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VOL. 29 ISSUE 7
V O LU M E 31 N U M B E R 7 EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
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CONTENTS VOL. 29 ISSUE 7
E AT & D R I N K
60 TAKEOUT TAKEAWAYS Here are some of our favorite restaurants that really know how to deliver. By Stefanie Ellis
A R T S & C U LT U R E
66 LESSONS IN CREATIVITY Arts organizations are doing whatever they can to keep their work in front of audiences. By Heidi Mills
72 BACKSTORY A sweet shift to doughnuts during the pandemic. By Rob Smith
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SEATTLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE
38 HEALTHY OUTLOOK How the pandemic is changing, and improving, health care. By Rob Smith
60 HOME
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GENTLY USED Find that Gucci or Vuitton at luxury resale shop Refind. By Rob Smith
THE HOME OFFICE Five ways to make your home office work, even if it’s your kitchen.
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52 DARING WOMEN Mikaela Kiner is keenly focused on equity and inclusion. By Rob Smith
54 GOT A MINUTE? Why working from home is not a vacation.
FALL GETAWAYS You don’t have to travel far to experience a completely different mindset.
CLEANING THE CLUTTER Sara Eizen can recreate space without ever setting foot inside your home.
By Lisette Wolter-McKinley
By Rob Smith
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CEO ADVISER Silver linings for the health care system in the pandemic. By Jaja Okigwe
10 ESSENTIALS Remembering Seattle as it once was; spend some time in a treehouse; iconic restaurant set to reopen; mask wear; Woodinville to Georgetown; it really is the water. By Rob Smith
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By Heidi Mills
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By Beth Halvorsen
SOCIAL ADDICTION Here’s why we all need to better manage our electronic devices. By Megan Dunnigan
58 VIRGIN ON BUSINESS The upcoming election is stressful. Next year’s will be, too. By Bill Virgin
MAY 2020 O N T H E CO V E R Place holder text. Photograph by Name Goes Here
COU RT E SY OF T H E PAN TRY
F E AT U R E S
48 ATHLEISURE ACTIVIST Sally Bergesen puts her values into Oiselle.
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REINVENTION One impressed onlooker called Whim W’Him’s free performance at Green Lake Park “epic.”
Arts&Culture CREATIVE CONNECTIONS Arts groups use skill and imagination during the pandemic BY HEIDI MILLS
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n a warm evening at Green Lake Park, dancers wearing masks leapt, twirled and danced their way down the circular path. Some of their audience only happened to be strolling the lake at dusk and watched them pass by, while other avid arts fans planned their attendance and wore headphones to hear accompanying music streaming from the Whim W’Him website. One awed viewer found Whim W’Him artistic director Olivier Wevers to tell him the evening scene of the dancers leaping around the lake was simply “epic.” The summer performances were one way for a local arts organization to reach the public in a year when traditional connection has become almost impossible because of the coronavirus. Across town, lonely theaters and empty stages reflect the harsh reality of the pandemic, though arts groups are not sitting idly by. Instead of launching their fall seasons, they are inventing creative ways to offer comfort and entertainment to audiences and doing whatever they can to make and show their art. To be sure, the financial reality of the Seattle arts community amidst Covid-19 is sobering. A study by local nonprofit ArtsFund last spring found that 5,000 people from arts organizations in their network had been furloughed or laid off. That includes actors, dancers, carpenters, accountants, box office staff and any number of other roles that support arts groups. Pacific
Northwest Ballet normally has about 350 people on payroll, but as of this summer, it had plummeted to 32. It has already canceled 35 holiday Nutcracker performances, which means a loss of $6 million, or half of its annual ticket revenue. “I’ve lost an awful lot of sleep,” admits Ellen Walker, executive director of Pacific Northwest Ballet. Most arts groups are surviving only by dramatically cutting expenses and receiving relief grants and donations. They’ve taken loans through the federal Paycheck Protection Program. Some have benefited from the Seattle Foundation’s Covid-19 relief fund. ArtsFund raised $5.3 million for arts groups through both its annual grants and two special rounds of relief funding. ArtsFund president and CEO Michael Greer notes, however, that the funds only covered 5% of the stated needs of applicants. For arts groups to make it, Greer says, more state and federal funding will be needed at a time when the clamor for increasingly scarce public dollars is intensifying. “It is a dire situation,” Greer says. “Individual contributors are helping weather this day to day, but it will take a larger initiative from the state or federal level to weather this entire pandemic.”
