SGN Mar 30, 2018 - Part 2

Arts & Entertainment

Cho her some love:

Margaret Cho is performing in Bellevue this weekend and you shouldn’t miss her

by Albert Rodriguez

SGN A&E Writer

MARGARET CHO

“FRESH OFF THE BLOAT”

PARLOR LIVE COMEDY CLUB

March 29 @ 7:30pm

March 30 & 31 @ 7:30pm & 10pm

The words “legend” and “icon” are often used loosely. It’s become a rubberstamp adjective to describe anybody who’s been around for a long time, regardless of whether they’ve done anything substantial with their life. But clearly deserving of both labels,

see MARGARET CHO page 5

Theatre22 presents The Happiest Song Plays Last

by Miryam Gordon

SGN A&E Writer

THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST

THEATRE22

(AT 12TH AVENUE ARTS)

Through April 14

Quiara Alegria Hudes is one of our country’s powerful, female playwrights and her work is becoming more ubiquitous in production. Theatre22 brought us a gorgeous (and Gypsy-award winning) production of Water By the Spoonful in 2015, which was the second part of a trilogy. Now, they’ve

see HAPPIEST SONG page 6

“Everything

is Hard” at Gallery 4Culture

Amanda Kirkhuff’s large-scale figurative oil paintings explore themes of queer community, militancy, and the homosexual agenda

AMANDA KIRKHUFF “EVERYTHING IS HARD” GALLERY 4CULTURE

April 5-26, M-F 9am-5pm

Artist Reception & Opening Thursday, April 5, 6-8pm

see AMANDA KIRKHUFF page 7

Ride the Cyclone might be a fun ride – or might not

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer

RIDE THE CYCLONE ACT THEATRE AND 5TH AVENUE THEATRE

Through May 20

Someone said that the co-productions chosen by ACT Theatre and the 5th Avenue Theatre in their annual outing of togetherness have always been a bit dark and/or quirky and I ran my memory back over Assassins, Grey Gardens, Vanities, Little Shop of Horrors,

see RIDE THE CYCLONE page 4

Burt Bacharach definitely gave fans something to remind them of his songwriting magic at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer

BURT BACHARACH

DIMITRIOU’S JAZZ ALLEY

March 22

Proving that age is nothing but a number, Burt Bacharach wowed a capacity crowd at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley last Thursday evening, his first of four sold out concerts at the downtown live music venue.

At 82, the maestro songwriter played piano and cheerfully interacted with the audience for two solid hours, but with the energy of a youngster who probably stayed up way past everybody’s bedtime that night. He was so jovial and arrived prepared with short, interesting stories to share.

Accompanied by a full band, including a brass section and violinist, the show kicked off with “What the World Needs Now,” sung by a trio of vocalists who did the heavy lifting when it came to singing. A medley followed that included several big hits, such as “Don’t Make Me Over,” “Walk on By” and “This Guy’s in Love with You,” which featured a soft trumpet solo by Dennis Wilson.

Dressed in navy blue pants with matching dinner coat and a baby blue buttondown shirt underneath, the legendary artist, who owns multiple Grammy and Academy Awards, incorporated more familiar favorites into another medley, including “I Say

a Little Prayer,” “Trains and Boats and Planes,” “Wishin’ and Hopin’,” “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me” and a sassy rendition of “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?,” a tune made popular by

Dionne Warwick, who has recorded several of Bacharach’s classics.

The trio of vocalists were consistently good throughout the performance, although there were moments when the song or the

arrangement didn’t quite match the particular singer, such as Donna Taylor’s firelacking delivery of “Falling Out of Love,” a ballad originally recorded by none other than Aretha Franklin.

A standout was a delicate, passionate version of “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” featuring all three vocalists – Taylor, Josie James and John Pagano – who were each wearing black outfits.

A medley of film music included “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” “What’s New Pussycat?,” “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” and “Alfie,” sung by Bacharach himself in a hushed, raspy voice.

Oliver Bacharach, the celebrated artist’s handsome son, who graduated just a few years ago from the University of Oregon, played electric keyboards on some numbers.

“It’s like working in a big living room,” said Bacharach to the audience, referring to the intimacy of the space, which filled every seat on the main floor, two-sided bar and a second level of tables and chairs directly above the bar.

The show concluded with a loud singalong of the AIDS-fundraising hit “That’s What Friends Are For,” which found the crowd waving its hands side to side in the air.

This was a pretty sublime performance, especially to be taken down memory lane, by a man who wrote some of the most nostalgic songs in history. Like his music, the evening was pure magic.

Musica a Palazzo presents memorable Rigoletto in Venice, Italy

by Sharon Cumberland SGN Contributing Writer

RIGOLETTO BY GIUSEPPE

VERDE

MUSICA A PALAZZO

PALAZZO BARBARIGO-MINOTTO VENICE, ITALY

March 23

Venice is world renowned not only for its waterways, gondolas, and Carnival, but for its fabulous opera house, La Fenice (The Phoenix) where Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Stravinsky, and Britten premiered some of their greatest works. La Fenice was the first theater where ordinary folk like you and I could buy a ticket to see an opera. Before that, operas were performed for the nobility in their private palaces. I happen to be in Venice this week and hoped to see an opera, but unfortunately there are no performances at La Fenice scheduled during my stay. I have to content myself with taking photos on La Fenice’s steps and a tour of its legendary interior.

Luckily for me, however, Venice is never without opera thanks to a small but highly professional group called Musica a Palazzo (MAP) who present chamber versions of great operas in the Palazzo Barbarigo, one of the fabled palazzi on the Grand Canal. This season MAP is presenting La Traviata, Il Barbiere di Seviglia, and Rigoletto in rotation every night of the week, and I was free on Friday to see one of my favorite operas, Rigoletto. It was performed by a small but mighty chamber group – violin, viola, cello, and piano – and five professional opera singers. The absence of a chorus is made up by a clever arrangement in which the piano and violin

assume the choral lines and an unobtrusive adjustment to the libretto preserves the narrative. Since Rigoletto is an opera that progresses through a series of arias, duets, trios and the famous Rigoletto Quartet – all of which were present in full – the opera was complete even with chamber-sized musical forces. A talented cast was able to sing full-out thanks to the twenty-foot ceilings of Palazzo Barbarigo that permitted the small audience (thirty people on my night) to be in close quarters with the singers without having their eardrums broken. The intimacy of the performance – that moved through three of the elaborately painted and plastered palazzo rooms – was one of the great charms of the performance.

Another great charm was how beautifully Anthony Knight’s costumes matched the 17th century interiors. Rigoletto, played with emotional intensity and vocal authority by Andrea Zese, was dressed in the jester’s traditional cap and bells, with streamers of colorful fabrics falling from his shoulders. Gilda, sung by the beautiful Natalia Roman, wore a ruffled peasant blouse that transformed into a shift at the ducal palace – modest, but suggestive of the tragedy that has just occurred.

My favorite singer of the evening, along with Zese and Roman, was Paolo Bergo who did double duty as Monterone and Sparafucile – at once the man who places a curse on Rigoletto and the man who enacts

the curse by murdering Rigoletto’s daughter instead of the Duke who raped her. That Duke, played by the powerful tenor Orfeo Zanetti, has the best arias and the least subtlety – a role that requires great singing and very little acting. Verdi went to a lot of trouble to conceal the melody of “La donna e mobile” before the premiere because he knew that every organ grinder in Italy would steal it the moment it was heard in La Fenice in 1851.

Rigoletto has lost none of its dramatic intensity or musical delights since that time. Seeing this great work in an intimate setting, surrounded by elaborate ornaments, paintings, frescoes and candlelight in massively impressive rooms, was one of the most memorable operatic experiences I’ve ever had – and I’ve had a lot. For the price of a very reasonable ticket (€90 euros) the opera-goer has the rare privilege of sitting beside and among the singers and musicians, of seeing the inside of a 17th century palazzo on the Grand Canal that is not otherwise open to the public, and even being served complimentary champagne at intermission. For €5 euros you can buy a libretto and history of the palazzo and its art (including a Tintoretto) in any of four languages.

If you find yourself in Venice, no matter what day of the week, there is an opera for you to see at Musica a Palazzo: Rigoletto on Fridays, Il Barbiere di Seviglia on Wednesdays and Sundays, and La Traviata on all the other days. It’s not a consolation prize for missing out on La Fenice – it’s a little jewel of a prize presented in a very grand palazzo, just like opera was seen by the nobility of old. Put Musica a Palazzo in Venice on your list of things to do – you’ll never forget it.

The Country Wife has much to say about class, rank and morality

by Paul Torres SGN Contributing Writer

THE COUNTRY WIFE

THEATER SCHMEATER

Through April 14

In this tale of a naïve wife falling for a man pretending to be a eunuch, The Country Wife observes how a husband’s power dynamic can be completely upended. This adaptation, re-imagined by writer Rachel Atkins, is based on the bawdy William Wycherly play written during the Restoration period (when the English monarchy was restored and hence a new age for arts and literature was established). It is directed by Elizabeth Wu and presented at Theater Schmeater.

This version is set in the 18th century, but uses modern hints like portable CD players, romantic paperbacks, and tablets to connect it to today, which seemed more like distractions to me than a creative device. Atkins’ version also stripped away some of the outright offensive misogynistic dialog of the original. It should be noted that the original was quite controversial in its day on the subject of sex, misaligned marriages, and sexually astute women, but it was a satire of its time. This comedy of blunders style was quite remarkable for that age,

which is why it is considered a very “British” drama literary classic. Atkins’ version certainly maintains the comedic tones, but it does miss a few beats due to some awkward staging and sluggish pacing.

As Margery, Shermona Mitchell illuminates the stage. Mitchell’s presence as the beaming and hopeful woman seeking her own place in society is a sheer pleasure to watch. As the rakish rogue Horner, Nicholas Bernard expertly depicts the character with an assured sly and sexy strut. He pretends impotency to make moves on upper class ladies like Margery and a slew of other women.

While incognito, Margery falls for Horner, but her boorish husband, hysteri-

and First Date, and yup, I agree. Now we add Ride the Cyclone, perhaps the darkest and quirkiest of them all. Ride the Cyclone checklist: Intriguing and entertaining set: Check. Super cool cast: Check. Check. Fun factor: Yep. Fun. Story: um…. Summary: Cotton candy – sweet, fun to eat, not very filling.

Director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell directs and choreographs the hell out of this piece. There is no doubt at all that it would not be the fun ride it is without all the whiz and the bang added here. The rhythm is steady and all-hands-on-deck, and the choreography is modern, fun, sometimes funny, and definitely attractive.

The technical support is also key to the look and feel of the piece. Set designer Scott Davis gives us an old-timey feeling carnival with a rundown booth for The Amazing Karnak, the narrator of the show (played by Karl Hamilton), and a slot

machine-style backdrop that pulls up pictures of the cast as they sing about themselves one at a time. Lights are essential in playing up or down the moments and are designed by Gregory Hofmann. Sound (by Christopher Walker) also emphasizes moments of carnival atmosphere. Costuming (by Theresa Ham) gets school uniforms off and character shifts on in minimalist and tear-away clothing.

The subject matter of the musical is a dour one by description: Six teen members of the Saint Cassian High School Choir board the carnival’s Cyclone roller coaster at 8:17pm. At 8:19pm the front axle of the ride breaks and the teens fly into the air and fall to their deaths.

Except they don’t really exactly die, they get thrown into this seedy carnival pit of purgatory and play the game of their lives to see which one can win the gift of living through the accident. So, there is a competition among them to win, while Karnak tells them the rules, mostly after they’ve broken them.

There aren’t only six songs, but basically each person gets to sing one about her/

cally named Pinchwife, portrayed by Laurence Hughes, now wants even more dominance over her to the point of forcing her with a knife to write Horner some hate mail which she turns around on Pinchwife in a satisfying twist of comeuppance. All the while, the blithe Alithea (a lovely Danela Butler) saunters around with her dense suitor Sparkish (played by Bunthay Cheam filling in for another actor) while Harcourt (played by a refreshing Nabilah S. Ahmed) makes every sweet attempt to get Alithea into his good graces. Phew, it’s “like sands through an hourglass.”

The other five acting talents sufficiently round out the story as comic and plot filler, but fail to leave as lasting an impression

as the dynamic work of the Mitchell and Bernard team does. There are pockets of gem moments here and there including the “showing of the fine china” joke in the latter part of the play.

The rapid pace of the dialog from the large troupe tends to outshine the original themes of Wycherley. The deceit and hypocrisy and even the hypocrisy of deceit is depicted in a restrained manner and is, therefore, blunted for the audience. The antiheros are the heroes of the show and I wish that was emphasized more in this version. Wu’s loose direction nearly unravels the production if not for the strength of the source material itself. To Wu’s credit, it is tough stuff to reclaim, and brave to approach it in the first place.

