The ConnectEd program began with an audacious thought – what would happen if all the students in a school district had access to all of the public library’s print and digital materials using their school IDs? Mount Baker School District Librarian Melissa Menti and Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) Youth Services Manager Thom Barthelmess decided to find out.
“We began a pilot with the Mount Baker School District for the 2016-2017 school year and have seen huge spikes in digital and traditional library use among those students,” said Barthelmess. In all, 95 percent (1,811) students currently have a ConnectEd account. They checked out 3,119 items, including 2,505 eBooks and 614 print books.
ConnectEd enables school-issued student IDs to function as WCLS library accounts, giving students access to WCLS online homework resources and the ability to check out print materials brought by visiting WCLS staff. Students can also use their account when visiting WCLS libraries with a school group or on their own.
“Students took to the program like ducks to water,” said Menti. She is happy with the results: 830 students signed in to WCLS for homework help or to check out eBooks and 187 checked out print books over the course of the school year. Menti received the WCLS Golden Apple award in 2016 for her work on the ConnectEd program.
“We hope to expand ConnectEd to other districts around Whatcom County in the coming years and are supporting the Bellingham Public Library in their efforts to set up a similar program with the Bellingham Public Schools,” said Barthelmess.
Giving students convenient library access opens the door to many possibilities. A teacher in an elementary school classroom can have all of her students log into the CultureGrams digital atlas and look up data for any country, including audio and video resources about the cultures there. Middle school students can download audiobooks onto a handheld device for instant listening. A group of high school students visiting the library can choose books to take home and read. While these things happen with a traditional WCLS library card, ConnectEd eliminates the need for kids to acquire one on their own or remember their library card number later.
Is this something you’d be interested in bringing to the districts where your children go to school? Let Thom Barthelmess know. “We’re serious about getting books and stories and information into the hands and minds of every young person in Whatcom County,” said Barthelmess. You can contact Barthelmess by calling 360-305-3605 or by email at Thom.Barthelmess@wcls.org.
The Ferndale Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that as of June 21 it has reached the milestone of 300 active businesses as part of its membership.
These are businesses who are committed to doing business in Whatcom County, while also supporting and giving back to the community that we live and work in.
The Ferndale Chamber of Commerce has reached the milestone of 300 members. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber Board knew that the chamber was poised to grow quickly, so in late 2016 they approved the addition of a third staff member so that the chamber could continue to provide excellent service to all of its members. Since January 1, 2017 fifty-seven local businesses have joined the membership.
The Ferndale Chamber would like to extend a note of thanks to our members: Thank you to each and every one of you who has made the commitment to business in our community by being a member of the Ferndale Chamber. We couldn’t have done it without your support through referrals, volunteerism and continuing memberships.
If you are a business in Whatcom County that would like to be a part of this growing and thriving chamber, please reach out to Kelsey Rowlson, Director of Membership by calling 360-384-3042.
Round up your purchase to the nearest dollar and all proceeds go to a local nonprofit. Photo courtesy: Village Books and Paper Dreams.
I would really like to think of myself as a charitable person. My parents raised me to help those in need and give when I can. But the truth is, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve given to a charitable organization. And I’m not counting household good donations to Habitat for Humanity and The Salvation Army. I’m talking about sending a check to an organization that I believe in—someplace that helps those most in need or provides a service that is important to me. When I’ve had a little extra money—and even once when I really didn’t—I’ve managed to give a little. Always, I wish it could be more. Always, I wish it could be more often.
Round It Up is a new giving program at Village Books and Paper Dreams. Photo courtesy: Village Books and Paper Dreams.
But for right now, as my paltry donations make their way to deserving organizations once every few years, I am reassured by the fact that my shopping is sometimes an unwitting act of benevolence.
