cabaret
cabaret
moonshine
a cabaret project
August 16 | Neptune Theater
7pm Door & Buffet HOUR | 8PM SHOW
NEWS
The MOONSHINE Look Book fundraiser is live!
This project started with a cabaret of the same name. In August 2018, I partnered with Au Collective and Seattle Theater Group to produce the evening-length MOONSHINE cabaret, based on an original oral story on moon cycles and the transformations it triggers throughout time. The free one-night-only production featured original dance, music, costumes, visuals, and food by some of the most exciting Seattle-based queer and trans dancers, musicians, and creatives of color.
This time around, I’m tapping into my creative direction and photography skills and working with a team of creatives to translate and archive the rituals, costumes, and oral story from the cabaret into a lookbook that represents us in abundance as our full and best selves — something often denied to us in our everyday life.
With your help, we can bring this book to life.
You can’t be what you can’t see. As people of color we are often told that we are either too much or not enough. Yet, there is no shortage of media representation showing QTPOC in all the ways they are marginalized and faced with scarcity. This is especially prominent in the Seattle art ecosystem, where QTPOC artists have been historically and currently still left out of opportunities to take up space on stages, in gallery spaces, and within cultural institutions. Despite the indie and anti-establishment roots of Seattle arts communities, the hegemonic makeup of the scene coupled with rising inequality and displacement throughout the city have left artists “settling” for less, even in executing their most “radical” impulses.
Through photography and poetry, this look book continues the lineage of black, brown and queer artists everywhere taking up the space we need to sustain us.
To increase this visibility, will also be partnering with select local businesses and QTPOC-centered organizations to provide the look book.
ABOUT
Moon cycles have the ability to transform worlds, creatures, and beings on earth since the beginning of time. But what does the moon wish for? Whom does it love? What if it can feel all the transformations it triggers? And what if it is moved to stop all its revolutions?
These ideas are central to moonshine, a new cabaret project directed and produced by Imana Gunawan, as she explores realms of oral storytelling, visual installation, costume design, and environment-stimulated dance composition. The evening-length production will be performed August 16 at the Neptune Theater as part of the Nights at the Neptune series.
moonshine features choreography by Imana Gunawan, dance performance by Au Collective, costumes by Hallie Scott, visuals by Anissa Amalia, and new music by Seattle's best - Donte "DaQween" Johnson, Emma Lee Toyoda, and CarLarans - all produced by LUNA GOD.
The cabaret is FREE with RSVP. Food will be provided by That Brown Girl Cooks! and the Neptune Theater will provide a cash bar.
PRESS
“These moments conjure up images of resilience; their confidence seems to say Despite the mayhem of the world around us, we own what we do with the obstacles in front of us.”
— Liz Houlton, SeattleDances review
“Though the story grew out of an autobiographical place, it’s now broad enough to transcend any one human experience, especially given the nature of the storytelling.”
— Kaitlin McCarthy, City Arts Magazine preview
COLLABORATORS
Au Collective
Hallie Scott
LUNA GOD
Anissa Amalia
Nic Masangkay
Donte "DaQween" Johnson
CarLarans
Emma Lee Toyoda
That Brown Girl Cooks!
AND MORE
hit me up
hit me up
want to know more?
subscribe to my newsletter or hit me up!
Photos by Imana Gunawan, video by Hallie Scott.
bios 1
bios 1
COLLABORATOR BIOS
Caleb Talbert/LUNA GOD | Music Director
At the epicenter of some of the most exciting current hip-hop, R&B, and cutting-edge club music, there's a solid chance you'll find LUNA GOD, the alias of Caleb Talbert. A chameleonic musician, he's recently turned his attention to wildly diverse and unpredictably vibrant productions, a style that also carries over to his infectiously kinetic DJ sets. With two EPs in his catalog and an increasingly busy DJ schedule, LUNA GOD has become a sought-after party-starter and in-demand collaborator, currently working with fellow ascending artists DoNormaal, Bbymutha, Zahara, and Aprilfoolchild
Hallie Scott | Producer - Costume Designer
Hallie Scott is a choreographer of many mediums. Her work includes costume design, visual art, dance, and digital media. She is a founding member of Au Collective and has lived in Seattle since 2008. Scott worked in environmental programs centering energy conservation, low impact design, and waste management. She was a teaching artist for the Nature Consortium and production assistant for the Mellon Creative Fellowship with artists including Margarita Bali and BANDALOOP Vertical Dance Company. Her work has been shown at the SAM ReMIX, The Georgetown Art Attack, Next Dance Cinema, and On The Boards. For more information, visit her website at www.halliemscott.com or follow her on instagram @halliemfscott.
Anissa Amalia | Visuals
Anissa Amalia was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. At the age of 17, she moved to Seattle, WA to pursue her artistic endeavors. Her works often revolve around her identity as a bilingual Southeast Asian woman living in the United States. Many of these issues have been shown through work with many different mediums from film/experimental videos, photos, and interactive/immersive installation. Anissa currently works and makes art in Los Angeles, CA.
