It’s all about authenticity
by Christopher Key

As those of you who have followed this blog for a while know, it has grown rather organically from what was originally imagined. I started with theatrical reviews, soon added music, then ballet and opera, even a ride in a World War II airplane. Once again, I intend to boldly split infinitives that have never been split before. Welcome to my first restaurant review.

I am on somewhat safer ground here than when I ventured into reviewing ballet and opera since I have a somewhat deeper appreciation for good food than most. During a catastrophic illness some years ago, I took my nutrition through a stomach tube for several months. Trust me, food takes on a whole new meaning after an experience like that.

So when my long-time barber Wally Whaley asked me to review his wife’s new restaurant and deli in Lynden, I didn’t turn a hair. So to speak.

Renate’s German Deli is located at 312 Front Street in Lynden and brings a new level of authenticity to German cuisine in this area. Not that there’s much competition. While there are Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Thai restaurants by the dozen, those who know and appreciate German food have usually had to go to Vancouver, BC, or Seattle to satisfy their cravings.

Renate and Wally have done an outstanding job converting the storefront space into a welcoming and comfortable environment. The beer and wine license had not quite come through when I was there last week, but the lovely granite-topped bar just screams gemütlichkeit.

As much as I was tempted by the various wurst dishes on the menu, I knew that schnitzel was the true test. The pork schnitzel was as good as I’ve had anywhere, with a perfectly crisp breaded outside and tender meat inside. It comes with some snappy stone ground mustard in the best German tradition.

But the true test of a good German restaurant, for me, is warmer kartoffelsalat. That’s the iconic German hot potato salad that is one of the greatest comfort foods ever conceived. Renate’s version has a subtle tang of vinegar and lots of bacon. Real bacon, not the kind that comes in bottles. Jawohl!

Also very traditional is rotkohl, red cabbage, and it should be redolent of cloves and bay leaves. Renate scores again. Some substantial rye bread accompanies the meal and, again, it’s the real deal.

The word “hearty” is probably overused when it comes to describing German food and it’s something of an understatement. It’s filling, fattening, high in carbs and cholesterol, and completely wonderful. Renate’s makes no pretensions toward serving food that will appeal to vegans or dieters and that is refreshing in a world that seems devoted to gastronomic political correctness.

Renate’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and also offers a deli case full of meats, cheeses and other delights that are not to be found anywhere else between Vancouver and Seattle. She even has marzipan, which ranks right up there with chocolate in my food pantheon. As a Bellinghamster, it takes a lot of motivation for me to drive to Lynden for dinner.

You vill go to Renate’s und you vill like it!

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Whatcom County Association of Realtors is hosting the 3rd Annual Whatcom Giveathon on December 2nd from 1-7 pm. Open to the public.

Stop by for some cookies and coffee. Meet Santa and listen to several talented local musicians and choirs. Participate in the raffle and silent auction. Complete your Christmas shopping with items for sale from the non-profits.

40+ non-profits will have booths set up with educational materials and will be accepting donations of items from their wish list or cash. Give a gift to charity this season. Check us out at www.WhatcomGive.org.

Address is 3990 Meridian, Bellingham, 98226, the old Value Village site.

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TAG’s timing terrific
by Christopher Key

Given the parlous economic times and the viral “occupations” that have spread from the Wall Street epicenter, Skagit’s Theatre Arts Group could hardly have chosen a more propitious time to bring the rock musical Rent to the Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon. Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning music and lyrics give life to the eternal struggle of starving artists to hit the big time. I use the word eternal advisedly, since Rent is based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme, which documented the same artistic struggles more than a century ago.

Director Jane Skinner has an authentic rock ‘n roll soul and that is evident in every moment of this sizzling production. She has recruited a bulletproof cast that sells this show the way Steve Jobs sold technology. It’s all about belief and commitment.

Mikel Armstrong leads the way as Angel, the drag queen who is dying of AIDS. His gender-bending performance shines with an authenticity that will leave you limp. He is paired with Troy Johnson, whose portrayal of Tom Collins is both joyous and wrenching.

Roger and Mark, the aspiring songwriter and filmmaker respectively, are played by fraternal twins Brett and Brock Madden. They share a gift for intensity that is often overwhelming. Leisha Madden, who is married to Brett, plays heroin junkie Mimi with frightening power. The truly magical chemistry between the two reflects that offstage relationship.

