SGN November 25, 2016 - Section 2

Seattle Gay News

Issue 48, Volume 44, November 25, 2016

Arts & Entertainment

ArtsWest’s Peter and the SGN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Starcatcher a thrilling Bernadette Peters hits Benaroya Hall this weekend entertainment full of & chats about her new TV roles, heartfelt joy & crazy fun Sondheim & more!

Peter and the Starcatcher – Photo by Alan Alabastro

by Paul Torres SGN A&E Writer PETER AND THE STARCATCHER ARTSWEST Through December 23

If you have a penchant for pirates with witty wordplay, then Peter and the Starcatcher at ArtsWest is for you. Eric Ankrim (Spring Awakening, Grease) directs this humorous, magical, and boistersee STARCATCHER page 7

Bernadette Peters – Photo courtesy of cloudpix.co

by MK Scott SGN Contributing Writer BERNADETTE PETERS IN CONCERT BENAROYA HALL November 26 @ 8pm

On Saturday, November 26, Broadway Diva, Bernadette Peters, 68, takes the Benaroya Hall stage in a solo concert performance with a 12 member-orchestra as part see BERNADETTE page 4

LA Philharmonic gives Tapping and Singin’ in the brilliant performance of Rain at Village Theatre Mahler’s 9th Symphony

Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel leads the LA Philharmonic at Benaroya Hall – Photo courtesy of seattlesymphony.org

by Sharon Cumberland SGN A&E Writer LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC MAHLER’S 9TH SYMPHONY BENAROYA HALL November 4

Mahler’s kaleidoscopic 9th Symphony was the composer’s final work, often described as a meditation on death and mortality. Its 80 minutes and four movements contain a full spectrum of emotion, from see LA PHILHARMONIC page 4

(l) John David Scott (Don), Mallory King (Kathy), and Gabriel Corey (Cosmo) – Photo by Mark Kitaoka. Property of Village Theatre.

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN VILLAGE THEATRE Issaquah: Through Dec. 31 Everett: January 6-29

Village Theatre has perfectly cast its tap-happy production of Singin’ in the Rain! The entire ensemble has great energy and many of the roles have just the right actor on stage for it. see SINGIN’ page 6

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November 25, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and Bruno Mars announce Seattle area concerts for 2017

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer I’ve been away for a good part of the last three weeks, and in that time the concert calendar really exploded. It’s possible you’ve already heard about these big shows coming to Seattle in 2017, but if not I’m pleased to deliver the news.

up to 2015’s Beauty Behind the Madness.

And with a new album under his belt, The Weeknd (real name: Abel Tesfaye) is hitting the road for a worldwide tour in 2017, which includes a Seattle date on April 26 at Key Arena. Aside from “Starboy,” expect to hear the Canadian singer-songwriter’s other hits, like “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills” and the Oscar-nominated “Earned It” when he performs here next spring.

Bruno Mars is also saddling up to the Emerald City next summer, well, sort of.

24K Magic, available in stores now. Some of the songs you might hear in concert at Key Arena are “Locked Out of Heaven,” “Grenade,” “Just the Way You Are,” “When I Was Your Man,” “Young Girls” and last year’s mega hit “Uptown Funk.”

Here’s hoping he includes “Bubble Butt” on the set list, too.

Tickets for all three shows – Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and Bruno Mars – are on sale now at LiveNation.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone 1-800-745-3000.

First up is Ariana Grande, who’ll return to Seattle on March 23, nearly two years after she performed in the Emerald City during A few more shows to her “Honeymoon” tour. That announce are Chrisette was a great concert, let me Michelle at The Showbox tell you! The petite singer, Market (February 8), Tim a huge LGBT ally from day McGraw and Faith Hill one, will appear again at at the Tacoma Dome (May Key Arena to promote her 27) and New Kids on the newest album, Dangerous Block with Paula Abdul Woman, which has already and Boyz II Men at Key produced a block of hits, Arena (June 7).

“Focus,” “Into You,” “Side to Side” (featuring Nicki Finally, more sad news Minaj) and the title cut. fell upon the music world She’ll likely belt out each this week with the death of those songs when she of fiery R&B-funk singer comes here next spring, as Sharon Jones. The Gramwell as older favorites, such my-winner, along with her as “Break Free” and “Love bandmates the Dap Kings, Me Harder.” I was really scored a Grammy nomiimpressed with her perfornation for 2014’s Give the mance last year, mainly People What They Want, because the girl sang the but perhaps the best album entire length of the show (no the group released was lipsyncing) and her voice 100 Days, 100 Nights from was incredible live, plus she The late Sharon Jones – Photo courtesy of Daptone Records 2007. I had the privilege of also interacted frequently He’ll perform at the Tacoma Dome on July seeing Jones and the Dap Kings open for with the crowd.

Please don’t ask me how many times 17, as part of his “24K Magic World Tour” Tony Bennett a few years back at BumI’ve listened to “Starboy” on my iPhone, that launches March 28 in Antwerp and bershoot and she was electric. This was a or seen the video on YouTube, in the past will travel through central Europe and woman that could not only sing with soul, few weeks. Okay, I’ll tell you. About 300 Scandinavia before arriving stateside for she could dance with soul as well – the to 400 times. I’m obsessed with it. The shows in Las Vegas, San Jose, Portland, music was in her blood. So, farewell to ansong is the title track and leadoff single Fargo, Chicago, Columbus, Newark, Mi- other great artist, Sharon Jones, who died from The Weeknd’s just-released sopho- ami and Dallas, to name a few. The tour November 18 at the age of 60. more album, a highly anticipated follow supports his latest full-length recording,

Best of Music 2016 coming Dec. 23

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer A lot of things happened this year, some good, some bad and some unforgettable.

Music-wise, the past eleven months were less than stellar, although it still produced

a short list of great albums and songs that kept playing in our heads long after the others. On December 23, we’ll reveal our choices for the Best of Music 2016, including our selections for the most impressive albums, singles, concerts and the year’s hottest artists, as well as the rotten apples,

our picks for the very worst music that came out this year. We’re also busy confirming a special artist interview to coincide with the year-end festivities. Be sure to grab a copy of the Seattle Gay News on December 23 to find out what we selected as our Best of Music 2016.

David Sedaris selects Seattle for eight workshops in January

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Consider yourself fortunate if you got to see David Sedaris live last week at Benaroya Hall. His appearance on November 16 at the downtown symphony hall was expectedly sold out, as it usually is when the famed author comes to town.

But – and this is a big but – he’s headed back. As luck would have it, Sedaris has chosen the Emerald City for a week-long workshop just after the New Year, in which he’ll read from his-soon-to-be published book, Theft By Finding, as he puts the finishing touches on it at Broadway Perfor-

Visit us online www.sgn.org

mance Hall, on Capitol Hill.

Traditionally, the comedic writer chooses one or two cities to complete the final phase of his manuscript before it’s sent to the publisher, and Seattle is it this time around. Audiences can choose to attend any of eight workshops scheduled between January 14 and 20, taking place in the 295-seat venue situated at the south end of the Seattle Central College campus at Broadway & E. Pine St. All workshops begin at 7pm with an additional 2pm matinee on January 15, and each of them includes a brief Q&A session. This sets up a unique, intimate opportunity to hear Sedaris read from Theft

By Finding before it hits bookstore shelves

on June 2017.

Sedaris, who is openly Gay and lives with his partner overseas in England, rose to fame in the late ’90s and early ’00s with a string of acclaimed works – most are a collection of hysterical stories from his childhood and other life experiences – that includes Naked, Holidays on Ice and Me Talk Pretty One Day. His most recent books are Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary and Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls.

General admission seats for the workshops are priced at $50. Tickets are on sale now at brownpapertickets.com.

November 25, 2016

Seattle Gay News 3

BERNADETTE

continued from cover of the Seattle Symphony’s 2016-17 season.

Throughout her illustrious career, Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage and television, in concert, and on recordings.

Ms. Peters currently stars in Amazon Prime’s hit TV series, “Mozart in the Jungle,” which won the 2016 Golden Globe for Best TV Comedy or Musical series.

Who could forget her in Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy, Follies and even Into the Woods?

It was a real honor to chat with her by phone.

MK Scott: Bernadette, I know you are busy on the set of your new CBS show, “The Good Fight” (which we will get to later) and gearing up to come to Seattle this weekend with a command performance. Can you tell us what songs will be included?

Bernadette Peters: Yes, yes, I’m coming to Seattle! I’m singing on Saturday after Thanksgiving. Hopefully, I won’t eat too much on Thanksgiving, and also on the next day, and then we’ll do the show Saturday. I’m looking forward to it.

I love Seattle. I love to go to Fisherman – it’s called Fisherman’s Pike or Fisherman’s Wharf. What’s it called? Pike’s Peak?

MK: Pike Place Market? (Laugh) Peters: I know, I’m making a joke. It’s cool!

I do all kinds of music basically, but I will also do Rodgers and Hammerstein – I sing Peggy Lee’s “Fever,” but I sing a lot of Sondheim – it’s enjoyable for me.

MK: You’ve performed songs by some of the best – from Irving Berlin to Marvin Hamish – but you are known as Sondheim’s go-to star. Is there any show you haven’t done of his, but would like to do?

Peters: I guess I haven’t done Sweeney Todd. I like going to see Sweeney Todd.

Everything he writes has such, you know, depth to it that it’s just wonderful – neat.

There are so many layers to it. That’s why I like to sing his music. It’s always a place – an amazing place to go!

MK: You have been very busy of late with your appearance in the Globes-winning, “Mozart in the Jungle.” Talk about your character, Gloria?

Peters: Yes, this is our third season and it’s available on Amazon Prime – premiering on December 9th. Gloria runs the symphony – and does the hiring, the firing, and the fundraising – and it brought in the two Golden Globes we won for my character – so basically this season we start with the symphony’s been on strike and we lost Rodrigo – that’s our conductor. He goes off and I find that he’s in Venice [Italy] so I go to Venice to try to bring him back and – and I tell you it’s so beautiful there! So the show opens in Venice and we’re there for about five episodes and you’ll never see – it’s just a beautiful place – magical and – romantic and we shot in San Marcos Square and it’s a great season.

We have to take the orchestra to Rikers Is-

LA PHILHARMONIC continued from cover

the soft and tender to the jagged and shattering. It opens quietly and ends silently – so silently that you can’t hear anything.

The only evidence you have that the orchestra is playing is that the conductor’s arms are moving. Yet in between these extreme pianissimos are titanic constructions of sound that build and recede like forces of nature – or fortissimos of nature. To my ears the work is more comprehensive than a farewell to life. Rather it seems like a monumental attempt to describe the human experience – akin to the works of Homer, Dante, Michelangelo, or Walt Whitman – while still sounding modern, jumpy, and edgy. It was a perfect match for the sculptural musicality of conductor Gustavo Du-

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land [in New York City] – to the prison. We actually go to the prison – and we perform for some of the inmates – in the yard. Yes! But they were handpicked prisoners – some of them were getting out the next day. And they were great – they loved being on camera.

They loved the acting and being a part of this.

We actually played the symphony music that was written by someone when he was in prison in Nazi Germany. So he listened to birds outside his window and he wrote music, you know – it really is wonderful!

MK: Also, you have a new role in “The

fer that. There’s some comedy that gets a little lost in the movie that can only work, I think, when it’s on the stage, so I miss that.

But otherwise, I think it’s a wonderful version of a musical from the stage to transform it onto the screen.

MK: I know you are passionate of your Broadway Barks project. Tell us more?

Peters: Oh my god, yeah, I mean that’s my passion – is to help and shelter animals – and, I mean, we’re finding out more and more how valuable they are. They’re finding out now that dogs can sniff out cancer

Bernadette Peters – Photo by Andrew Eccles

Good Wife” spinoff, “The Good Fight” debuting in February. Tell us about Lenore.

Peters: Yeah, she’s like a Bernie Madoff wife. So she’s a very interesting character to play. And they keep you evolving; I keep seeing what they have in mind, what the scripts are bringing – quite interesting.

And you don’t know if they’re guilty or not guilty. Is she blaming somebody else? And so I’ll let you know what happens.

MK: Who in today’s musical theater world reminds you of yourself, when you were starting out?

Peters: Oh, I don’t know, the shows are so different – I mean, of course, you know, I played Megan Hilty’s mother on “Smash” and I just think she’s an amazing talent.

And I adore her. And I used to love watching her in the show and watching her, she just got fantastic!

MK: One of your iconic roles was in Into the Woods. What did you think of the film version?

Peters: I really like it. I was so happy that it was so well done. You know, it was written for the stage, so I still think I pre-

– not in stage one, two or three, four – stage zero! So a dog can sniff out a teaspoon of sugar in two Olympic size swimming pools – that’s how strong their sense of smell is.

So they’re teaching these dogs to sniff out ovarian cancer and breast cancer and different kinds of cancers. So I think it’s very important to just keep our eye on this, because, I think, if we can catch it really early – it’s very hard – if they can catch that – I mean, look what a life-saver that would be!

So not only do they save us emotionally – that they save our lives emotionally – but actually save our lives physically.

MK: You have also devoted lots of time and money to AIDS charities.

Peters: Oh, yes. Yes! I’m on the board of Broadway Cares. They’re great! The head of that, Tom Viola, has such a big heart and he’s there to help people when they need it. Not only there. you know, like when the hurricane hit, Katrina – you know, he would send money there and he sends money to places that need it.

MK: As an icon who has a large LGBTQ fan base, what advice can you give to

damel and the massive force of LA Philharmonic’s 106-member orchestra. Together they corralled Mahler’s wild dynamics into a coherent whole.

Conductor Dudamel’s expressiveness gives the audience as much confidence and sense of direction as it gives the orchestra.

