God Is a Scottish Drag Queen

by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS Not today, Satan! God is coming to Olympia, and she is looking fabulous. In early March, the Washington Center will host Mike Delamont’s award-winning, one-queen show, God Is a Scottish Drag Queen. “I’m very excited for the show to play in Olympia,” said Delamont. “Sometimes the title scares folks …

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Get Your Pitch On: Harmony Sweepstakes at the Washington Center

by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS   Prepare yourself for Pitch Perfect, West Coast Style. The Harmony Sweepstakes acapella competition is coming back to the Washington Center this March, hosted by the Masterworks Choral Ensemble. “Acapella is pure, it’s just voices in a microphone,” said Masterworks leader and show director Gary Witley. “You don’t have …

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A Really Big Shoe 12: Folk Music of America Benefits Homeless Kids

by Karen Lunde for OLY ARTS Each year for the past 11, members of the Olympia musical group Entertainment Explosion have put on a show to benefit homeless children in Thurston and Mason counties. This year, the show features a guest artist, The Brothers Four. The group’s musical career spans 50 years and includes sing-along …

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Winter Movies at Olympia Film Society

by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS Winter is in full swing in Olympia, so this is the best time of year to enjoy a warm theater, a big screen and a tub of popcorn at Olympia Film Society. OFS has curated a fine list of wonderful and unique films that will help you escape the …

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Olympia Symphony Orchestra: Closing Remarks

by Karen Lunde for OLY ARTS When an orchestra covers a beloved composer, it must take care to play his music with precision. “No piece of music is easy,” said Huw Edwards, Music Director and Conductor of the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, “but Mozart is famous for being so exposed — any blemish on [the performance’s] …

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Emerald City Music: Spiritual Journey

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 …

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Tush Burlesque

Burlesque in Olympia: A Special Valentine’s Weekend Hint!

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. …

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Old Time Festival: Sabra Guzmán Returns to Her Old Time Roots

by Karen Lunde for OLY ARTS Old-time music is perhaps the oldest form of North American folk music, pre-dating Bluegrass. Vocalist, guitarist and bassist Sabra Guzmán was first drawn to its raw stylings at the turn of the millennium when she lived in Portland. Now, Guzmán is preparing to pick and sing old-time tunes with …

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Old Time Festival: Brograss

by Adam McKinney and Tom Simpson for OLY ARTS Our music has a grand tradition of passing the love of music on from generation to generation. Brograss is a great example of this genre’s continuity over time. Tashi (16) and Kaj Litch (13) learned to appreciate bluegrass early on, thanks to their family’s band, the …

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Miracle Worker on Stage in Olympia

by Tom Simpson for OLY ARTS The classic play about the life of Helen Keller and her faithful educator, Annie Sullivan, is brought to life this month on stage at Olympia High School. “Miracle Worker” is being staged over the first two weekends of February, under the direction of Julliard fellow and Olympia director Kathy …

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