SGN Nov 18, 2016 - Section 3

Seattle Gay News

Issue 47, Volume 44, November 18, 2016

New SMC/SWC Artistic Director Paul Caldwell introduces himself to Seattle

Artistic Director Paul Caldwell conducts SWC Unveiled concert – photo by Conrado Tapado

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer SEATTLE MEN’S CHORUS SILVER AND SOUL BENAROYA HALL December 4-22 RIALTO THEATER (TACOMA) December 10 EVERETT CIVIC AUDITORIUM December 17 You’ve probably heard by now, if you pay attention to the Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus, that iconic SMC/SWC Artistic Director Dennis Coleman retired last summer and that the Choruses are now being led by new Artistic Director Paul Caldwell. If you were lucky enough to have attended the recent concert by the Women, you already know that the Choruses are clearly in great hands and ready to sing out, loudly and proudly, into the future. SGN had an opportunity to interview Paul on the eve of the Seattle Men’s Chorus’ annual Christmastime holiday extravaganza. We sat down with him and Executive Direc-

tor Steven Smith for a chat. Silver and Soul is described as having, “All the ingredients … for Seattle’s biggest holiday extravaganza: Start with 250 joyful voices singing favorites like “Sleigh Ride” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Add a tender David Bowie tribute, mix in a clever karaoke sing-along, heat things up with gospel harmonies, and top it off with a disco Santa finale.” We wanted to peek inside Paul’s head to find out how he thinks about programming for the Choruses and how one comes to an organization that has been around for more than 30 years and begins choosing material, while recognizing what’s already been done. Paul started off by addressing the huge change the Choruses faced in Dennis’ retirement. “Separation anxiety is a real thing. Relationships change and there is emotional charge with that. There’s also emotional charge with uprooting your life and moving across the continent. [Paul and his fiancé moved from Chicago to Seattle this summer.] “I think the thing that has made it an easier transition for me and the Choruses is that I knew that and have

tried to be emotionally available to them and I’m not trying to move on from Dennis. I honor Dennis and he’s a very beautiful person. But I’m here and let’s have a beautiful relationship, too! “I don’t think as much about the legacy and the past as much as everyone else does. What I care about is meeting a bunch of people that have come to make music with me or hear the music we make. And sharing with them as quickly as I can and as openly as I can: This is who I really am. This is what I care about, excites me, makes me cry, or incredibly happy.” When Paul spoke about the programmatic trajectory, he said he hadn’t thought about the “how” until asked that question. Then we ended up with a great “food” analogy – maybe because we were in a coffee shop! “I think people assume that there is a recipe (to programming), like Better Homes and Gardens,” Paul said. “Maybe for some people there is a recipe. For me, I’m more like I go in the (musical) kitchen and play with ingredients and I don’t know what this spice is going to do with this vegetable.”

“The programming issue is more of an opportunity to disclose to people who I am in a relationship that is by nature very vulnerable to me,” Paul said. “I believe that music and art are at their best when they are placed in the service of humanity and peace. I never said that from the stage, but I think the audience might have said. ‘Oh, yeah. He does think that.’ “I think that choral music – my art form… someone else could say metalwork… is a tool, a window through which we can crawl to learn about things that matter more than music: people and their experiences, hopes, dreams, heartbreaks, injustices. The ways people have triumphed over those injustices. Choral music is just the way we learn about people and their experiences in an intimate way. “No one showed up to the Seattle Women’s Chorus concert expecting they’d leave that concert thinking about an indigenous people with a dead language [a reference to one of the beautiful songs Paul chose], but it’s an interesting topic. I assume our audiences are not unwilling to think see CALDWELL page 28

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Celebrating 41 Years!

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Celebrating 41 Years!

Compiled by Justin Craig SGN Contributing Writer ARTS/CRAFTS/GIFTS The Handmade Kitchen Pop-Up. Nov. 1-Dec. 31. Mon.-Sat. 10am-8:00pm, Sun. 11am-7:00pm. Pacific Place, 600 E Pine St., This holiday, find locally made smallbatch food products and kitchenware at The Handmade Kitchen – a satellite holiday pop-up shop presented by The Handmade Showroom. Both shops are located on the 3rd floor of Pacific Place and carry a wide array of finely made gifts and goods for everyone on your shopping list! www.thehandmadeshowroom.com

mentary beverages, including ZOKA Arboretum Blend coffee, hot chocolate, and cider. All sales benefit the Washington Park Arboretum. 206-325-4510; www.arboretumfoundation.org. WISH LIST: Basic greens we’re looking for include Douglas fir, pine, cedar, and spruce. Specialty greens include incense cedar, camellia, mahonia, and red-twig dogwood. Thank you for donating! INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING? If you’d like to help out at this event, please email volunteer@arboretumfoundation.org or call 206-325-4510.

27th Annual Seattle Area Support Groups & Community Center Holiday Tree (& Greenery) Sale. Nov. 25-Dec. 23, 9am-9pm. SASGCC, 303 17th Ave. E. www.sasgcc.org; 206-322-2437. This holiday tradition goes to benefit the organization that provides peer support services to members of the LGBTQ community. Trees range in price from $25-$300, depending on size and species. 100% of proceeds go to support the operating budget of the center. Receipts are available for tax deductions purposes. Seward Park Clay Studio Winter Holiday Show & Sale. Dec. 2-24. 5900 Lake Washington Blvd. S. PREVIEW NIGHT PARTY: Dec. 2nd, 6:30-9:30pm, is a great chance to get the pick of the best ceramics in town, with over 40 artists represented in the sale. $10 suggested donation at the door: light food, drink and fun. From Dec. 3-24 the sale is FREE and open to the public: Mon-Fri 11am-7pm; Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. Shop for amazing holiday presents while supporting one of the Northwest’s cultural gems. What is on view and available for purchase includes an impressive range of work: including sculpture, majolica, functional stoneware, delicate porcelains, raku, wood-fire, wall hangings. Even if you aren’t in the market for purchasing (and prices are remarkably affordable!), just surveying the range of expression in clay is worth a trip to this event. www.sewardparkart.org.

Arboretum Foundation’s “Gifts & Greens Galore” Holiday Sale. Dec. 3, 10am-3pm. Washington Park Arboretum Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum Dr E. Don’t miss our popular annual holiday sale on Saturday, December 3, from 10am-3pm. It features a great selection of nature-inspired gifts including local, seasonal specialty items. You’ll also find a unique selection of botanical decorations. Buy something for everyone on your list this year, while helping support the maintenance and children’s education programs at the Arboretum! Free hot drinks: Shoppers can also warm up with compli-

South Park Arts 12th Annual Art Under $100 Holiday Sale. Dec. 10, 2-8pm. Seattle Design Center, 5701 6th Ave S. 70 amazing artists will convene at the Seattle Design Center on Saturday, December 10. From 1-2pm, patrons who wish to be VIP can purchase a $20 ticket (all proceeds benefit South Park Arts) to get first pick of the coveted affordable artwork, along with champagne and chocolate. The beloved event continues to gather momentum, celebrating its twelfth year in a spacious venue in Georgetown/SODO. For holiday shoppers, AU100 offers an unsurpassed opportunity to discover unique, affordable art while supporting local artists. In store this year: 1) The Art: Paintings, sculptures, jewelry, textiles, photography, blown glass, cast glass, stained glass, wood, encaustic, dioramas, woodblock printing, letterpress and more! And nothing priced over $100. 2) There’s Art made by YOU: Create a handmade treasure with The Makery, a free art lab that runs on reclaimed materials and creativity–the perfect, kid-friendly, family fun activity. 3) Make history by helping artist Catherine Grisez create a copper leaf pile for her project “Part You.” Seattle Sampling Artists Studio Tour. Dec. 10 & 11. Seattle Sampling is Seattle’s most established and largest holiday arts and crafts tour celebrating over 27 years of fabulous arts & crafts! This free, self– guided tour offers holiday shoppers a relaxed and intimate opportunity to meet the artists in their own environments. The tour provides both continuity with established artists and change with new and emerging artists bringing a sense of discovery and wonder to the tour while also connecting customers with their favorite artists they have followed for years. 2016 Native Art Mart. Dec. 17 & 18, 10am-4pm. Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center in Discover Park, 5011 Bernie Whitebear Way. Find great holiday gifts at the Native Art Mart. Beautiful work by Native American Artists. Many styles and tribes represented. Clothing, jewelry, woodworking, drums, art prints, and so

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much more. Affordable, unique and fun. Support local Native artists. HOLIDAY EVENTS Festival of Trees Celebration. Nov. 19-Dec. 30. OPENING CELEBRATION: Nov. 20, 1-4pm. Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University St. Join our featured patients, friends and family to enjoy entertainment provided by the St. Jude Parish Sanctuary Choir and the Seattle Girls’ Choir. Also listen to Christmas stories and enjoy homemade cookies. One of our featured patients will start the Celebration by lighting the Fairmont Olympic’s grand lobby tree. Another featured patient, will open the Teddy Bear Suite for the season. Numerous holiday items, including wreaths, small trees, table decorations, and ornaments designed and crafted by our guild members especially for our guests will be available for sale. The Children’s Corner will carry gifts of interest to our younger guests. Children can pose with Santa for a photo taken by Yuen Lui Photography. www.seattlefestivaloftrees.com. Sheraton Seattle Hotel’s 24th Annual Gingerbread Village – “Celebrate the Magic of the Holidays.” Nov. 22-Jan. 1. Sheraton Seattle Hotel, 1400 6th Ave. @ Pike St. Each year the Sheraton Hotel culinary team and top local architecture firms and builders’ association design, bake and delight you with larger than life gingerbread exhibit. This year marks the 24th Annual Gingerbread Village with creations inspired by scenes from your favorite wizarding world. Wizards of all ages will marvel at the larger than life gingerbread exhibit. Each team’s presentation will transfix you with their spellbinding culinary and design wizardry. Visitors will have the chance to vote for their favorite concept throughout the duration of the holiday season. The event is free to the public, with donations benefitting the JDRF Northwest Chapter. More information is available at www.gingerbreadvillage.org where you can view the gingerbread displays, vote for your favorite and donate online.

Ave. to University St., west on University to 4th Ave., and finally north on 4th Ave. to Macy’s front doorstep. Psst… be sure to come back later in the day for the lighting of the Macy’s Holiday Star, which celebrates its diamond anniversary! The famous 161-foot high, 3,600-bulb Holiday Star has shined brightly throughout Seattle’s downtown for 60 years. The Macy’s Star Lighting happens in conjunction with the annual lighting of Westlake Center’s tree and The Downtown Seattle Association’s Carousel at Westlake Park beginning at 5pm and will include a fireworks display (weather permitting).

