STEVE DUNKELBERGER: LAST PERFORMANCES >>>

It’s Sunday, and you need a laugh. Tomorrow’s gonna be hell, so today should be uproarious. Today marks the last day for several local theater productions.

I Hate Hamlet
TV actor Andrew Rally finds himself in the gothic apartment in New York City that was once owned by the legendary actor John Barrymore. He is in town to do a Shakespeare in the Park production of Hamlet, a role Barrymore owned during the time he was warmer than room temperature. The fact that he is dead doesn't stop the very hammy Hamlet from offering advice to the young actor.
[Olympia Little Theater, Sunday, Oct. 5, 1:55 p.m., $10-$12, 1925 Miller Ave. N.E., Olympia]

Lucky Stiff
Lakewood Playhouse continues its run of the very funny Lucky Stiff, a show about a dead dude who tours the gambling world of Morocco as his last party before he gets planted into the ground.
[Lakewood Playhouse, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m., $21-$24, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd. S.W. in the Lakewood Towne Center off exit 125, Lakewood]

And not so funny…

Daman: The Seven Creations
An original opera presented by the Seattle Choral Ensemble and the Esoterics as part of the college's World Stage Series.
[KJM Center for the Arts, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m., $10-$20, South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Road S.W., Olympia, 360.596.5501]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar

VOLCANO STAFF: THINGS TO DO TODAY >>>

St. Nicholas Greek Festival
For me, the entire festival is just a complicated set dressing for a baklava-delivery system. Oh, I’ll hang out and listen to them ramble on about Socrates, the Olympics and “Summer Lovers,” but I’ll be picking the flaky crumbs from my blouse and stuffing them into my hungry taste-hole while I do it. I’ll dance (three groups of dancers throughout the weekend) and eat the food (souviklakia, gyros, calamari, salata, loukomades) not just because I like it, but in an attempt to bring the honey content in my blood down low enough so I can scarf down another slab of triangular goodness. â€" Suzy Stump
[St. Nicholas Church, Oct. 4 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Oct. 5 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., $11-$12 sit-down dinner, special $7 lunch Oct. 3, 1523 S. Yakima Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.0466]

Tacoma Mall Lifestyle section
Hot off the orgasmic excitement of opening the new, improved, and substantially bigger Nordstrom, where well-to-do folks from all over the South Sound can now shop for handbags that cost as much as my Volvo and jeans that require a down payment, the Tacoma Mall is looking to capitalize on that energy, and planning one hell of a party this weekend, Oct 4 and 5, to celebrate the new “Lifestyles” section. Apparently, children’s musician Tim Noah is scheduled to make an appearance at the celebration, as is the aging communist performer “Castro the Magician.” â€" Matt Driscoll
[Tacoma Mall, 4502 S. Steele St., Tacoma, 253.475.4566]

urbanXchange Grand Re-opening
Tacoma can lavish the newly grown and updated urbanXchange with all the love one can muster. In response, the thrift store will provide Tacoma with a Grand Re-Opening party that will include light refreshments, a DJ, models, a make-up artist, and prize drawings all day. On top of all the Grand Re-Opening hoopla, live music will be in full force by Anomie Belle and The Next Door Neighbors. You can find this daylong party happening right next door to the old UrbanXchange located on Pacific Avenue.
Oh, its new digs are freakin’ spectacular. Check out Jennifer Johnson’s take in the Fix section on our Web site. â€" Steph DeRosa
[urbanXchange, noon to 9 p.m., no cover, 1932 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.2280]

Antique Quest and Wine Fest
The Tacoma Community House hosts their Antique Quest and Wine Fest Saturday where you can bring your confusing antique for a free appraisal, sample local food and wine, and listen to live music from Latin jazz group Trombanga. You have direction now. You’re welcome. â€" SS
[Museum of Glass, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $75 to benefit Tacoma Community House, 1801 Dock St., Tacoma]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment column

SUZY STUMP: HIP-HOP MEETS BODY PAINTING >>>

Do you consider yourself young, open-minded and hip? Are you a card-carrying member of this demographic? Do you want to be? If so, here's a little tip: Pacific Fusion's October Music Series kicks off tomorrow night at Jazzbones. Beginning at 10 p.m., cocktails, sushi, hip-hop from T-town cats Life Cycle, Can-U, John Crown and DJ Reign, and live body painting will blow your mind, and your brain. Pacific Fusion's president Matt Eklund knows a thing or two about blowing your mind with music and art. The dude is one of the masterminds behind Tacoma's Urban Art Festival.

