TA(P) this week profiles the making of the Civic's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory This week we at Spokane Public Radio are excited to present a special episode of the Thursday Arts (P)review. Instead of our usual multi-segment format featuring artists, authors, musicians and other creatives from across the Inland Northwest, we've teamed up with the Inlander to take
(Jerrod Phelps as Willy Wonka on the cover for the Inlander) Everyone knows the story of Charlie, the Golden Ticket and his fateful visit to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. And if you don't, well, I'm sorry. It's a great story. Good news is the Spokane Civic Theatre has the play on its main stage through June
When Connie Mack Overstreet’s pals are playing under the harsh sunlight on a baseball diamond, the child actor is on a different type of platform. Overstreet, 13, who was named after the legendary baseball manager with the most wins and losses in major league baseball history, is at home under the lights of a stage.
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Cast and creatives perform songs from the regional premiere and discuss its charms Jillian Kehne, Troy Nickerson, Connie Mack Overstreet and Jerrod Phelps joined E.J. Iannelli in the KPBX studio to give details on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The production, which is a regional premiere of the 2013 musical,
Spokane Civic Theatre has renewed "National Pastime," a play from Spokane playwright Bryan Harnetiaux, which tells the story of Jackie Robinson, who made history as the first black athlete signed to a Major League Baseball team 75 years ago. Tickets are $10 for students, $25 for adults and can be purchased online at the Theatre's website! Spokane
Buck O’Neil nailed it while sitting in the KXLY studio in 2003 when he reminisced about Jackie Robinson breaking major league baseball’s color line in 1947. “When (Brooklyn Dodgers President) Branch (Rickey) signed Jackie to that contract, that was the beginning of the civil rights movement,” O’Neil said O’Neil, who became the first African-American coach
Spokane, Wash. - National Pastime, an award-winning play, is returning to Spokane this week for the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's historic MLB debut. As a part of the newly introduced Major League Baseball campaign, "The Nine", meant to celebrate and honor the impact of black baseball pioneers and further diversify the business of baseball, the
The very first scene that playwright Bryan Harnetiaux wrote for his play National Pastime was also its most severe. Although it's often referred to in euphemistic shorthand as "the office scene," the first-act finale depicts the real-life episode in which Branch Rickey, then club president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, met with a 26-year-old Black baseball
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE The director, playwright and cast members preview a play about Jackie Robinson Kimberly Ridgeway, Tré Terry and Bryan Harnetiaux entered the KPBX studio with E.J. Iannelli to talk about Harnetiaux's play National Pastime. The play recounts Jackie Robinson's historic breaking of the baseball color barrier and the toll that civil
Jukebox musicals have a reputation for flimsy narratives but are often buoyed by a hit parade of songs. But “Jersey Boys,” which opens this weekend and runs through March 26 at the Spokane Civic Theatre, has the tunes and the story, albeit an unlikely tale. There were a myriad of lads singing on the street
It's been over 50 years since four boys from Jersey formed the hit 1960s band The Four Seasons, but their story continues inspiring audiences around the globe. That story is being told once again as the four-time Tony-Award winning musical from Broadway comes to the Spokane Civic Theatre's main stage. It's rare for a community theater
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Creatives and cast members discuss the jukebox musical about the Four Seasons Jake Schaefer, Henry McNulty, Jonah Taylor and Jameson Elton talked to E.J. Iannelli in the KPBX studio about a new production of Jersey Boys. The jukebox musical about the Four Seasons opens this Friday on the Spokane Civic
No one needs to explain to Melody Deatherage and Kathie Doyle-Lipe how much heavy lifting is required to pull off “Parallel Lives.” The Spokane Civic Theatre veterans, who are the only actors in the production, are well aware that they will portray a myriad of characters since they starred in “Parallel Lives” six years ago
For Kathie Doyle-Lipe and Melody Deatherage, there's a whiff of déjà vu to their upcoming performance of Parallel Lives, opening this weekend on the Spokane Civic Theatre's main stage for a limited run. "We actually put this up six years ago for Lake City Playhouse as they were getting restarted. And then Civic approached us later about maybe
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE The director and cast members of a Bard showcase talk about its ASL component Kearney Jordan, director of the Spokane Civic Theatre Academy, came into the KPBX studio along with Audrey, Connie and Sadie Overstreet to talk with E.J. Iannelli about the academy's production of Shakespeare Beyond Words. More than
Versatility is the key to making the parody of the Alfred Hitchcock classic “The 39 Steps” work. There are just four actors in the cast of “The 39 Steps,” which runs from Friday to February 12 at the Spokane Civic Theatre, in a show featuring more than 50 characters. “It’s a challenge,” 39 Steps director
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE The director and cast members discuss their reverent parody of Hitchcock's spy film Heather McHenry-Kroetch, Dana Sammond and Dallan Starks joined E.J. Iannelli in the KPBX studio to give listeners a taste of The 39 Steps, which opens at the Spokane Civic Theatre this Friday (Jan. 20). This 2005 adaptation
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE Talked to the director and some of the castmates of Photograph 51 – a humorous and moving portrait of Rosalind Franklin, one of the great female scientists of the twentieth century, and her fervid drive to map the contours of the DNA molecule. A chorus of physicists relives the
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Director Susan Hardie and her cast preview a play about an unsung science pioneer Susan Hardie, Joshua Baig, Ryan Wasson, Nicholas Roy Morgan III and Jeffrey Phillips Christiansen talked to E.J. Iannelli in the KPBX studio about Photograph 51, Anna Ziegler's semi-fictionalized play about the pioneering researcher Rosalind Franklin. Hardie
Improv was the key to the lock that helped Spokane’s Michael Glatzmaier move forward while attending Rogers High School. The 2009 alum languished in special education classes while passing up most opportunities. “When I discovered improv, everything changed for me,” Glatzmaier said. “My problem was that I said no to everything. I had no confidence.
