Need some fun this weekend? Comedy, music and theater are among the Olympia area options
.JPG "The Olympia Symphony Orchestra is shown here during a “Link Up” concert with more than 800 4th graders from Olympia schools.")
Ladies first
The Olympian features staff doesn’t make a habit of referring to women as ladies. In this case, the reference is to Ladies of Laughter, a comedy competition and tour that has become a staple at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts. This year’s LOL tour features Poppy Champlin, the 2024 LOL professional winner; Ruthy Ferrera, the 2024 LOL newcomer champion; and Jane Condon, the 2004 LOL professional champ. These women have comedy cred. Champlin, for example, was named the Funniest Real Woman on “The Joan Rivers Show.” (The Olympian could not find any reference to the date of this accomplishment nor any word on whether Rivers also gave an award to the funniest unreal woman.) The titled trio’s show will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 14, at the center, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, and the show is recommended for ages 18 and up. Tickets (https://www.washingtoncenter.org/event/ladies-of-laughter-3-2025/) are $25-$45.
Would you like instruments with that?
Also at the center this weekend are a pair of concerts — one with instruments and one without:
▪ Saturday, March 15, Masterworks Choral Ensemble presents the Pacific Northwest Championship of the Harmony Sweepstakes a cappella festival. The competition — hosted by J209, last year’s Northwest winner — will feature seven groups, including the delightfully named Pillage People. (Did you guess it? The quintet dresses like pirates.) The concert starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets (https://www.washingtoncenter.org/event/masterworks-choral-ensemble-harmony-sweepstakes-a-cappella-festival-3-15-25/) are $23-$28.
▪ Sunday, March 16, the Olympia Symphony Orchestra presents “Open Doors,” featuring music by Johannes Brahms, Felix Mendelssohn and Steve Reich along with Molly Turner’s “Open Doors,” composed in 2023 for the Tacoma Youth Symphony. The program spotlights the orchestra’s Young Artist winners, violinists Lin Tokura and Ava Pakiam. Lin, 13, attends the Yehudi Menuhin School in London, U.K., and Ava, 14, studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The concert is at 3 p.m. at the center. Tickets (https://www.washingtoncenter.org/event/olympia-symphony-orchestra-open-doors-3-16-2025/) are $15.53-$84.75.
Birds on a journey at OFT
Olympia Family Theater’s latest, “Wildfire and the Bird Scouts” will take audiences on a Northwest journey. Kristin Idaszak‘s play, opening Friday, March 14, follows the feathered fledglings on their first annual migration. Along the way, the birds get lost in a forest that’s been ravaged by fire. Performances are at 7 p.m. March 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 and 3 p.m. March 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30 at the theater, 612 Fourth Ave. E, Olympia. (Masks are required at Sunday shows.) Tickets (https://olyft.org/wild-fire-bird-scouts/) are available on a sliding scale.
Freelance writer Molly Gilmore 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.