We had a lovely conversation with Chanel Savage, Shizzy Springs and Kane Ashton about their roles in the Nebraksa Premiere of the play "Charm" by Phillip Dawkins. "Charm" is a heartfelt and thought-provoking play that explores identity, acceptance, and the power of chosen family. Based on the inspiring true story of Chicago’s Miss Gloria Allen, this powerful work centers on Mama Darleena Andrews (played by Chanel Savage), a poised and passionate Black transgender woman who sets out to teach an e...
Aug 11, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 38
We had the pleasure of speaking with Ryan Kathman (Director) and Carter Fangmeyer (Assistant Director) about what makes "Punk Rock Romeo & Juliet" a production you must go see! This is an ecclectic and bold reinterpretation of Romeo & Juliet. S et to the memorable energies of 1970s and ’80s punk rock, you can expect to see a fun reimagination of this classic play. The historic Wyuka Stables, with its courtyard-style indoor/outdoor layout, will transport you into a charming Elizabethan-li...
Aug 06, 2025•26 min•Season 6Ep. 37
We sat down with Nicholas Jansen, President of the Board for Omaha Fringe Festival, to bring you the full lowdown on all 20 amazing performances at this year’s festival—running August 7–10, 2025! Featuring talent from dances to one-person plays, as well as puppets and musicals, every show is bursting with creativity! This year, the Fringe expands across three iconic venues: UNO Theatre (Mainstage & Studio 006) Blackstone Theatre Shelterbelt Theatre It’s easy to join the fun! Purchase your bu...
Aug 06, 2025•26 min•Season 6Ep. 36
We had the pleasure of speaking with the new Directorial team – VJ Orduña, the Artistic Director, and Brandon Box-Hidgem, the Assistant Artistic Director. Together, they’re bringing new passion, innovation, and a bold vision for the Omaha Community Playhouse! Get to know VJ and Brandon, learn about their creative journey, and get a sneak peek at what's coming up in the 2025-2026 season. First up: The River Bride (Aug. 15–Sept. 14) and Grease (Sept. 12–Oct. 12)! Omaha Community Playhouse Contact ...
Aug 04, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 35
We’re thrilled to spotlight Coffee Tonk , a brand-new production inspired by the music of singer-songwriter Ben Danaher . This original play makes its premiere at the Omaha Fringe Festival this August at the Shelterbelt Theatre. On today’s podcast, we welcome several incredible guests from the Coffee Tonk team: Jill Engelstad, the playwright; Steve Hydeen, the director of Coffee Tonk and Program Director & Chief Admin Director of the 402 Arts Collective ; Brigette Chizek, who plays dual role...
Jul 28, 2025•31 min•Season 6Ep. 34
We had an awesome time chatting with Carly Frolio and Nick Knipe — the two stars playing the love-struck small-town girl and city boy in the upcoming production of Rock of Ages ! And we also spoke to their Director, Jeff Garst. This is a high-energy, nostalgic 80's musical, with comedy, romance, totally rad costumes, big hair, as well as all the 80's hits! "Rock of Ages" premiered in 2005 in LA and Las Vegas 2006. It then went Off-Broadway in 2008, and finally premiered on Broadway in 2009 until...
Jul 08, 2025•20 min•Season 6Ep. 33
What happens when a roller coaster derails and high school kids are killed in the crash, only to make their case to a fortune teller for the chance to be raised from the dead? This musical, "Ride the Cyclone", is full of unexpected twists and turns, with dark humor, and even some heart. "Ride the Cyclone" runs at SNAP! Productions Ghost Light Theatre for this unforgettable ride - July 11-27th. Music, book, and lyrics were by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. "Ride the Cyclone" made it's world p...
Jul 08, 2025•19 min•Season 6Ep. 31
There are so many wonderful summer musicals to attend this summer, and be sure to add this little gem to your list! Mills Masquers presents "Unexpected Joy", a musical with lots of harmony, soul, and comedy. We meet four family members who are in different places in life, and they all come together for a memorial service. This family has had lots of tension over the years, and suddenly they find a path to acceptance, where before they found conflict. We spoke to Director, Ryan Fuller and Actor, ...
Jun 30, 2025•19 min•Season 6Ep. 31
Angels Theatre Company is proud to present the 10th Annual First Flight Festival, soaring onto the stage July 17–27! We spoke with Interim Artistic Director at Angels, Jamie Bullins, along with playwrights David Chapelle and Adrien Loehring (who also is a Composer), and they couldn’t be more excited to showcase this year’s lineup. First Flight features an eclectic mix of new short plays, monologues, and even a musical, all written by members of the Angels Playwriting Collective. Each piece runs ...
Jun 30, 2025•42 min•Season 6Ep. 30
We are back for our 5th Summer with the Brownville Village Theatre and their 58th Season! There's so much to share that you won't want to miss this podcast. We discuss their five shows of the summer - plus a world premiere of the play "For the Protection of Girls" written by Rachel Curtiss, Artistic Director at Brownville Village Theatre. And there's more - flex tickets, talk backs, BVT Young Performers, and more! We were fortunate to talk with Jack Danter and Rachel Grossman again, as well as A...
