posts that contain mini-bios of our writers
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS There’s aren’t many bluegrass bands that can rival Misty Mamas in dishing up traditional, folksy music with mesmerizing harmonies and hip-slapping rhythms. Based out of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington, Misty Mamas comprises Katherine Nitsch on vocals and guitar; April Parker on vocals, mandolin and accordion; Eileen Rocci on …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Pull your poodle skirts and saddle shoes out of the closet and get ready for an old-fashioned sock hop to celebrate the golden age of rock. This event will be at the Port Plaza as part of Olympia’s Music in the Park. The 90-minute concert will open with Danny …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS There’ll be Too Many Cooks at Music in the Park, and that has nothing to do with food. “Too Many Cooks” (in quotation marks) was a rock song written by Willie Dixon and performed by Mick Jagger. Too Many Cooks (no quotation marks) is a rock trio from Gig …
THEATER REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Harlequin Productions’ First Date is a romantic comedy in the tradition of Hepburn and Tracy, Doris Day and Rock Hudson, Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, updated for the digital age. Updated how? For starters, the search engine Google appears in the guise of a woman, and there’s …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS With a mission to build and celebrate community in Thurston County, Capital Lakefair awards scholarships to outstanding young women each year and inaugurates them into the Lakefair Royal Court. This year, five well-deserving, high-school juniors were awarded scholarships, and OLY ARTS spoke with them to learn how they plan …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there’s more outdoor theater, dance and music events than you can count. Just grab a blanket and head to the park for a healthy dose of arts and entertainment in Olympia. Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS Olympia Music in the Park concerts most often feature local and regional acts, but this year’s series opens with a performance by Beatles tribute act Abbey Road Live, all the way from Athens, Georgia. The band, which will be in the Northwest to play at the Oregon Country Fair, …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS “Christian Doyle is one of those rare actors who makes it look like anyone should be able to do what he does, it’s so effortless and natural,” says film and stage actor Scott C. Brown. Local theatergoers have seen Doyle in many shows, most likely singing and acting in …
by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS It’s not uncommon for certain members of musical genres to become cliquey, forbidding outside entrance from other genres. Of them all, country in particular has enjoyed its embrace of tradition, shunning any meddling from the greater musical world. This stereotype is certainly not without its exceptions, though, and country’s …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS The Lacey Chamber of Commerce hosts the South Sound BBQ Festival as a finale to Lacey Days. This will culminate the celebration of the city’s 50th anniversary. For fans of traditional, slow-cooked barbecue or anyone who ever wanted to be in an eating contest, this event is not to …