Nestled in Custer State Park
Black Hills Playhouse
Celebrating generations of storytelling, creativity, and community through the magic of live theatre.
Historic Theatre
The Black Hills Playhouse began as the vision of Dr. Warren M. “Doc” Lee from the University of South Dakota. His mission was to bring high-quality entertainment to the Black Hills while offering training and employment opportunities for students and theatre professionals. Since 1946, the Playhouse has proudly been part of USD’s College of Fine Arts.
Each year, nationwide auditions and interviews are held to discover talented actors, directors, designers, technicians, and interns. Company members live in dorms nestled within Custer State Park, rehearse on-site, and perform Tuesday through Sunday during the summer season in a charming 345-seat theatre.
For generations, friends and families have made attending performances at the Playhouse a beloved tradition. Visitors often gather for picnics at Hab Hall, enjoy treats from the BHP Snack Bar, and take time to unwind before experiencing a show in this beautiful and historic setting.
Experience the Magic of a New Season
Take a look at the new season and see what is coming to Theatre 605 Black Hills Playhouse. Find show details, performance dates, and everything you need to plan your visit.
Center Stage Memories
A Look Back at Seasons
View Past Shows List
Key
≠ – Original Script Production
∆ – Original Script written by BHP Founder, Dr. Warren M. Lee
♦ – Produced at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, Rapid City
○ – Children’s Production
± – Staged Reading
$ – Fundraising Show produced by the BHP Alumni Association
⌂ – Season Warmer
∏ – Season Warmer Fundraiser
1946
Ladies in Retirement
Trouble Shooter – ∆
Angel Street
Claudia
Penny Wise
Private Lives
1947
Arsenic and Old Lace
East Lynne
The Little Foxes
Papa is All
Pursuit of Happiness
Saint Louie – ∆
Ten Nights in a Barroom
Blither Spirit
1948
After Dark
January Thaw
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
Missouri Legend
Night Must Fall
The Poor of New York
1949
Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl
The Comedy of Errors
The Glass Menagerie
My Sister Eileen
Personal Appearance
Private Lives
Taming of the Shrew
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1950
An Inspector Calls
Blithe Spirit
Born Yesterday
Harvey
Rodeo Riders
The Voice of the Turtle
While the Sun Shines
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1951
The Heiress
The Importance of Being Earnest
Room Service
Under the Gaslight
Years Ago
1952
The Beautiful People
The Happy Time
Ladies in Retirement
The Man
Miranda
Papa is All
Petticoat Fever
There’s Gold in the Hills
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1953
…But Not Goodbye
Come Back Little Sheba
The Curious Savage
The Great Big Doorstep
I Remember Mama
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1954
Charlie’s Aunt
Discord – ∆
The Late George Apley
Lo and Behold!
The Strike
Village Green
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1955
The Late Christopher Bean
The Moon is Blue
My Three Angels
Strange Bedfellows
You Can’t Take It With You
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1956
Apple of His Eye
The Rainmaker
The Seven Year Itch
The Solid Gold Cadillac
On Borrowed Time
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1957
Anniversary Waltz
The Desk Set
Finian’s Rainbow
Teahouse of the August Moon
Three Men on a Horse
Witness for the Prosecution
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1958
Bell, Book, and Candle
Brigadoon
The Fourposter
The Matchmaker
The Reluctant Debutante
Uncle Harry
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1959
Amphitryon 38
The Diary of Anne Frank
Inherit the Wind
Jenny Kissed Me
The Silver Whistle
Wonderful Town
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1960
The Desperate Hours
The Gazebo
The Girls of 509
Mister Roberts
Oklahoma!
Time Out for Ginger
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1961
Guys and Dolls
The Man in the Dog Suit
Our Town
Separate Tables
The Tender Trap
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1962
The Cold Wind and the Warm
Hay Fever
Hobson’s Choice
Plain and Fancy
Who Was That Lady I Saw You With?
