Ever since that one time last year when a friend from out of town recommended an all-ages show at the Croc, I was just about the oldest person there by about 15 years (and that was just after I turned 27 – not a good feeling), I've been hesitant to recommend anything from the Seattle International Children's Festival — lest anyone repeat my discomfort.

That is, until today. Mirah, the angel-voiced singer from Portland, has put together an act centered around insects with Spectratone International (a new group made up of a couple of members of the Black Cat Orchestra). The press release says:

SHARE THIS PLACE: STORIES AND OBSERVATIONS
In 2006 Portland Institute for Contemporary Art commissioned collaborators Lori Goldston and Kyle Hanson of Spectratone International to create an insect-inspired song cycle with K Records recording artist Mirah. Set to a suite of 12 short animated films by Britta Johnson, the resulting multi-media performance premiered at Seattle International Children’s Festival in May 2007.

Influenced in part by the writings of 19th century French naturalist J. Henri Fabre (called “The Homer of Insects” by Victor Hugo), Share This Place also draws from Karel Capek’s surrealist Insect Play and a host of other sources. Layered with the luxuriant sounds of Spectratone International, Mirah’s beautifully delivered lyrics combine an epic scale and intimate tone.

The rest of the details:

It runs through Saturday. Weekdays the performance begins at 11:30 am, Saturday's begins at 2pm. There is also a performance at the Vera Project (presumably sans video) with the Department of Energy and Kimya Dawson (formerly of the Moldy Peaches) Friday night, starting at 7:30pm.