Arts Briefs | June 19, 2025 | Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

Subconscious Population

The iconic and storied island band, Subconscious Population, fronted by Ron Hook, will play at 7 p.m. Friday, June 20, at Snapdragon, bringing rock, reggae, boogie and funk to the mix. They’ll play their own songs as well as cool covers that (we hope) will include Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here,” and Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower.” But whatever the band decides to do that night, it will be a sweet and rocking ride. With Subconscious Population, it’s always been that way.

Folklife Fridays

Open Space for Arts & Community will launch a new series, “Folklife Fridays” — a partnership with Northwest Folklife festival — with a performance by the Djeliyah Band, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 20, at Open Space, located at 18870 103rd Ave SW.

The band fuses traditional Griot music, afro beat and modern Guinea music in a high-energy, danceable soundscape. Find out more and get tickets at openspacevashon.com.

Heritage Museum

Vashon Heritage is open on summer Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., including this Saturday, June 21. Bring the kids in for a scavenger hunt, crafts and time with the museum’s “Betty Olson Education Collection” — filled with touchable treasuries including an old butter churn, a manual coffee grinder and carding paddles.

The Heritage Museum is at 10105 Bank Road. Entrance is free.

Dance Academy

This weekend, Vashon Dance Academy students will take the stage in a production of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

Charlie is danced alternately by Gerrit von Roekel and Lorien Buffington.

Willy Wonka is danced by Calliope deSmet and Gerrit von Roekel, while additional golden ticket winner Veruca is danced by Abigail Furr and Mabel Pekoz. Gloop, a tough kid who can’t get enough candy, is a role shared by Neve DeVoght and Sabine Jorge.

This show includes hip hop, classical ballet, modern dance and cameo appearances by dance moms and dads.

Co-directors Cheryl Krown and Julie Gibson said this year felt like a good time for an uplifting, colorful show — with a strong moral to the story. They’re also eager to share all the skills of Vashon Academy students.

“We’re thrilled to showcase how much work all our dancers have put in all year,” Krown said.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 20, 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 21, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at Vashon High School’s theater. Tickets are available on eventbrite.com by entering Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Garden Tour

Vashon Center for the Arts annual Garden Tour will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22, at six garden and farm settings on Vashon, with activities also beckoning at the arts center and its protected wetland, Heron Meadow.

The VCA Gallery will also boast “The Secret Garden,” an exhibition that includes the botanical art of Jean Emmons and an immersive installation of outdoor and indoor sculpture by local artists. Emmons will present a free, informal painting demonstration of her work from 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 22. (See article, page 8.)

Find out more and get tickets at vashoncenterforthearts.org.

Black Cat Cabaret

The third annual Black Cat Cabaret — a night of one-of-a-kind song, dance, physical comedy and burlesque — will be performed at 6:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Snapdragon.

Emcee Vixy Post will welcome such artists as Penny Banks, Bone Deep Belly Dance, Taryn Luce, Indigo Love, Tout d’Lou, The Naked Folksinger, Martin Feveyear, Daisy Disco, and members of the island’s marching band, VashHonk.

Snapdragon’s venue can accommodate just over 60 attendees per show, and tickets are expected to sell out — buy them at tinyurl.com/yj4sp946.

Youth film and Free Willy

A short documentary film by Vashon third-grade students of Marjorie Butcher, “Save Our Southern Residents,” will premiere at 12 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Vashon Theatre, followed by a screening of the now-classic film, “Free Willy.”

The documentary is the culmination of this year’s edition of Butcher’s longtime learning model, Action Network. This year, her students chose to study endangered orcas and create a project based on what they had learned. They wrote and shot their film after interviewing seven orca experts, advocates and activists including Amy Carey, from Sound Action, and Marla Smith, for Orca Network.

All donations to the June 21 screening will go to the nonprofit organization, Orca Conservancy. The students also urge those who cannot attend to donate at tinyurl.com/yrk69fhy.

Celtic masters play

Masters of Celtic music will take the stage at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 24, at the Vashon Havurah, located at 15401 Westside Hwy SW.

The concert will feature Sean Gavin on Irish pipes and whistle, Johnny B. Connolly on button accordion and Cary Novotny on guitar. All are acclaimed players of traditional Irish music.

The suggested donation for the show is $25, cash or check. Reserve a seat by calling Jan Strolle at 206-228-0730, or emailing janstrolle@comcast.net.

Doing Better

John Jay Koriath, the local author of a newly released book, “Doing Better: Activate Your Power and Potential in Daily Life,” will read from his book at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at Vashon Bookshop.

The book synthesizes the last 50 years of Koriath’s work exploring learning and healing in the mind/body relationship, teaching leadership and personal development, and utilizing some of the deeper aspects of mystery in the human journey. It presents much of the innovative curriculum Koriath and his colleagues developed and tested with over a decade of cohorts in the Leadership and Personal Development course at Bainbridge Graduate Institute.

Find out more about the book at doingbetterbook.com.

Cowboy Junkies

Vashon Center for the Arts will welcome Cowboy Junkies to its Kay White Hall for a career-spanning show celebrating 40 years of the band’s music.

The show is sold out, check for more information at vashoncenterforthearts.org.

Kat Eggleston and Joe Jencks

In an upcoming concert, beloved Vashon singer/songwriter/theater-maker Kat Eggleston will be joined by her friend Joe Jencks, a 25-year veteran of the international folk circuit, award-winning songwriter and celebrated vocalist based in the Chicago area.

“Joe and I have been friends for several years now, we’ve done some shows here and there, traveled a tiny bit, and he’s recorded two songs of mine that I haven’t gotten around to recording yet,” said Eggleston.

A dual US-Irish citizen, Jencks has also served as a cultural ambassador with the U.S. State Department. From Carnegie Hall to coffeehouses across North America, he has become a folk favorite, winning praise from Pete Seeger, who said of Jencks, “The spirit of folk music is people working together. Joe is a fantastic singer who carries on those traditions.”

The concert happens at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 28, at the Vashon Havurah, at 15401 Westside Hwy SW. There is a suggested donation of $20.

Alchemy Tap Project

The Alchemy Tap Project, a Seattle-based performance company for serious tap dancers ages 16 and older, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 28, at Vashon Center for the Arts.

Past performances for the dancers have included Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Seattle Art Museum’s Remix, the Walla Walla Summer Dance Festival, Benaroya Hall, Town Hall Seattle, Global Party at The Moore Theatre, and Folklife Festival, as well as many appearances at Capitol Hill’s iconic Century Ballroom.

Dancers from the group have gone on to perform with Stomp, Teatro Zinzanni, and Chicago Tap Theatre. Get tickets and find out more at vashoncenterforthearts.org.