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1963
George Washington Slept Here
Harvey
Legend of Sarah
Sabrina Fair
South Pacific
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1964
Everybody Loves Opal
The Gang’s All Here
Kind Sir
Kiss Me Kate
Look Homeward, Angel
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1965
Auntie Mame
The Caine Mutiny Court Martial
The Fantasticks
Mary, Mary
My Fair Lady
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1966
Camelot
The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Marriage-Go-Round
The Miracle Worker
The Pleasure of His Company
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1967
Anastasia
Barefoot in the Park
The Cat and the Canary
The Happy Hypochondriac
The Pajama Game
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1968
Arsenic and Old Lace
If a Man Answers
The Odd Couple
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
The Visit
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1969
Carousel
A Case of Libel
The Devil’s Disciple
Never Too Late
The Star-Spangled Girl
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1970
Call Me Madam
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
A Flea in Her Ear
Five Finger Exercise
Under the Yum Yum Tree
The Peripatetic Bartholomew
Bone
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1971
Charlie’s Aunt
Critic’s Choice
Fiddler on the Roof
The Happy Time
The Lion in Winter
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1972
All the Way Home
The Bat
Forty Carats
The Last of the Red Hot Lovers
West Side Story
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1973
Butterflies are Free
Come Blow Your Horn
Mame
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
You Can’t Take it With You
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1974
Cactus Flower
The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
The Rainmaker
A Thousand Clowns
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1975
I Do! I Do!
Dark of the Moon
Strange Bedfellows
Guys and Dolls
Private Lives
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1976
How the Other Half Loves
Sleuth
Cat Among the Pigeons
Annie Get Your Gun
Finishing Touches
Booth – ≠
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1977
The Fantasticks
Wait Until Dark
The Odd Couple
Anything Goes
6 RMS RIV VU
Accent of a Coming Foot – ≠
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1978
The Boyfriend
Blithe Spirit
Streetcar Named Desire
South Pacific
Harvey
Please Don’t Take the Towels – ≠
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1979
Godspell
The Dairy of Anne Frank
The Good Doctor
Man of La Mancha
She Stoops to Conquer
Deus Ex Machina – ≠
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1980
The Star-Spangled Girl
The Glass Menagerie
Dames at Sea
The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild
Same Time, Next Year
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
1981
Stop the World, I Want to Get Off
The Mousetrap
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Oklahoma!
Arsenic and Old Lace
The Sunshine Boys
Take Me Out – ≠
1982
Born Yesterday
Camelot
Dial M for Murder
The Pirates of Penzance
Chapter Two
1983
Hay Fever
The Mikado
Deathtrap
Hello Dolly!
On Golden Pond
Fiddler on the Roof – ♦
1984
Barefoot in the Park
I Remember Mama
My Fair Lady
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Life With Father
Run To Catch a Pine Cone – ≠
Annie – ♦
1985
Two by Two
Mass Appeal
Sound of Music
Amadeus
Once Upon a Mattress
Man of La Mancha – ♦
1986
I Do! I Do!
The Royal Family
Grease
The Elephant Man
Private Lives
1987
Brighton Beach Memoirs
H.M.S. Pinafore
The Importance of Being Earnest
Jesus Christ Superstar
The Foreigner
1988
The Nerd
You Can’t Take It With You
The Music Man
Twelfth Night
The Diviners
The Road to Oz – ○
The Golem – ○
1989
Greater Tuna
Corpse!
Gypsy
The Philadelphia Story
Everybody Loves Opal
The Sleeping Beauty – ○
1990
The Boys Next Door
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Harvey
South Pacific
The Miser
Clowns Play – ○
1991
Lend Me a Tenor
The Legend of Devil’s Gulch – ∆
Tinytypes
Guys & Dolls
Crucifer of Blood
Driving Miss Daisy
Wiley and the Hairy Man – ○
1992
Love Letters
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
The Odd Couple (female)
Little Shop of Horrors
The Rainmaker
More From Story Theatre – ○
1993
A Couple of Blaguards – ≠
Noises Off
Godspell
Breath of Spring
Ruddigore
Picnic
1994
The Fantasticks
The Foreigner
Camelot
The Merchant of Venice
Boy Meets Girl
Clarence Darrow – ≠
1995
Greater Tuna
The Sunshine Boys
Yellow Dog Crossing – ≠
Fiddler on the Roof
A Flea in Her Ear
The Petrified Forest
Trial at Tobray – ±
1996
Everybody Loves Opal
Steel Magnolias
Oklahoma!
