Tacoma Weekly - Current City Life Stories

Preserving History

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:53:01 -0800

As a former soldier who spoke very little about his time as a prisoner of war in the Korean War, William Jones' request to preserve the memory of his time as a Buffalo Soldier is something his family took to heart. Following his death in 2009, his daughter, Jackie Jones-Hook, began formalizing a museum in honor of the all-black regiment of the United States military. Today, the Buffalo Soldier Museum in Tacoma is well on its way to becoming a haven for students and members of the community to learn about a piece of history that took place between 1866 and 1944 – and is all-too-often forgotten in the textbooks.

Formally called the 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Museum, this nonprofit group hopes to educate the public through its vast collection of military artifacts, books, articles and DVDs from Jones' time in the military. The museum is one of only two of its kind in the country dedicated to honoring the Buffalo Soldiers.

During the Civil War, the United States government formed the all-black 9th and 10th Cavalry, tasked with the mission to subdue Mexican revolutionaries, hostile Native Americans, outlaws and more.

Several African-American regiments in the Civil War fought alongside the Union Army, but the Buffalo Soldiers were established by Congress as the first peacetime all-black regiment in the U.S. Army.

"This is a part of our history that is not well written about," Jones-Hook said. "It is strange to think that we had segregated militaries, but it's so important to remember and preserve history."

The museum is located in a cottage on the Jones property situated on the edge of the downtown museum district. Although Jones-Hook is still collecting items to showcase, the museum collection already consists of items any history buff will love. Pieces include Civil War-era rifles, helmets worn during combat, hand-written letters and official documents. Jones-Hook hopes to host field trips for local schools, where students can tour the War Room and learn more about this piece of history. "It was important to my father that children can see and learn about this time because they're so far removed from it today," Jones-Hook said.

She plans to tailor educational programs to meet the needs of certain grade levels and students visiting the museum. The museum itself will not offer a membership program, and accepts donations only. Its nonprofit status allows Jones-Hook to apply for grant funding and research other educational programs that may benefit the community.

"I'm looking forward to honoring veterans and educating local children on the early frontier while showing them that history can be interesting to learn about," she said. "If you can see and experience what you're learning about, it makes an impact."

The Buffalo Soldier Museum is located at 1940 S. Wilkeson St. For more information or to schedule a tour, call (253) 272-4275.

Things We Like

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:42:53 -0800

URBAN GRACE LECTURE SERIES

The Urban Grace Lecture Series continues Feb. 24 with its second installment – two lectures by author, activist, public speaker and writing teacher Anne Lamott. The bestselling author of seven novels and five works of non-fiction, Lamott's writings cover such subjects as alcoholism, single motherhood, depression and Christianity. She speaks Feb. 24 at Urban Grace (902 Market St.) and St. Leo Parish (710 S. 13th St.), both at 7:30 p.m. Both lectures are free, but tickets are required from www.urbangracetacoma.org or at Immanuel Presbyterian Church (909 N. 'J' St.).

THE TACOMA SOCIAL

Come to The Tacoma Social at Top of Tacoma Feb. 24 and enjoy an excellent atmosphere full of electric people. Featuring Camp 6 cocktails and musical guests Moron Broz. & Overboard. Social at 8 p.m. and music at 9. 21+only, and admission is free! 3529 McKinley Ave.

TACOMIC ART SHOW

Tacomic Art Show 2.0 will celebrate the comic style of RR Anderson at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1 at Amocat Cafe. The event will mark five years of Anderson's hyper-local political cartooning history that include the rise and fall of the City of Destiny and all things in between.

SALSA!

Get ready to dance! Deseo Carmin brings unique rhythms, traditional flamenco guitar and electric percussive sounds with an energetic musical style. Their fusion of traditional, modern Latin American and Spanish rhythms will have you dancing to the musical intricacies. The dance party will take place Feb. 25 at the Broadway Center Rehearsal Studio II at 7:30 p.m., with a free salsa lesson at 6 p.m. at the Broadway Center Studio 1. Enjoy snacks at the complimentary taco bar provided by Adriatic Grill. Margaritas will be served at the no-host bar. Tickets: $39.

BOHEMIAN MUSIC

Tacoma Young Artists Orchestra presents "From the Bohemian Countryside." Selections will include "Fratres for Strings and Percussion" by Arvo Part and "Vysehrad and Moldau" by Bedrich Smetana. It takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 at Urban Grace Church, at the corner of Market and South 9th streets. Festival tickets are $6 in advance, $7 at the door; reserved balcony tickets are $16 and 100 free tickets for youth high school age and under available at the door.

Pierce County READS announces this year’s selection

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:29:34 -0800

With many days of grey still ahead of us as we sally forth to springtime, it makes for perfect book reading weather. Thankfully, Pierce County READS also occurs annually this time of year, offering a handpicked novel with broad appeal and a slew of events to talk about it.

This year marks the fifth annual Pierce County READS program, which will run now through April 13. The book selection: New York Times Best Seller "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by prize-winning author Jamie Ford. This is Ford's debut novel, and it's proven to be a real hit with readers and critics alike.

"Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" tells a gripping account of the Japanese American internment during World War II through the eyes and voice of a child as he matures through life. New York Times bestselling author (and Seattleite) Garth Stein ("The Art of Racing in The Rain") wrote: "Jamie Ford has written a tender and satisfying novel that is tucked into a part of Seattle history we would rather not face. Set in a time and a place lost forever, 'Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet' gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war – not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people.

"Especially relevant in today's world, this is a beautifully written book that will make you think. But, more importantly, it will make you feel."

Ford is the great grandson of Nevada mining pioneer Min Chung, who emigrated from Kaiping, China, to San Francisco in 1865, where he adopted the western name "Ford." Having grown up near Seattle's Chinatown, Jamie Ford now lives in Montana.

"It will bring people together for powerful conversations," said Neel Parikh, executive director for Pierce County Libraries. "This year's selection is especially gripping as it weaves fiction into real-life events and tells a phenomenal story while exploring the history and attitudes of World War II in America, and specifically, in the Pacific Northwest."

Pierce County Library's Mary Getchell said Ford's novel, like all those chosen for Pierce County READS, appeals to men and women alike. A team of six, including Getchell, chose this year's book. "We spend a lot of time reading and debating the selected book," she said, noting that the team is already reading books for Pierce County READS 2013.

One of the key things the team looks for is whether the book meets all of Pierce County Library System's criteria for this community program, especially whether the book has broad appeal and many themes for discussion. "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" suits these requirements quite well. During Pierce County READS, more than 30 free events will be held throughout the county that readers may participate in (see sidebar). Three featured presenters include:

Larry Matsuda, who was born in and lived in the Minidoka, Idaho internment camp highlighted in the book

Lorraine K. Bannai, a law professor who served on the legal team in the U.S. Supreme Court that successfully reopened a Japanese American internment case

Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience – true life internment stories of the Japanese American incarceration experience

The author himself will be in town on April 13 for a free meet-and-greet and book signing at Clover Park Technical College, Sharon McGavick Conference Center in Lakewood, at 7 p.m.

Pierce County Library offers the best seller in hardback, paperback, large print, audiobook and downloadable audiobook and e-book. The book has also been translated into 30 languages.

For more information, visit www.piercecountylibrary.org (search site: READS) or call (253) 548-3300.

Two new exhibits feature ceramic art at UPS

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:17:39 -0800

Baby heads! White, porcelain baby heads! There are more than 100 of them arranged in regimented rows and set in the center of the floor in the main space of UPS's Kittredge Gallery. The rectangular arrangement of these softball-sized heads is the main focus of the Kittredge's new installation: "Brian Benfer: Inchoate," which opened Feb. 20.

Benfer cast all of the baby heads from the same mold for the arrangement that is called "Untitled (444)." On one of the gallery's pillar posts is a list of names of individuals that Benfer has taught. In addition to producing work in sculpture, video, ceramics, painting and performance, Benfer has taught art at Ohio University, Temple University and Houston's Center for Contemporary Craft. Each porcelain head serves as a representative of one of the individuals on the list. "Untitled (444)" is Benfer's commentary on the "compromised integrity" of our higher education system. Benfer asserts that school administrators are increasingly concerned with the quantity of students processed through the institution (accompanied by the musical "cha-ching" of a cash register) rather than the quality of the education received by those students.

In addition to the stark baby heads clustered on the gallery floor, there is a series of "chalkboard" paintings that Benfer has applied directly to the walls of the gallery. Here, dull, black rectangles are smudged with a white, porcelaneous composite that functions as the "chalk." The "chalkboard series" is a musing on communication technology. The archaic chalkboard was once the means by which information was transmitted from teacher to student. Increasingly such communication is digitized. Benfer also notes the similarity of his paintings to the "white noise" of television static and the QR code on many of the products that we interact with in contemporary culture.

Benfer's installation is stark. There is a visual poetry at work. The installation is quickly taken in, but the artist's impact sinks in slowly. It is easy to swallow but slow to digest.

A surprise, however, is in store for those who venture from the main space to the so-called "small gallery." Here there is a display of works from the Monsen collection of Northwest ceramics.

A married couple of University of Washington professors – Joseph and Elaine Monsen – built an important collection of ceramic works by artists that taught or passed through UW. Some of the collection was gifted to UPS in 1987.

Here one can view examples of work by the likes of Howard Kottler, Clayton Bailey, David Gilhooly and other important Northwest potters who made the region the center of a movement that explored the use of clay as a sculptural medium. These selections from the Monsen collection are thus an attention-stealing complement to the Benfer installation.

