TeenTix Blog

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, presented by Balagan Theatre @ ACT TheatreDry your tears, Joss Whedon fans! Thought you missed Balagan's wildly popular production of the sensational internet musical last summer? Well, kids, it's bigger, it's badder, and IT'S BACK! This time at the elegant ACT Theatre in downtown Seattle. You've been given a second chance - we trust you won't waste it.We'd like to draw your attention to Kyrin's review of Balagan's first iteration of the production currently playing at ACT:Review of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog at Balagan Theatre by Kyrin C.I would like to first point out that I am a crazy Dr. Horrible fan. I adore everything about the original Internet videos and I even have them on my computer via iTunes. I have watched the commentary and I would give anything to hang out with the actual cast. Joss Whedon is my hero. When I saw the opportunity to see the show live, I generally freaked with excitement. My mom is the one who introduced me to the world of Dr. Horrible, so, naturally, I had to take her with me. We went, and I have to say, we were not disappointed. I laughed so hard at times that I was almost in tears. The theatre itself was very small, but very fitting for the show. The actors assumed all their roles to perfection and brought the joy of the Doctor's blog to the stage. They also included several song numbers that were not in the original show, but added a lot to the stage. If given the opportunity, I would definitely go again, and again, and again, and again.Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along BlogThrough February 12ACT Theatre

definitely a cool cat...

Review of Emilie: The Marquise Du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight at ArtsWest by Safaa D.Emilie! Shout it for the world to hear! This lady may not come to the forefront of your thoughts when the phrase "world's greatest minds" is uttered but it's time to add her to your vocabulary. Perhaps more often known as Voltaire's hot-rod mistress, the spotlight is finally shined upon Emilie Du Chatelet in this Seattle debut performance.Photo by Michael BrunkBorn an aristocrat in the early eighteenth century Emilie (Kate Witt) is given the rare advantage of being highly educated as a girl. Married at a young age to an officer in the army and having three children, she continues on with her thirst for knowledge that her father inspired in her as a child. Learning six languages, experimenting with the mass of fire, and correcting Newton's theories about life and the universe is what she does best. (All while tending to society and fueling a passionate affair with Voltaire [Nick DeSantis].) Unable to freely speak her mind due to the sexism of the day, Emilie is portrayed as of one of the greatest minds and feminists in history.Playwright Lauren Gunderson brings the story alive through love and philosophy, along with a good dose of comedy. The mature Emilie is portrayed by Kate Witt who demands your attention throughout the evening, never allowing your mind to wander, she has you roped and tied. Scenes from Emilie’s life when she was young are showcased throughout the play by Sara Coates showing all the different aspects of her life from childhood to her last breath. Gunderson is as accurate as possible with Emilie’s life and her love affairs; sexuality runs as an undercurrent throughout the play, a study of physics and physiques. This is a way you can get a two-hour history lesson without even knowing it. Enjoyable and educational, you will not want to miss this piece of work.I must say that ArtsWest is one of my favorite theaters and I encourage you to check it out. Definitely the smallest play house I have been to, it's amazing what it can do for the performance. The actors are more in tune with their surroundings, making you feel part of a community. There are probably only a hundred seats to fill. Emilie is the perfect time for you to visit ArtsWest.Head over to ArtsWest, sit back in your seat and take a dive into the mind of Emilie. Let the Madame Du Chatelet tell you her story. Wherever your interests may lie, you will find this play enjoyable.Emilie: The Marquise Du Chatelet Defends Her Life TonightArtsWestThrough February 20thRecommended for ages 14+ due to adult themes

Name: Sarah O.Age: 17School: Bellevue College/Redmond High SchoolFavorite Teen Tix experience (so far): The Ballet, all of it One Teen Tix venue that you wish more people knew about: Balagan Theatre, it sound funkyBio: I'm a Running Start student who's graduating this year with my high school diploma and Business Transfer AA. I've been in numerous musical theatre shows at places such as SecondStory Rep, Studio East, and Village Theatre KIDSTAGE. I recently choreographed Redmond High School's production of The Wedding Singer.The Teen Tix Steering Committee is a group of young, committed arts leaders who help guide and shape the Teen Tix program. We'll be introducing you to one member of your Steering Committee every few days here on the blog. Interested in joining the Steering Committee? More info can be found here.

