work produced by professional theater organizations. Seattle Theater Writers’ hope is that these <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">awards </span>might encourage theater attendance and enjoyment of our rich cultural offerings. Born from this mission are the annual <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Gypsy</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Rose</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Lee</span> <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">Awards</span>, recognizing excellence in Seattle theater across 33 categories.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The participants in this year’s <span class="m_2330268052998795928m_6662082788045357046m_-5170601964962972662gmail-il">award</span> process were </span><span style="color: black;">Candace Brown (</span><a href="http://goodlifenw.blogspot.com/" style="color: black;" target="_blank">goodlifenw.blogspot.com</a><span style="color: black;">), Miryam Gordon (Seattle Gay News and </span><a href="http://miryamstheatermusings.blogspot.com/" style="color: black;" target="_blank">miryamstheatermusings.blog<wbr></wbr>spot.com</a><span style="color: black;">), David-Edward Hughes (</span><span style="color: black;"><u><a href="http://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/seattle/se727.html" target="_blank">www.talkinbroadway.com/page/r<wbr></wbr>egional/seattle/se727.html</a></u>), Rosemary Jones (</span><span style="color: black;"><u><a href="http://www.seattletheateranddance.com/" target="_blank">www.seattletheateranddance.co<wbr></wbr>m/</a></u>), Dusty Somers (guest writer for Seattle Times), </span><span style="color: black;">Michael Strangeways (</span><a href="http://www.seattlegayscene.com/" style="color: black;" target="_blank">www.seattlegayscene.com/</a><span style="color: black;">), and Nancy Worssam (</span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://artsstage-seattlerage.com/" target="_blank">artsstage-seattlerage.com/</a>).</span></div>
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For more information, go to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SeattleTheaterWriters" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/SeattleThe<wbr></wbr>aterWriters</a>. The Notes section of the Facebook page shows the evolution of the awards.</div>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-30662211585963724502016-10-07T11:05:00.002-07:002016-10-07T11:05:21.907-07:00TACOMA FILM FESTIVAL — 8 DAYS, 8 VENUES, 150 INDEPENDENT FILMS<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While the rain falls outside, attendees of the <a href="http://tacomafilmfestival.com/">2016 Tacoma Film Festival</a> won't even notice. Nothing distracts from what's happening outdoors like the indoor pleasures of flickering movie screen and the smell of hot, buttered popcorn. Then there is the excitement of being part of the exclusivity, the chance to meet the filmmakers in person, and being among the first to see <i>independently created</i> films that might go on to become legendary. From Oct. 6-Oct. 13, you can choose from a delicious smorgasborg ranging from serious drama to humor, from flights of fancy to breathtaking documentaries. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Take a look at this trailer for the film <i>Ocean Stories: the Halls— </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some of the films you will see have been hits at other film festivals, domestic and foreign; some are complete surprises; some even involve <a href="http://www.tacomafilmfestival.com/veldt-vr-studio/">virtual reality</a>. You can see local selections, shorts, and children's films, like the best films gleaned from the <a href="http://nyicff.org/">New York International Children's Film Festival. </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My dictionary defines "independent" as "not subject to control by others," and in the world of film, that translates to artistic freedom, the unleashing of creativity. <i>Now more than ever</i>, our society needs fresh voices and more honest ways to look at life, our world, and the real human experiences hidden behind headlines. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This event, however, is a challenge for the indecisive. How does a person selection from 150 films and <a href="http://www.tacomafilmfestival.com/tacoma-film-festival-events/">13 special events</a>? I'm going to see as many as I can.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can start by looking at this <a href="https://issuu.com/lauramarshall2/docs/2016_tff_program">online version of the program</a>. Then, <a href="https://ticketing.us.veezi.com/sessions/?siteToken=gkv9LBX3YE6jXoOgGOrMXQ%3D%3D">buy your tickets</a>. You don't want to miss this!</span><br />
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-56620396521540670782016-10-03T12:18:00.001-07:002016-10-03T13:14:22.671-07:00"JOYFUL NOISE" at Taproot Theatre — a review<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Gall in <em>Joyful Noise</em> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Christmas is still nearly three months away, but if you are one of those people who love Handel's <i>Messiah </i>and can hardly wait to sing along with the <i>Hallelujah Chorus</i>, you can do something right now to make one of your favorite holiday experiences more meaningful. Attend the play <i><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/joyful-noise/">Joyful Noise</a> </i>at Seattle’s <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/">Taproot Theatre</a>, running now through October 21. It reveals the dramatic story most people do not know about the creation of this particular piece of classical music.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director Scott Nolte, Tim Slover’s book, lyrics, and music bring the history of George Frideric Handel’s most famous and beloved musical composition to life on the <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/2016-jewell-mainstage-season/">Jewel Mainstage</a> Theatre’s stage. While being entertained, you will discover things about Handel your childhood piano teacher never taught you. Perhaps you will even find yourself motivated, as I was, to research not only Handel’s life, but also the lives of the other historical characters portrayed by this talented cast. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Gall in <em>Joyful Noise</em> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Born in Germany in 1685, Handel was a child prodigy. By the age of 10, he could compose for several instruments. As a young adult, already devoting his life to music, he produced his first opera, <i>Almira</i>, which immediately became a great success.He spent three years immersed in the Italian opera scene before leaving Venice in 1710 to move to London. There he composed his opera <i>Rinaldo</i> in two weeks’ time and saw it performed during the 1710-1711 opera season. It, too, was a major success, launching his career. He became a citizen of England in 1726, composing music for royalty and generally enjoying his status as a celebrity. However, he would soon face struggles, and <i>Joyful Noise </i>opens in the middle of this chaos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The play is set in London and Leicestershire, England, in the time frame of 1741 through 1743, during the reign of King George II (Frank Lawler). The glitter of Italian opera, and the previously brilliant career of Handel (Jim Gall), had begun to tarnish. He lacked financial backing, caused himself embarrassment by ranting publicly about the rejection of his operas, and an ongoing feud between two women singers, Kitty Clive (Molli Corcoran) and Susannah Cibber (Allison Standley) made life more than stressful.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Gall, Molli Corcoran, Chris Shea and Allison Standley in <em>Joyful Noise</em> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was also during this time that a wealthy fan, the librettist Charles Jennens (Kevin Pitman) asked Handel to compose an oratorio about the life of Jesus Christ based on Jennens’ carefully arranged passages from scripture. This composition, finished in a few weeks, was as unique as it was brilliant. Although based on religion, it was to be performed not in a church but a concert hall, (for Easter, not Christmas).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As if the issue of performing a religious work in a secular setting did not raise enough controversy on its own, scandal surrounding Cibber, an accused adulteress, fueled moral outrage as well. However, when <i>Messiah </i>debuted in Dublin, Ireland, her emotional singing endeared her to all. The oratorio dazzled audiences, who were deeply moved by the powerful music that recognized the truly human side of religion. Things did not go so well back in London however. Bishop Henry Egerton (William Kumma) had his own career goals in mind when he became a force that nearly destroyed <i>Messiah’s </i>chances for success in London. The ugliness of church politics contrasted with the uplifting quality of <i>Messiah</i> was a striking point in this play.