360 October 19, 2017 by Skagit Publishing

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Skagit Symphony presents Gala Concert This Weekend, Page 3

Skagit Valley Herald Thursday October 19, 2017

MOVIES PAGES 14-15 ‘Only the Brave’ is gripping story of firefighting heroes ON STAGE PAGE 8 Catch “Young Frankenstein” at the ACT Theatre in Anacortes

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

NEW ON DVD THIS WEEK what can happen when “Spider-Man: Upcoming women of all generaHomecoming”: tions focus on one goal Instead of making this movie releases is a tale that should be a tale of Spider-Man Following is a partial shouted on every street driven by the overschedule of coming DVD corner. She succeeds, whelming guilt Peter releases. Release dates but it just should be feels because of the are subject to change: shouted with a few more death of his Uncle Ben, details. That was the one the latest Spider-Man is OCT. 24 area where the director more like a 14-year-old n War for the Planet of needed to step up. with an expensive toy. the Apes “The Good Place”: This isn’t a spectacular n Annabelle: Creation This NBC comedy tale of how he learns n The Emoji Movie starring Kristen Bell as to channel his feelings n An Inconvenient a woman who believes into positive energy but Sequel: Truth to Power she has died and gotten more about breaking n Personal Shopper into “the good place” by dates, missing Spanish n Bushwick mistake would be a fun quizzes, letting down watch even without the friends and being a soOCT. 31 huge reveal in the last cial outcast. There’s so n The Dark Tower episode. Ted Danson much time spent with n Kidnap is wickedly funny as Peter out of the suit n Person to Person the string puller in this that the movie could world. have been titled “Peter NOV. 7 “Lady Macbeth”: Parker: Homecoming.” n Cars 3 Woman (Florence The film has the n The Glass Castle Pugh) living in a obligatory Easter eggs n Your Name loveless marriage to a for the true believn Slamma Jamma man twice her age starts ers who love Marvel n 7: Family Guy, an affair with a young Comics, and it does a Season 15 worker on her husgreat job of connect— Tribune News Service band’s estate. ing the dots between “Samurai Jack: The the character and the Complete Series”: Set Marvel Universe-based includes all 62 episodes of the critically productions that have dominated the acclaimed animated series. box office. Mix that with some good “Green Acres: The Complete action sequences and a solid villain Series”: Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor and “Spider-man: Homecoming” can star in the TV comedy about a city be counted as a win for Marvel. couple trying to adjust to country life. It’s a win by a narrow margin. “Justice”: United States Marshall “Step”: Any documentary that shows must stop a group determined to start how young people are being given a another Civil War. chance to better themselves through “Spirited Away”: Hayao Miyazaspecial programs comes through as both ki’s fantasy animated adventure is inspirational and depressing. Those behind such programs can never receive being re-released. “Marcella: Season 1”: Detective enough praise for the work being done in communities across the country. This Sergeant Marcella Backland (Anna Friel) rejoins the London Metropoliis tainted with a sense of melancholy tan Police following the abrupt end of that it takes special programs for such her marriage. change to happen. Children should “Batman vs. Two-Face”: The always be a priority, but they aren’t, and animated tale is based on the 1966 TV that’s when programs like the one spotseries starring Adam West. lighted in “Step” by director Amanda “Ernie Kovacs: Take a Good Look Lipitz try to fill the void. – The Definitive Collection”: The The director tells the stories of how DVD includes episodes of the unique the young women are dealing with talk show hosted by Kovacs that college applications while being part features guests ranging from baseball’s of a competitive step dance program. Rogers Hornsby to White House butThere are minor problems with the ler Alonzo Fields. film that aren’t unexpected with a new — Rick Bentley, Tribune News Service filmmaker. Lipitz’s passion to show

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

TUNING UP / Page 9

Mark DuFresne Band plays the Conway Muse on Saturday 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

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

Mailing address P.O. Box 578 Mount Vernon, WA 98273 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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THIS WEEKENDin the area Skagit Symphony presents Gala Concert

BREW ON THE SLOUGH Brew on the Slough will feature 10 breweries, food, entertainment and a silent auction Saturday, Oct. 21, at Maple Hall in La Conner. The event is $30 a person and includes a souvenir tasting glass. lovealaconner. com.

SEEDS OF CHANGE

JOHN YAEGER PHOTO

By SKAGIT VALLEY HERALD STAFF

he Skagit Symphony launches its 38th season with a Gala Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at McIntyre Hall 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon.

JOHN YAEGER PHOTO

The concert will feature four soloists from Western Washington University, according to a news release, in a performance

of Joseph Haydn’s “Sinfonia Concertante.” The program also includes “Mitridate, redi Ponto Overture,” by Wolfgang Amade-

us Mozart; and “Suite Algerienne Op. 60,” by Camille SaintSaens. In addition, Skagit Symphony’s Music Director Roupen Shakarian will hold a pre-concert lecture in the concert hall at 6:45 p.m. $10-45. 360-8489336 or info@skagitsymphony.com.

Safe and Sane Skagit will host “It’s Time for Seeds of Change,” a talk on things that can be done to reduce gun violence in the county and still retain the rights of gun ownership, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Edison Granary, 14136 Gilmore Ave. The event is an evening of remembrance and a call to action. Three speakers will provide their personal stories, information on what can be done to provide safer communities and what is happening in our legislature as far as gun safety and gun reform is concerned. A question-and-answer session will follow. Information: safeandsaneskagit@gmail. com.

PREPAREDNESS FAIR Learn how to prepare yourself, family and pets for disasters and emergencies at the Community Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Fair from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 21, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1700 E. Hazel St., Mount Vernon. Free. 360-391-7118.

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OUT & ABOUT

Art From 98221

ART

STUDIO TOUR: The Anacortes Arts Commission will host the 98221 Studio Tour with more than 40 artists at more than 30 locations around Anacortes and Fidalgo Island. The tour will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21-22. Each visitor will receive a postcard to collect stamps at various studios to be eligible for a prize. Find a full list of participating artists at anacortesartscommission.com. THE GOOD STUFF: The Good Stuff Arts Gallery will show work from 10 of the artists participating in the 98221 Studio Tour. Suzanne Powers is the featured artist, with her impressionistic approach in her paintings, and will be demonstrating her work in the gallery throughout the week. Other artists are Caroline Garland, Bob Hogan, Michael LaBoon, Terry MacDonald, Kat Peterson, Cynthia Richardson, Carla Seaton, Annette Tamm and Peggy Woods. The gallery is located at 604 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for the tour and is normally open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. “THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH”: The La Conner Seaside Gallery presents a show of new oil

ART FROM 98221: Scott Milo Gallery, 420 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, will present “Art From 98221,” featuring Anacortes artists Keith Sorenson (oils), Mustafa Bilal (photo illustrations), Lewis Jones (photographs on canvas), Steve Nowicki and Les Eelkema (metal work), until Oct. 31. There will also be a new selection of Jody Bergsma’s small gift collection and the newest notecards from Rakan Alduaij Photography, plus new glass, jewelry, tables and sculptures. The gallery will be open extended hours for the 98221 Studio Tour hosted by the Anacortes Arts Commission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21-22. The gallery is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appointment. scottmilo. com.

Scott Milo Gallery, 420 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, will present “Art From 98221,” featuring Anacortes artists Keith Sorenson (oils), Mustafa Bilal (photo illustrations), Lewis Jones (photographs on canvas), Steve Nowicki and Les Eelkema (metal work), until Oct. 31. There will also be a new selection of Jody Bergsma’s small gift collection and the newest notecards from Rakan Alduaij Photography, plus new glass, jewelry, tables and sculptures. The gallery will be open extended hours for the 98221 Studio Tour hosted by the Anacortes Arts Commission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21-22. The gallery is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appointment. scottmilo.com. Pictured: “Penobscot River” by Keith Sorenson.

paintings by Mark Bistranin. The show will open with an artist reception 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, and runs through Nov. 30. The gallery is located at 101 N. First Ave. “BONEYARD AND BLOOM”: Skagit Valley resident Cynthia Camlin’s latest body of work featuring the oceans to explore the

death of coral and also the propogation, is on display at i.e. gallery, 5800 Cains Court, Edison. The show is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, Saturday and Sunday through October. “PLUNGE”: The Skagit Valley College Art Gallery features work by Bellingham artist Justin Lee

Martin until Nov. 17. The gallery is located in the Gary Knutzen Cardinal Center on SVC’s Mount Vernon campus. The paintings demonstrate a range of meditations on land, both physical and social. Lee teaches art at Whatcom Community College. justinleemartin.com or jmartin2@whatcom.edu.

