posts about shows at Harlequin Productions
Molly Gilmore “Arts Aficionado” #15 — October 7, 2026
Catch Two New Plays and Orchestra Season Opener
— Harlequin’s ‘Sanctuary City’
— World premiere at Lakewood Playhouse
— From the blues to ‘Rhapsody in Blue’
It’s improbable — or maybe even downright impossible — that anyone could take in the abundance of plays, performances and exhibitions happening in Olympia and environs. That’s an excellent problem to have, as far as the Arts Aficionado is concerned, but if you’d like help narrowing down the options, Molly Gilmore is at your service.
Molly Gilmore “Arts Aficionado” #11 — September 9, 2026
Catch Blues by the Water and Laughs on Stage
— Blues benefit
— ‘Laughing’ ladies are back
— Last weekend to go ‘Barefoot’
Molly Gilmore “Arts Aficionado” #8 — August 19, 2026
— See a Play or a ‘Peck’ of ’em, and Savor Oly Music
— Celebrated romcom at Harlequin
— ‘Improbable Peck of Plays’ returns
— Local legends play free show
Molly Gilmore “Arts Aficionado” #3 — July 15, 2026
— Port starts summer concerts
— Elvis is still in the building
— All’s fair in Oly
On December 4, 1956, a “twist-of-fate” brought Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins into the same space for a once-in-a-lifetime jam session at Sun Records. Just imagine what that jam session must have been like! Historical memory, nostalgia, and imagination is brought to life as Harlequin Productions takes audiences back to that incredible night with the Tony nominated musical, “Million Dollar Quartet!”
Similar to a vibrant garden, our arts scene in Thurston County is filled with a variety of artistic companies and artists who are consistently adding color, beauty, joy, and their own lovely fragrance to our lives. Let Oly Arts be your “florist” this spring and give ideas of what you can add to the bouquet of your lives: TAO’s Anna Considers Mars — Harlequin’s Where the Summit Meets the Stars — OFT’s The Hobbit — and SPSCC’s Anastasia the Musical.
The print edition of Oly Arts magazine is published! This is our 10th anniversary edition and it includes The Oly Arts Origin Story and much more! Find out where you can pick up a free copy and/or read and download the PDF version.
‘How Much the Heart Can Hold’ (Saturday, Feb. 14 only) is a multi-faceted celebration of love featuring scenes, poetry, quotes and even love notes penned by audience members. “It’s such a fun piece,” said Bryan Willis, who created the show with the late Linda Kalkwarf and included pieces by other local writers. “This is not a play I could have written 30 years ago. The nature of love changes as we age. We have successes and failures. … In the course of the play, we follow this couple who meet as grade-school students, and we follow them until they are in their golden years.”
Harlequin’s 2026 season begins with a classic thriller, Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher. To heighten the film noir fun, the production is presented in glorious monochrome, with black and white sets and costumes, and make-up and light trickery to mimic the look of a classic black-and-white thriller. To assist both actress Helen Harvester who plays Susan, and the production team, the company brought in a sight-impaired consultant, Chandra Scheschy, a theater professional recommended by the Washington State Department for the Blind. The play runs January 23 – February 8.