Seattle Gay News
Issue 21, Volume 44, May 20, 2016
Arts & Entertainment
Beyoncé slays at CenturyLink Field
An interview with Miles writer/director Nathan Aldoff
by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer MILES WORLD PREMIERE SIFF Cinema Egyptian 5/21 @ 7pm & 5/22 @ 1:30pm
Beyonce performs during The Formation World Tour at CenturyLink Field – Photo by Daniela Vesco/Parkwood Entertainment
by Jessica Price SGN A&E Writer
BEYONCÉ THE FORMATION WORLD TOUR CENTURYLINK FIELD May 18 see BEYONCÉ page 3
The duality of Robert Cuccioli
The 42nd annual Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) came to life yesterday evening with the North American premiere of Woody Allen’s latest romantic confectionary treat, the star-studded Café Society, and continues on for another 24 days featuring over 400 narrative features, documentaries and shorts from all over the globe. Special events this year include a tribute to
Nathan Aldoff – imdb.com
Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen on June 11, while former “Saturday Night Live” scene-stealer Molly Shannon sits down for an afternoon Q&A session on May 22 at see NATHAN ALDOFF page 6
Sprawling The Brothers K gives as much as it demands!
The Brothers K – Photo by Ulman
Ben Rumson (Robert Cuccioli) in a new “revisal” of Paint Your Wagon – Photo credit Mark Kitaoka
by Eric Andrews-Katz SGN A&E Writer PAINT YOUR WAGON 5TH AVENUE THEATRE June 2-25
Robert Cuccioli is an actor well versed in duality and versatility. He’s performed split personality roles in two different musicals, as well as appearing in opera, and contemporary theatre. Next month Tony-nominated see ROBERT CUCCIOLI page 4
by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer THE BROTHERS K PART 1: STRIKE ZONES PART 2: THE LEFT STUFF BOOK-IT REPERTORY THEATRE Through June 26 Last year, Book-It Repertory Theatre
took a big gamble: they adapted a very long book, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, into a two-part play that asked audiences to spend an entire day at Seattle Center, eat, wait, and watch the whole event. The plays were about the history of Jews in comic-book creation and a couple of fictitious cousins. Both productions were so well done, so well acted, adapted, presee The BROTHERS K page 5
SEASON
2015 16
LISTEN BOLDLY
JUNE 9–11
GERSHWIN & BEETHOVEN Ludovic Morlot, conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano Energy abounds! Artist in Residence Jean-Yves Thibaudet brings the vim and vigor of 1920s New York City to Benaroya Hall with Gershwin’s jazzy Concerto in F. Music Director Morlot leads the orchestra in Beethoven’s exhilarating Symphony No. 7. Jean-Yves Thibaudet’s performance generously underwritten by Sheila B. Noonan and Peter M. Hartley. Thursday night performance sponsored by
JUNE 2 & 4
JUNE 5
SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY NO. 4
RAVEL PIANO CONCERTO
This concert is underwritten by Dr. Susan Detweiler in loving memory of her husband, Dr. Alexander Clowes.
Jean-Yves Thibaudet’s performance generously underwritten by Sheila B. Noonan and Peter M. Hartley.
Thursday night performance sponsored by
Media Sponsor:
FOR TICKETS:
206.215.4747 | SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORG 2 Seattle Gay News
May 20, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!
music
BEYONCÉ
continued from cover Beyoncé’s visit to CenturyLink Field Wednesday evening left behind blown minds and scorched earth, both figuratively and perhaps literally, given the blazing pyrotechnics. At 34, the singer has mastered her art in a way that few performers do in a lifetime. Following on the heels of the critically acclaimed Lemonade album and film, The Formation World Tour’s Seattle stop revealed a woman at the top of her game. Like Tina Turner and Madonna at the peak of their success, at this moment everything Beyoncé does is golden. The message: girl power; conquering life’s slings and arrows. The delivery: stealthily dropping albums that get the whole world clamoring for Tidal memberships and HBO. The music and moves: gorgeous, modern – she’s never been better. And finally, the controversy: didn’t like her Superbowl performance or “Formation” video? Pick up a “Boycott Beyoncé” T-shirt at the merch booth at any stop on the tour. Lemonade is Beyoncé’s most experimental album yet (her R&B, hip-hop, and pop stylings filtered through the lens of genres she not only explores but “slays”) and she romped through most of it Wednesday night as well as through just about all her releases. Opening with a cadre of dancers in the wide funeral hats familiar from the “Formation” video, the song’s intro built excitement in the stadium to a fever pitch as the dancers stalked toward center stage and down a catwalk extending halfway across the field. From there the entire evening was a blur of ferocious dance and a whirlwind of non-stop hits old and new, from “Sorry,” “Kitty Kat,” and “Flawless” to “Run The World (Girls),” “Rocket,” and “Drunk In Love.” Covers were in no short supply and carefully chosen – The Doors’ “Five To One” and Prince’s “The Beautiful Ones” were particular standouts well-suited to Bey’s current musical mood. Fueled by cutting edge visuals and water effects – yes, there was indeed a pool of water – songs like the Jack White throwdown “Don’t Hurt Yourself” and “Freedom” managed to get even the farthest reaches of the stadium into the action. Pillars of flame and fireworks accompanied a rotating monolithic video
Beyonce – Photo by Daniela Vesco/Parkwood Entertainment
structure that projected dazzling images of video and real time concert footage, at times stylized or with cutaway sections in which Beyoncé and her dancers actually appeared in little boxes set within the wall and projected in images on all sides. The effect was amazing. Aside from angry musings on betrayal and real or imagined revenge, older songs like “Me, Myself & I” and “Survivor” took on new implications in light of the personal betrayals she sings so openly about on her last two releases. She sounds like a fully-grown woman now, one that’s no longer naively in love, but one who has arrived somewhere deeper with eyes wide open. Songs like “1 + 1,” and the final
songs “End of Time” and “Halo” seemed to finally arrive signaling her acceptance and belief in love after forgiveness, thus ending the show’s emotional arc. Watching Beyoncé do what she was so clearly born to do is an experience to be inspired and awed by. As we mourn the recent losses of some of the last of the true greats, Prince and David Bowie, it brings hope to witness firsthand the absolutely mind-blowing energy and finely honed talent that Beyoncé has perfected. She is the most thrilling living reminder that sheer star power – the kind that inspires, awes, and brings hugely impactful joy to music fans of every gender and age – can still, and does still, exist. Long live Queen B!
Beyonce – Photo by Daniela Vesco/Parkwood Entertainment
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May 20, 2016
Seattle Gay News 3
ROBERT CUCCIOLI continued from cover
Robert Cuccioli returns to Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre. This time in the (newly-revised) classic musical, Paint Your Wagon. The Seattle Gay News caught up with this leading man as he returns to the Emerald City. Eric Andrews-Katz: Who were your earliest influences as a performer? Robert Cuccioli: When I first started I was very much into opera. One of my earlier idols, so to speak, was Sherrill Milnes. As far as musical theatre goes, I very much pattern myself, and listen to, John Raitt, John Cullum, and Richard Kiley; all those were people I really followed and very much tried to emulate. Andrews-Katz; What is your fondest memory working with the legendary Richard Harris in Camelot? Cuccioli: I have a lot of them. Richard was pretty remarkable. He was mercurial to say the least, but he was a brilliant actor; and there are a couple of great ones. One was when we were in Canada, and it was our first stop in Ottawa. Canada was important to Richard, and I would watch him nightly from the wings – every performance. He was my training ground, and this particular night was extraordinary. I was sitting offstage waiting, and he left the stage, came around and sat next to me. He sat there looking straight ahead. I leaned over and said, “Richard, you are friggin’ amazing.” He just looked straight ahead and said, “I know.” He knew, but he didn’t know what he was doing that was different from [any other night]. He was really connected and it clicked in that night. There was another time, we were on the elevator, and I complimented his shirt. He looked at me and said, “You want it?” and began taking it off. I laughed and said, “No Richard, I don’t want it. I was complimenting you,” but that was the kind of guy he was; he literally would give you the shirt off his back. Andrews-Katz: Describe your audition for Jekyll & Hyde? Cuccioli: The audition was a very long process. I was doing Les Misérable at the time, and actually was having lunch with my agent. A casting director came over and said that Jekyll & Hyde was casting and I should get over there. I got my agent to send over a copy of And the World Goes Round (recording of the Kander & Ebb revue I was in) and send them my version of Kiss of the Spider Woman. Frank [Wildhorn] never got that recording. Later on I got an audition for it, and nobody showed up for the audition. The only people there were Frank and myself.
Robert Cuccioli rehearsal for Lone Star Love – broadwayworld.com
Robert Cuccioli in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark – Photo by Bruce Glikas
The producer (Frank Young) had missed his plane, and so did the director, Greg Boyd. I sang for [Wildhorn] and he kept me there for another 45 minutes. We sight-read the entire score of Jekyll & Hyde. I sang through it, and he said “terrific.” Three months went by and I didn’t hear anything. Finally, I get a message to come back in, this time Greg and Frank [Young] are there along with [Wildhorn]. I auditioned and did the scenes and songs. They said “Great, we’ll be in touch.” Three months go by and I am on vacation. They call me to come in and do another work session. I told them I couldn’t because I was in California, and that I had already auditioned twice. I flew back from vacation on a Sunday and on Monday I got a call that I got the job. Andrews-Katz: Aside from a hair tie, how did you emphasize the separate personas of Dr. Jekyll vs. Mr. Hyde? Cuccioli: I always envisioned Jekyll as a
Robert Cuccioli in Les Misérable – Photo by Matt Polk
4 Seattle Gay News
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man of great intellect and a great heart. So, he would stand more erect, and lead with his chest. Hyde is pure animal and sexual instinct. His body weight would be much lower to the ground, as if his balls weighed 100 lbs. His physicality was completely different. I made Jekyll right handed and Hyde left-handed. I got that from the novella, because there is a certain passage where [a character] is reading a letter from Jekyll and says that it is his handwriting, but the writing had a backwards slant. I know a lot of lefthanded people that do the same thing. Andrews-Katz: You were in SpiderMan: Turn Off the Dark. In all reality how hazardous was it working on that show? Cuccioli: I had a blast! I had a great time. Mind you, I replaced Patrick Paige, so I was not there during the “Nightmare Period.” That was when they went through six months of tech issues, their “faux opening” and then Julie Taymor’s replacement … I
wasn’t there during that part at all. When I arrived it was incredibly warm and embracing. The crew was great and I had a great time! Andrews-Katz: There are many rumors about Lone Star Love. In your opinion what was the problem? Cuccioli: They are not rumors; they are true! There was no problem with the show itself. The show was witty. The music was wonderful. The cast was funny, and loving and extraordinary. The problem was Randy Quaid and his wife, Edie. They were literally insane. They pretty much single-handedly destroyed a beautiful piece. And I have no problem with putting all that on the two of them. Everything else was done right; the cast, the 5th Avenue, the director … it was all the two people that should not have been involved with the production. We never had a chance to work on it. Randy refused to let us. Andrews-Katz: In 1992 you played the title role in Maury Yestin/Arthur Kopit musical Phantom. How would you compare it to the other pop-opera by the same name? Cuccioli: It is superior. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s has some really wonderful music, but the Maury Yestic/Arthur Kopit version really captured the heart of the piece. It made the Phantom more human, and much more of a touching story. I think the music is wonderful. At the time there were four different versions of Phantom – all at the same time. Lloyd Webber had the name, so the backing went to his production, and it went on to Broadway. The others have some wonderful and beautiful music. Andrews-Katz: How would you describe your new CD, The Look Of Love? Cuccioli: It’s a look (or a journey rather) through my romantic life through the music standards. I found that in listening to them gave me a really good reason to do my debut solo album. I didn’t want to go the traditional route of doing Broadway tunes. I wanted to do something that people didn’t expect. The lyrics [of these songs] spoke to me. I recognized myself in that person singing. The songs started forming a storyline for me. This is my romantic life in music. I strung them together and the lyrics pretty much tell it all; it doesn’t need dialogue in between. They are standards that people know, and I love incredible music. Andrews-Katz: You are currently playing the lead in Paint Your Wagon. What is it about the classic that appeals to today’s audience? Cuccioli: The shows are classics for a reason. They are classic because they are stories that are constantly lived in daily life. People can relate to them. What’s wonderful about this piece is, even though it is a Western, through the new book it has been contemporized so well, so that what these
Original Jekyll & Hyde Robert Cuccioli – tumblr.com
Celebrating 41 Years!
