Eric Ode and John Skewes at Kit Lit Drink Night

Eric and John

Yes, Nancy. Children’s writers and illustrators do drink beer. But I assure you it’s only to lubricate the wheels of imagination and cooperation. This event was thrown by our very own Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators of Western Washington in Seattle. Illustrator John Skewes and author Eric Ode collaborated on these two new books from the nationally acclaimed local publisher Sasquatch Books.
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Seattle Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night

I had a wonderful time at Seattle Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night last evening.  There’s little else that can better remind me of the truths in life than Shakespeare’s comedies.  I had forgotten what a wonderful play this is.  There is no fool like a wise fool, and none is wiser than Feast very ably played by Chris Ensweiler, who pokes great fun at the Puritans who, in Shakespeare’s time, waited in the wings with their sharp knives to fall on the bard’s ideals.  Ensweiler, Carter Rodriquez and Sean Patrick Taylor made wonderful music on stage with dueling Spanish guitars and a lyrical mandolin. Ray Gonzales was terrific as Sir Toby Belch.  He reminds me a bit of the able Powers Boothe, who could not possibly have done a better job.  Gonzales captured Belch perfectly by affording him all the dignity the sod imagines he possesses.   Everyone was wonderful, but most especially Susannah Millonzi whose heartbreaking earnestness brought my entire front-and-center row to tears in the last act.  An uproarious comedy that can make the audience cry is a comedy indeed.  Thanks once again, Seattle Shakespeare.