Weekend Review: Buffet anyone?

Tacoma is becoming a Las Vegas of the South Sound in a certain way: While it might not have the showgirls or the mobsters in black suits, is has various activities most of the day and night that are beyond what the local population could support.

Few cities of its size, for example, could support a recognized opera company. But there it was this weekend. Tacoma Opera’s “Trouble in Tahiti,” by Leonard Bernstein and “Pagliacci” by Ruggero Leoncavallo played to solid crowds for its two-show run. Opera snobs might gripe about “Tahiti,” a couple-in-distress story, being in English instead of some romance language. Although it made the show more of a light-rock musical than a traditional opera, it made for a great “starter show.” Those purists got their addiction for Europe from the Italian-sung “Pagliacci,” anyway. They should learn to share the love a bit.

In support of the argument that the “show ever ends in T-town” is the the fact that the area now has two roller derby leagues – namely, the Dockyard Derby Dames and a new league that had its first bout on Saturday at Wheelz Skate Arena in Fircrest. The Toxic Spill 253 didn’t make much of a showing in terms of battling the Rainy City Roller Dolls (since the bouts were uber-lopsided) but the night was action- and elbow-packed energy from bell to bell.

Imagine an area where Italian can be sung on stage and women can be getting elbows to the face to cheering crowds at another location and both places are full. Welcome to Tacoma.