Choose from music, comedy, adventure films or magic for entertainment this weekend
Abracadabra!
Need a little magic in your life? Head to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts on Friday night for “The Magic of Michael Grandinetti.” Grandinetti has had starring roles on NBC’s “The World’s Most Dangerous Magic II,” five seasons of The CW’s “Masters of Illusion,” and POP’s “Don’t Blink,” and his magic has been featured on the FOX series “Bones,” “The Today Show,” “Access Hollywood” and “Entertainment Tonight.” The master illusionist offers an interactive show that includes levitation, teleportation, mind reading, and more. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 24. Tickets are $33.89 (plus a $4 service fee), or $69 VIP experience that includes a meet and greet with Grandinetti. The center is at 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia.
Action and adventure from the safety of a theater seat
The Olympia Mountaineers are again bringing the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour to Olympia, this time for a three-night run March 24-26 at the Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE. The festival is celebrating its 47th year, bringing the best action, environment, and adventure films to audiences in more than 40 countries. Different films will be shown Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Tickets are $18 for a single night, $30 for two nights or $40 for three nights. Doors open at the theater at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with screenings beginning at 7 p.m.; doors open at 5 p.m. Sunday, with screenings at 6 p.m.
Tickle your funny bone
Washington native Gabriel Rutledge is bringing his stand-up comedy show back to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts’ main stage on Saturday night, March 25. He’s a past winner of both the Seattle International Comedy Competition and The Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta. His show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $34.50 or $24.50, or $69 for the VIP experience.
Hit the road to hear Ray Charles tribute
On Sunday afternoon, get a dose of Ray Charles’ sweet soul music when pianist and vocalist Kenny Brawner leads his 11-piece orchestra and three vocalists (a la the Raelettees) in performing the American icon’s most popular hits. The tribute show, called Ray on My Mind, starts at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $63 to $25.
Seattle chamber choir back in Olympia
The Esoterics, the Seattle-based chamber chorus that performs new and contemporary a cappella choral music from around the world, is returning to Olympia to perform its new show, “Villains and Heroes, Messiahs false and true,” at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 19th and Capitol Way, Olympia. The concert begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, and includes two new choral compositions by Los Angeles composer Rex Isenberg. The first piece, “If we have wisdom,” is based on a letter by George Washington to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1790. The second piece, “Messiahs false and true,” explores the “messianic leader” throughout human history, and is composed for choir with accompaniment of organ and percussion as well as a spoken oratorio. Tickets are $20, or $25 for students and seniors, and can be purchased in advance on The Esoterics’ website. Or tickets may be purchased at the door.
