Wednesday, 2-1 to Sunday, 2-12

‘Cavalia’ at Marymoor Park

This show is a fresh mix of equestrian and performing arts, multimedia and special effects. Conceived by Normand Latourelle and often labelled an equestrian ballet, ‘Cavalia’ is a moving tribute to the relationship between men and horses throughout history. The animals express themselves, often completely free, in all their splendor, nobility and strength.

Times vary. 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond.
1-866-999-8111,  http://unrevedeliberte.cavalia.net/en/

Thursday, 2-2 to Sunday, 2-5

Bellevue Civic Theatre presents ‘Hay Fever’ at the Theatre at Meyenbauer Center

Beloved British Playwright Noel Coward sends the audience on holiday with the eccentric, and somewhat self-absorbed, Bliss family. The four Bliss family members spend the weekend in their country home and, unbeknownst to each other, have each invited a romantic prospect. As the unsuspecting romantic prospects begin to arrive and family members each discover the increasing number of guests, the Bliss family lives up to its name as the “quiet weekend” comes to an exhausting and hilarious finale.

Times vary. 11100 NE Sixth St., Belleuve. 800-838-3006. brownpapertickets.com

Thursday, 2-2 to Sunday, 6-10

‘¡Caliente!’ at Teatro ZinZanni

Unleash your inner jalapeño at this show, where Christine Deaver and Robert Lopez (a.k.a. El Vez) return to Seattle to create the new characters Tres and Cinco, a brother-sister team who electrify the circus tent with Latin flavor.

Times vary. 222 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-802-0015, dreams.zinzanni.org

Friday, 2-3

‘Tao: The Way of the Drum’ at the Moore Theatre

Athletic bodies and contemporary costumes meet explosive Taiko drumming and innovative choreography in a show that has critics raving about TAO’s extraordinary precision, energy, and stamina. The troupe offers a young and modern take on a traditional art form.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. 1932 Second Ave., Seattle. 1-877-784-4849, stgpresents.org.

Saturday, 2-11 to Sunday, 2-12

‘Chop Shop: Bodies of Work’ at the Theatre at Meydenbauer Center

Now celebrating its fifth year, Chop Shop is the only annual contemporary dance festival held specifically for the Eastside. This event serves up a unique sampling of contemporary dance from leading national and international award-winning dance makers from the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Show times: 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 and 3 p.m. Feb. 12. 11100 NE Sixth St., Bellevue. 206-799-6004, chopshopdance.org.

Wednesday, 2-21 to Sunday, 2-26

STG Presents ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at Paramount Theatre

“Be our guest” to this Disney-inspired family favorite.

Times vary. 911 Pine St., Seattle. 1-877-784-4849, stgpresents.org.

Playing now until Sunday, 3-25

‘The Odd Couple’ at Village Theatre

One of Neil Simon’s most recognizable and timeless comedies, ‘The Odd Couple’ has been entertaining audiences for nearly 50 years. Coming together as a last resort, two roommates are out about to enter into a hilarious battle of wills that will lead to sheer mayhem and laugh-out-loud comedy.

Times vary. 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027. 206-802-0015, villagetheatre.org.

Saturday, 2-25

‘Stars on Ice’ at KeyArena

The Emmy-award winning tour includes innovative choreography, music and stunning costumes, featuring skating superstars Sasha Cohen, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Ilia Kulik, Kurt Browning and many more performing live.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. 305 Harrison St., Seattle. 1-800-745-3000, keyarena.com.

Saturday, 1-14 to Saturday, 1-28

Seattle Opera presents ‘Attila’

The King of the Huns and his conquering hordes clash with cunning women warriors and a scheming Roman general in this work of historical fiction. “There’s some very nasty, but fascinating characters,” says Jonathan Dean, director of Seattle Opera’s public programs and media.

Times vary. 321 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-733-9725,
seattleopera.org.

Tuesday, 1-10 to Sunday, 1-15

STG Presents the national tour of “West Side Story” at Paramount Theatre

More than 50 years ago, one musical changed theater forever. Now it’s back. From dance numbers, to songs of longing between urban star-crossed lovers, “West Side Story” is an  iconic American love story. This show is best for people 13 and older.

Times vary. 911 Pine St., Seattle. 206.682.1414, 206-682-1414. http://stgpresents.org/

Saturdays: 1-14, 1-21 and 1-28

Chop Shop: Bodies of Work contemporary dance festival presents ‘Reading Dance’ and ‘Introduction to Modern Dance’

What is modern dance? How are dances made? These community programs serve as companion events to the Chop Shop festival in February at the Theatre at Meydenbauer. “Reading Dance” is an engaging lecture demonstration that reveals the creative process of how contemporary dance is made. These are followed by beginning modern dance classes that are open to ages 8 to adult (please come in comfortable clothing.)

