After a brief holiday hiatus, the 100th Monkey mania is back tonight, and this time it's swanky! Tonight's party takes place in the newly renovated lobby of the fabulous Pantages Theater. As impressive as the location and the usual assemblage of attendees are, Sue Pivetta, organizer of these bimonthly events, wants everyone to know that this is not an elite group or clique. In fact, socializing with new people is the entire point.
If you're new to the whole monkey thing, you should know that these parties are breeding grounds for new artistic collaborations, fabulous friendships and wonderful new ideas.
Another delightful aspect of the 100th Monkey parties is the random drawing that determines who will be the honoree at the next gathering. The purchase of a $4 original work of art qualifies purchasers for the drawing to be the next 100th Monkey. This month the tiles have been created by Kulture Lab artists James Hume and Jeff Olson. At the last party, a newcomer purchased one of the monkey tiles â€" publisher of City Arts magazine Mike Hathaway.
The Weekly Volcano caught up with Hathaway before tonight's festivities.
WEEKLY VOLCANO: Where are you from?
MIKE HATHAWAY: I was born in Seattle. I live in Edmonds.
VOLCANO: Where did you go to school?
HATHAWAY: Washington State University.
VOLCANO: What did you do before you became a magazine mogul?
HATHAWAY: I have sold advertising since graduating from college in 1978. Spent many years in radio, in Tacoma and then Seattle.
VOLCANO: What made you decide to start a magazine?
HATHAWAY: The company I work for, Encore Media Group, has grown over the years and now published theater programs for 20 arts organizations throughout the Puget Sound area, as well as 6 arts organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. We have provided programs to Tacoma arts organizations over the past 15 years. With the revitalization of downtown Tacoma, we thought it an excellent opportunity to launch City Arts magazine to talk specifically about the many interesting and diverse facets of the cultural personality of Tacoma and the broader South Sound region.
VOLCANO: What do you like best about Tacoma?
HATHAWAY: The pride of its residents in their community.
VOLCANO: Do you have any hobbies?
HATHAWAY: Like many families in the Northwest, we try to enjoy the outdoors. We camp and hike in the summer, and ski in the winter. We just tried snowshoeing for the first time near Leavenworth.
VOLCANO: Did you pull any strings to have it at the Pantages since you publish the Broadway Center's program book?
HATHAWAY: I didn't need to do much more than contact David Fischer at Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. He had also attended the last 100th Monkey so he knew that it was a great opportunity to support the group while also showing off the newly renovated Pantages.
VOLCANO: Do you like monkeys?
HATHAWAY: I can honestly say that I have not met one I didn't like! â€" Angela Jossy