Because he conducted without a score, there were none of the downward glances or fast-flick-page-turning gestures that normally add drama to a conductor’s movement at the podium. Instead, he shaped the music with his bare hands. His right hand – without a baton – kept time through the complex shifts and changes of the movements, while his left hand – and, at key moments, the circular swing of his entire arm, head, and torso – drew the full sensorium of emotions from the orchestra, like a wizard conjuring fantastical creatures from a bubbling caldron. At the end of the third move-

ment Rondo-Burleske, for instance, the volume is so gigantic that Dudamel fairly jumped up and down on the podium as his left hand brought in one group of players after another, pointing, chopping, scooping, mixing, while his right hand kept everyone on the path that had suddenly turned into a race track. (I know I’m mixing metaphors – but the 9th Symphony is a magnificently mixed-metaphor kind of work.)

The symphonies of Gustav Mahler have become one of Gustavo Dudamel’s specialties. In 2004, at the age of 23, he won the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition in Germany, and in 2007 recorded Mahler’s 5th Symphony with the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra in his native Venezuela.

Since coming to the LA Philharmonic in 2009 he has recorded Mahler’s Symphonies numbered 1, 5, 7, 8 and 9. This special relationship between composer and conductor

November 25, 2016

them, what now with the new administration, and scary future?

Peters: I think we have to stay listening and keep our eyes opened and I think we have to say no, no, no, that won’t do! And I – I think we just have to speak up. I think we do. It’s just we can’t let – I mean they have to remember in this new presidency that’s coming up that they are – they are the leaders of all the people. They have to take care of everyone in the country. So, I think it’s something to – and there should be no hate crimes. We can’t go backwards like that. I think that would be really awful – is to start promoting hate and – discrimination and racism – all those things.

It’s just not acceptable. Isn’t that amazing?

It’s like people are given permission now. It actually breaks my heart that people actually have that in their hearts – and the hate.

Now usually it comes from them feeling, I guess, less than, and they have to make themselves feel more important, and so you know things happen that way. But however it happens, it’s not good. And it’s, it’s – you know, that this is happening is pretty sad.

MK: Of course, you must have heard what happened at Hamilton, when VP-elect, Mike Pence was addressed by the cast?

Peters: Well, you know, it wasn’t like they stopped the show to – no, but even so; it wasn’t like even at the end of the show – it was the time of the year, they were actually making curtain speeches because they were collecting for Broadway Cares.

It wasn’t like they said well at the end of the show we have an announcement – but they actually used that time to speak to the guests in the audience and they were not rude. They just said I hope that you will be the administration for all the people in this country – all the people. So I think that’s one thing – that’s what they told them. And it wasn’t anything rude. It was just – we’re in the show, we are a diverse integrated cast – we are playing, you know, famous American people in history and politics – we’re playing them, and if we’re an interracial cast – and look at us and we won a Pulitzer Prize and we’re a big hit show. And people love us. And so I hope that you will be the administration for all the people.

Bernadette Peters will be performing on Saturday, November 26 @ 8pm at Benaroya Hall, 3rd Ave. & University St. For more information and tickets, go to seattlesymphony.org.

Watch Peters in the 3rd season of “Mozart in the Jungle,” starting on December 9th on Amazon Prime. And in “The Perfect Fight” on CBS starting in February 2017.

“Mozart in the Jungle” Season 3 Trailer: Gael García Bernal and Lola Kirke Return To The Orchestra – http://www.nytimes. com/2016/07/20/arts/television/mozart-inthe-jungle-placido-domingo.html?_r=0 Hear this interview and more at itsfab. podomatic.com MK Scott is a Seattle based blogger, check out his site at outviewoline.com

has resulted in a sharp, romantic approach that never loses its way in the multi-layered technicality of the works. During the Benaroya Hall performance, the precision of each section of the orchestra was such that even in the loudest and most agitated sections of Mahler’s score you could hear every instrument separately, from the ting of the triangle to the soft boom of the tuba. The violin sections bracketing the podium were so numerous and precise that when Dudamel cued them in, and they lifted their instruments to their chins simultaneously, it was as though a wooden floor had suddenly appeared at shoulder height, making a surface that flung the music into the air above our heads.

The perfectly mannered audience at Benaroya Hall supported this cohesion among composer, conductor, and orchestra. see LA PHILHARMONIC page 5

Celebrating 41 Years!

LA PHILHARMONIC continued from page 4

I was very impressed by the audience’s disciplined silence between movements, when the excitement or the beauty of concluding phrases might have tempted lesser listeners

into spontaneous applause. The audience’s restraint and deeply committed attention allowed everyone to enter into a satisfying meditative state that lasted for the whole, uninterrupted, arc of performance. At the super-pianissimo conclusion, when all eyes were riveted on Gustavo Dudamel’s uplifted arms, and all 106 instruments remained

in mouths and on shoulders, and all 2,500 breaths in the auditorium were held, it was as if Mahler had found a way to describe – not death – but the Eternal Now. It was an unforgettable performance by an orchestra and its conductor in their primes. And since Gustavo Dudamel is only 35 years old, it’s a prime that should last for a very long time.

Thank goodness that Seattle has a concert hall as inviting as Benaroya Hall, and a concert-going audience as mature and committed as those who were present at this brilliant performance of Mahler’s 9th Symphony. We can hope and expect to see the LA Philharmonic for return visits in the future.

GRAMMYS: Adele, Chance the Rapper, Sia, Drake and RiRi are prime for nominations

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Hello, it’s me...again. That’s right, Adele is going to slay the Grammys, once again.

She did so four years ago with the monster single “Rolling in the Deep” (Record, Song of the Year) and her sophomore effort 21 (Album of the Year), so don’t be surprised if she pulls a three-peat in February, nabbing those exact three awards for her charttopping ballad “Hello” and multi-platinum third studio effort, 25. If anyone is going to stand in her way, it could be Chance the Rapper, who just performed a sold out concert a month ago at WaMu Theater and who claims one of 2016’s best reviewed albums, Coloring Book. Or, it could be another artist who was also in Seattle recently, Sia, whose full-length release This is Acting was both a critical and commercial success.

Or, it could be Drake, who is long overdue for an Album of the Year nomination and appears to be a frontrunner with this year’s Views. Then again, it might be Rihanna, simply because her album Anti produced three top hits, including the radio airplay giant “Work.”

Adele and her team of co-writers, producers, remixers and engineers, among others, will probably earn Grammy nominations in the double digits when they’re announced on December 6. Several fellow artists will surely rack up multiple nods, from Sia to Kanye West to Rihanna. But there are dozens of categories in numerous genres that will also be revealed, some that Adele or Drake or Chance the Rapper aren’t even eligible for – Best Comedy Album, anyone?

The eligibility period for the 2017 Grammy Awards stretches back to October 1, 2015 all the way to September 30, 2016, making Adele and Coldplay eligible this year. That said, here’s my take on six key categories going into next week’s announcements.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 25 is automatic. A blue ribbon panel, which selects the nominees in the four general categories (Album, Record and Song of the Year, Best New Artist), traditionally chooses five contenders from multiple genres, although no one from the country field looks to make the cut this time around. Adele and Sia are likely to represent the pop field, while Rihanna is the safest pick from the R&B sector, unless Beyonce sneaks in with Lemonade, and a trio of rappers, Chance the Rapper, Drake, and Kanye West, will vie for the remaining slots. Somehow, I think Drake might get squeezed out again. And if the voters award a nod to a rock act, look for either Radiohead or Coldplay to snag it, or quite possibly the late David Bowie.

Likely nominees: 25 – Adele Anti – Rihanna This is Acting – Sia Coloring Book – Chance the Rapper The Life of Pablo – Kanye West Strongest alternates: Views – Drake Lemonade – Beyonce A Moon Shaped Pool – Radiohead A Head Full of Dreams – Coldplay Blackstar – David Bowie

Longshots: 22, A Million – Bon Iver Mr. Misunderstood – Eric Church The Getaway – Red Hot Chili Peppers Stranger to Stranger – Paul Simon Dangerous Woman – Ariana Grande RECORD OF THE YEAR “Hello” is a no-brainer. “Work” and “Cheap Thrills” are heavily favored, while “Formation” is a solid bet. I’d love to see “Burn the Witch” get in, but something tells me Lady GaGa’s “Perfect Illusion” will knock it off, and Justin Bieber has a decent shot with “Love Yourself.”

“Cheap Thrills” and “Perfect Illusion.”

Likely nominees: “Hello” “Cheap Thrills” “Perfect Illusion” “Hymn for the Weekend” “Work” Strongest alternates: “7 Years” “No” “Burn the Witch” “Lake by the Ocean” “Piece by Piece”

Rachel Platten Cole Swindell Maren Morris Longshots: Troye Sivan Flume Alessia Cara Halsey Bryson Tiller BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM Bowie, Radiohead and Bon Iver are shoo-ins, but the surprise could be Paul Simon’s Stranger to Stranger, which was remarkably placed in this category instead of in the mainstream rock field. I’m hoping Grimes also makes the list.

Likely nominees: Blackstar – David Bowie A Moon Shaped Pool – Radiohead 22, A Million – Bon Iver Stranger to Stranger – Paul Simon Art Angels – Grimes Strongest alternates: Schmilco – Wilco The Colour in Everything – James Blake The Hope Six Demolition Project – PJ Harvey Why Are You OK – Band of Horses Tell Me I’m Pretty – Cage The Elephant Longshots: I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It – The 1975 Junk – M83 What Went Down – Foals Phase – Jack Garratt Emily’s D+Evolution – Esperanza Spalding

Adele – Photo courtesy of canindia.com

Likely nominees: “Hello” – Adele “Work” – Rihanna (featuring Drake) “Cheap Thrills” – Sia (featuring Sean Paul) “Perfect Illusion” – Lady GaGa “Formation” – Beyonce Strongest alternates: “Burn the Witch” – Radiohead “Hymn for the Weekend” – Coldplay “One Dance” – Drake (featuring WizKid and Kyla) “Cake by the Ocean” – DNCE “Piece by Piece” – Kelly Clarkson Longshots: “Closer” – The Chainsmokers (featuring Halsey) “Boys Like You” – Ariana Grande “Love Yourself” – Justin Bieber “7 Years” – Lukas Graham “Ophelia” – The Lumineers SONG OF THE YEAR In contrast to ROTY, this award is for the songwriter(s) and often includes slowtempo tunes and ballads; however, in recent years the Grammy voters have stepped it up and nominated a cooler set of songs, including those from the rap and rock genres.

That said, “Hello” is a lock, followed by

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Longshots: “Famous” “Dangerous Woman” “We Don’t Talk Anymore” “Blackstar” “My Church” BEST NEW ARTIST Chance the Rapper is in, barring the committee finding him ineligible down the homestretch due to his album being released digitally. Charlie Puth deservedly should make the cut, as should another singer-songwriter, Lukas Graham. If voters nominate an EDM act, look for either The Chainsmokers or Flume to get in. From the country genre, Cam and Cole Swindell are the best bets. Openly Gay performer Troye Sivan, who interviewed with the SGN earlier this year (http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews44_05/ page44.cfm) is also in the running.

Likely nominees: Chance the Rapper Charlie Puth Lukas Graham The Chainsmokers Cam Strongest alternates: Shawn Mendes The 1975

November 25, 2016

BEST DANCE RECORDING Galantis was robbed last year, losing to Justin Bieber and EDM power duo Diplo and Skrillex, not to mention the actual best dance recording of 2015 was Major Lazer and MO’s “Lean On,” which wasn’t even submitted by record label Mad Decent because they saw a better chance of the Biebs’ “Where Are U Now” (on the same label) winning; it paid off for them in the end.

The good news is that Galantis has another chance this year to win with “No Money,” and here’s hoping Years & Years makes the cut with “Desire.”

Likely nominees: “No Money” – Galantis “Don’t Let Me Down” – The Chainsmokers (featuring Daya) “Never Be Like You” – Flume (featuring Kai) “This is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris (featuring Rihanna) “Middle” – DJ Snake (featuring Bipolar Sunshine) Strongest alternates: “Venus Fly” – Grimes “The Sound” – AutoErotique (featuring Major Lazer) “Desire” – Years & Years (featuring Tove Lo) “Kungs vs Cookin’ on 3 Burners” – This Girl “Nocturnal” – Disclosure (featuring The Weeknd)

Seattle Gay News 5

Intriguing King Charles III at Seattle Rep

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer KING CHARLES III SEATTLE REPERTORY THEATRE Through December 18 The new and much anticipated play at Seattle Rep is King Charles III and it has a very intriguing premise. We all know that Queen Elizabeth II will die, like we all will at some point. That’s not very startling, and her son, Prince Charles, has been on tap to be king for a long time. Playwright Mike Bartlett supposes what a newly ascended King Charles might be like, and chooses some very contemporary problems to fold into the fantasy.

As the pomp and ritual of the Queen’s burial is ending, the new King Charles is presented with a bill to sign from the British Parliament by the Prime Minister. But it happens that the bill fundamentally restricts freedom of Britian’s famously rowdy and incendiary press. As Prime Minister Evans (a suitably restrained Ian Merrial Peakes) explains it, it seeks to reasonably prevent invasions of privacy like tapping of royal cell phones and then leaking photos and emails to the public (which we heard really happened in 2011).

You might think that King Charles would be heartily in favor of the bill, which has already been passed by majorities in the Parliament and lacks only what is considered a perfunctory royal signature. Instead, King Charles, as the real life bookworm Prince and thoughtful historian seems to be, decides that his signature should not be a formality and he will not sign the bill!

What a constitutional crisis! It puts the King on the side of an unfettered press, even to his own disadvantage. It upends tens or hundreds of years of settled British protocol. Does the King have the right to disrupt a democratically passed bill be-

(l) Allison Jean White (Kate), Christopher McLindon (Williams) & Robert Joy (King Charles III) in King Charles III at Seattle Repertory Theatre – Photo by Michael Doucett

cause he disagrees with it? If the King has no such veto power, then should his signature even be asked for?

