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Minecraft: The Exhibition World Premiere Coming to Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture

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MoPOP celebrates Minecraft’s 10th Anniversary by bringing its virtual 
landscape to life October 19, 2019
 The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is pleased to present
Minecraft: The Exhibition, opening to the public on October 19, 2019. Designed for players and non-players of all ages, the exhibition celebrates the game’s 10th anniversary by exploring how Minecraft has developed into a platform for unlimited creative expression, community-crafting, and inspiration to build a better world outside of the game.
Created in partnership with Mojang, Minecraft: The Exhibition is dynamic and immersive featuring life-size Minecraft creatures, scenic backdrops, a day-night lighting cycle, audio effects, and a gallery score. The exhibition will span over 6,000 square feet of the museum and is among the most ambitious exhibitions produced by MoPOP, offering fans of all ages the opportunity to experience the best-selling game of all time like never before.
“We are thrilled to co-create Minecraft: The Exhibition with Mojang and host the world premiere at MoPOP,” said Brooks Peck, Senior Curator of MoPOP, “Minecraft is not only a game that allows for unlimited creativity and exchange of ideas, it also promotes inclusiveness and equality, which are core to MoPOP’s mission.”  
Since 2009, Minecraft has not only become the best-selling game, it has also grown into a pop culture phenomenon by connecting millions of fans across the globe. “We wanted to bring Minecraft to life in the museum to explore it more deeply, celebrate its community, and share this important phenomenon with the world,” added Brooks Peck. 
“We’re so excited about this collaboration with MoPOP because it gives everyone a chance to see the world of Minecraft through a new lens. We can’t wait to see what the community thinks of Minecraft: The Exhibition,” said Lydia Winters, Chief Brand Officer at Mojang.
In the exhibition, visitors will feel as if they have stepped inside the blocky world of Minecraft, with scenes, patterns, colors, and textures being informed by actual in-game builds. The gallery will feature 15 life-size characters from the game, including the explosive Creeper and mysterious Enderman. Visitors will receive a hands-on experience at a real-life crafting table and face off against a groaning Minecraft Zombie. It also features game stations where players can try the game as well as explore some epic and elaborate creations from the community. Numerous exhibition films with interviews with the game’s creative team, builders, and community members show how Minecraft inspires creative exchanges, community creation, and social change.
Fans can purchase tickets to Minecraft: The Exhibition starting September 17, 2019 at MoPOP.org/Minecraft. The exhibition will remain on view until September 2020. 
KEY DATES:
  • Exhibition Tickets On-sale: September 17, 2019
  • Exhibition Press Preview: October 16, 2019
  • MoPOP Member Exclusive Preview: October 18, 2019 
  • Exhibition Opening Weekend Celebration (open to the public): October 19, 2019 
For more information, visit MoPOP.org/Minecraft
PHOTOS/VIDEO
For available artwork please visit the Press Room here.
# # #
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE (MoPOP)
MoPOP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle with a mission to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities. MoPOP reaches multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, community events, and educational programs, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the pop culture of our time. For more information, visit www.MoPOP.org
ABOUT MOJANG
Mojang is a game development studio based in Sweden, best known for developing Minecraft. In 2014, Mojang joined Xbox Game Studios to continue work on Minecraft and bring their vision, creative energy and innovative mindset to the development of future games.
ABOUT MINECRAFT
With over 91 million unique Minecraft players engaged across all platforms and over 176 million copies sold worldwide, Minecraft is the best-selling video game in history. The Minecraft franchise continues to reach new players through an expanding line of consumer products, game updates, Minecraft Marketplace and the amazing content created by its vibrant and growing community. Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures, and we’re excited to see its world expand with new games like “Minecraft Dungeons” and “Minecraft Earth,” Minecraft: Education Edition is a special version of the game designed for schools and educational settings, supporting 21st Century learning across subjects from coding to chemistry

