March Metro Arts Pass Deal



Enjoy the arts with a Metro Arts Pass! If you are a season subscriber to the Omaha Community Playhouse, in the month of March, you can receive $10 tickets to Fantastic Mr. Fox at The Rose Theater.

The Metro Arts Pass is sponsored by The Reader and features various nonprofit arts organizations around Omaha. In order to be a Metro Arts Pass member, you only must be a member or subscriber to one of the participating organizations. Every month, OCP members can enjoy a discount at a different featured Omaha arts organization.

Other participating organizations include:
Omaha Children's Museum
Omaha Performing Arts
Bemis Center
Durham Museum
Opera Omaha
El Museo Latino
The Rose
Film Streams
Nebraska Shakespeare
Joslyn Art Museum
Fontenelle Nature Association

For more information about the Metro Arts Pass, contact the Director of Sales at mkarbowski@omahaplayhouse.com or (402) 553-4890, ext. 147.

Nunsense Actresses Get into the Habit

There have been some transformations occurring at the Omaha Community Playhouse these days. What used to be the Howard and Rhonda Hawks Mainstage, which often showcases colorful costumes and mixed gender casts, is now the Mount Saint Helen’s School auditorium featuring an all-female cast donning only black and white…with a couple colorful odds and ends.

Some call the transformations good fortune; others call them divine intervention. Whatever the case may be, it is official the Order of the Little Sisters of Aksarben (“Little Axes”) have rehearsed tirelessly at OCP in hopes of putting on a successful fundraiser performance featuring song and dance numbers to lift the spirits.

Although the Nunsense actresses note they have enjoyed their rehearsal process, they confess they would miss the luxurious lives actresses lead if they were to really join the convent.

Meet some of the “Little Axes”:

Courtney Stein (Sister Mary Leo)

Character Background: The novice of the order — She came from a farm near Neely, Nebraska and entered the convent to dedicate her life to God through dance.
What Courtney would miss most as a nun: “I think it would be the most difficult for me to give up my wacky accessories and clothing … switching to a life of ‘penguin-coloring’ would be like losing a part of my personality. Also the shoes! They would literally have to pry my collection of shoes out of my death grip. Oh … and sweatpants. I live in sweatpants. I would miss my sweatpants most of all.”

Moira Mangiameli (Sister Mary Regina)

Character Background: The mother superior of the Little Sisters of Aksarben originally from a small county in Ireland, called Kilquirky
Most challenging aspects of the “nun lifestyle” for Moira: “I guess the community living might get to me after a while. I really value my privacy. I also wouldn't love the early rising, and I'm pretty sure my crappy knees couldn't take all that kneeling.”

Dawn Buller-Kirke (Sister Mary Hubert)

Character Background: She entered the Little Sisters of Aksarben upon graduation from Precious Blood Elementary School and currently serves the order as the mistress of novices, training new recruits with a gentle, but firm approach.
Most challenging aspect of the “nun lifestyle” for Dawn: “I would find it hard to only be around women. I love doing this show with women, but living 24/7 with only WOMEN — HOLY MOLY!”

Kim Alger (Sister Mary of Perpetual Assistance)

Character Background: The most tech-savvy of all the Little Sisters of Aksarben —She brought the order into the information age by creating the Little Sisters of Aksarben website and also established the Immaculate Internet CafĂ©.
What Kim would miss most as a nun: “I would most likely miss the material things the most. I am a collector. Books, recordings and Raggedy Ann are all scattered throughout my personal space.”

Come support the Little Sisters of Aksarben’s fundraiser performance in Nunsense taking place in the Howard and Rhonda Hawks Mainstage Theatre, March 4-April 3, Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 for adults and $24 students. For groups of 15 or more, adult tickets are $29 and student tickets are $18. To purchase tickets or for more information, call (402) 553-0800, visit the Box Office or click here.


Story by Maria Becvar

21 & Over Hosts In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play

21st Century Plays for a 21st Century Audience


21 & Over, the Omaha Community Playhouse's newest alternative program, is pleased to present In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play!

Monday, March 21
7:30 p.m.
Omaha Community Playhouse
Howard Drew Theatre
Free and open to the public, with an opportunity for donations. No tickets or reservations are necessary.

In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play
In a seemingly perfect, well-to-do Victorian home, proper gentleman and scientist Dr. Givings has innocently invented an extraordinary new device for treating "hysteria" in women (and occasionally men): the vibrator. Adjacent to the doctor's laboratory, his young and energetic wife tries to tend to their newborn daughter--and wonders exactly what is going on in the next room. In this Tony and Pulitzer nominated play, Dr. and Mrs. Givings must examine the nature of their own marriage, and what it truly means to love someone.

