Survive Summer with OCP

It’s the middle of June. Your “slightly” overdramatic eight year-old son is requesting your presence at yet another presentation of his one-man show, complete with special effects by your two year-old daughter, her bowl of spaghetti and your dining room wall. You think to yourself, “This kid needs something to do,” as you scrub away the remnants of last night’s marinara sauce.

Never fear. The Omaha Community Playhouse features a wide array of summer camp opportunities for youth ages 4-18 with focuses on acting, dance, improv and technical theatre. We are here to help.

Drama Day Camps
June 6–10, June 13–17 or June 20–24; Ages 4–13
These camps are a fun way to help children learn to use imagination, create a character and work with classmates to tell a story. The students will share their experience with an invited audience on the final day.



First Stage Summer Theatre Academy
July 5–15 or July 19–29; Ages 12–18
Students interested in musical theatre will work with professional directors, music directors and choreographers during this very popular summer camp. They will spend their days at the Playhouse working on an original musical written especially for this camp, and perform it at the end of camp in the Howard and Rhonda Hawks Mainstage Theatre for a large audience of friends and family.



First Stage: Tech Theatre Edition
June 27–July 8; Ages 14–18
Students will choose one of four backstage areas: costumes, props, set design/construction or sound/lighting. They will work alongside the Playhouse technical staff to create costumes, props and sets and design the sound/lighting for the 2011 First Stage Summer Theatre Academy production.

Intro to Improv Comedy
June 27–July 1; Ages 7–13
Students will learn how to develop scenes and create characters within seconds using the basic tools of improv: focus, teamwork and miming. There will be a final showcase on the last day of camp.

Musical Theatre Dance
June 6–June 10; Ages 7–18
During this week long “strictly dance” performance camp, students will learn two musical theatre dance pieces and perform them at the end of the week in the Howard and Rhonda Hawks Mainstage Theatre.



If any of these camps sound like the perfect outlet for your budding star, visit the Playhouse Education page by clicking here, or call the Director of Education at (402) 553-4890, ext. 131.

With our help, you can survive Summer Vacation 2011. Your dining room walls will thank you.

Destinations Delight Patrons

Almost 300 people attended ACT II’s Destination: World's Fare Benefit on Saturday, April 9 to support the Omaha Community Playhouse. Guests enjoyed “traveling” to four exciting destinations within the Playhouse, each with its own décor, specialty cuisine and entertainment. This year’s destinations included: Las Vegas with Black Jack, roulette and craps, Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens with carnival games, India where guests could get a henna tattoo and Austria where desserts were served with a side of Opera! Attendees also enjoyed “shopping for souvenirs” at the silent auction and a raffle. The event was organized by the Playhouse’s support group, ACT II and chaired by ACT II President Lisa Hagstrom and Lisa Jones. The event raised $36,000 to support the high-quality entertainment and educational opportunities provided by the Omaha Community Playhouse. Food was provided by Hap Abraham Catering with the Patron (High Roller) Party by Flemings. Sponsors of the event included: KGOR, Paragon Printing, Inc., Carter and Vernie Jones, Gale and Judy Wickersham, Dr. and Mrs. Rudy Kotula, SilverStone Group, Kiewit Building Group, Lutz Financial, KPMG and Dave & Candi Kirkwood, Omaha World-Herald, First National Bank, First Westroads Bank and Quality Brands of Omaha. Additional ACT II Travel Coordinators included: Jan Boyer, Pat Durrie, Meghan Gibbons, Tami Giitter, Vernie Jones, Suzanne Kotula, Beth Kramer, Susan Lively, Jenn Locke, Sheila McNeill, Jackie Quigley, Tricia Schmidt, Dorene Sherman, Jennifer Taylor, Sherry Taxman, Courtney Vacanti-Birnstihl and Deana Walocha.

OCP Apprentices Get Cirqued

The OCP apprentices got to take a backstage look at Cirque du Soleil's Dralion at the Mid America Center earlier this week.






The Cirque du Soleil professionals then came to OCP on Thursday for a question and answer session with the staff and apprentices. Just a few of the perks of being and OCP apprentice!

Life’s Greatest Lessons…in Reality and on Stage

Some of life’s greatest lessons arrive in the most unusual forms, occasionally even on stage. In the Omaha Community Playhouse’s production of Tuesdays with Morrie, what once was a relationship between student and teacher becomes a life-changing friendship as the dying professor imparts profound wisdom on his former student.

Chris Shonka, an Omaha native, plays the role of Mitch Albom, a successful sports journalist and Morrie’s former student. Though he has lived in New York, Boulder and Houston, Shonka has returned to Omaha theatre, and he is no stranger to the discipline. Shonka has acted in various roles since high school, including the 1993 OCP show A Few Good Men. He has also received an M.F.A. in acting and a Ph.D. in theatre history. One of Chris’s most recent accomplishments was co-directing a production of The Good Doctor at Creighton University with two guest alumni directors and Bill Hutson, the actor who plays Morrie Schwartz. In the show, Morrie is Mitch’s former sociology professor affected by ALS (also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

In fact, not only do the actors share a stage during the play, but they also share a special bond, similar to that of Mitch and Morrie. As an undergraduate student at Creighton, Shonka was mentored by Hutson, a professor and active member of the theatre department. Shonka majored in theatre at Creighton, starring in several productions and working closely with Hutson. When asked about his relationship with Hutson, Shonka described him as a “terrific” teacher and mentor, one who created “a culture and work ethic related to the arts that naturally extended to everyday life.”

