Theater group that lost its space at Capital Mall has found a new home downtown

After a year and a half without a home, Theater Artists Olympia is setting up a downtown theater in the space formerly occupied by the Olympia Dance Center.

The scrappy theater company — which has long made an impact on the theater scene with shows that are mostly offbeat, often new and sometimes original — will open “Anna Considers Mars” on Friday, April 24, at its new Oly Theater, 412 Jefferson St. SE, Olympia.

The company’s most recent theater was a storefront-turned-black box in Capital Mall. In its 23-year history, TAO has occupied various spaces —The Midnight Sun, South Puget Sound Community College’s Black Box and space at the Eagles Club — and spent years being peripatetic.

“It’s very exciting,” said Pug Bujeaud, artistic director of the all-volunteer nonprofit. “There is so much potential in this space. … It’s tall enough that we could do two-story sets if we wanted to. This is the best space we’ve had since we stopped using the SPSCC space.”

The company, already rehearsing in the space, is also scrambling to turn what was a dance studio into a 75-seat theater, a project that includes installing a light grid and projectors, building a tech deck to conceal wiring and other technical elements, painting, hanging curtains and repurposing risers that have been in storage since the previous Oly Theater, a black box in the Capital Mall, closed in 2024.

“We have a huge lift before we open,” Bujeaud said. “We have people who know how to do this stuff, but I’m worried that we’re not going to have enough hands.” (Interested in volunteering? Contact the company (https://www.olytheater.com/contact) or email Bujeaud at pugbujeaud@hotmail.com)

Like the mall theater, the new Oly Theater will be open to other groups in need of performance space.

“We have different groups that are interested in the space, and we want to make it affordable,” Bujeaud said. “Growing the theater community is really important.

“We want it to be kind of what the Midnight Sun was but without the punk bands,” she added. “Not that I dislike punk bands but there are other venues for that.”

Theater Artists Olympia is subleasing the space from Olympia Dance Center, which bought and moved to the building at 1110 Jefferson St. SE, Olympia. TAO will occupy most of the space; a back room, currently being used as part of the Procession Art Studio, has been subleased to another organization.

The dance center’s lease in its former home runs for another year and a half, said Ken Johnson, the center’s co-director.

“All of us at Olympia Dance Center are thrilled that our longtime space is being utilized by Theater Artists Olympia,” Johnson said. “It’s amazing to see how they are transforming the space. Bud and Mary Johansen (former owners of the dance center) moved there in 1985, so it has been the home of many artists over the years. We are glad it will continue to be a place where artists can flourish.”

The theater company, which was able to afford the space with help from an Inspire Olympia Grant, is hoping it’s found a long-term home and hoping to receive a grant for next year. “That would make this much more possible,” Bujeaud said. “It’s terrifying to take this leap of faith.”

“Mars,” by Ruben Grijalva, is set in a not-too-distant future, where space travel offers hope for humans critically threatened by climate change. With elements of dark comedy and science fiction, it’s just the sort of show for which the company has become known.

The show, featuring Kate Ayers, Heather Christopher, Drew Doyle, Lesley Gordon, Gabe McClellan and John Serembe, will run April 24-May 9. Tickets (https://www.olytheater.com/annatix) are $20; for opening-night tickets, pay what you choose.

“We had planned on doing this show earlier,” Bujeaud said. “We thought we had another venue … and then that venue fell through, so my cast has been on hold for a while. Fortunately, everybody held on.”