Raymonda is a must-see of the Bolshoi, a work of living dance history. Being one of legendary choreographer Marius Petipa’s final works, he fully armed this ballet with beautiful court scenes, romantic corps de ballet dances, Hungarian czars and a title role suited for the most outstanding ballerina.
The Black Box Theatre is where we can showcase edgier, experimental artists and forms, and 2020 kicks off with an “Off-Center” music event featuring three live music acts and wrapping up with a DJ set.
Headlining the event is San Francisco singer / songwriter John Thompson. Supporting local acts include the incendiary song hammers of Ed Word (aka Matt Helms) the unbridled melodies and enthusiasm of Skeleton, aka Pedro Lopez and Kellen Comrie. After the sonic samplings of these three craftsmen, we will push our chairs and cares aside and dance to a 2 x 4 DJ set by locals Luka Palisæde (aka Stephen Fairweather) and Jake Perrine.
Youth (ages 10-15) interested in the performing arts need a gentle, personal on-ramp to meet them where they are. Emphasis during these classes focuses on a willingness to play, pretend, imagine, empathize, and dream, and then put all this energy into a physical, playable action. Curriculum will consist of theatre games, acting exercises, improvisation, basic acting and voice techniques, and beginning scene work. The classes will expand and culminate in a performance on Center Stage in April based on Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends”.
Emphasis during these classes focuses on honesty, vulnerability, truthfulness, and empathy, and then put all this energy into a physical, playable action. Curriculum will consist of script analysis, character development, scene work, improvisation, body and voice techniques, and performance.
America, 1947. Despite hard choices and even harder knocks, Joe and Kate Keller are a success story. They have built a home, raised two sons and established a thriving business.
But nothing lasts forever and their contented lives, already shadowed by the loss of their eldest boy to war, are about to shatter. With the return of a figure from the past, long buried truths are forced to the surface and the price of their American dream is laid bare.
All interested participants will meet once a week for an open discussion and exploration to share ideas on various aspects of directing. These sessions are not a traditional classroom experience. Play Selection, Vision, Casting, Staging, Props/Costume/Set Design, as well as Lighting and Sound Design are the suggested topics for discussion.
This lighting course consists of a comprehensive discussion on the instruments we have, how they work, and what they do. We’ll also discuss the fundamentals of light and shadow, color and intensity, balance, changing focus and mood. We’ll cover how we use light to enhance the creative process, to tell a story expressing emotion, pace and intent. Cues, Plots, and Schedules are also covered along with the production process of working with directors in rehearsal and performance.
For over 15 years, Whale of a Show has featured youth of all ages sharing their passions and talents on center stage. But in the olden days, Whale of a Show was performed by adults! We're bringing back the Adult Whale of a Show on Friday, January 17th!
“Whale of a Show” is an island tradition that includes singing, dancing, theater, musical performances, and more! Come see your fellow islanders show off their talents on center stage! After all, why should we let the kids have all the fun?
One of the emblematic achievements of the thriving artistic forces in Germany and Austria during the brief period between world wars, Wozzeck was a sensation and a scandal at its premiere. Remarkably, it has lost none of its power to fascinate, shock, and engage audiences, and its status as one of the defining musical works of the 20th century has not blunted its vitality.
This exhibit will feature the work of as many of the male artists on Orcas who are willing to share their art with the community. Delivery of work is scheduled for February 5th, 10:30am-12:30pm. Pickup of work is scheduled for March 4th, 10:30am-12:30pm.
Tune up your vocal chords, you’ll need em! Three of the NW’s finest troubadours, Tom Rawson, Ellen van der Hoeven, and Carolyn Cruso, are bringing a night of Triple Americana: songs, stories, harmonies and tunes inspired by the coffeehouse to Orcas Center. Throughout the evening, Susan Slapin's artwork will be displayed in the background. Susan’s artwork is poetic in nature, with an emphasis on both the world of intuitive color, and relative abstractions of the natural world.
