Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: 'Theater' (658) Currently Viewing: 51 - 60 of 658

December 8, 2014 at 7:59am

5 Things To Do Today: "Horns," Directors' Lab, Audio Elixir, Derek Nelson Quartet ...

There's not much sympathy for the devil in the small Washington hometown of Ig Perrish (Daniel Radcliffe).

MONDAY, DEC. 8 2014 >>>

1. After his girlfriend is murdered, suspicion falls on Ig (Daniel Radcliffe). He claims he didn't do it, and sets out to prove it. Along the way, he gets drunk a lot and grows a set of devil horns (!), which prove to be a useful detecting tool. Alexandre Aja's dark-comedy-mystery hybrid Horns is adapted from Joe Hill's novel, and finds the Harry Potter actor taking yet another step away from his iconic kiddie role for darker adult fare. Catch the film at 6:30 p.m. in the Capitol Theater.

2. The South Hill Book Discussion Group will discuss Rosewater and Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran - the story of mouthwatering recipes that add enchantment to the warmth radiating from an Iranian family in Ireland and their big-hearted Italian landlady - at 7 p.m. in the South Hill Library.

3. University of Puget Sound Theater Department matches scenes from six plays with student directors and actors in its Directors' Lab series at 7:30 p.m. in the Norton Clapp Theatre in Jones Hall. Six scenes run the gamut from dramatic to absurd. There is classic mythology involving dangerous street kids, a slice-of-life set in the Russian countryside at the end of the 19th century, a man worries his wife is becoming a bag lady, an exploration of unknowability of love and the mysteries of science, a husband brings his wife to meet the family for the first time, and a moral play that takes an honest look at the issues of commitment and fidelity in today's world. It's a festival of scenes.

4. Drummer Glenn Hummel, guitarist Brian Olver and bassist Rick Robinson are Audio Elixir, an R&B band playing The Swiss at 8 p.m.

5. Intimate interpretations of jazz standards and blues featuring Derek Nelson on tenor and bari saxes, Phil Lawson on jazz guitar, Steve Luceno on upright bass and Dave Snodgrass on drums as the Derek Nelson Quartet performs at 8 p.m. in Rhythm and Rye. The group will slip in some jazz interpretations of holiday tunes for the season.

LINK: Monday, Dec. 8 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

December 6, 2014 at 2:31pm

Photos: Repeal Prohibition Day Celebration at Olympia's Capitol Theater

Nani Poonani was one of several TUSH! Burlesque performers at the Repeal Prohibition Day Celebration at Olympia's Capitol Theater Dec. 5. Photo credit: Red Williamson

When the country outlawed alcohol in 1920, millions of Americans turned to a clandestine network of speakeasies and bootleggers in search of a stiff drink.

The 18th Amendment, which banned the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol, ushered in an era of prohibition and gave rise to organized crime, whose bootlegging operations flourished over the 13 dry years.

Dec. 5, 1933, passage of the 21st Amendment, brought an end to Prohibition.

You might think there are already enough reasons to party in December. You might think there are enough holidays prominently featuring the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

You would be wrong.

The anniversary of the day Prohibition was repealed, Dec. 5, is fast becoming a favorite holiday for nightlife - and certainly for bartenders. Once again, Olympia jumped on the bandwagon (or should that be off the wagon?) with an Olympia Film Society sponsored Repeal Prohibition Day Celebration - a night of burlesque, craft cocktails and fabulous fashion at the Capitol Theater. Olympia craft bartenders mixed pre-Prohibition era cocktails while members of The Greta Jane Quartet - with Prof. Andrew Dorsett on the Barrelhouse piano - filled the 1924 movie palace with classic mid-century jazz.

Besides the drinks and music, the evening - hosted by storyteller and actress Elizabeth Lord - included sultry stripping by Olympia's TUSH! Burlesque troupe lead by the fabulous funny Ms. Hattie Hotpants.

Photographer Red Williamson of Newspin Photo captured last night's gratuitous debauchery, lavish carousing and general tomfoolery. Below are a few of his photographs. To see his whole album of shots, visit his website here.