Complications include the minority leader of Parliament (Bradford Farwell), who will say one thing in private to the King (supporting the King not signing the bill) and maintain a public position of saying the King must allow Parliament to rule without interference. Due to unrest by the public, the King establishes a real militaristic presence around the palace in place of the ceremonial Palace Guard.

After November 8th… a date that may well go down in our country’s history as more important than most Election Days, this particular play resonates so much more than it might have a month or more beforehand. Who wields power and how is now much more on our minds.

The concept of the play is wonderful for a large portion of the first act – which

is a long one. The execution of the script is admirable because it translates very modern thought and action into Shakespearian cadence. Bartlett uses iambic pentameter, the common Shakespeare poetic meter (five “beats” per measure – ba bum ba bum ba bum ba bum ba bum) and also uses Jacobian-styled word switches (“What is it, husband, troubles you like this?”). Bartlett wants you to think of this as a Shakespearian historical play.

There is fun to be had if you follow even a small amount of British royal exploits.

Humor is laced through in both small and larger ways, which enlivens the show.

Prince Harry (Harry Smith) is portrayed as not very serious and wishing to give up royal life all together after meeting an intellectually stimulating commoner (Michelle Beck). Cast members are made to look very much like the real deal, and Prince William (Christopher McLinden), Princess Kate (Al-

lison Jean White), Camilla (Jeanne Paulsen), and Chiara Motley as Ghostly Princess Diana look astonishingly realistic.

Robert Joy does not do a caricature of Prince/King Charles, but suggests his manner well. He is effective as the troubled royal.

However, the topnotch performances not withstanding, the clever idea begins to run out of steam towards the end of the first act and falls pretty completely apart in Act Two. Prince William, led by a conniving Kate, double-crosses his father in order to get crowned in his place and restore the established order. While it might be smart to portray Kate as more than a pretty face, here she comes off as too much of a shrew, and pretty heartless, as well.

The production is very handsome. Staged

by David Muse, the set by Daniel Ostling is a gorgeous English castle foyer with huge statues in stained-glass window frames. The music by Mark Bennett is a fun mix of both classically royal style and current pop.

This co-production between the Seattle Rep, American Conservatory Theatre (San Francisco) and The Shakespeare Theatre (Washington, D.C.) continues on to D.C. for the third leg of its journey. (The San Francisco stand was September into October.)

It’s a smart way to leverage an expensive show. The smaller roles are played by local actors from each location.

While acknowledging the unraveling of the script by the end, there is still a lot to enjoy about the production. The cast is excellent, the trappings do it justice and there is much catalyzed in the concept that Bartlett proposes.

Politics is an uneasy business no matter which side of the Pond you’re on these days.

For more information, go to www.seattlerep.org or call 206-443-2222.

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

SINGIN’

continued from cover You have seen the movie numerous times. It’s a new experience on a theater stage, especially when people must perform all the way through what might have been many takes for the screen version.

The storyline is about the advent of the “talkies” when silent film suddenly finds itself dead in an instant, once audiences find out technology is capable of melding voice with picture. Lockwood and Lamont are a famous silent film duo and the studio has made a love story out of their relationship, for publicity only. With the advent of The Jazz Singer, they need to make a talkie, but Lina Lamont (the supremely funny and on-point Jessica Skerritt) has a terrible, screechy voice and can’t sing or act a lick.

What to do?

Veteran favorites like Bobbi Kotula, who imbues every one of the several characters with her signature fun, and Jeff Steitzer, whose delivery as R.J. Simpson, head of the studio, is comic gold, are on hand.

Matt Wolfe, Greg McCormick Allen, and Pamela Turpin also bolster key moments.

Younger people, veteran ensemble players, who have not yet had a chance to lead are front and center. John David Scott plays Don Lockwood in an enchanting, Gene Kelly homage. Mallory King does a great ingénue, like Debbie Reynolds. Gabriel Corey gets a chance to show his great comic chops as side-kick Cosmo Brown. Corey’s antics on “Make ‘Em Laugh” are on-point and exhaustingly funny.

If you’re wondering if the iconic song would be diluted…have no fear! They surely make it rain on stage! Buckets and

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(l) Ty Willis (Roscoe) & Jessica Skerritt (Lina) in Singin’ in the Rain – Photo by Mark Kitaoka. Property of Village Theatre.

buckets of rain fall that Scott has to dance through with an umbrella. Katy Tabb’s solid choreography helps the piece maintain interest, despite having to be danced only from right to left and left to right – the limitations of a stage production.

Director Steve Tomkins knows exactly what he wants and gets it. Music directors Tim Symons and Bruce Monroe field an orchestra that sounds lush and full of horns. The costuming by Cynthia Savage is gorgeous and period-apt. The chorus girl costumes were sometimes absolutely

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sumptuous.

A very “easy” scenic design by Bill Forrester with little solid set and lots of flying in backdrops made scene changes virtually unnoticeable. Lights by Michael Gilliam and sound by Brent Warwick were similarly so well executed that they just “happened,” like life.

A huge bravo to the technicians, all, behind the movie shorts that captured the feeling of what would have been on screen so well. The clunking of actors’ feet, the heartbeats and the sound or lack thereof

were all hysterical in the “talky” snippet.

Overall, this is a fun show that is good for the whole family. It is a bit on the slow side at 2 ½ hours. But audiences are filling seats and having a great time.

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

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

Celebrating 41 Years!

Ballard High Thespians to present Rent in World AIDS Day and weekend benefit concerts The Ballard High School Thespian Troupe is proud to present two benefit concert performances of the musical Rent (singing the full score rather than performing the fully staged musical) on the 20th anniversary of the show, with the first performance on December 1st, World AIDS Day. It will run for two nights only, December 1st and 3rd at 7:30pm at Ballard High School, in the Earl Kelly Performing Arts Center, 1418 NW 65th Street, Seattle. Fifty percent of the proceeds will be donated to Lifelong, a Seattle organization supporting clients living with HIV/AIDS and fifty percent will go toward the conversion of Ballard’s stage lighting from incandescent to LED. At $25 per ticket, attendees will enjoy a fun night of singing with a few surprises, while knowing their admission supports two good causes.

The performance will feature some of Ballard’s current stand-out vocal/drama students. Director Shawn Riley is also bringing back 2016 alumni Aisha Carpenter (winner of 5th Avenue Award for Best Supporting Actress in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and “Eve” in Children of Eden), for the role of “Mimi Marquez.” 2012 graduate Gustavo Gutierrez will play the role of “Angel.” He is remembered at Ballard for the role of “Harry MacAfee” in Bye, Bye Birdie (5th Avenue nominee for Best Musical) and as an Ensemble Member in Cabaret. Local musical theatre performers Me-

STARCATCHER continued from cover

ous origin story of how Peter Pan learned his ways, received his name, and began his life as our favorite lost boy. Anyone who is a fan of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan story will be enthralled with this version. Rick Elice wrote the book based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Music is composed by Wayne Baker.

Peter and the Starcatcher is sheer entertainment to thrill an audience. This massive production fills the entirety of the ArtsWest stage with big-stage values: two ships, a raging sea, crocodiles, and even mermaids.

This story tells the tale of two travelling

Image courtesy of Ballard Performing Arts

lissa Backstrom and Savana Masako Smith are lending their support to the effort along with alumni, Erich Jena and Lindsey Elise, from Director Riley’s program at Capital High School in Olympia. Rounding out the cast is Director Shawn Riley, himself, in the role of “Mark.”

Based on Puccini’s beloved opera La Bohème, Rent is a rock musical with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, which follows the ups and downs of a year in the life of a group of impoverished, artistic

friends living in Manhattan’s East Village in the late 1980s under the shadow of HIV/ AIDS. There are very few spoken lines in the show because, like the opera, the story is sung. After premiering Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop February 13, 1996, it transferred to Broadway two months later where it ran for 5,123 performances!

Rent won the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Ballard High is honored to have the rights to perform the score, especially since

trunks on a voyage to Rundoon – one for the Queen and one decoy filled with sand.

A devious villain named Slank, smartly played by Tyler Trerise (previously appearing at ArtsWest in My Mañana Comes), chalk marks the Queen’s trunk with an X, hence doing the old switcheroo, sending it on the clunker ship Neverland and the other trunk with sand on the speedy ship Wasp which is helmed by his old mate Captain Scott, an excellent Tyler Dobies.

Meanwhile evil Headmaster Grempkin, a delightful Nicholas Tarabini, sells three boys from his orphanage to Slank.

These three boys – Ted, a wonderful John Han; Prentiss, delightfully acted by James Schilling; and an unnamed feisty boy portrayed by ArtsWest veteran and sure-bet

Trent Moury (Dogfight at ArtsWest) soon meet precocious young Molly, a splendid Aly Gutierrez, who is in constant contact with her father, Lord Aster, the always fine Ryan McCabe (who gave a sparkling performance in Judy’s Scary Little Christmas at ArtsWest) speaking “dodo” with each other into glowing amulets across the seas.

She discovers and befriends the lost orphan boys. She feeds them and, as they say, the adventure begins!

The ensemble cast is huge. Highlights include a hilarious Nathan Brockett as Mrs. Bumbrake (tee hee … bum-brake), a delightful Saxton Jay Walker as Blackstache, and witty Brian Lange as Smee. The balance of the cast is filled with funny high jinks performances that will even have you

a 20th Anniversary Tour will be making its way across the country this year with a stop at Seattle’s own Paramount Theatre.

It is produced by special arrangement with Music Theatre International, Inc. and, according to the production notes, “With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters – love.”

Ballard’s Thespian Troupe #5369 has chosen to give to the community by supporting Lifelong AIDS Alliance, a nonprofit organization in Capitol Hill, which provides care services to local people living with HIV or AIDS and which does advocacy for HIV-related legal issues in the state government. Health Education Youth Outreach (HEYO) is Lifelong’s primary youth education program for youth age 1624. Run by and for queer and allied youth, it strives to foster a community that prioritizes empowerment, self-determination, and resiliency over stigma, fear, and condemnation through peer-to-peer outreach.

Tickets are now available online at www.showtix4U.com or at the door. This show is rated PG-13. www.ballardperformingarts.org Courtesy of Ballard High School Thespian Troupe #5369

seeing double!

The exquisite scenic design by Julia Welch puts you in a fairy-tale state of mind.

It’s buoyed by the awesome work of costumes designed by Siri Nelson. Each intricate nuance of song, dance, set, and prop enhances the magical visual flavor of Peter and the Starcatcher.

Directing this big fantastical production is an admirable feat. Eric Ankrim always raises the bar (as he did with last season’s ambitious American Idiot) and always produces pure excellence. In these post-election days, ArtsWest offers a great escape for all ages. Peter and the Starcatcher captures the imagination with heartfelt joy and crazy-fun. You leave half expecting to brush pixie dust off your shoulder.

Ford’s Animals a bleakly unsettling emotional maelstrom

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Now playing Nocturnal Animals, Tom Ford’s followup to his Academy Award-nominated debut A Single Man, is a mangy, disheveled, coldly austere creature filled with magnetic curiosities and unsettling emotional observations. An adaptation of author Austin Wright’s 1993 novel Tony and Susan, the movie is a dark descent into missed opportunity and regret where answers aren’t ever clear and solutions are even more difficult to find. It can be a tough nut to crack, the fashion designer turned filmmaker purposefully keeping the viewer at arm’s length as he navigates some dangerously murky waters of human suffering, sacrifice, retribution and disappointment.

Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) is a fashionable, extremely successful career woman who runs a prominent art gallery. She is married to businessman Hutton (Armie Hammer), the union not so much hanging by a thread as it is stranded in awkward limbo, his frequent trips putting a noticeable strain on their emotional bond. Susan’s insecurities are growing, especially

when an unsolicited manuscript from her ex-husband Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal) arrives in her mailbox. She hasn’t heard from him in almost 20 years, so this package understandably comes as a minor shock, especially considering he’s dedicated the book to her, claiming their time together was what inspired him to put pen to paper and give this story its life.

Edward’s story is about West Texas family man Tony Hastings (also Gyllenhaal).

While on a late night road trip with his wife Laura (Isla Fisher) and teenage daughter India (Ellie Bamber), the group is forced off the deserted highway by the menacing Ray Marcus (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his two companions. One thing leads to another, and soon Tony is separated from the other members of his family, not knowing what evils Laura and India might be suffering through while he’s stranded in the middle of the desert unable to save them.

The movie is a mélange of fact and fiction, the two coalescing into one as Susan reads deeper and deeper between the lines of Edward’s prose, reanalyzing decisions she’s made in her life – both with him and with her current husband Hutton – as she makes her way to the end of the book. It’s bleak, uncompromising stuff, ending on a coda of melancholic introspection that left

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me dumbstruck, not really knowing how to respond to what it was Ford was showing me. Yet, a number of underlying, almost hopeful truths still manage to permeate the bleak brutality, putting these pieces together in a way that makes sense and is comforting a task left to the viewer, the director steadfastly refusing to do the work for them.

Not all that surprisingly, it all looks incredible. Ford has designed things with an immaculate attention to detail. The frigid art deco world Susan inhabits is all full of the hopeless blacks and blinding whites, all hard lines, shimmering straightened hair and rich, red lips. Tony’s world, on the other hand, is filled with vibrant greens, shocking oranges and burning blues, all of them hinting at the complex shades of grey making things horrifyingly difficult for the determined husband and father. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (Atonement, The Accountant) shoots it all with a penetrating eye for detail, editor Joan Sobel (Admission) managing to make the transitions between the real world and the literary one clear and to the point.

As for the performances, it’s weird watching this film in such close proximity to Arrival because doing so only makes crystalline just how gigantically talented Adams is. Susan is a totally different type of character than the one she portrayed in

that science fiction stunner, and seeing her disappear inside Ford’s cryptic, oftentimes obtuse moralistic musings is awe-inspiring, her final on-screen moments leaving me in grief-stricken awe. Gyllenhaal is even better, his transformation from determined father to devastated survivor to revenge-seeking brute having a primal tenacity that’s honestly developed and painfully justified.

