Catch plays while you can or watch movies in parks this weekend
‘Cabaret’ closes Sunday
Theatergoers have been raving about Harlequin Productions’ “Cabaret,” which turns audience members into denizens of Berlin’s sexy, sassy Kit Kat Klub — at least until the Nazi party rises to power and dark times begin. Only three performances remain for Harlequin’s immersive take on the perennially popular 1966 musical: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 25-27 and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 28. (Arrive up to an hour early to enjoy pre-show entertainment and get a peek at the new greenroom.) Tickets are $33-$48. If available, $141 VIP tables for two, which are attached to the stage, take the experience to a whole other level: Expect the sparkly-lipsticked Emcee (Adam Rennie) and the provocatively dressed Kit Kat “girls” and “boys” to flirt.
One more weekend for ‘Henry IV’
Also wrapping up on the weekend is Animal Fire Theatre’s “Henry IV,” a Shakespearean history with plenty of comedy, thanks to the larger-than-life presence of the fictional Falstaff (Scott Douglas), a Dionysian figure who loves to scheme as much as he loves sack (an antiquated term for fortified white wine). Douglas is just one of the strong actors in the cast of the production, which combines “Henry IV Part 1” and “Henry IV Part 2.” Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday-Sunday, July 26-28, in Wonderwood Park, 5304 32nd Ave. SE, Lacey. It’s free, with donations appreciated. Bring a chair or blanket and a warm layer. Insect repellent is a must, too.
Walk-in movies
The outdoor summer movie season is in full swing, and in Lacey, there’s a pre-show concert, too. Lacey in Tune’s Friday, July 26, show pairs Seattle a cappella masters The Coats with a screening of 2023’s “Wonka,” a version of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” that’s more sweet than strange. The music starts at 7 p.m., and the movie follows at dusk in Huntamer Park, 618 Woodland Square Loop SE, Lacey. In Tumwater, Screen on the Green is showing “Migration” the same night. The film, which has been compared to “National Lampoon’s Vacation” only with ducks, will begin at 9:05 p.m. in Barclift Park, 690 Barclift Lane, Tumwater. (Though the city has kept the name Screen on the Green, the movies are happening in a handful of other locations this season.) Both events are free. Bring your own chair or blanket and a layer for the likely temperature drop. Picnics are welcome, too. (Side note: If you’re busy on the 26th and really want to see either of these flicks, you’re in luck: On Aug. 2, Lacey will show “Migration” (after a concert by the Mick Hart Band) and Tumwater will screen “Wonka” in Kindred Park, 9168 Aster St. SE, Tumwater.)
Freelance writer Molly Gilmore is envisioning a Wonka marathon. She talks with DJ Kevin the Brit about what’s happening around town on KGY-FM’s “Oly in a Can,” airing at 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Fridays.