The Stranger's Spring 2018 Art + Performance Guide

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James Baldwin’s face is in a brand new painting at Seattle Art Museum. The painting, “Resist,” by Mickalene Thomas, was commissioned for Figuring History, a show that challenges “a Western painting tradition that historically erases or misrepresents people of color.”

To get an event listed in the summer issue of Seattle Art and Performance—which comes out June 6 and covers events from June 11 to September 16—send details by May 2 to calendar@thestranger.com.

The Stimson-Green Mansion is 117 years old and has never had a play produced inside it—until now. For an immersive take on Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, the opulent interior will be transformed into the castle where Hamlet is set. 8

Writer and filmmaker Charles Mudede once spent a full year in a hotel room watching Oxford Blues starring Rob Lowe on repeat. Since Lowe comes to Seattle this spring, Mudede muses about what he learned watching Lowe shake his butt.

or 206-323-7101.

Editorial

People new to town probably have no idea what this building is. Located on the outskirts of International District/Chinatown, it formerly housed detained immigrants about to be deported. Now it’s artist studios.

Things To Do

There is no valid case for not loving Paul Simon, writes lifelong superfan Sean Nelson. Simon has announced that he is retiring from his 60-year career, and the Seattle stop on his farewell tour is May 18 at Key Arena.

Art & Production

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ANATOMY OF A PAINTING

“Resist” by Mickalene Thomas is a brand new work in the show Figuring History at Seattle Art Museum through May 13.

BY KATIE KURTZ

THE INSPIRATION

Mickalene Thomas’s paintings typically riff on European old masters’ compositions, replacing white subjects with women of color.

But “Resist,” Thomas’s first explicitly political painting, is instead a riff on 20th-century American artist Robert Rauschenberg’s “Manuscript.” Note its collage style and use of newspaper photo imagery. Instead of the eagle at the edge of Rauschenberg’s painting, Thomas represents the U.S. with a Coca-Cola logo. “Manuscript” is part of SAM’s permanent collection, and also happens to be on exhibit right now in the Wright Galleries for Modern & Contemporary Art.

THE OTHER INSPIRATION

“I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually,” wrote James Baldwin, who was also an inspiration for this painting and whose face appears in the painting on the far right.

THE CENTRAL IMAGE

The central image is an iconic Civil Rights photograph. It shows teenager Walter Gadsden being bitten in the stomach by a police dog at a march in Birmingham on May 3, 1963. Taken by Bill Hudson, it appeared on the cover of the New York Times

But Hudson’s photo has a complicated backstory. Gadsden was not actually part of the protest, he was a bystander.

And over the years, he has distanced himself from the image’s significance—saying, for example, that the cop was trying unsuccessfully to restrain the dog, not using it to attack him.

THE COLOR

“Resist” is lit up by a rainbow of color, along with black-andgreen rhinestones. There are also those blue and red lines embellishing the teen, the dog, and the police officer. The red lines suggest a pitchfork and devil’s horns.

“History proves that the white man is a devil,” Malcolm X said during the racial turmoil of the ’60s.

THE OTHER IMAGES

The photo in the lower-right corner, taken in Maryland in 1964, shows National Guard troops with upturned bayonets surrounding integrationists. The photo on the far left in the middle shows a civil rights protester being carried to a police van in a Chicago suburb in 1964. The image in the lower-left corner shows the aftermath of a riot in north Philadelphia in 1964.

A NEW TWIST ON HAMLET

An immersive production at the Stimson-Green Mansion will feature two casts acting simultaneously.

BY RICH SMITH

No theater company has ever produced a play at the Stimson-Green Mansion on First Hill before. The house has, however, hosted a Playboy photo shoot (March 1989 issue, Latoya Jackson on the cover), a multidisciplinary dance event (sponsored by 4Culture), a steampunk video game launch, and several weddings. A group of leather daddies also once proposed an event here but, alas, the plans fell through.

It’s a well-preserved, 10,000-squarefoot Tudor-style manse that stands out among the soulless condos and sterile hospitals immediately surrounding it. Though it might seem novel to us now, renowned Northwest architect Kirtland Cutter designed the house in 1901 so its residents could entertain people. Lumber baron C.D. Stimson and his wife Harriet Overton Stimson were the house’s first residents.

“Entertaining people is just what you did at the time,” says Cathy Wickwire, operations director for the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, which is currently headquartered on the second floor of the building. “You did a lot of in-home entertaining for business.” This was especially important for Mrs. Stimson, who was a founding member of the Seattle Symphony and “a major benefactor of Cornish School.” As a lover of music, she would host special concerts with orchestral musicians who were in town to play at the symphony.

On a recent visit to the house, Wickwire shows me a photograph of two baby bears chilling out on an upstairs balcony. One has its front paws pushing through the rails of the balustrade while the other is sleeping in a corner. Wickwire doesn’t know the entire story, but she says one day Mr. Stimson brought the bear cubs home as pets for the kids. His daughter, Dorothy—who also had her own pony and cart, then her own horse, and eventually her own car at 12 years old— would reportedly take the bear cubs on walks

around the neighborhood. The task proved difficult. “If they weren’t on a leash, they would run up a telephone pole or a tree if they got spooked,” Wickwire says.

Eventually the cubs grew too large, and Mr. Stimson sent them off to the Woodland Park Zoo. Dorothy Stimson Bullitt grew up as well, and went on to found King Broadcasting Company. “She had the run of the house, the run of the neighborhood, the run of the city,” Wickwire says.

The audience will be split into two groups that will embark on parallel journeys through the house.

Now, a local theater company called Horse in Motion hopes to carry on the house’s tradition of entertaining others. Executive producer Ben Phillips says the whole place feels like it was built for theater—and for Hamlet

in particular. Horse in Motion’s Hamlet will be an immersive production that runs from April 12 through 29 inside the old mansion.

“Are you kidding me? We get to do Hamlet here?!” Phillips exclaims as he and Wickwire give me a tour. He points out the pocket doors, the lavish rooms, the secret entrances from the servants’ quarters (which the company can use as a backstage), and the many architectural features that will allow actors to pop out of nowhere and surprise the audience. All of it gives off a strong sense of the castle of Elsinore, where Shakespeare’s tragedy is set, right down to the portraits of the family members who used to live here (first the Stimsons, and then later the Greens), which still hang on the walls.

In contrast with the Stimsons, Joshua and Laura Green, who bought the house in 1915 and lived in it until 1975, were very formal. However, recently discovered documents reveal that the house staff may have been a little less formal. On an old schedule Wickwire found in the house, someone left pointed instructions to the chauffeur. The general sense was: “Thou shalt not consort with the maids.”

“You can really feel the history and the

ghosts of these people and their wacky family dynamics in concert with Hamlet’s wacky family dynamics,” Phillips says.

As audience members move through the house, they’ll likely notice that the building itself is putting on a performance of its own. In keeping with the style popular among the American nouveau riche at the turn of the 20th century, Cutter designed the place to feel like a tour of the world. “The idea was to take guests on a journey through time,” Wickwire explains. “It’s like, you’re going to go on vacation— to Europe, specifically—in my house! It’s all about showing your taste.”

The library, for instance, looks like something straight out of Game of Thrones. Two bronze dragons with a chain linking their snouts guard the massive English fireplace in the center of the room, where Phillips says the final sword fight between Laertes and Hamlet will play out. In April, it will be light outside when the play starts and dark when the play ends, so the audience will watch the fateful battle as the blood-orange light of the setting sun bleeds through the window.

The reception room just across the hallway abandons the library’s fire and brimstone for the delicate flourishes of French neoclassical design. There, the audience will watch one of the production’s Claudiuses fall to his knees and meditate on the nature of right action.

Walking down the stairs to the basement transports you to the Turkish smoking room, which leads to a dark, club-like billiards room. By the way, “Claudiuses” isn’t a typo. This immersive version of Hamlet will feature two different casts running around in the house at the same time. I didn’t think you could make Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy even more of an existential mind-spiral about the perils and paradoxes of action and inaction than it already is, but director Julia Sears and her crew—composed largely of graduates from the University of Washington’s drama school—have found a way to do it.

At the beginning of the show each eve-

TYLER GROSS

ning, approximately 40 audience members will gather around the mansion’s carriage house, Phillips says. From that vantage, they’ll have a clear view of the large patio, which serves as the battlements where Marcellus and Bernardo first spot the ghost of Hamlet’s father.

“Who’s there?” Bernardo famously asks, setting off one of the play’s central questions about the nature of the self.

After that opening scene, the audience will split into two separate groups of 20 people and embark on parallel journeys through the house. Each track will have its own version of every character in the play, and some characters will take on other roles at key scenes when the tracks converge.

For instance, Kevin Lin (who was amazing in Seattle Public Theater’s productions of Caught and The World of Extreme Happiness) will play one version of Hamlet, while Jocelyn Maher will play the other Hamlet. When the two tracks ultimately collide at the end, one of the Hamlets will become Laertes, the son of Polonius, whom Hamlet kills earlier in the play.

Splitting the play in two like this gives Sears and her actors the opportunity to emphasize different aspects of each char acter’s personality, introducing new lay ers and complexities into one of the most (over-)produced plays of all time.

Phillips, who will play one of the Claudius es, says he imagines audience members from different tracks contrasting and comparing the different Hamlets, Ophelias, and Clau diuses they see, discussing how different contexts change one’s views and sympathies of characters’ decisions and indecisions.

And the Stimson-Green Mansion itself, he says, plays a huge role in facilitating those conversations. One version of Claudius’s post-coronation scene, for instance, takes place in the mansion’s grand dining

The library looks like something out of

room, which the actors have nicknamed “the war room” for its hostile-looking decor. But the same scene also takes place downstairs in the sultry billiards room.

“The Claudius in the dining room looks like he’s running the country—he’s the king, he’s a politician,” Phillips says. “But the Claudius in the billiards room is just hanging out, and he’s infatuated with his new wife, Gertrude. The way that Hamlet sees Claudius as having taken over the throne or having taken over his mother changes the way you feel about Hamlet’s motivations.”

Phillips says the company also plans to use the interior and exterior of the mansion in ways he won’t tell me about. “This family is so insular, and looking mainly in,” he says. “There is that outside threat of Norway coming, Fortinbras. So we want to play with the fact that we’re literally inside this house watching these intricate family dynamics play out, but there will be little reminders throughout the play that the outside world is coming. They’re not thinking about the political realm until it’s right at their door, but our audience will be.” n

What I learned watching Oxford Blues more than 200 times.

BY CHARLES MUDEDE

The flight from Harare to Gaborone was just over an hour. After landing, an ancient man drove my mother and me from the airport to a posh hotel called the Gaborone Sun. (It has since been renamed.) I got my own room, my mother got hers, and the University of Botswana, my mother’s new employer, paid for both because the city was in the middle of a housing crisis.

In the morning, I would order an English breakfast (tomatoes raw) and watch Good Morning South Africa on the TV—or as they called it, Goeie More Suid Afrika. Then I would read the newspaper and maybe a little fiction or poetry before taking a shower. After I exited the bathroom wrapped in a thick, fresh towel, I’d walk to the window and look at the late-morning light and traffic. The year was 1988.

The hotel had several movies available to watch on a loop. The best of the films turned out to be Oxford Blues. The second-best was The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. The rest were forgettable. Because the movie loop did not change during my entire stay at the Gaborone Sun, I watched Oxford Blues , which stars Rob Lowe, at least 200 times. Or, I definitely watched parts of Oxford Blues 200 times. There was enough in this film to keep me interested for a whole year. I gave up trying to understand The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th, and so only watched that one about 25 times.

Oxford Blues opens with a man slowly and lovingly going through newspaper clippings. Each contains a picture of and story about a beautiful woman. The man looking at these clippings turns out to be the man rowing on a sun-bright lake in the following scene. This is Rob Lowe playing Nick Di Angelo, a cocksure all-American male. These are the images I immediately flashed on when I learned that Lowe is coming to Seattle on May 5 to perform a one-man autobiographical show at the Moore Theatre.

Right after the opening credits, it’s revealed that Lowe’s character is obsessed

MY YEAR IN A HOTEL ROOM WITH ROB LOWE

with a British upper-crust socialite, Lady Victoria Wingate. Lowe is in love not with a person, but an image. When he learns Lady Victoria is to attend Oxford, he hires a geek to hack the school’s computer and place him near the top of its admission list. And it works! He gets in. But he can’t afford the tuition. Where’s he going to get $7,000? He is just a regular guy with a gorgeous butt. Then, while working as a valet at a Las Vegas casino, a well-to-do cougar hits on him hard. She fucks him, hears his sad story, and gives him $1,000. It’s not enough to get him to Oxford, but he could try his luck in the casino. He does just that and wins big—$14,600. The cougar thanks him for the sex, clasps his perfect butt, gives him a last kiss, and slips the keys to her ex-husband’s sports car into his pocket. This is in the first 10 minutes of the film. I saw it over and over and over and over, in my room at the Gaborone Sun.

My mother started getting worried. It was clear I could spend the rest of my life in this hotel room.

At night, I would have dinner with my mother at the hotel’s Mongolian grill. We fell in love with this method of cooking. You collect your raw meat and veggies. The cook then tosses them onto a huge black pan. After stirring and turning the food for a few minutes, he puts it into a bowl and you’re good to go. My mother and I came to conclude that this was the most healthy and civilized way to prepare a meal. The hotel also had a casino,

but we were not interested in gambling. It had a small nightclub as well, but it was a bit sorry at night. Old rich men would bring their very young mistresses there and get ugly drunk. I bonded with my mother during this time in the Sun. To our mutual surprise, both of us changed dramatically the minute we left Harare, Zimbabwe. She became more of a friend than a mother because, in the hotel’s tense-free atmosphere, I could finally see this other woman. Her name was Tracy. She was an attractive university lecturer with a biting sense of humor.

Tracy was very easygoing now that she didn’t have to deal with a country whose economy was collapsing and a husband (my father) who, to avoid thinking about his job, which concerned the country’s ever-mounting economic problems, now spent his evenings in the house’s bar drinking and ruminating on the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the writer,

LARA KAMINOFF

pastor, and spy. Bonhoeffer died in a Nazi concentration camp at the same age as the Civil Rights giant Martin Luther King Jr., 39, a fact that had deep significance for my father. What did that number—39—mean? This was on my father’s mind as he drank Johnny Walker in his bar alone.

In the morning, the light of the big sun would fill my room. After lunch, I might treat myself to the stunning spectacle of British Airways flight attendants sunbathing by the poolside, their skin devouring the light with a vampire’s rapaciousness. But then, upon returning to my room, I would return to the world of Oxford Blues

I would watch Lowe crash his red car on a small Oxford street, Lowe drinking with a friend at a pub called The Bear, Lowe trying to read a book, Lowe always thinking about Lady Victoria, Lowe entering a class on the history of architecture, Lowe bothering Lady Victoria again, Lowe rowing fast to impress Lady Victoria, and Lowe getting drunk and passing out in the mens’ shower.

Lowe basically plays an asshole American who needs to learn a big lesson about life. He goes to Oxford with only one goal: to conquer Lady Victoria Wingate. When he finally finds her, and is alone in a room with her, he gives her one of the creepiest shoulder rubs in the history of cinema. He rubs her flesh like it’s just meat. Indeed, I have seen cooks rub a streak with greater affection. I always tried to miss this scene because it was so disturbing.

In another scene, Lady Victoria refuses to kiss Lowe, explaining that she is in a relationship. But that does not stop the young American. He keeps hitting on her and hitting on her until, one night, she relents and they fuck. But the next day, Lady Victoria informs Lowe that that fuck was it. She’s sticking with her aristocratic boyfriend, Colin Gilchrist Fisher (a young, dashing, and snobbish Julian Sands). He is a man who turns out to have more “character” than Lowe. And this is the lesson that Lowe learns at Oxford. He is an empty American, an American who is all hat and no cow.

One of the many reasons I loved watching Oxford Blues in that hotel room was it formed the triangle of my life. I had lived in the US as a boy, and so I identified with Lowe’s all-American brashness, but my education at the high school level had been very British, though it happened in Zimbabwe. Indeed, the school that Lowe attends at Oxford, Oriel, is connected with the high school I attended in Harare, Oriel Boys’ High School. And then there was me in an African hotel room watching, afternoon after afternoon, night after night.

My mother started getting worried. I was turning 19 and had no plans for the future. It was clear that I could spend the rest of my life in this moment, this posh hotel, eating Mongolian every night, watching the British flight attendants sunbathe, and seeing again and again Rob Lowe face up to the fact that the film’s wholesome American girl, Rona (Ally Sheedy in her stardom prime), was going to be his wife. That fact was established in the film’s first 15 minutes.

I also loved Oxford Blues’ ending, where Lowe looks at himself in a mirror and just loves himself, loves what all the ladies see— his shape and moves. I’m still in that room watching Lowe shake his butt. n

From the outside, this building on the edge of the International District looks like an old school. Inside, it echoes like a school, too. It’s easy to imagine the hallways teaming with students. At one time, there were children within these walls, but they weren’t students; they were prisoners.

Today, the building is known as Inscape, the self-proclaimed “largest arts and culture enclave in Seattle,” with 125 tenants in 77,000 square feet of space. Old jail cells and administrative offices now serve as studios for painters, designers, pet photographers, a kombucha brewer, and the Tibetan Nuns Project (a nonprofit that supports Tibetan women entering monastic life). School groups take field trips here, and it’s open sometimes for studio tours. But for most of its history—from 1932 to 2004—any art that was made here was incidental.

This was the United States Immigration Station and Assay Office, more commonly called the INS Building, and it was where immigrants went to have their American dreams realized or denied. Some people, like my Stranger colleague Charles Mudede, got their US citizenship here; others were detained here before being deported.

Louie Gong, an indigenous Canadian artist who owns Eighth Generation, a company that makes and sells wool blankets, operates three studios in the building, including the room where records for resident aliens like him were once stored.

Originally, the top floor of the building was the Treasury Department’s Assay Office, where miners would bring gold and silver for processing before selling their precious metals for cash. The vault remains today, although it’s currently padlocked shut. The lower three floors were given over to immigration and detention. In the early years, almost all those detained were Chinese.

In 1882, almost 30 years before the building opened, President Chester Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned the immigration of Chinese laborers. It was

WHAT IS THIS BUILDING?

Inscape used to be a prison for immigrants. Now it’s a home for artists.

BY KATIE HERZOG

“It’s common for people visiting the building to feel that it’s haunted.”

the first law in the United States that prohibited a specific ethnic group from immigrating, but it certainly was not the last.

The Exclusion Act was repealed in 1943, in the midst of World War II, when it was Japanese people, not Chinese, who were

The exterior of Inscape, a view down one of its hallways, and graffiti left by detainees on the wall of the rooftop courtyard.

seen as the enemy. The day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese men in and around Seattle were rounded up and taken in for questioning at the INS Building. Soon after, they were sent to internment camps— as were women and children.

More recently, the bulk of immigrants arrived from Mexico, as well as Central and South America, and it was at the INS Building where judges would determine their fates.

After 9/11, the federal government began requiring all males from 25 predominantly Arab and Muslim countries to enter a special registration. By 2003, immigration officials had interviewed over 85,000 Muslims and

other Arabs. In Seattle, those interviews happened at INS too.

My colleague Charles Mudede, a native of Zimbabwe, which used to be known as Rhodesia, says the INS Building, where he spent a lot of time going through the bureaucratic process of becoming a citizen, “was the most cosmopolitan place in Seattle. You saw ethnicities you’d never even heard of. You’d wake up at four in the morning to get in line early and there would still be people in front of you. The line of people standing in the rain would stretch down the block. It was a horrible place. No matter how good your situation was, people who worked there treated you like shit. There were no attempts to be kind. You would see people crying, just desperate.”

While he and other immigrants waited outside the building in Seattle’s semi-constant drizzle, they could see detainees housed on the second floor, leaning through windows or hanging out in the rooftop courtyard, watching.

After 72 years in continuous use, the INS Building closed in 2004. By then, it was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter to detain people here, and too crowded all year long. The federal government was flooding Homeland Security and immigration enforcement with money. The operations that used to take place inside were split up— today, you go to government offices in Tukwila to renew visas or interview for citizenship, and detained immigrants are held in another facility, the privately owned Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma.

The building was auctioned off for $4.4 million after INS moved out. With input from leaders in Seattle’s immigrant community, the buyers turned it into artist studios.

PHOTOS BY JONATHAN VANDERWEIT

It’s been artist studios ever since. Still, it’s not just a place for pet portraits and screen printing. It’s also a monument. In 2014, the Wing Luke Museum installed a permanent exhibition called Voices of the Immigration Station, and there are placards along the tile walls that explain what happened here, in the prison that was never officially called a prison.

“When the community reflected on what was going to happen to the building, they appreciated that artists would be able to engage with the complicated history of the space,” says Cassie Chinn, the deputy executive director of Wing Luke. “Artists are able to live in this tension where there were some joyful moments—getting citizenship, being formally welcomed into the US—and also some very difficult moments.”

For the Wing Luke exhibition, Dori Cahn, a local writer and teacher, recorded oral histories from immigrants, former detainees, attorneys, employees, and others with a connection to the space. “They call it ‘administrative detention,’” one placard reads, “but to me, it is plain old incarceration. I mean, we wear uniform, lock in cage, and we all get numbers. It’s funny how people try to justify injustice.” Another tells the story of an Ethiopian detainee who was scheduled to be deported to a place he hadn’t been back to since he was a kid. Desperate to break free and reunite with his American wife and children, he scaled the prison walls and fell to his death.

In between placards, there is art. While wandering the halls recently, I saw portraits, photographs, installations, a headless mannequin leaning against a wall, and encaustic paintings that use wax and heat to splash color across canvas. In one studio, blinking eyes were projected against a blank wall, an unsettling reminder that this place was once run by uniformed guards.

Eighty-six years after the building first opened, deportation is still very much an American value, especially now as the Trump administration wages war against immigrants. At the same time, the old prison is now occupied by mostly white American-born artists who will never live under the threat of being kicked out. This can give the appearance that the prison, like other parts of Seattle, has been swept up in rapid gentrification.

In response to Trump’s election, and with help from Wing Luke, Inscape started a residency program for immigrants, who are given a free space in which to work. So far, they’ve had three artists-in-residence, including Yuri Kinoshita, an artist from Japan who used her residency to make Fuga, a steel and bamboo tree with lights spilling out of the trunk like a psychedelic oak. “I felt like I got to time travel,” she says of her residency. “Or that time stopped.”

The final Wing Luke placard is at the top of the building, where miners once brought their precious metals. “Are there ghosts in the building?” it reads. Perhaps.

“It’s common for people visiting the building to feel that it’s haunted,” says Louie Gong, the indigenous blanket maker, “but I think it’s the residue of the history of the building and the negative experiences people had there that lingers. Over time, I can feel that negative energy giving way to the positive energy of the artists working there now.” n

STOP PRETENDING YOU DON’T LIKE PAUL SIMON

In praise of a brilliant, six-decade career.

BY SEAN NELSON

During Paul Simon’s career making records, the music in which he specializes has transmogrified wildly, from teen fad to global hormonal explosion to Serious Art Form to self-serious indulgence to failed revolution to nostalgia delivery device. Having been part of every stage of this evolution, and at the forefront of several of them, Simon has earned the right to be done.

The news that his forthcoming tour will be his last was hardly surprising. First of all, he’s 76 years old. That would be getting up there even if we weren’t measuring in rock and roll years—in which 76 is both ancient and average. For contrast: Paul McCartney is eight months and five days younger; Bernie Sanders is one month and five days older. Consider, however, that Simon has been a working musician for 61 of those years, and a major star for 53 of them. You can hardly blame a person for getting tired.

Second, the announcement of Homeward Bound: The Farewell Tour comes during a phase of what might be called “retirement vogue” among artists of a certain age. If their word is worth anything (Cher? The Who? I’m looking at you), 2018 will bring the last stage hurrah for musicians as unalike as Elton John, Neil Diamond, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Baez, Sonny Rollins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rush, and even Slayer.

After the deaths of unretired giants like Prince and Tom Petty, whose continued road work exacerbated their dependence on the pain meds that killed them, the prospect of calling it a day sounds less like surrender than self-preservation.

Simon has said he has every intention of continuing to make music and even “doing the occasional performance in a (hopefully) acoustically pristine hall” for charity. But the tour he’s about to start will mark the end of a professional career in pop that has stretched across more than six decades.

Still, Simon is unique among the 2018 retiree class in that he is still an artistic striver. His most recent album, Stranger to Stranger (2016), was vital, experimental, and perhaps above all, enjoyable. Songs like “The Werewolf,” “Wristband,” and “Cool Papa Bell” leave the powerful impression that music itself—the process of finding it, harnessing it, capturing it, playing it, sharing it, hearing it—can be an elemental source of rejuvenation, for both artist and audience. Having long since aged out of plausibility as a pop figure, Simon enlisted unlikely collaborators to help him make unlikely sounds, and wound up making his best, most surprising work in a couple of decades.

So why retire?

“Showbiz doesn’t hold any interest for me,” Simon told the New York Times. “I am going to see what happens if I let go. Then I’m going to see, who am I? Or am I just this person that was defined by what I did? And if that’s gone, if you have to make up yourself, who are you?”

Who Simon is—particularly in relation to the people closest to him—has been the main subject of his songs for a long time. That’s more or less why there are still people out there pretending not to care for his work.

He has sold untold millions of records, reliably drawn rave reviews from mainstream

outlets, and probably hasn’t played an unsold-out show since 1964. But listeners who fancy themselves discerning have had a beef with Paul Simon from the very beginning. At a time when rock music aficionadodom

“Slip Sliding Away” is so catchy you can sing along with every syllable without realizing how melancholy the words coming out of your mouth are.

was at its sternest, Simon’s focus on the self fueled the critical reaction against him. As if the self isn’t the only truly universal concern.

Bob Dylan (Simon’s labelmate, rival, occasional subject, and later, tour mate) had made the aspiration to “serious” poetry a

fashionable mode in popular music. The young, self-serious intellectual turtleneck was a relatively new cultural archetype born of the folk revival; Simon, along with his childhood friend and singing partner Art Garfunkel, embraced it fully. As their star rose, haters intimated that Simon, who wrote all the songs, was a B-minus/C-plus Dylan who had tricked tens of millions of presumably guileless listeners into thinking

early songs like “The Sound of Silence” and “I Am a Rock” were good. They called him bourgeois and pretentious, wimpy and soft, a poetaster in bard’s clothing.

In a 1967 New Yorker column, Ellen Willis captured the argument against Simon’s early music when she complained that his subjects were the generic stuff of poetry students the world over: “the soullessness of commercial society and man’s inability to communicate. This appealed to kids who hadn’t read much modern poetry but knew what it was supposed to be about, or were over impressed with their own nascent Weltschmerz, or both.”

She also wrote: “I hate most of his lyrics; his alienation, like the word itself, is an old-fashioned sentimental liberal bore.”

That same year, the critic Robert Christgau, who never missed a chance to call Simon wimpy, was just as dismissive: “He is the only songwriter I can imagine admitting he writes about that all-American subject, the Alienation of Modern Man, in just those words.”

But stinging critical indictments are almost never as powerful an influence as selling millions of records, pleasing millions of people, and making millions of dollars.

Encouraged by the massive folk-rock success of Simon and Garfunkel, he ran fullsteam toward his pretentions, wearing a cape on the cover of the Sounds of Silence LP and

cranking out self-consciously fusty lyrics in “April, Come She Will,” “To Emily, Wherever I May Find Her,” and his indisputable nadir, “The Dangling Conversation,” which groans under lines like “and you read your Emily Dickinson / and I, my Robert Frost / and we note our place with bookmarkers / that measure what we’ve lost.”

What Willis and Christgau, surely two of the shrewdest music critics of all time, failed to explain, was how easy it was (and is) to love these songs. Simon’s masterful folk guitar figures and perfect melodies are timeless enough to cover, and even sublimate, the lofty thematic conceits of his early work.

Simon’s harshest critics also failed to account for the fact that, in direct contrast to the conventional expectations applied to pop musicians, his lyrics got much, much better as he got older.

By the time of the final Simon and Garfunkel album, Bridge Over Troubled Water his musical and verbal ambitions had come together. He knocked out swelling masterpieces like “The Boxer,” “The Only Living Boy in New York,” and the title track, alongside gentle giants like “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright” and “Song for the Asking.”

When Simon and Garfunkel broke up, some assumed Simon would be lost without the angelic voice of his childhood friend to elevate his compositions. What happened was exactly the opposite. Freed from the constraints of writing for a vocal harmony duo—a lovely constraint, but a constraint nonetheless—he became immersed in a world of rhythmic possibilities that made his songs more versatile, his singing more focused, and his lyrical concerns more emotionally, intellectually, and (dare one say) poetically complex.

As gorgeous as Garfunkel’s harmonies

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SOPHIE FRANZ

PAUL SIMON Fri May 18 at Key Arena

3.17 Electric Circus

3.19 Birthday Bash for Elnah Jordan

3.21 Piano Starts Here: In Memoriam (Two generations of the avant-garde) The Music of Geri Allen/Muhal Richard Abrams

3.22 Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love performed by Kathy Moore, Alex Guy, Gretta Harley & Igor Abuladze

3.24 Shout Out! Seattle (a benefit for Rain City Rock Camp for Girls)

3.24 Matt Alber & The Gentlemen Callers

3.29 & 3.31 Ancient to Future: A festival in celebration of the great revolution in jazz

4.1 Bucket O’Blessings: He is Risen!

4.1 Chris Speed Trio with Chris Tordini and Dave King

4.21 Prince: A Memorial Celebration

4.27 Zony Mash, Sweeter Than The Day, The Robin Holcomb Band

4.28 International Jazz Day Concert! Julian Priester. Overton Berry. Eugenie Jones. Bruce Phares. D’Vonne Lewis.

4.29 North Corner Chamber Orchestra

5.5 Cinco de Mayo: Latin Fiesta with Alma y Azúcar and special guests, Supersones Quintet

5.12 Georgetown Orbits Release Show

5.19 The Mews Release A Record

5.23 The Westerlies

6.9 Nolatet (Feat. Mike Dillon, James Singleton, and Brian Haas)

MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, and WEDNESDAYS LIVE MUSIC LATE NIGHT IN THE LOUNGE at 10pm WHISKEY HAPPY HOUR 10pm - close

were, Simon’s solo work surfaced the nuanced virtues of his own singing. His gift for unforgettable melodies welcomed the gentle, conversational tone and chalky texture of his voice to the fore, a sound as physically pleasing as the Rhodes electric piano that plays the intro to “Still Crazy After All These Years.”

His first two solo albums, Paul Simon and There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, spill over with international influence. “Mother and Child Reunion,” his first solo single (the title refers to a Chinese restaurant menu item that combines chicken and eggs), was the first Western hit to blend reggae and pop. “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” leaned into Latin and South American rhythms and sounds—not many cuícas were making their way onto pop radio at the time—that somehow melded perfectly with the jaunty strumming and playful, impossibly catchy, proto-rap vocals.

Working with the famous Muscle Shoals rhythm section, he dabbled fruitfully in gospel and funk, yielding big hits like “Kodachrome” and “Loves Me Like a Rock,” and quieter, more introspective gems like “American Tune,” “Something So Right,” and the heartbreakingly sweet lullaby, “St. Judy’s Comet.”

The popular experiments sat comfortably alongside moodier, folk-based explorations of (lowercase-a) alienation, depression, and the limits of love and friendship. These themes mirrored the shift from the utopian and revolutionary optimism of the ‘60s into the hedonism and despair of the ‘70s.

The emphasis on rhythm in the new material engaged the body as fully as the lyrics engaged the mind, a combination that allowed the songs to connect with their real subject, the heart.

“I know you see through me, but there’s no tenderness beneath your honesty,” he sang on “Tenderness.”

He never lost the knack for writing about love, but even at his most sanguine, Simon’s optimism was always cautious. “When something goes wrong, I’m the first to admit it,” he sang on “Something So Right.” “The first to admit it, and the last one to know / When something goes right, well, it’s likely to lose me / it’s apt to confuse me / ‘cause it’s such an unusual sight / Oh, I can’t get used to something so right.”

And even a casual classic rock radio listener knows how many flippant ways Simon can find to leave one’s lover.

This trajectory—from tempered hope to casual surrender—isn’t so profound. In a way,

it’s just a means of giving voice to some of the least interesting facets of the fear-of-commitment shtick that men have been enlisting to bail on relationships for time immemorial. But it forms the emotional backdrop to Simon’s true ‘70s masterpiece, “Slip Slidin’ Away,” which reconciles the smooth funk imperatives of his solo period with the thematic concerns he had been wrangling his entire career: loneliness, depression, and the consequences of freedom.

Having strained for more than a decade to give voice to the Alienation of Modern Man, Simon had finally nailed it.

*

It’s hard to think of a hit song that paints a bleaker picture of life than “Slip Sliding Away,” or any song so catchy that you can sing along with every syllable, mirroring every vocal leap, without realizing just how melancholy the words coming out of your mouth are. The people in this song are desperate and defeated, but Simon’s melody ennobles them, while his groove pulls them along. “Dolores, I live in fear / my love for you’s so overpowering I’m afraid that I will disappear.” “A good day ain’t got no rain” and

It came in the form of a cassette of music played by black South African musicians.

He was so entranced by the sound that he followed it to its source, where he teamed with a community of players who, despite living under one of the most oppressive governments in modern history, made some of the most joyful music he had ever heard. The grooves they captured there laid the groundwork for what would become Simon’s greatest commercial, critical, and maybe artistic triumph as a solo artist.

That is, of course, the short version of the story of Graceland, which sold over 16 mil-

ise, but only the latter portrays a remnant of hope that grace might be available to someone who’s willing to go looking for it, in Memphis or Soweto, as the case may be.

In short, though no less self-involved, and no less burdened by illusions, Simon now understood that he was lucky, a revelation that makes all the difference any time a beloved millionaire sings about dissatisfaction.

The album also re-awakened Simon’s sense of play, one of the least appreciated elements of his voice. Compare the third verse of “Slip Slidin’ Away,” in which the father travels a long way to explain himself to his son, only to leave again, too ashamed to wake the boy. A very different father has a very different message for his son on “That Was Your Mother”: “You are the burden of my generation / I sure do love you, but let’s get that straight.”

“a bad day’s when I lie in bed and think of things that might have been”? Jeez.

If your parents split up in the mid-‘70s and the third verse doesn’t make you cry, we probably don’t have anything more to discuss. By the time this song came out, Simon was the indisputable laureate of divorce rock.

Ten years before “Slip Slidin’ Away,” Simon wrote “Mrs. Robinson.” Ten years after it came Graceland. Do you see where I’m going with this? In what world is that not a formidable career? By what yardstick is this guy not one of the all-time greats?

By the mid-’80s, Simon was in his mid40s, adrift, divorced again, having made two flops in a row (One Trick Pony and Hearts and Bones—whose best songs would combine into one of the best albums you ever heard). He was desperate for inspiration.

lion copies, and ignited many controversies about the unorthodox nature of its creation and authorship, as well as the moral and ethical legitimacy of Simon’s breach of the existing UN cultural boycott of South Africa under the Apartheid regime, which would end five years after the record came out.

But whether or not it was exploitative (which I don’t believe), or an act of cultural appropriation (which I think is part of music’s near-sacred duty; if you can’t hear Simon’s reverence for the mbaqanga township jive sound that Graceland delivered to the West, I can’t imagine what would convince you), in the context of Simon’s work, it was nothing short of a rebirth, equal parts photo opportunity and shot at redemption.

