(OLYMPIA, WA, April 27, 2022)
May 10 at 7:30pm An Evening with David Sedaris: Join bestselling author and NPR humorist, David Sedaris, for an evening filled with his trademark sardonic wit and incisive social critiques. As one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers, Mr. Sedaris will regale you with tales and observations addressing the human condition, take questions from the stage, and sign books. Get tickets early as Olympia loves David Sedaris!
May 13 at 7:30pm The Center Salon: Our 5th annual Salon draws you in to an inner circle of poets, authors, musicians, and artists. This year will feature artists including Jim Lynch, Christina Vega, Jonah Barrett, Ashly McBunch (Olympia’s Poet Laureate) , Jill Barnes, Gail Madden, Ann Flannigan and Bryan Willis with music by Mark Lutwak, Eric Anderson & The Klein Party. This popular event is like nothing else in Olympia and has already sold out! Call the Box Office to be added to the wait list.
May 19 at 7:30pm Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band From time immemorial, songs have been the vessels of stories and lessons for the Indigenous people of the Americas. Indigenous jazz musicians, ensembles, and big bands carried on that sacred tradition. There were small ensembles and big bands on reservations across the US in the first half of the Twentieth Century and several Indigenous musicians ascended to celebrity in jazz, shaping musical history in their wake. The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band celebrates this legacy through the tradition of storytelling and song by an all-Indigenous 16-piece band comprised of some of the jazz world’s most respected Indigenous jazz musicians today.
This ensemble represents a wide range of Indigenous cultures, from South America to Canada and Northeast to Southwest Indigenous Americas. Together they represent a long silenced, long-forgotten chapter of jazz history: the participation, contribution, and legacy of Indigenous people in jazz. A legacy that seasoned composers Julia Keefe and co-Director Delbert Anderson carry forward through original works inspired by the songs and rhythms of their Native heritage reimagined through the language and stylings of jazz.
It is a rarity to see Indigenous jazz musicians nowadays, let alone an all-Indigenous 16-piece band. It’s even rarer to see female Indigenous jazz players, yet this ensemble features both Julia Keefe and Mali Obomsawin in its ranks. The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band is both a reflection of a time long forgotten and a window into the future. It is the bridge for all peoples to see themselves on the bandstand regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, or socioeconomic status.
May 21 at 7:30pm “Perk Up, Pianist!” – Award-winning concert pianist Sarah Hagen changes gears in this stand-up (or rather, sit-down!) piano-filled comedy. “Perk up, pianist!” is a uniquely charming music and storytelling experience that takes you deep inside the world of a touring classical musician. Get your tickets soon, this event is almost sold out!
The Washington Center for the Performing Arts is a not-for-profit performance venue with a mission to inspire audiences and artists of all ages through live performances, enriching the vibrancy of our community.
For more information please contact:
Tineke Raak, Marketing and Sales Director
marketingdirector@washingtoncenter.org
Box Office Information:
· Box Office hours are Tuesday through Friday 12:00 pm – 5:30 pm.
· For ticketing questions or more information about upcoming events please visit www.washingtoncenter.org or call the Box Office at 360-753-8586.
· Details on current COVID protocols can be found here: https://www.washingtoncenter.org/events-tickets/plan-your-visit/
2021-2022 Calendar of Events: https://www.washingtoncenter.org/events/month/