Argosy Cruise Christmas Ship. Nov. 25-Dec. 23. Holiday traditions in the Northwest start on the water with Argosy Cruises. The Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship™ Festival is a holiday celebration that has been a Pacific Northwest tradition since 1949. Every year, the Argosy Christmas Ship™ sails to different Puget Sound waterfront communities, around 65 in total. Choirs on board give 20-minute performances to these communities, all broadcast via our state-of-the-art speaker system. On shore, thousands of people gather around roaring bonfires anticipating the arrival of the Christmas Ship™. For schedule, visit www.argosycruises.com. Seattle Center Winterfest. Nov. 25-Dec. 31. Seattle Center Armory, Fisher Pavilion and Seattle Center grounds. A wonderland of sparkling lights, child-sized diversions and spirited entertainment returns in 2016 with Seattle Center Winterfest, in venues and on the grounds of Seattle Center. Five weeks of free and affordable, fun-filled activities and live performances await those in search of uplifting seasonal spirit or delightful diversion from the hustle and bustle of the holiday routine. Featuring Winterfest Ice Rink, ice sculpting, lively weekend performances, Winter Train & Village and inspiring student showcases. The festival opens with The Zaniac Comedy Show and rings in the New Year with spectacular fireworks, Fountain of Light dance party and live music by premier dance band, The Machine. www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest

WildLights Santa with porcupine – Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren

Macy’s Holiday Parade & Macy’s Holiday Star Lighting. Nov. 25, 9-10am. Come kick off the holiday season with the 26th Annual My Macy’s Holiday Parade. This year’s parade will feature 25 inflatable floats, local middle and high school marching bands, nearly 650 costumed characters, professional sports teams and community drill teams. At the conclusion of the parade, Santa will dash in on his reindeer-led sleigh and head directly to his holiday post at Santaland® on the third floor at Macy’s Downtown Seattle. Visiting hours will begin at 11am. The Holiday Parade route begins at 7th Ave. and Pine St., then travels west down Pine St. to 5th Ave., south on 5th

Woodland Park Zoo Wildlights. Nov. 25-Jan. 1 (except 12/24 & 25), 5:30-8:30pm nightly. Enter through the Woodland Park Zoo West Entrance on Phinney Ave N. between N 55th & N 56th Sts. Over 600,000 energy-efficient LED lights illuminate the paths of Woodland Park Zoo through dazzling displays of wild animals and exotic destinations including “African Water Hole,” “Jungle Lights” and “Northern Lights.” WildLights guests can enjoy brilliant indoor and outdoor displays, a peacock scavenger hunt, a Winter Warm Up area, a

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Seattle Gay News 5

see HOLIDAY CALENDAR page 6

HOLIDAY CALENDAR continued from page 5

ride on the zoo’s decorated Historic Carousel (additional fee) and a visit from Santa and a couple of his reindeer! Zoomazium, the zoo’s indoor nature play space, will be transformed into Snowmazium which will be open every night for storytelling and the ever-popular [faux] snowball fights. Keep an eye out for the man in red! Santa will be stopping by WildLights every Friday through Sunday prior to Christmas as well as December 19 through 23. Guests can head over to Santa’s Camp to meet jolly old Saint Nick and take a commemorative Santa photo (additional fee). The Winter Warm Up area will be located at the southwest corner of the Rain Forest Food Pavilion and open every night to guests of all ages. The Winter Warm Up area will offer delicious winter treats including mini donuts, apple fritters, chowder, chili and pizza as well as hot cider, hot cocoa, coffee, espresso, hot tea, soda and water. Guests 21 and older can enjoy a selection of bottled beer, draft beer, cider, spiked hot cider, mulled wine, red wine and white wine while cozying up under the covered [outdoor] space. ID is required to order alcoholic beverages. A flock of peacocks has taken over WildLights. In honor of the zoo’s two freeroaming peacocks, light-up peacocks have been added to WildLights. Visitors can stop by Guest Services where they’ll find the leader of the peacock flock, as well as entry forms for the peacock scavenger hunt. There are six peacocks hiding out in the WildLights displays and all have names. Visitors can enter to win a Woodland Park Zoo plush and four tickets to Woodland Park Zoo by writing down the names of the six peacocks on their entry form and submitting it to the West ZooStore. One winner will be chosen each week during WildLights (six winners total). www.zoo.org/ wildlights

Magic in the Market. Nov. 26, 11am5pm. Pike Place Market, 1st Ave & Pike St. Celebrate the holiday season at Magic in the Market! Meet and take free photos with Santa under the clock (11am-5pm). Decorate gingerbread cookies (for kids 12 and under and their family) in the Atrium Kitchen while swaying to the cheerful ukulele music of STRUM. Enjoy festive performances by caroling choirs, on the street under the clock. Purchase fresh cider, hot cocoa and other beverages from farmers and merchants on Pike Place while you shop the Market for seasonal foods and locally made gifts. Pick out the perfect holiday tree from Growing Washington and wreaths from local farmers on Pike Place. At 5pm, Santa will lead a countdown to the lighting of the 20-foot holiday tree and lights throughout the Market. Join in the fun and invite your friends to the kick off to the holiday season! Providence O’Christmas Trees. Nov. 28-30. Westin Seattle Hotel, Grand Ballroom, 1900 5th Ave. Providence O’Christmas Trees raises funds for the ministries of Providence Senior and Community Services. Our signature three day event – Christmas Carnival, Silver Bells Luncheon and Gala Dinner & Auction – raises funds benefiting ministries who together serve over 20,000 people a day in need of healthcare, housing and hospice. http://washington.providence.org/donate/ pscs-special-events/ochristmas-trees/

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Fremont Festivus. Dec. 2-4. Fremont Festivus is a two-day celebration of the FUN of shopping in the Fremont business district. Come along and explore this exciting and festive area, and enjoy pop-up entertainment, give-aways, sales, carolers, specials, and other surprises! The annual Lighting of Lenin will be Friday, December 2nd starting at 5pm. This free event is produced by Fremocentrist and in cooperation with the Fremont Chamber of Commerce.

ettes, Columbia City Community Chorus, and Sing Noel! Launch a candle-lit makea-wish boat at the kids’ activity booth! All while enjoying free cookies and hot cocoa provided by Volunteer Park Trust! www. volunteerparktrust.org/events.

Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition. Dec. 2, 6-8:30pm. Westlake Park neighborhood on Pine St. between 3rd Ave and 7th Ave. The biggest single musical holiday event of the season and a critical fundraiser for the Pike Market Senior Center & Clinic & Food Bank, The Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition kicks off the month of December with a singular evening of entertainment enjoyed by more than 9,000 spectators every year. 1,000 carolers and dozens of caroling teams sing their hearts out on the downtown Seattle street corners of Pine St. and 5th Ave and 6th Ave beginning at 6:15pm. The top caroling teams compete for the most donations raised in the Figlanthropy category. The categories of Best Choral performances and Most Creative teams are selected by the Famous Figgy Judges; the People’s Choice team is selected by popular vote. The top two teams in each of these categories compete in a sing-off on the Figgy Main Stage. A Seattle holiday tradition, the Great Figgy Pudding is a zany, family friendly and delightful holiday event for everyone. Caroling teams run the gamut from singing lawyers, to costumed co-workers of Seattle landmark businesses to Von Trapp-like families. KING-5 TV “Evening Magazine”’s Jim Dever and Kim Holcomb will share the spotlight as Figmasters this year. Returning caroling team crowd pleasers include the Starbucks Coffee Choir, Emerald City Voices, Emerald City Cloggers, and The Beaconettes. www.pikemarketseniorcenter.org.

T-Mobile New Year’s Eve Fireworks at the Space Needle. Dec. 31. Seattle Center. T-Mobile New Year’s Eve at the Needle has two ways to ring in the New Year: Observation Deck Party – Beginning at 9pm, enjoy: Complimentary light appetizers and desserts, dancing on the Observation Deck with KEXP DJ, New Year’s Eve party favors, casino-style gaming tables with cash and prizes, a champagne toast to welcome the New Year! $130 inclusive/ person; or Space Needle Soirée in the Sky – Beginning at 8pm in SkyCity, enjoy: A sumptuous ten-course dinner designed by Executive Chef Jeff Maxfield; live piano accompaniment with Jason Coult; the option of dancing on the Observation Deck 520-feet above Seattle with KEXP (90.3FM) DJ; party favors and champagne toast at midnight. $250 inclusive/person www.spaceneedle.com.

Saint Nick’s Holiday Open House. Dec. 2-4. Get into the holiday spirit and enjoy the many wines of Washington in Woodinville! Woodinville Wine Country kicks off the holidays by opening their doors for three days of tasting and festivities. The annual Saint Nick’s Holiday Wine Tasting Night at Columbia Winery hosts and showcases 25+ Washington wineries, all under one roof, and Saint Nick’s Open House Wine Tasting. Tour 25+ winery tasting rooms throughout Woodinville and enjoy their wines and drink in the spirit of the season. And new this year, St Nick’s Wine Weekend gives wine lovers the chance to win one of three wine country prize packages with every wine purchase they make. Tell your friends and get your tickets for this wonderful holiday wine tasting weekend here. https://woodinvillewinecountry.com/ st-nicks-holiday-wine-tasting.

Volunteer Park Trust Holiday in the Park. Dec. 8, 6pm. Volunteer Park, 14th Ave & E Prospect St. A FREE community celebration for everyone! Walk the Volunteer Park pathways beautifully lit by hundreds of luminarias! Listen to joyful music from The Total Experience Gospel Choir, the Beacon-

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ties of color within the Pacific Northwest, as well as raise money to support POCAAN’s justice work. The gala event includes a VIP cocktail reception, dinner, awards presentation and live entertainment, followed by a dance. It’s a stellar opportunity to honor community advocates, have a great meal and experience stellar artists in an intimate setting. The event also seeks to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that continue to empower communities on the margin and fight for health and socioeconomic equity. Proceeds from the gala and awards dinner will support POCAAN’s HIV/AIDS outreach work. Donations will go to funding POCAAN’s Same Gender Loving Men of Color and their Women and Girls initiatives in 2017. Admission for the full evening events is free but the suggested donation is $100 per person. Semi-formal attire requested. POCAAN is committed to fighting for health equity for communities of color in Washington state. http://www. pocaan.org/events.html. “Pictures With Santa.” Dec. 10, 8pmmidnight. The Cuff Complex, 1533 13th Ave. Seattle Men in Leather’s annual holiday event allows members of the community to get an individual or family portrait with a hunky Santa and his elves and reindeer. Sit on (leather) Santa’s lap and let him know what you really want for Christmas. The portraits are professionally printed and distributed immediately following the photo shoot. Suggested donation is $10 per print. All proceeds from the event will go to SML’s charity for the year, Seattle Area Support Groups (SASG). www.seattlemeninleather.org.

