360 December 22, 2016

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

Still plenty of ways to celebrate as Christmas approaches Page 3

Skagit Valley Herald Thursday December 22, 2016

TUNING UP PAGE 9 Highway 9 plays Loco Billy’s in Stanwood on Friday OUT & ABOUT PAGES 4-5

Matzke Gallery presents annual “Honey I Shrunk The Art” show

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

NEW ON DVD THIS WEEK understands that trying “Storks”: Forget Upcoming to play this story as too finding Dory and stop heroic or too mundane worrying about the movie releases would set the producsecret life of your pets.

Following is a partial tion in a death spiral.

“Storks” is the best schedule of coming DVD He finds just the right animated film to be releases. Release dates level of respect for the released so far this year. are subject to change: situation to tell the tale That’s saying a lot bewithout bluster. cause it’s been a banner DEC. 27 “Greater”: College year for animation. n When the Bough football walk-on shows “Storks” manages to Breaks he has the faith to deliver on many levels, n Snowden succeed. from broad comedy to n American Honey “Hillsong — Let a sweet family story. n In a Valley of Violence Hope Rise”: The AusThere is a lot going on n Dog Eat Dog tralian faith-based band in this tale of a world n Pet Hillsong is featured in where storks have been n Ray Donovan: The this documentary. taken off baby delivery Fourth Season “31”: Horror film and made to deliver n The Dressmaker from Rob Zombie. packages from a sun Versailles: Season “The Disappointperstore. But directors One ments Room”: Efforts Nicholas Stoller and to start a new life go Doug Sweetland layer terribly wrong. the elements in such “Goat”: College student tested by a way that one just makes the other hell week rituals. stronger.

“Children of the Mountain”: Moth“The Magnificent Seven”: The 1960 version of “The Magnificent Sev- er of a child born from an affair faces challenges getting help for her baby. en” combined an all-star cast (includ“It Had to Be You”: Jingle writer ing Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and dreams of an exciting life. Cristin Charles Bronson) with a pure mission-of-mercy story and delivered that Milioti stars.

“Department Q Trilogy”: Detective Western tale with one of the greatest Carl Morck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) is relesoundtracks in film history. It’s truly gated to reviewing cold cases. magnificent.

“Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Despite the inevitable comparisons, director Antoine Fuqua’s 2016 remake Colors: Circle of Love”: Made-for-TV film about the early days of Dolly continues the same theme of a group of outlaws and misfits coming togeth- Parton.

“Roseanne for President”: Comeer to help the helpless. dian makes a run for the White House Living up to the original is an in 2012. almost impossible task. The remake “Good Kids”: Four high school tries to match the original’s star power graduates look to change their images. with Denzel Washington and Chris “I.T.”: Company executive and temPratt, but the overall lineup eventually porary computer tech end up at odds. pales in comparison.

Pierce Brosnan stars.

“Sully”: Tom Hanks turns in “To Joey, With Love”: Husband and another remarkable performance as wife look to simplify their lives. the heroic pilot, taking on another role as an everyday person pressed into extraordinary action. Hanks has AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL HD a wonderful knack for playing the “Snowden”: Whistleblower steals everyman. It’s a tough role because the and releases millions of bits of classireal Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger is fied material. such a low-key person. Hanks has to “Middle School: The Worst Years of show a broad range of emotions while My Life”: Young boy uses his wits to trapped within the limitations of the deal with his principal and bullies. role. He can turn a single look into a “The Dressmaker”: Talented dressmaker (Kate Winslet) returns to her moment of joy or a cry for help.

Australian outback home to reconcile The second strength comes from with her mother.

Clint Eastwood, who has a no-nonsense approach to directing. He — Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee

YOUR ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN SKAGIT COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS

TUNING UP / Page 9

Marcia Kester performs at the Mount Vernon Elks Lodge on Friday night

INSIDE

SUBMISSIONS

Email features@skagitpublishing.com Deadline: 5 p.m. Friday for the following Thursday edition Phone 360-416-2135 Hand-deliver 1215 Anderson Road Mount Vernon, WA 98274 Mailing address P.O. Box 578 Mount Vernon, WA 98273

Out & About............................................ 4-5 Get Involved............................................ 6-7 On Stage.......................................................8 Tuning Up....................................................9 Travel..........................................................10 Hot Tickets................................................11 Music..........................................................12 At the Lincoln...........................................13 Movies..................................................14-15

Online events calendar To list your event on our website, visit goskagit.com and look for the Events Calendar on the home page HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact Features Editor Craig Parrish at 360-416-2135 or features@skagitpublishing.com TO ADVERTISE 360-424-3251

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

Christmas in the area Christmas is on Sunday, Dec. 25.

Here are numerous ways to spend part of the holiday season.

CHRISTMAS MOVIE: Enjoy a free screening of the classic holiday film “White Christmas” at 7 p.m. today, Dec. 22, at the Concrete Theatre, 45920 Main St., Concrete.

360-941-0403 or concrete-theatre.com.

HOLIDAY SERVICE: The Center for Spiritual Living will host a holiday service to celebrate the solstice, Christmas and Channukah from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today, Dec. 22, at 1508 N 18th St., Mount Vernon.

The service will include spiritual leader Niobe Weaver and musician Miriam Fein. Free. Donations accepted. 360-920-1995.

FESTIVAL OF TREES: The Windsor Square Retirement Community, 9912 48th Drive NE, Marysville, invites the community to celebrate the Christmas season from 6 to 8 p.m. today, Dec. 22. Enjoy freshly baked desserts and hot drinks while viewing decorated trees and a winter

wonderland train display, and listen to live holiday music. For more information, call Stacie Thesenvitz at 360-653-1717.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA: Enjoy a complimentary chef-prepared breakfast and a Santa photo provided by Windsor Square Retirement Community, 9912 48th Drive NE, Marysville, from 8 to 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23. Call Stacie at 360653-1717 to RSVP. ‘A CIRCUS CAROL’: See a playfully spooky holiday revusical and interpretation of the Charles Dicken’s classic “A Christmas Carol” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at the Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Avenue, Everett. “A Circus Carol” features live music by 3 Leg Torso and theatrics, aerialists, jugglers, singers and dancers from the circus troupe, The Wanderlust Circus. $28.

Tickets: 425-258-6766 or historiceverettheatre.org.

“THE NUTCRACKER”: Northwest Ballet Theatre: 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2324, Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. Tickets start at $26. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

CHRISTMAS DINNER: The Mount Vernon Moose Lodge will host the 43rd annual Vic Cain/Donna Moore Memorial Christmas Dinner from 1 to 4 p.m. Christmas Day, Sunday, Dec. 25, at the lodge, 602 W. Division St., Mount Vernon. Free and open to anyone (donations welcome). 360-336-3662.

ISLAND ICE: Visit Windjammer Park for ice skating, hot cocoa, coffee and festive spirit from 2 to 7 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, Dec. 26-31, at Windjammer Park, SW Beeksma Drive, Oak Harbor.

CUT YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TREE: Permits to cut Christmas

trees in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest can be purchased through Jan. 6.

In Skagit County, permits are sold from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the Mt. Baker Ranger Station, 810 Highway 20, Sedro-Woolley. Call ahead, 360-856-5700, ext.

515, to make sure permits are available.

Permits cost $10 each, one tree per permit, with a tree height limit of 12 feet.

Trees taller than 12 feet require a tall tree permit for $20. The permits are nonrefundable, and may be purchased with cash, checks or credit cards.

(Verlot and Glacier Public Service Centers only accept cash and checks).

The Forest Service also is offering a free holiday tree permit to fourth graders through the national “Every Kid in a Park” initiative. To obtain a free permit, students must visit everykidinapark.gov, where they can print out a paper voucher to present

to a Forest Service office.

Cutting areas are located within national forest lands in the eastern portions of Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom, Pierce and King counties. Maps and information about cutting areas are provided where permits are sold. The Forest Service also recommends that you plan to purchase a parking permit if your tree-cutting trip includes parking in a designated Sno-Park lot.

Getting a tree early before snow falls usually means better access on forest roads. Most trees are accessible only by narrow, unplowed mountain roads. High-clearance vehicles are often required along with tire chains and a shovel. Check ranger stations for road and weather information or visit fs.usda.gov/mbs/road-trails.

HOLIDAY ART FESTIVAL: The annual Allied Arts Holiday Festival of the Arts is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., through Dec. 24, at 4145 Meridian St., Bellingham. The festival will close at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24. The festival features the work of more than 100 local artisans and craftspeople offering handmade products including jewelry, paintings, wearable art, specialty foods, art from found materials and more. Enjoy live music, artist demos and workshops, and fun art projects for kids. 360676-8548 or alliedarts.org.

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS: Check out the historic 1891 Gaches Mansion decorated in holiday splendor from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, through Dec. 30, at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, 703 S. Second St., La Conner. $7 admission, $5 students and military with ID, free for members and ages 11 and younger. 360-466-4288 or

laconnerquilts.com.