Jun 30, 2025•54 min•Season 6Ep. 29
It's going to be a Shrek-tastic Summer at Elkhorn Community Theatre! What’s summer without a fun musical full of magic, music, and a whole lot of ogre-sized fun? Get ready for laughs, love, and larger-than-life characters as Elkhorn Community Theatre proudly presents Shrek the Musical! With a cast of 64 talented performers, this family-friendly production promises to lift your spirits and steal your heart. We had the chance to catch up with Co-Directors Jessica Pulte and Jack O'Connell, along wi...
Jun 09, 2025•32 min•Season 6Ep. 28
We talked with Lance Nielsen, Executive Director at the Nebraskans for the Arts. The DOGE cuts to the arts, humanities and culture are an important topic making deep and permanent problems for our local Theatres and Creatives. If you aren't aware of what has been happening, or if you want to hear more about it because there is a lot to read out there, we have put it into podcast format for you to listen and easily take in. It will take all of us working together to advocate and save the already ...
May 31, 2025•21 min•Season 6Ep. 27
Though tickets are limited and a waiting list is already in place, now is the time to sign up for an unforgettable experience! Opera Omaha’s new production of "Fantastic Mr. Fox", based on Roald Dahl’s beloved tale and brought to life by composer Tobias Picker — is the perfect opera for the whole family. Filled with charm, adventure, and clever woodland creatures, it’s a delightful introduction to opera for all ages! Performed outdoors at the stunning Lauritzen Gardens, this 80-minute, no-interm...
May 27, 2025•17 min•Season 6Ep. 26
Get ready for a whirlwind of mystery, mayhem, and masterful disguises as Bellevue Little Theatre opens Ken Ludwig's " Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure" on June 6th! We spoke with four of the five incredible cast members who take on over 40 characters in this fast-paced and thrilling production! The story begins with a royal scandal — the Bohemian king’s stolen letters spark an international crisis involving spies, blackmail, and intrigue. With world peace on the line, Sherlock Holmes an...
May 27, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 25
We sat down with Denise Putnum, Jae Starling, Michelle Batzer, and Caroline Kelly to talk about their roles in Steel Magnolias , opening May 9th at the Hoff Center at PACE! This heartwarming and humorous comedy-drama is an unforgettable celebration of friendship, resilience, and Southern charm. Don’t miss the sharp one-liners, heartfelt moments, and hilarious female bonding that make this show a "must-see." CHANTICLEER COMMUNITY THEATER CONTACT INFO: Website: Chanticleer at PACE POTTAWATTAMIE AR...
May 07, 2025•18 min•Season 6Ep. 24
The Omaha Community Playhouse has their 101st Season lined up - and we were fortunate to have the chance to hear all about it. You'll not want to miss this interview with Becky Noble, Executive Director and Mary Carrick, Director of Marketing and Public Relations. We hear a little about their backgrounds and also all the things they have planned for the remaining 100th Season as well as next season! There's lots of exciting shows to choose from to watch, or be involved in, so check out this inte...
May 02, 2025•45 min•Season 6Ep. 23
SNAP Productions! / Ghost Light Theatre in Bellevue opens "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Thriller Musical" on April 25th - but there's more! An added performance to the schedule, sing-along performance, an Industry night that is pay-what-you-can and an ASL performance! Hear it from the Barber, Jonas Fogg and Judge Turpin, or ahem... John Celesky, Nick Andersen, and Xavier Carr respectively! "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Thriller Musical" opened on Broadwa...
Apr 15, 2025•20 min•Season 6Ep. 22
We had the distinct pleasure to talk to three very talented Omaha Creatives involved in the upcoming production "Scissoring" written by C. Quintana at VIA Omaha! We spoke with Asia Nared, Delaney Jackson, and TammyRa who are part of this small cast about the experience of a Catholic schoolteacher who is also in a relationship with another woman and is forced to step back into the closet. This is a fairly new play that has also won an Honorable Mention of the Kilroy's List and was a Finalist at t...
Mar 30, 2025•31 min•Season 6Ep. 21
The Platte River Bard attended the 2025 Omaha Fringe Festival Lottery and was able to talk to Board President Nic Jansen, Artistic Director Lara Marsh, Board Member Carrie Nash and Button Contest Sponsor Paul Pape of Paul Pape Designs. There are cash prizes for the button contest this year that is due April 20th! There is a lot of excitement about this year's many applicants, opportunities to volunteer and sponsor - so hear all about it here! #omahafringe2025 OMAHA FRINGE FESTIVAL CONTACT INFO: ...
Mar 30, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 20
Once again, we speak with Nia Karmann about her upcoming art show at the Mahoney State Park! This year, the vendors will span both the 1st and 2nd floor of the Peter Kiewitt building at the Mahoney State Park. She has 21 artists of all kinds: photography, paintings, sculptures, pottery, fiber arts and more! Join the kick off event on Friday, April 4th from 6pm - 9pm for wine, cheese and music, and visit the show Saturday from 10 am to 7pm, and Sunday at 10am to 4pm too! The Platte River Art Show...