characters are dealing with on a day-to-day basis is something we can all recognize in today’s world. Prejudice, racism and greed, how women are treated, male bonding … all of this is in there. Grief. My character deals with grief and tries to find his way. I think it is a very universal and contemporary score, even though it takes place in the 1850s. Andrews-Katz: This is allegedly a revised version of Paint Your Wagon. What has been changed? Cuccioli: The music has been revised. It’s the same music that everyone knows and loves (and everyone knows these songs): “I Talk to the Trees,” “Wand’rin’ Star,” “They Call the Wind Maria” … it’s been updated. The orchestrations are new and updated with sort of a blue-grass theme to them. It’s a very refreshing look at this old chestnut, and people may know it, but they really don’t know it. They are going to realize it is a completely new show. Andrews-Katz: If you could play any role – regardless of any limitations – what role would it be and why? Cuccioli: There’s one musical that is incredibly close to my heart, and we talked
about it earlier, Man of La Mancha. Don Quixote is … La Mancha is one of the first musicals I bought the album to. The role is near and dear to me, and he is kind of like me to some extent. Not that I’m crazy, but Quixote is a guy that always believes in what is right, and doing what is right. That is also why I’m so connected to this character [in Paint Your Wagon], Ben Rumson. The Age of Chivalry is something I’ve grown up with; I felt I was born too late and that was my time … medieval time and the age of these musicals such as La Mancha. If there were ever a revival, I would desperately love to do it. It’s an incredible, perfect musical. Robert Cuccioli has appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables, Jekyll & Hyde, and Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. He has been nominated for the 1997 Drama Desk Award and the 1997 Tony Award for Best Actor for his title role(s) in Jekyll & Hyde. Paint Your Wagon opens at the 5th Avenue Theatre June 2 and runs through June 25. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.5thavenue.org/ or call the Box Office 206-625-1900.
Trevor Cushman, Suzy Hunt, Spencer Hamp, Christopher Morson, Riley Shanahan – Photo by Chris Bennion
THE BROTHERS K continued from cover
sented, that the experiment succeeded. That success, following another blockbuster two-part presentation of The Cider House Rules, was apparently enough for them to contemplate trying again with another big book, The Brothers K, about a nuclear family, baseball, and the 1960s into and surrounding the Vietnam War. Since the plays just opened, the success at the box office is still to be determined, but my opinion is that they have again succeeded in presenting a compelling and excellent work that justifies the time demanded of an audience! Written by David James Duncan and adapted and directed by Book-It’s Myra Platt, the book focuses on the travails of the unique Chance family. They are parents Hugh and Laura (Gavin Hoffman and Alexandra Tavares) and their six kids Everett, Peter, Irwin, Kincaid, Winifred and Beatrice (played as adults by Christopher Morson, Trevor Cushman, Riley Shanahan, Spencer Hamp, Rebecca Anne Love, and Annika Nori respectively). (NOTE: The cast for this production is huge, and I apologize for not naming all the wonderful cast members who contribute.) Part of the draw of the story is that the family lives in Camas, Washington, and so the sense of place is very local for us. I’m sure that is part of the reason for the adaptation. Though Platt also adapted Duncan’s The River Why, previously, so he is a known author as well.
We get to know the Chances through a narration by Kade (short for Kincaid), their youngest son. They are a tight-knit family, but there are tensions. Hugh was an amazing baseball pitcher who lost his thumb at the paper mill he works at, but baseball is his passion. (The “K” in the story obvious parallels the Karamazov Brothers of Russian literature, but also stands for a notation for “strike” in baseball.) Mom is a devout 7th Day Adventist, and Dad is not. But Dad supports his wife’s choice of church. This already sets the table for questions, because it is not at all clear how this marriage survives. Indeed, the relationship is constantly threatened. In Part 1, when three of the teen sons strike against the church, Mom ostracizes them from her life. That fundamental tension begins to threaten the family unity. The outside world and the changes from 1953 to 1969 in Part 1 provide a lot of the fodder for the story of this family. But the family life is presented in moments large and small, such as a dad quietly holding his son on his lap, reading the paper, and the experimental surgery that transplants Dad’s toe onto his thumb so he can pitch again. The chemistry and support between Hoffman, a Portland actor I certainly hope comes to our stages more, and Tavares, is powerful and wafts warmly to the audience. They become story anchors, as well as opposites to attract different emotional responses from the audience. Director Platt’s management of the enormous cast, making it feel small and intimate, is a tribute to her understanding of the material. Morson, Shanahan, Cushman and Hamp get the majority of playing time, as
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Robert Cuccioli’s album The Look of Love – robertcuccioli.org
their stories unfold in different directions. Shanahan’s character goes through the most changes, as he valiantly tries to live life as God would have him, but he ends up getting drafted into the war, leaving behind a new wife and child. Morson’s character turns into a quirky draft-dodger in a very ’60s way of behaving, while Cushman’s character immerses himself into the newly discovered (in the ’60s fad way) Buddhist way of life. By the end of Part 1, the family has shrunk in Camas, tensions with the local church are at an all-time high, Hugh has been encouraged to find his way back to baseball, but the sons are all worlds away. What will happen in Part 2? Part 2 is a more difficult-to-stage event. We open at a point of danger and tension, and much of the first part of that play is told via letters. Letters are always difficult to animate well on stage, and films manage that kind of exposition much better. However, when the choice to show a scene is used, the play again regains the riveting feeling that Part 1 evokes. Part 2 focuses on (spoiler alert, sorry) the damaged Irwin, who is essentially trapped inside a mental hospital run by the military who both refuse to believe his story and also think his religious statements are babbling idiocy. When the rest of the Chance family finds out, they get to work to get him out. Laura is challenged to get her church involved, Everett leaves Canada to save his brother, Peter comes home from India to rejoin the effort and everyone goes on a road trip to confront the hospital administrator. The hysterical road trip gives the audience a breath of humor and opens up the rest of the play to a rollicking, empowering ending. Shanahan’s journey from good-hearted religious fanatic to wounded warrior to coma victim is emotionally wrenching. It’s a lovely piece of work. Morson is so naturally funny that even his more serious moments amuse, but that works in his favor. Hamp is consistent, but as most narrators, he fades a bit into the background. A few of the ensemble are so outstanding that they deserve mention. Aaron T. Moore, a Boise, Idaho resident who’s been cast here for the first time, is wonderful in various roles, including both the boorish Adventist pastor and the boisterous family
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uncle. Suzy Hunt in a mini-treasure of humor as both the atheist mother-in-law and an Adventist on the adventure. Sunam Ellis has great fun with a strange Canadian. Bob Williams is a warm baseball friend of Hugh’s. Evan Whitfield is a snarkily good Major. A word about the adaptation: Much of it is masterful and reflects the years of experience adapter Platt has in doing this kind of work. I do worry a bit when an adapter then also directs, because it deprives a good script of a partner in refinement, which a good director can be to new material. But Platt is also a fine director and shows that in both of these complex Parts. There are certainly moments and aspects that could be trimmed, and even if it still runs as long as two Parts, it could strain the audience a bit less in staying power. Also, there are two different female characters with enormous and tragic stories we learn about that are subsumed into the whole in an uneasy, adjunctive way, lying on top of the story like a plate that no one knows what to do with. While Platt does a great job of giving the women of the story as big a presence as possible, this really is a “man’s” play. But overall, this is another triumph for Book-It and company that you truly should see. While committing a whole day to an event like this might be a budget stretcher (you have to figure food into the whole thing, for stamina, if not hunger), the best experience might be the days you can see both Parts in one day. That is the report from people who saw the two Parts of Kavalier & Clay together. That way, you will experience the breadth of the family story at once. Kudos to the tech side, with great set touches (the wooden calendar among others) by Christopher Mumaw and evocative lighting from Marnie Cumings. Matt Starritt brings in iconic music from the ’60s and Chelsea Cook dresses them all with subtle ’60s attire. They all work to pull this winding story together. For more information, call 206-2160833 or go to www.book-it.org. Discuss your opinion with SGNcritic@ gmail.com or go to www.facebook.com/ SeattleTheaterWriters. More articles can be found at MiryamsTheaterMusings. blogspot.com.
Seattle Gay News 5
NATHAN ALDOFF continued from cover
4:30 p.m. at SIFF Cinema Egyptian right before a screening of the Gay-themed comedy Other People. It’s one of 28 films with LGBT themes scheduled to play during this year’s SIFF, another of which, the 1999-set coming-ofage jaunt Miles, also features Shannon in a key role. She plays Pam, a mom doing her best to help her smart, if reclusive filmmaker wannabe son Miles (played by newcomer Tim Boardman) achieve his dreams. But after a tragedy leads to the revelation that the teenager’s college fund has been decimated, the youngster decides to go out for the girls volleyball team via a loophole in the Title IX statute, hoping that by doing so he can attract the attention of college recruiters and maybe earn a scholarship. Never quite going where I expected, avoiding many coming out and sportsthemed narrative clichés that easily could have sent the film spiraling into an emotionally melodramatic tailspin it never would have recovered from, Miles is a pleasingly character-driven affair that caught me entirely off guard. Featuring wonderful performances from Shannon, Boardman and Paul Reiser, building to a touching, bittersweet conclusion that’s notable for its nuanced simplicity, writer/director Nathan Adloff’s second feature (his first being 2012’s Nate & Margaret) is rather wonderful, and as such ends up being an early festival highlight I hope audiences take the time to see. With Miles having its World Premiere tomorrow night at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian, I spoke briefly with Adloff a few hours before he was scheduled to catch a plane to Seattle. Here are some of the highlights from our conversation. Sara Michelle Fetters: Well, let’s start with the obvious question with the easy answer: Are we excited about heading to Seattle for the big World Premiere of Miles? Nathan Aldoff: I am. I love Seattle. I was there four, maybe five years ago for the Seattle Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and just loved it. I grew up in Illinois and I’m used to the rain, I just love it. We don’t get much of it here in L.A. Looking forward to hopefully getting some overcast skies. Sara Michelle Fetters: And, I mean, this is a big deal. Having a World Premiere here, in Seattle, during this festival. Nathan Aldoff: I’m so excited for a number of reasons. Seattle’s festival is just so massive. More than that, it’s a predominately straight festival, and to come out of the Gay and Lesbian film world, and have a new movie that could easily be pigeonholed in a way that it would only be seen via the Gay and Lesbian festival circuit; which is great and amazing, don’t get me wrong; it’s just really nice we’re going to have a much broader and bigger audience here. Right from the get-go. It’s nice to come out of the gate like this by premiering at such a big festival. Sara Michelle Fetters: Not only that, but it also happens when they’re honoring Molly Shannon, one of your film’s stars, the very next night. Nathan Aldoff: It’s awesome. It’s wonderful timing. I’m so happy for her. It will be a nice event, I would think, and while they’re not showing Miles that night [SIFF is showcasing Shannon’s other picture, another Gay-themed comedy-drama, Other People, during the event] I’m sure they’ll be talking about it. But it’s a great honor for her. She deserves it. I can’t wait to go. Sara Michelle Fetters: Tell me where Miles came from. What was it that inspired you and your co-writer Justin D.M. Palmer to give this rather unorthodox coming-ofage story life?