The remainder of the 21 & Over schedule for the 2010-11 season is as follows:

May 2, 2011: The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler by Jeff Whitty
June 20, 2011: August: Osage County by Tracy Letts

The 21 & Over productions are intended for a mature audience and discretion is advised. For more information on 21 & Over and other OCP alternative programs, contact Amy Lane, Resident Director, at alane@omahaplayhouse.com or (402) 553-4890, ext. 164.

Luck O' the Irish Discount for Nunsense

It's your lucky day!

This St. Patrick's day, come see Nunsense at the Omaha Community Playhouse for only $17! Mention the discount for the Thursday, March 17 performance in person or via phone to purchase adult tickets for $17 each; limit four per person.


Join the "The Little Sisters of Aksarben" as they raise money to bury sisters who were accidentally poisoned by the convent cook, Sister Julia (Child of God). Wacky and outrageous with a hysterical anything goes sense of craziness. Lots o' good music to lift your spirits.

Laugh, pray and be merry!


Nunsense is playing in the Howard and Rhonda Hawks Mainstage Theatre March 4-April 3, Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday at 2 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. Regular priced tickets are $40 for adults and $24 for students. For groups of 15 or more, adult tickets are $29 and student tickets are $18. To purchase tickets or for more information, call (402) 553-0800 or visit the Box Office.

Thank you Producing Partners

Did you know that our productions and programs are not entirely paid for by ticket sales? Generous donors help make up the difference so that the Omaha Community Playhouse’s high-quality entertainment and educational opportunities can remain affordable for the community.

OCP would like to thank and recognize the following Producing Partners (show sponsors) of our winter/spring productions. Please thank these generous donors if you see them, or patronize their businesses. Their support is pivotal to the success of the Omaha Community Playhouse!

The Odd Couple
Sponsored by: Anne Thorne Weaver and JET LINX
Costume Sponsor: Pinnacle Bank

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Orchestra Sponsor: Whitmore Charitable Trust
Media Sponsor: Yellowbook

Nunsense
Sponsored by: TD Ameritrade
Orchestra Sponsor: Continuum Worldwide
Costume Sponsor: John and Vanita Lund

Steel Magnolias
Sponsored by: Union Bank & Trust Company and Woodmen of the World
Media Sponsor: COX

Tuesdays with Morrie
Sponsored by: Mutual of Omaha
Media Sponsor: The Reader

Guys and Dolls
Sponsored by: HDR, The Paul and Oscar Giger Foundation, Dundee Bank and Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P.
Orchestra Sponsor: “Friend of the Playhouse”
Harry the Horse Sponsor: Horsemen’s Park
Media Sponsor: WOWT

For more information on how you or your business can become a show sponsor, please contact Alena Furlong, Development Director, at (402) 553-4890, ext. 127 or afurlong@omahaplayhouse.com.

Quirky characters, W-I-T-T-Y night of theatre

Anyone who has ever witnessed a spelling bee can vouch for the tension that can be cut with a knife in the room, but add an eclectic mix of personalities, and the results are sidesplitting.

Welcome to the Omaha Community Playhouse’s upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which features an adult cast playing pre-teen characters with very eccentric personalities. While exploring their characters, many cast members have found inspiration from people and past youth experiences to use in their roles.

Meet some of the spellers:


Tim Abou-Nasr (Chip)

Character description: Athletic, sociable and a sore loser. He is a member of the Boy Scouts of America and lately has been going through some strange changes.
Inspiration for role: “I see a lot of my younger self in Chip. I was a boy scout, and I loved spelling bees.”
Tim’s pre-teen connection to Chip: “When I was a kid, I was a multi-talented overachieving model student. But it was just a phase. I grew out of it.”
Spelling bee experience: “I was in the Spelling Bee in third grade and fourth grade. I placed second both times.”

Dan Chevalier (Leaf)

Character description:
Homeschooled, easily amused and severely A.D.D. “With all the new things to experience, his focus tends to wander.”
Inspiration for role: “As a teacher, I'm surrounded with inspiration for the character of Leaf every day. There are a handful of students (who shall remain anonymous) whose quirks and ticks I have borrowed for Leaf.”
Dan’s pre-teen connection to Leaf: “My pre-teen self would always play with my hair when I was concentrating very hard, like doing homework. Sometimes I would end up with a 'hair horn' jutting out of the top of my head after taking an especially difficult test. Leaf, too, tends to play with his hair when he is concentrating hard, not concentrating at all or somewhere in between.”
Spelling bee experience: “No. I was (and still am) a very, very bad speller.”