‘SKAGIT CHRISTMAS”: Check out special exhibits showing how early Skagitonians celebrated the Yuletide season, through Dec. 31 at the Skagit County Historical Museum, 501 S. Fourth St., La Conner. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Sunday. $5, $4 seniors and ages 6 to 12, $10 families, free for members and ages 5 and younger. 360-466-3365 or skagitcounty.net/museum.

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL”: Seattle’s ACT Theatre presents Dickens’ classic holiday tale through Dec. 28 at The Allen Theatre, 700 Union St., Seattle.

Showtimes and ticket prices vary. 206-292-7676 or acttheatre.org.

WINTERFEST: Enjoy free and affordable activities and entertainment through Dec. 31 at the Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle. Visit Center House for free performances of music and comedy, jazz and dance, cultural celebrations, ice sculpting, student showcases and more. The Winterfest Ice Rink will be open through Jan. 2, offering skating for all ages.

Admission/skate rental fee applies. For information, including a complete schedule of events: 206684-7200 or seattlecenter. com/winterfest.

INDEPENDENT WREATH-MAKING: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, through Dec. 24, at Christianson’s Nursery, 15806 Best Road, Mount Vernon. The nursery’s two wreath-making machines will be available for use every day. Wreath forms and greens are available for purchase, or you may bring your own.

Reservations are required.

360-466-3821.

More CHRISTMAS

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OUT & ABOUT ART

‘OBJECTIFICATION 9’ ART EXHIBITION: Smith and Vallee Gallery presents the art installation “Objectification 9” through December at the gallery, 5742 Gilkey Ave., Edison.

The exhibition focuses on functional and 3-dimensional artwork, showcasing more than 40 artists. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Sunday, with special holiday hours from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23.

ART EXHIBITION: Scott Milo Gallery presents new artwork from local artists through December at the gallery, 420 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. New artwork includes pastels

by Amanda Houston, acrylics by Jennifer Bowman, photographs

by Randy Dana and Lewis Jones, photo encaustics by Kathy Hastings, flame painted wire mesh by Lanny Bergner and jewelry by Melanie Brauner. The gallery is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and by appointment. scottmilo.com.

IN THE ART BAR: Paintings by Deirdre Czoberek are on display through December at the Lincoln Theatre Art Bar, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon.

Inspired by her natural surroundings, Czoberek creates her own universe of luminous colors and organic shapes.

Czoberek completed her BFA in painting in the early 1990s at the University of Washington and is employed as a teaching artist in

Skagit and Whatcom counties. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

ART EXHIBITION: ACME Creative, 705 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, welcomes local artists Kathleen Faulkner and AnnMarie DeCollibus through December. The exhibition features Faulkner’s Northwest scenes and DeCollibus’ functional water-inspired vessels and tableware. Free.

360-399-6333 or acmecreative.com.

‘SPINELESS: PORTRAITS OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES’: The Whatcom Museum feature photographs

by Susan Middleton through Dec. 31 at the Lightcatcher building, 250 Flora St., Bellingham. The result of several years of fieldwork across the Pacific Ocean, and showcasing the photographic techniques Middleton has developed over the past three decades, this exhibition shows rarely or never-before-seen ocean dwellers, many of which inhabit Northwest waters and were photographed at Friday Harbor Marine Lab on San Juan Island. 360778-8930 or whatcommuseum.org.

ART AT MoNA: Work

by Northwest artists is featured at the Museum of Northwest Art, 121 S. First St., La Conner. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday. Free admission. 360-466-4446 or monamuseum.org. n Northwest Artist Couples, through Jan. 1: A display of the work

‘Honey I Shrunk The Art’

‌

Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park presents the 26th Annual Small works art show, “Honey I Shrunk The Art,” at 2345 Blanche Way, Camano Island. More than 200 artworks are featured by 40 artists. The gallery will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 23-24. The show will continue through Jan. 15, from 11 to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday and weekdays by appointment. 360-3872759 or matzkefineart.com. Pictured: “Cherries”, oil, by Dinah Steveni

of 28 couples who have shared creative lives.

They include many of the most prominent and admired in regional history. The exhibition puts their art in the context of their lives, showing how divergent or complimentary styles are sustained in relationships. Among the couples represented: Jacob Lawrence and Gwendolyn Knight, Robert Sperry and Patti Warashina, Fay Jones and Robert Jones, Flora Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick, Sheila Klein and

Ries Niemi, Deborah Butterfield and John Buck, Daniel Mihalyo and Annie Han, and Claire Cowie and Leo Berk.

Three new exhibitions will open with a reception at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, and continue through March 26, at the museum: n Paul Havas: A Life of Painting: This exhibit honors the 40-year career of an artist known for his large-scale landscapes and cityscapes. Born, raised and educated on the East

Coast, Havas (19402012) came to the Northwest for graduate school at the University of Washington and ultimately became one of the major painters of the region. n Indigenous Influences: Curated by Regan Shrumm, through the Dana and Toni Ann Rust Curatorial Fellowship at MoNA, this exhibit looks at works from MoNA’s permanent collection that are influenced by Pacific Northwest indigenous communities. n Continuum: Glass from the Permanent Collection: Featured in the Benaroya Glass Gallery are selections of glass from the permanent collection with an emphasis on continuum — of the medium of glass, of the continuity of forms, and of tradition through to innovation.

TEXTILE ARTS: Several exhibits are on display at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, 703 S. Second St., La Conner. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission: $7, $5 students and military, free for members and ages 11 and younger. 360-4664288 or laconnerquilts. org. n Ekphrastic: Quilts & Poetry by Fibre Arts Network of Northwest Canada. Through Dec. 30. n Victorian Christmas: Antique quilts and trees, soft sculpture dolls. Through Dec. 30. n The Nature of Place: Pictorial quilts by Charlotte Bird and Ree Nancarrow. Through Jan. 29.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURE EXHIBIT: The La Conner Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit is on display through March 1, 2017, at public locations around La Conner. The annual juried exhibition features work by some of the Northwest’s most accomplished artists. For information, including a map of the sculptures and works available for sale: 360-466-3125 or townoflaconner.org.

‘I SHRUNK THE ART’: Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park presents the 26th Annual Small works art show, “Honey I Shrunk The Art,” at 2345 Blanche Way, Camano Island.

More than 200 artworks are featured by 40 artists.

The gallery will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, Dec. 23-24. The show will continue through Jan. 15, from 11 to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday and weekdays by appointment. 360-387-2759 or matzkefineart.com.

Pictured: “Cherries”, oil,

by Dinah Steveni ‘INTERSCAPES’ ART EXHIBIT: “Interscapes” is a collection of bold, colorful abstract expressionist paintings by Gregory S. Walsh, who discovered painting after a long career in the music and film industries. A reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, at Fourth Corner Frames during the Downtown Bellingham ArtWalk.

The gallery is located at 311 W. Holly St., Bellingham. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Monday through Saturday. fourthcornerframes.com.

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OUT & ABOUT RED TAILS, SILVER WINGS: The Schack Art Center in Everett will host an exhibit from Jan. 5 to Feb. 25 called “Red Tails, Silver Wings,” featuring 53 paintings and drawings by Chris Hopkins.

His work depicts the first African American military pilots — the Tuskegee airmen. An opening reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m.

Jan. 5 at the center, 2921 Hoyt Ave. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. schack.org or 425-2595050.

SCANDINAVIAN IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE: The Skagit Valley Geneological Society will host “The Scandinavian Immigrant Experience” at 1 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Burlington Senior Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave., Burlington.

Professional genealogist Linda Duffield will discuss her research using the Pacific Lutheran University archives. In the 1970s, 282 Scandinavian immigrants were interviewed by PLU students. skagitvalleygenealogy.org.

LECTURES AND TALKS

THE HARMONIOUS SOCIETY OF TICKLE-FIDDLE-GENTLEMEN: Seattle- and Renton-based musical group sound|counterpoint, which focuses on playing music from the Renaissance, the Baroque and 21st century on period instruments, will be joined by Mount Vernon’s Christine Wilkinson-Beckman on violin and viola for a concert at 3 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 8, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 415 18th St., Mount Vernon. The pieces will come from the libraries of Thomas Britton and Gottfried Finger, featuring music

by Locke, Purcell, Matteis and others. $20, ages 12 and under free. salmonrunconcerts@ gmail.com or 206-4204548.

LOCAL RADIO: “Speak Up! Speak Out!,” a half-hour weekly show committed to community, peace, justice and nonviolence issues broadcasts at 5 p.m.

Wednesdays and 8 p.m.

Sundays on Skagit Valley Community Radio Station KSVR 91.7 FM (Mount Vernon) and KSVU 90.1 FM (Hamilton). speakupspeakoutradio.org.

THE STORY OF THE FORESTS: Rockport State Park interpretive specialist Amos Almy will present “How Old Growth Brings New Life: The Story of the Forests” from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center, 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport.

Almy will share how old growth trees contribute to the health of forests in the Skagit Valley and North Cascades. skagiteagle.org or 360853-7626.

