The Chinese have a whole month devoted to their ancestors and ghosts. During the ghost month, which is August, the living pay respect to the deceased by offering them food, money, stories and amends, if needed. For the entire month, the living honor the dead and then for one night, ancestors come and visit the living. For some this is a very important month that can heal old wounds, bring insight and motivation - both for the dead and living. The portal to the lower levels, the "ghostgate" has been open now for the past three weeks, perhaps you have felt it? If you were to travel to the East you might find elaborate tables outside homes and businesses with food and offerings. Amongst those offerings, you would find "hell money" burning. Hell money is actual paper money made to resemble dollars (American and Chinese paper notes). It is marked as money produced by the hell bank and it is offered to the ghosts as a way to offer them prosperity in the afterlife. The word "hell" is used because when the concept of hell was introduced to the Chinese by missionarys it seemed to fit their system of beliefs already. Some Chinese believe that after death, the soul enters a lower world with many stages and struggles to pass through. There is no direct route to paradise or reincarnation, we each are judged for our actions while alive.

Pike Place Market Seattle, May 2008---Beginning in May 2008, The Market Theater, home to Unexpected Productions, is proud to host the Market Ghost Tour followed by a live improvisational theater show, The Gum Wall Rally an evening for local and tourist alike; sharing eccentric Seattle history in a setting that allows the audience to participate. Learn about the market, the city, and the humor of Seattle.

The Market Theater is home of the longest running show in Seattle's history, Theatersports, and is the first improv theater in the city. Market Ghost Tours are the very popular tours through the Pike Place Market started over 20 years ago.

The talented cast of The Gum Wall Rally use audience suggestions and interaction to create hilarious scenes on the spot! The Gum Wall Rally includes short improv games as well as scenes performed in specific movie and theatrical styles.

"This group displayed a highly accessible form of improv that allowed the audience to remain engaged and entertained. Their subtle humor and true storytelling ability make this group a must see if you are out in Seattle." Jonathan Bender, Improvreview.com

"Watching this improvisational group is like watching a great rock band each show is raucous, inspired, and completely unpredictable. The immensely talented, very funny company performs at the Market Theater." Seattle Magazine

"If anything, the vivacious actors gave this audience a dose of theatre history, along with an endless supply of laughs." Seattle Times

Mercedes Yaeger, of Market Ghost Tour, has been a tour guide in Seattle for the past ten years and has crafted the tours to be entertaining and educational.

"We looked up and saw -- really saw -- the windows above the market. And unlocked by stories of listless ghosts, hotel murderers and bodies floating down the Sound, we pictured figures in those windows. We wondered who they were." Monica Guzman, Seattle PI

"Mercedes captured our attention from the beginning with her sparkling personality and her magical storytelling abilities. Emphasizing every stories' vivid details, our imaginations conjured up visions of what the Market and the people of the past would have looked like and experienced. Mercedes guided us effortlessly from one area to the next, leaving us wondering if there is any other spot in Seattle as haunted as the Market....Oh, and my children swear they saw a ghost on the last stop of the tour -- they talk about it even now, nearly a year later" Seattle resident, Sunshine Everskull

The Package ticket includes the tour and show at a cost of $25. The combination, begins with the tour of Pike Place Market followed by a live improv show. It is offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 6pm. Meet at the Market Theater right next to the Gum Wall. Tickets can be purchased in advance atwww.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 206-322-1218. Group Prices are available.

LEARN MORE:
www.unexpectedproductions.org

A youtube video with Penny. She works at the top of the Smith Tower now, you can visit her by traveling up to the 35th floor.

Street Festival 2008Mark you calendars, the Pike Place Market Street Festival is next weekend! The Festival started in the 1970's as a street party when the Market was traditionally closed over Memorial Day Weekend. Events included soap box races down Post Alley, where the gum wall is today. There is some interesting music lined up for the event, including a pre-teen all girl rock band called Starstruck. It should be a great weekend, so come on down (parking may be problematic so leave plenty of time to find a spot)! Street Festival 2008

Mae West by Dali

May 18th is Mae West day in the Pike Place Market. She was a much loved part of our community until the early 1990's. Our "Mae West" (that was what she called herself) was a local resident who came through the Market every day offering to watch your shop for you for a few minutes. She was probably in her 70's and walked slowly, her legs placed heavily on the ground as she made her way from one end of the Market to the other greeting everyone. I would wait patiently for her around 3:00pm when I worked. I remember sometimes being angry when she was late, as though she was an employee. I was in high school and worked at my parent's shop on Saturdays. Mae would crochet her own hats using beer can labels. She wore long flowing purple gowns and had a raunchy sense of humor. She is one of our ghosts, if you want to hear more, come down and take the tour.