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1.5;">William Kumma in <em>Joyful Noise</em> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The play examines this intertwining of subplots in an arresting way in a short two-hour time span, although at times some of them felt too condensed. The acting was excellent in all cases. Gall gave Handel so much personality. You come to see how his passionate nature and determination to do things his own way might have enabled him to create such a masterpiece. I loved his attitude about God not being remote and inaccessible to human beings, but out in “the mud” of their existence. Lawler was a delight as Charles II who, like Handel, contributed humor and humanity to the story. Kumma’s performance as Bishop Egerton showed us a character with a calm, pious exterior hiding typically self-serving human motivations. Pitman, as Jennens, succeeded giving an edge to the real tensions that can result in situations of collaboration. Actor Chris Shea was wonderful in his role of John Christopher Smith, Handel’s copyist and secretary, but also a composer in his own right, I learned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Nolte, too, brought humor and smiles to the stage with her portrayal of Mary Pendarves, Handel’s greatest fan. A poet, music patron, and kind benefactor, she is overly dramatic and probably too nice for her own good. She protects and sympathizes with Cibber, who always portrays herself as a victim, even though obviously opportunistic and manipulative. Standley develops this character with such skill that the viewer sees both sides of her personality. While we feel for her over her separation from her child, we watch her physically assault competing songstress Clive, who, in real life, was considered London’s most popular woman actress and singer at the time. One weakness of this play is the rapidity of the eventual reconciliation between these two women, after being bitter rivals for so long. It felt unbelievable. I also wished the script would have revealed more about Clive, a role Corcoran played so well, instead of a mere glimpse into her side of the story.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Gall, Molli Corcoran, Chris Shea and Allison Standley in <em>Joyful Noise</em> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The versatile set design, by Don Yanik, made a perfect framework for this play, allowing it to move quickly and smoothly from one situation to the next. (Actually, d</span>ates and locations projected onto a surface above the stage, for our enlightenment, flashed on and off a bit <i>too</i> quickly for me to jot down in my notes, which was frustrating.) Nanette Acosta’s beautiful costumes added so much with their historical accuracy and attention to detail. Kudos to everyone on the production staff for a job well done. Another aspect of the production that was especially effective was the way some scenes split into different bits of dialog, where some actors froze in their exchanges while, on another part of the stage, we could eavesdrop on a separate conversation.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">I highly recommend <i>Joyful Noise. </i>Go see it, and next time you hear Handel’s <i>Messiah</i>, you will have a greater appreciation for the near miracle of its existence, in spite of human dramas, politics, and all else that would have squelched creativity in anyone less amazing than Handel. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Here is your link for tickets: <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/buy-tickets/">http://taproottheatre.org/buy-tickets/</a></span></div>
Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-45422766694513476302016-09-20T20:02:00.000-07:002016-09-20T20:09:36.052-07:00NORDIC TRADITIONS, FOOD, AND ARTS CELEBRATED AT OCTOBER FESTIVAL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Members of Embla Lodge No. 2 Daughters of Norway Leikkaring dance group. Photo by Sue Benz</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Even if you don't have a drop of Nordic blood in your veins, you will feel as welcome as any Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finish, or Icelandic American at this delightful event. On October 8, 2016, Tacoma's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Daughters-of-Norway-Embla-2/366916373385650">Embla Lodge No. 2</a>, <a href="http://daughtersofnorway.org/">Daughters of Norway</a>, will again present the annual Nordic Festival at <a href="http://www.greatschools.org/washington/edgewood/1411-Edgemont-Jr-High-School/reviews/">Edgemont Jr. High School</a>, 2300 110th Ave. E., Edgewood, Washington, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">For those living in the Puget Sound area's crowded urban environments, imagine a fun event for the whole family with plenty of FREE PARKING and an admission price of only $2.00. Better yet, children under 12 get in FREE. When was the last time you treated your loved ones, or yourself, to so much fun for such a low cost?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In addition to enjoying dance, live music, demonstrations, and more, you can eat and shop all day. Discover items you just don't see in stores (except for the few and disappearing Scandinavian specialty shops). Everything from imported foods and ingredients to handmade needlework and crafts, household items, vintage Nordic collectibles, sweaters, and even reproduction Viking artifacts will be available.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As a matter of fact, so are some Vikings (or at least those who preserve Viking history). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Plan to have lunch at the Nordic Café, because it isn't often you can dine on freshly prepared traditional Nordic foods. Close your eyes and imagine the aroma of tender meatballs in savory gravy...mmmmm. For dessert, visit the baked goods table, where you can purchase those famous butter-rich cookies at a ridiculously low price, to take home.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These ladies have been busy preparing lefse, just for you.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookies for sale! Photo by Sue Benz.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Listen to the Normana Men's Choir as well as some lively folk music played in the authentic style. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A warm welcome awaits you, so please put this on your calendar. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You will thank me later!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope you will visit and <i>like </i><a href="http://facebook.com/GoodLifeNorthwest">Good Life Northwest on Facebook.</a> Thanks!</span></div>
Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-73732125475595979632016-07-29T11:20:00.000-07:002016-07-30T14:09:57.529-07:00CATCH TAPROOT THEATRE'S "BIG FISH" INSTEAD OF THE EVENING NEWS<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chris Ensweiler and Zeb Kovell in </span><em style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Big Fish</em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you need a break from politics or horrible news of the terrorist attack or shooting of the day, I have a suggestion. Go see a delightful new adaptation of the Broadway musical <i><a href="http://taproottheatre.org/big-fish/">Big Fish</a> </i>at <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/">Taproot Theatre</a>, in Seattle. It's a worthy way to celebrate the 40th Anniversary Season of one of Seattle's best theaters. You might remember the novel, by Daniel Wallace, or the Columbia Motion Picture (book written by John August, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, as in the case of this adaptation as well). However, if you haven't seen this version, well, you haven't seen it and might be sorry if you don't. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This talent filled production, under Scott Nolte's fine direction, is waiting for you in Taproot's Jewell Mainstage Theatre now through August 13, 2016.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Beyond the light-hearted entertainment to be had, this musical will take you on a more profound and touching journey than you expect. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sarah Russell and Margaret Lamb in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Big Fish</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Too many musicals I've seen have great songs and dances wrapped around a shallow plot. You won't find that in </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Big Fish</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, in spite of its fanciful set of characters. They include a giant (Nick Watson), a mermaid (Carly Squires Hutchison), a witch (Sarah Russell), and other fun personalities who appear in the stories traveling salesman father, protagonist Edward Bloom (Chris Ensweiler) tells his young son, </span>Will Bloom (Zeb Kovell on the night I was there, but also played by Teigun Pesce). In all of them, he is suspiciously the hero. He presents these stories as fact, but they sound too outlandish. Although entertained by his father's tales while still a boy, Will would trade all of them for more time spent together. The adult Will Bloom (Tyler Todd Kimmel) comes to have distain for what he believes is just his father's overactive imagination and a poor attempt to make himself impressive to the son he leaves alone too much of the time.