Dating to the late 1960s to the early 70s, the ceramic sculptures of the Monsen collection have a pop art and "funk art" sensibility. Gilhooly's "Hippo Wisdom Cups From the Honky Frog" are a pair of gaudy goblets – holy grails from an imaginary amphibian realm. Patrick McCormick's "Gold Luster Bottle" is a bold, golden vessel with an elaborate hoop handle that is also the bottle's neck. Bailey's "Nose Lamp" of 1969 is a checkered cone equipped with an enormous schnozzola. A test tube light bulb juts up from the top. These are just a few examples of the works on display from the famous Monsen collection.

"Brian Benfer: Inchoate" runs through April 7. Selections from the Monsen collection will be on view through March 24 and may run longer (depending on the schedule of an upcoming artist). For further information visit www.pugetsound.edu/kittredge.

Last call for ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!’ at 5th Avenue Theatre

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:13:27 -0800

The last weekend is fast approaching to catch the much talked-about "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!" at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle. Closing March 4, this big-hearted, high-kicking musical is a wholesome slice of Americana that celebrates a young and growing nation filled with possibility.

This gloriously reinvented song-and-dance stage hit is packed with familiar favorites from the beloved 1955 film like "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "I Cain't Say No" and, of course, "Oklahoma!" A new twist or two is added as well, some of which found favor with audiences and at least one that caused a big stir. Overall, one thing is certain: a remarkable cast and an extraordinary collaboration with Tony Award-nominated choreographer Donald Byrd and Spectrum Dance Theatre bring this classic to vibrant life on the 5th Avenue stage.

Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, "Oklahoma!" tells the story of charming cowboy Curly McLain (played by Tacoma native Eric Ankrim) and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams (played by the gorgeous Alexandra Zorn). Ankrim, in one of the lead roles in 5th Avenue's staging, brings oodles of charm to his character. His delivery of "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" more than does justice to this song, one that audience members familiar with the film wait to hear with anticipation. Ankrim will be back on the 5th Avenue stage next month in "First Date," a new musical in collaboration with ACT Theatre that opens March 10 at 5th Avenue Theatre.

Kyle Scatliffe as Jud Fry is another aspect of "Oklahoma!" that's catching lots of buzz – especially his performance of the song "Lonely Room," which reviewers have called captivating and touching. With a hungry eye for Curly's girl Laurey, the simmering, dangerous Jud creates a lovers' triangle that adds dramatic tension to the musical – and more. Scatliffe is African-American, so casting him as the antagonist love interest to a white woman set in 1906 didn't sit too well with some audience members and theater reviewers. Finally, 5th Avenue Theatre had to respond. Panel discussions and even a town hall meeting were held to air the controversy, which surely helped publicize the play as much as it helped bring conversations about race and equality.

Choreographer and Spectrum Dance Theater Artistic Director Byrd said of his approach to the collaboration: "There were things I wanted to explore based on the research I had done. The musical takes place at a time when the Oklahoma Territory was being considered for statehood. In 1907, Oklahoma had more all-black communities than the rest of the country being put together."

According to a press release issued by the theater, "[F]rom 1865 to 1920 African Americans created more than 50 identifiable towns and settlements in Oklahoma, some of which still exist today. There was even a movement to make Oklahoma an all-black state. The new 5th Avenue production has been inspired by and captures some of this history."

Despite the debates, "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!" will leave you with a bounce in your step and a song on your lips. It's remaining run is Feb. 23, 24, 25 and 26 and March 1, 2, 3 and 4. Single tickets start at $29. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.5thavenue.org or call the box office at (206) 625-1900.

Not one but two basses give E. Pruitt Band a unique sound

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:08:30 -0800

E. Pruitt Band is an instrumental, funk/R&B band with a unique sound. The band, which is based in Sumner, consists of E. Pruitt on bass, John Anthony on bass, Jacob Nordgren on guitar, Ivan Payne on drums and Reshard Radford on keyboards.

They all got together last year to play an event called Bass Odyssey. Shortly after that Pruitt got offers for the band to play Taste of Tacoma and Bite of Seattle and what was a project turned into a full band.

Pruitt moved to this area six years ago. He played in a few top 40 cover bands. He met Payne through a friend who plays bass. He met Radford, who used to be in jazz musician Darren Motamedy's group, from hitting shows in local clubs. Anthony and Payne played in a band together.

The group plays a few cover tunes. One is "Feels So Good." Jazz musician Chuck Mangione wrote the song, which was a hit in 1977. Their focus is on original material.

"Every practice we add to the set list," Pruitt said.

Anthony said on the songs one of the bass players focused on a funk line while the other plays a lead bass line. This provides a rare and unique opportunity.

"It is a chance for us to explore," he remarked. "I am learning at the same time I am playing. "It gives me a lot of freedom," Nordgren said. "I have a lot of room to add some flavor. It works really well." He said if Pruitt is playing a lead bass line he changes the phrasing of his guitar playing "so as not to clash with what he is doing."

Pruitt has written the majority of their material. Nordgren and Radford recently wrote a song together.

"Everyone has input in practice," Pruitt said. "Everybody in this band has their voice."

"It is like a good home-cooked meal," Payne said.

"Everyone just finds their place and it fits," Nordgren said.

They have played a few shows at the Stonegate and the Swiss. They have been in discussions with agents and managers about lining up more shows. "We have the type of energy that makes people want to get up and move," Pruitt said of their performances. "If you see us, you will want to see us again."

They recently began recording an album. Pruitt is optimistic about the album. "What we do is melodic and groove oriented," he said. "That sells records."

For more information visit www.e7bass.com.

PLU’s MediaLab examines ‘Compassion Fatigue’

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:58:23 -0800

Those repeatedly exposed to tragedy and trauma, such as health care workers, firefighters and law enforcement officers, may be susceptible to a condition known as "compassion fatigue," according to a new documentary produced by three Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) student filmmakers.

"Overexposed: The Cost of Compassion," makes its South Sound premiere on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Mary Baker Russell Music Center's Lagerquist Concert Hall, located near the intersection of 8th Avenue Court South, and Wheeler Street South, on PLU's campus in Parkland.

A panel discussion and reception will follow the screening of the film. Panelists will include John Schenk, a former relief worker for World Vision of Federal Way, Michelle Harrison of Associated Ministries in Tacoma, and several PLU professors. These experts will offer insights about compassion fatigue and effects of the condition.

The MediaLab student researchers responsible for producing "Overexposed" – PLU seniors Elizabeth Herzfeldt-Kamprath, Hailey Rile and junior Katie Scaff – spent more than one year researching the topic and producing the film.

"After reading a little bit about what compassion fatigue is," Scaff said, "we realized that this was an important issue that more people need to be aware of."

The title of the film, which came to the filmmakers during one of the more than 60 interviews they conducted all across North America, is evocative of the human toll associated with repeated exposure to trauma and suffering.

The team traveled some 12,000 miles across the United States and Canada by car, train and plane in search of people with unique stories to tell. In New Orleans, for example, the researchers met survivors of Hurricane Katrina, a nationally renowned expert who wrote the first book about compassion fatigue and a sexual trauma nurse at Louisiana State University Hospital. The filmmakers' work also took them to California, Illinois, Washington D.C., New York City and Kingston, Ontario, where they attended the first annual Compassion Fatigue conference.

"It’s been a busy year. But we’ve learned so much," Scaff said. "Our goal now is to bring awareness to this issue so people can identify it and know how to cope."

The team is currently working on creating a version of the film that could be used for training purposes in a variety of social service professions.

The screening of "Overexposed" is part of the first annual PLU School of Arts + Communication Focus Series, which consists of four events that address various aspects of compassion through different disciplinary lenses.

"Our goal with the new Focus Series is to bring together our talented students and faculty to focus on a common theme through a multi-disciplinary approach," said Cameron Bennett, dean of the School of Arts and Communication. "'Compassion,' the theme for the 2011-12 Series, is one of relevance in these challenging times and certainly a cornerstone of social interconnection and human values that brings us together. It promises to be an exciting and thought-provoking journey."

For more details about the SOAC Focus Series, visit: www.plu.edu/soac/focus-series.

MediaLab at PLU, which was established in 2006, is a student-faculty research and applied internship program that provides students with opportunities to explore various methods of mass communication.

"Overexposed" marks the seventh film produced by MediaLab, which has received numerous national recognitions for its work, including one Emmy Award and three consecutive Emmy nominations.

The School of Arts and Communication at PLU houses the Departments of Art & Design, Communication & Theatre, and Music and presents more than 250 events each season. PLU offers approximately 3,500 students a unique blend of academically rigorous liberal arts and professional programs. Students develop skills in decision-making, analysis, communication and reasoning that prepare them for a lifetime of success – both in their careers and in service to others.

For additional information, contact the School of Arts and Communication at (253) 535-7150 or soac@plu.edu. Connect at twitter.com/soac or twitter.com/soac.

For information about "Overexposed: The Cost of Compassion" or MediaLab, visit: www.plu.edu/~ml or overexposedthecostofcompassion.weebly.com. Connect with MediaLab at twitter.com/plumedialab or facebook.com/mlplu.

Erica Buege is a freelance writer based in Parkland and a member of MediaLab at PLU.