6 Seattle Gay News
Miles – filmaffinity.com
Nathan Aldoff: It’s very much loosely based on my own life in the late 1990s growing up in a small town in Illinois. I actually did play a season on the girls volleyball team, and it was for the same reason as the one in the film. My school was so small, we couldn’t have a boys team. There just wasn’t demand or funding for one. Similar to the reasons behind the implementation of Title IX, they had to let me play. Unlike the film there wasn’t a big stink about it. That’s very much played up in our story because it’s just better that way dramatically. But also, like in the movie, my mom was a teacher at the school, and because everyone loved her, they sort of liked me by default, I guess. They let me get away with some things. But I also just really liked playing volleyball. It was fun. Sara Michelle Fetters: Were there other elements you drew out of your own life that you drew from? Nathan Aldoff: I always seem to draw from my own life experiences when writing. Justin and I did that on our first film, Nate & Margaret, and we did that here as well. When my father passed away, we found out afterwards that he spent my college money on a sports car for a lady friend of his. That was the main reason why I didn’t get to go to college in Chicago. That just seemed like the kind of moment that we could meld with the volleyball story; that the two could go together in an interesting way. Sara Michelle Fetters: And the cliché is to write what you know, but writing what you know can also be very difficult from a personal perspective. You’ve now done that twice. How hard is it to revisit some of these memories whether they be positive or negative? Is it difficult?
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Nathan Aldoff: The writing is sometimes difficult, true, but it’s even stranger filming it. Filming and reenacting my father’s death is one of the more surreal things I’ve ever experienced. I think, as time passes, the writing gets easier. But, it is interesting, that’s for certain. I think you just have to be really open to not sticking to what happened 100-percent. You have to be flexible. You have to be creative. I think the most important thing is just being open because the end result is wanting to make the best movie you can, and if that means using the truth of your life then use it. If it means, making things up, then you make them up. Sara Michelle Fetters: One of the nice things about the movie is that you avoid many of the traditional clichés, especially inspirational sports film clichés, that could have sent your film spiraling down into emotionally manipulative melodramatic treacle. Nathan Aldoff: The important thing for Miles is not that he is an amazing volleyball player. I think it was important that we made it realistic; that he would be good enough that the idea that he had a shot at a volleyball scholarship was realistic, but at the same time, the last thing I wanted to do was to make a sports movie. This was just the path he needed to be on. If there had been a fullride chess scholarship, it’s likely he’d have decided to play chess if he thought he was any good. I think it broadens the appeal of the movie, especially if people are looking for a story that has a sports angle to it. But it was never my intent to make a movie that revolved entirely around the volleyball element. Sara Michelle Fetters: I do think the key to the movie’s overall success is, that as important and integral to the plot as Mile’s
journey might be, you don’t shortchange Pam, his mother. You allow Molly Shannon the room to create a complex, believable character who has to go through her own transformation right alongside that of the one her son is going through. Nathan Aldoff: It was always very conscious and very at the forefront that [Justin and I] made sure that Pam stood on her own as a character. I think she actually changes the most during the movie. Miles is sort of hell-bent from the beginning, convinced he’s doing the right thing and trying to get everyone to go along with him. Pam does a full 180 by the end, maybe even had a better grasp as to what a healthy relationship really is. She sees Miles as more of an adult. And, of course, when someone as incredible as Molly Shannon steps into that role, you can’t help but let her steal the movie. Sara Michelle Fetters: And, it’s not just her. Stephen Root, Yeardley Smith, Ethan Phillips, Missi Pyle, even Paul Reiser, who never seems to work near as much as he could anymore, you managed to assemble a pretty stellar supporting cast. Nathan Aldoff: I’m still pinching myself. Honestly. We shot this movie just over a year ago, and I’d only made this one tiny, tiny movie in Chicago previously, so getting these people onboard was so surreal. Having such a wonderful casting director [Rich Delia], someone that gets their calls answered, it really was like, everyday, someone was coming onto the set for a day or two that I grew up watching. The movie is very ’90s, and a lot of these actors were very popular in the ’90s, and I think that is a very cool thing. But, yes, I did keep standing back on occasion and was like, who am I to be the one telling Paul Reiser, or Missi Pyle, or Yeardley Smith what to do? It was amazing. Life changing. Sara Michelle Fetters: And in the middle of all these seasoned veterans you drop a newcomer like Tim Boardman as Miles. He’s really quite good here, isn’t he? Nathan Aldoff: He is! I’m glad you say that. He’s such a terrific young actor. We searched high and low for Miles. We sent calls out everywhere. We got tapes from everyone. His just always stuck out. It was important to me to cast someone of the right age, as it’s always distracting to me when a 30-year-old plays a teenager. But it’s also really hard to find someone that’s this young who is also really good. Tim really is that good. Sara Michelle Fetters: What’s it like to watch a young actor like Tim essentially play your life? I get that this is a fictional story and all but, as you already said, there are a number of moments that are pulled directly from your own childhood and high school memories. Tim is essentially playing you. That has to be pretty surreal. Nathan Aldoff: It was very surreal. With the true story elements, it was something I sort of had to get over after the first day or two. It basically faded away after a time, especially as I focused more and more on what it was we were doing. You sort of just kick into this other gear, this other mindset. But, yes, it was strange. The house we shot in? It was pretty much ready to shoot right away, and it did remind me a lot of the one I grew up in. So, shooting there? Shooting in a version of my own bedroom? The AOL dial up internet [***change to Internet] we were using? Beanie Babies? Tim’s performance? All of these things, they brought back a lot of random flashbacks and memories from my own high school days. Sara Michelle Fetters: The period setting is important, I think, because it allows for an understanding of Miles that you might not be able to have otherwise. While it is treated as something of a general given that he is Gay, while he is obviously out to
Celebrating 41 Years!
his parents, it isn’t like he can actually come out in the way we see so many young people doing today. He can’t say, “I am Gay.” It’s a rather beautiful, if incredibly thin, line you’re able to traverse as Miles attempts to finish high school and hopefully escape to college in Chicago. Nathan Aldoff: This is an important element. I think there is a time and place for movies that are coming out stories that deal with that experience exclusively, but this, as well as my last movie, the lead character’s sexuality is always just a character trait and not the reason the narrative exists. It’s a matter-of-fact thing that is established and maybe addressed in a scene or two, but it’s never the main thing. This isn’t the main plot. It was important to me to have Miles be Gay and that be okay. We didn’t want there
to be this big sob story around it. I came out, my parents were angry, I got beat up, all this stuff happened; we’ve seen that story. I didn’t feel the need to tell it again. I’d rather have all that be established and just go from there. That’s what I find interesting. Sara Michelle Fetters: With that in mind, what do you think the overall state of the LGBT film industry is right now? What makes it still important? Is it still important? Nathan Aldoff: That’s an interesting question. I do think a lot of Gay and Lesbian Film Festivals are now in the place where most straight festivals are, that they are showing films with LGBT characters but in many ways those characters and those themes are not the main part of the story. I think we’re in a place where things are leveling out, the filmmakers are starting to tell
stories that are more inclusive of all types of characters. I think that’s a good thing. Sara Michelle Fetters: With Miles, at the end of the day, what do you want viewers to take away from the film? What do you hope they are talking about? Nathan Aldoff: I think this is a universal story. I think it is a movie that people straight, Gay and everything in-between can relate to. I hope they will take away that this is a story about not walking backwards in life, not giving up what you want and doing the things you think are the best things for you, not giving in when others tell you to do the opposite. I think Miles is a story about going for what you truly believe in and that it’s okay to not go down the same set path everyone around you is. Stick to your guns. Go after what you really want. Be unpredictable. Be you.
The 42nd annual Seattle International Film Festival runs until June 12, 2016 with screenings in various venues throughout the city and the Pacific Northwest including showcases in Kirkland, Renton, Shoreline and Bellevue. Early highlights that I would recommend include Whit Stillman’s “Love & Friendship,” James Schamus’ “Indignation,” Matt Ross’ “Captain Fantastic” with star Viggo Mortensen in attendance, Mike Birbiglia’s “Don’t Think Twice,” Sion Son’s gonzo “Tag,” animated import “Long Way North” and the demonic midnight thriller “Another Evil.” A full schedule, venue information and ticketing prices can be found by going to the festival website at www.siff.net.
Alan Cumming, Bianca Del Rio and Sia announce Seattle performances upcoming tour in Seattle this fall. The Season 6 winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will appear at The Showbox SoDo on September 28, the opening date of her “Not Today Satan” tour, a follow-up to Del Rio’s previous road outing, the successful “Rolodex of Hate” tour. In addition to North American cities, including Portland, Chicago, Atlanta and New Orleans, to name a few, the Lousiana native has also booked six shows in Australia. The insult comic recently appeared on a TV special by Vimeo, later acquired by Logo TV, that highlighted her childhood and life events since claiming the ultimate drag title, like resettling in Los Angeles. “When I’m not busy volunteering at the soup kitchen or knitting socks for orphans, one of my favorite pastimes is gathering the cold, huddled masses into a nice warm room, giving them shelter if only for an hour, and sharing valuable life advice from a hate guru,” states Del Rio in a press release. Tickets for The Showbox SoDo concert are on sale now at axs.com.
Bianca Del Rio – biancadelrio.com
by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Clear your calendars and pay off your credit cards because here are three shows you don’t wanna miss: Tony Award winner Alan Cumming is coming to the Emerald City this summer, as part of his national tour celebrating the release of his new album, Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs, which doubles as the title of his tour that includes US appearances in Dallas, San Francisco, Provincetown, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. The standout actor had also received Emmy nominations for his work on “The Good Wife,” besides starring in films and theater productions in London’s West End and on Broadway in New York. Covers of Billy
Joel’s “Goodnight Saigon,” Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” and Rufus Wainwright’s “Dinner at Eight” are a few of the numbers you might hear when Cumming performs at Town Hall on July 2. As expected, he also sings familiar show tunes in his concerts, such as “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Company and “You, You, You” from Kander & Ebb’s The Visit. When he’s not performing, the Scottish entertainer devotes much of his time and energy as a voice for LGBT rights and HIV/AIDS awareness, serving on the Board of Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS and working closely with amfAR. Tickets for Alan Cumming are available at brownpapertickets.com. Bianca Del Rio, everyone’s favorite caked-on makeup Mexican drag queen, is launching the North American leg of her
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Sia is kicking off her “Nostalgic for the Present Tour” tour in Seattle on September 29, featuring special guests Miguel and AlunaGeorge. This is the Grammy-nominated artist’s first-ever arena tour, which will visit 22 cities this fall with stops in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Toronto, Orlando and Austin. The singer, who is publicly Bisexual, is married to filmmaker Erik Anders Lang, but has had past relationships with women, including fellow artist JD Samson of the band Le Tigre. Besides her own music, like “Titanium” and “Elastic
Heart,” Sia has written songs for other musicians, from Beyonce to Christina Aguilera to Rihanna; the song “Diamonds” is one of her compositions. The Australian singer-songwriter’s mind-blowing performance at Coachella last month earned stellar reviews from music critics and festivalgoers, offering a taste of what fans can expect from the upcoming tour. In 2014, Sia joined the NYC Gay Men’s Chorus in a live rendition of “Chandelier,” belting out the song from a balcony overlooking the stage. Other LGBT choruses have also performed the pop hit during their concerts, including the London Gay Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus. Tickets for Sia go on sale May 20 at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone 1-800-745-3000.
