KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Legendary Alaskan entertainer Mr. Whitekeys was in Kodiak Thursday filming scenes for his new DVD about Alaska History. KMXT’s Jay Barrett spent the afternoon watching the filming down at Saint Paul Harbor and has this story. The local peformers were: Claire Brodie, Kelly Cassidy, Kaila Cotler, Bethany Donohue, Paula Ensign, Marcia Lynn, Sarah Macintosh and Kimberly Martin.
For 26 years Mr. Whitekeys’ multi-media musical reviews at the Fly by Night Club in Anchorage’s Spenard district lampooned all things Alaskan. It was billed as “The Show the Alaska Department of Tourism does not want you to see.” Now, Mr. Whitekeys is putting the songs and slideshows and new material into motion, with a new DVD
— (Whitekeys 1aa 41 sec “… and here we are in Kodiak.”)
The reason he was here was because he’s got a song about The Rock, which he explained to the nine local dancers he recruited for the video.
— (Whitekeys 1 1:11 “… Yeah we’re here on the wrong day.”)
Mr. Whitekeys had the dancers decked out in rain slickers, anticipating typical Kodiak weather. Unfortunately for them, it was 70 degrees without a cloud in the sky, forcing Whitekeys and his cameraman, Todd Hardesty of Alaska Video Postcards, to improvise:
— (Whitekeys 2 :26 sec “… that was really good.”)
Mr. Whitekeys did about six scenes with the dancers performing outside the Harbormaster’s Office and down on the floats of Saint Paul Harbor, alternately dodging fishermen working on their boats and entertaining them. Wanting to make sure he had just the right footage, they did retake after retake:
— (Whitekeys 3 :36 sec “… rain-soaked Kodiak (sfx)”)
The performers were women from several of the dance studios in town. Sara Macintosh and Kimberly Martin said they enjoyed working on the production.
— (Whitekeys 4 18 sec “… on a beautiful sunny day. Can’t beat it.”)
Shooting was halted for a few minutes when several of the dancers, like Bethany Donohue got splinters in their bare feet while performing chorus line kicks on one of the floats.
— (Whitekeys 5 7 sec “… but you pull on through. It’s a lot of fun.”)
Besides the music video, Mr. Whitekeys shot footage all over Kodiak, but sadly his favorite sign wasn’t there any more:
— (Whitekeys 7a 53 sec “… highlights of Kodiak history everywhere.” sfx up and out)
I’m Jay Barrett.
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