posts that contain mini-bios of our writers
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS This Sunday, Olympia Improv Collective launches a new show — and a new form of improvisational theater. In its fall series of shows, called “The Midnight Zone,” the nine-member collective of seasoned improvisers take inspiration from the audience, but not by asking for suggestions. Rather, the group invites those …
by McKenzie Murray for OLY ARTS Three local high schools have announced their dramatic offerings for 2017-2018. What: Capital High School, directed by Kristina Cummins Where: 2707 Conger Ave. NW, Olympia When: Rehearsal for Murder: 7:30 p.m. October 19-21 and 26-28 DramaFest: 7 p.m. November 16-18 Romeo and Juliet: 7:30 p.m. January 18-20 and 25-27 …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS A touch of French cabaret comes to Olympia in the form of Piaf! The Show at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Produced by Directo Productions in Nice, France, Piaf! has entertained the world with more than 300 performances in 30-plus countries. It was conceived and directed by …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS This season, Masterworks Choral Ensemble will travel to the frontier, celebrate the sometimes-overlooked talents of female composers and visit some of Broadway’s most colorful characters. And the ensemble’s taking a creative approach to concert themes: The Broadway concert focuses on heroes and villains, while the concert composed by women …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS What happens when you mix a well-established fiddler with the best next-generation, traditional-music players you can find? You get Molsky’s Mountain Drifters, a brand-new bluegrass and roots band with a fresh perspective on old-time music. Comprising banjoist Allison de Groot, fiddler Bruce Molsky and guitarist and vocalist Stash Wyslouch, …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS The creators and performers of Olympia’s Own TUSH! Burlesque are promotional wordsmiths, though some of their enticements are unprintable here. For the troupe’s recurring series at Obsidian, it promises “a titillating romp to celebrate Halloween,” with lots of “sizzle, sass and fabulous fun.” When asked about the name of …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS This fall, Masterworks Choral Ensemble takes a break from traditional tunes to head for the Old West. The group’s next concert, Way Out West: Beloved American Ballads, surveys that “Home on the Range” — and yes, that tune is included — with music from the westward expansion or inspired …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Holding collaborative, public performances for decades is a noteworthy feat for any organization, but for The Heartsparkle Players, it’s an accomplishment made possible only through constant rededication to cherished causes of hope and love. The playback-theater troupe will open its 20th season by recommitting to those themes. “The reason …
by Rosemary Ponnekanti for OLY ARTS One doesn’t have to be an Elvis Presley fan to like All the King’s Women — Director Toni Holm is proof of that. More of a “Beatles person,” as she puts it, Holm is a convert to Luigi Jannuzzi’s 17-actor, seven-scene play that looks at the King through a …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS When Arts Walk ends, Jazz Walk begins. The second-annual Olympia Jazz Walk, a fundraiser for the nonprofit JazzClubsNW, is timed to keep the festival atmosphere going late into Saturday night with live jazz throughout downtown Olympia. “The idea is to make the Arts Walk and the great spectacle that …