Seattle Blog

Our second annual Teeny Awards were a HUGE success: more votes, more awards, more love for Seattle's most teen-friendly arts organizations. HOORAY!Teen Tix's Teeny Awards are presented every Spring by the Teen Steering Committee based on member voting. The awards aim to empower young audiences, to reward youth-friendly programming choices, and to acknowledge those organizations where young audience members feel particularly welcomed and valued. Our beautiful certificate, designed by Brian NaubertThis year, we surprised all of the winning organizations with singing telegrams. Our amazing Teeny Awards Delivery Squad - Elsa, Katy, and Mac - sang, danced, and spread joy all day long. It was (how shall we say?) completely off the hook. Watch!Thanks to everyone who voted, thanks to our incredible Delivery Squad, and thanks to all of our participating organizations for making Seattle such a great place to be an arts-loving teenager. WE LOVE YOU! See you next year.Teeny Award Winners 2010:Best Selling Show of 2009 - 2010:Roméo et Juliette at Pacific Northwest BalletBest Art Exhibit of 2009 - 2010:Polaroids: Mapplethorpe at Henry Art GalleryBest Dance Performance of 2009 - 2010: 3 by Dove at Pacific Northwest BalletBest Film of 2009 - 2010: tie! The Yes Men Save the World at Northwest Film Forum and Sci-Fi on Blu-Ray Series at SIFF CinemaBest Play or Musical of 2009 - 2010:Speech & Debate at Seattle Repertory TheatreBest Music Performance of 2009 - 2010:Sound Off! 2010 at EMPBest "Other" Show of 2009 - 2010:Laser Michael Jackson at Seattle Laser DomeBest Date Venue: Pacific Science Center's IMAX & Laser DomeBest Box Office Experience: Seattle Children's TheatreBest Seats in the House: Seattle SymphonyBest Film Organization: SIFFBest Museum or Art Gallery: Seattle Art MuseumBest Performing Arts Organization: Seattle SymphonyBest Multi-Disciplinary Organization: Cornish College of the ArtsFavorite New Teen Tix Organization: Seattle Art MuseumFavorite Organization Overall (small): Young Americans' Theatre CompanyFavorite Organization Overall (mid-size): Seattle Shakespeare CompanyFavorite Organization Overall (large): Pacific Northwest BalletThe Phoenix Award: Rising From the Ashes: Taproot Theatre Company

SummerSoundFREE all-ages concert at Center SquareVoted in by members of the Soundboard and EMP’s Youth Advisory Board, Seattle’s Kids and Animals will kick-off the concert at 7 pm. Remaining performances will be held by Sound Off! Alumni Idiot Pilot (Sound Off! 2004), People Eating People (featuring Nouela from Mon Frere, Sound Off! 2004) and SEACATS (Sound Off! 2010).Kids and Animals live on KEXPKids and Animals is an eclectic group of young Seattleites who have received much recognition for their sophisticated songwriting and uninhibited live show. Since self-releasing their self-titled debut album they have peaked at number eight on KEXP's local music charts.Idiot Pilot is a high energy duo from Bellingham, WA who have been performing their unique blend of music for nearly ten years. As Pioneers of the burgeoning post hardcore and electronica landscape, Idiot Pilot is known for their spastic live shows and experimental recordings.People Eating People is a piano-driven trio headed by Seattle keyboard player Nouela Johnston.

SEACATS at SoundOff! 2010Photo by Brady HarveySEACATS is an uncompromisingly catchy rock quintet from Kelso, WA. Creating the perfect pop concoction of surf guitars, hand claps, and Ba Ba Ba Ba’s, their endearing songs are backed by upbeat percussion and a relentless sneer.SummerSoundThursday, July 87 - 10 pmCenter Square (right behind EMP!)FREE!