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hile the end is unknown, arts groups are doing what they do best: finding ways to stay creative. They continue to produce content, broadcast-
ing shows online or staging outdoor theater such as the Whim W’Him park appearances. Though these efforts aren’t producing the same kind of revenue as packed theaters and are sometimes offered for free, arts leaders hope they keep subscribers and loyal fans engaged. “These are not viable revenue streams long term, but it’s a way to connect with the community,” Greer says. “Our organizations understand the power and need for art.” Bernie Griffin, managing director of the 5th Avenue Theatre, has filled notebook after notebook with ideas for the upcoming season. She’s come up with 15 different plans, and thinks she’ll continue pivoting until the pandemic is over. The theater is operating with a skeleton crew of 40 people, down by 70 percent from its typical operations. Even so, Griffin is charging ahead with whatever the theatre can continue to put forth. During a typical season, the theatre produced five or six productions, each of which ran three to four weeks. The educational arm of the 5th Avenue Theatre, which draws high school students from across the state, has been operating virtually. To replace Fridays at the 5th, where teens enjoy a show, a class and conversation with cast members, the 5th hosted digital nights with workshop classes and Zoom conversations. Instead of the Rising Star project, in which high school students recreate a show after a professional production with the same sets and choreography, it did RadioActive Musicals. In partnership with KUOW, student teams produced 10-minute musicals that were then performed on Zoom. To retain and engage subscribers, the 5th Avenue Theatre will release regular digital content in place of the season. It will offer backstage tours, interviews with theatre insiders and recordings of individual performances. Griffin hopes the content can help the theatre survive this season. “Our subscribers are our nearest and dearest,” Griffin says. “We are hoping they’ll
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ST E FANO ALTAM UR A
A R T S & C U LT U R E
OLD -SCHOOL TOUGHNESS Whim W’Him wasted no time in figuring out new and creative ways to perform during the pandemic.
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“This is obviously a situation rife with liver something, even if it’s by streaming. Is stay with us and help us make it through challenges, but it’s also pushed us to think it the same as a live performance? No, and I this year.” about our present and future in totally would never pretend that it is.” Youth outreach has been a pandemic new ways,” says Natasha Dworkin, chief Scheppelmann is considering outdoor project for the Bellevue Arts Museum as marketing officer for Cornish. “We are an spaces for performances if they’re allowed. well. After the museum closed in March, it over 100-year-old art school, and there She envisions singers on the loading dock at partnered with the Bellevue School District are many ways we will reinvent ourselves the back side of the building, with a small to give away educational craft kits to chilthrough this.” audience sitting in folding chairs. Scheppeldren receiving school lunches. This summann believes it is her responsibility to come mer it distributed 5,000 educational kits in up with ways to keep the opera going – for place of its annual Bellevue Arts Fair. her singers and for the general public. Bellevue Arts Museum Executive Direct whim w’him, Wevers began “This situation needs emotional comfort, tor and Chief Curator Benedict Heywood reinventing the way his company and music is that,” Scheppelmann says. has worked to continue education online produces art when it became The hope of art remains alive at Seattle’s for adults as well. In a series of videos, clear his dancers wouldn’t be Cornish College of the Arts, which is holdHeywood presents works the museum has performing on stage anytime soon. Though ing both in-person and remote classes this on display. Museum staff are also creating a he could post archival footage on the webfall and winter. Students will meet in small series of Zoom lectures with artists. site, the films