Classes are free but require registration. Times vary.
425-452-6800, chopshopdance.org

Wednesday, Jan. 18 to Sunday, Feb. 26

Village Theatre’s ‘The Odd Couple’

Arguably the funniest comedy ever, this Neil Simon classic is one of the most famed stage plays in American history. Meet Oscar Madison, an unkempt, divorcé, and his new roomie, Felix Unger, an uptight, fastidious man, recently separated from his wife and practically suicidal. While it would seem that bunking together would be a last resort for these two, the decision to do so mixes slob with neat-freak, leading to total madness for them, and laugh-out-loud comedy for us.

Times vary; 303 Front St. N., Issaquah. 425-392-2202, villagetheatre.org.

‘Push Play’ is coming to Bellevue Arts Museum.

Monday, 1-19 to Sunday, 7-17

Bellevue Arts Museum presents Push Play: the 2012 NCECA Invitational

Want to play?  The “Push Play” exhibit showcases the work of more than 35 important and emerging ceramic artists from across the globe, exploring how the act of play effortlessly expands human potential while also entertaining us. This is presented in conjunction with the 46th Annual Conference of NCECA (The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts), taking place in March.

Times vary. Bellevue Way and Northeast Eighth Street. 425-454–8096, bellevuecollection.com.

Friday, 1-20 to Sunday, 1-29

Seattle Dance Project and the Inverse Opera present ‘Project 5’ at ACT theater

Project 5 continues Seattle Dance Project’s tradition of collaborating with choreographers and musicians to create new works. Headlining the performance is “Brahms Afoot,” created in conjunction with The Inverse Opera and choreographed by Penny Hutchinson, founding member of Mark Morris Dance Company. The show will also include a new work by Jason Ohlberg, former Hubbard Street Dance Chicago member, incorporating audio from dancer interviews into the score. Rounding out the program are audience favorites by Molissa Fenley, Edwaard Liang and former Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director, Kent Stowell.

Times vary. 700 Union St., Seattle. 206-292-7676,
acttheatre.org/.

Tuesday, 1-18 to Sunday, 2-5

‘Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse’ comes to Marymoor Park

“They have tears running down their faces” says Cavalia founder, Normand Latourelle of the people who come to see his show which combines equestrian arts and all the acrobatic marvels of Cirque du Soleil. People are so moved because the connection between man and beast is thousands of years deep. “It’s in their blood,” Latourelle says.

Times vary. 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond. 206-205-3661, www.cavalia.net/en.

Friday, 1-27

Bellevue Youth Theatre annual benefit event

Enjoy a fabulous evening of entertainment, food and fun and excerpts from ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ to benefit the BYT program and a new theater. A second performance of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ will be held the following day, at 7 p.m., Jan. 28.

16661 Northup Way, Bellevue. 425-452-7155, bytf.org

Now to Sunday, 1-29

Teatro ZinZanni’s Bonsoir Liliane!

With tickets more than $100, Teatro’s ZinZanni’s current show isn’t a typical date night – more of a decadent splurge. But the price covers a dynamite show, plus a gourmet meal and a festive, over-the-top atmosphere unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.

Times vary. 222 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-802-0015, dreams.zinzanni.org.

Cavalia is coming to Redmond in January.

Megan hilty played the role of Glinda in ‘Wicked’ the Broadway musical from 2006-2009. COURTESY PHOTO

By Gabrielle Nomura

Hanging out at Pike Place Market, shopping at Bellevue Square and eating at Wibbley’s Gourmet hamburgers – these are first on Megan Hilty’s to-do list whenever the Broadway star returns to her hometown.

“I loved growing up in Bellevue and I love even more that I get to come home there,” says Hilty, 30, who always sang and got her first taste for theater as a participant in Bellevue Youth Theatre programs. There, she got to do everything from learn choreography to help build sets.

“It gave me a purpose,” Hilty says. “It made me think, ‘I really want to do this.”

Surprisingly, Hilty never got parts at local venues such as Village Theatre, or Sammamish High School, where she attended for part of her secondary schooling. She was never the right age or quite what they were looking for.

Little did anyone know she would become a Broadway performer.

Hilty got her big break in 2006, replacing a role made famous by Kristin Chenoweth – Glinda the Good Witch, in the musical “Wicked.” In 2008, she would play another role pioneered by  another famous blonde bombshell –  Dolly Parton. The role was Doralee Rhodes in “9 to 5” the musical.

It was a daunting task – having to step into characters already established by these beloved women, Hilty says.

“I had to say, ‘I’m not Kristin Chenoweth. I can’t make A, B and C funny, but maybe I can make D, E and F funny. You have to step away from what others have done before and say, ‘I’m good enough to make this mine.’”