LGBT COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS

“Snowball! – Express Yourself.” Dec. 3, 7:30pm. Bertha Knight Landes Room, City Hall, 5th Ave. at Cherry St., Seattle. Come celebrate at Seattle City Hall!!! Though donations of any amount will be humbly accepted at the door, online registration will be free until November 19th, starting November 20th general admission will be $25/person. For 40 years as a non-profit, Ingersoll has provided weekly support groups, educational access, and community engagement in Seattle and beyond. We’re going to honor the work that has been done and celebrate our rapidly developing trans, genderqueer, non-binary, and gender non-conforming communities. There will be live performances, showcased local art, free food, free beer, free wine, fun auctions, and community awards!! http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2709173 “The Legends Gala & Awards Dinner.” Dec. 9, 7pm. Northwest African American Museum, 2500 S Massachusetts St. POCAAN (People of Color Against AIDS Network) hosts this first annual event to celebrate the contributions of communi-

Three Dollar Bill Cinema – Auntie Mame. Dec. 14, reception at 6:30pm (additional cost) screening at 7:30pm. AMC Pacific Place Cinema, 600 Pine St. Celebrate the season with Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s 10th annual screening of Auntie Mame, the beloved 1958 film starring the incomparable Rosalind Russell, returns for one night only, a “homo for the holidays” tradition! Always armed with a colorful dress and an acerbic quip, the flamboyant, vibrant Mame Dennis (Russell) is an unconventional socialite from the Roaring Twenties. When her young orphan nephew comes to live in her madcap party pad, Mame takes him under her wing for an adventure in living life to its fullest. This is an all-ages event. Join us early for a pre-film soirée from 6:307:15pm. Film starts at 7:30pm sharp! www. threedollarbillcinema.org. “Light the Night: An LGBTQ Hanukkah.” Dec. 27, 6:30-8:30pm. Calamus Auditorium at Gay City, 517 E. Pike St. Join Kolenu, Seattle’s Jewish LGBTQ group, for our 8th annual Hanukkah celebration! Enjoy tasty latkes, colorful dreidels, music, and a beautiful candle lighting symbolizing both the miracle of Hanukkah and our affirmation that great leadership and community action will prevail against oppression. FREE and open to the community. Allies, friends, and family welcome! This all-ages see HOLIDAY CALENDAR page 10

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San Francisco’s changing face: Making the most of a long weekend in the City by the Bay

San Francisco skyline – Photo courtesy of InterContinental Hotel

by Jessica Price SGN A&E Writer San Francisco is a sophisticated global city: constantly evolving, embracing the new, fast-paced and exciting. This vibrant West Coast city is quickly upstaging New York and London as a center of progress, diversity, arts, and culture. With the influx of technology in the Bay Area comes funding for the arts and social programs, resulting in the preservation of historical neighborhoods and a steady stream of new discoveries around every corner. Returning travelers will never run out of new experiences. With Alaska Airlines frequently running sales on flights to SFO and Oakland airports, one can afford to take an impromptu long weekend at any time throughout the year. Flights clock in at less than two and a half hours, making a trip to the city as easy – if not easier – than fighting traffic on a drive to Portland. More importantly, San Francisco’s vibrant and rich history is dear to the LGBT community. Get there, and often, to experience the best that the San Francisco of today has to offer. What follows is a suggested itinerary for an impromptu, action-packed long weekend featuring a mix of high and low cost accommodations, as well as some LGBT history you may have overlooked on your last trip. San Francisco is densely developed but geographically covers only 49 square miles, making it possible to see and do quite a bit within a relatively short span of time. BART, MUNI, buses, cable cars, and, of course, Uber (the company was founded in San Francisco in 2009) can be used in any combination to easily traverse the city. Day 1: History in the Making The de Young Museum (www. deyoung.famsf.org, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, Golden Gate Park) is worthwhile for the extensive collection of American art from the 17th through the 21st centuries, as well as 20th-century fashion by designers such as Dior, Balenciaga, Madame Grès, Yves Saint Laurent, and Chanel. Founded in 1894, the “new” and current structure found a permanent, earthquake-safe home in Golden Gate Park in 2005. It’s hard to imagine the park without the de Young, but initially the building set in the middle of Golden Gate Park was controversial to locals. After viewing the galleries, wander the Sculpture Garden and make

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your way to the deeply moving National AIDS Memorial Grove (www.aidsmemorial.org). Set in ten beautiful, treelined acres, the Circle of Friends, located at the Dogwood Crescent in the eastern end of the Grove, has been a labor of love to the gardeners and community members who have tirelessly volunteered on the project and work every day to maintain it. The stone circle features 2,200 names of lives touched by AIDS and provides a peaceful place to contemplate those we’ve lost but never forgotten. Continuing your modern history tour, make your way from the Haight to the

Castro, where an unassuming but significant attraction lies in the heart of the neighborhood. The GLBT History Museum (www.glbthistory.org/museum, 4127 18th St., between Castro & Collingwood) was established in 1985 and was the first museum of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender history and culture in the United States – and the second internationally (after the Schwules Museum in Berlin). The museum houses a permanent collection and frequently refreshes with well-researched temporary exhibitions of art or significant works by GLBT activists. The GLBT Histori-

Front of the GLBT Museum – Photo by Lenore Chinn

cal Society preserves and maintains extensive archives, ensuring that future generations will always have a place to learn about their roots and feel connected to the community and its rich history. Recent exhibits have included impressive collections of erotic magazine art: “Stroke: From Under the Mattress to the Museum Walls” and “The Golden Age of Physique Photography.” The museum hosts monthly afterhours events such as “Ladies of the 80s,” “Leather & Fur,” and recently, a birthday party for disco diva Sylvester showing rare video clips of the artist’s 40th birthday, along with other disco icons. After exploring the museum, drop in

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at San Francisco institution, Toad Hall (4146 18th St, across from Badlands), the first Gay dance bar in the city. The club was pioneering in concept, and later in trading a jukebox for a seamless taped mix of music, soon after hiring a DJ and setting up a booth for that purpose. I’m also told that Toad Hall bravely featured windows facing the street at a time when Gay bars were still mostly featureless, windowless gathering places. The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus also plays an important role in the city’s LGBT history, as it is the oldest openly Gay chorus in the world. At nearly 40 years and going strong, they are credited with inspiring the now

worldwide LGBT choral movement. The chorus is a major part of the holidays in San Francisco, a tradition dating back to 1990 with the first “Home for the Holidays” concert at the Castro Theatre. The concerts became a community gathering place in response to the AIDS epidemic, coupled with the fact that many did not have a home to go back to during the holiday season due to illness or alienation from their families. The chorus – led by Artistic Director Dr. Tim Seelig – now performs over 10 shows in various Bay Area locales each December, culminating in three shows on Christmas Eve at the Castro Theatre. For tickets and a schedule of all December programming, visit http://www.sfgmc.org. Day 2: Get Your Art On The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, more affectionately referred to as SFMOMA (www.sfmoma.org), re-opened in May after a $600 million+ renovation. The opening made headlines in art circles, as well as national magazines and blogs, and deservedly so. The spectacular, light-filled expansion and mind-boggling array of contemporary art housed there secures the museum’s place as a global arts destination. Designed by the architecture firm Snøhetta, the new and expanded indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly integrate with the original building. The reimagined galleries are absolutely stunning. So many exhilarating works – from Chuck Close to Antony Gormley, Andy Warhol to Jackson Pollock and Duane Hanson – judiciously arranged with plenty of open space as the thirty-thousand-piece collection continues to grow. The new building also enables SFMOMA to more openly share art with the public, boasting free access to 45,000 square feet of ground-floor galleries, as well as free admission for all visitors 18 and younger. A few minutes’ walk from SFMOMA is the Contemporary Jewish Museum (www.thecjm.org), founded in 1984, which recently featured a thrilling special exhibition of art, memorabilia, and costumes from the films of director Stanley Kubrick. Turn a corner and you might encounter the dresses worn by the twins in The Shining, the mask and cloak worn by Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut, or the creepy embryonic “starchild” from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Throughout the upper gallery, movie posters from all Kubrick’s films and

Celebrating 41 Years!

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Background images: Fisherman’s Wharf – Photo courtesy of gelighting.com

archival bits and pieces were displayed, including some humorous outraged letters to Kubrick following the release of Lolita and A Clockwork Orange. Ned Kahn’s beautiful “Negev Wheel” is on view in the museum’s ground level gallery through January 8. Spanning twenty feet in diameter, the installation is an immense, slowly spinning disc angled to one side, filled with sand from the Negev desert in Israel. It can be turned by hand and is mesmerizing to contemplate, representing change, unity, and evolution. After gorging yourself on all this art, you may be in need of a little food to regain your strength. In the Mission district, savvy locals frequent Gracias Madre (www.gracias-madre.com, 2211 Mission St), for some of the best healthy, sustainable Mexican food found on the West Coast. The menu is 100% organic and vegan, but sumptuous and filling in a way you never thought possible with such healthy fare. It’s ok to eat a lot here – I mean, a lot – because from the handmade, scrumptious tortillas to the sauces and sides, every single dish is delivered with a light and flavorful hand. The three-taco plate or enchiladas con mole topped with cashew cheese are standout dishes. Also recommended in the Mission are the divine corn arepas with slow-cooked fillings found at Venezuelan restaurant Pica Pica (401 Valencia St). The servings are plentiful, mouthwateringly delicious, and unusual. After dinner, rambling through the Mission in search of new and interesting shops is a great pastime for returning visitors. Paxton Gate (www.paxtongate. com, 824 Valencia), an oddities shop stocking everything from plants and gardening supplies to taxidermy and vibrant-mounted butterflies, makes exploring the natural world interesting and aesthetically pleasing. Quirky, non-profit publishing house McSweeney’s is headquartered in San Francisco and operates 826 Valencia Pirate Supply Store (www.826valencia.org, 826 Valencia) just next door to Paxton Gate. Yes, there are odd varieties of explorer-inspired goods, but there are also high quality paper goods and an array of McSweeney’s publications and quarterlies. My recent trip yielded a hilarious collection of children’s advice letters to Barack Obama. Next up, get some rest! We recommend The Alise (www.thealise.com, 580 Geary St) a poshly appointed Pineapple Hospitality hotel in a glamorously restored 100-year-old building ten minutes’ walk from Union Square. With an art deco, old Hollywood feel, the lobby and chic décor are reminiscent of Portland’s Hotel DeLuxe. Pacific Northwestern travelers will feel right at home. The rooms are decked out in bold black, white, and splashes of vibrant canary yellow. Guest rooms are named for emblematic film personas: book as appropriate in a Drama Queen, Celebrity King, or perhaps a Starlet Queen. To the left of the lobby’s sweeping staircase and high stone pillars you’ll find the elegant Pineapple Bistro & Bar. Surprisingly reasonable prices with plenty of health-conscious options abound. At night, enjoy a craft cocktail at the gorgeous granite bar. The InterContinental (www.intercontinentalsanfrancisco.com, 888 Howard St) is a luxuriously sleek, modern hotel in the heart of SoMA a few minutes’ walk from Union Square. Built from the ground up in 2008 and clocking in at 32 stories, the views of the city are absolutely spectacular. If your budget allows, treat yourself to a corner room featuring wall to ceiling windows. The panoramic view of the bustling city and the Bay sparkling in the distance is unbeatable. At night, you can even watch the famous San Francisco fog rolling in and out again. Adjacent to Moscone West Convention Center, the hotel is a business traveler’s favorite, yet success-

fully cultivates a sophisticated aesthetic. The Contemporary Jewish Museum, SFMOMA, and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts are steps away, as well as a nearby Whole Foods for provisions. Also noteworthy are the hotel’s excellent restaurants, Luce, awarded a Michelin star for three consecutive years, and Bar 888 (in the InterContinental’s lobby level), which prides itself in being San Francisco’s premier grappa and wine bar. This heady grape-based cross between a brandy and a wine is a musttry during your stay. Day 3: Just Do It: San Francisco’s Landmarks d Moving on to Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz (www.alcatrazcruises.com), the notorious former prison, is located on an island of the same name in the middle of the Bay. Tours depart from Pier 33 at Fisherman’s Wharf. Pier 39, a festive waterfront marketplace rivaling our very own Pike Place – is a great place to score a wide array of snacks and gifts. The entire waterfront is a pleasant walk with plenty to see. The Aquarium of the Bay (www.aquariumofthebay. org/) makes for a fun, short excursion and a nice break from the elements on a cool day (plus, the otters are undeniably cute). Heading in the opposite direction, if you pass through the main tourist area all the way to the end, you’ll be rewarded with one of the best – and eeri-

est – views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the rising hills of the city behind you from the old Municipal Pier. The concrete pier is safe to walk on, though it’s crumbling walls along some stretches may make you wonder. The pier was once part of the Depression-era Aquatic Park, curving out quite far into the bay and providing close views of Alcatraz. The former bathhouse along the shore is now a maritime museum. With any luck, the city will one day find funding to restore the pier. North Beach, the city’s Italian quarter, is the first neighborhood you’ll encounter once you complete sightseeing at Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s a neighborhood of romantic European-style sidewalk cafes, restaurants, and shops. Coit Tower sits atop Telegraph Hill and offers a spectacular vantage point if you have the stamina to climb to the top (www. coittower.org). Naturally in “Little Italy” staying in a quaint, historic building with European charm fits the bill. The San Remo Hotel (www.sanremohotel.com) was built in 1906 and has been restored and lovingly maintained to retain the feeling of a long ago era in San Francisco history. The guest rooms are small but cozy, appointed with antique furniture and pedestal sinks. Beveled glass and redwood wainscoting make wandering the vine-embellished hallways a fun way to pass time. The San Remo offers one of the last affordable accommodations in

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San Francisco and has a charming, oldfashioned feel. Like a Victorian rooming house, the bath facilities are shared but are private, plentiful, and impeccably kept. If you don’t mind sharing common areas for a day or two, the San Remo is a solid deal. They are located above what is said to be the country’s oldest Italian eatery, the Fior d’Italia (www.fior.com). Opened 130 years ago in May of 1886, it has since changed locations but is still thriving. The molten, delicious eggplant parmesan is a highlight, as well as any of the seasonal risotto dishes on offer. The restaurant, complete with a majestic Italian mural you can glimpse in the banquet room, is incredibly charming and makes you wonder what large and boisterous Italian family gatherings must have taken place there over the years. Like San Francisco itself, the restaurant is steeped in history and offers a long menu of exciting treats.

