The VJ Battle's Imminent Return!

Ok, prepare yourself – Seattle is ramping up to host another VJ Battle! Yep, you heard me; I am, in fact, talking about a competitive battle between video jockeys. For me, discovering that Seattle hosts a VJ Battle or “OptiClash” was on par with discovering that Roller Derby was alive and skating through the warehouses of Seattle – simply incredible.

I’ll paint a little picture, last year some friends and I wandered into the Capital Hill Arts Center and ran smack-dab into a full-out competitive event. I was amazed to see a full panel of judges studiously watching the increasingly competitive rounds of VJs, two at a time, using their laptops to spin images onto two large projector screens whilst a DJ spun the music that they had to match beat and tone-wise, all on the fly. I’ve never seen the like. If you like hearing DJ’s spinning and have ever wondered how VJ’s do their thing, this is definitely something to see. I’ll tell you that last year the competition was fierce and the winner, who, by the by, carried an ax on all of his rounds, upon winning, smashed a video monitor à la MTV. I’m not sure what I was expecting but this event exceeded anything I had imagined.

So, consider yourself on notice: This year’s “OptiClash” is on its way! A little birdie told me that the target date is June 13th and I, for one, am marking a big ol’ star on my calendar to make room for the Battle for Seattle!

Withness The Rebirth of the Fremont Art Walk

Today is your opportunity to witness the rebirth of the Fremont Art Walk other wise known as First Friday. Fremont which has long boasted a strong grounding in the arts and an active artist community, has somehow come loose from that mooring to float around a bit, awash in the new landscape of buildings and people that flowed into the neighborhood following the construction of several commercial buildings in the area.

As a result, Fremont is presently in a state of renewal; busily finding clever ways to keep its artistic heart’s blood circulating through the changed landscape. The Art Walk is an old tradition in the neighborhood that has gotten a bit sluggish with disuse. Thus, the newly-minted chairs of the Fremont Art Walk, LaRae and Cory Lobdell are heading up the effort getting things circulating again. Under their creative and enthusiastic leadership the Art Walk is going use Lenin as the event Hub, where participants will be able to listen to Live music grab a snack and follow various Art Walk Lantern Bearers as they lead the way to the numerous galleries and fremont businesses that are hosting artists.

Also new is a fantastic new website for the Fremont First Friday’s Art Walk. So for more details on where and when to join us tonight or in future First Fridays please visit: www.fremontfirstfriday.com .

Egan's and Khazak - Two Names to Remember

Ah, it has been so long. To get back in the swing of things after my prolonged neglect, let’s talk about music. I was recently introduced to a hip little music venue in Ballard called Egan's, Ballard Jam House. If you’re looking for a nice little place free of the cattle-call feel of some many clubs that seem to revel in their chipped paint and lack of seating, then this might just be the place for you.

Friday, I joined some friends at Egan’s to hear a local group call Khazak play. In I walked to a small room with roughly half the space occupied by a stage, all shiny and new with fancy-pants colored lights and sound system. The other half looks like something out of a beatnik poetry club; small black tables all crowded (tastefully) into the remaining space, the chairs all pulled close to allow the staff to weave in and out of the milieu.

I’ll tell you one thing; this is the kind of place you had better make reservations. Every table in house was reserved (luckily my friend had our group of 5 on the list) and the unlucky few who tried to walk-in had to perch in the corner, while reserved tables sat empty. That said, there isn’t a bad table in the house; the room is so small and so well wired that you could easily soak in the music from any perspective.

Ah, yes, and that brings me to the music. This is my second chance to hear Khazak, headed up by the melodious and moody Michele Khazak, play. Her vocals are some of the best I’ve heard and she has a stylistic range to blow your mind. I have heard her cover both Bjork and Stevie Wonder, a feat that I suspect few would attempt. She and her talented band were able to transform both styles into their own, making you aware of common threads between the two that were previously unbeknownst. However, it isn’t their covers, impressive though they are, that impress me most. Instead, it is the original pieces that are most pleasing; they are introspective, moody and wryly funny. Michele is a extraordinary talent and I expect that she’ll present a real force to be reckoned with in the local scene, in no time at all. So, if you’re hungry for some local talent I recommend you check out Khazak.

