Essay Contest Theme Based On ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’

“Standing in their shoes” is a quote from Harper Lee’s book, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Spokane Civic Theatre, which is staging a play based on the classic story, and Boo Radley’s, a downtown shop which takes its name from the book, are sponsoring an essay competition, inviting School District 81 students to “Describe a time you learned more about someone by standing in their shoes.”

A Spokane celebrity panel will judge the competition’s three divisions: grades 4 to 6; 7 and 8; and 9 to 12.

Each winning essay will receive a cash prize of $100 and a gift certificate from Boo Radley’s.

Deadline for the 500-word essay is Oct. 30.

Complete rules are available at the theater, 1020 N. Howard. For more information, call Civic at 325-1413.

Zephyr at art show preview

Inland Craft Warnings will open its annual sale and exhibition of crafts by Northwest artists with a preview from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday in Bay 3 at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, to benefit Zephyr, a chamber music group.

Kendall Feeny, Zephyr’s artistic director, will stage a special performance, more than 50 Inland Craft Warnings artists will attend, and a buffet catered by Luna will be served.

Cost is $25, which includes admission to the exhibit Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are recommended. Call 235-4645.

Art for kids

Spokane Art School will offer two workshops for kids on Wednesday, an early dismissal day in School District 81. Students in grades 1-3 will create holiday cards through printmaking, and those in grades 4-6 will make ceramic tiles.

Cost for the workshops, 1:30 to 3 p.m., is $12, including materials.

To register, call the school at 328-0900.

‘Nutcracker’ auditions

Auditions for the Spokane Symphony’s annual presentation of “The Nutcracker” will be held Sept. 27 in the Music Building at Spokane Falls Community College. Ballet students must be at least 10 years old with three years of ballet training.

Auditions will be held three times in three categories: age 10 and older, between 4 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 6 inches tall with six years of ballet training, 1 p.m.; ages 10-12, between 4-foot-6 and 5-foot-2 with four years of ballet training, 4 p.m.; and ages 10-15, between 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6 with three years of ballet training, 5 p.m. Auditioners must arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled audition time.

There is an audition fee of $10 and a performance fee of $38. Audition forms must be filled out and returned to the Ballet Arts Academy by Saturday. Forms may be obtained by calling the academy at 838-5705.

Rehearsals begin Oct. 3, and performance dates are Dec. 4-6.

Musical audition

Spokane Civic Theatre will hold auditions for the musical “Meet Me in St. Louis” at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park. Roles are available for 10 men, seven women and two girls. A chorus of six men and six women is also needed. Kathie Doyle-Lipe will direct.

Musical director Jeff Batdorf said vocalists are to prepare a song no more than 90-seconds long that’s not from the play and to bring the sheet music with them. An accompanist will be provided.

Production dates are Nov. 20-Dec. 19. For more information, call the theater at 325-1413.

Deadline extended

Adam East Museum and Art Center in Moses Lake has extended the entry deadline to Oct. 20 for its annual holiday show and sale, Nov. 20-Dec. 31.

The center is looking for three-dimensional work, including ornaments, sculpture, pottery and glass art.

Artists should send three to five photos of current work, a written description of it, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Adam East Museum and Art Center, P.O. Box 1579, Moses Lake, WA 98837.

For more information, call the center at (509) 766-9395.

From East Africa

Art historian Bill Hottell will present a slide lecture at 7 p.m. Friday at the Lorinda Knight Gallery, 523 W. Sprague.

Northwest Map and Travel Book Center is co-sponsoring the event, titled, “East Africa Travels: The Serengeti Plains and Mount Kilimanjaro.”

Western art

Artist Donald “Putt” Putman will give a lecture and slide presentation from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Harrington (Wash.) Opera House Stage and Auditorium. Putman, who still has relatives living in Harrington, grew up in Spokane.

Putman, 72, is well known for his Western scenes and creates as many as 100 paintings each year.

An auction of limited-edition signed prints will begin after the presentation. Admission, by donation, will help build a new roof for the opera house.

For more information call (509) 253-4336 or (509) 253-4954.

Kudos

Spokane craft artists Hulda and Kenneth Bridgement were selected to exhibit their fashion wear at the American Craft Council’s Showcase of Fine Crafts at Bellevue’s (Wash.) Meydenbauer Center. The juried show ends today.