Coming Soon
Stick Men
Members of STICK MEN have recorded on albums that sold over 100 million records worldwide and all 4 individual members have played collectively in many different projects in the past 5 decades in over 90 countries worldwide.
On Screen: Fedora (The Met)
Umberto Giordano’s exhilarating drama returns to the Met repertory for the first time in 25 years. Packed with memorable melodies, showstopping arias, and explosive confrontations, Fedora requires a cast of thrilling voices to take flight, and the Met’s new production promises to deliver.
HS Band and Strings Fundraiser!
High School Band and Strings Fundraiser Wednesday, February 8th at 6:30pm Suggested donation: $15 The Orcas High School Band and Strings are
Newberry and Verch
Joe Newberry and April Verch showcase tunes, ballads, step dancing, and original songs by way of Canada and the Ozarks. With beautiful harmony singing, breathtaking instrumentals, and exquisite dancing, these two singular musicians hit the stage in perfect rhythm, making audiences remember why this music existed in the first place.
The Lonely Plays
This collection of short plays was curated with an overarching theme of loneliness. So much of art grapples with the desperate need we have for connection, bond, love, friendship, anything that lifts us out from our self-imposed isolation. The plays range from silent, non-verbal, to almost connecting and a bit of gibberish to false connections and finally to some verbosity that moves back down to actual connection at the end.
Call for Artists: Textiles and Fiber Arts
In March of 2020, the VAC and the fabric artists of Orcas Island created a gorgeous textile show. No sooner had the art been hung, Orcas Center had to close due to COVID restrictions...sadly, the vast majority of the public never got to see this unique and stunning show! This March, we're giving it another go! We're inviting textile and fiber artists - both who displayed in that show, as well as those who didn't have the chance, to join us for a community show once again as we present Textile and Fabric Arts.
Art Exhibit: Textiles and Fiber Arts
In March of 2020, the VAC and the fabric artists of Orcas Island created a gorgeous textile show. No sooner had the art been hung, Orcas Center had to close due to COVID restrictions...sadly, the vast majority of the public never got to see this unique and stunning show! This March, we're giving it another go! We're inviting textile and fiber artists - both who displayed in that show, as well as those who didn't have the chance, to join us for a community show once again as we present Textile and Fabric Arts.
Blithe Spirit – Canceled
Charles Condomine is working on his latest novel concerning the occult mysteries. As part of his research, he and his wife Ruth host a seance with an eccentric medium known as Madame Arcati and invite their friends to play along. The evening takes a supernatural turn when Madame Arcati conjures Charles’ deceased first wife, Elvira, who doesn’t have plans to leave. Lighthearted and endearing, this otherworldly classic combines farce, emotion and wit to goosebump-giving effect.
Rooted in Green
The Junior Dance Collective presents: “Rooted In Green” - It’s a Spring Thing! Friday, March 10th - Sunday, March 12th at 5:30pm The Junior Dance Collective and Mini Dance Collective present an inspiring spring celebration of dance - directed by Tiffany Loney
On Screen: Much Ado About Nothing (NT Live)
The legendary family-run Hotel Messina on the Italian Riveria has been visited by artists, celebrities and royalty. But when the owner’s daughter weds a dashing young soldier, not all guests are in the mood for love. A string of scandalous deceptions soon surround not only the young couple, but also the adamantly single Beatrice and Benedick.
On Screen: Henry V (NT Live)
Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) plays the title role in Shakespeare’s thrilling study of nationalism, war and the psychology of power. Fresh to the throne, King Henry V launches England into a bloody war with France. When his campaign encounters resistance, this inexperienced new ruler must prove he is fit to guide a country into war.
Mark O’Connor
Ever since bursting on the scene in 1974 with a recording contract as a 13 year old fiddle and flat-picking guitar champion, Mark O’Connor has lent his astounding instrumental virtuosity to the worlds of folk, jazz, rock and classical music. He has recorded and toured with icons of all genres—from Stephane Grappelli and Yo-Yo Ma, to David Grisman and the Dixie Dregs—and has composed fiddle concertos and translated his signature fiddling style into a whole new teaching method used by music teachers across the country.
Love, DEAN and Jacob Miller
Join Portland-based artists Jacob Miller and Love, DEAN for a special co-headline bill of soul, folk and roots music at the Orcas Center!
Mountain Grove
Orcas Center - Center Stage 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesNoah Racey is one of Broadway’s top song-and-tap dance men, but his story is anything but 42nd Street. The rhythm of his life was set by drum circles in a commune in the Pacific Northwest where his woke and pioneering parents raised their kids. All that freedom gave Noah and his sisters permission to do, say and be what they want—but free love has unintended consequences when children are around. Using the humor and charm he honed on Broadway—not to mention his astonishing tap dancing!—and supported by a pianist and percussionist performing a contemporary jazz score created for this story, Noah explores the competing needs each of us has for freedom and for safety.
