Rave On Productions Announces Sophomore Season of ‘The Omaha Series’

Omaha, NE–After a critically acclaimed debut season that blew in with the ferocity of a hurricane and netted a jaw dropping 9 nominations at the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards, Rave On Productions has announced its second season of The Omaha Series and its guaranteed to have something for everybody.

The brain child of Rave On’s owner, Billy McGuigan, and Rave On’s Artistic and Education Director, Kimberly Faith Hickman, the Omaha Series presents musical productions in traditional and non-traditional venues throughout the Omaha metro area.

The Omaha Series 2022 Season

Rock of Ages
April 7-16
Venue: The Waiting Room (6212 Maple Street)

Rock Of Ages is a five-time Tony Award-nominated musical telling the story of a small-town girl, a city boy and a rock ‘n’ roll romance on the Sunset Strip. When the bar where rock reigns supreme is set to be demolished, it’s up to a group of rockers and their band of friends to save the day…and the music! Can Drew, Sherri and the gang save the strip before it’s too late? Only the 80s best rock anthems and power ballads hold the answer!

Rock Of Ages’ electric score features smash, hair band hits like Bon Jovi’s WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, Poison’s EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN, Foreigner’s I WANNA KNOW WHAT LOVE IS, Whitesnake’s HERE I GO AGAIN, Journey’s DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ and so many more! So grab your aqua net and get ready to rock and roll all night at The Waiting Room!

Don’t Stop Me Now
June 9-11
Venue: SumTur Amphitheater (11691 S 108th St in Papillion, NE)

Tonight I’m gonna have myself a real good time. I feel ali–i –i-iiiive celebrating the most popular and acclaimed rock musicals of all time! Don’t Stop Me Now delivers an energetic concert featuring favorites from musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar, Jersey Boys, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Rock of Ages, Dreamgirls, Hair, Rent and more! Everybody cut loose – Footloose – kick off your Sunday shoes and be swept up in a rock musical journey through time. All the strange rock and rollers, you’re know you’re doing all right at Don’t Stop Me Now!

Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka
July 22-31
Venue: The Scottish Rite (202 S 20th St)

Roald Dahl’s timeless story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life on the Scottish Rite stage July 22 – 31. Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka features a cast of young performers as they take the audience on a fantasy ride into the land of pure imagination! Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka includes classic songs like “Pure Imagination”, “The Candy Man”, “(I’ve Got a) Golden Ticket”, “Oompa-Loompa-Doompadee-Doo”, “I Want It Now” and more! This family-friendly scrumdidilyumptious musical is guaranteed to delight everyone’s sweet tooth!

Billy McGuigan’s Pop Rock Orchestra
August 18-20
Venue: SumTur Amphitheater (11691 S 108th St in Papillion, NE)

Like many of us out there, the feeling Billy got from watching big rock bands from the 70s was exhilarating and it’s an energy that is re-created with Billy McGuigan’s Pop Rock Orchestra. His musical influences left an incredible impact on the type of entertainer Billy was to become. Think of 1970’s Jumpsuit Elvis, the Moody Blues who put symphonic interludes in the middle of a rock song, ELO with an electric horn and string section – rock & roll was transformed! As Billy navigates the audience through decades of classic gems, he does so backed by a rock orchestra that can match his energy in force. The set list is as varied and versatile as Billy himself.

The Rocky Horror Show
Oct 21-29
Venue: The Slowdown (729 N 14th St)

One fateful night, Brad and Janet – a wholesome, well-behaved, utterly normal young couple in love – innocently set out to visit an old professor. A thunderstorm and a flat-tire force them to seek help at the castle of Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter, an alien, transvestite scientist with a manic genius and insatiable libido played by glam rocker, Benn Sieff. Brad, Janet and Frank ‘N’ Furter’s cohorts are swept up into the scientist’s latest experiment. A loving homage to the class B sci-fi film and horror genres with an irresistible rock ‘n’ roll score is a hilarious, wild ride that no audience will soon forget.

Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience
Nov 25-Dec 30
Venue: The Slowdown (729 N 14th St)

Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience is the nation’s most innovative and unique show utilizing the works of The Beatles. This amazing band, anchored by brothers Billy, Matthew and Ryan McGuigan perform as themselves and leave the song choices completely in the hands of the audience. This is done through request cards that audience members fill out prior to the show. On those cards, the audience member only needs to fill out three things: their name, their favorite Beatles song and the reason why they chose that song. The cards are collected and two minutes before the show begins, a set list is created based upon the songs chosen by that particular audience. As an added treat, the reasons that the audience members chose those songs make up the narrative of the evening. Every show is different, every show is interactive, and every show Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience proves that The Beatles’ music truly is the soundtrack to our lives.

Rave On Productions Set to Provide Halloween Fix with ‘The Rocky Horror Show’

Omaha, NE: Just in time for Halloween, Rave On Productions continues its spectacular Omaha Series with Richard O’Brien’s legendary ode to schlocky sci-fi, The Rocky Horror Show.

This musical tells the story of newly engaged Janet and Brad whose car breaks down in the middle of who knows where. Seeking help, they find the home of Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter, a delightfully deranged transvestite scientist who has created a new playmate for himself in the form of Rocky. What follows is a wildly raucous night of comedy, double entrendres, and hijinks.

Now you can enjoy The Rocky Horror Show in all of its audience participating glory when it runs at The Slowdown (729 N 14th St in Omaha, NE) for six performances Oct 29-31.

Rave On’s show brings back some of the award winning cast and crew from the 2019 production mounted at the Omaha Community Playhouse including director Kaitlyn McClincy, Erika Hall-Sieff, Kevin Buswell, and Benn Sieff who reprises his Fonda-McGuire award winning role of Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter.

Joining them is a cast of some of Omaha’s finest theatrical talent and singers and they can’t wait for you to join in the fun.

Tickets begin at $30 and can be purchased by visiting https://www.theomahaseries.com/rockyhorror. For an additional $10, you’ll be able to purchase a prop bag at the door (no personal props, please) to immerse yourself in this show the way it was meant to be (VIP Balcony tickets will receive a free prop package).

Ready yourselves for a haunting good time and throw yourself into the experience of The Rocky Horror Show.

*Parental discretion highly advised due to mature themes and adult content.

Directed By: Kaitlyn McClincy and Kimberly Faith Hickman
Musical Direction By: Matthew McGuigan

Cast

Benn Sieff as Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter
Jesse White as Brad Majors
Nina Washington as Janet Weiss
Kevin Buswell as Riff Raff
Erika Hall-Sieff as Magenta
Courtney Cairncross as Columbia
Evelyn Hill as Narrator
Billy McGuigan as Rocky
Ryan McGuigan as Dr. Scott
Eric Perlstein as Eddie
Brittney Thompson as Transylvanian

The Band

Matthew McGuigan, Stan Harper, Jay Hanson, Max Meyer, Darren Pettit, and Larell Ware

Creatures of the Night

Benn Sieff as Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter

Newly engaged Brad and Janet have a vehicle breakdown in the middle of nowhere.  They stop at the home of Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter to seek assistance and find that the good doctor has created a new. . .playmate.  This is The Rocky Horror Show with book, music, and lyrics by Richard O’Brien and is currently playing at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

If you’re unfamiliar with the show, it is an homage to cheesy sci-fi films of the 1950s, but with a lot of raunchiness thrown in.  There’s risqué behavior, performers in various states of undress, and a bit of fondling.  So for those uncomfortable with that, consider yourselves forewarned.

I was pretty much a newbie to this show.  I kind of, sort of watched most of the film version once upon a time, but wasn’t paying that close of attention to it.  After watching the stage version, I can honestly say this show is one of the best in the history of the Playhouse.  It is a tremendous amount of fun with catchy songs (brilliantly executed by Jennifer Novak Haar and her band), an intentionally hokey story, some spritely and original choreography, and a great opportunity for audience participation as they are encouraged to bring noisemakers, rubber gloves, toast, flashlights, and even dress up in costume.

