Civic’s ‘Mama’ Claims Regional Theater Contest
The Spokane Civic Theatre’s “Mama Drama” has won the play-offs, if you’ll pardon the pun.
This one-act play was picked as the “Best in the Region” last Sunday, and now it will go on to Grand Rapids, Mich., in June to compete for the “Best in America” title.
The victory came in a three-way contest against the state winners from Oregon and Alaska.
This is all part of the American Association of Community Theatre competition. If “Mama Drama” wins the national competition and frankly, I think it’s good enough it will be the second time the Civic has won the national award. It also won in 1989.
Even if it doesn’t win, Sunday’s award means that “Mama Drama” has already been judged one of the top 10 plays in country.
The Civic’s production went head-to-head with Oregon’s winning play, “Clara,” out of Hood River on Sunday afternoon at the Civic Theatre, with adjudicator Ron Ziegler in attendance. He had already seen Alaska’s entry, “Ain’t Mis-behavin’.”
Civic matters
In other Spokane Civic Theatre news, the summer show for the Mainstage has been chosen: “Black Comedy,” a full-tilt comedy by Peter Shaffer (“Amadeus”) about an urban blackout, will run from July 10 through Aug. 2. The comedic gimmick is simple, yet effective: Whenever the lights are supposed to be off, they are actually on. The characters think nobody can see them, but the audience can.
Also, the opening date of the final regular show of the season, “The Fantasticks,” has been wisely switched from May 16 to May 18 (a Sunday matinee). If the show had opened on May 16, opening-night patrons would have been caught in the massive Metallica-jam at the Arena.
Parkening in Spokane
Christopher Parkening, an internationally celebrated classical guitarist, will make a free appearance on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Faith Bible Church, 600 W. Cora in Spokane.
Did I say free? Do you have any idea how important Parkening is in the world of classical guitar? This is almost like having Pavarotti come to Spokane and perform for free.
It’s free because this is not really a concert, it’s a ministry, which is something that Parkening does around the country four or five times a year. He will definitely play, but he will also speak about his faith. The presentation will last just a little over an hour, said Becky DeLateur of the Faith Bible Church.
He is coming to this church because several of Faith’s pastors came here from the same church in Southern California that Parkening attends.
About 800 or 900 seats are available, but they are going fast. Free tickets can be picked up at the church or by calling 326-9455.
The King of Stunts
Sure, its just another silly radio station stunt, but I have to hand it to KEYF-FM (Oldies 101.1) for at least having plenty of chutzpah, if not a great deal of honesty.
The station came up with the idea of sponsoring the Running Elvises for Bloomsday, 16 runners who look more or less like the King. However, KEYF-FM promotions director, “Jungle Jim” Allen , knew that he had to keep the station’s name out of it if they hoped for any publicity.
“If any (TV station) knew the Running Elvises was a radio station stunt, there’s no way they would have covered us … and there goes our free TV coverage,” said Allen, with an admirable lack of shame.
So they found a “front man” - somebody’s son-in-law - who pretended to come up with the Running Elvis idea while sitting around in a cafe with some buddies. (Allen listed “good liar” as one of the front man’s qualifications.)
Not only did the TV stations jump on the story, but so did some rival radio stations. The Spokesman-Review wrote a story that eventually ended up in papers all over the region.
On Monday, KEYF-FM came clean, just in time to harvest the results of this P.R. bonanza. The Running Elvises will be seen on the course today wearing Oldies headbands.
A Tom Grant grant
KREM-2’s reporter Tom Grant will be missing from the airwaves beginning next fall, but only temporarily.
Grant has been awarded a University of Michigan journalism fellowship for the next academic year. He is one of 12 journalists from around the country selected for this study sabbatical.
Grant’s subject: disenfranchised Americans.
All pledged out
KPBX-FM finished its seven-day pledge drive on Wednesday and it was a success any way you look at it.
First, the station met its goal, raising $99,120 (including $20,915 on the last day alone).
Even better, they did it in even less than seven days: six days, 18 hours and 41 minutes, to be precise.
It means that the station will continue with the seven-day drives, which are plenty long enough, but shorter than the marathons they used to have.
A new theater troupe
Some familiar names in Spokane theater have started a new theater troupe, with the goal of creating a summer stock theater company in Spokane.
It’s called the Spokane Theatrical Company, and this summer, they will begin with one production: “Carousel,” from July 18-26 at The Met. The idea, according to production manager Sallie J. Christensen, is to expand to a full summer-stock season in ensuing years.
The producer and organizing force behind the company is Patrick McHenry-Kroetch, and the artistic director is Troy Nickerson.
“Carousel” will star Cheyenne Jackson as Billy Bigelow and Julie Powell as Julie Jordan.
A nice Cheney Cowles present
The $2.1 million is nice, but even nicer is the message that came along with the money.
The Cheney Cowles Museum received $2.1 million from the Washington State Legislature last month for design of the proposed museum expansion and also for planning the exhibits that will be in it.
Even I can figure out the implicit message there: If they’re willing to design it, they’re probably willing to build it. As executive director Glenn Mason said, the approval of the design money is a strong indicator “that construction funds are likely to be forthcoming in the next biennium.”
In all, the museum is requesting $19.8 million from the state for the project, with an addition $7 to $10 million in private funds to be raised.
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