SGN August 28, 2015 - Section 2

Seattle Gay News

Issue 35, Volume 43, August 28, 2015

Arts & Entertainment

Matilda is magnificent

Intiman Theatre presents John Baxter is a Switch Hitter

A League of Their Own meets The Crucible in this big, new comedy inspired by an outrageousbut-true Seattle story

Gabby Gutierrez as Matilda Wormwood in Matilda the Musical – photo by Joan Marcus

by Eric Andrews-Katz SGN A&E Writer MATILDA THE MUSICAL THE 5TH AVENUE THEATRE Through September 6 Matilda the musical is an enjoyable, fun, traditional Broadway musical that is sure to delight everyone. Although looking like a “kiddie” musical by the untrained eye, the musical is geared towards people of any age. Based on the Roald Dahl novel, so those familiar with it will know of its dark story-line nature to begin with, the story Matilda has taken on several differ-

ent forms: a book, a movie, and now a stage musical. The 5th Avenue Theatre brings the first National Touring Company of this blockbuster musical to Seattle.

The story is typical Dahl. There is a child that is somehow being abused by the adults that are around them. In this case, Matilda is a highly intelligent and precocious child born to Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood. They are parents who already have a son and have no interest in raising another child. Mr. Wormwood consistently refers to his daughter as a boy and Mrs. Wormwood pathetically ignores her daughter, prefersee matilda page 6

The 2015 Intiman Theatre Festival continues in full swing at The Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center (201 Mercer St.) with John Baxter is a Switch Hitter, a big, new comedy by local playwrights Ana Brown and Andrew Russell, inspired by an outrageous-but-true story that hits close to home: the 2008 Gay Softball World Series held in Seattle.

When local Gay softball league favorites the Seattle Fireflies go up against the champion San Francisco Hornets, an all-

American pastime turns into an impromptu inquisition as one team halts the game to accuse their opponent of having too many “straight ringers” on their roster.

Veteran Seattle director Rosa Joshi leads a vibrant cast of 18 local actors ranging from festival veterans like Adam Standley and Charles Leggett, to other well-known Seattle artists like Reginald André Jackson and Chris Ensweiler. see john baxter page 8

Paper Angels a Captain Smartypants beautifully written and presents “Zero Brides compelling story for Seven Brothers”

In three performances only at The Triple Door

Cast of Paper Angels – photo by Celeste Williams

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer PAPER ANGELS SIS PRODUCTIONS (THE LAB AT INSCAPE) Through August 31

Hurry over to the old INS building (INScape Arts, 815 Seattle Blvd. S., near S. Dearborn St.) to the performance space “INScape” to see a beautifully written play revealing another example of American injustice toward immigrants! Paper Angels, by poet and playwright Genny Lim, focuses see paper angels page 7

Captain Smartypants – photo by Conrado Tapado/eQuality Images

CAPTAIN SMARTYPANTS “ZERO BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS” THE TRIPLE DOOR September 12, 18 & 19 @ 8pm Learn what it means to be a “bro” from

ten pop music and culture-loving Gay men.

Join the musical comedy ensemble Captain Smartypants for their unique take on brotherhood, featuring hits from the Doobie Brothers, the Osmonds, the Jacksons, plus see zero brides page 7

2 Seattle Gay News

August 28, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!

Bumbershoot loads up on LGBTfriendly acts

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer BUMBERSHOOT SEATTLE CENTER September 5-7 This is the year to go to Bumbershoot.

If you’ve missed it, or intentionally avoided it, in previous years – for whatever reason – this is the time to go back. The homegrown music and arts festival usually attracts a diverse lineup of talent and crowds, making it a welcome event for LGBT attendees, but the 2015 installment is especially appealing because of several Gay-friendly performers expected to appear at Seattle Center over the three-day holiday weekend. Hozier, Kacey Musgraves, Ellie Goulding, Zedd, Fitz and the Tantrums, Peaches, Neko Case, Lindsey Stirling, Babes in Toyland, The Weeknd, Jhene Aiko, Brandon Flowers, and Kris Orlowski are just some of the artists scheduled to be at the festival, along with dozens of fellow musicians, authors, filmmakers, and comedians. Bumbershoot is happening Saturday through Monday, September 5 to 7, at various venues inside Seattle Center, such as Key Arena, Memorial Stadium, EMP’s Sky Church, and multiple outdoor stages. Three-day passes and single-day tickets are available, along with the complete roster of live performers, at bumbershoot.com. You can also purchase tickets on-site at Seattle Center during the festival.

Here are 10 must-see artists at Bumbershoot: HOZIER Monday 25 year-old Hozier has taken Gay rights to heart, outspokenly advocating for Gay marriage in his homeland of Ireland, going as far as recording a PSA to encourage his fellow countrymen and women to vote on the measure, which passed nationwide in May. Musically, his hit single “Take Me to Church” has made him an international star, selling out concerts from Seattle to Red Rock and headlining festivals throughout Europe and North America; case in point: Bumbershoot. Expect a big audience for this guy.

KACEY MUSGRAVES Saturday One of the few country artists that have publicly supported the LGBT community is Kacey Musgraves. Most recently, the two-time Grammy winner performed “Follow Your Arrow” on NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts” to celebrate same-sex marriage legalization in June and a week earlier invited drag queens in Nashville to join her for the album release party of Pageant Material, her well-received sophomore effort.

This girl is gonna put on a really fun show at Seattle Center!

Hozier – One Reel

ZEDD Sunday Pretty boy, indeed. Though, also one of the busiest, most successful DJ-producers and remixers on the planet. He’s collaborated with the biggies, from Lady GaGa to Ariana Grande to the Biebs, and put out his second dance recording, True Colors, in May. You’ll hear cuts from that project and from his previous work, 2012’s Clarity featuring the smash title track, at the festival. Fingers crossed he includes a snippet of “Break Free.”

PEACHES Monday “Fuck the Pain Away” put this Canadian electronic-punk’ish musician on the map.

She’s a no-holds-barred performer with a significant Gay boy-edgy straight girl fan base, so people-watching will be half the fun of this whole show. Besides cuts from her risque-titled albums Impeach My Bush and I Feel Cream, look for Peaches to unveil new tracks from her forthcoming release called RUB. FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS Saturday There’s no official word on whether LAbased act Fitz and the Tantrums is working on a new record, but fans probably won’t mind listening to songs from the first two albums, Pickin’ Up the Pieces and More Than Just a Dream, allowing them to soak up the party atmosphere and dance and sing along to the band’s cool tunes, from “Out of My League” to MoneyGrabber.”

JHENE AIKO Saturday R&B newbie Jhene Aiko’s smooth, lush sound is a fine addition to the Bumbershoot lineup, which has leaned alternative rock and mainstream pop in previous years. A BET Award winner, three-time Grammy and Soul Train Award nominee, this New York native is sure to entertain at the festival. “The Worst,” “Wading,” and “Spotless Mind” are nearly guaranteed to be heard live on Saturday.

NEKO CASE Sunday Returning to the Northwest, where her career blossomed from indie singer-songwriter to twice Grammy nominee, Neko Case always draws a good-size audience when she comes back to Seattle. She’s still promoting 2013’s The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You, and I’m hoping to hear a few tracks from 2006’s Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, my personal favorite Neko Case album.

KRIS ORLOWSKI Monday Yes, local singer-songwriter Kris Orlowski is easy on the eyes. But he’s also a terrific musician, as both a solo artist and frontman for the band named after him.

Although he broke through nationally with last year’s Believer album, he remains rooted to the Emerald City and will be performing again at Bumbershoot, possibly rolling out new material. Orlowski has interviewed twice with Seattle Gay News [including April 18, 2014].

BRANDON FLOWERS Monday The Killers’ lead singer Brandon Flowers extended his solo career in 2015 with the release of his second album The Desired Effect, featuring the leadoff single “Can’t Deny My Love.” Don’t go into this concert thinking the religious singersongwriter (yep, he’s a committed LDS member) is going to play a bunch of Killers tunes; he’s been known to add a few in his show, but the majority of songs will be from his own albums.

ELLIE GOULDING Monday Wouldn’t we all want to be Ellie Goulding for a day? She’s friends with the Royal Family – performing at Prince William’s wedding – and she hangs out with Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and One Direction in her spare time. The British singer will very likely include “Lights,” “Anything Could Happen,” “Burn,” and “Love Me Like You Do” on her Bumbershoot set list, and here’s hoping Goulding also squeezes in “Outside,” a Calvin Harris number she’s featured on.

Ellie Goulding – One Reel

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August 28, 2015

Seattle Gay News 3

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performing Sunday night on MTV VMAs

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are among the performers for Sunday evening’s MTV Video Music Awards, taking place in Los Angeles. The Seattle duo join Pharrell, Demi Lovato, The Weeknd, Tori Kelly, A$AP Rocky, and Twenty One Pilots on the artist lineup for the ceremony, to be hosted

by Miley Cyrus. Making an appearance, but not confirmed as a performer, is Kanye West, who has been chosen to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

Nominees in about 15 categories include Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Maroon 5, and Ed Sheeran with the moonman statue for Video of the Year going to either “7/11” (Beyonce), “Alright” (Lamar), “Uptown Funk” (Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars), “Thinking Out Loud” (Sheer-

an), and “Bad Blood” (Swift featuring La- to perform, along with Rick Braun and Kenmar). The MTV VMAs will air August 30 ny Lattimore, at the Concert for Cancer on September 18, happening at Redhook Brewat 9 p.m., on MTV. ery in Woodinville. Get information on the Here comes Dave Koz, again! The ac- event – what does the concert raise money claimed jazz artist is not only returning to for and can the general public attend? – the Puget Sound, for a special charity con- from the direct source, Dave Koz, here in cert, but he’s interviewing a second time The Music Lounge next week. with Seattle Gay News, following his inI’m in the process of finalizing interterview in May to promote his opening appearance on Barry Manilow’s “One Last views with Lizz Wright and Albert HamTime!” tour. Koz is celebrating twenty five mond Jr. The former is an incredible soul years as a professional musician and just artist and once Seattle resident who’ll perreleased an album to commemorate the form September 15 and 16 at Dimitriou’s occasion, titled Collaborations: 25th An- Jazz Alley, the latter is a member of New niversary Collection that includes collabo- York rock band The Strokes who has built rations with friends and colleagues, such as a successful solo career for himself and will Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, appear October 25 at The Crocodile. Both Gloria Estefan, Michael McDonald, Johnny artists have interviewed with Seattle Gay Mathis, and the late Luther Vandross. The News before. Look for the interview with California-based saxophonist is scheduled Wright in the September 11 issue and the

one with Hammond Jr. in mid-October. Go to jazzalley.com or thecrocodile.com to purchase tickets for either show.

