The Scene - May 2014

Arts and entertainment for the Eastside

May 2014

High-tech crooner

sceneTHE

Also:n ROAD TRIP! Have an adventure in 100 miles or less

n SIFF is back. Take a peek at some of the early announced titles from the film festival’s African Pictures program

n Catching up with Shawn Wayans

Going from software to Sinatra, retired Microsoft tester George Santoni is finding his voice as an old-school singer

2 THE scene MAY 2014 TheEastsideScene.com131228 Scene Mag Crossroads Tutta Bella 9-5x11 FINAL.pdf 1 1/8/14 12:14 PM

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Kingston, WA - In his fi rst solo exhibition at Almost Candid’s Fine Art Gallery, internationally renowned artist Max Hayslette will introduce an all new series of original oils entitled, “The Rugged Coast.” The master of French, Italian and Mediterranean landscapes has for the fi rst time turned his signature style toward memorable Northwest scenes that include snowcapped mountains, inspiring waterscapes and romantic impressions of the region’s unique rugged coast.

The landmark exhibition begins May 3 and will run through June 15.

10978 NE State Highway 104, Suite 109 • P.O.Box 2166, Kingston, WA 98346 360-297-1347 • www.almostcandid.net

Opens SaturdayMay 3 • 10:00 am

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Getting out and about in our state doesn't have to take a lot of plan-ning. � ere are scores of things to

do within just 100 miles of Bellevue and the Eastside.

Let’s hit the road.

SouthTacoma has a lot going for it and one

of the city’s best features is the Lemay Car Museum. � e four-story monu-ment to motor history houses up to 350 cars, trucks and motorcycles from private owners and corporations. Check out cars from the 1906 Cadillac Model M to the 1994 Flintmobile George Barris Kustom. Tickets range from $14 (adult) to $8 (kids 5-12). 253-779-8490; lemaymuseum.org .

Also worth checking out is the Tacoma Glassblowing Studio. Not only can you learn how hand-blown glass is made, you can try it for yourself with a one-on-one session with a skilled glassblower for $65.

Find it at 114 S. 23rd St.; 253-383-3499; tacomaglassblowing.com .

Continue a few miles south and you'll be in Olympia. If you love wooden boats, check out the Olympia Wooden Boat Fair, this year on May 10-11. All types of wooden boats, including powerboats, sailboats, row boats, dinghies, kayaks and canoes will be on display at the fair, an an-nual tradition since 1980. � e event is held at Percival Landing Park, 405 Columbia St. N.W., in downtown Olympia.

NorthSet your compass north and you'll � nd

Bellingham, one of the state's premier spots for outdoor activities. For something more unusual, check out the Procession of the Species, a parade on May 3 celebrating creativity, community and connection with the natural world (bpots.org). Everyone is welcome to par-ticipate under three conditions: no spoken

or written words, no live animals and no motorized vehicles (wheelchairs excepted, of course).

At the end of a busy day, you'll have lots of options for lodging. � ree that get top reviews while eschewing the typical hotel-chain feel are the Fairhaven Village Inn (fairhavenvillageinn.com), Hotel Bellwether (hotelbellwether.com) and the Chrysalis Inn (thechrysalisinn.com).

WestHead toward the ocean and you'll � nd

some of the most spectacular scenery in our state — or any state. Port Angeles bumps up against Olympic National Park and a short drive will take you to spectac-ular Lake Crescent. Keep going west and you'll � nd the Hoh Rain Forest, complete with moss dripping from massive trees.

While you're on the North Olympic Peninsula, it's a quick trip across the Strait to Victoria, British Columbia. Step o� the boat and you'll feel that you've transported to a little bit of old England. � e Fairmont Empress Hotel (fairmont.com/empress-victoria), which sits pala-tially next to the harbor, is famous for its a� ernoon tea. � e Maritime Museum of British Columbia (mmbc.bc.ca) will take you back in time to the days of pirates, shipwrecks and exploration.