Despite its worldwide vibe and the political moment that gave rise to it, Graceland is very much an album about the self. What had changed was his disposition toward that self. Compare the resignation of “Slip Slidin’ Away” to the near-mystical shades of Graceland’s title track. Both songs are about unfulfilled prom-

One album later, on “The Obvious Child,” he felt free enough to write the lyric that gets my vote for his all-time best rhyme: “We had a lotta fun, we had a lotta money / we had a little son, we thought we’d call him Sonny.” I love those lines partly because they’re gloriously silly and sticky, but also because they sound like words the self-serious turtleneck of his Simon and Garfunkel days might have had the nerve to write in a notebook, but probably wouldn’t have allowed himself to sing. That evolution continued up to the first single from 2016’s Stranger to Stranger, “The Werewolf,” one of the most sneakily astute, end-of-anempire songs any artist of any age has released since America really went off the rails. It’s been 32 years since Graceland, and 31 more since his first single with Garfunkel, “Hey, Schoolgirl,” and Paul Simon is about to take a richly deserved international curtain call. You’re well within your rights to withhold your applause, if you insist. But the sound of your silence will be drowned out by the powerful appreciation of a world that has grown up and (now) grown old feeling nourished by songs that wrangle complex feelings of loneliness, isolation, solipsism, and disappointment into words and melodies that are likely to outlive us all.

You’ll also be denying yourself one of the most enduring musical pleasures of the past half-century. You’re obviously free to keep pretending you don’t like Paul Simon— musical taste, like suffering, is relative. But take another listen to a few songs from his immense body of work and consider the question he posed on The Rhythm of the Saints: Why deny the obvious, child? n

THINGS TO DO SPRING

See The Stranger’s

THINGS

PERFORMANCE

By Joule Zelman, Chase Burns, Christopher Frizzelle, Sean Nelson, Dave Segal, and Rich Smith

Theater

12th Avenue Arts

The Impossibility of Now (Through March 31): This new comedy, produced by Thalia’s Umbrella, is about a marriage threatened by one spouse’s transformation into “an optimistic happy person” after a whack on the head.

Happiest Song Plays Last (March 23–April 14): In the sequel to Quiara Alegría Hudes’ Water by the Spoonful, previously staged by Theatre22, an Iraq War vet shooting a film in Jordan finds his traumatic memories triggered by the Arab Spring. Meanwhile, his cousin Yaz tries to shore up her Philadelphia community.

ASL Midsummer Night’s Dream (April 19–May 12): Hearing and deaf audiences can enjoy this Shakespeare production together with ASL signing, with direction by Teresa Thuman and Howie Seago.

★ The Nether (April 27–May 14): What if there were a virtual world where men could live out their most fucked up, rapacious fantasies? Would such a world pacify violent behavior? Or would it only serve as a refinery for that violence? Those are some of the questions playwright Jennifer Haley asks in The Nether. Haley’s known for incorporating into her writing the tricks of Hollywood genre flicks, and this one’s billed as a thriller. We’ll see if

the characters and dialogue suffer as a result of that choice, as former Stranger writer Brendan Kiley said they did when WET produced Haley’s Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom back in 2009. RS

Wild Horses (May 31–June 24): Allison Gregory’s play is about a young woman remembering the summer that changed her overconfident adolescent self forever. Sheila Daniels will direct.

★ How I Learned to Drive (June 7–July 7): Paula Vogel won the Pulitzer Prize for this intense drama about trauma, manipulation, and freedom. Li’l Bit is our narrator, guiding us through memories of her scarred childhood and adolescence. The title refers to her driving lessons with Uncle Peck, a monstrous yet pathetic (and believable) man who molests her over the years with his wife’s knowledge. Winding through past and present scenes, Li’l Bit makes us understand how her personality was warped by these atrocious acts—yet how Uncle Peck paradoxically gave her the tools to free herself.

18th & Union

★ Year of the Rooster (April 13–May 5): Olivia Dufault’s play satirically examines cockfighting and toxic masculinity in America.

ACT Theatre

Young Playwrights Festival (March 29–31): Support youth in theater and

see new plays by writers aged 13 to 18 performed by professional actors.

The Last Class: A Jazzercize Play (April 12–29): Jazzercize instructor Kelsea Wiggan refuses to yield ground to zumba in this theater show/actual aerobics class, led and performed by Amy Staats, Megan Hill, and Margot Bordelon.

★ The Wolves (April 20–May 13): Ben Brantley at the New York Times says Sarah DeLappe’s debut play, The Wolves, is like a Robert Altman movie about a suburban girls’ indoor soccer team except in play form, and that’s all I really need to hear to buy a ticket. In case you need more: Freehold Theater Lab’s Christine Marie Brown will play the role of a soccer mom charged with wrangling up the likes of nine excellent up-and-coming actors. Those include Meme García, an excellent character actor and theater artist who’s recently returned to the PNW after polishing up her classical chops at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and Rachel Guyer-Mafune, whose pluck and charm brightened Book-It’s production of Howl’s Moving Castle and WET’s Teh Internet Is Serious Business. Sheila Daniels directs. RS

★ Until the Flood (June 8–July 8): The latest work by playwright, performer, and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith focuses on the social unrest following the fatal police shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael

Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The oneact drama highlights eight composite characters from the St. Louis region, who examine issues of race and social unrest from a variety of perspectives.

AMC Pacific Place

NT Live: Julius Caesar (March 22): See a recording of a National Theatre performance of Julius Caesar, starring wonderful actors like Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), David Calder (The Lost City of Z), David Morrissey (The Walking Dead), and Ben Whishaw (the new James Bond movies).

NT Live: Macbeth (May 17): See a “stage-to-screen” performance of Shakespeare’s most pessimistic play (well, it’s up there, anyway), starring Rory Kinnear and Marie Duff. Also playing at SIFF Cinema Uptown on May 10.

Annex Theatre

★ Crewmates (May 1–16): In Sameer Arshad’s comedy, a Muslim man from a conservative background starts dating an atheist Asian American woman, and things go swimmingly—until the supernatural, disgusted by their lovey-dovey nature, starts interfering.

ArtsWest

★ Hir (Through March 25): Hir isn’t like the rest of Taylor Mac’s plays, but it’s the play that made Mac famous. That’s because it looks like the style of play repertory theaters jizz over, which is kitchen sink realism. Hir, making its Seattle debut at ArtsWest, seems familiar to contemporary theatergoers: two kids and their parents sitting around their kitchen fighting. It’s ultimately a clever, innovative play about gender (and theater) that audiences will continue to unpack for decades. CB

★ An Octoroon (April 19–May 13): This theater will continue its sharp reflections on race relations and his-

tory this season with An Octoroon Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins’s play set in the latter days of American slavery, in which a young man inherits a plantation and falls in love with the titular “octoroon”—a woman with oneeighth black heritage.

The Ballard Underground

Kayfabe: Scenes from a Squared Ring (Through March 25): After a tragic in-ring accident leaves their father dead, the estranged children of professional wrestler Antaeus gather to hash out his legacy in this family dramedy loosely based on the Labours of Hercules

★ 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche (May 15–June 2): In this comedy by Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood, performed by the Fantastic.Z company, the widow members of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein have to hide out in a bomb shelter when the Russians attack in 1956.

Cafe Nordo

★ The Maltese Falcon (Through April 8): Book-It Repertory Theatre and Cafe Nordo collaborate on a stage version of the lush and gritty noir classic The Maltese Falcon, adapted by Jane Jones and Kevin McKeon.

★ Smoked! (April 26–July 1): Ray Tagavilla will star in an Eastwood-esque tribute to the Western, in which an ace shooter arrives in the town of Sauget to defend a farmer accused of “ecoterrorism.” Paul Budraitis will direct a production that’s paired with Chef Erin Brindley’s four-course meal. Center Theater

★ The Merchant of Venice (March 20–April 15): This is the year where Stranger Genius Award-winning actor Amy Thone plays all the challenging lead male roles in town, and we

Emergence

Why you should see it: Because choreographer Crystal Pite is a Canadian genius.

When/Where: April 13–22 at McCaw Hall.

should all rejoice. I have a hunch that her performance of Shylock in Seattle Shakespeare’s production of Merchant of Venice, the classic/infamous comedy about a merciless Jewish merchant who demands her pound of flesh, will resonate with the conversations swirling around the #MeToo movement. Desdemona Chiang will direct. RS Twelfth Night (April 4): Erin Murray will direct this touring production of Shakespeare’s comedy of twins, mistaken identity, accidentally homosexual crushes, and more mischief.

★ The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (April 19–May 6): Book-It will stage a version of Junot Diaz’s famed Pulitzer-winning novel about a “ghettonerd” Dominican boy growing up in gritty Paterson, New Jersey. Elvis Nolasco (American Crime) will star. The Picture of Dorian Gray (June 6–July 1): Book-It will lend flesh and blood to an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s onceshocking, still creepy Victorian novel.

The Conservatory

Seattle Playwrights Salon (Every second Friday): Witness the birth of new local theater every month at the wonderfully atmospheric Conservatory. Stick around to have a drink and meet the cast and author.

Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center

Much Ado about Nothing (April 20–29): Everything ends well in Shakespeare’s Much Ado about

LINDSAY THOMAS

Nothing, but not before gossip and malice nearly ruin some innocent lives. Annie Lareau will direct.

The 10-Minute Play Festival (April 26–29): Brand-new, super-short plays will see the light at this night of premieres written and produced by thirdyear Cornish students.

Shakespeare in Love (May 2–June 3): This theater adaptation of the 1998 film will relate the story of Will Shakespeare as he struggles to write his newest masterpiece, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter

Everett Performing Arts Center

★ The Gin Game (Through March 25): One of the all-time chestnuts of the legitimate stage comes to Everett featuring two of Seattle’s all-time favorites, Kurt Beattie and Marianne Owen, as aging residents of a nursing home, who sublimate the dread of death by playing cards and tearing each other apart with words. SN

Gay City

Queer, Mama. Crossroads (April 12–15): Queer black women, victims of police violence, wait in limbo in this show about “intersectionality and paranormal possibilities.”

Fallen Star (May 10–20): A trans superhero becomes disgusted with the systemic violence perpetuated by her cis peers.

Glenn Hughes Penthouse Theater

★ Goldie, Max and Milk (May 22–June 3): A single lesbian mother living on a shoestring budget resorts to the services of an Orthodox Jewish lactation expert in Karen Hartman’s sharp comedy.

Jones Playhouse

★ Angels in America Part II: Perestroika (April 24–May 6): The second part of Tony Kushner’s “Gay Fantasia on National Themes” is like the 1980s’ fever dream of illness, awe, terror, sex, and religion.

Lee Center for the Arts

★ Richard the Second (March 23): Everyone knows Richard III and the Henrys, but Richard II is one of Shakespeare’s most complex studies of power, hubris, ambivalence, and the subjective nature of justice. And because the play is almost kinkily revealing about the male psyche in relation to power and competition, it’s especially well-suited to the all-female cast treatment being served up by the excellent upstart crow collective. SN

Meany Hall

★ Ghosts of Hell Creek (May 5–6): In collaboration with paleontologists Dr. Greg Wilson and Dr. Dave Evans, Ari Rudenko directs a prehistoric animal dance that combines Japanese butoh theater and Indonesian traditional/ contemporary dance influences with “a science-based comparative examination of the anatomy, locomotion, and theoretical behavior of key extinct species featured in the performances.”

Moore Theatre

Manual Cinema: Ada/Ava (March 20): A old woman who’s just lost her twin wanders into a carnival mirror maze and finds herself traveling “across the thresholds of life and death” in the Manual Cinema collective’s trippysounding play, which incorporates shadow puppetry, old-school projection, and other nifty, classic techniques.

Naked City Brewery & Taphouse

Shakesbeerience Celebrates Seattle Celebrates Shakespeare (March 26): Seattle Shakesbeerience (“script in one hand, drink in the other”) will stage several scenes from the Seattle Celebrates Shakespeare season selections.

Northwest Film Forum

Stage Russia HD: The Three Sisters (May 12): Anton Chekhov’s three sisters will pine for their former life in Moscow as they languish in the provinces in Timofey Kulyabin’s production at the Red Torch Theatre in Novosibirsk. Kulyabin’s innovation: All actors but one communicate through sign language. Catch the broadcast of this production in HD.

On the Boards

★ Patti & The Kid (April 12–15): Described in the promotional materials as a dystopian “Western with Nerf guns,” Frank Boyd and Libby King’s Patti & The Kid follows two outlaws as they hide out from the Feds of the future in a vast desert. Along with Brooklyn-based theater company TEAM, King “has helped create and internationally tour four award-winning published plays: RoosevElvis, Mission Drift, Architecting, and Particularly in the Heartland.” Boyd was the best part of WET’s production of Young Jean Lee’s Straight White Men, and his last show at On the Boards, The Holler Sessions, was favorably previewed by The Stranger and praised in the Seattle Times. This one should be good, too. RS

★ Jack & (May 10–13): We’re anticipating that Jack & will use the formulas of sitcoms to criticize the prison system and the lasting damages it inflicts on released inmates. Director Kaneza Schaal and her leading actor, Cornell Alston, will make these clichés “intersect with real and imagined ceremonies for entering society.”

★ NW New Works Festival (June 8–17): This festival invites artists from all over the region to freakify the stages of On the Boards over the course of two weekends.

The Pocket Theater

We Should Be Women (Through March 24): Women actors from around Seattle will examine the thorny question of Shakespeare’s female roles.

Raisbeck Performance Hall

Achilles in Sparta (April 6–15): Michael Place will direct this play examining the fate of a nation that will march off to war following the abduction of Queen Helen.

★ James and the Giant Peach (April 7–15): You may have seen the movie adaptation of Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, but have you witnessed a stage production directed by Marc Kenison, aka Waxie Moon?

★ The 2018 Generative Project (April 8–15): The Generative Project opens the sets of Achilles in Sparta and James and the Giant Peach for the use of director HATLO and her ensemble.

Seattle Children’s Theatre

The Lamp is the Moon (April 12–May 20): A bright young girl resisting naptime helps her friend Lamp become the moon in this piece of kids’ theater.

Seattle Public Theater

★ Ironbound (March 23–April 15): This play, spanning two decades, dramatizes the working-class struggle for safety through the story of a Polish immigrant woman. Ironbound won the Charles McArthur Award for Outstanding Original New Play or Musical in 2015.

Hand to God (May 11–June 3):

A small-town Christian puppeteer in Texas unintentionally throws his community into turmoil when his puppet, Tyrone, starts escaping his control.

Seattle Repertory Theatre

★ The Great Leap (March 23–April 22): Here’s another chance to get a sense of the work of Lauren Yee, the 20-year-old playwright who already has more than half a dozen works under her belt. This production bounces back and forth between 1971 China (feeling the after-effects of the “Great Leap Forward,” and in the midst of the Cultural Revolution) and 1989 San Francisco.

★ Familiar (April 27–May 27): Wedding drama abounds in Tonynominated Danai Gurira’s Familiar (you also saw her in Black Panther): surprise guests, revealed secrets, and the tension that arises when a young woman wants to observe traditional Zimbabwean customs for her Minnesotan wedding.

★ Mac Beth (May 18–June 17): Seven women play all the Macbeth characters you know and fear in playwright/director Erica Schmidt’s new adaptation.

Randy Rainbow

Second Story Repertory

Redmond

The Taming of the Shrew (April 13–29): Watching a sharp-tempered wife being bullied into submission by her husband is no longer the stuff of uproarious comedy, but you can bet that this production of the Shakespeare play will bear that in mind.

Proof (May 18–June 3): Proof won the Pulitzer in 2001 for its depiction of a young woman who may have inherited her father’s mathematical brilliance—as well as his mental instability.

SIFF Film Center

★ Royal Shakespeare Company: Twelfth Night (Through March 20): See a Royal Shakespeare production of the topsy-turvy, gender-bendy comedy Twelfth Night in a recorded performance.

The Slate Theater Hamlet (Through April 1): The Fern Shakespeare Company will present Shakespeare’s masterpiece as part of their “Pursuit” season.

Partly Cloudy (April 5–15): A weather reporter tries to recover from an embarrassing on-air slip-up in a piece about public shame and support.

Blood & Beer (April 9–14): A washedup country singer meets a true fan in this piece directed by Beau M. K. Prichard and starring Tom Stewart.

Stimson-Green Mansion

★ The Horse in Motion Presents: Hamlet (April 12–29): Local theater company Horse in Motion will transform the Stimson-Green Mansion, a well-preserved 10,000 square-foot Tudor-style manse that stands out among the surrounding soulless condos on First Hill, into Hamlet’s Elsinore. This immersive version will feature two different productions of the play running in the house at the same time, sword fights in the library, and ghostly theatrical surprises. RS

Taproot Theatre

Lady Windermere’s Fan (May 16–June 23): A wife suspects her husband of cheating in Oscar Wilde’s comedy.

Theater Schmeater

★ The Country Wife (March 23–April 14): This 1675 comedy by William Wycherly, adapted by Rachel Atkins, was saucy enough to be barred from the stage for nearly two centuries. A rake seduces married women hither and thither, pretending to be a eunuch to avoid suspicion.

Shakespeare’s Lost Mixtape (March 26–April 11): The Schmee has invited area playwrights to create plays inspired by Shakespeare. Watch them along with a staging of a classic Twilight Zone episode called “The Bard.”

★ Bibliophilia (April 19–21): This short festival, presented by Word Lit Zine in co-production with Theater Schmeater, will celebrate the way words can come alive as they’re put on stage.

Welcome to Arroyo’s (May 11–June

2): Jay O’Leary will direct this hiphoppunctuated play by Kristoffer Diaz about changing values in a New York Puerto Rican family.

(March 23–April

14): Meet the scandalous Barbara Strozzi, whose ambition and musical talent make her chafe against the sexist strictures of the 17th century. In this play, Strozzi’s life and body of musical work parallels a modern story about a woman similarly facing down a society that wants to hem her in.

Shakespeare Dice: Hamlet (March 23–April 8): Eight actors have memorized the entire script of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and

Why you should see him: His musical parodies making fun of politicians are one of the few remaining reasons to live.

When/Where: April 28 at Neptune Theatre.

at this performance, presented by immersive/experimental theater company Dacha, an audience member will roll the dice and decide who will play which character. Events will take place at Freehold Theatre, the Russian Community Center, and an unnamed location on Bainbridge Island.

Vashon Theatre

★ The Vagina Monologues (March 20–25): Celebrate Eve Ensler’s campaign against violence towards women at this theatrical production of The Vagina Monologues West of Lenin

★ Big Rock (Through March 31): An artist joins her father on an isolated Pacific Northwest island after her latest opening. There, she meets an aspiring poet who may restore her faith in the power of art.

Musical Theater

The 5th Avenue Theatre

★ Kiss Me, Kate (April 6–29): The 5th is producing the Cole Porter classic as part of the city-wide Seattle Celebrates Shakespeare festival, with opulent sets and costumes from the critically acclaimed production by the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. CF

★ Hunchback of Notre Dame (June 1–24): Says my source: “This musical, while it has all of the goods from the Disney movie, is not an adaptation of the Disney film. It stays more true to the book and is darker than the Disney film. This will be directed by Glenn Casale, who directed Little Mermaid for us.” God, The Little Mermaid at the 5th was so good. CF

ACT Theatre

Ride the Cyclone (Through May 20): In this macabre musical comedy, a teenage chamber choir is trapped in fairground purgatory after a roller coaster accident kills them all. Rachel Rockwell will direct.

Annex Theatre

Silhouette (April 27–May 19): Silhouette, an a cappella musical with a cast of 10 women, imagines what happens when an astronaut is rescued by the seemingly primitive inhabitants of a planet, who in fact are capable of magic. When a rescue mission arrives from her home planet, this magic follows her onto the ship and starts causing disturbances in the technologically advanced society.

ArtsWest

Practical Questions of Wholeness (June 7–July 8): This program will alternate between John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Lanie Robertson’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, two musicals about identity and its fracturing. Hedwig, interspersed with glam rock numbers, is about an East German trans singer touring the US in the wake of a botched surgery; Lady Day portrays Billie Holiday as she prepares for one of her final concerts. Mathew

(The Nance) will

direct Hedwig, and founding artistic director of the Hansberry Project Valerie Curtis-Newton will direct Lady Day.

Bainbridge Performing Arts

Peter and the Starcatcher (Through March 25): Peter and the Starcatcher is a Tony Award-winning play about Peter Pan’s backstory.

Xanadu (May 4–20): Embiggen your hair and enjoy this silly musical about a Greek muse whose ambition is to open the world’s first roller disco in Venice Beach, California.

Benaroya Hall

The Boys from Syracuse (March 23–25): Delight to sprightly songs from Rogers and Hart’s screwball musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, courtesy of Showtunes Theatre.

Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center

Seussical: The Musical (April 4–8): Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, and the Lorax will cavort, directed by Kathryn Van Meter.

Erickson Theatre O Broadway

★ Heathers: The Musical (April 6–15): Cinema’s most famous mean girls will rule the stage in the theatrical version of the 1980s high school murder comedy.

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute

★ Say It Loud: Simply Me (March 23–24): Felicia V Loud will star in what sounds like a very gutsy a cappella performance work.

Moore Theatre

★ Todrick Hall: American (April 4): The dreamy young choreographer, singer, dancer, actor, and RuPaul’s Drag Race guest judge Todrick Hall is swinging back through town with an all-new production. He'll also come to the Pantages Theater in Tacoma on April 5. CF

★ Taylor Mac: A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (Abridged) (April 20): The uncategorizable playwright and performer Taylor Mac will dramatize the “trickle-up humanitarianism” of the era of queer revolution, performing protest anthems and rock music in a tribute to Bayard Rustin, Marsha P. Johnson, and other undersung activists. Mac’s collaborators will include a band with singers Steffanie Christi’an and Thornetta Davis, as well as costume designer Machine Dazzle.

Neptune Theatre

★ Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Live (April 1): If the prospect of a musical comedy sitcom made by a YouTube star about an unstable woman engaged in stalkerish behavior made you sigh and bemoan the decline of modern entertainment, oh no, love, you’re not alone. And yet, over the course of three seasons, Rachel Bloom’s show has become a powerfully funny, sharply observed, startlingly complex exploration of mental health, love, obsession, ambition, race, class, media, gender, and identity. More to the point, and I never thought I’d be the one to say this, but: The songs are fucking excellent. The lyrics are funny, smart, and more, and the melodies stick in your head like an ice pick.

Seattle Children’s Theatre

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience (March 22–May 13): The theater will adapt Caldecott medalist Mo Willems’s book about Wilbur, a naked mole rat who’s also a dandy.

Seattle Musical Theatre

The Producers (April 6–29): This play adapts the wicked Mel Brooks satire. You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (May 25–June 17): Revisit the charming musical about Charlie, Linus, Lucy, Sally, and all the gang.

Second Story Repertory

Redmond

★ Bye Bye Birdie (March 25): A rock star named Conrad Birdie disrupts life in a small Ohio town as he asks for one last kiss from one lucky girl before he goes off to war.

The Slate Theater

★ Little Shop of Horrors at Reboot (May 4–19): Expect inclusive casting at this production of the witty, grim horror musical about a nerdy, lovesick plant shop clerk, his vulnerable crush, and the mean green mother from outer space that insidiously takes over their lives.

Stroum Jewish Community Center

Mercer Island

I Can Get It For You Wholesale (May 6): Arthur Feinglass and Sunga Rose will direct this musical about New York’s Jewish garment sellers during the Depression.

Tacoma Musical Playhouse

Catch Me If You Can the Musical (April 6–29): This musical, based on a film based on the true story of the stunningly ambitious con man Frank Abagnale, boasts a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and a book by Terrence McNally (The Full Monty, Ragtime).

★ My Fair Lady (May 18–June 10): Douchey professor Henry Higgins will once again turn Cockney flower seller Eliza Doolittle into a lady.

Taproot Theatre

Crowns (March 21–April 28): In Regina Taylor’s Crowns, a young woman finds community in a group of women who “transcend place and time to infuse her with stories of faith, fortitude and pride.”

Village Theatre

Issaquah

String (Through April 22): The three Fates of Greek mythology spin, measure, and cut the threads of each life—until one of them falls in love on contemporary Earth and threatens the order of the cosmos. Also playing at Everett Performing Arts from April 27 to May 20.

Hairspray (May 10–July 1): This theater will treat you to a new production of Hairspray, the beloved musical.

(May 8–13): is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera (June 6–17): By the time this production makes it to Seattle, the 2012 film of will have been out for more than five years.

Rendezvous

Buskers Ball (April 6–8): A company party gets paranoid as rumors of a serial killer fly—and an unexpected

ZM (June 1–10): A fast-food sandwich turns people into zombies in this musical from the weird minds that brought you Urinetown.

Dance

AMC Pacific Place

Bolshoi Ballet: Giselle (April 8): See a live broadcast of the strange and ethereal ballet Giselle as danced by the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet.

Base: Experimental Arts + Space

★ 12 Minutes Max (May 20–21): On the Boards’ longest running program is back, featuring 12 (surprisingly quick or unfortunately long) minutes of brand-new work from Pacific Northwest performers. RS Britt Karhoff: STILL WONDER FULL (June 1–3): Britt Karhoff will perform a solo dance show reflecting on the “complexity and spectacle of loss.” Benaroya Hall

★ Romeo & Juliet (May 5): Everyone’s favorite underage romance will be performed by the ARC Dance Company to Prokofiev’s symphonic take on the classic tale.

THINGS TO DO PERFORMANCE

Broadway Performance Hall

Contemporary Moves 2018 (April 28–29): The Cornish Preparatory Dance Company and notable guest choreographers Mary Reardon, Sam Picart, and Mary Tisa, along with faculty members Amelia Bolyard, Leigh-Ann Hafford Cohen, and Vanesa Wylie, have collaborated on this spring showcase.

Chapel Performance Space

What Better Than Call a Dance?

(April 20): If you’re looking for dance or music that’s out of the ordinary, try this reinterpretation of dance music from the Renaissance to today, featuring clarinetist Beth Fleenor, dancer Karin Stevens, and the Kin of the Moon experimental chamber music group.

Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center

★ Spring 2018 Cornish Dance Theater (April 20–21): Watch Cornish dancers perform works by Danielle Agami, Natascha Greenwalt, Wade Madsen, Sam Picart, and Deborah Wolf.

★ Beautiful Carcass (May 11–20): Beautiful Carcass, choreographed by Maya Soto to music by Nico Tower, promises “a bewitching carnival world” that expresses aspects of life as a person in a female-assigned body.

★ Transfigurate (June 8–16): Transfigurate, the final performance in Whim W’Him’s 2017–2018 season, will boast three new works by Danielle Agami (formerly of Batsheva), Pascal Touzeau (ex-Ballet Frankfurt), and, as always, Whim W’Him’s artistic director Olivier Wevers.

Edmonds Center for the Arts

Coppélia (April 14–15): Olympic Ballet directors Mara Vinson and Oleg Gorboulev will stage a new take on the classic (and strange) ballet Coppélia. See it also at the Everett Performing Arts Center on April 7. Mystical Arts of Tibet (May 11): The Buddhist monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery will create a sand mandala and elevate your mind with chanting, music, and dance.

Erickson Theatre Off Broadway

★ BOOST Dance Festival (March 23–25): BOOST dance festival will seek to promote diverse contemporary performers who have fewer opportunities to showcase their talent than they deserve. See Daniel Costa Dance, Kimberly Holloway, Becca Smith, AU Collective, Melissa Sanderson, and Marlo Ariz Dance Project in action.

McCaw Hall

★ Director’s Choice (Through March 25): There’s just something about watching dancers drag 20 industrialsized tables across the stage during William Forsythe’s One Flat Thing that delights me every time. Other highlights of PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal’s always excellent showcase: the ultra-gorgeous athleticism of Forsythe’s

March 23–24

Slingerland Duet, the almost percussive rhythm of the solo violin in Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels, and the world premiere of PNB soloist Ezra Thompson’s The Perpetual State RS

Snow White (March 24): Bruce Wells’s choreography and Oskar Nedbal’s music retell the story of Snow White, her small-statured friends, the poison apple, and the reviving kiss in ballet. Students of the Pacific Northwest Ballet School will perform this hour-long, narrated version.

Shen Yun 2018 (March 28–April 1): Shen Yun, founded by Chinese Falun Dafa dancers in New York City, is an absolute celebration of an entire region’s magic, splendor, and creative possibility. The production aims to bring China’s ancient wonders to life on stage with dance and music.

★ Emergence (April 13–22): In Emergence, created by the Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite, a “swarming, scurrying group of dancers” acts out the impulse towards social hierarchy. In Alejandro Cerrudo’s Little mortal jump, genres collide and transform. Yuri Possokhov has his Pacific Northwest Ballet debut in RAkU. See these three modern works, all in one night.

★ Love & Ballet (June 1–10): Dance’s many forms dramatize love’s many forms in four works by prominent choreographers: Christopher Wheeldon (After the Rain pas de deux and Tide Harmonic), Justin Peck (Year of the Rabbit), and Benjamin Millepied (yes, the Black Swan guy—his piece is Appassionata).

Meany Hall

★ Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan (March 22–24): Lin Hwai Min is one of the most admired choreographers in Asia. His company Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan will perform his latest work, Formosa, which will pay homage to his native island.

★ Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (April 19–21): Hubbard Street Dance Chicago company has been racking up enraptured reviews for 40 years. For this brief run in Seattle, they’ll bring you choreography by Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, and Nacho Duato.

★ Complexions Contemporary Ballet (May 17–19): Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardsen (So You Think You Can Dance) choreograph ballet- and hiphop-melding pieces for this ensemble. Expect high-energy, high-calibre dance drama and a soundtrack that draws on everything “from Bach to Bowie.”

Moore Theatre

★ Kidd Pivot and Electric Company Theatre: Betroffenheit (March 23–24): This deeply disturbing clown show created by two of the best

dance companies around is back! Jonathan Young and Crystal Pite’s Betroffenheit—a German word that refers to “a state of shock, trauma, and bewilderment"—features the living embodiment of Young’s personal trauma of almost losing three of his family members in a cabin fire. Throughout the intense show, the clown-faced protagonist tries and fails and fails and fails to cope with their loss, reminding audiences how much work goes into the act of getting even just a little bit better. RS

Dorrance Dance (April 7): A contemporary take on tap dancing in three parts, entitled Three to One Jungle Blues, and Myelination, the last of which incorporates a live band.

On the Boards

★ Alice Gosti: Material Deviance in Contemporary American Culture (March 29–April 1): Seattle-based Italian American choreographer Alice Gosti produces durational performance art. Sometimes she wraps her head in toilet paper for eight hours straight and you get to think about how hard it is to even just communicate effectively with another person. Sometimes she transforms her dancers into water and has them perform for tourists on the waterfront and you remember in a sort of deeper way that bodies really are made of water. This time she’s setting her dancers in a hoarder’s dreamworld full of chairs and tables. RS

★ Black Bois (April 26–29): Choreographer and dancer Dani Tirrell’s piece will interpret “how black men/ bois grieve, show rage, express joy, and cry.” Join this company and remember Kalief Browder, Tamir Rice, and other young black men and teenagers who died in prison or at the hands of police.

Paramount Theatre

★ Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (April 27–29): See contemporary works from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater that touch on timely topics and “beloved classic Revelations.”

Dance for a Cure (May 19): STG Presents and Mo-dazz for the Arts will present this fundraiser for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Watch young dancers aged 7–18.

Rendezvous

Sister Kate Dance Company Presents ‘Big Top Follies: A Carnival Chorus Line!’ (April 26–29): Look forward to “pink elephants, strong women, and tattooed ladies” at this tribute to circus shenanigans featuring a score of songs from the ‘20s–’50s.

The Royal Room

Visual Musician & Friends (April 8): Visual Musician is Jessie

MICHAEL SLOBODIAN

THINGS TO DO PERFORMANCE

performs rhythmic tap dance along with the live music of her rotating backing band, pulling tracks from indie rock to jazz standards and everything in between.

Spectrum Studio Theater

★ H.R.3244: Dancing Towards a More Just and Equitable America, pt. 2 (May 5–13): This dance work will try to expose one of the horrifying hidden realities of today’s society: human trafficking.

What’s Missing (May 17–19): What’s Missing by eminent choreographers Beth Corning and Donald Byrd, which debuted in Pittsburgh for a series featuring dancers over 40, will explore alternate views of the same, repeated solos and duets.

Various locations

Seattle International Dance Festival (June 8–24): For 16 days, dancers from around the world (and some local stars) will perform in indoor and outdoor venues. Some events will be free and all-ages. In general, the focus is on innovation and diversity.

Velocity Dance Center

Anne Martine Whitehead (March 31): Anna Martine Whitehead’s choreography will explore the movement and question the liberty of “brown, black, and feminized bodies” within the similar structures of castles, jails, and cathedrals.

Velocity’s Spring Bash: Better Together (April 12): Help Velocity support local performers as you eat, drink, and enjoy dance shows.

Full Tilt (April 27–28): Watch collaborations between new and recognized choreographers, including Marlo Ariz, Jeremy Cline, Tyra Kopf, Melissa Sanderson, and Hayley Shannon.

★ Guest Artist Series: Sean Dorsey (May 3–6): Sean Dorsey’s work The Missing Generation honors gay and trans people lost to the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s, based on oral history contributed by survivors.

★ Converge Dance Festival 2018 (May 25–26): The fifth annual Converge Dance Festival will stage works by eight choreographers who are just coming into their own or hitting mid-career. The featured artists will be Abigail Zimmerman, Angelica Delashmette, Emily Curtiss, Hope Goldman, Jordan MacintoshHougham, Jordan Rohrs, Stephanie Golden, and Warren Woo.

Yaw Theater

Diastole/Systole (March 23–25): A quartet of dancers will experiment with ideas of “space, contraction and expansion.”

Cabaret & Burlesque

Can Can

★ Romeo & Juliet (Through April 29): This cozy speakeasy, tucked under Pike Place Market, specializes in charismatic, cheese-cakey, nearly-nude entertainment (plus more covered-up brunch shows for the young and the prudish). Expect something a little sexier than your typical Shakespeare adaptation.

Magnificent Matinée (Through April 29): Bring the kids to this tasty brunch show, featuring Can Can dancers doing nothing to offend young eyeballs.

Bananas (Opens May 4): Expect something sexy and tropical.

The Midnight Show (Friday–Saturday): Sleeping is so boring when you could be spending the wee hours with the foxy dancers of Can Can.

Clearwater Casino

Suquamish

The Lalas (April 19): The Lalas of LA, seen in Justin Timberlake videos and at the Emmys, promise a sexy, interactive, comedic show.

Columbia City Theater

Stripped Screw Burlesque Presents: Disney After Dark (Through March

31): Disney gets down and dirty in this burlesque show about a princess who’s overly fond of the bottle and her journey back to the Magic Kingdom.

★ The Emerald Titty (April 20–21): Get ready for naughty Seattle-based puns (long live the SLUT!) at the After Midnight Cabaret’s tribute to all things Emerald, from miserable rainy winters to cheap hamburgers and “from Nirvana to Sir Mix-a-Lot.”

The Conservatory

Valtesse: All Senses On! (April 20): If your taste runs to latex and velvet, try out this sensual show, which promises “dance, contortion, and apparatus.”

Hale’s Palladium

Oh, My GOLDness: A Cabaret (April 14): This flashy cabaret will tease you with glittery drag, burlesque, dance, variety, songs, and more.

Parlor Live Comedy Club Bellevue

Bellevue

Hunks the Show (April 11): Men will sing, dance, and take off their clothes in this production explicitly aimed at “bachelorettes, birthday girls, and divorcees.”

Rendezvous

★ Hamiltease (March 24): If you haven’t gotten enough of Hamilton: An American Musical burlesque spinoffs, thank Vamptastic Productions with Sailor St. Claire for this sexy parody.

Scarlet Wonderland Productions (Through March 25): Have fun being teased and raise money for “a local transgender person’s gender affirming surgery.”

The Emerald City Burlesque Revue Presents: For Your Eyes Only & Aperitif (May 5): You won’t have to choose between classic and contemporary burlesque—this revue will grant you both, with a special cocktail hour between.

