Voice of Vashon fundraiser

The Voice of Vashon will hold its annual fundraiser, THE VOICE! (of Vashon), celebrating 26 years of community radio on Vashon, at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at Vashon Center for the Arts.

Youth and adult contestants will perform for celebrity judges for prizes and performance opportunities, and also compete for the coveted People’s Choice Award, chosen both by the in-person audience those watching from home via a live stream on YouTube.

The evening will be emceed by local vocalist, Sarah Howard and include a musical performance by the Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Isaac Slade. Admission is free with a variety of ways to donate to support local radio.

Get full details, including a link to the online stream of the show, at voiceofvashon.org/the-voice.

Portland Cello Project

The Portland Cello Project, a genre-defying cello ensemble known for re-imagining everything from Bach to Beyoncé, will appear at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, as part of their current Sunshine and Stars Tour.

Since its founding nearly 20 years ago, the ensemble has collaborated with an eclectic range of artists to perform bold arrangements of hip-hop, pop, metal, and indie-rock, all through the lens of classical technique and adventurous orchestration. With a rotating cast of classically-trained cellists, the group blends tradition with experimentation, aiming to make cello music accessible, unexpected, and alive.

Their current tour spotlights cellist Diane Chapman as a soloist and part of the ensemble, includes music by Beethoven, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin and Billie Eilish.

Get tickets, which are free for those 18 and younger, and find out more at vashoncenterforthearts.org.

Book launch

Author Jane Howard will launch her new book of essays, “Hey Nature Lady,” from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at The Minglement, 19529 Vashon Hwy SW. Local artist and author Sally Fox will introduce Howard at the event.

Howard is a teacher, naturalist guide, artist, mother, entrepreneur and adventurer known for gravitating to and living on islands, including Vashon. In her book, she shares 13 vivid life stories to inspire readers of all ages to overcome obstacles, live a creative life, and connect with the natural world. Whether the tales involve tracking alligator nests in the Okefenokee Swamp, uncovering unexpected lessons in a graffiti-scarred forest, or witnessing the raw power of a Hawaiian lava flow, each essay provides lessons in resilience, curiosity and awe for the earth.

Find out more about the author and book at islandjanejourneys.com.

Debbie Dimitre as Eleanor Roosevelt

Talented Northwest storyteller Debbie Dimitre will present an afternoon show at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Vashon Presbyterian Church.

In this fundraiser for a local chapter of the philanthropic organization, P.E.O., supporting scholarships for girls on Vashon among other causes, Dimitre will portray First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the first delegates to the United Nations in 1945 and a peaceful warrior for human rights.

Tickets are $20 at the door and can also be purchased from P.E.O. members.

Bad Bad Hats

Local producer Tyrel Stendahl will bring house show vibes to uptown Vashon with a show by the Minnesota duo, Bad Bad Hats, at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at PopPop Bottle Shop. It’s a return to Vashon for the duo, whose music is highly recommended by Stendahl. Get tickets and find out more at tinyurl.com/mrxamnt2.

Rocky Horror on stage

Vashon Repertory Theatre will present Richard O’Brien’s “The Rocky Horror Show” on Oct. 24, 25, 26, 30, 31 and Nov. 1, at Vashon Center for the Arts.

The raucous tribute to horror and sci-fi B movies has become a cult classic, telling the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm and arriving at the home of a mad scientist, Dr Frank-N-Furter, who unveils his creation, Rocky — a Frankenstein-style monster in the form of a fully grown, physically perfect muscle man.

Find out more about the production and get tickets only at vashoncenterforthearts.org or in person at VCA — the producers have warned that scam sites are also selling overpriced and possibly invalid tickets to the show online.

Lou’s Home Cookin’

Vashon consummate crooner and longtime vocalist for the Portage Fill, Lou Mangione (yes, he’s related to Chuck) will perform a menu of songs spanning decades and genres including jazz, swing and Broadway with a band of accomplished local musicians at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at Snapdragon’s Black Cat Cabaret.

Mangione’s backing band for the show, named Lou’s Home Cookin,’ includes John Stanton, Gordy Ryan, Van Crozier, Richard Person and Tom Wilkins.

Tickets are $20 at the door, or pay what you can.

Greeting card class

Ray Pfortner will present a class, “‘Tis the Season to Turn Your Art into Greeting Cards” from 1-4 Saturday, Nov. 1, at Swiftwater Gallery. Registration, at swiftwatergallery.com/classes, closes on Oct. 25.

The class is for artists working in all mediums including painting, drawing and photography to ceramics, woodworking and sculpture. Everyone will go away having made some sample cards from their own art. Pfortner will also focus on why cards are one of the best ways to get your art seen and sold. He will also share a large number of cards he has collected over the years as good and bad examples of greeting cards.

Author Talk

Dr. Joe-Joe McManus, award-winning author of “A Brother’s Insight: Guidance on Defeating Racism and Advancing Freedom,” will speak from 4-6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, at Vashon Center for the Arts. The talk, presented in partnership with Indivisible Vashon, Backbone Campaign, Mukai Farm & Garden and Vashon SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice), will provide practical insights on how all individuals can contribute to ending racism and challenging oppression in their own distinctive and powerful ways. McManus brings more than 35 years of activism, advocacy, and professional experience as an anti-racist and inclusive excellence leader. Find out more at vashoncenterforthearts.org.

Open call for theater makers

Sign up now for an open call to participate next year with six island theater companies, to be held from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22 and 23. Slots for this annual event fill up fast, said organizers.

Companies seeking theater-makers (including but not limited to actors, musicians, designers, stage managers, costumers, lighting and sound technicians) include UMO; Drama Dock; Vashon Repertory Theatre; Vashon’s newest company, Ghost Boat Theater; 14/48 Vashon; and VHS Theater productions.

Headshots and resumes are welcome, but not required. Theater companies also welcome performed monologues, song snippets or stories. Experience requirements range from zero to veteran and everything in between. To save a space, go to vashonrepertorytheatre.org or ghostboattheater.org and sign up on the welcome page.