PROGRESS: Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre's new groove

The Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre Company (LPO Rep) has emerged in recent years as a vibrant and ambitious force within the performing arts scene in North Idaho.

Based in Sandpoint, with a home office at the Envision Center, the company has built a reputation for imaginative productions, community engagement and a fearless approach to the classics – reinterpreting theater in bold and accessible ways.

One of the company’s most notable accomplishments is its production of well-known theatrical works with innovative set and staging concepts.  Their most recent production, Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, reimagined the classic work in a modern-day New York City setting.  The adaptation included large scale set pieces including the Empire State Building and Central Park, and used multi-media elements with film, dance and music sequences, creating a diverse and contemporary feel.

Other recent productions include “Arsenic and Old Lace”, “A Christmas Carol”, “Steel Magnolias”, and the musicals “Young Frankenstein”, “Into the Woods”, “Legally Blonde”, and “Always… Patsy Cline”.  While LPO Rep’s day-to-day operations are in the hands of board members Andrew Sorg, Kate McAlister, Nikki Luttmann, Terry Owens, Cory Repass and Callie Lemley, the artistic vision is guided by Tim Bangle, the company’s artistic director.  Bangle, a local filmmaker and stage director, explains, “My goal for the company is to keep driving us forward artistically, and challenging the boundaries and concepts that people associate with stage plays.”  For Bangle, the vision and continuity of the world being created is the most important aspect of the show.  The “world” he creates is as much a character as the actor’s themselves, making the overall experience highly immersive.

The company, a registered 501(c)3, has found the current economic climate challenging, as have so many non-profits in our area.  In a time when many non-profits are shutting their doors, or limiting operations, LPO Rep is taking another approach.  Following a period of restructuring in early 2025, leadership made the strategic decision to ensure financial sustainability by selecting plays in the public domain to reduce production costs.  This pragmatic approach has allowed the theater company not only to continue operating, but to maintain artistic quality while navigating the challenges that affect small regional arts organizations.  Recently, they have partnered with Live/Give 7B (7bgives.org), a platform that helps many non-profits in Bonner County raise awareness and funds through community giving.

As well, the company is looking for underwriters and sponsors for their ambitious production schedule in 2026-2027.  “With rising costs at local venues, as well as inflation, it is becoming more and more apparent that we have to think outside the box for funding opportunities,” says board president, Andrew Sorg.  “Grant dollars are not as easy to come by as they once were for local non-profits, so we are hoping to engage community partners that share our passion for live theater here in Bonner County.”

For more information on upcoming shows, volunteer opportunities, events and auditions, visit the company’s website at www.lporep.org.  For direct questions or to learn more about sponsorship, please reach out to [email protected].

    The cast of Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" poses for a photo.
  

    A scene from Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Nikki Luttmann is the secretary of the Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre board of directors.