Platte River Bard Podcast

Opening October 2nd, Mills Masquers in Glenwood, IA opens "A Streetcar Named Desire", a 1947 Pulitzer Prize winning play by Tennessee Williams.  We spoke to Director, Ryan Fuller and Assistant Director Audrey Cosgrove, as well as one of the lead actresses, playing Blanche DuBois.  This hard-hitting classic drama is about illusion vs. reality, as well as old south vs. new south.   This is a classic...

We spoke to Dorothy, the Tinman, Scarecrow and the Lion in Chanticleer Community Theatre at Pottawattamie Arts and Entertainment Center!  We caught the crew before their Sunday show and there is one weekend left that you will not want to miss!   Hear all about it here from: Anna Larsen as Dorothy; Delaney Walker as the Tinman; Evelyn Loefselhoz as the Lion; and Zane Walter as Scarecrow These young...

We talked with Director, Chris Scott about this new work called "35MM: A Musical Exhibition" at Shelterbelt Theatre to find out what this unique show is about!  Written by Ryan Scott Oliver, this production uses music, movement, dance, and the photography of Matthew Murphy.  Each song and picture tells it's own unique story.  Hear all about it here! Performances: September 17 - October 4 Tickets a...

We spoke to Kimberly Faith-Hickman, Director of "The Elephant Man" which tells the real-life story of Joseph "John" Merrick, who had a severe rare skin and bone disease.  We also spoke with three of the actors in the play, Ethan Dragon who plays Mr. Merrick, Pieper Roeder, who plays Princess Alexandria as well as a woman who had a disfigurement and was referred to as a Pinhead, and our own Chris B...

We stopped by Bellevue Little Theatre to talk with Director, Todd Uhrmacher and Actor, Greta Hegarty about their production "Cry-Baby, the Musical" which opens September 18th!  Get ready for a John Waters twist on this high energy 1950's era musical!  There are costumes, live instrumentation and many wonderful voices coming our way!  With Dr. Laureen Pickle Music Directing, and Choreographer Debbi...

We spoke with Nia Karmann, Promoter, Organzier and Owner and Photographer of Nye Street Studios.  Nia and 20 other artists will be showing their artistry at the Platte River Art Show at Mahoney State Park, October 2nd-4th, 2026! The Kickoff begins at 6pm at the Wine and Cheese Reception, complete with live music Friday, October 2nd at 6pm.  Then the Art Show begins Saturday, October 2rd from 10am...

We spoke with Mark Reid, local Playwright and Director of his new play "Regrets" which will be produced at the 2026 Omaha Fringe Festival.  Mark gives us much more insight about this political play and why it was so important to him to write it. In a world where many are drawing boundaries with some of their closest friends and family, Mark would like people to have the conversation about compromi...

We spoke with Executive Artistic Director, Lara Marsh about the final shows in the 2026 Omaha Fringe Fest!  Hear all about all 20 Productions you'll be able to see.  You can purchase them by the show, or buy the weekend pass and see all of them! And of course, don't forget to buy your $5 button!  There are a couple Easter eggs in this podcast that you'll not want to miss!  Hint: There are some new...

We spoke with Julian Adair - President, Director, and Instructor with her company, the Adair Dance Academy, and is also the Artistic Director of Ever After Productions.   We always have a delightful conversation with Julian, and we had podcasted about "A Suite For Small Spaces III", held at Shelterbelt, however, we touched on different things this podcast, including that "A Suite for Small Spaces...

What do you get when you get cast in a show and figure out the show makes no sense because it was written by AI?  The Florentine Players are going to show you!  Written by a real human the old-fashioned human way, Kirk Adams, brings the play "Control + Alt + Script" to life.  A play within a play, this production will show you what hilarious twists and turns the cast experiences!  You'll want to h...

We were able to meet with the whole cast for this new show by Voices in Alliance Omaha opening at Shelterbelt Theatre July 15th!   This is a thoughtful drama, described as a "memory play", about a family with their complex relationships.  At the center is the character, Nut, played by Randall Johanningsmeier and the relationship with their father, a Vietnam Veteran who is struggling with being exp...

We sat down with leading ladies Kerri Forrester, Lydia Edmonds, and stage manager Krista Freimuth, and Director Gordon Cantiello about their musical "Beehive" that opens July 10th and runs only until July 12th.  This is a limited engagement!  This isn't just a jukebox musical, but it carries stories of the times throughout the late 1950's into 1960's as well as into the 1970's.  Kerri Forrester ha...

Ever After Productions presents Julian Adair's talented choreography in "A Suite for Small Spaces III" a New Dance Work by Julian Adair. This will be a beautiful and innovative production that you will want to get your tickets NOW for! We talked with Julian Adair, President/Director/Instructor of Adair Dance Academy and Artistic Director of Ever After Productions. Julian has spent 40 years of her...

