by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS Out on a Limb, Olympia’s second-annual showcase for experimental dance, promises some surprises, a few chills and a chance to be part of the dance. The event, curated by members of the Random Acts of Dance Collective and Company Y, features a diverse selection of work inspired by butoh, …
THEATER REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Come out of the rain to kick off spring with Olympia Family Theater’s production of Alice in Wonderland—a lot of fun for kids from 3 to 73. Adapted from the book by Lewis Carroll by the multitalented writer, actor and director Kate Ayers and directed by OFT …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS The Olympia theater scene is no stranger to the idea of a performer who can seamlessly transition from actress to director to playwright without skipping a beat. One such performer is local actor, director and playwright Kate Ayers, who has over 20 years of experience in the world of …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Actress Carolyn Willems Van Dijk was born for the stage. She’s all doe eyes and smile, voice and confidence. In short, she is something to behold. And behold her you can—if you haven’t already been lucky enough to do so. She’s performing in Harlequin Productions’s upcoming contemporary musical, First …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Forget everything you know from Disney’s version of Alice in Wonderland. Olympia Family Theater is about to bring forth the world premiere of local thespian Kate Ayers’s original adaptation, and there will be nary a Tweedledee or -dum in sight. Things are about to get “curiouser and curiouser.” Ayers’s …
by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS Heliocentrism isn’t a radical idea anymore, but that wasn’t the case 400 years ago. Olympia Family Theater will premiere its production of Kari Margolis’s Starry Messenger, with Brian Tyrrell directing. Starry Messenger is a historically based play about imagination and discovery. It follows the life of Galileo Galilei as …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Two of the most treasured traditions at Olympia Family Theater (OFT) are the annual holiday show and the multigenerational cast show. This year, the two are brilliantly rolled together for a play that will surely get even the biggest Scrooge into the holiday spirit. Today’s parents may recall from …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS On October 17, collagist Evan Horback and playwright Bryan Willis, both based in Olympia, were awarded funding through Artist Trust, a nonprofit organization that strives to enrich Washington state communities through support to artists. In total, 61 recipients across Washington received Artist Trust’s 2016 Grants for Artists Projects (GAP) …
THEATER REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Now showing at Olympia Family Theater (OFT), Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!” is a small play that packs a big wallop for kids. I was not familiar with Mo Willems’ series of Elephant & Piggy children’s books before reading about them in the program. …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Olympia Family Theater’s “Let’s Play Daytime Shows” are interactive shows for young children, performed on the first Monday, Wednesday and Friday of every month. All shows this season are adapted and directed by Kate Ayers. They’re performed by local actors and are generally about 30 minutes long. “We have …