Platte River Bard Podcast

Dylan Rohde, "ba-dah-ba-dah"!  This is Part 1 of a two-part interview with Dylan Rohde, founder and owner of The Backline, and also founder of the Omaha Comedy Fest!  In Part 1 we give you a fun conversation about what the Omaha Comedy Fest is this year in 2022.  They will be featuring comedians, such as Amber Ruffin and #IMomSoHard, as well as many other comedians, both local and from around the...

Are you ready kids?  And grown-ups too?  Because this show is for all of you!  We talk with Matt Gutschick, Artistic Director at The Rose Theater in Omaha!  The Rose is producing The Spongebob Musical and it's full of zany costumes and a contemporary rock music score composed by some of the industries biggest names, including John Legend and David Bowie.  Matt talks about this incredible Cast of C...

We LOVE TAGG.  We have been TAGGing for years!  So if you haven't heard of this wonderful organization that helps both businesses and non-profits in the area, you will definitely want to listen to this podcast.  And even if you do know about TAGG, and are a "TAGGer", you will want to listen and appreciate this business even more!  Meet Leslie Fischer and Holly Baker, the co-founders of TAGG.  They...

The Bard crashed the rehearsals of the Benson Theatre, and had the rewarding opportunity to talk with Kathy Tyree, Jared Cernousek, Kerri Forrester, and Moira Mangiameli!  Their show "American Son" opens Thursday, August 18th and will run from the 18th-21st and the 27th-29th.  Join us for some really deep conversations about race and perspective in this show, which was written by Christopher Demos...

Join us as we talk with Tamar Neumann, Executive Director of the Omaha Fringe Festival, Lara Marsh, Managing Director, and Jason Levering, Artistic Director.  The Omaha Fringe will again be held at UNO Weber Fine Arts and Big Canvas in Omaha! We discuss all of the events, so you won't want to miss it! The Performances you won't want to miss are:  Chrysalis Studio Productions presents Dance of the...

Meet Mitch Bean and Rachel Curtiss, Artistic Directors at the Brownville Village Theatre in Brownville, Nebraska.  This little theatre is brimming with high energy, company members, and full-on theatre!  About a dozen Company Members make this jam packed Summer Season of five shows a success.  If you are a performer, this model is fully immersive as you learn not just lines, but learn all the tech...

Factoids are fun!  And we certainly learned quite a few about Stephen Santa and all of the productions the upcoming Omaha Community Playhouse's 2022-2023 Season!  This was a great chance to get to know Mr. Santa, who comes to us from Pittsburg.  His extensive experience in theatre, directing, and also in ways to make theatre available to everyone, along with his passion for theatre, is a perfect m...

Morrie Enders, Executive Director of the Lincoln Community Playhouse is a burst of refreshing energy!  He talks about their new season, Season 77 called "Stepping in to Season 77" !  Mr. Enders is an introspective and easy to talk with, and we also talk about how LCP handled the height of the pandemic and how the theatre is planning the future.  So listen in!  You won't want to miss it!   LINCOLN...

It's going to be a busy week in theatre!  We talk with Kevin Lawler, Artistic and Administrative Coordinator of the Great Plains Theatre Commons New Play Conference, which begins Sunday, May 30th and runs every day until June 4th, 2022.  The Conference will be held at Mid Town Crossing and the Fort Dodge Metro Community College campus.   The Conference will have workshops as well as the showing of...

Opening TONIGHT, May 13, 2022, "The 39 Steps" opens at the Chanticleer Community Theatre.  We talk with the Director, Roxanne Wach, and her muliti-talented and multi-character cast:  Will Muller, Roz Parr, Brennan Thomas, and Marcus Benzel.  This small cast packs a lot of fun and suspense in this mix of a Hitchcok masterpiece with a dash of Monty Python.  We were able to see the preview last night...

We had a fun conversation with Derek Kowal, Director, Shelly Gushard, Musical Director and Lisa Scheve, Choreographer for the 56 Annual Melodrama by the Florentine Players in Florence!  And because the weather is nice, we even were able to podcast outside.  Don't miss learning about the show - it will even have a parade! The Melodrama "I Saw Her Standing There" or "The Show Must Go On" will run Ma...

Last but definitely not least, Charles James Adams talks to the Platte River Bard.  From the era that Sheri and Chris grew up in,  it was always a joke that five people make an official party, but in this case, if you add Mr. Adams and his wonderful energy and sense of humor, that makes five, so we were an official party!  And speaking of party, Mr. Adams plays Simon Stimson, a character that  is...