“ENTRANCES, EXITS and ENTROPY”: ACME Creative Gallery, 705 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, will host an exhibition of etchings by Skagit Valley artist Brian Cypher through November. This suite, titled “Entrances, Exits and Entropy,” is an exploration of abstract forms culled from his practice of automatic drawing. acmecreative.com. SMITH AND VALLEE: Allen Moe and Peregrine O’Gormley will show work in October at Smith & Vallee Gallery, 5742 Gilkey Ave., Edison. An artists’ talk will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

RIVER GALLERY: The River Gallery Fine Art show will feature artist Brooke Borcherding, plus the work of 40 local artists, including paintings, sculpture, glass and jewelry, at 19313 Landing Road, Mount Vernon. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, through Oct. 22. rivergallerywa.com. ART’S ALIVE!: The 33rd annual Art’s Alive! 2017 will be held Nov. 3-5 in La Conner. Hosted by the La Conner Arts Commission, the regional Invitational Art Exhibition and local open show will take place at Maple Hall, 104 Commercial St., along with featured artist Ann Chadwick Reid. The opening reception is 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. The celebration continues 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday with the invitational and open art show, plus art demonstrations and live music. All events are at Maple Hall. Free admission. There will be special art exhibits and attractions throughout town.

FAIRS

B-EHS CRAFT FAIR: The Burlington-Edison High School Band Booster Club’s 27th annual A Note-Able Affair Craft Fair will take place from 8:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in the high school gym, 301 N. Burlington Blvd. Handmade gifts and collectibles, concessions and a raffle. behscraftfair.com.

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OUT & ABOUT LECTURES AND TALKS

“SEEDS OF CHANGE”: Safe and Sane Skagit will host “It’s Time for Seeds of Change,” a talk on “things that can be done to reduce gun violence in the county and still retain the rights of gun ownership,” at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Edison Granary, 14136 Gilmore Ave. Three speakers will provide their personal stories, information on what can be done to provide safer communities and what is happening in the state Legislature concering gun safety and gun reform. A question-and-answer session will follow. safeandsaneskagit@gmail. com. NATIVE PLANTS: Retired biologist Brenda Cunningham, master gardener and garden manager for Washington Native Plant Society, will talk about some of the lesser known native plants that thrive in Skagit County, as well as ones that can be used to solve landscaping problems, at “Native Plants in Your Home Landscape – Not Just for the Birds!” at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23, at Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon. OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SPEAKER: Bill Thorness will present “Cycling the Pacific Coast: An Epic Adventure on Two Wheels” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville. The Seattle author will share tips to make it an

epic adventure whether you ride the entire route (2,000 miles) or just a key section depending on your time and interests. He will speak about his book on the same subject, which is full of memorial cycling adventures. $3. Bud Hardwick will present “Snowshoeing and Winter Safety” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28. Hardwick is a writer, instructor, wilderness guide, trail designer and wildlife biologist. NAS WHIDBEY HISTORY: William R. Stein, a writer, lecturer and the historian for the PBY-Naval Air Museum in Oak Harbor, will explore the history of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, at Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon. KING ARTHUR: Dr. Rayne Allinson, assistant professor of history at Pacific Lutheran University, will trace the myths, legends and historical fragments surrounding King Arthur in a lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Littlefield Celtic Center, 1124 Cleveland Ave., Mount Vernon. $15. TOXIC PLANTS: Skagit County Master Gardener Diana Wisen will present “The Sinister Garden-Deadly Charms in Your Own Landscape” at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30, at Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon. HOSPICE OF THE NORTHWEST: Dana

Brothers, outreach program manager at Hospice of the Northwest, will discuss the holistic approach that the organization uses, at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, at Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St. “UPSTREAM ...”: Journalist Langdon Cook will discuss his book “UPSTREAM: Searching for Wild Salmon, from River to Table” at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, at Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon. Cook is the author of “The Mushroom Hunters,” winner of the 2014 Pacific Northwest Book Award, and “Fat of the Land: Adventures of a 21st Century Forager.”

MUSIC

SiLM: The NeXt Show and The Rick Epting Foundation For The Arts will present Anacortes-based rock trio SiLM at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at Kennelly Keys, 1904 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. SiLM will be joined by Gift Machine, featuring singer-songwriter R. Turner. $10 at the door. All ages welcome. ricky.t@kennellykeysmusic.com. CONCERT AND WORKSHOP: Stuart Fuchs will give a guitar and ukulele concert at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, at Village Pizza, 807 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. It will be preceded by Ukulele In A Day workshop for all levels at 3:30 p.m. Concert is $10; workshop and concert: $30. Details and tickets:

zuke.uke@gmail.com or 360-333-1128.

MORE FUN

GHOST WALK: The 12th annual Concrete Ghost Walk for ages 16 and older will be held at 6 p.m. Saturdays during October, beginning at the Concrete Theatre, 45920 Main St., Concrete. Learn about the characters, events and legends that shaped the Concrete community, as told by local residents, living and otherwise. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. No kids, pets or babies. $10, advance purchase only. 360-853-8784 or concrete-theatre.com. PUMPKIN PATCH ON RAILS: Lake Whatcom Railway will host The Pumpkin Patch on Rails on Saturday, Oct. 21. Passengers will take a short ride on 100-year-old train cars to Mirror Lake, enjoying scenic fall colors while being serenaded by banjo music. When they arrive at Mirror Lake, they will be able to ride an antique hand car and take home a large, carvable pumpkin. Trains will depart from Wickersham Station, just off Highway 9 and four miles south of Acme, at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Passengers must arrive 30 minutes before departure. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for ages 2-17; babies and toddlers younger than 2 are admitted free. Discounts available for families of four or more. Tickets are available at lwrr.eventbrite.com or people may print an order form at lakewhatcomrailway.com for

mailing. Wickersham Station is less than 30 miles east of Bellingham via highways 542 and 9 and just 20 miles north of Mount Vernon via highways 20 and 9. 360-441-0719 or lakewhatcomrailway.com. WILD AND SCENIC FILMS: The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) will present the Wild & Scenic Film Festival at the Lincoln Theater, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon, on Friday, Oct. 20. The evening will kick off with a reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Lincoln’s Art Bar, followed by a series of short films at 7:30 p.m. The films were selected from a collection of over 100 films shown at the annual film festival held in Nevada City, California. CAMPTOBERFEST: Camp Kirby will host Camptoberfest, which will include beer, cider, brauts, music, a gift basket raffle and door prizes, from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Camp Kirby in Bow. The event is for ages 21 and older. $20 suggested donation. campfiresamishcouncil.org/ camptoberfest. HALLOWEEN AT THE HALL: Halloween at the Hall, a costume party and fundraiser, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Kennelly Keys Music Hall, 1904 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. Costumes encouraged. Live music by The Penny Stinkers. Tickets: $15 at brownpapertickets.com. Under 12 free. pugetsoundproductions@ gmail.com.