Olympia, you look awesome.

December 5, 2014 at 7:58am

5 Things To Do Today: Janis Lives, "Bestial Mirrors," BareFoot Collective vs "Ich Hunger," Pirate Karaoke ...

Sherrie Voxx Minter is Janis Joplin. Photo credit: Bill Bungard Photography

FRIDAY, DEC. 5 2014 >>>

1. With a blues soul and a rock & roll recklessness, Janis Joplin was the ultimate female rock figure. Probably it was the mingling of substances that opened her up so fully, but she poured her emotions through her music and every cracking sob and stomped-on feeling is audible. Even when she's howling, she's vulnerable, her deep-bottom voice is the true sound of a woman in pain. Sherrie Voxx Minter, the voice behind the old school rock band Voxxy Vallejo, doesn't have the pain, but has performed many times before folks who whispered, "She sounds like Janis Joplin." At 7 p.m., "Ah-ha!" will fill Jazzbones as Voxxy fronts the Joplin tribute band Janis Lives, sponsored by her other gig, NWCZ.com radio.

2. Tacoma artist Kellë McLaughlin's "Bestial Mirrors" is meant to give something back as a tribute to all the people who have supported her as an artist. The pieces in the show are animal heads on human bodies, and each is representative of a member of the Tacoma community. Each animal is a "reflection" of the person depicted in the piece. The show is a mix of traditional Japanese woodcut prints and ceramic sculptures, heavily skewed toward the former. That's a change for McLaughlin, who considers herself primarily a ceramic artist. But she's been doing woodcuts and prints for years. Mostly she did them just for fun, but when she started selling prints and T-shirts, they became popular in Tacoma. Read Kevin Knodell's full feature on Kellë McLaughlin in the Music & Culture section., then attend the opening reception from 5 to 9 p.m. at Fulcrum Gallery.

3. Over a year ago, local punk bands took off their shirts and trashed about The New Frontier Lounge. Nestled in between the snarls, Tacoma filmmaker Isaac Olsen screened his German expressionist film, Ich Hunger, while Tacoma dance troupe BareFoot Collective translated the film's imagery into free-form dance. Es war sehr gut! As the film flickered that night, an idea flickered in his head. "What if I could convince the Tacoma Arts Commission to help me take this to the Broadway Center?" Auf geht's! The spectacle, as Olsen calls it, will hit Broadway. Olsen's tale of a creature-boy roaming the German wilderness and devouring the village's hapless tourists will, once again, pair with the BareFoot Collective's elegant performance, this time in Studio 3 at the Broadway Center, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

4. You know the story: Ebenezer Scrooge is a miser who couldn't give a fig about his fellow man. He's dismissive toward his nephew, his only remaining family member; abusive toward his impoverished employee, Bob Cratchit; and just a miserable wretch in general. In the days leading up to Christmas 1843, Scrooge is haunted by his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. This is not a social call. Marley - doomed to forever walk the earth alone, in death as he did in life - warns Scrooge that he has one chance to mend his wicked ways, and so Scrooge will be visited by three ghosts who will teach him the lessons of Christmas. Tacoma Little Theatre presents the holiday classic Scrooge! The Musical with book, music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusseat at 7:30 p.m.

5. At Bob's Java Jive, there's a recurring event called "Pirate Karaoke," where you're not only encouraged to sing like a pirate; you can dress like one, too. Imagine, if you will, Lucky the Shoulder Parrot joining you in a stirring round of "Come As You ARRRR!" in the same dive where Kurt Cobain himself used to put away brewskis. Your host Bowan the Black offers a library of 100,000 songs including Styx's "Come Sail Away" and Selena Gomez's "Lubber in Me." (Sorry.) If you're lucky, you'll enjoy the company of rowdy cosplayers The Black Bank, Criminal Dawn, The Feisty Felines or House Madrasa. If not, your rendition of "Don't Stop Believin'" will earn you a stroll down the plank. The song pillage begins at 9 p.m.