Indie-films: Where to Find Them in Their Natural Habitat

If blockbusters strike fear into your heart or you would simply like to clean your cinematographic pallet, as it were, prior to descending again into their patented shock and awe, you should check out the Grand Illusion Theater. This small 50-person theater located in the U-district offers a wonderful selection of independent, classic and cult films in its one-room, tin-ceilinged screening room. In my opinion, this is the best place to see a quality film on a medium-sized screen; it makes up for in personality what it lacks in magnitude. The folks at the Grand illusion add in a healthy dollop of tender loving care by beginning each show with a short, in-person introduction, bringing you up to date on relevant film history and influences. This in itself is worth the price of admission.

Otherwise, if you are brave, you can choose mix a possible ghostly encounter with your film outing at the Harvard Exit Theater located just off of Broadway on Capital Hill. Be sure to show up a little early (preferably on a stormy night) to give you ample time to wander about the lobby of the Harvard which resembles a formal sitting room with requisite grand piano and fireplace; the décor is fitting as it was originally built to house The Woman's Century Club in 1925. While waiting for your show to start you can read all about the resident ghostly film buffs, which have been apparently haunting its hallowed halls since its first hours of operation. For more details on these otherworldly theater patrons visit this site .

If you would rather cast yourself adrift on the tides of cinema as opposed to be haunted by them, try the Neptune .
located on 45th Ave in the University District. This historic theater offers a lot of charm while always keeping its chosen sea god at heart; purchase your vittles from the sea-worthy concessions counter and then while you wait for the film to wash over you in the 800-person auditorium you may pop your popcorn under Poseidon’s watchful gaze.

An Oasis in the Desert of Downtown

I often find myself in a veritable wasteland of restaurants when I am out and about downtown, this is probably a direct result of my going to great lengths to avoid obvious chain restaurants. On top of that I have little need for the “upscale” experience of Morton’s et al. Thus, I often find myself at a loss for good eats when tooling around downtown. Now, let me be clear, should you find yourself in the Pike Place Market neighborhood, you can hardly throw a stone without hitting some interesting little hole in the wall, or should you venture further North into Belltown you will again be in the vicinity of plenty of Foodie hotspots. However, if you are a movie fiend like me or are perhaps going to a play in the area around the convention center; all of the sudden you are in the middle of a food Bermuda Triangle. Where are the restaurants to support all of this cultured nightlife, I ask?

To solve this little dilemma for myself, I am slowly developing a list of restaurants that guarantee a happy little meal without either breaking the bank or the spirit (read: Cheesecake Factory or any other restaurant that deems it necessary to hand out pagers to waiting clientele). To date I have but a couple of restaurants that fit this description within one or two blocks of Pacific Place (My favored movie house in the downtown district) or the Convention Center (marking a balance between the Paramount, ACT Theater, and the 5th Avenue Theater). As I find new restaurant oases in the desert of downtown I will share them with you (and for goodness sake PLEASE supply me with other downtown dining gems should you have them), for today I will but mention my favorite:

Bambuza: This restaurant never fails to bring a smile to my lips. First and foremost, I love saying the name: Bam.booooz.ahhhh. Just delightful. This little posh Vietnamese restaurant is conveniently located just up the street from the Meridian 16 Theater (and incidentally, the Cheesecake Factory. Really, one should not be surprised to be shuffled in and out of some cavernous dining hall (however, cleverly disguised) when the word “factory” is included in the name...but I have already harped on this subject). I have often pulled Bambuza out of the air when meeting friends before a show and saved the culinary day (in my mind if none other). Bambuza is a small restaurant decorated in that particular fusion of Asian and Northwestern styles which is sure to please me: airy, with the presence of wood and vibrant colors. This in my opinion sets the tone nicely for the modern take on Vietnamese fare that graces elegantly simple dishware and accompanies your martini drink of choice; I can personally vouch for the Mad Mango and the Pom Pom Tini. On the menu, I’ve tried a number of items and found everything to be executed with a light hand and quite flavorful indeed – try the Saigon Grill Hand Roll platter. However, the thing that will always return me to their door is the Honey Glazed Walnut Prawn appetizer – sweet heaven on a plate! I consider this little ditty to be the best prawn dish in town.

