TeenTix Blog

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Farewell by Spectrum Dance Theater @ the Moore Theatre

A feverish, dreamlike theatrical meditation on America's relationship with China, Farewell is part of Spectrum’s ground-breaking three-year Initiative, Beyond Dance: Promoting Awareness and Mutual Understanding (PAMU). PAMU brings collaborators from across the nation and world to create dance theater pieces that examine issues relating to personal liberty, freedom, security and social justice.Spectrum Dance Theater (SDT) was founded in 1982 to bring dance of the highest merit to a diverse audience composed of people from different social, cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds. SDT’s principal objective is to make the art form of dance accessible

Alex Prior: Crush of the MonthInterview by Tavis Hamilton, February 10th, 2010

Photo by Lorna Roach/ObserverTo describe Alex Prior is to describe the flowering of an Ancient Rose. It is unprofessional to flatter; however, the dichotomy between the cleansing shock of an exotic flower, and the captivating charm of Prior’s mind, is all too accurate to forgo. On a level rare even among the profound, his seventeen-year-old mind incites an exuberant mix of matured artistic command and wonton boyish wonder. For example in explaining the importance of teen interest in art, Alex believes "there is no such thing as 'classical music.' Teens shouldn't be interested in classical music. Teens should be interested in everything that's beautiful and fantastic in this world, and great music is part of that.” To him, music’s purpose is to elate the soul and bring out the rawest emotions. Whether they be fear, love, woe, or joy, these emotions are to be drawn out of us by the beauty of music, and experienced not only to further enlighten ones soul, but to further enlighten one’s knowledge of oneself. Now, this may sound like the ramblings of yet another young Bohemian, however, Prior’s sincerity and enthusiasm nowhere nears the realm of the artistically hackneyed; he’s 100% the real deal; he is 100% brilliant.Alex on his current work Arriving in Seattle only three weeks ago, Alex has been set to the busy task of not only entertaining the press with his prodigious career, but he has also taken on hats as both Seattle Symphony’s Assistant to the Guest Conductors, and as independent composer. This means he learns to conduct every stanza of music that Seattle Symphony performs under a guest conductor -- even if his chances of performing are low, he is in charge of conducting Seattle Symphony’s upcoming Discover Music performance of Peter and the Wolf, and -- to top that -- he composes his own, independent, commissions; and what commissions they are!

Having studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory for four years, Prior’s original work is extremely mature. Much of his inspiration is drawn from tribal music and the sounds of a globalizing, multicultured, multivariate, world; however, he certainly draws from the modern masters. Those among the ranks of Wagner and Prokofiev have greatly influenced his work; work which is also fueled by his artistic crush on the prolific modern composer, John Adams.Alex on SeattleWhether one finds themselves being treated by his theatrics in the concert hall, or his bombastics on the staff, Alex Prior is the hottest composer in modern music, and is definitely worth checking out. Currently he is working on a Piano Concerto for a European film, of which one should certainly listen to upon its release. If it is as good as the rest of his work, then following his career will not just be the adoration of a fan, but rather, it will be the participation in a great history to come.

Review of Sound Off! Semifinal 1, February 13th, 2010, by Jordan B. Showcasing the local music scene of the future, maybe even the present, Sound Off! began back in 2002 at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, designed for age 21 and under artists to have a place to get their name out. Many artists such as 2003 runner ups the Schoolyard Heroes and 2007's 2nd place winner, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, have enjoyed some success from the competition's raising awareness of the bands. Tonight's winner, Candysound, received a spot in the upcoming finals on March 6th.

Sound Off! Semifinal #1 winners Candysound. Photo by adamsayswhatt

Review of Company at Seattle Musical Theatre by Emma M.In 1970 Stephen Sondheim and George Furth wrote a musical that changed the way we think of musical theatre. That play was called Company, and it was the first nonlinear “concept” musical. It is made of little scenes that weave together to tell the story of Robert, a single thirty-five year-old in the heart of New York City. Throughout the play he watches his friends work out their relationships and struggles with his own desire to be married, and his fear of being alone. Now Seattle Musical Theatre brings back this fun play from Broadway’s archives.