The Spokane Civic Theatre's production of THE 39 STEPS, opening Jan. 20, promises to carry audiences through a rollicking tale of romance, espionage and murder. With just a handful of actors tackling more than a hundred parts, the show, which originated in London in 2006 and became one of the West End's longest-running shows, has since delighted
You might have spotted him in the orchestra pit at Spokane Civic Theatre or Lake City Playhouse. If you’re traveling during the holidays you might see him at Spokane International Airport. Or, if you’re taking the family to meet Santa at the Southside Community Center on Dec. 17, you’ll find him there. Taylor Belote is
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Cast members preview Karen Zacharías' play about neighborly disputes Marlee Andrews and Deborah Marlowe, both of whom are performing in a new production of Native Gardens at the Spokane Civic Theatre, joined E.J. Iannelli in the KPBX studio to talk about Karen Zacharías' play. The play hinges on a clash between
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Co-directors and cast members on what's familiar and unexpected about this show Kearney Jordan, Bryan Durbin, Ruby Krajic, Bill Marlowe and Gary Pierce entered the KPBX studio with E.J. Iannelli to provide details on the Spokane Civic Theatre's new production of the holiday classic A Christmas Carol, which opens this
Bryan Harnetiaux has served as Spokane Civic Theatre’s playwright-in-residence since 1982. Over the course of four decades, Harnetiaux has written more than 40 plays ranging from single-act to full-length, 13 of which have been published. Expanded from a shorter play of the same name, Harnetiaux’s “Exile” opened Friday at Spokane Civic Theatre. Retired from the
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE The playwright and director of an all-new play discuss the importance of feedback Playwright Bryan Harnetiaux, whose new play Exile opens this weekend at the Spokane Civic Theatre, sat down in the KPBX studio with the play's director, Jerry Sciarrio, to discuss the work with SPR's E.J. Iannelli. Both the playwright and
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Cast and creatives talk about Joshua Harmon's "New York comedy" Sarah Dahmen, Matthew Pope, Karen Brathovde and Preston Loomer visited with E.J. Iannelli in the SPR studio to chat about Significant Other by playwright Joshua Harmon. Dahmen is directing a new production of Harmon's romantic comedy, which centers on young, single
Spokane Civic Theatre’s production of “Significant Other” explores the societal pressure to find a life partner when finding that partner, however much you might want to, proves beyond your control. Sarah Dahmen knew very little about the show when earlier this year she agreed to direct it . Nonetheless, it quickly found its way into
Bryan Harnetiaux has been penning plays for the Civic for four decades. In the theater world, playwrights-in-residence are writers who commit themselves to a particular venue for a set period of time. It's intended to be a symbiotic relationship, with the theater giving the playwright access to the resources needed to bring a
The Spokane Civic Theatre is kicking off its 75th season with The Wizard of Oz. More than just an enduring audience favorite, the main-stage musical is also a tribute to the theater's long history. The last time it was produced by the Civic was in 1997, which happened to be the theater's 50th anniversary season. Though she's
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Cast and creatives from The Wizard of Oz talk about Civic's 75th season opener Along with director Kathie Doyle-Lipe and music director Henry McNulty, actors Nicole Ostlie, Lacey Bohnet-Olson and Jameson Elton joined E.J. Iannelli in the SPR studio and performance space ahead of opening night for The Wizard of Oz at the Spokane
Going into their 75th season, Spokane Civic Theatre’s 2022-23 program will include five main stage productions, three studio productions and three special productions. With a total of 178 scheduled performances, the season has something for the whole family. With plans to remodel the theater on hold until fall 2023 for a myriad of reasons –
Going into their 75th season, Spokane Civic Theatre’s 2022-23 program will include five main stage productions, three studio productions and three special productions. With a total of 178 scheduled performances, the season has something for the whole family. With plans to remodel the theater on hold until fall 2023 for a myriad of reasons –
It's a rainy Saturday morning, and Kearney Jordan is standing at the front of the main stage of the Spokane Civic Theatre. She's running through cues and movement - a process known as blocking - with a group of teens and preteens for a production of Thornton Wilder's classic Our Town. The scene they're rehearsing calls for
Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express has been adapted to TV, radio, film and even computer games since it was first published in 1934, but it took more than 80 years for an official version to reach the stage. With the blessing of the author's estate, American playwright Ken Ludwig, best known for farces like Lend Me
Directing at Spokane Civic Theatre again for the first time since March 2019, Heather McHenry-Kroetch is glad to be returning with the cast of “Murder on the Orient Express.” “I’m excited to do it,” she said. Especially now, she explained, you never feel like you’re dragging yourself to rehearsal because you know how lucky you
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Director Heather McHenry-Kroetch and Actor Bryce Clifton visited the KPBX studio Wednesday to talk with Verne Windham about their upcoming show, "Murder on the Orient Express." "Murder on the Orient Express" premieres this Friday, May 27, at 7:30 on the Margot and Robert Ogden Main Stage. Click here to learn more.