The Just and the Blind
Orcas Center 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesPoignant and pressing, The Just and The Blind illuminates the unseen and under-heard experiences of incarcerated youth and the realities their families face. Spoken word artist and arts activist Marc Bamuthi Joseph (BAMUTHI) joins forces with long-time collaborator composer/violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) to explore themes of racial profiling, sentencing and the prison-industrial complex from the perspective of fathers of Black and Brown children.
On Screen: Lohengrin (MetOpera)
Lohengrin stands at the epicenter of Richard Wagner’s career—chronologically, thematically, and artistically. It is a Romantic-era reimagining of a persistent Medieval legend about a mystical knight who champions an oppressed maiden on the sole condition that she never ask his name, and the issues at stake range from the spiritual (the role of the divine in human lives) to the political (nation building in times of transition and migration) to the deeply personal (the centrality of mystery in erotic attraction).
On Display Now: AOK and High School Art Show
The Orcas Center is hosting an exhibit of A*OK and High School student art from April 14 through May 31st, 2023 featuring works from every K-5th grade student, including select middle and high school artwork.
OCS – Voices for Peace and Hope
Take your emotions on a ride as Artistic Director Bruce Langford conducts the chorus in three very different works, from Vivaldi's beloved and joyful "Gloria" to a powerful suite from "The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace," by contemporary Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins. The concert opens with a poignant song by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, evoking quiet longing for our heart's home. "Roots," commissioned in 2019 by Orcas Choral Society and other American choruses, was to have premiered here at our 2020 spring concert. We are grateful to be able to share it now. Orcas Youth Chorus will join the choral society in performing "Roots."
On Screen: The Crucible (NT Live)
A witch hunt is beginning in Arthur Miller’s captivating parable of power with Erin Doherty (The Crown) and Brendan Cowell (Yerma). Raised to be seen but not heard, a group of young women in Salem suddenly find their words have an almighty power. As a climate of fear, vendetta and accusation spreads through the community, no one is safe from trial.
Nella
Born in Venezuela, Nella skyrocketed to international renown fueled by her powerhouse voice and undeniable presence. In a short time, she went from Berklee College of Music graduate to winner of the 2019 Latin GRAMMY® Award for Best New Artist. That same year, her full-length debut, Voy (I Go) received acclaim from NPR and yielded the hit “Me Llaman Nella” (They Call Me Nella) which surpassed 1.4 million Spotify streams and 1.4 million views on YouTube. In addition, the title track was named the 14th best song of 2019, in any genre, by the New York Times.
ROTR: What Dreams May Come
Grace McCune and Jake Perrine are coaxing Rock on the Rock Choir (Moulin Rouge, Across The Universe, Rock of Orcas, Teatro Titikookoo, Cirque Us) out of hibernation for an all-new extravaganza. With nine performances on Center Stage this May, “What Dreams May Come” will feature multiple choir ensembles, multiple dance ensembles, and a live band, plus all the creativity, heart, and surprises you have come to expect.
On Screen: Falstaff (Met Opera)
Verdi’s glorious Shakespearean comedy features a brilliant ensemble cast in Robert Carsen’s celebrated staging. Baritone Michael Volle sings his first Verdi role at the Met as the caddish knight Falstaff, gleefully tormented by a trio of clever women who deliver his comeuppance. Reuniting after their acclaimed turns in the production’s 2019 run are soprano Ailyn Pérez as Alice Ford, soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano as Meg Page, and mezzo-soprano Marie-Nicole Lemieux as Mistress Quickly. Soprano Hera Hyesang Park and tenor Bogdan Volkov are the young couple Nannetta and Fenton, and Maestro Daniele Rustioni conducts.
TED2023: Possibility
This event is a pre-recorded showing of selected talks from Ted2023 in Vancouver, Canada in April. Much of today’s public conversation is eaten up by zero-sum battles between divided groups. But the world doesn’t have to be zero-sum. At TED2023 we will explore together a strange and beautiful space called the adjacent possible.
On Screen: Champion (Met Opera)
When Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones opened the Met’s 2021–22 season to universal acclaim, it marked a historic moment in the annals of the company. Now, the six-time Grammy Award–winning composer’s first opera arrives at the Met. Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green is the young boxer Emile Griffith, who rises from obscurity to become a world champion, and bass-baritone Eric Owens portrays Griffith’s older self, haunted by the ghosts of his past. Soprano Latonia Moore is Emelda Griffith, the boxer’s estranged mother, and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe is the bar owner Kathy Hagen. Yannick Nézet-Séguin is again on the podium for Blanchard’s second Met premiere, and director James Robinson—whose productions of Fire and Porgy and Bess brought down the house—oversees the staging. Camille A. Brown, whose choreography electrified audiences in Fire and Porgy, also returns.