Once The Country Wife regains its momentum, it all comes together, realizes its potential and is relevant and entertaining. This especially happens when the entire ensemble comes together with full comic effect. The misunderstandings are hilariously understood and the disguises are humorously revealed. Despite some wobbly staging and an uneven flow, the final rally at the end tidies it all up to make a satisfactory production because of what it does have to say about class, rank and morality.

his life and what they want for their future. Here are where quirky and unexpected desires show up and keep the musical from spinning off its axis into boredom – those songs are more fun than you’d think. The teens’ desires are much less stereotypical than the character prototypes.

The characters are archetypes. The smart, bossy, socially awkward Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg (Tiffany Tatreau), the Gay kid Noel Gruber (Kholby Wardell), a Ukrainian misfit Mischa Bachinski (Adam Standley), the handicapped boy Ricky Potts (Connor Russell), and the chunky hangeron Constance Blackwood (Lillian Castillo).

What doesn’t make that much sense is that there is also a sixth teen who no one remembers. She’s supposed to be one of the kids in the same high school and in the choir. Why couldn’t she be another –unrelated – teenager who got on the same ride as the other five? It’s set in Saskatchewan, Canada. Is it such a big place that the kids don’t remember someone? But she’s postulated to be one of the six, yet no one remembers her and she gets decapitated in

the accident. Ew. So she becomes Jane Doe (Emily Rohm).

Still, the talent of the cast, particularly Rohm’s gorgeous voice, and the enthusiasm they all bring turn the fun up to 9 while you’re there. When you’re experiencing it, there are enough surprises to laugh at and delight in. It’s just that afterwards, when you’ve added it all together, there just isn’t much to hang on to as you leave.

Then again, there are plenty of musicals (*cough* Mamma Mia *cough*) that are “just for fun” and not everything has to be a big heavy deal. So, it is totally up to what you’d like for your evening.

For more information, call 206-2927676 or go to www.acttheatre.org.

Discuss your opinions with SGNCritic@ gmail.com or go to www.facebook.com/ SeattleTheaterWriters. More articles can be found at MiryamsTheaterMusings. blogspot.com

however, is Margaret Cho, who has logged in over 25 years as a clever, sensical and dependably hilarious comedienne. She is, undoubtedly, one of the very best in the business, so says Rolling Stone, which included the Bay Area native on its list of the “50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time.”

Cho, a longtime LGBT community member, who continues to reinvent herself with fresh and bold stand-up performances, televised specials and original audio recordings, has always seemed to brilliantly balance the seriousness of the real world with the wackiness of the surreal world and the right amount of humor. She’s doing it again with her brand new show, “Fresh Off the Bloat,” which makes its way to Parlor Live Comedy Club (700 Bellevue Way NE #300) in Bellevue for three nights on March 29 (7:30pm), 30 (7:30pm & 10pm) and 31 (7:30pm & 10pm). If you don’t drive, you can easily get to the venue via Sound Transit bus #550, which runs through the downtown bus tunnel or Metro bus #271 from the U-District.

Always making time to speak with Seattle Gay News, I chit-chatted with Cho recently and got a bit more information about her upcoming appearances, as well as her thoughts on current news. Here’s what this legend and icon had to share.

Albert Rodriguez: Is this show interactive? Are you performing music, as well?

Margaret Cho: No, I’m just doing stand-up comedy. There are so many new jokes and so much material that I want to get through, so on this tour it’s just stand-up.

Rodriguez: Things are happening every day, especially in politics. Are you adding new content to the show as you go along?

Cho: Yeah, I have to continue to update it because every day is different and every thing (in the show) is always live. I think that’s really a big part of it, the fact that we have news that’s all encompassing, and with social media there’s something happening all the time, so it’s very current.

Rodriguez: So many people are unhappy and downright angry with Trump right now; they want him impeached. But they seem to forget that if Trump goes out, we’re then stuck with Pence.

Cho: Pence is worse, a million times worse. Because Trump doesn’t know what he’s doing, but Pence actually does. Trump doesn’t have any of his own beliefs, he’s just kind of making things up as he goes along, but Pence has a strong feeling of what he wants and that’s not what we need. He’s a bigot, a bully, racist and it’s just so scary. It’s actually worse to have Pence in office.

Rodriguez: The last time we spoke, I asked you if there was any topic or event that was off limits, in terms of using it as material for your act and I believe you said there wasn’t. I wanted to ask you that same question, but specifically about what happened in Parkland, Florida. There’s nothing funny about that tragedy, but would you still incorporate it into your show – because so many people are talking about it right now?

Cho: Well, it’s something that’s very vital. It’s something that affects everyone and it’s something that’s affecting kids. What’s great about Parkland is that the kids aren’t going to stand for it. They are out there and doing the best thing that they can. I’m in awe of them. I’m just so proud of what they’ve accomplished and what they’ve been able to do; it’s inspiring and so great that they’re out there doing what they’re doing.

Rodriguez: And shortly afterwards you have this church in Pennsylvania conducting a blessing ceremony for new assault rifle owners. It seems funny only until you realize that it’s real, and then it’s not funny.

Cho: It’s not funny. It’s creepy. It’s really creepy. They don’t connect that all of these school shootings have resulted in innocent lives lost and they refuse to give up something that doesn’t really mean anything anyway.

Rodriguez: Someone who’s been getting a lot of attention recently is U.S. Olympian Adam Rippon, whose become a

huge LGBT hero to so many young people because he’s out there doing his thing and being his unabashedly self.

Cho: I love him! I think he’s perfect. He’s like going to the Oscars in a fucking Folsom Street harness; it’s fabulous!

Rodriguez: Did you have an LGBT hero yourself, somebody who was out already that you could look up to, or who you found inspiring?

Cho: Well, always kd lang. It was Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King, too, like all of these strong, brave women that have always inspired me.

Rodriguez: Male comedians still outnumber female comedians greatly. Three years ago, Amy Schumer was hot and now not as much, yet we’re still praising Dave Chappelle and Lewis Black. Is there a change on the horizon?

Cho: I think so. It’s about survival and longevity, sticking it out. All of my favorites, like Wanda Sykes and Kathy Griffin, they’re

my friends, but they’re also my role models.

Rodriguez: What do you think about rising stars, such as Tiffany Haddish?

Cho: She’s great; she’s really special. So beautiful and funny and hilarious. I’m so excited to see her. She’s wonderful.

Rodriguez: Years ago, we got sidetracked during an interview and started talking about chocolate daddies. So I wanted to resurface that discussion and ask, “Who’d you rather?” – Chadwick Bozeman or Daniel Kaluuya?

Cho: I think Chadwick, right? (laughs) He’s so good.

Rodriguez: He’s definitely a sexy beast. And speaking of Chadwick Bozeman, the success of Black Panther has been huge for the African-American film community. So, where is the Asian Black Panther?

Cho: I know. It’s gotta come out, it’s gotta happen. It’s right around the corner; it has to be. We’ve been working on it and fighting for it for so long, so it’s on the way.

Rodriguez: Switching back to politics, Cynthia Nixon announced that she’s running for office in New York. Isn’t that cool?!

Cho: Yes! We would love a Miranda as governor; she’s great!

Rodriguez: Do you see this tour extending through the rest of the year, if some people can’t get to it in Bellevue?

Cho: Yes, it should. It’ll keep going on. I love it. This tour is going everywhere. It started in Europe and now it’s here and it’s gotta go to Asia, so that’s really exciting.

Rodriguez: Are you big in Korea? Do they see you as a celebrity there?

Cho: They sort of see me as an old lady. (laughs) They know who I am, but they’re not exactly sure what I do. They don’t have stand-up comedy there, so they don’t really understand it or understand me. (laughs) But it’s fun, I still love doing shows there.

mounted the third part, The Happiest Song Plays Last Cousins Yaz (Aida Leguizamon) and Elliot (Joshua Chessin-Yudin) are separated in two different worlds here. It’s an uneasy pairing of circumstances that in some ways makes the play feel uneven. Elliot has gone to the country of Jordan to work on a war film, using his background as an Iraq War vet. He stumbles into a starring role as an action hero, having been hired initially to be the boot camp trainer for the actors, helping them feel the reality of their roles.

Yaz has moved back to her aunt’s North Philadelphia home to try to make their old neighborhood a better place, literally feeding the neighbors to develop community connection. Both Yaz and Elliot are lonely souls and a bit hardened against romantic relationships, but in this “episode,” love creeps into their lives in unexpected ways.

You don’t have to have seen either Epi-

sode 1 or Episode 2 to understand this play. Still, it’s useful to know certain things about the characters. For instance, a key aspect of Elliot’s past is that in Iraq, he killed a man. What becomes much clearer is that the man Elliot killed in war was not a soldier, and yet Elliot was a man with a gun and used it. This haunts his life, now, and he carries the man’s passport in his pocket.

When in Jordan, he makes friends with a film actor, Shar (Lexi Chipman) and a gopher from Iraq, Ali (Agastya Kohli) who has been helping keep the film “real.” When Elliot learns that Ali is actually Iraqi, and maybe can get the passport back to the man’s family, he tells Ali the story of how he got the passport and begs for help. Yaz, as a character, is a difficult one to understand. She is clearly an activist, and is struggling to find a way to express her desire to make the world a better place. For the moment, she’s settled on feeding the neighborhood. But she still feels lonely and disconnected. Her two close friends there are a married musician, Agustin (Michael D. Blum) and a mentally-challenged homeless man, Lefty

(Rich Hawkins). She finds herself growing more than friendly with Agustin, as he expresses frustration with his connection to his wife.

Reconciling the inner desires of our souls is an essential subtext to the characters. Everyone is searching for a way to “matter.” By the end of the play, it seems Elliot has found his way forward, though it’s not clear that Yaz is that successful.

The men in the play are, paradoxically, the best-written characters. And so, the male actors get the juiciest and clearest intentions to play. Blum does some fantastic work as a compassionate, yet flawed musician, and has all sorts of lovely layers of regret and music mingled in his portrayal. Chessin-Yudin is a young up-and-comer who shows an intensity and commitment in the roles he’s played.

Hawkins plays Lefty with a sweet determination that, when Yaz misunderstands him, feels devastating. It’s good to have him back on stage. Kohli does good work as the uneasy immigrant who wants to be friends with Elliot but also turns out to have strong

boundaries. Chipman shows a charm and a lot of potential in this small role and she looks to be someone to watch out for in upcoming productions.

Leguizamon has the biggest challenge in a somewhat under-written, underexplained role. One can postulate that it’s because Hudes wrote that role most closely identifying as herself.

One of the joys of the production is the infusion of music throughout, which helps establish the Latinx flavor needed to ground the characters. Politics is also a prominent theme. While the play is not without some difficulties, Hudes keeps you guessing and interested.

For more information, go to www.theatre22.org or call 206-257-2203.

Discuss your opinions with SGNCritic@ gmail.com or go to www.facebook.com/ SeattleTheaterWriters. More articles can be found a MiryamsTheaterMusings.blogspot. com.

ART AND CULTURE

AMANDA KIRKHUFF

continued from cover

“Everything is Hard” portrays the beauty and endurance of the gay community, as well as its shortcomings: in particular, complicity and participation in the very structures of discrimination that serve to marginalize its members. Kirkhuff wants to be a part of a gay community that doesn’t hate women, contribute to rampant racism, or police bodies and genders. Her paintings confront these internalized oppressions.

Kirkhuff also endeavors to overcome the legacy of misattribution, suppression, and rejection that marginalized artists face in the art world. Her use of materials, scale, and representational technique seeks to mitigate the historical erasure and

marginalization of women and gender nonconforming people within the cannon of portraiture.

Alongside traditionally hung paintings, a constructed set (where Kirkhuff posed models for “Sauna”) references the manual labor that is elemental to her studio practice. This kind of work – woodworking and construction – is socially gendered, much as painting itself has been labeled by history and industry as the work of white men.

“Everything is Hard” will be on display from April 5-26 at Gallery 4Culture, 101 Prefontaine Pl. S. There will be an artist’s reception and opening on Thursday, April 5 at Gallery 4Culture, from 6-8pm, in conjunction with the First Thursday Art Walk at galleries in downtown Seattle and in Pioneer Square. (Prefontaine Pl. S. is the street at an angle between 3rd Ave. S. and

4th Ave. S. just south of Yesler Way and just north of S. Washington St.)

About the Artist

Amanda Jebrón Kirkhuff was born in Seattle, WA in 1982. She attended Seattle Central Community College where she was trained in oil painting and figure drawing, and ultimately earned a scholarship to attend the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI). Kirkhuff graduated with a BFA from SFAI in 2006. For nine years, she lived in San Francisco, participating in underground queer nightlife and activism. She has worked with numerous civil rights and social justice organizations, and her working-class background, community connections, and values continue to inform her practice. Kirkhuff currently lives and works in Seattle. www.amandakirkhuff.com

About Gallery 4Culture

Gallery 4Culture has a thirty-nine year history of presenting innovative and underrepresented artists and art forms in solo and small group exhibitions. King County artists who are not currently represented by a commercial gallery are invited to apply. The gallery is located at 101 Prefontaine Pl. S. and is open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, with a first Thursday opening each month from 6-8pm. https://www.4culture.org/gallery.

About 4Culture 4Culture provides funding and support for the cultural work that makes King County vibrant. www.4culture.org.

