Can I CELEBRATE something with you? I’m really excited about this and proud of what I’ve created. Will you join me?
https://bit.ly/bitesizedcomfort042020
It’s no April Fool’s joke, I just didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to start talking about it. Promise! I hope you’ll join me. – Keridwyn
“In solidarity, we distance,” my friend Angelica Kushi shared in her Facebook Live video today. While we’re physically distancing, this is an opportunity for us to socially connect – online. We’re staying in (unless we are one of the heroes working a front line job to keep the community alive). We’re keeping ourselves 6 feet or more away from others in the necessary times we do go out. We’re discovering new ways to experience life from indoors. We are voicing and naming our feelings, mitigating our stress and anxiety, and finding the “bright spots” where we can.
It is imperative for our wellbeing, for our own self-care and for our ability to show up for others, that we do things to relax and recharge when we can. Reach out to others and offer support. Be a helper. And prioritize your own self-care too. Take time to breathe deep throughout the day. And find ways to play, explore, and experience delight. Your brain needs you to keep these healthy, play-seeking, gratitude-seeking neuropathways going now more than ever.
I wanted to share a few free virtual events and experiences with you today:
Ebooks and Audiobooks from the Library
Got a library card? Download the Libby app and sign up with your card – you’ll be able to check out ebooks and audiobooks for free. If you need help with the technology, reach out to a friend to walk you through it over the phone (or message me if you don’t have someone to turn to and I’ll pair you with a helper).
See what the Sea Otters are up to
The Seattle Aquarium offers webcams of the Sea Otters and Harbor Seals!
We Heart “The Stranger”
The Stranger has collected an awesome list of virtual events for us – check out their full list. This page shares virtual events for tonight/Friday/Saturday/Sunday and ongoing dates. You’ll want to subscribe to get future updates from them.
Free Hypnosis Session
Join me Sunday as I host a free hypnosis session online “Mindful Hands: keep your hands comfortably away from your face.” If you can’t make it Sunday, you’ll be able to watch the replay. Join my free Reframe Your Brain Facebook group here for details. (If you aren’t on FB and want access to this recording, drop me a message at keridwyn.com/contact)
Dance it out
Dance Church is offering their next fab-energy dance workout event on March 22 at 10am. Free (donations welcome). Live stream will be here. Learn more about Dance Church here. (I’m going to be in an online class at that time but hope to make the next one – not sure what the dates are yet.) If you attend, I want to hear about it!
Reach out to others
Reach out to friends and even acquaintances that may need more connection. Think about which friends who are “distancing in solidarity” and living solo (or with a roommate situation that is tricky for them). Consider what folks of older ages you know and see how they’re doing (maybe ask if they need any support with learning how to video chat or other tech needs you can walk them through on the phone). Seeing each other’s faces gives us more feelings of connection than just texts or even phone calls. This is the time to connect, as we distance in solidarity.
Angelica Kushi’s Online Yoga Class
My lovely friend Angelica (who I quoted at the top of this post) is hosting a yoga class ($9 suggested or pay what you can) on 3/20 and 3/23 at 9am Pacific Time on Zoom. She’s also offering great rates if you prefer a one-on-one session with her. Details here.
By Keridwyn Deller
As we protect ourselves and our community, the next few Seattle Pockets blog posts will focus on a “Staying In” theme.
Got a favorite show, movie, book, game, podcast, craft project, local artist, a local restaurant or shop that offers delivery, fun idea for connecting with friends virtually, or other “Staying In” experience you want to be featured on Seattle Pockets?
Share your ideas or short reviews with me by either:
I’m also looking for a few guest bloggers – if you want to write short review (a paragraph or a few sentences), let me know. I’m going to be creating a few round-ups with suggestions from fellow Seattleites. I’ve got a lot of ideas for this and would love you to share yours as well!
I look forward to hearing from you!
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez
By Keridwyn Deller
The Paramount and Seattle Theatre Group have announced The 2020/2021 Premera Blue Cross Broadway at The Paramount season of musicals! The blogger team here at Seattle Pockets is likely to review most if not all of the shows at the Paramount in downtown Seattle and there are so many we’re looking forward to! Subscription renewals are on sale now and new subscriptions will be available later in March. Details here.
Here’s the lineup, in their own words:
“The season kicks off with the critically acclaimed smash-hit musical THE BAND’S VISIT, featuring the story of a band that arrives lost in a remote town to which they bring new life with their music. This is followed by the Season Option, the joyful show for all ages, BLUE MAN GROUP.
