Seattle Blog

Walking into the 5th Avenue Theatre, I thought that I would be sitting down for a concert with small bits of scripting between songs, so I was not ready at all for what I saw, and I was, quite literally, overwhelmed. Lights flashed, disco balls spun, and then the curtain rose, revealing a screen that carried a message of hope. By this point I was completely curious as to what would happen next, and I wasn’t disappointed. Swinging from one Queen tune to the next with witty quips, pop-culture references, sassy dancing, and fantastic set changes, I enjoyed myself and felt quite entertained by this take on one of the most classic, beloved bands in the history of rock and roll.

The outlawing of music has been a plot point in a few musicals, namely Footloose. That is repeated again in We Will Rock You. However, the thing that sets this apart from having a stereotypical plot and expectedly feel-good dance numbers is the rock-solid directing, the classic music from Queen, the concert-like lighting, and the fact that the lead characters — Galileo and Scaramouche — don’t know what they are supposed to do about Galileo’s dreams and differences until almost halfway through the musical.

The photo on Ai Weiwei’s Wikipedia page is reverent. Luminous against a stony backdrop, he looks stoic, resilient. It’s an image fitting of a lone artist taking on the Chinese government, the sort that would win the praise of Ai’s media following and fans.

It would also make a great cover for a film. But that’s not the story Andreas Johnsen tells in his new documentary, Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case. In the film, Johnsen takes no pains to glorify Ai Weiwei. His goals were to spend as many hours with Ai as possible and to depict the artist’s vision of China. Johnsen never sits the family down for a heart-wrenching interview. He doesn’t propel Ai’s actions with music or effects.

About the DJ: Hailing from Queen Anne, but truly belonging on Capitol Hill, you can find me having my nightly Game of Thrones marathon, or jumping up and down in my room to ear-bleedingly loud music, while I avoid practicing my viola by pretending I can play the guitar. Everyone I admire is either dead or a high school drop out, but I don’t plan on becoming either anytime soon. I love people, and if you have a story to tell, I have the ears to listen.

1. The Rocky Horror Picture Show Fresh off my 16th birthday, I had the aaaabsolute pleasure of attending a midnight revival of 1970s cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show with my best friend at the Egyptian Theatre on Capitol Hill. At a true showing of this film, your average movie going props like popcorn, Red Vines, and soda pop are replaced with fishnets, sequins, toast, squirt guns, and a lot of shouting. Before becoming a film, the show was originally an off-Broadway production, written by Richard O’Brien as a rebellion, after he had been fired from the set of Jesus Christ Superstar. It became the longest running theatrical release in movie history. Starring Tim Curry as saucy drag queen Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Susan Sarandon as the fretful-gone-freaky Janet Weiss, there’s a reason we keep coming back over and over to do the time warp again.

About the DJ: Isabella is currently a freshman at Garfield High School who enjoys spending her time analyzing musicals, staring at maps, learning new things, and playing Casanova, her lovely violin, any chance she gets.

1. Stephen Sondheim Being a huge Sondheim lover, I felt that I needed to include all of his musicals in this list — which unfortunately wouldn't fit into only five slots — so I've decided to talk about how wonderful his work is. Stephen Sondheim is a composer and lyricist known for his stunning musical works on Broadway he's been contributing for over 50 years. So yeah, he's not new, but definitely notable. A few of my favorites include A Little Night Music, Company, and Into The Woods. If you're looking for a change of pace in the musicals you watch, consider watching a Sondheim musical; they're filled with complexity, witty tongue-twister lyrics, and important messages you'll never forget.

