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March 12, 2015 at 6:53am

5 Things To Do Today: Puget Sound Boat Show, Warren G, Ancient Victorys, Dead Larry ...

Find a boat that matches your personality at the Puget Sound Boat Show opening today at the Tacoma Dome. Photo courtesy of Facebook

THURSDAY, MARCH 11 2015 >>>

1. Giving boaters and anglers an opportunity to see and touch, compare prices and features, and talk with experts about the newest technological advancements in boats and motors and fishing gear holds great appeal and utility in the Puget Sound area. Just before boat season begins, the Puget Sound Boat Show will showcase 2015 models and closeout models offered by more than 20 area dealers, boating accessories and fishing gear and more than two dozen hours of how-to seminars through Sunday, opening at 11 a.m. in the Tacoma Dome. Shop and compare a selection of boats - ranging from kayaks and inflatables, aluminum models popular with fishermen, fiberglass sport boats and offshore models offering luxury and durability.

2. The quarterly Ancient Victorys Open Mike brings back some of the 3,000 acoustic music performers from open mikes run by Chris Lunn in this state and California from the 1965 through 1990 to the Antique Sandwich Co. at 7 p.m.

3. Based on one audience suggestion, The Improvised Shakespeare Co. will create a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece at 7:30 p.m. in the Washington Center. Each of the players has brushed up on his "thee's" and "thou's" to bring you an evening of off-the-cuff comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare. All of the dialogue is said for the first time, the characters are created as you watch, and if ever you're wondering where the story is going ... so are the actors.

4. Having worked with everyone from 2Pac to Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre (his half-brother), Warren G is a vital voice of not only reality rap and party music, but he has always been a conscientious and active voice in community driven issues. Long Beach is in the house for a 8 p.m. show with Grynch, Wanz at Crytical in Jazzbones. Sing Nate Dogg's (RIP) hooks, y'all! 

5. More so than many of the other bands striving to capture the feeling of music in the '90s, pop weirdos Dead Larry feel like they emerged straight from the time capsule. It's remarkable how uncanny their resemblance is to the pop eccentrics like They Might Be Giants, Ben Folds Five, the Lemonheads and Crash Test Dummies. Dead Larry is unabashedly upbeat music that finds their footing in piano pop, with diversions into white-boy-funk, and stoned psychedelic explorations. Catch the band with Birger Wink, Larry Wish and American Forrest at 8 p.m. in Deadbeat Olympia record store.

March 11, 2015 at 2:27pm

A murder at Journeycon: To hostility ... and beyond!

Ground Control to Journeycon ...

I'm tight with Andrew Gordon, the actor-playwright who co-authors and produces mystery nights for his company, Open Road Productions, at Pellegrino's Italian Kitchen in Tumwater. His latest is an all-new musical, Murder Beyond the Stars. Andy, you have the floor:

"It's set at the 26th annual Journeycon, a celebration of the TV show Journey Beyond the Stars back in the '90s. It has a cast of characters you might recognize, starting with a brash but heroic colonel. We also have the original producer and creator of the show, who's now the convention organizer. There's a fangirl, played by Amy Shephard, and she has a deep dark secret. The colonel has a Russian love interest. Actress Heather Christopher and I went to Tacoma to sit down with a 93-year-old woman who grew up in Russia, who knew all these great Russian curse words. We added those to the songs.

"The convention takes place 26 years after the show ended disastrously. The two leads weren't speaking to each other. Something terrible happened, and that's to be revealed. The producer has decided to bring back the show as a movie, but instead of hiring the old cast, he's going the Chris Pine route. He went with a new, young, idiot actor, whom the script describes as all teeth and no brains. Kyle Henick plays him, and Rob Taylor plays his assistant. I don't think I'm giving away secrets when I tell you someone dies. Of course, everybody looks at least a little like a suspect.

