Don't Mortgage Your Future -- What's the buzz on why you should you go to an unconventional musical like Rent (Dec. 19-22 at the Opera House)? You should go because the title song and "What You Own" bookend the show with rants against selling out; because "One Song Glory" is a ballad about pursuing one's dream; because "Light My Candle" is both a catchy pop song and a fully formed dramatic scene; because there are other melodic love songs sung by couples both straight ("Without You") and gay ("I'll Cover You" and "Take Me or Leave Me") and because you only have 525,600 minutes in the next year ("Seasons of Love") to tell your closest friends how much you love them.
And yeah, this is the show whose creator (Jonathan Larson: music, lyrics and book) died the night before it opened off-Broadway. He was 35. "No day but today."
To honor his memory; to reconnect with your own best aspirations. That's why you should go. (Pick up next week's Inlander for full coverage of Rent.)
Beef... uh, Coffeecake -- We got a sneak preview of the Shop calendar the other day, and we have to say, the baristas have outdone themselves. Here, for your viewing pleasure, is a look ahead at what December 2003 holds in store (below).
Sending Out the Bat Signal -- First Night Spokane needs your help. In order to pull off its Dec. 31 gala gig without a hitch, hundreds of volunteers are needed, for everything from helping kids with art activities to corralling chairs to usher duties. Lois Irwin, First Night's volunteer coordinator, says that right now their biggest need is for button checkers at the various music, dance and art activities. "Pretty much anything you can imagine, we'll need button checkers there," says Irwin. She says there are a variety of shifts available the evening of the event, including 3-6 pm, 6:30-9:30 and 9-midnight, and they'll also need set-up and clean-up help on the day before and the day after. For more information or to offer yourself up for the higher good, call Irwin at 218-3932.
