Making headlines in performing arts
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Alisa Belflower deserve
credit if anything ever comes of the musicals “The Burnt Part Boys” and
“Broadcast.”
Belflower, who teaches musical theater at the School of Music, brought Broadway folks to Lincoln to workshop their shows.
It was great on two fronts. The creators saw and heard what did and didn’t work, while the kids rubbed shoulders with those in the business.
The real winners were audience members who took advantage of sneak peeks of each show.
A lot of musicals never see the light of day, but some do. These could be two of the latter.
Belflower’s work in getting the shows and their creators here was the year’s top performing arts story.
The following is a rundown of the year’s other top headlines in no particular order:
* 2006 is a year of new works.
Nebraska Repertory Theatre artistic director teams with composer Paul Amandes to produce “Local Wonders,” a musical using Ted Kooser’s poetry.
Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra premieres its first commissioned piece, Tyler White’s “A Brand-New Summer.”
Rough Magic Productions, which is known for staging original works, makes a splash with Gregory Peter’s play about Kafka.
And, finally, community radio station KZUM uses original works in its new RadioActive Theatre presentations. The first is a piece about blues great W.C. Handy.
* Ann Chang-Barnes and Jeremy Kendall leave high-profile performing arts positions this past year.
Chang-Barnes steps down as artistic director of the Meadowlark Music Festival, which she founded six years ago, while Kendall resigns as Lincoln Community Playhouse artistic director after three seasons.
* John Cummins officially becomes Abendmusik: Lincoln’s new artistic director in June and performs an acclaimed introductory organ concert in October.
* Bluegrass great Rhonda Vincent headlines the inaugural three-day Nebraska Bluegrass Festival held at the Lancaster Event Center.
* The Lied Center for Performing Arts introduces Club/Carson, a new performance series, which features artists in a cabaretlike setting.
* Outside of Lincoln, the Lofte Community Theatre moves into its new home in Manley, opening with “On Golden Pond” in June.
Meanwhile, the Brownville Village Theatre celebrates its 40th anniversary season.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
Belflower, who teaches musical theater at the School of Music, brought Broadway folks to Lincoln to workshop their shows.
It was great on two fronts. The creators saw and heard what did and didn’t work, while the kids rubbed shoulders with those in the business.
The real winners were audience members who took advantage of sneak peeks of each show.
A lot of musicals never see the light of day, but some do. These could be two of the latter.
Belflower’s work in getting the shows and their creators here was the year’s top performing arts story.
The following is a rundown of the year’s other top headlines in no particular order:
* 2006 is a year of new works.
Nebraska Repertory Theatre artistic director teams with composer Paul Amandes to produce “Local Wonders,” a musical using Ted Kooser’s poetry.
Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra premieres its first commissioned piece, Tyler White’s “A Brand-New Summer.”
Rough Magic Productions, which is known for staging original works, makes a splash with Gregory Peter’s play about Kafka.
And, finally, community radio station KZUM uses original works in its new RadioActive Theatre presentations. The first is a piece about blues great W.C. Handy.
* Ann Chang-Barnes and Jeremy Kendall leave high-profile performing arts positions this past year.
Chang-Barnes steps down as artistic director of the Meadowlark Music Festival, which she founded six years ago, while Kendall resigns as Lincoln Community Playhouse artistic director after three seasons.
* John Cummins officially becomes Abendmusik: Lincoln’s new artistic director in June and performs an acclaimed introductory organ concert in October.
* Bluegrass great Rhonda Vincent headlines the inaugural three-day Nebraska Bluegrass Festival held at the Lancaster Event Center.
* The Lied Center for Performing Arts introduces Club/Carson, a new performance series, which features artists in a cabaretlike setting.
* Outside of Lincoln, the Lofte Community Theatre moves into its new home in Manley, opening with “On Golden Pond” in June.
Meanwhile, the Brownville Village Theatre celebrates its 40th anniversary season.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
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