Legally Blonde
Sept. 14-Oct. 14, 2012
Music and Lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin; Book by Heather Hach; Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture
Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International
Based on the hit movie, Legally Blonde follows blonde beauty Elle Woods as she journeys from her California campus to Harvard Law School. This sassy story of self empowerment is a hysterically funny, feel-good musical with catchy songs and unforgettable characters. Legally Blonde will leave you singing "‘Omigod You Guys’ let’s go again!"
Sponsors: HDR and Peter Kiewit Sons', Inc.
Orchestra Sponsor: KPMG LLP
Media Sponsor: Cox
Deathtrap
Jan. 18-Feb. 10, 2013
by Ira Levin
How far will a playwright go to write the next big play? A great American thriller, Deathtrap is a suspenseful murder mystery with twists and turns that will keep you guessing who is the true villain. Deceit, plot reversals, sinister intentions and clever characters make Deathtrap one of the greatest crime stories of all time.
Sponsored by: "Friends of the Playhouse"
Guest Director Sponsor: John A. Gentleman Mortuaries
Media Sponsor: KXVO/KPTM
All Night Strut! A Jumpin’ Jivin’ Jam
March 1-30, 2013
Conceived by Aaron Thielen and Marc Robin; New musical arrangements by Richard Carsey, J. Michael Duff, Ryan T. Nelson, Doug Peck and David Siegel; Orchestrations by Dave Siegel
Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International
Experience the greatest music of the "greatest generation" with a new twist! All Night Strut! A Jumpin’ Jivin’ Jam is a musical and dance spectacle featuring music of the Great Depression, World War II and the post-war boom. Enjoy the music of the legends Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Frank Loesser, Jerome Kern and more. Dance numbers from Busby Berkeley-style tap to Swing, infused with Jazz and Hip Hop give this show high-energy flair. This musical revue will invigorate your senses as you relive the classy, sassy 1930s and 1940s!
Sponsor: TD Ameritrade
Orchestra Sponsor: The Paul and Oscar Giger Foundation
Media Sponsor: KETV
A Night with the Family
April 19-May 12, 2013
by Matthew Ivan Bennett
This is the world premiere of A Night with the Family! Everyone’s family is a little dysfunctional, especially around the holidays, but this one tops them all. A family of quirky characters will have you rolling with laughter — a hippie father who’s addicted to fake swear words, an overbearing mother with her French-Canadian ballet-dancing fiancé, a coddled son and his massive panic attacks and a level-headed daughter who is trying to make sense of it all. Hilarious one-liners, comedic and loveable characters and uproariously funny situations make this one exhilarating night with the family!
Sponsor: University of Nebraska Medical Center
The Wizard of Oz
May 31-June 30, 2013
By L. Frank Baum; With music and lyrics of the MGM motion picture score by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg; Background music by Herbert Stothart; Book adaptation by John Kane from the motion picture screenplay
There’s no place like home for Dorothy and her little dog Toto, but the Wicked Witch of the West and her flying monkeys make the journey to Oz nearly impossible. With the help of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion and the munchkins, Dorothy and Toto journey to the magical Land of Oz to meet the Wizard to find their way home. Rediscover this enchanting classic and iconic songs as the much-loved characters "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" to the "Merry Old Land of Oz."
Sponsor: Mutual of Omaha
Orchestra Sponsor: Children's Hospital & Medical Center
August: Osage County
Aug. 17-Sept. 16, 2012
by Tracy Letts
Winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play, August: Osage County is one of the most bracing and critically acclaimed plays in recent Broadway history. August: Osage County is a portrait of a dysfunctional American family at its finest—and absolute worst. When the patriarch of the Weston clan disappears one hot summer night, the family reunites at the Oklahoma homestead, where long-held secrets are unflinchingly and uproariously revealed. This gritty modern masterpiece will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Disclaimer: This production includes strong language and adult situations and is intended only for mature audiences. Mature themes with excessive profanity, drug use, verbal abuse and other taboos fill this Pulitzer Prize winner. This show is not for children and not for the easily offended. However, those who see the show will be entertained, surprised and awed by the masterful writing of Tracy Letts.
