SGN March 6, 2015 - Section 2

Seattle Gay News

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Issue 10, Volume 43, March 6, 2015

Only two mor e weeks to see inventive SteamPunk Cirque

Contortionists at “Kurios” – Photo: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2014 Cirque du Soleil

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer “KURIOS: CABINET OF CURIOSITIES” CIRQUE DU SOLEIL MARYMOOR PARK Through March 22

The gorgeous acrobatic, high-flying antics of top-flight, international talent combines with a steampunk aesthetic and even some invisible acts in Cirque du Soleil’s “Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities” at Marymoor Park.

“Kurios” is the 35th production in the line of inventions known as Cirque du Soleil. Similar to other shows, there is a very loose story here that ties the evening together. But you don’t really go to Cirque shows for the story, you go for the atmosphere, beautiful, intricate costuming, easy to assimilate international music without real words, and death-defying acrobatic and fly work.

This show includes more inventive ideas, though, using a gorgeous 18th century steampunk aesthetic, with cast ironlooking belly stove people, glass-covered clockworks and more. A young man starts the show and appears periodically, once to do an act with some amazing invisible people, including an invisible lion that gets loose in the audience, and later to invite a pretty audience member into his “living room,” where he then morphs into a giant, hair-ball producing Cat! He’s quite amusing!

A cabinet of curiosities or cabinet of wonders was the precursor in Europe to see “kurios” page 9

A very Australian

Director Kiah Roache-Turner takes zombies into a mad dystopian wasteland

George Takei to speak at the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington’s Tomodachi Luncheon – twitter.com

Oh my! Actor, writer, activist, and witty social media king George Takei will be the guest speaker at the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington’s 7th Annual Tomodachi Luncheon.

Takei is well known for his role as Sulu in the original television series “Star Trek.”

He’s also a leader and an outspoken activist for human rights and LGBT equality.

He frequently uses his childhood memories from World War II, which includes his forced incarceration at the Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas, to advocate for social justice.

Takei will share some of his life experiences during his speech during the Tomodachi Luncheon, the JCCCW’s premier fundraising event that helps pay for facility operations, programs, and services.

The fundraiser will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, March 27, at Seattle University’s Campion Ballroom. The event will be emceed by JCCCW board members James Spahn and Lori Matsukawa. The luncheon will include a performance by respected and globally renowned pianist Michi North.

The event and lunch are free to attend thanks to generous donations from more than a dozen sponsors: Gold Sponsors are Seattle University School of Law and Catering by Phyllis; Silver Sponsors include the Boeing Company, Gobo Enterprises, and the Terada Family; Bronze Sponsors are Comcast, Furuta Lee Foundation, Nintendo of America, Jeffery and Sachie Nitta, the Seattle Mariners, Union Bank, Frank & Penny Fukui, Woodburn Company/Bart Lemmon & Ricoh; Special Friends are Bellevue Children’s Academy, Lori and Larry Blackstock, Ibuki Magazine, KING-TV, Lea Saunders/Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Vulcan, Inc.; the Raffle Grand Prize is provided by All Nippon Airways; and Mr. Takei’s hotel accommodations are provided

by Emerald City ComiCon. A donation of $125 per person and $250 is encouraged. Space is extremely limited, so inquire about availability by e-mailing tomodachirsvp@jcccw.org.

More information can be found here: https://jcccw.org/annual-events/tomodachiluncheon/

Laugh. Cry. Love. Gather.

Debate. Celebrate. To Life!

Seattle Jewish Film Festival preview – an interview with Pamela Lavitt

Kiah Roache-Turner poses with a zombie – www.fangoria.com

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD VOD/OnDemand It’s no secret I’m a big fan of the Aussie zombie apocalypse import Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead. It’s fast, funny, chock full of terrific ideas and features star-making performances from Jay Gallagher and

Bianca Bradey. Directed and co-written by first-time filmmaker Kiah Roache-Turner, the film is a warped, wickedly inspired fusing of Mad Max and Dawn of the Dead set in a world that’s decidedly familiar yet that’s also amusingly off its rocker. Talking with the filmmaker shortly before its theatrical release, his excitement was genuinely palpable.

“This is the day before the film gets released in both Australia and the U.S.,” says

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see roache page 16

Hanna’s Journey is one of many films showing at the SJFF – courtesy of Seattle Jewish Film Festival

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer SEATTLE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL March 14-22 Beginning Saturday night with the local premier of the German-Israeli production Hanna’s Journey, the Seattle Jewish Film Festival (SJFF) enters its 20th year prom-

March 6, 2015

ising its biggest, most ambitious slate yet.

Running nine days, showcasing features, documentaries and shorts showcasing Jewish world cinema in all its multifarious minutia, the festival will attempt to explore notions of identity and of self like it never has before.

I had the pleasure of taking up a few moments of longtime festival director Pamela see sjcc page 8

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Celebrating 41 Years!

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Madonna to play Portland, Clarkson is Key Arena-bound

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer You’ll have to travel to see Madonna in concert this year, but not too far. The pop icon has scheduled two Northwest stops for her 35-city “Rebel Heart Tour,” Portland and Vancouver, BC. Seattle fans shouldn’t be too surprised that she’s skipping the Emerald City this time around, as The Material Girl played two sold out shows at Key Arena on her previous “MDNA Tour” in 2012. Madonna will appear at PDX’s MODA Center on Saturday, October 17 and at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on Wednesday, October 14 with the probability of a second show added to each city, if the first date sells out. If memory serves me correct, this is her first live concert in Portland. The tour, launching August 29 in Miami, is in

Madonna – www.billboard.com

viously appeared at White River Amphitheatre and ShoWare Center, and she also canceled a show at the Puyallup Fair years ago. The Seattle performance is part of the singer-songwriter’s “Piece by Piece Tour,” promoting her latest album by the same title featuring several tracks written by Sia and a duet with recent Academy Award winner John Legend (“Run Run Run”).

Clarkson will likely include her biggest hits in the concert, such as “Since U Been Gone,” “My Life Would Suck Without You” and “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” Pentatonix and Eric Hutchinson are the openers for the tour. Tickets for Kelly Clarkson go on sale March 14 (10 a.m.) at all Ticketmaster locations.

Costello (July 9), J Cole with Big Sean (July 12), Fall Out Boy with Wiz Khalifa (August 2), Vans Warped Tour (August 8), Tim McGraw with Billy Currington (September 4), Kid Rock with Foreigner (September 5), and Def Leppard with Styx (September 16).

Over at Marymoor Park, there’s one show to tell you about, composer/musician A.R. Rahman on June 14. The Indian-born artist is playing a select number of dates this summer, which may include music from his Oscar-winning score for Slumdog Millionaire, or his work on another movie soundtrack, 127 Hours. Nicknamed “The Mozart of Madras,” Rahman is sure to draw a multi-national crowd to the Redmond park in June.

If you didn’t already know, Death Cab for Cutie will perform three consecutive nights at the Paramount Theatre this fall, October 3-5. The Seattle trio, who tested out new material to a lucky sold out crowd at The Crocodile in January, will complete its 2015 tour here at home, following seven months of live dates that will take them across North America and to Ger-

Sam Smith has rescheduled his February 2 show at Key Arena for The Gorge Amphitheatre on Saturday, August 8.

The British singersongwriter was forced Kelly Clarkson – media.santabanta.com to cancel his Seattle support of Madonna’s newest album Rebel concert last month due Heart, which has already produced a huge to vocal exhaustion; international hit, “Living for Love,” thanks the cancelation was in part to her appearances on the Grammy announced on the day and Brit Awards. Tickets for the Portland of the performance, concert are expected to go on sale March much to the disap23, following exclusive pre-sales that began pointment of excited as early as this week for fan club members fans, many whom had and Citi credit cardholders. For more infor- previously missed out mation, visit www.livenation.com. Seattle on Smith’s sold out apGay News is hoping to review Madonna’s pearance last fall at the Paramount Theatre. If show, in either Portland or Vancouver. you have tickets for the Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson will Key Arena show, you Death Cab for Cutie – cdn.americansongwriter.com perform August 12 at Key Arena, her first will need to exchange in-city concert that I can recall – she’s pre- them through the point of purchase before many, Sweden, The Netherlands, Denmark, going to The Gorge; France, Croatia, Norway, and the UK. The original tickets will not band is touring to boost its latest album, be honored, so be sure to Kintsugi, featuring the lead-off single take care of this prior to “Black Sun.” At press time, only tickets August 8. Contact Tick- for the October 5 show were available via etmaster customer ser- www.stgpresents.org, or at the Paramount vice should you encoun- or Moore Theatre box offices. Kintsugi is ter any problems or have really good, by the way. questions at 1-800-6538000. Smith won GramLikewise, Sufjan Stevens has added mys for Best New Artist, a second show by popular demand at the Pop Vocal Album (In Paramount Theatre, playing back-to-back the Lonely Hour), plus nights on June 10 and 11. The eclectic musiRecord and Song of the cian is hitting the road to promote Carrie & Year (“Stay With Me – Lowell, a new full-length recording set for a Darkchild Version”) in March 31 release that returns Stevens to his early February. folk-pop roots. At press time, tickets were still available for both performances.

White River Amphitheatre has anFinally, don’t forget that the final two nounced a partial list episodes of “Glee” are scheduled for March of acts for its summer 20. After six long seasons, it’s time to say lineup – thus far includ- goodbye to the kids at McKinley High.

Sam Smith – photo by Austin Hargrave ing Steely Dan and Elvis

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Celebrating 41 Years!

Caribou dizzying and electrifying at The Showbox

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer CARIBOU THE SHOWBOX MARKET March 4 Who says you can’t have a dance party on a Tuesday night? Certainly not Caribou.

The popular EDM act played back-to-back concerts, an early and late show, this week to capacity crowds. While one audience moved and bounced inside on the floor, another audience began lining up outside under chilly temperatures awaiting their turn.

Caribou is often billed as a band, much like Sade and Bon Iver, but the artist is primarily centered around Dan Snaith, credited as a composer, recording artist, and musician. At The Showbox Market, he shared the stage with a three-person crew – Ryan Smith, Brad Weber, and John Schmersal – who played keyboards, electric guitar, and drums. Snaith made himself useful on electric percussion and keyboards; at least from my angle, that’s what he appeared to be tapping his fingers on. Uniformly, each was dressed in form-fitting white denims with near-matching shirts.

The early performance got underway at 8:30 p.m. with “Our Love,” the title track from Caribou’s latest offering, which landed comfortably on SGN’s list of Best Albums/CDs of 2014. Surprisingly, the global house smash “Silver” was the second number on the set list, delighting fans who already began dancing up a storm as beams

of white light flickered above them. Maybe it was me, but the live rendition of “Silver” seemed a tad slower than the recorded version; I loved the drums added in towards the end.

“All I Ever Need” easily won the crowd’s approval, as the stage was illuminated in a blood red color. “Can’t Do Without You” was stretched to about five minutes, utilizing vocal samples and a lot of percussion.

Shania Twain to kick off “final tour” in Seattle

Caribou – Merge Records

2010’s Swim release got almost as much attention as Our Love, but unless my notes are incorrect, 2007’s well-acclaimed and award-winning Andorra was completed omitted from Tuesday’s first set. At times, Caribou’s sound was spacey and mid-tempo, and at other moments it was a vibrant, rapid fusion of house and fiery electro-pop.

