Edmonds Center for the Arts celebrated the “reveal” of its 11th season on Wednesday evening, treating hundreds of performing arts enthusiasts to a tantalizing taste of what the ECA team has in store for 2017-18; complimented by fruit platters, cross-cut sandwiches, cheese plates and boisterous banter.

From the exotic to the frightening, from musical high-energy excitement to the epitome of film favorites, Executive Director Joe Mclalwain has made it a point in programing an upcoming season that ensures the interest of the community.

The program centerpiece following McIalwain’s welcome was a dazzling, vibrantly colorful video highlighting snippets of the 2017-18 “Presented Events” line-up.

Exotic features of the season include “Mystical Arts of Tibet” with a one-week residency in Edmonds (May 2018) as the Tibetan performers create a Mandala sand painting that will be taken ceremonially to Edmonds’ waterfront after its completion.

The crowd’s delighted “oohs!” to news of the “Mystical Arts of Tibet” contrasted wildly with the nervous laughter following the announcement of a Halloween special: Alfred Hitchcock’s chilling 1963 hit “The Birds” from the ECA Film Cabaret Series.

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An ECA Summer Engagement line up has been added to the program with features that include Presented Events, ECA Saturday Matinees, and the Film Cabaret Series. Artfully Edmonds made mention of the Summer Engagements in last week’s column.

Ticket packages for the 2017-18 season currently include:

• Summer Engagements – with discounts for package purchases;
• Film Cabaret Series and also Saturday Matinees;
• 5-show pack with discounts when single ticket purchases are added, plus free ticket exchange and replacement ticket allowances;
• 8-show pack, also with discounts, exchange and replacement options, plus early notification on added shows;
• Full Season Subscriptions; which include Opening Night and Closing Night Champagne toasts, invitations to pre-show desserts, free mail delivery of tickets, as well as discounts, exchange and replacement options afforded to the 5- and 8-show ticket packs.

In its 10-year history, ECA has presented 287 shows, according to McIalwain. This season will kick off on Thursday, October 5 with a performance by the talented and versatile Candadian trumpeter, singer, and songwriter, Bria Skonberg.

Other highlights include La Santa Cecilia’s (July 26) talk on immigration and performance as part of the Summer Engagements series; and skits by “Red Kite, Brown Box” meant to delight smaller audiences (limit 12) with seven performances crafted for autistic audiences (Oct. 14).

Subscribers and single-ticket holders will travel musically from Cuba to Tibet; the Deep South to Scotland. In designing the 2017-18 season, the ECA has kept in mind senior citizens, kids, sophisticates and merrymakers.

My Edmonds News and Artfully Edmonds congratulate the ECA on the implementation of this wide-ranging vision.

A full listing of the 2017-18 season is at this ECA link.

Readers may purchase tickets online at www.ec4arts.org, by purchasing in person at the ECA (410 4th Ave. N.) or by calling 425-275-9595.

– – – – This week’s chronology of Edmonds-area arts events – – – –

Friday, June 2
8 p.m.

Crossing Delancey

By Susan Sandler
Directed by David Bailey

The Phoenix Theatre (The Phoenix)

(Upper level of Firdale Shopping Plaza)
9673 Firdale Ave.

Pay As You Can Dress Rehearsal

Thursday, June 1

8 p.m.

Imagine it! Your bubbie is relentless in nagging that you fall for “the pickle man” from across Delancey Street; and you’re crushing over the suave – though frustratingly aloof – author.

What’s a modern Manhattan woman to do? Most of us know which love interest Isabelle ultimately chooses; but Artfully Edmonds is pretty sure that, in The Phoenix production, director David Bailey and the cast have some delightful surprises to reveal – as usual.

Tickets to see Crossing Delancey are available at The Phoenix ticket link, or by calling 206-533-2000.

Watch for a review, with behind-the-scenes tidbits and liner notes, this weekend.

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Ten seasons of comedy – and rising to new heights!

 Yes, on Aug. 18 The Phoenix will celebrate Season 10 as comedy central of Edmonds.

