Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Duo Rose Aerial

"The first American circus artists to perform in Havana, Cuba since 1959" The passionate, romantic trapeze performance of Duo Rose combines unique dynamic elements with aerial contortion. The seamless flow of highly technical skills and intense passion overwhelms the audience and never fails to elicit a powerful emotional response. A complex routine of balance, strength, discipline and grace, they bring a particular elegance to their presentation of the human body in all its beauty and in all that it can do. Samuel and Sylvia have worked together for three years to combine their backgrounds in aerial arts, gymnastics, and contortion to create this dynamic aerial adagio act.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: The Shanghai Pearl

The Shanghai Pearl is The Tantalizing Temptress from Taipei and Princess of Pulchritude! She infuses traditional bump and grind with her signature Shanghai sweetness. Her range is broad; spanning the burlesque gamut from tantalizing tongue in cheek tease to irreverent vaudevillian vignettes. Always entertaining and full of sizzling striptease, her moxie and bravado is not to be missed! Catch her on a stage near you and allow her to Shanghai your heart!

Seattle Times Photographer Erika Schultz Behind The Scenes

Seattle Times Photographer Erika Schultz visited us at Hale's Palladium on Sunday to capture some of the behind the scenes magic of the festival. Check out her beautiful photos here or click on the photo below.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Dr. Calamari & Acrophelia

The good but creepy doctor and his cool-skinned lover are remarkably nimble for those who teeter on the brink of life and death. Dr.Loligo Calamari and Acrophelia (A.K.A Jason Williams and Evelyn Bittner),.members of Circus Contraption, project a surrealist dream as they perform effortless and stylish acrobalancing and macabre dance movement.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Caela Bailey Lead Singer Of Caela & The Dangerous Flares

Caela Bailey’s sultry lead vocals with Katy Webber, Cathy Sutherland and Mari Finch’s smooth and seductive backup vocals are fire roasted. They’re coming back to the Moisture and they’ll make you want to move, feel something, and express yourself.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: LoLo Flamingo

Lo-Lo Flamingo's passion has led her to explore new skills, such as unicycle, fire dancing and cowgirl rope tricks. And her love for the stage has reached an all-time high with the addition of burlesque dancing to the mix.

Moisture Festival Behind The Scenes Interviews

First Year Moisture Festival Volunteers Having Fun

Moisture Festival Fan Interviews: Raves For Lily Verlaine's Champagne Bath

Housing The Performers Moisture Festival Housing Coordinators Match Performers With Local Hosts

By Susan Miller 
Moisture Festival Housing coordinator
Ah, The Moisture Festival! It gives welcome distraction in the last gray days of late winter, & passes the time nicely until Folklife in May. Now here’s something interesting: Moisture Fest is run almost entirely by volunteers. Did you know that? When you come to the show, you can see the people taking tickets, doing the lights & stage work, but there is a not-so-small army of highly motivated people who remain unseen. From food prep to airport rides, The Moisture Festival would fail utterly if not for a network of eager & obsessive people who are happy to be paid in satisfaction. We look about as organized as ants on tangled jungle vines, yet we function with the crack efficiency one might expect if one were to cross the detail-oriented nerdiness of the high school chess club, with the uber-efficient gossip network of the girls’ cheerleading squad. Somehow it all comes together. Somehow.

One flavor of invisible volunteer is the performer host. And these are the folks with whom I work. This is the fifth year my husband & I have been arranging performer housing. This year we have about 70 performers coming to town, & we find housing for about half that. The rest stay with friends or relatives. Most of the performers fly in, so they don’t have cars. This makes rooms near the main venue of Hale’s very coveted. Even more rare are mother-in-law apartments, which I save for performers who simply need more privacy for their off-stage moments. Housing is a tricky thing. Over the years we’ve come to know many of the hosts, & also many of the performers. We put a lot of thought into finding the right match, & many returning performers stay with their hosts of previous years.

Do you want to help? You can! We always need more hosts. We could still use a host or two for this year, and we would love to have you on the list for next year. Hosting is easy, & an excellent way to provide a truly vital service to the Fest. Finding a good bed, a place to rest one’s mind & body from the rigors of the road, having a secure & peaceful retreat, is hugely important to the quality of the performers’ visits here, & to the quality of their work.