So, next time you are wandering aimless and in a low blood sugar haze before or after your show, pop on over, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Ice Cream on Board

I discovered, this weekend, a delightful way to hop on the water and tool around. This is important as I often wish I knew someone with a boat so that I could better take advantage of all of this glorious water we have sloshing around us here in Seattle. This Sunday, my friend Katrina and I were planning to hang out and were at a loss of what to do. Having walked by a sign advertising an Ice Cream Cruise all week on my daily trek to Starbucks, it finally occurred to me that an eight-dollar cruise was a perfect solution to this dilemma. Thus, we found ourselves schlepping on down to the little boat dock right at the end of Troll Street where it runs into Lake Union underneath the Aurora bridge (and incidentally right next to where I work at the industrious Impinj). Once there we joined the many families with children from toddlers on up to “big kids” and hailing from as far away as Finland, but mainly made-up of locals.

After a short “how do” from Captain Larry Kezner we set off on our gloriously sunny 45-minute tour of Lake Union. We got a close look at the many houseboats on Seattle, with special attention given to the “Sleepless In Seattle” home and also a peak at the equally famous though considerably more mysterious Chihuly Boat house).

I was thrilled with my little cruise due largely to that fact that although there was a discernible cheese factor (which I think is impossible to escape with any kind of “tour”), it was not overwhelming. In fact, I learned a thing or two in addition to getting some sun while perched on the top of the charmingly small sized tour boat named the Fremont Avenue. I fully enjoyed my little jaunt around Lake Union and would recommend this as a kid friendly venture and a good chance to get out on the water for a spell. If you're interested, just wander on down with 8 dollars in cash and your sunglasses – no reservations needed!

Roller Girls Strike Again!

I urge you, nay, beg you to go and see the Roller Girls do their thing again on July 15th. It will change your view of roller-skating and forever erase comical disco roller halls from your mind’s eye. On the 15th you will have the privilege of seeing Seattle’s very own Rat City Roller Girls go up against the Portland Roller Derby league, the Rose City Roller Girls . Don’t know what I’m talking about? Click here for my previous rave.

Don’t procrastinate buying your tickets as these Roller babes are skating into local stardom and seats go fast!

Enter the Dragon

This weekend I went to a local English pub to take in my second World Cup match at the behest of my dear friend Talia, who is solely responsible for my joining in the ritual that is World Cup at all. I, like many Americans, seem to be trailing the rest of the planet with cultivating this particular sporting obsession, which seems forgivable, as we have so many others to take make wide screen televisions a must-have for every home, if not for every room.

Nevertheless, we Americans seem to be stubbornly stuck on Basketball, Baseball and to the chagrin of many “Football.” Use of the name “football” to describe the less brutal version of rugby that we play here in the States is likely to raise the ire of many World Cup fans. Which got me to wondering, why do we use this term? With but a moment spent surfing the web I came up with the answer that surprised me a bit. Apparently, this is a British term coined in the 1880’s by an Oxford student named, Charles Wreford Brown. It seems that in those days “football” was an umbrella term that covered several versions of the game. The key difference was in one you were allowed to pick up the ball and run with it. To help folks distinguish between the two, slang was created: “Rugby” and “Socca” which was simply a shortening of “Association Football”. But I digress…

The George and the Dragon is a little unprepossessing pub located in Fremont (206 North 36th Street, Seattle WA 98103 Tel:206-545-6864) which most of the year does not even register a blip on my evening-out-radar. However, come World Cup it is rather hard to miss. One need only pass within a block of the pub to hear the wild cheering from the football fans. In fact, GQ Magazine deemed our little George in the top 10 ten places to watch the cup in the US. One will readily believe this when you approach the modest pub, which in order to accommodate the throngs of Footers, has installed two flat screen TVs outside – one being in the parking lot. But not to worry, they cater to the parking lot Footers with beer on tap and as many hotdogs as they can handle.

My Football friend, Talia, and I wandered up to the pub about an hour before the Noon game, and proceeded to wait in line to get into the interior of the pub. There are many benefits to being numbered among the privileged indoor Footers which make the wait worthwhile: shade (less sunlight interference on the screen, and incidentally with one’s brew), indoor plumbing, and full bar and pub food selection. The most important perk however, is that of joining the truly devoted fans who have secured the best seats in the house by showing up at 7am. These intrepid fans also come decked out in outfits designed to show their fervent allegiance to their team of choice. Sometimes, special noisemakers and flags or in the case of Mexico fans, Mexican wrestling masks, might also make an appearance. For me, who is not known for my enjoyment of televised sports (and in fact usually avoids them with no misgivings in the least), the real delight comes in the form sharing in the ritual of good natured ribbing and the sincere emotional investment of a crowd full of football fans hailing from around the globe.

