Out and About: ‘Swan Lake’ ballet, burlesque fest, well-known wit, new farmers market
Dive into ‘Swan Lake’
Ballet Northwest’s “Swan Lake,” opening Friday, May 6, marks the company’s return to its longtime tradition of performing a full-length ballet over the Mother’s Day weekend. The classic, with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, tells the story of a princess who has been turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer. Guest artist Brian Simcoe, a principal dancer with Oregon Ballet Theatre in Portland, will dance the role of Prince Siegfried, who falls in love with the enchanted princess. Elina Brein of Chehalis plays Odette, the enchanted princess. Jacob Brein, Elina’s brother, plays the sorcerer, and Jolie Alonso of Tumwater plays Odile, the sorcerer’s daughter. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 6; 5 p.m. Saturday, May 7; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 8, at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $14-$35. Audience members are encouraged to wear masks at center events.
Burlesque fest debuts
Olympia’s Tush Burlesque is putting on the first Pacific Northwest Burlesque Festival, a two-day event that was originally scheduled for — you guessed it — 2020. The festival, happening Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, includes a mix of local dancers and performers from across the country. And the spectacle will go beyond burlesque to include comedy, circus arts and more. The frolicking begins at 8 p.m. both evenings at the Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia, with doors open at 6. Tickets are $20-$30 per night or $30-$50 for both. Proof of vaccination and masks are required.
Sedaris on stage
So witty is raconteur David Sedaris that … well, he’s the only person The Olympian can imagine describing as a raconteur. The extra-dry humorist with a gift for deprecating not only himself but everyone else returns to Olympia on Tuesday, May 10. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE. Tickets are $32-$84. Audience members are encouraged to wear masks at center events.
To market
There’s a new farmers market in town. Saturday Market kicks off Saturday, May 7, in West Central Park in west Olympia. The market — open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays May through October — will host a changing selection of farms, food businesses and crafters along with live music. Theo Ragan and Moonscooter will play on May 7, and the Olympita food truck will be there, too. The nonprofit community park is at 1919 Harrison Ave. NW.
Freelance writer Molly Gilmore talks about what’s happening in Olympia and beyond with 95.3 KGY-FM’s Michael Stein from 3 to 4 p.m. Fridays.