It’s been another busy year on Vashon, filled with shows, concerts and exhibitions that proved once again how lucky we all are to live on such an artful Island.
So, as 2010 comes to close, it’s worth looking back to remember some of the most remarkable things that happened.
What follows is my own list of favorites — but of course it’s worth noting I couldn’t get out for every single night out on the town, so I might have missed the very best thing of all. Thank goodness there is always next year.
1. I’m ready to declare 2010 “the year of the kid.” It’s always a joy to witness the creativity of young Island artists, but this year it seemed there were even more superb youth performances than ever.
Chautauqua Elementary School music teacher Andy James worked with 450 of Chautuaqua’s students to create a 42-minute recording of a new musical work, “The Whistling Monster,” and every single sound on the CD was shaped by the students. The disk was such a success that Vashon Allied Arts has decided to launch a series of classes in the spring for young people that will bring “The Whistling Monster” to the stage as a dance and choral production.
Drama Dock launched a youth theater initiative with a stellar version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” and our local dance studios gave us “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” and “Rodeo.”
High school actors tackled “A Chorus Line” and mastered “The Madwoman of Chaillot.”
Vashon High School’s marching band got an invitation to march down main street at Disneyland, and high school musicians also took home prizes at Washington State Solo and Ensemble Contest and were invited to play in prestigious honor bands.
And if all that weren’t enough, Vashon Youth Chorus tore up the stage with pint-sized takes on “The Pinafore Pirates” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” What could be more adorable?
2. The Seattle Weekly named Vashon Theatre “best rural movie theater” of the year, but did that surprise any Island film fans? We know we have a treasure in Eileen Wolcott, the theater’s irrepressible owner, who continued, despite a rotten economy and calamitous burglary, to bring us blockbusters, indie films, documentaries and plenty of live events in 2010. My favorite single night at the theater? A presentation of a mint-condition print of “The Godfather,” hosted by Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan. And one of the most heartwarming events at the theater was Vashon FilmAid, a festival of movies that all had a Vashon connection. FilmAid, which took place in January 2010, was organized by local film artists as a benefit for the theater. Bravo!
3. Vashon Opera continued to stun with productions of Aaron Copland’s “The Tender Land” and “The Barber of Seville,” and Seymour Barab’s “Little Red Riding Hood.” Coming up next: “Madame Butterfly,” with Vashon Opera’s fearless diva and director Jennifer Krikawa in the leading role. I can’t wait.
4. Drama Dock rallied after one of its long-time directors, Libbie Anthony, suffered serious health problems that left her unable to put the finishing touches on her summer production of “Oklahoma.” But the show was a success, thanks to a band of Drama Dock thespians who did the only sensible thing and decided that the show had to go on. Best of all, Anthony recovered and is now up and around again. Now that’s something to sing about. So is the appointment of the talented Elizabeth Ripley as Drama Dock’s artistic director.
5. My favorite new arts facility of 2010? Morgan Ahern’s delightful Romani Traveling Museum — a 1967, 14-foot travel trailer retrofitted to house a treasure trove of items that detail the rich history of the Romani people, an ethnic group commonly referred to as Gypsies. The museum made its debut at Strawberry Festival this summer, proving once and for all that great art doesn’t always require a big budget. Sometimes it just needs a big heart.
6. Writers and readers invaded Vashon for “ReadOn WriteOn VashOn,” a festival devoted to the pleasures of the written word, featuring a jam-packed schedule of readings, workshops, open mics and talks by a roster of well-known writers. Vashon Allied Arts also wowed with its Arts & Humanities lecture series.
7. Islanders rallied to help Haiti at a standing-room-only benefit held at Open Space, featuring dozens of Island musicians and performers. It was one of dozens of events held at Open Space, a thriving hotspot that has made it possible for performers to reach out to bigger audiences than ever in 2010. Moisture Festival came to Open Space in 2010, and the venue is perhaps best known as the site of monthly performances of “The Church of Great Rain,” Vashon’s own variety show. In 2010, the fan base for “Great Rain” hit a tipping point, with more than 400 people attending many shows.
8. Choral and chamber music thrived on Vashon in 2010. Kudos to the maestro of Vashon Island Chorale, Gary Cannon, who took his 80-member ensemble to Benaroya Hall to perform in 2010, and to Rowena and Doug Hammill, who organized a new chamber music series and festival for Vashon Allied Arts. Karin Choo also continued to ably lead Vashon-Maury Island Chamber Orchestra.
9. Visual art flourished on Vashon this year, with art studios tours, auctions, intimate solo shows and grandiose group shows. My favorite shows of the year? I loved VALISE’s “Vashon Jam/Slam, Glam Island Art Show.” Vashon Island Tile Guild’s “Imagine Vashon” was a shiny tour-de-force. And the “Flower Power” invitational bloomed brightly at Silverwood.
Do I really have to pick my favorite artists of 2010? OK, I can thread that needle. I choose Sue Nebeker, who has spearheaded Vashon’s American Hero Quilts project since 2004, sending more than 7,600 quilts to wounded service men and women in Iraq and Afganistan.
Another artist who amazed me in 2010 was Nancy Sipple, who opened Nancy’s School of Fiber Arts in February, aiming to share her mind-boggling skills in sewing, embroidering, quilting and crocheting.
10. Biggest relief of the year? The ongoing recovery of Island blues music legend and nurseryman John Browne, who was seriously injured in a nasty accident during a snowstorm in November. The biggest applause of the year probably happened when Browne surprised the audience by taking the stage to play the harmonica, one-handed, at a benefit to help pay his medical expenses organized by Pete Welch at The Red Bicycle in December. Welcome back, John, and have a happy and healthy new year!