Breaking Legs
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
1997
I Hate Hamlet
Wait Until Dark
Brigadoon
Equus
Crimes of the Heart
1998
The Trip to Bountiful
See How They Run
1776
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Nice People Dancing to Good Country Music
1999
The Tavern
The 1940’s Radio Hour
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Remembrance
2000
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
Nunsense
Cabaret
God’s Favorite
Bus Stop
2001
Pump Boys and Dinettes
Our Town
The Sound of Music
Move over Mrs. Markham
The Good Doctor
2002
Room Service
Dracula
Man of La Mancha
Pippin
The Importance of Being Earnest
2003
Inspecting Carol
Arsenic and Old Lace
The Music Man
Pirates of Penzance
Of Mice and Men
2004
The Playboy of the Western World
The Philadelphia Story
The King and I
Once Upon a Mattress
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
2005
The Nerd
Noises Off
Guys & Dolls
H.M.S. Pinafore
The Lion in Winter
2006
Play it Again, Sam
A Chorus Line
Fiddler on the Roof
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Hay Fever
2007
Luv
The Mousetrap
My Way
Frog & Toad
Moon Over Buffalo
2008
Dreams Carved in Stone-≠
Urinetown
Big River
Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure
The Boys Next Door
2009
Brighton Beach Memoirs
The Sugar Bean Sisters
Suds
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Sweet Metigoshe
2010
Leading Ladies
Forbidden Planet
Little Shop of Horrors
2011
Lend Me A Tenor
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
All Shook Up
The 39 Steps
2012
Party Pieces – $
Run For Your Wife
Godspell
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Three Musketeers
2013
Tatanka Teaser – ⌂
Boeing, Boeing
Tuesdays with Morrie
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Children of Eden
Hound of the Baskervilles
2014
Tatanka Teaser – ⌂
Sylvia
The Secret Garden
Spamalot
The Best Man
2015
Tatanka Teaser – ⌂
A Couple of Blaguards – $
To Kill a Mockingbird
She Loves Me
Shrek the Musical
Moonlight & Magnolias
2016
BH All-Stars, Feat. Gordy Pratt, Kenny Putnam, Jami Lynn, & Hank Harris – ∏
Tatanka Teaser – ⌂
Jeeves Intervenes
Pageant
Nunsense
The Addams Family Musical
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont
2017
BHP Presents: DD & the Fayrohs – ∏
Tatanka Teaser – ⌂
Peter and the Starcatcher
Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein: The Musical
Grease
Unnecessary Farce
2018
BH All Stars Feat. Eric Johnson, Gordy Pratt, Dalyce Sellers, Darla Drew & Don Lerdal – ∏
Tatanka Teaser – ⌂
Tokens of Affection (regional premiere)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Oklahoma!
The Game’s Afoot, or Holmes for the Holiday’s
2019
Tatanka Teaser
Sherwood
Side Show
Mamma Mia!
Steele Magnolias
2020
Covid Season
2021
The Marvelous Wonderettes
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
Altar Boyz
2022
Tatanka Teaser
The Mountaintop
The Odd Couple
Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Something Rotten
2023
Tatanka Teaser
The Lifespan of a Fact
Silent Sky
The Drowsy Chaperone
Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5
2024
Tatanka Teaser
The Play That Goes Wrong
Disney’s The Little Mermaid
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
2025
Tatanka Teaser
Murder on the Orient Express
Legally Blonde, The Musical
Waitress
The Book of Will
2026
Tatanka Teaser
The Complete History of America (abridged)
1776
Come From Away
What the Constitution Means to Me