Cheryl Delostrinos | Dancer
Cheryl Delostrinos is a Filipino American born and raised in Seattle. She is one of the co-founders of Au Collective. Delostrinos began her training at Kathy’s Studio of Dance, The Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Cornish College of the Arts. As a professional movement artist, she has worked with Prism II under the direction of Sonia Dawkins, the Chamber Dance Company under the direction of Hannah Wiley, and collaborated and toured with the Pat Graney Company. Delostrinos has presented many works for festivals and events in Seattle and New York, including The CHIN Project at the 92nd st Y, the NW New Works Festival, SAM Remix, and the Beacon Hill block party. She is a cultural worker and movement educator with SAAS, Arts Corps, Yesler Community Center, and Coyote Central. Cheryl is passionate about creating a platform for the youth to access the tools they need in order to empower themselves.
Randy Ford | Dancer
Randy Ford, is a Seattle-born dancer, choreographer, actor, and activist. She/her, they/them grew up learning choreography in their living room from watching music videos as a child. It wasn’t until the age of 17 when performing became a reality. Identifying as a Black non-binary Transfemme, their work continues the conversation about race, gender, and intersectionality. Randy has worked with artists such as Dani Tirrell (Genre Bender, Black Bois), Markeith Wiley (IT’S NOT TOO LATE), Kitten N’ Lou (CAMPTACULAR), and BenDeLaCreme (Beware the Terror of Gaylord Manor). They’ve been recognized on City Arts Magazine’s 2018 Future List and SeattleDances’ 2016 DanceCrush Awards. When not on stage they teach at Vashon Dance Academy, Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences, and with YMCA Powerful Schools.
Devin Muñoz | Dancer
Seattle based dancer Devin Muñoz, received her early dance training in Seattle where she graduated from the Pacific Northwest Ballet school student division. In May 2017, Devin graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cornish College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. Devin has performed in pieces for Strictly Seattle 2017 by Alice Gosti, The Bridge Project Summer 2017 by Anna Krupp and A Dance for Dark Horses by Kim Lusk. When Devin isn’t dancing she spends her time creating dance films and collaborating with other dancers through photo series.
bios 2
bios 2
El Nyberg | Dancer
El Nyberg is a Seattle-based queer, femme, mixed-race dance artist//shapeshifter and member of Au Collective. In their life and work, El uses movement to explore the ways that existence is politicized for people who hold marginalized identities and the ways dance is an agent for growth and healing within our communities. Above all, El is committed to breaking down the hierarchies that exist in artistic communities and creating space for those who have historically been pushed out.
Fausto Rivera | Dancer
Fausto Rivera is a Chicano dance artist from the PNW. He is a member/co-founder of Au Collective and a company dancer with Spectrum Dance Theater. He grew up training in Mexican folk dance with Joyas Mestizas, and began training in ballet and modern dance at the University of Washington, where he received a BA in Dance with a minor in Anthropology. He creates work with longtime collaborator, Cheryl Delostrinos, and together, they have presented at the 92nd Street Y, the Seattle Art Museum, and most recently at On the Boards for the 2018 NW New Works festival. He's super excited to be dancing for Imana and feels incredibly fortunate to be able to create art with his friends.
Nic Masangkay | Recording Producer
Nic Masangkay is a 25-year-old, multiply-marginalized poet, music producer, and singer-songwriter based in Seattle. With poetry Buzzfeed claims “will leave you speechless” and music the Seattle Times reports is "synth-pop with overlaid vocals in the style of Reggie Watts," Nic is incredibly grateful that anybody wants to listen to the art that they create to survive. Nic aspires to one day develop a recording studio that specifically serves LGBTQ communities. In all aspects of their work, they hope to bring justice to themselves and the people around them.
Donte "DaQween" Johnson | Musician
A royal moon babe spawned from BabeSpace a swirl of city bitch and southern belle makes this spit fire femme an around the way grrl you'll never be able to catch, clock, or conquer.
Making their debut splash in the music scene at the Beacon Hill Block Party Early Summer '16 Qween has hit the ground running with their slick tongue, fire flows, and bars out the ass! Qween's debut project BabeSpace was released in October 2017 and the rest up of BabeSpace Deluxe which just dropped on 4/20 which is available on all streaming services. Qweens goal is to be the magic the hope and the love we want to see in this world by helping us all get free they the power of performance.
CarLarans | Musician
CarLarans (pronounced Car-La-rons) is an Electro-Soul and Hip-Hop artist cornbred fed from southern Indiana, now making money moves in Seattle. Influences from soul, electronic, and hip-hop make up his truly unique sound, mixed with sultry vocals, pop-infused hooks, and true life content. Add a dose of vogue, runway, fashion and a flare for extravagance, his pageant-esque performances are a true spectacle. He has released three independent albums in the last two years, with his latest, 'Black-N-Gold', being voted one of the Top 25 Essential Seattle Hip-Hop Releases of 2017 in a poll by Crane City Music. You can find him on stages and creating spaces throughout Seattle for QTPoC, doing community work, turning looks, writing hooks, and working on his follow up album set to be released in Summer 2019.
Emma Lee Toyoda | Musician
Emma Lee Toyoda is a queer non-binary rock star, born and raised in Seattle, WA. ELT makes empathetic “madgrrlrock” for you to wipe your tears with and hug your friends to.
Toyoda released their debut album “sewn me anew” on Make Fart Records in Dec. 2016, which was featured on KEXP’s Top 90.3 Albums of 2017, The Stranger’s Top 10 Local Albums of 2017, and City Arts Magazine Album of the Month Jan. 2017.
Emma is currently working on their followup EP to be released in late July 2018.