2021 Black Hills Playhouse Playbill

From the Executive Director....

We have worked diligently at the Playhouse over the past decade to improve the campus in Custer State Park, to increase production values of the work we do, and to expand education programs statewide. This is in service of meeting our mission to deliver exceptional theatre programs that engage diverse people and strengthen South Dakota communities. We also took this path to diversify our income streams and create a stronger foundation for the company. Never in a million years could we have imagined that in 2020 all of our funding streams would simultaneously evaporate.

All but one. What stuck with us was funding from our devoted community of donors, funders, patrons, volunteers, and board members who showed unequivocally that the Playhouse mattered to them. We could not have made it through this year without each and every one of them.

So, a major pandemic has changed the way we do theatre. And in the pause which the pandemic created, we have contemplated what our world will look like after. Civic unrest across the country has brought many issues to the forefront which we believe will inform the work we do well into the future.This year the board adopted the following diversity statement: The Black Hills Playhouse is committed to creating theatre that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes the human experience in all its diversity. We seek to collaborate with, employ, share the stories of, and engage individuals of all backgrounds and experiences to foster a healthy environment for opportunity and growth through the power of performance art.

What this means is that we are determined to be more intentional in our relationships, our hiring, and our storytelling. It means we will work harder to eliminate barriers to our programs and participate in a more meaningful and authentic way with the diverse cultures of people who reside in South Dakota. Important work to be sure.

I send a special thanks to our incredible staff who have pivoted constantly since March of 2020 to keep theatre alive and to our Board of Directors. Special thanks also to our President Holly Knox and our executive committee, Mark Meersman, Sara Southwood, Sharla Steever, Todd Brink, and Bruce Kelley, for meeting weekly last year as we worked to keep things afloat. But most of all, thank YOU for participating in this unique, one-of-a-kind season and sticking with us in challenging times.

Linda Anderson Executive Director landerson@blackhillsplayhouse.com 7