A spectacular encore featured the lone number “Sun,” brilliantly and energetically

delivered with all four musicians jamming on their instruments as a series of bright lights flashed wildly from the stage. It brought the party to a close, much too soon, as the audience would’ve gladly stayed for an all-nighter.

Ann Hampton Callaway From Sassy to Divine: The Sarah Vaughan Project

Shania Twain – AEG Live

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Country superstar Shania Twain will begin the journey of her farewell tour right here in Seattle. The multiple Grammy winner, known for huge crossover hits such as “Man! I Feel Like a Woman,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “I’m Gonna Getcha Good” and “From This Moment On,” will embark on her first live outing in 10 years, which sadly is also her last.

One of the most successful artists in music history, male or female, with record sales of over 75 million, Twain is scheduled to launch her final tour at Key Arena on June 5, the first of 48 cities that also includes Boston, Miami, Indianapolis, Washington DC, Nashville, St. Louis, Dallas, San Diego, Salt Lake City, and Edmonton, to name a few. It all winds down August 24 in Fresno, a few days shy of Twain’s 50th birthday.

Although the Canadian singer hasn’t released much new material in recent years, she’s remained extremely popular with an international fan base, among them a large number of Gay male followers. When I caught a performance of “Shania: Still the One,” her Las Vegas residency show at Caesars Palace, in June 2014, a pair of young Gay men had flown all the way from The Netherlands just to see her. In televised interviews and social media, Twain has expressed appreciation of her non-hetero fans and voiced support for same-sex marriage, posting this Tweet shortly after the DOMASupreme Court ruling: “Congratulations to everyone celebrating #equality today in the US. #loveislove”.

The “Rock This Country Tour” will feature Wes Mack as the opening act, through June 28, and Gavin Degraw for the remainder of the itinerary. Tickets are expected to go on sale March 13. Visit www.shaniatwain.com for ticket sale information.

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Tue, Mar 10 -Wed, Mar 11

Doors open at 5:30 PM each night.

First sets begin at 7:30 PM, and second sets (when applicable) begin at 9:30 PM (doors: 9:15 PM).

2033 6th Ave, Seattle WA 98121

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Tickets: $28.50 includes a $4.00 service fee may be purchased on-line or by phone.

(206) 441-9729; www.jazzalley.com Night of show seating typically available All purchases are non-refundable.

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Deathly bland Lazarus beyond resuscitation

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer THE LAZARUS EFFECT Now playing Scientists Frank (Mark Duplass) and Zoe (Olivia Wilde) are on the verge of a major discovery. They’re attempting to find a way to stimulate the brain after death, not so much bringing people back from Heaven’s door as wanting to give doctors a bigger window of opportunity when attempting to resurrect those on the verge of giving up the ghost. They don’t want to play God but just as much they don’t have anything against good old Dr. Frankenstein, and while no one wants to build their own monster they’re not above teaching some dead dogs a few new tricks.

But when their project is stolen right out from under them by an unscrupulous pharmaceutical company, Frank, Zoe and the rest of their team – computer specialist Niko (Donald Glover), biologist Clay (Evan Peters) and videographer Eva (Sarah Bolger) – feel they must recreate their latest success in order to secure the discovery as their own. The initial idea is to once again use their mysterious compound on another canine only things don’t go as planned.

Frank finds himself forced to make an unspeakable decision, Zoe’s life, potentially even her immortal soul, hanging in the balance as he figures out what to do.

The Lazarus Effect is your typical horror enterprise about very, very smart people doing very, very stupid things, the film a convoluted hodgepodge of Frankenstein, Lucy, Limitless, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Re-Animator, a whole fleet of addi-

tional B-grade shockers thrown into the mixture for good measure. Director David Gelb, a long way from his award-winning documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and screenwriters Luke Dawson (Shutter) and Jeremy Slater (the forthcoming Fantastic Four reboot) have cobbled together a lean, mean and highly unoriginal shocker, and while they’ve assembled a stellar cast, sadly they’ve also given them precious little of interest to do.

In fairness, that cast is a good one. Gelb has brought together a solid group of veterans and newcomers, all of whom manage, at least during the initial sequences, to work together nicely. They make a believable team, Duplass the eccentric genius and Wilde his nurturing voice of reason trying to keep him from overstepping any moral boundaries that he and the rest of their group encounter as they progress. As for Glover, Peters and Bolger, all have some nice little moments throughout, the latter two actors especially.

Movies like this are inherently built on characters doing ill-advised things; it just goes with the genre territory. In this case, however, Dawson and Slater just keep taking things a step too far until they leap facefirst off a cliff the height of Mt. Everest.

Frank makes bad decision after bad decision after bad decision, his team blindly following him to doom as if they were lemmings excited about being slaughtered. By the time their fabled serum gets used on an actual human being, at the moment Hell comes visiting and everyone suddenly understands just how bad a situation they’ve all managed to create for themselves, I’d lost interest. I simply didn’t care any more about who lived, who died or who would

f u l l y comprehend what playing God has wrought, the movie a waste of 80 minutes that even a genre fanatic much like myself would be hardpressed to enjoy.

I feel worst for Wilde.

Scientists bring back the dead in Lazarus – cdn.indiewire.com She’s the best thing in Sarah Schachner (Remains) and crisply edthe whole film, Zoe full of complex layers ited by Michael N. Knue (The Ring Two), and shadings, making her inherently inter- and while Gelb is far fonder of jump-scares esting right from the start. But at a certain than he should be, he still keeps the pace point she is forced to transform into some suitably fast and furious which allows for weird, ungainly Carrie White meets Fred- at least some semblance of tension to seep dy Krueger meets William Weir meets Re- in occasionally. But the film is just so ungan MacNeil hybrid, getting all bug-eyed relentingly dumb, everything building to and hyperactive more because it’s what the a final sequence that’s more like a slap in filmmakers want the character to do and the face than it is anything pleasurable (or not because it makes any sort of practical, for that matter scary). It’s bad, not in a good if still unsettling, sense. Wilde is left out to way, and it’s likely Mary Shelley is rolling dry, and if the movie invested itself in her in her grave upset her celebrated writings as much as she does in it I doubt I’d be as have once again inspired something as unclose to disappointed in the finished prod- forgivably bland as this. uct as I ultimately am.

And I am disappointed. The Lazarus Effect has all the makings of being a fun little B-thriller. It’s elegantly shot by Michael Fimognari (Oculus), eerily scored by

Gleefully gruesome Wyrmwood a full-throttle treat

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD VOD/OnDemand

A comet streaks across the sky. Mechanic Barry (Jay Gallagher) and his family find it beautiful, but as far as the grand scheme is concerned they don’t think all that much about it and quickly turn in for the night. But sleep doesn’t come easily, especially when a rabid neighbor invades their home looking more dead than alive.

Turns out, a horrific plague is sweeping across all of Australia, and while some are immune, the majority find themselves transformed into flesh-eating zombies ready to disembowel all they encounter.

Things quickly go from bad to worse, Barry cut off from all he loves deciding

to set out on a seemingly hopeless mission to find his missing sister Brooke (Bianca Bradey) who he refuses to believe is dead. And he’s right, too, even if he doesn’t know it, the headstrong young woman immune from the zombie virus; and because of that she’s been kidnapped by a group of paramilitary thugs lead by a crazed Doctor (Berynn Schwerdt) who knows more about what’s going on than he chooses to say.

I get it. Zombie movies are a dime a dozen, and even as a self-proclaimed horror genre junkie, I can’t say I get all that excited about seeing new ones all that often anymore. Once upon a time you could make a bad zombie flick and still get some relatively jovial, suitably stomach-churning mileage out of them. But thanks to shows like “The Walking Dead,” VOD, the SyFy Channel and countless other avenues for release, the well has ostensibly begun to run dry, and while the genre can still offer a

Soldiers corraling a zombie in Wyrmwood – mightymega.com

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few moderate amusements, it takes a monumental effort indeed to get me to stand up and take notice in this day and age.

Thankfully, the Aussie import Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead is just that sort of effort, the film a giddy, go-for-broke, apocalyptic assault on the senses that plays like it’s the happily exuberant love child of Georges Miller (Mad Max) and Romero (Night of the Living Dead). Suitably silly, undeniably gory, the picture is still an imaginative take on the genre that offers up notable idiosyncrasies and ideas that just get better and better as things go along.

Director Kiah Roachee-Turner delivers a startlingly entertaining debut, he and his brother Tristan composing a script that’s as ingenious as it is flat-out cool.

I think what I adore most about the film is that it actually doesn’t just fall in love with the warped stuff, doesn’t just wallow in the expertly delivered blood and guts. Instead, Kiah and Tristan go out of their way to give Barry layers, allowing him to be a well rounded, suitably grounded everyman trying his best to navigate the most impossible of situations. There’s an emotionally crushing sequence featuring him and his family along the side of the road after their car has mysteriously stopped, while a growing friendship between him and wandering aborigine Benny (a terrific Leon Burchill) is authentically complex.

Yet this is still a cartoon, a glorious, high-octane whirligig of souped-up automobiles and rampaging undead hordes that’s so much fun there should probably be a law against such things. The brothers pay homage to the genre while at the same time coming up with ideas and concepts uniquely their own, the way they solve a sudden, unexplained petrol shortage noth-

ing less than virtuosic. Kiah stages some remarkable action sequences and does so on what had to have been a relatively miniscule budget, blatantly stealing from pictures as disparate as The Road Warrior, Supercop: Police Story 3, the Fast and the Furious franchise and even Resident Evil.

Yet he makes these lifts feel uniquely his own, adding his own distinctive twist every single supercharged step of the way.

At the center of the chaos is Gallagher; and like Mel Gibson and Russell Crowe before him, this Australian actor has the makings of an international superstar. He’s magnetic, oozing a form of carnal, all-powerful masculinity that’s intoxicating. Same time, he’s not afraid of displaying emotion, allowing the viewer to see inside Barry’s soul, giving the film added dimensions and depths that can’t help but make it all the more invigorating and appealing in the process. While I’d never say he’s guaranteed to rise to the same heights as those Braveheart and A Beautiful Mind Oscar-winners, I do think he’s got it in him to do so; here’s my vote hoping he does it.

Wyrmwood doesn’t reinvent the wheel.

It doesn’t shake up the zombie genre so much that it will never be the same afterwards. Yet it’s filled to the brim with indelible moments that joyfully take up space in the memory, showcasing sequences of ingenuity and wit that had me rocking back and forth in my seat in total, unrestrained euphoria. Director Kiah Roachee-Turner is the real deal, the man a talented newcomer I can’t help but expect great things from, his debut one of the most gruesomely pleasurable ones I’ve come across in quite some time.

Celebrating 41 Years!

Ambitious Chappie a robotic misfire as such he’s written a new program he thinks will do just that. But before he can upload his ideas into a battered police unit destined for demolition the scientist is kidnapped by a small group of criminals led by the cartoonish Ninja and his daffy blonde girlfriend Yolandi (real life South African rap stars NINJA and ¥O-LANDI VI$$ER).

They force him to use his skills immediately, no The Robot known as Chappie – static.underthegunreview.net time to test, no opportunity to plan, in hopes Deon can create a robot that will help them acby Sara Michelle Fetters complish the biggest payroll heist JohanSGN A&E Writer nesburg has ever seen.