These are the facts: In 2003, a writer named John D'Agata submitted an essay to Harper's Magazine. The piece centered largely on Levi Presley, a 16-year-old boy who had leaped from the observation deck of the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas the previous year. Presley's suicide served as a case in point for D'Agata's broader examination of the
How do you tell the truth? Are cold hard facts enough to get the whole story across? Spokane Civic Theatre’s production of “The Lifespan of a Fact,” a one-act play by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, opens in the Firth J. Chew Studio Theatre on Friday at 7:30 p.m. “I think it’s really
Set in New York City, before and following WWI, “Funny Girl” is a semibiographical musical account of the life of “Ziegfeld Follies” star Fanny Brice and her loving but tempestuous marriage to Nicky Arnstein. Directed by Jake Schaefer with musical direction by Henry McNulty, Spokane Civic Theatre’s production of “Funny Girl” opens Friday at 7:30
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Music director Henru McNalty and actress Kalla Mort visited the KPBX studio today to talk with Verne Windham about their upcoming show, "Funny Girl." "Funny Girl" runs April 1-24 on the Margot and Robert Ogden Main Stage at the Spokane Civic Theater. Visit the Spokane Civic Theater website for more information.
For close to four decades, playwright Neil Simon — balding, bulb-nosed, bespectacled — so dominated American theater that he became an unlikely object of desire. In her 2021 memoir Going There, journalist Katie Couric recalled setting out with the express intention of seducing him at a press conference for his 1985 film The Slugger's Wife. At the time
After nearly two years of canceled shows and virtual productions, Spokane Civic Theatre has returned to the stage with a bang – and a crash, and maybe a few pieces of broken china. But worry not, it’s all by design. “The Play That Goes Wrong,” Civic’s 2022 season opener, is “two hours of laughs,” executive
The last two years have been full of drama. A deadly virus. Crushing social isolation. The complete upending of life as we know it. It’s been the kind of drama that nobody wanted. But this weekend, the right kind of drama returned. After a two-year hiatus, the Spokane Civic Theatre had its first indoor, in-person
After a nearly two-year hiatus brought on by the pandemic,Spokane Civic Theatre is resuming live productions with the regional premiere of The Play That Goes Wrong, a comedy that promises exactly what its title says. Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, the play captures the opening performance of the Cornley Drama Society's The Murder
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE After a long pandemic absence, Spokane Civic Theatre returns to the stage with "The Play That Goes Wrong," directed by local theatre stalwart, Jean Hardie. Verne Windham talks to Jean Hardie about the production and the revival of live performance. "The Play That Goes Wrong" opens Friday, January 28,
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Spokane Civic Theatre's Executive Director, Jake Schaefer, talks about the return of the Civic's radio performance of "A Christmas Carol," and gives a preview of the theatre's coming season. "A Christmas Carol" will air on KPBX on December 19th at 4pm and Christmas Day at noon. For more information
The next in Spokane Civic Theatre’s “Civic Presents” lineup, actor Patrick Treadway’s “Mark Twain” is a one-man, staged retelling of the eponymous writer’s life. Starring and created by Treadway, the show incorporates excerpts of Twain’s writing as his life story unfolds onstage. Filmed over the course of two performances on the main stage at the
The next in Spokane Civic Theatre’s “Civic Presents” lineup, actor Patrick Treadway’s “Mark Twain” is a one-man, staged retelling of the eponymous writer’s life. Starring and created by Treadway, the show incorporates excerpts of Twain’s writing as his life story unfolds onstage. Filmed over the course of two performances on the main stage at the
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Verne Windham talks to Abbey Crawford about Spokane Civic Theatre's "Leading Ladies," a program featuring musical performances of 17 of the Civic's female members. Verne delves into the SPR audio archives to hear some of those performers in past visits to the Performance Studio. "Leading Ladies" will livestream at
Spokane Civic Theatre will present “Leading Ladies,” a production featuring 17 distinct musical performances filmed on the Civic Studio Theatre Stage with piano accompaniment by Civic Music Director Henry McNulty. The program will begin livestreaming at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The theater has organized two virtual showcases and a Christmas radio show over the past few
For almost a year, performers and theater lovers have sat at home dreaming of the creative outlet that local productions provide. To help fill that void, Spokane Civic Theatre is coming back to life with Civic Presents: Leading Ladies, a virtual show dedicated to the theater's female stars past and present. For the performers, getting back on
In the six months since statewide COVID-19 restrictions went into effect, local stages have been eerily quiet. There's been the occasional outward sign of fresh activity, such as Stage Left Theater's livestreamed adaptation of its annual Playwright's Playground festival in late August. But the casual observer could be forgiven for assuming that area theaters had resigned
“I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.” – Blanche DuBois, “A Streetcar Named Desire” It is a challenging time for the arts due to the novel coronavirus. Who knows when shows will commence? Financial support of any kind is essential for local theater groups to stay afloat during an unprecedented time. Strangers, which recalls