You see, I love to browse around Village Books and Paper Dreams in Fairhaven. It is one of my go-to gift spots. I always find something, usually many things, to send to my mom and sister for birthdays and holidays. The space is more of a gathering place than a store and serves as the hub of Fairhaven. I do not need another reason to shop at Village Books but I found one. Whenever I choose to buy from Village Books not only am I supporting a local business, I am supporting our community through charitable donations.
Village Books is an enduring contributor to many local nonprofits. They have an ongoing donation program for area organizations and have been recognized by the state of Washington as an Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business. Village Books has long been cultivating partnerships with nonprofits that benefit Whatcom County. “It’s a cornerstone of what we do,” says co-owner Paul Hanson.
Round up your purchase to the nearest dollar and all proceeds go to a local nonprofit. Photo courtesy: Village Books and Paper Dreams.
I had called him to find out about Village Books’ newest giving program “Round It Up,” which Hanson and his partners have launched as, “a chance for customers to support a nonprofit in our area that’s doing great work.” It is a simple concept. Whatever the total sale at the register, you can choose to round it up to the next dollar. This extra change that would otherwise lie at the bottom of your purse or the cup holder in your car will instead go directly to an area nonprofit of Village Books’ choosing. The recipient of funds will change seasonally. First up is Recreation Northwest, probably best known for the Bellingham Traverse relay race but doing equally notable work as stewards for the environment.
I spoke with Todd Elsworth, founder and co-director of Recreation Northwest, who told me about his love of his native Bellingham and his respect for the community. He told me about his love of native salmon and his respect for their lifecycle. He told me about how, back in 2001, he first had the idea to package his passions together in a relay race that would rally community spirit and bring awareness to the, “natural and urban challenges of the wild salmon.”
This would become the Bellingham Traverse and the beginning of Recreation Northwest—but not without the help of community collaborators. Chuck Robinson, then the owner of Village Books and a very active member of the Bellingham nonprofit community, was the first professional Todd approached with his race idea. Chuck was in and a partnership was born.
Recreation Northwest will use the “Round It Up” funds on trail building in Fairhaven Park. Photo courtesy: Village Books and Paper Dreams.
This partnership endures 16 years later. The Bellingham Traverse remains Recreation Northwest’s signature event, but there is also an increasing focus on encouraging stewardship of open spaces through community recreation events and work parties. The donations from the “Round It Up” program will help fund phase II of Recreation Northwest’s work as stewards of Fairhaven Park, during which trails will be moved from wetlands and boardwalks will be built. If you would like to get involved there are ample opportunities to donate not only money, but your time.
Paul Hanson assured me that Village Books and Paper Dreams is planning a trail-building party and while I may not currently be in the position to write a check, I am very good with a shovel.
And I will certainly be “rounding it up” on all of my purchases at Village Books.
How to “Round It Up” at Village Books and Paper Dreams
Each season, Village Books and Paper Dreams will feature a different nonprofit partner that will benefit when customers at the Fairhaven and Lynden locations choose to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar. The non-profit will receive the difference. As you pay for your purchase, simply tell your Village Books or Paper Dream sales associate that you’d like to Round It Up for local non-profits. The Village Books team will take it from there.
In Whatcom County, we truly have amazing local food. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.
Happy Chocolate Pudding Day Whatcom County! Of all the fun, silly holidays in the year, this may be the silliest. But it’s also the easiest and most yummy-licious to celebrate. So help yourself to some delicious chocolate pudding this weekend. And if pudding’s not your thing, check out these fun Whatcom County weekend events, including our great local farmers markets. Don’t forget to check our full events calendar for all the great local happenings this weekend.
WhatcomTalk aims to be your source for positive information and events happening in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Bellingham and the surrounding area, visit our events calendar. To submit an event of your own, visit our events calendar and click on the green “Post Your Event” button.
Whatcom Community College has been selected by the University of Washington and the state Department of Health to advance leadership in health care education for western Washington.
As the new Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Whatcom works with regional partners to improve health care quality and access for rural and medically underserved communities. AHEC recruits students and health professionals from diverse backgrounds, and provides those health care professionals working in rural and underserved areas with accessible professional development.