Allison Standley, Danielle Barnum, Julia Beers, and Ryan Demerick in Company at Seattle Musical Theatre. Photo by Dan SuiterOn the whole, the cast is good but there are some standout performances. Julie Drummond as Jenny is very funny and has a lovely voice. Kat Schroeder as Amy performs her song “Getting Married Today” superbly.The good writing, songs, and performances could be better supported by a simpler set. The many stairs that actors are constantly ascending and descending distract the audience from the story and slow the pace. The play’s unusual style calls for a very quick pace both in scenes and in scene transitions. Also faster pace would allow the audience better to follow the story and retain interest in the challenges Robert and his friends were facing. A more consistent sound quality would make the challenging songs lyrics easier to hear and understand.Company is humorous and touching. Although this production has inconsistent aspects, there are some lovely songs and performances that make it enjoyable.- Emma M.February 12th, 2010CompanySeattle Musical TheatreThrough February 28th

Review of Stefan Jackiw Plays Barber at Seattle Symphony by Anna B.

If you’ve never been to a classical music concert, your first time can be a little terrifying. You might think to yourself, what if I don’t like classical music? What if I’m terribly bored and prove to be a barbarian who can only understand the Jonas brothers?

Don’t worry. The first half of this concert will leave you breathless. You’ll be passionate about classical music for the first time. I can guarantee you won’t be bored.

Then, once you’ve discovered all this, I would advise going to that delicious gelato shop on the corner. And then going home.

It’s unfortunate, but the last half of the concert completely didn’t live up to the first half. Brahms is nice, and Schonberg’s interpretation of Brahms’ piano quintet as a symphony is—simply nice, not thrilling. The work has interesting connotations for music-minded individuals and probably, for any other second half, would have been good.

The first half is really the problem—it’s so amazing, the second half just can’t compete. The Seattle Symphony plays two of Samuel Barber’s pieces—the first, a piece based on Medea from Greek mythology, and the second, Barber’s famous violin concerto. Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance is fantastic; it’s a wonderful introduction to Samuel Barber’s sound and style of composition, and the themes carry powerful images of jealousy, vengeance, and love turned to hate.

Now comes the moment of truth: Samuel Barber’s violin concerto. Stefan Jackiw, an well-established young violinist, playing one of the more famous and difficult violin concertos with an orchestra decades older and wiser than him.

I have a confession to make; Stefan Jackiw is totally and completely crushworthy. As an aspiring violinist, I can only gape at his perfect intonation, flawless shifting, precise fingering, effortless bowing. Indeed, his performance as a whole was completely and totally effortless—never once did he leave the audience in suspense; will he miss a note? But despite his natural ease with the concerto, he played with such dramaticism that the audience—and I—were drawn right in from the very beginning. I held my breath between movements and glared at anyone who dared cough. First and second movements went by in a rush of fingers and hushed pauses.

The third movement is only about four minutes long, and there’s a legend associated with it. Samuel Barber wrote this for a specific violinist, and gave this violinist the first two movements of the piece. This violinist merely sniffed; it was too easy. Barber, in a huff, then wrote the third movement. For about the first page and half, it’s impossible to tell whether the solo violinist and the orchestra are actually playing together or not. Many a lesser violinist has fallen beneath the violent attack of triplets.

Not Stefan Jackiw. It was four minutes of flawlessness. So seriously, Stefan Jackiw, will you marry me?

- Anna BFebruary 11th, 2010You have one more chance to see Stefan Jackiw perform: TONIGHT, Saturday, February 13th at 8:00 PM. For more info, visit seattlesymphony.org.

