Present Ten's

Tendril shares 10 live performance shows they're excited for on a semi-monthly basis!

What a season to be a drag, movie and comedy enjoyer in Seattle! While shows on this list range from hair-raising and hilarious to touching and tender, all are promised to make you laugh, cry or gasp this Fall season. I hope you make it to one or two of these events! <3

Denotes a production I am directly involved with*

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The Emerald City Slasher @Jet City Improv*

Come see me slash or get slashed in Jet City Improv’s annual Halloween haunt! You write the characters, we bring them to life, and the Cup of Destiny randomly decides their fates. Come for the comedy, stay for the narrative improv that might cut to the heart of something real, even in ridiculous situations!

This show has been so so special and I can’t wait to see what my final night has in store for me. My final night is Thursday 10/29 (we are sold out, but text me and I could get you on the list at the door)

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running October 1st-31st @West of Lenin
  • Show times are funky so double check them! 7:30pm on Thurs/Fri and 9:30pm on Sat
  • Use code SLASHERFAM20 for 25% off tickets hehe (also, get tickets EARLY- this show sells out every year)

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Xquisite Corpse @Washington Ensemble Theatre*

WET is brining you a fantastic party for the freaks and the monsters at our final weekend of the MONSTER BALL! Xquisite Corpse is a month long cornucopia of wonderfully odd events, and we’re inviting you to come costumed, masked, in your drag or your drip to revel in an immersive space that’s somewhere between a fever dream and a nightmare.

We have the final week of events including an RPG game night in the immersive art space and two drag shows on Friday & Saturday! I will be performing drag on 10/30 and 10/31, if you’d like to see me clown the hell out.

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running October 9th-31st @Base Camp Studios
  • Sliding scale tickets to MANY different types of events through the whole month

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Nanay @Pork Filled Productions

“Filipino Fall” continues! So you saw BLOOD/SUCKER, and Rat Cage, and thought, two Filipino horror plays isn’t enough!? Look no further than Nanay and you’ll find a familiar face performing…Mario Orallo-Molinaro flaunts his range as the infamous Manananggal. And I am also so thrilled to see my friend Alanah Pascual performing as Eve! This play is sure to be a feast of talent, with the vision and expressive choreo of director Alyza Delpan-Monley and original compositions by Drea Castillo of the local band, Bonita Fishwife! This one is not to be missed!!

Synopsis: Angela has arrived to congratulate her twin sister on her new baby, but instead finds Eve “cohabitating” with a Filipino demon infamous for their hunger of all things fetus. Does Angela believe Eve’s claims that all is well with her new relationship? NANAY, a new play by Molly Olis Krost, incorporates Filipino mythology and tradition to explore our pre-colonial relationship with sisterhood, loss, and mothering.

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running October 28th-November 13th @Theater off Jackson
  • Tickets are sliding scale from $7-$50

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Don’t Call It a Journey @eSe Teatro

I am so intrigued by this absurdist work on grief that was co-created by two artists losing their loved ones at the same time, to the same type of cancer. Don't Call It a Journey resists the tidy arc that “journey” suggests. Instead, it's built from the objects, the inside jokes, the mistranslations between Spanish and English, and the absurd bureaucracy of illness that actually make up a life — and a loss. Told through the use of analog technologies like a tape recorder, an overhead projector and a rotary phone, plus a house full of tchotchkes, this solo performance moves between a Seattle kitchen, a hospital room, and a dreamscape where crabs, hydras, and robins carry what words can't.

& I will be seeing the show 11/18

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Wednesdays & Saturdays In October, select dates in November @University Heights Center
  • Tickets are sliding scale from $8-$40

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SENSORIUM @Base Camp 2

Following our closure of Xquisite Corpse, an all new queer installation art and performance space will hit Belltown at Base Camp 2, hosting multiple drag shows and experimental dance troupes throughout the month. Including performances from TUSH, High F*ggotry and Glory Hole!! I’m so excited, how do I even choose which night to go to? Or maybe I go to all of them?

  • Event Link
  • Art Gallery open all November, Drag Shows on Select Dates
  • Tickets are tiered from $19-$52

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Tampopo @Central Cinema

I’m so intrigued by this movie, and I love how Central Cinema always brings such unique picks to their screens!

Synopsis: The tale of an enigmatic ramen ronin who guides the widow of a noodle shop owner in her quest for the perfect recipe. Tampopo serves up a savory broth of culinary adventure, seasoned with offbeat comedy and the erotic exploits of a gastronome gangster.

If you know me, you know I love food and stories centered on food.

  • Event Link
  • Central Cinema
  • Tickets are $13 or $10 with select discounts

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Small Town Problems @Jet City Improv

In Small Town Problems, six quirky residents gather at a public forum to voice their concerns, complaints, and very strong opinions. From unauthorized pet adoption posters to bake fairs gone wrong, everyday issues quickly spiral into something much bigger.

The show moves between town council meetings and the daily lives of the people who call this place home, revealing the relationships, rivalries, and heartfelt moments that keep the community together.

I love this improv narrative show with the vibes of Schitt’s Creek or Parks & Rec spun with some classic over-the-top improv flair!

