‘Little Women’ opens at Playhouse

The Lake City Playhouse in Coeur d’Alene opens the classic story “Little Women” this weekend, with a script by two local playwrights.

Janis Waley and Tara Barrett appeared together in a 1989 Rogue Players production of “Little Women” and felt that the script was inadequate. So they worked out their own version, which was performed by Rogue Players in 1994.

They refined the script and presented it again in a Spokane Valley production. Now it will be performed in Coeur d’Alene’s community theater.

The classic coming-of-age story is based on the Louisa May Alcott novel.

Tracey Benson directs. Elisha Gunn plays Meg, Brook Bassett and Kasey O’Brien are double-cast as Jo, Barbara Brock plays Marmee, Todd Jasmin and Lee Ja Junker are double-cast as Professor Bhaer, and Keith Knight plays Father.

Performances are Friday, Saturday, Sunday and April 21-24 and 28-30. Curtain times are 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $8 for children under 12. Call (208) 667-1323 for information and reservations.

The Lake City Playhouse is at 1320 E. Garden Ave. in Coeur d’Alene.

Squonk Opera at WSU

The Squonk Opera brings its Broadway show “Bigsmorgasbordwunderwerk” to Washington State University’s Beasley Coliseum on Wednesday.

The multimedia event is described as “a performance of musical mayhem broadly based on the themes of food, eating and being eaten.”

Pittsburgh-based Squonk Opera created its first show nine years ago in a junkyard with choreographed cranes and earthmovers. “Bigsmorgasbordwunderwerk,” its fifth production, received the American Theater Wing’s Henry Hewes Design Award for special effects.

Wednesday’s Pullman performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 (free for WSU students with ID), through TicketsWest outlets (325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).

For more information, see www.squonkopera.com.