Here are newly announced concerts to put on your calendar: Ratatat on September 15 (The Showbox SoDo), Macy Gray on November 7 (Kirkland Performance Center), Mac Miller on November 9 (The Showbox SoDo), Cedric Gervais on November 13 (Foundation), LeAnn Rimes on December 4 (Emerald Queen Casino), Shawn Colvin at The Triple Door on January 16-17 (The Triple Door), and Gary Clark Jr. on April 10 (Moore Theatre).

Finally, I’ll be attending all three days of Bumbershoot. Look for mini reviews of the festival’s biggest performances in the following week’s issue of Seattle Gay News.

WHAM BAM, THANK YOU, GLAM

“Between garage & Grunge: Glam, Glitter and Proto-Punk in Seattle’s Subversive ‘70s” – an exhibition at Bumbershoot

‘Ze Whiz Kidz (circa ‘74)

by Maggie Bloodstone SGN Staff Writer “BETWEEN GARAGE & GRUNGE” BUMBERSHOOT INTERNATIONAL FOUNTAIN PAVILION SEATTLE CENTER September 4-7 NYC had the New York Dolls and Wayne/Jayne County. San Francisco had the Cockettes. Baltimore had Divine, John Waters, and the Dreamlanders. Seattle had... Ze Whiz Kids...?

Glam rock in the heady days of the early ‘70s was not so much a musical genre but an ambisexual, uninhibited attitude, reaching its apex with The Rocky Horror Picture Show before metastasizing into two notable musical movements of the era, Punk and Disco. Disco claimed the sparkle and the hedonism, but Punk got the transgression and the DIY approach to music, style and theatre. The NY Dolls and the criminally underappreciated Wayne (later Jayne)

County represent that cusp period between Glam and Punk on the East Coast while the Left Coast enjoyed the anarchic theater style The Cockettes perfected. Meanwhile, in largely ignored Seattle, a former Cockette, David Xavier Harrigan, aka Tomata DuPlenty, founded Ze Whiz Kids, as much a theatrical troupe as a band, who performed an astounding 100-some musical revues in the years between 1969-1972, as well as opening for then-not-yet-legendary Alice Cooper and the aforementioned NY Dolls. Tomata went on to NYC in ‘73, where he experienced the nascent Punk scene surrounding CBGB’s as a between-sets cabaret act for unknowns like Blondie and the Ramones, then back to Seattle to form the pre-punk combo, The Tupperwares. In ‘76, he relocated to L.A., where he reconnected with fellow Tupperware, Melba Toast (later Tommy Gear) to found one of the most respected and least seen or heard punk bands, The Screamers. Armed with keyboards, guitars, and Tomata’s obstreperous stage persona, The Screamers lasted until 1981, influencing bands like the Germs and the Dead Kennedys, while tragically leaving

almost no recordings that aren’t bootlegs, though a performance at Mabuhay Gardens in S.F. was captured on video and can be found on YouTube, along with a 2-minute clip of Ze Whiz Kids performing at the U District Street Fair in ‘71. (Where were YouTube and cellphone video cams when we needed them?)

So why haven’t you heard of either of them? Well, if you aren’t a little older than myself and lived in Seattle proper during the Nixon administration, you have a good excuse. But if you’re over 18, claim to be a punk, and haven’t heard of the Screamers, then you, dear, should go back to Bellevue, as we liked to tell posers in the ‘80s.

But you have a chance to redeem yourself by attending “Between garage & Grunge: Glam, Glitter and ProtoPunk in Seattle’s Subversive ‘70s” at Bumbershoot, curated by local art-world legend, Larry Reid, who supplies posters, film, costumes, ‘zines, and assorted cultural detritus from one of Seattle’s most overlooked musical eras. Besides Tomata & Co., other Emerald City venues and artists like The Bird, Friends Of The Rag, Dreamland, The Tele-

paths, Rosco Louie Gallery, and the Lewd will also get their long-overdue due. Come see what the cool kids were doing in Seattle while the rest of us were stuck in the ‘burbs squee’ing over Heart back in the day.

The exhibit will be on display during Bumbershoot, September 5-7, International Fountain Pavilion, Seattle Center. FREE preview, Friday, September 4, 4-8 p.m.

Whiz Kidz show – poster art by Art Chantry

4 Seattle Gay News

August 28, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!

September theater: Ready, set, OPEN

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E writer The theater community often goes a bit crazy in September, with a “new season” mentality, but this year it’s almost too much to bear! In fact, after a lazy Labor Day weekend, 13 (13?) productions open the next weekend!! The biggest companies and the small ones and everything in between. Also, there may never have been as many world premieres in one month in Seattle as September 2015. It’s a bounty of riches, folks!

The Children’s Hour, Intiman (at Cornish Playhouse), 9/9-9/27 This production, helmed by Sheila Daniels, will relocate this classic script about the ruination of gossip and crowd fear mongering from the 1930s to the 1980s. This is the second production in Seattle this year. If you saw the Arouet production last spring, it might be doubly interesting to compare. www.intiman.org Everybody Here Says Hello! and Crime and Rockets (in repertory), Pacific Play Company (at Ballard Underground), 9/10-9/26 Everybody Here Says Hello! is a bittersweet exploration of the ups and downs inherent to modern relationships and sexuality. It’s a comedy about a man, his boyfriend, and his boyfriend’s girlfriend.

Crime and Rockets, created by Scotto Moore with contributions from Keiko Green, Morgan Ludlow, Juliet Waller Pruzan, includes short pieces based in a future where human nature itself is evolving as rapidly as the technology that catapulted us into deep space. Also, wherever there’re humans, there’re bad humans, and somebody’s gotta crack the cases when they try to get away with murder. http://www.pacificplaycompany.com/ Brechtfest, The Horse in Motion (at the Can Can), 9/12-10/4 Selections from Bertolt Brecht’s writings, Baal, The Good Person of Szechwan and The Threepenny Opera in a morning presentation, with 16 actors and covering political issues such as income inequality, gender, and surviving our rigged economy.

You’ll eat breakfast and listen to music as this company-created staging unfolds. Saturday and Sunday morns at 11:00 a.m. (and Monday eves 9/21 & 9/28 at 7 p.m.). Veggie and gluten-free breakfast available! www.thehorseinmotion.org Suddenly Last Summer, Theater Schmeater, 9/11-10/10 Suddenly last summer, Mrs. Venable’s son Sebastian died, and his poor cousin Catherine is the only person who knows the details of Sebastian’s death. Mrs. Venable doesn’t want Catherine to remember those details, nor tell them to anyone else! https://www.schmeater.org/season/2015/ suddenlylastsummer Green Day’s American Idiot, Artswest, 9/10-10/11 The Grammy Award-winning multiplatinum album created by Green Day was transformed into an electric-rock-opera of youthful disillusion. Johnny, Tunny, and Will flee the constraints of their hometown for the thrills of city life. But their paths are quickly estranged in a post-9/11 world none of them could have imagined. https://artswest.secure.force.com/ticket

Bloomsday, ACT Theatre, 9/11-10/11 (World Premiere) Steven Dietz’s newest play, presented at ACT Theatre. Set in Dublin, an American man searches for the Irish woman who captured his heart 30 years earlier. Weaving in and out of time, we witness the very separate paths their lives have taken. www.acttheatre.org

equally accessible to both hearing and hearing-impaired audiences simultaneously. An impassioned dispute between a fiercely protective deaf father and his hearing ex-wife is over the use of cochlear implants to restore their daughter’s hearing. In a parallel story, 130 years earlier, Alexander Graham Bell is on a quest to invent the first hearing aid and cure deafness. http://www.azotheatre.org/ or http:// Jesus Christ Superstar, Seattle Musi- www.acttheatre.org/ cal Theatre, 9/11-10/4 This new production of the musical clasThe Memorandum, Strawberry Thesic jumps forward in time and explores the atre Workshop, 9/10-10/10 gospels from a bleak world where much has Josef Gross, in Vaclav Havel’s play, gets been forgotten and lost. In a time when chil- a memo in an artificial language Ptydepe. dren are no longer born and the last of the He needs it to be translated and this starts written word is literally crumbling away, a chain of office politics imploding into satcarefully collected and preserved pieces of ire. Havel also targets spying on the poputext pertain to one they called “Jesus.” lace, among other governmental bureauhttp://seattlemusicaltheatre.org/jesus- cratic bungling. christ-superstar/ http://memo.brownpapertickets.com/

leave Lydia alone. Honorary mention on the Kilroy List 2015. www.forwardflux.com The Comedy of Errors, Seattle Shakespeare Company (at Seattle Rep), 9/1610/11 Antipholus and his servant, Dromio, find themselves in a peculiar city where strangers seem to recognize them. This comic knot of jealous wives, quack doctors, mysterious nuns, and double trouble untangles just in time with the nuttiest family reunion ever. www.seattleshakespeare.org

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Book-It Repertory Theatre, 9/22-10/18 This Raymond Carver 1981 short-story collection was first adapted and toured by Book-It in the early 1990s. Carver’s portrait of romance can be tough and bittersweet.

