SGN Sep 21, 2018 - Part 2

Arts & Entertainment

Ren

Lunicke

New Zealand-based former Seattleite and Trans non-binary performer brings two award-winning rare stories about diversity, belonging, and resilience to Seattle

BLOOD RELATIVE

18TH & UNION

9/25 & 9/26 @ 7:30pm

“ZE”: QUEER AS F*CK! 18TH & UNION

9/28 & 9/29 @ 9:30pm

The award-winning international touring writer/performer, Ren Lunicke, is coming hot off the heels of Victoria Fringe Festival with an award for BRAVEST SHOW of 2018 for BLOOD RELATIVE. This is after

see REN LUNICKE page 3

Richard III – Fascistic (and

oddly funny)

by Miryam Gordon

SGN A&E Writer

RICHARD III

SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

UPSTART CROW COLLECTIVE

(AT SEATTLE REP)

Through October 7

15 black-clad determined women have overtaken Shakespeare’s Richard III this week, as Rosa Joshi and upstart crow collective combine their vision of all-female Shakespeare productions with Seattle Shakes. They’re finally tackling the play that finishes off their histories of Henry IV (Parts

see RICHARD III page 3

An interview with Cirque du Soleil’s Darius Harper and Joey Arrigo

by Sharon Cumberland SGN A&E Writer

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL “VOLTA” MARYMOOR PARK

Through November 4

Darius Harper and Joey Arrigo are gorgeous. Their physiques are awesome. Their eyebrows are perfect. They exude talent, and they’re having the time of their lives. Wouldn’t you, if you were traveling the

see CIRQUE DU SOLEIL page 5

Take note and see The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer

THE NOTEWORTHY LIFE OF HOWARD BARNES VILLAGE THEATRE

Issaquah: through November 18

Everett: January 17-March 24

Theater lovers and musical theater lovers (in particular) should run right out to see the jaw-achingly funny world premiere musical, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes! By the end of the long one-act (about 100 minute), you’ll have given your smile muscles a really great workout.

see HOWARD BARNES page 4

REN LUNICKE

continued from cover

a prodigious nomination for a Development Award in New Zealand for the same play, and several awards for “Ze”: queer as f*ck! over the past two years.

The two autobiographical shows by the prominent Cascadian born and raised Kiwi feature themes of diversity, belonging, and resiliency in tough times and the positive reviews are flying in:

“Unpacking family as a social construct is rarely done this well … a poignant and eternally hopeful love story.” (4.5 / 5 stars) – Check the Program (Victoria, B.C.)

“Lunicke is a wonderfully engaging storyteller.” – Dispatches (Victoria, B.C.)

“As fine an actor as you will see anywhere in the country.” – Theatreview (Auckland, NZ)

These shows will be coming to the Seattle public for the first time as part of a West Coast ‘Belonging Tour’ stretching from Victoria, BC to Hawaii. Performing a limited engagement September 25th through 29th at 18th & Union, (1406 18th Ave.)

These two highly complementary shows include BLOOD RELATIVE, a wry dramatic work about love, loss, the limits and power of biological kinship, and the potential to build family beyond all expectations ala the “It Gets Better” project, and “ZE:” queer as f*ck! a late-night dark comedy about the sex, gender, and one queer’s parade of labels and identities on their way to PRIDE. Both performances feature local Seattle and international references.

NOTE: Ren identifies as trans nonbinary and so uses they/them or ze/zir pronouns except when referring to their former self pre-transition “she/her.”

Winner – Bravest Show of 2018, Victoria Fringe 2018 *** Nominated for the National New Zealand Fringe Development Award 2018 *** 3rd for Artistic Risk Award, Vancouver Fringe 2016 *** Winner – Comedy Award for ‘Best Use of Awkward Silence’ Toronto 2016 *** Nominated for Best Comedy FRINGE WORLD Perth 2016

“Lunicke’s voice is nothing but pure, personal, and honest to the point of nakedness. – Plank Magazine

BLOOD RELATIVE – Re-defining family drama BLOOD RELATIVE confronts the limitations of biological kinship and the potential to create reliable loving bonds

In their play BLOOD RELATIVE, Ren ruthlessly exposes the ongoing mythology about biological family and the swing in “allor-nothing” relationships when the Hallmark version of “happy family” disappoints.

In this dramatic and humorous re-telling, Ren narrates and enters into scenes from their former life as “Michelle,” a newly Canadianmarried lesbian caught between the modern ideals of a diverse and loving “chosen family,” the normative assertion that nuclear family is the most important, and an ongoing desire to be part of a legacy.

While evaluating a painful fertility disease and the possibility of any future children, Michelle receives the call from her right-wing evangelical mother that

Michelle’s loving grandmother is dying. In the overlapping time between care-taking the last of one generation and facing the limitations surrounding any future generations, Michelle must decide which definition of family she can depend upon to create family for herself.

Ren looks back with humor and wit to connect, mourn, and remember their power in the ongoing journey to ensure that “family will always be there.” (Warning: Recommended 12+ for dramatic intensity.)

FB event link: https://www.facebook. com/events/282692509214092/

BLOOD RELATIVE will be performed September 25 & 26 @ 7:30pm at 18th & Union (1406 18th Avenue). Tickets: $15 General; $10 Student & Seniors. https://www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/3596836

NOTE: Buying a ticket to BLOOD RELATIVE will entitle you a $10 discount password for a ticket to “ZE”: queer as f*ck!

“Ze”: queer as f*ck! – Award-winning comedy about gender, labels, and identity

“Ze”: queer as f*ck! is a dark comedy about sex, gender, and the expanding parade of labels and identities Michelle/ Ryan (now Ren) claims on zir way to pride. (*ze/zir are early days gender-neutral pronouns)

“Ze” had its global premiere in Perth, Australia in 2016, where it was nominated for a Comedy Award, and has since toured to sold-out audiences in every country and winning awards for its unique brand of comedy and level of artistic risk with new content for the stage. Trans non-binary identities have only continued to rise in awareness since then.

In this international queer origin story, Michelle/Ryan (now Ren) rips the bandage away from zir startling puritanical upbringing and is catapulted by zir experiences through a complex and surprising “coming out” process as a genderqueer, kinky, femmesexual, polyminded, gay-divorcée. Along each step of the way ze discovers each new beloved community is at times just as ridiculous and pigeon-holed as the one ze’s just left.

Part theatre, story-telling, and standup, Ren both uses and parodies the labels meant to help an individual embrace their truth in a modern world desperate for definition. “Ze” brings the audience along a rarely told journey of gender fluidity and micro-identities in a PRIDE-worthy celebration that exposes the tension between being authentic to oneself and belonging to one’s community. (Warning: Recommended 18+ for coarse language and explicit sexual reference.)

FB event link: https://www.facebook. com/events/1714035475391581/

“Ze”: queer as f*ck! will be performed September 28 & 29 @ 9:30pm at 18th & Union (1406 18th Avenue). Tickets: $20 Full Price; $25 Give a Little More; $15 Student & Seniors. https://web.ovationtix.com/ trs/cal/34824

Co-presented by Zir Productions and 18th & Union.

Courtesy of Zir Productions

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1, 2, and 3) which they combined into a twopart Bring Down the House in 2017).

It must be said, first!, that Sarah Harlett is a masterful, powerful and sinister Richard III! She commands every scene she is in and infuses the whole piece with sly scheming that is actually…FUNNY. Dark, sinister and funny. It’s not funny that Richard blithely murders massive amounts of kinspeople, and that Shakespeare lays at Richard’s feet the slaying of his young nephews King Edward V and his brother Richard (ages 12 and 9) in the Tower of London (though to this day no one is sure what happened). Richard III was their Lord Protector.

But there is almost a glee in how Harlett’s Richard rises from sixth in line to the throne to King. It’s a macabre comedy at that point. This period of real history is at the end of the War of the Roses (1455-87), a period of turmoil over who deserved the English crown. The War of the Roses is actually just a moment past The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) which was mostly about England trying to take over France. Of course, this war was also fought among cousins, since nobles of France had married English and vice versa. The clear aim was in securing power and money.

The thrill of the production is really due to all the strong, powerful women who strut and proclaim and connive and scheme. The strong cast is full of the talented women of our city.

Joshi, as director, has also created an amazing set design with Shawn Ketchum Johnson that uses large wires regularly stretched sky-

ward at an angle, anchored by disguised boxdrums, and often used as percussive instruments. It’s a completely unique and powerful design. Aimee Zoe is the primary musician (and onstage ensemble), though there is also some additional sound design by Meghan Roche and Robertson Witmer.

Richard III is a very, very bloody play. A huge amount of people, more than in almost any other single play, it seems, in Shakespeare’s histories, are simply murdered. Very fast. Especially fast with the compression needed to cut this play down to a short-ish two and a quarter hours.

Joshi’s focus for this production is clearly to equate Richard to Hitler and fascism. Harlett is on the short side and her minions obey her with blind obedience (and a little bribery). The generic black costuming (created in a sparse utilitarian design by Christine Tschirgi) allows for courtiers to become soldiers with almost no change needed.

The Duke of Buckingham (played regally by Suzanne Bouchard) supports Richard for a good measure of time, yet seems unaware of how her complicity in terrible murders might end up boomeranging back on her. It’s no surprise to the audience when Buckingham also dies. Politics, often, has loyalty going in one direction – an aspect we are learning quite well now. For more information, go to www.seattleshakepeare.org or call (206) 733-8222.

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

2018 Men in Dance Festival presented Sept. 28-30 & Oct. 5-7

Against the Grain/MEN IN DANCE presents the 2018 Men in Dance Festival, a two-weekend showcase of contemporary dance choreographed for and danced by men. Performances will be held at the Broadway Performance Hall (1625 Broadway) on September 28-30 and October 5-7. Showtimes are Fri-Sat at 7:30pm and Sunday at 5pm.

Artists appearing include the exciting Versa-Style Company from LA bringing a new group urban/Latin fusion piece, their first appearance on a Seattle stage! Arizona’s Autumn Eckman will premiere a new

solo that features former Hubbard Street

Dancer Benjamin Wardell. And the 2017 “Showcase Favorite” Cameron McKinney will return to Seattle from NYC, with a beautifully executed piece. Two local companies are being represented in Donald Byrd’s Spectrum Dance Theatre, and Marie Chong’s ARC Dance. Other Seattle contributors include Seattle’s excellent youth company, Kaleidoscope, plus Sam Picart, and MID veterans Gerard Theoret and Deborah Wolf.

Century Ballroom and The

The title might give you a moment’s pause. It seems a bit clunky in the titling department, but it’s reflective of the punny sense of humor of the writers Christopher Dimon (book and lyrics) and Michael Kooman (music). The main character is a sort of schlub (Yiddish Slang Dictionary: “schlub” – a stupid, unattractive, clumsy person. It is akin to hick or yodel. It comes from the Polish word żłób, from which the English word “slob” is also derived.”) A guy who usually doesn’t get noticed very much, doesn’t make much of an impact on anyone’s life.

That’s Howard Barnes. He’s not particularly “noteworthy.” Until! Until one day he starts hearing music that no one else hears. And sees people singing and dancing that no one else sees! And no, he’s not crazy; his life has become a musical and he can’t seem to find the way out.

Apparently, Howard doesn’t really know anything about musicals! Quelle Horreur! It turns out that a quiet, sweet coworker, Maggie, actually does know quite a bit about musicals and she has ideas about how to help him in his quest to find a way out. In fact, she informs him that he is on a quest in the first place, which musicals are often made of, and the person that probably can help Howard is Stephen Lloyd Rodgers Von Schwartzenheim.