“This significant opportunity to partner with one of the nation’s leading medical schools is an endorsement of our leadership in health care education,” Dr. Kathi Hiyane-Brown, president of Whatcom, said. “It also speaks to our success in working with local businesses and organizations to expand health programs, as well as meeting employer needs.”
Whatcom’s robust health education programs include nursing, physical therapist assistant, massage therapist and medical assisting. The College has added a new chemical dependency counselor program for mental health professionals, responding to community needs.
Initial projects for AHEC include the following:
Identify and promote health care training programs and initiatives that support underserved populations in western Washington.
Facilitate work groups with the goals of re-establishing a rural nursing distance learning program and increasing diversity in the nursing workforce in Washington State.
Recruit working professionals to serve as mentors to second-year medical students.
Create continuing education for health care providers in underserved areas, with topics including wound care, palliative and integrated care, and health information technology.
Develop the next generation of providers by promoting health care careers to high school students.
Collaborate with the Washington Work Group and training programs to recruit medical, dental and behavioral health students for clinical practice and residency positions in these rural locations.
Congress developed the AHEC program in 1971 to recruit, train and retain a health professions workforce committed to underserved populations.
Whatcom County Library System won the John Cotton Dana award, along with two PR XChange awards, to be presented at the American Libraries Association Annual Conference & Exhibition on June 25. Pictured from left to right: Sally Crouse, Christina Nelson, Christine Perkins, Sherri Huleatt, Megan Cook, Lizz Roberts, Sarah Hirsch, Tyler Byrd, and Steven Aldous. Photo credit: 1123 Productions.
The Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) has won three national library marketing awards, including the very prestigious John Cotton Dana award, which comes with a $10,000 prize.
Pictured from left to right: Sally Crouse, Christina Nelson, Christine Perkins, Sherri Huleatt, Megan Cook, Lizz Roberts, Sarah Hirsch, Tyler Byrd, and Steven Aldous. Photo credit: 1123 Productions.
WCLS worked with Red Rokk, a Bellingham-based marketing agency, to launch the “My Modern Library” campaign in the spring of 2016; the digital marketing campaign focused on promoting the library’s digital services in a fun and positive way. At the end of the nine-month campaign, WCLS more than doubled their annual goals for circulation and cardholders, increased digital circulation by 86.5 percent, and broke the record for most card sign-ups ever in one month by 26 percent.
“Winning the John Cotton Dana award is a dream come true,” Christine Perkins, WCLS Executive Director, said. “This award is the equivalent of winning an Academy Award for library marketing and we feel immensely honored to be recognized for our efforts on a national level.”
“We’ve loved partnering with WCLS,” Sherri Huleatt, Red Rokk Marketing Director, said. “They let us be our weird, creative selves and we’re incredibly proud to have helped them achieve such great results.”
The highly-coveted John Cotton Dana award is given to eight libraries every year for their achievements in outstanding library marketing, and is managed by the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Likewise, the PR XChange awards, which are given to libraries for their achievements in public relations, are also organized by LLAMA and are evaluated by 23 judges and two co-chairs.
Lizz Roberts, WCLS Community Relations Coordinator, will be accepting the awards on behalf of WCLS. Tyler Byrd, Red Rokk’s Founder/CEO, and Megan Cook, Red Rokk’s Art Director, will also be attending the ceremony.
To learn more about WCLS, including their services and programs, go to www.wcls.org.
The Port has awarded a $750,000 contract to American Construction of Tacoma to rehabilitate three deteriorated piers in Blaine Harbor in support of the working waterfront. The project will open up additional dock space and increase the load bearing capacity of the piers for commercial fishing vessels and maritime industries which rely on these structures to do business.
Blaine Harbor is the heart of the seaside town of Blaine. Photo courtesy: Port of Bellingham.