When gatherings of 50 or more were prohibited across Washington state, theaters set about the sad business of closing their box offices and clearing their marquees. Until that point, there had been a vague, if fanciful, hope that their footlights would somehow remain lit. Like so many businesses and organizations around the world, theaters across the
This weekend, Spokane Civic Theatre will open its studio production of “Cabaret,” John Kander and Fred Ebb’s beloved and societally confrontational tour through the seedy, vaudevillian nightlife of 1930s Berlin. Set in the aftermath of Germany’s Weimar Republic, “Cabaret” is based on John Van Druten’s play “I Am a Camera” adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s 1939
The Firth J. Chew studio in the lower level of the Spokane Civic Theatre has always been a small space with big possibilities. Over the years its interior has been rearranged for performances that faced north and east, for stages in a three-sided thrust format or in the round, and for players entering and exiting from
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Heather McHenry-Kroetch, Director of Spokane Civic Theatre's new production of "Cabaret," swings by the studio to discuss the show. Also in the studio are actors Aubree Pederson (Sally Bowles) and Rebecca Craven (Fraulein Schneider), and Music Director Henry McNulty with Tonya Ballman (Assistant Music Director) with a preview of
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder is no place for those of weaker constitution and who may be faint of heart. It says as much in its opening song. One reason why sensitive souls might be better off departing is that this particular musical features death. Lots of it. A reverend. A rich playboy and his
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Troy Nickerson, Director of Spokane Civic Theatre's production of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" visits the studio to discuss the musical. Also in the studio are actors Emily Jones, Joseph Hall, and Music Director Henry McNulty, with a preview of the show. "A Gentleman's Guide to Love
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and, though he’s not a child, it sure has taken a village to raise Garry Essendine, the man at the forefront of Noël Coward’s “Present Laughter,” which opened at Spokane Civic Theatre on Jan. 17. Essendine (Patrick McHenry-Kroetch) has built a reputation as a matinee
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Spokane Civic Theatre's latest production of the season is Noel Coward's "Present Laughter." Director Melody Deatherage visits the studio with actors Patrick McHenry-Kroetch (Garry Essendine), Elisabet Edwards (Liz Essendine), and Phedre Burney-Peters (Monica Reed) to discuss the show and perform a scene or two. "Present Laughter" opens Friday, January
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Kearney Jordan, Spokane Civic Theatre's Academy Director, visits the studio to discuss her production of the classic holiday play-within-a-play "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." Joining her in the conversation are actors Millie Paine, Josephine Kahler, and Audrey Overstreet. This production is SOLD OUT. For more information on Spokane Civic
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Spokane Civic Theatre's holiday season productions open with an adaptation of the classic film "It's a Wonderful Life." Director Marianne McLaughlin and actors Megs Levi (Mary) and Joshua Baig (George) visit the studio to talk about the production and to perform a preview. "It's a Wonderful Life" opens Friday,
Andrew Start is no stranger to working in minimalism. Having previously directed “The Flick” for Spokane Civic Theatre, Start again brings his audience an intimate portrayal of humanity, this time marked with a tense and resolute realism. “This Is Our Youth,” written by Kenneth Lonergan, is sodden with nostalgia, but with the kind that’s heavier
Director Andrew Start’s last play at Spokane Civic Theatre, Annie Baker’s “The Flick,” found him directing three actors – two men and a woman – in their roles as misfit ushers in a rundown theater. Throughout the play, the three leads chat while sweeping up popcorn and running a film projector. And … that’s about
Though it has the unmistakable ring of a declaration, This Is Our Youth treats its title more like a question than a statement. Its three characters — two boys, one girl, all in their late teens and early 20s — are aimless and uncertain. They're unsure of who they are, who they want to be and how they
Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest impact. From Friday to Dec. 8 in the Firth J Chew Studio Theatre at the Spokane Civic Theatre three actors will take the stage to play out an evening in their apartment for the production of Kenneth Lonergan’s “This Is Our Youth.” In the Broadway and West End
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Andrew Start, Director of Spokane Civic Theatre's production of Kenneth Lonergan's "This Is Our Youth," visits the studio to discuss the play, which centers around young adults in 1980s Manhattan. Also in the studio are Denny Taylor (Dennis), Jacob Carruthers (Warren), and Elizabeth Martin (Jessica) who play the three
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Kearney Jordan, Director of Spokane Civic Theatre's Academy, visits the studio with a preview of the Academy's production of "War of the Worlds." Also in the studio is the young star of the production, actor Millie Paine, performing scenes from the show and discussing her role as Orson Welles.
