WHITEFISH — For three weeks, professional performers from Broadway are in Whitefish for Alpine Theater Project’s Broadway Summer Camp.
Professional artists, including Broadway performer LaTrisa Harper mentor middle and high school theater students from across the Flathead Valley.
(WATCH: Broadway professionals teach valuable lessons to Flathead Valley theater students)
“I believe that when you learn, when you understand what you’re doing as far as being a professional, then you give and you teach and you pass it on, these kids are first of all, they are like so extraordinarily talented to begin with,” said Harper.
Students learn different singing, dancing and acting techniques culminating in two live professional productions at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.
8th grader Andrew Willis and 6th grader Audrey Murray from Kalispell said it’s amazing to learn firsthand from Broadway professionals.
“This is some small town that not that many people have even heard of, and you get to have these amazing experiences and learn so much from them, and like it kind of gives people like hope like I can be doing something like that one day,” said Willis.
“Like Broadway’s closer than you think and like just the fact these amazing teachers take time out of their day and their life in back in LA or New York and they come teach us is really cool,” added Murray.
Becky Stout has worked professionally on Broadway and with the Radio City Rockettes.
She loves inspiring the next generation of Flathead Valley performers to reach their dreams.
“Whether they’re just starting out or whether they’re 18 and about to graduate, I just tell them keep going; it’s all about persistence and tenacity and really the hard work that you’re putting in every day to get to the next level and improve,” said Stout.
The Broadway professionals will take the stage themselves for two performances of the Great American Songbook on July 1-2 before the students give their performance of Unstoppable on July 8-9.
“It’s like all this work that we’ve done leads up to something special that it’s almost like a reward that we get to perform for everyone,” said Murray.
Tickets for the show can be purchased here.