Martin Taylor is a multi-award winning guitarist and Acoustic Guitar magazine calls him ‘THE Acoustic Guitarist of his Generation’. He dazzles audiences with his solo shows, which combine virtuosity, emotion, humor, and a strong stage presence while his inimitable style has seen him recognized as the world’s foremost exponent of solo fingerstyle guitar playing. Taylor has invented and developed a way of playing the guitar that is admired, and often imitated, by guitarists all over the world.
A supremely American operatic masterpiece and the most ambitious work by one of the nation’s greatest musical talents, Porgy and Bess focuses on the joys and struggles of a black neighborhood in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 20th century. The overall combination of music, word, and idea among a complex blend of Americana make this a unique and impressive work both within and beyond the operatic repertory.
Orcas Center Presents in the Black Box An Off-Center Dance Party! Saturday, February 15th 8pm Tickets: $5 at the door, Ages 15+ Bar with ID Featuring music by Orcas Island […]
Che Apalache began as a bluegrass band, but eventually incorporated Latin American styles into their repetoire. Combining instrumental prowess with tight vocal harmonies, they have curated an authentic blend of genres to reflect the nature of their lives, evoking images from Appalachia to the Andes. Their most recent album, Rearrange My Heart, is produced by banjo legend Béla Fleck.
Woman in the Woods Productions’ 3rd Annual Fundraiser: “Out of the Shadows” is February 22, 2020 at Orcas Center! Steve Alboucq’s jazz band and Special Guest John Boogz and Robin Sanders will be our special guests. They use the power of movement artistry and spoken word to elevate the artistic, educational and social impact of dance.
Doors open at 5:00pm, dinner starts at 5:30pm
Event starts at 6:30pm
$50 event tickets still available
Geoff Shilling will be the featured artist in the Lobby. The Community Art Show is open to all Orcas Island Artists and this show particularly welcomes fiber artists. Delivery of work is scheduled for March 4th, 10:30am-12:30pm. Pickup of work is scheduled for April 1st, 10:30am-12:30pm.
Blending Celtic, folk, classical, world and northwest musical influences, the Gothard Sisters bring songs to life with violin, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bodhran, djembe, octave violin, whistle and vocal harmonies, creating music that is “vivid, inspirational and captivating.” (Tim Carroll, Folk Words Review 2018)
Filmed in 2018 at London’s Theatre Royal the production is directed by the original author of the show, Mark Bramble. This eye-watering extravaganza is full of crowd-pleasing tap dances, popular musical theatre standards (“Lullaby of Broadway”, “We’re in the Money (the gold digger’s song), “42nd Street” and more), and show-stopping ensemble production numbers.
Orcas Center's annual meeting is on Sunday, March 15th in the Madrona room from 4pm - 5:30pm. The event is open to the public! Orcas Center Members can vote in the upcoming election. Ballots and membership forms will be available at the door.
A bonus highlight of Chicago will be presented during the meeting. Chicago, Directed by Robert Hall, opens on March 19th and runs through April 4th.
In roaring twenties Chicago, chorine Roxie Hart murders a faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband Amos to take the rap...until he finds out he's been duped and turns on Roxie. Convicted and sent to death row, Roxie and another "Merry Murderess" Velma Kelly, vie for the spotlight and the headlines, ultimately joining forces in search of the "American Dream": fame, fortune and acquittal. This sharp edged satire features a dazzling score that sparked immortal staging by Bob Fosse.
This exhibit will feature pieces from Island Art Teachers and their Adult Students. Delivery of work is scheduled for November 4th, 10:30am-12:30pm. Pickup of work is scheduled for December 2nd, 10:30am-12:30pm. Detailed information to follow as the exhibit date approaches.
Join us for an extraordinary night of music, story and magic! Island gem, pianist Grace McCune, is joined by her guitar-slinging brother Clint McCune, and violist Joel Gamble.
This dynamic trio has created music, toured, and spun connections from community to community across the Pacific Northwest. Be prepared for a force of nature that includes electrifying vocals, uncompromising musicianship, and a rich celebration of life.
Orcas Center is thrilled to have Grace, Clint, and Joel create our inaugural live-stream performance on Friday, August 14th at 7pm.