Intern Journal #2I’m not (and never have been) a gamer. Video games never appealed to me as a way that I wanted to spend my time—they seemed pointless, unless I was bored and desperate for something to do. Lately, though, I’ve been spending a lot of time with people who are absolutely passionate about video games. A lot of my assumptions about video games and the people who play them have been challenged—and, in many cases, totally shut down. In a conversation with a gamer friend of mine, he mentioned that Roger Ebert has made the assertion that “video games can never be art.” My friend said he didn’t think that that was true.Roger Ebert says that a clear difference between video games and established art forms is that one can win a video game (it has points, objectives, rules, strategies) but one cannot “win” art, one can only experience art. But what if winning (or losing, if you’re like me) the game is part of the experience? And what about those Goosebumps books where you made decisions in the story to get to one of a few endings? Are they literary art, or are they a game?On Monday, I was listening to NPR’s On the Media, and Brooke Gladstone was interviewing writer and critic Tom Bissell about why video games matter. He says that “[Good storytelling in games] actually gives you this unbelievably scary and weird and often very troubling kind of agency. And fiction can't do that, movies can't do that. That's the kind of things that I love about games, is those moments of just jaw-dropping scary freedom.” Video games, he says, are not the same as literature or film, and so they should strive to create a different kind of experience than the other two art forms. Comparing the video game experience to a reading experience or a movie-watching experience doesn’t make sense.I decided to ask the experts: my gamer friends. One made an interesting point that “Without art video games would be boring and stale, with nothing to draw a player in,” and I think that’s pretty true. A sort of literary art draws people into the characters and story of the video game, as do the visual artistic effects that make a game aesthetically pleasant to partake in. Someone pointed out that video games can absolutely be art (using the Wikipedia definition: “the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions”) but that doesn’t mean that all video games are.Another friend noted that making a video game “takes creativity and ingenuity,” but I wonder if that is all that it takes to make art. There are a lot of artistic components to video games, though, they all said. Appealing music and sound effects, design and coding, visuals, and storytelling all require a significant amount of artistic skill, and the collaboration among artists to create the final work, when done well, is impressive.I’m not sure I have the right to make a call about video games’ artistic legitimacy, simply because I don’t play them. I wouldn’t comment on a film I’d experienced with the picture turned off (to use one of Tom Bissell’s examples), so why would I comment on another potential type of art which I have never really experienced?It seems to me as though both sides have a point, but in order to come to a conclusion, we have to define art—something about which everyone has a different opinion.What do you think?? Vote in the poll! (Look in the upper right of the blog.)Read Roger Ebert’s argument hereRead the transcript or listen to the recording of the interview with Tom Bissell here

I heart Mykaela!

I have discovered that there is actually a behind the scenes of Teen Tix... actual real-life, awesome people who do a lot of work to keep Teen Tix running. Real humans blog, tweet, facebook, and do some crazy hard work all in the name of $5 tickets.Kind of shocking, I know.Anyway, now there's an actual teenager working at Teen Tix... and that teenager is me. I'm Mykaila, and I'm interning (read: slaving away for free) for Teen Tix. Why? On the long list of things I adore, Teen Tix is near the top. Its neighbors are summer, really nice ballpoint pens, kickball, and free speech. Because of Teen Tix’s extremely high level of magnificence, I look forward to coming in on Wednesdays to slave away –uh, intern. Every Wednesday this summer, you can expect to see a post from me detailing the electrifying adventure of being Teen Tix’s teenage intern.I have been asked to also describe what I'm up to. I've been creating an archive of this blog. Basically, I go back to past blog posts and copy and paste each individual post into its own document (thrilling, right?). The goal is to have every single post in teen tix blog history on paper (you know, in case the internet goes out of style). So far, I've seen every teen tix blog post from February 2007 until August 2009 (and there's a few hours left in my day). I have made a list of my TOP 5 FAVORITE BLOG POST TITLES IN TEEN TIX HISTORY:• Flawlessness=afros, Smart Cars, and German rap (May 2008) • What do Britney Spears songs have in common with Medieval Muslim Spain poets? (June 2009)(Nobody ever found out... the event was cancelled. Does anybody else want to know this as badly as I do? Does anybody know the answer?) • A Powerhouse Meme of Slavic Theme (November 09) • OMGOTB (September 09) (Must be paired with its opening lines: "Seriously? This is not a lame attempt to pander to you via ham-fisted teen lingo throwdown. (That's what we usually do, it's just not what we're doing right now.) This is an earnest, mature, sober, adult expression of enthusiasm of the unrestrainable variety: ZOMG we got OtB!!!!!!!!!")• knee-slapping-laugh-so-hard-your-belly-hurts-jolly-old-fun-old-bean stuff (October 09) That’s all I have to say for this week. Questions? Concerns? Alarms? Outbreaks of honesty? Until next week… make like the teen tix blog, and keep it real.- Mykaila