All of the cast members have outstanding voices, but Korey Foss, as Maureen, is a genuine giver of goosebumps. Combine Janis Joplin with Tina Turner and that may give you some idea of what she can do. Her paramour Joanne is the definition of anal-retentive and Lauren Leer gives it a 2×4 up the rectum ride that is pitch-perfect.

Photo credit - Ricardo Cook

Benny, the formerly bohemian roommate of Roger and Mark, married into money and lost his soul in the bargain. Tim Brown plays the role to yuppified perfection. Brown also provided the sensational choreography that will leave you gasping. With that smooth segue, let’s give credit to the techies who put the rock in the roll.

Dave Lyon, who seems to be on and offstage in more productions than should be humanly possible, leads a band that could rock any venue in the Northwest. The set is a marvelously detailed evocation of the mean streets of New York. Thank designer Steve Craig for that. Cathy Pfahl’s costuming is as good as it gets.

Director Skinner obviously has a feel for the grittiness and grinding poverty that informs Rent. She pulls no punches in this production and that gives it a power that will move you to laughter and tears. It also means that the production is not appropriate for children or the easily offended.

Since I rarely review theatre in Mt. Vernon, I must give credit to my lovely date, Shelly Lyon, for providing some of the backstories without which this review would be seriously impoverished.

If there is any justice in this world, Rent should sell out beginning to end. Order your tickets now by calling (360) 336-8955. Rent performs October 7 – 22 at Mt. Vernon’s lovely Lincoln Theatre. See the site, http://www.lincolntheatre.org, for precise dates and times.

The word rent can also mean torn apart. This production honors that meaning, but then heals the rent with exquisite compassion.

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Squalicum Drama Students Qualify for Nationals at State Thespian Festival

Squalicum High School drama students qualified for nationals at the Washington State Thespian Festival on March 17-19 held at Western Washington University. The students will continue to represent Washington in the national festival in June at the University of Nebraska. In January, the Storm Drama Troupe competed in its first festival for regionals in Bellevue, and earned regional recognition.

In order to compete at this level, participants must be a member of an established Thespian Troupe, registered through the International Thespian Society, an honor society for drama students.

National qualifiers include Veronica Pelayo, Tech Theatre Portfolio for Stage Management and Taylor Blatz, Hannah Tyne, and Kaitlyn Turner for Group Scene Acting.

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Powerful drama at The Firehouse
by Christopher Key

One of the characteristics of great theatre is that it takes you beyond your comfort level. Director Mark Kuntz does just that with his production of M. Butterfly, a searing experience that will probably keep you awake long after the curtain comes down.

David Henry Hwang’s 1988 script is loosely based on a true story about the romance between a French diplomat and a Beijing opera singer. The music and the story obviously owe a lot to Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, but it is made even more dramatic by setting it in the tumultuous decades encompassing the Cultural Revolution and the Vietnam War.

Patrick Dizney delivers a definitive performance as Gallimard, the French diplomat whose cultural biases serve as a metaphor for the imperialistic mindset that dominated East/West relations for most of the 20th century. The masculine West goes mano a mano with the feminine East and we’re still living with the results of that rapist mentality.

The diplomat’s paramour, Song, is played with gender-bending perfection by Trong Nguyen. Gender-bending is necessitated by the fact that women were not allowed to play roles in traditional Beijing opera. Nguyen has feminine physicality down cold but never lets us forget that he’s a man playing a woman. It’s a deliciously nuanced portrayal.

Trong Nguyen and Patrick Dizney are stunning in M. Butterfly, opening this week at the Old Firehouse in Fairhaven. Photo credit - Christopher Key

Dizney and Nguyen own the show by virtue of being in most of the scenes and delivering terrific performances. The sheer line load Dizney carries is daunting. As expected in any Mark Kuntz production, the supporting actors are just as compelling as the leads.

Jim Lortz is one of those actors who is good enough to rely on subtlety to bring his character to life. As Gallimard’s colleague Marc, he manages to convey the Gallic shrug with just his voice and his face. You may remember Robert Simmons from his stunning performance in Inherit the Wind. He manages to be both charming and cynical as the French Ambassador, Toulon.

