posts by Christina Butcher
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Dip your paddle into the water, pulling the handle until the blade rises, and feel the spray of the Puget Sound’s cold, salty water. Move and breathe in time with teammates. It sounds relaxing, doesn’t it? But for dragon-boat racers across the Puget Sound, it’s not just relaxing. It …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS The effects of war and military offenses echo through a community long after the battles end. It’s a harsh reality that’s often forgotten, but photographer Anne Paq and journalist Ala Qandil hope to bring the issue back into mainstream media with their independent film Obliterated Families: Intimate Portraits of …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, Olympia brings stunning musical performances, laugh-out-loud improv shows and a hearty dose of storytelling to keep you entertained each night. Get ready for another week of pure entertainment! Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, sponsored by Shur-Kleen Car …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Once a month, the lights at Traditions Café dim and the noise of a room packed with poets and novelists dies down to a hushed whisper. The crowd anxiously awaits one of Thurston County’s highest-regarded and longest-standing literary events: the Olympia Poetry Network’s monthly reading and open-mic session. This …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there are enough high-profile author talks and beautiful classical music performances to keep you bouncing between venues. Grab your tickets quick, before the seats fill and the lights dim. Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, sponsored by …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there are plenty of multicultural events around town to help you step out of your comfort zone, plus hard-hitting theater performances by some of Olympia’s best acting troupes. This week’s shows promise to be unforgettable! Click here to listen to our podcast …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Olympia’s first poet laureate, Amy Solomon-Minarchi, is already hard at work promoting poetry within the community with her call for Writing in the Rain poems. Solomon-Minarchi is accepting short-poetry submissions until April 10, when she’ll select short poems of three to six lines to be “painted” onto city sidewalks …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there’s more than enough show-stopping theater and music to keep you out of the house and skipping from one venue to the next! Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, sponsored by Alan Fuller of Windermere Real Estate Olympia. …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS The Olympia theater scene is no stranger to the idea of a performer who can seamlessly transition from actress to director to playwright without skipping a beat. One such performer is local actor, director and playwright Kate Ayers, who has over 20 years of experience in the world of …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS With so much crossover of entertainment, fashion and pop culture in today’s society, it’s almost impossible to make music that fits into a single genre. The Donny MCaslin band, also known as “David Bowie’s last band,” makes no apologies for not even trying to do that. Comprised of saxophonist …