An event not be missed, GRAMMY award winning trumpeter and composer Charlie Porter has assembled an exciting new group combining some of the best talent from New York City, Seattle and Portland for this one-time special live stream event on Orcas Island featuring music from his first two albums, as well as a sneak peak at several songs off of his upcoming release.
In a beautiful twist of fate, we find ourselves in the company of Rafe Pearlman who is visiting Orcas this week, and has offered to be a part of Orcas Center's streaming concerts Co-Produced with Burl Audio.
With over twenty years of experience as a professional singer, Rafe Pearlman was launched into the greater public eye in 2012 with an appearance on AGT, America’s Got Talent with William Close and the Earth Harp.
Bad Dads are a three-piece rock ’n’ roll band from Orcas Island by way of California and Texas. They play a spontaneous collision of punk, blues, folk and rock music. If you listen carefully on a quiet Orcas afternoon, you may be able to hear their music emanating from a garage, barn, or other makeshift structure on the island. All three members sing and write songs, so they pass their instruments around proudly.
Their recently released self-titled debut album is a raucous collection of songs covering well worn Dad topics such as war, ennui, conformity, and marital relations. Goes great with a six pack of tall boys.
Stephen Fairweather is a pianist and composer from NW Montana currently residing on Orcas Island. He has worked as an accompanist for choral & musical theater performances, and as a church pianist. His musical output runs the gamut from solo acoustic piano songs and ambient soundscapes to trip hop, dream pop, and indie electronica.
“Autumn Rain” is a collection of pieces inspired by the personal and collective events that have shaped the last year. It is a reflection on the passage of time, changing of seasons, and an expression of the grief and mourning that accompanies love and loss. It is also an homage to the healing and restorative power of nature.
Caleb represents the best of the Northwest music scene and his music has inspired many people across the globe. Caleb has been touring nationally and internationally for over 20 years. He first toured with acclaimed folk-rock band Calobo, a luminary in the Northwest’s burgeoning 90's music scene. He has been leading his own band, the Caleb Klauder Band, since 2000, a venue for his original and timeless songs.
Halloween is here! Time for the ghoulish, frightfully foolish, frightening Asian ghost stories! Eth-Noh-Tec dredges up from the darkest tales of demons, talking corpses, vengeful ghosts from China, Tibet, India and morbidly more.
Known for their style of movement theater storytelling, Eth-Noh-Tec will feature one of their signature tales, “The Dirtball,” inspired by the 16th Century folk writer Pu Songling and his version of “The Painted Skin”: A kind old couple take in a servant girl, rescuing her from a cruel master. The sweet young thing is not what she appears to be! The only hope of surviving nights of terror is to follow the instructions of a wild and crazy itinerant: “Eat the Dirtball!”
A special double bill:
Chill Collins - Space sounds, glitter fuzz, archipelago dream noise (among other nonsense). Check into a room at the Chillton with these local boi’s slick shoed indie rock, glamorous punk, and wild and viscous jams.
Kellen and Kique is a clanky bones music group that is trying to use polyrhythms to summon anti-colonial spirits from the island deep.
JP, Gordon, and Anita will be playing live online, with all the excitement in the moment that brings. As always, they guarantee to keep you humming, singing, sighing, and laughing along. While the mode of musical delivery may be different, they will be sharing their usual inimitable mix of fiddle, guitar, bass, and three-part vocal harmonies with a side helping of mandolin, ukulele, banjo, and of course a seasoning of musical saw. There will be new songs and old, new jokes and old, from swing to hoedown to cowboy tunes to jazz standards to waltzes to originals, to, well, you never know what will catch their fancy, and yours. And boots...
Join us from the comfort of your own home for games, auctions, performances, history, and general merriment as we work to reach our end-of-the-year fundraising goal of $90,000.
The Crow Valley String Band and Brograss invite you to join them for their annual “Home for the Holidays” show. At this time, when we are all staying apart to keep our community safe, Rachel, Jim, Tashi, and Kaj welcome you virtually into their home for an hour of music, song and words.
