There's no business like show business
On Monday I had the opportunity to visit with Dennis Franz, Ellen Travolta, Jack Bannon, Dane Stokinger and Jessica Skerritt, professional actors all. On Aug. 1 they will be joined by Patty Duke in a very special staged reading of "Over the River and Through the Woods" with the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theater. This one-time event will celebrate and benefit the theater in its 45th year, and will mark the debut of veteran actor, now Coeur d'Alene resident, Dennis Franz to the CST stage.
In the course of our conversation I learned a few things about community theater and professional theater here in Coeur d'Alene and how fortunate we are to have both. The Broadway caliber musical theatre productions of CST are no fluke. In addition to trained theater artists, the musicians, stagehands - everyone involved - do this for a living, long ago making that leap of faith and leaving their "day jobs" behind to work their craft. While Ellen, Jack, Dennis and Patty are our friends and neighbors, auditions are held all across the country for each summer's productions.
CST Artistic Director Roger Welch takes pride and satisfaction in decades of the approximately 150 jobs provided each summer, the rent paid to North Idaho College and the substantial and consistent boost to the local economy.
Once you're seated in the theater and the lights go down and the curtain opens, all you know is that you're experiencing something very special and unique to a community this size ... Broadway! I have no doubt the Aug. 1 event will be sold out well before opening night so don't hesitate. Tickets are available at the box office at NIC's Schuler Performing Arts Center or order online at www.cdasummertheatre.com
Rest up, this is a big weekend in our little corner of the world... the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's Julyamsh Pow Wow and Encampment at the Greyhound Park, St. Vincent DePaul's annual Steak Fry and Muddy Miles at the Fair Grounds, Rathdrum Days Parade and community celebration and anything and everything that's on or near water!
Purple Ride Spoke-d'Alene is taking place on Saturday to benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Still time to get involved - call Kathy Hlebichuk, 640-6341; email Alex Monterio, amonteiro@pancanvolunteer.org; or register online at www.purpleride.org. There's a very clever virtual ride option, too!
If you've ever wanted to volunteer a few hours of time that would literally put a roof over a family's head, join the Kootenai County Young Professionals on Saturday. The build will take place in Coeur d'Alene from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lunch included. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to work hard for a great cause. Contact Jessica Finch, (208) 771-5020, jessicafinch99@yahoo.com.
Do you have an old personal floatation device, aka life jacket, that's not being used any longer? As long as the material is not deteriorating, someone can put it to good use. Bring to Kootenai County Fire and Rescue's administration office, 1590 E. Seltice Way in Post Falls or the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, 5500 N. Government Way in Coeur d'Alene.
Random chuckle during the heat wave ... The Pit Stop Tavern on Spokane Street in Post Falls promoting FREE air conditioning all day, every day.
Birthday wishes today to Eric Wurmlinger, Jessica Ohlig, Lori Nelson, Sandie Husby, Joanne Anglin, Cody Jones and Darreil Kirking, who's 60 and tomorrow to David Kilmer, Vic Grilli, Bill Noordam, Hillary Main, Sherri Dust and Micheala Corcoran as she turns 30! On Friday Sally Holtz, Duane Hammond and Louise Gillespie celebrate. Saturday birthdays belong to Jim Lien, Cathy Meeks, Todd Jenicek, Janet Allen and Matt Gardner. With sunny Sunday salutations to Debbie Brown, Joe Malloy, Jennifer Schmidt and Sam Paul leaves his teen years behind when he turns 20! Starting next week off with birthdays are Katie Brodie, Jeremy Epstein, Marilee Wallace, Bill Singleton, Cassie Ohlig, Carolyn Kreager, Carin Hayes and Brett Surplus on Monday and Marie Price, Tom Taggart, Karen Youman and Srinivas Gundari on Tuesday.
Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2012 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri is on the air Mondays and Wednesdays on 1080 ESPN AM (KVNI). Find her on Facebook!