Against the Grain/MEN IN DANCE has announced that Virginia choreographer Tiffanie Carson originally scheduled for Weekend 1 has been replaced by Seattle choreographer and dancer Daniel Costa. Daniel will be performing an exciting new solo, as Tiffanie had to withdraw due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts. Daniel is also performing with Bay Area Choreographer Alex Ketley, who is in Seattle and currently rehearsing a quartet of local men in a new piece commissioned for this festival. This new work will premiere on Opening Night, September 28!

Weekend 1 Program (9/28-9/30)

Versa-Style – Los Angeles, CA

*Alex Ketley – San Francisco, CA

**Cameron McKinney, Kizuna Dance –New York City, NY

Daniel Costa – Seattle, WA

Marie Chong, ARC Dance Company –Seattle, WA

Donald Byrd, Spectrum Dance Theater – Seattle, WA

Kaleidoscope Dance Company (Vincent E. Thomas) – Seattle, WA

*Resident Choreographer for this year’s festival

**Featured Choreographer from our off-year Adjudicated Choreographers’ Showcase

Weekend 2 Program (10/5-10/7)

Sam Picart – Seattle, WA

*Alex Ketley – San Francisco, CA

Alvin Rangel, In-Version Dance Project – Los Angeles, CA

Joseph Blake – Salt Lake City, UT

Jared Doster – Huntsville, TX

Deborah Wolf – Seattle, WA

Gerard Theoret – Seattle, WA

Autumn Eckman, Autumn Eckman Dance – Tucson, AZ

*Resident Choreographer for this year’s festival

Advance tickets can be purchased via www.menindance.org. Tickets at the box office will be available one hour prior to each performance. Ticket prices: General Admission advance $20, at the door $25; Students and Seniors always $20. Special Friday Opening Nights on September 28 and October 5 are $35, which includes entry to a post-show catered reception onstage, where patrons can meet and discuss the program with the shows creators and artists. Several other “specials” exist, including a Festival ticket (which gives you entry to both weekends), and a reduced “starving artist” ticket the day of the show. For more information, visit www. MenInDance.org

Courtesy of MEN IN DANCE

Tin Table bring you the Bubble Ball

On Friday, September 28, join the Century Ballroom and The Tin Table for The Bubble Ball, an evening of champagne tasting and disco dancing. Taste champagne, learn the Hustle, then dance to classic Disco, Motown & Soul with DJ Dana Dub all night long. The champagne tasting will be held from 7-9pm in the Century Ballroom (915 E Pine St.). The Hustle lesson will given at 9pm and the disco dance will be held from 9:30pm-1am.

The cost is $25 for the tasting, lesson and dance or $10 for just the lesson and dance. $25 includes five 1.5 oz. tastes of bubbly

(additional tastes available for purchase at the event). Featured brands include: Dom Pérignon, Moët & Chandon Champagne, Runiart, Veuve Clicquot, Ca’ del Bosco, Santa Margherita, Treveri Cellars, Tattinger, Grey Goose. Advance tickets will be required for the champagne tasting; dance only tickets will be available at the door. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3594431. For more information, visit CenturyBallroom.com.

Enjoy dinner before The Bubble Ball at The Tin Table (915 E. Pine St.) Reservations: TheTinTable.com or 206-320-8458.

(How many famous musical composers does this make fun of? Are you getting an idea of the vast numbers of puns there are going to be in this show?)

The concept of a normal person suddenly having a life immersed in a musical is so unrevolutionary that it’s a wonder it’s never been done before! That’s not a slam against the writers, it’s more like: once you’ve seen such a musical, you realize there’s never been one! And now that doesn’t make sense!

In the vein of [title of show] and Something Rotten, huge swathes of Howard make fun of musicals and theater tropes and also celebrate and love them. While many of the jokes will convulse theater practitioners, you needn’t worry about your friend who rarely goes to any theater. Your friend will have plenty to laugh at as well.

Who wouldn’t laugh at a whole bleacher full of hockey fans who suddenly start singing at you to “Shoot the Puck” as a metaphor to Howard to get him to ask Maggie out? Or the mysterious janitor/train conductor/etc. who announces he’s just “a mysterious” whatever he is at that moment? It’s just SILLY.

Speaking of silly, the tech in this show provides wildly silly support! Al Blackstone has created choreography that feels like another character in the show! So many dance moves are spoofs from moves from every iconic musical, particularly in the song “Jazz Hands.” Christopher Mumaw set changes just keep changing! It seems like the set almost never goes back to the same configuration. And the costumes by Rose Pederson spoof so many musical characters that there are too many to guess at!

ABOUT CENTURY BALLROOM

Century Ballroom has been teaching partner dancing, throwing events, hosting parties and sharing their space with the community for over 21 years. Century won Seattle Weekly’s Best of Seattle 2016 award for “Best Dance Classes!” CenturyBallroom.com; FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE facebook.com/events/1327807797349465/; SOCIAL: Facebook: fb.com/centuryballroom / Instagram and Twitter @centuryballroom

Courtesy of Century Ballroom

Brandon Ivie herds this amazing cast of goofballs through the breakneck speed of the changes needed.

The one guy who has to be onstage reacting to the whole crazy mess is Joshua Carter, long known for his “everyman” genuineness on stage, as well as totally being a triple threat: singer/musician/actor, as Howard. Funnywoman Taryn Darr plays the sweet, musical-loving-but-maybe-givingit-all-up Maggie. She definitely makes the audience root for Howard to give in to his feelings and fall in love with her.

There are so many funny actors in this show that it seems like no other comedies should be playing in the entire Greater Seattle area. If I started listing, I’d have to list … Jeff Steitzer, Jasmine Jean Sim, Greg McCormick All, Kate B. Cook, Alex Crozier, Nick DeSantis, Paul Flanagan, Danielle Kelsey, Mallory King, Richard Peacock, Sarah Russell, Hannah Schuerman, John David Scott, and Brenna Wagner.

This is a total homage to musicals and is full of heart and fun. If ever you needed a break from the terrors of nightly news, this will give it to you in spades!

For more information, go to www.villagetheatre.org or call 425-392-2202.

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

world in the coolest circus on the planet?

Joey is the focus character in Cirque du Soleil’s “Volta,” now playing in at Marymoor Park, and Darius is one of two principal “Volta” singers. As they unfold the story of Waz, a young TV host who feels his life is being wasted as the MC of the corny “WOW Show,” Joey and Darius have the opportunity to show off what they do best – dance and sing.

Joey Arrigo is a prize-winning dancer and choreographer who worked in a previous Cirque show, as the Trickster in “Kooza.” That successful performance won him the central role in “Volta,” that requires tumbling and acrobatics as well as dancing. Darius Harper came to “Volta” via a successful theatrical touring career, playing major parts in The Book of Mormon (2012) and Kinky Boots (2014). His powerful and expressive voice provides the important connective tissue to the transformation of Waz from an empty showman to a freespirited, authentic human.

These two young performers, both still in their 20s, happen to be the only gay men in the production – though Joey mentioned a long list of backstage jobs held by members of the LGBT community. “Volta” is practically run by gay men!” he told me. Both performers were delighted to be interviewed for Seattle Gay News. They said that SGN is the first LGBT news outlet to interview them – so it’s a scoop!

I talked to them in the backstage tent attached to the grand chapiteau where performers enter and exit during the show. As we visited in the lounge area there were aerialists somersaulting on hoops and a trampoline artist ricocheting off a padded wall in the background.

Sharon Cumberland: So how is it, being gay in the circus world? You travel all over – do you feel comfortable everywhere the show travels?

Joey: Being gay in professional theater and in the circus is more common than in other industries. We get a lot of support, and I’m very proud to be in this company. But, as gay men we went through the same hardships that a lot of gay people go through – about who you are and learning to love yourself.

Darius: “Volta” is about finding your freedom – finding your joy. We’ve been through this ourselves, but no matter where we are, people who come here know they’re coming to a show. In life issues happen –but when you know yourself people don’t mess with you.

SC: Cirque du Soleil is an LGBTfriendly place, then, I take it. How are they as employers?

Joey: They’re great – we’re really on the same page. They run the company on “non-rules” – even after all our training you can improvise during the show – dancing is encouraged – changing things up –

Darius: But as a singer I find that consistency is what helps me the most. It’s the difference between theater and the circus. Theater performance is really regimented and anxiety-riddled – you have to hit your marks every time. But the circus is very relaxed.

SC: I find that surprising – especially since circus people are doing things that are potentially dangerous. How can you be relaxed?

Darius: The circus isn’t for green artists – everyone is really professional. Training is everything, but within that is the “no rules” thing – you can be yourself and express yourself.

Joey: We got to give a lot of input as “Volta” developed – the performers got to help create the story line. Bastien Alexandre wrote the show but we were all part of the team. It really evolved through the trials and got stronger and stronger.

Darius: Cirque du Soleil has a French Canadian character – we’re all treated as artists.

Joey: [indicating himself and Darius] Yeah, and we’re both those people! We belong in the spotlight!

Darius: Absolutely! I was born to be in the spotlight!

Joey: I knew what I wanted since I was eighteen. I said “Girl, I’m ready!”

SC: But how did you make it happen? You can’t just wish for it…

Darius: I grew up in humble circumstances in Nashua, New Hampshire – I was in the drama club and the chorus in school. We had a really good theater group outside of school, too – I got a lot of experience on stage and I knew it was where I was meant to be.

Joey: I don’t know what circumstances I grew up in – what class we were –

Darius: That means you were rich.

Joey: [Laughing] I guess you’re right – I grew up in competitive dance. It’s an expensive hobby, but my parents were well off, and I discovered that I have a very flexible body and could do all kinds of dance – I was trained in the Vaganova style of Russian ballet –

SC: That’s a very athletic form of ballet training, isn’t it?

Joey: Yes – but I also learned jazz, contemporary – Bad Boys of Dance, Rasta Thomas – I loved all types –

SC: How did that turn into Waz in “Volta”?

Joey: I went to an open audition when I was eighteen – there were about a thousand dancers at the start and only eighteen of us at the end. We were put into a talent data base, waiting for a call – and about eight months later I got the call to be in “Koosa.”

SC: And now you’re touring the country – how do you guys like Seattle? Have you had a chance to see the city?

Darius: What we like to do when we come to a new city is find the Gayborhood –so we went to Capital Hill and it was great! Everyone is so friendly!

Joey: Damn friendly – you pet everyone’s dog – everyone talks to you –

SC: Did they recognize you?

Joey: No – they’re just friendly! It’s my favorite place in Seattle –

Darius: – but we don’t get much chance to go there, or anywhere else while the show is on – we do so many shows a week that we don’t have time to sightsee.

SC: You should try to see Pacific Northwest Ballet while you’re here – it’s great dancing and they’re doing a Jerome Robbins Festival.

Joey: OMG! OMG! I love Jerome Robbins!

Darius: Let’s go! When is it?

[I get out my phone and look up the dates – nothing works for them. Their only day off is Monday, when PNB is also off –moans of disappointment.]

Joey: But at least we just got back from a two-week vacation – I had a chance to go to Japan to teach some classes – I went with my boyfriend –

SC: How hard is it to maintain relationships on the road?

Joey: It’s difficult – but there’s always Skype!

