I foolishly missed discussing the 18th and Union theater company’s opening of their SPRING SHOT FESTIVAL when it opened last weekend for the start of its three weekend run…and, I hang my head in shame. This terrific annual festival of short works (many are solo works) features a great line-up of local theater artists performing works they’ve created. AND, many of the artists and their stories are LGBTQ+ so even more reason to check it out.

And, for me to have covered it last week…sorry.

But, you can still catch the last two weekends of the festival at 18th and Union, the delightfully intimate theater space at…18th and Union, the top of the hill area that’s a dividing line between Capitol Hill and the Central District.

Coming up for Week Two are two new programs, the Lily and the Iris. Note that the Iris program is dance/movement oriented:

The LILY greenhouse:
The Bootyful Princess and the Span King {Heather Joy Gosnell}
The Phantom of the Opera But… {Alexei Cifrese}
Bawdy Positive {Jen Klouse}

LILY tickets: in-person | streaming

The IRIS greenhouse:
These Heavy Bones {Nicole Cardona & Devin Marie Munoz}
Sanctuary {Monty Rozema}
Fed With A Silver Spoon {Madeleine Kate Gregor, Coriolis Dance}

IRIS tickets: in-person | streaming

Lily features the following artists:

The Bootyful Princess and the Span King

By Heather Joy Gosnell

A humorous musical story about butts, love and the vulnerability and courage required to give voice to, and make visible more of our truth with other humans. (Who must also be courageous and open enough to receive and dance with increasing truth and love.) “Fresh”, “Asinine”, “Titillating” “Divine Human Comedy”, “Inspired and Absurd”, “Heroic Vulnerability” “Huh?”

Heather Joy Gosnell is a storyteller, writer, dancer, singer and performing heartist. She received her Clown Chakra Activation in 2018. The Flock of Heather Joys emerged from darkness into conscious form during the pandemic through collaboration with many communities including: the Dream Team, the ARC of Creation and Women’s Nourishing Qigong Communities. The ARC of Creation was called into form and facilitated by Maureen “Momo”Freehill since Spring 2021

The Phantom of the Opera but Every Character Sings a Different Language and also I Play All the Parts

by Alexei Cifrese

There comes a time in every artist’s life when they decide to subject the world to a solo show. Mine in particular came about one day after ~4 years of performing multilingual Broadway & Musical Theatre songs where the audience chose which languages I performed in – when I asked myself a dangerous question: what would happen if I just did an entire show like that? 

Well, my lovely captive audience, you and I are about to find out.  This is an 18min snippet of Act 1 of Phantom, featuring the 3 principal characters: The Phantom, Christine, and Raoul – and 6 languages for you to choose from: French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Russian and Hungarian.

Alexei Cifrese is a Stage Actor, Voice Actor, Writer, Burlesque Dancer & Producer, Drag Queen, and Pole Dancer,

Alexei Cifrese creates Weird and Wonderful art. City Arts magazine once called him “memorable” for his portrayal of Commander Blake in Gregory Award-Winning musical Silhouette, and his ego never fully recovered from the sudden inflational onslaught.

Bawdy Positive

by Jen Klouse & Rouge Theatricsc

Jen Klouse is doing okay… for someone with crippling anxiety, depression, chronic pain and body dysmorphia. In this truncated version of her well received Seattle stand-up show, she examines navigating what it means to be a chronically ill, smart-mouthed, plus sized, sex positive female performer in a society that’s deeply uncomfortable with her body and her ideals. Because quietly fitting in while loudly bulging out is tricky.

Jen Klouse has always liked making people laugh. After diminishing returns from backyard pratfalls, she moved on to entertaining people in musicals, a combination of comedy and her other loves; acting, singing and a desperate need for attention. She traveled around the world using her voice as her passport, including performances in Paris, Salzburg, Cologne, Washington DC and Rome. She was lucky enough to sing at Lincoln Center in New York City, with such musical greats as Ray Charles, Marvin Hamlisch  and PDQ Bach, she has worked with numerous Seattle artists and production companies since 2008- (special shout out to my teachers and loves at Copious Love Productions, Unexpected Productions and Raised by TV). Adding improv, sketch and stand-up comedy to her repertoire, she debuted her first full length stand-up show Jen Klouse is Fine, in 2019 at Copious in Ballard and she hasn’t looked back.

And, the line-up for the Iris program:

These Heavy Bones

by Nicole Cardona & Devin Marie Muńoz

“These Heavy Bones” deals with the weight that depression and anxiety holds on our bodies. Witness as this iteration explores the ebb and flow these illnesses may have on us. Some days are good, some days are too mundane to function, somedays you get by just by dissociation.

Devin Muñoz is a Seattle-based dancer and multimedia artist. After receiving her early dance training at the Pacific Northwest Ballet school student division, Devin went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Dance in May 2017. Since then, she has continued to hone her skills as a dancer, performing in a wide range of pieces that showcase her dynamic and expressive style. In addition to her work as a dancer, Devin has also established herself as a photographer and videographer. She has collaborated with a wide range of clients, from dance companies to local businesses like The Gray, El Sueño, JoBlakeDance, PRICE.arts, KaisaFit, and TomboyX. When she’s not performing, Devin can be found with a camera, collaborating with local artists to bring their vision to light.

Nicole Cardona When words seem to fall short to incapsulate thoughts, feelings, and emotions, Nikki has always found movement as a language to share true expression. Their relationship with Dance has shifted and grown in many ways through out their life. Their roots run deep in the Chicago Dance community as they received their BFA in Dance from Columbia College Chicago in 2017. While living in Chicago, they served as Rehearsal Director for Alluvion Dance Chicago’s Inaugural Season. This pushed them to really uphold what it means for them to be a leader, while still understanding that there is always knowledge to obtain.

Fed with a Silver Spoon

by Madeleine Kate Gregor & Coriolis Dance Collective

An examination of desire, Fed With A Silver Spoon includes two juxtaposing pieces. The first work “Lack” depicts the many layers and stages of discovering an unknown desire to the moment of succumbing to it. The half then dives into how excessive consumption of a desire can cause one to lose empathy, trust, control through quirky balletic movement. Choreographer: Madeline Kate Gregor. Featuring: Nicole Cardona, Shayley Timm, and Sara Caplan.

Madeleine Gregor is a movement artist based in Seattle, WA. Best defined as a chance dance artist, the majority of her work relies on taste, trust, and intuition. She utilizes improvisational work as a tool to authentically portray feelings, actions and reactions. A midwest transplant, Madeleine grew up in Fargo, ND and began her serious training at Camria Ballet Academy.

AND, check out their line-ups for Week Three at the website: https://18thandunion.org/springshot