Ralston Community Theatre

What Plays There

Ralston Community Theatre's whole calendar centers on one main-stage musical each summer, supplemented by a one-week children's show for Ralston Public Schools' 3rd- through 6th-graders, currently listed as to be announced. It started in 1979 as a Ralston Chamber of Commerce project built around the town's Fourth of July festivities, and it was formally organized in the 1980s to carry that mission of community musical theater forward. It's run as a performing arts organization aiming to provide quality entertainment at competitive prices, with a stated mission of furthering the Ralston and greater Omaha community's involvement in theater, extending Ralston Public Schools' performing arts program, and building public relations for Ralston. Check ralstoncommunitytheatre.com for this season's production dates and what's currently on sale.

Auditions and Getting Involved

Want to try out? Audition information for each production is posted on the theatre's own audition page, since dates, roles, and requirements change year to year. Auditions and callbacks are held in person at Ralston High School.

Not auditioning but want to help anyway? Ralston Community Theatre also takes donations through its Get Involved page, which cover royalty fees, costumes, sets, and makeup for its productions.

Tickets and Box Office

You can buy tickets in advance online through the theatre's official platform, ralstontheatre.simpletix.com, or in person at the lobby box office on the day of the performance. Online reservations aren't required, but the theatre strongly encourages them. Start with the theatre's own page, not a reseller.

The box office is set up in the Ralston Performing Arts Center's lobby before each performance, and that's also where will call is handled. It opens about an hour before curtain.

Plans change, so know this going in: all sales are final, with no refunds. You can exchange for a different performance of the same show by calling the box office at least 24 hours ahead of your original ticket date; same-day exchanges are possible too, at the box office staff's discretion and based on availability.

Seating and Capacity

Every ticket is general admission, so there's no assigned seat, and the house holds 500-plus people. If you want a specific spot, get there early. The house typically opens for seating 30 minutes before curtain, and it's first-come, first-served from there.

Accessible seating isn't detailed anywhere on the theatre's site. The box office only picks up calls in the weeks around a run, with a callback in 12 to 24 hours, so email ahead of your visit if you're checking outside that window; call 402-915-1860 if you're closer to show time. Either way, sort it out before you go rather than guessing at the door.

Getting There and Parking

The theatre is at 8969 Park Dr., Ralston, NE 68127, inside the Ralston Performing Arts Center, which sits directly inside Ralston High School off Park Drive between 90th and 84th Street. Parking is free in the main lot, and you'll come in through the front doors, right where the box office is. Rideshare drop-off and pickup aren't addressed on the theatre's site, so treat the main lot as your default.

Venue Policies

Food, Cameras, and Phones

No food is allowed in the theater, and that includes anything you were planning to sneak in. Recording devices and cameras aren't permitted either, and you're asked to turn cell phones and pagers off.

Age Policy

Everyone needs a ticket, no matter how young. The one exception: lap seats for children under 3 may be allowed at the box office's discretion, based on availability, so it's worth asking when you buy. Beyond that, Ralston Community Theatre leaves it to parents' judgment on whether a child is ready to sit through a show.

What's Not Published

The theatre doesn't publish a formal bag policy or accessible-seating details beyond what's above. If either one matters for your visit, call the box office at 402-915-1860, or email jflower@ralstoncommunitytheatre.org, before you show up.

Food, Drinks, and Amenities

Concessions and drink service aren't listed on the theatre's own site, so skip the idea of a lobby snack and eat before you arrive. Ralston has a couple of options worth building your evening around; see the picks below.

Where to Eat and Drink Nearby

Maria's Mexican Restaurant, at 7630 Burlington St. in Ralston, has been serving puffy tacos since 1976. It's open Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30 to 9 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday from 4:30 to 9 p.m.; its site lists no Sunday or Monday hours. Want a drink instead, or beforehand? 72 Table and Tap on South 72nd Street pours handcrafted cocktails and has a wide variety of taps.

Our pick: Maria's. Ralston Community Theatre runs Sunday matinees, and Maria's isn't open Sundays, so plan around it: make it an eat-before or eat-after-elsewhere day.

Tips for a First Visit

If you care about where you sit, get there when the house opens, typically 30 minutes before curtain. Leave the camera and the snacks in the car; neither is allowed inside. Double-check your date before you buy: exchanges need a call to the box office at least 24 hours out.

Get there a little early, find your seat, and let the summer musical take it from there.