Knocking Bird, Umbrella Project (at Bohemia, Marxiano Prods. (at Café Selections include the title story, Cathedral, West of Lenin), 9/11-10/13 (World Pre- Nordo), 9/10-9/27 (World Premiere) and others. miere) Famous Czech composer Antonin http://book-it.org/2015-16-season/ A psychological thriller about a husband Dvořák has hit a wall and prior to composand wife who retreat to the woods after a ing his magnum opus, he looks to the botDracula, Taproot Theatre, 9/23-10/24 car accident tom of a bottle (World Premiere) leaves her of absinthe for The battle between light and dark erupts body and inspiration. In in a brand new adaptation of this classic his mind this macabre thriller. Far from the romanticized vampires wrecked. Beand mystical of recent years, Dracula lurks in the shadtween long dream cabaret ows, plotting to prey on the people of Engwalks to the Dvořák is se- land. As night falls over London, intrepid 7-11 and a duced by “The heroes join forces to defeat the monster with mounting, Green Fairy” the only weapon he fears – a heart willing to lingering and is visited sacrifice everything. obsession by the ghost http://www.taproottheatre.org/buy-tickwith birds, of late com- ets/ the couple poser Frédéric grapples Chopin.

99 Ways to Fuck a Swan, Washington with a visit ht t p://w w w. Ensemble Theatre, 9/25-10/17 from the man brownpaperA long, long time ago, Leda made love who shaped tickets.com / to a swan. 3,000 years later, Michelangelo their past event/1869945 painted a picture. 350 years later, Rudolph and threatbought it. 130 years later, Dave and Fiona ens their Booty- stand in a museum, gazing at what remains. future. Emcandy, Inti- Explore the dark corners of desire and the ily Conbere man (at Cor- eternal mysteries of love. is the local nish Blackhttp://washingtonensemble.org/ play w r ight box), 9/16gaining the 10/3 A View from the Bridge, Seattle Repersupport of P l a y - tory Theatre, 9/25-10/18 this new comwright RobAn American Classic. A longshoreman pany. ert O’Hara’s by trade, Eddie Carbone is confident of his http:// satire about place in the working-class neighborhood www.umbrelg r o w i n g he calls home. That life changes when he Hannah Mootz (Martha) and Tiffany Yvonne Cox (Karen) laprojectnw. star in Intiman Theatre’s production of The Children’s Hour up Gay and agrees to harbor his immigrant cousins. A – photo by Hayley Young org black. Sutter love affair exposes a dark family secret, is on an outra- and suspicion, jealousy and betrayal soon Snapshots, Village Theatre, Issaquah: geous odyssey through his childhood home, follow in this passionate drama by one of 9/10-10/18, Everett: 10/23-11/15 his church, dive bars, motel rooms and even America’s greatest playwrights. This AmerA new musical collage featuring the nursing homes. ican tragedy remains topical and thoughtwork of Stephen Schwartz, Snapshots is a www.intiman.org provoking 60 years after its 1955 Broadway romantic comedy that tells the story of one premiere. couple’s changing relationship through the Green Whales and Still Life (in reperhttp://seattlerep.org/ years. The show with a score comprised of tory), Forward Flux (at Gay City), 9/16the work of Schwartz, composer of such 10/3 (one World Premiere) The Art of Bad Men, MAP Theatre (at musicals as Wicked and Godspell, with 26 Green Whale, by Lia Romeo, is a dark INScape), 9/25-10/17 (World Premiere) songs from 12 shows throughout his career. comedy. Karen is a middle-aged woman Playwright Vincent Delany interviewed Schwartz even got personally involved by with a chromosomal disorder that makes former German prisoners of war, held in the retuning and adjusting his own songs to bet- her appear to be in her early teens. As a re- States at POW camps, which dotted the U.S. ter fit the story. sult, she has trouble meeting men – until her during WWII. Some are ardent Nazis, some http://www.villagetheatre.org/issaquah/ alcoholic sister sets her up with a suspected are barely old enough to hold a shovel. EvSnapshots.php pedophile. ery one of them is scared. But for a few, a Still Life: This world premiere offers drag production of Moliere’s The Miser may Sound, Azeotrope (at ACTLab), 9/11- a touching and humorous look at life and give them a chance – either to escape or to 10/4 (World Premiere) loss in the terrorist age. A series of sub- transcend. (MAP shares the world premiere Sound, a sign language play by Don way bombings have shut down the city, and with Theater B in Fargo, ND, also in SepNguyen, is co-directed by Desdemona Chi- Lydia is stuck with her annoying son-in-law tember.) ang and Howie Seago. A bilingual play (in awaiting news from her daughter who was http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ American Sign Language and spoken Eng- last seen getting on the train. To make mat- event/829261 lish, with supertitles) the play strives to be ters worse, a celebrated photographer won’t

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Seattle Gay News 5

An American Dream – Opera based on community outreach

American Dream – photo by Elise Bakketun

by Alice Bloch SGN Contributing Writer SEATTLE OPERA AN AMERICAN DREAM MARION OLIVER MCCAW HALL August 23 In 2011 Sue Elliott, then Seattle Opera’s Director of Education, had a great idea: to develop a new opera based on the experiences of the local community. Her brainchild, the Belonging(s) Project, asked community members to answer two questions: “If you had to leave your home today and couldn’t return, what would you want to take with you? Why is that object, that memory, or that connection to your past so important?”

Librettist Jessica Murphy Moo and composer Jack Perla were then commissioned to create the opera, An American

Matilda

continued from cover ring to concentrate on entering and winning a ballroom dancing contest instead.

The fact that by age seven Matilda is reading, comprehending, and practically ingesting books on an advanced adult level has gone by completely unnoticed by her parents. They prefer to watch and learn what they can from the “telly” instead. Matilda is sent to a private school run by the strict disciplinarian headmistress, Ms. Trunchbull. It is there that Matilda meets Ms. Honey, a gentle teacher and the only adult to recognize Matilda for the beautiful, gifted child she really is. After watching the unfair abuse by the headmistress, Matilda develops telekinetic powers and starts to fight back.

There are several supporting roles in this musical along with three strong leading parts. The roles of Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood (played by Quinn Mattfeld and Cassie Silva respectively) are done with great humor and campiness. Mattfeld is wonderful as the scheming father and does an excellent job interacting with the audience in the song “Telly,” confirming Mr. Wormwood’s motto that “everything you need to learn you can learn from telly.” Silva, as the mother obsessed with winning the dance contest, is over-the-top funny, believing in the philosophy that you can get anything done as long as you do it “Loud.” There are many children in the cast of Matilda, but that shouldn’t scare anyone away from seeing it. All the kids are very good in their roles, none of them vying for attention or trying to steal focus. Obviously, the stage mothers were kept on leashes because the kids all did wonderful jobs on stage.

The three leading roles are that of Miss

6 Seattle Gay News

Dream, from the responses to those questions. They focused on the experiences of two Seattle-area women during World War II: Mary Matsuda Grunewald, who was incarcerated with her family and other Japanese-Americans at the Tule Lake War Relocation Center, and Marianne Weltmann, a German Jew who emigrated to the United States just in time but whose parents stayed behind and did not survive.

Extensive pre-performance exhibits (curated by Kelly Kitchens) immersed audience members in the xenophobic atmosphere of wartime, and videotaped interviews with elderly Japanese-Americans reminiscing about their lives before World War II gave a sense of what was lost when they were rounded up for incarceration. On the stage, pre-performance testimonials by Kay Sakai Nakao, Felix Narte, Jr., and Lilly Kitamoto Kodama primed the audience to Honey (Jennifer Blood), Miss Trunchbull (Bryce Ryness), and, of course, Matilda.

The role of Matilda, the little girl with great abilities, is alternately performed by three different girls, Gabby Gutierrez (Opening Night), Mia Sinclair Jenness, and Mabel Tyler. Young Ms. Gutierrez has the distinctive pleasure of being the first Filipina to play the role. Her voice handled the songs well and she brought a cute persona to the role of the precocious Matilda. The audience is instantly endeared to Matilda, and cheer for her despite her mischievous streak and slight rebellions. Jennifer Blood brings innocence along with a mousy demeanor to the character of Miss Honey, which is exactly what is needed. Ms. Blood shows the audience the inner conflict of withering in fear of Miss Trunchbull but wanting to help Matilda. Her voice is soft but strong, easily flowing through the theater.

Without a doubt, Trunchbull is a devious, evil character, and Bryce Ryness does an excellent job playing her. From the moment Trunchbull enters on stage, she is believably unlikeable without being a scary (or intimidating) threat to the younger members of the audience. The voice is done with a nasal pinch that works very well giving off enough creepiness and chill to keep the audience ill at ease. Her distaste for children is clear and hysterical with the constant refrain of calling them “maggots” among other names. The abuse doled out is done in a non-threatening way, even when Trunchbull swings children around by their ears or pigtails.

The storyline is typical Roald Dahl.

He is definitely an advocate for children’s rights and it comes across in the morality tales that he writes. Like his other works, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and The Witches (among others), Matilda exposes

August 28, 2015

understand the trauma of unjust exile and imprisonment.

The one-act opera itself contained some beautiful, touching moments, but overall it conveyed less emotion than did the preperformance activities. Moo’s libretto was a miracle of pared-down, poetic language and skillful plotting; the staging by director Peter Kazaras on a just-right set designed

by Robert Schaub was unfussy and effective; conductor Judith Yan ably led an excellent chamber ensemble composed of members of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra; the singers were all first-rate – but alas, to this listener, Perla’s score fell flat.

In all fairness, I’d never heard any of Perla’s music before, and perhaps I needed to learn how to listen to it; but my first impression was that the music was uninspired and unoriginal. I heard some influence of Philip Glass, some of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and Richard Rogers, but nothing thrilling or memorable.

