Go 'West' with Bigfork Community Players

The Bigfork Community Players present “West,” written by T. M. Sell, this month.

“West” is the sequel to “Prairie Heart,” which the players presented in the spring of 2012. It is directed by Karan Kolar, who also directed “Prairie Heart.”

“West” continues the story of the Olson and Dokken families in Minot, N.D., in 1914 and Missoula in 1925.

Olaf Olson’s daughter Glenda and Harald Dokken’s son George are married. Although their marriage is fraught with challenges, including the loss of their homestead, Glenda is an Olson through and through. Her Norwegian work ethic brings the story to a heart-warming conclusion.

Mariah McGarvey, who played Ingrid Olson in “Prairie Heart,” plays Ingrid’s daughter Glenda this time.

The premise of the play is biographical, following an immigrant family, loosely patterned after Sell’s family.

The Roaring Twenties didn’t touch these people, Kolar said.

“They were doing well, but after World War I, prices of grain dropped precipitously, and this causes emotions of the play to become a roller coaster, with alcoholism, infidelity and suicide as topics,” she said.

Following the April 20 performance, Sell and his wife Nancy Warren, who wrote the music, will be in attendance and present a brief talk about the play. A reception will follow in the lobby of the theater.

The director suggests this show carries a PG-13 rating because of some language and adult themes.

The nonprofit theater group will perform April 12-14 and April 19-21. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. All performances are at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts on Electric Avenue.

Purchase tickets at the Kalispell Grand Hotel, Bigfork Drug or at the door. Tickets are $16 for general admission, $6 for youths younger than 12 or $11 for Bigfork Community Players members and seniors age 65 and over.

For more information, visit www.bigforkcommunityplayers.com or email bigforkcommunityplayers@gmail.com.