'Transfused' triumphs
The Olympian July 8, 2000
by Jim Carlile
Olympia's 'Who's Who' turns out to cheer the punk rock opera

Olympia's huge and creative hipster scene may be underground until something like "The Transfused" comes along.

Thursday was the world premiere of "The Transfused," an original rock opera by Nomy Lamm and, seemingly, everyone in Olympia. Those involved in the show
read like a "Who's Who" in the Olympia arts community. Lamm is a free-lance writer, lecturer and performance artist. The Need have two CDs and have been
performing in Olympia for years. Andras Jones and Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn, other local musicians, have sizable parts in the show. Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney), Sarah Dougher (recording artist), Donna Dresch (president of Olympia's Chainsaw Records, and a musician), K records and others also helped make it happen.

So what's it about?

"Its setting is 100 years after the American Empire has collapsed. There was some kind of revolution and, basically, what rose out of that is 'The Corporation,' which pretty much owns everything," Lamm said. The Transfused themselves are described as gender-freaky animal-people. The future of their country has gone to hell, and the Transfused are doing their best to piece it back together.

"The Transfused are not boys or girls or 'something in between,'" says the "Letter from the Operators" in the program. "Not trans-sexual necessarily, but maybe, and not possessing a bunch of alien anatomical protuberances, although they could. Their genders reflect the real-life complexities of the people that we are."

Involving so much of Olympia's already famous indie music scene, which includes the band Sleater-Kinney and independent record company K Records, "Transfused" may be the next piece of the Olympia underground to reach a national audience. The show was at the Capitol Theater, and the first thing the audience sees is the set, designed by Nikki McClure, that looks like something out of Fritz Lang's "Metropolis." The orchestra pit is built into the background of the stage so the audience can watch Rachel Carns, Radio Sloan, Dresch and Scott Seckington playing the two hours of live music that accompany the show.

The Transfused sing in "I Saw the Future" in the beginning of Act Two, "I believe in dynamic vision. I believe in sacrifice." The messages are basic: love and revolution.

One of the many impressive feats of the group that staged "The Transfused" was getting the money. More than $20,000 was needed, and it was raised from local businesses and organizations without corporate sponsorship.

Among notable performances are Jerry Beard and Tammy Martin as Grin and Gormlis, who stole every scene they were in. In addition to writing the opera and being the muscle behind getting the opera done, Lamm has a remarkable voice.

"It was really great. It was the most powerful when they were all singing together," said Tobi Vail after the show.

"Visually, it was very striking," said Kathi Wilcox.