Best BandwagonThe American Theater Wing piled on the Everyone Loves Intiman juggernaut this spring by awarding it the Tony for best regional theater. True, this is partly due to smart product placement: Artistic director Bartlett Sher has stayed in view of the New York critics by directing shows there with some regularity. But the critics wouldn’t have rewarded second-rate work, and Sher’s and Intiman’s track record right now is unassailable. Look for more success this fall with a stage adaptation of Richard Wright’s Native Son—third in the theater’s five-part American Cycle dedicated to classic American literary works.—Lynn Jacobson201 Mercer St., Seattle Center, 206-269-1900, www.intiman.org.Best Small(er) Theater CompanyTheater Schmeater occupies a unique and important place in Seattle’s fringe theater scene—call it a zone of upper-middlebrow artistry, or perhaps postmodern chic minus the cloying, self- conscious cuteness of so much experimental theater. Founded in 1992, the Schmee is ye olde reliable of the smaller, independent outfits, a steadfast producer of strong, smart, challenging work that consistently and cunningly touches a nerve of timeliness. Whether staging a new play like Vincent Delaney’s Kuwait or reviving the old-school social paranoia of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the folks at Theater Schmeater deftly balance a kind of apocalyptic politics with a knack for busting open old forms for a new age—witness their late-night run of staged Twilight Zone episodes or the serialized mock soap opera Crescendo Falls, a parody about a family in the backstabbing business of the music industry. Provocative, intelligent, funny, and fun, this is theater that sifts the detritus of pop culture to create for the stage reconstructed moments of talent and inspiration. Schmeater makes theater cool, and cool theater, for the television generation (anyone under 18 always get in free of charge)—and it does so with taste, panache, and flash.—Richard Morin www.schmeater.org.Best Work Onstage and BackstageWere Marya Sea Kaminski’s resume to stop at the line that reads “founding member of Washington Ensemble Theatre,” her place in the pantheon of Seattle stage luminaries would be assured. WET—an egalitarian stage ensemble started a few years back by a handful of talented UW Drama School grads—has moved quickly to the forefront of the independent fringe theater scene, thanks in large part to Kaminski’s efforts; she directed the premiere of Adam Rapp’s excellent Finer Nobler Gases, and had a devastating satiric turn playing the current first lady in Laura’s Bush by Jane Martin. Her achievements, however, don’t stop there: She has written and performed more than 20 solo shows (including In Distress and Brimming), some of which she has busked at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and on subway platforms in New York. Around town, her work has appeared at Re-bar, ConWorks, and the Ethnic Cultural Theatre. Such accomplishments would be impressive in any career, but in one as young as Kaminski’s they’re jaw-dropping. It’s only a matter of time before she’s given a key to the city.—Richard MorinBest Art-Scene ScandalThere’s no sex, but there’s plenty of money involved in the Seattle Symphony’srecent turmoil. If you haven’t been paying attention, the central issue is whether conductor Gerard Schwarz, whose contract was recently extended to 2011—which will be his 26th season as music director—has overstayed his welcome. Related issues involve his conducting skills (phrases like “utter joke” and “untrained charlatan” pop up among his more virulent detractors), his music-world reputation, his management style (with allegations of retaliation against dissenting musicians), a hostile work environment lawsuit, the board’s failure to take into account orchestra members’ opinions in their contract decision (expressed in a highly critical player survey), the sudden June departure of Executive Director Paul Meecham, and whether Schwarz’s fund-raising skills, drive to get Benaroya Hall built, and the general improvement of the orchestra over the last quarter- century are extenuating circumstances. We’ll see what new developments the fall season brings.—Gavin Borchert www.seattlesymphony.org.Best Classical Success StoryThe fiscal-year-end report released July 3 by the Bellevue Philharmonic boasts a 99 percent increase (that’s doubling, folks) in subscription sales; finishing “in the black” for the fourth consecutive year, with no deficit; an average of 93 percent to 94 percent capacity for all concerts in the Theatre at Meydenbauer; and the expansion of their main season in 2006–07 to six pairs of subscription concerts (up from five). This is all startlingly good news in a field that’s been financially beleaguered in recent years—especially so for a smaller ensemble that’s been on not-so-firm footing since the controversial easing-out of founding music director R. Joseph Scott, who led the group from 1967 to 1997. Executive Director Lawrence Fried attributes the upswing to their “largest, most comprehensive ad campaign ever” via direct mail and KING-FM (98.1), and a special low rate for new subscribers. “The business community is becoming more aware of us,” he says, which seems to be translating into both corporate support and butts in seats. Music director Fusao Kajima, looking forward to his ninth season with the group, and their board seem to have the group well on track.