So how does a troupe known regionally for consistently funny material mark such an auspicious occasion? Well, a number of years ago local theatre talent Eric Lewis came up with the idea to parody the burgeoning trend of Shakespeare in the Park performances with a series spin-off of Gilligan’s Island – staged, I believe, from the back of a pick-up truck parked on the tarmac of a Snohomish, Wash. location. The premise for this retort to Shakespeare was just ridiculous enough for The Phoenix Theatre crowd (whose moniker is, comedy without all the drama) to sail away with the idea. The Gilligan’s Island parody series was born.

Continuing the tradition this year – with a slight theme change – The Phoenix will present “Lucilligan” – a mash up of I Love Lucy with Gilligan’s Island.

How will this work? According to The Phoenix, “This season’s highly anticipated summer sitcom series pairs our popular, long-running Gilligan’s Island show with the 1950s comedy classic, I Love Lucy. When Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel find themselves stranded on Gilligan’s Island, frustrations rise, tempers flair and hilarity ensues. Don’t miss this crazy collection of sitcom favorites as they sing, dance and kidnap their way into your heart.”

Now this is the way a season of comedy theatre should be launched!

Season tickets are available at this link.

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Friday, June 2 – 4

Edmonds Waterfront Festival

Port of Edmonds
336 Admiral Way

Eek! The Seafair Pirates will invade the Edmonds Waterfront Festival

on Sunday, June 4, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Yikeees!

Read all about it at this link as My Edmonds News covers this extravaganza.

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Monday, June 5
5 p.m.

Speed Dating for Seniors!

Edmonds Senior Center
220 Railroad Ave.

Well, well. Who among us expected this mischievous bit of fun to become so popular?

Yes, Speed Dating for Seniors could easily become one more in a long line-up of traditions to dance its way onto the permanent calendar.

Don’t be lonely! Don’t be blue! You will be warmly greeted by staff and volunteers at Edmonds Senior Center for this lovely event sponsored by Vineyard Park of Mountlake Terrace.

Call the center’s office at 425-774-5555, ext. 104 to reserve your place.

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Tuesday, June 6
7 p.m.

EWHS Music

Spring Concert ~ Wind Symphony

Bel Canto and Chamber Orchestra

Edmonds Woodway High School

Great Hall
7600 212^th St. S.W.

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Wednesday, June 7
7 p.m.

Ugandan Children’s Choir

Edmonds Lutheran Church
23525 84^th Ave. W.

Make a date to take in an unforgettable cultural experience. The Ugandan Children’s Choir will perform in traditional dress as guests of the Edmonds Lutheran Church. The choir is an affiliate of Childcare Worldwide, based in Bellingham and established in 1981.

Each choir is made up of 10 sponsored children who come from the poorest parts of Uganda. The children are chosen for their enthusiasm, ability, and dedication—all of which make them potential leaders when they return to their communities.

Say organizers of the 2017 choir tour, “[The children] are eager to perform for you, and provide you an opportunity to help poor children around the world, put an end to poverty, hunger and corruption.”

Contact the church at 425-774-8090 for ticket information.

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Friday, June 9

7 p.m.

Drama Fest

Meadowdale Players

Meadowdale High School
Black Box Theatre
6002 168th St. S.W.

June is certainly lining up to be “festival month” in and around Edmonds. The Meadowdale Players end-of-the year Drama Fest is going to be the best moment to see the local talent that is about to hit the streets – headed for bright lights.

Imagine! Every performance has been written, and will be directed and acted, by Meadowdale Players.

Tickets are $5 at the door.

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Friday, June 9
7 p.m.>

Year of the Eagle with

Kevin Ebi, Photographer

Everett Firefighters Hall
2411 Hewitt Ave., Everett

Pilchuck Audubon Society’s June Program Meeting will host Kevin Ebi, professional nature photographer on his new book “Year of the Eagle” which documents the lives of Puget Sound area bald eagles, how they develop and learn to fly, survive their first winter in the upper Skagit, and learn how to hunt in the Hood Canal.

Kevin’s images have been published in the National Geographic, National Wildlife, Smithsonian among many others.

Find out more about this talented photographer at his website www.LivingWilderness.com.

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Friday, June 9
8 p.m.

The Game’s Afoot

Driftwood Players at

Wade James Theatre
950 Main St.