Best of all is Michael Shannon, appearing roughly halfway through as a character in Edward’s novel responsible for helping Tony find his inner monster, the extent to which he shows up and then proceeds to steal the entire film right out from underneath his costars beyond compare.

Nocturnal Animals doesn’t take prisoners. Its themes are not always obvious, and where Ford is taking things is a constant question he steadfastly refuses to give answer to. But the stories at the heart of the film are primal in their effectiveness, achieving a bristling intimacy I was stunned by. While certain to leave some viewers angry and others scratching their head, for my part all I wanted to do was dig right back into the director’s sophomore opus and examine its myriad of mysteries in greater detail the moment it ended, the film’s haunting majesty certain to stick with me for some time to come.

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Gorgeous Eagle Huntress an inspiring human spectacle

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer THE EAGLE HUNTRESS Now playing Aisholpan Nurgaiv is a 13-year-old Mongolian girl who dreams of one day growing up to be a doctor. She also longs to be a renowned eagle hunter like her father, Rys Nurgaiv, a master of the ancient, time-honored tradition who has won multiple awards for his skill, prowess and ability to train eagles to do what he asks of them.

But while there is no discrimination where it comes to hunting with eagles, Mongolian elders aren’t exactly keen for women to partake in what has for centuries been a male-dominated activity. Yet Aisholpan is undeterred, and with the blessing of both her parents, including her more traditionminded mother, Kuksyegyen Almagul, this youngster will find, train, compete and hunt with a giant eagle of her own.

Empowering and imaginative, The Eagle Huntress is easy to get excited about.

Director Otto Bell’s film doesn’t reinvent the wheel, doesn’t get as introspective as say a Werner Herzog nature documentary would, but it’s just so gosh darn inspiring and so gorgeously photographed none of that matters particularly much. Aisholpan’s story is instantly relatable, crossing cultural barriers with ease, and by the time she’s riding across an icy tundra hunting foxes alongside her father with her eagle shooting across the sky, it took all my self-control not to rise triumphantly to my feet and let loose a hearty cheer.

There are so many moments to love.

Aisholpan descending down the side of a massive cliff to capture her eagle, Nurgaiv guiding her steps from above. Aisholpan learning the ins and outs of training her eagle, including the building of the physical strength that will be required when she takes the bird into competition. Aisholpan

Aisholpan Nurgaiv in The Eagle Huntress – Photo courtesy of nationalgeographic.com

triumphantly using what she’s learned to face off against 70 skilled competitors at the annual Golden Eagle Festival, her bird performing brilliantly in large part thanks to her training. Aisholpan heading into the harsh mountains of the Mongolian tundra to prove herself once and for all in 40-degrees below zero temperatures, she and her eagle battling the elements as they hunt a cunning fox, Nurgaiv cheering their every move.

Bell spends most of his time focusing on Aisholpan and Nurgaiv’s relationship while brief interviews with Mongolian elders (most of whom dislike the idea of a girl becoming an eagle hunter) are interspersed

throughout along with snippets of the teen sitting in school with her classmates alongside conversations with her Almagul. It’s all very nice, and not a second is boring, but the film can still feel like a PBS nature special more than a feature-length cinematic endeavor, and it’s hard not to get the idea that there might be bigger, more complex issues at play that remain unexplored.

But Aisholpan is a fantastic heroine, a trailblazer who deserves to be cheered as she overcomes every obstacle put in front of her. Same goes for her parents, Nurgaiv and Almagul proving to be progressive voices in a world that, while not actively trying to

silence them, doesn’t seem at all interested in seeing equality between the genders become a universal norm. As already stated, there’s also some incredible cinematography, director of photography Simon Niblett and editor Pierre Takal doing exceptional work in order to give Aisholpan’s story life.

The Eagle Huntress is a rousing adventure and a soaring testament to the strength of the human spirit, this vibrant, electrifying teenager an inspirational role model all of Mongolia should be more than proud of.

Joyful Moana a musically inspired animated gem

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer MOANA Now playing On the isle of Motunui, the beloved Chief Tui (voiced by Temuera Morrison) prepares his headstrong 16-year-old daughter Moana (newcomer Auli’i Cravalho in a spectacular debut) to follow in his footsteps. He preaches the safety of staying on the island, of keeping their people in one place and never moving beyond the reef that leads into the vast expanse of the ocean.

But spurred on by rich, magical stories spun by her wise Gramma Tala (Rachel House), and seeing the creeping disease and rot that’s beginning to work its way onto Motunui’s shores, Moana defies her father and takes it upon herself to sail beyond the reef into the unknown. Once there, she will follow the stars and heed the ocean’s call as she looks for the fallen demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), because only with his help can the teenager right what is wrong with the world and save her people from almost certain ruin.

Disney’s latest CG animated marvel Moana is gorgeous. It is colorfully imaginative, showcasing its Pacific Island and ancient Polynesian landscapes with eyepopping majesty. The film is also overflowing in signature, show-stopping musical numbers courtesy of Hamilton auteur LinManuel Miranda, veteran composer Mark Mancina (August Rush, Twister) and New Zealand singer/songwriter Opetaia Foa’i, their work here just about perfect. Most of all, this is as culturally rich and fascinatingly distinctive as any film, animated or live action, that has ever come out of the studio,

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Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) – Photo courtesy of teaser-trailer.com

and the second time this year (Queen of Katwe being the first) Disney has a universally accessible story fit for the entire family’s consumption without nary a prominent Caucasian character to be found.

Even so, it should also be noted that, for as pleasurable as the movie might be, the story that has been crafted does come off as something of a Walt Disney Pictures animated features greatest hits collection, at least as far as the story and screenplay are concerned. Elements of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Hercules, Tangled and Frozen can be found

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in spades, and while Jared Bush’s (Zootopia) screenplay is refreshingly economical, that doesn’t make a number of the internal story beats fresh or original. But with seven people, including directors Ron Clements and John Musker (The Little Mermaid) as well as their co-directors Don Hall and John Musker (Big Hero 6), given a story credit, it’s no wonder this can often feel like a narrative constructed via committee, all of which makes the been-there, done-that quotient unreasonably high.

Be that as it may, Moana is still supremely entertaining. There are a number

of sublime set pieces, not the least of which is a confrontation between the plucky heroine, Maui and a gigantic crustacean named Tamatoa (amusingly voiced by Jemaine Clement) inside the underwater realm of monsters that’s out of this world. There’s also a marvelous, energetic escape from a deranged gaggle of sentient coconut pirates (it makes sense inside the film), while continued sight gags involving a mentally unbalanced chicken named Hei Hei build to an effective coda of friendship and understanding that’s beautifully understated.

Best of all is the climactic sequence where Moana discovers the hero she’s been searching for to save her people and return balance to the oceans has been lurking inside of her all along. This moment is overflowing in warmth, a tsunami of emotional ebullience and tenacity filling the screen as she calmly, confidently makes the decision to do what she believes is right. It’s a tremendous moment showcasing a number of life lessons viewers of every age, ethnicity and background could use to take heed of, all of it leading to a thrilling turn of events that had my heart bursting in joyful glee.

Let’s not go crazy. Moana isn’t Disney at their best. It rarely rocks the boat and continually offers up ideas and scenarios that have been part of numerous animated adventures made by the studio over the past 80 years. But this world is stunning, the characters, especially the titular heroine, are marvelous and the music is out of this world. Even if it isn’t exactly unique, that doesn’t make the movie any less rapturously entertaining, the fun I had watching it manufacturing a sense of comforting bliss I honestly didn’t want to see come to an end.

Celebrating 41 Years!

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Seattle Gay News 9

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Celebrating 41 Years!

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THIS WEEKEND

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Celebrating 41 Years!

Beatty’s Rules a rapturously romantic flight of fancy

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer RULES DON’T APPLY Now playing It’s been 15 years since Warren Beatty has appeared in a motion picture, and considering how troubled the production of Peter Chelsom’s star-studded comedy Town & Country proved to be it’s hard to blame the Hollywood legend and Academy Awardwinner for being reticent to step back in front of the camera. But it’s been even longer since he took his place behind it as well, his last directorial effort Bulworth, hitting theatres back in 1998, a modern political classic that looks more prescient than ever considering current events.

Working with veteran Bo Goldman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Scent of Woman) to come up with the story, Beatty’s long-in-coming return, Rules Don’t Apply, is a fictionalized accounting of the latter days of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes’ life. The film is one part romantic comedy, one part observational drama and one part surrealistic genre-buster defying easy categorization, Hughes the central cog around which everything revolves around. It is a wacky, often hysterical, frequently moving and sometimes head-scratching effort I personally adored, Beatty’s return a rollicking ride filled with imagination and emotional insights worth getting excited about.

Midwest beauty queen and aspirant songwriter Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins) has journeyed to Hollywood with her protective mother Lucy (Annette Bening) for a screen test courtesy of the great Howard Hughes (Beatty) himself. He’s set her up with a house in the hills, acting lessons, a $400-a-week paycheck and her own personal car with an on-call driver. It’s all a bit of a blur, and while Marla is thankful for the opportunity that’s come her way the devout Baptist virgin is equally wary her

(l) Alden Ehrenreich (Frank) & Warren Beatty (Howard) – Photo courtesy of whysoblu.com

benefactor might want more from her than she’s willing to give.

Frank Forbes (Alden Ehrenreich) is one of the drivers assigned to Marla and the other contract actresses. Engaged to childhood sweetheart Sarah Bransford (Taissa Farmiga), he’s hopeful he’ll get the opportunity to sometime soon meet with his employer as he has an idea for a land development deal he’s positive Hughes will be interested in.

What he didn’t expect was to become completely infatuated with Marla, and while it’s verboten for the pair to engage in anything even remotely romantic, the sparks flying between them cannot be dismissed, each uncertain how they should proceed considering the way their mutual feelings for one another are starting to bloom.

It’s all pretty straightforward, following a standard romantic comedy path for about half of the film’s 126-minute running time. But then Beatty morphs the story into something else entirely, Hughes taking center stage as his growing mental illness, insecurity and mania take full hold of him.

Marla and Frank become major players during this stretch, their own relationship put on hold as each attempts to assist the billionaire in ways they both feel is best.

But as his fights with creditors, Pan Am, the

U.S. government and a number of others spiral into chaos, all he wants is to get back up into the sky and fly one of his planes or sit in a screening room watching his 1930 aerial action classic Hell’s Angels eating banana nut ice cream, things going more than a little sideways for everyone involved, no one close to Hughes certain about what is going to happen next.

Beatty’s script is all over the map, but in its own, idiosyncratic way it manages to come together splendidly, the film having a Robert Altman meets Hal Ashbylike zip that reminded me of M*A*S*H*, Short Cuts, Being There and Shampoo. It’s mangy and disheveled, but that messiness is also part of the charm, the fracturing of the narrative mirroring Hughes’ own state of mind as he drifts in and out of coherence as things work their way through to the finish.

The editing can frankly be a little bizarre, especially during the pivotal third act when all the varying story tangents begin to coalesce; but, once again, I kind of feel like this is by design, Beatty going out of his way to try and put the viewer inside Hughes’ headspace in a way that makes things feel uncomfortably out of whack. There are also some curious musical and sound design choices, some of which struck me as if they

are peculiar just for the sake of being peculiar. But for a guy that hasn’t made a movie in almost two decades, Beatty is as confident and as controlled as he has ever been, and it’s easy to see how the director of this is also the same person who made classics like Heaven Can Wait and Reds.

It helps that both Collins and Ehrenreich are fantastic as the two youngsters vying for Hughes’ attention, while the writer/ director himself is a knockout as the mentally unbalanced billionaire. This trio is the movie’s heart and soul, each delivering a performance that can stand proudly against any of the year’s best. What’s most notable is how none of them choose the ordinary path, each finding ways to give their respective characters unexpected complexity and depth, all three tugging on the heartstrings or producing a laugh in the most honest and authentic of ways.

The cavalcade of veteran stars showing up in supporting roles (a Hollywood who’s who that includes the likes of Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Oliver Platt, Martin Sheen, Candice Bergen, Hart Bochner, Paul Sorvino, Haley Bennett, Amy Madigan and Steve Coogan) can be slightly distracting as one can potentially spend more time pointing them out than listening to what they have to say. Yet all of them fit into the story as best they can and as such I can’t really complain, Beatty utilizing each actor in ways that fit the proceedings in a manner that is seldom flashy or reckless.

I have this feeling Rules Don’t Apply is going to grow on me. There’s so much about it that I just plain love, not the least of which is the effortlessness of the relationship that develops between Marla and Frank and the naturalistic way Hughes becomes a part of it. Beatty’s return as actor and director is just plain glorious and, even with its flaws, this rapturously romantic escapade ends up being an insightful lark that has far more on its mind than initially meets the eye.

Romantic WWII thriller Allied fails to fulfill its promise

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer ALLIED Now playing Canadian Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) has been secretly air-dropped into the desert just outside of Casablanca to enact a plan to assassinate the German ambassador, scheduled to arrive in the city in just two short weeks.

He shall be assisted by Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard), the veteran French operative, laying the groundwork for some time, planting the seeds for the secret enterprise by ingratiating herself with both the Vichy collaborators as well as the German high command. The pair will masquerade as husband and wife and, when the time is right, will launch a daring, violent plan at a welcome party for the ambassador, and while the chance both of them will survive is small, the part they will play in regards to the overall war effort cannot be underestimated.

Fast forward a year and Max and Marianne, having survived their adventure in Casablanca, are living in London. They are married and have a daughter, Anna. While Marianne has retired from the espionage game to stay at home and raise their daughter, Max works in the upper echelons of the defense ministry, his current post supervising secret air drops into France to support Resistance efforts against the Nazis. But what he thinks is going to be a conversation about a promotion to help run counterespionage for the coming Allied invasion of Europe turns out to be something else entirely, a nameless Secret Operations Executive (Simon McBurney) informing him that his wife is currently under investigation as a spy.

