Need a weekend plan? See a murder mystery, slurp oysters or try an obstacle course
‘Murder on the Orient Express’
Harlequin Productions is greeting fall with Agatha Christie’s twisty “Murder on the Orient Express,” opening Friday, Oct. 3. “Express,” written In 1934, is considered among Christie’s best, and it features the novelist’s longest-running character, detective Hercule Poirot (John Serembe), known for his fastidious manner, sharp wit and iconic mustache. Serembe, who has been living with the mustache and dyed hair since mid-August, will be joined on stage by Russ Holm, Cassie Jo Fastabend, Levi Redmill, Ben Stahl, Jana Tyrrell, Audrey Herold, Big Anderson, Ann Flannigan and Adam Martin. Aboard a train stuck in a snowdrift, Poirot is called upon to catch a killer. Tony nominee Ken Ludwig’s 2017 stage version charmed The Guardian’s Mark Lawson (https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/may/22/on-the-orient-express-review-chichester-festival-theatre-henry-goodman) by adding humor to the original’s drama and suspense. The Harlequin production (https://harlequinproductions.org/show/murder-on-the-orient-express/) — so eagerly anticipated that the company has already extended the run — will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3, 4, 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 and Nov. 1 and 2 p.m. Oct. 5, 12, 19, 22 and 26 and Nov. 2 at the State Theater, 202 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia. Tickets are $33-$48; for the Oct. 16 and 24 and Nov. 1 performances, pay what you choose.
Aw, shucks: It’s OysterFest time
OysterFest, as devotees of the briny bivalve know, is more than another food festival. The fest (https://oysterfest.org/), happening Saturday, Oct. 4, and Sunday, Oct. 5, is home to the West Coast Oyster Shucking Championship, the chance for oyster shuckers both experienced and novice. (Yes, anyone is welcome to try, though absolute beginners might want to consider that a sharp knife is involved.) In addition to oodles of oysters both raw and cooked, the fundraiser for the Shelton Skookum Rotary Club offers entertainment, activities for children, marine displays, and beer and wine gardens. There will also be plenty to eat for those who shun shellfish. It all happens from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Port of Shelton’s Sanderson Field, 250 W. Sanderson Way, Shelton. Tickets are $15, with those younger than 17 admitted free. People who can’t wait to start slurping can start with OysterFunk, an adults-only party held from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3. Tickets are $5.
Videogame-inspired fun at Children’s Day
The theme for this year’s Lacey Children’s Day (https://laceyparks.org/childrens-day/), happening Saturday, Oct. 4, has a twist. The free festival is all about video games — but without the screens. Among the activities inspired by on-screen favorites: an obstacle course, a dance dome, a wrecking ball and a jousting ring. The event will also offer crafts, inflatables and a Children’s Business Market (https://kidsmarkets.com/event/lacey/), where young entrepreneurs will be selling their wares. It’s all happening from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Huntamer Park, 618 Woodland Square Loop SE, Lacey.
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 2 p.m. Fridays.