Courtesy of Gallery 4Culture

Deutch allows Flower to emotionally blossom

by Sara Michelle Fetters

Erica (Zoey Deutch) and her best friends Kala (Dylan Gelula) and Claudine (Maya Eshet) have an unusual way of making extra cash. The 17-year-old high school seniors blackmail older gentlemen, men like local police officer Dale (Eric Edelstein), by recording them receiving fellatio from one of the underage trio. But where Kala and Claudine are pretty loose with the ill-gotten gains, Erica is obsessively saving to come up with the $15,000 needed to bail her casinorobbing father out of jail. She’s willing to do just about anything to reach her goal, not really caring if the other kids at school start calling her “slut” when word of her oral sex prowess starts to get around.

Things get a little weirder than normal for the teenager when her mom Laurie (Kathryn Hahn) has her current boyfriend Bob (Tim Heidecker) move in with them.

They get even stranger when they go pick up his overweight, quietly intense son Luke (Joey Morgan) out of rehab. While at first Erica would like to stay as far away from the slightly older boy as possible, her curiosity about what happened to him in the past that helped steer him down such a dark road ultimately gets the better of her.

Putting the pieces together, she figures out that Luke’s issues all lead back to the mysterious Will (Adam Scott), a sexy loner all three girls have expressed being attracted to and who just so happens to frequent the local bowling alley they all utilize as their primary hangout.

The first half of director Max Winkler’s (Ceremony) ribald, fearlessly amoral teen comedy/drama Flower is absolutely fantastic. Working from a script he co-wrote with Alex McAulay and Matt Spicer (Ingrid Goes West), Winkler showcases a brazen ferocity that’s reminiscent of 1980’s classic Heathers, the foul-mouthed blasé naturalism of the majority of what is being said and done startling throughout. But it also showcases a sensitivity and a warmth that frequently caught me by surprise, the tender kindliness that Erica occasionally displays movingly authentic.

It’s possible the best bits are every single scene between Deutch and Hahn. If these two made a side career of telling motherdaughter tales once every couple of years I guarantee I’d be first in line to give each of those films an immediate look. Their easygoing back-and-forth is dazzling, and whether they’re affectionately asking one another about their plans for their respective day or angrily lashing out because they

fail to see eye-to-eye on even the most mundane of topics, the rip-roaring rapid-fire verbal pyrotechnics they engage in is consistently stupendous.

Stupendous. That’s an adjective that also applies to Deutch’s mesmerizing performance. Much like she did with the similarly uneven (if still engaging) teenage Groundhog Day meets Mean Girls variation Before I Fall, the young actress delivers a performance of such stunning, unexpected breadth and emotional expressiveness I doubt I could have taken my eyes off of her even if I had wanted to. She discovers recesses inside Erica that are prickly yet still accessible, cantankerous yet also affectionate, the tenderness the young woman can exude bellied by a bellicose self-righteousness that from a lesser actor would have been insufferable. Deutch burns up the screen in ways that are so passionately multifaceted I was dumbstruck by all of the emotional nuances she was able to mine with such aggressively calming ease.

There is a point in the film where things take a decided left turn, and while I honestly appreciate that the script is so willing to go dangle out on a ledge with such gleeful exuberance, I’m not sure there’s enough time for the elements at play to metastasize and coalesce into something meaningful. It all happens so quickly, and for some reason Winkler seems equally driven to wrap this unexpected turn into the murderously surreal as fast as he can. The emotional connection that I felt like I was sharing with both Erica and Luke isn’t so much shattered as it is put on instant hold, my feelings as twisted and as messy as the events that send

the pair on an impromptu road trip only

Thelma Yvonne Dickinson and Louise Elizabeth Sawyer (a.k.a. Thelma & Louise) could relate to at first glance. Thankfully, the chemistry between Deutch and Morgan is so strong it manages to transcend the narrative whiplash that transpires during the climactic act. More than that, there’s something about what Winkler and his team attempt to do during this sequence that still has me thinking about it with increasing specificity. While I don’t think there’s enough room for these moments to fully develop, it’s still a pretty gutsy way to shake things up, and for a film overflowing with so many bawdy twists and turns this is one aggressively vicious curveball that, while I can’t say came entirely by surprise, is still rather shocking when taken in context with the bigger, overarching picture.

But it’s Deutch that has me most excited. She’s so phenomenal here that I’ll watch Flower multiple times just so I can dissect her performance in more exacting detail after each viewing. Winkler wisely keeps her front and center, and whether it is scenes fleshing out Erica’s relationship with Laurie in eviscerating detail, moments with her and Will craftily figuring one another out or the teenager coming to realize there’s more to Luke than initially meets the eye, Deutch can’t do a single thing wrong as she grabs the audience by the throat and forces them to join her on this journey. Make no mistake, this is the best performance I’ve seen in 2018 so far, and come the end of the year this is one acting tour de force I’m positive I’ll still be waxing poetic about with zealous fervor.

Spielberg’s Ready Player One a fascinatingly uneven sci-fi spectacle

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer

READY PLAYER ONE

Now playing

Columbus, OH teenager Wade Wilson (Tye Sheridan) lives most of his life online. Not that this is strange. It’s 2045 and most of the planet does the same thing, everyone escaping from the drudgery of their overcrowded lives by logging into the OASIS, a cybernetic virtual reality dream world where a person can be or do just about anything. Created by the brilliant James Halliday (Mark Rylance), the OASIS is now the driving economic engine in the United States as well as most of the rest of the world, and as such corporations have understandably been trying to gain a leadership foothold within Halliday’s company for quite some time.

When he dies, however, all bets for control of the company are instantly off, the eccentric inventor having crafted a game to take place inside the OASIS upon his death, a pursuit for three hidden keys that lead to a golden Easter Egg granting the victor ownership of his creation along with the massive societal power that goes along with it.

Under the visage of his online avatar Parzival, Wade proves to be a strong contender. Together with his online friends Aech (Lena Waithe), Sho (Philip Zhao) and Daito (Win Morisaki), they know so much about Halliday’s life, and the pop culture influences he held dearest to his heart, their collective ability to figure out his cryptic clues is second to none. When they are joined in their quest by the equally knowledgeable Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), Wade and his compatriots appear to be unstoppable. But Innovative Online Industries (IOI) executive Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn), with the fervent backing of his corporate superiors and the mammoth workforce that goes along with it, also want Halliday’s Easter Egg, and he’ll stop at nothing, whether inside the OASIS or out in the real world, including the use of lethal force, in order to get it.

Based on author Ernest Cline’s best-selling 2011 novel, Ready Player One feels like the type of movie a “fake” Steven Spielberg would make as part of second-rate science fiction parody of the Oscar-winning director’s filmography and not an actual project the real Steven Spielberg would step behind the camera to make himself. Yet here we are, Spielberg calling the shots on a motion picture that revels in the type of cinematic and cultural pop culture from the 1980s that he

played a substantial role in creating. This is a movie where the main character can drive the DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Iron Giant can become a battlefield warrior and King Kong and the Tyrannosaurus Rex from Jurassic Park can all co-exist within the same environment. It’s a blinkand-you’ll-miss-it cacophony of characters, catchphrases, music cues and moments from TV, film, comics, anime and literature all practically guaranteed to make a pop culture enthusiast squeal in rapture, the sheer volume of referenced source material so voluminous it’s impossible to catch even a tenth of it all on first viewing.

Spielberg is hardly spinning his wheels or going through the motions, however. Having Cline massively rewrite his story with the help of screenwriter Zak Penn (The Avengers), there’s honestly very little of the source material remaining in this gigantic 140-minute epic. While the characters and basic plot are the same, Spielberg cannily tries to comment on a variety of hot topics ranging from the corporatization of American politics, to the #MeToo and #TimesUp debate, to kids (and a fair number of adults) disappearing into an online wormhole to the point they’re on the verge of forgetting how to exist in the real world at all. He also tries to tackle the toxic elements of geek fanboy culture, specifically white male fan-

boy culture, trying to show how Halliday’s cutting himself off from the world led him to live an incomplete life as well as making Wade/Parzival’s awaking to this revelation have far more emotional heft and complexity than it did in Cline’s novel.

But this adaptation still can’t overcome all of its source material’s more egregious missteps. Ready Player One remains a tale that essentially revolves around the fact only true pop culture enthusiasts have the right to say anything of value about any of the beloved properties they passionately dissect and study. It is a story where to disagree with any of these “true fans” is to be considered an imposter and a fake, where dissent or debate simply isn’t allowed. It is also still a narrative that is dominated by a mixed up white teenager’s obsession with convincing the main girl in his life that she would be better off with him by her side whether or not she’s open to the idea, all of life’s ills solved by maintaining cultural norms and not attempting to subvert them in any way whatsoever.

All of which makes Ready Player One a film that is often thematically at war with itself. Art3mis is a strong, intelligent and resourceful woman who doesn’t need Parzival to solve all her problems for her. But their relationship, while more equal here than it was in the book, still comes up some-

what short, in the end reinforcing gender norms that feel stagnant and stale in ways that border on insulting. Worse, the one character in the film who does comment on the more sickening and toxic elements of gaming and fanboy culture, a remarkably designed bad guy named I-R0k, is voiced by actor TJ Miller, currently in the middle of his own sexual assault and harassment scandals. The choice to keep him in the film has the unintended consequence of making much of what I-R0k says and comments on practically meaningless, diluting the subtle perceptive power of the villain’s observations to a frustrating degree.

And yet, Spielberg is still Spielberg, and once again the director of Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence and Minority Report, creates an eye-popping, astonishingly realized future world that amazes on a level that’s beyond almost anything a viewer can imagine, let alone fully comprehend. The OASIS is phenomenal, each foray into it a sensory smorgasbord that gets more thrilling as Parzival, Art3mis and the rest of their crew continue on their quest. Spielberg stages a number of signature set pieces that had my heart giddily racing, the best of the bunch being a foray into a classic horror film that’s as unsettling, terrifying, suspenseful, humorous and just flat-out brilliant as any single moment I’m likely going to have the pleasure of viewing this entire year.

I’m still torn on what to ultimately make of the finished feature though. While a step up from Cline’s book, and while Spielberg does make a number of attempts to comment and dissect many of the more noxious elements regarding gender and race that are found inside the story, the film never seems to be fully able to reconcile any of its major themes in ways that aren’t either condescending or offensive. But the set pieces are so spectacular, and the key central performances so strong, it’s impossible to dismiss Ready Player One or not say, on at least a handful of mesmerizing levels, that it isn’t worth giving a look. Spielberg’s celebration of the ’80s pop culture maelstrom he helped to create is a bizarre, energetically vibrant piece of dystopian science fiction that’s as fascinating as it is exasperating, and other than that I’m really not certain what else there is for me to say.

Bleak Unsane an uncompromisingly visceral psychological thriller

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer

UNSANE

Now playing

Sawyer Valentini (Claire Foy) is a banker who has just moved from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania. She used to volunteer as a hospice aide worker, selflessly giving her time and her love to those who needed it. But Sawyer had to leave that life behind. The victim of a driven, unrelenting stalker named David Strine, the young woman didn’t even tell her mother Angela (Amy Irving) why she so suddenly fled her hometown of Boston, her fear of him so all-encompassing she could see no other recourse than to cut all ties and vanish out of state to get away from him.

Still psychologically reeling from the rabbit hole of fear that David’s stalking provoked, Sawyer makes the decision to go speak with a counselor about her lingering uncertainties. Feeling pretty good after speaking with one of Highland Creek Behavioral Center’s therapist, she fills out exit paperwork thinking she’s setting up a second appointment sometime in the coming week. What she’s actually done, however, is self-commit herself into the facility for 24-hours of observation, Sawyer unsurprisingly not at all happy with what she views as unacceptable deception on the part of the hospital in that regard. But because she throws an angry fit, the psychologists at the facility extend her stay to seven full days. Worse, there’s a nurse at the facility named George Shaw (Joshua Leonard) who looks exactly like her stalker, David Strine, and thanks to his presence Sawyer understandably begins to wonder if her grasp on reality is

as strong as she adamantly proclaims it to be.

Steven Soderbergh’s Unsane is a down and dirty psychological horror-thriller that’s as grungy and as unhinged as it is focused and intelligent. Working from a tight, uncompromisingly bleak script by Jonathan Bernstein (The Spy Next Door) and James Greer (Just My Luck), the director follows up last summer’s Logan Lucky with another genre-bending, self-financed effort that has more going on just underneath the surface than initially meets the eye. Like that one, this film is rather sensational. Also like that one, convincing people to give it a shot might be more difficult than it otherwise should be.

In this case, that audiences might not initially be open to giving Unsane a look isn’t altogether surprising. Not only is it a dingy psychological thriller revolving around themes of insanity and sexual abuse, even though Foy has seen her fame increase since her breakout turn in Netflix’s “The Crown,” it’s safe to say this film still lacks the star power of Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Daniel Craig, Seth MacFarlane, Hilary Swank, Riley Keough and Katie Holmes that Logan Lucky brought to the table. Inspired by Sean Baker’s Tangerine, Soderbergh also shot this motion picture on an iPhone and purposely gave it a squalid, lo-fi look in order to help magnify Sawyer’s psychologically induced paranoia as much as possible, and while this visual aesthetic suits the material perfectly, it will just as likely turn off a small subset of potential viewers sight unseen at the same time.

