Theater Jun 15, 2011 at 4:00 am

West of Lenin

It Takes Guts to Build a New Theater While Theaters Across the Country Are Collapsing—but Producer A. J. Epstein Has Guts

Brendan Kiley

Charles Leggett, Jose Gonzales, Leslie Law, Elizabeth Heffron, Vincent Delaney. Peter Dylan O’Connor

Comments

Perhaps this is where American theater is headed? The ether of the internet via radio/blog readings? It's the most exciting thing I've heard about recently.

tjmoore on June 16, 2011 at 10:08 AM

I hope they have a good board of directors!

wormletter on June 19, 2011 at 12:52 AM

Hopefully no board of directors. Unless they raise money, they are always just a bunch of interloping meddlers creating drama to justify their involvement.

Singing to Myself on June 20, 2011 at 12:56 PM

No, no Bored of Deflectors. It's just us, the artists and buds in the room. Nobody tells us what to do: We are the Invigorating Mother Effers! Signed, Seanjohn Walsh, President of the Ensemble, Sandbox Artists Collective

Shackjack on June 21, 2011 at 4:36 PM

Rooty-toot toot, Seanjohn.
The reason you don't "need" a Board is because your "collective" is a single-member for-profit Limited Liability Company, and you ain't the sole member. (See http://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/search_detai…). I don't know Mr. Epstein (he sounds like a great guy who genuinely loves theater) but make no mistake-- he's The Boss. Also, as Brendan notes, he's The Landlord.

So I hope you all stay on his good side, everyone stays friendly if money becomes an issue, someone's keeping up on the taxes, and it doesn't turn into a big ass-polishing festival.

Personally, I'd prefer a Board (with all the trappings of voting, notice, and consensus-building) to a Boss. But congratulations, Mr. President. I hope you get to wear a really fancy hat.

Buttercup on June 28, 2011 at 11:39 PM

Rooty-tooter Buttercup: Sandbox Artists Collective and West of Lenin are seperate entities. West of Lenin may be a LLC for AJ; Sandbox Artists Collective is not a LLC. The opening Sandbox Radio Live! was a collaboration with WoL instigated by Sandboxer Leslie Law. AJ is a Sandbox member, a friend and a colleague. Regarding a couple of your assumptions- he ain't the Boss of the Sandbox and he ain't our Landlord. He is a great guy who loves theater and Seattle is very fortunate indeed that he is committed to Fremont. And I do have a Haberdasher in my back-pocket.

Shackjack on June 30, 2011 at 4:58 PM