While Washington State COVID-19 measures continue to restrict events on the grounds, the spirit of the season remains alive in the virtual experiences offered by organizations across the grounds. Here are some of the activities planned for the month of December. The online options include workshops, theatrical, opera, music and dance. Some are free of charge and others help to support these valued organizations. These and more are listed at Seattle Center Arts at Home.
Seattle Center Winterfest—This annual holiday tradition, through Dec 31, goes mostly virtual in 2020 at https://www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest,with Festál holiday traditions, Student Showcases and hands-on activities including a seasonal coloring contest. Center visitors will find Campus Luminata lighting their way across the grounds, along with enhanced lighting at Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Space Needle.
A/NT Gallery—Virtually view and shop a Community Show at revisionexhibitions.com. The gallery will reopen when COVID restrictions are lifted. Learn more at https://www.antgallery.org.
Book-It Repertory Theatre—This season, Book-It Artistic Director Gus Menary has gone all-audio to play with the form and structure of book adaptations in five “mainstage” dramas. Single tickets are now on sale for Childfinder, The Canterville Ghost, Mañanaland, The Effluent Engine and The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes. book-it.org/2020-2021-season.
Cascade Public Media—Get the latest on the COVID pandemic in a special conversation with Dr. Vin Gupta 7pm, Dec 16. Free with registration. https://www.cascadepublicmedia.org/events. Check out streaming features with regional relevance, the latest news, travel, Crosscut presentations, special seasonal episodes and diverse at-home educational resources at https://www.kcts9.org.
Cornish College of the Arts—2020 Cornish Streaming Theater Festival featuring You On the Moors Now, Stupid F*#&ing Bird and The Theory of Relativity streams Dec 3-11. Scores of Sound Virtual Festival of Student Works streams Dec 9-11. Information and registration at http://www.cornish.edu/calendar.
Classical KING FM—Saturday 10am broadcasts of Seattle Opera productions continue in December on 98.1 FM with: Dec 5, Orpheus and Eurydice, recorded Jan 23, 1988; Dec 12, The Italian Girl in Algiers, from Oct 21, 2006; Dec 19: Fidelio, from Oct 20, 2012; and Dec 26: Julius Caesar, from March 3, 2007. Find out more at https://www.seattleopera.org/inside-look/king-fm-opera-dates.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)—MoPOP has re-closed because of the Governor’s most recent restrictions, but online programs continue. The next watchalong film in its Grow Up! series is Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, 6pm, Dec 17. MoPOP also offers Homeschool Days, featuring workshops led by teaching artists, gallery experiences and free time to explore the museum’s interactive exhibits. Information and registration at: https://www.mopop.org//exhibitions-plus-events/events.
Pacific Northwest Ballet—PNB’s beloved holiday tradition goes virtual in 2020. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, with unique-to-Seattle scenery and costumes by Ian Falconer, invites viewers to immerse yourself in a candy-filled dreamland. Streaming starts Dec 18 (and earlier with special purchase). Learn more at https://www.PNB.org/nutcracker.
Pottery Northwest—Our resident clay mecca offers the community an opportunity to purchase clay creations by local artists in its online Holiday Sale. View it at https://potterynorthwest.org/shop.
Seattle Rep—Seattle Rep’s Public Works presents selections from a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, 7:30pm, Dec 10, with music and lyrics by Shaina Taub. This virtual performance is free to watch, with donations gratefully accepted. Register for the livestream at https://www.seattlerep.org/audience-programs/upcoming-events/public-works-twelfth-night.
Seattle Opera—Seattle Opera’s semi-staged video stream of Donizetti’s bubbly comedy, The Elixir of Love streams through this Friday, Dec 4. This charming love story includes a fast-talking con man, colorful new-to-Seattle costumes and masterful bel canto music. Available to season ticket holders: https://www.seattleopera.org/on-stage/elixir-of-love-2020. Seattle Opera also offers an enticing collection of artists recitals, opera talks, youth programming, behind the scenes features, podcasts and a music playlist at https://www.seattleopera.org/inside-look.
SIFF—Cinema Italian Style streams the best in new work from established masters and new voices, pre-recorded filmmaker Q&As and films spanning the country, Dec 10-17. Tickets and information at https://www.siff.net/year-round-cinema/film-festivals/cinema-italian-style. Also, explore SIFF’s online portal for an outstanding roster of new indie arthouse films, encores of successful presentations, and an ever-rotating selection of virtual cinema to enjoy at home. Tickets and information at: https://www.siff.net/virtual/virtual-siff-cinema.
TeenTix—Teens can join in two live streaming workshops, Music as Anti-Racist Rebellion with music critic, journalist and essayist Martin Douglas, 10am-2:30pm, Dec 5; and Film as Awareness with Northwest Film Forum Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of the arts publication, REDEFINE, Vivian Hua, 10am-2:30pm, Dec 12: https://www.teentix.org/blog/teentix-fall-workshop-lineup. TeenTix also provides a calendar to arts experiences across the region at https://www.teentix.org/calendar.
About Seattle Center:
Connect to the extraordinary at Seattle Center, an active civic, arts and family gathering place in the core of our region. More than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations that reside on the grounds, together with a broad range of public and community programs, create thousands of events on the 74-acre campus and attract over 12 million visitors each year. At Seattle Center, part of Uptown Arts & Cultural District, our purpose is to create exceptional events, experiences and environments that delight and inspire the human spirit to build stronger communities. Activities at the Center generate $1.864 billion in business activity and $631 million in labor income.