A must-see is the Butchart Gardens (butchartgardens.com) featuring 55 acres of gardens year-round. � e gardens retain their "wow" factor all year long.

EastOnce you cross Snoqualmie Pass you'll

feel like you are in a whole new state. For-tunately, it's one with plenty to see and do.

Near the city of Roslyn you'll � nd Swi� water Cellars (swi� watercellars.com) and Suncadia Resort (suncadi-aresort.com). � e combo makes for a destination at its best. � e resort features luxury accommodations, restaurants and a spa. � e winery hosts a summer concert series in a 2,500-seat amphitheater.

A bit further along I-90 brings you to

R AD TRIPIt’s summer: Stop. Get in your car. Have an adventure in 100 miles.

SEE ROAD TRIP, 4

R AD TRIP

4 THE scene MAY 2014 FILM

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BY DANIEL NASH

Since 2012, the Seattle International Film Festival has become the largest and most attended � lm festival in the United States, billing itself as an audience festival, rather than a � lm industry summit.

Founded in 1976 by Dan Ireland and Darryl Macdonald, the festival began humbly with 18 movies screened in the Moore � eatre. � ree years later, the fes-tival screened 120 movies and had at least one notable world premiere under its belt: Ridley Scott’s “Alien.”

In 2014, SIFF will celebrate its “40th” anniversary — the superstitious festival skipped its 13th, spokesperson Rachel Eg-gers said — with more than 400 narrative features, shorts and documentaries.

“It’s our 40th and the board and the sta� of SIFF are doing what folks do when they turn 40 — looking back and looking forward at the same time,” Eggers said. “We’re taking stock of our past, returning to old experiences in wholly di� erent and new ways, and re� ecting on the path that got us here.

“But we’re also nowhere near done. We have huge plans for the future of SIFF. It’s possible that some of those announce-ments about the future will take place during our 40th Festival.”

SIFF will return to Bellevue for the third time this May, and for the � rst time in seven years. Screenings will also be held in Renton and Kirkland — a festival mainstay since 2008. � e Bellevue screenings will be held at the Lincoln Square Cinemas.

A full list of SIFF’s � lm lineup will be released April 30, with the festival box of-� ce opening May 1. Earlier in April, SIFF released the names of 13 � lms that will be screened under the African Pictures program, launched last year under a grant from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. African Pictures � lms

took home two 2013 Golden Space Needle awards: Best Film went to the South African � lm “Fanie Fourie’s Lobola” and Best Director went to Nabil Ayouch for Moroccan � lm “Horses of God.”

� is year, “Fanie Fourie’s Lobola” director Henk Pretorius has submitted his follow up � lm “Leading Lady,” about a British drama teacher turned actress who enlists a sheep farmer to prepare for a potentially career-making role as an Afrikaner war hero.

Be on the lookout for “Difret,” the story of an Ethiopian teenager’s � ght against the practice of marriage by abduction; “Finding Fela,” a documentary about the in� uence of Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti; and “Half of a Yellow Sun,” the tale of two Nigerian sisters who return home a� er receiving western educations, and an ap-proved adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel of the same name.

SIFF 2014 will take place May 15-June 8. More information at si� .net.

Ellensburg, which has a particularly eclec-tic mix of things to see and do in May.

� ere's the Art of Wine, a four-hour wine tasting event from on May 17 that shares time and space with the 42nd An-nual National Western Art Show (May 16-18). � e art and auction show will display work by nearly 70 artists. Or check out the Bares & Broncs rodeo. � e May 17 event features bucking horses and lots of food and music. Looking for something a bit older than the old West? Try Ye Olde Country Faire, two days of medieval and renaissance recreation from May 31 to June 1.

A bit north of Ellensburg you’ll � nd yourself in Wenatchee. Your timing couldn't be better. � e city will be in the

midst of the Apple Blossom Festival, the oldest major festival in the state.

� e event attracts more than 100,000 people and this year runs from April 24 through May 4.

If you've gotten this far, you owe it to yourself to drive an hour north to Lake Chelan (lakechelan.com) and its drop-dead beautiful scenery. But there's more than just blue sky, blue water and 300+ days of sunshine a year.

� e area is classi� ed as an American Viticultural Area, meaning the growing conditions here for wine are special. Doz-ens of wineries attest to this, from small, boutique operations to sprawling proper-ties with the look of a Mediterranean villa. � ere are many to choose from, both in Chelan and just up the road in Manson. Most wineries o� er a colorful map to all the wineries in the area.

ROAD TRIPCONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 SIFF back in Bellevue

Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton in “Half of a Yellow Sun,” entered into SIFF under the African Pictures program.

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BY SAMANTHA PAK

George Santino’s dream since he was a kid was to become a professional singer.

His father liked to sing and, whenever they were out and about, the elder Santino would have his son sing if they ever came across anyone playing the piano or any other type of music. His father’s hope, San-tino said, was that his son would be discovered. A� er an entire childhood of this, Santino decided to pursue his dream a� er high school.

� ings didn’t turn out how he pictured

them.“I found out that there are a lot of

people out there who can sing,” he said.Santino, who grew up in Philadelphia

and Florida, got a few gigs but not enough. So he got a job at Microso� . He spent 20 years working in the tech company’s so� -ware testing department before retiring at the end of 2011.

Since then, the Woodinville resident, now 58, has gone back to chasing his dream of becoming a professional singer.

Leading up to his retirement, Santino met with Erich Benedict, who owns and runs a recording studio called With an H Media in Kirkland. Benedict recom-mended Santino take a few singing lessons a� er he heard him sing and within a few months of his leaving Microso� , Santino recorded an album: “Come Fly With Me,” a collection of Frank Sinatra covers.

� e � rst song released o� the album was “� at’s Life” on April 24, 2012. It be-came the No. 1 hot new swing jazz release on Amazon.

“I was actually shocked that we put it

out there and people enjoyed it,” Santino said.

� e entire Sinatra cover album was released May 15, 2012. A second album followed.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” he said.Since he spent 20 years in an established

career in the tech industry, Santino said he doesn’t have the pressure most singers do

to make a living o� their music. Instead, he can take jobs where he is performing for an audience that wants to be enter-tained.

Currently, that audience has been at Pizzeria Guido & Wine Bar at 15600 N.E. Eighth St. in Bellevue. He is set to perform again at 7 p.m. May 8, June 12 and July 10.

Former Microsoft employee George Santino belts out a tune. Courtesy photo

Ex-Microsoftie pursues his singing dreamGeorge Santino sings Sinatra — and some

of his own songs

PublisherWilliam Shaw

Managing EditorCraig Groshart

Contributing WritersDaniel NashSamantha Pak

Advertising425.453.4270Graphic Designer Tek ChaiO� ce CoordinatorCeleste HoytCirculation ManagerBrian Judge

Follow us on Twitter@bellevuescene

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2700 Richards Rd. Suite 201,Bellevue WA, 98005.

TheEastsideScene.com

425.453.4270

sceneTHE

On the cover: George Santino photo by Anessa Benedict of benedict photo*art

6 THE scene MAY 2014 LAUGHS

Shawn Wayans is the second-youngest member of the Wayans family and one of the most visible, alongside younger brother Marlon. But it was Shawn’s older

brothers who brought him into the comedy fold. He made his acting debut in Keenan Ivory Wayans’ “I’m Gonna Get You Sucka,” then joined the cast of “In Living Color” as DJ SW-1.

With Marlon, Shawn co-created “� e Wayans Bros.,” and co-wrote “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drink-ing Your Juice in the Hood,” “Scary Movie” and “Scary Movie 2”, “White Chicks” and “Little Man.” He co-wrote 2009’s “Dance Flick” with several members of the Wayans Family.