It’s a thriller! It’s a comedy!! Actually The Game’s Afoot, ala Driftwood Players is both. Artfully Edmonds is looking forward to a week from Friday and seeing the treatment that director Ted Jaquith gives this Ken Ludwig play.

Story in elevator speech format: Wealthy Broadway star and his uber-elegant wife throw a party to die for. (Of course, darlings there’s more – much more!)

See you opening night!

Advance ticket sales are being sold now at this box office link.

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Friday, June 9
8 p.m.

Keith Johnstone’s

Gorilla Theatre

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

Theatre to go bananas over!

“Gorilla Theatre?” you ask. This improv format begins with three experienced players, one emcee and another player (er hum…) dressed in a Gorilla costume.

Get this: The Gorilla is the prize to be won! In theory, the best player of the evening gets to spend a week with the Gorilla, and of course this is quite a privilege!

The audience is coached to vote for the best comedy routine by yelling “Banana!” (for a good performance) or something else, like “Forfeit!” for a bad performance.

We’ve reviewed the rules which go on, and on; becoming more absurd as the game progresses. Gorilla Theatre is one of those, “You have to be there!” events. So. . . Be there!

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Monday, June 12
7 p.m.

Mello Aires Choir

Solo Night by

Edmonds Woodway High School (EWHS)
7600 212^th St. S.W

You’ll want to be at EWHS to hear great standards from the American Song Book sung by EWHS Mello Aires Choir.

The choir’s repertoire will include, I’m Old Fashioned, Skylark, Like Someone In Love, You Make Me Feel So Young, I Wanna Be Evil, Devil May Care, Let’s Fall In Love, Nobody’s Heart, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Just You Just Me, Will You Still Be Mine, Angel Eyes, Dream a LIttle Dream of Me and many more hits that stretch across America’s musical landscape.

Be surprised! Tickets for this delightful event are $5 at the door.

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Call for Actors!

Auditions begin Tuesday, June 13

Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

Directed by Paul Fouhy

A Driftwood Players Production

Edmonds Driftwood Players is looking for a total of 5 actors for our season 2017/18 opening show, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery written by Ken Ludwig.

The performance opens Friday, Sept. 9 and closes Sunday, Sept. 24.

Edmonds Driftwood Players is an inclusive community that is committed to providing opportunities for actors from culturally diverse backgrounds. All are welcome to audition!

Community theatre at its best – inclusive and instructional. Additional audition details can be found at this link.

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Season 59! This significant milestone will be celebrated with these dazzling Driftwood productions.

• Baserville: Sherlock Holmes
• Beauty and The Beast
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
• Safrina Fair

Season tickets are available at this box office link.

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Friday – Sunday
June 16 – 18

Edmonds Arts Festival

Frances Anderson Center
700 Main St.

Click! Click! Printable color map of festival grounds

Interview with artist Pamela Harold

Watch for an exclusive interview with 2017 poster artist Pamela Harold in next week’s Artfully Edmonds! Learn what motivates her, what challenges her, and where it all started as she started down the arts’ path.

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pARTy

Wednesday, June 14
7 p.m.

A dazzling kick-off pARTy, with the theme this year of Arts Masters will give ticket holders the opportunity to preview hundreds of original art pieces for sale.

Appetizers, desserts, and beverages, provided by several of Edmonds’ restauranteurs, will be served in the Galleries and the on the Plaza above the Library. Original art ranging from exquisite to quirky and everything in between designed by students of Edmonds Community College will be raffled during the pARTy.

Local resident and high-profile music educator will lead the Jake Bergevin Duo providing music for the evening’s festivities. You will want to obtain tickets to this historic occasion from The Benefit Party page.

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Festival

The Edmonds Arts Festival, now in its 60^th year, is the grande dame of art events in Edmonds. Each year an army of volunteers, with guidance from the city and many Edmonds’ arts organization affiliates puts on a festival that spans every media of art expression and pulls thousands of arts enthusiasts from hundreds of miles.

Congratulations and warmest wishes for a spectacular pARTy to kick-off the festival and a weekend of exuberance over everything that is so artfully Edmonds!

— 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.