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nick Watson and Chris Ensweiler in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Big Fish</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When the musical opens, Will has grown up to be a rather serious and pragmatic young adult, inclined to pessimism, who worries that his father's outlandish stories will be an embarrassment at his upcoming wedding to the soon-to-be Josephine Bloom (Emily Shuel). We can sense the disconnect right away and it becomes the primary conflict of this tale. When sadness befalls the family, both must finally face head-on, and try to resolve, their differences. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Loving them both is Edward Bloom's ever-devoted wife and mother to Will, Sandra Bloom (Chelsea LeValley) and Will's bride, Josephine Bloom (Emily Shuel). Both were charming in their roles. Unlike Will, who sees himself as misunderstood, these two women embrace Edward's personality and do their best to bring the father and son together. The fact that Josephine is pregnant introduces a whole new dynamic, with Will anticipating his own role as a father.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chelsea LeValley and Chris Ensweiler in </span><em style="border: 0px; color: #423627; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Big Fish</em><span style="color: #423627; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> at Taproot Theatre. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Perfectly cast, Ensweiler's energetic and charismatic stage presence gives the show its most memorable vibe, but I was delighted to discover the talents and beautiful singing voice of LeValley in her role as his wife. This is her first production at Taproot, and I trust she will return since she did such a great job. I also especially enjoyed Kimmel's fine voice. Although there were times when I felt certain voices did not mesh well, and heard a few flat notes, overall, they were very good, as was the acting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A simple, but well designed and flexible set served the production's needs perfectly. Colorful and clever costumes brightened the stage and gave personality to the characters. I loved the way Costume Designer Sarah Burch Gordon (whose work I have always admired), handled the challenge of having a mermaid walk around on stage and how she made Watson into a convincing giant. I also enjoyed the excellent live music under the direction of Edd Key, with the volume at just the right level. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Big Fish</i> has been advertised as a tale about how every father wants to be a hero to his son and how a man will be remembered for his stories. I see an equally universal message but far deeper truth—<i>we never really, truly, know our parents</i>. As children, and even adults, most of us are guilty of viewing those who brought us into the world only through the filter of our own vanity and as if their lives, too, began with our birth. I don't have my parents any longer. Now, through their diaries, old photos, and the words of others outside the family who knew them as young people, I try to discover the big picture of their personalities, motivations, and dreams. They really were much more than simply my mom and dad. I wish we could have stepped out of our generational roles and formed truer friendships.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Will Bloom also discovered some truths too, and <i>surprises</i>, both of which the love in his heart finally allowed him to see. Maybe those stories his father told weren't so outlandish after all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Give yourself or someone else the gift of a ticket to <i>Big Fish. </i>Call (206) 781-9707 or click <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/big-fish-dates-tickets/">here</a>.<i> </i>It's the perfect feel-good summer production.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-30781054188258621532016-01-15T21:03:00.005-08:002016-01-15T21:03:57.660-08:00"WAYS OF WHALES WORKSHOP" — Make Plans to Attend This Event on Jan. 23, 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xc_304lrGkgkG2ogS4X49TrHOypdPo4Ha9K1wQK2YogWWxdVq6D9Ur9oNclfo3yNNFJ6rA0aQtxy0XP3z62MWdeqouxLYa8jIXZaDXiGTk6LJDx5PzhH4AA4_NxLXsF38at8LpiGJQ/s1600/Ts+airborne-0412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xc_304lrGkgkG2ogS4X49TrHOypdPo4Ha9K1wQK2YogWWxdVq6D9Ur9oNclfo3yNNFJ6rA0aQtxy0XP3z62MWdeqouxLYa8jIXZaDXiGTk6LJDx5PzhH4AA4_NxLXsF38at8LpiGJQ/s400/Ts+airborne-0412.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo courtesy of Jill Hein/Orca Network</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All around us in the Salish Sea—the combined inland waters of Washington and British Columbia—live whales called "orcas." Soon, you will have a great opportunity to learn more about them. A thrill to see, their problems are less visible </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and they themselves generally misunderstood. They are known as "Killer Whales" to many, but rather than being a threat to humans, these graceful creatures face devastating threats to their well-being and survival <i>because of humans</i>. Environmental pollution and a decrease in the salmon upon which these Pacific Northwest whales feed are manmade problems that can only have manmade solutions. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo courtesy of Jill Hein/Orca Network</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://orcanetwork.org/">Orca Network</a> wants to give you plenty of reasons to care about the region's whales during the organization's annual "Ways of Whales Workshop." The 2016 event takes place on Saturday, January 23, at the Coupeville Middle School Performing Arts Center, 501. S Main St. Coupeville, WA, on Whidbey Island. Between 9:30am and 4:30pm that day, attendees can hear fascinating talks about the endangered Southern Resident Community of orcas, the Transient/Gigg's Keller Whales, Humpback whales, and more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whenever I receive press releases from <a href="http://orcanetwork.org/">Orca Network</a>, I am once again awed by the dedication of Co-Founders Susan Berta and Howard Garrett. With the help of many volunteers, they dedicate countless hours of their lives to educating the public and getting people engaged in the effort to protect these marine mammals and their habitat. By reading the <a href="http://orcanetwork.org/">Orca Network website</a>, I recently learned how human-like these aquatic neighbors are. They have complex societies, strong lifelong family bonds, distinctive dialects and hunting practices, and other aspects of whale culture that are passed down through each subsequent generation of their families. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo courtesy of Jill Hein/Orca Network</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Orca Network has a slogan: <i>Connecting Whales and People in the Pacific Northwest. </i>Wouldn't you like to make this connection? Here is a sampling of the expert speakers you can hear and topics covered in the Ways of Whales Workshop:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Howard Garrett</b>, Orca Network - <b>Lolita/Tokitae Update</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Deborah Giles</b>, Center for Whale Research - <b>Southern Resident Orcas </b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Juliana Houghton</b>, ELISS - <b>Transient orcas in the Salish Sea </b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Fred Sharpe,</b> Alaska Whale Foundation -<b> Humpback Whales </b> </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Treaty Talks: Paddling up the Columbia River for People and Salmon</i> - short documentary </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Dana Lyons, <i>the Great Salish Sea song</i>Environmental education displays and materials will be available throughout the day, including a table from Orca Network's Langley Whale Center gift shop, with whale books, DVDs (including our NEW <i>Fragile Waters</i> DVD!), CDs, field guides and more.<br /><br />And special this year is an additional talk on Humpback whales by Fred Sharpe on Sunday, January 24, 4 pm at the Langley Whale Center, 115 Anthes, Langley, WA.<br /><br />Cost of the workshop is $35 ($25 for Students/Seniors), and a hot lunch is available for purchase for an additional $10 </b><i>(for those who pre-register, or on an as-available basis)</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pre-registration is highly recommended, as seating is limited and likely to sell out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Further information and online registration are available at <a eudora="autourl" href="http://www.orcanetwork.org/">www.orcanetwork.org</a>. Questions? Contact Orca Network at <a href="mailto:info@orcanetwork.org">info@orcanetwork.org</a> or 360-331-3543 or 1-866-ORCANET.