Omaha Community Playhouse - Camp 1

The boys are in quite a few camps throughout the summer: 

• Omaha Community Playhouse (theater camp)
• UNO Aim for the Stars (science camp)
• UNO Basketball Camp 
• Hummel Day Camp (outdoor rough and tumble camp)

Some camps around here are less expensive than daycare + more fun. Camps can be written off on taxes like daycare can be.

Last week they started their first camp at Omaha Community Playhouse. 

I don't mean to sound negative, but...

• In the past they had a performance up on stage. They didn't do that this year. A lot of parents didn't know what they were doing, or where to go. 

• Mica said he didn't know what his group was doing at all. 

• My Mom was unable to go down the steps to see Isaak preform. She had Polio, so her legs don't work the best. 

• The boys performed in different spots, so I had to run back and forth from downstairs to upstairs. 

• It seemed like a scattered mess - unfortunately. It's really too bad because the boys actually do have fun at that camp. I've always had great things to say about it. 

Where there's a negative there's a positive, so...

• Isaak's class did seem to have it together. I don't know if his teacher has been there longer, or what the deal was.

• Isaak learned about puppets, which I love. He made a cardboard mask, and worked with shadow puppets.

• Mica's performance was more like a bunch of games. He did learn to project his voice. My parents said that he was easy to hear, and moved around well, which is what they were supposed to do. 

• They enjoyed each day. The camp seemed to wear them out pretty well. They were tired around 8. For summer that's a great thing.

• I think this is the first year they have gotten t-shirts.

I can't say we'll do it again. It's sad because my kids loved it in the past. Isaak's teacher did do well. It just seemed too all over the place this year; with no solid plans.

Isaak's class acted out the story from the book, The Jolly Postman or Other People's Letters.

Isaak was the bear in the story. He was all excited about it! He got this mask:

Then his class made shadow puppets. They acted out fairytales. This was The Gingerbread Man. They did the voices behind the puppets as well.

I went up some steps to peek in on Mica's group. They were just playing acting games, but didn't really perform anything. 

This is really the best photo I could get, since I had 2 kids in different spots. I didn't get a good seat.

My parents did say that Mica acted out his exercise really well. I was hoping for more. I think all of us were.

I took photos of the boys with their theater shirts on at The KANEKO Museum that night.

Have you ever been disappointed in something you were once happy with? 

The Little Mermaid @RoseTheaterCo Review

I was super excited to find out that The Rose is showing Disney's The Little Mermaid.

It was one of my favorite Disney movies when I was younger. I liked all the characters. I could sing the songs over and over again. I think anyone can relate to Ariel's aspirations to be something she's not.  

The boys didn't know we were going. We left it a surprise. They figured it out as soon as we got there.

The Rose Performing Arts is located on 2001 Farnam Street Omaha, Nebraska 68102. Call 402-345-4849 for tickets. You can also visit their website: rosetheater.org

This was taken with my fisheye lens:

They have really cool environmental graphics on the side of their building. Their posters are under glass as well.

About the Play: 

Dive “Under the Sea” for a swimmingly good time as one of Disney’s all-time favorites splashes to life in this Broadway musical adaptation. 

Ariel is a bold young mermaid princess fascinated with the human world, in spite of the warnings of her father, King Triton, and her finny friends. When she makes a dangerous deal with Ursula, the Sea Witch, she begins a race against the setting sun to find true love. With all your favorite songs and an ocean’s worth of colorful characters, you will definitely want The Little Mermaid to be Part of Your World!

The Start:

There wasn't a set to look at when we first got there. They had the curtains closed. We went to the last rehearsal, so chances are that the actual shows have skits from one of the summer classes at The Rose Theater. 

There was live music below the stage. They were practicing when we came in to the theater area. My boys are always looking to see if the orchestra teacher is down there - from their school. She's been in a show at The Rose before.

Once the curtains opened up there was a lot to see. They showed what it was like under the sea, on the ship, and in the castle. 

