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The new play Our House by Olympia’s John Longenbaugh is a charming little ramble through the lives of the house and its imagined inhabitants over the course of close to a hundred years. Our House breaks the rules in its own way and enlarges what theatre can be. By all means, find your way to Our House.
One of the region’s newest festivals, Northern Sky, has descended upon Olympia’s Oyster Bay Farm on Friday, September 6 and Saturday, September 7 when the grounds of the farm were transformed into a stunning backdrop for the inaugural Northern Sky at Oyster Bay.
Animal Fire Theatre has set its Uncle Vanya in and around Olympia’s Lord Mansion. It’s a setting that’s as enchanting as Anton Chekhov’s play is bleak. Theatergoers are part of the action, and moments of surprise and drama elicit jumps and gasps.
The setting of Our House, written by John Logenbaugh and co-directed by Logenbaugh and Bryan Willis, the stage, is an actual small house in which the story and the action take place. It’s located on the edge of a cemetery, in what was still country and farmland when the play begins in 1934 and Olympia had a population of just over 11,000 people. Produced in Olympia by Battleground Productions.
“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.” – John Serembe
“Midsummer Night’s Dream Faire” at Schmidt House in Tumwater features live music by Tacoma-based Pearl Django, other performances, games, dinner and refreshments (21+). This one-night event on Thursday, August 8th is a fundraising event to benefit the Procession of the Species organization.
MOSAIC: Tacoma’s Arts and Culture Festival at Tacoma’s Wright Park on July 27 and 28 is a weekend of multicultural music, dance, art, crafts, and cuisine, with an evening movie in the park and a Kids Zone and sprayground. The festival will see a visit from the Mobile Teaching Kitchen, which will provide a preview of culinary courses available through Metro Parks Tacoma.
Artist Austin Davis said, “It was really exciting to be asked to restore this amazing artwork. Having grown up nearby, I’ve seen this mural for years. I had my high school senior portrait taken in front of this mural. And now I have the honor of restoring it and working side by side with Joe [Tougas], who first painted this mural.”
There’s been lots of buzz around Susan Christian’s participation as curator of South Puget Sound Community College’s 2024 Southwest Regional Juried Exhibition which runs July 8-Aug. 16. The show includes 39 works by 32 artists from Southwest Washington. Awards will be presented along with a gallery talk by Christian at the opening reception on Thursday, July 11.
Before there was “RENT,” there was “Tick, Tick… Boom!”
From Jonathan Larson, the genius who created “RENT,” “Tick, Tick… Boom!” tells the story of Jon, a 29-year-old waiter and aspiring composer who is running out of time to make his mark in the theater world. Broadway Olympia’s production runs through July 14 at OlyTheater, with a pay-what-you-choose performance on July 8.