Since making her mark in the musical theater world, Hilty has been working on NBC’s new show about Broadway, “Smash,” which will premier this February, plus she’s also got an animated movie slated for 2012, “Dorothy of Oz” and a budding voice-over career with Nickelodeon and Disney.

Still though – there’s work to be done, opportunities to consider and a career to plan.

“I think if I ever get too comfortable and say, ‘I’ve arrived,’ I won’t be doing my job,’” she says.

By Gabrielle Nomura | Photos courtesy of Kevin Kent

When I arrive early for an interview with performer Kevin Kent – he’s not there yet; apparently, he had “some beauty thing,” possibly an eyebrow wax or facial.

Kent is renowned at Teatro ZinZanni for his memorable drag queen act, combining on-the-spot humor and unforgettable audience participation that involves flirting with male members of the audience. While wearing a dress.

Kent is just one standout in the ZinZanni show – a spectacular display of acrobatics, cabaret, comedy, dance and music over a gourmet, five-course menu designed by chef Tom Douglas.  If that sounds like a lot of fabulousness crammed into one evening, you’d be right. The experience has an over-the-top factor of Cirque du Soliel, Zagat-worthy entrees and unique performers, such as 80-year-old Liliane Montevecchi, former prima ballerina and star of, “Bonsoir Liliane!” currently playing at ZinZanni, or people such as Kent, who’s been gaining fans from the dinner-theater since 1998.

As I wait for Kent to arrive in ZinZanni’s Seattle Center offices, I wonder if he’ll have a diva attitude to match the sassy persona I’ve seen him bring to the stage.

In framed photos that line the office walls, Kent poses like an amazon pinup girl with kissy lips; in another, he’s pictured in his signature Queen of Hearts getup – the ultimate centerpiece for a gay pride parade.

Aside from the thick eyeliner and luscious lips he applies himself, the transformation to drag queen is completed by the way he carries himself, like he’s a pompous, British monarch. He forces his voice into a high, almost prissy register, ending  many of his sentences with the spirited phrase, “Very good,” as he instructs audience members to show off their seduction skills.

Kevin Kent in drag

The Act

Much of Kent’s act stays the same each night.

But there’s about 30 percent that changes each show as he rolls with the punches; or more accurately, with the ridiculous situations, comments or reactions he gets from the audience members – whether it’s someone being shy, or someone really getting into the act by giving Kent a coquettish wink.

“Big, muscly straight guys” who come with a wife or girlfriend are fair game for being plucked from the audience. People who look miserable, or who are dateless, Kent doesn’t mess with. He also doesn’t tend to pick on women, as he says it can create an unnecessary tension, and, of course, he tries to avoid picking gay men.

“Because then it’s just a gay man putting a dress on a gay man,” Kent would later tell me during our interview. He literally transfers part of his costume, a ball gown, to an audience member and gussies him up with rouge in “Bonsoire Liliane!” – he loves role reversal, gender dynamics and of course, dress-up.

Getting to interact with the audience, both during his act, and when he gets to walk around and mingle throughout the show, is what Kent loves about performing with ZinZanni.

Once, Kent was schmoozing with a table that included a married couple and their two adult daughters. During the conversation, the mother started joking around with the drag queen, as she laughingly commiserated with Kent on the burden of having to wear a padded bra.

When Kent looked over at the daughters, they were crying.

As it turns out, that was the first time their mom had been able to openly acknowledge that she was a survivor of breast cancer – and with humor, no less. It’s only one ZinZanni story Kent will never forget.

The real Kent

When he shows up for the interview, it pulls me back to reality – this isn’t what I thought the queen would look like underneath the “falsies.” We sit in the vintage circus tent, the chairs upturned over the tabletops. This place where magic happens at night looks so different in broad, unromantic daylight. But, it’s in this light that I can finally see the person beneath the drag makeup.

He’s soft-spoken (in front of me, at least), with piercing blue eyes, cropped whitish hair and almost iridescent skin, scrubbed clean from the last show.  I can only see a glimmer of the drag queen in this serious man, and I don’t dare ask him about his beauty appointment. Still, he’s polite; nothing like the wild and unruly queen.

When you see things more clearly, you often learn that your original perceptions were off-base.

I would sooner have thought that Kent was an aspiring Broadway performer from New York City than an architecture major from New Mexico. He didn’t make the switch from designing buildings into improvisational acting, and then later, drag, until he’d had his first taste of college.

New Mexico, believe-it-or-not, is where Kent returns when he isn’t with Teatro ZinZanni. His off-season gig? Cattle rancher.

Driving a pickup truck, relying on solar energy, and even hunting from time-to-time, the seemingly-glamorous performer lives off-the-grid in stark contrast to his other life.

“It’s definitely a different speed; a different setting,” Kent says. “Life slows down.”

I can’t believe I ever thought he’d be a diva. You can’t judge a book by its cover –  or a man, by his eyeliner.

