OUR STORY

My Turn Theater began in 2016 as Out of the Shadows Theater in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. While that original company continues today in strong hands, we have grown, and that same heart and vision live on today in Spokane as My Turn Theater.

“The idea was inspired by my son, Toby.”

…as the special-needs, son of an actress, Toby spent years around theater; always helping, always encouraging, always watching from the sidelines. One night, during an audition in a nearly empty theater, I saw him quietly cheering others on and heard a question that stopped me cold:

“When is it my turn?”

She knew the answer. His turn would only come if she made it happen.

So she did.

With the support of a loving theater community—and no funding or guarantees—she launched Out of the Shadows Theater. Volunteers stepped forward. Donations followed. People believed.

What began as a leap of faith became a theater rooted in opportunity, joy, and belonging!

Our first production

In November 2016, twenty-four actors and twenty-four shadow actors stepped onto the stage at the Kroc Center in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for our very first production, Beauty and the Beast Jr. For most, it was their first time in a performance theater—sets, costumes, makeup, sound, lights, and rows of audience seats. It was distracting. Intimidating. Scary. It was… rough.

From the beginning, we made a simple promise: to celebrate whatever our actors brought us.

And then, after just a few more nights of rehearsal, something wonderful happened. It all came together. What had felt uncertain became confident and joyful. This group of first-time performers transformed into a true theater company, pulled together by that unmistakable kind of theater magic.

On opening night, the 400-seat theater filled quickly with a warm, anticipatory buzz. No one knew what was coming. The lights dimmed. The room fell quiet.

For the next hour, the audience laughed and cried as emotions rose from pride to pure joy. Expectations were exceeded, and performers, shadow actors, production team, and audience shared something truly extraordinary.

And then came the curtain call. Two bars into the finale, the audience rose as one, erupting into applause. There were three curtain calls and five unforgettable minutes of sustained applause.

That night became the foundation of everything we continue to build today—a reminder of what is possible when opportunity, support, and love meet the stage.