Thus, I found myself waiting patiently, though with that particular cueing-up vigilance, in line to get one of those coveted indoor spots. An hour and a half later, I was in and safely installed in a seat in the shade and a cool cider in hand. From that vantage, I watched, flanked on either side by astounded Brazil fans as their team lost to the tightly knit French team. After the carnage of the game was over, the crowd mingled and congratulated or commiserated as appropriate. Overall, the lovely atmosphere of the crowd surprised me; being almost entirely absent of the soccer hooligan stenotypes of which I live in dread.

Thus, I will recommend the Dragon to fervent fans and novices alike. The next World Cup match is on Tuesday, July 4th at Noon. So, should you be desirous of celebrating the conclusion of a battle other than that of independence, check out the Germany vs. Italy match.

When Blockbusters Attack

We have officially entered blockbuster movie season, which depending on your perspective, is either a vast wasteland of sequels or the mother load of entertainment-packed film going. If you, like me, harbor a secret and self-depreciating love of large scale action films of a certain caliber the only place to see Superman (or similar large scale cult film – like say Pirates of the Caribbean) would be the Cinerama Theater . There you will join equally enthusiastic filmgoers in watching your movie of choice unfold on the huge 90 foot-long screen while surrounded by an impressive audio system. All of this state-of-the-art moviegoing splendor is to be found in Paul Allen's recently renovated theater that still honors it 1967 origins. The one detractor from this Theater's perfection is the lack of stadium seating, although, the sparkly, star-like ceiling does assuage the offense to some degree. Thus, my other preferred theater for blockbusters of this ilk is the Boeing I-Max Theater . There you descend into an underground theater nestled like a half-buried spaceship in the heart of the Pacific Science Center. The I-Max offers a satisfyingly unobstructed view of its immense screen with my preferred stadium seating, which in this case, balances out the somewhat corporate atmosphere of the theater as a whole. If ever you get the chance, go see a movie offering at the I-Max in 3-D; it will return you with delight to your wonderstruck childhood - and you get to wear cool goggles.

Forth of July Fireworks for Crowd-Lovers and Otherwise

Ah, 4th of July, the time of terrific fireworks and horrific traffic jams, is upon us once again. One thing I know for certain, Seattle denizens enjoy setting off fireworks displays. So much do we enjoy this ritual that every year at least three shows compete for our attention in the July sky. Last year, from a rooftop party in Magnolia I was able to catch the Gas Works Park display, the Elliot Bay display and the unofficial, but certainly equally prolific, West Seattle display.

If you are of courageous spirit and wish to make the 4th a full day celebration of sun worshipping (though, remember Seattle Summer does not officially begin till July 5th) picnicking and surreptitious beer guzzling, well then my friend, high tail it on down to Gas Works Park. Be sure to arrive early to carve out your territory, as you will be in the fine company of your many fellow enthusiasts and every patch of lawn will eventually be claimed as Gas Works is transformed into one large family-friendly party.

But, perhaps crowds are likely to send you into terror-induced coma? Not to worry, there are options for you as well. There are a number of local cruise lines that offer day-trips with fine views of landlubbers’ festivities. Victoria Clipper, and Argosy are two fine examples. Though some resourceful Seattleites even utilize our Washington Ferries to catch a glimpse.

Visit this handy site for a full listing of many of the Seattle area’s Independence Day festivities. If all else fails, I recommend simply crashing your neighbors BBQ, they are certain to welcome you if you go bearing cold drinks!

The Gorge at George

With summer knocking on our doors, outdoor activities again take on their magnetic appeal. What better way than by watching a concert out of doors will prove to the skeptics that the sunny season is taking root? And at this time of year Eastern Washington will offer even better chances of a sun-filled weekend. That is precisely what I chose to do with my Memorial weekend. My trusty cohorts and I schlepped on over to quaint George, Washington (yes, we had some very puny pioneer's in this state). George is home of the Gorge Amphitheater, a breezy three-hours-drive from Seattle on 1-90.

In my opinion, there is not a more glorious concert backdrop to be found in these parts. Imagine a vineyard set on a hillside westward looking over the Columbia Gorge. This vineyard was then converted to a large expanse of hardy lawn to accommodate 20,000 concertgoers and their picnics. Add to this picture the setting sun descending directly behind the giant outdoor stage; and you, my friend, have the perfect blend of Nature and Culture.