Alan Cumming – alancumming.com
May 20, 2016
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Foster’s satirical Monster a too coincidental Wall Street smackdown by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer MONEY MONSTER Now playing What began as a regular Friday for television personality Lee Gates (George Clooney) and his longtime producer Patty Fenn (Julia Roberts) transforms on a dime transforms into anything but, down on his luck Kyle Budwell (Jack O’Connell) making his way onto their set intent on orchestrating a plan he hopes will be broadcast live across the globe. He blames their show, “Money Monster,” for his troubles, the young man losing $60,000 investing in a stock Lee excitedly pushed only to see a computer anomaly billed as computer glitch instantaneously nab $800 million in profits from stockholder portfolios. Strapping a bomb to her star’s chest and claiming he’s ready to blow up the entire building if he doesn’t get answers as to what happened to his and all the other investors’ money, Patty can’t help but take Kyle seriously, knowing it’s up to her and Lee to figure things out before things go disastrously off the rails. But there are consequences to going down this particular rabbit hole, questions leading only to more questions and not anything close to resembling an answer. With the police getting itchy trigger fingers, Patty and Lee have to figure something out, both quickly coming to the conclusion that, as misguided as Kyle might
Money Monster – hdwallpapers.com
be, his wild assertions that there’s a massive corporate conspiracy concealing the truth as to what happened and why might not be so idiotic after all. Money Monster is a ticking clock thrill-
er that aspires to be some wild, intensely focused amalgamation of fellow New York financial enterprises as varied as Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon, Howard Franklin and Bill Murray’s Quick Change, Spike Lee’s Inside Man and last year’s Adam McKay Oscar-winner The Big Short. There’s also a healthy helping of Lumet’s Network and Aaron Sorkin’s HBO television series “The Newsroom” thrown in for good measure, screenwriters Jamie Linden (10 Years), Alan DiFiore (the NBC series “Grimm”) and Jim Kouf (National Treasure) trying their best to concoct a timely state of affairs that could feel as if they were ripped right out of tomorrow’s headlines. Thanks in large part to the efforts of the film’s three main stars, not to mention the controlled, confidently self-assured stewardship of things on the part of director Jodie Foster (The Beaver, Home for the Holidays), this movie ends up being far more engaging than it honestly has any right being. As contrived and moderately silly as the script might be, there is a ferociously driven intelligence fueling large parts of the narrative that is undeniably compelling. The film plays with ideas born out of the 2008 financial meltdown along with perceptions about the corporatization of the modern news media with gleeful dexterity, and while its interior satirical observations never rise to the same heights as any of its more notable predecessors – particularly that pair of Lumet masterpieces – it still manages to hold the viewer’s attention for the majority of its pleasingly brief 98-minute running time. The movie works best during its fiery first half, deftly introducing Lee and Patty before setting the unhinged and mentally unbalanced Kyle upon the both of them. Foster’s handling of all of this chaos is masterful, she and editor Matt Chesse (Finding Neverland) doing a splendid job of cleanly and concisely laying all of this puzzle’s pieces right there on the table. Clooney and Roberts work off one another as won-
derfully as they ever have, their chemistry having the requisite Tracy-Hepburn pit-pitpatter that’s electrifying and dynamic. But it is O’Connell who really steals the show, his dimwitted nincompoop concealing far more layers and emotional complexities than initially meet the eye. It’s a sensational bit of work, the rising star proving once again he’s a major talent deserving of every accolade that’s already been thrown in his general direction. What hurts is that the film relies much too heavily on coincidence and chance in order to see its central mysteries solved. Additionally, the chief potential villains, mainly corporate CEO and supposed financial wizard Walt Camby (Dominic West), just aren’t very interesting. This guy in particular is a black hole hiding smackdab in the center of things, and whenever events drift back into his arena of expertise I quickly lost all interest in what was happening and why. Throw in quickie conversations with Korean programmers and Scandinavian hackers, and it’s readily apparent the screenwriters must have been collectively at their respective wit’s ends in order to make sure their complex scenario somehow manages to meet with anything close to a tidy resolution. Still, Money Monster almost gets there, Foster’s aspirations for the picture just giant enough to hint that greatness potentially could have been attainable. There’s a great moment near the end where she literally turns the camera on the audience itself, breaking the fourth wall in a way that is eerie and striking. It’s the kind of thing Lumet would have applauded, a devious device that makes the audience a voyeuristic enabler who has allowed all of this bedlam to transpire as if it were a piece of superficial Kardashian-esque reality television content to wallow in nothing less than its own vapid self-absorbed excess. That the movie doesn’t live up to these aspirations is admittedly disappointing. That it attempted to go there in the first place is worthy of vociferous applause.
Money Monster – tribute.ca
8 Seattle Gay News
May 20, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!
Intimately emotional Viva a Cuba-set gem
Héctor Medina – Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer VIVA Now playing Jesus (Héctor Medina) never knew his father Angel (Jorge Perugorría). All he knows about him is that he was a boxer, a proud, viciously masculine hulk of a man who pounded his opponents into submission, and if not for drink, women and brushes with the law might have become a major Havana sports figure worthy of admiration. Angel is a ghost living in Jesus’ small, sparsely furnished apartment as nothing more than a monochromatic picture hanging on a random wall, the young man utterly content if that’s how things remain far into the foreseeable future. Not that one would ever imagine that this is the son of a pugilistic heavyweight. Jesus is tall, lithe and decidedly effeminate. He makes his living as a hairstylist for his neighborhood’s elderly women while also designing the wigs for Havana Drag Queen and club owner Mama (Luis Alberto García), turning the random trick as a Gay escort when things unfortunately get a little too financially uncomfortable. When an opening for a new performer comes available in Mama’s club Jesus eagerly applies, certain the extra income will allow him to stop prostituting himself in the local park. Just when things look brightest who walks back into the youngster’s life but none other than Angel, the drunken former boxer fresh out of prison and looking to reconnect with a son he holds little, if anything, in common with other than blood. Viva is sensational. On one hand a deft, authentically intimate coming of age story of a young man trying to figure out who he is and what he wants to be while at the same time trying to understand a father he never wanted to know; on the other a gloriously
subtle observational travelogue looking at Cuba in ways most have never seen before; this is an astounding marvel of a melodrama that captured my attention completely. This is somewhat surprising considering all of this is born from the minds of director Paddy Breathnach (Shrooms, Blow Dry) and actor-turned-screenwriter Mark O’Halloran, two Irishmen with not a lot in the way of Cuban blood between them. Yet the pair have done something extraordinary here, allowing the simple, straightforward nature of the story to blossom with little in the way of excess pushing on either of their respective parts. As familiar as some of the interior dramatic elements might be, as close to cliché as they sometimes might come, Breathnach
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and O’Halloran allow Jesus’ journey towards self-actualization to resonate on a universal level while still keeping the character grounded in Cuban culture. It’s an astonishing tightrope act, the film feeling as fresh and as inspiring as a brisk breeze wafting across an empty grassy plain on a sunny Spring day. Medina is a revelation. The relative newcomer (familiar to Cuban audiences but more or less a total unknown everywhere else in the world) delivers a staggering performance as Jesus, one that is bold, complex and raw. The pools of emotion wafting over his face at any given time are astonishing, the realization that the strange man who just belted him in the jaw for performing for him in a drag club heartbreak-
ingly pure. Medina builds this character bit by bit, step by step, allowing his emotional changes to happen with captivating elasticity. It’s an unforgettable performance, everything building to a point of redemptive grace between father and son that mirrors their initial meeting and speaks to the story’s numerous familial themes with glorious simplicity. I love how Breathnach, in a film with decidedly male protagonists, delicately allows the feminine to permeate through the proceedings. Not just because the younger of the duo is exploring his gender and sexual identity, but also because of the influence on both of their lives that is no longer there. Jesus’ mother might be dead but her presence lingers on, affecting both of these men in ways they are almost barely cognizant of. It is through her albums, a collection featuring a number of Cuban ballads performed by singers like Maggie Carles and Rosita Fornes, that we hear her voice, the way it brings these two to a place of understanding and acceptance downright lovely. There aren’t a ton of surprises. It’s not like I didn’t know where things for Jesus and Angel were going to end up. Be that as it may, getting there was such a tremendous joy, such a monumental pleasure, it didn’t matter that the interior melodramatic tricks inherent to O’Halloran’s script weren’t exactly new and felt more than a little indebted to the films of Douglas Sirk. I loved this movie. I was blown away by Medina’s performance, shell-shocked by the level of intimacy that Breathnach is able to create as things work their way towards their redemptive conclusion. A story of self, gender, identity and family, Viva is an absolute gem worthy of raucous celebration.
Héctor Medina – Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
May 20, 2016
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Celebrating 41 Years!
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May 20, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!
Fancation, anyone? Western & Southern Open is a must for tennis lovers
Grandstand at the Western & Southern Open – Photo by Albert Rodriguez
by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Tennis was a huge part of my childhood. I played it, watched it and followed it religiously. Tennis players were rock stars to me; I worshipped them. I constantly dreamed of going to Wimbledon and the French Open, so much that I ate strawberries and cream, or croissants, for breakfast each year when I huddled around our living room TV set to watch the finals of both tournaments. I bought stacks of tennis magazines, flipped through the sports section of our local newspaper for anything tennis-related and regularly loaded up on tennis gear, from Wilson rackets to cases upon cases of Penn tennis balls. I was a fanatic. And still am! So, I found myself in heaven last year when I attended the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. The pro tournament, a warm up to the US Open, attracts the absolute best men’s and women’s players from around the world for one week in August, who compete for major titles in singles and doubles. The Western & Southern Open actually takes place in Mason, Ohio, about a 20 to 25-minute drive from downtown Cincinnati, at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Like any big tennis tournament, the event grounds include show courts – Grandstand, Center Court, etc. – for the main matches and multiple outer courts for the remainder of play, plus a surrounding of food stalls, bar areas, gift shop and lots of outdoor space to hang out in between the action. Over the years I’ve been fortunate to attend several pro tennis tournaments, including Wimbledon, but there’s something unique about the Western & Southern Open. It was the most interactive and fan-friendly tournament I’ve ever experienced. I spotted
American star John Isner getting out of his car and he politely posed for pictures as he went into the tennis center, and I walked right up to another American, Jack Sock, currently ranked #26, as he approached an outer court before his match and asked him to take a photo with me, which he kindly did. I said hello to towering Canadian player Milos Raonic as he left the players’ cafeteria, and though he had no clue who I was, he politely turned around, walked directly to me and shook my hand. I stood ten feet away from a legend, Roger Federer, during a practice session, caught a smile from Maria Sharapova as she spoke into her cell phone, and watched Mardy Fish play one of the last matches of his professional career (he retired at the US Open a few weeks afterwards). Impressively, all of this happened in just one afternoon. Throughout the week, fans not only have the privilege of watching their favorite players on court, but special events like “Kid’s Day,” “High School Day,” “USTA Day,” and “Service Appreciation Day” sometimes provide opportunities to meet them in person. Tournament guests are allowed to see the players’ arrivals at the tennis center, many of whom greet people politely on either side of a red carpet as they make their way into the facility. This isn’t the case at other tournaments, where players are heavily guarded or brought into the venue through restricted entrances. Many of the athletes randomly stroll the grounds and will stop briefly to acknowledge excited fans and sign autographs. At the Center, about a dozen local restaurants serve a variety of great food for all appetites. High on my list of recommendations is the “Chicken and Waffles” at Taste of Belgium and the “Small 3 Way” at Cincinatti’s own Skyline Chili. Finish it off
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with premium ice cream and gelato from Graeter’s, or wash everything down with a cold beer, glass of wine or bubbles from any of the on-site bars. On July 14, the complete field of entrants for this year’s Western & Southern Open will be made public, but assume the majority of top players, especially those ranked #1 through #32, will compete. Barring injuries or suspensions, this means Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Andy Murray, Petra Kvitova, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer, plus John Isner and Jack Sock, are expected to qualify for the event.
