When the Empty Space Theatre closed its doors in 2005, Fremont was left without a place to call its own for live theater. And if there’s any neighborhood in Seattle crying out for a place to perform, it’s gotta be Fremont.
Finally, live theater is coming back to town.
West of Lenin is a new theater opening at 203 N. 36th Street. West of Lenin is a 88-seat black theatre being built as part of the renovation of the former Warden Fluidynamics building, and will host its first event on June 20, 2011 with Sandbox Radio Live, a production of Sandbox Artists Collective.
The renovation is a project of The Ethereal Mutt – Limited, led by principal A.J. Epstein. The completed project will include office and retail space in addition to becoming the new headquarters for EMutt and the home of West of Lenin.
“As I was getting deep into the design phase of the building, I realized that I had a resource and a unique opportunity to get more deeply involved with the arts community simply by thinking a little bigger and making this a public venue,” says Epstein. “I’m not starting a theatre company. I’m putting together an attractive comfortable space and encouraging artists whose work I respect to be featured during our first year.”
Sandbox Radio Live will be the first official event in the new space. Conceived and directed by Leslie Law, Sandbox Radio Live is an evening of new works written specifically for the radio by Scot Augustson, Vincent Delaney, Elizabeth Heffron, Chuck Leggett, Anita Montgomery, and Paul Mullin, and new music from the Sandbox Radio Band led by Jose Gonzales, recorded live for future podcast. Doors open at 7:30pm and the show starts at 8pm. Admission is free. For more info on Sandbox Artists Collective, visit www.thesandboxartistscollective.com.