Pity, because this is a pretty terrific movie. Much like he did in regards to the pharmaceutical industry and their docu-

mented corporate abuses in Side Effects, Soderbergh manages to plant some crafty bits of commentary in this film as well, this time involving both the insurance industry as well as the demands placed on mental health hospitals and the lengths they’ll go to in order to cancel out any red ink from their financial ledgers. Sawyer’s situation, the subterfuge involved in her initial commitment into the hospital, is inspired by a number of documented cases where individuals were tricked into self-committing for 24-hours only to find themselves stuck for much longer. Institutions would find varying ways to extend a person’s confinement up to the point they exhaust their insurance coverage. Once that happened, they’d be labeled as being cured and summarily released.

That story would be fascinating in and of itself, Soderbergh and his writers giving things a surreal, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest meets Shock Corridor feel I can’t help but think is intentional. But then he layers the story of Sawyer and her stalker into the mix, and for a good 45 minutes the director plays it pretty close to the vest as to whether or not the young woman is actually losing her mind and is imagining George Shaw and David Strine are the same person. Once the reveal is made, the young woman is such a frazzled mess even she is no longer certain she’s got enough control of her faculties to handle the situation and convince the doctors to let her out of the hospital. It all grows increasingly uncomfortable and disquieting as it all goes along, things building to an explosively emotional conclusion that is as tragically self-destructive as it is undeniably courageous.

No punches are pulled here, Soderbergh

crafting things in a manner that fits the current dialogue over gender inequality and sexual assault nicely. But that also means there is a repulsive side to things that is beyond abhorrent, and watching how the damage done to Sawyer by her stalker has changed her on such a fundamental level broke my heart in two. Foy makes all this work with an astonishing, viscerally raw confidence that’s sublime. The actress isn’t scared of showing Sawyer’s darker, vindictive side while at the same time nakedly opening herself up so fully I became emotionally consumed by the character’s fate and whether or not she’d remain psychologically whole. It’s a masterful performance that only grows in strength and power, the mixture of terror, conviction, poise and uncertainly Foy displays during the film’s haunting final minutes leaving me breathlessly thunderstruck.

If the movie has some lumpy moments, there aren’t enough of them to become problematic. I will say the script doesn’t utilize its supporting players nearly as well I personally wanted it to, and the lapses into horror convention, especially near the end, aren’t nearly as successful as the psychologically unbalanced elements that make up the majority of the thriller’s 97-minute running time. Soderbergh still handles it all with self-assured intensity, and the way tension ratchets up throughout is extraordinary. Unsane is an emotional powder keg that only grows in strength as it goes along, the resultant explosion one I’m likely to still be feeling the aftereffects of for some time to come.

1533 13th Ave. - 323-1525

SEATTLE

BATHS

SEATTLE

BATHS

CLUB Z - (men)

1117 Pike near Boren - 622-9958

CLUB Z - (men)

HOT HOUSE SPA & SAUNA - (women)

SW corner of Pike & 11th

1117 Pike near Boren - 622-9958

(stairs behind Wildrose) - 568-3240

HOT HOUSE SPA & SAUNA - (women)

STEAM WORKS - (men)

SW corner of Pike & 11th

1520 Summit - 388-4818

(stairs behind Wildrose) - 568-3240

STEAM WORKS - (men)

RESTAURANTS & BARS

1520 Summit Ave - 388-4818

88 KEYS - 315 2nd Ave. S. - 839-1300

RESTAURANTS & BARS

BALTIC ROOM - 1207 Pine St. - 625-4444

THE BOTTLENECK LOUNGE

2328 E. Madison St. - 323-1098

C.C. ATTLE’S BAR & GRILLE

88 KEYS - 315 2nd Ave. S - 839-1300

1701 E. Olive Way - 726-0565

BALTIC ROOM - 1207 Pine St. - 625-4444

THE BOTTLENECK LOUNGE

RETAIL SHOPS

DIESEL BAR - 1413 14th Ave. - 322-1080

GLO’S - 1621 E. Olive Way - 324-2577

BABELAND - 707 E. Pike St. - 328-2914

HOT MAMA’S PIZZA - 700 E. Pine St. - 322-6444

CASTLE SUPERSTORE #17

JAZZ ALLEY - 2033 6th Ave. E. - 441-9729

1017 E. Pike St - 204-0126

JULIA’S - 300 Broadway Ave. E. - 860-1818

KREMWERK - 1809 Minor Ave. #10 - 682-2935

DOGHOUSE LEATHERS

MADISON PUB - 1315 E. Madison - 325-6537

1312 E. Pike St. - 257-0231

EMERSON SALON - 909 E. Pike St. - 323-7437

NEIGHBOURS - 1509 Broadway - 324-5358

OUT WEST - 5401California Ave. SW

FANTASY UNLIMITED

THE PINE BOX - 1600 Melrose Ave - 588-0375

POCO WINE ROOM

2027 Westlake Ave. - (206) 682-0167

1510 1st Ave - (206) 624-1784

1408 E. Pine St. - 322-9463

HASHTAG - 3540 Stone Way N - 946-8157

POKE BAR - 1542 12th Ave - 402-5178

PONY - 1221 E. Madison St. - 324-2854

HERBAN LEGENDS - 55 Bell St - 849-5596

PURR - 1518 11th Ave. - 325-3112

HERB(N) ELEMENTS

R PLACE - 619 E. Pine - 322-8828

11013 Lake City Way NE - 535-8769

LAUGHING BUDDHA TATTOO

RE-BAR - 1114 Howell at Boren - 233-9873

ROOT TABLE 2213 NW Market St. - 420-3214

1534 Broadway - 329-8274

THE CANTERBURY - 534 15th Ave. E. - 322-3130

2328 E. Madison St. - 323-1098

CHANGES IN WALLINGFORD

C.C. ATTLE’S BAR & GRILLE

2103 N. 45th - 545-8363

1701 E. Olive Way - 726-0565

SEATTLE EAGLE - 314 E. Pike - 621-7591

NEW YORK EXCHANGE

SHORTY’S 2222 2nd Ave - 441-5449

225 Broadway E. - 726-3300

STOUT -1530 11th Ave - 397-3825

TOULOUSE PETIT

ONYX LEATHER - 1605 12th Ave. #8 - 328-1965

THE CRESCENT - 1413 E. Olive Way - 720-8188

THE CUFF COMPLEX

THE CANTERBURY - 534 15th Ave. E - 322-3130

CHANGES IN WALLINGFORD

2103 N. 45th - 545-8363

THE CRESCENT - 1413 E. Olive Way - 720-8188

THE CUFF COMPLEX - 1533 13th Ave. - 323-1525

DIESEL BAR - 1413 14th Ave. - 322-1080

GLO’S - 1621 E. Olive Way - 324-2577

HOT MAMA’S PIZZA - 700 E. Pine St. - 322-6444

JAZZ ALLEY - 2033 6th Ave. E - 441-9729

JULIA’S - 300 Broadway Ave. E - 860-1818

KREMWERK - 1809 Minor Ave. #10 - 682-2935

THE LUMBER YARD - 9619 16th Ave. SW - 695-2007

MADISON PUB - 1315 E. Madison - 325-6537

NEIGHBOURS - 1509 Broadway - 324-5358

OUT WEST - 5401California Ave. SW

THE PINE BOX - 1600 Melrose Ave - 588-0375

POCO WINE ROOM - 1408 E. Pine St. - 322-9463

POKE BAR - 1542 12th Ave - 402-5178

PONY - 1221 E. Madison St. - 324-2854

PURR - 2307 24th Ave E - 325-3112

QUEER BAR - 1518 11th Ave - 687-7491

R PLACE - 619 E. Pine - 322-8828

RE-BAR - 1114 Howell at Boren - 233-9873

ROOT TABLE 2213 NW Market St. - 420-3214

SEATTLE EAGLE - 314 E. Pike - 621-7591

SHORTY’S 2222 2nd Ave - 441-5449

STOUT -1530 11th Ave - 397-3825

TOULOUSE PETIT

601 Queen Anne Ave N - 432-9069

UNICORN - 1118 E Pike - 325-6492

WILDROSE - 1021 E Pike - 324-9210

ZIPPY’S GIANT BURGERS

5633 Airport Way S - 466-5954

9614 14th Ave SW - 763-1347

OZ - 3831 Stone Way N - 251-0630

601 Queen Anne Ave N - 432-9069

UNICORN - 1118 E Pike - 325-6492

PANACHE - 225 Broadway E. - 726-3300

RUCKUS - 1465 E Republican St - 257-4805

THE FANTASY SHOP

9630 16th Ave. SW - 762-3299

TABOO ADULT VIDEO

9813 16th Ave SW - 767-4855

TRUE LOVE ART GALLERY & TATTOO

1525 Summit Ave - 227-3572

UNDER U 4 MEN

709 Broadway Ave. E - 324-6446

UNCLE IKE’S

2310 E Union St - 1-800-GET-DRUGS

501 15th Ave E - 1-800-GET-DRUGS

9822 15th Ave SW - 1-800-GET-DRUGS

WILD AT HEART

1111 NW Leary Way - 782-5538

BELLINGHAM

LOVER’S

193 Telegraph Road - (360) 752-1862

RUMORS CABARET

1119 Railroad - (360) 671-1849

DES MOINES

ADULT AIRPORT VIDEO 2

21635 Pacific Hwy S - 206-878-7780

SECRETS 22862 Pacific Hwy S - 206-878-8480

EVERETT

ADULT AIRPORT VIDEO

11732 Airport Road - (425) 290-7555

LOVER’S - 112 SE Everett - (425) 353-3607

LOVER’S - 3402 Broadway - (425) 252-8754

KENT

WILDROSE - 1021 E. Pike - 324-9210

ZIPPY’S GIANT BURGERS

5633 Airport Way S - 466-5954

9614 14th Ave SW - 763-1347

OVER’S - 25801 104th Ave. SE - (253) 852-1720

RETAIL

SHOPS

THE FANTASY SHOP 604 Central Ave. S - (253) 850-8428

CASTLE SUPERSTORE #17

1017 E. Pike St - 204-0126

NASHVILLE’S SPORTS BAR (Drag Shows) 114 - Railroad Ave. N - (253) 852-0909

DOGHOUSE LEATHERS

LA CONNER

1312 E. Pike St. - 257-0231

EMERSON SALON - 909 E. Pike St. - 323-7437

HASHTAG - 3540 Stone Way N - 946-8157

NEW YORK EXCHANGE

225 Broadway E. - 726-3300

THE HERON INN & WATERGRASS DAY SPA 117 Maple Ave. - (877) 883-8899 info@theheron.com

ONYX LEATHER - 1605 12th Ave. #8 - 328-1965

OZ - 3831 Stone Way N - 251-0630

PANACHE

OLYMPIA

225 Broadway E. - 726-3300

RUCKUS 1465 E Republican St. - 257-4805

DARBY’S CAFE 211 5th Ave. SE - (360) 357-6229

THE FANTASY SHOP 9630 16th Ave. SW - 762-3299

LOVER’S 3959 Martin Way E, Suite D - (360) 456-7300

TABOO ADULT VIDEO 9813 16th Ave SW - 767-4855

TOYS IN BABELAND - 707 E. Pike St. - 328-2914

JAKES - 311 4th Ave. E - (360) 956-3247

UNDER U 4 MEN

709 Broadway Ave. E. - 324-6446

PORT ANGELES

UNCLE IKE’S

MAPLE ROSE INN 112 Reservoir Rd - (800) 570-2007

2310 E Union St - 1-800-GET-DRUGS 501 15th Ave E - 1-800-GET-DRUGS 9822 15th Ave SW - 1-800-GET-DRUGS

SPOKANE

WILD AT HEART 1111 NW Leary Way - 782-5538

ANDY’S - 1401 W. 1st Ave. - (509) 747 - 0304

BELLINGHAM

LOVER’S 193 Telegraph Road - (360) 752-1862

STRAY NIGHTCLUB 415 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 624 - 4450

RUMORS CABARET 1119 Railroad - (306) 671-1849

NYNE BAR AND BISTRO 232 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 474 -1621

DES MOINES

ADULT AIRPORT VIDEO 2 21635 Pacific Hwy S - 878-7780

EVERETT

ADULT

KENT

TACOMA

LA CONNER

CASTLE SUPERSTORE

6015 Tacoma Mall Blvd. - (253) 471-0391

CLUB SILVERSTONE

OLYMPIA

739½ St. Helens Ave. - (253) 404-0273

THE FANTASY SHOP 2301 6th Ave. - (253) 272-6640 LOVER’S 7002 Tacoma Mall Blvd., #F - (253) 475-2271 THE MIX - 635 St. Helens Ave. - (253)

PORT ANGELES

RAINBOW CENTER 2215 Pacific Ave. - (253) 383-2318

SPOKANE

TRI-CITIES

TUKWILA

TACOMA

Activities

TO GET A CALENDAR LISTING: To have your meeting or event considered for the Community Calendar, please mail, fax, or drop off details to: SGN, Attn: Community Calendar, 1707 23rd Ave., Seattle, WA 98122. SGN phone: (206) 324-4297. E-mail: sgn2@sgn.org.