Jenn Tritz (Olive)

Character description: Only child, a word lover and shy. She lives with her dad while her mom is in an Ashram in India and is “best friends with the dictionary.”
Inspiration for role: “One of my friends, Liz, is who I look to as inspiration for Olive. Her seemingly quiet and shy persona masks an incredibly funny, smart, witty and creative person. She is just so multi-layered, and that is exactly how I see Olive.”
Jenn’s pre-teen connection to Olive: “I was very driven to succeed and participated in various contests. I was always a little shy around people…I also wasn’t a very good dresser, but I didn’t have any pink overalls like Olive. I think Olive is much more mature than I was at her age!”
Spelling bee experience: “I was in a spelling bee in fifth grade. I was one of two spellers from my school that got to go to the district-wide bee!…It was one of the most intimidating experiences from my elementary school days!”

Bailey Carlson (Logainne)

Character description:
Driven, politically aware and strikes a strong presence despite her speech impediment. “The most ambitious 10-year-old you’ll meet.”
Inspiration for role: “I’m watching EVERYONE like a hawk to pick up any nervous ticks or annoying [mannerisms] that I can steal and use for Logainne.”
Bailey’s pre-teen connection to Logainne: “My mom and I were looking through pictures for the program and found that there was a particular pose I would ALWAYS strike in a group photo. I would always do the splits and throw up the peace sign…[Logainne] loves to throw the politician “thumbs up” whenever she can.
Spelling bee experience: “It was third grade, when I had my lovely boy hair cut. I think I made it four words in. But as far as the word [I misspelled], I can’t remember. There was an S and a T in there somewhere…The rest is a crap shoot, which was probably how I spelled it.”

Don’t miss The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in the Howard Drew Theatre, Feb. 18-March 27, Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $40 for adults and $24 for students. For groups of 15 or more, adult tickets are $29 and student tickets are $18. To purchase tickets or for more information, call (402) 553-0800, visit the Box Office or click here.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee contains adult content and is not intended for children.

Story by Maria Becvar

21 & Over Hosts The Encyclopedia Show

21st Century Plays for a 21st Century Audience

21 & Over, the Omaha Community Playhouse's newest alternative program, is pleased to host The Encyclopedia Show!

Monday, Feb. 28
7:30 p.m.
Omaha Community Playhouse
Howard Drew Theatre
Free and open to the public, with an opportunity for donations. No tickets or reservations are necessary.

The Encyclopedia Show
Brought to you from Omaha Spoken Word artist, Katie F-S and the minds of Chicago poets and producers Robbie Q. Telfer and Shanny Jean Maney, The Encyclopedia Show is a live variety extravaganza that commissions local and touring artists and experts from many disciplines to use their individual talents to present a different verbal encyclopedia entry each month. Get ready for a fun, interactive night; The Encyclopedia Show is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.

The remainder of the 21 & Over schedule for the 2010-11 season is as follows:

Feb. 28, 2011: The Encyclopedia Show (guest artist)
March 21, 2011: In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play by Sarah Ruhl
May 2, 2011: The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler by Jeff Whitty
June 20, 2011: August: Osage County by Tracy Letts

The 21 & Over productions are intended for a mature audience and discretion is advised. For more information on 21 & Over and other OCP alternative programs, contact Amy Lane, Resident Director, at alane@omahaplayhouse.com or (402) 553-4890, ext. 164.




February Metro Arts Pass Deal



Enjoy the arts with a Metro Arts Pass! If you are a season subscriber to the Playhouse, in the month of February, you can receive $1 off admission to El Museo Latino.

The Metro Arts Pass is sponsored by The Reader and features various nonprofit arts organizations around Omaha. In order to be a Metro Arts Pass member, you only must be a member or subscriber to one of the participating organizations. Every month, Playhouse members can enjoy a discount at a different featured Omaha arts organization.

Other participating organizations include:
Omaha Children's Museum
Omaha Performing Arts
Bemis Center
Durham Museum
Opera Omaha
El Museo Latino
The Rose
Film Streams
Nebraska Shakespeare
Joslyn Art Museum
Fontenelle Nature Association

For more information about the Metro Arts Pass, contact the Director of Sales at mkarbowski@omahaplayhouse.com or (402) 553-4890, ext. 147.