Zoey Belyea and Tallis Moore of the Young Americans' Theatre Company!Zoey and Tallis are both members of the Young Americans' Theatre Company (YATC.) They talked to us about their upcoming show, Past Curfew, how they each got tricked into becoming actors by their evil actor parents, and why the other is so crush-worthy. It's cute. Watch. Past Curfew: A Festival of One Actspresented by Young Americans' Theatre Company at Balagan Theatre, 1117 E Pike Street on Capitol Hill.June 30 - July 3

Teaser from those crazy kids at Young Americans' Theatre Company for their upcoming festival of one acts, Past Curfew:Past CurfewYoung Americans' Theatre Company @ Balagan TheatreJune 30 - July 3Recommended for ages 14 & up

ART ATTACKTeen Night OutJune 25, 2010SAM Downtown(1st Ave & Union St.)Kick off your summer with ART ATTACK, June 25, 7-10 pm! Catch great music, dancing and gallery tours led by the SAM Teen Advisory Group. Make buttons, posters and screen prints. Plus, see the great exhibitions on icons Kurt Cobain and Andy Warhol.Live performances kick off at 8 pm.ART ATTACK is FREE for all high school students. If you are a high school student please email [email protected] to request your tickets.

Experience Music Project seeks new members for the 2010-2011 Youth Advisory Board (YAB)! The mission of this program is to connect teenagers to the Northwest's all ages arts and music scene by giving them an opportunity to be a driving force in EMP's teen programming. YAB members are invited to create and promote teen programs, work with local musicians and artists, meet other creative types in the community, and help out with Sound Off!, EMP's annual battle of the bands.Youth Advisory Board members have the opportunity to: * Screen and discuss Sound Off! battle-of-the-band submissions. * Assist at events like Bumbershoot, Sound Off! and more. * Create a youth voice at EMP|SFM and assist in getting other teenagers involved. * Help showcase EMP|SFM programs to the greater Seattle community. * Get an inside peek at museum exhibits and special events. * Write, participate and network in EMP|SFM's online community. * Write, participate and network in EMP's online community devoted to the NW's all-ages music/arts scene (thesoundboard.ning.com).YAB Membership Requirements: * Must be high school aged, complete the YAB application. * Attend meetings twice a month at EMP on Thursday early-evenings. * Have a basic knowledge of and enthusiasm for music. * Members will be expected to commit to serving on the board for 9 months.Application Information: * Online applications available here * Applications are due by June 28. * All applicants must provide a recommendation letter and work sample (ex: music you have performed, a paper you have written, a creative writing sample, a poem, a sketch, a collage, photography, video, etc...More Information at EMP's website

This opportunity being offered by a local arts institution which we all know and love (but who's name must remain a secret!) Earn money for your opinions.Seeking Teens for Focus GroupsA local cultural institution is seeking teens to participate in focus groups that will be held in Seattle in June 21 - 23. The focus groups will concentrate on how teens communicate, their perceptions of the institution and what may attract/discourage them to visit. This research will inform the institution as they develop new technology-based experiences for teens. Focus group participants will be compensated with $75 for participation. Interested participants should contact 206-241-6050 and ask for Tom or Bonnie or send an email to [email protected] and reference "Teen groups on June 21st-23rd."

A cute little preview from Washington Ensemble Theatre's Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre (QTET) for their new show, Breaking Character. Please do enjoy.

The Ensemble Presents: BREAKING CHARACTER from Washington Ensemble Theatre on Vimeo.