INCLUDE: Date, time, location, contact phone # for publication (if possible), brief description of event & sponsoring organization. DEADLINE: Tuesday 5pm.

NOTE: 10-digit dialing has come to the Seattle area. The (206) area code must now be used to dial local calls. Location of meetings/events is in Seattle unless otherwise noted.

SATURDAY - March 31

GLSEN WA Youth Leadership Conference. 8am-4pm. Seattle Academy, 1111 13th Ave. https://www.glsen.org/ chapters/washingtonstate Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 9am. Greenlake (outside Evans Pool). Every Saturday. GLBT running & walking club sponsors weekly runs, monthly potlucks, track & field activity, annual Run With Pride. (206) 4488518. www.seattlefrontrunners.org.

Positively Living Coffee Social. 9:30am-12 noon. Cupcake Royale, 1111 E Pike St. Every Saturday. Casual social get-together for the HIV community. Anthony, 206-957-1600. Sponsored by LIfelong. Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Green Lake Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N. Every Saturday starting 3/31 - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at the Wading Pool (along the north end of the lake). Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride. Youth Job Fair for LGBTQ and Allies. 12 noon-2pm. Seattle Academy Gymnasium, 1111 13th Ave. For high school age and young adults. FREE. Facebook. com/seattle.parks.teens; Seattle.gov/Parks/LGBTQ. (Co-located at Seattle Academy with 2018 GLSEN WA LGBTQ Youth Leadership Conference.)

Mature Friends Monthly Potluck. 6pm. Wallingford Community Senior Center, Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Suite 140. Monthly potluck meets last Saturday most months. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www. maturefriends.org

Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 6pm-12 midnight. Call for location & details. Every Saturday. (253) 671-2838. www.oasisyouthcenter.org.

SUNDAY - April 1

Center for Spiritual Living. 8:25, 9:45, 11:30am. 5801 Sand Point Way NE. Blessings & we hope to see you soon! (206) 527-8801 ext 203, www.cslseattle.org Gay Men’s Bowling in Everett 9:30am. Glacier Lanes, 9630 Evergreen Way, Everett. Every Sunday. Spectators welcome. Join us for lunch afterwards! Sponsored by the Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force. For info email John at johndmarsh@mac.com; www.gaysnohomish.org

University Lutheran Church. 9:30am Worship, 10:30am Coffee Fellowship, 11am Adult Forum & Education Hour. 1604 NE 50th St. All are welcome. We choose love. (206) 525-7074. universitylutheranseattle.org

University Unitarian Church. 9:30am & 11:15am Sunday Services. (Late June-Aug 9:30am only.) 6556 35th Ave NE. Interweave is the official name for LGBTQ groups in the Unitarian-Universalist family as a common thread of identification. UUC’s Interweave group meets the first Friday every other month (Oct, Dec, Feb, April & June) usually at UUC for a potluck, a summer picnic or whatever else we might dream up. Drop in & join us. www.uuchurch.org for details.

Central Lutheran Church. 10am Worship. 1710 11th Ave (just north of E Pine St). An open & affirming church, which in Lutheran churches is called “Reconciled in Christ.” “We seek to share God’s love with all people regardless of race, age, gender or sexual orientation.” All are welcome. (206) 322-7500.

Plymouth Church United Church of Christ. 10am Workship. 1217 6th Ave. Love your (LGBTQ) neighbor as yourself. (206) 622-4865, plymouthchurchseattle.org

Queen Anne United Methodist Church. 10am Worship. 1606 5th Ave W. (206) 282-4307.

All Pilgrims Christian Church. 10:30am Worship. 500 Broadway E. Come as you are. All are welcome. A congregation of the Disciples of Christ & the United Church of Christ. (206) 322-0487, www.allpilgrims.org St. Clement’s Episcopal Church. 10:30am Worship. 1501 32nd Ave S. Great music. Dynamic preaching. Holy communion. Encountering the transformative and unconditional love of God in Christ. Join us! www. stclementseattle.org

Seattle Sunday Bowling. 10:30am. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW (at SW Oregon St). Open bowl every Sunday for the GLBT community & friends. You don’t have to worry about how you bowl! $6.50 + $3 shoe rental. (425) 785-4729.

Welcome Table Christian Church. 9:45am Meditation; 10:30am Worship; Labyrinth 2nd Sundays 1-4pm. 1322 S Bayview St. Where people of all genders and sexualities, and families of all shapes & sizes are welcome and celebrated. A welcoming and affirming community since 1987. welcometablecc.org

Emerald City Metropolitan Community Church Seattle. 11am Worship. Chapel at University Temple United Methodist Church, 1415 NE 43rd St. MCC is a

community calendar

progressive Christ-centered faith community committed to providing a nurturing environment for individual & community growth thru Jesus Christ while celebrating unity in diversity. MCC is Seattle’s oldest Gay-friendly church. (206) 325-2421, www.mccseattle.org.

Meditation for GBT Men. 11am-1pm. Cal Anderson House, 400 Broadway. Suitable for beginning & experienced meditators. Sponsored by Dharma Buddies. Contact Forrest Rode, (206) 920-6117, or Doug Allison, doug.l.allison@gmail.com. Find us under “Dharma Buddies” under Meetup.com or DharmaBuddies.org. (Women may wish to contact our sister meditation group at www.LotusSisters.org.)

St Paul’s Episcopal Church. 11:15am (also 7:30am, 9am, 5pm). 15 W Roy St. We are an accepting, progressive, Anglo-Catholic parish, renewing its people for their Christian lives in today’s world through worship, spiritual formation, engagement in the arts, and acts of compassion. www.stpaulseattle.com

Just for Today (NA). 12-1:15pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Sunday. Drop-in 12-step Narcotics Anonymous group open to anyone in recovery. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

New Beginnings (SLAA). 12 noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E #201, O’Neil Room. MEETS DAILY (except Saturday). Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous is a 12-step/12- tradition-oriented fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope to overcome sex and love patterns of addiction. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Paths to Recovery Al-Anon Family Group. 12-1:30pm. Seattle University Student Center, 901 12th Ave, Room 122. Every Sunday. LGBTQ supported. The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives & friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength & hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness & that changed attitudes can aid recovery. Greater Seattle AIS 24-hour number (206) 625-0000; www.seattle-al-anon.org

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Green Lake Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N. Every Sunday starting 3/25 - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at the Wading Pool (along the north end of the lake). Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride. Orca Swim Team Workout. Sun: Afternoon; Mon/Weds/ Fri: Evenings; Tues/Thurs: Mornings. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. Preregistration required. Orca Swim Team workouts are

for both competitive & recreational swimmers. www. orcaswimteam.org [NOTE: No swim on 4/1 or 4/2 due to Seattle U Spring Break.] Knights of Mantra Monthly Meeting. 3pm. The Cuff, 1533 13th Ave. Meets 1st Sunday each month. K of M/ Jet Chapter is a fun-loving leather/Levi social & charitable organization that raises money for various causes & organizations. (206) 329-0886. www.facebook.com/ kofmjetchapter/ Rain City Soccer Club - Kickabout. Sunday afternoon usually at 3pm. Location varies. Join us for Seattle’s mostly-weekly mostly-LGBTQ pickup soccer game. We play an organized, 2-hour scrimmage on nice fieldturf surface. Sometimes there is a brief training/practice session before we play. Usually there is a “one-beer” after the scrimmage. To sign up visit www.raincitysoccer.org PFLAG/Whatcom County (Bellingham) Monthly Meeting. 5pm. Community Food Co-op Bakery, 405 E Holly St, Bellingham. Meets 1st Sunday each month. Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays is a national support organization for parents, spouses, & families of GLBT persons, as well as those minorities. www.whatcompflag.org; PFLAG/Puget Sound: (206) 325-7724. Shame to Grace (SAA). 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Sunday. Sex Addicts Anonymous is a fellowship of men & women who share their experience, strength & hope with each other so they may overcome their sexual addiction & help others recover from sexual addiction or dependency. Seattle SAA helpline (206) 237-8828, SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Pride League Bowling. 6:30pm. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Every Sunday. Regular league bowling. Jeff, (206) 932-3731; leagues@wsbowl.com. [EXCEPT no bowling June, July & August.] Integrity/Puget Sound. 7pm Worship & Fellowship. St. Mark’s Cathedral, Thomson Chapel, 1245 10th Ave E. Integrity is an international ministry of Gay & Lesbian Episcopalians, their friends & families, dedicated to education, support & service within the Church & the GLBT community. (425) 226-2746. Noche Latina - Latino Night. 10pm. Neighbours, 1509 Broadway. Every Sunday.

MONDAY - April 2

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Volunteer Park Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 14th Ave E & E Prospect St. Every Monday starting 3/26 - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at Black Sun sculpture across from museum. Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.”

For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride.

SOBER On Meds. 1-2pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Monday. 12-step group open to anyone in recovery & living on a medicine regimen. (206) 3222437; www.sasgcc.org

Strength Over Speed (SOS). 2-3:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Peer support for Gay and Bisexual men recovering from crystal meth addiction. www. strengthoverspeed.org. www.sasgcc.org

Freely Speaking Toastmasters. 7pm. Seattle Unity Church, 200 8th Ave N. Every Monday (except holidays & the last Mondays in August & December). Seattle’s only LGBT speaking club. www.FreelySpeaking.org Trans Youth Group. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Monday. A chance for youth to talk with others about their experiences & concerns related to identifying as Transgender. www.lamberthouse.org

Lambert House Art Night. 7:30-9:30pm. 1818 15th Ave. Every Monday. Bring your ideas & let’s have some fun. (206) 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org

Destiny/Unity AA Meeting in Tacoma 7:30-8:30pm. Christ Episcopal Church, 310 N “K” St, Tacoma. Every Monday. LGBTQ-friendly AA meeting. (253) 474-8897. (Also meets Fridays.)

Washington Gender Alliance Support Group Meeting in Shoreline 7:30pm. Center for Human Services, 17018 15th Ave NE, Shoreline. Every Monday. www. washingtongenderalliance.com

TUESDAY - April 3

Orca Swim Team Workout. Morning. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday afternoon listing.)

LGBTQ+ Group. 1:15-2:15pm. Orion Center, 1828 Yale Ave. Every Tuesday. A group for LGBTQ youth ages 13-24 & their allies. Sponsored by Youthcare. (206) 622-5555.

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Alki Beach Walk. 2-3pm. 61st Ave SW & Alki Ave SW. Tuesday starting 3/27 - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at Statue of Liberty statue. Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call ((206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride.

defeatHIV Community Advisory Board (CAB). 5:307:30pm. Cal Anderson House, 400 Broadway @ E Jefferson St. Meets 1st Tuesday each month. CAB builds community involvement in order to advance defeatHIV’s clinical research into a potential gene therapy cure for HIV infection. If you want to learn more about our efforts to ensure that all of Seattle’s communities that are affected by HIV have a strong voice in the cure research of defeatHIV, please come to one of our community dinner meetings. More info, contact Michael Louella, (206) 667-5810; mlouella@fredhutch.org

Melrose Promenade Community Open House. 5:307pm. Melrose Market Studios, 1532 Minor Ave. Capitol Hill residents, businesses, and regional safe streets advocates have worked for years to reimagine what an updated Melrose Ave could mean to the community. Their vision has focused on a “vibrant and visually stunning promenade.” We want to talk with you about the project and learn what you think. Please attend our open house. www.seattle.gov/transporation/melrosepromenade-improvement

Gay Men’s Task Force of Snohomish County in Everett 6-8pm. Snohomish Health District, 3020 Rucker Ave Ste 309A, Everett. Meets 1st Tuesday each month. Open to all Gay & Bisexual men in Snohomish County. “We will be discussing issues concerning the local Gay community & value your opinion, voice, comments, suggestions & attendance. Come join us as we build community in Snohomish County.” David, (425) 339-5238. LGBTQ Questioning & Allied Youth Drop-in Group in Renton 6-8pm. Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS), 1025 S 3rd St, Renton. Every Tuesday. Confidential. Snacks provided. Bring friends or come alone - anyone 12-18 is welcome. Questions? Call Sarah Hardin, (425) 271-5600 ext 155, or email sarahh@rays.org

Strength Over Speed (SOS). 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Peer support for Gay and Bisexual men recovering from crystal meth addiction. www. strengthoverspeed.org. (206) 322-2437

Diverse Harmony. 6:30-9pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave. Every Tuesday. Diverse Harmony is the nation’s first Gay/Straight Alliance Youth Chorus. Youths ages 13-22 are welcome regardless of sexual orientation. www.diverseharmony.org

Queer Young Females Group - For Female-Identified Youth, Ages 22 & Under. 6:30-7:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Tuesday. Topics range from family issues to school happenings to like/lust/love relationships. All Queer females welcome. Come discuss how smart. strong Queer women live their lives. (206) 3222515, www.lamberthouse.org

Tuesday Night Sex Addicts Anonymous (GLBTQI). 7-8:30pm. All Pilgrims Christian Church, 500 Broadway E (enter at 509 10th Ave E; buzz in, Dickson room). Every Tuesday. SAA is a fellowship of men & women whose primary purpose is to stop addictive sexual behavior & help others recover from sexual addiction. Seattle SAA helpline (206) 237-8828. SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191. Men’s Discussion Group. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Tuesday. Peer group for Gay

& Bi men. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Here & Now Gay & Lesbian AA Meeting in Tacoma

7:30pm. Christ Episcopal Church, 310 N “K” St, Tacoma. Every Tuesday.