What is it like to host? It’s pretty darned easy. We discuss your space & schedule with you, & on the arranged day, your guest arrives. You will need to give them a key or in some method of entry; the shows end very late & they’ll need a way to get in. And that it all. Some hosts invite guests to dinner, as they tend to be highly interesting folk, full of stories. But all we ask is a comfortable room & a welcoming attitude. If you want to host or know more about hosting, email us at housing@moisturefestival.org. Thanks so much – Susan & Rodman Miller

Moisture Festival Fan Interviews: Jasper McCann

Seattle raconteur Jasper McCann talks about Saturday night's Libertease Burlesque show at ACT Theatre.

Vashon Island Are You Ready For Moisture Festival April 8th and 9th At Open Space?

Tickets will be available at the door but you can buy your tickets on line right now: NANDA, Famous Frank Olivier, Kevin Joyce, the legendary Avner the Eccentric, from China Wang Hong, form Germany Hacki Ginda, Elixabeth Rose Aerial and much much more.....

Moisture Festival Show Fan Reactions: We Love You Too

Miss Cherries Jubilee gets the fans reaction after the show...

Moisture Festival Show Fan Reactions: Thank You All!

Miss Cherries Jubilee interviews Moisture Festival attendees for their reactions after seeing the show.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Henrik Bothe Neon Man

Glow with the flow.... of Henrik Bothe and Neon Man...

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Master Payne

A master, indeed! Master Payne is a noted Northwest performer who has traveled the world assuming and shedding a series of engaging characters in an unending effort to give a unique and humorous twist to the ancient art of conjuring.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: The Fascinating Aislinn

Aislinn Mulligan began with competitive artistic gymnastics at age 4 and then after competing internationally she turned her focus to dance and theatre training, competing as a finalist at the National Dance Competition at Sadler's Well in London before moving to Chicago to earn a degree in theatre from Northwestern University and to participate in a Professional Acting Residency with the world renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Aislinn resume also includes notable stints with the (Moscow State Circus) and Elsie & Serenity Smith (Cirque Du Soleil). The Moisture Festival is thrilled that she is a part of this year's festival.

Moisture Festival Merchandise Online Store Free Shipping This Weekend Only

Be sure to order $30 or more through Sunday and use code: 2DAYFREE when you visit the Moisture Festival on-line store.

Cap Sleeve available too!

 Moisture Festival lettering design

The new top hat design?

This Weekend at Moisture's Libertease Burlesque

Do we have a hot weekend lines up for you? You bet! Check out these tantalizing and talented artists of the tease who will grace the stage at ACT - A Contemporary Theatre this weekend for Moisture Festival's Libertease Burlesque.

This year we present to you "burlesque from all angles" in the beautiful Allen Theatre which is "in the round". Performing this Friday and Saturday: Aviatrix, Aviatrix Ground Crew, Blanche DeBris, Daredevil Chicken Club, Ernie Von Smaltz, Inga Ingénue, Iva Handfull, Kevin Kent, Lily Verlaine, Lo-Lo Flamingo, Luminous Pariah, Madame X , Nich Galzin, Ron W. Bailey, Rose Nisker, Zebra Kings

Get advance tickets HERE.

Visit our web page for the full festival schedule include even more burlesque next weekend! The festival runs through April 10th in five venues. Please see our website for more information on this year's festival.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Magical "Mystical" Michael

Magical Mystical Michael’s illusive and elusive logic still has some of his closest friends scratching their heads and laughing. Michael next performances are scheduled for March 25 @ 7:30pm, March 26 @ 3:00pm and 10:30pm and March 27th at 7:30pm all at Hale's Palladium.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Jan Damm Knows About Economics

Jan Damm grew up in central Maine and began performing at age twelve, juggling at children’s parties and events. He studied clowning with Maine residents (and Moisture Festival semi-regulars) Avner the Eccentric and Julie Goell. After earning an economics degree from Bard College in New York and further training as a street performer, Jan made his way to the San Francisco Bay Area where he studied circus and performed with local companies for three years. Jan currently resides in Montreal and most recently performed in Italy with Cirque Mechanic's Birdhouse Factory.

Moisture Festival Volunteer Luke Makes It Happen

Go Luke!