Frank Lloyd Wright claimed his childhood fascination with building blocks ignited his lifelong passion for architecture. Madison Taylor Hendricks can probably relate. “It sounds silly,” she said, “but when I got my Barbie fashion design kit when I was 5 or 6, that was the moment when I knew I was going to be doing
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Spokane Civic Theatre's latest production taps local history to tell the story of the Hutton Settlement children's home in Spokane Valley. Writer/director Tim Rarick, actors Tom McArthur (Judge Leavy) and Michael Schmidt (Gus Paulson), and Hutton Settlement Director of Community Relations & Communications, Jessica Laughery, discuss the Settlement's history
A lifelong obsession with theater has paid off big time for Jake Schaefer, the creative director for the Spokane Civic Theatre. The Inland Northwest native first experienced the spotlight as a kid actor at the Civic, and after developing his own entertainment company in L.A., he's back in his hometown. In his current position, Schaefer works with
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Spokane Civic Theatre’s Susan Hardie visits the studio to discuss “The Book of Will,” Lauren Gunderson’s play about a pivotal moment in Elizabethan history when the plays of William Shakespeare could have been lost to posterity. Also in the studio are actors Jamie Flannery (John Heminges), Bridget Pretz (Alice
If acting is fundamentally an exercise in empathy, casting is fundamentally an exercise in discrimination. That term can feel loaded at a time when inclusivity and diversity are sociocultural watchwords. Yet most roles demand very specific attributes. Playwrights generally have a strong idea of who exactly their dramatis personae are and will explicitly state as much
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Spokane Civic Theatre's Kathie Doyle-Lipe, Director of "Matilda the Musical," visits the studio with actors Eleanor Weitz (Matilda), Shelby Freesmeyer (Miss Honey), and Doug Dawson (Miss Agatha Trunchbull), and the Civic's Music Director, Henry McNulty, with a preview of the production. "Matilda the Musical" has performances Thursdays through Saturdays
Like the Roald Dahl book on which it's based, Matilda the Musical is the tale of a highly intelligent little girl with a penchant for practical jokes and, at least briefly, the uncanny ability to move things with her mind. And, just like its source material — not to mention pretty much all of Dahl's most famous
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Kearney Jordan, Academic Director of Spokane Civic Theatre, brings a preview of this summer's Civic Academy Musical Production (C.A.M.P), the musical, "13." Henry McNulty, Music Director, accompanies cast members Jameson Elton, Addit Dibble, Delaney Kahler, Arlo McGowan, Tyler McCabe, Erik Wolfrum, Max Petrusek, and Leilani Santiago, performing two songs
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE Hear Henry discuss his current play "Spring Awakening," whether Spokane is a theater town, and what instrument unites the play's string quartet and punk rock elements. For tickets and more information, visit the website spokanecivictheatre.com/productions/spring-awakening/ Performance Dates: July 12 – 28, 2019 Ticket Prices: All Ages: $25 “Spring Awakening” contains
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Spokane Civic Theatre's summer season opens with "Spring Awakening," a musical based on the 1891 German play of the same name by Frank Wedekind, and with contemporary words and music by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik. Jake Schaefer (who co-directs the production with Sarah Dahmen), cast members Aubrey Peterson
Actress and singer Elizabeth Martin has been onstage since she was 4, inspired by seeing her older sisters take the stage. But after more than a decade of performing, Martin decided that it was time for a break. “I didn’t know if I was doing it because I wanted to do it or because it
Abbreviated rehearsal schedules are nothing new in the theater world, but with Spring Awakening, the Spokane Civic Theatre's first fully fledged, main-stage summer production in recent memory, the usual time constraints were even more unforgiving. With less than four weeks between the close of Young Frankenstein, the community theater's 2018–19 season finale, and curtain up on Spring Awakening, the
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Spokane Civic Theatre's Academy will present an evening of imrov at North Central High School Theater as a fundraiser for the Academy's scholarship program, and North Central Drama's first ever trip to the International Thespian Festival. Academy Director Kearney Jordan talks about the Academy's expanding programming for young actors,
“Young Frankenstein,” the musical, is based on the movie of the same name, which was directed by Mel Brooks and written by Brooks and Gene Wilder, who starred in the film. A parody of horror films, it’s no surprise that the film is quite silly and over the top. Luckily for fans, and for those
When Prudential Life Insurance honored its “Top Salesman” of the year in 1975, the award included the traditional trove of gifts: a men’s suit, cuff links and three tie tacks, along with a silver trophy in the shape of a man carrying a briefcase. The winner, Estelle Holzer, commented, “A woman has to work much
It’s not at all unusual to see Henry McNulty’s name in a theater program. He is, after all, the resident music director at Spokane Civic Theatre and a talented performer who has appeared in productions like “Forever Plaid,” “Million Dollar Quartet” and “The Music Man” at Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre. But what is unusual is
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein famously sprang from a private literary contest between Shelley, her husband Percy and Lord Byron to see who could write the best horror story. In the 201 years since it was published, her novel has gone on to be as misunderstood and misrepresented as the monster at its center. Popular imagination's green, lumbering, square-shouldered brute