“Marine trades are an important part of Blaine’s local economy,” said Port Commission President Dan Robbins. “The commercial seafood industry is expanding and the Port is committed to making the investments necessary to strengthen Blaine Harbor’s marine industrial area as a center for economic growth.”
This project will repair the North, South and Sawtooth Piers with new timber piles, decking, framing beneath existing cranes, bull rails and stringers. The project will also construct two sewage pump-out floats to support boaters and promote environmental stewardship.
“The Port has seen an increase in demand for marine industrial property in Blaine Harbor,” said Port Real Estate Director Shirley McFearin. “Several of our commercial seafood tenants have expressed interest in expanding operations and outside investors continue to be attracted by Blaine Harbor’s strategic location along the US/Canada border.”
Come see what Blaine Harbor has for you! Photo courtesy: Port of Bellingham.
The Port Commission recently approved a long-term lease with Sundance Marine Holdings which plans to develop a $9 million dry boat storage facility in Blaine Harbor.
The Port will host a design charrette later this year with tenants, commercial fisherman and the Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition to identify and prioritize additional improvements in support of the continued growth of Blaine’s maritime industries. Projects to be considered include site layout improvements and modifications to the shape of the Sawtooth Pier to better service the needs of the modern commercial fishing fleet.
“I still see the same results, the same little eyes looking up at me,” Reggie says. “And that’s really rewarding.” Photo credit: Nicole Medcalf.
When Reggie Powell stepped up to coach his sons Darious and Devanté and their friend Damek Mitchell for a 3-on-3 basketball tournament in 2006, he had no idea it would eventually grow into a competitive 5-on-5 club.
“It’s beyond a full time job but I don’t see it like that,” Reggie says of the time and effort it takes to run the D-BLOCK basketball program. Photo credit: Nicole Medcalf.
“The boys came up with the name D-BLOCK from a song and the initials of their first names,” Reggie says, recounting the origins of what is now a full-fledged AAU boys’ basketball league in Bellingham. “They thought it was really cool and had a real street ball name to it.”
Darious and Damek, who graduate this year from Squalicum High School, were fifth graders and Devanté was in the second grade.
“It was so exciting to play with my brother and Damek,” says Devanté. “I didn’t really care about the age difference. I just wanted to play with my brother and my friend.”
The trio won that first tournament, Spokane’s Hoopfest, and the boys and their coach were hooked.
“We instantly wanted to do more,” Reggie says. He trained Darious, Damek and Devanté at a local church gym and registered for other tournaments. Traveling around the state got spendy, so they began fundraising. A few area parents suggested Reggie up his D-BLOCK coaching game to the 5-on-5 level.
Damek Mitchell, Devanté Powell, Darious Powell and coach Reggie Powell at one of their early 3-on-3 tournaments. Photo courtesy: Sheena Powell.
“I loved playing basketball, but didn’t really take it very seriously,” says Devanté. “But as we got older and better, I knew we could go farther than just the 3-on-3.”
In 2010, Reggie held tryouts. “I had eight kids show up,” he says, laughing. He took all eight – including Darious, Devanté and Damek – and the team played in the North Cascades AAU Basketball League, where they went undefeated in their first season.
Devanté more than kept up with his older teammates by knowing the best place for his much smaller self on the court: the perimeter.
“I was definitely one of the shooters,” Devanté says with a laugh. “I wasn’t one of the big kids, so I’d stay out on the 3-point line.”
“He was tiny when he was on the team with Darious and Damek,” Reggie concurs. “He wanted nothing to do with the contact inside – they were all too big.”
Anyone who saw second-grader Devanté play on that fifth grade team would have been unsurprised last year to learn he was a starting freshman on Squalicum High School’s varsity team.
Reggie devotes his time to his players on the court while Sheena spends hours behind the scenes organizing practices and tournaments, while keeping D-BLOCK parents up-to-date on where they need to be and when. Photo courtesy: Sheena Powell.
