THEATER
We would like to begin this week’s entry by correcting an oversight on our part: the kids at Ghost Light Theatricals are mounting a pair of world premiere productions. The first, Black Vengeance, is described as Othello meets rock band dynamics. The play was the winner of 2013’s iteration of their Battle of the Bards, in which the audience votes for a play idea to become a full production.
The other is something we don’t see a lot of these days, a late night production! Dream Vacation, written by local actor/improv artist Lorilee Haener, and directed by up-and-comer Keiko Green. In this story, a couple’s car breaks down in the desert where they soon realize that their troubles go deeper than messing up their itinerary.
The big opening this week is the Stay Up Late Show Productions’ collaboration with Theater Off Jackson, Girl You Know It’s True, a Seattle premier. In our upcoming interview with producers Rebecca M Davis and Ed Hawkins, they describe the show as an exploration of “pop culture and a good ol’ fashion scandal […] this show has got some great commentary on the nature of celebrity and what it means to have an ‘authentic’ creative voice.” The interview comes out on Friday.
MUSIC
In case you weren’t aware, Northwest hip hop rules, not just the mainstream ish, but also the underground stuff. Shabazz Palaces — whose last album, Black Up, predates Yeesus‘ experimentation by almost a full year — will hit Ballard’s Tractor Tavern, along with Erik Blood and members from Champagne Champagne. Blood’s music veers between shoegaze and Air-like atmospherics, while Champagne features a more danceable form of rap.
DANCE
Indescribable mash up of comedy, theater, performance art and dance Queen Shmooquan takes over Capitol Hill’s Velocity Dance Center with her latest provocation, I Own Me for four shows this Friday and Saturday, at 8:00p.m. and 10:00p.m. The Queen’s reputation marks her as a descendant of both local treasure Dina Martina and John Waters; worth a look.
COMEDY
Pocket Theater’s residence at the Seattle Creative Arts Center continues in Ballard. Friday sees their continuing one-act festival Mythfest during the mainstage timeslot, while 7 Minutes in Heaven returns as a late night. Saturday, we get improv from Being Humans and sketch comedy from local troupe Drop the Root Beer and Run, who return to the fray with a show directed by The Cody Rivers’ Show’s Mike Mathieu.
OTHER
As loyal readers know, the “Other” part of the column serves as a sort of catch all for the town’s various burlesque, drag and other unusual or offbeat fare. We don’t want to give the impression that this is a lesser recommendation — nothing could be further from the truth, we know that a lot of work goes into the creation of these often regular event.
This Sunday for instance, Match Game Re-bar returns to the arts scene’s favorite dive bar. The game is the same as the one you recall from the 70s, except with (more) booze instead of cocaine. Regulars from the current crop of Match Game “celebs” come back this month, along with a survivor from the original run of local Match Game productions by Open Circle, Imogen Love!
Jennifer Jasper’s monthly benefit for local artists, Family Affair is at the Rendezvous next Wednesday, featuring the vocal talents of Andrea Wittgens, as well as the storytelling skills, as well as the long awaited return to the stage, of Mary Purdy and Mark Boeker.
NEXT WEEK
The big theatrical houses flex their muscles as Audrey 2 hits ACT with an assist from 5th Avenue, On the Boards’ 12 Minutes Max returns to the CD’s Washington Hall, and a theatrical legend returns to Seattle with a new show at the Rep.
Have an event you’d like to have included in the Star calendar? Send an email to events@seattlestar.net