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE In this Spokane Civic Theatre production of the new Mel Brooks musical, the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronk-en-steen"), inherits his family's estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor, and a leggy lab assistant, Inga, Frederick finds himself
It’s an interesting experience to, while watching a play, enjoy the actors but dislike the characters they play. While watching Spokane Civic Theatre’s production of John Guare’s “The House of Blue Leaves,” directed by Heather McHenry-Kroetch, I had one of of those experiences. “The House of Blue Leaves” takes place over the course of a
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Actors Annie Altevers (as Bunny), Rick Rivera (as Artie), and Elisabet Edwards (as Bananas) visited the studio to discuss Spokane Civic Theatre's production "House of Blue Leaves," a black comedy about Artie Shaugnessy, a songwriter with visions of glory who toils by day as a zookeeper, and suffers
NEW YORK – Upstairs at the Winter Garden Theatre, a 123-year-old building on Broadway Avenue between 50th and 51st streets in midtown Manhattan, is a room with a long counter and two lighted mirrors along one wall. The wall opposite is home to a rack of costume dresses, most in black, but one in deep,
WATCH THE VIDEO INTERVIEW HERE It's out with the old and in with the new as the Spokane Theatre puts price tags on 5,000 of their costumes in an effort to raise money for future productions. Costume designers with the Civic Theatre said in recent months they took inventory of all of their costume storage
People were lining up Friday to take a crack at thousands of costume pieces up for sale during an event hosted by the Spokane Civic Theatre. There were more than 5,000 items available when the doors opened, Civic costume shop stitcher Robbi Starnegg said. “This one is the first one,” she said. “What they’re doing
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Director Jean Hardie, Music Director Annie Flood and actors Bill Garry and Karlin Kahler from Spokane Civic Theatre voyaged to our station alongside playwright/lyricist Ed Bryan and composer William Berry to introduce their new creation: “Moby Dick – A Musical.” This original song-filled adaptation of the classic novel by Herman Melville tells the
To those who have tried and failed to read “Moby Dick,” director Jean Hardie understands the struggle. An English major in college, Hardie said she was never able to finish the nearly 400-page novel. “I refer to it sometimes as a book that everybody starts and very few finish,” she said with a laugh. So
Opening night comes with enough pressure as it is, but the opening night of the regional premiere of a production must amplify that feeling. Spokane Civic Theatre took on the challenge, and succeeded, with its newest main stage production, the regional premiere of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” directed by Melody
A flower shop employee. A shopkeeper’s naive assistant. A clumsy jack of all trades. The younger self of a seasoned performer. University High School senior Nicholas Griep, 18, has played a variety of roles in his few short years as an actor, but none have been as challenging as that of Christopher John Francis Boone
WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE A unique play is opening this weekend at the Spokane Civic Theatre. Listen in to find out why you’ll want to see this show. Here is the link to get your tickets: http://spokanecivictheatre.com/
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE With their interview this morning, director Melody Deatherage and actors Nick Griep and Jeremy Urann piqued our interest in Spokane Civic Theatre’s latest production: “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” Adapted from the award-winning novel of the same name, it follows a brilliant 15-year-old boy with
The Flick is both the title and the setting of Annie Baker's 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about the employees of a classic single-screen theater as it undergoes an ambivalent transition from film-based to digital projection. The play is receiving its regional premiere in a new production in Spokane Civic Theatre's Firth J. Chew Studio space. Andrew Start,
Going to see a movie is a bit of a spectacle in and of itself. After purchasing your tickets, there’s the matter of concessions. Do you go for the classic popcorn and soda combo? The nachos? The licorice or M&Ms? Once that’s settled, it’s time to find the perfect seat. Are you a middle-of-the-row, middle-of-the-theater
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Director Andrew Start and actors Will Gilman, Marvin Hughes, and Aubree Peterson came to us from Spokane Civic Theatre’s Firth J Chew Studio to give a preview of their upcoming show “The Flick.” Focusing on three underpaid employees of a run-down Massachusetts movie theater, it reveals the comedy and
You may think your family is eccentric, but chances are they have nothing on the Sycamore-Vanderhof-Carmichael crew. Martin Vanderhof (Kris Kittelson), aka Grandpa, keeps snakes and vehemently refuses to pay his income tax. His daughter Penelope Sycamore (Phedre Burney-Peters) writes melodramas and is married to Paul Sycamore (Joshua Baig), who constructs fireworks in the basement
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Director David Baker and actors Dallan Starks, Athena Lauzon and Audrey Overstreet of Spokane Civic Theatre took to the mic to give us the details on their production of the classic stage comedy “You Can’t Take It with You,” in which a young woman from a good-humored but eccentric
Open the playbill for The Memory of Water, currently being staged in the Spokane Civic Theatre's studio space, and you'll find something beyond the usual director's notes, sponsor ads and cast list: a glossary. With explanations of terms like "Pan's People," "dead like," and "Barleycup," the glossary is meant to serve as a kind of cultural