Sponsor: Carter & Vernie Jones
boom
Oct. 19-Nov. 18, 2012
by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb
As the end of the world approaches, a graduate student takes the preservation of the human race into his own hands through a personal ad. Disaster strikes, food is running out, the lab-turned-shelter is beyond repair and the fish are acting strange. Will he and his "date" survive? This hilarious romantic comedy turned sci-fi fantasy is contemporary theatre at its best.
Disclaimer: This production includes strong language and sexual content and is intended only for mature audiences. Although the profanity and adult situations are comical and somewhat innocent, this show contains a wide range of four-letter words and those sexual awkward situations that arise when a boy lures a girl into a bomb shelter lab in order to procreate and repopulate the world.
Sponsors: Enterprise Bank and "Friend of the Playhouse"
Media Sponsor: The Reader
Evil Dead: the Musical
Feb. 8-March 17, 2013
Book and Lyrics by George Reinblatt; Music by Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt; Music supervision by Frank Cipolla; Additional lyrics by Christopher Bond; Additional music by Rob Daleman
Five college students venture to a most popular Spring Break destination…an abandoned cabin in the woods. While there, they unleash an evil force that turns all but one of them into demons. Flying body parts, buckets of blood and singing and dancing zombies make this low-budget horror film satire the perfect show for people who love to have fun. Just beware the splatter zone.
Disclaimer: Contains strong language and violence and is intended for mature audiences. As a spoof of 1980s horror films, the foul language and gore are all in good fun. But be warned, the show is full of strong language (one of the musical numbers is "What the F Was That?"), dismembered zombie body parts and gallons of fake blood (hence the splatter zone).
Sponsored in part by: Rich and Fran Juro
Orchestra Sponsor: Security National Bank
Multimedia Sponsor: Delinea Design
Recommended Reading for Girls
May 3-June 2, 2013
by Ellen Struve
This is the world premiere of Recommended Reading for Girls! Written by Omaha playwright Ellen Struve, Recommended Reading for Girls invites you to step into a storybook. When Amy returns to her childhood home to care for her ailing mother, she discovers uninvited guests from her favorite childhood novels. A beloved crew of heroines turns the household topsy-turvy as Amy struggles to reconcile with the stories she loves, the people she loves and the stories she has told herself in this warm, funny, fanciful play.
Suitable for all ages! A perfect show for the family!
Sponsored in part by Becky Bischof, Kate Dodge, Candi Kirkwood, Kathy Lewis, Dianne Seeman Lozier, Sandy Maass, Anne Rismiller, Carol Smith and Gail Yanney. Additional Co-Sponsorship Available!
Media Sponsor: Cox
Special Events
A Christmas Carol
Nov. 16-Dec. 23, 2012
By Charles Dickens, Adapted by Charles Jones, Musical orchestration by John J. Bennett
It just isn’t Christmas without
A Christmas Carol. Experience Omaha’s favorite holiday tradition as Ebenezer Scrooge takes us on a life-changing journey filled with beautiful costumes, exquisite music, perfectly crafted sets and special effects second to none. Perfect for the whole family!
Sponsor: First National Bank
Orchestra Sponsor: Valmont Industries, Inc.
Snow and Special Effects Sponsor: Goodwill Industries, Inc.
Media Sponsor: Cox
Yesterday And Today
Dec. 7-31, 2012
An Interactive Beatles Experience
Featuring Billy McGuigan
Music Director, Rick Avard
©2007 By Rave On Productions
Billy McGuigan and his brothers are back! This all-request Beatles tribute show will have you dancing in the aisles and singing along to every song. Share your stories and relive your memories with your favorite Beatles songs. No two shows are the same and every show is a guaranteed exhilarating time!
Sponsor: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
'Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3
June 14-July 21, 2013
By Maripat Donovan with Marc Silvia
After teaching countless students about the saints, venial sins, limbo and more, Sister is now offering up hilarious lessons on the Sacraments of Marriage and the Last Rites, including her own wacky version of the Newlywed Game. Classroom participation is a must, so bring along your sweetie and your sense of humor for a session with the country’s feistiest couples counselor!
Sponsor: Woodmen of the World