HALLOWEEN AT THE CIRCUS: The Bellingham Circus Guild will present its first Halloween show, “The Beastly, Frightful, Unspeakably Spooky Circus of Doom,” featuring tricksters, feats of balance, juggling, aerial acts and acrobats. Della Moustachella, Chipp Allard, Dream Frohe, PJ Perry, Jules McEvoy will be joined by the host, Deanna Fleysher. The event will offer a preshow haunted house-esque ambience, a photo booth and cocktails (for the later shows). Shows are 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, and 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31. The 6 p.m. show on Oct. 28 is open to all ages; other shows are for ages 21 and older. Tickets: $13 presale, $15 at the door. bellinghamcircusguild.brownpapertickets.com. bellinghamcircusguild.com. PROMOTING COMMUNITY: To promote community in “divisive and polarized times,” New Pilgrims Community United Church of Christ will focus on listening in a pair of events on Saturday, Oct. 29, in Boyd Hall at United Methodist Church, 2201 H Ave., Anacortes. Buddhist priest Jon Prescott and the Rev. Becky Withington of New Pilgrims will lead a special interfaith service at 10 a.m. in celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the 140th anniversary of New Pilgrims in Anacortes. At 11:30 a.m., Jon Prescott will lead a seminar on “Active Listening.” 360-722-0815, bwithing@ comcast.net or pilgrimanacortes.com

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GET INVOLVED ART

WEAVERS GUILD: Skagit Valley Weavers Guild will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, at Allen United Methodist Church, 16775 Allen West Road, Bow. Susan Tortone will present “Rigid Heddle Weaving — Look what yo!” skagitweaversguild.org. BEGINNING LIFE DRAWING & GENERAL CREATIVITY: 2 to 4 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Ave. Cost is by donation, $5 for students, $7 for adults. Bring your own pencils, pens and sketchpad/ sketchbooks. Some materials provided. Information: Shilo Rives at shilorives@gmail. com.

FALL CONCERT FIDALGO YOUTH SYMPHONY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

GALA CONCERT SKAGIT SYMPHONY

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

TALES OF HOFFMANN PACIFIC NORTHWEST OPERA FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5

KUIKNA

WITH TSISTERS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10

360.416.7727

mcintyrehall.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 twoyear 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 seeks qualified instructors to expand its enrichment classes for youths and adults. To download an instructor’s packet, visit the Parks and Recreation Department webpage at burlingtonwa.gov and click on the “Instructors Needed” tab. More information: 360-755-9649 or recreation@burlingtonwa. gov. 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. Call to schedule a meeting to show your work. Contact Kat Peterson at 360-755-3152.

ART CLASSES

CAPTURE AWESOME IMAGES WITH DSLR CAMERA: Beginners level 1. The

workshop will covers aperture and shutter speed from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at Burlington Parks and Rec Center, 900 E. Fairhaven Ave. $40. Instructor is Andy Porter of Northwest Images. Ages 12 and older; 16 and younger must be accompanied by a parent. Information and to register: 360-755-9649. YOUTH ART EXPLORATION CLASSES: An oil pastel painting class will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Nov. 7-28, at the Burlington Community Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave. Ages 7 to 12. $50, $15 for supplies. Information and to register: 360-755-9649. WATERCOLOR WITH MICHELE COOPER: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 19 to Nov. 16, A Guilded Gallery, Stanwood. $150. 360629-2787 or jnichol@ wavecable.com. PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITION AND BASIC EDITING: 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 1-2, Burlington Parks and Rec Center, 900 E. Fairhaven Ave. $80 for both classes, $40 for only day one or $40 for only day 2. Ages 12 and older. 16 and younger have to be with a parent. Information and to register: 360-755-9649. DUCK DECOY CARVING: 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Nov. 1-Dec. 20, Burlington Parks and Rec Center, 900 E. Fairhaven Ave. $30 for ages 10 to 17, $40 for adults. Information and to register by Oct. 25: 360-755-9649.

AUDITIONS

CANTABILE CHAMBER CHOIR AUDITIONS: Rehearsals are 6:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays at Bethany Covenant Church, 1318 S. 18th St., Mount Vernon. Dues are $150 per year. Auditions are by appointment. Information: Jennie Bouma at 425-312-4565 or cantabilechamberchoir@ gmail.com.

BOOKS

BOOK GROUP: The Center for Spiritual Living book group meets at 6 p.m. the first, second and fourth Thursdays, and at 5:30 p.m. on third Thursdays, at 1508 18th St., Mount Vernon. Participants read and discuss books in many areas of spirituality and personal growth. Free. For more information, contact Gabrielle Conatore at 360-92019995 or mtvernoncsl@ outlook.com. GREAT BOOKS READING GROUP MEETING: The group meets at the Burlington Public Library, 820 E. Washington Ave., Burlington, from 6 to 8 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month. All welcome. Information: 360-941-1437 or shunji. asari@gmail.com.

DANCE

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 28, Littlefield Celtic Center, 1124 Cleveland Ave, Mount Vernon. Free, open to the public. 360-416-4934 and events@celticarts.org. SQUARE DANCING: 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays,

Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Ave. $4. All levels welcome. 360-424-4608 or rosie@valleyint.com. BEGINNING LINE DANCING: Ages 13 and older, 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 3-24, Burlington Community Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave. Cost is $20 for each four-week session. Information and to register: 360-755-9649. 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 welcome. No partners needed. For information, contact Gary or Ginny at 360766-6866. A dance party will be held at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. Live Balkan music by Zakusa. A potluck will be held at 6 p.m. $10. 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, 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

UKULELE FUN & SONG CIRCLE: 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland St. Free. Beginners welcome and loaner ukuleles available. Song sheets provided. 206-790-4862 or yogaheartspace0@gmail. com. BARBERSHOP HARMONY: Join the An-OChords, a four-part barbershop harmony group that meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays at Bethany Covenant Church, 1318 18th St., Mount Vernon. No experience necessary, no auditions required. Learn by rote, you don’t have to read music. All ages welcome. anochords.org. 360-466-0109. 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. 360-630-1156.

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GET INVOLVED 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. 360-2233230. 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.

VILLAGE THEATRE

OPEN MIC: Jam Night, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Thursdays, Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360-445-4733. BRING YOUR OWN GUITAR: 6:30 to 8 p.m. first and third Wednesdays, North Cove Coffee, 1130 S. Burlington Boulevard, Burlington. 360-7072683 or jauman@ northcovecoffee.com. BRING YOUR OWN UKULELE FOR BEGINNERS: 6 to 6:30 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays, North Cove Coffee, 1130 S. Burlington Boulevard, Burlington. 360-707-2683 or jauman@northcovecoffee. com.

PRESENTATIONS, LECTURES, TALKS

FIDALGO SHORELINE ACADEMY: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Northwest Educational Services Building, 1601 R Ave., Anacortes. The program is designed to encourage care and protection of local marine and shoreline environment. The day will include keynote speakers and three optional breakout sessions. Free clock hours available to educators. $30, optional sack lunch $10. Registration required: skagitbeaches.org. OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SPEAKER SERIES: 6 to 8 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month

T H E TON Y AWARD—WI NN I NG MUSICAL

2017-2018

SEASON

the Raven – Lessons Learned” with Phyllis Woolwine of Shearwater University. Woolwine will share the story of her multiyear sectional paddle of the Inside Passage (still in progress), highlighting lessons learned about: paddling strategies, decision-making to cooking, managing life with wildlife.

MONTHLY SPEAKER SERIES: The Hole in the Wall Paddling Club hosts a monthly speaker series at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month, through May, at the Breazeale Interpretive Center, 10441 Bayview-Edison Road, Mount Vernon. holeinthewallpaddlingclub.org. Next up: n Nov. 8: “Following

HATHA YOGA: 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Thursdays through Dec. 28, Burlington Parks and Recreation Center, 900 E. Fairhaven Ave. $72 for 12-week session, six-class punch card is $36. Dropins are $10. First-time students can try the class for free. Ages 16 and older. Information and to register: 360-755-9649. jp090817

RECREATION

FRIENDS OF THE FOREST HIKES: Join the Friends of the Forest for scenic hikes in the forest lands around Anacortes. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. No pets. Free. 360-293-3725 or friendsoftheacfl.org. n All-ages hike to see night animals of the forest near Heart Lake, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 28. Meet at the Heart Lake parking lot. n Senior/adult hike to Heart Lake’s old growth, 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Nov. 10. Meet at the base of Mount Erie on Ray Auld Drive. n Extra gentle hike to Whistle Lake Madrona Point is 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15. Meet at the Whistle Lake parking lot.