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event is made possible through the support of JConnect Seattle, Hillel at the University of Washington, and Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. LGBT CABARET & MUSIC

Dina Martina – Photo by David Belisle

“The Dina Martina Christmas Show 2016 – ALL NEW!” Nov. 25-26 & Dec. 2-31 @ 8pm, WEEKEND MATINEES: Dec. 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, & 31 @ 2pm. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St. Returning with an ALLNEW holiday show is the most surreal and hilarious chanteuse you’ll ever find – “The Second Lady of Entertainment” – DINA MARTINA! Accompanied on the ivories by Stranger Genius Award winner CHRIS JEFFRIES and armed with truly legendary songs, stories, costumes and audience gifts, Dina Martina will give you one of the most festive, invigorating and ingeniously funny evenings you’ve ever had! See why she’s a favorite of Whoopi Goldberg, Matt Stone, Margaret Cho, Jennifer Coolidge, Graham Norton and many, many more! What a Dina Martina show is, simply put, is a smart and hilarious evening of entertainment you’ll never forget. “Dina Martina goes way beyond drag into some new kind of twisted art.” – John Waters “The most original drag performer working in America today. A master comic!” – The Village Voice

ute, mix in a clever karaoke sing-along, heat things up with gospel harmonies and top it off with a disco Santa finale. IN TACOMA: Dec. 10, 3pm & 7:30pm. Rialto Theater; IN EVERETT: Dec. 17, 8pm. Civic Auditorium, 2415 Colby Ave. www.SeattleMensChorus.org Ham for the Holidays: Jurassic Pork. Dec. 8-24, times vary.. (ASL interpreter date Dec. 15.) ACT Theatre, Falls Theatre, 700 Union St., Seattle. Seattle comedians Lisa Koch and Peggy Platt (aka Dos Fallopia) return to ACT with their wonky, gender-bending holiday sketch hoo-hah, better known as Ham for the Holidays: Jurassic Pork. Directed by David Hunter Koch, the long-running cult series has found a hammy holiday home at ACT’s Falls Theatre, in collaboration with ACTLab. Naughty, nutty, and nervy—nothing is sacred in this mishmash of social satire, musical parody, and campy characters. Platt and Koch take you on a devilishly whacky holiday romp! Featuring: Rockers Heartwood Mac host a Seattle music festival; The Dweeb Girls tell ghost stories at Camp Stillasqueemish; Are You Smarter Than A Queen game show pits audience members against famous queens; The tiny Sequim Gay Men’s Chorus sing with glee; Country duo The Spudds present their sci-fi tribute, Spudd Trek. (NOTE: Ham for the Holidays contains adult humor and themes recommended for ages 14+.) www.acttheatre.org.

Homo for the Holidays. Dec. 8-26. West Hall, Odd Fellows Building, 2nd Floor, 915 E. Pine St. Homo For The Holidays is a seasonal spectacle guaranteed to make even the most stubborn yuletides gay! An unforgettable all-star cast of burlesque, cabaret, dance, drag, and musical local luminaries come together in a display of glittering grandeur that’s been called “F*CKING GREAT....F*CKING HILARIOUS!” by Dan Savage. With such acclaimed talent as Stranger Genius Award winner Cherdonna, Burlesque Hall of Fame winners and #1 Burlesque Performers in the World (Burlesque Top Fifty) Kitten N’ Lou, RuPaul’s Drag Race star BenDeLaCreme, and the recent addition of cult hit series “Capitol Hill” star Waxie Moon, this show is the most star-studded feast of queer talent you can find on one Seattle stage! http://homofortheholidays.boldtypetickets.com/ MUSIC

Seattle Men’s Chorus Annual Holiday Concert – Silver and Soul. Dec. 4 @ 2pm & 8pm; Dec. 11, 18, 21 & 22 @ 8pm. S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & University St. SMC’s signature Holiday concert shimmers with the sounds of beloved carols and shakes with a fresh and soulful celebration of the season. All the ingredients are here for Seattle’s biggest holiday extravaganza: start with 250 joyful voices singing favorites like “Sleigh Ride” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Add a tender David Bowie trib-

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Byrd Ensemble – Christmas at the Sistine Chapel. Nov. 26, 7:30pm @ St. Mark’s Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave E.; Nov. 27, 3pm @ Trinity Parish Church, 609 8th Ave. A re-creation of Christmas Mass at the Sistine Chapel in the 17th century featuring works by composers employed by the Vatican. Featuring Vox16 and actor Nurmi Husa. www.ByrdEnsemble.com. David Benoit Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown. Dec. 1, 8pm. Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland. This show is a family friendly, hip jazz show that is warm and entertaining. This is a show conceived by pianist, composer David Benoit. The show features the music from the original hit television show “A Charlie Brown Christmas” performed by David Benoit and his trio with

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guest vocalist Selina Albright. While focusing primarily on the music of Vince Guaraldi, the original composer of the show, Benoit and the trio also feature new original music, (Benoit was the composer of the last several episodes), and music from “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” the hit Broadway musical. www.kpcenter. org

Kirkland Choral Society – Bach at Bastyr: Bach “Magnificat” with other Songs of the Season. Dec. 3, 7:30pm and Dec. 4, 3pm. Bastyr University Chapel, 14500 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore. Kirkland Choral Society’s well-loved holiday concert features selections from J.S. Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” with orchestra partner Philharmonia Northwest. In addition, the program includes holiday gems by German composers Praetorius, Mendelssohn, and Biebl; and a medley of favorite holiday music by local composer Reginald Unterseher. www.kirklandchoralsociety.org North Sound Church – Christmas In Edmonds. Dec. 3, 4pm & 7pm, Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 4th Ave. N, Edmonds. A delightful evening of holiday music! North Sound Church presents Christmas in Edmonds featuring the Mosaic Arts Choir & Orchestra; a benefit concert for Hand in Hand. www.ec4arts.org.

The Esoterics – TEASDALE: Across the endless spaces. Dec. 2, 8pm @ St. Stephen’s Cathedral, 4805 NE 45th St.; Dec. 3, 8pm @ West Seattle Holy Rosary Catholic Church,4210 SW Genesee St.; Dec. 4, 7pm @ Christ Episcopal Church, 310 N K Street, Tacoma. In the final concert of our “voice of the poet” season, The Esoterics will celebrate our resident composer emeritus, Donald Skirvin, and his choral “love affair” with the rhapsodic American poetess, Sara Teasdale. The repertoire of this concert will include Alchemy, …stars to hold, Stars forever, while we sleep, as well as three brand-new world-premieres: There will come soft rains, The fountain, and Places, like music. Please join The Esoterics for one of these performances of Teasdale. www.theesoterics.org. Medieval Women’s Choir – Winter Feast. Dec. 3, 8pm. Saint James Cathedral, 804 9th Ave. The Europe of ages past was awash in winter holidays that served to drive away the winter gloom and give people plenty of reason to celebrate. At a time when the separation of church and state was unthinkable, most holidays were religious, but they were celebrated at court and in the street as well as in the church. Besides the Nativity, there were the feasts of St. Nicholas, St. Thomas Becket, The Immaculate Conception, and the Feast of the Three Kings, which marked the 12th day of Christmas. The Feast of the Circumcision, which fell on New Year’s Day, was celebrated with particular license as The Feast of Fools. Join the Medieval Women’s Choir as we celebrate the Winter Feasts! Currently in its 27th season, the Medieval Women’s Choir is a nonprofit vocal ensemble dedicated to recreating and presenting medieval music through performance, education, and outreach. Founded by Margriet Tindemans, a life-long scholar of medieval music and performer of international reputation, the choir’s programs increase understanding and appreciation of this beautiful yet less familiar body of music. Under the direction of early music specialist and internationally regarded tenor Eric Mentzel, the women of the Medieval Women’s Choir treasures the opportunity to sing this remarkable music in a friendly and supportive environment. www.medievalwomenschoir.org

Leap of Faith. Dec. 3, 8pm & Dec. 4, 2pm. Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & Union St. Leap of Faith is the story of a con-man evangelist who rolls into a tiny Kansas town full of people who lead him on a true path to redemption. It is based on the 1992 Steve Martin film and features a soaring gospel music score by Alan Menken that is perfect for the holidays. Louis Hobson, who was featured in the Broadway premiere, stars in this concert production. www.showtunestheatre.org.

Northwest Chamber Chorus – Season of Peace. Dec. 4, 3pm & Dec. 10, 7:30pm, Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N. “This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.” Leonard Bernstein’s poignant words in response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy echo defiantly today. As we approach Christmas, a season of love, empathy and peace, we draw inspiration from Bernstein’s pledge. We believe that the passion and power of our music can bring forth hope and faith, and that the fear and anger in our world can be overcome by a true Season of Peace. Included in the program are pieces by Joan Szymko, Herbert Howells, Alberto Grau, and Morten Lauridsen and our traditional carol sing-along. www.northwestchamberchorus.org Seattle Men’s Chorus Annual Holiday Concert – Silver and Soul. Dec. 4 @ 2pm & 8pm; Dec. 11, 18, 21 & 22 @ 8pm. S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & University St. SMC’s signature Holiday concert shimmers with the sounds of beloved carols and shakes with a fresh and soulful celebration of the season. All the ingredients are here for Seattle’s biggest holiday extravaganza: start with 250 joyful voices singing favorites like “Sleigh Ride” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Add a tender David Bowie tribute, mix in a clever karaoke sing-along, heat things up with gospel harmonies and top it off with a disco Santa finale. IN TACOMA: Dec. 10, 3pm & 7:30pm. Rialto Theater; IN EVERETT: Dec. 17, 8pm. Civic Auditorium, 2415 Colby Ave. www.SeattleMensChorus.org

Pacific Lutheran University – A Christmas Invitation. Dec. 5, 7:30pm. S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & University St. Celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, Choir of the West, University Chorale and University Symphony Orchestra will perform J.S. Bach’s advent cantata “Wachet Auf” (“Wake, Awake!”). The program also will include one of Robert Russell Bennett’s beloved carol medleys, “The Many Moods of Christmas.” Join us, in sweet rejoicing! www.seattlesymphony. org/BenaroyaHall. Earshot Jazz – Art of Jazz: Dmitri Matheny Group. Dec. 8, 7:30pm. Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Avenue. Noted flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny plays Jazz Noir: a fresh spin on timeless crime classics. www. earshotjazz.org Northwest University Concert Choir and Chamber Choir joined by Coro see HOLIDAY CALENDAR page 14

