TeenTix Blog

Being a TeenTix member has all SORTS of benefits: $5 tickets to the arts, exclusive arts events, snacks, and now this! Seattle Public Theater and 14/48: The World's Quickest Theater Festival are teaming up to bring you this Winter Break Camp. TeenTix members are encouraged to apply here to snag a FREE spot in this camp. Don't wait! Spots are limited, and the camp starts next Monday, February 19th.

Here are the deets:

Last week, we were lucky enough to go see American Hwangap by Lloyd Suh at West of Lenin. The play explores the relationships of an American-Korean family, the Chuns, particularly that of the family’s estranged father, Min Suk Chun, who returns home after fifteen years to celebrate his “Hwangap” (a commemoration of his 60th birthday). Before the show, we were also able to sit down with the play’s director, AJ Epstein, to ask a few questions.

With an artist for a mother, Epstein grew up surrounded by theatre. He went to shows regularly, and his parents were very supportive of him going into an arts-related field: “I was really lucky, that… I was able to have agency over [my decision to pursue an arts-related career]”, he stated. That wasn’t the only unique aspect of his arts-related journey, we found out, as Epstein had come up through lights and sound, and got into directing only later, in college. After purchasing West of Lenin, a tiny, eighty-eight seat, black box theater, in 2009, he started producing and directing shows there. Part of the theater’s charm is its small space, which provides the audience with a much more intimate experience.

This Friday, February 16th: our Community Partner, Arts Corps, presents the Youth Speaks Seattle WILD CARD Slam, part of the 2017-18 Youth Speaks Seattle Poetry Slam Series. Whether you're there to slam it down yourself or watch others at work, this is a fantastic way to spend your Friday night!

Since 2003, Youth Speaks Seattle has held an annual poetry slam series to build community, showcase the next generation of Seattle's poetic changemakers and to decide the top 5 poets to rep Seattle at Brave New Voices (BNV), the International Youth Poetry Slam Festival. This year, the winners will travel to Chicago for BNV 2018. Stay tuned for the GRAND SLAM on April 21st @ The Neptune Theatre!

One of our favorite things about The New Guard is that teens get opportunities throughout the year to take trips to TeenTix’s Partner Organizations! A few months ago, The New Guard used their time to take a formal outing to the Wing Luke Museum. Not only did they get to enjoy a personal tour of the museum and learn about its history in in Seattle’s lively International District, but New Guardians also had a couple hours to spend with the art, and followed up the whole experience with dim sum at a local restaurant! And, since they were closeby, the group took a jaunt to Seattle Art Museum’s Teen Night Out—overall, a fantastic night of fun, friends, and food.

Give yourselves the HIGHEST OF FIVES: you helped TeenTix raise $10,700.14 for our Annual Campaign, exceeding our goal of $10K!

Did you know that TeenTix gets most of its donations from teens & their parents? It’s true! YOU make TeenTix happen!

We need to raise just $360 a day for the next 12 days to meet our goal of $10,000 (that’ll allow us to send out 13,000 FREE TeenTix passes in 2018).

UPDATE: Applications will be accepted for The Press Corps Manager through Dec 31, 2017.

The Press Corps promotes critical thinking, communication, and information literacy through criticism and journalism practice for teens. Since 2006, some of the city’s most talented professional arts critics from The Seattle Times, The Stranger, Seattle Globalist, Seattle Dances and more, have taught over 550 teens through workshops and intensives focused on arts criticism training, resulting in over 450 reviews of arts and culture events that live on the TeenTix Blog. In 2015, we put the Press Corps on hiatus and worked with task force of community members to address some of the program’s ongoing challenges, including lack of significant racial and socio-economic diversity amongst program participants, and staffing challenges.

On Sunday, September 24th, teens, parents, artists, and arts leaders gathered at TeenTix Community Partner, Vera Project to celebrate the 10th annual Teeny Awards, hosted by TeenTix arts crush, Justin Huertas and members of The New Guard: Teen Arts Leadership Society.

In the first seconds of the film, a dark screen appears and fuzzy neon green text slowly types the message: It is the distant future. Mankind has conquered many galaxies, but the universe is vast. The mega-corporation Apocalypse Inc. has dispatched exploration vessels to discover new resources and possibly new life. The following is a journey of Syrinx-87.” This opening statement is frozen on the screen for a full 75 seconds before launching into the one hour and 13-minute long feature film, “Constant Space”.

“Constant Space” is a claymation space adventure filmed with a vintage Super 8 camera. The filmmaker Emmett Fifield, Snohomish native, wrote the script at the age of 16 and began filming at 18.

Our partners and community do so much more than provide art(erriffic) experiences--many of them also hold programming year-round that supports your participation! Check out what's on the docket for Fall/Winter 2017.

Drumroll, please, for the newest additions to our partner list, the the culmination of our work to expand the TeenTix program, and the most fantastic first six organizations from afar...

You can now use your TeenTix pass at the following TACOMA(!!!) partners: Broadway Center for the Performing Arts Museum of Glass Symphony Tacoma Washington State History Museum Tacoma Art Museum The Grand Cinema

The New Guard has deliberated and are EXCITED to share the nominees of the 2017 TEENY AWARDS!