—Gavin Borchert www.bellevuephil.org.Best Dance RevivalModern dance has such a voracious appetite for new work (“world premiere” is an old-hat term) that sometimes the most unusual thing you can see is a work from the historical canon. Cornish Dance Theater’s restaging of Martha Graham’s seminal Diversion of Angels last autumn was all you would hope a revival might be—a flesh-and-blood experience of a dance that otherwise would be consigned to our memories. The work is steeped in Graham’s ferocious romanticism, both implacable and ardent, and to see it performed by students was a guarantee of future happiness as well as current satisfaction.—Sandra KurtzBest Final BowIt takes a special kind of schizophrenia to be a corps de ballet dancer, to work as one part of an organized whole but still be able to step forward and say “look at me” when the role calls for it, and Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nicholas Ade has been particularly blessed. After 10 years with the company, and a resume that’s included many “fifth man from the right” roles, multiple “friends” (his “friend of Romeo” was a bit of a worrier, and his “friend of the Prodigal Son” was a goof), and a series of featured parts, he has moved in and out of the limelight many times, and in June he retired from performing. Ade’s dancing in PNB’s recent production of Emeralds was a good example of these multiple skills: solicitous of his partners, aware of his place in the group, but more than able to hold our attention when his turn came. His farewell bows earned an ovation from his colleagues on the stage as well as from the audience.—Sandra Kurtz www.pnb.org.Best Theatrical TrendIt’s hard to know what to say about the current revival of local burlesque that doesn’t sound like a double entendre (after all, it’s busting out all over), but this tongue-in-cheek entertainment is just right for our current ironical times. With the Atomic Bombshells and the Heavenly Spies appearing almost everywhere, and Tamara the Trapeze Lady in charge of the rotating bill at the Columbia City Cabaret, there has been plenty of bump and grind for all this year.—Sandra KurtzColumbia City Theatre, 4916 Rainier Ave. S., 206-605-9920.Best Performance ArtistsThey have stopped traffic in Lake Washington with a floating desert isle complete with supplies for multiple days and intentions to start a government—until they lost their anchor and had to be towed. They have dressed as old men and ambled about Seattle Center eating cotton candy, and have driven a living room set around on a trailer. Most recently, they built a Chinese restaurant inside an art gallery. Why? To bring art to unexpected places, prompting people to think, laugh, react. Less political than the Critical Art Ensemble and slightly more serious than Monty Python, art is an extreme and active pursuit for SuttonBeresCuller. Where it will take them is anyone’s guess. Graduates of Cornish College, these three provocateurs—John Sutton (31, the chief spokesperson), Ben Beres (31, the cuddly one, often found in animal costume), and Zac Culler (29, the serious one)—are the trio most likely to put Seattle on the map for some kind of noble infamy. I say cheers to that.—Sue PetersLawrimore Project, 831 Airport Way S. 206-501-1231, www.lawrimoreproject.com.Best Small Space for New WorkThe space at GALLERY4CULTURE isn’t huge, but it’s accessible, classy, understated, and unlike most galleries, open often—Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Best of all, the work shown here is consistently intriguing and new. Gallery coordinator Greg Bell and the peer review panel that selects the artists have a keen curatorial sensibility, overseeing surprising and provocative shows in an effort to champion emerging local talent. In the past year, for example, the space has hosted magnified graffiti abstractions by Brian Lane and Cat Clifford’s multimedia visions, and let its walls be overrun by Dawn Cerny’s mad scribblings of wild dogs and bewigged courtesans. The gallery also wins points for a nice bit of subtle recycling: Lead Pencil Studio’s handsome wooden signage from its “150 Works of Art” show at the Henry can be found reincarnated throughout. Not bad for a county-run art gallery.—Sue Peters101 Prefontaine Place S., 206-296-7580, www.4culture.org.Best Emerging ArtistEven before she graduated from UW’s ceramics program this year, Susie Lee had developed a style and vision that had earned her awards and critical notice. At Jacob Lawrence Gallery’s juried art show last March, her work stood out—a pulsating image projected onto a pillowy screen evoking lovers in a piece titled Conjugal. In the recent MFA show at the Henry, her work was also striking. Lee brings to her sculptural and video creations a potent combination of intelligence, emotion, and sensuality that isn’t always found in conceptual art. I suspect her background in ceramics has given her the advantage of a distinctive tactile sensibility. A native of North Dakota, Lee, 33, recently joined the SOIL art collective and has acquired a new studio space in the GSA building. It all sounds very promising.—Sue PetersBest Artist Doing Tiny Subversive Things to MapsThe world is a confusing place—boundaries are changing (in some cases melting), countries are invading one other, walls are knocked down while others are being built across unnatural divisions. One could be forgiven for being downright lost. And Francesca Berrini’s fabulous maps won’t help. Using a scalpel-collage technique, the Seattle-born artist carefully dissects real maps and fastidiously rearranges them to create wry and whimsical imaginary geographies so evocative, the fact that they don’t actually exist is enticingly irrelevant. In fact, many of these places I’d love to visit.