MUSIC

‘MUSIC AND MEMORIES’: The fifth annual event will take place at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Swinomish Casino and Lodge, 12885 Casino Drive,

JAZZ AT THE CENTER

Cory Weeds and Harold Mabern (pictured) will play from 7 to 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Camano Center, 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano Island. $20, students free. 360387-0222.

Anacortes. Blackstone and Burnett Band will be the featured entertainment. The event will feature dinner, music, raffles and silent and live auctions. Proceeds benefit The Bradford House and Gentry House. $60. skagitadultdayprogram.org.

JAZZ AT THE CENTER: Cory Weeds and Harold Mabern (pictured) will play from 7 to 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Camano Center, 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano Island. $20, students free. 360387-0222.

IRISH ROVERS SAY GOODBYE: After almost 50 years of entertaining audiences, the Irish Rovers will hold a farewell show at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Mount Baker Theatre. The group, famous for tunes like “The Unicorn” and “Drunken Sailor,” will be joined by We Banjo 3. Tickets are $20.50 to $49.50. tickets@

mountbakertheatre.com or 360-734-6080.

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT: The event will feature tour founder Brian Gore and a new cast of guitar luminaries at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 24, at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. Performers include Italy’s Luca Stricagnoli, Brazilian composer/performer Chrystian Dozza, and India’s Debashish Bhattacharya. Tickets are $20.50 to $39.50. tickets@mountbakertheatre.com or 360734-6080.

NIGHT OF QUEEN: Gary Mullen, who has toured for 13 years imitating Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury, will perform at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 17, at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 North Commercial St., Bellingham. Tickets are $20.50 to $39.50. tickets@mountbakertheatre.com or 360734-6080.

MORE FUN

ISLAND ICE: Visit Windjammer Park for ice skating in the park, hot cocoa and coffee from 2 to 7 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, Dec. 26-31, at Windjammer Park, SW Beeksma Drive, Oak Harbor.

BLACK & WHITE BALL: Camano Center’s Black & White Ball will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, at 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano Island. Enjoy dancing, appetizers and a champagne toast. $15, $8 students, $40 family. 360-387-0222 or camanocenter.org.

NOON YEAR’S EVE: 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 31, Burlington Public Library, 820 Washington Ave., Burlington. Enjoy family activities for ages 3 and older (younger siblings welcome), including crafts, snacks, games and prizes, all while counting down to a noon year balloon drop.

Free. 360-755-0760 or burlingtonwa.gov.

NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS: 9 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, Windjammer Park, SW Beeksma Drive, Oak Harbor. Free.

MVSD TECHFEST: The Mount Vernon School District will present 2017 TechFest from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 10, at Mount Vernon High School, 314 N. Ninth St., Mount Vernon.

The event will feature robots, classroom tech, interactive exhibits, digital arts, green screen video, photo booths, food trucks, prizes and

giveaways. All ages welcome. Free admission. 360-428-6165 or mvtechfest.com.

ROBERT BURNS SCOTTISH SUPPER: The Celtic Arts Foundation will host its 25th annual Robert Burns Scottish Evening at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Littlefield Celtic Center, 1124 Cleveland Ave., Mount Vernon. Celebrating one of Scotland’s favorite sons, the event will include dinner, readings of Burns’ poetry, Highland dance, whisky and — of course — haggis. $50. 360-416-4934 or celticarts.org.

AIRINGS: “Airings ... voices of our youth,” a dance/theatre piece created by Kuntz and Company that explores the pressures young people face in middle and high school, will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the WWU Performing Arts Center Mainstage, 516 High St., Bellingham. The play explores gender, sexuality, bullying, forgiveness, friendship, love, and hope. Free, but a reservation is required. kuntzandco.org/airings.

SWEETHEART DANCE: The sixth annual Daddy and Daughter Sweetheart Dance will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 3, at the Burlington Community Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave., Burlington. Enjoy dancing, desserts, raffle prizes, music, photos and more. Advance ticket sales only. $22 per couple, $6 for additional daughters. 360-7559649 or burlingtonwa. gov/recreation.

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GET INVOLVED ART

PHOTO CONTEST: The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center (SRBEIC) presents a photo contest in celebration of 20 years of eagle stewardship. The top 20 photos that capture moments while eagle watching or other outdoor adventures will be selected to represent 20 seasons of eagle watching and Skagit River ecosystem education.

Photos must be taken during fall and winter 2016-2017; the deadline is Sunday, Jan. 15. One grand prize winner will receive an Eagle Float Tour by Skagit River Guide Service, and the top 20 photos will be featured on SRBEIC’s Facebook page and website. The contest is open to expert and novice photographers. Send submissions or questions to skagiteagles@gmail. com. Contest guidelines at skagiteagle.org.

CALL FOR SCULPTURES: San Juan Islands Sculpture Park invites sculptors to submit entries for its ongoing juried sculpture review.

All sculptures must be deemed “safe” and should be suitable for exhibition in an outdoor setting and capable of withstanding occasional high winds, rain and possible snow. Accepted sculptures will be installed for a two-year period (if not sold sooner) in the 20-acre park located near Roche Harbor on San Juan Island.

For complete submission guidelines, visit sjisculpturepark.com.

CALL FOR INSTRUCTORS: Burlington Parks and Recreation is looking

for qualified instructors to expand its enrichment classes for youth and adults. To download an instructor’s packet, visit burlingtonwa.gov and click on the “Instructors Needed” tab. 360-7559649 or recreation@ burlingtonwa.gov.

CALL FOR TEXTILE & FIBER ARTISTS: The La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum will present FiberFest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at La Conner Middle School, 404 N. Sixth St., La Conner. The sale will feature fabrics, yarns, textiles, embellishments and tools for the quilt and fiber artist. While finished products and wearable art are welcome, priority is given to textiles and fiber art materials. Applications will be accepted through Jan. 10, or until all slots are full. Call the museum at 360-466-4288 or Karen at 360-770-5346, or email fiberfest@ laconnerquilts.org.

CALL FOR ART TEACHERS: The Good Stuff Arts, 604 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, is looking for qualified, experienced beginning art teachers in watercolor, drawing, sketching and mixed media art forms. For an interview, call Kat Peterson at 360 755-3152.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Peacehealth United General Medical Center seeks artists to display and sell art in the facility at 2000 Hospital Drive, Sedro-Woolley. Artwork must be framed and ready to hang, with a wire hanger — no sawtooth hooks. Attach a label with the artist’s

name, title of work, size, medium and price. All artwork is subject to approval by committee. Artists are responsible for hanging and removal of their work, which will be displayed for three months. Contact Barb Kaufman at 360-8567530 or bkaufman@ peacehealth.org.

ART CLASSES

LA CONNER QUILT AND TEXTILE MUSEUM: Varied exhibits and classes are available to the public at 703 S. Second St., La Conner.

Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Admission: $7, $5 students and military, free for members and ages 11 and under. 360-466-4288 or laconnerquilts.org.

— Fiber Fridays: Bring any kind of fiber art project, quilting, knitting, embellishing, etc., to work on while visiting with other fiber artists from 9 a.m. to noon every Friday. Free and open to all.

ART JUMP START: Sample painting, drawing and clay projects from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Wednesdays, Jan. 4-25, at the Burlington Parks and Recreation Center, 900 E. Fairhaven Ave., Burlington. Ages 7 to 12. $50 plus $20 supply fee.

Register by Dec. 29 at 360-755-9649 or recreation@burlingtonwa.gov.

WATERCOLOR PENCIL ART CLASS: Local artist and art instructor Karin Silvernale will teach a complimentary watercolor pencil art class from 3 to 4 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 26, at Where the Heart is, 410

S. Norris St., Burlington.

Participants will learn the basics of watercolor pencil art and paint a local scene with step-bystep instructions. RSVP: 360-755-8007; space and supplies are limited.

WTHIMKtg@frontiermgmt.com.

ticipants read and discuss books in many areas of spirituality and personal growth. Free. For more information, contact Gabrielle Conatore at 360-920-19995 and mtvernoncsl@outlook.com.

ART CLASSES: Gail Harker Center for Creative Arts offers a variety of art classes and workshops for artists of every level at 12636 Chilberg Road, Mount Vernon. Online courses are also available. 360466-0110 or gailcreativestudies.com.

BEGINNING CUBAN SALSA AND RUEDA CLASSES: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, The Studio@ Riverside, 2226 Market St., Mount Vernon.

Classes taught by Havana-born instructor Yasmare Gonzalez. $12 drop-in rate. 360-2237151 or cubasere.com.

AUDITIONS

BEGINNING SQUARE DANCING: 7 to 9 p.m.

Tuesdays beginning Jan. 10, Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland St., Mount Vernon. Couples and singles ages 10 and older are welcome. The first two evenings are free, $4 thereafter. 360-424-4608 or rosie@valleyint.com.

”GODSPELL”: Open auditions at 7 p.m.

