The Stranger's Summer 2017 Art + Performance Guide
SUMMER
A CALENDAR OF EVERYTHING TO SEE IN ARTS, INCLUDING THESE TENTACLES BY YAYOI KUSAMA AT SAM
HOW TO SURVIVE AN OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL
THE MUST-SEE MUSICAL OF THE SUMMER
MEMOIRIST
CLAIRE DEDERER
TELLS ALL ABOUT TELLING ALL
A LARGER-THANLIFE PAINTING BY A "DOUBLEGENDERED" ART-MAKER
SUMMER
Oh god, finally. Finally, finally, finally.
The season of sunshine, the season of the Seattle Art Fair, the season of bike riding and Shakespeare in the park and everyone who’s been moaning about how cold and dark is it suddenly moaning about how hot and bright it is is upon us!
If it gets to be a little much—the heat—duck into Mariane Ibrahim Gallery and have a look at new paintings by Mwangi Hutter, including the larger-than-life one reproduced on page 7. As Emily Pothast discovered, the story of the artist(s) is as interesting as the painting itself.
The musical based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir Fun Home is (at last!) coming to Seattle in July. The musical-theater nuts who work at The Stranger have been annoying officemate Jessica Fu, who saw it two years ago in New York, for details in advance. Finally we asked her to write down a few of them and published it all on page 9.
Speaking of memoirs, Claire Dederer’s latest, Love and Trouble: A Midlife Reckoning, a funny, revealing book about sadness, romantic love, and Seattle itself, is recommended by more than one hard-to-please Stranger critic. On page 11, Sean Nelson interviews Dederer about the process of writing it and how it feels to put so much of her personal life on the page.
The blockbuster traveling exhibition Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors caused Seattle Art Museum’s website to crash the first day tickets went on sale. An overview of Kusama’s career—and the source of the hallucinations that spurred her creativity—is on page 15.
Of course, this is the season of outdoor music festivals (see full calendar on page 47). For anyone venturing out into the direct sunlight (or in some cases, the wilderness) for a weekend’s worth of shows, Chase Burns has some advice on page 16. And a crossword puzzle! See page 50.
SUMMER CALENDARS
ART P.18
PERFORMANCE P. 27
READINGS & TALKS P. 35
FILM P. 39
JAZZ P. 41
CLASSICAL MUSIC & OPERA P. 43
FESTIVALS P. 47
COVER ART
YAYOI KUSAMA: INFINITY MIRRORS is on exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum June 30–September 10, 2017
To get an event listed in the fall issue of Seattle Art and Performance which comes out September 6—send details by August 2 to calendar@thestranger.com. For advertising information, contact adinfo@seattleaandp.com or 206-323-7101.
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Jennifer Zwick at Gallery4Culture, and the rest of the art calendar
JAMES YAMASAKI
JENNIFER ZWICK
NW New Works at On the Boards, and the rest of the performance calendar
Claire Dederer in conversation with Sean Nelson
Mwangi Hutter at Mariane Ibrahim Gallery
MWANGI HUTTER
JOAN MARCUS
THOMAS SCHWORER
ANATOMY OF A PAINTING
Again fulfilling by Mwangi Hutter
On exhibit through
July 21
at Mariane Ibrahim Gallery
By Emily Pothast
1. This painting is large—almost 79 inches square— making the scale of the bodies larger than life.
2. Mwangi Hutter is a “double-gendered, multicultured personality entity” with studios in Berlin and Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Nairobi, Kenya. More conventionally known to be a husband-and-wife artist team, Mwangi Hutter is each of their surnames side by side. Through their work, they merge their bodies and creative efforts into one joint identity, a “collective being” exploring the aesthetics of interrelationship. They also have four children together.
3. Ingrid Mwangi was born in Nairobi to a German mother and a Kenyan father. She moved to Germany at the age of 15. The experience of being biracial—“growing up in Kenya, I was a white person,” she has said, and
“coming to Germany, I realized very strongly that I was a black person”—has given her the perspective of an insider/outsider in both of her cultures and instilled a lifelong interest in questioning the edges of identity.
4. Robert Hutter met Mwangi in art school in 1998. They started collaborating, and in 2005 began to produce work as Mwangi Hutter.
boundaries between them.
6. Even the space around the figures is allowed to penetrate their forms here and there.
5. The title of this painting is Again fulfilling, and it’s part of the Union Series, which portrays the artists in a series of embraces that embody all sorts of relationship dynamics. In some of the paintings, the figures are more distinct; in others, the bodies are almost completely merged into one form. The light and dark values of their skin tones are intentionally mixed together to show that there are no hard
7. Made with acrylic paint and black and white liquid chalk, the materials are applied to the canvas in big, expressive gestures that leave watery drips. Mwangi Hutter’s work often involves physical performance, and in this case, they consider the act of painting its own kind of performance. Asked which of them specifically applied the paint and liquid chalk to the canvas, the artists replied, “Both.”
8. Most of the Union Series works are new and this is the first time they have been exhibited. Mariane Ibrahim Gallery is located at 608 Second Avenue, 206-467-4927. n 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 4
COURTESY OF MARIANE IBRAHIM GALLERY
The Musical Fun Home Is a Must- See
Not to brag or anything, but I saw it in New York two years ago. If you’re on the fence about seeing the musical based on Alison Bechdel’s life, listen up.
BY JESSICA FU
You have to see it. If you have read Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir of the same name, you know the story is about a funeral home director’s daughter and their family’s secrets. If you haven’t read it, you don’t need to. The show is as outstanding as every theater critic—and its Tony Award wins—suggests it is. Even without having read the book, the musical will leave you with questions about the function of family, and songs to hum while you try to answer them. If you don’t want any spoilers at all, stop reading this article and just go.
Go with a family member. It’s worth watching with someone you grew up alongside. The show’s structure is based on the slipperiness of memory, so you’ll want a date who doubles as a backup drive for purposes of recall. My sister was mine when I saw it in New York. The show was sold out, but we managed to get standing-room-only tickets. Throughout the performance, the two of us alternated between leaning onto and being leaned on. Sure, we were as far as possible from the stage, but watching Small Alison and her siblings sing and dance, I felt closer than ever to our prepubescent selves who had done the exact same thing countless times. I teared up. My sister, who has a bigger heart but hides it better, did not.
You might feel lost at first. Why are there three Alisons onstage? Because that’s how many Alisons the show needs to properly remember what the hell happened. Why does present-day Alison keep saying “Caption”? She’s a cartoonist. Standing at one end of the stage with a pen raised, she’ll begin to narrate a memory as if writing a caption for a comic strip, and immediately the sketch on her page comes to life onstage.
Why does the year keep changing? The nonlinear way this musical progresses may seem random, but if you pay attention, you’ll feel a subtle emotive force
threading the scenes together. The way Fun Home moves back and forth in time feels totally psychologically natural after a while.
Get ready to sympathize with people who have dark secrets. One in particular: the narrator’s father, Bruce. He is a complicated man and the nucleus of the show’s mystery. He’s a high-school teacher, and he also runs the family funeral home. He’s married to his devoted wife, Helen, and he also has affairs with... well, I’m not going to say any more, but it’s intense. He is also a loving father: He has a mind full of literary wisdom—and a whole library of books—that he imparts on Alison, who shares his interest. But on the subject of being queer, which they both are, he’s mum.
Be prepared to relive childhood. The emotional register of the show is so convincing, I remember some scenes as if I lived them. In one, Bruce insists that Small Alison wear a dress against her protestations. He also forces her to pin her hair back with a barrette. If you grew up in a repressive household, or if you’ve ever felt another person’s wants and dreams and concerns projected onto your own life, it will feel unbearably familiar.
Get excited to feel young love again. Alison meets Joan outside Oberlin College’s Gay Union. Their meetcute is perfectly uncomfortable, with Alison pretending that she was totally looking for the German club, not the gay one, and Joan seeing right past the facade. Alison’s franticness plays hilariously well against Joan’s cool. There’s coming out, kissing, and Colette. But best of all, there’s “Changing My Major,” a song that will make you remember your first real kiss: “I’m changing my major to sex with Joan / With a minor in kissing Joan / Foreign study to Joan’s inner thighs / A seminar on Joan’s ass in her Levi’s / And Joan’s crazy brown eyes.”
Brace yourself for heartbreak. Imagine giving some-
one you love—someone who insisted they loved you— your word, your time, your unconditional support. Only for them to keep you at arm’s length throughout your life together, casting you aside for someone else whenever they got the chance. That’s the heartbreak that Alison’s mother, Helen, endures. Her loyalty to Bruce is steadfast, even as she grows increasingly suspicious. Over the course of the musical, her unseen anguish builds up and culminates with Fun Home’s crowning song, “Days and Days.” It’s devastating.
Withhold your judgment. Fun Home does not moralize, which is one of its strengths. In one scene, Bruce takes his children to New York City. At night, Small Alison watches him splash on aftershave before he goes out, leaving them alone in a strange apartment in this new town. Present-day Alison doesn’t know what to make of the memory, whether to hold it against her father or not. She’s at a loss for a caption: “‘Clueless in New York’? ‘In Denial in New York’? ‘Family Fun in New York’? ‘Child Neglect in New York’? I don’t know.”
Don’t worry, it’s not depressing. I know that’s what all of the above sounds like, but it’s absolutely the opposite of depressing. It’s rendered with warm orchestrations, wit, and tender humor. For all of Bruce’s absences, he remains an endearing and eccentric man. He takes Alison under his wing on a trip to steal bushes from other people’s yards. His moments of withdrawal are balanced with the moments he holds her up in the air, playing airplane.
Read the book. I know I said you don’t need to read the book before you see the musical. But once the curtain closes, you’ll want and need more. Lucky you, there’s so much more in the memoir. It’s rich with literary references and scenes that were left out of the musical, plus Bechdel’s amazing drawings. It’s a little darker, too. And it has been subjected to several bookbanning attempts, so you know it’s good. ■
JOAN MARCUS
Telling All About Telling All
Claire Dederer, Author of the Memoir Love and Trouble, Talks About Sadness, Humor, and the Question “How Could You Write This?”
BY SEAN NELSON
Claire Dederer’s first memoir was called Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses. It was well reviewed, and popular enough to land on the New York Times best-seller list in late 2010 and early 2011. It was also a more complex self-inquiry than its digestible, zeitgeisty package would have you believe. And yet, that very package made it the kind of book that you might carry cover-side-down if you took it out in public.
Dederer’s second memoir, Love and Trouble, offers no such superficial difficulties—the cover features a grainy portrait of the author as a young miscreant, defiantly side-eyeing the lens with a suspicion common to the pre-selfie era. But what’s inside might make you
blush. The “Midlife Reckoning” promised in the subtitle consists of a frank, almost lurid candor about the challenges that attend a privileged existence: marriage, motherhood, career—the archetypal prerogatives of white, liberal bubble-dwellers from time immemorial. But this time isn’t immemorial. It’s now. It’s the last 40 years of Seattle—a recognizably generational parameter—revealed through one restless woman’s struggle to see, become, invent, reinvent, and ultimately forgive herself for the unruly impulses, ideas, and secrets that are the components of that self.
Dederer is artful but unstinting with those secrets, revealing an inner life full of uncomfortable, though
oddly comforting, revelations about her sexual past, present, and possible future. If the details aren’t especially startling, her willingness to disclose them is.
On the day her book was published, we sat down in a noisy restaurant to discuss the process by which she allowed herself to tell all.
I’ve known Dederer a little bit for a long time, since we were both hired as token people-under-50 at the sclerotic Seattle Weekly of the mid-1990s. I was fired for incompetence (which I aestheticized into refusal to compromise); she thrived. We were never close, but as distant colleagues in the ever-diminishing puddle of local, wishfully-hyphenated journalists, we’re certainly not not friends.
I’ve always admired her wit, prose style, and critical discernment. But more than that, I’ve always been somewhat in awe-from-afar of her seeming ability to reconcile success (she wrote for august publications, published a real book, got and stayed married, etc.) with the scoff I always sense in the Seattle I love. Which is to say: Her ability to seem both normal and cool.
A cynic looks at a title like Love and Trouble: A Midlife Reckoning and thinks: What can an exemplary person like her tell me about the suffering that life indisputably is? And what kind of problems do smart, lucky, beautiful people even have anyway? But this is internet thinking, and obvious folly.
And Love and Trouble turns out to be about how not-exemplary the inner life of the author is, a bracing examination of a life spent trying to seem, and of the lifelong struggle to give the habit up, even when it’s the only thing keeping you from indulging in damaging behavior. In her Atlantic review, Laura Kipnis identified this trait as “the surprisingly long half-life of adolescent inchoateness.”
The book is not written from a cathartic impulse. I don’t believe that’s the function of memoir, and I don’t believe that good art is made that way.
Dederer’s brazen candor offers the consolation that can only come from someone else outing their indefensible yearnings in a way that makes you realize you’re not alone, which you obviously suspected, but then why didn’t you have the guts to admit it to yourself and others while writing lean, funny sentences in a structurally adventurous book?
When I interviewed Dederer, I came prepared with a list of sentences from her book that made me wonder whether she hesitated before disclosing them to the world. I tried to avoid the recurring question she later identified as “How could you write this?” But there’s no denying that’s what I wondered.
With admiration, I might add.
Let’s start with the choice to write the first chapter (“You, Now”) in second person. Obviously, there are only three options, but I’m curious about whether you tried it other ways.
I mean, the book could be called I Tried It Other Ways I’ve been writing this for six years, so I’ve tried it every way. The book is really about sadness. I intensely dislike lyrical writing, or writing that gets called in review language “resonant.” Every time I went to try to describe my adolescent experience, or my present-day experience in traditional memoir prose, it had this quality. I mean, it’s not like it was bad writing. There was sort of a beauty to the writing that I really hated. I was struggling with that for a couple of years.
The formal play in the book was something I was doing to amuse myself. I didn’t think it was going to go in. I didn’t write the “You, Now” chapter out of some concept about the functionality of the second person. I sat down one day trying to get at the ideas in this piece of writing, and started writing in second person sort of
STANTON STEPHENS
spontaneously. And it had an energy and a life that really surprised me. The formal play gave me an oblique angle on things, which made them fun, where, in first person, they’re not. I’ve been working with students in second person a lot over the last couple years. It creates an immediacy, and yet a distance at the same time. There’s this self-accusatory thing—I’m looking at you as the reader, but I’m also distancing the self from the self. It’s making the self-referentiality overt.
Several chapters are built out of lists—“How to Have Sex with Your Husband of 15 Years,” “How to Be in Seattle in the ’90s,” “A Is for Acid: An Oberlin Abecedarium.” Were these more formal play or did they have a greater function, like breaking up the litany of self-disclosures?
I actually was very careful about how I presented them in the book, so they wouldn’t cluster. It would have been tempting to write the whole book that way, because it’s a fun way to write. The book is not written from a cathartic impulse. It’s not written from a place where I was processing my emotions in the writing. I don’t believe that’s the function of memoir, and I don’t believe that good art is made that way.
who’s writing a memoir of addiction. One of the things when you’re writing about having been a bad kid, or a bad grown-up, is that you do have to be careful about the war-stories, self-aggrandizement piece of that. That’s something that is really a problem in female writing about one’s own sexuality. Most of the examples we have are Anaïs Nin or people who are supposedly writing about their sexuality, but they’re also self-presenting as sexual in a way that one feels is for a male reader. Or for a desirous reader. That was something I was very conscious of pushing back against. That self-aggrandizement about using the word “slut,” and sort of the ownership of it. That was something I was really not interested in. But “pirate,” yeah… that’s got a certain swagger.
Readings
July 19, 7 pm
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
July 27, 7 pm
Phinney Books
Sept 13, 7 pm
The Cloud Room
But, I was still sad when I was writing the book. I found it very hard to be funny. I think the forms helped me be funny. In some ways, they were strategic. They were just ways for me to bring myself closer to the humor. But again, they create distance. For me, probably the most important living writer is Geoff Dyer, in terms of influencing my own work. The reason he is so perfect to me, and so funny, is because of the way he externalizes his distance from himself, and his loathing of himself, and his observation of himself. He sort of takes you by the hand, and the two of you are looking at him, and you’re both just like shaking your heads sadly. The forms are almost like a fast track to doing that.
I mean, I haven’t thought about this a lot, but I really wanted to include to-do lists in the book. When I was young, I wrote diaries, and when I was old, I wrote todo lists. I went from being a useless person to a utile person. I think that list-making is almost like an expression of motherhood. Organizing the material.
So much of the book is about your self-possession within that swagger. The disastrous pirate slut was clearly an identity you invented, and relished, and only later came to understand. Or sort of understand.
Yes, and I think that gets at one of the inherent problems in the book. One of the things I’m asking throughout is “Did I like it, or didn’t I like it? Did I want it, or didn’t I want it?”
The dynamic we’re talking about, where I’m in an uncomfortable position with these words has to do with… You know, at the end of the book, I still don’t know. One of the main literary projects was “What if you write a memoir where there’s no resolution? Where you don’t get better? Where you admit we don’t change?”
On page seven…
Oh my God, we’re only on page seven!?
Well, it continues onto page eight. “You have a slew of inappropriate e-mail friendships with men. They’re not quite romantic, but you shouldn’t have to say that.” This is such a weirdly universal contemporary experience, but those are often the hardest ones to address directly. Did you struggle with disclosing that?
What if you write a memoir where there’s no resolution?
Where you don’t get better? Where you admit we don’t change?
Right, but when you make the transition from useless to utile, isn’t it meant to alleviate your sadness? If you’re writing a book about a life of reckoning with sadness while also being sad as you’re writing it… Yeah. It didn’t work, right? Except for that we can never know what a disaster I’d be if I had remained the same. I think I’d probably be a lot sadder if I had continued drifting along being useless.
On page two, you refer to yourself as a “disastrous pirate slut of a girl.” Obviously the phrase is great, and you elaborate on it later, but it’s harshly self-critical, and yet also kind of self-aggrandizing. Did you wrestle with that phrase?
I was just talking to somebody about this
When I was working on this book, I was talking to a lot of other women about what I was going through. A lot of women exactly my age. All of them were having inappropriate e-mail relationships. And I’m sure a lot of men are. And is it inappropriate? Are we just having these conversations that look different because they’re in letter form? I do think that we’re heading for hell in a technological handbasket. And we don’t really understand how these relationships work, or how to have them. How to navigate the immediacy of them, the distance of them. All the way down. I observe it with children. I don’t think we know what we’re doing, or the power of these relationships.
They’re still so new.
It’s so new! And it’s so powerful. We haven’t had any time to adapt. Everybody’s sort of dealing with the unknown ethics of these relationships. Meanwhile, I’m seeing all these women having them. I didn’t
really understand what I was doing when I was writing this book. I just kept going. Which is what you’re supposed to do. I did know that I had been so sad and so alone in a way that I had never seen—or in a very tiny, almost minimalist way seen represented in literature by or about women. So I did feel a responsibility when there was something like that that was shared by all of us. Disclosure became more pressing, because I was trying to say something that I was seeing happening to all of us, but to tell it within my own story. I mean, that’s really ponderous, but that was my process with this.
You have a husband and two children and a public and private life as a writer and a person. How broken can you allow yourself to seem as the character before you can kind of pull it back and reenter polite society?
Right. Yes. Navigating that was done in the context of knowing this other responsibility: “I need to show this thing, because I’ve been so alone with these feelings.”
Men see these feelings represented in every great work of 20th-century literature. Over and over, memoir and fiction. There is some fiction about women that kind of does this, but the only sexual midlife woman that we really see ever is Drenka in Sabbath’s Theater by Philip Roth. And she’s always in relationship to the male character.
Who is a great invention, but she’s mostly there as a license for Mickey’s total hedonism, who then gets cruelly taken away. You don’t have access to her inner life.
having. No one would ever have to know. No feelings would have to be hurt. Right. There was no reason I had to put that out.
Except that it’s the actual project of the book to risk it. It is the actual project of the book. The fact is that this book does exist in a context. And its context is this: It’s my second memoir. My experience of the first memoir, where I was really learning how to do it as I did it, was that the moments when I did that, when I revealed the things that I didn’t need to reveal, and that there was no cause to reveal—the moments in the book, which I can isolate, where I was terrified before I published, because I was saying these things—those of course are the moments where readers will weep, throw their arms around me, hug me, and say, “Thank you for saying that! I thought I was the only one.”
When I was writing it, I was just like, “Ah, I don’t want anyone to see this. I’m just gonna do it.” This is what I do. This is my way of doing it. I write it, and then I see how I feel.
No, not at all. So for somebody who’s my age to be having sexual yearning, and the sadness, all the stuff—it is told from a male point of view. I haven’t seen it. I was alone with it. So that was the motivator. I didn’t want [my husband] Bruce to read it. Was I telling my husband I was having inappropriate e-mail relationships? No. Was I telling my kids? No.
And when I was writing it, I was just like, “Ah, I don’t want anyone to see this. I’m just gonna do it.” This is what I do. This is my way of doing it. I write it, and then I see how I feel. Then either I move forward with it or I don’t. But I challenge myself, usually, to actually write it, and then assess. Not writing it is not an option. (1) Was I scared of making my family upset by saying this? Yes. (2) Was I concerned about seeming broken on the page? No. That was what I was doing so that some other woman sitting in her house who can’t get out of bed would feel less alone.
That’s so Jennifer Aniston. To ask a question of oneself and then answer it.
Am I asking a rhetorical question out loud and answering it? Yes I am. But you can ask me more about that, because I know people are interested. It’s the same question: “How could you write this?”
I know, I’m just trying to avoid asking that every time. Right there on the next page: “You don’t quite imagine them when you’re fucking your husband, except you do actually.” That’s way more something you’re not supposed to admit than the e-mail thing. It might not be a universal experience, though it also might be. Still, it’s one that you could easily never be busted for
So when I was writing this book, it was the project. It’s again that problem of sex writing. You can’t just put it in there to be exciting. The only way any memoir ever works is if there’s some central problem that the character is living out. Everything else that’s not related to that problem falls away. When you put shit in a memoir that’s not related to the central project or problem of the memoir, then it becomes a series of anecdotes or events. I was writing for that imaginary person who was feeling these things and didn’t know other people were. But, always, there is a family that I love, that I’m still in.
Turning away from the lurid disclosure department and toward a socio-journalistic observation: “Seattle is not a big city for crying. Seattle, in fact, is famously emotionally stoppered. There are many theories as to why this is the case; some say it’s because of our dominant genetic and cultural heritages: Norwegian and Japanese. Whatever the reason, Seattle is a place where you are not supposed to emote. You are supposed to endure.”
That’s very much a passage that’s from a Born-Here. It’s got a kind of throwback, Emmett Watson–y kind of vibe. I love that stuff. I love that really broad local—I love Betty MacDonald. I love hyper-local old-fashioned kind of writing in that way. Maybe journalism dies hard. But go on with your question.
Given that the city is full of new people, do you think this archetype is still true? And to what extent do you still feel comfortable— even as someone who was born and raised here—claiming Seattle as your own?
I don’t know. It is very broad. Probably my highest value in all writing is humor. I like to teeter on the edge of things being broad. It’s an interesting place to be. Is it still true? Who the hell knows. I don’t understand anything about what the city is now. That’s actually a really interesting question to write about. But losing your city is something every aging person goes through. The death of your own city, and that every person who’s dying gets to have that experience. Like the chapter about the U-District [“Scratch a Punk, Find a Hippie”]—that place is not mine anymore. There’s someone else inhabiting it. I feel that. It’s part of the passing of my relevance. At least it’s me dying and not the city. I’m in favor of that. n
WHITE ROOM DAMIEN DAVIS
Stepping into Endlessness
The Cosmic Wonder of Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors Is Something You Should Experience
BY EMILY POTHAST
In the summer of 2012, I had the opportunity to experience infinity. The exhibition was Yayoi Kusama’s Fireflies on the Water at the Whitney Museum in New York. I reserved a ticket hours in advance, and at my scheduled time, there was a line several people deep. The anticipation heightens the experience.
I stepped through a white door and into small room with mirrored walls, two inches of water covering the floor, and a platform just large enough for one person. Electric lights dangled from the ceiling—150 to be exact—but their reflections in the mirrors extended in all directions to create a field of endless points of light.
I had one minute.
As my eyes adjusted to the relative darkness, I realized that I could begin to see reflections receding so far into the distance as to be barely perceptible, and moving my head a little bit revealed even more beyond those. The effect of the lights was so overwhelming that I felt tiny, despite being the only person in a room a little bigger than a supply closet. It was a completely immersive experience, like being in outer space, or in the inner depths of a meditative vision.
My minute was up.
Throughout history, many artists have grappled with the challenge of how to illustrate the concept of infinity given the limitations of both art materials and human perception. The mirror rooms that Yayoi Kusama began producing in the 1960s represent a breakthrough. Instead of trying to paint the idea of infinity, she had created a way for viewers to directly experience it.
Now a 50-year retrospective of Kusama’s work, Infinity Mirrors, is coming to Seattle Art Museum, running June 30 to September 10. It includes Kusama’s original mirror room, filled with red-spotted white phallic shapes.
Kusama was born in 1929 in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Although she showed extraordinary interest and aptitude as a child, and had visual hallucinations that inspired her to draw what she had seen, her artistic aspirations were discouraged by her family.
“My mother told me that I was not allowed to paint, that one day I would have to marry someone from a rich family and become a housewife,” she recalls in an interview produced by the Tate. “When I was a girl, she took away all my inks and canvases.”
Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors
Instead, her mother would force her to spy on her father’s illicit sexual exploits. The trauma from this experience instilled a lifelong disgust for sex, and a fear of the phallus in particular. According to Kusama, the phallic forms in many of her sculptures and installations were a form of art therapy. “I filled a room with them, and I lost my fear.”
Seattle Art Museum
June 30–Sept 10
Determined to make an international name for herself as an artist, Kusama headed to the United States in 1957, originally
settling in Seattle. Her first US exhibition was here, at the Zoe Dusanne Gallery—famous for bringing Northwest artists like Mark Tobey and Morris Graves to national attention. But Kusama’s aspirations soon took her to New York, where she found an art scene dominated by white men. Competitive and tenacious, she tried to outwork every one of them, producing a massive, highly inventive body of work, including “net” paintings depicting the negative space around thousands of tiny dots, and happenings that involved painting polka dots on hordes of naked bodies—another form of immersion therapy for her own sexual trauma.
Kusama established herself as a fixture of the avant-garde, but her success came at the price of long hours, short cash flow, and the constant grind of being a cultural outsider. In 1973, Kusama returned to Japan, where she eventually resumed her obsessive schedule. In 1977, after a particularly intense painting session, she checked herself into the Seiwa Hospital for the mentally ill in Tokyo. She has lived there ever since, voluntarily, checking herself out for nine hours a day to work in her studio nearby. It’s a routine that lends stability and sustainability to a practice that can be, in the artist’s own words, “self-obliterating.”
Interest in Kusama’s work has grown in recent years, due in part to high-profile exhibitions at the Tate, the Whitney, and other major international institutions. When Infinity Mirrors opened at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, in February 2017, it drew more than 32,500 visitors in a week—the museum’s greatest attendance for those dates in decades.
The show’s next stop is Seattle Art Museum, and anticipation is already running high in the city that hosted her first US exhibition 60 years ago.
The playful accessibility of Kusama’s work, paired with its genuine expression of cosmic wonder, has made her one of the most successful and iconic contemporary artists in the world. Infinity Mirrors promises to be a blockbuster exhibition for SAM and one of the must-see experiences of the summer. n
YAYOI KUSAMA She is obsessed with dots.
CATHY CARVER
How to Survive a Summer Music Festival
Five things I’ve learned going to music festivals—all of which I went to specifically to see Lizzo perform. Did you know she’s playing Block Party?
BY CHASE BURNS
When I saw that Lizzo is playing the Capitol Hill Block Party, I squealed and twirled for an amount of time I’d prefer not to disclose. I never wanted to be a groupie, but after my sixth Lizzo concert, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was more than an average fan. Lizzo does this to a lot of people. The Minneapolis-based hiphop artist is known for her body-positive tracks and killer live shows. Even Prince was among her devotees. Maybe that explains why I keep schlepping my body across the country to see her shows. My love for Lizzo has taken me to all kinds of music festivals, from grimy city streets to forested campgrounds. In the course of those adventures, I’ve become something of an expert on festing, and so I’ve gathered some tips to help you make the most of your summer music experiences. And each piece of advice comes with a Lizzo anecdote. I told you I’m obsessed!
Tip #1
Capitol Hill
Party
Wear Something That Makes You Feel Fabulous but Jesus Christ Make Sure It’s a Fabric That Can Breathe
Sometime next February, on that miserable 90th consecutive day without sun, you’ll scroll through your Instagram and look for a #TBT summer moment to pump you with vitamin D and nostalgia. Will you see yourself in a suffocating cotton polo from Gap or a sheer statement piece that turns your sweat into an effervescent glisten? It’s your choice, but I suggest supporting a local resale shop and getting an airy something that makes you feel beautiful. Also, screw beauty: Fanny packs are your fest friends. They’re more than an accessory for a mom in the 1980s or that ironic barista you hesitantly admire. A fanny pack is where you store your cash, vitamins, portable charger, and illicit baggies.
Related Lizzo anecdote: Her show outfits circa 2015 were mostly purchased from B. Resale, a shop in Minneapolis, where fans could usually find her hanging out with a friend near the register, blessing common folk by complimenting their clothing choices. Once, on a warm day in July, she looked at my floral blouse and olive-green short shorts and said, “Nice.”
Tip #2
I Hate to Break It to You, but You Won’t Thrive on a Diet of Rainier and Fast Food
I won’t tell you what you can and can’t put inside your body, but of all the things you shove inside yourself, make sure some of it is food. (Edibles don’t count.) Most festivals don’t allow bringing in your own food, but if a festival does, take them up
on the offer. You can’t always rely on fest fries or a performer throwing you a free burger from the stage.
But that’s the kind of thing Lizzo does for her fans. Around the time of her first album, Lizzobangers, it seemed she ended every concert by throwing trays of warm cookies into the crowd (the album’s popular single is “Batches & Cookies”). It was clever branding, and also a much-needed snack. Once, after a rambunctious gig, Lizzo chucked something like 40 White Castle sliders out into her audience. One hit me in the face before landing on the floor. I ate it, obviously.
Tip #3
It’s Okay to Leave a Show to Hook Up with a Stranger
Yeah, yeah, we all know peer pressure is stupid and you don’t need to take acid just because your friends take acid. But if you opt out of your group’s decision to do drugs, you should replace the adventure with something you find equivalently satisfying.
Once, during a festival where Lizzo was performing, my friends decided it would be a great idea to see the Indigo Girls while tripping balls. I chose to forego the tripping, instead pursuing a different sort of balls: a pair attached to a festival organizer from Baltimore. After realizing a Porta-Potty wasn’t the best place to hook up, he took me to a room he’d rented out at a Motel 6. Festivals require endurance, and sometimes self-care is making a stranger call you dirty names while you use them for their motel shower.
Thrift and resale shops are the best places to find breezy, colorful clothes perfect for sweating in front of a crowd while still looking gorgeous. Sure, roll your eyes. I don’t care how I look when I’m festin’, you’re thinking. But here’s the thing, bro:
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JAMES YAMASAKI
Tip #4
Ignore the Cool Kids: You Don’t Need to Camp to Truly Fest
There are a bunch of Northwest festivals where you can camp (with names like Timber! Sasquatch!, Cascadia, and Chinook). But that doesn’t mean you should camp. You don’t have to. Camping can get wild real quick. I will never forget the inaugural night of the Eaux Claires music fest in Wisconsin, when Lizzo sent out a tweet around 1 a.m. asking if anyone had seen her bandmate Sophia Eris. A nasty cluster of tornadoes was cutting through the fest’s campgrounds, and Eris was missing. Through choppy reception, I was checking my phone. I read the tweet while huddled in a friend’s car. We thought we were more likely to survive a twister in a Subaru than a tent. “I hope Sophia Eris isn’t dead,” said my friend. “If she is,” I responded, “she better rap for us in heaven.” We then watched a twister form over the lake beside our tent. I contemplated the afterlife and realized the 35-year-old who’d earlier told us, “You dumb twentysomethings, there’s nothing wrong with a hotel bed,” was right. Screw campgrounds. Four walls, a roof, and a shower is sometimes better than roughing it. (Sophia Eris, by the way, is alive and well.)
Tip #5
It’s 100 Times Better to See a Show Alone Than Not to See It at All
There comes a time during every festival when you’ll need to choose between your friends and a band. Maybe your friends will reveal they all love some teenybopper-beloved songstress like Meghan Trainor, and you’ll try to replace your sudden urge to vomit with a suggestion: “What if we see M. Ward or Shamir?” But no, they’ll insist Trainor or Betty Who or some indie Katy Perry look-alike is the show you shouldn’t miss, and you’ll have to choose between tagging along with your friends and seeing your preferred show alone. You should always, always choose to see your preferred show, even if that means going solo.
My most cherished musical memory was once watching Lizzo and Justin Vernon sing with a very pregnant Channy Leaneagh during a Poliça set, something I only experienced because I was okay with seeing a show by myself. Friends are lovely, but they’re secondary to the performers. And much like hunting for the right lover or pair of jeans, you’re more likely to find a perfect fit when you’re seeking it out on your own. So be bold, festies, because the most rewarding intoxication you can find at a music festival is discovering you’re someone’s fan. n
THINGS TO DO SUMMER
Seattle Art Fair
Why you should see it: Walking through the mammoth art fair is like traveling the world. The 2017 exhibition draws together 80 galleries from 25 cities. Plus, it inspires satellite exhibitions like Out of Sight at nearby King Street Station.
By Julia Raban, Emily Pothast, and Amber Cortes
Museums
Bellevue Arts Museum
510 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, 425519-0770, bellevuearts.org, Tues-Sun
The Contact: Quilts of the Sierra Nevada by Ann Johnston (Through June 11): California’s incredibly diverse geography—from arid deserts to icy lakes—is in large part due to the Sierra Nevada, the mountain range that contains Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, and Mount Whitney (the highest point in the contiguous United States). This exhibit features geographically-inspired quilts by Ann Johnston—whose family has roots in the range stretching back to the 1800s—and will focus on the idea of “contact,” meaning both the interaction between humans and the environment, and the place where geologic units touch.