But even if the music isn’t compelling, the storyline is.

In a farmhouse on a Puget Sound island in 1942, a young girl named Setsuko Kobayashi hides her precious Japanese doll, while her parents hastily burn all papers and photographs that might tie them to Japan. Outside, an American veteran, Jim, and his German Jewish bride, Eva, walk around the property he intends to buy. Eva is terribly worried about her parents, who are still in Germany, and Jim reassures her that there will be room in this house for all of them.

Unbeknownst to Eva, Jim uses the Ko-

bayashis’ desperate situation to get them to sell him the farm for a small fraction of its real value. Setsuko intercepts a letter that arrives from Germany for Eva, and in her anger about being forced to leave her home, Setsuko steals the letter. After Eva and Jim move in, Eva finds Setsuko’s doll and vows to return it to its owner.

In 1945, while still incarcerated, Setsuko hears from Eva. After she is freed, Setsuko returns to the farm. Braving Jim’s hostility, she retrieves her doll and gives Eva the letter she stole three years earlier.

The letter tells Eva that her parents were shot and killed outside their home. The opera ends with Eva collapsing and Setsuko’s father arriving at the door.

In a cast of strong singers, Hae Ji Chang as Setsuko stood out for the beauty of her lyric soprano voice and the intensity of her performance. Bass Adam Lau and mezzosoprano Nina Yoshida Nelsen did a fine job portraying Setsuko’s parents. As Jim and Eva, baritone Morgan Smith and soprano D’Ana Lombard rounded out the cast in style.

A bad conductor or bad singers can ruin a good opera, but even the best conductor and singers can’t save an opera with a mediocre score. In the post-performance discussion, Perla said he’d made Moo revise the libretto at least a dozen times. Perhaps the opera would have been better served if Moo had persuaded Perla to revise his score a dozen times, too.

Jennifer Blood (Miss Honey), Evan Gray (Bruce), Bryce Ryness (Miss Trunchbull), and Gabby Gutierrez (Matilda) in Matilda the Musical – photo by Joan Marcus

the mischief that can be released when parents fail in their responsibilities. The dark story presented implies its evil behavior without being scary to younger children; it teaches them the lesson in a fun, enjoyable way, hopefully giving the parents something to think about as well.

Matilda is fun. The English accents may take a little getting used to before the ear deciphers it, but the show is enjoyable for young and old alike. The special effects are done very well, easily pleasing the audience. The songs are well written with several hummable tunes, although other songs may be a little serious for younger listeners.

Either way, they promote the storyline, as any song in a musical should do.

No matter how you view it, this musical is fun, enjoyable and anyone would be hard pressed not to have a good time.

Matilda the musical is based on the novel by Roald Dahl, and opened in London’s West End in November 2010. It currently holds the record for most Olivier Awards (equivalent to the American Tony Awards) won by a musical. The show transferred to Broadway on March 4, 2013 where it is currently running still. Bertie Carvel reprised his Olivier Award winning role as Miss Trunchbull for the Broadway opening. It was nominated for 13 Tony Awards (2013 Season) winning five, including Best Book of a Musical. It was announced recently that plans for a live-action, film version of the musical is being planned for production.

Celebrating 41 Years!

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the Brothers Grimm and Gibb. With medleys, mashups, and a mini musical, these outrageously hilarious musical funnymen will roast and toast, prance and dance.

Original songs like “Straight Guy Hug,” as well as Elton John’s “Daniel” and the Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy” are used to relay both touching and hilarious tales from the boys’ own life experiences, including those awkward locker room moments and the beloved big brother (both real and imagined).

Captain Smartypants is joined by Seattle’s alt-bluegrass trio The Half Brothers, featuring John Ackermann on mandolin, Rick Miller on guitar, and David Nixon on banjo. Together the trio has released three albums since 2005 and performed with Annex Theatre, Theatre Off Jackson, and On the Boards.

Captain Smartypants is thrilled to return to The Triple Door after a successful inaugural run in the Fall of 2014. With a state-of-the-art sound system, concert grand piano, and full-sized movie screen (for the videos that accompany the show), the audience dines in comfort and style.

“Zero Brides for Seven Brothers” is directed by Seattle Men’s Chorus’ Associate Artistic Director and Captain Smartypants Director Eric Lane Barnes. The cast includes the ten members of Captain Smartypants: Colin Behl, Jeffrey Erickson, Joshua

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on the immigration center on Angel Island, a large island in the middle of San Francisco Bay that processed a million Asians through its doors. However, there were extra-special rules for Chinese.

Have you ever heard of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882? It’s not likely taught in very many American History classes in high school, but it reflected attitudes of resentment against Chinese workers – a ubiquitous ethnic exclusion that was focused only on Chinese while unfettered immigration of any other backgrounds was unchecked.

The play introduces a few of the many kinds of immigrants who wished to enter the U.S. All would have had to carry paper with them certifying that they were eligible to enter. Some of them carried identification that they were sons of Chinese immigrants already in the States. They were called “paper sons,” but not all of them were related to the men they were coming to join.

Some men were forced to sell their sons’ papers for various reasons, to raise money, so the immigration center personnel quizzed both the men and their “paper sons” to find out if each knew all the facts about the other they were supposed to know. So, cheat books were developed with all sorts of facts for the immigrant to memorize about his “father’s” family, but anyone caught with them was prevented from entering the U.S. This long one act is simply presented with a stark wooden barracks-style set by Brandon Estrella, carved with Chinese poems from years of immigrants waiting to be released. Appropriate period costuming by Miko Premo provides easy identification of the inmates, the guards, and the officials.

Captain Smartypants – photo by John Pai

Herrington, Rad Milosavljevic, David Nilsson, Jason Reuer, Don Riling, Dante Rodriguez, Tyler Smith and Chris Hoffman.

“Zero Brides for Seven Brothers” is presented by James Alan Salon & Spa. Tickets are $25 and $35 (front row only) and are on sale now online at tickets.thetripledoor.net.

About Captain Smartypants – A Small Ensemble of Seattle Men’s Chorus Captain Smartypants is a homosexual

vocal comedy group. They have performed all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond, thrilling, delighting and alarming audiences from Washington DC to San Francisco. Since their inception in 2000 Captain Smartypants has performed with Ann Wilson, Jennifer Holliday, Kelli O’Hara, Kristin Chenoweth, Melissa Manchester, American Idol finalist Blake Lewis and was Seattle’s warm-up act for Margaret Cho when she filmed “The Notorious C.H.O.” in 2002. In 2004, the Pants toured with their astonishing CD UnderCover which was touted as “… the best CD ever made in the

history of music” by Hyperbole Magazine.

UnderCover and Fruit of the Month Club is available at http://www.flyinghouse. org/store/orderform.asp#music and also on iTunes. Their performance of “Kislev Cowboys” (aka “Brokeback Dreidel”) has received over 500,000 hits on YouTube and was featured on NPR’s “Hearing Voices” in November of 2008. Captain Smartypants has toured with their shows “Sticks and Stones,” “Undercover,” “Trousers of Terror,” “PowerPants,” “Cirque du Slaque” and “Air Smarty.” Their 10-year anniversary show “Captain Smartypants: The First 100 Years” broke all previous Smartypants box office records in its run at Seattle’s Town Hall in May of 2010. Today, Captain Smartypants all live together in a tree house in Yelm, where they weave their own clothing out of wild vines. Their favorite color is “plaid” and they eat nothing but circus peanuts and fiddlehead ferns. Eric Lane Barnes, Flying House Productions’ Associate Artistic Director, is their trepid leader.

Our Mission: is to entertain, enlighten, unify and heal our audience and members, using the power of words and music to recognize the value of Gay and straight people and their relationships.

Our Vision: A world that accepts and values its Gay and Lesbian citizens.

Courtesy of Flying House Productions

David Hsieh directs with clarity and sensitivity.

Each role in the production is double cast (in part to allow more actors of color the opportunity to participate), so you’ll never see the exact same set of players from one show to the next. For the performance I saw, Kathy Hsieh was the leading lady in a heartbreaking role of a patient Chinese wife whose husband left 40 years before, but then returned to bring her, somewhat unwillingly, to America. Hsieh ably demonstrated the restraint and patience of the character, along with her desire to help others.

This weekend that role will be played by Eloisa Cardona. There is one extra performance scheduled, now, since the production has been selling out!

The rest of the cast that I saw was strong (and large). A few had to speak Chinese, which they appeared to do with aplomb as far as I could tell… Chris Wong played the husband who left his wife behind and returned to get her, even though it meant he had to reapply to enter the U.S. without guarantee of success. Wong has a moving, sturdy, wise presence in the role.

The star of the show, though, is the language of Lim. Though she is writing about history, her choices are precise and elucidating. She weaves a defined tapestry of characters whose lives we can experience and identify with. Those who can get tickets will appreciate and remember this production!

For more information, go to http://www. brownpapertickets.com/event/1789709.

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

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Cast of Paper Angels – photo by Celeste Williams

August 28, 2015

Seattle Gay News 7

Baumbach’s Mistress a theatrically charming comedy

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer

Greta Gerwig and Lola Kirke in Mistress America – Fox Searchlight Pictures

MISTRESS AMERICA Now playing Tracy (Lola Kirke) is an introverted college freshman and erstwhile writer living in Manhattan. Urged on by her mother (Kathryn Erbe), she reaches out to her future sister-in-law Brooke (Greta Gerwig) to see how the pair of them get along. Soon they’re spending every free moment together, traipsing through Times Square on a variety of wild adventures that only get more extreme and unbelievable with each passing day. Documenting all that transpires, Tracy begins to realize Brooke’s escapades are going to make a fantastic story, and whether her new friend approves or not she’s set on being the one who is going to someday tell it.