  • Event Link
  • University Heights Center
  • Tickets are tiered $7-15

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TUSH

Well yes, you could see TUSH at SENSORIUM and/or you could see the show at the Clockout Lounge on November 12th! I believe this is the second to last (or last?) TUSH of the year. See the whole cast before Betty takes over the Clockout Lounge with her fabulous Christmas show!

  • Event Link
  • Clock out Lounge
  • $20-60 (or email betty@itgetswetter.com to ask about getting 1-2 of the 10 free access tickets available to anyone who wants them)

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Bernice Ye: Wuhan Clan Ain’t Nuthin’ ta Duck Wit

Bernice Ye is a stand-up comedian, comedy rapper, and martial artist known for blending high-energy stand-up, original music, and physical comedy into a one-of-a-kind live experience. AND she’s performing two shows in Seattle at The Rabbit Box at Pike Place Market!

  • Event Link
  • The Rabbit Box
  • November 20th (early show at 7pm & late show at 9pm)
  • Tickets are $31 after fees

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The Burning of Moses Seattle and Unrecognized Documentary Double Feature

Round out your Indigenous People’s day weekend with some locally specific documentaries about colonialism in the PNW!

David Norman Lewis's THE BURNING OF MOSES SEATTLE investigates the mysterious, unsolved murder of Chief Seattle's grandson, uncovering a disturbing chapter of local history where mythology, family memory and historical mystery intersect.

In UNRECOGNIZED: THE DUWAMISH TRIBE, director BJ Bullert examines the tribe's decades-long fight for federal recognition, a battle involving contested historical records, political opposition, and the extraordinary situation of a people forced to prove their continued existence in their own ancestral homeland. Through interviews and archival materials, Bullert reveals how the consequences of Seattle's founding remain very much alive in the present.

  • Event Link
  • The Beacon Cinema'
  • November 28th
  • Tickets are $10

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You may notice I included a couple interesting films on this list to round things out because let’s be real, I love seeing movies at small locally owned cinemas! I hope if you didn’t know about these two fabulous movie theaters you keep an eye on their offerings because they have some more interesting things coming up…

Have a beautiful Halloweekend and early November everyone <33

Thanks for reading! If you have any suggestions of live shows or art experiences you think I’d enjoy, by all means let me know. If you see one of the shows I suggested, I’d LOOOOOVE to know what you thought. Subscribe below to see me in your email, but until next time, go forth and enjoy local art and theater!! <3

Welcome everyone to the first edition of Present Ten’s, a semi-monthly newsletter where I curate cool live performance or local art events in the Seattle area that I am personally excited to see! This is an idea I’ve been cooking on for awhile, after having numerous friends, coworkers and acquaintances tell me things like: “I wish I could see more live theater, but I just don’t know where to look!” OR “I loved that one show you told me about, do you have another suggestion?”

Therefore, I am consolidating my charismatic word-of-mouth tendencies here, with the goal of bringing more performance and cool art experiences into the lives of the people around me. So come on in, grab a cup of tea and get excited to hear me gush about what I love most: an art event that makes you feel more connected, alive, and inspired <3

denotes a production I am associated with or performing in*

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TEN THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH

BLOOD/SUCKER @Washington Ensemble Theatre (Closing 9/25)*

With only eight performances left, catch this world premiere at 12th Ave Arts before it’s gone! My friend Anamaria Guerzon wrote the script, and I’ve already seen it fours times?! I can’t get enough; it has humor, heart, and even moments that sent a chill down my spine. This is horror theater at it’s absolute finest.

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Extended till September 25th @12th Ave Arts
  • Ticket prices are tiered, with a chunk of tickets at each level (however, if we’re sold out of our $17 access tickets, I can pull strings at the box office to add more for ya ;)

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JAR OF FAT @Kent Battery Theatre (Extended till Sunday 10/4!!)

Sarah Porkalob, Seattle theatre icon who’s been blowing minds on big stages in LA and across the country, returns to the Puget Sound to direct the world-premiere of this new play. Jar of Fat is a phantasmagorical, absurdist Korean American tale about the quest for beauty and thinness. I’m soooo hyped for the weirdness this one promises and I know the folks on the production team to be very visionary creators. Catch me at the show Saturday the 19th if you wanna sit together ;)

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running till September 27th @Kent Battery Theatre
  • Tickets are tiered pricing/ donation based

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Much Ado About Nothing @Noveltease (Closing 9/26)

My friend Rhys has been working his ASS off in this show! (and maybe showing it off too?) After seeing Noveltease’s burlesque adaptation of Orlando earlier this spring, I am SAT to see what flamboyance they’ll bring in their queer nightlife take on Shakespeare’s classic comedy. I may struggle to follow iambic pentameter, but I’m sure I’ll be focused enough on the…. choreography. I’ll be seeing it Thursday the 24th if you wanna join me ;)

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running till September 26th (closing next weekend!) @Theatre Off Jackson
  • Tickets are tiered pricing

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TUSH @the Clockout Lounge

My favorite drag show in town, and recent winner of the Stranger’s “Genius Award” you’ll see a little bit of everything at TUSH, drag, burlesque, short films, clown, dance! Host and show mother, Betty Wetter, stacks the cast with glamour, weirdness and whimsy! Catch TUSH twice a month at the Clockout Lounge.