★ Electric Coffin: Future Machine (Through Sept 10): Known for their almost painfully über-hip and high-concept interior-design work that elevates hand-drawn, street-art-inspired murals and Pacific Northwest kitsch to a new level in office spaces and restaurants around the city, Future Machine at Bellevue
Arts Museum is Seattle creative design studio Electric Coffin’s first foray into the realm of fine art in a museum. Future Machine is an evolving installation that will unfold over seven months of collaborations with artists, industry leaders, technology innovators, nonprofits, and other “creatives.” The installation’s transformational phases will loosely follow the process of an idea materializing into reality to create “new forms, and functions, and technologies” that embody their vision of the future. AC Emerge/Evolve 2016: Rising Talents in Kiln-Glass (Through Oct 1): See work by the finalists of the Emerge/Evolve contest, launched by the Bullseye Glass Company in Portland to reward innovation in kiln-formed glass art.
★ Cut Up/Cut Out (June 30–Oct 22): Organized by the Bay Area’s Bedford Gallery, Cut Up/Cut Out is a traveling survey of international artists using decorative cutting and piercing to transform ordinary materials like paper, plastic, metal, and rubber into astonishing works of art.
From the delicate Mexican folk art tradition of papel picado employed by Carmen Lomas Garza to the filigreed oil drums and land mines of Cal Lane, the range of scale, materials, and techniques exhibited make Cut Up/Cut Out a must-see for anyone who loves seeing impressive feats of creative labor. EP
Burke Museum University of Washington, 17th Ave NE & NE 45th St, 616-3962, washington.edu/burkemuseum, daily
Kanu Kaho’olawe: Replanting, Rebirth (Through July 2): In this
exhibit, Jan Becket and Carl Pao use photography and mixed-media work to document and comment on the reclamation of Native land on Kaho’olawe Island, Hawai’i, offering an artistic blend of ecology, politics, and cultural traditions.
Testing, Testing 1-2-3 (June 17–Feb 18): Some of the coolest parts of the Burke Museum are inaccessible to the public—neither their vast collections nor their research are easy to see or appreciate as a guest. 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, including highlighting behind-thescenes work and letting guests grab a sneak peek into their labs.
Frye Art Museum
704 Terry Ave, 622-9250, fryemuseum.org, Tues-Sun
★ Amie Siegel: Interiors
(Through Sept 3): Working in film and other media, New York artist Amie Siegel creates meticulous, self-aware studies of objects and architectural spaces that investigate the mechanisms behind the accumulation of social and aesthetic value. Her recent work Fetish (2016), filmed at the Freud Museum in London, depicts the annual cleaning of Freud’s collection of archaeological artifacts, offering parallels with the process of the excavation of the psyche through analysis. Fetishization is a recurring theme
in Siegel’s work, from the subject matter to the treatment and presentation of her chosen media, often using physical formats like film to add layers of meaning. EP
Between the Frames: The Frye Collection After 1952 (Through July 23): The Frye has been around since 1952, which practically makes it an ancient Seattle institution. Get a peek into the history of the museum—and, by extension, a history of locally and nationally celebrated art—at this exhibit that will highlight favorite pieces that have joined the Frye’s collection since it first opened. They add: “At its core, this exhibition asks: why do museums collect, and how do collections help institutions evolve?”
Frye Salon (Through Jan 21): This exhibit recreates the personal gallery of Charles and Emma Frye with a collection of paintings from the Frye’s founding collection.
Partnership for Youth Exhibition (Through Sept 10): The Associated Recreation Council at the Yesler Community Center will partner with the Frye Art Museum to present this recurring group show, featuring a wide array of student artwork. This iteration will focus on Seattle’s urban landscape, and the interplay between nature and urban structures.
Featured artists include Jaytaevius Coleman, Eleisha Cooke, Malachi Crenshaw, MK Crenshaw, Kaylia Davis, Isiah Guy, and Neicy Petite. Organized by Frye Manager of Public Programs Negarra A. Kudumu.
★ Storme Webber (Aug 5–Oct 29): Storme Webber is a Two-Spirit First Nations (Alutiiq/Black/Choctaw) interdisciplinary artist, curator, writer, and performer who creates
socially engaged texts and images at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, memory, and spirit. Through the exhibition of archival photographs, installation, and experimental storytelling, Webber uses the pre-Stonewall working-class LGBTQ history of the Pioneer Square neighborhood as a point of departure to shed light on the hidden stories of the marginalized people in Seattle’s present and past. Expect to see the historical made timeless, and the timeless made tangible. EP
Henry Art Gallery
15th Ave NE and NE 41st St, 5432280, henryart.org, Wed-Sun 2017 University of Washington MFA + MDes Thesis Exhibition
(Through June 25): The annual University of Washington’s School of Art + Art History + Design Master of Fine Arts and Master of Design thesis exhibition at Henry Art Gallery features ambitious and carefully planned artwork from university students.
★ Jacob Lawrence: Eight Studies for the Book of Genesis
(Through Oct 1): It’s been 100 years since American artist Jacob Lawrence was born, and Seattle is celebrating appropriately. Seattle Art Museum’s gigantic, unprecedented exhibit of all 60 panels from his Migration Series drew large crowds in the spring, and now there’s an exhibit of silkscreen prints at the Henry. These works explore the Genesis creation narrative and are based on Lawrence’s experience listening to sermons at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem.
★ Kraft Duntz featuring Dawn Cerny: Fun. No Fun. (Through Sept 10): For Fun. No Fun, 2015
When/Where: August 3–6, CenturyLink Field Event Center
Genius Award nominee Dawn Cerny and artist/architectural team Kraft Duntz (i.e. David Lipe, Matt Sellars, and Dan Webb) filled the Henry’s open lower level gallery with a maze-like structure of staircases, walkways and elevated platforms. It’s a playful installation that toys with themes of expectation and disappointment as it simultaneously delights and confounds. EP Summer Wheat: Full Circle (Through Sept 17): Brooklyn-based visual artist Summer Wheat is known for her abstract expressionism and colorful paintings that depict chaos, often through everyday figures and scenes. This exhibit will feature a series of large-scale paintings and intimate drawings that will explore the big and small: the sun, the moon, and the stars, alongside quotidian events and chores.
If You Don’t They Will: no. NOT EVER. (June 24–Oct 1): If You Don’t They Will is a Seattle group that has a topical yet always relevant goal: To provide “creative and concrete tools for countering white nationalism through a cultural lens.” See their latest work, an interview-based oral history exploration that features Pacific Northwest community organizers and highlights their experience fighting white nationalism (which exists all over the Northwest, but is especially prevalent in Eastern Washington and in the KKK hub that is our neighboring state, Idaho).
H Doris Totten Chase: Changing Forms (July 8–Oct 1): This summer, the Henry presents the first retrospective of Seattle/New York artist Doris Totten Chase (1923-2008).
Chase started out as a painter and sculptor—one of very few women associated with the Northwest School. In 1968, she shot a video of dancers interacting with her sculptures, and soon she was using Boeing’s computer imaging technology to produce early and influential computer-generated video art.
Chase lived and worked in New York during the ‘70s and ‘80s, and today her video and film works are in the collection of MoMA. Now is your chance to see them in the other city Chase called home. EP
LeMay: America’s Car
Museum
2702 E D St, Tacoma, 253-779-8490, americascarmuseum.org, daily
Exotics@ACM: Seductive Super Cars (Through May 5): LeMay has chosen 25 cars that exemplify exoticism, sleek design, superior technology, and impeccable performance, and is displaying them with “visual storytelling” in mind during the first installment of this rotating, year-long exhibit.
Museum of Glass
1801 Dock St, Tacoma, 253-284-4719, museumofglass.org, Wed-Sat
Art Deco Glass from the Huchthausen Collection
(Through Sept 30): This exhibit highlights pieces from David Huchthausen’s Art Deco glass collection, with works by artists including Koloman Moser, René Jules Lalique, and Johann Loetz.
Into the Deep (Through Sept 30): Into the Deep features more than 55 works in glass that are inspired by marine life, by artists including Alfredo Barbini, Dale Chihuly, Shayna Leib, Kelly O’Dell, Kait Rhoads, Raven Skyriver, and Hiroshi Yamano. Linda MacNeil: Jewels of Glass (Through Oct 1): Glass artist, metalsmith, and sculptor Linda MacNeil’s wearable art is the first exhibit at the Museum of Glass that focuses entirely on jewelry. Jewels of Glass promises geometric necklaces, earrings, and brooches in glass, non-precious metals, and, in the case of her more recent work, precious materials.
Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
860 Terry Ave N, 324-1126, mohai.org, daily
Edible City: A Delicious Journey (Through Sept 10): At this exhibit, learn the details of Seattle’s food history, from the source of the ingredients to the way we serve.
It’s Raining Cats and Dogs (Ongoing): Frederick L. Brown’s The City is More Than Human:
An Animal History of Seattle is an exploration of the way that animals—from pigs to dogs—have shaped Seattle. If that title intrigues you, definitely check out this exhibit that will focus on cats and dogs and the way they fit into Seattle’s larger narrative. As you might have heard, we like our pets here.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
325 Fifth Ave N, 770-2700, mopop.org, daily
H The Jim Henson Exhibition (Ongoing): There was no true show business precedent for Jim Henson’s innovative combination of hip, humanist wit, and streamlined puppet design and operation, and there are no true descendants of his ability to hybridize the legacy of vaudeville with the modern possibilities of TV and cinema. Henson’s ability to be utterly hilarious, genuinely warm, and actually educational made him a radical figure in the arts, and as Hamlet said about his late father,
we shall not look upon his like again—which makes this exhibition of puppets, sketches, storyboards, scripts, photographs, video clips, and costumes from Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth (among other Henson projects) an indispensable opportunity to celebrate his genius. SEAN NELSON
H David Bowie: Starman (Opens July 1): The day after David Bowie died, Stranger music and arts editor Sean Nelson wrote the following: “Bowie’s music and presentation calibrated my consciousness to look beyond the obvious, to expect layers, to get that there should be something to get. My feeling for Bowie was never theoretical, as it is with a lot of artists I admire. It was love, though I didn’t ever believe that love was returned or acknowledged. Or needed. Which made it the correct response. Such was the power of his charisma, his talent, his utter commitment to the conception and performance of himself.” As you wander through this collection of 65 photographs of David Bowie taken by renowned British photographer Mick Rock, rare performance footage, and oral history interviews, you can love David Bowie deeply. Just because you want to.
Nordic Heritage Museum 3014 NW 67th St, 789-5707, nordicmuseum.org, Tues-Sun
Lessons from the Arctic (Through Aug 27): Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen is known for his legendary snowy treks—to the North Pole, South Pole (to which he led the first successful expedition), and even the Northwest Passage. This exhibit will explore the extensive preparations he made for these journeys, as well as the journeys themselves, through more than 200 photographs accompanied by scholarly analysis.
H Marimekko, With Love
(Through July 9): Marimekko is a Helsinki-based company specializing in fabrics, furnishings, and fashion, whose vibrant and cheery patterns rose to fame in the 1950s and ‘60s (and took off in the United States in 1960, after Jackie Kennedy bought seven Marimekko dresses at once and wore them on the campaign trail).
This exhibit will feature Marimekko’s significant fabrics and fashions from the ‘50s through the ‘70s, in addition to archival material “highlighting the personal stories and social relationships at the heart of the company’s international impact.”
The Whimsical World of Bjørn Wiinblad (July 28–Nov 5): Danish artist Bjørn Wiinblad’s work often depicts cutesy, distinctively-featured women wearing costumes and elaborate garb. But his body of work is vast, from paintings to ceramics to theater sets to jigsaw puzzles. See his art portrayed through 78 examples (“from one-of-a-kind commissions to mass-produced pop culture”) at this whimsical exhibit.
Northwest African American Museum
2300 S Massachusetts St, 518-6000, naamnw.org, Wed-Sun
H Daniel Minter: Carvings (Through Sept 17): Daniel Minter’s whole body of work deals with history, prioritizing cultural iconography whether depicting Blackness in the American South or portraying the African Diaspora across the world. At this exhibit, see Minter’s
painted woodcarvings and linoleum block prints, created originally for use in children’s books. These are the memories and symbols he’s passing on to a new generation.
Intersections: Finding True North (Through Sept 17): The 2017 Dr. Carver Gayton Youth Curators present this exhibit rooted in local history that aims to tell the story of the Central District through a collective mapping project. The show works beautifully alongside Inye Wokoma’s An Elegant Utility, which tells the story of the neighborhood primarily through personal artifacts. The youth curators explore “livable neighborhoods, intersections & finding true north.”
H Inye Wokoma: An Elegant Utility (Through July 27): Using everyday artifacts from his grandfather’s life—a catcher’s mask, family photographs, legal ledgers, and old magazines—artist and filmmaker Inye Wokoma has created a poignant sanctuary at the Northwest African American Museum for the enduring legacy of an African American family’s daily life in Seattle’s (now almost completely gentrified) Central District. Wokoma’s work explores the complex space where ancestry, identity, and displacement meet. Now, with An Elegant Utility, Wokoma becomes the artist-as-ethnographer, gracefully recontextualizing his personal and family history into the larger context of structural racism, redlining, and the story of African Americans in Seattle. AC
Pacific Bonsai Museum
2515 S 336th St, Federal Way, 253353-7345, pacificbonsaimuseum.org, Tues-Sun
Natives (Through Oct 8): Natives brings a holistic and naturalistic perspective to bonsai displays, highlighting native plants as well as landscape paintings by Iuna Tinta.
Pacific Science Center
200 Second Ave N, 443-2001, pacsci.org, daily
H Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor (Through Sept 4): When the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, was buried, he wasn’t entirely alone—less than a mile from his mausoleum stood a flock of life-size terracotta warriors, offering protection for the afterlife. Eventually they were slowly swallowed by the earth, and went unnoticed for thousands of
years...until 1974, when they were rediscovered by local farmers. Since then, a few of the warriors have been on tour (the British Museum in London had its best attendance in 2008, when 12 of the figures and assorted artifacts were displayed there) and now, some of them are at the Pacific Science Center. It’s a great chance to learn a little history while observing large, unique, and very old (210 BCE) sculptures.
Pivot Art + Culture
609 Westlake Ave N, 342-2710, pivotartandculture.org
Color and Pattern (Through July 23): Explore Color & Pattern in representational and nonrepresentational sculpture, painting, ceramics, and drawings from David Hockney, Philip Taaffe, Agnes Martin, and Robert Rothko, among others. The exhibit contrasts works that draw heavily on the natural world and those that divorce form and color from recognizable forms.
Seattle Art Museum 1300 First Ave, 625-8900, seattleartmuseum.org, Wed-Mon Common Pleasures: Art of Urban Life in Edo Japan (Through Oct 22): Edo Japan (during the stable, economically healthy period between 1603 and 1868) saw a surge in urban cultural and artistic life, and art from the era responded with lovely depictions of townspeople and courtesans letting loose at festivals, enjoying the cherry bloom season, and generally indulging in lowercase-h hedonism. This exhibit highlights works from this period that celebrate the common people and their joys.
H Denzil Hurley: Disclosures (Through Nov 5): UW professor Denzil Hurley creates paintings that are almost sculptural—and perfect for a period in which committed citizens are taking to the streets with signs every other weekend. His monochrome canvases mounted on sticks and poles will challenge the way you think about communication, and how it relates to both artistic expression and the way we interact with the world at large. Look forward to a thoughtful take on signage and meaning conveyed through dark, layered blocks of color.
Sam Gilliam (Through Nov 26): At this exhibit of work by Color Field
abstractionist Sam Gilliam, revel in deep, rich colors layered onto canvases that are stretched tight and creatively hung, with hues that often emanate from a central point, like a sunset. This show will also feature some of Gilliam’s “Black Paintings”: darker, highly contrasted works that muddy the vibrant explosions.
H Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors (June 30–Sept 10): When Infinity Mirrors opened at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, in February 2017, it drew more than 32,500 visitors in a week—the museum’s greatest attendance for those dates in decades. The show’s next stop is Seattle Art Museum, and anticipation is already running high in the city that hosted her first US exhibition 60 years ago. The playful accessibility of Kusama’s work, paired with its genuine expression of cosmic wonder, has made her one of the most successful and iconic contemporary artists in the world. Infinity Mirrors promises to be a blockbuster exhibition for SAM and one of the must-see experiences of the summer. EP
Tacoma Art Museum 1701 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, 253272-4258, tacomaartmuseum.org, Tues-Sun
Artists Drawn to the West
(Through Aug 13): This exhibition explores perception and representation of the American West, focusing on landscapes and featuring work by icons like Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran.
Cultural imPRINT: Northwest Coast Prints (Through Aug 20): This survey exhibition will feature printmaking by indigenous artists from the 1960s through today, highlighting works inspired by traditional designs previously used on baskets, carvings, blankets, and jewelry—but also featuring more exploratory works. Come for a broad collection of local pieces inspired by centuries of artistic tradition.
Familiar Faces & New Voices: Surveying Northwest Art (Through June 1): This exhibit promises a survey of Northwest art that will highlight work by both big names and less recognizable figures, and will offer a chronological take on visual expression in the region.
Promoting the West: Abby Williams Hill and the Railroads (Through Oct 15): Early Tacoman Abby Williams Hill (1861-1943) is
known for her smoldering landscapes—she was hired by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads to depict the Pacific Northwest (as well as Yellowstone National Park) to encourage more people to head west and explore our wild region. At this exhibition, see a collection of her historically important works.
H Zhi Lin: In Search of the Lost History of Chinese Migrants and the Transcontinental Railroads (June 27–Feb 18): Seattle artist and UW professor Zhi Lin’s work has drawn on Chinese-American history to explore uncomfortable truths as well as quotidian realities. Christopher Knight at the Los Angeles Times described some of his work in 2009: “At Koplin Del Rio, most of Lin’s landscape drawings are made on sketch-pad-size paper using pencil and thinned Chinese ink. Their modest scale and simple materials yield a sense of the artist sketching on-site, as if taking pictorial rather than written notes of what he sees... Lin could have used a camera (period photographs of the Chinese laborers at work are not scarce), but drawings connect eye to mind to hand in a powerful and thoughtful way.”
Wing Luke Museum
719 S King St, 623-5124, wingluke.org, Tues-Sun
New Years All Year Round (Through June 18): New Year’s celebrations in the United States often feature festive novelty eyeglasses, “Auld Lang Syne,” and excessive drinking, but at this exhibit, learn about the Chinese, Laotian, and Polynesian American traditions— from red envelopes to elaborately decorated mounds of sand. It’s New Years All Year Round H Teardrops That Wound: The Absurdity of War (Through April 15): 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
Why you should see it: These photographs “preemptively memorialize” the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which amazingly has not fallen on anyone yet. When/Where: Through June 29 at Gallery4Culture.
H We Are the Ocean: An Indigenous Response to Climate Change (Through Nov 12): The timely exhibit We Are the Ocean: An Indigenous Response to Climate Change uses art, poetry, and more to explore climate change and water rights from an indigenous perspective—as well as demonstrating the ways in which Pacific communities are leading global environmental conversations.
Who’s Got Game? (Through Sept 17): Celebrate the achievements of Asian Pacific Americans in sports from baseball to the X Games at this exhibit featuring photographs, oral histories, memorabilia, and interactive components.
H Year of Remembrance: Glimpses of a Forever Foreigner (Through Feb 11): 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) in what is essentially two short hall-
Paul Komada
THINGS TO DO ART
ways. There’s also a binder stuffed with current news clippings. In this moment, at the Wing Luke, stare straight at an ugly American truth. Remember that Roosevelt is not a perfect liberal hero and that a busy schedule is not an excuse for apathy.
Galleries
A Gallery
117 S Main St, 628-3137, cargocollective.com/A-Gallery, Mon-Fri
Adam Taylor & Joe Wilkinson: Ruminations on Jena (Through June 30): Ruminations on Jena is a collaborative exhibit with work by designer, digital illustrator and concept artist Adam Taylor and ceramic artist Joe Wilkinson, whose work “examines and celebrates a state of flux.”
The Alice 6007 12th Ave S, thealicegallery.com, Sat
H From Which We Rise (Through June 19): Seattle artist Satpreet Kahlon has explored history, vulnerability, and power through fiber and mixed media—now, she’s curated this group show that examines “the legacy of fiber, matriarchal tradition, and craft through intergenerational connectedness.” Each of the 15 pieces was crafted by a different artist, and with the intergenerational ties in the show roster itself, the works explore the histories of seven different families.
A/NT Gallery
305 Harrison St, 233-0680, antgallery.org, Wed-Sun
Michael Larkin: Vampires (Aug 5–Aug 25): Artist Michael Larkin’s work includes pop art portraits of famous figures—this show will feature 32 new paintings that explore “blood hunger and otherness in popular culture.”
ArtXchange
512 1st Ave S, 839-0377, artxchange.org, Tues-Sat
H Singularity Now (Through June 24): In Jonathan Wakuda Fischer, Jazz Brown, and Gabriel Marquez’s science-fiction visions of the future, the concept of a monumental intelligence, eventually revealed to be love, has inspired artistic reflections on nature and the interconnection of things. Check out their varied and colorful graphic works.
Wilay Mendez (Through July 29): See paintings and vehicle sculptures made of salvaged materials at this exhibit featuring work by Cuban artist Wilay Mendez (Mendez’s first in the US) who “presents a unique perspective on human conflict and the relationship between man and machine.”
What Would Betsy Ross Do?
The New US Flag Project (July 6–29): What if, at this moment, we could design a brand-new American flag? The exhibit What Would Betsy Ross Do? offers answers from a group of artists and community members. Conceived by Margaret Chodos-Irvine.
Melissa Cole (Aug 3–Sept 30): Mixed media artist Melissa Cole uses glass, acrylic, and more to create lively mosaic-like sculptures and artworks that depict animals and landscapes.
Summer Showcase (Aug 3–26): This showcase will feature work by gallery artists and emphasize the importance of exploring “the intricacies of culture, history and identity through art.”
Blakely Hall
2550 NE Park Drive, Issaquah, 425507-1107, arteast.org
W-ink! (June 20–Sept 6): See diverse ink-on-paper works, both abstract and figurative, by Tina
Albro, Karen Dedrickson, Lowell Poisson, and Grace Schlitt.
BONFIRE
605 S Main St, 790-1073, thisisbonfire.com
H Deborah Faye Lawrence (Aug 3–Aug 6): In 2014, Jen Graves wrote, “Lifelong, die-hard leftist Deborah Faye Lawrence tends her politics like a gardener and a folksinger: with her hands and her voice. The Seattle collage artist has an alter ego named Dee Dee, a high-foreheaded pre-modern creature who wreaks subversion across Lawrence’s brightly cobbled together landscapes. Together they commandeer and remake maps, histories, and laws written and unwritten in bravura performances—but the means couldn’t be more humble, just bits of paper cut and glued to form mandalas, new galaxies.” This new exhibit will feature works in which Deborah Faye Lawrence (or Dee Dee) will use “satirical collage as a political and psychological tool.”
H Angelica Maria Millán Lozano and Sofía Córdova: Thrown (June 8–July 1): angelica maria millán lozano is a fibers and performance artist whose work questions the ethical implications of injustices that affect Latinas in the home, and Sofia Córdova is a new media artist concerned with the problems that face othered bodies in the context of global-industrial capitalism. Curated by Ashley Stull Meyers, Thrown is an exhibition of sonic and sculptural works by both artists, proposing new poetic language for de-colonized, de-gendered utopian futures. EP
H Gretchen Bennett (July 6–29): Gretchen Bennett is the artist behind Crazy in Love, the large installation on Broadway in 2010 that examined queerness, Beyoncé, femininity, music, and light/dark, as well as color drawings of Kurt Cobain that Jen Graves described as “attempts to salvage bits of real character from the shipwreck of Kurt’s destruction, to find something real and lasting in all the glinty reflections left behind.”
If this exhibit is like her previous work, it will be at once timely and nostalgic, digging into pop culture references to uncover meaning that existed all along but was hard to spot through all the flashbulbs.
H Patrick Kelly (Aug 10–Sept 2):
See dark, oily, and suggestive drawings made from layers of black graphite by artist Patrick Kelly.
Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA)
114 3rd Avenue S, 728-1980, cocaseattle.org
The Constant (Through June 10): See recent works by Mizzonk (also known as duo Wan-Yi Lin and Roger Chen), including the temporal piece Nothing and Everything: sand artfully spilled on a concrete floor.
Sarah Fetterman: Past Selves (June 22–July 29): This performance art and interactive video installation will feature a dancer who dips herself in flour and slides across black walls. By artist Sarah Fetterman, with technological collaborators Hannah Simmons and Jack Christoforo.
Cloud Gallery
901 E Pike, 720-2054, cloudgallery seattle.wordpress.com, daily
Painting in Handcuffs (June 8–July 31): Seattle nonprofit A Touch of Light presents this exhibit of works created by incarcerated artists (in and outside the US).
J M King: Behind the Curtain— Portraits of Unusual Lives (Aug 10–Sept 30): This exhibit will feature a series of portraits inspired by “caught glimpses of what people see in their own minds as reflections of themselves.”
CORE
117 Prefontaine Place S, 467-4444, coregallery.org, Wed-Sat
Marit Berg: New Work (Through June 24): Marit Berg’s work often
depicts landscapes, flora and fauna, and water (including swimmers and divers). This show explores ideas of survival through adaptation, with an emphasis on fresh water—using animal competition as a metaphor for human territorial disputes.
Myrna Keliher: Awake (Through June 24): 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). Awake offers a visual exploration of typography, including handwritten notes, handset type, and even large-scale letterforms.
Contemporary Japanese Prints (Through July 1): This group exhibition features work by contemporary Japanese printmakers.
Lee Chul Soo (July 6–29): Artist Lee Chul Soo’s woodcuts are sometimes cute, simple, and understated, at other times philosophical and almost political, and often incorporate short, descriptive poems. Reduction Woodcut Masters (Contemporary Department) (Aug 3–26): See a number of examples of reduction woodcuts— essentially, layered relief prints that often have rich, deep colors and complicated patterns.
Dendroica Gallery
1718 East Olive Way Suite A, 3242502, dendroica.gallery
Jeff Mihalyo: Abstract
Impressions (June 8–July 9): Jeff Mihalyo’s work includes a 20-footlong mural that former Stranger arts contributor Sarra Scherb described as bearing “a strong flavor of Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals” with “gentle brushwork [that] makes it feel like a lucid dream.” This exhibit will feature all new work by Mihalyo.
Martha Dunham: Moving Target (July 13–31): See work in fabriccovered wire by Martha Dunham, whose art “embodies her sense of balance and movement.”
Ethnic Heritage Art Gallery
Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave, Third Floor, 684-7132, seattle. gov/arts, Mon-Fri
Processing: Artists Face Administration Change (Through July 10): If you’re feeling disoriented by the upheaval in federal government, at least you’re in good company. In this exhibition, Jamine Brown, Susan Emery, Nadya Glizina, Lauren Iida, and seven others grapple with the new regime’s implications for the nation and their communities.
Facèré Jewelry Art Gallery
1420 Fifth Ave, Suite 108, 624-6768, facerejewelryart.com, daily
Kirk Lang: New Works (June 14–July 3): See new works in titanium, niobium, and meteorite by jewelry artist Kirk Lang, who is inspired by “the shapes, materials, and textures of outer space and extraterrestrial travel.”
Pattern, Rhythm, Repetition (Aug 2–22): Explore things that are not anomalies, but are part of a larger pattern, at this exhibit featuring jewelry art by Dan Adams and Cynthia Toops, Elisa Bongfeldt, Nancy Megan Corwin, Lucie Heskett-Brem, David Licata, Sarah Loertscher, Sharon Massey, Tiff Massey, and Carla Pennie McBride.
Fantagraphics Bookstore and Gallery
1201 S Vale St, 557-4910, fantagraphics.com, daily
Cathy Malkasian: Eartha
(Through June 7): See original art by Cathy Malkasian, who is known for her graphic novels as well as her extensive experience in television animation. This exhibit coincides with the release of her latest graphic novel, Eartha, a fantasy story that deals with disappearing dreams.
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THINGS TO DO ART
H Lightning Snake (June 10–July 5): Cartoonist and zine distributor Jason T. Miles will mark the publication of a new book, Lightning Snake, with a book release party and a gallery exhibition.
Coin-Op Press Exhibition (July 8–Aug 9): Peter Hoey and Maria Hoey’s Coin-Op Press has picked up a number of accolades, including a shout-out in The Best American Comics, and now they’ll show off their comics and illustrations at this gallery show.
Michael Dormer: The Legend of Hot Curl (Aug 12–Sept 6): Multitalented artist Michael Dormer passed away in 2012, and he left behind a legacy of strange and wondrous works including the comic character Hot Curl, a selection of fine art, and the 1960s TV show Shrimpenstein! Now Fantagraphics is publishing the first-ever retrospective of the artist, Michael Dormer And The Legend Of Hot Curl, and will host an accompanying exhibit featuring a wide selection of his most interesting pieces.
Foster/White Gallery
220 Third Ave S Ste 100, 622-2833, fosterwhite.com, Tues-Sat
Joshua Jensen-Nagle: Endless Summer (Through June 24): Celebrate summer in Seattle with dreamy beach and landscape scenes by Joshua Jensen-Nagle, whose work is “inspired by the artist’s childhood memories growing up on the Jersey Shore.”
Will Robinson: Continuum (July 6–22): Continuum will feature new works by sculptor Will Robinson, whose stonework is described as “a study in contrasts” and “prone to impossible balancing acts.”
Janna Watson: Heavy with Dreams (Aug 3–Aug 26): Heavy with Dreams will feature emotional and intimate works by abstract painter Janna Watson.
Gallery 110
110 Third Ave S, 624-9336, gallery110.com, Wed-Sat
Robert Horton: American History X (Through July 1): Robert Horton’s bright scenes vary stylistically, from rough, impressionistic brushstrokes to polished pop art in acrylic. But the theme is focused: “African American leaders, explorers, and inventors from the Industrial Revolution to Modern History who changed our nation.”
M R McDonald: Metal (July 6–July 29): Metal will feature photographs of the peeling, bursting, intricately layered posters that cover Seattle’s public surfaces.
Incoming (Aug 3–Sept 2): See a selection of work by Gallery 110’s newest artists, including Mimi Cernyar-Fox, Saundra Fleming, Karen Graber, and Lauren Greathouse.
H Paul Komada (Through June 29): Paul Komada has worked in a variety of media, including hand-knit yarn and acrylic on canvas, watercolor, photo, and video, thematically tied together by abstraction and an emphasis on process. Interestingly, he managed to add a high-tech, multilayered approach to the soft, pliable world of fiber arts. This exhibit highlights his photographs (layered with chroma-key technology) and audio pieces, which “preemptively memorialize” the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
G. Gibson Gallery
104 W Roy St, 587-4033, ggibsongallery.com, Wed-Sat Pop-Up (June 15–July 8): This exhibit will offer “an eclectic selection of gallery-owned and other artwork.”
Here’s to the Future (July 20–Aug 19): Here’s to the Future is
described as a “group exhibit on a playful theme.”
Greg Kucera Gallery
212 Third Ave S, 624-0770, gregkucera.com, Tues-Sat
Alden Mason: The 1970s - A Time of Change (Through July 15): This solo exhibition features work by Northwest Master Alden Mason, known for his humorous and poignant paintings as well as his controversial murals. The show will highlight his pieces from the 1970s, including the bold Burpee Garden series.
H ¡Cuidado! The Help (Through July 15): This group exhibition featuring paintings, sculpture, and prints will explore the experiences of Americans who do domestic work, menial assignments, and entry level jobs. The gallery will feature 14 influential artists who deal with politics in their work, including Juventino Aranda, Roger Shimomura, and Kara Walker. They add, “This exhibition is, in many ways, a protest against Donald Trump and his battle against those at the bottom of the economic ladder.”
H Guy Anderson (July 20–Aug 25): This show will feature paintings by very prominent local artist Guy Anderson, known for his work in abstract expressionism and his role as one of the Northwest School artists, otherwise known as “Northwest mystics.”
National Heritage Award Artists: Mary Lee Bendolph, Loretta Pettway, and Lucy Mingo (July 20–Aug 25): See work by the awardees of the prestigious NEA National Heritage Award Fellowship (which recognizes “the recipients’ artistic excellence and supports their continuing contributions to our nation’s traditional arts heritage”): quilt makers Mary Lee Bendolph, Loretta Pettway, and Lucy Mingo.
Harris Harvey Gallery 1915 First Avenue, 443-3315, harrisharveygallery.com, Tues-Sat
David Simpson: The West (Through July 1): The West is a series of cyanotypes, sculptures, relief prints, and molded paper works by David Simpson that incorporate “bones, branches, and debris.” Look forward to a cultural exploration of our wild region.
Kathryn Altus: New Paintings (Through July 1): See new oil paintings by a Seattle painter whose work depicts coastal and Eastern Washington topography.
Christine Sharp: Wilder Places (July 6–July 29): Immerse yourself in local landscapes at this bright and bold exhibit featuring suggestive works by painter Christine Sharp.
Works on Paper: Group Exhibition (Aug 3–Sept 2): Gain a new appreciation for paper—drawing, painting, printmaking, and mixed media—at this group show featuring gallery and guest artists.
And Not Or (Through Aug 12): Every library, like every art collection, contains only a fraction of possible works—a reflection of curatorial choices that decide which narratives get told (or omitted). For And Not Or, a selection of artists (including Wynne Greenwood, Joe Rudko, and Ryan Feddersen) chose artworks from Seattle University’s Lemieux Library to be rehoused at the Hedreen Gallery for the duration of the exhibition, to be accompanied by books chosen by artist Abra Ancliffe. In turn, these artists will replace the missing library objects with their own artworks, to be accompanied by “labels” crafted by poet Natalie Martínez. It’s a complex maneuver, sparking dialogue about context, inclusion, and interesting accidents. EP
H Mystical Orchid (Aug 31–Oct 14): Mystical Orchid is an excellent artistic duo (Jueqian Fang and Brit Ruggirello) that can be depended on for artistic splashes of drama
and glamour. This show “debuts a new line of therapeutic clothing,” and will explore “the intersection of corporate aesthetics and physical, mental, and spiritual self-care.”
