OCP Announces Revamped 2020/21 Season Lineup and Safety Precautions

The Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) has announced a new, revamped 2020/21 season lineup with special precautions in place to protect audiences, volunteers and staff from COVID-19.

OCP's New 2020/21 Season Lineup:

Billy McGuigan's Pop Rock Orchestra*
Aug. 5 - 23
Storz Parking Lot at OCP

Don't Stop Me Now! A Celebration of Rock Musicals
Aug. 28 - Sept. 20
Storz Parking Lot at OCP

Grounded
Sept. 25 - Oct. 18
Howard Drew Theatre

Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience*
Oct. 2 - Nov. 1
Hawks Mainstage Theatre

I Am My Own Wife
Oct. 30 - Nov. 15
Howard Drew Theatre

A Christmas Carol*
Nov. 13 - Dec. 23
Hawks Mainstage Theatre

Title To Be Announced
Nov. 27 - Dec. 23
Howard Drew Theatre

The Last 5 Years
Jan. 15 - Feb. 7
Hawks Mainstage Theatre

The Candy Project Presents: Guttenberg! The Musical!*
Feb. 12 -March 14
Howard Drew Theatre

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express
Feb. 26 - March 21
Hawks Mainstage Theatre

In The Heights
April 16 - May 9
Hawks Mainstage Theatre

Clybourne Park
May 7 - 30
Howard Drew Theatre

Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka
May 28 - June 27
Hawks Mainstage Theatre

*Special engagement; Not a regular season production

The theatre has released the following statement regarding update protocols and safety guidelines:

We reimagined our season lineup.

• We added concert-style drive-in shows to take advantage of our outdoor space as long as possible.

• We removed shows with large cast sizes from our fall and winter time slots. In their place, we have added four Wonderful Productions with two performers or fewer. The new shows are compelling, entertaining and-most importantly-safe. The small cast sizes will allow our actors to safely rehearse and perform, create plenty of room for our backstage crew to social distance and help protect our patrons by reducing the overall number of people present in the theatre.

• Fan favorite Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience will move to the larger Hawks Mainstage theatre and open in October. The larger stage will allow the band to socially distance and the larger theatre will safely accommodate the show's many fans.

• The holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol will live on for 2020 in a unique and imaginative small cast format.

• Finally, we shuffled four titles from our original lineup to the end of the season. While these shows do feature more cast members, we are hopeful that these productions will be safe to carry out by next Spring. These four shows were selected based on existing ticket sales (via subscriptions), director availability, and royalties logistics.

We reimagined our performance spaces.

• Patrons attending a show in either theatre will be socially distanced from other guests with all groups at least 6 feet apart.

• In the Howard Drew theatre, a plexiglass barrier will be installed around the perimeter of the stage to provide separation between guests and performers.

• Productions will not incorporate any physical audience participation.

We reimagined our safety precautions.

• All audience, staff and volunteers will be required to wear masks. Masks will be available free of charge and must be worn properly in accordance with CDC guidelines.

• Audience members will be required to self-screen for a fever and symptoms of illness prior to arriving at OCP. Those with fever or other symptoms may exchange their ticket at no cost.

• New arrival and dismissal procedures will help encourage social distancing, including staggered vehicle loading/unloading, assigned will call pick up times and row-by-row dismissal after a show.

• Lobbies, reception areas and lines will be arranged and marked to encourage social distancing.

• Plexiglass barriers will be installed in the box office windows with cash-free payments encouraged, touchless credit card transactions offered and touch-free ticket pickup available.

• Common areas and performance halls will be cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis with both cleanser and electrostatic technology.

• All restrooms will be outfitted with touchless fixtures and will be sanitized daily and throughout performances.

• We will no longer hold post-show meet and greets with the actors in the lobby.

• Concessions and drinks will not be available and public water fountains will be closed.

• For a full list of safety precautions, please visit the Omaha Community Playhouse website at omahaplayhouse.com

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