Inspire Washington – Community Discussion
During this time of rebuild, cultural organizations are in dire need of funding for financial recovery and to restart programming. You are invited to join your local partners for in-person Cultural Futures! At the Cultural Futures, we aim to provide you with news you can use. From funding sources to advocacy opportunities, Inspire Washington staff will share all the information you need to know right now.
On Screen: Der Rosenkavalier (Met Opera)
A dream cast assembles for Strauss’s grand Viennese comedy. Soprano Lise Davidsen is the aging Marschallin, opposite mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey as her lover Octavian and soprano Erin Morley as Sophie, the beautiful younger woman who steals his heart. Bass Günther Groissböck returns as the churlish Baron Ochs, and Markus Brück is Sophie’s wealthy father, Faninal. Maestro Simone Young takes the Met podium to oversee Robert Carsen’s fin-de-siècle staging.
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Orcas Christian School presents this dramatization of C.S. Lewis' classic work, which faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion, his struggle with the White Witch, and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten Narnia. This story of love, faith, courage and giving, with its triumph of good over evil, is a true celebration of life.
Orcas Island Lit Fest 2023
The Orcas Island Lit Fest (OILF) is an annual celebration of literature and community held in an inspiringly beautiful place. With the San Juan Islands as our backdrop, we bring together renowned authors and avid readers, both visiting and local, for a weekend of panels, readings, and events that highlight the vibrant literary culture of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. From Pulitzer Prize winners to gifted new voices, our featured artists from across the country represent the finest in contemporary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, and more.
All-District Strings Concert
The Orcas Island All-District School Concert will be showcasing beginning through high-school strings. Come and enjoy the hard work our students have put in this year and celebrate their accomplishments with this musical program created to cultivate a lifelong interest in music. The high school strings will also share their Disneyland performance experience that they just got back from.
On Display: Faces of Orcas
Join us for Orcas Center's Next Community Show: Faces of Orcas Bring in your portraits of humans, animals, island events, etc - current or past - to celebrate the diverse beings that have made our island home so special.
On Screen: Don Giovanni (Met Opera)
Tony Award–winning director of Broadway’s A View from the Bridge and West Side Story, Ivo van Hove makes a major Met debut with a new take on Mozart’s tragicomedy, re-setting the familiar tale of deceit and damnation in an abstract architectural landscape and shining a light into the dark corners of the story and its characters. Maestro Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Met debut conducting a star-studded cast led by baritone Peter Mattei as a magnetic Don Giovanni, alongside the Leporello of bass-baritone Adam Plachetka. Sopranos Federica Lombardi, Ana María Martínez, and Ying Fang make a superlative trio as Giovanni’s conquests—Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Zerlina—and tenor Ben Bliss is Don Ottavio.
On Screen: Die Zauberflöte (Met Opera)
One of opera’s most beloved works receives its first new Met staging in 19 years—a daring vision by renowned English director Simon McBurney that The Wall Street Journal declared “the best production I’ve ever witnessed of Mozart’s opera.” Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Met Orchestra, with the pit raised to make the musicians visible to the audience and allow interaction with the cast. In his Met-debut staging, McBurney lets loose a volley of theatrical flourishes, incorporating projections, sound effects, and acrobatics to match the spectacle and drama of Mozart’s fable. The brilliant cast includes soprano Erin Morley as Pamina, tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Tamino, baritone Thomas Oliemans in his Met debut as Papageno, soprano Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night, and bass Stephen Milling as Sarastro.
Marley’s Ghost
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United States“If there is a group who can push forward the ageless Americana blueprint of The Band, it might just be Marley’s Ghost.” — Something Else! As most people will tell you, there’s an undeniable connection between versatility and variation. Suffice it to say that each depends on the other. In the case of Seattle-based Marley’s Ghost, that eclectic energy has resulted in a broad repertoire that has defied any ability to tag them to any one particular genre. Their dozen albums to date — like the output of The Band — survey a broad scope of Americana and acoustic music in general, refusing to confine them to any singular niche.
Karan Casey with EllaHarp
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesIrish singer-songwriter Karan Casey has been blazing a trail for over 25 years. A lover of ballads, love songs and searing versions of social justice songs, fond of a good yarn, she has toured the world making deep connections with her audience connecting via Ireland’s past but crucially repositioning women and songs in a universal and a modern setting.
On Screen: Othello (NT Live)
An extraordinary new production of Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy, directed by Clint Dyer with a cast that includes Giles Terera (Hamilton), Rosy McEwen (The Alienist) and Paul Hilton (The Inheritance). She’s a bright, headstrong daughter of a senator; elevated by her status but stifled by its expectations. He’s refugee of slavery; having risen to the top of a white world, he finds love across racial lines has a cost. Wed in secret, Desdemona and Othello crave a new life together. But as unseen forces conspire against them, they find their future is not theirs to decide.
