video of the day

The Mighty Marya Sea Kaminski (you may remember her as Rachel in Naming Rachel Corrie at Seattle Rep, to name just one of her dozens of lauded local performances) gives us a little taste of her Electra



Electra starts previews January 5th @ Seattle Shakespeare Company

Extemporaneous Commentary

What? Art making, cake eating, theatre watching
When? Sunday, December 17th
Where? Seattle Repertory Theatre
How much? $5.00 for you, $5.00 for your guest

More please: Teen Tix and Seattle Rep are pleased to invite you to Extemporaneous Commentary, a party that will include art-making (specifically: artworks created on old-fashioned cafeteria trays), cake-eating (specifically: delicious), and theatre watching (specifically: Seattle Rep’s hotly anticipated production of Speech & Debate).

The art-making starts at 5:00 pm in the Rep’s scene shop. Artworks will be created, hung in the Rep’s lobby, and the gallery opened all in two hours! Invite your friends and family to come and see what you’ve created – the gallery opening party starts at 6:30. There will be cake! Then at 7:30, the special sneak-preview performance of Speech & Debate begins. The artworks that are created will be shown in the Rep’s lobby during the run of Speech & Debate.

5:00 – 6:30 = art-making
6:30 – 7:30 = gallery opening/cake-eating
7:30 – 9:30 = show watching

Small print: this party is open to Teen Tix members and their guests only. Teen artists who wish to participate in the art-making portion of the evening must RSVP as space and materials are limited. Just like eating cake and watching art? Come to the party and the show! Your $5.00 Teen Tix ticket gets you into the pre-show gallery reception.

FAQs

Can adults come to the art-making part? Nope. The art-making portion of the evening is just for teen artists. But if you’d like to bring an adult as your guest for the party and show, you can leave a ticket for them at the box office.

What if I just want to see the show (and eat cake)? Come at 6:30 for the gallery opening party and preview performance. Tickets are 2 for $10, so bring a guest!

Can I take my art home with me? The artworks that are created will be displayed in Seattle Rep’s lobby during the run of Speech & Debate (a great opportunity to have your work exhibited publicly). After the show closes on February 21st, 2010, you can come and collect your art.

Can I reserve my tickets just for the party and show? Yes! In fact, we encourage you to do so, as the show is expected to sell out.

To RSVP, send an email to teentix@seattle.gov with your full name and phone number. Please let us know how many tickets you are reserving (1 or 2) and whether you are reserving for just the party and show, or for the art-making, too!

Learn more about Speech & Debate on our facebook page.

Extemporaneous Commentary is a Teen Tix special event hosted by the Teen Tix Teen Steering Committee and Seattle Repertory Theatre. seattlecenter.com/teentix
seattlerep.org

Note: Speech & Debate is recommended for ages 14 and above for mild profanity, teens engaged in discussions of sex, drinking and drug abuse.

Awe

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

Handel’s Messiah premiered on April 13, 1742 as a charitable benefit, raising 400 pounds and freeing 142 men from debtor’s prison. A year later, Handel staged it in London. Controversy emanating from the Church of England continued to plague Handel, yet the King of England attended the performance and, as the first notes of the triumphant Hallelujah Chorus rang out, the king rose. Following the royal protocol, the entire audience stood too, initiating a tradition that has lasted more than two centuries, up to today.

Georg Frederick Handel

The composer’s own assessment more than any other, may best capture his personal aspirations for his well-loved work. Following the first London performance of Messiah, Lord Kinnoul congratulated Handel on the excellent “Entertainment.” Handel replied, “My lord, I should be sorry that I only entertained them. I wish to make them better.”

My assessment of the Messiah was that of awe, although, the “hallelujah chorus” to me, was a little off. I could not hear much harmony, and also, the baritones and basses tended to be about ten times louder than the altos and sopranos.

There were four guest artists doing the solos; Sasha Cooke (alto), Lisa saffer (soprano), John McVeigh (tenor), and Charles Stephens (bass). I had the privilege of going backstage and talking to Sasha.

Monet: what does the Messiah mean to you?

Sasha: The Messiah captures the essence of music, and gratefulness.

Monet: what are your favorite parts of the Messiah?

Sasha: “Oh, the pifa (pastoral symphony) and that part that says ‘the trumpets shall sound!’ it’s beautiful!”

M: what is your hardest part?

S: “Umm, my first aria. Definitely.”

M: are you a native Seattlite?

S: No, I grew up in Texas, but I would love to live here!

M: what is your advice for budding artists?

S: Follow your heart, and listen to your instinct!

M: Thank you!

S: no prob!

In case you were wondering, Messiah is the transliteration of a Hebrew term, Mashiach. The New Testament (Greek) equivalent is Christos. Both terms mean "the anointed one." The verb mashach, found about 140 times in the Old Testament, means "to smear, anoint, or spread."

