Dec 04 Thursday
Black Thunder is the dazzling, fully improvised, fully realized new album by Seattle-based musician, producer, and engineer Brittany Davis. Featuring the artist on keys and vocals, Evan Flory-Barnes on bass, and D’Vonne Lewis on drums, the Josh Evans-produced offering recalls artists like Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk in its immersive, incantatory spirit.
The trio — who barely knew each other previously — extemporized Black Thunder in a surge of interactive creativity across two days in the studio. The pressure-cooker environment did away with overthinking and brought each musician’s A-game. Steeped in Black and Afrocentric cultural influences, this is Davis’s most poignant and cathartic work to date.
“Brittany, Evan, and D’Vonne have, in some way, been preparing for this recording all their lives. Honing their instrumental craft and ability, of course — but more importantly, preparing their ears, emotions, and egos to be fully present and create absolutely in the moment,” Evans says. “To listen deeply and respond empathetically. To speak with uncomfortable honesty. To listen, and be vulnerable.”
Black Thunder marks a shift away from the drum machines and programmed keys of her previous album, 2024’s Image Issues. This is a fully live, organic performance, one that showcases her stylistic maturation and the breadth of her versatility.
Tumble out of bed and stumble to the theater for this delicious workplace revenge comedy from living legend Dolly Parton. Pushed to the boiling point by their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical boss, three female co-workers concoct a plan to get even—a plan that spins wildly and hilariously out of control. Hey, a girl can scheme, can’t she?
Set in the Rolodex era, when shag rugs, pet rocks, and disco were the grooviest things around, this must-see, dance-filled musical is based on the hit 1980 film and features the blockbuster title song—plus a new score of 18 original numbers by Dolly Parton herself. Outrageous, big-hearted, and even a little romantic, 9 to 5: The Musical is about teaming up and getting credit, it’s about kicking butt and taking care of business, and it’s about to put a huge smile on your face.
Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother’s ukulele. “Uncle Howard,” Smither says, “showed me that if you knew three chords, you could play a lot of the songs you heard on the radio. And if you knew four chords, you could pretty much rule the world.” With that bit of knowledge under his belt, he was hooked. “I’d loved acoustic music – specifically the blues – ever since I first heard Lightnin’ Hopkins’ Blues In My Bottle album. I couldn’t believe the sound Hopkins got. At first I thought it was two guys playing guitar. My style, to a degree, came out of trying to imitate that sound I heard.”
In his early twenties, Smither turned his back on his anthropology studies and headed to Boston at the urging of legendary folk singer Eric von Schmidt. It was the mid-’60s and acoustic music thrived in the streets and coffeehouses there. Smither forged lifelong friendships with many musicians, including Bonnie Raitt who went on to record his songs, “Love You Like A Man” and “I Feel the Same. (Their friendship has endured as their career paths intertwined over the years.) What quickly evolved from his New Orleans and Cambridge musical experiences is his enduring, singular guitar sound – a beat-driven finger-picking, strongly influenced by the playing of Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin’ Hopkins, layered over the ever-present backbeat of his rhythmic, tapping feet (always mic’d in performance).
Dec 05 Friday
Slow Burn is a new high point in a remarkable career that now spans more than three decades and includes a long list of accolades; four GRAMMY nominations, three NAACP Image Award nominations, a Soul Train Award for Best Jazz Album and four RIAA Gold Record certifications. In 2009, Billboard named James one of the Top 3 Contemporary Jazz Artists of the decade. In 2024 year Boney became the first ever artist to score 20 number one singles on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart.
But Boney James has never been one to look backwards and Slow Burn, which the artist produced, marks several firsts. Beginning with the album's opening track, 'Arcadia.' The very first notes on the album are the acoustic bass playing of the legendary Marcus Miller. It's one of the few times that Miller, known for his electric bass guitar work, has committed his standup bass playing to a recording and the first time that James has incorporated an upright bass into his own music.
