Omaha Community Playhouse

What Plays There

Omaha Community Playhouse has been staging shows since 1924, when it was founded as part of the nationwide Little Theatre movement, with a mission "to raise the drama from a purely amusement enterprise into an educational, cultural force". It's grown into what OCP calls "the largest community theatre in the country" today. Its first real play, The Enchanted Cottage in April 1925, starred Dodie Brando, a year after the birth of her son Marlon, and the cast included Jayne Fonda, whose brother Henry was then studying journalism in Minneapolis. Good trivia for intermission.

The current season runs musicals, comedies, and plays, including holiday and family-friendly productions, across OCP's two theaters. For what's actually running this weekend, check the upcoming shows on this page, or go straight to OCP's own show calendar at omahaplayhouse.com, where every date and run time is listed.

Tickets and Box Office

Buying From Official Sellers

Tickets for Omaha Community Playhouse shows go through Ticket Omaha, the theater's official online ticket retailer. Buy on OCP's own website, which routes you to Ticket Omaha to pick your seats, or skip that step and call or visit the box office directly. Online purchases are open 24 hours a day.

Going often? A subscription for three or more shows costs less per ticket than buying single seats, and OCP also sells gift certificates in any denomination.

Avoiding Resale Markups and Ticket Scams

Watch out for resellers: OCP warns that unauthorized ticket brokers advertise tickets to its shows, and neither those brokers nor their prices are legitimate. The only way to be sure you're getting a real seat at OCP's own price is to buy through Ticket Omaha online or through the OCP box office by phone or in person.

Box Office Hours and Will Call

Box office hours change depending on whether a show is running. During production weeks, it also opens an hour before curtain on performance days:

• Monday: closed
• Tuesday and Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Thursday and Friday: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday: noon to 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday: noon to 4 p.m.

Between productions, the hours shrink:

• Sunday and Monday: closed
• Tuesday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday: noon to 3 p.m.

In summer when nothing is in production, and over holidays, the box office is closed Saturday too, and OCP notes that hours can vary around holidays, special events, and seasonal breaks. Not sure which schedule you're in? Call the box office at (402) 553-0800.

Holding will-call tickets? Pick them up at the box office before your performance, and bring your confirmation information. Box office staff can also help with exchanges, seating requests, and accessibility accommodations.

Seating and Capacity

Seating Layout and Best Seats

Omaha Community Playhouse has two theaters under one roof. The Hawks Mainstage seats 558, and the Howard Drew Theatre seats 200-plus, with one of two layouts, depending on the show. Every production has assigned seating. OCP doesn't publish seat recommendations; instead it invites questions about layout and sightlines, so if you want a specific spot, ask the box office when you book. House managers work every performance in both rooms, and ushers are on hand to walk you to your seat.

Accessible Seating

Both theaters are wheelchair accessible. If you need that seating, call the box office at least 24 hours ahead of your performance to arrange it.

Getting There and Parking

Address and Directions

Omaha Community Playhouse is at 6915 Cass St. in Omaha, in the Midtown area just north of 72nd St. and Dodge St., which puts it within easy reach of downtown, west Omaha, and the surrounding suburbs.

From I-80, take the 72nd St. exit, head north on 72nd St., turn east onto Dodge St. at 72nd and Dodge, then turn left (north) onto 69th St. and continue one block to the theater. Coming from Dodge St. directly, turn north onto 69th St. and go one block.

Parking Options and Costs

Parking is free and on-site in the Storz Parking Plaza, just south of the theater building. During busier shows, overflow parking opens across Cass St. at First United Methodist Church. OCP sets aside accessible parking spaces near the south entrance and the northeast canopy entrance.

Rideshare, Transit, and Drop-Off

OCP's parking and visitor pages don't cover rideshare pickup, bus routes, or a drop-off zone. If you're planning on a ride or a drop-off, the box office can answer questions before you go.

Venue Policies

Bag Policy and Prohibited Items

OCP doesn't publish a bag policy, but it does spell out a few house rules: no recording devices or cameras, phones off, and no food in either the Hawks Mainstage or the Howard Drew.

Age Restrictions and ID

Everyone 3 and older is welcome at any scheduled performance, and every attendee needs a ticket, kids included. Children under 3 aren't admitted to the theater during a performance, even on a lap or in arms. Youth productions from OCP's Shirlee and Henry Fonda Theatre Academy may be the exception, so check those shows' ticket pages for details. Content advisories are listed with each production's own information, and OCP suggests checking a show's content and themes before you bring younger kids.

Student tickets cover kindergarten through high school and full-time undergrads, and require a valid photo ID. OCP doesn't publish a re-entry policy or an ID rule for the bar, so ask the box office if either affects your night.

Filming and Photography

OCP's filming notice is worth knowing too: entering an OCP event or production means you consent to being photographed, recorded, or filmed, and to OCP using that footage for news, web casts, promotions, advertising, its own website and social media, or any other purpose. Keep that in mind if you'd rather not end up in a promo shot.

Accessibility Services

Beyond wheelchair-accessible seating, OCP builds in several accommodations. Each theater has an assistive listening system, with devices available free at the box office. Select performances add audio description for patrons with visual impairments, narrating the set, costumes, and actors' movements alongside the show. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are available for select performances too.

For sensory needs, OCP offers complimentary sensory kits through the box office and keeps a designated quiet area in the Scott Lobby outside the Hawks Mainstage. Select productions also run as Relaxed Performances, with adjusted sound and lighting and the freedom to move in and out of the theater, built for patrons with autism, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, dementia, or similar needs. Any of these are worth arranging ahead of your visit rather than sorting out at the door.

Food, Drinks, and Amenities

Omaha Community Playhouse runs a full-service bar in the Owen Lobby, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, open 45 minutes before each performance and during intermission. It's cashless, so bring a credit or debit card, and you can preorder your intermission drink before the show to skip the line. Drinking fountains are in the south lobby near the box office and outside each restroom.

If you lose something during your visit, the box office handles lost and found. And if someone at home needs to reach you in an emergency, have them call the box office, and make sure they know your seat number and the name on your tickets.

Where to Eat and Drink Nearby

Omaha Community Playhouse sits just north of 72nd St. and Dodge St. Three nearby options: Smitty's Garage, at 7610 Dodge St., serves burgers and fries every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Charleston's, at 7540 Dodge St., serves hand-cut steaks, fresh fish, and grilled pork chops Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Legends Patio Grill & Bar, at 6920 Pacific St., Suite 100, in Aksarben, is known for its wings and nachos and is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from noon to 2 a.m.

Our pick: Legends Patio Grill & Bar, for one simple reason: it's still open when the show lets out. Nothing else on this list stays open past 10 p.m.

Tips for a First Visit

Buy your tickets through Ticket Omaha or OCP's own box office, never a broker who isn't one of the two, and keep your confirmation handy for will call.

Get there with time to spare: for Hawks Mainstage shows, ticket scanning starts about 45 minutes before curtain and seating doors open 30 minutes before, so aim to arrive at least 15 minutes early. If you're late, the house manager decides when you're seated, and you may not reach your actual seat until intermission.

Park for free in the Storz Parking Plaza just south of the building, and know that overflow parking across Cass St. opens up when a show draws a bigger crowd. If you need wheelchair seating, call the box office at least 24 hours ahead; for ASL-interpreted or other accommodated performances, check with the box office when you book.

Going more than once this season? A subscription pays off compared to buying single tickets one at a time.

Grab your seat, get there a little early, and let a hundred years of Omaha theater do the rest.