Game Night with the Trinkettes (May 10): If you’re a gaming nerd/ bingo-lover who loves ecdysiasts, this night will cater to both your enthusiasms.

CLUE: A Burlesque Whodunit (May 11): This game of Clue promises to involve more bare asses than most.

MYTHOS: a Burlesque of Antiquity (May 18–20): Feast your eyes on the Devil’s Advocates’ show based on those other Olympians—Greek gods, goddesses, and other divinities.

Substation

Bonkers: A Clown Burlesque Revue (March 27): Tootsie Spangles as Oopsie Sprinkles, Maggie McMuffin, Boom Boom L’Roux, Vixen Valentine, Bella Lunacy, Scandal from Bohemia, and Mercury Divine will reveal their sexy clown personas. Rebecca Mmm Davis will host.

Triple Door

★ The Fourth Annual Seattle Boylesque Festival (April 13–14): Male and genderqueer burlesque dancers from across the globe will blast gender norms apart.

Through the Looking Glass: The Burlesque Alice in Wonderland (April 26–May 6): The producers of The Burlesque Nutcracker, Lily Verlaine and Jasper McCann, will once again re-imagine Lewis Carroll’s classic story as Alice visits Wonderland’s hottest nightclub, the Looking Glass.

Drag

Chop Suey

★ Kylie Minogue's Acid Playhouse (April 20): Uh Oh, Dolce Vida, Dolce Vida, Betty Wetter, Arson Nicki, and other popular local queens will shock your senses.

The Conservatory

Jackie 1000 (April 7): The drag company Bacon Strip, helmed by Sylvia O’Stayformore and Mizz Honey Bucket, will set a gaggle of mischievous queens to shocking shenanigans.

Kremwerk

★ Art Haus 4.0 (Every First Saturday): The weirdo drag battles at Art Haus are shockingly brilliant, deeply strange, and delightfully incomprehensible. RS Re-bar

★ Dina Martina: Cream of the Drawer (March 30–April 28): Here's how Stranger critics have described Dina Martina in the past: "Seattle's most gifted malapropist"; a "psycho-drag superstar"; and "a singer who cannot sing, a dancer who cannot dance, and a storyteller who seems to have situational brain damage." We've also given her creator, Grady West, a Genius Award. It's no insult to our colleagues to say that none of these descriptions quite encapsulate the Platonic essence of Dina. You'll have to see her for yourself.

The Royal Room Bucket-O-Blessings Easter Special (April 1): Want to mark Easter with debauchery, drag, and puppets? Bobbi Jo Blessings, Sylvia O’Stayformore, and Honey Bucket have the campy, quasireligious special for your sacrilegious self.

The Showbox

★ Blame it on Bianca Del Rio (April 6 & 8): Bianca Del Rio, the most vicious RuPaul’s Drag Race winner of all time, will wield her mean and hilarious sense of humor.

SIFF Cinema Egyptian

★ The Golden Girls Live (March 22): Welcome four queens from San Francisco as they embody the Golden Girls: Heklina, Matthew Martin, D’Arcy Drollinger (who also directs), and Holotta Tymes. Sasha Velour (RPDR Season 9) is the guest star.

Timbre Room

Weird Presents Disney After Dark (Every Second Friday): Disney will get a drag twist at this guaranteed-weird recurring night.

Triple Door

★ Jinkx Monsoon & Major Scales in ‘The Ginger Snapped’ (April 7): Drag superstar Jinkx Monsoon (winner of season five of RuPaul’s Drag Race) just put out her second record, The Ginger Snapped, which, like her first album, is a collaboration with musician and pianist Major Scales. The ginger in question is Jinkx, and the featured artists include Lady Rizo, Fred Schneider of the B-52’s, and Amanda Palmer. CF Unicorn

★ Mimosas Cabaret (Sunday): The drag diva titaness Mama Tits presides over another iteration of Mimosas Cabaret, featuring a short musical, plus songs, comedy, dance, and brunch. Circus, Variety & Performance Art

12th Avenue Arts

She is Fierce: Criminal (April 6–7): This storytelling event will feature people who identify as women sharing personal stories through performance, dance, theater, music, and/or visual art.

Annex Theatre

★ Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery (Every first Sunday): On the first Sunday of each month, comedy, variety, and “a parade of wonder and awkward sharing” are hosted by the self-proclaimed “mustache wizard” Emmett Montgomery.

★ Spin the Bottle (Every first Friday): This is Seattle’s longest-running cabaret and has seen just about everything—dance, theater, comedy, paper airplanes, tears, stunts, music, romance—from just about everyone.

Benaroya Hall

★ Alan Cumming (May 3): The man who almost singlehandedly reinvigorated the musical Cabaret with his extroverted take on the role of the emcee also has his own variety show, which he’s bringing to Seattle for one night only. CF

Broadway Performance Hall

★ SASS: SANCA’s Annual Showcase Spectacular (April 6–8): Watch SANCA staff, students, alumni, and others in the circus community perform impressive acrobatic routines.

The Conservatory

★ La Petite Mort’s Anthology of Erotic Esoterica (Every last Friday): See “the darker side of performance art” at this eerie, secretive variety show with circus arts, burlesque, music, and more. Feel free to wear a mask if you’d rather not be seen.

Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center

Cornish Clown Show (April 19–22): Witness Cornish Junior students transform into their “red-nosed clown personas” at several evenings of physical comedy and commedia dell’arte.

Gay City

The Darker Side Of The Rainbow (March 22–25): Six queer black artists will create their own myth, free of the stereotypes and expectations imposed on them, in this performance piece with “music, poetry, dancing and singing.”

Marymoor Park

Redmond

★ Love, Chaos, and Dinner (Through April 29): Beloved circus/ cabaret/comedy institution Teatro ZinZanni's latest show is led by firsttime “Madame ZinZanni” Ariana Savalas, and features a duo on aerial trapeze, a magician, a “contortionistpuppet,” a yodeling dominatrix, a hoop aerialist, and a Parisian acrobat.

Northwest Film Forum

Lonely Together (March 22): Seattle’s “semi-beloved” comedian Emmett Montgomery will preside over a combination dating game/talent show.

Paramount Theatre

DOORS: Opening Doors to the Arts (May 5): Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr. will make an appearance at this fundraiser for Seattle Theatre Group.

★ David Blaine (May 16): Street magician David Blaine, who’s submitted his body to such tortures as lengthy imprisonment in a six-ton block of ice and one million volts from seven Tesla coils, will take the Seattle stage.

Rendezvous

Enchanting Charity Recital (May 16): Don’t let anyone tell you Seattle isn’t a beautiful place. Where else can you see a pole dance showcase where ticket sales benefit the Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary?

★ The Magic Hat Presented by Emmett Montgomery and Friends (Monday): A weekly comedy variety show.

SANCA

SANCA’s Spring Festival of Flight (June 1–2): SANCA is opening its doors for a weekend-long celebration of the flying trapeze. Watch the students and pros do their thing, and then take a turn yourself.

Jinkx Monsoon: The Ginger Snapped

Why you should see it: Because Jinkx just released her second album and it's extraordinary.

When/Where: April 7 at the Triple Door.

The Showbox

Puddles Pity Party (June 1): The extremely popular “sad clown with the golden voice” presents his downcast live production.

Theatre Off Jackson

Fussy Cloud Puppet Slam Volume 14 (April 20–21): Puppetry’s already pretty strange—it involves a certain amount of suspension of disbelief to invest emotions into a bundle of cloth on strings. Fussy Cloud Puppet Slam apparently kicks the weirdness up and rides it into Bizarro Land.

Triple Door

The Residents (April 9): The legendarily strange avant-garde art/music collective the Residents are here to bring their chopped-up rock music, conceptual acts, and maybe eyeball helmets to the Seattle stage.

Various locations

★ Moisture Festival (Through April 8): Everything from circus acts to comedians, burlesque dancers to musicians, and jugglers to tap dancers. This year marks the 15th annual festival.

Youngstown Cultural Arts Center

★ Intersections: A Celebration of Seattle Performance (March 22–25): Improv comedy queens Natasha Ransom, Jekeva Phillips (who made City Arts’ Future List this year), and Kinzie Shaw are organizing a festival for performers who identify as LGBTQ+, are of color, and/or have disabilities. Come to see burlesque, improv, drag, theater, dance, and music acts, plus panels and a party.

SANCA’s Professional Preparatory Program Capstone Performance (May 11–12): It’s probably the cheapest way to see a full-length circus show: Graduating students from the intensive nine-month Professional Preparatory Program at SANCA will display their new skills.

Podcasts & Radio

Hotel 116, a Coast Hotel Bellevue

Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound Showcase (April 13–15): Radio theater may seem archaic, but listen to the right Bob and Ray skit and you’ll realize that the oldies were into some avant-garde stuff. Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound (REPS) will pay tribute to this creative era with star appearances, live reenactments, and more.

Neptune Theatre

Jay and Silent Bob Get Old (April 20): Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, the filmmakers behind the classic slacker comedy Clerks II and its sequels, will record an episode of their podcast Jay & Silent Bob Get Old live.

★ LeVar Burton Reads Live! (May 6): Good God, can anything be more comforting than this in our antiintellectual times? LeVar Burton of the beautiful, long-running kids’ show

March 23 - April 14 | 8PM

SMOKE AND DUST by Joy McCullough-Carranza

Scandalous women need to stick together.

A world premiere play produced by Macha Theatre Works.

April 20 and 21 | 8PM

FUSSY CLOUD PUPPET SLAM VOLUME 14

Fussy Cloud presents a quirky cabaret by and for puppet loving grown-ups.

April 26, 27, and 28 | 8PM

BURL-X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE ASS produced by Songbird & Raven Grab your spandex and get your claws ready! This burlesque adventure features mutants, mayhem, and a lineup of classic X-characters.

April 30 and May 1

KONDABOLU BROTHERS LIVE PODCAST TAPING

Hari & Ashok Kondabolu have signed a deal with Earwolf to do a live podcast!

Be part of history! Anything is possible and everything will be recorded!

May 4 and 5 | 8PM

UNDRESSEDED DEVELOPMENT

A burlesque tribute to Arrested Development. Produced by Lexi Luthor Productions

Reading Rainbow will take you back to your bookwormish childhood— well, except that the short story he’ll read to you will be more suited to adults. Past selections on Burton’s eponymous podcast have included tales by Elmore Leonard, Laura Chow Reeve, and Neil Gaiman, but we don’t know what he’ll select this time.

Doug Loves Movies (May 23): Comedian Doug Benson and surprise guests will banter about movies, movies, movies in a live taping of Benson’s popular podcast. Wear a “moviethemed” name tag for a shot at prizes.

Stroum Jewish Community Center

Mercer Island Israel Story: Celebrating Israel at 70 (April 19): Israel Story, described by the organizers as Israel’s This American Life, will put on a live show to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day). Stay after for desserts and coffee.

Vera Project

★ Chapo Trap House (March 30): Still mainlining Pod Save America like some kind of establishment cuck?

Try balancing your diet of Obama nostalgia with some premium Dirtbag Leftery from the Chapo Trap House guys. Will Menaker, Matt Christman, and Felix Biederman create a pretty fucking funny auditory environment for contemporary socialist thought. RS

Comedy

Central Cinema

The Central Comedy Show (Every first Thursday): Every month, Central Cinema presents an evening of live comedy.

Comedy Underground

Jason Cheny: Uproar Comedy Recording (March 22–24): Taiwanborn World Series of Comedy winner Jason Cheny draws from his dual heritage to riff on “family, culture, and society” in a set that promises more optimism and cheer than most stand-up.

★ Gabriel Rutledge (March 29–31): In a recent interview, Central Comedy Show’s Henry Stoddard and Isaac Novak singled out Gabriel Rutledge as perhaps the Seattle area’s funniest comic. Working in the familiar territory of family life and its countless frustrations and sorrows, Rutledge finds many quirky angles from which to squeeze distinctive humor out of everyday situations. DS

Emerald Queen Casino

Tacoma Sinbad (March 24): Sinbad will, presumably, continue sharing tales of everyday life.

Jet City Improv

Roxy Music Horror Show (Through April 20): Whether or not you’ve seen a million iterations of The Rocky Horror

May 8 | 8PM

SALON OF SHAME

Join us as we drink and exploit our younger selves for your entertainment!

May 11 and 12 | 8PM

PRETTY HAUTE MACHINE

A Burlesque Tribute to NINE INCH NAILS produced by IvaFiero Productions

April 8, May 13, June 10 | 7PM

SUNDAY NIGHT SHUGA SHAQ

The only monthly ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR Burlesque Revue in Seattle. |Produced by Briq House Entertainment and Sin De la Rosa

May 18 and 19 | 8PM

TENNESSEE TEASE

A burlesque play based on the works of Tennessee Williams. Produced by Sailor St. Claire

June 1 - 23 | 8PM

JOURNEY WEST! The Legend of Lewis & Clark by Andrew Lee Creech

Based on Mostly “True” Events. Produced by Copius Love Productions www.theatreoffjackson.org

JOSÉ ALBERTO GUZMÁN COLÓN

THINGS TO DO PERFORMANCE

Picture Show, this improvised parody will definitely involve the unexpected in every performance: new songs and a new take on the story.

Shot Prov (March 31–May 12): Well, this sounds a little dangerous: Improvisers violate secret rules (secret from them, that is) as they play and must take a shot every time they do so.

Twisted Flicks! (March 31 & April 26–28): The witty scalawags of Jet City Improv will re-dub a movie (dialogue, sound effects, and music) in a real time, using audience suggestions. 8 to 6 (May 3–June 8): In what will probably be a cathartic improv show, three women in the workplace take revenge on their awful chauvinist boss.

★ ASSBUTTS (Amazing Super Spectacular Bold Unscripted Terrific Theater Show) (May 19–June 30): Some of the city’s finest performers will collaborate on instantaneous comedy scenes, with a different lineup every Saturday.

Laughs Comedy Club

Shane Mauss (March 22–24): Wisconsinite comedian Shane Mauss, host of the science podcast Here We Are, will do a set.

★ Hannibal Buress (April 12–14): As famous for his acting credits as he is for accusing fellow comedian/actor Bill Cosby of rape, Buress is a masterly storyteller whose anecdotes keep accruing layers of hilarity as they go. DS

Jon Dore (April 21): This Canadian comedian stars in HBO Canada’s Funny as Hell and has attracted favorable attention from Variety and the Canadian Comedy Awards.

Langston Kerman (April 27–28): Failed NBA ball-boy Langston Kerman (Adam Devine’s House Party Problematic with Moshe Kasher Insecure) will make jokes.

Kermet Apio (May 18–19): Hawaiian-born, Seattle-based comedian Kermet (“It’s Not Easy Being Named Kermet”) Apio, winner of the Seattle International Comedy Competition, will perform.

Seattle International Comedy Competition (June 1–30): Once again, a lengthy last-comic-standing battle will rage. About 30 comedians will start the contest, and one will finish a champion.

McCaw Hall

★ John Cleese: Why There Is No Hope (March 26): Join legendary comedic actor John Cleese (Monty Python’s Flying Circus, A Fish Called Wanda) as he shares funny insights into the world, politics, and his life. There’s no telling what the “Why There Is No Hope” tour portends with regard to John Cleese’s 2018 persona. With so much omnidirectional sanctimony flying around these days, it’d be nice to think that a true laureate of inspired silliness might come back to reclaim his mantle. SN

Moore Theatre

Teachers Only Comedy Tour (April 28): Eddie B.’s “comedy on steroids” will help you understand the harried hubbub of a teacher’s life.

Nick Swardson: Too Many Smells Tour (May 6): Swardson, who started his career as a writer on Malibu's Most Wanted and Reno 911, has co-starred in movies with Adam Sandler and David Spade.

★ Jeff Ross & Dave Attell: Bumping Mics (May 18): Two of the greatest comedians of the past 20 years, Jeff Ross (the “Roastmaster General”) and Dave Attell (Insomniac), will perform.

Naked City Brewery & Taphouse

The Highlarious Comedy Festival (April 12–14): Enjoy live comedy in its various flavors and incarnations, with special shows highlighting funny queer stoners.

Neptune Theatre

★ Dylan Moran: Grumbling Mustard (March 27): You may know

Moran from his British sitcom Black Books, his roles in Shaun of the Dead and Cavalry, or from your perverse love of all things mordant, cranky, wry, humorous, self-deprecating, and, above all, Irish. SN

The Pump and Dump Show (April 19): This irreverent comedy show for parents promises “music, prizes, games, swearing, and commiseration.”

★ Randy Rainbow (April 28): YouTube phenom Randy Rainbow is the master of the catty sick burn—which comes off especially blistering when his wit’s aimed at the flaming hypocrites in the Trump administration. Rainbow’s MO is to simulate interviews with major political figures, cleverly twisting their sincere responses into fodder for his own nasty retorts, while weaving in pertinent footage from news outlets and breaking into hilarious, parodistic song. DS

★ Kyle Kinane (May 8): The comedy world teems with schlubby, selfdeprecating, bearded white guys, but Kyle Kinane ranks near the top of the heap of this species. He also can cook up some tasty food jokes, e.g., “Pho is a Vietnamese soup that answers the question, ‘What would happen if a former child soldier poured hot rainwater over fish nightmares?'” DS

Northwest Film Forum

Shadow Council (Every last

Wednesday): The "mudpie lobbed into the halls of power" known as Brett Hamil's Seattle Process show has been so successful that it now has a spin-off: the Shadow Council's panel will lead the "people's legislative body" to vote on proposals, which will be submitted afterwards to elected officials. If ever there were a time for sharp comedy and politics to mix.....

Paramount Theatre

★ Trevor Noah (March 23): Blessing: South African comedian Trevor Noah has control of the bully pulpit of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show Curse: He’s had to follow Jon Stewart in that slot. It’s hard not to seem a tad second-rate replacing a vastly influential and beloved political-satire legend, but Noah’s gamely making a go of it. On a recent Daily Show, Noah took Florida’s government to task for emphasizing porn control over gun control: “Wow. I think you guys are worried about the wrong kind of mass shooting.” DS The Trailer Park Boys (April 5): A F#cked Up Evening With the Trailer Park Boys, rescheduled from Christmastime because of the passing of John Dunsworth, will at last arrive in Seattle.

Bill Maher (April 14): Bill Maher shares his steadfast opinions on politics and life on his HBO show, Real Time

Parlor Live Comedy Club

Bellevue

Tony Hinchcliffe (March 22–24): Tony Hinchcliffe is the host of the podcast Kill Tony, which invites comedians for fun conversations and critiques.

★ Margaret Cho (March 29–31): It’s safe to say Cho is a legend in the comedy world. A vocal supporter of Asian and LGBTQ+ rights, she won the American Comedy Award in 1994 and hasn’t stopped since. Cho is a singular comic voice who must be seen to be believed.

★ Damon Wayans Jr. (April 5–7): Movie and television star Damon Wayans Jr. (Let’s Be Cops, New Girl, Happy Endings, and much more) will spew funny words from his dashing face.

K-Von (April 12): K-Von is billed as “the most famous half-Persian comedian in the world,” and we think he’s right. He’s safe to bring the kids (13 and up) to see, and he assures you that “all jokes are in ENGLISH.”

Earthquake (May 4–6): Do we dare welcome the comedian Earthquake to this seismically unstable region? He didn’t do too much damage when

acting in Clerks II or Everybody Hates Chris, so, sure.

Mike Epps (May 18–20): See Mike Epps from Fifty Shades of Black Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? Uncle Buck, and Friday After Next Bobby Lee (June 7–9): You may have seen Bobby Lee in films like Pineapple Express, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, or Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator, or on MADtv.

The Pocket Theater

Toxic Shock: Erotic Intuition (March 23–24): Titillate your queer tastes at this “erotic thriller sketch comedy show” incorporating dance, video, and tropes from sexy ‘90s crime movies.

One-Handed Clap (April 14): The improv troupe One-Handed Clap promises “thrilling stories and gut-busting laughs” based on your suggestions.

Hot Sandwich: The Toasted Sub (April 19–20): This sketch comedy troupe suggests you inhale a little somethin’-somethin’ before their show.

Weedini: The Marijuana Magician (April 20): Weedini the Marijuana Magician (also known as the “Wizard of Weed”) will make you laugh while performing astounding feats of “real psychedelic simulation.”

Rendezvous

Together Again for the First Time: Mean Grown Ups & Butt Dial (March 31): Can’t decide on garage rock or sketch comedy? Get both.

★ The Gay Uncle Time (Every first Wednesday): According to Stranger contributor Matt Baume, the Gay Uncle Time is "an avuncular variety show starring Santa-esque comedian Jeffrey Robert and a rotating cavalcade of local stars, drag queens, storytellers, and weirdos."

Second Story Repertory

Redmond

TGIF: Three Groups, Improv Friday (April 6 & May 11): This Redmond stage offers three improv groups’ frolics for the low price of $10.

The Improv Comedy Show Starring East Side Story (April 7 & May 12): This night with Second Story’s resident improv team starts off with short-form improv, then proceeds in the second half with long-form.

Theatre Off Jackson

★ Kondabolu Brothers Live Podcast Taping (April 30–May 1): Of Hari Kondabolu, Sean Nelson wrote: “You could make the case that his asides, self-edits, and ad-libs are as funny as the individual finished bits. Though the finished work is, all in all, a whole other level of funny.” Now see him with his brother Ashok as they “get into heated conversations about gentrification” or “discuss the news of the day on a poorly constructed powerpoint.”

Unexpected Productions

A Thousand Words (Through April 19): Help choose a work of art that will inspire improvised antics.

Improv Unplugged: Charged-up Comedy (Through April 21): UP Improv will celebrate 35 years of theater.

Crossword: Improv Comedy Game Night (April 26–June 14): Fill out a crossword puzzle form collaboratively— by following improvised scenes onstage.

Mother’s Day Improv (May 13): Mothers deserve much better from comedy than “yo’ Mamma” jokes. This show is $5 for moms, so if you haven’t bought her a present yet, you can win back her affection pretty cheaply. That is, if she likes being mocked by improvisers.

Duos Comedy Showcase (Wednesday): Pairs of performers will entertain.

Seattle Theatresports! (Friday–Saturday): The long-running late-night improv comedy shebang.

Improv Happy Hour (Friday–Saturday): Featuring edgy improv.

“Not just hipster doom and gloom, but about love and hope…a great, independent work that speaks volumes to the human experience…” —SCREAM, The World’s #1 Horror Magazine

March 23, 2018-April 7, 2018 Noon - 5PM Wed through Sat OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday March 22, 2018: 5–8PM

“Freaking amazing.” —Roz Chast, The New York Times Bestselling Author; New Yorker Cartoonist BONFIRE Gallery • 603 South Main Street, Seattle WA 98104 • www.thisisbonfire.com

“FIRST THURSDAY” OPENING: April 5, 2018: 5–8PM

THINGS TO DO SPRING

ART

By Joule Zelman, Emily Pothast, and Katie Kurtz

Museums

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

Anne Schreivogl: Meditative Exuberance (Through June 4): Seattle artist Anne Schreivogl crafts whimsical, brightly lit still life and landscape paintings.

George Rodriguez: Guardian (Through June 4): George Rodriguez creates large-scale ceramics, drawing on folk art to make statements about “immigrants, political refugees, and other often marginalized communities.”

Home: Group Exhibition (Through June 4): This group exhibition, cocurated by Marie Weichman of Olympic College, artist Bill Baran-Mickle, and BIMA Chief Curator Greg Robinson, includes work by Larry Ahvakana, Maggie Ball, Nancy Megan Corwin, and other locals.

Bellevue Arts Museum

★ Humaira Abid: Searching for Home (Through March 25): Born in Pakistan and based in Seattle, Humaira Abid works in wood carving and miniature painting. Abid’s first solo museum exhibition in the United States, Searching for Home, is a site-specific installation revolving around the stories of immigrants and refugees in the Pacific Northwest. Political yet poignant, this work renders the humanity of families affected by far-reaching forces into magnificent, stunning forms. EP

★ Walter McConnell: Itinerant Edens (Through March 25): Artist and ceramic art professor Walter McConnell is known for doing something unusual with his clay pieces: not firing them. His wet ceramic pieces are often intricate, complicated, and enormous, and anyone looking at them would never question how “finished” they are. His latest exhibit, Itinerant Edens: A Measure of Disorder, looks terrifying. McConnell took full-body scans of live models, made 3D plaster molds based on their bodies, and cast terracotta clay models from the molds. He then created natureinspired pedestals, put the human figures on top, and sealed the scenes in tall, thin terrariums. The end result looks like a dystopian version of the Natural History Museum. JULIA RABAN

★ José Guadalupe Posada and the Mexican Penny Press (April 13–Aug 19): José Guadalupe Posada was one of Mexico’s most influential printmakers and illustrators. While he made everything from illustrations for children’s games to sensationalistic news stories that appeared in “penny press” publications, Posada is best known for his satirical representations of calaveras (skeletons). This exhibition features those, along with other prints and media by the artist.

★ Making Our Mark: Art by Pratt Teaching Artists (Through April 15): The Pratt Fine Arts Center is a true resource for the community. It’s the most grassroots, accessible place to make art of all kinds, from starting out in prints or clay or metal sculptures, to using large-scale or arcane equipment to realize a grand project that will be exhibited at a museum. And over the years they’ve had an incredible roster of teaching artists, including Buster Simpson, Marita Dingus, Mary Anne Carter, Preston Singletary, and Cappy Thompson. Making our Mark will showcase pieces by more than 250 past and present Pratt teaching artists.

Burke Museum

Testing, Testing 1-2-3 (Through June 10): Some of the coolest parts of the Burke Museum are inaccessible to the public. The museum is getting ready to change that at the same time they prepare for an even bigger change: the creation of an entirely new Burke Museum opening in 2019 that they

hope will serve and educate the public better. Testing, Testing 1-2-3 is an exhibit that demos some of their ideas about how they might engage visitors at the new museum.

Frye Art Museum

★ Tavares Strachan: Always, Sometimes, Never (Through April 15): Born and raised in the Bahamas and currently based in New York, Tavares Strachan is a conceptual artist whose work in a diverse range of mediums investigates the overlapping domains of science, technology, and history—in particular the hidden stories and agendas behind common cultural narratives. His signature mediums include neon sculpture and projected lights, often presented alongside reflecting pools that suggest the distortion of perception and reveal invisible implications. EP Towards Impressionism: Landscape Painting from Corot to Monet (May 12–Aug 5): This exhibition traces the development of French landscape painting from the schools of Barbizon and Honfleur through Impressionism, featuring over 40 works from the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Reims.

★ Ko Kirk Yamahira (Through June 3): Seattle artist (by way of London, Tokyo, and LA) Ko Kirk Yamahira delicately dissects canvas in a play on the distinctions between two- and three-dimensional art forms and an exploration of color and texture.

Henry Art Gallery

The Brink: Demian DinéYazhi´ (April 14–Sept 9): Established in 2009, the Brink is a biennial award that honors a Northwest artist under the age of 35 with a cash prize and an exhibition at the Henry. The fifth and final Brink recipient is Demian DinéYazhi´, an indigenous Diné (Navajo) transdisciplinary artist who lives and works in Portland. DinéYazhi´’s work in text and image traces the entangled relationships between the land, Native cultures, and colonial, capitalist, and patriarchal economic, political, and social systems, imagining a future where these structures have lost their power.

★ The Time. The Place. Contemporary Art from the Collection (Through April 22): To celebrate its 90th anniversary, the Henry will display a diverse spread of more than 50 works from their contemporary collection.

Elizabeth Murray and Anne Waldman: Her Story (May 5–Nov 4): Elizabeth Murray and Anne Waldman’s long collaboration produced a collection of drawings, prints, and poems reflecting on femininity, freedom, and interior and exterior life. Their symbiotic creation, consisting of 13 folded pages, will be on view, a testament to their friendship.

★ 2018 University of Washington MFA + MDes Thesis Exhibition (May 26–June 24): Every year, the UW’s MFA program deposits a cohort of emerging artists into the local scene. This year’s crop includes Nate Clark, who uses woven materials as a stand-in for networks and structures, and Caitlin Wilson, whose large-scale paintings are evocative of Cy Twombly, Mark Tobey, and Emily Gherard. Alex Kang uses technology to explore the heartbreak of losing information in translation, while Katie Schroeder uses it to focus on identity, belonging, and the curation of our surroundings. Other artists include Lacy Bockhoff, David Burr, Ian Cooper, Daniel Hewat, Erin Meyer, and Christian Alborz Oldham. Catch their work before they finish school and can no longer afford to live here. EP Museum of Glass

Tacoma

★ Akio Takamori: Portraits and Sleepers (Through May 7): Seattle’s art community is still reeling from the loss

Tori Wrånes, Ældgammel Baby

Why you should see it: It's a perfect excuse to see the new Nordic Museum. When/Where: May 5–Sept 16 at the Nordic Museum.

of beloved University of Washington professor Akio Takamori, who passed away early last year. Best known for his influential figurative work in ceramics—and for helping to make UW a nationwide destination for ceramics students—Takamori also completed a residency at the Museum of Glass in August 2014. During this time, he created mold-made figurative flasks inspired by ancient Roman glass art, embellishing the surfaces with enamel paints. Portraits and Sleepers is an exhibition of these glass works. It’s a rare opportunity to see another side of a local treasure. EP

Michael E. Taylor: Traversing Parallels (Through May 12): See colorful, geometric, and fractal glass works by Michael Taylor, whose inspirations include “the formal quality of geometry, the Higgs boson particle, [and] the moral implications of artificial intelligence.”

Foraging the Hive: Sara Young and Tyler Budge (May 26–Jan 31): The two artists will create a large-scale work that draws a connection between beehives and human labor. You can make your own “honeycomb test tube” while you’re there.

Complementary Contrasts: The Glass and Steel Sculptures of Albert Paley (Through Sept 3): This is the first comprehensive exhibit to focus on glass and steel works by renowned modernist metalsmith and sculptor Albert Paley, who began his career making tiny sculptures (jewelry) and has since gained recognition for much larger works, including several expansive public installations.

Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)

★ Seattle on the Spot: The Photographs of Al Smith (Through June 17): Smith never considered himself a professional photographer. But his photographs of the Central District, jazz clubs, and African American community in Seattle number in the tens of thousands, and their quality, depth, and breadth are unparalleled. In particular, his documentation of the Jackson Street jazz scene has helped preserve memories of a relatively fleeting but culturally formative time in our city’s history.

Museum of Northwest Art

La Conner

★ For the Masses (Through March 25): For the Masses is MoNA’s first permanent collection exhibition devoted entirely to printmaking—processes for creating multiples such as etching, woodcut, and lithography. The exhibition features graphic works by artists such as Jacob Lawrence, Guy Anderson, Glen Alps, Jeffry Mitchell, and Helen A. Loggie, as well as an entire archival collection of a hand-printed art and literature journal called Bamboo, published in the 1990s. For the Masses provides a fascinating portrait of Northwest art history shot through the democratic lens of printmaking. EP

★ Holly Andres: The Homecoming (Through March 25): Photographer Holly Andres enjoys telling “compelling and dramatic stories,” often rooted in her own experiences. In this series, a woman leaves behind a suitcase with all her worldly possessions, and it is found by two young sisters. In secret, the two girls go through the contents of the suitcase and discover many objects associated with “adult femininity.”

Katie Creyts: Wilderland (Through March 25): In a collection of fable-like scenes, Katie Creyts’s exhibit features objects, characters, and places that highlight “peculiar or stressed relationships and adaptations.”

Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

Marvel: Universe of Superheroes (Opens April 21): MoPOP’s latest geek culture blockbuster will exhibit art, props, costumes, and props from the Marvel comics and film universe, including hallmarks like Captain America, The Avengers, Jessica Jones, and more.

Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds (Through May 28): 50 years after the premiere of Star Trek, MoPOP is hosting Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds, an exhibition about the artifacts and influence of the series.

Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses (Ongoing): If you're a Nirvana fan who's just as excited by poring over musical records as you are by exploring Cobain's death scene photos, this exhibit is for you. The "world's most extensive exhibition of memorabilia" devoted to Nirvana is re-open as of March 16.

Nordic Museum

★ Northern Exposure: Contemporary Nordic Arts Revealed (May 5–Sept 16): Opening the new 57,000 square-foot Nordic Museum in downtown Ballard, this exhibition brings together contemporary Scandinavian artists Olafur Eliasson, Jesper Just, Bjarne Melgaard, Kim Simonsson, Tori Wrånes, and others. Dropping “Heritage” from its name, the new Nordic Museum’s design by local architects Mithun is inspired by fjords with bridges that crisscross the interior and an exterior skin resembling glaciers. Kim Simonsson’s nuclear green sculptures of dystopian woodland children, Cajsa Von Ziepel’s BDSM-ish, sexually explicit sculptures, and Jesper Just’s mildly porno films usher in a new era for the museum. It remains to be seen whether the largest Scandinavian community outside the old country can handle it. KK

Northwest African American Museum

Lisa Myers Bulmash: You’re Not From Around Here, Are You? (Through April 8): Lisa Myers Bulmash’s paintings, collages, and mixed-media works reflect on the experience of African Americans in the Pacific Northwest, including “the hyper-visibility of Black bodies, and the notion of racial authenticity in overwhelmingly white spaces.”

★ Jessica Rycheal and Zorn B. Taylor: Everyday Black (Through Sept 1): Jessica Rycheal is a portrait photographer whose work documents subjects drawn from Seattle’s multigenerational activist community with a sensuous, effervescent joie de vivre Also a portrait photographer, Zorn B. Taylor often spotlights the idea of intentionally chosen family, capturing his subjects with simultaneous attention toward the monumental and the quotidian. In this two-person exhibition, curated by C. Davida Ingram and Leilani Lewis, Rycheal and Taylor present a series of intimate, honest, and lovingly created photographs celebrating many prominent members of Seattle’s black creative community. EP Pacific Bonsai Museum

Living Art of Bonsai: Elements of Design (April 21–Sept 30): This exhibition breaks bonsai down into its artistic components—line, shape, form, space, color, and texture.

Seattle Art Museum

★ Basquiat: Untitled (March 21–Aug 13): This energetic, gestural painting of a screaming skull by JeanMichel Basquiat is on view on the West Coast for the very first time. You have just a few months to see the tragically short-lived Brooklyn artist's work without leaving Seattle. Lessons from the Institute of Empathy (Opens March 31): This narrative installation by Saya Woolfalk addresses "Empathy Deficit Disorder (EDD)" through the Empathics, a race of women who can combine their genes with plants as well as "absorbing vapors that spread digitally on the walls and floor."

★ Jono Vaughan (April 21–Aug 5): The winner of the 2017 Betty Bowen award is Jono Vaughan, an artist who works in printmaking, textiles, painting, drawing, and performance. Vaughan’s Project 42 raises awareness about the extreme violence that transgender people face in the United States. Each work in the series begins with an image of a murder location, translated into a textile print which is used to create a garment. The garment is then worn by a collaborator in a performance, as a way to forge memories, create connections, and transmute violence into conversation and healing. EP

Walkabout: The Art of Dorothy Napangardi (Opens May 5): Abstract Aboriginal artist Dorothy Napangardi's paintings from 2000-2013 evoke nomadic journeys in Australian's Tanami Desert and around its salt lake.

★ Figuring History: Robert Colescott, Kerry James Marshall, Mickalene Thomas (Through May 13): If you see one museum exhibition this year, Figuring History would be a good choice. It begins by dissecting the conventions of history painting, which tends to cast oppressors as heroes and ignore black experiences altogether. Figuring History aims to right this historical wrong by connecting the large-scale, satirical works of the late painter Robert Colescott with magnificent works by Kerry James Marshall and Mickalene Thomas—contemporary artists who are reframing how we think about monumental painting. It’s especially exciting to see Thomas’s dazzling, collage-like surfaces in real life, but the whole show is a feast for the eyes, intellect, and soul. EP

★ Everyday Poetics (Through June 17): These works by Central and South American artists are constructed from humble materials—from dust cloths to

THINGS TO DO ART

Jono Vaughan

Why you should see it: Vaughan's work raises awareness about the violence transgender people face.

