It’s time to embrace fall. Button up that overcoat, find your best sweater and cuddle up with some piping hot cultural offerings from Seattle’s arts scene. There’s plenty on the menu, including steamy stage productions, meaty musical masterpieces and saucy dance routines. So get out of the rain, go inside and fill up on some tasty entertainment.
(Next week we’ll preview the fall arts scene in Snohomish and Island counties.)
Theater
ACT Theatre
ACT Theatre continues to wrap up its 2008 season with a hilarious comedy about fate and free will, a new take on an old classic and a world premiere written by well-known local playwright Steven Dietz. ACT’s 2009 season should begin sometime in the spring.
Closing out the 2008 season is ACT’s traditional — now in its 33rd year — production of “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens. ACT’s shows are performed at Allen Theatre, 700 Union St., unless otherwise listed; 206-292-7676, www. acttheatre.org.
“Intimate Exchanges”: Through Sept. 14. Two actors play six characters whose crucial decisions determine the course of the story on a given night. The play is constructed with several possible endings and explores the differences between what we wish for and what we must live with.
“Eurydice”: Tonight through Oct. 5. In a fantastic retelling of a classic Greek myth, the story focuses on a couple of kids who are madly in love one minute and, well, dead the next. The journey continues in an express elevator to Hades that’s highlighted with a chorus of snarky talking stones and the Lord of the Underworld holding court from a red tricycle. (See page 20.)
“Becky’s New Car”: Oct. 17-Nov. 16. The world premiere asks: Ever been tempted to flee your own life? Becky soldiers through hers with quiet desperation until a socially inept millionaire falls for her at first sight. He offers her nothing short of a new life. Local writer Steven Dietz shows off his seriously funny side.
Book-It Repertory Theatre
He’s reclusive, renowned and often a riotous read. That’s local author Tom Robbins, whose book “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,” kicks off Book-It Repertory Theatre’s new season with a world premiere adaptation of the sexy metaphorical romp.
The new season at Book-It, Seattle’s theater dedicated to performing literature, also includes a timeless classic, a Willa Cather piece of Americana and a lyrical novella. Unless otherwise listed, all shows are at Center House Theatre, 305 Harrison St.; 206-216-0833, www.book-it.org. The season lineup:
“Even Cowgirls Get the Blues”: Sept. 16-Oct. 12. Heroine Sissy Hankshaw was born with unusually large thumbs which pointed the direction of her life: She became an underground hitchhiking legend. Her travels end with FBI agents, whooping cranes and cowgirls converging in the story’s climax at the Rubber Rose Ranch.
“My Antonia”: Nov. 25-Dec. 21. Cather’s pioneer country is built around the childhood memories of narrator Jim Burden in Blackhawk, Neb., and the struggles of a new immigrant girl from Bohemia, Antonia. Their friendship outlines the tapestry of the Great Plains at the turn of the last century.
“Moby-Dick” or “The Whale”: Feb. 10-March 8. Herman Melville’s classic reveals the deeper mysteries of life through the sea-going adventure of Capt. Ahab and his passionate pursuit of the great white whale.
“The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears”: April 14-May 9. Dinaw Mengestu’s award-winning debut novel displays the isolation and frustration of immigrant life in modern America as seen through Sepha, who fled Ethiopia and now runs a failing convenience store in a rundown Washington, D.C., neighborhood.
“Night Flight”: June 4-14, Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave. The novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (“The Little Prince”) combines flying and writing and the events on a stormy night in 1930 to tell the story of those daring to fly through the dark skies and those on the ground responsible for a safe return.
Ghost Light Theatricals
The small, nonprofit theater company has a goal of doing ensemble-based work that is accessible yet challenging to artists and audiences, whether the production is a classic or contemporary piece.
Ghost Light’s productions are performed on TPS Theatre4 on the fourth floor of Seattle Center House, 305 Harrison St.; 206-852-6743, www.ghostlighttheatricals.org. The 2008-09 lineup:
“Measure for Measure”: Oct. 3 through 19. A Shakespearean dark comedy about sex, power and hypocrisy.
“Battle of the Bards”: Jan. 23 and 24. A competition of creativity where three plays vie for a spot in next season’s lineup.
“The Misanthrope”: Jan. 30 through Feb. 14. A musical 1990s version of Molière’s brutally honest Alceste, who pours on the scorn as only a modern-day misanthrope can.
“A Dream Play”: April 2 through 19. Agnes descends to Earth where she sees some good aspects of human life, such as love, but also suffering.
The 5th Avenue
The 5th Avenue already launched its larger-than-life season with the world premiere of “Shrek the Musical,” but the theater will continue to provide big entertainment for the rest of the season with an epic love story, a treat from the master of modern musical theater and a new musical about the birth of rock ‘n’ roll.
