From everything I have personally observed, the artist community of Thurston County is filled with friendship.
Recently, I’ve noticed performers doing favors for one another and showing up to support different productions. This can be a rare thing in the arts, but this camaraderie is another thing that makes Thurston County so special.
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking with pug Bujeaud of Theater Artists Olympia (TAO) about their upcoming show, “The HEAD!!! That Wouldn’t Die!” playing April 4-13.
Additionally, I spoke with Aggie Burstein from Timberland Regional Libraries (TRL) about some of the ways that Olympia and Lacey libraries are promoting and partnering with the arts in our community.
Both conversations validated the allyship that exists in the arts and our community.
Written by Bujeaud and TAO over a decade ago, this comedic musical has original music and script that is truly distinct.
Inspired by the 1960s B film, “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die,” TAO’s production swims in the quirky and strange elements of the plot, while bringing to light the themes and messages that remain relevant and important. Here is the story in a nutshell:
A young doctor named Bill works on experiments involving transplantation (think Frankenstein or Igor). One day, Bill and his fiance Jan get into a car wreck and Jan is decapitated. Bill wraps up her head with his jacket and rushes back to his house to treat it with a special serum. This special serum awakens Jan and keeps her alive. Then, Bill begins “searching” for the perfect body for Jan and the chaos begins.
Bujeaud calls this show “woke,” as it reveals “incredibly misogynistic” themes and “preconceived notions” we unconsciously carry in society.
“We think that Bill is going to be a good guy because he is a handsome doctor. People in their world would think Jan is only good for one thing: to be married to Bill, quit her job, and have babies. Maybe Jan wants more than that. At one point, Bill’s ex-girlfriend enters the plot, and she is only valued for her (bodily) assets. This show is about how we look at and judge people, and how our judgements fall short.”
This Olympia-based production is being held at the Lakewood Playhouse, and this is the result of the artistic allyship. Let me explain:
The World Con asked TAO to perform this production for one night during their international science fiction convention being held in Seattle this summer. This is a huge honor for TAO!
When TAO lost their Olympia theater space during the pandemic, there was a sense of panic; they needed to prepare for World Con. Lakewood Playhouse came to the rescue and offered for TAO to use their space in the spring to rehearse and open the show. T
his allowed for a shorter time between offering this to the public and performing at World Con. Another ally of TAO gutted her living room so that TAO had additional rehearsal space.
Bujeaud reflected, “They gave us a gift, it is theater folk at its best, and (moments like these) are not common.”
TAO recommends seeing this production while it is at the Lakewood Playhouse.
To buy tickets to this production, click here.
Speaking to Burstein on all the different artistic programs the library holds was a real education for me. I’ve had a library card with TRL for more than 15 years, yet there is so much I didn’t know. Here is what I learned:
There are multiple programs that make the arts accessible to the public while also embracing allyship with local arts businesses. From the Lantern Lights live music series (in partnership with Lantern Records), to the film club (in partnership with the Olympia Film Society), to the occasional ceramics and needle point craft workshops (in partnership with Arbutus Art School), there is something for everyone.
What intrigued me most about our conversation was the exploration of the “zine.” Zines are self published booklets that can be about anything. TRL has an expansive collection of zines created by our community members and often partners with the Olympia Zine Fest to celebrate these works. Creating a zine is a low barrier way to get your voice heard, and TRL can provide everything you need in order to make a zine.
To learn more about these library arts programs and how/who they are partnering with, start by clicking here.
Rachel Benton is a columnist, freelance writer, performing arts enthusiast and a Thurston County local. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in History and Political Science and minor in Music. When not writing or enjoying the arts, Rachel can be found spending time with her family, friends and two golden retriever puppies (Elliot and Ernie).
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