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: The Bellini Twins and Go With the Glow Neon Man

Their mother was a trapeze artist in The Bohemian National Circus. She was, as they say, a real swinger. The Bellini twins are from the same mother but have different fathers. They also double as Neon Man.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Musical Comic Eric Schwartz

Once again our pugnacious reporter Cherries Jubilee can be found interviewing one of our fascinating performer. This time it's Eric Schwartz musical comedian extraordinaire about how he came to be involved in Moisture Festival 2011 and what he been working on lately. You can see Eric's act at Hale's Palladium March 26th at 7:30pm or 10:30pm or March 27th at 7:30 at ACT A Contemporary Theatre.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Michael Trautman "The Eighth Best Clown In The World"

Moisture Festival Performer Michael Trautman "the eight best clown in the world" grants a rare interview with our reporter Cherries Jubilee. Catch Michael's act March 26th at 3pm and 7:30pm at Hale's Palladium or March 27th at ACT Theatre Grand Variete' show at 3pm and 7:30pm.

Moisture Festival Performer Interviews: Knight of The Green Cloth Doctor Lafitte

Moisture Festival performer Dr. Lafitte "Knight of the Green Cloth and liar theft and cheat" grants a interview with our reporter Cherries Jubilee while attending last night's Festival Lounge at Hale's Brew Pub. Catch the good Doctor's act tonight at 7:30pm or on April 6th at Hale's Palladium. I can't wait for the "physiological nudity" part of the act.

Moisture Festival Audiences Say Wow!

It really never is a surprise when we ask audience members to talk about the Moisture Festival. They rave about it. Moisture social media reporter Cherries Jubilee visited the first of our Festival Lounge Wednesday's at Hale's Brew Pub after last night's show and gathered this reaction from audience member Brie. The festival lounge happens again on March 30th and April 6th. All are welcome to come and rub elbows with performers and fans.

Moisture Festival Show Stoppers

Some great John Cornicello photos from the first week of Moisture Festival!

Aviatrix

Rob Torres

Shersten Finley

Hacki Ginda

Festival Burlesque Opens Friday at ACT

Tickets are selling fast for our fabulous Libertease Burlesque shows at ACT - A Comtemporary Theatre. This year we present to you "burlesque from all angles" in the beautiful Allen Theatre which is "in the round". Burlesque in the round! Think about it! These shows will include Moisture Festival favorites along side performers new to the Moisture Festival. Be ready to have your fancy tickled by an array of sumptuous women... and men. For one night only on March 25, Kevin Kent, of Teatro Zinzanni fame, will co-host both shows that night with our very own Madame X. And you definitely don't want to miss the high flying girls of Aviatrix (March 25, April 1 & 2) - four lovely ladies high atop a triple trapeze. These shows are bursting with glitter and glamour and we know you'll want to be right there in the center of it all.

These shows sell out so purchase your tickets now through ACT.

Key Volunteers Are What Make The Moisture Festival So Darn Successful

Moisture Festival has so many wonderful and talented volunteers. It's a shame we can't show you all of them in this post. Short of that, here are a few of the great people who are behind the scenes doing the work that makes the Moisture Festival a success.

Christina Bruce is our artist's liaison maven. Christina monitors performer contracts and venue check-in among many other related duties. She is also in charge of festival laminates that help us keep the backstage secure and staff clearly identified.  She's also an excellent person when it comes to modeling one of this year's new Moisture Festival tank top tee designs. Whoo-hoo!

 A Moisture Festival travels on it's stomach and so it's a good thing that Jen Brownlie heads up the Moisture Festival Food Babes. That means that Jen is in charge of feeding and coordinating the food for our performers and staff and serving them their daily meal. Dinner for ninety is just another day at the office for Jen during the festival. She is in charge of our many lovely food babes and dudes who serve food and maintain the Green Room snacks for performers. Jenn also organizes the menus for our opening night Gala and for other festival celebrations.

 The lovely Robin Worley is Moisture Festival's Madame Merch and is directly responsible in that capacity for handling the festival's entire merchandise operation. Robin is an original charter volunteer who been supporting Moisture Festival since the very begining. Her dedication to the job and expertise have helped turn merchandise into a growing revenue stream for the Festival. Robin would be overjoyed if you stopped by the merchandise booth at one of the venues and spent a minute checking out all the groovy items we have for sale. Especially the large variety of new tee shirts and tank top designs we created for the 201l season. 