Monday through Wednesday, Feb. 27-28 and March 1, at the Claire vg Thomas Theatre, 655 Front St., Lynden. The production will run Thursdays-Sundays, May 4-21. 360-354-4425 or clairevgtheatre.com. ”37 POSTCARDS”: Auditions will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Sunday and Monday, Feb. 5-6, at Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor.

Parts are available for one man age 28-35, one man age 60-75 and four women ages 20-75.

The show will run April 14-30. 360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

BOOKS

BOOK GROUP: The Center for Spiritual Living book group meets at 6 p.m. first, second and fourth Thursdays, and at 5:30 p.m. on third Thursdays at 1508 18th St. Mount Vernon. Par-

DANCE

ARGENTINE TANGO PRACTICA: 8 to 10 p.m.

Fridays, Anacortes Center for Happiness, 619 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. $5. 360-4642229 or anacortescenterforhappiness.org.

FOLK DANCING: Skagit-Anacortes Folk Dancers meet Tuesdays at Bay View Civic Hall, 12615 C St., Mount Vernon. Learn to folk dance to a variety of international music. Instruction begins at 7 p.m. followed by review and request dances until 9:30 p.m.

The first session is free, $3 thereafter. All are welcome. No partners needed. For information, contact Gary or Ginny at 360-766-6866.

SCOTTISH DANCING: Bellingham Scottish Country Dancers meet from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Wednesdays at the Fairhaven Library auditorium (upstairs), 1117 12th St., Bellingham. Wear comfortable clothes and soft-soled shoes without heels. $8 per class. For information, call Mary Anderson at 360-933-1779 or visit bellinghamscd. org.

JOLLY TIME CLUB: Dance to live music from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Thursdays at Hillcrest Lodge, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. For information, contact Gisela at 360-424-5696.

CLOG DANCING FOR BEGINNERS: Free lesson from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by regular clog dancing from 11 a.m. to noon Thursdays, at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland St., Mount Vernon. No fee, no partner needed.

First three lessons are free. Wear comfortable shoes. For information, call Rosie at 360-4244608.

MUSIC

BARBERSHOP HARMONY: Attend a free, no-commitment rehearsal of the AnO-Chords, a four-part barbershop group. No experience necessary, no auditions required.

Learn by rote, you don’t have to read music.

Ages 12 and up. Drop in any Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Northwest Educational Service Building, 1601 R Ave., Anacortes.

Rides available. Bob Lundquist, 360-9415733 or svenbob@ cheerful.com.

Thursday, December 22, 2016 - E7

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

OUT & ABOUT TIME FOR FIDDLERS: The Washington Old Time Fiddlers play at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Fridays of each month at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland. St. Free; donations accepted. 360630-1156.

Jennie: cantabilechamberchoir@gmail.com or 425-312-4565.

RECREATION

OPEN MIC: Jam night, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Thursdays, Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360-4454733.

GUIDED NATURE HIKES: The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center is hosting guided nature hikes in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service during the height of bald eagle migration in December and January. Hikes are lead by U.S. Forest Service field rangers from Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Hikes follow the Sauk-Skagit Reach trail in Howard Miller Steelhead Park focusing on eagles, salmon and their interconnected relationships within the Skagit River watershed. Hikes are 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Jan. 29 (no hikes Dec. 24-25).

The meeting place is inside the interpretive center. The mostly flat terrain is suitable for small children and older adults. Dress according to the weather. Free. Donations appreciated to benefit host organization.

Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center, 52809 Rockport Park Road, skagiteagle.org, srbeatic@frontier.com, 360.853.7626.

CANTABILE CHAMBER CHOIR AUDITIONS: Auditions will be held for all parts from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at Bethany Covenant Church, 1318 S. 18th St., Mount Vernon.

Rehearsals are 6:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays from September through May. For more information or to schedule an audition contact

DEEP FOREST EXPERIENCE: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through February, Rockport State Park, 51095 Highway 20, Rockport. Enjoy guided hikes at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. deep into the lush old-growth forest that includes ancient fir, cedar, hemlock and maple

SHELTER BAY CHORUS: Practices are held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays at the Shelter Bay Clubhouse, 1000 Shoshone Drive, La Conner. New members welcome. No need to be a Shelter Bay resident.

360-223-3230.

LOVE TO SING? Join the women of Harmony Northwest Chorus from 6:30 to 9 p.m. every Monday at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Ave. Seeking women who like to sing a cappella music. All skill levels welcome.

ANACORTES OPEN MIC: 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes.

360-293-2544.

trees, some towering 250-feet tall and more than 300 years old. Kids can explore the Discovery Center with crafts, interactive displays, nature videos, books and more. Free. Dress for cold, wet, winter weather with footwear suitable for very wet trails. Discover Pass or $10 day-use fee required for parking. 360-8538461 or rockport@ parks.wa.gov.

BALD EAGLE CENTER: Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends December through January, and Monday through Friday, Dec. 26-30, at Howard Miller Steelhead Park, 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport.

Learn about bald eagles during the peak of eagle migration and salmon spawning on the Skagit River. Guided hikes are offered at 11 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday, with special presentations at 1 p.m. most Saturdays. Free.

Donations accepted.

360-853-7626 or skagiteagle.org.

Next up: n Saturday, Dec. 31: Amos Almy, Rockport State Park interpretive specialist, will present “How Old Growth Brings New Life: The Story of the Forests” at 1 p.m. n Saturday, Jan. 7: Kevin Ebi, author and photographer, will present “Year of the Eagle” at 1 p.m. n Sunday, Jan. 8: John Scurlock, aerial photographer, will present “Glaciers & Mountains: Photographic Flights Across Western North America” at 1 p.m.

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E8 - Thursday, December 22, 2016

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

ON STAGE in the Skagit Valley and surrounding area December 23-January 8

KARI MARTTILA PHOTO

FRIDAY-SATURDAY.23-24

NORTHWEST BALLET THEATER “Nutcracker,” Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. From $26. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com. Check individual listings for times.

Friday.23

Saturday.24

”A Circus Carol”: featuring 3 Leg Torso and The Wanderlust Circus, 7:30 p.m., Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave., Everett. 425-258-6766 or historiceveretttheatre.org.

Friday.30

THEATER Northwest Ballet Theater: “Nutcracker,” 7:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. From $26. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre. com.

THEATER Northwest Ballet Theater: “Nutcracker”: 2 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. From $26. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre. com.

THEATER Slap Happy in Concert: 7:30 p.m., OutCast Black Box Theater, 819 Camano Ave., Langley. $10. brownpapertickets.com/event/2729960 or reserve seats by emailing ocp@whidbey.com and pay at the door.

Saturday.7

OPERA The MET: “Nabucco” (Verdi), 9:55 a.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. $17-23. 360336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

Sunday.8

The Harmonious Society of Tickle-Fiddle-Gentlemen: 3 p.m., St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 415 S. 18th St., Mount Vernon. $20 at door; ages 12 and younger free.

Thursday, December 22, 2016 - E9

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TUNING UP Playing at area venues December 22-31 Thursday.22

Jam Night/Open Mic: 8 p.m., Loco Billy’s Wild Moon Saloon, 27021 102nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. No cover.

425-737-5144 or locobillys.com.

Friday.23

Knut Bell: 8 p.m., Longhorn Saloon, 5754 Cains Court, Bow. Free.

360-766-6330.

Eric Stendal and the Sardines: 8:30 p.m., Big Lake Bar and Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon.

360-422-6411.

Nick Anthony and Friends: 8 to 11 p.m., Evelyn’s Tavern, 12667 Highway 9, Clear Lake.

360-399-1321.

Jesse Taylor: 8 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-588-1720.

Marcia Kester: 6 to 9 p.m., Mount Vernon

Elks Lodge, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon.

Members and signed-in guests only. 360-8488882.

Marvin Johnson: 6 p.m., Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. 360-3923100 or hotelbellwether. com.

Highway 9: 6:30 p.m., Loco Billy’s Wild Moon Saloon, 27021 102nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. No cover.

425-737-5144 or locobillys.com.

Tuesday.27

Steve Rudy Trio: 5 p.m., Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. 360-3923100 or hotelbellwether. com.

Wednesday.28 Fidalgo Swing: 6 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-5881720.

R MCNAMEE PHOTO

FRIDAY.23

MARCIA KESTER 6 to 9 p.m., Mount Vernon Elks Lodge, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon. Members and signed-in guests only. 360-848-8882.

Thursday.29

MuseBird Cafe: Rick Fogel, WB Reid and Jo Jeffrey, 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. $10.

360-445-3000.

Jam Night/Open Mic: 8 p.m., Loco Billy’s Wild Moon Saloon, 27021 102nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. No cover.

425-737-5144 or locobillys.com.

Friday.30 FRIDAY.23

HIGHWAY 9 6:30 p.m., Loco Billy’s Wild Moon Saloon, 27021 102nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. No cover. 425-737-5144 or locobillys.com.

Quinn Krovanick: 8 p.m., Longhorn Saloon, 5754 Cains Court, Bow. Free. 360-7666330.

Chris Eger Band: 8:30 p.m., Big Lake Bar and Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon.

360-422-6411.

