You’ve Known Us All Along | Theatre 605
- sarah66207
- Oct 14
- 5 min read
The wait is over…we’re pulling back the curtain and stepping into the spotlight. Meet Theatre 605! We’re beyond thrilled to unveil our new brand and bold new look.
For over two years, we’ve been evaluating our programs, strategic goals, and mission, which have expanded considerably over the past decade. The foundation of our organization, The Black Hills Playhouse, isn’t going anywhere. Next summer, you’ll still make your way through the picturesque landscape of Custer State Park and enter the Black Hills Playhouse campus for an amazing theatre experience (You may see a bison or two as well).
We now have a new corporate umbrella designed to help people become more aware that we serve the entire state of South Dakota. The campaign tagline says, “you’ve known us all along”, and this depends on how you have interacted with us over the years. Some folks know us as Black Hills Playhouse because of our glorious location in Custer State Park and the incredible theatre produced there. Others know us for the impact we have made on their community through Dakota Players, by participating in an Expanding Stage production, or by sending a child to BHP Jr., our sleep-away camps.
Now, we are proud to reintroduce ourselves as Theatre 605, and continue our commitment to creating theatre that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes the human experience in all its diversity for nearly 80 years now.
Over the last 15 years, this organization has grown to be so much more than just the little theatre in the woods. We are deeply proud of our roots as the only professional regional theatre in South Dakota, employing amazing talent from across the country. But we’ve grown beyond Custer State Park and now have a state-wide reach.
Theatre 605 East Office, situated in Sioux Falls, has been enriching lives through the arts across the state for over 25 years. This still surprises some who hear the name Black Hills Playhouse, and instantly think of our theatre in western South Dakota. So it’s time to step into a new chapter and find our voice as an organization with diverse programming throughout the entire state.
Meet Theatre 605. Our values, our mission, and our programming aren’t going anywhere. But now we have a name that reflects just how dedicated we are to bringing Theatre to all.
Check out the video below to hear more about the rebrand.
Our Programs
Theatre 605 Black Hills Playhouse
Our historic summer stock theatre, The Black Hills Playhouse, has been at the heart of Theatre 605 for nearly 80 years, and that’s not changing anytime soon.
Located in the beautiful Black Hills, it is a special place. It is the only professional regional theatre in South Dakota, and employs amazing talent from across the country. Many of our alumni have gone on to have spellbinding careers, and we are honored to know they have performed on our stage.
Theatre 605 Black Hills Playhouse is also one of the oldest summer stock theatres in the nation. What began as a dream of Dr. Warren M. (Doc) Lee of the University of South Dakota is the bedrock of Theatre 605. It inspires our dedication to creating theatre that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes the human experience in all its diversity.
Theatre 605 Tours
Formerly known as Dakota Players, Theatre 605 Tours has been bringing exceptional theatre education to communities across the state and beyond for over 25 years.
We are dedicated to fostering an environment that sparks creativity, promotes healthy expression, and ignites imaginations.
This is all facilitated by professional artists who join us from all over the country for a season-long tour. We have an extensive hiring processthat not only ensures we bring the best people for the job to our communities, but also maintains the highest safety standards.
Theatre 605 Jr. Camps
Formerly known as BHP Jr., Theatre 605 Jr. Camps began in 2016 and have been creating memories to last a lifetime for hundreds of campers. At Theatre 605 Jr. Camps, young people discover their voices, build confidence, and form lasting friendships through the magic of theatre.
Year after year, we’re inspired as students grow in creativity and character, reminding us just how transformative the arts can be. We’ve even seen past Dakota Players participants become BHP Jr. campers and then go on to appear on the Black Hills Playhouse stage, joining our seasonal companies!
This year was amazing, with more than 100 campers joining us. 2026 will mark the 10-year anniversary of our camps, and we can’t wait to see what the next decade holds for Theatre 605 Jr Camps.
Theatre 605 Expanding Stage
The Expanding Stage program serves as a vibrant platform for inclusivity, empowerment, and remarkable artistic experiences.
Since 2013, Theatre 605 has partnered with various organizations in the Sioux Falls area to create theatre programs that welcome performers of all ages and abilities. Expanding Stage is specifically designed to offer a space for non-traditional actors and theatre enthusiasts to unite, learn, create, and perform. By emphasizing accessibility and inclusivity, these collaborations cultivate an environment where everyone has the opportunity to shine.
We take immense pride in this incredible program and are consistently inspired by the creativity and collaboration that flourish through the Expanding Stage.
The Look
Designed by Vela Creative Co., the primary logo for Theatre 605 has been designed with you, the audience, in mind. The ‘T’ in Theatre 605 is designed with a twist, representing the drawing back of a curtain, inviting you into our world on the Theatre 605 stage.
Along with the primary logo, we designed new program marks to increase visibility for our programs. The new submarks are more than just visual elements; they’re powerful tools that help communicate our mission and broaden our impact.
We sought to bring in fresh new colors to help us strengthen our visual identity across all of our programming, while staying true to our roots.
This rebrand has been an amazing journey. It has served as a time, not just to reflect on how far we have come in the last 80 years, but to appreciate where we are now and envision where we are going in the future.
We are humbled by your support and are so proud to welcome you into the world of Theatre 605! Starting now, look for a gentle rollout of elements from a new social media and e-newsletter look to a new website to be introduced in November.
Our community is the most important part of what makes our work so meaningful across all locations. Thanks to all who have forged connections and meaningful arts experiences for the past 80 years! The dream of Doc Lee lives on through these exciting changes and transformational growth of the company he founded.
Thank you and welcome to Theatre 605!
Comments