Congratulations to the illustrious graduating class of the 09-10 Teen Tix Young Critics Workshop:Angel Barnard - Chief Sealth High SchoolArista Burwell-Chen - Holy Names AcademyAmanda Chan - Garfield High SchoolBridget Durant - Redmond High SchoolLamar Glover - The Center SchoolJoshua Gregory - Meadowdale High SchoolEmma Kelley - Running Start, Bellevue Community CollegeElyse McManus - Holy Names AcademyCage McKinsey - Eastlake High SchoolDenali Sabando-Rogalin - Chief Sealth High School/Bellevue Community CollegeLaura Valiente - Shorewood High SchoolSofia Wagner - Chief Sealth High SchoolCharlotte Ziob - Inglemoor High SchoolHere's what they had to say about their YCW experience:“…starting out a defiant, know-it-all, I was transformed into a confident and unashamed inquirer. Despite AP and Honors English classes for four years at my high school, this has been the best writing course I’ve ever had the privilege of taking.” – AristaArista reads her work aloud while Professor Kiley listens“I feel that I have accomplished something huge in my life, and I would love others to take my position next year to see what it feels like to be a writer, and a critic.” – Angel“Young Critics Workshop is an extraordinary opportunity that should be experienced by all teens hoping to grow as writers in the Seattle area.” – BridgetEmma writes, Cage thinks deeply“I am a staunch believer in supporting the arts for teenagers, and I truly think it’s phenomenal that Teen Tix provides not only full-access to Seattle venues, but also programs like YCW. To have the opportunity to work on arts criticism (I mean really, where else can you find a class in that? For teenagers?) with two people proficiently well versed in journalism and culture alongside other young writers - who CARE - is, in a word, unfreakingbelievablelikegosh.” – Emma“I am reluctant to label the YCW sessions that I have attended as 'classes' because that term seems to imply monotony and irrelevance to a teenager as jaded about learning as I am....Young Critics Workshop is a lively, riveting, and truly educational experience…and I can only wish there was more.” - AmandaIf you're a Seattle-area teenager who'll be in 11th or 12th grade next year, and you're interested in improving your writing, YCW might be just what you're looking for. The Young Critics Workshop is a critical writing seminar taught by Stranger Arts Editor Brendan Kiley. It's not a boring lecture, it's not an SAT prep course. It's a hands-on writing lab where you'll learn to look at art critically and articulate your opinions convincingly (or at least entertainingly.)Applications for the 10-11 YCW will be available in late August. If you have questions in the meantime, send an email to [email protected]

Reprinted from the Seattle Center Public Programming monthly newsletterBy Holly ArsenaultThis year, Seattle’s City Council approved an $8 million budget allocation for youth violence prevention. According to the City of Seattle’s Youth Violence Prevention Initiative website, the effort will focus on helping about 800 young people who are “at highest risk of perpetuating violence or becoming victims.” You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t think committing resources to preventing youth violence in Seattle is a good idea. But with so much energy and resource going toward youth who are at-risk, it can be easy to forget that most of Seattle’s young people - even those living in communities with higher incidence of violence - are not violent. Chukundi Salisbury (aka DJ KUN LUV), the coordinator of the All City Teen Dance points out that there is a “largely silent majority of teens that are not engaged in criminal and gang activity.” He sees the All City Teen Dance as an opportunity to acknowledge that silent majority and reward them for making good choices. “Many of the resources in the community are going towards an acute minority of teens whose negative behavior impacts all,” he continues. “This is…an effort to engage this largely silent group in the concept of community accountability. If they are going to have a safe, peaceful summer…they need to be actively engaged in bringing that about.”2009 All City Teen DancePhoto by Bruce G. NiceThe second annual All City Teen Dance: Party for Peace will take place Tuesday, June 22nd at the Exhibition Hall at Seattle Center. The dance is just one of dozens of Community Created Events sponsored by Seattle Center every year. The Community Created Events program serves the public by partnering with non-profit, government, and community organizations to produce events that respond to community needs.Any Seattle high schooler can attend for free, as long as they are sponsored by a school administrator or teacher or a community based organization where the student has completed a minimum of 10 hours of community service. Sponsorship forms will be available on the All City Teen Dance website (www.allcityteendance.com), as well as at community centers and area high schools. To get a ticket to the dance, a student need only fill out the form, get it signed by their sponsor, and turn it back in. The event will be hosted by Eddie Francis and DJ Supa Sam of KUBE 93. Before they leave, each attendee will be asked to sign a Pledge For Peace form. Salisbury explains, “We are hoping that young people who are doing the right thing and making positive choices leave with sense of empowerment to stay on track and [a sense] that adults in community affirm their choices and are proud of them. We are also hoping that teens see that they have a role and responsibility in having a peaceful summer.”For more information about the All City Teen Dance: Party for Peace, visit allcityteendance.com