The 5th Avenue Theatre is at 1308 Fifth Ave.; 206-625-1900, 888-584-4849, www.5thavenue.org. “Shrek” continues through Sept. 21. The rest of the season:
“The Drowsy Chaperone”: Oct. 29-Nov. 16. Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy hit is about a fanatical fan of a certain 1928 musical called “The Drowsy Chaperone,” and how this show magically comes to life. It delivers everything that was in vogue in the 1920s in theater: glamorous dance numbers, monkeys and a hilarious tale of a celebrity bride on her wedding day.
“7 Brides for 7 Brothers”: Dec. 3-28. This classic roof-raisin’ musical hit filled with daredevil dancin’ and tunes including “Bless Your Beautiful Hide,” “Goin’ Courtin’” and “Wonderful Wonderful Day,” follows Milly and her marriage to Adam Pontipee. Milly never dreamed she’d wind up in the wilds of Oregon in charge of six rowdy brothers-in-law. But Milly gets these bad boys ready for brides of their own.
“Memphis”: Jan. 27-Feb. 15. A new musical about the birth of rock ‘n’ roll takes place in Memphis in the 1950s. Demented DJ Huey is spinning the music of black and white America together for the first time in the show from the author of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” with music from the composer-keyboardist of Bon Jovi.
“Hello, Dolly!”: March 7-29. The classic American musical comedy hasn’t been on The 5th Avenue stage in 27 years. Audiences will laugh and swoon while watching matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi arrange a marriage for the miserly half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder to the background of classics such as “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” and “It Only Takes a Moment.”
“Sunday in the Park with George”: April 21-May 10. Musical theater genius Stephen Sondheim’s Pulitzer Prize-winning love story was inspired by the life of French painter Georges Seurat and his masterpiece, “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.”
“Grease”: May 12-30. The original “high school musical” takes us to a time of poodle skirts, drive-ins and T-birds. “Bad boy” Danny and “the girl next door” Sandy fall in love all over again to tunes such as “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightning” and “We Go Together.”
Intiman Theatre
Intiman Theatre continues its 36th season this fall with a look into the sleazy side of Hollywood in the zinger-filled production of “The Little Dog Laughed,” which wraps up Sept. 13. Performances are at Intiman Theatre, 201 Mercer St.; 206-269-1900, www.intiman.org. The rest of the season:
“All the King’s Men”: Sept. 26 through Nov. 8. Perfect for a presidential year is this Robert Penn Warren fictionalized portrait of Louisiana Gov. Huey P. Long with a vital look at the temptations of power.
“Black Nativity: A Gospel Song Play”: Nov. 29 through Dec. 27. The holiday production of this Langston Hughes’ expression of faith through song and dance features gospel performances and modern and traditional choreography performed by an ensemble of dancers and an on-stage band.
Mirror Stage Company
Mirror Stage Company prides itself on staged readings that highlight new voices and topical issues. The group’s Web site was not updated at press time so information on the 2008-09 season was not available. Shows are either at the Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., or the Rendezvous JewelBox Theatre and Grotto, 2232 Second Ave., Belltown. Check the Web site for updates at www.mirrorstage.org. or call 206-686-2792.
Seattle Children’s Theatre
Seattle Children’s Theatre performs in the Charlotte Martin and Eve Alvord theaters, both at 201 Thomas St.; 206-441-3322, www.sct.org. The season lineup:
“Bluenose”: Oct. 17-Dec. 14. Ages 6+/Grades 1+. This is pirate story with physical comedy, witty banter and a message at the end about tolerance and acceptance. Three red-nosed pirates meet up with a blue-nosed girl fishing and the pirates can’t bear her being different, but the girl teaches them to see past their own noses.
“The Wizard of Oz”: Nov. 21-Jan. 17. Ages 6+/Grades 1+. A new generation of theatergoers can enjoy the family classic with Dorothy leaving Kansas for an imaginary world. This world isn’t home, and Dorothy asks the wizard to help her and her new friends return to who they really are inside.
“Tomás and the Library Lady”: Jan. 9-March 1. Ages 7+/Grades 2+. Tomás, a migrant boy, can’t read English and is terrified of school. Enter the compassionate Library Lady who introduces Tomás to the magic of books.
“Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire”: Jan. 30-March 7. Ages 8+/Grades 3+. Set in ancient Egypt, this is a thrilling adventure where we meet the mysterious Zalira and the sneeze-afflicted palace scribe, Bakneb, who must help the young and spoiled Pharaoh Serket escape death.