Kevin Kent (right) with Teatro ZinZanni aerialist Andrew Adams (left) and Adam’s baby, Seamus.

Bake’s Place

4135 Providence Point Dr. S.E., Issaquah, 425-391-3335

12-3: Kris Orlowski

12-17: Tingstad and Rumbel – Special Holiday Show

12-31: Little Bill and the Bluenotes – Annual New Year’s Eve Bash!

More: www.bakesplace.org

Benaroya Hall

200 University Street, Seattle, 206-215-4800,

12-3/11/18/19/22/23: Seattle Men’s Chorus – Cool Yule

12-8/9/10/11: Holiday Pops with Marvin Hamlisch

12-16/17/18: Handel’s Messiah

12-20: Go Tell it on the Mountain – The Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Show

12-28/29/30: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

12-31: New Year’s Eve – Concert, Countdown & Celebration!

More: www.seattlesymphony.org/benaroya

Dimitriou’s
Jazz Alley

Sixth Avenue & Lenora Street, Seattle, 206-441-9729

12-6: Mike Stern featuring Richard Bona, Dave Weckl and Bob Franceschini

12-9 to 18: Taj Mahal Trio

12-28/29/30: Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band

More: www.jazzalley.com

Emerald Queen Casino

5700 Pacific Highway East, Fife, 253-594-7777

12-2: Uncle Kracker

12-17: Queensryche

More: www.emeraldqueen.com

Key Arena

321 Mercer Street, Seattle, 206-733-9725

12-7: Deck The Hall Ball 2011 – Mumford and Sons, Death Cab for Cutie & More

12-16: Guns N’ Roses

More: www.keyarena.com

Kirkland Performance Center

350 Kirkland Avenue, Kirkland, 425-893-9900

12-9: Geoffrey Castle’s Celtic Christmas

12-11: The Many Worlds of Christmas

12-16/17/18: KPC’s Old-Time Holiday Show

More: www.kpcenter.org

Meydenbauer Center

11100 NE Sixth Street, Bellevue, 425-637-1020

12-4: Eastside Jazz Club’s Annual Jazz Extravaganza

12-4: Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra presents The Magic of Mistletoe

12-31: Seattle Choral Company presents Carmina Burana

More: www.meydenbauer.com

Paramount Theatre

911 Pine Street, Seattle, 206-467-5510

12-5/6: Sting

12-14: An Evening with Tori Amos

12-17: Tony Bennett

12-18: The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller

More: www.stgpresents.org/paramount

Snoqualmie Casino

37500 SE North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, 425-888-1234

12-15/16: Bob Rivers Twisted Christmas featuring Spike & the Impalers and Richard Lewis

More: www.snocasino.com

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

8398 12th Street N.E., Medina, 425-454-9541

12-10: Northwest Boychoir 2011 Christmas Concert

12-17: Cascadian Carols

12-31: Annual Evening of Music from Jazz to Opera

More: www.stthomasmedina.org

Triple Door

216 Union Street, Seattle, 206-838-4333

12-4: The Round’s Holiday Show

12-8: Ted Vigil – A John Denver Tribute!

12-9: Flamenco De Raiz

12-10: The Billy Joe Show Holiday Spectacular

12-29: The Bobs After Christmas Holiday Show

12-31: Coco Montoya

More: www.tripledoor.com

Mumford and Sons

Want more? Check these out:

Chop Suey,  www.chopsuey.com

ColumbiaCity, www.columbiacitytheater.com

Crocodile Cafe,  www.thecrocodile.com

El Corazon,  www.elcorazonseattle.com

Key Arena, http://www.keyarena.com/

Moore Theatre, http://stgpresents.org/moore/

Nectar Lounge,  www.nectarlounge.com

Neumos,  www.neumos.com

Neptune Theatre, www.stgpresents.org/neptune

Pantages Theatre, www.pantages-theater.com

The Tractor Tavern, www.tractortavern.com

Tulalip Casino, www.tulalipcasino.com

WAMU, http://wamutheater.com/

Girl About Town Column by Assistant Editor, Gabrielle Nomura

Thursday, 12-1 to Wednesday, 12-21

KidsQuest Children’s Museum’s Gingerbread Lane

No Christmas or Hanukkah is complete without the wonders of gingerbread. KidsQuest Children’s Museum will offer family gingerbread workshops featuring local architecture firms and bakeries to custom design, bake and create gingerbread structures displayed at the Hilton Hotel Bellevue.

Times vary. 300 112th Ave. SE, Bellevue. 425-637-8100, www.kidsquestmuseum.org/.