SC: What’s the next step in a performer’s career? Can you move up in the company? Do you want to move up in the company?

Darius: In theater, six months is a long time – you can’t see yourself in five years. But Cirque has a program called Crossroads that will help you go to school or get a college scholarship. Some people have their whole careers in Cirque, but I’ve had a year of wondering if I should go back to Broadway. And then I ask myself why I should leave a company where I can be so myself – a company that’s so humane. I’m happy here – I love it.

Joey: And that’s what “Volta” is about – finding a way to be yourself, to have the freedom of being who you are. It’s something that means a lot to me as a gay person.

SC: Is that why the LGBT community should come to see “Volta”? What do you want to tell the SGN readership about the show?

Joey: Tell them that it’s full of naked men doing amazing things they will love to see –

Darius: Tell them HOT naked men!

So, SGN readership, consider yourselves told. Joey and Darius had to go off for more rehearsals and interviews, but I can guarantee that these two stars are HOT – though they don’t perform naked. Yet Joey Arrigo and Darius Harper are perfect exemplars of the show they helped create. They are smart, sincere, talented, and – most of all – they are people who have worked to discover who they are, and have embraced the freedom of being themselves.

See Joey Arrigo and Darius Harper in “Volta” at Marymoor Park through November 4, 2018. For more information and tickets, visit cirquedusoleil.com/volta.

Compelling Lizzie an axe-wielding drama of romance and regret

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer

LIZZIE

Now playing

It is 1892. Lizzie Borden (Chloë Sevigny) lives with her sister Emma (Kim Dickens) and stepmother Abby (Fiona Shaw) in her wealthy Massachusetts father Andrew’s (Jamey Sheridan) pristine home. Outspoken and opinionated, she is a societal outcast with very few friends. Yet things brighten up a little with the arrival of the new maid, Bridget Sullivan (Kristen Stewart), the two of them developing a deep, almost primal connection that goes far beyond friendship.

So begins Lizzie, director Craig William Macneill (Boy) and screenwriter Bryce Kass’ intriguing, thought-provoking historical drama that attempts to get into the mind of Lizzie Borden, the notorious young woman who was acquitted of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe. In exploring one of the most famous, and undeniably grizzly, unsolved murders in U.S. history, the filmmakers craft a human story of resilience, romance, heartbreak, and dehumanization that just so happens to culminate with an act of violence so abhorrent it’s no wonder people continue to be fascinated with the crime more than a century after the fact.

This isn’t a sensationalistic film. It doesn’t play up the lurid details of the murder or get all prepubescently infantile concerning Lizzie’s relationship with Bridget. Instead, Macneill and Kass focus on the family dynamics, especially those between the authoritative Andrew and his psychologically damaged youngest daughter. She is a woman of a new age, a new century, while he is a man who believes gender roles are inviolate – that men will always know what is best and women should be content with their lot in life and not allow themselves to want more. This battle of wills is what slowly but surely tears Lizzie to pieces, and while she finds solace in Bridget’s loving arms, as their romance is a forbidden one it will cause much in the way of heartache and consternation as things progress to their bloody denouement.

For Sevigny, who also has a producer credit, this is an obvious labor of love. She plays Lizzie with a crafty, unsettled determination that grows in frazzled intensity as the character’s battles with her father become increasingly rancorous. Her scenes with Sheridan vibrate with an unhinged

magnetism that allows for almost any conceivable possibility whenever the two face one another down. These scenes are juxtaposed nicely with Lizzie’s growing infatuation with Bridget, Sevigny switching gears in such a manner that her emotional center is stripped right down to the marrow, the former Boys Don’t Cry Oscar nominee crafting a performance of such exquisite psychological nuance it becomes a question what exactly is more horrifying: the butchering of Andrew and Abby or how their murder, via fifty whacks of a freshly sharpened axe, ends up devastating what up until that moment had been a selfless love free of imperfection and constant in its purity.

Stewart is equally up to the challenge. While noticeably playing second fiddle to her costar, the Twilight megastar dazzles as she continues to expand her horizons these past few years, her work here nearly as magnificent as it was in her films for Olivier Assayas (Personal Shopper, Clouds of Sils Maria), Kelly Reichardt (Certain Women), or Peter Sattler (Camp X-Ray). There is a purity to the actress’s work as Bridget, a quiet melancholic resolve that becomes more poignant and gut-wrenching as events spiral out of control. The last scene between the two main characters shattered me to pieces, Stewart saying more with a rumpled look of despairing paranoiac disbelief than most other actors could manage with two full pages of explanative dialogue.

There’s plenty more to get excited about, including a bravura supporting turn from veteran character actor Denis O’Hare that’s wickedly Machiavellian in its self-possessed enthusiasm. But what’s best about his performance is the way Macneill craftily spins things on their head as it pertains to his character, the reasons for his being a part of this story better left discovered by the viewer without any explanation from me. Safe to say O’Hare and Sevigny share a few scenes together, but it is two signature moments between the two that caused me to inch closer to the screen in captivated glee. These sequences are like little bookends that help put everything in a subtle, forcefully pointed perspective, allowing the themes concerning the patriarchal oppression of women to shimmer with a pronounced aggressiveness that’s complicatedly disconcerting.

There is blood, the movie refusing to sugarcoat the gruesome violence that has made Lizzie Borden’s story stand the test of time. Macneill’s staging of this moment isn’t for the faint of heart. At the same time,

it’s also strangely aloof, and if not for Sevigny’s and Stewart’s dual refusal to play things safe I’m not sure the murder would have resonated with me in any noticeable way. But both actresses nakedly revel in the moment, each finding a unique way to show how their respective character is respond-

ing to what is happening that goes against genre convention and reveals fresh facets of Lizzie’s and Bridget’s psyches that I found fascinating. While the line between fact and fiction remains hazy, Lizzie is a compelling drama of human desire, oppression, romance, and regret I’ll not soon forget.

Being an outlaw Actress Chloë Sevigny brings an axe-wielding Lizzie Borden

to life in Lizzie

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer

The chilling drama Lizzie is a delicately lithe, character-driven attempt to flesh out what might have led Massachusetts homebody Lizzie Borden to murder her father Andrew and stepmother Abby with an axe, back just before the dawn of the 20th century. Although she was acquitted of the 1892 crime, this legendary, still-unsolved mystery has piqued the interest of the global public for well over a hundred years. Director Craig William Macneill (The Boy) and screenwriter Bryce Kass attempt to put a fresh spin on the story, playing up the relationship between Lizzie and her family’s maid, the seemingly mild-mannered and somewhat timid Bridget Sullivan.

Starring Boys Don’t Cry Academy Award nominee Chloë Sevigny as Lizzie, international superstar Kristen Stewart as Bridget, and esteemed character actor Jamey Sheridan as Andrew, this is a mesmerizing little drama that definitely got under my skin something fierce. There are a number of stellar moments littered throughout the film, all of them anchored by performances from Sevigny and Stewart that are simply breathtaking to behold. The two actresses have extraordinary chemistry, their passionate affair having an emotional gravitas that stuck with me long after the film had come to an end.

I had the great pleasure to briefly chat with Sevigny about the picture, a labor of love she’d been trying to get made for quite some time. Here are some of the highlights from our conversation, slightly edited for length and clarity.

Sara Michelle Fetters: How did Bryce Kass’ script surprise you? What struck you most about what he had written?

Chloë Sevigny: I developed the project, so I don’t think I would say Bryce’s script surprised me. I produced it. There were many different versions of the script. So really, for me, having done extensive research on Lizzie Borden and the murders in Fall River, Massachusetts, I just wanted to humanize Lizzie and to make a personal movie about her. I wanted to explore the love. Having been to the home where the murders took place, which is now a bed-and-breakfast, the writer and I ascertained that there was no way these women couldn’t have been together, and I love a tragic love story.

There are rumors of [Lizzie] having romances with other women, and I think there’s a lot of historical documentation of relationships between servants and [their employers] in households during that time period. In this case, Lizzie and Bridget were prisoners of this household. They were all prisoners of Andrew Borden, the father, and living in his house all together, so a relationship had to be borne out of that. Not necessarily sexual, but some sort of closeness. It had to exist. This adds another aspect of the movie in the form of the tragic love story and the fact people so often have dangerous experiences when falling in love. That somebody else can provide a certain amount of freedom, or happiness, or security, stuff like that. I think Lizzie experiences that. Lizzie thinks that if she and Bridget are together life is just going to be hunky dory. I wanted to explore that as well.

Fetters: What was it about Lizzie’s story that captivated you and just kept you this inspired? Had you wanting to explore this story in such detail?

Sevigny: I’ve been continually fascinated with her, but when we first set out to make the project, it was quite a while ago, and then

the property went to another studio. So we had to fight to get it back. But that’s just part of the business. It wasn’t like I was every day trying to get this movie made. There were long periods when I was doing other stuff, other TV shows and movies. But it cycled back into my life at the right time. We got the property back and within a year we’re releasing the movie.

So it was more waiting for all of that to happen. But I think, to me, there’s already a captive audience for Lizzie’s story. People want to know about Lizzie – just look at the other TV shows, movies, plays, and operas

limited choices. We don’t want to condone violence, obviously, but we did want to shed some light on abuses of power.

Fetters: Talk a little bit about the relationship between you and Kristen. How did you two develop that intense, almost wordless chemistry?

Sevigny: I think we’re both really good at acting without dialog. I think we both just have that ability. For me, I can just stare endlessly at her, there’s so much going on behind her eyes. You can always see her thinking. I think that she’s one of my favorite actresses because, knowing her as

that have been made utilizing her story. This woman has captivated American audiences for a very long time.

Fetters: What I really liked about the movie is was the way that you humanized this situation. We really do feel the intense pressure that not only Lizzie is feeling, or that Bridget is feeling, but her sister Emma is forced to deal with as well. You can just really feel this smothering on Andrew’s part and how it is affecting every member of the household.

Sevigny: Yeah. I think that’s right. Even the stepmother. I think they’re all prisoners in this house together.

Fetters: Why was it so important for you, Bryce, and Craig to pass that feeling of being trapped, of being smothered by Andrew, onto the audience as completely as you do? I don’t think I’ve seen anything about Lizzie Borden that’s emphasized this element of her story to such a degree before.

Sevigny: I think that’s the big reason why Lizzie committed these heinous acts. That she had no options. She was really oppressed and repressed, and there was nowhere for her to turn. I think a lot of women still feel trapped and have very

a person, and even before I knew her, you can tell she’s a very authentic person. She brings that to Bridget.

It comes across in her performances. Kristen’s not holding anything in. She doesn’t want anything to ring as phony-baloney, for a lack of better words. There was a mutual admiration between us over our choices, about who we are and what we represent. And, yeah, I think we just really liked each other. I think that is the bottom line.

Fetters: With this being an independent production without a ton of financial resources, was there time for you two to rehearse? Did you even want time to rehearse? Or did the two of you just figure out how you were going to interact when you got to the set?

Sevigny: We were working around her schedule, around her availability, but Kristen came to Savannah and was there for the whole duration. Because of that we had a few days before we started shooting when we were combing through the script, going over every line, every nuance, and anything that she was curious about. We worked on it all because we knew that on the day of shooting there wasn’t going to be a lot of time.

But then, even on those days, she wanted

to explore and do other things, and when you have a great actress like Kristen you want to give her that time to put that out there. That’s not difficult. You’re excited to have that. When you have someone who’s going to deliver, you want to give them the space to do just that, and Kristen continually delivered.

