TeenTix Blog

“In Sanskrit, Turanga means the universe spinning through time, and Lîla means the cosmic play of love and death,” explained Seattle Symphony music director Ludovic Morlot, discussing Olivier Messiaen’s (“MESS-yohn”) Turangalîla-Symphonie. This may sound excessively grand, but it describes perfectly Seattle Symphony’s first-ever performance of this 20th century masterpiece.

Turangalîla is rarely performed, and the reasons are evident; it’s long and physically exhausting, requires an uncommonly large percussion section, features a solo piano and the rare ondes Martenot (“ohnd MAR-ten-oh;” more on that later), and as a contemporary piece, is hard to market to wider audiences. However, judging by an almost-full house and the instant standing ovation, Morlot, the Seattle Symphony, and guest soloists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Cynthia Millar did not have much trouble with these obstacles.

The first time Alyssa used her TeenTix pass, she was nervous. She and her friend felt “awkward and out of place,” and were petrified as they approached the ticket booth, TeenTix passes in hand. But the transaction was miraculously smooth. “Walking away from the ticket booth with two symphony tickets in our hands, my friend and I were in disbelief that TeenTix actually worked. Did we really just score seventy-dollar Seattle Symphony tickets for just five bucks? Our disbelief grew wider when we stepped into the grand performance hall, our eyes jumping from the rows upon rows of velvet seats to the warmly-lit organ at the back of the stage, and the balconies stacked on the walls. We found our seats, and looked at each other with expressions of disbelief until the music began to flood our ears.” Every year since 2004, thousands of Seattle area teens have had eye-opening arts experiences just like Alyssa’s – thanks to TeenTix. We partner with Seattle area arts organizations to make it possible for teenagers to buy $5 tickets to high-quality, professional arts programming that they would otherwise not have access to. Of that first experience at Seattle Symphony, Alyssa continues, “They performed the pieces so perfectly that I was almost fooled into believing I was in a Hollywood movie. It was difficult for me to even comprehend that the wonderful sounds created before me were real, and live.” The experience of attending the arts—of seeing paintings created by masters, theatre performed by heavy weights, music played by virtuosos—can be profound. It can be life-changing. It was for Alyssa. “Constantly attending performances, and realizing my love of the fine arts, has changed the entire path of my career.” When she arrived at the University of Washington, Alyssa “flooded” herself with pre-engineering courses. But she felt constrained. “There was nowhere for me to express my creative problem solving abilities.” So, she shifted her focus to Informatics: Human Computer Interaction, which marries design and programming. Seeing shows through TeenTix “gave me the push I needed to realize what I truly want my career path to be,” says Alyssa. “TeenTix has served as my golden ticket to a reservoir of endless inspiration and discovery.” The inspiration Alyssa has accessed through TeenTix doesn’t end with her. The arts have become the place where she and her friends spend time together. And, through TeenTix’s 2 for $10 “companion” ticket program, Alyssa was able to expose her younger brother to painting, sculpture, tribal art, theater, ballet, and music, all before the age of ten. Alyssa’s story is just one of thousands. Since 2004, TeenTix has brokered almost 32,000 incredibly affordable tickets to the arts for Seattle-area teens. If TeenTix has ever opened the door to an experience that you couldn’t have had otherwise, please share this with your family and decide together to donate to TeenTix. We want to continue making the arts accessible to young people for years and years to come, but we can’t do it without you. We need to raise $6,000 before the end of the year. A gift of $10, $20, or $50 would make a big difference please give today! Thank you.

Daydreaming of what could be. It’s something we all do. Usually you wake up and forget it all together. How do you remember something you know you’re going to forget? You write it down, in paragraphs, in sentences, in phrases, etc. Gustav Mahler takes the phrases past word and into the linguistic expression of music. He turns words into a tone which we all know and understand but few truly speak. He turns this daydream into a nostalgic swirl of worldliness, vulnerability, and a childlike playfulness. He places this swirl into a cone of deep emotional expression and then lets you indulge. All of this work to turn a daydream into an ice cream cone of creation, so that the feeling never fades.

