City: Omaha, NE

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (402) 553-0800

Address: 6915 Cass St.

Description: The Omaha Community Playhouse has the unique distinction of being the nation’s largest community theater. A group of Omaha theater lovers started the organization in 1924, and its first production, a 1925 show called The Enchanted Cottage, starred Dodie Brando, Marlon Brando’s mother; and Jayne Fonda, whose brother, Henry, was then living in Minneapolis. Henry Fonda starred in the Playhouse’s second production, and many others. Once Henry Fonda became a movie star, he gave back to the Playhouse, buying new seats for the theater.Over the years, the theater continued to grow in popularity. The existing theater, at 69th and Cass Streets, opened in 1959 and the Fondas were instrumental in raising money for the building. Today, the Playhouse has two theaters: the 558-seat Howard and Rhonda Hawks main stage theater and the more intimate Howard Drew Theater, which seats just over 200. The Playhouse programs each space individually, and shows five productions a year on the Hawks main stage and the smaller theater plays host to more progressive shows that are called the Fonda McGuire series. Those shows run for one month each with four performances a week.One of the Playhouse’s biggest hits is its annual performance of A Christmas Carol. Each year, close to 20,000 people see the seasonal production, which sticks to the traditional story but has a few special touches that only the Playhouse uses.The Playhouse has extensive education and outreach programs, and offers a wide variety of classes for people of all ages. The Playhouse is also home to the Nebraska Theater Caravan, which for more than 30 years has been traveling to more than 150 communities around Nebraska and to more than 600 communities in 49 states and Canada.