John Travolta and others enjoy ‘Bus Stop’
Spokane had its long-awaited John Travolta sighting last weekend, at Interplayers’ production of “Bus Stop.”
Travolta flew in on his private jet and stayed at the Davenport Hotel. Then, when the lights went down for the opening curtain that Saturday night, he was discreetly ushered to an open seat for the performance featuring his sister, Ellen Travolta; his brother-in-law, Jack Bannon; and his nephew, Jonathan Rau.
It was all done so quietly that some people in the audience may not have even known he was there. But many, unquestionably, did.
“The lights came up to reveal Ellen Travolta, but I think everyone in the entire place missed it as they were all nonchalantly looking to that upper stage right row,” wrote one audience member in an e-mail to Spotlight.
“And there he was, with short black hair and a black, long-sleeve, crew-neck T-shirt.”
He was whisked away when the lights went out at intermission, and whisked back in for the start of the second act – with remarkably little stir. Interplayers wanted the attention to remain on the play.
“Those that did know were so respectful of the play and us,” said Ellen Travolta.
After the play he took his extended family to dinner at the Davenport. Ellen Travolta reported that he “loved” the play.
So did Spokane audiences. Almost every performance was sold out, and there often were dozens of people waiting for standby tickets.
The Met becomes Bing
It’s about time something in Spokane was named for the city’s all-time favorite son, Bing Crosby.
And it’s supremely fitting for that place to be The Metropolitan Performing Arts Center, as was recently announced.
In 1925, brash young Crosby and his musical partner Al Rinker were brought in to the Clemmer Theater, a downtown movie theater, to provide a live vaudeville act between movies.
They stayed at the Clemmer for five months, honing the combination of jazz and comic pizazz that would send them within a year to Hollywood and stardom.
The Clemmer was later renamed the State, then The Met and – by December, if things go according to plan – the Bing Crosby Theater.
‘End Game’ on cable
“End Game,” the Cuba Gooding, Jr.-Angie Harmon-Burt Reynolds-Anne Archer movie filmed in Spokane in the spring of 2005, made its cable TV premiere Monday on the Lifetime network.
If you missed it, you can catch it again on Lifetime on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.
Be warned, however, that this presidential assassination thriller is garnering a lukewarm five stars out of a possible 10 from Internet Movie Database users. One of them used the term “craptacular” to describe it.
It went straight to DVD in May, with no theatrical release.
The CdA Arts Awards
Congratulations to the winners of Coeur d’Alene’s 2006 Mayor’s Award in the Arts.
Here are the winners:
“For excellence in the arts: Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre.
“For support of the arts: Mark and Marlo Faulkner of Opera Plus.
“For arts in education: Opera Plus
The awards will be formally presented on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene Inn, 414 W. Appleway.
Spokane Dinner Club
The Spokane Dinner Club, a long-running organization combining fine dinners in the Spokane Club’s Georgian Room with a slate of speakers and artists, kicks off its 2006-07 season on Oct. 17.
That evening’s program will feature singers Julie Croteau, Julie Powell and Kathy Beck. The next program, on Nov. 16, features a presentation on ancient Egypt by Jaclin Smith.
The organization’s motto is “A Night of Tuxes and Gowns.” Membership is $100 per person or $75 per couple.
Call (509) 838-2744 for information.