Gospelfest is showcasing Washington state talent in a two-show Saturday competition in Seattle that is headlined by gospel greats Cissy “Duchess of Gospel” Houston and Martha Munizzi.
Everett’s Majestic Visions (Paul Stoot and Ashley Gains) will perform pantomime, and Kito Cinj of Everett will sing solo in the 2:30 p.m. show.
Winners in 10 categories are invited to New York Gospelfest, sponsored by McDonald’s, as well as awarded a cash prize. Gospelfest is designed to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington’s scholarship program.
Pantomime is one of the oldest forms of theater. During Medieval times, although theaters and actors were banned by the church, the church produced mime miracle plays.
Mime performers deliver a message through body movements with emphasis on facial expressions. Modern miming is best exemplified in standard-setter Frenchman Marcel Marceau’s work.
Mime has returned to churches, particularly African-American churches, as a nonverbal interpretation of gospel music. It is sharing a song through movement, much as a Hawaiian dance tells a story with the dancer’s hands.
Paul Stoot, 16, has been performing mime for about four years at Greater Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in Everett; 17-year-old Ashley Gains has performed mime since she was 10, and mimes at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Seattle.
Majestic Visions started out in August with Paul Stoot and Jermain Ephelius, but Ephelius went to sea for six months, so Paul was joined by his friend, Ashley.
“Before we mime, we always pray before and after. We focus on facial expressions, focus on our balance, and we try not to focus on the audience reaction while we’re dancing. We want to concentrate on who we’re dancing to and who we’re dancing for, which is God,” Stoot said.
Brad Richter: Music and photography team up today in Lynnwood in a performance by national finger-picking champion Brad Richter with Darris Lee’s images of the Arizona desert. Richter will play classical guitar pieces and original compositions. Although his finger speed is incredible, his strength is in the dynamics and complex melodies.
Self-taught as a child and influenced by rock guitarists Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix, Richter’s turning point came with a Michael Hedges concert. Impressed by Hedges’ creation of sound layers, Richter switched to acoustic, then classical guitar.
| Gospelfest: 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Paramount, 911 Pine St., Seattle; $28.50; 206-628-0888.
Brad Richter: 7:30 p.m. today, Edmonds Community College, Triton Union Building, 20200 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood; $3, $2 children; 425-771-4030. Juan Sanchez Ensemble: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Shoreline Performing Arts Center, 15343 25th Ave. NE, Shoreline; $15, $13 seniors and students; 206-417-4645. Miracles of Rhythm: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Cascadia Community College, The Commons in UWB-2, 18345 Campus Way NE, Bothell; free. |
Juan Sanchez Ensemble: World music takes the stage during the ensemble’s performance today in Shoreline. Sanchez is a modern-day socially conscious troubadour who delivers poetry, dance and music featuring Middle Eastern melodies, bossa novas and Latin jazz. Instruments include some seldom heard in Snohomish County: zampona, charango, kena and guitarron.
Miracles of Rhythm: A one-of-a-kind event of Persian classical music will be performed Thursday in Bothell, featuring the rich musical traditions of Iran. Siamal Pouian plays the tonbak, the major percussion instrument in Persian classical music; Mohammad Nejad is a master multi-instrumentalist; Saman Mahmudi will play the santoor; and Hossein Sadrzadeh will sing.
Brad Richter performs today in Lynnwood, accompanied by Darris Lee’s images of the Arizona desert.
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