When/Where: April 21–Aug 5 at Seattle Art Museum.

soda cans to lottery tickets—to make sculptural poetry shaped by social, resistance-related, and religious themes.

★ Sondra Perry: Eclogue for [In]habitability (Through July 1): New media artist Sondra Perry, winner of the 2017 Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Prize for early-career black artists, uses video installations to interrogate how African Americans are treated by the media and by law enforcement. Talents and Beauties: Art of Women in Japan (Through July 15): See artwork created by women in Japan at this exhibit showcasing “women’s self-fashioning,” featuring literatureinspired paintings, prints, kimono, and lacquerware.

Tacoma Art Museum

Anne Appleby: We Sit Together the Mountain and Me (Through June 3): Anne Appleby honors the glorious landscapes of central Montana in a digitally projected video.

★ Captive Light: The Life and Photography of Ella E. McBride (Through July 8): Ella McBride, who was born in 1862 and died in 1965 at 102, was one of the most accomplished and widely exhibited Pictorialist photographers during the early 1900s. Pictorialism introduced a more painterly rather than documentary approach to photography by combining artistic composition with experimentation during the development process. In McBride’s “Shirley Poppy,” a single bloomed poppy with two budded stems stand tall in an overlarge Chinese vase while cherry blossoms cast shadows on the wall behind. Not sepia-toned nor black and white, the warm tan hues lend a soft elegance to the piece. When not producing her own work, McBride ran famed photographer Edward Curtis’s studio and was an accomplished mountaineer. KK

White River Valley Museum

Auburn

★ Suffer for Beauty: Women’s History Revealed Through Undergarments (Through June 17): Now referred to as the more benignsounding “shapewear” instead of the grandma-sounding “girdle” or restrictive-sounding “corset,” women have struggled in and out of figureshaping undergarments since ancient times. (In the Iliad, Aphrodite passes her girdle to Hera and says, “Take this girdle wherein all my charms reside and lay it in your bosom.”) Suffer for Beauty covers 90 years of undergarments and includes everything from wire bustles to restrictive bodices, pregnancy corsets to pointed bras. One of the displays features the Mark Eden bust developer, which co-curator Patricia Cosgrove tracked down to include in the show. As a teenager, Patricia ordered one of the pink spring-loaded clamshells, heavily advertised in the1960s, to help her bust line go “from the average or below average to a richer fuller development.” I didn’t ask Patricia about her bust size, but I do know that Mark Eden was eventually shut down by the USPS for mail fraud. KK

Wing Luke Museum

★ Year of Remembrance: Glimpses of a Forever Foreigner (Through April 22): Former Stranger visual art critic Jen Graves wrote that Roger Shimomura’s 2009 exhibition Yellow Terror contained “art that he hopes will lose its power.” Unfortunately, his work (paintings crowded with snarling Japanese stereotypes, prints about American concentration camps, and collections of racist objects) has become intensely relevant. Shimomura’s pop-art social critiques are highlighted alongside Lawrence Matsuda’s poetry in Year of Remembrance, a show that fits an impossible amount of history, writing, video, and visual art centered on Shimomura’s and Matsuda’s own experiences of internment.

★ Teardrops That Wound: The Absurdity of War (Through May 20): Portland artist Yukiyo Kawano is a third generation hibaku-sha—a survivor of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Her life-size replica of ‘Little Boy’ (the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima) is crafted from kimono silk and strands of her own hair—containing DNA bearing witness to this history. In Teardrops that Wound, curated by SuJ’n Chon, Kawano’s work stands in dialogue with the work of other Asian Pacific American artists who use transformative strategies to deconstruct the horror associated with the imagery of war. EP

Costumed Spectacle: Cantonese Opera from the So Family Collection (Through July 1): The museum allows you to gaze on gorgeous, intricately embroidered costumes that belonged to Cantonese opera singer Michael So, who performed in Hong Kong and at Luck Ngi Musical Club in Seattle.

Visions of Pasifika: Light from Another World (Through Nov 11): This exhibit will focus on Pacific Islander artists, incorporating tradition while looking to the future.

A Dragon Lives Here (Ongoing): This exhibition, which is part four of the Bruce Lee series and which opened on March 10, focuses on the martial artist's Seattle roots and influences.

Galleries

12th Avenue Arts

Kelda Martensen (Through April 1): North Seattle College art professor Kelda Martensen will show work from her series RUN: An Artist Book of Broadsides

4Culture Gallery

★ Kathryn Thibault: The Encroaching Field (Through March 29): Kathryn Thibault’s intimate sculptures “reference the growth and interaction of living bodies and mechanical structures,” simultaneously employing and exposing the shortcoming of data analysis.

★ Amanda Kirkhuff: Everything Is Hard (April 5–26): According to a recent interview, self-proclaimed “mili-

tant homosexual” Amanda Kirkhuff’s work in this show explores “the role the gay community plays in the revolution.” Many of her lush oil portraits show women and queers in more or less ordinary scenes. Shotgun captures the stoner rite-of-passage where one tattooed twenty-something woman purses her lips to pass (presumably) pot smoke to the waiting mouth of another woman. Their eyes nearly closed, this erotic moment of not-quite-but-nearlyFrench-kissing has played out among stoner duos everywhere. Passing the Joint features a gesture resembling Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam, where Adam reaches out to touch the hand of God. One hand with squaredoff, red-painted fingernails reaches for a joint from another hand with long, embellished, manicured fingernails. KK Robert Hutchison: Memory House (May 3–31): For Robert Hutchison, architecture reflects the course of life and death through “typologies such as dwelling, chapel, lighthouse, and memorial.” See models, drawings, and writing tied together by the theme of memory.

★ Coley Mixan: F.I.B.E.R. EarthBound Training Center (June 7–28): Coley Mixan is a writer, musician, and visual artist whose psychedelic, saturated Vimeo channel is described as “attempting to impose a credible order upon ordinary reality.” This exhibition serves as both an indoctrination site and training program for something Mixan calls F.I.B.E.R. (Feminists Improving Boundless, Eternal, Rock n’ Roll). F.I.B.E.R. aims to fight patriarchal conspiracies and constipation in the form of “toroidal pastries” (donuts?) traveling through the G.U.T. (Grand Unified Theory of space-time). The strategy of trying to dislodge the patriarchy with F.I.B.E.R. so that it can be shit out is so fanciful it just might work. EP

A Gallery

Peter Christenson: Patria o Muerte (Through April 27): Artist/filmmaker/ WSU assistant professor Peter Christenson will show digital and multimedia work about Cuba’s people, culture, and politics.

Abmeyer + Wood

Catherine Eaton Skinner (Through March 31): Skinner’s contemplative, carefully balanced nature paintings and dreamy encaustics depict dualities like “night/day and dark/light; finite/infinite and one/zero; quiet/loud and soft/hard; organic/manmade.”

Steve Jensen (April 5–30): Prominent local sculptor Steve Jensen, who specializes in outdoor art, bronze, and wood, will show work.

The Alice

★ Thru the Roof (Through April 14): Artists from across the US and beyond, joined by the Portland collective DeeDee, will exhibit a contemplation of “exit strategies.” Should you stay or should you go now? The artists attempting to answer the question— or more precisely, to contemplate what the acts of leaving and staying imply—include the video artist Kirsten Leenars, photographer and video maker Gonzalo Reyes Rodriguez, utopia-minded artist Regina Mamou, and visual artist David Cordero.

PHOTO BY JONATHAN VANDERWEIT, COURTESY OF JONO VAUGHAN

A/NT Gallery

Atari Pains and Eternal Counting

(Through March 24): Iraqi American Hiba Jameel has painted “mental Polaroids” of her memories of the Gulf War and interrogates acceptance of military intervention. She’ll show work alongside Don Wesley, a veteran who depicts crows representing victims of war.

Cynthia Linet: History of Erotica (April 7–28): This political art show juxtaposes guns and erotica in a comment on American attitudes.

Shoreline Community College VCT Club Show (May 5–31): See art by the Visual Communications Club at Shoreline Community College.

ArtXchange

★ Humaira Abid: My Shame (Through March 31): Humaira Abid’s emotionally affecting, highly detailed sculpture, often carved in wood, evokes difficult, tragic, and uncomfortable themes. For her new show, Abid dramatizes feminine shame.

William Hernandez (June 7–July 28): Portland-based William Hernandez dedicates his show to the imaginary story of two twin brothers, depicted in playful works based on Peruvian folklore.

Wagner’s paintings and sarcastic “public service announcements,” which feature texts like “Proof Racism Does Not Exist No. 16: No One Owns Their Culture.”

Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA)

★ Art ∩ Math (Through April 14): This exhibition, meant to express “art intersects math,” articulates the close relationship between (you guessed it) art and mathematics. The invited contributors include artists who use mathematical principles and mathematicians who create art. You’ll find 3D works, oil paintings, textiles, and more. Creativity Persists (April 26–May 26): This year, the annual member show highlights the necessity of art and creativity in this growing, changing city.

Jody Bento of SAM Gallery acts as the guest curator of these sound, performance, visual, and literary pieces.

Central Library

★ Living Cultures (Through April 30): Sharon Grainger’s photographs reveal Haida, Lummi, Tlingit, and Kwakwaka’wakw contemporary life through portraits paired with narratives by tribal elders. They’ll be accompanied by objects like artifacts and

Basquiat: Untitled

Why you should see it: This Basquiat is on view on the West Coast for the very first time.

When/Where: March 21–Aug 13 at Seattle Art Museum.

Atelier Drome

Kyle Cook: Excavated Landscapes (Through March 31): Kyle Cook uses art to express his experience and meditation on “the sublime in nature.”

AXIS Pioneer Square

The Wheel of re-Creation (Through May 1): Don Farrell and AXIS have curated this collection of mystical depictions of nature.

Belltown

Recharge the Battery Pop-Up Gallery (Through March 31): Community members show their visions for the unused Battery Street Tunnel.

BONFIRE

★ Dave Calver: Limbo Lounge (March 22–April 7): The title of Dave Calver’s graphic novel, Limbo Lounge, is quite literal: The dead wait in a bar to find out their final destination, passing the time with wandering denizens of hell. You’ll want to see this sinister bedlam of doomed souls, homicidal princesses, vigilante nuns, and a couple of “flower-headed freaks,” rendered in Calver’s muffled textures and circus colors.

Bridge Productions

★ Mike Wagner: From Fool to World (May 19–June 30): Guest curator Negarra A. Kudumu (whom Charles Mudede once called “something like a marvelous cloud of thinking and practices that are constantly processing contemporary art, curation, and critical theory”) has chosen to exhibit Mike

were born and raised.” Lisa Myers Bulmash, Carletta Carrington Wilson, Susan Ringstad Emery, and Bernadette Merikle—four women artists of color—will use this as a jumping-off point for understanding attitudes toward who “belongs” here.

Member Printmakers Annual Exhibit (May 16–June 24): Peruse prints by Christine Lee, Abbie Birmingham, Joan Mamelok, and Tina Albro.

Core Gallery

Kate Harkins: League of She (Through March 31): Discover Kate Harkins’s gallery of “women the artist chooses for her team.”

Rebecca Woodhouse: Right Here. Right Now. (Through March 31): Rebecca Woodhouse’s linocut paintings are layers of colorful words intentionally divorced from meaning and turned into graphic elements.

Myrna Keliher: On Edge (April 4–28): This solo show features the work of Myrna Keliher, the owner of Expedition Press, a small Kingston-based publisher with an emphasis on poetry and beautiful typography.

Sara Everett: Mending Place (April 4–28): Sara Everett’s mixed media pieces comment on the “legislative futility” of trying to restore ruined natural habitats.

Mary Enslow: The Guardian (May 3–26): Mary Enslow’s figurative and semi-figurative mixed media sculptures will grace the gallery.

Steve Craft: New Work (May 3–26): Welcome an artist to Seattle for the first time—Steve Craft, who paints and collages.

Krista Lutz: New Work (May 30–June 30): Krista Lutz’s ceramics are influenced by geological forms, anthropomorphosis, and architecture.

Žanetka K. Gawronski: Telling (May 30–June 30): Žanetka K. Gawronski will continue her preoccupation with narrative in painting.

Davidson Galleries

Friedensreich Hundertwasser

regalia, as well as 10 photographs by the celebrated Edward S. Curtis.

Clarke & Clarke Art + Artifacts

Mercer Island

Matt Timo: Elusive Introspection

(Through March 31): Seattle artist Matt Timo, who has shown at SAM Gallery and the Nordic Heritage Museum as well as at museums and galleries around the world, will reveal new abstract work.

Cole Gallery

Edmonds

Austin Dwyer and Michelle Waldele (Through April 4): Nautical painter Austin Dwyer will hang work alongside Michelle Waldele’s “whimsical realism” pieces.

Cole Gallery Anniversary Show (April 7–May 14): More than 20 artists have contributed a total of 80 “impressionist and realist” paintings and sculptures to this annual exhibition.

Cole Contemporary Spotlight Feature (May 17–June 11): This exhibition will focus on the gallery’s contemporary and abstract collection.

Columbia City Gallery

Beads, Birds, and Blues (Through April 1): See a multi-themed show with pieces by member artists Kristin Alana, Abby Ganong, Annie Lewis, and Joanne Bohannon.

Nevertheless. We Persist. (Through April 1): Nine women artists will depict themes relating to reproductive freedom and its implications for individuals and the country.

Emerge (April 4–May 13): Discover work by gallery members Eliaihi Kimaro, Tara McDermott, Jacqui Beck, and Shari Kaufman.

Locally Sourced (May 16–June 24): This exhibition plans to poke fun at the hippie-ish NW obsession with local sourcing, “whether in reference to fresh produce, or to where people

(Through March 31): The wonderfully named Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser, artist, architect, and environmental activist, scorned the strictures of right angles and straight lines in favor of wavery borders and depictions of landscapes that would be childlike if not for their complexity and density. See his photolithographs and silkscreen prints.

★ Keisuke Yamamoto (Through March 31): Keisuke Yamamoto works in paint, pencil, and especially wooden sculpture, creating mystical objects that resemble something between religious icons and organisms.

★ Michael Spafford: Epic Prints (April 5–28): Northwest legend Michael Spafford often combines mysterious forms with mythical themes.

★ Rufino Tamayo: Selected Etchings (May 4–June 2): The Mexican painter and printmaker Rufino del Carmen Arellanes Tamayo, whose work spanned the 20th century, drew on abstract trends, figurative traditions, pre-Columbian heritage, and surrealism.

★ Joan Miró: Etchings & Lithographs (June 8–30): The Catalan painter and sculptor Joan Miró, like Salvador Dalí and others in the surrealist movement, was galvanized by the theories of André Breton. Intrigued by the idea of plunging into the unconscious, he ditched his early investigations of realism, cubism, and naïve art to play with geometric, organic, vividly colored forms in striking compositions. Miró hasn’t had the same pop-culture impact as Dalí, but his body of work is less encumbered by his contemporary’s dogmatism and attention-hogging.

Facèré Jewelry Art Gallery

Janis Kerman (March 22–April 12): Jeweler Janis Kerman, based in Québec, makes carefully balanced, spare pieces that play with precious stones and contrast, color, and negative space.

UnCharted, UnBound, UnExpected (May 2–22): In this show curated by Nancy Mēgan Corwin and Madeline Courtney, nine jewelry artists will experiment with surprising new forms.

Jennifer Merchant: Night/Dazed (June 6–26): Jennifer Merchant’s collection of acrylic jewelry and objects layers images from the Hubble space telescope with Op Art abstractions.

OPEN TUE-SAT, 11-6 1ST

Keegan Hall March 1-31

Robin Weiss April 1-30

Cathy Woo and Jacqui Beck May 1-31

C.A. Pierce June 1-30

THINGS TO DO ART

Fantagraphics Bookstore and Gallery

★ Wallace Wood (Through April 11): Classic comics and sci-fi fans, flock to this exhibition of Wallace Alan Wood’s Golden and Silver Age illustrations for EC Comics.

★ Joshua Simmons & Friends (April 14–May 2): The gallery will exhibit art from Joshua Simmons et al.’s new graphic story collection Flayed Corpse, which delights in horror genre tropes and includes art by James Romberger, Anders Nilsen, Tara Booth, Eroyn Franklin, Tom Van Deusen, and Eric Reynolds.

★ Ellen Forney (May 5–June 6): Ellen Forney’s wonderful cartoons have enhanced The Stranger’s pages for years, and we loved her memoir about her bipolar disorder, Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me—oh, and we also gave her a Genius Award, so you can bet we’re delighted to see that she’s following up with a new book. This one’s called Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice from My Bipolar Life, and you will probably need it on your shelf.

★ Jini Dellaccio (June 9–July 12): Starting as a self-taught fashion photographer in California, Jini Dellaccio (1917-2014) was one of those right place, right time photographers. A teaching job brought her to the Northwest in the ‘60s, where she was asked to capture the essence and energy of proto-grunge bands like the Sonics and the Wailers, as well as the wide-eyed winsomeness of Seattle native Merrilee Rush (“Angel of the Morning”). The first female rock and roll photographer, Dellaccio (who, in an interview, said she didn’t know she was the first) also shot Neil Young, Mick Jagger, and the Who. KK

Form/Space Atelier

Greg Boudreau: Crows (Through April 12): Greg Boudreau’s stenciled birdies will be on view.

Foster/White Gallery

★ Erin Armstrong, Carlos Donjuan, and Julia Lambright: Portraiture (Through March 24): These three artists take divergent—and non-literal— approaches to the portrait, eliciting themes of “cultural identity, societal acceptance and self-definition.”

Chase Langford: Calcadia (April 5–21): Chase Langford’s art incorporates cartography, abstraction, and texture to create non-existent landscapes of the West Coast.

Robert Marchessault: The Lorax Dreams (May 3–26): Robert Marchessault has devoted a lot of his career to painting portraits of trees. For this exhibition, he’s experimenting with abstraction and dreamscape.

Steven Nederveen (June 7–23): Internationally exhibited Canadian artist Steven Nederveen will exhibit meditative depictions of natural environments.

Frederick Holmes and Company

Color Field Painters Championed by Clement Greenberg (March 21–April 28): This gallery presents abstract expressionist color paintings by Jules Olitski, Dan Christensen, Kenneth Noland, Larry Zox, Darryl Hughto, and Susan Roth, who attracted the attention of the art critic Clement Greenberg in the 1960s and 1970s.

G. Gibson Gallery

★ Susanna Bluhm: Mississippi & Arizona (Through April 14): Many of us reacted to the 2016 election by crying, binge drinking, and unfriending family members on Facebook. Susanna Bluhm vowed to visit as many so-called “red states” as possible over the next four years to have firsthand experiences in places she only knew through the media. “I’m not trying to have the quintessential experience of each state,” says Bluhm, but she’s also “not observing from a distance.” Mississippi & Arizona is what happens when a queer, white mother who happens to be one of the most sensuous and thoughtful oil painters in the Pacific Northwest seeks out intimate experi-

Captive Light: The Life and Photography of Ella E. McBride

Why you should see it: She was one of the most accomplished photographers of her time.

When/Where: Through July 8 at Tacoma Art Museum.

ences in two places very different from her own. EP

Matt Sellars (April 20–May 26): Matt Sellars, a long-established PNW artist and former Seattle University resident artist, will hang new work.

★ Michael Kenna: Abruzzo and Other New Work (June 1–July 7): Michael Kenna of England will show new photographs. His work often makes use of long exposures to tease out unusual facets of natural and manmade landscapes all around the world.

Gallery 110

David Haughton: 40+ Views of Mount Baker (Through March 31): The gallery will display work by David A. Haughton, who paints chilly night-, snow-, and water-scapes. This exhibition will be an homage to Katsushika Hokusai, perhaps the most famous Japanese printmaker and painter of the ukiyo-e style.

Michael Abraham: Luminaries (Through March 31): This exhibition will appeal to anyone who likes figurative approaches combined with bonkers cartoony surrealism.

Saundra Fleming: Falling Parallelograms of Air (April 5–28): Saundra Fleming is open about her bipolar disorder and the way it’s limited her life, but also inspired her work. For this show, she’ll focus on the “transmission of liminal energies between therapist and patient.”

Yael Zahavey-Mittelman: SelfPortrait in Abstract (April 5–28): Yael Zahavey-Mittelman’s collages and abstracts are reflections of her identity and invitations to the viewer to make their own stories.

★ Aaron Brady: The Color of Breathing (May 3–June 2): Aaron Brady’s ghostly style will likely lend itself to this work addressing “collective asphyxiation caused by our toxic environment.”

David Sokal and Friends: Salon Collaboration (May 3–June 2): David Sokal and friends have collaborated on these works, “thereby letting go of the need to possess, own or obsess about an artwork.”

Joan Kimura: Print Exhibit Linoleum Cuts 1957-2018 (May 3–June 2): See member artist Joan Kimura’s linoleum prints.

Greg Kucera Gallery

★ Gregory Blackstock: Survey of Drawings (Through March 31): Seattle’s Gregory Blackstock catalogues the ordinary and interesting in

meticulous visual lists, from dog breeds to train stations to Macchi-Castoldi Italian fighter planes. He won a 2017 Wynn Newhouse Foundation Award, bestowed on highly talented artists with disabilities—autism, in Blackstock’s case. His drawings, colored in with markers and pencils, reach to the margins and leave little white space, but their rhythm and regularity leaven any sense of crowding. While not strictly realistic, they reveal Blackstock’s love of detail and small variations.

★ Joey Veltkamp: Blue Skies Forever (Through March 31): After 20 years in Seattle, beloved Northwest artist Joey Veltkamp has recently relocated to the city of Bremerton on the Kitsap Peninsula, an hour west by ferry. For his first solo show at Greg Kucera, Veltkamp uses quilting techniques to stitch together the disparate aspirations, economic conditions, and histories of these neighboring cities. The centerpiece is an enormous quilt made of denim from Bremerton thrift stores that says “BLUE SKIES FOREVER.” The title is a Lana Del Rey lyric that alludes to buoyant optimism in the face of adversity, but it could also reference his view of the region from the Salish Sea, where Veltkamp has already spotted seals and orcas during his commute. EP

★ Michael Spafford: The Epic Works (April 5–May 26): Northwest legend Michael Spafford often combines mysterious forms with mythical themes, or creates flat yet kinetic scenes of figures in action.

Deborah Butterfield (June 7–July 21): Deborah Butterfield makes beautiful horse sculptures out of driftwood.

The Grumpy Old Man

Ominous Adages, Faceless Obsessions & Other Narratives (Through April 12): See creepy art by Olga Gavrilovskiy, Kristal Jones, Ethan Lind, MiYoung Margolis, Julia Tatiyatrairong, and Gary Word.

Hall | Spassov Bellevue

Amy Spassov (Through March 31): This exhibit will focus on the last decade in this artist’s intricate, often botanically themed works.

Harris Harvey Gallery

Karen Kosoglad: Line and Figure (April 5–28): Discover Karen Kosoglad’s semi-abstract, semi-figurative depictions of human bodies, which are composed of paint and collage.

Kim Osgood: New Work (May 3–June 2): Mark spring with a viewing of Kim Osgood’s still lives of “flowers, birds, fruits and more.”

‘Buskers’ by Robin Weiss

Hedreen Gallery

★ Collapse: Recent Works by Dewey Crumpler (Through May 19): The global economy is a curious beast, by which financial systems understood and maneuvered by a few take human and environmental tolls. Dewey Crumpler’s Collapse seeks out the “beauty and terror” of these systems, capturing their monolithic quality to help us feel their potential for vast destruction. Some of his paintings look like reading Jeff VanderMeer’s environmental horror feels. Sampada Aranke of the Art Institute of Chicago has guest-curated this exhibition.

Interstitial

Rick Silva and Nicolas Sassoon: Signals (Through April 28): Rick Silva, the recipient of Rhizome and Whitney Museum of American Art grants, presents a collaboration with Nicholas Sassoon: “immersive audio-visual renderings of seascape environments.”

Jack Straw New Media Gallery

blind film (Through March 30): Inspired by the light-fracturing effects of window blinds, blind film attempts to “reconfigure familiar subjects that constantly change and repeat in everyday life but can come to us like unrefined feelings and traces.”

★ Matthew Thomas Shoemaker: Brain Goreng (April 13–May 18): In Seattle’s close-knit sound art community, the name Matt Shoemaker is synonymous with a deep and intense relationship with the ecstatic art of listening. Known for constructing intricate physical reverb/feedback systems out of springs, Shoemaker’s music has been released on many international labels including Trente Oiseaux, Helen Scarsdale Agency, and Elevator Bath. In private, he also devoted himself to visionary, vividly detailed painting. Shoemaker’s life was tragically cut short last year, and those who knew him are still reeling. This exhibition, organized with assistance from Dave Knott, Robert Millis, and the Shoemaker family celebrates the life and work of a bona fide genius. EP

James Harris Gallery

Evan Nesbit: Ever Dissonant Futures (Through March 24): Evan Nesbit dissects the photographic process by printing images on a vinyl matrix, then forcing pigment through the reverse of the substrate. The result is a pulsingly neon, anxious collage.

★ Akio Takamori: Paintings and Sculptures (May 3–June 30): Beloved figurative ceramics artist Akio Takamori —whose recent death still grieves his University of Washington and Seattle community—will be the subject of this exhibition, which will pair his drawings and related ceramic sculptures.

Kirkland Arts Center

Topophilia, 2018 Emerging Curator Initiative (Through April 28): Emily Bowden, a museology student from UW, has curated this exhibition exploring how artists evoke place—as might be suggested by the title of this show, which means “love of place.” Among those included: Chase Langford, Guy Laramée, and Raven Skyriver.

★ Ryan Molenkamp (March 30–June 1): Ryan Molenkamp’s lovely large-scale landscapes lend abstract textures and saturated colors to the geography of the Northwest.

Best of KAC (May 8–July 7): During the Kirkland Art Studio Tour, the art center will proffer a panorama of the best work creative Kirkland has to offer.

★ Troy Gua: Immaculate Disasters (June 1–Aug 3): Troy Gua’s art trades in intersectional identities, cultural critique, and contemporary humor. For this show, Gua has played around with utopic, ukiyo-e-inspired landscapes.

Krab Jab Studio

Muppett Rawk! (Through April 8): See illustrations that represent “the greatest of album covers and the greatest of puppetry” by Brian Snoddy, Dev Madan, Tomas Sisneros, Karin Madan, Augie Pagan, Erin Middendorf, Rich Werner, Rob McDaniel, and several others.

Linda Hodges Gallery

★ Justin Duffus (Through March 31): Justin Duffus’s realistic paintings

resemble snapshots of turbulent human behaviors, calling to us to flesh out the stories behind them.

★ Klara Glosova (Through March 31): Czech-born artist Klara Glosova, a 2015 Stranger Genius Award nominee and winner of numerous other laurels, depicts the tension of parents on the sidelines as their children play sports.

Alfredo Arreguin (April 5–28): This Seattle artist, according to the gallery “recognized as one of the originators of the Pattern and Decoration movement in painting,” imitates mosaic, tile, and floral decorations in his paintings of Mexican cultural icons like Frida Kahlo and El Joven Zapata.

Tim Cross (May 3–June 2): Tim Cross fashions elegant, canvas-filling floral designs whose intricacy induces calm and contemplation.

MadArt

★ Ginny Ruffner: Reforestation of the Imagination (Through March 24): Ginny Ruffner, with help from new media artist Grant Kirkpatrick, will create a glass and bronze sculpture forest depicting natural and creative regeneration, including “unusually evolved flowers.”

Katie Miller: The Presence of Absence (May 14–Aug 18): Katie Miller conjures architectural impressions out of light and shadow, including through a “labyrinth of cut paper,” in this installation that reflects on urban environments.

METHOD

Therese Buchmiller: COMPOSED (Through April 14): COMPOSED combines fake leaves, textbook diagrams, picture book excerpts, and other elements to explore language, icons, and representation.

Khadija Tarver: A circle made by walking (April 20–June 2): This performance artist encourages viewer interaction with the artwork in a piece about “personal loss and grief.”

Michael Birawer Gallery

Keegan Hall (Through March 31): This gallery will present “masterful hyper-realistic pencil drawings” of celebrities like Obama, Macklemore, and Russell Wilson.

Robin Weiss (April 3–June 2): Robin Weiss will display plein air oil paintings of views of the city, including Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square.

Cathy Woo and Jacqui Beck (May 1–June 2): This gallery teases “an explosion of color and talent in mixed media” by contemporary artists Cathy Woo and Jacqui Beck.

C.A. Pierce (June 5–30): C.A. Pierce creates hazy, layered acrylic landscapes on canvas.

Mount Analogue

★ Melissa Kagerer: Museum of the Irrational Self (Through March 25): Photographer Melissa Kagerer’s self-portraits are colorful, dramatic, and odd.

In one image, her face is covered with tiny scorpion tattoos and her mouth is stuffed with a yellow plastic chain. In another, she’s positioned in front of a leopard print background wearing an ill-fitting wig and braces. The Museum of the Irrational Self invites the viewer into Kagerer’s world of fantasy and awkwardness—braces and all. EP

Party Hat

New To Seattle Group Show (April 5 & May 3): This show will feature artists who have never before displayed work in Seattle.

Patricia Rovzar Gallery

Kathy Jones (Through April 2): California-born Kathy Jones’s paintings fabricate a feeling of multifaceted surfaces through use of contrasting backgrounds behind statuesque figures.

★ Anne Siems (April 5–30): Anne Siems reflects the influence of medieval, early modern, and romantic European art, setting delicate portraits with Byzantine eyes against abstract backgrounds. To see the work of this German artist (who’s now based in Seattle) is to glimpse a compression of Western art through the centuries.

Joyce Gehl (May 3–June 4): Joyce Gehl starts with digital images and transforms them with encaustic, oil,

and mixed media to fashion light-filled, indistinct natural scenes.

Tyson Grumm (June 7–July 2): A beaver and an ostrich battle each other in ping-pong. An elephant carries an orca in a canoe on its back. Meet all these friends in Tyson Grumm’s paintings.

Photographic Center Northwest

★ Jun Ahn: On the Verge (Through April 8): A slim-looking woman, usually in a purple or blue dress, sits or stands on the edge of a skyscraper in a massive city of skyscrapers (New York City, Hong Kong, Seoul). Her self-portraits are portraits of the human condition in the 21st century. CM

All Power: Visual Legacies of the Black Panther Movement (April 20–June 10): This exhibition gathers photographs from Dunn Marsh and Negarra A. Kudumu’s 2016 book of the same title, a collection of pieces by artists influenced by the Black Panther Party. Among them are Maikoiyo AlleyBarnes, Endia Beal, Bruce Bennett, Howard Cash, Kris Graves, Ayana V. Jackson, Kambui Olujimi, Lewis Watts, Carrie Mae Weems, Hank Willis Thomas, and Robert Wade.

Phylogeny Contemporary

★ Renee Adams: Reclaim (Through March 31): Renee Adams’s mixed media sculptures represent an “artificial reality” in which natural selection has taken a shift, and plants require little more than the debris of humankind to thrive.

Pilchuck Seattle

Method of Sight (Through April 26): Emerging glass artists in residence Collin Bampton, Lydia Boss, Courtney Dodd, Morgan Gilbreath, and Bryan McGovern Wilson will display experimental glass work.

Dis-course (May 3–June 28): Check out glass art with contemporary themes and sensibilities from the 2017 Klein Parrish Kiln Residency.

Pottery Northwest

Amanda Barr: Weight of Words (Through March 23): Amanda Barr is wrapping up a two-year residency with this exit show, in which she puts into practice her research into European porcelain, “where race and class were expressed materially and ubiquitously.”

She combines glowing, golden forms with earthenware clay details, and words like “The Patriarchy” and “Negging” are painted on the objects in delicate script.

Student Show & Sale (April 6–27): Pick up some high-quality work by pupils of this pottery studio.

Prographica / KDR

Anne Petty: Basic Needs (Through March 31): See dramatic, immediate paintings of women alone among animals and in the woods.

Dianne Kornberg: The Lore Which Nature Brings (Through March 31): Dianne Kornberg and Elisabeth Frost continue their collaboration with image/text collages that “debunk cliches about nesting,” including motherliness and “joyful birdsong.”

Kenny Harris: Paintings (April 5–28): Californian artist Kenny Harris will show his classically influenced paintings.

Sally Cleveland: Paintings | Robert Schultz: Drawings (May 3–June 2): Landscape artist Sally Cleveland and creator of sensual drawings Robert Schultz will display work.

Kimberly Clark and Judy Nimtz (June 7–30): Kimberly Clark has worked extensively as a muralist in Philadelphia. For this exhibition, she shows natural landscapes and sights. Judy Nimtz, on the other hand, generally focuses on the isolated human figure, often depicting dancers.

Push/Pull

ReMasters: Hieronymus BoschInspired Works (Through April 17): The delightfully inventive (and often quite morbid) artists of this Ballard collective interpret the alchemical nightmarescapes of the Flemish artist Hieronymus Bosch.

Stanza (April 19–May 16): Poets provided pieces about the sea to artists, who then took inspiration from the submissions for this exhibition. See both the original poetry and the visuals.

A welcoming landmark just 35 minutes from downtown Seattle by ferry – make a day of it!

George Rodriguez, Lion, stoneware with underglaze and glaze. Courtesy of Foster/White Gallery.

THINGS TO DO ART

Why you should see it: This painting came out of her project to visit as many "red states" as possible.

When/Where: Through April 14 at G. Gibson

Re:definition

★ Re:Definition 2018: Celebrating 90 Years of Community, Culture and Space (Through Dec 30): For the Paramount’s 90th birthday, respected curators Juan Alonso-Rodríguez, Tracy Rector, and Tariqa Waters preside over an exhibition of their own and other locals’ works, including “large-scale panels, ceiling installations, video projection, and a rotating salon wall of artwork created by youth from various non-profit organizations.” AlonsoRodríguez’s painting and activism won him a Conducive Garboil Grant in 2017, Rector’s a Stranger Genius Award winner, and Waters is a longtime Stranger favorite for her roguish and iconoclastic sensibility. They’ve chosen Christopher Paul Jordan, Junko Yamamoto, Rhea Vega, Kenji Hamai Stoll, Joe (wahalatsu?) Seymour, Jr., and Gabriel Marquez to display work with them in the gallery.

SAM Gallery

Outside Influences (Through April 8): SAM Gallery investigates influences from the real world on art through the works of Dan Hawkins, Ryan Molenkamp, Kate Protage, and Chris Sheridan.

Inside Game (April 11–May 6): After Outside Influences, the gallery turns inward, with pieces by Gabe Fernandez, Alfred Harris, Elizabeth Lopez, and Dana Roberts that peek into the artists’ minds and discern their influences and processes in the studio.

Schack Art Center

Everett

21st Juried Art Show (Through April 14): This show will feature selected works by Northwest artists in various media.

The Intersection of Art + Math (April 26–June 2): Not to be confused with CoCA’s almost identically titled exhibit, this show will feature artists who employ mathematical techniques and concepts, such as the golden ratio, fractals, and other patterns.

Shift

Eric Chamberlain: Abstracts (Through March 23): Eric Chamberlain is often interested in domestic still life and everyday objects. This time, he’ll be showing recent abstract paintings, drawings, and prints.

Jodi Waltier: Evaporation Diaries/ Climbing out of the Ravine (April 5–28): This artist uses iron, cotton, ink, indigo, paint, and paper in her new works.

Ink (May 4–26): The gallery presents a selection of views “inside the graphic novel,” curated by Liz Patterson and Trevor Doak.

