From the Studio

Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre's season finale will be the jukebox musical "Smokey Joe's Cafe." Deborah Rambo Sinn, Musical Director and Accompanist, Josephy Lyons, Director and Choreographer, and Josie Brett, actor, singer, and dancer, visit the studio to discuss the show and preview some of the classic pop songs from the show. "Smokey Joe's Cafe" opens Thursday, August 8, and continues through August 25th. For tickets and showtimes, visit the website .

Yvonne AK Johnson, Executive Artistic Director of Spokane Valley Summer Theatre, stops by the studio with a preview of their season finale, the ABBA-infused musical, "Mama Mia." Also in the studio are actors Andrea Olsen (Donna), Emma Larson (Sophie), Marnie Rorholm (Tanya), Michael Muzatko (Harry), and Paul Villabrille (Sam), and a dozen members of the ensemble chorus, singing songs from the show. "Mama Mia" opens Friday, August 9, and continues through August 18th. For tickets and showtimes,

When the hit musical "Les Miserables" opens tonight at First Interstate Center for the Arts, Nick Cartell will be in the role of Jean Valjean. He talked with Verne about the joys and challenges of taking the lead in the Tony Award-winning musical based on the Victor Hugo novel about crime, punishment, love and revolution in 19th Century France. Performances continue through Sunday.

Sarah Whitney (from Sybarite5) is in Spokane prior to the group's performance with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra in Sandpoint next week. She and her friend Julia Salerno talked with Verne about the popup violin concert, Beyond the Notes, that they are throwing Thursday evening.

Calista Kazuko is in Spokane to promote her recently released album "Empress." She stopped by the SPR studio to talk with Verne Windham in advance of her performance on Saturday, August 3rd, 7:30 p.m. in the McNally Recital Hall at Holy Names Music Center. For more information, find Calista Kazuko on Facebook and Instagram .

The 38th Annual Royal Fireworks Concert will present an evening of inspired music, from Susato to Schuman, culminating in Handel's "Musik for the Royal Fireworks, 1749." Conductor David Dutton and musicians Sara Jolivet (bassoon and piccolo) and Michel Jolivet (contrabassoon) visit the studio to with a preview of the event's offerings. The 38th Annual Royal Fireworks Concert will take place 9 PM, Sunday, July 28th, in Spokane's Riverfront Park.

Zuill Bailey, Artistic Director of Northwest Bach Festival, visits the studio, accompanied by cellist Patrick Laird, with a preview of upcoming concerts.

Lake City Playhouse opens its summer season with a retelling of the story of America's most infamous criminal lovers, "Bonnie & Clyde: A New Musical." Board President & Director Brooke Wood, Amber Fiedler (Bonnie) and Oskar Owens (Clyde), visit the studio to talk about the show, and perform a preview of the music. For tickets and more information, visit the website .

Spokane Civic Theatre's summer season opens with "Spring Awakening," a musical based on the 1891 German play of the same name by Frank Wedekind, and with contemporary words and music by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik. Jake Schaefer (who co-directs the production with Sarah Dahmen), cast members Aubrey Peterson (Ilse), Elizabeth Martin (Wendla), Aaron Jerry Skipper (Melchior), and Jonah Taylor (Moritz), and Music Director Henry McNulty visit the studio to talk about and perform songs from the show