Montana native, and Hellgate High School graduate Bill Bowers returns to Missoula for a one-of-a kind evening of performance magic with Bill Bowers speechLess – Stories With and Without Words, Tuesday evening, June 28, at 7:30pm at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts.
speechLess is a special treat for Bill’s hometown audience, uniquely weaving together some of Bill’s favorite pieces from his many solo shows. An award-winning actor and writer, Bill has performed around the world, as well as in all 50 states appearing on the stages of Broadway, the Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, and the New York International Fringe Festival. His Broadway credits include “Zazu” in The Lion King and “Leggett” in The Scarlet Pimpernel. A student of Marcel Marceau, Bill’s physical performance style brings to mind classic performances by Charlie Chaplin, Harrold Lloyd, and Red Skelton. Combined with an easy storytelling charm, a cross between Garrison Keillor and David Sedaris, his show, subtitled Stories With and Without Words, is sure to delight.
This performance is being presented by MCT’s Next Step Prep (NSP), with proceeds from the show benefitting the Next Step Prep scholarship fund. NSP offers students from around the country and across the globe the chance to come to Missoula for 6 weeks each summer for an intensive musical theatre boot camp – strengthening their triple-threat skills of acting, dance and music. One of the unique opportunities which NSP offers is the chance to learn one-on-one from Broadway professionals such as Bill, who has been a visiting guest artist at NSP since the inaugural session in 2009.
On his recent tour of Germany, Bill was approached after a show by a student who, upon hearing Bill’s stories of Montana, wanted to share that she would be heading to Montana this summer herself. As she explained that she would be going to Missoula for a special musical theatre summer school session called Next Step Prep, Bill just smiled and said, “I’ll see you there!”
Bill Bowers speechLess will be presented at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts. The show will be approximately 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission and artist reception to follow. Tickets are $20 each, all seats are reserved and they can be purchased online at www.MCTinc.org, by phone at 406-728-7529 or directly from the MCT Box Office. Hours are 9AM to 5PM, M-F.