Theatre 605 talks upcoming season

Jeff Kingsbury and Kassi Blue-Scates of the Theatre 605 visited the monthly meeting of the Hill City Friends of the Library March 11. 
The pair visited to talk about the upcoming seasons and the recent rebranding the Playhouse has undergone.
“The Black Hills Playhouse has a special place in my heart,”
said Blue-Scates, who was hired as part of the tour team after an audition and now acts as development associate.
“The Black Hills Playhouse is and will always be the  Black Hills Playhouse,” said Kingsbury, who is the development director for the new Theater605 brand. 
He called the  Black Hills Playhouse “iconic” and explained the need for the rebranding.
“We’ve always considered ourselves a statewide program,” said Kingsbury, noting the new umbrella, Theater605, reflects that service to the entire state, not just the Black Hills. The rebranding encompasses the tours, the summer stock, junior camps and expanding stage programs that have a statewide reach.
This is Kingsbury’s 18th year with the  Black Hills Playhouse and he says his passion is to “create prosperity” for the institution. 
The history of the  Black Hills Playhouse is not paved in gold. In 2010 the legislature evicted the  Black Hills Playhouse off the campus because the buildings had been neglected. That resulted in the hiring of Linda Anderson as the new executive director. 
The state gave a long list of safety requirements for the Playhouse to reopen.  
Anderson  raised over $500,000 in funds in six months and got the checklist completed  before  a re-opening in 2011. Kingsbury says the Playhouse is going into a major capital campaign.
“It’s time to realize the original vision of the  Playhouse,” he said.
The group aims to roll out its master plan in the next two years. Kingsbury figures by then it will be close to a $10 million ask. 
The vision is to restore the Playhouse to the original Civilian Conservation Corps camp spoke configuration and to add much needed modern amenities. Currently the theater is the only building with air conditioning meaning actors work in “blistering heat” in  the rehearsal hall.
Kingsbury said the 2026 season at the Black Hills Playhouse is going to “knock your socks off.” 
“All of our shows are either about America or the American spirit,” Kingsbury said, to coincide with the 250th birthday of the United States.
The season begins June 7 with the “The Complete History of America (Abridged),” which runs through June 21. Kingsbury calls it “hilarious” and a “rollicking romp” performed by three actors playing a variety of roles in 90 minutes with no intermission. He says there is “nothing particularly political” in the production. 
Next up is “1776,” June 28 – July 12. Kingsbury said the play is a musical written during an election year.
“This is chock full of very humorous moments, and also very dramatic moments,” he said. 
He says 1776 will be “quite remarkable” adding, “I think you will walk out being absolutely stunned at how clever the show is.”
Kingsbury described the third play, “Come From Away,”  as “the hottest musical in the country right now.”
This will be the only showing of the play in South Dakota. Kingsbury is cast as the mayor of a small Newfoundland town whose airport plays a major role in the tragedies of 9-11.
Kingsbury  guarantees it will be a favorite musical.
“Do not miss that because I’m in it,” he  joked.
The season ends with  “What the Constitution Means to Me” being performed Aug.  9-15.  This is a one-woman play that looks at the interpretation of the country’s Constitution from the perspective of multiple generations. 
Kingsbury  stressed, “we just love what we do and frankly it’s because  of our patrons. 
“We really do know them and they know us,” he added, recognizing most everyone in the room from their attendance at shows. 
“We would love to see you this summer,” he said.
Individual tickets for  Black Hills Playhouse plays  go on sale April 1 and passes are available now.