"This is the fifth murder mystery I've written, and it's new in a couple of ways. We're working with Daven Tillinghast to create brand new musical pieces. We had the chance to work with kick-ass costume designers, Ricky German and Mishka Navarre, who've elevated our game. Pellegrino's has been incredibly supportive by investing in a live band, the Wildwood Orchestra. It's a thrilling creative process. Amy helped write scenes as well. The script developed over about eight months, so we had plenty of time for readings and directorial notes from Jenny Heddin. It's turned into more than I thought it'd be. I love putting characters in a box and shaking them up and seeing what happens to them.

"I'm definitely a geek myself, and I'm learning to be proud of it. Amy has this beautiful song about what it's like to be a fan of an actor like Leonard Nimoy, how she relates to this distant being. I wanted to be sure we weren't making fun of something precious. The geeks save the day. There's a celebration of fandom in the piece, and I'm elated about that given recent circumstances."

As for the eats, Pellegrino's will open at 6 for a cocktail hour before the main event. Then it's time for chef Sam Pellegrino's mushroom polenta, and an entrée of beef scaloppini, prosciutto-and-mozzarella-stuffed chicken, or stuffed portabella. Dessert is a tuxedo truffle mousse cake, because nom. So ahead warp factor one, Mr. Gordon. Second star to the right, and straight on till morning.

MURDER BEYOND THE STARS!, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 13-21, Pellegrino's Event Center, 5757 Littlerock Rd. SW, Tumwater, $50-$60, 360.709.9055

Filed under: Olympia, Theater,

March 9, 2015 at 1:28pm

Nerd Alert issued for Leonard Nimoy, Kenneth Branagh, Yahoo! Screen ...

Leonard Nimoy represented the best of humanity. ©2003 By Paramount Pictures All Rights Reserved

Wishing Harrison "fly yes, land no" Ford a speedy recovery, this is Nerd Alert, the Weekly Volcano's recurring events calendar devoted to all things nerdy. I myself am a Star Wars fan, mathlete, and spelling bee champion of long standing, so trust me: I grok whereof I speak.

I'd be remiss if I didn't begin this installment with a tribute to the late, lamented Leonard Nimoy. (Cue the Vulcan salute and "Amazing Grace" bagpipes.) Mr. Nimoy was a hell of a lot more than half-human, but of course I have to start with his most beloved character. Spock represented, not the alien, but the alienated. He stood for all of us who got picked on for being smart and socially awkward - pretty much all of SF fandom. I was addicted to Fringe, on which he played a recurring role, and the docu-series he hosted on Nickelodeon, Standby: Lights, Camera, Action! I loved his stage Sherlock. He was probably the first actor I knew by name. In short, I've been a Leonard Nimoy fan for 40 years. We all have. He lives in us now. Nimoy has been, and always shall be, our friend.

Our nation has contributed hundreds of characters to the planetary mythos over the years, a fact about which we should be patriotically proud. Yet many of those characters are defined by their ability to kill. Others are famous for quests purely vengeful or materialistic. Spock's goal is different: he wants to understand as much as possible of the universe. He seeks to find kinship with those least like himself. His favorite word, "fascinating," attaches value to the "merely" interesting. His catchphrase, "Live long and prosper," is both secular and applicable to all. That character lives on, of course, in Zachary Quinto's respectful performances, and his spirit owes to the labors of multitudes. Yet I think it's important to remember why Spock and Leonard Nimoy were synonymous in so many people's minds: they stood for the same unimpeachable goals. I hope future guardians of Star Trek and its ideas will remember that.

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

Who's got big balls? Disney princess geeks, that's who! So don your blue ribbon, transmogrify Bruno, Gus, Jaq and Luke, and saddle up, fellow Mouseketeers! Kenneth Branagh, acclaimed director of Thor, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and umpteen Shakespeare adaptations, has lavished his talents on a live-action retelling of Cinderella. It stars Lily James (Downton Abbey's Lady Rose) as Ella, Cate Blanchett as her snotty stepmum and Helena Bonham Carter as the world's greatest personal stylist. As I write this, RottenTomatoes.com rates the flick a bippity-boppity-beautiful 94 percent. Ah, Cinderella: disparaging stepparents in favor of the patriarchal monarchy since 1634.