“A Tale of Two Cities”: March 20-April 12. Ages 11+/Grades 6+. In the Charles Dickens novel, France is on the brink of revolution and people are desperate to escape devastating poverty and famine. Families seek vengeance, but one man’s act of self-sacrifice reminds us what true liberty really is.
“Goodnight Moon”: April 10-June 14. Ages 4+/Grades Pre K+. Little Bunny can’t get to sleep and his imagination runs wild as he says goodnight to all the things in his room and they magically come to life.
“I Was a Rat!”: May 1-June 14. Ages 6+/Grades 1+. Poor little Roger the rat-boy. He’s kind of out on his own and gets into lots of trouble to the point of being thrown in jail because he was mistaken for the dreaded sewer monster. Good thing there are kind-hearted princesses still around.
Seattle Musical Theatre presented by Civic Light Opera
A new name, but the product remains the same: lots of quality classical musicals all season long.
Most Civic Light Opera performances are at the Magnuson Community Center, Building 47, Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way; 206-363-2809, www.seat- tlemusicaltheatre.org. Upcoming performances are:
“1776”: Sept. 19-Oct. 5. The musical follows the founding fathers and brings out the human features of these great men, their fears, charms and uncertainties, as the nation moves to embrace the Declaration of Independence.
“Cinderella”: Nov. 14-30. The Rogers and Hammerstein classic is presented with a touch of hilarity while remaining true to the original fairy tale.
“A Tree Grows In Brooklyn”: Feb. 13-March 1. The story follows Betty Smith’s classic tale of young Francie and the growing pains she experiences during her childhood in Brooklyn.
“Guys &Dolls”: May 8-24. A perennial favorite of musical comedies soars with an immortal score, an oddball love story and the madcap mission of holding an illegal craps game.
Seattle Public Theatre
The 2008-09 season for Seattle Public Theatre offers a little bit of “Casablanca,” a little Elvis, a little Jesus and some Steinbeck. Seattle Public Theatre is based in The Bathhouse, 7312 W. Greenlake Drive N.; 206-524-1300, www.seattlepublictheater.org. The new season lineup:
“The War Party”: Sept. 25-Oct. 19. What better time for an election story than an election year. This story is based on the failed re-election bid of an ambitious female senator confronted by a shrewd young aide.
“The Santaland Diaries”: Dec. 4-24. The David Sedaris comedy is like a bit of spicy fruitcake during the holidays as we watch his hilarious experience working as an elf in Macy’s Santaland. For mature elves only, Sedaris is at his most witty and sardonic.
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”: Dec. 11-24. The infamous Herdman clan take over the church pageant so the traditional notions of Christmas are tossed out the window.
“End Days”: Jan. 29-Feb. 22. This is a quirky comedy that mixes religion, family and science together along with Elvis, Jesus and Stephen Hawking. The focus is on 16-year-old Rachel Stein who is having a bad year and on top of that, the Apocalypse is coming on Wednesday.
“Of Mice and Men”: March 19-April 12. This is classic Steinbeck coming to life in a power struggle of small versus big in the forms of George and Lennie, an unlikely duo who are bound together by a shared dream of freedom.
“A Wedding Story”: May 14-June 7. Evelyn and Peter’s wonderful marriage is tested when Alzheimer’s enters the scene and tested even further when their daughter falls for a woman at a wedding reception.
Seattle Repertory Theatre
From sword-swinging musketeers to Hollywood legend Carrie Fisher, Seattle Repertory Theatre offers diversity, comedy and drama for its 2008-09 season.
Seattle Rep productions are either in the Leo K. Theatre or the Bagley Wright Theatre, both at 155 Mercer St.; 206-443-2222, 877-900-9285, www.seattlerep.org.
“The Night Watcher”: Sept. 25-Oct. 26. A new one-woman show from Charlayne Woodard with a poignant message about mentoring the children in her life.
“The Three Musketeers”: Oct. 2-Nov. 15. A more funny yet still thrilling action adventure for all ages.
“Boom”: Nov. 13-Dec. 14. The show turns the apocalypse into an offbeat comedy.
“You Can’t Take It With You”: Nov. 28-Jan. 3. This wild and wacky classic is a love story from two pioneers of American comedy.
“Waiting for Godot”: Jan. 15-Feb. 14. The vaudeville masterpiece is done up right by acclaimed actor Bill Irwin.
“Rollick”: Feb. 5-March 8. The production is a wild mash-up of theater and rock with actor and musician Christopher Evan Welch and his band.
“The Seafarer”: Feb. 26-March 28. This dark and compelling Broadway hit has four Irish friends playing cards for devilishly high stakes.