Things We Like

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:52:46 -0800

EMERGING ARTISTS

Fulcrum Gallery is currently showing works by six rising talents in the Tacoma art scene – Julian Pena, Kelsi Finney, Brandon Urban, Kirsten Marie Pisto, Gabriel Brown and Meghan Mitchell. The show, "Dawn of 2012," is on display through March 10. Fulcrum Gallery is located at 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. It is open noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

ARCHER & TRANQUILINO

Kim Archer Band and Rafael Tranquilino will be rocking a double bill of awesomeness for an all-ages show starting at 8 p.m. Feb. 17 at Louie G’s Pizzeria in Fife. Not only will Archer and Tranquilino do their thing separately, these two powerhouses of local music will play together as well. Expect greatness and lots of surprises.

WILLY WONKA

Candyland is set to come alive as Tacoma Children’s Musical Theater brings “Willy Wonka” to the stage. This version has all the characters and songs from the classic family film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” including the memorable "The Candy Man," "Pure Imagination," "Oompa Loompa" and "I Want It Now." The show opens Feb. 18 and runs at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays through Feb. 26 at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, 7116 Sixth Ave. Visit www.tmp.org.

OSCAR PREVIEW NIGHT

The Grand Cinema's Feb. 21 installment of the Tuesday Film Series is turning into an Oscar preview night, as the Academy Award nominated short films come to life on the big screen. A matinee screening of the five nominated films will take place at 2 p.m., and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit www.grandcinema.com.

SUFFERGAUGE REUNION

Suffergauge is among the best heavy-metal bands to ever play the Tacoma area. They were together from 1997 to 2002. Four of the five members have recently reunited. They will perform at Backstage Bar and Grill on Feb. 17 at 9 p.m. Cover charge is $5 and worth every penny.

Tacoma Philharmonic to join forces with Broadway Center

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:44:58 -0800

Two South Sound creative powerhouses, the Tacoma Philharmonic and the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, will permanently join forces as of April 30, 2012. The new agreement will continue the Philharmonic's 75-year legacy of presenting superb classical music touring artists and educational programs to the region, all under the Broadway Center umbrella.

"The BCPA and Tacoma Philharmonic are both leaders in presenting world-class performances," said Broadway Center Executive Director David Fischer. "This decision will allow both organizations to preserve what matters most - continuing great programs."

"This move will help strengthen classical music programming in Tacoma," Fischer explains. "We've developed a strong plan, and the future is bright. As the economy improves, lower administrative and operating costs will provide the best environment for future growth."

"This partnership represents another exciting chapter in the Philharmonic's evolution," adds Barry Benson, Tacoma Philharmonic's board president. "The Philharmonic has changed in many ways these past 75 years, particularly from a producing organization to a presenting organization. Today, in our presenting role, we share a similar mission with the Broadway Center and so by combining forces, this new relationship will benefit our community in a big way."

Under this new structure, the Broadway Center will:

Present 4 annual performances with the best in classical touring artists Host the annual Beatrice Herrmann Young Artist Competition including the awarding of scholarship funds Continue classical music services to K-12 students Manage all activities Steward the Tacoma Philharmonic Endowment to exclusively support these programs

"For the past year, the Broadway Center has helped the Tacoma Philharmonic through a management change, and in the process their work so impressed our Board of Trustees that we began exploring making a permanent change. We had a very easy process of negotiating terms, and ultimately, both the Broadway Center and Tacoma Philharmonic Boards voted unanimously in favor of working under one organization. In the next step, some existing members of the Tacoma Philharmonic Board will join the Broadway Center and its committees," Benson said.

On May 18, 2012, the community is invited to attend a "Wedding Ceremony" at the Fircrest Country Club to celebrate the union of the two organizations, to honor the Tacoma Philharmonic's 75 Years, and to prepare for a great future. The party will include dinner, music and a special fundraising drawing, all for $75 per person. Find more information at www.tacomaphilharmonic.org, or call the box office at (253) 591-5894.

Know your public art: Hotel Murano's "Orizon"

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:40:15 -0800

A combination of whimsy and grandiosity characterize "Orizon," Costos Varotsos' grand swoop of steel and glass fastened to the side of the Hotel Murano at 1320 Broadway. In her account of how she selected an artist to do a landmark sculpture for the revamped and renamed Sheraton, hotel art curator Tessa Papas made the process sound like an inspired whim. She recalled a sculpture called "The Runner" in Athens, Greece. Papas did not know who had created the work, however. She travelled to Athens (a grandiose move) to find the artist and bring him to Tacoma to design something for the glass-themed hotel.

In a further whimsical act (or burst of inspiration fueled by "artistic genius"), Varotsos did a drawing on a small piece of paper and that, $700,000 later, became the giant "J" fixed to the building.

Named after a famous glass producing district of Venice Italy, the Hotel Murano features glass art throughout its interior. The emphasis on glass was part of the grand rebranding project of making Tacoma into a Mecca of glass art (based on the fact that Tacoma is Dale Chihuly's hometown). Any number of establishments have piggy backed on the hoped-for fame of the Museum of Glass.

In 2007, even before the work on "Orizon" was complete, the city council approved a resolution in which the city agreed to be allowed to pay a "donation fee" of $110,000 in return for city ownership of the work. Several council members voiced concern over the maintenance costs that would also be transferred to the city but the resolution was agreed. The hotel paid the $700,000 construction cost of the piece. Estimates of the value of the sculpture range between $1 million and $2 million.

Looking back, the coupling of "Orizon" to the hotel building (and to the city's public art collection) seems like one last grand flourish just before the "Great Recession" hit and funds for such accessories began to dry up.

It was hoped that "Orizon" might become a landmark. The piece, however, is a little too ambiguous to serve as much more than an architectural flourish. The way it is fixed to the hotel building and the way it resembles the letter "J" or the Nike swoosh make "Orizon" seem more like a corporate logo or a somewhat elaborate business sign.

The piece consists of a curved and upward soaring I-bean with sheets of thick, green plate glass (imported from China) stacked in the lower bend of the beam. Varotsos did a number of similar works in parts of Europe as part of his "horizon" series of sculptures.

While the layers of green glass make for some interesting light effects, the uneven edges and the loom-woven look of the stacked glass make the work feel like something left over from the architecture of the 1970s. The uninitiated can be forgiven for mistaking the sculpture for a survivor of an earlier era rather than as a contemporary attempt to give a boxy old building a facelift.

Whimsy coupled to grandiosity can give a city something like Claes Oldenburg's giant clothespin in Philadelphia. In Tacoma's case, however, we got a version of the Nike swoop with plates of Chinese glass stacked up in the curve. Just do it. The result is a noticeable sign bolted to the side of an otherwise unremarkable building not a soaring, iconic sculpture for the city.

To view a video of the construction of "Orizon" visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xa-3M4DKAg.

D.O.A. launches new breakfast menu

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:34:41 -0800

Ever had one of those Saturday mornings when you wake up after a long night and just need a solid breakfast, like something with bacon, eggs, cinnamon rolls maybe? With a giant Bloody Mary on the side? Me too. It turns out Dirty Oscar's Annex's newly launched breakfast menu is just for people like us.

The Toad in the Hole ($9) – last weekend's fan favorite, according to Chef Aaron Grissom – combines all that is good about that first meal of the day: a giant, freshly made cinnamon roll baked in-house, Jack Daniels caramel sauce, a poached egg in the center, all topped with thick-cut bacon. As if it needed anything else, it is served with crispy hash browns.

Another highlight on the new menu is the vegan hash ($9), featuring a healthy serving of winter squash, asparagus, mushrooms, shallots, tomatoes, red bell peppers and home fries, served up with toast on the side. The lone vegan dish on the menu will not disappoint, and most likely, health conscious, non-vegans will be impressed, as well.

Grissom's new menu retains D.O.A. classics such as the Cap'N Crunch French toast concoction (thick-sliced sourdough French bread dipped in cinnamon, nutmeg egg batter and crusted with the delicious cereal, grilled until golden brown and served with marionberry whipped cream and blackberry coulis) and fried chicken and waffle, while also adding some unexpected options.

My favorite on the menu is Grissom's version of bagel and lox. Although it is not something I would naturally gravitate toward on a breakfast menu, the combination of lemon zest mascarpone with pickled red onion and caper berries was too much to resist. The fresh baked bagel with the subtle hint of lemon along with smoked salmon is a lethal combination. In a very good way. The lox and bagel runs $10, which is about the average price point on the menu. When you consider that most dishes are shareable, that is not a bad deal.

"I really want to offer the best breakfast in Tacoma – that's my goal," Grissom said. "We're still just trying to elevate standard bar food that's out there, but now we're bringing that idea to breakfast."

A couple of new drinks on the menu – not that anyone is condoning day-drinking, of course – are pretty unique, as well. The Moonshine Mimosa features muddled lemon, moonshine and club soda to give it that kick of the bubbly, and orange juice. There is no better way to start your day.

Dirty Oscar's Annex, located at 2309 6th Ave., offers breakfast 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

New Frontier to host premiere of ‘cheese fest’ thriller

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:24:28 -0800

Tacoma-based Greater Wealth Productions is set to host a soft premiere of its full-length thriller "Unsound" at the New Frontier Feb. 16 with musical guests Smoking Bill and Sleepy Pilot.

The movie follows the plot line that the military has been working on sleeper cell soldiers for decades, and the experiment suddenly goes wrong when a super soldier goes mad. The top brass call up the other sleepers to track the renegade down, but when anyone could be a sleeper, their activation causes troubles for a group of teens in a trailer park. Imagine if "the Manchurian Candidate" had a white-trash love child with "Rambo" and "Halloween's" Michael Myers.

"Unsound" stars Francois Collier, Kevin Ogden, Gw (a Native American name pronounced Goo-wah) Welsh and Autumn Jacobs.