“And he was the second leading scorer,” Reggie, ever the proud father, reports. “He averaged 13.2 points per game. It’s awesome. He definitely put in the time.”
In 2012, Reggie decided that he wanted to take D-BLOCK bigger. His girlfriend, Sheena (Devanté’s mother) told him that if he thought he could manage two teams (fifth and eighth grade), she’d take care of scheduling practices and tournaments.
“Reggie did such an amazing job training and coaching our boys,” says Sheena. “When people became interested in the program, he decided he wanted to provide a great opportunity for hoops to Whatcom County.”
In 2013, D-BLOCK grew to three teams, at the fifth grade, sixth grade and high school level. Andy Hart assisted Reggie, making the growth possible. Now D-BLOCK relies on many volunteer coaches.
Today, D-BLOCK is made up of teams from fifth grade to high school. Tryouts are competitive, training is serious and teams travel to tournaments as far away as Las Vegas and Florida.
“I still see the same results, the same little eyes looking up at me,” Reggie says. “And that’s really rewarding.” Photo credit: Nicole Medcalf.
D-BLOCK teams only take part in tough travel tournaments. “The point is getting in a different area and letting the kids deal with different situations,” says Reggie. “It builds their comfort zone and confidence.”
“We started D-BLOCK to be closer to our children and enjoy family time doing what we love to do,” says Sheena, who works full time in medical billing and coding; Reggie is a full-time mechanic. “I knew it would be challenging, but we were definitely up for it.”
“It’s beyond a full time job but I don’t see it like that,” Reggie says of everything it takes to keep the D-BLOCK train barreling forward.
“Sheena may,” he continues, laughing.
Thanks to Sheena’s extraordinary organizational skills, D-BLOCK parents always know where the next practice is and when to book a hotel for the next tournament. “I want to make it as easy as possible for parents,” she says. “People are really busy, so I spend a little extra time to try to make sure their D-BLOCK experience is one of the best.”
Nearly every weeknight finds Reggie on the court, often coaching back-to-back teams at area school gyms. Weekends mean tournaments. He’s quick to point out that Sheena is the organizational muscle that makes it all work.
“She does most of the work,” Reggie says, and then laughs, adding modestly, “I do all of the fun stuff.”
Reggie, Sheena and Devanté on a flight to a Las Vegas basketball tournament in 2016. Photo courtesy: Sheena Powell.
The family aspect is what Sheena enjoys most about D-BLOCK. “It’s one big family of people in our community who have some of the same goals and values,” she says. “And it’s great to be a part of something so positive for the kids.”
Many of our area’s strongest basketball teams are made up of young kids from the same schools. Reggie wanted to open his doors to anyone.
“I just love doing it,” he says. “And if they have a passion for hoops and working hard, come on in. Let’s see what we can do together.”
Nine of the 11 original D-BLOCK players from that first 2010 season went on to play varsity basketball. “It was a huge reward,” Reggie says. And although juggling his full-time job with his D-BLOCK schedule keeps him busy all the time, he doesn’t intend to stop anytime soon.
“I still see the same results, the same little eyes looking up at me,” he says with a smile. “And that’s really rewarding.”
He often hears from parents who want a D-BLOCK girls’ basketball program. “I don’t know if that’s going to happen yet,” Reggie says, though he’s open to the idea. “We would need more coaches.”
Lucky for him, some of his first D-BLOCK boys are now nearing high school graduation and are already asking if they can help.
“It’s going to be cool to have those guys back,” Reggie says.
As for the current D-BLOCK boys’ teams, he sees no change on the horizon. “As long as we have kids come through the door, we’ll keep on going.”
Above all, Reggie wants his players to feel confident in everything they do and to learn that hard work pays off. “And if things don’t go right, you work through it,” he says.
Nick Hartrich is the creative director of Artquake. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
There was an article written in The New Yorker a couple years ago about the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington. The article basically said that a huge earthquake will hit the pacific northwest sometime in the next 500 years. Could be tomorrow, could be generations from now.
