Good Nights Guaranteed

When four friends sat together on a porch in 2016 with a bottle of wine and a cheese plate, they never anticipated a little dream of starting a company of their own would develop into a haven for professional theatre artists seeking community and positive, memorable performing experiences.

But that just so happened to be the case for the Good Night Theatre Collective, a local theatre company that’s prepping its fifth season for kickoff this fall in downtown Sioux Falls.

“I don’t think we ever expected it to become what it is today,” said Martha Stai, co-founder and current company manager. “The memories we’ve made and the relationships we’ve built from this organization have been astounding.”

What began as a chance meeting of four local actors during a production of Mary Poppins, morphed into an idea—to provide professional musical theatre experiences for the wide range of talent right here in this community.

“We were struck by how many high-quality performers exist here and how much they’re craving more opportunities to display their talents,” co-founder and artistic director Bob Wendland said. “We may be ‘small’ by city standards nationally, but Sioux Falls is a hotbed for performing talent. And it’s only getting more evident each year.”

Good Night kicked off its first season in the fall of 2016, thanks in part to a partnership with ICON Event Hall + Lounge, a downtown bar and venue looking to expand on its offerings with a bit of cabaret-style theatre. And the team was ready to oblige.

“Cabaret is really part of our roots,” Wendland said. “And the way the experience has evolved over the years has really been something to behold. That first cabaret we were hoping even just 50 people would show up to see us perform—and we were amazed to see triple that on opening night.

“That evolution just keeps going—our cabarets have turned into full-on productions showcasing the variety of incredible musical talent we have in Sioux Falls. And with it, the Good Night family—and fan-base—continues to grow and change. It’s a gratifying thing.”

Since that first season, Good Night has spent a great deal of time cultivating its brand, from expanding upon its cabaret roots to make full-length musicals, including original works, a major pillar of its identity.

“We’re so blessed to have had the opportunity to premier works and experiment in a way that a larger theatre might not be able to,” Stai said. “And the community has embraced our style and keeps coming back for more. That says a lot about Sioux Falls—that it’s so supportive of original theatre.”

Through its first four seasons, Good Night has performed productions of The Last Five Years and The Rocky Horror Show, as well as premiered David & Lucy, Daytime: A Soap Opera Musical and, most recently, Alvin Fletcher’s Surprise 34th Birthday Party.

“We were so lucky to get Alvin Fletcher in under the wire before the pandemic really took hold,” Wendland said. “And the response was so positive. We’re proud that we can deliver something no one has ever seen before and leave the audience in stitches.”

The fourth season was cut short in mid-March when COVID-19 took hold, and Good Night was forced to make the difficult call to end its production of Chicago before its intended premiere in late April.

“Since having to halt Chicago, it’s forced us to take some long, hard looks at what the future holds for live theatre,” Stai said. “And while it would be easy, perhaps, to give up, we’ve realized that our company’s spirit just isn’t capable of that.”

In the shadow of COVID-19, Good Night has virtually assembled its artists for three different online productions, including the recent original, sketch-comedy Christmas in July: A Virtual Variety Show, written by locals Luke Tatge and Nick Jackson.

“The future is tough to reckon with,” Wendland said. “We’ve been talking almost constantly about what the pandemic means for our business and how it’s impacting everyone in the performing arts space. And for us, it’s about innovation, collaboration and forward-thinking.”

The team has organized fundraising efforts for fellow local theatre companies in the wake of the pandemic, as well as introduced protocols to protect its performers and patrons—from masks and shields to spaced and assigned seating to moving its upcoming season to larger, well-ventilated venues, the Washington Pavilion and the Orpheum Theater Center.

“This is a tough choice for us to make, but it felt imperative to try to do this in the safest, smartest way possible,” Wendland said. “We’re hopeful that the patron support we’ve been able to build up over the past four years will stay strong while we navigate this unpredictable time. And in the meantime, we’re planning and we’re hoping—we’re keeping dates on the calendar and keeping watch on the what’s going on in the world.

“So no matter what future tough decisions we have to make about our upcoming shows, we’ve set ourselves up to keep entertaining people any way we can—in person, virtually, outdoors—whatever it takes.”

The company’s upcoming season includes four of its signature cabarets, all scheduled to be held at the Washington Pavilion, as well as three full-length musicals—Into the Woods, Cabaret and an original premier Reality Wives—all scheduled to be held in Orpheum Theater Center.

“Our collective members and guest artists are ready to keep putting smiles on people’s faces this season,” Stai said. “We’re so grateful for what Sioux Falls patrons have offered us, and we hope that support stays alive and that people remember how much theatre has brought to their lives.”

To find out how to support the Good Night Theatre Collective, visit GoodNightTheatre.com to book a season pass for upcoming shows.