Raise your hand if you have found yourself binge watching a television series from the comfort of your own home? Yes, we see you. During these cold and dreary winter months, it can be all too tempting to stay at home, but we can confidently tell you that you can find all you are looking for in entertainment in our local arts scene.
Maybe you want to laugh, cry, think, relax, learn, or all the above. Perhaps you want to be whisked away on an adventure, or by invigorating melodies? I challenge you to set down your remote and make your way to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts where you can find all of these things and more.
The Washington Center holds four series, including the Silent Film Series, Black Box Jazz, the Adventure Series, and Comedy Underground.
OLY ARTS corresponded with Washington Center Executive Director Jill Barnes and Marketing & Sales Director Tineke Raak to bring you further insights into these dynamic series.
Note: Each series is all ages welcome with the exception of Comedy Underground.
Silent Film Series
Stepping into the majority of silent film experiences, audiences can expect house organist Dennis James to not only play scores alongside a historical, treasured silent film, but to learn some of that film’s history, stories from the studio and actors, and other tidbits of related trivia. “The combination of live music, historic film, and a fully present audience creates an experience that’s far more immersive and charming than people expect,” Barne says.
There is true rarity in this experience: not only is this way of showcasing films rare, but seeing and honoring the way the film was truly intended to be seen is something that even modern film audiences do not always experience.
Raak described how storytelling relied heavily on expressive acting and visual imagination rather than dialogue. “These use what many would think of as simple cinematography, but for their time are boundary breaking and profoundly sophisticated.” She added, “Pair that up with the live organ accompaniment guiding the emotional arc, something remarkable happens — you get completely swept into the moment.”
Showcasing silent film with live accompaniment consistently became a “modern” tradition in 2010, but the story begins long before that. The Washington Center is fortunate to have a restored theatrical organ. “We believe it is our duty and opportunity to showcase the instrument to keep it operating in a healthy manner, but also, to keep the art form and the history alive,” Barnes shared. The story of that instrument at the Center begins in 1924. You can read more of that fascinating story here.
Raak said she loves bringing her kids to the silent film series because they think the physical comedy of Buster Keaton is hilarious. Moments like these create timeless family memories that your family will cherish always, and now that opportunity is more accessible than ever before. Ticket prices for the silent film series have been reduced from $40 to just $20, “ensuring these performances remain both accessible and sustainable for years to come.”
We invite you to grab the whole family for this golden opportunity to step into history. The next Silent Film Series showing is “Love, Luck, and Laughter: A Buster Keaton Double Feature,” February 15 at 2 p,m.
Tickets can be purchased directly on the Washington Center website.
Black Box Jazz
Since 2012, the Washington Center has offered this series, which showcases not just jazz, but specifically jazz performers who compose their own music in a truly intimate setting. “There’s no big stage separating you from the musicians,” Barnes says. “You’re right there in the creative process as they take risks, stretch ideas, and follow where the music leads.”
The series introduces audiences to mostly regional musicians and always fresh compositions. Sometimes, this series will be given a theme like “Women in Jazz” or a theme for pianists.
“There’s a tangible energy that builds in the room as the musicians settle into their groove,” Raak commented. “Jazz lovers know that feeling well: that moment when the players are fully in the zone and the audience is right there with them. It’s a pretty special kind of magic that only live performances can provide.”
Anyone can listen to jazz online or on the car radio, but you don’t get the feeling Raak describes that touches you in your core, deep in your bones, that gives you goosebumps. True awe is one of the best things about being alive…let jazz take you there.
The next Black Box Jazz event will be on February 27 at 8 p.m. and will highlight. pianist and composer Francesco Crosara.
Tickets can be purchased directly on the Washington Center Website.
Adventure Series
What started off as the National Geographic speaker series in 2010 has now flourished into what the Center calls the Adventure Series. Oftentimes, presenters are affiliated with National Geographic, but you never know what surprises might come up in future programming.
Presenters have included photographers, explorers and scientists who will share images and videos and stories from the field with a Q&A at the end. “These shows offer an immersive, in-person experience,” Raak shared. “Whether they are deep-sea diving or trekking across the Grand Canyon, the stories and media they share are captivating, educational, spark curiosity, and are awe-inspiring.” Jill Barnes added, “You walk in curious, and you walk out seeing the world with entirely new eyes.”
Recently Netflix held the live event of free solo climber, Alex Honnold climbing the Taipei 101 Skyscraper where over six million people tuned in.
“These presenters are true adventurers…people who take real risks, make real sacrifices, and often spend years immersed in a place or a story so they can bring back something meaningful to share,” Jill Barnes says. “Hearing directly from someone who has lived that kind of experience feels like a rare privilege.”
Step away from the screen and see these presenters in the real world. The humanity of these opportunities is special and will be unforgettable in your own life.
The next Adventure Series event is “Adventure Series: The Power of Creativity: A Journey through Storytelling, Exploration, and Hope” on March 27th at 7pm.
Tickets can be purchased directly on the Washington Center website.
Comedy Underground
Since 2007, the Washington Center has given audiences the opportunity to laugh and enjoy touring and regional comics alike. “It’s more of a club-like feel than attending a theatre,” Raak says. “You can sit with your friends and enjoy your drink while you laugh together. The lineup can be wonderfully diverse from night to night, which keeps the energy fresh and the perspectives wide‑ranging.”
How long has it been since you have had a good laugh? In a world of serious news, it is getting harder to find those moments where it even feels okay to laugh. Barnes said it best:
“Comedy is such a powerful medium for exploring the world around us — it lets artists poke at the things we’re all thinking about, even the topics that might feel a little taboo, and make them feel human and approachable. And honestly, it just feels good to laugh. Sharing that with friends, and even with total strangers, creates a kind of collective joy that’s hard to find anywhere else.”
Let laughter sustain you.
The next Comedy Underground offering is February 26th at 7pm. Tickets can be purchased directly from the Washington Center website.
WHAT:
Events at the Washington Center
WHEN:
February and March
WHERE:
The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington Street, Olympia
LEARN MORE:
360-753-8585, https://www.washingtoncenter.org/