Alongside a screening of the self-described thriller cheese fest and live music, the event will offer film swag, raffle prizes and signup sheets for future casting calls. The event will be the first time audiences have seen the two-hour movie that is still in the post-production stage and set for a formal premiere of the polished work in May.

Greater Wealth is a multi-faceted entertainment collective that manages movies, websites, comics, films and other media projects. Its next film "Fractured: Langley" is set to begin shooting this spring. The release of lower-budget "Unsound" now is meant to create some local buzz for that film.

"(Unsound) was more of a labor of love," filmmaker Welsh said, noting that its budget was only about $10,000, while "Fractured" is on target to cost about $1 million to produce. A sequel to "Fractured" is already in the works as well, which is all part of Welsh's 10-year plan.

"We have some really cool things lined up," he said. "I am pretty excited about it."

With the first step done with the filming and screening of "Unsound," the focus now shifts to "Fractured," which is a story of an adaptation of a comic book about a highly trained soldier who cannot seem to turn off the killer instinct that the military engrained into him.

While the details of shooting schedules and full cast lists are being worked out, principal actors are said to include Bill Moseley, the veteran cult film actor who is likely best known for "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2," when he played the role of Chop Top, a demented man with a habit of scratching the scabs around a metal plate in his head with a heated clothes hanger only to eat the dead skin he scraped off.

The "Unsound" screening event will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $3. The New Frontier Lounge is located at 301 E. 25th St. down the street from Tacoma Dome.

Chad Knight

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:06:01 -0800

Chad Knight is a vocalist and guitarist living in Kirkland who moved there last fall from his hometown of Laurel, Miss., a small city in the southern part of that state. The songs on this CD were recorded at two studios in Mississippi. Knight labels himself as a singer/songwriter. His material reveals influences of reggae, rock, rap and R&B, indicating a wider range than one might expect from an artist in the singer/songwriter genre.

"Mutteo Intro" is a spoken word piece, a voicemail left for Knight from a friend back home.

"Lazy, Mississippi" has a reggae vibe with an interesting bass line played by Drew Parker. Knight wrote the music and lyrics. The latter reveals his outlook on life. "I am only one man living life/ I hate racism just get it right/ I like what I like and if you don't like it/ you don't have to like it."

"Hippie Girl Part 2" begins with acoustic guitar. It is a slow rock tune, somewhat similar to some of the mellower material of Alice In Chains. Knight sings about being high on music and how that contrasts with the woman he addresses.

"Now I'm a lover more than a user/ and that's just who I'm going to be/ I don't need your acid and ecstasy/ your heroin and LSD/ you don't have to be something you are not/ and your time is now."

Two guest vocalists appear. Katie Mason is the title character. "Lover boy, now wait just a minute/ why you saying these songs about me?/ don't you know life ain't easy/ you need to open your mind to be free."

Next Mutteo delivers a rap. "You headed to the club with your head all messed up/ your fancy car, hair and nails all dressed up."

"Burning July" finds Knight thinking of a musician friend who died. "Just reminiscing about time I'm spending with you will remember/ but the day I heard you passed left me so cold like a day in December."

The tune is soft and melodic in the beginning. The intensity ebbs and flows throughout the song. This is a quality rock power ballad, avoiding the cheesiness that sometimes hinders such songs.

Robert Morgan wrote "Mary Jane," showing Knight is willing to record material created by others. It recalls pop of the late 1960 or early 1970s, but with a modern sensibility.

"Queen of Euclid Avenue" makes a reference to a street in Laurel. It is a mid-tempo rocker.

"Beautiful" pairs Knight with rappers Cash and Green. It begins with sampled piano and violin and the rappers begin with lyrics about women they want to hook up with. Then Knight lays down some romantic prose. "Beautiful thing you are, standing away so far/ I can see it in her eyes/ she wants to be by my side."

Chad Knight plays Skylark Café in Seattle at 9 p.m. on Feb. 17

The Jealous Sound

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:04:13 -0800

After the release of The Jealous Sound's 2003 debut album "Kill Them With Kindness," the band showed such promise, developing a loyal following among indie rock lovers nationwide. Frontman Blair Shehan's almost ethereal, passionate vocals made for a solid rock album, but this year's release of the band's sophomore album clearly displays a more mature, professional sound coming from a quartet that has clearly grown up in the past nine years.

With Shehan on guitar and vocals, Pedro Benito on guitar, Bob Penn on drums and Foo Fighters' Nate Mendel on bass, the band is back, and with a cleaner, more powerful sound than ever. The 44-minute, 10-track album was recorded in the Foo Fighters' Studio 606 with John Lousteau producing.

Rumors that Shehan "went crazy" ran rampant during the years following the success of "Kill Them With Kindness," but he insists his time away from the band was just his way of coming to terms with growing older while dealing with the reality of living as a full-time musician.

"What's crazy? Staying in a band at my age with no stability? Ignoring the normal parts of becoming an adult?" he said. "People don't necessarily understand what we do, and the commitment it takes to do what we do."

But, the result of the band's nine-year hiatus serves as a not-so-gentle reminder that Shehan's talent combining smooth vocals with cascading guitars and poetic lyrics never quite disappeared. They have only grown more powerful through the years, as evidenced throughout "A Gentle Reminder."

The album's title track is a standout, with Shehan painting a picture of the demise of a relationship and his desperate pleas for understanding. "You're breaking your back to be alone/ refusing this kindness you were shown/ It doesn't mean anything anyways/ it doesn't mean/ beneath this canopy of trees, I wrap my arms around my knees/ rocking gently back to sleep as I collapse into the deep."

Leadoff track "Beautiful Morning" features impressive guitars and a steady pace that Foo Fighters fans will appreciate. Mendel's contribution on "A Gentle Reminder" and his roots in the Foo Fighters will be apparent to any rock lover, but Shehan's almost delicate vocals combined with heartfelt lyrics makes for a truly unique album from beginning to end. Let's hope we do not have to wait another nine years for more new material from The Jealous Sound.

The Jealous Sound is playing at El Corazon in Seattle on Feb. 25. Tickets are available at www.cascadetickets.com for $13 in advance, or $15 at the door.

CD Review: Perry Acker - “Path to Freedom”

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:58:48 -0800

Gig Harbor-based Perry Acker's debut studio album "Path to Freedom" is a shining example of the band's high-polished, high-talent and highly-smooth music.

A mix of smooth jazz, soft crooning vocals, and mellow classic rock basics, "Path to Freedom" is feel-good jam-styled music with enough gumption to take center stage, as well as serve as an easy-on-the-soul backdrop for all the recent sunny days in the Pacific Northwest.

Perry Acker's first full-length release showcases a line-up of songs their growing fan-base has already gotten to know in their live performances, mixing catchy pop melodies, with offbeat instrumental breakdowns, and downright sexy undertones.

Perry Acker, formed during front man and songwriter Pete Johnson's high school days with drummer Grady Lester and bassist Brandon Meade, was named after Johnson's great-grandfather - an accomplished Northwest landscape painter and artist.

Over the last two years, and with the addition of Pete's brother Mark Johnson on keys and guitarist Rick Powers, Perry Acker has made name for themselves locally and nationally as they fine-tune their sound that has been compared to a modern day Beatles due to their clean image and range of musical expression, according to the band's website.

In February 2011, Perry Acker won Ford Motor's national battle of the bands, "Gimme the Gig" competition, which allowed them to record their debut album with seven-time Grammy winning producer Don Was last spring. The touch of professionalism due to Was' influence on "Path to Freedom" definitely helps set Perry Acker apart from various other local acts, but the boys' live sets are a testament to their true musical talent in their equally smooth-as-silk live performances.

Twangy, jazz-laced extended guitar solos complement Pete's soulful and expressive vocals, which showcases the often emotional subject matter of his songs. Topics range from long-gone childhood dreams in "Spaceman" to struggling with internal fears in the summery "Stepping Stones."

Standout tracks on the album include Perry Acker's more sultry sounds, including "It's a Groovin' Life," instrumental "Out of the Woodwork" (which features an impressive saxophone solo by Paul Sawtelle) and fan favorite "Broke."

Catch Perry Acker Live Feb. 10 at the Nectar Lounge in Seattle with Cody Beebee and the Crooks and Redwood Son.

Find out more about the band, buy their album or other merchandise at www.perryacker.com.

CD Review: Dr. Dog - “Be The Void”

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:55:15 -0800

Philadelphia band Dr. Dog was formed in 1999. They bring two new members into the fold for their latest album, drummer Eric Slick and Dimitri Manos on electronics, percussion and guitar.

One can detect traces of other artists throughout this album, but none that are blatant enough to feel that Dr. Dog is copying someone else.

Leadoff track "Lonesome" has an easygoing vibe, not quite rock but not exactly folk. It would fit in fine on a Beck album.

"These Days" is one of the stronger tracks. It has an upbeat tempo with keyboards and guitars that suggest alternative rock influenced by new wave. The lyrics are about looking at the past and pondering what direction to take in the future. "I don't wanna stay here; deciding whether we should stay or leave baby/ why you wanna go now?"

The guitar on "How Long Must I Wait?" has an interesting sound, similar to steel drums.

The lead vocals on "Get Away" sound somewhat like David Bowie. The contributions of two guest musicians, Nathan Sabatino on cello and Jonka Perniss on violin, add a nice touch.

The singing and music on "Do The Trick" would have fit well on a John Lennon solo album.

"Heavy Light" is an interesting composition. It begins with drums and congos, then the bass line comes in. Guitars are minimal and back in the mix, while vocals are up front.