Review of Break a Heart at On the Boards by Leah S.All types of love are displayed in Break a Heart: romantic, platonic, heterosexual, homosexual, passionate, unrequited, taboo, innocent, and bunny rabbit.On the Boards, a hip venue for contemporary performance art, features a full stage on which the cast of Break a Heart can flip, strip, swing and sing. A backdrop of iridescent white balloons reminiscent of a high school Valentine’s Day dance and an otherwise sparse set allows for easy transitions within and between dance numbers. Despite the energetic buzz radiating throughout the theatre, the quality of performance ranges from inspiring to boring to downright creepy. The opening act, Summer Loves Fall, features choreographer/performer Stephen Hando reclining in a beach chair, with long-limbed, short-skirted dancers parading around him in a “you can look but you can’t touch” routine of which Fergie would have been proud. Disappointingly, Hando’s stage presence fails to compensate for the utter lack of energy in the otherwise technically accurate performance of the three young female dancers and the lagging wall of sound that is the Violent Femmes. Hando demonstrates singing chops as he musically begs the girls “please, please, please do not go,” but detracts from his own performance with poor mike technique.The next piece, Heavy Heart, suffers the same syndrome as its predecessor. Sara Jinks’ evocative choreography fell somewhat flat in the hands of talented but unfocused dancers Kate Kerschbaum and Sandra Fann. The absence of motivation, emotion and drive pulls heavily at the dance, the evolution of a relationship in twelve square feet that progressively took over the entire stage.Break a Heart is not saved by Wade Madsen’s self-directed Enchanted Prince. A campy, maudlin clown lip-syncs and pantomimes humorously to jazz standard “A Time for Love.” Madsen then transitions to a skilled movement piece, which quickly degrades to grotesque “Bad Romance” – inspired fingers and unnecessary nudity.Kristina Dillard’s Heavy on the Nymphs showcases four young and delightful contorting ballerinas in white blouses and nude-colored spandex shorts, prancing to skilled piano man Dayton Allemann’s representation of classic Vivaldi. Broadway performer and Cornish alum Stacee Raber Nault plays a somber bride, finishing the performance with an a cappella rendition of Hayman and Youngs’ “When I Fall in Love.” Though aesthetically pleasing, Heavy fails to evoke the classic Greek myth of Persephone, on which the piece is based.After intermission, Break a Heart begins to pick up speed. Random but hilarious give it I got it breaks the awkward monotony of the amateurish first act, substantiated by charismatic and lovable performers MouseBones (ilvs strauss and Jody Keuhner), Tiffany Lin, and Alianna Jaqua. A controlled careen of precise spasticity boasts mad dancing skills. It is Diana Cardiff’s Don’t Hit Me No More that finally produces the needed combination of high-level concept, choreography, performance, energy and polish. Heather Coyle and Michele Miller rock Cardiff’s lyrical martial art choreography in both technique and spark.The true highlight of the show is Crispin Spaeth’s for. Six dancers shine in this highly complicated piece of passion and sex set to Dale Sather's eerie sci-fi sound effects. Varied elements of puppeteer versus marionette, the trade, theft, seduction and betrayal of partners, impressive lifts, stark emotion, waltz, tango and salsa make for a layered performance piece. The previously raucous and excited audience is hushed, unspoken wows reverberating throughout the theatre.Unfortunately, Break a Heart chooses to eschew the beloved tradition of ending on a strong note and culminates in a blackly comical interpretation of Love Hurts. Viewer discretion advised for sensitive vegetarians.- Leah S.February 11th, 2010Break a Heart runs through Sunday, February 14th at On the Boards. On the Boards' programming is best suited to mature audiences ages 16 and up. Read audience reactions to the show on OtB's blog

High and Low at SIFF Cinema"The suspense is killing!"Toshiro Mifune is Kingo Gondo, an honest executive who’s poised to gain control of the National Shoe Company to keep it out of the control of venal company men. But just as he’s prepared to buy the company with raised capital, his son is kidnapped and held for ransom—nearly the sum of money Gondo needs to buy the company. This thrilling crime drama is deepened by a surprise development—the kidnapped child belongs to his chauffeur.Watch the trailer:High and LowPart of the series Kurosawa-senseiSIFF CinemaSaturday, February 13th at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM

On the fifteenth(ish) of every month, we publish a look ahead at the arts events that we're most psyched about for the upcoming month. march 2010dance3 by Dovevisual artI myself have seen it: Kiki SmithfilmLunch FilmstheatreFencesmusicOpera undressed

Oh, hey! You have a week off from school. Hooray! So, you're planning on spending the first two days sleeping and the rest being bored and texting people about how bored you are, right? Awesome. I mean, seriously. That sounds rad.But, listen, just in case you want to you, y'know...DO something, here are some ideas (Art, you see, doesn't take a mid-winter break. Because adulthood is just one long, unrelenting winter. JK!)DANCEBreak a Heart @ On the Boards Feb 11 - 14 more infoIn a city known for dance artists with a theatrical flair, Break a Heart features some of Seattle’s most beloved practitioners as they band together in a love-themed cavalcade of dance conveniently scheduled around one of the most unfortunate holidays of the year. From OtB's blog: "The performance itself was varied, bombastic and hilarious. I knew I was in for a treat as I was knocked out of my seat giggling during the first segment."

Farewell by Spectrum Dance Theatre at the Moore Theatre Feb 18 - 20 more infoA feverish, dreamlike theatrical meditation on America's relationship with China, Farewell is part of Spectrum’s ground-breaking three-year Initiative, Beyond Dance: Promoting Awareness and Mutual Understanding (PAMU). PAMU brings collaborators from across the nation and world to create dance theater pieces that examine issues relating to personal liberty, freedom, security and social justice.

The Red Shoes @ Northwest Film ForumA Technicolor classic based on Hans Christian Andersen's tale of magic ballet slippers whose wearer cannot stop dancing, The Red Shoes tracks a ballerina's rise to the lead role in a ballet version of the well-known story. As Powell noted of the film's role in a post–World War II free world, "For 10 years we had all been told to go out and die for freedom and democracy; but now the war was over, The Red Shoes told us to go out and die for art."A landmark in film style and themes, The Red Shoes has become a touchstone to cineastes, lovers of dance and filmmakers ranging from Vincente Minnelli to Martin Scorsese. Its astounding production design, music and choreography, and its shockingly sumptuous color palette and revolutionary treatment of dance on film now may be rediscovered and savored anew. This new 35mm print debuted at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.Appriopriate for ages 10 and up.Watch the trailer:Friday, Feb 12 at 07:00 PMSaturday, Feb 13 at 07:00 PMSunday, Feb 14 at 07:00 PMMonday, Feb 15 at 07:00 PMTuesday, Feb 16 at 07:00 PMWednesday, Feb 17 at 07:00 PMThursday, Feb 18 at 07:00 PMMore info at nwfilmforum.org

Review of Glengarry Glen Ross at Seattle Repertory Theatre by Ori R.A good idea is hard to sell, and a bad one, even harder. Glengarry Glen Ross is a fantastic illustration of just that: selling an idea. And it sells it well. Just what this idea is cannot be revealed in a review without spoiling the plot; however, how the sale takes place can be discussed. A fantastically designed set, well-cast characters, and a plot to make one forget the time all seal the deal with the audience, and create a riveting piece of drama.

(L-R) Charles Leggett, John Aylward, Russell Hodgkinson, MJ Sieber, and R. Hamilton Wright in Glengarry Glen Ross. Photo by Derek Sparks.

A brief, spoiler-free intro to this play can be stated in two sentences: the world is a tough place, and tough men need to sell it. The cutthroat world of real estate can be both hilarious and troubling, and you, dear readers, need to experience it.All audiences (above the age of thirteen*, of course, due to language) will appreciate the sharp wit and brilliant retorts of the salesmen in and out of the office. In addition to being conventionally excellent actors, the showmen have incredibly memorable voices. Salesmen have wrangled just about everyone into buying something they neither wanted nor needed at one time or another; this play shows how this process is pulled off.In a workplace where everyone is out to get everyone else, and competition is the name of the game, anything goes…as long as you can get away with it. Everyone has bad luck sometimes, and it runs in streaks. All these troubles and more are both brought to light and satirized in Glengarry Glen Ross, and I highly encourage you to see this play.*[Editor's note: Seattle Rep's official age recommendation for Glengarry Glen Ross is 17 and up for heavy profanity, brief sexual discussion, use of racial epithets.]- Ori R.February 10th, 2010Glengarry Glen RossSeattle Repertory TheatreThrough February 28th

