TeenTix Blog

Review of Michael Chabon at Seattle Arts & Lectures by Leah S.“Wow,” he greets the audience, to much laughter and a few catcalls. Michael Chabon, Pulitzer prize-winning author of The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and other critically acclaimed work, grins, bespectacled and shaggy-haired but comfortable in his charcoal suit, at the hundreds of welcoming readers that fill Benaroya Hall.Michael Chabon by merkley??? on flickrFor the next hour and a half, he captivates the audience with lengthy strings of words, melodically lilting sentences and flowing precision. His intelligence is as obvious as his charisma and humor.Chabon (pronounced SHAY-bon) describes his pre–teenaged self as “bookish, homely, clumsy, bright, friendless, arrogant and self–pitying.” Young Chabon developed an unshakable conviction that he himself was the 20th century reincarnation of Edgar Allen Poe, whom he thought to also contain such qualities. This led to an obsessive worship of Poe and all his written work. He compares his sixth grade bullies to the character of Fortunado from Poe's The Cask of Amontillado. Unable to seek such vengeance as was sought in Amontillado, he retaliates decades later by exposing his grade school bullies. By name.As an adult, he eschews the idea of reincarnation, claiming it “stinks too sweetly of human wishes.” But Chabon is not completely isolated from the human folly of wishful thinking. He and his wife take sole credit for the feat of Barack Obama’s election in 2008, via the “ripple effect.”Chabon’s lecture is surely compelling, especially for fans of the author, but young children will find it difficult to stay awake. His words are projected live in large letters on a screen in the bottom corner of the stage for the hard of hearing and to help the audience follow Chabon’s rapid speech.Question cards are made available to the audience, and a few selected questions are answered by Chabon following the lecture.Chabon is currently working on a novel set in present day California, where he lives with his wife and four children.- Leah S.March 10th, 2010Next up at Seattle Arts and Lectures: Poet Linda Gregg, Thursday, March 25th, 2010. More info at lectures.org

Post # 1: should I be feeling something?

(Wait, what is this? Skip to the bottom for an explanation.)

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Post #1: exciting but also terrifying(Wait! What is this? Skip to the bottom for an explanation.)I’m one of those people who really doesn’t see dance outside of PNB and classical ballet and all. It’s not something I’m exposed to at all, which is why I’m so excited about A Glimmer of Hope or Skin or Light, this dance project I’m now a part of. I’ve been chosen as a 1 to 1 solo recipient—basically, each of the dancers in the project is choreographing and performing a dance based on a normal person’s life. Kelly Sullivan is my dancer, and we’ve been corresponding so that she has a chance to get to know me. I filled out a survey with many quirky questions (and I gave quirky answers. After all, she’s supposed to get to know me…) and then we’ve talked about my favorite books and classical music and time of day and such interesting things as that. My dance will be performed on a dock behind Spectrum Dance Theater at 7:15 AM Friday the 19th. It’s exciting—but also terrifying. Some girl I’ve never met is dancing based on nothing more than random answers to a survey and a few brief emails? I’m letting a stranger interpret me, and I have to watch it. But I’m thrilled to give someone a chance to wreak havoc with their take on me. I’ll post again after the experience is all over.

Anna B, ready for the havoc to wreakA Glimmer of Hope or Skin or Light is an innovative, interactive new work from Seattle Magazine's 2007 Dance Artist of the Year, KT Niehoff and her company, Lingo Dance. 30 people, including two members of the Teen Tix reviewer corps, Anna B and Mykaila O, have been chosen to receive a custom made solo from one of the Glimmer cast. They have all filled out a questionnaire designed to find out who they are: driver or passenger? sweet or savory? what items are currently in your pocket? what is the last thing you lost? what is a Seattle location you love? Glimmer cast members are using the answers to tailor-make a performance for each person to watch. The dances are personal but performed in public locations throughout the city, available for any and all to see. See Anna's performance at 7:05 in the morning on Friday March 19th on the dock behind Spectrum Dance Theater. directions hereFind out more about Lingo Dance Theater at lingodance.comThe culminating performances of A Glimmer of Hope or Skin or Light run April 22nd - May 15th at ACT Theatre.