Shawn Whitsell is yet another impressive and multi-talented individual in the cast of "Our Town" at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre where he plays the role of Mr. Webb.  We talk with him about his performance company, Destiny Theatre Experience, as well as some of his other acting experience.  He delivers a caring performance as Emily's father in Our Town, and we are fortunate to have been able to...

Christopher Austin, who plays the "Stage Manager" in Nebraska Repertory's production of Our Town was so much fun to interview!  He has film, theatrical and voiceover credits, and is the current Casting Director at the Contemporary American Theatre Company in Columbus, Ohio.  We can tell you that he breathes a new life into the role of the Stage Manager, which is a huge role in this production, and...

We are always so delighted to talk with Ron Himes, even if it's just for a few minutes in his busy day.  Mr. Himes, Founder and Producer of The Black Rep in St. Louis, was invited along with his cast and crew to perform “Sweat” at the 2022 Inge Festival (Kansas' Official State Playwright Festival in Independence, Kansas) by Lynn Nottage on Friday, April 22nd.  Ms. Nottage is being honored at this...

Ms. Thomas is a striking individual, and she lights up the stage with her smile and energy!  Joni Thomas is also a UNL Theatre Alumni Graduate and is used to working behind the scenes in local Lincoln theatres including the Nebraska Repertory Theatre and the Lincoln Community Playhouse.  But this time she is in front of the audience, and Our Town is her stage debut as the gossipy Mrs. Soames. Don'...

This is the third interview with the cast and crew of Nebraska Repertory Theatre's produciton of Our Town.  We talked with Composer, Craig Woerz, and Music Supervisor and Arranger, Charlie Alterman about how they recreated and arranged the brand new score for Thornton Wilder's Our Town. Craig is a Composer, Musician and the Managing Partner of Media Storm, and was named a “Media Maven” by AdAge (I...

Shawn K. Jain, theatrical, tv and film Actor, is an inspiration to all Creatives young and old!  Today in our podcast, he shares his story about Acting full-time.  Mr. Jain is currently in the production "Our Town" at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre, and he plays Dr. Gibbs in this newly reimagined and inclusive version of Thornton Wilder's play.  In addition, the play contains a newly revised score...

What a special treat it was to sit down with Dr. Arthur Feinsod, Guest Director of Our Town at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre that opens April 13th!  Dr. Feinsod has served as Artistic Director for Crossroads Repertory Theatre in Terre Haute, Indiana. He also co-founded and served as Artistic Director for Theatre 7 where he staged plays that included Death of a Salesman in the historic Indiana The...

Musing, A Storytelling Series:  LIfe and Death, Stories about Starts and Stops, Beginning and Endings, Renewal, and Letting go at Bluebarn Theatre is already SOLD OUT!  But that's okay because there will be a Virtual Offering coming shortly.  And on top of that, we had such a fun talk with Seth Fox, Story Curator for this Series, you must listen and find out more! This production's Storytellers ar...

The upcoming production of God on Trial by the Brigit St. Brigit Theatre Company will be an illuminating and fascinating look at a supposed legendary event during World War II of Holocaust prisoners at Auschwitz who decide to put God on trial for breaking his Covenant with the Jewish people.  Director and Actor, Murphy Wulfgar (formerly known as Scott Kurz) talks about this moving and powerful pla...

It's our 100th Episode!  And we are celebrating by talking with Ron Himes, founder and Producing Director of the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, who graces us with a devised piece, Traveling Shoes, at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre.  There are only two performances of this important piece of work which includes poems, prose, dance, and songs to convey the need to have difficult conversations an...

Meet the talented Hal France, UNO Theatre's Music Director to talk about the upcoming Auditions for this summer's High School Musical Theatre!  Auditions are March 26th and April 2nd. This is a new opportunity for area theatre students to work with UNO's talented Directors!  Don't miss this great opportunity to be in the musical, Fame! We also talk with Hal about his vast experience in the arts. ...

It's always a treat to meet new talented people, and we were certainly not disappointed in the least when meeting Jill Anderson.  Jill is Guest Directing "King Lear" which will be opening at Bluebarn.  Jill discusses what will be a fantastic Shakespeare experience, with a large cast packed with local talent, complete with period costumes and an intimate set.  We were so fortunate to also not only...

It's a British farcical party on the podcast!  We had all full guest list, the most we have ever had so far on the podcast! This close-knit cast is making their mark in Glenwood, Iowa by portraying the hilarious cast of the smash hit of the London and Broadway stages, Blithe Spirit, written by Noel Coward.  It is now being performed by Mills Masquers at the Barton-Rowe Theater and opens March 12th...