LINK: Friday, Dec. 5 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

December 4, 2014 at 7:44am

5 Things To Do Today: Seattle Men's Chorus, Tacoma Runners, Brian James, The Head That Wouldn't Die! ...

Who better to highlight all of the campy, fun and ... well ... gay apparel they have to wear during the holiday season than Seattle Men's Chorus. Courtesy photo

THURSDAY, DEC. 4 2014 >>>

1. Did you know Seattle boasts one of the largest community choruses in America? Did you know that justly revered group is making its way south to Tacoma this week? Better recognize! The Seattle Men's Chorus is celebrating its 35th season, so all 300-plus members are dressed up with someplace to go - 8 p.m. at the Pantages Theater. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on ...Our Gay Apparel in the Music and Culture section, then go see their holiday show tonight.

2. The city of Lacey invites the community to join in the 19th annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree along with the additional lighting of Huntamer Park at 6 p.m. The old-fashioned tree lighting ceremony will feature caroling by the Komachin Middle School United Voices choir, with more than 100 children led by Marci Ellefritz. Free popcorn and hot cocoa will be provided, along with a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus aboard the Santa Mobile from the Lacey Fire Department. River Ridge Jazz Ensemble will also perform.

3. Let's talk Tacoma Runners, cause you know we love them ... from a safe distance at the donut counter. As it does every Thursday, the running group will gather at 6:30 p.m. outside a venue, stretch a bit, listen to Rob McNair-Huff describe the 3-mile route, then hit the pavement. What started as seven people running to justify post beers has turned into a giant mass of people running ... to justify post beers and to be social. Speaking of social, that's exactly where Thursday's run starts and ends - at The Social Bar and Grill. Why not run the Museum of Glass stairs and really feel good about the Social Manhattan.

4. On a beautiful day in 1963, the brilliant intern Dr. Bill Cortner and his fiancé, Jan, are involved in an auto accident, in which Jan is decapitated. Using his new experimental serum, Bill manages to keep Jan alive. In a race against the clock Bill begins a search for the perfect body for his darling Jan. Discover what happen next at 8 p.m. in The Midnight Sun Performance Space when Theater Artists Olympia stage a new adaptation of the classic B movie The Brain That Wouldn't Die ... the all-original musical The Head! That Wouldn't Die!

5. Brian James is an accomplished singer/songwriter and instrumentalist who was hired in 2008 as the head staff writer at Sure-Fire Music Publishing in Nashville where he wrote hit songs for four years, before starting his own publishing/management company, Brick Hit House Music. He wrote the theme song for the Discovery Channel's American Farmer, as well as songs for Taylor Hicks, Donny Anderson and Tonya Kennedy. Catch him at 8 p.m. in The Swiss.

LINK: Thursday, Dec. 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

December 1, 2014 at 12:16pm

Nerd Alert! Trailers for Jurassic World and The Force Awakens, big theater week, anaconda to eat Paul Rosolie's head ...

The "Jurassic World" trailer shows the park opening, the two stars and some dinosaurs, all to a slightly chilling piano rendition of the original film’s theme.

Chomping the shark, 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 submit to you, Gentle Reader, that last week was among the most exciting in recent geek history. No sooner had Rev. Adam posted his Nerd Alert for the week than Universal pulled a surprise move, undercutting its own countdown clock by two days and releasing the Jurassic World teaser to an Internet clamoring for a break from sad Missouri news. I'm a dino buff from way back, so this teaser left stirrings in my genes. ("Ooh, it's Mr. DNA!") To answer your first objection, yes, the raptors are actually an overgrown version of a species called Deinonychus and have way too few feathers. Also, that big mothergator in the lagoon, the one that noshes on Bruce in a sly jab at executive producer Steven Spielberg, is a Mosasaurus - a Cretaceous leviathan almost 60 feet long that probably did swallow sharks whole, then digest them over time like an anaconda or the all-powerful sarlacc. Incidentally, look closely the next time you watch the teaser: those raptors aren't hunting Chris Pratt; they're hunting with him. They're in his motorcycle gang; and if that doesn't make Pratt the coolest dude on our planet, then I'm a veggie-saurus. Jurassic World comes out on my 47th birthday, because I am down with Jeebus.