Name: Bea M.Age: 16School: Roosevelt High SchoolFavorite Teen Tix experience (so far): Speech & Debate [at Seattle Rep]One Teen Tix venue that you wish more people knew about: YATC [the Young Americans' Theatre Company]Which foreign language do you most want to learn? I want to learn one language by heartWhat is your perfect Saturday? Sleep in late, get up, go to dance class downtown, go to my favorite cafe with my best friend, then go to a show that eveningDo you have any New Year's resolutions? No, I don't have that much faith in myselfWhat is one thing you must do before you die? Walk 40 blocks in New York CityIn/OutCoffee or Tea - can't live without my morning cup o' joeEnglish or BioPoetry or ProseFacebook or Not Facebook - As much as I'd like to answer the other one...Car or BusEarly Bird or Night Owl - chronic night owlJeggings or Pajama JeansThe Teen Tix Steering Committee is a group of young, committed arts leaders who help guide and shape the Teen Tix program. We'll be introducing you to one member of your Steering Committee every few days here on the blog. Interested in joining the Steering Committee? More info can be found here.

Oh, don't worry. She specifically told me that she is representing everybody EXCEPT you.

this girl bugs me. i don't want her representing me on the committee.

Sunday night at On the Boards, every seat in the house was packed in anticipation of the grand finale of The A.W.A.R.D. Show, a competition for Pacific Northwest choreographers. Twelve choreographers had entered, and for the previous three nights audiences had crowned a winner from among each group of four. Now, with the dirty work of selecting the finalists done, it was our job to sit back and enjoy an evening of spectacular dance before crowning the winner. And it was indeed spectacular.

Review of A.W.A.R.D. Show, Friday, January 28th at On the Boards by Samantha V.tEEth The curtains part and all I see is a large white sheet stretched across the floor of the stage with big lump in the center. My first thought was “What the heck is going on!?”. It turned out that the lump was actually two nude dancers with a camera when a screen that was on the back wall of the stage showed what was going on underneath the sheet via a live video feed (don‘t worry, it’s art). I was impressed by this, but I couldn’t get a grasp on what this performance was about. As it went on the sheet disappeared and the dancers, Keely McIntyre and Noel Plemmons, became more aggressive in their movements. Then something in my head went click. They were a couple, likely married. And I knew that they were suppose to be fighting, but I was not getting a feeling of anger from them which I expecting at this point in the piece. I don’t think that the vocalists singing in the background were helping. It’s not that they weren’t good, they just didn’t add to the emotions that were trying being evoked in this performance at that time. tEEth was the winner on the 28th. I have no objections.　Josephine’s EchopraxiaThree words can sum up this work: deep throbbing pain. That was more than clear in the jerky, thrashing way the dancers moved. Their costumes were dark, though not in color. The lead dancer wore what looked like blood-soaked bandages with a bullet hole just where her heart should be. The music accompanying this hurtfest was live. A steel and electric guitar, and a small drum kit sit just behind the action. This dance came across strongly to me, and I will remember it for a long time.Quark Contemporary Dance TheatreI felt that this dance was very well done. It was German inspired contemporary, but kept to its roots with the men wearing possibly unwashed lederhosen. It was funny in its own way like when Little Bo Peep’s wannabe walks on stage to thirty seconds of laughing, or when two of the dancers begin to swivel their hips vigorously while showing a blank face to the audience. I had to keep telling myself to keep my composure. It was great!　Waxie MoonNow, this one I was not ready for. I did prepare myself for some possibly strange stuff, but I was not expecting three stripteases in a row. By the third time it had lost the effect especially when done to “Halo” by Beyoncé. Other than that, the performance was okay. This was a multi-media production which was just a bit more impressive than a slide projector and a bed sheet. In the video part of it, which was about sorrow, this awkward dog kept popping on and off screen, and no one knew why that dog was even there. I found it quite funny. I also thought that the costume choices were of impeccable style. In the end, all I wanted was there to be more dancing AND more clothing.tEEth won the second night of A.W.A.R.D. Show, and will move on to Sunday night's final. Stay tuned to the blog for daily A.W.A.R.D. Show recaps by our reviewers.The A.W.A.R.D. Show is now closed.Up next at On the Boards: Paul Budaitis' (IN)STABILITY, a theatre piece using "fervid, multilayer storytelling, quasi-standup comedy, and a highly physical aesthetic to create an intimate connection with the audience"February 3 - 7On the Boards