Mistress America is a modern day screwball comedy much in the same vein as Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild or Susan Seidelman’s Desperately Seeking

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“Like many classic American plays, John Baxter is a Switch Hitter directs a very focused lens into one specific community in order to reflect universal truths about the larger world,” says Joshi.

“Through the metaphor of the great American pastime, Ana and Andrew ask us: If people of goodwill can’t get to the first base of co-existence, what hope is there for any of us? It’s a big question – posed with incredible humor, joy, and theatricality in this big play – that challenges us to embrace a broader sense of humanity.”

John Baxter is a Switch Hitter is the latest installment of Intiman’s popular “Start Up Stagings” new play initiative (Miracle!, Stu for Silverton), dedicated to commissioning, developing, and producing new works that represent Intiman’s mission to champion diverse protagonists.

Tickets: Single tickets start at $20; discount festival passes available to see this play and The Children’s Hour – even in the same day; on sale at intiman.org or call (206) 315-5838.

8 Seattle Gay News

Susan flavored with a bit of Whit Stillman’s Damsels in Distress for good measure. Reuniting writer/director Noah Baumbach with his Frances Ha collaborator Gerwig, the film is an energetic, free-spirited adventure that takes pleasure in going in as many different directions as it can seemingly all at the same time. If not rising to the same stratospheric heights as the pair’s last endeavor, this is still a wonderfully entertaining jaunt, the film a smartly constructed character study that’s far more insightful and emotionally affecting than it initially appears.

The problem, and in all fairness it’s a pretty minor one, is that as introspective and perceptive as this might be, the dialogue is so arch, so affected, so of a certain type and pattern (thus the Whit Stillman comparisons) that it’s oddly hard to take things seriously no matter how authentic what’s being said might in fact be. There was never a moment where I didn’t forget I was watching a movie, that these were characters in a play going through their idiosyncratic motions strictly for their own

amusement, and as such things never hit home in the way I hoped they would.

With that in mind, and even though I think this is a better, more intimately genuine motion picture than Baumbach’s last 2015 venture, While We’re Young, I admit to enjoying that Ben Stiller/Naomi Watts starring effort a tiny bit more than this.

Even if the last act felt a little false, more melodramatic and artificial than everything else that preceded it, the dialogue and the performance crackled with an honest electricity this one doesn’t quite measure up to, and as such I had a lot more fun with that film even though the revelations of the final act were hardly extraordinary.

Not that I’m dismissing Mistress America. As much as the stagy pitter-patter of the dialogue didn’t sit as well with me as I’d have liked, that doesn’t make the structural, character-driven cohesion of the plot Baumbach and Gerwig have constructed any less attention grabbing. Brooke could trade places with Susan from the 1938 Cary Grant/Katherine Hepburn classic Bringing Up Baby and I’d barely bat an eyelash.

Intiman’s Community Partner for John Baxter is a Switch Hitter is the Pride Foundation, a regional community foundation that inspires giving to expand opportunities and advance full equality for LGBTQ people across the Northwest.

satire that weaves together scenes, sketches, and daring meta-theatrics to portray growing up Gay and black – concludes the festival September 16 - October 3 in the Alhadeff Studio at Cornish Playhouse.

New this year, Intiman offers $20 tickets for a wide variety of patrons, including artists; students and educators; nonprofit employees; retail/service industry employees; government/public sector employees; and members of the military. Single tickets and discount festival passes are on sale now at intiman.org or call (206) 315-5838.

Support for the 2015 Intiman Theatre Festival is also generously provided in part by the Raynier Institute & Foundation, Nitze-Stagen, Seattle Met, Edelman, KING5, 4Culture, SeattlePI.com, Hafer Family Foundation, Shubert Foundation, The Stranger, CityArts, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, BECU, and a dedicated community of individual supporters.

About the 2015 Intiman Theatre Festival The 2015 Intiman Theatre Festival, “The Hunt Is On,” explores how communities treat those who live on the fringe; it began in July with a critically acclaimed, immersive restaging of Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus Descending at 12th Ave Arts on Capitol Hill.

John Baxter is a Switch Hitter runs August 18 - September 27.

The festival continues September 9 - 27 with Lillian Hellman’s controversial classic The Children’s Hour – re-set by director Sheila Daniels in 1980s Seattle – performing in repertory with John Baxter is a Switch Hitter at The Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center.

Robert O’Hara’s breakout hit play Bootycandy – a semi-biographical, subversive

August 28, 2015

About Intiman Theatre Intiman is a professional and socially progressive theatre that produces an annual theatre festival that is relevant to our time,

She’s a whip-smart, intelligently fun-loving burst of energy and emotion blowing in and out of the lives of her friends like a rambunctiously free-spirited hurricane, the chaos she brings with her laced with equal parts kindness and love.

On top of that, there is a wholesomeness to both Brooke and Tracy that’s wondrous.

The former is finally coming to grips with her life, suddenly afraid that as she’s about to turn 30 that she’s failed to put down roots that could allow for her wild ambitions to blossom as she’d always fantasized they would. As for the latter, what she learns about her responsibilities as both a writer and as a friend are decidedly personal, the level of introspection required for her to take these lessons to heart breathlessly startling.

Even at a brisk 84 minutes, the places Baumbach allows this story to travel are far more expansive than I’d ever have expected before the movie began. There’s a lot I’m not talking about, side characters and subplots that help build Brooke and Tracy into the women that ultimately emerge when the picture comes to its end. The way both navigate through this maze is the jubilant surprise the filmmaker goes to great lengths to conceal for as long as he can, the way the pair’s relationship culminates a poignant joy in large parts thanks to its undeniable purity.

Gerwig is as wonderful as ever (even if she could probably play a character like Brooke in her sleep at this point), while Kirke is a divine spark of solipsistic ingenuity whose performance grew on me more and more as things progressed. Baumbach is in as solid and as confident a control as he’s ever been, allowing events to progress with a naturalistic clarity that’s invigorating. If only the dialogue had sat a little better with me, if the whole thing didn’t sound so patently theatrical, it’s possible we’d be talking about one of 2015’s best. As it is, Mistress America is still memorably worthwhile, and even with this handful of caveats I still hope interested parties put forth the effort to give it a look.

and as diverse as the community in which we live.

In 2014, Intiman presented a 20th anniversary production of both parts of Tony Kushner’s epic Angels in America; and won a Seattle Times Footlight Award for Top Mainstage Play.

In 2013, Intiman won the Seattle Times’ Footlight Awards for Best New Musical and Great Performances for its production of Stu for Silverton, a new musical about the first openly transgender mayor in America heralded by the Times as “groundbreaking.”

Another 2013 festival play, Trouble in Mind – written in 1955 by celebrated African-American playwright Alice Childress – had one reviewer weeping through the curtain call, calling it theatre that “bring[s] us face-to-face with our collective humanity.”

For more information, visit intiman.org and follow Intiman on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Courtesy of Intiman Theatre

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

August 28, 2015

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10 Seattle Gay News

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Celebrating 41 Years!

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Celebrating 41 Years!

Brutal No Escape a relentlessly bloodthirsty thriller

Lake Bell and Owen Wilson star in No Escape – blogs.indiewire.com

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer NO ESCAPE Now playing There’s a lot one can say about director John Erick Dowdle. That he’s a subtle filmmaker isn’t one of them. For better and for worse, he and his co-screenwriter brother Drew Dowdle have shown a splendid job of being able to play upon an audience’s most primal fears in low budget horror opuses like Quarantine (the pair’s smashing remake of Spanish sensation [REC]) and As Above So Below. Now they up the ante with the somewhere-in-Southeast-Asia-set thriller No Escape, dropping stars Owen Wilson and Lake Bell into an unfathomable maelstrom of trauma and terror leaving no stone unturned as they ratchet up tension and force the heart to uncomfortably palpitate.

They do this with malevolent, border-

line xenophobic glee, showcasing their Asian prowlers as bloodthirsty, cravenly sadistic heathens who aren’t above raping women, dismembering children and forcing fathers to watch as all they love is ripped to shreds. Director Dowdle uses every trick in the book including slow motion shots of a mother reaching to the heavens to catch a falling child and overlapping quickly cut montages of murderous mobs callously hacking and slashing their way through defenseless foreigners. He slathers Marco Beltrami’s (The Hurt Locker) and Buck Sanders’ (Warm Bodies) dynamic, rhythmically propulsive score over the action as if it were peanut butter looking to mate with gallons of raspberry jelly, manipulating the viewer’s emotions with a confidence bordering on demonic.

And it works. Knowing the best thing to do is to hit the ground running, leave exposition to a minimum and keep the focus on the central players and upon them alone, the filmmaker can’t help but manufacture

tension so palpable my blood ran cold during the first 15 minutes and proceeded to freeze right over during the subsequent hour. There are few explanations as to what is going on and why, quick monologues by supporting players the only insight we have as to why this country is falling to pieces.

This is a ticking clock race to remain alive, nothing more, and certainly nothing less, the only question being just how far the protagonists are going to be willing to go to ensure they and their two children make it across the border to safety.

The plot is simple. Engineer Jack Dwyer (Wilson) has come to this unnamed country to build a water processing plant for a large American corporation. He has brought along his wife Annie (Bell) and their two children Lucy (Sterling Jerins) and Beeze (Claire Geare), each curious to see what this foreign adventure has in store for them. But hours after landing chaos erupts with volcanic fury, homicidal mobs taking control of the military, rampaging through the streets obliterating all who they come into contact with. With survival the only option, Jack and Annie use any and all means at their disposal to get themselves and their children out of the country, the family aided by a secretive British traveler (Pierce Brosnan) who knows more about what’s happening than he is willing to say.

What follows is ferociously visceral, and not for a single second do either Dowdle coddle the audience into believing anything warm or fuzzy is going to take place.