Comedy of Love @ Unexpected Productions THEATRE/COMEDYThe veteran improvisors at Seattle's longest-running TheatreSports show create love-themed comedy based on your suggestions. Friday, February 12th & Saturday, February 13th at 8:30 pm, Sunday, February 14th at 7:00 pm. More info at unexpectedproductions.org.Break a Heart @ On the Boards DANCE9 of Seattle's most talented choreographers take on the worst holiday of the year. Thursday, February 11th - Sunday, February 14th at 8:00 pm. More info at ontheboards.org.Bury Your Secrets in a Sculpture Park @ Seattle Art Museum's Olympic Sculpture Park VISUAL ART"Through the creation of written accounts of loves that were better off lost, we will put past humiliations in a shredder, dump them in a worm bin and turn them into compost that will be spread in the sculpture park." Saturday, February 13th, 2 - 4 pm. More info on SAM's facebook. NOTE: no Teen Tix for this workshop. Student tickets are $16.Romeo & Juliet: A Valentine's Day Concert @ Seattle Symphony MUSICPortuguese-born Guest Conductor Joana Carneiro will lead Seattle Symphony in a program inspired by the world’s most renowned love story, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The program will include Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, as well as selections from Bernstein’s West Side Story, featuring soprano Hila Plitmann and tenor Ross Hauck. Sunday, February 14th at 2:00 pm. More info at seattlesymphony.orgSpeech & Debate @ Seattle Repertory Theatre THEATRESeattle Rep offers Teen Tix members the opportunity to call ahead and purchase advance tickets to their Valentine's day performances of the hit teen comedy Speech & Debate, which our teen reviewers call "hilarious" and "disturbingly accurate." To buy your advance tickets (limit 1 per Teen Tix pass for the 2 pm show and 2 per Teen Tix pass for the 7:30 show) call the Rep's box office at 206-443-2222 and mention the code word CUPID. Sunday, February 14th at 2:00 and 7:30 pm. More info at seattlerep.org. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

If the grey skies have got you down this winter, there’s a show in town for you. Pacific Northwest Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty is the ultimate picker-upper; filled with fanciful and intricate sets and costumes, excitement, and breathtaking dance, Sleeping Beauty takes a hold of you and won’t let go until the curtain comes down.

Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Lucien Postlewaite and Kaori Nakamura in Ronald Hynd’s The Sleeping Beauty. Photo © Angela Sterling.

The first thing that strikes you about Sleeping Beauty is the sets. The pages of a fairy tale seem truly to have come to life on McCaw Hall’s stage. The austere majesty of the castle, with soaring columns and enormous thrones, is enough to arrest your attention in itself. And when Aurora falls into her slumber, ivy and forests take over the castle, crawling magically from all corners. Sleeping Beauty’s scenery is made only the more beautiful by the costumes. The gowns are detailed beyond belief, flowing, and elegant. Inside of the dreamlike world that all of this creates, the dancers bring amazing new life and vivacity to an old story. At first, the dances of the fairies are whimsical, and happy. With carefree dances, the dancers bring you into the idyllic happiness of the story. And the choreography develops characters through dance—each of the fairies with their own temperament, Aurora’s majestic and graceful dances just before being cursed, and the dances of the many fairy tale characters at the end. Unfortunately, at some points along the way the choreography seems passionless, lacking the energy that the music evokes and that the dancers clearly wish to show. Often, you find yourself frustrated, waiting for the zeal and life that never fully comes. But all of this takes a complete back seat to the indisputable high point of the show, the pas de deux between Prince Florimund and Aurora. Their dance is tender and slow at first, but then the two then began a series of acrobatic lifts and twists that will have you literally on the edge of your seat and holding your breath. They defy gravity and description, with lifts and pirouettes. But most amazing about the dance is their sense of controlled power and strength, the very grace that ballet at its core is all about. Sleeping Beauty is a fairy tale brought to life, complete with all of the fancy, magic, and splendor it needs. And from start to end, you find yourself completely fallen into another world, far from the grey skies and drizzle outside the door. - Tucker C. February 4th, 2010 The Sleeping Beauty Pacific Northwest Ballet Through February 14th

Intrepid teen reviewer Monet C. gets herself invited to the Arcadia cast party.