Seattle Otters Water Polo Team. 8-9:30pm. Medgar Evers Pool, 500 23rd Ave E (at E Cherry St). Every Tuesday & Thursday. GLBT & GLBT-friendly co-ed water polo team is open to all who want to play. Beginners & experienced players welcome. Check our website for up to the minute details, or call the Otter Hotline (206) 414-8797. www.otterpolo.com. [EXCEPT no water polo mid-June through Labor Day Weekend.]

Seattle Poetry Slam. Doors 8pm, Show 8:30pm. Rebar, 1114 Howell St. Every Tuesday. A spoken word poetry event that features a weekly open mic, feature poet, and slam (poetry competition). Come out and express yourself. LGBTQ- & QTPOC-friendly; all genders welcome. $5. 21+. seattlepoetryslam.org

WEDNESDAY - April 4

Mature Friends Walk Around Greenlake. 11am. Meet up at 10:50am with a group of older men gathered at the north end of the parking lot that is next to the boathouse along the southwest side of Greenlake. Every Wednesday. Walk around Greenlake followed by lunch at a local restaurant. www.maturefriends.org

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Volunteer Park Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 14th Ave E & E Prospect St. Every Wednesday starting 3/28 - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at Black Sun sculpture across from museum. Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride.

True Colors: Connecting LGBTQ Teens in Shoreline 4-5pm. Every Wednesday. Discussing your important issues, building a supportive community. For information, location & to REGISTER call Lindsay Bagley (206) 362-7282 x 8018 or email lbagley@chs-nw.org

Positively Living. 5-7pm. Lifelong, 1016 E Pike St., 3rd Fl. Every Wednesday. Social and support group for the HIV community with various topics for discussion and conversation. Anthony, 206-957-1600. Sponsored by Lifelong.

GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): A Support Group for GLBTQ+Youth (14-20) serving Snohomish County & surrounding communities. 6-8pm. Phone or email for location. Every Wednesday. Sponsored by PFLAG Everett. Brenda, (425) 263-2908. globeleaders@hotmail.com

Queer Seattle Book Club. 6pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E (upstairs). Every Wednesday. This month’s title is The Sparsholt Affair by Alan Hollinghurst. https://faculty. washington.edu/swittet/SGLBookClub/ Southeast Seattle Lesbian Evening Group. 6pm. Southeast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S Holly St. Meets 1st Wednesday each month. RSVP to Kate Hawkins (206) 722-0317. www.sessc.org. FREE. Lotus Sisters Meditation & Dharma DiscussionNorth. 6:15-8pm. Ravenna Bryant neighborhood. Every Wednesday. Call (206) 525-7295 for location. www. LotusSisters.org.

Center for Spiritual Living. 6:30pm-Meditation, 7pmService. 5801 Sand Point Way NE. Blessings & we hope to see you soon! Info (206) 527-8801 ext 203, www.cslseattle.org

Orca Swim Team Workout. Evening. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday afternoon listing.)

PFLAG/Renton Monthly Meeting. 7pm. St Luke’s Episcopal Church, 99 Wells Ave S, Renton. Meets 1st Wednesday each month. Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays is a national support organization for parents, spouses & families of GLBT persons, as well as those minorities. PFLAG/Renton: 425-235-4139. PFLAG/ Puget Sound: (206) 325-7724. www.seattle-pflag.org. Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 6:30pm. Volunteer Park, 14th Ave E & E Prospect St. Every Wednesday. Meet at Black Sun sculpture across for museum. (See Saturday at 9am.)

Ingersoll All-Trans Drop-In Support Group. 7-9pm. Seattle Counseling Services, 1216 Pine St, Suite 300. Every Wednesday. All Transgender, Gender Variant, Gender Queer, Gender Questioning, allies, family & friends are welcome. This is a drop in group to get & give support, social interaction & information for the whole Gender community. No fee, donations welcome. www. ingersollcenter.org

Mature Friends Weekly Bridge Group. 7pm. Wallingford Community Senior Center, lower level of Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnywide Ave N. Every Wednesday. All levels welcome. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www. maturefriends.org

Mature Friends Pinochle Group. 7:30pm. Wallingford Community Senior Center, lower level of Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnywide Ave N. Meets 1st & 3rd Wednesday each month All levels welcome. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www.maturefriends.org

Washington Gender Alliance Open Support Meeting in Everett 7:30-9pm. Everett United Church of Christ, 2624 Rockefeller Ave, Everett. Every Wednesday. Trained peer facilitators lead a structured support meeting helping people deal with issues of gender identity & expression. All adults are welcomed, including those who are questioning, allies, or identify as FTM, MTF, Transgender, Queer, or Intersex, among others. (360) 445-2411; www.washingtongenderalliance.com.

Pride Skate Seattle. 8:30-11pm. Southgate Roller Rink, 9646 17th Ave SW. Meets 1st Wednesday each month. $8 admission includes skate rental. Must be 18+, with 21+ bar. Performances, roller skating, and fun! See you there! www.southgaterollerrink.com

community calendar

THURSDAY - April 5

Orca Swim Team Workout. Morning. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday afternoon listing.)

ALISS - Aging Lesbians in South Seattle Lunch Gathering. 11:30am-2:30pm. Southeast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S Holly St, Rainier Ave S & S Holly St., Arts & Crafts Room. Meets 1st Thursday each month. This is a group primarily for Lesbians but all are welcome to attend. Facilitator: Fai Coffin; Cost: Free for gathering; $5 suggested donation for lunch. Metro route 7. Wheelchair accessible. Kate, (206) 722-0317; www.sessc.org. Safe and Sober (AA). 12noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

BABES Women’s Support Group/Lunch Meeting. 12 noon-2pm. Call for location. Every Thursday. The BABES Network is a peer led agency; a sisterhood of women facing HIV together. (206) 720-5566 or 888-2921912; www.babesnetwork.org.

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Green Lake Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N. Every Thursday starting 3/29 - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at the Wading Pool (along the north end of the lake). Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride. Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 4-10pm. Call for location & details. Every Thursday. (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter.org (Also Fridays 4-10pm & Saturdays 6pm-12 midnight.)

First Thursday Art Walk in Downtown Seattle/Pioneer Square. 5-9pm. Art galleries in Downtown Seattle/Pioneer Square host opening night receptions. Seattle Art Museum is free today.

Opening Night & Artist Reception for “Everything is Hard!” featuring the work of Amanda Kirkhuff. 6-8pm. Gallery 4Culture, 131 Prefontaine Pl. S. The show will feature Amanda Kirkhuff’s large-scale figurative oil paintings that explore themes of queer community, militancy, and the homosexual agenda. “Everything is Hard” portrays the beauty and endurance of the gay community. She turns classical art on its head, by usiing traditional portraiture to mitigate the erasure of women and gender non-conforming people within the cannon of painting. The show is going to be a knockout! The show continues Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, through April 26. FREE. www.4culture.org.

Rouge at Maximilien. 5-7pm. 81a Pike Place Market.

Live Parisian music during First Thursday Art Walk. Seattle Human Rights Commission. 6-8pm. Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave. Meets 1st Thursday each month. SHRC is made up of 15 citizen representatives who advise the Mayor, the City Council, & all City of Seattle Depts in matters regarding human rights. The commission advocates for justice & equal opportunity & collaborates with & educates the public & private sectors about how to prevent & eliminate discrimination city-wide. Meetings open to the public. (206) 684-4540.

B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Questioning Adolescent Drop-In Group). 6:30-8pm. Call for location. Every Thursday. Sponsored by Youth Eastside Services, which offers many programs for GLBT youth. (425) 747-4937.

Boys’ Group - For Male-Identified Youth, Ages 1422. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Thursday. Youth take the opportunity to talk about issues that relate to their everyday lives, with the facilitation of a male volunteer. (206) 322-2515 ext 16. www. lamberthouse.org

Seattle Prime Timers Coffee Reunion. 7pm. Victrola Coffee & Art, 411 15th Ave E. Meets 1st Thursday each month. Monthly social meet & greet. www.seattleprimetimers.org

21st Century Bowling. 7pm. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Every Thursday. Regular league bowling. Jeff, (206) 932-3731; leagues@wsbowl.com. [EXCEPT no bowling June, July, August.]

Buddhism & Recovery. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Thursday. A meditation/recovery group. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Emerald City Social Club. 7:30pm. Call for details & location - phone staffed most Tuesday evenings or leave message. Meets 1st Thursday each month. ECSC is a confidential crossdressing social & support organization for Transvestite & Transsexual individuals, primarily MTF, which offers confidential membership, private monthly meetings, frequent events on the town, & help in coming out. (425) 827-9494.

Gay Fathers Association of Seattle. 7:30-9pm. Group Health, 201 16th Ave E, Central Bldg, Lower Atrium. Every Thursday. Support meetings for Gay fathers & Gay men who are currently or previously married. Safe, anonymous, non-judgmental environment of caring fathers & friends. You are not alone. For information, community events & “questioning” visit www.gfas.org or our message board at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/ gayfathersseattle

Gay Male Sexuality & Relationships. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Thursday. Ongoing support group open to Gay and Bisexual men. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org [NOTE: Please contact the facilitator prior to attending.]

Seattle Otters Water Polo Team. 8-9:30pm. Medgar Evers Pool, 500 23rd Ave E (at E Cherry St). Every Tuesday & Thursday. (See Tuesday listing at 8pm.) [EXCEPT no water polo mid-June through Labor Day Weekend.]

FRIDAY - April 6

Ageless in Recovery (AA). 12noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Friday. A drop-in AA group for 55+. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Kubota Gardens Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 9817 55th Ave S. Every Friday starting 3/30 - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at the corner of 55th Ave S and Renton Ave S. Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride. Road to Recovery (SLAA). 12noon-1:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Friday. Ongoing 12-step group for sex and love addicts. www.sasgcc.org

Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 4-10pm. Call for location & details. Every Friday. (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter.org

Strength Over Speed (SOS). 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Peer support for Gay and Bisexual men recovering from crystal meth addiction. www. strengthoverspeed.org. (206) 322-2437.

Orca Swim Team Workout. Evening. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday afternoon listing.)

Game Night. 7pm-11pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Friday. Card games, board games and fellowship. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Lambert House Queer Movie Night. 7-9:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Friday. Lambert House is a nationally-recognized activities & resource center for GLBT & questioning youth, ages 14-22. (206) 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org

Rain Country Dance Night. 7-11pm, lessons at 7:15pm. The Cuff, 1533 13th Ave. An evening of country-western dancing for the LGBTQ community. FREE. www.raincountrydance.org.

Destiny/Unity AA Meeting in Tacoma 7:30-8:30pm. Christ Episcopal Church, 310 N “K” St, Tacoma. Every Friday. LGBTQ-friendly AA meeting. (253) 474-8897. (Also meets Mondays.)

The Imperial Sovereign Court of Tacoma - Diamond Empire of the Cascades - Friends & Family Show. 7pm-doors; 8pm-show. La Quinta Inn & Suites, 1425 E 27th St., Tacoma. $10 cover. An evening of fine drag entertainment and festivities leading up to the Mr, Miss & Ms Gay Washington 2018 Pageant on Saturday, 4/7 at 8pm. Benefiting The Imperial Sovereign Court of Tacoma.

LGBT Friday Night Al-Anon Family Group. 8-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201 - in the O’Neill Room. Every Friday. The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives & friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength & hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness & that changed attitudes can aid recovery. Greater Seattle AIS 24-hour number (206) 625-0000; www. seattle-al-anon.org; (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

“Not in Our Town” - Seattle Men’s Chorus & Seattle Women’s Chorus in Concert (4/6-4/8). 8pm. McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St. 206-388-1400; www.seattlechoruses.org

SATURDAY - April 7

(See previous Saturday for ongoing activities.) Northwest Bears Potluck and Meet & Greet Beer Bust. 6pm. The Cuff, 1533 13th Ave at E. Pine St. Meets 1st Saturday each month. Northwest Bears is a Gay men’s social and service organization providing a focal point within the Gay community for Bears and Bear admirers. www.nwbears.com.

The Imperial Sovereign Court of Tacoma - Diamond Empire of the Cascades - presents “Springtime in Washington” - The Mr, Miss & Ms Gay Washington 2018 Pageant. 7pm-doors; 8pm-show. La Quinta Inn & Suites, 1425 E 27th St. Tacoma. $40 cover. An evening of fine drag entertainment and competition. Benefits The Imperial Sovereign Court of Tacoma.

