Bohemia
As far as dinner shows go, this one’s a total winner, what with live classical music, flying fairies, a Sarah Bernhardt character who strips and assorted absinthe-tinged beverages to imbibe. Seattle’s uberly creative couple Mark Siano and Opal Peachey have teamed up to deliver this oh-so-entertaining show about Antonin Dvorak (Siano), the ghost of Frederic Chopin (Peachey) and a friendly bottle of absinthe. You can choose how to watch the show: without dinner, with dinner (oxtail goulash, which is quite good), with an apertivo (Don’t miss the meatballs) or with VIP service, which includes all of the aforementioned as well as special cocktail/fairy table service.
If you go: Bohemia, Café Nordo’s Culinarium, through Sept. 27 (Tickets start at $25)—F.D.
Local Sightings Film Festival*
This annual film festival celebrates northwest talent, showing films by artists throughout the region accompanied by lectures and performances. Even better, the festival heavily draws on my two surefire picks for a fun, eye-opening experience: shorts and animation. The Northwest Animation Showcase takes place from Sept.29 to Oct. 2, and each night is curated with films of a certain theme, from the union of animation to the role of nature. There’s something for everyone at this festival, and each year, it becomes clearer that the Seattle film scene isn’t just burgeoning — it’s burgeoned.
If you go: Local Sightings Film Festival, Northwest Film Forum, through Oct. 3 (Tickets start at $6) — N.C.
Eat Out in Capitol Hill
Eat for a good cause! Hooray for the annual return of Eat Out in Capitol Hill, when an array of great local venues, all contribute to an even greater resource: The Country Doctor Community Health Clinic. The CDCHC has a special place in my heart because they were there when I didn’t have insurance, and they continue to be there for anyone in need, providing affordable and attentive comprehensive health care. Supporting a great cause coupled with your love of eating out makes for a great Thursday night. Stop by Café Vita, Broadcast, Ada’s, or Victrola for coffee, head to Coastal Kitchen or Skillet for brunch, enjoy happy hour at the Bimbo’s or Poppy, or have a nice dinner at Smith, Ba Bar, or Quinn’s. Only have time for a mid-day treat? Head over to Molly Moon and Hello Robin. A portion of everything you spend goes to CDCHC.
If you go: Eat Out in Capitol Hill, various venues, Sept. 24 (Prices vary) — N.C.
An Evening with Saul Williams*
Another exciting season of Seattle Arts & Lectures has begun, with Alison Bechdel and Anthony Doerr to look forward to. Thursday night, SAL presents “poet laureate of hip hop,” and one-of-a-kind all-around artist Saul Williams. Williams will read from his latest collection of poetry US(a.), in which he works through his thoughts of what it means to be an American — the fabric of race, identity, gender, capitalism, superheroes (and so much more) that make up our country. Williams brings it in everything he tackles, whether it be poetry, music, acting, or giving a lecture, and this night will be no exception.
If you go: An Evening with Saul Williams, Town Hall, Sept. 24 (Tickets start at $10) — N.C.
Star Wars: The Party Strikes Back
Did Han shoot first? Is Obi Wan Kenobi more boring in the original Star Wars, or in the prequels? Is Jar Jar Binks really just a misunderstood and troubled soul, his manic behavior only an attempt to distract himself from the universe's infinite number of injustices? If you have an opinion on any of these issues, there's no excuse not to spend Saturday night at the Experience Music project, for the closing party of Rebel, Jedi, Princess, Queen: Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume. In what sounds like an incredible evening for any fan, the bash will include lightsaber duels, the Star Wars String Quartet, a roaming R2D2, a youth costume march, bars of both oxygen and alcohol, trivia, and much more. On top of that, this is one of your last chances to see some of the original costumes from the films, and take a selfie with Darth. Doors open at 7 p.m., so use the force and get yourself there.
If you go: Star Wars: The Party Strikes Back, Experience Music Project, Sept. 26 ($30 general public, $20 youth 5-17, free for children 4 and younger) – D.A.
SOUND
What’s at the top of my own list this week is Azeotrope's latest production, a bilingual play that’s a first for the company: the hearing actors are working with deaf actors in a show that’s about a young girl and cochlear implants. A deaf father and his hearing ex-wife argue over the issue in present day Martha’s Vineyard. The drama also weaves an historical narrative about Alexander Graham Bell and his quest to invent the first hearing aid 130 years earlier, also on Martha’s Vineyard.
In a press release about the production, the company refers to a 2012 City Living Seattle article that notes 180,000 hard of hearing people live in the greater Seattle area. “We want to help create visibility and room for Deaf artists where Deaf culture is at the center of art-making in a prominent venue and bring opportunities for Deaf audiences,” says co-artistic director Richard Nguyen Sloniker.
I’ve been impressed by the small Seattle theater company, ever since it put on a remarkable production of Jesus Hopped the A Train years ago. This is a gutsy company that likes to embrace issues and characters who are on the margins; it challenges both its actors and its audiences and I try hard never to miss whatever it’s ushered onto the stage.
SOUND is written by Don Nguyen and performed in American Sign Language and in English.
If you go: SOUND, ACT Theatre, through Oct. 4 (Tickets start at $25)—F.D.
Pablo Helguera: Librería Donceles*
Quick, name a local bookstore teeming with titles in Spanish. Each time New York artist Pablo Helguera has installed his Librería Donceles — in New York, San Francisco or Phoenix — it’s served as the only used Spanish-language bookstore in that particular city. Now la librería and its 20,000 literary offerings have been installed at the Henry Art Gallery where visitors can purchase one book for the price of their own choosing. Each book, in fact, was initially collected by the artist in exchange for an artwork. The bookstore will serve as a meeting place and as a site for related events. The next one: A discussion about the acoustics of books by Zackery Belanger on Oct. 3. Helguera is scheduled to perform a history of Uruguayan writer and pianist Felisberto Hernández on Oct. 15.
If you go: Pablo Helguera: Librería Donceles, Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, through Jan. 3 (Free; $10 for artist performance on Oct. 15)—F.D.
* events that are under $15