Jack Straw New Media Gallery
4261 Roosevelt Way NE, 634-0919, jackstraw.org, Mon-Fri
Roger Feldman and Jeff Roberts: The New Landscape— Reconstructed Ecologies (June 16–Aug 4): Feast your eyes and ears on this sight- and sound-based exhibit by Roger Feldman and Jeff Roberts that promises to “challenge epistemological assumptions about how we know.”
Jacob Lawrence Gallery
Art Building, UW Campus, 6851805, art.washington.edu, Tues-Sat UW Design Graduation Exhibitions (June 7–17): Come check out work by graduates of the University of Washington’s design program.
H Untold Passages (July 7–Aug 18): Explore the unwritten histories of immigrant communities at this exhibit that merges poetry, visual art, and history to draw attention to previously repressed stories. Featured artists will include Mary Anne Peters, Zhi Lin, and Rodrigo Valenzuela.
James Harris Gallery
604 Second Ave, 903-6220, jamesharrisgallery.com, Wed-Sat Alyson Shotz (Through June 24): See Alyson Shotz’s sculpture series of monochromatic draped woven metal.
Juan Alonso Studio 306 S. Washington Street, #104, 206-390-4882, juanalonsostudio.com
H Yadviga Dowmont Halsey (Through June 10): An exhibition of paintings by a woman who has had an illustrious career not only as an artist but also as a scientist.
Krab Jab Studio 5628 Airport Way S Ste 150, 7079311, krabjabstudio.com
Metamorph: The Art of Stephanie Law (June 10–Aug 6): See 30 new watercolors by painter and illustrator Stephanie Law, who is known for her surreal fantasy and landscape scenes.
Linda Hodges Gallery 316 First Ave S, 624-3034, lindahodgesgallery.com, Tues-Sat
H Gaylen Hansen: New and Select Work from the Past (Through July 1): See new work as well as old favorites by Northwest artist Gaylen Hansen. Jen Graves wrote the following about Hansen in 2007: “Hansen is 85 years old, lives in Eastern Washington, and describes himself as having grown up in the ‘horse age.’ His paintings have been categorized as neoexpressionist and endlessly compared with Philip Guston, but they are much more varied and methodical than that makes them sound.”
Julia Haack (July 6–29): Painter and sculptor Julia Haack creates bright, geometric sculptures made from salvaged wood.
Lucinda Parker (Aug 3–Sept 2): Celebrate mountains—their unending angles, the way they alternatively reflect light and eat it up, and their looming presence on the horizon— at this exhibit featuring paintings by Portland artist Lucinda Parker.
Mariane Ibrahim Gallery
608 Second Ave, 467-4927, marianeibrahim.com, Wed-Sat
H Mwangi Hutter: Falling in Love, Again. (Through July 21): Mwangi Hutter—born Ingrid Mwangi and Robert Hutter in Kenya and Germany, respectively—are an internationally renowned husbandwife artist team operating as a single entity to reflect on themes of identity and interconnectedness. Their work often incorporates video, installation, and performance, and in the case of this show, big, beautiful, figurative paintings.
Their work has been shown across Africa, Asia, Europe, the United States and South America. EP
METHOD
106 Third Ave S, 713-7819, methodgallery.com, Fri-Sat
H Amanda McCavour: Room
(Through June 10): Amanda McCavour makes embroidered sculptures and installations—often in 3D, often large, and sometimes suspended from the ceiling. Many pieces look nature-inspired, like flowers on vines, swimming jellyfish, and snowflakes. One of her installations is a stitched version of a living room, with each piece of furniture hanging inches off the ground.
Damien Davis: White Room (June 16–Aug 5): Damien Davis will explore ideas of whiteness through an all-white jigsaw puzzle with subtle markings. This exhibit will also question “the notion of the gallery as a neutral space.”
H Markel Uriu: Detritus (Aug 11–Sept 20): Seattle artist Markel Uriu’s work includes trippy, dreamlike, nature-inspired sketches and expansive, ever-changing installations featuring live plants. This exhibit, Detritus, will explore “concepts in Buddhism and Wabi Sabi of impermanence, decay, and a resulting wealth of growth.”
Olympic Sculpture Park 2901 Western Ave, 654-3100, seattleartmuseum.org, daily
Spencer Finch: The Western Mystery (Through March 3): Spencer Finch (whom you might remember from his 2014 South Lake Union installation that featured a glass canopy above Vulcan’s false forest) has created another work inspired by light and color. This time, his suspended glass panes that slowly rotate at the Olympic Sculpture Park will create “a moving abstraction of a sunset, based on actual sunsets photographed from Seattle over Puget Sound.”
Photographic Center Northwest 900 12th Ave, 720-7222, pcnw.org, Mon-Thurs,Sat-Sun
H PCNW 21st Juried Exhibition (Through June 11): Every year,
Photo Center Northwest presents a juried exhibition with work chosen
from submissions from around the world. This year, the show is juried by Sandra Phillips, Curator Emeritus of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She’s renowned in the Bay Area (and nationally) for her experience in curating photographic collections, and during her time as photography curator at SFMOMA, she helped the museum’s photography department become one of the top 10 in the United States.
Long Shot 2017 (June 10 & 17): Long Shot starts with a competition in which people all around the world will take out their cameras (on June 10 and 11) and submit their results to be considered for the pop-up exhibition happening on June 17. It costs $20 to participate, but the show is free to attend.
Thesis Exhibition (June 29–Aug 14): This annual thesis exhibition will feature work by the graduates of the Certificate in Fine Art Photography program: Thea Billing, Joan Dinkelspiel, Cian Hayes, Harini Krishnamurthy, Al Varady, and John Wilmot.
Pilchuck Seattle
240 Second Ave S Ste 100, 621-8422, pilchuck.com
Megan Stelljes and Danny White: Pop Cultured (Through June 29): Megan Stelljes makes cute, pastel-colored glass creations (think popsicles, fruit, and socks with a speech bubble saying “I stink.”) Danny White focuses on figures, often creating a vibe of foreboding silliness.
Justin Parisi-Smith: Animal Wrongs (July 6–Aug 21): See glass works by Justin Parisi-Smith, who communicates his relationship with the world through “playful animals and severed limbs.”
Pottery Northwest
226 First Ave N, 285-4421, potterynorthwest.org, Tues-Fri
Robert Bruce: Neontot (Through June 23): Good musicians have a tough time learning how to play poorly; it can be hard to imitate the worst in your discipline when all of your training and intuition is guiding your split-second decisions. We imagine it’s the same for artists, which is why Robert Bruce’s Neontot looks like a fun exercise:
Why you should see it: It’s an indispensable opportunity to celebrate the genius of the man who hybridized the legacy of vaudeville with the possibilities of TV and cinema. Do. Not. Miss.
When/Where: Ongoing at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP).
a show that puts cheap artifice and exceptional gaudiness in the spotlight. The show is described as “a careless, unabashed nihilistic response to the disposable, gentrified culture of the first world and an ironic critique of the art world.”
Coleton Lunt: Release (July 7–28): See “intuitive, functional pottery” created by Pottery Northwest resident artist Coleton Lunt.
H Kathy Liao: Lingering Presence (Through July 1): Kathy Liao (who used to live in Seattle, but now teaches painting and printmaking in Kansas City, MO) creates bright and unsettling paintings of people looking at their phones on the bus, FaceTime-ing relatives, and sitting on planes. This show will examine “how physical distance, psychological distance, and now cyber distance are experienced by herself and others.”
Liberty (July 6–29): This group exhibition will feature artists including David Bailin, Eric Beltz, Sandow Birk, Laurie Hogin, and Robert Pruitt.
Einar & Jamex de la Torre (Aug 3–Sept 2): Sibling duo Einar and Jamex de la Torre are Mexican artists who “juxtapose popular and religious icons and combine elements from the arts’ and the arts & crafts’ worlds,” and in this show they’ll exhibit their (often eerie and ominous) works in glass as well as lenticulars: prints that warp and shift depending on the viewing angle.
H Push/Pull Book Club Annual Show (Through June 13): After several months spent discussing
The Jim Henson Exhibition
THINGS TO DO ART
Nisi Shawl’s steampunk sci-fi novel Everfair (which imagines an alternative history of the Congo, wherein utopian land bought from King Leopold II attracts native populations of the Congo and escaped slaves from around the world) artists will present work inspired by the book’s themes.
Counterp(art) (June 15–July 18):
Counterp(art) will feature selfportraits of trans, non-binary, and gender queer artists including Dillon Lacey, Elk Paauw, Kyla Powers, Clyde Petersen, and Ray Lechelt.
Hallowed Spaces Opening (July 20–Aug 15): See reliquaries (“innermost inspirations, desires and dreams,” communicated in one square foot of space) by a variety of artists.
Fifth Annual Between Two Worlds Show (Aug 4–7): The fifth annual Twin Peaks art show will highlight creepily atmospheric art—and at the opening reception, they’ll also have doughnuts and damn good cups of coffee.
Comic Life 3: Strange Worlds featuring Farel Dalrymple (Aug 17–Sept 19): See comics in print displayed gallery-style at this annual Push/Pull show, this time featuring work by Farel Dalrymple and Kate Lacour.
SAM Gallery
Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave, 343-1101, seattleartmuseum.org, Mon-Sun
Structural Configuration (June 8–July 4): Elizabeth Gahan, Anne Hirondelle, Jo Moniz, Barbara Robertson, and Daphne Minkoff will explore “structure, architecture, and the built environment.”
Schack Art Center
2921 Hoyt Ave, Everett, 425-2595050, schack.org
Art of the Garden (June 15–Sept 2): At this juried exhibit, 50 artists will present their takes on luscious gardens.
Courtesy of: Extraordinary Basketry and Sculptures from N. W. Collections (June 15–July 29): See basketry and sculptures by Lisa Telford, Delores Churchill, April Churchill, Holly Churchill, Isabelle Rorick, Evelyn Vanderhoop, Meryl Andersen, Selina Peratavich, and Brenda Crabtree. Curated by Jan Hopkins.
Gale Johansen: My Swirly Brain and Other Oddities (Aug 10–Sept 9): Schack Art Center’s 2017 Artist of the Year is Gale Johansen—at this exhibit, see her “whimsical and intricate paintings.”
Shift
312 S Washington St, 679-8915, shiftgalleryseattle.org, Fri-Sat
Karen Klee-Atlin: Procession and On Water (Through July 1): See prints and figurative paintings by Karen Klee-Atlin—the prints examine life on water, and the paintings find beauty and affection in vintage industrial first-aid training manuals.
Craig van den Bosch: Meta Memory—Digital Facsimile Memory Recontextualized (July 6–29): We are pretty sure this show will feature digital images about memory. Their description: “Digital images viewed of a recorded memory that create new meta digital memory facsimiles re-contextualized as pure design that become unique memories.”
Joseph Pentheroudakis: Seeing the Light (July 6–29): Joseph Pentheroudakis will investigate light and dark through a series of photographs and photogravures (etched prints on metal created from a photographic negative).
Anna Macrae: Fantasy Landscapes (Aug 3–Sept 2): See busy, abstract landscapes by Anna Macrae—many of them urban
scenes with boxes stacked upon boxes—that suggest “a human imprint alongside organic forms.”
Liz Patterson: Untitled (Aug 3–Sept 2): This group exhibit curated by Liz Patterson will feature “artists who make the visible invisible, the audible inaudible, and the legible illegible.”
SOIL
112 Third Ave S, 264-8061, soilart.org, Thurs-Sun
H Alexis Mata (Ciler), Rene Almanza and Isauro Huizar: Vessel (Through July 1): Vessel offers the chance to get a taste of contemporary art in Mexico, through the work of Isauro Huizar (who commented on consumption by creating a large, pretty sculpture made of used bath soaps—it looks like jewels glued to a canvas), Rene Almanza (who makes tortured and erotic line drawings and paintings), and Alexis Mata (aka Ciler, an artist who makes aggressive, sometimes Pop Art-inspired collages, drawings, and installations).
H Christopher Buening: New Work (Guerrilla Ceramica) (Through June 30): See a selection of brand-new drawings, paintings, and ceramics by artist Christopher Buening, much of which will be from his project Guerrilla Ceramica (a street art take on ceramics). Buening had a thoughtful, vulnerable show called Hunter < Gatherer at 4Culture in 2015. Jen Graves described one of the featured pieces: “In It Was a Man’s World, Buening used whiteout to write those words in unmanly cursive on top of a found painting on a slice of wood. It was a man’s world his father took him into all those years ago, so the piece is a nostalgic expression of a place from the past. But I also read it as a wish for a time when that past tense will apply to the whole world. A time when the relationships between women, men, and other animals are governed more by love than by power and dominion.”
Quota. (July 6–30): Quota. is a hypothetical thought experiment about the kinds of art that would be made if artists didn’t face tremendous pressure to produce things that people like, works that sell, and pieces that are “new” enough to seem original but familiar enough to recognize. This group show is curated by Satpreet Kahlon, Mel Carter, and Anisa Jackson.
Seven Bodies: New Members’ Show (Aug 3–Sept 2): Seven new members of SOIL Gallery (Ko Kirk Yamahira, Jono Vaughan, Markel Uriu, Philippe Hyojung Kim, Leon Finley, Emily Counts, and Colleen RJC Bratton) will explore notions of the body in relation to themes of community and connection.
Stonington Gallery
125 S Jackson St, 866-405-4485, stoningtongallery.com, daily Masters of Disguise III: Masks of the Pacific Northwest & Alaska (Through June 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 works by a variety of artists in media including glass, wood, stone, hide, fiber, metal, and ceramic.
Hib Sabin: The Long Game (July 6–30): Sabin’s work is frequently on display at Stonington. He’s a nonIndigenous artist who has dedicated himself to many Native forms of art. This new body of work will explore ideas about age, inspired partially by Leonard Cohen’s final album.
Dan Friday: New Works in Glass (Aug 3–31): See works in blown and hot-sculpted glass (including blown mosaic baskets) by Lummi artist Dan Friday.
Studio E Gallery
609 S Brandon St, 762-3322, studioegallery.org, Fri-Sat
H Robert Hardgrave: Pulp (Through June 17): If you’ve been following visual art in Seattle for any length of time, chances are
Gaylen Hansen: New and Select Work from the Past
Why you should see it: The 95-year-old neoexpressionist painter is awesome, as you can see.
When/Where: June 1–July 1 at Linda Hodges Gallery.
you’ve come across the work of Robert Hardgrave, even if you didn’t know it. He works in a variety of 2-D media—painting, drawing, toner transfers, the leftover “pulp” from those transfers—to create a body of work that is as colorful and effusive as it is distinctive. Visually, Hardgrave’s style hovers somewhere between ancient petroglyphs and something you might see in a high-end skateboard shop, but like most images, these are things that are better seen than described. Pulp, an exhibition of new work at Studio E Gallery, is your chance to see them for yourself. EP
Treasure Island: Beyond and Back and More (June 23–Aug 12): This group show features works by mixed media artist Alfred Harris, Ken Kelly (who generally makes large, abstract paintings), and Stranger Genius Jeffry Mitchell. In 2015, Jen Graves wrote, “If Jesus comes back, I’m introducing him to Jeffry Mitchell. Jeffry can bring Christ up to speed on things like humor and gayness and art, and Jesus can feel good about what humanity’s been up to, and together they can visit the Berninis in Rome.”
Brian Cypher and Damien Hoar de Galvan: Everybody Knows (Sept 1–Oct 7): Local artists Brian Cypher and Damien Hoar de Galvan will team up.
TASTE at SAM
1300 First Ave, 903-5291, tastesam.com, Wed-Sun
Junko Yamamoto (Through Aug 6): TASTE presents cheery, layered oil paintings by Junko Yamamoto. You might have seen her work in public spaces around John C Little Park as part of Art Interruptions 2016.
H Adrien Leavitt: Queer Feelings (June 8–July 8): Adrien Leavitt has been working on this multifaceted project for several years—at this exhibit, see the cumulative results of this wonderful, queer, local, bodypositive, sex-positive photography project that celebrates community and vulnerability.
Sarah Teasdale: Technaissance (July 13–Aug 5): Local artist Sarah Teasdale will present works on the theme of “Technaissance.”
Winston Wachter Fine Art
203 Dexter Ave N, 652-5855, winstonwachter.com, Mon-Sat
H Ethan Murrow: The Cowboy (Through June 20): In June 2015, Jen Graves wrote, “So many questions about Boston-based artist Ethan Murrow’s drawings at Winston Wächter Fine Art this month. What are those men doing? Who do they work for? Why is there a painting underground? How big is that painting? What is the man inside the painting doing? ... Looking at it, I feel like I’m in a parallel universe where all I get to see of how the world works are these ultimately mystifying details.” This new show of Murrow’s, The Cowboy, focuses on stories of the American West, each encapsulated in a single picture.
ZINC contemporary
119 Prefontaine Pl S, zinccontemporary.com
Lydia Bassis: To the Ocean (Through July 1): New work about the ocean by the abstract artist who makes light, playful works in various media, fussing with layers and geometry to create pieces that are surprisingly simple.
Curt Labitzke: Palimpsest – def. layers beneath the surface (July 6–29): See classically-inspired mixed media works by Curt Labitzke (Chair of Interdisciplinary Visual Arts at UW) that will “[excavate] the timeworn surfaces in his work to uncover ancient layers below.”
Saudade & Other Untranslatable Words (Aug 3–Sept 2): This group show is centered on the theme of Saudade (a Portuguese concept of a kind of longing that English can’t communicate) and other untranslatable words.
Art Events
Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge Island Studio Tour (Aug 11–13): Tour Bainbridge Island artist studios to get a glimpse of new, local works.
Bellevue Arts Museum
510 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, 425519-0770, bellevuearts.org, Tues-Sun
Future Machine Conversation: Illumination (June 30 & Aug 11): Amber Cortes writes, “Future Machine is an evolving installation that will unfold over seven months of collaborations with artists, industry leaders, technology innovators, nonprofits, and other ‘creatives.’” This event is part of that unfolding, and will offer perspectives from a variety of local leaders that reflect the current phase of the evolving exhibit.
Canvas Event Space
3412 4th Ave S
2017 SOIL Art Auction (June 23): Celebrate SOIL at their annual auction and art party. Auctioneered by Laura Michalek, with refreshments, games, a raffle, several silent auctions, and a live auction.
CenturyLink Field Event Center
800 Occidental Ave S, centurylinkfield.com
H Seattle Art Fair (Aug 3–6): This mammoth art fair began in 2015 under the auspices of Paul Allen. In terms of the quality of art and the enthusiasm of the gallery-goers, it’s been a great success, drawing Seattle and West Coast galleries and 18,000 participants. This year’s edition will also be immense, with at least 80 galleries representing 25 cities, from as close as Pioneer Square to as far as Seoul, Korea. Seattle exhibitors include Bridge Productions, Foster/White, Greg Kucera Gallery, Davidson Galleries, James Harris Gallery, and Linda Hodges Gallery, among many others.
Frye Art Museum
704 Terry Ave, 622-9250, fryemuseum.org, Tues-Sun Dr. Vikramāditya Prakash: Dis(re)putable Provenances (Aug 24): Amie Siegel’s 2013 work Provenance explores expensive and
revered French modernist furniture, from its origins in Chandigarh, India, to its restoration, the way it’s shipped, and the mounting prices depicted through scenes in auction houses. Dr. Vikramāditya Prakash’s lecture will further explore the origins of the art depicted in Siegel’s work—as well as the significance of the origin and how it affects the work’s prices, reputation, and more.
Gage Academy of Art
1501 10th Ave E, 526-2787, gageacademy.org, Mon-Fri
The 25th Annual Best of Gage (June 16): Student artwork will fill all three floors of Gage, competing for top honors in the Best of Gage competition. Each piece is up for sale, and proceeds will go towards Gage’s educational programs.
Hangar 30 in Magnuson Park 6310 NE 74th Street
Renegade Craft Fair (July 22–23): Renegade Craft Fair will return to Magnuson Park for the third year, bringing along more than 200 makers selling their wares, DIY workshops, food and drinks, and other special events.
Museum of Northwest Art
121 S First St, La Conner, 360-4664446, museumofnwart.org, daily
Artist Talk: Whiting Tennis (July 1): Artist Whiting Tennis will visit to talk about line, form, and his works that “let loose his primal creative force, resisting the urge to impose conventional shape.”
Curator Talk: Clayton James (July 22): MoNA Northwest Legacy Projects Curator Kathleen Moles will speak about the late artists Clayton James and Barbara Straker James, and the new additions to MoNA’s collection including Clayton’s sculptural works, landscape paintings, notes, letters, exhibition announcements, and reviews.
Artist Talk: Kelly O’Dell (July 30): Kelly O’Dell will speak about her work in glass, her exhibit transient (h)ours, and her artistic motto “Memento Mori.”
Northwest African American Museum
2300 S Massachusetts St, 518-6000, naamnw.org, Wed-Sun
Damien Davis: Artist Talk (June 17): Brooklyn-based artist Damien Davis has explored representations of blackness through a variety of media, from performance art to quilt collage. Come to this artist talk for a thoughtful take on perception, cultural presentation, and design.
Olympic Sculpture Park 2901 Western Ave, 654-3100, seattleartmuseum.org, daily Party in the Park (June 24): Kick it with artists, chefs, and Sir MixA-Lot in the imposing yet relaxing
Olympic Sculpture Park to mark its 10th birthday. In addition to hiphop, soul by Grace Love, and DJing by KEXP’s Michele Myers, you can drink your way through artist-designed pop-up lounges and eat fancy snacks and desserts.
SAM Remix (Aug 11): SAM Remix is a recurring and everchanging art party that includes performances, sculpture tours, and dancing. This one promises extra joyful pop trippiness, because it’ll be based on the work of Yayoi Kusama, as seen in the new exhibit Infinity Mirrors at SAM.
Pilchuck Glass School
Campus
1201 316th Street NW, Stanwood Pilchuck Glass School’s Open House (July 16): Watch hot glass demonstrations, see the scenic Pilchuck campus, catch a glimpse of the some rare and special Chihuly (and Buster Simpson) stuff, and even do hands-on glass things yourself.
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
305 Harrison St, Seattle Center
Urban Craft Uprising (June 24): “Seattle’s largest indie craft show” boasts a very large number of vendors—150 or more—selling toys, clothing, jewelry, food, clothes, crafts, etc., etc., etc. It’s a boon for small business owners and their customers alike. Just be prepared for crowds: These markets can easily draw 12,000 indie shoppers.
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E, 684-4555, seattle.gov/parks
Lusio: A Night to Awaken (Aug 12): This is a free, family-friendly, inviting evening of light, art, and sound, featuring multiple light installations and generally relaxing, immersive experiences. You’ll have to roam around the park to take it all in.
Art Walks
Art Up PhinneyWood
Second Fridays
Ballard Night Out
Third Thursdays
Belltown Art Walk
Second Fridays
Capitol Hill Art Walk
Second Thursdays
Fremont First Fridays
First Fridays
Georgetown Art Attack
Second Saturdays
Pioneer Square Art Walk
First Thursdays
Queen Anne Art Walk
Third Thursdays
U-District Art Walk
Third Fridays
West Seattle Art Walk
Second Thursdays
June 8 - June 17 | 8PM
INTO THE DEEPS
The Rise and Fall of Aquatic Society
June 21 - June 28 | 8PM
STRIPPEROO
Two Nights of Seattle Burlesque Tribute Acts
June 24 | 8PM
AUNT FRANZEA’S PARTY BOX
Burlesque Curated Under the Influence
June 29 - June 30 | 8PM
THE KONDABOLU BROTHERS
Hari and Ashok return to Seattle!
July 1 | 7PM
DIMPLES & TROUBLE
Al Lykya’s 30th Birthday & Top Surgery Burlesque Show Fundraiser
July 7 - 8 | 8PM
SHOWGIRLS OF BEAST ISLAND!
A fully-length, badly-lipsynced, live burlesque B-movie!
July 13 - July 22 | 8PM
WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE
An Improvised Parody of the Original Star Trek Series
Ongoing TOJ Series
June 11, July 9, August 13 | 7PM
THE SUNDAY NIGHT SHUGA SHAQ
An All People of Color Burlesque Revue, Hosted by Ms Briq House!
July 18 | 8PM
SALON OF SHAME
Seattleites read aloud from their worst adolescent writing.
ERIK MOLANO
NW New Works Festival 2017
PERFORMANCE
By Rich Smith and Julia Raban
Theater
12th Avenue Arts
1620 12th Ave, 12avearts.org
★ The Realistic Joneses
(Through July 1): The Realistic Joneses is a precisely-titled realist play about two neighboring couples with the last name Jones, written by playwright Will Eno (whom Charles Isherwood at the New York Times called “a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart generation”). The Realistic Joneses earned a number of accolades and some rave reviews on Broadway in 2014 for its humorous, character-driven take on illness, marital life, and intimacy. This production is presented by New Century Theatre Company and directed by Paul Budraitis.
★ Lydia (Through June 24): Octavio Solis’s critically acclaimed Lydia is billed as a ghostly, intense, Miller-esque domestic drama about a young maid who cares for and communes with a teenager who wound up in a coma under mysterious circumstances. Many critics seem haunted (in a good way!) by the play’s magic, and by the way it refracts Miller’s obsession with the American dream through the prisms of seven brilliantly rendered Latino characters. The dean of Yale School of Drama, James Bundy, called it “one of the most important plays of this decade.” This is the kind of dark, language-driven material Strawshop always pulls off with aplomb, and may very well be the low-key hit of the spring season. RS
Greensward (July 6–29): This scifi thriller by R. Hamilton Wright (directed by Richard Ziman) is a “modern day fable” about a beautiful, no-maintenance yard turf developed by scientist Tim Hei. The play is also about the corporate giants that want this new invention to disappear.
ACT Theatre
700 Union St, 292-7676, acttheatre.org
Downstairs (June 14–July 9): The Construction Zone is a month-long workshop where audiences have the chance to see new work by contemporary playwrights—and get a preview of what’s coming up next at ACT, because ACT chooses one play from the series to feature in their next season. The 2016 edition of The Construction Zone featured four new plays, and the winner was Theresa Rebeck’s Downstairs a dysfunctional family play about a brother who refuses to move from his sister’s basement.
Alex & Aris (July 14–Aug 6): This is the world premiere of Alex & Aris, a play about Aristotle and Alexander the Great: two people who altered the shape and trajectory of the world. But this production will focus more on how they changed each other, exploring their relationship as tutor and student when Alexander was just a teenager.
Annex Theatre
1100 E Pike St, 728-0933, annextheatre.org
Nite Skool (July 27–Aug 19): Nite Skool, co-presented by Annex
Theatre and the Libertinis, promises a hot theater/neoburlesque/clown take on “love, war, and hot lunch.”
Over & Under (Aug 1–16): Two plays for the price of one! This pair of one-acts both center around strangers, and both take place either above (Cumulus: in an airplane) or below (Turnstile: in the subway) our usual stomping grounds.
Book-It Repertory Theatre
305 Harrison St, 216-0833, book-it.org
★ Welcome to Braggsville (June 7–July 2): T. Geronimo Johnson’s novel Welcome to Braggsville is an award-laden bestseller that Rich Benjamin at The New York Times described as a mixture between “a satirical The Indian Princess, James Nelson Barker’s 1808 libretto about Pocahontas” and “a macabre E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial”—and this summer, it’s being performed as a stage play presented by Book-It Repertory Theatre. Adapted by Josh Aaseng and Daemond Arrindell; directed by Josh Aaseng.
Center Theater
Seattle Center Armory, 684-7200, seattlecenter.com
★ Hoodoo Love (July 13–30): This is the Seattle premiere of Katori Hall’s Hoodoo Love, presented in collaboration with the Hansberry Project. The play, set during the Great Depression, promises folk magic, blues music, and a bornagain Christian missionary.
Goblin Market (Aug 10–27): Teresa Thuman will direct this play written by Polly Pen, Peggy Harmon, and Christina Rosetti. The synopsis defies synthesis and must be quoted in full: “A dark and atmospheric musical about two grown sisters in the Victorian age who revisit their sexually charged childhood fantasies in an imaginary world of seductive goblins.” Whatever gets you off.
The Conservatory 5813 Airport Way S Seattle Playwrights Salon (Every Second Fri): 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. The summer’s plays are Chimerica (June 9), An Evening of Shorts (July 14), and Les Lumières (Aug 11).
Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center
201 Mercer St, 441-7178, cornish.edu/playhouse
★ Emerging Artist Showcase (Aug 4–6): The Emerging Artists Program offers up-and-comers the chance to thrive under Intiman’s guidance (and the guidance of the hilarious and talented Co-Curator Sara Porkalob) and train for careers in theater. They add, “For 2016, the cohort was 73 percent people of color and 63 percent female-identified.” At this production, you can see some of what they’ve been working on during their time at Intiman.
Fantastic.Z Theatre’s 5th Annual New Works Festival: FAMILY (June 14–17): Curated by Fantastic.Z Theatre Company, the festival focuses this season on family, showcasing six new works from local and
distant playwrights. Directed by Ian Stewart, Marquicia Domingue, and Michael Ryan Blackwood. Funhouse (June 29–July 1): Heads up to those with short attention spans and/or a hunger for many new plays: This production will feature between eight and 10 plays (each about 10 minutes) as well as some short films (maybe). Only 100 minutes and you’ll see up to 13 new works. Produced by Anna Ly, Brian Toews, and Chris Quilici
Erickson Theatre Off Broadway 1524 Harvard Ave, 329-1050, facebook.com/ericksontheatre
Medicine Ball: Playwrights v. Poets (June 22–24): Seven playwrights and seven poets will compete in a literary showdown, inspired by prompts created by seven visual artists. The words produced during that part of the competition will be used in the next phase, which puts those pieces of writing onstage (performed by Seattle actors). At the end of the show, audience members bestow bottles of Two Buck Chuck on either the poets or the playwrights for their unmatchable genius. This year’s theme is “unity.”
The Flux Salon
Various locations, forwardflux.com
Why you should see it: It’s a sample platter of dance and experimental theater, each act no longer than 20 minutes.
When/Where: June 9–18 at On the Boards.
Fremont Peak Park
4357 Palatine Ave N
An Awfully Big Adventure (July 21–Aug 5): Once again, Dacha Theatre will take audiences on a magical outdoor journey, putting viewers in the center of the action (and possibly into the drama) of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Good for families, as well as fans of outdoor theater and/or engaged imaginations.
Island Shakespeare Festival 5476 Maxwelton Road, Langley, visitlangley.com
Island Shakespeare Festival (July 14–Sept 3): This theater festival offers performances of Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors, and The Seagull by the Seattle Shakespeare Company for almost two months.
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute 104 17th Ave S, 684-4757, langstoninstitute.org
The Flux Salon (June 12, July 17, Aug 7): Forward Flux Productions periodically holds events that begin with live music, continue with a staged reading of a new play, and finish up with a discussion over drinks. Venues vary—and sometimes the whole production takes off to New York—but you can always be sure of discovering something new. Some of the plays may go on to become mainstage Forward Flux productions. This summer’s lineup includes Daddy by Jeremy O. Harris on June 12 at Scratch Deli, a performance from a special guest playwright on July 17, and The Moors by Jen Silverman on August 7 and 8 at University Heights Center.
★ Barbecue (Through June 25): Lambda Literary Award–winning playwright Robert O’Hara offers up two different families—one white, one black, both named O’Mallery—staging an interventions for their respective drug-addicted family members. Up-and-coming director Malika Oyetimein, who managed a wonderful production of O’Hara’s Bootycandy two years ago, will
THINGS TO DO PERFORMANCE
likely squeeze every ounce of cringe-inducing comedy from this very strong cast. Also of note: This play kicks off Intiman’s 2017 season, which was co-curated by the extremely multitalented Sara Porkalob. RS
Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
860 Terry Ave N, 324-1126, mohai.org, daily
Living Voices Performance: The New American (June 10): Through a combination of live theatrical performances and archival film, hear stories of immigration to the United States in the early 1900s, from the steamship journey to the work in Manhattan sweatshops.
Nordo’s Culinarium
109 S Main St, 790-5166, cafenordo.com
★ Pressure Cooker: Please Open Your Mouth (July 6–10): Produced as part of Cafe Nordo’s new works incubator, the Pressure Cooker, this experimental work written by Joanna Garner and directed by Norah Elges Schneyer is set in a “clandestine supper club,” and offers audiences the chance to “explore their fantasies, fetishes, and taboos around food, sex, and society.”
Sundown at the Devil’s House (July 20–Aug 6): Originally produced as part of Cafe Nordo’s new works incubator, the Pressure Cooker, this immersive theater show written and directed by Eddie DeHais will now get the full main stage treatment at Cafe Nordo. Come for a story about the Devil’s last night on earth—she’ll reveal her “greatest triumphs and darkest secrets.”
14/48 + Nordo (Aug 13–26): At Food Theater Thunderdome (happening Aug 17-26), playwrights and chefs work together to create plays on a theme and courses from “randomly selected secret ingredients.” At the Destiny Party (Aug 13 & 20), they only have four days to prepare the entire extravaganza.
Seattle Public Theater
7312 W Green Lake Dr N, 524-1300, seattlepublictheater.org
★ Grand Concourse (Through June 11): Grand Concourse, written by Heidi Schreck and directed by Annie Lareau, is a play about the way the group dynamics in a Bronx soup kitchen change when a new hire arrives.
Taproot Theatre
204 N 85th St, 781-9707, taproottheatre.org
Busman’s Honeymoon (Through June 24): Busman’s Honeymoon is adapted from the novel by Dorothy L. Sayers, the last one in her mystery series starring Lord Peter Wimsey. A “busman’s holiday” is when a vacation parallels real life (i.e., when a bus driver takes a pleasure trip by bus) and in this case, refers to the protagonists discovering a dead body (oh, their humdrum line of work) while taking some time off from solving murders.
Persuasion (July 12–Aug 19): This is the world premiere of a new musical based on Jane Austen’s Persuasion with a book by Harold Taw and music and lyrics by Chris Jeffries.
