Ned Hayes is the author of three novels, most recently the bestselling Pacific Northwest novel The Eagle Tree, set in Olympia Washington. Ned was a freelance writer for many years. His work appeared in The Seattle Weekly, The Bellingham Herald, The Olympian, The Pasadena Weekly, The Mid-American Review and many other publications. In the 1990s, he was project manager for many major media properties online: his team launched C-SPAN.org, PGA Online and Magic the Gathering: Online Edition (v1). In recent years, he has been a core product leader at Adobe Systems, Xerox PARC, Microsoft and Intel: product components produced under his leadership are on millions of devices worldwide.
He is the founder of OLY ARTS, and he occasionally contributes a freelance article.
Books by Ned Hayes include:
Contact Ned at ned@nednotes.com
Articles
- Where Old-Time Music Came From … and Where It’s Going
By Ned Hayes In 1991, MC Hammer was huge. I was a published music critic; yet I wouldn’t write about Hammer’s platinum hit “U Can’t Touch This.” Instead, I was obsessed with a young, touring folk musician. In an era when hip hop was going corporate and rap and rock […] - Capital City Chorus Sings Christmas Cheer
by Ned Hayes Carols often become the background mutter of the holidays – old tunes covered by bored pop stars. Yet the joy of hearing a professional group of singers deliver Christmas standards in the original intended choir format is a surprisingly fresh and enlivening experience. In the skyscape of […] - Op-Ed: Art Tells the Truth
By Ned Hayes and Billy Thomas On August 24, OLY ARTS helped organize a day-long reading of Volume I of the Mueller Report at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts. A number of local, theatrical artists and elected officials participated in the successful event. Some in the artistic and reader communities have […] - The Mueller Report at Washington Center
By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL On April 18, 2019, after almost four weeks in the hands of Attorney General William Barr, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s findings on the subject of foreign involvement in the election of President Donald J. Trump were released to Congress and the public — albeit heavily redacted — […] - All 100 Fires: Experimental Theater by Theater Maestra Donna Oblongata
by Ned Hayes Olympia has professional theater, amateur theater, family theater and community theater. Yet we are often bereft of truly experimental genre-busting theatrical adventures. In late July, on one night only, writer/performer/puppeteer and underground wandering clown-minstrel Donna Oblongata will grace Olympia with her presence and fill your need for […] - Olympia Comics Festival 2019
Annual festival showcases world-class cartoonists, and now includes a wedding! By NED HAYES Olympia’s Comics Festival returns on Saturday, June 15. This free exposition was created in 2001 by Danger Room proprietor Frank Hussey and has grown tremendously over the past 19 years. This year’s day-long festival expo will feature […] - New Orca Books Cooperative Welcomes Readers
By Ned Hayes In February, the Washington Post reviewed the state of the American bookstore and discovered two key, distinguishing characteristics that are keeping bookstores afloat. “How do indie bookstores compete with Amazon?” said the Post’s headline. “Personality — and a sense of community.” Orca Books has been a bookstore […] - An Artistic Revue: Procession of the Species 2019
By NED HAYES Photography by Shanna Paxton Photography Procession of the Species is Olympia’s annual celebration of the natural ecosystem. It’s been enlivened in recent years by the massive creations of large-scale puppeteer Jerry Berebitsky, whose creations delight crowds with brilliant color, innovative imagination and awe-inspiring movement. This year, however, […] - New Olympia Poet Laureate Sady Sparks
By NED HAYES Sady Sparks, a current undergraduate at The Evergreen State College, has been named Olympia’s poet laureate for 2019-2020. Sparks is the second writer to serve in this position after inaugural poet laureate Amy Solomon-Minarchi. At 24 years old, Sparks is at the perfect age to rise as […] - Ira Glass and His American Life
By NED HAYES At the age of 19, Ira Glass began his career in public radio. Over the 39 years since, he’s held nearly every production job at National Public Radio including desk assistant, editor, newscast writer, producer, reporter and tape cutter. He’s hosted multiple shows including Talk of the […] - Percival Restaurant Palate Pleasures
By Ned Hayes South Puget Sound Community College might seem an unusual place to find a five-course, wine-paired dinner. Yet the SPSCC culinary arts team is determined to turn its Percival Restaurant location into a desired destination for discriminating diners. In 2017, Scott McLean came on board as new executive […] - Theater Review: Midsummer’s Magical Mystery
Theater Review by NED HAYES Harlequin’s summer revue — The Magical Mystery Midsummer Musical — has more depth to it than may first appear. The overarching thread is that of magic, and audiences might do well to think of themselves as being backstage at Queen Titania’s Royal Court of Fey, experiencing a […] - Legally Blonde and Sleeping Beauty … Junior
By NED HAYES This summer, Pacific Northwest Theater will host summer-theater camps and workshops at a new venue. The camps and the two summer productions, Sleeping Beauty Kids and Legally Blonde Junior, will be showcased at the United Churches of Olympia. The change was made partially for financial reasons. PNT […] - Lynda Barry: Evergreen Cuts Are ‘Cultural Genocide’