"Over Here, Over There" begins very mellow, just vocals and acoustic guitar. After 45 seconds the drums and bass come in. The song shifts into a pop/rock mode that brings to mind Cheap Trick.

"Warrior Man" starts with spaced out keyboards. The lyrics fit the spacey music. "Well I am the ancient warrior man/ and I hail from the ancient warrior clan/ I invented the computer man/ hubcaps and soda cans." This might be what the Beatles would be writing if they were around now.

It sounds like sitar is playing in the beginning of the final song, "Turning the Century." No sitar is listed in the credits, so this is probably a guitar effect. But a sitar would make sense, given the 1970s vibe of the album and how some rock musicians of that decade learned to play this instrument.

Dr. Dog's publicists may be hearing something this reviewer did not. The promotional material discussed how on this album the band was turning up the guitars, playing with reckless abandon and passion. Dr. Dog is more pop than rock, which is no criticism. This reviewer did not detect the "frenetic punk energy" of "Over Here, Over There." Dr. Dog is an interesting band, but if their intention with this CD was to cut loose and tear it up, they fell short of that goal.

Dr. Dog plays Neptune Theater in Seattle at 8 p.m. on Feb. 14.

Sweet-n-spicy Valentine’s fundraiser

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:52:05 -0800

Join Tacoma's own Gritty City Sirens and Tush! Burlesque of Olympia for a naughty but nice Valentine's Day special event. "Sweet & Spicy" will benefit two sassy causes – the YWCA Pierce County and the Broadway Center. Your ticket includes a decadent dessert buffet, a glass of wine or other beverage, and entrance to a vendors area showcasing everything you need to celebrate in style – roses, chocolate, bath bombs from Smitten, and jewelry for purchase. Bring your honey and spend their money! Live music in the lobby before the show will feature a special guest – singer and guitarist Stephanie Johnson. She's a regular hometown hero, born and raised in Tacoma and attended Stadium High School and Pacific Lutheran University. There will be many raffle prizes for a $20 ticket – a Seattle getaway, spa basket, Mardi Gras gift basket, a three-piece jewelry set, and a T-Town fun package containing all kids of Grit City goodies – and much more. At 8:30 p.m. you'll take your seat for a performance two of the Northwest's best burlesque troupes. "Sweet & Spicy" happens on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Pantages Theater. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 at the door (with I.D.) and at www.broadwaycenter.com, 21-and-over only.

Treat Your Valentine to ‘Cavalia’ A Magical Encounter Between Man and Horse

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:48:58 -0800

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, there is a perfect outing awaiting you and your sweetheart at "Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Man and Horse" at Marymoor Park in Redmond. To say this show is steeped in romance is an understatement. There is so much warmth and love involved in this one-of-a-kind production that it virtually emanates from the long and wide stage on which is played out a most thrilling and brilliant experience that audiences are bound to not soon forget.

"Cavalia" will touch you in ways you cannot know until you are there experiencing it. It will make you laugh, utter "wow" over and over, stare with your mouth hanging open in wonder, and maybe even cause you to shed a tear borne on the touching beauty of love and compassion these horses can bring out in us humans. This is not a "horse show" – meaning that you will not see a three-ring circus where the point is for the performers to prove "look what I can make these horses do." Rather, the tables are turned in "Cavalia" where the point is "look what these horses can make us do."

There is a distinct purity in what this show is all about – a deeply humble and reverent genuflection to a gift from God that is the horse. As stated in the program, "'Cavalia' is an ode to beauty; a freedom fantasy; a hymn to harmony; one step toward a new complicity." "Cavalia" explores and builds on that blessed moment of bonding with the wild – when beast and man become one like two dancers lost in the music.

Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, "Cavalia" is the brainchild of Normand Latourelle. Since co-founding Cirque du Soleil, he has become renowned for his large-scale innovative productions that take spectators to new realms. The human performers in "Cavalia" do all the tricks. They fly through the air, ride horses standing up (Roman riding), build human towers, back flip, swing from trapezes, dangle from above hanging onto yards of fabric…the talent and passion in this young cast is astounding. The show features 38 acrobats, aerialists, dancers, musicians and riders.

But with all due respect to the human performers, the horses steal the show. "Cavalia" features 45 of them in a wide variety of breeds and sizes – including a miniature horse that is cute as a button. Some of the most profound moments are when the horses are turned loose to walk freely on the stage all by themselves wearing no saddles, bridles or other manmade contraptions. They seem to somehow know they are the center of attention, and they kept Sunday night's audience in rapt attention as they moved gracefully among each other to mystical music and lighting. All the music played in "Cavalia" is by a live band and singer Mary-Pier Guilbault, whose voice is like that of a songbird.

Presenting "Cavalia" in a specially built venue makes for an atmosphere that would not be possible in any of the area arenas like Tacoma Dome or Key Arena. In the big-top tent, seating is all on one side to the right and on the left the stage stretches from end to end of the seating rows. There is not a bad seat in the house. Many spires with flags flying top the tent complex, looking like a medieval traveling show from centuries ago. This will well prepare you for what is waiting inside this "castle" where horses are our closest and most loyal friends. Bursting with special effects, "Cavalia" is presented in virtual settings created by the latest multi-media technology available.

Due to strong demand for tickets, "Cavalia" has been extended to run to Feb. 26. Tickets are priced from $34.50 to $99.50 plus applicable fees. For guests who desire an extraordinary outing, the show can be customized for an extended experience from $129.50 to $189.50, including a Horse Lovers Package that lets patrons tour the stables after the show, and the VIP Rendez-Vous Package that includes the post-show stable tour, a cocktail/dinner reception and much more. Special pricing is also available for children (2-12), juniors (13-17) and senior citizens (65+).

Marymoor Park is located at 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway N.E. in Redmond. For tickets, visit www.cavalia.net or call 1 (866) 999-8111. And be sure to bring $15 cash for parking.

SIDEBAR

Love birds that want to go out on the town on Valentine's Day evening (Feb. 14) can take advantage of the special "Magical Moment" packages being offered. The "Valentine Rendez-Vous Package" includes more than a dozen perks, like access to the Rendez-Vous Lounge 90 minutes before the show, during intermission and after the show; special red carpet welcome and glass of champagne; sophisticated selection of hors-d'oeuvres combined with an exquisite buffet before the show; tours of the "Cavalia" stables and much more. The "Valentine Horse Lover Package" offers preferred seating in the front rows; a complimentary glass of sparkling wine; a tour of the stables and a special gift.

Emerging Artists Featured at Fulcrum Gallery

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:42:26 -0800

A new year has begun. Tacoma's Fulcrum Gallery is heralding the new beginning with a show of work by six relative newcomers to Tacoma's underappreciated art world. Julian Pena, Kelsi Finney, Brandon Urban, Kirsten Marie Pisto, Gabriel Brown and Meghan Mitchell have transformed the little gallery on the Hilltop into a showcase of stimulating and colorful art in a show called "Dawn of 2012."

Julian Pena

In his bold and energetic paintings, Pena is able to synthesize multiple currents of expression into work that has a close affinity to Pop art. Christian iconography is combined with Japanese anime and manga styles in works like "John the Baptist" which features the titular saint as an anime character. The holy lamb, meanwhile, is covered in multi-hued polka dots. With "The Very Last Supper" Pena gives a nod to Dutch masters of still life and vanitas paintings that excelled in sumptuous depictions of feast-laden tables. Pena, however, surrounds a hunk of ham with a riotous cartoon cast of critters. Pena's work speaks through a visual language of personalized symbols. His own alter ego or avatar, for example, is shown as a levitating pink octopus with a unicorn horn.

Kelsi Finney

Finney's creamy, mellow-yellow paintings in gouache and watercolor are warm and easy depictions of surreal scenes that are more humorous than disturbing. Her "Mr. Golightly" is a bust portrait of a gentleman deer with prominent antlers. The handsome buck is well dressed in a mustard yellow suit coat and striped neck tie. Finney's pictures ooze a sweet syrup of nostalgia for a time and place that exist only within her imagination.

Brandon Urban

Urban is a tagger and street artist making the transition from the large and fugitive art of the streets to the modestly sized, spot lit things that hang in art galleries and living rooms. He uses stencils and spray paint to coat canvases with Buddhas and Hollywood starlets.

Kirsten Marie Pisto

Pisto's oil paintings on birch wood panels possess a worm glow. The paint seems spread as easily as warm butter to create lush landscapes. With "I'm as lonesome as you are and feel more empty everyday," Pisto verges into the surreal: a distressed, feral-looking dog stands ankle deep in what appears to be a basketball court. In the background is a colorful smudge of a building.

Gabriel Brown

Brown is crafty with corrugated cardboard and paper packaging. He makes prim little ticky-tacky houses from product boxes like Kleenex, Diet Coke and Pepsi. Each is set on its own little island that dangles from fishing line. His work is timely in hitting themes of housing and the disposable nature of consumerist economics.

Meghan Mitchell

Mitchell is the quiet one in the group. Her demure, intimate prints and drawings of delicate hands and maze-like abstractions are nearly drowned out by the visual loudness around them. They nevertheless possess their own charm and offer a respite to the eye.

Look for more to come from the artists featured in "Dawn of 2012." The show runs through March 10. For further information visit www.fulcrumtacoma.com.