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

Feel like getting your act on? Olympia's Shakespeare-in-the-Park company Animal Fire Theatre is auditioning for King John at 11 a.m. in the Midnight Sun (113 N. Columbia). Think Game of Thrones minus zombies and whores, but with bloodthirsty mosquitos the size of direwolves. At 7 the next evening, Lakewood Playhouse would love to see actors and singers for Drood, a musical adaptation of Dickens's unfinished novel. The Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret, which features both prostitutes and Nazis, holds auditions at Tacoma Little Theatre on March 22. It's springtime for Hitler!

Two promising stage productions open this weekend: Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard at Evergreen State College, and Steve Martin's thinky Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Tacoma Little Theatre. I've peeked through the windows of the real Lapin Agile on Montmartre. It's the size of a Starbucks. Who knew?

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17

After getting unceremoniously expelled from NBC's prime-time campus, season six of Community moves to something called Yahoo! Screen, where it probably streams between levels of Candy Crush. In a related story, Generalissimo Francisco Franco and Chevy Chase are still dead to us.

Until next week, may the Force be with you, may the odds be ever in your favor, and may you live long and prosper.

March 7, 2015 at 9:32am

5 Things To Do Today: Sustainability Expo, Chili Cook-Off, Apothecary Botanicals, Fats Waller Musical ...

South Sound Sustainability Expo will connect residents and business owners with services, products, companies and agencies that address sustainability needs in the community.

SATURDAY, MARCH 6 2015 >>>

1. Recycling is a way of life in western Washington, but do you wonder if you're truly making a difference? The trick to sustainability is knowing what works and what doesn't. That's where the South Sound Sustainability Expo comes in. A team of Pierce County higher-educational institutions first organized this event in 2006. Four years later, the city of Tacoma formed an Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability, which partnered with area colleges. The expo is now held in the Tacoma Convention Center, where it's grown to include over 90 companies and nonprofits from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Among vendors present at this year's event are American Red Cross, Citizens for a Healthy Bay, Metro Parks Tacoma, Nisqually Land Trust and Tacoma Farmers Market, which hosts a Kids' Corner with a functioning mini-market. Much of the expo's financial support comes from Goodwill, Pierce County, Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union and Tacoma Public Utilities.

2. This seems like a fun idea. Narrows Brewing Co. in partnership with Families Unlimited Network will host a Smoke on the Water Chili Cook-Off from noon to 5 p.m. Expect eight different varieties of local amateur and professional chefs' homemade chili, and each member of the crowd will have their opportunity to vote for their favorite. Proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the support of Families Unlimited Network and their food bank.

3. Maria Jost approaches art from the viewpoint and experience of a scientist: "Don't worry I'm a scientist. I am a product of scientific training, I make the measurements, crunch the numbers and compile the data," she has stated in past art shows. But she's also an artist - an illustrator to be more precise. Jost's drawings in ink and collage are highly decorative and amazingly precise. She has produced a limited run of prints of her botanical illustrations called "Apothecary Botanicals," and will host a reception from 2-4 p.m. at Hilltop Kitchen.

4. The Harlem Renaissance produced some of the swingin'est, jazziest, cool cattin'est music of the 20th century. The black musicians that came out of New York in the period between 1919 and the early 1930s made a massive impact not only on jazz, but on American music in general. You'll hear the sound of the Harlem Renaissance in Ain't Misbehavin': The Fats Waller Musical, a musical revue and tribute to musicians of the era featuring beloved songs by Fats Waller by five great Northwest performers at 7:30 p.m. in the Pantages Theater. Encapsulating the mood of the era and the humor of his music, the show sparkles with Waller's stance that life is a journey ... for pleasure and play. This musical homage includes jazz classics like "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," "Honeysuckle Rose," "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" and others.

5. Travis Barker, the "Boar" to Kristen Wenlock's "Elk" in the twangy Tacoma duo Elk and Boar will perform with his band at 9:30 p.m. in Doyle's Public House.

March 6, 2015 at 7:43am

5 Things To Do Today: Great Grandpa, Catch Me If You Can, Game of Scones, Nolan Garrett ...

Great Grandpa is in Olympia tonight.

