THURSDAY, MAY 6 2013 >>>

1. Professional storytelller Elizabeth Lord's original The Swimsuit Area stage play "explores reproduction in today's modern age.  What it means to be a parent, and more importantly what it means to choose not to be a parent." Apparently Lord will explore the hard issues such as deciding not to have a child - and what someone does about that - and the finality of hysterectomy surgery which results in never being able to conceive a child - all with her trademark humor lined glow. The show hits the Midnight Sun stage at 8 p.m. through June 9.

2. If you think the medium of artists' books are limiting, you'll undoubtedly be impressed with the array of work on display at the third annual membership show of the Puget Sound Book Artists. PSBA's book art show at Collins Memorial Library features a wide variety of handmade books by 30 artists demonstrating how these talented artists can interpret the book in exciting and original ways that push the boundaries of tradition. Check it out from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

3. Why drink alone when you can get your drink on with cool cats who care about environmental issues? On the first Thursday of each month, Green Drinks invites Tacoma and Pierce County residents to do just that - hang out and chat with other green-minded individuals over drinks and snacks. The next session of Green Drinks - which will be held at 6 p.m. inside The Swiss - will focus on the non-profit SustainableWorks ... and drinks, of course.

4. The Art House Café in Tacoma's Stadium District invites you to paint while you drink Washington wines. One glass of wine is provided, as well as all the supplies and instruction for your art piece. Hosted by neighboring Open Arts Studio, the "Pouring Picasso" event begins at 6:30 p.m., and costs $40.

5. UK playwright Pericles Snowdon's Bluebeard is a story about isolation, family, betrayal, apocalypse and parenthood. Under the direction of David Domkoski, Assemblage Theater brings to life the dark story of Blue, a woman who has been so hurt and disillusioned by her experiences in the outside world that she steals three little girls and locks them away in an abandoned church - our beloved Urban Grace Church in downtown Tacoma - for their whole lives in order to protect them, while a kind of apocalypse happens outside. Blue creates strict rules by which the girls must live and re-writes history, making the girls "perform" a different chapter of it each day. Creepy. Then, the mysterious Magnon steps into their melancholy blue world and turns it upside down. Watch it all go down at 8 p.m. inside the Urban Grace.

LINK: Thursday, June 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area