‘Funny Girl’ debuts as Spokane Civic Theatre’s first big production in two years

SPOKANE, Wash. — Live performance is back at the Spokane Civic Theatre.

Nothing is going to rain on this cast’s parade as they perform the hit “Funny Girl.” It’s an adaption of the 1964 Broadway musical and 1968 film about an entertainer named Fanny Brice who defies the odds in her rise to super stardom.

The role was made famous by Barbara Streisand and is being played by Coeur d’Alene native Kalla Mort.

This will be her second role with the Spokane Civic Theatre. Her last role was back in 2019.

Mort says the two year pause on live performance was nothing short of a roller-coaster. She was studying theater in New York when the shutdown happened.

“Transitioning back into this area was definitely hard because I wasn’t getting to do what I’d been training for the last year to do,” Mort said. “So it was definitely, yeah, a roller-coaster is the only way I can really put it. Just because there were so many ups and downs.”

Mort says the return to local theater after two years, while also stepping into such an iconic role, has been a whirlwind, but very fulfilling. Especially with the support of her castmates and the community.

“Being able to connect with your community both with the audience members and people you wouldn’t normally connect with on-stage is where everything disappears and you’re just a cast, you’re just a crew you’re together and I think that’s something that’s really really powerful about community theater,” Mort said.

Funny Girl is now open and shows continue through April 24.

There will be performances every Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and every Sunday at 2 p.m. The one exception is Easter Sunday, where the show will start at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are 35 dollars for adults and 10 dollars for students and children.

Ticket sales cover 60 percent of production costs at the Spokane Civic Theater. You can help bridge the 40 percent gap by donating to the theater online.

Donations help sponsor young theater students by providing a scholarship pool for them. It also helps cut production costs, especially for large productions like Funny Girl.

Right now, the theater has a campaign called “1 Civic” going to pay for some much-needed renovations and soundproofing.

Learn more about donating and buy “Funny Girl” tickets here.

 

View the video and article here.

Photo by Marlee Andrews

Video by Kyle Prothe

2022-04-13T21:45:26+00:00