FRIDAY, MARCH 6 2015 >>>

1. Seattle quintet Great Grandpa exudes an effortless cool. The grungy pop recalls bands like the Breeders and Garbage, with their sly melodies and crunchy guitars. Lead singer Alex Menne brings a detached swagger that is offset by unobtrusive harmonies from her bandmates. A band like Great Grandpa, with lyrics about things like mountains of Cheetos, wouldn't seem obviously like the kind of group that might tackle sad subject matter, but they dip their toes into the waters of melancholy with an unexpected ease. Catch the band with Jupiter Sprites, Trashlord and Redrumsey at 8 p.m. in Deadbeat Olympia.

2. Guitar wizard Nolan Garrett debuts his new, younger band from 7-10 p.m. at Bleach in downtown Tacoma. The new band is helping Garrett define the new direction his music is headed - rock foundation vs. blues foundation - with new material recorded and currently being recorded at London Bridge Studios in Seattle.

3. You are now cleared for takeoff for Paradise Theatre's 7:30 p.m. stage presentation of Catch Me If You Can. Written by Scott Witman and Marc Shaiman, the play follows the true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. a world-class con artist who passed himself off as a doctor, lawyer and jet pilot all before the age of 21. With straight-arrow FBI agent Carl Hanratty on Frank's trail, the story takes off on a jet-setting, cat-and-mouse chase fueled by a jazzy '60s score that keeps the adventure in constant motion. The musical is based on the 2002 film, which was directed by Steven Spielberg and starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks and Christopher Walken.

4. Jeri, Kate and Linda join forces once again to commit manic mayhem over at Tacoma's Perky's Coffee House. This time, the ladies do battle with Tacoma politics, retail marijuana and Scottish scones. Could this be the episode of their dreams? Loosely inspired by William Shakespeare's Macbeth, JAVA TACOMA 5: Game of Scones is the fifth installment of an original soap opera/sit-com, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in The Dukesbay Theater above The Grand Cinema. Written by Aya Hashiguchi, this theatrical serial is generously peppered with Tacoma humor.

5. It may be impossible to overstate William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr.'s contribution to pop music. For once, the term "living legend" sells the guy short. No less an artist than Bob Dylan listed Robinson among his favorite poets. It's not merely that his hits represent a significant chunk of the American songbook, nor is it the songs he wrote for others, including "Get Ready," "The Way You Do the Things You Do" and "My Girl." It's that such productions as "Tears of a Clown" and "The Tracks of My Tears" set the standard for the decade to follow, the greatest in the history of radio. Smokey will perform at 8:30 p.m. in the Emerald Queen Casino.

March 5, 2015 at 6:54am

5 Things To Do Today: There Is No Mountain, Arresting Power, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Andra Taylor and Nate Dodge ...

There Is No Mountain performs at Le Voyeur tonight. Photo credit: Ric Santora

THURSDAY, MARCH 5 2015 >>>

1. Portland's There Is No Mountain is a husband-and-wife duo that seems to set itself up to be just another cutesy, folk-pop duo before sharply and forcefully shifting gears into restlessly experimental trajectory. Kali Giaritta and Matt Harmon bring effortlessly lovely harmonies to the table. Musically, though, their adventurousness is evident. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on There Is No Mountain in the Music & Culture section, then catch the band with Mike Blackburn at 10 p.m.in Le Voyeur.

2. The issue of police misconduct and brutality is certainly not a new one, but the level of activity, allegations and attention have ramped up recently with incidents such as the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the outrageously surreal footage of the shooting death of Antonio Zambrano-Montes by Pasco Police last month. Arresting Power, a new documentary charting nearly 50 years of police brutality in Portland reaches back to the late '60s to examine numerous police killings as well as robust community resistance. The film screens at 6 p.m. in the Capitol Theater.

3. Led by Dr. Anne Lyman, the TCC Voices and TCC Singers perform with Bong Lang Ruamjai, an ensemble from the Thai Buddhist temple Wat Washington Buddhavanaram, at 7:30 p.m. in the Tacoma Community College Bldg. 2 Auditorium. The concert features folk music from the northeast of Thailand, as well as Thai pop and Northern melodies.

