Spotlight : Mathis to sing with symphony
Johnny Mathis, one of the top-selling recording artists of all time, has been booked to sing with the Spokane Symphony at the INB Performing Arts Center on Feb. 11.
This concert is what the symphony calls a “special,” meaning it is in addition to the subscription series.
Mathis ranks at No. 8 on Billboard’s all-time Top 40 album chart, with more than 30 titles. Most of his biggest hits were in the 1950s and 1960s (“Wonderful! Wonderful!,” “What Will Mary Say,” “Chances Are”), but he is also the rare artist who had a hit album on the charts nearly every year for three decades. His Christmas albums remain perennial sellers.
Tickets are $25, $40, $50 and $60 and will go on sale Tuesday to symphony subscribers only through the symphony’s box office, (509) 624-1200.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Dec. 5 through all outlets, including TicketsWest (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).
‘Agnes’ added by ARt
The Actor’s Repertory Theatre (ARt) has finalized its season by scheduling “Agnes of God” for its Jan. 12 through 27 slot.
This is the powerful John Pielmeier drama about a nun who gives birth and insists that it is a virgin birth. You might remember this show from its 1985 movie adaptation, starring Jane Fonda, Anne Bancroft and Meg Tilly.
Meanwhile, ARt’s current play is “Moonlight and Magnolias,” a spoof of 1939 Hollywood. Its final play of the season will be “Humble Boy” starring Patty Duke, April 6 through 21.
Call (509) 838-4013 for ticket info.
The Cathedral bells toll
Two important announcements concerning the nonprofit group Cathedral and The Arts:
The first is that it will present “Place of the Blest,” a free community holiday concert, Dec. 3 at 4 and 7 p.m. at St. John’s Cathedral, 12th and Grand. The Spokane Youth Orchestra, the Eastern Washington University Chamber Choir and Spokane Area Children’s Chorus will perform the music of Randall Thompson and William Berry.
The second is that this will be the last concert by Cathedral and the Arts. It is disbanding after presenting live arts performances in the Cathedral since 1974.
The board simply decided that its existence was no longer necessary because St. John’s Cathedral was fully capable of carrying on events and concerts itself.
Here’s a toast to an exemplary nonprofit arts organization and its 32 years of service.
Drumming up
Local drummer Mike Miller has made it into the regional finals of Guitar Center’s Drum Off 2006. This means he must pound his way through only two further hurdles – the regional finals and the grand finals, both in Hollywood – to be named the nation’s top amateur drummer.
The contest began in October with 5,000 contestants. The regionals are on Dec. 6 and the grand finals are on Jan. 6. Wish him luck.
A CD release roundup
We have a number of CD releases of local interest to announce:
“ The Jim Boyd Band has released its “Live at Two Rivers” CD. The new three-piece Boyd combo plays what has been termed “raw rez-n-roll.” The CD was recorded this fall at the Two Rivers Casino and Resort on the Spokane Indian Reservation. You can find it at local stores and the major online outlets.
“ Bryan Bogue, a Spokane Symphony percussionist, has released his first solo CD, “Get Real.” No, it’s not a collection of tympani solos; Bogue plays vibes and marimba on most cuts and the music is best described as jazzy. You can purchase it at www.myspace.com/bryanbogue.
“ The two-CD version of Julia Sweeney’s controversial one-woman show, “Letting Go of God,” is now available only at juliasweeney.com.
Sweeney is the actor-writer from Spokane who gained fame on “Saturday Night Live.” The solo show is about her difficult journey from belief to nonbelief.
She has performed sold-out shows in L.A. and New York for months. When she performed an excerpt on public radio’s “This American Life,” it became the single most popular story that program had ever aired.
The Faulkners retire
Mark and Marlo Faulkner, the driving forces behind Opera Plus, Coeur d’Alene’s opera company, have announced their retirement.
They helped found the group in 2000 and have been tireless in planning and promoting its events, which have ranged from educational programs to full-fledged operatic performances.
They won the Coeur d’Alene Mayor’s Arts Awards for Support of the Arts this year. Now they plan to take a year off before “pursuing new adventures.”
The Bing-Ding
As “A Wing-Ding for Bing” approaches, celebrating the dedication of The Met as the Bing Crosby Theater on Dec. 8, I wanted to ask you this question: Do you have any idea just how big a deal Bing was?
“He landed 368 records on the charts, more than anybody, ever. Elvis had 149.
“He was the No. 1 movie box office draw for five straight years, 1944 to 1948, and won a Best Actor Oscar.
“He was the biggest radio star in the nation through most of the Golden Age of Radio (the 1930s and 1940s).
To put it another way, Bing Crosby was the original King of All Media.
Naming a theater after our city’s favorite son is the least we can do. If you want to support the concept, get your Wing-Ding tickets through TicketsWest outlets (325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).
The main event will feature Crosby’s widow, Kathryn Crosby, performing her cabaret show, “My Life With Bing.”