From jazzy cabaret to hip-hopping nutcrackers and side-splitting comedians, The Washington Center for the Performing Arts is excited to welcome you back to in-person events for a fun-filled 2021-2022 season. The not-for-profit performance venue has pulled out all the stops to give you a wide range of events, perfect for a date night or family outing.
“What I am most excited about this season is getting to once again see live performances,” says Tineke Raak, marketing and sales director for The Washington Center for the Performing Arts. “We have already had a couple of shows here and it has been so wonderful to see the joy that brings to our community.”
This season get ready for some big laughs as they welcome back fan favorites, the “Ladies of Laughter” and “Comedy Underground,” as well as the “The Daily Show Writers Comedy Tour.” The Comedy Tour features four of the brilliantly funny writers behind Comedy Central’s hit show “The Daily Show.” “I think ‘The Daily Show Writer’s Tour’ is going to be hilarious and bring us all some much-needed laughter,” shares Raak. Other don’t miss side splitting events include “God is a Scottish Drag Queen: Christmas Edition”, That Golden Girls Show: A puppet parody, and best selling author and humorist David Sedaris.
A new twist on a holiday tradition, you won’t want to miss the “Hip Hop Nutcracker!” This updated spin on the ballet mashes contemporary dance with Tchaikovsky’s well-loved music. It features a cast of a dozen dancers, including MC Kurtis Blow, one of the founders of Hip Hop, a DJ, and a violinist. Pre-pandemic, this show sold out across the country, you won’t want to miss this incredible performance!
Grammy-award winning singer Judy Collins, Motown legends The Temptations, and the beloved Pink Martini are just a few of the musical acts to keep your spirits lifted. Looking for something new? Then you definitely don’t want to miss Ensemble Mik Nawooj defies genre, merging classical, jazz, and hip hop styles. Israeli-born choreographer Roni Koresh is bringing his contemporary dance company in April.
There are so many remarkable shows happening this season at The Washington Center, you won’t want to miss any of them! Check out the calendar below and the website to see the nearly 30 performances still to come this season. Want early access? Become a FRIENDS of The Center and get priority seating for season tickets, waiting list priority, free ticket exchanges for Washington Center Presented Events and more!
Box office hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and 24/7 online. To purchase tickets, visit The Washington Center for Performing Arts website or call 360.753.8586 during box office hours.
Keeping You Safe
The Washington Center is committed to your safety and has extra protocols in place to help keep patrons, staff members and artists safe and healthy. For the 2021-2022 season, they will be requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or, for those who are not vaccinated, proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time. There will be a staff member checking at the door.
To help with those needing a COVID-19 test, The Washington Center has partnered with the City of Olympia and Curative, a testing group, to have on-site testing for The Washington Center and Harlequin Productions artists and audiences, as well as anyone visiting and shopping downtown. “It will be a kiosk located outside the box office across from Captain Little,” shares Raak. “Anyone will be able to schedule testing appointments or walk up for testing. They will be doing 48-hour tests for free. So, our hope is that patrons who have children under age 12 or who are unvaccinated can come a couple of days before a performance and get tested.”
The testing kiosk is now open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit the Curative website to schedule an appointment. The kiosk hours will expand to include weekends and show nights once the rapid tests are available.
Masks will also be required, regardless of vaccination status, unless you are actively eating or drinking.
The following are acceptable as proof of full vaccination:
- Vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided and date last dose administered) OR
- Photo of a vaccination card as a separate document OR
- Photo of the attendee’s vaccine card stored on a phone or electronic device OR
- Documentation of vaccination from a healthcare provider electronic health record or state Immunization Information System record.
- Matching photo ID will be required at the door.
Self-reported vaccination records that are not verified by a health care provider cannot be accepted.
The following are acceptable as proof of a negative COVID-19 test result:
- Printed document (from the test provider or laboratory) OR
- Email or text message displayed on a phone or electronic device from the test provider or laboratory.
- The information provided should include name of person tested, type of test performed, and date of negative test result (date of negative PCR test result must be within prior 72 hours).
- Matching photo ID will be required at the door.
Self-reported negative test results that are not from a test provider, a laboratory, or a health care provider cannot be accepted.
The Washington Center will reassess COVID-19 protocols and they are subject to change. Please visit The Washington Center for the Performing Arts COVID-19 page for up-to-date information.
2021-2022 Season
| Performance | Date | Time |
| Black Box Jazz Kareem Kandi | Fri, 15-Oct-21 | 8:00 PM |
| Boogie From the Bayou Featuring BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet and Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience | Fri, 29-Oct-21 | 7:30 PM |
| The Hip Hop Nutcracker | Mon, 15-Nov-21 | 7:30 PM |
| Seattle International Comedy Competition | Thu, 18-Nov-21 | 7:30 PM |
| Windham Hill’s Winter Solstice | Wed, 1-Dec-21 | 7:30 PM |
| God Is A Scottish Drag Queen: A Christmas Special | Fri, 3-Dec-21 | 7:30 PM |
| International Guitar Night XXII | Tue, 18-Jan-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Comedy Underground | Thu, 20-Jan-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Black Box Jazz Ann Reynolds and Clave Gringa | Fri, 21-Jan-22 | 8:00 PM |
| Pink Martini | Mon, 24-Jan-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Ensemble Mik Nawooj | Thu, 3-Feb-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Black Box Jazz Max Hatt/Edda Glass | Fri, 11-Feb-22 | 8:00 PM |
| The Daily Show Writers Comedy Tour | Sat, 12-Feb-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Comedy Underground | Thu, 17-Feb-22 | 7:30 PM |
| An Evening with Judy Collins | Fri, 25-Feb-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Ladies of Laughter | Fri, 11-Mar-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Silent Film Series: Buster Keaton: A Shorts Film Collection | Sun, 13-Mar-22 | 2:00 PM |
| Bessie, Billie, & Nina – Pioneering Women in Jazz | Tue, 15-Mar-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Comedy Underground | Thu, 24-Mar-22 | 7:30 PM |
| That Golden Girls Show! – a puppet parody | Fri, 25-Mar-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Koresh Dance Company | 16-Apr-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Comedy Underground | Thu, 21-Apr-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Black Box Jazz Duende Libre Trio | Fri, 22-Apr-22 | 8:00 PM |
| An Evening with David Sedaris | Tue, 10-May-22 | 7:30 PM |
| The Center Salon | Fri, 13-May-22 | 7:30 PM |
| “Perk up, pianist!” | Sat, 21-May-22 | 7:30 PM |
| The Temptations | Thu, 9-Jun-22 | 7:30 PM |
| Comedy Underground | Thu, 23-June-22 | 7:30 PM |
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