The Draw Party, revealing the tournament brackets, is set to happen live at the tennis center on the Friday before the Open begins. Tickets are on sale now for all sessions of the tournament. In 2015, the event set a record by drawing 199,217 people, beating the previous mark of 191,752 fans in 2014. Don’t hesitate to purchase tickets now, as many of the day and evening sessions will sell out weeks before the tournament. If staying in Cincinnati, I recommend the 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati (21cmuseumhotels.com/cincinnati) in downtown. Its prime location puts you within walking distance of restaurants, shopping centers, sports stadiums and a few blocks from the hip neighborhood of Over The Rhine. The hotel itself is a place to both sleep and explore, operating as a boutique property with 156 modernly furnished rooms and a museum with 8,000 square feet of exhibition space. The Western & Southern Open also partners with host hotels in the city, if interested, and that information can be found on its website. Getting to and from the Open from Cincinnati will require a car rental, or I suggest using Drivr (godrivr.com), a personal car service similar to Uber that transports you whereever you need to go in a Tesla. Free parking is provided at the tennis center. Accommodations closer to the tournament are also available in Mason, home to an amusement park and waterpark. From one tennis fan to another, get yourself to the Western & Southern Open. This year’s dates are August 13-21. For tickets and further details, visit wsopen. com.
“Chicken and Waffles” at Taste of Belgium – Photo by Albert Rodriguez
May 20, 2016
Seattle Gay News 15
Martha Graham Dance Company celebrates 90th anniversary with fabulous program
Abdiel Jacobsen, Ari Mayzick, Lorenzo Pagano, Lloyd Knight and Ben Schultz in Nacho Duato’s Rust. – Photo by Brigid Pierce
by Sharon Cumberland SGN A&E Writer UW WORLD DANCE SERIES MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY MEANY HALL May 7
Poor Martha Graham! Her groundbreaking dance company is touring the country celebrating its 90th anniversary, which ought to be a good thing – a lovefest of gratitude and awe. After all, Martha Graham, who died in 1991, but whose dances live on, was one of the first and greatest American modern dance choreographers. Every dance maker who followed had to come to terms with her innovations, and many of her gestures and approaches
to movement have become part of our common dance heritage. Like other great American women who changed the landscape of their arts (Emily Dickinson, Billie Holiday…) Graham dared her critics while discombobulating her audiences. Among the most discombobulated by the Martha Graham Dance Company this season was critic Brian Seibert of the New York Times, who saw the same program that we saw this month at the UW World Dance
Ben Schultz and Charlotte Landreau in Martha Graham’s Cave of the Heart – Photo by Brigid Pierce
16 Seattle Gay News
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Series and gave it the worst dance review I’ve ever seen. Bad reviews are good reading, of course – much more amusing than rave reviews (except to the subjects). Seibert found Marie Chouinard’s new work, Inner Resources, “terrible” and “puny,” comparing it to “teenagers trying to be comic and profound, and clueless about both.” Graham’s own choreography fared only marginally better. He called “Cave of the Heart” merely “solid” and new company members merely “promising.” He said “the real shock…was how terrible it was” – meaning the effort of Artistic Director Janet Eilber to update the company by commissioning new works that acknowledge, in some way, the Martha Graham technique. Seibert’s discontent made me more curious but less enthusiastic about my trip to Meany Hall on May 7th. Even though my dance buddy and I loved MGDC when they came to Meany Hall in 2010, I wondered if they had somehow lost their steam as the 90th year approached. So here’s the good news: Mr. Seibert must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed the day he saw the Martha Graham Dance Company perform their anniversary program, because the dancers were just as captivating and the choreography just as challenging as ever – elemental, surprising, and fresh – especially Chouinard’s Inner Resources. I’ll discuss these out of order – it was a long program of two Graham works, three short dances based on her work, one dance by the great Nacho Duato, and the Chouinard, which I found fascinating. All in all, a fabulous program. Inner Resources (2016) – Choreography by Marie Chouinard Yes, the dancers were wearing buttondown shirts pulled over their heads – the “inane” idea that bothered Seibert so much – but the stiff collars at chest level created a truly mysterious effect. Electric blue shirts against a blood orange back drop, together
Celebrating 41 Years!
with upstretched arms and drooping wrists, gave the impression of a flock of headless horsemen – assuming headless horsemen were actually high-stepping herons. The soundscape, by Louis Dufort, was annoying in that satisfying way that tells you you’re not in Kansas anymore. So when the women pulled off their shirts and showed their moustaches – yes, handlebars – it fit right in to the strangeness of it all. These devices would be corny or, in Seibert’s estimation, juvenile, if it were not for the quality of the dance itself, and the precision with which the women executed the dramatic effects of their movement. They could have done this dance shirtless, moustache-less, and colorless, and it still would have been a dance of complex and striking ideas. What ideas? I don’t know – transgender ideas, identity ideas, empowerment ideas. It seemed both expert and timely to me – and definitely challenging, which is Marie Chouinard’s choreographic calling card. Yet under all the tricks and tropes is a pattern of movement – groups splitting into mirrors, melting into duets, swelling into mobs, scattering into chaos, forming into chorus lines – that show the hand of a brilliant dance-maker at work. Dark Meadow Suite (2016) – Based on Dark Meadows (1946) and Cave of the Heart (1946) – Choreography by Martha Graham Today we’re so used to the angular drama of Graham’s movement that it’s hard to imagine that these dances dating from 1946 were anything other than powerful and satisfying. But Graham was as disconcerting to her original audiences as Chouinard is to Brian Seibert. Graham’s movement was mocked by comedians and castigated by critics who were only learning to love ballet in 1946 and hardly ready for departures from classicism. Now we can see the pure elegance of works like Dark Meadow Suite – a reduction from a much longer work that captures and abstracts the essence of the original dance. Set to the chamber music of Carlos Chavez, we see four couples execute stately movements that seem to defy gravity. The most striking effect, to me, was a moment from the famous sarabande, when all four men are on the floor supporting the women who fall slowly backward onto their outstretched arms, then fall forward again as the men brace their knees, allowing them to lean like figureheads into an invisible wind. The dance is characterized by strength and stiffness – the women remaining fully posed even as they are lifted over the heads of their partners – yet the slow dignity of the movement is not stuffy or rigid, but solemn, subliminal, important. The narrative of Medea that forms the structure of Cave of the Heart is equally dramatic and formal, using a set by Isamu Noguchi to powerful effect. Graham was drawn to the elemental conflict of rivals for love, and in this dance the male object, Jason, is treated like a Miles Gloriosus character – brawny, handsome, and dull—a mere love object for Medea, the Princess, and the female Chorus to enact their world-shattering emotions. This gripping dance plays out the profound tragedy of womanhood in a radical reversal of the patriarchal point of view. The angular, breath-based gesture of the women embody their passion, while the walkingstatue rigidity of Jason forms a plinth for their suffering figures.
ty-five of these short dances so far; what a great tribute, and potential full-length program, for this inventive company. We were also treated to the great pleasure of a 1943 film of Graham in Lamentations, which not only reminded the audience of her movement and her authority, but linked the new works to her inspiration.
Aurélie Dupont, in Lament from Martha Graham’s Acts of Light. – Photo by Brigid Pierce
an opportunity to create short works that follow some strong rules: no longer than four minutes, no costumes or sets, any number of dancers from the company, and a reference, in some way, to Martha Graham’s famous solo dance, Lamentation (1930), either through movement, music,
Lamentation Variations – Three works choreographed by Sonya Tayeh, Kyle Abraham, and Larry Keigwin Artistic Director Janet Eilber has found a very clever way to honor the legacy of Martha Graham by giving choreographers
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or concept. Three of these works were presented, all displaying a range of responses to these seemingly rigid requirements. Though widely different, each demonstrated some Graham-like quality that made them appear as new varieties from a single stem – and all intriguing. There are twen-
Rust (2013) – Choreography by Nacho Duato Clearly MGDC is not stuck in its glorious past, because this dance, commissioned for the company in 2013, is being performed all over the world – as well it should be. Duato is known for his willingness to take on the personal cost of the failures of social justice in works such as Jardi Tancat and Rassemblement. In this dance he uses a troupe of five male dancers to evoke the layers of suffering inflicted on victims of torture – and their human commonality with the torturers. Beginning with an eerie soundscape of clicks and slaps, two fullyclad men work over another dressed only in underclothes. They throw him around in ways that clearly evoke the relationship between cruelty and helplessness. Then, to Arvo Pärt’s Requiem, droned in male voices, all of the men – torturers as well as tortured – are now in underclothes enacting a brotherhood of compulsion from an outside source. From this we understand that the torturer is as compelled as the tortured; we also see in Duato’s combination of individual supplicating movements and group configurations – slow crack-the-whips, pile-ups and entanglements – the tragedy of lost potential and the limits of brotherhood. The ending – in which one man walks free past kneeling men with heads covered and hands bound – evokes the arithmetic of torture. This is a fearless representation of the feared and fearful as only a choreographer like Duato can make for a company as brave as MGDC. At this rate, they have another 90 years of great dance in their future – and so do we.
Lamenation – meanytheatre.org
May 20, 2016
Seattle Gay News 17
Glorious music; terrible staging
Konigskinder – Courtesy of Rod Parke
by Rod Parke SGN A&E Writer ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK’S KÖNIGSKINDER ZÜRICH OPERA Blu-ray DVD
The great appeal of the German tenor Jonas Kaufmann led me to order this Blu-ray of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera Königskinder (the king’s son), in which he plays the title role. Humperdinck, a devout Wagner pupil and professional associate, was a master of orchestration as well as gifted in writing for the voice. Although this opera has few if any memorable “melodies,” it satisfies mightily in musical interest and appeal. Fortunately, this production from the Zürich Opera (a 2010 live performance) meets the musical demands with an excellent cast and a superb conductor and orchestra. Technically the Blu-ray disc could hardly be better, both in sound and picture. The staging, however, updates and seriously confuses the storytelling. I watched the whole opera with a group of friends, all of whom enjoyed it but were left with many questions. Happily, an excellent booklet accompanies the disc. The essay about the composer provides welcome perspective about the libretto as well as Humperdinck’s life. When I read the synopsis AFTER seeing the opera, I thought, “Oh, THAT’S what the story was about!” The story is not a bad one; its literary merits might even be apparent in a production that knew how to tell a tale clearly. There’s nothing wrong with being left with questions after a performance, but this pro-
duction went so far in imposing the director’s ideas, no matter how contrary to the libretto, that nearly everything served to confuse and pervert the storytelling. I could fill this review with examples. The first scenes replace the written enchanted forest with many pots of marijuana plants, set inside a large gymnasium-like structure. (The witch sells a bag of weed to a customer.) The female lead sings about a beloved plant that refuses to bloom, all the while caressing this plant and its many flowers!? A later scene with the villagers takes place in the same gym but apparently outside a Burger King where the prince is scrubbing floors. Some single-set productions are creative and satisfying; this one looks cheap and detracts from every scene. But I nonetheless recommend this disc for the superb music making and for the chance to see an opera that is new to almost all of us. (Just be sure to read the synopsis before you watch!) Foremost of its virtues is the glorious music of Humperdinck. Yes, his language is almost identical to Wagner’s, especially in his consummate skill in orchestration. There is something interesting and exciting going on in the orchestra at every moment. And conductor Ingo Metzmacher is clearly the master of it all, drawing glorious sounds from the superb Zürich Opera Orchestra. (He also is the perfect image of a romantic conductor.) Espe-
cially exciting are the horns. Even with the absence of memorable tunes, the richness of tone and colors makes this a score to cherish. Next, the singing could hardly be better. Any deficiency in beauty of tone that soprano Isabel Rey might offer, she more than makes up for in some extremely nuanced acting. What a pleasure to see her as this delightful young girl after having just watched her utterly boring performance in a recently reviewed Pelléas et Mélisande. All the smaller parts are well sung and acted, especially the Fiddler, Swiss-born bass-baritone Oliver Widmer, whose top notes were so well negotiated that one might have thought only a tenor could do so well. Did Jonas Kaufmann live up to expectations? You bet! This one-of-a-kind, baritonal tenor is in prime voice and acts with his usual intelligence and appeal. He is not dressed or made up to be quite as knock-out gorgeous as in his videos of Carmen, Lohengrin, or Werther, but still one could hardly find a more appealing tenor on today’s stages. Kaufmann and the orchestra together make this disc well worth the price of admission. (It is, I believe, the only video of this opera available anywhere.) Reviewer Rod Parke can be reached at rmp62@columbia.edu.
