THEATER REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Neil Simon, Jason Haws, Harlequin Productions. That alone should be enough to convince theater lovers to buy tickets to I Ought to be in Pictures. A typical Simon comedy/drama, this lovely little show elicits laughter, and it is human drama as true as true can be — …
By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL The Yiddish-American word klatch, which can rhyme with either batch or botch, means an informal gathering, usually one that facilitates conversation. Pizza Klatch is an Olympia-based organization that empowers LGBTQ+ youth in Thurston County by providing safe, supportive spaces — and yes, free pizza — in 15 area schools. It’s the result …
By Noah Shachar Theater lives and thrives in Olympia, thanks partly to the talent at Harlequin Productions. After a strong 2018 season, I Ought to Be in Pictures will open in mid-January 2019 to further the company’s high, artistic precedent. Written by acclaimed playwright Neil Simon, the play follows Hollywood screenwriter Herb after he re-encounters …
By Lucia Volker A Christmas Story, The Musical is a musical-theater riff on the classic, holiday comedy. “I desperately wanted this show to be part of our first season, because it has strong ties to Olympia,” says Kyle Murphy, managing director of Broadway Olympia Productions, “and watching the movie is also one if my most-cherished …
By Jonah Barrett Grab those glamorous, ruby slippers and follow the Yellow Brick Road all the way to Washington Street. L. Frank Baum’s magical tale of friendship and green people plays one night and one night only at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts this January. Now a national touring production, the story of …
By Jonah Barrett Ghosts aren’t always the best subject matter for children, even as part of a Christmas story. There are, however, times when fantasy is more than meets the eye and ghosts aren’t what they seem. Based on Charles Dickens’ beloved, 1843 novella, Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol opens at Olympia Family Theater Nov. 30 …
By Christian Carvajal For many, the 1983 family movie A Christmas Story is an annual tradition. A middling success at the box office, it achieved immortality on marathon cable-TV airings and home video. Yet it may come as a surprise to fans of Ralphie and his avaricious adventures that they debuted, not in cinemas or …
By Noah Shachar Olympia Film Society plans a slew of enriching events for its historic, downtown location, the Capitol Theater, this winter. Marketing director Jonah Barrett said OFS will start the winter season with Nov. 24, 25 and 28 screenings of “massive cult classic” The Big Lebowski in celebration of its 20th anniversary. At the …
By Kameko Lashlee Gaul Those looking for family-oriented, holiday fun that’s equal parts comic and touching should stop by The Washington Center to experience the Masterworks Choral Ensemble’s Yuletide Celebration: A Holiday Concert. December brings the ensemble’s 38th-annual performance, historically presented on the first Saturday in December. Although the celebration is a family Christmas concert …
By Molly Gilmore For the 10th anniversary of its The Nutcracker, Studio West Dance Theatre has added new treats and trimmings to its production of Tchaikovsky’s ballet about a young girl who receives a nutcracker for Christmas and dreams herself into a magical world of fairies and sweets. The production, opening Dec. 9, aims to …