Carl Verheyen
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesIn his 50-plus years of playing the instrument, Carl Verheyen has created a wildly successful, multi-faceted career. He is a critically acclaimed musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and educator with sixteen albums and two live DVDs released worldwide. Carl is commonly regarded as a guitar virtuoso capable of playing any style of music with remarkable mastery and conviction. He has been one of LA’s elite “first call” session players for the past 40 years, playing on hundreds of records, movie soundtracks and television shows. Verheyen has graced the pages of countless industry publications and been the subject of numerous articles chronicling his rise to the forefront of the modern-day guitar scene.
Fian
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesFian tends to create songs in linear structures that twist and convulse their way through multilayered lyrical narratives, varying time and key signatures, and musical styles. Fian deftly dodges the various generic manacles that get bandied about but if under duress, they might consent to repose beneath the wide umbrella of the term “progressive” without all the wizards and such.
Derek Gripper and Hiroya Tsukamoto
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesJoin us for this special double-bill: Derek Gripper and Hiroya Tsukamoto - two brilliant guitarists on the Village Green as part of Orcas Center's Summer Concert Series
Summer Theatre Camp!
Orcas Center 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesOrcas Center Presents: Summer Theatre Camp 2023: Theater 360! Theater 360 is an experiential learning environment and summer performance lab where participants
The RTs with Derek Eisel
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesThey say it takes nearly a decade for a wine to mature. The same could be said for The RT’s (formerly The Rad Trads). If you caught their brand of raucous, beer-soaked trad jazz and blues in the early days, you‘ll see the same ingredients (boisterous horns, impassioned vocals, and a driving groove) but a new flavor, and the kind of maturity and subtlety that only comes with time.
Foghorn Stringband with The Hot Tomatoes
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesThe Foghorn Stringband is the present day gold standard for real-deal hard-hitting genuine old-time American string band music, with eight albums, thousands of shows, over 15 years of touring under their belts, and an entirely new generation of roots musicians following their lead. American roots music is a diverse and never-ending well of inspiration, and Foghorn Stringband continually and obsessively draws from old-time, bluegrass, classic country, and Cajun music traditions in an ongoing quest to present a broad span of American historical music with an unparalleled youthful energy, joy, and virtuosity.
VAC Art Exhibit: 2023 Orcas Artist Studio Tour
Join us at Orcas Center for an artist opening reception on Friday, July 21st from 5:30pm-7pm where you will see the exhibiting studio artists' work on display through August 29th.
The Show of All Shows: Orcas Center’s Gala
Can One Night Have it All? We're betting it can! In lieu of a traditional gala this year, we're celebrating the beauty of our universe: and will feature an incredible showcase of all we have to offer ... and then some. Our night will feature: Celebrity Guests & Local Gems, Music, Dance, Theatre & Comedy, Amazing Food, Cocktails & Wine, Shopping & Auctions, New Ways to Give That Won't Break Your Bank, Surprises You Can't Imagine!
OICMF – Trailblazer
The August 2023 Festival is here, featuring a lineup of renowned musicians and composers. We heartily welcome back OICMF Artistic Advisor and pianist Jon Kimura Parker, the Miró Quartet, violinist Nikki Chooi, oboists Nathan Hughes and Alecia Lawyer, and cellists Bion Tsang and Oliver Aldort, and we are excited to get to know several Festival newcomers, including violinists Yura Lee, flutist Sandy Hughes, and accordionist Iwo Jedynecki!
Heart by Heart with Things on Strings
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesThe original rhythm section for Heart - one of classic rock’s most successful and revered bands - is still locked in and delivering those iconic songs as faithfully as possible, says bassist and co-founding member Steve Fossen (a member of Heart from 1969 to 1982), of his band Heart By Heart. Along with former Heart drummer Michael Derosier (1975-1982), vocalist Somar Macek, Lizzy Daymont on guitar, keyboards and vocals, and guitarist Chad Quist, Fossen says Heart By Heart is committed to playing the music with as much reverence and respect as possible.
OICMF – Orcas~trations: Voice of the Whale
The August 2023 Festival is here, featuring a lineup of renowned musicians and composers. We heartily welcome back OICMF Artistic Advisor and pianist Jon Kimura Parker, the Miró Quartet, violinist Nikki Chooi, oboists Nathan Hughes and Alecia Lawyer, and cellists Bion Tsang and Oliver Aldort, and we are excited to get to know several Festival newcomers, including violinists Yura Lee, flutist Sandy Hughes, and accordionist Iwo Jedynecki!
OICMF – Children’s Concert
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Presents: The Children's Concert Our youngest audience is invited to enjoy and be inspired by music performed by Festival artists!
John Reischman and The Jaybirds with The Litch Brothers
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesLike the powerful mandolinist and composer at its helm, John Reischman and the Jaybirds fashion a stylish take on bluegrass that seamlessly blends original songs and instrumentals with Appalachian old-time music for a truly unique band sound. Now in their 20th year, with seven acclaimed albums and two Juno nominations, the Jaybirds are simultaneously innovative and unadorned, sophisticated and stripped-down, happily old-fashioned and 21st-century contemporary.