Gallimard’s long-suffering wife Helga is played by Beth Wallace. She doesn’t get much stage time, but makes the most of what she has with one of the better accents I have heard in amateur theatre. Jaine Huenergard is frighteningly icy as Chin, the Communist Party functionary who enlists Song to spy on the French.

M. Butterfly is a visual delight thanks to Kuntz’s deceptively simple set and lighting design. There are two dancers, Mizue Aoki and Gabrielle Namura, who also contribute to the visual feast. Angela Kiser choregraphs with grace and style. Not all of the costumes were ready for the rehearsal I reviewed, but the ones I saw were more than up to the standards I expect from the multi-talented Shannon Murray.

The power of this show is reinforced by the intimate venue, Fairhaven’s Old Firehouse. That intimacy means that seating is limited and this is a production you will not want to miss for more reasons that I have time or space for. Performances are Thursday through Sunday, April 14 – 17 and April 21 – 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Village Books, the Community Food Co-op, and online at www.brownpapertickets.com. Due to adult language and subject matter, M. Butterfly is not recommended for children.

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WWU improv group wins big

Western Washington University’s renowned improvisational group, The Dead Parrots Society, took first place in a nationwide competition in Chicago on February 26. Here’s the complete story from The Western Front: http://westernfrontonline.net/news/13173-comedy-group-wins-national-improv-contest.

Way to squawk, Parrots!

Stellar lineup for Vancouver festival

Bard’s 2011 season will open with a Mainstage production of the light-hearted romantic comedy As You Like It, directed by David Mackay. Playing in repertory with As You Like It on the Mainstage is the classic The Merchant of Venice, directed by Rachel Ditor. In the intimate 240-seat Douglas Campbell Studio Stage tent, Bard concludes its 3-year “The Kings” history cycle as Christopher Weddell directs Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses, his adaptation of Henry VI, Parts I, II & III. Kathryn Shaw directs the powerful drama Richard III, playing in repertory with Henry VI. Tickets go on sale March 14. The performance schedule and information can be found on the Bard website at www.bardonthebeach.org. For tickets, call 604-739-0559 or (toll free) 1-877-739-0559 or order online through the website.

Editor’s note: This series regularly sells out and early ticket purchase is highly recommended.

Northwest Ballet leaves no nut uncracked
by Christopher Key

In case you might have forgotten how fortunate we are to live in an area with extraordinary artistic talent, I suggest you make it a point to see one of the productions of Northwest Ballet’s The Nutcracker. You’ll see why the holiday favorite sells out year after year.

While The Nutcracker was not always a holiday tradition, it has certainly become one since debuting at St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1891. The soaring romantic themes by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovski perfectly illustrate the classic tale by E. T. A. Hoffman.

Artistic Director John Bishop has assembled a wonderfully talented group of dancers to perform this delightful fantasy. Not only is there a small army of performers, but some of the roles are double-cast in order to get still more dancers onstage. There are far too many to mention here and you might not see the same crew I did, depending on which performance you attend.

There are several dancers you are guaranteed to see that merit special mention. John Bishop’s daughter Mija not only choreographs the production, but performs the Arabian solo. Another member of that extraordinarily gifted family, Yukimi, dances the Spanish solo. In his sixth year as Herr Drosselmeyer, Angus McLane continues to refine his role with his inimitable style. Veronica Peters defines elegance in the role of Clara, Drosselmeyer’s niece. Dave Glaser performs the title role with astonishing athleticism.

Other standout performers to watch for are Ayesha Wise as Dewdrop and Jacqueline Mildner as the Snow Queen. Pay particular attention to the new grandfather clock with the animated owl. Dare I say it’s a hoot?

The Nutcracker will be performed at both the Mount Baker Theatre in Bellingham and Mount Vernon’s McIntyre Hall. MBT performances are December 10, 11 and 12. Reservations can be made at the box office, (360) 734-6080, or www.mountbakertheatre.org.

December 17, 18 and 19, The Nutcracker moves to McIntyre Hall. The box office number is (360) 416-7727, or see www.mcintyrehall.org. Tickets for all performances are $10 to $25 with student, group and senior discounts available. Friday and Saturday performances in both venues are at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2:00 p.m.

If you’ve never been to the ballet before, this is a great opportunity to experience the stunning grace and athleticism that is required from dancers at this level. If you’re a ballet aficionado, you’ll be thrilled by the professionalism of this local company. www.northwestballet.org.

