Jackson left big legacy in Spokane theater

Spokane lost one of its finest theater artists on Tuesday, when Bryan Jackson died in a Spokane hospital at age 45.

As head of the drama department at Lewis and Clark High School, Jackson nurtured the creative spirits of hundreds of students over 14 years. He was also a driving force behind the Onyx Theatre Troupe, Spokane’s African-American theater company.

He also leaves an impressive legacy of his own artistic achievement. Here are just a few highlights from a memorable career:

•His exceptional direction of George C. Wolfe’s “The Colored Museum” and “Having Our Say,” at the Firth Chew Studio Theatre in 2004 and 2002, respectively.

•His powerful portrayal of Sam, the dignified black waiter, in Athol Fugard’s “‘Master Harold … and the Boys” at the Spokane Civic Theatre in 2001.

•His searing and brilliant portrayal of Jim, the runaway slave, in the Spokane Civic Theatre’s “Big River” in 1999. This performance earned him the 1999 Best Actor in a Musical award from one Spokane critic (me).

Jackson contributed greatly to Spokane’s culture, and will be missed.

Ben Folds symphony

Ben Folds, the pianist and vocalist who fronted the Ben Folds Five in the 1990s, has been booked to perform with the Spokane Symphony, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m., at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox.

Folds has a reputation for creative, satirical songwriting and charismatic live performances. His hits include “The Battle of Who Could Care Less,” “Song for the Dumped” and “Army.”

He has collaborated with a number of orchestras over the last several years, including with the Boston Pops.

Tickets are $37 and $42 and go on sale Aug. 4 at 10 a.m. through the symphony box office, (509) 624-1200 or through TicketsWest outlets (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).

Duchovny spotting

Film crews were busy in Spokane last week for a second-unit film shoot of “The Joneses,” starring Demi Moore, Amber Heard, David Duchovny, Gary Cole and Glenne Headly.

This is a social-commentary movie about a seemingly perfect family moving into a suburb.

Most of the movie is being filmed in Atlanta; just a few scenes were filmed in Spokane, and not necessarily with all of the stars.

However, Spotlight has it on good authority that Duchovny was in Spokane for a few days and even had time to shoot some hoops with some local gym rats.

By the way Amber Heard (“Pineapple Express”) has been cast in the lead of the John Carpenter thriller, “The Ward,” which is the next movie scheduled to shoot in Spokane.

Magic Lantern’s lit

Yes, the Magic Lantern is open once again. This on-again/off-again movie art house at 25 W. Main reopened on Friday.

Here’s what’s playing today:

•“The Limits of Control,” director Jim Jarmusch’s story of hit men, 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

•“Summer Hours,” a French domestic drama with Juliette Binoche, 2:30 p.m.

•“Anvil! The Story of Anvil,” the extremely well-reviewed documentary about an obscure heavy metal band, 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Tickets are only $5.

Jason Snow on Broadway

2002 Ferris High School grad Jason Michael Snow just made his Broadway debut as Yeoman Herbert Quale in “South Pacific” at the prestigious Vivian Beaumont Theater in Lincoln Center.

This is the same young actor who played Lt. Joe Cable in the same show at Ferris in 1998 and in numerous shows at the Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre. He was especially memorable as Lumiere in the CDA Summer Theatre’s “Beauty and the Beast” in 2005.

He’s a graduate of the Boston Conservatory and has landed several other big roles, including eight months in the national tour of “Xanadu.”

Broadway was always his dream, reports his mom, Mary A. Johnson of Spokane, and he has now achieved it at age 25.

Cheyenne Jackson update

Speaking of local actors made good, Cheyenne Jackson just landed a plum new Broadway role.

He’ll play the role of Woody, the labor organizer in “Finian’s Rainbow,” which will open for previews Oct. 8 at the St. James Theatre on Broadway. Jackson played the same role in a City Center Encores! production in New York last season.

Jackson is a product of Newport and Spokane. He previously had the lead roles in “Xanadu” and “All Shook Up” on Broadway.

Outdoor Shakespeare

The new Way Off-Broadway Theatre Co., made up mostly of Gonzaga University students, will be providing free outdoor Shakespeare in Spokane this summer.

They’ll be doing the comedy “The Taming of the Shrew” on Aug. 8, 9, 15 and 16, 2 p.m., at the Gonzaga Preparatory School courtyard, 1224 E. Euclid. Admission is free and seating will be on the grass.

The troupe is under the direction of Kevin Connell, Jesuit priest, Gonzaga Prep principal and experienced Shakespearean actor. He promises a fast-paced (90 minute) family-friendly production.

Art in the airport

The new “Art in the Airport” public art project at Spokane International Airport will be unveiled Thursday, 11 a.m., in a reception at the Concourse C baggage claim area.

You’ll get to see a mural by Tom Quinn, an art installation by Ken Yuhasz and sample of textile sculptures by Louise Kodis, whose work will be finished in December. The artists will be in attendance.