Culture Fiend

The Book of Mormon, War Horse Coming to the Paramount

Be still our Trey Parker-lovin’ hearts.

Posted by: Laura Dannen on Mar 13, 2012 at 01:30PM 2 Comments

The Book of Mormon: funnier than the actual Book of Mormon.

Mormon missionaries are hitting the road, and it’s not to stump for Mitt Romney. Seattle will be the lucky host to The Book of Mormon—the foul-mouthed, warm-hearted musical by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone—when it embarks on its first national tour this winter. After winning nine Tony Awards in 2011, including best musical, BoM became the biggest thing on Broadway since The Producers. I tried to buy tickets for my family this past Christmas, and the best I could do was a show in January… 2013. Ironically, opening night at the Paramount Theatre is January 8, 2013.

On the whole, the 2012-2013 Broadway-in-Seattle season is the most exciting it’s been in years; subscriber tickets are currently on sale, with single tickets available at a later date.

Wicked
Oct 10–Nov 17, 2012
Still one of my favorites. The witches of Oz return after a hugely successful Seattle run in 2009. As Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West) will likely tell you, it’s not easy being green—but it’s profitable.

The Book of Mormon
Jan 8–20, 2013
From the twisted minds of the makers of South Park and Avenue Q, the year’s best musical (about Mormon missionaries in Africa) is going to sell out in seconds, so keep an eye on this blog for ticket announcements. See the comment section below for an update.

War Horse
Feb 13–24, 2013
Seattle Repertory Theatre teamed up with Seattle Theatre Group to bring the Tony-winning play—complete with its original, masterful puppetry—to the Paramount for its Seattle premiere. The story of a boy and his horse on the Western Front is based on the same children’s book as Spielberg’s recent blockbuster.

Flashdance
Apr 16–21, 2013
What to expect from this musical remake of the 1980s film: Spandex. “Maniac.” 16 new songs. A girl with a dream (to leave her day job as a welder in Pittsburgh to be a ballerina). More spandex.

Fela!
May 28–June 2, 2013
This pulsating, gyrating musical by Bill T. Jones explores the life of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian bandleader and rebel who gave birth to funk-jazz hybrid Afrobeat. Two words: dance party.

Sister Act: The Musical
Aug 20–25, 2013
Fans of Whoopi Goldberg’s ‘90s movie Sister Act will recognize the story in this adaptation, about a sassy showgirl hiding out from hit men in a convent, but the music by Alan Menken is brand new. It’s irreverent, to be sure, but more importantly, it’s a glitzy, disco-fied tribute to the ‘70s, complete with sequined nun habits.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Broadway, Theater, Season Announcement

Coming Soon: Esperanza Spalding at the Paramount

Portland’s jazz phenom shows off her new album, Radio Music Society.

Posted by: Laura Dannen on Jan 30, 2012 at 11:00AM 0 Comments

Bieber’s hair can’t compare.

Sadly, some know Esperanza Spalding simply as that girl who took Justin Bieber’s Grammy for best new artist in 2011. But Bieber couldn’t even out-hair the Portland-born jazz bassist, a charismatic bandleader who’s nine inches shorter than her instrument but larger than life when she performs. Ever since her self-titled debut in 2008, the 27-year-old phenom has emerged as “the hottest pop-jazz crossover artist since Norah Jones,” to quote our sister publication Portland Monthly. She’s brainy, setting William Blake to music, and appeals across borders, switching easily from English to Spanish to Portuguese.

And she has a new album out March 20, Radio Music Society, which comes with 12 concept videos shot in New York City, Barcelona, and Portland. She’ll show off her latest work at the Paramount Theatre on April 24. Tickets ($30-$42) are on sale now at stgpresents.org.

Esperanza Spalding
April 24, 8pm, Paramount Theatre

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Concert, Ticket Alerts

Silent Movies at the Hunt Room

The Sorrento Hotel serves up cinema classics and cocktails.

Posted by: Allison Williams on Jan 17, 2012 at 03:00PM 1 Comments

That’s what she said.