Sunday, 12-4 to Saturday, 12-31

Theatre at Meydenbauer Holiday Season

Bellevue’s famous theater gets its holiday cheer on all through December with performances by Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra, “The Magic of Mistletoe” Dec. 4;  International Ballet Theatre’s “The Nutcracker” Dec. 9-11, 16-18 and 21-23;  Magical Strings: A Celtic Yuletide, Dec. 19; Ballet Bellevue presents “The Sleeping Beauty” Dec. 28-29 and Seattle Choral Company presents “Carmina Burana” Dec. 31.

Times vary. Northeast sixth street and 112th Avenue Northeast, Bellevue. 425-450-3810, www.meydenbauer.com/theatre/.

Thursday, 12-8 to Saturday, 12-24

STG presents “Black Nativity” at Moore Theatre

Forget “The Nutcracker.” If you want to see a Christmas production that is truly joyous and unique, consider checking out this Gospel version of the nativity through music, dance, poetry and narrative written by Langston Hughes. It’s become one of our favorite holiday traditions. But get on it – tickets sell out fast!

Times vary. 1932 Second Ave., Seattle.  877-784-4849, http://stgpresents.org/.

Now until Saturday, 12-24

ACT theater’s “A Christmas Carole”

Because no holiday is complete without Tiny Tim.

Times vary. 700 Union St., Seattle. 206-292-7676, www.acttheatre.org/.

Enchanted Holidays at The Shops at the Bravern

Normally, I wouldn’t be caught dead at the Bravern (I tend to do my shopping elsewhere, considering my reporter’s salary) but if there’s holiday cheer a-happenin’ you better believe you can find it here. People can get photos with Santa every day from noon-6 p.m., Dec. 14-24. Pony rides are from noon-6 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday, from now until Dec. 24.

Times vary. 11111 NE Eighth St., Bellevue. 425-456-8780, www.thebravern.com/.

Now until Saturday, 12-31

Garden d’Lights at the Bellevue Botanical Garden

Celebrate the holidays in true Bellevue fashion at this one-of-a-kind event unique to our city. The Garden d’Lights festival features more than half a million lights which transform the garden into a blossoming winter wonderland. Admission is $5, and can be bought at the door, or online at the website below. Children 10 and under are free. Parking is free at Wilburton Hill Park, and admission is free Dec. 5-7 and 12-14.

Open nightly, from 5-10 p.m. (last entry permitted is at 9:30 p.m.). 12001 Main St., Bellevue. 425-452-6844, gardendlights.org.

Now until Sunday, 1-29

Teatro ZinZanni’s Bonsoir Liliane!

With tickets more than $100, Teatro’s ZinZanni’s current show isn’t a typical date night – more of a decadent splurge. But the price covers a dynamite show, plus a gourmet meal and a festive, over-the-top atmosphere unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. See our cover girl, drag queen Kevin Kent, plus former Pacific Northwest Ballet dancer Ariana Lallone. It’s like Cirque du Soleil but with dinner. What could be better?

Times vary. 222 Mercer St., Seattle. 206-802-0015, http://dreams.zinzanni.org/.

Village Theatre’s “Annie Get Your Gun”

First of all, I wanted to wear everything the cowgirls wore in this musical from curls, to red lipstick, to the hats, scarves and boots. Second of all, I have a bit of a girl-crush on Vicki Noon, the sensational Broadway star and Newcastle native who plays the sharpshootin’ Annie Oakley. Vicki, you stole the show! This Wild West Irving Berlin musical will leave you humming to tunes such as, “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” and “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better.”

Times vary; 303 Front St. N., Issaquah. 425-392-2202, villagetheatre.org.

Now until Saturday, 12-24

Bellevue Collection presents Snowflake Lane

Experience the grandeur and tradition of Snowflake Lane along the sidewalks of Bellevue Way and Northeast Eighth Street. Snow falls nightly as live toy soldiers and winter characters, music and a dazzling light show brighten the night.

Shows nightly at 7 p.m. Bellevue Way and Northeast Eighth Street. 425-454–8096, bellevuecollection.com.

Monday, 12-26 to Saturday, 12-31

Bellevue Collection presents Celebration Lane

Ring in the New Year with an evening of performances in the heart of downtown.

Shows nightly at 7 p.m. Bellevue Way and Northeast Eighth Street. 425-454–8096, bellevuecollection.com.

By Gabrielle Nomura | Photos by Chad Coleman; Carla Körbes photos courtesy of PNB

In a studio in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Francia Russell Center, a smiling Jensine Winther presses the camera button on her iPad, capturing an image of her 10-year-old daughter, Rose Hayden, at the barre.

The picture she takes doesn’t even resemble the ones from six years ago, when Hayden was only a tiny girl, whirling around in baggy tights and a leotard for the first time.

As Winther stands back to look at the screen, it’s a much more grown-up dancer she sees: Hayden, standing a few inches taller, but feeling miles-high from the excitement in her eyes, in a pair of pink, satin pointe shoes.