Next, the holiday season gets into gear with IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS, a lavish new production and a must-see for the holidays. Then, we ring in the new year with AIN’T TOO PROUD – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS an electrifying story following the Temptations’ extraordinary rise to stardom.
The season continues with Lincoln Center Theater’s new production of a timeless classic musical, LERNER & LOEWE’S MY FAIR LADY, which is followed by another new production of an iconic musical phenomenon, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.
Late spring features six weeks of HAMILTON, back by popular demand. Featuring an award-winning creative team and based on the beloved 1990’s hit movie, PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL concludes the season.”
I saw Hamilton when it was in town last time and it was phenomenal. I would absolutely go see this again but since my mom, Seattle Pockets reviewer Jeanne Deller, hasn’t had a chance to see it yet, she’ll be sharing her review of the show this time around (Mom and Dad – have a blast! I know you will).
Beyond Hamilton (the crown jewel of the season and reason alone to get a season subscription), I’m most excited to see Jesus Christ Superstar (one of my favorite musical scores of all time) and Ain’t Too Proud (I love the music of The Temptations and songs of this era and the show looks promising based on this New York Times review). I’m also looking forward to a date night with my hubby to see My Fair Lady as it will fun nostalgia for him. (Fun fact: Brandon played Colonel Pickering in his 8th grade production. Cute!)
What musicals from the Broadway at the Paramount’s season are you most excited to see? What do you know about 2018 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, The Band’s Visit? Post in the blog comments or share in the comments on Seattle Pockets’ Facebook Page. I look forward to hearing from you!
For more information, visit www.STGPresents.org/Broadway.
P.S. I’m also so stoked to see The Play That Goes Wrong in April of this year (part of the 19/20 Season)! I hear great things.
Pictured: Ain’t Too Proud. Photo by Matthew Murphy
Review by Melissa Morgan
Make way for Bliss! Fun from the start with catchy tunes and hilarious dialogue, Bliss is a new original tale at The 5th Avenue Theater. It is a delightful, hilarious, and empowering new take on the princess fairy tale. With great costuming, stage design, and music, audiences are left laughing and cheering as the story unfolds.
Bliss centers around four princesses Piper (Gizel Jiménez), Faye (Kristolyn Lloyd), Carmella (Katy Geraghty) and Holly (Claire Neumann) who sneak out of their tower to explore the world. Along the way, they meet Sir Pincus Glimmermore their fairy godfather (Mario Cantone), the handsome Prince Devon (Conor Ryan), a non-magical cobbler Toby (John-Michael Lyles), and a unicorn named Stacy. The cast does a great job of entertaining while exploring what it means to be an empowered woman and a fairy tale princess. The sisters fight, make up, talk to worms instead of small birds, and help others discover that Princesses can be whatever they want along the way.
With a standout cast, great score, and refreshing take on the princess tale, Bliss is sure to be a hit for years to come. At The 5th Avenue Theatre in downtown Seattle now through Feb 23rd, 2020. Get your tickets today!
Photo via 5th Avenue Theatre Facebook Page
by Keridwyn Deller
The Children’s Film Festival Seattle is the West Coast’s largest film festival for kids ages 3 – 16. Now in its 15th year, the Children’s Film Festival Seattle is a cinematic extravaganza that celebrates the best and brightest in international films for children, including animation, feature-length films, short films, and hands-on workshops. Each year, Northwest Film Forum selects children’s films from dozens of countries, reaching more than 10,000 people during festival screenings in Seattle and a subsequent festival tour of 20-25 U.S. cities.
Tickets and full schedule at http://childrensfilmfestival.org
Going to the Children’s Film Festival Seattle has been a tradition in my family for many years now, with my mom and dad taking their youngest granddaughter (who is now 13 and looks forward to this each year) to multiple movies during one of the film fest’s weekends. I invite you to start your own tradition this year, by taking the kiddos in your life (whether it’s your own kids, nieces and nephews, or family friends). Know friends who have kids? Please share this blog post with them to help get the word out about this special festival.
The films from around the world that the Children’s Film Festival Seattle includes in their lineup are both affordable and incredibly memorable.
