COEUR d'ALENE — The old lights in the Lake City Playhouse theater were installed in the 1960s, and even then, they were secondhand.

They were hot enough to heat eyelash glue, which was less than ideal for one actress who finished a long dance scene with melting glue dripping into her eyes.

With a $30,000 grant from the Women's Gift Alliance, the theater replaced its archaic setup and brought its lighting and sound systems into the 21st century.

"The lights have made a world of difference," actor Oskar Owens said Wednesday night during a Heart to Heart event with Women's Gift Alliance members.

A new control board, LED lights, new speakers and new monitors in the dressing rooms are among the upgrades the Playhouse has undergone since receiving its portion of the $100,000 the Women's Gift Alliance distributed last June.

"It's changed what we can do on the stage," Lake City Playhouse Artistic Director Brooke Wood said.

The Women's Gift Alliance is an organization with the goal of pooling the talents and resources of women in Kootenai County to provide meaningful financial support to charitable, cultural and educational projects within the community.

Each member contributes to the funds that are annually distributed through a grant process, which is diligently and carefully conducted by the grant committee.

"When you get to this part of the whole process, it's so thrilling to see how our work has been manifested here in the community," said Christine Quinn, co-chair of the Women's Gift Alliance Grant Committee. 

The Playhouse transitioned to the new equipment late last summer in the middle of the run of "Jekyll and Hyde the Musical."

"They are so excited about the changes it's made to their performances," Quinn said. "They said, 'What a difference it made.' They could tell the difference before and after and how wonderful it is."

Des "Pony" Dunbar, 16, and Sam Bajorek, 18, both of Post Falls, have been active with the Playhouse since last summer. They expressed their deep gratitude to the Women's Gift Alliance for supporting the theater they love so much.

"This is like my second home," Pony said. "I'm here basically every single day of my life."

She said that Lake City Playhouse has changed her life.

"I feel so loved and appreciated in this place," she said.

Bajorek, who has worked the sound system for four shows and counting, echoed the sentiment.

"It is truly like a family. I've met so many amazing people and I've also learned so much," she said. "Every time I meet a new cast, it's always the most amazing people ... I'm such a different person because of Lake City Playhouse."

The Women's Gift Alliance is seeking more members to continue to make magic happen for causes and nonprofits in the community. Membership is based on an annual contribution of $1,100 that is allocated between a pooled grant fund, an individually designated gift and an endowment fund.

Info: womensgiftalliance.org

   Des "Pony" Dunbar, 16, left, and Sam Bajorek, 18, both of Post Falls, share their love of Lake City Playhouse with the Women's Gift Alliance during a site visit Heart to Heart event Wednesday evening.
  

    From left, Women's Gift Alliance members Allie Lee, Beth Moscato and Karen Shaul visit Wednesday evening during a Heart to Heart event at the Lake City Playhouse.