Gala SKAGIT SYMPHONY Concert

Saturday, October 21, 2017 7:30pm McIntyre Hall, Mount Vernon

INTO THE WOODS NEWSIES THE GIN GAME STRING HAIRSPRAY

Program:

Mitridate, re di Ponto Overture Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

SUBSCRIBE AND SEE 5 SHOWS FOR THE PRICE OF 4!

Sinfonia Concertante in B-ﬂat major, Hob.1.105 Franz Joseph Haydn

AN E P I C AN D E NCH ANTI NG FAI RYTALE COLLISION

FEATURING THE WWU FACULTY QUARTET

Suite Algérienne, Op.60 Camille Saint-Saëns 1676918

(425) 257-8600 I VILLAGETHEATRE.ORG TICKETS NOW ON SALE EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

OCT 27 – NOV 19

at the Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville. $3 at the door. 360-363-8400 or marysvillewa.gov. n Tuesday, Oct. 24: Bill Thorness: Cycling the Pacific Coast: An Epic Adventure on Two Wheels. n Tuesday, Nov. 28: Bud Hardwick: Snowshoeing and Winter Safety.

SPONSORED IN PART BY

Tickets: McIntyre Hall Box Ofﬁce 360-416-7727, ext. 2 Tuesday-Friday 12-4pm www.McIntyreHall.org Music Sponsor: Dimensional Communications, Inc.

Information: Skagit Symphony PO Box 1302 Mount Vernon, WA 98273 360-848-9336 www.SkagitSymphony.com

E8 - Thursday, October 19, 2017

Netflix sinking deeper into debt to fuel subscriber growth

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

ON STAGE in the Skagit Valley and surrounding area October 19- November 3

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO — Netflix is sinking deeper into debt in its relentless pursuit of more viewers, leaving the company little margin for error as it tries to build the world’s biggest video subscription service. The big burden that Netflix is shouldering hasn’t been a major concern on Wall Street so far, as CEO Reed Hastings’ strategy has been paying off. The billions of dollars that Netflix has borrowed to pay for exclusive series such as “House of Cards,” ‘’Stranger Things,” and “The Crown” has helped its service more than triple its global audience during the past four years — leaving it with 109 million subscribers worldwide through September. That figure includes 5.3 million subscribers added during the July-September period, according to Netflix’s quarterly earnings report released Monday. The growth exceeded management forecasts and analyst projections. If the subscribers keep coming at the current pace, Netflix may surpass its role model — HBO — within the next few years. HBO started this year with 134 million subscribers worldwide. “We are running around 100 miles an hour doing our thing around the world,” Hastings said during a review of the third-quarter results. But Netflix’s subscriber growth could slow if it can’t continue to win programming rights to hit TV series and movies, now that there are more competitors, including Apple , Amazon, Hulu and YouTube. If that happens, there will be more attention on Netflix’s huge programming bills, and “then we could see an investor backlash,” CFRA Research analyst Tuna Amobi says.

PHOTOS BY CRAIG PARRISH / SKAGIT VALLEY HERALD

THURSDAY-SATURDAY.19-21

”YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN” 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com. Pictured: Rebecca Launius-Brown (left), Stuart Marshall, Eowyn DaSilva and Tim Brown.

Thursday.19

Saturday.21

THEATER ”Young Frankenstein”: 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

Friday.20

MUSIC Skagit Symphony’s GALA Concert: 7:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall 2501 E College Way, Mount Vernon. $10-45. 360848-9336 or info@skagitsymphony.com.

THEATER ”Young Frankenstein”: 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

Friday.3

Shemekia Copeland: 7:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N Commercial St., Bellingham. $17.50-45.50. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

THURSDAYSATURDAY.19-21

”YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN” 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360-2936829 or acttheatre.com. Pictured: Tim Brown (left) and Stuart Marshall.

Thursday, October 19, 2017 - E9

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TUNING UP Playing at area venues October 19-26 ic Center, 1124 Cleveland Ave., Mount Vernon. $20-$25. celticarts. org or 360-416-4934. Blues Out West: Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360-445-4733. Bachelor No. 4: 9:30 p.m., Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-293-2544 or brownlantern.com. Margaret Wilder Band: 7:30 p.m., H2O, 314 Commercial Ave, Anacortes. anacortesh2o.com or 360-755-3956. The Winterlings: 7:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 1st St., La Conner. 360-399-

1805 or aneliaskitchenandstage.com. Desperate Measures: 8:30 p.m to midnight, Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. 360-422-6411. Highway 9 Band: 9 p.m., Loco Billy’s, 27021 102nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. $8. 425-7375144, 360-629-6500 or locobillys.com. Mark DuFresne Band: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $12. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Sunday.22

Bow Diddlers: 5:30 p.m., Old Edison, 5829 Cains Court, Bow. 360-766-6266 or

theoldedison.com.

Wednesday.25 Chuck Dingee: 9-11 p.m., Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-2932544 or brownlantern. com.

Fidalgo Swing: 6 p.m., Rockfish Grill & Anacortes Brewery, 320 Commercial Ave. Free. 360-588-1720 or anacortesrockfish.com.

Thursday.26

Summit of Two Plus – (David Ritchie, John Meier): 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Gallery Grand Opening feAturinG

THURSDAY.19

REID JAMESON BAND 8 p.m., The Green Frog, 1015 N. State St., Bellingham. $10. 360-306-8273 or acoustictavern. com/shows.php.

Reid Jameson Band: 8 p.m., The Green Frog, 1015 N. State St., Bellingham. $10. 360-306-8273 or acoustictavern.com/ shows.php.

Marley’s Ghost: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. $12-15. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com. Musebird Cafe with Emily Anderson, “Power Snuggle” & Allison Preisinger: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444

Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Friday.20

Blues Union: 8 p.m., Rockfish Grill & Anacortes Brewery, 320 Commercial Ave. Free. 360-588-1720 or anacortesrockfish. com.

Levi Burkle: 7:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 1st St., La Conner. 360-3991805 or aneliaskitchenandstage.com.

The Bleeding Tree: 8:30 p.m to midnight, Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. 360-422-6411. Daddy Treetops: 8 p.m., Longhorn Saloon, 5754 Cains Court, Bow. Free. 360-766-6330. Fabulous Roof Shakers: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Saturday.21

Tannahill Weavers: 7:30 p.m., Linfield Celt-

Saturday,October 21 • 1-6 pm Hadrian Stone Design Studio 5717 Gilkey Avenue, Bow, WA 98232

1680376

Thursday.19

Katie Walton, Bow, WA • Deirdre Czoberek, Mount Vernon, WA

E10 - Thursday, October 19, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

HOT TICKETS CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE WITH BENNY GREEN, LEWIS NASH: Oct. 19-21, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. DEPECHE MODE: Oct. 21, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com. GERALD ALBRIGHT: Oct. 26-29, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206441-9729 or jazzalley. com. LEO KOTTKE: Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-4419729 or jazzalley.com. DISNEY ON ICE: Nov. 1-6, ShoWare Center, Kent. 866-973-9613. KARRIN ALLYSON: Nov. 2-5, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-4419729 or jazzalley.com. HAUSHKA: Nov. 3, Benaroya Hall, Seattle. 206-215-4747 or benaroyahall.org. YANNI: Nov. 3, Benaroya Hall, Seattle. 206215-4747 or benaroyahall. org. PETE ESCOVEDO AND HIS LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA: Nov. 7-9, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. JERRY DOUGLAS BAND: Nov. 8, Benaroya Hall, Seattle. 206-2154747 or benaroyahall. org. DISNEY ON ICE: Nov. 9-12, XFINITY Arena, Everett. 866-332-8499. HIROMO DUET WITH EDMAR CASTANEDA: Nov. 10-12, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206441-9729 or jazzalley. com. HALSEY: Nov. 10, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-7453000 or livenation.com. FALL OUT BOY: Nov. 12, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com. CONFUNKSHUN: Nov. 14-16, Dimitriou’s Jazz Al-

TOWER OF POWER Nov. 30-Dec. 3, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. ley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. TAJ MAHAL TRIO: Nov. 17-18, 21-22, 24-26, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com. TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: Nov. 25, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-7453000 or livenation.com. RUSSELL MALONE QUARTET: Nov. 28-29, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. TOWER OF POWER: Nov. 30-Dec. 3, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com.

