From left, Sneakin’ Out, Myshkin’s Ruby Warblers and Felina celebrate the release of new albums this month.
hostess Bolivia Carmichaels, music by DJ Alex Hollywood,
go-go boys and face painting. (9 pm. 219 NW Davis St.
$5.)
SUN • JULY 23
Keshet invites queer Jews as well as their spouses, part
ners, significant others and good friends (whether Jewish
or gay or not) to enjoy great company and food at a potluck
barbecue. (5 pm. David 503-226-7074, ext. 14.)
Anne Weiss performs with the Feel This Band and
Jeremy Serwer for a funky blues good time at Mississippi
Pizza Pub. 17:30 pm 3552 N Mississippi Ave)
Sneakin' Out celebrates the release of its first all-original
effort, Opera Tuna Teen Ox, at Mississippi Studios. (8 pm
3939 N Mississippi Ave $10 from 503-288-3895.)
MON • JULY 24
/ go \ Come to Q Center Bingo with Poison Waters fea-
.GUT, tunng fun entertainment, great prizes, food and a
no-host bar. (7-9 pm 69 SE Taylor St. $10 includes
bingo card.)
Take a gamble on the Texas Hold 'Em Tournament
Mondays and Wednesdays at The Egyptian Club. In July
and August, the top point earner will win a seat in an
Oregon Poker Tour contest for $10,000! (7 and 9:30 pm
3701 SE Division St.)
The Shondes perform with The Golden Bears, The Gay
Deceivers and The New Bloods at Mississippi Pizza Pub.
(9 pm. 3552 N Mississippi Ave. $3-$5.)
Independent Film Channel presents Fabulous! The Story
of Queer Cinema, which traces our rich legacy on the
big screen from groundbreaking works that paved the
way for a vital tradition of fiercely independent films.
(9 pm and 1 am.)
TUE • JULY 25
Paragon Club presents the queer night Havoc every
Tuesday featuring DJs Girl-Pilot, Rashidoblaze and rotating
guests spinning '80s, new wave, dark techno pop and hip
hop. (9 pm 815 N Killingsworth St.)
WED • JULY 26
Learn ways to ensure that, in the event of a
medical emergency, your wishes are respected.
Elder Resource Alliance presents an informative
seminar at Friendly House about end-of-life directives,
specifically Physicians Order for Life Sustaining
Treatment, with special guest speaker Margaret Carley of
the Oregon Health Care Association. Light refreshments
served. (3-5 pm. 1737 NW 26th Ave. 503-224-2640.
eracoordinator@yahoo. com.)
Sneakin' Out performs at Waterfront Park during the
Oregon Blind Testing, a kickoff event on the eve of the
Oregon Brewers Festival in which patrons will attempt to
correctly identify several samples of beer. The winner will
receive a trip for two to the 2006 Munich Oktoberfest!
Proceeds benefit the Oregon Commission for the Blind
Foundation. (5 pm $40 includes souvenir mug.)
create a living space that caters to your needs. Tonight's
topic is “Design Dynamics ’ Continues Aug. 2 with 'Color
Wonder Work." (6-7:30 pm. 1110 NW Marshall St RSVP
to 503-222-1757.)
Radical Women meet at the Bread and Roses Center to
discuss 'State Funded Health Care for All!' (6:30pm 819
N Killingsworth St. $6-$10 summer salad buffet donation.)
In Other Words presents a moving and courageous poetry
reading by award-winning Oregonian columnist S. Renee
Mitchell [Tangoing with Tornadoes: A Poetic Interpretation
of Love, Lust and Regret) accompanied by original music.
(7 pm. 8 NE Killingsworth St.)
The Dresden Dolls perform with Panic! At the Disco and
Hush Sound at Portland Expo Center. (7:30 pm 2060 N
Marine Drive $25 at the door, $20 in advance from
TicketsWest.)
“Can anyone say quality of life T
That’s what’s on the lips of stage director Shawn Cates as he begins rehearsals for Wit, Margaret
Edson’s 1999 Pulitzer-winning drama about an English professor suddenly facing terminal ovarian cancer.
In the story, a woman renowned for her teaching of the
brilliant and metaphysical sonnets of John Donne becomes
a prize patient in an experimental chemotherapy program
at a major teaching hospital.
“Vivian, the main character, contracts cancer and ends
up spending the last months of her life suffering through
the treatment she gets, instead of enjoying life by taking a
cruise or hiking the savanna or whatever it is you do when
it’s your time to go,” says Cates. “In effect, she goes there
for help and ends up being a rat in a cage, poked and prod
ded and observed.”
The play, the second in La Bodega Productions’ inau
gural season, takes a critical look at the health care indus
try and how it treats patients.
“Considering that our medical industry is under scruti
ny right now over money and access and availability, we
should also be looking at what we are doing to the patients
on a human level, too—since that seems, to me, to be the
real bottom line," Cates notes.
The play resonates with the gay 36-year-old director Shawn Cates directs the Pulitzer-
because he, too, serves the medical field. By day» Cates winning drama Mfft through Aug. 12 at
works in the business office of a urology clinic. He says it Theater Theatre.
wasn’t long ago that he “stumbled” into the theater scene,
most recently seen in a high-heeled performance in last season’s Manos. Hands of Fate from LastRites
Productions. Other roles with La Bodega co-founder Steve Coker have included Noises Off and Orphans.