Handel's Messiah performs three more times:

Today, Saturday December 19th at 1:00 and 8:00 PM and

Tomorrow, Sunday December 20th at 2:00 PM

seattlesymphony.org

datebook: january 2010

New blog feature! On the fifteenth(ish) of every month, we will publish a look ahead at the arts events that we're most psyched about for the upcoming month. Know of something coming up at one of our participating organizations that you think should be in the datebook? Let us know!

JANUARY, 2010

visual art

The Telephone Project by Stray at Henry Art Gallery

It started with a poem. One artist interpreted it into an artwork. The next artist took that artwork and made it into a poem. The next artist turned that poem into an artwork, which the next turned into a poem. And they did it over and over again until all 25 artists (UW student members of the poetry collective, Stray) had made a poem or an artwork. Come see their work and hear them talk (or maybe whisper into the ear of the person sitting next to you) about what they did.
Thursday, January 14th 7:00 - 8:45 FREE henryart.org

New New: Recent Acquisitions in Contemporary Asian Art at Seattle Asian Art Museum

If "Asian art" makes you think only of delicate calligraphy and Ming Dynasty porcelain, it's time you checked out some modern Asian art. "...this enterprising group of artists is linked by more than their possession of an Asian surname and a passport. Each is engaged in a dialogue with tradition, whether by emphasizing their Asian nationality or heritage, or by questioning or even denying that very reflex." - Josh Yiu
December 12th 2009 - November 28th, 2010 at Seattle Asian Art Museum seattleartmuseum.org

theatre

Speech & Debate at Seattle Repertory Theatre

Once in a blue moon, a "teen" play comes along that manages to reflect the lives of actual teens. Whether it's 'cause it's not afraid to tackle sticky issues like politics, homosexuality, and teen pregnancy, or because the playwright, Stephen Karam, was a teenager himself not so very long ago, Speech & Debate rings true. It also features a cast of young up-and-comers, and some deeply awkward dance numbers involving full-body leotards. Get there. January 15th - February 21st, 2010 seattlerep.org

Electra at Seattle Shakespeare Company

Powerhouse director Sheila Daniels and a cast so full of scene-stealers we're not sure we'll know where to look (Marya Sea Kaminski, Darragh Kennan, Susannah Burney, Todd Jefferson Moore) take on Frank McGuinness' acclaimed adaptation of the original revenge drama. Expect a swift-moving, emotionally brutal, utterly fantastic evening of theatre. January 7th - 31st, 2010 seattleshakespeare.org

dance

Whim W'Him: Three Seasons at On the Boards

A company is born: Three Seasons is the premiere work by Whim W'Him, the new dance company created by longtime PNB Principal Dancer Olivier Wevers. People are excited, partially because the show, "a radical take on our disposable world" inspired by Vivaldi's Four Seasons, looks awesome and partially because these dancers are, let's just say it, undeniably crush-worthy. January 15 - 17 ontheboards.org

Olivier Wevers Whim W'him @ On the Boards

music

Michael Nicollela @ Cornish College of the Arts

You can't blame classical guitar. It has to work so hard to be taken seriously, what with a world full of wannabe guitar heroes flailing about in their garages to contend with. So most classical guitarists draw a thick line and stay firmly on the acoustic side of it, a line that says "we belong over here, with the cellos and harps," and leaves the Slashes to their electronic thrashing. But not Michael Nicollela. A bonafide virtuoso, Nicollela's repertoire includes Bach, Hendrix, and everything in between performed on acoustic and (gasp!) electric guitars. Frets magazine calls his most recent album, Shard, “an exciting textbook on how to honor the classical tradition and kick it in the a** at the same time.” Guitar geeks, meet your new hero. Saturday, January 30th, 8 pm, cornish.edu

Patti Smith at Seattle Arts & Lectures

She's the "godmother of punk," Robert Mapplethorpe's original muse, and "one of the most influential figures in rock and roll." More than just a musician or a poet, she is, (according to the New York Times) "the shamanistic poet, proto-punk-rocker and voice in the wilderness…” From her new book, Just Kids, "I longed to enter the fraternity of the artist: the hunger, their manner of dress, their process and prayers. I’d brag that I was going to be an artist’s mistress one day. Nothing seemed more romantic to my young mind. I imagined myself as Frida to Diego, both muse and maker." See her, hear her, stand at her feet and worship. Monday, January 25th, 2010, 7:30 pm, Benaroya Hall, lectures.org

film

The Vanished Empire at Northwest Film Forum

Kostya is the bass player in a local rock band. Stepan is his earnest, geeky friend. They share the usual excruciating post adolescent rites of passage, only theirs are thrown against the backdrop of the fall of the Russian empire, seen by filmmaker Karen Shakhnazarov as an inevitable consequence of the younger generation’s natural impulse to reject the past for the seductive power of popular culture that can seep through even the most rigidly patrolled borders. Did the Soviet Union collapse because the kids wanted coke and MTV, or because all teenagers everywhere long for the unknown? January 2 - 7, 2010 nwfilmforum.org

