At The Luminary Theatre, alumni flip the script

Actors perform Funnie: The Most Lamentable Comedy of Jane the Foole in May 2026. Photo by Ashley Mae Mattox

Late May 2026 brought 16th century costumes, a Baroque rendition of "Pink Pony Club" and an exploration of serious themes to Boise's basement Comedy Lounge.

This was "Funnie," the third production put on by The Luminary Theatre, a Boise-based theatre company that focuses on women's stories.

The organization takes pride in its care for cast and crew members. It also carries a strong connection to Boise State: Founded by alumni, the company continues to appeal to current and former Boise State students, who come prepared with creative collaboration experience ready for the writer's room, the box office and the stage.

Finding a niche in the Boise theatre scene

Actors rehearse "The Goddessy," The Luminary Theatre Company's first play. Photo by Joel Hroma

Dayna Smith (BA Theatre Arts, 2016) and Jen Stockwell-Fortner (BA Theatre Arts, 1998) started The Luminary Theatre in 2024 after noting a lack of contemporary, women-focused theatre opportunities in Boise.

Between the Boise Bard Players, a nonprofit theatre company making Shakespeare and other classics; the Boise Contemporary Theater, Boise's professional theatre company; and the annual Idaho Shakespeare Festival, to name a few, the Treasure Valley offers abundant opportunities to participate in productions. But according to Smith, the local scene was missing a space for eccentric, experimental plays.

"I want to offer Boise an alternative option for art to take in," Smith said. "I want to create a spot that's like, okay, we do all the avant garde stuff - where young people can go to a basement to watch weird, contemporary work."

The Luminary Theatre also hones in on women's stories. So far, The Luminary has put on three plays: "The Goddessey," a fantasy story of a girl transported to a magical dimension; "Crossed Wires," following four women who work at a mysterious switchboard office; and "Funnie: The Most Lamentable Tale of Jane the Foole."

Written by Jessica Moss, "Funnie" is a historical fiction play set in the 1500s, wherein the first and only recorded female court jester of that time tries to break into comedy despite facing assault and harassment from her male counterparts.

According to "Funnie" director, Jz Marrero (BA Theatre Arts, 2020), The Luminary was intentional about protecting its actors as they approached the play's heavy themes. They collaborated with Boise-based nonprofit Faces of Hope to provide educational resources throughout Funnie's rehearsals and performances. And actors made sure to separate themselves from the people they played.

"Every night [of rehearsal], there was a check-in: 'I am now the character. This is not me.' And then afterward, a check out: 'I am now leaving the character here, and I am me,'" Marrero said.

Community care, puppets and artistic expression

Noel Nelsen as Anne Boleyn. Photo by Ashley Mae Mattox

For Noel Nelson (BA Theatre Arts, 2018), The Luminary represented a safe place to return to theatre. After graduating from Boise State, Nelson took time to explore a variety of career paths, working in elder care and then as a kindergarten teacher before landing in their current job as a children's librarian at the Garden City Library. When Nelson decided last-minute to audition for The Luminary's production of "Funnie" in early 2026, they hadn't acted in seven years.

Nelson received a role offer for Anne Boleyn, one of the play's main characters, but hesitated to accept.

"I was like, 'Do I want to do this again?'" Nelson said. "I ended up meeting up with Jz and Dayna. They sat with me in a coffee shop and talked through what they could provide to make this a safe environment for me, an environment where I could feel capable of expressing myself as a theater artist again. … I decided that if there ever was a door, this is the one to walk through."

Nelsen took on the opportunity full-force, not only acting in "Funnie" but also making several puppets for the show - including a mini jester and a crow with flapping wings.

"They were probably the most technically advanced puppets I've made before," Nelsen said. "It was really cool to have to learn new skillsets to make these puppets happen. Like, I learned to whittle."

Crow puppet. Photo provided by Noel Nelsen

Beyond the joys of puppetry, Nelsen is most proud of how the cast was able to show up for each other.

"I felt like I was able to provide not only acting support but also emotional support," Nelsen said. "That is very important to me as an artist - to value the whole of a person, not just their creative efforts but also their lived experience."

How Boise State prepares artists for big projects

Boise State alumni Cambra Thompson (left), Dayna Smith and Jz Marrero table for The Luminary Theatre.
Photo provided by Jz Marrero

It's no coincidence that numerous alumni are involved in The Luminary Theatre. Boise State's arts programs provide students with ample creative collaboration opportunities that mirror The Luminary's structure.

Recent graduate Cambra Thompson (BA Creative Writing, 2024) is involved with The Luminary as a writer, producer and lighting designer. She said that Boise State's creative writing workshops prepared her for collaborative work, especially receiving constructive criticism.

"I learned the ability to not take things too [personally]," Thompson said. "When you're collaborating with people and you're getting feedback, sometimes they do know more than you, and sometimes they have ideas that are worth listening to."

As a Boise State student, Smith was heavily involved in the Theatre Majors Association, a theatre company where students take the lead on every aspect of production, from directing to marketing. Smith estimates that she participated in eight shows in her four years at Boise State - including two that she directed and one that she wrote.

The Theatre Majors Association, Smith said, was her "stepping stone version" of The Luminary.

"You have to learn how to get in front of a room full of people and not only figure out artistically what you want to do, but logistically you have to figure out, 'How do we schedule it? How do we raise the money for it? How do we market it??'" Smith said. "Most of that hands-on experience translated directly to what I'm doing with The Luminary now."

Get involved with The Luminary Theatre

While "Funnie" was written by Jessica Moss, an external playwright, The Luminary Theatre's own team wrote both "The Goddessy" and "Crossed Wires." Photo provided by Jz Marrero

If you're interested in getting involved with The Luminary Theatre, reach out via their contact form.

Another way to support The Luminary? See their next play this October. A collaboration with The Boise Bard Players, "The Medea Project" will provide a unique twist on Euripides' Greek classic.

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