“We laugh, we cry, we crawl on our bellies like reptiles,” jokes Cates of his relationship with the upstart
theater company.
Wit plays through Aug. 12 at Theater Theatre, 3430 S.E. Belmont St. Tickets are $12-515 from
www.labodegaproductions.com; health care workers receive a $2 discount.
—Timothy Krause
The Adventure Group takes an easy 3.8-mile hike in
Forest Park to Pittock Mansion for a fabulous view of
Portland, Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood. Meet at
Lower Macleay Park. (6 pm. Evan 503-701-7922.
chair@adventuregroup. org.)
The Oregon Bears teach American Sign Language class
es every second and fourth Thursday at Cascade AIDS
Project. (6:30-8 pm Suite 300, 620 SW Fifth Ave. $2 dona
tion. bearasl@yahoogroups.com.)
Lesbian-owned taco bar Dingo's presents Girls Night Out
every Thursday. (7 pm. 4612 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
503-233-3996.)
Lost your soul? Find out how you can get it back during an
informational session about shamanic soul retrieval heal
ing at In Other Words. (7-8:30 pm. 8 NE Killingsworth St.)
Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls presents F#%k the
Back Row, a night of celluloid vaudeville at Mission
Theater consisting of short films submitted by her fever
ishly creative fan base peppered with thought-provoking
antics. She will cap off the night in typical piano-destroy
ing fashion, singing tunes culled from popular and not-so-
popular film soundtracks. (9 pm. 1624 NW Glisan St. $10.)
Ohm, in collaboration with Portland clothing stores
Local35 and Lit, presents Fall for Fashion, a show
case of local to international designers featuring
live music and performances by fire artists. Proceeds ben
efit the Oregon Humane Society. (9 pm. 31 NW First Ave.)
It’s back in your crack! The Red Cap Garage presents
Vas-o-Line every second and fourth Wednesday with DJs
Beyonda, Dandylion, Stormy and Sol spinning an eclectic
array of progressive beats for a full night of nicotine-free
dancing. (9 pm. 1035 SW Stark St. $3-$5 sliding scale.)
Myshkin's Ruby Warblers celebrate the release of Sigh
Semaphore— a seven-song EP about lying leaders, stolen
resources and drowning cities—with special guest
Heather Perkins at Mississippi Studios. (10 pm. 3939 N
Mississippi Ave $10 from 503-288-3895.)
THU • JULY 27
FRI • JULY 28
Oregon Tradeswomen present an information session
about paid on-the-job training and high-wage career oppor
tunities in carpentry, electrical and other construction-
related fields at Portland Community College's Workforce
Training Center. (2-4 pm. 5600 NE 42nd Ave Register at
503-335-8200, ext 21 www tradeswomen net.)
Loveland presents the third annual PDX Pop
Now! festival featuring Holcombe Waller, Copy
and 40 more of Portland's finest bands through
July 30. (320 SE Second Ave wwwpdxpopnow com.)
Gay-owned Paolo Design Group presents Interior Design
Shop-Talks, a series of forums about new innovations to
New Theater's Wit Promises Tear on Your Cheek
east end of the Hawthorne Bridge. (5:45 pm. Jim
503-754-4804 communications@adventuregroap.org.)
The Adventure Group takes an easy bike ride to the Last
Thursday art walk on Northeast Alberta Street. Meet at the
Singer, songwriter, engineer and artist Tara Jane O'Neil
performs experimental acoustic music from her forth
coming album In Circles at Towne Lounge. (9 pm. 714 SW
20th Place $7.)
Aloha!
When one thinks about summer in Portland, many images come to mind: weenie roasts, impromptu
porch parties and beautiful Victorian homes with no air conditioning. Summer is about getting out! This
is the time pasty Pacific Northwest folks get to dance in the summer heat and feed our bodies as much
warmth as we can before the rain falls upon us once more.
This is just one of the many enticements to get out to the most anticipated summer dance party of the
year, Luau Extravaganza. It’s time to pull out those grass skirts and coconut bras and “get lei’d”! Alley
Productions and One Wicked Party along with hundreds of their hot, party-going brethren are taking it
to the “Alley” once again Aug. 5.
This legendary summer theme party—hosted by the same folks who in years past brought us the
extravagant Orient Excess and the notorious Prison Camp—is back with plans for their biggest soiree
yet. This time they promise a volcanic explosion of fire dancers, phat tikki beats from DJ Harmonixx, an
open bar until 11 p.m. and much, much more!
Best of all, a portion of the proceeds goes to Esther’s Pantry. For those of you who don’t know about
this revered nonprofit, it donates a grocery cart full of food and body care items once a month to people
living with HIV/AIDS. I talked to Esther’s Pantry program director Mark Brown about his operation.
“It is a really important time to support Esther’s. Last year we opened our doors to include people with
HIV as well as AIDS. Since then, we get at least two new people coming in every shift,” says Brown.
This is why it is not only important to join the festivities, but also to bring along some canned goods
to donate. Luau Extravaganza coordinator William Smith is really excited about making this party a tru
ly fun event that also does good in the community. “We really want to emphasize that people can bring
their extra canned goods to the party for us to donate."
Don’t miss the summer madness! RSVP today at www.onewickedparty.com. There you will find all the
important party details to ensure a truly wicked night of fun.
Luau Extravaganza runs from 9 p.m. to dawn at 2119 N. Kerby Ave. Admission is $30 with a VIP pass
or $35 at the door.
—Mark “Zebra" Thomas