JOE BIDEN: Dec. 3, Benaroya Hall, Seattle. 206-215-4747 or benaroyahall.org. EMILY HAINES & THE SOFT SKELETON: Dec. 3, Benaroya Hall, Seattle. 206-215-4747 or benaroyahall.org. MIKE STERN WITH RANDY BRECKER, TOM KENNEDY, DAVE WECKL: Dec. 5-6, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. ROY HARGROVE QUINTET: Dec. 7-10, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com.

SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK: Dec. 11-12, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com. AVERAGE WHITE BAND: Dec. 13-17, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com. JAY-Z: Dec. 13, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com. AVERAGE WHITE BAND: Dec. 13-17, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com. THE SENATE: Dec. 1920, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or

jazzalley.com. NORMAN BROWN WITH BOBBY CALDWELL, MARION MEADOWS: Dec. 21-23, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com. SARA GAZAREK: Dec. 26-27, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA: Dec. 28, Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham. 360-734-6080 or briansetzer.com. HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS: Dec. 28, XFinity Arena, Everett. 866-3328499 or xfinityarenaever-

ett.com. PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND: Dec. 31, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. NEARLY DAN: Jan. 5-7, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. MARTIN TAYLOR AND ALLISON BURNS: Jan. 9-10, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. MARK HUMMEL’S CHICAGO BLUES HARMONICA BLOWOUT: Jan. 11-14, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-4419729 or jazzalley.com. PETER WHITE: Jan. 1114, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. WAR: Jan. 18-21, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com. HAROLD LOPEZ-NUSSA, RUY NUSSA: Jan. 2324, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. NAJEE: Jan. 25-28, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. DAVINA & THE VAGABONDS: Jan. 30-31, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. KATY PERRY: Feb. 3, 2018, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. JUDY COLLINS: Feb. 8-11, 2018, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206441-9729 or jazzalley. com. MINDI ABAIR BAND: Feb. 13-14, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206441-9729 or jazzalley. com. A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN: Feb. 15, Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre. com.

Thursday, October 19, 2017 - E11

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TRAVEL

A San Francisco sourdough honeymoon By MATT KEMP Associated Pess

SAN FRANCISCO — Honeymoons: a chance to relax after the stress of a wedding by sitting on a beach with a cocktail and contemplating the start of a happy, married life. Or, in my case, a chance to travel to America and meet a baker. I am addicted to bread. Growing up in the United Kingdom — where the staple diet is laced with carbs and gluten — bread really is daily. And I am hooked. In 2012, I went from avid consumer to obsessive creator thanks to a bread-making course at a cottage deep in the English countryside. Nights out with friends have been canceled, weekend trips away postponed, as I became a slave to sourdough. So, while Fiji was at the top of my bride’s romantic getaway list, my mind went immediately to San Francisco. The Bay Area has a long history of making sourdough bread and it’s now home to a plethora of sourdough bakeries. I also dreamed of meeting Chad Robertson, the man behind the city’s highly acclaimed Tartine Bakery. Fiji would have to wait. After our wedding, we embarked on a 5,300-mile trip to California. Despite jet lag, Kate and I headed straight to the city’s oldest sourdough producers, Boudin Bakery near Fisherman’s Wharf. To make sourdough, flour and water are left to ferment for long enough that a natural leaven is created, allowing the baker to dispense with shop-bought yeast altogether. Legend, and Boudin’s onsite museum,

ERIC RISBERG

In this photo taken Aug. 11, Chad Robertson looks over loaves of bread coming out of an oven at the Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco. For a bread lover, no destination is more alluring than San Francisco.

trace the company’s mother dough, still used in each loaf, back to the California Gold Rush era. The sheer scale of Boudin’s operation is impressive. But while there’s great pleasure in tearing the arm off a sourdough teddy bear, the scale is more industrial than artisanal with a flavor to match. This is not the dough I was looking for. Next up, a trip to the Ferry Building Marketplace and an outpost of the Acme Bread Company. Founded in 1983, Acme is a major player in the city, providing bread to dozens of restaurants and grocery stores across the Bay Area. With a depth of flavor and a beautiful, blistered crust, the sourdough round I sampled was, to my palate, a step up from Boudin’s. Stop three: Tartine Manufactory, a light, airy space in the Mission District where the tangy, welcoming smell of sourdough invades your senses as you enter. It’s bread nirvana. As we arrived, the Manufactory was a hive of

activity with Robertson, who is recognized as one of the world’s leading bakers, front and center, pulling crackling, burnished loaves from an enormous deck oven (a type of commercial oven with shelves) as his team buzzed around him. While my short-suffering wife settled down with a beer and a grilled cheese-and-zucchini sandwich, I indulged myself, watching the process I’d pored over in Robertson’s 2010 book “Tartine Bread.” I’d arranged for a chat with him and started off by asking if my pilgrimage was unique. “No, no. A lot of people come,” said the soft-spoken Texan with a smile. “I’m always just hoping it’s a good bread day when they show up! Every day there’s new people. People definitely come from all over and I love it. It’s pressure. I just always hope that we are living up to people’s expectations. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just a constant challenge.” With an estimated 3 million Americans suffering

from celiac disease, one of Tartine’s other challenges is catering for the one in 133 people who are allergic to gluten. However, as Robertson — whose wife, Tartine co-founder Elisabeth Prueitt, is gluten-intolerant — is quick to point out, there’s a difference between being a celiac and avoiding gluten as a lifestyle choice. “Americans in particular are always trying to find a silver bullet — like ‘Oh this is the problem’ and they’ve found that that gluten intolerance is not the problem,” he says. “Gluten-free has as much junk food as regular conventional crackers.” The economics of the gluten-free market aren’t lost on Robertson either: “It’s big business, so once the cereal companies see that this this a growing segment that they can produce food for, then it just keeps rolling on.” Tartine is also teaming up with pizza guru Chris Bianco for a new venture in Los Angeles, with plans under way for a New York outlet too. It’s a long way from Robertson’s humble beginnings, spending years in front of a woodfired oven in West Marin in “a solitary trance” trying to perfect his ideal bread. As my baking hero headed back to his deck oven, I walked outside with a country loaf under my arm and immediately broke through its shattering crust to reveal the pearlescent, still warm crumb inside. It’s a revelation — moist and irresistible, with a complexity of flavor that changes daily during our remaining time in San Francisco. It’s the sourdough that dreams, and honeymoons, are made of.

Local travel briefs WHATCOM SENIOR TOURS: Whatcom Senior Tours is hosting a series of trips for seniors who want to get out and have fun. Sign up by calling 360-7334030, ext. 1015 or visiting the tour office at 315 Halleck Street, Bellingham. n New Orleans and Cajun Country: Nov. 5-11. $2,399 per double occupancy, $3,049 single. 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, call 360-336-6215. RECREATION WITHOUT BORDERS: The organization offers recreational trips, tours and adventures throughout the Northwest and British Columbia. 360-766-7109 or recreationwithoutborders.com. OAK HARBOR DAY TRIPS: The Oak Harbor Senior Center, 51 SE Jerome St., offers day trips for members. For details, call the travel desk at 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. PASSPORT APPLICATIONS: Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes, accepts new passport applications and applications for passports that have been expired for more than five years by appointment from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Passport forms and information on fees and how to apply are available at travel.state. gov, or pick up an application and passport guide at the library.