(r) Brad Pitt (Max) & Marion Cotillard (Marianne) in Allied – Photo courtesy of variety.com

Academy Award nominee Steven Knight (Locke, Eastern Promises) apparently based his screenplay for WWII romantic mysterythriller Allied on fact, but how much of it is utilized for the finished product I do not know. If anything, director Robert Zemeckis’ (Back to the Future, The Walk) latest owes more to Alfred Hitchcock classics like Suspicion, Shadow of a Doubt or Notorious than it does anything else, the film having an old Hollywood elegance that’s impossible to miss. Especially during its exhilarating opening half set in an uncomfortably calm Casablanca, there’s a great deal to get excited about, not the least of which is a cool, calculated and emotionally complex performance from Cotillard that’s superb.

Even so, I am slightly hesitant about giving Allied a full embrace. There is a point during the climax when things oddly lose their momentum just when tension should be rising to its zenith. Right when Max does the unthinkably heroic to prove

Visit us online www.sgn.org

his wife’s innocence, building to a point when deception gives way to truth, everything strangely falls flat, the last half hour a slowly paced trip to the foregone that’s nowhere near as powerful as it should be.

It’s a benign, emotionally toothless denouement to what could have been a heartbreaking finish, sending me out of the theatre questioning just how much I liked the first two-thirds and if my affinity for the majority was enough to erase my dissatisfaction with elements of the final act.

While I do not think it does, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I did enjoy the majority of Zemeckis and Knight’s WWII espionage concoction a fair amount. Pitt and Cotillard are a divine pairing, their desert têteà-tête as they figure out who one another are and whether or not they are worthy of being trusted sensational. It builds to a pair of shrewd set pieces, one involving a German official with a fondness for card tricks responsible for handing out invitations to

November 25, 2016

the ambassador’s welcoming soirée, the latter being the event itself where violence and bloodletting are at the top of the party docket. The director orchestrates things as confidently as ever, tension building cagily throughout the opening act until the fireworks explode in a cacophony of rage and righteous indignation.

It all looks extraordinary. Don Burgess’ (Forest Gump, The Conjuring 2) camerawork is divine, filled with long, mesmerizing tracking shots that explore Gary Freeman’s (Everest) studied and immaculate production design in alluring detail. Joanna Johnston’s (Lincoln, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) rich, elegantly constructed costumes are equally stunning, while veteran Alan Silvestri’s (The Abyss, The Avengers) reserved, introspective score adds just the right counterpoint to all of the complex narrative theatrics playing out on the screen.

All of which makes me wish I was happier with the finished film more than I actually am. Momentum dies during that climactic stretch, and once the answer as to whether or not Max and Marianne’s relationship is built on a solid foundation is determined, there’s absolutely no place surprising for any of what follows to travel to. Allied looks great, features some wonderful performances by the stars and supporting players (most notably Jared Harris as Max’s emotionally conflicted commanding officer) and has moments that held me ecstatically spellbound.

But the odd, obtuse emptiness of the climax left me cold, and no matter how extraordinary much of this might be, that’s one landmine I’m finding it hopeless to get around without my affinity for the film exploding into disappointed nothingness.

Seattle Gay News 13

Volunteer Park

• BACON MANSION

E. PROSPECT ST. • SHAFER MANSION E. ALOHA ST.

12TH AVE. E.

E. ROY ST.

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• CLUB Z BATHS

• THE STRANGER

NAGLE PL.

Cal Anderson Park

• LAMBERT HOUSE

BROADWAY

HARVARD AVE. E.

Seattle Central Community College

• LINDAʼS • BILLʼS OFF BROADWAY

C.C. ATTLEʼS• BOYLSTON AVE.

• GLOʼS BELMONT AVE.

SUMMIT AVE.

GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT •

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NEW YORK EXCHANGE • STUDIO 229 • PANACHE • LAUGHING BUDDHA TATTOO •

BELLEVUE AVE.

• SEATTLE COUNSELING SERVICE FOR SEXUAL MINORITIES MELROSE AVE.

• JULIAʼS

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E. OLIVE ST. GLSEN ONYX LEATHER • SEAMEC

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• UNICORN • POST OPTIONS •WILDROSE • HOT HOUSE

BATHS

CLUB Z - (men) 1117 Pike near Boren - 622-9958 HOT HOUSE SPA & SAUNA - (women) SW corner of Pike & 11th (stairs behind Wildrose) - 568-3240 STEAM WORKS - (men) 1520 Summit - 388-4818

RESTAURANTS & BARS

88 KEYS - 315 2nd Ave. S. - 839-1300 BALTIC ROOM - 1207 Pine St. - 625-4444 THE BOTTLENECK LOUNGE 2328 E. Madison St. - 323-1098 C.C. ATTLE’S BAR & GRILLE 1701 E. Olive Way - 726-0565

THE CANTERBURY - 534 15th Ave. E. - 322-3130 CHANGES IN WALLINGFORD 2103 N. 45th - 545-8363 THE CRESCENT - 1413 E. Olive Way - 720-8188 THE CUFF COMPLEX 1533 13th Ave. - 323-1525 DIESEL BAR - 1413 14th Ave. - 322-1080 GLO’S - 1621 E. Olive Way - 324-2577 GNOCCHI BAR - 1542 12th Ave - 328-4285 HOT MAMA’S PIZZA - 700 E. Pine St. - 322-6444 JAZZ ALLEY - 2033 6th Ave. E. - 441-9729 JULIA’S - 300 Broadway Ave. E. - 860-1818 KREMWERK - 1809 Minor Ave. #10 - 682-2935 MAE’S CAFE 6412 Phinney Ave. N. - 782-1222 MADISON PUB - 1315 E. Madison - 325-6537 NEIGHBOURS - 1509 Broadway - 324-5358 OUT WEST - 5401California Ave. SW THE PINE BOX - 1600 Melrose Ave - 588-0375 POCO WINE ROOM 1408 E. Pine St. - 322-9463

RETAIL SHOPS

CASTLE SUPERSTORE #17 1017 E. Pike St - 204-0126 DOGHOUSE LEATHERS 1312 E. Pike St. - 257-0231 EMERSON SALON - 909 E. Pike St. - 323-7437 NEW YORK EXCHANGE 231 Broadway Ave E - 726-7978 ONYX LEATHER - 1605 12th Ave. #8 - 328-1965 PANACHE - 225 Broadway E. - 726-3300 RUCKUS 1465 E Republican St. - 257-4805 STAN’S ADULT SUPERSTORE 9630 16th Ave. SW - 762-3299 TOYS IN BABELAND - 707 E. Pike St. - 328-2914 UNDER U 4 MEN 709 Broadway Ave. E. - 324-6446 WILD AT HEART 1111 NW Leary Way - 782-5538 YOUR CHOICE VIDEO 9811 16TH AVE SW - 768-0711

BELLINGHAM

LOVER’S 193 Telegraph Road - (360) 752-1862 RUMORS CABARET 1119 Railroad - (306) 671-1849

BAR MYX - 1212 California St. - 425-610-4071 LOVER’S - 112 SE Everett - (425) 353-3607 LOVER’S - 3402 Broadway - (425) 252-8754

KENT

LOVER’S 25801 104th Ave. S.E. - (253) 852-1720 THE FANTASY SHOP 604 Central Ave. S. - (253) 850-8428 NASHVILLE’S SPORTS BAR (Drag Shows) 114 - Railroad Ave. N. - (253) 852 - 0909

14 Seattle Gay News

November 25, 2016

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• DOGHOUSE LEATHERS

E. PIKE ST. • CHOP SUEY • MADISON PUB • DIESEL BAR • PONY

PONY - 1221 E. Madison St. - 324-2854 PURR - 1518 11th Ave. - 325-3112 R PLACE - 619 E. Pine - 322-8828 RE-BAR - 1114 Howell at Boren - 233-9873 SEATTLE EAGLE - 314 E. Pike - 621-7591 SHORTY’S 2222 2nd Ave - 441-5449 SPINNAKER BAY BREWING 5718 Rainier Ave S - 725-BEER(2337) STOUT -1530 11th Ave - 397-3825 TOULOUSE PETIT 601 Queen Anne Ave N - 432-9069 UNICORN - 1118 E Pike - 325-6492 WILDROSE - 1021 E. Pike - 324-9210 ZIPPY’S GIANT BURGERS 5633 Airport Way S - 466-5954 9614 14th Ave SW - 763-1347

EVERETT

• THE GASLIGHT INN

• POCO WINE ROOM

• THE CUFF COMPLEX • GNOCCHI BAR

E. UNION ST.

SEATTLE

• RUCKUS

E. UNION ST.

LA CONNER

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

OLYMPIA

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

SPOKANE

ANDY’S 1401 W. 1st Ave. - (509) 747 - 0304 IRV’S (Drag Shows) 415 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 624 - 4450 NYNE BAR AND BISTRO 232 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 474 -1621 SPOTLIGHT LOUNGE 321 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 624 - 0722

TACOMA

CASTLE SUPERSTORE 6015 Tacoma Mall Blvd. - (253) 471-0391 CLUB SILVERSTONE 739½ St. Helens Ave. - (253) 404-0273 THE FANTASY SHOP 2301 6th Ave. - (253) 272-6640 LOVER’S 7002 Tacoma Mall Blvd., #F - (253) 475-2271 THE MIX - 635 St. Helens Ave. - (253) 383-4327 RAINBOW CENTER 2215 Pacific Ave. - (253) 383-2318 SHAKABRAH JAVA CAFE 2618 6th Ave. - (253) 572-2787 TANDEM FOR GEAR, CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES 3019 6th Ave, Ste. B - (253) 301-3026

TUKWILA

LOVER’S 530 Southcenter Blvd. - (206) 248-5085

WENATCHEE

THE CELLAR CAFE 240 N. Mission St. - (509) 662-1722

Celebrating 41 Years!

community calendar

Meetings Events Activities

TO GET A CALENDAR LISTING: To have your meeting or event considered for the Community Calendar, please mail, fax, or drop off details to: SGN, Attn: Community Calendar, 1707 23rd Ave., Seattle, WA 98122. SGN phone: 324-4297. E-mail: sgn2@sgn.org. INCLUDE: Date, time, location, contact phone # for publication (if possible), brief description of event & sponsoring organization. DEADLINE: Tuesday 5pm.

ACCESSIBILITY: Is your event accessible to LGBTQ people with visible or hidden disabilities? See Jean’s List webpage www.scn.org/activism/calendar/disabilities. html for Marla Nonken’s disabilities accommodations lists.

NOTE: Phone numbers accompanying listings are within area code (206) & locations of meetings/ events are in Seattle unless otherwise noted.

Integrity is an international ministry of Gay & Lesbian Episcopalians, their friends & families, dedicated to education, support & service within the Church & the GLBT community. (425) 226-2746.

Noche Latina - Latino Night. 10pm. Neighbours, 1509 Broadway. Every Sunday.

MONDAY - November 28

SOBER - On Meds. 1-2pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Monday. 12-step group open to anyone in recovery & living on a medicine regimen. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Strength Over Speed. 2-3:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12 step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. For information visit www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: crystalmeth.org.

Freely Speaking Toastmasters. 7pm. Seattle Unity Church, 200 8th Ave N. Every Monday (except holidays & the last Mondays in August & December). Seattle’s only LGBT speaking club. www.FreelySpeaking.or Orca Swim Team Workout. Evening. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing.)

Trans Youth Group. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Monday. A chance for youth to talk with others about their experiences & concerns related to identifying as Transgender. www.lamberthouse.org Lambert House Art Night. 7:30-9:30pm. 1818 15th Ave. Every Monday. Bring your ideas & let’s have some fun.

322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org Unity Gay Men’s AA Group in Tacoma. 7:30pm. New Heart MCC, 759 S 45th St. Tacoma. Every Monday.

(253) 474-8897.

Washington Gender Alliance Support Group Meeting in Shoreline. 7:30pm. Center for Human Services, 17018 15th Ave NE, Shoreline. Meets every Monday. For information email info@washingtongender alliance.com Queers, Crackpots & Fallen Women AA. 8-9pm.

SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Monday. Open women only AA group. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org.

SATURDAY - November 26

Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 9am. Greenlake (outside Evans Pool). Every Saturday. GLBT running & walking club sponsors weekly runs, monthly potlucks, track & field activity, annual Run With Pride. 448-8518. www.seattlefrontrunners.org.

Yoga With Andrew Conner. 9:30-11am. Amor Spiritual Center, 2528 Beacon Ave, Suite B. Meets every Saturday. A love offering is suggested but no one will be turned away.

Crystal Meth Anonymous. 10:30am. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon @ 6:30pm, Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: crystalmeth.org.

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

(Also meets Thursdays & Fridays 4-10pm.)

Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 6pm. Bus-accessible Central Area location. Every Saturday. Games also on Tuesdays & Thursdays. $4 fee includes coffee & snacks.

For more information visit www.rainbowbridgeclub.org or email rainbowbridgeclub@gmail.com

SUNDAY - November 27

For information on GLBT-friendly religious/spiritual organizations in the Greater Seattle area, call or email Rick at the SGN office: 206-324-4297; sgn2@ sgn.org.

Center for Spiritual Living. Services 8:25, 9:45, 11:30am. 5801 Sand Point Way NE. Blessings & we hope to see you soon! Info 527-8801 ext 203, www. cslseattle.org Ravenna United Methodist Church. 5751 33rd Ave NE. 8:30am “Seattle’s most dangerous Sunday school;” 9:45am worship. A reconciling congregation, fully inclusive and affirming of LGBTQ persons. 525-7988.

Seattle Unity Church. 9am & 11am-Sunday Services.

200 8th Ave N. “Come join our Gay & Lesbian-friendly, spiritual family at Seattle Unity Church. Our mission is to bring love, miracles & spiritual awakening into everyday life!” 622-8475; www.seattleunity.org.