It doesn’t get more retro than silent movies—and they’re staging a comeback. Not only are Hollywood flicks The Artist and Hugo earning rave reviews and awards, but First Hill’s Sorrento Hotel is adding pre-talkies to its bar menu.

At the cozy Hunt Club on the hotel’s first floor, a new screen plays silent films in an ongoing loop. The restaurant already dishes up time-tested meals like prime rib and wedge salad; the movies just add to its old-timey aura. While the films may fade into the background, they take center stage three times a week with themed cocktail specials. Every Sunday at 5 and Wednesday at 8, watch black-and-white classics (your Charlie Chaplin, your Rudolph Valentino) and enjoy $6 drinks.

Meanwhile, Fellini Fridays feature the likes of La Strada and La Dolce Vita paired with $6 Italian-style quaffs starting at 8. We hear you, film geeks—Federico Fellini didn’t make silent movies. But since they’ll be subtitled and played on mute, it’s basically the same thing. Feel free to recite the lines using funny voices of your own.

More silent film outings:

Trader Joe’s Silent Movie Mondays: First Academy Awards
Paramount Theatre, Jan 23–Feb 13, $10–$34
Enjoy four of the earliest Oscar winners: Tempest (1928, best production design), Street Angel (1928, best actress for Janet Gaynor), The Last Command (1928, best actor for Emil Jannings), and the original best picture winner, Wings. Jim Riggs accompanies on the historic Wurlitzer organ.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Film, Bar Events, Sorrento Hotel

Met Picks: Allen Stone and Seattle Rock Orchestra, The Callers, David Lynch Retrospective

The top 10 things to see or do this weekend.

Posted by: Seattle Met staff on Jan 12, 2012 at 04:30PM 0 Comments

Photo courtesy WET.

The Callers: yet another reason to get out of the house.

THEATER

Thru Jan 15
West Side Story
Here come the Jets: The Broadway revival of West Side Story snaps, kicks, and Krupkes its way into Seattle, now with 10 percent of the songs and dialogue in Spanish. Paramount Theatre, $25–$80.

Jan 13–Feb 6
The Callers
WET playwrights Ali el-Gasseir and Ella Dorband examine the voices on the other end of a psychic hotline or phone sex chat in this world premiere, directed by Intiman’s new artistic director Andrew Russell. It’s a world of dial tones and busy signals (what, no call waiting?), with over 150 phones covering the walls in the black box theater. Washington Ensemble Theatre, $10–$25.

Jan 13–Feb 5
How to Write a New Book for the Bible
Bill Cain, who penned the 2009 Shakespearean drama Equivocation, borrows from his own life for his latest play. When the Jesuit priest goes home to care for his dying mother, he copes by writing the story of his family in Biblical style. Seattle Repertory Theatre, $12–$64.

CONCERTS

Jan 12
Craig Robinson and the Nasty Delicious
Fans of NBC’s The Office know Robinson, aka warehouse manager Darryl, plays a mean keyboard. When he’s not taping, the former elementary school music teacher tours with his jazz-funk group the Nasty Delicious. Paramount Theatre, $29.

Jan 14 & 15
Allen Stone and Seattle Rock Orchestra
Chewelah, Washington native Stone bears more of a resemblance to Napoleon Dynamite than Raphael Saadiq, but you won’t find a finer new soul act in town. He’s backed here by members of the 50-piece orchestra. Neptune Theatre, both shows have sold out.

CLASSICAL & MORE

Jan 14–28
Seattle Opera’s Attila
He can sing, he can sack countries. John Relyea stars as the King of the Huns in Seattle Opera’s debut performance of Verdi’s Attila. McCaw Hall, from $25.

FILM

Jan 13–19
In Dreams: The Films of David Lynch
SIFF Cinema samples from the oeuvre of director David Lynch for two weeks of twisted flicks, including Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man, Mulholland Dr., Dune, and a Twin Peaks screening. SIFF Cinema at the Uptown, $5–$10.

