Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra at
Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4^th Ave. N.

Saturday, Jan. 28
7:30 p.m.

A gathering of friends is what our featured event has in mind this week as Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra brings the Basie Bash to the ECA in their first Edmonds performance of 2017.

The Jazz Scene

It’s 1937: Famous jazz impresario John Hammond had signed on as the Count Basie Orchestra’s promoter, and brought the Basie band to New York for a pivotal engagement at the Roseland Ballroom. It took.

Basie’s Orchestra soon rose to national attention during the heyday of swing dancing and began making its first recordings for Decca records. One of those recordings included the instant hit, “One O’clock Jump.”

The band of the 1930s included such heralded stars as tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel Evans; trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry “Sweets” Edison; and vocalists Jimmy (Mr. Five-by-Five) Rushing and Joe Williams; plus the unparalleled rhythm section of guitarist Freddie Green, drummer Jo Jones and bassist Walter Page, with Basie on piano.

Saturday night’s SRJO concert will feature great hits from the early New York era of the Count Basie Orchestra, including “Oh Lady Be Good,” “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” and “Roseland Shuffle.”

Your tickets are waiting at www.srjo.org / info@srjo.org / 206-523-6159.

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Friday, Jan. 27
7 p.m.

 Date Night & Benefit

Salsa! Club Caja

Edmonds Community College
Black Box Theatre – Mukilteo Hall
20000 68th Ave. W.

Havana! It sizzles. It’s sassy. It’s Salsa!

Come dance to the sounds of the EdCC Salsa Band starting with dance lessons, with cool down moments to look over the silent auction items.

In less than two months, the EdCC Jazz Band heads to Havana, Cuba and they’ve got their sound down. Let’s send them off with the warmest wishes by attending their travel benefit.

For more information, do the click! click! at this link.

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Saturday, Jan. 28
10 a.m.

Showboat (1951)

Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4^th Ave. N.

Reduced ticket price: $5

Don’t miss seeing this stunning movie musical on the big screen.

When it comes to music on the Mississippi river, the Cotton Blossom showboat is the place to go. Academy Award-nominated musical Show Boat (1951) features Ava Gardner, Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel, and tells the classic story of the daughter of a riverboat captain who falls in love with a charming gambler. As part of this special event, Barclay Shelton Dance Centre students will kick-off Show Boat with a live opening number.

Use code SAVE5 when purchasing your tickets here, by phone at 425-275-9595 or in person at 410 4th Ave. N., Edmonds. Regular tickets $10. Please note, this offer does not apply to Arts for Everyone tickets.

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Saturday, Jan. 28
9 p.m.

Dirty Rice Band

Engel’s Pub
113 5^th Ave. S.

Cajun Hot! Engel’s Pub is headlining the Dirty Rice Band as an entrée into the Mardi Gras season. It’s going to be a busy Saturday evening as this Nawlins’ gal dashes from the sizzle of 1930s Harlem Jazz at the ECA to a bar stool in front of the accordion player at Engel’s Pub.

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Wednesdays

Feb. 1 – March 8
7 p.m.

EdCC ~ Black Box Theatre
20000 68th Ave. W.

Playground is a drop in improvisation workshop that runs every Wednesday evening in the Black Box Theatre or a nearby classroom. The workshop is for the curious “I don’t know what Improv is,” The “I’ll try anything once,” or for comedians who want to see who the players are in the Edmonds area. New improvisers will learn tricks of the stage, and the old pro’s stop by because they want to workout new material or see who’s coming into the business.

This event is recommended for ages 14 and up, but younger players are more than welcome.

Cost is $10 per session, payable at the door. Drop by and check it out!

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Friday, Feb. 3 ~ 5:45 – 9 p.m.

A Night in Havana
MAMBO Auction & Variety Show

Meadowdale Arts & Music Booster Organization
Holy Rosary Parish ~ 630 7th Ave. N.

MAMBO is ready to transport you to the sultry island of Cuba as they invite you to spend a Night in Havana at the third annual auction and variety show.

The talented students of Meadowdale High School music and arts studies will provide entertainment for the evening with live music and performances as guests enjoy a Cuban-inspired dinner at this year’s expanded benefit.

