The Candlelight Dinner Playhouse is gearing up to turn its Johnstown campus into a full-on multi-venue theater complex, a move its owners say will mean bigger musicals, more community events and expanded education programs. The plan would take the company from a single dinner-theater setup to a broader performing-arts destination for northern Colorado, with organizers pitching the project as a way to grow audiences while putting more local performers onstage.
According to the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor, the owners have purchased another 17 acres, bringing the property to roughly 20 acres in total, and are planning a proscenium-style theater that would seat about 800 people. The expansion would push total campus seating past 1,100 and is slated to include concessions, LED wall projections, a fly system, and an under-stage floor system that can lift and revolve. The paper reports that the owners hope to begin construction in 2027 and say the campus could eventually add an outdoor amphitheater along with space for youth programming, shopping, and special events.
"My goal is to design and build a state-of-the-art theater that includes things that maybe I would not have thought about," co-owner and executive producer Dave Clark told the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor. Clark described the project as a response to recent theater closures around Colorado and as a way to create more opportunities for the state's artists and crews.
Season 19 and the stage lineup
As listed on ColoradoCandlelight.com, Roald Dahl's Matilda is the current production, and Season 19 is set to open with Les Misérables on Sept. 10, 2026. The season will then roll through Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Finding Neverland, and Disney's Frozen. Ticket and schedule details are available through the venue's box office and its online portal.
What it means for northern Colorado
Local arts outlets say the expansion could solidify Johnstown as a regional theater draw. OnStage Colorado notes that the company chose to focus its growth in Johnstown rather than opening satellite venues elsewhere in the state. The added rehearsal, education and event spaces could broaden opportunities for schools, local artists, and touring shows while also supporting restaurant and hotel business on performance nights.
Owners say they will share design, permitting and timeline updates as plans are finalized. For the latest announcements and ticketing information, visit ColoradoCandlelight.com or call the box office. The Candlelight remains a dinner-playhouse staple for northern Colorado audiences and says the campus buildout will expand how and when it serves the region.
