by Karen Lunde for OLY ARTS In mid-February, Emerald City Music will take Olympia South Sound music lovers on a spiritual journey through classical music. This is the first time an Emerald City concert will feature a soloist, baritone Christopher Herbert, a two-time GRAMMY nominated member of the male classical quartet New York Polyphony. Gilbert …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Olympia Family Theater premieres a new play by local actor, director and playwright Christian Carvajal based on ancient Muslim legends of the Mullah, or master, Nasreddin. This entertaining play for all ages tells the tale of when three wise men challenge Nasreddin to answer three impossible questions. While …
by Tom Simpson for OLY ARTS Olympia’s own resident burlesque cooperative, TUSH! Burlesque, will be on stage this weekend with a titillating romp that celebrates the mystery and magic of Valentine’s Day. Olympia 650-seat Capitol Theater will be the host for TUSH’s special Valentine’s show, this time called “HINT!” — with a Murder Mystery theme. …
By Christian Caravajal and Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS For over 20 years, “This American Life” has given public-radio airwaves an unusual perspective on current events, offering insightful commentary from such writers as John Hodgman, David Rakoff, David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell and of course, the inimitable Ira Glass. Recently, “This American Life” has taken steps …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Being the daughter of a musical legend can open doors, to be sure, but it multiplies the difficulty of forging a career apart from his shadow. Consider, then, the talent of Rosanne Cash. After the Man in Black recorded a song she wrote, Rosanne formed a partnership with singer-songwriter …
by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS Grammy award nominee Mary Lambert will be featured at this year’s Pizza Klatch “Gayla” celebration at Olympia’s Washington Center. Lambert worked with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on the song “Same Love” on their multi-platinum album The Heist. She also performed the song at the Grammy Awards with Madonna and …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Time is of the essence in English playwright Alan Ayckbourn’s 1995 thriller Communicating Doors, opening this weekend at Olympia Little Theatre. The title is a British phrase meaning a passage between two adjoining hotel suites. The story begins 20 years from now, when executive assistant Julian procures the services …
by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS There aren’t many popular musical institutions more respected or longer lasting than Ladysmith Black Mambazo. They’d already been around for over 20 years before they found an international audience through their contributions to Paul Simon’s genre-mixing masterpiece Graceland, and they’ve continued to amass gold and platinum albums since. Their …
by Karen Lunde for OLY ARTS Two accomplished musicians, their acoustic guitars, and some front-porch tales—that’s what audiences can expect during An Evening with Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen on The Washington Center Main Stage, Saturday, Jan. 27. Lovett and Keen, both singer-songwriters with impressive discographies spanning decades, will provide an evening of down-home songs …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Harlequin Productions will bring Doug Wright’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play I Am My Own Wife to Olympia for their first play of 2018. It is the true life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, an eccentric and elegant German transvestite who hid from the Nazis in plain sight by presenting as a …