Spokane stars as 1948 Manhattan in city’s next role
The next movie to be filmed in Spokane will be “Camilla Dickinson,” based on the coming-of-age novel “Camilla” by Madeleine L’Engle.
It’s set in Manhattan in 1948, and yes, the producers believe that Spokane can easily fill in for Manhattan.
“Spokane is wonderful for our project because it has so many pre-war buildings still in existence,” says Kairos Productions on its website, www.thecamillamovie.com.
“The climate and outdoor atmosphere are also similar to that of New York City.”
Well, let’s put it this way. You can do just about anything today with a little CGI magic.
No stars have yet been announced, but the director will be Cornelia Duryee Moore. This is another North by Northwest project.
Filming should begin next week and continue through Dec. 14.
Sony snaps up ‘River Sorrow’
“The River Sorrow,” which just finished filming in Spokane, has already been picked up by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions.
Yeah, that’s a big deal.
It indicates that Sony believes this Ray Liotta-Christian Slater-Ving Rhames action thriller has serious commercial potential.
Liotta plays a detective investigating a string of serial murders. He realizes to his horror that he is connected to all of the victims.
Sony acquired the rights even before the movie was rough-edited. North by Northwest’s Rich Cowan, who directed the film, said it’s “based on a terrific script by Steve Anderson.”
Warren Miller’s ‘Wintervention’
I’ve got an advance copy of Warren Miller’s new ski movie, “Wintervention,” and I can tell you that it features breathtaking photography and mind-blowing scenes of completely crazy skiers and boarders catapulting themselves down mountains. It’ll make you lust after snow.
But, then, you already knew that. It’s a Warren Miller movie.
It includes scenes shot in the Antarctic, Austria, Vail, New Zealand, Telluride, Alaska and Norway.
Closer to home, it includes footage from the Columbia Mountains of British Columbia, with their “wide-open fields of powder.”
It screens at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox on Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.50, through the Fox box office (509-624-1200) and TicketsWest outlets (800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).
Everyone attending gets vouchers for free lift tickets to Mt. Spokane and Red Mountain Resort, and discounts for several others.
EWU Jazz Dialogue
Eastern Washington University’s big jazz event, the Jazz Dialogue, takes place Friday and Saturday.
This is a huge gathering, featuring hundreds of middle school, high school and college music students.
It also includes two major public concerts. This year’s headliner will be Brian Lynch, a world-class trumpeter who has played with Phil Woods and Eddie Palmieri.
Evening concerts will be Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in historic Showalter Auditorium. Lynch will perform at Saturday’s concert.
Tickets for each date are $15 for adults and $7 for students and seniors (age 55 and up). Tickets and more information are available at (509) 359-7073.
Early Inland Crafts warning
Here’s a heartfelt plug for Inland Crafts, the region’s best venue for finding one-of-a-kind handcrafted Christmas gifts.
Every year, this excellent event features dozens of regional artists and craftspeople displaying and selling items from jewelry to photography to glass to fabrics.
This year’s version, with 55 artisans, takes place Friday, noon to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Nov. 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Spokane Convention Center’s Ballrooms B and C, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Admission at the door is $5, good for all weekend.
Here’s a hint: Go on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., and you can get in free.
Spokane Youth Symphony
The Spokane Youth Symphony’s four orchestras kick off their season with “A World of Music,” today at 4 p.m. at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave.
The most advanced orchestra, the Spokane Youth Orchestra, will play music by Leopold Mozart, Aaron Copland and Jacques Offenbach.
Verne Windham, who is beginning his final season as artistic director, will conduct.
The other three orchestras will be conducted by John Marshall, Heather Montgomery and Stephen Swanson.
Tickets are $13 for adults, $11 for seniors and $9 for youth under 18, available at the door.
Hampson a ‘Living Legend’
Wouldn’t it be nice to be declared a living legend by the Library of Congress?
Spokane product Thomas Hampson knows how that feels.
The international opera star received the Library’s Living Legend Medal during a concert Oct. 28 in Washington, D.C.
The medal recognizes “individuals who have made significant contributions to America’s diverse cultural, scientific and social heritage.”
Other Living Legend recipients include B.B. King, Pete Seeger, Yo Yo Ma, Martin Scorsese and Madeleine Albright.
Hampson, the 101st recipient of the award, said he was “deeply grateful.”