Cd'A Summer Theatre starts fresh

The Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre is sporting a new look on its website, rekindling old relationships and operating with a new mission.

CST took a dramatic hit in 2020 with COVID-19, but it's bouncing back and moving forward with a renewed sense of purpose.

“We’re calling it a renaissance,” said director of marketing Christina Ethridge. “And we can’t do this without the community. If the community doesn’t know what’s going on, if they're not engaged with us, we can’t exist.”

The theater announced in 2019 that it was returning to performing at North Idaho College, and in doing so, it has created opportunities to perform with other organizations in the arts community, like the Coeur d'Alene Chorale.

Chorale singers will make up the chorus of nuns in CST’s first show of the season, "The Sound of Music."

The production has deep symbolic implications for the theater’s new vision.

“There’s a lightness and darkness to the 'Sound of Music,'” said director Roger Welch. “There’s an undertone to it that’s very topical, but there’s a lightness to it. It’s a beautiful story of hope.”

Welch is returning to Coeur d’Alene to direct the musical after directing "The Sound of Music" in 1993, during his first year as the artistic director for CST.

“With the experiences I’ve had in life, I’m going to focus on bringing out the underlying story a little more,” Welch said. “There’s a lot more going on there and I’m going to focus on the juxtapositions.”

Welch also got his professional acting start with CST in 1986. He was artistic director for 20 years, until 2013.

“Welch took the summer theater from regional to being a stepping stone to Broadway,” Ethridge said.

During his time with the company, Welch became friends with its founder, Bob Moe, and tried to emulate Moe’s vision with his own management style.

“His motto was, 'It’s the place you go before you go pro,'” Welch said. “It was an opportunity to create wonderful theater in a beautiful resort town. He had a strong vision of inclusiveness. Picking pieces that people wouldn’t typically do in that area.”

The energy at the opening gala is expected to be like a school reunion, with many CST alumni reconnecting.

Christina Ethridge said CST's executive artistic director, Chuck Ethridge, her husband, has a goal to make musical theater accessible to everyone.

“He launched a theater for all program, where businesses buy seats and those are given away to people around the ALICE organization," Christina said. "The goal is to fill an entire single performance with those donations.”

The sponsored seats will provide opportunities to see professional performances for people who might not otherwise have them.

CST is not community theater. Crew and performers are paid, Christina said.

"So the quality of what’s on our stage darn well better show we’re professional," Christina said. "CST is a different caliber.”

The CST board of directors has a new president-elect, Hank Martin, a new mission, a solid vision, and tangible goals of reaching the community and finding their voice.

“Theater has an impact on everyone,” Christina said. “it’s good for business, it’s good for the community.”

"Footloose, the Musical" and "Pride and Prejudice, a New Musical" will round out CST's summer season.

For tickets and info, visit cstidaho.com.