LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which  distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

State's Transportation Plan Gets Federal OK
28 Mar 2024 15:06

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]

New Funding Plan Ahead for Visit Sitka?
28 Mar 2024 15:02

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]

Sitka 'Frankenstein' Puts Classic Tale in New Ligh...
28 Mar 2024 15:01

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]

State May Los Millions Over Ed Dept. Missteps
28 Mar 2024 14:59

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]

Gov Signs Bill On Internet In State Schools
28 Mar 2024 14:57

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]

Capitol Christmas Tree to Come from Tongass
28 Mar 2024 14:56

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]

City League Games Thursday
28 Mar 2024 14:52

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Police Blotter
28 Mar 2024 14:50

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 27
At 2:36 p.m. a dead  [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Community Happenings
28 Mar 2024 14:48

This Week in Girls on the Run By Sitkans Against Family Violence
and The Pathways Coalition
During th [ ... ]

New RFP Sought For Managing PAC
27 Mar 2024 14:48

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]

Seiners Get Second Day with 2 Areas to Fish
27 Mar 2024 14:46

By Sentinel Staff
    The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]

Braves Take Second in Last Minute Upset
27 Mar 2024 12:41

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]

Tuesday City League Volleyball
27 Mar 2024 12:39

By Sentinel Staff
    The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]

Kodiak Alutiiq Museum Getting New Attention
27 Mar 2024 12:37

By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
    A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]

House Hearing on Inmate Deaths Halted
27 Mar 2024 12:35

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in  [ ... ]

Nominee to Bering Sea Council: Not a Trawler
27 Mar 2024 12:34

By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
    Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Police Blotter
27 Mar 2024 12:26

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Community Happenings
27 Mar 2024 12:25

Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]

Reassessments Raise Tax Bills for Sitkans
26 Mar 2024 15:22

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]

Two Areas Opened in Herring Fishery Today
26 Mar 2024 15:21

By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]

Lady Wolves Rally to Take Fourth at State
26 Mar 2024 15:16

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]

Edgecumbe Girls Close Out Season Up North
26 Mar 2024 14:58

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
    Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]

City League Monday
26 Mar 2024 14:55

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]

House Votes to Broaden Rules For Review Panel Memb...
26 Mar 2024 14:52

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday  [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Improv Artists to Show Their Stuff in Sitka

By HENRY COLT
Sentinel Staff Writer
    He was performing in an improv duo in New York once, when his partner left the stage without any warning.
    “I was kind of taken aback; I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening,” Zeke Blackwell said. “I don’t remember exactly what I did, but I did some stalling.”
    Blackwell’s partner eventually returned to the stage carrying a live puppy. It became a surprise third performer for the rest of the set.
    At 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Odess Theater, Blackwell will perform with three acclaimed improv artists from the Lower 48: Chicago-based Cassidy Russell, Atlanta-based Vincent Migliore and LA-based Michael Yichao.
    Blackwell said there will be a cash bar, audience participation and laughter “until your pants fall down.”
    The performers know each other. Both Blackwell and Russell taught at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp last summer, and Russell and Migliore currently perform together as the nationally touring duo Rufio. Blackwell twice has seen Yichao perform his own act, Pint of Life, in which Yichao bases an on-the-spot musical on his onstage sharing of a pint of ice cream with an audience member.

Zeke Blackwell performs as King George during last year’s Broadway Night event at the Odess Theater. Blackwell will join three other improve performers from around the country Friday and Saturday at Odess Theater. (Sentinel Photo)

    But this weekend will be everyone’s first time performing as this particular quartet.
    “We have no idea what’s going to happen on stage,” Russell told the Sentinel Saturday.
    What about the chances of a puppy joining them on stage?
    “I did recently do a show with four adoptable dogs in it, so you never know…,” she said today.
    Russell said that even though improv is based on unpredictability, rehearsal is still important.
    The quartet will have Friday morning to rehearse. They won’t memorize lines, Russell said, but will spend the morning talking, joking around, and getting comfortable with one another.
    Russell and Blackwell compared improv to sports: you can practice certain things, but still have no idea what will happen in the game.
    Blackwell said despite that element of the unknown, certain shared artistic values will unite the performers come Friday night.
    “One of the reasons I invited these people to come is that we’re all interested in grounded, emotion-based narrative improvisation,” he said. “We’re interested in investigating stories and relationships and letting the dramatic tension create comedic circumstances, which will hopefully lead to full-throated belly laughs, instead of cheap, ‘that was a good time’ laughs.”
    Russell said the connection won’t just be between the performers.
    “Every scene has never happened before, and will never happen again – which is exciting and heartbreaking at the same time,” she said. “That’s a very important shared experience between the performers and the audience.”
    Blackwell anticipates “combustible energy” Friday night.
    Russell looks forward to eating “1,000 Russian dumplings” after the show.
    Rhiannon Guevin, operations director at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, says she, too, is excited.
    “It’s unlike anything we’ve done in the recent past,” Guevin said, “so it should be a really fun experience.”
    Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for youths and are available online or at the door.

You have no rights to post comments

Login Form

 

20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.

50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.

Calendar

Local Events

Instagram

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Instagram!

Facebook

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Facebook!