It is worthy to note that proper preparation will make an average trip into a nearly perfect one. I recommend that you arrive at the Gorge when the doors open, blanket in hand, and secure yourself seating on the still-terraced area near the bottom of the hill, you will thank yourself later!

Other outstanding outdoor concert venues in the area:

• Zoo Tunes: A family-friendly, picnic-style concert venue just up the street from Impinj and a great opportunity to see some wild animals while listening to your favorite artists like Etta James.
  
• Chateau Ste. Michelle: The premiere concert venue for the wine lover. Sample Chateau Ste. Michelle's selections of the season while relaxing on their picturesque estate near Woodinville.
  
• Marymoor Park: Another option for the Eastside located near Redmond and offering a wide spectrum of music; everything from INXS to Ani Franco.
  
• White River Amphitheater: This is a large-scale venue 35 miles south of Seattle, offering a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier and gigs like Ozzfest 2006.
  

Sunshine and Nudity on the Streets of Seattle

We are again in that most illuminated time of year: the solstice. And this year, like many before, the Fremont neighborhood has ushered in the longest day of the year with naked bicyclists. Well not just naked bicyclists, there were also naked skateboarders and wonder of wonders even a naked unicyclist…juggling no less. What were all these naked people doing you might ask? Why, they were escorting the Solstice Parade down through heart of Fremont of course.

I will share with you a little secret: I love parades. Truly. I know that they are often cheesy beyond belief, and most people will strenuously deny any fond-feeling, but I just can’t get enough of them – pride be damned. So, for me, who claims to be something of a connoisseur, the Fremont Solstice Parade is the parade to beat all parades. Here you find a wonderful vision of a parade: one that requires the announcer to hover above the crowd on 6-foot stilts, and includes the Sun Lovers Under Gray Skies, perhaps better known as the S.L.U.G.S., as well as the proud promenade of the regal, if diminutive, Prince Super Fantastic and Princess Sunshine, and yes, an ever growing contingency of beautifully painted naked bicyclists.

In this liberal-minded neighborhood of Seattle it is not surprising that more than one parade entry was making a stinging commentary on the Bush administration. And while I appreciate the value of this kind of activism, I have to say; my favorite floats are still the ones that are simply celebrating this, our lightest part of the year.

Following the parade, Fremont, the self-proclaimed Center of the Universe , really does seem to live up to it’s title as the streets become jammed with fair-goers vying for hastily prepared foodstuffs, handcrafts and a good long look at the art car collection. The cars especially should not be missed. This year the giant red high heel car and the giant red boxing glove car are still duking it out for the coveted title of “My Favorite”.

I would recommend anyone to check out the Fremont Fair, providing of course that you are neither terrified of crowds nor nudes.

Live Free or Die

Friday, I conquered SIFF! I am quite proud of myself, as I have long feared the serpentine lines of eager moviegoers that one can spot every year during the Seattle International Film Festival. But, this year was my year thanks to the generosity of a co-worker with free passes. And my goodness, I was certainly rewarded with our chosen film: Live Free or Die. It turns out that "Live Free or Die" not only inspires state pride in New Hampshire but also inspires fantastically funny movie making. This little gem flawlessly delivered my favorite kind of comedy: a film that takes itself seriously and is thus hilarious. I enjoyed this much in the same way that I enjoyed the everyday ridiculousness of Napoleon Dynamite. In Live Free, we follow the story of a young man trying desperately to blacken his name, so desperate to acquire a bad reputation and thus garner respect, our protagonist, John "Rugged" Rudgate, even goes so far as to take credit for crimes he wouldn't and couldn't commit. His dreams of hero-worship are realized when he finally finds someone who is perhaps more clueless than he: Lagrand.

The true brilliance of Live Free is found in the beautiful pairing of clever writing and excellent casting. A marvelous balance is struck between the two lead characters: Rugged, played by Aaron Stanford, is delightfully earnest which allows Paul Schneider’s equally sincere Lagrand to shine with all of his strange physical stances and stilting speech. In fact, in Lagrand we find a truly memorable comic role, from the first moment Paul Schneider stepped on film as Lagrand I was captured. Schneider’s previous roles in The Family Stone and Elizabethtown were dress rehearsals for Lagrand.