Thus is born Chappie, portrayed and CHAPPIE voiced by actor Sharlto Copley with a team Now playing of visual effects and motion capture wizards responsible for his photorealistic final It is 2016, and in the South African city look. As a character, he’s incredible, direcof Johannesburg crime is out of control. But tor and co-writer Neill Blomkamp and felthanks to genius Tetravaal Corp robotics low screenwriter Terri Tatchell – reteaming engineer Deon Wilson (Dev Patel) things for the first time since District 9 – making are about to change. He’s personally spear- him an enigmatic and deeply fascinating headed the design and creation of a robot newborn evolving with convincing compolice force that will revolutionize law en- plexity. Something of a combination of forcement, pleasing CEO Michelle Bradley Johnny 5, HAL 900 and Robocop, Chappie (Sigourney Weaver) while also sending the lives in ways that are astounding, making stock price of his company through the pro- him one of the more fascinating characters likely to hit theatre screens in all of 2015. verbial roof.

But as a movie, as a finished motion Yet Deon isn’t content. He wants to take things to the next level and transform robot- picture, Chappie itself is a wildly anachic consciousness and human understand- ronistic muddled mess. It’s unfocused and ing of artificial intelligence forever, and undisciplined. More than that, it treats its

main characters with bizarre, close to callous cruelty, painting its most intelligent inhabitants as if their only goal in life was to be the biggest idiot in all of South Africa.

People do things for reasons that confound and irritate, Deon especially, so developing a human connection to almost anything taking place becomes a virtual impossibility.

The biggest and most egregious offender is fellow Tetravaal engineer Vincent Moore (Hugh Jackman). A former military man, he is disgusted by the very concept of artificial intelligence, which in and of itself would be okay, but neither Blomkamp nor Tatchell seem to know what to make of him. More than that, they’re so obsessed with cementing him as the dastardly sociopathic villain, they do a poor job of making his plan make a lick of sense. He’s an egotistical monster right from the start, and it’s only thanks to Jackman’s inherent star power and charisma that any sense of multidimensionality is attained, Vincent nothing more than a rote, incredibly forgettable thug who seems to take great joy in gunning down those he sees as criminals more than he does anything else.

Yet it doesn’t stop there. The idea is simple enough, the filmmakers setting up a scenario where the newly sentient life form is forced to decide between his maker, Deon, Yolandi (whom he decides to call “Mommy”) or Ninja, all of them setting themselves up as teachers and erstwhile parents vying to set the robot on his evolutionary path. But this discussion never takes shape, everything so mishandled it doesn’t matter near as much as it should if

Chappie comes to understand what is right or what is wrong, while attempting to navigate the grey areas lying in-between. This moral quagmire is frustrating in its disheveled malevolence, the ideas being explored so fractured and incomplete they’re almost indecipherable.

On a technical front, however, Chappie is remarkable. This isn’t a Short Circuit meets Robocop meets District 9 clone; and while thematically similarities are readily apparent, from a visual and production standpoint Blomkamp has managed to create a world unique in and of itself. As already stated, the central character himself is astonishing – moving, evolving and reacting in ways that astound. More, there is a refreshing, almost sensual allure to Trent Opaloch’s (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) cinematography I was drawn to, while Jules Cook’s suitably dingy, impeccably lived-in production design captures the spirit of what the director is aiming for to perfection.

I appreciate Blomkamp’s ambition.

Between this, District 9 and Elysium he’s certainly interested in being a sci-fi filmmaker who wants to be known for tackling big ideas and complex themes. Problem is, while his first film got most of what he wanted to right, his two follow-ups have been far less successful, each not knowing what to do with themselves once they’ve presented their initial world-in-dystopian-crisis scenarios. Chappie shows great promise, it just maddeningly refuses to live up to it, its final moments as robotic and as poorly engineered as a malfunctioning Furby ready for the scrapheap.

Salvation a powerfully austere Western

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer THE SALVATION Now playing Reunited with his wife and son after eons apart setting up a new home in the middle of the American frontier, Danish immigrant Jon (Mads Mikkelsen) is left a ragged shell after a crushing tragedy befalls his family on the trip to his and his brother Peter’s (Mikael Persbrandt) farm.

Revenging himself against those who wronged him, the former soldier now finds himself the target of Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a notorious cutthroat who lords over the local township as if it were his own personal fiefdom.

The locals, urged on in no small part by the curiously calm Keane (Jonathan Pryce), a town elder and moneyman who holds an inordinate amount of power for a person of his position, have decided to turn their back on Jon, refusing to help him or his brother in their fight against Delarue. Only the mute – if still beautiful – Madeline (Eve Green), the gang leader’s hardened financial guru, seems up to the challenge, the woman secretly maintaining an old grudge that she’s only now ready to act upon.

There is little that could be called different or new about Danish director and co-writer Kristian Levring’s (Fear Me Not) austere Western The Salvation. It’s a revenge-fueled saga into the dusty plains, the sagebrush caked in blood and the floorboards littered with bits of flesh left after the fires have burned the buildings to ash and the revolvers have run out of bullets to fire. Jon’s story could very well have been told by the likes of John Ford, Howard

Hawks, Sergio Leone, John Sturges, Clint Eastwood or Kevin Costner, the mechanics of his narrative as comfortably familiar as a broken-in leather saddle sitting atop a gracefully aging stallion.

The outright unabashed familiarity of Levring and Anders Thomas Jensen’s (Love Is All You Need) script is a problem, lessening the dramatic impact of much that occurs because of this. I knew early on exactly what it was Jon was going to do and what the road would be to get him there, the only questions just how exactly the final confrontation between him and Delarue would be staged and little else. While the characters, namely Madeline, have their respective secrets, the movie itself holds very few of its own, and as such my emotional investment in the outcome wasn’t strong.

Yet I liked The Salvation. Heck, I maybe even loved it. Mikkelsen – a terrific actor in everything from television’s “Hannibal,” to the James Bond adventure Casino Royale, to the outstanding period epic A Royal Affair, to what should have been an Oscar-nominated performance in The Hunt – is superb, bringing a level of pain and pathos to Jon that is all-encompassing.

He gives the movie its charge, and while his intentions are never in doubt, how he gets to where he is going is consistently fascinating, all thanks to his dynamic, fearlessly stubborn performance.

Green is also excellent, bringing a level of majesty to her portrait of a woman scorned, quietly looking for the right moment to enact her revenge even though she doesn’t utter a single word. She proves once again to be one of the more underrated, intriguingly multifaceted character actresses working today. In many respects I’d have been hugely curious to see what a story en-

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Mads Mikkelsen as Jon in Salvation – www.filmoria.co.uk

tirely about Madeline’s journey and what it was that brought her to Delarue’s doorstep might have theoretically looked like, part of me a little sad this wasn’t the picture Levring set out to make.

Additionally, the filmmaker does a consummate job bringing things to life visually, paying deft homage to the masters of the genre while at the same time crafting his own signature esthetic that’s inhumanely, even vulgarly authentic. Jens Schlosser’s (Deliver Us from Evil) seedily dexterous cinematography is adroitly juxtaposed against Jørgen Munk’s devilishly effective production design, Kasper Winding’s (The Riot Club) ethereally refined score adding just the right touch allowing things to hit

home with a ferocity they otherwise likely wouldn’t have.

It’s likely impossible to make a case that The Salvation goes anyplace Western aficionados have not seen before. Whether Wayne or Eastwood, Cooper or Costner, the footsteps Mikkelsen’s Jon are treading in aren’t exactly fresh. At the same time, Levring’s affection for the genre is apparent, while his handling of the tale’s central moments pack a powerful punch that knocked me upside the head leaving me just to the right side of awestruck. This is a fine film indeed, one I’ll happily ride along with again with no hesitation whatsoever.

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Seattle Gay News 7

grandchildren of Germans who lived during WWII, Israelis who fled and inheritors continued from cover of the German past exploring this emotional Lavitt’s time to talk about this year’s festi- journey. This is not a film about the Nazi val. Here are some highlights from that con- era, not about secrets or conflict; it is a love versation: story and reflects the journey and fumbled reconciliations of present-day younger genSara Michelle Fetters: Twenty years. erations and families moving back to GerThat’s quite an anniversary. Outside of many and Europe.

SIFF, of course, this makes the Jewish Film It is important that Jewish film festivals Festival the longest running independent have some levity, love and lyricism, and festival of its type here in Seattle. Why is strong opening night selections often set the that? How did it happen? tone rather than hit people in the gut right Pamela Lavitt: Thank you. This festi- away. Importantly, we also chose the film to val is proud to be a fifth-century old and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Germanhave premiered over five Academy Award- Israeli diplomatic relations, with dual sponwinners and over ten Oscar and Golden sorship from both consulates and a German Globe nominees in its history, including this Embassy exhibit on “Jewish Life in Geryear. Like many international independent many Today” during the film festival which niche film festivals, SJFF is powered by can be seen both in the lobby at AMC Papassionate volunteers, lay leaders, commu- cific Place and at the Stroum Jewish Comnity partner organizations and loyal donors. munity Center.

Sara Michelle Fetters: This year’s official mantra is “Here, There, and Everywhere.”

What does that statement mean to you? How do you think it defines this year’s festival?

Pamela Lavitt: SJFF brings people together to inspire learning and new perspectives by showcasing the virtuosity and diversity of Jewish cinema. This year’s statement highlights how in the 20-year history of SJFF we have grown up alongside a Jewish/Israeli filmmaking industry. Not only are we more sophisticated, but we have more cross-over appeal. This year’s festival features films from 10 countries, from South Africa to Uruguay, many receiving prestigious nominations Above and Beyond is one of two first-person documentaries – and global recognition by the film industry and at courtesy of Seattle Jewish Film Festival festivals worldwide.

Sara Michelle They support the festival and donate time, Fetters: What will LGBT viewers find in resources and energy [to] make it happen this year’s festival? What will they be inyear after year. In all, we rely on over 200 terested in? How do the themes represented volunteers and over 200 donor/sponsors to in the films themselves relate back to them, ensure the Festival’s health, continuity and whether the motion pictures prove to be relevance in our region. about LGBT issues or not?