“Betrayal”: March 26-April 26. Be glued to your seat during this riveting story of romantic deception
“Wishful Drinking”: April 2-May 3. Carrie Fisher will make you laugh and shock you silly as she takes you on her totally true ride through her own Hollywood party … and hangover.
Seattle Shakespeare Company
Seattle Shakespeare Company is shaking up the Shakespeare with some vaudeville and a chilling ghost story as part of the lineup for its new season. Seattle Shakespeare Company is at the Center House Theatre, 305 Harrison St.; 206-733-8222, www.seattleshakespeare.org.
“Henry IV”: Oct. 23-Nov. 16. In this story of civil unrest, Prince Hal carouses with the rogue Falstaff while his father, the king, grapples with rebel wars plaguing the land. The prince struggles to mature into a heroic leader as father and Falstaff battle for his affections.
“The Servant of Two Masters”: Jan. 8-Feb. 1. Those at the Shakespeare company call this show “a joyous leap into the unknown as actors run the razor’s edge of clowning.” The actors play off audience contributions each night, creating a “physically daring, miraculously manic, and a hoot and a half of laughs.”
“The Turn of the Screw”: Jan. 13-28. This is a tale of horror about a young governess who begins to see apparitions while caring for two children on an isolated English estate, as told through a series of diary entries.
“The Merchant of Venice”: March 13-April 5. Antonio wants to help his friend so he must agree to give up a pound of his own flesh if he fails to repay a loan from the shark Shylock. When Antonio can’t pay, he turns to his lawyer friend, Portia, who swings into action during a thrilling courtroom conclusion.
“The Tempest”: June 4-28. Former Duke Prospero, now in exile, uses his power to lure his enemies to an isolated island to seek vengeance.
Seattle Theatre Group
The season for Seattle Theatre Group is a diverse tapestry of performing arts with highlights that include “Bob the Builder,” Dance This, “Phantom of the Opera” and “Spring Awakening.”
Seattle Theatre Group operates the Paramount and Moore theaters. The Paramount is at 911 Pine St. and The Moore is at 1932 Second Ave.; 206-467-5510, www.theparamount.com, www.themoore.com.
“The Phantom of the Opera”: Sept. 10-Oct. 5, The Paramount. Andrew Lloyd Webber takes us through this love story of a beautiful opera singer and a young composer who is ashamed of his disfigurement and hides beneath the Paris Opera House.
Comedy Addiction Tour: Oct. 3, The Moore. This is unlike regular comedy shows in that the humor is written to appeal to those facing issues of recovery. It features four comedians in a 90-minute format that reveals in humorous ways their stories of excess and addiction.
“Mythbusters”: Oct. 4, The Moore. Inside The Scientist’s Studio, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage will bring you myths gone wrong and never-seen outtakes from their popular Discovery Channel show, “Mythbusters.” They will talk about chemistry, even take suggestions for future myths, but they won’t, sadly, blow anything up.
Compagnie Heddy Maalem: Oct. 11, The Moore. These are highly dynamic dance sequences accompanied by a driving score that is contrasted with scenes of silence in which 14 distinctive dancers from Mali, Benin, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Mozambique come together in an interpretation of Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps.”
“Spring Awakening”: Oct. 14-19, The Paramount. Winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, “Spring Awakening” is billed on the official Web site as a “groundbreaking fusion of morality, sexuality and rock and roll” that takes us on a poignant ride to adulthood.
“The Backyardigans”: Oct. 25 and 26, The Paramount. This Nickelodeon children’s show will come to life for preschoolers as Knights Uniqua and Tyrone pursue a quest to protect King Pablo’s unpredictable egg which runs away, hatches feet and makes an unexpected dash all the way up to Dragon Mountain. The audience is asked to help.
Spectrum Dance Theater: Nov. 21 and 22, The Moore. American choreographer Donald Byrd will join forces with Middle-East artists to shape their version of A Chekhovian Resolution to the Middle East conflicts, where there’s heartbreak, bitterness, disillusionment and disappointment but at least everybody’s still alive.
Oprah Winfrey Presents “The Color Purple”: Dec. 16-28, The Paramount. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and nominated for 11 Tony Awards, this musical is the inspiring story of Celie who through diversity finds her right place in the world.
“A Christmas Carol — The Musical”: Dec. 18-21, The Moore. This musical rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic story includes Tiny Tim, Scrooge and all the other favorites for the whole family to enjoy.
“The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley”: Jan. 16 and 17, The Moore. Poor Stanley Lambchop who wakes up one morning and finds he is flat as a pancake. He gets to be a trampoline and fly like a kite but finds there’s more to life by stuffing himself in an envelope to become a human letter traveling the world. This musical travelogue brings Stanley’s adventures to life.
