Seattle Gay News
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT “HANDS SOLO: PIANOMAN” ACT THEATRE BULLITT CABARET Through July 20 It was pure enjoyment and delight to see and hear longtime Seattle pianoman and cabaret artist Victor Janusz in his one-man show “Hands Solo: Pianoman,” directed by Lori Larsen, at ACT Theatre’s Bullitt Cabaret last Friday. Victor Janusz is a multi-talented actor and musician who has been playing the piano at public venues and private events around Seattle for many years – including gigs at The Sheraton, The Camlin Cloud Room, Nordstrom and currently at Salty’s on Alki’s weekend brunches. (He also has a jazz band – the Victor Janusz Trio.) It was a great privilege to see and hear Janusz recount and reenact in both hilarious and poignant detail important moments in his life – with his loving parents, his siblings, his childhood piano teacher, his high school English teacher, his life in LA in the ‘70s and his initial confusion about his sexuality (with a nod to his loving sister
and to pianoman Elton John), his studies as an actor in New York, his work as a pianoman at Nordstrom (with his audience of mannequins), his experience meeting and playing piano for then presidential candidate Barack Obama, his loving tributes to his parents and to his lover and partner, Lance Butler, who passed away in 1993 (they wanted to get married), his hopes for the 168 married couples (including two same-sex married couples) whom he has had the privilege of accompanying in their nuptials, and his passion for Marriage Equality – all expressed through monologue and song with his own piano jazz accompaniment, his stories sometimes illustrated with photographs projected above the stage. It was great fun to see Janusz move in and out of character as he portrayed and interacted with the notable people who have been a part of his journey. Like the mega-talented Lily Tomlin, Janusz moved in and out of character with great dexterity as he introduced us to them, and then they engaged him and he engaged them in conversation, and his banter with the audience was lively and congenial. “Hands Solo: Pianoman” in-
by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer We know the songs. We watched the videos. We studied those moves. They’re all legendary. Five years have passed since Michael Jackson left us, but his music and mega superstar persona live on. And thanks to Cirque du Soleil, fans can experience the King of Pop’s musical high-
lights five nights a week at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Michael Jackson ONE opened June 29, 2013 exclusively at the Las Vegas hotel-casino to capacity crowds, and continues packing them in at the 1,800-seat venue. This is a different production than what Seattle audiences saw in 2011 when Michael Jackson THE Immortal World Tour came to Key Arena;
Victor Janusz in “Hands Solo: Pianoman”
cludes both original songs written by Janusz (among them, “Mannequin Blues”) and songs written by other artists that speak to him, including Phoebe Snow’s “Poetry Man.” Janusz is a talented singer who makes each song his own – so much so that I sometimes didn’t
immediately recognize a song because the song had already become a Janusz song – not a Beach Boys song – and I was drawn into the song and I would listen to hear each nuance and note so as to be drawn closer to both Janusz and the song’s meaning.
This walk down memory lane with Janusz was intimate and heartwarming with much laughter and great jazz piano and song along the way. Janusz has a big heart and a great sense of humor and his reflecsee JANUSZ page 4
nate gowdy
Courtesy of Cirque du soleil
Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE
malcolm smith photography
by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer
Issue 27, Volume 42, July 18, 2014
there are a few similarities, but it’s really an entirely separate concept, and the intimacy of the theater adds a lot more excitement to the show. Unlike Immortal, where some of MJ’s biggest hits were mysteriously omitted, ONE plunges deep into the multiple Grammy winner’s catalog and features everything from his early days with The Jackson 5 to material off 2001’s Invincible. As with any Cirque show, there’s constant movement and much happening during the 90-minute performance, including dancing, acrobatics, trampoline maneuvers, juggling and whimsical skits. ONE also showcases the artist’s original recordings; there is no singing or reinterpretation of Michael Jackson’s classics, it’s his voice heard pouring out from the speakers inside this fine acoustic theater. The story centers around a quarDiamond St. James Black being crowned La Femme Magnifique WA 2014 tet of “misfits” – Clumsy, Shy, Miss La Femme Magnifique Smarty Pants, Sneaky – that enter by Shaun Knittel Washington 2014 Diamond St. the world of Jackson by immersing SGN Associate Editor James is scheduled to compete themselves in his music, and then RIP THE RUNWAY in the mother of all Pacific magically embody his characterisFASHION SHOW Northwest Drag Pageants – La tics, inspiring messages and energy. NEIGHBOURS NIGHTCLUB see Runway page 4 July 20 see ONE page 9