The bills are paid, the photos are delivered, the postmortem is complete, but reflections on 1776 are still underway.

This production felt like a turning point for us for so many reasons. Looking back, it's amazing how many firsts and milestones happened over the course of one show.

It’s easy for exciting milestones and successes to go to your head, so here’s a little perspective to keep us grounded.

Yes, we sold out a show, but we only had four performances.

Yes, we had our biggest opening night ever on a Thursday, but it was a Thursday that felt a lot like a Friday since many people had July 3rd off because the 4th fell on a Saturday.

And while we sold more tickets per performance than ever before, 1776 wasn’t actually our most profitable production. Between rising rental costs at the Panida, increasing material expenses, and the higher licensing fees that come with musicals compared to straight plays, it was our most expensive production on a per-show basis.

In total, producing 1776 cost $23,481.92. Our largest expense was the Panida at just over $9,000, followed by the performance rights at about $4,000. Costumes and printing each came in around $2,500, while the set cost about $2,000. In reality, many of our costs were even higher than the numbers we report because our volunteers regularly purchase materials out of pocket and often choose not to ask to be reimbursed. 

Between ticket sales and a couple of generous advertising donations, we grossed $31,212.82, resulting in a net profit of $7,736.80.

One of the things we're proudest of is what that profit allows us to do. Between our charity performance featuring JoDavi and a portion of the proceeds from 1776, we were able to donate $2,000 to Thin Line Community Support for North Idaho Veterans.

All the number crunching aside, one of the most surreal parts of this production was simply how good it was. Not that we expected it to be bad. Of course not. But the depth of talent was astounding. By far the most common comment we heard was, "Wow, there is so much talent in Sandpoint. I had no idea."

Even we were a little shocked at first. Though we knew at auditions that we had something special. More than a few of us teared up the first time we heard all the men singing together. It was one of those moments where you knew you were witnessing something special. Once, again God delivered for Honey Pearl Productions. We truly believe every person (actor or otherwise) who participated in this show was a gift from God.

More than once we had people ask if we were some sort of professional theatre company. One of my favorite moments happened the week after closing. Stefan (who played Thomas Jefferson) and I were walking at City Beach when a man stopped us to tell us how much he and his wife had enjoyed the show. They liked it so much that they visited our website afterward, and he recognized us, not because Stefan had been in the production, but because they had read our “About” page. They were visiting from Virginia and this gent spent ten minutes talking with us about the performance. Moments like that are hard to put into words.

Speaking of our website, another surreal realization is seeing three productions listed under our “Past Shows” section. Three shows in just two years. After every production we wonder how we'll top the last one, and somehow our incredible creative team keeps finding a way. We're going big with The Pilgrim's Progress and have some design and performance elements planned that will be firsts for us, so stay tuned.

The response to 1776 also brought something unexpected. We received more questions than ever before from people asking how they could support our organization. The answer is yes, you absolutely can donate. We are 100% volunteer-run and believe in being transparent about where every dollar goes. But because we are currently organized as an LLC rather than a 501(c)(3), donations are not tax deductible and we know that can be a deterrent. There are efforts in the works that will change that, and we'll share more about those when the time comes.

That said, our biggest needs right now aren't financial. What we really need is space.

We need a shop where we can build sets and storage space for scenery, props, and materials. Set construction is by far the most difficult part of every production, not necessarily because of the work itself, but because it takes up space, creates a mess, and has to stay put for months while we slowly build everything around our volunteers' work schedules. Since many of us have day jobs, we make progress a little at a time, week after week.

If you or someone you know has an unused barn, a large empty garage, a warehouse, or another space that could serve as a workshop or storage area, we would be incredibly grateful. Having a dedicated place to create would make an enormous difference and help us continue bringing these productions to our community.

We're all still enjoying a bit of a happy hangover from 1776, but we're also full steam ahead planning The Pilgrim's Progress.

If you've been thinking about getting involved, we'd love to have you. Whether your talents are on stage, behind the scenes, or somewhere in between, there's a place for you on the team. If you're interested in being part of the production, reach out. We'd love to chat.

A huge thank you to this community for supporting our productions, buying tickets, spreading the word, and encouraging us. And none of this would be possible without the amazing volunteers who give their time, talents, creativity, and countless hours to make these productions happen. 

Audition sign-ups are now open for The Pilgrim’s Progress! Whether you'd like to audition for an acting role or be part of the choir, we'd love to see you there. The production will open Easter weekend 2027 and close the following weekend. See you there!

With gratitude,
Connie Kiehn
Co-Founder, Honey Pearl Productions
Director, 1776