by Kirby Lindsay, posted 25 March 2013
Opening weekend of the 10th year of Moisture Festival has already spilled through Hale’s Palladium, with clowns, jugglers, live music, and cowgirl stunts. Three weeks remain to enjoy what may be the penultimate in Moisture Festival entertainment, as well as the absolute best live show you will see this year!
How can I suggest that? I’m glad you asked. Last year I posted 10 reasons, and this year I can actually give 10 more:
10. Because You Can!
Those of us who obsessively attend multiple Moisture shows each year know that this creative, crazy, singular entertainment can’t be easily found the other 11 months of the year. This is it. Miss this chance, and suffer a whole ‘nother year of insipid, depressing and/or conventional, and unrelieved, ‘entertainment.’
9. While You Can…
Opening weekend shows sold out. Seattlites procrastinate (one of our defining characteristics?) and usually make a last minute rush to the box office for the last week’s performances. Not this year! More discerning audience members have been snapping up tickets – and whining about how busy you were won’t get you in.
8. Family Friendly Entertainment
The first Moisture matinee, I took two young nephews, my godson, and his friend. I also took a back-up adult because, contrary to all evidence, I’m not a glutton for punishment.
Not all MF shows are family friendly (the burlesque shows at the Broadway Performance Hall, and late-night shows at Hale’s Palladium serve up spicy adult entertainment!) But the family shows will entrance and entertain youths of all ages, interests and attitudes. Also, MF exposes the next generation to entertainment without buttons or batteries – and makes them think about alternatives to what they see at the mall. Besides, as Cowgirl Karen Quest observed to the matinee audience, all MF shows are in 3D!
7. Spectacular Aerialist Acts
How often do you get to see amazing acrobats swinging, soaring, and sailing through the air, defying gravity on the trapeze, ropes, silks and other contraptions? From Ruby Joyce performing at age 10 to Sally Pepper, an MF veteran, who has appeared every year, Moisture shows always contain at least two aerial acts. Where else can you see this stuff?
6. Other Performers: Favs!
At this season’s second show, emcee (and Artistic Director/Founder) Ron W. Bailey referred to acts as “weirdos,” in the best way. Talents displayed by the performers at the MF vaudeville and/or burlesque shows probably disturbed their family members during development – and delight audiences over and over now.
For regular Moisture attendees, we go to see more and more of Hacki & Moeppi, Godfrey Daniels, Al Simmons, The Bellini Twins, etc. We all have favorite acts, and some never have to change their material and we will continue to feel the love.
5. Other Performers: Newbies?
Yet, every year new acts join the line up. This year, Moisture has added dozens of new acts. A few may flop, but most will become anecdotes, fond memories and moments we wonder about for weeks/months/years to come!
4. Penultimate Performers
Every year MF organizers book more and more incredible acts, and refine the line-up to make it better and better. For the 10th year, they specifically invited back the best of the best – and they’ve arrived!
This year, experience the ultimate of the wild, wacky and strange. Seattle Times’ Theater Critic Misha Berson called Moisture Festival, “the Olympics of Ooh and Ahh,” and this year promises more of than ever before.
3. Benefit Show For Veterans…And Our Community!
Opening weekend had two benefit shows for two local organizations – Hands For A Bridge and the Phinney Neighborhood Association. While those opportunities to help have passed, all ticket sales will help Moisture Festival (a 501(c)3 non-profit) put on a performance at the Veterans Administration Hospital specifically for patients, their families and staff – for free!
2. Dr. Patch Adams
On Monday, April 1st, Patch Adams, MD – a well-known doctor and clown known for his use of humor in healing – will speak to an audience about 30+ years of clowning experience, and his experiences as one of today’s most inspirational medical authorities. Learn more about the relationship between humor and the health of the individual, community and society, at Hale’s Palladium. Tickets available, for $15, through Brown Paper Tickets.
1. Vote Your Ticket
I am ever amazed at people who lament the loss of something – a store, landmark, event, etc. – yet when asked, they admit they either never patronized it, or hadn’t in a very long time…
Don’t let that be the case for Moisture Festival. Fremont is fortunate beyond expression that this odd-ball offering occurs at the Center of the Universe. Our businesses have been good about sponsorship, and generous donors gave to finance this year, but ultimately it is the audiences that will influence whether we will see a 20th Year of Moisture Festival in 2023!
Buy tickets today – right now, even. Shows do sell out – and April 14th (the last day of the 2013 Festival,) will be here sooner than you realize.
Oh, and for hardcore Festival-lovers, consider attending the Moisture-palooza, a.k.a. the Continuous Moisture: A Varieté Downpour. Saturday, April 13th, five shows will be staged back to back – and an all-day pass for $75 will give you the chance to laugh, wonder and witness an entire day of craziness!
Tickets can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets, for the varieté/vaudeville shows at Hale’s Palladium (behind Hale’s Ales Brewery,) the varieté matinees at Broadway Performance Hall, and the burlesque shows also at Broadway Hall.
If do you miss out this year, though, do not even think about crying to me…
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©2013 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.