"There has been an awakening. Have you felt it?" Based on how drastically my Internet slowed down Friday morning, I'll freaking bet you have. The Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser was released to near-ubiquitous fanfare, especially the John Williams fanfare that hailed the reappearance of the Millennium Falcon to the saga. Between TIE fighters, X-wings, new characters, cruciform lightsabers, snowy forest planets, soccerbots and what sure as hell sounds like Benedict Cumberbatch intoning his lines through a swig of battery acid, the 88-second teaser offered just enough to whet our appetite to the breaking point without giving away anything of significance. That's impressive for a teaser over a year in advance. I watched it alone in a dark room with my childhood so my wife wouldn't catch me having petit mal geek seizures.

THURSDAY, DEC. 4

Thursday, Christopher Walken stars as Captain Hook in NBC's second stab at Twitter-bait musical theater, Peter Pan Live! That exclamation point's emphatically theirs, by the way. I see live musical theater all the time, made by people who know what they're doing, yet have a hell of a time getting most people to give a wet slap about it. So if you insist on bypassing the three, count 'em, three live musicals opening this weekend in the South Sound in order to watch Marnie from Girls play a boy on a wire, that's on you. Otherwise, Joann Varnell and I will be at The Head That Wouldn't Die (Theater Artists Olympia), Scrooge: The Musical (Tacoma Little Theatre) or A Year With Frog and Toad (Lakewood Playhouse). The Stardust Christmas Commotion is still packing 'em in at Harlequin Productions. I'll also review Olympia Little Theatre's take on Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park, which opens Friday. There's no singing or flying, but I hear Lena Dunham gets naked in it.

SUNDAY, DEC. 7

On Discovery's Eaten Alive, environmentalist Paul Rosolie goads an anaconda into eating his head. That's an actual show, folks. I'm not even kidding. He can do this trick once.

TUESDAY, DEC. 9

I already clued you in to Thursday's Blu-ray and DVD release of Guardians of the Galaxy, so instead I ask you to pick up your visual scanning and look at a couple of books. Frank Portman's 2006 YA novel King Dork was one of my favorites that year. It's a cross between Catcher in the Rye and High Fidelity, in which high school sophomore Tom Henderson navigates the tricky adolescent social sphere six years after his cop father's death. Now Portman offers a sequel, King Dork Approximately, in which Henderson is still in the 10th-grade but unlocks the challenging "first girlfriend" level. No less an authority than John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) said, "Basically, if you are a human being with even a vague grasp of the English language, King Dork will rock your world." I have nothing further, Your Honor.

Then there's Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz, in which an American Pinkerton detective, the aptly-named Frederick Chase, awaits Moriarty's nefarious successor. Remember, Sherlock Holmes pushed "the Napoleon of crime" to his just demise at the Reichenbach Falls ... or did he? That's the tension driving the action of a novel endorsed by the Conan Doyle estate. Personally, they had me at "Sherlock," but if you need more, consider this: the London Daily Mail calls Moriarty "the finest crime novel of the year." Read it now before the inevitable movie starring Pratt as Dr. John Watson, Christopher Walken as Moriarty, and Kristen Stewart as Holmes' sad, empty chair.

Sons of Anarchy wraps Tuesday. I've never seen the show, but here's a spoiler anyway: everyone dies except Horatio and Fortinbras. Meanwhile, Square Enix releases a new co-op Tomb Raider adventure, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, in which the titular British adventurer must crisscross Egypt in search of yet another ancient MacGuffin. What was that? No, I said "titular," meaning "mentioned in the title." Why are you snickering?

Until next week, may the Force be with you, may the odds be ever in your favor, and if Kristen Stewart chases you, run.

November 29, 2014 at 9:04am

5 Things To Do Today: SweetKiss Momma on Ice, Mr. Scott's Hot Vinyl Party, Sister's Christmas Catechism, The Deleted ...

Ice Skate to Southern rock band SweetKiss Momma tonight.