Music by Alan Menken.

Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glen Slater.

Book by Doug Wright.

Dates: 

June 3 - June 26

• Friday, June 3 @ 7 PM
• Saturday, June 4 @ 2 PM
• Sunday, June 5 @ 2 PM.
• Friday, June 10 @ 7 PM
• Saturday, June 11 @ 2 PM
• Sunday, June 12 @ 2 PM
• Friday, June 17 @ 7 PM
• Saturday, June 18 @ 2 PM
• Sunday, June 19 @ 2 PM
• Friday, June 24 @ 7 PM
• Saturday, June 25 @ 2 PM
• Sunday, June 26 @ 2 PM

Ages: 

Best suited for ages 5 and up. 

Mica (age almost 11) liked it. He smiled throughout the show. Isaak's (age 8) is in a stage where he doesn't care for anything girly. Somehow mermaids are for girls. I kept telling Isaak that there were mermen in it. I loved it, and I'm almost 40.

*Warning there is a section of the show where a storm occurs. They use strobe lights during this part. 

Duration: 

2 hours + intermission with refreshments 

Cost: 

Members: $23 main floor • $18 balcony 

Non Members: $30 main floor • $25 balcony 

Parking: 

There are several metered parking spots, active from 9 AM to 9 PM, Monday through Saturday. The cost is $.25 per hour, or $10 per day. Metered parking is free on Sundays and holidays. 

Free parking is available in the Wells Fargo parking lot on the northwest corner of 20th and Farnam Streets on weekends and after 5:30 PM on weeknights. 

Staring: 

Arial - Torisa Walker

Prince Eric - Marcel A. Daly 

Grimsby - Kevin Olsen

Scuttle - Bill Grennan

Flounder - Grace Titus

King Triton - Joe Dignoti

Sebastian - Camellia Yvonne Watkins

Flotsam - Joseph T. O'Connor

Jetsam - Jonathan Smith

Ursula - Heather Wilhelm

and more...

Artistic and Production Credits: 

Director - Matthew Gutschick

Musical Director - Kevin Smith

Scenic Designer - Tim McMath

Choreographer - Sue Gillespie Booton

Lighting Designer - Craig Moxon

Production Stage Manager - Ashleigh-Dawn Kriegh-Fleming

Costume Designer - Sherri Geerdes

and more... 

After the shows they have a question answer time with the cast. They even mention to email them. The Rose has really cool kid's programs. I like them more than the adult ones. There are facts and games in it. There's a spot for Autographs for the end of the show.

I think any show that The Rose Theater has is great for kids. My boys just love going there!

Disclaimer: I received tickets for free of charge from The Rose Theater.

Omaha Community Playhouse

I'm so far behind in my posts. I got slammed with more summer school classes than I've ever had. I'll catch up. I swear I will.

Last week the boys went to camp at the Omaha Community Playhouse. They just love this camp. There is kids acting classes at The Rose Theater to. It's further from our house though. I like sticking close to home because Grandma and Grandpa help with the driving.

I like the stars they have on the ground leading up to the building. They are "In Memory of..." stars. I'm not sure if they were donators, or people that acted there.

This is where you get tickets. Right now they have Young Frankenstein playing there.

They have a lot of marques around to.

This is the second year that the boys had camp at the Playhouse. Next year Isaak will be moved up into Mica's class. That's great because right now Isaak was one of the oldest ones in his group. They really don't do a whole lot compared to Mica's age group. In fact I didn't even take photos, or videos of Isaak's group. They have such a small roll. That's not to say that he didn't enjoy it because he did!

Isaak's group acted out The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carl.

Mica's group had 3 or 4 songs they danced and acted to.

My favorite was the one they choreographed themselves. The older two boys headed up most of it. I thought they did a great job! Mica said that he made up his own part in the dance.

Mica made his own mask. He's the one with the stripped blue and grey shirt.