Nick Anthony and Friends: 8 to 11 p.m., Evelyn’s Tavern, 12667 Highway 9, Clear Lake.

360-399-1321.

Blues Union: 8 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-588-1720.

Blake Angelos: 6 p.m., Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. 360-3923100 or hotelbellwether. com.

Saturday.31

8 p.m., Loco Billy’s Wild Moon Saloon, 27021 102nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. $15-$45. 425737-5144 or locobillys. com.

The Sardines: 8:30 p.m., Big Lake Bar and Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon.

360-422-6411.

New Year’s Eve Bash: Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway: 7 p.m. in the Parlor: Prozac Mountain Boys, Alki Jones; 9 p.m. in the Bard Room: Stardrums, Lady Keys, Lonnie Williams.

Dinner at 6 p.m. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

The Royal We: 9 p.m., The Skagit Casino Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. 877-2752448 or theskagit.com.

New Year’s Eve party: Jukebox Duo, 8 p.m., Mount Vernon Elks Lodge, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon.

Members and signed-in guests only. 360-8488882.

New Year’s Eve Bash: Aaron Crawford, Harvey Creek Band,

New Year’s Eve Bash: Devas and the Dudes, 9 p.m., Longhorn Saloon, 5754 Cains Court, Bow. Free.

360-766-6330.

E10 - Thursday, December 22, 2016

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TRAVEL

FA M I LY T R AV E L FI V E

5 ways to give the gift of travel to your family

By LYNN O’ROURKE HAYES The Dallas Morning News

Tie a bow around your travel plans. Here are five ways to give the gift of travel to those you love.

ADVENTURE LOVERS Give your family the world via an adventure trip crafted by Tauck, travel industry pros. Through their Tauck Bridges program, you’ll experience hands-on learning, off-the-beaten-path adventures and insights into local cultures. Whether you opt to explore Costa Rican rain forests, the wilds of Tanzania, the Swiss Alps or the islands of the Galapagos, you’ll create memories more lasting than the latest gadget or hip fashion item. Check out the company’s new e-brochure. It’s designed to offer parents and grandparents a colorful tool that will lure children into the vacation-planning process.

After all, anticipation is part of the adventure.

MUSEUM LOVERS Make a plan to visit our nation’s capital and immerse yourselves in the depth and breadth of opportunity provided by the Smithsonian Institution. From art and history to the National Zoo and the Air and Space Museum, there is plenty to explore in Washington, D.C. New this year is the National Museum of African American History and Culture, devoted to sharing the story of black life, history and culture. With more than 37,000 artifacts collected, visitors can see Harriett Tubman’s hymn book, a sunken slave ship and a segregated rail car. The museum is committed to a robust schedule of programs for children and families. Currently, timed passes are required for admission. Check the website for details regarding long-term and same-day availability. Also, before your trip, consider a review of the online resources that inspire, prepare and educate.

MOVIE LOVERS Tap into the magic of the movies and the history of adventuresome Polynesian voyagers aboard Hawaiian Airlines flights through March.

Through a partnership with Disney, fans of the animated movie “Moana” can board a flight on which they’ll find themed entertainment, Moana amenities, casting videos, and the chance to enter a sweepstakes and shop for themed gifts. The movie’s characters explore fantastical lands and encounter incredible sea creatures while searching for a precious artifact. Upon landing in the Hawaiian Islands, the adventure is yours to create. gohawaii.com; starwoodhotelshawaii.com

WEB BUZZ

Name: Guidezoomer.com What it does: An interactive map of the United States “zooms” you to visitor guides for states, cities and counties across the country. Discover things to do, places to stay and timely events.

What’s hot: The website’s strength is how quickly it gets you to information you need. Hover your mouse over a state and watch its license plate pop up. Click on the state to take you to its map with cities and counties represented, then click on a destination’s point to take you to its visitor guide. A wealth of information awaits in the tourist board’s or convention and visitor bureau’s website. The GuideZoomer’s top navigation-bar tabs are shortcuts to information about lodging, dining, events, activities and shopping. I used this site to quickly find kid-friendly things to do in Nashville for an upcoming trip.

What’s not: I couldn’t find the usual About or Contact pages you find on most websites. It’s a small issue, but the information helps establish trust.

— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times

MUSIC LOVERS In Nashville, Tennessee, home of the Grand Ole Opry and the best in country music, learn how a simple radio broadcast spawned a global entertainment phenomenon. From industry legends to the latest luminaries, you’ll get a taste of history along with a contemporary dose of the genre in the “home of American music.” Take in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, the Bluebird Cafe and the Johnny Cash Museum. Ask about backstage passes, behindthe-scenes tours and family packages. opry.com; visitmusiccity.com SNOW LOVERS For those who relish the white stuff, the gift of travel to Colorado ski country will be a high-altitude hit. At more than 20 resorts throughout the state, kids under various ages are offered the opportunity to ski free. For example, kids under 5 always ski free at Arapahoe, Aspen Snowmass and Loveland. Steamboat’s Kids Ski Free and Grandkids Ski Free programs enable children 12 and younger to ski free the same number of days as their parent/grandparent with the purchase of a five-or-more-day adult lift ticket.

Other resorts offer lift ticket deals as well as lodging, lesson and gear discounts. coloradoski.com; colorado.com — Lynn O’Rourke Hayes is the editor of FamilyTravel.com

Local travel briefs SHORT TRIPS: Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation offers travel opportunities for ages 8 and older (adult supervision required for ages 17 and younger). Trips depart from and return to Hillcrest Park, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. For information or to register: 360-336-6215.

ESCORTED TOURS: The Whatcom County Tour Program offers a variety of day trips and longer tours, with most trips departing from and returning to the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, 315 Halleck St., Bellingham. For information or to register: 360-733-4030, ext.

1015, or wccoa.org/index.php/Tours. n Water View Luncheon and Peking Acrobats: Wednesday, Jan. 25.

Enjoy lunch at Arnie’s on the waterfront, traditional performances by the Chinese Peking Acrobats follow the meal. $59. Trip includes transportation, waterfront lunch, aerialist show and tour escort. n Blissful Bali Tour: March 5-13. Deluxe coach tours including cultural and geographic treasures in Mas, Celuk, Batubulan and the Ubub rainforest district. $2,590 per double occupancy or $2,965 single occupancy. Trip includes round-trip airfare, seven nights at Grand Mirage resort, daily breakfast, three tours, dinner on the beach and English-speaking tour guide assistance. n Mississippi River Cruise: March 5-13. Stay in the New Orleans Hilton Riverside Hotel one night before embarking aboard a paddle wheeler down the longest river in North America. Ports include New Orleans, Oak Alley, St. Franksville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge and Nottoway. $3,999 per double occupancy for inside cabins, or $4,999-5,999 per double occupancy for outside staterooms. Trip includes round-trip transportation from Bellingham to SeaTac airport, round-trip airfare, one night at New Orleans Hilton Riverside Hotel, city tour of New Orleans, eight-day Mississippi cruise with meals, port charges and taxes, meals and entertainment on cruise. n Italy’s Tuscan Sun: April 18-26. Experience the unique culture of Italy on a Florence city tour, view Michelangelo’s Statue of David, see the Leaning Tower or Pisa, learn how to cook Italian dishes and much more. $3,495 double occupancy, $3,895 single occupancy.

Trip includes round-trip airfare, deluxe tour coach, lodging, city tours, Tuscany vineyard tour and wine tasting, Italian cooking class and more. n Guided Tuscany Tour: May 3-13. Museums, olive oil tasting, Pisa, Luccu, Cinque de Terre and more. $2,999 double occupancy.

Trip includes air, hotel and round-trip transportation from Florence to Relais Santa Chiara hotel or similar, San Gimignano, Italy. plumeriabreezestravel.com. n Alaska Inside Passage Cruise: May 13-20. View Alaskan wildlife and sail into frontier ports including Juneau, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria. $1,319 for inside cabin, $1,769 for outside cabin and $2,025 for cabin with balcony. All meals are included on the ship with purchase of tour. Passport or enhanced driver’s license is required.

OAK HARBOR DAY TRIPS: The Oak Harbor Senior Center, 51 SE Jerome St., offers day trips for members. 360-279-4587.

STATE VISITOR CALL CENTER: The Washington Tourism Alliance’s ExperienceWA Call Center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. 1-800-544-1800 or tourisminfo@watourismalliance.com. Staff members assist travelers who have questions, refer them to specific destination marketing organizations and other travel resources across the state for more detailed information, and take orders for the Washington State Visitors Guide.

Thursday, December 22, 2016 - E11

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

HOT TICKETS livenation.com.

KATHY GRIFFIN: Jan. 14, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or livenation.com.

THE TIME JUMPERS, VINCE GILL: Jan. 15, Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

GREAT GOOD FINE OK: Jan. 17, The Crocodile Cafe, Seattle. 206-4414618 or thecrocodile.com.

THE BAD PLUS: Jan. 19, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

COMPANY WAYNE MCGREGOR “ATOMOS”: Jan. 20, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

THE FIGHTER AND THE KID: Jan 20, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-6821414 or ticketmaster.com.