Details:

  • Event Link
  • September 24th & 25th @The Clockout Lounge
  • Tickets are $20 (however, Betty offers 10 free access tickets on a first come basis to anyone to whom cost is a barrier! Message her on instagram @bettywetter to ask)

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We Migrate with Our Roots @Cherry Street Village*

Bring cash for this fabulous mutual aid fundraising event put on by a neighbor group I’m associated with, in collaboration with Superfamilia. There will be interactive screenprinting of an original design, live music performances by AfroFive and Sonidos Prohibidos, Pinatas, and of course, plenty of delicious food from local venders!

Details:

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Pippin @Reboot Theatre

Some of you may be aware that Pippin is one of my favorite musicals and I haven’t seen it live since 2022! I’m so intrigued by Reboot’s take on this legendary show: that our titular softboy is indoctrinated into a 1930’s tent revivalist religious cult, as opposed to the traditional setting of a traveling circus or performance group?! I could see this concept working really well and I’m looking forward to seeing it in action onstage!

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running now until October 3rd @12th Ave Arts

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Inconvenience Store

They’ve turned the former 7-11 in downtown Seattle into WHAT?! My friend Lillia Deering curated this themed gallery for local artists to sell cool shit they spent a lot of time on! They say, “Art is inherently inconvenient. In a society that rewards efficiency and mass production, artists do things the hard way.” You can wander through the gallery starting this Saturday 9/19!

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Opening Saturday September 19th @Parnassus Project
  • Free to attend, but you will likely be tempted to drop major $$ on epic handmade art

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The Emerald City Slasher @Jet City Improv*

Come see me slash or get slashed in Jet City Improv’s annual Halloween haunt! You write the characters, we bring them to life, and the Cup of Destiny randomly decides their fates. Come for the comedy, stay for the narrative improv that might cut to the heart of something real, even in ridiculous situations!

I’m performing in 9 of our 15 shows, on these nights:

Thursday 10/1, Friday 10/2, Thursday 10/8, Saturday 10/10 (@9:30pm), Thursday 10/15, Saturday 10/17 (@9:30pm), Friday 10/23, Saturday 10/24 (@9:30pm), Thursday 10/29

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running October 1st-31st @West of Lenin
  • Show times are funky so double check them! 7:30pm on Thurs/Fri and 9:30pm on Sat
  • Use code SLASHERFAM for 25% off tickets hehe (also, get tickets EARLY- this show sells out every year)

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Xquisite Corpse @Washington Ensemble Theatre*

Lillia Deering is at it again, conceiving the best party for the freaks and the monsters, all produced by WET! Xquisite Corpse is a month long feast of wonderfully odd events, and we’re inviting you to come costumed, masked, in your drag or your drip to revel in an immersive space that’s somewhere between a fever dream and a nightmare.

Come for the movie screenings, the puppet making workshop, and of course the final two weekends there’s a Monster Ball! I will be performing drag on 10/30 and 10/31, if you’d like to see me clown the hell out.

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running October 9th-31st @Base Camp Studios
  • Sliding scale tickets to MANY different types of events through the whole month

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Rat Cage @Annex Theater

My friend Coco Justino wrote this wild ride of a horror play that I’ve heard is a riff on Shark Tank…? This winding horror play is set in the interconnected worlds of a girl, Vendetta Payne, struggling in reality and a technological nightmarescape puppeted by oligarchs called The Rats, from the hit tv show Rat Cage! I am so hyped to celebrate the spooky season by feeling downright uNeAsY at this one….

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Running October 9th-24th @Annex Theatre
  • Tickets are sliding scale

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Billie’s Dollhouse

Local comedy icon and friend on mine, Billie Manton, is putting up an hour long stand up comedy special hosted by our friend Sol Leone and featuring Emmett Montgomery and I am pumped to see some queer/ trans comedy! (the best kind??) Billie has a special kind of charm that really draws you in and her jokes are downright absurd in a genius way. Let’s pack the house and support the people’s comedy queen!!

Details:

  • Event Link
  • Friday October 15th @Common Objects, for one night only!
  • Tickets are $10

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Did you count? I snuck an 11th one in this time, but I won’t apologize because I simply had to tell you about Jar of Fat and Much Ado since they close next weekend!

For the record, I do have all the show posters but I’m still trying to troubleshoot adding pictures on this blog, hosted on my friend Zach’s domain. (I didn’t really want to use google or substack for the obvious reasons that I don’t want my words used to train AI or be owned by a third party website hmmmmmm) Y’all are just gonna have to click the links and enjoy the posters like that FOR NOW…..

Thanks for reading! If you have any suggestions of live shows or art experiences you think I’d enjoy, by all means let me know. If you see one of the shows I suggested, I’d LOOOOOVE to know what you thought. Subscribe below to see me in your email, but until next time, go forth and enjoy local art and theater!! <3

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