A peek at Whitefish Theater's 2013 season

Whitefish Theatre Company is gearing up for its 35th season, which promises world music and dance performances in edition to its theater productions in 2013 and 2014.

“It is wonderful to be part of a community that loves and supports the performing arts,” executive director Kathryn McEnery said in a news release. “We look forward to being a gathering place for family and friends to enjoy these fantastic upcoming shows.”

The 2013-14 season will present nine theater productions, four concerts, one dance performance, one free senior concert and nine educational outreach performances for schoolchildren in kindergarten through 12th grade. 

“WTC has been applauded time and again for its ability to present a season that has something for everyone,” artistic director Jesse DeVine said in the release.

“That said, we are constantly seeking out the latest movements in national and worldwide theater and integrating them into our season. In an effort to further engage, entangle and electrify our community, we will present two new events, starting with an all-kids Shakespeare production and an original show on a topic chosen by the community.

“For years, WTC has been the place where you and your neighbors become stars. By voting for your favorite show topic or by participating in the creation and development stage of the show, it will also be the place where you take partial control of your ultimate viewing experience,” she added. 

Whitefish Theatre opens its season Sept. 20 and 21 with Liverpool Legends, a Beatles tribute band that promises the “complete Beatles experience.” With precise attention to every musical detail, along with costume changes, vintage instruments, projections and special effects, Liverpool Legends strives to make audiences feel like they are watching the real Fab Four.

The fall schedule continues with “Noises Off” Oct. 10 through 13 and Oct. 18 through 20. Called “the funniest farce ever written,” this play within a play has doors slamming, on and offstage intrigue, and a naughty herring that all figure into the play.

Next up, on Oct. 25, is Runa, a contemporary Celtic band that offers highly energetic and graceful, acoustic melodies, along with their fusion of music from Ireland, Scotland, Canada and the U.S.

Coinciding with the colder temperatures, “Frozen,” Whitefish Theatre’s first Black Curtain production of the season, will be performed Nov. 2 and 3. Compassionate, angry and humane, this play entwines the lives of a murderer, the mother of one of his victims, and his psychologist to explore our capacity for forgiveness, remorse and change.

The month ends with a one-night performance of “Within The Silence” Nov. 14, performed by the Seattle theater company Living Voices. This unique show combines intimate solo performances with archival film to share one innocent Japanese American family’s fight to sustain faith in the U.S. after being put in an internment camp.

The winter season begins with the ever-popular, family-friendly show “Oliver!” Dec. 5 through 8, Dec. 13 through 15, and Dec. 20 through 22. Charles Dickens’ timeless characters, including the Artful Dodger, Fagin, Nancy and Oliver, will whisk viewers away to 1800s London with song, dance and a story that keeps all ages on the edge of their seats.

The new year opens with the musical collaboration of Mimi Fox and Greta Matassa Jan. 17. Fox, one of the few established female jazz guitarists, and Matassa, a talented jazz singer, will present an eclectic evening of jazz, blues, Latin and bebop music.

Talented area youths attending Whitefish Theatre’s “Shakespeare: Next Generation” program will take the stage Jan. 25 and 26 for a Black Curtain production. They will apply stylized physical movement and distinctive vocal work to some the greatest lines of text ever written.

Two world-renowned guitar groups, the California Guitar Trio and the Montreal Guitare Trio, will perform a unique six-by-six string “phenomensemble” Feb. 13. These virtuoso guitarists blend their sounds to perform intricate, original compositions, as well as new arrangements of progressive rock, jazz, world and classical music. 

The popular all-kids production of “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” is scheduled for Feb. 27 and 28, March 1 and 2, and March 7 and 9. This C.S. Lewis classic recreates the magic and mystery of the great lion Aslan, his struggle with the White Witch and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander through the wardrobe into the land of Narnia.

Tony-nominated “Other Desert Cities,” a portrait of a prominent family and their very public fall from grace, will be performed April 3 through 6 and April 11 through 13.

Seattle-based Khambatta Dance Company performs on April 17.

New this season, Whitefish Theatre will stage an original, innovative show with the current working title, “Talk of the Town: Under the Big Sky,” on May 3 and 4 as a third Black Curtain production.

The topic of this original performance piece will be chosen by community members and announced at the Liverpool Legends show Sept. 20.

Vote for your favorite topic online starting Sept. 1 or through Whitefish Theatre’s box office when making a ticket purchase. The final three topics are life game-changers, stories worth telling and how did I end up here?

The resulting production will be a dynamic fusion of community members’ stories, ideas and perspectives on the selected topic.

Finally, Whitefish Theatre’s 35th season comes to a close with “Boeing Boeing” May 28 through 31 and June 5 through 7. Presented in cabaret style, this 1960s French farce features a glamour-boy architect who tries to juggle his three airline hostess fiancees until a faster Boeing jet hilariously unravels his careful, romantic planning.

All shows are at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish. Season passes, build-your-own season passes and family passes are available by calling the box office at 862-5371; by ordering through the brochure order form; or by stopping by the theater at 1 Central Ave., Whitefish. Box office hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Individual tickets for all shows also may be purchased at www.whitefishtheatreco.org. Visit the website to view the season brochure online or call the box office to order a brochure.