GRAND FUNK RAILROAD: Jan. 20-21, Skagit Valley Casino, Pacific Showroom, Bow. 877-2752448 or theskagit.com.

‘THE KING AND I’: Jan. 24-Feb. 3, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-7453000 or stgpresents.org.

LUCINDA WILLIAMS: Jan. 25, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

BASSEM YOUSSEF: Jan. 26, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

MARTIN SEXTON: Jan. 27, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

BI-2: Jan. 29, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-6821414 or ticketmaster.com.

JUICY J: Jan. 30, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO: Jan. 31, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

ADAM ANT: Feb. 3, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticket-

DWIGHT YOAKAM Jan. 13, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or livenation.com. master.com.

CHERRY GLAZERR: Feb. 8, The Crocodile Cafe, Seattle. 206-441-4618 or thecrocodile.com.

ACE FREHLEY: Feb. 11, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

J BOOG: Feb. 16, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS: Feb. 17-18, Skagit Valley Casino, Pacific Showroom, Bow. 877-2752448 or theskagit.com.

ANGEL OLSEN: Feb. 18, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

LOS CAMPESINOS!: Feb. 20, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

‘RENT’: Feb. 21-26, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or stgpresents.org.

HIPPO CAMPUS: Feb. 24, Neumos, Seattle. 206-

709-9442 or neumos.com.

TENNIS: Feb. 28, Neumos, Seattle. 206-7099442 or neumos.com.

THE RADIO DEPT.: March 1, Neumos, Seattle.

206-709-9442 or neumos. com.

JENS LEKMAN: March 5, Neumos, Seattle. 206709-9442 or neumos.com.

LAKE STREET DRIVE: March 15, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS: March 17, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

ALI WONG: March 17, Moore Theatre, Seattle.

800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

DAYA: March 18, Neumos, Seattle. 206-7099442 or neumos.com.

PANIC! AT THE DISCO: March 21, WaMu Theater, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

RICKIE LEE JONES & MADELEINE PEYROUX:

March 22, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-6821414 or ticketmaster.com.

ARIANA GRANDE: March 23, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

CHRIS STAPLETON: March 28, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

LOCASH: March 29, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: LUZIA: March 30-April 30, Marymoor Park, Redmond. cirquedusoleil. com/luzia.

GAME OF THRONES LIVE CONCERT: March 31, KeyArena, Seattle.

800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

REGINA SPEKTOR: April 3, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-7453000 or livenation.com.

— For complete listings, visit goskagit.com and click on “Entertainment.”

WISHING YOU A JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON & A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR UPCOMING EVENTS

Los Cenzontles February 10

The James Hunter Six February 24

Kinobe & the Wamu Spirit March 3

Peter Rabbit Tales March 5

Barrule

March 17

Men are from Mars Women are from Venus March 24 & 25

And Much More!

1550353

‘DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID’: Through Dec. 31, 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle. 888-584-4849 or 5thavenue.org.

GEORGE BALANCHINE’S “THE NUTCRACKER”: Through Dec. 28, McCaw Hall, Seattle.

800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

MANATEE COMMUNE ON ICE!: Dec. 23, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-6821414 or ticketmaster.com.

BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA: CHRISTMAS ROCKS!: Dec. 26, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or stgpresents.org.

STRAIGHT NO CHASER: Dec. 27, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-7453000 or ticketmaster.com.

MACHINEDRUM: Dec. 27, Neumos, Seattle. 206709-9442 or neumos.com.

ILLENIUM: Dec. 29, The Showbox, Seattle. 888929-7849 or axs.com.

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve”: Dec. 31, KeyArena, Seattle. 800745-3000 or livenation. com.

BEATS ANTIQUE: Dec. 31, The Showbox SODO, Seattle. 888-929-7849 or axs.com.

HELL’S BELLS: Dec. 31, The Showbox, Seattle.

888-929-7849 or axs.com.

HENRY ROLLINS: SPOKEN WORD: Jan. 2, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION WITH CHRIS THILE: Jan. 7, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or stgpresents.org.

‘FINDING NEVERLAND’: Jan. 10-15, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or stgpresents.org.

DWIGHT YOAKAM: Jan. 13, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or

360.416.7727

mcintyrehall.org

E12 - Thursday, December 22, 2016

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

Black musicians reflecting turmoil of the times in music

CHRISTMAS/

By MARK KENNEDY

THE LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS: More than a million Christmas lights are on display at the annual Lights of Christmas, from 5 to 10 p.m. daily, Dec. 2223 and 26-28, at Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood.

The largest holiday light display in the Northwest covers 15 acres and features family-oriented entertainment, live music, theater, crafts, food, pony rides, a petting farm, Polar Express Train rides and overnight getaway options.

Meet Santa Claus or talk with “Bruce the Spruce” Christmas tree. General admission: $11-$16, free for ages birth to 3 years.

Pay-what-you-can nights are offered Dec. 27-28. Season passes are available. Theater events are extra. 800-228-6724 or thelightsofchristmas. com.

Associated Press

NEW YORK — When he entered the recording studio this spring, Grammy and Oscar-winning rapper Common had a lot to vent about.

Police shootings.

Institutionalized racism. Mass incarceration.

Fouled water supplies.

White privilege. Wage gaps. Black Lives Matter.

Inner-city violence.

“Things just felt more urgent for me,” Common said of “Black America Again,” his 11th studio CD and easily his angriest.

His album dropped on not coincidentally on Election Day. It became just the latest politically charged record by black artists this year — others include Alicia Keys’ “Here,” Solange’s “A Seat at the Table” and, of course, “Lemonade” by sister Beyonce, who made headlines with the black-empowerment themes in her video for “Formation” and during her Super Bowl halftime show — reflecting the power, and sometimes disillusionment, that black people are feeling through music.

“I definitely believe that artists are just becoming more aware,” said Common, who is not new to socially conscious rap.

“It feels like it’s a critical time where you have to be aware even if you’re not necessarily so into politics.”

Frustration has pervaded almost every corner of music, from the British artist Michael Kiwanuka’s soulful “Black Man in a White World” to Childish Gambino’s psychedelic-funky “Boogieman” and the soft uplift of India.

Arie’s “Breathe.”

“These artists are

dealing with a lot of things that they see in their lives and in the world around them,” said University of Arizona religious studies professor Alex Nava, who explores spirituality in hip-hop. “Maybe it will galvanize and revitalize the more radical spirit of music.”

Tip “T.I.” Harris has always had songs with a political edge but this year took it further. Motivated by the police shootings of two young black men over the summer in Minnesota and Louisiana, Tip in September released the six-song EP “Us or Else” which focuses on social justice and police brutality. The video for one song, “Warzone,” re-enacts the way several black men died at the hands of police, but uses white actors as victims to question the role race played. He expanded his EP into a full, 15-song CD this month, “Us or Else: Letter to the System.”

“I didn’t plan on making it a project. I just started recording records based on how I felt. I just felt I should be doing something,” the rapper said. “At the time, I didn’t feel like anyone was speaking to it and I felt compelled to do something.”

The social activism has spread beyond music.

Chance the Rapper backed anti-violence measures in Chicago, used his concerts to register fans to vote and joined Solange and Alicia Keys in celebrating the victory for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, whose protests helped halt construction on the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

Solange’s new CD is also a meditation on being a black woman in America, highlighted by the pledge of personal identity in “Don’t Touch My Hair,”

the empowerment anthem “F.U.B.U.” and the personal alienation of “Cranes in the Sky.” Hip-hop elders A Tribe Called Quest re-emerged at the end of 2016 with a decidedly political edge after more than a decade away, attacking gentrification in “We the People...” and drawing a dystopian future in which the rich flee Earth in “The Space Program.”

Even artists like John Legend, an outspoken activist outside the recording studio whose lyrics are more defined by love and relationships, pushed past his comfort zone on his new CD “Darkness and Light.”

In “Penthouse Floor,” Legend calls out the rich and the media for turning a blind eye to suffering on the streets: “They see us reaching for the sky/Just ignore that you survive.”

In an interview, Legend acknowledged an uptick in political music.

“We are on Twitter, we are going to the cities and we’re seeing what’s happening out there in the streets, on the news and however we are seeing it. And I think artists are reacting to that,” he said. “I think we feel that sense of urgency because the community feels that sense of urgency.”

While not all black musicians have embraced social activism — notables include Lil Wayne and A$AP Rocky — some have actually joined protesters in the streets.

Snoop Dogg and The Game participated in a Los Angeles march and Tip joined a protest in Atlanta.

“People kind of looked at me, like, ‘What’s next?’”

Tip recalled. “That kind of said to me, ‘Man, people are looking for answers

AP

T. I. performs in May 2015 at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

and I know I don’t have the answers.’ It’s difficult to remain neutral. It’s difficult to not have an opinion.”

