Singer, songwriter, storyteller Steve Schalchlin is a little bit gospel, a little bit rock and roll, and all theatrical entertainer. And he played John Lennon’s piano. Right here in Olympia.



He’s coming back to Olympia Sunday, May 10 for a very special Mother’s Day PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays)-Olympia fund-raiser concert at Capital Playhouse.



Fifteen years ago Schalchlin was dying of AIDS. He put his story into song and wrote the music for the award-winning plays The Last Session and The Big Voice: God or Merman, with books written by his life partner, actor and playwright Jim Brochu. The autobiographical plays based on living with AIDS and growing up gay and religious (Steve=Baptist and Brochu=Catholic) won major theatrical awards including GLAAD Media Awards, LA Drama Critics Circle, PFLAG LA Oscar Wilde Award and the LA Ovation Award. And The Last Session was nominated for a New York Drama League award.



Thanks to new drugs Schalchlin is still alive and traveling the world to tell his stories and sing his songs — some of the funniest, rocking songs you’ll ever hear about death, suicide, discrimination, AIDS, God, and ultimately hope.



His song cycle for peace, “New World Waking” was recently performed by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.



On May 8, 2007 as part of the Imagine Piano Peace Project, Schalchlin played “Imagine” and other songs on John Lennon’s piano at the home of Olympia residents Alec (yes, that’s me) and Gabi Clayton whose 17-year-old son, Bill, committed suicide after being assaulted in a hate crime based on his sexual orientation. The project takes the piano on which Lennon composed “Imagine” to sites of horrific violence on the anniversary of the events.



In Olympia Schalchlin will perform and tell stories at a warm-up event at the regular monthly meeting of PFLAG from 3-4:30 p.m. May 10 at First United Methodist Church, 1224 Legion Way S.E. in Olympia.



Capital Playhouse artistic director Jeff Kingsbury is slated to sing duets with Schalchlin during the Sunday evening concert.



The afternoon PFLAG meeting is free; concert tickets are $20, and seating is limited. The box office is open Tuesday through Friday 11a.m. to 6 p.m.



[Capital Playhouse, …And I Played John Lennon’s Piano, Steve Schalchlin concert, Sunday, May 10, 7 p.m., $20, 612 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.2744].