Her first pair.

“This has been the day that they’ve been looking forward to since last year, when they heard they were going in to level four,” says Winther, who lives in Woodinville, but has taken her daughter to the Bellevue ballet school since Hayden was around Kindergarten age.

It was obvious that something special was going to happen the moment Hayden and her friends from ballet class filed into the studio reserved for their fitting, moms in tow. Now, representatives from Freed of London, PNB’s pointe shoe supplier, as well as PNB school teachers, are on hand to help with the fitting.

Dressed in street clothes, with tights underneath, Each of the 31 level-four dancers try on pair after pair until she finds the perfect fit.

Despite it being her first time, Hayden manages to get her entire small frame on top of her hard, new shoes – the pretty product of dried glue, pink satin, burlap and hand-craftsmanship.

“It didn’t even hurt; it was exciting,” she says.

Abbie Siegel, PNB School principal, says the young dancers get so excited, some go as far as sleeping with their shoes. Being allowed to dance en pointe is a dream come true for an aspiring ballerina, and a symbol of accomplishment.

“They love learning how to put them on, how to tie them,” she says.

A beaming Hayden and her friend, Lauren Zimmermann of Sammamish, fit Siegel’s description to a tee.

Zimmermann pliés in first position, while Nicholas Ade, the Eastside school principal, asks if her toes have enough room.

Later in her training, Zimmermann will be able to gracefully relevé, or rise, onto her toes. For now, Ade has her “climb” up with the assistance of the barre.

For Zimmermann, her first pair of pointe shoes means she’s one step closer to being more like her idols – including PNB principal dancer, Carla Körbes.

“She’s what made me want to go on pointe,” Zimmermann says.

Sometimes, girls in Zimmermann and Hayden’s class even write letters to the company dancers they admire. Receiving autographed pointe shoes from Carla is a special gift. The students collect the company dancers’ shoes.

This is an important part of becoming a ballet dancer. In emulating the professionals, the students carry on what they observe, Siegel says.

“It becomes a sort of tradition.”

Körbes knows firsthand how important role models are. Although young students look up to her, she has idols of her own.

“It  motivates them and gives them something to look toward,” she says. “As a little girl in Brazil, I didn’t have many role models or access to meeting  professional dancers until I was about 16.”

Pointe shoes are a big part of that process, that passing on of tradition.

It’s difficult to explain why the shoes are so special. Sure, they’re shiny, but it’s hard to imagine young athletes quite as mesmerized by their favorite player’s Nikes, for example.

It may be odd, but among dancers, pointe shoes are like sacred objects.

Körbes even has a special place in her house for the pointe shoes of her own role model, the late Alexandra Danilova. She was a famous prima ballerina with the Imperial Ballet and a Balanchine collaborator,

“It’s almost like you have a part of her,” Körbes says. “Even though the shoes are sweaty and ugly, someone created magic with them.”

All about pointe shoes:

- 250,000 pairs of Freed pointe shoes are handmade every year.

- Every pointe shoe maker produces 30-40 pairs a day.

- The shoes are baked in an oven at 160°F for more than10 hours.

- Each maker stamps his or her shoes with a personal symbol, such as an anchor, triangle, key or crown.

- Pointe shoe are not made out of wood, but from satin burlap,  layers of tissue paper, paper, hessian and a paste made from flour, water and a few secret ingredients. Freed Pointe Shoe are biodegradable.

Story and photo by Nat Levy |

Movie stills by Ben Kadie, Slugco Films

Ben Kadie’s age shows on screen.

His earlier work included purely green-screened backgrounds resembling mob movies and comedies starring his friends. The over-the-top concepts were full of shootouts and one-liners.

But the now 16-year-old junior at Interlake High School is growing up, and the evidence of that can be seen in his latest film.

Kadie is in the midst of shooting his most mature, hard-hitting film yet, “Alone Together.” The story focuses on two families who take a trip to a fictitious Chilean Island (portrayed by beaches on Whidbey Island, and forested areas on Cougar Mountain) only to become ship wrecked.

The majority of passengers escape on a life raft, but the teenage stars of the movie, Brendan (Asher Jordan) and Eloise (Bellevue High School graduate Brianna Massie) are stuck on the island together. This development represents a fantasy for Brendan, who has held unrequited feelings for Eloise much of his life.

“He can choose to keep Eloise there [so that she’ll] still be with him or leave the island because he found a working radio,” Kadie said. “It’s selfish love versus selfless love.”

Kadie has been working on the concept for nearly a year. Like his past projects, the director is keeping “Alone Together” low-budget.

But he’s made a number of changes to his style for this picture.