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November 18, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

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Amici and the Kirkland Civic Orchestra – Christmas Traditions. Dec. 8, 7:30pm. S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & University St. Now in its eighth season, this established Christmas concert celebrates the traditions of Christmas, featuring new carol arrangements and traditional selections by Herbert Howells, Eric Whitacre, Dan Forrest, John Rutter, Robert Shaw, and more, including a few traditional sing-a-longs. The performance will be conducted by William Owen and accompanied by pianist Mizue Yamada-Fells and the Kirkland Civic Orchestra (James Truher, Artistic Director). The Third Annual Christmas with the Gothard Sisters. Dec. 8, 7:30pm, Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 4th Ave. N, Edmonds. The Gothard Sisters present the third annual Edmonds Christmas concert full of Celtic music, dance and fun for the whole family! Celebrate a magical Celtic Christmas with the Gothard Sisters, winners of Best New Irish Artist in the Sixth Annual Irish Music Awards. www.ec4arts. org

Photo by Mike Hipple

Pacific MusicWorks – ¡Navidad! Christmas Music from New and Old Spain. Dec. 9, 7:30pm @ Edmonds United Methodist Church, 828 Caspers St., Edmonds; Dec. 10, 7:30pm @ Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 4400 86th Ave SE, Mercer Island, Dec. 11, 2pm @ Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & Union St. Colonial Latin America’s unique melting pot of Italian, Spanish, African, Portuguese, and native traditions led to the creation of the Christmas Villancico. This vivacious, rhythmic, and rustic form retells the Christmas story through the characteristic sounds of guitar, harp, harpsichord and strings with a quartet of voices. Experience a rich tapestry of works from Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Bolivia, and Spain in this unique holiday program. The program includes the US premieres of works by Guatemalan composer Rafael Castellanos and Spanish composer Fabián Garcia Pacheco. www.pacificmusicworks. org Seattle Choral Company – Wintertide. Dec. 9-10, 8pm. Saint Mark’s Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave. E. Gather at Saint Mark’s Cathedral this December for a multi-media concert blending music and images that will heighten our delight in the winter season. Ola Gjeilo’s popular “Sunrise Mass” will be sung with orchestra and visual media presented by Bus No. 8 video productions. Ancora, a Seattle based women’s choir will join us for the world premiere of Wintertide by Seattle composer Donald Skirvin. www.seattlechoralcompany.org 30th Anniversary of Windham Hill’s Winter Solstice. Dec. 10, 8pm. Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland. Celebrate the winter solstice and its warm traditions with a concert of acoustic music drawn from the multi-

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platinum selling Winter Solstice series as well as their many solo releases. Windham Hill founder and Grammy-winning guitarist, Will Ackerman, and Grammy Awardnominated singer, fiddler, pianist, and songwriter Barbara Higbie, Grammy nominated guitarist, composer Alex de Grassi and supporting musician, bassist Todd Boston, and guitarist Todd Boston come together to lead this joyous holiday concert. www. kpcenter.org

empathy and peace, we draw inspiration from Bernstein’s pledge. We believe that the passion and power of our music can bring forth hope and faith, and that the fear and anger in our world can be overcome by a true Season of Peace. Included in the program are pieces by Joan Szymko, Herbert Howells, Alberto Grau, and Morten Lauridsen and our traditional carol sing-along. www.northwestchamberchorus.org

Northwest Boy Choir – A Festival of Lessons & Carols. Dec. 10-23. (See website for details.)The Northwest Boychoir celebrates its 38-year tradition with the presentation of its 2016 A Festival of Lessons & Carols concert series featuring nine regional performances in December. These holiday concerts showcase the 90-member combined chorus of the Northwest Boychoir and Vocalpoint! Seattle. Patterned after the Christmas Eve observance at King’s College in Cambridge, England, A Festival of Lessons & Carols is a holiday tradition for thousands of families in the Puget Sound region. This classical performance consists of nine holiday readings, each followed by a traditional carol performed by the choir, and another carol sung by the choir and audience. For a complete listing of dates, times and locations please visit www.nwboychoir.org.

Northwest Associated Arts – WinterLight. Dec. 11, 2pm. Highline Performing Arts Center, 401 S 152nd St., Burien. Whether it’s the reflection of the moon on fresh snow or the warmth from a glowing ember on a frigid night, light offers hope, joy and serenity. Artistic Director Ryan Ellis has chosen a program that celebrates that energy, including such beautiful and moving favorites as “Keep Your Lamps” and “True Light,” a joyous gospel arrangement by Keith Hampton. In addition, the chorus will sing “Glow,” Eric Whitacre’s stunning commission written for Disney’s World of Color: Winter Dreams. Add in a dash of fun with a medley from Elf: The Musical and the fun-filled “Twelve Days After Christmas,” a moving performance of the Bing Crosby/David Bowie duet of “Little Drummer Boy” and “Peace on Earth,” and many other choral gems for a Christmas Concert certain to give your family’s season a bright musical note. www.nwassociatedarts.org.

Northwest Associated Arts YCEP – Christmas Treats. Dec. 10, 2pm. Highline Performing Arts Center, 401 S 152nd St., Burien. NWAA’s youngest singers touch your hearts and bring a smile to your face as they take the stage for their annual celebration of Christmas joy! This year, for the first time, the performance will be a Saturday matinee, and Artistic Directors Colleen Thomas-Reitsma and Kerstin Shaffer have programmed a concert that is sure to fill your stocking with all the familiar and favorite musical treats of the season. www. nwassociatedarts.org Seattle Pro Musica – Star of Wonder. Dec. 10, 3pm @ Seattle First Baptist, 1111 Harvard Ave.; Dec. 17, 3pm & 7:30pm @ Bastyr University Chapel, 14500 Juanita Dr NE, Kenmore. Music from around the world that evokes the winter lights of the holiday season. The program covers over a thousand years of choral music, from medieval chant to contemporary works. Centerpieces include the ethereally beautiful “Stars” by Ēriks Ešenvalds, Morten Lauridsen’s “O magnum mysterium,” and Eric Whitacre’s shimmering “Lux Aurumque.” Also featured will be recent works by Judith Weir, John Rutter, and Gabriel Jackson. www.seattlepromusica.org

Northwest Chamber Chorus – Season of Peace. Dec. 4, 3pm & Dec. 10, 7:30pm, Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N. “This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.” Leonard Bernstein’s poignant words in response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy echo defiantly today. As we approach Christmas, a season of love,

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Seattle Pro Musica – Christmas with Seattle Pro Musica – A Family Holiday Concert. Dec. 11, 3pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave. Bring the whole family for a joyful concert of traditional carols, holiday stories, and an audience sing-along. Students from area schools will join us in this one-hour concert that’s perfect for children and their families! www. seattlepromusica.org

a drawing on the comics page. Featuring a silent auction of holiday gifts, and the uniquely fine chocolates of Margaret Savas. All proceeds to benefit Strawberry Theatre Workshop programs for 2017. www.strawshop.org Cascade Symphony Orchestra – Holiday Pops. Dec. 11 & 12, 7:30pm. Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Ave. N., Edmonds. Due to popular demand, the Cascade Symphony Orchestra is offering two performances of the tradition, Holiday Pops. A variety of holiday and pops favorites will feature the music of Strauss, Anderson, Tchaikovsky, and Herbert with Maestro Michael Miropolsky on violin. www.cascadesymphony.org

The Irish Tenors’ Holiday Concert. Dec. 13, 7:30pm. Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & University St. Hear Irish music and beautiful holiday favorites performed with a full concert orchestra. The world renowned Irish Tenors have performed all over the world. Ronan Tynan, Anthony Kearns, and Finbar Wright’s voices are individually beautiful, and together inspirational and magnificent. This is the perfect start for the holiday season for your family and a great gift for friends and business colleagues. Share this beautiful performance with those who matter in your life. This concert benefits the programs and services of Ballard NW Senior Center a community partner of Sound Generation. www.seattlesymphony.org/benaroyahall. Ensign Symphony & Chorus – A Joyeux Noel. Dec. 19-20, 7:30pm, S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & University St. Seasonal music with guest artist GENTRI. www.seattleensign.org/performances.

Bellevue Chamber Chorus – O Magnum Mysterium. Dec. 11, 3pm @ First Congregational Church, 11061 NE 2nd St., Bellevue; Dec. 17, 7:30pm @ St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 3030 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue; Dec. 18, 4pm @ Maple Leaf Lutheran Church, 10005 32nd Ave NE. Experience the wonder and mystery of Christmas and the holidays with this program of glorious music for the season. Featuring multiple settings of “O magnum mysterium” (O great mystery) by William Byrd (England), Ivo Antognini (Switzerland), Cesar Carrillo (Venezuela), and David Childs (New Zealand/US), the program also includes Christmas treasures by Charpentier and Berlioz, delightful arrangements of French carols, and beautiful contemporary works by David Dickau (“Calm on the Listening Ear of Night”), Abbie Betinis (“In the Bleak Midwinter”), and more… www.bellevuechamberchorus.org Strawberry Theatre Workshop – A Charlie Brown Christmas. Dec. 11, 1pm & 6pm. Cornish Playhouse Studio, 201 Mercer St. at Seattle Center. “Linus and Juicy” is back! The Jose “Juicy” Gonzales Trio returns to Strawberry Theatre Workshop for the jazziest Christmas party in Seattle. Groove to the fresh sounds of Vince Guaraldi’s holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas, played in its entirety. Now in its fifth year, Charlie has jammed its way onto the list of the region’s most hip holiday traditions. Sip your cocktails at the Cornish Playhouse. Dress in your favorite jazz threads and step back into 1965, when the music was fly, and Snoopy was still just

Geoffrey Castle’s 9th Annual “Celtic Christmas” Celebration. Dec. 16, 8pm. Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland. With sold out shows across the Northwest, Castle’s “Celtic Christmas” is fast becoming a new Northwest tradition! This year will feature songs from his critically acclaimed holiday releases Underhill’s Angel and Noel: A Celtic Christmas Celebration plus some very special guests! The Seattle Irish Dance Company will dazzle with their footwork, and Veronica Nim and Pamela Cassella Nim, the mother and daughter singers from the Metropolitan Opera will return, and the band will be rocking! Get in the Christmas Spirit with violinist Geoffrey Castle! www. kpcenter.org

Northwest Baroque Masterworks – Christmas Magnificat. Dec. 14, 7:30pm @ Town Hall Seattle, Great Hall, 1119 8th Ave; Dec. 16, 7:30pm @ Bastyr University Chapel, 14500 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore. Alexander Weimann leads the Northwest Baroque Masterworks ensemble of five internationally renowned soloists, a full baroque orchestra, 3 trumpets, and timpani in a performance of the original version of J.S. Bach’s “Magnificat in E flat major.” Written for Christmas Vespers in 1723, this version see HOLIDAY CALENDAR page 18

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November 18, 2016

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includes four rarely heard and delightful inserts that illuminate the Nativity story. Join us for a fascinating new slant on a familiar masterpiece.www.earlymusicguild.org.

son, join us “Under the Sea” for a spectacular production of the Broadway musical, Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Headstrong Ariel is no longer content to live on the ocean floor under her father, King Triton’s rule. Convinced she’ll only find happiness on land, she sets off to find a world where she belongs, battling a cruel sea witch and finding true love along the way. Adults and children alike will revel in the Academy Award®-winning hits by the legendary Alan Menken including “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World.” This spectacular new production will feature dazzling costumes, a stunning pop-up book inspired set and visual effects that are pure magic. So trade in your fleece for flippers this winter and make Disney’s The Little Mermaid part of your world. www.5thavenue.org.