This is a meat grinder movie, a motion picture that wraps itself inside the blood and viscera of its central characters, asking the audience to sweat, cry and bleed alongside of them. There are no greater points being made, no insights into the global questions involving corporations, poverty or religion.

This is a saga of parents fighting for the lives of their children, that’s it, and as such it can’t help but connect on an innately personal level hard to not be affected by.

Wilson, delivering his first purely dramatic performance since Marely & Me, does a great job of folding into the skin of a dumbstruck father trying to grasp the full extent of the peril he’s inadvertently put his family in. But as good as he is, and he’s excellent, it is Bell who steals every scene she’s a part of. The actress is sensational, doing more with less, exuding a mixture of emotions throughout. There’s a terrific scene where she battles her own fears of certain doom realizing she must put all of that aside in order to do what she must to give her children a shot at living, literally leaping across into the unknown in hopes doing so will lead to some modicum of safety.

There are points where I couldn’t help but wonder if I should be offended by all of this. The Dowdles play things almost as if they were constructing a ’70s-style exploitation film, channeling Wes Craven’s Last House on the Left and Meir Zarchi’s infamous I Spit on Your Grave at the most uncomforting of moments, intentionally or unintentionally I do not know. By and large the Southeast Asian mobs are depicted as cutthroats and marauders, the only thing missing being blood dripping from their fangs and long Fu Manchu mustaches for them to twirl as they pursue the Dwyer family to the Vietnamese border.

Even so, John Erick Dowdle is just too talented and the film just too well made for me to feel like those sentiments are enough to derail the motion picture as a whole. No Escape got under my skin, forced me to sit up straight as I squirmed in my seat wondering what was going to happen to Jack, Annie and their two small children next.

Not for the faint of heart, and certainly not for the easily offended, this riotous thriller knows what it’s doing, maneuvering me into an emotional whirlwind of suspense and heartache I couldn’t have set aside even if I’d have wanted to try.

Prague Pride attracts 35,000 in its fifth year

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer The thought of Gay men and women marching down any street in the Czech Republic twenty-five years ago, even ten years ago, was crazy. It was unthinkable, really.

Fast forward to August 15, 2015 when 35,000 people attended the Prague Pride parade, almost double the amount from a year ago, as thousands more flooded the streets throughout the day celebrating in the nation’s capital city. Adriana Krnácová, the mayor of Prague, was one of several representatives who took part in the parade, marking the very first time ever that a city mayor publicly supported the event. Her appearance followed that of a unicorn – yes, there was an actual unicorn at the Prague Pride parade!

Czech actresses, TV hosts, politicians, and other famous figures also showed up for the celebration, which wound its way through the city center and came to a halt at Letna Park, where an outdoor festival with three entertainment stages was held, plus informational booths, free testing for HIV,

and a place where couples enjoyed a popup wedding ceremony that symbolically married them for the day. Over 150 LGBT-themed events, an all-time high, were offered for the community to attend during the week, August 10-16, leading up to the parade, including the Monday evening opening of the Pride Village on Strelecky Island, located in the Vltava River.

A concert that included performances

by EuroVision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst and popular Czech singers Jaro Smejkal and Aneta Langerová drew 3,000 guests at the Pride Village. Similarly impressive was a sold-out performance by the London Gay Men’s Chorus at The National Theatre, a cultural landmark dating back to the 1860s.

Johanna Sigurdardottir, the first openly Lesbian Prime Minister of Iceland, and her wife Jonina Leosdottir were invited to Prague to discuss their relationship that has spanned three decades in a public segment called “Pride Voices: Voices That Change Our World for the Better” that also featured Jeannine Gramick, co-founder of the Gay-positive New Ways Ministry and an LGBT advocate and controversial ally who often goes head-to-head with the Catholic church. Film screenings, beach volleyball, business forums, community picnics,

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Prague Pride 2015 revelier – photo by Eva Korinkova

panel discussions, church services, naked city tours, and an array of late night parties were also part of the 2015 program.

Overall, Prague Pride was a big success and proved that tolerance and approval of the Gay lifestyle is a progression happening all over the world, even in places never thought possible.

Planning will begin soon for the 2016 Prague Pride festivities, likely to be staged

around the same time in August. Getting to Prague from Seattle requires two flights, a long-haul international flight to Europe – Delta, Lufthansa, Concord, British Airways all fly there non-stop – with a quick connection in Paris, London, or Frankfurt. If interested in visiting Prague, or the Czech Republic, go to czechtourism.com.

For further information on Pride, log onto praguepride.cz.

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Meetings Events Activities

FOR A CALENDAR LISTING: Send details to: SGN, Attn: Community Calendar, 1707 23rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98122. SGN phone: 324-4297. E-mail: sgn2@sgn. org. INCLUDE: Date, time, location, contact phone # for publication (if possible), brief description of event & sponsoring organization. DEADLINE: Tuesday 5pm.

ACCESSIBILITY: Is your event accessible to LGBTQ people with 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 calendar

SATURDAY - August 29

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.

Women’s Creative Industries Forum. 10am-3pm. The Vera Project, Seattle Center. Experience presentations & live performances by women who design sound, produce radio shows, make films & beyond. Get to know other professionals & beginners in these creative industries with networking activities & a women-centric resource fair. FREE, all ages & all gender identities welcome. To RSVP: http://bit.ly/grlpwrRSVP Nudestock. 11am-6pm. Tiger Mountain Family Nudist Park, 24050 SE 127th St, Issaquah. A nude rock n’ blues experience. tigermtnudists.com Olympic Music Festival (6/27-9/13). Sat & Sun @ 2pm. Tickets & info: 360-732-4800. www.olympicmusic festival.org Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 6pm-12 midnight. Call for location & details. Every Saturday. (253) 671-2838. www.oasisyouth center.org.

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

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

For more information visit www.rainbowbridgeclub.org or email rainbowbridgeclub@gmail.com Seattle Reign FC vs Sky Blue FC. 7pm. Memorial Stadium, Seattle Center. Reignfc.com for tickets and info.

“The Circus Animal - SANCA Staff Show” (8/21-8/23 & 8/28-8/30). 7pm. 674 S Orcas St. Presented by the Seattle School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts. For tickets & info visit sancaseattle.org or call 206-652-4433.

“Manifesto” (8/27-8/30). 7:30pm. Calamus Auditorium at Gay City, 517 Pike St. A playful Queer dance narrative performance that explores Womanhood. And California Red Sea Cucumbers. Listed in Dance Magazine’s best of 2014 list, the show is a personal exploration on what it means to create outside the realms of expectations and inherent ability, led by a clear voice-over narration and a subtle, detailed dance. Topics of life purpose, femininity, gender, existentialism, living child-free, the potential of the human female body and marine invertebrate behavior take the audience on a genre blending stroll through personal and collective ruminations and aspirations. $20 general admission, $18 students & seniors. gaycity.org/arts-season Spring Awakening (8/21 & 8/22, 8/28 & 8/29). Doors 7pm, Show 8pm. Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway. The Tony Award-winning rock musical benefits Peace for the Streets by Kids From the Streets.

Tickets: $20-$28. For tickets & info visit www.chandelierproductions.org Pink Party Time 7. 9pm. Neumos, 925 E Pike St. Features actor & voice-over artist Troy Baker, a VIP lounge & the Offical Pink Party $1,000 Cosplay Contest. A portion of the proceeds benefit Gay City. $15 general admission, $30 VIP. pinkpartyprime.com

SUNDAY - August 30

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

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

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

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

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

Spectators welcome. Join us for lunch afterwards!

Sponsored by the Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force. For info email John at johndmarsh@mac.com; www.gaysnohomish.org

14 Seattle Gay News

August 29 thru September 6 munity. An exciting fellowship ... a place to believe, a place to belong. 784-8495.

Olympic Music Festival (6/27-9/13). Sat & Sun @ 2pm. Tickets & info: 360-732-4800. www.olympicmusic festival.org 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 22nd Annual Neighbours Pageant: “A Red Carpet Affair.” Doors 6pm, Pageant 7pm. Neighbours Nightclub, 1509 Broadway. Hosted by Aleksa Manila. Celebrating the year of Mr Neighbours Skylar Paradisco & Miss Neighbours Iyona Bonet Black. With anniversary celebrants Scotty & Ebony La Face (1995), Gary & Tonya (2000), JT Temple & Candace Derriere (2005) & Julian Beaute & Dolly Madison (2010). NO COVER. www. neighbours nightclub.com “The Circus Animal - SANCA Staff Show” (8/21-8/23 & 8/28-8/30). 7pm. 674 S Orcas St. Presented by the Seattle School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts. For tickets & info visit sancaseattle.org or call 206-652-4433.

Integrity/Puget Sound. 7pm-Worship & Fellowship. St. Mark’s Cathedral, Thomson Chapel, 1245 10th Ave E. Integrity is an international ministry of Gay & Lesbian Episcopalians, their friends & families, dedicated to education, support & service within the Church & the GLBT community. (425) 226-2746.

Manifesto (8/27-8/30). 7:30pm. Calamus Auditorium at Gay City, 517 Pike St. A playful Queer dance narrative performance that explores womanhood. And California Red Sea Cucumbers. $20 general admission, $18 students & seniors. gaycity.org/arts-season (See Saturday listing for more details.)

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

MONDAY - August 31

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

All are welcome. 322-7500.

East Shore Unitarian Church. 10am-Sunday Service.

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

Gay Days at Wildwaves - Gay Day Picnic Party Fundraiser. 10am-7pm. Cascade Picnic Grove, Wild Waves Theme Park, 36201 Enchanted Parkway S, Federal Way. Among the day’s amenities at the picnic site, enjoy a fine day of drag entertainment, special food vendors, a beer garden, and low cost bag check. $30 general admission, $20 ages 3-7. Includes admission to Wildwaves. Ticket profits benefit Camp Ten Trees & LGBT homeless youth. For complete details, visit www. brownpapertickets.com/event/1720074. Sponsored by the Imperial Court of Seattle.