Fetters: Then there are those scenes between you and Jamey Sheridan. There is this tension between the two of you that is there right from the start. How was it that you were able to just make that feel so uncomfortably palpable?

Sevigny: I think a lot of that was on the page, going back to what you said about when I received the script, so that was already there for us. It is also the crux of the story. We wanted to really hit that home, and Jamey was a team player. I think he

Sevigny: It didn’t surprise me. I think they all wanted to support the film. I think there’s so few films out there that can talk about social injustice, speak to what is going on in society right now, and yet also entertain. I think it just felt like an important story that they wanted to be a part of telling. Denis and I have worked together on “American Horror Story,” so we already had a relationship, and Fiona Shaw had worked with Craig on “Channel Zero,” I think, so they also had a relationship. And Kim Dickens had worked with one of our producers, so there was that relationship, too. A lot of it was just us calling up people we knew and hoping that they would find something in the script that they found compelling so they would want to be a part of telling this story. Everybody came out and gave us their time. It was so generous.

was excited to take on this patriarchal figure and make him so complex. I appreciate everything he brought to the performance and to the part.

Jamey didn’t want Andrew to be this tyrant. He was like, no, that’s just not the way it’s going to be. He is very quiet, very intense, very methodical, all of which is almost scarier than having him get loud and go big. I think that is really what he does with the part, makes Andrew his own like that, which to me is more interesting than someone who could have been just flying off the handle all the time. Keeping it quiet is freakier.

Fetters: Looking at the caliber of actors you were able to get to be a part of the film, were you at all surprised they came aboard? Fiona Shaw, Kim Dickens, Denis O’Hare – these aren’t big parts yet they are still given the freedom to make the most of them.

And, personally, I just love watching Denis. He’s so creepy!

Fetters: I don’t want to reveal anything, but I’m so glad you say that. The two key scenes you share together, the way they sort of bookend the core parts of the narrative, you two are just superb in those moments.

Sevigny: Thank you! Denis is just so great. He’s a generous actor. I loved doing those scenes with him.

Fetters: One last question. What do you hope people are talking about when the film comes to an end?

Sevigny: I think it’s a beautiful story about women who are trapped and oppressed by men. Lizzie fights back against the status quo. She’s an outlaw.

21st Annual Local Sightings Film Festival Sept. 21-29

Ten questions with Festival Director Sophie Donlon

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer

LOCAL SIGHTINGS

FILM FESTIVAL

NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

September 21-29

Beginning this evening with the Opening Night Gala “Party On Set,” the Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave.) kicks off the 21st annual Local Sightings Film Festival with a proverbial bang. Running through Saturday, Sept. 29, the festival features a collection of features, shorts, events, workshops and archival presentations focusing on the various communities living here in the Pacific Northwest. It’s an ambitious lineup, and viewers of all ages should be able to find more than a few screenings that pique their interest.

I was able to ask Festival Director Sophie Donlon ten questions about this year’s festival. Here are her responses:

Sara Michelle Fetters: This is the 21st year for the Local Sightings Film Festival and your second year as director. Why has this festival endured? What makes it so special?

Sophie Donlon: I believe Local Sightings has endured for 21 years because of the filmmakers. They’re the heart and soul of the festival and that’s why we really work to make the focus of the festival the people involved in the film community. Over the years, Local Sightings has become a place where filmmakers can connect with their peers, develop collaborations and find resources, and that’s something we actively cultivate through industry events and workshops.

This year, to further those goals, we’ve expanded the awards structure to better recognize the many different facets of the filmmaking process and to offer prizes that will provide resources for filmmakers to aid their artistic pursuits, including cash prizes, gear rentals, a SIFF Industry Pass, gift certificates to Glazers and more. So, in addition to our traditional prizes of Best Feature and Short, Best Original Composition for a Feature and Short, and Audience Award for Feature and Short, we’re also awarding Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design and Emerging Filmmaker for first time feature or short director, and an Impact Award in recognition of a film that motivates taking action for social change and movement building.

Another reason the festival has endured is because of everyone at Northwest Film Forum. Their passion and commitment to supporting film and filmmakers in our community and region is endlessly admirable. What makes Local Sightings special is that it is different from many other traditional film festivals. It mixes and melds screenings, panels and events and brings together diverse facets of the community. It’s not uncommon at Local Sightings for an established filmmaker whose film premiered at Sundance having their Seattle premiere next to a young director presenting their first feature. Local Sightings is a place where these bridges can be built and that’s something worth cultivating and protecting. I’m so excited to see what the next 21 years of Local Sightings will bring!

Sara Michelle Fetters: What are the challenges of programming a festival like this?

Sophie Donlon: One of the challenges of programming is finding ways to pursue all of the incredible ideas and opportunities that are brought to us and to fit it into a weeklong festival! One thing I love about Local Sightings is the way it engages with different parts of the arts community in Seattle, from music to dance to visual arts, and one of my goals moving forward is to expand on those relationships even more.

Another challenge is also what makes it so rewarding. We’re a very small team, so everyone has a part in everything. At

certain points, it’s felt like I’m living and breathing Local Sightings, but that’s really not something to complain about at all!

Sara Michelle Fetters: What surprised you the most about this year’s submissions?

Sophie Donlon: It wasn’t exactly a surprise, but I’m always awed by the vibrance of the experimental scene in the Pacific Northwest. Features like the experimental animation North of Blue and the experimental documentary Essays of a City, are simultaneously profound visual and intellectual experiences and are really like nothing else I’ve seen.

Something that struck me in this year’s submissions overall was a sense of rumination and gravity in the stories filmmakers are choosing to tell. Whether the films are personal narratives, like Kadazia Allen-Perry’s deeply intimate account of living with cystic fibrosis, Chronic Means Forever, or documentaries with a global lens, like Vancouver: No Fixed Address, about the Vancouver, BC housing crisis, or a romance in the tradition of classic Hollywood cinema, like Forgotten Man, the films in the festival approach their topics with a real sense of reflection. I believe this speaks to our current moment, which often feels tumultuous, and filmmakers in our region are responding to that by focusing intently on examining with care and poignancy what it means to live and make art in this world.

Sara Michelle Fetters: Talk to me about this year’s workshops. Why are these important? How do you hope audiences/ attendees get involved?

Sophie Donlon: The workshops this year showcase stunning emerging projects, including Shontina Vernon’s workshop and discussion around her juvenile incarceration project Grrrl Justice, and the screening and panel around the new short film speaking to the forgotten histories of people of color, The New Frontier, with director Kanani Koster and the team of writers.

With the festival workshops, we strive to provide filmmakers with both education and resources, and further to prompt discussions about the impact of film in communities. Matt Longmire’s workshop “The Indie Filmmaker’s Guide to Captions & Subtitles” is part education and part advocacy for the importance of adding captions and subtitles to indie film projects in order to make independent films more accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, as well as to the rest of the world with subtitles.

A workshop that is not to be missed is “Shaping Stories, Building Power,” taught by one of our jurors, Paige Watkins. Paige is the associate director of Detroit Narrative Agency (DNA), which works to incubate quality and compelling stories that will shift the dominant narratives about Detroit towards liberation and justice. In this work-

vide a platform to filmmakers to present their work, especially those who haven’t been traditionally recognized by established structures. In addition to considering the filmmaker and the subjects of the film when programming a diverse and inclusive festival, we took care to include films from all over the region that told a wide range of stories and perspectives.

Sara Michelle Fetters: As mentioned before, this is your second year as director of the festival. How much fun are you having? What’s it mean to you personally to be bringing a festival like this one to the people of Seattle?

Sophie Donlon: Local Sightings means so much to me. It was the first film festival I ever attended and to be the festival director for the second year in a row is such a surreal beautiful honor. Through my work, I’ve learned so much about the Pacific Northwest film community and about the region itself. It continually inspires me to expand my own perspectives on film and pushes me to bring our audiences screenings and events that inspire them.

shop, participants will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the Detroit Narrative Agency’s model and values, view the recent short films supported by DNA and discuss how to build systems for accountable, communitybased filmmaking in a local context.

Workshops are so important because they are a crucial way for festival filmmakers and attendees to share knowledge and perspective. They’re a crucial tool and a great way for filmmakers and audiences alike to learn more about media and communities!

Sara Michelle Fetters: And then you have quite the eclectic lineup of special presentations. What is the process for programming these?

Sophie Donlon: The special presentations came together very organically. A few of the programs are a part of ongoing relationships with partner organizations, such as our Indigenous Showcase series copresented with Longhouse Media, which this year features the documentary Mele Murals, and our co-presentation with Moving Image Preservation of Puget Sound (MIPoPS) of Vi Hilbert’s informational films that promote the preservation of the Lushootseed language. In our other special presentations we’re always looking to highlight the emerging work of creators in the region. That’s really what sparked events like the screening of It Happened at the World’s Fair at SIFF Cinema Egyptian with live commentary by Charles Mudede, Ahamefule Oluo and Lindy West, who are all collaborators on the upcoming film Thin Skin. Another example of this is the “GIFgantic Comic Event: Kelton Sears presents Trash Mountain.” I was so excited when I first saw Kelton’s work because it’s so sharp and funny, and because it’s exactly the kind of alternative multimedia storytelling that I want to highlight. In that sense, I look at the special presentations both as a way to honor the history of the Pacific Northwest and celebrate new works.

Sara Michelle Fetters: The level of inclusion and diversity in this year’s full lineup is remarkable. Is it difficult to program such a richly inclusive festival? How do you make sure to showcase features and shorts that represent the entire Pacific Northwest as a whole?

Sophie Donlon: It is definitely something I feel very strongly about and so was very intentional with when I was programming the films. It wasn’t difficult, per se, because the stories are out there and are being made all over the Pacific Northwest. A large part of what me and the programming team did was research the films that are being made and reach out to groups that have worked with the Northwest Film Forum in the past to solicit the submissions. I feel that my role as the director is to pro -

Watching a movie is a very personal experience, but for me movies come the most alive when you talk about them with friends and peers. One of the things I love most about Local Sightings is that it creates opportunities to connect filmmakers and audiences in a shared space that cultivates discussion. These discussions about form, subject matter, artistry and impact begin in Q&As and panels with filmmakers, and I see them extend to the lobby after a screening and even to festival parties.

Everyone at Northwest Film Forum and I have worked so hard to put this festival together, and it’s been so fulfilling and fun! We’re all very serious about what we do, but we’re also very serious about play. For the opening night “Party on Set,” we’re transforming the Forum into a filmmakers’ playground where attendees can make and star in their own mini-films! One of the stations is a greenscreen open script reading set, and as part of this I made all these hand puppets; it really gave me a chance to develop my Nicolas Cage impression. So yeah, I’m having a lot of fun!

Sara Michelle Fetters: What part does the Local Sightings festival play in the overall mission of the NW Film Forum?

Sophie Donlon: Northwest Film Forum was founded as a collective with the goals of providing support and resources to Seattle filmmakers. Local Sightings embodies those community-based values. The core values of both Northwest Film Forum and Local Sightings are to get people talking about film and creative action, and to get them creating and collaborating together. I see Local Sightings as a microcosm of the work we do all year long to celebrate and uplift the local film community.

Sara Michelle Fetters: When you think about this year’s festival, what brings the biggest smile to your face? What gets you the most excited?