Sara Michelle Fetters: Why do film Pamela Lavitt: Jewish/Israeli LGBT festivals like this one matter? What makes filmmaking is always a highlight of SJFF. the Jewish Film Festival such an important Not only was the festival founded by AJC cultural part of the city’s fabric? [the American Jewish Committee], the Pamela Lavitt: Laugh. Cry. Love. Gath- first human rights organization in the U.S., er. Debate. Celebrate. To Life! [That’s] our founded in 1906, fighting for tolerance tagline, because our films celebrate Jewish and against bigotry – which makes showlife for everyone. SJFF is part of the city’s ing LGBT films right up our alley – but fabric and cultural mosaic because it in- frankly, they run away with all the audience vites everyone to view the world through a choice awards. We also have great partners vibrant lens – and we show amazing films like Congregation Tikveh Chadashah, the in our film-obsessed town! Niche festivals GSBA and Three Dollar Bill Cinema. Just matter because film is an open-door, relat- as Jewish filmmaking has hit its stride for able medium for understanding our shared wider audiences, so has LGBT Jewish filmhumanity and [SJFF illustrates] specific sto- making. Since the festival’s inception, films ries, histories and complexities and diver- like Chicks in White Satin, Yossi and Jagsity of Jewish and Israeli life. uar, Mom I Killed Your Daughter, Paper In rainy Seattle, we love our indoor pick- Dolls and anything Eytan Fox (The Bubble, me-ups: coffee, cinema and culture. We Florentine) have spoken to our Jewish Gay have successfully run this festival for 20 audiences and their friends, culminating years because we all love the vibrant con- two years ago with the Israeli film Melting nections that independent cinema offers Away. and how it makes us feel “together” in one In Israel, there has been a real effloresroom, sharing an emotional journey and cence of LGBT filmmaking that highlights giving us something to talk about. It creates the pluralism and democracy of this small, a cultural gathering space where we can find troubled nation. This year, we wanted to old friends and build new connections. deliver a diverse palate of Oscar hopefuls Sara Michelle Fetters: Talk to me about that happen to be short films, among them your opening night film, Hannah’s Journey. two from Israel. Aside from this shorts What made it stand out? package, we have a remarkable theme that Pamela Lavitt: We’ve seen many films runs through much of our programming for about second and third generations grap- 2015, a theme of living on the edge of idenpling with the memory of the Holocaust, of- tity. The opening night film, a love story, tentimes dour and troubled. But there have includes an aspect of self-discovery as the been few love stories about the children and characters travel, meet and remember their

sjff

8 Seattle Gay News

March 6, 2015

shared history and decide how that history will define them.

Write Down, I’m an Arab presents an intimate portrait of Mahmoud Darwish, whose renown as the Palestinian national poet was a title he took on with some reluctance and much solemn consideration.

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem is another film at the SJFF – Little White Lie courtesy of the Seattle Jewish Film Festival turns the camera on the filmmaker, inviting audiences to join director Lacey The Outrageous Sophie Tucker is not to Schwartz as she explores her true parentage be missed; a biopic with incredible footage and its consequences for how she perceives and archival images culled from [Tucker’s] herself and is perceived by society. In the personal scrapbooks. She is the last of the beautiful drama A Borrowed Identity, AKA red-hot-mammas for sure, and a vaudevilDancing Arabs an Arab teen at a Jewish lian worthy of that title and the moniker boarding school struggles to find his place “the most popular entertainer in America” amid a complicated political climate in other than Al Jolson [from] that era. Finally, 1980s Israel. we deliver film events at niche festivals, so Sara Michelle Fetters: The Jewish Film bring the whole family to the Matzoh MomFestival is a product of the Stroum Jewish ma Brunch and Film, Havana Curveball, Community Center (SJCC). How does the and then we close the festival with the Urufestival fit within the Center’s mission? guayan comedy Mr. Kaplan. Many of our Pamela Lavitt: The Stroum Jewish films – stories big and small – may never see Community Center inspires connections a theatrical or television run so catch them to build community and ensure Jewish while you can! continuity. Together we create outstanding Sara Michelle Fetters: When the festiprograms, partnerships and spaces that wel- val comes to an end, what do you hope audicome everyone to learn, grow and celebrate ences are talking about?

Jewish life and culture. SJFF is a vital part Pamela Lavitt: That we delivered the of SJCC’S year-round Cultural Arts pro- chest-grasping, shot-in-the-arm, identitygramming. We now screen films year-round and diversity-confirming connections to at the Jewish Cultural Center (JCC) on Mer- Jewish and Israeli life and to each other cer Island and present film, music programs that no one else can. That they enjoyed their and live performances. Central to [this] experiences, our venues and the best films community-building mission, SJFF brings we could possibly curate. And that they say, people together to inspire learning and new “Next Year at SJFF!” Amen. perspectives by showcasing the virtuosity and diversity of Jewish cinema.

The 20th annual Seattle Jewish Film Sara Michelle Fetters: What else does Festival run from March 14 to March 22. the Center have planned going forward? Venues include Pacific Place 11, SIFF CinAnything exciting? ema Uptown and the Seattle Jewish ComPamela Lavitt: This is a huge question, munity Center on Mercer Island. A full because I am now, not only the director of schedule of screenings and special events is the festival (and have been since 2005), but available online at www.seattlejewishfilmalso the director of cultural arts at the JCC’s festival.org. Single tickets are $12 general new 358-seat cultural arts venue, bringing admission. Special events cost $20. Passes film and performing artists year-round. are $90-$250. All proceeds support the This past weekend, Les Yeux Noir, a gypsy Seattle Jewish Film Festival. Sponsorship klezmer band from France, performed to a levels and benefits available online or consold-out audience. In May we host Israeli tact the Festival Director at sjff@sjcc.org or Ethiopian jazz/funk/R&B artist Ester Rada 206.388.0832. and in June a comedy show, “Funny, You Don’t Look Jewish,” with a Black/Indian/ Chinese/Italian Jew delivering the yucks. There has also been some discussion co-producing a show here with GSBA in the future.

Sara Michelle Fetters: What are some additional highlights of this year’s festival that you’re personally most excited for audiences to get a look at?

Pamela Lavitt: Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem is a must-see for the raw and restrained performance of Ronit Elkabetz, who also co-wrote and produced the film about the grueling issue of religious women trying to seek divorces in Israel from rabbinic courts who have judicial decision making power. Her standout performance was acknowledged with a Golden Globe nomination.

Also, Above and Beyond, produced by Nancy Spielberg, and Little White Lie, a first-person documentary about BlackJewish identity and unspoken Little White Lie is the other first-person documentary – courtesy of Seattle Jewish Film Festival family secrets. I truly believe

Celebrating 41 Years!

CURTAIN UP:

5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle – cdn.seattle. findwell.com

by Eric Andrews-Katz SGN A&E Writer

Being one of the top three theatre cities in the United States, there are few things more anticipated than the newly announced theatre season in Seattle. The Paramount and the 5th Avenue Theatres have released their upcoming seasons and there are few that will be disappointed with the choices.

The 5th Avenue Theatre has a long history of being Seattle’s Non-Profit Musical Theatre. Presenting a mixture of shows, the 5th Avenue brings an assortment of presentations to their stage. While some shows are directly a part of Broadway’s touring companies, and are thus presented with full casts from New York, other shows bring in leading players from New York and mix them with local actors and performers. Either way, the upcoming season promises to be wonderful.

MATILDA, THE MUSICAL: August 18 - September 6, 2015. Based on the be-

The new 2015/2016 theatre season at The 5th Avenue Theatre and The Paramount Theatre

loved children’s story by Roald Dahl, this blockbuster musical tells the story of a young girl with magical powers who gets revenge on those tormenting her. D o NOT let the idea of a children’s musical scare you away from this enchanting presentation.

WATERFALL: October 1-25, 2015. An original, world premier musical! Book and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., and music by David Shire (the team that produced Big, the Musical) based on the contemporary Thai novel “Behind the Painting” – welcoming Thai music sensation, Bie Sikrit Wisetkaew in a starring role.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC: November 24, 2015 - January 03, 2016. In time for all the seasonal holidays, the classic Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s beloved musical is sure to be a family hit.

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING: January 28 - February 21, 2015: Another throwback to the time of Golden Musicals, How to Succeed… tells the story of J. Pierpont Finch working his way (and the corporate system) from the mailroom up to the top of a Corporate company.

ASSASSINS: March 3 - May 15, 2016: Co-produced with ACT Theatre (and performed there as well), Stephen Sondheim said this was the only musical of his he couldn’t find a way to make better. Darkly (and humorously) celebrating America’s fascination with violence, the musical tells the darker side of the American Presidency bringing to life such real-life assassins (and would be assassins) as: John Wilkes Booth, Squaky Fromme, John Hinkley, Charles Guiteau several others.

SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES: March 29 - April 17, 2016. Another Northwest Premiere presents the hypothesis of Sleeping Beauty becoming awake…in the modern day world of a sleep disorder clinic. Book

by Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) with music by Brendan Milburn and lyrics by Valerie Vigoda.

PAINT YOUR WAGON: June 2-26, 2016: The classic show by Lerner and Loewe (My Fair Lady) finds its way back to The 5th Avenue for the first time in 24 years! You’ll circle round to hear the wellknown crowd pleasing songs, “They Call the Wind Maria” or “I’m On My Way.” A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER: July 12-31, 2016. The 2014 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical makes its Seattle debut at The 5th Avenue.

When a down on his luck man finds out he is the descendant of a wealthy family, he decides to do what he must to increase his way up the inheritance line. A show not to be missed!

And as if that weren’t enough, the Paramount Theatre has a great line up as well!

As part of the Broadway Across America season, there is definitely something for everyone on this line up.

ANNIE: September 20-26, 2015. The sun will come out tomorrow as this beloved show (enjoying over 40 years) returns to Seattle.

IF/THEN: November 3-8, 2015: The groundbreaking new show (by the Pulitzer Prize team of Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt) tells the story of living in New York today, with all the possibilities of tomorrow.

BULLETS OVER BROADWAY: February 2-7, 2016. Based on the hit comedy

by Woody Allen, this is more of a juke-box musical using music of the time to highlight the high comedy of a Gangster putting his girlfriend into a show, and the distress of the writer trying to create something.

JERSEY BOYS: March 8-13, 2016. The hit show telling the story of Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons returns to the stage!

NEWSIES: April 26 - May 1, 2016.

This high energy musical is based on the Disney film by the same name. Winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Score, the musical aims to be a family pleaser!

MOTOWN, THE MUSICAL: May 31 June 12, 2016. The musical story of Berry Gordy’s journey from boxer to music mogul comes alive on stage. The man who brought the music of Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and so many others is revealed.

SEASON OPTION BONUS: There are four shows offered as a bonus for Broadway Across America subscribers to take advantage of and enjoy.

RIVERDANCE: October 30 - November 1, 2015 DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: December 11-13, 2015 THE BOOK OF MORMON: December 29, 2015 - January 10, 2016 BLUE MAN GROUP: March 31 - April 03, 2016 No matter what your tastes, there are plenty of shows to choose from. Act now to get the best seats and guarantee the chance of seeing some of these great musicals that will definitely be hard to get tickets for later.

“Kurios”

continued from cover what we know as museums. Someone collected objects and toured them for people to come and gawk at, though they were not kept in one particular building. So, this show acts as a display case for you to gawk at.

There are 46 artists from 14 different countries in the show, including Antanina Satsura, one of the ten tiniest people in the world! At 39 pounds and 3.2 feet tall, this tiny, older woman adds piquancy and charm to the evening; though gawking at her does feel a bit like what going to a “freak show” must have been like, and is a bit uncomfortable for politically correct people.

The costumery is gorgeous and intricate.

There is Nico the Accordion Man whose costume acts like a vertical accordion (who later in the program uses his dexterous hands in a complicated and deliciously fun projected “television show” where his hand becomes a young hip hop, dancing boy). It took more than a week just to create and assemble his costume alone!

The expected acrobatics come from a strongman and his tiny person, as he flings her into the air while she performs evermore-intricate somersaults, an aerial bicyclist, a chair-balancing act like you’ve never seen, a rola bola man, a trampoline act (on a stage size trampoline), and a troupe of 13 acrobats on the ground.

And there’s also a Yo-Yo Master! Oh, and don’t forget the contortionists, these three beautiful Asian women who perform in a choreographed lovely piece. So, there really is something for everybody.

For more information, go to www.cirquedusoleil.com and select “Kurios.”