“Not in Our Town” - Seattle Men’s Chorus & Seattle Women’s Chorus in Concert (4/6-4/8). 8pm. McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St. 206-388-1400; www.seattlechoruses.org 8pm.

SUNDAY - April 8

(See previous Sunday for ongoing activities.) Lotus Sisters Guided Meditation. 11am-1:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Meets 2nd Sunday each month. Senior students lead the meditation, provide dharma talks or reflections & lead discussion. (206) 329-5908; www.LotusSisters.org. (Meets in 2nd floor meeting room; no elevator.)

The Imperial Sovereign Court of Tacoma - Diamond Empire of the Cascades - Victory Brunch. Doors at 11am. La Quinta Inn & Suites, 1425 E 27th St. Tacoma. $15 cover. A special brunch to honor and celebrate the winners of the Mr, Miss & Ms Gay Washington 2018 Pageant held on Saturday, 4/7, and recognize the contributions of local individuals to the Court of Tacoma. Benefits The Imperial Sovereign Court of Tacoma. https://www.facebook.com/CourtOfTacoma/

Seattle Men in Leather Monthly Brunch. 11am-1pm. Purr Cocktail Lounge, 2307 24th Ave E. Meets 2nd Sunday each month. All members of the leather community are invited to attend. Cost: $15. RSVP at SML website requested so Purr can plan for enough food. SML is a Gay men’s social organization, promoting with power & pride the Seattle Men’s Leather Community. www. seattlemeninleather.org

No Safeword Writers Group. 1pm. See website for location. Meets 2nd & 4th Sunday each month. NSWG exists to provide mutual support for members’ efforts. Support is in the form of critique & commentary on each other’s work, information about publishing opportunities, & discussion of issues facing writers. NSWG’s primary focus is erotic writing - but they welcome anyone who writes. The only requirements are to write, to attend, & to be respectful. For info & location, www.nosafewordwritersgroup.org

“Not in Our Town” - Seattle Men’s Chorus & Seattle Women’s Chorus in Concert (4/6-4/8). 2pm. McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St. 206-388-1400; www.seattlechoruses.org

Dignity/Seattle. 6pm-Prayer Service. Ravenna United Methodist Church, 5751 33rd Ave NE. Meets 2nd Sunday each month. Dignity/Seattle is the local chapter of the nationwide organization of GLBT Roman Catholics. “We celebrate our inherent dignity with pride in liturgy, mutual support, work for justice, & social activities.” Gender-inclusive & relationship affirming liturgies & prayer services. All welcome. (206) 325-7314. Aleksa Manila’s 14th Annual ICON - A Celebration of Drag, Art & Life! - A Benefit for Seattle Counseling Service. 5pm-VIP, 6pm-general reception, 7pm-dinner & program. Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel, 2100 Alaskan Way. This year’s theme will be about DUETS & DUOS - honoring how relationships of any shape or size are fostered through mutual understanding and compassion that creates communities like our chosen families and organizations like SCS. Tickets: $150 general, $200 VIP and more information about the evening’s stellar roster of performers at www.seattlecounseling.org/ICON. Ski Buddies End of Season Banquet. 6-9pm. Stout, 1530 11th Ave. Join your fellow Ski Buddies and bring your stories and photos of your winter adventures. Event includes no host bar and each person will have a separate tab with gratuity included. Maximum 50 person capacity. RSVP required. Ski Buddies is a nonprofit GLBT & GLBT-friendly club which meets regularly thruout the fall & winter, offering camaraderie & deeply discounted skiing adventures for all levels of skiers & snowboarders. www.skibuddies.org

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Allyship - an organization of LGBTQ individuals fighting for economic and social justice. www.LGBTQAllyship. org, allyship@yahoo.com, (206) 279-8169.

American Veterans for Equal Rights - www.aver.us Another Gay Social Club! - www.meetup.com/AnotherGay-Social-Club/ Bellingham/Whatcom County - www.theslowlane. com/guide.html

BiNet Seattle is a mixed gender, social group for Bisexuals, their partners & other Bi-friendly folks - www. binetseattle.org.

Bremerton/Kitsap County - www.outwestsound.org Capitol Hill Alano Club - www.chacseattle.org Cascade Rainbow Community Center (Mount Vernon) - (360) 840-8499 and on Facebook.

COLAGE unites people with LGBTQ parents and caregivers into a network of peers and supports them as they nurture and empower each other to be skilled, self-confident, and just leaders in our collective communities - www.colage.org

Central Washington University GALA Hotline: (509) 963-1994.

DIFFA/Northwest (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). (206) 763-8885; www.diffanorthwest. org

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT: Crisis Clinic, (206) 461-3222 (24 hour line); King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) - 24-hour crisis line for information, support, & medical & legal assistance: 1-888-99-VOICE; Northwest Networksupport & advocacy for Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse & Dating Violence, (206) 568-7777 (voice), 517-9670 (tty), www.nwnetwork.org; Pierce County Domestic Violence Helpline: Teresa, (253) 798-4166; Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities - offers on-going support groups for men: 323-1768; Seattle Police Dept Domestic Violence Unit, (206) 684-0330; State Wide Domestic Violence Hot Line, 1-800-562-6025. In an emergency call 911 Report domestic violence and sexual assault. Equal Rights Washington - (206) 324-2570; www. equalrightswashington.org

Everett/Snohomish Cty - www.gaysnohomish.org

Freely Speaking Toastmasters - www.freelyspeaking.org

Gay City promotes wellness in LGBTQ communities by providing health services, connecting people to resources, fostering arts, and building community. Gay City Health Project’s Wellness Center provides anonymous & confidential HIV/STD testing. 517 E Pike St. More info or to schedule an appointment, (206) 860-6969. www.gaycity.org

Gay & Lesbian National Hotline (GLNH): 1-888-THEGLNH (1-888-843-4564). Non-profit, peer-counseling, information & local resources telephone hotline for GLBT people across the country.

Generations Aging With Pride empowers elder LGBTQ adults to live with pride and dignity by promoting, connecting, and developing innovative programs and services that enhance belonging and support, eliminate

discrimination, and honor the lives of older members of our community - (206) 393-3400; info@gapseattle.org; gapseattle.org

GLSEN/WA - Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network - (206) 330-2099; www.glsenwa.org

Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) - (206) 363-9188; www.thegsba.org

HIV/AIDS Program, Seattle/King County Dept of Public Health, provides confidential/anonymous information about & testing for HIV/AIDS. (206) 205-7837. For a comprehensive list of HIV/AIDS service organizations see the GSBA Guide or visit www.thegsba.org or call Lifelong AIDS Alliance, (206) 328-8979. Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & the Olympic & Rainier Empire - www.facebook.com/ISCSORE; www. imperialcourtofseattle.com

Lambert House - (206) 322-2515; www.lamberthouse. org

LGBT Library - 517 E Pike St. Open Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. A wide range of fiction and non-fiction for the LGBT community and allies can be borrowed free of charge.

LGBT MS Connection - (206) 250-5002; LGBTMSConnection@gmail.com. Support group for LGBT persons with MS and their partners and their caregivers. Sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Lifelong AIDS Alliance - (206) 328-8979, www.lifelongaids alliance.org Lion’s Main Art Collective - www.lionsmain.org

MEN: Gay City: (206) 860-6969, www.gaycity.org; Knights of Mantra: (206) 329-0886, www.jetchapterkofm.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Northwest Bears: www. nwbears.com; The Olympians: www.TheOlympians. net; POZSeattle: www.pozseattle.org; Q-Squared: www.qsquared.org; Rain City Jacks: www.raincityjacks. org; Seattle Gay Couples: www. seattlegaycouples. org; Seattle Men in Leather: www.seattlemeninleather. org; Seattle Prime Timers: Gay & Bi men 40 & over, www.seattle primetimers.org; Tacoma Older LGBT: www.tacomaolderlgbt.org. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.)

MUSIC: Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; Rainbow City Band: 1-866-841-9139 ext 2126; rainbowcityband@onebox.com; www.rainbowcity band. com; Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus: (206) 388-1408, (206) 323-0750. www.seattlechoruses.org.

Northwest Lesbian & Gay History Museum Project - gayhistnw@aol.com

Northwest Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf - www. nwrad.org Olympia/Thurston County - www.RainbowCenterOly. org

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates/Seattle Regional Affiliate supports the work of LGBT employees and the growing number of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) making a difference within local companies, including Alaska Airlines, Amazon.com, Amgen, AT&T, Bank of America, Deloitte, Macy’s, Microsoft, Russell Investments, Safeco Insurance, Starbucks Coffee, Xerox. www.outandequal.org/affiliates/seattle Out & Proud Grays Harbor Coalition - http://outandproudgh.org

PARENTHOOD: Families Like Ours provides a gateway for LGBT families interested in adoption & provides a network of safe placement agencies, training, support & resources: (206) 441-7602, www.familieslikeours. org; Family Works offers support, information & activities for LGBT families: (206) 694-6727, www.familyworksseattle. org; Gay Fathers’ Association of Seattle offers support groups & social activities: www.gfas. org; Proud & Loud Families - Northwest, www.meetup.com/proudand-loud-families-northwest, plfnorthwest@aol.com; Queer Parent Networking Dinners: (206) 568-7777, qpnd@nwnetwork.org, www.nwnetwork.org; Rainbow Families of Puget Sound: www.rainbowfamiliesps.org PFLAG is the national organization for parents, families, allies, and LGBTQ people united for equality with chapters in Seattle, Bellevue/Eastside, the Puget Sound region and across Washington state. PFLAG Seattle: (206) 325-7724, info@pflagseattle.org, and www.pflagseattle.org; PFLAG Bellevue/Eastside: (425) 483-6642, info@bellevue-pflag.org, http://community. pflag.org/PFLAGBellevue; PFLAG Pacific Northwest: www.pnwpflag.org; PFLAG Washington State: www. pflagwsc.org.

PEOPLE OF COLOR: AARTH (African American Reach & Teach Health Ministry), (206) 850-2070, www.aarth.org; Asian/Pacific Islander Queer Network Program at API Chaya, (206) 467-9976; Center for MultiCultural Health, (206) 461-6910, www.multiculturalhealth.org; Entre Hermanos, GLBT Latinos/as, (206) 322-7700, www.entrehermanos.org; Ile LaiLai, (206) 781-3565, iya@ilelailai.org; Men of All Colors & Cultures Together (MACCT), (206) 923-8313, macctseattle@yahoo.com, www.macctsea.org; Northwest Two Spirit Society, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/nw2spiritsociety/, Nubian Pride Productions, nubianpride@gmail.com; People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) offers rapid HIV testing, M-F, 10am-5pm, (206) 322-7061, www.pocaan.org and on Facebook; QBASS - Queer Black Alliance of the South Sound, (253) 256-1846, weareqbass@gmail. com; Sistah 2 Sistah, LBT women of African descent, (206) 322-7061, (206) 255-8951; Somos Seattle, somosseattle.org; Trikone-Northwest, GLBT South Asians, (425) 985-4376, www.trikonenw.org; Two-Spirit Honor Project, 1-866-685-0164; U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle, www.utopiaseattlewa.org; VietQ Greater Seattle, vietqorganization@gmail.com Pierce County AIDS Foundation - (253) 383-2565; www.piercecountyaids.org

community calendar

Pride Foundation - (206) 323-3318; www.pridefoundation. org

Project NEON is a program of Seattle Counseling Service providing FREE information & services to Gay & Bi men to reduce health risks associated with methamphetamine use. (206) 323-1768. www.crystalneon.org

Public Health-Seattle & King County Online Comprehensive Health Information for Sexual Minorities: www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/personal/ glbt.aspx

Q Law: The GLBT Bar Association of WA - (206) 682-6711; www.q-law.org; Q Law GLBT Legal Clinic - (206) 235-7235. Queer Geek! - queergeekseattle.org

Safe Schools Coalition - www.safeschoolscoalition. org; (206) 451-SAFE; (206) 451-7233.

SEAMEC interviews, researches & rates candidates for public office on issues of concern to the LGBT community. www.voteseamec.org

Seattle Area Support Groups & Community Center (SASG) is a non-profit organization that builds community and cultivates powerful, healthy lives by providing emotional support and personal development services to those affected by HIV/AIDS, the Queer communities, and those who love them. Our work is done in a spirit of safety, trust, inclusiveness, and celebration of individual differences. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Seattle Bisexual Women’s Network - BiSeattle.wixsite. com/SBWN and on Facebook.

Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities is a community mental health service for GLBT persons & their families providing comprehensive mental health services on a sliding scale. (206) 323-1768.

Seattle LGBTQ Commission - (206) 684-4503. www/ seattle.gov/lgbtq

Seattle Out & Proud - (206) 322-9561; www.seattlepride.org

Seattle Police Department Sexual Minorities Community Advisory Council: kim.bogucki@seattle.gov

Seattle PrideFest - www.seattlepridefest.org

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network - (202) 328-3244; www.sldn.org

Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey of St. Joan - (206) 860-3666; www.theabbey.org

Snohomish Health District HIV/AIDS Program provides free confidential/anonymous HIV counseling & testing 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, until 7pm Tuesdays. (425) 339-5298.