About the DJ: My name is Evelyn, and I am an almost-senior attending Inglemoor High School. I love to read, watch movies, listen to Broadway musical soundtracks on my “down” days, or go out for a cup of coffee just for the sake of it. Overall, I’m just an easy-going person who appreciates small things in life. 1. Joe Hisaishi Joe Hisaishi is a film composer who composed soundtracks for pretty much all of the Studio Ghibli films. The soundtracks from famous Ghibli films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle are all composed by the ever talented Hisaishi. I take delight in listening to those soundtracks pretty much all the time; there’s always a piece that fits your mood for the day. I recommend listening to Merry-Go-Round of Life or Path of the Wind, as they’re my favorites. 2. Les Miserables I absolutely love all forms of Les Miserables, from the original novel written by Victor Hugo to the Broadway musical, and further on to the movie starring Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean. My favorite element of the work is the music composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg, as it moves one into sympathizing with the characters who attempt to overcome their personal obstacles in life. My ultimate favorite song is “One Day More” as the title itself holds different meanings for the characters. 3. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries This YouTube program got me hooked from the first episode, probably because I’m such a die-hard Jane Austen fan. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is the modern reenactment of the Jane Austen’s most well-known novel: Pride and Prejudice. The show tells the story through a series of video blogs with Lizzie (Elizabeth) Bennet retelling us the major events of the story with few modern twists. Her way of recreating the story is especially hilarious if you have read the book, and it is refreshing to hear the story from a different perspective. 4. Eric Whitacre Eric Whitacre is my ultimate composer “crush” ever since I came across his name when our band chose to play his piece titled "Sleep." His creation of a virtual choir is what truly got me into his music. He gathered thousands of people to submit videos of themselves singing his work and then compiled all of their voices into one giant, virtual choir singing the song at the same time. How awesome is that? Pretty awesome. 5. Food photography I am a foodie — that means that I enjoy anything food related, including taking pictures of food. There is actually a lot of effort when it comes to taking the perfect picture, like the lighting, arrangement, and freshness of the food. Food photography is one of my therapeutic methods of getting by through the day; it helps me relax as my put my concentration into framing the perfect photo.

Life Feels Good, directed by Maciej Pieprzyca, is a feature-length Polish film chronicling the adventures of a man named Mateusz, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a young age despite his mother’s best efforts to convince her family and the doctors that he is more than a vegetable. Narration makes clear from the beginning the truth of his mental capabilities as he struggles to tell the outside world of his understanding in order to gain access to the world of being known and knowing the world that he sees his siblings enjoy.

Rather than simplify or romanticize, the film portrays the complexity of Mateusz’s ordeal and the experience of his family around him. While often emotional, Pieprzyca directed a sometimes uncomfortable, often charming, and overwhelmingly witty and whimsical film. The combination of what feels like a futile struggle to be understood and an understanding of life gleamed from a sheltered and somewhat unconventional exposure to it leaves one unexpectedly fascinated.

If you ever wondered what happened when Charlie Brown got to high school, then you have to see Dog Sees God. The characters go by different names and love interests have been moved around, but it is easy to make the connections. That said, Dog Sees God goes down a completely different path than any Charlie Brown shows you have ever seen.

The play starts with CB dealing with the death of his dog, a beagle, which had to be put down because of rabies. After this loss he begins to ask his friends whether they believe in an afterlife, but none of them give satisfactory answers. His sister changes her personality every week, his friend Van is following the ways of Buddha, his ex-girlfriend (who is also Van’s sister) is in the mental ward for setting a girl’s hair on fire, his friend Matt is obsessed with sex and bullying Beethoven every chance he gets, and his friends Tricia and Marcy are too drunk to think straight. One day he finds himself in the music room, where Beethoven spends his lunch practicing piano because he cannot eat lunch in the lunchroom without being called gay, and after talking with Beethoven begins to think differently about his life and all he has ever done.

​It's that time again! Find something for every artistic endeavor on this complete list of classes, workshops, and programs for teens this summer.

Know about a summer opportunity that isn't on this list? Email Leah at [email protected] and she'll add it right quick! DANCE

Two BIG things are coming this Fall for teens interested in pursuing writing. Does that sound like you? Read on!

"What is criticism and why does it matter?" Explore this question and more in the Young Critics Workshop! In short, it's an arts criticism seminar open to 11th and 12th graders who are interested in exploring arts journalism. In YCW, you'll take classes, field trips to see art that you'll then review, and have discussions with a panel of real-life arts journalists. This class has been going strong since 2007--join and you'll be a part of the next generation of young arts critics.