Seattle Soto Zen. 9:15am-Zazen Instruction, 9:30amZazen. 101 Nickerson St, Lower Level. Follow the traditional forms of the Soto school of Zen in a spirit of warmth & inclusion. Anyone interested in meditation, whether new or experienced in Zen practice or other traditions, is welcome. 323-1659, www.seattlesotozen.org Gay Men’s Bowling in Lynnwood. 9:30am. Brunswick Majestics Lane, Lynnwood. 9:30am Every Sunday.

Spectators welcome. Join us for lunch afterwards!

Sponsored by the Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force. For info email John at johndmarsh@mac.com; www.gaysnohomish.org Tacoma First United Methodist Church. 9:30amWorship, 11am-Adult Education. 423 Martin Luther King Way, Tacoma. This reconciling congregation welcomes with warm hands, warm hearts & open minds GLBT persons seeking a spiritual home. (253) 627-0129, www. fumctacoma.org Central Lutheran Church. 10am-Worship. 1710 11th Ave (just north of E Pine St). An open & affirming church, which in Lutheran churches is called “Reconciled in Christ.” “We seek to share God’s love with all people regardless of race, age, gender or sexual orientation.”

All are welcome. 322-7500.

East Shore Unitarian Church. 10am-Sunday Service.

12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue. An open & affirming congregation. (425) 747-3780.

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

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

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

University Congregational United Church of Christ.

All ages education 9am, Worship 10am. 4515 16th Ave NE. UCUCC is an open & affirming congregation. 5242322; www.universityucc.org.

Wallingford United Methodist Church. 10am-Worship.

2115 N 42nd St. A progressive congregation. In 1984 Wallingford UMC became the 9th reconciling Methodist church in the U.S. 547-6945 (office); 285-5077 (George).

All Pilgrims Christian Church. 10:30am-Worship.

500 Broadway E. Come as you are. All are welcome.

November 26 thru December 4

TUESDAY - November 29

A congregation of the Disciples of Christ & the United Church of Christ. 322-0487, www.allpilgrims.org Living Water Fellowship. 10:30am-Worship. 7204 NE 175th St, Kenmore. All GLBT welcome. Pastor Susan George. 963-0807. www.livingwaterwa. com Seattle Sunday Bowling. 10:30am. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW (at SW Oregon St). Open bowl every Sunday for the GLBT community & friends. You don’t have to worry about how you bowl! $6.50 + $3 shoe rental. (425) 785-4729.

Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

10:30am. 7141 California Ave SW. 935-0418, office@ wsuu.org, www.wsuu.org Emerald City Metropolitan Community Church Seattle. 11am-Worship. Chapel at University Temple United Methodist Church, 1415 NE 43rd St. MCC is a progressive Christ-centered faith community committed to providing a nurturing environment for individual & community growth thru Jesus Christ while celebrating unity in diversity. MCC is Seattle’s oldest Gay-friendly church. 325-2421, www.mccseattle.org.

Meditation for GBT Men. 11am-1pm. Cal Anderson House, 400 Broadway. Suitable for beginning & experienced meditators. Sponsored by Dharma Buddies.

Contact Forrest Rode, 920-6117, Mike Chin (509) 990-0007, or Doug Allison, doug.l.allison@gmail.com. www.dharmabuddies.org. (Women may wish to contact our sister meditation group at www.LotusSisters.org.)

St Paul’s United Church of Christ. 11am-Worship.

6512 12th Ave NW. An “open & affirming” congregation.

“We celebrate our diversity in religious background, sexual orientation, race, age & abilities.” 783-6733; www. stpauluccseattle.com.

Holy Covenant International Christian Community Church. 12pm. 4525 19th Ave NE. Outreach to the LGBT community. holycovenantccc@gmail.com Just for Today. 12-1:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Sunday. Drop-in 12-step (Narcotics Anonymous) group open to anyone in recovery. 3222437; www.sasgcc.org Paths to Recovery Al-Anon Family Group. 12-1:30pm.

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

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Rain City Soccer Club - Ripple Effect. Sunday afternoon. Location varies. Ripple Effect soccer team plays an almost weekly recreational scrimmage game for LGBTQ players in Seattle. Perfect for individuals looking for more relaxed play, who are just getting back into soccer, just learning the game and/or want to supplement their competitive play with a recreational team. To sign up visit www.raincitysoccer.org No Safeword Writers Group. 1pm. Meets 4th Sunday each month. NSWG exists to provide mutual support for members’ efforts. Support is in the form of critique & commentary on each other’s work, information about publishing opportunities, & discussion of issues facing writers. NSWG’s primary focus is erotic writing - but they welcome anyone who writes. The only requirements are to write, to attend, & to be respectful. For info & location, NSWG@sexpositiveculture.org; www.nosafeword writersgroup.org (Also meets 2nd Tuesday, 7pm.)

Seattle Prime Timers Rap Group. 1:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Open to all members & the public in general. Subject: Who were the mentors in your life?

Metro routes 8, 10, 12, 49 & 60.

Grace Gospel Chapel. 2pm-Worship. Gift of Grace Lutheran Church, 2102 N 40th St. Oldest independent church ministering primarily to the Gay & Lesbian community. An exciting fellowship ... a place to believe, a place to belong. 784-8495.

Orca Swim Team Workout. Sun: Afternoon; Mon/Weds/ Fri: Evenings. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. Every Sun, Mon, Wed & Fri. Pre-registration required. Orca Swim Team workouts are for both competitive & recreational swimmers. www. orcaswimteam.org Shame to Grace Sunday SAA. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Sunday. SAA is a fellowship of men & women who share their experience, strength & hope with each other so they may overcome their sexual addiction & help others recover from sexual addiction or dependency. Seattle SAA helpline 237-8828, SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191.

SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon @ 6:30pm, Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am. More info: crystalmeth.org.

Pride League Bowling. 6:30pm. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Every Sunday (except during the summer). Regular league bowling. Jeff, 932-3731.

Integrity/Puget Sound. 7pm-Worship & Fellowship. St. Mark’s Cathedral, Thomson Chapel, 1245 10th Ave E.

Amor Open Meditation. 5-6pm. Amor Spiritual Center, 2528 Beacon Ave, Suite B. Meets every Tuesday.

LGBTQ Questioning & Allied Youth Drop-in Group in Renton. 6-8pm. Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS), 1025 S 3rd St, Renton. Meets every Tuesday. Confidential. Snacks provided. Bring friends or come alone - anyone 12-18 is welcome. Questions? Call Sarah Hardin, 425-271-5600 ext 155, or email sarahh@rays.org Strength Over Speed. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12 step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. For information visit www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Diverse Harmony. 6:30-9pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave. Every Tuesday. Diverse Harmony is the nation’s first Gay/Straight Alliance Youth Chorus. Youths ages 13-22 are welcome regardless of sexual orientation. www.diverseharmony.org Queer Young Females Group - For Female-Identified Youth, Ages 22 & Under. 6:30-7:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Tuesday. Topics range from family issues to school happenings to like/lust/love relationships. All Queer females welcome. Come discuss how smart. strong Queer women live their lives. 322-2515, www. lamberthouse.org Tuesday Night Sex Addicts Anonymous (GLBTQI).

7-8:30pm. All Pilgrims Christian Church, 500 Broadway E (enter at 509 10th Ave E; buzz in, Dickson room). Every Tuesday. SAA is a fellowship of men & women whose primary purpose is to stop addictive sexual behavior & help others recover from sexual addiction. Seattle SAA helpline 237-8828. SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191.

Over 40’s Group - For Lesbian Women 40 & Older.

7-8:30pm. University Congregational Church, 4515 16th Ave NE, Pilgrim Room. Every Tuesday. Open group for Lesbian women, 40 & older, in every stage of coming out or being out. Lots of social activities in addition to Tuesday meetings. 545-3521.

Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 7pm. Bus-accessible Central Area location. Every Tuesday. (See Saturday listing at 6pm.)

Different Drummers. 7:15-8:30pm. Every Tuesday.

Hand drumming classes for Gay men. It’s easy, it’s fun & anyone can do it! Learn traditional African & AfroCaribbean rhythms & basic hand drumming techniques.

Experience connection, community & spirituality. Drums are provided. For info & location call Dennis at 363-4500 or www.outdrum.com What About Me? 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Tuesday. Drop-in social, support & discussion group for Gay & Bi men of all ages. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Here & Now Gay & Lesbian AA Meeting in Tacoma.

7:30pm. Christ Episcopal Church, 310 N “K” St, Tacoma.

Every Tuesday.

Spiritual Empowerment. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. A group for all LGBT & friends of any

November 25, 2016

Seattle Gay News 15

spiritual belief to explore how spiritual practice can enrich their life. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Washington Gender Alliance Open Support Meeting in Bellingham. 7:30-9pm. St James Presbyterian Church, 910 14th St., Bellingham. Every Tuesday. (360) 445-2411; www.washingtongenderalliance.com. (See Wednesday listing at 7:30pm for details.)

Seattle Otters Water Polo Team. 8-9:30pm. Medgar Evers Pool, 500 23rd Ave E (at E Cherry St). Every Tuesday & Thursday. GLBT & GLBT-friendly co-ed water polo team is open to all who want to play. Beginners & experienced players welcome. Check our website for up to the minute details, or call the Otter Hotline 414-8797. www.otterpolo.com.

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

community calendar

WEDNESDAY - November 30

LGBTQ Support Group in Renton. 10am-12noon.

Renton Senior Activity Center, 211 Burnett Ave N. Meets the last Wednesday of every month. This newly-formed group will address issues while providing support & information that may be ubnique to the LGBTQ community.

Topics of discussion may be legal issues, housing, medical ‑needs, bereavement, acceptance ‑& othe topics of your choice. 425-430-6633, rentonwa.gov Mature Friends Morning Exercise/Health & Fitness Get-Together. 10am. Ballard Odd Fellows Hall Bldg, 1706 NW Market St. Every Wednesday. An hour of health-related activities, followed by a walk around Greenlake & lunch at a local restaurant. MF is a social group for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www. maturefriends.org True Colors: Connecting LGBTQ Teens in Shoreline.

4-5pm. Every Wednesday. Discussing your important issues, building a supportive community. For information, location & to REGISTER call Lindsay Bagley 362-7282 x 8018 or email lbagley@chs-nw.org GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): A Support Group & HIV/STD Prevention for Youth (14-20) in Everett. 6-8pm. CCA Building, 3331 Broadway - Bottom Floor, Everett. Every Wednesday.

Sponsored by PFLAG Everett chapter. David/Brenda, (425) 263-2908. globeleaders@hotmail.com The Rowing Team Peer Recovery Group. 6-7:30pm.

All Pilgrims Church, 500 Broadway E. Meets every Wednesday. This peer recovery group provides a safe & supportive faith community to share your recovery journey with, God answers our prayers & sends us a boat.

Sometimes rowing furiously for yourself & sometimes for others. All are welcome.

Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Wednesday. Discuss the best LGBT novels with other book-lovers in a safe, comfortable conversation. Come once or come every week. Check our website for this month’s book. http:// faculty.washington.edu/swittet/SGLBookClub/ SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Lotus Sisters Meditation & Dharma Discussion North. 6:15-8pm. Ravenna Bryant neighborhood. Meets every Wednesday. Call 525-7295 for location. www.

LotusSisters.org.

Center for Spiritual Living. 6:30pm-Meditation, 7pmService. 5801 Sand Point Way NE. Blessings & we hope to see you soon! Info 527-8801 ext 203, www. cslseattle.org Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 6:30pm. Volunteer Park (in front of Black Sun across for museum). Every Wednesday. (See Saturday at 9am.)

Ingersoll All-Trans Drop-In Support Group. 7-9pm.

Seattle Counseling Services, 1216 Pine St, Suite 300.

All Transgender, Gender Variant, Gender Queer, Gender Questioning, allies, family & friends are welcome. This is a drop in group to get & give support, social interaction & information for the whole Gender community. www. ingersollcenter.org Seattle Movie Bears Movie Night. Check website for details. Every Wednesday night. Gay & Bi men enjoy a movie at a local theater with opportunity to socialize before & after movies. More info: http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/seattlemoviebears; or e-mail: seattlemoviebearssubscribe@yahoogroups.com Mature Friends Weekly Bridge Group. 7:30pm. Call for location. Every Wednesday. All levels welcome. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www.maturefriends.org Orca Swim Team Workout. Evening. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing.)

Washington Gender Alliance Open Support Meeting in Everett. 7:30-9pm. Everett United Church of Christ, 2624 Rockefeller Ave, Everett. Every Wednesday.

Trained peer facilitators lead a structured support meeting helping people deal with issues of gender identity & expression. All adults are welcomed, including those who are questioning, allies, or identify as FTM, MTF, Transgender, Queer, or Intersex, among others. (360) 445-2411; www.washingtongenderalliance.com.

BABES Women’s Support Group/Lunch Meeting.

12 noon-2pm. Call for location. Every Thursday. The BABES Network is a peer led agency; a sisterhood of women facing HIV together. 720-5566 or 888-292-1912; www.babesnetwork.org.

Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS). 12:452:45pm. South East Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S Holly St, Rainier Ave S & S Holly St. Meets 1st Thursday each month. Discussion and activities group for Lesbians approaching 60 and over. All Lesbians welcome. May buy lunch at 12 if desired. Contact Fai at 722-0729 or email alissquestions@gmail.com. Metro route 7. Wheelchair accessible.

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

Q Hour. 4:30-5:30pm. Orion Center, 1828 Yale Ave. 1st & 3rd Thursday of every month. A group for LGBTQ youth 13-21 & their allies. Sponsored by Youthcare.

FREE. 622-5555 x 212.

First Thursday Art Walk in Downtown Seattle/Pioneer Square. 5-9pm. Art galleries in Downtown Seattle/Pioneer Square host opening night receptions. Seattle Art Museum is free today.