Shawn Wayans will perform at the Parlor Live comedy club over Memorial Day weekend, May 22-24.

SCENE: You’re a member of what is probably one of the larger entertainment dynasties of our time, at least between yourself and your brothers and sisters. Did all of you become entertainers?

SHAWN: Six of us are entertainers and then we have a bunch of nephews and nieces who have gone into acting and writing. So, I think there are 13 or 14 of us in all.

SCENE: I really can’t imagine growing up with 10 siblings. What was that like?

SHAWN: It was great. It’s hard to remember all of us in the house at the same time because the others were older and they moved out or went to college. But it was great.

SCENE: You were the second youngest of your family next to Marlon, so: Is it true what they say about the youngest children being the loudest?

SHAWN: The most obnoxious is what I would probably say, and that would be Marlon. (laughs) I think Marlon’s probably the loudest. Me too, but... I have a crazy side to me, but when I’m with Marlon I’m the calm one.

SCENE: You’re his straight man.

SHAWN: I wouldn’t even say I’m the straight man because the straight man is boring. It’s more like I’ll take a backseat to Marlon’s craziness.

SCENE: Was your home a big comedy-watching household?

SHAWN: Oh, yeah. Me and Marlon used to sit down and watch comedy all day long. We used to watch the Bowery Boys, Abbott and Costello, … I Love Lucy. We would watch these classics and laugh our asses off — and then we would act it out. We’d go, “I’m this guy, I’m that guy” and we’d say our scenes together.

SCENE: You were raised a Jehovah’s Witness, weren’t you?

SHAWN: Yes, sort of. Yes, my dad was a Jehovah’s Witness, but my mom was not a Jehovah’s Witness, so it wasn’t 100 percent. We still got Christmas and birthdays, but my dad wouldn’t celebrate with us. It made me mad sometimes because it’s the perfect excuse not to get you a gift on your birthday! (Laughs) It’s like, “thanks Dad.”

SCENE: I think what strikes me about the Wayans family is that, when I think about an entertainment family like the Baldwins or Sheens, I think “yeah, they’re talented, but they’re nuts.” But offscreen it seems like your family is completely well-adjusted.

SHAWN: There’s a little insanity in our family. But we make it work for us. We do it to be funny. So we might have insanity, but it’s all channeled into our work.

SCENE: Your brothers brought you onto “In Living Color” — a really groundbreaking sketch show — pretty early on in your career. What was that like.

SHAWN: It was a groundbreaking show. It was an awesome time in life. It was comedy college for me. I was just a kid. I had only been doing stand up for a year and a half. I was brought on as the DJ, so there was no real pressure on me. I got to kind of sit back and see all the masters at work. Keenan, Damon, David Alan Grier. All these people have been doing this for so long, working at their craft, so it really was an opportunity to learn from some of the best.

SCENE: What attracts you to spoof over other forms of comedy?

SHAWN: You get to say something. You’re being really funny but, if you get to do it right, you’re informing people — it’s almost like the news. You get to hit (the subject) really, really hard.

SCENE: Is your standup in� uenced by spoof?

SHAWN: I mean, it’s just an extension of our brand. Standup is just the comedy gym for me. You get to be a better writer and performer putting yourself alone in front of an audience. And standup is really my own point of view on a number of different topics, instead of a character’s point of view.

SCENE: What do you think of places like Twitter as a comic outlet?

SHAWN: I don’t think it’s good as a comic outlet because you only have 140 characters for a punchline. Some people can be quippy on Twitter. But I wouldn’t put all my eggs in the Twitter funny basket. It’s cool, but the stage is the place for comedy.

SCENE: Anything else you want to add to bring people out to your show Memorial Day weekend?

SHAWN: Hey, come get your laugh on. If you’re a fan of my work, you’ll probably like it. And if you’re not a fan of my work, you’ll probably like it too because it’s a different experience. So just come out, laugh your ass off and have a good time.

BY DANIEL NASHCrazy when it counts

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The Scene - May 2014

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