We strive to create exceptional theatre through education, empathy, accessibility, inclusivity, and collaboration to enrich our community.

To help our community thrive by nurturing the artist in anyone and inspiring the arts in everyone both on and off stage.

The Premiere Playhouse is a professionally staffed, community based non-profit theatre organization in residence at the Orpheum Theater Center of downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota. With more than twenty years of history as an organization, our ultimate objective is to provide an inclusive and accessible theatre experience to all members of our diverse and talented community.

In 2024, TPP finds its success through an active working board full of leaders in their respective fields and an inspired staff made up of accomplished professionals of various backgrounds. Throughout the year we produce both a mainstage and an education season full of commercial titles and annual traditions for a wide range of ages and abilities. Within our season, we debut new plays by local playwrights, host community based events, provide free acting classes to the public, collaborate with local artists, mentor aspiring theatre artists, and more. Our productions and expanded programming help our community thrive by nurturing the artist in anyone and inspiring the arts in everyone, both on and off stage. Come see what the buzz is about!

1954 – The Sioux Falls Community Playhouse purchased and regularly performed in The Orpheum Theater.

2002 – The Sioux Falls Community Playhouse dissolved.

2003 – The Sioux Empire Community Theatre was born after a number of local theatre enthusiasts banded together with the belief that local theatre is vital to the fabric of the community.

2004 – The Sioux Empire Community Theatre became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in order to continue providing theatre experience opportunities to all members of our community.

2021 – The Sioux Empire Community Theatre rebranded to The Premiere Playhouse to return to their roots and honor the original Playhouse theatre group.

Fiscal Responsibility: We are committed to honoring the community theatre’s rich institutional history, while evolving and growing in a fiscally responsible way in order to meet the changing needs and interests of the entire community we serve and represent.

Accessibility and Inclusivity: We believe that theatre is a communal and educational experience – on stage, behind the scenes and in the classroom. Theatre breaks down barriers, provokes empathy, creates unbreakable bonds, and imparts important life skills through stage skills for people of all ages and abilities. Through upholding high ethical standards, demonstrating respect for all and consciously working to provide diverse representation, we are committed to creating an inclusive and safe environment in which ALL community members feel a sense of belonging, regardless of ethnicity, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, country of origin or other factors.

Community: We believe in creating theatre for the community, by the community and as a representative of the community. We enhance our community through our collaborative artistry in all aspects of theatre.  We promote and create dialogues and educational opportunity with art at the center and strive to be the artistic home for our community. We value the contributions of all who dedicate their time to creating quality theatre.

Excellence: We are committed to achieving the highest standards of production quality through innovation, professional development and education, community collaboration, and the latest industry standards.

President: Tammi Waltjer-Haverly
[email protected]

Assistant Vice Presidents:

• Thomas Kapusta
• Scott Ostman

Treasurer: Sarah Tuntland

Secretary: Kelly Boyd

Directors:

• John Schlimgen
• Clinton Store
• Lary B. Etten
• Mary McClung
• Kent Hartsuiker
• Pedro Assis
• Casey Kustak

Past President: Rick Weiland

If you would like to learn more about our Board of Directors, please click here.