There’s something about endings that make us pause for reflection. Perhaps it’s because of a want for closure or a chance to think of the things we should have said if there was still time. Or perhaps it’s to illustrate to ourselves just how far we’ve come. On the eve of their mother’s funeral, the
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Director Dawn Taylor Reinhardt and actors Rebecca Craven, Nancy Gasper and Rebecca Bolster of Spokane Civic Theatre’s Firth J Chew Studio came by the station today to deliver us a drop of their latest production. “The Memory of Water” is a witty, provocative and poignant look at the
A three-show run might not sound like much of a challenge, but things are different when it’s Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies” on stage. For one, the musical is, in a word, huge, with the Broadway production calling for a cast of more than 30. With settings like an upscale reunion and a Broadway-worthy show within a
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE Creative Director Jake Schaefer gave us the details on Spokane Civic Theatre's upcoming In Concert production of “Follies” with Music Director Henry McNulty, who performed some selections from the show alongside actors Jonah Taylor, Elizabeth Martin, and Robbie Starnegg. The musical centers on a reunion of ex-Follies performers hosted by
Last year, in a slight departure from recent tradition, the Spokane Civic Theatre mixed things up by putting on a holiday production that was neither White Christmas, The Christmas Schooner nor some variant of A Christmas Carol, at least one of which had been performed in nine of the previous 12 seasons. Instead, the theater opted to stage A Christmas Story:
There’s something called the Alexander Technique for Musicians that Mikalah Barem thinks might make a good research project, should she end up needing one. The technique is a way to consciously exercise your body properly while singing or playing a musical instrument. Barem is personally acquainted with the pain of “piano back” because she used to spend
Is life one big “Choose Your Own Adventure” game or are all the twists and turns we experience predetermined? Nick Payne’s “Constellations” doesn’t answer the question, but it does offer evidence to back both suggestions. In “Constellations,” multiple universes allow quantum physicist Marianne (Chelsea DuVall) and beekeeper Roland (Max Elinsky) a chance to relive pivotal
We all have those moments we wish we could redo. Maybe we did or said something we regret, or maybe, if we had another chance, we’d say exactly what was on our mind instead of holding our tongue. In Nick Payne’s “Constellations,” multiple universes allow quantum physicist Marianne (Chelsea DuVall) and beekeeper Roland (Max Elinsky)
Listen to the radio interview here. Creative Director Jake Schaefer and Constellations director Pam Kingsley of Spokane Civic Theatre's Firth J Chew Studio Theatre arrived for their interview alongside actor and Spokane newcomer Max Elinsky, who holds a starring role in their upcoming production: Constellations. This 70-minute play begins with a simple encounter between Roland, a beekeeper,
Opening the 2018-2019 Civic Theatre season was Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, directed by Troy Nickerson and choreographed by Heidi Cartwright. The classic production is about Jane and Michael Banks (portrayed by Mia Kubicek and Eli Wissing), and their refusal to work with any nanny. Their list of attributes for the perfect nanny comes
Listen to the radio interview here. Spokane Civic Theater visits the studio in anticipation of their upcoming show "Bug". This story is set in a seedy Oklahoma City morely room and centers on the meeting between Agnes, a self-medicating divorcee and Peter, a soft-spoken Gulf War drifter. Performance dates: September 21 - October 14, 2018.
Listen to the radio interview here. Cast members and the director of the Mary Poppins visit the KPBX studio in anticipation of the show opening Friday, September 14th, 2018.
The East Wind must be passing through Spokane. Mary Poppins is coming to town. Or, rather, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s “Mary Poppins,” which opens Friday at Spokane Civic Theatre. The musical, which premiered in England in 2004 and on Broadway in 2006, is based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the 1964 Disney film
BRYAN HARNETIAUX: PLAYWRIGHT OF HOLDING ON~LETTING GO What inspired you to write Holding On Letting Go? I had written the first two plays in the end of life cycle, VESTA and DUSK, and was encouraged by those involved in the field to consider writing a hospice play. My own experience with hospice he was
JILLIAN KEHNE: CHOREOGRAPHER OF A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC What do you enjoy most about choreographing a show? For me, choreographing a show is about working with the creative team and actors that we have to put together movement that is creative, puts the actors in their best light, and is coherent with the story being
Lenny Bart: Artistic Director of Spokane Civic Theatre, Director of the upcoming production A Little Night Music Were you nervous going into the audition process? I don't usually get nervous, but I'm always concerned that we'll get enough people with the proper skill set to fill all of the roles. I usually get very excited,
Samantha Steyart- Stage Manager/On Stage Sound FX What do you think makes It’s a Wonderful Life such an endearing tale? It’s a Wonderful Life is a tale that most people can relate to in some aspect. Everyone has had that moment where something didn’t go exactly right
Millie Paine- Young Mary What do you think makes It’s a Wonderful Life such an endearing tale? I think it's a classic tale because of the message it sends and how everyone can relate to it. Everyone gets depressed at times but then we're shown that people
Ben Dyck- Mr. Potter What do you think makes It’s a Wonderful Life such an endearing tale? The themes. The message of hope. This is a time of year that is difficult for many for a number of reasons. This story resonates with those who feel downtrodden