Visit us online www.sgn.org

“High flying” bicyclist in “Kurios” – Photo: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2014 Cirque du Soleil

March 6, 2015

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Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

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Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

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Visit us online www.sgn.org

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Roache-Turner with a jovial chuckle. “So you could say I’m doing pretty good. Heck, I’m on Cloud Nine.”

He’s got good reason to be in good spirits. The film met with enthusiastic responses from festival audiences, while a number of critics, including those at Variety, in The New York Times and at the Village Voice, have been exceedingly positive in their reviews.

“The reception of the film is better than anything I could have hoped for,” he instantly responds. “It’s a funny thing; this is a very Australian film. The humor. The way we put it together. The places we took inspiration from. It’s all pretty Aussie. We’ve taken it to Sweden, and they seemed to love it. We’ve shown it here in America and everyone here seems to love it. But even then we were still worried about showing the film back home.”

“Well, we premiered the film last week to 1,500 very happy, very drunk Australians and they went nuts for it. Let me tell you, I breathed such a massive sigh of relief. The home crowd loved it. Everything else is just a bonus after that.”

It’s obvious while watching just how much a debt Wyrmwood owes to George Miller and his Mad Max trilogy. From the villains, to the hero’s costumes, to the souped-up vehicles, all of it bears a resemblance to that iconic series. With that in mind, it goes without saying Roache-Turner was a fan of the veteran, Oscar-winning Australian director from a very early age.

“Big time,” he proudly proclaims. “I just hope George doesn’t sue us for aping that sort of [Mad Max] style. It’s just one of those things. When you’re making a film about a zombie apocalypse and you’re in Australia you almost can’t help but put people in those leathers and those helmets; you just have to put spikes on the cars. At the same time you have to do things to make those things unique, give them your own signature style. It’s one thing to pay homage and another to just be copying the guy.

I hope most will feel we were able to do the former.”

Not that taking a chance on zombies in the midst of all this dystopian Mad Max carnage wasn’t a risk. From “The Walking Dead” to World War Z, to a random movie of the week made for the SyFy Channel to numerous low budget efforts released straight to DVD, zombies are everywhere, and the thought a saturation point had been reached and putting more undead fuel on the fire was overkill certainly lurked in the back of the filmmaker’s mind.

“We thought that even back in 2010,” laughs Roache-Turner. “That’s when my brother [and co-writer] Tristan and I were coming up ideas for a film. Four years later, here we were pitching a zombie apocalypse film. When we sat down, though, we knew with our first film it was going to be zombies whether the world needed another zombie film or not. To make a zombie film, all you really need are a bunch of friends willing to wear a lot of hideous makeup and a big bucket of fake blood.”

“But then my brother came up with this great idea about zombies breathing gas that we could power all these Mad Max-style vehicles on, and after that the creative juices just got flowing. I think we were able to get most of what we were excited about shot and on film. I was watching the dailies as we were putting things together and I was really happy. It’s an oversaturated genre, yes, but we felt these ideas were just so good that we had to explore them.”

It’s those ideas, the loopy ingenuity of them all, which makes Wyrmwood what it is. Roache-Turner and his collaborators didn’t follow a set pattern as they constructed their tale, allowing their imaginations to soar as they figured out exactly what it was they wanted to do and what story they wanted to tell. To put it bluntly, they broke the rules, writing their own book as they gleefully went along.

“I think that’s one of the things that make first films kind of cool,” states the director. “I’m in my 30s now and I’ve wanted to make films my entire life, dreaming of scenarios and how it would all come to-

fun and play gether.

So with the genre, when you get so having that there, when stuff with Baryou’re putting ry (the film’s it all together, main characit’s such a ter portrayed high-energy,

by Gallagher) high-velocity early on was sort of thing, important to that’s probably me. The bleak, why so many black comedy first films aspect of the feel so excitfilm can be ing, so differpretty outraent. You’re so geous but all energized to of the main finally be out characters there shooting Wyrmwood director Kiah Roache-Turner – themselves are all the filmphoto by Emma Bjorndahl real. They’re making rules you’re supposed to be following no longer genuine. These are real people trapped in seem to matter. I mean, we tried everything this bizarre, outrageous situation. It had in the book. When that didn’t seem to be to be that way otherwise the movie just working, we started writing our own book. wouldn’t work.”

A big part of that bizarre outrageousThat’s a first film.”

“I do think rules are good,” Roache- ness is the performance by Berynn SchwTurner goes on to explain. “Good, that is, erdt. He portrays a character known only until they aren’t any good. One of the great as The Doc, his cockamamie urgent lunacy things about self-funding your own first enough to make my skin tingle and send film is that you are your own boss, so re- my nerves jangling to the point of being ally you’re the only authority as to whether severed in two. Yet he fits inside this world things are working or not. There’s no one brilliantly, his constant poking and prodlooking over your shoulder. What happens ding of Barry’s firebrand of a sister Brooke within the studio system or if you’re work- – wonderfully portrayed by Bradey – so ining with other people’s money is that they sidiously disquieting there probably should want you to do what has worked before; be a law against such things.

“All the best villains are wonderful cothey don’t want you to take any chances and medians,” proclaims Roache-Turner. “If follow the rules.”

“What we did was break them all be- you go back and look at the original Mad cause there was no one there to tell us not to. Max that’s exactly the way it was. Look at I think that’s where the originality comes the Toe-Cutter. He’s a funny character. He’s i n with this sane. film and it He’s wouldn’t almost be there l ovhad we able. made it Y e t inside a h e’s studio a lso system.” ter riA t f yi ng, the same and it t i m e , w a s Ro a c h e imporTu r n e r tant to k n e w what he Kiah Roache-Turner goes over a scene in Wyrmwood – filmink.com.au me to have was crafting shouldn’t all be filled with lunatic sen- one of those crazy, iconic dystopian Aussationalism. It was important to ground tralian bad guys here in Wyrmwood.”

“The other thing to remember, zombies things, to give the proceedings an emotional heft, and as such he and his brother con- are kind of boring. All they do is growl and structed a gut-wrenching opening sequence bite. We knew we needed some sort of human element in order to increase the feelthat blew me away.

“You’ve got to start the film with a ing of danger. It’s from that need that The punch,” says the filmmaker. “It’s important Doc was born out of, and Berynn just delivin this genre to make sure there’s emotional ered in so many ways. He never got a take heft to what’s going on. You have to start wrong. His improvisations were constantly with a bang. You have to believe Barry is in genius. Even when he’s in the background definite danger. You have to get your audi- you can’t take your eyes off of him. He addence to strap in, grab their arm rests and be ed that distinctly Aussie villain element we ready for a ride as we step on the accelera- were going for. Working with him was just a dream.” tor.”

Schwerdt makes the character sing, tak“Listen, I watch a lot of films. To make films, I think you’ve got to be a big fan of ing what was on the page and transforming films yourself. If a film doesn’t grip me, it into a symphony of triumphant unpleasdoesn’t take me someplace new or differ- antness. “It was all pretty scripted, but he ent, or at the very least do something in a brought something to the film that wasn’t new or different way, then I get a little an- initially there,” the director admits. “We’d gry. I don’t want two hours of my life wast- written the horror. We’d written the comed. So as a director, I take this job and this edy. We’d written the absurdity. But what genre very seriously. I know we’re not re- [Berynn] brought was this horrible creepiinventing the wheel but that doesn’t mean ness. The way he crawls up into Bianca’s we still can’t make a good film. I want the personal space and whispers little things. audience to be involved right away. It’s nec- How he would fill the frame in these odd, essary. I want to give them a fun ride where idiosyncratic ways. It really creeped everyone, the whole cast and crew, out. But life and death matter.”

“It’s very fine line,” he continues can- Berynn is just a great actor. He makes the didly, “because, quite frankly the film itself character so memorable even though he is preposterous. It’s fun, and it moves at a only has a small handful of lines.”

But in the end it is the trio of Gallagher, zippy pace, but it’s still a zombie film, and that fact is always there playing at the back Bradey and Leon Burchill – playing a felof your mind. But, while the film is weird, low survivor named Benny who makes fast while some of the stuff is just plain crazy, friends with Barry – who help make the if you don’t take the characters seriously, movie what it eventually turns out to be. if you don’t think they’re real, then none All of them are outstanding, showcasing an of the crazy, outright bizarre stuff matters. easygoing, magnetic chemistry that allows a personal connection between the viewer People would just nod off.”

“I mean, the majority of zombie movies and the characters they’re portraying to are just out-and-out silly, right? I’m much happen right away.

“They’re the triumvirate,” says Roachemore interested in something that takes itself seriously while it’s still able to poke Turner. “They’re the heart and soul of the

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March 6, 2015

roache

continued from cover

Seattle Gay News

film. Yet they’re also all very different.

Leon has this crazy hair and this distinctively indigenous personality, just a bizarre, wonderful character in his own right. Then you’ve got Bianca, who looks like some kind of gloriously gorgeous art student slash Goth rocker who could toss you down a flight of stairs and not even look back to make sure you’re okay. As for Jay, he’s just this classic, ruggedly handsome Australian male. You can’t take your eyes off of him.

They all have three distinctive styles and looks to them yet they’re also breathtakingly talented, and as such I think they make a pretty hot threesome of heroes. They just all look fantastic together.”

For my money, Gallagher is a star in the making. He’s got the same sort of carnal, ferociously masculine presence that helped transform the likes of Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman into international sensations. “I’m going to tell him you said that,” laughs the director, “that’s going to make his day. But, yes, you’re right. Jay is just so talented. He’s the real deal. He’s got this serious side to him that’s grave, that’s mesmerizing, but at the same time he can embrace the absurdity of the film in a way that feels oddly believable and authentic. He can do the Mel Gibson Mad Max stuff but he can also do the Bruce Campbell Evil Dead stuff, too. I loved working with him. He’s got this magnetism that just pops on-screen. I feel so lucky to have had him in the film.”

There’s an early sequence involving an escape from the city that proves just how gigantic Gallagher’s potential is. Stranded outside a darkened tunnel, his car broken down, left on the side of the road, Barry reflects on an unspeakable tragedy that has just befallen him and his loved ones, giving weight and meaning to the character’s travails while also cementing just how high the stakes for him and his trapped sister are.

“That was one of those scenes where the cast and crew kind of lost it a little,” he recollects. “Everyone just started tearing up. Jay just really nailed it, and I think that sets the emotional tenor for all that happens throughout the rest of the film. Once that horrible scene in the car occurs you do feel like anything can happen to any of the characters from that point on. After we shot it, Jay sort of wandered off on his own and he was obviously shaken. He just shot take after take, real tears, real emotion, and that’s because it was a real intense moment for him as he was also dealing with a recent loss that he ended up drawing from in order to shoot the scene. It was powerful.”

“Most crazy, whacky zombie films similar to ours, they’re just interested in the gore, in the head explosions, and I’m honestly not into all of that. I’m into filmmaking. My favorite scenes are the scenes between actors interacting in real ways that audiences can relate to. The gore is fun, it’s fun to shoot and to come up with all of that sort of stuff, but none of that would matter to me if the characters and the emotions didn’t feel authentic. Watching Jay and the other actors embrace that, to see they were willing to go to those places in such a silly zombie film; that was just the best as far as I was concerned.”

