When planning your Nebraska vacation, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that the Cornhusker State abounds with theater houses and other venues for live theatrical performances. Taking in a theater show is the ideal outing for those seeking cultural entertainment during their stay. And Nebraska has a lot to choose from with performances ranging from community productions to shows just for the kids.
Omaha
As the biggest city in the state, Omaha has the largest selection of theater houses you'll find while vacationing in the Cornhusker State. The city has a deep-seated history in theater, dating back to its founding in 1856.
One of the city's most popular places for live theater is the Omaha Community Playhouse. This nationally recognized community theater was founded in 1924, and it's now one of the largest, most famous, and well-endowed community theaters in the country. The theater's first production, The Enchanted Cottage, opened in April of 1925, starring Dodie Brando and Marlon Brando in his acting debut. Henry Fonda, Dorothy McGuire, and Julie Wilson all launched their acting careers here as well. Such talents as Letitia Baldrige, Glenn Cunningham, and Lenka Peterson have also graced its stage.
Under the supervision of director Charles Jones, the Omaha Community Playhouse underwent major expansions during the 1980s and 1990s, helping it to gain a reputation as one of the best community theaters in the U.S. by 1997. Now, the Omaha Community Playhouse has two cutting edge performance areas: the Mainstage Auditorium, which seats 610; and the intimate setting of the Howard Drew Theatre, which can accommodate audiences of between 200 and 230 people. The Mainstage's five productions run for about a month with six performances a week, while the Howard Drew Theatre's Fonda-McGuire Series runs for one month with four shows per week.
The Orpheum Theater is another of the city's long-running theaters. Located in downtown Omaha, this proscenium-style theater first opened as a vaudeville house in 1927, and is now listed on the National Register of Historical Places. In 2002, 10 million dollars went into renovations at the Orpheum building. Then in 2004, the Orpheum Theater Skylink, a 200-foot-long elevated, enclosed, and climate-controlled walkway that connects the parking garage to the theater, was added to the facility. Broadway shows and opera are among the theater's productions today.
The Rose Performing Arts for Children and Families offers live theater in Omaha as well, with performances that audiences of all ages can enjoy. The Rose's resident theater group is the Omaha Theater Company, the third largest professional children's theater in the country. The OTC performs for more than 700,000 people each year in Omaha and on their National Tour, which is one of the largest in the nation, visiting more than 65 venues throughout 25 states. With a season that runs almost year-round, the OTC has produced family-friendly performances like The Gingerbread Man, Puss in Boots, The Wizard of Oz, and many more.
Theatergoers with more mature tastes may prefer a show at the Grand Olde Players Theatre, a community theater designed in 1984 for the entertainment of older adults. Today, the players are still a hit with older audiences, offering 12 performances of five shows during their season.
The Shelterbelt Theatre is an intimate theater venue, where audiences are seated no more than 15 feet from the stage. The theater name comes from a shelterbelt, which is a long row of trees that protects a farmer's homestead, as well as his family. This coincides with the theater's founding mission: to give artists refuge from the negativity of modern theater, offering a healthier, less restrictive environment in which to nurture their talents. Past performances of the Shelterbelt have included original works like Friends Like These and The Day Omaha Exploded.
The nationally recognized Blue Barn Theatre was founded in 1989 by a group of students who graduated from the theater program at Purchase College in New York. Since then, the theater has been providing the city of Omaha with New York-style theater experiences. Most of the theatrical works performed at the Blue Barn are by contemporary American playwrights like Sam Shepherd, David Mamet, and Christopher Durang. Also, the theater features plays written by local talents, including Omaha-based playwrights Tim Siragusa, Robert Vivian, and Max Sparber. It often casts some of the same actors who appear in the films of Alexander Payne, a native of Omaha. The Blue Barn is also known for its "theater without boundaries," putting on new works, contemporary classics, and risqué holiday productions. The 2008 season included The Tulip, Man From Nebraska, and Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.
More places for live theater in Omaha include The Magic Theatre, an experimental theater that was founded in 1968, and has since toured all over the world, including places like South Korea. Some of the theater's most well known performances include Approaching Simone, Viet Rock, Calm Down, Mother, and Hot House.
Lincoln
Lincoln's Hixson-Lied College of Performing Arts is another avenue for theatrical performances in the Cornhusker State, presenting touring Broadway productions. For other collegiate theater in Nebraska, check out performances by drama students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, performed at the Temple Building.
Lincoln is also home to such theater venues as the Lincoln Community Playhouse, founded in 1947 when the Circlet Theatre merged with the Lincoln Community Theatre to form the Lincoln Circlet Community Theatre. About 10 years later, the theater changed its name to the Lincoln Community Playhouse. Currently, the playhouse puts on a variety of productions ranging from family-oriented to mainstage shows. A few of their past shows include My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. The Loft at the Mill is another community theater in Lincoln, featuring performances by such performing arts groups as The Angels Theatre Company, Modern Arts Midwest, and the Lincoln Association for Traditional Arts.
Younger theatergoers may appreciate a performance by Lincoln's Haymarket Theatre, one of the best children's theaters and professional repertory companies in the city. The Haymarket Theatre has a year-round season of performances that both young and old theatergoers will enjoy. In its past five seasons, the theater has put on such productions as The Who's Tommy, Hamlet, Lord of the Flies, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The White Rose, Cabaret, Animal Farm, Jane Eyre, and Pride and Prejudice.
While exploring all of the city's possibilities for live theater, you may find Lincoln-based theater companies that perform throughout the state, and sometimes nationwide. These companies include the Village Players, which has been deemed "the biggest little theater company in America"; and Melodrama, which puts on performances at such venues as Mahoney State Park, The Fremont Dinner Train, and the excursion boat Spirit Of Brownville.
Also, be on the lookout for the grand opening of TADA Theatre in Lincoln's Haymarket District. The theater will feature a mainstage that offers musicals and full-length theatrical productions, as well as a Showcase Stage boasting stand-up comedy, musicians, play readings, concerts, cabarets, and more.
Other Locales
In addition to theater in Nebraska's larger, more well-known cities, you can also find live theater offerings in some of the state's smaller towns and cities. The city of Beatrice is home to the Beatrice Community Players, which has been providing top-quality theater in the area for more than 30 years, with productions like I Love You Because, It's A Wonderful Life, and South Pacific. At Fort Robinson State Park, the Post Playhouse has been going strong for more than 41 seasons. Located in the historic Fort Robinson, the playhouse runs a summer season that offers only family-friendly musicals. Community theater comes to Grand Island by way of the Grand Island Little Theater, while the town of Kearny is home to the Kearny Community Theatre, which has been serving up superb community theater in South Central Nebraska since 1977.
In North Platte, the North Platte Community Players provide quality theatrical performances at the Neville Center. The Papillon-LaVista Community Theatre (Papillon) and Theater West in Scottsbluff are other viable options for theater while vacationing in Nebraska.
There's no shortage of theater venues in the Cornhusker State. For thespian travelers, Nebraska provides many opportunities to enjoy this entertaining form of culture and performing arts.