Orcas Senior Center and Orcas Center are excited to announce a collaboration on the much-anticipated Seniors Have (Virtual) Talent! The event, featuring talented community members, will be aired on the Orcas Senior Center and Orcas Center websites. In these challenging times we can create some joy and silver linings by sharing creativity as a gift to the community. People are encouraged to participate by sending a short song, instrumental, a testimonial about the Senior Center, and to have fun doing so! Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to see your talented community!
Join Gordon, Melinda, JP, Anita and Z for a live streaming of a rehearsal for the answers to these and many other questions about this Orcas institution. Over the years, many folks have said they would like to be “a fly on the wall” at a Symphony practice—perhaps to see if these non-symphonic musicians are having as much fun as it seems from the audience at shows.
Here is their chance! The usual mix of voice, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, bass, banjo, concertina, ukulele, and musical saw will be wielded by our fearless cast, along with various objects seldom seen on a concert stage.
Streaming LIVE from Orcas Center: Fian Saturday, February 20th at 7pm (Pacific) Streaming on our homepage: www.OrcasCenter.org In simplest terms, Fian is a rock n’ roll band from Seattle, Washington. […]
Streaming LIVE from Orcas Center: ChellaJay and Luka Palisæde Friday, February 26th at 7pm (Pacific) Streaming on our homepage: www.OrcasCenter.org https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlB2Vgm2NHQ&feature=youtu.be ChellaJay is the voice within the seashell of […]
Streaming from Orcas Center: Ron Myers Friday, May 7th at 7pm (Pacific) Streaming on our homepage: www.OrcasCenter.org https://vimeo.com/526415772 My sincere thanks to you for sharing my love for beautiful […]
Streaming LIVE from Orcas Center: Stormy Hildreth and Mitch House Thursday, May 13th at 7pm (Pacific) Streaming on our homepage: www.OrcasCenter.org https://vimeo.com/491475212 Please join local vocalist Stormy Hildreth and fellow […]
As part of Orcas Center's Summer Concert Series, Bobby Bare Jr. and Lilo Sanchez will be performing LIVE and IN-PERSON on the Village Green in Eastsound on June 18th. COVID-friendly precautions will be taken to limit the number of guests in the immediate stage area.
Seattle Sacred Music and Art (SAMA) and Orcas Center present Third World United (3WU) as part of the Summer Concert Series. 3WU will be performing LIVE and IN-PERSON on the Village Green in Eastsound. COVID-friendly precautions will be taken to limit the number of guests in the immediate stage area.
As part of Orcas Center's Summer Concert Series, Jacob Miller, Tony Furtado, and Stephanie Schniederman will be performing LIVE and IN-PERSON on the Village Green in Eastsound on June 27th. COVID-friendly precautions will be taken to limit the number of guests in the immediate stage area.
The Orcas Island Chamber of Commence, Orcas Island Film Festival and Orcas Center Present Fourth of July Laser Light Show SOLD OUT! Sunday, July 4th Gates open at 7pm, Show […]
As part of Orcas Center's Summer Concert Series, Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms and The Horsenecks will be performing LIVE and IN-PERSON on the Village Green in Eastsound on July 10th. COVID-friendly precautions will be taken to limit the number of guests in the immediate stage area.
As part of Orcas Center's Summer Concert Series, The Talbott Brothers will be performing LIVE and IN-PERSON on the Village Green in Eastsound on June 18th. COVID-friendly precautions will be taken to limit the number of guests in the immediate stage area.
Visual Arts Committee Presents: The Orcas Artist Studio Tour On display July 30th - August 24th Free Opening Reception Friday, July 30th 2021 5:30pm-7pm Lobby Gallery & Madrona Room Orcas […]
Welcome Back!