Socially conscious elements of American blues, jazz, rock, soul, R&B and hip-hop have cycled in and out, with such messages by black artists drowned out by party anthems, sexually explicit tracks and gangsta rap in the early 2000s.

The increased attention on police-related killings of blacks and the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement mirrors the rise in social activist songs in mainstream black music — D’Angelo’s 2014 “Black Messiah” was an early example. It’s also reflected in J. Cole’s searing “Be Free,” Keys’ “We Gotta Pray” and Jay

Z’s “Spiritual” (“I am not poison/Just a boy from the hood that got my hands in the air”). Even Kanye West jumped in with “Feedback,” rapping “Hands up, hands up, then the cops shot us.”

Nava, who has been teaching his course “Rap, Culture and God” for 10 years, said artists take cues from their community and he’s noticed a shift in his students’ tastes over the past few years.

“I find more and more young people that are disenchanted with kind of played-out themes of girls and cars and jewelry and tired refrains of making money and boasting about guns,” he said. “My students are really craving a more thoughtful content, more poetic content, a stronger social vision.”

from A1

HOLIDAY TREES: Hotel Bellwether will be hosting its fifth annual Holiday Trees Benefiting Skookum Kids this year at Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. The community is invited to vote for their favorite tree decorated by a local business, take pictures with the Snow Queen and Snow Princess, enjoy music and eat holiday treats and beverages. A donation of new or gently used clothing for children ages 13 and under or a monetary donation must be made in order to receive a voting ballot. Donations go to Skookum Kids.

360-392-3100.

Holiday trees are on display throughout December, and voting will end Saturday, Dec. 31.

Thursday, December 22, 2016 - E13

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

AT THE LINCOLN

DINING GUIDE This Week at The Rockfish Grill and H2O: FRI. 12/23 8PM JESSE TAYLOR WEDS. 12/28 6PM FIDALGO SWING

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The Lincoln Theatre will show “War Horse” at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Read local news and sports daily in the Skagit Valley Herald

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7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23 The National Theatre’s multi-award-winning production of “War Horse,” seen by more than 4 million people worldwide since its premiere at the National Theatre in 2007, returns to the Lincoln for a special holiday encore broadcast.

Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, “War Horse” is the story of a young boy called Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, who has been requisitioned to fight for the British in World War I. Caught in enemy crossfire, Joey ends up serving on both sides during the war before landing in No Man’s Land, while Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home.

“War Horse” features ground-breaking puppetry work

by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing and galloping horses to life on stage.

“War Horse” is produced in the West End by the National Theatre and National Angels. $16 adults, $14 seniors, $12 students and children, with $2 off for Lincoln members.

— The Lincoln Theatre is located at 712 S. First St., downtown Mount Vernon. lincolntheatre.org or 360-3368955.

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E14 - Thursday, December 22, 2016

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

MINI-REVIEWS

‘Fences’ is enterprise essential viewing

By KENNETH TURAN Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — If you close your eyes while watching “Fences,” you can listen as the extraordinary language of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, some of the most thrilling speeches ever heard on an American stage, washes over you and lifts you up.

When you open your eyes, it’s as if the 2010 Broadway revival of that play, itself the winner of three Tonys, is unfolding right in front of you. Which is mostly, but not entirely, a good thing.

“Fences” is the first work by Wilson to become a feature film, and any opportunity to see one of the dramas in his 10-play American Century Cycle, which profoundly delves into a century’s worth of black experience in America, is something to be grateful for.

More than that, this “Fences,” working from a script Wilson completed before his death in 2005, reunites five cast members from that 2010 production.

These include topliners Denzel Washington and Viola Davis (both Tony winners) and extends to co-stars Stephen McKinley Henderson, Russell Hornsby and Mykelti Williamson, all gathered in the Maxson family backyard in a working-class Pittsburgh neighborhood circa 1957.

But adapting Wilson to the screen turns out to be a tricky business. The language is so realistic, it fools you into thinking the work is ready-made for the screen. In fact, the play, focused as it is on nothing but talk, is so intrinsically theatrical that the material lays traps for the unwary.

One of those, and one which “Fences” has in part fallen into, is letting reverence for the play

PARAMOUNT PICTURES VIA AP

Denzel Washington and Viola Davis star in “Fences.”

and its language hamstring attempts at making the work fully come alive on screen.

Though “Fences” has been opened up a bit, including scenes inside the Maxson home, Washington’s direction, perhaps inevitably, feels straight ahead and stagebound. It gives off the unmistakable feeling that any attempt at cinematic excitement would be counterproductive if not sacrilegious.

But it is the achievement of this “Fences” that, despite this lack of visual involvement, the combination of top acting and the powerful rhythm of the language in the drama’s celebrated high spots absolutely holds us.

Every moment on screen may not be enthralling, but the moments that are are such knockouts they make the enterprise essential viewing.

One way Washington does open up the play is to start “Fences” on the back of the garbage truck that sanitation worker Troy Maxson (Washington) and his pal Jim Bono (Wilson veteran Henderson at his best) spend their working lives on.

Troy, as is often the case with him, is expressing anger at the

ways racial discrimination plays out, focusing in this case on the sanitation department’s caste system, asking, “How come you got all whites driving and the colored lifting?”

Once the conversation moves to the two men’s Friday night ritual of talk and drink in that backyard in the Hill (the area of Pittsburgh Wilson himself grew up in), the reason for Troy’s frustration becomes clear.

A premier baseball player who was a major force in the Negro League, Troy was too old to transition to the majors, and that continues to rankle him.

But when Jim, trying to calm him down, says, “You just come along too early,” Troy snaps back, “There ought not never have been no time called too early.”

If there is a constant in Troy Maxson’s life, it is his wife, Rose (Davis). Practical, grounded, a force for sanity and love, she understands her husband and his grandiosity better than he understands himself, and the faultless Davis captures her spirit exactly.

The other men in Troy’s life have more complex relationships with him, starting with

Lyons (Hornsby), his adult son from a previous marriage whom his father views with close to contempt for his habit of showing up on payday asking for a loan.

And then there is Gabriel (Williamson), Troy’s brother, a World War II veteran with a traumatic head injury whose fears of hellhounds on his trail always disconcert his sibling.

Getting it worst of all is Cory (Jovan Adepo), Troy’s teenage son with Rose. A star high school football player, he is being recruited by a college in North Carolina, but his father will have none of it, insisting based on his own experience that “the white man ain’t gonna let him get nowhere with that football.”

Because he is larger than life both physically and psychologically, it is Troy’s actions in these crises and others that arise that define the drama of “Fences.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, Washington has a different take on the character than James Earl Jones, who originated the role in 1985. In addition to being fierce and physically imposing, Washington’s Troy has a nasty, almost malevolent streak that can be a problematic fit with the film’s eventual themes of acceptance and reconciliation.

No such qualms exist for Davis, and when the camera is on her no one will be wanting to look elsewhere. Davis’ delivery of “Fences’” signature speech about her own hopes and dreams is flat-out extraordinary. One of August Wilson’s great strengths is his ability to combine personal drama with broad social themes, and this film eloquently underlines that gift.

— 2:13. Rating: PG-13, for thematic elements, language and some suggestive references. HHH (out of four stars)

Compiled from news services.

Ratings are 1 to 4 stars.

“Lion” — Half of “Lion” is about a boy in India separated from his family, and half is about his quest to find them as an adult (Dev Patel), and each is remarkable in its own way. It’s a magical tale grounded in reality, sure to reduce most moviegoers to tears that are honestly and legitimately earned.

Drama, PG-13, 120 minutes.

HHH½ “Passengers” — Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt play travelers who wake up prematurely from hibernation during a 120year spaceship journey. The visual effects, while arresting at times, are just diverting eye candy, momentarily distracting us from the realities of the off-putting, ridiculous storyline. Sci-fi romance, PG-13, 116 minutes. H½ “Why Him?” — The premise of this multivehicle car wreck — man (Bryan Cranston) thinks his daughter’s boyfriend (James Franco) isn’t worthy of her — is SO tired. This stinker is in the bottom 1 percent of movies I’ve ever seen.

Comedy, R, 111 minutes. Zero stars.

“La La Land” — Under the innovative and captivating direction of Damien Chazelle (“Whiplash”), Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone deliver genuine movie-star turns as two struggling, aspiring artists who fall in love, break into song and engage in delightfully choreographed dance numbers.

The “real world” fades into the background and we are welcomed into a dreamlike fantasy.

Musical, PG-13, 128 minutes.

HHHH “Barry” — In a fictionalized telling of Barack Obama’s experiences as a transfer student at Columbia University in the New York City of the early 1980s, the future POTUS is dabbling in the party scene and just beginning to figure out his place in American society. Devon Terrell does a fine job of mimicking the vocal cadences of the 20-year-old Obama.

Biography, not rated, 104 minutes.