MoPOP celebrates Minecraft’s 10th Anniversary by bringing its virtual 
landscape to life October 19, 2019
Seattle, WA (September 12, 2019) – The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is pleased to present
Minecraft: The Exhibition, opening to the public on October 19, 2019. Designed for players and non-players of all ages, the exhibition celebrates the game’s 10th anniversary by exploring how Minecraft has developed into a platform for unlimited creative expression, community-crafting, and inspiration to build a better world outside of the game.
Created in partnership with Mojang, Minecraft: The Exhibition is dynamic and immersive featuring life-size Minecraft creatures, scenic backdrops, a day-night lighting cycle, audio effects, and a gallery score. The exhibition will span over 6,000 square feet of the museum and is among the most ambitious exhibitions produced by MoPOP, offering fans of all ages the opportunity to experience the best-selling game of all time like never before.
“We are thrilled to co-create Minecraft: The Exhibition with Mojang and host the world premiere at MoPOP,” said Brooks Peck, Senior Curator of MoPOP, “Minecraft is not only a game that allows for unlimited creativity and exchange of ideas, it also promotes inclusiveness and equality, which are core to MoPOP’s mission.”  
Since 2009, Minecraft has not only become the best-selling game, it has also grown into a pop culture phenomenon by connecting millions of fans across the globe. “We wanted to bring Minecraft to life in the museum to explore it more deeply, celebrate its community, and share this important phenomenon with the world,” added Brooks Peck. 
“We’re so excited about this collaboration with MoPOP because it gives everyone a chance to see the world of Minecraft through a new lens. We can’t wait to see what the community thinks of Minecraft: The Exhibition,” said Lydia Winters, Chief Brand Officer at Mojang.
In the exhibition, visitors will feel as if they have stepped inside the blocky world of Minecraft, with scenes, patterns, colors, and textures being informed by actual in-game builds. The gallery will feature 15 life-size characters from the game, including the explosive Creeper and mysterious Enderman. Visitors will receive a hands-on experience at a real-life crafting table and face off against a groaning Minecraft Zombie. It also features game stations where players can try the game as well as explore some epic and elaborate creations from the community. Numerous exhibition films with interviews with the game’s creative team, builders, and community members show how Minecraft inspires creative exchanges, community creation, and social change.
Fans can purchase tickets to Minecraft: The Exhibition starting September 17, 2019 at MoPOP.org/Minecraft. The exhibition will remain on view until September 2020. 
KEY DATES:
  • Exhibition Tickets On-sale: September 17, 2019
  • Exhibition Press Preview: October 16, 2019
  • MoPOP Member Exclusive Preview: October 18, 2019 
  • Exhibition Opening Weekend Celebration (open to the public): October 19, 2019 
For more information, visit MoPOP.org/Minecraft
PHOTOS/VIDEO
For available artwork please visit the Press Room here.
# # #
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE (MoPOP)
MoPOP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle with a mission to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities. MoPOP reaches multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, community events, and educational programs, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the pop culture of our time. For more information, visit www.MoPOP.org
ABOUT MOJANG
Mojang is a game development studio based in Sweden, best known for developing Minecraft. In 2014, Mojang joined Xbox Game Studios to continue work on Minecraft and bring their vision, creative energy and innovative mindset to the development of future games.
ABOUT MINECRAFT
With over 91 million unique Minecraft players engaged across all platforms and over 176 million copies sold worldwide, Minecraft is the best-selling video game in history. The Minecraft franchise continues to reach new players through an expanding line of consumer products, game updates, Minecraft Marketplace and the amazing content created by its vibrant and growing community. Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures, and we’re excited to see its world expand with new games like “Minecraft Dungeons” and “Minecraft Earth,” Minecraft: Education Edition is a special version of the game designed for schools and educational settings, supporting 21st Century learning across subjects from coding to chemistry

Annual Othello International Festival Brings the World to Rainier Valley

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Annual Othello International Festival Brings the World to Rainier Valley

Acclaimed as one of the most authentic multicultural festivals in Seattle, the annual Othello International Festival will convene again this year on Sunday, August 11 from noon to 6:00PM.

Known to be one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the nation, the Rainier Valley is home to speakers of over 59 different languages from China to Somalia, from the Philippines to Samoa and across the world. The Othello International Festival brings these communities together to share their music, dance, and artistic traditions under a high canopy of trees in the pastoral setting of Othello Park. Booths feature local businesses, community organizations, and multi-cultural food vendors surrounding the Park’s beautiful meadow where a dance floor invites attendees to join in the fun and learn from one another.

