A Christmas Carol: The Musical

From the moment you enter the theater, you are transported into the world of Dickens' London. The baristas and ushers wear traditional dresses and suits, old street lamps provide lighting, and traditional music plays. 

The show took place in the Spokane Civic Theatre (http://www.spokanecivictheatre.com/), a local theater small enough that even the last row enjoys a great view of the stage. The mission of the theater is to foster a volunteer community theater of artistic merit, which it delivers in its variety of performances.

The show itself was talked up by the local media. People of all ages were encouraged to come out and see the performance.

The play is unique-the classic story A Christmas Carol told through songs written by the famous Disney composer Alan Menken. The performers in the show range from local teachers to retired military to Whitworth alums (the amazingly talented Josh Watkins!). This cast of community performers came together to deliver an entertaining show, full of impressive singing ability. The nature of the show involved a number of "child actors", complete with many lines and solos, and the children did amazing. 

The show inspired themes of the impact of human compassion and the resilience of the human spirit, as well as the harms of selfishness and over prioritizing money. The message of the play resounds anytime of the year, but especially rings true for the holidays.

The community aspect of the play was evident. Ordinary members of the community made up the cast, tech crew, and orchestra. From the creation of the set to the delivering of the final line, community members created every aspect of the show. Community members made up the audience. Community organizations donated materials and funds to help the show happen. Community theater not only provides entertainment for the community, but the opportunity to be a part of a show that community members may not normally get.

The show shared some similarities to the Whitworth production of the Drowsy Chaperone. Both provided catchy songs and live music. Both took place in a time before ours. The main trait that set the two apart is the higher quality of the Whitworth production-in terms of set, singing, and acting. Comparing the shows made me think about how high quality performers can set a show apart. I think of the student who played the old man, Adolpho, and so on and who did their performance so well, the quality of the production was greatly strengthened. A Christmas Carol lacked that grouping of high quality actors. This made me wonder: how important do you think having that exceptional actor is to the success of a show? Can the strength of the story, the set, etc. make a show more memorable than having one talented actor?

Gibliano Brothers Dueling Piano Bar & Music House

Gibliano Brothers Music House is the only dueling piano bar, not only in Spokane, but in the entire Inland Northwest! Located in the heart of Downtown Spokane, Gibliano Brothers offers a unique environment for anyone trying to enjoy a drink or listen to a little fine music. The bar offers daily drink specials from 4-6 PM, but the piano shows are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday starting at 8:30.

 I attended the show on a Thursday, and had the pleasure of listening to Spokane’s own Christian Raxter. The crowd was small, but very enthusiastic, cheering Christian on as he played a varied of covers, including Sir Elton John.  The dim lighting added to the classy feeling installed by the soft piano and rich smell. I encourage anyone over the age of 21 to make their way to Gibliano’s on the night of an event. The classy atmosphere is the perfect place to enjoy a bite to eat, or to kick back and relax. Be sure to check their webpage for additional upcoming events.

Contemplating Patterns: The work of Dan McCann and Bradd Skubinna

On a cold Thursday afternoon in downtown Spokane, my sister and I grabbed some chai from the Boots café on Main Street before heading across the road to check out the Saranac Art Projects gallery. If you’re looking to kill a few hours later this week, you should wander over there. The space is nestled next to the Magic Lantern theater and the Saranac Public House and contains two exhibition rooms which exit into a hallway that’ll lead you next door for a hot meal and an independent film showing post art viewing. My sister and I, however, had already eaten lunch when we arrived and were happy to circle the gallery several times with our hot drinks in hand (but it’s nice to know your options, right?)

The current exhibition in the Saranac gallery showcases the work of two artists: Dan McCann and Bradd Skubinna. When we stepped inside the front door, we were alone in the first gallery space, which was personally a relief for me, as I prefer to view art without the chaos and commotion of crowds. This room held, from first glance, what looked like several prints of altered sheet music on the walls to my right and left. The wall in between was the backdrop for an installation that held a stool and desk with a collection of belongings on it. This was Dan McCann’s exhibition titled, “A Blank Book for John Cage.” Although inspired by the music of composer and artist John Cage, McCann’s artworks were actually, at a closer look, altered dress patterns printed on about 15 wood panels, which seemed to add to the crafted feel of the artworks. Each panel had its own unique title such as #5: “Ask Your Body” or #4: “Mechanicalize Something Idiosyncratic,” to give you an idea, and in McCann's words, were intended to be a tribute to Cage and the concept of "Silence and Noise."