—Sue PetersViveza Gallery, 2604 Western Ave., 206-956-3584, www.viveza.com.Best Writers’ CommunitySuch a difficult choice in a land studded with candidates. Field’s End cannot be ignored. It consistently presents writers who address timely topics, such as novelist Kathleen Alcala, who will conduct a writers’ roundtable on “How do we write meaningfully in the wake of disaster?” on Sept. 19. Or a one-day workshop, “Writing in the Garden of the Gods,” that was held on Earth Day, with presenters including Bharti Kirchner, David Guterson, and Anjali Banerjee. Or lectures, which have featured Charles Johnson, Ivan Doig, and Dorothy Allison. Of course, Field’s End offers classes. This is all done by the hands and minds of volunteers—Field’s End is affiliated with the Bainbridge Public Library and is supported by tuition and donations. It takes its name from “That Far Field,” a poem by Theodore Roethke, who died on Bainbridge Island in 1963.—Joanne Garrettwww.fieldsend.org/index.html.Best Authors’ Reading SeriesThey come from another place; they are of a different world. They are the instructors for the Clarion West Writers Workshop, a six-week workshop for writers who are preparing for a career in science fiction and fantasy. This year, the high-profile instructors’ readings were capped by Vernor Vinge, a Hugo Award winner, whose latest work is Rainbow’s End. Also reading this year were Paul Park, Maureen McHugh, Ian R. MacLeod, Nalo Hopkinson, and Ellen Datlow. For just three or four bucks, you could hear from the best of speculative fiction at events co-sponsored by the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame.—Joanne Garrett340 15th Ave. E., Suite 350, 206-322-9083. www.clarionwest.org.Best Bollywood TheaterI can’t decide what I like the most about Totem Lake Cinema, a Bollywood- focused movie theater that sits behind an unattractive Eastside mall. Yes, the movies themselves are usually a hoot, with their family drama, romance, and over-the-top song-and-dance numbers, but the concession-stand samosas and bustling (read: loud) atmosphere here are also a draw for me. On a late night when a group of us went to see Krrish, a three-hour film about a babe-licious Indian superhero, I noticed plenty of kids around and—yes—people chatting on cell phones during the film. But, hey, who needs to hear when you can read the subtitles?—Molly Lori12232 Totem Lake Way, Kirkland, 425-820-5929, www.roxycinema.com.Best Arts Camp for KidsHere’s a theme for your day: Things That Go “Boing” Day. How about Frozen Squid on a Stick Day? These are some ways Summer Fun makes every day special. Drama, music, art, and choreography classes, held at Coe Elementary and Daniel Bagley Elementary, provide campers with skills to put on a communal musical, written by the camp directors—this year it’s The Private Lives of Butterflies, the next run of which opens Friday, Aug. 4. “What helps people feel welcome is a lot of kinds of classes,” says Hannah Peragine, 19, head counselor. “Everybody finds something they’re good at.”—Katie Beckerwww.summerfunonline.org.Best Power-Pop BandIn a town widely believed to be the international headquarters for the Indie-Rock Mafia, it’s refreshing to see the Long Winters gain such a robust following. While less deliciously raucous than 2003’s When I Pretend to Fall, the Winters’ just-released Putting the Days to Bed packs infectious hooks and sharp, witty lyrics without veering into Presidents of the United States of America territory (a very bad place to be; the Presidents suck). But the real treat is seeing them live—frontman John Roderick is peerless in his ability to banter with a crowd. If this gig fails, John, the Comedy Store awaits with open arms.—Mike Seelywww.longwinters.com.Best World-Music AdvocateDarek Mazzone coined his own term—”modern global”—for the music he’s played on KEXP’s Wo’ Pop since 1993. A decade after its inception, he realized the outdated world music wouldn’t cut it for the melange of Brazilian drum and bass, French hip-hop, bhangra, and dub (among countless other genres) he offered each week, and it’s been around the world from there. Mazzone also co-founded Planet Beat, an online radio show that reaches non-Seattle audiences with the same mantra. When not DJ’ing on the radio, he’s shared the stage with Krush, Kruder, and Thievery; currently, he spins on first Saturdays at the Baltic Room and second Saturdays at Des Amis. If that plus a day job isn’t enough, his long-term project of finishing an artist album may come to fruition this year. But as the new father of a baby girl, his biggest role has arrived—and with a dad so curious about the world and its music, she’s gonna be one sophisticated lady.—Rachel Shimp Wo’ Pop on KEXP-FM (90.3), 6 p.m. Tuesdays., www.kexp.org.Best Immigration SongFinally, Seattle can claim a theme song for immigrants. Not Neil Diamond’s. His reflective take, America (1980), is so upbeat, it’s as if the Statue of Liberty has become a cheerleader for all the tired, poor, huddled, homeless, and tempest-tossed: “Everywhere around the world/They’re coming to America/Every time that flag’s unfurled/They’re coming to America. Got a dream to take them there . . . ” Not the Pogues’ Thousands Are Sailing (1998), though it considers the gamut of immigrants’ emotions: “Did the old songs taunt or cheer you/And did they still make you cry?/Did you count the months and years/Or did your teardrops quickly dry?” The song perfectly suited for Seattle—Led Zeppelin’s “The Immigrant Song”—was written in 1970 . . . as a joke! “We come from the land of the ice and snow/From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow/The hammer of the gods/Will drive our ships to new lands/To fight the horde, singing and crying/Valhalla, I am coming!” A joke? Tell that to the Scandinavians. —Joanne Garrett