4. An extended act of hero worship masquerading as a laugh riot, Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor is filled with one-liners, peopled entirely by folks who either write or want to write jokes, and fairly accurately reflects the three years when many of the gods of 20th century comedy - including Simon, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, and Larry Gelbart - regularly assembled in one room to help make Sid Caesar the funniest man on television. Harlequin Productions will stage the comedy at 8 p.m.

5. Andra Taylor is an indie acoustic singer/songwriter from Philadelphia. Her musical style blends rhythmic guitar work and soulful vocals with thoughtful and provocative lyrics. In 2012 she teamed up with fellow songwriter, Nate Dodge, sold her apartment and set out on tour. Taylor and Dodge form a fiery and energetic duo, merging her indie/Americana with his progressive/alternative and collaborating on each other's tunes. Catch their eclectic, fiery, energetic and versatile show at 9 p.m. in The Swiss.

February 27, 2015 at 7:42am

5 Things To Do Today: International Guitar Night, A Streetcar Named Desire, Nasalrod, Tommy Castro ...

Brazilian jazz master Diego Figuierido performs at the Rialto Theater Feb. 27.

FRIDAY, FEB. 27 2015 >>>

1. If you think the height of guitar music is a stoner's curbside rendition of "Wish You Were," then prepare to have your mind blown. (Seriously - why does every guitarist learn "Wish You Were Here" fresh out of the gate? What's wrong with a little "Bourrée in E Minor?") The Broadway Center for the Performing Arts is serving up an evening of six-string wizardry, brought to you by some of the finest git-axe pickers from around the world - Brian Gore, Andrew York, Diego Figuierido and Maneli Jamal. True, there's no Eddie Van Halen or Tom Morello in the IGN lineup, but we can assure you its artists' lack of household name recognition is undeserved. Catch the 7:30 p.m. concert in the Pantages Theater.

2. When the curtain dropped on the 1947 debut production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, the room - legend has it - was absolutely silent. After a long moment, the stunned audience regained their senses and burst into an ovation that continued for a solid half-hour. University of Puget Sound's production of Williams' classic of love, loss and madness runs through the next two weekends. In the right hands, the play's raw ending (no spoilers here, I promise) still retains the power to take the wind right out of an audience. The word is UPS does just that. The curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. in the Norton Clapp Theatre.

3. We have a hankering for rowdy bluegrass tonight. Maybe it's the rain, the flannel shirts and the switch from Winter Warmers to India Pale Ale. Whatever the case, it's nice. Tacoma's The Cottonwood Cutups are bringing that satisfying pluck and twang and bang to B Sharp Coffee House with McDougall and Nate Dybivek, beginning at 8 p.m.

4. Nasalrod is a lot of goddamn fun. The punk rock Portland foursome create impossibly energetic music that doesn't so much pummel as it grabs you by the shoulders and shakes you about. With stop-start dynamics and gleefully deranged vocals, Nasalrod recall the early days of New Wave and art-rock just as much as the glory days of punk. What makes Nasalrod incredibly exciting, though, is the presence of former Fear member Spit Stix on drums. Having a member of one of the godfathers of punk in your band-and having that person named Spit Stix - is a very Portland thing to have happen. Nasalrod will be joined by C Average and Bullets or Balloons at 8 p.m. in Deadbeat Olympia record store.

5. Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tommy Castro is famed for his signature brand of tough, rocking rhythm and blues. With his eyes and ears firmly on the future, Castro, along with The Painkillers - original Tommy Castro Band bassist Randy McDonald, Bowen Brown on drums and James Pace on keyboards - has stripped his music down to its raw essence as he rockets into the next phase of his storied career. Whatever. Nobody plays roadhouse like this anymore: the rock snarl and the soul heart. His songs don't make you want to sing along; they make you want to scream along. The band hits Jazzbones' stage at 8 p.m.

February 26, 2015 at 7:14am

5 Things To Do Today: JFK program, Olympia Ambassadors benefit, "Angels In America," Barleywine Revue ...

In this public domain photo, President John F. Kennedy rides alongside First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy moments before his death. Hear more about this fateful day tonight in Olympia.