The second room of the gallery had a very different feel to it than the first as it contained significantly more color. Bradd Skubinna’s exhibit was a mix of 3-D and 2-D installations that involved disposable objects, drawings, and prints. Perhaps the most eye-catching of the collection of works were the three mandala-like designs made up mostly of plastic objects arranged on the gallery’s floor or the wall installations. From a distance the organization and symmetry of what Skubinna named “Arrangements” are evident but it wasn’t until I leaned closer to the works that I noticed the individual parts of the arrangements. The works included bottle caps, cherry stems, and the little plastic bands you rip off a new gallon of milk- things that no one considers, that people just toss out without a thought, that I wouldn’t expect to make up such beautiful designs. Skubinna's exhibition was titled "More" but was not assisted with an artist statement of any kind, leaving the contemplation of the meaning and inspiration up to your imagination. Although the two artists’ work were separated, I couldn’t help but notice the shared aspects of them. Both exhibitions contain the ideas of pattern and rhythm, as well as use unexpected things like dress patterns or empty tape dispensers to convey this.

So if you’re craving artistic enrichment and a relaxed afternoon, I’d urge you to make your way to Main street, to what the Inlander called a “sheek, yet classy” art gallery and check out these cutting edge contemporary artworks. (25 West Main Avenue, Hours: 12-5 Thursday 12-8 Friday 12-8 Saturday)

Sandwich board art plus Poetry

Art at the Bart

The Bartlett downtown Spokane offers not only live local and touring bands for the benefit of the community but also hosts visual and spoken art events.  This poetry reading, featuring visual components for each piece, was held at the beginning of October 2014.  These events are usually extremely affordable and engaging. With events most evenings (viewable right here) you too can get your artistic party animal on at 228 W Sprague Ave. Get out there man.

Men in briefs recite Poetry, of course

Book Making with Steve Miller

I have always loved books, but making my own was a new experience.  The weekend of November 22nd-23rd, artist Steve Miller put on a workshop at Whitworth University for anyone interested in the art of book making.  Thanks to a McMillen grant administered by Katie and Amanda Clark, Miller came from the University of Alabama where he works as Professor of letter press printing and hand papermaking as well as collaborating with the MFA in Book Arts program.  The workshop consisted of a brief introduction to his work, including samples of student and collaborative projects, and then two all day sessions of learning the book binding basics.

My fascination was immediately sparked by Miller's introduction concerning one of the main projects he oversees in the MFA program: a partnership between University students and a print shop in La Habana, Cuba.  I visited Cuba last fall and have been obsessed ever since, so I was excited to hear about cooperative relationships being fostered through art.  I am also an English and Spanish major, so knowing that he has worked with some of Latin America's most prestigious contemporary poets is incredible to me.  He described the work they do in creating bilingual, cross-cultre limited edition works.  These usually involve prints made by both Cubans and grad students, and then selections of poetry, either from American writers with whom Miller has a relationship, or Latin American authors.

Steve Miller demonstrating how to fold the book cover, made from contrasting colored paper.  

Day one: we made three journal-like books out of quality papers with basic bookmaking tools we would later be able to keep.  I made minor mistakes, but so did everyone else.  We learned as much about the language of bookmaking - signature, jig, awl, head, folio, nip, etc. - as we did the materials and process.  One of two integral tools, a bone folder used for creasing the paper, Miller wore around his neck like a necklace - he had carved it from an elk thigh bone, he told us.  Apparently nearly every aspect of this process, from the papers to tools themselves, could be handmade.

Students made three books the first day using tools and materials all provided through the workshop.

Day two: As Miller liked to say, "the game was on."  Making hardcover books required more skill, more precision, and more focus than the simple paper ones we had made the day before.  Pages are sewn in "signatures," basically just smaller groupings of pages, and three signatures create the insides for a hardcover that is glued to a spine, wrapped in paper covering, and then all put together to be pressed until glue dries (mine are still sitting under a heavy book on my desk.)  Making a real life hardcover book felt like it shouldn't be possible, yet it was.

This was a two day experience packed with knowledge I am eager to put to good use right away.  I can only imagine the possibilities, especially as a writer and consistent journaler, for creating my own book to interact with the content which fills it.  This was also my first experience with an intensive workshop environment and I would love to do more.  

Something like book arts is especially unique because it confronts our role as consumers. We see books everywhere and take them for granted, never suspecting the craft and care that can be put into such a typical object.  Making a book from start to finish reminds you to be grateful for the content they contain and the elements that create the books themselves.  How do you feel like your relationship with things changes when you make them yourself? Have you ever made your own notebooks for school or for fun?  

St. Anne's

On November 20, Lizzie and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit St. Anne’s, a child care center run by Catholic Charities. Bridget, the volunteer coordinator, greeted us at the door, welcoming and grateful. She gave us a short tour and then led us to Miss Laura’s classroom where we were greeted by a lovely group of four year olds. We set up the paints and paper while the kids did “circle time.” Once everyone was ready, the kids came in groups of 4 to work with us. We used paint tape on the paper to make the shapes. We decided to stick to snowflakes since Spokane had it’s first snowfall that morning and the kids were already excited about the snow.

In groups of four, they sat around the table in old t-shirts or painting smocks so they wouldn’t get too messy.  Everyone was excited to talk about the snow and the changing seasons.  They told us about the special clothes they get to wear if it’s snowing, and about all the activities they get to do with friends.  Each child painted differently - some were determined to cover the tape, too, while others were obsessed with creating their own color combinations.  Miss Laura, the teacher, informed us that painting is one of their favorite activities, and it was obvious.  No matter the differences in style, everyone took their time to fill up the page and create the snowflake they wanted.  

