Family Theater is opening an all-ages performance space in downtown Olympia

Olympia will soon have a new all-ages performance space, tentatively called the Olympia Youth Arts Alliance — or O YAA, pronounced “oh yeah.”

The Olympia Family Theater is creating the space, which will seat 50-60 people, at 614 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia — right next door to the theater.

“The space has been sitting there empty since I started at OFT,” said Lily Raabe, who became the theater’s executive director in October 2021. “It was like, if we wanted more space, this would be the best opportunity while it’s there.”

The building has space for the offices for the family theater, String & Shadow Puppet Theater, Capitol City Pride and other organizations. It also will house a community media lab with audiovisual equipment and editing software.

“We are building an all-ages creative hub,” Raabe said in a video announcing O YAA.

But it’s the multi-purpose performance space, about the size of the theater’s lobby, that is generating the most enthusiasm.

“There’s a need for affordable and accessible all-ages space downtown,” Raabe told The Olympian. “We already have people reaching out and asking questions about the space.”

“O YAA will be a venue that can host a wide range of events,” said Emily McHugh, co-director of String & Shadow Puppet Theater. “We are excited for it to be a place that nurtures the performance arts in our community.”

Among those events will be rehearsals, classes and workshops as well as performances.

String & Shadow and the family theater are already using the main-floor space for rehearsals of “Nyx and the Long Night,” an original Winter Solstice-themed show opening Dec. 9.

Before it can be rented, the space needs new flooring, repair of the plaster walls, and soundproofing. Raabe also envisions adding some lighting and sound equipment and black curtains over the windows.

“We want it to be super flexible,” she said. “We could have a couple of mobile stage pieces so people can configure the space however they want.”

The theater company is aiming to raise $10,000 this month to make those improvements. An anonymous donor has offered to match $10,000 in donations, Raabe said.

Olympia Youth Art Alliance Open House

• What: Olympia Family Theater is offering the community a peek at the neighboring building that will become its new all-ages arts space.
• When: 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28
• Where: 614 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia
• More information: http://www.olyft.org