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS OLY ARTS reported in June that The Evergreen State College was cutting heavily into staff and facilities that made theater possible at Evergreen. The Experimental Theater (COM 124, a 200-seat, black-box venue) and its costume and scene shops will close at the end of the spring 2018 […] - Top Actors to Perform The Eagle Tree on Stage at Lakewood Playhouse
By Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS In June, Lakewood Playhouse will host a staged reading of a play based on the best-selling novel The Eagle Tree by Olympia novelist Ned Hayes as a special presentation of the Northwest Playwrights Alliance. (Hayes used the royalties from his novel to found this […] - Harlequin Productions Plans 2019 Season Under New Leadership
by Tom Simpson and Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Early in 2018, the Harlequin Productions ship hit the shoals of the #MeToo movement. Alleged sexual harassment of actors and staff led to rapid changes in staff and policies. (Read more at OlyArts.com/harlequin) On June 1, at the company’s annual Season […] - Harlequin Productions Turns a Corner, Creates a Brighter Future
New updates to the Harlequin story include a public statement from Harlequin Productions Board of Directors, the appointment of new leadership, and the announcement of a new artistic season for 2018-2019. by KAREN LUNDE and NED HAYES In the winter of 2018, Olympia’s own theatrical powerhouse, Harlequin Productions, weathered a […] - Harlequin Productions Apologizes for Past Missteps
New updates to the Harlequin story include a public statement from Harlequin Productions Board of Directors, the appointment of new leadership, and the announcement of a new artistic season for 2018-2019. by Karen Lunde and Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS In October, 2017, The New York Times published a report […] - The Art of Racing in the Rain at Harlequin Productions
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS In March, Harlequin Productions will bring to the stage “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” a play based on Garth Stein’s New York Times bestselling novel. The show will run at Harlequin from March 1 to 24. “The Art of Racing in the Rain” […] - In Defense of the Arts: 2018
In January 2017, OLY ARTS published our editorial about possible defunding of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Today, the President released a proposed budget that proposes exactly that full defunding. OLY ARTS is thus re-publishing our clarion call from 2017 […] - Brian Reed, Award-Winning This American Life Voice, Speaks Live at The Washington Center
By Christian Caravajal and Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS For over 20 years, “This American Life” has given public-radio airwaves an unusual perspective on current events, offering insightful commentary from such writers as John Hodgman, David Rakoff, David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell and of course, the inimitable Ira Glass. Recently, “This […] - South Sound Sacred Celebrations
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Winter is a time for family and for fun. Christmas is often celebrated as a single day during which the birth of Jesus Christ is remembered, yet, for observant Christians, the weeks before constitute an entire sacred season called “Advent” (which means “the arrival”). […] - The Pumpkin House
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Pumpkin carving is an annual tradition at the Halloween season. In Olympia, the act of pumpkin carving has become a refined art form for one family who have become legendary for their devotion to the practice. At the “Pumpkin House” in the South Capitol Neighborhood, the […] - OLY ARTS Cover Artist Lonnie Spikes
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Lonnie L. Spikes Jr. is the artist whose piece “Fly Away” graces the cover of the Fall Arts Walk edition of OLY ARTS. “Fly Away” was created by Spikes after the death of a relative. During the funeral procession, Spikes noticed a monarch butterfly […] - Random Acts of Dance Collective at Arts Walk
by Christina Butcher and Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Olympia Arts Walk is a celebration of the visual arts, but it’s also an opportunity to demonstrate the physicality of creativity. For the fourth year in a row, the Washington Center for the Performing Arts will host a free, public dance […] - Cover Artist Lonnie Spikesby Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Lonnie L. Spikes Jr. is the artist whose piece “Fly Away” graces the cover of this edition of OLY ARTS. “Fly Away” was created by Spikes after the death of a relative. During the funeral procession, Spikes noticed a monarch butterfly resting on a […]
- Books by the Bay: A Party at Port Plaza
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS “Books by the Bay,” an annual music-and-literary party, will fill the Port Plaza on July 28. The event, which expands every year, is a fundraiser for the activities of the 16-year-old South Sound Reading Foundation. Three years ago, the Reading Foundation moved Books by […] - Chalk Art at the Procession of the Species
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Nearly every inch of the route for the Procession of the Species is covered with vibrant chalk art. The Procession team hands out chalk to children from ages 0 to 99: Everyone is invited to create their own art on the route. Yet this […] - An Evening of Alternative Facts: An Improv Comedy Show
