The Show Photos Are In—and So Are Big Dreams

If you follow Honey Pearl Productions on social media, you may have seen that we recently received our show photos from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. If you don’t follow us—surprise! They’re here, and they’re beautiful. For those who have seen them, I hope you’ve enjoyed reliving the play as much as I have.

Now that the post-show excitement has settled, I’ve been reflecting on what we’ve accomplished and where we’re headed next. Stefan and I dream of raising our production quality with every show, though like many community theaters, we face the usual challenges: money, time, and space.

Honey Pearl Productions is currently an LLC, not a nonprofit. We wanted to put on a few shows to prove we could sell tickets and produce strong performances before pursuing 501(c)(3) status. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe definitely hit the mark—but we believe it’s important to do this three times before making a move. That show is uniquely special: well-known, beloved by families, and visually rich, making it ideal for ticket sales and large community casts. Not every play—even great ones—fits that mold.

We’re committed to two more shows: Cheaper by the Dozen in winter 2026, and 1776 to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Both will be at The Panida, and we’re grateful for that relationship. If Cheaper by the Dozen is a success, we’ll likely pursue nonprofit status afterward. If the response is more modest, we’ll wait and see how 1776 goes.

Becoming a nonprofit would be a huge help financially. We personally funded The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, taking the risk and hoping to recoup our investment. The show cost about $27,000 to produce. Thankfully, only $18,000 was due upfront—money we put up over nine months. We made our money back but the net was about $10,000—less than half the cost of a tightly budgeted, all-volunteer show. It’s not sustainable for a middle-class, one-income family with four small kids to keep fronting thousands for every production—even if we eventually get our money back.

Costs are expected to rise. The Panida is rumored to increase rental rates, meaning we’d either absorb the cost or raise ticket prices—something I desperately want to avoid. Even if The Panida were free, it has limitations: a small stage, minimal wing space, no orchestra pit, and a tiny dressing room. Plus, no nearby shop for set-building or prop-making. One of our dreams is to build a new space, purpose-designed for theatre production.

Equally important is a dedicated rehearsal and creative space. New Song Bible Church has generously let us rehearse there for free, but that can’t last forever. Having our own space—with mirrors and safe storage for props and sets—would be transformative. For The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we built sets and made costumes in garages and spare rooms. It worked—but it’s not a long-term solution.

If I had to outline our path forward, it would be:

1. Sell tickets to our next two shows (to prove our staying power)

2. Secure safe, bug- and rodent-proof storage for sets, props, and costumes

3. Create a maker studio for building, sewing, and creating

4. Find or build a permanent rehearsal space

5. Eventually construct a new theater designed specifically for community performance

6. Pay our production team

Once we accomplish the first step, we’ll begin the nonprofit process to help reach the others. I’m nervous about the responsibilities that come with 501(c)(3) status, but it’s clear that unless the Kiehns win the lottery, this is the best way forward. It could take years for the plays to fully pay for themselves—let alone generate the surplus needed to build rehearsal spaces, a maker studio, or a dedicated theater.

Time is another challenge. I work full-time with side gigs, while Stefan cares for our kids and runs our home. It’s a lot. We dream of doing this full-time as a family—but that’s still far off under our current model.

What keeps us going is the belief that this is a service to our community—a chance to create a space where artists and actors can shine.

We want to see the performing arts thrive. Whether someone dreams of going professional or simply wants to continue blessing our community with their talents, we want Honey Pearl to be a space that nurtures those dreams.

This summer, we’re thrilled to be sending three of our team members to Costume College, where they’ll gain valuable skills and inspiration. Our amazing prop mistress Myriah Bell is also set dressing Hello, Dolly! in Coeur d’Alene, and our Mrs. Beaver /lighting designer Sarah Anne Morgan—was just cast in Catch Me If You Can, also in CDA.

We also recommend checking out the new Cocolalla Conservatory dance studio opening in Sagle. It’s a wonderful addition to the local arts scene, and we’re excited to see how it grows.

Lots of prayer went into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. We prayed about whether to even do the show. My pregnancy made me wonder if we should pause. We prayed for The Panida, the production team, the right actors to hear about auditions, the right casting decisions, and that tickets would sell. Our prayers were answered—and then some.

Once the show got underway, God’s hand was unmistakable. The right people did show up to audition. First time stage actor Brady Smith appeared out of nowhere—I’ve been asked, “Where did you find him?” But really, he found us. From the moment another newbie Gabriel Houidobre walked in, I knew he was our Mr. Tumnus. As one viewer would eventually tell me, “You couldn’t have found a better Tumnus.” It ended up being a near perfectly cast show. On the production side, everything was incredible—costumes, sets, sound, props, lights, and makeup all exceeded my dreams.

Music was another miracle. I wanted powerful music but had no clue where to find it. One day, while listening to music unrelated to the play, a suggested YouTube song popped up—I clicked and we ended up use this song for Aslan’s death. Another time, while searching Instagram music for a post about the White Witch’s costume, André Thomasson’s “White Witches” appeared. It wasn’t quite right for the post or the play, but something told me to keep exploring his work. I looked him up on iTunes, and we ended up using three of his songs in the show. André’s “Spirits of Gazebo” moved me to tears the first time I heard it. It was exactly what I needed to block Aslan’s resurrection scene. Imagining Susan falling to her knees with Andre’s music playing almost had me pulling my car over—I got that emotional. It was then that I knew God wanted me to keep going.

I sent André an international letter recently. He’s Swedish and lives there. What are the odds I’d stumble upon him? To me, it feels like zero chance without God’s intervention.

Despite weeks without snow, it fell on promo photo day—just like we prayed for.

Even the logistics worked out miraculously. A last-minute free U-Haul upgrade let us move our sets in one trip. Our newborn, Suzie, arrived just a few weeks before opening and turned out to be the calmest baby we’ve ever had—she slept through rehearsals and performances, and by ten weeks old was sleeping ten hours a night, giving me the space I needed to rest and recover after the show.

I’m beyond grateful for everything The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe gave us. Sometimes I feel selfish wanting more. But I believe we’re called to keep going, and I pray I never take that for granted.

Please enjoy some show photos, and reach out if anything I’ve shared speaks to you. Whether you agree, disagree, or just want to say hello, we’d love to hear from you.

Warmly,
Connie Kiehn
Co-Founder, Honey Pearl Productions
Director, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe