With behind the scenes challenges and financial turmoil for the arts, Intiman Theatre ready for Capitol Hill debut

Intiman and Seattle Central’s partnership offers an associate of arts degree, allowing for students and union members to work alongside another on mainstage productions (Image: Intiman)

costume designer Pete Rush puts the finishing touches on Jesse Calixto’s dress for the Irma Vep production (Image: Intiman)

By Danielle Marie Holland

In the face of the pandemic, Capitol Hill’s theater community is trying to grow. This February, Intiman Theatre debuts its first production in its new home on Capitol Hill. This will be Intiman’s first stage production since COVID cast theaters across the country into darkness — and first on Harvard Ave.

It comes amid a backdrop of huge challenges for Seattle arts organizations and financial tumult for crucial public services that have its new partner Seattle Central seeking new paths to overcome deepening budgetary shortfalls.

Intiman Theatre is now ready to kick off its first production since the “before times” with The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful directed by Jasmine Joshua, and staged at The Erickson Theatre Off-Broadway.

“I can pretty much speak for all theatre artists, that the last few years have been pretty devastating,” director Joshua tells CHS. Continue reading

KFC Capitol Hill: Pelicana ready to perfect Korean Fried Chicken at Harvard and Pine

Wings?

During the pandemic, we have all learned to adjust our expectations. But for owner J Hwang, there has been extra patience required to create his new Capitol Hill restaurant Pelicana Chicken out of the bones of the popular but dearly departed Bill’s Off Broadway.

First planned to debut before summer, the US offshoot of the popular South Korean chain is finally ready to open at the corner of Pine and Harvard.

“Finding perfect taste is the most challenging part,” Hwang told CHS about the delays. Korean fried chicken research and development may, indeed, have been part of the long wait though Pelicana Capitol Hill is starting from a strong base with recipes honed for thousands of locations across South Korea.

Hwang says bogged down city construction permits and hiring at $20 an hour — depending on experience — also took longer than expected in reopening-era Seattle. Continue reading

911 | Crash at Harvard traffic circle leaves SUV on side, sends reported DUI driver to hospital

(Image courtesy SB Hopper)

See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt (206) 399-5959. You can view recent CHS 911 coverage here. Hear sirens and wondering what’s going on? Check out Twitter reports from @jseattle or tune into the CHS Scanner page.

  • Harvard crash: Seattle Police says the driver was “obviously inebriated” in a crash that left her small SUV flipped on its side at the Harvard at Thomas traffic circle Sunday night. A large contingent of Seattle Fire units were called to the scene for a “rescue extrication” just off Broadway to cut open the car and remove the injured driver. Police say the driver appeared to have struck a parked vehicle while traveling below 35 MPH, flipping the SUV onto its side, and trapping the woman. Police say the driver admitted to drinking and was to receive a blood test after she was transported to the hospital by private ambulance with non-life threatening injuries. There were no additional reported injuries. Continue reading

Harvard Ave repaving: a city priority before rains set in

City of Seattle street work crews are in a hurry. Seattle rain is coming. You’ll see a crew the next couple days working on one of the bumpiest stretches for drivers and riders on Capitol Hill — Harvard Ave behind Seattle Central.

“We strive to accomplish as many paving projects as possible before the rainy season arrives,” a city spokesperson tells CHS.

The planned two-day paving project — weather permitting! — is planned to stretch on Harvard Ave from E Denny Way south to just below E Olive St. Continue reading

With planned fall openings, City of Seattle acquiring three Capitol Hill developments for homelessness housing — UPDATE

The City of Seattle announced Monday it is acquiring three nearly complete Capitol Hill developments to be turned into “new income- and rent-restricted housing” as part of a first round of acquisitions powered by millions of dollars of local, state, and federal funding.

CHS reported here on one of the developments part of the acquisition — a microhousing project on Boylston Ave E that had been teed up to include two of its 60 units under the city’s Mandatory Housing Affordability program.

The seven-story project is being acquired by the city and will be used to offer housing to “adults experiencing homelessness or at extreme risk of homelessness” and will be operated by the Low Income Housing Institute. Continue reading

Homecoming: Intiman Theatre’s performing arts festival will fill Harvard Ave rain or shine

The Filthy FemCorps are scheduled to march through on Sunday (Image: Intiman Theatre)

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It’s not how the neighborhood’s urbanists would have drawn it up but the pandemic has inspired a renewed energy for putting Capitol Hill’s streets to use for more than just cars and parking. This weekend, a street festival will fill Harvard between Pike and Pine with artists and performers in a benefit for one of Capitol Hill’s newest arts organizations.

Fortunately, with a gush of wet weather finally hitting Seattle after an unusually dry late summer, Intiman Theatre’s weekend-long Homecoming Performing Arts Festival is also ready to go on rain or shine:

Intiman Theatre is proud to invite you to join in and celebrate the return of the live arts in a safe, outdoor setting! On the final weekend of summer, Harvard Ave. will transform into the HOMECOMING Performing Arts Festival, featuring vendors, food trucks, artist installations, a beer garden presented with Life on Mars, and over 100 artists performing on the mainstage. Performances will include children’s programming from South End Stories, live bands from Café Racer, dance from Velocity, stand up comedy curated by Emmett Montgomery, drag, burlesque, DJ sets, LGBTQ+ entertainment from BeautyBoiz, and much more.

The ticketed event will celebrate the theater group’s new partnership and programs at Seattle Central. Continue reading

Police investigate after North Capitol Hill bout of gunfire and road rage

“Police have closed the road at Harvard and Prospect. Neighbors saying there were two cars shooting at each other on this block. No injuries. Police investigating”  (Image: @whocanstandit via Twitter)

There were no injuries and no arrests in a Saturday afternoon bout of gunfire and road rage incidents on the usually quiet streets of North Capitol Hill west of Volunteer Park.

According to East Precinct radio updates, a series of road rage calls and hit and run collisions began on Belmont just after 2 PM and continued with gunfire reported near Prospect and Harvard and a hit and run and road rage incident at Broadway and Roy. Continue reading

Intiman Homecoming street party and performances joins growing list of in-person Capitol Hill events coming soon

Capitol Hill’s in-person events calendar is beginning to fill up including a new “homecoming” celebration planned for September to mark the arrival of Intiman Theater in the neighborhood.

The Intiman Homecoming street party is being planned as a ticketed event and will fill Harvard with performance, vendors, and celebration between Pike and Pine the weekend of September 18th.

The event will celebrate the theater group’s new partnership and programs at Seattle Central: Continue reading

Police search for Capitol Hill dumpster fire arsonist

Police were searching for a suspect seen lighting a dumpster on fire at Cal Anderson, the second dumpster fire reported at the Capitol Hill park Tuesday morning. Another dumpster blaze was handled by Seattle Fire Monday night on Harvard Ave.

The second Cal Anderson incident was reported around 10:20 AM with a caller reporting a white male with no shirt and wearing white pants was seen setting the fire. Seattle Fire was also called to the same area of the park around 9:15 AM to extinguish the burning trash.

Continue reading