Name: Dana FAge: 16School: Bothell High SchoolFavorite Teen Tix experience: The Rimini Protokoll Best Before weird video-game show at On the BoardsOne Teen Tix venue that you wish more people knew about: Northwest Film Forum. They have some really interesting stuff!Which foreign language do you most want to learn? More French! And Spanish.What is your perfect Saturday? Spend the morning reading, and the evening Teen Tix-ing.What is one thing you must do before you die? Write a novel.College Right Away or Gap YearEnglish or BioPoetry AND ProseFacebook or Not FacebookEarly Bird or Night OwlThe Teen Tix Steering Committee is a group of young, committed arts leaders who help guide and shape the Teen Tix program. We'll be introducing you to one member of your Steering Committee every few days here on the blog. Interested in joining the Steering Committee? More info can be found here.

Review of The A.W.A.R.D. Show, Thursday, January 27 at On the Boards by Monet C. (and her friend Elizabeth)Composed of four “acts” of 15 minutes each, the A.W.A.R.D. Show was rowdy, good fun.zoe | juniperMany, many, many things can be said of zoe|juniper. The “dance” starts out with Zoe having a red string clenched in her teeth and moving rather erratically on the end of it, almost like a fish out of water. After she has finished there, she draws her shadow on the wall while her partner, Raja Kelly, repeats her red string performance. I had to keep telling myself “It is interpretive dance. It is interpretive dance” as he writhed across the stage. A few minutes later, he and Zoe are sitting across from each other and remove their “tunics” (aka mesh shirts)…… Thankfully, the curtain closed after a minute. zoe | juniper won the vote on the 27th.My friend and guest, Elisabeth (19), had a few thoughts on this:“Visually arresting, atmospherically compelling, and emotionally disturbing, this abstract work put multimedia to the task with the incorporation of chalk drawing and projection. The technicality was impeccable, yet the artistic freedom unhindered. The climax, a bestial display of growling and barking, crystallized the smoggy, distorted emotion of the first half into a sense of heartbreak; the unexpected but perfect apex.
 The only drawback, though I understood the choice, was near the end, when the two dancers complacently stripped to the nude. I feel that there are other ways to accomplish the effect while preserving the dignity of the performers.
 A near perfectly beautiful and unsettling creation, but flawed.”Cherdonna and LouOh, Charlie Chaplin would have been proud to meet these two fine actors/comedians! Between walking on glass and framing me (with a picture frame, of course!), they had me roaring with laughter! Cherdonna’s over the top fussy/frantic/drunkenness and Lou’s silence/studious/musicalness give this a delightfully Linus and Lucy all grown up feel. Oh, and the glass doesn’t hurt. Don’t worry.Elizabeth’s View:“Two Crumb-esque characters, diametrically opposed, flooded the stage with outrageous humor, awkward moments to which each of us can relate, and melodramatically introspective breaks. The one a bubbly hostess, the other an inverted artist, they play off each other to the effect of a drunken stupor. I did not want to like this piece, but its charms were irresistible, and I walked away a fan of the act.”Crispin SpaethIn a dance about nothing else than, and Crispin admits it too, sex, she captures it well. Also, Crispin captures high school and life in general.Elizabeth noted that “the process of five people gleefully shifting from one to another reminded me of the often loveless atmosphere of high school, in which boyfriends and girlfriends are traded back and forth till everyone has been with everyone, but no one's really loved another, did not convey a bohemian happiness but rather a sort of weak depression. Essentially, the face didn't matter so long as there was a body, of either gender."Shannon MockliA rather depressing let down, as the dancers never moved as one, or even tried to.“The dry humor of the narration at the start had me interested, but as that died out in exchange for a music accompaniment I found myself grasping to keep interest. The dancers were good, but the choreography did not engage me until after the second clip of narration, in the last quarter of the piece. I like the music and story, but the performance was so devoid of emotion that I could not connect. The dancers didn't seem to invest spirit in it until the small bit at the end and worked like soloists in a duet, leaving the potential of collaboration virtually untapped. 
I wanted this to be good, as it was refreshingly free from the heavy degree of sexual weight carried by the first three pieces, but found it too much bound by its technicalities to be able to reach the artistic expression in strained at."zoe | juniper won the first night of A.W.A.R.D. Show, and will move on to Sunday night's final. Stay tuned to the blog for daily A.W.A.R.D. Show recaps by our reviewers.The A.W.A.R.D. ShowOn the BoardsThrough Sunday, January 30thTICKET NOTES: The A.W.A.R.D. Show is expected to sell out each night, however, there will be a wait list! Call the box office (206-217-9888) after 3:00 PM on the day of show to inquire about ticket availability. Sunday night's finale IS Teen Tix eligible, however, no companion (2 for $10) tickets will be available.