Review of Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays Ravel and Brahms at Seattle Symphony by Marissa B-TA single shining piano graced the stage at Benaroya Hall. The crowd murmured in anticipation, though a few curmudgeons could be heard complaining about the program, which they had thought would contain works by Liszt. The selection had been altered beforehand. It was, in fact, an afternoon of bliss composed by Ravel and Brahms. As beautiful as their music is, the quality of this recital certainly cannot be decided solely by the chosen pieces, but by who played them.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Photo by Decca Kasskara.

When the lights dimmed and Jean-Yves Thibaudet strode energetically across the stage, the mumbling ceased. This is a pianist with a magnificent stage presence. He sat down at the piano, and remained still for a long moment, his hands poised over the keys; then he began softly with Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899). Monsieur Thibaudet, a Frenchman who began playing the piano at the age of five, has won numerous awards for his astounding artistry. It is easy to see (or rather, hear) why. His Pavane was filled with shifting emotion -- sometimes solemn, sometimes uplifting; he brought a depth to the piece that is not present in the original, rather choppy recording by the composer himself. In yet other interpretations, the tone can be too ponderous; here, however, was a perfect balance.Thibaudet’s interpretation of Miroirs (Mirrors) was my favorite of all that he played. The pianist’s hands danced over the keys with amazing grace and fluidity, lending to the hypnotism of the melodies themselves. It is impossible to describe the array of images called up by these varying “scenes” -- the delicate, excited quivering of Noctuelles “Night moths,” for example, and the brisk sunniness of Alborada del Gracioso “Gracioso’s Aubade.”By the intermission, it is doubtful that anyone was disappointed in the selection, nor in how it was performed. The second half of the performance consisted of Johannes Brahms‘ Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5. The movements ranged from the tumultuous and crescendo-filled (Allegro maestoso) to the calmly reflective. In each, however, the audience was always drawn into an intricate path of notes. There is plenty of suspenseful contrast throughout. I loved the rapid note sequences in the fourth movement (I am not sure of technical terms, but I believe these are called arpeggios.)The entire performance was so stirring and gorgeous; if you have the chance you absolutely must hear Jean-Yves Thibaudet in concert. Consider that this was the first piano recital I have ever attended; and to be honest, I am often bored by piano music. So even if you are not a big fan of classical piano, you may be pleasantly surprised. At the very least check out some of Thibaudet’s recorded music (such as the Gymnopedies composed by Satie or a collection of works by Debussy), which can be found at the Seattle Public Library.- Marissa B-TMarch 7th, 2010The Jean-Yves Thibaudet concert was one night only, but pianist Ingrid Filter will take the stage at Benaroya March 11th & 13th with a concerto by Haydn. More info at seattlesymphony.org.

I like your review. It makes me want to see a well paced production of this musical.

Trailer for Prodigal Sons, playing March 5 - 11 at SIFF Cinema. Early on in this very personal film, the audience learns that the director, Kimberly Reed, was once known as Paul, a star quarterback in high school before her sex-change operation. Reed’s gender reassignment, however, turns out to be a mere side note—and hardly the most surprising one—in this exploration of her family’s past."SUPERB. No one could make this believable if it were fiction." - SF ChronicleProdigal SonsMarch 5 - 11SIFF Cinema

Subtle Like a T-rex is heavy metal? That's a pretty laughable statement.

Review of Sound Off! Semifinal #3 by Jennifer E.The young quintet, Seacats, opened the 3rd night of Sound-Off Semifinals with an upbeat performance that can only be described as fun. With impressive music than cannot be written off as simple “bubblegum pop”, they energized the crowd and started the night off right. It’s no wonder why the Youth Advisory Board chose them as the “Wild Card” band for the Sound-Off Finals next weekend.

