SEATTLE— Legendary underground entertainer-turned international cabaret sensation Joey Arias returns to Seattle's historic Triple Door on Tuesday, October 12 at 7:30pm, for an evening of homage to the great Billie Holiday, with all the bawdiness, elegance, and musical genius needed to properly channel the magic of “Lady Day." Joey Arias will be accompanied by his longtime pianist and creative co-conspirator, Eliot Douglass. Strange Fruit's return to Seattle is made possible by producer The Swedish Housewife Presents.
Cirque du Soleil created a role specifically for Arias, the emcee/"Mistress of Seduction" for Zumanity: the Sultry Side of Cirque de Soleil, which he played for a five year run. Arias is the 2009 recipient of GLAAD's “Off Off Broadway" Award for Arias With a Twist, an intimate “cabinet of curiosities" melding Arias' legendary voice with puppeteer Basil Twist's lavish, ecstatic visual creations. Showing at The Gay & Lesbian Film Festival on October 16, patrons can buy a limited number of joint-cover tickets for both “Strange Fruit" and “Arias With a Twist" by calling The Triple Door or visiting the box office in person. Visit http://bit.ly/ariasdc for more information on the joint cover offer.
Now with international acclaim, Seattle was home for the creation and development of Strange Fruit. The Swedish Housewife brought Arias from New York to perform at Re-Bar and paired him up with local jazz musician Pete Leionen. Craig Flory was part of the birth of “Strange Fruit," which was further developed with Eliot Douglass. Arias and Douglass have toured with this production to London, Edinburgh, Los Angeles, New York, and Vancouver B.C. Variations of this show have been seen in Australia and Berlin. The Swedish Housewife has produced the Seattle engagements since 1990 at Re-Bar, The Crocodile and most recently, The Triple Door. Craig Flory joins this engagement on saxaphone, with Denali Williams on drums.
The Stranger celebrated Strange Fruit as “nothing short of amazing" and declares the show will “blow your f***ing head open," while Seattle Gay News wrote, “to say [Arias] left victorious would be something of an understatement... the only thing strange about this particular fruit is just how darn brilliant he really is."
Pianist Eliot Douglass has worked with Arias for 17 years, with concerts in three continents. The two also worked together in the hit Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas, where Douglass was an original member, composing and arranging material for the show. Douglass has worked with Linda Ronstadt, Jack Nicholson, Patti Austin, Debbie Reynolds and Shirley MacLaine, among other artists.
Outrageous and avant-garde, Arias' one-of-kind voice and thoroughly modern take on the music of Ms. Holiday continues to bend minds, winning over music and theatre lovers all across the planet. He has been featured at such diverse spaces as NYC's hallowed Carnegie Hall and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and has collaborated with countless influential artists, including David Bowie, Andy Warhol, and Klaus Nomi.
Tickets are available now for this one-night only engagement. Order over the phone by calling 206-838-4333, in person at the box office at 216 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101, or online at tripledoor.net
Please contact Keridwyn Deller, Press Rep for The Swedish Housewife Presents, at (206) 412-0269 or [email protected] with questions or to schedule individual interviews. We welcome preview articles, as this is a one-night engagement and are happy to invite reviewing press to the performance.
SHOW DETAILS:
EVENT: Joey Arias in “Strange Fruit"
DATES: Tuesday, October 12 at 7:30pm
COST: $22 Advance/$25 Day of Show (17+)
JOINT COVER COST: $25 ($7 savings)
VENUE: The Triple Door, 216 Union St., Seattle WA
TICKETS: 206-838-4333 OR www.thetripledoor.net
About The Swedish Housewife Presents
Billed as a “producer extraordinaire" and short-listed for The Stranger's “Genius Award" as an organization, Paula The Swedish Housewife has mounted award-winning, sold-out shows starring some of the modern underground's most celebrated performers for more than 20 years. A Cultural Educator who pushes the envelope with a velvet glove while eliciting shock and awe to the Seattle Audiences, The Swedish Housewife conceptualized House of Thee UnHoly and has been the Creative Director for each incarnation since 2006. Website: http://swedishhousewife.com. Facebook: Facebook.com/shwpresents & Twitter: twitter.com/theSHW.
The Swedish Housewife Presents upcoming shows:
- October 23—Our Lady J's “Gospel for The Godless" at West Hall
- November 18—Thee 2nd Annual “Cornucopia Cabaret Fundraiser for Treehouse" at The Triple Door
- December 18—Taylor Mac ("One of the most exciting theater artists of our time." -Time Out, NY) at West Hall
About The Triple Door
Originally home to the Embassy Theatre, a vaudeville house that opened in 1926, the theatre quickly transitioned to films in the late 1920s and remained one of the premier Seattle movie houses for 30 years. By the early 1960s, the grand days of the Embassy came to an end. It continued as a blue movie and burlesque house until it closed its doors in 1983. In 1999, Rick and Ann Yoder bought the historic building with plans to build a music and dinner theatre in the old Embassy. In the fall of 2002, renovation began with a simple goal: an intimate, comfortable space that would connect performers to their audience. Every effort was taken to preserve the ornate qualities of the old theatre, such as the original stage proscenium and ceiling fixtures. Rich fabrics, plush seating, and state of the art sound would complete the renovation, transforming the grand old space for a new generation of entertainment. The essential idea behind The Triple Door is this: provide the best in sound, lighting, atmosphere and hospitality to make something real and alive happen between artist and audience. Visit The Triple Door to venture beyond the familiar, to share in the thrill of discovery. http://tripledoor.net