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo courtesy of Jill Hein/Orca Network</td></tr>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-64250362006168422092015-11-23T14:47:00.000-08:002015-11-23T14:47:19.563-08:00A DIARY REVEALS A NORTHWEST NOVEMBER IN 1940<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Note: I published this post a couple of years ago, but its message is worth repeating</span><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">— BE GRATEFUL.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">A couple of days ago, I picked up my father's diary from 1940 to peek into my parents' lives during the month of November that year. His words made me think about all I have to be thankful for and how little we really need to be happy. In Norman Rockwell's famous painting "</span><a href="http://totallyhistory.com/freedom-from-want/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Freedom From Want</a><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">," the artist created a scene that has become our ideal image of Thanksgiving. We see a smiling, laughing family gathered around a table heaped with food while the grandparents present the turkey. Even though mine was a loving and happy family too, real life in the '40s wasn't quite so perfect as nostalgia would suggest. I was the sixth of seven children, a child of the '50s and '60s, so I wasn't there, but thanks to Dad's diary, I can picture that time.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard and Rosalie Willsie with the first three of their seven children.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In November of 1940 my parents, like others in their small community, still struggled to recover from the effects of the Great Depression. My father already had a wife and three young children to support. A national election that month meant President Franklin Delano Roosevelt would serve a third term, and Congress had passed the Selective Service Act in September, requiring all men between the ages of 18 and 35 to register for the draft. During that year, the news on the radio </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">reported the latest, none of it good. Nazi Germany invaded and conquered one country after another. Japan controlled Indonesia and Italy controlled Greece, and most disturbing of all, over 400,000 Polish Jews had been forced into the Warsaw Ghetto. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reading the diary, I though about what must have been on my father's mind daily as he </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">worked hard, spending long hours driving a freight truck, picking up meat from Carsten's packing house in Tacoma, roses from <a href="http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=2346">Beall Greenhouse</a> on Vashon Island, moving furniture, hauling groceries, and more. He had livestock to care for, as well as other chores around their place, and he dedicated any spare time available toward his effort to get a new barn built before winter. In that month, the <a href="http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/tnbhistory/connections/connections3.htm#3">Tacoma Narrows Bridge</a> collapsed, complicating freight delivery. With everything else that concerned him, he also followed the news as <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/history/wwii_timeline.html">World War II</a> grew ever more devastating, not realizing that within a year his own country would be involved. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As for my mother, her days revolved around the household their two-month-old infant daughter and young boys, one a toddler and the other three years old. The domestic duties she took in stride included not only caring for small children, but also washing laundry in a wringer washing machine. Since she had no electric clothes dryer, she dried everything on a either a wooden clothes rack indoors or outside on the line on days with no rain, even in freezing weather. She sewed, baked, cleaned, canned, and worked as hard as my father, morning 'til night. Mom kept a diary through her teen years and at the beginning of their marriage, but by November of 1940 she had left it to my father to preserve the days of their busy, hardworking lives in the little leather-covered book I now hold in my hand, 73 years later. Repeated throughout is some form of the statement that they both went to bed exhausted.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">In the small space allowed for each entry in the five-year diary, my father crammed together bits of home life, social life, and current world events.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Sun. Nov. 10 - </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><em>"Finished my sawhorses and went over to the place and cut the sill and joists for the barn. It snowed most of the morning. Dad went duck hunting."</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Mon. Nov. 11 - <em>"No freight trip today. I got in a full day on the barn. I'm all ready to start laying flooring. The girls had the baby shower today. Neville Chamberlain is dead."</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><em>Wed. Nov. 13 -</em></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><em>"Too busy again to day to work on the barn. The English scored quite a naval victory over the Italians. The big Narrows Bridge collapsed last Thursday."</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Thursday. Nov. 14 - </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><em>"Very foggy until noon in Tacoma this A.M. Had another busy day. Paid some more bills. The lodge is giving a card party but we are too tired to go."</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">The next day they asked a friend to watch the children so they could have a little date night. They "took in the show," meaning they went to a movie at the small local theater. He mentioned the death of a community member on the following Monday. On Tuesday, Dad rejoiced that he had a small load of freight. Even though it meant less income, he could spend over two hours working on the barn. A week earlier, my mother had taken her babies to a clinic set up at the local high school, for smallpox vaccinations, and on Tuesday a county nurse came to their home to check on the children. For dinner that night, she roasted a duck her father had shot when he went hunting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Wednesday, Nov. 20</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><em>"Rained all day. Grandpa and I went up to the bank and he gave me the deed to our place as we have it all paid for at last. Tomorrow we eat turkey."</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, they did eat turkey the following day at the home of my grandparents, but before the meal, Dad spent the morning working on the barn. The next day the sun came out and my mother did a big wash. They picked up several boxes of apples from a friend and soon the kitchen would have been filled with the sweet smell of homemade applesauce and pie. I can close my eyes and remember that smell, still part of home life after I came along.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Next he wrote, on Saturday, November 23, <em>"The Greeks are forcing the Italian Army back into Albania. It's warmer tonight and raining. Couldn't get over to the barn today at all. Eggs are forty cents a dozen." </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">A few days later he noted that my mother <em>"... hung out a big wash yesterday and boy how it rained all night. She went out and wrung them out on the line."</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanksgiving day passed and life went on. His noted that his gross income from hauling freight that month was $36.00 lower than in November of '39 and he had put 22,000 miles on his Diamond T truck. My mother sewed a snowsuit for their oldest son. Christmas would soon be upon them and year later, war. After the shock of Pearl Harbor, the news that came over the radio would no longer seem so remote. My father wanted to join the Navy but remained a truck driver, his trade considered vital to the nation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">When you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner this year, be thankful. I am thankful for my parents and I miss them. The world is still a troubled place and always has been, but rich or poor, in times of war or peace, home is home and family dear. Put aside your little aggravations, petty issues, negative thoughts and feelings of never having enough. You have enough. Look around the table. Others will go hungry. Others are alone. Some are refugees or homeless in your own town. Think of those missing, those who should be in the empty chairs. In memory of them, their struggles, their happy times, and most of all their love and good example, be grateful.</span><br />
