Broadway stars headline ATP summer season

Alpine Theatre Project has announced the Broadway actors who will be performing in its summer season, “Broadway’s Best Week By Week,” and teaching in its Broadway master classes for local students.

Alpine Theatre’s summer season will take place from July 12 through Aug. 3 at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

“This year’s performers have been in over 42 Broadway shows,” Artistic Director Betsi Morrison said. “You’d have to go to New York City to see this concentration of Broadway talent, but we’re bringing them to Whitefish.”

Coming to Whitefish for the first performance, “Defying Gravity: Broadway’s Next Generation,” which runs July 12 and 13, is Virginia Ann Woodruff, who has performed in the Broadway productions of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” “The Color Purple” and “Leap of Faith”; Adam Kantor, who starred in the final cast of “Rent” and “Next to Normal” on Broadway; Tracy McDowell, who also performed in the final cast of “Rent” on Broadway; Shelley Thomas, who appeared in the Broadway production of “Brooklyn”; Eric Michael Krop, who performed in the revival of “Godspell”; and Anne Fraser Thomas, who performed in the Las Vegas company of “Mamma Mia!”

Performing in “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo: Broadway’s Family Fare,” which runs July 19 and 20, is Ann Sanders, who starred as Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” on Broadway as well as in “Avenue Q” and “Leap of Faith”; Robert Creighton, who just finished a starring role in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” as well as “Anything Goes,” “Chicago” and “The Little Mermaid”; and Soara-Joye Ross, who has performed in “Les Miserables” and “Dance of the Vampires” on Broadway.

Performing in “5, 6, 7, 8!: Broadway’s Style & Rhythm,” which runs July 26 and 27, will be Brian J. Marcum, who danced in the Broadway productions of “42nd Street,” “Spamalot,” “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “The Gershwin’s Fascinating Rhythm,” “The Boy from Oz” starring Hugh Jackman, and “Saturday Night Fever”; Rommy Sandhu, who was the lead dancer in the Broadway production of “Mary Poppins,” as well as the Broadway productions of “Bombay Dreams,” “Oklahoma!” “Annie Get Your Gun” and “On the Town”; Gabrielle Ruiz, who danced in the Broadway productions of “Evita” and “In the Heights”; and Kimberly Faure, who danced in the Broadway production of “Anything Goes” and the current production of “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” starring Matthew Broderick.

Rounding out the season in “Some Enchanted Evening: Broadway’s Golden Age,” which runs Aug. 2 and 3, will be Kevin Vortmann, who was seen on Broadway in “A Little Night Music” starring Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones; and Alpine Theatre Project favorites Rebecca Spear, Luke Walrath and Morrison. Walrath performed in the Broadway production of “42nd Street,” and Morrison was in the Broadway productions of “Carousel” and “The Sound of Music.”

In addition to performing, these Broadway actors will be teaching a series of master classes for local students during the week they are here. Class positions are still open, and people are encouraged to call the Alpine Theatre office at 862-7469 to register.

Tickets to this season’s shows run from $29 to $39 with group and student discounts available. Patrons can order tickets online at atpwhitefish.org or by calling the box office.