ATP performance had heart, soul and song

What a show! If you missed the high school production of “9 to 5” by Alpine Theater Project (ATP) this weekend, you missed out big. Every single person put their heart and soul into those performances and every one in attendance walked out of that theatre blown away. Some of these kids are stars in the making, and under ATP’s tutelage, they simply shine. For those of us with kids who never really sang or danced—we were amazed that they can, indeed, sing and dance. Anyone can with a little help from ATP.

For 15 years, ATP Luke and Betsi Walrath, the couple behind ATP, bring their love of Broadway to the community and it shows in what these kids are able to do. Every ATP show is both an inspiration and a minor miracle to see come together: the fall show for kids 8th grade and younger, the high school spring show, their summer camps and adult theater.

Athletics teaches us so much about hard work and teamwork, but art ... well, art and ATP teaches all that and so much more.

I’ve never seen a group of kids more gracious, kind and creative than this group. Everyone is included, everyone has a role to play and everyone ultimately performs and has so much fun. ATP brings kids (and parents) from every high school in the valley together as a crew — no matter their means (scholarships are always available) or their prior experience.

The most inspiring about ATP is the love that the entire staff has for these kids and for this creative art. We all need a little more singing and dancing in our lives. Thank you, ATP, for sharing the power of song and bringing this community together with song. I’m still singing the lyrics from “9 to 5” days later!

Christine Hensleigh, Whitefish