When all is said and done, the director is understandably eager for general audiences to finally get a look at his debut, he just hopes they get the opportunity to see it the way he intended and that’s in a theater filled with fellow moviegoers. As for what they’ll think when it’s over, on that front he’s a lot more coy.

“Look, this is a film that plays better with an audience,” states Roache-Turner implicitly. “It’s just more fun. There are so many wow moments, so many gasp moments, so much funny stuff, to see it with an audience is just better, in my opinion.”

“But I don’t know what I want audiences to be talking about after they see it. That’s not up to me. One of the things about making a film is that you don’t have a say. You put it out into the world and then the world gets their chance to decide. It’s out of my hands now, and that’s okay. It is my baby, and I do love [Wyrmwood] like a child, but unfortunately I can’t decide how people are going to feel about it. I guess I just hope they like it. That would be enough.”

Celebrating 41 Years!

Volunteer Park

• BACON MANSION

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

12TH AVE. E.

E. ROY ST.

16TH AVE. E.

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• B&B ON BROADWAY E. ROY ST. • UNDER U 4 MEN

E. VALLEY ST. 14TH AVE. E.

11TH AVE. E.

FEDERAL AVE. E.

10TH AVE. E.

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BROADWAY E.

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• SIMPLY FRAMES & MINER GALLERY

10TH AVE. E.

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Cal Anderson Park • NEUMOʼS

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• CLUB Z BATHS

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NAGLE PL.

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• HILL HOUSE

• LAMBERT HOUSE

BROADWAY

Seattle Central Community College

HARVARD AVE. E.

• LINDAʼS • BILLʼS OFF BROADWAY

C.C. ATTLEʼS• TOMMY GUN• THE SOCIAL•

B&O ESPRESSO • BOYLSTON AVE.

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• THE LOBBY • PLATINUM RECORDS

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METRO CLOTHING CO. • STUDIO 229 • PANACHE • LAUGHING BUDDHA TATTOO •

BELLEVUE AVE.

• SEATTLE COUNSELING SERVICE FOR SEXUAL MINORITIES MELROSE AVE.

HAIR CONNECTION•

E. OLIVE ST. THE SGN GLSEN ONYX LEATHER • SEA-MEC

•WILDROSE • HOT HOUSE

E. UNION ST.

SEATTLE 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 DOUBLE HEADER - 407 2nd Ave. S. - 464-9918 GLO’S - 1621 E. Olive Way - 324-2577 JAZZ ALLEY - 2033 6th Ave. E. - 441-9729 JULIA’S - 300 Broadway Ave. E. - 860-1818 KREMWERK - 1809 Minor Ave. #10 - 682-2935 THE LOBBY - 916 E. Pike St. - 328-6703

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 POCO WINE ROOM 1408 E. Pine St. - 322-9463 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 TOMMY GUN - 1703 E. Olive Way WILDROSE - 1021 E. Pike - 324-9210

RETAIL SHOPS

CASTLE SUPERSTORE #17 206 Broadway Ave. E. - 204-0126 THE CRYPT - 1516 11th Ave. 325-3882 DOGHOUSE LEATHERS 1312 E. Pike St. - 257-0231 EMERSON SALON - 909 E. Pike St. - 323-7437 METRO CLOTHING CO. 231 Broadway Ave E - 726-7978 ONYX LEATHER - 1605 12th Ave. #8 - 328-1965 PANACHE - 225 Broadway E. - 726-3300 STAN’S ADULT SUPERSTORE 9630 16th Ave. SW - 762-3299 TABOO VIDEO - 1012 1st Ave. - 622-SEXY 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

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

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LA CONNER

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

OLYMPIA

DARBY’S CAFE 211 5th Ave. S.E. - (360) 357-6229 LOVER’S 3959 Martin Way E. Suite D - (360) 456-7300 JAKES - 311 4th Ave. E. - (360) 956-3247 URBAN ONION 116 Legion Way - (360) 943-9242

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

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

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

KENT

TUKWILA

BELLINGHAM

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

EVERETT

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

Visit us online www.sgn.org

• POCO WINE ROOM

• THE CUFF COMPLEX

• PURR • THE CRYPT • POST OPTIONS

• THE GASLIGHT INN

March 6, 2015

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

WENATCHEE

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

Seattle Gay News 17

Meetings Events Activities

FOR A CALENDAR LISTING: Send details to: SGN, Attn: Community Calendar, 1605 12th Ave, Ste 31, Seattle, WA 98122. SGN phone: 324-4297. Fax: 3227188. 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 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.

community community calendar calendar

SATURDAY - March 7

Ski Buddies. Every Saturday & Sunday. Ski, board or snow shoe locally with fellow club members! www. skibuddies.org 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.

4th Annual My Wedding My Way - in Auburn. 10am4pm. Green River College Lindbloom Center, 12401 SE 320th St, Auburn. FREE. 253-333-6010.

Music of Remembrance “Sparks of Glory” Concert “Until When?” 2pm. Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Ave. Features works by two American & two Israeli composers whose work explores the emotional struggle of loss & destruction, and the renewal of self and community.

FREE. www.musicofremembrance.org 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.

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 March is Cabaret Month - Fridays & Saturdays in March. 7pm & 9pm. Egan’s Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market St. Online reservations: $15 per show; $25 for 2 shows same night. At the door: $18 per show. $10 food/drink minimum. www.ballardjamhouse.com and www.brownpapertickets.com for details including schedule of performers.

SUNDAY - March 8

concurrently with this meeting; PFLAG/FOCUS meets concurrently with this meeting.) PFLAG/Puget Sound: 325-7724. www.seattle-pflag.org.

PFLAG/Skagit County Monthly Meeting. 7pm. Skagit Valley Food Co-op Bldg, Room 309, 202 South 1st St., Mt. Vernon. Meets 2nd Monday each month. PFLAG/ Puget Sound: 325-7724.

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

322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org 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 Les Be Honest. 8-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Monday. Open women only AA group. 322-2437; www. sasgcc.org.

TUESDAY - March 10

Daylight Savings Begins 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.

Ski Buddies. Every Saturday & Sunday. Ski, board or snow shoe locally with fellow club members! www. skibuddies.org Hiking Group. 8:45am. Uptown Espresso, 500 Westlake Ave N. Every Sunday year-round, rain or shine for moderate to strenuous day hikes. 323-8382. http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/TheSeattleGayHikingGroup/ Gay Men’s Bowling in Everett. 10am. Evergreen Lanes, 5111 Claremont Way, Everett. Every Sunday.

Spectators welcome. Join us for lunch afterwards!

Sponsored by the Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force. For info email John at johndmarsh@mac.com 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 + $2 shoe rental. (425) 785-4725.

Lotus Sisters. 11am-1:15pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Meets the 2nd Sunday of every month. Drop-in Buddhist meditation Sangha for LBTQ women. Lotus.sisters@ yahoo.com; www.sasgcc.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.

Women may wish to contact our sister meditation group via lotus.sisters@yahoo.com. www.dharmabuddies.org Just for Today. 12-1:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Sunday. Drop-in 12-step (Narcotics Anonymous) group open to anyone in recovery. 322-2437; www. sasgcc.org Paths to Recovery Al-Anon Family Group. 12-1:30pm.

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

Rain City Soccer Club - Ripple Effect. Every Sunday afternoon. Location varies. Ripple Effect soccer team plays a weekly recreational scrimmage game for Gay guys in Seattle. Perfect for guys 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. 1-3pm. Meets 2nd 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. For info & location, NSWG@sexpositive culture. org; www.nosafewordwritersgroup.org. (Also meets 4th Monday, 7-9pm.)

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.

International Women’s Day Celebration - Latinas Lead the Fight for Justice Across Borders. Doors 1pm, Celebration 2pm. New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave S. Public celebration honors women leading grassroots movements from Guerrero, Mexico to Washington state mobilizing to free Nestora Salgado from imprisonment, against the disappearance of student activists in Ayotzinapa, Mexico for immigrant rights at Northwest Detention Center Tacoma & as part of communities standing against police violence, Door donation $2, International lunch $10. 722-6057, rwseattle@ mindspring.com Orca Swim Team Workout. Sun: 5-6:15pm; Mon/Weds/ Fri: 7:30-8:45pm. 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, 303 17th Ave E. 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 Pride League Bowling. 6:30pm. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Every Sunday (except during the summer). Regular league bowling. Jeff, 932-3731.

18

March 6, 2015

Seattle Gay News

March 7 thru March 15

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

MONDAY - March 9

SOBER - On Meds. 1-2pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. 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, 303 17th Ave E. 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 All City GSA Dance Planning. Snacks 4-4:30pm, Meeting 4:30-5:30pm. Cal Anderson Park Shelterhouse, 1635 11th Ave. Planning meetings are open to all teens whether or not they are in a GSA club. Metro routes 9X, 10, 11, 49 & 60. randy.wiger@seattle.gov, Facebook. com/SeattleParksCOD Gay Social Dinner Club of Snohomish County. Every Monday. An informal group of Gay men living in Snohomish County meet for dinner at Snohomish County restaurants. For information, location & to RSVP contact Ricardo at socialdinnerclub@yahoo.com or phone (360) 722-1664.

LCS Foster Care Monthly Information Meeting.

6-8pm. 433 Minor Ave N. Meets 2nd Monday each month. LCS is a non-profit foster care program in King & Snohomish counties. LCS does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion or sexual orientation. Couples & singles encouraged to apply. RSVP to April at 694-5713.

Healing Words. 6:30-8pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Monday. Drop-in group open to all who are healing from trauma, addiction, or just the challenges of life in general. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org.

Pozitively Me! 6:30-8pm. Gay City Health Project, 517 E. Pike St. Every Monday. A group and conversation about HIV for Gay & Bi men newly diagnosed and for Gay & Bi men facing the challenges of living with HIV longterm. www.gaycity.org.

Freely Speaking Toastmasters. 7pm. FredLind Manor, 1802 17th Ave. Every Monday (except holidays & the last Mondays in August & December). Seattle’s only LGBT speaking club. www.FreelySpeaking.org Orca Swim Team Workout. 7-8:15pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.)

PFLAG/Seattle Monthly Meeting. 7pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave. Meets 2nd Monday each month. (A spouse’s support group runs

Simply Positive. 2:30-4pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Tuesday. Drop-in support & social group for anyone HIV/AIDS positive. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Artful Expression. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Tuesday. This is an ongoing art group to visualize the journey thru creative expression. 322-2437; www. sasgcc.org 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, 303 17th Ave E. 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 Alzheimer’s Association’s LGBT Caregivers’ Support Group. 6:30-8pm. Elderhealth Northwest, 6555 Ravenna Ave NE (entrance on NE 68th St). Meets 2nd Tuesday each month. A free information and support group for care partners, family members and friends of individuals with dementia. For more information, contact group facilitator Caila Nickerson, 781-248-3524 (cell) or email: cailanickerson@gmail.com 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 LGBTQ MS Connection/National MS Society. 6:308pm. Swedish Conference Center, Cherry Hill Campus, James Tower, 550 17th Avenue, Room E, 1st Floor.

Meets the 2nd & 4th Tuesday each month. MS Connection is a support group with the goal of providing a safe environment for the LGBT community to express their experiences and the impact of MS on their lives and the lives of their loved ones, as well as provide support for one another. Contact Shelly at 206-250-5002 or LGBTMSConnection@gmail.com.

