Kathy Dorgan

Kathy Dorgan: Storyteller

by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Kathy Dorgan, a member of the Washington State Thespians Teacher Hall of Fame, is celebrating 20 years of directing plays at Olympia High School. If not for a broken leg as a teen, however, this California native and former athlete might have taken a very different path. “I was …

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Eli Sterling, photo by Laura Killian

Eli Sterling: The Man Behind the Masque

by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS It’s no exaggeration to call Eli Sterling the visionary behind Olympia’s own Procession of the Species. He produced a series called Earthbound for Thurston County Television in 1991; it went on to win nine Northwest regional and national public-access television awards. Earthbound, says Sterling, “was dedicated to pursuing a …

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The Multitalented Kate Ayers

by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS The Olympia theater scene is no stranger to the idea of a performer who can seamlessly transition from actress to director to playwright without skipping a beat. One such performer is local actor, director and playwright Kate Ayers, who has over 20 years of experience in the world of …

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Scot and Linda Whitney

Linda and Scot Whitney, Artists of Real. Live. Theater

by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Running a theater company requires a large package of talents—artistic sensibilities, intelligence, management and people skills and enthusiasm. Meet Linda and Scot Whitney, founders and managers of Harlequin Productions, the celebrated local company that’s produced more than 170 shows since 1991. Linda directs, writes and designs sets. Scot directs …

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Carolyn Willems Van Dijk

Carolyn Willems Van Dijk: Impacting the World

by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Actress Carolyn Willems Van Dijk was born for the stage. She’s all doe eyes and smile, voice and confidence. In short, she is something to behold. And behold her you can—if you haven’t already been lucky enough to do so. She’s performing in Harlequin Productions’s upcoming contemporary musical, First …

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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. Jill Carter was fortunate to …

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Nikki McClure

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 papercut artist and began selling …

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Andy Crow

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 played many recitals, wrote original scores for …

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