Mar 23, 2025•10 min•Season 6Ep. 19
We spoke to Leo Adam Biga, local freelance cultural journalist and non-fiction book author. His works have spanned many years and subjects. Many times he has traveled for his story, including when he accompanied a group of local students to President Obama's Inauguration, and when he went on the set of well-known writer, director, screenwriter, and Oscar winner, Alexander Payne. This experience resulted in two books: "Alexander Payne: His Journey In Film: A Reporter's Perspective 1998-2012" (Kin...
Mar 23, 2025•33 min•Season 6Ep. 18
Marie Schuette, local Playwright and Creative, premieres her play "Stuck with Lemons" at the Shelterbelt Theatre February 13th-March 2nd. We talked with Marie Schuette and the Director of this play, Amy Lane about the origins and development of this play that was created and brought to life here in Omaha! This play is a collaboration with Great Plains Theatre Commons and Shelterbelt Theatre! The ASL Performance will be February 22nd. There will not be a performance on February 23rd. GPTC Night w...
Feb 15, 2025•47 min•Season 6Ep. 17
"Misery" adapted by William Goldman (who also wrote "Princess Bride") is based on the novel by Stephen King. SNAP! Productions will open this production on February 7th and it will run through February 23rd. This three-person show will entertain you with it's wacky and dark plot, as well as it's well-done fight scenes. We talked to Kaitlyn Rudeen who plays Annie Wilkes, Jeremy Earl who plays Paul Sheldon, and our own Chris Berger, who plays Sheriff Buster, and let them tell you why you should co...
Feb 04, 2025•45 min•Season 6Ep. 16
We talk with Actor Hannah Post and Director Mackenzie Zielke about their production, "The Girl on the Train" which opens January 31st at Bellevue Little Theatre. This is a suspenseful thriller was originally a book by Paula Hawkins and a New York Times Best Seller before it was a movie, and then a play adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel. If you like a suspenseful story, you'll enjoy this show! Find out more on our podcast, and get your tickets now to help solve the case! BELLEVUE LITTLE ...
Jan 28, 2025•21 min•Season 6Ep. 15
The 19th Annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards (OEAA) Awards are here! On February 16, 2025, the awards will be held at The Admiral Theater ( admiralomaha.com/ ). We have the scoop here for you about this prestigious Omaha tradition! Find out why the OEAA puts on their awards, how the voting works, how the venue dictates the award show, and learn more about the theme for this year. We talked with Board President, Doug Meigs, as well as Hughston Walkinshaw and Lori Lynn Ahrends, who are part...
Jan 27, 2025•53 min•Season 6Ep. 14
It’s January 20th, 2025! And we have the scoop of the year! Opera Omaha has announced their 2025-2026 season effective today, January 20th, and we have all the information here to share it with you! We talk with Allison Swenson, General Director and Katrina Thurman the Director of Artistic Administration about all of the exciting line-up of productions! Their new season has subscriptions beginning at $38, which is basically 2 for 1 price! We also talked about the events coming up that lead up to...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr•Season 6Ep. 13
The Lied Center for Performing Arts and the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra will be celebrating the music of "RENT" with their performance of "RENT In Concert" on January 18th, 2025! We had learned there are incredibly talented young Nebraska performers that will be part of this fun production and we wanted to share a few of those with you! We spoke to Elise Anderson, Will Hastreiter, and Samara Follette, who are local performers involved in this production! Will Hastreiter is from Elkhorn, NE and gr...
Jan 14, 2025•47 min•Season 6Ep. 12
We talked with Director Sara Scheidies about her upcoming production "She Kills Monsters" by Qui Nguyen which opens January 20th at the Chanticleer Community Theatre at the Hoff Center at PACE. "She Kills Monsters" was published in 2011 and was nominated for the Drama Desk Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, and ITBA Patrick Lee Awards in 2012. In 2013 it won the AATE Distinguished Play Award. Even if you are not a Dungeons and Dragons fan, you will easily find meaning in this play about a young girl wh...
Jan 07, 2025•16 min•Season 6Ep. 11
With the addition of the technological age, bullying has become even more apparent as a big problem that our kids and even adults face. We spoke with Dr. Patricia Newman, Founder and Executive Director of RESPECT. RESPECT is a not-for-profit organization formed of professional actor-educators, led by a child psychologist, advised by community organizations. Their Educators and Actors visit schools and communities – in person or virtually – to present educational plays and stage presentations to ...
Jan 02, 2025•32 min•Season 6Ep. 10
What is Christmas without music, friendship and snow? The 1954 movie "White Christmas" was adapted into a Broadway musical in 2008, and will give you all the great feelings of the famous Hollywood movie. While we were at PACE, visiting Chanticleer's production of this play, we heard lots of dancing and singing and spoke with Music DirectorJennifer Orvis and Actor, Christine Reiners. This cast is ready to bring us back to the post-World War II era with music, costumes, and a nostalgic Christmas s...
Dec 10, 2024•22 min•Season 6Ep. 8