Savion Glover’s “Bare Soundz”: Jan. 31, The Moore. Glover melds a variety of musical genres to expose tap dance as an acoustical instrument.
An Evening with Garrison Keillor: Jan. 22, The Paramount. The star of “A Prairie Home Companion” brings his down-home show to Seattle.
“The Lion King”: Feb. 11-March 15, The Paramount. The visual spectacle of animals is backdrop to a score by Elton John and Tim Rice.
“Bob The Builder Live”: March 20-22, The Paramount. Join Bob, Wendy and the crew for a live theater fix-it of “Spud’s Big Mess,” where all the cast comes together for music, mischief and a mission to save Sunflower Valley.
Kungfu Theatre: Tales from The Beijing Opera: April 17, The Moore. A series of short stories drawn from Chinese history, mythology and folklore. Don’t be fooled by the word opera: Beijing Opera is loud and colorful with dance, acrobatics, stage fighting and mime done in English and Chinese dialogue.
“Girls Night: The Musical”: May 1 and 2, The Moore. You’ll be hanging with your girlfriends while watching the story of five friends during a night out at a karaoke bar where they laugh, cry, dance and sing some classics such as “I Will Survive,” to “We are Family,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Lady Marmalade” and “Man, I Feel Like a Woman.”
“An Evening With Terry Gross”: June 5, The Paramount. The host of NPR’s “Fresh Air,” Gross will play sound bites from the good, bad and ugly of her past interviews and discuss how she gets the most reticent to open up.
“Dance This”: July 11, The Paramount. Talented teens come together from diverse communities to show off their stuff and their cultures under the guidance of professional artists.
Taproot Theatre
Taproot Theatre is closing out its 2008 season with the comedy “Susan and God,” about a socialite in the Hamptons who has found God, and a special Christmas play called “The Christmas Foundling,” where a fun-loving group of Gold Rush miners have to stop partying when an orphan is thrust into their midst on Christmas Eve. Taproot’s new season begins in January. All shows are at Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St.; 206-781-9707, www.taproottheatre.org.
The rest of the 2008 season and the 2009 lineup includes:
“Susan and God”: Sept. 24 through Oct. 25.
“The Christmas Foundling”: Nov. 21 through Dec. 27.
“Gee’s Bend”: Jan. 28 through Feb. 28. The stories of the women of Gee’s Bend, Ala., are woven together in a patchwork about the African-American journey just as rags, scraps and bits of thread are pieced into quilted works of beauty.
“Tuesdays with Morrie”: March 25 through April 25. Sportswriter Mitch Albom chronicles the time he spent with his beloved terminally ill mentor and professor, Morrie, before his death.
“Around the World in 80 Days”: May 20 through June 20. Jules Verne’s tale based on a bet to travel around the world in 1872 is complete with a wily villain, a damsel in distress and many transportation disasters.
“Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming”: July 8 through Aug. 15. Members of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church are singing up a storm in 1945, testifyin’ in tunes of bluegrass, folk and gospel to celebrate the end of the war and a new pastor.
“Enchanted April”: Sept. 23 through Oct. 24, 2009. Transformations take place at a Mediterranean villa for two British housewives in 1922 who decide to embark on an Italian holiday in search of gardens, the sea and something more.
UW School of Drama
The school of drama is inviting patrons to have some laughs during their 2008-09 season with a lineup of light-hearted romps. The School of Drama is at 4001 University Way NE.; 206-543-4880, depts.washington.edu/uwdrama
The new season includes:
“Twelfth Night”: Oct. 26-Nov. 9, Meany Studio Theatre. A beloved Shakespeare comedy about Viola who dresses as a boy, is mistaken for her brother and falls in love with her employer.
“The Quick Change Room”: Dec. 1-14, Penthouse Theatre. A Russian theater struggling to make a buck is buoyed by a new production of “The Three Sisters,” but soon discovers that even a masterpiece isn’t a safe money maker.
“Big Love”: Feb. 1-15, Meany Studio Theatre. In this comedy collision of pop music, myths and love, 50 brides flee their 50 grooms to avoid forced marriages.
“Blithe Spirit”: Feb. 15-March 1, Penthouse Theatre. From the master of comedy himself, Noel Coward sets the stage for laughs when a writer asks an eccentric spiritualist to help him and she conjures up the writer’s first wife who decides she wants to take him from his current wife.
“Our Town”: March 1-15, Playhouse Theatre. This Pulitzer Prize winner explores ordinary lives and ordinary connections within our own communities.