August 6th 7:30pm Concert, Live
August 7th 5:30pm Concert, Live and Livestream
$40 Adult
$10 Ages 6-18 (OICMF concerts are not appropriate for children under 6)
Old World, New World
August 10th 7:30pm Concert, Live
August 11th 5:30pm Concert, Live and Livestream
$40 Adult
$10 Ages 6-18 (OICMF concerts are not appropriate for children under 6)
Beethoven, Interrupted
August 13th 7:30pm Concert, Live
August 14th 5:30pm Concert, Live and Livestream
$40 Adult
$10 Ages 6-18 (OICMF concerts are not appropriate for children under 6)
Montrose Trio
August 17th 7:30pm Concert, Live
August 18th 5:30pm Concert, Live and Livestream
$40 Adult
$10 Ages 6-18 (OICMF concerts are not appropriate for children under 6)
A Montrose Foray
August 20th 7:30pm Concert, Live
August 21st 5:30pm Concert, Live and Livestream
$40 Adult
$10 Ages 6-18 (OICMF concerts are not appropriate for children under 6)
The final event of the Summer Concert Series is not to be missed! Music, Merriment, Dancing, Aerial Acrobatics, and more will grace the Village Green stage as we celebrate the end of summer. Much thanks goes to Doe Bay, and the SJC Parks Department for partnering with Orcas Center to create fun-filled, COVID-Friendly summer events for our community!
The Orcas Island Jazz Festival (OIJF), Orcas Island's premier jazz event, lights up Orcas Center for three days every Labor Day weekend, with additional concerts scheduled throughout the year. Established in 2015, 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.
The Orcas Island Jazz Festival (OIJF), Orcas Island's premier jazz event, lights up Orcas Center for three days every Labor Day weekend, with additional concerts scheduled throughout the year. Established in 2015, 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.
The Orcas Island Jazz Festival (OIJF), Orcas Island's premier jazz event, lights up Orcas Center for three days every Labor Day weekend, with additional concerts scheduled throughout the year. Established in 2015, 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.
The Orcas Island Jazz Festival (OIJF), Orcas Island's premier jazz event, lights up Orcas Center for three days every Labor Day weekend, with additional concerts scheduled throughout the year. Established in 2015, 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.
Save the date! Open House Saturday, Sept 18th - 1-4pm Thanks to the loving efforts and hard work of our amazing volunteers, talented staff, and industrious contractors, we are thrilled […]
George Winston is undeniably a household name. He’s inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, live performance for Winston is akin to breathing. Winston’s music is evocative, offering us all a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives and let our minds adventurously wander.
Tickets go on sale Sunday, August 29th
Links to ticket sales will be announced in our weekly newsletter.
Contact info@OrcasCenter.org to be added.
In 2004, artist-composer Paul Miller, aka DJ Spooky, re-edited director D.W. Griffith’s problematic 1915 silent film as “Rebirth of a Nation.” Rebirth of a Nation is a culturally significant project that examines how exploitation and political corruption still haunt the world to this day.
Look through the lens of DJ Spooky’ s unique art of mixing.
Mr. Miller will be joined on stage by “Tres Voci”, local artist consisting of Pamela Wright, Holly King, Scott Heisinger, and guest Violinist Dr. Rachel Bishop.
Auditions for the upcoming production of Pride and Prejudice, directed by Dorrie Braun, will be held Sept. 27 - 28, and Oct. 4-5. 6pm - 9pm
Come be part of the classic tale of love, in a time when security and success were paramount motivations for marriage, and love was a luxury that was rarely afforded.
Auditions for the upcoming production of Pride and Prejudice, directed by Dorrie Braun, will be held Sept. 27 - 28, and Oct. 4-5. 6pm - 9pm
Come be part of the classic tale of love, in a time when security and success were paramount motivations for marriage, and love was a luxury that was rarely afforded.
It’s a summer’s morning in 1988 and Tory politician Robin Hesketh has returned home to the idyllic Cotswold house he shares with his wife of 30 years, Diana. But all is not as blissful as it seems. Diana has a stinking hangover, a fox is destroying the garden, and secrets are being dug up all over the place. As the day draws on, what starts as gentle ribbing and the familiar rhythms of marital sparring quickly turns to blood-sport.
Bass René Pape, the world’s reigning Boris, reprises his overwhelming portrayal of the tortured tsar caught between grasping ambition and crippling paranoia. Conductor Sebastian Weigle leads Mussorgsky’s masterwork, a pillar of the Russian repertoire, in its original 1869 version, which runs two-and-a-quarter hours with no intermission. Stephen Wadsworth’s affecting production poignantly captures the hope and suffering of the Russian people as well as the tsar himself.