Rouge: Live Parisian Music. 5-7:30pm. Maximilien, 81a Pike Place Market. A Parisian acoustic band offers a joyously romantic, old-world ambience once every month on Art Walk night, for special celebrations & on New Year’s Eve. Seattle Human Rights Commission. 6-8pm. Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave. Meets 1st Thursday each month.

SHRC is made up of 15 citizen representatives who advise the Mayor, the City Council, & all City of Seattle Depts in matters regarding human rights. Meetings open to the public. 684-4540.

Shifting Gears. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Thursday. Drop-in support group THURSDAY - December 1 (non 12-step) for anyone of any orientation or gender who desires recovery from drugs or alcohol. 322-2437; WORLD AIDS DAY Stronger Together: World AIDS Day Breakfast. www.sasgcc.org Registration 7:30am, Program 8am. Sheraton Seattle B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & QuestionHotel, 6th Ave & Pike St. Hosted by KOMO 4 TV’s Molly ing Adolescent Drop-In Group). 6:30-8pm. Call for Shen. Features Secretary of Health John Weisman. location. Every Thursday. Sponsored by Youth Eastside Presenting Sponsor: Wells Fargo. For tickets visit www. Services, which offers many programs for GLBT youth.

(425) 747-4937. strongertogetherseattle.com Alcoholics Anonymous “Safe & Sober Group.” Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Pres12noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Open byterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: meeting of AA. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org.

16 Seattle Gay News

November 25, 2016

crystalmeth.org.

Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation - Contemplative Service. 6:30pm. 7141 California Ave SW. 935-0418, office@wsuu.org, www.wsuu.org Boys’ Group - For Male-Identified Youth, Ages 1422. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Thursday. Youth take the opportunity to talk about issues that relate to their everyday lives, with the facilitation of a male volunteer. 322-2515 ext 16. www.lamberthouse.org Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 7pm. Bus-accessible Central Area location. Every Thursday. (See Saturday listing at 6pm.)

RENT in Concert (12/1 & 12/3). 7:30pm. Ballard High School, 1418 NW 65th St. Ballard High Thespian Troupe perform a concert version of the Tony Award-winning musical, RENT. Proceeds will be split between Lifelong & the LED lighting conversion of Ballard High’s Earl Kelly Performing Arts Center. Tickets: Adults $25, students/ seniors $20. showtix4u.com Seattle Prime Timers Coffee Reunion. 7pm. Kaladi Brothers Coffee, 517 E Pike St. Meets 1st Thursday each month. Monthly social meet & greet. Bus routes 2, 9, 10, 11, 43, 47, 49 & 60 and the new Capitol Hill/First Hill streetcar go within 3-4 blocks of Kaladi Bros. www. seattleprimetimers.org Buddhism & Recovery. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Thursday. A meditation/recovery group. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Emerald City Social Club. 7:30pm. Call for details & location - phone staffed most Tuesday evenings or leave message. Meets 1st Thursday each month. ECSC is a confidential crossdressing social & support organization for Transvestite & Transsexual individuals, primarily MTF, which offers confidential membership, private monthly meetings, frequent events on the town, & help in coming out. (425) 827-9494.

Gay Fathers Association of Seattle. 7:30-9pm. Group Health, 201 16th Ave E, Central Bldg, Lower Atrium.

Every Thursday. Support meetings for Gay fathers & Gay men who are currently or previously married. Safe, anonymous, non-judgmental environment of caring fathers & friends. www.gfas.org or our message board at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/gayfathersseattle Gay Male Sexuality & Relationships. 7:30-9pm.

SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Every Thursday. A discussion group that is strictly focused on sexual topics and relationship issues related to being a Gay male.

322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Amor Chorale Rehearsal. 8-9pm. Amor Spiritual Center, 2528 Beacon Ave, Suite B. Meets every Thursday.

Calling all sopranos, altos, tenors & basses. The Amor Spiritual Center currently has openings for singers in its Chorale group.

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

FRIDAY - December 2

AA Ageless in Recovery. 12noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Meets every Friday. A drop in AA group for older & wiser people 55+. www.sasgcc.org Re-Parenting Ourselves. 12noon-1pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Meets every Friday. A peer support group for adult children of any addiction. www. sasgcc.org SLAA Road to Recovery. 12noon-1:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. Meets every Friday. Ongoing 12 step group for sex & love addicts. www.sasgcc.org Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 4-10pm. Call for location & details. Every Friday.

(253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter.org (Also Thursdays 4-10pm & Saturdays 6pm-12 midnight.)

Strength Over Speed. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 115 15th Ave E, Suite 201. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12-step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org All-Star Women Jam. 7pm. Spinnaker Bay Brewing, 5718 Rainier Ave S (at S Orcas St). Featuring All-Star women artists - 1st Friday feature; 3rd Friday jam. Great food trucks & great beer. spinnakerbaybrewing.com, bluestodo.com First Fridays in Yakima. 7-9pm. 223 N 1st St, Yakima.

Meets 1st & 3rd Fridays. Social, support, education & advocacy group for the Yakima area GLBTQ community & their allies. All are welcomed & invited. (509) 576-0276. www.gayakima.com/1stfridays.html Lambert House Queer Movie Night. 7-9:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Friday. Lambert House is a nationally-recognized activities & resource center for GLBT & questioning youth, ages 14-22. 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org Rain Country Dance Night. 7-11pm, lessons at 7:15pm.

The Cuff, 1533 13th Ave. An evening of country-western dancing for the LGBTQ community. FREE. www.raincountrydance.org.

Destiny Gay AA Group in Tacoma. 7:30pm. New Heart MCC, 759 S 45th St, Tacoma. Every Friday.

(253) 474-8897.

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

LGBT Friday Night Al-Anon Family Group. 7:45pm.

Seattle Counseling Service, Rainbow Room, 1216 Pine St at Melrose Ave. Every Friday. The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives & friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength & hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness & that changed attitudes can aid recovery. Greater Seattle AIS 24-hour number 625-0000; www.seattle-al-anon.org

SATURDAY - December 3

(See previous Saturday for ongoing activities.)

Gifts & Greens Galore. 10am-3pm. Washington Park Arboretum Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum Dr E. A unique selection of nature-inspired gifts & decorations. All proceeds benefit the Arboretum. www. arboretumfoundation.org ALISS in Winterland. 6-10pm. SE Seattle Senior Service Center, 4655 S Holly St. (Rainier Ave S. & S. Holly St.) Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS) presents a women’s dance & potluck. 18 yrs & up. Slding scale $5-$15 + food/drink to share. 722-9729.

Northwest Bears Potluck and Meet & Greet Beer Bust. 6pm. The Cuff, 1533 13th Ave at E. Pine St. Meets 1st Saturday each month. Northwest Bears is a Gay men’s social and service organization providing a focal point within the Gay community for Bears and Bear admirers. www.nwbears.com.

RENT in Concert (12/1 & 12/3). 7:30pm. Ballard High School, 1418 NW 65th St. Ballard High Thespian Troupe perform a concert version of the Tony Award-winning musical, RENT. Proceeds will be split between Lifelong & the LED lighting conversion of Ballard High’s Earl Kelly Performing Arts Center. Tickets: Adults $25, students/ seniors $20. showtix4u.com

SUNDAY - December 4

(See previous Sunday for ongoing activities.)

Border Riders Motorcycle Club First Sunday Ride.

Contact Border Riders for details and rendezvous point.

Meets 1st Sunday most months. BRMC provides a social & educational fraternity for individuals interested in recreational motorcycle touring. www.borderriders.com Knights of Mantra Monthly Meeting. 3pm. The Cuff, 1533 13th Ave. Meets 1st Sunday each month. K of M/Jet Chapter is a fun-loving leather/Levi social & charitable organization that raises money for various causes & organizations. 329-0886. www.facebook.com/ kofmjetchapter/ PFLAG/Kittitas County. 4-5:30pm. First United Methodist Church, 3rd & Ruby Sts, Ellensburg. Meets the first Sunday of every month. For information, (509) 925-7937.

St Aelred’s Independent Catholic Church in Olympia.

5pm. Olympia Unitarian Church, 2200 East End St NW, Olympia. Meets 1st & 3rd Sundays each month. Worship for the GLBT community & friends in the Roman Catholic, Anglican & other liturgical faiths tradition. Fr. Bob Withrow, (360) 664-5449.

Seattle Jazz Vespers. 6-8pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, Seneca St & Harvard Ave. 1st Sunday of every

Celebrating 41 Years!

month (October-June). The historic Gothic sanctuary of Seattle First Baptist Church is offered to the best jazz groups in the city to perform 100 minutes of their own popular music. FREE. For info 325-6051, www. seattlefirstbaptist.org/sjv

community calendar

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

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

American Veterans for Equal Rights - www.aver.us BiNet Seattle is a mixed gender, social group for Bisexuals, their partners & other Bi-friendly folks - www. binetseattle.org.

Capitol Hill Alano Club - www.chacseattle.org Central Washington University GALA Hotline: (509) 963-1994.

DIFFA/Northwest (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). 763-8885; www.diffanorthwest.org DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT: Crisis Clinic, 461-3222 (24 hour line); King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) - 24-hour crisis line for information, support, & medical & legal assistance: 1-888-99-VOICE; Northwest Network - support & advocacy for Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse & Dating Violence, 568-7777 (voice), 517-9670 (tty), www.nwnetwork.org; Pierce County Domestic Violence Helpline: Teresa, (253) 798-4166; Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities - offers on-going support groups for men: 323-1768; Seattle Police Dept Domestic Violence Unit, 684-0330; State Wide Domestic Violence Hot Line, 1-800-562-6025.

In an emergency call 911. Report domestic violence and sexual assault.

Equal Rights Washington - 324-2570; www.equal rightswashington.org Everett/Snohomish Cty - www.gaysnohomish.org Freely Speaking Toastmasters - www.freely speaking.org Gay City promotes wellness in LGBTQ communities by providing health services, connecting people to resources, fostering arts, and building community. Gay City Health Project’s Wellness Center provides anonymous & confidential HIV/STD testing. 517 E Pike St. More info or to schedule an appointment, 860-6969. www.gaycity.org Gay & Lesbian National Hotline (GLNH): 1-888-THEGLNH (1-888-843-4564). Non-profit, peer-counseling, information & local resources telephone hotline for GLBT people across the country.

GLSEN/WA - Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network - 330-2099; www.glsenwa.org Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) - 3639188; www.thegsba.org HIV/AIDS Program, Seattle/King County Dept of Public Health, provides confidential/anonymous information about & testing for HIV/AIDS. 205-7837.

Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & the Olympic & Rainier Empire - www.facebook.com/ISCSORE; www. imperialcourtofseattle.com Lambert House - 322-2515; www.lamberthouse.org LGBT Library - 517 E Pike St. Open Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm.

LGBT MS Connection - 250-5002; LGBTMS Connection@gmail.com. Support group for LGBT persons with MS and their partners and their caregivers.

Lifelong AIDS Alliance - 328-8979, www.lifelongaids alliance.org MEN: Gay City: 860-6969, www.gaycity.org; Knights of Mantra: 329-0886, www.jetchapterkofm.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.mature friends.org; Northwest Bears: www.nwbears.com; The Olympians: www.TheOlympians.net; POZSeattle: www.pozseattle.org; Q-Squared: www.qsquared.org; Rain City Jacks: www.raincityjacks.org; Seattle Gay Couples: www. seattlegaycouples.org; Seattle Men in Leather: www.seattlemeninleather. org; Seattle Prime Timers: Gay & Bi men 40 & over, www.seattle primetimers.org.

MUSIC: Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony.org; Rainbow City Band: 1-866-841-9139 ext 2126; rainbowcityband@onebox.com; www.rainbowcity band.com; Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus: 388-1408, 323-0750. www.flyinghouse. org.

Northwest Lesbian & Gay History Museum Project - gayhistnw@aol.com Northwest Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf - www. nwrad.org Out & Equal Workplace Advocates/Seattle Regional Affiliate supports the work of LGBT employees and the growing number of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) making a difference within local companies. www.outandequal.org/affiliates/seattle PARENTHOOD: Families Like Ours provides a gateway for LGBT families interested in adoption & provides a network of safe placement agencies, training, support & resources: 441-7602, www.familieslikeours. org; Family Works offers support, information & activities for LGBT families: 694-6727, www.familyworksseattle. org; Gay Fathers’ Association of Seattle offers support groups & social activities: www.gfas. org; Proud & Loud Families - Northwest, www.meetup.com/proudand-loud-families-northwest, plfnorthwest@aol.com; Queer Parent Networking Dinners: 568-7777, info@ nwnetwork.org; Rainbow Families of Puget Sound: www.rainbowfamiliesps.org PFLAG is the national organization for parents, families, allies, and LGBTQ people united for equality with chapters in Seattle, Bellevue/Eastside, the Puget Sound region and across Washington state. PFLAG Seattle: 206-325-7724, info@pflagseattle.org, and www.pflag seattle.org; PFLAG Bellevue/Eastside: 425-4836642, info@bellevue-pflag.org, http://community.pflag.

org/PFLAGBellevue; PFLAG Pacific Northwest: www.pnwpflag.org; PFLAG Washington state: www. pflagwsc.org.

PEOPLE OF COLOR: AARTH (African American Reach & Teach Health Ministry), 850-2070, www. aarth.org; Asian/Pacific Islander Queer Network Program at API Chaya, 467-9976; Center for MultiCultural Health, 461-6910, www.multi-culturalhealth.org; Entre Hermanos, GLBT Latinos/as, 322-7700, www. entrehermanos.org; Ile LaiLai, 781-3565, iya@ilelailai. org; Men of All Colors & Cultures Together (MACCT), 923-8313, macctseattle@yahoo. com, www.macctsea.org; Nubian Pride Productions, nubianpride@ gmail.com; People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) offers rapid HIV testing, M-F, 10am-5pm, 322-7061, www.pocaan.org and on Facebook; Seattle Two Spirit, SeattleTwoSpirit@ hotmail.com; Sistah 2 Sistah, LBT women of African descent, 322-7061, 2558951; Sistah Sinema, www.sistahsinema.com, info@ sistahsinema.com; Trikone-Northwest, GLBT South Asians, (425) 985-4376, www.trikonenw.org; Two-Spirit Honor Project, 1-866-685-0164; U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle.