felt flat because they had just groups and spread out across different The Bellevue Arts Museum store rea camera capturing a performance that was rooms on the campus to minimize contact. opened when King County moved to Phase meant to be viewed live. In the print lab, for instance, each student 2, and the free admission forum space is Wevers decided to create dance films will have a zone with a printer, table and available to anyone walking in from the meant for the screen, with different camera sink, and will touch only their own equipstreet. If the county moves to Stage 3, the angles and cinematic cuts. Wevers hired a ment during a class period. A teacher rest of the museum can open. Heywood filmmaker and began replacing scheduled recognizes that museums shows with films. He’s are in an easier situation filmed dancers outdoors than performing arts and one at a time for groups that rely on thesafety reasons, and then aters full of people. later edited the footage so “My heart goes out to it looks like they are dancperforming arts organiing together. zations,” Heywood says. Whim W’Him’s online “They are in a worse situaplatform now includes —PETER BOAL, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET tion than us.” not only dance films, but interviews with choremight instruct a class from one studio and ographers and dancers, as well as dance broadcast it to other neighboring studios. classes for adults, kids and professionals. he seattle opera is one such For Cornish dance performances, school Individual tickets for a program cost from group grappling with the reality staffers are considering outdoor locations. $5 for a teen to $20 for general admission, of a season with little hope for The logistics are a complicated puzzle for or someone can subscribe to Whim W’Him live performances. It has paid Pinky Estell, director of creative spaces and online for a year for $120. individual singers to record recitals from event services for Cornish. For Wevers, all of this is an experiment. their homes, posting the performances “Change is inevitable in the arts, but the He hopes loyal patrons will continue to online for free. Since large gatherings are pace of change has been so fast this year,” support the organization. unlikely during most of the upcoming Estell says. “It’s been exhausting.” “This is not about trying to make money,” season, the Opera will start creating and Though this year resembles a juggling act Wevers says. “It’s about sustaining the posting productions for paying subscribers. for Cornish, school staffers also see some company.” This summer, it tested a new digital stage at positive elements coming from online teachOther Whim W’Him pandemic initiaMcCaw Hall with a green screen and added ing and performance broadcasting, as they’ll tives have nothing to do with making images behind performers. The Opera is be able to make their students’ art available money. The dance down the Green Lake working with the singers to make sure all to people around the world. Cornish just path gave a glimpse of art to a public that safety precautions are taken before recordbegan offering online continuing education hasn’t set foot in theaters since March. In ing any performances at McCaw Hall. classes for adults as well. One of the classes, addition to Green Lake, Whim W’Him “The entire performing arts community called The Power of Solitude, reflects the dancers visited Myrtle Edwards, Jefferson is paralyzed, but I don’t want to just cancel reality of the pandemic by having students and Seward Park on summer evenings, the entire season,” says General Direcexamine art created in solitude and share dancing with the sunset as a backdrop. tor Christina Scheppelmann, who joined their own work from this period of isolation. The dancing continues at Pacific Seattle Opera just 19 months ago. “I can de-
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“This has been a bit like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded on a tightrope, despite all the efforts needed to return to the studio safely, it is well worth it. To see dance again is sheer joy.”
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CONNECTION Christina Scheppelmann, general director of the Seattle Opera, is exploring new ways to reach audiences.
