Spotlight: Upcoming events make great stocking stuffers

This is Spotlight’s annual reminder that tickets to arts and entertainment events make welcome Christmas gifts.

And they fit right into a stocking.

Here are just a few of the upcoming shows that you can stuff into someone’s stocking:

• The Smothers Brothers, Jan. 30, INB Performing Arts Center.

• “Avenue Q,” the irreverent Broadway smash, Feb. 11-14, INB.

• Jeff Dunham, Feb. 17, Spokane Arena.

• The Northwest Bach Festival, Jan. 30-Feb. 5, various venues,

• Any (or all) Spokane Symphony classics concerts, including violinist Vadim Gluzman on Jan. 23 and 24.

• “Oz With Orchestra,” a screening of “The Wizard of Oz” with Spokane Symphony accompaniment, Feb. 20 and 21, Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox.

• Anvil, the heavy-metal band made famous in a recent documentary, Feb. 9, Knitting Factory.

• “Honky Tonk Highway,” the country musical at Interplayers Professional Theatre, Jan. 28-Feb. 13.

• “Curtains,” the musical/whodunit at the Spokane Civic Theatre, Jan. 15-Feb. 6.

• “Jesus Christ Superstar,” featuring Ted Neeley, Jan. 26, INB.

• Spokane Opera’s “Pagliacci,” March 5-6, The Fox.

• Clint Black, Jan. 10, Northern Quest Casino.

• Brandi Carlile, Jan. 12, Knitting Factory.

Tickets to any of these shows can be purchased through TicketsWest outlets (800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).

They’re ba-a-a-ck

Here’s a longer-range event that you can start snapping up tickets for: Walking With Dinosaurs.

We told you last week how Spokane Arena officials had been teasing about the return of the show that sold out five performances there in 2007.

Now it’s official: The life-size walking dinosaurs are stomping back into town for eight shows next April 7 through 11.

Tickets are $39.50 to $59.50, through TicketsWest.

Der Bingle movies

What better way to spend a white (or semi-whitish) Christmas season than with Bing Crosby?

The Bing Crosby Holiday Film Festival takes place on Friday, all afternoon and evening at the Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave.

In addition to three Bing movies, the event will also feature appearances by niece Carolyn Schneider and nephew Howard Crosby.

Schneider, from Las Vegas, will read from her new book “Bing: On the Road to Elko,” about the Crosby family’s several cattle ranches near Elko, Nev., and her reminiscences about her time spent there with Bing and family. It was one of Crosby’s favorite getaway spots (Hayden Lake, Idaho, being the other). She’ll do her talk and reading at 5 p.m.

Howard Crosby, of Walla Walla, will tell stories of his many golfing adventures with Uncle Bing, as well as other good times, at 7 p.m.

The movies are:

• “Holiday Inn,” noon

• “The Road to Zanzibar,” 2:30 p.m.

• “White Christmas,” 7:30 p.m.

Come for all or any part of the festivities. Admission is free, but donations are suggested to help defray the costs for the nonprofit Advocates for the Bing Crosby Theater.

Another Bing success

By the way, the “Classic Movies of 1939” series at the Bing Crosby Theater this fall turned out to be a big success.

“Gone With the Wind” alone netted about $500 in donations to the Advocates for the Bing Crosby Theater. Attendance was robust.

So, according to Advocates president Bill Stimson, we can expect to see another classic film series next year. Stay tuned for details.

A Gonzaga ‘Messiah’

If you need a rousing “Hallelujah” in your life, you might want to catch Handel’s “Messiah” on Dec. 11, 7:30 p.m., at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, featuring the Gonzaga Symphony Choir and Chorale.

The concert will also feature special guests from the Los Angeles Opera: soloists Karen Vuong, Tracy Cox, Kalil Wilson and Injoon Jang.

Irene Messoloras will conduct. Tickets are $9 general admission, $7 for students (free to everyone in the GU community), at the door or by calling (509) 624-1200.

A Whitworth Christmas concert

The Whitworth University Choir, Women’s Choir and Men’s Chorus will again be performing around the state this Christmas season.

They’ll present their Christmas Festival Concert, “Ye Shall Have Song,” in Bellevue on Dec. 5 and Seattle on Dec. 6.

Then they’ll return to Spokane for three performances at First Presbyterian Church, 318 S. Cedar St., on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 12 at 3 and 7 p.m.

The program will include the title piece by Randall Thompson and a selection of sacred and choral music for the season. Marc A. Hafso and Debbie Hansen will direct.

Tickets for the Spokane concerts are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, by calling (800) 532-4668. Some tickets may be available at the door.

‘Ave!’

The Holy Names Music Center will also be presenting its seasonal concert, titled “Ave!,” a “celebration of Mary, the most famous mother who ever lived.”

This concert will take place Dec. 13, 2 p.m., at the Convent of the Holy Names, 2911 W. Fort George Wright Drive. Tickets are $20 in advance by calling (509) 326-9516, or $25 at the door.

The concert will feature music from the 16th century all the way to the 21st. A reception will follow.

A new ‘Cocina’

KXLY’s morning co-anchor, Mike Gonzalez, has a new show premiering today at 4 p.m. on KXLY-4, “In the Kitchen (En La Cocina).”

Gonzalez has a passion for Hispanic food and culture, and he has funded, written, produced and hosted this new show. Today’s episode will focus on local restaurateur Sergio DeLeon and his tortillas.

It will repeat Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. A new episode will air Dec. 12 at 4 p.m.

This should be a great way to learn about the region’s Hispanic culture – and learn some new recipes as well.

‘Nuncrackers’

The Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s holiday fundraiser will be “Nuncrackers,” the Christmas show featuring those wacky nuns from “Nunsense.”

It’s coming on Dec. 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. at North Idaho College’s Schuler Auditorium.

Tickets are $30, by calling (800) 4-CDATIX or at www.cdasummer theatre.com.