Seattle Public Theater Winter Break Camps Now Open for Enrollment Seattle Public Theater is excited to announce their Winter Break theater camps, Curiosity: Journey to Mars, directed by Zoey Cane Belyea and The Fantastic Mr. Fox, directed by Kaya Wynn--both at the historic Bathhouse Theater on Green Lake. Financial aid is available for all camps. ABOUT WINTER BREAK CAMPS – In Curiosity: Journey to Mars, directed by Zoey Cane Belyea, students embark on an adventure by becoming characters based on the original Martian Rovers Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity. Join us as we create characters; develop confidence, speaking skills and make new friends upon the imaginary rolling red surface of Mars! For grades 1-3, Curiosity: Journey to Marsrehearsals run from December 26-29, Wednesday to Saturday, 9:30am – 3:30pm with a Final Sharing on Saturday, December 29 at 2:30pm. In The Fantastic Mr. Fox, studentsrehearse and perform Roald Dahl’s timeless tale of wit, wisdom and the value of community. When the wily Mr. Fox steals one chicken too many from a local farm, the farmers decide the only cure is to rid themselves of The Fantastic Mr. Fox–by any means possible! For grades 3-6, rehearsals for The Fantastic Mr. Foxrun January 2nd to 5th, Wednesday to Saturday, 9:30am to 3:30pm with a Final Sharing on Saturday, January 5th at 2:30pm. For more information on registration or scholarships, please call Kenna Kettrick at admin@seattlepublictheater.org, (206) 523-1370 or go to their education page at www.seattlepublictheater.org.

Review of Jack and Diane at Northwest Film Forum by Anika M.Twilight-y. Not in a good way.Jack and Diane tells the love story of two teenage girls with the added element of their inner monstrous transformation. I am unsure of the original intent of director Bradley Rust Gray because this movie seems to lack commitment and development within its plot, themes, and characters and all together looks like a mess of repetitive scenes loosely strung together. Jack and Diane, played by Riley Keough and Juno Temple, are two poorly developed characters that meet by chance in New York City. After spending one night together they decide, through no apparent emotional connection, that they are completely in love and need to drop everything to be together. The angst that these characters perpetuate is almost suffocating at times, an interesting caricature of the stereotypical teen relationship, just like Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in Twilight. While the angst behind the relationship is established right away and woven throughout the entire movie, the initial connection between Jack and Diane is never made, forcing the viewer to ask "Why is this worth it?" and "What do you see in her?" Because of this I find it almost impossible to really care about the success of the relationship.Did I forget to say that there is a strange monster werewolf gore subtext that is never fully pursued but rather hangs there as an "Oh yeah, I’m here too" fly on the wall? Yeah. They seem to have a mess of hair growing inside of them as their relationship rapidly progresses and at times a grotesque monster appears while they dream.Throughout the entire movie, metaphors and societal commentary are thrown about, making it hard to decipher and consider a core theme or idea. While some of the story and ideology is innovative and intriguing, the approach is confusing and ineffective. If the goal of the piece was put more into focus the story might have been more interesting and provocative, but to me it seems noncommittal and convoluted. Should you avoid this movie all together? No. It will get you thinking about something. What exactly I’m not entirely sure.Jack and Diane plays for three more night at Northwest Film Forum:Tonight, tomorrow, and Thursday, November 27 - 29 at 7:00 and 9:00 PMMore info at nwfilmforum.orgWatch the trailer:

Review of Avenue Q at Balagan Theatre by Sam H-A.

Do you enjoy music and laser shows? Are you a smiling, team player and customer oriented? Do you love Pacific Science Center?Then we have an opportunity for you!!Pacific Science Center is currently seeking Laser Dome Ushers. Seeking volunteers that love lasers, music, and helping people. Must be 16 or older. A great opportunity for teens.More details on the opportunity is available here: http://pacscivolunteers.blogspot.com/2012/11/laser-show-usher-volunteer-adult-and.htmlCheck it out, and apply today.And remember, your TeenTix pass gets you $5 admission to Laser Dome events ALL THE TIME! Click here for a current schedule.

