Volunteer Spotlight: Roger Downer

What OCP Means to Me:

Volunteer Spotlight: Roger Downer

Each season, hundreds of people flood the backstage areas of the Omaha Community Playhouse. Instead of learning lines and memorizing dance moves, they take hold of ropes, memorize cues, operate spotlights, execute costume quick-changes, and tape out props. They dedicate hours and hours and HOURS of time and energy into making sure the magic onstage can go off without a hitch.  

Unlike actors, they rarely get to take a bow. It takes a special kind of person to do all of that. Roger Downer is one of those people. 

In 2014, Roger was looking for a fun volunteer opportunity, and decided to check out the Omaha Community Playhouse. Having no theatre experience, and not knowing anything about cues or cue books, let alone the ins and outs of the grueling work known as “tech week*,” Roger was a little nervous. The OCP staff was more than happy to have an extra helping hand. 

“The veteran crew and staff members provided all the training I needed to be one of the four spotlight operators for The Drowsy Chaperone. This was a great first musical for me that was fast-paced, funny, and had a wonderful cast and crew.”

But how does someone with no theatre experience even become interested in volunteering for an organization like the Playhouse? For Roger, the answer was dinosaurs.

“I first went to see a show, to see if it felt like a right fit for me. I saw Enron (2014) in the Drew Theatre, and was really impressed with the level of talent and quality of the production. And, a show with dinosaurs in suits was just the type of fun I was looking for.”

OCP Cast of Enron - 2014

In addition to all the volunteering Roger does, he still finds other ways to give back. “My employer, Travelers, supports my love of the theatre by encouraging employee involvement in the arts, education, and community development. They have generously matched my volunteer hours with grant contributions to the Omaha Community Playhouse. In return, I share my crew show tickets with my co-workers. It’s been a win, win, win opportunity.” 

What’s next for Roger? Another show, of course! 

“I’m thankful for the Omaha Community Playhouse and am excited to start my fourth season as a crew member for Mamma Mia! – returning to my home away from home. I’m looking forward to seeing my theatre family again.” 

Are you interested in volunteering as a crew member for the Omaha Community Playhouse? Click here for more details, or contact the Production Coordinator at (402) 553-4890 x 114. 

Would you like to continue to support the productions and programs of the Omaha Community Playhouse? Donate Now! Make your donation go further with your employer’s matching program!

What’s YOUR story? Do you have a story to share about how OCP has impacted you? If so, we’d love to hear it! E-mail Emily Andres, Development Director

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*“Tech week” is the final week of production rehearsals, when all technical elements of a show, including costuming, lighting, sound, and set pieces, are hashed into the production along with actors and orchestra.  

The Reality/Theatricality of Enron

“We’re going to put it all together and sell it to you as the truth.” The opening line and company attitude of Enron makes everyone take a look at how truly north the company's moral compass pointed–with some satirical laughs along the way. Scandal, lies and corruption are a few of the plot twisting details of the play Enron, which opens at the Omaha Community Playhouse Aug. 15.

When Enron executives were caught in their intricate scandal, the world was shocked. Officials and figure heads had to step down, the company filed for bankruptcy (the largest company to have ever filed at the time) and pivotal leaders were sentenced to time in prison. Consequently, standards and laws for accountants and businesses as a whole became a necessary precaution. The impact was huge.

Enron was one of the world’s energy giants that was based right here in Omaha in its early days (formerly Northern Natural Gas then InterNorth). The company misrepresented financial reports, paid off government officials and encouraged employees to invest their retirement funds in unstable stocks. Thus leading to the collapse of the energy giant and devastating many employees’ financial situations. Connie Lee (character: Claudia Roe) shares, “...If you lived in this area – you were sure to know people who were financially devastated by it. It appears that Jeffrey Skilling is eligible for release in 2017. I’m sure there are many people who would love to contribute to that parole hearing!”

In the play, the stage is transformed into the fast-paced business world giving us an insider view of the scandal sparing no blame along the way. Fulfilling the deceitful roles, here are a few words from the cast about the show.

Standing L-R: Matthew Pyle as Jeffrey Skilling, Lamar Brown as Raptor, Connie Lee as Claudia Roe, Chris Shonka as Andy Fastow; Front row L-R: Jon Roberson as Raptor, Paul Schneider as Ken Lay, Steve Hartman as Raptor

Where did you draw your inspiration for the role?
Matthew (character: Jeffrey Skilling) –“Jeff is an uber-smart, overbearing, self-righteous, (and yet charismatic), take-no-prisoners ‘SOB.’” Matthew jokes, “He is, essentially, who we all (at least secretly) wish we could be in real life.”