Don't forget - the below are just nominees! TeenTix members - remember to #VOTE for your favorites! VOTE NOW VOTE NOW VOTE NOW! Voting ends September 8, 2017 @ midnight. TEENY AWARDS 2017 NOMINEES

Do you know a teen who is always getting their friends to go to shows? How about a teen who works to keep arts education in school? Or a teen who creates opportunities for other teens to express themselves through art? Or a teen who pours themselves into leading a drama club, poetry slam, photography club, writing club, dance team, or WHATEVER KIND OF AWESOME ARTY CLUB? Know anybody like that? Nominate them for the Youth Arts Advocate of the Year Award! Given by TeenTix's New Guard: Teen Arts Leadership Society, the Youth Arts Advocate of the Year Award celebrates a teen who makes big contributions to our region's arts and cultural community through passion, advocacy, and leadership. Finalists will be announced Monday, September 17, and the award will be presented during the 2017 Teeny Awards, Sunday, September 24th at The Vera Project.

Nominees must be 13- to 19-years-old and live in Washington State. Nominators must be TeenTix members (anyone 13 - 19 years old can sign up for TeenTix FOR FREE by clicking here). You will find the nomination form in the Teeny Awards Survey, which ALL TeenTix members are invited to take. By taking the survey, you'll be entered to win tickets to the Observation Deck of the Space Needle!

This past Sunday, I saw the classic Puccini opera Madame Butterfly at the Seattle Opera for the first time.

We know transportation is a BIG part of the equation when you're planning your arts-going with your TeenTix Pass, which is why we're ALWAYS looking for new ways you can see art safely and for not a lot of dough. We also know that not everyone's transportation options are the same - so we like to work with people who can help teens get around Seattle in all sorts of different ways.

We are STOKED that our friends at ReachNow want to help.

You know all about what to wear to the 2017 Teeny Awards - AND we hope you've got your Teeny Awards tickets (but if not, no worries, you can do that right here!), AND you've probably noticed that the doors open (@2:30 pm) a whole hour before the awards ceremony starts (@3:30 pm) on Sunday, September 24th.

Why's that?

So glad you asked!

HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO/EAT/SEE during the pre-show red carpet/cupcake hour!

WHAT TO DO @ THE 2017 Teeny Awards

That's right, we're filling the walls of The Vera Project with amazing (teen approved) art for you to enjoy. And you can get your snack on at the Snack Bar (sponsored by Pacific Northwest Ballet, thanks, PNB!). We've also got delicious cupcakes for you to nom. And last but not least RACHEL's GINGER BEER for when you get thirsty. YUM.

Now that you're feeling nice and full, what should you do next? How about getting your very own TeenTix temp tat? Or winning cool swag at the Seattle Symphony Swag Toss (hit the target, win the swag!)! You should also be sure to vote for your favorite arts organization! And take advantage of a REAL LIFE RED CARPET!! Get your photo taken on the red carpet or do it yourself at the Selfie Booth (sponsored by the Seattle Rep!). Feeling crafty? Make your very own buttons to take home or adorn your person!

All this awesomeness starts at 2:30. And we haven't even told you about the Award Show yet!!

Come early, bring your friends, party.

Wouldn't you know it? Summer is a BUSY time for TeenTix - mainly because school isn't in session, so it's the best time for YOU to get out and enjoy all the arts and sunshine that our city has to offer! Which makes total sense. This city is amazing.

So, summer is like overdrive at TeenTix HQ - we're working away, making sure our calendar entries are up-to-date with all the most important information to make it as easy as possible for you to whip out your TeenTix pass around the clock until school starts up again. (Need a TeenTix Pass? Or maybe you lost it and need a replacement?)

When the summer heat dies down and the yellow buses start running again, you know it’s Teeny Awards time!

WHAT IT IS

The Teeny Awards celebrate the things teens (aka Seattle’s trendsetting young taste-makers) love in our local arts & culture scene! The winners are selected by popular vote — in other words, YOU choose which shows, exhibits and organizations should receive coveted awards such as “Best Aesthetics,” “The Treat Yo’ Self (or our favorite thing to see during finals week) Award” or “Best Front-of-House Experience.” We’ll send you everything you need to know about voting soon.

In the meantime, get excited!!!

Happy July! I’m Katherine and I’m back with more recommendations from The New Guard. In June, we took advantage of our summer freetime and went to a TON of TeenTix events. Some of our favorites included Sweeny Todd at ArtsWest, Lydia at Strawberry Theatre Workshop, and Welcome to Braggsville at Book-It. We all went to the MoPOP Summer Kickoff Party and it was so cool! What did you do in June?

This month, our number one recommendation is the Yayoi Kusamsa: Infinity Mirrors exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. Kusama is one of the most prolific artists of our time and this exhibit “contextualizes the notion of infinite expansion.” Besides the Instagram-famous mirror rooms, the exhibit includes paintings, sculpture, multi-media installations, and “rare archival materials.” Unfortunately, tickets for this exhibit are very hard to get but they are available on a first come-first serve basis starting at 10am. We highly recommend you have a backup plan in case you can’t get tickets. To learn more, check out the SAM website and follow their social media accounts.

Going to see Here Lies Love is an experience. It is immersive and provocative and at times incredibly overwhelming. This rock musical was written by Fatboy Slim and David Byrne about Imelda Marcos, the wife of a Filipino Dictator in the years leading up to the People’s Power Revolution.

While the Rep’s 2016/17 season revolves around power dynamics, HLL would perhaps have been more fitting in the next season, titled “We are real, messy, human.” The entire duration of the play one both sympathizes and is disappointed with Imelda as she embarks on a life that seems to continually draw her further and further away from reality. HLL gives voice and accessibility to Filipino history while at the same time telling the story of a complex and struggling woman in power.