I strongly recommend Live Free or Die, however there is one hitch: they have not yet found a distributor for this little piece of brilliance. Hopefully, the logistics will soon be settled, surely winning a Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival for best New American Cinema will only help speed the process. My congratulations go out to Live Free’s talented Writer/ Directors: Andy Robin and Gregg Kavet. Check out their movie Web Site for the latest and greatest.

Roller Derby Lives!

Every once and a while I come across an event so strange and wonderful as to make my eyes tear up and to restore my belief in the vitality of Seattle's ever-changing social tapestry. Thus, I share with you the existence of Seattle's very own competitive Roller Derby. Yes, the sport does still exist and is, in fact, smack dab in the middle of a revival. Check out this page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_derby) to get caught up on the engrossing history of this sport which started in 1935 and originally involved 10,000 participants skating around a track for a distance of 3,000 miles till exhaustion or victory brought them to a relieved stop.

Today's Roller derby has a definite edge in comparison and involves ultra-competitive all-female teams with names like the Socket Wenches and the Throttle Rockets. Two weekends ago, I discovered that Roller derby is not a sport for the faint of heart as I watched the fearsome competitors race around the track trying to knock one another down (and in fact out of the ring entirely) whilst attired in small, and theme appropriate, costumes. Lucky for all you Roller enthusiasts, Seattle boasts our very own Roller derby league under the moniker of The Rat City Roller Girls (http://www.ratcityrollergirls.com/).

The next match is June 24th and will again be hosted at Magnuson Park in Hanger 27 (http://www.cityofseattle.net/parks/magnuson/), its cavernous interior makes for a strangely appropriate setting for this burgeoning sport. Once there, you will have a choice of daring the roller gods and sitting in the front row on the cement floor or taking a more cautious route and making yourself comfortable a safe distance away in the bleachers. To wet your pallets you can load up on burgers and beer while the very clever announcers bring you up to speed on the rules of the game prior to the first jam. Buy tickets early - they sell out weeks in advance!

Um... Where? Chasing after Cash

As part of my mission to see a production in all of the fine and plentiful theaters in this fine city of ours, I, just last night, saw a small play at the Center House Theater. Tucked away in what I soon discovered was the theater complex of Center House Theater, I eventually (and with the kindly help of my friends) found the venue in question: Theater 4.

Theater four is not so surprisingly nestled away and down a corner on the 4th floor of the Center house at the Seattle Center. The tricky part is that when I purchased the tickets online I simply made note of “Center House Theater” and did not dig any deeper. So, naïve, little me showed up with just about 15 minutes to spare, walked into the north entrance of the food court building at the Seattle Center and then…was at a loss. For you see, I had assumed that the theater where I had recently viewed Cyrano was in fact my destination. Oh ho! No, no, that is in fact the Shakespeare Production Theater at the Center House, of course. I on the other hand, apparently, was looking for something else entirely.

I was saved some considerable trouble by my conscientious friend whom was waiting somewhere above me for the show to begin. She called to warn me of this very thing and informed me that I should go up to the 4th floor. Walking up the front steps I did in fact see a sign that said, “Center House Theater” and “Cash on Delivery” and a nice hefty arrow pointing to the right. This was immensely reassuring, for Cash on Delivery was indeed the very play that I was seeking. However, lest you should have missed it, there was absolutely no mention of the fourth floor on that reassuring and covertly misleading sign.

So, ever the rule follower, I turned right and cleverly assumed that the sign intended that I should use the ancient elevator rather than the restrooms that were the only other things located down that long and empty corridor. Wanting to check my facts, I consulted the equally ancient building directory that was mounted right there next to the elevator. There, plain as day (using those funny old plastic white letters that you poke into the plastic backing) read, “Center House Theater: 1st Floor”. Well, hmm. This was disconcerting on so many levels. You will remember that my friend had clearly indicated the 4th floor, but perhaps some mistake? More deeply disturbing, was the fact that I was presently already on the 1st floor. This combined with the fact that the nice little sign (remember the sign?) had clearly indicated that I should turn right down this corridor, made me seriously pause. I turned and eyed the restrooms again…but no.

