ART to call SFCC home for season

THE ACTOR’S REPERTORY THEATRE of the Inland Northwest (ART), the new professional theater being launched by Michael Weaver and Grant Smith, has found a home at Spokane Falls Community College.

The company has signed a contract to do a five-play season at SFCC’s Spartan Playhouse.

“It’s a state-of-the-art facility, it’s 10 minutes away from downtown and there’s tons of free parking,” said Smith.

Smith said that the season will run from the end of August through June 2005. He said he couldn’t announce the shows yet, since he and Weaver are still in the final stages of acquiring the rights to the plays.

He said ART should have no trouble working around the college’s own theater schedule. ART will have access to the Spartan Playhouse stage for some, but not all, of its rehearsals.

“We were looking at a whole bunch of options, and this one came through first,” said Smith.

One of those options, apparently, was to join back up with the Interplayers Ensemble. Weaver was Interplayers’ former associate artistic director, and Smith was the former marketing director. However, that idea did not pan out.

Interplayers is in the midst of a search for a new producing artistic director and a new executive director.

Smith said that SFCC should not be considered a permanent home for ART.

“This is just a stepping stone,” he said.

A Classy victory

The winter radio rankings from Arbitron were released this week, and for the second time in a year, KXLY-FM (Classy 99.9) is No. 1.

The station’s popularity can be attributed to the morning show of Rick and Teresa Lukens and to a mix of what it calls “continuous soft rock.”

The winter ratings also confirmed what seems to be a “new guard” emerging at the top of the rankings. KHTQ-FM (Rock 94.5) continues to rank at or near the top, and KCDA-FM (103.1, Familiar New Music and Retro Hits) has climbed into the top three for the first time. With its mix of Jewel, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, Evanescence, Coldplay, Dave Matthews, R.E.M. and U2, as well as its popular practice of naming the title and artist at the end of every song, KDCA has nearly tripled its share from a year ago.

Here are the Arbitron rankings, winter quarter, based on quarter-hour share:

1. KXLY-FM (adult contemporary, 99.9), 7.1.

2. KHTQ-FM (active rock, 94.5), 7.0

3. KCDA-FM (hot adult contemporary, 103.1), 6.2.

4. KDRK-FM (country, 93.7), 6.0

5. KKZX-FM (classic rock, 98.9), 5.7.

6. KEYF-FM (oldies), 5.4.

6. (tie) KISC-FM (adult contemporary, 98.1), 5.4.

8. KIXZ-FM (country, 96.1), 4.9.

9. KYWL-FM (contemporary hits-rhythmic, 103.9), 4.7.

10. KQNT-AM (news-talk, 590), 4.2.

11. KZBD-FM (classic rock, 105.7), 3.7

12. (tie) KEZE-FM (hot adult contemporary, 96.9), 3.6.

12. (tie) KXLY-AM (news-talk, 920), 3.6.

12. (tie) KZZU-FM (contemporary hits), 3.6.

15. KGA-AM (news-talk, 1510), 2.4.

16. KTSL-FM (Christian music, 101.9), 2.3.

17. KAQQ-AM (adult standards, 1280), 2.1.

18. KICR-FM (country, 102.3), 1.8.

19. (tie) KSPO-FM (Christian talk, 106.5), 1.3.

19. (tie) KXLI-AM (sports talk, 630), 1.3.

21. (tie) KEYF-AM (adult standards, 1050), 1.1.

21. (tie) KJRB-AM (sports, 790), 1.1

21. (tie) KVNI-AM (adult contemporary, 1080), 1.1.

Mitchinson to KGA

Dan Mitchinson, formerly a KAYU-28 reporter-anchor and KEYF-FM radio personality and assistant program director, is the new program director and director for KGA-AM (The Big Talker, 1510).

Besides his administrative duties, Mitchinson will do the news on the morning show with Richard Clear and Kimi Stevens.

The station’s ratings have dipped since the loss of Rush Limbaugh at the beginning of 2002, but Mitchinson said the station is increasing its commitment to local news and talk.

Fox News on the radio

KTRW (970), a Spokane Christian station, has signed up Fox News Radio for its on-the-hour news broadcasts beginning Monday.

This will be the first area radio station to carry Fox’s news coverage. It uses the same reporters and resources as the Fox News TV channel.

“Being basically a conservative community, I feel Spokane will relate to Fox news more than to the radio news of ABC and CBS,” said Tom Read, who owns the station.

‘Oz’ for kids

Don’t forget the Spokane Children’s Theatre production of “The Wizard of Oz,” now on stage at Spokane Community College’s Lair Auditorium, 1810 N. Greene St.

A cast of 45 adults and children perform a stage version of the classic movie, complete with the great Harold Arlen-E.Y. Harburg songs.

It runs today at 1 and 4 p.m. and continues until May 29. Tickets are $5 and are available at the door or can be reserved by calling 328-4886.

Please note: The SCC Lair is a new venue for Spokane Children’s Theatre shows. In other words, don’t show up at the Civic Theatre by mistake.