:''Note on spelling: "While most Americans use "er" (as per American spelling conventions), the majority of venues, performers and trade groups for live theatre use "re." "Theatre" references the artform. "Theater" references the venue in which that artform is performed.'' Theatre in Omaha has existed since the founding of the city in 1856. Nationally notable actors have come from the city. There are active community theatres, and some theatres and acting companies have reached national prominence.

Theatres

Omaha is home to the

Omaha Community Playhouse The Omaha Community Playhouse, located at 6915 Cass Street in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, is a nationally recognized community theater. Founded in 1924, the Playhouse's first president was Alan McDonald, architect of the Joslyn Art Museum, and ...

. It is the largest, one of the most famous, and one of the best-endowed

community theater Community theatre refers to any theatrical performance made in relation to particular communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community. It may refer to a production that is made entirely by a community with no outside hel ...

s in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It produces its own season of plays and musicals. The city has a number of other long-standing theatres, including the Orpheum Theater and the Rose Theater. And The

Sokol Auditorium The Sokol Auditorium is located at 2234 South 13th Street in the Little Bohemia neighborhood of South Omaha, Nebraska. It is a local icon for its historical context, as well as modern musical performances and gymnastics. It has a maximum capacity ...

are booked for dramatic performances or touring productions occasionally, as well. Other theatres in Omaha include the Blue Barn Theatre, Holland Performing Arts Center, Ralston Community Theatre, and Papillion-LaVista Community TheatreHassebroek, A. (2006)
Holland Center Further Energized Omaha's Lively Culture.
''Omaha World Herald.'' 10/15/06. Retrieved 6/7/07. The

Magic Theatre The Magic Theatre is a theatre company founded in 1967, presently based at the historic Fort Mason Center on San Francisco's northern waterfront. The Magic Theatre is well known and respected for its singular focus on the development and product ...

has provided a space for

experimental theatre Experimental theatre (also known as avant-garde theatre), inspired largely by Wagner's concept of Gesamtkunstwerk, began in Western theatre in the late 19th century with Alfred Jarry and his Ubu plays as a rejection of both the age in particular ...

in the city for more than 30 years. The John Beasley Theater & Workshop produces contemporary plays as well as providing many aspects of theater training in the Near North Side community. The Chanticleer Community Theater in neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa also serves the greater metropolitan area. The Grande Olde Players Theater Company has been performing throughout the city for some time, as well. The Shelterbelt Theatre focuses on the development of original theatrical works and provides practical theater education to playwrights, performers, creative and technical staff.

Actors and actresses

These are actors who were either born in Omaha or lived there for an extensive period of time. *

Craig Anton Craig Ward Anton (born August 28, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his roles as Mr. Pettus in ''Lizzie McGuire'' and Lloyd Diffy in '' Phil of the Future''. Early life Anton was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, ...

—actor, comedian *

Adele Astaire Adele Astaire Douglass (born Adele Marie Austerlitz, later known as Lady Charles Cavendish; September 10, 1896 – January 25, 1981), was an American dancer, stage actress, and singer. After beginning work as a dancer and vaudeville perfor ...

—dancer, entertainer *

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

—dancer, actor * John Beasley—actor * Marlon Brando—actor *

Montgomery Clift Edward Montgomery Clift (; October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American actor. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to ''The New York Times''. He is best remembered ...

—actor * James M. Connor—actor *

Nicholas D'Agosto Nicholas D'Agosto (born April 17, 1980) is an American actor, best known for featuring in ''Final Destination 5'', '' Heroes'' and ''The Office''. He starred in the Showtime series ''Masters of Sex'' and the Fox series '' Gotham''. Early li ...

—actor *

Adam DeVine Adam Patrick Devine (born November 7, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, singer, screenwriter, and producer. He is one of the stars and co-creators of the Comedy Central comedy television series ''Workaholics'' and '' Adam Devine's House Par ...

—actor, comedian * David Doyle—actor *

Mary Doyle Mary Doyle (July 21, 1931 – June 8, 1995) was an American theatre actress who also appeared on TV between 1956 and 1982. Early life and career Doyle was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and was the younger sister of actor David Doyle. She a ...

—actress *

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and ra ...

—actor * Jane Fonda—actress * Peter Fonda—actor * Jorge Garcia—actor *

Hallee Hirsh Hallee Leah Hirsh (born 1987/1988) is an American actress perhaps best known for her roles as Mattie Grace Johnson on '' JAG'', Daley in the children's series '' Flight 29 Down'', and as the adolescent and young adult Rachel Greene on '' ER''. ...

—actress *

Jay Karnes Jay Karnes (born June 27, 1963) is an American actor, best known for his role as LAPD detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach on the FX television series ''The Shield'', Agent Josh Kohn on ''Sons of Anarchy'' (2008) and Craig on '' The Crossing'' ( ...

-actor *

Jaime King Jaime King (born April 23, 1979) is an American actress and model. In her modeling career and early film roles, she used the names Jamie King and James King, which was a childhood nickname given to King by her parents, because her agency alread ...

—actress, model * Chris Klein—actor *

Swoosie Kurtz Swoosie Kurtz ( ; born September 6, 1944) is an American actress. She is the recipient of an Emmy Award and two Tony Awards. Kurtz made her Broadway debut in the 1975 revival of '' Ah, Wilderness''. She has received five Tony Award nominations ...

—actress *

Dorothy McGuire Dorothy Hackett McGuire (June 14, 1916 – September 13, 2001) was an American actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for '' Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947) and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actre ...

—actress *

Nick Nolte Nicholas King Nolte (born February 8, 1941) is an American actor. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1991 film ''The Prince of Tides''. He received ...

—actor * Alexander Payne—screenwriter/director *

Anne Ramsey Angelina Anne Ramsey-Mobley (March 27, 1929 – August 11, 1988) was an American actress. She is best known for her film roles as Mama Fratelli in ''The Goonies'' (1985) and as Mrs. Lift in ''Throw Momma from the Train'' (1987), the latter of wh ...

—actress * Andrew Rannells—actor *

Gabrielle Union Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade ( Union; born October 29, 1972) is an American actress. Her career began in the 1990s, when she made dozens of appearances on television sitcoms, prior to landing supporting roles in 1999 teen films ''She's All That' ...

—actress *

Julie Wilson Julie May Wilson (October 21, 1924 – April 5, 2015) was an American singer and actress widely regarded as "the queen of cabaret". She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1989 for her performance in '' Le ...

—actress * Johnny Carson—talk show host/comedian

References

External links

Theatre Arts Guild - Omaha Metropolitan Area
website.
Shelterbelt Theatre
website.
John Beasley Theater & Workshop
website {{DEFAULTSORT:Theatre In Omaha, Nebraska Theatres in Nebraska Culture of Omaha, Nebraska Omaha Omaha

Theatres

Actors and actresses

See also

References

External links