Pride Players by Joe Basque It has been a difficult spring for theater in the area, as school, community theater and touring Broadway productions all fell victim to safety precautions in the face of the escalating Coronavirus epidemic. The most recent victim is the Rose Theater’s Pride Players, who were slated to perform at the Kennedy Center’s New Visions/New Voices … Read More

Blood at the Root By Joe Basque, Contributor Cedar High is your typical high school; a reasonably harmonious place where students interact in class and extracurricular activities, but tend to socialize within their own racial groups. Until Raylynn decides to shake things up. She becomes the first person of color to run for student council president and she spends a … Read More

“Tell Martha Not to Moan” By: Joe Basque, Contributor In July 1967, a late night police raid on an unlicensed bar lit the fuse on a five day explosion of rioting and violence in Detroit. By the time it was over, forty-three were dead, over a thousand injured, two thousand buildings were destroyed, and the United States Army’s 82nd and … Read More

Company By Joe Basque, Contributor   Bobby is an amiable, attractive, single New Yorker. He is best friends with five couples, he has three girlfriends, and he is about to celebrate his thirty-fifth birthday. He seems to live a charmed life. So why is he so ambivalent? Audiences of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Company” have puzzled over just what makes … Read More

Sweat By Joe Basque, Contributor   Sweat by Lynn Nottage is set in a Reading Pennsylvania bar populated by steel workers, male and female, black and white, who watch helplessly as their lives are turned upside down by de-industrialization. The play opened off Broadway shortly before the 2016 presidential election. When the dust cleared, the New York Times wrote that … Read More

The Rose Theatre and Creighton University explore history, anti-Semitism, and the refugee experience. By Fran Sillau and Lora Kaup, TAG Board Members The Theatre Arts Guild’s Access and Inclusion Committee would like to highlight the work of two upcoming productions in our community. Both explore how the lives of children were shaped by hatred, bigotry, and violence as they sought … Read More

Bellevue Little Theatre Presents Arsenic and Old Lace By Clara Arnsdorff, Contributor Bellevue Little Theatre, 203 W Mission Ave. in Olde Towne Bellevue will open the new year with the classic play ‘Arsenic and Old Lace‘ on January 18. The comedy will continue on week-ends through Sunday Feb. 3. Curtain is at 7:30 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings and … Read More

A Story About Love, Family and Tradition By Joe Basque, Contributor Louisa May Alcott did not think much of her publisher’s suggestion that she write a story about girls. “I don’t enjoy this sort of thing,” she wrote in her journal. “Never liked girls or knew many, except my sisters; but our queer plays and experiences may prove interesting, though … Read More

Yesterday and Today By Joe Basque, Contributor   For most actors, their big career break leads to a successful professional acting career. Billy McGuigan’s big acting break actually led him away from an acting career. After majoring in theater at UNO, McGuigan was unable to land regular work as a professional actor. He eventually settled in Omaha, turning in memorable … Read More