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 Maybe Baby. 7-8:30pm. Kaladi Brothers Coffee, 511 E Pike St. Meets the 2nd Tuesday each month. Maybe Baby is a support group for LGBTQ people who are interested in becoming parents. groups.yahoo.com/ group/maybebabyseattle.

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.)

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.

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

Hand drumming classes for Gay men. Learn traditional African & Afro-Caribbean rhythms & basic hand drumming techniques. Drums are provided. For info & location call Dennis at 363-4500 or www.outdrum.com What About Me? 7:30-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Tuesday. Drop-in social, support & discussion group for maturing Gay & Bi men of all ages. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Spiritual Empowerment. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. A group for all LGBT & friends of any spiritual belief to explore how spiritual practice can enrich their life. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org

Celebrating 41 Years!

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 - March 11

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. www.mature friends.org Mature Friends Dining Out Luncheon. 12:30pm. Call for details, location & to RSVP. Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesday most months. MF is a social organization 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 GSBA Prime Time Seattle. 6-8pm. Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Ave. Brings together the best & brightest business professionals in the Greater Seattle area, giving them a fun & relaxing environment to network, socialize & build business relationships. GSBA members $15, non-members $20, walk-ins add $5 at the door. To REGISTER visit www.thegsba.orgPOZSeattle “Dare to Celebrate St Patty’s.” 6-8pm.

The Cuff Complex, 1533 13th Ave. Meet us in the downstairs bar for grilled corned beef/Reuben sandwiches & Bob’s homemade macaroni salad & St Patty’s themed treats & desserts. We’re also having our famous 50/50 raffle. POZSeattle gets half the donations & one of you gets the other half. This event is offered at no cost, but we ask a $5 donation to cover overhead. www. pozseattle.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, 303 17th Ave E. 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 with Arinna Weisman. 6:30pm. Columbia City Church of Hope, 3818 S Angeline St. Meets every Wednesday. Drop-in Buddhist meditation Sangha for LBTQ women. Lotus.sisters@yahoo.com; www. lotussisters.org.

Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 6:30pm. Volunteer Park (in front of Black Sun across for museum). Every Wednesday. (See Saturday at 9am.)

Entre Hermanos Trans Latino & Foreign-Born Support Group. 7pm. Entre Hermanos, 1105 23rd Ave. Bilingual (Spanish/English). Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesday each month to provide information, counseling, healthcare, sisterhood & social activities for Latino & foreign-born people in their transition. For more information contact Abby 322-7700, www.entrehermanos.org HIV/AIDS Support Group. 7-8:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Wednesday. Please arrive by 7:00pm.

FREE peer-facilitated emotional support group for HIV+ men who are newly diagnosed or newly dealing. 3222437; www.sasgcc.org 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. More info: http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/seattlemoviebears; or e-mail: seattlemoviebears-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Mature Friends Weekly Bridge Group. 7:30pm. Call for location. Every Wednesday. All levels welcome. & over. www.maturefriends.org Orca Swim Team Workout. 7:30-8:45pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.)

“StageFright” - Youth Open Mic - For Aspiring Writers & Performers, Ages 14-24. 7:30pm. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave. Meets 2nd Wednesday each month. FREE. Everyone welcome to attend. StageFright not only features young folk, but is also MC’d by young folk & attended in great majority by young folk. 322-7030; www.hugohouse.org.

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

Trained peer facilitators lead a structured support meet-

FRIDAY - March 13

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 Strength Over Speed. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. 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 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 March is Cabaret Month - Fridays & Saturdays in March. 7pm & 9pm. Egan’s Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market St. Online reservations: $15 per show; $25 for 2 shows same night. At the door: $18 per show. $10 food/drink minimum. www.ballardjamhouse.com and www.brownpapertickets.com for details including schedule of performers.

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.

Orca Swim Team Workout. 7:30-8:45pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.)

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

Seattle Counseling Service, Rainbow Room, 1216 Pine St at Melrose Ave. Every Friday. (See related listing Sunday at noon for details.). Greater Seattle AIS 24-hour number 625-0000; www.seattle-al-anon.org Gay City Arts Presents “Safe.” 8pm. Gay City Calamus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St. See Thursday listing at 8pm for details. www.gaycity.org/arts-season March is Cabaret Month - Fridays & Saturdays in March. 7pm & 9pm. Egan’s Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market St. (See 7pm listing for details.)

SATURDAY - March 14

ing 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.

Border Riders Motorcycle Club Meet & Greet. 8-9pm.

The Cuff Complex, 1533 13th Ave (at E Pine St). Meets the Wednesday before the 3rd Saturday each month.

BRMC provides a social & educational fraternity for individuals interested in recreational motorcycle touring. www.borderriders.com

THURSDAY - March 12

Alcoholics Anonymous “Safe & Sober Group.”

12noon-1pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Open meeting of AA. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org.

BABES Women’s Support Group/Lunch Meeting.

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

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 Queer Night at the Bremerton/Kitsap Health Department. 4:30-7pm. 109 Austin Dr, Bremerton. Meets 2nd Thursday each month. HIV/AIDS & STD testing in a GLBT positive environment. Call Sue or Steve at (360) 337-5235.

Queer Parent Networking Dinners (Sept-Oct, JanJune). 6-8pm. Calamus Auditorium at Gay City, 517 E. Pike St. Meets 2nd Thursday each month. Open to all LGBT, Two-Spirited, Queer & Questioning families including parents, co-parents & other people who have a significant role in the life of a child. RSVP requested to facilitate planning for dinner and childcare. 568-7777 or info@nwnetwork.org.

Shifting Gears. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Thursday. Drop-in support group (non 12-step) for anyone of any orientation or gender who desires recovery from drugs or alcohol. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Questioning Adolescent Drop-In Group). 6:30-8pm. Call for location. Every Thursday. Sponsored by Youth Eastside Services, which offers many programs for GLBT youth.

(425) 747-4937.

Velocity Spring Fete. VIP Reception 5:30pm, Doors 6:30pm. Velocity, 1621 12th Ave. A benefit to celebrate Velocity as a visionary national beacon for dance. With

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Guest of Honor Marcie Sillman. Tickets: General $150, VIP $250. 334-6925.

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 PFLAG/Whatcom County-Bellingham Monthly Meeting. 7pm. First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham. Meets 2nd Thursday each month.

360-733-1500; www.whatcompflag.com; PFLAG/Puget Sound: 325-7724.

Rainbow City Band “Sweet Romantic” Concert.

7pm. Fremont Abbey Arts Center, 4272 Fremont Ave N. Features expressive melodies of the Romantic Period.

FREE (donations accepted). www.rainbowcityband.com Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 7pm. Bus-accessible Central Area location. Every Thursday. (See Saturday listing at 6pm.)

Buddhism & Recovery. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Thursday. A meditation/recovery group.

322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Gay Fathers Association of Seattle. 7:30-9pm. Group Health, 201 16th Ave E, Central Bldg, Lower Atrium.

Every Thursday. Support meetings for Gay fathers & Gay men who are currently or previously married. For information, community events & “questioning” visit www.gfas.org or our message board at http://groups. yahoo.com/groups/gayfathersseattle Gay Male Sexuality & Relationships. 7:30-9pm.

SASG, 303 17th Ave. E. 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 Gay City Arts Presents “Safe” (3/12-3/15 & 3/19-3/22).

Thurs 3/12 thru Sat 3/14 & Thurs 3/19 thru Sun 3/19 at 8pm; Sun 3/15 at 4pm followed by discussion with author Seth Tinkus. Gay City Calamus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St. This controversial, almost banned play returns.

Sean wants to contract Rob’s HIV. Rob doesn’t want to put Sean at risk & fears the stigma against them both.

When they get in bed, will their connection be the most important thing? Or will it be undetectable? “Safe” tries to deconstruct what “safe sex” really means. Tickets: $18 general admission, $12 students/seniors. www. gaycity.org/arts-season 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.)

March 6, 2015

(See previous Saturday for ongoing activities.)

A Gathering of Men in Edmonds. 8:15-11:30am. Edmonds UUC, 8109 224th St SW, Edmonds. Meets 2nd Saturday each month. Men gather monthly for drumming, singing, storytelling & sharing of life experience. www.agatheringofmen.org Seattle Center Festal - Irish Week (3/14 & 3/15).

12noon-6pm. Shop for authentic Irish products, create Celtic arts and crafts, and take in colorful cultural exhibits, live music and dance and contemporary Irish short films. www.seattlecenter.org.

Between the Covers - Gay City LGBT Library Book Club. 1pm. Gay City, 517 E. Pike St. Meets 2nd Saturday each month. Informal group of Queer folks talking about Queer literature. Visit www.gaycity.org for monthly reading selection.

2015 Fox Theatre Film Series: “Singin’ in the Rain” in Centralia. 2pm & 7pm. Fox Theatre, 123 S Tower Ave, Centralia. Tickets: $8 single, $20 family of 3-4 persons.

BlueStreet Jazz Voices - “Where I Belong.” 7pmwine bar; 7:30pm concert. Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway. 20 voices of pure jazz. Sharing wine, chocolate and jazz. Tickets: $15 advance; $18 at the door; $10 student/senior. http://bluestreetvoices.com.

Diverse Harmony Auction & Gala. 7pm. ACT Theatre, 700 Union St. Features live entertainment, appetizers & beverages both hard & soft. Tickets $75. brownpapertickets.com/event/1242796; www.diverseharmony.org March is Cabaret Month - Fridays & Saturdays in March. 7pm & 9pm. Egan’s Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market St. (See Friday listing at 7pm for details.)

2015 Fox Theatre Film Series: “Singin’ in the Rain” in Centralia. 2pm & 7pm. Fox Theatre, 123 S Tower Ave, Centralia. Tickets: $8 single, $20 family of 3-4 persons.

Gay City Arts Presents “Safe.” 8pm. Gay City Calamus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St. See Thursday listing at 8pm for details. www.gaycity.org/arts-season March is Cabaret Month - Fridays & Saturdays in March. 7pm & 9pm. Egan’s Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market St. (See Friday listing at 7pm listing for details.)

SUNDAY - March 15

(See previous Sunday for ongoing activities.)

Ethyl Forever Car Club, Pacific NW Region Lambda Car Club Monthly Tire Kick/Social. 10:30am. Randy’s Restaurant, 10016 E Marginal Way S (south of the Museum of Flight). Meets the 3rd Sunday each month.

Open to all LGBTQ persons & friends who have an interest in the automobile, not just collector or performance vehicles. ethylforever@hotmail.com Seattle Center Festal - Irish Week (3/14 & 3/15).

12noon-6pm. Shop for authentic Irish products, create Celtic arts and crafts, and take in colorful cultural exhibits, live music and dance and contemporary Irish short films. www.seattlecenter.org.

HRC 13th Annual Bowling for Equality. 1-3pm, 4-6pm.

West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Tickets $40 per person/$20 for youth or $320 for a lane of eight. Includes two hours of bowling, shoe rental, appetizers & annual HRC membership or renewal. www.hrc.org/seattlebowling (Pre & after party at OutWest Bar, 5401 California Ave SW at SW Brandon St - open 3pm to close.)

Seattle Prime Timers Monthly Potluck Social & General Meeting. 2-4pm. Seattle First Baptist Church Recreation Hall, 1111 Harvard Ave (at E Seneca St - enter thru glass doors on Harvard Ave.) Meets 3rd Sunday most months. Bring a dish to serve 6-8 people. $4 door fee covers hall rental. SPT is a social club for Gay men & their friends. www.seattleprimetimers.org.