The Park is located just one short block from the Othello light rail station. Besides filling the Park, the festivities will spill across Othello Street onto the Holly Park Community Church grounds where the Seattle Police Department will be holding its annual picnic.

Over recent years, Othello has come to be identified by this unique event with its colorful array of traditional costumes, dance, music, gymnastics, martial arts, giant puppets, petting zoo with camel, big bouncy houses, ethnic food trucks, art creation stations where participants can create their own art works to take home. “Othello without its Othello International Festival would be like Munich without its October Fest,” said Dick Burkhart, a long time Othello neighborhood activist. “There are lots of fun things happening in our Park these days, but this International Festival is an annual signature event that brings the whole community together.”

A visitor from London once said of the Othello International Festival, “I came here, and I saw the world.” Truly this event is a tiny microcosm of what should be happening on the entire planet. It is a coming together of people from many nationalities to be together as one community sharing their art, music, dance, and cultural pride.

FLMTQ Release #140: Trouble the Water

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Kimberly Rivers Roberts is a 24-year-old aspiring rapper living with her husband Scott in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward.  Kim has recently acquired a $20 consumer-grade camcorder; days prior to the arrival of Hurricane Katrina she wanders her neighborhood interviewing locals, asking them if they’re scared, why they haven’t evacuated.  “It’s going to be a day to remember,” she remarks.  As the storm makes landfall and the levee breaks, flooding the city in contaminated water, Kim continues filming—chronicling dramatic rescues and harrowing returns to the city’s devastated outer-districts.

Comprised of Kim’s own footage alongside contemporary news reels and official government statements regarding Hurricane Katrina, Trouble the Water elucidates the potential of ecological crisis to further entrench America’s hierarchies of race and power.  Carl Deal and Tia Lessen’s joint-directorial debut premiered at Sundance, where it won the Grand Jury Prize; Silverdocs, where it won an Honorable Mention; and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, where it won both the Jury Award and the Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights.  Trouble the Water was also nominated for Emmys in Outstanding Informational Programming – Long Form and Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Research, as well as the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

 
WATCH NOW

Ethnic Fest has been celebrating culture & community for Over 30 years!

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Metro Parks. Wright Park Ethnic Fest 2018 Photos by Russ Carmack.

July 27-28, 2019
Noon – 7 pm

Wright Park
501 South I St., Tacoma, WA

Ethnic Fest has been celebrating culture & community for Over 30 years! Enjoy two full days of music, dance, art, and foods from around the world.

Since 1986 Ethnic Fest has grown to become the largest celebration of culture and community in Tacoma. Voted the best festival of the South Sound; this year Ethnic Fest takes place Saturday, July 27 – Sunday, July 28 from Noon to 7 pm at historic Wright Park in Tacoma, WA.

This family-friendly, free festival has grown in size and hosts Kid’s Zones, hands-on cultural activities and experiences, performer stage, as well as numerous specialty arts and crafts, food, and information vendor booths. This year’s festival will also include a 3 on 3 basketball tournament, for Youth (15U) and Adaptive Recreation divisions.

Vendors and performers

Basketball Tournament

 

Seattle’s multicultural history comes alive in Sara Porkalob’s newest play… A True Must See

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(Clockwise from left) Sarah Russell will play Ada, Corinne Magin will play Min, Van Lang Pham will play James, Anasofia Gallegos will play Lee andAaron Jin will play Robert, as well as leading the live band on keys.

Café Nordo Presents
A WORLD PREMIERE PLAY WITH FOOD AND MUSIC

7th and Jackson

The vibrant, multicultural history of Seattle’s International District comes alive in Sara Porkalob’s latest work at Nordo’s Culinarium

July 19 – August 11, 2019  – Tickets on sale now

Café Nordo is proud to present the world premiere of 7th and Jackson created by award-winning theatrical creator Sara Porkalob (The Dragon Cycle). Set in the early 1960s, it’s an intimate experience that transports audiences to Seattle’s vibrant and multicultural International District and, true to Café Nordo’s signature format, blends authentic jazz, ethnic cuisine and unforgettable history for a full-sensory experience
like no other. 7th and Jackson runs July 19 – August 11, 2019 at
Café Nordo’s Culinarium and tickets are on sale now.

