A Boise theatre company founded by two Boise State University graduates is bringing women-centered stories to local stages — and drawing fellow alumni back into the spotlight in the process. The Luminary Theatre Company, launched in 2024 by Dayna Smith and Jen Stockwell-Fortner, was born out of a shared observation that Boise lacked contemporary performance opportunities centered on women’s experiences.
From Campus to Stage: The Boise State Connection
Smith earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Boise State in 2016, while Stockwell-Fortner graduated from the same program back in 1998. Their shared academic background laid the groundwork for a company that has since leaned heavily on the university’s alumni network. Several other Boise State graduates have come aboard in key roles — a reflection of how the school’s Theatre Majors Association trains students to take the lead across all aspects of production, from writing to lighting design.
Smith has described her vision for The Luminary as filling a specific niche in the local arts scene. “I want to offer Boise an alternative option for art to take in,” she said. “I want to create a spot that’s like, okay, we do all the avant garde stuff.”
In roughly two years of operation, the company has mounted three productions: “The Goddessey,” “Crossed Wires,” and most recently, “Funnie: The Most Lamentable Comedy of Jane the Foole.”
A 16th-Century Story Told in a Boise Basement
The company’s latest production, “Funnie,” written by Jessica Moss, centers on the first and only known female court jester from the 1500s. The historical fiction piece ran in late May 2026 in the basement of the Comedy Lounge in Boise — an intimate venue suited to the production’s unconventional character.
Director Jz Marrero, a 2020 Boise State Theatre Arts graduate, brought an unusually deliberate approach to the rehearsal process. Given the emotionally demanding subject matter, Marrero built structured check-ins and check-outs into each rehearsal and performance. “Every night there was a check-in: ‘I am now the character. This is not me,'” Marrero explained. “And then afterward, a check out: ‘I am now leaving the character here.'”
Marrero also partnered with Faces of Hope, a Boise-based nonprofit, to provide educational resources for cast and crew throughout the production.
Alumni Return to the Stage
One of the production’s most compelling stories unfolded offstage before opening night. Noel Nelsen, a 2018 Boise State Theatre Arts graduate, had stepped away from acting for seven years before auditioning for “Funnie” in early 2026. She was cast as Anne Boleyn and threw herself back into the craft — not only performing but also constructing puppets for the show, including a miniature jester and a crow with functional flapping wings.
Cambra Thompson, a 2024 Boise State Creative Writing graduate, contributed to the production across multiple disciplines, serving simultaneously as writer, producer, and lighting designer — the kind of multi-role involvement that the company’s structure actively encourages.
Impact on Boise’s Arts Community
The Luminary Theatre Company represents a grassroots effort to diversify what Boise audiences can experience on a local stage. For Ada County residents and Treasure Valley arts supporters, the company offers something outside the mainstream — smaller venues, underrepresented histories, and productions shaped by a tight-knit group of locally trained artists.
Boise’s cultural calendar continues to expand in various directions. Readers interested in other community events in the area can also look ahead to the return of Boise’s Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival at Ann Morrison Park over Labor Day weekend. And for those interested in how Boise State graduates are making an impact beyond the stage, coverage of a Meridian band director’s work to double Mountain View High School’s music enrollment offers another example of local alumni shaping the community.
What Comes Next
The Luminary Theatre Company has not yet announced its next production, but given its pace since launching in 2024 — three productions in roughly two years — another staging is likely on the horizon. Boise-area residents interested in following the company’s upcoming projects or exploring volunteer and audition opportunities can watch for announcements through local arts community channels. Those who missed “Funnie” in late May will want to stay tuned for the company’s next performance season.