Why am I explaining this? You are a young, open-minded, hip individual. You already know this.

[Jazzbones, Friday, Oct. 3, $5 before 10 p.m., $8 after, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma]

Future Pacific Fusion shows at Jazzbones:

Friday, Oct. 10
Eleven Eyes. Danny Godinez

Sunday, Oct. 12
Dana Disharoon Benefit Show featuring live music by One Way Trip, My Perfect World, Matt Eklund (solo) and featuring DJ W.

Saturday, Oct. 25
The Pain Killers, Motopony and special guest Stephanie Johnson (acoustic opener)

STEPH DEROSA: THINKING ABOUT QUALITY >>>

The plan was to pick up a few of these infamous boxed lunches from Pacific Grill and bring them to my husband's work. My plan was foiled when the nice Pacific Grill phone answerer told me they are typically ordered 24 hours in advance. I immediately responded with an Excuse me?! Do you know who I AM!?

Ah, just kidding. I didn't say that. I thanked her politely and told her I'd call back later with an order for tomorrow's lunch. But, alas, I was totally craving that damned Pacific Grill lunch, and I had to curb my taste buds into some other flavor. I quickly realized that TwoKoi Japanese Restaurant was just around the corner, and they had some of the most mighty fine sushi I've ever tasted. So off I went. From sandwiches to sushi¬" in the famous coined words of Tim Gunn, I was going to make it work.

I placed my order for the sashimi bento box, bellied up to the bar, and ordered a beer to down before my meal was ready. Eventually my bladder was singing the sweet requests of a needed bathroom break, so the bathroom is where I went. A few small accents of potted orchids is all this bathroom needs to give you the feel of being at a sushi bar. While on the potty, I thought of TwoKoi's neighbor, Tacoma Art Supply.

And I thought about quality in my life. Check out my thoughts here.

BILL TIMNICK: A SALUTE TO VAUDEVILLE TONIGHT >>>

Variety style entertainment is part of Kevin Joyce's daily life. He is the creator and host of the television show aired on the City of Seattle's cable channel 21, the Seattle Channel. The show is titled Big Night Out, a monthly variety showcase that is taped before a live audience.

"I began thinking about the Pantages as a venue when it was functioning as a venue during the heyday of vaudeville. And it's still operating," Joyce says. "Its structure and its form remain intact, and it's really unique in that regard."

The result? The premiere of A Salute to Vaudeville: Voice of the City staged at the Pantages Theater tonight.

Seattle’s Moore Theater and the Pantages are the “oldest extant vaudeville houses in the area, Joyce explains. “And the Pantages in particular, because of its heritage and the way it has been maintained, make it a perfect, incredible venue. It's like going back in time.

"We compiled regionally what we thought were the most stellar representations of the current expression of vaudeville and what we thought would be a great show." The result is a mix of acts and personalities running the gamut from the "beautiful and serene," to the "little bit strange," to the "funny and hilarious," to the slightly risqué, according to the show’s producer/host.

[Pantages Theater, Saturday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., $25-$65, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar
LINK: Plan a dinner before the show

TAMMY ROBACKER: MEET CATE MARVIN >>>

One of America’s most dynamic younger poets, Cate Marvin, will be reading her work at Pacific Lutheran University tonight at 8 p.m. The author of two acclaimed books of poetry, World’s Tallest Disaster and Fragment of the Head of the Queen, will also be sharing her personal writer’s story and host an informal Q & A session at the Garfield Book Company at 5 p.m. These events are free and open to the public.

Since when did Parkland become home to the literary hoi polloi?

[Pacific Lutheran University, Thursday, Sept. 25, 8-10 p.m., free, Regency Room, University Center, 122nd Street South and Park Avenue South, Tacoma, 253.535.7318]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar

MICHAEL SWAN: ART AT WORK MONTH >>>

The Tacoma Arts Commission has announced this year’s AMOCAT Arts Awards winners. The awards, according to a press release, “recognize community members’ vision, dedication and action in creating a lively arts community in Tacoma. The three categories support community outreach in the arts by a patron, an organization and an individual.”

