Spotlight : First Night returns with solid lineup

Spokane’s inaugural First Night was on a Monday. This year, it will be on a Monday again.

You math whizzes should have already figured out what that means: First Night Spokane has reached its seventh year. (Did you math whizzes figure in a Leap Year?)

Once again, this downtown New Year’s Eve celebration should attract somewhere around 25,000 people, making it the biggest arts and entertainment party of the year.

The event will conform to the formula that has made it such a success: dozens of musical, comedic, dramatic and artistic events, scattered in halls, theaters, storefronts and public spaces all through downtown Spokane.

This year’s version will also feature all of the sub-events that have proven to be popular in recent years: The Kids Night Out (now named the Avista Kids Night Out) event in early afternoon and the evening 11th Hour for teens, both at the Spokane Convention Center; and the Steezy-Eve Rail Contest snowboarding competition at Riverfront Park, formerly known as Rail Jam.

Some highlighted performers: Global Heat, a hip-hop and dance group; Brothers from Different Mothers, a comedy/magic act; and Chickee and Boom Boom, a quirky comedy duo.

All of the above are from Seattle, but the bulk of the performers will be local favorites such as the Haran Irish Dancers and the Blue Door Theatre.

Buttons remain $12 in advance, available at all Zip Trip Food Stores, Tomlinson Black Real Estate offices and the River Park Square Atrium.

Don’t wait: Prices go up to $15 on Dec. 30.

‘A Reduced Christmas Carol’

If you’re craving an espresso version of a Charles Dickens classic, I’ve got some great news: Interplayers Theatre is bringing back “A Reduced Christmas Carol,” Saturday-Dec. 23.

This is a Spokane original, adapted by Ann Whiteman. If you’ve seen this before, you know how much fun it can be.

It consists of three increasingly frenetic tellings of the classic Scrooge-Tiny Tim story: the first lasting 15 minutes, the second lasting five minutes and the third lasting one minute (yeah, they time it with a stopwatch).

The whole thing takes less than a half-hour, so it’s a good way to catch your Scrooge fix between visits to downtown stores. It costs only $8 for adults, $6 for students, seniors and military, and $2 for children, at the door or by phone at (509) 455-PLAY.

There will be several performances every day, evenings and afternoons. Watch for more details soon.

Elvis and swing

If you’re looking for some holiday music today, here are a few events that span the spectrum:

“”An Elvis Family Christmas,” featuring the region’s own Elvis Presley tribute artist Ben “Preslee” Klein and his mom and dad, Gwen and Randy, who also do celebrity tributes, 2:30 p.m., Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. Tickets: $20 for adults, $10 for ages 12 and under, available at the door.

“”Sunday Holiday Swing,” with the Spokane All-City Jazz Ensembles and the Eastern Jazz Ensemble, 2 p.m., CenterStage, 1017 W. First Ave. These ensembles feature the region’s best young talent playing jazzy holiday favorites. Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Tickets were scarce at press time, but there might be a few available at the door.

“Spokane Youth Symphony, “Celebration Around the World,” 4 p.m., Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. Tickets: $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for juniors (plus $2 historic preservation fee), available at the door.

‘This Child’ at NIC

Here’s early warning of special holiday play at North Idaho College: Local playwright Tim Rarick’s Christmas-themed “This Child” will run Dec. 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 23 at 2 p.m. at North Idaho College’s Schuler Performing Arts Center.

The story is about a child who is brought into a convent by a group of nuns to participate in a Christmas pageant. Based on a true story about Rarick’s mother, it features a cast of 25, half of whom are children.

Tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for children under 12, available at the door.

Early bird gets the Sandpoint

Here’s another great arts-related gift idea: An Early Bird Season Pass to the Festival at Sandpoint, $159.

The only catch is, you won’t know who the artists are until later. The 2008 festival will run Aug. 7-17, and the lineup won’t be announced for months.

On the other hand, the festival has proven that it can attract quality acts, year after year (as in last summer’s Lyle Lovett, Josh Ritter and Mark O’Connor).

You can purchase a pass at www.FestivalAtSandpoint.com.

An LC football documentary

Here’s an event perfect for those who still haven’t come down from the thrill of Lewis and Clark High School’s state championship football run.

Peak Video, a local production company, has put together an hour-long documentary chronicling the team’s journey from 2004 to their championship win two Saturdays ago. It will be presented Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater.

All students, alumni and fans are encouraged to attend this free event. The team and coaches will, of course, be there as well.

How did a professional documentary get put together so quickly? Well, it helps that team member Casey Cowan’s mother is Robin Briley, former Spokane TV news director who now runs Peak Video along with Jim Bolser.

They have been documenting the team since the seniors were freshmen – never dreaming that it would end in such triumph.