 

“I wanted to write a play about Seattle’s International District in the 1940’s because most of the stories I heard, read, and seen about that time period focused specifically on the Japanese community in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor,” said creator Sara Porkalob. “And, I wanted to dive deeper into what life was like for the other ethnic enclaves of the period.”

 

7th and Jackson follows three best friends with big dreams of owning their own jazz club. As the 1961 grand opening of the club 7th and Jackson progresses, the childhood history of Lee, Min and Ada is revealed. Despite the bombing of Pearl Harbor, WWII and rising tensions in their neighborhood, these young women remain determined in their pursuit of the American Dream.

 

“The beating heart of my play is the friendship between three young women: one of them Black woman, one of them Filipina, and the other Korean. These diverse friendships existed during this time period and I want to shine a light on their rich existence.” Porkalob continues. “This era was a tumultuous time in American history and it’s important that I contribute to our historical narrative from the perspective of women and people of color. So much and so little has changed in our American Landscape since then.”

 

THE FOOD: Heavily influenced by true stories of Seattle’s 7th Avenue and the International District food scene of the early 60s, this 4-course menu, which is included in the ticket price, explores cultural diaspora from street food to family meals. Inspired and informed by the cuisines native to and emergent from Seattle’s historic communities of color, including International District/Chinatown and the Central District, the menu pays homage to this cuisine history in Nordo’s signature style of interactive plating.”

 

THE MUSIC: With Musical Direction by Andrew Pang, 7th and Jackson treats our guests to live renditions of soulful era classics including memorable songs from The Andrews Sisters, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald.

 

THEATRICAL CREDITS

Director and Playwright: Sara Porkalob

Executive Chef: Erin Brindley

Menu Design: Christian Rosso

Musical Director: Andrew Pang

Actors: Corinne Magin, Anasofia Gallegos, Aaron Jin, Sarah Russell, Van Lang Pham

Set Design: Lex Marcos

Sound Design: Evan Mosher

Costume Design: Katrina Hess

Properties: Robin Macartney

Lighting Design: Emily Leong

 

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS:

 

WHAT: On Friday nights, three best friends meet in the alley outside their favorite place, an underground Seattle jazz club hosting touring jazz legends, home to raucous gambling, and even louder dinner parties. Lee, Min, and Ada are unlikely playmates but they all share the same dream: to own and run their own restaurant and jazz club. When the bombing of Pearl Harbor and rising WWII tensions tear apart their homes, they make a sacred promise to keep their dream alive. Spanning three decades, 7th and Jackson pairs local history with cultural diaspora and live music, all served on one plate.

 

WHERE:

Nordo’s Culinarium,

109 South Main Street,

Seattle WA 98104

206-209-2002

 

WHEN:

July 19 – August 11, 2019

Wednesday – Saturday 7:30pm

Sundays at 6:00pm

 

TICKETS:

$79.00 includes the performance and a prix fixe menu. Beverage and cocktail service additional.

*Suitable for audiences 18 and older

Online Box Office:  bit.ly/7thJacksonNordo

Arts in Parks provides free events, public art installations, and art series at parks around Seattle this summer!

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The 2019 Arts in Parks brochure has arrived! Download it here: http://ow.ly/yxBR50uK4Fg

The Arts in Parks program supports new and established community festivals, art happenings and music concerts that enliven Seattle parks by promoting arts and culture, celebrating diversity, building community connections and energizing parks while connecting with underserved communities. Arts in Parks is an initiative of Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Office of Arts & Culture. All events are free and open to the public. Learn more here.

“The Arts in Parks program brings our parks to life with an array of local art pieces, performances and cultural events that celebrate Seattle’s diverse communities,” said Jesús Aguirre, Superintendent, Seattle Parks and Recreation. “This program is presented in partnership with the Office of Arts & Culture and is a wonderful example of how we collaborate to bring new and innovative opportunities to serve all Seattle residents. Arts in Parks activities are free and open to all, and offer a fun and unique way to explore the city’s parks. I hope everyone has the chance to get out this summer and experience this program and the incredible art and beautiful open spaces our city has to offer!”.