Theater Schmeater
2125 Third Ave, 324-5801, schmeater.org
Money and Run (Through June 10): This is a three-episode production of Wayne Rawley’s “trailer trash epic,” each episode (“Money Take Run,” “Save the Last Dance for Run,” and “Of Nuns and Ninjas”) featuring a different cast. The episodes follow the adventures of Money and Run, a lovable
outlaw couple pursued by the Man (who’s a woman).
Bibliophilia Storytelling Festival (June 22–24): 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. Look forward to readings and performances by excellent local talents Karen Finneyfrock and Anastacia-Renee Tolbert, among others.
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E, 684-4555, seattle.gov/parks
Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival 2017 (July 15–16): Theater is alive in Seattle, but, as in most places, it generally isn’t cheap. GreenStage, Theater Schmeater, and Wooden O Productions set out to change that in 2001 with the first Outdoor Theater Festival. Watch Shakespeare plays and more contemporary pieces from 14/48, Jet City, Last Leaf Productions, Shakespeare Northwest, and the festival’s founders over what will hopefully be a sunny weekend.
West of Lenin 203 N 36th St, 352-1777, westoflenin.com
Maiden Voyage (Through June 11): In this modern take on ancient myth, Penelope has raised a child on her own while her husband has battled on the seas for 20 years. She’s successful and independent, having written a lauded book on her absent mate’s adventures. But when the husband returns, things don’t go exactly like they did in mythical antiquity. Rebecca Tourino Collinsworth is both writer and director.
Twin Peaks Live, Part 3: Now BOB woN (July 7–16): Comedy, an unsettling atmosphere, and bizarre suspense come to the stage (again!) at this live take on David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, written by Chris Mathews and timed perfectly for the 2017 TV revival.
Wooden O Various parks around Puget Sound, seattleshakespeare.org
Much Ado About Nothing (July 6–Aug 6): Paul Constant (former Stranger books editor and cofounder of the Seattle Review of Books) wrote, “Because Much Ado About Nothing is arguably the world’s first rom-com, every major player makes one asshole move that seems totally out of character.” Come see the drama in a beautiful outdoor setting, presented as part of Seattle Shakespeare’s Wooden O summer series.
★ Pericles (July 6–Aug 6): Paul Constant wrote, “Pericles is so poorly written that, for centuries, Shakespeare scholars tried with all their nerdy might to deny he wrote it. Funny thing is, it was beloved in Shakespearean times because it’s the Armageddon of Shakespeare plays, a title usually reserved for the oft-underappreciated Titus Andronicus. The first hour alone is packed with cheap-seat-pleasing thrills: shipwrecks, a jousting match for the hand of a princess, and buckets of scandal—the play opens with an incestuous relationship and, before everything is done, a murder plot is foiled by pirates, and someone gets sold into sex slavery.”
Musical Theater
The 5th Avenue Theatre 1308 Fifth Ave, 625-1900, 5thavenue.org
★ Fun Home (July 11–30): It’s impossible to overstate how cool it is that Fun Home (based on the graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel) is coming. Haven’t seen the show yet, but the book it’s based on kills me. The REASON the book kills me, though, is because of all the subtle connections Bechdel makes between her life and the literature she loves/grew up with/related to her father’s suicide. Not sure how those literary subtitles translate to the stage, but it did get five Tonys. Plus, Jessica Fu, The Stranger’s awesome social media manager, already saw the show in New York. “I cried during and after! And then the next morning,” she told me. Better bring a box of tissues. RS
★ Something Rotten! (Sept 2–Oct 1): In addition to Adam Pascal (who played Roger in the original production of Rent), the show also stars Rob McClure and Josh Grisetti as two brothers who are trying to write a hit play in the 1590s, but are stuck in Shakespeare’s shadow. When a soothsayer tells them that the future of theater involves singing, dancing, and acting at the same time, they set out to write the world’s very first musical. This show was supposed to be in the 5th Avenue’s 2014/2015 season but was canceled because it went straight to Broadway. CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE
ACT Theatre
700 Union St, 292-7676, acttheatre.org
Murder for Two (Through June 11): Contemporary musical comedy Murder for Two (with book by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian, music by Joe Kinosian, and lyrics by Kellen Blair) is a piano-filled murder mystery that features two actors: one who attempts to solve the murder, and another that plays all the suspects.
The Legend of Georgia McBride (June 9–July 2): An Elvis impersonator becomes a drag queen in this comedy hit by Matthew Lopez. Charles Isherwood at the New York Times describes the musical as “stitch-in-your-side funny” and “full of sass and good spirits.”
ArtsWest
4711 California Ave SW, 938-0339, artswest.org
★ Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Through July 1): ArtsWest presents Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, a musical offering murder, cannibalism, and barbershops—plus songs that are creepy, catchy, quick, and witty.
Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center
201 Mercer St, 441-7178, cornish.edu/playhouse
H.M.S. Pinafore (July 14–16): See a live production of one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most famous and widely performed operas, H.M.S. Pinafore, presented by the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society. Look forward to takes on social class, the Royal Navy, and forbidden romance.
Paramount Theatre
911 Pine St, 812-3284, stgpresents.org
★ Cabaret (June 13–25): Cabaret is the best musical of all time, because Kander and Ebb were geniuses and because it neatly solves the problem inherent in musicals (why are these people breaking into song?). Its bawdy, funny, hedonistic songs aren’t indulgent for indulgence’s sake. What goes on inside the Kit Kat Klub, in Berlin in 1931, is ignorant bliss on amphetamines, a carnival of humanity not aware what’s com-
Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (June 8–July 2): Rich Smith writes that Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (this year’s world premiere at the 5th Ave) “should be as cult-y and funny as Robin Schiff’s script.”
Kate Wallich + The YC and Madboots Dance: Split Bill
Why you should see it:
Two charismatic dance companies playing off of each other.
When/Where: June 29–July 2 at Velocity’s Founders Theater.
ing their way. In the U.S. of 2017, we seem to be living in the shadow of creeping autocracy, so what better time is there to go see a musical about characters living in the shadows of creeping autocracy? CF
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (July 25–30): Coming to Paramount as part of their 2016-2017 Broadway season, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a play-within-a-play adapted from the novel by Mark Haddon. Precocious, non-neuro-typical teenager Christopher sets out to solve the murder of his neighbor’s dog, a crime of which he’s been unjustly accused. But his investigation, which is shaped by unusual fears and abilities, leads him to his own family’s secrets and lies.
Seattle Repertory Theatre
155 Mercer St, 443-2222, seattlerep.org
★ Here Lies Love (Through June 18): David Byrne’s critically adored disco musical about the life and times of Imelda Marcos, disco-obsessed wife of Ferdinand Marcos. She danced by his side (and by Richard Nixon’s—look it up on YouTube) while his dictatorial ass terrorized the Philippines. Unlike other musicals, you don’t have to forgive this one for its melodramatic, sappy songs. The fast numbers are groovy disco bangers and the slow numbers are touching, tropically inflected twee rock/ pop. Production-wise, this show will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen at the Rep. The installation of mobile dance floors will significantly change the theater’s seating situation, and the audience will be dancing (according to the demands of the dictator, of course) throughout the show. RS
Village Theatre
303 Front St N, Issaquah, 425-3922202, villagetheatre.org
★ Dreamgirls (Through July 2): Village Theatre presents Tony- and Grammy Award-winning musical Dreamgirls (not officially about the Supremes’ rise to fame, but containing many parallels) which was made extremely popular by the 2006 film starring Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and the inimitable Queen B. Come for Motown tunes, commentary about celebrity, dramatic ultimatums, and flashy dance numbers. The show will also play at Village Theatre in Everett from July 7-30.
Dance
Broadway Performance Hall 1625 Broadway, 325-3113, seattlecentral.edu
Strictly Seattle Performances (July 28–29): See new works by Kate Wallich, Pat Graney, Alice Gosti, Mark Haim, Stephanie Liapis, Maya Soto, and Jaret Hughes, as well as films from KT Niehoff’s Film Track students, created as part of the Strictly Seattle adult dance intensive.
Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center
201 Mercer St, 441-7178, cornish.edu/playhouse
★ Whim W’Him presents Approaching Ecstasy (Through June 10): According to press materials, Approaching Ecstasy “incorporates 40 singers, five instrumentalists, and seven dancers and is inspired by the poems of Constantine Cavafy, who lived as a closeted gay man in Egypt at the end of the 19th-century.” When the show opened largely to critical acclaim back in 2012, City Arts’ Rachel Gallaher described artistic director Olivier Wevers’s choreography as “passionately driven.” Eric Banks and the Esoterics sing the poems in Greek along with music (a throwback to the lyreaccompanied poetry readings of yore) and then read them in English. If great choral music and
ANDREW JS, SHORE, AND SCOTT SHAW
dance doesn’t do it for you, then go for the poems of Cavafy. In his erotic poetry, he’s the loneliest of the lonely boys, and while reading him you can feel how constrained he was by the homophobia of his time and place. RS
Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 Fourth Ave N, Edmonds, 425-275-4485, edmondscenterforthearts.org
Barclay Shelton Dance Centre: Summer Review (June 23–25): Check out the work of Edmondsbased Barclay Shelton Dance Center at this annual summer review.
Indigo (June 16–18): Eleven dancers from two ensembles (one in Seattle, another in Columbus, OH) will perform this new work by Sea↔Bus that is “a search for the thread that interconnects the sublime and the pedestrian; for the color that imbues both dye and sky.”
★ Kate Wallich + the YC and Madboots Dance: Split Bill (June 29–July 2): A little bit of intriguing “process as product” work here from Dance Church deacons Kate Wallich + The YC. Her troupe and NYC’s all-male/ totes gay MADBOOTS DANCE will each premiere a new work in Seattle “in dialogue” with one another. As both companies tour the country, each of the pieces will grow and change and adapt to their surroundings until the following year, when a new take on the old premieres will get some play back in the home country. I predict some mighty fine dancing about the toxic nature of restrictive gender norms! RS
Strictly Seattle Participant Showing (July 22): Adult dancers of all levels in the Strictly Seattle intensive will share work and works in progress in this informal showing.
The Summer Bridge Project 2017 (Aug 25–27): In Velocity’s Summer Bridge Project, three
THINGS TO DO PERFORMANCE
up-and-coming choreographers each create a new piece over the course of three weeks. This year, see work created in a frenzy by Cameo Lethem, Anna Krupp, and Ethan Rome.
McCaw Hall
321 Mercer St, 684-7200, mccawhall.com
★ Pictures at an Exhibition
(Through June 11): This Pacific Northwest Ballet program includes Balanchine’s 1968 ballet La Source (with music by Leo Delibes), NYCB ballet master and Broadway legend Jerome Robbins’s 1979 ballet Opus 19/The Dreamer, and finally, what looks to be the highlight of the production: Alexei Ratmansky’s 2014 ballet Pictures at an Exhibition. The music is by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky, inspired by his tour of a memorial exhibition for artist, architect, and designer Viktor Hartmann. Each musical number comments on an individual piece of art by Hartmann, and this production promises to pair the music and dance with geometric images by Russian painter Wassily Kandinksy.
At the very least, it’s an ambitious attempt to seamlessly merge dance, music, and visual art inside a new piece of choreography (whose history goes back centuries).
★ PNB Season Encore
Performance (June 11): Rich Smith wrote, “At the end of this season, Pacific Northwest Ballet is waving goodbye to two of its principal dancers: Carrie Imler, whose slo-mo promenade during Tricolore this fall seemed to me to be a triumph of skill and strength; and Batkhurel Bold, who my colleague Jen Graves called a ‘noble powerhouse’ in PNB’s Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven.” Give the two performers a proper send-off at this Season Encore performance.
Next Step: Choreographers’ Showcase (June 16): See new works by up-and-coming choreographers (Guillaume Basso, Kyle Davis, Steven Loch, Angeli Mamon & Dammiel Cruz, Margaret Mullin, Sarah Pasch, and Jerome Tisserand) performed by the PNB School’s Professional Division students.
Meany Hall
UW Campus, 543-4880, meany.org
Alma de Bronce 45th Anniversary Celebration (June 24): Enjoy an evening of Mexican folkloric dancing, presented in honor of Seattle’s Bailadores de Bronce’s 45th anniversary (the traditional gift is a sapphire, in case you were wondering). They promise lots of color, music, and costumes.
Moore Theatre
1932 Second Ave, 812-3284, stgpresents.org
19th Annual DANCE This (July 7–8): After an intense collaboration with community and international artists, teens will perform three new dance works during the 19th edition of this beloved artistic program.
★ Bring It! Live (Aug 20): Attend this hiphop majorette event for a high-energy performance that spans genres of dance.
On the Boards
100 W Roy St, 217-9888, ontheboards.org
★ NW New Works Festival 2017 (June 9–18): It’s your 34th annual NW New Works Festival, Seattle! This year, 16 contemporary performing arts companies from around the region (Washington, Oregon, and BC) will freakify the stages of OtB over the course of two weekends.
I guarantee at least two of these ~20-minute pieces will grow into full-length shows that will take this town (and maybe the world) by storm in the coming years. Don’t believe me—ask Zoe | Juniper, Sarah Rudinoff, and Tim Smith-Stewart/ Jeffrey Azevedo, all of whom developed impressive pieces of work on OtB’s summer stages. Lots to love at this iteration, but I’d recommend Vanessa Goodman, PETE (Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble), Petra Zanki: Pleasant Place, Katie Piatt, and Waxie Moon. RS
The Royal Room
5000 Rainier Ave S, theroyalroomseattle.com
Visual Musician & Friends with Josh Rawlings Trio (June 25): Visual Musician is Jessie Sawyers, who performs rhythmic tap dance along with the live music of the Josh Rawlings Trio, pulling tracks from
shaping up to lack a certain amount of excitement, this might be one way to remedy that.
Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation (July 30–Aug 6): The Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation, presented by Velocity Dance Center, is a weeklong exploration of dance improvisation with intensive classes, site-specific workshops, talks, “jams” and “somatic labs,” and performances.
An African American Odyssey (June 17): Northwest Tap Connection presents this live show featuring music, dance, and spoken word that will explore “the economic, social, political, artistic, and racial imprints that have cultivated the black experience in American culture.”
Cabaret & Burlesque
ACT Theatre
700 Union St, 292-7676, acttheatre.org
UMO Resistance Cabaret (July 21–23): The 17-year-old UMO ensemble will demonstrate that “Resistance is Fertile” in this variety and burlesque show.
Can Can
94 Pike St, 652-0832, thecancan.com
Why you should see it: Because it’s the best musical of all time, and because we are living in the shadow of creeping autocracy, too. When/Where: June 13–25 at Paramount Theatre.
indie rock to jazz standards and everything in between.
Seattle Repertory Theatre
155 Mercer St, 443-2222, seattlerep.org
★ (Im)pulse (June 15–July 2):
The great and talented and Tonynominated choreographer Donald Byrd has a knack for translating complex historical texts into visceral dance pieces that help us reckon with the present. Last year’s A Rap on Race, a jazzy interpretation of an important conversation between Margaret Mead and James Baldwin, stands out in my memory as a tremendous testimony to that fact. This world premiere sees the mass shooting at Orlando Pulse Nightclub through the lens of the brilliant/ brutal David Wojnarowicz, whose Close to the Knives: A Memoir of Disintegration should be on everyone’s syllabus, and also playwright Brian Quirk. RS
Triple Door
216 Union St, 838-4333, thetripledoor.net
Eric & Encarnación’s Flamenco de Raiz with Manuel Gutierrez and Jesús Montoya (June 9–10): Celebrate the latest single “Tortura de Amor” and enjoy live performances of Flamenco dance and music by Eric & Encarnación with special guests Manuel Gutierrez and Jesús Montoya.
★ Seattle International Dance Festival (June 9–25): 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; in a Stranger article from 2013, Melody Datz Hansen observed the festival’s “local spotlight” show and commended its wide range of choreography and costume, from “classical moves” made “new and rad” to “upsetting” lurching by a dancer in a potato-penis suit. If your June is
Fleurs d’Egypte Dance Company will feature group and solo performances, and the opportunity to “journey to the cabarets of France and Egypt, and to the carnival celebrations of Rio De Janeiro without leaving your seat!”
Emerald City Burlesque presents For Your Eyes Only and Aperitif (June 17): This event promises performances from two very different burlesque troupes (For Your Eyes Only and Aperitif) punctuated by a mid-show cocktail hour. Plus, look forward to guest performances by Waxie Moon (Capitol Hill Web Series, among many other credits) and Eartha Quake.
Cherry Manhattan’s Spring Class Debut Showcase (June 30): The students of “Neo-Burlesque with Cherry Manhattan” will present what they’ve been working on for the past 10 weeks while debuting 10 new acts at this showcase presented by Cherry Manhattan and Freehold Theatre Lab.
Stars and Garters (July 2): W.S. and Company will present a burlesque tribute to Uncle Sam and his 50 United States.
The Devil’s Advocates Midnight Show (Every First Fri): Start every month oh-so-wrong with The Devil’s Advocates’ luscious burlesque performers.
Ice Cream (June 9–Oct 1): Take your sweetheart to the soda shop, readjust your gingham skirt, and apply some festive lipstick—you’re about to enter an atmospheric “doo-wop ice cream shop” created by the performers at Can Can. They promise a glittery production inspired by summer favorites including Grease and Beach Party
The Midnight Show (Through Sept 30): Sleeping is so boring when you could be spending the wee hours with the foxy dancers of Can Can.
The Conservatory
5813 Airport Way S
★ Tricked: A Mostly Male Burlesque Show (Every Third Fri): This series of drag, burlesque, and boylesque shows is not necessarily limited to men. The theme: those wily, alluring Tricksters, from Loki to Coyote to Bugs Bunny. With Bolt Action, Arson Nicki, Mercury Divine, Aaron Wheeler, Ewa Long, the Marquis Façade, and EmpeROAR Fabulous!!!
★ La Petite Mort’s Anthology of Erotic Esoterica (Every Last Fri): 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.
Moore Theatre
1932 Second Ave, 812-3284, stgpresents.org
★ Dita Von Teese’s “The Art of the Teese” Burlesque Revue (July 23): Probably the most famous burlesque dancer alive, Dita Von Teese brings her sexy and luxurious act to the Moore. See her curl up in a giant martini glass, perform the ballet-themed “Swan Lake Striptease,” and revive her “Cowgirl Act.”
Parlor Live Comedy Club
Bellevue
700 Bellevue Way NE Suite 300, Bellevue, 425-289-7000
Hunks the Show (June 14): Men will sing, dance, and take off their clothes in this production explicitly aimed at “bachelorettes, birthday girls, and divorcees.” Be warned.
Rendezvous
2322 Second Ave, 441-5823, therendezvous.rocks
Fleurs d’Egypte Dance Co. presents Folies Des Fleurs (July 23): This cabaret revue presented by
Variety
Annex Theatre
1100 E Pike St, 728-0933, annextheatre.org
★ Spin the Bottle (Every First Fri): 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.
Neptune Theatre 1303 NE 45th St, 682-1414, stgpresents.org
Nights at the Neptune (July 6–Aug 10): The Neptune will lend its stage to speakers, dancers, and artists who address the most urgent social and race issues of our time. This year’s series will include a screening of the documentary Promised Land about the fight for Native self-rule; the Future is Feminist Film Festival; the One Laugh at a Time comedy show presented by Liz Donehue; the International Girl Gang Expo of art; #BlackTransMagick: A Journey Towards Liberation by awQward Talent; and Don’t Call It A Riot!, a new play by Amontaine Aurore.
Nordo’s Culinarium
109 S Main St, 790-5166, cafenordo.com
The Rite of Jupiter: Video Release Party (July 29): Fringe theater company Eleusyve Productions will premiere their sixth video as part of their latest project, where they interpret British occultist Aleister Crowley’s Rites of Eleusis (seven rites performed publicly in 1910) as rock operas. Before the main event, enjoy a pre-show performance by Sir Mark Bruback with burlesque and belly dance performers.
A Midsummer Night’s Reverie (Aug 3–6): Sinner Saint Burlesque will present an interpretation of Shakespeare’s silly and lovestruck comedy that promises to be like an “erotic lucid dream.”
All the Azz (Aug 6): W.S. and Company presents this show that will glorify and celebrate the 1920s and its music, fashion, and covert alcohol consumption.
Pastie CrossOver (Aug 19): De Lioncourt Productions presents this traveling burlesque show, featuring performers from our little brother city, Portland, as well as some Seattle-based stars.
Showbox
1426 First Ave, 628-3151, showboxpresents.com
SuicideGirls Blackheart Burlesque (June 14): SuicideGirls Blackheart Burlesque promises a “geeky twist” on burlesque performance, with pop culture references including Star Wars, Sailor Moon, Stranger Things, and Fifty Shades of Grey
Sunday Night Shuga Shaq (June 11): The players of “the only monthly ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR Burlesque Revue in Seattle,” including host Ms. Briq House, will strut their stuff at the progressive Theatre Off Jackson. No nudity, but lots of titillation.
Stripperoo: Two Nights of Seattle Burlesque Tribute Acts (June 21 & 28): Burlesque performers will step out of their comfort zone and honor their favorite performers at this tribute show presented by IvaFiero Productions in association with Theatre Off Jackson.
Aunt Franzea’s Party Box: Burlesque Curated Under the Influence (June 24): Jo Jo Stiletto presents an evening of burlesque and shenanigans cooked up under the influence of boxed wine (wear alcohol-themed costumes).
★ Lost Falls (Through June 25): Celebrate the return of Twin Peaks, after more than 25 years off the air, with this food- and performance-based homage to David Lynch, with all the small-town charm and creepy suspense you’ll find in his work. They’ll investigate the question: “Who killed Chef Nordo Lefesczki?”
Northwest Film Forum 1515 12th Ave, 267-5380, nwfilmforum.org
★ HANG TOGETHER: A Performance Farewell for John DeShazo (June 30–July 1): Honor the work of John DeShazo (multitalented person in the Seattle arts scene who has been on the Northwest Film Forum Board of Directors for 17 years) before he leaves our little town. Local stars will perform and celebrate his contributions, including our own Art and Music Editor Sean Nelson, the Vis-à-Vis Society, actor/storyteller Matt Smith, dancer/choreographer Paige Barnes, musician/performer Sarah Paul Ocampo, ChromaMatic (with spontaneous painting!), and “mad scientist”/animator Web Crowell. Hosted by Northwest Film Forum’s executive director, Courtney Sheehan.
Showbox
1426 First Ave, 628-3151, showboxpresents.com
Puddles Pity Party (June 9): The extremely popular “sad clown with the golden voice” presents his downcast live production featuring a mopey clown, absurdism, and some laughs.
Into the Deeps (June 8–17): Explore political and socioeconomic structures...at the bottom of the ocean, with an enthusiastic physical theatre ensemble set to impress you with their dancing, clowning, and design.
Substation
645 NW 45th St, substationseattle.com
The 3rd Annual Seattle FLOW Showcase (June 8): Seattle’s propbased artists, dancers, and performers gather for the third year in a row to explore “flow,” using objects like hula hoops, poi, and contact balls.
★ Highbrow/Lowbrow: A Very Varied Variety Show! (Every Fourth Tues): Highbrow/Lowbrow promises a very varied (in style, form, and apparent classiness)
MATTHEW MURPHY
Cabaret
variety show that features drag, burlesque, musical theatre, and dance.
Drag
SIFF Cinema Egyptian
801 E Pine St, 324-9996, siff.net
Dragapalooza (June 22): Dragapalooza is described as “equal parts rock concert, variety show, and musical theater,” and will feature local and not-at-alllocal stars you’ll recognize from (at the very least) RuPaul’s Drag Race including Sharon Needles, Trixie Mattel, Robbie Turner, and Derrick Barry. They’ll sing with a live band led by Grammy-nominated producer Chris Cox.
Courtney Act: Girl From Oz (July 13): RuPaul’s Drag Race and Australian Idol favorite Courtney Act is back in town to take you on a journey over the rainbow.
Triple Door
216 Union St, 838-4333, thetripledoor.net
★ Camptacular! (June 30–July 3): Drag burlesque duo Kitten ‘n’ Lou bring a (wet, hot, American) summer theater treat to Seattle with Camptacular! This performance will be a contemporary dance, drag, and burlesque Bomb Pop featuring Stranger Genius Award winner Cherdonna, contemporary dancer Markeith Wiley, ever-rising star Waxie Moon, and special guest Jeez Loueez, who, according to my extensive YouTube video searches, blends twerk and burlesque to great effect. Go. You’ll be a happy camper. RS
Unicorn
1118 E Pike St, 325-6492, unicornseattle.com
★ Mimosas Cabaret (Every Sat–Sun): The great protest art of the Donald Trump era is already happening, with the Mimosas crew choosing a daring show to stage as their latest 30ish-minute musical. They’re doing the show Cabaret a song-and-dance extravaganza set in the days of Hitler’s rise to power. The allegories to today are chillingly perfect, from nationalist Nazis singing “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” to the gut-wrenching appearance of the Star of David. For 50 years, Cabaret has been a reflection on the past, but now it’s a scream of alarm about the future. You won’t just cry at this show, you will sob. MATT BAUME
Various locations across Seattle Bacon Strip (June 10, Aug 12, Sept 2): The drag company Bacon Strip, helmed by Sylvia O’Stayformore and Mizz Honey Bucket, sets a gaggle of mischievous queens to shocking shenanigans every month (though they’re taking a break in July). This summer’s shows are Night in Gay Seattle Old Town at Theatre Off Jackson (June 10), Trailer Park Drag Strip 2017 at the Georgetown Trailer Park Mall (August 12), and Sci Fi Queens in Space at the Conservatory (September 2).
Live Podcasts
ACT Theatre
700 Union St, 292-7676, acttheatre.org
Eclipsed! (Aug 28): Sandbox Radio is a Seattle-based podcast that “combines killer music, engaging storytelling, the city’s best performers and an ultra cool sparkly host” in a live podcast performance. See new short plays with live sound effects, hear slam poetry by Daemond Arrindell, and thrill to music by Pratidhwani.
Northwest Film Forum 1515 12th Ave, 267-5380, nwfilmforum.org
★ Erin Jorgensen: Undertones (July 15 & Aug 19): Erin Jorgensen’s Undertones podcast combines trance and electronica with sparing words. Stranger contributor Andrew Hamlin writes, “This is supposed to be a transmission from outer space broadcast directly to your subconscious mind. The aliens may or may not tell us to send more Chuck Berry. They may or may not want to demolish Earth to build a bypass. Hope. Pray if you’re into that. Lock in the dial.”
Town Hall
Republican St and Warren Ave N, 956-8372, theveraproject.org
RISK! Live in Seattle (June 10): Stories too embarrassing and bizarre for the light of day get told at RISK!, a live show and podcast hosted by Kevin Allison. Take a leap and watch performers share their most intimate tales.
★ Sandbox Radio presents A New Leaf (June 19): Look forward to new plays, songs, poetry, adaptations of classic literature, and appearances by special guests at this episode of Sandbox Radio, a podcast combining radio, theater, and music.
Says You! presents Two Live Tapings (June 24–25): Before Town Hall closes for renovations, say (a temporary) goodbye to the Great Hall ceremoniously and with lighthearted word games. NPR stars will come to Seattle for a live taping of their enormously popular parlor game, Says You!
Vera Project 1119 Eighth Ave, 652-4255, townhallseattle.org
New Media Touring presents Lore Podcast Live Seattle (June 17): If you’re a fan of creepy urban legends, dark (and true) histories, and chatty, educational podcasts, check out this live presentation of podcast Lore with host Aaron Mahnke and musical guest Chad Lawson on piano. The podcast is being adapted into an Amazon Video television series and will be released sometime this year, so here’s your chance to get a live performance experience before the series takes to the screen.
Comedy
The 5th Avenue Theatre 1308 Fifth Ave, 625-1900, 5thavenue.org
Concert for America: Stand Up, Sing Out! (July 6): Raise money for vital nonprofits—the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Immigration Law Center, the Sierra Club Foundation, the NAACP and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence—at this bigname concert and comedy show hosted by team of husbands Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley.
Annex Theatre 1100 E Pike St, 728-0933, annextheatre.org
★ Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery (Every First Sun): On the first Sunday of each month, comedy, variety, and “a parade of wonder and awkward sharing” are hosted by the selfproclaimed “mustache wizard” Emmett Montgomery.
Benaroya Hall
200 University St, 215-4700, seattlesymphony.org
Stephanie Miller’s Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour (July 22): Comedy and political resistance meet at this evening of motivating, inspiring, and only kinda depressing jokes,
featuring Stephanie Miller, John Fugelsang, and Frangela.
Not Too Late with Elicia Sanchez (June 17 & 15): The late show with local favorite Elicia Sanchez and “comedian/non-musician” Nick Sahoyah promises stunts, music, comedy, weirdness, and surprises.
Moore Theatre 1932 Second Ave, 812-3284, stgpresents.org
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live! (July 29) If you were a weird kid in the ‘90s, you may remember Joel Hodgson’s gleefully no-budget sci-fi TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000, in which a man and two robot puppets mercilessly mock terrible B-movies from crappy studios around the world. It was dumb, affable, and a little too addictive to be strictly good for you. Now, the show will take to the stage for two live performances at the Moore. First, they’ll ridicule the godawful caveman movie Eegah!; the second show is a surprise.
★ Tim & Eric 10 Year Anniversary Awesome Tour (Aug 5): For the first time in a decade, comedy duo Tim & Eric of Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (and about a million other strange things) will hit the road on a national tour in honor of 10 years passing since the last time they did this.
Neptune Theatre 1303 NE 45th St, 682-1414, stgpresents.org
Aunty Donna: Big Boys (June 12): Absurdist Australian comedy group Aunty Donna will bring their YouTube-approved plays, dances, and sketches to the Neptune for just one night.
Northwest Film Forum 1515 12th Ave, 267-5380, nwfilmforum.org
The Shadow Council (June 28, Aug 30): 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. On July 14, you can see the original Seattle Process
Paramount Theatre 911 Pine St, 812-3284, stgpresents.org
Dan TDM (July 23): Fans of Minecraft, video games, and YouTube stars might dig Dan TDM (aka Dan Middleton or The Diamond Minecart). His accolades include Kids’ Choice Awards and Guinness World Records for gaming.
Rendezvous 2322 Second Ave, 441-5823, therendezvous.rocks
The Enematic Cinematic LIVES!! (June 13): Some of Seattle’s funniest comics provide live commentary of terrible movies during this live taping of the Enematic Cinematic podcast.
Sex Workers Stand Up (June 20): This show will highlight perspectives on sex work and offer laughs—plus, they’ll donate proceeds to the Seattle Sex Worker Outreach Program.
Tell Me Where It Hurts (June 23): Two comedy lineups will tell their most embarrassing stories at this showcase presented by Dusty York and Pander City Productions. McQueen Comedy (Aug 10): McQueen Adams will perform an evening of impressions, music, and
comedy while creating “a hi-tech audio-visual universe.”
★ The Magic Hat Presented by Emmett Montgomery and Friends (Every Mon): Five “brilliant humans(?),” ranging from seasoned stand-up comics to sketch performers to audience members, are selected (presumably out of the Magic Hat) throughout the show to perform weekly at this comedy variety show, otherwise described as a “friendship machine that will make the world a better place.”
★ Comedy Nest Open Mic (Every Tues): The rules of this pro-lady stand-up night are refreshing in their simplicity: no misogyny, racism, homophobia, hatred, or heckling. Based on the size, quality, and diversity of the crowds it attracts, the rules work. Every Tuesday night, fans pack the Rendezvous Grotto to watch two and a half hours of comedy, about half of which is delivered by women.
★Naked Brunch (Every Sat): Alyssa Yeoman and Matthew Valdespino host (what they claim is) Seattle’s only all-improvised comedy open mic every week.
Turbo Turkey (Every First Sun): Come for long form improv, short form improv, and a few sketches thrown in for good measure.
Comic Roulette (Every First Wed): Force your whims on hapless comics by suggesting conditions for their act. It’s kind of like Lars von Trier’s The Five Obstructions, but sillier.
Live RPG Show: Without Providence (Every First Wed): This event is aimed at “fans of Mad Max, Fallout, and The 100,” and promises role-playing games performed live.
Fist and Shout (Every Second Wed): Local comedic geniuses El Sanchez and Marita DeLeon sail onto new territories with their latest project, Fist and Shout, a QTPOCcentered comedy and variety show.
Karajokey (Every Second Wed): This event wants to keep performers on their toes: comedians perform a comedy set, then sing a mystery karaoke tune chosen on the spot, based on their stand-up.
Wicked Awesome Wednesday (Every Third Wed): Six rotating, local comedians will help you celebrate Hump Day with some “wicked awesome laughs.”
Stand-up
Laughs Comedy Club 5220 Roosevelt Way NE, 526-5653, laughscomedyclub.com
The Dope Show (June 8 & 29): Tyler Smith presents the Dope Show, which offers two performances by a lineup of comedians: one delivered sober, then another delivered several (smoky) minutes later, totally baked. (You can also see this show at Parlor Live Comedy Club Bellevue on July 27.)
Brian Moote (June 16–17): Stand-up comedian Brian Moote (Characters Welcome, Nickmom’s Nite Out, Money from Strangers and Gotham Live) will perform.
Neptune Theatre 1303 NE 45th St, 682-1414, stgpresents.org
★ Michael Che (June 23): Stand-up comedian, actor, and writer Michael Che is best known for his gig as co-anchor on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update.” Come for political commentary, social/interpersonal observations, and some dark humor.
Ron Funches: Funch-a-Mania (July 7): Ron Funches (who starred in the series Undateable, appeared on Blackish, and provided voice acting for shows including Bojack Horseman and Bob’s Burgers) will entertain for an evening.
Paramount Theatre 911 Pine St, 812-3284, stgpresents.org
Joe Rogan (Aug 4): Noted Fear Factor host Joe Rogan will perform.
Parlor Live Comedy Club
Bellevue
700 Bellevue Way NE Suite 300, Bellevue, 425-289-7000
Bobby Lee (June 8–10): Bobby Lee (from Pineapple Express, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, and MADtv, among other credits) will headline for a weekend at the Parlor.