Patrice Donohue: Mend what has been torn apart (May 4–26): The title references a Camus quote; Donohue’s conceptual pieces are composed of woven, torn, sewn, inked newspapers.

Carmi Weingrod: New Mixed-Media Work (June 7–30): Artist and printmaker Carmi Weingrod, who often produces large-scale mixed media using stencils, will display some new pieces.

Ed McCarthy: Industrial Art (June 7–30): McCarthy’s art features geometrical shapes made from the materials of industry, hinting at his background in engineering.

Shoreline Community College Gallery

Leah Gerrard: Moonlight (Through March 23): Discover Leah Gerrard’s sinuous steel wire sculpture.

SOIL

★ In the Shadow of Olympus (Through March 31): The Art Beasties collective spans continents, with members in Seattle (Junko Yamamoto, Yuki Nakamura, and Paul Komada), New York, London, and Tokyo who collaborate via Skype. For this exhibition, inspired by the metaphorical passage of the Olympic flame from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, the members have created art about the beloved/notorious international competition. According to their sensibilities, the artists depict the effect of the next summer games as “positively enthusiastic to pessimistically dystopian.”

Bradly Gunn: At Your Discretion (April 5–28): SOIL member and Seattle Demo Project founder Bradly Gunn engages the viewer by questioning what value his pieces have, and what ideas members of the public can glean from his work.

Contract/Release (April 5–28): Christine Atkinson, Lucy Wood Baird, and Diana Jean Puglisi present sculptural pieces that “breathe in and breathe out,” aiming to artistically startle the viewer.

Interregnum (May 3–June 2): The Yuck ‘n Yum zine collective, which stopped publishing its quarterly in 2013, will return to release its Zine Compendium and to spotlight art by artists “currently navigating this strange new world and trying to make sense of it all.”

Statix

April Showers (April 5): Each painting in this group show, featuring more than 100 artists and curated by the Drawnk, is on a wood cutout in the shape of a raindrop.

Stonington Gallery

Masters of Vancouver Island and Beyond (Through April 27): This gallery will display masks and sculptures by Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, Musqueam, Cree, Tlingit, Haida, and non-indigenous artists primarily from Vancouver Island. Contributors to the exhibit include Jay Brabant, Art Thompson, Beau Dick, Mervyn Child, Junior Henderson, and many others.

★ Masters of Disguise IV: Group Mask Exhibition (June 7–30): This iteration of Masters of Disguise will once again examine masks and their specific cultural, social, and economic place in Pacific Northwest and Alaska, featuring modern and traditional works by a variety of artists in media

Winston Wächter Fine Art

★ Etsuko Ichikawa: Vitrified (Through April 25): Seven years ago this spring, an earthquake off the coast of Japan led to the release of radioactive material from a nuclear power in Fukushima. Ever since, world renowned glass artist Etsuko Ichikawa has been thinking about the artifacts left by her Japanese ancestors in terms of the impact of contemporary human civilization on our environment. For her new video Vitrified, she has created a series of glass orbs that contain traces of uranium and give off a haunting green glow and placed them in lush and pristine natural environments. EP

Tenaya Sims: Vermeer’s Milkmaid and the Camera Obscura Controversy (April 18): Learn about a question that’s dogged the art world: Did Vermeer use a camera obscura to paint his famous The Milkmaid?

★ Rebecca Albiani: Käthe Kollwitz (April 25): The German artist Käthe Kollwitz expressed the agony of WWI, Weimar, and WWII-era Berlin through her bleak, compassionate drawings and prints. Learn about her hopes for social progress and her response to overwhelming despair from lecturer Rebecca Albiani.

artists, plus other “publishers, zinesters, cartoonists and creators.”

12 Hour Comic Challenge (June 2): Create a 12-page comic in 12 hours— they’ll provide coffee, tea, pastries, lunch, dinner, and limited supplies. Original stories only; no adaptations.

San Juan Islands

San Juan Island Artists’ Studio Tour (June 2–3): Head out to the lovely islands and tour more than 60 local artists’ studios as they sell etchings, kaleidoscopes, garments, glass, and more.

including glass, wood, stone, hide, fiber, metal, and ceramic.

studio e

Thicket (Through April 7): North Seattle College art instructor Sara Norsworthy and abstract Miró-influenced artist Tyler Keeton Robbins are included in this collection of “heavy painting.”

Absence (April 13–May 19): Saul Becker, Stephanie Buer, and others illustrate human-made settings without humans.

Suzanne Zahr Gallery

Mercer Island

Gitte Peters: Nature’s Poetry (Through March 31): See natureinspired abstract paintings by Danish artist Gitte Peters.

Robert Wood: Left Luggage of Gnome Island (April 6–May 31): We think this will probably be the only gnome-centric narrative mixed-media art show in Seattle this spring, but we could be wrong.

Erin Milan: Oil Paintings (June 1–July 31): Milan’s painstaking oils are realistic, emotional illustrations of the human body.

Traver Gallery

Tori Karpenko: Into the Liminal (Through March 31): Tori Karpenko, trained as a painter in Italy, renders beautiful natural landscapes.

★ Preston Singletary: The Air World (April 5–28): Whenever Tlingit artist Preston Singletary unveils new blown, sand-carved glass artwork, you can expect impressive craftsmanship and a mesmerizing take on Native themes, symbols, and codes.

Jiro Yonezawa (May 3–June 2): Jiro Yonezawa crafts sculptures out of woven metal, thread, and bamboo that succeed in evoking folk craft and conceptualism.

Jun Kaneko (June 7–30): A veteran of the Contemporary Ceramics movement, Omaha-based Jun Kaneko has pieces in museums all over the world, including the Smithsonian, and his enormous outdoor sculptures of ceramic heads in Omaha are considered a groundbreaking use of the medium.

Treason Gallery

Crystal Wagner: NEXUS (Through March 31): Crystal Wagner’s creaturelike sculptures, which resemble blue and green sea slugs from Neptune, will inhabit the gallery.

Various locations

a lone (May 3–31): Leena Joshi, Alexandra Bell, Yrsa Daley, Laura Sullivan Cassidy, Martine Syms, Alyson Provax, and Tommy Pico will create works “experienced through the city of Seattle.” Find the maps of the exhibitions at Mount Analogue.

Vermillion

Vibrant Colors Of Spring (Through April 7): Vibrant Palette, which serves adults with disabilities through an arts day program, will show paintings by Blake Allread, Andrew Bernhoft, Brette Flora, Joey Joseph, Chris Koesema, Cathy Nakamura, Pixie, Elizabeth Rogers, Derek Thomas, and Kristy Yawman.

★ Maja Petrić (Through March 24): Who knew that there were so many awards for light art? Maja Petrić knows, because she’s either won or been nominated for a number of them. A PhD in DXARTS (digital art and experimental media) from University of Washington, she’s now the artist in residence of Redmond. Her light boxes collect data through artificial intelligence and transform them into “unstable environments” that evoke the fragmentation and anxiety of her childhood in wartime Yugoslavia.

★ Berndnaut Smilde (April 14–May 26): Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde creates massive installations made of materials like inkjet-printed plywood, aerogel, prisms, and clouds. Yes, clouds.

Deb Achak (May 2–June 20): Seattle photographer Deb Achak focuses on water, community, and cross-cultural commonalities.

Art Events

Azusa Farm

Mount Vernon

Art in a Pickle Barn (March 31–April 30): Shop fine art and gifts by Northwest artists all month long—painting, pottery, textiles, and much more.

The Bemis Building

Bemis Arts Spring Art Show (April 28–29): Come to the Bemis Art Show to see a juried exhibition, explore resident and visiting artist open studios in historic Pioneer Square, discover new fashion, and listen to live music.

Camano Island

Camano Island Studio Tour (May 11–20): Browse artist studios selected by a special jury on the island and buy paintings, jewelry, prints, sculpture, collages, wood, and more.

Center for Architecture & Design

Faith (March 20): Part of the Design in Depth series, this lecture will focus on current architecture of places of worship in Seattle.

Education and Innovation Spaces (April 17): The Design in Depth series will continue with a discussion of where we work and learn as Seattle grows more and more crowded.

Arts and Culture (May 15): The Design in Depth series will contemplate art—its importance to the community and its relationship to the Seattle environment.

City Hall

The ART of Survival (April 7): Cambodian Americans will commemorate the victims of the genocidal Pol Pot regime while acknowledging the survivors who have “held on to their identity through the trauma of war and resettlement through art.”

Columbia River Gorge

Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour (April 20–22): Artists will welcome you to their studios in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge.

El Corazón

The Seattle Pancakes & Booze Art Show (April 28): That’s right, hungry thirsty art-starved pancake aficionados, this show’s got everything you need: 50 or more artist vendors, a free pancake bar, DJs, and body painting.

Gage Academy of Art

Kathleen Moore: Istanbul and Byzantine Art (April 11): Kathleen Moore will uncover the secrets behind those “wide-eyed Byzantine figures” of eastern Roman antiquity.

★ Jeffrey Simmons: The Op Art Movement (May 2): Local abstract precisionist Jeffrey Simmons will reintroduce you to the 1960s Op Art movement, whose trademark was inducing illusions of movement or change through abstract designs.

Gage Georgetown

★ A Survey of Female Surrealists (April 19): Stranger contributor Emily Pothast will offer an overview of the innovations of important female surrealist artists like Leonora Carrington, Kay Sage, and Maria Martins. A workshop with surrealistic prompts and techniques will follow.

Henry Art Gallery

★ Henry Gala & Dance Party (April 21): Celebrate the Henry’s exhibitions with cocktails, dinner, and a short program. After that, dance the night away (until the clock strikes 12).

Iconic Encounter: Gordon Parks and Ella Watson in 1942 (April 26): During the tenure of the Farm Security Administration’s photographic program, African American photographer Gordon Parks took a series of snaps of Ella Watson, a federal employee. This lecture by Michael Lobel will delve into the story of the woman behind the iconic portraits as well as the career of Parks.

Kirkland

Kirkland Art Studio Tour (May 12–13): Observe art projects in the making around Kirkland, and maybe pick up some Mother’s Day gifts while you’re at it.

Lake City Community Center

Seattle Mineral Market (May 26): Peruse oodles of gems, fossils, jewelry, tools, and books from lots of dealers.

Museum of Glass

Tacoma

Hot Shop Visiting Artist Program (March 21–22 & April 11–15): Contemporary glass artists will visit the hot shop to collaborate on new works and wrap up their mini-residencies with a lecture. The guests this spring include Christopher Jordan (March 21–22) and Timea Tihanyi (April 11–15).

Pacific Galleries Auction House

Northwest Art & Modern (April 7): Bid on Northwest and modern art for your collection.

Phinney Neighborhood Association

Recycled Arts Festival (May 11–12): Where some might see trash, these Northwest artist saw a palette of colors and textures. Check out this exhibit of recycled-material art at this Art Up PhinneyWood showcase.

Photographic Center Northwest

Beb Reynol (March 22): Join photojournalist Beb Reynol, who uses his art to spread awareness of armed conflicts and other issues underreported by the media around the world, for a lecture.

Pilchuck Glass School Campus

Stanwood

Spring Tours (May 2–4 & 6): Tour the glass school campus and watch Dante Marioni and Katie Rhodes at work at the furnace.

Push/Pull

6 Hour Comic Challenge (April 7): Create a six-page comic in six hours at Push/Pull—they’ll provide coffee, lunch, and limited supplies. The one rule is that you must illustrate your own story—no adaptations.

Exterminator City 9 (May 19): Browse the wares of local underground comics

Seattle Art Museum

★ Complex Exchange: Figuring Black Futures Today (March 28): Exhibits from the Seattle Art Museum and the Northwest African American Museum (particularly Figuring History and Everyday Black) will inspire community members’ conversations on “race, power, politics, and representation.” Participants will include Jessica Rycheal, dancer and choreographer Nia-Amina Minor, and Seattle Central College President Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange. Asia Talks (March 29–May 9): A variety of scholars, artists, and other experts of Asian subject matter will give talks including "Islamic Architecture of Deccan India" and "Race and Plagiarism on the Runway."

SAM Remix (March 30): SAM Remix is a recurring and ever-changing art party that includes performances, tours, and dancing.

★ Saturday University: Asian Textiles Across Time and Place (March 31–May 12): Learn about the many facets of Asian textiles, from design to labor to trade, from experts including former Victoria & Albert Museum Senior Curator Rosemary Crill, Japanese artist Shoji Yamamura, and Pratt Institute Associate Professor in Media Studies Minh-Ha Pham.

★ Kitchen Session with Imani Sims and CD Forum (April 6): The Kitchen Sessions, which highlight black women artists and offer opportunities for dialogue, return as a SAM-CD Forum partnership. Excellent poet Imani Sims will select performers.

Legendary Children (April 14): This will be a special event led by queer artists of color, who’ll discuss themes brought up by Figuring History: Robert Colescott, Kerry James Marshall, Mickalene Thomas Metropolitan Fashion Week Seattle Closing Gala (May 5): This international fashion show features exclusive designs by both fashion and costume artists. They suggest you wear a gown or a tuxedo.

The Summit

★ Mary Ann Peters with Gary Faigin (April 5): Stranger Genius Award recipient Mary Ann Peters was recognized for her large-scale abstract paintings before her trip to Syria, where part of her family is from. After this journey, she began to focus on Middle Eastern themes and techniques and to experiment with unorthodox materials, like flour and glycerin. Gary Faigin of Gage Academy will be with her onstage to discuss this change.

Tulip Valley Winery

Mount Vernon

Tulip Valley Winery Annual Art Show (March 23–April 30): Artists will sell watercolors, photographs, and jewelry.

Art Walks

Susanna Bluhm

Gallery.

CLASSICAL MUSIC & OPERA

By Kim Selling and Rich Smith

MARCH 19

Joseph Adam in Recital Seattle Symphony’s highly lauded organist Joseph Adams will showcase his virtuosity and sterling technique. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $21–$32

MARCH 20

Sessions: Andrew Joslyn & the Passenger String Quartet

Andrew Joslyn works as a multiinstrumentalist, composer, arranger, songwriter, and Macklemore’s orchestra leader, as well as the band leader for the experimental, neo-classical Passenger Ensemble. Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville, 8 pm, $45

MARCH 21–25

Bach in the Subways 2018

Every year for Bach’s birthday, a worldwide community of classical musicians gathers at a variety of spaces to share their love of the composer’s music and appreciation for the art form. In Seattle, there will be performances at venues like the Central Library and Beacon Hill Station.

Various locations

MARCH 22

Peter Nelson-King:

The Magpie’s Shadow Multi-instrumentalist Peter NelsonKing will premiere his new work, The Magpie’s Shadow, an expansive cycle of miniatures composed for piano and inspired by Yvor Winter’s poem sequence of the same name.

Chapel Performance Space, 8 pm, $5–$15

MARCH 22–25

★ Sibelius Symphony No. 2

The three pieces Seattle Symphony Music Director Ludovic Morlot selected for this evening brilliantly showcase the many facets of the ocean. The program starts with Sibelius’s serene tone poem, The Oceanides. The room will then sparkle and effervesce when the orchestra dives into Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes before completely freezing over when arctic blasts from Sibelius’s Second Symphony start hitting everybody. RS Benaroya Hall, $22–$122

MARCH 23–27

A Brief History of The String Quartet

The San Francisco-based Sylvestris Quartet will perform a witty and

educational program, armed only with two violins, a viola, and a cello.

Various locations

★ Daniel Corral: Polytope

LA-based composer Daniel Corral creates highly unpredictable music that swerves from serene, abstruse chamber music to chaotic sound collage to a wickedly warped deconstruction of the Sonics’ “The Witch” called “Tacoma.”

But my favorite work of his is Diamond Pulses, a 32-minute piece marked by interlocking microtonal needlepoint and what sound like massive synthesized tides. DAVE SEGAL Chapel Performance Space, 8 pm, $5–$15

In Blue

Let Emerald City Music take you on a sonic journey through the American South with a program of composers— like Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin—who were profoundly influenced by the texture and history of blues music.

415 Westlake, 8 pm, $45

★ Trumpet Meditations: Music & Musicians from the Norwegian Arctic Composer Edvard Grieg is credited with bringing Norwegian music to the world, and so this concert will honor his legacy with a showcase of meditations on the sounds of the Norwegian Arctic, with guest artists Ingrid Eliassen on the trumpet and Ekaterina Isayevskaya on the piano.

Ballard First Lutheran, 7 pm, free

MARCH 24

★ Baltic Centennial:

100 Years of Statehood

The Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia) will celebrate their centennial anniversaries this spring, so a program of classical folk songs and choral music will be performed by the Seattle Choral Company in partnership with the Mägi Baltic Ensemble, directed by Heather MacLaughlin Garbes, and the University of Washington Baltic Studies Program, chaired by Professor Guntis Šmidchens.

Saint Mark’s Cathedral, 8 pm, $25

Free at The Frye: Alan Liu

World-renowned, award-winning teen prodigy Alan Liu will present a program that will reflect his recent studies with Michael Partington of the University of Washington and Daniel Bolshoy of the Vancouver Symphony School of Music. Frye Art Museum, 2 pm, free

Keith Eisenbrey: Études d’exécution imminent Seattle composer Keith Eisenbrey, known for his solo piano music, will showcase the first 11 parts of his large-scale work-in-progress. Chapel Performance Space, 8 pm, $5–$15

★ Verdi’s Requiem Considered Verdi’s ultimate masterpiece, Messa di Requiem will be performed by a joint force of the Kirkland Choral Society and Philharmonia Northwest in a dramatic recall of traditional Latin Mass with a 100-voice chorus, full orchestra, and guest soloists. Benaroya Hall, 2 pm, $25/$35

MARCH 24–25

Duo Amadeus: The Bachs & Mozart

Duo Amadeus is comprised of violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock and pianist Tamara Friedman, performing on their 1660 Andrea Guarneri violin and a replica of a 1782 Johann Andreas Stein fortepiano, respectively. Their program will include Bach’s Partita No. 3 in E major for solo violin, and duo sonatas by C. P. E. and J. C. Bach, and Mozart.

Queen Anne Christian Church, 7:03 pm, $15/$25

MARCH 25

Deceptive Cadence—Celebrating Paul Taub’s 38 Years at Cornish Flutist and faculty member Paul Taub will be honored at this modern music concert featuring colleagues from the New Performance Group, Seattle Chamber Players, IWO Flute Quartet, and more.

PONCHO Concert Hall, 7 pm, $5/$10

★ Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time”

Olivier Messiaen composed his masterpiece, the aptly titled “Quartet for the End of Time,” while captive in a Nazi POW camp in 1941. The staunchly spiritual piece takes into consideration acts of faith, and the depth of love in the face of universal time.

Saint Mark’s Cathedral, 2 pm, $15/$20

Sine Nomine Renaissance Choir: 10th Anniversary Celebration

In celebration of their 10th anniversary, the Sine Nomine Renaissance Choir will perform much older music, with a program of European compositions spanning the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries.

Trinity Parish Church, 4:30 pm, by donation

Shakespeare” Overture by the early Romantic Danish composer Friedrich Kuhlau. In addition, flutist Miao Liu will solo on Jacques Ibert’s Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, and there will be a group performance of Ruth Gipps’ second symphony and Frederick Stock’s transcription of Bach’s mighty “St. Anne” Prelude and Fugue. Benaroya Hall, 2 pm, $20/$30

APRIL 2

Enchanting China

The Chinese Traditional Orchestra will perform on traditional instruments like the erhu, sheng, banhu, liuqin, and ruan. The musicians will be accompanied by dancers and a full chorus for a multi-part show encompassing Chinese opera, folk music, and modern classical movements. Benaroya Hall, 8 pm, $40–$120

APRIL 5

★ Simon Trpčeski

Macedonian pianist and concert hall regular Simon Trpčeski will perform a dazzling program spanning from Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words to Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade UW Meany Theatre, 7:30 pm, $47+

APRIL 7–8

Rainier Symphony: Dark Dreams

The Rainier Symphony will play on your more sinful tendencies with this program of pieces sure to stir something up, including the “Hungarian March” from Damnation of Faust and the “Symphony Fantastique,” both by Berlioz, as well as “Night on the Bare Mountain” by Mussorgsky.

Foster Performing Arts Center, Tukwila, 3 pm, 7:30 pm, $12/$17

APRIL 8

Seattle Baroque Orchestra: The Splendor of Dresden

Aida

Why you should see it: Verdi's hugely ambitious opera has it all. When/Where: May 5–19 at McCaw Hall.

MARCH 29 & 31

★ John Luther Adams’ Become Desert

Last time the Seattle Symphony commissioned John Luther Adams for a piece he created, Become Ocean, it ended up winning the 2014 Pulitzer Prize and the glowing admiration of a singer-songwriter by the name of Taylor Swift. (She later donated $50K to the symphony because she liked Adams’s pieces so much.) The symphony has wisely commissioned another piece from Adams, Become Desert, which will have its world premiere right here in Seattle. RS Benaroya Hall, $29–$122

MARCH 30

★ Beethoven & Kancheli

The selections from Smetana, Schnittke, and Kancheli coalesce into the sonic equivalent of smoking a clove and thinking about the one that got away, and then internationally renowned Jeremy Denk is going to hit you with Beethoven’s String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 4, which will put the pep back in your step, you big baby. RS Benaroya Hall, 8 pm, $40

★ Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto

If the fact that Baroque revivalist and Bach expert Jeremy Denk is a recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant isn’t enough to make you want to go to this, then take the word of the New York Times: “Mr. Denk, clearly, is a pianist you want to hear, no matter what he performs.” In this case, he’ll be performing Beethoven’s masterwork, the “Emperor” Concerto. Benaroya Hall, 12 pm, $37–$122

MARCH 31

Ray Chen & Julio Elizalde in Recital Violinist Ray Chen and pianist Julio Elizalde will perform a program of classical favorites by Beethoven, SaintSaëns, and Stravinsky.

Benaroya Hall, 2 pm

Seattle Philharmonic: The Fifth Evangelist

Within this diverse program, Seattle Philharmonic will perform the “William

APRIL 19 & 21

★ Debussy’s La Mer Hearing Claude Debussy’s “La Mer (The Sea)” in concert is a thrilling experience you need to have in order to feel the full force of the art. The piece is massive and fantastic in the Tolkienian sense of the word: It sounds like you’re on a galleon sailing into the mountains to face the One Demon for control over your own mind. Russian phenom Daniil Trifonov will guide you through this intense dreamscape on the piano. Though he’s young (24!), you’ll be in good hands. RS Benaroya Hall, $22–$122

APRIL 20

★ Debussy Untuxed Enjoy the endless current of melody that is the full spectrum of Debussy’s aquatic explorations during a special edition of “Untuxed,” a low-key, no-intermission way to enjoy the Seattle Symphony. Benaroya Hall, 7 pm, $13–$55 UW Chamber Orchestra with Melia Watras Violist and UW strings professor Melia Watras, along with members of the Seattle Symphony, will join together to play works by Britten, Wagner, and Wolf. Brechemin Auditorium, 7:30 pm, free

APRIL 21

LUCO Presents: Concert IV The Lake Union Civic Orchestra will take on Berlioz’s Introduction to Roméo & Juliette, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream suite, and Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3. First Free Methodist Church, 7:30 pm

APRIL 22

The Seattle Baroque Orchestra will perform gems of 18th-century Dresden created by Baroque composers like Johann Georg Pisendel, with wind section soloists Janet See, Curtis Foster, and Nate Helgeson. Benaroya Hall, 2:30 pm, $20–$40

APRIL 12

The King’s Singers: GOLD50 Choral group the King’s Singers will celebrate their 50th anniversary with a program of new commissions by Bob Chilcott, Alexander L’Estrange, and Nico Muhly alongside Renaissance and folk song selections.

Seattle First Baptist Church, 7:30 pm Northwest Sinfonietta: Winds in the City

The Northwest Sinfonietta will gather to perform works indicative of their springtime theme “Winds in the City,” including a program of Dvorak’s lyrical Serenade for Winds, as well as some lesser-known gems of the classical chamber music repertoire. Triple Door, 7:30 pm, $10–$40

APRIL 14

Seattle Modern Orchestra: The Clouds Receding Seattle Modern Orchestra will welcome composer Orlanda Jacinto Garcia with a new piece for violist Melia Watras, along with selections by Austrian composer Beat Furrer and modern master György Ligeti. Chapel Performance Space, 8 pm, $10–$25

APRIL 14–15

SMCO: Songs and Dances of Peace Presented by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, acclaimed guest artists—flutist Rachel Blumenthal and oboist David Fitzpatrick—will showcase Golijov’s Last Round, Barber’s Canzonetta for Oboe and Strings, Bernstein’s Halil: Nocturne for Flute and Orchestra, and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. First Free Methodist Church, 8 pm, $15/$25 (April 14); Rainier Arts Center, 2 pm, $15/$25 (April 15)

APRIL 15

Kyrkans Musik: Trumpet och Orgel Swedish-American trumpeter Brian Chin will join forces with organist Douglas Cleveland for a program of Swedish pipe organ and trumpet music to celebrate their Nordic and Pacific Northwestern roots. Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 2 pm, $20/$25

The Brittany Boulding Ensemble Violinist Brittany Boulding and her ensemble will perform a viola quintet program by Mendelssohn and Mozart, a piano trio program by Dvořák and Brahms, and a violin and piano sonata program by Beethoven.

Haller Lake United Methodist Church, 7 pm, $20

Byron Schenkman & Friends: Vivaldi & The High Baroque Renowned harpsichordist Byron Schenkman will focus on high baroque classics by Vivaldi and other composers like Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Anna Bon, and George Frideric Handel. Benaroya Hall, 7 pm, $10–$42 Organ Plus Concert On the Fritts organ, Wyatt Smith, organist of Saint Alphonsus Parish, will perform a diverse program with UW Doctor of Musical Arts advanced candidate Nathalie Ham on flute. Saint Mark’s Cathedral, 2 pm, $10/$15 SYSO: All-Brahms Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform Brahms’s Violin Concerto and Symphony No. 1, with a feature by the 2017 SYSO Concerto Competition winner Adrian Steele. Benaroya Hall, 3 pm, $16–$32

APRIL 24–29

April in Paris Experience Paris in the springtime without getting on a plane by taking in this program of refined delicacies by Hotteterre, Lully, Forqueray, Naudot, and more, performed by baroque flautist Joshua Romatowski, baroque oboist and recorder player Curtis Foster, and harpsichordist Henry Lebedinsky. Various locations

Calidore String Quartet with David Hinckel & Wu Han Lincoln Center resident artists the Calidore String Quartet will team up with pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel. UW Meany Theatre, 7:30 pm, $40+ Guest Artist Recital: Zhenni Li

Once described as a “magnetic pianist—with fire and poetry” by music critic David Dubal, Zhenni Li will perform pieces by Debussy, Lourié, and Schumann. Brechemin Auditorium, 7:30 pm, free APRIL 26 & 28

★ Stravinsky’s Persephone Seattle Symphony music director Ludovic Morlot leads “star soloists, dancers, puppeteers, three choirs, four grand pianos and the Seattle Symphony” in this celebration of Stravinsky’s woefully undersung minor pieces. Dancer Anna Marra’s interpretation of Perséphone, Stravinsky’s haunting melodrama about the Greek

goddess of nature who was dragged to the Underworld against her will, should be particularly magical. The recent production at the Oregon Symphony featured life-sized puppets, bunches of oversized flowers, a mandeer, and one big, freaky moon. RS Benaroya Hall, $29–$122

APRIL 27

Capella Romana: Venice in the East Choral works from former Venetian outpost Cyprus, along with former Latin conquests Crete and the Ionian Islands, will be presented in regal beauty by choral group Cappella Romana.

St. James Cathedral, 8 pm, $24–$49

★ [untitled] 2

At the latest installment of the incredibly popular late-night, lie-onthe-floor-if-you-want-to concert experience from Seattle Symphony’s most risk-taking players, [untitled] 2 will feature a blend of folk traditions and wild works by contemporary Russian composers, all animated by the Dmitry Pokrovsky Ensemble.

Benaroya Hall, 10 pm, $16

APRIL 28–29

NOCCO: Lost Sisters; Found Landscapes

Explore the meanings of union and family with this North Corner Chamber Orchestra program that will include Farrenc’s Symphony No. 3, Lasser’s newly commissioned Cello Concerto, and Copland’s Appalachian Spring, with soloist Eli Weinberger on cello. University Christian Church, 2 pm, $15/$25 (April 28); The Royal Room, 7:30 pm, $10–$25 (April 29)

APRIL 29

Mozart á la Mode

Local fortepiano expert Tamara Friedman will guide an audience through the lush varieties of Mozart’s pieces for keys, assisted by operatic tenor Stephen Rumph in arias from Così fan tutte and The Magic Flute, and classical flutist Courtney Westcott in one of Mozart’s early sonatas.

Queen Anne Christian Church, 3 pm, $15/$25

MAY 1

★ Music of Today: DXARTS

The University of Washington School of Music and DXARTS—Center for Digital Art and Experimental Media will co-sponsor this series that showcases innovative new works and contemporary classics composed and initiated by faculty members and guest composers.

UW Meany Theatre, 7:30 pm, $15

MAY 4

Metamorphosis

Emerald City Music will pay homage to modern composer Leonard Bernstein, in addition to pieces by composers that Bernstein championed throughout his career.

415 Westlake, 8 pm, $45

MAY 4–5

Vivaldi & Handel

Arias & Concertos

Venice during Vivaldi’s time and the London of Handel will be revisited in this program of their thrilling arias and concertos.

Benaroya Hall, 8 pm, $21–$77

MAY 5

★ Celtic Universe

Gamba player Jordi Savall and Galician bagpiper Carlos Núñez will transport their audience to the Emerald Isle with a program rife with Celtic culture, lively jigs, and ancient music traditions

Why you should see it: It will be magical. When/Where: April 26 & 28 at

represented with a modern twist. They’ll be joined by the musicians of Hespèrion XXI.

Seattle First Baptist Church, 7:30 pm, $20–$50

★ Matt Shoemaker Memorial Concert

Locally beloved experimental composer Matthew Shoemaker’s life was tragically cut short last year. To honor his legacy, sound artists Colin Andrew Sheffield, Jim Haynes, Climax Golden Twins, and Dave Knott will gather to perform waves of sonic texture inspired by their relationships and collaborations with Shoemaker.

Chapel Performance Space, 7 pm, $5–$15

Seattle Classic Guitar Society: Jérémy Jouve

Paris-based expert guitarist Jérémy Jouve has played all over the world, including at the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the German Iserlhon Guitar Festival, and the Radio France Festival at Montpellier. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $38

MAY 5–6

★ Bellevue Chamber Chorus: Voces Latinas

Bellevue Chamber Chorus will join in collaboration with City Cantabile Choir for a unique program featuring “Misa por la Paz y la Justicia (Mass for Peace and Justice),” a rare work by Argentine composer Ariel Ramirez that showcases the melding of indigenous South American instruments and styles with conventional classical music traditions, as well as other excursions into the music of Latin America.

Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7:30 pm, $15–$20 (May 5); St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Bellevue, 3 pm, $10–$20 (May 6)

MAY 5–19

★Aida

Verdi’s Aida is a hugely ambitious tale that ties in pharaohs and slaves, priests and priestesses, lust and love, betrayal and redemption, and a bunch of other major themes that will be tended to by Seattle Opera in what will surely be the production of the year.

McCaw Hall, $87+

MAY 6

Frolic on the Green!

Celebrate the 27th year of the Medieval Women’s Choir’s existence with this fittingly retro party full of entertainment like troubadours, fortune tellers, period instrument performances, and a massive feast.

Trinity Parish Church, 5:30 pm, $75

Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 Mozart wrote his fifth violin concerto with his boyhood trips to Italy in mind, infusing this work with inspiration from Italian operas and orchestral works. Baroque music specialist Dmitry Sinkovsky will showcase this piece alongside arias from Handel and Vivaldi. Benaroya Hall, 2 pm, $22–$122

MAY 7

Cascade Symphony Orchestra: Roman Festivals

Cascade Symphony Orchestra will gather to create a sonic and visual tapestry of ancient Roman festivals with pieces by Arnold, Chopin, Mussorgsky, and Scriabin.

Edmonds Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, $10–$27

MAY 10

★ JACK Quartet with Joshua Roman Babes of the contemporary classical music scene JACK Quartet will take the church world by storm with their string-centered program of selections by Jefferson Friedman’s Quintet, Carlo Gesualdo, Joshua Roman, and more. Plymouth Congregational Church, 7:30 pm, $15/$20

MAY 11

Ensign Symphony & Chorus: Glorious Ensign Symphony & Chorus will present a performance by angelic pop singer and American Idol runner-up David Archuleta. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $18–$38

MAY 11–13

★ Harry Partch Festival

Harry Partch was a composer who invented his own microtonal systems and created his own massive, whimsical instruments like the Chromelodeon, Harmonic Canon, and Spoils of War. This weekend, Charles Corey and the Harry Partch ensemble will honor the musical innovator with performances of his compositions on these handhewn instruments, as well as modern classics by Satie, Berio, Cage, Ives, and Pärt, among others.

University of Washington School of Music, 7:30 pm, $10–$60

MAY 12

Emerald City Music: Carte Blanche with Park-Atapine Duo

The duo of pianist Hyeyeon Park and cellist Dmitri Atapine will guide their audience through a selection of cello sonatas.

Resonance at SOMA Towers, Bellevue, 7:30 pm

Northwest Symphony Orchestra Season Finale

The Northwest Symphony Orchestra will spotlight Tchaikovsky’s Serenade and Brahms’ Second Symphony.

Highline Performing Arts Center, Burien, 8 pm, $15/$20

★ Ten Grands

Ten performers astride a baby grand apiece will play selections from every genre to raise money for children’s music education.

Benaroya Hall, 7 pm, $43–$121

Deanne Meek in Concert

In partnership with the Frye’s Towards Impressionism, widely acclaimed mezzo-soprano Deanne Meek will perform pieces contemporary to the time period of the exhibit, accompanied by piano.

Frye Art Museum, 2 pm, free MAY 12–13

Roman Holiday: Young Handel’s Italian Adventures

Witness the flowering of a young George Frideric Handel’s musical inspiration in this concert featuring pieces he composed as a young man exploring Italy. The evening will feature internationally acclaimed soprano Amanda Forsythe with the Pacific MusicWorks Orchestra under the direction of Stephen Stubbs.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Mercer Island, 7:30 pm, $35/$45 (May 12); Trinity Episcopal Church, Everett, 2 pm, $35/$45 (May 13)

Sales Appraisals Repairs Rentals Third Generation Violin Maker

“Voted Evening Magazine’s Best of Western WA!”

www.kirklandviolins.com 425 822 0717

Stravinsky's Persephone

Benaroya Hall.

BRUD GILES

THINGS TO DO CLASSICAL

MAY 17 & 20

Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet Everyone’s favorite underage romance will be illuminated by Prokofiev’s passionate take on the classic tale of honor, betrayal, and age-old family values.

Benaroya Hall, $22–$122

MAY 18

Simple Gifts Community Concert

Join Seattle Symphony Composer in Residence Alexandra Gardner as she hosts this celebration concert that will feature testimonials from homeless LGBTQ youth.

Benaroya Hall, 7 pm, free

MAY 18–19

Seattle Pro Musica: Sacred Ground

Seattle Pro Musica’s will present sacred choral music that illustrates the link between our spiritual cores and the natural world. Program selections will include the Canticle of the Sun by Estonian composer Tõnu Kõrvits, An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Host by Healey Willan, and Amazing Grace by Hyo-Won Woo.

St. James Cathedral, 8 pm, $12–$38

MAY 19

Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert

The Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra will spotlight Scott Selfon’s arrangement of Lord of the Rings, Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Sibelius’ Finlandia, and Brahms’ Second Symphony.

