Summer Arts Fest
Summer Arts Fest, at Vashon Center for the Arts, will open exhibits with a whole new round of local artists at 5 p.m. Friday, July 21.
Solo shows include Donna Caulton, Gregory Foster, Brooke Gassiot, Jason Haase and David Gaut, Sue Hardy, Paula Hendricks, Suzanne Hubbard, Karen Kent, Rachael Osborn, and Deborah Taylor.
See steel, bronze and metal sculptures, prints, mixed media, oil and acrylic paintings, and one very large hand-crafted tapestry. These exhibits will all run through Aug. 6. For more information, visit vashoncenterforthearts.org.
Close Encounters
Check out the upcoming schedule for the Night Light Drive-In at Open Space for Arts & Community, now in full swing on summer nights. It’s old-fashioned fun for the whole family.
The sci-fi classic, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” will play at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 21 and 22. Get tickets and find out more at vashontheatre.com.
Circus comes to town
Up Up Up Inc., a traveling troupe of seven circus performers hailing from Bellingham, Seattle, and beyond, is set to captivate audiences from 6 to 7:30 p.m. next Saturday, July 22, at Open Space for Arts & Community.
Comprising aerialists, musicians, acrobats, clowns, and illusionists, the ensemble presents a show that organizers say is enchanting and comical, transcending language barriers for a diverse audience. The performance will offer an accessible and inclusive experience for audience members of all linguistic backgrounds — a delightful experience filled with acrobatic displays, live music, mesmerizing illusions, and a plethora of other remarkable circus acts.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit openspacevashon.com.
Fiddler on the Roof, Jr.
A cast comprised, with only two exceptions, of performers over the age of 50 will take the stage at Vashon Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 28 and 29, in a special, one-hour production of “Fiddler on the Roof, Jr.” directed by Marita and Elise Ericksen. (See page 7, “Singing is something that gets even better with age.”)
The cast — an array of local thespians and singers, includes Jean Richstad (Fiddler), Mark Wells (Tevye), Shannon Flora (Golde), Holly Johnson (Tzeitel, daughter), Julia Gardener (Hodel, daughter), Lauri Hennessey (Chava, daughter), Joy Ghigleri (Matchmaker) and many others. Find out more and get tickets at vashoncenterforthearts.org.
Talks on the Rock
Melissa Riker, choreographer and artistic director of Kinesis Project dance theatre, a large-scale outdoor dance company based in New York City and Seattle, will discuss the research and creative process behind her most recent dance work, “Capacity, or: The Work of Crackling,” at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at VCA.
Riker’s interest in the parallels between rocks and our own human tendencies led to a collaboration with award-winning geoscientist Dr. Martha (Missy) Cary-Eppes, Opera on Tap, and Anti-Social Music, creating what the collaborators now refer to as a “dance of geological proportions.”
A second “Talk on the Rock” featuring Lori Tsugawa Whaley will delve into the profound impact of the Samurai Code. This discussion will take place at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at VCA.
Whaley, an author, speaker, life coach, and storyteller, will draw upon her personal journey of using Bushido, the code of ethics followed by ancient Japanese samurai warriors, to overcome a traumatic brain injury. She will demonstrate how this code — encompassing values such as courage, integrity, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, and loyalty — can serve as a guiding light in navigating the challenges of our rapidly changing world.
Whaley is a third-generation Japanese American and a descendant of a samurai warrior. Her presentations have graced TEDx stages, universities, libraries, and cultural venues across the West Coast, making her a prominent advocate for the code of Bushido.
Purchase tickets at vashoncenterforthearts.org for both talks.