Kaitlyn McClincy directs her first full production at the Playhouse with this endeavor.  This is not an easy show to direct due to the colossal amounts of energy required and the suggestive behavior actors need to be led through.  As my friend succinctly stated, “If you ain’t committed, you’re screwed”.  I assure you McClincy and her cast are most thoroughly committed and McClincy’s direction is immaculate and dead on target.

The staging is incredible with Matthew Hamel creating an old-fashioned movie theater for this show to take place.  McClincy makes phenomenal use of the small Howard Drew as she utilizes the entire theatre from stage to seating area to balcony for her actors to tell this story.  She hits all of the hot points of the show to milk the funny and even drilled the rare sentimental moments of the show.  McClincy also has boldly and deftly led her cast to sterling performances from top to bottom.

As I previously stated, energy is crucial to this show and the ensemble hits the ground running and never lets up in a supercharged night of singing and dancing.  Some standout performances came from Jason DeLong who gives an innocent performance as Rocky, Frank ‘N’ Furter’s new creation and shows an impressive set of pipes in “The Sword of Damocles”; Erika Hall-Sieff does well as the sultry domestic, Magenta, and also gets to let her own rich alto shine in “Science Fiction”; Olivia Howard has one of the night’s funniest moments as Columbia with a series of gyrations and movements after having her brain zapped by Frank; and Kevin Buswell is eerily mysterious as the enigmatic butler Riff Raff.

Benn Sieff comes out roaring in his Playhouse debut as Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter.  Sieff has incredible instincts and nails the oversexed, over the top mad scientist to the floor.  Sieff has wonderful timing, knowing how to precisely punch a funny line and has a flair for physical comedy, best demonstrated by his bedroom romps with Brad and Janet and he does it all while wearing lingerie and fishnets and gliding around the stage in lifts that add a good six inches to his already towering presence.

Sieff also has a smooth baritone with which he nails comedy in the doctor’s introduction number “Sweet Transvestite” or downright sad and melancholy in one of the night’s few serious moments in “I’m Going Home”.

Cale Albracht is delightfully dorky as Brad.  Albracht’s Brad is a real square and he adds a wonderful stilted and stiff delivery to his lines to emulate the poor actors of cheapo sci-fi films.  Albracht is also a nimble dancer and has a great tenor used to superior effect in “Damn it, Janet” and “Once in a While”.

Charlotte Hedican is sweet and a bit repressed as Janet.  Hedican skillfully handles her hokey dialogue with perfectly sincere camp delivery.  She is also on the mark with the flip from the virginal Janet to the shark smelling blood version after being deflowered by Frank and wants more in “Touch A Touch Me”, one of the top numbers of the evening.

Tim Burkhart and John Gibilisco supply some fantastic sounds from the zap of laser guns to the sounds of storms and the electronic whine of viewscreens.  Amanda Fehlner’s costumes were on target with the tuxedoes of the Transylvanians, the lingerie and fishnets of Frank (and eventually other characters), Rocky’s form fitting golden tights, and the goody-goody look of Janet’s pink dress and Brad’s dark suit.  Courtney Cairncross provides a dazzling bit of choreography especially with the energetic “Time Warp” and the ensemble dancing in “Touch A Touch Me”.

There seemed to be some microphone difficulties at a few points and some of the actors needed to project a bit more strongly.  That being said, I also want to salute the cast for great poise under pressure by not allowing themselves to get thrown off course when a group of theatregoers began to get a bit disruptive halfway through the second act.

It’s cheesy.  It’s hokey.  It’s just plain silly.  But, heavens, this show is fantastic fun and definitely a treat for the Halloween season over at the Playhouse.  Grab your tickets while you can because I foresee many a sellout for this one.

The Rocky Horror Show plays at the Omaha Community Playhouse through Nov 10.  Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Special midnight showings will take place on Oct 19, Oct 26, and Nov 2 with no Sunday show on the following day.  Ticket prices start at $42 for adults and $25 for students at can be obtained at the OCP box office, by phone at 402-553-0800, or online at www.omahaplayhouse.com.  Due to mature content, this show is not suitable for children.  The Omaha Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass Street in Omaha, NE.

Photo provided by Colin Conces Photography