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18 Seattle Gay News
May 20, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!
community calendar
Meetings Events 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, 1605 12th Ave, Ste 31, 2Seattle, WA 98122. SGN phone: 324-4297. Fax: 322-7188. E-mail: sgn2@ sgn.org. INCLUDE: Date, time, location, contact phone # for publication (if possible), brief description of event & sponsoring organization. DEADLINE: Tuesday 5pm. ACCESSIBILITY: Is your event accessible to LGBTQ people with visible or hidden disabilities? See Jean’s List webpage www.scn.org/activism/calendar/disabilities. html for Marla Nonken’s disabilities accommodations lists. NOTE: Phone numbers accompanying listings are within area code (206) & locations of meetings/ events are in Seattle unless otherwise noted.
SATURDAY - May 21
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. 448-8518. www.seattlefrontrunners.org. Yoga With Andrew Conner. 9:30-11am. Amor Spiritual Center, 2528 Beacon Ave, Suite B. Meets every Saturday. A love offering is suggested but no one will be turned away. Crystal Meth Anonymous. 10:30am. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon @ 6:30pm, Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: crystalmeth.org. Lambert House Queer Rec. 1pm. 1818 15th Ave. 3rd Saturday each month. Outdoor & indoor adventures for youth ages 22 & under. www.lamberthouse.org PNW G/B/Q Longhaired Men. 2pm. Locations vary. Check the website or call for details. An informal social group for longhairs, growers, longhair admirers & their friends. We gather for brunch on the 3rd Saturday each month to socialize, chat & often go out afterwards for coffee or some activity. Please join us! For information & to RSVP, 309-0510 or www.longhair.shorturl.com 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.oasisyouth center.org. (Also meets Thursdays & Fridays 4-10pm.) Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 6pm. Bus-accessible Central Area location. Every Saturday. Games also on Tuesdays & Thursdays. $4 fee includes coffee & snacks. For more information visit www.rainbowbridgeclub.org or email rainbowbridgeclub@gmail.com Q-Squared Men’s Q-Nite. 6:30pm. Central Lutheran Church, 1710 11th Ave. Q-Squared Men is announcing a new program focus featuring local day trips with an emphasis on leadership development. Full details of the new program will be presented tonight. Light refreshments will be served. The mission of Q-Squared Men is to improve the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health of sexual minority men by building a stronger sense of community, increasing individual responsibility, and improving self-esteem. www.qsquared.org Diverse Harmony presents “Broadway Basics.” 7pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave. Diverse Harmony’s small ensemble Spectrum will perform songs from your favorite Broadway shows. Suggested donation $20. diverseharmony.org “The Enchanted Life & Temporary Death of Sadie December” (5/5-5/8 & 5/19-5/22). 7pm. Gay City Calamus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St. A one-woman, multi-media play by Dorothy Frances Kent. Part autobiography, part magical realism, it chronicles Sadie’s spiritual childhood in the Pacific Northwest, the harsh realities of having to live as a boy & finally rediscovering herself thru art, community & the natural world. General admission $15, sponsor $20, students & seniors $15. gaycity.org/arts. Market Street Singers “Sweet ’16” (5/21 & 5/22). Sat: 7:30pm; Sun: 3pm. Ballard First Lutheran Church, NW 65th & 20th Ave NW. A concert for Spring 2016 featuring Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” a medley from South Pacific, a tribute to Queen & In Those Fields. FREE; donations accepted. www.marketstreet singers.org Medieval Women’s Choir presents “Visions in the Cloisters.” 8pm. Trinity Parish, 609 8th Ave. Featuring music exemplifying the ecstatic inner lives of medieval nuns. Tickets: $22 advance; $25 at the door; $15 students. www.medievalwomenschoir.org.
SUNDAY - May 22
Gay Men’s Bowling in Lynnwood. 9:30am. Brunswick Majestics Lane, Lynnwood. 9:30am 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 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. (NO BOWLING MAY 29.) Meditation for GBT Men. 11am-1pm. Cal Anderson House, 400 Broadway. Suitable for beginning & experienced meditators. Sponsored by Dharma Buddies. Contact Forrest Rode, 920-6117, Mike Chin (509) 990-0007, or Doug Allison, doug.l.allison@gmail.com. www.dharmabuddies.org. (Women may wish to contact our sister meditation group at www.LotusSisters.org.)
May 21 thru May 29 in recovery & living on a medicine regimen. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Strength Over Speed. 2-3:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12 step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. For information visit www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: crystalmeth.org. Freely Speaking Toastmasters. 7pm. FredLind Manor, 1802 17th Ave. Every Monday (except holidays & the last Mondays in August & December). Seattle’s only LGBT speaking club. www.FreelySpeaking.org Orca Swim Team Workout. 7-8:15pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.) PFLAG/South King County Monthly Meeting. 7pm. Unitarian Universalist Church, 25701 14th Pl S, Kent. Meets 4th Monday each month. PFLAG/Puget Sound: 325-7724. 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. 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org Washington Gender Alliance Support Group Meeting in Shoreline. 7:30pm. Center for Human Services, 17018 15th Ave NE, Shoreline. Meets every Monday. For information email info@washingtongender alliance.com Queers, Crackpots & Fallen Women AA. 8-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Monday. Open women only AA group. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org.
TUESDAY - May 24
Just for Today. 12-1:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Sunday. Drop-in 12-step (Narcotics Anonymous) group open to anyone in recovery. 3222437; 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 625-0000; www.seattle-al-anon.org Rain City Soccer Club - Ripple Effect. Sunday afternoon. Location varies. Ripple Effect soccer team plays an almost weekly recreational scrimmage game for LGBTQ players in Seattle. Perfect for individuals looking for more relaxed play, who are just getting back into soccer, just learning the game and/or want to supplement their competitive play with a recreational team. To sign up visit www.raincitysoccer.org No Safeword Writers Group. 1pm. Meets 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, NSWG@sexpositiveculture.org; www.nosafeword writersgroup.org (Also meets 2nd Tuesday, 7pm.) Rain City Jacks. 4th Sunday each month at 1pm; 1st & 3rd Tuesday each month at 7pm. West Queen Anne/ Interbay. Location & membership details provided upon request. RCJ is a traditional jack-off club. Friendly, sexpositive, non-profit and private. Membership required. Adult men only. Enroll at the door. www.raincityjacks. org, email info@raincityjacks.org or call 1-888-809-5035. Seattle Prime Timers Rap Group. 1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Subject: How can we grow as we age? Metro routes 8, 10, 12, 49 & 60. seattleprimetimers.org Meet Seattle’s LGBT Commissioners. 2-3:30pm. Douglass-Truth Library, 2300 E Yesler Way. The Seattle LGBT Commission will introduce its members & talk about the work it does. The Seattle LGBT Commission advises the Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, the Seattle City Council and city departments about issues of concern affecting the LGBTQ community. www.spl.org
Visit us online www.sgn.org
SOBER - On Meds. 1-2pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Monday. 12-step group open to anyone
Lesbian & Gay Child Care Task Force Monthly Meeting. 12 noon-2pm. Call for location. Meets 4th Tuesday each month. The Task Force, in conjunction with Child Care Resources of King County, offers referrals to GLBT-welcoming child care centers & provides training, support & curriculum materials to child care providers. (To access this, call 329-1011 & ask for the “Gay-welcoming” child care programs in your zip code area.) The task force meets monthly to assess their progress in achieving their goals. Amor Open Meditation. 5-6pm. Amor Spiritual Center, 2528 Beacon Ave, Suite B. Meets every Tuesday. LGBTQ Questioning & Allied Youth Drop-in Group in Renton. 6-8pm. Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS), 1025 S 3rd St, Renton. Meets 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. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12 step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. For information visit www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org 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 LGBTQ MS Connection/National MS Society. 6:308pm. Swedish Conference Center, Cherry Hill Campus, James Tower, 550 17th Avenue, Room E, 1st Floor. Meets the 2nd & 4th Tuesday each month. MS Connection is a support group with the goal of providing a safe environment for the LGBT community to express their experiences and the impact of MS on their lives and the lives of their loved ones, as well as provide support for one another. Contact Shelly at 206-250-5002 or LGBTMSConnection@gmail.com. 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. 322-2515, www. lamberthouse.org “A Fine Line.” 7pm. West of Lenin, 203 N 36th St. Imagine turning 40 & the wrinkle on your face starts talking to you. “A Fine Line” is a dramatic farce. It is at once absurd, sad, funny, and fantastical. Middle-aged women and older and anyone who has or will ever deal with one will enjoy this play. Admission: pay what you will. RESERVATIONS: http://bit.ly/AFINELINE 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 237-8828. SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191. Over 40’s Group - For Lesbian Women 40 & Older. 7-8:30pm. University Congregational Church, 4515 16th Ave NE, Pilgrim Room. Every Tuesday. Open group for Lesbian women, 40 & older, in every stage of coming out or being out. Lots of social activities in addition to Tuesday meetings. 545-3521. Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 7pm. Bus-accessible
May 20, 2016
Seattle Gay News 19
Market Street Singers “Sweet ’16” (5/21 & 5/22). Sat: 7:30pm; Sun: 3pm. Ballard First Lutheran Church, NW 65th & 20th Ave NW. A concert for Spring 2016 featuring Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” a medley from South Pacific, a tribute to Queen & In Those Fields. FREE. www.marketstreetsingers.org “Out of Darkness, an Opera of Survival.” 4pm. Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave & Union St. World premiere of an opera commissioned by Music of Remembrance. Based on the true stories of two Holocaust survivors haunted by the ghosts of their past. Tickets $30-$45. www.musicofremembrance.org Orca Swim Team Workout. Sun: 5-6:15pm; Mon/Weds/ Fri: 7:30-8:45pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. Every Sun, Mon, Wed & Fri. Pre-registration required. Orca Swim Team workouts are for both competitive & recreational swimmers. www.orcaswimteam.org Shame to Grace Sunday SAA. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Sunday. SAA 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 237-8828, SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon @ 6:30pm, Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am. More info: crystalmeth.org. Pride League Bowling. 6:30pm. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Every Sunday (except during the summer). Regular league bowling. Jeff, 932-3731. [NO June, July, August - resumes after Labor Day] “The Enchanted Life & Temporary Death of Sadie December” (5/5-5/8 & 5/19-5/22). 7pm. Gay City Calamus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St. A one-woman, multi-media play by Dorothy Frances Kent. Part autobiography, part magical realism, it chronicles Sadie’s spiritual childhood in the Pacific Northwest, the harsh realities of having to live as a boy & finally rediscovering herself thru art, community & the natural world. General admission $15, sponsor $20, students & seniors $15. gaycity.org/arts. Noche Latina - Latino Night. 10pm. Neighbours, 1509 Broadway. Every Sunday.
