posts about live theater, live performances, actors, acting, shows, and other theatrical things…
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS When not appearing on area stages, Dennis Rolly can be found serving customers at Pellegrino’s Italian Kitchen in Tumwater or riding scooters (a Taiwanese SYM 200 and an Italian Piaggio 500) with his wife, Gail, or traveling cross country. The latter is an every-other-year excursion, usually going to Kentucky, …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS When artists stop creating art in one medium, they most likely start in another. Whether the transition is from painting to sculpting, drawing to writing or dancing to photography, the chances of an artist being truly “done” with art are slim to none. When talking about Alec Clayton, Olympia’s …
by McKenzie Murray for OLY ARTS Pacific Northwest Theater Company’s summer youth program, “Little People Productions,” will showcase two musical performances for the community this month. Actors aged 5 to 9 have been hard at work rehearsing Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS over the span of three weeks. A separate group of older actors, ages 9 …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Shakespeare famously wrote, “To be, or not to be? That is the question.” In theater as in life, this line from Hamlet always applies. Opportunities to grow in the craft present themselves to those actors passionate enough to heed their calling. Thus, under the dedicated artistic direction of Kathy …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS The Olympia Improv Collective is producing its first show Sunday, and the group of 10 experienced improvisers already has big plans. Mark Alford and Vanessa Postil — both often seen on local stages and both formerly of Something Wicked, Harlequin Productions’ now-defunct improv troupe — and friends aim to …
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 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 …
THEATER REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Theater Artists Olympia’s 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche might be one of the most difficult reviews I’ve ever written, because I don’t want to give anything away, and this insanely funny romp is so full of surprises that I can hardly say anything without divulging something you …
by Nora Kovacs for OLY ARTS Apple Tree Productions presents four exciting productions this summer, including an adult rendition of the musical Hairspray in July and youth performances of Aida in August. The company prides itself on providing students of all ages with quality afterschool and summertime instruction in drama. During the summer, students of …
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS In summer 2017, Creative Theatre Experience will showcase two mainstage productions among other experiences for young performers. CTE first offered an engaged introduction to theater for first-through-12th-grade students in 1981 and is now in its 37th year. The dates are the six weeks from June 26 to August 5. …