Lenny Bart- Director What do you think makes It’s a Wonderful Life such an endearing tale? It deals with the impact we can have on others in our lives. It deals with the spirit of “Giving” of the self, and not of commercial endeavors. It is the
M. Hoffman: Charlie Brown celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. What do you think it is about the show that makes us return to it again and again? C. Taylor: I think that A Charlie Brown Christmas has tremendous appeal, both to young actors who are being exposed to Charles Schultz for the first time,
Photo Credit: Chris Wooley Heads and Tails Photography Hoffman: Tell me about playing Magenta in Rocky Horror. What are your favorite parts and what are the most challenging parts? Heath: Magenta has been a dream come true for me. I have wanted to do this show since I was probably 14 and she
Hoffman: Tell me more about your experience wearing the costume for Madame La Bouche in Beauty and The Beast! S. Schneider: This costume is the most elaborate I have had in all my time of theater. It is heavy, on wheels, and it takes two to three guys to lift it high enough for me
M.Hoffman: Tell me more about your process of design for Beauty and The Beast! Berry: Process is very important in the journey of costume design. The research, the vision of the production as a whole, and the resources that are available all play a part in my process. I didn’t want to make this
The guys over at OUTSpoken are getting ready for SORDID LIVES (opening this Friday) and will be here for our SOLD OUT opening! Sordid Lives runs January 29 - February 21, 2016 in our Studio Theatre! Here's a bit of what they had to say about Sordid Lives in popular culture from their January 24 show: Do
The Orphans Trek to Michigan The Orphans company is settled in for their week at the AACTFest 15 Nationals competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan - and this morning, they kick off the performance festivities by presenting very first! Update from the Road: Billy Hultquist Billy Hultquist, who plays Treat in our production, sent us some photos and
Welcome to Scrooge's Six Days of Christmas! Why only six days, you ask? Well, Ebenezer Scrooge surely would not pay for 12 full days of Christmas.... he would pay for six! So all this week we have a fun set of posts planned to help get you into the A Christmas Carol: The Musical spirit! A Word from Scrooge
In this weeklong series, we're introducing our fabulous playwrights with work in the 26th Playwrights' Forum Festival at Spokane Civic Theatre. We asked each of our playwrights a few questions about themselves and their entries, so you'll know a bit about them before you see their works Friday and Saturday! Here's our next playwright of this feature: Introducing:
In this weeklong series, we're introducing our fabulous playwrights with work in the 26th Playwrights' Forum Festival at Spokane Civic Theatre. We asked each of our playwrights a few questions about themselves and their entries, so you'll know a bit about them before you see their works Friday and Saturday! Time to get acquainted with our next playwright!
In this weeklong series, we're introducing our fabulous playwrights with work in the 26th Playwrights' Forum Festival at Spokane Civic Theatre. We asked each of our playwrights a few questions about themselves and their entries, so you'll know a bit about them before you see their works Friday and Saturday! Today, we meet our second playwright! Introducing: Keith
In this weeklong series, we're introducing our fabulous playwrights with work in the 26th Playwrights' Forum Festival at Spokane Civic Theatre. We asked each of our playwrights a few questions about themselves and their entries, so you'll know a bit about them before you see their works Friday and Saturday! We get to present our first
Any Theatre In Spokane Is Good Theatre Spokane is a theatre kind of town. Really. You've got Ignite Community Theatre, SCC Players and SFCC Spartan Theatre, Interplayers Lake City Playhouse and Spokane Children's Theatre to name just a few. Spokane even gets its fair share of national tours thanks to the Best of Broadway series. And here
Civic Theatre Costumes, What You Don't Know Admit it, you're either one who is really curious about the costumes you see on the stage at Spokane Civic Theatre or you're one of those who really doesn't notice them. Either is good. One marvels about the ins and outs of theatre and the other gets so
Get to know the cast of Spokane Civic Theatre's White Christmas Meet Susan Waverly Well, on stage in White Christmas she's Susan Waverly....in life, she's Marlena Mizzoni. Susan Waverly, the grand-daughter of General Waverly (to find out who he is, you need to see the show...opening this Friday on Spokane Civic Theatre's Main Stage), is
Fall into Fall Fall is always a great time at Spokane Civic Theatre. Falls means the start of the theatre season. And not just for Civic, but for WestCoast Best of Broadway, Lake City Playhouse, Interplayers and more. Fall also means it's time for Spokane Civic Theatre's annual fundraiser In Concert. And as many of you
In about two weeks, Spokane Civic Theatre will be alive with the sound of music. In this case, the music of Jason Robert Brown. Singing this wonderful composer's praises and music will be none other than some of Civic's most talented vocalists. So, we thought we would take a few minutes to highlight some of
Who is Roger Elizabeth DeBris? You may remember Roger De Bris from previous Spokane Civic productions gone by...who can forget the infamous Governor in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas? Or Barfee in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee? Source: spokanecivictheatre.com via Spokane on Pinterest Ok, so Roger DeBris is not really any of those roles.
Shakespeare in the park, not just for the rich and famous! Spokane Civic Theatre recently connected with the Island Shakespeare Festival in Whidbey Island. For those of you who have never been to an outdoor Shakespeare Festival and who feel like a road trip from the East Side of Washington to the West(ish), you should