“A Rare, Eccentric and Shameless Melodramatic Spectacle (title TBA)”: April 26-May 10, Meany Studio Theatre. Behold the melodrama with all the classic trappings: charismatic actors, great acting and sensational plots.
“One Act Showcase”: May 24-June 7, Penthouse Theatre. The school’s master of fine arts students will present offerings from playwrights such as Wendy Wasserstein, Beth Henley, John Guare and Craig Lucas.
Dance
Pacific Northwest Ballet
In celebration of dance icon Twyla Tharp, Pacific Northwest Ballet kicks off its 2008-09 season in style, combining Tharp moves with songs sung by Sinatra. PNB doesn’t let up after that. Performances are at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St.; 206-441-2424, www.pnb.org.
“All Tharp”: Sept. 25-Oct. 5. A special presentation of two PNB-commissioned original works for an “All Tharp” program celebrates Frank Sinatra with a ballroom homage of nine songs.
“New Works”: Nov. 6-16. A premiere from Mark Morris and two world premieres from up-and-coming dancers and choreographers highlight this eclectic mix.
“Nutcracker”: Nov. 28-Dec. 30. The family favorite takes the talents of PNB founding artistic director Kent Stowell, pairs them with skilled children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak (“Where the Wild Things Are”) and blends them into a beautiful display of costumes, sets and choreography, putting the storybook tale of a Christmas fantasy on beautiful display for its 1,000th performance.
“George Balanchine’s Jewels”: Jan. 29-Feb. 7. Balanchine pays tribute to three golden ages of dance: With “Emeralds,” he gives a nod to France, the birthplace of Romantic dance; in “Rubies,” it’s a tribute to the carefree spontaneity of America, and in “Diamonds,” Balanchine applauds the grandeur and precision of the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg.
“Pinocchio”: Feb. 7-8. A narrated one-act ballet of PNB’s family matinee series features about 60 students from the PNB school.
“Broadway Festival”: March 12-22. Enjoy some of the best from Broadway with numbers from the “West Side Story Suite,” a Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins production, “Carousel (A Dance),” from the Richard Rodgers/Christopher Wheeldon team and “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue,” from the Richard Rodgers/George Balanchine duo.
“Swan Lake”: April 9-19. Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet based on the story of Odette, trapped in the body of a white swan, and Odile, the temptress daughter of the malevolent sorcerer Baron Von Rothbart, who plots the downfall of Odette’s true love, Prince Siegfried.
“Director’s Choice”: May 28-June 7. Selections from Frederic Chopin, Jerome Robbins and others.
Music
Cappella Romana
Cappella Romana season concerts are at Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave.; 866-822-7735, www.cappellaromana.org.
“The Heart of Kiev”: Oct. 18. Slavic music expert and Ukrainian American Mark Bailey returns to lead a program of Ukrainian sacred masterpieces.
“The Kontakion of the Nativity”: Jan 3. This piece was written by American orthodox composer Richard Toensing for two choirs and soloists a cappella with the setting based on a poem by St. Romanos of a familiar story, told by the Magi and the Virgin Mary.
“Byzantium in Rome”: May 2. This is a presentation of the Medieval Byzantine Chant.
Seattle Baroque Orchestra
Seattle Baroque Orchestra has been bringing audiences the sounds of Handel and Bach, Vivaldi and Monteverdi and many other magnificent composers for 14 years. Again this year, the orchestra will deliver five concerts with some timeless music. All concerts are at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St.; 206-322-3118, www.seattlebaroque.org.
“Portrait of a Baroque Diva”: Oct. 18-19. Northwest diva Cyndia Sieden will present some of Handel’s soprano arias along with one of the composer’s rarely heard orchestral pieces.
“A Cape Breton Christmas”: Dec. 13-14. Baroque soloist and fiddler David Greenberg is featured in music by Percell and Muffat along with Scottish composers James Oswald and Robert Mackintosh and traditional music from Scotland and Canada.
“Verbruggen! Virtuoso! Vivaldi!”: Feb. 14-15. Dutch artist Marion Verbruggen on recorder will present some spectacular concertos of Vivaldi’s and Telemann’s.
“Stile Fantastico”: March 28-29. Violinist Monica Huggett joins international cornetto player Bruce Dickey in a selection of 17th century Italian music in the improvisatory type called “Stile Fantastico.”
“Back to Bach”: April 18-19. Selections from several members of the Bach family including an orchestral suite by Johann Bernhard Bach and much from Johann Sebastian.
Seattle Choral Company
Seattle Choral Company opens its 27th season with a cathedral musical experience; 206-363-1100, www.seattlechoralcompany.org.