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WSO delivers a dazzler
by Jack Frymire

What makes an orchestra professional? Is it union pay? Full-time rehearsal? Or is it all about the sounds coming off the stage? By that standard – the only one that matters – we heard a professional concert Sunday afternoon at the Mount Baker Theatre, where the Whatcom Symphony Chamber Orchestra presented a program modestly titled “Mozart and More.”

In the past, the WSO (a volunteer orchestra with a fair share of professionals) has sometimes come across as the musical equivalent of a fine actor with an occasional stutter. The stutter has been cured. Sunday’s concert opened with a spanking-clean performance of the Overture to Mozart’s Don Giovanni, enabling Maestro Roger Briggs to highlight the mercurial shift from ghostly, chill dread to manic merriment – bipolarity that laid the cornerstone of musical Romanticism.

Western Washington University’s resident faculty virtuoso Gene Zoro took the stage for Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, written in the last months of the composer’s life. The first movement was grace itself, but the soul of the concerto is its slow (second) movement, particularly one recurring phrase, a long descending sigh, akin to the love-motif in The Magic Flute, which Mozart had just finished. Professor Zoro approached this noble elegy with restraint and simplicity, letting the music speak for itself, rather than sentimentalizing it. He finished with a sparkling rondo.

Photo courtesy Whatcom Symphony Orchestra.

The years have not diminished his huge tone or pneumatic lungs. The sound is round, mellow, and even from bottom to top. Intonation and digital fleetness are impeccable. Every note was heard, no matter how soft, because of the perfect clarity of execution and intent. The orchestra responded in kind to Zoro’s intimate, collegial approach, right down to the sensitive timpani work of Stephanie Straight.

After intermission came the “More” promised in the concert’s title It was a world premiere, Number VIII in the WSO’s American Composer Series of commissions, which earned the orchestra an award from ASCAP for innovative programming last year, the only such award bestowed on a community orchestra. Far from being the last stop on the road to oblivion, these premieres are launching new pieces into the symphony repertoire; most have several performances lined up when they leave here.

Sunday’s debut piece was one of the trickiest so far, and one of the most popular, judging from an ovation that rivaled even Zoro’s. This was no hand-me-down exercise in Euro-style crypto-serialism; our long national nightmare is over. Three Symphonic Moods, by Elliott Miles McKinley, is genuine post-Modern Americana. (Hard to believe McKinley was born the year Zoro joined the WWU faculty.)

The first Mood might be called “Beyond West Side Story.” Its bongo-driven nervous energy explodes from the mouth of a cannon, propelling us across an alien urban landscape. Lightning-flash arpeggios set off startled buzzing and mournful keening; chords grate like autos being pressed into scrap. Awful? No. Mesmerizing.

The second Mood asks “Am I Blue?” It’s a Mood Indigo-ish, cool jazz-ish urban nocturne. Those buzzing oscillations return, but they are pacified by slow, sliding sonorities. (Is this what being high is like?) I predict a bright independent future for the third and final Mood as a concert-opener or Pops novelty. It’s a fractured march that slips into a south-of-the-border dance. How on earth did the orchestra bring off that hair-trigger score, and the ink scarcely dry on the page?

More to the point, how do you top it? Small wonder if Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony sounded a little tame by comparison. Yet each movement is a new page in a fascinating travel diary The 21-year-old Mendelssohn, descending on Italy like Hannibal; a deceased Pope laid out in smoke-filled St. Peter’s amid chanting monks in procession; then the festivities celebrating the end of Lent, coinciding with the composer’s 22nd birthday; minuets in the palaces, frenzied dancing in the streets!

Sunday’s performance, well-played, was too mature for such fantasies; this was Mendelssohn the classicist. Truth to tell, the horns began to sag toward the end of the afternoon, and the trumpets got louder. But what a terrific afternoon it was, thanks to a stage full of superb musicians and three wizards from Western: conductor Roger Briggs, guest artist Gene Zoro, and concertmaster Grant Donnellan.

For information on upcoming WSO concerts, see the site: www.whatcomsymphony.com.

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On page four of the November issue, it is stated that the song “Zat You Santa Claus” is a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy original. That is incorrect. The song was written by Jack Fox and copyrighted in 1981. The writer regrets the error.