Reporting live on an unfolding crisis, Frank in the Studio is aided by his team of field reporters: John in the Field, Constance at the Home, and Michael, the Legal Advisor. As the impending event approaches and chaos builds, the broadcasters reveal themselves to be all too human. In an era during which many have come to question the veracity of the news media, Will Eno's Tragedy: A Tragedy hilariously transcends fact-in-fiction in search of universal truths about the world we live in.
Fierce with a pen and notorious in combat, Cyrano almost has it all - if only he could win the heart of his true love Roxane. There’s just one big problem: he has a nose as huge as his heart. Will a society engulfed by narcissism get the better of Cyrano - or can his mastery of language set Roxane’s world alight?
There’s a party on the stage of the Weismann Theatre. Tomorrow the iconic building will be demolished. Thirty years after their final performance, the Follies girls gather to have a few drinks, sing a few songs and lie about themselves. Follies includes such classic songs as Broadway Baby, I’m Still Here and Losing My Mind.
An evening of dance for all ages!
Directed and Choreographed by Tiffany Loney
Presented through Orcas Dance Collective
Featuring Junior Dance Collective and special guests
Island treasure and renowned watercolorist, Frank Loudin has generously offered a wide array of his original watercolor paintings for sale to benefit Orcas Center. Postponed earlier due to COVID precautions, the online auction for these wonderful watercolor landscapes will begin at 10am on Sunday, November 21, running through 6pm on Sunday, December 5.
Fire Shut Up in My Bones is The Met's first performance of a black composer, Terrance Blanchard. Conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Grammy Award–winning jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard’s adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s moving memoir, which The New York Times praised after its 2019 world premiere at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as “bold and affecting” and “subtly powerful.”
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, fun, and at least one new dress.
In Imperial Rome led by Crassus, Spartacus and his wife Phrygia are reduced to slavery and are separated by slave dealers. His love for her and his desire for freedom lead him to revolt against the Roman army with the help of the other captives. But the treacherous Aegina, who seeks to conquer Crassus and gain power, will get in the way of Spartacus’s plan.
Fifteen-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain. He is exceptional at maths, while everyday life presents some barriers. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and he distrusts strangers. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbour’s dog, it takes him on a journey that upturns his world.
Island treasure and renowned watercolorist, Frank Loudin has generously offered a wide array of his original watercolor paintings for sale to benefit Orcas Center. Postponed earlier due to COVID precautions, the online auction for these wonderful watercolor landscapes will begin at 10am on Sunday, November 21, running through 6pm on Sunday, December 5.
One summer's evening, two ageing writers, Hirst and Spooner, meet in a Hampstead pub and continue their drinking into the night at Hirst's stately house nearby. As the pair become increasingly inebriated, and their stories increasingly unbelievable, the lively conversation soon turns into a revealing power game, further complicated by the return home of two sinister younger men.
Orcas Dance Collective’s fall dance class series is coming to a close, and we are so excited to see what our student dancers have learned. Join us for a Holiday Showcase - “Winter Wonderland” and “Nutcracker: Kingdom of Sweets” on December 15th and 16th, at 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm. These performances will present student dancers of all ages with something for everyone. We hope to see you there!
Orcas Dance Collective’s fall dance class series is coming to a close, and we are so excited to see what our student dancers have learned. Join us for a Holiday Showcase - “Winter Wonderland” and “Nutcracker: Kingdom of Sweets” on December 15th and 16th, at 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm. These performances will present student dancers of all ages with something for everyone. We hope to see you there!
Orpheus is almost the archetypical operatic tale, and composers throughout history have adapted it for the operatic stage. But in his evocative new opera, celebrated American composer Matthew Aucoin reimagines the story from Eurydice’s point of view and imbues these familiar characters with surprising new dimensions.
