'Be a Friend of the 'Fish': Local actors play role in COVID safety campaign

WHITEFISH — Local artists have been working hard to battle the COVID-19 pandemic through their own medium — an informational video aimed at safety and awareness.

In October, a local task force comprised of members from the school district, Whitefish City Council, health-care network and more, came together to devise a messaging campaign that educated locals and visitors alike on slowing the spread of COVID-19. The core message of the campaign asks everyone to be on the same team and commit to COVID safety by being a friend of "The Fish." All are encouraged to pledge their support to the campaign by wearing a mask, recreating responsibly, and being extra kind to frontline workers. Local businesses can also take the pledge to promote their safety measures.

While the town began to rally around the campaign with stakeholders starring in a video series, downtown banners, and digital ads on Instagram and Spotify, a team of local actors were also brought on to create a musical number that carried the message "Be a Friend of The Fish."

"We knew tapping into our local talent would be a great way to send a genuine message to everyone with eyes on Whitefish, especially as our skiers and winter visitors have arrived for the holidays," commented City Manager and Task Force Leader Dana Smith.

Whitefish actors Erica von Kleist, Mikey Winn, David Blair, Sarina Hart and videographer Adam Pitman created the 5-minute, 34-second video that packs a punch, addressing visitors wearing masks, local artists struggling to find work, and the power of a unified community.

The vignette culminates with the visitors coming together with the locals in a masked socially distanced kick line. Each creator has a unique background in the entertainment industry -- von Kleist, a Juilliard grad and award winning multi-instrumentalist who's played Lincoln Center and Broadway shows, Winn, a rising star nominated Best Actor in the Flathead Valley three years running, and Hart and Blair who are staples of the community and the Whitefish Theater Company, have starred in everything from cabarets to comedies. Adam Pitman of Ghost Cat Productions filmed and produced "Be a Friend of The Fish," and has worked professionally in the motion picture and film industry for years in LA, finding a niche for his creativity since coming back to his hometown of Whitefish.

Von Kleist, Winn, Blair, and Pitman were also creators of the virtual show, "Your Musical is Cancelled, the Musical." The production launched in November 2020 with a full cast, including Hart, residing from Brooklyn to Whitefish.

The Zoom spoof performance just won (as of Dec. 27) the "Best Comedy" award for the Toronto Alternative Film Festival winter selections, and was also nominated for "Best Cast." Many of the cast are also involved in the Alpine Theater Project, which was started by Broadway veterans after one of its founding artists came home to Whitefish.

View the video at https://vimeo.com/494248756/71086a1d3c.

For more information, visit WhitefishCovidCares.com.