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Whitefish Theatre Company kicks off 2024-25 season

| September 18, 2024 1:00 AM

Whitefish Theatre Company is kicking off their 46th year of community theatre this Saturday. The 2024-2025 season features 14 performances ranging from dramas to musical trios, stand-up comedy, opera, dance and more.  

“Daniel's Husband” (play): Sept. 21- 22 

Mitchell does not believe in gay marriage…but his partner Daniel does.  Daniel and Mitchell are the perfect couple. They have a perfect house, wonderful friends, and even a mother who eagerly wants them to get married. However, there’s a significant obstacle: Mitchell doesn’t believe in gay marriage. As a tragic turn of events leaves their seemingly perfect life in jeopardy, Mitchell is thrust into a future where even his deep love for Daniel may not prove to be enough. Daniel’s Husband is a humor-filled, bittersweet, and deeply moving play that takes an unflinching look at how we choose to tie the knot — or not. 

Nano Stern (music): Sept. 27 

Nano Stern is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and songwriter with strong roots in the traditional songbook of South America. Praised by folk legend Joan Baez as “the best young Chilean songwriter of his generation,” Nano has created his own musical language – an utterly fresh, otherworldly sound that blends the youthful exuberance of folk and rock music mixed with years of classical and jazz training against the powerful force of traditional Chilean songs. What has emerged is a brilliantly layered confluence of Indigenous, African, European and North and South American musical influences that reverberate with a soulfulness and originality unlike any other South American artist performing today. This promises to be a special night of music as Nano presents his most current album Aún creo en la belleza (I Still Believe In Beauty). 

“Almost, Maine” (play): Oct. 18-20 and 24-26 

Welcome to Almost, Maine, a town that is so far north, it’s almost not in the United States. And it almost doesn’t exist because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it’s just…Almost. One clear, cold winter night, while the northern lights hover in the sky above, nine couples in Almost experience the various, unpredictable elements of love. That first spark, heartbreak, falling in love, breaking up, and the joys of discovering you are meant for each other - or perhaps not. Filled with comic and poignant tales, Almost, Maine is a play about love and longing, friendship and isolation, melancholy and hope, and ultimately about our search for human connection.
 

Montréal Guitare Trio (music): Nov. 1  

After performing a sold-out show in 2014, the Montréal Guitare Trio (MG3) returns to Whitefish. MG3 has been showcasing its virtuosity both nationally and internationally for over 25 years in the most renowned concert halls in America and around the world. Consisting of guitarists Sébastien Deshaies, Glenn Lévesque, and Marc Morin, MG3 surprises, amazes, exalts, and ignites audiences with their dynamic and captivating stage presence. In addition to their three guitars, these multi-instrumentalists also sing and play the violin, mandolin, bass, accordion, and more. While MG3 always pays homage to Italian great Ennio Morricone, the musical range of this passionate trio varies from Tchaikovsky to Mozart, Falla to Metheny, Haden to Guaraldi, Piazzolla to De Lucia, and even the Beatles to Radiohead. Don’t miss this incredible night of music and the unique flair that only MG3 can offer!  

“Proof” (play): Nov. 9-10  

On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Catherine, a quick-witted and stubborn young woman, has spent years caring for Robert, her unstable but brilliant father known as a mathematical genius at the University of Chicago. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions, the arrival of her estranged sister, and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her fathers who discovers a paradigm-shifting proof about prime numbers in the 103 notebooks that her father left behind. Over the long weekend that follows, a burgeoning romance and the discovery of a mysterious notebook draw Catherine into the most difficult problems of all: Can Catherine prove the proof's authorship? And how much of her father’s madness—or genius—will she inherit? Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “Proof” combines elements of mystery and surprise with old-fashioned storytelling to provide a compelling evening of theatre.  

“The Game’s Afoot: Holmes for the Holidays” (play): Dec. 6-8 and 12-15 

It’s Christmas Eve in 1936 and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his leading role as Sherlock Holmes, is at his Connecticut castle. Much to his mother Martha’s chagrin, Gillette invites his quirky, fellow cast-members to the castle, promising a weekend filled with merriment and joy. However, when one of Gillette’s glitzy and glamorous guests is murdered, the survivors are trapped inside a fun house of hidden passageways, gadgets, and trick mirrors where any of them could be the killer. It is then up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes and uses the crime-solving skills he is famous for on stage, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. Prepare to be enthralled by an unrelenting rollercoaster of mystery and side-splitting laughter in this dazzling whodunit set during the Christmas holidays. 

“Be Here Now” (play): Jan. 18-19 

Two lost souls come together under the most unusual circumstances in this deeply insightful and charmingly funny play. Surrounded by painfully cheerful co-workers, Bari is deeply cynical and woefully underemployed working at a small-town fulfillment center. As her despair reaches new heights, Bari develops a medical condition with a side effect that turns her into a happy, hopeful, believer in love. But what if curing this condition will return her to her misery? As Bari navigates her relationship with Mike, whom she must pull out of the darkness, this wise and quirky comedy asks what we are willing to do for love and happiness - and to create meaning in our lives. 

Alex Velluto (stand-up comedy): Jan. 24. 

