September 8, 2023
A Home for Local Creativity: Tumbleweed Creative Arts Brings New Work to the Pink Garter
Jackson Hole has no shortage of talented artists. Writers, performers, musicians, designers, and other creatives live and work here, but finding a place to develop and share original work can be a challenge.
Tumbleweed Creative Arts was created to help change that.
Founded in April 2023, Tumbleweed supports independent artists in Jackson and the surrounding communities by providing performance opportunities, artistic education, an inclusive and accessible venue, and consistent, diverse programming. At the center of that work is the historic Pink Garter Theatre, a 248-seat theater just off Jackson’s Town Square.
For Tumbleweed, the Pink Garter is not simply a place to put on a show, but a home in which artists can experiment, develop new ideas, learn, collaborate, and bring original work to an audience.
That approach is on full display this fall, with three locally created productions coming to the Pink Garter.
Starting with Strings Attached
The fall season opens September 24 with Strings Attached, an original puppet play written by local playwright and artist Charley Daveler and directed by Lacey Lukas. Performances run September 24–26 and October 1–3.
Part workplace comedy, theatrical horror, and love letter to artists, the play follows struggling playwright Austen Gibson as she joins the prestigious Proscenium Athenaeum and discovers that her old college nightmares have returned with a much bigger budget.
The production brings together 12 performers ranging in age from 13 to their 50s. Several of the puppets were designed by Daveler’s former students, while local artists also contributed to their construction.
For Daveler, the project has a particularly personal connection to the Pink Garter. She performed in Oliver on the theater's stage as a child and continued acting there from ages 8 to 18. After years away from playwriting, seeing theater return to the Pink Garter through Tumbleweed inspired her to begin writing again.
The result is a play about the challenges artists can face within creative communities, and fittingly, a production that has brought a group of artists together to make something new.
Strings Attached is an all-ages, alcohol-free production.
A Gothic Classic, Reimagined
In October, Tumbleweed will partner with Jackson Community Theater to present Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Adapted for the Stage by Evie Lewis.
Local playwright and director Evie Lewis brings a new stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic to the Pink Garter, co-directed by Josh Griffith. The immersive production follows Count Dracula as he leaves Transylvania for England, bringing an ancient darkness into the lives of those he encounters.
Performances are October 29–31 and November 5–7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will go on sale soon.
Young Writers Take the Stage
Tumbleweed's fall season will continue in December with If The Walls Could Talk, an original musical written by local high school students and familiar on-stage performers Hugh Reid and Rowan Logan.
The story follows Andy Hill, a high school student determined to land the lead role in his school's musical and bring his carefully planned vision to life. When casting takes an unexpected turn, friendships, romances, and the production itself begin to unravel.
The show offers another example of what can happen when young artists have a place to develop and share their ideas.
Performances are December 10–12 and December 17–19. Tickets will go on sale soon.
More Ways to Use the Pink Garter
Theater isn't the only thing happening at the Pink Garter this fall.
On Sunday, October 18 at 5:30 p.m., Tumbleweed will host a Burlesque Workshop, bringing the art form back to the Pink Garter. Participants will learn a section from one of Tumbleweed's past burlesque performances and be the first to hear the theme for this year's production which will remain under wraps until then.
The workshop is one example of the ways Tumbleweed is creating opportunities for people to engage with the theater beyond simply sitting in the audience.
The Pink Garter is also available to rent for private events, giving community groups, nonprofits, and private gatherings another way to use the space when it isn't in rehearsal or performance.
And Tumbleweed is working to bring more live music back to the theater. The organization is actively building the relationships needed to make that happen. While additional dates have not yet been announced, a recent sold-out Saturday night demonstrated the potential for live music to once again become part of the Pink Garter's programming.
These activities are also an important part of building a sustainable future for the theater and for Tumbleweed's broader creative work. By opening the Pink Garter to more kinds of events and audiences, Tumbleweed can create additional opportunities to support the local productions, artists, and programming that are at the heart of its mission.
Growing What’s Already Here
These productions and events represent different kinds of theater, different generations of artists, and different creative approaches. What they share is that they are being developed here.
That is at the heart of Tumbleweed Creative Arts' mission: to cultivate the talent already here and give local creatives a place to take their ideas from concept to performance.
The Pink Garter provides a rare piece of downtown real estate dedicated to that purpose. Within its walls, artists can create original work, build their skills, collaborate with one another, and connect with audiences from the community.
Tumbleweed describes its vision simply: to grow and cultivate creatives right here at home.
This fall, Jackson audiences have several opportunities to see what that looks like on stage, and to experience the Pink Garter in new ways.
Upcoming at the Pink Garter Theatre
Strings Attached
September 24–26 & October 1–3, 2026
Get Tickets
Burlesque Workshop
Sunday, October 18 at 5:30 p.m.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Adapted for the Stage by Evie Lewis
October 29–31 & November 5–7, 2026
Learn More
If The Walls Could Talk
December 10–12 & December 17–19, 2026
Learn More
For tickets, upcoming performance information, private rental opportunities, volunteer opportunities, and more about Tumbleweed Creative Arts, visit their website.