E12 - Thursday, October 19, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

‘Springsteen on Broadway’: A rock-star confessional with heart By CHARLES MCNULTY Los Angeles Times

NEW YORK — The question hanging over Bruce Springsteen’s Broadway debut was whether the show was going to be a concert relocated to accommodate a rock star’s aging vocal cords and fan base or a genuine theatrical offering somewhere between a trumped-up cabaret and a stripped-down musical. Having now experienced “Springsteen on Broadway” at the Walter Kerr Theatre, where the show is making “Hamilton” suddenly seem like a box-office slowpoke with its runaway ticket prices, I am still not sure how to categorize this intimate, dreamlike encounter with a music legend accustomed to selling out football stadiums. A special event if ever there was one, “Springsteen on Broadway,” which had its official opening Thursday, slips out of genres to invent a new hybrid form. Call it a confessional jam session. Nomenclature aside, there’s no denying that the man of Broadway’s fall season is delivering a performance that few lucky enough to attend will ever forget. This is Bruce (no last name needed) unplugged, but the show goes far deeper than a hothouse exhibition of an artist unwinding while the MTV cameras roll. Alone on stage for nearly the entire performance, the 68-year-old rock ‘n’ roller accompanies himself while looking back in rugged tranquillity. His songs provide the road map for where he’s been. The crags in his still commanding voice mark the distance between now and then, but he brings the guitar-slinging,

piano-pounding, harmonica-blowing heat along with the retrospective wisdom. Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Bob Dylan are touchstones for Springsteen, but I found myself connecting his inner intensity to a certain school of American acting, the one that includes Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and all the other fearlessly original stage and screen stars who open old wounds for the sake of their characters. Springsteen is, of course, portraying himself, but he’s reckoning with his own myth, peeling back layers to rediscover the boy from Freehold, N.J., who stared at the grand copper beech tree outside his bedroom window while dreaming of a life that would transcend, though not desert, the blue-collar world he came from. Kafka said that a book should serve as the ax to break up the frozen sea inside us. Springsteen uses his music to dissect the psychology of its creation. The songs bring him back to the places and people, the longings and the losses, that inspired their birth — the distant father whose approval he could never seem to win as a kid, the devoted mother who held the family together by sheer force of will, the band mates and industry gurus, the women he loved and ran away from. There’s too much lyrical patter for this to qualify as a concert. Much of the talk is lifted straight from his superb 2016 memoir, “Born to Run,” a book that sets a new literary standard for the celebrity stroll down memory lane. Springsteen is billed as both writer and director of the show, which doles out the writing in lumpy portions in the opening setup built around

NATHAN DENET TE/THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Bruce Springsteen and Bryan Adams perform during the closing ceremonies of the Invictus Games in Toronto on Saturday, Sept. 30.

EVAN AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP

Musician Bruce Springsteen and his wife Patti Scialfa exit out the stage door after the “Springsteen On Broadway” opening night performance at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Oct. 12, in New York.

“Growin’ Up” from his 1973 debut album, “Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.” But everything quickly snaps into place. The anecdotes Springsteen relates have a shaggy dog quality, but the feelings they summon in him inspire the choice turns of phrase and vivid imagery of his best songs. He traces the Garden State geography of his imagination to once again see Mary’s dress swaying as she walks through the screen door and dances to the lonely sounds of Roy Orbison in “Thunder Road.” Springsteen could easily have turned his autobiography over to Broadway hacks, who would have jumped at the chance at adapting his life story into a jukebox musical. But thankfully he created something more artfully haunting than “Jersey Boy: Asbury Park Edition.” His prose, even when

overripe, conveys his heart’s richness. But his presence onstage communicates his soul. Springsteen’s stage demeanor exudes a radiant fervor. His eyes seem to preface everything he says and sings with the words, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” (His sly smile suggests he knows he’ll sin again, but once a Catholic boy, always a Catholic boy.) Toward the end of the two-hour intermission-less show, he intones the Lord’s Prayer, but by then it’s clear that “Springsteen on Broadway” is for him a kind of sacrament. On a set by Heather Wolensky that throws into relief the beauty of the Walter Kerr stage and encapsulated by the lighting sorcery of Natasha Katz, Springsteen runs slowly through lyrics he knows were lost in the upsurge of pop glory. But he keeps his tendency for marathon overkill in check,

taking his time while staying on course. He doesn’t set out to impress yet ends up impressing all the more for his desire to be true — to the songwriting, to the shared moment with his faithful fans and to his own mutable yet continuous self. Anthem-style rock took his commercial success to a stratospheric level in the 1980s, but here he divulges what was whispering to him in the songs that were cycling regularly on Top 40 radio. Although often presumed to be blindly patriotic, “Born in the U.S.A.” was a protest song about bearing witness to the struggles of veterans and workers politicians would rather ignore. He modestly points this out, but it’s only when he removes the sonic bluster that he reveals the song’s Woody Guthrie heart. The melancholy underlying “Dancing in the Dark,” Springsteen’s biggest hit, holds sway in a rendition that is almost dirge-like in its quiet beauty. Like so many of us, Springsteen is worried about America’s drift away from its ideals, but he doesn’t get on his soapbox. His political remarks stem from his commitment

to everyday people. He’d rather connect than proselytize, recognizing as he says that the secret of his success, “the magic trick,” is the bond he has with those who inspire him to sing in the first place. Perhaps the most moving instance of this is when his wife, Patti Scialfa Springsteen, joins him onstage for a pair of numinous numbers, “Tougher Than the Rest” and “Brilliant Disguise.” They barely make eye contact, but the way he glows as she gently shadows his voice, caressing it in a vocal penumbra, tells you everything you need to know about their enduring love. Springsteen can’t help ironically noting that when he wrote all those car songs he didn’t even have a driver’s license, when he sang about returning soldiers he wondered who died in his place in Vietnam, and when he became the bard of factory workers he felt a little self-conscious he had manage to skate through life without having to hold down a 9 to 5 job. He may be rich, famous and charging a fortune for tickets, but he’s no phony.

Thursday, October 19, 2017 - E13

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

AT THE LINCOLN

DINING GUIDE THURSDAY NIGHT - ALLYOU CAN EAT PRAWNS! Friday, October 20th

Saturday, October 21st

BLEEDING TREE

DESPERATE MEASURES

FRiDAY

SATURDAY

PRimE Rib

SEAFOOD

18247 State Route 9 Mount Vernon

Wild and Scenic Film Festival 2017

Spectacular, Spectacular Series: “What Dreams May Come”

5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22 “What Dreams May Come” is a 1998 American fantasy drama film, starring Academy Award winners Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr. The film is based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Richard Matheson, and was directed by Vincent Ward. It won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and the Art Directors Guild Award for Excellence in Production Design. Rated PG-13. $10.50 general; $9.50 seniors, students and active military; $8 children 12 and under. Lincoln Theatre Members get a $2 discount.

Football Parties in the lounge Cougs, Sat. 7:45pm Hawks, Sun. 1:25pm

DJ CLINT WESTWOOD

SAT. 10/21 7:30PM MARGARET WILDER BAND

SUN. 10/22 7PM KARAOKE

Call for Reservations

SAT. 10/28 7PM

360.466.4411

La Conner Whitney Rd. & Hwy. 20

FANNY ALGER anacortesrockfish.com / anacortesH2O.com

1585064 1474688

50% off

LocaL RestauRants and moRe

$7.99 BURGER SPECIAL Mon-Fri, 11:30am-4pm

FRIDAY ~ PRIME RIB SATURDAY ~ SEAFOOD THURSDAY NIGHTS:

A menu of Polish family recipes and eclectic fare made in-house from fresh, local ingredients

ALL YOU CAN EAT PRAWNS

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

Craft Beer • PNW Wines House-Infused Vodkas Weekend Brunch & Bloody Mary Bar Sat-Sun 11am to 2pm

LOCAL LIVE MUSIC CHECK LISTINGS

aneliaskitchenandstage.com onLy at goskagit.com/deaLs

1674542

Book your Holiday Banquets & Catering

FRI. 10/20 10PM

FRI. 10/20 8PM BLUES UNION WEDS. 10/25 6PM FIDALGO SWING FRI. 10/27 8PM MILLER CAMPBELL FRI./SAT. 11/3-4 8PM BREWGRASS

OPEN 11AM WED-MON Kitchen open until last call 513 1st Street, La Conner 360-399-1805

Friday 10/20 BLEEDING TREE Saturday 10/21 DESPERATE MEASURES

422-6411 18247 State Route 9 Mount Vernon

1673009

8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 This year’s line-up includes James P Connolly, Duane Goad and emcee Nigel Larson. James P. Connolly is a stand-up comedian and radio/TV host known for his playful, confident style and unique sense of humor. He is currently the host of “Vet on the Street” for We Are The Mighty TV. Duane Goad is a Canadian-born, Seattle-based comedian who has entertained audiences all over the U.S. & Canada with his quick, sarcastic and self-depricating style of comedy. Nigel Larson has travelled the world and done stand-up for almost a decade. He’s a smart cat with a crooked smile, a leather jacket and a way of seeing life from a different perspective. $20 plus applicable fees.