And … the winners are:

The Arts Patron award goes to the Hotel Murano. This beautiful hotel, which replaced the Sheraton Tacoma in downtown Tacoma, is designed around glass and showcases more than 45 artists from around the world. Why its sleek lobby bar remains unused most nights is beyond the Weekly Volcano. Maybe this award will be the ticket. The Weekly Volcano grabbed this award last year. Now we can’t go anywhere without the Paparazzi tailing us.

The award for “Community Outreach by an Organization” goes to King’s Books. No brainer. Not only do they open their space to every artistic and cultural event under the sun, they also host their own events, too, such as poetry readings and Banned Book Week, which kicks off Sept. 27. Oh, and they also give money to local public schools.

The “Community Outreach by an Artist” award goes to Linda Danforth, a local jewelry artist who has become the Queen of Cooperatives, as in Jet Artist Cooperative and the Broadway Artist Cooperative.  She also founded Tacoma Art Place that provides the community with affordable art instruction.

The awardees will be honored at the Art at Work Opening Celebration on Oct. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Tacoma Art Museum. Besides speeches by each winner, the night will include music by gypsy jazz band Pearl Django, poetry readings, a hands-on art activity, hors d’oeuvres and an opportunity to view the museum’s galleries.

Visit the Tacoma Culture Web site for more information about November Art at Work month.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER: GRAB A LITTLE SLAPSTICK >>>   

Lakewood Playhouse opened its 70th season with a sidesplitter of a show that can best be described as Weekend at Bernie's and Casablanca with a little bit of music and gambling thrown into the mix. Lucky Stiff, by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, is a gasser.

Several things make this show a fun one to watch. Tops among all of those is that each member of the cast brings a solid performance to the stage.

Check it out this weekend.

[Lakewood Playhouse, through Oct. 5, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $21-$24, pay-what-you-can Sept. 11 at 8 p.m., actor benefit matinee Oct. 4 at 2 p.m., 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd. S.W., Lakewood Towne Center off exit 125, Lakewood, 253.588.0042]

LINK: Read my full review here
LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar

SUZY STUMP: VAUDEVILLE IN OLYMPIA >>>

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, vaudeville was by far the most popular form of entertainment in America. Sadly, the advent of radio and talking pictures killed it off by about 1925 or so, as people became (and still are) more fascinated by compact, one- or two-dimensional forms of visual stimuli.

For now at least, small, cabaret-style shows are a welcome, and burgeoning, addition to fringe culture like the upcoming Lord Franzannian Royal Olympian Spectacular Vaudeville Show hosted by storyteller Elizabeth Lord. Working in the tradition of vaudeville shows from the early part of the 20th century, this fast-paced variety show promises a little something for everyone Friday, Sept. 26-Sunday, Sept. 28 at The Midnight Sun Performance Space in downtown Olympia. Dance, music, comedy, storytelling, juggling, even feats of amazement will fill the performance space.

Tickets are $7 to $15 on a sliding scale.

For more information or tickets, call 360.250.2721

Picture are Raychel Wagner and Lauren O'Neil performing Andora Creterson's Ball Movement from last year's vaudeville show.

DANIEL BLUE: MEET DAVID FEWSTER >>>

David Fewster and I used to see each other more - mainly at open mics.  A few years ago the Tacoma open mic circuit was alive and buzzing with what we thought was the ultimate manifestation of our arts renaissance - spoken word, the poetry mic, the slams, the crowds, the girls - oh the beatnik groupies, such fond memories. 

David hails from a time when beat was more than a sideline competition for wanna-be MCs.  His words sometimes are like warnings, urging me not to fantasize too much about becoming Jack Kerouack or Ken Kesey.  His poems tell me that being an artist is hard and people often are sad and hungry.  This work is real, not waiting for my permission to speak honestly. 

Currently married, making music and working at the used book store near Freighthouse Square, David has moved from the open mic circuit to the performance art/modern dance scene, starring in recent works from Barefoot Studios. 

Its good to see him - the Godfather of the Tacoma beats.

LINK: The Tacoma Files archive