The operatic scale of “The Phantom of the Paradise,” with that awful scarred hero-villain, his teeth metal and his eyes mad, screaming into the night as he watches the seduction of the woman he loved … if all of this is getting your midnight cult classics motor revving, there might not ever be a better time to see it than on November 8th at the Capitol Theatre, where for its 50th anniversary it will be accompanied with a live band and an actor-adjacent performance on the stage.
This story of “An Inspector Calls” at Dukesbay Theatre is entertaining as a character study and an exposé of moral hypocrisy, but then playwright Priestly subverts his own plot and introduces a whole new dimension. The sense of reality, for both the audience and the characters, seems to dissolve. It is as if a trap door opens and a whole new level of deconstruction begins.
Olympia Armory Creative Campus’s eight anchor partners are already plotting how to make best use of their space. A common thread that ties them is an aim to cultivate a welcoming environment for visitors and to be of service to the community. There is a built-in connection to the local art scene which can potentially help the organizations to even better identify and meet public demand.
The Art of Salish Peoples, showcasing Coastal and Interior Salish People’s art, is a group exhibition until Jan 10, 2025, curated by the staff of The House of Welcome at The Evergreen State College. It is an all-Salish project, with lead artist Ed Archie NoiseCat and invited artists at Evergreen Gallery.
Harlequin’s ‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ is thought-provoking, serious where it needs to be and outlandishly funny throughout. Director Lauren Love said, “[Protagonist Heidi] Schreck asks us to consider the morality and soundness of our own and our leaders’ judgment and action.
Stephen Sondheim’s theatre-of-revenge “musical thriller” masterpiece, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is at Washington Center’s main stage. Working from Victorian popular fiction (“penny dreadfuls”) and Christopher Bond’s 1970 play, it is presented in a limited run on Oct. 11, 12, and 13 as a collaboration by Harlequin Productions, Olympia Symphony Orchestra, and Masterworks Choral Ensemble.
In Rex & Rose, a new coffee shop located in the beautiful and historic Security Building on 4th Avenue, you will see the works of two of the most prolific artists Olympia has to offer, Alec and Gabi Clayton. The art there until the end of October was chosen by co-owner Jay Michael Becker who curates the shows. This is the first time the Claytons have shown together other than in their home, and it is engaging to see how the two bodies of work interact with each other in such a beautiful setting.
Development of a centralized arts hub has been a longtime pursuit for the City of Olympia, with compounded enthusiasm from local residents and organizations. Valerie Roberts, building manager for the Olympia Armory, said the city has called for a community-centered art space since the 1990s, repeatedly citing the demand in city planning documents.
Oly Arts Walk * Bucoda Spook-Tacular * Anna Schlecht * Tacoma Film Festival * Enterlope * Eileen Bochsler * OFT & More! You can read our 31st print edition here. It is hot off the press and distributed free in the area plus available online!
Lakewood Playhouse’s production of Godspell brings the original conception into contemporary times and flows with lively good humor punctuated by moments pregnant with pathos. Throughout the performance, the audience comes to delight in and become cozy with the members of the cast.