Dakota Stage is happy to announce its 2026 Shade Tree Players Summer Season.
Academy Program (Ages 7-13)
All Academy rehearsals and performances take place at the Frances Leach High Prairie Arts & Science Complex.
Registration Information:
Deadline: May 15
Cost: $230 before March 1 / $250 after March 1
Sibling and multi-show discounts available
Academy Play: Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook!
By Allison Gregory
Synopsis:
Something terrible happened to Junie B. Jones at school today! Someone stole her new furry mittens! So when Junie B. finds a wonderful pen of many colors, she should be allowed to keep it, right? Because finders keepers, losers weepers. And guess what? There’s a new boy in kindergarten and he is the handsomest. The only thing is both Grace and Lucille want him to be their boyfriend. Maybe he will love Junie B. when he sees her wonderful pen! It is okay to keep it, right? Junie B. Jones is not a crook… or is she? A hilarious and heartfelt tale based on the best-selling book series by Barbara Park.
Available Sessions:
Session A
Rehearsals Begin
May 26, 2026 9:00 am
Parent Meeting
May 26, 2026 9:00 am
Rehearsal Schedule
Monday – Friday 9:00am to Noon
Performances
June 25, 2026 7:00 pm
June 26, 2026 7:00 pm
June 27, 2026 7:00 pm
June 28, 2026 2:00 pm
Session B
Rehearsals Begin
June 1, 2026 1:00 pm
Parent Meeting
June 1, 2026 1:00 pm
Rehearsal Schedule
Monday – Thursday 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Performances
July 9, 2026 7:00 pm
July 10, 2026 7:00 pm
July 11, 2026 7:00 pm
July 12, 2026 2:00 pm
Academy Musical: Rock Bottom
Book, Music & Lyrics by Craig Hawes
Synopsis:
Journey back to the dawn of time in “Rock Bottom” – Craig Hawes’ brand new prehistorical hysterical Stone Age rock musical!
Meet The Cobblestones, just an ordinary Stone Age family of cave folk living on Stoney Street, Rock Bottom! But when cave boy inventor Bobby Cobblestone hatches his very first good idea, he’s whisked off to work for none other than the beautiful celebrity Lady Lava! Unfortunately, BC is soon up to his neanderthal neck in trouble when he discovers his new boss hides a dark secret that will rock Rock Bottom to its foundations. With mysterious monsters terrorising the town and a volatile volcano ready to blow its top, can BC become a little boulder and hatch a plan to save his family, his friends and his very own precious Rock Bottom? Only time will tell…
A cast of crazy cave folk join in the neolithic naughtiness, not to mention a flock of prehistoric birds, two dippy dinosaurs, a vacuum-cleaning mammoth and a sabre-tooth tiger called Tiddles! With eight toe-tapping songs to get you rocking like a rolling stone and a puntastic script as sharp as a flint, one thing’s for sure – the Stone Age rocks!
Available Sessions:
Session A
Rehearsals Begin
June 15, 2026 9:00 am
Parent Meeting
June 15, 2026 9:00 am
Rehearsal Schedule
Monday – Thursday 9:00am to Noon
Performances
July 23, 2026 7:00 pm
July 24, 2026 7:00 pm
July 25, 2026 7:00 pm
July 26, 2026 2:00 pm
Session B
Rehearsals Begin
June 22, 2026 1:00 pm
Parent Meeting
June 22, 2026 1:00 pm
Rehearsal Schedule
Monday – Thursday 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Performances
July 30, 2026 7:00 pm
July 31, 2026 7:00 pm
August 1, 2026 7:00 pm
August 2, 2026 2:00 pm
Conservatory Program (Ages 13-18)
All Conservatory rehearsals and performances take place at Dakota Stage.
Registration Information:
Deadline: April 1
Cost: $240 before March 1 / $260 after March 1
Sibling and multi-show discounts available
Conservatory Musical: Beetlejuice, Jr.
Music & Lyrics by Eddie Perfect
Book by Scott Brown & Anthony King
Based on the Geffen Company Picture, with a story by Michael McDowell & Larry Wilson
Synopsis
It’s our show now, kid. The ghost-with-the-most comes to the stage in Beetlejuice JR., the frightfully funny musical based on the beloved motion picture turned Broadway phenomenon. Lydia Deetz is a strange and unusual teenager, still grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with the whole “being dead thing.” Lucky for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium.
With music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Eddie Perfect and a book by Tony Award-nominated pair Anthony King and Scott Brown, Beetlejuice was nominated for eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best New Musical. A viral “sucks-yes” on social media, this musical struck a chord with young theatre lovers who adored its unabashed humor and emotional honesty.
Created for the generation that made it a hit, Beetlejuice JR. is a wacky theatrical party for all!
Auditions
Actors must choose an audition time during the registration process. Beetlejuice Jr. auditions will be from 12pm-2pm on the following days:
- March 8, 2026
- March 13, 2026
- March 22, 2026
Rehearsals Begin
June 1, 2026 4:30 pm
Parent Meeting
June 1, 2026 4:30 pm
Rehearsal Schedule
Monday – Thursday 4:30pm to 8:30pm
Performances
July 15, 2026 7:00 pm
July 16, 2026 7:00 pm
July 17, 2026 7:00 pm
July 18, 2026 7:00 pm
July 19, 2026 2:00 pm
Conservatory Play: A Wrinkle In Time
Adapted by Morgan Gould
From the novel by Madeleine L’Engle
Synopsis
One of literature’s most enduring young heroines, Meg Murry, is back — braces, stubbornness and all. Once again, she’s joining forces with Mrs Whatsit, Charles Wallace, Calvin O’Keefe and more to battle the forces of evil so she can rescue her father, save humanity and find herself. In the end, we know two things for sure: 1. Love CAN overcome evil and 2. There IS such a thing as a tesseract. Perfect for schools and theaters with larger casts, this faithful, ensemble-driven adaptation of the beloved novel masterfully retells the story in a fresh and enduring way.
Auditions
Actors must choose an audition time during the registration process. A Wrinkle In Time auditions will be from 2pm-4pm on the following days:
- March 8, 2026
- March 13, 2026
- March 22, 2026
Rehearsals Begin
June 22, 2026 1:00 pm
Parent Meeting
June 22, 2026 1:00 pm
Rehearsal Schedule
Monday – Thursday 1:00pm to 4:30pm
Performances
August 5, 2026 7:00 pm
August 6, 2026 7:00 pm
August 7, 2026 7:00 pm
August 8, 2026 7:00 pm
August 9, 2026 2:00 pm