Comedy, theater on the fly and an early Valentine’s Day among Olympia weekend options
Chances are good that you’ll laugh
Hahapalooza 2023: A Comedy Showcase is expecting a big audience for Friday night’s show on the main stage of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Mike Lebovitz, the headliner, got his start in Chicago where he was a regular at Zanies Comedy Club, The Laugh Factory and Comedy Bar Chicago. He co-founded the popular showcase, Comedians You Should Know, which he brought to New York City in 2016. And he’s been featured on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, and HBO’s The Deuce. The guest host you might recognize if you watched sitcoms in the ‘80s: Marc Price, who played Skippy on NBC’s “Family Ties,” will be introducing the comics, who will include Andrew Sleighter, Tyler Boeh and Lynette Manning. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at the center, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $43.50 and $28.50 plus a $5 service fee.
A whirlwind of theater
Olympia’s 24-hour play festival has returned! Tales Told in 10 has traditionally been hosted annually at Olympia Family Theater, but, like everything, it was sidetracked by the pandemic. Now the exuberant theatrical marathon is back, curated by the emcee extraordinaire Elizabeth Lord. What does a 24-hour play festival look like? Between Friday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 12, six playwrights, six directors, and a troupe of intergenerational local actors will come together to craft six original 10-minute plays in just one day. They will meet as a cohort on Friday night, writers will work on original material overnight, and then directors and actors will put each play together Saturday. Performances, which are recommended for all ages, are planned for 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at OFT, 612 Fourth Ave. E. Tickets are $5 to $35.
A little romance ahead of schedule
Get a jump on Valentine’s Day, which can actually be a terrible day for a date, and head out to the Chocolate and Wine Festival at Medicine Creek Winery this weekend. Bring your Valentine — or anyone else you like — to Medicine Creek Winery from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 12. A $25 ticket will get you a glass of wine and all you can eat chocolates, plus live music by Pump House. The winery is at 947 Old Pacific Highway SE, on a farm in the Nisqually Valley. Buy tickets in advance on Eventbrite.