Sophie Donlon: It’s really hard to choose! I mentioned many amazing screenings and events previously which are mustsees. I think the entire program is incredibly strong this year, and there’s so many I can’t wait to watch again myself on the big screen! I’m also so excited to meet and spend time with all of the filmmakers and hear more about their work in their own words.

Sara Michelle Fetters: What do you hope attendees take away from this year’s festival? What do you hope they’re talking about?

Sophie Donlon: I hope that audiences come away enlivened by the remarkable and important work being made in the Pacific Northwest. We want to share stories that inspire action and collaboration, and moreover, leaving audiences with a sense of the impact that movies can have on the world starting in our own communities.

Legal melodrama The Children Act showcases a stellar Thompson

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer

THE CHILDREN ACT

Now playing

High Court Judge Fiona Maye (Emma Thompson) specializes in juvenile cases, especially as they pertain to the medical profession. The latest case she is presiding over is one of her most challenging: Seventeenyear-old Adam Henry (Fionn Whitehead) is in dire need of a blood transfusion so he can continue cancer treatment, doctors and nurses working overtime to persuade him and his parents, Kevin (Ben Chaplin) and Naomi (Eileen Walsh), to allow the procedure before it is too late. But they are all refusing for religious reasons, and in the process putting the boy’s life in immediate jeopardy. As the age of individual consent in Britain is 18, the question before Judge Maye is whether or not the hospital can forcibly execute the blood transfusion over the objections of the patient and his parents, the law not nearly as straightforward on the matter as the lawyers on both sides of the case are attempting to argue.

Back at home things aren’t any more relaxed. Judge Maye’s academic husband Jack (Stanley Tucci) wants her permission to have an affair, the casual way he asks the question instantaneously transforming his usually poised and polished wife into an emotional wreck. Beside herself as to what to do regarding both the case and her marriage, Judge Maye is trying to keep her composure and not let anyone notice just how shaky the psychological ground she’s presiding over now is. All of which makes her budding friendship with Henry all the more unusual, their conversations forcing her to look at her life with Jack in ways

she’s never considered up until now.

If one is a fan of Emma Thompson, then director Richard Eyre’s (Notes on a Scandal, Iris) adaptation of author Ian McEwan’s The Children Act is an essential piece of cinematic melodrama that should be seen at the earliest possible convenience. The two-time Academy Award winner (as both an actress and as a screenwriter for 1995’s Sense and Sensibility) is superb as Judge Maye, delivering a performance of staggering emotional nuance that grows in resonance and power as events progress. Thompson has incredible chemistry with Tucci and also shares a couple of staggeringly intimate moments with young Whitehead that brought tears to my eyes. She is the reason to watch this movie, that’s all there is to say, and as such the actress is the sole reason Eyre’s latest ends up working as well as it ultimately does.

Which, sadly, isn’t all that well. Even

with Thompson, McEwan’s reworking of his novel for the screen feels more like a rather forgettable British-themed episode of “Law & Order” than it does anything else, Eyre’s staid and inflexibly solemn direction not helping matters. The dramatic contrivances sitting at the heart of the story are more akin to Peyton Place than to Inherit the Wind or To Kill a Mockingbird, the ponderous emotional machinations the filmmakers continually utilize to move the plot forward tiresome. I just found it difficult to maintain interest in what was going on, and although I was unfamiliar with McEwan’s book there wasn’t a single thing that caught me by surprise. Not that I found The Children Act to be a total waste of time. Tucci’s role may be underdeveloped but he still manages to make the most of it. His scenes with Thompson crackle and sing, each actor showcasing

a passionate urgency that hints at the deeper, more complicated themes I’m sure were explored far more successfully in McEwan’s novel than they sadly are here. But I still loved watching them whenever they were together, the two actors able to convey so much with such effortless grace, oftentimes without much in the way of dialogue, that I don’t believe I could have taken my eyes off either actor even had I wanted to try.

Then there is an initial scene between Judge Maye and young Henry inside the latter’s hospital room. The scene is a brittle, potent reminder of just how great a director Eyre can be when he sets his mind to it, the filmmaker staging an elongated moment of character exploration that’s marvelous. Thompson and Whitehead manage an instant connection, the two actors engaging in an intellectual dance that casually box-steps its way into quiet magnificence with eloquent precision. There is a level of humane intimacy that blew me away, and it’s an absolute shame the film never again rises to that level throughout its 105-minute running time.

Other elements I responded favorably to included Stephen Warbeck’s (Shakespeare in Love) subtle score and Andrew Dunn’s (Book Club) comfortably commanding cinematography. I also felt the final scene ends things on just the right note, and any film that can stick the landing as well as this one does deserves at the very least a modicum of my respect. All the same, if not for Thompson’s bravura performance I doubt there’d be a heck of a lot going on here I’d want to spend my time talking about. The Children Act is a well-intentioned melodrama whose various bits and pieces are interesting, and far more memorable, than the finished product frustratingly proves to be.

Cosmatos’ Mandy overflowing in expressionistically bonkers bravado

by Sara Michelle Fetters

SGN A&E Writer

MANDY Now playing

The glorious, phantasmagoric insanity of writer/director Panos Cosmatos’ and cowriter Aaron Stewart-Ahn’s Mandy cannot be over-appreciated. This is controlled schizoid cinematic mania on a grand scale, all of it living inside a junky, suitably sparse 1980s-style low-budget exploitation thriller where shock and awe coexist with moody three-dimensional character development in something close to Heavy Metal harmony. This is an aggressive and violent movie, yet it is also one that unabashedly wears its heart on its Black Sabbath t-shirt

sleeve, all of it propelled forward by an unhinged, brazenly uninhibited performance from star Nicolas Cage that’s every bit as goofily manic as longtime fans of the actor ever could have hoped for.

As indescribable as much of it proves to be, the film is still an almost perfect followup to Cosmatos’ equally mind-bending debut, the surrealistic 2010 science fiction conundrum Beyond the Black Rainbow While more straightforward and plot-driven (to a certain degree) than that one was, Mandy still shares many DNA similarities with the director’s psychologically unbalancing debut. The neon color schemes, the almost Salvador Dali-esque imagery, the way one scene can slam into another creating messy, visually resplendent panoramas of beauty and debauchery, often both at the exact same time – it’s all part of what makes this thriller click as well as it does.

But where Beyond the Black Rainbow was a dreamscape of uncertain mystery that seemed born entirely out of the ether with few human elements grounding it in tactile reality, this story is fueled by whitehot character interactions overflowing in emotional complexities that are distinctly relatable. It’s an intriguing evolution for Cosmatos, the director sticking with what can be construed as a signature filmmaking style yet now determined to ground it in an ethereal, metaphorically psychosomatic atmosphere reminiscent of the recent, even more esoteric offerings of vaunted director Terrence Malick (Song to Song, Knight of Cups, To the Wonder).

As mixtures go this is a daring one, and I can’t say Mandy continually strikes a consistent balance among its varying elements. The first third is purposefully measured, Cosmatos taking his time building up these characters and documenting this grizzled, terrifically sparse 1983 world in which they reside. Some of this stuff can be purposefully trying, almost as if the film is daring the viewer to stick with it no matter what is currently happening. Then, as if he knows spectators are perched precariously upon their last viable nerve ending, Cosmatos allows things to explode in a multitude of mind-blowing, sometimes repugnant, continually spellbinding ways, light and dark battling for bloody supremacy in a no-holdsbarred bout where the eventual victors are the members of the audience who watch this story play itself out to conclusion.

Then there is Cage. This is a next-level work by the veteran actor that recalls his epically hyperbolic performances in classics like Vampire’s Kiss, Wild at Heart, Face/Off, and Adaptation. But he also mines similar emotional depths reminiscent of his Oscar-winning turn in Leaving Las Vegas, grounding all the gruesome balletic mayhem in a believably empathetic milieu that’s heartbreaking in its tragic melodramatic excess. While Cage’s work this past decade or so has noticeably left a lot to be desired, Cosmatos (much like Werner Herzog did with Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and Brian Taylor did with Mom and Dad ) challenges the actor to let himself go wild like he did in the ’80s and ’90s, and as such he delivers a perfor-

mance that’s an undeniable triumph.

The plot is a relatively simplistic throwback to the likes of Straw Dogs or The Last House on the Left, only with a backwoods attitude oozing in Iron Maiden-meetsMetallica aggression. Logger Red Miller (Cage) lives a happy life with his artist wife Mandy (Andrea Riseborough), the pair’s seemingly idyllic existence shattered with the arrival of a demonic cult calling themselves the Black Skulls who are led by the telekinetic Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache). After an evening of supernaturally devilish violence, Miller refashions himself into a revenge-seeking road warrior, going after Sand and his followers with an unbalanced ferociousness that’s inhuman. Chainsaw fights and other various forms of homicidal psychosis ensue.

Magnificently and expressionistically shot by Benjamin Loeb (King Cobra) and memorably scored within an inch of its harebrained life by the late, great Jóhann Jóhannsson (Arrival ), much like his main character Cosmatos appears to be going for broke behind the camera every step of the way. He directs with a lunatic gusto that suits the material, and while not every second of the film works it’s still impossible to imagine any single scene or sequence being cut out and the finished product working nearly as well as it ultimately does. Throw in Cage’s borderline brilliance, and Mandy is a bonkers piece of sensationalistic bravado I couldn’t help but adore, and here’s my hope viewers lucky and daring enough to give it a look end up feeling the same.

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GLO’S - 1621 E. Olive Way - 324-2577

