As the Black Hills Playhouse opens its 2008 season with "Dreams Carved in Stone," it will be realizing some dreams of its own.

"We are doing a number of exciting things," said Michael Burgraff, executive director. "We have a new building that will serve as our paints and scene shop. The framing went up two weeks ago; we've got people coming in and it should be finished - weather permitting - by opening night June 5."

The playhouse also will have a selection of art from Warrior's Work and Ben West Gallery on display in time for opening night. Art will be on display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 5 through June 15 and during all performances of "Dreams Carved in Stone."

Throughout the season, art will rotate in conjunction with each of the shows.

This season, the playhouse also will offer souvenir playbills at each performance. The playbills are full color, include information about the entire season and cost $5.

"I am sitting here with the proof in my hand," Burgraff said Tuesday. "It is bigger than we had imagined - 52 pages in full color. It's almost a magazine rather than a playbill. It is definitely a coffee-table piece."

On Sunday, June 8, the playhouse also will offer its first children's theater camp. The camps are set to continue throughout the summer during the first Sunday matinee performance of the run of each show.

"Anyone who wants to can bring their child and enroll them in the camp for a $10 fee or up to $25 for a family," Burgraff said. "We will practice, create and prepare a piece with the children while their parents are in watching the main stage production."

The children will then perform the piece after the show.

An air conditioning and heating system is also on the way for the playhouse. Although the system won't be in place for opening night, it is expected to be in by June 15.

"We are hoping it will be in before that," Burgraff said. "But we are waiting for one more bid. As soon as we get that, we will give the green light to do the project. After that, it is all dependent on shipping, which could take anywhere from five days to two weeks."

Burgraff is also working Custer State Park's concessions to negotiate plans for wine and meal service. Although wine and meal services will not be available for "Dreams," Burgraff predicts that such services will be available in time for the opening of the second show, "Urinetown, The Musical," on June 19.

In conjunction with "Urinetown," the playhouse will be holding fundraisers for updates to the septic system.