South Sound Q Calendar - LGBTQ events in Tacoma, Olympia & Sound Puget Sound area; www.SouthSoundQCal.com Spokane/Inland Northwest - www.outspokane.com; www.stonewallnews.net

SPORTS & RECREATION: Bent Car Guys: www. bentcarguys.org; Border Riders Motorcycle Club: www.borderriders.com; Bottom Dwellers Scuba Club: www.bottomdwellers.org; Capitol Hill Cyclers: join their Facebook group or email capitolhillcycling@ groups.facebook.com or jordan.l.simonson@gmail.com; Cascade Flag Football: www.cascadeflagfootball.org; Cascade Flyers: www.cascadeflyers.org; Different Spokes Bicycling Club: www.differentspokes.org; Emerald City Mudhen Rugby: www.mudhenrugby. com; Emerald City Softball Association: www.emeraldcitysoftball.org, www.eteamz.com/womensecsa; Ethyl Forever Car Club: ethylforever@hotmail.com; Festival of the Babes: www.festivalofthebabes.com; Olympic Yacht Club: www.oycnw.org; OutVentures: outdoor education & recreation activities, www.outventures.org; Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association: www.pacificnwgra.org; Puddletown Squares: www. puddletownsquares.org; Rain City Soccer: www.raincitysoccer.org; Rain Country Dance Association: a country-western dance organization catering to the LGBTQ community but open to all, www.raincountrydance. org; Sea Dawgs: LGBT ice hockey - SkateSeaDawgs@ gmail.com and on Facebook; Seattle Frontrunners: www.seattlefrontrunners.org; Seattle Gay Basketball Association: www.seattlegaybasketballassociation. com; Seattle Orca Swim Team: www.orcaswimteam. org; Seattle Otters Water Polo: www.otterpolo.com; Seattle Quake Rugby: www.quakerugby.com; Seattle Tennis Alliance: www.seattletennisalliance.org; Seattle Unified Bowling Association (SUBA): magee98106@ aol.com, www.teamseattle.org/bowling.htm, www. theprideleague.com, Century 21 League; Seattle Volleyball Club: www.seattlevolleyballclub.com; Ski Buddies: www. skibuddies.org; Team Seattle Gay Sports Network is an umbrella organization for a wide range of local GLBT sports activities, (206) 367-4064, www. teamseattle.org (see website for comprehensive list of sports clubs); Triangle Recreation Camp at Bender Creek: recreational camping for GLBT folks. Must be 21; ID required. trc@camptrc.org, www.camptrc.org, 1122 E Pike St #1069, Seattle 98122-3934. Strength Over Speed - www.strengthoverspeed.org Tacoma/Pierce County - Rainbow Center, 2215 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, a resource center for the LGBTIQA community of Pierce County, (253) 383-2318, www.

rainbowcntr.org TRANSGENDER: Emerald City Social Club: (425) 827-9494; Gender Alliance of the South Sound: www.SouthSoundGender.com; Gender Diversity: www.genderdiversity.org; Gender Justice League: www.genderjusticeleague.org; Gender Odyssey: www.genderodyssey.com; Hermanos Trans Latino & Foreign-Born Support Group: (206) 322-7700; Ingersoll Gender Center: (206) 329-6651, www. ingersollcenter.org; Lion’s Main Art Collective: www. lionsmain.org; The New BoyZ Club: www.olympiaftmgroup.webs.com; Olympia Trans Discussion Group: www.facebook.com/pages/Olympia-Trans-DiscussionGroup/262449878114; [trans] ACTION: Trans* & Gender Non-Conforming Sex Workers’ Support Group - a safe, peer-led space. mail@utopiaseattle.org; TRANSform Washington: transformwashington.com; Trans Resource & Referral Guide: kctransguide.org; Washington Gender Alliance: (360) 445-2411, www. washington genderalliance.com

WOMEN: Aging Ballard Lesbian Exchange (A.B.L.E.): We are Lesbians 60 years (generally) and up, living (mostly) in the north half of Seattle. The purpose of the group is to connect, socialize and support each other. ruthemilyvogel@gmail.com; Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS) - Lesbian Group at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center. This is a gathering primarily for Lesbians but all are welcome to attend. Kate, (206) 722-0317; www.sessc.org; BABES: support groups for HIV+ women. (206) 720-5566, 1-888-292-1912; Coming Out Women Support Group of Tacoma: www. comingoutwomen.org; Festival of the Babes: www. festivalofthebabes.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Puget Sound Old Lesbian Organizing for Change: http:// psoloc.org, (253) 777-3357; Older Lesbians Organizing for Change/WA State Chapter: gloria@oloc.org, mary@oloc.org, www.oloc.org; Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives: www.pnwlesbianarchives.org; RainshadowWomen: RainshadowWomen@aol. com; Seattle Bisexual Women’s Network: BiSeattle. wixsite.com/SBWN; Seattle Girls of Leather: www. sgol.org; Tacoma Lesbian Concern (TLC): www.tacomalesbianconcern.org; Tacoma Older LGBT: www. tacomaolderlgbt.org; Women of West Seattle (WOWS): a fun, member-driven social group for Lesbians, http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/womenofwestseattle; YWCA Women’s Health Outreach: providing low or no-cost mammograms for income eligible 40+ LBTQ individuals. Follow us at http://lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot.com, twitter.com/ingridWHO or email lbthealth@ywcaworks. org, (206) 461-4493. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.)

YOUTH: B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Questioning Adolescent Drop-In Group): Youth Eastside Services offers many programs for GLBT youth, including B-GLAD, (425) 747-4937; Coyote Central: www.coyotecentral.org; Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; GLSEN/Washington State (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) & Washington State GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) Network: GLSEN works to create safe schools for LGBT students. WA GSA Network supports youth-led GSA’s to fight harassment & homophobia in Washington state schools. (206) 330-2099; www.glsenwa. org; www.wagsa.org. GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): a support group & HIV/STD prevention program for GLBTQ youth, 14-20, in Everett, (425) 263-2908, www. globeyouth.org; It Gets Better Project: www.itgetsbetter.org; Lambert House: an activities & resource center for LGBT youth, 14-22, in Seattle, 1818 15th Ave @ E Denny Way; (206) 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org; Lifelong HEYO (Health Education Youth Outreach): for LGBTQ youth, ages 16-24: (206) 957-1665; www. llaa.org/HEYO; www.MatthewsPlace.com; The Mockingbird Society: (206) 323-KIDS (5437), www.mockingbirdsociety.org; Oasis Youth Center: for GLBTQ youth, ages 14-25, in Tacoma, (253) 671-2838, www. oasisyouthcenter.org; OUT There Adventures: www. outthereadventures.org; Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)/Puget Sound: (206) 3257724, www.seattle-pflag.org; Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS) Drop-In Center & Young Adult Shelter: 1609 19th Ave @ E Pine St., (206) 7268500; www.psks.org; Pizza Klatch: weekly lunchtime support groups for LGBTQ youth in Thurston County, www.pizzaklatch.org; Prism: for LGBTQ youth, 14-21, in Puyallup - Cherise.Alexander@ multicare.org; www. facebook.com/PuyallupPrism; Proud Out Wonderful (POW!): for LGBTQ youth, 13-21, in South King County, (206) 326-9112, www.facebook.com/proudoutwonderful; Q Youth Resources: in Kitsap County - (360) 698-3335; www.kchaf.org; Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS): LGBTQ, questioning and allied youth drop-in group, ages 12-18 - Sarah Hardin, (425) 271-5600, ext 155; sarahh@rays.org; Roots Young Adult Shelter: 1415 NE 43rd St., (206) 632-1635; www.rootsinfo.org; Safe Schools Coalition: www.safeschoolscoalition.org; (206) 451-SAFE, (206) 451-7233 (non-emergency), 1-877-SAFE-SAFE (1-877-723-3723) (crisis line); Seattle Young People’s Project (Queer Youth Resource Board): (206) 860-9606, www.sypp.org; Street Youth Ministries (SYM): (206) 524-7301 ext 111; www. streetyouthministries.org; Teen Link: (206) 461-4922, 1-888-431-TEEN; The Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor; www.thetrevorproject.org; True Colors - Connecting LGBTQ Teens: in Shoreline, (206) 362-7282 x 8018, lbagley@chs-nw.org; Vista Youth Center: for LGBTQ, questioning and allied youth, ages 14-21, in Kennewick, (509) 396-5198, www.vistayouthcenter.org; YouthCare/ Isis Program (Transitional Living Home for LGBTQ Young Adults, 18-22): (206) 522-8412; YouthCare/ Orion Center Young Adult Shelter: 1828 Yale Ave @ Stewart St. (206) 622-5555; Youth in Focus: (206) 723-1479; www.youthinfocus.org; Youth Suicide Prevention Program (OUTLoud-GLBTQ): (206) 297-5922, ext 116, 1-800-273-TALK, www.yspp.org

[HEALTH & WELL-BEING]

ENERGY/BODYWORK

Therapeutic massage. 30 years experience. Relaxation, major/minor injuries, chronic muscle pain. Small Ballard home office/studio. Massage table or massage chair. Convenient parking. (I’m a Gay-friendly straight male graphic artist, web author.) First session 50% off = $45/1.5 hours (travel extra). By appointment only. References available. Chris Pringer, Reiki Master, 206-286-0899. If you get a voice message mentioning “extension #,” please hang up and call back again; otherwise, please leave a message. Brochure, testimonials, etc. via chalicebridge.com/BMI-Brochure. html. 44/21

CHUCK'S HANDYMAN SERVICE

Painting / Decks / Fences / Drywall / Miscellaneous Jobs. Over 20 years exoerience in the West Seattle area. References. 206-935-6730. 38/6

SILVERHAWK SERVICES

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PETS OF THE WEEK

Adoption Center

Sunday – Wednesday | 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday – Saturday | 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. 13212 SE Eastgate Wy, Bellevue, WA 98005 (425) 649-7563 | adoption@seattlehumane.org

Is your life missing a furry friend? Now is the perfect time to open your world to a pet in need. Coldwell Banker’s Homes for Dogs program with Adopt-a-pet.com has helped place 20,000 dogs into homes across the country. Could your place be the next happy ending for a pet in need? Make your house a home by visiting the shelter and bringing back the pet of your dreams.

April 1 April Drools Day…we’re not kitten around!

In honor of April Drools Day on April 1st, adoption fees are 50% at Seattle Humane. We aren’t kitten around! You can surprise your friends and family with an April Fool’s Day adoption and our shelter pets will keep the fun going for years and years. Be prepared for unconditional love – you’ll crack plenty of laughs and smiles hanging out with your new animal companion. See adoptable pets at SeattleHumane.org.

Registration is open for Animal Adventures Summer Camps!

Looking for a fun, interactive, animal-friendly way to get your kids involved this summer? Look no further – Seattle Humane is back with Animal Adventures Day Camp! Kids spend the week learning the value of animal companionship, proper pet care and handling, and how they can help shelter animals in need, all while having a blast! Each camp is designed to provide your child with a unique experience all while enjoying animal interactions, games, crafts and guest speakers. https://www.supersaas.com/schedule/Dog_Training/Animal_Adventures_Summer_Camp

21

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RAIN CITY JACKS

RCJ is Seattle’s private club hosting hundreds of group jack-off events since 2005. Hot, friendly, and genuine male bonding for men 18+ only. Email or visit our web site for information. info@raincityjacks.org; www. raincityjacks.org. 18/12

FREE & ANONYMOUS HIV & STD COUNSELING/TESTING Walk-In or by Appt

GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT 517 E. Pike St.

M-F: 3pm-8pm; SAT: 12:30pm-5pm More Info & to Schedule Appt 206-860-6969

Finnegan

Meet Finnegan, a 1-year-old brindle black and brown Plott Hound mix disguised as a lovable, affectionate and entertaining goofball. Finnegan adores his humans and could try to figure out where everyone went with a questioning “woof.” He's so gleeful in his attention, he may pounce on you to show you how happy he is to see you. Finnegan would benefit from some additional training, he already knows how to sit; lucky for the two of you, his adoption fee includes six weeks of oncampus training classes — a great way to start off on the right paw! If you’re curious to see just how delightful he is, come meet Finnegan today at Seattle Humane.

As with all of our dogs, Finnegan has been neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and behavior tested. He will go home with a certificate for a complimentary veterinary exam and an identification tag. PLUS, most of our adoptions include 30 days of pet insurance from Trupanion.

Zorra

Meet Zorra, a colorful 11-year-old orange and white calico. She's a smart cookie who likes to keep an eye on what's going on and loves to have you scratch the top of her head. If you're looking for a roommate to liven up your day, come visit Zorra today at Seattle Humane.

As with all of our cats, Zorra is spayed, microchipped and vaccinated. All of our cats have been tested for Feline Leukemia/ FIV and go home with a certificate for an examination by a King County veterinarian and their very own identification tag and collar. PLUS, most cat adoptions include 30 days of pet insurance from Trupanion - a great way to start off on the right paw!