First Free Methodist Church, 7:30 pm, $5–$11

SYSO: 5 Orchestras & Firebird

The Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra’s newest orchestra, the Prelude String Orchestra, will join the Symphonette, Debut, and Junior Symphony Orchestras in this lively performance of Igor Stravinsky’s magical Firebird Suite.

Benaroya Hall, 3 pm, $16–$32

MAY 19–20

Emerald Ensemble: Finlandia

The Nordic Museum will break in their new concert hall by hosting the Emerald Ensemble as they perform classic choral works of Finland, inspired by Jean Sibelius’ eponymous hymn composed in 1899. Vashon United Methodist Church, 8 pm (May 19); Nordic Museum, 4:30 pm, $20/$25 (May 20)

MAY 19–22

William Skeen: All About That Bass Bay Area-based viola da gamba expert William Skeen will kick off the Pacific MusicWorks season finale with harpsichordist and PMW Underground director Henry Lebedinsky as they perform virtuosic music for the gamba by a few baroque legends. Various locations

MAY 20

★ Music of Remembrance: Gaman: to persevere

“Never forget” was the refrain the world adopted in response to the horrors of the Holocaust. Music of Remembrance takes that charge seriously, using symphonic music’s ability to transcend time and create emotional connections between an audience and those touched by the Shoah and other tragedies. They'll mark their 20th season with “Gaman,” a piece by Seattle-based composer Christophe Chagnard about the Japanese interment camps. To tell the story, Chagnard uses Japanese and Western instruments, as well as testimony and visual art from poets and artists imprisoned in the camps. RS Benaroya Hall, 5 pm, $30–$45

MAY 22

The Capable Virtuoso Revel in a program of trio sonatas inspired by the concept that French, German, and Italian classical styles could be fused into a single integrated tradition. Capping this off will be Johann Mattheson’s “The Capable Virtuoso,” published in Hamburg in 1720. Christ Episcopal Church, 7 pm, $15–$25 suggested donation

MAY 24

Modern Music Ensemble

The University of Washington’s contemporary music ensemble will perform works by 20th-century composers with support from ensemble director Cristina Valdés, special guest conductor Ludovic Morlot, and faculty cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir.

UW Meany Theatre, 7:30 pm, $10

MAY 25

Percussion Ensemble

The students of the UW Percussion Ensemble will perform as an ensemble for a finale to their academic year with a program of world music led by faculty member Bonnie Whiting. UW Meany Studio Theater, 7:30 pm, $10

MAY 27

★ Frequency: Dialogues Chamber ensemble Frequency, comprised of UW faculty members Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir on cello and Melia Watras on viola, along with Pacific Northwest Ballet concertmaster Michael Jinsoo Lim on violin, will perform works by Luciano Berio, Witold Lutosławski, Bruno Maderna, Maurice Ravel, and Melia Watras, with additional pieces written for duos that will showcase a collaboration with guest violinist Yura Lee.

UW Meany Theatre, 7:30 pm, $20

MAY 30

Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto

Early musicians will perform notable works by Bach for flute, violin, harpsichord, and string chamber orchestra.

Christ Episcopal Church, 7 pm, $15–$25 suggested donation

MAY 31 & JUNE 2–3

★ Sibelius Kullervo

Attn: Seattle Scandinavians. The symphony and their Danish principal guest conductor (and future music director) Thomas Dausgaard are bringing you Sibelius’s Kullervo, which will reportedly make you very horny for Finland folk mythology and for your snow-covered motherlands. Another thing to look forward to: soprano Maria Männistö, who has “one of the most hauntingly beautiful voices” the Seattle Times has heard in years. RS Benaroya Hall, $22–$122

JUNE 1

Brahms & Schumann

The twin powers of chamber music will be presented as intellectual and intimately resonant artists with performances of their Clarinet Quintet (Brahms) and First Piano Trio (Schumann). Benaroya Hall, 8 pm, $40

Masterworks IV ChoralSounds NW and VocalSounds NW will perform Charles Gounod’s masterpiece Messe Solennelle in honor of the French composer’s 200th birthday, in addition to Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem. Both pieces will be performed entirely in Latin, and will be accompanied by a chamber orchestra.

Glendale Lutheran Church, Burien, 7:30 pm, $15

UW Symphony & Combined University Choirs: Works by Debussy and Brahms

The UW Symphony and the combined university chorale squad, led by Giselle Wyers and David Alexander Rahbee, will team up to perform works by Debussy and Brahms. UW Meany Theatre, 7:30 pm, $15

Zoe Keating Zoe Keating, described as a one-woman cello orchestra, will perform a double set of modern classical compositions. Triple Door, 6:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $28–$35

JUNE 2

Saints and Sinners

Learn more about the massive canon of Catholic saints with this Medieval Women’s Choir program of popular Middle Ages songs praising saints and recounting their good works.

St. James Cathedral, 8 pm, $15/$25

JUNE 2–3

Rainier Symphony: Symphonic Dreams The Rainier Symphony will present a classical “pops” concert with selections from traditional classics to film scores and Broadway hits by composers like Debussy and Gershwin. Foster Performing Arts Center, Tukwila, 3 pm, 7:30 pm, $12/$17

JUNE 7

★ Sonic Evolution This sixth annual genre-blending concert will tout Seattle’s unique musical legacy and homegrown talent. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $51–$97

JUNE 8

Northwest Sinfonietta: Bernstein Centennial To celebrate the would-be 100th birthday of legendary modern composer Leonard Bernstein, the Northwest Sinfonietta will perform Bernstein’s one-act operatic masterpiece, Trouble in Tahiti, along with the original chamber instrumentation of Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” which was one of Bernstein’s favorites. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $21.50–$46.50

JUNE 8–10

The Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel Experience the hits of Simon & Garfunkel’s heyday through the lens of artists AJ Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle as they join with the Seattle Symphony. Benaroya Hall, $29–$96

JUNE 9

Seattle Modern Orchestra: In Quest of Spirit—Jonathan Harvey’s Bhakti Seattle Modern Orchestra will perform British composer Jonathan Harvey’s epic work Bhakti, which was inspired by Sanskrit hymns from the Rig Veda and focuses on moving toward a transcendent consciousness.

Chapel Performance Space, 8 pm, $10–$25 Songs of the Danube: Choral Songs From Central Europe Embrace the romance of folk music in this conclusion to the Seattle Choral Company’s 36th season, with songs by some of the area’s greatest classical composers, including Johannes Brahms, Antonin Dvořák, Béla Bartók, and Henryk Górecki. Seattle First Baptist Church, 2 pm, 8 pm, $25

JUNE 9–10

Northwest Boychoir: Choral Tradition Northwest Boychoir will present a program that honors the rich varietals of choral music traditions from their seat as a Seattle choral music mainstay for over 40 years.

Trinity Lutheran Church, 7:30 pm, $5–$28 (June 9); Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 7 pm, $5–$28 (June 10)

Northwest Chamber Chorus: Celebrate 50! Now officially over the hill, the Northwest Chamber Chorus will perform a program of old and new favorites, like the world premiere of a piece by Eric William Barnum, specifically commissioned for this moment, in celebration of their 50th anniversary. Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7:30 pm, $20/$25 (June 9); Plymouth Congregational Church, 3 pm, $20/$25 (June 10)

SUNDAY

★ Compline Choir

This is an excellent opportunity to lie on the floor while listening to choral music. Rich Smith wrote, "Something about the combination of the architecture, the fellowship, and the music gave me a little peek into the ineffable." Saint Mark’s Cathedral, 9:30 pm, free

Seattle Philharmonic: I Will Never Achieve This Again Seattle Philharmonic will close their season with a program of works by German composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann that double as cries for justice and community, SaintSaëns’s extremely impressive “Organ” Symphony, and performances by bassbaritone Michael Delos and organist Joseph Adam. Benaroya Hall, 2 pm, $20–$30

THINGS TO DO SPRING

JAZZ

By Kim Selling, Charles Mudede, and Dave Segal

THROUGH MARCH 30

Cabaret Month 2018

Everything from jazz and blues to Beatles tributes and movie soundtracks will be performed with a little extra zazz.

Egan’s Ballard Jam House, Fri–Sat, $15–$25

MARCH 19

14th Annual Seattle Kobe Female

Jazz Vocalist Audition

Seattle will team up with our sister city in Japan for an evening of jazz vocalist auditions. The winners, one high school and one adult female jazz vocalist, will be flown to Kobe for the May 2018 Kobe Shinkaichi Jazz Queen Contest. Jazz Alley, 6:30 pm, $15

Birthday Bash for Elnah Jordan

Singer Elnah Jordan will bring her years of experience and gravitas to her own birthday celebration show this week. Her band support will include Paul Richardson on keyboard, James Clark on bass, and John Oliver II on drums. The Royal Room, 7:30 pm, free

MARCH 19 & APRIL 21

★ Pink Martini

I will always love Pink Martini for its exceptionally beautiful cover of the “Song of the Black Lizard,” the lead track for the campy late-’60s Japanese film Black Lizard. If you have not heard of the band, which was founded in Portland, Oregon, by the pianist Thomas Lauderdale in the mid-’90s, recommend you enter its world by this door— this sensuous tune. Pink Martini’s world is trashy, elegant, and erotic. CM Edmonds Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, $59–$94 (March 19); Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Olympia, 7:30 pm, $64–$99 (April 21)

MARCH 20–21

★ Fred Hersch and Anat Cohen Duo I recommend listening first to Bill Evans’s “Spartacus Love Theme,” which is on the jazz classic Conversations with Myself, and then listening to Hersch’s version on Let Yourself Go: Fred Hersch at Jordan Hall. What do you hear? Evans plays the piece with all the mystery, magic, and messiness of French impressionism. Hersch’s version, on the other hand, is actually played with greater sensitivity and mastery. Tonight, the great Hersch plays with Anat Cohen, a New-York based jazz clarinetist. CM Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $34.50

MARCH 21

Piano Starts Here: The Music of Geri Allen & Muhal Richard Abrams Piano Starts Here as a series showcases the work of musical icons who contributed to the knowledge and appreciation of the instrument. This iteration celebrates Geri Allen and Muhal Richard Abrams, both vast contributors to the American canon of modern piano composition and performance and leaders of the avant-garde. Musicians for the evening will be playing on the Royal Room’s Steinway B grand piano. The Royal Room, 7:30 pm, $10/$12 Ron Jones’ Jazz Forest

Prolific composer Ron Jones has composed and arranged the music for Duck Tales Family Guy, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now he’s back with his Jazz Forest, a collective of 12 highly skilled musicians attempting the synchronicity of a string quartet with the future-thinking joy of iconic jazz artists.

Tula’s, 7 pm, $20

MARCH 21 & 28

Late Night in The Lounge: Wayne Horvitz Trio Horvitz is a prolific local talent notable for his aptitude for experimental modes of jazz, funk, classical, and prog music. The Royal Room, 10 pm, free

LaVette

Why you should see her: Her Tina Turner-esque rasp and vibrant soul. When/Where: April 23 at Benaroya Hall.

MARCH 22

Seattle JazzED: Soundtrack for the Future Gala Support music education for Seattle children by attending this fundraiser gala for Seattle JazzED, which provides local kids with scholarships, free instruments, music tutoring, and many chances to practice their craft with like-minded individuals. Your ticket for the evening will include dinner, wine, dessert, and live entertainment. Triple Door, 7 pm, $150–$500

MARCH 22–25

★ Burt Bacharach

Legendary composer, performer, and godfather of pop Burt Bacharach will share his decades of chart-topping experience with a four-day residency of jazz and classic chamber pop. Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $150

MARCH 23

Sarah Elizabeth Charles Group Passionate and nuanced vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles will flow between jazz, soul, R&B, and world music. PONCHO Concert Hall, 8 pm, $10–$18

MARCH 26

Voice Studio of Johnaye Kendrick & the Piano Studio of Peter Mack Legendary jazz vocalist Johnaye Kendrick and acclaimed pianist Peter Mack will share their talents at this free and allages studio show presented by Cornish. The Royal Room, 5 pm, free

MARCH 26 & APRIL 16

Christian Pinnock’s Scrambler

Experimental trombonist Christian Pincock uses chaos as his influence for the group Scrambler, a gigantic mess of jazz, classical, folk, and sound effect work all brought together through realtime improvisation. The Royal Room, 8 pm, by donation

MARCH 27

★ Brittany Anjou Trio with D’Vonne Lewis & Evan Flory-Barnes

Two of possibly the best musicians in Seattle, D’Vonne Lewis (drums) and Evan Flory-Barnes (bass), join forces with Seattle-raised but NYC-based pianist and composer Brittany Anjou. Like Vijay Iyer, Anjou is a philosopher-musician. Hers is a jazz about jazz, a music about music. CM

The Royal Room, 7 pm, $10

MARCH 27–28

Marcia Ball Jazz and blues singer and keyboardist Marcia Ball brings her latest album The Tattooed Lady and The Alligator Man to life with band members Mike Schermer (guitar), Eric Bernhardt (sax), Don Bennett (bass), and Corey Keller (drums). Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $30.50

MARCH 28–31

Herb Alpert and Lani Hall Wild trumpeter Herb Alpert will play his legendary brass for four nights of hits from his classic album Whipped Cream & Other Delights and later projects for an evening of Latin-inspired instrumental jazz and pop, with retro tracks and ‘60s soundtrack notes, and support from his wife, Grammy-winning vocalist Lani Hall. Triple Door, $60–$90

MARCH 29

The Quebe Sisters The Quebe Sisters go full Americana with a program featuring swing jazz, classic Western swing, and Texan fiddle music, with intricate vocal harmonies. Edmonds Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, $15–$39

MARCH 29–31

★ Ancient to Future

Royal Room owner Wayne Horvitz is both an adventurous musician and a music historian blessed with vast knowledge and great taste. So, there are few better people to organize a festival dedicated to avant-garde jazz in the tradition of John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, and Ornette Coleman than this versatile keyboardist/ composer. On his important agenda are tributes to some of the most innovative artists ever to burn through orthodoxies, including Sonny Sharrock, Henry Threadgill, Muhal Richard Abrams, and a performance of the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s Fanfare for the Warriors. DS The Royal Room (March 29 & 31) and Chapel Performance Space (March 30), $12–$20

MARCH 29–APRIL 1

Ruben Studdard

Ruben Studdard, winner of the second season of American Idol who received a 2003 Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, will visit Seattle. Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $36.50

MARCH 30

Second Annual Jazz Shout!

Join Seattle Women in Jazz as they present Jazz Shout!, an evening dedicated to years of protest music and performance art by and for women, with a fully multi-disciplinary program in honor of Women’s History Month, and proceeds from the door tickets going to benefit Seattle Women in Jazz.

Century Ballroom, 6:30–10:30 pm, $25–$65

Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz Starbucks will host this benefit concert that features live sets by award-winning jazz bands from five local high schools, with all of the evening’s proceeds going to support each school’s music program.

Paramount Theatre, 7 pm, $22

APRIL 1

Chris Speed Trio with Chris Tordini and Dave King Composer, clarinetist, and saxophonist Chris Speed, who was raised in Seattle and now lives in New York, has been

for ages. Kenny G used to play two saxophones at once, back at Franklin High School. And his early records were funk. Maybe not great funk, but funk. And we used to say, “Hey, local kid makes good.” I am not at all sure about his bossa-nova album. am not at all sure about anything of Kenny G’s after 1989. But I sure do miss Johnny Jessen. ANDREW HAMLIN Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $66

APRIL 13–15

The Duke Ellington Orchestra Legendary purveyor of American music and jazz composer Duke Ellington will be paid tribute in this presentation of his finest works. Benaroya Hall, $29–$96

APRIL 15

★ Jazz in the City: The Folks Project Four excellent local jazz musicians— D’Vonne Lewis (drums), Evan FloryBarnes (bass), Owour Arunga (trumpet), and Darrius Willrich (piano)—celebrate the music of Seattle’s former black neighborhood, the Central District. The music of Quincy Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Ernestine Anderson, Sir Mix-A-Lot, and more will be honored. CM Frye Art Museum, 2 pm, free

with his own jazz compositions. The result is a deeply poignant tribute to vanished African American ways of life. The Royal Room, 7 pm, 9:30 pm, $10-$18

Sno-King Community Chorale

The Sno-King Community Chorale is a non-audition choir that is open to anyone. They’ll be joined at their spring show by exceptional jazz vocalist Sara Gazarek with Josh Nelson. Edmonds Center for the Arts, 7 pm, $20–$35

APRIL 23

★ Bettye LaVette

Like Mavis Staples and the late Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley, Bettye LaVette proves that advanced age—she’s been in the music biz for 55 years—is no barrier to maintaining quality control in the vocal-performance department. Her Tina Turneresque rasp serves as a vibrant conduit for soul and slow-burning passion. She has a penchant for covering classic-rock artists (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, the Who), ingeniously rearranging these familiar tunes and imbuing them with a hard-won soulfulness.

described by the New York Times as “one of the principal figures in a dynamic left-of-center jazz/improv scene in the city.” He’ll be joined by Dave King and Chris Tordini to fill out his trio.

The Royal Room, 8:30 pm

APRIL 2

★ Golden Ear and Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame Awards Since 1990, Earshot Jazz’s Golden Ear Awards have recognized the accomplishments of Seattle jazz artists during the previous year and inducted significant artists into Seattle’s Jazz Hall of Fame.

The Royal Room, 6 pm, $13/$15

APRIL 6

Kavita Shah & Francois Moutin

New York-based composer and jazz vocalist Kavita Shah has performed and recorded with musicians like Lionel Loueke, Steve Wilson, Yacouba Sissoko, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Samir Chatterjee. Tonight, she’ll be joined by bassist Francois Moutin for an evening of duo pieces. The Royal Room, 7 pm

APRIL 7

★ Diego El Cigala

Once referred to as “one of the most beautiful flamenco voices of our time” by iconic guitarist Paco de Lucia, vocalist Diego El Cigala blends bolero, tango, Afro-Caribbean jazz, and Cuban son traditions for a Grammy-winning sound all his own.

UW Meany Theatre, 8 pm, $47+

APRIL 10–11

★ Branford Marsalis Quartet

The great saxophonist Branford Marsalis, who is a member of jazz’s royal family (the Marsalises—Ellis, Wynton, Delfeayo), is famous for participating in Sting’s only decent solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, leading the band on Jay Leno’s show in the mid-’90s, and working with DJ Premier on jazz/hiphop collaboration Buckshot LeFonque. He is less well known for the ribbons upon ribbons of beauty extracted from Igor Stravinsky’s “Pastorale”—a piece on the album Romance for Saxophone Branford Marsalis is also known for upsetting his more famous brother Wynton. Branford loves popular culture; Wynton hates it. CM Triple Door, 7:30 pm, $75–$90

APRIL 12

Art of Jazz: Gail Pettis Earshot Jazz-acclaimed 2010 Vocalist of the Year Gail Pettis will perform a program of jazz standards that show off her silky retro vocal talents. Seattle Art Museum, 5:30 pm, free APRIL 12–15

★ Kenny G Although fate was obviously kinder to one of us, Kenny G and I had the same saxophone teacher. John P. Jessen, aka Johnny Jessen, taught sax out of the Sixth and Pine building downtown

★ Kathleen Battle Back in 1992, Kathleen Battle, the soprano with a voice that’s unbelievably beautiful, released an album with the jazz giant Wynton Marsalis titled Baroque Duet. At this moment, both musicians were at their peak. Kathleen Battle was a black diva dominating the white world of opera, and Marsalis a black trumpeter leading both black African classical music, jazz, and European classical music, simply called classical. Tonight, Battle performs with another jazz musician, Joel A. Martin, who brings both forms of music together (he calls the combination “jazzical”). The event will feature spirituals and the heroes of the underground railroad. CM UW Meany Theatre, 8 pm, $125–$149

APRIL 16–17

Roberto Fonseca Charismatic Cuban jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca cut his teeth touring the world with the internationally acclaimed orchestra of sonero Ibrahim Ferrer, along with Buena Vista Social Club and Omara Portuondo. Tonight, he’ll perform Latin jazz classics as well as tracks from his latest release Mi sueño.

A Bolero Songbook Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $30.50

APRIL 19

Lionel Loueke Benin-bred and New York-based jazz guitarist Lionel Loueke folds global traditions into his complex musical practice. The Royal Room

APRIL 19–22

Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra World music talent Ottmar Liebert has been playing guitar since the age of 11, and has traveled extensively to absorb as many global musical traditions as possible. He recently recorded an album that combined elements of the Tangos flamenco rhythm with reggae beats, from which he’ll perform tracks tonight with his band Luna Negra. Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $36.50

APRIL 21–23

Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra: Ellington’s Such Sweet Thunder Celebrated jazz icon Duke Ellington made it no secret his affinity for the Bard, composing and dedicating his “Such Sweet Thunder Suite” to Shakespeare as a tribute. This special collection of works, along with sonnets that inspired Ellington, will be brought to life again by Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and a team of local thespians. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $15–$49 (April 21); Kirkland Performance Center, 2 pm, $15–$49 (April 22); Edmonds Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, $10–$35 (April 23)

APRIL 22

¡Cubanismo! Infectious group Cubanismo! perform jazz, funk, and soul heavily influenced by Havana rhythms, with an emphasis on styles like mambo, salsa, bolero, rumba, and son. Triple Door, 5 pm, 8 pm, $30–$40 Jaimeo Brown Transcendence Jaimeo Brown remixes old work songs, church songs, and other field recordings

What LaVette does isn’t exactly jazz, but it is very classy and enjoyable, and her burnished voice should sound amazing at Benaroya Hall. DS Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $40–$55

APRIL 24–25

★ Daymé Arocena Emerging Cuban star Daymé Arocena is a quintuple threat as a singer, composer, arranger, choir director, and band leader.

Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $30.50

APRIL 26–29

★ Eliane Elias Pianist, singer, and songwriter Eliane Elias has won Grammy Awards for her distinctive style that creates a fusion of her Brazilian roots with her instrumental jazz, classical, and compositional skills. Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $34.50

APRIL 27

★ Zony Mash, Sweeter Than The Day, The Robin Holcomb Band Versatile and virtuosic keyboardist/ composer Wayne Horvitz flaunts two of his many facets tonight. Sweeter Than the Day is his mostly acoustic group, an elegant foray into lyrical songwriting that skews toward the somberly beautiful. Somehow they coax melodies that seem both sleek and rococo. Zony Mash is where Horvitz gets down and dirty, channeling New Orleans funk (i.e., one of the most flavorful funks) with Meters-like tightness and lubriciousness. This might be my favorite Horvitz project, up there with Pigpen and Ponga. DS The Royal Room, 8 pm, $15/$20

APRIL 28

International Jazz Day Concert Celebrate jazz and all who love it at this concert for the International Jazz Day with performances by genre legends Overton Berry and Julian Priester, and band support from singer-songwriter Eugenie Jones, bassist Bruce Phares, and D’Vonne Lewis on drums. The Royal Room, 6:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $15/$18

MAY 1–2

Pedrito Martinez Group

Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez was a founding member of the Afrobeat band Yerba Buena, and has performed with legends like Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Paquito D’Rivera, Bruce Springsteen, and Sting. He’ll be joined tonight by his full band for an evening of high-energy Latin jazz. Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $28.50

MAY 2

Angélique Kidjo’s Remain In Light Three-time Grammy-winner and Benin music pioneer Angélique Kidjo will lend her widely acclaimed world music pedigree to this latest project of covering and re-imagining the Talking Heads’ classic 1980 album, Remain in Light Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $50–$80

MAY 3–6

★ Earl Klugh

Having received accolades for his classical, jazz, and instrumental pop work, Grammy winner Earl Klugh will now take over Jazz Alley for four nights to reinstate himself as the master of the acoustic classical guitar. Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $34.50

Bettye

MARINA CHAVEZ

ELVIN BISHOP’S BIG FUN TRIO

MARCH 15 – 18

“Before Eric Clapton was old enough to shave, Elvin Bishop was hanging out in Chicago with the first generation of electric bluesmen.” – Guitar World

OTTMAR LIEBERT & LUNA NEGRA

APRIL 19 – 22

Liebert has said that “flamenco is a music both romantic and dangerous; it is an attitude as much as it is a musical genre.”

DAYME AROCENA

APRIL 24 – 25

Vocalist who draws inspiration from the intertwining musical legacies of her native Cuba.

PEDRITO MARTINEZ GROUP

MAY 1 – 2

Performed with Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Paquito D’Rivera, Bruce Springsteen, and Sting. The high-energy percussionist was a founding member of Afro-Cuban/Afro-Beat band, Yerba Buena.

LEAN ON ME: JOSÉ JAMES

CELEBRATES BILL WITHERS

MAY 14 – 16

“Sultry one moment, commanding the next, he holistically heals the rift between radio-friendly songcraft and virtuoso flair.” - NPR

MADELINE PEYROUX

MAY 17 – 20

American jazz and blues singer-songwriter touring in support of her new release Anthem

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THINGS TO DO JAZZ

Lean On Me: José James Celebrates Bill Withers

Why you should see him: James jazzes up Withers's work for a

MAY 5

Alma y Azúcar and SuperSones

Latin rhythm duo Alma y Azúcar will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with this evening of cha cha, bossa nova, Latin jazz, rumba, son, and salsa with contemporary influences, and a support set by Cuban son experts SuperSones.

The Royal Room, 9 pm, $15

MAY 7

The Royal Room Collective Music Ensemble

The Royal Room Collective Music Ensemble is a 15-piece band featuring “Seattle’s finest and most innovative improvisers.”

The Royal Room, 7:30 pm, free MAY 8–9

★ Joey DeFrancesco Trio

A keyboard prodigy who was playing in bands with Philly Joe Jones and Hank Mobley at age 10, with Miles Davis at 17, and with John McLaughin in his early 20s, Joey DeFrancesco makes the Hammond organ speak in dialects most of his peers can’t comprehend. His virtuosity turns your ears into spinning pinwheels of delight. DS Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $32.50

MAY 10

Art of Jazz: Hans Teuber & Jeff Johnson

Hans Teuber, saxophonist and Northwest jazz scene mainstay, will play jazz duets with bassist Jeff Johnson as a part of this free and all-ages series. Seattle Art Museum, 5:30 pm, free

MAY 11–13

Kurt Elling

Premier jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, who has been seen performing alongside the Branford Marsalis Quartet, will return to Seattle for a three-night run. Triple Door, $35–$45

MAY 14–16

★ Lean On Me: José James Celebrates Bill Withers

What a fine endeavor it is to honor soul singer supreme Bill Withers, so hats off to José James. If your head’s been near a radio or television over the last 45 years or so, you’ve probably heard Withers’s voice of brimming mahogany benevolence. James approximates Bill’s warm, consoling timbre, and his backing band extrapolate the grooves and tease out the melodic nuances of Withers’s original hits and deep cuts with jazzmen’s cunning and flair. It’ll be a lovely night (or three), particularly if James and company do “Lovely Day.” DS Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $30.50

MAY 16–19

★ Ballard Jazz Festival 2018

The 16th Annual Ballard Jazz Festival is happening at various locations,

and students will be joined by special guests for two days of improvised tunes and jazzy free-form. Headliners this year will include guitarist Bill Frisell, jazz pianist Myra Melford, and alto sax player Andrew D’Angelo. Ethnic Cultural Theater, 7:30 pm, $20

MAY 30–JUNE 3

Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival The Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival will feature events for all ages and tastes. Last year featured big talents like vocalist Catherine Russell and funk/soul group Radio Raheem. Various locations

MAY 31–JUNE 3

★ Spyro Gyra Jazz fusionists Spyro Gyra, who have performed more than 5000 shows and released 32 albums in the last 40+ years, will headline. Fun fact: the band name is a misspelling of a type of green algae, Spirogyra. Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $34.50

JUNE 1–3

including the Conor Byrne Pub and the newly relocated Nordic Museum.

Enjoy live sets from local and national acts, a jazz walk down Ballard Avenue, and more.

Various locations, $12–$110

MAY 16–17

★ Jazz Innovations

UW student jazz ensembles will pay homage to the many varied icons of jazz and tackle new and progressive orchestral jazz compositions. Brechemin Auditorium, 7:30 pm, free

MAY 17–20

Madeleine Peyroux Peyroux, an American-born jazz singer/ songwriter and guitarist who’s been compared to Billie Holiday and was discovered busking on the streets of Paris, is touring in support of her newest album, Anthem Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $46.50

MAY 19

Edmonds Jazz Connection

Every year the Rotary Club of Edmonds Daybreakers holds a local festival that features nationally recognized and award-winning high school jazz programs. This year, enjoy live sets by big bands, choral groups, and combos at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, North Sound Center, and the Edmonds Theater. Various locations, 9 am–4:30 pm, free

MAY 20

Seattle JazzED Jamboree! JazzED students will celebrate all they’ve learned this year with a jamboree of ensemble performances, pairing up with some of Seattle’s hardest-working musicians, including Clarence Acox, Wayne Horvitz, Darin Faul, Cora Jackson, and many more. Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, 11:30 am–5:30 pm, free

MAY 21

★ Show Divine at 9th & Pine

Get wild Roaring ‘20s-style for the Paramount’s 90th birthday, with live music by Tedde Gibson on the mighty Wurlitzer organ, and guest vocalists singing popular songs from 1928. Paramount Theatre, 7 pm, free

MAY 23

Studio Jazz Ensemble and UW Modern Band Cuong Vu, who’s received praise from publications including the New Yorker and the New York Times, will lead the University of Washington’s Modern Band in innovative arrangements and original compositions.

UW Meany Studio Theater, 7:30 pm, $10

MAY 24–27

Bobby Caldwell Longtime soulful crooner Bobby Caldwell, best known for his 1978 song “What You Won’t Do for Love,” brings his smooth talents for jazz and R&B back to town for a four-night set. Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $36.50

MAY 30–31

IMPFest X The Improvised Music Project throws itself a 10th birthday party. UW faculty

★ HONK! Fest West This family-oriented festival gets you in on the brass, percussion, and street band “global renaissance.” Twentyfive or more bands will jam in streets and parks around Seattle. Various locations, free

JUNE 2

★ Natalia Lafourcade Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade utilizes stylistic elements of jazz, pop, rock, and various world music traditions for a unique sound that’s netted her 11 Grammys. Neptune Theatre, 8 pm, $40/$45 (sold out)

JUNE 4

Chano Domínguez Flamenco Sketches Latin jazz, post bop, and flamenco pianist Chano Domínguez got his start in progressive rock before moving onto jazz. He'll play explorations of Latin jazz and flamenco rhythms this evening, with original compositions and re-imagined standards.

Jazz Alley, 7 pm, 9:30 pm, $10–$22

JUNE 5–6

Grace Kelly Saxophonist, singer, and composer Grace Kelly recently released her 10th album as a band leader.

Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $30.50

JUNE 7–8

★ Ann & Liz Callaway: Sibling Revelry Broadway actress and singer Liz Callaway has worked in theater and film for the past 30 years, bringing a firm, light tone and sweet expressiveness to her roles in the debuts of Merrily We Roll Along, Miss Saigon, and others, as well as to film soundtracks such as Anastasia and Aladdin. She’s also had a successful off-Broadway career and performs with symphonies and bands around the world. Catch her with her equally talented sister Ann Hampton Callaway. Triple Door, 7:30 pm, $35–$45

JUNE 7–10

★ An Evening with Jeffrey Osborne Jeffrey Osborne has spent decades weaving funk, soul, R&B, and pop into his own unique sound, which has netted him five gold and platinum albums.

Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, $60

THURSDAYS

★ Jazz at Barca Barca, 9 pm-12 am, free

SUNDAYS

★ Jim

FILM

By Joule

MARCH 20

Bending the Arc

This documentary reconstructs the struggle of the then-youthful doctors and activists Paul Farmer, Jim Yong Kim, and Ophelia Dahl to increase health care access in Haiti in the 1980s. Central Cinema

MARCH 21

12 Days

Raymond Depardon, a well-regarded documentarist (Modern Life), peers into the French psychiatric system. The title refers to the 12-day period during which a person may be involuntarily committed before being evaluated by a freedom and detention judge.

Northwest Film Forum

Sense of Place: Stories from a Changing City

As Seattle upzones and (much-needed) housing units begin to tower, filmmakers and storytellers will gather to share short films and three-minute stories about the transforming city.

Northwest Film Forum

★ Vertigo

A detective is hired by a friend to shadow the friend’s suicidal wife—but things go devastatingly wrong when he falls in love with the mysterious woman. Pacific Place & Varsity Theatre

MARCH 22–MAY 17

★ Alfred Hitchcock’s Britain Hitchcock is known for his lavishly Freudian Technicolor thrillers from the ‘50s and ‘60s. But the films he made in his native Britain are just as worthy of note—taut, intricate, their perversity more elaborately disguised. This series includes the masterpiece The 39 Steps and the excellent Young and Innocent, plus the better-known but more Hollywoodized Dial M for Murder. Seattle Art Museum

OPENING MARCH 23

Midnight Sun Scott Speer’s adaptation of a recent Japanese romance is about a teenage girl (Bella Thorne) trapped at home by a disease that makes her extremely fragile, and the boy (Patrick Schwarzenegger) with whom she kindles a romance nonetheless.

Wide

★ Pacific Rim: Uprising Root for the son of Stacker Pentecost (John Boyega) and his friends as they battle some new monsters.

Wide

Sherlock Gnomes

One of those movies where the title was clearly thought up before the plot.

Wide

Unsane

This Steven Soderbergh feature, starring Claire Foy and her rather good American accent, seems like a throw-

back to paranoid thrillers of the ‘70s. A young woman fleeing her stalker finds herself in an even darker nightmare when she’s involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward—where she keeps seeing his face.

Wide

MARCH 23–29

After Louie ACT UP founding member Vincent Cagliostro’s first film follows an alienated middle-aged gay man (Alan Cumming), still mourning the loss of his partner decades earlier, and the relationship he forms with a young man (Zachary Booth) from a generation he doesn’t understand.

Northwest Film Forum

MARCH 23–26

★ The Wizard of Oz

The beloved tale of a young girl who travels to a faraway land and kills the first person she encounters. (It proceeds from there, and is forever awesome.)

Central Cinema

★ David Lynch’s ‘Wild at Heart’ Anyone can spot the Wizard of Oz resonances, but there’s plenty more American iconography being vivisected in David Lynch’s violent, sexy, hilarious, disjointed, long, essential 1990 gem—road movies, rock’n’roll (Elvis, specifically), juvenile delinquency, Tennesee Williams, James M. Cain, and many other late-20th century fixtures are stirred up in the film’s dust. It also has the last truly great Nicolas Cage performance, and the first truly great Laura Dern one. SN Central Cinema

MARCH 24

★ Indigenous Showcase: Indigenous Shorts

This collection of shorts highlights Native filmmakers. One, Mountains of SGaana by the Haida Gwaii filmmaker Christopher Auchter, uses elements of traditional art to tell the story of the abduction of Naa-Naa-Simgat and his lover’s journey to the bottom of the sea to rescue him.

Northwest Film Forum

MARCH 24–25

★ Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Film Festival

The mini-fest is composed of nearly two dozen new sci-fi/fantasy short films judged by a nationally assembled jury. Cinerama & SIFF Cinema Uptown

MARCH 25

★ The IF Project

This quiet, simple documentary about women in prison in Washington State tries to capture something hard to see: How writing can make life better. The “if” refers to the question inmates are asked in a writing group: “If there was something someone could have said or done that would have changed the path that led you here, what would it have been?”