VISUAL ART

Thru Jan 22
Videowatercolors: Carel Balth Among His Contemporaries
Just a little over a week left to see Videowatercolors (video stills printed on watercolor paper or canvas) by Dutch artist Carel Balth. Examine his new media approach to landscape imagery in relation to more traditional photography and painting by contemporaries Gerhard Richter, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Luisa Lambri (also on display). Henry Art Gallery, admission $6–$10.

EAT & DRINK

Jan 14
Chef’s Tour of the Market
Starting now, and continuing for the next month, a different Seattle chef will host a weekly tour of Pike Place Market. Simon Zatyrka of Cutters Bayhouse hosts the first tour. All tours are limited to 14 participants, and end with a cooking demo and light meal at kitchen showroom SieMatic Seattle. The next tour is led by Franz Junga of Il Fornaio. Pike Place Market, $75.

PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Jan 17
30th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Rally and March
Before Occupy Wall Street, we celebrated equality and economic justice for all on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Recapture the spirit of MLK with a march from Garfield High, through the Central District, and to the Federal Building. Free.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Met Picks, Weekend, Neptune Theatre, McCaw Hall

West Side Story, Now En Español

Songs and sneers are partly in Spanish in the touring Broadway revival.

Posted by: Laura Dannen on Jan 12, 2012 at 12:50PM 0 Comments

Photo courtesy Joan Marcus.

Jerome Robbins’s choreography translates well anywhere.

Here come the Jets: The Broadway revival of West Side Story snaps, kicks, and Krupkes its way into Seattle this weekend, but not without some added drama. When the show first (re)opened in New York in 2009, critics and purists had mixed reviews about its new bilingual score and book by Arthur Laurents (with the blessing of Stephen Sondheim). Maria sang “Me Siento Hermosa” instead of “I Feel Pretty,” and the Sharks rumbled and jeered predominantly in Spanish. The production has since pulled back on some of the translation, from 18 percent of the dialogue and lyrics in Spanish to 10 percent, director David Saint recently told The Seattle Times. And after attending opening night in Seattle, I can say that what I lost in translation was minimal—nothing I couldn’t infer from repeated viewings of the movie and musical. The show feels authentic, grittier, more sexual, though the thugs are still too pretty. It’s a 21st-century West Side Story that’s carried by Jerome Robbins’s timeless choreography.

West Side Story
Paramount Theatre, through Jan 15

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Broadway

Rainn-y Season

Rainn Wilson and his TV and music buddies return for a benefit show at the Paramount.

Posted by: Laura Dannen on Nov 16, 2011 at 12:00PM 0 Comments

Rainn Wilson

Shorecrest alum Rainn Wilson —aka nerdy cube dweller Dwight Schrute on NBC’s The Office—comes home with friends in tow for the second (hopefully annual) music-and-comedy benefit for the Mona Foundation. Last year he invited his keyboard-toting costar Craig Robinson, and this year he’s joined by Mindy Kaling, who plays airhead Kelly Kapoor on the sitcom. Don’t let her character’s passion for Hello Kitty fool you: Kaling writes, directs, and produces the show (overachiever) and balances chick shtick (shoe shopping, UTI medications) with lovably nerdy confessions (“It wasn’t until I was 16 that I even knew marijuana and pot were the same thing”) in her new book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Also on the program: Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, singer-songwriter Andy Grammer, Visqueen, Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, and Seattle’s “real-life superhero” Phoenix Jones. Tickets ($31.25–$51.25) are available at the Paramount box office or Moore Theatre kiosk, at stgpresents.org, or by calling 877-784-4849. All proceeds support Seattle-based education nonprofit the Mona Foundation, one of Wilson’s favorite charities.

Rainn Wilson and Friends is Nov 19 at 8 at the Paramount Theatre.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, The Office, Benefit, Rainn Wilson

China Forbes Rejoins Pink Martini for a Holiday Show with Seattle Symphony

Posted by: Laura Dannen on Nov 07, 2011 at 04:00PM 0 Comments

China Forbes (right) returns. And the band rejoiced.

Fans of Portland’s infectious “little orchestra,” take note: Lead singer China Forbes, who announced in June that she was taking a year off to recover from vocal cord surgery, is making her comeback earlier than expected. She’ll rejoin the 12-piece band on December 3 for a holiday concert with Seattle Symphony at the Paramount; tickets go on sale this Saturday, November 12, at 10am.

