From the Studio

Spokane Valley Summer Theatre’s season continues with the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “The Sound of Music.” Director Yvonne A.K. Johnson, cast members Patti Mortier (Mother Abbess), Michael Muzatko (Captain von Trapp), Jennifer Tindall (Maria), Maddie Burgess (Lisle), Kimball DeMars (Rolf), and accompanist David Brewster visit the studio to talk about the production and perform songs from the show. For tickets and more information, visit the website .

Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s season continues with the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, “Oklahoma!” Musical Director Chuck Ethridge, cast members Amy D’Orazi (Laurey), Aimee Paxton (Ado Annie), Tristan Berg (Will Parker), and accompanist, Jenny Twitchell visited the studio to talk about the production and perform songs from the show, “Many a New Day” and “All or Nuthin.” For tickets and show times, visit the website .

Verne got a preview of two arias from Cosi fan tutte, a two-act opera by Mozart that will highlight Sunday's Opera On The Lake Cruise by Inland Northwest Opera. In the studio, Derrick Parker sang "How I Hate to Break the News" and Heather Parker sang "Stability in a Soldier." Both dialogue and song will be in English on Sunday and the performance will be in the round. The sunset cruise boards at the Couer d'Alene Resort at 6:30 pm for the 7:30 to 9:30 pm event.

Brady Bourgard, of Wallace, Idaho's Sixth Street Melodrama and Theatre, calls in to talk about the community theater's annual summer melodramas. Opening this week, and running through the month of July, is "Sam Shovel, Private Eye, and the Case of the Maltese Pigeon" or "Hard Boiled...with a Side of Hash." Written and directed by Brady and his twin brother Eli, the play is set in 1930's Wallace and parodying the hard-boiled detective dramas of the period. The August melodrama will be "The Carpet

Conductor James Lowe visits the studio to discuss his new position as music director of the Spokane Symphony.

John McCarthy, a former journalist for the Lewiston Morning Tribune , visits the studio to discuss his new book, "Working the Wilderness: Early Leaders for Wild Lands." John McCarthy will read and sign books tonight, June 20th, at 7 PM, at Auntie's Bookstore, 402 West Main Avenue, Spokane.

Olivia Brownlee (and her alter ego Amelia Peaceheart) dropped by the studio to talk about "The TRUE Variety Show" and to play a little banjo. "The TRUE Variety Show" will take place at 4 PM at the Rockin' B Ranch June 23rd, July 21st, August 25th, and September 22nd. For more information visit the website .

Dacey Else (Playwright), Matt Harget (festival Director), Jean Hardie (Director and Playwright), and Matthew Weaver (Playwright) join Verne Windham for From the Studio to talk about the upcoming 31st Playwright's Forum Festival by the SPokane CIvic Theater. The festival will take place from June 20th to June 23rd, tickets are $15, and you can find more information about the festival and plays here .

Spokane Valley Summer Theatre's Andrea Olsen (Patsy), Hailey Weber (Louise), Drew Olsen (Music Director and Piano), and Yvonne A.K. Johnson (Director) join Verne Windham in the studio to discuss their latest show, "Always Patsy Cline."

It took three years, but Isabelle Busch has written, illustrated, laid out and published her first book, "Theoretical Dragon Anatomy". She took her childhood fascination with dragons a bit further: to create a book grounded in real science. It was an independent project done outside of classes at University High School and it is available for sale on Amazon and elsewhere. Auntie's Bookstore is hosting a launch party at 7 PM Saturday, June 15, and she has a signing at Barnes & Noble in the