Semi-Unauthorized Pixs Of Moisture Festival Late Night Hale's Palladium Show Friday

Heavenly Spies

My Favorite Beefcake

 

Poppy Daze

Scott Nery

Magical Mystical Michael

Backstage

This Weekend at Moisture

We have a fantastic weekend lined up at the Festival with seven shows over the next three days at Hale's Palladium.

Artists this weekend include: Caela & The Dangerous Flares, Carla Ulbrich, Checkerboard Guy, gOdFReY DaNieLs, Kerri Kresinski, Kevin Joyce, Magical Mystical Michael, Rob Torres, Scot Nery, Shersten Finley, Armitage Shanks, Heavenly Spies, Matt Gordon, Poppy Daze, SANCA Staff & Students, Hacki Ginda, Miles and Karina, Mud Bay Jugglers, Baby Gramps, Simon Neale, New Old Time Chautauqua Performers, Christian Swenson, Joey Pipia, Ron W. Bailey, Shannon Gray, Tanya Burka, Tune Stranglers, Sprinsock and the SANCApators, Super8s, and Zebra Kings.

Check out the schedule to see more details on this weekend and the rest of the Festival. We highly recommend getting your tickets in advance as shows do tend to sell out . See you there!

Festival Opens with Laughter, Fun, and Tasty Treats

Moisture Festival opened last night at Hales Palladium to a packed house. Thanks so much to everyone who came to cheer on a new season! We had such a fantastic time and can't wait to do it all over again tonight.

After the show ticket holders joined folks from the Festival for an opening night party. We'd especially like to thank our meal sponsors once again for nibbles. If you missed the party you missed some good times and great food!

Hales Brewery provided chicken skewers and stuffed mushrooms, which disappeared immediately. St Clouds in Madrona sent over a delicious potato squash casserole. Cafe Paloma in Pioneer Square provided the popular meatballs. Miyabi Sushi in Southcenter gave the party two wonderful sushi platters. Dykes with Knives Catering made salmon mousse cucumber bites and fruit skewers. Pop Chips donated snack bags and Mad Housewife provided the red wine. BIG THANKS to all our party provision providers!

Thank you again to everyone who came out for opening night and stuck around for the party. The Eight Annual Moisture Festival is off to fabulous start, and we hope to see you at more shows!

Moisture Festival Board Member and Producer Tim Furst Featured in Stanford University Alum Magazine Story

“Peals of laughter, collective groans (at bad puns) and the requisite oohs and aahs (for the big hairy tricks) fill the room. And observing from the sidelines is Timothy Daniel Furst, a bemused middle-aged gentleman with droopy gray whiskers and a dark beret. His quiet demeanor belies the fact that he's spent most of his life cultivating the creative mayhem and derring-do that are much in evidence at the Moisture Festival of Comedy/Varietè.” Stanford Magazine March/April 2011.

The impresario with the acrobalancing team of Jason Williams and Evelyn Bittner, the clown/mime persona known as Godfrey Daniels and tap dancer Rhonda Sable. Photo: Hayley Young

Of course we all know Tim Furst is a really remarkable person, so it figures that he is also a class of 73 Stanford University graduate. Tim was and is one of the moving forces behind the creation and success of the Moisture Festival. He was there in the beginning and he’s still here now. He still performs, but mostly he can be found working diligently behind the scenes in the front office handling the festival’s finances, booking our performers, directing the technical crew, running the light booth and doing whatever is necessary to make the Moisture Festival happen.

I don’t know about you but when I think of Stanford University grads I’m not usually thinking comedy varietè performers, or vaudeville show impresarios. Tim’s life has been dedicated to performing and involvement in the promotion of the resurgence of the genre of vaudeville. Tim also spent a large portion of his life as one of the original Flying Karamazov Brothers. Stanford Magazine covers Tim’s unique life journey in a story that’s in the current issue of Stanford Magazine. 

 

Looking For a Specific Perfomer?

Moisture show finder Tip of the Day: We often get questions about which shows a particular performer will be in. We know everyone has their favorites so we have tried to make it a little easier this year to find that one performer you just can't miss.

