News Article

 Gonzaga University’s Readers Theatre will present “The Maltese Falcon,” adapted from Dashiell Hammett’s detective novel of the same name, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 29 in the Jundt Art Center Auditorium.
 The play, which is free and open to the public, will be performed in conjunction with the public libraries of Spokane County and Fairchild Air Force Base’s “The Big Read” program, which is sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
 The production, directed by GU theatre Associate Professor Brian Russo, is a detective story in which private investigator Sam Spade uncovers the mystery of the “Maltese Falcon,” a valuable jewel-encrusted statue. International crooks, con artists, a classic femme fatal and the sharpest private eye in the business all are involved in the chase, hunting for the statue and the wealth it might bring. Hammett’s story has become a classic, inspiring three film adaptations and heavily influencing the genre of detective fiction.
 In addition to the on-campus show, there will be three performances of the play throughout Spokane, all of which are free and open to the public. The group will perform the show at 6:30 p.m., Monday, March 3, at the Cheney Library, at 610 1st Ave.; at 8 p.m., Thursday, March 6, at Empyrean Coffee House, at 154 S. Madison St.; and at 6:30 p.m., Friday, March 7, at Spokane Transit Authority Plaza.
 For more information, contact Summer Berry at (509) 323-3606 or via e-mail. To learn more about other “Big Read” events, visit the Spokane County Library District Web site.