Steve Hofstetter (June 11): Stand-up comedian, writer, and YouTube star Steve Hofstetter will spend the evening telling jokes.
Lavell Crawford (June 15–17): Comedian and actor Lavell Crawford (who you might recognize as Huell from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, among many other TV credits) will spend a weekend performing at the Parlor.
For the Record: Live Stand-up Comedy Taping (June 18): Support local comics at this showcase—the organizers’ goal is to capture their unique talents on film and spread the footage far and wide.
★ Arj Barker (June 22): You might remember Arj Barker as the idiotic pawnshop broker on Flight of the Conchords or from his appearance in Doug Benson’s Super High Me now he’s bringing his stand-up routine to the Parlor. The Guardian writes that Barker has “an endlessly active comic imagination,” and his comedy “goes down so easily it’s entirely possible to miss the skill and artistry of it all.”
DeRay Davis (June 23–25): DeRay Davis (Empire, 21 Jump Street, Barbershop, and Barbershop 2) will entertain for the weekend.
Adam Ray (June 29–July 1): Comedian Adam Ray (whose many credits include the role of “Slimer”—as well as the lead singer of that one band—in the new Ghostbusters movie) will perform stand-up.
Ralphie May (July 6–8): Ralphie May (of Last Comic Standing, Comics Unleashed, and Comedy Underground with Dave Attell fame) will amuse and entertain.
Alonzo Bodden (July 13–15): Last Comic Standing winner and judge Alonzo Bodden is “one of the Parlor Live Comedy Club’s most requested guests.” Get what you asked for at this weekend of stand-up.
Full Throttle Comedy with Michael Quu and Friends! (July 19): Full Throttle Comedy is a touring stand-up showcase hosted by comedian Michael Quu.
Jim Breuer (July 28–29): Stand-up comedian, actor, musician, and radio host Jim Breuer (who you might recognize from Saturday Night Live) will spend the weekend telling jokes.
Mike Epps (Aug 4–6): Mike Epps— known for his comedic performances in movies including Friday After Next and Next Friday—will perform.
Bryan Callen (Aug 10–12): Bryan Callen (one of the original cast members on MADtv, and regular commentator on The Joe Rogan Experience) will spend a weekend at the Parlor.
★ Bruce Bruce (Aug 24–26): Comedian Bruce Bruce (as seen in Think Like a Man, Maron and Top Five) will perform his stand-up routine at the Parlor. A 2015 Los Angeles Times article describes Bruce as priding himself “on not using vulgarity for his laughs.”
Triple Door
216 Union St, 838-4333, thetripledoor.net
Sarah Colonna with Jon Ryan (June 16): Sarah Colonna (bestselling author of Life as I Blow It, and a stand-up comic all over your
television) will shock and entertain Seattle for the evening, with a guest appearance by Seattle Seahawk Jon Ryan.
Improv
Jet City Improv 5510 University Way NE, 352-8291, jetcityimprov.org
The Lost Folio (Through June 23): Witness improv actors pull iambic pentameter monologues out of thin air, with plenty of input from the audience (and even some audience casting).
Theatre Off Jackson 409 Seventh Ave S, 340-1049, theatreoffjackson.org
Where No Man Has Gone Before: An Improvised Parody of the Original Star Trek Series (July 13–22): Where No Man Has Gone Before is a fully improvised parody of the Star Trek TV series informed by audience suggestions, presented by Seattle Experimental Theatre in association with Theatre off Jackson and directed by Jeannine Clarke.
Unexpected Productions’
Market Theater
1428 Post Alley, 587-2414, unexpectedproductions.org/location Matryoshka: Everything is Game (Through June 15): Improv Anonymous is proposing an interesting comedic experiment: Treating each spontaneous character as a set of nesting matryoshka dolls, with the profoundest thoughts, fantasies, and fears hidden in successive layers of outside appearances. The audience will help the improvisers create these deep-seated emotions and motives, then watch the actors gradually reveal their concealed selves.
★ Outer Rim: An Improvised Space Western (Through June 17): Improv artists will take you on a long-form trip through deep space. No two performances will be the same, but every night the crew will have to employ all their hyperdrive and wiles to survive as they hop from planet to planet “on the fringes of civilization.”
Black Eyed Blonde: An Improvised Film Noir (Through July 2): Unexpected Productions has a tagline worthy of the most hardboiled B-studio trailer: “Murder Isn’t Always Premeditated... Sometimes It’s Improvised!” Your suggestions will shape this pulpy tale of double-crossers, coldhearted dames, and two-bit crooks.
21st Seattle International Festival of Improv (June 18–25): Improvisors from around the world will come to Seattle to participate in the 21st Seattle International Festival of Improv, which lasts for a week.
An Improvised Hip Hopera (June 30–July 15): An Improvised Hip Hopera is a show that claims to marry the best of improv comedy and freestyle rap to tell a hopefully funny narrative, typically featuring the greatest hits of a Joseph Campbell-style hero’s journey. It’s written on the spot thanks to audience suggestions, which positively keeps it from being the same show twice, but negatively leads to more opportunities to choke, as experienced by Stranger Film Editor Charles Mudede in 2014.
Schrampflin Falls: An Improvised Mystery (July 21–Sept 9): Possibly playing up the current Twin Peaks obsession, this improvised mystery show is set in a (fictional) small town in Washington State that has quirky residents as well as some “scandalous secrets” to hide.
Spoken (Aug 10–Sept 28): In this improv technique, one scene becomes the basis for exploring backstory and consequences, like the “spokes of a wheel [...] connected to the same center.” Performed by Improv Anonymous.
2 - 6 pm 2125 2nd Ave
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THINGS TO DO SUMMER
READINGS & TALKS
By Rich Smith and Julia Raban
Anastacia
Tolbert and Friends: Forget It
Why you should see it: Her poems are smart and powerful, her delivery is varied and compelling, and she’s got great style.
When/Where: July 25 at Elliott Bay Book Company.
JUNE 7
Civic Cocktail
Civic Cocktail is a monthly gathering (co-organized and broadcast by the Seattle Channel) that offers a discussion of pressing local issues over drinks and Tom Douglas appetizers. This edition will feature Chris Hansen and his investment group, who’ll discuss the possibility of bringing NBA and NHL teams back to Seattle by building a new arena in Sodo. Radio host Michael Medved, analyst C.R. Douglas, and the Seattle Times’s Nicole Brodeur will weigh in. Palace Ballroom, $20-$25, 5:30 pm
★ Contagious Exchanges
This monthly series curated and hosted by Mattilda Bernstein
Sycamore features stellar queer writers—this time, hear from poet and author Chavisa Woods, who will share her new short story collection Things to Do When You’re Goth in the Country
Hugo House First Hill, free, 7 pm
Jeff Shaara
Jeff Shaara is known for his bestselling historical novels that have a decidedly military bent. This time, he’ll share his latest work, Frozen Hours, which deals with the Korean War and the historic Battle of Chosin Reservoir.
University Book Store, $29, 7 pm
★ Lisa Ko
Lisa Ko’s anticipated debut novel, The Leavers, was called “required reading” by Ann Patchett and won the prestigious PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Come to hear Ko share this story that centers around an undocumented mother in the Bronx who leaves home one morning and never returns.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
Susan Burton
Susan Burton will tell her autobiographical story of loss, grief, addiction, rehabilitation, and, eventually, philanthropic sobriety (the founding of an organization that helps formerly incarcerated women obtain education and employment). Her book, Becoming Ms. Burton, features a foreword by scholar and civil rights advocate Michelle Alexander. Central Library, free, 7 pm
JUNE 8
★ Barbara Johns Art historian and curator Barbara Johns will share her new book, The Hope of Another Spring, a biography of Japanese-American artist Takuichi Fujii that highlights both his artistic contributions and the historical context of his life (including his incarceration in several American internment camps during World War II). The book features a previously unknown collection of art that Fujii created during his internment, including a detailed and illustrated diary. Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.” Watch podcast hosts Casper ter Kuile and Vanessa Zoltan read and discuss selections from Harry Potter (and not just the Dumbledore quotes) as if they belong to a sacred text. Fremont Abbey Arts Center, $25, 7 pm
Michael Frank
Michael Frank’s family memoir, The Mighty Franks, promises a story featuring a unique parenting setup and an eccentric, successful screenwriting duo, told in a voice that The Atlantic’s Ann Hulbert describes as a style “utterly his own.” Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JUNE 9
Alessandra Lynch and Pimone Triplett
This reading will feature a duo of poet professors: Alessandra Lynch (It Was a Terrible Cloud at Twilight and Sails the Wind Left Behind) and Pimone Triplett (Rumor, The Price of Light, and Ruining the Picture). Open Books, free, 7 pm
Dan Wells
Horror and science fiction author Dan Wells presents Nothing Left to Lose, the latest monster-hunting installment of his John Wayne Cleaver series.
University Book Store, free, 7 pm
★ Discover Special Collections: The North American Indian, Vol. 9
Edward Curtis’s The North American Indian puts to use a staggeringly large collection of data, photographs, and recordings from more than 80 Indigenous communities in North America, collected over a period of more than 20 years. Keep in mind that Curtis’ photographs are (potentially exploitative) pieces of art, and, like many other anthropologists documenting “disappear-
JUNE 12
Anthony Geist and Carolyn Tipton
Translators Anthony Geist and Carolyn Tipton will share their work, including Tipton’s latest project: Returnings: Poems of Love and Distance by renowned Spanish poet Rafael Alberti, which won the Cliff Becker Book Prize in Translation. Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm Fredrik Backman
Fredrik Backman, author of the bestselling novel A Man Called Ove (source material for the Hannes Holm movie adaptation), will present his latest novel, Beartown, with Seattle Times columnist Nicole Brodeur.
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, $27, 7 pm
★ Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland
2013 Stranger Genius nominee Neal Stephenson is known for writing big, brainy, brilliant sci-fi novels. Nicole Galland’s known for writing big, brainy books of historical fiction and also humorous books about dogs. They combine their powers in The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., “a nearfuture thriller” whose premise recalls the shadow government intrigue Men in Black, but with wizards instead of aliens. RS
Town Hall, free, 7 pm
Olivia Koski and Jana Grcevich
Olivia Koski and Jana Grcevich present this Rick Steves-style guide to outer space, with must-see vacation stops and scenic walk suggestions. Geeks, children, and spacey dreamers will get a clear and imaginative picture of the solar system.
Town Hall, $5, 7:30 pm
ing” cultures, he manipulated the subjects and scenes to fit his own narrative and aesthetic, removing details—like alarm clocks—that seemed too American; some suggested that he even staged elaborate rituals. But the tomes are worth seeing in person. At this viewing, you’ll peek at Volume 9, which contains information about Chimakum, Quilliute and Willapa nations.
Central Library, free, 10:30 am
Katherine Heiny
Katherine Heiny’s short story collection Single, Carefree, Mellow boasts a glowing quote from Lena Dunham. Now Heiny will share her latest project, the novel Standard Deviation Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
Robert Pearl
The executive director and CEO of the Permanente Medical Group, Robert Pearl, is here to share a new book about why you shouldn’t put too much trust in your healthcare providers. Mistreated: Why We Think We’re Getting Good Healthcare—And Why We’re Usually Wrong makes a case for changing “the structure, technology, financing, and leadership” of American health care.
Town Hall, $5, 7:30 pm
JUNE 9–10
Daniel Wallace
Daniel Wallace, perhaps best known for his novel Big Fish (adapted for the moving pictures by Tim Burton), has a new potential sentimental hit with Extraordinary Adventures, about a 30-something guy who wins a beach vacation but has to find a date to accompany him—not an easy task for someone shy and ordinary.
University Book Store, free, 7 pm (June 9); Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 6:30 pm (June 10)
JUNE 10
Crysta Casey: Rules for Walking Out
Mark the release of the third collection of poetry by late Seattle poet Crysta Casey, who died in 2008, with a celebration featuring readings by Phoebe Bosche, Kathleen Flenniken, Carol Guess, and Corrina Wycoff. Open Books, 7 pm
JUNE 11
Penny University Engage with members of your community on pressing matters of local and national importance at this Town Hall series inspired by the discussions found in 18th-century coffee houses.
Town Hall, $5, 7:30 pm
York Times Notable Books list) will present her latest novel, Harmony, about a trying trip to “family camp” with a child behavior guru.
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
★ Kei Miller
Every 10 years since 1994, the Poetry Book Society selects 20 poets that they expect will occupy and define the literary landscape for the next decade. Among those chosen in 2014 was Kei Miller, who in the same year also won the Forward Prize for Poetry and was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize. There’s a reason why so many notable figures are looking to Miller as the future of poetry: He reaches people. He has a rapt audience and many types of literature to explore. His latest work, Augustown, is his third novel. If it’s anything like his other work, it will be at once personal, political, philosophical, spiritual, and historical.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
The Alzheimer’s Talks: Madison Cowan
This is the first in a series of talks that will explore celebrities’ personal experiences with Alzheimer’s. Hear about the experience that Madison Cowan (first ever Grand Champion on Chopped) had with a loved one who developed the pervasive type of dementia.
Benaroya Hall, $35, 7:30 pm
★ Sherman Alexie
JUNE 13
David Montgomery
UW geologist David Montgomery (co-author of the 2015 book The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health) will speak about his latest work, Growing a Revolution, which “offers a bold and optimistic vision, flipping the script on agriculture and showing its potential to go from environmental problem to environmental solution.”
Kane Hall, Room 220, free, 6:30 pm
Andrea Petersen with Elisabeth Eaves
Whether writers are somehow predisposed to anxiety or they’re just more forthcoming about their mental health, many people have overlapping interests in literature and anxiety disorders. Science writer Andrea Petersen will share her new book, On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety, that combines her personal experiences with an investigation into the origins of mental illness. She will be joined by Seattle writer Elisabeth Eaves.
Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm
Cara Black
Cara Black presents the latest in her lengthy and bestselling series that follows private investigator Aimée Léduc: this time, a Murder in Saint-Germain Third Place Books Ravenna, free, 7 pm
Delia Ephron
Delia Ephron (author, playwright, younger sister of Nora, and screenwriter of movies including You’ve Got Mail and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) presents her new book Siracusa, which Michelle Wildgen at the New York Times describes as a “taut, sun-baked novel of sexual and marital gamesmanship on the Ionian coast of Sicily.” University Book Store, free, 7 pm
JUNE 14
Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life Soil health may not sound glamorous, but our food supply depends on the the ground’s ability to nourish plants year after year. Learn from David Montgomery, University of Washington professor of geomorphology, about how innovations in soil science that reduce the need for water and chemicals may yet save us from starvation. Kane Hall, 6:30 pm
Carolyn Parkhurst
Carolyn Parkhurst (whose debut novel, The Dogs of Babel, was a bestseller and landed a spot on The New
students are not). This talk and panel will begin with a presentation by Town Hall’s Community Programs Curator, Kristin Leong, who will speak about Roll Call (a TED-Ed Innovation Project) that aims to connect students and teachers through commonalities. Afterwards, hear from a panel featuring Garfield High School’s Jesse Hagopian (a nationally-recognized education activist), UW College of Education’s Joy Williamson-Lott, Sharonne Navas from the Equity in Education Coalition of Washington, and Seattle World School’s Saraswati Noel.
Town Hall, $5, 7:30 pm
JUNE 16
Race, Identity and Culture in the Pacific Northwest
This event promises a multidisciplinary (artistic, cultural, historical) take on culturally rooted community celebrations, with a panel that asks: “What role do ethnic gatherings have in strengthening identity?”
Seattle Art Museum, free, noon
Jacques Rancourt and E. J. Koh
This evening, hear from two poets: E. J. Koh, winner of the Pleiades Press Editors Prize for the forthcoming collection A Lesser Love, and Jacques J. Rancout, winner of the Lena-Miles Wever Todd prize for the newly released collection Novena Open Books, free, 7 pm
James McGrath Morris
A dazzling polymath of literary forms, Sherman Alexie’s latest book is a heartrending memoir made up of poetry and prose he wrote in response to the death of his mother at the age of 78. The portrait in You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me is that of a “beautiful, mercurial, abusive, intelligent, and complicated woman,” and of the boy who used literature to fashion his escape.
CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE
Town Hall, $5, 7:30 pm
JUNE 15
Transit Talks: Small Moments
This live storytelling event will feature tales from public transit, told in three to five minutes. Focus on the uplifting gems rather than the horror stories—they want to highlight “the unique way that transit connects us to people, places, and community.”
Rendezvous, $5, 6 pm
Karma Brown in Conversation with Terry Tazioli
Author Karma Brown (Come Away with Me) will join University Book Store’s Terry Tazioli for a discussion of Brown’s new novel, In This Moment, a portrait of regret and loss.
University Book Store, free, 7 pm
★ Writers & Poets of Washington State: Gary Lilley, Ann Tweedy, Sharma Shields & Erin Pringle
Port Townsend poet Gary Lilley is reason enough to go this reading. His latest book is The Bushman’s Medicine Show, and it’s full of the vivid, cinematic blues-inflected narratives we’ve come to expect over the course of his woefully undersung career. But the fact that he’s sharing the bill with so many other of Washington state’s great writers, including Ann Tweety, Sharma Shields (author of the 2016 Washington State Book Awardwinning novel The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac), and Erin Pringle, makes this event a must-see. RS Hugo House First Hill, free, 7 pm
Rick Wartzman Jill Abramson (former executive editor of the New York Times) wrote that Rick Wartzman’s The End of Loyalty: The Rise and Fall of Good Jobs in America is “a prescient book that helps explain the rise of Donald Trump and why so many people feel anger and an acute sense of loss.”
Jobs here are not what they used to be. Wartzman, focusing on four major American employers (General Motors, General Electric, Kodak, and Coca-Cola) will explain why.
Town Hall, $5, 7:30 pm
★ Town Hall Ed and The Seattle Times present #EducationSoWhite After #JournalismSoWhite comes #EducationSoWhite, an event that aims to discuss and draw attention to the fact that teachers are overwhelmingly white (while their
In The Ambulance Drivers, biographer James McGrath Morris has turned his eye to a legendary literary friendship: the relationship between Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos. Learn about war writing, Hemingway’s inscrutable character, and the famous (and public) interpersonal drama between the two iconic figures.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm ★ Al Franken
Former Saturday Night Live comedian and current junior senator from Minnesota Al Franken has a new book out humbly titled Al Franken: Giant of the Senate. His previous books (many of them skewering right-wing politics) have been bestsellers. Franken has been a vocal and active opponent of Trump, questioning the administration’s ties to Russia and pressing for an investigation into his tax returns. Franken is generally busy being a senator and trying to stop the United States from bursting into flames, so take this opportunity to hear about his work (and his new book) firsthand.
Town Hall, $5 (standby only), 7:30 pm
JUNE 17
Civic Saturday with Eric Liu Eric Liu will host Civic Saturday, described as “a civic analogue to church”: a service that celebrates the American civic tradition through readings, songs, silent reflection, and a sermon by Liu himself. Town Hall, free, 10:30 am
Seanan McGuire
Seanan McGuire (who also writes under the pseudonym Mira Grant, and who holds the honor of being the only person to appear on the prestigious Hugo Award ballot five times in one year) will share the latest installment in her Wayward Children series: Down Among the Sticks and Bones
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 6:30 pm
Steve Steinberg and Rob Garratt
Two authors that write about sports will share their latest works: Steinberg’s Urban Shocker: Silent Hero of Baseball’s Golden Age and Garratt’s Home Team: The Turbulent History of the San Francisco Giants
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JUNE 18
Cleve Jones
Activist Cleve Jones’s When We Rise: My Life in the Movement recounts the gay liberation movement of the 1970s from the inside. He’ll sign the books and speak afterwards at the Plymouth Church service.
Plymouth Congregational Church, free, 10:30 am
★ MK Czerwiec
Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371 is a graphic novel inspired by true stories told by HIV and AIDS patients to Czerwiec herself, who worked as a nurse at a
SHONTINA VERNON
THINGS TO DO READINGS & TALKS
Chicago HIV/AIDS Care Unit in 1994. Alison Bechdel (Fun Home) wrote that “through the lives and deaths of individual patients, written and drawn in documentary detail, we see the power dynamic between doctor and patient begin to shift. When cure is not an option, care takes on a new meaning.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 3 pm
JUNE 18, JULY 12, 23 & 26
David B. Williams
David B. Williams’s new book, Waterway, is another chapter in his nonfiction love affair with Seattle, which retraces the history of the Locks and the Ship Canal, the latter of which celebrates its 100th anniversary on July 4. On June 18 and July 26, he’ll lead a boat tour around the bridges of Lake Union and Lake Washington; on July 12, he’ll join with environmental historian Jennifer Ott at MOHAI for a discussion of the Lake Washington Ship Canal; on July 23, he’ll read at the Central Library.
Various locations
JUNE 19
Richard Chess
Love Nailed to the Doorpost combines poetry and lyrical prose by Richard Chess with illustrations by Daniel Nevins. Chess will be in the store to discuss his new work, the title of which is inspired by the mezuzahs at the entrances to Jewish homes.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JUNE 19 & AUG 24
Linnea Westerlind
Linnea Westerlind runs the amazing website Year of Seattle Parks, which chronicles how she set out to visit every single public park in Seattle in one year and ended up doing it—in four. Now, she offers you her knowledge of Seattle’s very numerous parks, some of them wellhidden away, in Discovering Seattle Parks: A Local’s Guide
University Book Store, free, 7 pm (June 19); Third Place Books Seward Park, free, 7:30 pm (Aug 24)
JUNE 20
Andrew Evans
Andrew Evans combines travel writing with queer (and ex-Mormon!) memoir in his new book, The Black Penguin, about a lengthy and eventful journey to Antarctica.
Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm
Daryl Gregory
Daryl Gregory writes science fiction, fantasy, and comic books, including Pandemonium, The Devil’s Alphabet, and Unpossible. His next novel is Spoonbenders, a story that revolves around the effects of a classified government study about telekinesis. University Book Store, free, 7 pm
★ Eddie Izzard
Eddie Izzard earned himself a reputation as one of England’s contemporary comedic geniuses largely by using his stand-up sets to rigorously interrogate life’s great mysteries. How could anyone ever forget his philosophical treatise on the question of whether one would rather eat cake or die? In his new memoir, Believe Me, he uses his considerable intelligence and sharp wit to tell the story of his own life. RS Moore Theatre, $50-$60, 7 pm Finn Murphy
Get a glimpse of the American landscape from the perspective of an impossibly tall and heavy 18-wheeler. Long-haul trucker Finn Murphy is the author of The Long Haul: A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road, and he’ll share his amus-
Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland
ing and touching travel stories at this discussion.
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
Brian Merchant
Learn about the practical and philosophical ramifications of the iPhone—how it’s made, why it’s popular, why we should care that everyone has one—from Brian Merchant, author of The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone Town Hall, 7:30 pm
★ The Moth presents GrandSLAM Listeners of The Moth know the deal: each storyslammer has a short period of time to tell a compelling story, whether poignant, funny, tragic, or edifying. This night’s raconteurs are the top slammers from the previous ten months, so they’re sure to be unmissable. Town Hall, $25, 8 pm Salon of Shame
Writing that makes you cringe (“middle school diaries, high school poetry, unsent letters”) is displayed with unapologetic hilarity at the Salon of Shame. Every show sells out extremely quickly, but if you can’t get tickets, show up at 7 pm on the night of the show to get on the waitlist—cash only. The organizers say you have a 90 percent chance of getting in if you do so.
Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center, $18, 8 pm
JUNE 21
★ History Café: Queer Resistance and Activism in Seattle
In this edition of History Café, UW PhD candidate Kevin McKenna will explore the history of local LGBTQ activism.
Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI), free, 6:30 pm
Jennifer Doudna
Jennifer Doudna is a scientist smart enough to help invent a gene-editing tool that could shape the course of evolution—and smart enough to realize that the project had gone too far, and scientists suddenly had too much power in their hands.
Hear about her new book, A Crack in Creation, and her perspective on manipulating DNA and the scientific and ethical dilemmas our society is currently facing.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
Joseph Kanon
Joseph Kanon (author of novels including Leaving Berlin and The Good German, and known for his post-World War II thrillers) will share his latest work, Defectors, about a spy settled in Moscow whose loyalties are ambiguous.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
★ Norm Stamper and Marti Jonjak
Stranger reporter Ana Sofia Knauf wrote, “On January 27, 2013, James Anderson walked into the Central District’s Twilight Exit and shot two people: his 24-year-old girlfriend and bouncer Greg McCormick. Both of them survived. Anderson was later fatally shot by a police officer.
Stranger contributor Marti Jonjak was at the club the night of the shooting. She and a friend sat next to the woman at the bar and later
found themselves crouching next to her when Anderson came into the bar with a gun. Since then, Jonjak has chronicled the shooting through conversations with witnesses in a column for McSweeney’s, with illustrations from Seattle artist Kelly Bjork.” At this event, hear from Jonjak, who will read selections from the column. She will be joined by author and former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper, who will share his book, To Protect and Serve: How to Fix America’s Police and Breaking Rank: A Top Cop’s Exposé of the Dark Side of American Policing
Hugo House First Hill, free, 7 pm
JUNE 21–22
Matthew Sullivan Matthew Sullivan is known for his short stories, but he’s visiting Seattle to share his debut novel, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, about a bookstore clerk who begins investigating why one of her patrons committed suicide.
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm (June 21); University Book Store, free, 7 pm (June 22)
JUNE 22
Julia Quinn
Bestselling historical fiction author Julia Quinn (a pseudonym) has a thirst for romance. Her latest work, The Girl with the MakeBelieve Husband, is a prequel in her Bridgertons series, and features a woman who happens upon a soldier in a coma and pretends to be his wife.
Central Library, free, 7 pm
★ Doug Nufer
Sarah Galvin wrote that in Doug Nufer’s work, “pulp, noir, and pop function like clippings from familiar magazines in an elaborate collage.” Nufer’s latest release, The Me Theme, is shaped by a precise form—in this work, “strings of letters repeat to form different words.” Celebrate its release at this book launch party.
Gallery 1412, free, 7:30 pm
Erik Brynjolfsson & Andrew McAfee with Ramez Naam
Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson (both from the MIT Center for Digital Business, and authors of The Second Machine Age) present this take on the digital age that calls on forward-thinkers to re-examine “the integration of minds and machines, of products and platforms, and of the core and the crowd.”
Town Hall, $5, 7:30 pm
Langdon Cook Langdon Cook (The Mushroom Hunters) will share his latest work, Upstream: Searching for Wild Salmon, from River to Table, which offers an up-to-date and holistic examination of our favorite local fish. Look forward to perspectives from fishermen, farmers, scientists, environmentalists, and indigenous communities.
Third Place Books Seward Park, free, 7:30 pm
★ An Evening with Naomi Klein
Naomi Klein (best known for her book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, as well as This Changes Everything, a book— and a documentary—about why climate change requires us to give up our free-market ideals and organize a new way of living) will share her latest work, No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need. The
brilliant Junot Díaz described the book as “a courageous coruscating counter-spell against the hegemonic nightmare that, if left unchecked, will devour us all.”
Neptune Theatre, $10/$24, 7:30 pm
JUNE 23
Richard V. Reeves
Richard V. Reeves (author, journalist, and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution) will discuss and sign copies of Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do About It. Expect an economic and sociological analysis of the top 20 percent of American earners. Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 6:30 pm
A Guide to Visitors: Flight Listen to (or tell!) stories about flight—from the economic impact of Boeing to your stand-up jokes about airplane food—at this event coproduced by MOHAI and A Guide to Visitors (billed as “Seattle’s longest running storytelling event”). Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI), $15, 7 pm
Mya Guarnieri Jaradat
Journalist Jaradat’s The Unchosen: The Lives of Israel’s New Others examines Israel’s non-Jewish population, especially undocumented immigrants, migrants, and asylumseekers, and asks, “Can Israel be both Jewish and democratic?” University Book Store, free, 7 pm
★ Nathan Hill
In his review of The Nix for NPR, Jason Sheehan admiringly and almost lovingly describes the addictive nature of Nathan Hill’s 620-page novel, writing that the “looping, run-on, wildly digressive pages which, somehow, in their absolute refusal to cling together and act like a book, make the perfect book for our distracted age.” In a New York Times review, Alexandra Alter says that The Nix is about “politics, online gaming, academia, Norwegian mythology, social media, the Occupy Wall Street protests and the 1960s counterculture.” In short, this reading looks fun. Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JUNE 24
★ T. Geronimo Johnson
The novel Welcome to Braggsville is an award-laden bestseller that Rich Benjamin at The New York Times described as a mixture between “a satirical The Indian Princess, James Nelson Barker’s 1808 libretto about Pocahontas” and “a macabre E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial”—and this summer, it’s being performed as a stage play presented by the excellent Book-It Repertory Theatre. If all of that isn’t good enough for you, try this—the author of the novel, T. Geronimo Johnson, is stopping by in person for a conversation with the Book-It adaptors (Josh Aaseng and Daemond Arrindell).
Book-It Repertory Theatre, $15, 5 pm
Andrew Carroll
Once again, Andrew Carroll (author of Letters of a Nation: A Collection of Extraordinary American Letters) dove into a massive pile of artifacts and documents to create a precise historical picture. His latest work, My Fellow Soldiers: General John Pershing and the Americans Who Helped Win the Great War, focuses on the American experience in World War I.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JUNE 26
Barbara Bonner
Barbara Bonner will share her new book, Inspiring Courage, which aims to “help us authentically live life to the fullest” through stories, poems, and quotations.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
Bree Loewen Loewen, who has been a ranger on Mount Rainier and a Seattle EMT, will sign her nonfiction book
Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue Learn what it’s like to head back into the mountains, time after time, to save victims of accidents and emergency situations.
University Book Store, free, 7 pm
★ Betsy Hartmann
Historian and public policy advocate Betsy Hartmann has written a book about America that stretches back to our Puritanical roots, exploring the enduring obsession with doomsday and the apocalypse. She’ll also examine the impact of that fixation, including “inequality, permanent war, and the exploitation of natural resources.” Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Kai Bird writes that The America Syndrome is “a timely debunking of anti-intellectualism in American life and of all those demagogues who have stoked American nativist paranoia.”
Town Hall, $5, 7:30 pm
JUNE 27
★ Charles Johnson in Conversation with Garth Stein National Book Award-winner Charles Johnson (Middle Passage) will speak about his new book of meditations on the written word, The Way of the Writer, in conversation with Garth Stein (The Art of Racing in the Rain, A Sudden Light). Third Place Books Ravenna, free, 7 pm
Kij Johnson
At this event, award-laden fantasy author and professor Kij Johnson (Fox Magic, Spar, and The Man Who Bridged the Mist) will share some of her favorite new work and answer questions about process, teaching, and more.
University Book Store, free, 7 pm
★ Robert Lopez and Sam Ligon
Robert Lopez’s All Back Full is a theatrical novel consisting of three extended conversations that happen between just three characters. Lopez will be joined at this reading by Sam Ligon, whose new thriller, Among the Dead and Dreaming, was described by Jess Walter (extremely accomplished author and A Tiny Sense of Accomplishment co-host) as “a wildly original love story, a ghost story, a tense and suspenseful story in which the wickedly talented Ligon channels voices—of the lost, the longing, and the damned.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
★ Arundhati Roy
Almost exactly 20 years after the first time she came to read in Seattle for The God of Small Things, an extraordinary and haunting novel about desire and betrayal within the context of India’s caste system, the author and activist returns with her much-anticipated second novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, which Booklist calls “an entrancing, imaginative, wrenching epic.” CF Town Hall, $5/$35, 7:30 pm
Doug Mack
speak in particular on his role in removing the Elwha Dams and restoring river habitats. Come for a formal presentation and Q&A sponsored by NatureBridge. Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm
JULY 5
John Chu
The very busy John Chu (whose website describes him as “a microprocessor architect by day, a writer, translator, and podcast narrator by night,” and author of fiction including the Hugo Awardwinning story “The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere”) will share some of his favorite new work and answer questions about process, teaching, and more. University Book Store, free, 7 pm David Hicks with Andrea Dunlop and Donna Miscolta Writer and professor David Hicks will discuss his debut novel, White Plains, which follows the story of a man who abandons his life and flees west after 9/11.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JULY 6
★ Elaine M. Hayes
This is not the first biography of jazz star Sarah Vaughan, also known as “Sassy” or “The Divine One.” But it does seem to be the first book about the iconic singer that highlights her role as a pioneer of women’s and civil rights. Author Elaine M. Hayes’s Queen of Bebop “updates and corrects the historical record on Vaughan and elevates her status as a jazz great.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
Wendy N. Wagner Wagner, managing editor of Lightspeed magazine and a full-time science fiction and fantasy nerd, will sign her novel An Oath of Dogs, a murder mystery featuring sentient canines. University Book Store, free, 7 pm
JULY 8
★ Hot Off the Press Book Fair
Seattle’s world-renowned Fantagraphics Books, known for their boundary-pushing cartoons and graphic novels, will host their annual Hot Off the Press book fair. They’ll have new releases you must check out immediately, including Simon Hanselmann’s One More Year plus selections from Breakdown Press, Hey Lady, Short Run Micropress, and Fogland Studios. Fantagraphics Bookstore and Gallery, free, 4 pm
JULY 9
★ Queer Press Fest Meet 10 comics and zine artists from the queer community. Push/Pull, free, noon
JULY 10
Julia Glass National Book Award-winner Julia Glass (Three Junes) will share her new novel, A House Among the Trees, about the death of a children’s book author (possibly very loosely based on Maurice Sendak) and its unusual aftermath. Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JULY 11
Why you should see it: They have teamed up to write a near-future thriller, and he has been known to predict the future before.
When/Where: June 12 at Town Hall.