THURSDAY, FEB. 26 2015 >>>

1. We've all seen the footage: President John F. Kennedy in the gleaming dark blue limousine, smiling and waving at the crowd, and then the shot rings out in Dealey Plaza, and everything in a relatively mundane presidential moment has become a piece of history. Author and journalist Dean R. Owen was 7 years old on the day JFK was assassinated. Owen says the tragedy prompted his 30-plus year career in journalism and communications. He will present a multi-media program entitled "John Kennedy: the Man, Myth and Legend," at 7:30 p.m. in the Olympia Timberland Library. The program is based on Owen's book, November 22, 1963: Reflections on the Life, Assassination and Legacy of John F. Kennedy. Owen interviewed nearly 100 people for the book, including White House staff, civil rights leaders, family members of Kennedy, and journalists who covered him. Veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas, who died in 2013, wrote the foreword.

2. From sweeping alleys, to acting as extra eyes and being a familiar friendly face, downtown Olympia businesses have been benefitting from the Olympia Ambassadors. This of course, has been a pick-me-up for downtown retail. Downtown Olympia Ambassadors provide customer service, directions, and city information to all users of downtown. Our 2015 Best of Olympia issue praises the program multiple times. From 4-9 p.m. The Brotherhood Lounge will host a happy hour benefit for the Downtown Ambassadors, donating 50 percent of drink sales to the program.

3. Traveler Pat O'Connor will discuss his expedition to Antarctica and Argentina with pictures and stories of animals and ice at 7 p.m. in the Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County Library.

4. Volcano scribe Christian Carvajal spent last week in the skin of a monster. He's playing Roy Cohn, the very real attorney who guided the knife point of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's Red Scare, then adamantly denied his own homosexuality even as he was dying of AIDS. He's a character in Tony Kushner's landmark, two-part play Angels in America, directed by Nic Olson for Olympia Little Theatre. The show is challenging for both actors and audiences, and it inspires bizarre moments on stage. Read Christian Carvajal's first person account of Angels In America, Part 2: Perestroika on our Walkie Talkie blog, then catch the show at 7:55 p.m.

5. Barleywine Revue is just awesome. The band writes and performs contemporary, relevant bluegrass and Americana music while paying homage to the traditions that have come in generations before ... think Bill Monroe meets Bill Withers. Oh man, that's fresh! Catch the band with Squirrel Butter at 7 p.m. in The Swiss Restaurant & Pub.

February 25, 2015 at 10:32am

Wrestling with "Angels": behind the scenes at Olympia Little Theatre

Bonnie Vandver as Ethel Rosenberg and Christian Carvajal as Al Capone, er, Roy Cohn, costar in OLT's "Angels in America." Photo credit: Austin Lang, courtesy OLT

I spent last week in the skin of a monster. I'm playing Roy Cohn, the very real attorney who guided the knife point of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's Red Scare, then adamantly denied his own homosexuality even as he was dying of AIDS. He's a character in Tony Kushner's landmark, two-part play Angels in America, directed by Nic Olson for Olympia Little Theatre. The show is challenging for both actors and audiences, and it inspires bizarre moments on stage.

OLT's new artistic director Kendra Malm was delivering Thursday-night house announcements when suddenly, a stack of boxes that forms a set wall leaned over and collapsed. The destruction of that wall, and the emergence of an angel through the breach, mark the climax of Part 1, Millennium Approaches. "I don't think that was supposed to happen," Malm announced accurately. No one was standing anywhere near the structure, which remained upright for 21 hours prior to the fall. This sort of thing makes actors believe in theater ghosts.

We performed for a larger house on Friday. As per OLT custom, we greeted departing guests as they passed through the lobby after the three-hour show. An audience member (and frequent OLT actor) came over to shake my hand. "Hey, do you watch that show Breaking Bad?" she asked. I replied it was one of my favorites. "Your Cohn kinda reminds me of that lawyer," she mused, meaning Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk). I threw my arms in a V and claimed victory for the night. Last Friday, at least, I won Angels in America. That may be my favorite audience compliment ever.