Since Forbes went on hiatus, Pink Martini has relied on jazz sirens Lucy Woodward and Portland’s Storm Large as its frontwomen, and they’ve helped deliver a strong cocktail of classical, jazz, and multilingual pop. (The band’s also been busy Occupying Portland.) For Forbes’s welcome back party, they’ll perform selections from their 2010 album of multicultural holiday covers, Joy to the World. Bonus points for anyone who can sing along to “Elohai, N’tsor.”

The album includes:

“White Christmas”
“Shchedryk (Ukrainian Bell Carol)”
“Santa Baby”
“Elohai, N’tsor”
“Little Drummer Boy”
“Congratulations (A Happy New Year Song)”
“Do You Hear What I Hear?”
“La Vergine Degli Angeli”
“We Three Kings”
“A Snowglobe Christmas”
“Ocho Kandelikas (Eight Little Candles)”
“Silent Night”
“Auld Lang Syne”

Tickets ($41.24–$121.25) will go on sale at stgpresents.org, tickets.com, the Paramount box office (877-784-4849), and the ticket kiosks at the Paramount and Moore theaters.

Pink Martini joins the Seattle Symphony (led by conductor Eric Garcia) Dec 3 at 8pm at the Paramount Theatre.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Ticket Alerts, Pink Martini

TONIGHT: Bon Iver at Paramount Theatre

Posted by: Laura Dannen on Sep 26, 2011 at 10:00AM 0 Comments

Once famous for escaping to the woods a la Thoreau, Justin Vernon makes a successful return to civilization with his virtuosic second album, Bon Iver. Pitchfork calls this collection of rustic chamber pop one of the best new releases of the year—and it’s even better live. Vernon is touring with a nine-piece ensemble, armed with French horns, trombones, and a baritone sax, and the whole lush Bon Iver experience comes to the Paramount tonight at 7:30.

And as one would expect, tickets to see the indie star sold out eons ago. But we’re saying there’s a chance…. As of this morning, a few tickets remained on StubHub for $89 each—same goes for FanSnap. If you’d prefer to hold out for another concert, here are some of our top Fall Arts Picks.

Bon Iver plays Paramount Theatre Sept 26 at 7:30pm.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Concert, Fall Arts Preview 2011

Which Office Star will Join Rainn Wilson at the Paramount This Year?

Hint: She loves Hello Kitty.

Posted by: Laura Dannen on Sep 20, 2011 at 02:00PM 0 Comments

“I had a great time in high school, but it wasn’t the high school experience you see on teen dramas, where people are in serious romantic relationships, and hanging out in parking lots or whatever (isn’t that loitering?). I had fun in my academic clubs, watching movies with my girlfriends, learning Latin, having long, protracted, unrequited crushes on older guys who didn’t know me, and yes, hanging out with my family. I liked hanging out with my family!” —Excerpt from Mindy Kaling’s new book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, due out November 1.

Just got word yesterday that Mindy Kaling—who plays airhead Kelly Kapoor on NBC’s The Office—will join costar Rainn Wilson for his music-and-comedy benefit show at the Paramount Theatre on November 19. This, my friends, is excellent. Despite her character’s passion for celebrity gossip and Hello Kitty laptop covers, Kaling is a bright effin’ comedian who frequently writes and directs episodes of the show, and was recently promoted to executive producer, according to Vulture.

If you missed last year’s show, Seattle native Wilson brought Craig Robinson (Darryl) and the real-life buddies pulled together an evening of one-liners and keyboard singalongs. (Check out the video recap of Rainn Wilson and Friends.)

Also on the program this year: singer-songwriter Andy Grammer, Visqueen, Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, and Seattle superhero Phoenix Jones.

Tickets ($26–$101.25) are available Sept 24 at 10am at the Paramount box office or Moore Theatre kiosk, at stgpresents.org, or by calling 877-784-4849. All proceeds support Seattle-based education nonprofit the Mona Foundation, one of Wilson’s favorite charities.

