Fall Construction at the Black Hills Playhouse Campus

Behind the curtain, years of care and collaboration have kept our cherished historic summer stock theatre, the Black Hills Playhouse, running. And now, with the help of state partners and community supporters, essential infrastructure upgrades are underway. These improvements will ensure that the experience of theatre in this one-of-a-kind setting can continue to inspire for decades to come.

New Sewer System at the BHP

Our supporters have long been aware of the challenges of our antiquated sewer system at the Black Hills Playhouse campus.  Now, our site in Custer State Park is the beneficiary of federal pandemic relief for water infrastructure projects across the state. Theatre 605 and Custer State Park have worked for decades jointly to mitigate water run-off and sewer issues. Led by RCS Construction, by contract through the SD Department of Game, Fish, & Parks, the new project is currently underway, upgrading water and wastewater management systems at the Center Lake Campground and the Black Hills Playhouse.

Dining Hall Bridge & Road Repair

In addition, the bridge on the road near the dining hall is being replaced due to erosion, and additional road repair is happening in the Park. Access to the Black Hills Playhouse campus is limited during this time. Work is expected to finish later this fall.

Cooperation Between Long-standing Partners Continues

For 80 years, Theatre 605 and the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, & Parks have partnered to help maintain the historic CCC Camp Lodge turned Black Hills Playhouse site, which has allowed patrons to see theatre in the unique environment of Custer State Park. For 15 years, through this partnership and with the generosity of our community, significant upgrades to the site and buildings have been made, making it a safer place for both employees and audience members to enjoy.

Since April of 2023, Darryn Witt, BHP Physical Plant Manager, has been an integral part of the improvements on site, with assistance from generous donors and the Physical Plant Committee. Under his leadership and knowledge of life/safety issues, the Playhouse has been able to make strides in emergency response and planning. In 2025, SD Game, Fish, & Parks and Theatre 605 entered into a cooperative arrangement for ARC International, Inc. of Rapid City to perform a Building Condition Assessment with the goal of prioritizing projects on the site. A number of life safety and accessibility improvements were identified, and a timetable for mitigation is under negotiation.

Theatre 605 has also engaged ARC International, Inc. to develop a new Facilities Master Plan with the overall goal of improving accessibility, staff work functions, and patron safety–all with an eye to preserving the look and feel of the Playhouse we all know and love. The plan will be reviewed and approved by the Theatre 605 Board of Directors, as well as the SD Department of Game, Fish, & Parks. It is anticipated that a major capital campaign will be needed to meet the needs, with the goal of strengthening the Black Hills Playhouse for generations to come.