A reading of ‘La Ronde’ at the Black Cat
A new series of staged readings of plays will open with “La Ronde,” a provocative 19th-century romp by Arthur Schnitzler, at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 24, at Snapdragon’s Black Cat Cabaret. Written in 1897, “La Ronde” caused a stir when it was first produced in 1920. The play is structured around a series of interwoven scenes between pairs of characters, all taking place either before or after a dangerous or illicit liaison. The cast includes Russell Baker, Tami Brockway-Joyce, Amy Broomhall, Dedra Whitt Dakota, Martin Feveyear, Megan Hastings, Andrew Hirsch, Isaac Hughes, Jonathan Kuzma and Cate O’Kane. Curated by Chris Boscia with a new director and cast each month, the series will present new plays, classics and works by local playwrights. Admission is free, but “La Ronde” is for mature audiences only, said Boscia.
Travel journal sketching with Darsie Beck
Update: Postponed until further notice: A free journal sketch salon with island artist Darsie Beck and other island and urban sketchers will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at Gather Vashon. The free event precedes a two-day class in sketching for travel journals and urban treks that will be taught by Beck from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30, at Gather. During the workshop, Beck will impart wisdom about the practice of daily journaling, and also teach techniques in working with watercolor pencils, pens and water brush to enhance sketches. The class has a course fee of $190 and a materials fee of $85. To sign up, write to whitney@gathervashon.com or kathy@gathervashon.com, or send a message to Gather’s Facebook page, facebook.com/gathervashon.
Miller Campbell to play a benefit
Seattle country singer Miller Campbell — a cousin to the legendary Glen Campbell — will play at a fundraiser for Voice of Vashon at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 30. Campbell has played at festivals, rodeos, country bars and honky-tonks throughout the Northwest and beyond. The evening is presented by Debra Heesch, who has also included Campbell in her annual Patsy Cline tribute show, “Sweet Dreams,” in Seattle and Vashon. Tickets, $20, can be purchased at Vashon Bookshop or at brownpapertickets.com. To sample Campbell’s music, visit millercampbell.com.
Blues and Brews at Open Space
Vashon Rotary will pop the top on one of their biggest fundraisers ever next week — an outdoor Blues and Brews Festival, set for 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at Open Space for Arts & Community. The headliner for the event is blues legend Coco Montoya, whose festival appearance is co-presented with Debra Heesch. Other performers will include Bill Brown and the Kingbees, Nick Vigarino and One More Mile, whose frontman is island guitar god Jason Lollar. Attendees can also feast on cuisine provided at food trucks and sample beers, cider and wine provided by local Vashon and Northwest brewers and wineries. All proceeds from the event will benefit Vashon Rotary projects, grants and scholarships. Tickets range in price, depending on packages, from $35 to $150; they are available for purchase at brownpapertickets.com.
Polar Bears perform for Chautauqua kids
Two performances of islander Jean Davies Okimoto’s play, “Winston of Churchill: One Bear’s Battle Against Global Warming,” were attended by the entire student body of Chautauqua Elementary School on June 11, at Vashon High School. Okimoto’s play, based on her children’s book by the same name, was directed by Sue Wiley. Cast members were Marshall Murray, Gaye Detzer, Don Wolczko, Rich Wiley, Mike Horswill, Marcia Horswill, Barry Foster, Bruce Fillinger, and Lynne Shepherd. The Vashon Island Ukulele Society, with members Joe Okimoto, Lynanne Raven, Bill Kirschner, Hailey Quackenbush, Kimberly Allen, Glenda Pearson and Myra Willingham, also appeared in the show. The enriching day of theater was made possible by a Vashon Partners in Education grant, obtained by third-grade teacher Margie Butcher, which also provided for a copy of the book to be given to every classroom at Chautauqua. The play was first performed last fall at Vashon Center for the Arts, as part of its Family Series.