Second City’s Laugh Out Loud Tour Hits Tacoma Feb. 19

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:36:06 -0800

The Windy City may be more widely known for its loaded hotdogs, deep-dish pizza (the only way it should ever be served), and less than flattering accents, but few people realize that thanks to infamous comedy club Second City, Chicago has become the breeding ground for A-list comics and actors since the club opened in 1959. Countless celebs have earned their stripes on the Second City stage, including Dan Akroyd, John Candy, Mike Myers, Rachel Dratch, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert and Jason Sudeikis. Throw in Joan Rivers, Chris Farley and Tina Fey and you have a pretty stellar list of comedians who have graced the stage throughout the decades.

On Feb. 16, Second City's Laugh Out Loud Tour makes its way to the Pantages Theater, where the troupe will perform some of the best sketches, songs and improvisations from the archives, ranging from classic pieces that may have been written and performed decades ago by comedic greats, to ever-so-relevant election year material.

"We always try to keep our shows fresh, even though some of the material may be 20 to 30 years old," Production Coordinator Joe Ruffner said.

Although many sketches may require an element of audience participation, the majority of the material is not exactly improvised. "We are first and foremost a theater company," Ruffner added. "We write our scripts based on improv, but it's a process that allows us to take audience suggestions while grounding our scripts in the here and now."

Second City's improvisational roots stem from Viola Spolin, who developed a method of improv exercises to use with children to unleash their creativity. Spolin's son, Paul Sills, founded Second City using her techniques to present satirical, improvisational theater based on topical social and political issues.

With the debut of "Saturday Night Live" in 1975, cast with three Second City alumni, the group gained even more attention as an aspiring comedian's first step toward stardom. This still remains true to this day. "The tradition here is still very strong," Ruffner said. "People realize they need to sort of pass through Second City if they want to make it as a comedian."

Second City training centers teach thousands of up-and-coming improv all stars each week in a program that has become the largest of its kind in North America with 13,000 students per year enrolled in programs in Los Angeles, Chicago and Toronto. Four Second City international touring companies travel around the country and world, as well.

Tickets for Second City's Laugh Out Loud Tour are on sale now for $29-$42, available at www.broadwaycenter.org. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Pantages Theater, located at 901 Broadway.

The Things We like

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:20:52 -0800

ASIA PACIFIC NEW YEAR

Annual Asia Pacific New Year's Celebration happens Feb. 11, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall – and admission is free. BULA! is a multicultural extravaganza celebrating the arts, culture and history of 47 countries of Asia and the Pacific Islands. More than 8,000 are expected to attend this year. Hosted by Asia Pacific Cultural Center (APCC), this year's festival showcases the Republic of Fiji (bula is Fijian for "hello"). The all-day event features traditional music, dance, food, crafts, storytelling and hands-on activities from across the Pacific Islands and Asia. The featured guest of the Fijian community will be the Honorable Ambassador Winston Thompson from Washington, D.C.

OLD TOWN VALENTINE

Classical Tuesdays in Old Town presents "Plaisir d'Amour: The Pleasure of Love," Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. The Canonici Vocal Quartet will sing Renaissance love songs in English, French and Italian along with a variety of romantic songs of both sacred and secular nature. The Song of Songs serves as the text for some of the most florid and virtuosic polyphonic works to come out of 15th-century France and England. Modern romantic works conclude the program, including new arrangements of Stephen Foster love songs. Free admission, all ages welcome. Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St. Presented by Old Town Business Association.

PIRATE OPERA

Vocal music students at the University of Puget Sound will perform the comedic opera "The Pirates of Penzance" in Schneebeck Concert Hall on campus. Gerard Morris, assistant professor of music, will conduct members of Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra. Dawn Padula directs the opera. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 9-11 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 12. Admission is $12.50 for the general public, $8.50 for those 55 and older, non-UPS students, military and UPS faculty and staff and $5 for UPS students. Tickets can be ordered by sending an e-mail to tickets@pugetsound.edu, calling (253) 879-3419 or at Wheelock Student Center on campus.

MEXICAN ART

"Folk Treasures of Mexico" is on exhibit at Tacoma Art Museum through Feb. 19. The items on display were purchased by Nelson A. Rockefeller, who began collecting them in the 1930s. Much of them became the foundation of San Antonio Museum of Art's collection of Mexican folk art. The exhibit has utilitarian objects, religious objects and items for entertainment and festive occasions. Info: www.tacomaartmuseum.org.

ART AT THE CO-OP

Browse and buy art as you browse and buy food at the unique Tacoma Food Co-op. The exhibiting artists for February are JoAnn Dorsey-Hayden and Arvid Harder. Both are members of Pacific Gallery Artists and Rainier League of Art and have exhibited locally. Their works in watercolor and acrylic are now showing and are for sale. 3002 6th Ave. (corner of 6th Ave. and Junett Street). Store hours: Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tacoma Opera Takes on Broadway with Latest Production

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:58:38 -0800

Tacoma Opera is going from opera alley to the Great White Way with its mid-season production that runs this weekend. The non-profit opera company will be staging "Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill," a cabaret view of the life's work of one of the most celebrated composers of Broadway performed by the Tacoma Opera Young Artists.  Performances of this musical revue will cover the span of Weill's most famous music for two nights only. Shows are at 8 p.m. on Feb. 11 and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 12 at Theatre on the Square in Tacoma.

Weill was the king of the keys during his reign in the 1930s and 1940s. He worked with the likes of Moss Hart, Ira Gershwin, Langston Hughes and Alan Jay Lerner to create the scores for "The Threepenny Opera," "The Rise and Fall of the City Mahagonny," "Knickerbocker Holiday," "Lady in the Dark," "Street Scene" and "Lost in the Stars."  While he is best known for his Broadway works, Weill's musical journey covers two decades of transformation that saw him jumping from the Weimar Republic of Germany after World War I to Paris during the rise of Adolf Hitler to America. This revue stamps the passport of that journey. "Although Weill wrote primarily for the Broadway stage in this country, his musical output was quite serious in nature and was written in a quasi-operatic style. 'Street Scene' and 'Lost in the Stars' probably represent this new Broadway 'operatic' style from the late 1940s and early 1950s best," opera spokesman Noel Koran said. "Tacoma Opera's production of Kurt Weill's music emphasizes the composer's more serious side and his deep concern for social issues of his day. The songs chosen for this production, which are loosely grouped in two categories (The Politics of War and the Politics of Love), will give the audience not only a good representation of Weill's musical style as a composer over the years, but also an insight into his strong commitment to exposing important social issues through his music."

The Tacoma version of the show has pared down the original 31-song play list to 21 songs, including the addition of Weill's "Walt Whitman Songs" and "Unknown Songs" that were not in the original production. The production is directed by Jeff Clapp, artistic director of theater at Pacific Lutheran University. The music director for the production is Sheila Bristow, an affiliate artist at PLU. The cast for the production are: Celeste Godin, Woong Kim, Ksenia Popova, Bryan Hiroto Stenson and Heather Weirich, all of whom are young artists for Tacoma Opera. All but Stenson will be making their Tacoma debut during this show.

Soprano Godin received her training in both vocal performance and pedagogy at PLU. There, she performed in opera workshops in choruses and orchestra pits and stages. In spring 2011, she was featured as a student soloist with the University Symphony Orchestra.

Kim, a baritone, was born in Seoul, South Korea. He received a certificate in vocal performance and a bachelor in arts degree in music at Chung-Ang University in Seoul. While attending CAU, he appeared in Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" as Count Almaviva, Puccini's "La Bohéme" as Marcelo, and Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore" as Belcore. Kim's most recent performances include singing Ford in Verdi's "Falstaff," Papageno in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" in Seattle Opera Preview Guild, Puccini's "Madame Butterfly" as Prince Yamadori in Skagit Opera, "Celebrate Asia" with Seattle Symphony Orchestra, and the Father in University of Washington's recent production of Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel." He is currently attending the University of Washington.

Soprano Popova recently received her second encouragement award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions. Past performances include Madame Goldentrill in "The Impresario," the title role in the world premiere of "The Legend of Poker Alice" and the Northwest new-translation premiere of "Une Education Manquée." She has also performed with numerous local organizations including Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, Rainier Family Opera, Shoreline Community College and Public Concert Opera. Stenson, a tenor, is a recent PLU graduate coming from Tokyo, Japan. It was at PLU where he started performing in operas with his first role as Apollo in Monteverdi's "L'Orfeo." Major roles so far include Jupiter in "Semele," Albert in "Albert Herring" and Eisenstein in "Die Fledermaus." He was involved in other performance-based activities such as musical theater, dance, composition seminars and choir, including the acclaimed Choir of the West. He was last seen at Tacoma Opera in the role of Albazar in "The Turk in Italy" earlier this season. He is also a choral music intern for both Charles Wright Academy Lower School and Tacoma Youth Chorus under the guidance of Judith Herrington.

Weirich, a mezzo-soprano, was born and raised in Leavenworth. She is currently earning an undergraduate degree in vocal performance at PLU. Having done productions throughout the region, Weirich has performed shows with Leavenworth Summer Theater, Wenatchee One-Act Opera Company, Ascension Theater Productions, Tacoma Opera, PLU Opera and the PLU Theater Department.  Tickets for "Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill" are $30 and are available by calling (253) 627-7789 or at www.tacomaopera.com.

D.O.A. launches new breakfast menu

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:44 -0800

The Toad in the Hole ($9) – last weekend's fan favorite, according to Chef Aaron Grissom – combines all that is good about that first meal of the day: a giant, freshly made cinnamon roll baked at Top Foods to Grissom's specifications, Jack Daniels caramel sauce, a poached egg in the center, all topped with thick-cut bacon. As if it needed anything else, it's served with crispy hashbrowns.