OICMF – From Darkness to Light
The August 2023 Festival is here, featuring a lineup of renowned musicians and composers. We heartily welcome back OICMF Artistic Advisor and pianist Jon Kimura Parker, the Miró Quartet, violinist Nikki Chooi, oboists Nathan Hughes and Alecia Lawyer, and cellists Bion Tsang and Oliver Aldort, and we are excited to get to know several Festival newcomers, including violinists Yura Lee, flutist Sandy Hughes, and accordionist Iwo Jedynecki!
OICMF – Mystical Winds
The August 2023 Festival is here, featuring a lineup of renowned musicians and composers. We heartily welcome back OICMF Artistic Advisor and pianist Jon Kimura Parker, the Miró Quartet, violinist Nikki Chooi, oboists Nathan Hughes and Alecia Lawyer, and cellists Bion Tsang and Oliver Aldort, and we are excited to get to know several Festival newcomers, including violinists Yura Lee, flutist Sandy Hughes, and accordionist Iwo Jedynecki!
OICMF – Romantarctica
The August 2023 Festival is here, featuring a lineup of renowned musicians and composers. We heartily welcome back OICMF Artistic Advisor and pianist Jon Kimura Parker, the Miró Quartet, violinist Nikki Chooi, oboists Nathan Hughes and Alecia Lawyer, and cellists Bion Tsang and Oliver Aldort, and we are excited to get to know several Festival newcomers, including violinists Yura Lee, flutist Sandy Hughes, and accordionist Iwo Jedynecki!
OICMF – Open Rehearsal for Seniors
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Presents: Open Rehearsal for Seniors Orcas Center Main Stage Friday, August 18, 1:00pm FREE (no tickets required)
Dirty Cello
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesFrom Iceland to Italy, and all over the U.S., San Francisco based band Dirty Cello brings the world a high energy and unique spin on blues, rock, and Americana. Led by vivacious cross-over cellist, Rebecca Roudman, Dirty Cello is cello like you’ve never heard before. From down home blues and rock with a wailing cello, to virtuosic stompin’ Americana, Dirty Cello is a band that gets your heart thumping and your toes tapping!
Shook Twins with Rafe Pearlman & Chihsuan
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesThe Shook Twins have graced legendary stages such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre with Gregory Alan Isakov and Ani DiFranco in addition to sharing bills with The Lumineers, The Head and the Heart, Sarah Jarosz, The Wood Brothers, and many others. Not to mention, they’ve carved a home for themselves after playing Northwest String Summit and Oregon County Fair over ten times each as well as appearing at High Sierra Music Festival, Lightning In A Bottle, Bumbershoot, Hulaween, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Electric Forest, Summer Camp Music Festival, and beyond. During 2012, the band welcomed multi-instrumentalist and “everything dude” Niko Slice on guitar, mandolin, and bass. Rounding out the sound (and the family) further, keyboardist and bassist Aber Miller joined the fold in 2018. Additionally, they welcome a rotating quiver of dynamic drummers, namely Alex Radakovich, Darren Garvey, and Simon Lucas.
2023 Summer Concert Series!
What started out as a means to gather safely during COVID has now turned into an annual tradition! Join us this summer as we present 12 great bands on the Village Green - FREE to the community! See you this summer on the Green!
Taylor Made – A Tribute to James Taylor
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesTaylor Made consists of seven of the northwest’s finest musicians. Performing all of James Taylor’s classic songs from his vast repertoire of twenty-two studio and live album releases from the 1970’s to the present. Faithfully recreating the magic of James’s classic hits like Fire And Rain, Handy Man, Carolina In My Mind, Country Road, Up On A Roof, Shower The People and many more.
Jazz Fest 2023: EntreMundos
The Village Green - Outdoors 203 N Beach Rd, Eastsound, WA, United StatesThe Orcas Island Jazz Festival (OIJF), Orcas Island's premier jazz event, lights up Orcas Center for three days every Labor Day weekend. Join us on the Village Green for EntreMundos Quarteto brings uplifting kinetic mix of deep Brazilian roots flavored with world rhythms!
On Display: Art of Recycling
Explore the Art of Recycling at Orcas Center! On display through October 18.
Jazz Fest 2023: Martin Lund and the Off-Island All-Stars
Martin Lund, one of the most diverse musicians in the universe, lives and breathes music in many different colors and cultures. He has played with some of the great blues artists of our time and worked in the studios of LA as a composer, arranger, and musician. He is well known for bringing great artists to this island and providing some of the best shows at Orcas Center.
Jazz Fest 2023: säje
After debuting an inspiring and energized set at the 2020 Jazz Education Network Conference in New Orleans, säje went on to tour multiple jazz festivals and clubs from January to March. During quarantine, säje received their first GRAMMY® nomination, for their composition “Desert Song” in the Best Arrangement Instruments and Vocals category. They were awarded the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize Award for their second composition “Wisteria”, as well as their first Jazz Journalists Association Award Nomination for “Best Vocal Jazz Group”. The collective also recently received gracious support for their continued work through the Chamber Music of America New Jazz Works grant, the Super Patron Grant, the Jazz Road Creative Residencies grant, and the USC Visions + Voices grant.
