Coming Home The Rogue Players Open The Season With ‘Charley’s Aunt’ As They Move To A New Theater
Friday is a milestone day in the history of the Rogue Players.
On that day, the curtain goes up for the first time on the Rogue Players’ new home, the Commandery Theater on the fourth floor of the Masonic Temple in downtown Spokane, 1108 W. Riverside. This community theater has been operating out of the West Central Community Center for many years; now it will have its own stage and a much larger and more attractive space for the audience.
“Charley’s Aunt,” the classic British farce, is a fitting choice for the season opener. A young upper-class twit disguises himself as the aunt of his college roommate in order to fill the role of chaperone. This story has been sending audiences into hysterics since its London debut in 1892. You might even call it the precursor of those other cross-dressing comedies, “Tootsie,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “The Birdcage.”
“Charley’s Aunt” ran for four solid years in its original London run, and it has probably been running at least somewhere in the world ever since. In fact, according to the Oxford Companion to the Theatre, at one time it was running simultaneously in 48 theaters in 22 languages, including Chinese and Zulu.
Playwright Brandon Thomas wrote a dozen plays, but only this one has survived the test of time. Thomas was a music-hall performer and actor, and he played Col. Chesney himself in the original production and later took over the lead role for himself.
Kevin Kuban will direct the Rogue production.
“Charley’s Aunt” opens Friday and continues Saturday, Sunday and Nov. 1-3 and 6-8. All shows are at 8 p.m. except the 2 p.m. matinees on Sunday and Nov. 3.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students, available by calling 327-9907.
Season tickets, which includes productions of “Stalag 17,” “The Lion in Winter” and “Harvey,” are still available for $32.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’
The Lake City Playhouse in Coeur d’Alene opens this musical sci-fi romp about a man-eating plant on Friday night.
“Little Shop of Horrors” features the “mean green mother from outer space” (the plant) and the mild-mannered florists’ assistant Seymour. As the plant gets bigger, the comedy turns blacker.
It is based on the campy Roger Corman B-movie of the same name. The musical version has lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, of Disney fame.
This production is directed by David Denman-Smith.
The show opens Friday and continues Saturday, Sunday, Oct. 31, Nov. 1-3 and 7-9. All shows are at 8 p.m. except the Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and $8 for children under 13. Call (208) 667-1323 for reservations.
The Lake City Playhouse is Coeur d’Alene’s community theater, located at 14th and Garden.
‘McManus in Love’
Tim Behrens’ one-man show based on the writings of humorist Patrick McManus comes to Washington State University’s Beasley Coliseum on Friday at 8 p.m.
“McManus in Love” follows the adventures of the young Pat as he discovers girls.
Reserved-ticket prices are $12 and $14 for adults, $10 and $12 for seniors, and $6 and $7 for students. A $24 family plan is also available. General-admission tickets are $5.
Tickets are available at the Beasley box office, the Cougar Depot, the UI Student Union Building’s Ticket Express and all G&B Select-a-Seat outlets. Phone orders can be made by calling (800) 325-SEAT.
Inland Northwest Theatre Arts Festival
More than 300 high school drama students will converge on Mead High School on Friday and Saturday for the Inland Northwest Theatre Arts Festival.
Theater professionals and educators will conduct numerous workshops.
A major production, “The Odd Couple,” starring Jim Brown, drama instructor at Mead, and Dana Brown (no relation), drama instructor at R.A. Long High School in Longview, will be presented on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Mead auditorium. The show is for festival students, but there will be some extra seats for the public, available for $5.
On Saturday at 7:30 p.m., students will perform a “showcase” of various scenes from four different plays as well as a musical production number.
For more information, call Jim Brown at 468-3050.
, DataTimes