ATP Announces New Season of Performances Including Artist Challenge Series

ATP continues to keep busy creating innovative programs and performances despite the challenges COVID has thrown at the professional theatre company since March, 2020. ATP has announced a new performance series it's calling "The Artist Challenge" which includes 7 different public musical performances throughout the year. It also announced that its most popular show, the holiday-themed "Yuletide Affair," will be back at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center, December 19-21. ATP's 2021 season will be presented in a variety of venues ranging from the Whitefish Performing Arts Center, to outdoor locations, to ATP's new cabaret theatre in the old Mountain Cinemas space in Whitefish.

"We've learned a lot over the past year," says ATP Artistic Director, Betsi Morrison. "Versatility and adaptation kept us going last year, and we are going to continue to lean into that. We're especially excited about the Artist Challenge, which empowers local professional artists to showcase their own creative and amazing talents on the ATP stage."

The 2021 Artist Challenge was designed as a series of commissions to local professional artists to create public musical performances that mattered most to them. Armed with a limited budget and a 6-week schedule, these performances range from fully staged musicals, to album-release parties, to themed concerts and more:

2021 Artist Challenge Series Schedule

• Wake Me When We Get There - June 4-5 - Starring Nick Spear & Susan O'Day as Big Sky City Lights - An evening of original music and well-loved favorites, presented with a full band. Catch this intimate limited-seat debut album release concert before they rock the Under the Big Sky Festival with Jason Isbell, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams and others.

• Killer Queen - July 8-10 - Starring Dustin Brayley of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra - A celebration of the music of one of rock's greatest bands of all time, Queen. Filled with soaring vocals, insane guitar riffs, and the sounds that defined "arena rock."

• Boogie Nights - July 25-27 - Starring Tracy McDowell - A celebration of the swinging sounds of the 70's and the music that defined an entire generation!

• Sorry! A New Musical - September 30-October 2 - Created by award-winning multi-instrumentalist, Erica Von Kleist - Catch this fully-staged new production of this debaucherous & hilarious new musical about mansplaining, menstruation, dieting, dating, and, well, boobs.

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show - October 29-31 - Dammit, Janet! The cult classic comes to Whitefish in this limited showing of the outrageous 1975 cult classic on screen while performing its music live on stage.

Summer Broadway Concert Series

• July 31 - August 8 - Broadway's Best meet Broadway's Hopefuls again in an outdoor song & dance celebration! ATP presents a poignant and inspiring celebration of our individual differences, our collective humanity, and the voices we can share to improve the world. Held in conjunction with ATP's Broadway Summer Training Camp, these concerts will be presented in two formats containing both Broadway professionals and Camp students, each with its own focus. Join us for this celebration of the power of the arts to discover ourselves and each other through song and dance!

ATP Kids Student Productions

• Godspell - May 21-23 - Arguably the most joyous musical ever created, Godspell is a playful retelling of the Parables of Jesus, Godspell uses a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and a hefty dose of comic timing and an eclectic blend of songs, ranging in style from pop to vaudeville. In the end, Godspell is a celebration of kindness, tolerance and love, all coming vibrantly to life on stage!

• Disney's Descendants - June 25-27 - Based on the popular Disney Channel Original Movies, Disney's Descendants: The Musical is a brand-new musical comedy featuring the beloved characters and hit songs from the films!

Yuletide Affair 18

• December 19-21 - Just like Grandma's fruitcake, it's back and it's back inside! This mix of heartwarming holiday music and irreverent satire is the Valley's hottest holiday tradition - now in its 18th sold-out year!

Patrons can visit the ATP website at atpwhitefish.org or call 406-862-7469 for more information or to order tickets.

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