The Crow Valley String Band, Brograss and friends invite you to join them for their annual “Home for the Holidays” show. Although it was fun streaming from our living room last year, we are so excited, thanks to the vaccine, to return to the stage at the Orcas Center. Tashi will be home from music conservatory and college, and Kaj back from studying in London, even taller, and inspired with new tunes and ideas. Come hear about what they have been doing. Please join Jim, Rachel, Tashi and Kaj again this year, as we bring you music, song and stories to welcome the festive season.
In this timeless story accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, rising star Soloist Margarita Shrainer perfectly embodies Marie’s innocence and enchantment along with the supremely elegant Principal Dancer Semyon Chudin as The Nutcracker, captivating audiences of all ages and bringing them on an otherworldly journey.
The following events are cancelled at Orcas Center: The Magic Flute (Jan 8th), John Reischman and the Jaybirds (Jan 14th), King Lear (Jan 15th), Zan Fiskum (Jan 21st), and Amelia Lukas (Jan 29th)
Laurent Pelly’s storybook staging of Massenet’s Cendrillon, a hit of the 2017–18 season, is presented with an all-new English translation in an abridged 90-minute adaptation, with mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as its rags-to-riches princess. Maestro Emmanuel Villaume leads a delightful cast, which includes mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as Cinderella’s Prince Charming, soprano Jessica Pratt as her Fairy Godmother, and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe and bass-baritone Laurent Naouri as her feuding guardians.
Locarno incorporates music from Columbia, African Sukous, Mexican Marimba Music, Venezuelan Joropo and Brazilian Forro Music. Perhaps where the band shines the most is in the live shows which features Tom Landa on jaranas and guitars, Kalissa Landa on violin, Robin Layne on marimba, congas and timbales, Pedro Mota on guitar an vocals, Aaron McKinney on bass, Liam MacDonald on drums, congas and pandero, Mark D’Angelo on trumpet and Nick La Rivere on trombone.
Want to make “dope beats”? Want to learn to record, arrange, mix and master your own songs? Want to perform a set of your own original music with live backing tracks? Always wanted to learn Ableton Live? Here’s your chance to learn from a pro. Jake Perrine, Orcas Center's Artistic Director & Technical Director, will teach an Ableton Live Intensive class for six sessions starting in February at Orcas Center.
JIJI is an adventurous artist known for her virtuosic performances that feature a diverse selection of music, ranging from traditional and contemporary classical to free improvisation, played on both acoustic and electric guitar. Through her impeccable musicianship, compelling stage presence, and constant premieres of new musical works, JIJI’s intriguing programming solidifies her reputation as a 21st century guitarist.
Michael Mayer’s acclaimed production, first seen in the 2012–13 season, sets the action of Verdi’s masterpiece in 1960 Las Vegas—a neon-lit world ruled by money and ruthless, powerful men. Piotr Beczała is the Duke, a popular entertainer and casino owner who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Željko Lučić sings Rigoletto, his sidekick and comedian, and Diana Damrau is Rigoletto’s innocent daughter, Gilda. When she is seduced by the Duke, Rigoletto sets out on a tragic course of murderous revenge. Štefan Kocán is the assassin Sparafucile and Michele Mariotti conducts.
Emeralds for the elegance and sophistication of Paris, rubies for the speed and modernity of New York, and diamonds for an imperial St. Petersburg. Three sparkling scenes accompanied by the music of three essential composers, feature the styles of the three dance schools that have contributed to making George Balanchine a legend of modern ballet.
Orcas Center's Visual Arts Committee (VAC) is excited to announce the first visual arts exhibition at the Orcas Center in almost two years! We anticipate that the creative juices of our island artists have continued to flow throughout these long and crazy months of the pandemic and encourage all to exhibit their work!
Pride and Prejudice concentrates on Mrs. Bennet’s determination to get her daughters married. Jane, Elizabeth, (Lizzie) and Lydia are likely-looking girls in a period when a woman’s one possible career is matrimony. To be a wife was success. Anything else was failure. But, Lizzie's heart is her primary decision maker. Fearless, funny and utterly irresistible, she'll catch the fancy of more than one gentleman before the evening's out!