HHH

Thursday, December 22, 2016 - E15

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES “Office Christmas Party” — Despite the eminently likable cast, featuring such reliable talents as Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston and T.J. Miller, this is one of those loud, forced, party-hard movies where everyone onscreen is trying their best to convince us we’re watching a zany, edgy romp — but the antics come across as juvenile and tired. Comedy, R, 105 minutes. HH “Jackie” — “Jackie” is a morbid, uneven, sometimes elegant, sometimes insightful examination of the immediate aftermath of the assassination of JFK, as told through the lens of the first lady. Natalie Portman is sure to be nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the title role, and deservedly so — even though there are some moments when

the dialogue and the overt symbolism come dangerously close to camp. Biography-Drama, R, 99 minutes. HHH “Man Down” — Shia LaBeouf’s off-putting performance as a Marine combat veteran battling PTSD gave me optical sprains from rolling my eyeballs throughout the viewing experience. He’s all over the place here, and never in a good way.

Drama, R, 90 minutes. H “Manchester by the Sea” — With this story of a bitter Boston custodian (Casey Affleck) returning to his hometown after his brother’s death, writer-director Kenneth Lonergan has delivered a modern masterpiece reminiscent of the classic, gritty dramas of the 1970s. It’s no easy journey, but my goodness is it brilliant. Drama, R, 137 minutes. HHHH

At area theaters ANACORTES CINEMAS Dec. 23-29 Passengers (PG-13): Friday: 12:50, 3:55, 6:40, 9:15; Saturday: 12:50, 3:55, 6:40; Sunday: 3:55, 6:40, 9:15; Monday-Thursday: 12:50, 3:55, 6:40, 9:15 Sing (PG): Friday: 1:00, 3:45, 6:20, 8:50; Saturday: 1:00, 3:45, 6:20; Sunday: 3:45, 6:20, 8:50; Monday-Thursday: 1:00, 3:45, 6:20, 8:50 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (PG-13): Friday: 12:40, 3:35, 6:30, 9:30; Saturday: 12:40, 3:35, 6:30; Sun: 3:35, 6:30, 9:30; Monday-Thursday: 12:40, 3:35, 6:30, 9:30 360-293-7000 CONCRETE THEATRE Dec. 23, 25 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (PG-13): Friday: 7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 5 p.m.

360-941-0403 BLUE FOX DRIVE-IN Oak Harbor 360-675-5667 CASCADE MALL THEATERS Burlington For showings: 888-AMC-4FUN (888-2624386) OAK HARBOR CINEMAS Dec. 23-29 Passengers (PG-13): Friday: 1:00, 3:30, 7:00,

“Allied” — A taut, tense thriller for its first half, this World War II film starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard later becomes a weird hybrid of domestic drama and wartime intrigue that sometimes stretches credulity and veers close to unintentional humor.

The highs are so impressive and the lows are so ... weird. War thriller, R, 124 minutes. HHH “Bad Santa 2” — Some 13 years after the fantastic, brutally offensive “Bad Santa” became something of a cult classic, this lazy, crummy-looking, poorly paced, why-bother follow-up lacks the Christmas bells to go full-out politically incorrect. Billy Bob Thornton half-heartedly reprises the title role, with Kathy Bates cracking unfunny jokes as his mother. Comedy, R, 89 minutes. H½

9:30; Saturday: 1:00, 3:30, 7:00; Sunday: 3:30, 7:00, 9:30; Monday-Thursday: 1:00, 3:30, 7:00, 9:30 Sing (PG): Friday: 1:15, 4:10, 6:30, 8:50; Saturday: 1:15, 4:10, 6:30; Sunday: 4:10, 6:30, 8:50; Monday-Thursday: 1:15, 4:10, 6:30, 8:50 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (PG-13): Friday: 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45; Saturday: 12:45, 3:45, 6:45; Sunday: 3:45, 6:45, 9:45; MondayThursday: 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45 360-279-2226 STANWOOD CINEMAS Dec. 23-29 Why Him? (R): Friday: 1:20, 3:45, 6:20, 9:20; Saturday: 1:20, 3:45, 6:20; Sunday: 3:45, 6:20, 9:20; Monday-Thursday: 1:20, 3:45, 6:20, 9:20 Passengers (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 12:50, 6:50 Sunday: 6:50; Monday-Thursday: 12:50, 6:50 Passengers 3D (PG-13): Friday: 3:30, 9:05; Saturday: 3:30; Sunday-Thursday: 3:30, 9:05 Sing (PG): Friday: 3:55, 8:50; Saturday: 3:55; Sunday-Thursday: 3:55, 8:50 Sing 3D (PG): Friday-Saturday: 1:10, 6:40; Sunday: 6:40; Monday-Thursday: 1:10, 6:40 Collateral Beauty (PG-13): Friday: 1:00, 4:05, 7:00, 9:30; Saturday: 1:00, 4:05, 7:00; Sunday: 4:05, 7:00, 9:30; Monday-Thursday: 1:00, 4:05, 7:00, 9:30 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (PG-13): Friday: 12:40, 3:35, 6:30, 9:25; Saturday: 12:40, 3:35, 6:30; Sunday: 3:35, 6:30, 9:25; MondayThursday: 12:40, 3:35, 6:30, 9:25 360-629-0514

The top 10 films of 2016

By KENNETH TURAN Los Angeles Times

It’s been more than half a century since the formidable Sam Fuller looked directly at the camera in Jean-Luc Godard’s “Pierrot le Fou,” but what he said came instantly to mind as I was putting together my 10 best list for 2016.

“Film is like a battleground,” the cigar-smoking director insisted. “Love, hate, action, death … In one word, emotion.”

The year just ending was unusually strong across the board, with impressive work visible in films with astronomical budgets, like Marvel’s $165 million Benedict Cumberbatch/Tilda Swinton “Doctor Strange,” as well as those with tiny ones, like the 150,000-Euro-budgeted, Anna Rose Holmer-directed “The Fits.”

For me, at least, emotion that was deeply felt and convincingly conveyed was the key element in 2016’s best films. Because so many of the year’s efforts were impressive I didn’t hesitate to follow my usual practice of splitting choices and singling out a lot more than 10 films. My guide in these matters is once again Greta Garbo. “Don’t be stingy, baby,” she famously advised, and I’ve taken her words to heart.

For the top spot, I declared a Solomonic tie between the two films that moved me most, that gave me hope for the continued vitality of American independent cinema …

1. Kenneth Lonergan’s heartbreaking, heartening “Manchester by the Sea” and Barry Jenkins’ transcendent “Moonlight.”

If there was no space between these two films, there was even less between the trio of knockout documentaries on race relations in America I’ve placed in the second spot: 2. Raoul Peck’s “I Am Not Your Negro,” Ezra Edelman’s “O.J.: Made In America” and Ava DuVernay’s “13th.”

The rest of my list is as follows: 3. “Loving” and “Midnight Special.” These very different, equally persuasive films — the first a gripping science-fiction drama, the other a based-on-fact story made with quiet strength — point up the arrival of writer-director Jeff Nichols as a filmmaker with the kind of gifts and range that call Steven Spielberg to mind.

4. “Jackie” and “Neruda.” Though they shared a passion for poetry, no 20th century figures could be more different than American First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Chilean Communist poet Pablo Neruda, yet

smart and fearless Chilean director Pablo Larrain, a filmmaker who brings excitement to art-house cinema, has made disconcerting, intentionally off-kilter films about both of them.

5. “Arrival.” Perhaps the most satisfying thing about Denis Villeneuve’s elegant, involving film is that it’s simultaneously old and new, revisiting many of the conventions of alien invasion but investing them with unexpected intelligence, visual style and heart.

6. “Hail, Caesar!” A Coen brothers extravaganza that may not be on anyone else’s list. But I was totally charmed by this hipster mash note to the way things used to be, a spoof of Hollywood past that features a site-specific recreation of the studio system and the movies that made it famous.

7. “Hunt For The Wilderpeople” and “The Eagle Huntress.” Continuing in the feeling-good mode, these two films, the first a comedy, the second a documentary, enchanted just about everyone who saw them. Both involve teenagers pushing boundaries — the first a deeply amusing young reprobate trying to survive in the New Zealand bush, the second a young woman from Mongolia wanting to break a 2,000-year-old tradition.

8. “The Red Turtle.” A spectacular piece of animation by Michael Dudok de Wit, this is an immersive, meditative animated feature that is concerned with the rhythms of the natural world and the mysteries and wonders of ordinary life. It was made with French collaboration, as were two other of the year’s best animated features, “April and the Extraordinary World” and “Long Way North.”

9. “A War” and the Scandinavian Invasion. This terrific Danish drama about what deployment in Iraq does to a soldier and his family was the best of several films, each different from the other, from that part of the world. “Rams” is the bleakest of comedies from Iceland, “The Wave,” from Norway is a splendid disaster movie with gangbuster special effects, and another Danish film, “Land of Mine,” shows us World War II from an unexpected angle.

10. “My Golden Days” and the French Connection. Arnaud Desplechin’s intoxicating Cannes sensation about the intensity of first love is one of several French films — “Things to Come,” “Summertime,” “The Innocents” are the others — that highlight this film culture’s gift for complete honesty in emotional portrayal.

E16 - Thursday, December 22, 2016

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

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