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| When you think of the Omaha Community Playhouse, you may think of Broadway shows and productions. Or maybe you have memories of attending events with family and friends in the past. Considering that the Omaha Community Playhouse is part of Omaha’s history, it is fun to dig a little deeper and find out what makes its productions so grand. A key to the success of any production is Amy Reiner. The Omaha Community Playhouse, which is located at 6915 Cass Street, has been a home-away-from-home for Amy for 10 years. She says she feels blessed to be in a position that she enjoys so much. Amy, who is the prop master, is in charge of the production hand props, furniture, and set dressing, as well as for pulling together each production. “I enjoy the fact that each and every day is different,” says Amy. “With the amount of productions we have, there is never time for boredom.” The Omaha Community Playhouse features two state-of-the-art performance spaces. The first is the Howard and Rhonda Hawks Mainstage Theatre, and the second is the intimate Howard Drew Theatre. The Howard Drew Theatre was added in 1986 as a black box theater, which allows for more progressive productions. A black box theater, or an experimental theater, is an unadorned performance space that usually consists of a large square room with black walls and a flat floor. Amy was involved in theater in high school, and that led her into college, where she continued to enjoy her passion for the theater. Amy says working to create and find the perfect props for a show is very rewarding. While some people may not pay attention to props when watching a production, these things, along with costumes, work to transform the audience into the world of the characters in the script. Amy points out that theatrical props create the atmosphere in a production. Stage props might include hand props used by the actors, set decorations, and furniture. The prop master is responsible for assembling all of the props and their placements. The “stage picture” is the appearance of the stage for a production. The stage is artistically composed to include scenery, props, and actors. Amy points out that the stage should express good design and use of space, and it should also be visually attractive to the audience. According to Amy, it typically takes five to six weeks to get all of the props and sets ready for an opening. Due to the volume of productions at the Omaha Community Playhouse, while they are pulling props for one show, they are usually preparing for an opening of another show. Amy’s favorite thing about her position is being able to teach herself new projects. “There is nothing like looking into something and building it from scratch and seeing the finished product,” says Amy. “It seems like every musical we do there is something new I have to come up with, and I love it.” One spring production that Amy is looking forward to is “Awesome ‘80s Prom,” which opens on April 30th. “As a child of the ‘80s, I can’t wait for the fashions and the fun of the ‘80s to be on stage. This is one show you will not want to miss, as it will be bizarre and unforgettable.” “Awesome ‘80s Prom” is a blast from the past party that is set at Wanaget High School’s senior prom. The characters are inspired by ‘80s movie favorites, from the captain of the football team to the Asian exchange student to the geek and the sexy head cheerleader. Amy is also looking forward to “All Shook Up” featuring the music of Elvis, and “Mr. Roberts,” which will open this spring. Another exciting thing about the Omaha Community Playhouse is the Nebraska Theatre Caravan. It was founded in 1975 as a joint project between the Omaha Community Playhouse and the Nebraska Arts Council. Since the beginning, the Nebraska Theatre Caravan has produced 90 productions and has played to 160 Nebraska communities, as well as many others across the country. The national tour of “A Christmas Carol,” for example, has been performed in over 600 cities in 49 states and four Canadian provinces. Amy points out that if people enjoy theater and are looking for the opportunity to volunteer in the community, they should consider the Omaha Community Playhouse. She says that the volunteers are “the heart,” and that for over 80 years, volunteers have done everything from sell memberships and run the lights to help in the box office and usher in guests. The quality of the Omaha Community Playhouse is a direct result of the volunteers, Amy comments. (Volunteers are placed according to interest and experience.) Not only is Amy a multitasking prop master, but she is also a kidney donor. In January 2009, Amy donated her kidney to her cousin, David, who has Polycystic Kidney Disease. Amy says her uncle donated his kidney for David’s father, and she decided that she should be tested to see if she was a match. She was thrilled when she found out she was. Amy says that the recovery was challenging, and that it took two months to heal. She is pleased that David is doing great. “I plan to volunteer to help those people considering becoming a donor,” says Amy. “There are many unknowns, and it can be difficult for those who haven’t been through it to understand. I want to give back and assist in any way that I can.” According to the National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse, there are approximately 400,000 people who have kidney failure in the United States, with approximately 68,300 transplants taking place each year. Kidney transplants allow patients with kidney failure to resume life without needing dialysis. Their quality of life can be greatly improved, although patients must remain on medication to prevent their body from rejecting the kidney. For more information about the Omaha Community Playhouse or to purchase tickets over the phone, call 553-0800 Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. You may also visit the box office. It is located on the southeast corner of the building at 6915 Cass Street. |
The Omaha |
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