culture | event
culture | hockey
“the new old,” continued... some of the best singers in Spokane and Seattle,” says Dicker. When the audience arrives in the theater, they’ll notice one big change — a bar near the entrance glowing with neon trim and ready to offer a libation. Other changes, most notably the addition of a VIP gathering area called Ovations, featuring 80 feet of windows and a spiral staircase leading into the theater. Dicker says that space is expected to be completed by the beginning of May and will be used for meetand-greet events, lectures and other special gatherings. On a recent tour of the historic theater, Smith stands on the balcony level of the theater, pointing excitedly at different features of the spacious venue, outlining his plans. A new surround sound system is in the works, aimed at enhancing the experience at the ongoing film series at The Bing, which kicked off last weekend with screenings of Dr. No. Smith is planning to show concert films in the near future, making quick use of his new equipment. He also plans to equip the theater with the capability to produce DVDs of The Bing’s performances and also stream live shows. Much of this is still in the works, he says. “Our ideas come quickly. Getting stuff installed takes time,” Smith says with a laugh. Smith’s upcoming bookings by local and national promoters run the gamut — from a one-man show, to movie screenings to a show by indie rockers Built to Spill, to an upcoming Grease sing-along. In all, Dicker says they’ve put about $450,000 into the theater so far, meaning about half of the update is either completed or currently under way. The aim of these efforts is pretty simple — they want people to spend time at The Bing. “It should be a vibrant community theater with a number of different specialties including music, movies, literature, science and education,” says Dicker. “Every day there’s something happening at The Bing. That’s our goal.” n A Fling at The Bing • Fri, Jan. 25 at 7:30 pm; Sat, Jan. 26 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm • Bing Crosby Theater • 901 W. Sprague • $12, $8/groups of 10 or more, $4-8 for Saturday matinee • bingcrosbytheater.com
22 INLANDER JANUARY 24, 2013
Head Chief
Brenden Kichton leads the Chiefs in assists and points. Gary Peterson photo
In his fifth year in the WHL, Spokane captain Brenden Kichton is living it up By Howie Stalwick
M
itch Holmberg arrived on the scene with a sparkle in his eye and mayhem in his heart. Word had reached Holmberg, the Spokane Chiefs’ colorful right wing, that a newspaper reporter was working on an article on teammate Brenden Kichton. Holmberg and Kichton, please understand, are close friends. Hockey players being hockey players, however, the gloves come off in a hurry when the opportunity presents itself to rip on your buddy. “Where to start with this young man,” Holmberg begins in a philosophical tone. “He’s a little bit of a geek. By geek, I mean electronically. iPad phenom, I believe is the right word. “He loves his books and just reading in his spare time on the bus. Kind of a boring guy.” The sarcasm was still dripping off Holmberg’s tongue when defenseman Tyler King cheerfully added, “He also likes to write poetry.” Of course, King went on to say that center Liam Stewart has “blossomed” like a “a majestic rose,” but that’s another story for another time. Kichton accepts the verbal darts with an impish grin and a shake of the head. Later, Kichton does seem eager to point out that: a) he does not write poetry, and b) if he did, he’d probably have long, flowing, golden locks of hair. Like, say, Holmgren. “That hair!” Kichton fairly screams. “Oh my God! Sometimes when I look at him from the back, I think he’s a girl! Geez! He’s always whining: ‘Kich [he adopts a chalkboard-scratching, high-pitched voice], can I borrow your laptop? I want to watch a movie!’” All joking aside, Kichton is an extremely popular and well-respected member of the Chiefs. The 20-year-old from Spruce Grove, Alberta, serves as team captain in his fifth and final year of Western
Hockey League eligibility. He holds the franchise records for career goals, assists and points by a defenseman, and he’s the reigning Defenseman of the Year in the Western Conference. “He’s a huge part of their team, if not the main cog,” Seattle Thunderbirds coach Steve Konowalchuk says. “He’s a really good captain,” Stewart says. “He keeps guys going, keeps us motivated and he’s a good leader.” Kichton credits his father, Fred, for instilling a strong work ethic in him. Kichton said his father “didn’t have two nickels to rub together” growing up, but now owns a large construction company. “He just preached to me, ‘Work hard and good things will happen,’” Kichton recalls. “That’s what I try to do.” Kichton isn’t particularly big (6 feet and 190 pounds) or physical (just 18 penalty minutes in 46 games through Sunday), but he has excellent puck skills. He came into the week leading the Chiefs with 42 assists and 57 points, and he leads WHL defensemen in both statistics for the second straight year. Kichton was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fifth round of the 2011 National Hockey League amateur draft, but he remains unsigned. Konowalchuk, who played in the NHL for 14 seasons, says Kichton “has the hockey sense and vision” to fulfill his childhood dream of playing in the NHL. “He’s going to have to win his [physical] battles with his smarts,” Konowalchuk says. For the time being, Kichton will have to be content to utilize his smarts to try to win the daily battle of wits with Holmgren and company. n The Spokane Chiefs Upcoming Games: Fri, Jan. 25 vs. Portland; Sat, Jan. 26 vs. Medicine Hat; Wed, Jan. 30 vs. Kelowna. All games at 7 pm • $10-20 • 535-PUCK or (800) 325-SEAT • TicketsWest.com