SCT sets lineup for 2010-11

Sun., Jan. 3, 2010

By Jim Kershner jimkershner@comcast.net

The Spokane Civic Theatre is only halfway through its season – yet next season is already nailed down.

Executive artistic director Yvonne A.K. Johnson announced the entire 2010-11 season last week.

Here’s what playgoers can look forward to, beginning next fall:

Main Stage:

• “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” Sept. 24-Oct.24 – This is the popular bio-musical about the guitar playing rock legend. You’ll find out about Buddy’s short life and tragic end and hear hits such as “Peggy Sue” and “That’ll Be the Day.” Directed by Johnson.

• “West Side Story” (In Concert), Oct. 29 and 30 – The Sharks and the Jets will face off in the Civic’s annual in-concert fundraiser. Directed by Johnson.

• “White Christmas,” Nov. 19-Dec. 19 – The classic Irving Berlin musical performed, fittingly, in the hometown of Bing Crosby. Directed by Troy Nickerson.

• “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Jan. 14-30, 2011 – A farce by French playwright Marc Camoletti, about romantic mix-ups in a French farmhouse. It’s a sequel to Camoletti’s hit, “Boeing Boeing.” Directed by Thomas Heppler.

• “Nunsense,” Feb. 18-March 6, 2011 – Jean Hardie will reprise her legendary performance as the Mother Superior. Directed by Nickerson.

• “The Sisters Rosensweig,” April 8-23, 2011 – The late Wendy Wasserstein’s award-winning 1992 comedy-drama about three sisters and the different paths they take in their lives. Directed by Marianne McLaughlin.

• “The Full Monty,” May 20-June 19, 2011 – The smash Broadway musical about a bunch of unemployed blue collar guys who dream up an unusual way to make some money. They become male strippers. This show was a huge crowd pleaser in 2007 at the Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre. The music is by David Yazbek, and the book is by Terrence McNally. Directed by Nickerson.

Studio Theatre:

• “The Cemetery Club,” Oct. 22-Nov. 14 – Ivan Menchell’s comedy about three Jewish widows who meet every month at their husbands’ graves in Forest Lawn. Directed by Heather McHenry-Kroetch.

• “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Jan. 28-Feb. 20, 2011 – The 2005 hit musical comedy that follows a group of adolescents as they compete for the spelling bee crown (the Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre has also scheduled this for next summer). Directed by George Green.

• “Metamorphoses,” March 25-April 17. 2011 – Mary Zimmerman’s acclaimed 1998 retelling of the mythic tales of Ovid, which includes characters such as King Midas, Bacchus and Eurydice. The show will feature a pool of water in the middle of the stage, which will stand in for the sea and the River Styx, among other things. Directed by Johnson.

• “Frost/Nixon,” May 6-28, 2011 – Peter Morgan’s gripping tale of David Frost’s famous interviews with Richard Nixon.

Sound intriguing? Season subscriptions will be available after April 1.

Meanwhile, don’t forget about this season, which continues with the dance-centric musical “Curtains” on the Main Stage beginning Jan. 15 and “Sylvia,” A.R. Gurney’s comedy about a love triangle between a man, his wife and a dog, in the Studio Theatre beginning Jan. 29.

Call (509) 325-2507 for tickets.

Kaleidoscope coming

Meanwhile, the Spokane Civic Theatre will be hosting Washington State Kaleidoscope Festival 2011, the state community theater competition, March 11-13, 2011.

About 12 community theater companies from around the state will bring their productions to Spokane for the Kaleidoscope competition. Performances will be open to the public.

The winner will advance to the regional competition and possibly the American Association of Community Theatre’s AACTFest national competition.

The Civic has been notably successful in the national competitions, having won two of them and finished second twice.

BeGin!, round two

Don’t forget about the second BeGin! event at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC) on Friday at 6 p.m.

BeGin! is the museum’s new happy-hour concept. Show up between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the second Friday of every month and you get a drink and musical entertainment with your regular museum admission fee of $7. You can also cruise all of the exhibits.

The first BeGin! in December was a hit. The MAC is at 2316 W. First in Browne’s Addition.

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