Although slightly bawdy at times, Arcadia is a wonderful piece of art. Amusing and fascinating, this performance is an enchanting fusion of the world in 1809 – 1812 and also the world in 1989.

The means that Tom Stoppard, the playwright, pieced the play together is sheer genius!In Arcadia, there is a mystery to be solved! A young girl, figuring out the numbers for nature,a tutor, teaching her how to waltz, a peeping gardener. They all play a part in Arcadia!

Oldentimes. Photo by Michael BuryI was privileged to hang out with some of the cast after the show, and here is a bit about them!JEREMY THOMPSONMe: Jeremy, where were you born?Jeremy: Oregon, actually. It is a rather interesting place.M: What is your advice for any actors?J: Do not get nervous at the auditions! That said, I do confess, I am always extremely nervous at any audition!M: thank you!J: You’re welcome!JAGER WEATHERBYMe: What character did you play, Jager?Jager: Tomasina! She is a wonderful role, because I get to act as a 13 year old, and that is quite a great experience.Me: what is your day-job?J: Actually, I am a bartender!M: That’s kinda cool! Thank you for your time!J: thank you for the interview!

Slightly-less-oldentimes. Photo by Michael Bury

JOSHUA MICHELSMe: How long have you been acting, Josh?J: I do not know, since I was 9, so, three years? Yeah.M: Cool! What was your favorite part of Arcadia<?I>?J: Most likely when I get to call Tomasina ugly in a nice way!M: Why did you like playing Gus?J: The pantomime! Definitely.M: what are you hobbies other than acting?J: Basketball and bass guitar.M: Thank you for your time.J: No prob! Peace!Arcadia can be a bit raunchy, so I would place it in the 15 and up category, although it was fun! This is a play for those who are unafraid to laugh their heads off. This is a wonderful, refreshing show with many endearing qualities. Also, this is a perfectly British show with perfect casting for all the roles.ArcadiaDriftwood PlayersThrough February 21stRecommended for people ages 15 and up

Hey lovebirds! Wondering what to do on Valentine's Day? Want to do something special, unexpected, perhaps...arty? See Speech & Debate at Seattle Rep! Check out this great offer from the Rep:**********************Teen Tix members can purchase tickets to both the 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm performances of Speech & Debate on Sunday, February 14th in advance by calling the box office and mentioning the code word CUPID. Offer is limited to one ticket per Teen Tix pass for the afternoon show and two tickets per pass for the evening show.*********************************Speech & Debate is the story of three high school misfits who form a Speech & Debate club to try to expose a scandal at their school. We sent our Young Critics Workshop students to review it. Here's what they thought:"It bares the basic nature of high school life, which appears to be frantically fluctuating emotions mixed with the basic part of human nature that longs to fit in and be accepted. It’s entertaining and generally tragically true, striking a little too close to home to be forgotten in a hurry." - Charlotte L."Hilarious" - Lamar G."Complete with pop culture references, podcasts, American Apparel merchandise, and dark humor, Speech & Debate shows you that with friendship and going against the norm, the truth can be exposed." - Laura V.“Speech and Debate captures the high school environment extremely well" - Cage M."As a piece of theatre Speech & Debate thrives" - Emma K.Speech & Debate runs Wednesdays - Sundays through February 21st at Seattle Rep. To purchase your advance tickets to either performance on February 14th, call the box office at 206-443-2222 and mention the code word CUPID. For more information about the show, visit seattlerep.org.

