Lars Foster-Jorgensen and Trent Walkiewicz act in Wing-It Production’s new unscripted play “Gauntlet.” Photo credit Wing-It Productions.

What if you could be the “player” within a play?

Improv theater group Wing-It Productions did just that at their opening night for their new unscripted play, “Gauntlet” on Thursday, May 3.

In addition to the typical audience interaction needed in improv, a new level of virtual interaction was used for the actors. Microsoft engineers and Carnegie-Mellon graduate students collaborated with Wing-It to create an exclusive Kinect video game for the play.

In addition to the innovation’s “wow-factor,” the use of a video game in the play is vital to the story.

“Gauntlet” is about two friends who are winners at playing video games but are losers in life. Depending on audience suggestions, the plot revolves around a major life event. The video-game world almost parallels the real world, making the “audience member become lost in the show, much in the same way that video games engulf the player,” said director Andrew McMasters.

Each performance is a unique experience, just like starting a new file on a video game. The actors rotate the basic parts. “Female gamers will not be excluded,” said actors Elizabeth Westerman and Amalia Larson, who play the role of the video gamers.

Don Gillett came up with the show’s concept about six to seven years ago during the show “CUT,” which involved a green screen that the actors would interact with. Motion-capture technology has progressed enough since then, Gillett decided to create a show using Microsoft’s Kinect technology. “We were building the game while they were rehearsing it. It took about two months to make, but there was difficulty with that. Like we would have to change parts to go with what they were rehearsing,” said Gordon Jeffery, a Carnegie-Mellon graduate student.

Kinect — a motion-sensing input device by Microsoft for the Xbox 360 console and Windows PCs — is used by the actors playing the roles of the video game avatars. While these actors stand in front of the device and act out their characteristics, the video gamers use the Xbox controllers to manipulate the camera and gameplay. The need for coordination between actors is especially high with using this technology. For example, in Thursday night’s show, the video game avatars were named “Tentaculus the Octopusinator” and “Volatile Primate the Triathlete.” Tentaculus would wiggle his arms like tentacles and Volatile Primate was hunched over. These physical characteristics were reflected on the gameplay on the large screen. The accuracy of motion-capture immensely increased the humor. The video gamer who was Volatile Primate would move the character around and interact with the setting – such as killing villains or jousting. Even when the actors did not know what they were doing with the game controls, it helped with the comedy of the show and their quick wit saved any technical difficulties experienced. This made the experience uplifting and fun.

It is not only the use of technology that makes the unscripted play a success, but also the witty dialogue improvised by the actors. The ensemble made the show feel like it was actually scripted with smart conversations and character development, leading to new story directions without a bump.

You can find out more information about “Gauntlet” and order tickets at www.wingitpresents.com/gauntlet/.

It plays Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. from May 3 until May 19.

Tickets are $14 for adults and $10 for students, seniors and military.

The sale started as a white elephant gift exchange back in March 1962. It has since raised more than $450,000 dollars for charities that support vulnerable children, youth and women.

You can check it out at 4515 16th Ave. N.E. Here’s the schedule:

2012 Superfluity Sale
April 19th 7-9 pm
April 20th 9:30 am – 6 pm
April 21st 9:30am-1pm

Kitchen and Housewares sold at Superfluity 2011

Books sold at Superfluity 2011

Plants sold at Superfluity 2011

Collectibles and decor accents sold at Superfluity 2011

The dinner options developed by co-owners Colin and Tami Blanchette feature meat- and dairy-free takes on old favorites such as quesadillas, filet mignon, fried chicken, ribs, and nachos.

Dinner will be served from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily in addition to breakfast and lunch.

The restaurant has been in the U District for more than seven years.

The three days worth of feature length and short films are about and for the deaf community.  This is the first  film festival of its kind in the Pacific Northwest.

Festival director Patty Liang says a committee had to narrow more than 70 submissions down to just a few films. “We are very lucky to have a strong core committee and supporters sharing a passion for cinema and working together to make this a reality,” said Liang.

The films will be accessible to both deaf and hearing persons, with many in American Sign Language but all subtitled in English.

Sponsors of the Seattle Deaf Film Festival include Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, and University of Washington Department of Linguistics, AccessComputing, Office of Diversity & Minority Affairs, Association of Disabled Students, the Q Center, Sprint, ZVRS, ADWAS, Stranger Ticketing and Reel Grrls.

More information on ticketing, schedule, and details are available at www.deafspotlight.com/SDFF.

Construction crews will be on the road starting as soon as March 21 and will work from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m and occasionally at night. The project will happen in two phases with the first happening between I-5 and Green Lake and the second between 15th Avenue NE and I-5. In each phase they’ll work on the westbound lanes first then shift to the eastbound lanes. Crews will keep one lane open most of the time but SDOT says there will be times when one or two block detours will be needed. The bike lane will also be closed at times but signs will direct riders through or around the work zone.