Cappella Romana – Byzantine Christmas. Dec. 16, 7:30pm, St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 2100 Boyer Ave E. Boston-based Psaltikon performs Byzantine chant and traditional Greek carols (kálanda) for the Christmas season, directed by Cappella Romana’s own Dr. Spyridon Antonopoulos. Presented in collaboration with the Greek Institute of Cambridge, Mass. www.cappellaromana.org. The Coats Annual Holiday Show. Dec. 16-18, times vary, Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & Union St. Seattle’s Premiere Vocal Band, The Coats, performing their Annual Holiday Show at Benaroya Hall. A holiday event like no others that will become a family tradition! www.seattlesymphony.org/ beneroyahall Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers – Handel’s “Messiah.” Dec. 17, 7:30pm @ Seattle First Free Methodist Church, 3200 3rd Ave W; Dec. 18, 3pm @ Everett First Presbyterian Church, 2936 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. No other work has become more closely associated with OSSCS than Georg Frideric Handel’s most celebrated oratorio, “Messiah.” For four decades, audiences have delighted in our complete and uncut performances. www. osscs.org/concerts.

Earshot Jazz – 28th Annual Concert of Sacred Music by Duke Ellington. Dec. 17, 7:30pm. Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave. Ellington’s wonderful “Sacred Music” is both serious and swinging. It is a reverent and hip body of jazz composition, written late in his career, for jazz big band, vocal and instrumental soloists, gospel choir, and tap dancers. For the past 27 years Earshot Jazz has presented an annual concert of Ellington’s Sacred Music. The concert features the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, co-directed by Michael Brockman and Clarence Acox, the NW Chamber Chorus and guest vocalists, and special guest tap dancer. www.earshotjazz.org

ACT Theatre – A Christmas Carol. Nov. 25-Dec. 30. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St. Join us for a Seattle tradition: a ripping good telling of the classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the curmudgeonly businessman who requires the intervention of a few spectral guides to understand the true meaning of Christmas and life. Well over a century after its writing, Dickens’ classic tale of hope and redemption continues to remind us what’s really worth celebrating – at the holidays, or any time! Want to go behind the scenes? Reserve a spot on Inside A Christmas Carol! You’ll visit The Allen Theatre, production rooms, and more, to get behind the scenes access to ACT’s beloved annual holiday tradition. Tours are Saturdays in December at 1:00pm. www. acttheatre.org. ACT Theatre – Ham for the Holidays: Jurassic Pork Dec. 8-24. (ASL interpretation on Dec. 15.) ACT Theatre, 700 Union St.. Seattle comedians Lisa Koch and Peggy Platt (aka Dos Fallopia) return to ACT with their wonky, gender-bending holiday sketch hoo-hah, better known as Ham for the Holidays: Jurassic Pork. Directed by David Hunter Koch, the long-running cult series has found a hammy holiday home at ACT Theatre, in collaboration with ACTLab. Naughty, nutty, and nervy— nothing is sacred in this mishmash of social satire, musical parody, and campy characters. Platt and Koch take you on a devilishly whacky holiday romp! Featuring: Rockers Heartwood Mac host a Seattle music festival; The Dweeb Girls tell ghost stories at Camp Stillasqueemish; Are You Smarter Than A Queen game show pits audience members against famous queens; The tiny Sequim Gay Men’s Chorus sing with glee; Country duo The Spudds present their sci-fi tribute, Spudd Trek. Ham for the Holidays contains adult humor and themes recommended for ages 14+. www.acttheatre.org.

Byron Schenkman & Friends – Bach & Corelli. Dec. 29, 7pm. Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & Union St.. The “Dazzling Duo” (Nuvo Magazine) of Ingrid Matthews and Byron Schenkman lead us through some of the most brilliant sonatas for violin and harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach and Arcangelo Corelli. www.byronschenkman. com. THEATRE & DANCE 5th Avenue Theatre – Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Nov. 23-Dec. 31. 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 5th Avenue. This holiday sea-

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Bainbridge Performing Arts – A Christmas Story, The Musical. Dec. 4-20.

November 18, 2016

Bainbridge Performing Arts, 200 Madison Ave. N, Bainbridge Island. Offering sweet nostalgia for adults, and great fun for the kids, this laugh-out-loud holiday tale of American Christmases past has been cleverly re-wrapped as a new musical. “You’ll shoot your eye out!” This musical, which received rave reviews on its Broadway run, is based on the movie classic that runs round-the-clock on television every Christmas. Set in the 1940s in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana, the musical follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker and his quest for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts – an Official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Rebuffed at every turn with a similar echoing response, Ralphie plots numerous schemes to achieve his desperate desire for the coveted BB gun. All the iconic scenes from the movie are here: Ralphie’s friend, Flick, getting his tongue stuck to the flagpole; his brother, Randy, getting dressed in his snowsuit; the bullies, Farkus and Dill; the leg lamp award; the bunny suit; the Chinese restaurant; Christmas dinner; and many others. The delightfully versatile score ranges from gentle ballads to show-stopping fullensemble numbers such as “Ralphie to the Rescue!,” “A Major Award,” “Sticky Situation,” “Up on Santa’s Lap,” “Somewhere Hovering Over Indiana” and the inevitable “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!” A Christmas Story, The Musical will bring an exciting new dimension to those who have seen the movie and and is the perfect introduction to this new classic for those who haven’t!. www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org.

Burien Actors Theatre – The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged). Nov. 25Dec. 18. Burien Actors Theatre, 14501 4th Ave SW. For those of you who can’t take one more Christmas Carol or Miracle on 34th Street–style homage to the wonder of the Season, The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) has your antidote, with an irreverent look at the holidays. When inclement weather prevents the planned acts from showing up, three intrepid actors take on the task of presenting every Christmas show imaginable (abridged, of course). www.burienlittletheatre.org Can Can – Wonderland – A Carnival of Winter Wonder. Nov. 11-Jan. 29. Seattle’s classic winter show is back at Can Can Kitchen & Cabaret in the Historic Pike Place Market. 94 Pike St. B. Celebrate the holidays as our cast of A-list performers swing from the chandeliers into a new show full of classic beauty and flirtatious artistry. It’ll be a glittering parade of nostalgia, exploding with dance, laughter, and all the cheer of yesteryear. This carnival of merriment will mesmerize audiences as soon as they enter Can Can’s intimate theater turned whimsical winter chalet, making this a holiday entertainment spectacular to remember. In the kitchen and behind the bar you’ll find a variety of food, wine, and spirit menus carefully crafted with local market-fresh winter ingredients, prepared to tantalize even the most refined palates. ‘Tis the season to eat, drink, and be merry in a wintry Wonderland where theater and Cabaret meet. Consider this your invita-

tion to the holiday soiree that you’ve always dreamed of! www.thecancan.com.

Photo by Todd Gardiner

Jet City Improv – Uncle Mike Ruins Christmas. Nov. 27-Dec. 19, Fri & Sat, 10:30pm. Jet City Improv, Historic University Theatre, 5510 University Way NE. When you walk in the door of the theater, you’ll be asked to write down a heartwarming (and real) memory from a Christmas of yore. Any cherished holiday memory will do! The cast of Uncle Mike Ruins Christmas will then begin to re-enact the sweetest stories from the collection, piece by precious piece. But it’s only a matter of time before your once-sacred holiday memory is invaded by the obscene, vulgar, and generally perverse mind of Uncle Mike (played by Mike Murphy, who returns for his seventh season in this role). Mostly everyone (yourself included) will delight at the thoroughly disgusting twist to what was once a cherished memory that will change how you remember Christmas forever. Oh, if you wish for it real hard, Uncle Mike just may take us all to the North Pole for a lesson on the true meaning of Christmas and meet Santa! It’s the perfect escape for those wishing to replace the sickening sweetness of some holiday specials with a completely different sickening feeling. www.jetcityimprov.org Seattle Children’s Theatre – Stellaluna. Dec. 1-Jan. 15. Seattle Children’s Theatre, 201 Thomas St. Nocturnal adventure awaits in Stellaluna, a luminous adaptation from the internationally-renowned artists at Speeltheater Holland, of the beautiful picture-book classic about a baby fruit bat. When Stellaluna is separated from Mother Bat in the forest, she is adopted by a family of birds who teach her their boisterous, baby bird ways. Young audiences will delight in the music, artistic puppetry, and dance, empathizing with Stellaluna as she swoops and crashes through the forest trying to be just like her feathered friends. Themes of friendship, self-discovery, celebrating differences, and trying new things will entertain all ages, and flip your world upside-down. www.sct.org.

Seattle Public Theater – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Dec. 10-24. Seattle Public Theater, 7312 W. Greenlake Drive N.. The delightfully horrible Herdman clan descends on the Bathhouse for their 15th consecutive year, turning a pedestrian pageant into sidesplitting chaos and bringing new life to an old tradition. Featuring a cast of young actors alongside adult professionals, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is the not-to-be-missed holiday favorite for families and kids of all ages. www.seattlepublictheater.org. Seattle Public Theater – Christmastown: A Holiday Noire. Dec. 1-24. Seattle Public Theater, 7312 W. Greenlake Drive see HOLIDAY CALENDAR page 22

Celebrating 41 Years!

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Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style at Seattle Art Museum through January 8 The Seattle Art Museum’s Fall 2016 exhibition, Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style, which opened October 11, continues through January 8, 2017. Drawn from the archives of the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent and other private collections, this retrospective offers an intimate and comprehensive look at the lifetime achievement of Yves Saint Laurent, one of history’s most influential fashion designers. Featuring important examples of haute couture and ready-to-wear garments – some never shown publicly before – the exhibition reveals Saint Laurent’s artistic genius, his influence on fashion, and the creative process in his atelier.

pays homage to Piet Mondrian (1965) and dresses inspired by Pop art (1966). Also on view is an evening ensemble comprising a raffia coat and a silk dress embroidered with wooden beads (1967) loosely based on African art. In addition to ensembles fully accessorized in the “total look” favored by Saint Laurent, numerous photographs, drawings, and production documents offer a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative workings of the fashion house and the private life of the couturier. Collection boards from 1962 to 2002 – every Saint Laurent haute couture show feature sketches and swatches that retrace 40 years of the maison de couture’s fascinating history. A room of

The Perfection of Style (ISBN: 978-08478-4942-0), it is edited by Florence Müller and Chiyo Ishikawa. It features a preface by Pierre Bergé, President of the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent, and a foreword by Kimerly Rorschach, SAM’s Illsley Ball Nordstrom Director and CEO. YVES SAINT LAURENT – BIOGRAPHY Yves Saint Laurent was born in 1936 in Oran, Algeria. He later studied at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris but was soon hired by Christian Dior to work in his studio. Upon the death of Dior in 1957, the 21-year-old Saint Laurent was named artistic director of the House of Dior and his first collection – Trapeze – was an immense success. After being dismissed by the House of Dior in 1960, Saint Laurent launched his own couture house in 1961 with Pierre Bergé, who would become his lifelong partner in business and life. Over the ensuing 40 years, he would transform women’s fashion with his innovative designs. He notably revolutionized fashion by opening SAINT LAURENT rive gauche in 1966, the first ready-to-wear boutique to bear a couturier’s name, thus paving the way to what has today become the fashion world. In 1999, Saint Laurent sold the ready-to-wear activity to the Kering group and dedicated himself to the couture collection. He officially retired on January 7, 2002, and on January 22 of the same year, the Centre Pompidou in Paris presented more than 40 years of Yves Saint Laurent creations, including his last Spring-Summer 2002 collection. Since then, only ready-to-wear collections have been produced by the brand owned by Kering. Its name was changed to SAINT LAURENT Paris in 2012. In 2004, the Fondation Pierre Bergé –