This eventuality profoundly affected me. For weeks I bordered on obsession. I memorized tsunami inundation zone maps and sent emails to friends and relatives about earthquake safety and preparation. I now have stores of food, water, gas and batteries, a crank radio/cell phone charger, battery-powered lanterns and a generator. My obsession has been replaced with preparation. Still, when I’m in a new place I plot evacuation routes and identify the sturdiest table in the room for any necessary “drop, cover and hold on” scenario.
Nick Hartrich is the creative director of Artquake. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
Surprisingly, I haven’t met many people whose earthquake-mania matches my own. Or maybe it’s just not a topic people want to discuss in a social situation. Natural disasters and their ensuing destruction are not generally the stuff of fabulous parties.
Unless you are Nick Hartrich, Bellingham resident and “Vibe Chancellor.” He can find fun in anything. Even earthquake awareness.
I met up with Nick at the Kapow Pop-up Plaza one recent Saturday afternoon. Wearing a white painter’s jumpsuit with a vivid Artquake logo on the back, Nick stands out in the crowd. There seems to be no one in attendance that he does not know. As people pass, they pat him on the back, high-five him, shout at him from 25 yards away. I am impressed that, given the commotion, he barely breaks eye contact with me while discussing the many community-oriented projects that make up his vibrant life. He is the CEO of Six Degrees. He is a media marketing specialist and event advisor for Wildlife Media. He is the owner of The Roost Music Venue. He is a prominent member of the energetic and inspiring nonprofit society Provibers. And he is the creative director of Artquake Collective, which is what brings me to this buzzing, humming, laughing, smiling, pulsing parking-lot-turned-playground for all ages.
Artquake collaborators invited the community to paint Wanda at Kapow Pop-Up Plaza. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
Artquake Collective is a collaborative that “creates large-scale public and private works of art with the people who live with that community in mind.” If you would like to engage your staff, school, neighborhood, church or any other group in a community-driven art project, you can contact Artquake Collective and they will make it happen.
Nick came up with the concept of Artquake while traveling around Christchurch, New Zealand last year. The city was violently shaken by an earthquake in 2011, causing widespread urban damage. As he walked through Christchurch he saw that much of the damage was still visible five years after the earthquake. There was rubble in the streets, sewer lines remained severed. Knowing about the Cascadia fault he thought, “This could be Seattle. This could be us.” And he’s right. But he also saw that dotting the signs of destruction were glints of progress—bold, inspiring works of art flanking the city’s buildings. Large-scale muralists literally painted the town to showcase the vibrancy of the city that was and that will be.
Nick Hartrich specializes in community organization and good vibes. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
For Nick, surviving a disaster such as an earthquake is not down to socking away food and gas, batteries and cash. This is, of course, very important. But once the shaking stops there is usually massive damage to basic infrastructure and, oftentimes, resulting isolation. The best way to not only survive, but thrive after a catastrophe is to have people you can trust and depend on around you. And Nick has found that, “art is a super easy platform to inspire the creation of community.”
This particular Saturday Nick and his collaborators are transforming an old, donated RV. They call her “Wanda” and she is nearly finished as I step up to her with my wet paintbrush and red solo cup of black paint. We are working on the last of the black and white stripes that cover the right side of the camper. Nick guides me to a spot near the bottom, at about the halfway mark of the chassis. I am wedged comfortably between a 13-year-old boy and a 32-year-old woman. We paint and chat. I mostly listen as my fellow painters talk with their companions. It is idle talk. Light, fun. I am diligently staying in the lines. Everyone is. This is not slap-dash. It’s a large-scale paint-by-numbers concept and everyone is welcome to fill in empty spaces. I am having a fun, relaxed time meeting people and feeling a part of something.
Artquake Collective uses art as a platform for community creation. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
To Nick, art is a, “super easy platform to inspire the creation of community. Art is a, “strategy for engagement.” Art is, “a way to get humans to connect with each other.” And not just because we may need each other after a disaster. Because we always need each other.
