‘Camp Logan’ Tells Story Of Black Soldiers And Houston Riot Of 1917
‘Camp Logan,” a touring play which touches upon provocative issues of history, race and military law, will come to Spokane Community College on Thursday and to North Idaho College a week from today.
It will be staged by Mountaintop Productions of San Antonio. It has played more than 100 universities in three years of touring and it won the NAACP Play of the Year Award in 1994.
“Camp Logan,” by Celeste Bedford Walker, is about the largest mutiny and court-martial in U.S. history. Soldiers from the all-black 24th Infantry, provoked by insults and beatings, marched on the city of Houston in 1917. More than 20 townspeople were killed; 19 black soldiers were court-martialed and executed.
Playwright Walker grew up hearing her relatives talk about the deadly riot. She wrote the play to capture, and to understand, the motivations of those involved. It is a blend of fact and fiction.
The play will be presented on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Spokane Community College’s Lair Auditorium, 1810 N. Greene. Admission is $7.50. Tickets are available at the Spokane Civic Theatre, Cheney Cowles Museum, East Central Community Center and the Communications and Development Office of the Community Colleges of Spokane, 2000 N. Greene. For information, call 533-7427.
The Coeur d’Alene performance will be next Friday at 8 p.m. at NIC’s Boswell Hall Auditorium. Tickets are $7 and may be reserved by calling the NIC public relations office, (208) 769-3316 or the NIC box office, (208) 769-3415.
“Wait Until Dark”
The Valley Repertory Theatre opens one of the stage’s sure-fire suspense thrillers, “Wait Until Dark,” tonight.
About a blind woman being stalked by a dangerous killer, it was an acclaimed Audrey Hepburn film in 1967.
Much of the play takes place in almost total darkness - it should be perfect for the Valley Repertory’s intimate black box space.
The lead role is played by Suzie Wasson Picard, who has worked with blind people and done a great deal of research for the role. Her husband, Brad Picard, is also in the play.
Homer Mason, one of Spokane’s most respected theater names, is the director.
The show runs Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through April 8. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. on Sundays, 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
Tickets are $8, $7 for seniors, $6 for students. Call 927-6878 for reservations.
The Valley Repertory Theatre is located on the southwest corner of Sprague and Pines.
“Closer Than Ever”
The ACT (Artistic Community Theatre) opens the David ShireRichard Maltby Jr. musical revue “Closer Than Ever” tonight.
It’s a collection of contemporary theatrical songs centered around the theme of changing relationships. The songs touch upon issues of career changes, aging, day care and the pursuit of lost youth.
Melody Deatherage, one of Spokane’s top musical theater talents, both appears in and directs this show. Other cast members include Daina Toevs, Mike Hynes and Jack Gaffney.
This is the regional premiere of this show.
Performances run tonight, Saturday, March 31, April 1 and 2, and 6-8. All performances are at 8 p.m. except for a 2 p.m. performance on April 2. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling 921-1706.
The ACT is at 425 N. Evergreen in the Valley.
“Jesus Christ Superstar”
Don’t look for Biblical-era striped robes in Lake City Playhouse’s version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
Jesus and his apostles will wear tiedyed shirts. Pontius Pilate will strut the stage in a three-piece suit. King Herod will wear a cowboy sheriff’s star.
This atypical production opens Wednesday for four consecutive 8 p.m. performances at the theater at 14th Street and Garden Avenue in Coeur d’Alene.
“We’re doing the artistic thing,” said Steve Seable, who plays Jesus in the production.
The playhouse had planned an Andrew Lloyd Webber revue for the Easter season. But the rights were too expensive. “Superstar” alone costs about $400 a night so Seable cut some of the more costly parts of the play. There will be no lavish dance scenes. Judas most likely won’t hang himself.
But Seable cut none of the music. Barb Peterson, a travel agent with a dynamite voice, sings the haunting “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.”
Tenor David Baker, a music student at North Idaho College, plays Judas and leads the cast in the rousing “Superstar.”
The rock band for the show includes a guitar, bass, keyboard and Scott Jessick, former Black Happy drummer, on percussion.
Tickets are $10. The Saturday April 1 performance will benefit St. Vincent de Paul Society’s homeless shelters. For tickets, call (208) 667-1323.
(This item was reported by staff writer Cynthia Taggart.)
“Pinocchio”
The Missoula Children’s Theatre presents 53 local students in a production of “Pinocchio” on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in North Idaho College’s Boswell Hall.
MCT staff members travel around the U.S. and Canada staging productions with local talent. This show is the result of a week of intensive rehearsals and workshops.
Tickets are $7, available at Burt’s Music and Sound, Gallery By The Lake and at the door.