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-25449386839755805802015-09-16T10:59:00.001-07:002015-09-16T10:59:53.326-07:00Saying Goodbye to Summer 2015 — Last Look at Dahlia Gardens in Tacoma's Point Defiance Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It seems like hot and haughty Summer, making a quick exit, passed mellow Fall in a doorway about a week ago without so much as a glance or goodbye. The appearance of fog, lower temperatures, and a softer kind of daylight signal the change. Soon the plants will too. Last week, my husband and I decided to visit <a href="http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/point-defiance-park/">Point Defiance Park</a> in Tacoma one early evening, to look at the flowers, knowing they won't last too much longer. I'm glad we did. Our combined cell phone snapshots, taken in the fading light, don't really do them justice, but I hope you enjoy the tour anyway.</span><br />
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-44647390124970083502015-09-10T21:05:00.003-07:002015-09-10T21:14:25.507-07:00SEPTEMBER 11-12 CALENDAR ALERT! A Northwest Historian Brings THEODORE ROOSEVELT Back to Washington State in FREE Program<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theodore Roosevelt speaks to a crowd in Olympia, Washington, in 1903 Photo provided by Scott Woodward.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Few people now living realize that in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt toured the state of Washington, visiting seventeen towns and cities, large and small. Long before presidents flew on Air Force One, this one had a private six-car train and entered the state from the south, crossing the Columbia River on a specially designed train ferry, five years before a bridge was built. His staff and members of the press accompanied him. In spite of the limitations of communication at the dawn of the 20th century, word of Roosevelt's tour traveled quickly, bringing out throngs of admirers who eagerly waited to greet him at every whistle stop. He had a knack for bringing people together, even if they held diverse views, uniting them <i>as Americans.</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxC_NDGdWAmUJQ27jrr5wwL-4BSj5XJR9qUsDaim2Da5zmikrTx8397uQTpw3id9yo24Q6ZUeS5wQFweIj3c6UyXKoUXzJk10XJFXyqEFCVFTYcfYB103xudeVfAusw5PGpnpnj5Viw/s1600/TR+wash+st+map_Page_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxC_NDGdWAmUJQ27jrr5wwL-4BSj5XJR9qUsDaim2Da5zmikrTx8397uQTpw3id9yo24Q6ZUeS5wQFweIj3c6UyXKoUXzJk10XJFXyqEFCVFTYcfYB103xudeVfAusw5PGpnpnj5Viw/s400/TR+wash+st+map_Page_06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now the spirit of Roosevelt visits this state once again, personified by a fascinating man named Scott Woodward, a retired educator who, for thirty years, taught American history, Washington state history, and anthropology at both high school and college levels. He lives in Richland, Washington, and these days, in addition to dedicating himself to volunteer work and serving as president of the Tapteal Greenway and Ridges to Rivers Open Space Network, he travels around the state giving a presentation he has created titled <i><a href="http://www.humanities.org/programs/speakers/2015-16-speakers/scott-woodward?searchterm=Scott">Theodore Roosevelt: Wilderness Warrior in Washington State</a>.</i> These programs are made possible by </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a grant from </span><a href="http://humanities.org/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Humanities Washington</a>. <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can read an interview with Scott Woodward here: <i><a href="http://www.sparkmag.org/the-bull-moose-and-the-evergreen-state/">The Bull Moose and the Evergreen State</a></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two of presentations take place </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">this weekend, FREE to the public</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. On Friday, September 11, at 4 p.m., Woodward will be at the <a href="https://www.piercecountylibrary.org/branches/west-county-branches/steilacoom/steilacoom-library.htm">Steilacoom branch of the Pierce County Library</a>, followed by an appearance at the <a href="http://www.trl.org/Locations/Pages/LibraryInformation.aspx?lib=sh">Shelton Timberland Library</a> on Saturday, September 12, at 2 p.m. (Click on library links for directions.) Although he has no programs scheduled during the month of October, they resume in November. You can see the dates and locations on the Humanities Washington website's </span><a href="http://www.humanities.org/calendar-events" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">calendar and events page</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott Woodward</td></tr>
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"This program has traveled to communities all across Washington State," Woodward said, "met with receptive, appreciative and inquisitive audiences. It has been my pleasure to share this story in my home state."<br />
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Woodward's multimedia presentations incorporate narrative and images on history and anthropology, and even include music. His fascination with Theodore Roosevelt is contagious, and you might find your self equally captivated by TR's <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">ability to bring people of all kinds together </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as Americans</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">, regardless of their political views. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"It has been a very rewarding tour with the <a href="http://www.sparkmag.org/the-bull-moose-and-the-evergreen-state/">Humanities Washington Wilderness Warrior program</a>," Woodward said. "Most audiences are fascinated with how a politician could get things done crossing all party lines and tie the state together both east and west, and the country for that matter. It certainly would be a breath of fresh air if we could do that today."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theodore Roosevelt in Bremerton, 1903 </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>All photos were provided by Scott Woodward. Please watch for reminders of upcoming programs by Woodward to be presented on the east side of the state. You might also like to know about the <a href="http://theodoreroosevelt.org/">Theodore Roosevelt Association</a>. Thank for reading Good Life Northwest and visiting the blog's <a href="http://facebook.com/GoodLifeNorthwest">Facebook page</a>. </i></span><br />
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-32711149354128772482015-09-01T12:20:00.001-07:002015-09-01T12:24:38.077-07:00TWO MUST-SEE EXHIBITS ENDING IN TWO WEEKS at Tacoma Art Museum<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: 'Univers 47 CondensedLight', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Roger Shimomura, </span></b><i style="font-family: 'Univers 47 CondensedLight', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Classmates #1</span></i><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">, 2007</span></span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">. </b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Acrylic on canvas</span></span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">, </b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">24 × 36 inches</span></span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">. </b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Collection of Tilman Smith, Seattle, WA.</span></span><br /></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">With the sudden change in the weather here in the Northwest, we are reminded that nothing lasts forever, including summer and two excellent exhibits at the Tacoma Art Museum closing on September 13, 2015.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">One of these two exhibits, <i><a href="http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/exhibit/shimomura/">An American Knockoff</a>,</i><i> </i>features 53 paintings and prints by Seattle native <a href="http://www.rshim.com/">Roger Shimomura</a>. His distinctive style shows influences of both vintage American comic book art and traditional Japanese woodblock prints and provokes thought on topics such as racial stereotypes, politics, and personal identity. </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Shimomura's family was incarcerated at the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/miin/index.htm">Minidoka Relocation Center</a> during World War II and in his lifetime he has experienced presumptions about himself based on his ethnicity, including having others believe him to be a foreigner when he is an American citizen and shares their American culture. All of these feelings have informed his art. The exhibit was organized by the Museum of Art at Washington State University, Pullman, Washington. </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The other soon-to-be-gone exhibit is <i><a href="http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/exhibit/aloha-club-collection-at-tam/details/">Partners in Northwest Art: Selections from the Aloha Club Collection at TAM</a>. </i>The Aloha Club's roots go back to 1892 when it began as a women's study club. Now this Tacoma institution promotes the development of Northwest artists and supports and encourages participation in the city's cultural life. In 1971, the club donated its collection of important works by Northwest artists to Tacoma Art Museum in order to give more people the opportunity to see the pieces the club began to acquire in 1948. This exhibit includes 21 pieces from the collection.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Why not end summer and celebrate September's arrival by visiting Tacoma Art Museum before these outstanding exhibits leave? You will be glad you did. The museum is located at 1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA, 98402. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">HOURS </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">– Tuesdays–Sundays 10 am–5 pm</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b style="line-height: 16px;">ADMISSION</b><span style="line-height: 16px;"> – Adult $14; Student age 6-17, Military, Senior (65+) $12; Family $35 (2 adults and up to 4 children under 18).</span></span></div>
