By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL for OLY ARTS Every Fourth of July the city of Tumwater pulls out all the stops. Start with the obvious: The Thunder Valley Fireworks Show is, according to festival organizers, the biggest in Thurston County. It’s certainly impressive — but so are the entertainment and events that precede it. Littles will relish …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS The name Shawn Colvin is familiar to anyone who owned a radio in the summer of 1997, when her song “Sunny Came Home” was a top-10 smash that earned Grammy wins for best record and song. She’d already won “Best Contemporary Folk Album” six years prior for her debut …
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS OLY ARTS reported in June that The Evergreen State College was cutting heavily into staff and facilities that made theater possible at Evergreen. The Experimental Theater (COM 124, a 200-seat, black-box venue) and its costume and scene shops will close at the end of the spring 2018 semester. Faculty and staff members …
The following recommended reading list was provided by Orca Books in Olympia for Pride Week coverage in OLY ARTS. Orca Books is the largest independent bookstore in Olympia, Washington, located in the heart of downtown’s vibrant shopping district. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the UniverseBenjamin Alire Saenz As two young loners start …
By ALEC CLAYTON for OLY ARTS Singer, actor and all-around funny lady Lauren O’Neill is half of the team hosting Capital City Pride this year. This is her second Pride as master of ceremonies for the parade, and she says she’s thrilled to share the honor with Elizabeth Lord and friends on the mainstage. O’Neill …
By ALEC CLAYTON for OLY ARTS Olympia’s master of storytelling, the one and only Elizabeth Lord, will cohost this year’s Capital City Pride with Lauren O’Neill. She’s an Olympia legend from her work as an actor, storyteller and all-around entertainer. Lord’s first paid storytelling gig was in 1994. For 20 years she’s been an actor …
By ALEC CLAYTON for OLY ARTS Headlining on this year’s Capital City Pride entertainment stage will be drag-dance sensation The Caravan of GLAM. This Portland, Oregon-based troupe has been involved with Pride for three years. Its shows are highly interactive and audience-driven, so much so that they often invite local performers to join them on stage. …
By ALEC CLAYTON for OLY ARTS Olympia counselor and LGBTQ activist Teresa Guajardo has been selected as this year’s recipient of the prestigious Pride Day Award, given annually for outstanding support and advocacy for the community. Owner and founder of Rainbow Health Center, Guajardo first became active in support of the LGBTQ community when she …
By JONAH BARRETT for OLY ARTS Pride is here again, a celebration that includes all the different LGBT groups that march in the parade. But what is a drag queen, what is a leather daddy and why do they march? What follows is a glossary of terms. Bears: larger gay men who sometimes project an …
By Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Leslie Cushman is the 2018 Pride Activist of the year. Leslie, an attorney and community organizer, is being recognized for her work to reform the use of deadly force in law enforcement. In 2015, in the aftermath of the police shooting of Andre Thompson and Bryson Chaplin, Leslie and …