MONDAY - May 23
Central Area location. Every Tuesday. (See Saturday listing at 6pm.) Different Drummers. 7:15-8:30pm. Every Tuesday. Hand drumming classes for Gay men. It’s easy, it’s fun & anyone can do it! Learn traditional African & AfroCaribbean rhythms & basic hand drumming techniques. Experience connection, community & spirituality. Drums are provided. For info & location call Dennis at 363-4500 or www.outdrum.com What About Me? 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Tuesday. Drop-in social, support & discussion group for Gay & Bi men of all ages. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Spiritual Empowerment. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. A group for all LGBT & friends of any spiritual belief to explore how spiritual practice can enrich their life. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Washington Gender Alliance Open Support Meeting in Bellingham. 7:30-9pm. St James Presbyterian Church, 910 14th St., Bellingham. Every Tuesday. (360) 445-2411; www.washingtongenderalliance.com. (See Wednesday listing at 7:30pm for details.) 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 414-8797. www.otterpolo.com. 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
community calendar
WEDNESDAY - May 25
LGBTQ Support Group in Renton. 10am-12noon. Renton Senior Activity Center, 211 Burnett Ave N. Meets the last Wednesday of every month. This newly-formed group will address issues while providing support & information that may be ubnique to the LGBTQ community. Topics of discussion may be legal issues, housing, medical ‑needs, bereavement, acceptance ‑& othe topics of your choice. 425-430-6633, rentonwa.gov Mature Friends Morning Exercise/Health & Fitness Get-Together. 10am. Ballard Odd Fellows Hall Bldg, 1706 NW Market St. Every Wednesday. An hour of health-related activities, followed by a walk around Greenlake & lunch at a local restaurant. MF is a social group for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www. maturefriends.org Mature Friends Dining Out Luncheon. 12:30pm. Call for details, location & to make reservations. Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesday most months. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www. maturefriends.org 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 362-7282 x 8018 or email lbagley@chs-nw.org GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): A Support Group & HIV/STD Prevention for Youth (14-20) in Everett. 6-8pm. CCA Building, 3331 Broadway - Bottom Floor, Everett. Every Wednesday. Sponsored by PFLAG Everett chapter. David/Brenda, (425) 263-2908. globeleaders@hotmail.com The Rowing Team Peer Recovery Group. 6-7:30pm. All Pilgrims Church, 500 Broadway E. Meets every Wednesday. This peer recovery group provides a safe & supportive faith community to share your recovery journey with, God answers our prayers & sends us a boat. Sometimes rowing furiously for yourself & sometimes for others. All are welcome. Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Wednesday. Discuss the best LGBT novels with other book-lovers in a safe, comfortable conversation. Come once or come every week. Check our website for this month’s book. http:// faculty.washington.edu/swittet/SGLBookClub/ SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Lotus Sisters Meditation & Dharma Discussion North. 6:15-8pm. Ravenna Bryant neighborhood. Meets every Wednesday. Call 525-7295 for location. www. LotusSisters.org. Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 6:30pm. Volunteer Park (in front of Black Sun across for museum). Every Wednesday. (See Saturday at 9am.) HIV/AIDS Support Group. 7-8:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Wednesday. Please arrive by 7:00pm. FREE peer-facilitated emotional support group for HIV+ men who are newly diagnosed or newly dealing. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Hermanos Trans Latino & Foreign-Born Support Group. 7pm. Entre Hermanos, 1105 23rd Ave. Bilingual (Spanish/English) Transsexual support group meets 2nd & 4th Wednesday each month to provide information, counseling, healthcare, sisterhood & social activities for Latino & foreign-born people in their transition. For more information contact Abby 322-7700, www.entre hermanos.org Ingersoll All-Trans Drop-In Support Group. 7-9pm. Seattle Counseling Services, 1216 Pine St, Suite 300. 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.ingersoll center.org Mature Friends Weekly Bridge Group. 7:30pm. Call for location. Every Wednesday. All levels welcome. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www.maturefriends.org
20 Seattle Gay News
Orca Swim Team Workout. 7:30-8:45pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.) 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.
THURSDAY - May 26
Alcoholics Anonymous “Safe & Sober Group.” 12noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Open meeting of AA. 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. 720-5566 or 888-292-1912; www.babesnetwork.org. 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.) Puget Sound Business Journal’s “Business of Pride.” 5-8:30pm. Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St. A celebration with meaning. Hundreds of business leaders gather for a toast to LGBTQ business. Video features Outstanding Voices of Equality, individuals who have moved the needle with their work & their stories. This celebratory, inspiring and informative event - including a festive cocktail reception and an original stage presentation - will recognize the region’s top companies and voices advancing equality in the workplace. General admission seating $85. Suggested dress: business attire. Presented in partnership with GSBA. http://www. bizjournals.com/seattle/event/142892. Gearshift: A Community Forum. Doors 5pm, Presentation 5:30pm, Discussion 6:20pm. The Summit, 420 E Pike St. Join us as five passionate community leaders introduce their projects for Capitol Hill, followed by an opportunity for guests to participate in a facilitated discussion. Refreshments served afterwards. FREE. capitolhillhousing.org Everett-Snohomish County Friendship Dinner for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS. 6pm. Grace UMC (formerly Firs United Methodist). Meets last Thursday
May 20, 2016
Spiritual Center currently has openings for singers in its Chorale group. 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.)
FRIDAY - May 27
Crypticon Seattle (5/27-5/29). Hilton Hotel, 17620 International Blvd. The largest gathering of fans of the macabre in the Pacific Northwest. crypticonseattle.com Northwest Folklife Festival (5/27-5/30). Seattle Center. nwfolklife.org/festival AA Ageless in Recovery. 12noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Meets every Friday. A drop in AA group for older & wiser people 55+. www.sasgcc.org Re-Parenting Ourselves. 12noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Meets every Friday. A peer support group for adult children of any addiction. www. sasgcc.org SLAA Road to Recovery. 12noon-1:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Meets every Friday. Ongoing 12 step group for sex & 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 (Also Thursdays 4-10pm & Saturdays 6pm-12 midnight.) Strength Over Speed. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12-step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Mature Friends Monthly Potluck. 6:30pm-appetizers & socializing; 7:30pm-dinner. Ballard Odd Fellows Hall Bldg, 1706 NW Market St. Meets last Friday most months. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www.maturefriends.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. 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. Orca Swim Team Workout. 7:30-8:45pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.) LGBT Friday Night Al-Anon Family Group. 7:45pm. Seattle Counseling Service, Rainbow Room, 1216 Pine St at Melrose Ave. 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 625-0000; www.seattle-al-anon.org GaYme Night 4 the LGBT Community. 8pm-1am. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Meets the 3rd & 4th Friday of every month. Board games, cards & fun. www.sasgcc.org Shenanigans! Cocktails 7:30-9pm, Show 9pm. Theatre most months. FREE. Everyone welcome. Sponsored by Off Jackson, 409 7th Ave S. Show off your style in your the Evergreen AIDS Foundation & SNOCO Gay Men’s favorite film regalia & cosplay fashion while you enjoy Task Force. For information call (425) 252-7751. cocktails & mingle. General admission $25, VIP $45. Shifting Gears. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Benefits Magic Wheelchair. jvsshenanigans.brownpaper Suite 201. Every Thursday. Drop-in support group tickets.com (non 12-step) for anyone of any orientation or gender SATURDAY - May 28 who desires recovery from drugs or alcohol. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org (See previous Saturday for ongoing activities.) B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Question- Crypticon Seattle (5/27-5/29). Hilton Hotel, 17620 ing Adolescent Drop-In Group). 6:30-8pm. Call for International Blvd. The largest gathering of fans of the location. Every Thursday. Sponsored by Youth Eastside macabre in the Pacific Northwest. crypticonseattle.com Services, which offers many programs for GLBT youth. Northwest Folklife Festival (5/27-5/30). Seattle Center. (425) 747-4937. nwfolklife.org/festival Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Pres- Pink Prom. 8pm-12midnight. All Pilgrims Church, 500 byterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon Broadway E. (entrance off E Republican St) Ages 14-22. @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: Costumes encouraged but not required. Alcohol, drugs crystalmeth.org. & hate NOT permitted. Suggested donation $10-$20. Boys’ Group - For Male-Identified Youth, Ages 1422. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every SUNDAY - May 29 Thursday. Youth take the opportunity to talk about issues (See previous Sunday for ongoing activities.) that relate to their everyday lives, with the facilitation of a male volunteer. 322-2515 ext 16. www.lamberthouse.org Crypticon Seattle (5/27-5/29). Hilton Hotel, 17620 International Blvd. The largest gathering of fans of the PFLAG/Tacoma Monthly Meeting. 7pm. St Andrew’s macabre nin the Pacific Northwest. crypticonseattle.com Episcopal Church, 7410 S 12th (at Jackson), Tacoma. Meets 4th Thursday each month. PFLAG/Tacoma: (253) Northwest Folklife Festival (5/27-5/30). Seattle Center. nwfolklife.org/festival 383-2318. PFLAG/Puget Sound: 325-7724. Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 7pm. Bus-accessible COMMUNITY RESOURCES Central Area location. Every Thursday. (See Saturday Allyship - an organization of LGBTQ individuals fighting listing at 6pm.) for economic and social justice. www.LGBTQ Allyship. Buddhism & Recovery. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th org, allyship@yahoo.com, 279-8169. Ave E, Suite 201. Every Thursday. A meditation/recovery American Veterans for Equal Rights - www.aver.us group. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Gay Fathers Association of Seattle. 7:30-9pm. Group Another Gay Social Club! - www.meetup.com/AnotherHealth, 201 16th Ave E, Central Bldg, Lower Atrium. Gay-Social-Club/ Every Thursday. Support meetings for Gay fathers & Bellingham/Whatcom County - www.theslowlane. Gay men who are currently or previously married. Safe, com/guide.html anonymous, non-judgmental environment of caring BiNet Seattle is a mixed gender, social group for Bifathers & friends. You are not alone. For information, sexuals, their partners & other Bi-friendly folks - www. community events & “questioning” visit www.gfas.org or binetseattle.org. our message board at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/ Bremerton/Kitsap County - www.outwestsound.org gayfathersseattle Gay Male Sexuality & Relationships. 7:30-9pm. Capitol Hill Alano Club - www.chacseattle.org SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Thursday. A Central Washington University GALA Hotline: (509) discussion group that is strictly focused on sexual top- 963-1994. ics and relationship issues related to being a Gay male. DIFFA/Seattle (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). 763-8885; www.diffaseattle.org 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Amor Chorale Rehearsal. 8-9pm. Amor Spiritual Cen- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT: Crisis ter, 2528 Beacon Ave, Suite B. Meets every Thursday. Clinic, 461-3222 (24 hour line); King County Sexual Calling all sopranos, altos, tenors & basses. The Amor Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) - 24-hour crisis
Celebrating 41 Years!
