Summer playhouse raises curtain on 2005 season

When you enter Don (DT) and Jude Thomson's Bigfork home, you can immediately tell that the couple has had a love affair with the theater for quite some time.

Posters from virtually every major theatrical production ever staged in the United States span the length of their living room wall.

As owners and producers of the Bigfork Summer Playhouse, the Thomsons have staged many of those same productions in Bigfork.

The Thomsons' formula for theatrical success in the Flathead Valley, namely musicals, will again offer visitors and locals a slice of Broadway brilliance right here in the Flathead Valley.

The Bigfork Summer Playhouse will celebrate its 46th season of live professional theatre this year.

Known by many as the "Theatre by the Bay," the playhouse brings talent from across the country to bring the finest live theatre in the Northwest and is a past recipient of the Montana Governor's Award for the Arts.

The 2005 summer schedule includes:

"Bullshot Crummond"— The action of "Bullshot Crummond" takes place in 1930s England. An irreverent spoof of cliche detective B-movies, this hilarious comedy ambitiously stages wild thrills and spills normally reserved for the screen: plane crashes, car chases, icy mountain cliff hangers, sword fights, and even a naval sea battle. The story follows the kidnapping of an eccentric professor and his synthetic diamond formula by evil German masterminds. To track down her missing father, the professor's daughter engages the services of ace detective and dashing hero Hugh 'Bullshot' Crummond—unaware he is a dim-witted, blundering idiot. Bullshot sets out to win the affections of this damsel-in-distress by rescuing her father, defeating his German archenemy, and impressing everyone with his overblown mental and physical abilities. Bullshot narrowly wins the day and saves the world, but it's more by luck and bravado than any hint of skill.

Anything Goes—The age-old tale of boy-meets-girl and the complications that ensue intrigue every audience, and no musical puts it on stage better than Anything Goes. This show is an amusing story wrapped around one of Cole Porter's magical scores. Terrific Cole Porter songs include It's De-Lovely, Friendship, I Get A Kick Out Of You, All Through The Night, Anything Goes, You're The Top, Blow, Gabrielle, Blow, Take Me Back To Manhattan and Let's Misbehave. It's a wonder that all the romances are sorted out and disaster is averted aboard the magical ship where Anything Goes.

Grease—This is the classic 1950s rock 'n' roll musical. Rydell High's spirited class of '59; gum chewing, hubcap stealing, hot rod loving boys and their wise-cracking girls in bobby sox and pedal pushers capture the look and sound of the 1950s in a rollicking musical. While hip Danny Zuko and wholesome Sandy Dumbrowski resolve the problems of their mutual attraction, the gang sings and dances its way through such nostalgic scenes as the pajama party, the prom, the burger palace, and the drive-in movie. Songs recall the Buddy Holly hiccups, the Little Richard yodels and the Elvis Presley wiggles that made the music of the '50s a gas. Grease's eight-year run made Broadway history and its recent long running revival put it among today's most popular musicals.

Chicago—The hit of the 1997 Broadway season in a production that originated at City Center's Encore! series of Great American Musicals in Concert, Chicago won six Tony awards including best revival. In razzle dazzle, roaring '20s Chicago, married chorine Roxie Hart is sent to prison for killing the man who tried walking out on her. While in prison she meets up with Velma Kelly, a big time vaudeville star with twice as much blood on her hands. Roxie and Velma vie for the spotlight and the headlines, hoping the publicity will catapult them to fame, freedom and successful stage careers. The sharp-edged murder, exploitation and treachery features a dazzling score that sparked, in the original production, some immortal choreography by Bob Fosse. "As dazzling a demonstration of the craft of musical theatre as you're ever going to see on a Broadway stage." - N.Y. Post

Crazy For You—Crazy for You is the story of Bobby Child, a well-to-do 1930s playboy, whose dream in life is to dance. And despite the serious efforts of his mother and soon-to-be-ex-fiancee, Bobby achieves his dream! Memorable Gershwin tunes include I Can't Be Bothered Now, Bidin' My Time, I Got Rhythm, Naughty Baby, They Can't Take That Away from Me, But Not for Me, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Embraceable You and Someone to Watch Over Me. It's a high-energy comedy which includes mistaken identity, plot twists, fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music.

Ticket orders may be made:

by Mail:

Bigfork Summer Playhouse

c/o 2005 tickets

Box 456, Bigfork, MT 59911.

by Phone:

406-837-4886 after May 15

Ticket prices vary. Group discounts are available