SATURDAY, NOV. 29 2014 >>>

1. Once, in college, you fell while ice-skating, and sliced open your left shin with the blade on your right foot. It was bloody and embarrassing but kind of farcical - the EMTs who came to retrieve you off the ice didn't have skates on, so they were falling, too. Even after that, you still want to skate the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink. You're awesome. Tonight, from 7-9 p.m. SweetKiss Momma will perform at the ice rink. The Puyallup band draws from several eras of Southern rock, from the heavy blues of their new Nashville-produced CD A Reckoning Is Coming's title track to the Wilco-ish lilt of "Same Old Stories" and "Laura Rose," the arena-sized stomps and handclaps of "For the Last Time" to the silly organ-led jaunt of "Birthday Cake."

2. Desco Audio & Video in Olympia is rockin' Small Business Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Mr. Scott's Hot Vinyl Party - a throw back to the '70s HiFi Days and celebrating vinyl and the people that love it. Bring in your turntable and up to five records, and get a free turntable tune-up and record cleaning. Your records will be professionally cleaned using Last Factory fluid and Desco's Music Hall Record Vacuum machine. Then returned to you in a new, anti-static, archival-quality sleeve. Then, kick back in their listening room and your records (and their records) on state-of-the-art equipment by Music Hall, Rotel and Bowers & Wilkins.

3. For most Brits, a visit to the local theatre to see the pantomime is as much part of the Christmas season as turkey is to an American's Thanksgiving. What is particularly appealing to the Brits is the exuberant traditions of "panto." This kind of pantomime is anything but silent. It's loud, boisterous, full of music, ridiculous humor and audience participation. The Centerstage panto version of Jack and the Beanstalk by Paul Hendy follows the traditional story of a young boy living with his widowed mother and a milk cow who is their only source of income and their subsequent involvement with a family of giants. Check it out at 2 and 7 p.m.

4. You don't have to be Catholic or a recovering Catholic to be wowed by the colorful and explosive Sister. Since 1993, Sister transforms from being a kindly instructor who rewards the audience for correct answers (prizes include glow-in-the-dark rosaries and laminated saint cards) to being more of a disciplinarian. It's a show that's been lauded by The New York Times for "(speaking) to an audience much broader than the membership of any one church." The Broadway Center presents a new version of the show, sort of a "CSI goes to Bethlehem." Sister takes on the mystery that has intrigued historians throughout the ages - whatever happened to the Magi's gold? You'll hear the retelling the story of the nativity, as only Sister can, in a hilarious holiday show Sister's Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi's Gold at 3 p.m. in the Pantages Theater. Afterward, the annual Holiday Tree Lightning community hug goes down at 5 p.m. in front of the Pantages.

5. The Deleted are a band that freely say that they're hillbillies, but something tells us there's a healthy amount of sarcasm in that statement. The pop-punk band hails from Port Orchard, and it's true that there's a bit of rowdiness in their music that could recall a messy punk party in a honky tonk. Still, their song "Drunk'n Cowboy" has a good amount of loathsome venom in their lyrics describing the kind of awful white trash dude who molests his wife, beats his kids and has a "two-inch dick." Catch the band with Klondike Kate, Godfish and Rain City Rebels at 8 p.m. in Bob's Java Jive.

LINK: Saturday, Nov. 29 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 17, 2014 at 1:54pm

Nerd Alert! Mockingjay, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, geeky gift suggestions ...

The games are over, but the cash-in continues. Photo courtesy of Moviestore Collection/REX

Volunteering as tribute, 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.

THURSDAY, NOV. 20

Despite the enduring success of Chess and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, perhaps no geek musical ever has been more popular than Little Shop of Horrors. Let's face it, Audrey (I) and Seymour speak to the dweebs in all of us. He just wants to grow a man-eating plant, and she just hopes she'll survive another date with her sadistic boyfriend. OK, so maybe they're not terrific role models. The point is, I for one never get tired of seeing it live on stage, perhaps because the original finale is grimmer than the version we know from the 1986 film adaptation. Frank Oz, Muppeteer, Jedi Master and director of that movie, even shot the stage ending, but it tanked with preview audiences. (A black-and-white workprint of that reshot conclusion was unearthed a few years ago and included in recent video releases.) Anyway, North Thurston High completes its run of the show this weekend. It's always fun to watch fresh-faced adolescents evoke bloodlust and sadomasochistic relationships on stage. "That thing went bang, kaboom, and he's havin' some fun now." 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, North Thurston High School, 600 Sleater Kinney Rd. NE, Lacey, $6-$10, 360.412.4800

