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Sneak Preview of Tacoma Area Theatre This Fall

This is a selection of shows to keep your eye out for in Tacoma, Lakewood, and Federal Way this fall: Tacoma Little Theatre, Lakewood Playhouse, Centerstage Theatre, and Dukesbay Theater.

MOTHER – at TCMoFA, a Show Curated by Fern Tallos

“MOTHER” is a visual and verbal exploration at Thurston County Museum of Fine Art through September 18. The show presents personal accounts in various media by nineteen artists on birthing, motherhood, and the emotional and physical labor involved in bringing up children – a hot-button subject in these times given the abolition of Roe v. Wade, and the subsequent dangerously stringent laws governing bodies with wombs.

Local Arts Education

Oly Arts’ consistent presence in this community shows that there will always be a story to share, none of which would be possible without the important contribution of arts education in our public schools. Arts education has always been a target for budget cuts, often resulting in limited opportunities for students in schools. Oly Arts invited arts educators from North Thurston, Olympia, and Tumwater school districts to comment on the impact of the arts in students’ lives and describe the importance of the arts in our society.

Isthmus Park’s New Welcome Figure Marks the Region’s Past, Present and Future

Olympia’s Isthmus Park is a gateway to downtown Olympia with views of both the State Capitol and Olympic Mountain Range on the horizon. The land and water around Isthmus Park carry many stories across the generations, and sit at the junction of historical, ecological and cultural significance. At the beginning of June, a new Welcome Figure carving by Squaxin Island Tribe artist and carver, Andrea Wilbur-Sigo, became a permanent installation at Isthmus Park. Named Həʔapus sqʷəbay, Mother of Restoration, Wilbur-Sigo’s carved figure connects themes of cultural heritage, local history and conservation into a towering 13-foot cedar wood carving.

Ashland, a Favorite Vacation Spot for Literary and Theatrical Types from Olympia

Ashland, Oregon — known and loved as the home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival — is a favorite vacation spot for literary and theatrical types from Olympia. People’s willingness to make a six-hour drive each year, a testament to the popularity of Ashland and the festival, offers Shakespeare and more in repertory from March through October. While the plays are Ashland’s main draw, you don’t have to be a friend of Will to enjoy the festival. Of this year’s 10 shows, three — “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “The Taming of the Shrew” and “Henry IV, Pt. One” — are by the bard.

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