Doug Mack will share stories and history from American territories, from Samoa to Puerto Rico, while discussing his new book: Not-Quite States of America: Dispatches from the Territories and Other Far-Flung Outposts of the USA
Third Place Books Seward Park, free, 7:30 pm
JUNE 28
Jess Arndt
Jess Arndt will share his debut collection of short stories, Large Animals, which Kirkus describes as “deeply transgressive” and “riveting,” while investigating “narratives of the queer body.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
Bill Bradley & Dan Evans
Former New Jersey Democratic senator Bill Bradley and former Republican Washington State governor Dan Evans will give a bipartisan, pro-environment talk highlighting science and successes. Bradley may
Connie Willis Connie Willis is the winner of an unprecedented total of 11 Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards, and she’s reading in Seattle as part of the Clarion West science fiction series. Central Library, free, 7 pm
Fiona Davis
Until 1981, New York City’s famous Barbizon Hotel for Women did not allow men to ascend past the ground floor. Celebrities and intellectuals—from Grace Kelly to Joan Didion to Mona Simpson—filled the living spaces. Fiona Davis’s debut novel, The Dollhouse, offers a fictionalized history of the building that’s full of drama and intrigue. Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JULY 12
Kay Kenyon and Nancy Kress
Philip K. Dick Award-nominated novelist Kay Kenyon and Nebula-, Hugo-, and Sturgeon-winning writer Nancy Kress will sign their new novels: Kenyon’s At the Table of Wolves a WWII espionage novel with sci-fi elements, and Kress’s Tomorrow’s Kin, the first in a trilogy about a
tense standoff between an alien culture and Earth’s inhabitants.
University Book Store, free, 7 pm
Victoria Redel with Julia Fierro Victoria Redel (author, poet, and professor, whose titles include Make Me Do Things, The Border of Truth, Loverboy, and Woman Without Umbrella) will join Julia Fierro (Cutting Teeth) at this event co-presented by Hedgebrook. Redel will share her latest release, Before Everything: a novel about friendship and death.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JULY 14
Jenny D. Williams
Hear about Seattle-based writer
Jenny D. Williams’s debut novel, The Atlas of Forgotten Places about a young American woman who goes missing in Uganda.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JULY 15
★ Kaitlin Solimine and Warren Read Kaitlin Solimine’s Empire of Glass about memory, oral history, and preand post-revolutionary China—is a book-within-a-book with detailed footnotes that tell a second story. Colson Whitehead (who wrote The Underground Railroad) awarded an earlier draft of Empire of Glass the 2012 Dzanc Books/Disquiet International Literary Program award. Solimine will be joined by Warren Read, who will share his latest work, Ash Falls, a thriller set in the Pacific Northwest.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JULY 16–23
The Port Townsend Writers’ Conference Head to Fort Worden State Park, with its pretty beach and historic bunkers, for the Port Townsend Writers’ Conference that promises readings, lectures, workshops, guided freewrites, and more. This year’s lineup of readers and teachers includes local luminaries like Priscilla Long, Mark Doty, Sam Ligon, and Jourdan Imani Keith. Fort Worden State Park, $200+
JULY 17
Eric Chudler and Lise A. Johnson
Learn about many aspects of neuroscience (from its complicated history to relatable pop-culture applications) with Eric Chudler and Lise Johnson, authors of Brain Bytes University Book Store, free, 7 pm
JULY 18
Daniel José Older
Daniel José Older (author of Half-Resurrection Blues and Shadowshaper) will read in Seattle as part of the Clarion West science fiction series.
Central Library, free, 7 pm
JULY 19
Bianca Marais
Marais’s Hum If You Don’t Know the Words looks at the antiapartheid Soweto Rising from the points of view of a Xhosa woman seeking her missing daughter and a 10-year-old white girl.
University Book Store, free, 7 pm
★ Claire Dederer
Claire Dederer’s Love and Trouble:
A Mid-Life Reckoning is a funny
Arundhati Roy
Why you should see it: Twenty years after her extraordinary TheGodofSmallThings, she returns with a second novel.
When/Where: June 27 at Town Hall.
more) will share some of her favorite new work and answer questions about process, teaching, and more. University Book Store, free, 7 pm Food and Story: Joong Tay and Val (described as “veteran storytellers, filmmakers, and community activators”) will pair up with food anthropologist Maxine Chan to teach you about joong, a Chinese rice dumpling—also known as zongzi—as well as the history of Chinese American food in the ID. Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI), 7 pm
memoir about sadness, friendship, Seattle, literature, and the mysteries of physical desire. CF Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
Ian Bassingthwaighte
Ian Bassingthwaighte’s debut novel is set just after Cairo’s January 25 revolution, and promises a history and politics-driven take on President Mubarak’s ejection (while maintaining all the personality and emotion you’d expect from a novel). Nathan Hill (who is scheduled to visit Elliott Bay earlier in the summer) called Live from Cairo “important and necessary.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JULY 20
Sarah Healy Relationships between mothers, daughters, and sisters take center stage in Sarah Healy’s latest novel, The Sisters Chase, which author Chevy Stevens says “hits all the right marks.”
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
JULY 21
P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast Celebrate young adult fantasy books with P. C. Cast and Kristen Cast, authors of Loved (the first in their House of Night Other World series). Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 6:30 pm
JULY 24
Alexandra Teague Poet and author Maria Hummel (Motherland and House and Fire) describes Alexandra Teague’s debut novel, The Principles Behind Flotation, as a “buoyant, soulful ride through a teenage girl’s summer of self-discovery.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
David MacNeal
We like to think we’re more powerful than bugs (we can squash them, after all) but the truth is that we’re outnumbered, and they have a huge influence on our world and ecosystem. Learn the details from David MacNeal, who will discuss and sign copies of his new book, Bugged: The Insects Who Rule the World and the People Obsessed with Them Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
★ Rachel Khong
Rachel Khong has two very good, very different books coming out. One is called All About Eggs, which is a funny and informative cookbook about the only life-giver that’s also a top-tier party snack. It’s published by Lucky Peach, so you know it’s pretty and full of great illustrations. Her other book is a novel called Goodbye, Vitamin, which is about a down-and-out thirtysomething who gets dumped and is thus forced to return to her childhood home, where she must care for her ailing parents. It’s supposed to be as charming and funny as the egg book, but a little bit sadder. Khong’s definitely a writer to keep your eye on. RS University Book Store, free, 7 pm
JULY 25
Pat Cadigan Science fiction/steampunk author Pat Cadigan (The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for Sushi Synners Fools, and
JULY 25 & AUG 18
★ Anastacia Tolbert
July 25 is the book launch for Black Radish’s Forget It, one of three Anastacia Reneé titles due for publication this summer. If you haven’t seen Reneé at a reading around town in the last year or so, you haven’t been going to readings around town. She’s everywhere, either performing her dramatic, multi-persona poems from one of those three books, or starring in her ever-developing solo show, 9 Ounces. She’s swept up tons of local and national awards and residencies recently, and for good reason: her poems are smart and powerful, her delivery is varied and compelling, and she’s got great style. RS On August 18, Tolbert will celebrate the release of all three books: (v.), Forget It, and Answer(Me).
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm (July 25); Hugo House First Hill, free, 7 pm (Aug 18)
JULY 26
Christopher Sanford Hark back to the days of brainy diplomacy with postwar popular historian Christopher Sanford in Union Jack: John F. Kennedys Special Relationship with Great Britain University Book Store, free, 7 pm Kevin O’Brien
Bestselling author and Seattle writer Kevin O’Brien is coming to Elliott Bay to present his latest thriller, Hide Your Fear, which is set in a possibly haunted house on Washington’s coast.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
JULY 27
Dr. Joseph Pizzorno
The title of Dr. Joseph Pizzorno’s new book sounds a bit like a scary local news headline (The Toxin Solution: How Hidden Poisons in the Air, Water, Food, and Products We Use Are Destroying Our Health— And What We Can Do to Fix It) but it also promises solutions for “detoxing” and improving your health. Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
JULY 29
Dawn Reno Langley
Dawn Reno Langley will read from and sign copies of The Mourning Parade, about a mother whose two children were killed in a school shooting and finds an unlikely source of emotional support in Thailand: an injured elephant named Sophie. Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 6:30 pm
JULY 31
★ Robert Moor
On Trails is the first book by Robert Moor, a hiker and writer who had an excellent essay in The New Yorker titled “Why The Most Popular Hiking Memoirs Don’t Go the Distance.” On Trails came out in 2016 to thunderous acclaim from environmentalists, outdoors enthusiasts, and reviewers, and was called “the best outdoors book of the year” by the Sierra Club.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
AUG 2
Swan Huntley
Swan Huntley (author of We Could Be Beautiful) will share her latest thriller, The Goddesses, which Kirkus
THINGS TO DO READINGS & TALKS
described as “a haunting story of betrayal and forgiveness that packs an unexpectedly emotional punch.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
AUG 3
Andrew Sean Greer
Andrew Sean Greer will share his new novel, Less: a love story about an American traveling abroad and a feel-good travel satire.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
Meg Cabot
Longtime YA favorite Meg Cabot has a new princess book out, this one aimed at younger readers: Royal Crush: From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess University Book Store, 7 pm
AUG 4
★ Camille Dungy Poet and author Camille Dungy (Smith Blue, What to Eat, What to Drink, What to Leave for Poison, and Suck on the Marrow, among others) will share two new works. The first is Trophic Cascade, a collection of poems “written in the face of despair to hold an impossible love and a commitment to hope,” and the second is a series of personal essays titled Guidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys into Race, Motherhood, and History her prose debut that Roxane Gay called “an elegant, meditative love letter to the life of the writer, the natural world, histories from which we cannot nor should not extricate ourselves, black womanhood, black motherhood, and the unabashed joy of raising up a black girl.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
Julie Grossman
It’s the 21st century and women film directors in America, while by no means rare, are still outnumbered by their male colleagues. This despite the fact that women behind the camera have a long history. Take Ida Lupino, an actress who directed several classic, tough B-movies in the 1940s and ‘50s, including The Hitch-Hiker, The Bigamist, and Outrage, before going on to have a career in TV. Julie Grossman will present her new book on this fascinating, adaptable leader.
University Book Store, free, 7 pm AUG 7
Deena Metzger
A story of lovers on two sides of an ideological divide, Deena Metzger’s new novel, A Rain of Night Birds, tackles big issues of colonialism, climate change, and identity.
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
AUG 8–9
Terry Jastrow
Terry Jastrow, whose resume is long and varied (and includes a play as well as a feature film), will share his debut novel. The Trial Of Prisoner 043 presents a reality in which George W. Bush was taken to the International Criminal Court and prosecuted for war crimes in Iraq. Michael Scharf (Dean of Case Western Reserve University School of Law) wrote: “Whatever your position on the legitimacy of the war in Iraq, this is a book you’re going to want to read.”
University Book Store, free, 7 pm (Aug 8); Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm (Aug 9)
AUG 9
★ Jac Jemc
Poet and author Jac Jemc’s The Grip of It is a highly anticipated thriller from the author of works including novel My Only Wife and short story collection A Different Bed Every Time. Sci-fi/speculative fiction author Jeff VanderMeer describes her latest novel as a “stunning, smart, genuinely creepy page-turner that I couldn’t put down.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
AUG 10
Race, Identity and Culture in the Pacific Northwest Five speakers representing diverse local arts and culture—Festa Italiana Dennis Caldirola, film pro-
ducer Ramon Isao, Juliet Cheatle of Pagdiriwang Festival, storyteller Delbert Richardson, and KIRO
anchor Angela Russell—will talk about the value of ethnic festivals (like Seattle Center Festál) and strengthening of communities.
Central Library, free, 7 pm
Tyler Gage
Tyler Gage’s new memoir, Fully Alive: Using the Lessons of the Amazon to Live Your Mission in Business and Life, shares his spiritual adventures and entrepreneurial advice. Gage draws on his experience as the founder of Runa, a company that sells sustainably grown products from indigenous farmers in Ecuador. Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
AUG 17
Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home “Love and Comedy” Tour A Prairie Home Companion legend Garrison Keillor (also known for his program The Writers Almanac, his numerous books and articles, and his work editing poetry anthologies) will speak on his “Love and Comedy” Tour. Woodland Park Zoo North Meadow, $42.50-$117.50, 6 pm
The Alzheimer’s Talks: Gene Tagaban
This talk by Gene Tagaban is one in a series that explores perspectives on Alzheimer’s disease. Tagaban, who is a storyteller, performer, and healer also known as One Crazy Raven, will “share a Native American’s perspective on aging, healing and the power of creative expression to enrich the quality of life for all whose lives are touched by memory loss.”
Benaroya Hall, $35, 7:30 pm
AUG 18
★ Leanne Dunic
Discover Leanne Dunic’s debut novel from local Chin Music Press, To Love the Coming End, which follows a woman traveling in Singapore after the Tohoku earthquake and dealing with her own heartbreak. Third Place Books Ravenna, free, 7 pm
AUG 24
★ Ben Percy
Before we go any further, it’s important to know how deep Ben Percy’s voice is. It’s comically deep. Takes you a few minutes to overcome its startling deepness. But once you get past his sound and into his sense, you’ll realize he’s a strong advocate for and excellent executioner of the literary/genre novel hybrid. “Why can’t the helicopter explode with pretty sentences?” he once asked a room full of Canadians during an event for the National Writers Series. Percy tests that question yet again in his new book, The Dark Net, which is about a Resistance forming in the shadier parts of the web. It’s set in present day Portland, so there’s a little pleasing local connection there, too. RS Elliott Bay Book Company, free, 7 pm
James William Coleman
Sociology professor James William Coleman will discuss and sign copies of his latest book, The Buddha’s Dream of Liberation: Freedom, Emptiness, and Awakened Nature, which explores the “three great teachings of the Buddha,” or the “Three Turnings of the Wheel.” Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
Tom Brosseau and Daniel Levitin
This multidisciplinary event will feature a performance by guitarist Tom Brosseau, as well as an appearance by popular neuroscientist and author Daniel Levitin, whose books include This is Your Brain on Music, The World in Six Songs, and The Organized Mind Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
AUG 25
Spencer Ellsworth
A Red Peace, Spencer Ellworth’s new book that begins his Starfire trilogy, is described as “an action-packed
space opera in a universe where the oppressed half-Jorian crosses have risen up to supplant humanity and dominate the galaxy.”
University Book Store, free, 7 pm
AUG 28
Dan Jones
Historian Dan Jones is the author of four sexy, dramatic, conflictfilled books about British history, including Magna Carta, Summer of Blood, and the New York Times bestselling book The Plantagenets, the first two sentences of which are, “The prince was drunk. So too were the crew and passengers of the ship he had borrowed.” Jones is here to share his latest project, The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God’s Holy Warriors Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, free, 7 pm
AUG 29
Louise Penny in Conversation with Terry Tazioli
Award-winning Canadian mystery author Louise Penny is best known for her series starring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. At this event with University Book Store’s Terry Tazioli, she will share her latest book, Glass Houses (also in the Gamache series).
University Temple United Methodist Church, $29, 7 pm
Nancy Pearl Seattle’s most famous librarian (and action figure!) Nancy Pearl will share her debut novel, George and Lizzie. Author Katherine Heiny (coming to Elliott Bay in June) writes that Nancy Pearl “understands the desperate, confused, needy heart that beats under the surface of even the most dysfunctional of relationships, and exposes it with wit and genuine love.” Town Hall, 7:30 pm
EVERY TUES
Seattle Poetry Slam
Every Tuesday, Seattle Poetry Slam takes over Re-bar with poetry! They start with an open mic, then move on to a featured poet and slam. Awesome, welcoming environment with great writers on the regular. Re-bar, $5, 8 pm
EVERY SECOND TUES
The Round Musicians share the stage with a slam poet and live painter. Fremont Abbey Arts Center, $7-10, 8 pm
EVERY FIRST WED
★ Silent Reading Party
Invented by our own Christopher Frizzelle, the reading party is every first Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. That’s when the Fireside Room at the Sorrento Hotel goes quiet and fills with people with books tucked under their arms. (And, occasionally, a Kindle or two.) By 7 p.m., you often can’t get a seat. And there’s always free music from 6 to 8 p.m. Sorrento Hotel, Free, 6 pm
EVERY SECOND WED
★ Pundamonium: Pun Slam
Competition
Puns are the highest and lowest form of humor: They somehow refresh the materiality of language, reminding you that a word is a figure, a thing that can be looked at from several different angles. So whoever wins the pun competition Pundamonium will likely be one of Seattle’s great crafters of language, both in a Renaissance fair kind of way but also in a literary genius kind of way. The contestants will be chosen from the audience on a first-come, first-served basis, so the title could go to anyone. RS Peddler Brewing Company, $6, 7:30 pm
EVERY FIRST THURS & THIRD FRI
★ Seattle StorySLAM
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. Local comedians tend to show up, but lots of nonperformers get in on the action as well.
The 43rd 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. Various locations
JUNE 7
The Last Shaman
This is the Seattle premiere of Raz Degan’s The Last Shaman, a documentary about depression, self, and the effects of the hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca. Ben Kenisberg at the New York Times writes that, “It’s hard to believe a disclaimer at the end, which says the film is not intended to suggest a course of treatment.” Northwest Film Forum
★ Prince’s Purple Birthday Party with Purple Rain Shortly after Prince died last year, Stranger arts and music editor Sean Nelson wrote, “Prince is in a very small category of artists with a legitimate claim to having defined the aesthetic and cultural (and therefore commercial, and therefore political) framework of a generation.”
Celebrate Prince’s legacy at this birthday screening of Purple Rain Central Cinema
JUNE 8
Cannon for a Cause: Masters of the Universe in Hecklevision Dolph Lundgren is He-Man in this film based on Mattel action figures. Heckle the crap out of him (and the rest of the cast) at this screening where your texts will be displayed on the screen as subtitles. Part of the proceeds will go towards local non-profit Peace For the Streets. Central Cinema
Golden Silence: The Score Feels
This event promises a screening of a film by Astro King Phoenix about young creatives in Seattle, accompanied by a live score.
Northwest Film Forum
JUNE 8–SEPT 28
Peddler Brewing Summer Outdoor Movie Night Series
Enjoy a (hopefully) blissfully mild Seattle summer at Peddler’s outdoor yet covered beer garden. Their selections for this series include a number of crowd-pleasing comedies like Rush Hour, Happy Gilmore, Mean Girls, and Sandlot Peddler Brewing
JUNE 9
Maurizio Cattelan: Be Right Back
This documentary by Maura Axelrod explores the life of Italian artist
Maurizio Cattelan, known for his controversial works including the famous sculpture of Pope John Paul II being hit by a meteorite.
Northwest Film Forum
Tommy Boy
Chris Farley plays a man-child in Peter Segal’s Tommy Boy, a comedy that critics did not appreciate (it’s on Roger Ebert’s “Most Hated” list) but did fairly well with audiences.
Central Cinema
Violet
A teenager watches his best friend die in Bas Devos’s Violet, a movie that Ronnie Scheib at Variety described as “intensely stylized, highly original and utterly mesmerizing.”
Northwest Film Forum
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
is a truly weird, critically acclaimed cult classic and parody by director Billy Clift. Central Cinema
JUNE 11
The Maury Island Incident
Did you know there’s a famous story about a possible (almost certainly fictional) alien spotting that takes place right in Puget Sound? Filmmakers Steve Edmiston and Scott Schaefer will tell you about the far-reaching effects of the tale (also known as the “Maury Island Incident”) and screen their short film about the event.
Northwest Film Forum
★ 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, who plays a shy and alcoholic singer, manages to do what she has always done best: Look highly attractive without being unapproachable. CM Pacific Place
JUNE 13–27
smARTfilms: New World Cinema
Sampler
On Tuesdays in June, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art will show notable films in contemporary and recent-ish cinema—the French tale of a splitting couple (one half of which is Isabelle Huppert) Things to Come (2016), the six “apocalyptic revenge” stories of the Argentinian film Wild Tales (2014), and the sad Argentinian comedy Truman (2015). Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
JUNE 14
Toshio Matsumoto Shorts
See shorts by the late Japanese film director and video artist, renowned for his experimental and provocative films including the 1969 drama Funeral Parade of Roses (a queer take on Oedipus Rex) which Northwest Film Forum will screen on June 15.
Northwest Film Forum
JUNE 15
★ Dark Lodge: The Man Who Fell to Earth: Remixed!
An extremely Tilda Swinton-esque David Bowie stars in this erratic but extremely watchable sci-fi film from 1976. At this screening, presented as part of the Dark Lodge series, they’ll replace the existing soundtrack with an all-Bowie compilation arranged and performed live by DJ NicFit. Ark Lodge Cinemas
Last Men in Aleppo Syrian filmmaker Feras Fayyad’s documentary Last Men in Aleppo (winner of the Grand Jury Documentary prize at Sundance) shows the real aftermath of a Russian bomb on the title city. Glenn Kenny at the New York Times describes the documentary as “both urgent and mournful,” and writes that “this is an essential film, but it is also a terribly dispiriting one.”
Northwest Film Forum
JUNE 16
★ All Eyez on Me
This is a biopic about the overrated rapper Tupac Shakur. Now, I’m going to say something that might hurt but is just truth: The decline of hiphop is marked by the rise of Biggie Smalls and Shakur in the mid-90s. They were the first to successfully sell the soul of hiphop. And once the sale was made, we entered the age of the rapper as multi-millionaire—and considering
the trajectory of Jay-Z and Dr. Dre, the billionaire rapper is not long in coming. Shakur, like Smalls, had to sell out because they were secondrate. A first-rate rapper has no fear (check out Ish of Shabazz Palaces). He/she can only, to use the words of Erick Sermon, stay real. CM
Wide
But I’m a Cheerleader
But I’m a Cheerleader is Jamie Babbit’s beloved cult comedy about gay conversion therapy featuring Natasha Lyonne, Cathy Moriarty, and RuPaul.
Central Cinema
★ Dean
Demetri Martin takes a more poignant turn in this comedy/drama about grief, love, and parents that he wrote, directed, and starred in. The movie won high praise as well as the Founder’s Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival. Sundance Cinemas & SIFF Cinema
Uptown
Ma Vie en Rose Little “Ludovic” is a girl inside and wants only to be recognized. She seeks solace with Pam, a flying spirit princess, and declares her love for the next-door neighbor’s daughter. But her family reacts with shock and alarm to her innocent desires. This film won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, a GLAAD Media Award, and many other laurels. Central Cinema
JUNE 17
Pride Film Fest
Enjoy a series of (mostly) free screenings presented as part of Seattle PrideFest. They’ll showcase the best movies that local LGBTQ film organization Three Dollar Bill Cinema has shown in the past year—plus, they’ll host a workshop with Cleve Jones (an activist and author who conceived the legendary NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt) and a screening of the 2008 biopic Milk David Schmader credited Milk’s success to its “comfortably unabashed sexuality” and Sean Penn’s “quietly amazing, simultaneously lived-in and spontaneous” performance.
Northwest Film Forum & SIFF Cinema Egyptian
JUNE 21
Armi Alive!
This Finnish play-within-a-film from 2015 dramatizes the life of Armi Ratia, the founder of the textile company Marimekko.
Nordic Heritage Museum
JUNE 23
Drop Dead Fred
Disturbing “children’s film” Drop Dead Fred is about a nightmare of an imaginary friend played by Rik Mayall. Directed by Ate De Jong and starring Phoebe Cates, Marsha Mason, Tim Matheson, and Carrie Fisher.
Central Cinema
I’m Not Fascinating: The Movie!
This Hard Day’s Night-style movie is about the lives of San Francisco band the Icky Boyfriends, directed by Danny Plotnick and billed as
“one of the most resplendent footnotes of rock ‘n’ roll anti-history ever to grace the silver screen.”
Northwest Film Forum Icaros: A Vision
This is Northwest Film Forum’s second summer film that revolves around transcendent psychedelic experiences. Leonor Caraballo and Matteo Norzi’s Icaros is set at a healing center in the Peruvian jungle and promises explorations into “the secrets of life and death.” Neil Genzlinger at the New York Times writes: “You may find this sparse film maddeningly elusive, but chances are you’ll come out of it with your head spinning, in a good way.”
Northwest Film Forum
★ Jurassic Park
In Steven Spielberg’s lovable adventure, dinosaurs get resurrected by scientists for the purpose of being put in a dinosaur zoo. The zoo seems cool at first, but soon all the dinosaurs escape and begin to terrorize the visitors and staff, killing many.
Central Cinema
JUNE 24–AUG 5
Seattle Outdoor Cinema
The Seattle Outdoor Cinema (formerly Fremont Outdoor Movies) is celebrating its 25th season with a lineup of blockbuster favorites from comedies to romance to quasihorror movies: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Shaun of the Dead, The Wedding Singer, The 5th Element, The Big Lebowski, La La Land, and The Dark Night
South Lake Union Discovery Center
JUNE 26
Sami Blood
A teenage girl of the semi-nomadic Sami people, who are indigenous to Northern Sweden, is taken from her home to be “civilized” in the 1930s. This Swedish film reminds us that Native culture was suppressed in Europe, too.
Nordic Heritage Museum
JUNE 29
The Room
A very strange and poorly made Tommy Wiseau film, engaging without any narrative cohesion, that should probably be watched under the influence of something or other.
Central Cinema
JUNE 30
An American Tail
This extremely successful animated kids’ movie, which boasts a lovely score by James Horner, is about a young Russian mouse who immigrates to the United States to escape religious persecution.
Central Cinema
★ Men in Black
In the 1997 sci-fi movie Men in Black Will Smith played an ordinary police officer who, subsequent to being secretly watched and examined, is admitted into a “highly funded, yet unofficial government agency,” which monitors and polices extraterrestrial activity on earth. What is important about this story, and why I bring it up, is that it stands as the first big-budget or mainstream film
to give expression to black paranoia. By black paranoia I mean that brand of fear that is convinced that the U.S. government (and it’s always the government, never corporations—corporations have more currency in white paranoia) is constantly watching and listening to black activity. CM
Central Cinema
Reservoir Dogs
This super-bloody crime thriller with a really subtle ear removal scene marks the moment when Tarantino became Tarantino.
SIFF Cinema Uptown
JULY 5
★ Oh, I Get It
If you care about Seattle comedy, don’t miss this screening of short film Oh, I Get It, a documentary about queer comedy and social change in Seattle made by feminist film collective Union Street Films. The event will also feature a panel discussion with director Danny Tayara, the Establishment editorat-large and Stranger contributor Ijeoma Oluo, and popular queer comedian El Sanchez.
Central Library
JULY 6
Jaws
When the brutal deaths show no sign of ceasing, a recalcitrant New England town publicly admits there may be a man-eating shark in its waters. Crucial tourism revenue hangs in the balance as an ill-equipped hunting party of three pursues the shark in a small boat.
SIFF Cinema Uptown
JULY 6–AUG 24
Movies at Magnuson Park
For the seventh season, Magnuson Park will have family-friendly movies, live entertainment, movie trivia, and food trucks on Thursday evenings. This year’s lineup will feature Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Moana, Hidden Figures, Willy Wonka, La La Land, Lego Batman, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Princess Bride Magnuson Park
JULY 7
★ Donnie Darko
Having studied Donnie Darko carefully a few times, I still can’t tell if the plot’s weird calculus—what actually happens, to whom, and where, and when—actually adds up to anything more than a semirandom sequence of related but unconnected events. What I can say, however, is that the film resonates with a uniquely American kind of sadness. SEAN NELSON
SIFF Cinema Uptown
Mission: Impossible
Erik Henriksen writes, “As his best performances—those in Top Gun, Rain Man, A Few Good Men, Jerry Maguire, Minority Report, Magnolia, Collateral, Tropic Thunder, Jack Reacher, Edge of Tomorrow, Going Clear—prove, Tom Cruise does not do anything halfway. Cruise goes all in, with a fearless, relentless ability to entertain. Tom Cruise knows how he looks when he runs. Tom Cruise
All Eyez on Me
Why you should see it: Everyone’s going to watch this Tupac Shakur biopic. There’s no avoiding it. For Charles Mudede’s unpopular Tupac opinion, see below.
When/Where: June 16, wide release.
doesn’t care, because if he’s going to run, he’s going to run.” See Cruise run in this 1996 action favorite. Central Cinema
★ Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Want to understand Los Angeles?
One of the most important and engaging films about this city is Robert Zemeckis’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a live action/animated neo-noir about the exploitation at the heart of a LA’s biggest industry, Hollywood. The late Bob Hoskins plays the private detective who enters the maze of streets, image factories, and business offices to search for the solution to a mystery. The film’s rabbit happens to be married to a super-curvy femme fatale. CM Central Cinema
JULY 8–AUG 26
Drive-in Movies at ACM
Drive down to Tacoma’s classic car museum or bring a blanket or chair to sit on the lawn and watch blockbusters Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ghostbusters (the 1984 version), Moana, and Star Wars: Rogue One LeMay: America’s Car Museum
JULY 13
★ The Big Lebowski If pressed to name my single favorite moment in my single favorite Coen brothers movie, The Big Lebowski, it would be a threeway tie between Jeff “the Dude” Lebowski’s dumpster-bumping car crash, the sheriff’s assault on the Dude with a coffee mug, and the Raymond Chandler-esque discovery of Jackie Treehorn’s hard-on doodle. BRADLEY STEINBACHER
SIFF Cinema Uptown
★ Dark Lodge: The Fifth Element Luc Besson’s futuristic semi-classic, starring Bruce Willis, the musician Tricky, and love.
Ark Lodge
Duel Duel is a made-for-TV cautionary tale famously directed by a 23-year-old Steven Spielberg. David Mann, a mustache-heavy businessman on the lone highway between Los Angeles and Bakersfield, makes the mistake of passing an evil, belchy tanker truck. Apparently expressing some national anxiety about the early days of road rage, Duel has to be the scariest movie ever to rely on frequent shots of a Plymouth Valiant’s speedometer pushing 70 mph. LINDY WEST
SIFF Cinema Uptown
JULY 13–AUG 17
★ Cary Grant
Once again, SAM will spend the summer celebrating the devilish charms of Cary Grant. This year’s lineup includes Mr. Lucky, The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer, I Was a Male War Bride, People Will Talk,
THINGS TO DO FILM
Monkey Business, and To Catch a Thief
Seattle Art Museum
JULY 14
★ War for the Planet of the Apes
While watching this movie, pay attention to Caesar’s eyes. They are not chimp eyes. They are human eyes. The eyes of chimps do not have a white sclera. They are dark and dumb eyes. But Caesar is supposed to be a super-smart chimp. He has big plans and thoughts in his mind. And to communicate the superiority of his mind, the makers of this film gave him the eyes of the smartest ape on earth, us. If it counts for anything, the first and second film in the current reboot of Planet of the Apes are very good. CM
Wide
JULY 15
Campout Cinema: The Hunger Because we can’t stop missing David Bowie, and because it is one of the greatest vampire films ever made, you must do everything you can to watch The Hunger. Nothing beats the dark magic of seeing Catherine Deneuve and Bowie and pre-Bernie-bonkers Susan Sarandon on a movie screen, nothing beats watching this erotic trio in the company of strangers. And then there is the beat of Bauhaus’s gothic dub, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.” Are you feeling me? This is the 1980s in a state that’s close to perfection. CM MoPOP
★ Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
This early Hayao Miyazaki film is about a princess who must deal with the introduction of an ancient weapon into her peaceable, postapocalyptic kingdom.
Central Cinema
JULY 20
★ Fast Times at Ridgemont High Amy Heckerling’s 1982 flick (35 years ago? Holy shit!), written by Cameron Crowe, is beyond question the greatest film of its kind, more than making up for the sorry tailspins both Crowe and Heckerling entered after making it. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sean Penn, Phoebe Cates, and Judge Reinhold star; and look closely for a young Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, and Nicolas Cage. SEAN NELSON
SIFF Cinema Uptown
The Sugarland Express
This early Spielberg (1974) film starring Goldie Hawn and Ben Johnson came out to so-so reviews. Stephen Farber at the New York Times called it “a prime example of the newstyle factory movie: slick, cynical, mechanical, empty.”
SIFF Cinema Uptown
JULY 21
★ Dunkirk
Is it coincidence that a film that pulls and plays Britain’s patriotic strings (Britain will never forget the Dunkirk, never forget the soldiers who were crushed by the Germans in the early stages of the Second World War) is released at the very moment Britain is fleeing Europe, which is dominated by Berlin, and isolating itself (we call this Brexit)? The timing of this war movie, which is directed by the conservative Englishman Christopher Nolan, could not be more perfect. CM Wide
JULY 21 & AUG 11
Movies at the Marina
The Ballard marina will have free, family-friendly movies at dusk this summer (Captain Ron and The Secret Life of Pets), with seating available on the garden lawn and in the parking lot, guest moorage available, and free popcorn (on a first-come, first-served basis).
Shilshole Bay Marina
JULY 22–AUG 26
West Seattle Outdoor Movies
The 14th annual season of the
West Seattle Outdoor Movie series will have family-friendly movies at dusk, with pre-movie children’s activities, food trucks, and concessions for sale—as well as opportunities to raise money for nonprofits. Their lineup includes Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The LEGO Batman Movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Finding Dory, Queen of Katwe, and the new Beauty and the Beast West Seattle YMCA
JULY 26
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial
A disease-ridden alien briefly befriends a young boy before being brutally exterminated in a heroic joint effort by NASA and the CDC.
SIFF Cinema Uptown
Restless Creature
Learn about super-famous dancer
Wendy Whelan (formerly of the New York City Ballet) in this documentary about the pains of aging and Whelan’s desperate desire to dance.
Brian Seibert of the New York Times writes that it “humanizes dance.” Northwest Film Forum
JULY 27
Starship Troopers Paul Verhoeven’s satirical alien movie Starship Troopers was proclaimed “one of the most misunderstood movies ever” by Calum Marsh at The Atlantic, who described it as “a ruthlessly funny and keenly self-aware sendup of right-wing militarism.” As Ace said in the film: “Who needs a knife in a nuke fight anyway?”
SIFF Cinema Uptown
JULY 29–AUG 26
Movies at the Mural
Bring your lawn chairs and watch free, family-friendly movies on Seattle Center’s 40-foot-screen on the Mural Amphitheater lawn. Each screening will open with a short film by local students at Cornish College for the Arts. This year’s lineup will feature The Princess Bride, La La Land, Hidden Figures, Clue, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Seattle Center
AUG 3
★ Raiders of the Lost Ark
The unbearably sexy young Harrison Ford stars in the only good Indiana Jones movie, and one of the most fun films ever made. SIFF Cinema Uptown
Repo Man
Punk rock, car repossession, and metaphysics compound in Alex Cox’s 1984 cult classic. Starring Emilio Estevez as Otto and Harry Dean Stanton as the man in the driver’s seat who shows Otto that the life of a repo man is intense.