When last we left our heroine Katniss Everdeen, she'd just been yoinked by insurgents and informed storm troopers under the command of President Snow (Donald Sutherland) burned her home state, District 12, to the ground. This was followed by some of the finest eyeball acting in cinema history, courtesy of America's klutziest sweetheart, Jennifer Lawrence. Fellow Hunger Gamers Peeta and Johanna (Jena Malone, in a memorably sexy performance) were captured and taken to the Capitol, where they'll be used as pawns against a rising rebellion. The success of this series' previous installment, Catching Fire, was good news for anyone who wanted book three, Mockingjay, to be lavishly envisioned, bad news for anyone who wanted it to fit into a single holiday movie. So Thursday night marks the sneak opening of The Hunger Games Colon Mockingjay Em Dash Part Numeral 1 Comma Electric Boogaloo, and thank Suzanne Collins and Lionsgate we only have one year to wait till the grand conclusion in Part 2.

Speaking of long, goofy titles, Disney recently announced Star Wars, Episode VII will be henceforth known as Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The phrase "Episode VII," in fact, appears only in the December 2015 installment's iconic opening crawl. It's hard to complain about that subtitle, actually, to the extent that even Internet haters have given up trying. Instead they've returned to making troglodytic fools of themselves over Gamergate.

This being MY last Nerd Alert before Black Friday, it's time to offer geeky gift suggestions. And hey, if you've enjoyed this column these last few years, far be it from me to restrain you from buying any of this fine swag for your humble commentator!

Let's start with the Blu-ray of the year: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy comes loaded with hours of special features, including more of respawned Groot and another '70s classic from Star-Lord's Sony Walkman. True, the movie won't hit video till Dec. 9, but feel free to preorder it for me, I mean a loved one, right now.

If for some bizarre reason your gamer buddies don't yet own Titanfall, now's your chance to pay it forward till Halo: Spartan Strike hits Dec. 12. Wort, wort, wort!

It's a year old, but I for one would swoon over the gift of Battlestar Galactica Vault: The Complete History of the Series, 1978-2012, an abundantly illustrated coffee table compendium that follows the saga all the way from its origins as a cheesy Star Wars knockoff through Caprica and Blood & Chrome. And if you know what Blood & Chrome is, then you're probably a superfan who should just buy the frakkin' thing for yourself.

Until next week, may the Force be with you, may the odds be ever in your favor, and so say we all.

November 14, 2014 at 8:03am

5 Things To Do Today: Warren Miller film, "Uncle Vanya," The Paperboys, Glass Elevator ...

Warren Miller’s ski film "No Turning Back" pays homage to the 65 years of mountain culture and adventure filmmaking that has taken the legendary filmmaker around the world. Courtesy of Warren Miller Entertainment

FRIDAY, NOV. 14 2014 >>>

1. Warren Miller Entertainment's latest film, No Turning Back, was shot and produced by cinematographer Josh Haskins, working closely with ski racer Chris Anthony. It follows a cadre of elite snowboarders and skiers from Montana to Mount Olympus. (Yes, Greece has an actual Mount Olympus. It rises to 9570 feet. Opa!) The film takes stunning side trips to Norway, the Swiss Alps, Chugach Mountain peaks in Alaska and deep powder in Niseka, Japan. World-class athletes make the slopes look fairly easy, but even reaching some of these exotic locations can be daunting. Despite these difficulties, Haskins and his crew have done it again: they've immortalized feats of human daring and athleticism by freezing breakneck action into slow-motion glory. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on No Turning Back in the Music & Culture section, then catch the flick at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. in the Washington Center.

