The Love Markets and UMO at ACT Theatre Oct 5!

The Love Markets and I had a great time collaborating with UMO Ensemble on a special piece created for ACT Theatre’s 2018 Gala. From the music-and-dance-in-every-room cocktail hour to the featured performance before the auction to our Love Markets set at night’s end, it was a wonderful event raising funds for one of Seattle’s most treasured theatres. Gala photos by Alabastro Photography!

Photo: Alabastro Photography.

Photo: Alabastro Photography.

Photo: Alabastro Photography.

Photo: Alabastro Photography.

Photo: Alabastro Photography.

Photo: Alabastro Photography.

Photo: Alabastro Photography.

Photo: Alabastro Photography.

Sandbox Radio's "Silvery Moon" at Seattle Public Theatre June 18

A great night at Seattle Public Theatre on Greenlake as Sandbox Radio performed and recorded its newest episode, “Silvery Moon”. I had the pleasure of leading the Sandbox Radio Orchestra and playing my new road-trip song “Roll On” in honor of our very dear departed Peggy Platt.

Yeah, the A/C wasn’t working til intermission. Thanks to the audience for sweating along with us!

The Love Markets at Jewelbox Theatre June 16

Thanks to all who joined us for another great night at the Jewelbox. The Love Markets love you!

Looks like CBGB’s, sounds like Twin Peaks!

Taking the stage to celebrate Steve Tomkins May 27

Seldom has a retiring artistic director been sent off with such love and theatrics! After 25 years, Steve Tomkins stepped down to serious musical theatre fanfare at this Village Theatre gala May 27, 2018. Steve directed and/or choreographed me in more than 10 shows over the years and, like so many others, I’m grateful to him for the work, the joy, and the memories. What a treat to join the gang onstage and off at this gala occasion, and to relive favorite “Steve shows” together (a few pictured below).

Singing to Steve with the rest of his “Dreamgirls”.

Rehearsing the “Dreamgirls” number featuring several decades’ worth of VT leading ladies and dance captains!

Steve losing his mind.

As Ruth in “Wonderful Town”, my first show for Steve.

As Molly in “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”.

As Elsie Campbell in “The Bootlegger”.

As The Incomparable Rosalie in “Carnival”, one of my all-time faves. Stilt-walkers, aerialists, a pony, two dogs, a boa constrictor, a rabbit, magic acts and puppets. I brought it up to Steve at his retirement dinner and he said “What the hell was I thinking?”

“Humming” (pictured with Dale Green).

As Billie in “Babes In Arms”, with Jason Collins and Greg Michael Allen. Another all-time fave.

As Gloria in “Damn Yankees”.

As Sally Bowles in “Cabaret” (pictured with Mark Sparks).

With Steve on closing night of “It Should Have Been You” (2012).

Burlesco Notturno: "Bananas!" May 12, 2018

Nothing like singing “Yes, We Have No Bananas” in English, Portuguese and German amidst a burlesque celebration of the banana! The Love Markets and I always have a great time at Burlesco Notturno; this one featured Luminous Pariah, Madame X and her Lawyer, and The Atomic Bombshells. The perfect fruit.

March Is Cabaret Month Festival, March 2 - 31 at Egan's

My fourth year co-producing and hosting Seattle’s March Is Cabaret Month Festival, produced by Pacific Northwest Cabaret Association since 2008. This year I performed solo singer-songwriter sets as one of twenty diverse West Coast acts playing to early-sellout crowds. Thanks to sponsors Bill Colter & Brian Silkworth and The Cricket Foundation, Ted and Suzanne at Egan’s Ballard Jam House, and all the awesome festival fans!

"Bell & Battery: Then And Now" March 15 - 18

This fabulous project produced by the Rendezvous and made possible with a grant from 4Culture commissioned a handful of diverse artists to create pieces based on the history of Seattle's colorful Belltown neighborhood from 1890 to the present. I wrote and performed songs about Belltown's Film Row years in the 1930s and the origin of the Millionair's Club, founded in 1920 and still providing jobs and meals today. Kudos to director Jane Kaplan and to Ken Workman, great-great-grandson of Chief Seattle, who welcomed our audiences every night with his own take on Seattle history in both English and the Salish native tongue. I adored being part of this! Cast: Ade, Eric Ray Anderson, Jennifer Jasper, Angie Louise, K. Brian Neel, Markeith Wiley, and Shin Yu Pai. Photos copyright Eddie Rehfeldt.

5th Avenue Theatre's Third Annual NEXTFest: Feb 24 - March 13

It's always wonderful to be back at the 5th Avenue! This time it was to workshop another iteration of John Longenbaugh and Bruce Monroe's new musical "Anybody Can Do Anything", based on the memoirs of Betty MacDonald. Directed by Makaela Pollock; music direction by Josh Archibald-Seiffer. Cast:  Alexandria Henderson, Justin Huertas, Cayman Ilika, Eric Polani Jensen, Angie Louise, Corinna Lapid Munter, Tatum Poirrier, Patrick Shelton, Jenny Shotwell, and Billie Wildrick.

Sandbox Radio: "Snowflakes", Dec 29 at ACT

Last show of 2017! I had a great time composing for, performing in, and music directing/bandleading this end-of-the-year episode of Sandbox Radio (my fifth and the series' twenty-eighth). Especially singing Sharon Jones' "Big Bulbs" with Sarah Rudinoff and Leslie Law with giant flashing Christmas lights adorning our bosoms...