All funds raised by this annual event will be put into the general fund for the arts and music, to be used for things such as: repairing and purchasing equipment; paying for student competitions and workshop fees; buying scripts and production rights; and providing student financial aid.

Bid on amazing items, services and experiences at both the silent auction tables and during the live auction. Don’t miss out on bidding for the dessert of your choice at the dessert auction, and remember to buy raffle tickets to win one of the generously supplied, themed baskets.

Included in the evening’s entertainment:

• A set from the Meadowdale High School Improv Team
• The Meadowdale Players will perform a number from their upcoming spring musical: “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
• The Meadowdale High School Choir is set to take the stage
• Meadowdale’s Jazz Band will show their stuff

A no-host beverage bar will be set up for your enjoyment. Cash sales are encouraged for the dessert auction and beverage bar.

Ticket sales are being managed by SquareUp.

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Free for Kids!

Saturday, Feb. 4

10 a.m.

Edmonds Center for the Arts (410 4^th Ave. N.) presents the 5th annual Kidstock!

Kidstock! is a free arts celebration for children and families. As the cornerstone of ECA’s family programming, Kidstock! engages children from a young age in diverse and exciting arts experiences. The event features musical performances, theatre, arts education workshops, and activities throughout the ECA campus.

Remember Recess Monkey from year’s past? Well, the Grammy-nominated band is back along with kindie-rock quintet The Not-Its!; the Seattle Women’s Steel Pan Project, and members of the Morning Star Korean Cultural Center.

Book-It Repertory Theatre will perform its new bilingual play Last Stop on Market Street in English and Spanish. Additional Kidstock! 2017 programs will include an intergenerational art workshop with Silver Kite Community Arts, bouncy houses, and more.

Call the ECA ticket office at 425-275-9595 today to reserve your family’s spot at this imaginative, colorful, vibrant event.

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Saturday, Feb. 4
1-4 p.m.

Northwest Pastel Society

Mixed-Media Exhibit

Gallery North
401 Main St.

Opening Show Reception

During the month of February, Gallery North is featuring an exhibit of work by members of the Northwest Pastel Society. The Northwest Pastel Society (NPS) is an association of artists who work in the pastel medium and are intent on increasing public awareness and acceptance of pastel as a serious artistic medium.

NPS has grown from a small nucleus of Seattle area artists in 1981, to a large membership drawn from throughout the United States and Canada. The Gallery North show will be the first mixed-media exhibit staged by the Northwest Pastel Society.

Twenty-four pieces of artwork have been juried into the show by 16 artists from Washington, Oregon and California. Show awards will be selected by juror Judith Smith – a signature member of the Northwest, West Coast, and American Pastel societies and a juried member of Woman Painters of Washington.

A second reception during Art Walk Edmonds will be held Feb. 16 from 5-8 p.m.

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Saturday, Feb. 4
2-4:30 p.m.

Free. Festival Preview

Wintergrass Music Festival

Edmonds Plaza Room
650 Main St.

A new event is added to the Edmonds’ landscape

As part of the Music at the Library program the library in conjunction with the Edmonds Arts Commission has invited bluegrass and country band Old Growth for a community preview of the Wintergrass Festival.

Wintergrass is a regional, family-friendly, acoustic music festival held in various venues throughout the Puget Sound area.

Wintergrass is primarily a Bluegrass music festival, but other styles of acoustic music can be heard, including Gypsy jazz, Celtic music, Old-Timey, Swedish polkas and many other types of acoustic string music.

The festival’s preview features Old Growth Bluegrass, with Dale Adkins on guitar, banjo, and vocals; Paul Elliott on fiddle; Don Share also on guitar and vocals; and Joe Wilmhoff on bass and vocals.

Those who do not play an instrument are encouraged to explore the Wintergrass Instrument “Petting Zoo”; a chance to experience holding and playing a Bluegrass musical instrument, such as a mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and guitar.

In addition, audience members with a Sno-Isle library card may enter to win a day pass to the Wintergrass festival. For more information about the festival, go to www.wintergrass.com  and for information about Old Growth Bluegrass, go to www.oldgrowthbluegrass.com .