Musical theatre fans, rejoice! On Friday, June 4th, you are invited to hear The Music Man in 60 minutes as Seattle Symphony’s own Marvin Hamlisch leads the Orchestra and Broadway soloists in a semi-staged production of the classic musical, presented in partnership with the 5th Avenue Theatre. PLUS! A cavalcade of Broadway hits.The pre-show meet and greet with Marvin Hamlisch is full, but you can still come at 7:00 for a teens-only schmooze-a-thon with entertainment by the Garfield and Edmonds-Woodway Jazz Bands and FREE CUPCAKES by Wolfgang Puck Catering. Tickets are still available and you can buy them at the door for $5 with your Teen Tix pass. One ticket per pass, adults pay regular price.Okay, so:Teen Night at Seattle SymphonyFriday, June 4th7:00:Schmoozing and cupcaking (for all!) featuring winners of the 2010 Essentially Ellington Outstanding Soloist Award, hailing from the celebrated Garfield, Roosevelt and Edmonds-Woodway High School jazz bands 8:00:The Music Man in 60 MinutesThere are plenty o' tickets still available. Get 'em at the door!

Questions? Call Seattle Symphony's box office at 206-215-4747.

Musical theatre fans, rejoice! On Friday, June 4th, you are invited to hear The Music Man in 60 minutes as Seattle Symphony’s own Marvin Hamlisch leads the Orchestra and Broadway soloists in a semi-staged production of the classic musical, presented in partnership with the 5th Avenue Theatre. PLUS! A cavalcade of Broadway hits.But wait, there's more! The first 50 teens to buy tickets to this special event will get to schmooze with the man himself, composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch. And when we say "the man," we mean THE MAN. Hamlisch is one of only two people ever to have won Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and a Tony (plus two Golden Globes and, uh, what was that other one? Oh yeah, A PULITZER.) So, yeah. You get to meet Marvin, you get to hang out at Benaroya Hall and be fancy, you get to hear great Broadway hits played by some of the best musicians around, and - best of all - you get FREE CUPCAKES from Wolfgang Puck Catering. No wait! Best of all (drumroll please) it's five bucks.Marvin Hamlisch, aka The ManSorry? Come again? How much? FIVE BUCKS. And you can buy those five dollar tickets RIGHT NOW - you don't have to wait until day-of-show (in fact, considering that only the first 50 folks get to meet Marvin, we would recommend not waiting one more second.) We know. We kind of can't believe how great we are, either.Okay, so:Teen Night at Seattle Symphony with Marvin HamlischFriday, June 4th7:00: Pre-show meet & greet with Marvin Hamlisch (first 50 ticket buyers)7:15:Schmoozing and cupcaking (for all!) featuring winners of the 2010 Essentially Ellington Outstanding Soloist Award, hailing from the celebrated Garfield, Roosevelt and Edmonds-Woodway High School jazz bands 8:00:The Music Man in 60 MinutesCall 206.215.4818 RIGHT NOW and mention Teen Tix to buy your $5 advance ticket and secure your spot in the Hamlisch reception.Questions? We're here for ya. Email [email protected] or call us at 206-233-3959.

Fixed! Thank you. Who's Edmond Woodward?

