Civic Plans To Schedule For 50th Season
The Spokane Civic Theatre has announced a whopper of a lineup for 1996-97.
Which is only fitting since this will be the theater’s 50th anniversary season. It’s a season that opens with “Sunrise, Sunset” and ends with “Try to Remember,” two perfectly pensive theme songs for an anniversary.
Here’s the main-stage lineup:
“Fiddler on the Roof,” Sept. 27-Oct. 26 - The story of the dairyman Tevye and his daughters, and one of the finest musicals of all time.
“The Secret Garden,” Nov. 15-Dec. 15 - The haunting musical based on the classic children’s book by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
“Deathtrap,” Jan. 10-Feb. 1 - The suspenseful and clever thriller by Ira Levin.
“Romeo and Juliet,” Feb. 21-March 15 - William Shakespeare’s most famous love story, presented here on a model of an Elizabethan stage and in Renaissance costumes.
“The Miracle Worker,” April 4-26 - William Gibson’s powerful drama about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan.
“The Fantasticks,” May 16-June 14, 1997 - The gentle fable of young love, with musical direction by Kendall Feeney of Zephyr.
The Civic’s more intimate Firth Chew Studio Theatre will present the following plays: “Vesta,” a new work by Bryan Harnetiaux, Oct. 18-Nov. 9; “Mama Drama,” which follows five women through five years of their lives, by Leslie Ayvasian, Christine Farrell, Donna Daley and Rita Nachtmann, Jan. 24-Feb. 15; “Going to See the Elephant,” a drama about frontier women in Kansas, by Karen Hensel and Elena Kent, March 7-29; and “Buried Child,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about a farm family, by Sam Shepard, April 18-May 10.
For season ticket information, call 325-2507.
Our own Tony nominee
Scott Wise, a 1978 Central Valley High School graduate, scored a Tony nomination on Monday for best featured actor in a musical for his work in “State Fair.”
You might imagine a Tony nomination to be a once-in-a-lifetime thrill, but it’s not. Wise was nominated, and won, in the same category in 1989 for “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.”
Wise, a dancer-actor-singer, studied dance with Tessa Williams in Spokane before going to New York and landing roles in a string of hit musicals, including “A Chorus Line” and “Cats.” His parents, Norma and Jim Wise of Newport, will be at the Tony Awards ceremony on June 2, proudly rooting for their son.
Radio men, women and boys
We checked the winter Arbitron ratings to find the most popular local radio personalities. Here are the results, based on the number of estimated listeners during any average quarter-hour, all listeners 12 and over:
Morning teams:
1. KKZX-FM (98.9), The Radio Men: 11,200 listeners.
2. KDRK-FM (93.7), Diamond and Gold: 7,700.
3. (tie) KNFR-FM (96.1), The Good Morning Guys: 7,600.
3. (tie) KZZU-FM (93), The Breakfast Boys: 7,600.
Talk-show hosts:
1. Rick Miller, KXLY-AM (920): 6,600.
2. Richard Clear, KGA-AM (1510): 4,239.
3. Mike Fitzsimmons, KXLY-AM (920): 3,300.
By the way, the nationally syndicated Rush Limbaugh remains the most popular talk-show host overall, weighing in with an average of 7,600 listeners on KGA-AM.
State’s writes
Two Inland Northwest writers have recently received national recognition.
Sherman Alexie, formerly of Spokane and Wellpinit and now living in Seattle, was named as one of 20 “Best Young American Novelists” by Granta, the prestigious literary magazine. Alexie is the author of “Reservation Blues.”
Jess Walter of Spokane, author of “Every Knee Shall Bow,” is one of seven writers nominated for the PEN Center West 1996 Literary Awards for non-fiction. This award is for the finest work produced in the western states. Winners will be announced in two weeks.
Hollywood seminars
If you dream of a Hollywood career, you should check out these four free seminars at Eastern Washington University later this month: “Writing for Film and Television” - May 30, 9:30 a.m. to noon.
“Directing and Producing for Film and Television” - May 30, 1:30-4 p.m.
“Post-Production” - May 31, 9:30 a.m. to noon.
“Breaking Into the Business” - May 31, 1:30-4 p.m.
These sessions will be conducted by Tom Blomquist, Tim Kelleher and Scott Schaefer, writers and producers for such shows as “Walker, Texas Ranger” and “In Living Color.” Kelleher and Schaefer are graduates of the EWU radio and television program.
The sessions are free, but reservations must be made by calling Pat Bumpas at 359-6228. All lectures are in the University Theatre on the Cheney campus.
Dinosaurs and dodos
Speaking of college lectures, anyone fascinated by dinosaurs should check out the Geology Lecture Series at Spokane Community College on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The topic is: “Dinosaurs and Dodos: The Effect of Mass Extinctions on the History of Life.” Dr. Thor Hansen of Western Washington University will examine the cause and effect of extinctions, including the ones responsible for the disappearance of the dinosaurs.
The lecture is free and open to the public. It’s at the SCC Lair-Student Center, 1810 N. Greene St. Call 533-7090 for more information.
Calling all Lilac Queens
If you were once a Lilac Queen (hey, we mean a real one, not just on weekends) we’d like to know what the title meant to you. Reporter Joe Ehrbar is doing a story; call him at 459-5089.
, DataTimes