Experience The Playmill Theatre at a new location in Island Park

Editor’s Note: This is the second of a three-part series focused on live theaters in West Yellowstone and Island Park. You can read part one here. Part three will be posted on Wednesday.

ISLAND PARK — After many years of dreaming and planning, it has now become a reality: The Playmill has opened its state-of-the-art theater in a brand-new building for audiences. Now, the owners want you to visit and check out what they have in store.

Roger and Heidi Merrill have been the owners of The Playmill Theatre since 2005. It started in 1964. Roger explained that they had outgrown the previous building in West Yellowstone.

“The only alternative was to relocate, and so we determined Island Park at Mack’s Inn was in close enough proximity,” he said.

They moved to Island Park at 4111 South Big Springs Loop Road and the new theater space just opened to the community and tourists on July 1.

Click here to read a previous story about the Mack’s Inn building.

RELATED | Playmill Theatre opening new building in Island Park

The previous theater could only seat 265. Merrill said they were constantly selling out, and people tried to buy tickets but couldn’t because of it.

“We just honestly felt bad that we couldn’t serve more patrons, because seating was so limited, and we were still doing 13 shows a week there,” he said.

The new theater space can seat 475 people and has been successful.

“It’s been good to move into a bigger venue. We’re still doing 13 shows, but we can seat many more people, and it’s been great,” he said.

Not only that, but the new location will have a steakhouse, ice cream parlor, and a gift shop, all under the same roof, which is projected to open in the Fall.

“Our new facility is actually 23,000 square feet, and it also incorporates housing. There’s a dormitory that will sleep 32 people in the basement under the stage so that we can have all of our employees there,” Merrill said.

As for the new eatery, Steakhouse 64 will be an American-fusion restaurant featuring locally sourced ingredients. Merrill said it will focus on steaks, burgers, and home cooking.

Guests who visit will be entertained by cast members from the productions, creating a unique dining experience.

“Two nights a week, they will work in the restaurant as singing waiters. We’re going to have a little stage built in the restaurant so the servers will take turns singing at the microphone during dinner service,” he said. “We are excited about that.”

Even if people just come for dinner and not a play, they’ll get a taste of what happens at The Playmill.

Steakhouse 64 will take reservations and walk-ups.

The “Ice Cream Parlour” is called Heidi Ann’s, named after Roger’s wife. It will be designed like an 1890s soda fountain and ice cream parlor with counter service. It’s “the perfect spot for a timeless treat,” the website says. It will also offer Heidi’s famous fudge.

“She has made fudge for the theater for about 40 years. We sell it at intermission. One reason a lot of people come to the theater is for the fudge because it has been there a long time. It’s very good and it’s all handmade by my wife Heidi,” Merrill said.

She has different flavors like milk chocolate fudge, milk chocolate walnut, peanut butter, rocky road, mint, orange, and cookies and cream.

Then, there’s the Mill Creek Mercantile. “From home decor to old-fashioned candy, children’s toys, Playmill merch, and everything in between, we’ve carefully curated our gift shop to be filled with unique finds that feel special to take home,” the website said.

He hopes that all three can open near Thanksgiving time.

Right now for the summer season, The Playmill has three shows: Disney’s Frozen, Les Misérables, and Disney’s Newsies.

Merrill added that they will be a year-round theater, which wasn’t what they did before.

Coming in the fall will be The Foreigner. Then, during Christmas, it will be A Very Playmill Christmas.

“The thing that makes us different is we’ve always tried to focus on the audience and giving the audience a positive environmental experience attending the theater,” Merrill said.

The Playmill focuses on being interactive with patrons. They are greeted by cast members at the door and taken to their seats.

“We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, recognize military personnel and then we do a sing-along with the audience to get them involved before the show starts,” Merrill said. “Then we do the first half of the show. At intermission, we bring concessions right out into the audience.”

They sell ice cream sundaes, root beer floats, fudge and popcorn. After the show, cast members greet the audience to thank them for coming.

“The immersive experience is our goal; to make people feel welcome, noticed and part of the experience,” he said.

The Playmill Theatre is in its 63rd season. Click here to check out tickets and dates. Audience members have responded positively to the new space.

“It’s been great. It’s beautiful. It’s very aesthetically pleasing,” Merrill said. “Every show we’ve done, we’ve sold more tickets than we could have in West Yellowstone.”