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 play that is simply not done very often, so now your chance to come see it! 

Tickets and Website: https://millsmasquers.com/ 

Dates: October 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11

MILLS MASQUERS THEATER COMPANY

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 adults are the oldest of this Young Edition of this play, ages 8-18!

Remaining Dates:  September 24 - 27th

Tickets and Website: https://www.paceartsiowa.org/

Chanticleer Theatre: https://www.paceartsiowa.org/theater/chanticleer-community-theater

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 and Website: https://shelterbelt.org

Shelterbelt Theatre, 4383 Nicholas Street, Ste 204, Omaha, NE

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 Berger, who plays a sideshow manager Ross as well as the character Bishop Howe.

There are content warnings for this play of ableism abuse, exploitation, nudity, death, bereavement, and physical intensity.

Industry Night will be September 21st and will be "Pay What You Can!"'

ASL Performance will be September 20th.

Dates remaining are September 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, & 27th.  Sunday shows are at 5pm.  All other times are 7:30pm.

SNAP! Productions

For Tickets:  https://www.snapproductions.com/

2221 Thurston Circle, Bellevue, NE   

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 Debbie Massey-Schneweis you will enjoy a cast of 25 talented voices sing and dance to a high-school rebel love story! 

Dates:  September 18th - October 4, 2026.

BELLEVUE LITTLE THEATRE CONTACT INFO:

For Tickets: https://blt.simpletix.com

Website: http://www.theblt.org/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bellevuelittletheatre/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellevuelittletheatre/   

203 Mission Avenue, Bellevue, Nebraska 

402.291.1554

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 - 7pm and Sunday, October 4th from 10am to 4pm.  

Come into the park, enjoy the beautiful fall weather and support these talented artists!  Drive with a friend who has a park pass, or buy a day pass at the gate - the admission into the Art Show is FREE!

Don't miss "The Most Prestigious Art Show on the River!"

PLATTE RIVER ART SHOW CONTACT INFO:

Facebook page

Mahoney State Park, 28500 W Park Hwy, Ashland, NE

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 compromise and tolerance.  All political ideologies in our current political timeline will be shown in this play in an unusual way, so you won't want to miss it.

The 2026 Omaha Fringe Festival will present this play at Shelterbelt Theatre:

For Tickets: https://omahafringe.org

This play is Rated R and meant for Adults 18+.

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 things happening this year.  There's so much exciting art being made for the 2026 Omaha Fringe Festival - so get your tickets now!

Tickets and Website: https://omahafringe.org.

Festival Kick Off Party - Wednesday, August 5th at 7:30pm. 

Fringe Festival Dates: August 6-9, 2026.

Locations: UNO (Mainstage and Studio 006), Blackstone Theatre and Shelterbelt Theatre.

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 IV" at the Omaha Fringe Festival at UNO006 will be a different show than the third one!  So even if you saw the third one, you won't want to miss this intimate and exquisitely moving production of the fourth one.  Each vignette has their own texture and feeling and we are excited to see this production!

Tickets and Website: https://omahafringe.org

Omaha Fringe Festival Kick Off Party - August 5th @ Shelterbelt

Fringe Festival Dates: August 6-9, 2026 at UNO, Blackstone and Shelterbelt Theatre

Dates for "A Suite for Small Spaces IV" (no production August 6th):  Friday, August 7th at 9:30pm, Saturday August 8th at 6:30pm, and Sunday August 9th at 2pm.  

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 hear all about this show!  Premiering in Nebraska, written by a Nebraska Playwright, The Florentine Players are bringing a home grown comedy to us and supporting local artists.  Listen here and catch all the details!

Show Dates: August 6-8 & 13-15, 2026