line for information, support, & medical & legal assistance: 1-888-99-VOICE; Northwest Network - support & advocacy for Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse & Dating Violence, 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, 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 - 324-2570; www.equal rightswashington.org Everett/Snohomish Cty - www.gaysnohomish.org Freely Speaking Toastmasters - www.freely speaking.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, 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. GLSEN/WA - Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network - 330-2099; www.glsenwa.org Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) - 3639188; www.thegsba.org HIV/AIDS Program, Seattle/King County Dept of Public Health, provides confidential/anonymous information about & testing for HIV/AIDS. 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, 328-8979. Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & the Olympic & Rainier Empire - www.facebook.com/ISCSORE; www. imperialcourtofseattle.com Lambert House - 322-2515; www.lamberthouse.org LGBT Library - 517 E Pike St. Open Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. LGBT MS Connection - 250-5002; LGBTMS Connection@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 - 328-8979, www.lifelongaids alliance.org MEN: Gay City: 860-6969, www.gaycity.org; Knights of Mantra: 329-0886, www.jetchapterkofm.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.mature friends.org; Northwest Bears: www.nwbears.com; The Olympians: www.TheOlympians.net; POZSeattle: www.pozseattle.org; Q-Squared: www.qsquared.org; Rain City Jacks: 888-809-5035, 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. 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: 388-1408, 323-0750. www.flying house. 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. www.outandequal.org/affiliates/seattle PARENTHOOD: Families Like Ours provides a gateway for LGBT families interested in adoption: 441-7602, www.familieslikeours. org; Family Works offers support, information & activities for LGBT families: 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/proud-and-loud-families-northwest, plfnorthwest@aol.com; Queer Parent Networking Dinners: 568-7777, info@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.pflag seattle.org; PFLAG Bellevue/Eastside: 425-4836642, 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), 850-2070, www. aarth.org; Asian/Pacific Islander Queer Network Program at API Chaya, 467-9976; Center for MultiCultural Health, 461-6910, www.multi-culturalhealth.org; Entre Hermanos, GLBT Latinos/as, 322-7700, www. entrehermanos.org; Ile LaiLai, 781-3565, iya@ilelailai. org; Men of All Colors & Cultures Together (MACCT), 923-8313, macctseattle@yahoo. com, www.macctsea.org; Nubian Pride Productions, nubianpride@ gmail.com; People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) offers rapid HIV testing, M-F, 10am-5pm, 322-7061, www.pocaan.org and on Facebook; Seattle Two Spirit, SeattleTwoSpirit@ hotmail.com; Sistah 2 Sistah, LBT women of African descent, 322-7061, 2558951; Sistah Sinema, www.sistahsinema.com, info@
community calendar
sistahsinema.com; 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. Pride Foundation - 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. 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 - 682-6711; www.q-law.org Q Law GLBT Legal Clinic - 235-7235. Resource & Referral Line can connect you to LGBTfriendly resources throughout Puget Sound and beyond. Call 323-LGBT Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. At other times leave voice mail and your call will be returned. Or visit www.gaycity.org to view list of resources online or through Facebook. Safe Schools Coalition - www.safeschoolscoalition. org; 451-SAFE (451-7233). SEAMEC interviews, researches & rates candidates for public office on issues of concern to the LGBT community. 905-9941, www.seamec.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. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities - 684-4503. Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities is a community mental health service for GLBT persons & their families. 323-1768. Seattle Out & Proud - 206-322-9561; www.seattle pride.org Seattle Police Department Sexual Minorities Community Advisory Council: kim.bogucki@seattle.gov Seattle PrideFest - www.seattlepridefest.org Seattle Treatment Education Project (STEP) E-zine is an electronic resource distributed to people affected by HIV/AIDS, case managers, front line workers & other health professionals. Now a part of Lifelong AIDS Alli-
Visit us online www.sgn.org
ance, 328-8979, www.thebody.com/step/steppage.html Servicemembers Legal Defense Network - (202) 328-3244; www.sldn.org SHIFT: A Peer Recovery Network - www.shiftrecovery. org Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey of St. Joan - 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. Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) - www.facebook. com/socialoutreachseattle South Sound Q Calendar - LGBTQ events in Tacoma, Olympia & Sound Puget Sound area; www.South SoundQCal.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 capitolhill cycling@groups. facebook.com or jordan.l.simonson@ gmail.com; Cascade Flyers: www.cascadeflyers.org; Different Spokes Bicycling Club: www.different spokes.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.pacific nwgra.org; Puddletown Squares: www.puddletown squares.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.seattlefrontr unners.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,
May 20, 2016
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, 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 & ForeignBorn Support Group: 322-7700; Ingersoll Gender Center: 329-6651, www.ingersollcenter.org; The New BoyZ Club: www.olympiaftmgroup.webs.com; Olympia Trans Discussion Group: www.facebook.com/pages/ Olympia-Trans-Discussion-Group/262449878114; Washington Gender Alliance: (360) 445-2411, www. washington genderalliance.com WOMEN: Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS): Fai, 722-0729, alissquestions@gmail.com; BABES: support groups for HIV+ women. 720-5566, 1-888-2921912; Festival of the Babes: www.festivalofthe babes. com; Lesbians Over 40: 722-0729; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.mature friends.org; 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 Girls of Leather: www.sgol.org; Tacoma Lesbian Concern (TLC): www. tacomalesbianconcern.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, 461-4493. Yakima: First Fridays - (509) 576-0276. www.gayakima.com/1stfridays.html 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; 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. 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, 3222515, www.lamberthouse.org; Lifelong HEYO (Health Education Youth Outreach): for LGBTQ youth, ages 16-24: 957-1665; www.llaa.org/HEYO; www.Matthews Place.com; The Mockingbird Society: 323-KIDS (5437), www.mockingbirdsociety.org; Oasis Youth Center: for GLBTQ youth, ages 14-25, in Tacoma, (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcen ter.org; Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)/Puget Sound: 325-7724, www.seattle-pflag.org; Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS): 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; Safe Schools Coalition: www. safeschoolscoalition.org; 451-SAFE (451-7233) (nonemergency), 1-877-SAFE-SAFE (1-877-723-3723) (crisis line); Seattle Young People’s Project (Queer Youth Resource Board): 860-9606, www.sypp.org; Street Youth Ministries (SYM): 524-7301 ext 111; www.streetyouthministries.org; Teen Link: 461-4922, 1-888-431-TEEN; The Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor; www.thetrevorproject.org; True Colors - Connecting LGBTQ Teens: in Shoreline, 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): 522-8412; YouthCare/Orion Center: 622-5555; Youth in Focus: 723-1479; www. youthinfocus.org; Youth Suicide Prevention Program (OUTLoud-GLBTQ): 297-5922, ext 116, 1-800-273TALK, www.yspp.org
Seattle Gay News 21
Volunteer Park
• BACON MANSION
E. PROSPECT ST. • SHAFER MANSION E. ALOHA ST.
12TH AVE. E.
E. ROY ST.
16TH AVE. E.
15TH AVE. E.
13TH AVE. E.
• B&B ON BROADWAY E. ROY ST. • UNDER U 4 MEN
E. VALLEY ST. 14TH AVE. E.
11TH AVE. E.
FEDERAL AVE. E.
10TH AVE. E.
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E. WARD ST.
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BROADWAY E.
• THE CANTERBURY E. REPUBLICAN ST. E. HARRISON ST.
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• CLUB Z BATHS
• THE STRANGER
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NAGLE PL.
Cal Anderson Park
• LAMBERT HOUSE
BROADWAY
HARVARD AVE. E.
C.C. ATTLEʼS• BOYLSTON AVE.
Seattle Central Community College • NEIGHBOURS
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BELMONT AVE.
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• BALTIC ROOM
• LINDAʼS • BILLʼS OFF BROADWAY
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• REBAR
• STEAM WORKS
• KREMWERK
• THE CRESCENT
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NEW YORK EXCHANGE • STUDIO 229 • PANACHE • LAUGHING BUDDHA TATTOO •
BELLEVUE AVE.
• SEATTLE COUNSELING SERVICE FOR SEXUAL MINORITIES MELROSE AVE.
• JULIAʼS
DENNY WAY
E. OLIVE ST. GLSEN ONYX LEATHER • SEAMEC
• STOUT • PURR
• UNICORN • POST OPTIONS •WILDROSE • HOT HOUSE
BATHS
CLUB Z - (men) 1117 Pike near Boren - 622-9958 HOT HOUSE SPA & SAUNA - (women) SW corner of Pike & 11th (stairs behind Wildrose) - 568-3240 STEAM WORKS - (men) 1520 Summit - 388-4818
RESTAURANTS & BARS
88 KEYS - 315 2nd Ave. S. - 839-1300 BALTIC ROOM - 1207 Pine St. - 625-4444 THE BOTTLENECK LOUNGE 2328 E. Madison St. - 323-1098 C.C. ATTLE’S BAR & GRILLE 1701 E. Olive Way - 726-0565
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 GNOCCHI BAR - 1542 12th Ave - 328-4285 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 MAE’S CAFE 6412 Phinney Ave. N. - 782-1222 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
RETAIL SHOPS
CASTLE SUPERSTORE #17 1017 E. Pike St - 204-0126 DOGHOUSE LEATHERS 1312 E. Pike St. - 257-0231 EMERSON SALON - 909 E. Pike St. - 323-7437 NEW YORK EXCHANGE 231 Broadway Ave E - 726-7978 ONYX LEATHER - 1605 12th Ave. #8 - 328-1965 PANACHE - 225 Broadway E. - 726-3300 RUCKUS 1465 E Republican St. - 257-4805 STAN’S ADULT SUPERSTORE 9630 16th Ave. SW - 762-3299 TOYS IN BABELAND - 707 E. Pike St. - 328-2914 UNDER U 4 MEN 709 Broadway Ave. E. - 324-6446 WILD AT HEART 1111 NW Leary Way - 782-5538 YOUR CHOICE VIDEO 9811 16TH AVE SW - 768-0711
BELLINGHAM
LOVER’S 193 Telegraph Road - (360) 752-1862 RUMORS CABARET 1119 Railroad - (306) 671-1849
BAR MYX - 1212 California St. - 425-610-4071 LOVER’S - 112 SE Everett - (425) 353-3607 LOVER’S - 3402 Broadway - (425) 252-8754
KENT
LOVER’S 25801 104th Ave. S.E. - (253) 852-1720 THE FANTASY SHOP 604 Central Ave. S. - (253) 850-8428 NASHVILLE’S SPORTS BAR (Drag Shows) 114 - Railroad Ave. N. - (253) 852 - 0909
22 Seattle Gay News
May 20, 2016
T.
NS
E. PINE ST.
E.
O DIS
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• DOGHOUSE LEATHERS
E. PIKE ST. • CHOP SUEY • MADISON PUB • DIESEL BAR • PONY
PONY - 1221 E. Madison St. - 324-2854 PURR - 1518 11th Ave. - 325-3112 R PLACE - 619 E. Pine - 322-8828 RE-BAR - 1114 Howell at Boren - 233-9873 SEATTLE EAGLE - 314 E. Pike - 621-7591 SHORTY’S 2222 2nd Ave - 441-5449 SPINNAKER BAY BREWING 5718 Rainier Ave S - 725-BEER(2337) 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
EVERETT
• THE GASLIGHT INN
• POCO WINE ROOM
• THE CUFF COMPLEX • GNOCCHI BAR
E. UNION ST.
SEATTLE
• RUCKUS
E. UNION ST.
LA CONNER
THE HERON INN & WATERGRASS DAY SPA 117 Maple Ave. - (877) 883-8899 info@theheron.com
OLYMPIA
DARBY’S CAFE 211 5th Ave. S.E. - (360) 357-6229 LOVER’S 3959 Martin Way E. Suite D - (360) 456-7300 JAKES - 311 4th Ave. E. - (360) 956-3247 URBAN ONION 116 Legion Way - (360) 943-9242
PORT ANGELES MAPLE ROSE INN 112 Reservoir Rd - (800) 570-2007
SPOKANE
ANDY’S 1401 W. 1st Ave. - (509) 747 - 0304 IRV’S (Drag Shows) 415 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 624 - 4450 NYNE BAR AND BISTRO 232 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 474 -1621 SPOTLIGHT LOUNGE 321 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 624 - 0722
TACOMA
CASTLE SUPERSTORE 6015 Tacoma Mall Blvd. - (253) 471-0391 CLUB SILVERSTONE 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) 383-4327 RAINBOW CENTER 2215 Pacific Ave. - (253) 383-2318 SHAKABRAH JAVA CAFE 2618 6th Ave. - (253) 572-2787 TANDEM FOR GEAR, CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES 3019 6th Ave, Ste. B - (253) 301-3026
TUKWILA
LOVER’S 530 Southcenter Blvd. - (206) 248-5085
WENATCHEE
THE CELLAR CAFE 240 N. Mission St. - (509) 662-1722
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May 20, 2016
Seattle Gay News 23