For more information about Music at the Library contact managing librarian, Richard Suico, Edmonds Library at 425-771-1933, or email him at rsuico@sno-isle.org .

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Friday, Feb. 10
8 p.m.

The Last Romance by Joe DiPietro

Directed by Eric Lewis

Starring Michael Gene McFadden, Melanie Calderwood, Susan Connor, Griffin Price and Miss Sadie.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, our lovelorn “Ralph” (played by McFadden) forsakes Match.com and SinglesOver50.com but is still able to amble into romance and the life of “Carol” (Calderwood) in order to assuage his loneliness.

The Last Romance is bittersweet (hankies a must!) and scripted by award-winning DiPietro, it is also very funny, according to all reviews thus far.

With more than 29 works to his credit, including the Tony award-winning musical “Memphis”, DiPietro’s The Last Romance debuted on the west coast in 2010 at the Old Globe’s arena space (Variety) on San Diego’s Balboa Park campus. DiPietro’s most recently completed plays include Clever Little Lies (2013) and Living on Love (2014). We see a theme here!

It’s a crush – oh, dear! What now?

On an ordinary day in a rather routine life, Ralph, a widower decides to take a different path on his daily walk—one that leads him to an unexpected second chance at love. Relying on a renewed boyish charm, Ralph attempts to woo the elegant, but distant, Carol.

Defying Carol’s reticence—and his lonely sister’s jealousy—Ralph (with his guitar; because after all, it’s McFadden!) takes a chance on love, and regains a happiness that seemed all but lost.

But not before the action shifts to the Hoboken Dog Show and Miss Sadie gets a chance to strut her stuff in the arms of her stage-savvy mistress, Melanie Calderwood!

As always, The Phoenix Theatre troupe lives up to its motto, “comedy without all the drama.” On Opening Night Artfully Edmonds will be seated in Row C, as usual. Come by and say, “Hello!”

The Phoenix Theatre (TPT) box office for this production is at through this link.

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Saturday, Feb 11
2-5 p.m.

Kids!

The Tortoise and the Hare

Performed by Cascade Symphony Orchestra (CSO)

Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4th Ave. N.

Now a delightful tradition for the younger set, CSO – with Edmonds’ Storyteller Extraordinaire, David Dolacky – presents for its 2017 audience, the story of a Hare (Rabbit) named Max who ridicules a slow-moving Tortoise (turtle) named Toby (and “ridiculing” is bullying, thus mean!)

Tired of the Hare’s boastful behavior, Toby, the Tortoise, challenges Max to a race.

As the race begins Max leaves slow moving Toby behind. But, overconfident that he will win the race, Max takes a nap midway through the challenge. And, yes, just as the story goes, Toby wins with his slow and steady approach.

Imagine how delighted your children will be if you give them the gift of this memorable experience (followed by an Instrument Petting Zoo). Call 425-275-9595 for tickets.

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Sunday, Feb. 12
5:30-9:30 p.m. and
Monday, Feb. 13 from 7-10 p.m.

Driftwood Auditions!

Auditions!

The Driftwood Players, who have enjoyed a series of high-end successes this Season are making the call for auditions for their next-in-production project, Drowsy Chaperone, which plays April 28-May 14.

Show Description:

With the houselights down, a man in a chair appears on stage and puts on his favorite record; the cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life and The Drowsy Chaperone begins as the man in the chair looks on.

Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan and an intoxicated chaperone, and you have all the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight from The Driftwood Players.

Audition Details

Auditions are scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 12 from 5:30-9:30 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 13 from 7-10 p.m. Callbacks are scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 19 from noon – 6 p.m. All actors must be available for callbacks.

Click here to go to the website.

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Thursday, Feb. 16

Andy Eccleshall announced this week to fans and followers of his work that he will open a new show, titled “Breathe” at February’s Art Walk Edmonds.

The exhibit of six to eight centerpiece paintings, in closely related themes, will show at Cole Gallery (107 5^th Ave. S.) In addition, Eccleshall will show several other new pieces.

The artist invites inquiries at ajeccleshall@gmail.com.

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Opens Friday, Feb. 17
8 p.m. 

