Fall into the performing arts

Published 2:16 pm Thursday, August 28, 2008

With summer nearly over, local performing arts groups are gearing up for their fall performance schedules. Here’s what coming up:

Driftwood Players

The Driftwood Players celebrate their 50th anniversary season this year with a Gala and productions of shows from the theatre’s early days. Show times are 8 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sunday at the Wade James Theatre, 950 Main Street, Edmonds. For tickets call 425-774-9600, or visit www.driftwoodplayers.com.

8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, 50th Anniversary Gala. Celebrate the theatre’s golden anniversary with this variety showcase of the past 50 years presented by actress Bridget Hanley, comedian Duane Goad and many other Driftwood alumni. A pre-show champagne reception &silent auction of exclusive memorabilia at the Wade James Theatre.

• Sept. 12-28, “Rehearsal for Murder.” A heartbroken theatre director believes his actress fiancée’s suicide was not self inflicted and gathers a “cast and crew” of suspects for what he thinks happened on that fateful night.

• Nov. 21-Dec. 21, “Fiddler on the Roof.” This classic musical of tradition, love and family in a Russian Jewish Village in 1905 was previously seen on the Driftwood stage in the troupe’s first decade, and again in the 1991-92 season.

Driftwood Players’ Alternative Stages

Show times are 7 p.m. Sundays, 8 p.m. Mondays at the Wade James Theatre, 950 Main Street, Edmonds. For tickets call 425-774-9600, or visit www.driftwoodplayers.com.

• Sept. 21-29, “Impromptu.” The inaugural play for the Wade James Theatre opens the Alternative Stages season, creating a thought-provoking journey as four actors struggle to perform a play that is life; learning about themselves and each other along the way.

• 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m.Sunday, Oct. 24-26, “A Memory of Lizzie.” Transport back to Victorian America and glimpse into Lizzie Borden’s childhood, the woman who allegedly took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks. Note special times for this production.

Cascade Symphony Orchestra

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Mondays, at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 4th Ave. N., Edmonds. Season tickets are available; call 425-776-4938.

• Oct. 27, “Italian Mendelssohn.” Performance will features Khachaturian’s “Gayane: Three Pieces,” an “Evening at the Opera”: with arias by Puccini, Rossini, Verdi and more, arranged for euphonium and featuring guest musician Adam Frey; and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, Op. 90 (Italian).

• Nov. 24, “Tragic Schubert.” The Cascade Chamber Orchestra performs a program which includes Vivaldi’s Concerto in A minor for Two Violins and “L’estro Armonico,” Opus 3, No. 8 featuring Michael Miropolsky and James Garlick, violins; Foote’s “A Night Piece for Flute and String Orchestra” featuring Jennifer Mahaffey on flute; Haydn’s Concerto No.2 in C major for Trumpet featuring George Steward, trumpet; and Schubert’s Symphony No. 4 in C minor.

Shoreline-LFP Arts Council Arts in Culture Series

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Saturdays at the Shorecrest Performing Arts Center, 15343 25th Ave. NE, Shoreline. For tickets call 206-417-4645.

• Oct. 11, singer/songwriter Jonatha Brooke.

• Nov. 30, Magical Strings Celtic Yuletide Concert.

Shoreline-LFP Arts Council Readers’ Theater Series

Now in its third season, the Readers’ Theater series has served as a resource to bring together actors, readers and playwrights in an entertaining and educational environment. Performances are 7 p.m. Mondays at the Shoreline Center, Aurora Room, 18560 1st Ave. NE, Shoreline. Admission is free and the playwright will be available for discussion following the reading.

• Oct. 27 “Sinking Bass Turds” by Russell Weeks..

Olympic Ballet Theatre

Unless otherwise noted, performances take place at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 4th Ave. N., Edmonds. For tickets call 425-774-7570 or visit www.olympicballet.com.

• 6 p.m. Saturday Oct. 4, Beaux Arts Celebration and Auction. Olympic Ballet Theatre celebrates 28 seasons of dance with this annual fundraiser, taking place at the Lynnwood Convention Center. The evening features cocktails, dinner, and both silent and live auctions, and a preview performance of selections from Olympic Ballet’s repertoire of classical and contemporary ballets.

Edmonds Center for the Arts

Performances take place at the Edmonds Center For The Arts, 410 4th Ave. North, Edmonds. Season, series and choice tickets are available by calling 425-275-9595.

• Friday, Sept. 26, Dusty 45s

• Saturday, Sept. 27, Ralph’s World

• Wednesday, Oct. 1, East Village Opera Company

• Friday, Oct. 3, Bearfoot

• Friday, Oct. 10, Gaelic Storm

• Sunday, Oct. 12, Ladysmith Black Mambazo

• Saturday, Oct. 18, 100 Years of Broadway

• Saturday, Oct. 25, Chic Gamine

• Thursday, Oct. 30, Quetzal – “Dia de los Muertos”

• Saturday, Nov. 1, Recess Monkey

• Tuesday, Nov. 18, Seattle International Comedy Competition

• Friday, Nov. 21, Calo Flamenco

• Saturday, Nov. 29, Avner the Eccentric

Sno-King Community Chorale

Performances take place at the Edmonds Center For The Arts, 410 4th Ave. North, Edmonds. For tickets visit www.sno-kingchorale.org.

• Oct. 5, a concert featuring Dubrovnik Orchestra Symphony, Vancouver Bravo Chorale, and Edmonds Community College Symphonic Choir.

• Nov. 6, Salute to America.

Northshore Performing Arts Center

NPAC is located at 18125 92nd NE, Bothell. For tickets call 425-489-6018 or visit www.npacf.org.

• Sunday, Oct. 5, Ernestine Anderson – Special Guest with Swing Fever Big Band.

• Sunday, Oct. 26, Kasumai Africa, African Music and Dance.

• Saturday, Nov. 1, Simone, part of Earshot Jazz Festival.

• Sunday, Nov. 16, Craicmore – Contemporary Traditional Celtic Music with the Slieveloughane Irish Dance Company

• Friday, Nov. 21, Working Class Hero, the John Lennon Tribute

Village Theatre

Show times are 8 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. selected Tuesdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays &Sundays, 7 p.m. Sundays, at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., Everett. For tickets call 425-257-8600.

• Oct. 31–Nov. 23, “Saint Heaven.” The passionate tale of courage, faith, and coming home to Saint Heaven, Kentucky, 1957, features gospel, soaring ballads, and earthy country music.

Village Theatre’s Children’s Programs

Village’s Pied Piper Presents and KIDSTAGE performances are hosted at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., Everett. Tickets are $12-$14; call 425-257-8600.

• Sunday, Oct. 19, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” &Other Eric Carle Favorites, for ages up to grade 3, features larger-than-life puppets, hyper-imaginative design elements, and unique lighting effects, all set to an original musical score based on the work of renowned children’s author and artist Eric Carle.

• Sunday, Nov. 16, “Lazer Vaudeville”. Juggling, black light illusion, acrobatics, zany comedy and a cast of fantastical characters take the audience on an educational journey of the imagination as magical illusions are created with laser beams, a neon cowboy kicks up a luminescent rope-spinning display, and a hoop roller demonstrates this endangered art. For all ages. At the Everett Civic Auditorium.