Name: Nathan M.Age: 16School: The Northwest SchoolFavorite Teen Tix experience (so far): Anything at Seattle RepOne Teen Tix venue that you wish more people knew about: Balagan TheatreWhich foreign language would you most like to learn? GermanWhat is your perfect Saturday? Sunny day on the the beachDo you have any New Year's resolutions? See more artWhat is one thing you must do before you die? SkydiveIn/OutCollege Right Away or Gap YearCoffee or TeaEnglish or BioPoetry or ProseFacebook or Not FacebookCar or BusEarly Bird or Night OwlJeggings or Pajama Jeans - NeitherThe Teen Tix Steering Committee is a group of young, committed arts leaders who help guide and shape the Teen Tix program. We'll be introducing you to one member of your Steering Committee every few days here on the blog. Interested in joining the Steering Committee? More info can be found here.

Name: Alex Hayes-LundryAge: 18School: Seattle Central CCFavorite Teen Tix experience (so far): The ballet in general. I love it. Really any play of any sort.One Teen Tix venue that you wish more people knew about: I just wish more people checked what was out there in generalBio: Life is too short to be cautious, but too long to be stupidWhich foreign language do you most want to learn? I am curently learning American Sign Language but it is not foreign so maybe FrenchWhat is your perfect Saturday? Hanging with friends in Seattle all dayDo you have any New Year’s resolutions? Naw those never workWhat is one thing you must do before you die? Live another dayIn/OutCollege Right Away or Gap Year - I went to college right away Coffee or Tea - depends on mood tea every morning (though, English background: we love our tea)Poetry or Prose meh whatever worksFacebook or Not Facebook - Facebook and MyspaceCar or Bus - Bus - I love you 255Early Bird or Night Owl - bothNO Jeggings or Pajama Jeans? I'm not sure what these are but if they are anything like jeggings again with the NO. i'm a Jeans Jeans type of person - go levis

Seattle Modern Orchestra @ PONCHO Performance Hall, Cornish College of the ArtsCornish College of the Arts, in addition to training future artists, brings some of the best professional, working artists in the world to Seattle. Their music series, in particular, gives us the opportunity to hear work that we otherwise wouldn't hear in these parts. Seattle Modern Orchestra is a great example:"Led by Co-Artistic Directors Julia Tai and Jeremy Jolley, the Seattle Modern Orchestra is dedicated to presenting musical masterpieces of the 20th and 21st centuries in both traditional and innovative, unconventional venues. The Orchestra’s mission is to provide Seattle audiences with live performances of the best in contemporary chamber and orchestral music, music seldom if ever performed in Seattle until now."If you think that the idea of modern classical music is oxymoronic, this concert, "Strictly Strings" is going to totally blow your mind in a great way. Why not go?Seattle Modern OrchestraPONCHO Hall, Cornish College of the ArtsFriday, January 28 @ 8:00 PMMore info at cornish.edu