Yves Saint Laurent opened its doors in the premises of the former couture house. Its main goals are to conserve and promote Yves Saint Laurent’s unique heritage. Saint Laurent died in his Paris home in 2008. Two museums entirely dedicated to Yves Saint Laurent’s work and life are to open in Paris and Marrakech in fall 2017. They will house important selections from the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent’s impressive collection. The Parisian museum will be in the historical couture house, 5 Avenue Marceau; in Marrakech, it will be located in a brand new building near Jardin Majorelle. SPECIAL HOURS TICKETING INFO Due to anticipated high demand and limited capacity, timed ticketing will be in effect on certain high volume days for Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style. SAM will be open Mondays 10 am-5 pm for Yves Saint Laurent! Closed Tuesday. Open Wednesday 10 am-5 pm; Thursdays 10 am-9 pm; Friday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm. Daily Prices: $24.95 Adult; $22.95 Senior (62+); Military (with ID); $14.95 Student (with ID), Teen (13–17); FREE for children (12 and under); FREE for SAM Members First Thursday Reduced Ticket Prices: Special Exhibition ticket prices are reduced by more than 50% on the first Thursday of the month. Tickets to SAM Collections and Installations are free. Head to visitsam.org/ysl for the most up-to-date ticketing information. Seattle Art Museum is located at 1300 University St. – in downtown Seattle on First Avenue, between Union and University Streets. 206-654-3100 and

Sketch: Opera Ballet Russe – Image courtesy of SAM

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION The exhibition guides viewers on a path tracing the trajectory of Yves Saint Laurent’s life and career. Divided into eight thematic sections, it features 110 ensembles illustrative of his tremendous achievements and the sources of his design inspiration. The exhibition begins with Saint Laurent’s “Paper Doll Couture House,” shown for the first time in the United States. The paper dolls and corresponding wardrobes and accessories were created by the designer as a teenager on the precipice of a lifetime of fame and success. Ensembles early in the exhibition focus on Saint Laurent’s formative years at the House of Dior, including an example of a short evening dress from his successful debut Trapeze collection (1958). Later ensembles from Saint Laurent’s own couture house spotlight innovations that redefined women’s fashion: the peacoat (1962), the tuxedo (1966), the “First” pantsuit (1967), the safari jacket (1968). Visitors will also see how Saint Laurent was inspired by art. The exhibition includes one of his famous dresses that

20 Seattle Gay News

muslins, the hand-sewn forms ateliers use to create a first draft of couture garments, offer a unique look into how the garments were constructed. The exhibition concludes in an explosion of color with a procession of evening wear ranging from black silk (1977) to blue-green chiffon (1985) to red silk crepe (1985) gowns to a white damask wedding gown (1995) – the traditional ending to an Yves Saint Laurent couture show. The multifaceted exhibition is curated by Florence Müller, guest curator and Denver Art Museum’s Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and curator of fashion in collaboration with Chiyo Ishikawa, SAM’s Deputy Director of Art and Curator of European Painting and Sculpture. After SAM, the exhibition will travel to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts from May 6 - August 27, 2017. EXHIBITION CATALOGUE A 160-page exhibition catalogue (including 150 color photographs) published by Skira Rizzoli will be available for purchase in September in SAM Shop ($45.00). Also titled Yves Saint Laurent:

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Sketch: homage to Braque – Image courtesy of SAM

Celebrating 41 Years!

Evening ensemble – Photo courtesy of SAM

TTY 206-654-3137. EXHIBITION ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT The exhibition is organized by the Seattle Art Museum in partnership with the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent, Paris. Special exhibitions at SAM are made possible by donors to SAM Fund for Special Exhibitions. Presenting Sponsors: Microsoft; Nordstrom; Seattle Art Museum Supporters. Major Sponsors: Barbie; Delta Airlines. Additional Support: ArtsFund/Guendolen Carkeek Plestcheeff Fund for the Decorative and Design Arts; Contributors to the SAM Fund Media Sponsors: KING-5; The Seattle Times ABOUT SEATTLE ART MUSEUM As the leading visual art institution in the Pacific Northwest, SAM draws on its global collections, powerful exhibitions, and dynamic programs to provide unique educational resources benefiting the Seattle region, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. SAM was founded in 1933 with a focus on Asian art. By the late 1980s the museum had outgrown its original home, and in 1991 a new 155,000-square-foot downtown building, designed by Robert Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates, opened to the public. The 1933 building was renovated and reopened as the Asian Art Museum. SAM’s desire to further serve its community was realized in 2007 with the opening of two stunning new facilities: the nine-acre Olympic Sculpture Park (designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architects) – a “museum without walls,” free and open to all – and the Allied Works Architecture designed 118,000-squarefoot expansion of its main, downtown location, including 232,000 square feet of additional space built for future expansion. From a strong foundation of Asian

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art to noteworthy collections of African and Oceanic art, Northwest Coast Native American art, European and American art, and modern and contemporary art, the strength of SAM’s collection of more than 25,000 objects lies in its diversity of media, cultures and time periods. ABOUT FONDATION PIERRE BERGÉ – YVES SAINT LAURENT Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé opened their haute couture house at 30 bis rue Spontini in 1962. During the twelve years that they stayed there, Yves Saint Laurent invented the wardrobe for the modern woman. They settled at 5 Avenue Marceau in 1974, in a Second Empire-style private mansion. There, Yves Saint Laurent asserted his style, until 2002, when he ended his career. Opened in 2004 in Yves Saint Laurent’s former couture house, the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent is founded on 40 years of creativity. Recognized as a public organization, it has three missions: • The rigorous conservation of a unique heritage comprising five thousand haute couture garments and fifteen thousand accessories, as well as thousands of sketches, collection boards, photographs, and objects; • The organization of exhibitions, in both the refurbished spaces at 5 Avenue Marceau and museums around the world, promoting Yves Saint Laurent’s work. • The support of cultural institutions encouraging the contemporary arts. Courtesy of Seattle Art Museum

Jewelry of haute couture collections – Photo courtesy of SAM

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Seattle Gay News 21

HOLIDAY CALENDAR continued from page 18

N. In this film noir-inspired holiday thriller by Seattle playwright Wayne Rawley, hardboiled detective Nick Holiday investigates some un-holiday-like shenanigans taking place in Christmastown. Add a glamorous elf, a used-Christmas-tree salesman, a muckraking reporter, and a quick-thinking cab driver, and you’ve got the “best new holiday romp of the year!” (Seattle Times). www.seattlepublictheater.org. Seattle Radio Theatre – Classic Radio Christmas Carol. Dec. 9, 8pm. Town Hall Seattle, Great Hall, 1119 8th Ave. Enjoy a new interpretation of the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Join Seattle Radio Theatre for our 17th annual night of live holiday radio drama! Starring KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross as Ebenezer Scrooge along with a stocking full of other Northwest favorites, and featuring live music and sound effects performed right in front

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of your eyes. Bring the whole family to experience a classic 1930s radio version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Produced and directed by Feliks Banel, Seattle Radio Theatre founding director, the performance will be broadcast live on KIRO-FM. Plan to be in your seats no later than 7:45 p.m. for a little “studio audience warm-up” prior to the program. www. townhallseattle.org/events. Taproot Theatre – A Charlie Brown Christmas. Nov. 30-Dec. 28. Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St. A Christmas Tradition Reinvented – Charlie Brown is depressed by the never-ending commercialism surrounding the holidays. Thankfully, Linus is there to help him find the true meaning of Christmas in this musical adaptation of the cartoon classic. Tickets: www.taproottheatre.org. Taproot Theatre – The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge. Nov. 18-Dec. 30. Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St. In an unbelievably bold

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move, Ebenezer Scrooge has charged Jacob Marley and the Christmas Spirits with trespassing, kidnapping, assault and battery: certain proof that he’s reverted to his old disagreeable self. Can the goodness and grace of Christmas survive? Full of laughter and goodwill, this is a delightful twist on Dickens’ classic tale. www.taproottheatre.org Unexpected Productions – A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol. Nov. 25-Dec. 24. Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley (down the cobblestone alley or down the stairs next to Rachel the Pig at the Pike Place Market). We all know the story of Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. Or do we? Unexpected Productions brings back its holiday favorite, “A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol.” Based on audience suggestions, our improvisers bend and twist Charles Dickens’ tale of Ebenezer Scrooge in all sorts of hilarious directions – and each show is different. Where does Scrooge work? What ails Tiny Tim? Does

Scrooge even get reformed? It’s all up to you in this wild, hilarious, holiday ride. A holiday tradition for countless locals since 1985, it’s the perfect way to celebrate the holidays with friends or family. www.unexpectedproductions.org. Village Theatre – Singin’ in the Rain. Nov. 10-Dec. 31. Village Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah. “What a glorious feeling, I’m happy again!” Embark with us on a dance-filled journey to the golden age of cinema as one of the greatest movie musicals of all time comes back with a splash! This faithful and loving adaptation by the original award-winning screenplay team is exuberant, funny, and filled with songs you know and love _ plus live, on-stage rain! Join us at Monumental Pictures and make this monumental show a must-see part of your holiday plans. (Run continues Jan. 6-29 at Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., Everett). www.villagetheatre.org. ***

Celebrating 41 Years!

Ham for the Holidays:

Dec 8-24

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Starring Lisa Koch & Peggy Platt

www.acttheatre.org

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Texas-sized fun: A weekend in Dallas is worth the trip down South by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer While much of Texas is conservative and unappealing, a few cities in the Lone Star State are certainly not, Dallas included. The 9th largest urban area in the United States, The Big D, or DTown, as some might refer to it, boasts nationally known museums, an emerging culinary scene, an abundance of sporting events, a significantly sized LGBT community and a very active Gay district that keeps locals and visitors well entertained. Earlier this year, Dallas hosted the 2016 NAGVA (North American Gay Volleyball Association) Championships at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, welcoming teams from around the country and Canada to compete over Memorial Day weekend. Non-stop flights to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) from Seattle run between 3 to 3.5 hours. From there the DART Rail Orange Line (regional rail service) can transport you to the city core and various neighborhoods for the low cost of $2.50, departing from Terminal A at the airport. Kiosks are available for ticket purchases. Traveling within Dal-

las, however, will require a rental car or Uber, as public transportation is a bit complicated and inefficient. Whether it’s business or leisure, a trip to Dallas – especially for those that have never been – can be a surprisingly fun experience. Here’s what I suggest putting on your itinerary, and for further travel planning go to visitdallas. com. STAY Truth be told, the Hilton Anatole is an older, massive, brand name, business-type hotel. And when I say massive, we’re talking 1,606 guest rooms in two separate towers, in addition to nearly 350,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, 79 meeting rooms, 7 major banquet halls, 5 restaurants, 7 bars and lounges, an exclusive 7-acre Anatole Sculpture Park, 3 swimming pools, full service spa, interior courtyard and an extensive collection of fine art. But despite its size – hey, everything’s bigger in Texas, remember? – and corporate feel the 27-floor hotel is a rather nice place to call home during your Dallas stay and it’s also a strong ally of the local LGBT community, hosting several Gay or Gay-friendly events at the property throughout the calendar year, including Dallas Pride

pre-events. My 17th floor room was spacious and elegantly decorated with wonderful furnishings, such as king size bed, sitting area, marble-top bathroom counters, floor-to-ceiling closet, coffee brewing machine, luxury soaps and lotions, large flatscreen TV with cable programming and a long foyer. Complimentary high-speed WiFi was available throughout the hotel as well. Breakfast is not included, but for a minimal fee you can saddle up to Terrace, located in Atrium One, for a morning buffet that offers everything from pancakes and cold cereal to bacon and made-to-order omelets with freshly brewed coffee and an assortment of juices. Be sure to eat, or have cocktails, at least one night of your stay at SER Steak + Spirits, situated on the top floor of the Hilton Antaole with amazing views of the city in an ample dining room with perched bar counter. Steak, chicken and seafood entrees are downright delicious, not to mention a selection of tempting desserts. I started with a Baby Iceberg salad, then ordered the Grilled Jidori Chicken (with mashed potatoes) for an entree and devoured two desserts afterwards, the chocolate molten cake and beignets.