The only instructions we had to give the kids were to cover the whole paper in paint, not to leave any white spots.

When kids were done painting, we cleaned up while the kids had story time. We waited while the kids got served lunch. The kids ate their lunch while we peeled off the taped and showed them their paintings. They were so excited to see their paintings! The coolest thing was that the kids complemented each other’s work. Lizzie and I really enjoyed getting to hang out with kids.

North East Youth Center

            In Community Arts in Practice class we were assigned a project to get us out into Spokane and volunteer at an organization supporting the greater community. For this Shared Art Project we (George and Annika) collaborated with the North East Youth Center, a non-profit “educational and recreational program for children ages 5-17” (spokaneneyc.com). NEYC’s mission is to “provide at-risk youth with culturally enriching and stimulating educational and recreational opportunities that build self-esteem and teach basic life skills”.

We were introduced to their facility with welcoming smiles and kindness. The kids we were working with were all between the ages 3-10. The activities we had them do were to braid bracelets and decorate thanksgiving gift bags.  Because braiding is a slightly advanced task, that activity turned into the kids just choosing their fabrics and having us braid for them. But it was still fun to see the excitement in their eyes as we assisted them. The gift bags were more around their area of attraction and capacity.

You could tell that the kids were excited to do something new. Although there is a significant age difference between the elementary age group and us college kids, it was so humbling to be able to share a connection with them. It’s especially important to make sure that kids this age- in their developmental stage- are encouraged, active, and attended to. We felt honored to be helping such a positive group of people and hope to do more things like this in the future.

Bluegrass & Leis- Spokane Fall Folk Festival

The Spokane Fall Folk Festival is an event put on annually by volunteers hosted by Spokane Falls Community College. It provided several intriguing activity options for Saturday and Sunday. Though I was interested by many of the tunes and expositions just by walking around, I ended up visiting three musical performances. These bands included bluegrass group Heartbreak Pass, bluegrass and gospel group Kevin Pace & the Early Edition, and a Hawaiian musical and dance group Mele Polinahe & Kiakahi O’Hula.

Heartbreak Pass featured instruments including the fiddle, upright bass, and acoustic guitar. The folks in this band were both talented and personable! You could tell they were having fun even at a very low-key venue. Mele Polinahe & Kiakahi O’Hula consisted of four band members and a few Hawaiian hula dancers that danced along with the songs. Their music included Hawaiian jazz from the 50’s and 60’s, music featured in Hawaii’s annual September festival called Aloha Week, love songs, and music from when the Spanish cowboys were introduced to Hawaii. Much of Hawaii’s music collaborates with dance that represents stories and legends of the culture. The third group was Kevin Pace & the Early Edition, a fairly well known group in the bluegrass community. The band featured an upright bass, a banjo, a fiddler, and a guitar player. And boy, could they string fast! It was really neat to see all the types of cultures, sounds, and smells that fall under the term ‘folk’. This was a great gathering and celebration of history and culture!

Kevin Pace & the Early Edition

Heartbreak Pass

Mele Polinahe & Kiakahi O’Hula

 Mele Polinahe & Kiakahi O’Hula dancers

Spokane does a fantastic job of administering events that encourage community. It’s beautiful to see all who come together to relate and celebrate each other’s heritage and home. The Spokane Fall Folk Festival is great example of the many events that are hosted by Spokane’s welcoming and supportive community.

Tibetan Dance at Spokane Fall Folk Festival

Dawa Jigmed and Jigmed Tubtle began their presentation by giving some background information. This was not their first time at Spokane’s Fall Folk Festival but it was their first time at the festival where they can speak English to the audience. Dawa and Jigmed are both from Tibet and both studied Tibetan and Chinese culture at a university in China. As part of their studies, they formed a Tibet culture club where they learned to dance and sing in the ways of the Tibetan culture.

    Spokane’s Fall Folk Festival is an annual event, created and surviving on volunteer work, whose mission is to “present the diversity of our community through traditional music, dance and the arts.” The festival takes place at Spokane Community College.

    The ideas behind Tibetan music and dance are religious, in other words, influenced by Tibet’s Buddhist culture. Dawa and Jigmed love to show Tibetan culture and even taught the audience some Tibetan dance moves. The audience walked away from the presentation with not only a sneak peak of the Tibetan culture but a little more joyful. I believe that opportunities to partake in a new culture give a person the feeling of accomplishment because we’ve tried something new, and that makes us happy. I rather enjoyed learning the dance moves and just being able to see new culture. I grew up in the dance world so I have watched people perform dances from many different culture but never Tibetan. I encourage everyone to take what they love, be it dance, painting, acting, any hobby, and learn how it differs on the other side of the world. For me, learning hula, Bollywood and now Tibetan dance makes me love dance even more. What hobbies have you been able to experience in different culture and has it changed the way you view that hobby?