My favorite on the menu is Grissom's version of bagel and lox. Although it's not something I would naturally gravitate toward on a breakfast menu, the combination of lemon zest mascarpone with pickled red onion and caper berries was too much to resist. The fresh baked bagel with a subtle hint of lemon with the smoked salmon is a lethal combination. In a very good way. The lox and bagel runs $10, which is about the average price point on the menu. When you consider that most dishes are shareable, that's not a bad deal.

Dirty Oscar's Annex, located at 2309 6th Ave., offers breakfast 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Born from a Boombox

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:42:03 -0800

Representing the best of Washington State's finest hip hop dance teams, Tacoma's own Reality Check Dance Troupe will host and perform live at KRUNK VII: Born From A Boombox, Feb. 3 at Mt. Tahoma High School. A showcase of our area's most dedicated and accomplished young hip hop dancers, KRUNK VII is presented by DASH Center for the Performing Arts, where the talent for this annual event has worked hard to get the privilege of performing in it.

DASH Center is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality performing arts education to inner city and at-risk youth. Students there are required to meet high standards to participate in DASH programs, including showing up for all classes and rehearsals, staying out of trouble and keeping their grades up at school. In fact, many DASH students excel in school knowing their reward is to take part in this most exciting and unique center for arts education. Performing in KRUNK is big for these talented youngsters, as they've truly earned their way there.

A special guest choreographer is also in town for KRUNK VII – Anthony "Redd" Williams. On the faculty of the renowned Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in his hometown of St. Louis, Williams is taking a one-week break from his teaching duties there to share his considerable knowledge and electric moves with the youth at DASH Center.

Just for KRUNK VII, Williams teamed up with DASH Executive Director Candi Hall and Dance Director Charles Simmons to choreograph what promises to be a dynamite number featuring all dance teams from DASH.

Each year, Reality Check invites more than 10 dance teams from all over Washington to come show what they've got. This year, prepare to be blown away by teams such as Kontagious, Diamonds in the Rough, Koncrete, Full Force, Misfits, Xxtra!!, RCX, Stadium and Bellarmine high schools and many more. All proceeds from KRUNK benefit the Reality Check youth outreach program.

For the first time this year, KRUNK is being entirely produced and staged by the youth themselves. "They did everything that has to do with this show. It is solely in the hands of the youth," Hall said, pointing out that this is another layer of the students' education in how to work in the entertainment industry.

KRUNK VII: Born from a Boombox happens Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. at Mt. Tahoma High School (4634 S. 74th St.). Tickets – $10 for upper-level seating and $15 for house seats – are available now at DASH Center (1504 Martin Luther King Jr. Way).

A FORCE IN HIP HOP DANCE

Upon visiting DASH Center for the first time this week, Williams said he is amazed at the quality of education going on there – lessons that impact the students' personal lives as well in an effort to help them grow to be good people with bright futures. He remarked over how Hall's vision became something the whole community is benefiting from – especially the children.

"It's amazing – it really is. I didn't know it was that in-depth," he said, referring to the fact that DASH students learn dancing, acting, singing, how to play musical instruments, how to professionally make and record music, how to produce shows and events and much more.

Williams said that he himself is a product of a similar community-based arts organization for inner-city youth. "I come from that same background and that's how I started choreographing, but it was never anything of this (DASH Center's) magnitude." Not having the opportunity to take formal dance lessons, Williams would record TV awards shows and music videos on VHS tape and learn the dance moves by heart. It wasn't until he moved to Los Angeles in 2003 at 20 years old that he took his first formal dance class. He moved back to St. Louis in 2007 to take the faculty position at COCA.

Williams observed that while the youth may have a tough attitude on the streets, once they get inside a place like DASH Center it melts away. He saw this effect first-hand when he visited the center this week. "You get a lot of kids that kind of act ashamed of doing stuff like dancing and singing, but they were singing 'do re mi' and all kinds of stuff like they love to be there and they want to be there – they're not ashamed of it because they love what they're doing."

Having grown up in the St. Louis projects, Williams knows intimately what at-risk youth must overcome in the inner-city life. Dance was his escape – his joy that continues to this day – and he's eager to share that with young people in Tacoma. Hall, DASH Center Dance Director Charles Simmons and Assistant Director Jimmy Shields knew he'd bring much to the aspiring performers here in T-Town.

"He is a really great teacher with a lot of energy," Hall said. She also likes his individual style of hip hop dance in which he teaches students moves other than what's trendy right now.

"While it's good to be able to dance all those styles, he doesn't let that influence his own style of dance," she said. "You see choreographers doing the same thing the same way, but Redd has a different way that's his own. This is important to me because this is something I preach to the kids all the time – continue to be you. Develop your style and who you are. I want them to be well-rounded dancers."

Williams has done a lot so far in his young life, including establishing the solid hip hop dance program among the heavily traditional dance curriculum at COCA. "There has never been a strong hip hop program there that could compete with the jazz and ballet programs. I've been working really hard, and now the hip hop program is one of the largest programs at COCA. I have turned their whole perspective on hip hop dance completely around." He also teaches night classes twice a week for $1 at Pinx Academy of Dance in St. Louis, where he has discovered many of the dancers he's enlisted for his own dance company.  "Not everyone can afford COCA. I teach this class because I know that," he said.

Williams' resume is quite impressive. He has performed on tours, in music videos and in television commercials for some of the industry's biggest recording artists such as Marques Houston, Beyoncé, Corbin Bleu, Lady Gaga, Angela Winbush and for Adidas Industrial. His choreography has been performed by legends like Nelly and featured at top venues like Showtime at the Apollo and the Missouri Black Expo. He has worked with accomplished choreographers like Laureianne Gibson, Cecily & Olisa, Ro Ro, Kennis, and Rosero & Jamal, and has assisted with choreography for artist Kishaya in the Starbucks Dancing Commercial and D Girl Music Video.  Williams has been featured regularly at Grand Center's Dancing in the Streets festival and at Better Family Life's Black Dance St. Louis. In 2004, he won the U Got Served Dance Off for choreography. Williams has also taught hip-hop at the Millennium Dance Complex and the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, both in Los Angeles.

Things We Like

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:30:47 -0800

FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FRY

Head over to Uncle Thurm's Finger Lickin' Chicken and Ribs for some good old-fashioned soul food on Feb. 3. An after-work party takes there place from 5:30-7 p.m., with a Friday night fish fry featuring Cajun catfish, seafood gumbo, Creole shrimp and more served all night. The G. Street Jazz series will take place from 8-11 p.m. Uncle Thurm's is located at 3709 S. 'G' St.

FUN POLICE LIVE

Tacoma band the Fun Police will perform songs from their new album "Clown Control" at Tahoma Tea Company on Feb. 4. The show runs from 7-10 p.m. It is an all-ages show with no cover charge. Also on the bill are Trasholes, Secret Wives and Yahtzee. The venue is located at 1932 Pacific Ave.

BIG GAME PARTY

Watch the big game on Feb. 5 on a massive big-screen TV at Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma. The fun begins at 1:30 p.m. There will be specials on food and drinks and Dave "Softy" Mahler from KJR AM 950 will host the festivities. Must be 21 or older to attend. Entry is free.

'CALIFORNIA SUITE'

This Neil Simon classic uses one of the author's favorite devices: a posh Beverley Hills hotel suite and four different pairs of occupants. Simon, the quintessential quipster, is a genius at two-character scenes, particularly those involving spouses caught in highly charged dilemmas. If only the walls could talk. Prepare for a night of verbal sparring and rib-tickling laughter. The Tacoma Little Theatre production runs through Feb. 14. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. An actor's benefit takes place Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Info: www.tacomalittletheatre.com.

STILL LIFE EXHIBIT

"Symbolism in Still Life" is on display at the Gallery at Tacoma Community College through March 16. Local artists display pieces that address themes of culture, identity, justice, morality and politics. Members of the public can use the available materials to create their own interpretations of the still life. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call (253) 460-4306.

Rock on

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:26:57 -0800

When the Puget Sound Music for Youth Association formed only three years ago, its goal was simple: to bring young musicians together for a chance to practice, perform, compete and grow in their knowledge of music. Today, the association is not only reaching this goal each day, but the group's performances are gaining the attention of prime-time venues throughout Tacoma.

President and founder Paul Manuel recently partnered with The Swiss to allow youth to take to the stage there once a month to showcase their skills and gain that much-needed "live performance" experience.

The Swiss now hosts Puget Sound Music for Youth members on the third Sunday of each month from 2-8 p.m.

"This is probably the biggest achievement we've made as an organization since we started," Manuel said.

The Swiss recently changed its licensing to allow minors during certain hours, and Puget Sound Music for Youth is the first children's organization to take advantage of this status.

Members of the organization are between 12 and 16 on average, and are thrilled to play on a stage that's been graced by some of our city's most iconic rockers. "It's been amazing to watch these kids evolve like they have," Manuel added. "They are so proud of what they've achieved so far."

Each performance will feature a host band, giving the young musicians a chance to jam with the pros, or take over for a solo performance. Many of these youth meet each other for the first time and form their own bands during these performances.

Children who are interested in becoming involved in the Puget Sound Music for Youth should be aware – education and earning good grades is just as important to organizers as the music.

"Education has always been important to me, and it's always been important to me that these kids understand the importance of balancing school and music," he said. "We want our kids to stay in school and also stay involved in their music."

Members of Puget Sound Music for Youth pay a $100 fee per year, or a $50 six-month membership fee. A scholarship program is available to members who qualify. Children have access to private instructors, regular opportunities to perform and a support network at the ready to help them pursue their passion.