 

7th and Jackson The vibrant, multicultural history of Seattle’s International District comes alive in Sara Porkalob’s latest work at Nordo’s Culinarium

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Café Nordo Presents
A WORLD PREMIERE PLAY WITH FOOD AND MUSIC
7th and Jackson
The vibrant, multicultural history of Seattle’s International District comes alive in Sara Porkalob’s latest work at Nordo’s Culinarium
July 19 – August 11, 2019 – Tickets on sale now
Café Nordo is proud to present the world premiere of 7th and Jacksoncreated by award-winning theatrical creator Sara Porkalob (The Dragon Cycle). Set in the early 1960s, it’s an intimate experience that transports audiences to Seattle’s vibrant and multicultural International District and, true to Café Nordo’s signature format, blends authentic jazz, ethinc cuisine and unforgettable history for a full-sensory experience like no other. 7th and Jackson runs July 19 – August 11, 2019 at Café Nordo’s Culinarium and tickets are on sale now.
“I wanted to write a play about Seattle’s International District in the 1940’s because most of the stories I heard, read, and seen about that time period focused specifically on the Japanese community in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor,” said creator Sara Porkalob. “And, I wanted to dive deeper into what life was like for the other ethnic enclaves of the period.”
7th and Jackson follows three best friends with big dreams of owning their own jazz club. As the 1961 grand opening of the club 7th and Jackson progresses, the childhood history of Lee, Min and Ada is revealed. Despite the bombing of Pearl Harbor, WWII and rising tensions in their neighborhood, these young women remain determined in their pursuit of the American Dream.
“The beating heart of my play is the friendship between three young women: one of them Black woman, one of them Filipina, and the other Korean. These diverse friendships existed during this time period and I want to shine a light on their rich existence.” Porkalob continues. “This era was a tumultuous time in American history and it’s important that I contribute to our historical narrative from the perspective of women and people of color. So much and so little has cahnged in our American Landscape since then.”
THE FOOD: Heavily influenced by true stories of Seattle’s 7th Avenue and the International District food scene of the early 60s, this 4-course menu, which is included in the ticket price, explores cultural diaspora from street food to family meals. Inspired and informed by the cuisines native to and emergent from Seattle’s historic communities of color, including International District/Chinatown and the Central District, the menu pays homage to this cuisine history in Nordo’s signature style of interactive plating.”
THE MUSIC: With Musical Direction by Andrew Pang, 7th and Jackson treats our guests to live renditions of soulful era classics including memorable songs from The Andrews Sisters, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald.
THEATRICAL CREDITS
Director and Playwright: Sara Porkalob
Executive Chef: Erin Brindley
Menu Design: Christian Rosso
Musical Director: Andrew Pang
Actors: Corinne Magin, Anasofia Gallegos, Aaron Jin, Sarah Russell, Van Lang Pham
Set Design: Lex Marcos
Sound Design: Evan Mosher
Costume Design: Katrina Hess
Properties: Robin Macartney
Lighting Design: Emily Leong

Festival Sundiata Black Arts Fest

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The board of Festival Sundial would like to invite you to join with us in supporting Festival Sundiata presents “Black Arts Fest ′: This will be a wonderful family event held at Seattle Center . The festival celebrates the arts and educates the community about people of African descent who form a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. The festival will encompass, music, spoken word, food, vendors, information, employment opportunities an incredible art exhibition and sale, drill team exhibition, and much, much, more. Millions of people have been touched by the Festival Sundiata experience and come back annually. The free programs will be even more entertaining, with great production value and classic performances. Most importantly, Festival Sundiata creates an opportunity to bring families and diverse communities together in unprecedented ways.

Ultimate Art Experience at Festival Sundiata

The Ultimate Art Experience is a glimpse into the talent, imagination, experiences and artistic world of African American artists. This is an opportunity for our visitors to experience these creations up close and personal. Friday night during the weekend of Festival Sundiata Black Arts Fest there will be a reception where the opportunity to meet the artists and hear their stories will be afforded to all. Festival Sundiata has a tradition of presenting breathtaking art and this year will be no different as we carry-on the tradition. One of the advantages of Festival Sundiata’s Ultimate Art Experience is the art will be available for purchase. There are many components to Festival Sundiata and the campus of Seattle Center spans many acres, however the Ultimate Art Experience is a not to be missed component, make sure you take in the Ultimate Art Experience. Our Art Curator is Ms. Kimberly Ann Phillips

Full Company Announced in West Coast Premiere of Seattle Rep’s NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN

