Platte River Bard Podcast

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...

We spoke to Director, Jeannie Lorimor and Assistant Director Scott Hite about Mills Masquers Theater's production of "Between the Lines."  This is a large musical that is sure to please with catchy music, romance, a new school, and the world of books and fantasy. Join Mills Masquers for this story of a teenager who struggles to fit into a new school while meeting her Prince! Between the Lines is a...

We spoke to Camille Metoyer Moten, OEAA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner!  Camille is a humble and faceted artist.  She has been a dancer and actor, and is a singing musical artist who has released three albums, as well as a writer and a painter!   She is best known for her cabaret singing and her many performances of her show, often at the Omaha Community Playhouse. We talk with her about her li...

Join us as we talk with Fred Ohles (President Emeritus, Nebraska Wesleyan University) about his new and as-yet-unproduced play “Drawn Back”. We talk with Fred about his current work as well as some of his previous works and how he got into play-writing after his retirement from Nebraska Wesleylan. His new play, “Drawn Back” has a historical correlation with the famous criminals, Bonny & Clyde!...

Chris Berger (who plays Angel Michael) sat down for an enjoyable conversation with Gordon Cantiello, Director and CEO-President of Performing Artists Repertory Theatre (PART), as well as his two castmates, Lucas Jackson (as God), and JJ Davis (as Angel Gabriel) for a discussion about their upcoming production "An Act of God."   "An Act of God" by David Javerbaum, opens February 13th - 22nd at PART...

We spoke with Director, Adam Fulbright about Bellevue Little Theatre's production of "Other Desert Cities" which opens January 16th and runs through February 1st!   With a cast of five, this play was written by Jon Robin Baitz and premiered off-Broadway in 2011 and then transferred to Broadway November 2011.  It was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.  Though it can also be considere...

We spoke with Jessica Johnson, Katt Walsh, Actors in the play "Log Cabin", and their Director, Justin Parsley about this comedy written by Jordan Harrison.  Though it is a comedy, it explores the dynamics of a tight-knit group of married gays and lesbians and their transgender friend.   Listen in to our conversation about this play that is full of plot twists and important conversation about LGBTQ...

We spoke with Vincent J. Orduna, Artistic Director, and Mary Carrick, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at the Omaha Community Playhouse about their production of "The Piano Lesson."  This production opens January 16th and runs until February 8th, 2026. This is August Wilson's fourth play in his ten-play Century Cycle, which explores the African American experience. This play has some unu...

Kimberly Faith-Hickman presents YES! - Your Empowerment Studio, and their first full production "A Krampus Carol" co-produced with SNAP! Productions, December 19-21st.   We spoke to some of the delightful cast, Brinlee Roeder, Junie Scherr, and Pieper Roeder!  Hear how these talented youth approach an unconventional Krampus meets "A Christmas Carol" and how much fun they are having with this produ...

We have legislative updates on the previous funding cuts, as well as learning about NFTA's "Arts and Culture Day" on February 4th, with evening opportunities to network on February 3rd! This is a great opportunity to learn how to advocate for support and funding for the Arts in Nebraska! We spoke with Lance Nielsen, Executive Director, who checked in with us again to give us the scoop on all of th...

We spoke to Director, Gary Bosanek and Hannah Goodrich, Actor (Esther) about their Christmas musical production "Meet Me In St. Louis" at the Hoff Center at Pottawattamie Arts/Culture Entertainment, produced by Chanticleer Community Theater!  This musical production promises familiar old standards, music, dancing, a live orchestra and beautiful costumes.  With a cast of all ages, together they bri...

Sara Scheidies Directs (and Costume Designs) the Bellevue Little Theatre's production, "Miracle on 34th Street" and we talked to her about Directing her first Musical! We also talked to Riley Pope, who focuses on Props and Marketing for this show, but both of these women are multi-faceted and picking up wherever things are needed!  We hear about this cast of 30+ people and talk about a beloved Chr...