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

BABELAND - 707 E. Pike St. - (206) 328-2914

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

CASTLE SUPERSTORE #17

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

1017 E. Pike St - (206) 204-0126

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

DIEGO PELLICER - 2215 4th Ave. S - (206) 624-0070

MADISON PUB - 1315 E. Madison - 325-6537

DOGHOUSE LEATHERS

NEIGHBOURS - 1509 Broadway - 324-5358

1312 E. Pike St. - (206) 257-0231

OUT WEST - 5401California Ave. SW

EMERSON SALON - 909 E. Pike St. - (206) 323-7437

FANTASY UNLIMITED

THE PINE BOX - 1600 Melrose Ave - 588-0375

POCO WINE ROOM

2027 Westlake Ave. - (206) 682-0167

1408 E. Pine St. - 322-9463

1510 1st Ave - (206) 624-1784

POKE BAR - 1542 12th Ave - 402-5178

HASHTAG - 3540 Stone Way N - (206) 946-8157

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

HERBAN LEGENDS - 55 Bell St - (206) 849-5596

HERB(N) ELEMENTS

PURR - 1518 11th Ave. - 325-3112

R PLACE - 619 E. Pine - 322-8828

11013 Lake City Way NE - (206) 535-8769

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

ROOT TABLE 2213 NW Market St. - 420-3214

LAUGHING BUDDHA TATTOO

1534 Broadway - (206) 329-8274

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

CHANGES IN WALLINGFORD

CAPITOL CIDER - 818 E Pike St. - (206) 397-3564

C.C. ATTLE’S BAR & GRILLE

2103 N. 45th - 545-8363

1701 E. Olive Way - (206) 726-0565

SEATTLE EAGLE - 314 E. Pike - 621-7591

SHORTY’S 2222 2nd Ave - 441-5449

THE NEW YORK XCHANGE

STOUT -1530 11th Ave - 397-3825

225 Broadway E. - (206) 726-3300

TOULOUSE PETIT

ONYX LEATHER

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

THE CANTERBURY

THE CUFF COMPLEX

534 15th Ave. E - (206) 322-3130

CHANGES IN WALLINGFORD

2103 N. 45th - (206) 545-8363

THE CRESCENT

1413 E. Olive Way - (206) 720-8188

THE CUFF COMPLEX

1533 13th Ave. - (206) 323-1525

DIESEL BAR - 1413 14th Ave. - (206) 322-1080

GLO’S - 1621 E. Olive Way - (206) 324-2577

HOT MAMA’S PIZZA

700 E. Pine St. - (206) 322-6444

JAZZ ALLEY - 2033 6th Ave. - (206) 441-9729

JULIA’S - 300 Broadway Ave. E - (206) 860-1818

KREMWERK - 1809 Minor Ave. #10 - (206) 682-2935

THE LUMBER YARD

9619 16th Ave. SW - (206) 695-2007

MADISON PUB - 1315 E. Madison - (206) 325-6537

NEIGHBOURS - 1509 Broadway - (206) 324-5358

OUT WEST

5401California Ave. SW - (206) 937-1540

THE PINE BOX - 1600 Melrose Ave - (206) 588-0375

POCO WINE ROOM

1408 E. Pine St. - (206) 322-9463

POKE BAR - 1542 12th Ave - (206) 402-5178

PONY - 1221 E. Madison St. - (206) 324-2854

QUEER BAR - 1518 11th Ave - (206) 687-7491

R PLACE - 619 E. Pine - (206) 322-8828

RE-BAR - 1114 Howell at Boren - (206) 233-9873

ROOT TABLE 2213 NW Market St. - (206) 420-3214

SEATTLE EAGLE - 314 E. Pike - (206) 621-7591

SHORTY’S 2222 2nd Ave - (206) 441-5449

STOUT -1530 11th Ave - (206) 397-3825

TOULOUSE PETIT

601 Queen Anne Ave. N - (206) 432-9069

UNICORN - 1118 E Pike - (206) 325-6492

UNION - 1318 E. Union St. - (206) 328-1318

WILDROSE - 1021 E Pike - (206) 324-9210

ZIPPY’S GIANT BURGERS 9614 14th Ave SW - (206) 763-1347

1605 12th Ave. #8 - (206) 328-1965

601 Queen Anne Ave N - 432-9069

UNICORN - 1118 E Pike - 325-6492

OZ - 3831 Stone Way N - (206) 251-0630

PACIFIC NORTHWEST SHOP

4411 Wallingford Ave. N. - (206) 535-6920

PANACHE - 225 Broadway E. - (206) 726-3300

PONDER - 2413 E Union - (206) 420-2180

RUCKUS - 1465 E Republican St - (206) 257-4805

TABOO ADULT VIDEO

9813 16th Ave SW - (206) 767-4855

TRUE LOVE ART GALLERY & TATTOO

1525 Summit Ave. - (206) 227-3572

UNDER U 4 MEN

709 Broadway Ave. E - (206) 324-6446

UNCLE IKE’S

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

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

WILD AT HEART

1111 NW Leary Way - (206) 782-5538

BELLINGHAM

LOVER'S

193 Telegraph Road - (360) 752-1862

RUMORS CABARET 1119 Railroad - (360) 671-1849

DES MOINES

ADULT AIRPORT VIDEO 2 21635 Pacific Hwy S

ADULT

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

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

KENT

WILDROSE - 1021 E. Pike - 324-9210

ZIPPY’S GIANT BURGERS

5633 Airport Way S - 466-5954

9614 14th Ave SW - 763-1347

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

RETAIL SHOPS

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

CASTLE SUPERSTORE #17

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

1017 E. Pike St - 204-0126

DOGHOUSE LEATHERS 1312 E. Pike St. - 257-0231

LA CONNER

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

HASHTAG - 3540 Stone Way N - 946-8157

NEW YORK EXCHANGE

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

225 Broadway E. - 726-3300

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

OZ - 3831 Stone Way N - 251-0630

PANACHE

OLYMPIA

225 Broadway E. - 726-3300

RUCKUS 1465 E Republican St. - 257-4805

DARBY’S CAFE

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

211 5th Ave. SE - (360) 357-6229

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

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

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

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

UNDER U 4 MEN

PORT ANGELES

709 Broadway Ave. E. - 324-6446

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

UNCLE IKE’S 2310 E Union St - 1-800-GET-DRUGS

SPOKANE

501 15th Ave E - 1-800-GET-DRUGS 9822 15th Ave SW - 1-800-GET-DRUGS WILD AT HEART 1111 NW Leary Way - 782-5538

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

THE BLIND BUCK

BELLINGHAM

204 N. Division St. - (509) 343-9425

GLOBE BAR AND KITCHEN

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

204 N. Division St. - (509) 443-4014

NYNE BAR AND BISTRO

RUMORS CABARET 1119 Railroad - (306) 671-1849

232 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 474-1621

DES MOINES

EVERETT

KENT

LA CONNER

TACOMA

CASTLE SUPERSTORE

OLYMPIA

PORT

SPOKANE

TRI-CITIES

TACOMA

TRI-CITIES

TUKWILA

Meetings Events Activities

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

INCLUDE: Date, time, location, contact phone # for publication (if possible), brief description of event & sponsoring organization. DEADLINE: Tuesday 5pm. ACCESSIBILITY: Is your event accessible to LGBTQ people with visible or hidden disabilities? See Jean’s List webpage www.scn.org/activism/calendar/disabilities. html for Marla Nonken’s disabilities accommodations lists.

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

SATURDAY - September 22

Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 9am. Greenlake (outside Evans Pool). Every Saturday. GLBT running & walking club sponsors weekly runs, monthly potlucks, track & field activity, annual Run With Pride. (206) 4488518. www.seattlefrontrunners.org.

Positively Living Coffee Social. 9:30am-12 noon. Cupcake Royale, 1111 E Pike St. Every Saturday. Casual social get-together for the HIV community. Anthony, 206-957-1600. Sponsored by LIfelong. Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Green Lake Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N. Every Saturday - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at the Wading Pool (along the north end of the lake). Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride.

Living Today: Stories from Suicide Attempt and Loss Survivors. 1-3pm, Gay City Calmus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St. Living Today is a safe-space forum for community members to tell their stories and share their experiences as a step toward ending the stigmas that surround discussion of suicide. Our goal is to start the discussion so we can start saving lives. Sponsored by Pride Lives. For information or to volunteer, visit www. pridelives.org.

Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 6pm-12 midnight. Call for location & details. Every Saturday. (253) 671-2838. www.oasisyouthcenter.org. (Also Thursdays & Fridays 4-10pm.)

SUNDAY - September 23

Center for Spiritual Living. 8:25, 9:45, 11:30am. 5801 Sand Point Way NE. Blessings & we hope to see you soon! (206) 527-8801 ext 203, www.cslseattle.org

Ravenna United Methodist Church. 8:30am “Seattle’s most dangerous Sunday school” - 9:45am Worship. 5751 33rd Ave NE. A reconciling congregation, fully inclusive and affirming of LGBTQ persons. (206) 525-7988. Seattle Unity Church. 9am & 11am Sunday Services. 200 8th Ave N. “Come join our Gay & Lesbian-friendly, spiritual family at Seattle Unity Church. Our mission is to bring love, miracles & spiritual awakening into everyday life!” (206) 622-8475; www.seattleunity.org.

Seattle Soto Zen. 9:15am Zazen Instruction, 9:30am Zazen. 101 Nickerson St, Lower Level. Follow the traditional forms of the Soto school of Zen in a spirit of warmth & inclusion. Anyone interested in meditation, whether new or experienced in Zen practice or other traditions, is welcome. (206) 323-1659, www.seattlesotozen.org

Gay Men’s Bowling in Everett 9:30am. Glacier Lanes, 9630 Evergreen Way, Everett. Every Sunday. Spectators welcome. Join us for lunch afterwards! Sponsored by the Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force. For info email John at johndmarsh@mac.com; www.gaysnohomish.org Tacoma First United Methodist Church. 9:30am Worship, 11am Adult Education. 423 Martin Luther King Way, Tacoma. This reconciling congregation welcomes with warm hands, warm hearts & open minds GLBT persons seeking a spiritual home. (253) 627-0129, www. fumctacoma.org

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

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

Central Lutheran Church. 10am Worship. 1710 11th Ave (just north of E Pine St). An open & affirming church, which in Lutheran churches is called “Reconciled in Christ.” “We seek to share God’s love with all people regardless of race, age, gender or sexual orientation.” All are welcome. (206) 322-7500. East Shore Unitarian Church. 10am Sunday Service. 12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue. An open & affirming congregation. (425) 747-3780.

Gethsemane Lutheran Church. 10am Worship. 911 Stewart St. A downtown faith community centered in justice. An open & affirming congregation. (206) 682-3620.

community calendar

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

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

Unity Church of Kent. 10am. 218 State Ave S, Kent.

A welcoming congregation open to people of all races, religions, creeds & lifestyles. Join us any Sunday for an inspirational message, joyful fellowship & a fresh spiritual outlook. (253) 854-9747.

University Congregational United Church of Christ. 9am all ages education; 10am Worship. 4515 16th Ave NE. UCUCC is an open & affirming congregation. (206) 524-2322; www.universityucc.org.

Wallingford United Methodist Church. 10am Worship. 2115 N 42nd St. A progressive congregation. In 1984

Wallingford UMC became the 9th reconciling Methodist church in the U.S. (206) 547-6945 (office); (206) 2855077 (George).

All Pilgrims Christian Church. 10:30am Worship. 500 Broadway E. Come as you are. All are welcome. A congregation of the Disciples of Christ & the United Church of Christ. (206) 322-0487, www.allpilgrims.org

St. Clement’s Episcopal Church. 10:30am Worship. 1501 32nd Ave S. Great music. Dynamic preaching. Holy communion. Encountering the transformative and unconditional love of God in Christ. Join us! www. stclementseattle.org

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

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

Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation. 10:30am. 7141 California Ave SW. (206) 935-0418, office@wsuu.org, www.wsuu.org

Emerald City Metropolitan Community Church Seattle. 11am Worship. Chapel at University Temple United Methodist Church, 1415 NE 43rd St. MCC is a progressive Christ-centered faith community committed to providing a nurturing environment for individual & community growth thru Jesus Christ while celebrating unity in diversity. MCC is Seattle’s oldest Gay-friendly church. (206) 325-2421, www.mccseattle.org.

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

St. Paul’s United Church of Christ. 11am Worship. 6512 12th Ave NW. An “open & affirming” congregation. “We celebrate our diversity in religious background, sexual orientation, race, age & abilities.” (206) 783-6733; www.stpauluccseattle.com.

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

Holy Covenant International Christian Community Church. 12 noon. 4525 19th Ave NE. Outreach to the LGBT community. holycovenantccc@gmail.com

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

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

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

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Green Lake Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N. Every Sunday - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at the Wading Pool (along the north end of the lake). Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride.

