Edge theater closes in Edmonds, but will be reborn

EDMONDS — It seemed as if, after 17 years in business, Edge of the World Theatre just fell off the edge of the earth.

The curtain dropped, the doors closed in September and no one knew what happened, including Edge veteran actress Melanie Calderwood.

“It was a surprise,” Calderwood said. “I was waiting for my usual e-mails from Michael saying ‘Well, I’m going to do this show next,’ but they never arrived.”

Edge artistic director Michael Kelley, whose family started the theater and poured its money and sweat and love into it, closed without fanfare.

Some time ago, Kelley had spoken with Calderwood about whether she’d ever consider taking over Edge.

Calderwood remembered that conversation. When she heard through the grapevine that Edge had indeed closed, she decided that the theater, in fact, must go on.

But not as the Edge.

If all goes as planned, the Phoenix Theater will open the third week of January in the same location as Edge, on the second level of the funky Firdale shopping center in Edmonds.

Patrons won’t recognize the place because of an extensive renovation currently under way, but they will recognize some things that will not have changed from what made Edge one of Edmonds’ mainstays of entertainment.

Some of the actors will return, such as Calderwood, who had been with Edge for 12 years.

Also unchanged will be the repertoire. The Phoenix will produce mostly comedies, a genre that endeared Edge patrons.

“I didn’t want to keep Edge. I wanted to make it a new experience,” Calderwood said. “There will be a few thrillers but nothing really heavy. We’ll keep a lot of what it was about the Edge that brought people in.”

In a written statement to The Herald, Edge artistic director Kelley called the Phoenix “an ideal replacement.”

Kelley said he has given the Phoenix most of Edge’s equipment and props along with the main patron list. In return, he said he and Calderwood agreed to honor all of Edge’s commitments to season ticket holders.

“I think their only focus will be in bringing quality live theater to the area, nothing else,” Kelley said. “And that’s what we were about.”

Edge was also about an intimate theater experience with 95 seats, and the Phoenix will remain that way, said Calderwood’s business partner, Debbie Palomera, who dreams of opening the doors of the Phoenix for use by the community for school productions, a children’s program, music recitals and the like.

As for the nuts-and-bolts changes, Palomera rattled off a list that included refinishing the floors and walls, re-carpeting, replacing fixtures and renovating the bathrooms.

“When you come up the cement steps, it will be a totally different experience when you enter here because I hope to create a different world,” Palomera said.

Calderwood, 57, and Palomera, 50, actually have the same day jobs. Both are pediatric nurses in the case management unit of Group Health.

Palomera has owned a business and patronized Edge. The thought of teaming up with Calderwood emerged from a random conversation that went something like, “I wonder what’s going to happen to it now.”

That led to a phone call to the landlord and the bank. Both women are drawing from their personal finances to foot the renovation costs, which could run between $20,000 and $30,000. No fundraising is planned.

So there’s a lot riding on the success of the Phoenix. But the partners are confident.

“I would never start a project with a doubt that we couldn’t make it,” Palomera said.

“I think the combination of a solid company with great productions and getting some of the stable people back in terms of actors and that quality of product I know that they put out and a fresh little venue, I see no reason why it won’t become something really enriching.”

Calderwood said the patrons are “out there and they are missing us.”

Patrons such as Edmonds resident Barbara Borylla, 79, who had been attending Edge shows since its start, was delighted to hear that the theater would continue at Firdale shopping center.

“I have one friend who comes up from Everett and we usually go to the 4 o’clock matinees and then I have another friend who lives way over in Bothell and after the show we stop and have dinner and it’s a lovely afternoon,” Borylla said.

The she paused a moment: “The Phoenix,” she said. “I like that.”

Reporter Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424 or goffredo@heraldnet.com.

Former Edge leader hopes tradition of theater continues

Artistic director Michael Kelley says that he and Edge of the World were honored to be the guests of Edmonds for so many years. “My family really thanks everyone involved from first to last,” he said, “especially the audience members. They were so loyal for so long. Without them we couldn’t have made it for one year, much less 17.”

Kelley cites the current recession plus high rent and operating costs as the main culprits for the departure.

“Attendance had dropped, and we had spent everything we had. During a recession people pick the nicest theatre they can for their dollar, but the Edge desperately needed renovation. Our only choice was to go into endless debt which would kill the shows, or to grit our teeth and leave the theatre for someone else to make a go of.”

He thinks the Phoenix is the ideal replacement.

“They’ll renovate the theatre, and they’re a great group. It’s headed up by Melanie Calderwood who everyone knows from all her great stage roles. I think their only focus will be in bringing quality live theatre to the area, nothing else, and that’s what we were about.”

He added, “We’re giving our main mailing list to Melanie and the Phoenix, as well as most of our equipment and props, and she’s going to honor all of the Edge’s commitments to season ticket patrons in return.

“It’s kind of a no-patron-left-behind philosophy in our line of work. It provides continuity, helps the new theatre get going, and rescues the marooned season ticket holders from the old theatre.”

Any advice for the new theatre?

“Not really. Maybe to watch your health. As great as theatre is, it can eat you up.”

Asked for final thoughts, he grinned, “You mean as I ride off into the sunset? Well, I think there deserves to always be live theater at Firdale Village. We worked very hard to put it there, and I know the Phoenix will do the same to keep it there. My bet is the shows will be great.

“Meanwhile, I’m going to get out there and see just how bad this job market really is.”

Theresa Goffredo