"Omigod You Guys!" The Elkhorn Community Theatre presets "Legally Blonde The Musical" as their summer musical at the Elkhorn High School, beginning June 19th until June 28th!  We spoke with Noelani Howland, who plays the confident, queen of comebacks and forever positive, Elle Wood, along with her antagonist character Professor Callahan, played by Keaton Kreikemeier.  We had a delightful conversat...

"Omigod You Guys!" The Elkhorn Community Theatre presets "Legally Blonde The Musical" as their summer musical at the Elkhorn High School, beginning June 19th until June 28th!  We spoke with Noelani Howland, who plays the confident, queen of comebacks and forever positive, Elle Wood, along with her antagonist character Professor Callahan, played by Keaton Kreikemeier.  We had a delightful conversat...

We spoke to Jon Flower, Director of the play "The Cottage" by Sandy Ruskin, which is the Omaha Premier of this play by the Bellevue Little Theatre! This play hit Broadway in 2023 so now is your chance to see it!  Similar to the energy of "Noises Off" it is a prop-heavy and fast paced show, set in 1923 Britain.  Great for a date-night show, it is recommended for those 17 and over as it does deal wi...

Pottawattamie Arts, Culture, and Entertainment (PACE Arts Iowa) and Chanticleer Community Theater present this well-known musical, "Oklahoma!".  We spoke to McKenna Cottone and Kevin Bray, who are the love interests, playing Laurey and Curly, and we also spoke with Julian Adair, Choreographer of this production. This memorable musical has one more weekend and tickets are going fast!  You'll want t...

We spoke to Nia Karmann, Promoter and Organizer of The Platte River Art Show! She has 17 artists showing their one-of-a-kind handmade art of all kinds: painting, hatburning, sculpture, photography and more!  The Kickoff begins at 6pm at the Wine and Cheese Reception Friday, April 24th, 2026.  Then the Art Show begins Saturday, April 25th from 10am - 7pm and Sunday, April 26th from 10am to 4pm.   C...

We spoke with Artistic Director, Vincent J. Orduna, and Associate Artistic Director, Brandon Box-Higdem about Season 102 at the Omaha Community Playhouse for the 2026-2027 Season which was released on March 17th!  Though the current Season 101 is still going strong and there are some fun shows yet to see.  We talked about the upcoming season that is jam packed with show stoppers so you won't want...

We spoke with Director and Intimacy Director/Choreographer, Addie Barnhart, MFA about the production she is Directing at Omaha Community Playhouse, "Dial M for Murder."  This is a new adaptation of Frederick Knott's masterpiece of suspense and 1965 Alfred Hitchcock film and was adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher.  Hatcher's adaptation premiered in July 2022 so this is a fresh take on this classic thriller...

Join us for a conversation with Executive Artistic Director, Lara Marsh and Board President, Nic Jansen!  We attended the Omaha Fringe Fest Lottery Drawing event, "Coffee and Connections" on March 14th at Blackstone Theater and spoke to some of the winners, alternates and sat down with both Lara and Nic.  Now that the line-up is chosen, the Omaha Fringe Button Contest has begun, as well as applica...

A one-man show, starring our own Chris Berger, and Directed by Gordon Cantiello at Performing Artists Repertory Theatre (PART), you'll want to come see this Broadway play "Every Brilliant Thing."  March 20th through the 29th.  Come create this show along with them in this interactive play! The play, “Every Brilliant Thing” by  Duncan Macmillan  with Jonny Donahoe, opens with a mother’s suicide att...

We visited the Bellevue Little Theatre during their rehearsal for "Fiddler on the Roof" and spoke with Stage Director, Laureen Pickle; Music Director, Meg Latta; and the Actor who is playing Tevye, Dave Campbell to talk about this fun musical production!  With a cast of 32 people, this production will be sure to fill this little theatre with music and the range of emotions.  Laureen Pickle has tak...

We spoke to Director and Interim Artistic Director, Jamie Bullins and Actors Noelle Dominique Rodriguez and Harper LaRue Allen about their show "The Rocket Men" written by award winning playwright, Crystal Skillman.  The show opens March 12th at the Carson Theater at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.  This show is presented by seven women who play the role of seven former male Nazi scientists w...

We spoke with three talented actors in Voices in Alliance Omaha's (VIA Omaha) production of "Skin Tight" written by Joshua Harmon. All of the actors we spoke to, Diana Watson, Nathan Wilson, and Bill Huston are excited about the story that this play tells and felt so strongly about this script that they made arrangements in their lives to be a part of it.  "Skintight" begins when a daughter visits...