SIFF Cinema Egyptian

MARCH 27–28

★ Ponyo Ponyo is, it must be said, several notches below Hayao Miyazaki’s masterworks, which makes it only, oh, super-duper wonderful. ANDREW WRIGHT Varsity Theatre

OPENING MARCH 28

★ Isle of Dogs

A new Wes Anderson film is always cause for excitement, but this one employs the same animation technique he used on his (somehow) underrated

The Fantastic Mr. Fox. This is very good news. The voice cast includes Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Kunichi Nomura, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Courtney B. Vance, Harvey Keitel, Liev Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, Bob Balaban, Tilda Swinton, F. Murray Abraham, and Yoko Ono. SN Wide

★ Paul, Apostle of Christ

The most interesting story about the rise of the second great Abrahamic religion is not that of Jesus Christ—his birth, his miracles, his sermons, his execution—but that of Paul, who never met the founder but certainly founded his Church. Ignore movies about Christ. Never miss one about Paul. CM

Wide

OPENING MARCH 29

Ready Player One

Steven Spielberg brings Ernest Cline’s techno-dystopia novel to the screen. It’s 2044, and the inhabitants of the dying earth are addicted to a VR network called OASIS.

Wide

MARCH 30

Campout Cinema: ‘Dark City’ Bring blankets and pillows to this showing of the 1998 cult neo-noir/sci-fi chiller about the Strangers (no relation). MoPOP

OPENING MARCH 30

Leisure Seeker

Italian director Paolo Virzí (Caterina in the Big City) returns to helm this road movie comedy about a sprightly Southern woman (Helen Mirren) who takes her memory loss-afflicted husband (Donald Sutherland) on an RV road trip to the Hemingway House. Meridian 16 & AMC Seattle 10

★ Tyler Perry’s Acrimony

Taraji P. Henson of Empire is the protagonist of this tale of a woman scorned, which might be reason enough to see it.

Wide

MARCH 30–APRIL 1

Seattle Deaf Film Festival

Discover a panorama of worldwide deaf filmmaking talent in works like the 1950s period piece Wild Prairie Rose, Todd Haynes’s recent children’s film Wonderstruck, and many awardwinning short fiction films and documentaries.

Northwest Film Forum

MARCH 30–APRIL 3

★ Howl’s Moving Castle When it comes to animation gods, there’s Hayao Miyazaki, and then there’s everybody else. Although reportedly considering retirement after completing the Oscar-winning Spirited Away, Miyazaki was apparently intrigued enough by the prospect of adapting a novel by children’s author Diana Wynne Jones to return to the drawing board. ANDREW WRIGHT Central Cinema

★ Raising Arizona The Coen brothers’ sublimely goofy love story between a criminal (Nicolas Cage)

back to the 20th century to save the earth from an alien probe by enlisting the help of whale song. One of the wittiest and best-acted Star Trek films.

Central Cinema

OPENING APRIL 6

Blockers

Parents of teens frantically try to stop their kids from making the beast with two backs on prom night.

Wide

Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey

This documentary peers into the life of Fred Beckey, an obsessed mountaineer who made an amazing number of first ascents and kept climbing into his 90s. When he died in 2017, Seattle lost one of its icons—a stubborn, difficult, inspiring athlete and explorer.

SIFF Film Center

★ Foxtrot

Isle of Dogs

Why you should see it: It's a new Wes Anderson film!

When/Where: Opens in Seattle on March 28.

and a cop (Holly Hunter) who decide to steal a baby. Central Cinema

MARCH 30, APRIL 2, JUNE 1 & 4

Best F(r)iends

If you watched The Room and decided we really, really need another Tommy Wiseau-Greg Sestero collaboration, then you are one lucky duck.

Wide

APRIL 2–30

★ Silent Movie Mondays See silent classics with a live organ score (on the “Mighty Wurlitzer”) and other musical accompaniment. This year, the series highlights leading ladies like Marion Davies in The Patsy, Pola Negri in A Woman of the World, Gloria Swanson in Stage Struck, Mary Pickford in Little Annie Rooney and Colleen Moore in Ella Cinders Paramount Theatre

APRIL 3

★ ‘Showgirls’ with David Schmader Is Paul Verhoeven’s dreadfully acted 1995 take on the American dream, or at least the casino strip revue version of the American dream, a stealth masterpiece? Hilarious Stranger alum David Schmader will make the case that this tale of boobs, butts, unsubtle lesbian homoeroticism, weird dance-moans, and Kyle MacLachlan’s terrible hair has more than meets your bugged-out eyeballs. Triple Door

APRIL 4

★ ‘Fail to Appear’ with ‘Scaffold’ Part of the Forum’s Future//Present: Canada’s New Wave series, Antoine Bourges’s documentary-style debut film recounts a caseworker-in-training’s struggle to help a man accused of theft, as she struggles against an unsympathetic system with few resources to spare. Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 5

★ The Intestine Maya and her mother move into the expensive house of Maya’s one-night stand, who’s disappeared. They begin to think of the place as their home, but when the man’s sister turns up, Maya will act to defend her usurped territory. Lev Lewis’s film is part of Future// Present. Actor Melanie Scheiner will attend the screening.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 5 & 26

Visual Verse: A Video Poetry Festival The Film Forum celebrates National Poetry Month with a “cinepoem” series. Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 6–10

12 Monkeys

Bruce Willis is sent back from the year 2030 to the 1990s to stop a plague from wiping out humanity, but unfortunately the time travel scrambles his brain and he winds up in a psychiatric ward.

Central Cinema

★ Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home The crew of the Enterprise slingshots

here, are part of Future//Present. Northwest Film Forum

‘Mass for Shut-Ins’ with ‘There Lived the Colliers’

A young Cape Breton man whiles away his life in New Waterford, one of the poorest areas in Canada, in Winston DeGiobbi’s impressionistic fiction film.

Northwest Film Forum

Werewolf Ashley McKenzie cast two nonprofessionals in his beautifully composed drama, also set in Cape Breton, about a young methadone-addicted couple.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 8 & 11

Grease

An upper-class couple (played by Sarah Adler and the superb Lior Ashkenazi) crumples after their soldier son’s death—and cruel revelations about his last mission are around the corner. Samuel Maoz’s nonlinear film about the boredom and horror of war won the Silver Lion prize at the Venice International Film Festival.

AMC Seattle 10

★ Lean on Pete

A teenage boy from an unstable home befriends a racehorse on the wane in this tender piece of Americana based on Oregon songwriter/author Willy Vlautin’s 2010 novel. Young Charlie Plummer is joined by a fine cast including Chloë Sevigny and Steve Buscemi.

Wide

★ Outside In The latest from Seattle-raised director Lynn Shelton (Laggies, Humpday), this film stars Jay Duplass as a 38-year-old ex-con who returns to his hometown and forms an intense and ambiguous relationship with the woman who helped him get early parole, his former high school teacher (Edie Falco).

SIFF Cinema Uptown

★ A Quiet Place

Who knew affable John Krasinski had it in him to direct a shocker? The Office star and Emily Blunt play a couple with young children who must live in absolute silence for fear of hidden monsters that hunt by sound.

Wide

APRIL 6–12

The China Hustle Jed Rothstein’s documentary unveils “the biggest heist you’ve never heard of”: American investors took advantage of lax Chinese market oversight to facilitate reverse takeovers of American companies. Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 7

Maison du bonheur

The Future//Present Canadian cinema series continues with this 16mm documentary about a vivacious Parisian astrologer in Montmartre. Canadian director Sofia Bohdanowicz will make an appearance at this screening and at Never Eat Alone Northwest Film Forum

‘Never Eat Alone‘ with ‘Last Poems Trilogy’ Sofia Bohdanowicz’s poetic feature debut is about a young woman who sets out to find her grandmother’s former lover, with whom the elderly lady starred in a 1950s melodrama.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 7, 15, 26 –28

Black Panther Anniversary Screenings

In partnership with the Black Panther Party, the Forum will lead up to a celebration of the black liberation group’s 50th anniversary. Films and events are yet to be announced.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 8

BoneBat ‘Comedy of Horrors’ Film Fest 2018

This one-day blood ‘n’ chuckles festival boasts indie horror-comedy films, music by Ellenburg’s Devilwood, and prizes. SIFF Cinema Uptown

‘In the Waves’ with ‘La Pesca Jacquelyn Mills films her grandmother in her coastal town as the octogenarian contemplates life and death and recovers from the passing of her younger sister. This film, and the next two listed

The only 1950s nostalgia musical that will get “We go together like FLABBALOBBA WANGALOO TAKKITY BINGY BONG” or whatever stuck in your head for days on end.

Pacific Place, Varsity Theatre, Admiral Theatre

APRIL 12–15

★ BYDESIGN

One of the richest institutional collaborations in this city is that between the ByDesign Festival and Northwest Film Forum. Here, two capital-intensive arts that are very similar, film and architecture, meet in the theater. This year, the festival’s must-see documentary is Dream Empire. It concerns a company that employs actors to transform “remote Chinese ghost towns into temporary international booming cities.” Why? To trick “visitors into buying overpriced property.” CM Northwest Film Forum

OPENING APRIL 13

Beirut

CIA agent Rosamund Pike takes American diplomat Jon Hamm to civil war-wracked Lebanon to rescue a friend who’s been taken hostage. Brad Anderson (Transsiberian) helms a film that’s already been criticized for stereotyping and not being shot in Lebanon. The screenwriter is the guy behind the Bourne series, so cultural sensitivity may not, indeed, be its strong point.

Wide

Final Portrait

Geoffrey Rush portrays the tyrannical Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti and Armie Hammer his young friend who unwisely agrees to pose for him in Stanley Tucci’s study of art and friendship.

Wide

The Miracle Season After the death of their team captain, a girls’ volleyball team strives to recover with the help of their coach (played by Helen Hunt), in this drama that’s based on a sad true story.

Wide

Truth or Dare Watch this horror film—or at least the trailer—to enjoy one-liners like “Tell the truth or you die! Do the dare or you die!” Wide

APRIL 13–15

★ Claire’s Camera Does Hong Sangsoo ever pause for breath? After last year’s On the Beach at Night Alone and The Day After, the extremely prolific international festival favorite paired French legend Isabelle Huppert with his frequent lead Kim Min-hee in a short, sweet, complex story of women’s friendship, shot in a single week during the Cannes Film Festival. Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 13–16

★ Some Like It Hot This is one of the greatest comedies in human history. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon play two Chicago jazz musicians who witness a gang shooting and end up on the run from the mob. Disguised as women, they join an all-girl band and head down to sunny Florida to perform at a seaside resort. A very voluptuous Marilyn Monroe plays a shy and alcoholic singer. CM Central Cinema

APRIL 13–17

★ Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon An attempt to wed emotionally reticent drama with the exhilarating freedom of Hong Kong-genre filmmaking, but director Ang Lee can’t quite pull off the combination; for too long a time, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s shifting gears only jam. The film finds its rhythm and earns the accolades it has

Zelman, Charles Mudede, and Sean Nelson

THINGS TO DO FILM

received once it leaves the stars behind and gives its heart over to the young and engaging Zhang Ziyi, as the aristocratic daughter of privilege who opts instead for the dangerous yet thrilling occupation of thief.

BRUCE REID Central Cinema

APRIL 14

Oxhide II

The Forum launches its series Home Movies: Filmmakers Document Their Families with Liu Jiayin’s two-hour, nineshot film about making dumplings with her parents.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 14–15

★ Seattle Jewish Film Festival

This annual film festival showcases international, independent, and awardwinning Jewish-themed and Israeli cinema. The 2018 theme is “isREEL Life,” in celebration of Israel’s 70th anniversary.

Regal Cinebarre

★ Langston Hughes African American Film Festival

Honor independent African American film culture in the heart of Seattle’s historically black neighborhood. In addition to screenings, there will also be workshops, discussions, talks with filmmakers, and more.

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute

APRIL 18

★ The Bird with Crystal Plumage

Dario Argento’s directorial debut tells the story of an American writer in Italy who witnesses a murder in an art gallery, inspiring him to investigate the crime in the true manner of a Hitchcock hero who only thinks he knows what he’s doing. This is an excellent primer for the joys of the slightly camp but wickedly eerie school of Italian horror known as giallo.

SN

Northwest Film Forum

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival

See environmental, nature, and

adventure films based on the theme “Groundswell.” Proceeds will benefit the Washington Water Trust.

SIFF Cinema Egyptian

APRIL 18–19

★ Jeannette, the Childhood of Joan of Arc Bruno Dumont often uses austere natural imagery to tease out more or less religious themes in his intensely emotional films. Jeannette promises something rather different: Joan of Arc imagined as a wool-clad, barefoot free spirit in a rock musical scored by electronic composer Igorrr.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 19

El Mar La Mar Joshua Bonnetta and J.P. Sniadecki have shot an experimental collage of border-crossing experiences, using oral testimonies and 16mm footage to weave a tapestry of frightening myths and memories from the desert journey. This begins the Forum’s Veracity: New Documentary series.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 20

★ Puget Soundtrack: Afrocop Presents ‘A Scanner Darkly’

It’s always a good idea to buy your tickets early to Puget Soundtrack, which matches a cult film with musicians about town to tease out new sensations and emotions from movies you thought you knew. Afrocop—a funk/fusion jazz trio with a penchant for abstract keyboard explorations and banging backbeats— seems like an inspired choice. The film, the 2006 animated sci-fi thriller that’s based on a Philip K. Dick novel, should be the perfect fit for 4/20.

Northwest Film Forum

OPENING APRIL 20

Rampage

Dwayne Johnson and a titanic gorilla vs. giant galloping mutant animals! It comes out on 4/20, which is very smart.

Wide

Super Troopers 2 Jay Chandrasekhar (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) is the mastermind

behind this comedy about a border dispute between the US and Canada and the Super Troopers’ special highway patrol within the disputed zone.

Wide

Tully

In this Diablo Cody-scripted drama “about motherhood in 2018,” a night nanny (Mackenzie Davis) and an exhausted mother of three (Charlize Theron) form a unique friendship.

Wide

APRIL 20–22

★ The Green Fog

Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson’s experimental remake of Vertigo incorporates Bay Area found footage and a score by the Kronos Quartet for a truly surreal “paralleluniverse version” of the alreadystrange 1950s Hitchcock classic.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 20–24

★ Little Shop of Horrors: Director’s Cut

The third-best movie musical of all time was supposed to end with a far darker climax, but test audiences weren’t having it, so we got the triumphal, love-conquers-all finale you remember. But now, the original ending has been restored, and you can see the bleak, tragic, curiously consonant-with-life-in-2018 version as nature (and Frank Oz) intended. SN

Central Cinema

APRIL 21

★ Drone Cinema Film Festival

Curated by renowned electronic musician Kim Cascone, DCF combines minimalist drone-based compositions with complementary filmic imagery. The results of past events have been immersive, meditative, and sometimes transcendent. This edition’s theme is “LUNAR/SILVER.” DAVE SEGAL

Chapel Performance Space

Indigenous Showcase: Mankiller

This Northwest Film Forum series showcases the best in filmmaking by Native Americans at the vanguard of the industry and the art. This film is a documentary about Wilma Mankiller,

the first woman elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 21–22

★ 24 Frames

When the world lost the Iranian film genius Abbas Kiarostami in July 2016, it had not seen the last of his cinema. Kiarostami’s last nature and animal explorations, each 4.5 minutes long, have been gathered in a serene, gorgeous, painterly feature film. No one will judge if you cry. Northwest Film Forum

South Asian International Docufest Tasveer presents two days of “new stories about and unusual takes on life in South Asia.”

Wyckoff Auditorium

APRIL 25

Cat o’ Nine Tails

Dario Argento’s follow-up to The Bird with Crystal Plumage is another psychedelic freakout about a blind crosswordpuzzle maker who overhears a blackmail plot and, with the help of a reporter, tries to crack a related murder case at a pharmaceutical company.

Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 26

ECA Film Cabaret Presents ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ Audrey Hepburn’s iconic turn as Miss Holly Golightly vs. Mickey Rooney’s racist depiction of a Japanese landlord. At the “Film Cabaret,” the Jake Bergevin Quartet will perform before the show. Edmonds Center for the Arts

APRIL 26–28

The Judge Kholoud Al-Faqih, the West Bank’s first Sharia judge in the Palestinian court, is on a mission to educate Muslim women about their rights. Erika Cohn documents her approach to reforming Islamic law’s governance of family life. Northwest Film Forum

OPENING APRIL 27

★ Disobedience Sebastián Lelio, the Chilean director of A Fantastic Woman, has cast Rachel Weisz

as Ronit, a daughter of an Orthodox Jewish rabbi who was shunned from her community for her sexuality. When she returns home, she finds that her male cousin has married her own former lover (played by Rachel McAdams). Based on the novel by Naomi Alderman.

Wide

The Endless Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead made Spring, a well-received horror/ romance set in Italy. They bring their penchant for spooky atmospherics to this story about a pair of brothers returning to the site of the UFO death cult that they escaped years earlier to discover a frightening unknown presence.

SIFF Cinema Uptown

I Feel Pretty Amy Schumer plays an average-looking woman with low self-esteem who, after an accident, develops the delusion that she’s the most gorgeous lady in the world.

Wide

★ Where Is Kyra

This story of a woman struggling to survive in an increasingly grim modern city after losing her job is pitched as a comeback vehicle for Michelle Pfeiffer, one of the great stars of the ’80s and early ’90s who seldom received her full propers as an actor because she was so blindingly beautiful. SN

SIFF Film Center

APRIL 27–MAY 1

Cowboy Bebop Spike, Faye, Jet, and Ed, the crew of the good(space)ship Bebop, hunt a terrorist who’s contaminated the population of Mars with a fatal virus in a movie adaptation of the hit anime series.

Central Cinema

★ Sister Act A lounge singer with big-time ambitions witnesses a mob hit and is forced to hide out in a nunnery, where she turns their godawful choir into a rockin’ ensemble. How can you resist a cast of Whoopi Goldberg, Harvey Keitel, and Maggie Smith?

Central Cinema

APRIL 27–MAY 2

★ Zama

Lucrecia Martel is one of the most fascinating filmmakers to come out of Argentina in the past few decades. Her thought-provoking period drama, Zama, is about a lonely Spanish judge in a South American colony in the 17th century who refuses to adapt, growing more and more hostile to the people he’s supposed to govern. Northwest Film Forum

APRIL 28

★ The Third Man If this movie doesn’t glamorize the life of black market profiteers, then no movie ever did. Joseph Cotten plays Holly Martins, a “scribbler with too much drink in him,” trying to clear the name of his recently deceased best friend, the nefarious Harry Lime (Orson Welles, at his cherubic pinnacle). The acting, music, photography, and dialogue are peerless. SN Northwest Film Forum

MAY 3–12

★ Translations Film Festival The world’s largest trans film festival (according to the organizers), now 12 years old, aims to promote positive and thoughtful portrayals of trans people. TBD

OPENING MAY 4

The Avengers: Infinity War This chapter in the Avengers saga will bring Black Panther’s Chadwick Boseman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, and Dani Gurira back to the screen, alongside Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, et al. They’ll team up to take down Thanos (Josh Brolin), who’s after the six Infinity Stones. Wide

MAY 10–12

★ The Very Best of HUMP! 2008-2017

Depending on whether you’ve attended Dan Savage’s amateur porn festival from its inception or haven’t yet experienced the arousal/joy/laughs/ vicarious embarrassment/shock/terror of watching explicit, omnisexual short

Pacific Place, Varsity Theatre

MAY 17–JUNE 10

★ Seattle International Film Festival 2018 The 44th annual Seattle International Film Festival is the largest film festival in the US, with 400 films (spread over 25 days) watched by around 150,000 people. It’s impressively grand, and is one of the most exciting and widely attended arts events Seattle has to offer.

SIFF

OPENING MAY 18

Book Club

Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, Jane Fonda, and Mary Steenburgen read 50 Shades of Grey in book club, and their lives are never the same.

Wide

Deadpool 2

The snarkiest superhero/aspiring bartender/cafeteria chef in the Marvel pantheon will fight yakuzas, dogs, and a cyborg Josh Brolin.

Wide

Pope Francis – A Man of His Word

The famous gentle German filmmaker Wim Wenders will deliver a portrait of Pope Francis, beloved of liberal Christians and grudgingly admired even by many atheists.

Wide

Show Dogs

A burly police dog voiced by Ludacris poses as a primped show dog to save a kidnapped baby panda. 140 years of cinema have brought us to this point.

Wide

★ A Star is Born Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper step into the very expensive, oddly durable shoes previously worn by Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, Judy Garland and James Mason, and Janet Gaynor and Frederic March, in this oft-remade chestnut about the relationship between an older man and a younger woman who pass each other meaningfully on the rungs of fame’s wobbly ladder. SN

Wide

MAY 23

Porco Rosso

One of Miyazaki’s odder entries, this film is still cherished by many anime/ Ghibli fans. A heroic Italian seaplane pilot is trapped in the body of a pig, but that doesn’t stop him from being a successful bounty hunter.

Varsity Theatre

OPENING MAY 25

★ Solo: A Star Wars Story

With the massive success of Black Panther, I will not be surprised if the studio execs at Disney have entirely lost interest in the Han Solo and turned their

attention to his less hairy sidekick Lando Calrissian. He is black. He is played by the rising star, Donald Glover. Lando must come from a black planet. We can have a film with just black people from this Afro-planet. We will make everyone there speak in an African accent and dress Africanish. The formula has clearly worked with Black Panther; surely it can work again and again and again. Han Solo is just another story about a white guy in space. CM

Wide

OPENING JUNE 1

Action Point

Johnny Knoxville co-wrote this movie about a daredevil and his friends who design their own theme park.

Wide

Adrift

Shailene Woodley plays a young woman who’s determined to rescue her lover, caught at sea in a hurricane.

Wide

JUNE 8

Oceans 8

Sandra Bullock portrays Debbie Ocean as she gets a posse together to rob Anne Hathaway at New York’s Met Gallery. She’s backed up by Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Awkwafina, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, and Helena BonhamCarter in the large supporting cast.

Wide

★ Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Remember how badly you miss Mr. Rogers as you watch this documentary about the TV host, Presbyterian minister, and public broadcasting champion’s ethics and influence.

Wide

JUNE 9

Joe and Maxi Maxi Cohen s 1978 cinéma-vérité portrait of her distant father after her mother’s death is, according to the Forum’s website, “one of the first feature-length, autobiographical ‘family films’ produced in the nonfiction field.” It will wrap up the Home Movies: Filmmakers Document Their Families series. Northwest Film Forum

FESTIVALS

By Elaina Friedman, Joule Zelman, and Kim Selling

MARCH 20–APRIL 25

★ Momentum Festival

This multi-genre festival will boast talks, readings, music, art, and film screenings. Highlights include films from the Port Townsend Film Festival, chamber works by composer Jherek Bischoff, a poetry slam with notable wordsmiths like Karen Finneyfrock and Nikkita Oliver, and a talk on hiphop with Dr. Daudi Abe.

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

MARCH 22–25

SAMSARAFEST

This four-day festival features a yoga village, healing huts, nature immersion, live music, outdoor activities, workshops, talks, fire circles, and more for anyone in need of a reboot.

Enumclaw Expo Center, $75–$295

MARCH 23–25

★ Aaina 2018

Aaina is a weekend-long festival featuring a variety of arts programming celebrating the achievements and exploring the experiences of South Asian women. The signature event is Yoni Ki Baat, an adaptation of The Vagina Monologues starring and directed by South Asian women.

Pigott Auditorium at Seattle University, free–$25

MARCH 24

★ Culture Fest Vol. 3

Seattle FAM and the Blow Up will join forces for a music, art, and community party that will blend live performances of music and spoken word, lectures, and conversations with an expert panel of advocates and activists, fashion by local designers, and vendors of every kind.

Beacon Arts, $20/$40 Totally '80s Rewind

If you’ve had it with the present, take a trip back to the 1980s to spend some time in an original DeLorean whip, sing your favorite throwbacks in karaoke, dance along to futuristic beep-boop music with R2DJ, play vintage games in an arcade, and win cool prizes. Living Computers: Museum + Labs, $25–$55

MARCH 24–25

★ Best of the Northwest

This annual spring art and fine craft show features work from over 100 Northwest artists and artisans, from jewelry and clothing to glassware and chocolates. For the 30th annual edition, Sally Simmons and Linda Thorson are the featured artists.

Magnuson Park Hangar 30, $8

MARCH 25

Seattle French Fest

Celebrate French-speaking cultures at this annual festival, featuring presentations, food, and activities from British Columbia to Belgium to Senegal. Seattle Center, free

MARCH 29–APRIL 1

Norwescon 41

This science fiction and fantasy convention (with a literary emphasis) features an overwhelming number of events including panels, workshops on writing and filmmaking, the Philip K. Dick awards, gaming, concerts, dances, an art show, a masquerade, a film festival, and, of course, appearances by special guests representing the many aspects of science fiction and fantasy.

DoubleTree Hotel, $70

MARCH 30–APRIL 1

★ Fisherman's Village Music

Festival

Celebrate the efforts of the Everett Music Initiative with this weekend festival spread over several beloved local venues, with live sets from Shabazz Palaces, Taylar Elizza Beth, the Black Tones, and many more. Everett, $10-$55

★ Sakura-Con

Cosplayers will gather again for the Northwest’s “oldest and most well-attended” anime convention presented by the Asia Northwest Cultural Education Association.

The three-day affair features anime screenings, gaming, cosplay, cultural panels, dances, concerts, art contests, and more.

Washington State Convention & Trade Center, $70/$80

APRIL 7

★ Edible Book Festival

Every year, community members exhibit their culinary creations (with original titles that often contain shameless puns, like Gourd of the Rings and The Life of Pie) inspired by books, which are then judged in a contest. The best part? Festival-goers get to eat the scrumptious displays.

Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free

APRIL 14

Aha Mele Hawaiian Festival

Get a taste of Hawaiian culture by eating ono Hawaiian food, watching Hawaiian and Polynesian entertainment, and shopping at Hawaiiana vendors.

Chief Leschi Schools, Puyallup, $5 Children’s Friendship Festival

In honor of International Children’s Day, a holiday that originated in Turkey, this festival represents different nationalities and cultures through music, ballet, and folk dances.

Seattle Center Pavilion, free APRIL 20–22

Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival

In appreciation of the 1,000 cherry trees gifted to Seattle by Prime Minister Takeo Miki 40 years ago, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival is a celebration of Japanese culture. It’s the oldest in the Seattle Center Festál series, featuring live performances, Taiko drumming and artisan demonstrations, food, and more.

Seattle Center, free

APRIL 27–28

Olympia Arts Walk

At this semi-annual community festival, downtown businesses and sidewalks transform their spaces into venues for art, demonstrations, and performances. Olympia, free

APRIL 27–29

★ Seattle Erotic Art Festival

For the past 16 years, the Foundation for Sex-Positive Culture has gathered enthusiasts of erotic art in all its forms. See the galleries of visual and interactive art, draw sensually posed models, hear readings, learn about trans and queer erotica, discover porny history, attend contests (for “vamp shoes,” e.g.), join the Twirling Tassel Flash Mob with homemade pasties, and party.

Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, $10–$350

World Rhythm Festival

Seattle World Percussion Society’s annual music, drum, and dance festival strives for “community-building through rhythm” by showcasing

music traditions from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, India, Brazil, North America, and other countries across the globe.

Seattle Center, free

APRIL 28–29

Tacoma Wayzgoose

This Tacoma-wide letterpress and book arts extravaganza offers the chance to meet local printers and check out their wares, make paper, and bind books. A highlight of the weekend is steamroller printing, where local artists carve three-bythree-foot sheets of linoleum and print on giant paper.

Tacoma, free

MAY 4–6

★ Crypticon 2018 Crypticon will fill the DoubleTree with hundreds of gorehounds, bloodsluts, zombbros, and creepazoids. This year will feature Richard Brake of Game of Thrones, Kimmy Robertson and Harry Goaz of Twin Peaks, and more. Dress up and enter the cosplay contest, compete in the writing and horror makeup competitions, browse haunted Cthulhu/zombie/vampire/etc. goods, and party on the 13th floor.

DoubleTree Hotel, $60–$296

MAY 6

Asian Pacific Islander Heritage

Month Celebration

Kick off Asian Pacific Islander

Heritage Month by seeing lion dances, youth drill teams, drumming, martial arts, and work by Asian Pacific Islander artists from around the state.

Seattle Center, free

Kodomo no Hi

This Children’s Day festival features Japanese dance performances, Yukata dress-up, taiko drumming, martial arts, a tea ceremony, games, food, and more.

Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington, free

MAY 11–12

The Rendezvous Festival

Breathe some fresh air in a scenic North Cascade valley and enjoy hiking, horseback riding, climbing, watersports, and more—when you’re not at a rock or folk concert by the likes of Joshua James, RVIVR, the Lowest Pair, the Pine Hearts, and many other bands.

Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop, 4 pm, $95+

MAY 12

Spirit of Africa

Founded and produced by a local Senegalese griot musician, the Spirit of Africa festival showcases the talents of African musicians, dancers, and artists in the region and from around the country.

Seattle Center, free

MAY 17

Syttende Mai Celebration

After the Ballard parade where Norwegian marching bands and drill teams will galavant down the street on Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), head to the new museum to enjoy a Nordic luncheon and extended gallery hours.

At night, they’ll also have special Nordic cocktails, a fashion show,

and a live musical performance from a special guest.

Nordic Museum

MAY 18–20

Everfree Northwest

This annual My Little Pony extravaganza for young and old fans alike features a live music concert (“Ponystock”), game rooms, a cosplay contest, karaoke, art for sale, a “fancy-pants dance,” and more plastic equine merriment.

DoubleTree Hotel, $75–$250

Viking Fest

Experience three days of the Norse seafarers and their ways with an artwork competition, a battle of the bands showcase, a carnival, donut- and lutefisk-eating contests, a street fair, a parade, and more.

Poulsbo, free

MAY 19

A Glimpse of China

Discover 5,000-year-old Chinese cultural traditions, learn Chinese folk dances, and make art.

Seattle Center, free

MAY 19–20

U District Street Fair

Shop hundreds of local vendors, eat foods from around the world, and catch live music performances at this 49th annual event.

University District, free

MAY 25–27

★ Sasquatch! Music Festival

Sasquatch!, the three-day music and party extravaganza that takes place at the Gorge every year, is back for its 17th iteration with a stacked lineup of billboard notables and rising stars across all genres. The current lineup includes Bon Iver, Spoon, Vince Staples, David Byrne, Slowdive, Jlin, and many, many more.

Gorge Amphitheatre, George, $325

MAY 25–28

★ 25th Annual Juan de Fuca

Festival

Fans of music, comedy, and dance will fill the lovely waterfront town of Port Angeles with melodies and festivities for a whole weekend.

Special guests include Con Brio, Curtis Salgado, MarchFourth, Royal Jelly Jive, Naomi Wachira, Pearl Django, and many more.

Vern Burton Memorial Community Center, $25-$75

★ Northwest Folklife Festival

Every year, local communities bring their unique cultural traditions to this iconic hippie festival. Years past have featured Contra and Cajun dancing, poetry, films, fiddles, sea chanties, spoon playing, and Scandinavian storytelling. Seattle Center, $10 suggested donation

JUNE 1–3

Edmonds Waterfront Festival

Hang out on the Edmonds waterfront to see live music shows, graze from food trucks, shop for arts and crafts, and see hydroplane and boat displays.

Edmonds Yacht Club, $4

★ Upstream Music Fest + Summit

Upstream is a three-day music festival and summit set to take place

Sasquatch! Music Festival

Why you should go: Those mushrooms aren't going to eat themselves.

When/Where: May 25–27 at Gorge Amphitheatre.

in many Pioneer Square venues. It’s Paul Allen’s attempt to mold a PNW-focused South by Southwest type large-scale festival, with programming involving many local emerging talents, more than 300 music artists, and acclaimed keynote speakers. Curated by longtime hiphop booker and former talentbuyer at the Crocodile Meli Darby, the vast majority of bands are Seattle- and NW-centric. The main stage performers include Miguel, the Flaming Lips, and Valerie June. Pioneer Square, $60–$140

JUNE 2–3

Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival

A series of workshops, exhibits, demonstrations, and performances that highlight Filipino history, art, and culture. Seattle Center, free

JUNE 8–10

Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show

Whether you’re a die-hard gamer or a casual player, go nuts by testing out over 400 pinball and arcade games for free. There will also be guest speakers from the industry, seminars on collecting, playing, and fixing games, pinball tournaments with prizes, and more.

Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, $20–$65

Sorticulture Garden Arts Festival

While you stroll through display gardens filled with art installations, hear live music performances from a number of local folksy artists (including the Side Project, Robbie Egelstad, and the W Lovers).

American Legion Memorial Park, Everett, free

JUNE 9

Spirit of Indigenous People

With a focus on music, dance, and crafts, this festival celebrates Native Americans. Seattle Center, free JUNE 10

Tacoma Ocean Fest

Celebrate the ocean, learn about its threats, and find out how to protect it at this free Tacoma waterfront festival that brings together “arts, sciences, and water play.”

Foss Waterway Seaport, Tacoma, free

ONGOING

★ Seattle Celebrates Shakespeare

The US’s newest UNESCO city of literature pays tribute to the beloved Bard of Avon in this season of theater, dance, and music. In addition to famous popular pieces (like Kiss Me, Kate Shakespeare in Love, and an allwomen Mac Beth)—there will also be stagings of modern interpretations, such as a burlesque Romeo & Juliet, plus Duke Ellington’s jazz opus Such Sweet Thunder Suite, his tribute to old Will. Various locations

CHRISTOPHER NELSON

READINGS & TALKS

By Joule Zelman, Christopher Frizzelle, Sean Nelson, and Rich Smith

MARCH 20

★ Mark Sarvas with Charles Johnson: Memento Park

In Mark Sarvas’s novel, a man learns of a painting that may have been stolen from his Jewish relatives in WWII-era Hungary. He will be accompanied at this talk by eminent local author and professor emeritus Charles Johnson. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

★ A Reading with Honor Moore

Discover the multigenre work of Honor Moore, who writes poetry, fiction, and memoir (including her most recent book, The Bishop’s Daughter, which was favored with Editor’s Choice by the New York Times). Hotel Sorrento, 7 pm, free MARCH 21

Aminatta Forna

Novelist Aminatta Forna, Scottish-born author of The Hired Man and the memoir The Devil That Danced on Water, will read from Happiness, a story about an American scientist studying urban foxes in London. Central Library, 7 pm, free

★ Capturing Bertha & the Biggest Tunnel in the World through Photography

Catherine Bassetti documented the State Route 99 tunnel, known as Bertha, through photo and video. She’ll present some of her images at this talk. MOHAI, 6:30 pm, free

★ Chelsey Johnson: Stray City

A young woman who’s fled the Midwest for Portland’s lesbian community finds herself pregnant.

Third Place Books Seward Park, 7 pm, free

★ Niti Sampat Patel: Moon Goddess Mumbai-based scholar Niti Sampat Patel will share an excerpt of Moon Goddess a multigenerational tale of women in India, the US, and Lebanon.

Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

MARCH 22

★ Bruce Holbert in Conversation with Richard Chiem

Bruce Holbert, a University of Iowa Writers Workshop alum, will read from

a ferocious novel set in Electric City, south of the Colville Indian reservation in Washington. Whiskey grapples with toxic families, religious lunacy, and alcoholism, but reportedly preserves a mordant sense of humor.

Elliott Bay Book Company, free

★ Junot Díaz: Islandborn

The often darkly funny and profane author Junot Díaz has produced a much kinder, gentler story for kids. It’s about a little girl, Lola, who is upset when she can’t remember the place where her family immigrated from.

Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 7 pm, free Words Matter 2018 Benefit Gala & Literary Auction

Dress your sparkliest and raise funds for Seattle Arts & Lectures on the waterfront.