We have a new calendar page on our website that lists all our shows, but many people don't realize that you can sort it to list just the shows you are looking for.

At the top of each month are two ways you can sort the page to only list the shows you are interested in seeing. You can select any listed performer and the calendar will only list the shows they are in. You can also filter shows by Event Type if for example you only want to view the Burlesque shows.

Also, you can always look up your favorite performer's bio to see a list of shows they are appearing in. This year we have 100+ performers traveling from all over the world, so just a reminder that our line-ups are always subject to last minute change.

We hope this makes choosing which of the 55 shows of the festival you want to attend just a little easier. Don't forget that the festival begins Thursday night and we always recommend advance tickets. See you soon!

ASL Interpreted Shows

Thanks to our friends at TADA (Theaters, Allies, and Deaf Audiences) Moisture Festival will present three ASL interpreted shows this year:

Friday, March 18th at 10:30 pm Late Night Variete at Hale's Palladium

Thursday, March 24th at 7:30pm Variete at Hale's Palladium

and Friday, March 25th at 10:30pm Burlesque at ACT - A Contemporary Theatre

Tickets for the shows at Hale's Palladium can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets. The Late Night Variete show is 21+ only please. When you arrive at the Palladium for the show please let the Box Office know you will be sitting in the ASL section and a host will show you to your seats.

ASL section tickets for the Burlesque show at ACT can be purchased through the on site ACT Box Office (closed Mondays) in person or by phone only at 206-292-7676. The ACT Box Office is located at 700 Union St in downtown Seattle. Burlesque shows are 18+ only please. We highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance as these shows tend to sell out.

Moisture Festival Billboard Causes Massive Traffic Jam - Probably

Hey commuters we know it hard to keep your eyes on the road when your see great roadside attractions. You better buckle up though because here comes the world's largest comedy variete'and burlesque festival, and it will take you for a wild 55 show joy ride. Get some tickets now for the eight annual Moisture Festival. Opens March 17th and runs through April 10th.

Super Groovy Trade-able Moisture Festival Promo Cards Flood City Hangouts

We love our Moisture Festival design department. Below are the super groovy festival promo cards your sure to be seeing around town at your favorite hangouts shortly. The postcards size instant collector's items give you a glimpse of some of the performers coming to this year's festival, You may even overhear someone saying, "I'd like to trade you a Frank Olivier for your Aviatrix". On the back of each card you'll find the festival schedule.  Pick a card up next time your out and then bring it home and stick it up on the fridge as a reminder to buy those tickets before there all gone.

Don't Miss Festival Lounge Wednesdays At Hale's Brew Pub During This Year's Moisture Festival

The festival producers thought it be a good idea to have a night and a place for festival performers and producers to have a drink and a bite to eat together after the show. We also wanted to have a place where patrons and fans of the festival could mix it up with performers and staff. Thus we've created Festival Lounge Wednesdays during this years festival. We hope to see you all there because we're working on a few surprises you won't want to miss.

Vashon Island Moisture Festival Grand Variete' Extravaganza Scheduled For April 8th And 9th

The Moisture Festival Comedy Variete' returns to Vashon Island's Open Space for Arts & Community the weekend of April 8th and 9th featuring variete' acts from around the world. The Vashon Island festival run kicks off with a 7:30pm Friday the 8th Grand Variete' show. Saturday the 9th there are two shows, a Matinée show at 3pm and a big Saturday night Grand Variete' show starting at 7:30p. Tickets are on sale now on-line at Brown Paper Tickets and will also be available at the door one hour before show time. The Saturday matinée is also a benefit for Vashon Youth and Family Services, with part of the proceeds going to benefit that organization. So islanders and Vashon tourists please get your tickets early and come enjoy the shows! These are all ages shows.

Moisture Festival Ad Design Department Wins Nobel Prize For Pizzazz!

Well not exactly. But if there were a Nobel prize for advertising pizzazz we think our chances of winning would be excellent. The Moisture Festival design department, which basically is producer entertainer Ron W. Bailey, pumps out one amazing ad after another even if we say so ourselves. Bailey works best with little sleep, a Hale's hefeweizen and about a million things on his plate at once. Please don't bother the genius while he working.  Check this lovely ad out and I'll bet you agree.