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Full Company Announced in West Coast Premiere of Seattle Rep’s
NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN
by Christina Ham
directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton
west coast premiere
“Simmering and imperious” –The Washington Post
 Seattle Rep today announced the complete casting for its highly anticipated west coast premiere production of Christina Ham’s Nina Simone: Four Women, a celebration of the life and journey of one of America’s most iconic singers and civil rights activists. When “The High Priestess of Soul” Nina Simone heard about the tragic bombing deaths of four young girls in an Alabama church in 1963, the songstress turned to her music as a means of expressing the country’s agony. In Nina Simone: Four Women, Ham uses Simone’s “Four Women” as the framework to explore Simone’s shift from artist to artist-activist through storytelling, debate, and music, immersing audiences in the complex harmony of protest. Nina Simone: Four Women is directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton and runs April 26 – June 2, 2019 (opening night is May 1) on the Bagley Wright stage. Single tickets are on sale now (starting at $17) and are available through the Seattle Rep Box Office at 206.443.2222 or online at SeattleRep.org.
Seattle-based theatre artist, filmmaker, and musician Shontina Vernon (ACT Theatre; Intiman Theatre) joins the cast in the title role of Nina Simone alongside Gregory and Footlight Award-winner Shaunyce Omaaar (The 5th Avenue Theatre, Village Theatre) as Sarah, Britney Simpson (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival; Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse) as Sephronia, and Porscha Shaw (Seattle Shakespeare Company) as Sweet Thing.
“It is a joy to be in the room with these artists,” director Valerie Curtis-Newton states. “We are all experiencing in its making exactly what we hope the audience will experience in viewing it – the discovery and celebration of the complexity and beauty of black women in the world. It is also a play about healing. Healing in order to join together to make a difference to confront the hostile world we face every day. It is a call to recognize those who came before us and to honor them by taking action.”
The creative team for Nina Simone: Four Women includes Jennifer Zeyl (Scenic Designer), Stephen Michael Newby (Music Director/Composer) L.B. Morse (Projection Designer), Matt Starritt (Sound Designer), Melanie Burgess (Costume Designer), and Dani Tirrell (Choreographer).
                                                           
ABOUT CHRISTINA HAM (PLAYWRIGHT)
Christina Ham was named one of “The Top 20 Most-Produced Playwrights of the 2018-19 Season” by American Theatre magazine. She is a two-time recipient of a McKnight Fellowship in Playwriting and a Jerome Fellowship from the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis, She has received commissions from The Guthrie Theater, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Kennedy Center, among many others. Her plays are published by Dramatic Publishing, PlayScripts, Inc., and Oberon Books. A graduate of the University of Southern California with a M.F.A. in Playwriting from The UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television, she is a member of The Kilroys, an advocacy group fighting for gender balance on the American stage. She is currently a Playwright-in-Residence at Pillsbury House Theatre and writes on the new Amazon horror anthology series Them: Covenant. www.christinaham.com
ABOUT VALERIE CURTIS-NEWTON (DIRECTOR)
Currently the Head of Performance – Directing at the University of Washington School of Drama, Valerie also serves as the Founding Artistic Director for The Hansberry Project, a professional African American theatre lab. She has worked with theatre’s across the country including: The Guthrie Theatre, Playmakers Repertory Comany, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, The Mark Taper Forum, New York Theatre Workshop, Tacoma Actors’ Guild, Southern Repertory Theatre, Capitol Repertory Theatre among others.
Awards:  2016: Seattle Times Footlight Award (Best in Show) 2014: Stranger Genius Awards in Performance and the Crosscut Courage Award for Culture; 2012: Gypsy Award for Excellence in Direction 2001: Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation’s (SDCF) Gielgud Directing Fellowship 1997-1999: NEA/TCG Career Development Fellowship  for Directors.                                                                                                        
April 26 – June 2, 2019
Performance times: Tuesday-Sunday 
Select Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday matinees at 2:00 p.m. and evening performances at 7:30 p.m. (no matinees during previews)
Opening Night: Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Bagley Wright Theatre, located at Seattle Center at the corner of Second Ave. and Mercer St., Seattle, Washington
 
