Entertainment Guide to Seattle

Art

The patriarchs of the local art scene, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and its brother the Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM), have been pushing steadily away from exclusively showing antiquities to showcasing more contemporary art. At SAM, look for rotating modern art shows, and be sure to check out the Native American and African galleries. At SAAM, the vibe is quieter, but spectacular nonetheless.

The contemporary art shows at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington always have an academic background and a flair for challenging conceptions. The Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA) and a host of edgy galleries like James Harris and Greg Kucera, showcase young, impoverished, enthusiastic local talent. Check it all out during the monthly neighborhood Artwalks, during which galleries stay open late and serve wine and cheese. The Pioneer Square area hold its Artwalk on the first Thursday of every month, Capitol Hill follows suit on the first Saturday, Kirkland opens its doors on the second Thursday and Ballard rounds out the cycle on the second Saturday.

Cinema

Hollywood glitz rules the downtown scene at Pacific Place and the Meridian. Art-house funkiness rules Capitol Hill at the Egyptian Theatre and the Harvard Exit, and over the University District at the Neptune, the Varsity Theatre, the Seven Gables Theatre and the Grand Illusion. Those with various tastes can have fun at the various annual film festivals, where sneak previews of blockbusters play alongside obscure Yugoslavian flicks. The biggest festival is the Seattle International Film Festival, which takes the town over for three weeks in May and June. Also keep a lookout for the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.

Comedy

Admittedly, there are those who think watching nerdy Seattleites try to negotiate downtown with flapping rain ponchos and lattes in recycled, unbleached cups is comedy enough. But if you want something a bit more organized, try Giggles in the University District, where professionals take over the stage on the weekends.

Dance

Apart from the deservedly renowned Balanchine-school Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the beloved contemporary dance house On The Boards, good dance in Seattle is hard to come by on a regular basis. The best pickings include the University of Washington excellent World Music & Dance Series, which brings top-notch groups such as the Paul Taylor Dance Company into town every year.

Museums

The Frye Art Museum has a pleasant collection of 19th and 20th Century paintings, while the Museum of History and Industry covers the same time period but with its focus on Seattle's history. The Burke Museum and the Museum of Flight offer glimpses of natural history and Boeing science respectively, with towering artifacts (dinosaurs and airplanes, naturally) at both.

The history of Seattle's ethnic minorities gets a thoughtful, detailed look at the Wing Luke Asian Museum. The Seattle Children's Museum and the Pacific Science Center, both at the Seattle Center, are paradises of activities for kids. Further afield, the Bellevue Art Museum has a good collection of 20th Century art, while the Washington State History Museum is Tacoma's look at the state's history.

Classical Music

The Seattle Symphony performs in the acoustically crisp Benaroya Hall, which also provides much-needed concert space for the excellent Seattle Men's Chorus and other classical groups. Recent years have also seen the rise of an early-music movement, with several period ensembles garnering acclaim and audiences under the aegis of the Early Music Guild. Churches around town and the Seattle Art Museum often stage lovely chamber music concerts as well.

Okay, so grunge is dead. But that doesn't mean that the local rock scene is dead with it. The scene is just a bit more upbeat, with international groups finding a warmer welcome. Experimental rock groups and other combinations of world, funk and pop music play frequently at the Showbox and the Crocodile Cafe. Jazzmen and blues masters hold down regular gigs at the Tractor Tavern and the Baltic Room. There's also a lively Irish scene in town, with live traditional and modern music at Conor Byrne's, the Owl 'n' Thistle and Kells Irish Pub.

Opera

The Seattle Opera is internationally famous today for its Wagner productions, most notably its four-day Ring cycle. The company was actually founded in the 1960s specifically to present Wagner's warhorses. The opera has broadened its range considerably, from sparkling Mozart to serious Prokofiev.

Theater

Mainstream houses include the Seattle Repertory Theater, the Intiman, A Contemporary Theater and the Empty Space Theater. These companies put on strong seasons every year, usually comprised of modern classics and premieres. Fringe theater groups, such as the Annex Theater, the Book-It Repertory Theatre and Theater Schmeater provide well-produced, eclectic alternatives. There's also a manic fringe festival in early spring, when dozens of groups materialize out of nowhere to put on shows. In the niche bracket, Seattle Children's Theatre presents extremely professional, creative productions for kids ages 4-14, while the 5th Avenue Theatre brings Broadway musicals to town.

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