What’s Happening June 25 – July 2

Glitter and Be Gay, Vashon Theatre fills its digital multiplex, mythologist Michael Meade, and more.

June 25, 2020 1:30 am
“Glitter and Be Gay — The Queers That Invented the Broadway Musical,” at vashoncenterforthearts.org, will include the talents of 5th Avenue Theatre stars Chris DiStefano and Richard Gray. The show will be live-streamed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27 (Jeff Carpenter Photo).
“Glitter and Be Gay — The Queers That Invented the Broadway Musical,” at vashoncenterforthearts.org, will include the talents of 5th Avenue Theatre stars Chris DiStefano and Richard Gray. The show will be live-streamed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27 (Jeff Carpenter Photo).

Beautiful Broadway

“Glitter and Be Gay — The Queers That Invented the Broadway Musical,” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27, online at vashoncenterforthearts.org. The show is a co-presentation of Broadway Nation Live and VCA.

The show will feature David Armstrong, the artistic director emeritus of The Fifth Avenue Theatre, sharing his knowledge of the vast LGBTQ contributions to musical theater. Armstrong will be joined by 5th Avenue Theatre stars Richard Gray, Chris DiStefano and special guest Albert Evans, singing the timeless songs of Cole Porter, Noel Coward and Lorenz Hart. There is a $10 suggested donation to support the cost of production and the performers.

Show your Pride at home

A month of activities by organizers of Vashon’s Pride Month will conclude with a family-friendly Zoom party and virtual “parade” at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 28, hosted by drag artists Sativa Queen, Angela Visalia and Poison Waters, as well as Ellen Kritzman, Stephen Silha and island historian Bruce Haulman. Islanders are encouraged to dress up and create Pride displays in their homes and backyards and share them on Zoom. At 12 p.m., the drag artists will host a Tea Dance, encouraging partiers to dance along at home (via Zoom) to tunes spun by DJ Merlin the Girl. For more information, visit vashonpride.com.

Go to the movies!

Vashon Theatre keeps filling its digital multiplex with new offerings. Now available for at-home viewing are three documentaries about the Black experience in the United States: “I Am Not Your Negro,” “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am,” and “Whose Streets.” All three films can be viewed for $15, or rented separately. Also currently on view: “House of Hummingbird,” “Marona’s Tale,” “Runner,” “Shirley,” and “The Painter and the Thief.” Visit vashontheatre.com to read all about these fabulous films.

Go deep with Michael Meade

A new online series of three talks with mythologist Michael Meade, “Paths of Initiation: Waking the Soul of Humanity,” will take place on Thursday, July 2, Friday, July 10 and Friday, July 17. Each 90-minute event includes story, poetry and a Q&A session. Events can be purchased separately for $20 or at the discounted price of $49 for the full series. Find out more and mosaicvoices.org/events. Vashon Islanders can get a 20% discount on the whole series with the code Vashon20.

Vashon Live keeps the music coming

Vashon Live’s upcoming shows by local music heroes, live-streamed from the Black Cat Cabaret on facebook.com/vashonlive, are Gregg Curry (7:30 p.m. Friday, June 26), Ken Jacobsen (7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27) and Some’tet (7:30 p.m. Friday, July 3. Vashon Live adds shows weekly — check out its Facebook page or go to vashonevents.org.

Youth jazz mastery

Zander Knodt, a 16-year-old sophomore at Vashon High School with an abiding love of jazz, will play a concert at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 26, at facebook.com/zander.knodt. Digital tips can be left at PayPal.me/ThaankYu. Knodt has played the piano since the age of 8. He played in McMurray Jazz Band for two years, and with Todd Zimberg’s jazz ensemble for three. At his performances, he plays a variety of blues improvisations, jazz standards, as well as classical music.