SEQUIM — An open house to introduce — or reacquaint — community members with the Olympic Theatre Arts Center is set for this Saturday afternoon with David Herbelin, the new executive director, as the host.
Olympic Theatre Arts, at 414 N. Sequim Ave., will open its doors from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; as with all OTA productions, guests must show proof of vaccination and wear face masks.
Herbelin, who took the lead last fall, said Saturday’s open house will show off the variety of ways to connect with the 42-year-old theater’s offerings.
“Come and learn how you can play with us. That’s what this is all about,” he said in an interview Thursday.
The local band Just in Tyme will provide live music through the afternoon, and Herbelin and the eight-member board of trustees will offer guided tours of the multilevel venue. The building, formerly a church, includes the 160-seat Elaine and Robert Caldwell Main Stage, the 90-seat Gathering Hall, an attic space lined with costumes and a basement full of props.
Visitors will also have a chance to see, up close, the set for “Angel Street (Gaslight),” the show set to run Feb. 11-27.
Performers will then treat the guests to scenes from the Victorian thriller, written by the English playwright and novelist Patrick Hamilton.
“The term ‘gaslighting’ came from this play,” Herbelin said, adding it’s about a narcissistic husband who makes his wife question reality. Then she turns his behavior back on him.
“Angel Street’s” cast and crew will be on hand, Herbelin added, for conversations about their process and artistic decisions.
Those who come to the open house can find out about acting, directing, serving as a lighting technician and any of the volunteer opportunities at the theater.
A week from now, Olympic Theatre Arts will hold auditions for “Bingo, the Winning Musical,” a participatory comedy to open April 15 and run through May 1. Tryouts will go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 5 and 6, with call-backs set for the evening of Feb. 8.
“Bingo” is about a group of die-hard players who are fiercely competitive in their weekly games. As it happens, love blossoms and long-lost friends reunite — all to a catchy musical score. There may also be some audience participation in the bingo games.
More about the auditions, the shows and the concerts at OTA can be found at www.olympictheatrearts.org, by emailing office@olympictheatrearts.org or phoning 360-683-7326.
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Jefferson County senior reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidela paz@peninsuladailynews.com.