I asked my mom to send me her thoughts on the film festival. She wrote, “The Children’s Film Festival Seattle is one of those events we never miss. Fun, stimulating, thought-provoking international films that raise awareness and benefit humanity across the globe. The Children’s Film Festival Seattle is our most treasured yearly Christmas gift for our now-teen granddaughter.”
Learn more about the Children’s Film Festival on their website and Facebook page.
In their own words:
FEATURE FILM HIGHLIGHTS
In addition to live-action features such as “H is for Happiness,” a quirky and funny new drama from Australia, and “Rocca Changes the World,” about a young German girl who will stop at nothing to prove her independence, the following feature film programs are especially of note:
MOVING STORIES (U.S.)
Friday, February 28 – 7:00pm at Northwest Film Forum
Moving Stories, a feature film for ages 9+, tells the story of six diverse dancers from an acclaimed New York dance company, which travels the world working with at-risk youth. The film is a travelogue of world issues, with stops in Romania, South Korea, Iraq, and Israel, but it is also a gripping show-business saga, showing both novice and professional dancers working against the odds to get their performances ready in time for the curtain. The film will be preceded by an interactive and all-ages audience dance experience, leading the audience from our lobby into the theater. WATCH THE TRAILER
TEAM MARCO (U.S.)
West Coast Premiere w/ filmmakers in attendance!
Directed by Julio Vincent Gambuto, Team Marco the story of an 11-year-old boy obsessed with electronics — who discovered the delights of real-time companionship with his father, as he introduces him to the bocce, one of the world’s oldest games.
THE KINGS OF MULBERRY STREET (South Africa)
West Coast Premiere!
This debut feature from South African director Judy Naidoo is a high energy romp through the fictional neighborhood of Sugarhill District, in South Africa. The film’s heroes are two boys of Indian heritage who are in love with Bollywood — and find echoes of that film genre’s dramatic and musical plots in their own lives as they confront a crime boss in their tight-knit neighborhood. WATCH THE TRAILER
ZARA AND THE MAGICAL FOOTBALL BOOTS (The Netherlands)
Presented in partnership with CAIR-WA
A high-energy film that tells the story of Zara, a nine-year-old girl in an asylum seeker’s refugee camp, who discovers an otherworldly way to play soccer like a pro. Outside of its well-known lead actors, the cast is made up of children who live in asylum centers in The Netherlands. WATCH THE TRAILER
MICROPLASTIC MADNESS (U.S.)
A documentary feature that shows the passion of young people to fight climate change and protect the environment. It follows a fifth-grade classroom from Red Hook, New York, as they learn from experts about the threat of microplastics in the world’s oceans, and become dedicated activists working to reverse a very complicated and environmental threat. WATCH THE TRAILER
SHORT FILM PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
23 amazing programs of short animated and live-action films feature bold thematic content that foster dialogue around current issues such as global migration (“Borders, Boundaries and Home”, co-presented with CAIR-WA), the environment ( “For the Planet” and “Earthwise”), and LGBTQ issues and identity (“Rainbow Roar,” co-presented with Gay City). Programs for our youngest festival audiences members will include gentle and often humorous animation in such programs as “Icing on the Cake,” “Caleidoscope,” promoting the ideals of friendship, empathy and understanding.
Review by Jeanne Kinley Deller
Rife with tension and off-beat humor, “The Children” confronts a generational dilemma facing three distressed scientists. Lucy Kirkwood, Playwright, and Tim Bond, Director, have tackled one of today’s toughest, most monumental issues and brought it to the stage with a cast of convincingly strong characters.
With his usual dynamic on-stage flair, Seattle’s R. Hamilton Wright wins the audience over in his role as Robin, a man who steals away daily to tend his cows after an environmental disaster. His wife Hazel, played by Jeanne Paulsen, embraces the home front to avoid catastrophic realities on the outside. Enter Rose, played by Carmen Roman, and you have a convoluted narrative of triangulation amid decades of monumental decision-making gone wrong.
While “The Children” speaks clearly to those who are acutely aware of a “looming climate crisis” (Director Tim Bond’s words), many fail to understand or admit that our children’s future is fraught with disaster if we continue on the familiar path. One can only hope this subtle, yet extremely complex production will travel far and wide to raise awareness of the need to act quickly. Accolades to Seattle Rep for bringing this topic to their stage – may they profoundly enlighten the Universe!
“The Children” is currently on stage at Seattle Rep, running through March 15th, 2020, for your enlightenment. Tickets here.
Photo by Nate Watters