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Children 5 and under free. <b>Third Thursdays free from 5–8 pm</b>. Members always free.</div>
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<b>CONTACT</b> – 253-272-4258, <a href="http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/" style="color: purple;">http://www.TacomaArtMuseum.org</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Note: Active-duty members of the military and their families can still take advantage of the <a href="http://arts.gov/national/blue-star-museums">Blue Star Museums</a> program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, but only through September 7, 2015. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><b>Please visit <a href="http://facebook.com/GoodLifeNorthwest">Good Life Northwest's Facebook Page</a>! </b></i></span></div>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-56883188145635972015-08-12T11:52:00.000-07:002015-08-13T07:45:14.844-07:00“The Passion as Told by Antígona Pérez” — New Version of a Classical Greek Tragedy Examines Humanity in the Digital Age <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The press release from a Seattle organization called <a href="http://thrivingartists.org/">Thriving Artists</a>, about a play called <i>The Passion as Told by Antígona Pérez, </i>intrigued me. So did the comments of Director <a href="http://www.amvazquez.com/">Arlene Martínez-Vázquez</a>. In addition to translating and directing this important play, written by Puerto Rican playwright <a href="http://thebiography.us/en/sanchez-luis-rafael">Luis Rafael Sánchez</a>, she also founded Thriving Artists as a way of promoting, through example, the widespread acceptance of the idea of living wages for those who choose to work in the arts. The play will also feature an all-Latino cast in the roles of citizens of a fictitious Latin American dictatorship. Within minutes of reading the release, I arranged an interview.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Inspired by the Greek tragedy <i><a href="http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/antigone.html">Antigone</a>, </i>written by Sophocles in 442 B.C.E., Sanchez wrote <i>La Pasión según Antigona Pérez</i> (<i>The Passion as Told by Antígona Pérez</i>) in 1968 with the leading role of Antígona based on the life of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olga_Viscal_Garriga"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black;">Olga Viscal Garriga</span></a> (1926–1995). Martínez-Vázquez updated it to be a multi-media production relevant to today in world in which the technology people embrace, and have been made to believe is indispensable, can compromise, enslave and endanger them and society, if not used responsibly. Tragic themes rooted in politics, the media, distortion of information, disturbing world issues and the courage it takes to do the right thing will all be explored when this play opens at <a href="http://12thavearts.org/">12th Avenue Arts</a> in Seattle at 7:30 p.m. on August 14. This production will run through August 30, Thursday-Sunday each week.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Marquicia Domingue</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interview with Director <a href="http://www.amvazquez.com/">Arlene Martinez-Vázquez</a> — </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Candace Brown for Good Life Northwest: </b>Please tell me about this production and its roots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Arlene Martinez-Vázquez: </b> <i>The Passion as Told by Antígona Pérez</i> is the Puerto Rican adaptation of the great classic of <i>Antigone</i>. What makes this adaptation unique is that the author has converted the Greek chorus into a chorus of news reporters who you can see being manipulated by the way the dictator feeds news to them. Then you can see the crowds reacting to what they are being fed through the news. And what makes my version of it unique is that we have recorded all these news reporters and they are all being projected through video and the crowd reaction and they are also being projected through animation of Facebook, Instagram and Tweets. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, it is a comment on the overwhelming information we have access to all the time, through social media, and what our responsibility is, as global citizens, to be searching for the truth and being responsible for whatever it is we are accessing and sharing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>GLW: </b>What is your background in theater? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Martinez-Vázquez:</b> I am from Puerto Rico originally, so I did my BA, in Puerto Rico. After that, I went to London for two years to do my master’s degree in theater directing. After that, I stayed in London for two years. I was a member of the <a href="http://www.casafestival.org.uk/">CASA Latin American Theater Festival</a> for its first two years. Then I moved to Seattle to start a theater career here. Ever since I moved to Seattle I actually focused on children’s theater and teaching artistry, because when I moved to Seattle it was very important to me to prove I could make a living out of my degree. And luckily I was very successful at that. I was Education Director at Stone Soup Theater for four and one-half years, which was a great experience. I directed musicals at high schools, and I was working full time as a teaching artist. Then I also directed a couple of fringe plays. I did some stage readings of Latino playwrights. After that I was just feeling that there were a lot of stories that I wanted to tell and I couldn’t tell in the avenues I had at the moment. So I decided to do <i>The Passion as Told by Antígona Pérez</i> and start <a href="http://thrivingartists.org/">Thriving Artists</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>GLW: </b>How long has Thriving Artists been in existence?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Martinez-Vázquez:</b> It actually has only existed since January 2015. This will be our inaugural production.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>GLW: </b>What was the concept that shaped it and how does it function?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Martinez-Vázquez: </b>For<b> </b>a lot of years, I’ve been pondering how you can you make theater thrive in a capitalist society. While I was getting my degree, I always heard a lot about theater and social justice, which is really important, and about making theater accessible, which I also absolutely believe in and work towards on all my projects. But I never heard about how to make theater thrive in a capitalist society. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Organizations, and corporations create all these products that people don’t really need, and they just create the need to sell them. Then everybody thinks they can’t live without them. So how can you do the same thing with theater? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don’t really have the answer to that yet, but what I am trying to do with Thriving Artists is to use a capitalist model to fund the not-for-profit theater company. After this project, the next step will be to figure out what the for-profit business of Thriving Artists would be, and I have a very concrete idea. I just need to do some more market research and raise funds. That business would donate the profits to Thriving Artists. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The model for <a href="http://thrivingartists.org/">Thriving Artists</a> would be to have almost all full-time employees who go at nine in the morning, expand their training and rehearse, and are done by 6 p.m. I would like to start with one or two artists as full time employees, just so they are able to really dedicate their time to their art. And I would love to be able to offer them all the benefits. I think that’s very important to be able to really live from your art without having to do a very specific type of for-profit theater, like the big touring musicals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>GLW: </b>Do you think this can happen in Seattle?