The K of D, an urban legend at Seattle Rep"It was truly an excellent play, and Renata Friedman is a total beast. She manages to portray at least fifteen different characters distinctly and seamlessly, ranging all over the stage as she flips between personalities to tell the story. As she weaves her own legend, you’ll find yourself leaning forward, intrigued and morbidly fascinated by the story." - Tucker C., Teen Press Corps"...a beautifully detailed and evocative physical production...[featuring] the fierce, dexterous talents of noted Seattle stage actor Renata Friedman." - Seattle Times"all at once creepy, funny, poignant and moving" - Broadway World Seattle"As she skitters back and forth across the dock, her shadow looms like a giantess above the eerie rural setting...Her presence truly is larger than life—much larger, in fact, than the skinny, long-limbed girl on stage." - Seattle Met Culture Fiend"It's impossibly cheesy and delightfully creepy all at once...[director] Abraham makes sure that her bravura performance never distracts us from the mood of a great yarn being told with high style." - Seattle WeeklyThe K of D, an urban legendThrough February 20Seattle Repertory TheatrePhotos by Chris Bennion

Name: Tucker!Age: 17!School: Bothell High!Favorite teen tix experience....Rimini Protokoll [at On the Boards] takes the cake. That was some trippy stuff.One Teen Tix venue that you wish more people knew about: Unexpected Productions. But if you go to their improv shows, bring a change of clothes, because you might pee yourself laughing. Just FYI.Which foreign language do you most want to learn? I really want to learn either Norwegian, Swedish, or Icelandic. I have a theory that those countries are populated entirely by beautiful blond men that are dying to meet me. I am all too happy to oblige them.What is your perfect Saturday? My perfect Saturday involves any combination of the following: Green tea, reading, PNB, bicycles, being in Seattle at midnight, Cupcake Royale, NWFF, European people, cameras, and adventures.Do you have any New Year's resolutions? I have resolved to read at least 12 books that I am not required to read for a class or work. I am very bad about this.What is one thing you must do before you die? Date a beautiful Scandinavian man. Or possibly skydive.In/OutCollege Right Away or Gap year - Unless you're in the Peace Corps or something, in which case you are a rock star.Coffee or Tea - Green tea is on direct loan from heaven.English or Bio - John Steinbeck is a mofo and can beat up a Punnett square any day of the week.Poetry or Prose - At the same time, Robert Frost is also a mofoFacebook or Not Facebook (In my opinion, people who aren't on Facebook shouldn't be allowed to vote in this, because they are not real people).Car or Bus - For less than a buck, someone is going to drive you there. 90% of the time, this is a no-brainer.Early bird or Night Owl - Ben Franklin really only got half the truth.Jeggings or Pajama jeans - BOTH OF THESE ARE GROSS WHY WOULD YOU EVER SHAME YOURSELF IN PUBLIC LIKE THIS???The Teen Tix Steering Committee is a group of young, committed arts leaders who help guide and shape the Teen Tix program. We'll be introducing you to one member of your Steering Committee every few days here on the blog. Interested in joining the Steering Committee? More info can be found here.

Teen Steering Committee member Tucker C. reports on Teen Night at The K of D at Seattle Rep On Sunday, January 16, a group of over one hundred teenagers came to the Seattle Repertory Theatre. They thought they were there just to eat cake and mill around before watching The K of D, Seattle Rep’s edgy new play exploring urban legends. Little did they know, however, that they had just walked into my sinister, murder-tastic trap. As they milled around getting to know each other, I moved from table to table like a shadow, killing people as stealthily as I came. It should be noted that I am such a classy murderer that I need only inform people that I have killed them for them to die, no weapons required. All was going swimmingly until one wary witness caught me red-handed and turned me in, ending my homicidal streak and winning the game. WATCH THE KAKE OF DEATH SLIDESHOW: After I was safely in prison (don’t get too comfortable, though—state budget cuts have me eligible for parole in two years!) other fabulous awards to the partygoers were given, including free tickets to those who could guess which Seattle urban legend was a fake. All of these fancy and fun events transpired, of course, while set to the teenageresque soundtrack of FREAKOUT. Some daring Teen Steering Committee members even tried to get some action moving on the dance floor, but to no avail. I can only assume that they were terrified danceless by the dangerous, suave, and very sexy murderer prowling about. Almost everyone, however, enjoyed some of the Kake of Death, which caused only a few less deaths than I did. Soon enough, everyone got their seats and enjoyed some quality theatre. It was truly an excellent play, and Renata Friedman is a total beast. She manages to portray at least fifteen different characters distinctly and seamlessly, ranging all over the stage as she flips between personalities to tell the story. As she weaves her own legend, you’ll find yourself leaning forward, intrigued and morbidly fascinated by the story.

