Elwes, Clemens headline Spokane’s Manhattan project
Cary Elwes of “Princess Bride” fame is in town as one of the stars of “Camilla Dickinson,” the movie based on the Madeleine L’Engle young adult novel that’s being filmed in Spokane.
The cast also includes Adelaide Clemens (“X Men Origins: Wolverine”) as the young title character and Gregg Sulkin (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) as the boy who comes into her life.
Samantha Mathis (“Little Women,” “American Psycho”) and Elwes play Camilla’s parents.
“Camilla Dickinson” is about a 15-year-old girl in 1948 Manhattan whose parents’ marriage is beginning to fall apart. She meets Frank, from a less privileged life, who gives her the strength to stand up to her parents.
Filming is scheduled for another three weeks.
A Sasquatch present
Here’s a Christmas present idea for the Sasquatch Music Festival fans on your list: a discounted four-day pass to the annual event next Memorial Day weekend (May 27-30) at the Gorge Amphitheatre.
Four-day passes are $285 and $295, available via www.sasquatchfestival.com, which includes camping and service fees.
For the first time, Sasquatch will add a fourth day, on Friday. The lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but we do know that the Foo Fighters will headline the new Friday performance.
L.A. Philharmonic in HD
You’ve heard about those live high-definition broadcasts at movie theaters from the Metropolitan Opera? Soon, you can catch live HD broadcasts of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
On Jan. 9, 2 p.m., the Northtown 12 Cinema in Spokane and the Riverstone Stadium 14 in Coeur d’Alene will host “LA Phil Live” with conductor Gustavo Dudamel. He’ll conduct a Beethoven program.
This will be followed by a Tchaikovsky program on March 13 and a Brahms program on June 5.
For tickets and details, check out www.laphil.com.
The Met in HD
By the way, those two theaters are also the places to see the ongoing Metropolitan Opera HD broadcasts.
Coming up next: an encore performance of Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” on Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m. and a live “Don Carlo” by Verdi on Dec. 11, 9:30 a.m.
For tickets go to the Met’s website or www.fathomevents.com, or just buy them at the theater.
Ralphie!
The Spokane Children’s Theatre will open “A Christmas Story,” based on the great holiday movie about Ralphie and Scut Farkus and the gang, on Friday at the Lair Auditorium at Spokane Community College, 1810 N. Greene St.
It continues through Dec. 12. Kenneth Boles directs a cast of 25.
Tickets are $10 for children and $12 for adults, through TicketsWest or at the door.
And if you bring a new, unwrapped toy donation for Toys For Tots to any of the first weekend’s performances – Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. – you’ll get $2 off your ticket price, at the door only.
An accordion Christmas
Ah, yes, nothing like accordion music to put you in the Christmas spirit.
OK, it’s not exactly the usual Christmas carol instrument, but the Spokane Accordion Ensemble hopes to change that with its “Accordion Christmas Potpourri,” Dec. 13, 7 p.m., at the Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave.
No tickets are required, but a $10 donation is suggested.
Clarion hits the road
Clarion Brass, Spokane’s 14-piece professional brass ensemble, has long been a Christmas favorite in Spokane.
Now it’s taking its show on the road.
The Clarion “Reindeer Games Tour” will take the band to Vancouver, Wash., on Dec. 3, Seattle (at Town Hall Seattle) on Dec. 4 and Yakima on Dec. 5.
The Spokane concerts will be Dec. 21 and 22, at 7:30 p.m. at St. John’s Cathedral, 12th Avenue and Grand Boulevard. Tickets are $16 and $11, through TicketsWest outlets (800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).
Clarion is known for its wildly inventive interpretations of holiday classics, as well as its penchant for humor. One of this year’s highlights will be “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman” done in the style of Hollywood action-movie music.
Christmas crafts
I was reminded last week that Inland Crafts is by no means the only big handmade crafts show in Spokane for the Christmas season. Here are two other notable events where you can find unique Christmas presents:
• Custer’s Christmas Arts and Crafts Show, continuing today, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. This show has more than 300 screened and juried artists, all representing their own work (no commercial items or imports allowed). Admission is only $6 and parking is free.
• Spokane Art School Yuletide, Dec. 10, noon-8 p.m.; Dec. 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Dec. 12, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, 2316 W. First Ave.
This will be a revival of the Spokane Art School’s 30-year tradition of the Yuletide crafts show. Artists will display their works over two levels of the MAC. It’s free.
Storytellers wanted
Speaking of the MAC, the museum is the state’s official site for the National Day of Listening on Friday.
This is part of the national Story Corps project, dedicated to recording and archiving the stories of ordinary citizens.
The MAC will record stories from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. You can talk about any topic, but the museum said it is particularly interested in stories about influential women, treasured art or heirlooms, and area labor, war or economic experiences. All stories will be stored in the museum’s archives.
Festival of the Arts
Hundreds of students will participate in Spokane Public Schools’ Festival of the Arts, Monday and Tuesday at the INB Performing Arts Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
It consists of two whole days of music, art, photography, theater workshops and performances. Students from all of Spokane’s high schools will be participating.
The public is invited to the free closing concert, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., featuring the All-City Band, Orchestra and Choir. No tickets are required.
‘Kidnapping Christmas’
The Lion’s Share, an arts and events center in a large Victorian house at 1627 N. Atlantic Ave., is planning a dinner-theater production called “Kidnapping Christmas” in conjunction with a full holiday meal.
It’s a play by James Earl Becker about three kids who are frustrated about their new baby brother. His arrival means they don’t get presents, so they try to give him away for the holidays.
The Lion’s Share describes it as “heartwarming.”
It runs Dec. 3-4 and 10-11 at 6 p.m. You can have portraits taken in Santa’s sleigh by a professional photographer.
The cost is $45 for dinner and show. Call (509) 327-1113 for reservations or go to www.lionaround.org.
Don’t wait – last year’s shows sold out.
‘Forgotten Carols’
A touring Christmas musical show called “The Forgotten Carols” is booked into the INB Performing Arts Center on Friday, 7:30 p.m.
It’s a show by Michael McLean, a musician, author and performer well-known in Mormon circles, about a nurse who is too practical to be bothered by Christmas – until she meets an eccentric old gentleman.
Tickets range from $10.50 to $25, through TicketsWest.