“A Cathedral Christmas”: Dec. 12-13, St. Mark’s Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave. E. Selections from the holiday concert include “Gaudete” and “Magnificat,” by Steven Sametz, the “Chanukah Suite” by Jason Robert Brown and “Fantasia on Christmas Carols,” by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
“Canto Hispanico”: Feb. 15, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 8398 NE 12th, Medina, and Feb. 21 at Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave. The chorale brings music inspired by Spain and Latin America with noted Seattle guitarist Michael Partington.
“Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor”: April 25, Benaroya Hall, 200 University St. This is considered one of the composer’s major works for choir and orchestra, full of passion though oddly left unfinished.
Seattle Opera
Performances are at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St.; 206-389-7676, 800-426-1619; www.seattleopera.org. Highlights for the 2008-09 season include:
“Elektra”: Oct. 18-Nov 1. This is a voluptuous opera by Strauss based on Sophocles’ ancient tragedy.
“The Pearl Fishers”: Jan. 10-24. Set on the island of Sri Lanka, this love story is based on a priestess pursued by a pair of best friends, who are strapping fishermen.
“Bluebeard’s Castle &Erwartung”: Feb. 21-March 7. In this journey into the subconscious, the production combines the mysterious Hungarian fairy tale of Bluebeard’s Castle with the dreamlike drama Erwartung
“The Marriage of Figaro”: May 2-16. One of Mozart’s most popular operas follows the count and his entourage as they prepare a wedding — or two.
Seattle Symphony
Seattle Symphony’s season is nonstop entertainment packed with stars such as Bill Cosby and with musical selections that include the new Pops series, “Scheherazade,” and “Rhapsody in Blue.” Symphony performances are at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St.; 206-215-4747, 866-833-4747, www.seattlesymphony.org.
Here are a few highlights from the new season:
“Swingin’ with Marvin Hamlisch at the Pops”: Sept. 18-21. Conductor Hamlisch opens the symphony’s 10th anniversary Pops season by celebrating the historic Carnegie Hall concert “Sing, Sing, Sing,” in which such greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman and Count Basie performed.
Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade”: Oct. 9-12. Journey to the land of the Ali Baba with this sparkling music based on the novel “One Thousand and One Nights,”
Bill Cosby: Nov. 1. The comedian returns for a one-day engagement.
Handel’s “Messiah”: Dec. 18-21. Nothing sings Christmas more than this iconic holiday classic
Irvin Mayfield &the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra: Jan. 22-25. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette said the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra’s performance blended the “secular with the sacred, mixed some gospel with brass band and parade shuffles, then transported the audience to The Big Easy.”
Itzhak Perlman: Feb. 25. The violin virtuoso shares some of his best moments, including some solos of his collaboration with film score composer John Williams in Steven Spielberg’s film “Schindler’s List.”
“Swing Me Up and Swing Me Down”: March 20-22. A concert designed for kids from birth to 5 years.
Dennis Russell Davies and Maki Namekawa Play “West Side Story”: April 19. These two pianists get together to belt out some Bernstein.
Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”: May 14-17. Called a piano genius, Kevin Cole was described by the Chicago Sun-Times as having “pure show-biz virtuosity that would have had Vladimir Horowitz smiling with envy.”
“The Planets”: June 25-27. The film score staple by Holst.
Mixed
Town Hall
Town Hall of Seattle is on a mission to bring an exchange of ideas through arts, education, humanities and civic programs. Every year, Town Hall brings hundreds of events to the area to achieve this mission. The new season promises another wide variety of events, ranging from comedy and science to music and drama. There’s no room to list all the events here but we’ll provide quite a choice.
Town Hall Seattle is at 1119 Eighth Ave. To view the full event calendar, go to www.townhallseattle.org, or call 206-652-4255.
Brian Greene: Sept. 7. Author of “The Elegant Universe,” Greene talks about his new book “Icarus at the Edge of Time,” a fable about fathers and sons.
David Servan-Schreiber: “Anti-cancer”: Sept. 11. In his book “Anti-cancer: A New Way of Life,” Servan-Schreiber reveals his personal battle with brain cancer and an exploration of what makes cancer thrive.
Elizabeth Mitchell: Sept. 13. Mitchell, with husband Daniel Littleton and daughter Storey, turns traditional children’s music on its ear. Ages 4 and up.
Vaasa Symphony Orchestra: Sept. 16. This orchestra from Finland performs Sibelius and works by the Scriabin-influenced Väinö Raitio.
Carol Coletta: Design for Livability: Sept. 25. Coletta, host of the syndicated radio program “Smart City,” talks about creating vibrant landscapes while minding conservation techniques.
