Community Impact

Twelve days.

That’s how much time Lauren had to step into a role for Murder at Legend Manor, with plenty of lines and little time to prepare.

When Theater on the Run needed someone to jump in, we thought of Lauren, a young performer from our children’s theater program this summer. We called, and she said yes.

She studied her lines, came to rehearsal, listened closely, and gave the role her full heart. And this was not a typical theater experience! Theater on the Run moves through downtown Spearfish, with scenes performed at local businesses and audiences following the story from place to place.

After her final performance, we caught Lauren in the lobby and asked her to draw herself onto our “See Yourself at The Matthews” board. It felt like such a clear picture of what The Matthews is all about.

A place where local talent is noticed. A place where people are invited in. A place where someone can say yes, step into the story, and feel like they belong.

This year’s Theater on the Run honored Charlotte, a longtime Matthews volunteer, board member, and playwright who passed away this year. Charlotte wrote Murder at Legend Manor specifically for this anniversary year, creating a story rooted in this community.

And as we’ve gotten to know Lauren, we’ve learned that she is not only a talented performer, but also hopes to become a playwright. Watching her step into Charlotte’s words felt like more than good timing. It felt a little like fate.

The talent is here. And for 120 years, we’ve given it a stage.

This year’s Rose Hill Cemetery Walk was a powerful reminder of why community theater matters, especially as we look ahead to America’s 250th anniversary.

Over two evenings, nearly 200 people attended this year’s event. Together, they helped raise more than $1,150 to support The Matthews’ mission of making arts and culture accessible to our community.

The success of the Cemetery Walk was the result of a true community effort. More than 35 volunteers contributed their time and talents, including researchers and writers who spent six months uncovering local stories, organizers, parking volunteers, and the audience members whose participation brought the event to life. Thirteen enactors portrayed early Black Hills residents through thoughtful performances at their gravesites. This year’s cast included participants from Spearfish, Deadwood, Belle Fourche, and Sturgis, reflecting the event’s growing regional collaboration.

For some performers, the experience was especially meaningful as they shared the stories of their own ancestors, creating powerful connections between family history and community memory.

As our nation prepares to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, events like the Cemetery Walk remind us that history is more than what we read in textbooks or see at national landmarks. It lives in local cemeteries, family stories, and communities willing to preserve and share the past. By bringing neighbors together to listen, remember, and reflect, the Cemetery Walk connects Spearfish’s history to the larger American story, one person, one family, and one performance at a time.

Thank you to everyone who researched, wrote, volunteered, performed, attended, and supported this year’s Cemetery Walk. Together, you helped keep our community’s history alive.