This month as chill winds blow, we can take pride in the fact that warmhearted Edmonds Art Walk (AWE) is teaming up with Edmonds’ own Carol Rowe Memorial Food Bank to help fight hunger in our community under the banner, “AWE = A Community That Cares”.

AWE board member Beth Sanger, owner of Ombu Salon and Spa, tells My Edmonds News, “Art Walk Edmonds is excited about partnering with our local food bank. We want to make donating food easy for the community.”

Edmonds businesses participating in this month’s food drive to benefit the Edmonds Food Bank are displaying a poster encouraging food drop-offs at their location, explains Sanger.

“The Edmonds Food Bank volunteers are amazing,” Sanger adds. “Every Tuesday morning volunteers converge on the Edmonds Food Bank, located at 828 Caspers St., to fight hunger in our community.” The food bank serves 383 families, which includes more than 200 infants and toddlers.

Edmonds businesses participating in “AWE = A Community That Cares” include:
Aria Studio Gallery
Arista
ArtSpot
Cest la Vie
Christopher Framing & Gallery
Cline Jewelers
Coldwell Banker Bain
Cole Gallery
Comstock Jewelers
Design 
House Wares
DragonFire Gallery
Edmonds Bookshop
Edmonds Conference Center
Edmonds Frame
Edmonds Vision Center
Gallery North
Ombu Salon and Spa
The Papery
Rebekah’s Boutique
Reread Books
Rick Steves’ Europe Inc.
Rogue
Zinc Art + Interiors

Your donations of canned goods and pantry staples to these Art Walk Edmonds Team businesses will be appreciated by all.
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Thursday, Nov. 13
Tonight – by Invitation
Dessert and Laughter
The Phoenix Theatre’s
First Gala Fundraiser

Artfully Edmonds readers who know me best will attest that I am all about dessert and laughter – so you know where I’ll be tonight . . . at The Phoenix Theatre’s very first Gala Fundraiser!

A sequined gown and the company of one of my very best gal pals, author Nicki Chen – and I’m on my way to see what pranks and pratfalls, auctions and action that Christine Mosere, Melanie Calderwood, Eric Lewis and the rest of The Phoenix Company have in store for Gala invitees.

Live Auction!

I know for sure there will be an auction for the following dazzling items:

1) Two Season Subscriptions to The Phoenix Theatre productions for LIFE!

2) Play-a-Part: A walk on for either the Holiday show (Hallelujah Girls) or the summer production of Gilligan.

3) Dessert and Laughter in your home. We bring homemade dessert (your choice of two options for dessert) and a 15-minute music stand reading of a comedy one-act play to entertain your party guests.

4) Gilligan in your backyard (or a park for you and your guests). That’s right! The Phoenix Theatre will bring Gilligan to you on a mutually agreed upon date.

Would you like an invite to the Gala? Tickets are $35. Call the theatre at 206-533-2000 to arrange for your invitation.
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Friday, Nov. 14 ~ 8 p.m.
Black Box Theatre
Edmonds Community College
20310 68th Ave W, Lynnwood
Sinatra, All the Way

Now this is exciting! A tribute to ole’ blue eyes by Bob de Dea and the Purple Phoenix Orchestra, in collaboration with Peter Jacobs and as first reported in MLTnews, part of the Neighborhood News Network that also includes My Edmonds News and Lynnwood Today.

The performer’s publicist offers an impressive bio for the prolific entertainer: de Dea is a writer, composer, actor and director who did graduate studies in directing and performance at NYU, studied speech and dialects with Milenko Radosavljevich at HB Studio, and was an acting student of the late Uta Hagen.

Bob’s creations include, in collaboration with Mark Sparks, “You Got Trouble,” An Affair with Robert Preston (book); and “My Fourth Divorce” (book/music/lyrics).

The Black Box online ticket office for this Sinatra classics show is located here.
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Saturday, Nov. 15 ~ 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Puget Sound Artists’ Gift Show
ArtWorks Building
2nd and Dayton
Free Admission!

This show will offer affordable gallery quality gift items made by over 30 local artists.

The quality selection includes cashmere, silk, fine chocolates, local honey, artisian soaps; plus pottery, glass, wood, fiber arts, photography, paintings and prints, and more.

For questions regarding the gift show call (425) 743-4876.
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[Saturday, Nov. 15th ~ 10:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.
Cole Studio
Art Lessons
“Winter Watercolor Cards and Miniatures” w/ Denise Cole

Learn to create your very own holiday card or winter miniature in watercolor while enjoying mulled wine, spiced cider, and other goodies. Yummy!

$125
Register at the Cole Studio website
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Wednesday, Nov 19 ~ 7:30 p.m.
Edmonds Center for The Arts
410 4th Ave. N.
Seattle International Comedy Competition

Talent executives from networks CBS and NBC plus movie studio reps, talent managers; agents and producers will converge on Edmonds next week for the 35th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition. Please tell me you have your ticket! This is America’s biggest touring comedy festival.

The top five international comics from the second round Preliminaries who will appear on the ECA stage include:

Kyle Bottom, Vancouver BC

Scott Losse, Seattle WA

Cory Michaelis, Everett WA

Sterling Scott, Edmonton AB

David Tveite, Washington, DC

Each of these comedians has won a minimum of $500 and remains in the running for the grand prize of $5,000 plus a recording contract from Uproar Entertainment, which comes with a $1,000 cash advance on royalties.