Enchanted April

by Matthew Barber

Directed by Paul Fouhy

Driftwood Players

Wade James Theatre
950 Main St.

Escape from a bleak winter!

Sweet-natured Lotty Wilton is suffering depression from the bleak London winter as well as an oppressive relationship with her pompous solicitor husband. When she sees an advertisement in the paper to rent a castle in Italy for the month of April, an idyllic spot “for those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine,” she jumps at the chance to escape her downtrodden existence.

Sensing an instant kinship with fellow housewife Rose Arnott, a severely angelic woman with sorrows of her own, Lotty persuades her along on the adventure. Seeking to reduce the costs, the two ladies find Caroline Bramble, a beautiful and exhausted socialite, and Mrs. Graves, an overbearing widow, to round out the party.

As the month passes, verdant sun-drenched San Salvatore works its magic on each sad and hardened heart, healing grief and bringing hope. And with the arrival of two chastened husbands and one attractive young artist, romance blooms again.

Matthew Barber’s Enchanted April, based on Elizabeth Von Arnim’s novel of the 1920s, is a gentle and romantic comedy of proper manners. Against the backdrop of a country still reeling from World War I, Enchanted April offers to its characters, and audience, a necessary balm of sunshine and renewal.

For tickets, call 425-774-9600 or visit The Driftwood Players online box office and scroll down to Enchanted April.

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Saturday, Feb. 18

Auditions!

Olympic Ballet School’s 2017 Summer Intensives

Olympic Ballet School’s summer intensives offer classical ballet training for serious intermediate, and advanced students looking to improve their technique in a supportive environment.

Artistic Directors Oleg Gorboule and Mara Sachiko Vinson tell us, “Olympic Ballet School class sizes ensure personalized instruction from our renowned professional faculty. Guest instructors, and supplemental classes such as conditioning, contemporary dance, jazz, and modern dance round out the Olympic Ballet School’s curriculum.

“New this year, the four-week intensive will culminate in a July 29 performance on stage at Edmonds Center for the Arts.”

Auditions for summer intensives will be held Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Olympic Ballet Studios, located in the Frances Anderson Center, 700 Main St.

Artfully Edmonds recommends calling the school at 425.774.7570 for further details.

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Deadline Tuesday, Feb. 28
10:59 a.m.

Call for Artists

2017 Shoreline Arts Festival Artist Marketplace

Apply to become one of the 80+ artists that make up the 2017 Shoreline Arts Festival.

This free community event gathers 10,000+ art lovers to Shoreline Center the 4^th weekend of each June.

How to apply


Submit your application and $20 application fee online via Call for Entry by 10:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

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Heading North?

Discover Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts

Red Curtain Theatre
9315 State Ave. ~ Marysville

(Theatre entrance around back.)

Friday, Jan. 27-Sunday, Feb. 12

Street Car Named Desire

By Tennessee Williams

With both Edmonds playhouses dark until mid-February, Artfully Edmonds went looking for alternatives that would provide adventurous readers their “on-the-boards” fix.

I found it at the Red Curtain Foundation in Marysville, a progressive arts center and home to the Red Curtain stage, classrooms, gallery space and reception spaces.

A Streetcar Named Desire, not quite the classic boy-meets-girl love story, but instead steaming with … uhm… obsession and desire, this play is often listed among the finest plays of the 20th century, and is considered by many to be one of Tennessee Williams’ greatest works.

Says director Scott B. Randall of the production, “Th[is] classic drama is filled with tension and intrigue, exploring the tenuous hold on self-deception and sanity that finally gives way to the truth. Because of its emotional power, it is not recommended for children.”

Tickets for A Streetcar Named Desire are available online at brownpapertickets.com, or by calling 360-322-7402. Ticket prices are $17 for adults and $14 for seniors (62+), students and military personnel.

And that’s our line up of discoveries and goings-on in and around Edmonds this week.

— By Emily Hill
Emily Hill is the author of two novels and a short story collection. Emily is retired from a career in public information and news media relations. If you would like your event listed, or featured, in Artfully Edmonds, Emily invites you to contact her at myedmondsnews@gmail.com.