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

University Congregational United Church of Christ.

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

Wallingford United Methodist Church. 10am-Worship.

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

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

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

A congregation of the Disciples of Christ & the United Church of Christ. 322-0487, www.allpilgrims.org Living Water Fellowship. 10:30am-Worship. 7204 NE 175th St, Kenmore. All GLBT welcome. Pastor Susan George. 963-0807. www.livingwaterwa. com Seattle Sunday Bowling. 10:30am. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW (at SW Oregon St). Open bowl every Sunday for the GLBT community & friends. You don’t have to worry about how you bowl! $6.50 + $2 shoe rental. (425) 785-4725.

August 28, 2015

Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Holy Covenant International Christian Community Church. 12pm. 4525 19th Ave NE. Outreach to the LGBT community. holycovenantccc@gmail.com Just for Today. 12-1:30pm. SASG, 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 Grace Gospel Chapel. 2pm-Worship. Gift of Grace Lutheran Church, 2102 N 40th St. Oldest independent church ministering primarily to the Gay & Lesbian com-

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 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.)

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

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

(253) 474-8897.

Washington Gender Alliance Support Group Meeting in Shoreline. 7:30pm. Center for Human Services, 17018 15th Ave NE, Shoreline. Meets every Monday. For information email info@washingtongender alliance.com Les Be Honest. 8-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Monday. Open women only AA group. 322-2437; www. sasgcc.org.

TUESDAY - September 1

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 Gay Men’s Task Force of Snohomish County in Everett. 6-8pm. Snohomish Health District, 3020 Rucker Ave Ste 309A, Everett. Meets 1st Tuesday each month.

Open to all Gay & Bisexual men in Snohomish County.

“We will be discussing issues concerning the local Gay community & value your opinion, voice, comments, sug-

Celebrating 41 Years!

gestions & attendance. Come join us as we build community in Snohomish County.” David, (425) 339-5238.

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 Diverse Harmony. 6:30-9pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave. Every Tuesday. Diverse Harmony is the nation’s first Gay/Straight Alliance Youth Chorus. Youths ages 13-22 are welcome regardless of sexual orientation. www.diverseharmony.org Queer Young Females Group - For Female-Identified Youth, Ages 22 & Under. 6:30-7:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Tuesday. Topics range from family issues to school happenings to like/lust/love relationships. All Queer females welcome. Come discuss how smart. strong Queer women live their lives. 322-2515, www. lamberthouse.org Tuesday Night Sex Addicts Anonymous (GLBTQI).

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

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

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

Rain City Jacks. 1st & 3rd Tuesday each month at 7pm; 4th Sunday each month at1pm. West Queen Anne/ Interbay. Location & membership details provided upon request. RCJ is a traditional jack-off club. Friendly, sexpositive, non-profit and private. Membership required.

Adult men only. Enroll at the door. www.raincityjacks. org, email info@raincityjacks.org or call 1-888-809-5035.

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

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

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

Experience connection, community & spirituality. Drums are provided. For info & location call Dennis at 363-4500 or www.outdrum.com What About Me? 7:30-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Tuesday. Drop-in social, support & discussion group for Gay & Bi men of all ages. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Here & Now Gay & Lesbian AA Meeting in Tacoma.

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

Every Tuesday.

Spiritual Empowerment. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 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 Washington Gender Alliance Open Support Meeting in Bellingham. 7:30-9pm. St James Presbyterian Church, 910 14th St., Bellingham. Every Tuesday. (360) 445-2411; www.washingtongenderalliance.com. (See Wednesday listing at 7:30pm for details.)

Seattle 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

WEDNESDAY - September 2

Mature Friends Morning Exercise/Health & Fitness Get-Together. 10am. Ballard Odd Fellows Hall Bldg, 1706 NW Market St. Every Wednesday. An hour of health-related activities, followed by a walk around Greenlake & lunch at a local restaurant. MF is a social group for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www. maturefriends.org True Colors: Connecting LGBTQ Teens in Shoreline.

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

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

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

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

Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 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 Southeast Seattle Lesbian Evening Group. 6pm.

Southeast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S Holly St. Meets the 1st Wednesday of every month. RSVP to Kate

community calendar

ery 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.

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

Seattle Prime Timers Coffee Reunion. 7pm. Starbucks, 1600 E. Olive Way. Meets 1st Thursday each month. www.seattleprimetimers.org Buddhism & Recovery. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Thursday. A meditation/recovery group.

322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Emerald City Social Club. 7:30pm. Call for details & location - phone staffed most Tuesday evenings or leave message. Meets 1st Thursday each month. ECSC is a confidential crossdressing social & support organization for Transvestite & Transsexual individuals, primarily MTF, which offers confidential membership, private monthly meetings, frequent events on the town, & help in coming out. (425) 827-9494.

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

Every Thursday. Support meetings for Gay fathers & Gay men who are currently or previously married. Safe, anonymous, non-judgmental environment of caring fathers & friends. You are not alone. 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

FRIDAY - September 4

Hawkins 722-0317. www.sessc.org. FREE. Lotus Sisters Meditation & Dharma Discussion North. 6:15-8pm. Ravenna Bryant neighborhood. Meets every Wednesday. Call 525-7295 for location. www.

LotusSisters.org.

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

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 PFLAG/Renton Monthly Meeting. 7pm. St Luke’s Episcopal Church, 99 Wells Ave S, Renton. Meets 1st Wednesday each month. Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays is a national support organization for parents, spouses & families of GLBT persons, as well as those minorities. PFLAG/Renton: 425-235-4139. PFLAG/ Puget Sound: 325-7724. www.seattle-pflag.org.

Seattle Movie Bears Movie Night. Check website for details. Every Wednesday night. Gay & Bi men enjoy a movie at a local theater with opportunity to socialize before & after movies. More info: http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/seattlemoviebears; or e-mail: seattlemoviebearssubscribe@yahoogroups.com Mature Friends Weekly Bridge Group. 7:30pm. Call for location. Every Wednesday. All levels welcome. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www.maturefriends.org Orca Swim Team Workout. 7:30-8:45pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.)

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

Trained peer facilitators lead a structured support meeting helping people deal with issues of gender identity & expression. All adults are welcomed, including those

Visit us online www.sgn.org

who are questioning, allies, or identify as FTM, MTF, Transgender, Queer, or Intersex, among others. (360) 445-2411; www.washingtongenderalliance.com.

Pride Skate Seattle. 9-11pm. Southgate Roller Rink, 9646 17th Ave SW. First Wednesday of every month. $7 admission includes skate rental. Must be 18+. After-party at Company, 9608 16th Ave SW, with drink specials & karaoke. www.southgaterollerrink.com

THURSDAY - September 3

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.

Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS). 12:302:30pm. South East Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S Holly St. A discussion, support & political group for all Lesbians. In addition we often have social activities. We have lunch at the center at 11:30am ($3 for 60+, $6 under 60). Facilitator: Fai, 722-0729, faiscranes@yahoo.com.

Metro route 7. Wheelchair accessible.

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

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

FREE. 622-5555 x 212.

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

Seattle Human Rights Commission. 6-8pm. Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave. Meets 1st Thursday each month.

SHRC is made up of 15 citizen representatives who advise the Mayor, the City Council, & all City of Seattle Depts in matters regarding human rights. The commission advocates for justice & equal opportunity & collaborates with & educates the public & private sectors about how to prevent & eliminate discrimination city-wide.

Meetings open to the public. 684-4540.

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 recov-

August 28, 2015

Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 4-10pm. Call for location & details. Every Friday.

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

Strength Over Speed. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12-step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. www.strength overspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Columbia City Beatwalk. 7-10pm. Columbia City Gallery, 4864 Rainier Ave S. 1st Friday each month, May thru September. Columbia City retailers, restaurants & cafes combine the love of good music with good books, fine dining & provocative art. An evening of folk, reggae, R & B, ethnic music & more. Admission to all venues: $5. www.columbiacitybeatwalk.org.

First Fridays in Yakima. 7-9pm. 223 N 1st St, Yakima.

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

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

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

(253) 474-8897.

Orca Swim Team Workout. 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. The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives & friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength & hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness & that changed attitudes can aid recovery. Greater Seattle AIS 24-hour number 625-0000; www.seattle-al-anon.org

SATURDAY - September 5

(See previous Saturday for ongoing activities.)

Bumbershoot (9/5-9/7). Seattle Center. Seattle’s annual Labor Day Weekend festival of music. http:// bumbershoot.com 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.

SUNDAY - September 6

(See previous Sunday for ongoing activities.)

Bumbershoot (9/5-9/7). Seattle Center. Seattle’s annual Labor Day Weekend festival of music. http:// bumbershoot.com Border Riders Motorcycle Club First Sunday Ride.

Contact Border Riders for details and rendezvous point.

Meets 1st Sunday most months. BRMC provides a so-

Seattle Gay News 15

cial & educational fraternity for individuals interested in recreational motorcycle touring. www.borderriders.com PFLAG/Kittitas County. 4-5:30pm. First United Methodist Church, 3rd & Ruby Sts, Ellensburg. Meets the first Sunday of every month. For information, (509) 925-7937.

St Aelred’s Independent Catholic Church in Olympia.

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

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.

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 a comprehensive list of HIV/AIDS service organizations see the GSBA Guide or visit www.thegsba.org or call Lifelong AIDS Alliance, 328-8979.