Name: Emily H.Age: 15School: Garfield High SchoolFavorite Teen Tix experience (so far): Nutcracker! But Ruined was good too...One Teen Tix venue that you wish more people knew about: Intiman (well, teenagers at least)Which foreign language do you most want to learn? RussianWhat is your perfect Saturday? TV all morning, then dinner and a show with friendsDo you have any New Year's resolutions? to do something creative everyday!What is one thing you must do before you die? master sewingIn/OutCollege Right Away or Gap YearCoffee or Tea (neither, water with lemon English or BioPoetry or ProseFacebook or Not FacebookCar or BusEarly Bird or Night OwlJeggings or Pajama Jeans (or as J.Crew calls them, "leggy denim")The Teen Tix Steering Committee is a group of young, committed arts leaders who help guide and shape the Teen Tix program. We'll be introducing you to one member of your Steering Committee every few days here on the blog. Interested in joining the Steering Committee? More info can be found here.

Hey! It's our Crush-of-the-Month, actor Renata Friedman, talking about being the entire cast of The K of D and why she thinks it's such a great play for young audiences (Hint: good for short attention spans. Yay!)The K of D, an urban legendSeattle Repertory TheatreThrough February 20

Review of Mozart's Requiem at Seattle Symphony by Safaa D.To all those who are awaiting the chance to visit the Seattle Symphony: it's time to grab a cab to Benaroya Hall. All others who have experienced an enchanting evening at the Symphony, bring a friend, relax and let your mind be worked for you by the intricate weavings of Mozart’s Requiem.I am one of those people who has no formal musical education, sad to say, but I envy the people who can bring such clear crisp notes seemingly out of thin air. (I never could understand the kids who complained about piano lessons.) For now, attending the Seattle Symphony will fill the gap between me and this otherworldly language. Getting the chance to attend a night of mostly Mozart had me watching the clock all day until the time of the performance.When the orchestra begins their first piece, Daniel Brewbaker's Be Thou the Voice, you forget that about thirty musicians are all playing on separate instruments. The orchestra, led by Gerard Schwarz, impresses you with the idea that all the musicians are playing one large instrument. And, in a way, they are.Though music is suppose to be mainly an auditory art, the performance is visually stunning as well. The stage and the flashing instruments belonging to all those well-practiced musicians, give you the idea of a sunset complete with music. The orchestra appears to perform effortlessly, a tribute to the artists’ hard work and dedication.The highlight of the evening for me, without doubt, is the French Horn performance by John Cerminaro. A truly moving spectacle, the intricate French Horn is brought to life in full playing Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 2. You feel as if a faun followed by a phalanx of wood sprites is going to jump out from behind the cellos. After this enchanting serenade, the talented Cerminaro shakes hands with the not-quite-drenched first violinist.The night comes alive with the flute-like voice of Soprano Christina Siemens (replacing the absent Hanan Alattar for the Thursday performance) ringing out purely to the enraptured audience. This is not to overlook the rest of the talented soloists (Mezzo: Allyson McHardy; Tenor: Ross Hauk; and Baritone: Weston Hurt) who gave stellar performances. They were accompanied by the vibrant, euphonic Symphony Chorale.People attending Seattle Symphony are people who truly wish to be here, enjoying and respecting the hard working musicians who in return give a stunning performance.I hope all who enjoy music or wish to try something new will attend this enticing bit of culture. And a good thing about Mozart's Requiem is you don't have to go to a funeral to hear it.Mozart's Requiem is closed. Next up at Seattle Symphony: Opera Highlights Festival I. More info at seattlesymphony.org