Orca Swim Team Workout. Sun: Afternoon; Mon/ Weds/Fri: Evenings; Tues/Thurs: Mornings. Seattle University, Redhawk Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. Pre-registration required. Orca Swim Team workouts are for both competitive & recreational swimmers. www. orcaswimteam.org

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

Seattle Prime Timers Rap Group. 1:30-3pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E #201. Meets 4th Sunday each month in the Ian MacKintosh Room. This month’s discussion topic: “How do we express our sexuality as older Gay men?” www.seattleprimetimers.org

Rain City Soccer Club - Kickabout. Sunday afternoon usually at 3pm. Location varies. Join us for Seattle’s mostly-weekly mostly-LGBTQ pickup soccer game. We play an organized, 2-hour scrimmage on nice fieldturf surface. Sometimes there is a brief training/practice session before we play. Usually there is a “one-beer” after the scrimmage. To sign up visit www.raincitysoccer.org King & Queen of Hearts Pageant - The Hatter’s Ball. 5pm doors; 6pm show. Unicorn, 1118 E Pike St. An evening of fine drag entertainment. $10 door; $25 to compete. Presented by the Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle. www.facebook.com/ISCSORE; www.imperialcourtofseattle.org

Shame to Grace (SAA). 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Sunday. Sex Addicts Anonymous is a fellowship of men & women who share their experience, strength & hope with each other so they may overcome their sexual addiction & help others recover from sexual addiction or dependency. Seattle SAA helpline (206) 237-8828, SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Pride League Bowling. 6:30pm. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Every Sunday. Regular league bowling. Jeff, (206) 932-3731; leagues@wsbowl.com. Integrity/Puget Sound. 7pm Worship & Fellowship. St. Mark’s Cathedral, Thomson Chapel, 1245 10th Ave E. Integrity is an international ministry of Gay & Lesbian Episcopalians, their friends & families, dedicated to education, support & service within the Church & the GLBT community. (425) 226-2746.

Noche Latina - Latino Night. 10pm. Capitol Lounge, 916 E Pike St. Every Sunday. Go-go dancers at 10:30pm; drag show at midnight. 21+ ID required. $10 cover. Co-sponsored by Entre Hermanos.

MONDAY - September 24

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

SLAA New Beginnings: 12 Steps of SLAA. 12-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201, in the O’Neill Room. Every Monday. SLAA step-study meeting starting with Step One in “A Gentle Path.” The meeting is open to anyone interested in doing 12-step work. No matter where you are in the steps, or if you haven’t begun, feel free to join us. Books, paper, and pens provided. You need only bring your willingness to grow!

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

Strength Over Speed (SOS). 2-3:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Peer support for Gay and Bisexual men recovering from crystal meth addiction. www.strengthoverspeed.org. (206) 322-2437; www. sasgcc.org

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

Lotus Sisters South Seattle/Columbia City Meditation & Dharma Discussion. Gather at 6:45pm; sit at 7pm. Meets 4th Monday each month. Short presentation with discussion to follow. Oriented to LBTQ sisters. Email us or call (206) 550-5587 for details and location; www. LotusSisters.org. (Wheelchair accessible.)

Freely Speaking Toastmasters. 7pm. Seattle Unity Church, 200 8th Ave N. Every Monday (except holidays & the last Mondays in August & December). Seattle’s only LGBT speaking club. www.FreelySpeaking.org PFLAG/South King County Monthly Meeting. 7pm. Unitarian Universalist Church, 25701 14th Pl S, Kent Meets 4th Monday each month. Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays is a national support organization for parents, spouses & families of GLBT persons, as well as those sexual minorities. PFLAG/Puget Sound: (206) 325-7724.

Trans Youth Group. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Monday. A chance for youth to talk with others about their experiences & concerns related to identifying as Transgender. www.lamberthouse.org

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

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

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

TUESDAY - September 25

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

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

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

Seattle Rainbow Housing Report Release. 4:456:45pm, GenPride Center, 401 Broadway E, Suite 223. Join Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, King County Council Chair Joe McDermott, and Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold for the official release of the Seattle Rainbow Housing Report: “Aging in Community: Addressing Inequalities in LGBTQ Housing & Senior Services.” Includes reception with refreshments (4:45-5:15) and presentation on the report’s highlights by Karen Fredriksen Goldsen, Ph.D., followed by a panel and community conversation on what should come next. Share your insights and hopes for the future! RSVP to SeattleRainbowHousing@gmail.com or call (206) 739-7498. LGBTQ Questioning & Allied Youth Drop-in Group in Renton 6-8pm. Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS), 1025 S 3rd St, Renton. Every Tuesday. Confidential. Snacks provided. Bring friends or come alone - anyone 12-18 is welcome. Questions? Call Sarah Hardin, (425) 271-5600 ext 155, or email sarahh@rays.org

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

ALISS - Aging Lesbians in South Seattle Evening Gathering. 6:30-8pm. Southeast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S Holly St, Rainier Ave S & S Holly St., Social Hall. Meets 2nd & 4th Tuesday each month. This is a group primarily for Lesbians but all are welcome to attend. Facilitator: Fai Coffin; Cost: FREE. Metro route 7. Wheelchair accessible. Kate, (206) 722-0317; www.sessc.org.

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

LGBTQ MS Connection/National MS Society. 6:308pm. Swedish Conference Center, Cherry Hill Campus, James Tower, 550 17th Avenue, Room E, 1st Floor. Meets 2nd & 4th Tuesday each month. MS Connection is a support group with the goal of providing a safe environment for the LGBT community to express their experiences and the impact of MS on their lives and the lives of their loved ones, as well as provide support for one another. Contact Shelly at (206) 250-5002 or LGBTMSConnection@gmail.com.

No Man’s Land - For Female-Identified Youth, Ages 22 & Under. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Tuesday. Topics range from family issues to school happenings to like/lust/love relationships. All Queer females welcome. Come discuss how smart. strong Queer women live their lives. (206) 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org

PFLAG/North Seattle Monthly Meeting. 7-9pm. Haller Lake United Methodist Church, 13055 1st Ave NE. Meets 4th Tuesday each month. (206) 325-7724 or northseattle@pflagseattle.org. PFLAG, a national organization founded in 1972, provides support, education and advocacy for families and friends of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer persons and is committed to moving LGBTQ equality forward.

Tuesday Night Sex Addicts Anonymous (GLBTQI). 7-8:30pm. All Pilgrims Christian Church, 500 Broadway E (enter at 509 10th Ave E; buzz in, Colonial room). Every Tuesday. SAA is a fellowship of men & women whose primary purpose is to stop addictive sexual behavior & help others recover from sexual addiction. Seattle SAA helpline (206) 237-8828. SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191. Different Drummers. 7:15-8:30pm. Every Tuesday. Hand drumming classes for Gay men. It’s easy, it’s fun & anyone can do it! Learn traditional African & AfroCaribbean rhythms & basic hand drumming techniques. Experience connection, community & spirituality. Drums are provided. For info & location call Dennis at (206) 363-4500 or www.outdrum.com

Men’s Discussion Group. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Tuesday. Peer group for Gay & Bi men. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Here & Now Gay & Lesbian AA Meeting in Tacoma 7:30pm. Christ Episcopal Church, 310 N “K” St, Tacoma. Every Tuesday.

Spiritual Empowerment. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. A vibrant drop-in workshop for those of any spiritual belief. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Seattle Otters Water Polo Team. 8-9:30pm. Medgar Evers Pool, 500 23rd Ave E (at E Cherry St). Every

community calendar

Tuesday & Thursday. GLBT & GLBT-friendly co-ed water polo team is open to all who want to play. Beginners & experienced players welcome. Check our website for up to the minute details, or call the Otter Hotline (206) 414-8797. www.otterpolo.com

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

WEDNESDAY - September 26

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

Mature Friends Dining Out Luncheon. 12 noon. Roosters Restaurant, 611 Broadway E. Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesday each month. Just drop in - no RSVP required. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www.maturefriends.org

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

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

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

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

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

Queer Seattle Book Club. 6pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E (upstairs). Every Wednesday. This month’s title is “History of Violence” by Edouard Louis, a memoir composed as a novel about the author’s brutal coming-out in a French village. https://faculty.washington.edu/swittet/ SGLBookClub/

Lotus Sisters Meditation & Dharma DiscussionNorth. 6:15-8pm. Ravenna Bryant neighborhood. Every Wednesday. Call (206) 525-7295 for location. www. LotusSisters.org. Center for Spiritual Living. 6:30pm-Meditation, 7pmService. 5801 Sand Point Way NE. Blessings & we hope to see you soon! Info (206) 527-8801 ext 203, www.cslseattle.org

Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 6:30pm. Volunteer Park, 14th Ave E & E Prospect St. Every Wednesday. Meet at Black Sun sculpture across for museum. (See Saturday at 9am.)

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

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

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

SEAMEC Monthly Meeting. 7pm. 1605 12th Ave, Suite 21. Meets 4th Wednesday each month. SEAMEC interviews, researches & rates candidates for public office on issues of concern to the LGBT community. www. voteseamec.org

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

THURSDAY - September 27

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

Aging Ballard Lesbian Exchange (A.B.L.E.) Monthly Lunch Get-Together. 12 noon. Ballard NW Senior Center, 5429 32nd Ave NW. Meets 4th Thursday each month. Look for the A.B.L.E. sign on the table. We are Lesbians, 60 years (generally) and up, living (mostly)

in the north half of Seattle. The purpose of this group is to connect, socialize, and support each other. We have been meeting since 2015. The purpose of this group is to connect, socialize, and support each other. The group hosts evening potlucks, outings and get-togethers. Cosponsored by Puget Sound Old Lesbians Organizing for Change. (PSOLOC).

Safe and Sober (AA). 12 noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

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

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Green Lake Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N. Every Thursday - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at the Wading Pool (along the north end of the lake). Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride.

Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 4-10pm. Call for location & details. Every Thursday. (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter.org (Also Fridays 4-10pm & Saturdays 6pm-12 midnight.)

Everett-Snohomish County Friendship Dinner for persons living with HIV/AIDS, their friends, and for those who want to support them. 6pm. Trinity Lutheran Church, 2324 Lombard Ave, Everett. Meets last Thursday each month. For further information, please call 360-202-3978. Sponsored by AIDS Project Snohomish County (APSC) and Gay Men’s Task Force.

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

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

21st Century Bowling. 7pm. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Every Thursday. Regular league bowling. Jeff, (206) 932-3731; leagues@wsbowl.com.

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

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

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

Seattle Otters Water Polo Team. 8-9:30pm. Medgar Evers Pool, 500 23rd Ave E (at E Cherry St). Every Tuesday & Thursday. (See Tuesday listing at 8pm.)

FRIDAY - September 28

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

Rainbow Walk for LGBTQ Elders 50+ - Kubota Gardens Walk. 12 noon-1pm. 9817 55th Ave S. Every Friday - Come Rain or Shine! - Meet at the corner of 55th Ave S and Renton Ave S. Hot coffee and beautiful Rainbow umbrellas to use “just in case.” For info, call (206) 393-3400;. Wheelchair-friendly walk. Sponsored by Generations Aging With Pride. Road to Recovery (SLAA). 12 noon-1:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Friday. Ongoing 12step group for sex and love addicts. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 4-10pm. Call for location & details. Every Friday. (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter.org (Also Thursdays 4-10pm & Saturdays 6pm-12 midnight.)

LGBTQ & Allies 18+ Free Friday Night Drop-In Volleyball. 6-7:45pm. Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave E. Every Friday. 206-684-4753. Orca Swim Team Workout. Evening. Seattle University, Redhawk Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday afternoon listing.)

