The Winter's Tale | Idaho Shakespeare Festival
2026-08-14 - 2026-08-29 | Idaho Shakespeare Festival, 5657 E Warm Springs Ave, Boise, ID, 83716
Shakespeare returns to the Idaho Shakespeare Festival’s beautiful outdoor amphitheater with The Winter’s Tale, a moving story of heartbreak, healing, forgiveness, and renewal. Presented in a fresh modern-verse translation by Tracy Young — who also directs — in partnership with Play On Shakespeare, this production brings one of the Bard’s late romances to vivid life.
When the jealous King Leontes’ unfounded suspicions destroy his family, he imprisons Queen Hermione and casts away their newborn daughter. Years later, the lost princess — raised in faraway Bohemia — falls in love with a prince and returns to the kingdom she has never known, bringing hope, renewal, and a chance to restore what was lost. It’s a bittersweet tale that blends tragedy and comedy into a story of loss and redemption.
Set beneath the Idaho sky, an evening at the festival is a summer tradition unlike any other — pack a picnic, enjoy the pre-show marketplace and Meadow Stage mini-concerts (6:30 PM most nights), and settle in for world-class theatre. Whether it’s date night, a family outing, or a night out with friends, it’s a one-of-a-kind experience.

Something Rotten | Nampa Civic Center
2026-08-20 - 2026-08-22 | Nampa Civic Center, 311 3rd Street South, Nampa, Idaho, 83651
Welcome to the Renaissance! Music Theatre of Idaho brings the outrageous, crowd-pleasing musical farce Something Rotten to the Nampa Civic Center stage. Created by Grammy-winning songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick and screenwriters Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, this Tony-nominated Broadway hit was hailed by Time Out New York as “the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years.”
Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing, and acting all at once, the brothers set out to write the world’s very first musical — with hilariously chaotic results. Packed with big song-and-dance numbers and a wacky cast of over-the-top characters, it’s a joyful, laugh-out-loud love letter to musical theatre that famously earned standing ovations mid-first-act during its Broadway run.

Esther: An Instrument of Peace | Nampa Civic Center
2026-08-29 16:30 - 21:00 UTC | Nampa Civic Center, 311 3rd Street South, Nampa, Idaho, 83651
Music Theatre of Idaho and the Kofoed Family bring the inspiring stage production ESTHER: An Instrument of Peace to the Nampa Civic Center. This original, faith-inspired musical tells the timeless and stirring story of Esther — a young woman whose courage and conviction change the course of history — brought to life through beautiful music, heartfelt performances, and a moving message of hope and purpose.
It’s an uplifting, family-friendly production that celebrates bravery, faith, and the power of standing up for what’s right. Whether you’re drawn to the story, the music, or a meaningful afternoon at the theatre, it’s a memorable experience for the whole family.
