Civic announces '07-'08 season already

2007 is barely into double-digit days and Spokane Civic Theatre already has announced its upcoming season of shows.
The pattern has, at least since 1994 (after the "JC Superstar at Christmas" fiasco), been to start with a classic "golden era" musical, a kid-friendly musical at Christmas, and end with a musical. For the past few years, they've also had a main-stage, one-night concert of a big musical that could never pay off for the Spokane audience (Hair, Jeckyl and Hyde.) Most excitingly, each season includes a musical in the Studio theatre, either something pretty new or controvercial that would NEVER fly on the main stage.
Those slots this year:
Opening Musical: SOUTH PACIFIC
September 28 – October 28, 2007
This Oscar and Hammerstien show was highly controvercial for romantically mixing Polynesians with Whites. (Gasp- the horror ;-p) Highly fun, several good roles for women.

Concert Musical: INTO THE WOODS
October 21, 2007
This is my favorite Stephen Sondheim show, probably my favorite show period, and certainly the best memories of being onstage. I had the honor of being the Baker's Wife way back in '95? at the Lake City Playhouse. I fell in love with this show with the London production in '90/'91, and I still love to pop in my tape of the Broadway Great Performances version (a show my husband saw live, and I'm still envious). When Civic did this on the main stage, in '92? it was the first community theatre to get the chance to do it (thanks to Jack Phillips). Unfortunately, I heard it didn't sell well. Maybe it was still too new, maybe it's the Spokane Sondheim curse. But seriously, how can you lose by combining Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and his Beanstalk, and Rapunzel? The script is fantastic and funny, the songs have something to say while being completely entertaining.... Okay, I'll get off the soapbox. Needless to say I'm thrilled that Civic will do at least a concert version.

Christmas Musical: THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER
November 16 – December 16, 2007
I have never heard of this show, but a quick Google shows it's based on the Christmas Tree Ships, specifically the Rouse Simmons which was lost in a storm in November 1912. Christmas Trees (Tannenbaum) were a German tradition, and immigrants loved to have that reminder of home in the new world at Christmastime. So it's a story of tradition, ancestors, and human fellowship. One theatre specifically said Schooner is not appropriate for children younger than 6 (my guess being some characters die and the storm scene would be potentially frightening). In any case, now that I know it exists and a CD is out there, somewhere, I'll look for more on the songs themselves.

Studio Musical: THE LAST FIVE YEARS
January 25 – February 17, 2008
Jason Robert Brown is a young, prolific songwriter for the stage, with a pop style. If you watched Audra McDonald's PBS concert at Lincoln Center last fall, she sang one of his songs as he accompanied on piano. Last Five Years is a two-character work, completely out of synch with time. A man and a woman meet, marry, divorce in the span of five years; the two tell their stories separately. Somewhat confusingly, Cathy tells her story backward; the show begins with her "Still Hurting." Jamie tells his side of things chronologically, beginning with meeting his "Shiksa Goddess." It's not a new gimmick, and I'm not sure it's more than a gimmick, but I'm still looking forward to a local production of a new-ish (2002) work.

Closing: THE MAN OF LA MANCHA
May 16 – June 15, 2008
Don Quixote! The Lord of La Mancha! A male-heavy show, and an operatic one to boot. Unfortunately, there is a problem of finding enough Spokane-area men who sing, especially in spring. (For example, the Chorale has mid-April and mid-May concerts.) I wish the director and producer luck in casting.