Wetlands Screenings: May 30 and June 6 Not for the queasy or the prude, Wetlands is a bizarrely tuned exploration of the teenage psyche in the aftermath of trauma. Seventeen-year-old Helen’s hygienic and sexual habits frame her story. She’s an average teenager, except that she does a lot of things with her body that would make anyone else sick. Somehow Wetlands makes these happenings (often involving bodily fluids) intriguing, laughable, and maybe even understandable. It’s a compelling watch, if you can stomach it. - Kali S.

Ballet 422 Screenings: June 2 and 3 There’s no doubt that ballet is absolutely fascinating. The limber bodies, flowing costumes, and synchronized music of even the most standard ballet performance can leave viewers in awe. But what does it take to create that effect? Ballet 422 offers some insight. The documentary follows choreographer Justin Peck as he creates the New York City Ballet’s 422nd original piece. Not too surprisingly, the creative process rivals the result. - Kali S.

B for Boy is a powerful film about one strong woman’s struggle between staying true to herself and following her Igbo culture. Amaka is a 40-year-old Nigerian woman who is pregnant with her second child. Her first child is a daughter, so during this pregnancy there is pressure from her culture and her husband’s family to bear a son. If she does not bear a son there is the possibility that her husband will take a second wife.

During the third trimester of her pregnancy, a few days after she learns she is having a boy, the baby dies in utero and she learns she cannot conceive any more children. To add to that struggle, her husband’s brother dies, leaving her husband as the sole heir of the family name, putting even more pressure on Amaka to have a boy. As the movie continues it shows the story of how she deals with that knowledge and how much outside pressure she receives to have a boy and what it pushes her to do.

Boys, a film from the Netherlands directed by Mischa Kamp is unbearably tender. It’s about Sieger, a 15-year-old who is recently motherless during a stifling summer in which he grapples with his burgeoning attraction toward Marc, his new track-and-field teammate.

The setting of the film is beautiful, especially the prominently featured pond area. There's an old rickety bridge, dark murky waters, lily pads scattered across the mirror-like surface of the water, and a leafy canopy — all of these contributing greatly to the intensity of the scenes. The beauty of nature is actually an important theme of Boys, because it mirrors the beauty between Sieger and Marc.

I’ll start right off by saying the one element of African Metropolis anyone can enjoy is that it starts off fast. There’s no fancy or a drawn out introduction sequence. That being said, the rest of the film is an utter rollercoaster. It’s actually six short 10-15 minute films, and each one is drastically different. Thus the only way to properly criticize and praise the film is to review the films individually.

The first film, "Homecoming," set in Nairobi, is the tale of a man obsessed with an engaged woman. He escapes into fantasy worlds where he saves her life, but in each daydream the man is still defeated by her fiancée. From a psychological standpoint it’s fascinating, but the poor acting and pacing make the film suffer as a whole, which is too bad because I couldn’t help but wonder if this idea could’ve been fleshed out and made this opening story more engaging in return.

If a magical fairy came up and dumped fairy dust TNT on your favorite childhood storybooks, you’d have Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of Giselle. With swirling romance, fierce jealousy, and stage effects to make every person “Ooh” and “Ahh,” you’ll be wondering how PNB pulled off this magical classic.

The story of Giselle is short and sweet: Rich guy likes girl. They fall in love. She finds out he’s rich. She dies from shock and becomes a ballerina zombie. And a bunch of sad stuff happens. PNB manages to turn this simple story into an elegant and captivating performance worthy of the word “beautiful” in every sense.

About the DJ: My name is Audrey, and I’m a “homeschool” student finishing my junior year of high school at Edmonds Community College. I come from a very arts-involved family, but my personal passions include debate, current events, law, business management, economics, event planning, and applied psychology. In my spare time, I read everything I can get my hands on, and I delight in playing guitar and ukulele badly.

1. Northwest Folklife Although I’ve lived in Seattle my entire life, I had never been to Northwest Folklife, so I seized the opportunity to visit the 43rd Annual Northwest Folklife festival last weekend with some friends. Thousands of people celebrated the cultural roots and folk influences of the Pacific Northwest by immersing themselves in music, art, and dance. There was an incredibly diverse range of performers at the festival: choirs, bagpipers, a marimba band, celtic musicians, ukulele players, a high school jazz band, and a rock band decked out in pink tutus, just to name a few. This annual event captures the heart of the Northwest community, highlighting the artistic talent and historically diverse culture of the region.