Seattle Gay News 19

Gay City Arts Presents “Safe.” 4pm. Gay City Calamus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St. See Thursday listing at 8pm for details. www.gaycity.org/arts-season Seattle PolyFidelity Discussion Group Potluck Meeting. 5-7:30pm. Meets 3rd Sunday of odd-numbered months at a poly-friendly location. PolyFidelity welcomes persons of all sexual orientations who are interested in discussing responsible alternatives to monogamy. Followed by a Poly Party. For more information & location, www.scn.org/~spg Diverse Harmony West Seattle Outreach Concert.

7:30pm. St John the Baptist Episcopal Church, 3050 California Ave SW. Features our large chorus & small ensemble. FREE. www.diverseharmony.org

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 Bellingham/Whatcom County - www.theslowlane. com/guide.html BiNet Seattle is a mixed gender, social group for Bisexuals, their partners & other Bi-friendly folks - www. binetseattle.org. Seattle Bisexual Women’s Network - www.sbwn.net.

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

DIFFA/Seattle (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). 763-8885; www.diffaseattle.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 organizes events & activities for Gay & Bi men & offers anonymous & confidential HIV/STD testing at the Center for LGBT Health, 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. For HIV/AIDS service organizations see the GSBA Guide or visit www.thegsba.org 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: 888-809-5035, 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.flying house. org.

Northwest Lesbian & Gay History Museum Project - gayhistnw@aol.com Northwest Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf - www. nwrad.org Olympia/Thurston County: www.RainbowCenterOly. org Out & Equal Workplace Advocates/Seattle Regional Affiliate supports the work of LGBT employees and the growing number of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) making a difference within local companies. www.outand equal.org/affiliates/seattle PARENTHOOD: Families Like Ours provides a network of safe placement agencies, training, support & resources: 441-7602, www.familieslikeours. org; Family Works offers support, information & activities for LGBT

20

Seattle Gay News

families: 694-6727, www.familyworksseattle. org; Gay Fathers’ Association of Seattle offers support groups & social activities: www.gfas. org; Maybe Baby, https:// groups.yahoo.com/group/maybebabyseattle; 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 Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)/Washington State: 325-7724, www.seattlepflag.org, with directory of PFLAG chapters in Washington State; www.pnwpflag.org; National PFLAG, www.pflag.org PEOPLE OF COLOR: Asian/Pacific Islander Queer Network Program at API Chaya, 467-9976; Center for MultiCultural Health, 461-6910, www.multiculturalhealth.org; Entre Hermanos, GLBT Latinos/as, 322-7700, www.entrehermanos.org; Ile LaiLai, 7813565, 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, 255-8951; Sistah Sinema, www. sistahsinema.com, info@sistahsinema.com; TrikoneNorthwest, GLBT South Asians, (425) 985-4376, www. trikonenw.org; Two-Spirit Honor Project, 1-866-6850164; 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. Or visit www.gaycity.org to view list of resources online or through Facebook.

March 6, 2015

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 Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities - 684-4503.

Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities is a community mental health service for GLBT persons & their families. 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 SHIFT: A Peer Recovery Network - www.shift recovery.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 capitolhillcycling@ groups.facebook.com or jordan.l.simonson@gmail.com; Cascade Flyers: www.cascadeflyers.org; Different Spokes Bicycling Club: www.differentspokes.org; Emerald City Mudhen Rugby: www.mudhenrugby.

com; Emerald City Softball Association: www.emerald citysoftball.org, www.eteamz.com/womensecsa; Ethyl Forever Car Club: http://Clubs.Hemmings.com/ EthylForever CarClub/; Hiking Group: 323-8382; Jet City Hoops: www.jetcityhoops.org; Olympic Yacht Club: www.oycnw.org; OutVentures: outdoor education & recreation activities, www.outventures.org; Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association: www.pacificnwgra.org; Puddletown Squares: www.puddletownsquares.org; Rain City Soccer: www.raincitysoccer.org; Rain Country Dance Association: a country-western dance organization catering to the LGBTQ community but open to all, www.raincountrydance.org; Sea Dawgs: LGBT ice hockey - SkateSeaDawgs@gmail.com and on Facebook; Seattle Frontrunners: www.seattlefront runners.org; Seattle Orca Swim Team: www.orcaswim team.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 United Soccer League: www.seattleunitedsl.com; 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 Justice League: www.genderjusticeleague.org; Gender Odyssey: www.genderodyssey.com; Hermanos Trans Latino & Foreign-Born 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-DiscussionGroup/262449878114; Washington Gender Alliance: (360) 445-2411, www.washington genderalliance.com WOMEN: BABES: support groups for HIV+ women.

720-5566, 1-888-292-1912; Festival of the Babes: www.festivalofthebabes.com; Lesbians Over 40: 7220729; 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; WOWS: a fun, member-driven social group for Lesbians, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/womenofwest seattle; YWCA Women’s Health Outreach: providing low or no-cost mammograms for income eligible 40+ LBTQ individuals. 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; Health Education Youth Outreach: for LGBTQ youth, ages 16-24 - Jessica Hatlo, 206957-1665, jessicah@llaa.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; www.MatthewsPlace. com; 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; 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; Queer Youth Space: 206-495-9963; www.queeryouth space. 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) (non-emergency), 1-877-SAFESAFE (1-877-723-3723) (crisis line); Seattle Young People’s Project (Queer Youth Resource Board): 860-9606, www.sypp.org; Teen Link: 461-4922, 1-888431-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/Orion Center: 622-5555; YouthCare/Isis Program (Transitional Living Home for LGBTQ Young Adults, 18-22): 5228412; Youth Suicide Prevention Program (OUTLoudGLBTQ): 297-5922, ext 116, 1-800-273-TALK, www. yspp.org

Celebrating 41 Years!

_______________________________

10 housemates

10 housemates

_______________________________ 11 for rent

11 FOR RENT

_______________________________ 12 12 housing wanted

HOUSING WANTED

_______________________________ 13 13 housing for sale

HOUSING FOR SALE

_______________________________ real estate REAL ESTATE _______________________________ SEATTLE’S TOP GAY REALTORS Buying a Home? Choose a Top Seattle Gay Realtor Offering FREE Buyers Representation! Relocating anywhere in the country?

Visit: WWW.GAYREALESTATE. COM 10/3 _______________________________

14 HELP WANTED

14 help wanted

_______________________________ 19 19 home services

SERVICES

_______________________________ HOUSECLEANING – CENTRAL SEATTLE. Done by visual artist with an eye for detail. References.

Reliable. Experienced. Licensed.

Grego Rachko 206-719-3769.

09/6 _______________________________

20

20 health & health & well being

WELL-BEING

_______________________________ ENERGY/BODYWORK Therapeutic massage. 29 years experience. Relaxation, major/ minor injuries, chronic muscle pain. Small Queen Anne home office/studio. Massage table or massage chair. Convenient parking. (I’m a Gay-friendly straight male graphic artist, web author.)

First session 50% off = $45/1.5 hours (travel extra). By appointment only. References available.

Chris Pringer, Reiki Master, 206286-0899. If you get a voice message mentioning “extension #,” please hang up and call back again. Brochure, testimonials, etc. via chalicebridge.com/BMIBrochure.html. 44/21 _______________________________ LEARN COUPLES MASSAGE in your own home. I am an experienced licensed instructor.

Learn to give the gift of relaxation to your partner. Great gift idea.

Christopher, 425-350-5124; www. massagewarrior.abmp.com 11/3 _______________________________

21 21 licensed LICENSED massage MASSAGE non-sexual

- NON-SEXUAL

_______________________________ EXCEPTIONAL BODYWORK Given by highly trained LMP. I specialize in injury treatment, acute, chronic, and repetitive stress motion. I have a studio on CapHill, and one just north of the UW. Insurance accepted.

Matt Shafer, LMP, 206-235-7766.

10/12 _______________________________

Visit us online www.sgn.org

RELAXATION and DEEP TISSUE massage on Capitol Hill. Last minute appointments welcome until 9 pm. Jeff, LMP, 206-6500542. www.broadwaymassage. com. 12/3 _______________________________ 22 for sale

22 FOR SALE

_______________________________ I LOVE LUCY 46 VCR tapes – The Collectors Edition - featuring 3 episodes each. $100 cash or best offer.

Rick, 206-324-4297 or sgncopy@ yahoo.com. 11/3 _______________________________ 36 escorts

36 ESCORTS

_______________________________

37 BODYWORK

37 bodywork

_______________________________ AMAZING BODYWORK! Deep tissue, erotic bodywork by handsome, hairy-chested, hung therapist. Reasonable rates. Photos, phone number and reviews at website: www.amazingbodywork. com. Robert. 13/6 ________________________________

DADDY BEAR I’m known for my magic touch for the best bodywork. Please contact me between 12 noon and 9pm.

Bear, 206-328-5828. 11/3 ________________________________ EROTICALLY CHARGED nude full body rubdown from playful top, stimulating the senses. Get seduced. Incalls in Renton area.

Scott, 206-355-4469. 13/4 ________________________________ FULL BODYWORK, trained masseur with table starting for $60 located in Lynnwood. Call 206658-3050 for an appointment. In calls only. Now accepting credit cards. 14/6 ________________________________ GREAT MASSAGE given by highly-trained, clean-cut, handsome guy. I have two private studios, one on CapHill, and one just north of the UW. Call/ text Matt, 206-235-7766. In/out calls. 10/12 ________________________________ 38 men

38 MEN

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FREE & ANONYMOUS HIV & STD COUNSELING/TESTING Walk-In or by Appt GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT 517 E. Pike St. MON-FRI: 3pm-8pm SAT: 12:30pm-5pm More Info & to Schedule Appt 206-860-6969 _______________________________ INITIATED INSTRUCTOR in Esoteric Tantric Buddhist Sexual Meditation/Practice trained in Japan seeking Tantric students/ partners. Rob, 206-324-2617.

11/3 _______________________________

dress for the occasion use a condom to prevent hiv & other stds

March 6, 2015

RAIN CITY JACKS Seattle’s own JO Club, RCJ hosts three group jack-off events every month. Hot, friendly, safe fun!

Adult men only. 888-809-5035. info@raincityjacks.org; www. raincityjacks.org. 19/12 _______________________________ SEEKING SOMEONE SPECIAL/ PEN-PAL WANTED Handsome, mature, athletic and intelligent. Well-preserved 40s.

High-energy spirit, very ambitious. Seeking someone openminded, loving, and serious, who I can make new memories and share the world with. Age/ looks unimportant - sincerity and loyality is what matters to me; your character, heart, and soul is what I want to see. So if you want something worth having and don’t play games, then start by writing me a letter and tell me your name.

Friends first, lovers later on, and something special always in the light of this new dawn. Ricky M. Arnstein #214032872, 500 Fifth Avenue, Seattle WA 98104-2332.

(No letter, no response.) 10/3 _______________________________ SEATTLE PRIME TIMERS A social organization for Gay and Bisexual Men over 40 and their admirers. www.seattleprimetimers.org; info@seattleprimetimers. org SGN/

Seattle Gay News 21

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Seattle Gay News

March 6, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

March 6, 2015

Seattle Gay News 23