The Upfront's corporate communications workshops, BizProv Trainings, increase team collaboration and improve interpersonal skills. Photo courtesy: The Upfront Theatre.
Owned by famed Whose Line is it Anyway?actor, producer and comedian, Ryan Stiles, Bellingham’s The Upfront Theatre features quality improvisational acting performances born directly from the clever, and sometimes devious, minds of their Mainstage Ensemble. With shows at least three nights a week that occasionally include a surprise performance by Stiles himself, you’re guaranteed a memorable evening of fun and laughter. Beyond the stage, The Upfront also brings value to the community. Their private shows, corporate development, school outreach programs and improv classes ensure that patrons of any age can find their own creative magic.
Act One: From Humble Beginnings
The Upfront is owned by renowned actor and comedian Ryan Stiles who also lives in Whatcom County. Photo courtesy: The Upfront Theatre.
Ryan Stiles was born in Seattle and got his start in comedy doing improv in theaters in Vancouver, B.C. Improv (short for improvisational acting) means performing without a script, making the content up as you go along. Stiles began his career with the British version of Whose Line is it Anyway? in 1988. He moved on to the American version in 1998, which he is still a part of today. He also appeared in all but two episodes of the Drew Carey Show’s 10 year run as Lewis Kiniski. Along the way, Stiles made a conscious choice to live and raise his family in Bellingham, while working around the United States and Canada. Stiles first opened the 100-seat cabaret-style theatre in 2004 so he could improvise in front of a live audience when he wasn’t traveling.
Although some of Ryan’s friends are famous comedians visiting from out of town, the Upfront is a true community theater. Most of The Upfront Theatre’s performers are talented members of our Whatcom County community. On stage you’ll be entertained by an ensemble that includes students from Western Washington University or Whatcom Community College, local business employees and owners, public servants and those enjoying their retirement in style.
Located on Bay Street in the Downtown Bellingham Arts District, The Upfront Theatre is the place to appreciate creative improv comedy as an art form while also enjoying a memorable evening with friends and family. They’ve also become known as a tremendous date-night location.
Act Two: What They Are All About
Many Friday and Saturday evening shows are based on a theme. Photo courtesy: The Upfront Theatre.
If you’re not familiar with improv, you’re in for a treat. In each of the 280 shows performed at The Upfront each year, a trained group of hilarious adults work together to create unique characters that go on adventures together live on stage, often based on suggestions from the audience.
Thursday’s The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, also known as the GBU, is Bellingham’s longest running improv show. It’s an incredible bargain at only $8. The format varies but fun is guaranteed. Completely unannounced, you may get to see Stiles himself on stage flirting with his pretend wife while carelessly driving a Winnebago or making up a song on the spot, based purely on audience suggestions from you and your friends.
While some shows are free-form, many Friday and Saturday night shows are themed and have built a local following. January’s Space Trek is one of their most popular formats because improvisers let their favorite elements of Star Wars, Star Trek and other classic sci-fi shows inform their performance of a wacky space mission. February’s popular dating game show Cupid’s Arrow helps patrons celebrate Valentines in style. The improvised western comedy Tarnation brings to life the tropes and ridiculousness of your favorite western films. October’s Hellingham shows often sell out because audiences love the spooky Halloween murder mystery format where three performers die and one is the culprit, and no one knows “who dunnit” until the very end, including the performers! Audience suggestions inform each performance and patrons vote for their guess of “who dunnit” during intermission. Holiday-themed shows make fun of everyone’s winter holidays and their New Year’s Eve shows are the best way to ring in the New Year.
Throughout the year there are a host of other creative formats, some new, some tried and true. Developed by the theater’s Artistic Director and Mainstage Ensemble, they bring variety to the stage—from improvised musicals, Shakespeare and poetry to stand up and sketch comedy—you’ll never see the same show twice.