Pride Foundation - 323-3318; www.pridefoundation. org Project NEON is a program of Seattle Counseling Service providing FREE information & services to Gay & Bi men to reduce health risks associated with methamphetamine use. 323-1768. www.crystalneon.org Public Health-Seattle & King County Online Comprehensive Health Information for Sexual Minorities: www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/personal/ glbt.aspx Q Law: The GLBT Bar Association of WA - 682-6711; www.q-law.org Q Law GLBT Legal Clinic - 235-7235.

Resource & Referral Line can connect you to LGBTfriendly resources throughout Puget Sound and beyond.

Call 323-LGBT Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. At other times leave voice mail and your call will be returned.

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

SEAMEC interviews, researches & rates candidates for public office on issues of concern to the LGBT community. 905-9941, www.seamec.org Seattle Area Support Groups & Community Center (SASG) is a non-profit organization that builds community and cultivates powerful, healthy lives by providing emotional support and personal development services to those affected by HIV/AIDS, the Queer communities, and those who love them. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities - 684-4503.

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

Seattle Out & Proud - 206-322-9561; www.seattle pride.org Seattle Police Department Sexual Minorities Community Advisory Council: kim.bogucki@seattle.gov Seattle PrideFest - www.seattlepridefest.org Seattle Treatment Education Project (STEP) E-zine is an electronic resource distributed to people affected

by HIV/AIDS, case managers, front line workers & other health professionals. Now a part of Lifelong AIDS Alliance, 328-8979, www.thebody.com/step/steppage.html Servicemembers Legal Defense Network - (202) 328-3244; www.sldn.org Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey of St. Joan - 860-3666; www.theabbey.org Snohomish Health District HIV/AIDS Program provides free confidential/anonymous HIV counseling & testing 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, until 7pm Tuesdays.

(425) 339-5298.

Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) - www.facebook. com/socialoutreachseattle South Sound Q Calendar - LGBTQ events in Tacoma, Olympia & Sound Puget Sound area; www.South SoundQCal.com SPORTS & RECREATION: Bent Car Guys: www. bentcarguys.org; Border Riders Motorcycle Club: www.borderriders.com; Bottom Dwellers Scuba Club: www.bottomdwellers.org; Capitol Hill Cyclers: join their Facebook group or email capitolhill cycling@ groups.facebook.com or jordan.l.simonson@ gmail.com; Cascade Flyers: www.cascadeflyers.org; Different Spokes Bicycling Club: www.different spokes.org; Emerald City Mudhen Rugby: www.mudhenrugby.com; Emerald City Softball Association: www.emeraldcitysoftball.org, www.eteamz.com/womensecsa; Ethyl Forever Car Club: ethylforever@hotmail.com; Festival of the Babes: www.festivalofthebabes.com; Olympic Yacht Club: www.oycnw.org; OutVentures: outdoor education & recreation activities, www.outventures.org; Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association: www.pacificnw gra.org; Puddletown Squares: www.puddletown squares.org; Rain City Soccer: www.raincitysoccer.org; Rain Country Dance Association: a country-western dance organization catering to the LGBTQ community but open to all, www.raincountrydance.org; Sea Dawgs:

November 25, 2016

LGBT ice hockey - SkateSeaDawgs@gmail.com and on Facebook; Seattle Frontrunners: www.seattlefront runners.org; Seattle Gay Basketball Association: www. seattlegaybasketballassociation.com; Seattle Orca Swim Team: www.orcaswimteam.org; Seattle Otters Water Polo: www.otterpolo.com; Seattle Quake Rugby: www.quakerugby.com; Seattle Tennis Alliance: www. seattletennisalliance.org; Seattle Unified Bowling Association (SUBA): magee98106@aol.com, www. teamseattle.org/bowling.htm, www.theprideleague. com, Century 21 League; Seattle Volleyball Club: www.seattlevolleyballclub.com; Ski Buddies: www. skibuddies. org; Team Seattle Gay Sports Network is an umbrella organization for a wide range of local GLBT sports activities, 367-4064, www.teamseattle.org (see website for comprehensive list of sports clubs); Triangle Recreation Camp at Bender Creek: recreational camping for GLBT folks. Must be 21; ID required. trc@camptrc.org, www. camptrc.org, 1122 E Pike St #1069, Seattle 98122-3934.

Strength Over Speed - www.strengthoverspeed.org Tacoma/Pierce County - Rainbow Center, 2215 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, a resource center for the LGBTIQA community of Pierce County, (253) 383-2318, www. rainbowcntr.org TRANSGENDER: Emerald City Social Club: (425) 827-9494; Gender Alliance of the South Sound: www.

SouthSoundGender.com; Gender Diversity: www. genderdiversity.org; Gender Justice League: www. genderjusticeleague.org; Gender Odyssey: www.genderodyssey.com; Hermanos Trans Latino & ForeignBorn Support Group: 322-7700; Ingersoll Gender Center: 329-6651, www.ingersollcenter.org; The New BoyZ Club: www.olympiaftmgroup.webs.com; Olympia Trans Discussion Group: www.facebook.com/pages/ Olympia-Trans-Discussion-Group/262449878114; Washington Gender Alliance: (360) 445-2411, www. washington genderalliance.com WOMEN: Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS): Fai, 722-0729, alissquestions@gmail.com; BABES: support groups for HIV+ women. 720-5566, 1-888-2921912; Lesbians Over 40: 722-0729; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Older Lesbians Organizing for Change/WA State Chapter: gloria@oloc.org, mary@oloc.org, www.oloc. org; Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives: www. pnwlesbianarchives.org; RainshadowWomen: RainshadowWomen@aol.com; Seattle Girls of Leather: www.sgol.org; Tacoma Lesbian Concern (TLC): www. tacomalesbianconcern.org; Women of West Seattle (WOWS): a fun, member-driven social group for Lesbians, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/womenofwestseattle; YWCA Women’s Health Outreach: providing low or no-cost mammograms for income eligible 40+ LBTQ individuals. Follow us at http://lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot. com, twitter.com/ingridWHO or email lbthealth@ywcaworks.org, 461-4493.

YOUTH: B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Questioning Adolescent Drop-In Group): Youth Eastside Services offers many programs for GLBT youth, including B-GLAD, (425) 747-4937; Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; GLSEN/Washington State (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) & Washington State GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) Network: GLSEN works to create safe schools for LGBT students. WA GSA Network supports youth-led GSA’s to fight harassment & homophobia in Washington state schools. 330-2099; www.glsenwa. org; www.wagsa. org. GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): a support group & HIV/STD prevention program for GLBTQ youth, 14-20, in Everett, (425) 263-2908, www.globeyouth.org; It Gets Better Project: www.itgetsbetter.org; Lambert House: an activities & resource center for LGBT youth, 14-22, in Seattle, 3222515, www.lamberthouse.org; Lifelong HEYO (Health Education Youth Outreach): for LGBTQ youth, ages 16-24: 957-1665; www.llaa.org/HEYO; www.Matthews Place.com; The Mockingbird Society: 323-KIDS (5437), www.mockingbirdsociety.org; Oasis Youth Center: for GLBTQ youth, ages 14-25, in Tacoma, (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcen ter.org; Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)/Puget Sound: 325-7724, www.seattle-pflag.org; Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS): 7268500; www.psks.org; Pizza Klatch: weekly lunchtime support groups for LGBTQ youth in Thurston County, www.pizzaklatch.org; Prism: for LGBTQ youth, 14-21, in Puyallup - Cherise.Alexander@ multicare.org; www. facebook.com/PuyallupPrism; Proud Out Wonderful (POW!): for LGBTQ youth, 13-21, in South King County, 206-326-9112, www.facebook.com/proudoutwonderful; Q Youth Resources: in Kitsap County - 360-698-3335; www.kchaf.org; Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS): LGBTQ, questioning and allied youth drop-in group, ages 12-18 - Sarah Hardin, 425-271-5600, ext 155; sarahh@rays.org; Safe Schools Coalition: www. safeschoolscoalition.org; 451-SAFE (451-7233) (nonemergency), 1-877-SAFE-SAFE (1-877-723-3723) (crisis line); Seattle Young People’s Project (Queer Youth Resource Board): 860-9606, www.sypp.org; Street Youth Ministries (SYM): 524-7301 ext 111; www.streetyouthministries.org; Teen Link: 461-4922, 1-888-431-TEEN; The Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor; www.thetrevorproject.org; True Colors - Connecting LGBTQ Teens: in Shoreline, 362-7282 x 8018, lbagley@chs-nw.org; Vista Youth Center: for LGBTQ, questioning and allied youth, ages 14-21, in Kennewick, 509-396-5198, www.vistayouthcenter.org; YouthCare/ Isis Program (Transitional Living Home for LGBTQ Young Adults, 18-22): 522-8412; YouthCare/Orion Center: 622-5555; Youth in Focus: 723-1479; www. youthinfocus.org; Youth Suicide Prevention Program (OUTLoud-GLBTQ): 297-5922, ext 116, 1-800-273TALK, www.yspp.org

Seattle Gay News 17

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Didactic Billy Lynn a long walk of social commentary treacle

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer BILLY LYNN’S LONG HALFTIME WALK Now playing It’s hard to know what to make of director Ang Lee’s latest 3-D dramatic extravaganza Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.

Set in 2004 and based on the book by Ben Fountain, the movie is a stream-of-consciousness chronicle of 19-year-old Bravo Company soldier Billy (newcomer Joe Alwyn), he and the other members of his unit preparing to be recognized during the halftime show at a Thanksgiving Day professional football game as American heroes while sharing the stage with the members of Destiny’s Child. Interspersed are flashbacks and memories, most of them either centered on what transpired on a faraway Iraqi battlefield or back inside Billy’s Texas home having dinner with his family, notably conversations between him and his loving older sister Kathryn (Kristen Stewart).

That’s pretty much it. We are privy to conversations between Billy and his spiritual Sergeant (Vin Diesel), nicknamed “Shroom” for reasons I could never quite understand, while the pair is getting to know one another in Iraq. We witness Hollywood agent Albert (Chris Tucker) talk a mile-a-minute as he tries to package the Bravo soldiers’ story of sacrifice, duty, brotherhood and heroism into a movie deal.

We listen to platitudes spouted by Texas billionaire and professional football team owner Norm Ogelsby (Steve Martin) while at the same time Sergeant Dime (Garrett Hedlund) does what he can to keep his men in line, knowing the lot are heading back overseas into harm’s way in just a few short days. We watch as Billy becomes entranced

18 Seattle Gay News

(l) Joe Alwyn (Billy) & Vin Diesel (Sergeant “Shroom” Breem) – Photo courtesy of Sony

with cheerleader Faison (Makenzie Leigh), a bubbly innocent whose religious fervor is only dulled by her instant, wide-eyed devotion to the young soldier she believes has given himself over body and soul to both God and country asking nothing in return.

The problem is that the movie is a talky, didactic bore, moving from moment to moment and emotion to emotion with zero subtlety and even less grace. It hits the nail on the head over and over again, Jean-Christophe Castelli’s nonlinear script a lifeless hodgepodge of melodramatic clichés that are as annoying as they are obnoxious. Attempting to balance between antiwar sentiments while also celebrating the youngsters sent into battle not always knowing exactly what it is they are fighting for, the whole thing is a muddled, heavy-handed dirge that continually stumbles over itself again and again. In short, the movie is a giant mess, and at times it is impossible to tell what it was exactly that drew two-time Academy Award winner Lee

November 25, 2016

to the story in the first place.

Thing is, the man is just too monumentally talented for the film to be anything close to a total loss. He coaxes a number of winning performances out of his cast, especially from the likes of Martin, Tucker, Stewart and most notably Hedlund.

Additionally, he stages a handful of truly bravura set pieces, not the least of which is the explosive halftime show, a variety of emotions running rampant as dancers cavort around, marching bands play and Destiny’s Child (we only ever see their collective backsides; Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams do not appear) perform, all while Bravo Company and Billy stand at the center of the stage wondering what exactly it is they are supposed to be doing. Even better is the Iraq skirmish that made the squad famous, the power of the sequence undeniable as each is forced to draw blood, all doing things they can barely live with them-

selves for having had a hand in let alone feel capable of understanding why others want to make them heroes for doing no more than the job that was asked of them.

One gets the idea that Lee was aiming for the same sort of feeling he was able to generate with Life of Pi, utilizing technology in service of drama in order to immerse the audience into the psyche of his protagonist in a way that’s hypnotically intimate. Problem is, the emotions on display are much too obvious and far too stilted.

Worse, they don’t feel real, their authenticity too manufactured and simplistic. While the film sadly did not screen for Seattle press in either the 120 fps frame rate or the 3-D format Lee intends it to be projected in, that doesn’t mean I couldn’t tell what he hoped to accomplish. The long takes, the way John Toll’s (The Thin Red Line) camera slowly moves down corridors, on battlefields and across Thanksgiving Day dinner tables, it’s all designed to showcase Billy’s shifting mental landscapes, putting the viewer inside his head whether they’d like to be there or not.

Again, as the studio decided against showing the movie in this fashion, whether Lee accomplishes what he set out to do I honestly cannot say. But I have great difficulty believing it would have mattered.

While the technical aspects of the production are impressive, the psychological ones are anything but. It’s all too tired, too aggressively on point, the entire concept of restraint thrown out with the bathwater just so the director and his screenwriter can make their dryly moralistic points one after the other. It’s all a giant cacophony of artifice masquerading as something important and meaningful, making Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk an annoying bit of social commentary treacle that’s virtually impossible to enjoy and even more difficult to sit through.

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

November 25, 2016

Seattle Gay News 19

20 Seattle Gay News

November 25, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!