October 14, 2026 — A Premiere, a Debut and Two Comics with Cred
Molly Gilmore “Arts Aficionado” #16 — October 14, 2026
A Premiere, a Debut and Two Comics with Cred
— Magical ‘Sisters’ at OFT
— Emerald City features OSO’s Reeves
— Funny guys
Olympia Family Theater
posts about shows at OFT
October 07, 2026 — Catch Two New Plays and Orchestra Season Opener
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’
September 23, 2026 — Salute Dolly, see fresh-baked theater and dance for a cause
Molly Gilmore “Arts Aficionado” #13 — September 23, 2026
Salute Dolly, see fresh-baked theater and dance for a cause
— Goodbye, Dolly
— Plays made in a day
— Funk for Freedom
Four Shows for the Spring
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.
Oly Arts Spring 2026 Print Edition
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.
Magic Curtain Mornings at Olympia Family Theater
Olympia Family Theater’s new Magic Curtain Morning shows engage and delight toddlers and preschoolers. Each show runs no longer than 30 minutes, providing littles a playful introduction to the magic of live theater. The first show is “Little Red and the Dancing Wolf,” offering a new take on the old tale, running April 18, 25, and 26.
Olympia Family Theater Responds to Financial Challenges
Olympia Family Theatre, which has closed its adjacent all-ages space and reduced staff hours, is hard at work on raising the money it needs to keep the theater on solid footing going forward. Dean Shellman, chair of the non-profit theater’s board, said, “We’re carefully looking for savings opportunities that don’t change the experience for our audiences and students. OFT provides magical moments for families, and that won’t change.”
Olympia Family Theater:18 Years Young and Still Growing
by James O’Barr — The recent announcement of the Olympia Family Theater’s 18th season came with an additional proud flourish: The Olympia City Council has awarded OFT two years of funding as one of its Inspire Olympia creative non-profits. The 2024-2025 performance schedule, together with the additional financial support of Inspire Olympia funding, finds the new year at OFT full of high promise, starting with The House at Pooh Corner.
Review: Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Olympia Family Theater
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Olympia Family Theater comprises both young and not-so-young actors, smoothly stirred into a well-tuned ensemble; part of the fun of watching it is the speed and energy with which the story is rolled out, almost like street theater, or commedia, or circus.
Barney Carey Gets His Wings at Olympia Family Theater
Olympia Family Theater’s executive director Mark Alford who plays Barney’s dad in “Barney Carey Gets His Wings” said, “The show is hilarious, but it doesn’t sacrifice any heart. At its core [it] is a discussion of self-identity and self-expression.”