Northwest Ballet as well, which brought people back to the studio with stringent safety measures. The company formed dancer pods of two to five people, and they interacted only with those within their small group. Only dancers who already live together have physical contact during rehearsals. PNB artistic director Peter Boal has been adjusting choreography to minimize touching. “This has been a bit like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded on a tightrope,” Boal says. “Despite all the efforts needed to return to the studio safely, it is well worth it. To see dance again is sheer joy.” PNB announced in August that its entire season would be offered digitally, with
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subscriptions for the year starting at $100. The Nutcracker, a holiday staple at PNB, will be offered as an archival video, since there is no way the company can stage the massive production while abiding by social distancing rules. PNB will record new content with small groups of dancers at the recording studio at McCaw Hall. PNB’s dance school ran all summer virtually, with 175 students taking Zoom classes. An instructor, pianist and student demonstrator recorded the classes at the studio. The participation marks a major drop from normal, as PNB typically has 1,500 students in its school. With the school and live performances taking such a hit, PNB’s operating budget is now $14
million, down from $25 million last year. “That retraction is massive,” Walker says. “Our margins were already so tight. It’s very challenging.” Walker’s worries are shared by Donald Byrd, artistic director of Spectrum Dance Theater. The company’s school typically generates a good portion of its cash flow, but people aren’t interested in paying for online dance classes, Byrd says. Byrd managed to hold his spring classes for free due to the generosity of a donor, but he’ll need to raise more funds to continue to do remote school this fall and winter. Byrd has planned out a season for his dancers but knows he won’t be able to hold shows until King County reaches
photograph by D A N S C H L A T T E R
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f any kind of performing art can translate online, it’s the spoken word, and Town Hall Seattle is taking advantage of that. A robust lineup of speakers has been recording digital interviews. The pandemic hit just nine months after Town Hall reopened its century-old building following a major renovation. Town Hall executive director Wier Harman had spent years raising funds and planning to transform the building into a state-of-the-art concert hall and lecture facility. Pre-pandemic, the organization hosted more than 110,000 people annually at its 400-plus events spanning civics, the arts and sciences. “It’s emotional walking around the empty halls,” Harman says. “All the plans we had for our first season were swept away by the pandemic.” Though it pains Harman to see the beautiful new building sitting vacant, the remodel also positioned Town Hall, a nonprofit, for virtual content. Workers wired the building for audio and video recording and added a control room in the basement, assuming the organizations would live stream sold out events. When the pandemic hit, Town Hall shifted its calendar online. “Hearing from a speaker doesn’t lose as much emotional power online as a performance by a string quartet,” Harman says. As of early August, Town Hall Seattle had done 94 live streams. Most took place remotely, and three lectures and 15 con-
certs were filmed from the building. The silver lining of the pandemic has been that Town Hall can sign on guests from across the world without regard to travel logistics. Two speakers recorded from London and Oxford, and many more reside up and down the east and west coasts of the United States. An interviewer can hold a conversation with someone hundreds of miles away. Harman says attendance at most of the virtual events was comparable to an evening in the physical building, and some exceeded typical crowd counts. Former Secretary of Labor and political commentator Robert Reich’s talk drew a live audience of 2,400. Three times that many watched it over the next three days. In September, Town Hall featured a wide range of guests, including activist Erin Brockovich, liberal radio host Thom Hartmann, comedian Michael Ian Black, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Sherrod Brown, and materials scientist Ainissa Ramirez. During the spring, Town Hall experimented with offering its content for free and asking for voluntary contributions. It found, however, that it was getting an average of just $1 per viewer, which wasn’t sustainable. Now, Town Hall sells $5 tickets to the virtual events, asking those who can afford it to consider giving more, and giving it for free to youth age 22 and under. Ticket sales will likely comprise a smaller-than-normal portion of Town Hall’s revenue, as Harman estimates that grants and donors will cover 70 percent of the budget. “Our donors have been extraordinary so far,” Harman says. “People aren’t feeling the pinch so far in their portfolios, but who knows how long that’s going to last? It’s the long term we are really worried about.” Harman and arts leaders across the region know that not every organization will survive the pandemic, particularly if it drags out beyond next spring. Yet many remain optimistic that the larger Seattle arts community will survive, as the public continues to need and desire art. An ArtsFund survey in 2018 found that 79 percent of King County residents say the arts benefit their personal well-being. “What is a city without theater and art and music?” Scheppelmann says. “It is nothing. It is a desert.” S
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Phase 4. In the interim, he’s attempted to engage his staff in other projects. Byrd spent five weeks deconstructing dance technique and methods with his dancers, a process they’d typically never have time for if they were developing performances. Byrd has also been talking to virtual reality and game designers to imagine how he could bring dance to the screen in a more compelling way than a simple video. He worked with a designer of 3-D holographic technology to talk about possibilities, and wants to explore it more this fall. For Byrd, it’s an attempt to bring joy to a medium he never envisioned working in. “On an emotional level, how do I find excitement if it’s only online?” Byrd asks.
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