IN APPRECIATION OF ...
THEATER
Story by Liza Holtmeier Photographs by Daniel Luedert
An evening at the theater.
You can't rewind a scene. You can’t reread
a chapter. If you return the next night, you
may not even see the same thing.
The theater experience is fleeting and
intense. Perception is everything, and how
you respond to the performance affects how
the actors perform.
While these characteristics distinguish
the theater experience, they also can make it
seem intimidating.
“Sometimes people think theater is going
to be too demanding on them as an audience
member,” said Kevin Hofeditz, chairman of
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Department of Theatre Arts and Dance.
“You’re sharing the same space and the same
air with those actors who are presenting a
very complex
and emotional
experience.”
Although the
experience may
be intense,
Hofeditz said,
audiences
should still
expect to be
entertained. If
audience mem
bers are affected
on an emotional
level by a play,
they should con
sider that a bonus, he explained.
“Just let it hit you,” he said. “When I was
“The best theater artists I’ve worked with
have been individuals who were well-versed
a young theater-goer, I would
worry too much about trying to
figure it out. That would get in
the way of letting it affect me on
a deeper level. If audience
members find a play funny,
that’s what it’s about. If they
find it troubling, they should let
it trouble them.”
To further appreciate the
ater, Hofeditz said, people
should see and read as many
plays as they can. Hofeditz also
stressed the importance of
being educated in as many areas
of knowledge as possible.
in many areas and had a broad knowledge
base,” Hofeditz said. “On the stage, we repre
sent the wide spectrum of issues in the world.
The more a theater artist is aware of the world
around him or her the more able they are to
communicate that to the audience.”
Hofeditz said Lincoln audiences were
lucky to have a diverse offering of theater in
Lincoln. He said almost every style was per
formed somewhere in the city.
“Lincoln has a little bit of everything,” he
said, “including both professional and ama
teur theater. If you just look around, you’ll
find what you like.”
And even though the experience of seeing
a play may only last a couple of hours,
chances are the memory of it will last forev
er.
"JllST LET
it HIT
YOU."
Kevin Hofeditz
CHAIRMAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
Nebraska-Lincoln Department of
Theatre Arts and Dance
VENUES
Lincoln’s theater community offers everything from
the traditional to the avant-garde. Most of the theaters’
seasons run from early fall to early summer, and
almost all have brochures available for additional
information on their performance spaces.
Lincoln Community Playhouse
Located at 2500 S. 56th St., LCP has a season that
usually lasts from September to June. However, this
year, because of renovation, the season will run through
August. LCP has a main stage season and a children’s
theater season. Works in the main stage season vary
from Broadway musicals like “Secret Garden” to clas
sic plays like “Raisin in the Sun.” The children's theater
season includes classics such as “The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe” and new productions such as “A
Wrinkle in Time.”
LCP is always looking for volunteers to help on and
off stage. Auditions for productions are held five weeks
in advance for musicals and eight weeks in advance for
non-musicals. Volunteers also can work on lights,
sound, costumes, scenery and set crews. To find out
more about volunteering or about the season, call the
LCP Box Office at (402) 489-7529.
The Futz Theatre
Located in the Mission Arts Building at 124 S. Ninth
St., The Futz Theatre is a very intimate, black box style
theater whose productions tend to be rather unconven
tional. Past plays include “Lesbian Vampires of Sodom”
and “Marvin’s Room.” Owner Paul Pearson described
the Futz as “m-your-face theater.” For more informa
tion. call the Futz Box Office at (402)435-6307.
The Star City Theatre
The new Star City Theatre, to be located in the
Lincoln Haymarket starting in May, will be run by for
mer Downtown Dinner Theatre director Bob Rook. The
Downtown Dinner Theatre season featured shows like
“Forever Plaid,” “Godspell” and “Side by Side by
Sondheim.” The Star City Theatre plans to offer a full
season of similar shows as well as comedy, musical acts
and educational theater opportunities. For more infor
mation, call the offices of CORE Entertainment at
(402)477-8722.
Nebraska Wesleyan University
The Nebraska Wesleyan season runs during the fall
and spring semesters. Each semester, the Department of
Theatre presents two main stage full-lengths plays.
