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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spotlight: Serious attention for filmed-in-Spokane ‘Knights’

The Joe Lynch movie “Knights of Badassdom,” filmed in Spokane last summer, is getting some priceless national publicity.

Entertainment Weekly gave this indie comedy/fantasy a full-page treatment in the “First Look” section in its July 22 issue, with photos of stars Summer Glau, Ryan Kwanten, Steve Zahn and Peter Dinklage.

EW said the cast is “sure to get the fanboy seal of approval.” Lynch, on the film’s website, called it “another moment of serendipity for this crazy flick.”

In other words, it’s a Spokane rarity: a locally made movie with good buzz.

The trailer was unveiled at Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend. The film still doesn’t have a release date, but with this kind of attention, we can expect some new urgency.

Symphony at the Quest

A really big band has been booked into the Northern Quest Resort and Casino’s new outdoor concert venue: the Spokane Symphony, Aug. 20, 7 p.m.

The “Sizzling Summer Concert With the Spokane Symphony” will feature Eckart Preu conducting the orchestra in a program that ranges from the “Superman” theme to John Philip Sousa. It will be a spectrum of light classics and popular music.

Tickets are on sale, $20 and $25, through TicketsWest outlets (800-325-SEAT or www.ticketswest.com) . 

The Northern Quest seats

By the way, my informants at the Steve Miller Band concert at Northern Quest reported no problems with the seats. The venue replaced the outdoor seating after a number of problems (tipping, mainly) at the premiere concert last month with The Judds.

Go on a Highland fling

Spokane is hopping with the best Highland dancers in the nation this weekend at the U.S. Inter-Regional Highland Dance Championships.

The U.S. Nationals were held Saturday at the INB Performing Arts Center, but you can see the dancers in a free event today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lilac Bowl in Riverfront Park.

They’ll be competing for another title, the Lilac Bowl Championship. Go watch them fling.

Maria Muldaur in Spirit Lake

Maria Muldaur, of “Midnight at the Oasis” fame, has been booked into Spirit Lake’s Red, Wine & Bluz Fest on Aug. 20 at 9 p.m.

Muldaur and her Red Hot Bluesiana Band will be the closing act at the newly reinvigorated blues festival, which has been moved this year to Spirit Lake’s City Park. The festival runs Aug. 19 and 20, noon to 11 p.m. each day.

Other bands include the Red Hot Blues Sisters, the Smokehouse Blues Band, Gary Yeoman and Voodoo Church and Big Daddy and the Blue Notes.

It’s a family event; they will also host an arts and crafts fair and a kids’ fair. Children 12 and under are admitted free.

Tickets are $31 for both days or $21 for one day, available in advance at www.spiritlakebluzfest.com.

‘Forbidden Broadway’ at WSU

“Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits,” one of my favorite spoofs of Broadway musicals, will finish up its run at Washington State University’s Bryan Hall Theatre in Pullman on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

This WSU School of Music summer musical performance features Gerard Alessandrini’s satirical songs, which send up Broadway shows like “Mamma Mia,” “Les Miz,” “Chicago,” “Annie,” “Wicked” and dozens more.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors, available at the door one hour before showtime.

Pollock and Warhol at WSU

The Washington State Museum of Art has received a $10,000 grant from the Robert Lehman Foundation for an upcoming exhibition and book project, “Works on Paper: American Art 1945-1975.”

It will run at the museum from October through December and include works by Willem de Kooning, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Serra and Andy Warhol, to name just a few of the 52 artists.

A full-color book, produced by the museum, will accompany the exhibit.

Peter Pan art

The Tinman Gallery, 811 W. Garland Ave., has had great success in the past with invitational exhibits on themes from “The Wizard of Oz.”

This summer, the gallery is turning to another iconic story, “Peter Pan.” The gallery will open its Peter Pan Invitational with a reception Friday from 5 to 9 p.m.

Nearly 50 artists, including Ken Spiering, Kay O’Rourke and Ric Gendron, have contributed.

Favorite subjects include Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, Capt. Hook and a certain nasty crocodile. The opening party will feature music and refreshments.