By Saturday we were inured to the occasional walkout. (This show pushes people's buttons.) We agree it was our finest performance of Millennium Approaches, and the crowd responded warmly. Sunday? Not so much. An audience member shook my hand and asked, "How do you do all that yelling?" Another complimented each of us in turn before arriving at the last actor in line, Anthony Neff. Instead of praising Neff's performance as Joe, he announced, "You need to speak up more," then strode out the door.

Still, you have to hand it to any audience member who sits through, and tracks with, an epic night of theater that makes David Mamet sound like the Disney Channel. Even a brief male-male sex scene, which caused pandemonium in the college theater where I played Louis 22 years ago, rose nary an eyebrow over the weekend. A number of patrons vowed they'd be back for Part 2. I hope they will. It'd be a shame to play one of the worst guys in history for my own amusement. Actually, I'm not sure what that'd say about me at all. If you're curious about the show but missed Part 1, give it a go. You can always ask the house manager for a recap as we patch up the ghost-demolished set.

ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART 2: PERESTROIKA, 7:55 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1:55 p.m. Sunday, through March 1, Olympia Little Theatre, 1925 Miller Ave. NE, Olympia, $8, 360.786.9484

Filed under: Theater, Olympia,

February 22, 2015 at 9:26am

5 Things To Do Today: Academy Awards parties, "The Miracle Worker," Bob Rivers, DJ Qualifi ...

In the immortal words of "Unforgiven" - “deserve’s got nothin’ to do with it.” Enjoy the ceremony as part of a lively conversation about contemporary movies.

SUNDAY, FEB. 22 2015 >>>

1. Thanks to The Grand Cinema in Tacoma and Olympia Film Society in Olympia, you can not only stroll the red carpet in your Sunday finest, you might also win one of several fabulous prizes. Show up to Theatre on the Square in a movie costume (Death to Smoochy, anyone?), and you could snag 250 bucks. That'd buy a crap ton of popcorn! Another prize up for grabs is a "Golden Ticket" good for movie admission any time till the next Oscar ceremony. Both events feature great food and drinks, and remember, your odds of winning an Academy Award of your own this year are exactly as good as Jennifer Aniston's or Daniel Oyelowo's! You'll be in beautiful company, in more towns than one. Megastar selfie! Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on the 87th Academy Awards parties in Tacoma and Olympia in the Music & Culture section, then arrive at the Theatre on the Square or Capitol Theater at 5 p.m.

2. Nena Curley was 14 years old when she performed the role of Sarah, one of the blind girls, in the Lakewood Playhouse 2003 production of The Miracle Worker. Twelve years later, Curley is the stage manager and production manager for the theater company's current production of The Miracle Worker, William Gibson's inspiring 1959 drama about blind, deaf and mute child Helen Keller and teacher Annie Sullivan's extraordinary efforts to communicate with her, which hits the stage at 2 p.m.

3. The Gig Harbor Film Festival folks are also hosting an Oscar Party at 4 p.m. in The Hub in Gig Harbor. Dinner will be served as well as red carpet pictures and a champagne toast. The Hub will have a big screen and all the other dialed into the red carpet and the Oscar ceremony. The Gig Harbor Film Festival will have film directors on hand and other local celebrities. Your $50 ticket helps finance this year's Gig Harbor Film Festival.

4. Seattle radio personality Bob Rivers will host a night of Northwest comedians at 8 p.m. in the Tacoma Comedy Club.

5. If you are looking for a crunk, trapped out, hustle-music haven then check out Champions every Sunday at 9 p.m. DJ Qualifi keeps the beats bangin' - deep bass, booty music, trap music, D-Boy/Girl music. ... All. Night. Long.  This is officially one of the spots to hit if you want to appear like you're in a 2015 rap video. Twerkin' will happen. Yeah, Champions is a hole in the wall type bar/club, but it is where Tacoma rocks on a Sunday.

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News and entertainment from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s most awesome weekly newspapers - The Ranger, Northwest Airlifter and Weekly Volcano.

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2015
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2014
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2013
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2012
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2011
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2007
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2006
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December