With couples to cheer for (and against), and the pluckiest heroine ever to ignore her mother's romantic advice, Pride and Prejudice is the ultimate Rom-Com, blending the elements of romance, sarcasm, and comedy that transcends time.
In Brooklyn, Eddie Carbone welcomes his Sicilian cousins to the land of freedom. But when one of them falls for his beautiful niece, they discover that freedom comes at a price. Eddie’s jealous mistrust exposes a deep, unspeakable secret – one that drives him to commit the ultimate betrayal.
Designed and performed by Powell Flutes Artist Amelia Lukas, Natural Homeland is a timely, tour de force program of music for solo flute, piccolo, alto flute, and electronics, that delves deep into the meaning of home and our place in the world around us. A diverse and gorgeous array of music weaves together stories of natural disaster and displacement, but also of hope and inner sanctuary. This is a reflective, restorative and important program that draws expansive connections around ideas of shelter, belonging, and freedom, all offered through Lukas’ riveting performance, which conveys a “fine balance of virtuosity and poetry.” (The New York Times) The scope of extended techniques and global palette of sounds featured in these works is stunning, and rarely heard on the concert stage. Lukas will introduce and offer context for each piece.
The Ariadne myth tells how Prince Theseus of Athens set out for Crete to kill the Minotaur, a creature half man, half bull, who was concealed in a labyrinth. Princess Ariadne of Crete fell in love with Theseus and gave him a ball of thread that enabled him to find his way out of the labyrinth after he had killed the Minotaur. When Theseus left Crete, he took Ariadne with him as his bride. During their voyage home, they stopped at the island of Naxos. While Ariadne was asleep, Theseus slipped away and continued his journey to Athens without her. The opera Ariadne auf Naxos begins at this point.
AOK Arts for Kids and the Visual Arts Committee Presents: AOK and Student Art Show On display April 15th - May 24th Free Opening Reception Friday, April 15th 2022 3:30pm-5pm […]
Third Coast Percussion is a Grammy Award-winning Chicago-based percussion quartet. For over fifteen years, the ensemble has created exciting and unexpected performances that constantly redefine the classical music experience. The ensemble has been praised for “commandingly elegant” (New York Times) performances, the “rare power” (Washington Post) of their recordings, and “an inspirational sense of fun and curiosity” (Minnesota Star-Tribune).
Third Coast Percussion maintains a busy tour schedule, with past performances in 38 of the 50 states and Washington, DC, plus international tour dates across four continents.
Yamandu Costa, 7-string guitar virtuoso, was born in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and has created his very particular style of compositions, somewhere between the typical music from the south of Brazil, Choro and Samba with finger acrobatic like passages, high tempo and yet very delicate and melodious pieces.
Orcas Center presents on the Center Stage Screen: The Met Opera: Don Carlos Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Sunday, May 1st – 1pm Runtime: 4 hours and 35 minutes with intermission Tiered […]
The GiveOrcas Spring catalog runs May 2nd-16th - where YOU can donate to specific projects from local non-profits that will make a big difference in our community! Orcas Center is excited to be a part of this campaign and is seeking $25,000 from the community to help fund our Solar Panel Project!
Visual Arts Committee Presents: High School Art Presentation On display April 15th - May 24th High School Art Presentation Friday, May 6th 2022 5:30pm - 7pm Lobby Gallery & Madrona […]
On a bitterly cold London evening, schoolteacher Kyra Hollis (Carey Mulligan) receives an unexpected visit from her former lover, Tom Sergeant (Bill Nighy), a successful and charismatic restaurateur whose wife has recently died.
As the evening progresses, the two attempt to rekindle their once passionate relationship only to find themselves locked in a dangerous battle of opposing ideologies and mutual desires.
Annie is a modern dancer who, after witnessing the fall of the Twin Towers, heads to Japan to study butoh dance. Ten years later she is diagnosed with cancer and returns to butoh to prepare for her final dance.
Orcas Center Presents on Center Stage The Metropolitan Opera: Captured Live in HD Turandot Composer: Giacomo Puccini Saturday, May 21st - 1pm Run time: 3 hours 15 minutes Tiered Ticket […]