US Travel Guide - Omaha

Omaha Entertainment

Entertainment options abound in Omaha. No matter what your interest, be it opera or country line dancing, you'll find an event to satisfy. Omahans love supporting local events, so you'll most likely find a sizable crowd wherever you go, but don't despair...the more the merrier! Most visitors and newly-settled citizens are amazed at the breadth of the Omaha entertainment scene. So, for tastes that range from simple to sublime, you've come to the right place.

Live Music
Live music has always been an Omaha mainstay. Music lovers will be interested to learn that several hot national bands, including 311 and Mulberry Lane, hail from here. In the past few years, a few of the more established venues, like the Howard Street Tavern and the Saddle Creek Bar, have closed, but there are still many hot spots offering local, regional and national acts a place to shine. The Omaha Symphony, lead by world-renowned music director Victor Yampolsky, consistently offers a season packed with classic symphonic fare and popular favorites. The Super Pops Series is always a sell-out and features such well-known artists as Bernadette Peters, Burt Bacharach, Rosemary Clooney and Garrison Keillor, to name a few. National touring acts, including Elton John, Melissa Etheridge, Prince and Jackson Browne, have visited Omaha in recent years. These big name acts appear at the Civic Auditorium, AK-SAR-BEN or the Omaha Music Hall, the citys largest venues. For local and regional acts, check the schedule at the Ranch Bowl, The Music Box, Harveys Casino or Ameristar Casino. If its a Sunday night, head down to Mr. Toad for some cool jazz by Luigi Inc.

Theater
Omahans love theater. Comedies, dramas, musicals, interactive theater, mysteries, childrens theater...Omaha has it all. A simmering hot bed of theatrical events stuff the calendar throughout the year. Big, splashy Broadway-style touring productions find temporary homes at the Orpheum Theater and the Omaha Music Hall. Although its always exciting to welcome a Phantom or some Cats to town, the shows produced right here often rival the best of the Great White Way. The granddaddy of them all is the Omaha Community Playhouse, the largest community theater in the nation. This spectacular facility houses the posh Main Stage, specializing in large-scale, big-budget productions, and the Howard Drew Theater, a smaller space better suited for more intimate fare. If you're in town during the holidays, the Playhouses original production of 'A Christmas Carol', now celebrating its 25th year, is a must see. Other community theaters worth a peek include the Blue Barn Theatre, the Bellevue Little Theatre, SNAP Productions, the Brigit St. Brigit Theatre Company and the Shelterbelt. Opera lovers get their fix with an always thrilling season presented by Opera Omaha. Younger audiences are welcomed with open arms at the Omaha Theater Company for Young People, one of the most highly-respected childrens theaters in the nation.

Art
The visual art form is alive and well in Omaha. Whether your tastes run toward Impressionism or Realism, you'll find an artistic feast in the many museums and galleries that dot the Midwestern landscape. All creative roads lead to the Joslyn Art Museum, an extraordinary museum with works ranging from antiquity to the present. Breathtaking collections of 19th-and 20th-century European and American art, exciting traveling exhibits, Degas' sculpture titled 'Little Dancer Aged Fourteen' and a newly-acquired 35-foot-tall, multi-colored glass 'tornado' by renowned sculptor Dale Chihuly are just a few reasons visit this world-class museum.

The Durham Western Heritage Museum, once the home of the historic Union Station, celebrates Omahas past with an unforgettable collection of photos, artifacts and sculptures depicting River City in days gone by. The African-American experience in the Heartland is celebrated in photos and other art forms at the Great Plains Black Museum. For more artsy pieces, a trip to any of the citys many galleries is in order. Jackson Art Works, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Lewis Art Gallery, the Adam Whitney Gallery or the Artists Cooperative Gallery are all worth a stop.

If you're feeling patriotic, be sure to visit Freedom Park and the Strategic Air Command Museum. Don't forget the kids! The Omaha Childrens Museum is as fun for grownups as it is for youngsters.

Film
If you'd rather view your art with a big bucket of buttered popcorn and a Coke the size of Rhode Island, Omahas your city. Most of the major movie theaters are located west of 72nd Street (not good news for those staying downtown), but Omahas Interstate system is speedy, so you'll be settling into a big, comfy theater seat in no time. One exception to the 'West is Best' rule is the Dundee Theatre, a renovated old-time movie theater near downtown that retains its charm while offering the latest in Dolby Digital sound design. mega-plexes are your thing, Omahas got 'em. The 20 Grand and the AMC Oak View 24 offer more movies than you could see in a week. For movies under the stars, try the Council Bluffs Drive Inn, one of the few thriving open-air theaters in the country. For those who think bigger is better, don't miss the Lozier IMAX Theater at the Henry Doorly Zoo.

Dance
The professional dance scene in Omaha is currently experiencing abundant growth. New companies like Central Dance Theater, OTC Dance and the Mid America Theatre Dance Co. are joining established programs, including University of Omaha's A Company of Dancers and Creighton University, in offering exciting ballet, modern, jazz and theatrical dance concerts throughout the year. If you'd rather shake a tail feather yourself, there are lots of fun dance floors in town. Undoubtedly the best place to dance is The Max, a straight-friendly gay and lesbian club with several dance spaces with varying musical themes. If countrys more your thing, sashay on down to Guitars and Cadillacs, where guys and gals line dance 'til the cows come home. Other fun spots to boogie include Trovatos, Figbys, Harveys Casino and Ameristar Casino.

Special Events
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall...no matter what the season, theres something special going on in Omaha. When the winter winds blow, Dickens in the Market, Holiday Fanfare, Christmas at Union Station and Holiday Wildlights are sure to keep you warm. Spring is sprung when the Omaha Home Show, the Omaha Symphony Designer Showhouse and the many St. Patricks Day festivities fill the calendar. It wouldn't be summer without Shakespeare on the Green, Jazz on the Green, the Summer Arts Festival, the Commercial Federal Celebrates America outdoor concert or the World-Herald Fireworks Extravaganza. When the leaves change from green to gold and all of Nebraska is wearing Husker Red, the River City Roundup, the Nebraska City Apple Jack Festival, La Festa Italiana and the many area state and county fairs fill crisp Autumn days with fun.

G. Hermann