(Image: Dorothy’s Piano Bar and Cabaret)

Capitol Hill’s only vegan metal bar is becoming a piano lounge.

Dorothy’s Piano Bar and Cabaret is ready to settle down from a roving tour of Seattle’s LGBTQ nightlife scene for a permanent home on Broadway in the former home of the Highline, the second floor bar infamous for mixing booze and kitchen fare including Satan Fingers, deep-fried seitan strips served like dive bar chicken strips:

Dorothy’s Piano Bar and Cabaret is a place where we bring together both new and seasoned performers and the people who want to hear them. We offer a multi-faceted venue where anyone can sing with a pianist open mic style, sit back, relax and enjoy the singers on the stage, or enjoy a featured performer in our lounge. And here, whether it’s some of Seattle’s best or performers from around the country, or a first timer, ANYONE can shine!

The new project from Dorothy’s founder, “pianist, singer, arranger, promoter, producer, accompanist and teacher” John Lehrack will fill the upper floor space with a main room “equipped with a digital piano, fully capable of transposing your music into any key, several microphones, professional lighting, a beautiful mural depicting many of the famous Dorothy’s we honor and a full bar.”

(Image: @JohnLehrackMusic)

“Seating is available at the bar and at tables throughout the room. It’s the perfect place to practice your next audition song, share an original composition, serenade us with your favorite tune, blow off steam with your friends, celebrate an event or just sing for the fun of it,” the Dorothy’s pitch goes.

A “Ruby Slipper Lounge” will feature a grand piano and stage with a sound and lighting system with “cabaret tables” where patrons can enjoy dinner and drinks while they “watch our cabaret stars.”

Lehrack has grown Dorothy’s as a roaming tour of piano nights at venues including the dearly departed Re-Bar and arson survivor White Center LGBTQ bar the Lumber Yard.

The Highline, meanwhile, shuttered during the pandemic and lost its lease in the space after a decade of business above Broadway. When CHS spoke with ownership earlier this year, they declined to comment about the situation. Some of the Highline spirit will live on. Late last year, one of the Highline’s owners announced he was taking over the Georgetown Liquor Company. The Highline opened in May of 2010, filling the space left empty by the exit of the notorious Miami-beach themed Club Lagoon and its rooftop Lamborghini.

In those days, the lower level of the building was a sprawling location of the Castle Megastore sex shop chain. Now, Dorothy’s downstairs neighbors will be the axe-tossing bar Blade and Timber which opened in 2019 after the building’s $6.35 million acquisition and overhaul. Castle, by the way, now calls E Pike home.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmXWftnAmlT/

As for Capitol Hill’s coming piano bar and lounge, there are no opening dates announced but the booze application for spirits, beer, and wine is in and city permits show no major construction planned so start practicing those show tunes and get ready to take the newest stage on Broadway.

Dorothy’s Piano Bar and Cabaret will open soon at 210 Broadway E. You can learn more at dorothyspianobar.com.

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