Seacats Photo by Brady HarveyNext up, Subtle Like A T-Rex took the stage with an intense progressive-rock show. A diverse range of music influences their heavy metal, and their long songs and unique sound is meant for true music fans.After, Great Waves commanded the stage with a phenomenal performance that deserved the first place prize and Finals spot that it won. As the only female singer of the night, lead-singer Ashley Bullock captivated the crowd with a voice powerful enough to silence the room. With a diverse mix of soulful blues and more upbeat sounds, their music does the talking for them and has as much personality as the band members. They have the potential to make it big, which is why they also won the audience response award for the night.

Great Waves Photo by Brady Harvey

With big shoes to fill, Us On Roofs ended the night with such energy that some crowd-members were surprised they didn’t receive an award. As the smallest band, they had the largest stage presence and truly connected with the audience. They evoked such happiness in both their music and body language that the crowd couldn’t help but love them. They were a fantastic finale to an incredible night of music! Congratulations to the winners of the night, we will see both Great Waves and Seacats at the Sound-Off Finals on March 6th at the EMP Sky Church.

Us on Roofs Photo by Brady Harvey- Jennifer E.February 27th, 2010The Sound Off! Final competition is this Saturday, March 6th at 8:00 PM at EMPSFM. For more info, visit the Sound Off! page.

This is little too much fun:It's called Art Thief, and it's a video game wherein you pilfer expensive works of art from the "Muggenheim" (ha ha) museum and then party down in your sweet Jetsons-chic pad with your new hover sofa. Teen Tix officially does not support the playing of video games, even art-related ones, when you should be doing something productive with your life.Okay, uh...gotta go...do some work. Yeah, that's it. Work. (h/t to Jen Graves on slog.)

Stranger writers Bethany Jean Clement, Lindy West, Matthew Richter, Paul Constant, Christopher Frizzelle, and, of course, our own Professor Kiley talk with Young Critics Workshop students. February 25th, 2010

Yeah dude, no guitar or cello. Hopefully we were all watching the same show. Facts are important before you attempt to review a show correctly.

Concerning Pan Pan, I'm not sure who you're talking about or if you were even watching them but there was no Cello and no guitars. Just bass, piano, drums and horns.

http://www.pixmaven.com/phrase_generator.htmlhttp://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/02/24/the-instant-art-critique-phrase-generator

Review of Farewell at Spectrum Dance Theater by Kaya P.Going in, I had no idea what to expect, all I knew was the dance was supposed to be about the relationship between China and the United States. I was expecting not to get the dance but, I was pleasantly surprised to find the performance to be meaningful even with no prior understanding. The choreography and music tells the story sufficiently, no pre-studying necessary. The venue is very intimate with audience on three sides of the stage. Often, the dancers come within inches of you so no stretching your legs! Be prepared for a bit of stiffness after sitting in metal bleachers for ninety minutes straight.

Meaghan Sanford. Photo by Gabriel Bienczycki, Zebra VisualThe music alone is well worth it. Melodies are layered with live percussion, speech and bicycle wheels, punctuated by the sounds of the dancers. Each performer plays a character and I enjoyed watching the relationships develop as the dance progressed. A lot of the partner work confused me I didn’t feel it conveyed as strong or as clear of a message as the group segments did. At times I was overwhelmed with how much was going on onstage I had to force myself to relax and accept that I could not see everything, and maybe that was the point. Overall I enjoyed the intensity of the piece. I liked walking out feeling like I had learned something. I would definitely recommend staying for the discussion afterwards. Even if you are too shy to ask questions its cool to learn some of the motivations behind the creative decisions. Anyone is fair game to ask questions to the choreographer, musicians, and dancers so go for it!

