THE EXHIBIT

Alec Clayton

Let’s be logical for a moment.  We are a growing planet with a growing population. We are expanding.  We expand into the mountains, the farmlands, the deserts, South Hill Puyallup.  So, reasonably speaking, the days of wildlife are numbered.  Expansion, you know.  Weekly Volcano art critic Alec Clayton is expanding, too.  Not around his waist but in his studio.  He has new abstract and formalist oil paintings.  Quite good, I say.  And, get this, he captures the essence of movement and struggle as seen in nature.  Wildlife, among others.  Movement and expansion, nature and wildlife — I’m the Tarantino of PLAYLIST writers.  Discuss movement and nature with Clayton Friday, March 9, 7-9 p.m. at his reception at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center. — Suzy Stump

[Kenneth J. Minnaert Center, through March 31, South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Rd., Olympia, 360.596.5508]

THE STAGE

Reach for ‘Level 4’

Olympia’s Audition is Dead presents “Congratulations You Made It To Level 4,” the fourth installment of original one-act plays studying ancient civilizations through three different views to provide for a “complete” view of history. The plays are:  “The Calendar,” written and directed by Jon Tallman; “Supercollider,” written by Paul Hawxhurst and directed by Lauren O’Neil;  “mark franzen is ON TIME,” written, directed, conceived, performed and created by Mark Franzen. — Steve Dunkelberger

[Midnight Sun Performance Space, March 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24 at 8 p.m., $7-$227 on a sliding scale, 113 N. Columbia St., downtown Olympia, 360.556.3245, www.TheAuditionIsDead.org]

THE IRISH

Cottage Faire

Something about this time of year makes plaid cool. It makes bagpipes cool. Pale, hairy, muscular men in skirts with no underwear? Cool. Lacey? Cool. Why? Because Saturday, March 10, the Celtic Society of South Puget Sound gets its Irish on hosting the Irish Cottage Faire. Hear (and see) the pipes and drums; see (and hear) the dancing of the Irish nature; see (and eat) Irish food. All this Celtic entertainment at no cost to you. Very cool. — SS

[Thurston County Fairgrounds, Saturday, March 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, 3054 Carpenter Road S.E., Lacey, 360.459. 1453]

THE KIDS

Family Day

If the kids are bouncing off the walls and driving you bonkers, pack ‘em up for an outing to the Museum of Glass, whose Family Day event is sure to keep even the tiniest terror of a tot entertained. This month’s Family Day concentrates on “Motion Madness” featuring Jennifer Adams motivating the kids to create animated experiments linked to the “Quantizing Effects: The Liminal Art of Jim Campbell” exhibition. So exhale, tired parents. Right now the employees of the Museum of Glass think your kids are way cuter than you do. And they’ll continue to think so right on through to the point they return them to you. Hurrah! — SS

[Museum of Glass, Saturday, March 10, 1-4 p.m., $8-$10, $4 children 6-12, $30 families, 1801 Dock St., Tacoma, 253.284.4750]

THE KARAOKE

Colin calling

What the hell is going on with the mad dash karaoke comeback? Sure, the Weekly Volcano told you about Rockaraoke Mondays where singers, er, sing in front of a live band at Jazzbones, not to mention pointing your cheesy singing ass in the direction of every Asian snakie hot spot from here to Tumwater.

Now you can commit the center stage sing-along sin with Bob’s Java Jive and Gertie’s karaoke host superstar Colin every Tuesday at Jazzbones. Immediately following Jazzbones’ Tuesday night comedy show, Colin fires up the machine so you can belt out your favorite Prince tune over cheap beers and shots. Nice. — SS

[Jazzbones, Tuesday at 10 p.m., no cover, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

THE EVENT

Night out on the town

The road not taken: Bright lights, big city. Tacoma’s trying awfully hard to be urbane. But on the flip side of the city’s blooming restaurant scene and wine bars are its galleries and downtown merchants, which have actually been around a long time, serving an arts community that never stops struggling for recognition. So how about giving them a hand by sparing them one Thursday night out of your life?

During Third Thursday Art Walk March 15 downtown Tacoma merchants will stay open later hosting entertainment, a show, a sale or all three under the title Night Out on the Town.  Combined with Ruby Collection’s “Art in the Alley” show in its event room and the art walk, it makes for a fun night on the town.

Everything kicks off around 5 p.m. Thursday, March 15.  — SS

[Downtown Tacoma, March 15, 5-9 p.m., www.rubysroom.com]