Check out Puget Sound Music for Youth performers at the Swiss the third Sunday of each month from 2-8 p.m. The Swiss is located at 1904 Jefferson Ave. For more information about the organization, visit MarianoSilver.com.

Show your love for boobies this Valentine’s Day

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:24:00 -0800

This Valentine's Day, one special event will unite singles, couples, friends and fun – all for a cause that is (literally) close to your heart.

The Boobie Bash at Hell's Kitchen Feb. 14 will do just that. The pink-infused Valentine's Day event will feature live music, pretty dancing ladies, all sorts of great raffle prizes as well as a chance to get a hold of Cupid's arrow, with all proceeds going directly to support the fight against breast cancer.

Event organizer Stephanie Crowell said that while this event puts out love for boobies all over the world, it was inspired by Crowell's aunt, Lisa Gauthun, who is fighting stage 4 terminal cancer.

Gauthun beat cancer once 10 years ago, and her latest diagnosis came back in early 2011. Doctor's gave her just a few months to live at the time, but Gauthun's positive spirit and determination have kept her going strong into her second year, all the while participating in breast cancer fundraising and awareness efforts in a hope to end suffering for future generations.

"She has beat this once. She was only given possibly a few months to live, and she is already past the one-year mark. She is still doing as much as she can to help raise awareness, and I can honestly say it's more than anyone I know," Crowell said. "It just shows how strong and positive she is, considering her circumstances. She touches everyone she meets. Even people that don't know her are inspired by her."

The Boobie Bash has gained support from various local bands, entertainers and sponsors that want to support the cause that has impacted the lives of so many American women.

The lineup for the night includes punk cover band the Moron Broz, Bloodhunger, Deathbed Confessions, Czar and burlesque performances by Pistolita, Moonshine Molly Minski and Heather Hostility.

Everyone who wears something pink will get a raffle ticket at the door, and additional raffle tickets can be purchased for $2 each. Raffle prizes include opening day Tacoma Rainiers tickets, Lucky U panty cupcakes (read more about them on page A5), gift cards for restaurants, hair care and car details and movie tickets and more.

Cupid will also be present – bow and arrow drawn – for pictures available by donation.

"This event is already turning out to be much more than I anticipated, and I am so grateful," Crowell said. "I had no idea I would get such support from everyone, especially because most that are participating in this event have never met my aunt,"

All of the money will be deposited into "Team Lisa's" Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure account.

The Boobie Bash begins at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Hell's Kitchen, 928 Pacific Ave. For more information on the event or how to help, contact Stephanie Crowell at Sdc7185@yahoo.com or (253) 359-4661.

Lakewood’s ‘Play it Again, Sam’ hilarious but a bit dated

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:18:09 -0800

Staging a Woody Allen classic that is almost 40 years old can be tricky even on a good day. A director has to walk the line between honoring a comic genius and allowing the actors to explore the script themselves, between jumping using contemporary references and updating a show for modern audiences.

Such were the issues facing this production's director, Alan Wilkie. The once-modern references about the ever-increasing hustle of life in the big city seem quaint when compared to the fixation about being connected at all times people of 2012.

An example of this can be found in the first few minutes of the show as Dick Christie (played by Jacob Tice) and his wife Linda (Alison Monda) pay a visit to Allan Felix's (Alex Smith) apartment after learning that his wife has filed for divorce after two years of marriage.

Dick is a businessman on the rise and finds himself needing to be tethered to his office at all hours.

"Let me tell you where you can reach me. I'll be at Gramercy 7-9205 for a while, then I'll be at Murray Hill 5-4774 for 15 minutes, then I'll be at Templeton 8-5548, then I'll be home, that's LE 5-8343," the script goes as he calls his office the minute he arrives to console his friend.

Now, some of us older folks might not even remember the days when phone numbers included words instead of just numbers. I know that many Lakewood phone numbers were the word "Juniper" followed by a set of digits. I know that largely because the Lakewood Florist sign on Gravelly Lake Drive next to the Lakewood Playhouse has its original sign listing that number. Downtown Tacoma's phone prefix, by the way, was Broadway.

A 30-something or 20-something theatergoer, however, might have no idea what the workaholic Dick is talking about on this strange communication device that has dials and is attached by a cord that runs to the wall. Now imagine that same scene with Dick handling a Bluetooth earbug and a "crackberry" cradled like the baby Jesus in his thumbs as he tweets with one and hand consoles his friend with the other. The first scene honors the script as it is while the latter might honor the intent by relating the idea with modern references. It is a debate directors deal with all the time since there is no right answer.

The script works as a middle-aged piece of comedy, while "modernization" might have ruined the mood by diving into uncharted waters. But it seemed some script changes could have been made to walk that line tighter than Wilkie trod.

The show plays out as Allan, a nerdy film review writer and a big lover of Humphrey Bogart (Matt Garry), finds himself on a series of dates as he strives to rebuild his post-divorce life. Entering from stage left is Bogart himself to provide him tips and guidance along his way to finding love. That road gets curvy since those dates include a quasi porn star and a go-go dancer before it winds its way into Linda's bedroom.

The acting was overall solid but seemed a bit slow to reach full steam. Once it got there, however, if was all-out quirky. Smith might as well have been Allen's brother from another mother. His acting owned the stage. Monda, as always, was multi-dimensionally charming and conflicted as the neglected wife.

Wilkie and set designer James Venturini did well with staging the show to play off the theater's in-the-round design that allows audience to see the show from all four sides. The television that was facing away from the main seating section, for example, actually was playing the classic "Casablanca" scene heard over the sound system. I just love that detail. Kudos.

"Play It Again, Sam" continues at the Lakewood Playhouse in Lakewood Towne Center with shows at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays through Feb. 12, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. There is also an actors' benefit performance at 2 p.m. on Feb. 11. For more information, call the box office at (253) 588-0042 or go online at LakewoodPlayHouse.org.

John K. Samson

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:14:32 -0800

Every person has those times when they want to be swept up in the moment, to release every worry or concern and fade away from the world for a little while. John K. Samson's album "Provincial" does just that. For the first time, lead singer for indie rock group The Weakerthans has put out his own solo album, creating a new musical experience for his awaiting fans.

Inspired from his home province – Manitoba – Samson takes his listeners down four roads blended together to tell the story of a land and the people within it. Provincial is roughly 37 minutes long consisting of 12 tracks telling the different stories that are all unique to some aspect to Samson as well to Manitoba. Unlike previous music done by The Weakerthans, "Provincial" goes about its music in a new way. The instrumental makeup contains not just the average guitar and drums, but also violins, piano, ukulele and cello mixed with Samson's smooth voice, all of which are blended to give that lasting impact of the album as a whole.

Similar to other songs done by The Weakerthans, the lyrics to all 12 tracks on "Provincial" are spoken in such a way that it is almost poetic no matter the context of the rhythm. These lyrics, as well as the way they are sung, fit together well with the atmosphere of the songs. Samson, in the underlining of his music, enters pieces of himself, thought provoking inquiries, as well intimacies of a small town. This does not mean you are going to listen to the CD and understand what it is like to grow up in Manitoba. "Provincial" radiates an essence you would not expect from its visual appeal.

The rhythms establish a variety of emotions as the album is played. The first 45 seconds on the fourth track, "Grace General," is nothing but a blend of light warm strumming capturing the listener before the words seal the deal. Other tracks, such as "When I Write My Masters Thesis," give the catchy vibe of upbeat guitars and drums that add to the uplifting vocals. "The Last And" is one of the simpler tunes involving an office love with a deep message soaking through every lyric. It is clear that Samson puts emotion into every piece of his music.

As a whole, whether you are a Weakerthans fan or just someone in the mood for that something different effect, you should listen to this album.

John Samson plays Tractor Tavern in Seattle on April 1.

Stacy Jones Band

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:12:39 -0800

Seattle-area blues outfit Stacy Jones Band spent last summer in a recording studio in Snohomish. They emerged with a fine collection of 12 original songs.

Stacy Jones herself sings and plays harmonica, keyboards and acoustic guitar. Leadoff track "No Matter What" displays her harmonica skills and her talent with writing lyrics. "No matter what I try no matter what I do/ no I can't seem to find the words to tell you I love you." Rick Bowen's drumming propels the tune along.

The entire band wrote the music to "Heavy Water." Tom Jones gets somewhat funky with his bass line.

Guitarist Jeff Menteer wrote the lyrics and music of "You Belong To Me." The bass line holds down the foundation and a good piano solo makes this among the stronger tracks on the album. Stacy Jones puts some sass into her vocals. "Like honey to a bee, you belong to me/ oh can't you see, that you belong to me?"

Menteer wrote "Do What You Wanna," on which he lays down a tasteful, soulful guitar solo.

About halfway through the CD it becomes apparent the band has put some thought into the placement of songs, alternating mellower tunes with upbeat ones.

"Full Moon With Her" is about a woman catching a show in a club. "Shaking that old tambourine/ dancing up front with her friends where everyone can see/ before you know it she has everyone on their feet."

Stacy Jones wrote "Cry A Love Song," another standout track. At seven minutes and 45 seconds long, it displays her compositional skills. It starts out easygoing then builds in intensity, sounding much more like rock than blues after a few minutes.

Menteer plays a long, tasteful solo on "Diggin' In The Mud."

"No Need To Spell It Out" is a strong effort from one of the rising bands on the Puget Sound blues scene.

Stacy Jones Band plays The Mix in Seattle at 8 p.m. on Feb. 3