Nebraska Lawmaker Pushes Big
LINCOLN – State Senator Megan Hunt introduced LB 231, a bill that would ban conversion therapy across the state of Nebraska.
Road to Omaha – Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
Omaha, NE – On today’s episode of “Road to Omaha,” KVNO’s Brandon McDermott spoke with Oral Roberts head coach Ryan Folmar.
Stilian Kirov Conducts William Grant Still This Weekend
Omaha, NE—Omaha Symphony returns this weekend with a diverse repertoire. The orchestra welcomes back Bulgarian conductor and Music Director of the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, Stilian Kirov. The concert will feature mostly American composers, including Eric Ewazen, Walter Piston, and William Grant Still, but also Haydn.
Ballet Nebraska’s Gaining Momentum
By Bill Grennan
Omaha, NE — Audiences have a chance to catch an eclectic set of dance numbers this weekend.
Read More“We Were Good Soldiers”: War Stories from Nebraska Vietnam Veterans
By Mike Tobias
It’s been 40 years since the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam war, but memories are still strong for those who served during that time, including some of Nebraska’s more than 40,000 Vietnam-era veterans.
Read MoreStill Fighting After 40 Years
By Mike Tobias
Omaha, NE – This week marks the 40th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. An Omaha man and former South Vietnamese officer has continued fighting for his country long after the North Vietnamese communist forces took control.
Read MoreNebraska Businesses Take Historical Approach
By Ryan Robertson
Lincoln, NE – The National Register of Historic Places has more than one thousand listings in Nebraska. Things like old farmsteads, houses, bridges, prairies and parks. The list of historic sites grows even more when you take into account things that have local historic significance.
Read MoreHigher welfare payments, more time for trial requests based on new evidence passed by Legislature
By Fred Knapp
Lincoln, NE – Low income parents could get higher welfare payments for the first time in 30 years, and time limits would be eased on how long after new evidence is discovered convicted criminals could ask for new trials, under bills passed by the Nebraska Legislature Thursday.
Read MoreHow Do We Consume Art?
By Bill Grennan
Omaha, NE — The ghost of John Barrymore tries to teach a hot-shot young actor a thing or two at the Omaha Playhouse.
[audio:https://kvnonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/I-Hate-Hamlet-Web.mp3](From Left) Kevin Barratt as John Barrymore and Ben Beck as Andrew Rally
I Hate Hamlet by Paul Rudnick runs through May 10th on the Hawks Mainstage of the Omaha Community Playhouse. It tells the story of Andrew, a young television actor who’s been given the role of a lifetime, playing Hamlet in the park in New York City. The only problem is that he hates Hamlet. When he moves into his new place in New York, he soon finds out that it once belonged to acting legend John Barrymore. When Barrymore’s ghost starts walking around the residence, Andrew’s life and career are turned upside down as he clashes with the acting apparition. The show’s director, Ablan Roblin, said the play’s balance of tone is what makes it quite peculiar.
“It’s interesting because this play, in my opinion, lives in a lot of different areas,” he said. “There are some areas that are high comedy and then there are some areas in the script where it’s pretty poignant. It’s got some really nice moments.”
The key to show, Roblin said, lies in the offsetting dynamics between slapstick humor and high art. To find that sweet spot, Roblin had to rely on the words given to him by playwright Paul Rudnick.
“The way he puts all those things together in the script is kind of genius because it’s a mash of a lot of different styles,” Roblin said. “It’s been fun doing that. It’s been a challenge in some aspects because you have to find out where some of these characters live. Some of these characters live in a different place than the others. Finding the cohesion in that has been really interesting.”
Regardless of whether the show he’s directing is a drama or comedy, Roblin tackles each project he works on with the same mindset. It’s one of digging deep into a script, deep into the human condition, and finding the simple truths among the situations.
“You look at a piece of work and get a general idea of what you feel this is about,” he said. “Then you get into it and you realize there are a lot of sub-layers; a lot of little areas you are peeling back. Not that it gets heavy, but you are finding the truth. Once you find the truth in what you are doing some amazing comedy ensues. Especially if it’s written well, which this one is.”
The key for audiences, Roblin said, is observing how we consume art in its many forms. Are we the ‘sitting at home binge watching Netflix’ type? Do we dress in our finest attire for the symphony type? Are we somewhere in between? How serious do we take our art?
“[The character] Gary, who plays the agent, has a really honest take on how people view [high art]. His question halfway through the show is, ‘I’m just wondering which arm rest is mine?’ I think there’s a universal truth to that. I think everyone has experienced that, even actors. That’s what makes this so interesting because it gives you a glimpse into why people make the choices they make as an artist. Why people consume the type of art they consume. Then, you are able to sit back and laugh at it, and enjoy it in a lot of ways that you probably couldn’t.”
The Omaha Community Playhouse’s production of I Hate Hamlet by Paul Rudnick runs through May 10 on the Hawks Mainstage Theatre. For more information on the production, visit www.OmahaPlayhouse.com.