Review of Amarillo at On the Boards by Melissa C.Beautiful, creative, and moving. These are the words I use to describe Amarillo. The use of sand, water, clothing, cigarettes, point of view, multi-media, dance, color, light, movement, and voice were nothing short of perfection.In Amarillo, the tale of the illegal immigrant making his way to the U.S. and back is told almost entirely in Spanish with English translations projected on the back wall along with live-streaming and prerecorded video. That is not all that the back wall is used for. The actors jump at, climb up, talk to, and dance with this large, symbolic piece of concrete. I would like to think that I know why they interacted with the wall in this way, but every moment in this piece, every prop they used, and every line they said could be broken down and analyzed for meaning. In the end you didn’t need to know exactly what was going on for the emotion to strike home. Not only is it an incredibly well done piece, but it holds a message that is really important for people to hear – especially young people. Our country needs to change its perspective on illegal immigration and that starts with the us. This piece made me see that we need to understand the plight of the immigrant – not make them the enemy. We need to work together to find solutions – not decide that the only solution is elimination.However, even with this awakening, I still have some questions. I’ll admit that, with my very sheltered world view, I cannot possibly comprehend what would compel someone to illegally cross the Mexican/American border. I don’t understand how the promise of a country that has massive unemployment, is hugely discriminatory against Latinos, and does not try to make life easy for immigrants could outweigh the sorrow of leaving your home and your family and the risk of death when crossing the border. I also don’t understand what I can do to help. Obviously I don’t want these people dying out there – people who are willing to do whatever it takes to get the privileges that I was born with. But I don’t see how I can change anything. Is the idea that our border should just be open and any one should be allowed in? Or was the idea purely that we should stop looking at immigrant control as a political issue or an economic issue and start looking at it as a human issue? I wish that they had made it through the desert. That they had brought it closer to home, and addressed an issue that I could help correct. Because I feel that there are things that can be done right here in are communities. Often that the border never goes away in America today. The talk back after the show was a perfect example of the never-disappearing wall. There was no proper translator onstage and only about half the audience spoke Spanish while all those being interviewed spoke little English. I sat back, interested, as I watched the attempts at communication breed frustration. Even in this situation, where we desperately want to hear each other and understand each other and communicate, it was extremely difficult.In a way the show was ironic because it brought down that wall. The many different forms of communication that were present made language an afterthought and the personality and emotion the actors brought to the stage made them sympathetic to someone from any culture.Hermoso, creativo, y en movimiento. These are the words I should use to describe Amarillo.Amarillo is closedNext up at On the Boards: Kyle Loven's Loss MachineDecember 5 - 10Read more about Kyle Loven in his TeenTix Crush of the Month profile

Review of The Glass Menagerie at Seattle Repertory Theatre by Joyce R.Photo by Alan AlabastroThe contents of The Glass Menagerie are few; one room and four and a half characters: Tom Wingfield, Laura Wingfield, Amanda Wingfield, the gentleman caller, and a picture of Mr. Wingfield, staring at them through it all.With so little to work with, it’s expected that not much happens, and that’s partially true. In the one room where everything occurs, there are no epic quests, no passionate loves, and no valiant heroes. Rather, this room houses beautiful lighting that looks like silhouettes on sunsets as we watch reality unfold while the characters see only their dreams.Whether it’s Amanda Wingfield, the mother, dreaming of her lost past and her daughter’s future gentleman caller, or Tom, dreaming about his escape, they’re all deluded, they all see a reality that isn’t real.Photo by Alan AlabastroYet regardless of the illusion that this family lives in, there are moments in The Glass Menagerie that are so relatable and tangible and so uncomfortably close to the heart that the knee-jerk reaction is to swat them away. Swat away the pestering mother, Amanda Wingfield, and not bother to look for the love underlying all her actions. Swat away the distressingly fearful sister, Laura Wingfield, and not bother to see the perceptiveness hidden in her silence. Swat away the selfish Tom, and ignore his underlying longings that are so similar to our own.Swat them all away and choose to ignore how similar they all are to ourselves.We are like Tom and Laura and Amanda. We sacrifice, we quietly wish, and we fear. And like them, we all live in our own illusions in some way.The Wingfield family eventually learns that dreams aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Playwright Tennessee Williams wasn’t fond of the happy ending (as evidenced by his other plays, A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and this play isn’t an exception. By the end, this sad little family that lives in their dreams is coldly brought back to reality.It doesn’t exactly bring the warm fuzzies, but it’s life.Photo by Alan AlabastroAnd that’s why there will be many different interpretations of The Glass Menagerie, because it’s a play so chock full of life; full of recognizable moments that happens secretly in households when no one is around; full of the things you think about before bed, when no one is listening. This play tastes like life and even if it’s not conventionally enjoyable, The Glass Menagerie forces a mirror in front of your face, that’s what makes it so worth seeing.The Glass MenagerieSeattle Repertory TheatreThrough December 2