Jazz Fest 2023: Martin Taylor and Biréli Lagrène
The Orcas Island Jazz Festival (OIJF), Orcas Island’s premier jazz event, lights up Orcas Center for three days every Labor Day weekend. OIJF is dedicated to celebrating and sharing the music of jazz with the Orcas Island community and visitors, to introducing this quintessential American art form to new young audiences through education and performance, and to raising appreciation for the art of jazz in all audiences. As a program of Orcas Center under the artistic direction of Martin Lund, OIJF consistently showcases superb jazz. Each year at this Festival audiences enjoy some of the most highly regarded jazz artists working today.
Barron Ryan
Orcas Center - Center Stage 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesBarron Ryan’s love for music has always been divided. The son of two musicians, he grew up in a house filled with the sounds of artists ranging from Mozart to Motown. So when it comes to his own work, he’s not content drawing on just one influence. He combines them all into a musical adventure that’s vintage yet fresh, historical yet hip, classic yet cool.
Paula Russell & The Orcas Rascals
Join us for a FREE Show and Dance in the Orcas Center Madrona Room from Paula Russell and the Orcas Rascals!
Call of the Orcas Film Screening
Join us in a showcase of the film “Call of the Orcas” highlighting the work of Ken Balcomb and the Center for Whale Research. Following the film, there will be panel discussion including the film director Jessica Plumb and others who assisted with the research for the film. Light refreshments will be provided.
Love Movement: Woman in the Woods Productions
Woman in the Woods Presents: Love Movement. This ensemble, led by tap dancer Michela Marino Lerman, is a hybrid of the highest levels of musicianship and hoofing. This group incorporates original music, spirituals, jazz, traditional and electronic tap boards, which will surely challenge your thoughts, uplift, and send you dancing all the way home.
Inter-Island HS Art Show – Call for Student Artists
The San Juan Arts Council invites ALL San Juan County high school students (9th-12th) to participate in our first ever Inter Island High School Art show! We will be displaying on Lopez, San Juan, and Orcas Island.
Bahia in Motion: Abrindo Caminhos
Orcas Center - Center Stage 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesBahia In Motion’s work is firmly rooted in the importance of a balanced body, mind and spirit and the integral role the arts play in nurturing this balance. Bahia In Motion is driven by the belief that individuals and families thrive when they feel healthy, engaged and part of something larger than themselves, especially when learning from cultures outside their own. Bahia In Motion encourages people to find joy within themselves, and transform life’s challenges through movement and the power of human connection.
Orcas Island Film Festival 2023
October 11-15, we will screen over 30+ incredible films over the course of five days in three venues that boast state-of-the-art cinema projection systems. Films at the Orcas Island Film Festival are, "the crème de la crème of the first-tier festival circuit," says Charles Mudede, Film/Art critic from The Stranger. Attendees will see these films before their official theatrical release and the festival provides a unique opportunity for filmmakers and film lovers to connect and share the cinematic experience as well as parties, panels and special events.
Nina Gerber and Chris Webster
The Grange 3252 Orcas Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesMusic fans know Chris Webster and Nina Gerber as two of the most skilled and artful musical talents. Webster's voice is uniquely compelling while Gerber's guitar is beautiful and powerful. Together they're magic. With originals, tasteful covers-soulful ballads, jazzy tunes and sweet folk, a great show.
VAC Art Exhibit: Made From Nature
Join us at Orcas Center for an artist opening reception on Friday, October 20th from 5:30pm-7pm with complimentary snacks and refreshments, a wine bar, and learn more about the artists and their work.
Whale of a Show – Auditions ’23
Whale of a Show Auditions! Acts from ages 5-18 are invited to participate. Solo acts and group acts are welcome; family acts, too! Sing, dance, play some music!
Mariachi Herencia de México
Orcas Center - Center Stage 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesThe historic tradition of mariachi music has its roots of origin in cities such as Guadalajara and Mexico City. As the ever-evolving genre's influence spread, it reached Chicago and birthed the Mariachi Herenciade México. The energetic, virtuosic Latin GRAMMY-nominated group has issued chart-topping albums and performed across the North American continent.
Whale of a Show – 2023!
Join us for a guaranteed good time as we watch and celebrate the talent of our island youth! Directed by Didier Gincig, this annual event is an opportunity to relax among friends and neighbors while enjoying acts of song, dancing, skits, and musicianship. Family acts are included in this event as well.
Screenagers: Under the Influence
Coalition for Orcas Youth and the Funhouse Present: Screenagers: Under the Influence Wednesday, November 8th 6-8pm Free! Kids are vaping in classrooms.