"Go, Dog. Go!" at Seattle Children's Theatre! Sept 28 - Nov 26

Oh, how I loved spending the last few months of 2017 in yet another production of the enchanted and enchanting "Go, Dog. Go!" at Seattle Children's Theatre, with co-creators Steven Dietz and Allison Gregory back at the helm! Between the end of September and the end of November, over twenty-three thousand humans saw our show - and for at least half of them, it was THEIR FIRST PLAY! What an honor. I worked my tail(s) off reprising my 2011 dual role of the notoriously fashion-forward pink poodle Hattie and the always-loyal Spotted Dog. Thank you to the amazing folks at SCT, my castmates old & new (Chris Ensweiler, Basil Harris, Jojo Abaoag, Laura Lee Caudill, Nastacia Guimont, musical director Robertson Witmer), and of course the audiences and ever-curious, ever-hilarious KIDS!! A beautiful experience.

Love Markets Sept 6: MASHUP for Western Arts Alliance

Thanks to theater simple for producing and curating this cool showcase for the Western Arts Alliance Conference. MASHUP featured my band The Love Markets ("A deliciously dark carnival" - Seattle Magazine); Vancouver illusionist Vitaly Beckman, famous for fooling Penn & Teller on their own show ("Incredible" - Penn & Teller); excerpts from God is a Scottish Drag Queen (Victoria, B.C.'s Mike Delamont, Heart of America (San Francisco's Black Swan Arts), "acrobaticalist ninja theatre" from NANDA ("Devilishly inventive" - Seattle Times); and The Master and Margarita from theater simple ("One of the great theater events of the decade" - The Stranger). Always fun to be one of an assortment of different-flavored bonbons!

The Love Markets at ACT Theatre July 15

The Love Markets and I had an amazing time playing our tenth show at ACT Theatre July 15 while also celebrating ACTLab's tenth anniversary! Over the years, whether we've found ourselves performing CD release shows on the Falls stage, hosting the Gregory Awards in the Allen, or playing for wonderful audiences in the Bullitt, our experiences at ACT have always felt like magic. Thanks to everyone who helped make this one happen.

Angie at Highway 99 Blues Club May 31

Kicking it old school at Highway 99 Blues Club and loving it. Thanks to fellow pianist-songwriter Victor Janusz for putting me on the gig; Spencer Hoveskeland on guitar, Keith Lowe on bass, Steve Banks on drums, and Medearis "MD" Dixon on sax; and our rocking audience!

The Love Markets at Cafe Nordo May 24!

We had a fabulous night playing on Cafe Nordo's "Lost Falls" stage! Good times in the lodge and under the waterfall - and the perfect opportunity to debut my new Agent Cooper song. Just one more thing, Diane...

Performing at "O" Gala May 20: O Yes!

Rob and I had a lovely time playing cocktail music for the "O" Gala to benefit Open Space on Vashon Island. Special guest Kevin Kent, auctioneer Laura Michalek and hosts Janet McAlpin and David Godsey made it a great night. Long live Open Space, and here's to the coming renovations.

Filly-Busters April 24: All-Female Political Cabaret benefits Emerge America

Thanks to Jane Kaplan of Rendezvous for producing this great event, hopefully the first in a series. This one benefited Emerge America and the only bummer was the dozens of folks they had to turn away at the door! My great pleasure to perform alongside Gretta Harley, Lisa Koch, Nancy Guppy and El Sanchez, with political speakers Ruthie Stender, Pamela Eakes and Ijeoma Olou.

Resistance Is Fertile! Love Markets & UMO Ensemble April 23

UMO Ensemble does amazing work, and it was great fun for we Love Markets to play their "resistance cabaret" to benefit UMO School of Physical Arts. Between the hoop performers and White Ladies, our bass sub Chris Jones in a slip that was more of a long nightie, and the premiere of new UMO characters the Garbage Buffoons, it was quite a Sunday evening in this island restaurant.

Burlesco Notturno March 25: "BUST OUT!"

There's nothing like "Burlesco Notturno" at Open Space! The Love Markets and I loved sharing the stage March 25 with The Atomic Bombshells burlesque troupe, NYC's hilarious Mr. Gorgeous, and our hosts Madame X and her Lawyer. The perfect way to celebrate the green fuse that drives the flower of spring!

March Is Cabaret Month 2017 a blast

Bigger and brighter: March Is Cabaret Month Festival 2017! I loved pairing my solo singer-songwriter set with the amazing Sirens of Swing on opening night, grooving to the sounds of the Lou'siana Gators in a sold-out sass-fest featuring myself and Miz LaWanda DuPree on the 18th, and hosting a bunch of other great shows. Long live MICM Seattle!  

"Unsinkable Molly Brown" at Benaroya March 11 & 12

After my four-month stint at Village many moons ago, I get to play Molly again - this time in Showtunes Theatre Company's super cool concert production! With eight women hive-minding the role of Molly and many gifted hilarious dudes playing all the other roles (male and female) in her epic story, this one showed the Benaroya crowds what a creative form the concert production can be. Kudos to director Billie Wildrick, musical director Nathan Young and our brilliant Irish-country band, my seven sister Mollies and cast, and the great folks at Showtunes.