Island Park, Idaho (KIFI) – Construction of The Playmill Theatre’s new location in Island Park is progressing well. The main building’s metal structure and exterior have been put up before winter hits the area, meaning construction crews are on schedule to complete the project in 2026.
For decades, the Playmill Theatre has been a cherished tradition for countless families and tourists visiting the area.
The theatre has operated out of a building in West Yellowstone, Montana, since 1964 and announced its official move to Island Park last summer. They closed their doors in West Yellowstone after the final season in that location this past summer. It remains unknown what will happen to the original theatre’s building.
“We’ve outgrown the space we were in, but it will always be like home to us,” Sam Merrill, one of the Playmill’s family owners, said. “The magic of the original space will be put into this new theatre, and be even greater with better technology and experiences.”
The new site will feature a 22,000-square-foot building at 4111 North Big Spring Loop in Island Park, near the Springhill Suites by Marriott. The new building will be five times larger than its previous West Yellowstone location, with the theatre’s seating capacity expanding from 267 patrons to 480.
The Playmill Theatre will expand its new space with two additional features: a steakhouse restaurant and a gift shop. Steakhouse 64 will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering a menu of steaks and other fine dining. The restaurant’s unique space will include a small stage where servers can sing at the mic while awaiting tables. Inside, there will also be a gift shop named Mill Creek Mercantile.
The construction of the new theatre was initially scheduled to begin in 2020, but the Merrill family faced significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other varying factors.
Sam Merrill says there are multiple reasons for building a new theater. One of the main factors is the age and wear of the previous building in West Yellowstone. Originally a pharmacy, it was built in the late 1920s and “not up to code with Playmill’s audiences or the show’s demands”.
After the 1959 Hegben Earthquake, the original occupants locked the doors and abandoned the space. Later in 1964, a group of BYU-I theatre students created a small row of audience chairs for a performance in the space, and it has grown ever since.
The Playmill was originally owned by Lynn Benson. Roger Merrill purchased the business from John Bidwell in 2005, but the business has always operated in a leased building in West Yellowstone. Now a family business, the Merrills are eager to create a space where audiences can continue to enjoy Playmill in an exciting and enhanced way.
The construction is expected to be completed by spring 2026, with the theatre set to launch its inaugural season in the summer of that year. The Playmill Theatre has announced a year-long expansion of its production season, which previously operated as a summer stock regional theatre.
The 2026 Production Season will feature the regional premiere of Disney’s “Frozen”, along with Disney’s “Newsies” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Additionally, the theatre will present two shows in the fall and winter: “The Foreigner” and an original production titled “A Very Playmill Christmas.”
2026 marks the theatre’s 63rd year in operation and the first in its new location in Island Park, Idaho.
To purchase season tickets for the new theatre and learn more, click here.
