Spotlight: Tickets can help stuff stockings

In keeping with Spotlight holiday tradition, we hereby present our annual reminder that tickets make great Christmas presents.

They’re compact, they fit easily in stockings and they come in a wide variety of flavors.

Here are just a few suggestions:

• Jim Brickman, the popular piano man, Dec. 28, INB Performing Arts Center.

• Alter Bridge, the rock band featuring Spokane’s Myles Kennedy, Dec. 30, Knitting Factory Concert House.

• Spokane Symphony, Beethoven’s Ninth, Dec. 31, Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox.

• Joe Satriani, guitar genius, Jan. 9, Bing Crosby Theater.

• Spokane Symphony, Casual Classics , Beethoven and Mahler, Jan. 14, The Fox.

• Adrian Legg, fingerstyle guitarist, Jan. 15, Bing Crosby Theater.

• Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the ’80s rockers, Jan. 15, Northern Quest Casino and Resort.

• Official Tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, Jan. 18-19, Northern Quest.

• “Spring Awakening,” the national tour of the provocative stage musical, Jan. 19, INB Performing Arts Center.

• Spokane Symphony, Dvorak’s Violin Concerto, Jan. 22-23, The Fox.

• Kodo, Japanese taiko drum group, Jan. 26, The Fox.

• Brian Regan, the comedian, Jan. 29, INB Performing Arts Center.

• “Legally Blonde,” Feb. 10-13, INB Performing Arts Center.

• Smokey Robinson, soul legend, Feb. 10, Coeur d’Alene Casino.

• Natalie Cole, Feb. 13, Northern Quest.

• B.B. King, blues master, March 2, INB Performing Arts Center.

• The Goo Goo Dolls, ’90s rockers, March 6, Coeur d’Alene Casino.

• Robin Trower, the British guitar master, March 10, Knitting Factory.

• The Jill and Julia Show, with Julia Sweeney and Jill Sobule, March 11, Bing Crosby Theater.

I included only shows that take place after Christmas, but I suppose you could give someone an early Christmas present to the “Nutcracker” or some other December show.

Also, individual tickets for the national tour of “Wicked” won’t go on sale until an unspecified date after the turn of the year, but you can always slip an IOU in someone’s stocking. It comes to Spokane in May.

Tickets for all of the above except for Knitting Factory shows are available through TicketsWest outlets (800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com). Tickets for Knitting Factory shows are available through www.ticketfly.com, 877-4FLYTIX.

Kleckner and Vigil

KHQ news anchors Dan Kleckner and Stephanie Vigil will appear on a special newscaster edition of “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire” on Wednesday and Thursday, 6:30 p.m. on KHQ-6.

This special edition is called “Play It Forward.” The duo will attempt to win up to $1 million for charity. Kleckner and Vigil have chosen the Special Olympics of Washington as their charity.

They are one of several newscaster teams that will be appearing during “Play It Forward Week.” Other teams come from Tampa, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Chicago and Minneapolis.

One of the Charlotte newscasters? Maureen O’Boyle, who used to be an anchor for KREM-2 before she went to “A Current Affair.”

WSU prof on TV

Buddy Levy, a Washington State University English professor, will be seen this week as part of the History channel’s “ Brad Meltzer Decoded” series.

This show is about the secret historical clues and symbols found throughout the world. Example: “The hidden messages of the Statue of Liberty.”

It all sounds very “DaVinci Code.”

Levy is one of three people who help Meltzer track down some of these historical mysteries. The show premieres Thursday at 10 p.m.

Levy is also a journalist and author. See today’s Book Notes column for information on how you can get a signed copy of his book, “Conquistador,” about Cortes and Montezuma.

‘Plaid Tidings’

Steve Booth, one of the Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s success stories, will return from Broadway to be in the theater’s holiday show, “Plaid Tidings.”

It’s the holiday sequel to the popular “Forever Plaid,” about a ’50s singing group. Expect a Perry Como-style vibe.

Booth, a CdA product, was in “Glory Days” on Broadway and “Avenue Q” and has since been in various New York shows.

“Plaid Tidings” runs Dec. 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. at the Schuler Performing Arts Center at North Idaho College. Tickets are $25-$30, available by calling (208) 769-7780.

Want to make a night of it? The Coeur d’Alene Resort is offering “Plaid Tidings” packages ranging from $209 to $299, available by calling (800) 688-5253, which includes accommodation, two tickets and a dining credit.

‘Once on This Island’

By the way, the CdA Summer Theatre has announced its fourth show for next year: “Once on This Island,” a musical set in the Caribbean.

So the full summer lineup will be: “The Wizard of Oz,” “A Little Night Music,” “Once on This Island” and “The Sound of Music.”

‘The Zombie Movie’

“28 Hours Later: The Zombie Movie,’ the horror flick made by two Gonzaga University students, Dan Seibert and Erik Skoog, will be screened Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Stage 54, 25 E. Lincoln Road.

This is the low-budget zombie movie featured in an Oct. 31 Spokesman-Review column by Doug Clark.

Tickets are $8 at the door, but the price drops to $2 if you buy dinner and a beverage.