Trio plays 14 characters in summer comedy

Using only three actors playing 14 characters at breakneck speed, ATP’s new production of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” runs this month at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

The play runs June 20 to 23, and June 27 to 29 at 8 p.m.

“Fans of ‘Airplane!,’ The ‘Naked Gun’ movies, Monty Python, or any of the Mel Brooks movies will absolutely love this play,” says ATP’s Artistic Director, Betsi Morrison, “As will fans of Sherlock Holmes. It’s a perfect marriage of suspense and pee-your-pants-funny,”

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most celebrated Sherlock Holmes story gets a gloriously funny makeover in the riotous three-man adaptation, originally written and produced by the British company, Peepolykus. When Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead on his estate, with a look of terror still etched on his face, and the paw prints of a gigantic hound beside his body, the great detective Sherlock Holmes is summoned from Baker Street, with Dr. Watson in tow, to unravel the mysteries surrounding his death, and investigate the ancient curse of the Hound of the Baskervilles. Packed full of verbal and visual ingenuity, “The Hound of the Baskervilles” became a runaway hit on London’s West End, and is now delighting audiences worldwide.

The production is directed by Simon Needham, an Orlando actor who performed in an acclaimed production of the comedy at the Orlando Shakespeare Company.

Tasked with bringing seven characters to life, including the famous Sherlock Holmes, is professional actor, Timothy Williams, who is no stranger to playing multiple characters after having starred in ATP’s hit production of Fully Committed last summer.

Also playing seven characters, including the eponymous Baskervilles, is professional actor, Nick Spear, who is perhaps best known to Flathead audiences as the frontman of the popular 80s band The New Wave Time Trippers. Rounding out the cast of comedians is ATP co-founder and former Broadway actor Luke Walrath.

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” marks ATP 19th summer of professional theatre productions, which also includes the Broadway concert “Dare to Dream: The Road to Broadway” featuring seven Broadway actors.

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” opens June 20 at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center and runs two weekends until June 29. It is sponsored by the Applied Materials Foundation, Good Medicine Lodge, Westcraft Homes, and Alpine Village Market. Tickets are $29 to $39 with student pricing available. Patrons can call 406-862-7469 or visit www.atpwhitefish.org for tickets and information.