LATE-BREAKING BULLETIN:
Last week we featured an interview with a comic who is, literally, out of this world – Alien Warrior. Artfully Edmonds has learned that due to an injury this week, Alien Warrior dropped out of the 35th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition. Doctor’s orders.

“AW,” as we affectionately call him, is not allowed to travel and Ron Reid, competition director, adroitly explained to us that since, “his teleportation machine does not work on our planet’s surface. We are, as you should be, disappointed that we won’t be seeing Alien Warrior Comedian compete in this year’s event…but we hope to see him in this competition next year!”

Tickets to the competition: At press time there were 32 seats available on the main floor, and a generous selection of seats in the balcony.  You’re not going to miss this show are you? See you there!
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Thursday, Nov. 20 ~ 7:30 p.m.
Jeff Bridges and
The Abiders

The vocal talents of Jeff Bridges came to light with his Oscar-nominated performance in the critically acclaimed film, “Crazy Heart.”

You may not realize it, but this is not the first time that Jeff has showcased his vocals. “Be Here Soon” is an album originally released in 2000. It is a deeply personal project, as the majority of the tracks are written by Jeff himself. Also contributing vocals are co-producer Michael McDonald and David Crosby.

Ticket availability here.
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ECA Headliner Extravaganza
Will Continue into December

If you have not picked up your 2014-15 eight-pack or five-pack shows for the extravaganza line-up that the ECA is bringing to Edmonds – the most exciting arts venue in the Puget Sound – you might be realizing how hard it is to get single tickets to see entertainers like Jeff Bridges and Joan Baez.

Just to whet your appetite for performing artm here is the ECA line-up as the holiday season approaches:

Saturday, Nov. 22 ~ 7:30 p.m.
Sweet Honey in The Rock

Saturday, Nov. 29 ~ Nooon
ECA Sing-a-Long to Sound of Music

Monday, Dec. 1 ~ 7:30 p.m.
David Benoit’s Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown

Thursday, Dec. 11 ~ 7:30 p.m.
Christmas With the Gothard Sisters

And the ECA entertainment line-up will only get better as amazing shows are unwrapped by Artfully Edmonds each week.

Is it time to pick out eight spectacular shows and throw it in on the seat-availability guessing game? Visit the ECA box office for eight-pack tickets here.
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Please help ECA bring the arts to deaf and hard of hearing patrons!
ECA needs your help to establish an annual fund for American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters. The venue receives numerous requests from school groups and other organizations for ASL interpretation at Education Matinee and Presented Artist Series. Providing this important service ensures that deaf and hard of hearing patrons are able to better enjoy the diverse line-up of outstanding theatre, music and arts education performances.

Join your neighbors in donating to this worthy cause.

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The Cinderella Complex
Opens Thursday, Nov. 20
Production through Nov 22
7 p.m. each evening
2 p.m. Saturday matinee

Meadowdale High School at the
Black Box Theatre (EdCC)
20310 68th Ave W, Lynnwood
The Cinderella Complex

Meadowdale High School thespians will be performing Ruth Fuller Perry’s “The Cinderella Complex”.

This fun-for-all-ages play is a humorous twist on the traditional Cinderella story.

This particular Cinderella is a compulsive martyr who’d love to have the whole world weep and say: “Poor Cinderella,” as she spoils life for her family.

In a myriad of entertaining plot twists, the stepmother of our martyred Cinderella buys her a Paris gown for the ball, her stepsisters line her up an intriguing date, and she has two wonderful fairy godmothers who wait at her hand and foot, but Cinderella prefers to suffer.

Will her attitude lead her to a successful life that she has dreamed of, or will it ruin any chances she has at happiness?

You’ll only know the answer if you attend the production! Tickets are on sale at the Black Box Theater the night of each performance.

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Thursday, Nov. 20 ~ 5-8 p.m.
uLearn
Edmonds Community College (EdCC)
Edmonds Conference Center
201 4th Ave. N.

EdCC’s uLearn program will feature, for the upcoming Nov. 20 Art Walk Edmonds, 48 recently-purchased pieces on loan to the college by the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation.

The exhibit will include jewelry, fiber art, 2D and 3D pieces “that will dazzle and inspire you,” according to uLearn representatives.

Several featured artists will be in attendance to discuss their work. The three-piece combo, Jazz Pearls, will be on hand to provide a musical backdrop.
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Important Enough to
Mark Your Calendars Early
Although still a few weeks away, these events deserve a head start mention because of community interest:

Saturday, Nov. 29 ~ 4:30 p.m.
Edmonds Chamber of Commerce
Tree Lighting Ceremony
5th Avenue at Bell Street

It’s not too early to mark the calendar for the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce Tree Lighting Ceremony. In years past there have been carolers, performances, street performances, an appearance by Santa Claus – and of course – The Tree Lighting!

For detailed information about the Tree Lighting Ceremony activities, contact the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce at 425-275-9595.
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Start Practicing Now for This Audition!

Edmonds Driftwood Players announces the audition schedule for first production of 2015!

Auditions for “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Forum” will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6 between 2-4 p.m.; and Tuesday, Dec. 9 between 7-9 p.m. Rehearsals will be held at the Driftwood Rehearsal Annex, 200 Dayton St.

Instructions and guidelines for auditions can be found at the theatre company’s website:

— By Emily Hill

Emily Hill, a long-time resident of Edmonds, is the author of two novels and one short story collection. She is retired from a career in public information and news media relations. If you would like your event listed, or venue featured, in Artfully Edmonds, Emily invites you to contact her at arts@myedmondsnews.com