I decided to throw caution to the wind and go up the fourth floor, for you see my friend is very reliable with this kind of reconnaissance. I boldly pressed the “up” arrow and waited…and waited. Checked the arrow again: Yes, it was lit up. Waited. Checked again, that light was rather dim. Pushed it a couple of times for good measure. And then just when my courage was failing me, I heard the elevator making its way down to the 1st floor, accompanied by an interesting collection of clinks and clanks. Finally the doors opened and I stepped in. Whew. I suspect that I wasn’t the only one with this very same dilemma as those doors came grumbling open on every floor as we went up, permitting other play-bound folks to squeeze in with a sigh of relief. Misery does love company. The mob came in handy when we disembarked on the 4th floor, as I discovered that at least one amongst us apparently knew the way when they strode confidently off to the left and down a hall and around a corner and finally through a non-descript doorway.



Eurika! We had found it. There at a little table was Will Call and my very own name was emblazoned there on the list. Reassured, I, too, walked confidently into the main room, where I found a charming theater with seats to accommodate around 45. Seated there in the front row were my friends, and with a mere moment to shut off my phone the play began.

Cash on Delivery turned out to be a delightful British farce wherein the playwright made the somewhat odd decision to introduce a main character who is rather far down the path of defrauding the British government. Those brave Brits can make anything funny it seems. Michael Cooney certainly succeeded in milking Cash for laugh after laugh. In Cash we follow the main character, Eric Swan, as his web of deception and fraudulent impersonations begins unraveling with disastrous and hilarious results. One should keep in mind that this is a Next Step Production , which means that the actors and production crew are not necessarily professionally polished, but rather are honing their skills. This fresh-faced approach was quite an enjoyable perspective on this fast passed romp. And for 11 bucks it’s hard to beat Cash for entertainment value!

Wine in the Wilderness

Wednesday, I was introduced to A Contemporary Theater. The name has been familiar to me for quite some time in it’s acronym form: ACT. I had often driven by and made note of their sign on that handsome old building that one passes directly after taking the Union Exit off of I-5 and into the heart of downtown. Finally, Wednesday became the day to stop the car, jump out and go and see a play there. And boy did we luck out with the production we found playing: Wine in the Wilderness.

Wine is a part of the ACT Theater’s Hansberry Project through which the folks at ACT are making a commitment to provide Seattle with a productions series in collaboration with African American playwrights, actors and directors. The ACT Theater is a delightful old theater (Hendrix used to play there) that was renovated and now offers four theater spaces within its walls. Wine finds its home in the Allen Theater space, which offers a wonderful example of theater-in-the-round. This style is especially appropriate for this intimate and inviting play set in the Harlem in during the 1964 riots. The audience are introduced to a small cast of 6 as they work through, with wonderful lilting humor, the assumptions they have made about one another as well as the larger stereotypes that are playing out all around them. I would highly recommend this play and the ACT Theater. Should you like to step out on the town and take a deep drink of this full-bodied production, Wine in the Wilderness is playing through July 9th.

Cars: A Nostalgic Trip

This weekend I made my way over to the Crossroads Mall in Redmond to take in Pixar’s latest animated feature. Though I am what is known in lay terms as an “adult” I still throw off the shackles of responsibility and hunker down to cartoons with immense enjoyment. Say what you will, but they can be a wonderful pairing of technology and storytelling. And for all of you macho, wouldn’t-be-caught-dead-watching-mere-cartoons, folks out there, you might just be surprised how much CGI putty is filling in the budget gaps of your favorite action films.

All this to say, that I was looking forward to Cars and was a bit crestfallen to discover that it merely alludes to the previous glory of Pixar films like Toy Story and the Incredibles. I did enjoy Owen Wilson playing the film's protagonist, the egomaniac racecar, Lightening, whom we discover has many life lessons to learn, oh yes. Wilson's character is reassuring as an animated version of his cheeky and charming self.

That is about as much praise as I can muster for the character development found in Cars. I am not certain if the use of automobiles to populate this little cartoon world was somehow more difficult than say bugs, toys or monsters, but they are lacking something in the personality department. The writers seem to have fallen back on tired stereotypes in many cases rather than fleshing out actual characters. Within Cars there is also a strong nostalgic yearning for the older, better and simpler times, times when know-how and relationships beat out money and fame. This kind of approach to delivering that message always makes me a little nervous. Especially when the time in question is that special decade in the middle of last century, which we insist upon glorifying: the '50's. Still, Cars is an enjoyable ride down the nostalgia highway, and will perhaps strike better notes with NASCAR moms and dads everywhere.