Recovery Won’t Affect Season, Welches Say
Bob Welch, co-director of the Interplayers Ensemble, has an ironclad excuse for dropping out as director of “Twelfth Night.”
How about quadruple-bypass surgery?
Welch, 69, was in Seattle for auditions on Aug. 30 when he suffered a heart attack in his hotel room. Joan Welch, his wife and co-director, immediately called 911. A paramedic team was at the hotel room door within minutes. They revived him and rushed him to Swedish Hospital nearby.
Tests showed that his key arteries were 95 percent blocked. He went in for the quadruple-bypass surgery the same afternoon. The surgery was a success.
“The doctor called it an absolutely perfect operation,” said Welch, who was released from the hospital a few days ago.
Welch said that “up and about” is an overstatement to describe what he’s doing now, but he said he should be able to work on a much-reduced schedule in eight weeks. He will be fully recovered in about six months.
Meanwhile, Michael Weaver, an Interplayers actor and director, has been named an associate director of the company. Weaver had already been assuming some of those duties; this incident just sped up the process a bit.
Weaver took over the auditions in Seattle, and he will also take over the directorship of the troupe’s first production of the season, Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” which opens on Oct. 20. Weaver had originally been scheduled to act in the play, but someone else will take his place in the cast.
Joan will be working a reduced schedule, too, while she takes care of Bob. However, she will still direct the second play of season, “Greetings,” opening on Nov. 24.
Bob said that his personal “ER”style drama shouldn’t affect the Interplayers season at all. He said Joan and Weaver have everything under control, and meanwhile, he’s listening very carefully to his doctors.
“He said that I should end up feeling better than I have in the last 12 or 15 years,” said Bob.
One big Pig
PigOut in the Park, the restaurant fair at Riverfront Park over Labor Day weekend, smashed all of its previous records, thanks in part to five days of glorious weather.
“We pay big money for that kind of weather,” remarked head Pig man Bill Burke.
A grand total of 135,276 servings of food were plopped onto plates during the event, way up from the previous record of about 120,000 two years ago and far surpassing last year’s 80,000 (it rained).
This record-setting number should be no surprise to anyone who plunged into the crowds last weekend. The park was jammed tight every day. There seemed to be no such thing as an off-hour.
However, the new configuration did make the event seem slightly less hectic. At least it was easier to find a place to sit. Also, with 40 restaurants, the lines never got out of control.
Ticket update
Here’s your Spotlight ticket update for various events:
John Michael Montgomery - Sept. 16, Spokane Arena - Still some tickets left, but this thing is coming close to selling out. Don’t wait until the last day.
Boyz II Men Sept. 25, Spokane Arena - Lots and lots of good tickets left. I know this group just played The Gorge last month, and the ticket prices are steep ($37.50 and $27.50) but still, I thought this show would sell faster. If this concert is going to fill up that big arena, a lot of people will have to pony up in the next two weeks.
All-4-One - Oct. 11, Spokane Arena - Just went on sale yesterday. However, be aware that the arena will be curtained off at the halfway point, so the capacity will be about 5,000 instead of 10,000. Don’t wait too long.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” - Sept. 26-Oct. 1, Opera House - Lots and lots of good tickets left for this one, too, which must be nerve-wracking for its backers. This is the biggest show ever to play the Best of Broadway series, in terms of both logistics and expense, and that even includes “Les Miz.” It’s a big, flashy, frothy Andrew Lloyd Webber spectacle and this revival was a smash on Broadway recently.
Tickets for all of these shows are available through G&B Select-aSeat.
Eerie arena tidbit
Here’s a coincidence. All-4-One’s smash hit “I Can Love You Like That” was previously a country hit for … John Michael Montgomery.
And before that, Montgomery scored a country hit with a song called “I Swear,” which went on to become a monster No. 1 pop hit (11 weeks at the top) for … All-4-One.
Now, both acts are booked at the arena.
Wow. It’s like, synchronicity, if I only knew exactly that meant.
Casting call
Are you a typical Spokane family, whatever that might be?
Head over to the Spokane Civic Theatre’s Firth Chew Studio Theater, 1020 N. Howard, today between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. You might end up in a Washington Water Power commercial.
Blue Goose Productions is seeking a “nice Spokane family” to appear in a TV commercial. All you have to do is show up at the theater (the Studio Theater entrance is actually around back on the lower level) and bring a picture of your house. If you’re chosen, your house will also be one of the stars.
Maybe it would be worth stopping in while you’re over at the Spokane Arena open house, which runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. across the street.
The coveted Pony Awards
Here are the annual Pony Awards, voted on by the audience of the Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre:
Best Musical - “Show Boat.”
Best Actress - Jennifer Niederloh, “Funny Girl.”
Best Actor - Frank Jewett, “Unsinkable Molly Brown.”
Best Supporting Actor - Stu Cabe, “Show Boat.”
Best Supporting Actress - Bobbi Kotula, “Funny Girl.”
Best Director - Roger Welch, “Show Boat.”
Symphony TV special
KHQ-Channel 6 airs a one-hour special Wednesday at 10 p.m. celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Spokane Symphony.
It’s called “Grace Notes for a Golden Anniversary,” and it will explore the symphony’s past as well as present.
Spokane Children’s Theatre
Speaking of 50th anniversaries, the Spokane Children’s Theatre has one this year, too.
And the theater has come up with a creative and exciting way to celebrate it. Its season will be a carbon-copy of the theater’s first season, in 1946.
It begins with a spectacular production of “Peter Pan” on Nov. 24-Dec. 1. This show will be at The Met in order to allow Peter, Wendy, etc. to fly more freely.
The other shows will be at their usual home, the Spokane Civic Theatre: “Cinderella,” Jan. 13-Feb. 4; “Snow White,” Feb. 24-March 17; and “Tom Sawyer,” May 25-June 15.
For ticket information, call 328-4886.
, DataTimes