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS An improv resurrection is happening in Olympia. One of the Puget Sound region’s leading improvisational groups, the Scatterbrains Improv Comedy Troupe, disbanded years ago after being featured at Seattle’s Bumbershoot, Olympia’s Capital City Pride, Tacoma’s First Night and leading theatrical venues all around Puget Sound. The […] - In Defense of the Artsby Ned Hayes, publisher and Christian Carvajal, managing editor of OLY ARTS “The arts…are essential to the prosperity of the state and to the ornament and happiness of human life. They have a primary claim to the encouragement of every lover of his country and mankind.” —George Washington We stand […]
- Governor Inslee and the First Lady Celebrate the Holidays
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS The Inslee family has several traditions that revolve around family, and this year the first couple of Washington state was happy to share its traditions with OLY ARTS. According to first lady Trudi Inslee, Gov. Jay Inslee willingly transforms into an artist and storywriter […] - Jill Carter’s Land of the Sweets
READ COMPLETE JILL CARTER INTERVIEW HERE >> PRINT ARTICLE BELOW >> by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS When the curtain first rose on Jill Carter’s original set design for Land of the Sweets 20 years ago, there was a gasp from the audience, followed by a round of applause. The audience […] - Jill Carter’s Land of Sweets (Complete Interview)
READ PRINT ARTICLE HERE >> COMPLETE INTERVIEW BELOW >> by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Here’s a holiday story: Once upon a time, a talented, young woman began a ballet class but fell in love with the scenery instead of the dancing. That was merely the beginning of her story. […] - Nikki McClure Nurtured by Olympia Art Scene
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Once upon a time, Nikki McClure hung out with Olympia’s own “riot grrrls.” She danced on stage at Nirvana’s early performances and labored alongside K Records founder Calvin Johnson on a light table used for music newsletters. Over time, McClure also became a well-regarded […] - Stagecraft Magic at Harlequin Productions
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Harlequin Productions has recently been posting behind-the-scenes updates with the hashtag #BestCrewEver. There’s justification for these humblebrags. In 2016, the backstage crew at Harlequin, headed by technical director Marko Bujeaud, was fortunate to add the very capable Bruce Haasl as assistant technical director. Haasl […] - Letters to Sala: Olympia Drama Makes Cultural Points
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS During World War II, a young Jewish girl managed to document her survival and endurance through the travails of wartime Germany. Across five years and seven Nazi labor camps, Sala Garncarz Kirschner wrote over 350 hidden letters and kept them hidden. Sala kept hiding […] - Festival on the Capitol Green: A 10th Anniversary Celebration
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS The Olympia Symphony celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Concert at the Capitol on July 31, 2016. This annual “Festival on the Green” takes place on the grounds of the Washington State Capitol campus, and is a decade-long tradition for the Olympia Symphony Orchestra. […] - The Mighty Andy Crow (Obituary)
by Ned Hayes and Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS June 8, 1933 — July 12, 2016 Andy Crow, regionally renowned organist and musician, passed away on the afternoon of July 12. Crow was celebrated throughout the Pacific Northwest as a musician who was equally skilled on the organ and piano. He […] - Lacey Summer Concerts in the Park
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Wednesdays at Noon, June 22 – August 3 Saturdays at 7:00 p.m., July 16 – August 6 Huntamer Park in Woodland Square map For Information: Lacey Parks and Recreation, (360) 491-0857 Concerts include a number of local groups as well as regional acts. You’ll […] - Music in the Park – Olympia’s Own Summer Concert Series
by Ned Hayes and Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Summer in Olympia means it is time to dust off your lawn chairs and pull out your coolers for the annual Music in the Park Summer Concert Series. The Olympia Downtown Association presents a series of summer concerts beginning on July 6 […] - Capital City Pride
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Capital City Pride Festival is June 15-17 in downtown Olympia, offering family-friendly events, live music throughout the weekend, a parade and a city-wide community gathering in celebration of gay, lesbian and transgender identity and solidarity. “The way that you respond to hate crimes is […] - A Narrator With an Unusual Voice (Olympia Author Interview)
Olympia author Ned Hayes has published multiple novels. His most recent novel, The Eagle Tree, is his first published with a major publisher: Little A, in New York City. The Eagle Tree is an Olympia-focused novel. All the action takes place in Olympia, and scenes in the novel include experiences from LBA […] - Announcing OLY ARTS – July 2016
by Ned Hayes and Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS OLYMPIA, Wash. — July 2016 COMPLETE PRESS RELEASE HERE (PDF) Attention, Olympia arts lovers! We’re thrilled to announce the debut of OLY ARTS, a brand-new publication devoted entirely to local and culture. OLY ARTS is an expert guide to live theater, music, visual arts and other […] - Ned Hayes
Ned Hayes is the author of three novels, most recently the bestselling Pacific Northwest novel The Eagle Tree, set in Olympia Washington. Ned was a freelance writer for many years. His work appeared in The Seattle Weekly, The Bellingham Herald, The Olympian, The Pasadena Weekly, The Mid-American Review and many other publications. In the […]
