by Milton W. Hamlin

SGN A&E Writer

                Halloween is history, Thanksgiving looms on the entertainment calendar, and the winter holidays are right around the corner. Fall is in full swing and Emerald City arts fans will find intriguing opportunities almost every night of the week. Bits&Bytes has his arts calendar nearly full for the coming month—you can, too. Read on:

GAY-THEMED FILM, TIME TO LEAVE, OPENS AT VARSITY

                France’s Francois Ozon is a film director who prides himself on never repeating himself. The openly Gay director has gravitated to various themes and genres in his nine films since 1997. His biggest art house hits--Water Drops On Burning Rocks, 8 Women, Under The Sand,  Swimming Pool and now Time To Leave—are all related in theme and underlying concept, yet each is fiercely individualistic.

                In Time To Leave, Ozon examines the last months in the life of a young Gay man who seems to have everything. A successful fashion photographer, he’s handsome, has an adoring lover, incredibly successful, he lives in a beautiful apartment and seems to be loved by most of his fashionable friends. And then his doctor tells him he has only months to life—a rare cancer has taken over his body and no treatment will help.

While the ghost of AIDS haunts the film, Romain, with a solid performance from Melvil Poupaud, is simply dying of cancer. As his body withers away, he tries to make peace with his past—his bohemian grandmother (played with aging power by France’s legendary Jeanne Moreau) and his present (his German lover, Sasha, with a memorable performance from Christian Sengewald) and his chance for immortality (a young waitress asks him to father a child for her and her impotent husband).

One of most powerful scenes for a GLBT audience is the one when Romain runs across his ex-lover at a sex club after their breakup. Sasha is hanging in a sling in the orgy room, and the look on Romain’s face is heartbreaking.

Ozon purposely emulated the over-the-top emotional style of Douglas Sirk’s 1950’s Hollywood melodramas. This stylistic decision will bother some audiences, but a good friend noted that Time To Leave was his favorite film from the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival.

Time To Leave opens today at the Varsity Theatre in the University district. Showtimes are available at the Landmark Theatre’s Information Line—781-5755. It’s a haunting film well worth a look.

PNB’S ALL PREMIERE BRING 4 NEW WORKS TO SEATTLE AUDIENCES

                Pacific Northwest Ballet brings four Seattle and world premieres to McCaw Hall this week and next in one of its most ambitious mixed repertory programs in decades.

                A world premiere by Victor Quijada and PNB premieres from Ulysses Dove, Peter Martins and Twyla Tharp—four of the biggest contemporary names in the dance world—opened last night and continue through Nov. 12.

GLBT arts fans have always been a major support of ballet companies—and PNB in particular. A recent national arts study showed that attendance from the Lesbian community is the highest growing audience element in ballet nationwide.

Ticket information on all PNB events is available at 441-2424. And, remember, it’s not too early to order those Nutcracker tickets. 

PAIN ENDS AT REP, GREAT GATSBY OPENS, G.A.L.A. INVITES GLBT

The controversial production of Thom Pain (based on nothing) ends its four week run at the Seattle Repertory Theatre tomorrow night, Nov. 4.

While critics and audiences had a wide array of reactions to the off-Broadway hit, no one doubted that Todd Jefferson Moore’s performance was outstanding. (To add to the mood of the off-beat production, the press kit included a complimentary package of Nihilist Chewing Gum—with its ad slogan, “We Don’t Believe In Flavor.”)

                Bits&Bytes saw the production on opening night while Doubt, the Rep’s first production of the season, was still playing in the main stage theater. Two Lesbian friends stopped by to say hello and share a wonderful theatrical anecdote.

                As they were coming in, the usher took their tickets and asked, “Are you in Doubt tonight?” “No,” they replied, “we’re in Pain.” Well, Doubt and Pain did make for some terrific puns later in the evening….

                Next up at the Rep is the highly anticipated staging of The Great Gatsby, which started previews last night, opens officially Nov. 8 and runs through Dec. 10. David Esbjornson, the Rep’s artistic director, recently directed the world premiere production of the new Gatsby at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. His Seattle Rep production uses a mix of cast members from that production and local Seattle actors.

                The Rep’s new G.A.L.A. group for Gay and Lesbian theater fans is set for Nov. 14. GLBT stage buffs have a chance to mix and mingle with other GLBT patrons. A free post-show “mixer” offers complimentary drinks and snacks. For ticket discounts, call the Rep’s box office at 443-2222 and mention G.A.L.A. The Rep also has a toll-free number for out-of-area patrons—(877) 900-9285.

FAUST IN PORTLAND, WEILL, PUCCINI AT UW, BERLIOZ IN TACOMA

                Seattle-area opera fans have a busy weekend ahead of them. The GLBT community is always a strong supporter of opera, and this month should have GLBT opera fans racking up a lot of miles.

                Gounod’s Faust, one of the most beloved operas in the musical repertoire, opens at Portland Opera tomorrow and runs four performances, Nov. 4, 7, 9 and 11. Ticket information at (503) 241-1802.

                The University of Washington’s School of Music offers an intriguing double bill as its fall opera event.

Kurt Weill’s rarely staged 1933 The Seven Deadly Sins and Puccini’s beloved 1918 Suor Angelica (Sister Angelica) are scheduled Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, Nov. 8, 10 and 12 at Meany Theatre on the UW campus. Ticket reservations—at 543-4880. Ask about student and senior discounts.

                Berlioz’s rarely staged Beatrice & Benedict, adapted from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, gets a full staging from Tacoma Opera with two performances at the beautifully restored Rialto Theatre, tonight at 8 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets and information at (253) 627-7789. Tacoma Opera’s spring production will be Bizet’s ever-popular Carmen in March.

TICK, TICK…BOOM! --WITH GAY BUDDY--ENDS AT ARTSWEST

                Off-Broadway’s tick, tick…Boom! ends its Emerald City premiere with an incredibly good production at ArtsWest in West Seattle. The well-received staging ends its run with performances through tomorrow.

The solid, creative production is directed by Christopher Zinovitch, ArtsWest’s artistic director, and Brandon Ivie, a 21-year old who has directed two of Bits&Bytes’ favorite Seattle productions of the past several seasons.

It’s hard to imagine a better staging of Boom!—in New York or any other city. Strong, strong voices from all three cast members highlight the show. The hero’s openly Gay best friend adds a strong appeal for GLBT theater fans.

The production continues through Nov. 4—tomorrow. Tickets and information at 938-0339. Be sure to ask for a free season brochure. Two of the upcoming titles have clear GLBT subject matter.