2. The grand passage of Tacoma history past and present, so well preserved in the city's buildings, will be front and center when the City of Tacoma's Community and Economic Development Department and the Planning and Development Services Department's Historic Preservation Office hosts the Adaptive Reuse Open House and Harmon Brewery Tour. Appetizers will be available as attendees explore one of Tacoma's largest and most successful adaptive reuse projects, the 1908 Harmon building, and learn more about how historic preservation creates economic opportunity. "Adaptive reuse of existing and historic buildings has been the backbone of Tacoma's redevelopment - be it in downtown or within our neighborhood mixed-use centers," said Tacoma Councilmember David Boe. "Projects have ranged from Union Station becoming a Federal Courthouse to the collection of warehouses on Pacific Avenue into the University of Washington-Tacoma campus. I'm excited to host this event and share my experience with adaptive reuse as an architect in Tacoma." The tour begins at 5 p.m. in the Harmon Brewery & Eatery. RSVP at 253.591.5254.

3. Vanya and his niece, Sonya, lead predictable lives, keeping their emotions buttoned up while maintaining a country estate and sending all the profits from their work to Vanya's brother-in-law. But, their daily routine quickly unravels with the return of the brother-in-law, a retired professor named Serebryakov, and his young, very beautiful wife, Yelena, who manages to trigger within the entire family hidden passions born of unrequited love, thwarted ambition and enduring hope. This is the plot of what many consider to be Anton Chekhov's greatest play, Uncle Vanya, which will be presented by the Saint Martin's University Theatre Arts Program at 7:30 p.m. in Kreielsheimer Hall.

4. The Paperboys were formed by Mexican born, Tom Landa in the mid-‘90s in Vancouver, B.C. In a music scene dominated by flannel and grunge, Tom had a vision of forming a band that fused folk, Celtic and bluegrass music with pop and rock. He was armed with a dozen of self-penned tunes and a lot of drive and ambition. After finding a group of musicians who shared common musical interests, they recorded their first CD and set to tour across Canada in a used van they bought for 500 bucks. At 8 p.m., The Paperboys will takeover Jazzbones.

5. Where the hell has Glass Elevator been? It's been 15 months since their last live show. Well, the band's tight-wound stony brand of rock is back for a 9 p.m. show at Metcalf Manor. Crowd the Sky will open the show with their unique blend of organic electronica. Fruit Juice will follow with booty shaking glamorous pop so catchy you'll find yourself wondering why you don't know these songs already.

LINK: Friday, Nov. 14 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 9, 2014 at 9:34am

5 Things To Do Today: Mexican music, theater runs end, Super Secret Comedy Show ...

Sebastien de la Cruz will command the stage at the Pantages Theater today.

SUNDAY, NOV. 9 2014 >>>

1. The sweet, soothing, and sentimental sounds of mariachi music are an effective antidote to an overdose of loud, searing, angst-ridden rock or rap. Music, lest we forget, can be delightful, gay and harmonious; for many centuries it was actually prized for these very qualities! Mariachi music is unabashedly sweet, with heart-melting harmonies; do yourself a favor and help yourself to beautiful music at the Fiesta, Familia, Folklore! music and dance show at Tacoma's Pantages Theater at 3 p.m. The event promises to provide an authentic regional representation of Mexican music through the use of traditional songs and dances. Feed off of the inspiring youthful exuberance of Mariachi Huenachi. Witness the vibrant pageantry of ballet folklórico of Bailadores de Bronce. Hear the young singer from San Antonio, Sebastien de la Cruz, who has won the nation's heart. Fall off the mechanical bull. Wait! Apparently, no bull.

2. Tacoma Art Museum's "INK THIS" exhibit ends today. It's the last day to see prints that are not what they used to be. Not that artists do not still make etchings, lithographs and silkscreen prints, but what they do with these and other print media - often in inventive and never-before-thought-of combinations and employing new digital technologies - can be like nothing ever before seen. See the exhibit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. The last show of Tacoma Little Theatre's staging of the classic tale of crime and betrayal, Dial "M" for Murder, is at 2 p.m. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full review of Dial "M" for Murder in the Music & Culture section.

4. The last show of Olympia Little Theatre's Red Herring is at 1:55 p.m. Read Amanda Stevens' full review of Red Herring in the Music & Culture Section.