Polyrhythmics
Orcas Center - Center Stage 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesPolyrhythmics sound originated in Seattle’s underground deep funk scene combining impossibly tight grooves with bold brass and hypnotic percussion that showcased elements of R&B, progressive jazz, and Afrobeat which defined the instrumental group’s early era sound.
J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band)
Orcas Center - Center Stage 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesJ2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band) is an all-star bluegrass supergroup featuring four legendary, award-winning musicians – John Jorgenson on acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals; Herb Pedersen on banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals; Mark Fain on bass; and Patrick Sauber on acoustic guitar and vocals – delivering bluegrass like no one has ever heard it before.
I’ll be Frank
Take a walk down memory lane with renowned Orcas artist and author, Frank Loudin, (along with interviewer, Cathy Ferran) as he shares some totally unrehearsed "YARNS" from his latest book of heartwarming stories: Christmas YARNS - STORIES FROM THE WAY WE WERE. Frank's latest creation is a delightful collection of his musings and works of art.
On Display Now: High School Art Exhibit
Join us in welcoming student artists from San Juan, Lopez, Shaw, and Orcas Islands in the first inter-island showcase presented by The San Juan Arts Council along with the Visual Arts Committee (VAC) of Orcas Center! Painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed-media art created by our talented youth will be on display from Friday, November 24th until December 17th. The opening reception is on Friday, November 24th from 5:30-7pm with refreshments and entertainment from Grace Zwilling on the piano.
The Olga Symphony – 2023
They’re back! The beloved tradition returns, as the Olga Symphony once more takes to the Orcas Center stage for their annual Holiday Concert. Melinda, Gordon, Z, JP, and Anita will bring guitar, fiddle, bass, mandolin, ukulele, banjo, dobro, musical saw and luscious vocals to you in decidedly non-symphonic manner. There will be classic favorite songs, a few new treasures, some laughs, and some really nice clothes.
Handmade Craft Market
Celebrate the holiday season and all the incredible talent this island has to offer! The Visual Arts Committee (VAC) of Orcas Center is excited to host a Handmade Craft Market on November 25th (Small Business Saturday) from 11am-4pm
Orcas Choral Society: Messiah
Orcas Choral Society is offering several performances of Handel’s Messiah. “George Frederic Handel was a showman, in this case setting the most sacred of texts,” said Bruce Langford, Choral Society Artistic Director. “It is our intent to honor both the excitement and profound nature of his most popular work.”
Sea Island Nutcracker
Orcas Center - Center Stage 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesOrcas Dance Collective is proud to present their maritime take on a holiday classic: The Sea Island Nutcracker. Featuring many wildlife and nautical themes that make our island home so magical, this full length dream ballet showcases an inter-generational cast of local talent, with featured roles performed by The Orcas Dance Collective, Junior Dance Collective, Mini Dance Collective, and Class Series Students.
Orcas Center’s Holiday Break
Thank you all for a fantastic 2023! Orcas Center will be closed to the public December 18th, 2023 - January 8th, 2024.
Band of Brothers
Before Tony Levin founded Stick Men and played bass for Peter Gabriel and King Crimson (with side gigs including recording with John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Paul Simon, Dire Straits and many others), he racked up major jazz credentials, playing with Buddy Rich, Steps Ahead, Chuck Mangione, and others. In this special performance, old friends, legendary brothers LEVIN (Tony and Pete), and LA BARBERA (Pat & Joe), have decided to join brotherly forces together and to go back to their roots - jazz!
On Screen: Dead Man Walking (Met Opera)
The most widely performed new opera of the last two decades, Dead Man Walking is adapted from the groundbreaking memoir by Sister Helen Prejean. It concerns her ministry to condemned murderers on death row, and in bringing this powerful story to the operatic stage, composer Jake Heggie created a score that recalls Sister Helen’s prose and her advocacy style: direct, unaffected, and unflinchingly honest—but not without a deep understanding of the heart and humanity inside each one of us.
On Display: VAC Art Exhibit
For the first show of 2024, we honor the work of these dedicated artists and their tireless commitment to the arts on Orcas. Join us in celebrating the work of Kathleen Youngren, Leon Rosenblatt, Mary Jane Elgin, Julia Summers, Sarah Crigger, Zoe Osenbach, Carol Ann Anderson, Kirk Nozaki, Whitney Chamberlin, Marjorie Taylor, and Julie Rusby - Our current VAC committee members. On display through February 27th.
Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms and Golden Shoals
Orcas Center - Center Stage 917 Mt. Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesJoin us for an evening of old time stringband music and harmony duets with original songwriting. Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms and Golden Shoals. Golden Shoals is a fiddle and guitar duo with a "rousing old-time-style music that’s fueled by acerbic modern-day wit” (-No Depression Magazine).