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.flyinghouse. 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.outandequal.org/affiliates/seattle PARENTHOOD: Families Like Ours provides a gateway for LGBT families interested in adoption: 441-7602, www.familieslikeours. org; Family Works offers support, information & activities for LGBT families: 694-6727, www.familyworksseattle. org; Gay Fathers’ Association of Seattle offers support groups & social activities: www.gfas. org; Proud & Loud Families - Northwest,

16 Seattle Gay News

www.meetup.com/proud-and-loud-families-northwest, plfnorthwest@aol.com; Queer Parent Networking Dinners: 568-7777, info@nwnetwork.org; Rainbow Families of Puget Sound: www.rainbowfamiliesps.org PFLAG is the national organization for parents, families, allies, and LGBTQ people united for equality with chapters in Seattle, Bellevue/Eastside, the Puget Sound region and across Washington state. PFLAG Seattle: 206-325-7724, info@pflagseattle.org, and www.pflag seattle.org; PFLAG Bellevue/Eastside: 425-4836642, info@bellevue-pflag.org, http://community.pflag. org/PFLAGBellevue; PFLAG Pacific Northwest: www.pnwpflag.org; PFLAG Washington state: www. pflagwsc.org.

PEOPLE OF COLOR: 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

August 28, 2015

through Facebook.

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 Servicemembers Legal Defense Network - (202) 328-3244; www.sldn.org SHIFT: A Peer Recovery Network - www.shiftrecovery. 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.cascade flyers.org; Different Spokes Bicycling Club: www.differentspokes.org; Emerald City Mudhen Rugby: www.mudhenrugbycom; Emerald City Softball Association: www.emeraldcity softball. org, www.eteamz.com/womensecsa; Ethyl Forever Car Club: ethylforever@hotmail.com; 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 Gay Basketball Association: www. seattlegaybasketballassociation.com; Seattle Orca Swim Team: www.orcaswimteam.org; Seattle Otters Water Polo: www.otterpolo.com; Seattle Quake Rugby: www.quakerugby.com; Seattle Tennis Alliance: www. seattletennisalliance.org; Seattle Unified Bowling Association (SUBA): magee98106@aol.com, www. teamseattle.org/bowling.htm, www.theprideleague. com, Century 21 League; Seattle Volleyball Club: www.seattlevolleyballclub.com; Ski Buddies: www. skibuddies. org; Team Seattle Gay Sports Network is an umbrella organization for a wide range of local GLBT sports activities, 367-4064, www.teamseattle.org (see website for comprehensive list of sports clubs); Triangle Recreation Camp at Bender Creek: recreational camping for GLBT folks. Must be 21; ID required. trc@camptrc.org, www. camptrc.org, 1122 E Pike St #1069, Seattle 98122-3934.

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

SouthSoundGender.com; Gender 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. Follow us at http://lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot. com, twitter.com/ingridWHO or email lbthealth@ywcaworks.org, 461-4493.

Yakima: First Fridays - (509) 576-0276. www.gayakima.com/1stfridays.html 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!

Volunteer Park

• BACON MANSION

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

12TH AVE. E.

E. ROY ST.

16TH AVE. E.

15TH AVE. E.

13TH AVE. E.

• 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.

BROADWAY AVE. E.

E. WARD ST.

E. MERCER ST.

E. REPUBLICAN ST. E. HARRISON ST.

• BROADWAY GRILL

10TH AVE. E.

11TH AVE.

E. HOWELL ST.

.

• CLUB Z BATHS

• THE STRANGER

NAGLE PL.

Cal Anderson Park

• LAMBERT HOUSE

BROADWAY

HARVARD AVE. E.

Seattle Central Community College

• LINDAʼS • BILLʼS OFF BROADWAY

C.C. ATTLEʼS• TOMMY GUN• THE SOCIAL•

B&O ESPRESSO • BOYLSTON AVE.

BELMONT AVE.

E. DENNY WAY

• SUPERSTAR TATTOO

E AV

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• UPS STORE

• HILL HOUSE

• NEUMOʼS

N

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T.

S IKE

• SIMPLY FRAMES & MINER GALLERY E. JOHN ST.

• THE LOBBY • PLATINUM RECORDS

• SEATTLE EAGLE

GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT •

• NEIGHBOURS

.

E AV

• BAUHAUS • BALTIC ROOM

BO

T.

ES

PIN

• GLOʼS

R

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• AURIFICE • R PLACE • HONEY HOLE SANDWICHES • TOYS IN BABELAND

IN

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• TRAVELERS • THE FEED BAG

.

ST

M

L

EL

SUMMIT AVE.

• REBAR

• STEAM WORKS

A EW

ST

• THE CRESCENT

T.

S RT

• GSBA

DENNY WAY

E. THOMAS ST.

• JULIAʼS

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

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

•WILDROSE • HOT HOUSE

• POCO WINE ROOM

ON

E.

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

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

IS AD

ST.

M

E. UNION ST.

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

• THE GASLIGHT INN

• THE CUFF COMPLEX E. PINE ST. • PURR • THE CRYPT • POST OPTIONS • DOGHOUSE LEATHERS

E. UNION ST.

SEATTLE

MALDEN AVE. E.

BROADWAY E.

• THE CANTERBURY

August 28, 2015

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

WENATCHEE

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

Seattle Gay News 17

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10 housemates

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11 FOR RENT

_______________________________ 12 12 housing wanted

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34/3

37

38 MEN

Bughuul’s return not Sinister enough to matter

Nicholas King as Bughuul and Clare Foley as Ashley in Sinister II – www.medyaradar.com

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer SINISTER II Now playing

Courtney Collins (Shannyn Sossamon) has come to a secluded farm in the middle of Illinois along with her two twin 9-year-old sons Dylan (Robert Daniel Sloan) and Zach (Dartanian Sloan) to hide from abusive and vindictive husband Clint (Lea Coco). Walking into their midst is a stranger, a former Sheriff’s Deputy (James Ransone) now moonlighting as a private investigator looking into the property’s sordid and tragic history. Once upon a time, a god-fearing family, their patriarch a small town preacher, was murdered in the tiny church standing next to the house. All of them down to the last child were slain, all save one boy who mysteriously disappeared never to be seen again.

While the case is listed as unsolved, the former cop has a good idea what happened, events comparable to another vexing mur-

18 Seattle Gay News

der involving true-crime writer and friend Ellison Oswalt and his family a few years prior. The former copy was going to destroy the house, burn it down to ashes. But now that Courtney and her boys are living there he can do no such thing because, the moment they move, that’s when the true horror begins, the demonic presence haunting the farm eager to see its evil migrate to another location taking all it touches straight to Hell in the process.

In many ways Sinister II is a better film than its predecessor. Scott Derrickson (Deliver Us from Evil), writing once again alongside fellow scribe C. Robert Cargill, returns to the world he helped create back in 2012, turning over the directorial reins to Ciarán Foy (Citadel) so he could go off and make Marvel’s Doctor Strange. Freed from having to set up this world and its rules, he and Cargill can instead focus on giving the audience a reason to care about what is going on and why, centering things around a very real story of anger and abuse that’s easy to digest. The pain the two boys feel, the punishment and bullying they have

August 28, 2015

faced at such a young age, it’s what makes them attractive to the demon Bughuul, their two souls ripe for feasting upon.

At the same time, even with the return of Deputy So-and-So, it isn’t like there are a lot of unexpected places for this sequel to go to, and even though his knowledge of the evil assaulting the Collins family shakes things up a little, they don’t do so enough to make anything that transpires any less obvious. More, Clint is such a one-dimensional monster, such a cartoon version of the stereotypical abusive husband, caring what happens to him isn’t even a passing possibility. Worse, his presence dilutes the core emotional components to an almost debilitating degree, watching him suck the life out of the proceedings a frustrating annoyance.

All the same, other than a handful of cheap jump scares that add little to the overall narrative arc, there is a remarkable amount of structural control on display, Foy’s confident, self-assured hand easy to see. Also, for anyone who has seen his micro-budgeted debut Citadel (which is a superior horror effort, make no mistake), the director knows how to get the most out of creepy murderous kids, playing upon primal fears of children descending into unfathomable darkness magnificently. While the script does let him down, while things are too clever and too cute for far too much of the running time, the filmmaker shows a masterful ability to make the smallest gesture monumental, the little raise of an eyebrow or the tremble of a lip horrifying.

It is also key that he’s assembled a crackerjack technical team, most important being cinematographer Amy Vincent (Hustle & Flow). Her effortlessly surreal camerawork is a delicate, unsettling waltz of tense revelation, one that only grows in visually hypnotic intensity as things progress. She’s

ably assisted by a cadre of editors (three are credited) who do a crackerjack job of assembling things together into a cohesive whole, while Bill Boes’ (The Smurfs) production design is eloquently eerie in its delicately lived-in simplicity. Tom Hajdu and Andy Milburn, a.k.a. tomandandy, reunite with Foy after their sensational collaboration on Citadel, achieving a sonic elegance that, while not rising to the same heights as It Follows or Backcountry, is still pretty darn impressive in and of itself.

As true as all of this might be, as good as Ransone is and as nice as I find it to see Sossamon back on the big screen, there is no escaping the fact that the climax Derrickson and Cargill have concocted for this second chapter in Bughuul’s ongoing demonic story is hardly satisfying. Foy has talent, but not even a director as promising as he is could probably have come up with a way to make the mind-numbing silliness of the last 15 minutes work in ways that would be anything other than unintentionally humorous. It’s a bunch of running around where the rules of the mythology change for no apparent reason other than they need to or the last few seconds cannot come to pass, and as such it saps fear, tension and emotion out of the picture replacing it with something decidedly pointless.

Which is sad because, in so many ways, Sinister II is a horror sequel with real potential. It has a central conceit that’s inherently intriguing, building on the disturbing premise of its predecessor with real ingenuity. Yet in the end it’s nowhere nearly as satisfying as it might have been, and while glimmers of chilling astonishment can be found, it just isn’t enough to make Bughuul’s return anything memorable.

Celebrating 41 Years!

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August 28, 2015

Seattle Gay News 19

20 Seattle Gay News

August 28, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!