For example, he made more of an effort to shoot in real locations, rather than green screens. Other than the Whidbey Island/Cougar Mountain shots, Kadie and his crew were able to secure use of the Arthur Foss from the Northwest Seaport. The 1889-built vessel serves as the boat taking the two main families to the Chilean island. He’s shot underwater, and put together a shipwreck sequence of the century-old boat.

Kadie’s emphasis on believable sets, comes with a more professional cast. For the first time, he was able to audition actors and actresses for the character-driven film.

“I think as I’ve just gotten older, I’ve become more interested in stories about characters rather than stories about explosions,” he said.

And the actors took notice.

More than 60 people tried out for the leads of Brendan and Eloise. For Massie, who has been acting since the fourth grade, working with Kadie was a pleasant experience.

“Ben is only 16 and he hasn’t been on many professional shoots,” said Massie, 18. “He is more professional and nice to work with than other directors because he cares about his projects in an innocent way.”

The 19-minute film is another step for Kadie up the ladder into the film-making world.

Kadie is primarily a self-taught director, who uses minimal gear. He has stepped up his supplies this time around, using boom mics and a new camera. All of this leads to a goal of continuing his self-education as a filmmaker.

He’s attended film camps and learned new skills during his high school career. He has submitted his films to festivals and posted many of them on YouTube. His website, slugco.com gives a potential audience the chance to view all his movies and keep up with his projects.

Kadie’s ultimate goal is to attend film school to become a director.

“Alone Together” will likely be done in December, and it represents one more step in the evolution of the self-taught filmmaker, who does almost all of the production work himself.

“Just doing it so much is what’s taught me the best.”

For more information, go to http://slugco.com/ and http://www.nwseaport.org/arthurfoss.html.

By Gabrielle Nomura | Photos by Chad Coleman

There’s much one can learn about Penny Vrachopoulos, artistic director of Bellevue’s Eastside Lyric Theatre, simply by looking in her living room.

From the props and sets left over from various Gilbert and Sullivan productions she’s directed – an over-sized brass tea kettle for “The Sorcerer,” “The Mikado” shoji screens near her front door, to her daughter’s (well-known San Francisco musician Penelope Houston) punk rock records on the mantle, to the weathered piano in the corner, one thing is clear.

Music lives here.

“Over the years, I’ve shared my home with various productions,” says Vrachopoulous, her sea-blue eyes twinkling at memories collected over 40 years of producing and conducting local Gilbert and Sullivan opera productions, including at the Theatre at Meydenbauer before it had lights or rigging.

Vrachopoulos favors Gilbert and Sullivan – almost a Victorian England version of Rodgers and Hammerstein, who created 14 comic operas in the late 1800s, such as “The Pirates of Penzance.”

The shows have spoken dialogue like in musical theater, but with operatic singing, and distinct humor that Vrachopoulos describes as “pre-‘Monty Phyton.’”

For the past 40 years, she’s committed to doing all 14 shows in the G. and S. canon, producing at least one of them annually.

Now, Vrachopoulos is rehearsing her company for her next production, “The Sorcerer” or “The Flim-Flam Man,” a tale of mixed-up romance and love elixirs, to be presented Sept. 24, 30 and Oct. 1-2 at Bellevue Youth Theatre.

Ten or 15 years ago, she would have been creating all the costumes and getting a whole orchestra together, says her daughter, Houston. While today Vrachopoulos uses recorded music and relies on the help of her associate producer and director, she’s still the driving force and the heart of Eastside Lyric Theatre.

“I love working with singers, people who love music – they’re my special people,” Vrachopoulos says.

She’s always felt this way, since her first after-school piano lesson to receiving her Ph.D. in music from Stanford University.

“Rhythm is a part of my body,” she says. “It’s always catching me.”

While big companies like Seattle Opera are locally available, it’s community leaders such as Vrachopoulos who have the ability to make the arts affordable and accessible to audiences of varying income and age. While other organizations have risen, and then disbanded throughout the years, Vrachopoulos has survived.

“I would credit her with having a personal inner strength to be tenacious and move forward no matter what,” says Houston, who was inspired to create her own band, in part, because of her mother. “She’s done that throughout her life.”

“The Sorcerer”
or “The Flim-Flam Man” music by Arthur Sullivan, libretto by W. S. Gilbert.

Sept. 24, 30, Oct 2, 3
8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m., Sunday
Tickets Adults $15 Children $12.

The Ivanhoe Theatre is located at
16661 Northup Way in Bellevue, WA 98008.

For more information, go to www.eastsidelyrictheatre.org.

By Gabrielle Nomura | Images courtesy of Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Bellevue Art Museum

BELLEVUE ARTS MUSEUM
510 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue
www.bellevuearts.org

5 things you didn’t know:
- The only art, craft and design museum in the Pacific Northwest.
- Takes two weeks and a crew of four people to install a new exhibit.
- Receives two-thirds of its budget from contributed income.
- Housed in a former funeral home in the 1970s.
- Offers more than 100 community programs annually.