On Screen: X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X (Met Opera)
Anthony Davis’s first opera, X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X dramatizes the life of the civil rights icon, but rather than explain, let alone beatify, its subject, the work is primarily focused on his personal transformation. It is also the journey of his audience and how they have perceived him, from victim of poverty to leader-agitator to martyr. Neither the music nor the libretto seeks to console nor superficially inspire, but always to engage and intrigue.
Texas Guitar Quartet
Formed in 2009, GRAMMY™-nominated Texas Guitar Quartet has been hailed as “Impeccable in every respect” by Classical Guitar Magazine. Throughout the United States, Central America, Spain, and China, audiences have embraced the quartet for their daring programs, dazzling virtuosity and joyful music making. Recent highlights include performances for the Encuentro Internacional de Guitarra 2016 (Nicaragua), Victoria Bach Festival, Guitar Foundation of America Convention, Festival Internacional del Noreste (Mexico), and Texas Music Festival.
On Screen: Florencia en el Amazonas (Met Opera)
Fluidity—of time, place, emotion, and even of identity—is at the core of Florencia en el Amazonas. It is ostensibly the tale of passengers traveling down the Amazon River aboard the steamship El Dorado; the real drama, though, lies in the psychological journeys that each character undertakes. The libretto, by Marcela Fuentes-Berain, is an original story rich in allusion to other tales that skirt the border between drama and fantasy. Fuentes-Berain was a student of Gabriel García Márquez, whose style of magical informs the plot.
Let’s Talk About Love
Let’s stay up late on a Wednesday night, drink hot cider, eat snacks, maybe nod off a bit before actually leaving to go to bed, and listen to people like Mary Oliver, John O’Donahue, Maya Angelou, David Whyte, I don’t know — Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Toni Morrison, Winnie the Pooh…(bring your own favorite?), or maybe your own words. Let’s not make it all about fancy dinner, chocolates and roses, this year, let’s get inspired. Let’s move beyond romantic love, to our deep longing and knowing of something vaster, and our growing need to increase our capacity to offer and receive it. Let’s have a Valentine’s Day for our souls to remember.
She Kills Monsters
Witches and warlocks, paladins and goblins, elves and humans rejoice! Join us for an action-packed Dungeons & Dragons adventure which follows a young woman’s quest to learn more about her dead sister and ultimately herself. It is a comedic, heartfelt story of sisterhood, friendship, identity, and grief which unfolds with each role of the dice.
On Display: Avi Shmueli / Landscapes
Our March Exhibit celebrates Featured Artist Avi Shmueli and our community show theme is Landscapes - On display through March 26th.
Bloodworks Northwest: Blood Drive
Orcas Center - Madrona Room 917 Mount Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesIn many disasters and critical need scenarios – like mass shootings, natural disasters, or large-scale accidents, a significant amount of blood is required immediately. However, with widespread blood shortages, most blood centers do not have the blood on the shelves to handle this type of emergency. That’s why Bloodworks Northwest is collecting additional units of blood as part of our on-call status with the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps this month. The blood you donate means we’ll have an emergency shipment ready to rush to a disaster if called upon, without delays or uncertainty.
Chutes and Ladders
The Orcas Dance Collective is proud to showcase the Junior Dance Collective and Mini Co dancers in a new work called, “Chutes and Ladders.” Come and witness a journey through dance that explores the theme of teens entering a new phase of self identity, loss of innocence, growth and change in perspective. Another all ages dance show perfect for an all ages audience.
TAKE3
TAKE3 lives at the intersection where pop, rock and classical fusion collide. Their unmistakable style and infectious joy in music making brings them to over 60 stops during the 22/23 season. Join them as they take Orcas Center's Main Stage with their “On the Road Again” tour!
Food Planet Future – Book Launch
Food Planet Future takes the reader on a remarkable visual tour of everyday foods and in the process, connects us more deeply to the world we help to shape. It draws upon art, research, and innovative practices to reimagine the tangled crises of food security, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Food Planet Future invokes awe and wonder and inspires action taken on our Earth’s behalf.
Pamyua
Pamyua showcases Inuit culture though music and dance performance. The show is a platform to share indigenous knowledge and history. Their style derives from traditional melodies reinterpreted with contemporary vocalization and instrumentation. Often described as “Inuit Soul Music,” Pamyua has discovered their own genre.
Returning Focus
Orcas Center - Black Box 917 Mount Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesEmbark on a journey of grief, self-discovery, and womanhood in “Returning Focus,” a new play written and directed by Ellie Wright. Following the loss of her mother, a woman and her daughter grapple not only with their individual relationships with the late matriarch, but their relationship with one another. In a blend of dialogue and dance, “Returning Focus” explores the complexities of grief as the duo navigate the tumultuous path of disconnection, re-connection, and ultimately, understanding.
Tangled in Vow and Beseech
Orcas Center - Black Box 917 Mount Baker Road, Eastsound, WA, United StatesTangled in Vow and Beseech - An evening of poetry, conversations, and artwork with Jill McCabe Johnson and guests Martha Farish and Kate Geddes. Presented by the Orcas Island Library.