Family Friendly

1585049

The Original Comedy Night

Coming up at The Rockfish Grill and H2O:

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7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 The Wild and Scenic Film Festival 2017 will feature short films that will help us appreciate nature and the struggles to protect it. Films were selected from a collection of over 100 films shown at the annual film festival held in Nevada City, Calif. The films capture the spirit of varying environmental movements across the globe. $15-$25 (includes a discounted SFEG membership and free Klean Kanteen giveaway), plus applicable fees. All tickets include a free raffle ticket. skagitfisheries. org

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360-422-6411

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“What Dreams May Come” is a 1998 American fantasy drama film, starring Academy Award winners Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr.

E14 - Thursday, October 19, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

MINI-REVIEWS

‘Only the Brave’ is gripping story of firefighting heroes By KATIE WALSH Tribune News Service

Wildland firefighting is a mysterious art: a delicate dance with a raging, unpredictable force. It’s bested only with a unique mastery of weather, fuel and wind to extinguish fire with fire itself. If our image of firefighting is a big red truck and a hose, “Only the Brave,” directed by Joseph Kosinski, tweaks that image, introducing audiences to a crew of yellow-shirted mountain men wielding chainsaws and pickaxes, firefighters battling fire with ditches and torches. “Only the Brave,” written by Ken Nolan and Eric Warren Singer, is based on the GQ article “No Exit,” by Seth Flynn, which recounts, in efficient and devastating detail, the 2013 Yarnell Fire in Arizona and the Granite Mountain hotshots crew. The film lifts these men from the page and brings them to life. Kosinski, who has a background in architecture, is known for his meticulous visual style and digital effects. That has made for some coolly stylish, if emotionally remote films, but “Only the Brave” is decidedly warm-blooded, thanks to the detail brought to the characters and their relationships, which are the priority. Kosinski and the writers studiously lay out the necessary parts and tools for

RICHARD FOREMAN, JR. SMPSP

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Josh Brolin, left, in a scene from “Only the Brave.”

this affecting story in the same way that Eric Marsh (Josh Brolin) packs his knapsack with gear. Training montages, pranks and close calls demonstrate the way these men use their tools in the wilderness — swiftly cutting “lines” in the ground, cutting down trees, and using flame against flame. We understand the danger when we see their last resorts, protective foil shelters, unfurled in drills and pranks, and hopefully, never in the field. The focus on protocol, procedure and planning is tantamount to the way this story unfolds, but it’s also a reflection of the way Eric’s mind works, and the way he leads his team. He doggedly pursues a Type 1 certification unheard of for his municipal department, and inspires the group of roughneck men to follow him into the fire with a potent blend of passion, dedication,

obsession and preparation. That obsession often puts him at odds with his wife, Amanda (Jennifer Connelly), a headstrong, loving woman who rehabilitates horses, and often her husband too. Brolin, bearded and soot-streaked, has never been better, in a role that seems written for him. His Marsh is tough, gritty and fair, but his brand of masculinity, which his men imitate, draws its strength from vulnerability and fellowship. “Only the Brave” celebrates the jocular, physical friendship of men, as mentors, brothers, enemies, and co-workers. James Badge Dale is excellent in a supporting role as Marsh’s hard-charging deputy, while Taylor Kitsch steals every scene he’s in playing an impishly charming dirtbag. But the film revolves around the relationship between Marsh and

Brendan McDonough (Miles Teller). Skittish McDonough, nicknamed Donut, is a former junkie who applies for the squad when he becomes a father. Marsh recognizes himself in Donut and takes a chance on him. While Kosinski’s film works thanks to its big beating heart, he never sacrifices the visuals. The wilderness aflame is a stunning, surreal and terrifying beauty: pines falling off cliffs, sending up a fireworks show; nightmares of burning bears charging through the woods. The majesty of these images is in service of the story and the people in it — a true-life tale that will grasp onto your heart and hold on long after the credits roll. — 2:13. Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some sexual references, language and drug material. HHHH (out of four stars).

Compiled from news services. Ratings are 1 to 4 stars. “Brawl in Cell Block 99” — Vince Vaughn turns in a legitimately great performance as a hulking killing machine forced to carry out a hit behind bars in order to save his family. The creatively violent and gruesomely entertaining grindhouse movie has the look and feel of a particularly well-made drive-in flick from the 1970s. Crime action, not rated, 132 minutes. HHH½ “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)” — Here’s a new entry to the roster of films featuring quality performances from Adam Sandler. He plays a middle-aged sad sack who craves the approval of his insufferable father (Dustin Hoffman). Along with Sandler’s successful brother (Ben Stiller) and pathetic sister (Elizabeth Marvel), they’re a ridiculous bunch, which makes for some poignant insights and some smart comedy. Comedy, not rated, 110 minutes. HHH “The Florida Project” — In a sun-dappled but decidedly dark and severely fractured fairy tale, the children of impoverished millennials get themselves into all sorts of trouble in a garishly painted, barely inhabitable, rundown motel outside Orlando. The film does a masterful job of exploring a world rarely explored in movies. Drama, R, 115 minutes. HHH½ “Marshall” — As the young Thurgood Marshall, a brilliant and passionate civil rights attorney defending an accused rapist in 1940, Chadwick Boseman delivers perhaps his finest work to date — even when the material falters a bit and is more heavy-handed and poundthe-point-home than necessary. Biography, PG-13, 118 minutes. HHH “Spielberg” — An insightful, comprehensive, entertaining and sprawling insider’s look at Steven Spielberg, the boy genius who is now 70 but has never lost his childlike sense of wonder — or his gift for storytelling. Documentary, not rated, 147 minutes. HHHH “Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House” — Liam Neeson gives a tightly controlled and quietly effective performance as the FBI man known as Deep Throat who leaked information about Nixon administration crimes and cover-ups to the press. The paint-bynumbers procedural has the trappings of a taut thriller, but there’s something slow-footed about much of the proceedings. Biography, PG-13, 103 minutes. HH½ “The Mountain Between Us” — When it’s just a tedious and corny survival story, “The Mountain Between Us” is at least bearable, thanks mainly to the all-in performances from Kate Winslet and Idris Elba as strangers trying to remain alive in an unforgiving, icy wilderness. They butt heads and make up so many times you almost start rooting for the elements to win out, just so these two would shut up. Adventure drama, PG-13, 101 minutes. H½ “Blade Runner 2019” — The tight control of Ryan Gosling makes him the perfect choice to play a replicant cop that just might be human. This vibrant, gorgeous and occasionally incomprehensible hallucinatory epic stands with the likes of “The Godfather Part II” as a sequel worthy of the original classic. Sci-fi action, R, 164 minutes. HHHH