Seattle Musical Theatre invites middle and high school students to join us for a *free* upcoming class on the third show in our season, Steven Sondheim's Company. The class will run February 22-25 at our Magnuson Park theater: 4-6 on Monday-Wednesday, and 7-10 on Thursday to allow us to see that night's production.The class and ticket are free and first-come, first-served. Please contact Jeremy Ehrlich at jeremy @ seattlemusicaltheatre . org for more information or to sign up. Information about the theater and a study guide to the production are available on SMT's website, http://www.seattlemusicaltheatre.org/.

Review of Michael Nicolella at Cornish College of the Arts by Delaney M.I went to see Michael Nicolella’s recital at Cornish’s Poncho Performance Hall. Nicolella is a recent addition to the faculty at Cornish and trained at Yale, Berklee College of Music, and the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. Nicolella is a classical guitar virtuoso; he has even been compared to Andres Segovia!Nicolella’s show was extremely eclectic and diverse. The songs ranged from classical Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti to more Latin pieces by Isaac Albeniz, and finally to Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix. Some of the songs were pretty mind bending especially Bobby J, a song by Laurence Crane who was a huge fan of minimalism, which basically means very few notes and lots of distortion and pitch bending. The true gem of the show however, was Nicolella’s technical skill. He is an amazing performer both on the acoustic guitar and the electric guitar, and his years of training are very obvious.The performance venue, Poncho Hall, was very intimate. With only about forty or so seats every seat in the house has an up close and personal view of the performer. The hall was also very well constructed and creates a lot of good natural reverb for the music being performed. All in all the hall has a very homey feel, with the laid back environment, small number of seats, and the well used chairs and stage props.This show is definitely appropriate for all ages, however I would recommend it to people who love music and perhaps know at least a little about music theory, as Nicolella spends a couple minutes before each piece explaining its history and the way it is supposed to be played. There is no doubt that technically Michael Nicolella is phenomenal, and if you are up for a music experience that will take you to places you have never been before, then his recital is a great choice!The Michael Nicolella concert was one night only. Next up in Cornish's Music Series, pianist Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa presents Cosmophony, a concert inspired by the solar system, Saturday, February 6th at PONCHO Performance Hall at Cornish College of the Arts. For more info, visit the Cornish Music Series webpage.