SIFF Cinema Uptown
AUG 3—AUG 24
Movies in the Park
Take advantage of our normally gorgeous Seattle summers and watch free, family-friendly movies in Bellevue. This year, the films are Finding Dory, Zootopia, Pete’s Dragon, and Moana Crossroads Bellevue
AUG 6
★ Dark Lodge: They Live
The reason why John Carpenter’s They Live is so important today (it was made in 1988 and concerns a working-class man who discovers sunglasses that when worn reveal the world is ruled by aliens that want humans to mindlessly consume and pollute their planet—yes, just like the rich people in the real world) is it presents us with the big question: Do people really want to know the truth? Does Donald Trump’s America even care about the truth? Would wearing special sunglasses that expose Trump to be a liar and exploiter even change their minds? By the look of things, the answer has to be no. They Live is still a great film, though. CM Ark Lodge Dog Film Festival Documentary, animated, and narrative films will explore the deep connection between humans and dogs–if your love for the slobbery
beasts wasn’t enticing enough, they’ll donate a portion of the proceeds to an animal welfare organization and bring adoptable dogs to the screening.
Northwest Film Forum
AUG 10
Brazil
Brazil (which was made on a Hollywood-size budget) is about a government bureaucrat, Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce), who is out of sync with the core values of his society, which is drab, totalitarian, and industrial. All Sam wants is the peace of his humdrum job, the anonymity of his unfashionable apartment, and the excitement of the dream he has every night—it involves him, a knight in a fantastic world, trying to save a beautiful but unknown woman (Kim Greist) who is trapped in a floating cage. One day he meets this dream woman in the real world, and his life changes forever. CM SIFF Cinema Uptown
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
The icky, dumb follow-up to the great, smart Raiders of the Lost Ark, starring the eternally dashing Harrison Ford and some blond actress stuck playing one of the stupidest floozies in cinema history.
SIFF Cinema Uptown
AUG 11
Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature
This film is about the man who replaces James Comey as the head the of the FBI. Wait. I’m wrong. Sorry. I now have it right: Nut Job 2 has nothing to do with Comey but everything to do with communism. It’s an animated film about park animals who band together to stop a corrupt mayor from replacing their park, which is a public good, with an amusement park, which is owned by a corporation. What all of this means is that Hollywood is still red and the first director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, is turning in his grave. CM Wide
AUG 17
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Harrison Ford and Sean Connery star in the third installment of the Indiana Jones franchise, fighting against Nazis Julian Glover and Michael Byrne. Still not as good as Raiders of the Lost Ark SIFF Cinema Uptown
Muppets Take Manhattan The Muppets attempt to launch a musical on Broadway in this 1984 musical comedy. SIFF Cinema Uptown
AUG 18
★ NOddIN Japanese Films
See new short films created by Japanese film collective NOddIN— this event, curated by NWFF Executive Director Courtney Sheehan and artist Etsuko Ichikawa, will be the US premiere of NOddIN’s work. After the screening, meet some of the filmmakers in person. Northwest Film Forum
AUG 25
★Puget Soundtrack: Holy Mountain Puget Soundtrack, presented by Northwest Film Forum, invites musicians to create a live score for a film of their own choosing. This time, experimental-rock unit Zen Mother (Stranger music critic Dave Segal wrote that they’re “one of Seattle’s most interesting groups”) will create a live soundtrack for Alejandro Jodorowsky’s 1973 fantasy film The Holy Mountain Northwest Film Forum
AUG 31
★ Jurassic Park In Steven Spielberg’s lovable adventure, dinosaurs get resurrected by scientists for the purpose of being put in a dinosaur zoo. The zoo seems cool at first, but soon all the dinosaurs escape and begin to terrorize the visitors and staff, killing many. SIFF Cinema Uptown
THINGS TO DO SUMMER JAZZ
By Charles Mudede and Kim Selling
JUNE 7
Joe Lovano Classic Quartet
Grammy-winning saxophonist and composer Joe Lovano has conquered both large and small group jazz in his career, from heavily lauded solo symphonic work to his position as the Gary Burton Chair of Jazz Performance at Berklee College of Music. He has released 23 albums on the legendary Blue Note record label.
Jazz Alley, $30.50, 7:30 pm
Smith/Staelens Big Band
Husband and wife duo Bruce Staelens and Bethany Smith
Staelens together will lead their Big Band through the motions of traditional early 20th century jazz and swing, with trumpet sections by Bruce and vocals by Bethany.
Tula’s, $10, 7:30 pm
JUNE 7–9
Jazz Night School Spring Final Performances
The burgeoning musicians of the Jazz Night School present their final performances of the spring session, with the Big Band Blue kicking things off bright and loud, and Big Band Express, small jazz ensembles, g*psy jazz, Latin ensembles, and jazz vocalists all getting a turn at the mic.
The Royal Room, free, 6 pm
JUNE 8
Art of Jazz: Samantha Boshnack Quintet
As a part of the free, all-ages Art of Jazz series at SAM, Samantha Boshnack and her quintet will perform a complex and innovative homage piece to the 19th-century daredevil, feminist, and journalist Nellie Bly. Seattle Art Museum, free, 5:30 pm
★ Jarrett Cherner Trio with Steve Treseler
He is based in Brooklyn, his name is Jarrett Cherner, he is a pianist, and he entered the jazz scene in 2006 with an album, Burgeoning, that did not dazzle, that was not deep, and yet wasn’t merely competent. On this and other recordings, there is something about Cherner’s style that’s hard to describe. When you hear Bill Charlap, you think: sophisticated by Hank Jones; when you hear Dan Tepher, you think: academic like John Lewis; and when you hear Brad Mehldau, you think: genius like McCoy Tyner. But Cherner is not sophisticated, academic, or a genius. This is the best way I can describe him: He plays like one who really is happy to be a pianist. Tune after tune on his albums, you get the feeling that if he did something else with his life, he would always be sad that he didn’t play the piano. CM Tula’s, $15, 7:30 pm
JUNE 8–11
★ Jeffrey Osborne
Beginning with Love Men Ltd. (also known as L.T.D.) and cruising into his own widely acclaimed solo career, Jeffrey Osborne has spent decades weaving funk, soul, R&B, and pop into his own unique sound, the success of which has netted him five gold and platinum albums. Jazz Alley, $60, 7:30 pm
JUNE 9
★ Gail Pettis Quartet
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 with her quartet.
Tula’s, $18, 7:30 pm
JUNE 10
7th Annual Tribute to Bruce Cockburn
For the seventh year, Egan’s Jam House will host a tribute show to folk and jazz-influenced Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn, featuring performances by local heavyweights like Rob Kneisler, Sonny Bill Glover, and Greg Hendrickson.
Egan’s Jam House, $10, 7 pm
Jovino Santos Neto Trio
Expect Brazilian-inspired lyricism and invention from Golden Earwinning local star Santos Neto and his band. They’ll be celebrating their latest CD release, with support from Sandy and Jeff Cressman.
Tula’s, $18, 7:30 pm
Mark Christian Miller
Los Angeles-based jazz vocalist Mark Christian Miller returns to Seattle on the wave of success from his 2015 album Crazy Moon to perform tracks from his upcoming album Story Time for Adults, with instrumental support by Randy Halberstadt on piano, Michael Glyn on bass, and Greg Williamson on drums.
Egan’s Jam House, $10, 9 pm
JUNE 11
★ Lizz Wright
Gospel-jazz impresario Lizz Wright has established herself as a powerful singer-songwriter with a remarkable alto voice and an innate ability to concoct earthy and affecting jazz interpretations. Triple Door, $40-$50, 7:30 pm
JUNE 13–14
★ Donny McCaslin Group
Saxophonist Donny McCaslin and his band are best known for being featured on David Bowie‘s final album, Blackstar, as well as their follow-up Beyond Now, an album they dedicated to Bowie and recorded three months after Bowie’s passing.
Jazz Alley, $30.50, 7:30 pm
JUNE 15
Dave Rempis & Friends: Lattice
Chicago-based triple threat Dave Rempis will take his skills as a saxophonist, improviser, and composer on a solo journey under the working title “Lattice,” developing work for his first solo release scheduled this fall on Aerophonic Records. In addition to a solo set, the show will also feature collaborative efforts, with James Falzone on clarinet, Arrington de Dionyso on reeds, Kate Olson on reeds, Lori Goldston on cello, and John Niekrasz on drums. Chapel Performance Space, $5-$15, 8 pm
The Westerlies A highbrow brass quartet from New York via Seattle, the Westerlies perform their own music and interpret the works of important composers like György Ligeti, Duke Ellington, Béla Bartók, and Stephen Foster, as well as covering myriad traditionals. They’ve also recorded an album that homages the Royal Room’s co-owner, titled Wish the Children Would Come on Home: The Music of Wayne Horvitz. With their dual trumpets and trombones, the Westerlies set aloft Horvitz’s jauntily melancholy songs on refined clouds of articulated air. DAVE SEGAL
The Royal Room, $15, 8 pm JUNE 15–18
Acoustic Alchemy
In 25 years, Acoustic Alchemy has made critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated music that has established their reputation as one of the most exciting live bands in the business. Though the membership has rotated through the years, the current band lineup consists of Greg Carmichael on nylon guitar, Miles Gilderdale on steel string
acoustic and electric guitars, Fred White on keyboards, and the powerhouse rhythm section of Greg Grainger on drums and his brother, Gary Grainger, on bass.
Jazz Alley, $29.50, 7:30 pm
JUNE 16
Marc Seales Group
Notable Northwest jazz pianist and UW Jazz Studies professor Marc Seales will perform his be-bop/post be-bop specialities.
Tula’s, $18, 7:30 pm
JUNE 17
★ SRJO with Christian McBride: The Art of the Bass Tonight, the famous and brilliant bassist Christian McBride leads the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra through the art and to the heart of his instrument, the bass. The program will include music by musicians McBride owes a debt to: Oscar Pettiford, Ray Brown, Jimmy Blanton, and, of course, Charles Mingus—the greatest jazz bassist to ever breathe the air and walk the surface of this planet. CM
Benaroya Hall, $20-$54, 7:30 pm
★ Susan Pascal Quartet with Marc Seales, Michael Glynn, Julian MacDonough
Here is a confession I must make:
I’m not big into jazz guitar. Indeed, I have never bought a record by a band led by a jazz guitarist, even by one of the big names in jazz history, like Charlie Christian or Django Reinhardt. Why? Because I can’t help feeling that the real home for this instrument is the blues. But what breaks this dumb feeling in me every time is when a jazz guitarist performs with a jazz vibraphonist. Those wondrous, vaporous, Venusian sounds of the vibraphone seem to magically transform the licks and picks of the guitar into something that’s utterly necessary and meaningful to the jazz home. For example, when Susan Pascal, Seattle’s great vibraphonist, plays with Milo Petersen, a local jazz guitarist and educator, I honestly fall in love with an instrument that does almost nothing for me on all other occasions. CM Tula’s, $18, 7:30 pm
JUNE 19
BassDrumBone
The talented trio behind BassDrumBone, namely Mark Helias, Gerry Hemingway, and Ray Anderson, play a set in honor of the 40th anniversary of their work together.
The Royal Room, $18, 7:30 pm
Larry Coryell Tribute with Julian Coryell & the 11th House Band
Famed musician Larry Coryell was one of fusion’s most flamboyantly acrobatic guitarists in the ’60s and ’70s, up there with John McLaughlin, Pete Cosey, and Tommy Bolin. Julian is Larry’s son, carrying on with the musical family legacy, and playing a tribute night to his father’s work with the 11th House Band.
Jazz Alley, $30.50, 7:30 pm
JUNE 19–20
★ Pharoah Sanders with William Henderson
Pharoah Sanders is a tenor saxophonist who began his career in the second half of the 1960s making the kind music that many people find hard to listen to, free jazz, because they can’t distinguish it from noise. But as the brother got older, he got cooler and smoother and more trad. The music he plays these days is music to the ears, and his work with William Henderson, a pianist who sounds like his fingertips are made of diamonds, has resulted in some really great and often meditative albums. Two I highly recommend are: A Prayer Before Dawn and Moon Child. Listen to those works, and you’ll see why missing this show
Why you should see it: As he got older, Sanders got cooler and smoother.
When/Where: June 19–20 at Triple Door.
is not a good idea. CM
7:30 pm
JUNE 20
★ Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet
Ambrose Akinmusire is a brilliant jazz trumpeter who was born in 1982. His mother is from Mississippi, his father is from Nigeria, and he was raised in the Bay Area. Akinmusire has released three albums as a leader so far, two of them with the prestigious Blue Note Records. And his album, The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier to Paint, is by far his most ambitious work. He never plays the trumpet as a beam of sound, never perfectly blows the thing, but is always in the mode of suggestion and abstraction. He is not so much about the trumpet but the idea of a trumpet. Do not miss his show. CM
PONCHO Concert Hall, $22, 8 pm
JUNE 20–21
Curtis Stigers with Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra Curtis Stigers is equally a singer, songwriter, and saxophonist, with a high energy flow, and decades worth of hit singles, million-record sales, and globe-crossing tours. Jazz Alley, $34.50, 7:30 pm
JUNE 21
Eric Verlinde Trio World-renowned pianist Eric Verlinde has performed with greats like Arturo Sandoval, Greta Matassa, and Luis Peralta, and now brings his talents to Tula’s for a night with Jeff Busch on drums and Dean Schmidt on the bass.
Tula’s, $12, 7:30 pm
JUNE 22
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Definitely old-school Hammond B-3 funk! Rediscover the world through the surprisingly varied palette offered by the grand machine itself, complete with its gently psychedelic rotating Leslie speakers.
ANDREW HAMLIN
Tula’s, $12, 7:30 pm
LaVon Hardison Quartet
Renowned local jazz vocalist LaVon Harrison will—with the accompaniment of David Deacon-Joyner on piano, Osama Affifi on bass, and Jeff Busch on drums—weave an evening of originals and songbook standards, and her own eclectic arrangements of popular songs.
The Royal Room, free, 8 pm
JUNE 22–25
Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band Poncho Sanchez, whose band won a
Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2000, is one of the foremost, if not the biggest, percussionists in Latin jazz right now. He will perform with his air-tight band, drawing from a decades-long repertoire.
Jazz Alley, $32.50, 7:30 pm
JUNE 23
Bill Anschell Quartet
Seattle native Bill Anschell has played at the Summer Olympics and at venues all over the world. Closer to home, the pianist and the rest of his quartet will treat Tula’s to his distinctive, rhythmically inventive compositions on the occasion of his CD release. Featuring Brian Monroney on guitar, Chris Symer on bass, and Brad Boal on drums.
Tula’s, $18, 7:30 pm
Arête Quartet
Acid jazz group Arête Quartet are all about the groove, pulling from downtempo and traditional jazz, funk, Brazilian choro, and many other styles. Current band members include West Coast legends Joe Doria of McTuff and Dave Carter.
The Royal Room, free, 9 pm
JUNE 24
Joey Jewell’s Sinatra at The Sands
The classiness of Sinatra’s mobapproved croon tunes will never dissipate, and Joey Jewell will do his best to honor that classiness in his rendition of a full Vegas melee, with the orchestra bringing the swinging sixties to a loud, layered big band jazz reality.
Triple Door, $25, 7 pm
Greta Matassa Quintet
Greta Matassa, known as one of Seattle’s best-regarded interpreters of jazz standards (and scat adept), will lead her quintet at Tula’s. She’ll be joined by Alexey Nikolaev, Darin Clendenin, and Mark Ivester.
Tula’s, $18, 7:30 pm
Nick Fraser, Kris Davis, and Tony Malaby
Earshot presents an evening with this formidable progressive jazz trio of Canadian composer and drummer Nick Fraser with pianist Kris Davis and saxophonist Tony Malaby.
PONCHO Concert Hall, $18, 8 pm
JUNE 26
Bren Plummer
Bassist Bren Plummer is back with Moldy Figs, his second album release as a band leader. He’ll perform classic jazz standards and new tracks off his upcoming album with band support from Thomas Marriott, Stuart MacDonald, Frank Seeberger, Susan Pascal, and D’Vonne Lewis.
Tula’s, $15, 8 pm
JUNE 27
Sylvie Courvoisier Trio with Kenny Wollesen & Drew Gress
Noted Swiss pianist, composer, and improviser Sylvie Courvoisier has led several jazz groups over the
years, and recorded over 25 albums as a solo artist, band leader, and co-leader for multiple labels.
The Royal Room, $18, 7:30 pm
JUNE 27–28
Buster Williams Quartet
Possibly best known for playing bass in Herbie Hancock’s crew, Buster Williams is a prolific artist who has also played, recorded, and collaborated with many jazz icons. His two-night set will celebrate his own 75th birthday.
Jazz Alley, $31.50, 7:30 pm
JUNE 28
Kahil El’Zabar & David Murray
As a pairing, Kahil El’Zabar and David Murray take the dual format of percussion and saxophone layering to another dimension.
Columbia City Theater, $22, 8 pm
JUNE 29
Alex Dugdale’s Fade Quartet
Earshot Jazz’s Emerging Artist of the Year Alex Dugdale leads his Fade Quartet in an exercise of contemporary jazz ascension.
Tula’s, $15, 7:30 pm
JUNE 29 –JULY 2
★ Sergio Mendes
Probable father of all Brazilians, Sergio Mendes has been incalculably influential on pop, jazz, and samba genres as a producer, composer, keyboardist, and vocalist. Enjoy his worldly presence as Mendes breaks out his five-decade-spanning album catalog and really throws around his old school Rio swing.
Jazz Alley, $60, 7:30 pm
JULY 5–6
Pearl Django with Gail Pettis Strongly influenced by their chosen namesake, guitarist Django Reinhardt, Pearl Django play Hot Club-style g*psy jazz with intricate finger-picking and a global repertoire.
Jazz Alley, $30.50, 7:30 pm
JULY 6–27
★ Earshot Series: Jazz, The 2nd Century
This long-standing program by Earshot Jazz invites Seattle musicians to creatively consider the future of jazz in resulting performative interpretations.
Chapel Performance Space, $5-$15, 8 pm
JULY 9
Andre Feriante with Overton Berry and Guests
Heavily laureled guitarist Andre Feriante will team up with skilled pianist Overton Berry and a cabal of talented friends for an intimate performance of selections from classical and folk repertoires as well as original Latin-influenced and jazz-adjacent pieces. Triple Door, $30/$35, 7:30 pm
Triple Door, $30-$37,
Pharoah Sanders with William Henderson
MICHAEL SHERER
DONNY MCCASLIN GROUP
JUNE 13 – 14
David Bowie’s Blackstar Band touring in support of their new album Beyond Now – a dedication to and inspired by David Bowie
NELLIE MCKAY
JULY 11 – 12
British-American singer-songwriter, actress, and former stand-up comedian, noted for her critically acclaimed albums, and for her Broadway debut in The Threepenny Opera
OTIS TAYLOR
AUGUST 22 – 23,
On tour in support of their latest release, Fantasizing about Being Black “Raw blues, creatively delivered!”
– The Guardian
MARK O’CONNOR featuring THE O’CONNOR BAND
AUGUST 17 – 20
The GRAMMY Award-winning O’Connor Band on tour in support their debut album, Coming Home.
MACEO PARKER
AUGUST 24 – 27
His name is synonymous with Funky Music, his pedigree impeccable; his band: the tightest little funk orchestra on earth
MONSIEUR PERINÉ
SEPTEMBER 12 – 13
Bogotå-based musical ensemble from Colombia with an Afro-Colombian sound that mixes Latin and European flavors! 2033 6th Ave. | 206.441.9729 all ages | free parking full schedule at jazzalley.com
THINGS TO DO JAZZ
case of local and international jazz musicians, playing as you stroll down 15th Ave NE.
Shoreline, $20, 7 pm
JULY 10
Rochelle House, Andy Coe,
AUG 19
Jr Cadillac
D’Vonne Lewis, Evan Flory-Barnes
A blend of jazz, blues, and folk, from the traditional to the experimental, from local long-gigging session and solo musicians.
The Royal Room, free, 7:30 pm
JULY 11
Betsayda Machado
Frequently lauded as “the voice of Venezuela,” Betsayda Machado is the queen of South American folk music, instilling power, gravitas, and compassion into the Venezuelan Afro-soul genre, “tambor,” along with spirit-shaking percussion and dancing. Triple Door, $20, 7:30 pm
JULY 13-16
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, $130, 7:30 pm
JULY 15
Cascadia Big Band
Cascadia Big Band, a 17-piece community jazz ensemble, will play tunes from the “post-swing era,” touching on jazz, big band, and ragtime musical traditions.
The Royal Room, free, 5 pm
JULY 18–19
Pat Martino Trio
town’s Victorian-style homes. When you finally park your car in the pretty park, roll down your window and listen to the music in the sun-brightened air. That music is jazz and it’s a part of the Jazz Port Townsend Festival. CM McCurdy Pavilion at Fort Worden State Park, $27-$180
JULY 27–30
John Pizzarelli Plays Jobim
Taking in elements of swing, jazz, and classic pop, Pizzarelli’s a modern Renaissance man of the dinnerclub scene. He’ll be joined by special guests Daniel Jobim, Duduka DeFonseca, and Helio Alves in celebrating 100 years of Jobim. Jazz Alley, $36.50, 7:30 pm
JULY 29
Chateau Ste. Michelle Festival of Jazz
A whole day of live jazz classics and new interpretations from Kandace Springs, Marc Antoine, David Sanborn, and husband/wife duo Herb Alpert & Lani Hall. Chateau Ste. Michelle, $45/$65, 2 pm
AUG 1–6
Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin
Lee Ritenour, legendary session guitarist (such a thing does exist!), takes up residence at Jazz Alley for a six-day run with frequent collaborator Dave Grusin. Jazz Alley, $34.50, 7:30 pm
AUG 6
For over 50 years (save for a stretch in 1980 when he suffered a brain aneurysm and lost much of his memory and had to learn how to play from scratch), Pat Martino has been one of jazz’s most preternaturally smooth and fluid guitarists. Martino flaunts masterly pointillist/ impressionist motifs that flow and curl with impeccable tone and logic. Whether at a swift or languid tempo, Martino’s guitar playing and composing exude sophisticated emotional profundity. His current trio includes Hammond B3 player Pat Bianchi and drummer Carmen Intorre. DAVE SEGAL
Jazz Alley, $30.50, 7:30 pm
JULY 20
Art of Jazz: Carlos Cascante y su Tumbao
Active member of the acclaimed Spanish Harlem Orchestra, master crooner Carlos Cascante will perform with his Tumbao, covering traditional salsa, modern timba, Latin jazz, and Brazilian music. This Latin sextet includes Julio Jauregui on piano, Thomas Marriott on trumpet, Dean Schmidt on bass, and Jeff Busch on drums.
Olympic Sculpture Park, free, 6 pm
JULY 20–23
The Rippingtons with Russ Freeman
The Rippingtons bring their American contemporary jazz to Seattle for a celebration of their 26th anniversary as a band. Russ Freeman, the band’s founder and lead guitarist, promises a night of fan favorites as well as tracks from their latest album, True Stories Jazz Alley, $36.50, 7:30 pm
JULY 25–26
Janiva Magness
Award-winning blues, soul, and jazz chanteuse Janiva Magness will take the stage for two back-to-back evenings in support of her new album Love Wins Again Jazz Alley, $30.50, 7:30 pm
JULY 27–29
★ Jazz Port Townsend Festival Here is what you have to do. Drive down to the ferry dock, cross the bay on a ferry, drive across the island, cross some bridges, eventually enter Port Townsend and, before heading to Fort Worden State Park, admire a number of the
Big band thrillers Jr Cadillac will be celebrating their 47th year of rocking and rolling through the Pacific Northwest with this live show packed with jam classics, old standards, and new favorites.
Triple Door, $25, 8 pm
AUG 22–23
★ Otis Taylor Band
Otis Taylor still hasn’t cut anything so essential since 2001’s White African, when, with hints of grim humor, he reminded us that the blues came from people the rest of society had forgotten. He makes surprising, stark, frank, brutal music to remind us that the blues is alive so long as it speaks to hurtful truth.
ANDREW HAMLIN Jazz Alley, $30.50, 7:30 pm
AUG 24–27
★ Maceo Parker Soulful saxophonist Maceo Parker has spent decades exploring and rewriting the history of funk in collaborations with icons like James Brown, George Clinton, and Prince, while also honing his own brand of creative showmanship. Jazz Alley, $40.50, 7:30 pm
AUG 31– SEPT 3
Maria Muldaur’s “Jazzabelle” Grammy-nominated singer Maria Muldaur, best known for her 1974 hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” has encapsulated her 50-year career in “Jazzabelle,” a show celebrating the various forms of American roots music, with touches of jazz, ragtime, early blues, bluegrass, and Appalachian country tunes.
The Royal Room, $20, 7 pm
AUG 8–9
Greg Adams and East Bay Soul Greg Adams exhibits his musical signatures with East Bay Soul, showcasing legendary arrangements that made the Tower Of Power (of which he was a founding member) horn section a stand-alone entity. Adams continues to make his mark on today’s music landscape, especially with regards to jazz, soul, and funk.
Jazz Alley, $32.50, 7:30 pm
AUG 10
Art of Jazz: Tarik Abouzied’s Happy Orchestra Drummer Tarik Abouzied brings his forward-thinking jazz-fusion group to the Olympic Sculpture Park for a jam session as a part of Seattle Art Museum’s Art of Jazz summer series. Rotating guests have included local multi-instrumentalist heavyweights saxophonist Skerik and bassist Evan Flory-Barnes.
Olympic Sculpture Park, free, 6 pm
AUG 10–13
Keiko Matsui
Not just her career, but Keiko Matsui’s life itself as a Japanese producer, contemporary jazz pianist, and composer spans genres, borders, and decades. She tours constantly and has brought her music to every corner of the globe with over 20 albums of original music.
Jazz Alley, $32.50, 7:30 pm
AUG 11
★ Joyce Moreno Quartet
One of Rio’s best exports, Joyce Moreno has been writing and performing solo and with popular collaborators like Paulinho da Viola and Caetano Veloso for five decades now. She’ll sing her own lilting Brazilian paraiso, samba, and jazz-inflected pop works in an intimate set.
Triple Door, $25/$30, 8 pm
AUG 15
11th Annual North City Jazz Walk
Shoreline pulls out all the stops with Jazz Bites—a selection of food treats from local eateries— and the Jazz Walk itself—a show-
Cécile McLorin Salvant In 2016, Cécile McLorin Salvant won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for her record For One To Love. She is celebrated for her ability to bring together the connections between jazz, vaudeville, blues, and folk music. Jazz Alley, $34.50, 7:30 pm
SEPT 3
Andy McKee World-renowned acoustic guitarist and YouTube community favorite Andy McKee will play an intimate set rife with steel string guitar standards, influenced by jazz, blues, and classical traditions. Triple Door, $25/$27.50, 7 pm
A Live Presentation of 2001: A Space Odyssey
Why you should see it: Seattle Symphony performs the score to Kubrick's sci-fi masterpiece while the film plays. Why are you even hesitating?
When/Where: June 30–July 1 at Benaroya Hall.
CLASSICAL MUSIC & OPERA
By Rich Smith and Kim Selling
JUNE 8–10
Pekka Kuusisto Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto will take on Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, known widely as an unparalleled example of German precision, along with performances by renowned Danish symphonist Carl Nielsen, and up and coming Scottish composer Helen Grimes in her American premiere of Snow: No.2 Benaroya Hall, $22-$122, 7:30 pm
JUNE 9
★ Club Ludo
Go buck with international violin sensation Pekka Kuusisto and the Seattle Symphony at Club Ludo, where you pay the price to be a VIP all night long. DJs will be spinning as you drink in the surreal beauty of the Chihuly Boathouse, with hosted bars and cuisine from popular PNW hot spots, the soulful fire of local rockers, and a theremin-centric trance party in the Aquarium Room.
Chihuly Boathouse, $500, 8 pm
★Damien Escobar
Escobar was a musical prodigy who saw his talent through to two Emmys with the hiphop-violin duo Nuttin’ But Stringz. After a brief period of depression and homelessness, according to his website, he’s back with a new album full of original material. Boundless contains lots of violin music you can bounce to, but there’s more lyrical, contemplative moments here than in previous efforts. RS Neptune Theatre, $43.50/$50, 8 pm Roarke Menzies, Samson Stilwell, Norm Chambers
In an exploration of solo electronic and electroacoustic works, Wayward Music will host an evening with New York City artist and composer Roarke Menzies and Portland musician Samson Stilwell, both performing in their Seattle debuts, along with local artist Norm Chambers.
Chapel Performance Space, $5-$15, 8 pm
JUNE 10
Columbia Choirs Present SpringSong Each level of the Columbia Children’s Choir and Cantabile Vocal
Ensemble—including Melodia, Harmonia, Ragazzi, Lyrica, and Bel Canto—will perform together in a concert featuring music from around the world.
Town Hall, $10-$20, 1 pm
Port Townsend Chamber Music Series: Miró Quartet
Centrum’s 2017 “Ensemble-InResidence” Miró Quartet will perform a strings- and piano-based program with selections by Dvorák and Haydn, including Dvorák’s “Cypresses” and Haydn’s Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 71, No. 3. Joseph F. Wheeler Theater, $34/$40, 7:30 pm
JUNE 11
4 Orchestras Concert
Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra will present their final concert of the season, with performances by their newest orchestra, Prelude String Orchestra, along with Symphonette, Debut, and Junior Symphony Orchestra in an energetic re-imagining of many classical standards. Benaroya Hall, $16-$49, 3 pm
JUNE 13
★ Bach & Janácek
The Seattle Symphony will perform chamber works of an intimate power, with Janácek’s musical letter to a young lover, Szymanowski’s impressionistic take on Greek mythology, and Smetana’s Piano Trio channeling the fervor of his Czech patriotism. Benaroya Hall, $40, 7:30 pm
★ Salish Sea Early Music Festival: Giuliani’s Guitar
In the final moment of the Salish Sea Early Music Festival, artists will present virtuosic works of flute and guitar, with special compositions from the mind of Mauro Giuliani, featuring John Schneiderman on early 19th century guitar and Jeffrey Cohan on eight-keyed flute. Christ Episcopal Church, $15-$25, 7:30 pm
JUNE 15 & 17
★ Strauss: An Alpine Symphony
This program’s going to be a doozy. Four minutes into Strauss’s “Alpine Symphony” you’ll be on top of a
mountain in the Alps with your flag stabbed into the summit, a breeze ruffling your parka, feeling like the sovereign of all you see. After intermission, during his gorgeous “Four Last Songs,” you’ll come back down the mountain and reflect on the journey. RS
Benaroya Hall, $22-$122, 7:30 pm
JUNE 16
Sarah Mahoney & Friends
Pianist Sarah Mahoney will collaborate with violinist Dana Wenzel, cellist Adrian Smith, and select students of Puget Sound Music Academy and Off the Wall School of Music in a program featuring Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1, Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G Minor, and an assortment of modern works. Benaroya Hall, $15/$20, 7 pm
SMCO Season Finale
In their season finale show, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra will showcase the intricacies of string quartet masterworks with Seattle Symphony multi-clarinetist Eric Jacobs and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble in a performance of Heinrich Baermann’s Adagio from his Clarinet Quintet No. 3 First Free Methodist Church, $15/$20, 8 pm
JUNE 17
LUCO Presents: Triple Play Lake Union Civic Orchestra (or LUCO) will present a performance of “triple plays,” that is, the third of a composition series, or a piece that exists in thirds. The program will feature William Schuman’s New England Triptych, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 3 Meany Hall, $15/$20, 7:30 pm
JUNE 18
Deepening the Silence Within: Music for a New Humanity Island Consort will present their new annual festival in promotion of contemporary composition. This edition of the New Music on the Rock show series will feature an afternoon concert on the Chinook Lands and leading into the Whidbey Island Institute Hall, a composers’
forum that's open to the public, and an evening finale concert of works by Whidbey Island Institute’s Composer-in-Residence Jerry Mader. Whidbey Island Institute, $20/$35, 2 pm
Different Drummer Father’s Day Show
Multi-genre chamber ensemble
Different Drummer features collaboration by violinist and fiddler Brandon Vance, cellist Gretchen Yanover, bassist Anna Doak, and tap dancer Mark Mendonca, who, with the exception of Mendonca, are all members of the NW Sinfonietta. They will perform tracks from their 2016 album debut as well as new material at this Father’s Day show (wherein all dads receive a free drink ticket).
Naked City Brewery & Taphouse, $20, 6 pm
★ Spektral Quartet
Seeking a bridge between the traditional and the contemporary, the Grammy-nominated Spektral Quartet pursues the development of interactive and collaborative musical experiences for classical listeners of every level.
Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, $12$24, 7 pm
JUNE 20
Seattle Piano Players
Sponsored by Classic Pianos in Bellevue, Seattle Piano Players is a meet-up group that gathers at a different member’s home each month to perform piano pieces that each person is working on. Since 2014, their core group of accomplished pianists has performed publicly at the Royal Room and Soma Towers, showcasing a variety of pieces, including classical works, popular contemporary tunes, and ragtime. The Royal Room, free, 6:30 pm
JUNE 21
Every New Beginning Town Hall will present their last Town Music Series concert in the old Great Hall before they kick off their massive renovation this summer. The evening’s program will reprise their collaboration with current members and alumni of Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, playing alongside professional mentor
artists and conductor Joshua Roman, all performing works by Reena Esmail, Christopher Theofanidis, Jessie Montgomery, and jazz-influenced composer Gregg Kallor. Town Hall, $10-$20, 7:30 pm
JUNE 22
Rachel Baiman, Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons, Mike Giacolino
Rachel Baiman of Nashville duo 10 String Symphony is known for breaking out not one, but two whole fiddles for 10 strings of Americana-pop melodic partnership and classical folk tradition. This time around, she’ll play tracks from her newest solo album Shame, with local support from Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons and Mike Giacolino. Fremont Abbey Arts Center, $10/$15, 8 pm
JUNE 22–24
★ Mahler Symphony No. 5 You remember that ghostly and yet somehow epic-feeling choral music that plays during 2001: A Space Odyssey any time the sun dramatically rises up over something? That’s György Ligeti’s “Requiem.” It’s a stunning piece of music that perfectly reflects the horrors of the first summer under Trump. Mahler’s Fifth, which will close the evening, is one of the few symphonies that could eclipse Ligeti’s “Requiem” in terms of scope and ambition. The Fifth picks up on the mournful tones of the “Requiem,” but then, in its final movements, thunders out in triumph. RS Benaroya Hall, $37-$122, 7:30 pm
JUNE 23–24
★ Bette, Babs, and Beyoncé Seattle Men’s Chorus will take on the ultimate legacies of three toptier divas by performing massive rock and pop hits and the contemporary classics of Broadway, to bring Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, and Beyoncé Knowles to life. McCaw Hall, $25-$75, 8 pm
JUNE 24
Les Nations: A Tour of 17th-Century European Musical Styles We only have written records of what music sounded like in the 17th century. Ever wonder what it was truly like to hear European classical musicians perform in the courts? Joshua Romatowski, Qin Ying Tan, Christine Wilkinson, and Juliana Soltis will weave the histories of their instruments and the composers with performances of works by Corelli, Lully, and C.P.E. Bach. Resonance at SOMA Towers, $20, 7:30 pm
Cathedrals XVII: Sara Watkins & Langhorne Slim
“Imagine if a young Bob Dylan— with the face of a young Tom Waits—had been more preoccupied with ‘the ladies’ than social change, and you’ll get the picture. The beauty of Langhorne Slim is his ability to make old-school music seem vividly contemporary with an appeal that defies genre.” Thus wrote former Stranger contributor Ma’Chell Duma Lavassar about the headliner of the 17th entry in the Cathedrals music series, in which a diverse array of musicians and artists perform stripped-down versions of their work within the bowels of the great St. Mark’s Cathedral. St. Mark’s Cathedral, $16-$25, 8 pm
JUNE 25
★ Records, Pancakes, & Bach
A Bach concerto in the OtB lobby first thing Sunday morning might appeal to the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed early birds among us, but it may sound a bit ambitious to those waking after a long Saturday night of “self care.” That’s the genius of the marimba. The instrument softens Bach’s hard edges, making his songs sound like chill sunrises. Erin Jorgensen, master marimbist and chillest of the chill, plays the Baroque composer’s most famous suites and serves up some mighty fine pancakes alongside. It’s a bold, beautiful way to brunch. RS On the Boards, $5-$10 suggested donation, 10 am
JUNE 26
Brahms Sonatas for Violin and Piano
Grammy-nominated violinist
Elmira Darvarova and Global Music award-winning concert pianist
Zhen Chen will take on the work of Brahms for this free concert presented by the New York Chamber Music Festival. The artists will perform the three sonatas for violin and piano by Brahms, known for their “intoxicating tonal beauty and beguilingly sensuous phrasing.”
Town Hall, free, 7:30 pm
JUNE 27
★ Seattle Symphony presents The Music of John Williams
The Seattle Symphony will perform the work of legendary composer and Hollywood score master John Williams as a part of the summer festival series ZooTunes. The evening’s show will feature well-known pieces from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, Jaws, and many more. Woodland Park Zoo, $26-$101, 6 pm
6.10 Being John McLaughlin, Juke, X-Ray, Band of Certainty
6.11 Danny Barnes and Robin Holcomb
6.15 The Westerlies
6.16 & 6.17 Samba Festival: Bloco Pacifico - Festa do Sol
6.19 Earshot Jazz Presents: BassDrumBone –Mark Helias, Gerry Hemingway & Ray Anderson
6.22 LaVon Hardison Quartet
6.24 DJ Night: Soul Suite ft. L. Young & Band + Mr. Nyice Guy
6.27 Earshot Jazz Presents: Sylvie Courvoisier Trio with Kenny Wollesen & Drew Gress
7.5 Bobby Previte plus Motel 7
7.6-7.9 The 2nd Annual Royal Room
Psychedelic Festival: “The music of 1967, a 50 year celebration”
LATE NIGHT IN THE LOUNGE at 10pm
Mondays: The Salute Sessions
Tuesdays : The Suffering Fuckheads
Wednesdays: Funk Church with High Pulp
THINGS TO DO CLASSICAL MUSIC & OPERA
JUNE 30–JULY 1
★ A Live Presentation of 2001:
A Space Odyssey
If you see Seattle Symphony perform Mahler’s 5th and György Ligeti’s Requiem earlier in the month (which you totally should!), you’ll be prepared for this live scoring of Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece. Ligeti’s Atmospheres (which features Requiem) is all over the score, as is Johann Strauss II’s iconic Blue Danube Waltz and Richard Strauss’s (no relation) Also sprach Zarathustra. Pop a pot lozenge and enjoy, or else get high on the pure audio/visual power of this cosmic symphonic spectacle. RS Benaroya Hall, $38-$128, 8 pm
JUNE 30–JULY 15
Icicle Creek Chamber Music
Festival
The 23rd Annual Icicle Creek International Chamber Music Festival beckons, with three weekend-long sessions of musical experiences brought to you by beloved composers and world-class artists— like Oksana Ezohkina, the Avalon String Quartet, Harumi Rhodes, and the Volta Piano Trio—in an intimate woodland setting.
Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, $12-$24, 7 pm
JULY 3
Star-Spangled Spectacular
Seattle Wind Symphony presents the Star-Spangled Spectacular, their big annual and very American summer event of woodwind-centric classical movements, with a full chorus and new conductor. The program will include iconic pieces like “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “God Bless America,” and many John Philip Sousa compositions. Benaroya Hall, $5-$20, 7:30 pm
JULY 3–29
★ 2017 Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Festival Seattle Chamber Music Society is once again throwing their Summer Festival, with free informal recitals and full orchestral performances for all ages. One highlight is Music Under the Stars, when a student ensemble sets up in a park and plays; then Benaroya Hall pipes in whatever performance is happening that night to the assembled throng. On July 29, there will also be a free concert in Volunteer Park.
Various locations, free, 7:15 pm
JULY 8
Ensign Symphony & Chorus
Presents American Dream: Celebrating Seekers of Freedom Ensign Symphony & Chorus will begin their new season with American Dream: Celebrating Seekers of Freedom, an evening of patriotism and staunch traditions explored through song and orchestral arrangement, with guest conductor Maestro Fabio Pirola. Benaroya Hall, $18-$38, 7:30 pm Video Games Live Blend together the dedicated com-
of the film in high-definition on a giant screen amid John Williams’ unforgettable score. Benaroya Hall, $50-$253, 7:30 pm
JULY 14 & 28, AUG 18
★ Summer Organ Recital Series
Relish in the talents of expert organists Robert Huw Morgan, Renée Anne Louprette, and Richard Elliott as they showcase their decades of instrumental experience on the legendary Flentrop organ of St. James Cathedral.
St. James Cathedral, $15, 7 pm
JULY 15
Seattle Opera Summer Fest
Join Seattle Opera for their free all-ages Summer Fest, a preview event of their upcoming season at McCaw Hall. This community open house includes live music, interactive demonstrations, costume displays, and more. McCaw Hall, free, noon
Butterfly
Why you should see it: Puccini's classic has enchanted as many people as it has offended.
When/Where: Aug 5–19 at McCaw Hall.
munities of music lovers and gamers with a concert playing to both demographics. Video Games Live will present a live music performance of the scores of the most popular video games of all time, with synchronized video footage and music arrangements, synchronized lighting, famous internet solo performers, and live interactive segments. Paramount Theatre, $25-$75.50, 8 pm
JULY 9–SEPT 10
Olympic Music Festival
The Olympic Music Festival features classical programming almost every weekend of the summer from Beethoven and Mozart to Schubert and Ravel. Kicking off with virtuoso violinist Sarah Chang playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, this festival brings artists of the highest caliber (like internationally acclaimed pianist Robert McDonald and the Ariel Quartet) and of varied musical traditions to the Pacific Northwest. Joseph F. Wheeler Theater, $33-$100
JULY 10–11
★ Distant Worlds: Final Fantasy with the Seattle Symphony Distant Worlds, the collection of music from Final Fantasy, returns to Benaroya in full multimedia concert format, with the music of Japanese video game composer Nobu Uematsu and projected imagery from the game, conducted by Grammy-winner Arnie Roth. Benaroya Hall, Sold Out, 8 pm
JULY 11
Amos Lee Live in Concert with the Seattle Symphony Perennial Starbucks-soundtracker Amos Lee will take his night of soulful singer-songwriter vibes to the next level by having the entire Seattle Symphony present as his backing band. Benaroya Hall, $50-$90, 7:30 pm
JULY 12
★ Jesse Myers: Living in America
Within a set of solo piano pieces, musician Jesse Myers will enliven the work of contemporary minimalist American composers in a program that will also highlight new music featuring acoustic piano and electronics. The Royal Room, free, 7:30 pm
JULY 13, 14 & 16
★ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert with the Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony will take on the cultural phenomenon that is Harry Potter with a performance of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in a chance for the audience to relive the magic
JULY 17
Watjen Concert Organ Recital & Demonstration
Resident Benaroya organist Joseph Adam will present a free organ demonstration recital, pulling from his vast repertoire of nuanced organ classics, in conjunction with a building tour of Benaroya Hall. Benaroya Hall, free, 12:30 pm
JULY 20
Living the Legacy: An Evening With Seattle’s Legacy Quartet In tribute to Floyd Standifer and his love for the Great American Songbook, Clarence Acox on drums, Phil Sparks on bass, Bill Anschell on piano, and Tony Rondolone on saxophone will join together as an admittedly straightforward quartet. Resonance at SOMA Towers, $15, 7:30 pm
UW Summer Symphony
Current Senior Artist in Residence at the University of Washington School of Music David Alexander Rahbee will conduct the studentmember UW Summer Symphony. Meany Hall, free, 7:30 pm
JULY 22
The Emperor’s New Clothes
Enjoy a classic children’s fable played by the symphony with this humorous adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen tale
The Emperor’s New Clothes. This 40-minute concert, ideal for children ages 5-10, is prefaced by a free and interactive musical instrument petting zoo in the lobby, courtesy of Music Center of the Northwest. Benaroya Hall, $12-$52, 11 am
AUG 5–19
★ Madame Butterfly Internationally beloved but also classically racist, Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly has enchanted as many as it has offended. The narrative recounts the whirlwind romance of an American naval officer and a Japanese geisha, dealing with the themes of tradition, honor, and the tragedies of passion. Due to the work’s complex background, Seattle Opera will be offering an open dialogue to discuss the racial and cultural injustices of the piece, along with hosting an exhibit in the lobby of McCaw Hall about the trials of American imperialism in Asian countries. McCaw Hall
AUG 25–27
★ 3rd Annual Luise Greger
Women in Music Fest
You’re looking for an excuse to get out to Whidbey Island, right? I can think of none better than a celebration of women composers who were, as is so often the case, overlooked during the peak of their powers due to the condescending eye of the goddamn patriarchy. Island Consort, an “early music” group on the island, hopes to repair some of that damage with a nice lineup of work by women composers, including “Amy Beach, Nadia Boulanger, Lillian Fuchs, Lori Laitman, Angelique Poteat and, of course, Luise Greger.” RS Various locations (around Whidbey Island), $20
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THINGS TO DO SUMMER
FESTIVALS
By Joule Zelman and Kim Selling
THROUGH JUNE 9
Made in Seattle Week
Despite the growing sentiment that Seattle is basically Amazon now, there’s a massive amount of amazing stuff being made right in our beautiful city. That’s why General Assembly organizes a week-long program of events highlighting local leaders in tech, food, music, design, art, and beer, bringing together people from different sectors to talk about their projects. Catch a panel at various locations across the city and grab a beer, listen to a performance by Manatee Commune and Harps, converse with restaurateurs, brewers, and tech leaders, and hear from local designers and artists.
Various locations
THROUGH SEPT 16
2017 Chittenden Locks Summer Concert Series
May through September, enjoy live music performances from symphonic bands, show choirs, jazz trios, and more in the gardens by the Ballard Locks.
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, free
THROUGH SEPT 30
Chateau Ste Michelle Summer Concert Series
Every year, Chateau Ste. Michelle lays out a full summer season of music legends and cultural luminaries to grace their beautiful landscape of flowing wine. From Santana to the Moody Blues to John Legend to 2Cellos, this stacked lineup occurs in single shows every few days from May to September, many of which sell out almost immediately.
Chateau Ste. Michelle
JUNE 8–12
Seattle TangoMagic Festival
Practice the twisty, slithery, almost impossibly sexy dance known as the Argentine tango at this long weekend of milongas and workshops. This year’s festival will introduce Seattle dancers to maestros from the US and Argentina, bring several DJs onboard, and offer a Sunday Salmon Bake to fuel the dancing.
Various locations, $15+
JUNE 8–SEPT 30
Marymoor Park Summer Concert Series
The 640-acre Marymoor Park again hosts its annual outdoor concert series, with headliners including Idina Menzel, Ween, and UB40. Marymoor Park
JUNE 9–AUG 18
2017 Music In The Vines
For the seventh year running, gather under the grapevines for an outdoor summer music series providing live rock, pop, soul, and jazz out on Hackett Ranch. Gilbert Cellars Winery at Hackett Ranch, $25/$30, 7 pm
JUNE 10
Capitol Hill Pride Festival Before the Equality March for Unity and Pride on Sunday, Capitol Hill’s high-spirited outdoor festival will commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969 with music, a doggie drag costume contest, a candlelight vigil, and more.
Capitol Hill, free, 10 am
Georgetown Carnival Watch circus performers, acrobats, musicians, and artists of all kinds come together at this multidisciplinary festival that also promises games, food, and strange carnival fun. Georgetown, noon
★ Volunteer Park Pride Festival
This year’s Pride Fest at Volunteer Park boasts a strong musical lineup, with live sets by Big Dipper, Double Duchess, SassyBlack, Sisters, Prom Queen, Mode Music Studios’ Nuclear Quartet, and DJ Toya B. Local LGBTQIA folks get all of this, plus a vintage and local crafts bazaar, artist booths, a beer garden, food trucks, and more. DAVE SEGAL Volunteer Park, free, noon
JUNE 10-11
Festival Sundiata Presents Black Arts Fest
African American and pan-African diaspora artists, musicians, chefs, authors, and dancers will give performances and talks. Learn about black arts through workshops, music, and small-artisan shopping. Some highlights include the African American Writer’s Alliance’s gathering on “The Poet, the Musician, and the Artist Poets,” the Smokin Black Chefs, and Afua Kouyate’s drum workshop.
Seattle Center
PhotoFest
PhotoFest boasts a weekend-long bill of photography events including talks from a few dozen speakers, free workshops, interactive demonstrations, photo walks, and sales. Glazer’s Camera, free
JUNE 14–AUG 20
Seafair
Every year, this iconic summer festival that started in 1950 puts
you in this up-and-coming West Seattle neighborhood. West Seattle Junction, 10 am
JUNE 17–18
Edmonds Arts Festival
Enjoy three days of arts, entertainment, shopping, and dining, with a wide selection—they’ll have (among other attractions, including more than 20 food vendors) more than 240 artist booths, three juried galleries, and over 1,000 pieces of student art.
Frances Anderson Center, 10 am Fremont Solstice Fair
Celebrate summer at the Fremont Solstice Fair, an event known primarily for its elaborately painted (and sometimes just wild ‘n’ free) nude bicyclists—but also offering tons of food, crafts, activities, performances, great people-watching, and a beer garden.
Fremont
Bumbershoot 2017
Why you should see it: It’s the biggest music, art, and comedy festival in town, with headlining acts like Lorde, Solange, and Weezer, and local talent like Porter Ray. When/Where: Sept 1–3 at Seattle Center.
on dozens of events throughout Seattle, starting with a kickoff ceremony featuring hydroplanes and a knighting ceremony, and continuing for 10 weeks with events including multiple parades, cultural celebrations, and Fourth of July fireworks. Other highlights include Fleet Week, during which naval ships are docked in Elliott Bay for tours; Seafair Pow Wow Days, which showcase traditional Native American cultures; the Seafair Pirates’ Landing, in which “pirates” come ashore to snarl in a friendly fashion at the kids; and the culminating Seafair Weekend, featuring a Boeing air show, a hydroplane race, wakeboarding, and live entertainment.
Various locations
JUNE 16–18
Wenatchee River Bluegrass
Festival
This festival is dedicated to the revival of early-style bluegrass and offers concerts by Balsam Range, the Kenny and Amanda Smith Band, Cedar Hill, Downtown Mountain Boys, and North Country, plus a gospel show featuring Rusty Hinges. Chelan County Expo Center, $10-$30
JUNE 17
★ Block Party at The Station Beacon Hill is Seattle’s best neighborhood. It’s changing, yes, but it remains what it has been for decades: an affordable place for Seattle’s diverse working-class, immigrant, and communities of color, complete with beautiful views, the fruit trees of orchards long past, and a “live and let live ethos” that encourages everyone to shine. Beacon Hill’s meeting place is the Station, a cafe where the baristas are artists, the artists are activists, the activists are customers, and the customers are neighbors and friends. Today the Station, along with the allvolunteer nonprofit Beacon Arts, is throwing the best neighborhood its best party. Local artists and performers include Nikikita Oliver, Dave B., Guayaba, DoNormaal, Da Qween, Raven Matthews, Taylar Elizza Beth, Massive Monkees, ZELLi, Astro King Phoenix, and many more. Food options include Chamorro, Southern, Filipino, and Jamaican fare. ANGELA GARBES
The Station, free Morgan Junction Community Festival Vendors, musicians, and the Bubble Man will all appear to entertain
African, and Latin cultures. Shoreline Center, free
JUNE 25
★ Seattle PrideFest 2017
PrideFest is the largest free Pride festival in North America, now in its tenth year. Featuring performances on three different stages from local and international touring acts like Mary Lambert, this year’s fest also has family-friendly activities and a “Queer Geeks & Gamers” zone.
Seattle Center, free, noon
JULY 4–8
The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes
JULY 13–16
Cascadia NW Arts and Music
Festival
Starborne presents Cascadia NW Arts & Music Festival in Granite Falls, an entire weekend to camp out and enjoy live music, interactive art, workshops, performances and artisan vending.
Masonic Family Campground, $35$300
JULY 14–16
★ West Seattle Summer Fest
Seattle Retro Gaming Expo 2017 Video games are much more sophisticated than they used to be, but the fun hasn’t worn off of the classics. Play 64-bit games, attend panels with gaming industry professionals, rock out to video game music and entertainment, and meet some new indie game developers demoing their products. Seattle Center Armory, $20-$60
JUNE 20–AUG 20
★ ZooTunes
ZooTunes is a 30-plus-year Seattle tradition that brings big-name artists to the North Meadow of the Woodland Park Zoo, including Aimee Mann, Cake, and Pat Benatar. Woodland Park Zoo, $32.50-$269
JUNE 23–24
Paradiso Festival
Paradiso is the PNW’s premier festival of WUB-WUB-WUB, colloquially known as brostep, also called EDM. Big name headliners like Tiesto, Yellow Claw, Zeds Dead, and Seven Lions will grace the stage, along with 57 other acclaimed DJs and producers.
Gorge Amphitheatre, $198-$943
JUNE 24
★ Madaraka Festival
Madaraka is your one-stop shop for feasting your eyes on African fashion and your ears on the music of Ghanaian star Robert Dawuri, Ethiopian American singer Meklit Hadero, South Sudanese refugee turned globally recognized Ruka music founder Dynamq, and R&B artist Otieno Terry, plus backing by Big World Breaks and Madaraka house band Pyramid. There’ll also be a screening of Madaraka: The Documentary, which will show you how the festival empowers locals. Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), $25
Pain in the Grass 2017
KISW’s Pain in the Grass takes over Auburn for an all-day nostalgiathrash fest, featuring acts like Korn, Stone Sour, Babymetal, The Pretty Reckless, YelaWolf, and Radkey. White River Amphitheatre, $22.99$99.50, 1:40 pm
PrideFest Capitol Hill 2017
The largest free Pride fest in North America welcome kids, youth, and everybody else with a rainbow streak to party in the streets of Capitol Hill, the day before the festival at Seattle Center. Cal Anderson Park, free, noon Spirit of Indigenous People Festàl and the Indian Health Board will mount this rich cultural festival of Native North American craft, art, and life. Sample foods, see performances, and buy artisan articles. Seattle Center Armory, free
JUNE 24–25
Shoreline Arts Festival
Browse an art market with more than 70 vendors, see dance and live music performances, peruse art and photography by adults and youth, and check out the “cultural rooms” offering knowledge, samples, and activities relating to Korean, Filipino, Chinese, pan-
Since 1977, the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes has brought centuries of folk music traditions to Port Townsend for a summer weekend of live music in the park. Performers in this year’s festivities include Fire of Tierra Caliente, the Foghorn Stringband, Steve Riley and Chris Stafford, and Rhiannon Giddens of the California Chocolate Drops. McCurdy Pavilion at Fort Worden State Park, $16-$90, 1:30 pm
JULY 6–9
★ The 2nd Annual Royal Room Psychedelic Festival Psychedelic music will never die, as long as people still need sonic panaceas to escape mundane and/or horrible reality. The Royal Room’s four-night festival offers a panoramic view of Seattle’s robust psych underground, with nods to past superstars of transcendent rock, fusion, and blues. DAVE SEGAL The Royal Room, $10 per day
JULY 7–9
Redmond Arts Festival Come to the center of Redmond and dive into the community’s culture. Support local artists (painters, potters, jewelers, sculptors, and more) and their work, and enjoy live music throughout the festival. Redmond Town Center, free
JULY 8
Polish Festival
Upper Silesia, a linguistically and historically fascinating region overlapping Poland and Czechia, will be the focus of this year’s Polish Festival, an annual event offering food, beer, crafts, workshops, and performances.
Seattle Center, free entry, noon
JULY 8–9
Japan Fair
Hear music, take workshops, learn about culture, and buy goods from Japan at this arts and culture fest. Meydenbauer Center, free Wedgwood Art Festival
A small but appealing local fair with painting, craft, sculpture, and music. Our Lady of the Lake, 10 am
JULY 9
Georgetown Garden Walk
Explore the greenery of the onceindustrial Georgetown district during a free self-guided walking tour of gardens, artist studios, shops, restaurants, and the Museum of Communication.
Various locations, free, 10 am Art on the Ave Tacoma’s best will be showcased in 20 live musical performances and by more than 100 local art, craft, and food vendors.
6th Ave Tacoma, free, 11 am
JULY 13–15
★ Timber! Outdoor Music Festival
Timber! Outdoor Music Festival returns to Carnation for another year of diverse music and smalltown, outdoor fun. The all-star lineup includes big names like Sisters of Soul, Sera Cahoone, and Shovels & Rope, with local gems like Maiah Manser, the True Loves, Smokey Brights, Cataldo, and Adra Boo rounding it out, and many more involved. There will also be activities including a 5K run, swimming, mountain biking, stargazing, and tree-climbing. Tolt-McDonald Park, $65
Some of Seattle’s favorite bands will head out to the West Seattle Junction for this summer’s festival: Tacocat, Grace Love & the True Loves, Chastity Belt, Pillar Point, Hobosexual, and many more. If you know any of these names, you can tell it’s a lineup of pop, soul, and punk talent. There will also be a market: If previous years are anything to go by, one can eat tasty fried food, watch clowns be unintentionally creepy, learn about sustainability, and play giant Jenga.
West Seattle Junction
JULY 15–16
Arab Festival
This festival, which originated in the era of the first Persian Gulf War, connects festival-goers with Arab culture, art, and food from 22 countries.
Fisher Pavilion, free
Dragon Fest
The “largest pan-Asian celebration in the Northwest” spans cultural performances, food, and art from India to China to the Philippines to the Pacific Islands. It includes the beloved $3 food walk, where you can explore the neighborhood while inhaling cheap snacks, as well as Korean drumming, Chinese martial arts, and lion/dragon dances. Chinatown-International District, free
JULY 20
JamFest
The second annual JamFest enlivens the historic International District with live music sets, cabaret and burlesque performances, art, and food specials.
Wing Luke Museum, $8, 5:30 pm
JULY 21–22
Basin Summer Sounds Music Festival
Basin Summer Sounds is the largest free contemporary music and arts festival in the Northwest, featuring live music performances, kidfocused events, visual arts, and a charity basketball tournament. The two-day festival showcases both local and international acts, including XEB (with original members of Third Eye Blind), Spike & the Impalers, Brewer’s Grade, Nitewave, and more, on the lawn of the historic Grant County Courthouse. Grant County Courthouse Grounds
JULY 21–23
★ Capitol Hill Block Party 2017 Twenty-odd years ago, Capitol Hill Block Party was a one-day music event, featuring just a single stage. This year, the now iconic Capitol Hill festival will take over six blocks of the Pike/Pine corridor for three days of local and national artists on five separate stages. You’ll have the chance to see headliners Diplo, Run The Jewels, and Lord Huron, along with exceptional local artists like Zoolab, Sloucher, and Saint Claire, larger touring talents Angel Olsen, Wolf Parade, Lizzo, Thundercat, and many, many more. Capitol Hill, $60-$150
Winthrop Rhythm & Blues
Festival For the 30th year running, Winthrop’s the place to be for all your rhythm & blues needs this summer: A full three days of music with on-site camping, beer gardens, food, and actual showers. Blues Ranch, $110/$130
JULY 22–23
Alki Art Fair
There will be juried art, three music stages, kids’ activities, and lots of
DAVID CONGER
THINGS TO DO FESTIVALS
food at this large community fair on scenic Alki Beach. Alki Beach, free
JULY 28–30
6th Annual Watershed Festival
Watershed Country Music Festival returns to the Gorge for a wild weekend of twangin’ goodness. Put on your “Shedder gear” (trucker hats?) and get ready for three whole days of down-home studs.
Gorge Amphitheatre, $402-$1216
BAM ARTSfair
Shop arts from more than 300 creators and take advantage of free admission to the museum at this annual festival, which they claim is the largest arts and crafts fair in the Northwest.
Bellevue Arts Museum, free
JULY 29
Seattle Dragon Boat Festival
About 1,000 athletes will take to the oars of dragon boats, sleek kayak-shaped 20-seaters, and race to the beating of drums. For us spectators on shore, there’s music on the World Beat Stage, as well as crafts, workshops, and food.
South Lake Union Park, free, 8:15 am
JULY 30
Wine Country Blues Festival
Chateau Ste. Michelle kicks off another year of blues in the wine country, with a stacked summer festival bill of live sets by blues masters Colin James, John Mayall, Charlie Musselwhite, and Buddy Guy. Chateau Ste. Michelle, $55/$85, 3 pm
AUG 4–5
★ Pretty Lights Denver producer Derek Vincent Smith has zoomed to massive popularity over the last decade with soulful, expansive tracks that smooth out hiphop’s invigorating funkiness and create a gently glowing orchestral corona around downtempo electronica. He also does a celestial cover of Chic’s deeply moving “At Last I Am Free,” replete with a sample of Robert Wyatt singing it. Influential producer Rick Rubin lauds Pretty Lights as “the face and the voice of the new American electronic music scene,” and has the Beastie Boys/LL Cool J/Slayer studio wiz ever been wrong? Well, a few times, but not in this case. DS Gorge Amphitheatre, $123-$889, 4 pm
AUG 4–6
Umoja Fest 2017
The Umoja Fest African Heritage Festival and Parade, which takes its name from the Swahili word for “unity,” has been a Seattle tradition since the 1940s that aims to highlight the history and regional culture of the African American community. Judkins Park, free
AUGUST 4–25
★ Concerts at the Mural
In true KEXP fashion, another enjoyable round of free family-friendly concerts this year are up at the Mural Amphitheater at Seattle Center. Local and touring artists included in last year’s line-up featured Seattle sons Industrial Revelation with Kyle Craft, Mommy Long Legs, the Thermals, and Crater.
Mural Amphitheatre, free, 5:30 pm
AUG 10–13
Summer Meltdown 2017
Nestled in the mountains of central Washington, Summer Meltdown aims to provide a weekend of high-energy live music performances in a lush woodland setting. Featured artists will include the String Cheese Incident, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Elephant Revival, the Wailers, the Grouch, TAUK, and many more.
Darrington Bluegrass Music Park, $65-$165
AUG 11
South Lake Union Block Party
Every year, South Lake Union throws itself a party, featuring diverse musical pleasures from local band talents, as well as food trucks, a grilling competition, beer garden, and other things that crowds like.
South Lake Union Discovery Center, free
AUG 12
Iranian Festival
The Iranian American Community Alliance brings you the 11th year of its festival of Iran’s rich and expressive culture. Learn about the cultural roots and contemporary influences of Iran through live performances, visual arts, a Rumi poetry showcase, an Iranian tea house, a variety of foods, children’s games, and a marketplace. Seattle Center, free
AUG 18–20
★ 26th Annual Hempfest Hempfest! It’s a word that floods love into the hearts of countless marijuana activists and pot aficionados (tie-dyed Phish-shirt division). Since its 1991 kick-off as the “Washington Hemp Expo” in Volunteer Park, Hempfest’s grown into a nationally recognized destination event on the Seattle waterfront, where hundreds of thousands of weed-curious citizens gather for a three-day festival of weed-themed music, speeches, and tchotchke commerce, and law enforcement looks the other way as dense puffs of smoke sporadically fill the air.
DAVID SCHMADER
Myrtle Edwards Park, $10
Suggested Donation Per Day
Gigantic Bicycle Festival
First you ride your bike (for 50 miles) and then you’re done and you get to hang out and listen to music. You also can just drive.
Cyclists take off from Centennial Fields Park on Saturday morning and follow an established route throughout Snoqualmie and then back to the park, where artists like La Luz, Lemolo, Star Anna, and Carrie Akre will be waiting to play live sets over the weekend, all in celebration of the Northwest’s favorite populist transit option.
Centennial Fields Park, $35-$70
Seattle Tattoo Expo
For enthusiasts of permanently decorated flesh, here are three days to admire the art of the tattoo needle-wielder. See displays, attend seminars, and find the right artist to punch that sweet Bob Ferguson tat into your skin.
Fisher Pavilion, $20/$50
Westport Art Festival
This seaside festival begins with an exhibition called Aligning Light & Shadow: Art Inspired by the 2017 Solar Eclipse at the Maritime Museum—bid on your favorite piece. Admission is only $5. The rest of the weekend will be devoted to food, music, beer, and a plein-air arts market, plus an appearance by Seattle comedian David Crowe on Saturday. Westport Marina, free-$20
AUG 19
In the Spirit Northwest Native Festival
Immerse yourself in Native art and fashion and hear drumming and singing at this yearly festival and juried art show featuring a vendor marketplace and a performance venue. Washington State History Museum, free
★ Mercer X Summit Block Party
Founded this year, Mercer X Summit Block Party intends to be a free allages music festival held at the intersection of Summit and Mercer on the north end of Capitol Hill. The lineup for this new summer fest includes local heavy-hitters like Smokey Brights, Acapulco Lips, youryoungbody, and Sleeping Lessons. Capitol Hill, free, 2 pm
AUG 19–20
Fresh Paint: Festival of Artists at Work
The 135 artists at this festival aren’t selling finished products— they’re making art on the marina as you watch. Don’t worry, you can still buy it afterwards! See a glassblowing demo, woodcarving, and pottery, search for beach glass at the Fresh Paint Float Find, enjoy live music, and eat.
Port of Everett Marina, free, 10 am
Viking Days
Steer your longboat to Ballard’s charming museum of Scandinavian heritage and enjoy pancakes, aquavit, beer, sausages and salmon, listen to musical acts, and make war at a Viking village (or see weaving and craft demonstrations, if you’re too peaceable for that).
Nordic Heritage Museum, 10 am
AUG 20
BrasilFest
BrasilFest celebrates the blend of indigenous, Portuguese, and African cultures that make the huge South American country’s life, music, food, and culture so fascinating. Hear samba, guitar, and folk music, see capoeira demos, and partake in luscious Brazilian food. Seattle Center, free
AUG 26
Nudestock
“A nude rock and blues experience,” complete with live music from local bands Jeff Herzog and the Jet City Flyers, Champagne Sunday, and the Groovetramps, food and craft vendors, and access to the park’s pool, sauna, and volleyball court. Tiger Mountain Nudist Park, $16, 11 am
★ TUF FEST
The second annual TUF FEST is an all-day/all-night extravaganza spotlighting musical performances, visual art installations, workshops, and artist discussions by female/nonbinary/trans members of the electronic-music community. Powered by the local TUF collective, the event features live sets by acclaimed DJs and beatmakers, with a TUF FEST ’Til Dawn after-hours party. In a field dominated by male-centric bills, TUF FEST is a spring-loaded step into a fresh future. DAVE SEGAL
Judkins Park, free, noon
AUG 26–27
Arts in Nature Festival
The Arts in Nature Festival presents a series of acoustic, unplugged performances by musicians, dancers, actors, and other performers, plus participatory art happenings set against the most beautiful backdrop: Mother Nature. Camp Long
Tibet Fest
Enjoy a glimpse into the fascinating cultures of Tibet. Make a sand mandala, brush up on herbal medicine, try food, hear music, and buy cool art and trinkets. Seattle Center, free
SEPT 1–3
★ Bumbershoot 2017
Bumbershoot, Seattle’s biggest music, comedy, and arts festival, will take over Seattle Center for the 47th year. This year’s lineup is full to bursting with local and national stars, including headliners like Flume, Lorde, Odesza, Solange, Weezer, Big Sean, and Gucci Mane, mid-range acts like Cody Jinks, Conor Oberst, Vince Staples, and Sofi Tukker, and hometown gems like Dude York, Porter Ray, Stas THEE Boss, and Crater. Seattle Center, $235-$725
SEPT 1–4
★ PAX West 2017
PAX West is an annual convention in Seattle devoted exclusively to gaming, and, since it started in 2004, it has become one of the two largest gaming events in North America, along with its Boston spinoff, PAX East. The convention features panels, an exhibit hall, new game demonstrations, and special guests. Washington State Convention & Trade Center
