Soundside

Latest Episodes:

Should Washington curb rideshare surge pricing? Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Surge pricing. When there is a lot of demand for rideshares, fares can double or triple their usual rate – or even more.

But a first-of-its-kind bill is looking to slow the surge in Washington State. SB 5600 would cap surge pricing and make sure drivers get more of a share of those extra dollars.

The bill was inspired by the expected flood of attendees Seattle will be handling during the 2026 World Cup games, but it would also apply to other large events. Rideshare companies say this will only increase prices for everyone. But drivers, like Kyle Graham, think this will only benefit drivers and passengers.

Guest:

Uber, Lyft and DoorDash driver Kyle Graham.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear it Again: Oscar winning costumer Paul Tazewell Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

On Sunday, comedian Bowen Yang joined other actors onstage at the Academy Awards, dressed in his costume from the movie 'Wicked' -- to praise the artist who dreamed it up.

It’s hard to list all the projects the award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell has been responsible for on Broadway, but here’s a sample:

Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, The Color Purple musical, In The Heights, and Hamilton - for which he won a Tony.

On screen, he won an Emmy for his work on The Wiz! Live.

And now, Tazewell has an Oscar to add to his list of accolades.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann sat down with Tazewell when he was in town back in February, and in light of his win, we thought we would revisit that conversation.

He was here for a new production at the Pacific Northwest Ballet.... an organization he has a long history with. His costumes for Kent Stowell's Swan Lake, which debuted in 2003, are still in use.

This time around, Paul Tazewell created the lavish costumes for the company's re-imagined Sleeping Beauty -- from ball gowns and dinner jackets to tutus.

Guest:

Costume Designer Paul Tazewell

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Washington Rep Marilyn Strickland on funding cuts, federal firings, and more Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

President Trump will address a joint session of congress tonight – it is his first major speech since his inauguration.

Washington Democrats have been reeling since he took office a month and a half ago. The latest issue they are sounding the alarm on is tariffs: taxes on Mexican and Canadian goods went into effect this morning. President Trump ordered a 25% tax levied on foreign goods from the United States’ two largest trading partners.

The US also once again raised tariffs on its third largest trading partner, China, with an additional 10% tariff.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency is continuing to fire thousands of federal employees.

Guest:

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland represents Washington’s 10th district and is a member of the Armed Services Committee. She represents areas like Olympia, JBLM, and parts of Tacoma.

Related Links:

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Far from loved ones, Washington’s Congolese community speaks out Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country in the center of Africa. It’s home to spectacular things, like: a majority of the Congo Basin rainforest, the second largest in the world, with magnificent flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth, and a population of one hundred million people belonging to 250 ethnic groups who speak more than 200 languages. The country also has an estimated $24 trillion worth of untapped minerals.

That fact has put Congo in the center of international conflict for generations. However, over the last few months, a rebel militia called M23 has taken control of multiple cities in Eastern Congo. These conflicts have reverberated far and wide, as Congolese people displaced by fighting have sought refuge around the world. For those escaping conflict, being granted asylum is only the first step in building a new life.

Guests:

Floribert Mubalama, the founder and CEO of the Seattle-based Congolese Integration Network
Francoise Milinganyo, the Executive Director of Congolese Integration Network
University of Washington lecturer Dr. Francis Abugbilla

Related Links:

Why Are Congo and Rwanda at War? —NYT

Martin Gordon, Anglican bishop of Goma, calls for peace in the DRC —NPR

Congolese Integration Network Seattle

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Making history for the Mariners, Angie Mentink joins the broadcast booth Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

As a Mariner’s fan, it’s tradition to quibble with offseason moves.

But there has been ONE personnel change that the majority of longtime fans are cheering.

Not on the field, mind you… but in the Broadcast booth.
Angie Mentink is joining a roster of former players providing color commentary during TV broadcasts, becoming the first woman in Mariners history to have this regular gig.

There’s been lots of shifting around on the broadcast side for the M’s: Longtime voice of the Mariners Dave Sims left us for the Yankees, (just like Ichiro, THE PAIN,) so Aaron Goldsmith will take over the main play-by-play position.

And joining Angie as analysts are, Mariner Hall of Famer Jay Buhner, former catcher Dave Valle, and former pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith.

Angie Mentink is one of the first women to play professional baseball, in addition to being a hall of fame UW softball player. She’s been a member of the organization for nearly 30 years and is making history as the first permanent female analyst in the booth for the M’s.

GUEST: Angie Mentink

RELATED LINKS:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Seattle is preparing for potential federal funding cuts Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

How much will Seattle change under the Trump administration? And what options does the city have to keep the policies it prioritizes?

The city depends on the feds for millions of dollars in funding -- impacting services like transportation, law enforcement and emergency preparedness.

Threats to cut off federal grants have left some local politicians considering how to prepare for an uncertain future.

This week, Seattle city councilmember Alexis Merceredes Rinck will chair the first meeting of the council’s new Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes.

In other words - she’s gathering together a group of people to try to answer what happens next under the Trump administration’s many changes.