The project includes repairing the roadway base, replacing the asphalt overlay, upgrading pedestrian curb ramps. The project also includes a new curb bulb at E. Green Lake Drive N and N.E. 71st Street. The bulb will reduce the amount of time it takes pedestrians to cross the street.

For more information: SDOT’s project webpage.

Courtesy Seattle Department of Transportation

The installation, called HEIGHTEN, is part of a larger program of the center; University Heights Arts Gallery. The center is home to a wide variety of cultural, musical, and performing arts and nonprofit corporations.

While the exhibit opened last month, University Heights will host a second opening/ open house on Friday March 16 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visitors may take a tour of the facilities, view the living art installation display and be a part of the collaborative piece. Refreshments will be available. Event festivities will include local/regional wines may be featured & light appetizers, Live Music & demonstrations of the artists’ & centers’ activities. $5 donation per glass (suggested donation).

A grant from the city of Seattle could help kick-start a new round of revitalization efforts for the U District. The Office of Economic Development awarded the University District Chamber of Commerce a $70,000 grant to help grow the neighborhood’s economic and cultural livelihood. The grant is a slice of $844,000 the city is doling out to nine business districts this year through the Only in Seattle Initiative. According to Seattle’s OED website, the Only in Seattle Initiative “promotes a healthy business environment for business organizations and neighborhood business districts.”

Don Schulze, best known in the neighborhood for his restaurant Shultzy’s, is on the Chamber’s board of directors and is helping to lead the task force. He says the planning process has just begun, and the grant money will help generate structure and organization to get the wheels rolling. Part of the grant money will help create a steering committee of representatives from residential areas, businesses, and the University of Washington. The main idea behind the committee is to get the various U District stakeholders on board with any future development plans.

“We want to make the U District a vibrant neighborhood not just for students, but also for the private sector and university staff,” Schultze says. “We expect to see a lot of growth and urban density.”

Schulze is specifically in charge of the marketing portion of the steering committee. Some of the marketing projects include promotion for events like the U District Street Fair, Ave-venture, and a music festival for local artists. A Festival of Lights is also in the works, in which local businesses would decorate their buildings with white lights. These kinds of events help bring community members together and celebrate U District culture.

In addition to marketing, there will also be committees concerning public safety, urban design, organizational leadership, and retail and business development.

The Hunger Games' stars Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson sign autographs at U Village.

The star cast of the new movie The Hunger Games made its final stop Saturday, March 10, at University Village. Actors Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth were available for autographs and a Q&A session.

The 100 earliest-arriving fans were given wristbands for access to the signing at the Microsoft store.

The Village visit did not go unnoticed by the tweeners of Seattle, despite the poor weather. Amanda Dootson, a waitress at a University Village restaurant, said, “I could probably count on my fingers and toes how many teeny-boppers were screaming ‘I volunteer as tribute!’ while waiting in line to meet the cast.”

By 10 a.m. the parking lot was packed and fenced areas were filled with fans. By 1 p.m., it appeared that thousands had shown up for the event, and the occasional meltdown could be spotted for those who weren’t granted access.

Free posters were given out and music played for the duration to keep morale high for hopeful fans. Event those not granted access could view the stars from a distance for the Q&A session later in the afternoon.

A common theme during the Q&A was “Will you go to prom with me?” and high shrills every time an actor spoke.

Some controversy surrounded the access granted to fans.

According to the University Village webpage, fans were technically allowed to line up only beginning at 7 a.m. Camping out the night before was not permitted.

It was apparent that people started camping out the night before and many came earlier than 7 a.m. The web page states, “Be one of the first 100 people in line on March 10 at 9 a.m. to receive a VIP pass to this special event!”

Vanessa Radatus interns for the company who managed the talent. She said there were hundreds of crazed and screaming teenagers who started lining up to get wristbands as early as 2 a.m. She also noted that a young girl appeared to get trampled when the actors were heading to their cars. Fire trucks arrived at the scene.

The Hunger Games Seattle Facebook page is filled with posts from angered fans who felt that those who arrived early broke the rules. Other sources mention that there was poor organizing of the event. It’s highly likely the coordinators of the event couldn’t have predicted such a high turnout.

Not familiar with “Hunger Games”?
Published four years ago, The Hunger Games is the first novel in a young-adult trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Don’t be discouraged by the plot — it depicts the struggles of adolescents who are selected by a lottery to compete to the death in an arena.

The general appeal comes from a love triangle between protagonists Katniss, Peeta and Gale, along with the themes of human nature, rebellion and survival.

The second book is called Catching Fire, followed by the third, Mockingjay.

The film adaptation is of the first novel only. The Hunger Games is directed by Gary Ross and was written and produced by author Collins. It will be released worldwide on March 23.

The Hunger Games stop Saturday in Seattle was the last in an eight-city series of the star cast’s week-long mall tour. Other stops included Los Angeles, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago, Miami, Dallas and Minneapolis.

For screening hopefuls on March 23, be wary of the craze and enthusiasm surrounding the film. You may be subject to lines or fandom similar to that witnessed on Saturday at U Village.