Ballet troupe brings new children’s performance series

Ballet Spokane is ready to kick off its 2006-07 season – which includes a new Children’s Performance Series at Interplayers.

The troupe will do three children’s shows at Interplayers, 174 S. Howard St., along with one family Halloween event and two showcase ballet performances later in the season.

Janet Wilder is the artistic director. The company includes Phaedra Jarrett, Jaime McGuire, Ryan Callen and Natalie Springel.

Here’s the lineup:

“”Wolf Tales,” Oct. 8, 3 p.m., Interplayers ($5) – A series of fractured fairy tales, for kids and adults alike,

“ Ballet Boo-Bash, Oct. 31, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Interplayers ($5/children, free/adults) – A family-friendly Halloween event with ballet, candy and activities.

“”The Toy Shelf,” Dec. 1, 7 p.m., and Dec. 2 and 3, 3 and 5 p.m., Interplayers ($5) – The Spokane holiday tradition, set in a magical toy shop.

“”Ballet Romantica,” Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m., Interplayers ($20) – A romantic evening of dance, wine and chocolates, including excerpts from “Les Sylphides.”

“”Tales of Beatrix Potter,” March 25, 3 p.m., Interplayers ($5) – A dance version of the children’s classic.

“”The Taming of the Shrew” and “Choreographer’s Showcase,” April 21, 7:30 p.m., and April 22, 2 p.m., Central Valley Performing Arts Center (TBA) – The troupe’s showcase production, a diverse evening of ballet featuring the Shakespeare classic and a variety of other dances.

Tickets for Interplayers events are available through the theater box office, (509) 455-PLAY. Also, tickets for “The Toy Shelf,” “Ballet Romantica” and “Taming of the Shrew” are available through TicketsWest outlets (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).

A little ‘Piggle-Wiggle’

Speaking of children’s shows, don’t forget about the Spokane Children’s Theatre’s first play of the season, “The Magic Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle.”

This is the children’s book classic, adapted as a musical. The show opens Saturday and runs Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 22 in the Lair Auditorium at Spokane Community College, 1810 N. Greene St.

More information is available by calling (509) 328-4886 or at www.spokanechildrens theatre.org. Tickets are $6 to $8, through TicketsWest outlets.

Symphony 101

Don’t you wish you had taken Music Appreciation in college? Or, if you did, that you had paid attention?

The Spokane Symphony has the solution. Education director Randy Fisher is presenting a series of four-session Symphony 101 classes for adults, starting Monday, that he calls a “proactive, interactive romp from violins to contrabassoons.”

Each four-session series consists of three Monday night sessions (7 to 9 p.m.), followed by a Wednesday evening “hosted” open rehearsal, all leading up to a specific symphony concert. Here’s the schedule:

Fall Series, Monday and Oct. 9, 16 and 18 – Including violins, choruses and Brahms.

Winter Series, Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 24 – brass, Berlioz and Gershwin’s piano rolls.

Spring Series, March 5, 12, 19 and 21 – klezmer, bassoon and the Moldenhauer Archive.

The cost: $60 per series (“Bring a Friend” for $50 each), or all three series for $150 (“Bring a Friend” for $125 each). Call 624-1200 to reserve a spot.

Kung Fu fightin’

Here’s a different kind of stage performance at The Met: The Shaolin Kung Fu Spectacular from China, on Friday at 8 p.m.

The Shaolin Kung Fu Performance Troupe, from the Shaolin Monastery in China, demonstrates a number of kung fu styles as well as chi kung, “the ancient Chinese art of cultivating (an) individual’s energy.”

Tickets are $17 to $40, through TicketsWest outlets.

George Winston’s piano

George Winston, the pianist famous for his spare and atmospheric Christmas recordings (and much more), is returning to Spokane for a show Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. at The Met.

Tickets are $27.50, through TicketsWest.

West Coast Funnies

Comedy more your style? I would recommend that you check out the West Coast Funnies, with Kurt Swann and starring Lamont Ferguson, Saturday at 8 p.m. at The Met.

This comedy sketch and stand-up show out of California – billed as “PG-17,” with minimal profanity and no graphic sexual content – is structured like a faux TV talk show. It’s billed as a combination “Saturday Night Live”/”The Daily Show” with some Letterman thrown in.

Tickets are $17 to $24.50, through TicketsWest.

Star guitar-slinger

For those who appreciate mind-blowing guitar jazz, take note of the Mike Stern Band appearance Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Spokane Falls Community College Music Building Auditorium, 3410 W. Fort George Wright Drive.

Stern is a New York jazz guitarist who has won Guitar Player magazine’s Best Jazz Guitarist award.

Tickets are $18 to $23, through TicketsWest. Stern will also stage a free guitar clinic Thursday at 2 p.m. in the SFCC Band Room.

Frame and McKinney

Several readers have asked what happened to Angelique Frame, KHQ-6 weathercaster, and Greg McKinney, KHQ and KAYU-28 anchor.

Frame landed a job at the CBS affiliate in Sacramento, and McKinney went with her. They are, if you were wondering, married.

My News @ 10

KXMN-11’s new 10 p.m. local news show debuted last week, and aficionados of – how can I put this? – unorthodox newscasts should check it out.

This newscast clearly is aiming for a young and personal style, which may or may not explain why anchor Kjerstin Ramsing uttered the following lines on Tuesday’s broadcast:

“”If you hate needles … oooh, I do!” (in a story about immunizations).

“”Eeeeww! They’re so gross!” (in a story about bats).

Also, I think it would be safe to say that My News @10 is not overly concerned with hard news.

KXMN is found over the air on Channel 11 in Spokane and Channel 38 in Coeur d’Alene, or on Comcast digital cable in Spokane on Channel 114.