Platte River Bard Podcast

We speak to Steven Williams, Professor at UNO and Head of Design and Production at UNO, Jocelyn Reed and Aaron Butler, both Co-Producers of the Crossing the Street Festival at UNO and also UNO Fine Arts students.  Jocelyn and Aaron produced and directed a festival of plays, poetry and prose which celebrates BIPOC voices and addresses the need for difficult conversations about race, gender, and age - and our human connectedness.  The title of the festival has some special origins as well that you'll find out about.  So join us to enjoy our conversation with these three talented individuals, and learn about this valuable festival made for all of us to experience together.

"In America we 'Cross the Street' to avoid difficult dialogues, but we also cross the street to engage them.  What adventure could be bigger than sharing what we experience, or examining what we don't know? A unique student-directed performance project, Crossing the Street is a festival of short plays, poetry, and spoken word, to provide opportunities to performers across a range of ethnicities, ages, and the gender spectrum."

The Festival performances are March 4, 5, 10, 11, 12 at 7:30PM and Sundays, March 6th and 13th at 2PM at the Weber Fine Arts Theatre.  There will be a Preview Performance on March 2nd at 7:30PM.  Tickets are available online here:  https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/unotheatre/6817 

CONTACT INFO FOR UNO THEATRE:

Facebook: UNOTheatre on Facebook

Instagram: UNO Theatre on Instagram

Twitter: UNO Theatre on Twitter

6505 University Dr S, Omaha, NE 68182

***********

We are always so honored and await in eager anticipation of being able to speak with Andy Park, Artistic Director of the Nebraska Repertory Theatre.  Andy has written and directed the Nebraska Repertory's upcoming production, The Way to the Way.  This will be a fantastic performance full of rich cultural history, a powerful message of connectedness and humanity, paired with a stage full of puppets in every form as only Andy's imagination can deliver an experience of exporting ourselves into a spectacular world.  Andy and Scenic Designer, Jill Hibbard have been working hard on this production and what will happen will be magical!  Hear about it on our podcast with Andy!  

The Way to the Way opens February 23rd and runs until March 3rd.  Wednesday through Saturday shows are at 7:30PM and Sunday shows are at 2PM at the Howell Theatre in downtown Lincoln.

NEBRASKA REPERTORY THEATRE CONTACT INFORMATION: 

Get your tickets now at https://nebraskarep.org/season_specific.php?show=5

Website: https://nebraskarep.org/ 

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

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

Box Office phone number 402-472-2567.

301 N 12th St, Lincoln, NE 68508

Find out What's Happening in the Arts in Eastern Nebraska in February 2022!

***********

We are so excited to bring to you our conversation with Petra Wahlqvist, Executive Director of Nebraskans for the Arts!  We are so lucky to have such a wonderful resource for supporting Creatives in our State!  Petra has such a fun background to talk about, which has prepared her well for her new role at NFTA.  Petra is the co-founder of Blitx, a non-profit, arts innovation and education and engagement community building in Lincoln, NE.  Petra has studied and performed all around the world and is such a pleasure to talk with! 

So tune in and learn more about what NFTA does for us and how you can join forces!  And also, don't miss the event being held by Be An Arts Hero on January 19th.  Learn all about it here!

*Upcoming Events:* 

Be An Arts Hero is holding The Hearing on the Power, Peril and Promise of the Creative Economy on January 19th.  You can add your voice to the testimony by emailing it to [email protected].

Arts Advocacy Day will be virtual again this year on February 16th and begins at 8AM and ends at 12PM.    Registration is open now on their website nebraskansforthearts.org.

*****

NEBRASKANS FOR THE ARTS CONTACT INFO:

Website: https://www.nebraskansforthearts.org/ 

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neb4thearts/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Neb4TheArts 

Address: PO Box 8517, Omaha, NE 68018

PH: 402.817.8176

[email protected]

****

Musing, A Storytelling Series have begun at Bluebarn Theatre!  We talk with Seth Fox, Curator of the Series and he discusses how this live event came about and what all they have planned!  Seth is incredibly easy to talk to and you'll enjoy hearing about these unique events!  

Each quarterly event has several storytellers taking the stage to deliver a 6 to 12 minute story.  Musing is making an open call to storytellers!  So if you are thinking about pitching an idea to Seth, you can email him at musingomaha at gmail dot com. 

The next Musing It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, Stories about about the Best of Intentions and Unforseen Consequences will be January 19th at 7:30PM.  

On April 13th at 7:30PM, Musing Life & Death, Stories about Starts and Stops, Beginnings and Endings, Renewal and Letting Go will also be held at Bluebarn.

And on June 15th at 7:30PM, Musing Home, Stories about Where We Come From, Where We End Up, and Where We Fit In will be held at Bluebarn.

All events are Free but require an RSVP.

******

Check out Musing's pages below:  

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

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

Website: http://bluebarn.org/musing/

You Tube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO_LxAt6KcI 

*****

Bluebarn Theatre:  1106 S 10th Street, Omaha, NE

http://bluebarn.org/ 

*****

Jon Flower debuts his Directing skills in Bellevue Little Theatre's Death By Design, which opens January 14th and runs until January 30th!  Don’t miss this comedic mystery "whodunnit" play written by Rob Urbinati.  Jon is not only a Director, but an experienced Actor and has served for many years as the Board President of WhyArts?.  You may have most recently seen him playing Gomez in The Addams Family at the Ralston Community Theatre!  So you won't want to miss this hilarious farce, Death by Design, which opens January 14th!  

**********

BELLEVUE LITTLE THEATRE CONTACT INFO:

Website: http://bellevuelittletheatre.weebly.com/ 

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

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

203 Mission Avenue, Bellevue, Nebraska 

402.291.1554

****

Happy New Year!  Find out What's Happening in Eastern Nebraska in the Arts in January 2022!

We also are featuring the music of two talented area artists who contribute greatly to the Arts Community, Jennifer Novak Haar and Mark Haar of Novak and Haar Music: https://n-hmusic.com/ .  Jennifer and Mark are part of the Outreach Program at the Omaha Chamber Music Society and have contributed their performances to their You Tube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtnpCCIJG_YmUqHKYCbdDw.  

If you have Art News you'd like added to the program, you may email us at "platteriverbardnews" at gmail.

Thanks for listening!

****

Find out What's Happening in Eastern Nebraska in the Arts, December 19th through the 31st, 2021! 

If you have Art News you'd like added to the program, you may email us at "platteriverbardnews" at gmail.

Find out What's Happening in the Arts in Eastern Nebraska!  We have a little bit of a different format this week, so check it out and let us know if you like it better!  Also, find out how you can email us your Art news and happenings to add to the program.