Since the goal of the department is to introduce stu
MIKE MEYER (top) and Robie Hayek play Robin and Wagner during a rehearsal of “Dr.
Faustus,” which will be showing in the Howell Theatre tonight through Saturday.
everything from solo theater
artists to residency projects, the
Wagon Train is intimate, funky
and a little on the edge. The
Wagon Train’s mission is to be
supportive and inclusive of all
arts. Performances are given at
the Seventh Street Loft, 512. S.
7th St. The Wagon Train has a
variety of opportunities to offer
those who want to get involved.
Volunteers can work on techni
cal crews and help with residen
cy projects, while others can
apply for work-study programs
and intern positions. For more
information, call the Wagon
Train at (402) 435-5592.
Nebraska Repertory
Theatre
The Nebraska Repertory
Theatre is the professional
wing of the UNL Department of
Theatre Arts and Dance. Since
1988, it has been a member of
the Actors’ Equity Association,
allowing it to bring in profes
sional actors and directors from
across the nation. Its season
consists of three main stage
productions and one Theatre for
Family audiences production.
Each play runs for 11 perfor
mances during the June to
August season. This year’s sea
son includes main stage perfor
mances of the musical
“Carnival,” the mystery-thriller
“Woman in Black" and “Noises
Off.” The Theatre for Family
production will be “Aladdin.”
Performances are given on
the UNL campus in the Temple
Building or Kimball Recital
Hall. For more information, call
the Temple Box Office at (402)
472-2073.
Huntington Avenue.
Wesleyan also has a Black Box Theatre where stu
dent-produced one-acts are performed. These perfor
mances are offered usually once a semester and
__ are free to the public. The student one-acts
range greatly in style and tend to be unconven
tional. For more information on the Wesleyan
season, call the McDonald Theatre Box Office
at (402)465-2384.
—^—11 i —Mi
JENI FABIAN (right) adjusts the costume of Robert S. Hurst, who plays
Lucifer in the UNL theatre department’s production of “Dr. Faustus.”
“Dr. Faustus” runs tonight through Saturday.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Department of Theatre Arts and Dance
The UNL theatre department has a main
stage season and a second stage season called
Theatrix. The main stage season consists of
three full-length plays a semester, with the last
play in the fall semester being a musical. The
Theatrix season also presents three events a
semester.
Auditions for the main stage season are held
the first week of each semester. Theatrix audi
tions usually are held the week after. The audi
tions are open to all students, and students can
also get involved backstage through theater
classes.
The department’s performances are given in
the Howell and Studio theatres in the Temple
Building and sometimes in Kimball Recital
dents to a wide variety of theater, the plays range in
time period and style. Every other year, the department
collaborates on a musical or opera with the musical
department. Main stage plays are performed at the
McDonald Theatre at the corner of 51st Street and
Hall, ror more information on the season, call
the Temple Box Office at (402) 472-2073.
The Wagon Train Project
The Wagon Train Project, 512 S. Seventh St., fills a
unique space in Lincoln. With a season that offers
PRINTED HATTER
“The Oxford History of Theatre” is a book that pro
vides a comprehensive look at theater from Sophocles
through Shakespeare to Samuel Beckett. It's a fairly
dry read, but it gives a good overview for those inter
ested in the progression of the art form.
The book “Broadway: Day and Night” is for those
interested in a behind-the-scenes look. It is infused with
the energy and passion that make Broadway the place
where dreams are made. It contains interviews with var
ious Broadway icons like Nathan Lane, Hal Prince and
Julie Andrews. In it, the stars share their love for the art
and their most memorable moments.
WEB SITES
Web sites are by far the best way to keep up to date
with what’s new in the world of theater. Musicals.net
(http://musicals.net) gives an excellent overview of
more than 80 Broadway musicals from “Annie” to “The
Wiz.” It provides plot summaries, song lists, images and
additional links to Tony award winning productions like
“Chorus Line,” “Titanic” and “Rent.”
For those who are looking for something specific,
Yahoo has an excellent directory on theater under arts
and performing arts (http://www.yahoo.com/Arts/
Performing_Arts/Theater). The directory includes sites
on acting, play writing and regional theater.