Guest:

Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Position 8 city councilmember

Related Links:

Seattle City Council to host first committee meeting on safeguarding city from federal policy changes - Seattle City Council Blog
How will Seattle prepare for potential Trump cuts? - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal funding expires on March 14th—and Senator Murray has a lot to say Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

There is a lot going on in D.C. right now, and elected officials are working overtime to negotiate ahead of a looming government shutdown deadline.

As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the senior senator from Washington state, Senator Patty Murray is leading the charge on funding negotiations.

At the same time, budget talks are happening about how much the federal government will spend and on what priorities. Looming over all of this is the question of whether the government will meet its obligations because federal funding expires on March 14th.

Guests:

Senator Patty Murray

Sen. Patty Murray on the state of the Senate —1A

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This actor found freedom — and refuge — on the Seattle stage Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

Clad in a big, bulky menswear suit, “Julia” Mozhdeh Rahmanzaei stomps around the stage at the Theater off Jackson in Seattle’s Chinatown International District.

She glares over a fake beard, holding audience members’ gazes, and shakes the program for this very play in one hand. The actor and playwright is channeling the censorship she experienced in her home country of Iran.

As a young artist in Tehran, her theater work repeatedly ran up against the strict rules of government monitors – who shut down several of her shows, including her master’s thesis and performance, which discussed limitations of physical performance for women actors.

Julia left Iran three and a half years ago to study for a Masters of Fine Arts in Acting at the University of Washington. In Seattle, she’s acted in several local productions, including “The Moors” at the University of Washington and “The Forgotten History of Mastaneh,” at Taproot Theater and Seattle Public Theater.

This weekend is the debut of her autobiographical solo show, called, “I am an Actress, Where is my Country?” It traces her struggle to express herself under Iran’s repressive theocratic regime – and find her place both legally and as an artist in the U.S.

Libby Denkmann sat down with Julia Rahmanzaei and director and dramaturge Leah Adcock-Starr during rehearsals this week.

Guests:

Julia Rahmanzaei, actor and writer for "I am an Actress, Where is my Country?"
Leah Adcock-Starr, director and dramaturge

Related Links:

I am an Actress, Where is my Country? - Theatre Off Jackson

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - 2/27-3/2 Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

It’s the end of the week, the sun is shining, and maybe you’re thinking “I’m ready to get out there and explore! Meet new people, make new friends… at least until it starts raining again.”

Well, rain or shine - If you’re searching for something to keep you occupied this weekend, you’re in the right place.

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here in the nick of time to give you all the highlights.

Nat Geo Live: From Roots to Canopy, Nalini Nadkarni, Thurs 27 February, Port Angeles

A fascinating exploration of the science and wildlife hanging out above us in the forests. Featuring NatGeo explorer & tree canopy ecologist, Nalini Nadkarni, a UW alum and the inspiration for the Explorer Barbie Dolls.

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE | Meany Center, Thursday 27 February - Sunday 2 March, U-District, Seattle

The performance focuses on the integration of traditional African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word. Brown uses movement as a way to reinforce the importance of community in African American culture and to acquaint audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms.

Seattle International Dance Festival, Friday 28 February - Saturday 1 March; Thursday 8 - Friday 9 March, Capitol Hill, Seattle

This year’s mini-fest will fuse Urban, Ballet, Modern, and traditional Indian forms in a riveting mix of cultures and movement.

Good Time Girls History In The Spotlight, Friday 28 February, Bellingham

Sip cocktails in a cabaret setting while these sassy storytellers present well-researched theatrical tales and historic photographs from Bellingham's beloved and only remaining historic playhouse, the Mount Baker Theatre. Enjoy illustrated tales of celebrated moments, iconic performances, colorful characters, and local lore.

James Dean Movies at The SIFF Downtown, Friday 29 February - Thursday 6 March, Downtown, Seattle

If you’ve never seen any of them, like our host Libby Denkmann, get yourself to the theater & check them out. These movies are legends for a reason…

Whatcom Farm Expo, Saturday 29 March, Lynden

A plethora of speakers and events with topics ranging from “Holistic Pasture Management,” to “Buying your first Tractor,” and “Getting started with Beef!”

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Supersonic: imagining a new creation myth for Seattle Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Seattle Public Schools is considering closing Stevenson Elementary School amid declining enrollment.

One longtime parent there is pushing back and trying to change its name to better reflect the school’s Japanese-American history.

That’s the kind of opening line you might hear on Soundside if the events of the book Supersonic were real.

The book is fiction, but it reflects the very real ethos of a city constantly reinventing itself through boom and bust cycles across generations.

At the center of the story is Sami Hasegawa-Stalwarth, a PTA president with a deep history in the city.
But Supersonic also takes us through the city’s history, to see the connections across generations. We meet a gold rush conman, aerospace workers building the Supersonic transport, a stay at home dad trying to open the city’s first legal cannabis dispensary, and the Native people who have called this area home since time immemorial.

Guest:

Thomas Kohnstamm, author of Supersonic

Links:

Third Place Books event info for Thomas Kohnstamm reading on Thursday, February 27

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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