Start at $17 – ON SALE NOW
Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ may be purchased by calling 206.443.2224. 
For ticket reservations, call the Seattle Repertory Theatre Box Office at 206.443.2222 or toll-free at 877.900.9285, or go online at seattlerep.org 
SeattleRep.org
Facebook – /SeattleRep
Instagram – @SeattleRep
Twitter – @SeattleRep
#SeattleRep #NinaSimoneFourWomen
About Seattle Repertory Theatre
Seattle Rep was founded in 1963 and is currently led by Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann. One of America’s premier not-for-profit resident theatres, Seattle Repertory Theatre has achieved international renown for its consistently high production and artistic standards, and was awarded the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. With an emphasis on entertaining plays of true dramatic and literary worth, Seattle Rep produces a season of plays along with educational programs, new play workshops, and special presentations.
Producing Sponsors for Nina Simone: Four Women are the National Endowment for the Arts, the Nesholm Family Foundation, The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, Matthew Bergman & Kimberly Burnett, Leslie & Dale Chihuly, Joan Cremin, Maryanne Tagney & David Jones, and Alida and Christopher Latham. The Producing Associate for the production is Clark Nuber. Seattle Repertory Theatre’s 2018/2019 Season is sponsored in part by ArtsFund.

April is Play Time at Seattle Center, Where No Two Visits are Alike

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April is play month at Seattle Center, with a fun and lively line-up of child-friendly activities to take families through the traditional spring break period and beyond.

The campus is abuzz with youthful goings-on at destinations like Artists at Play, International Fountain, Space Needle and Pottery Northwest featuring Student Show & Sale, April 5-26. International Children’s Friendship Festival, April 6-7, highlights the coming weekend and Movin’ Around the World: Spring the coming week, April 6-12. World Rhythm Festival fills several campus venues Saturday, April 20, and Seattle Center Festál: Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival returns April 26-28 to Fisher Pavilion and Armory.

Here are some additional opportunities to explore fun, family-oriented activities at Seattle Center this month:

Take time over the spring break to discover innovations and inventions that help create a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life, immerse yourself in debates about education, health and poverty and take action on a cause you care about at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discover Center. The Center commemorates the 19th Annual Pacific Islander heritage month in Washington State, 4 p.m., Saturday, April 20, with an elders’ welcome and blessing and a sacred tuba ceremony. The event offers Pacific Islander music and spoken word and traditional foods. Free and open to the public with RSVP.

Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m., presents several current and traveling exhibits for music, popular culture and science fiction enthusiasts of all ages. MoPOP holds its annual Spring Scout Day, Saturday, April 27, when visitors are encouraged to bring their troop, family and friends for an activity and leave with a fun patch (while supplies last). For more information, call 206-262-3420.

Pacific Science Center offers daily exhibits and activities in its many galleries and theaters. PSC’s Laser Dome offers a packed roster of shows that feature stunning laser imagery and powerful sound. Visitors may also blast-off to the outer reaches of the universe, explore the planets in our own solar system or learn about recent discoveries in the Willard Smith Planetarium. Or learn the latest on efforts to eradicate malaria in Uganda, while lifting communities out of poverty at Eradicating Malaria: The Big Fight Against Little Mosquitos, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Tuesday, April 9.

Kids can explore where food comes from and how it tastes, mix ingredients and create exothermic reactions and small explosions at Seattle Children’s Museum’s spring camp, Eat. Play. Learn! A special Earth Day Celebration, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, April 21,allows participants to explore what it means to use “clean energy,” with readings by local artist and author, Casey Ailes, and recycled super heroes. Discovery Days Camps are designed to meet a child’s varied needs, in half or full-day and even full week increments. Each camp day has a theme, along with science, art and cultural programming and activities for ages 4 to 10. 

Seattle Children’s Theatre presents Balloonacy, a wordless, situational comedy, in which The Old Man, who lives alone, prepares to celebrate his birthday. To his surprise, the solitary festivities are interrupted when a playful Red Balloon floats into his apartment, shaking up his normal routine, through May 5 in Eve Alvord Theatre, and The Diary of Anne Frank, a sobering true story of eight people living in hiding in Nazi occupied Holland during World War II, as seen through the eyes of 13-year-old Anne Frank, through May 19 in Charlotte Martin Theatre.

For more information on events and activities throughout the year at Seattle Center, visit: www.seattlecenter.org or call 206-684-7200.