Students from the Upfront School of Improv occasionally perform culminating shows, many of which become their first time performing in front of an audience.
Photo courtesy: The Upfront Theatre.
The Upfront offers a range of classes from the absolute beginner to advanced classes for those trained in the arts. The Upfront has two spaces they use to teach classes including the main stage. Classes range from beginners up to advanced students. They also offer classes for youth in two age groups, Youth Classes for ages 10 to 13 and Teen Classes for ages 14 to 17.
For many students, taking a class can be life changing. “In many of our beginner classes we play improv games. They accomplish goals like learning to focus, channeling impulse and connecting with other people, including becoming comfortable with eye contact,” explains Upfront General Manager Billy Tierney. “Students also learn practical skills that can be applied elsewhere. Improv builds self-confidence. We create a safe place to make mistakes and use that as a really powerful tool.”
Some of the students that have passed through the School of Improv audition for The Upfront’s Satellite Ensemble. This group is made up of up-and-coming and emerging improvisers from a variety of backgrounds. The group works with the Artistic Director and performs regular shows to hone their skills. Some eventually audition and join the Mainstage Ensemble.
The majority of The Upfront’s shows are performed by its diverse Mainstage Ensemble. This group is constantly evolving. Some members have been in the ensemble since the theater began, while others are new to Bellingham. Many former Mainstage Ensemble alumni now perform around the country including Chicago, New York and L.A. Their talent shines when they work together to create something new, playful and different, on the spot before a live audience.
Act Three: Connecting in the Community
The Upfront’s corporate communications workshops, BizProv Trainings, increase team collaboration and improve interpersonal skills. Photo courtesy: The Upfront Theatre.
The Upfront isn’t limited to its own stage. They take improv out into the community, providing custom options that fit the needs of the organization, school or business.
There is no greater way to make a celebration memorable than to bring improv on-site to your location. Some members of the Mainstage Ensemble perform at private parties and corporate events. Holiday parties, anniversaries and summer celebrations are made special by performances focused solely on your group or area of interest.
The Upfront also offers communication-based workshops for businesses who want to develop a positive, collaborative work environment and culture, giving employees the tools to communicate successfully with co-workers and customers. BizProv Trainings bring the benefits of improv into the work place. They emphasize positive, connected communication and morale and teach the value—and power—of listening. Their creative staff development workshops can be held at the theater or at your location.
The Upfront also takes its instructors to area schools. They work hard to engage the mind, body and imagination of each student through improv games and exercises. They practice teamwork, positive communication skills, build confidence and help students discover their own untapped potential in a fun and safe group environment. Their range of fun, engaging options fit the individual needs of each school and supplement existing programming. Through weekly after-school workshops, one-time classroom visits and interactive assembly presentations, The Upfront brings laughter and confidence to area students in an affordable, accessible way.
Act Four: Opportunities to Get Involved
Improvisers create their reality on the spot based on audience suggestions. Photo credit: Jolene Hansen Photography.
Because of the breadth of The Upfront Theatre’s program, there are a variety of ways to become a part of The Upfront community. After a brief volunteer orientation and training, members of the public can volunteer to help out on show nights. You’ll get to watch the shows for free, meet the improvisers and patrons and learn more about what it takes to put on a show.
After watching a show, many people think, “They’re having so much fun. I’d love to do that!” Upfront classes are taught in affordable eight week sessions on a quarterly basis. New sessions begin each January, April, July and September along with special one-time classes and summer camps.
Can’t commit to a class? You can try one or more of The Upfront Theatre’s free monthly drop-in sessions on the first Saturday of each month at noon. It’s a great way to dip your toe in the water. Simple improv games are adapted to any skill level and it’s a great way to make new friends.
Local businesses can also get involved through BizProv and by advertising with the Upfront. With a diverse audience of between 1200 and 2000 patrons per month, the Upfront offers a variety of on-screen and on-the-table opportunities to get your product, service or event in front of a very happy crowd.