Tory Peil, Geneva Jenkins, Amber Mayberry & Joel Myers Photo by Gabriel Bienczycki, Zebra Visual- Kaya PFebruary 20th, 2010Farewell is closed. For more information about Spectrum Dance Theater's upcoming performances and workshops, visit spectrumdance.org

By Yvette JRemember in the last episode of Glee, when Rachel Barry claimed that “you either want to go first or last?” To go first means that everyone gets compared to you or it is great to go last because you’re fresh in the judges’ minds. I was a firm believer in that statement, until I attended the second round of the semifinals of the Sound Off! competition put forth by the Experience Music Project. The superstars of the night would be three great bands: A Cozy Kitchen, The Cat From Hue and Pan Pan alongside a solo superstar, Hooves and Beak. Clearly the order the artists went in did not matter much here. If anything, the better acts played 2nd and 3rd, not first or last.

The Cat From Hue. Photo by Brady Harvey.The night started with A Cozy Kitchen, a three person band from Bellingham. This trio gladly reminded me of Modest Mouse. The lead guitarist’s vocals surprised me, in a good way. Their music wasn’t particularly a favorite of mine, naturally not being a fan of folk music, but they simply weren’t bad. As they kept playing their set, they performed better with time. Not bad for a first act.Next up was Camano Island’s The Cat From Hue. It was clear that the audience was mostly made up of their fans—the audience response was great. They clearly brought the whole island with them and packed the EMP. This band was a personal favorite of mine and as I sat in the back listening intently to their lyrics and swaying to their music, I imagined doing the same exact thing at Bumbershoot, just a couple of months from now. Their music helps me to appreciate folk music much more and they had a much stronger stage presence as they were performing. Their lyrics related more to the simple things in life and to something that matters a lot to us Washingtonians: the Pacific Northwest.

Semifinal #2 winner Hooves and Beak. Photo by Brady Harvey.

Review of the BFA Dance Concerts at Cornish College of the Arts by Anna B.The BFA dance concerts need some sort of more attractive name. One glance at the title and you yawn, thinking of your little sister’s ballet recitals in third grade and the humdrumness of watching little girls in tutus forget their steps and wave at their parents. Which, actually, can be really entertaining, but not entertaining enough to intentionally go see unless dragged to.Photo by Chris BennionDon’t worry; the BFA dance concerts aren’t anywhere near as boring as their title. Young dancers from Cornish College of the Arts perform original pieces from choreography students; solos and large ensemble pieces. The music ranges from bizarre to lyrical to quirky to classical, and the dance pieces themselves are all over the place. It’s a fantastic chance to see a wide variety of dance styles and ideas smushed into one night; instead of a candy-box assortment of chocolates, it’s like someone threw the whole candy store up on stage—not usually recommended for any concert, but somehow they pull it off.Photo by Chris BennionThere are six BFA dance concerts, but three different shows, which unfortunately means you won’t be seeing the same one as me (my show only played the 18th and 19th). Nevertheless, I’m sure you’ll find awe-inspiring dancing in whatever show you go to. Some of the pieces will be breathtaking, some funny, some quirky, some puzzling, and some will just be blah. It is student work, and some of the pieces fell flat. But I assure you, the rest of the program will more than make up for the flops. At the end of the night, you’ll wish—like I did—that you could dance too, just to join in this creation of new art.- Anna B.February 18th, 2010You have three more chances to catch the BFA Dance Concerts:Tonight, Saturday, February 20th at 8:00 PM andSaturday, February 27th at 2:00 and 8:00 PMAdmission is free for everyone, but you do need to reserve tickets in advance (though some may be available at the door). Go to cornish.edu to reserve your tickets.

