| Spokane Civic Theatre | |
|---|---|
A 2010 view of Spokane Civic Theatre. |
|
| Address | 1020 N. Howard St. |
| City | Spokane, WA 99201 |
| Country | United States |
| Capacity | 339 (main stage) |
| Type | Community Theatre |
| Opened | 1947 |
| Production | 2011-2012 Triumphant Season |
| www.spokanecivictheatre.com | |
Spokane Civic Theatre is a nationally recognized non-profit theatre located in Spokane, Washington. Incorporated in 1947, the theatre is one of the oldest community theatres in the country. Executive Artistic Director Yvonne A.K. Johnson has led the theatre to a level of excellence[1] that has resulted in many awards.[2] The theatre's mission is "to foster and operate a volunteer live community theatre of high artistic merit" [3]. Civic, as it is fondly called by the surrounding community, sets a high standard for theatre in the Spokane area.
Their current season, billed as the Triumphant Season, will run from September to June. The main stage will house such shows as Thoroughly Modern Millie, A Christmas Carol (Guthrie Theatre Version), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Count of Monte Cristo, Duck Hunter Shoots Angel, and Annie. The Firth J. Chew Studio Theatre will be home to The Turn of the Screw, Catfish Moon, BINGO, and Premiere!.
Yvonne A. K. Johnson's latest project, called Raise the Roof, is well underway. Upon completion, the project will allow for an additional twenty feet of fly loft space giving the theatre the opportunity to create even more dynamic productions. According to Johnson and Civic's production team, the project will give the ability and capacity to fly in set pieces, walls, furniture and to safely fly actors for productions like Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz and when the rights are available, productions of Mary Poppins and even Wicked!.[4] Civic needs to raise a total of $1.2 million dollars for the new Main Stage full capacity fly loft. At present date, Johnson reports they have raised $82,000.
Contents |
Spokane Civic Theatre is one of few community theatres that owns its own building and land. The present facility houses two performance spaces: The Main Stage Theatre and The Firth J. Chew Studio Theatre. The main auditorium is a proscenium theatre with a seating capacity of 339, while the Studio theatre is a small black box theatre seating approximately 96.[5] The seating in the Studio theatre is moveable, which allows specific plays like the 2011 production of Metamorphoses to fill the space in a new way. Both stages are wheel-chair accessible, and the main stage also provides Sennhiser infra-red assistive listening devices for patrons with hearing disabilities. The backstage area houses a scene shop, sewing shop, storage for props, a fully furnished green room, offices, and dressing rooms. Children under the age of five are not allowed, including babes in arms, as a courtesy to other patrons.[6]
Yvonne A.K. Johnson is entering her seventh season as Executive Artistic Director at Spokane Civic Theatre.
As one of the oldest community theatres in the country, Spokane Civic Theatre is a point of pride for the city[7]. Incorporated in 1947, performances were held in other facilities at first, including the old Post Theater, and the Riverside Playhouse beginning in 1957. The present facility was opened in 1967. In 1972, a three story addition was made, adjoining to the backstage area of the main theatre. This space was used for set construction, rehearsals, the costume shop, and offices for the continued upkeep of the theatre. The lower levels of the theatre, previously used as rehearsal space, were converted into a studio theatre in 1979. It was named for long-time volunteer Firth J. Chew in 1989. Currently, it is used as a black box theatre, and many of the smaller or experimental productions take place there. In addition, Civic used to be home to the Box and Hat Players, a performance troupe devoted to spreading a love of musical theatre to community members of all ages.
Civic serves as a resource for local high school and college theatre departments. It also operates a theatre school - The Academy - for all ages. Civic provides a variety of workshops in acting, directing, voice, dance, and technical theatre.
The fall, winter, and spring courses at the Academy run eight weeks, beginning in late September, late January, and mid-April. The Academy also runs summer camps for those going into K-12. The 3-6th grade summer program uses a play-in-a-week format, rendering familiar stories like The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and The Chronicles of Narnia into simple and fun performances. In Summer 2011, the Academy program for the 7-12th grade students was changed. Originally a program focused on finding the individual talents of each actor involved and bringing them together into a fun, original musical, the program became more like a Summerstock performance. The students have 3-4 weeks of rehearsals in which to fully memorize their lines, choreography, and music. The success of their 2011 production, Footloose, cemented the change in the program.
Spokane Civic Theatre's Academy program also runs a scholarship program for the many students in the community who possess a love of theatre without the ability to fund a whole week at camp. Thanks to the generous contributions from the community, many scholarships have been provided to qualifying families.
The Costume Rental Shop of Spokane Civic Theatre is home to a growing collection of costumes. Over 10,000 costumes are currently housed in the shop, all available to be rented out to various individuals or organizations. Jan Wanless, head of Costume Design & Construction, has won numerous state, regional, and national theatre awards for the beautifully crafted and historically accurate costumes produced at Civic. The costumes available range from traditional Victorian and Edwardian dresses to eccentric character pieces, such as the Cookie Monster or the Pink Panther.
Spokane Civic Theatre has more than 1,000 volunteers who serve as actors, backstage crews, house managers, ushers, and board members.[8] They contribute an estimated 55,000 hours every year. Volunteers return to Civic time and time again, supporting the theatre's endeavors. In addition to volunteering their time, the Spokane Community has given incredible amounts in the form of donations that make such projects as the Raise the Roof! project a possibility.
Spokane Civic Theatre has been recognized with local awards, such as the Inlander's Spokie awards, as well as at the American Association of Community Theatres' Festival (AACT).
At the 2011 AACTFest[9], Spokane Civic Theatre's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee received two awards and three nominations. The awards were for Lacey Bohnet as Best Supporting Actress and Nancy Vancil for Best Musical Accompaniment. Nominations were in the areas of Best Lighting Design, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Ensemble.
Civic has also been recognized by the city of Spokane, most recently in 2007, when Technical Director Peter Hardie was recognized for continued artistic excellence, and Resident Director Troy Nickerson for volunteering abundant talent and resources to help raise funds for many Spokane area non-profits[10].
A full list of awards received by Spokane Civic Theatre can be viewed on Spokane Civic Theatre Website - Awards.