ATP launches artist series with look at creating an album

Alpine Theatre Project is launching a new artist commission series entitled “The Artist Challenge.”

The series begins with an intimate look at the creation of a new pop album on April 23- 24 at ATP’s new headquarters in the old Mountain Cinemas in Whitefish.

Falling Through Space: A Cosmic Journey into Songwriting, conceived and performed by Broadway actor and recording artist, Eric Krop, will take the audience on a journey into the minds and hearts of three artists as they wrestle with love, life, and our place in the universe all while creating new songs for an upcoming album. It will give audiences a rare, intimate look into the process of songwriting from the seed of an idea all the way through the final mind-blowing performance of new songs written by Krop and his songwriting collaborators, Selda Sahin, and Derek Gregor, both of whom will be performing with Krop.

Eric Krop recently made his TV debut on Fox’s show “I Can See Your Voice” with recording artist Jessie McCartney. He made his Broadway debut in the revival of Godspell in 2012, and moved to Los Angeles, where he quickly broke into the music scene providing vocals for James Corden in the movie “Peter Rabbit” and working with Grammy winning pop producer Greg Kurstin. Krop moved to Whitefish in 2019 to continue music production and recording remotely while teaching and performing with Alpine Theatre Project and other artists.

“Eric is without a doubt one of the most talented singers you will ever hear in your life,” says ATP Artistic Director, Betsi Morrison. “He’s also a brilliant songwriter and music producer. This concert will give our audience a truly unique look into what it’s like to do what he does. It’s as if ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ decided to be a dance party.”

ATP has created “The Artist Challenge” this year as a way to give local professional artists opportunities to keep creating in the face of continued challenges in the performing arts. ATP Artistic Director Betsi Morrison chose local professional artists to create work that matters most to them right now. Given six weeks and a limited budget, these artists will present their work at public performances throughout the year, including concerts, readings, album creations, and fully-staged musicals. Other artists in the Challenge include Tracy McDowell, Dustin Brayley, Meredith Patterson, Erica Von Kleist, Jeremy Reinbolt, Nick Spear and Susan O’Dea.

“Communities need the arts more than ever,” Morrison says. “Yet the performing arts community has been decimated by the pandemic. ATP has spent the last year finding innovative solutions to this challenge. The Artist Challenge was a way to further this effort by investing directly in our brilliant and resilient local artists.”

Falling Through Space: A Cosmic Journey into Songwriting starring Eric Krop will be held April 23 -24 at 7 p.m. at Alpine Theatre Project’s new headquarters in the Mountain Center in Whitefish, 6475 Hwy 93 South. Limited, cabaret seating at tables and single seats is available, including on-stage seating.

Call ATP at 406-862-7469 or visit atpwhitefish.org for more information and to order tickets.