Broadway comes to Silverwood

ATHOL — It’s not every day young, talented entertainers move across the country from Nashville to take a gig in the Gem State.

North Idaho, meet Wendi and Luke Yellin, the new holders of your passports to fun and adventure on Silverwood Theme Park’s historic Engine No. 7 steam train ride.

"I wasn’t even looking at locations, I was just looking for the right job," Wendi said while sitting in Lindy's Restaurant at Silverwood. "Entertainment jobs, it’s kind of assumed that you’re going to have to go somewhere other than where you are."

Silverwood's director of marketing and entertainment Jordan Carter contacted the couple after Wendi submitted her resume in January. Following a great conversation with Carter, the Yellins researched Silverwood online.

"We’re like, ‘Oh my word, it’s in Idaho!'" Wendi said. "Why not? Idaho, that could be fun!”

Carter said he was “blown away” when he viewed their performance reels.

“She’s brilliant in everything that she does, and Luke, the same,” Carter said. "We’ve brought Broadway to Silverwood."

“We came out and they rolled the red carpet out, which is awesome,” Wendi said.

Together, the Yellins will lead a new adventure on the old steam Engine No. 7 that is akin to "'Jungle Cruise' in North Idaho on a train," Carter explained.

“We have really cool animals out here, so we’ve ordered animatronics that are going to be here after Memorial Day weekend," Carter said.

“Entertainment at Silverwood has been great, but there hasn’t been much of it. I knew I wanted someone who could take this train and just run with it because it is so popular and so important to the story of Silverwood. People love it."

He said Luke and Wendi have already been amazing to work with.

"They were writing scripts before they were even hired," he said.

The new era of Engine No. 7 will bring riders back to the year the train was built.

“The train ride is going to transport us to 1915 North Idaho, Americana, Wild West,” Wendi said. "Once you get into the backwoods, it’s going to be a traditional exhibition shootin’ show."

The storyline will bring travelers along as the team prepares for Uncle Dave’s Wild West Show, a skills competition.

Elements of the train bandit schtick will still be in play, so families will continue to enjoy being shaken down for donations that will support Children's Village. A commemorative donation coin that works as "kid currency" is in the works to give children a physical token to donate or to have a keepsake.

Last year, Silverwood didn’t have a train robbery show, as the previous show lead, "Marshal Jack" played by Chris Tortora, moved to Florida before the 2021 season began.

"We've heard through surveys and stuff that people really love the train robbery," Carter said. "We’ve also heard kids get scared on the train."

The Yellins are planning two different shows that will work on their own, "or you can see them in order and then the story continues,” Wendi said. One will focus on the characters while the other will include the robbery action.

"There’s a Sasquatch on the loose, there’s silver miners, there’s poachers trying to make a quick buck. There’s always a little bit of greed and action from robbers on the way," she said. "We’re trying to bring the things that people loved about the train, but give them a new flair, flavor and storyline."

The Yellins are both 34 and have an almost 1-year-old son named Ozzi.

They relocated from Nashville. She's originally from Pennsylvania, he's from southern California and they met in Canada when they were both living in the Big Apple.

“As it so happens, we actually lived four blocks apart from each other in New York City," Wendi said, smiling at her husband of nearly four years. "It took some time, but I wore him down."

The couple have been singing, dancing and acting since they were children.

Wendi's first part was in a community theater play at age 4.

"I hammed it up, I cut my own hair the day of the performance, gave myself quarter-inch-long bangs and was convinced I looked awesome,” Wendi said. "Then I was just hooked. I’m like, ‘I’m making my debut.'"

She also worked for "Sesame Street."

"In entertainment, there’s the crazy talents and there’s the people who do everything else in the show," Wendi said. "I’ve always found my work in doing everything else. I love that because you learn so many different things. The more you do, the more valuable you are."

Luke's first foray into entertainment was when he played the mayor of Munchkin City in the "Wizard of Oz." At age 17, he pursued countless auditions and casting calls.

“I would drive to L.A. with no idea what I was doing,” Luke said.

He landed a role in "Grease" for a year and then played Pinocchio in "Shrek the Musical" and traveled Malaysia, Shanghai, the U.S. and Canada, where he met Wendi.

Together, the Yellins have performed on Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships, they've sung in Hong Kong Disneyland, they've led a five-week acting camp for kids in the Pocono Mountains.

And now, they're bringing their talents to North Idaho.

The Yellins are looking for about 10 people to join their steam engine spectacle. Actors 18 and older are encouraged to email auditions@silverwoodthemepark.com to inquire.