Goodbye, July.
It’s the final weekend of the most summery of all months, but the sun-baked party ain’t over yet, Bainbridge. If you’re looking for cool options for a hot time this weekend, check out our Best Bets.
There’s still time to catch two live shows finishing their respective runs this weekend, one inside and one outdoors.
Indoors: The revival of “The Pirates of Penzance” by Ovation! Performing Arts Northwest is the perfect production with which to bookend co-founder/director Ron Milton’s time at the helm. It is the third time the company has put on the show — the first being their actual initial show on Bainbridge 15 years ago.
Milton will step down as director after this show — having steered the company through nearly a thousand performances — citing health issues as the primary reason. His wife, co-founder Marijane Milton (who plays Ruth in “Pirates”) will stay on longer.
“Pirates” begins at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays, through Sunday, July 29 at the Bainbridge High School theater.
Tickets, $24 each ($22 for seniors and students and $19 for youth 12 and younger or military members, active or retired), are available at www.ovationmtb.com.
Outside: “Romeo and Juliet” is William Shakespeare’s “Free Bird.”
It’s the one everyone knows, the one everyone can quote — the popular personification of one of the greatest playwrights of all time.
But why?
Why do we like this story? It’s very sad.
Why we do we like these character? They are, at best, hopelessly angsty emo teens and, at worst, squabbling petty nobles.
Still, love it we do, for more than 400 years and an awesome array of revivals, adaptations and spin-offs, the latest of which sees the Bard’s classic back outdoors, where it was intended to be performed, at Bloedel Reserve courtesy of Bainbridge Performing Arts.
The all-ages “Romeo and Juliet” will run through Sunday, July 29, with performances beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Tickets, $24 to $29 each, are available. Visit www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org to learn more and to purchase.
Picnics will be allowed in the meadow after 6 p.m., however, beer and wine will neither be sold nor permitted at this year’s event per regulations under the Washington State Liquor & Cannabis Board.
Also on stage: Coyote Willow will return to the Treehouse Café, at 8 p.m. Friday, July 27.
Admission is free; access is 21-and-older only.
The duo is a regional favorite, performing multiple venues, festivals and private events throughout the Pacific Northwest year round. Musically and lyrically, their tunes range from rockabilly to the open tuned and lyrically moving folk style, as well as instrumentals and gypsy jazz. Their style weaves genre-crossing lines to create a musical journey that has grown over the past years and built a loyal following at the Treehouse, too.
Visit www.treehousebainbridge.com to learn more.
The current artist-in-residence at Bainbridge Dance Center will be teaching a Dance for Parkinson’s workshop from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28.
“These classes are really exciting in that individuals living with Parkinson’s can be empowered through movement and live music in ways that are enjoyable, stimulating and creative,” said Christiana Axelsen, Bainbridge Dance Center director. “Shannon Stewart, who is Bainbridge Dance Center’s July artist-in-residence, also happens to be a teaching artist with the Mark Morris Dance for PD Program. She requested to hold a Dance for Parkinson’s workshop during her time here on Bainbridge.”
The cost to attend is a $5 suggested donation, and though it is a dance class for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, all are welcome — friends, family, caretakers and people who just love to dance, Axelsen said.
Bainbridge Dance Center is located at 844 Madison Ave. North. RSVP to attend via mail@bainbridgedancecenter.com or call 206-842-1497.
Stewart is a New Orleans-based choreographer, teacher and performer, who is working at BDC for two weeks with her dancers, using the studios to create a new work and prepare for their performance at the Seattle Festival of Alternative Dance.
They will have an in-studio performance preview of that work, a piece titled “Relatives,” from 5 to 6 p.m. Sunday July 29.
Admission is a $5 suggested donation and everyone is welcome.
Visit www.bainbridge dancecenter.com to learn more.
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