A Big, Wild Dream

In an undeniably old-Hollywood way, Vicki Garnick is fiercely magnetic. The woman at the helm of Jackson Hole’s iconic Playhouse Theater and Saddle Rock Saloon, she’s as enthusiastic as she was when she stepped into the role in 1979. 

Her journey so far could easily be one of the stories that unfold on the historic stage of the Playhouse. While performing in West Side Story at Robert Redford’s Sundance Theater, Vicki first met Cameron Garnick. Against a backdrop of the star-crossed lovers’ musical tale, sparks flew and the two fell in love. 

“We decided to elope to Vegas,” Vicki recalled. “We were just kids, you know? But as we were driving there, we had this little white notebook. In it, we wrote down that we wanted to own a ranch and a theater. We called it our ‘Big Wild Dream.’”

After a brief stint in Los Angeles, the couple felt too confined by city life, and returned to Jackson Hole — a place familiar as Cameron had filmed multiple movies in the mountain town, including Any Which Way You Can with Clint Eastwood. “It turned out that Brooks Lake Lodge was for sale, and we bought it. That was our first ranch, and it felt like our ‘Big Wild Dream’ was coming true,” Vicki said with a smile. 

Shortly thereafter, Vicki caught wind of some intriguing news — the Playhouse Theater’s lease was up for grabs. 

A Downtown Icon

One of Jackson Hole’s oldest structures, the building itself has gone through many iterations and lived many lives. It began in 1913 as a simple barn, one that would be utilized by the Yellowstone Stage Company, housing horse teams that would carry visitors the 60 miles north to the nation’s first national park. 

As horse-drawn transportation was giving way to car travel in 1916, the structure was expanded and transformed into a garage with a machine shop. A handful of years later, in 1923, the building changed hands and housed the town’s first Ford showroom and dealership. 

It wasn’t until 1949 that the building began its metamorphosis into the theatre that it is today. Well-traveled and sophisticated Vera Cheney had just married her husband, Ed, and traded in life in New York City for Jackson Hole. “With a background in opera and theater, Vera thought the town needed some higher quality entertainment,” explained Vicki. 

Initially, Vera and Ed opened the building as a bowling alley, but they noticed that visiting concert pianists were quite popular, too. While gambling was not legal in Wyoming, it happened in basements and backrooms until the late 1950s without much challenge. A crackdown in the later part of the decade, however, left a gap in entertainment options — especially for those who were traveling with families or otherwise weren’t interested in the bar scene.

Vera and Ed seized the opportunity. On June 20, 1959, what was then called the Pink Garter Theatre lifted the curtain on its first performance. A decade later, after multiple expansions and improvements, the theater was renamed the Jackson Hole Playhouse. Since then, it has been home to a diversity of productions, and remains a steadfast part of town’s performing arts scene, drawing visitors and locals alike. 

Enter: The Proprietress

Vicki immediately reached out to Vera expressing interest in taking over the theater’s lease. Her first attempt was rebuffed, but a week later, Vera called back. “She had me in for an interview, and ultimately said that if we could have $20,000 by the end of the week, we could have the lease,” said Vicki. 

She and Cameron set to work immediately to scrape together the funds, driven by sheer excitement that the second half of their “Big Wild Dream” was on the brink of coming true. They managed to cobble together the money — an amount equivalent to over $90,000 today. 

The curtain rose on the Garnick family’s theatrical dynasty in Jackson Hole. And each summer, it continues to rise, bringing to life boisterous and rollicking Western classics for enthusiastic crowds. “In many ways, I think the Western genre represents the last of the American Dream,” Vicki observed. She loves showcasing stories that tap into the mythical ways in which the frontier represents what’s best about the American character: courage, grit, honesty. And of course, good old fashioned love. 

In the summer of 2025, the Playhouse will be featuring The Ballad of Cat Ballou — and it’s a play you won’t catch anywhere else. The script is exclusively owned by Vicki, and she’s proud to bring it to life with the elements that her productions are best known for. “It’s audience-interactive, has some great dance numbers, and for some reason people really love our slow-motion fight scenes, so of course there’s one of those!” The play follows a young Wyoming woman who seeks to avenge her father’s murder and keep the ranch out of the hands of nefarious, greedy villains. 

The actors that bring these stories to life come with impressive resumes, too. “We have a lot of folks who come from New York — especially Julliard — who would rather spend the summer in Jackson Hole,” Vicki noted, highlighting that the caliber of talent in the summer production sometimes surprises people. Last summer’s production of the beloved classic Oklahoma! was received enthusiastically by visitors and locals alike. 

The Dream Endures

In 2006, Vicki and Cameron truly cemented their “Big Wild Dream” and purchased the Playhouse Theater. Sadly, just a year later, Cameron died — but Vicki and her eight children were passionate about keeping the dream alive. 

“Every child has performed two or three times, some have been behind the scenes doing tech and lighting. They’ve all been really involved,” said the matriarch. “Everybody’s involved in some way. Even the little grandkids help out selling concessions.”

And this summer, just as it has since 1978, the Playhouse will open its doors to audiences from far and wide. The building practically oozes character, and Vicki has done her best to showcase the best original elements from the structure. It can be, however, a challenge. “She’s amazing and she’s awful,” Vicki laughed, looking around the lobby. “She wasn’t built to be a theater. So yes, she’s changed.”

Vicki’s hope is that people will continue to patronize the theatre and share its magic with their out-of-town guests. “It’s a family-friendly experience, and a small local business. I hope people remember that that’s an important part of the American Dream, too.” 

Visit jacksonholeplayhouse.com or call (307) 733-6994 to book tickets.

Stick ‘em Up, Pardner!

With origins that stretch back to 1957, the Jackson Hole Town Square Shootout is one of the valley’s most iconic experiences. Featuring cast members from the Jackson Hole Playhouse, it’s a 20-minute reenactment of life in the frontier days with plenty of singing, dancing, and — you guessed it — some good ol’ fashioned gunslingers. 

“It’s a way to show what the West was kind of like. Sometimes folks had to take things into their own hands,” said Vicki Garnick, owner and director at the Playhouse. “So much of the Old West is gone now, but we want to keep this going.” Vicki also highlighted that though most of the guns used are prop guns and all use blanks, safety is of peak priority. The carefully choreographed show is free, fun, and tells a truly Western tale suitable for all ages. 

Where: Jackson Hole Town Square

When: Monday-Saturday evenings at 6 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day

Cost: Free