Experience the wild wonder of the holiday season as you traverse through the Mystical Forest where stunning creatures gleam brightly! Here, behold the magical forest train, mystical tree fairies and fantastical unicorns. Embark on a Journey on a Bright Desert Highway and see desert flora and fauna before discovering Marvelous Mammals where spectacular Northwest animals are vividly portrayed in lantern form. Family-favorite Interactive Lanterns are spread throughout the WildLanterns spaces. Let your imagination take flight in the Birds of Paradise zone, swan into this area where magnificent peacocks flaunt their flamboyant plumes and birds of a feather perch on enchanted branches. Finally, embark on a journey Under the Jungle Canopy and spot all the mischievous monkeys hiding in the foliage!
The Seattle Men’s Chorus rings in everyone’s favorite holiday tradition: seasonal classics, Christmas comedy, costumes, dancing and the gayest sing-along in Seattle. We premiere NOTcracker Suite…our very own four-minute rendition of the holiday staple featuring hilarious lyrics, props, and antics you expect from the Men’s Chorus. It’s the holliest, jolliest time of the year!
Schedule:
Friday, December 5, 2025 7:30pm Pantages Theatre, TacomaSunday, December 7, 2025 2:00pm Everett Civic Auditorium, EverettSaturday, December 13, 2025 1:00pm Benaroya Hall, SeattleFriday, December 19, 2025 7:30pm Benaroya Hall, SeattleSaturday, December 20, 2025 11:00am 1-hr Kids Show, Benaroya Hall, SeattleSaturday, December 20, 2025 2:00pm Benaroya Hall, SeattleTuesday, December 23, 2025 7:30pm Benaroya Hall, Seattle (Video On Demand available through January 6, 2026)
Stroll through a magical world with over 1.5 million sparkling lights. A classic holiday tradition, Zoolights has dazzled our community for 38 years. Online timed tickets are required. Our aquariums are closed and animals are sleeping during Zoolights. Visit during the day to see your favorite animals. Closed Dec. 24 & 25.
See the zoo transform into a colorful winter wonderland with over 1.5 million lights. From the giant Pacific octopus to the Narrows Bridges, the Flame Tree to the Seahawks tree, and a magical tunnel of lights, come find your favorite displays... and don’t forget to hunt for Sasquatch!
Meet our magnificent herd of goats! During this one-of-a-kind holiday-themed private animal encounter, you’ll get up close and personal with our playful goats. Give the goats festive enrichment and then head into the zoo to enjoy all the sparkling lights. Space is limited.
For the first time ever, you can bring your dog to Zoolights! Mark your calendars for select Dog Nights on Dec. 1, 3, 9, 10 and Jan. 4. It’s a magical way to enjoy the lights with your furry friend by your side.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® returns to brighten your holidays! Experience the sparkle, dancing, music, and magic that only The Nutcracker can bring. We’ll be decking the halls (McCaw Hall, that is) and putting on the greatest show in town, all you need are your tickets. Gather your friends and family for the Northwest’s favorite holiday tradition, a treat you’ll savor all season long.
Santa Limited - Saturdays & Sundays November 29-30, December 6-7, 13-14, & 20-21Ring in the holidays with a 2-hour excursion that begins out of North Bend Depot with a ride to the Railway History Campus. There you will have an hour to enjoy cookies and hot chocolate, seasonal crafts, photo opportunities, and visit with Santa in the restored Chapel Car 5 where all children receive a gift from him. Afterward you will hop back aboard and return to North Bend.
Yuletide Express - Fridays December 5, 12, & 19; Saturdays November 29, December 6, 13, & 20A shorter experience still perfect for making holiday memories! This round-trip train ride will take you from Snoqualmie Depot to the top of Snoqualmie Falls for a gorgeous winter view of the Snoqualmie River Valley. Santa rides aboard the train and visits with every family during the ride. All children receive a gift from Santa and all passengers receive a peppermint treat upon returning to Snoqualmie.
