Badminton Royale IV happened yesterday, and it was fantastic! Click here for the updated bracket, showing the winners of each game.

Here's the prizewinner recap:

Grand prize: The Meanies from UW World Series/Meany Hall

Runner-Up: Seattle Rep 50 years on stage shuttlecock stage crew from Seattle Repertory Theatre

Best Crowd Cheer: The Henry ‘Cock Blockers' from Henry Art Gallery

Best Smack Talk: 14/4-Great from 14/48

Hardest Working: His and Her Royal Majesty’s Highnesses’ Still Champions After All These Years Effete Assassins of the Court Dirty Birdies from Pottery Northwest

Stick to the Arts: Badass Buccaneers from Velocity Dance Center

Most Team Spirit: The Pacific Northwest Ballecudas from Pacific Northwest Ballet

Most Artistic Playing: St. Genet (self-titled)

Best Costume: The Bureau-Cats from 4Culture

In addition, this year we sent out a Request for Proposals for an Olympic-style Opening Ceremony. One (Reel) Direction from One Reel sent us an extraordinarily complex proposal involving covered wagons and a variety of local celebrities. We responded that it sounded like a great idea for a film, and they were welcome to submit a completed DVD of the final product, which we would screen during the event (this was the week before). We expected to hear nothing more about it, but they actually did it! Click here to see the [amazing] video they gave us.

We also received a complex proposal from The Torcanos at Intiman Theatre, which involved drawings. We invited them to be the official COURTroom artists for the final match, and this is the drawing that resulted:

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the event, and thanks to our wonderful sponsors: Boeing and Deschutes! We can't wait for Badminton Royale V next year. 

Sincerely,

On the Courts