Spotlight; Furhman gets extension from KGA-AM
Mark Fuhrman, the big talker himself, has been signed to three more years at The Big Talker, KGA-AM (1510).
Fuhrman’s morning talk show is Spokane’s most influential local call-in show, partly because local talk has become a rare commodity elsewhere in the market.
In other KGA news, Dick Haugen, a radio institution for 30 years in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane, has been hired as a newscaster on the First News This Morning broadcast. Haugen was most recently with KVNI-AM (1080).
Meanwhile, traffic reporter Bob Lutz is back doing traffic for KGA and sister stations KEYF-FM (Oldies 101.1) and KDRK-FM (Cat Country, 93.7).
French Stewart alert
You might have seen someone resembling French Stewart – aka Harry Solomon of “Third Rock From the Sun” – around Spokane recently.
That’s because he’s one of the stars of “Diamond Dog,” the latest low-budget movie being filmed here. Other cast members include John Farley and Kevin P. Farley, brothers of the late Chris Farley of “Saturday Night Live” fame, and former “SNL” player Garrett Morris.
It’s a family comedy about a bumbling band of jewel thieves and the dog they attempt to use to smuggle the jewels. Mark Stouffer, a veteran director of adventure and family films, is the writer-director-producer.
‘Brave’ watch
Another Spokane-filmed movie, “Home of the Brave,” finished in 84th place in last weekend’s box office race.
However, it has survived in theaters for another week – in Spokane, at least.
Onward to Edinburgh
Coeur d’Alene’s Lake City High School is headed to one of the most prestigious theater festivals in the world: the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
The school’s production of “Nine Dragons” has been selected to be performed at the American High School Theatre Festival’s venue at the Fringe Festival in August.
This is a tremendous honor, and you can help the drama students raise money for the trip by calling theater director Sandra Seaton at (208) 769-0769.
Scottish fiddler
Speaking of Scotland, Jamie Laval, the 2002 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle champion, will perform a homecoming concert at the Holy Names Music Center, 3910 W. Custer Drive, on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Laval was part of the Holy Names faculty – and a member of the Spokane Symphony – during the 1990s.
He will be joined by mandolin champ Ashley Boder. Arvid Lundin & Deep Roots will open the concert.
Tickets are $15 in advance, by calling Holy Names at (509) 326-9516, or $18 at the door. Students with ID get a $5 discount.
Intimate comic opera
The Spokane Opera will continue its popular “Opera Theatre in Intimate Settings” series with Donizetti’s one-act comic opera, “The Night Bell.”
You can see it at Luigi’s Restaurant, 245 W. Main Ave., on June 12, 14, 19, 20 and 21 at 6:30 p.m., and at the Old Church in Post Falls, June 17 at 4 p.m.
Tickets are $60 per person, including dinner, available by calling (509) 533-1150.
According to the Spokane Opera people, it’s the kind of comic opera that will appeal to those who love Gilbert and Sullivan.
‘Honky Tonk Laundry’
CenterStage has scheduled its next dinner theater show: “Honky Tonk Laundry,” a country-themed musical featuring the music of Patsy Cline, the Dixie Chicks, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton and many others.
It will star Janean Jorgensen, Beth Black and Olivia Brownlee. Performance dates are June 21-Aug. 24; tickets are $43 with dinner, or $22 for show only, by calling (509) 747-8243.
Spokane Children’s Theatre season
The Spokane Children’s Theatre has announced its 2007-2008 season:
“”Disney’s High School Musical.”
“”The Velveteen Rabbit.”
“”The Hoboken Chicken Emergency.”
“”The Adventures of Nate the Great.”
“”Annie.”
Exact dates will be announced later. All shows will be performed at Spokane Community College’s Lair Auditorium.
Season tickets are available for a limited time for only $25, available during performances of the current show, “Cinderella,” or by sending a check or money order to Spokane Children’s Theatre, 315 W. Mission #23, Spokane, WA 99201.
Civic benefit change
The show will go on – but the beneficiary has changed.
A special May 30 performance of the Spokane Civic Theatre’s “The Sound of Music” has been switched from a benefit for the Civic’s air-conditioning fund to a benefit for sending “Assassins” to the national competition.
The ticket prices have also been reduced to $20 each for the 7:30 p.m. performance on the Civic’s Main Stage at 1020 N. Howard. Call (509) 325-2507 for tickets.
There were two reasons for the switch: Not enough people bought tickets to the air-conditioning benefit, and the “Assassins” fund-raising effort is reaching an urgent stage. The Civic is within about $10,000 of its $30,000 goal.
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