For hotel reservations or additional information, check out anatole.hilton. com. Full menu and contact information for SER is available on the hotel’s website under the dining tab. EXPLORE A 10-minute drive from the Hilton Anatole is The Dallas World Aquarium, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised if you think only fish are on display here. Located in the West End Historic District, the multi-level complex houses numerous types of sea creatures and land animals, including three-toed sloths, flamingos, tropical birds, snakes, spiders, coral and fish collected from around the globe. A popular section of the aquarium is the crocodile swamp, where two enormous Orinoco crocodiles live and are fascinating to watch, especially at feeding time when staff members throw fresh meat out to them. Another cool part of the attraction is a 40-foot tunnel that allows visitors to stand directly below a tank filled with large, roaming sharks. A separate tank inside the aquarium with floor-to-ceiling windows provides guests an opportunity to view turtles, stingrays, catfish and if you’re lucky, a manatee. Log onto dwazoo.com for additional information.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science – Photo coutesy of archdaily.com

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Celebrating 41 Years!

EAT When in Dallas, or anywhere in Texas, dig your claws into a Lone Star favorite, barbecue. The locals will al-

ways point you in the right direction and in The Big D the directions lead to Pecan Lodge (pecanlodge.com). This bustling barbecue joint was worth the 30-minute wait when I dropped in, on a weekend night; it’s likely less busy during the week. The restaurant marinates and smokes all of its meats in-house, from brisket and pork ribs to pulled pork and handmade sausage. I opted for the “2 Meat + 1 Side” combo for $15, which amounted to a hefty plate of brisket, pulled pork and side of mac n’ cheese (made with jalapeños); needless to say, I didn’t have room for dessert, though my dining partner did and ordered the peach cobbler, which he raved about. Southern fried chicken, beef ribs, banana pudding and sampler platters are other items on the menu. Lucky’s Cafe (luckysdallas.com) is a longtime go-to spot in the Gay district of Oak Lawn, where big portions meet big smiles from the attentive

Lucky’s Cafe – Photo courtesy of luckysdallas.com

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and perky employees. With plenty of breakfast, lunch and dinner selections on the multi-page menu, it’s difficult to narrow your choices to one thing. I decided on the Chicken Fried Chicken, which came with a side dish (whipped potatoes for me) and a vegetable (brussel sprouts), plus I asked for an extra side of warm homemade biscuits; the plate was so huge that I left half of it behind. The atmosphere at Lucky’s is fun, food is great and the prices are affordable. GAY NIGHTLIFE Oak Lawn is Dallas’ Gay district, a series of blocks, mostly along Cedar Springs Road, but also on side streets, crammed with Gay bars, clubs and shops, that gets flooded on the weekends, yet stays busy during the week as well. A good starting point is JR’s Bar & Grill (jrsdallas.com), a large watering hole with vintage bar coun-

ter, nightly specials and many hosted events, such as the recent Miss Missed America Pageant, featuring staff members competing for the unique title in recycled gowns. You can’t have a JR’s without a Sue Ellen’s, right? So, continue the evening at Sue Ellen’s (sueellensdallas.com), a two-level Lesbian bar with dance floor and frequently scheduled live entertainment. The Round-Up Saloon & Dance Hall (roundupsaloon.com) is perfect for getting your cowboy on, as the landmark country & western Gay bar offers two-stepping, daily events and a monthly “Bear Happy Hour,” plus lots of cute Southern boys. Finish the night at Station 4 (station4dallas.com), aka S4, a 24,000 square-foot space for dancing with an upper lounge used for drag shows, as well as Gay bingo. For those that want to hang outside, the mammoth nightclub also includes an outdoor patio.

Pool tables of Sue Ellen’s – Photo courtesy of dallasobserver.com

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Background images: Ariel shot of the Hilton JadeWaters pool complex looking towards the hotel – Photo courtesy of meetingsnet.com

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a fantastic excursion, and educational experience, to take advantage of while in Dallas. With 11 handson exhibit halls and state-of-the-art 3D theater (you can view one film per visit), it’s a place to get lost in for hours as you learn about the past (i.e. prehistoric mammals), future (i.e. robots), outer space, biology, chemistry and just about anything related to nature and science. Be sure to stop by the Bio Lab, presented by Chase, for some interesting experiments, such as testing germ killers and analyzing giant chromosones. The Perot Museum is interactive and recommended for all ages. For more information, go to perotmuseum. org.

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Celebrating 41 Years!

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Seattle Gay News 27

CALDWELL

“(But) I was the rock star in there and it was like the gay pride parade continued from cover coming down the hall to my room. SGN had to address the fact that I don’t know what the nursing staff about all these myriad of things. Paul might never have been able to made of my visitors. There was an old “I assume that someone who atmove here from Chicago! Jewish man next door and they had tends a concert is willing to be enAs Paul related during the Seattle decided I was a young rabbi and my gaged and think about things that are Women’s Concert, just after he accongregation was visiting me. They off the beaten path or even painful. cepted the position, he was literally called me the young rabbi. We can sing about something that run over by a felon, evading Chicago “You learn to live in the moment. matters, even if it’s a moment of fripolice, speeding up Sheridan Road! We never said I wasn’t going to come volity! We need that.” His injuries were very severe and Steto Seattle, but we couldn’t know Paul did engage in some nuts-andven Smith and the administration of when.” Steven Smith interrupted bolts discussion about choosing a conthe Choruses didn’t want to advertise with, “Our (terrible) joke in the office cert’s content. “There are some rules I that it had happened. Everyone was was that we ordered a conductor but don’t break,” he said. “I am very dogholding their breath! he came broken in the box.” Paul conmatic about timing. Conductors often Paul said, “On April 3rd at 11:12 tinued, “But you didn’t return him. ask audiences to sit too long. I work pm (just days after I had accepted And I’m grateful for that!” hard to limit the number of minutes the job in Seattle), I began to cross Paul got teary-eyed when he said and sometimes I skip how grateful he was what I want to say arfor, “the moments and tistically because it’s beauty and gratitude too many minutes! that would come out “I decide what of that. The various the protein is (first) kindnesses that would and how to present need to be shown it, season it. That’s me and how special all up for discusand meaningful they sion, but you have would be. Getting run to decide early on over by a car changed what the protein me, but I also think the is. In the Women’s way some people have concert, the probeen with me after that tein was the Brahas changed me more. zilian piece [“Tres The SWC women were Cantos”]. I knew it so proud of me! They would be bracing, a saw me getting out of memorable moment a wheelchair and getand that it would do ting to stand up and something imporconduct them. They tant for the singers, couldn’t believe I was take them to a new doing it! I couldn’t beplace technically and lieve I was doing it! cause them to realize “For a long time that, ‘I don’t have to I thought I would be like the piece in orconducting with just der to learn to love one arm. It’s still an it.’ experiment every day. “I have done that For the Women’s Chopiece all over the rus, I did stuff I wasn’t world and people sure I could do each love it. But when the performance, each day. women first saw the It’s a moving target. sheet music, they “I think I’m the probably thought I luckiest man in the was crazy! That, and world because I tranthe Emily Dickinsitioned to the Choson setting of “Hope ruses. Who moves to is the Thing with a new place and has an Feathers” [which army of people to do Paul composed as the grocery shopping choral music], beand cook or be there cause I wanted the for me if I’m lonely singers and audience and frightened? The to experience me as a way they have treated composer. That was me, I’m completely in an important anchor awe. I love them!” for them to experiWhat is clear alence right away. ready is that Paul “Silver and Soul Caldwell has earned is less about me the love he’s getting, making statements. and has proved that he (l) Artistic Director Paul Caldwell with Executive Director Steven Smith – Photo by Miryam Gordon People go [to the Sewas a terrific choice for attle Men’s Chorus] the Seattle Choruses because it’s part of and we look forward to their holiday tradition and it has to the many exciting concerts he will my street in the crosswalk in front of how long the road would be. That be that. We commissioned a piece, help create! my house. I parked my car across the things would never be the same. The which is very beautiful, and I love it. Silver and Soul will be presented street a lot. I had been to my fiancé’s right arm won’t straighten or flex all It’s not a holiday piece and will need in Seattle at Benaroya Hall (3rd Ave. place for dinner where he had made a the way. I’m lucky that I can turn the framing to make sense for the audibetween Union and University Sts.) chicken pot pie with a lattice crust. arm upside down. Thanks Dr. Chen! ence, but it’s like putting something on Sun 12/4 @ 2pm & 8pm, Sun “I got halfway across the street How the left leg does is still up for on a plate that doesn’t make sense, but 12/11 @ 8pm, Sun 12/18 @ 8pm, when I heard the squeal of tires and grabs. I have PTSD. There are brain can be arranged by a chef. Wed 12/21 @ 8pm, Thurs 12/22 @ saw headlights and felt the car hit my effects and I live in a state of alert and “I can do that at every concert: put 8pm. Outreach Performances of Silbody. Calvin Lee Walker, the driver, startle reflexes. one thing on that plate that doesn’t ver and Soul will be held in Tacoma had previously been convicted 38 “The nursing home [where Paul fit. But I can only do that once. [This at the Rialto Theater (310 S 9th St.) times of some petty and some not petspent four months] was the worst, new piece] is not a holiday song, but it on Sat 12/10 @ 3pm & 7:30pm and ty crimes. like being incarcerated and knowing will fit beautifully and it might be the in Everett at the Everett Civic Au“I never lost consciousness, just the rest of the world is getting cofpiece that people remember the most. ditorium (2415 Colby Ave.) on Sat lay in the street and screamed for fee with their boyfriend and mowing For the [rest of the] holiday show I 12/17 @ 8pm. help. Once I got to the hospital, I their lawn… that was a desolate expethought about what I could bring that For tickets to Silver and Soul, go asked the orthopedic team if I was rience. If you know anyone in a nursis me. I grew up an Evangelical in the to http://www.seattlechoruses.org/atgoing to die, and a physician’s asing home, go visit them! There was no South. Gospel is me. I wear it as easily tend/concerts-events/silversoul/. sistant said, ‘You’re not going to die, one there my age.

28 Seattle Gay News

as I wear red tennis shoes. There are a couple of pieces that show that.”

November 18, 2016

but you’re going to have a really hard time.’ They knew, by that point, that the injuries were to my limbs and there was no internal damage. “I had been at [a Chicago chorus] rehearsal and had my leather satchel full of music for my chorus. That satchel flew onto the pavement and cushioned my head when I landed. It broke my nose, but if that hadn’t happened, my head might have broken – and that might have been “it”! “About 3am, I went into my first surgery (of three, so far). I thought at that point, even when I was getting out of the hospital and transferring me to a nursing home, that I would be cured six weeks later. “I had no way of understanding

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

November 18, 2016

Seattle Gay News 29

30 Seattle Gay News

November 18, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

November 18, 2016

Seattle Gay News 31

32 Seattle Gay News

November 18, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!