Review of The Great Divorce at Taproot Theatre by Jonathan H.Truth be told, I wasn’t sure about how the new stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s “The Great Divorce” would play out. Having read the book in the past year, I was intrigued by the idea, but I never thought of the story making an interesting stage production, partially because it lacks a really thorough plotline. I expected a lot to be added to the script in order to appeal to a broader audience, but thankfully this never happened. This production is actually very close to the original novel, with words of dialogue and narration taken straight out of the book. And once again, Taproot Theatre brings out the best in everyone involved to give its audiences another quality production.David Dorrian as C.S. Lewis. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.The book, first published in 1946, challenged thousands who read it to take a look at religion and the afterlife in a different way. The title implies the divorce between Heaven and Hell and the beliefs held about the methods of reaching both. Lewis was a strong believer in the Christian faith, so his religious beliefs influence the narrative entirely. The play is also a theological view on Heaven and Hell, and poses the audiences with questions about life, death, religion, and God.The play begins at a bus stop in a place only described as the Gray City (which sounds a lot like Seattle). A line is forming, and C. S. Lewis (David Dorrian) steps in to wait for this bus ride, unsure of its destination. He meets several characters on the bus, some impatient, tired, nervous, or anxious people, who share briefly with Lewis about their destination. Soon, the bus arrives and the passengers get off in what seems to be a Heavenly realm. Unfortunately, because these passengers are only visitors to this realm, the terrain is rough and dangerous; the grass can feel as hard as diamond to walk on, and a single raindrop could rip a hole right through you. Lewis begins to observe some of the passengers (referred to as “ghosts”) meet up with “spirits” who beg their attention to different details about their lives. Some of these spirits are siblings, begging the ghosts to come back to God. Other ghosts are visited by the spirits of their dead spouses, asking for forgiveness. Lewis eventually meets up with author George MacDonald (Nolan Palmer), who guides him through some of these various events. He eventually comes to see that the people on the bus are ignorant of their faith, and would much rather go back to the Gray City, which he later on finds out is actually Hell.As previously mentioned, the story lacks a really thorough plotline. Not to say that the play lacks plot, it just doesn’t have a typical narrative like most other plays. Instead of a final climax to the show, or any sort of character arc for Lewis, we instead get various meet ups of ghosts and spirits, which doesn’t seem to build any tension or rising action for the story. This is however in the same style as the book, which doesn’t rely on action or comedy to appeal its readers. Because of this, the play can seem somewhat slow at times, particularly because some of the conversations between characters are a bit tedious or may seem somewhat insignificant. However, the actors do an admirable job bringing a lot of these scenes to life given that most of them are required to play multiple parts. Dorrian does an admirable job as Lewis, narrating and being our guide to the story. Palmer also is very good in his scenes with Dorrian in which he shares about the Heavenly realm and the people who are passing through. The rest of the cast does a wonderful job as well, each standing out in their scenes as either troubled ghosts, or helpful spirits. Special attention also should go to Scott Nolte for his masterful direction, Mark Lund for the intense and riveting “soundtrack”, and Sarah Burch Gordon for her inventive and colorful costuming.Walking out of the show, I heard one woman jokingly ask her friend if she actually understood the show. I found that interesting to hear because C. S. Lewis’s ideas of this Heavenly realm and some of the scenes between ghosts and spirits do seem very obscure. However, I think all of that makes a interesting statement about humanity and religion that is beautifully presented through some of the metaphor used in the story. Taproot’s production is smart, inventive, and thought provoking, and while some of it might not all make sense upon first viewing, I definitely recommend it. It’s a show unlike one you’ve probably ever seen.- Jonathan H.January 31st, 2010The Great DivorceTaproot TheatreThrough February 27th

Review of Love Song @ ArtsWest by Yvette JLast week, after reading the summaries and reviews for Love Song, I was expecting your typical romantic comedy. I expected a storyline involving a man falling in love with someone else’s sister or best friend or him saving the future love-of-his-life in a freak accident. Well, what else are you supposed to expect when it says “romantic comedy” in the description? But Love Song follows a storyline that I was definitely not prepared for. Just so you’re not as confused as I was as the story unfolds, Love Song involves a hermit named Beane (played by Christopher Zinovitch), his sometimes overbearing sister, Joan (played by Heather Hawkins), her skeptical husband, Harry (played by Nick DeSantis) and a thief named Molly (played by Cindy Bradder).Cindy Bradder and Christopher Zinovitch in Love Song.Photo by Matt Durham.Beane does not like to deal with people or collect anything—the only decorations hanging on his walls are his keys and he owns less than 10 items. He is your typical hermit/weirdo. The only person he will really talk to is his older sister, who is greatly concerned with her brother’s self-seclusion from society. But one night, everything changes for Beane as he becomes accidentally acquainted with a woman named Molly, who is a thief. Beane ends up falling in love with her, and as problematic as it all sounds, his relationship with Molly doesn’t only change his outlook on life, but it also changes the relationship Beane’s sister, Joan, has with her husband in a surprisingly positive way.The play carries well for only involving four actors. Bradder is a very forceful, aggressive, angry actress as she takes control of every scene she is in. Especially in her first encounter with Beane, Bradder plays a convincingly frustrated and confused thief. Zinovitch’s character is obviously the most entertaining as he plays a very spacey and “verbose” Beane. DeSantis and Hawkins (Joan and Harry) play your typical, humorous, argumentative couple. Each actor takes control of his or her character and brings out their characteristics in extreme ways. Love Song’s storyline is refreshingly different, raw and meaningful. It gives people the idea that change comes in the most unexpected places and to accept it regardless of the shape, form or package it comes in.- Yvette J.January 31st, 2010Love SongArtsWestThrough February 21stRecommended for people ages 15 and up