Historic Seattle Bungalow Fair: Sept. 27-28. A show and sale of antiques and new work by designers in metal, tile, glass, textiles, ceramics and lighting.
Peter Galbraith: “Unintended Consequences”: Oct. 2. One of Washington’s leading authorities on Iraq, author Galbraith talks about the challenges the next president will have in the Middle East.
Art Spiegelman: Oct. 8. Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novelist Spiegelman is back with another graphic memoir, “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*![“”]
The American Avant Garde: Oct. 9. Musical selections include China Gates and “Put Your Loving Arms Around Me” from Gnarly Buttons by John Adams, Soliloquy and “Andantino” from the Violin Sonata by John Corigliano, and a String Quartet by Philip Glass.
Sarah Vowell: Oct. 13. Best-selling author of “Assassination Vacation,” and “Take the Cannoli,” Vowell’s latest book, “The Wordy Shipmates,” takes her to 17th century New England where she finds the Puritans were really onto something.
Rick Steves: Uncovering Iran: Oct. 14. Local travel guru Steves talks about his recent 10-day trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran. A slide show is included.
Betty Fussell: “Raising Steaks”: Oct. 14. Fussell is the author of “The Story of Corn,” who now offers a cultural history of steak.
Dave Zirin: “People’s History of Sports”: Oct. 22. Zirin’s new book, “A People’s History of Sports in the United States,” presents an alternative U.S. history as seen through our sports.
Jazz: Dave Frishberg in Concert: Nov. 7. Jazz pianist, singer and songwriter is best known for writing and performing “My Attorney Bernie,” “Do You Miss New York,” and “Slappin’ the Cakes on Me.”
The Last Polar Bear: Dec. 4. Steven Kazlowski has been documenting polar bears for the last eight years.
Seattle Radio Theatre: Live Holiday Radio: Dec. 6. A throwback to the old days, this live radio program offers music and sound effects for a holiday treat that’s good for the whole family.
Thomas Arthur Lyrical Juggler: Feb. 28. Arthur combines juggling, music and storytelling during this family-friendly hybrid of sound and motion.
UW World Series
The UW World Series offers four separate performing arts series encompassing an astonishing range of dance, chamber music, piano and world music and theater performances. Presenting the best established and emerging artists from around the globe since 1978, the UW World Series has been responsible for introducing Seattle-area performing arts lovers to such now renowned ensembles and artists as Murray Perahia, Pilobolus, Mark Morris Dance Company, and the Emerson String Quartet.
The 2008-09 UW World Series season offers an exciting mix of both the comfortably familiar and the refreshingly unknown.
Performances are at Meany Hall on the west edge of the University of Washington campus.
For a full season schedule, see www.uwworldseries.org. Some highlights include:
Di Madre in Figlia (From Mother to Daughter): Sept. 28.
MOMIX: Oct. 16-18.
Emerson String Quartet: Oct. 21.
Peking Acrobats: Jan. 10.
Takács String Quartet: Jan. 14.
Kodo: Jan. 30-31.
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company: Feb. 5-7.
Grupo Corpo: April 2-4.
Lectures
Seattle Arts &Lectures
The lecture series features original talks by six writers. All lecture series events begin at 7:30 p.m. in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St.; 206-621-2230, ext. 10, www.lectures.org.
The 2008-09 lecture series lineup is:
Richard Russo: Sept. 17. Novelist Russo’s stories are set in the small towns of America’s Northeast, where the mills and factories have shut down. Russo has said in press material: “What’s disappeared more and what’s more harmful to America is the loss of the pride that came with those jobs.” His novel “Empire Falls” was awarded the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Terry Tempest Williams: Oct. 7. Williams, author of “Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place,” is a naturalist and advocate for freedom of speech, who consistently shows how environmental issues are social issues that become matters of justice.
John Updike: Nov. 12. Updike, his subjects being the American small town and the Protestant middle class, is known for his craftsmanship, detailed descriptions and prolific writing. Updike is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, for “Rabbit is Rich” and “Rabbit at Rest.” His most recent book is “Due Considerations: Essays and Criticism.”
Michael Pollan: Jan. 12. “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants” are the words of Pollan’s simple answer to a complex question. His recent “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto,” links ecology and tradition. Pollan is a contributor to The New York Times and the Knight Professor in Science and Environmental Journalism at UC Berkeley.
Junot Díaz: Feb. 24. Díaz was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey. His second book, and first novel, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,” was just awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Mira Nair: April 28. Nair is an India-born, New York-based film director. Her debut feature film, “Salaam Bombay!” won the Golden Camera award at the Cannes Film Festival, and was followed by “Mississippi Masala, Monsoon Wedding,” which was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival in 2001.
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