Thursday, October 19, 2017 - E15

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES “Pearl Jam: Let’s Play Two” — Watching this documentary on Pearl Jam’s concerts at Wrigley Field during the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 championship season, I was stirred by the lush, pristine sounds of the band (led by lifelong Cubbie fanatic Eddie Vedder) and by the gorgeous visuals in the concert sequences. This is one of the most vibrant-looking rock performance films of recent years. Documentary, not rated, 120 minutes. HHHH “Our Souls at Night” — In this lovely and bittersweet romantic comedy/drama, widowed acquaintances in a small Colorado town become awkward companions, then friends, then something more. As the two leads, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford disappear into their characters and execute each scene with flawless, naturalistic, utterly believable performances. Comedy drama, not rated, 103 minutes. HHH½ “American Made” — Tom Cruise gives one of his most energized and charming performances in years as a real-life CIA operative who laundered millions in ill-gotten cash and flew guns and cocaine. Sure, we get some big action, but the most memorable scenes involve Cruise in a room with

a handful of other characters, usually neckdeep in an untenable situation. Comedy action, R, 115 minutes. HHH½ “Woodshock” — Nearly everything about a very early scene of a woman (Kirsten Dunst) giving her bedridden mom a spiked joint to help her commit suicide announces “Woodshock” as a film more concerned with the filmmakers’ artistic vision than any attempt to engage the audience. It’s a hazy, convoluted, Byzantine journey. Drama, R, 101 minutes. H “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” — One Academy Award winner after another play cartoonish cardboard characters spouting ridiculous and often painfully unfunny dialogue. If you liked the original “Kingsman,” the best way to preserve that memory is to stay away from this bigger, louder sequel. Action adventure, R, 141 minutes. H½ “Brad’s Status” — The casting of Ben Stiller as a bitter, resentful underachiever taking his teenage son on a college tour is equal parts smart and problematic. He’s very good at playing this kind of character. The issue is whether we’re tired of him playing this kind of character. Comedy drama, R, 102 minutes. HH

At area theaters ANACORTES CINEMAS Oct. 20-26 Happy Death Day (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 1:00, 4:15, 6:40, 10:05; Sunday-Thursday: 1:00, 4:15, 6:40 Blade Runner 2049 (R): Friday-Saturday: 12:50, 3:15, 6:30, 8:55; Sunday-Monday: 12:50, 3:15, 6:30; Tuesday: 12:50, 3:15; WednesdayThursday: 12:50, 3:15, 6:30 My Little Pony: The Movie (PG): Friday-Saturday: 12:55, 4:05, 6:35, 8:50; Sunday-Thursday: 12:55, 4:05, 6:35 Kirk Cameron REVIVE US 2: Tuesday: 8 p.m. 360-293-7000

CONCRETE THEATRE Oct. 20-22 American Made (R): Friday: 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 5 p.m. 360-941-0403

STANWOOD CINEMAS Oct. 20-26 Happy Death Day (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 1:05, 4:25, 6:35, 9:55; Sunday-Thursday: 1:05, 4:25, 6:35 Blade Runner 2049 (R): Friday-Saturday: 1:00, 3:25, 6:30, 9:05; Sunday-Monday: 1:00, 3:25, 6:30; Tuesday: 1:00, 3:25; WednesdayThursday: 1:00, 3:25, 6:30 OAK HARBOR CINEMAS The Mountain Between Us (PG-13): FridayOct. 20-26 Saturday: 1:10, 3:50, 6:50, 9:30; Sunday-ThursHappy Death Day (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: day: 1:10, 3:50, 6:50 1:00, 4:15, 6:40, 10:05; Sunday-Thursday: 1:00, My Little Pony: The Movie (PG): Friday-Sat4:15, 6:40 urday: 1:15, 4:15, 6:40, 8:50; Sunday-Thursday: Blade Runner 2049 (R): Friday-Saturday: 1:15, 4:15, 6:40 12:50, 3:15, 6:30, 8:55; Sunday-Monday: 12:50, Battle of the Sexes (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 3:15, 6:30; Tuesday: 12:50, 3:15; Wednesday1:20, 3:45, 6:45, 9:25; Sunday-Thursday: (1:20), Thursday: 12:50, 3:15, 6:30 (3:45), 6:45 My Little Pony: The Movie (PG): Friday-SatKirk Cameron REVIVE US 2: Tuesday: 8 p.m. urday: 12:55, 4:05, 6:35, 8:50; Sunday-Thursday: 360-629-0514 12:55, 4:05, 6:35 Kirk Cameron REVIVE US 2: Tuesday: 8 p.m. BLUE FOX DRIVE-IN 360-279-2226 Oak Harbor Oct. 20-22 CASCADE MALL THEATERS Dispicable Me 3 (PG) and The Mountain Burlington Between Us (PG-13): First show starts at For showings: amctheatres.com/showtimes/ approximately 6:20 p.m. all/2017-06-23/amc-loews-cascade-mall-14/all 360-941-0403 * Times are subject to change

‘THE FLORIDA PROJECT’ IS DIRTY AND DANGEROUS By CHRIS VOGNAR The Dallas Morning News

The cheap motels come in garish pastels — pink, purple, mint green. They lie on the outskirts of Walt Disney World, but their squalor mocks the marketing savvy of the Magic Kingdom. The residents pay $35 per night for a bed and a chance to see a drug deal in progress or a pedophile lurking in the shadows. But for the rambunctious, potty-mouth kids who dash and scam through “The Florida Project,” this is merely home. The Future Land Inn. Magic Castle. Arabian Nights. The names promise enchantment, and the kids make a playground of their dead-end surroundings. “The Florida Project,” the latest bit of Day-Glo grime from Sean Baker, is part triumph of the spirit, part hustle for survival. In Baker’s vision, these tones don’t clash, even when the colors do. Our primary guide is Moonie, a precocious scamp played by newcomer Brooklynn Prince. Moonie lives with her mom Halley (Bria Vinaite), who drifts blithely from one scheme to the next. That can mean selling wholesale perfumes for marked-up prices. It can also mean turning tricks out of her motel room, or stealing Disney World wristbands from a john and pedaling them to a newcomer tourist. Halley will not contend for any Mother of the Year awards. She’s scarcely an adult herself. Baker has a gift for finding the bristling humanity in characters surviving on the fringes of society. He showed this in his breakout film, “Tangerine,” a screwball street comedy about the transsexual underworld of Los Angeles. His films move fast and crackle with energy, a perfect combination for a story of nonstop kids running wild. Together with her two best friends, Scooty (Christopher Rivera) and Jancey (Valeria Cotto), Moonie panhandles for ice cream money and takes delight in spitting on a neighbor’s parked car. She’s like Our Gang’s Spanky, amped up for a restless, fragmented 21st-century world. Most of the film’s actors are nonprofessionals, with one notable and valuable exception. Willem Dafoe plays Bobby, a do-everything motel manager who tries to keep the circus under control and collect the rent on time. Sometimes he

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This image released by A24 shows Willem Dafoe, left, and Brooklynn Prince in a scene from “The Florida Project.”

supplies muscle: He’s the one who spots the pedophile and puts the fear of life in him. Dafoe gives “The Florida Project” a necessary touch of ballast, a steady and sympathetic hand that provides the film a chance to catch its breath. He’s never seemed more relaxed and present; it’s as if the movie’s freewheeling structure lets him stretch his legs a little. He’s the adult in the room, and the job suits him well. It’s tempting to compare “The Florida Project” to one of Harmony Korine’s kidsin-trouble films, say, “Kids,” or “Gummo.” But Florida doesn’t have the shock morbidity of those movies. (A more apt tonal comparison, despite the difference in the characters’ ages, would be Korine’s “Spring Breakers”). “The Florida Project” has a way of keeping its chin up through bleak circumstances. This quality is much to the point: Shut out of the official Magic Kingdom, these tykes create one of their own. Still, at times, I found myself wishing for a little more consequence, for reasons less moral than dramatic. At a certain point, it gets hard to buy poverty as a romp. Then again, Baker is among the few filmmakers eager to portray economic imbalance at all. “The Florida Project’s” mischievous gambit, of focusing on the hangers-on next door to a sprawling, cash-consuming tourist trap, is also its most stinging statement. The setting brings to mind Katherine Boo’s nonfiction classic “Behind the Beautiful Forevers,” in which Mumbai slum dwellers eke out an existence in the shadow of luxury hotels. These are stories of painful contrast, between luxurious fantasy and hard reality. The playground of “The Florida Project” is dirty and dangerous, but its inhabitants, like anyone else, still need to play. This film gives them room to do just that.

E16 - Thursday, October 19, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

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