This is one of the most heart-pounding movies I've ever seen. It's a brilliant psychological and supernatural story that asks the question, “What would you do if you knew your future exactly 24 hours ahead of time?” Though it sounds tacky, Time Lapse is far from it.

The story, though it has a couple additional characters, mostly focuses on three friends and roommates: Jasper, Finn, and Callie. The group finds one of their local residents missing, and when they go to check on him, they find a machine that shoots photos into their living room, but with the added twist that it's 24 hours into the future. And from there things go into the obvious downward spiral of distrust and tragedy.

Cannibal, a Spanish thriller directed by Manuel Martín Cuenca, is about a Carlos, a Granada tailor with a concealed desire for human flesh who has to grapple with the fact that he has fallen in love with his next prospective victim. In the words of Carlos, “I kill them. And I eat them.”

There are many splendid aspects of this movie, especially the unique cinematography. Much of the beginning shots feature small pockets bright of light in an ocean in darkness and were either very zoomed out so that the only thing the viewer sees is taking up a tiny fraction of the screen and everything else is just darkness, or focusing on the faces of the characters to the point that they hardly looked like faces and instead just like patches of light. This kind of “light in a tunnel of darkness” aesthetic is used when the tailor, Carlos, is in a dark place and is symbolic of his tainted mind, whereas in other parts of the movie it is the opposite where the viewer sees an ocean of white snow with just two black figures, which is symbolic of the purity and uncontaminated nature of his psyche when he is with his amour.

It's interesting to see a foreign take on patriotism; so much of the American conception of it is mostly seen as a stereotype. But how does it manifest in other countries? More specifically, in Finland? That seems to be one of many questions that A Patriotic Man attempts to answer, and it doesn't completely fail on that front. But in terms of lighthearted entertainment, the movie lacks just enough to be something even of satirical nature. I truly wanted to enjoy the film. It's a story based on true events with completely fictional characters, but unfortunately those same characters are actually what makes the film feel so bland at points. None of them feel entertaining or as if they have depth. The main character Toivo feels more like the type who's just too blank from beginning to end. He never changes who he is and that makes him feel as if he's a blank easel that other people write on and then wipe away before any significant changes can be made, which makes him mostly unlikable.

Surprisingly, the real concept outshines all the characters as a whole. The basic idea of athletes so determined to win that they'll be willing to submit to near-daily blood transfusions from Toivo (who has massive amounts of hemoglobin that any athlete could use for better performance) is interesting, which makes it too bad that the events of the film feel so mismatched with the characters. The second strongest component of A Patriotic Man is its wit, which comes with its ups and downs. It's supposed to be a comedy, but the best you'll be able to draw is some smart one-liners. It's more akin to another anti-hero tale that's morally gray, which wouldn't be bad if I had come into the movie expecting the latter. The director does a fantastic job of capturing this, and the cinematography is stellar as well. It's great that the few moments of comedy are so intelligent, but it's disappointing that there's so little.

LAST TUESDAY, HISTORY WAS MADE.

Our very own Executive Director of the TeenTix program, Holly Arsenault, met with the Puget Sound Association of Phi Beta Kappa on May 20th to accept the Pathfinder Award. This award honors and recognizes extraordinary leaders in promoting high quality learning and, specifically, they made it super official that we have made a huge impact in the lives of teenagers since our program began. Did you know that TeenTix has facilitated the sale of over 40,000 tickets to the arts?! HOW COOL IS THAT?

About the DJ: My name’s April. I like reading everything and anything. Most of my time is spent playing video games, and every once in a while I go outside to longboard. I’m the Opinions Editor of the Thunderword, the Highline Community College newspaper.

1. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood This show changes the lives of anyone who watches it. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend starting right now. This critically acclaimed anime focuses on two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, and their struggle to retrieve their bodies through alchemy. As the show advances it gets darker and darker, but no matter what Ed and Al are always there bring a little light and a little hope for the future.