A must-see:
George Nelson: Architect | Writer | Designer | Teacher, Oct. 29- Feb. 12. Reaching the height of his career in the mid-20th century, George Nelson is a founding figure of American design. BAM will be the third museum in the country to show this exhibit. People may remember his work: bubble lamps, coconut chairs and the flat bench still used in museums today, says Nora Atkinson, local curator.

The last word:
Selecting exhibits is a balancing act. “We try to have a little traditional art work, a little cutting-edge work and a good balance of Northwest artists with national and international talent,” Atkinson says.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET
321 Mercer St., Seattle
www.pnb.org

5 things you didn’t know:
- Internationally recognized as a top U.S. ballet company.
- Snow used in “Nutcracker” is 200 pounds of fireproof confetti paper.
- The “Nutcracker” Christmas tree, which grows from 14 to 28 feet, was constructed by Boeing engineers.
- Company dancers collectively wear out more than 2,000 pairs of pointe shoes annually.
- Reached 18,000 students and families last year through outreach programs such as DanceChace and field trips.

A must-see:
When people ask artistic director Peter Boal what the season highlight is, Boal responds: “What isn’t?” Still, if he had to choose, it’s the new “Don Quixote,” originally created for the Dutch National Ballet. PNB will be the second company and first American company to premiere the ballet Feb. 3-12. Be sure to watch for the lead ballerina’s feat of 32 foutte turns and hops on pointe.

The last word:
PNB’s top marks in the Teen Tix awards couldn’t be cooler, if you ask Boal. “The fact that teenagers think we’re the best in town speaks to our programming,” he says.

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM
1300 1st Ave., Seattle
www.seattleartmuseum.org

- Offers pay-what-you-can admission.
- Its Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park was the original SAM and opened in 1933 during the Great Depression.
-  The cars hanging in the museum’s lobby are part of a piece created by the Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang who also led the design and special effects for the opening and closing of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  All the cars are white Ford Tauruses except for one Mercury.
-  Alexander Calder’s bright red Eagle (1971) sculpture at the Olympic Sculpture Park is lined up exactly with “Eagle” street in Belltown.  This was not intentional.
- Hammering Man weighs 26,000 pounds. The arm hammers silently and smoothly four times per minute.  It is actually owned by the City of Seattle, not by SAM.

A must-see:
“Elles” exhibition opening in fall 2012 is a collection of work by women artists from around the world, originally shown in France at the Centre Pompidou. All pieces by male artists were taken down for the occasion.

The last word:
SAM is excited about doing this show, one that will raise consciousness of women’s art, says Deputy Director of Art, Chiyo Ishikawa. “It’s sure to get people talking.”

SEATTLE OPERA
321 Mercer St., Seattle
www.seattleopera.org

5 things you didn’t know:
- Commissioned and premiered The Who’s rock opera “Tommy” in 1971 starring Bette Midler, who sang the Acid Queen song.
- Set studios (located in Renton) has also constructed doors for the monorail, sets for the video game “Myst,” and the current “Making of Avatar” exhibit at Experience Music Project.
- Has one of the largest programs for arts patrons in their 20s and 30s in the nation, with 600-plus members.
- When its signature work, “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” premiered in 2009, audiences came from 49 states, 23 countries, and brought in $9.5 million to Seattle’s economy.
- It takes an average of 105 hours to design, construct, and fit a costume for a lead singer.

A must-see:
The Italian opera, “Attila” will make its Seattle Opera premiere in January. The King of the Huns and his conquering hordes clash with cunning women warriors and a scheming Roman general in this work of historical fiction.
“There’s some very nasty, but fascinating characters,” says Jonathan Dean, director of public programs and media.

The last word:
People who have never been to the opera don’t know what they’re missing, Dean says. “Hearing unamplified voices, and seeing what human beings can do, shake the air, shake your ears – it’s amazing how moving it can be.”

VILLAGE THEATRE
303 Front St. N., Issaquah
www.villagetheatre.org

5 things you didn’t know:
- Provided 994 weeks of direct employment for Actors’ Equity Members this season, more than any other theater in the state.
- It’s original musical now on Broadway, “Million Dollar Quartet” has already logged more than 2,000 performances in Issaquah, Everett, Chicago, London, and New York combined.
- Typically spends more than $1 million developing and producing a single new musical for its Mainstage.
- Its artistic director and executive producer have worked a combined total of 50 years in their positions.
- Owns land and three buildings in Issaquah worth more than $15 million.

A must-see:

An original Village musical, “Take me America” Sept. 14-Nov. 20 is a compelling story of people seeking asylum in the U.S. It’s gritty, tough, rock n’roll, and will be sure to generate a lot of excitement, says artistic director Steve Tomkins.