Alex Velluto, a stand-up comedian from Salt Lake City, is a rising voice in the comedy world, recently featured on Nate Bargatze’s stand-up series, The Showcase, where he was handpicked by Bargatze himself. A finalist at the Boston Comedy Festival, Alex stands alone as the only comedian to have performed in three Dry Bar Comedy specials. Alex’s exceptional comedic talent has earned him millions of online views, thousands of fans, and critical acclaim for his 2023 special “The Big Gulp Kid”, now available on YouTube. Additionally, he’s been a guest on “Stand Up Nashville,” which aired on the Circle Network, and has appeared on Peacock TV. To date, Alex has performed at the Big Sky Comedy Festival, Seattle International Comedy Competition and hundreds of cities across the U.S. on the Dry Bar Comedy Tour. With his sharp observational humor and piercing punchlines, Alex effortlessly connects with audiences of all ages and backgrounds for a fun night of laughs! 

“Shrek the Musical” (play) Feb. 21-23 and 27-28 and March 1-2 and 7-8  

Get ready to leave your troubles Far Far Away and embark on an unforgettable adventure filled with laughter, love, and ogre-sized fun. Join Shrek and his trusty sidekick Donkey as they set out on a quest to defeat the fearsome dragon and rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona. With a heartwarming story and a cast of unforgettable characters and fairy tale misfits, this musical extravaganza is a journey you won’t want to miss. This show is set to toe-tapping musical numbers such as “I’m A Believer”, “Big Bright Beautiful World” and “I Know It’s Today.” Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, “Shrek the Musical” is a Tony Award-winning and side-splitting adventure that proves that beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre. Fun for the whole family!  

“All the Days” (play): March 22-23 

Ruth Zweigman is not a pleasant person to be around. And now that Ruth can’t take care of herself – she’s recovering from several surgeries due to diabetes - the question of who she’s going to live with is a big one. While Ruth’s daughter, Miranda, has done everything in her power to create a family completely different than the one she came from, the painful loss of her brother – and perhaps a brief lapse in judgment - compels her to invite her complicated mother to stay with her before her son’s bar mitzvah. As other needy family members show up in search of connection and second chances, Miranda’s already-strained relationship with her family is pulled to its breaking point. With all the kin in one place, will they all stay in one piece? A warm, heart-filled comedy about the scars of childhood and finding love, all grown up.  

Lend Me A Tenor (opera): April 11-13 and 17-19 

Winner of 3 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards, Lend Me A Tenor takes place inside a two-room hotel suite in Cleveland, Ohio in September 1934. Saunders, the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is primed to welcome world-famous singer Tito Merelli, known as Il Stupendo and the greatest tenor of his generation, to appear for one night only as the star of the opera. When Tito arrives late, however, and through a hilarious series of mishaps appears to have died, the employees’ frantic attempt to salvage the evening leads to disguises, love affairs, mistaken identities, and all of the comedic mayhem that playwright Ken Ludwig is famous for. Called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by critics and audiences since its debut over 30 years ago, Lend Me A Tenor is a rollercoaster of fun that will leave you teary-eyed with laughter. 

Luca Stricagnoli (music): April 25 

Luca Stricagnoli is considered one of the most unique guitarists in the world. With 200 million views of his music videos and bookings in every corner of the globe, the Italian-born acoustic fingerstyle virtuoso continually leaves his audiences in awe and wondering what is next. Luca’s creative style, which led him to invent instruments like the Reversed Triple Neck Guitar and the Reversed Slide Neck, have vastly contributed to the modern evolution of the acoustic guitar. His own unique guitar style, which includes utilizing violin bows, playing multiple guitars at once, playing with his feet, and using modified capos and unusual tunings, promises a musical night of innovation, fun, surprising twists, and jaw-dropping entertainment. With Luca’s eclectic setlist that ranges from rock to pop, soundtracks to hip-hop, and arrangements to originals, Luca puts on a show that has something for everyone and is sure to be remembered.  

Collision of Rhythm (dance): May 1  

Collision of Rhythm is a duo comprised of tap-dancing classical virtuoso, Aaron Williams, and beatbox-juggling musician, Bronkar Lee. Though there are only two of them, they fill the stage as a 12-person ensemble would, moving from instrument to instrument with a high level of skill and diversity in a show that has been described as “Stomp meets Blue Man meets Cirque du Soleil”. With drumming, tap dancing, rhythmic juggling, marimba, piano, saxophone, flute and so much more, this unique show is like nothing else out there - choreographed musical pieces, audience interaction, humor, and personal stories that make this show all at once captivating, inspiring, and flat-out extraordinary. Collision of Rhythm have been featured on The Tonight Show, America’s Got Talent, and SuperBowl commercials and tour around the globe spreading their pure joy of music and rhythm. 

“The Baby Shower” (play): May 30-June 1 and June 5-7 

These southern women do not want to bless your heart. Here's the thing about baby showers: No one actually wants to be there. But there are certain rituals we follow, for the sake of tradition and a gift registry. Nine women have gathered at Grace Driscoll's beautifully appointed home, fully expecting to go through the motions of social niceties. But an unforeseen event in Grace's life, and a few unexpected guests, send the party careening into uncharted territory. Simmering resentment, cutthroat professional conflict, fierce battles of will... these are 21st century Southern women, and they have no interest in blessing your heart.