Four Seasons Hotel Seattle, 6 pm, $175

MARCH 23

★ Hugo Literary Series: Joshua Ferris, Melissa Febos, E.J. Koh, and Tomo Nakayama

Critically acclaimed novelist Joshua Ferris (Then We Came To The End) will read along with Melissa Febos (author of the lauded memoir Abandon Me), and local poet E.J. Koh (who’s book A Lesser Love won a Pleiades Press Editors Prize in 2017). Local singer/songwriter Tomo Nakayama will serve as the evening’s musical guest. His new record, Pieces of Sky, is great. RS Fred Wildlife Refuge, 7:30 pm, $25

★ Jennifer Natalya Fink and Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore

Queer local writer Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore will read alongside Jennifer Natalya Fink, whose novel Bhopal Dance won the 2017 Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

★ Tess Gallagher and Lawrence Matsuda

Port Angeles writer Tess Gallagher's 12th volume of poetry, Is, Is Not, will be published by Graywolf Press in America in 2019, but you can hear her now at this reading of her graceful, often narrative poetry. Lawrence

poetry and essays, including Tracks Along the Left Coast: Jaime de Angulo and Pacific Coast Culture, he is a translator of Sanskrit texts. Open Books, 5 pm, free MARCH 26

★ Himanee Gupta-Carlson: Muncie: India(na) “What do nonwhites, non-Christians, and/or non-natives mean when they call themselves American?” Himanee Gupta-Carlson examines this question in her book, Muncie: India(na): Middletown and Asian Americans Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free Katrina Shawver: Henry Katrina Shawver’s book is composed of conversations with Henry Zguda, an 85-year-old Polish WWII survivor who spent three years imprisoned in Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Third Place Books Seward Park, 7 pm, free Lillo Way: ‘Dubious Moon’ Launch New poet Lillo Way will treat you to selections from her prize-winning chapbook Dubious Moon Hotel Sorrento, 7 pm, free

MARCH 27

★ March SFWA Reading Series: Nancy Kress, Cat Rambo & Nicola Griffith Take this opportunity to meet three heavy-hitting Northwest women sci-fi writers: Hugo and Nebula Award winner Nancy Kress, Clarion West alum and Jeff VanderMeer collaborator Cat Rambo, and the Washington State Book, Lambda, Tiptree, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award winner Nicola Griffith. Wilde Rover Irish Pub, Kirkland, free ★ Maria McFarland SánchezMoreno: There Are No Dead Here Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno will read from There Are No Dead Here: A Story of Murder and Denial in Colombia, a harrowing look at paramilitary massacres in the drug-funded guerrilla wars of Colombia in the 1990s. Phinney Neighborhood Association, 7:30 pm, $5

MARCH 28

BRAD PUET

Michael Bennett

Why you should see him: He is the best Seahawk, he's hilarious, and he has a new book called ThingsThat MakeWhite People Uncomfortable When/Where: April 9 at Connolly Center.

Mitsuda, a poet and graphic novelist born in the Minidoka concentration camp and preoccupied with Japanese American memory, has collaborated with Gallagher as well as with the artist Roger Shimamura.

Open Books, 7 pm, free

MARCH 25

★ King-Snohomish County Regional Spelling Bee

There’s nothing cuter than young dorks. This year’s competition will be moderated by Seattle Radio Theatre founder and KIRO host Feliks Banel, but the stars, as ever, will be the kids. The final speller standing will advance to the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC. KATIE HERZOG Campion Ballroom, 1 pm, free

★ Kory Stamper: The Secret Life of Dictionaries For decades, there has been a war going on between dictionaries.

Descriptivists are the cool liberals who think dictionaries should function as a record of language and its inevitable changes. Prescriptivists are the grammar scolds who think words mean something, damn it, and fight to preserve their sense. In Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, lexicographer Kory Stamper mixes in some of this history with her own as she weighs in on the many word-skirmishes playing out in newsrooms, English classes, and even grocery stores. (“10 items or less?” Are you fucking kidding me?) RS Campion Ballroom, 6 pm, $5 Rebecca Eland and Andrew Schelling Ballet dancer and poet Rebecca Eland, who’s performed at prestigious venues in Scotland and in the States, will be joined by her fellow Coloradan writer Andrew Schelling. In addition to his

a chapter of the Student Democratic Society, will add her own perspectives on “protest then and now.”

Third Place Books Seward Park, 7 pm, free (March 29); Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free (April 28); University Book Store, 7 pm, free (April 30)

MARCH 30

Cindy Veach with Susan Rich Cindy Veach’s poems bring to life four generations of women in a series set at the textile mills of 19th-century Lowell, Massachusetts. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

★ Laura Lippman and David Simon Lippman is an award-winning author of detective novels, and David Simon, her husband, created The Wire, which sustained the golden age of American television, and also Treme, which helped. RS Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $20–$80

Stephen Corey Poet/essayist Stephen Corey edits the Georgia Review. Most recently, he’s come out with a nonfiction collection of his own: Startled at the Big Sound: Essays Personal, Literary, and Cultural Open Books, 7 pm, free

MARCH 30 & APRIL 1

★ Thi Bui: The Best We Could Do

In her debut graphic-novel memoir, Thi Bui, on the verge of first-time parenthood, traces her feelings of both fear and love back to her family, who were refugees after the Vietnam War and came to the United States in a boat.

AMBER CORTES

WithinSodo, 7 pm, $15 (March 30); Nue, 3–6 pm, free (April 1)

MARCH 31

Ali Cobby Eckermann: Too Afraid to Cry The accomplished Australian Aboriginal poet Ali Cobby Eckerman will share from her devastating, Windham-Campbell Prize-winning autobiography Too Afraid to Cry: Memoir of a Stolen Childhood

Elliott Bay Book Company, 3 pm, free

★ Dan Kaplan, Bill Carty, and Kary Wayson

★ Luis Alberto Urrea: The House of Broken Angels Pulitzer finalist Luis Alberto Urrea’s The House of Broken Angels, which takes inspiration from his own life, relates the tale of a dying patriarch, his journey as a young man from La Paz to San Diego, the grudges and loves of his extended family, and his 100-yearold mother’s funeral. Central Library, 7 pm, free

Sarah Anderson: Herding Cats Your artsy friends have definitely been sharing Sarah Anderson’s painfully trueto-life cartoon vignettes on Facebook. Anderson’s bug-eyed protagonist survives the strain of modern life with the help of cats and lazy pleasures. University Book Store, 7 pm, free

MARCH 29

★ Ryan Holiday: Conspiracy Find out just how the late, lamented Gawker fell in Ryan Holiday’s account of the secret vengeance wrought by the billionaire Peter Thiel after Gawker blog Valleywag outed him as gay. Third Place Books Ravenna, 7 pm, free Sebastian Abbot: The Away Game International affairs journalist Sebastian Abbot will reveal the story of a soccer scout seeking the next sports champion among talented boys in parts of Africa. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

★ Word Works: Charles Johnson Acclaimed Seattle writer Charles Johnson is the author of books including Middle Passage, the winner of a National Book Award and a MacArthur “genius” grant, and the subject of this praise from James McBride: “He is one of America’s greatest literary treasures. He is a skilled wordsmith, superb craftsman, master of understatement, philosopher, cartoonist, and deeply talented novelist.” Frye Art Museum, 7 pm, $15

MARCH 29, APRIL 28 & 30

Kit Bakke: Protest on Trial Activist Kit Bakke will relate the history of the counterculture activist group Seattle 7, who were arrested and charged with federal conspiracy and intent to riot after a protest that turned ugly. Bakke, who was a militant in the Weather Underground and founded

death row, despite his innocence. Hear him make the case for prison reform and “the power of faith and forgiveness.” Central Library, 7 pm, free Diane Ravitch

Diane Ravitch, an NYU professor, former Assistant Secretary of Education, education historian, and excoriator of current Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, will give a timely talk on “why schools should not operate like businesses.” Kane Hall Room 130, 7:30 pm, free

APRIL 5

★ Michael Wolff: Fire and Fury Yes, that Michael Wolff, the one who wrote the explosive (and yet, hardly surprising) insider view of the Trump White House, Fire and Fury. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $70–$110

APRIL 6

★ Amy Glynn and Garrett Hongo Amy Glynn, who’s been published in The Best American Poetry and won Poetry Northwest‘s Carlyn Kizer Award, will share this evening with Hawaii-born, Lamont Poetry Prize-winning author Garrett Hongo. Open Books, 7 pm, free

★ Fernando Pérez: ‘A Song of Dismantling’ Book Launch with Bojan Louise, Naa Akua, and Jane Wong Fernando Pérez, a specialist in “lyric and nonce forms,” will share poems about identity and migratory family history. Hugo House First Hill, 7:30 pm, free Jennifer Haupt: In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills Jennifer Haupt’s novel traces the path of an American woman trying to regain hope after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. by working with children in Rwanda and the journey of another woman 30 years later who searches for her father in the same country after the genocide. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

APRIL 7

Portland’s Dan Kaplan, who edits the Burnside Review, will read tasty, witty poems from his latest collection, Instant Killer Wig. Also featured on this night will be Bill Carty, a Maine native living in Seattle who edits Poetry Northwest and Seattle poet Kary Wayson. Open Books, 7 pm, free

Sorting Room Residency

Author and editor Matthew Bennett, memoirist and fiction writer Janet Buttenwieser (Guts), and poet and artist Sierra Nelson (I Take Back the Sponge Cake) are the current writers in residence of the Seattle7Writers Sorting Room program, which is named for a room where book donations are sorted. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

APRIL 1

Zeina Hashem Beck & Chelsea Jennings

Lebanese poet Zeina Hashem Beck wrote the award-winning Louder Than Hearts, as well as two well-regarded chapbooks. She’ll read alongside Seattle’s Chelsea Jennings, who is releasing the Juniper Prize-winning Transmission Loss this year. Open Books, 7 pm, free

APRIL 3

★ Michael Gazzaniga: The Consciousness Instinct

If you’re turned on by the million mysteries of the galaxy floating around inside your head, you need to familiarize yourself with the work of Michael S. Gazzaniga, the director of the SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the president of the Cognitive Neuroscience Institute. In his new book, The Consciousness Instinct, Gazzaniga advocates for an interdisciplinary approach to the study of consciousness, a subject that has suffered from over-specialization. His thinking about what biologists, philosophers, and physicists can contribute to the field of brain science is fascinating. This one is a must-read. RS PATH Auditorium, 7:30 pm

APRIL 4

Anthony Ray Hinton: The Sun Does Shine Anthony Ray Hinton has direct experience of the failure of the American justice system—he spent almost 30 years on

★ An Evening with Sarah Vowell and Michael Giacchino Hilarious essayist Sarah Vowell (The Wordy Shipmates) and film composer Michael Giacchino (who scored Rogue One) will most likely have a blast conversing about “The Old and the Dead.” Benaroya Hall, 8 pm, $25–$45

APRIL 8

★ An Evening with Anne Lamott Anne Lamott’s friendly, nonjudgmental, and vague brand of Christianity irritates many critics even as they praise her linguistic facility and approachability. But she wrote Bird by Bird, an indisputably great book, and she is funny as hell on stage. CF Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $27–$55

APRIL 8–10

National Geographic Live — Standing at the Water’s Edge Cristina Mittermeier’s photographic work testifies to “the power of water” in its nourishing and cataclysmic forms. Benaroya Hall, $28–$48

APRIL 9

★ Cecile Richards: Make Trouble Cecile Richards presided over Planned Parenthood through years of attacks by right-wing nuts in and out of Congress. The former executive director will present her newest book University Temple United Methodist Church, 7 pm, $27

★ Meg Wolitzer: The Female Persuasion Meg Wolitzer (The Interestings, Belzhar) deals with mentorship, idealism, hero worship, and love in her latest novel. Elliott Bay Book Company, free

★ Megan Ming Francis A popular centrist sentiment goes like this: “Yeah, yeah, protests are great and all. But they don’t actually change anything.” Well, University of Washington professor Megan Ming Francis is here with a three-part lecture series that suggests otherwise. Her book Civil Rights and the Making of the Modern American State brilliantly surveys the trajectory of the NAACP’s anti-lynching movement. RS Kane Hall, Room 120, 7:30 pm, free

★ Michael Bennett: Things That Make White People Uncomfortable In addition to being a Super Bowl champ, a three-time Pro Bowler, and one of the best defensive ends in the country, Michael Bennett is a powerful voice

in the Black Lives Matter movement, and also a fucking hilarious person.

(Remember that time he stole a police bike and rode it around CenturyLink stadium to celebrate winning the 2015 NFC championship?) In his new memoir Things that Make White People Uncomfortable, co-written by Dave Zirin, Bennett recounts the path that led him to where he is now and articulates his thoughts about racial dynamics in the country. RS Connolly Center, 7:30 pm, $5

APRIL 10

Charles Frazier: Varina

This historical novel by the author of Cold Mountain dramatizes the marriage of Varina Howell, a teenage girl who becomes the wife of Jefferson Davis. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

J.A. Jance

It seems like best-selling genre author

J.A. Jance is always releasing a new book. On this evening, she’ll sign copies of the latest in her Ali Reynolds mystery series.

University Book Store Mill Creek, 7 pm, free

★ Jonathan Evison: Lawn Boy

Jonathan Evison’s previous novels include All About Lulu, West of Here, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, and This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, all of which have earned plaudits from the Stranger’s book critics (and from the New York Times and other such papers that creep about in our shadow). His latest book is about a Chicano landscape worker in Washington State who’s desperately striving for a break in life.

University Book Store, 7 pm, free

★ Leslie Jamison with Claire Dederer: The Recovering

A young, talented nonfiction writer best known for her book The Empathy Exams, Leslie Jamison has just published a new book called The Recovering, which “turns our understanding of the traditional addiction narrative on its head, demonstrating that the story of recovery can be every bit as electrifying as the train wreck itself,” according to publicity materials. CF Central Library, free

APRIL 11

★ Samantha Irby with Lindy West: Meaty “Samantha Irby is my favorite living writer,” Lindy West says. “Actually, I’ll throw in the dead ones too. Screw you, Herman Melville.” West will lead a discussion with Irby on the occasion of Irby’s second book, Meaty University Temple United Methodist Church, 7:30 pm, $5

★ Sean Penn: Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff

The two-time Oscar winner for Best Actor will now tell a story through another medium in his novel Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff, about a middle-aged jack-of-all-trades and contract killer. Moore Theatre, 7 pm, $34

APRIL 12

★ Charles Simic: 54th Annual Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Reading

Charles Simic is such a legend I didn’t even know he was alive. I just thought you automatically transubstantiated into a poetry Jesus after you win the Pulitzer, the Griffin, the MacArthur, and serve as Poet Laureate of the United States. But here is! The approachably surreal bard of Belgrade, the survivor of several WWII-era bombing campaigns who still maintained his sense of humor, the last Napoleon soldier, the great translator of Tomaž Šalamun (!) and Vasko Popa (!)—right here in Seattle! RS Kane Hall, Room 120, 7 pm, free

★ Laverne Cox

Since shining so brightly as Sophia Burset in Orange Is the New Black Laverne Cox has been using her humor, her warmth, and her intelligence to pave and widen the path for other trans artists to follow. Her lecture, “Ain’t I a Woman,” which borrows its title from Sojourner Truth’s classic speech, very much serves that end. RS Moore Theatre, 7:30 pm

★ Weike Wang: Chemistry Weike Wang’s novel was selected for the National Book Academy’s 5 Under 35 Award. It’s a deeply relatable story about a young woman who suddenly realizes that she’s lost the love of chemistry that’s driven her research as a

Boston University graduate student. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

APRIL 13

Lidia Bastianich

Chef, TV host, and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich will share My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food Seattle First Baptist Church, 7:30 pm, $60–$145

APRIL 13–15

★ Orcas Island Lit Festival 2018 This festival sounds like a boon to anyone who loves both literature and gorgeous island landscapes. Orcas Center, Eastbound, $65

APRIL 14

★ Nick Zentner: Ballard Locks Talk Central Washington University professor Nick Zentner has been recognized by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers for his ability to present geology concepts in a compelling way. At this talk, you’ll discover Puget Sound’s Ice Age history and the challenges the region poses to its human population. Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, 3:30 pm, donation

★ Word Works: Ada Limón At this Hugo House-organized lecture, called “Grief and Release: Poetry as Elegy,” poetry titan Ada Limón will ask why the form of the poem is so suited to “the exploration of vanishing.” Frye Art Museum, 7 pm, $15

APRIL 15

★ Lindy West: The Witches Are Coming The author, Stranger alum, and New York Times columnist Lindy West is giving a humorous slideshow called “The Witches Are Coming.” I hope it has something to do with her October 2017 column “Yes, This Is a Witch Hunt. I’m a Witch and I’m Hunting You.” CF Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $19–$75

APRIL 16

★ Dr. John Cooper Clarke

If you’re a devotee of the accent that emerges from the Northern English city of Manchester, you’re probably aware that the dialect exists in its purest and most glorious form in the mouth of Clarke, whose hilarious and cutting poetry was part of the original UK punk and post-punk landscape that forged all your favorite bands. The 69-year-old honorary doctor doesn’t make it to America very often, and who knows whether there will even be a future, so if you make room for just one event in this whole calendar, make it this one. SN Triple Door, 7:30 pm, $22–$30

APRIL 17

★ Claire Dederer: Love and Trouble

It’s hard to express what’s so good about Claire Dederer’s new memoir about sex, power, female friendship, and the consolations of literature. What emerges, in the course of this vivid, hilarious, daring selfportrait of a book, is a person who has achieved clarity about her own contradictions, or at least has figured out how to use those contradictions as an excuse to bring lively writing into the world. RS University Book Store, 7 pm

★ Dennis Overbye: Confessions of a Dinosaur Dennis Overbye holds the amazing title of cosmic affairs correspondent for the New York Times. In this talk, the Pulitzer winner will speak on his area of expertise, science reporting, as well as the fight against fake news.

Kane Hall, Room 120, 7:30 pm, free

APRIL 18–19

Christopher Moore: Noir Fans of Moore’s lightweight humor will most likely delight in this hard-boiled (but silly) love story.

Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free (April 18); Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 7 pm, free (April 19)

APRIL 19

★ Dock Street Salon: Anca L. Szilágyi and Ross McMeekin

Two of the authors we were most excited about in the winter will read from their recent debut novels: Szilágyi with the magical realist Daughters of the Air, about a Jewish survivor of Argentina’s Dirty War, and Ross McMeekin with The Hummingbirds, in which an escapee from a bird-worshipping cult takes up with a beautiful, married aspiring actress in Los Angeles. Phinney Books, 7 pm, free

Eat Read Hugo: Benefit Dinner & Auction Hear from Daniel James Brown, author of The Boys in the Boat, at this annual benefit dinner and auction.

Sodo Park, 6–9:30 pm, $200–$500

Ramzy Baroud: The Last Earth Ramzy Baroud has gathered firsthand accounts from a wide range of modern Palestinians to weave together an account of their country’s turbulent and tragic history.

Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

APRIL 20

★ Sloane Crosley: Look Alive Out There

Sloane Crosley has written another shrewd book about quotidian yet bizarre encounters in her home of Manhattan, with characters like “a feral teenage neighbor” and “the British grifter who is holding her digital identity hostage.”

Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

APRIL 22

★ Laurie Anderson

Avant-garde musician, filmmaker, and poet wizard Laurie Anderson will perform a reading with music and multimedia from her latest book, Things I Lost in the Flood Neptune Theatre, 7 pm, sold out

★ Poetry y traducción:

A Bilingual Reading

Bilingual poets Eugenia Toledo (who fled the Chilean dictatorship in the 1970s) and Francisco Aragón (a San Francisco-born activist and CantoMundo fellow) will give a joint poetry reading followed by a discussion on Spanish translation. Open Books, 5 pm, free

APRIL 23

★ Alexander Chee: How To Write an Autobiographical Novel

After two gorgeous, groundbreaking, award-winning novels—Edinburgh and The Queen of the Night—the novelist Alexander Chee has just published his first book of nonfiction, a collection of his gorgeous, groundbreaking essays. It is not, in fact, a how-to manual on writing autobiographical novels. “In these essays,” according to the publisher, “he grows from student to teacher, reader to writer, and reckons with his identities as a son, a gay man, a Korean American, an artist, an activist, a lover, and a friend.” CF Hugo House First Hill, 7 pm, free

★ Annelise Orleck with Heidi Groover: The Global Uprising Against Poverty Wages Around the world, farmers and garment workers and hotel staff and fast-food employees and laborers in all kinds of industries have been trying to build coalitions in an effort to secure basic rights for their fellow workers. In We Are All Fast-Food Workers Now Dartmouth professor of history Annelise Orleck tells the stories of these victories and defeats. The Stranger’s own housing and labor reporter, Heidi Groover, will join professor Orleck onstage. RS Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

APRIL 24

★ Madeleine Albright

Former Secretary of State and UN ambassador Madeleine Albright will reveal insights from her timely book entitled Fascism: A Warning. Paramount Theatre, 7:30 pm, $10–$100

APRIL 25

★ Sonia Renee Taylor with Anastacia-Reneé Sonia Renee Taylor’s The Body Is Not An Apology is an online community promoting “body empowerment” and helping folks destroy feelings of shame. Taylor will be joined by the unbelievably prolific Seattle Civic Poet Anastasia Reneé. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

APRIL 26–29

★ MoPOP Pop Conference 2018

The theme of this year’s Pop Con is “What Difference Does It Make? Gender & Music,” so naturally all conference components will focus on the dovetailing of music and gender in creative, personal, and public realms. Discussions

Sheila Heti

Why you should see her: She is uncategorizably brilliant and has a mesmerizing presence.

When/Where: May 10 at Elliott Bay Book Company.

generally touch on everything from identity politics to boundary-breaking music in the modern era. KIM SELLING Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), $28

APRIL 27

Four Way Books Showcase Nathan McClain will launch his debut poetry collection Scale, an incisive, emotional, unpretentious examination of a father-son relationship. He’ll be supported by fellow authors Bruce Willard, Carol Moldaw, and Margaree Little. Hugo House First Hill, 7 pm, free

★ Of an Impossible Country: An Evening with Rachel McKibbens, Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and Javier Zamora

SAL teams up with Copper Canyon Press to present three poets “whose work challenges and illuminates the notion of border-crossing,” press materials say. McKibbens has a new book out called Blud, Sáenz’s novels and poetry are all about life on the US’s southwestern border, and Zamora is a young American poet born in El Salvador. RS McCaw Hall, 7:30 pm, $20–$80

APRIL 28

★ Independent Bookstore Day

The only way Seattle can possibly keep enjoying a wide variety of excellent, engaged, helpful, independent bookstores is to support them, love them, and buy as many books as we possibly can from them. Independent Bookstore Day gives you a perfect excuse to visit your favorite shops. Various locations, free

APRIL 29

Nature, Love, Medicine: Essays on Wildness and Wellness Natural History Institute director Thomas Lowe Fleischner will present this anthology about nature, joined by contributors Peter H. Kahn Jr. of the University of Washington, North Cascades Institute director Saul Weisberg, and artist Edie Dillon. Elliott Bay Book Company, 3 pm, free

★ Pete Souza: Obama Pete Souza was Barack Obama's official White House photographer. This is the guy who took the photo of Obama’s cabinet watching Osama bin Laden’s lead-filled demise—the one with Hillary Clinton’s hand clamped over her mouth. How can you miss this? CF Moore Theatre, 7 pm, $57.50

APRIL 30

★ National Geographic + Pop-Up Magazine

This “live magazine” will present journalism—photos, stories, audio elements, film, and more—on the stage, with a live score by Magik*Magik Orchestra. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $30–$55

MAY 1

★ Anis Mojgani, Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz & Derrick C. Brown Prolific author and slammer Anis Mojgani, poet and nonfiction author Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz (Dr. Mutter’s Marvels), and comic performer Derrick C. Brown will read their dark poems from Write Bloody Press. Fred Wildlife Refuge, 7 pm, free

MAY 2

★ Barbara Ehrenreich: Natural Causes The author of the brilliant Nickel and Dimed and Living with a Wild God returns with an inquiry into the deeper physical and moral ramifications of trying to strive for well-being against the backdrop of capitalism, mortality, and the health industry. SN Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

MAY 3

★ Asad Haider: Mistaken Identity Red May will sponsor this talk that seeks to circumvent “one of the primary impasses of the left,” identity politics. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

MAY 4

Jenny Han & Nicola Yoon Spend an evening with two successful and skillful young adult authors, Jenny Han (Always and Forever, Lara Jean) and Nicola Yoon (Everything, Everything). Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $35–$80

Rob Bell Rob Bell, the author of Love Wins, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, The Zimzum of Love, How To Be Here, and What is the Bible?, will be passing through our fair, ungodly city. Neptune Theatre, 8 pm, $23.50–$48.50

MAY 5

★ Nikhil Singh: Race and America’s Long War In this Red May-sponsored presentation, Nikhil Pal Singh will address the United States’ “imperial statecraft,” which has isolated internal and external “enemies” to justify war and persecution. Singh, an associate professor of social and cultural analysis and history, will articulate arguments from his book Race and America’s Long War that tie this American tendency to the election of Donald Trump, rendering it more understandable if not less shocking. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

★ Rob Lowe: Stories I Only Tell My Friends LIVE! The eternally handsome and engaging actor brings the live version of his first memoir to the stage. Moore Theatre, 8 pm, $37–$57+

MAY 6

Heather C. Lindquist and Naomi Hirahara: Life After Manzanar You (hopefully) know about the dark period of American history when Japanese Americans were imprisoned simply for their ethnicity. Heather C. Lindquist and Edgar Award-winning author Naomi Hirahara will examine the period just after, when Japanese internees returned home only to find their communities profoundly changed—and not especially welcoming. Central Library, 2 pm, free

MAY 7

★ Laura Ling: Life Inside a Korean Prison While working on a story about sex trafficking in North Korea, American journalist Laura Ling and her colleague

Eun Lee were captured by soldiers along the China/North Korea border. Sentenced to 12 years of labor in prison, Ling survived months of captivity before returning home in 2009. Hear her discuss her story and insights. McCaw Hall, 7:30 pm, $67/$77

★ Viet Thanh Nguyen He wrote The Sympathizer, which won last year’s Pulitzer Prize in fiction. Nguyen strongly believes we need to hear the story of the American invasion of Vietnam from more Vietnamese people’s perspectives, and his work is certainly making headway in that direction. His latest is a book of short stories, The Refugees, about the lives of immigrants coming to America following the war. RS Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $20–$80

MAY 7–8

★ 2018 Stroum Lectures with Gary Shteyngart

If you enjoy clever page-turners and you have never read Shteyngart’s first novel, The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, an unbelievably funny specimen of the immigrant novel, get yourself to a bookstore ASAP. He has since published several other hilarious, globe-spanning novels and one hilarious, globe-spanning memoir, Little Failure. He was born in Russia and lived there as a young child, so he ought to have fascinating things to say about our new overlords, and about the role satire plays in authoritarian societies. He'll give two talks: "Failure is an Option: Immigration, Memory, and the Russian Jewish Experience" on May 7, and "I Alone Can Fix It: Tales from the New Dystopia" on May 8. CF Kane Hall, Room 120, 7 pm, free

MAY 8

★ Salon of Shame

Writing that makes you cringe (“middle school diaries, high school poetry, unsent letters”) is read aloud with unapologetic hilarity.

Various locations, $16

★ Six Pack Series

Six Pack is my favorite reading series in town. Every time I go, I discover at least one incredible local writer/performer who I’ve never seen before. RS 12th Avenue Arts

MAY 10

Dr. Jordan Peterson

The University of Toronto psychologist and YouTube celebrity lectures on such topics as the “Psychological Significance of the Biblical Stories.” He’ll tour in support of his new book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.

Moore Theatre, 7:30 pm, $32.50–$100

Ruth Joffre: ‘Night Beast’ Launch Ruth Joffre and friends will fete the release of her debut collection Night Beast and Other Stories, haunted fairy tales starring queer women. Hugo House First Hill, 7 pm, free

★ Sheila Heti: Motherhood

The last time the novelist (author of How Should a Person Be?) Sheila Heti was in Seattle, she read a brand new short story commissioned by Hugo House on the theme of “death after life.” Someone in the audience encouraged her to send it to the New Yorker, which she did, and shortly thereafter it appeared in the magazine. She returns to Seattle with her best book yet. Like everything she writes, it’s hard to distill into a sentence or two, but the basic question Motherhood tries to answer is: Can a woman make books instead of making children? Can art be her legacy, instead of human beings? CF Elliott Bay Book Company

MAY 11

Ece Temelkuran

Politically astute novelist and journalist

Ece Temelkuran will read from the newly translated The Mute Swans, a novel set during Turkey’s military coup in 1980. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

★ Hugo Literary Series: Lidia Yuknavitch, Tarfia Faizullah, Ijeoma Oluo

Lidia Yuknavitch, author of The Misfit’s Manifesto, will be joined by Bangladeshi American poet Tarfia Faizullah and Establishment editor Ijeoma Oluo to present new work on the theme “There Goes the Neighborhood.” Fred Wildlife Refuge, 7:30 pm, $25

Ominous Adages, Faceless Obsessions & Other Narratives - Linocuts by Alan LaMont Opening Reception: March 10, 2018, 6 - 9pm Showing until May 12, 2018 Also Featuring New Works by: • Olga Gavrilovskiy • Kristol Jones • Ethan Lind • • MiYoung Margolis • Julia Tatiyatrairong • • Gary Word • Tues - 10-6pm, Wed - 11-7pm, Thurs-Fri - 11-6pm, Sat - 12-6pm Also by Appointment

MAY 13–15

★ National Geographic Live — A Rare Look: North Korea to Cuba

David Guttenfelder is an AP photographer who, along with his colleagues, helped show the world what North Korea actually looked like for the first time in 2011. According to press materials, Guttenfelder “broke through another wall when he boarded the first cruise ship in decades to travel from the United States to Cuba, and returned to the island to cover Fidel Castro’s fourday funeral procession.” RS Benaroya Hall, $28–$48

MAY 15

★ Ariel Levy

New Yorker staff writer Ariel Levy has covered subjects such as South African runner Caster Semenya, artist Catherine Opie, swimmer Diana Nyad, and Edith Windsor, the plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that brought down the Defense of Marriage Act. Hear her discuss her recently released memoir, The Rules Do Not Apply Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $35–$80

★ Claudia Rankine

It’s hard to overstate the impact of Claudia Rankine’s work on American poetry over the course of the last seven years or so. In 2011, she confronted fellow poet Tony Hoagland for writing a poem that contained racist sentiments, claiming that it was “for white people.” Their exchange reinvigorated—or at least brought national attention to—a conversation about race, poetry, and the lack of diversity in the literary world. Citizen: An American Lyric, a collage of images and poems about microaggressions and the limitations of language and the experiences of POCs living in a white supremacist culture, was published in 2014 and won the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry. She writes: “Because white men can’t police their imagination, black men are dying.” RS Kane Hall Room 130, 7:30 pm, free

★ David Shields and Rikki Ducornet

Argumentative intellectual David Shields will appear with painter and writer Rikki Ducornet, who’s received boatloads of international awards. University Book Store, 7 pm, free

★ Rachel Kushner: Mars Room

In a 2013 article published in the Stranger, Molly Morrow called Rachel Kushner’s novel Flamethrowers “almost impossibly good.” Kushner’s new novel, Mars Room, zeroes in on a convict at Stanville Women’s Correctional Facility. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

MAY 16

★ Nicola Griffith: So Lucky English author Nicola Griffith (whose fantasy novel Hild netted her international awards) will introduce her book

So Lucky, a story of a big-shot executive who finds out she has multiple sclerosis. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

MAY 17

Baret Magarian

The Author/journalist/composer/translator/theater director/nude model will treat you to a sample of his book The Fabrications, a story about a novelist

writing a story that starts to come true. University Book Store, 7 pm, free

★ Rahna Reiko Rizzuto: Shadow Child Rizzuto has won a ridiculous number of awards. Her third novel, Shadow Child, takes place in post-WWII Hawaii, New York in the 1970s, and 1940s Japan in flashback.

Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

MAY 21

★ Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Aimee Nezhukumatathil will headline SAL’s Poetry Series and share her latest collection, OCEANIC, which is coming out from Copper Canyon Press in 2018. McCaw Hall, 7:30 pm, $20–$80

Molly Crabapple: Brothers of the Gun Marwan Hisham penned this memoir about being a journalist during the hell of the Syrian civil war. Artist Molly Crabapple, who illustrated the book, will be here to present their work.

Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

MAY 23

★ Captain Scott Kelly: The Sky Is Not the Limit

As part of the Unique Lives & Experiences series, former astronaut and engineer Captain Scott Kelly will talk about his four space flights. The words “American hero” are thrown around a lot, but Kelly is pretty damn impressive: He spent a total of 520 days in space and commanded the International Space Station. McCaw Hall, 7:30 pm, $48–$110

★ Jessica Johnson: Biblical Porn

The saga of Mars Hill Church and its founder/pastor/charlatan Mark Driscoll—who carved a deep rift in Seattle by infecting an essentially secular social culture with a hypermasculine strain of Evangelical nonsense, as well as colonizing and poisoning the city’s music scene, before resigning in disgrace amid accusations of bullying, racketeering, and worse—is treated to a thoughtful, scholarly dissection in this essential book by UW lecturer Jessica Johnson. SN Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free

★ The Moth Mainstage

This is the live storytelling competition that many people like because many people (like myself) are horrible gossips who only want to hear people confess their most embarrassing and heartfelt true stories so long as they’re on topic. RS Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $35–$80

JUNE 4

Charlie LeDuff: Sh*tshow!

Controversial Pulitzer Prize-winner Charlie LeDuff has documented the implosion of Detroit and profiled the facets of American manhood. His new book, Shitshow, is subtitled “The Country Is Collapsing... and the Ratings Are Great.” University Book Store, 7 pm, free JUNE 5–6

★ An Evening of Sonnets

The UW School of Drama, led by Professor Bridget Connors, will declaim the gorgeous sonnets of Shakespeare. University of Washington

Gary Shteyngart

BRIGITTE LACOMBE

Why you should see him: Since he was born in Russia, maybe he can tell us what we need to know about our new overlords.

When/Where: May 7–8 at Kane Hall.

JUNE 8

Lucy Kalanithi and John Duberstein

The spouses of two late, noted memoirists, Paul Kalanithi (When Breath Becomes Air) and Nina Riggs (The Bright Hour), will speak with KEXP’s John Richards about mourning, their partners’ writing, and love. Pigott Auditorium at Seattle University, 7:30 pm, $25–$65

EVERY FIRST WEDNESDAY

★ Silent Reading Party

For almost a decade, people have been gathering in the Fireside Room to escape the distractions of the city, and the distractions of their cell phones, to read silently to themselves in overstuffed chairs or couches in front of the fire while waiters bring them things and Paul Moore plays exquisite piano. CF Hotel Sorrento, 6 pm, free

EVERY FIRST THURSDAY & THIRD FRIDAY

The Moth Seattle StorySLAM

The Moth is a live, amateur storytelling competition in which audience members who put their names in a hat are randomly chosen to tell stories on a theme. Fremont Abbey, 7 pm, $10

EVERY SECOND TUESDAY

The Round

Every month, musicians share the stage with a slam poet and live painter. Fremont Abbey, 8 pm, $8–15

EVERY THIRD THURSDAY

★ Margin Shift

This poetry reading series emphasizes the contributions of anyone who might normally be at the margins of the mainstream literary scene.

Common AREA Maintenance, 6:30–10 pm, free

EVERY FOURTH SUNDAY

★ Pundamonium:

Pun Slam Competition

Participants are given a bit of lead time to write a short, pun-based monologue based on a prompt pulled out of a hat, then, based on the response of judges, they are pitted against one another in an improvised pun-off in subsequent rounds, until one is crowned the winner.

Peddler Brewing Company, 7:30 pm, $6

EVERY LAST TUESDAY

★ Literary Happy Hour Capitol Cider invites poets and authors to read their work to a happy hour audience.

Capitol Cider, 5–7 pm, free

★ Loud Mouth Lit

The writer Paul Mullin, winner of a Stranger Genius Award, curates a “fresh, local, organically sourced” monthly literary event called Loud Mouth Lit dedicated to “the amazing writers living in Seattle.”

St. Andrews Bar and Grill, 8 pm, free

W O R D S E A R C H !

“Art critic” terms that can also be used to describe sex.*

Figuring