nexStage Theatre Mission Statement

Our Mission

The nexStage Theatre’s mission is to provide a flexible venue for hosting, supporting and producing the performing arts in addition to educational, multicultural, philanthropic and community events.

About the nexStage Theatre

The Sun Valley Performing Arts/nexStage Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization (ein # 82-0531282) serving Blaine County with a permanent theatre for local performers, staging quality performances of music, dance and theater, helping to underwrite non-profit community events and offering year-round educational performing arts classes for the families of Southern Idaho.

Since its beginnings in 1992, the nexStage Theatre has grown by offering diverse programs that reach a large cross-section of the residents of Blaine County:

Dramatic arts classes for all ages during the school year
The Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival
Producing Partners program providing financial aid for local theater companies
Underwriting community non-profit events and presentations
Summer Performing Arts Camp (3 weeks in July)

These programs, in addition to the regular schedule of plays and readings at the nexStage, all address the organization’s overarching mission (see above!)

Our Vision for the future of the nexStage Theatre

A great theatre is more than a place to see plays. It also serves its community as a door to the world of art for both children and adults. The nexStage Theatre is dedicated to both the performing arts and to educational, philanthropic and multi-cultural community events at our dynamic theatre building on Main Street Ketchum.

The nexStage Board is currently in the strategic planning stage necessary to redevelop the theatre. The dream is to create a multi-use performance space where culture can flourish, where ideas can be exchanged, a place accessible to all the diverse groups in our community, a green and environmentally sensitive restructuring of the old theatre facility.

The new nexStage Theatre in this vision will be more than just a theatre. It will have a large mainstage auditorium of course (with new more comfortable seats for our deserving audiences!) but also a remodeled flexible “backstage” building”, with a black box theatre, rehearsal space, prop and costume rooms and class rooms. The nexStage will be able to expand its offerings of educational drama classes, productions and workshops to the community through this expansion.

At the same time, it will continue to underwrite and encourage local dance, music and drama groups as well as host even more non-profit events and celebrations in this enlarged and flexible space. Offering a season of entertainment to include productions & presentations of out-of-town theatre as well as these diverse community events will keep the theatre lit up most evenings of the year.

Theatre Fact Sheet

Fulfills its mission as a facility for the performing arts and community events for all Blaine County residents.
Has been a positive and significant influence to our area’s quality of life since 1992
Is supported by the Idaho Arts Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts
Provides opportunities to learn, experience, perform, share and celebrate the arts
Attracts over 30,000 area residents annually to plays, concerts, workshops & recitals
Serves over 500 students annually, providing quality art-related opportunities and experiences at after school programs, summer camp and the Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival.
Maintains a faculty of dedicated, talented and well-qualified dramatic arts teachers for all our education programs
Is governed by an enlightened, dedicated and involved Board of Trustees
Has its programs and policies administered by a capable and creative managing director.
Partners with other performing arts groups to produce their shows at the theatre
Offers scholarships to allow many students to attend, who ordinarily could not afford the low fees for the education programs.
Conducts successful fundraising campaigns to help balance the annual operating budget
Invites everyone to its programs, regardless of age, race, religion, sex or disability