A life-long actor, Hutson first graced the OCP stage in Richard III in 1974 and Shakespeare in Hollywood in 2008. When he is not at OCP, Hutson performs in and directs other shows, travels, reads and inspires students like Shonka through his teaching. When asked about the source(s) of his inspiration, he credits professors both at the University of North Texas and Michigan State but, “In Omaha, I’ll always think of Nancy Duncan as one of the most inspirational people/directors I’ve known. She was my first director at the Playhouse.” These two are inseparable, it seems…from student and teacher to co-directors and cast mates. “I have had a terrific time in rehearsals watching him create this character…”, remarks Shonka.

Come cherish the inspiring story of Tuesdays with Morrie in the Howard Drew Theatre, April 29–May 29, Thursday–Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $35 for adults and $21 for students. For groups of 15 or more, adult tickets are $23 and student tickets are $15. To purchase tickets or for more information, call (402) 553-0800, visit the Box Office or click here.

Article by Kristin Winfrey

Steel Magnolias cast reflects on film characters, relationships

After the highly successful film adaptation of Steel Magnolias was released in 1989, many actresses performing in the play version have been required to take on a challenging task. With a film that featured a cast of veteran performers like Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine and Dolly Parton, as well as a fresh-faced Julia Roberts, it can be difficult for others to look past these performances and for actresses to create a character of their own. However, the cast members at the Omaha Community Playhouse say they are working to avoid the identical character trap. Brenda Ehrhart, who is playing the Sally Field role of M’Lynn, remembered seeing the film when it was first released, and she also saw OCP’s first production of the play. She carries memories from both versions; however, Director Amy Lane has helped her develop a fresh interpretation of the role.

“[She] is doing an amazing job as our director in helping us to each explore our characters and their lives prior to where the show takes us,” Ehrhart said. “She has also worked with us to discover the background and interpersonal relationships of the characters. At this point in the creative process, the work Amy is doing with us is where I am gaining most of the character insight and development for M’Lynn.” Katie Kresha, who is playing M’Lynn’s daughter and the Julia Roberts role of Shelby, noted that although she is trying to make the character her own, she thinks she should not completely ignore Roberts’ performance.

“If you try to fight it for the sake of being different, you can alienate your audience,” Kresha said. “I think what makes Julia Roberts' performance as Shelby so memorable is revealed in that huge, beautiful smile that shines through joyous experiences, heartache, fear and pain. Her beauty isn't just that she is Julia Roberts; it's the inner and outer strength of character she embodies as Shelby throughout her journey and the hope that she gives to those around her.”

Jennifer McGill, who plays Annelle, noted that it is impossible not to be influenced by Daryl Hannah’s performance in the film, but she is using the script, Lane’s direction and her own personal experiences to develop her character. McGill has found connections with not only Annelle but also other characters in the play.

“I relate so well to the mother-daughter relationship between M'Lynn and Shelby,” McGill said. “I was diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes at the age of 7. My mother wants me to be strong and follow my dreams, but she is still very protective of me because of what I've been through with diabetes, just like M'Lynn is with Shelby.”

It is these types of relationships in the show that make it so well-loved, Connie Lee, who plays the Dolly Parton role of Truvy, noted.

“I love the relationships in the play and the bonds these women have formed,” Lee said. “I can relate to them all … I treasure the women in my life, family members and the long-term friends who have become family. Getting together for girl time is absolutely necessary. It's like oxygen. Gotta have it!”

Don’t miss Steel Magnolias in the Howard and Rhonda Hawks Mainstage Theatre, April 15-May 8, Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for adults and $21 students. For groups of 15 or more, adult tickets are $23 and student tickets are $15. To purchase tickets or for more information, call (402) 553-0800, visit the Box Office or click here.

Article by Maria Becvar

OCP London Theatre Tour Reunion

You’re invited!

Omaha Community Playhouse
2003-2011 London Theatre Tour Reunion

Omaha Community Playhouse
6915 Cass St.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Join us for tea at 5–7 p.m.

Celebrate memories, relive experiences, renew friendships and share photos with fellow tour members from past London Theatre Tours. Or if you have never been on the London Theatre Tour and are interested in learning more, visit with those who have gone and learn more about the trip!

Hear details for the 2012 10th year anniversary Omaha Community Playhouse London Theatre Tour. The tour will be February 15-20, 2012 with an optional two-day tour extension to Dublin, Ireland and a performance at the Abbey Theatre, the national theater of Ireland. We’re saving a seat for you!

Over the past nine years, the London Theatre Tour has contributed more than $25,000 to the Omaha Community Playhouse! Thank you for your support of high-quality live theater in Omaha.

21 & Over Presents The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler

21st Century Plays for a 21st Century Audience

21 & Over, the Omaha Community Playhouse's newest alternative program, is pleased to present The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler!

Monday, May 2
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 Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler
by Jeff Whitty

Henrik Ibsen’s tragic heroine, Hedda, last seen prostrate on a couch with a bullet hole in her head, makes a surprising return in Jeff Whitty’s (author of Avenue Q) wacky new comedy. Mired in an alternative hell where death is only possible when a fictional character is forgotten by the real-life public, Hedda faces an eternity of misery. Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler is a gleefully delirious, wildly imaginative ride as one of drama’s most tragic figures embarks on a journey to create for herself a new and improved ending.

Save the date for the final show of the 21 & Over schedule for the 2010-11 season, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning phenomenon August: Osage County, June 20, 2011.

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.