Editor 
THEATER REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS The Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play August: Osage County by Tracy Letts is a play unlike any other. The story unfolds, or should we say erupts, over a few weeks in the rural Oklahoma home of Beverly and Violet Weston. It opens with Beverly, a crusty but kindly …
by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS Continuing its quest to bring classical music to the people, Emerald City Music has returned for a second season. Formed in 2015 by Andrew Goldstein and Kristin Lee, ECM aims to strip away the perceived pretentiousness and exclusivity of classical music that have historically kept casual audiences at arm’s …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Nine years ago, Studio West Dance Academy had two studios, four instructors and one office administrator. Flash forward to this, the company’s 10th season, and to say it’s grown is an understatement. SWDA now has five studios, 15 instructors and six office administrators. Not only that, it now serves …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Bus stops are not very interesting places. Because of that, most of us spend our time at bus stops with our heads buried in a book, looking down at our phones, or staring off into the distance to avoid contact with strangers. But this Fall, Olympia’s inaugural poet laureate, …
by Jennifer Crain for OLY ARTS On September 9, the Olympia Downtown Association will host the first-ever Sip, Savor & Stroll, a culinary tour of downtown Olympia. Kim Combs, event and volunteer coordinator, says the evening will kick off with a reception for up to 300 attendees at the Olympia Farmers Market, with Washington-sourced beers …
by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS Performing as one person with one acoustic guitar, it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle. That archetype provides just about the simplest and most direct way to express oneself in music, so there’s naturally a lot of competition. A compelling lyrical output and dynamic performance style …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Marilyn Frasca is one of the South Sound’s most beloved artists, as evidenced by the crowds that flocked to her solo show at Childhood’s End Gallery in 2013. It was a rare honor for the artist, in that the gallery almost never does one-person shows. That show featured 71 …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Despite building a vast body of work including experimental music, painting, directing and collaborating in Olympia for the past 25 years, Arrington de Dionyso is still somewhat of a mystery to many Olympia residents. There’s something about the experimental musician and painter’s work that draws audiences in but, chances …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS There isn’t a ballet dancer or aficionado in the South Sound who’s unfamiliar with Ballet Northwest, one of Olympia’s premier, longest-standing ballet companies. That fact is built on Ballet Northwest’s reputation for holding performances with all the beauty and grace for which ballet is known. This August, the dance …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS The 2017-2018 season at Olympia Little Theatre, by far the longest-standing troupe in Thurston County, kicks off August 31 with the astronomers of Silent Sky. After that cosmically inspiring drama, the company presents six diverse plays ensuring quality entertainment for every age and taste. All the King’s Women is …