Review of Landscape of the Body at UW School of Drama by Sam H-A.Photo by Frank RosensteinThe stage is dark except for one guardrail. A woman stands, feverishly looking over her shoulder, frantically writing on sheets of paper. Stuffing them in a bottle. Throwing them over the edge. A man comes up behind her and you are swept up in a conversation that has no meaning to you. Words like "confession" and "yes." Short and curt. Until the woman finally blows up. Launching into a monologue about her son. Blackout. We switch settings to an interrogation room. We soon find out the woman is a suspect in her son's murder. Another woman, with a voice from "above" is talking now. Explaining everything that's going on. Her death, her nephew's death. You are then launched into a story of love, loss, heartbreak, and sorrow. Laughter. Tears. All while finding out the gut-wrenching past history of Bert, a teenage boy from Maine whose mother is mourning the loss of her sister while trying to raise him. All the while--in the present--she's trying to find out who murdered and decapitated him. Seems gory, right? It's not. Beautifully staged and incredibly acted, director L. Zane tells this heart-wrenching story beautifully, and this show will definitely bring you to tears of laughter, joy, and sorrow. Landscape of the BodyUW School of DramaMeany Studio TheatreThrough November 18Watch the Landscape of the Body video:

PNB's All Premiere showcases four world premiere works on one program. Although it seems rather ambitious, the ballet company manages to pull together four distinctly beautiful pieces.

Seattle Shakespeare Company’s Antony and Cleopatra is the young Arnold Schwarzenegger of theater: it’s dramatic, sexy, romantic, it sounds kind of funny, and it sure knows how to pack an awesome punch. In terms of all other plays I have seen prior to this, Antony and Cleopatra is truly the full package. It does for theater what Carmen does for the world of musical performance.

Congratulations to all of you!

Friday, October 19th marked the first of the Seattle Symphony’s ‘Untuxed’ Series, and it will definitely not be the last. Waiting for the musicians to enter the stage, I had forgotten about the ‘Untuxed’ part of the concert and was taken aback by the wash of colors that flooded the stage. The normal-but-still-nice clothing donned by the musicians made the atmosphere much more comfortable than with their usual formal attire. I loved it – it made the entire performance relaxed and enjoyable. It’s hard to understand why they don’t do every performance this way.

As all you old school Teen Tixers know, Pacific Northwest Ballet's wildly popular Nutcracker ballet is the only PNB show all year that is not Teen Tix eligible. Sad face. However, every year, because they love us so much, PNB puts aside a little stash of Teen Tix tickets for one Nutcracker performance. Happy face! This year's Teen Tix-able Nutcracker show is Thursday, December 27th @ 5:30.There are NO companion (2 for $10) tickets available, just regular Teen Tix tickets. These tickets will be available in person at PNB's McCaw Hall box office starting at 4:00 pm on the 27th only. There are a limited number of Teen Tix tickets available, and they always sell out, so plan to arrive early.We heart you, PNB. BFFs 4eva.For more information about the Nutcracker, please visit PNB's website.

Wow wow wow. Last night was awesome. Last night the Seattle theatre community got all dressed up and celebrated itself at the Gregory Awards(they're kind of like our very own local Tony Awards). It's always a fun, heartwarming event, but last night was especially special for us because last night included the first ever presentation of the Gregory Award for Outstanding Teen Critic, recognizing an outstanding contribution to local theatre criticism by a member of the TeenTix Press Corps! And the recipient of the (first ever) TPS Gregory Award for Outstanding Teen Critic is... Reanne Wong, for her review of Hedda Gabler at Intiman Theatre Festival

Review of The Ramayana at ACT Theatre by Chloe L. Once upon a time there was a prince named Rama. His story is called The Ramayana.

Review of Fefu and Her Friends at Cornish College of the Arts by Tracy M.

Review of No Look Pass at Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival by Sam H-A.A senior at Harvard, Emily Tay is the only women's backetball player at her school. She's trying to make it in the big leagues and make her immigrant family proud, all while keeping a secret. No Look Pass is a real documentary in which you feel so close to Emily, it brings tears to your eyes.Living with her best friend, but about to graduate, she faces everything from championship games to fights with her best friend to the crazy college dating life. After getting to know her personally, you start learning slowly about what her life is like. Not only is she a first generation American, but she's also a hard worker who has to train women in another language, in another country, on work ethic and the basics of women's basketball.This powerful documentary makes you laugh, cry, and everything in between. The Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival runs through this Sunday, October 21.Recommended films for this weekend include:THE DANCE OF TWO LEFT FEETTonight, Friday, 10/19 at 7:30 at Central Cinema more info hereRecommended for ages 16+The screening of the short films from the Reel Queer Youth program: MAKE YOUR OWN MONTAGE, PARANOIA, and SPACE IS A LONELY PLACE, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers. The program also includes the eye-opening and inspiring short film POSITIVE YOUTH. Tomorrow, Saturday 10/20 at 1:00 PM at Pacific PlaceMore info here

Review of Mississippi I Am at the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival by Jessika G.