Strength Over Speed (SOS). 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Peer support for Gay and Bisexual men recovering from crystal meth addiction. www. strengthoverspeed.org. (206) 322-2437. Game Night. 7pm-11pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Friday. Card games, board games and fellowship. (206) 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Lambert House Queer Movie Night. 7-9:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Friday. Lambert House is a nationally-recognized activities & resource center for

GLBT & questioning youth, ages 14-22. (206) 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org

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

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

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

SATURDAY - September 29

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

Diva Glam 2.0 - A Celebrity Impersonation Show. 7pm. R Place, 619 E Pine St. An evening of fine drag entertainment. $10 cover. Proceeds donated to Lifelong. Presented by the Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle. Facebook.com/ISCSORE. Imperial Court of Seattle.com.

SUNDAY - September 30

(See previous Sunday for ongoing activities.)

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

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

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

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

Bremerton/Kitsap County - www.outwestsound.org

Capitol Hill Alano Club - www.chacseattle.org

Cascade Rainbow Community Center (Mount Vernon) - (360) 840-8499 and on Facebook.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Generations Aging With Pride empowers elder LGBTQ adults to live with pride and dignity by promoting, connecting, and developing innovative programs and services that enhance belonging and support, eliminate discrimination, and honor the lives of older members of our community - (206) 393-3400; info@gapseattle.org; gapseattle.org

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

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

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

Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & the Olympic & Rainier Empire - www.facebook.com/ISCSORE; www. imperialcourtofseattle.com

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

org

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

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

Lion’s Main Art Collective - www.lionsmain.org

MEN: Gay City: (206) 860-6969, www.gaycity.org; Knights of Mantra: (206) 329-0886, www.jetchapterkofm.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Northwest Bears: www. nwbears.com; The Olympians: www.TheOlympians. net; POZSeattle: www.pozseattle.com; Q-Squared: www.qsquared.org; Rain City Jacks: www.raincityjacks. org; Seattle Gay Couples: www. seattlegaycouples.org; Seattle Men in Leather: www.seattlemeninleather. org; Seattle Prime Timers: Gay & Bi men 40 & over, www. seattle primetimers.org; Tacoma Older LGBT: www. tacomaolderlgbt.org. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.) MUSIC: Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; Rainbow City Band: 1-866-841-9139 ext 2126; rainbowcityband@onebox.com; www.rainbowcity band. com; Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus: (206) 388-1408, (206) 323-0750. www.seattlechoruses.org.

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

Northwest Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf - www. nwrad.org

Olympia/Thurston County - www.RainbowCenterOly. org

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

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

PEOPLE OF COLOR: AARTH (African American Reach & Teach Health Ministry), (206) 850-2070, www.aarth.org; Asian/Pacific Islander Queer Network Program at API Chaya, (206) 467-9976; Center for MultiCultural Health, (206) 461-6910, www.multiculturalhealth.org; Entre Hermanos, GLBT Latinos/as, (206) 322-7700, www.entrehermanos.org; Ile LaiLai, (206) 781-3565, iya@ilelailai.org; Men of All Colors & Cultures Together (MACCT), (206) 923-8313, macctseattle@yahoo.com, www.macctsea.org; Northwest Two Spirit Society, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/nw2spiritsociety/, Nubian Pride Productions, nubianpride@gmail.com; People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) offers rapid HIV testing, M-F, 10am-5pm, (206) 322-7061, www.pocaan.org and on Facebook; QBASS - Queer Black Alliance of the South Sound, (253) 256-1846, weareqbass@gmail. com; Sistah 2 Sistah, LBT women of African descent, (206) 322-7061, (206) 255-8951; Somos Seattle, somosseattle.org; Trikone-Northwest, GLBT South Asians, (425) 985-4376, www.trikonenw.org; Two-Spirit Honor Project, 1-866-685-0164; U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle, www.utopiaseattlewa.org; VietQ Greater Seattle, vietqorganization@gmail.com Pierce County AIDS Foundation - (253) 383-2565; www.piercecountyaids.org Pride Foundation - (206) 323-3318; www.pridefoundation. org Pride Lives - www.facebook.com/PrideLives/ Project NEON is a program of Seattle Counseling Service providing FREE information & services to Gay & Bi men to reduce health risks associated with methamphetamine use. (206) 323-1768. www.crystalneon.org Public Health-Seattle & King County Online Comprehensive Health Information for Sexual Minorities: www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/personal/ glbt.aspx

Q Law: The GLBT Bar Association of WA - (206) 682-6711; www.q-law.org

community calendar

Q Law GLBT Legal Clinic - (206) 235-7235.

Queer Geek! - queergeekseattle.org

Rainbow Center - Resource Center for Tacoma/Pierce County LGBTIQA community. Through education, advocacy and celebration, the Rainbow Center expands resources, and safe space for the LGBTQIA community. Sponsors Tacoma Pride Festival. (253) 383-2318, www. rainbowcntr.org

Resource & Referral Line can connect you to LGBTfriendly resources throughout Puget Sound and beyond. Call (206) 323-LGBT Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. At other times leave voice mail and your call will be returned. Or visit www.gaycity.org to view list of resources online or through Facebook.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seattle PrideFest - www.seattlepridefest.org

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

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

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

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

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

TRANSGENDER: Emerald City Social Club: (425) 827-9494; Gender Alliance of the South Sound: www.SouthSoundGender.com; Gender Diversity: www.genderdiversity.org; Gender Justice League: www.genderjusticeleague.org; Gender Odyssey: www.genderodyssey.com; Hermanos Trans Latino & Foreign-Born Support Group: (206) 322-7700; Ingersoll Gender Center: (206) 329-6651, www. ingersollcenter.org; Lion’s Main Art Collective: www. lionsmain.org; The New BoyZ Club: www.olympiaftmgroup.webs.com; Olympia Trans Discussion Group: www.facebook.com/pages/Olympia-Trans-DiscussionGroup/262449878114; [trans] ACTION: Trans* & Gender Non-Conforming Sex Workers’ Support Group - a safe, peer-led space. mail@utopiaseattle.org; TRANSform Washington: transformwashington.com; Trans Resource & Referral Guide: kctransguide.org; Washington Gender Alliance: (360) 445-2411, www. washington genderalliance.com WOMEN: Aging Ballard Lesbian Exchange (A.B.L.E.): We are Lesbians 60 years (generally) and up, living (mostly) in the north half of Seattle. The purpose of the group is to connect, socialize and support each other. ruthemilyvogel@gmail.com; Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS) - Lesbian Group at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center. This is a gathering primarily for Lesbians but all are welcome to attend. Kate, (206) 722-0317; www.sessc.org; BABES: support groups for HIV+ women. (206) 720-5566, 1-888-292-1912; Coming Out Women Support Group of Tacoma: www. comingoutwomen.org; Festival of the Babes: www. festivalofthebabes.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Puget Sound Old Lesbian Organizing for Change: http:// psoloc.org, (253) 777-3357; Older Lesbians Organizing for Change/WA State Chapter: gloria@oloc.org, mary@oloc.org, www.oloc.org; Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives: www.pnwlesbianarchives.org; RainshadowWomen: RainshadowWomen@aol. com; Seattle Bisexual Women’s Network: BiSeattle. wixsite.com/SBWN; Seattle Girls of Leather: www. sgol.org; Tacoma Lesbian Concern (TLC): www.tacomalesbianconcern.org; Tacoma Older LGBT: www. tacomaolderlgbt.org; Women of West Seattle (WOWS): a fun, member-driven social group for Lesbians, http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/womenofwestseattle; YWCA Women’s Health Outreach: providing low or no-cost mammograms for income eligible 40+ LBTQ individuals. Follow us at http://lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot.com, twitter.com/ingridWHO or email lbthealth@ywcaworks. org, (206) 461-4493. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.)

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

20 [HEALTH & WELL-BEING]

ENERGY/BODYWORK

KITTY CO. –

WE EXCLUSIVELY SERVE CATS

Capitol Hill based provider of in-home cat sitting services. Licensed, bonded, insured and meticulous about your cat care needs. Book now for peace of mind while you’re away. Gay owned! www.kittycoseattle.com; 206-612-1533 39/3

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

21

[LICENSED MASSAGE - NON-SEXUAL]

ENJOY A SOOTHING MASSAGE

Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, and Hot Stone Massage on Capitol Hill. $65 an hour. Jeff, LMP. 206-6500542; rjeffa@hotmail.com; www.broadwaymassage. com. 29/3

EXCEPTIONAL BODYWORK

Given by highly trained LMP. I specialize in injury treatment, acute, chronic, and repetitive stress motion. I have a studio on CapHill, and one just north of the UW. Insurance accepted. Matt Shafer, LMP, 206-2357766. 41/12

PETS OF THE WEEK

Adoption Center

Sunday – Wednesday | 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday – Saturday | 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

13212 SE Eastgate Wy, Bellevue, WA 98005 (425) 649-7563 | adoption@seattlehumane.org

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

Bordeaux

EROTICALLY CHARGED nude full body rubdown from playful top, stimulating the senses. Get seduced. Incalls in Renton area. Scott, 206-355-4469. 33/3

GREAT MASSAGE

Given by highly-trained, clean-cut, handsome guy. I have two private studios, one on CapHill, and one just north of the UW. Call/text Matt, 206-235-7766. In/ out calls. 41/12

Meet Bordeaux, a sweet 6-year-old Pomeranian. One look at his picture and you start to smile, and he's even more adorable in person! Bordeaux came to us from another shelter and we are still learning about him. Bordeaux likes to go for walks, but he is all about the lap. He loves to cuddle and give love. He is shy when meeting new people, but warms up when you share a treat. This happy boy will do well in a home with dog-smart children who can help him learn the house rules. After a good walk and a few treats, he is happy to pick a place on your lap as you read a book or stream some TV. Come meet Bordeaux today at Seattle Humane!

As with all of our dogs, Bordeaux has been neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and behavior tested. He will go home with a certificate for a veterinary examination and an identification tag. PLUS, most dog adoptions include 30 days of pet insurance from Trupanion and a training rebate when you complete a dog behavior course - a great way to start off on the right paw!

Introduce to small children with dog experience, dog intros recommended, no history with cats.

Adoption Special:

Adoptoberfest! Sept. 21-23

Here’s something you’ll want to say cheers to –“ADOPT-oberfest” is this weekend Sept. 21-23 at Seattle Humane in Bellevue! That means you can take $25 off all adoption fees of any pet to your liking. Come visit the shelter located at the junction of I-405 and I-90 and meet the “best brewed” cats and dogs in Seattle! Whether you’re looking for hoppy, bright, bold, smooth, or strong life companion, there’s a pet to meet your taste preferences at Seattle Humane. Check out adoptable friends at seattlehumane.org.

Whiskers & Bailey

These 8-year-old black and white kitties came to Seattle Humane from another shelter so their history is a bit of a mystery. Moving from shelter to shelter has been a bit stressful for these siblings, but Whiskers has been coming out of his shell, greeting volunteers and staff with lots of purrs. Whiskers likes being petted and LOVES hanging out on a human's lap where he knows he can get scratches.

Bailey is still getting used to the strange sounds and smells of the shelter and finds comfort in snuggling with her brother. She also prefers to let her brother take the lead in meeting new friends, but with a little patience, she will come out of her safe spot to sniff you and let you give her gentle scratches under her chin. Come make their day and meet these two today at Seattle Humane!

RAIN CITY JACKS

RCJ is Seattle’s private club hosting hundreds of group jack-off events since 2005. Hot, friendly, and genuine male bonding for men 18+ only. Email or visit our web site for information. info@raincityjacks.org; www. raincityjacks.org. 30/12

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

GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT 517 E. Pike St. M-F: 3pm-8pm; SAT: 12:30pm-5pm More Info & to Schedule Appt 206-860-6969