Okoboji, IA - Summer Theatre

Since 1958, the Okoboji Summer Theatre has presented more than 550 plays to an audience of 1.5 million. A thousand young actors, 500+ professional faculty and 2,000+ guest artists have dedicated every waking moment to pulling off each production, accounting for nearly 40,000 exhausting hours of rehearsals. In 1958, the theatre started with nine Stephens College (Columbia, MO) students and 11 faculty members; today it is recognized as one of the longest running summer stock theatre programs in the country. It has continuously entertained summer audiences in the lakes Region of Iowa with high-quality, sold-out shows. From mid-June through mid-August, a different show is presented each week, including Broadway hits, thought-provoking dramas, entertaining musicals and lively comedies. Students and faculty from Stephens College are joined by professional guest artists from around the country to manage, produce, design costumes, sets and act in the theatre’s summer productions. Stephen’s students also produce four children’s shows at the Boji Bantam Children’s Theatre. Founded in 1833, Stephens College is the second-oldest women’s college in the country, with co-educational graduate and adult undergraduate programs and a Professional Conservatory Training Program.