5. Jubal Flagg is back with his Super Secret Show at 8 p.m. in the Tacoma Comedy Club. What is his Super Secret Show? Well ... its super secret. Watch Jubal force six comedians to do some crazy stuff. What kind of crazy stuff? It's a secret. We can't tell you.

LINK: Sunday, Nov. 9 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 7, 2014 at 7:57am

5 Things To Do Today: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Olympia Film Festival, "Little Women," the Harvey Girls ...

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band performs at the Pantages Theater tonight.

FRIDAY, NOV. 7 2014 >>>

1. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band have perfected their blend of jug-band tunes, folk-rock and bluegrass over the past four decades, scoring a number of chart-topping singles on the Billboard country charts, weaving its California sound into the history of country music with "Mr. Bojangles" and "Fishin' in the Dark," the band's most recognizable songs. After many personnel changes over the years, today the core Dirt Band - a quartet now - features original founders Jeff Hanna (guitar) and Jimmie Fadden (drums), along with longtime alums John McEuen (banjo/mandolin, etc.) and Bob Carpenter (piano/keyboard). The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Pantages Theater.

The Olympia Film Festival enters its 31st year with style. Opening with a performance from Girl Trouble and Mudhoney tonight, the Olympia Film Festival has an embarrassment of riches with regards to the breadth and variety of the films coming to the Capitol Theater. "The opening night movie is going to be awesome," says Olympia Film Society Marketing and Events Coordinator Harry Reetz. "It's called My Last Year With the Nuns. It's sort of a memoir-comedy-documentary. Sort of like a Spalding Gray movie, where it's basically just a monologue, but it's surprisingly good. It didn't look like something I would enjoy, but it's really funny." The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m.

3. It's too bad Little Women has a stigma for being a "chick" story. Once you get past the four sisters at the center of Louisa May Alcott's novel-turned-stage play, it's hard for everyone - regardless of gender - not to enjoy the sweet, timeless story. Enjoy the Lakewood Playhouse's rendering of the story at 8 p.m. - and if you're a dude who ends up having to wipe a little something out of your eye, there's no shame in it.

4. There's a slinkiness to the Harvey Girls that damn near undeniable. The Portland trio combines a music history lesson's worth of influences into something that resembles a soul-singing diva fronting an art-pop group from the UK or New Zealand. The arrangements are simple and sprightly, forming a skeletally charged structure that hums with energy. Catch the band with Blackstone RNGRS, Tender Age and No Body at 8 p.m. in Northern.

5. Fresh from reincarnating Courtney Love and Hole for Night of the Living Tribute Bands 2014, Oly's all-grrl rock trio Full Moon Radio will blow the roof off the Midnight Sun at 9 p.m. (That's a shame, as Theater Artists Olympia just repaired and repainted the joint.) Even better, the event is free! Even better better, Full Moon Radio kicks major ass, as evidenced by the band's recent album Best Mother. It's also a good chance to catch up-and-comers Globelamp and Jupiter Stripes on the bill.

LINK: Friday, Nov. 7 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

About this blog

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

Recent Comments

Walkie Talkies said:

Thanks for posting! But I want say that Walkie Talkies are really required while organizing fun...

about COMMENT OF THE DAY: "low brow’s" identity revealed?

Humayun Kabir said:

Really nice album. I have already purchased Vedder's Album. Listening to the song of this album,...

about Eddie Vedder’s "Ukulele Songs" available today - and I don’t hold a candle to that shit

AndrewPehrson said:

Your post contains very beneficial content. Kindly keep sharing such post.

about Vote for Tacoman Larry Huffines on HGTV!

Shimul Kabir said:

Vedder's album is really nice. I have heard attentively

about Eddie Vedder’s "Ukulele Songs" available today - and I don’t hold a candle to that shit

marble exporters in India said:

amazing information for getting the new ideas thanks for sharing a post

about 5 Things To Do Today: Art Chantry, DIY home improvement, "A Shot In The Dark" ...

Archives

2024
January, February, March
2023
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2022
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2021
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2020
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2019
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2018
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2017
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2016
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
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