OCP Holding Auditions for 96th Season

Omaha, NE.– The Omaha Community Playhouse will hold auditions for its 2020-21 season musicals July 11-13 for children under age 16 and July 23-26 for adults. Auditions are by appointment only. Special COVID-19 safety precautions will be observed.  Vocal auditions will be on the Playhouse’s Hawks Mainstage. Dance skills will be evaluated at callbacks.

Musicals this season include:

A Christmas Carol, Nov. 20 through Dec. 23, Hawks Mainstage. Directors: Kimberly Faith Hickman, Ablan Roblin

The Scottsboro Boys, Feb. 12 through March 14, 2021, Howard Drew Theatre. Director: Kimberly Faith Hickman

Kinky Boots, Feb. 26 through March 21, 2021, Hawks Mainstage. Director: Ablan Roblin

In the Heights, April 16 through May 9, 2021, Hawks Mainstage. Director: Kathy Tyree

Willy Wonka, May 28 through June 27, 2021, Hawks Mainstage. Director: Kimberly Faith Hickman

Music director is Jim Boggess. Choreographer is Michelle Garrity.

Audition dates and times:

Children (under age 16)

Saturday, July 11, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, July 12, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Monday, July 13, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Adults (16 or older)

Thursday, July 23, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday, July 24, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday, July 25, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, July 26, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Auditioners must fill out paperwork in advance, not at the audition. They can return completed paperwork by email or bring it with them. Specific dates and time slots will be set in advance for each auditioner. Auditions will be in groups of no more than 15. Temperatures of auditioners will be taken upon arrival. You may wear a facemask if you prefer. Auditioners will be allowed to sing only 16 bars of a song of their choosing, for which they should bring sheet music. Provided seating will be plastic or metal chairs only, no fabric upholstery. The audition space will be sanitized between groups. When arriving to audition, please enter through the south entrance lobby doors.

Those who cannot attend in person may submit a vocal-audition video.

 

The Omaha Community Playhouse has scheduled auditions for three Fall 2020 plays.

Auditions will be by appointment only. Special COVID-19 safety precautions will be observed.

The show titles, run dates and audition schedule:

CLYBOURNE PARK, by Bruce Norris

Show runs Aug. 21-Sept. 20 in the Howard Drew Theatre.

Director: Kimberly Faith Hickman

Hickman was assistant director of the original Tony Award-winning Broadway production   

Audition dates and times:

Monday, July 6, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 7, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Callbacks will be Wednesday, July 8, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, adapted by Ken Ludwig

Show runs Sept. 25-Oct. 18 in the Hawks Mainstage Theatre.

Director: Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek

Audition dates and times:

Sunday, July 12, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday, July 13, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Callbacks will be Tuesday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 15, starting at 7 p.m. both evenings.

OUTSIDE MULLINGAR, by John Patrick Shanley

Show runs Oct. 16-Nov. 8 in the Howard Drew Theatre.

Director: Kaitlyn McClincy

Audition dates and times:

Saturday, Aug. 15, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m

Tuesday, Aug. 18, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Callbacks will be Saturday, Aug. 22, starting at 2 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 23, starting at 7 p.m.

Specific dates and time slots will be set in advance for each auditioner. Auditioners must fill out paperwork in advance, not at the audition. They can return completed paperwork by email or bring it with them. Tryouts will be in groups of no more than 12 per hour. COVID-19 screening questions will be asked of each auditioner upon arrival. You may wear a facemask if you prefer. Provided seating will be plastic or metal chairs only, no fabric upholstery. The audition space will be sanitized between groups. When arriving to audition, please enter through the west-entrance stage door.

To make an audition appointment, email Becky Deiber at bdeiber@omahaplayhouse.com.

The Eve the Music Returned

In a time when the world has begun to take the tiniest of steps back to normalcy, it’s a relief to know that there are still some constants in the world.  And one of those constants is the awesomeness of a live show with Billy McGuigan and his band.  That awesomeness is available for your enjoyment again as Billy and his band bring you Rave On:  The Music of Buddy Holly in the parking lot of the Omaha Community Playhouse.

This time around the show is not about Billy being Buddy or his extemporaneous wit and humor.  This time, it’s all about a band playing non-stop, untarnished, unvarnished, old-fashioned rock and roll with a 50s drive-in flair on an unseasonably perfect night for an outdoor concert.

It wouldn’t be a Billy McGuigan show without some of his classic storytelling, but the tales were kept to a minimum as he and his band were clearly hungry for a live audience and gave us their all in a 90 minute rockfest that featured the hits and obscurities of the late, great Buddy Holly along with a few other surprises as well.

McGuigan was in rare form tonight as he fueled himself on the applause and horn honks of an energetic audience and fired that energy right back at us with takes on “Maybe Baby”, “That’ll Be the Day”, “Handsome Brown Eyed Man”, a rare performance of one of Holly’s earliest recordings, “Midnight Shift”, and a 15 minute medley framed by “Oh, Boy!”.  Occasionally Billy would slow things down a few notches with his mellifluous tenor serenading the crowd with Richie Valens’ “Donna” and Holly’s own legendary soft song “True Love Ways” before ramping it back up a bit with “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” and the Everly Brothers hits, “Bye Bye Love” and “Wake Up Little Suzie” and closing things out with “Rave On” and an original rocker of his own creation, “Me and Peggy Sue”.

McGuigan was excellently supported by his band as we were treated to numerous saxophone solos from Darren Pettit and nearly as many guitar solos from Max Meyer, a phenom with chops to rival Jimi Hendrix.  Ryan McGuigan rocked out on rhythm guitar and provided a nifty little solo with Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” while Matthew McGuigan’s bass playing drove the beat and he got his own little chance to shine with Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes”.  Newcomer Larell Ware dazzled on the drums as he supported the night’s numbers with a thunderous backbeat.

If you want to enjoy one of the simple pleasures of life, then you need to get a ticket to see our local master musician as he interprets the classics of a legendary artist as only he can.

Rave On:  The Music of Buddy Holly runs through June 28 in the parking lot of the Omaha Community Playhouse.  Showtimes are Wed-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 6:30pm. Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased online at www.omahaplayhouse.com or by phone at 402-553-0800.  This is a cashless event and reservations are required.  CDC guidelines are being followed and parking spaces will be assigned upon arrival.  Please do not arrive earlier than 90 minutes before showtime.  The Omaha Community Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass Street in Omaha, NE.

Top photo provided by Analisa Swerczek