Cry Danger and The Mob Double Feature @ SIFF CinemaPart of the Noir City: Lust and Larceny seriesCry Danger

One of the most wicked and witty revenge yarns of the original film noir era. Until recently, theater's were screening star Dick Powell’s personal 16mm print as no 35mm copies existed. We’re thrilled to present this terrific film—Parrish’s debut as a director—in a brand new 35mm restoration courtesy of the Film Noir Foundation and the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Costarring ravishing Rhonda Fleming and the redoubtable Richard Erdman, one of the great wisecrackers of all time.Saturday, February 20th @ 2:00 PM and 7:30 PMThe MobOn the heels of their Cry Danger success, Bowers and Parrish were contracted by Columbia Pictures to craft a hard-hitting crime picture for Oscar-winner Broderick (Born Yesterday) Crawford. The tale of an undercover cop (Crawford) infiltrating a waterfront labor racket was a huge hit and a forerunner to 1950s crime exposés, subsequently overshadowed by the higher pedigreed On the Waterfront (1954). The Mob stands as a terrific film in its own right, featuring early work from actors Charles Bronson, Neville Brand, and Ernest Borgnine.Saturday, February 20th @ 4:00 PM and 9:20 PMMore info @ siff.netNOTE: These films are not rated and may contain mature content, including sex and violence.

Home @ Northwest Film ForumAs upbeat, jazzy music sets the mood for fun, a happy family in roller skates finishes the match point of a hockey game played out on a strip of nondescript tarmac. Thus begins Swiss-French filmmaker Ursula Meier’s debut feature, Home—in stark contrast to what lies ahead.Marthe (Isabelle Huppert), Michel (Olivier Gourmet) and their three children live a peaceful existence in a remote house that borders a long-unused stretch of highway. When the route one day suddenly opens to commuters, this bohemian clan’s daily routine is thrown into disarray: Ever-sunbathing Judith must endure the catcall honking that overpowers her portable stereo, while it quickly becomes impossible for the younger children, Julien and Marion, to safely “cross the street” to catch their school bus. What begins as annoyance and inconvenience soon crosses over into paranoia, as the incessant traffic noise leads to sleep deprivation and fears concerning prolonged exposure to exhaust loom large. Refusing to relocate, in an obstinate yet futile attempt to maintain some semblance of the normality they once enjoyed, Marthe and Michel resort to isolationism and a literal blockade. With its unique style, dark humor and tragic-hopeful denouement, Meier’s film is sure to be one of the most discussed of the quarter.Watch the trailer:HomeFeb 19 - Feb 25 @ NW Film ForumSponsored by the Consulate General of France, San FranciscoFriday, Feb 19 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMSaturday, Feb 20 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMSunday, Feb 21 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMMonday, Feb 22 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMTuesday, Feb 23 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMWednesday, Feb 24 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMThursday, Feb 25 at 7:00PM and 9:00PM

Teen Steering Committee member Timothy C went to see Spectrum Dance Theatre's Farewell last night. This morning, he sent me an email with his thoughts on the show:"Spectrum Dance Theater describes Farewell as a feverish, dreamlike theatrical meditation on America's relationship with China. The production is an interesting blend of dance and sound, with the auditory backdrop of news reports and articles about Tienanmen Square, 9/11, and the relationship between China and the United States. The performance, itself, was quite well done. The dancers are very talented, and the sounds were a unique blend of Chinese folk music and classical music. For this production, seats were brought onto the stage, adding to the contemplative mood with a more intimate environment. Being the rather down-to-earth type of person I am, I was trying for most of the performance to figure out what it all meant. In the brief Q&A session with Artistic Director Donald Byrd, though, he remarked that it doesn't matter what his ultimate goal is. What really matters is what you, the audience member, gets out the performance -- what feelings, emotions, and thoughts the performance evokes within you. There isn't supposed to be a nice, neat storyline to be understood, since real life doesn't give us nice, neat storylines with resolution. Since Farewell has certainly gotten me thinking, though, I would say it was thoroughly successful."Farewell runs this weekend only (Friday & Saturday) at the Moore Theatre. For more info, go to spectrumdance.org- Holly A.Did you see something? Got thoughts? Send us an email and we may post them on the blog! teentix@seattle.gov