Sci-Fi on Blu-Ray at SIFF Cinema

Okay, this is very simple: Planet of the Apes, 12 Monkeys, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Logan's Run, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, all in superior high definition audio and visual, all on the big screen, all in one weekend. If you need convincing about how awesome this is, you're not invited. The rest of you, see you January 28 - 31 siff.net

apophenia

Spencer T. on the "Dark Side of Oz" phenomenon

Drugs inspire you to do weird things. Just ask Pink Floyd. Their 1973 rock classic, The Dark Side of the Moon, is rumored to have been created to sync with the visuals from a classic of a different vein: The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland. It is unknown where this story came from, but since the theory took off in the 90s, the internet has been inundated with lists of hundreds of instances where the music synchronizes the movie. People theorize the album is a tribute to Garland among other things. The album is played approximately 2 1/2 times during the course of the film and contains such moments as Dorothy being chased by the tornado only to have the song comfort her, singing, “Don’t be afraid!”. Then, when she steps into brilliant technicolor, the first cash register from the song “Money” rings. Later, the Cowardly lion appears to be dancing perfectly in tune to the soundtrack. For a (much) longer list, check out this website: http://thepinksync.tripod.com/ The evidence may sound a little underwhelming, and so the big question remains: is the so-called “Dark Side of Oz” real or a hoax?

Vocab word of the day: apophenia
Definition: The brain’s tendency to attempt to recognize patterns in chaos; to create order where there is none.

Pink Floyd has repeatedly denied any intention on the part of the band to create this “alternate soundtrack”, leading most people to believe the similarities are just happenstance. But hey, even if it wasn’t intentional, why can’t we enjoy a good coincidence?

Judge for yourself. “The Dark Side of Oz” is playing at SIFF Cinema Friday, December 18, at 7:30

video of the day

The kids of A Christmas Carol @ ACT Theatre talk to actor Brandon Whitehead (Mr. Fezziwig) about the show:



There are five more Teen Tix-eligible performances of A Christmas Carol:

Friday, December 11th at 6:00
Tuesday, December 15th at 6:00 and 8:30
Wednesday, December 16th at 6:00 and 8:30

Please note that there are NO companion (2 for $10) tickets available for any of these performances.

Our reviewer, Jenny S. says "Once one allows high school enforced reading prejudices to fall away, Dickens’ words, bright and polished as sleigh bells, really do fulfill the great expectations one has of the literary giant...I’ll be the first to admit that Tiny Tim’s travails actually had my eyes welling up. So stock up on peppermint humbugs, Kleenex, and good cheer, and bear witness to a show that was captivating theater-goers when your parents still believed in Santa." Read Jenny's whole review here.

For more information about the show, visit acttheatre.org

Love Triangles Made Extra-Complicated

Review of Twelfth Night (Or What You Will) at Seattle Shakespeare Company by Yvette J.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Shakespeare expert or a newbie to his work, Twelfth Night (Or What You Will) is a great play to watch Shakespeare’s work come to life. All of the characters seem to have jumped right out of the pages and onto the stage with no extra flourishes, add-ons or anything taken out of the characters. Director Stephanie Shine stayed true to each character, enhancing certain characteristics within the role to better display the type of person Shakespeare imagined his characters to be. Twelfth Night is full of confusing love triangles, complicated plans and misleading identities; it’s a story too complicated to forget and a play that will only pique your interest until the very last act.

José A. Rufino as Duke Orsino and Chris Ensweiler as Feste in Twelfth Night at Seattle Shakespeare Company. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.

Twelfth Night was written by William Shakespeare and first published in 1623. The story takes place in mythical Illyria, a kingdom that is home to Duke Orsino and Lady Olivia. The audience first becomes acquainted with a woman named Viola who is believed to have lost her twin brother in a storm. Viola, who stumbles upon Illyria, needs to find work and decides to work for Duke Orsino, but disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Orsino is madly in love with Olivia and one of Cesario’s tasks is to deliver love messages from Orsino to Olivia. While completing the task, Olivia falls for Cesario, but is really Viola. But Viola has fallen in love with her master, Orsino, but remember…she’s really a woman dressed up as a man. And don’t forget about Orsino, who is still in love with Olivia. Confused yet?

As complicated as the storyline seems, the director and the actors do a great job in making the storyline simple and easy-to-follow. There are just so many characters involved in the love triangle and the confusion only heightens when we involve Viola’s not-actually-dead twin, Sebastian, a butler, a maid, and a drunken uncle. The story moves fast, as it was naturally written by Shakespeare, but it’s not hard to catch up if you missed anything. Each actor captures the essence of their characters perfectly. Suzanna Milonzi (Viola/Cesario) plays a convincing male and she manages to sweep a woman off her feet; you can feel your heart ache as José Rufino (Duke Orsino) never manages to get the girl he wants until the very end, and Chris Ensweiler plays a lovingly enchanting, yet still mischievous fool. Twelfth Night is the perfect sort of entertainment you and your friends may seek on a cold, wintery night. What else could be better than love triangles and a little bit of mischief just to complicated things even more? Exactly: nothing else could be better.

- Yvette J.
Friday, December 4th

Twelfth Night (Or What You Will) runs through December 27th
More info and show times at seattleshakespeare.org