Fred Opening Party Features Heavenly Spies, Can Can Castaways
Chris Snell, owner of Can Can Cabaret and excitable champion of the arts, has had a busy month. His trademark pink spex can be found peering out from just about every street corner downtown this month on the cover of Cty Arts…
Cover of City Arts, January 2011
…where he was chosen as #35 on a comprehensive list of arts community movers and shakers in Seattle. Or as City Arts calls it, “The Power List: 50 people who make Seattle arts go.” This definitely rings true for Chris, who in addition to opening the dance and cabaret hotspot that is Can Can, was an early supporter of performers from Ben DelaCreme to Fuchsia FoXXX to the Heavenly Spies, Vince Mira, and of course, current Can Can residents The Castaways. Later this month Can Can presents: Mod Carousel in Whirligig, a five person theatrical collective founded by The Luminous Pariah. Yes, Chris has done a lot for Seattle’s arts community and is quite vocal as a cheerleader for artists of all stripes.
Recently Chris put his money where his mouth is (again), launching a new space presented by Can Can: Fred Wildlife Refuge. Tonight’s their kickoff party, and The Heavenly Spies will perform along with The Castaways and multiple musical guests.
Here’s some detail from Fred’s press release:
Well, hello, Seattle art community! Fred wants to meet you – and wants you to meet each other!
Fred Wildlife Refuge is a privately run collaborative art center that includes a photo studio, the Fred Art Gallery, a performance/rehearsal studio for physical arts, a creative HQ on the Hill, a private event space and a refuge for Seattle’s most inventive/innovative artists so they can break away from their normal routine and venture into unlikely collaborations with artists of disciplines unlike their own. We hope Fred will provide a refuge for among (but not limited to) visual, music, dance, physical performance and literary artists, where they can enter into cross-genre partnerships that will strengthen Seattle’s already vibrants art scene.
The brainchild of the Can Can’s Chris Snell, Fred occupies the former Milkie Studio – home to legendary photographer Fred Milkie. Located in the heart of Capitol Hill, the re-imagined 5,200 square foot space will also be available as a prop/building shop for full-scale productions and will offer residencies to select local artists. Fred will continue the tradition of over 40 years’ worth of art creation while aiming to invigorate new life to art-goers/creators that can perpetually renew the support and appreciation of all art forms.
It is the mission of the gallery to challenge and revitalize the Seattle art community by providing a place to bridge exciting new ideas with inventive and unlikely collaborations.
Tix for the Grand Opening tonight can be found HERE
Check City Arts and The Power List HERE
– J.Price
Burlesque Seattle Press 