Chris Shonka (character: Andy Fastow) –“Deep down, the man I’m playing was a reprehensible human being, at least during this time in his life. Andy Fastow’s crimes at Enron defied the fundamental principles of finance and just being a decent person, but he glued a web of money to his arms and tried to fly. Someone has to be on his side for this show to work, and it is this basic human love of rolling the dice that lets me see the world from his point of view.”  

What's your favorite part about this piece?
Connie (character: Claudia Roe) – “I love the way this play jumps from real and dramatic scenes to the absurd. Reality/Theatricality. It’s so much fun to work on a production that includes both extremes.”  

What do you find the most challenging about this production?
Paul Schneider (character: Ken Lay) –“Trying to capture the nuances of Ken Lay's voice – the tone, the pace, the hint of a southern accent – have been most interesting and challenging.”

 Connie Lee (character: Claudia Roe) --“My character, Claudia, is the only one of the 4 main characters who is fictional rather than a real person. But she is closely drawn from a real person in the Enron saga: Rebecca Mark. Claudia, like Rebecca, was one of the very few powerful women in the macho-male dominated corporate culture. She is flashy, aggressive and a hoot to play! We can draw from what we know of Rebecca for Claudia’s character, but we’re not boxed in by that. We’re free to create the Claudia that works best for this production.”

Chris (character: Andy Fastow) –“If you want a cohesive, engaging narrative, you can’t be pulled into a vortex of abstraction. What I love about this production is how everyone is invested, finding something entirely human in even the most absurd corners of the play. I don’t know that I’ve seen this many people be so freely inventive, yet disciplined in their commitment to the moment to moment action of the play. The challenge? Keeping up with them.”  

What do you remember from the scandal? How did it affect you?
Paul (character: Ken Lay) – “I am an active investor, and I am extremely saddened by the fact that absolutely nothing in the financial world has improved since the demise of Enron. In fact, all the predatory practices are very much worse than they were when Enron failed. Far worse collapses have already occurred and are likely to continue to occur.”

Chris (character: Andy Fastow) – “Skilling told me to sell my options a year before all hell broke loose. He didn’t even know me, just butt dialed and I answered. Is that a conflict of interest for me? Probably. The Enron scandal didn’t affect me personally but the subsequent ones have obviously impacted everyone’s lives (Why, why did I buy my house in 2007?). Has meaningful regulation been passed by our representatives in government? Will it ever?”

 Enron runs Aug. 15-Sept. 14, Thursday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets, or for more information, call (402) 553-0800, or visit the Box Office located in the southeast corner of the Omaha Community Playhouse at 6915 Cass St. or click here.

Story by Kelsey Nutt

Go Beyond the Show!

Go Beyond the Show with post-show discussions following Enron. These discussions give audiences opportunities to discuss themes and subjects within a production with experts and community partners. They are free and open to the public and immediately follow a show.

Business Ethics and Enron: A community conversation
Facilitated by Amy Rodie
Sunday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 24 following the matinee productions of Lucy Prebble's play Enron.

Amy R. Rodie, Ph.D.
James R. Schumacher Chair of Ethics
Associate Professor of Marketing
College of Business Administration
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Professor Rodie teaches a business ethics course to business majors, and students study what went wrong at Enron. She also teaches Principles of Marketing, Consumer Behavior and Marketing Service Products. Amy has served as associate dean of UNO’s College of Business Administration and teaches in many of the executive education programs offered by UNO’s College of Business Administration. She has been awarded UNO’s Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award and the College of Business Administration Dean’s Citation for Excellence in Teaching.


Enron Talk Back
Friday, Aug. 29
Join Enron's cast and crew to learn about the production process of the show.

To purchase tickets to Enron or for more information, visit the OCP Box Office, call (402) 553-0800 or click here.

Go Beyond the Show is a series of patron enrichment events that take a deeper look into the work that we produce on our stages.

Enron Cast Announced

Enron

Aug. 15-Sept. 14, 2014

Howard Drew Theatre

Tickets go on sale for Enron to subscribers July 29 and to the general

public Aug. 5. For more information, call (402) 553-0800.

Cast:

Ken Lay                                Paul Schneider

Jeff Skilling                          Matthew Pyle

Claudia Roe                        Connie Lee

Andy Fastow                      Chris Shonka

Daughter                            Riley Perez/EmMA Johnson

 

Other Characters

Danielle Smith

Mary Slater

Raydell Cordell III

DeVante Jones

Lamar Brown

Josh Mullady

Jon Roberson

Jamie Lewis

Steve Hartman