by Alec Clayton
For 21 exciting years, the vagabond theater company Theater Artists Olympia, sometimes in concert with other companies, has provided Olympia and environs with some of the best and often riskiest live theater to be seen anywhere. That has now come to a sad end by losing its performance space; but like the celebrated phoenix, TAO vows to bounce back again.
On Friday, July 26, TAO’s Board of Directors received notice that their lease agreement with the Capital Mall was being terminated. TAO, Juice Box Theater and Broadway Olympia had shared the space for six years. Now they are looking for a new home.
Broadway Olympia founder Kyle Murphy said, “We would like to thank the Capital Mall for their years of support. Without their willingness to partner with us, we never would have existed in the first place.”
Murphy explains: “Our agreement had always fallen under a special temporary category, a clause which allowed the mall to offer us extremely favorable terms, but which also meant that a permanent tenant could and might replace us at some point.”
TAO was founded in 2003 and for the first few years traveled about from here to Centralia to Tacoma putting on shows in a variety of venues, primarily Olympia Little Theater in the summers of 2005 and 2006, and the years 2010 to 2012, the Midnight Sun in downtown Olympia, and the Black Box at South Puget Sound Community College in 2006.
In 2011 and 2012, TAO made its home in the basement of the Eagles Hall on 4th Avenue. and was developing the space as a performance venue. They also performed at Capital Playhouse, which exists no longer.
Meanwhile, Murphy created the production company Broadway Olympia, which premiered their production of Legally Blonde in 2021 starring Jessica Furnstahl as Elle Woods and Matt Posner as Warner Huntington III in the Capital Theater, home of Olympia Film Society.
“Oly Theater is, in effect, a combination of the visions of BOP and TAO. Since BOP opened our first show, BOP has faced a pandemic, loss of venue, reduction in funding, and even natural disasters. We’re still here. Even with the loss of the mall, we’re still here,” said Murphy. “I don’t know what the next iteration of BOP will look like, but I promise I’m not done bringing high-quality, meaningful musical theater to Olympia. Since 2018 we’ve created hundreds of opportunities for both paid and volunteer artists in our community, and we’re not done. Since 2021 we have partnered with TAO, and I see this continuing on into the future. Our resources and expertise complement each other, and we’re currently in the process of jointly seeking a new location. We have already received a ton of support from the city of Olympia in the form of guidance towards accessing public resources, and I expect to see Oly Theater alive and well by mid-2025 at the latest. We’re a long way from done.”
The first combined BOP and TAO show in the Capital Mall opened with the witty joint The One Act Play that Goes Wrong with a strong ensemble cast and they have been producing stunning theater in that space since. Their final production was Tick, Tick … Boom this summer.
Melanie Gladstone, director of Tick, Tick … Boom, said. “The closing of the BOP space is a blow to the community. The space was such a special one for the magic of performing arts to blossom. Theatre thrives in spaces like that, with producers like Kyle. Its placement in the mall, though maybe unorthodox as far as theater is concerned, was a fantastic spot for community members, who may not have otherwise sought out live theatre, to pass by and be curious about what was happening inside. Creativity was free to flow, and performers could truly connect with the audience, so literally close to them. When theatres close, imagination and compassionate relationships lose out.”
Actor Ashley Roy said, “I truly hope that Broadway Olympia Productions, Theater Artists Olympia, and Juicebox Theater can find a new home to continue to do the work they have been doing. My first experience with BOP was in the summer of 2018 when I auditioned for The Rocky Horror Show. Not only did our team create a phenomenal production, but I was also lucky enough to meet and play opposite my now-fiancé Guy Taylor Simpson III. Broadway Olympia has been wildly successful in meeting the community’s need for well-produced and accessible musical productions, fostering an environment where all levels of experience can thrive and grow.”
Frequent director of TAO shows throughout the company’s lifetime Pug Bujeaud expressed profound sadness. “Tearing down the venue in which you have put hundreds of hours of work and built a community with and for the folks who love the arts, realizing it’s done and there are no good options. Remembering there used to be a bunch of smaller production companies 15 years ago in Olympia and realizing we are the last one left standing. A realization of the fact we love theater so much and the TAO folks are so committed that even after all the highs and lows, after 21 years, we are still a group who will pull together, when we have an opportunity, and produce some of the best theater around. After we lost the Sun we had no place to play, then four years after losing the Sun, we were approached by Kyle and BAM we were back! We left the gate running, TAO produced eight shows in two years. That says so much about the talent and commitment of the folks involved. I will remember that and look hopefully forward to finding a new place for all of us where we can create.”
The Artists Gallery has moved into the vacated theater space. Neil Peck, Artist Gallery president said, “The Mall management was very clear that this was our one and only option to stay in the mall under the affordable terms that they have provided to us.”
Suzana Bulatovic, an artist represented by the gallery, commented, “We were informed by the Mall management that we would have to move if they reached an agreement with a company willing to pay the full price to rent our space. After being there for 11 years, the news was difficult for us to process. I was unaware of where we were going, though it seems a few people involved in the negotiations knew. I also heard that the mall management specifically prohibited them from informing the Oly Theater, which I found odd.”
Bulatovic posted the following on Facebook (reprinted with permission): “We’ve been asked by the mall to move our gallery to a new location. We’ve loved our current spot and honestly didn’t want to move, but we’re embracing the change and looking forward to what’s ahead. I’ve heard there’s some concern from Oly Theater about the move. Please know that we’re still as committed as ever to supporting our fellow artists. This relocation came about quickly, and we’ve been working with the mall to make it as smooth as possible. We definitely didn’t mean to leave anyone in the dark. We really value our relationship with Oly Theater and the whole arts community. Thank you for understanding.”
A statement from TAO board member, actor and director John Serembe:
“My first connection to TAO was the musical The Head That Wouldn’t Die. I had recently arrived in Olympia, and a friend noticed the audition ad online and suggested I audition, and I was cast in the show. During that great production, Scott Whitney came to see it, and cast me in 39 Steps at Harlequin. In those days Harlequin cast many local actors seen in local productions. I have been doing theater with both TAO and Harlequin ever since, as well as with Olympia Family Theater and Animal Fire. One of the reasons that Olympia had such a great theater scene was due to the cross-pollination of companies, actors and theaters. With the loss of Capital Playhouse, and now Oly Theater, opportunities are dwindling. Oly Theater allowed several companies to rehearse and perform, including Juice Box (theater for 3-5-year-olds), Broadway Olympia (musicals), Animal Fire (Uncle Vanya) and more. We’ve hosted comedians and were scheduled to host the Mercury Rising Queen tribute band to rehearse and perform in a few weeks before we were displaced. As VP of TAO, I am hoping that a new Oly Theater space can be found quickly—as we have more projects already in the pipeline for many Olympia artists.”