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Martinez-Vázquez:</b> Seattle is a city that really values art. Seattle is very liberal, very progressive. There is a big cultural scene in Seattle. I think a lot of people love going to the theater and love supporting arts and artists, <i>yet the fringe scene is larger than the professional scene.</i> You can probably count with your two hands the amount of artists who actually make a living out of being an artist. It is very normal in Seattle for artists to have day jobs to be able to live. So I find it kind of worrying that in a city that really values art there is not really a culture of prioritizing artists, of making sure that artists get paid. There’s this big expectation that because you love doing your art you shouldn’t be getting paid for it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>GLW: </b>How can you change public perceptions and help people understand how great a need there is for this kind of support for artists in our society?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Martinez-Vázquez: </b>A lot of what I’m trying to do is to be very clear about what it takes to put on a show. Our play’s program is three pages, partly because I have all the bios of my cast and crew, which is really large. I built fund raising on this play for two years. I had two fund raising events, received four grants for it, and did a <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/242580992/the-passion-as-told-by-antigona-perez">Kickstarter campaign</a>. All of that is in the program. So there’s a clear notion of “You are here today, and this is really exciting, and these are all the people who had to come together for this to happen,” because I think a lot of people don’t know. A lot of theaters don’t really communicate it clearly either. A lot of theaters just say, “Ticket sales don’t cover the cost of production. Please donate today,” and people don’t know what that means. I think a big part of it is educating people and letting them know how much it really costs to put on a show.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>GLW: </b>Please share your thoughts on why it was important to have an all-Latino cast.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Martinez-Vázquez:</b> I was assisting the <a href="http://www.intiman.org/2015-festival/">Intiman Theatre Festival</a> in summer of 2013, and as part of the emerging artists showcase that they do, I staged two scenes of this play. One of the things I noticed in that is that I really needed Latino actors to tell this story, because it is told from a Latino point of view.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is a story that is relevant to this. I was directing <i>A Child’s Christmas in Wales</i> quite a few years ago and I was feeling very awkward about it, because I am Puerto Rican. What do I know about Christmas in Wales? So I was kind of really wracking my mind about the cultural gap and pondering if I should change the setting of the play to make it more culturally accessible to both me and my audience. I asked Valerie Curtis Newton about this and she said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> “You can change the setting of the play, but the play was written to be set in Wales, and before you change the setting, you need to ask yourself, ‘What is Welsh about this play that is going to get lost when I change the setting?’ And be intentional about that.” That was a big eye opener for me, because I had never asked myself that question before. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So going back to when I staged the two scenes of <i>The Passion as Told by Antígona Pérez</i>, I staged it with white actresses and they really did a fabulous job with the text and the characters and they understood what it was about. But everything that is Latino about that play got lost. There was no way they could have portrayed it or even known it was getting lost. So I thought, <i>I need to do this play and I need a full Latino cast.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then the other piece of this that I am very excited about is the opportunity to make a play that features an all Latino cast <i>that is not about being Latino.</i> It is not about being an immigrant and not speaking English and all this immigration stories. That is not to say that those stories are not important, because I think they definitely need to be told, but I also think Seattle is ready to see a very <i>universal</i> story that is simply told from a Latino point of view. I think it is very important for audiences and artists alike that you can tell a universal story that features an all Latino cast, that “universal” is not white any more. So I am very excited about that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good Life Northwest thanks Director Arlene Martinez-Vázquez for sharing her time, insights, and inspiring ideas for a better world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For more information about this production or to get your tickets, please visit <a href="http://antigonaperez.brownpapertickets.com/"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(69, 135, 255); color: #4587ff;">http://antigonaperez.brownpapertickets.com/</span></a> or <a href="http://www.thrivingartists.org/"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(69, 135, 255); color: #4587ff;">www.thrivingartists.org</span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please donate to the play's <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/242580992/the-passion-as-told-by-antigona-perez">Kickstarter campaign</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CAST LIST</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Antígona - Javonna Arriaga</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aurora (Antígona's mother) - Maristela Díaz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Creón - Carter Rodríquez</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pilar (Creón's wife) - Angela Maestas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Irene (Antígona's friend) - Ashley Salazar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monsignor Bernardo Escudero - Steve Gallion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ensemble - Jazzy Ducay, Adrian Cerrato and Robin Strahan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">American News Reporter - Emily Shuel</span></div>
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Candace Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010940176539330697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175731571680674348.post-48847011659835688192015-08-02T21:12:00.002-07:002015-08-03T06:58:17.633-07:00"Hold These Truths" at ACT Theatre Hits Close to Home With This Reviewer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I attended the press opening of <i><a href="http://acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/HoldTheseTruths2015">Hold These Truths</a>—</i>a play by Jeanne Sakata about the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII—my body might have been at <a href="http://acttheatre.org/">ACT-A Contemporary Theatre</a>, in Seattle, but my mind was in the strawberry fields across the road from my childhood home. We lived on nearby Vashon Island, and our Japanese-American neighbors owned those fields. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By my early teens, I was aware of the fact that this fine family, the Matsudas, had spent time in internment camps during WWII, even while their son served in the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team, but n</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">o </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">one talked about this during the 1960s when I picked strawberries on the Matsuda farm for a summer job, alongside my siblings and friends. It was not a topic of conversation in our home either, although initially it must have deeply upset my parents. I knew they thought it wrong. I was born as next to the youngest in a large family, but the Matsudas had always been friends, good neighbors, and went to the same church. I was brought up to respect them. I could tell that this past, the years when their modest farm house stood empty, represented a touchy subject, carrying a sense of embarrassment and shame, but it was before my time. If there had been any outrage in the community over this injustice, little trace of it remained evident during my youth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As an adult, I read a book published in 2005 by a member of the Matsuda family, Mary Matsuda Gruenewald. She gave it the title of </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lookingliketheenemy.com/">Looking Like the Enemy-My Story of Imprisonment in Japanese-American Internment Camps</a></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Mary was a teenager when she, along with her parents and brother, were abruptly evacuated from their island home, as were as many as 120,000 other Japanese-Americans on the West Coast. After I read her book, I loaned it to my father, who was by then in his nineties. I will never forget how profoundly it affected him. When he read about how the Matsudas purposefully destroyed their precious family heirlooms and photographs to avoid any appearance of loyalty to Japan, he felt extremely sad, saying if he had only known he would have gladly stored and protected their belongings for them until the war's end. Whether of not it occurred to my parents or others in our community to dig into the truths of our neighbors horrible and unjust experiences, or whether or not they stopped to imagine the sacrifices involved, I cannot say. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know my father and others seemed to believe the internment actually might have protected the Japanese from violence, but who can say? Surely that protection could have been provided in a more humane way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My father was old enough to remember the arrival of Japanese families on the island during the 1920s and how well they were accepted, how their children and the island's other children happily attended school together and became good friends. By 1936, 37 Japanese families lived on Vashon. All contributed to and participated in that small society. The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the anti-Japanese prejudice that followed, would change everything. That i</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">t was a time of confusion and uncertainty for all does not erase the horribly wrong acts that followed.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;">Ryun Yu as Gordon Hirabayashi</span><br style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;" /><span style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;">Photo: Michael Lamont </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That change in how the government and society viewed Japanese-Americans and how it impacted the life of a young Seattleite and University of Washington student named Gordon Hirabayashi (1918-2012) is the basis for the play <i><a href="http://acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/HoldTheseTruths2015">Hold These Truths</a></i>, which opened on July 17 and runs through August 16<i>. </i>In this one-man show, actor Ryun Yu, in his role as Hirabayashi, tells the true story of how his character came to be one of only three Japanese-Americans to openly defy the government's orders. He refused to report for evacuation to an internment camp. For his defiance, he found himself behind bars. His first conviction was for a curfew violation in 1942 when he stayed at the university's library to study, like other students, instead of going home by 8 p.m. He turned himself in to the FBI and served 90 days in prison. Then, in 1943, his case was appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled against him, resulting in his year-long incarceration in a federal prison. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit finally overturned Hirabayashi's conviction in 1987, by which time the revelations of previously hidden documents proved that there had never been any military reason for Executive Order 9066, which deprived Japanese-Americans of their rights and freedom, even for those who were born here and had full citizenship. That order, by the way, could have been applied to Americans of German or Italian heritage too, but never was. The majority of the Japanese, naturally law-abiding, complied with the order, just as the majority of non-Japanese citizens also felt the government could not be opposed, even it they truly wanted to oppose it. Then, like now, many seized the opportunity to justify their prejudices and exploit the misfortunes of others. S</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ometimes even good people, in difficult situations, do not know how, or if, they should become involved, regardless of their beliefs. That is why Hirabayashi, who boldly lived his beliefs, was a hero.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In addition to becoming more educated about American history, those who attend this play will experience being in another's shoes, a reminder of how we humans are far more alike than we think we are. Yu does a fine job of bringing into our consciousness the young Hirabayashi, who was no different any other college student, except for his ethnicity and perhaps the fact that he likely had <i>more</i> knowledge of the Constitution than his peers, and loved it. He was proud to be American born, a citizen, like them. He worried about his grades, wanted to have fun, fell in love, like them. He also became a Quaker and pacifist. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;">Ryun Yu as Gordon Hirabayashi</span><br style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;" /><span style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;">Credit: Michael Lamont </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It cannot be easy to be the sole actor on a stage set with nothing but three wooden chairs for props and enhanced by some dramatic lighting, both designed by </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">Ben Zamora</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, but Yu manages to stimulate the imagination to the point of painting his own scenery with words, under the direction of </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jessica Kubzansky. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At times, he uses the voices of others with whom he has conversations, and that aspect was the cause of my only slight concern. The accents he used were right on for some of these invisible characters, but as a native of the Northwest, I was puzzled when a milder version of a southern drawl, or perhaps a Hollywood cowboy western drawl, seemed to tint his renditions of our Northwest dialect. Someone else, I know who saw the play more recently did not notice this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I highly recommend <i><a href="http://acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/HoldTheseTruths2015">Hold These Truths</a></i> for its ability to both move us deeply and enlighten us, through personalization, on the topic of one of our nation's most shameful and ugly periods. The seriousness of the subject made the play's many moments of humor surprising and a relief. Yu is convincing as Hirabayashi and will cause you to go home with respect and admiration for this hero, his courage and convictions. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;">Ryun Yu as Gordon Hirabayashi</span><br style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;" /><span style="font-family: helvetica, tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;">Photo: Michael Lamont </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writing this, my memories of three generations of the Matsuda family swirl through my head. No finer, more honorable, members of our community ever existed. I am a better person for having known and worked for them during my childhood. In fact, my father always said, "The Matsudas helped me raise my kids," referring to their examples of a strong work ethic, commitment, fairness, and other virtues. When some other kids quit picking as the summer heat came on and the berries grew smaller and the fields dustier, we stayed, taught that employment was a two-way street. The Matsudas paid us for picking, but they also counted on us to be there to help bring in the crop. Even though our government had let them down, our parents were not about to let us do the same, even on such a small scale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the prologue to <i><a href="http://www.lookingliketheenemy.com/">Looking Like the Enemy</a></i>, author Mary Matsuda Gruenewald, who was nearly 80 years old when she wrote the book, penned words she might have said to her innocent four-year-old self as seen in an old photo, a happy and secure child. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Have faith in your family and the ultimate goodness of people," would have been her advice. "Especially have faith in yourself to survive the catastrophic events yet to come. In spite of all the terror, pain, depression, and tears in your future, you will reach a final hopeful conclusion."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am so glad I saw </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/HoldTheseTruths2015">Hold These Truths</a>. </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The real facts of history, like a strawberry on a vine too close to the ground, sometimes become soiled with dirt that hides the truth. Only when we brush it away, turn it over, examine it's shiny redness in the honest light of the sun, then taste it for ourselves, can we perceive whether it is bitter with decay or filled with sweetness. The lives of all people, and the nations they live in, always contain a portion of both.</span><br />
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