Would you be surprised to learn that they are teenagers?We're not. For years Garfield and Roosevelt High Schools have had a strong showing in the North American Jazz competition. This year was no exception.So Seattle Center is presenting a special concert in their honor.Way to go, you kool kats.Seattle Center PresentsGarfield and Roosevelt High School Jazz Bands in Concert:Essentially Ellington Competition WHEN:Wednesday, June 9, 7:30 p.m. WHERE:Marion Oliver McCaw Hall at Seattle Center WHY:Two of the nation"s leading high school jazz bands, who happen to call Seattle home, have again garnered the top prizes at this prestigious North American competition. Garfield Jazz Band won first place, and Roosevelt received an honorable mention. You can hear both bands in concert as they perform the great jazz standards, including the renowned works of Duke Ellington, on stage at McCaw Hall. Please join us for an evening of outstanding music and celebration. "Pay what you can" -- suggested donation $20 at the door to benefit Garfield and Roosevelt High School Music Programs and Seattle Center Foundation. Teen Tix are NOT eligible for this event, but we are very proud of our musicians at Roosevelt and Garfield, so had to share the love!More Information: http://www.seattle.com

The Passport to the Arts Contest ends on June 9th!If you hate money, stop reading.Okay, the rest of you: the Teen Tix Passport to the Arts contest is on right now. It works like a coffee card for art: everytime you use your Teen Tix pass in the next 5 months, get your card stamped. When it's full, send it in. If we pull your card, you win. You win money. First prize is $200 (yes, two hundred dollars).What's the catch, you say? We applaud your wise skepticism, but there is none. Seriously. We just thought Teen Tix wasn't quite awesome enough already. Last time we did this, three actual live teenagers won actual dollars.Okay, we do have an ulterior motive: to get you to see more art at different places. The more different places you go and different kinds of art you see, the more money you can win. Passport to the Arts. Get it?Okay, go download your passport from our website and start collecting stamps. You have until July 9th, 2010 to fill up your card. Go go go!

Okay, so, the story is that Jon Stewart and Marvin Hamlisch are sitting backstage at Regis and Kathie Lee (which is a talk show that used to be on the tv back before most of you were born - this was 1996) and Kathie Lee makes a crack about nobody knowing who Jon Stewart is (imagine!) and Hamlisch turns to Stewart and goes "Oooh. Burn." The end.Hi, I'm young, unknown comedian Jon StewartHi, I'm ridiculously famous and successful musician Marvin HamlischMeet composer/conductor/huge Broadway star Marvin Hamlisch at Teen Night at Seattle Symphony on Friday, June 4th. More info here.Teen Night at Seattle Symphony with Marvin HamlischFriday, June 4th7:00: Pre-show meet & greet with Marvin Hamlisch (first 50 ticket buyers)7:15:Schmoozing and cupcaking (for all!) featuring winners of the 2010 Essentially Ellington Outstanding Soloist Award, hailing from the celebrated Garfield, Roosevelt and Edmond Woodward High School jazz bands 8:00:The Music Man in 60 MinutesCall 206.215.4818 RIGHT NOW and mention Teen Tix to buy your $5 advance ticket and secure your spot in the Hamlisch reception.Questions? We're here for ya. Email [email protected] or call us at 206-233-3959.

You've heard this song. It's been spreading its treacly power through the cultural zeitgeist since a 21 year-old Marvin Hamlisch wrote it and Lesley Gore recorded it in 1965. We trolled YouTube for a few examples:Mary Radioactive from the Simpsons (this song was actually featured in the Simpsons episode Marge on the Lam, but YouTube didn't show us the love on that one. So here's this weird little thing.)A little something for the the Losties in the audience:And, finally, Miss Gore herself, on a bus, singing (and, apparently, hypnotizing that man in the brown jacket. Also, holy yellow sweater!)Meet Marvin Hamlisch at Teen Night at Seattle Symphony, Friday, June 4th. More info hereTeen Night at Seattle Symphony with Marvin HamlischFriday, June 4th7:00: Pre-show meet & greet with Marvin Hamlisch (first 50 ticket buyers)7:15:Schmoozing and cupcaking (for all!) featuring winners of the 2010 Essentially Ellington Outstanding Soloist Award, hailing from the celebrated Garfield, Roosevelt and Edmond Woodward High School jazz bands 8:00:The Music Man in 60 MinutesCall 206.215.4818 RIGHT NOW and mention Teen Tix to buy your $5 advance ticket and secure your spot in the Hamlisch reception.Questions? We're here for ya. Email [email protected] or call us at 206-233-3959.