What Is St. Thomas Playhouse?

Updated

St. Thomas Playhouse (STP) is a community theater organization in Sun Valley, Idaho, founded in 2001 as an outreach ministry of St. Thomas Episcopal Church. It presents plays, musicals, readings, and summer camp programs, with theater arts education for children and youth as a core part of its mission. If you are looking for local live theater, youth performing arts programming, or a community group to join or support in the Wood River Valley, STP is the organization to know.

Where It Came From

STP began when St. Thomas Church shared its first theatrical production with the Wood River Valley community in 2001. That production ran five sold-out performances and involved 125 local performing artists and volunteers. The response led a group within the church to formalize the effort as St. Thomas Playhouse, continuing to reach the community through live theater.

What It Does

STP describes itself as a community theater founded on the belief that the performing arts can educate people and transform lives while providing entertainment. Its programming includes:

  • Plays and musicals — full productions staged for the community
  • Readings — staged or script-in-hand presentations
  • Summer camp programs — seasonal youth programming, including Company B and SPACC (see below)

The organization states that it aims to enrich the spiritual lives of participants and audience members, build relationships, and explore theological and real-life themes through its work.

Who Runs It

STP is led by a Charter Committee and is an outreach ministry of St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Named leadership and contacts listed on the site include:

Role Name Contact
Artistic Director Sara Gorby [email protected]
Finance and Development Director Joanna Sattler [email protected]
Communications Director Brett Moellenberg [email protected]

The Charter Committee includes Sara Pettit (Chair/Vestry Liaison), Katie Bernacchi (Vice Chair), Christine Davis-Jeffers (Treasurer), Laura Gvozdas (Secretary), and members Leigh Barer, Lexi Black, Michael Cohen, Cat Downs, Liz Hickey, Robin Leavitt, Megan McCann, Carrie Neville, Margot Ramsay, Wyatt Root, Mardi Shepard, and Sarita Valenti.

Summer and Fall Programs

The site invites the community to "join us this summer and fall" and lists the following resources:

  • Company B information — program details, also available in Spanish (Company B en Español)
  • SPACC information — program details, also available in Spanish (SPACC en Español)
  • Tuition assistance form — for families seeking financial help with program costs
  • Sarah Adicoff Scholarship — a named scholarship opportunity
  • SPACC Team 2026 — a page section with team bios, accessible by clicking the image on the site

The site does not publish tuition amounts, program dates, or eligibility rules in the material available, so those details need to be confirmed directly with STP.

How to Get Involved or Get Answers

  • Visit or write: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 201 Sun Valley Rd., Sun Valley, ID 83353
  • Call: (208) 726-5349
  • Email: the director whose area matches your question (artistic, finance/development, or communications) using the addresses above
  • Check the church site: STP links to the St. Thomas Episcopal Church website for broader parish information

For program-specific questions — such as Company B or SPACC enrollment, tuition assistance, or the Sarah Adicoff Scholarship — contact STP directly, since application steps and deadlines are not detailed on the page.