Rainn Wilson and Friends is Nov 19 at 8pm at the Paramount Theatre.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Comedy, The Office, Rainn Wilson, Celebrity Stalking, Mindy Kaling

Woody Allen and His Jazz Band to Play Seattle

STG announces 11 new shows for the upcoming season.

Posted by: Laura Dannen on Aug 26, 2011 at 11:00AM 0 Comments

As the story goes, Woody Allen’s stage name is a nod to clarinetist Woody Herman.

Right from the opening montage of Midnight in Paris, with its sigh-inducing slideshow of the City of Lights backed by a plaintive clarinet solo, it’s easy to sit back and go, ahh, classic Woody Allen. Yes, we know how adoringly his camera treats New York, Paris, Scarlett Johansson, but we sometimes forget his other love affair with jazz. Allen (a clarinetist since his teens) and his New Orleans Jazz Band will play a special set at the Paramount Theatre on December 26, Seattle Theatre Group announced yesterday. They added 11 new shows to the 2011-2012 lineup, including the following highlights:

Rainn Wilson and Friends (a benefit for the Mona Foundation), Nov 19 @ the Paramount
Seattle Rock Orchestra Performs Stevie Wonder, Oct 8 @ the Moore
Comedian Norm Macdonald, Dec 10 @ the Neptune
Violinist David Garrett, Jan 22 @ the Paramount
Whose Live Anyway, featuring Seattleite Ryan Stiles with Greg Proops, Chip Esten and Jeff B., Feb 4 @ the Moore

Tickets are available through subscription right now, with single tickets on sale at a later date. For more info, visit stgpresents.org.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Ticket Alerts

Fleet Foxes Tickets On Sale June 25

Seattle’s moody indie act has the blues.

Posted by: Lisa Han on Jun 20, 2011 at 03:00PM 0 Comments

By now, we’re well acquainted with the latest Fleet Foxes album, Helplessness Blues, a series of brooding tracks that tackle mortality and self-doubt with a ’70s folk sound. Front man Robin Pecknold says the album was inspired by the likes of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, but things probably started to get existential when he broke up with his girlfriend during its production. (Did you read the Rolling Stone article?)

But Fleet Foxes aren’t harbingers of doom and gloom. Rather, Blues is one of their richest collections to date—folk rock that’s acid-washed in psychedelic pop, with plenty of soaring vocal harmonies reminiscent of the Foxes of 2008. They played two sold-out shows at the Moore Theatre in May. Now they’re giving fans another reason to celebrate. The group will return to Seattle for two shows at Paramount Theatre on September 6 and 7, at 7:30pm. Tickets ($34) go on sale this Saturday, June 25, 10am at tickets.com or stgpresents.org.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Ticket Alerts, Fleet Foxes

Adele at the Paramount

Did you get a ticket?

Posted by: Annie Rose Favreau on May 27, 2011 at 12:15PM 0 Comments

Cat eyes? Check.

The good news: Adele is coming! At this very moment, the British soul diva is making her way toward the Emerald City for her June 1 concert.

The bad news: The concert’s been sold out for weeks. (Even shifting the show to a larger venue —Showbox to Paramount—didn’t calm the ticket-buying frenzy.)

If you’re one of the lucky ticketholders, good job.

If not, well, you can always go the scalping route (not recommended: seats are selling for up to $2,000). The cheaper option is to stalk her on YouTube like the rest of us.

For the Adele completists, last month’s Rolling Stone has stories about Louie, her wiener dog, the smutty jokes she tells during concerts, and other fun facts (she once climbed out a fire-escape in Amsterdam due to stage fright).

If you’re really feeling bummed, put this Chelsea Lately interview on repeat and enjoy listening to Adele pronounce the words “ginger biscuit”:

Adele will sing at the Paramount June 1.

UPDATED 5/31 Laryngitis has caused Adele to postpone five upcoming shows, including her appearance at the Paramount. As of yet, there’s no word about when the Seattle show will be rescheduled. Stay tuned.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Paramount Theatre, Concert, Preview