Reflecting Back on the Season

Today marks the end of the Nebraska Repertory Theatre's 2013 Season.  As the last show, Making God Laugh comes to a close, I thought I'd share the podcast we made to introduce all of the shows.

Thanks to all of the NRT patrons and supporters.  We appreciate that you came to opening receptions to celebrate the start of each show.  We thank you for helping to usher and volunteering your time.  We value all the tweets and facebook comments from you that showed your support of the actors, the technicians, designers, directors, and, very importantly, the shows themselves.

From everyone on the management team, we give you, the wonderful NRT followers and audience members, a standing ovation.

The Big Finale: "Making God Laugh"

The last show of the season to close is Making God Laugh, and it will close on Sunday, August 11th at 2:00 PM.  This is your last chance to follow a family through 80's, 90's, Y2K, and 2010.  It is your last chance to be touched and moved by Ruthie, Bill, Richard, Maddie, and Tom.  And, it is last chance to see the infamous "Fantasia Dip" that has been grossing out audiences for weeks.  What, you don't know about Fantasia Dip?  Well, then you really need to get Nebraska Repertory Theatre this weekend.  For a teaser, here is a collage of the process of making Fantasia Dip.

If that isn't enough of a teaser incentive, then here is one more: Sunday is a "Pay-What-You-Can" performance. So, now that you have no more excuses, we'll see you at the performance on Sunday!

It is Poor Etiquette to Miss "Mrs. Mannerly"

The second show to close is Mrs Mannerly, which has its last performance on Saturday, August 10th at 7:30 PM.  The two leads, Juanita and Mark, have been delighting audiences for three weeks, but they have one more big finale in them.  Plus, it is just a poor etiquette choice to not see Mrs. Mannerly.  How will you learn about place settings, walking correctly, and what you should and should not do at a well-attended DAR luncheon?

But, that is just my opinion.  If you want more reasons, let the podcast below give you many, many more reasons why you should not miss Mrs. Mannerly.

Last Chance to See "Emma"

Emma, Nebraska Rep's first show to open is also the first show to close.  Your last chance to see Emma is August 9th at 7:30 PM.  This means that if you don't see the show tomorrow night, you will have missed your chance to see the wonderful Emma, the dashing Mr. Knightly, and the naive Harriet.  You will also have missed the absolutely amazing cavalcade of costumes that the costume shop spent many meticulous hours crafting, sewing, stitching, and creating.

Just in case you need any more reasons, then watch this wonderful podcast on the production and find many many more reasons why you come see Emma for the first time or again, for that matter.

Closing Week

After several wonderful weeks of shows, lots of applause and happy audience members, and lots of hard work by the actors, crew, and management team, the final week of Nebraska Repertory's 2013 Season is here.  In case you missed a show, or just want to see one of the shows again, here is the schedule of the closing week: 

• Wednesday and Thursday, August 7 & 8: "Making God Laugh" - 7:30 PM - Howell Theatre
• Friday, August 9 - final performance of "Emma" - 7:30 PM - Howell Theatre
• Saturday, August 10 - final performance of "Mrs. Mannerly" - 7:30 PM - Studio Theatre
• Sunday, August 11 - final performance of "Making God Laugh" - 2:00 PM - Howell Theatre

As a way of looking back at this wonderful season, I've created a mosaic collage of all of the behind the scene pics.

Top 5 Reasons to See "Red Line Stories"

Dennis Henry, who directed tonight's Destination show, Red Line Stories (written and performed by Carrie Lee Patterson), has five reasons for you to go see the show tonight at 7:30 PM.

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"Top Five Reasons to See Red Line Stories" by Dennis Henry
5. Prize Winning Literature:  Red Line Stories is the winner of the 2012 Howard Frank Mosher Prize for Short Fiction.

4. You get 19 stories for the price of one! Take a ride down Chicago’s Red Line train with a peak into the soul of a different character at each stop that reveals the heart of the entire city.

3. It is like taking a Chicago vacation without having to drive through Iowa.

2.  Hey! It’s Tuesday night! We are the only game in town and Red Line Stories is a one-night only performance.

1. Carrie Lee Patterson is a double-threat:  prize-winning author and charismatic professional actor. She has a powerful presence and a golden voice that will transport the audience into a different world.

Countdown to "Red Line Stories"

As I mentioned in Friday's post, this coming Tuesday NRT's second Destinations show, Red Line Stories, will open.   As Ryan did the Monday before the performance of Nocturne, Carrie Lee Patterson will be leading an informal conversation on "Building  a Professional Career."  As well as being a brilliant theater professor, Carrie Lee is an equity actress and has directed many shows.  While Ryan talked about working on both coasts, Carrie Lee will discuss working in Chicago.  The workshop is at 5:30 PM, Monday, August 5th in the Temple Lobby, so make sure to come by.

As with Nocturne, this performance is a staged reading.  However, what is neat about this performance is that you get to hear the author, Carrie Lee Patterson, read her own work.  How fun!  

The reading is free to 2013 Season Pass Holders and is $7 at the door for all others.  You can also do Pay-What-You-Can starting fifteen minutes before the show.

Destinations Podcast

Last Tuesday was the performance of Nocturne, the first of the two Destinations shows.  It was a great success and played to a large and supportive audience.  Ryan Johnston put a lot of heart and emotion into the performance and the amount of Kleenex and tears showed how much the audience responded to the show.

Next Tuesday will be the second Destination show, Red Line Stories.  It is directed by Dennis Henry, a graduate student in UNL's MFA program, and is both written and performed by the UNL Theatre departments very own Carrie Lee Patterson.  The play is based on her own experiences riding the red line of Chicago's L-train.  

For more information, check out this podcast which discusses both Destination shows.