Past Seasons

2007

• Instant Theatre 2
• Friends Like These
• The Day Omaha Exploded
• Shelterskelter XII
• From Shelterbelt With Love 6

2006

• Instant Theatre 1
• Defending Marriage
• Eating Raoul
• Shelterskelter XI
• From Shelterbelt With Love 5

2005

• Temporary Help
• John and Jen
• From Shelterbelt With Love 4
• Shelterskelter X

2004

• The Last Five Years
• Marlin Perkins Under Glass
• From Shelterbelt With Love 3
• Shelterskelter IX

2003

• Spooge - the Love and Sex Diaries
• Ping Pong Diplomacy
• Tommy
• From Shelterbelt With Love 2
• Shelterskelter VIII

2002

• The Marriage of Bette and Boo - by Christopher Durang. As the play begins Bette and Boo are being united in matrimony, surrounded by their beaming families. But as the further progress of their marriage is chronicled it becomes increasingly clear that things are not working out quite as hoped for. The birth of their son is followed by a succession of stillborns; Boo takes to drink; and their respective families are odd lots to say the least: His father is a sadistic tyrant, who refers to his wife as the dumbest woman in the world; while Bette's side includes a psychotic sister who endures lifelong agonies over her imagined transgressions and a senile father who mutters in unintelligible gibberish. For solace and counsel they all turn to Father Donnally, a Roman Catholic priest who dodges their questions by impersonating (hilariously) a strip of frying bacon. Conveyed in a series of dazzlingly inventive interconnected scenes, the play moves wickedly on through three decades of divorce, alcoholism, madness and fatal illness-all treated with a farcical brilliance which, through the author's unique talent, mines the unlikely lodes of irony and humor residing in these ostensibly unhappy events. Cast includes: Jennifer Gilg, J. Todd Reagan, Barry Carman, D. Laureen Pickle, Fred Goodhew, Abby Gregor, Mary Carrick, David Sindelar, Liz Heim, Mark Morello, and Andrew Mills.
• From Shelterbelt With Love - Join the Shelterbelt Theatre for another original production to melt your heart! It won't be your run-of-the-mill romance. This night of one-acts includes original scripts from playwrights Joe Basque, Daena Schweiger, Tim Kaldahl, Erik Nelson, Patrick Gabridge, and Susan Middaugh. Producer Don Nguyen is also introducing Dave Podendorf as the Sound Designer, and three directors to the Shelterbelt audience: Jan Reardon, Daena Schweiger, and Nick Zadina. With titles like The Three Way, The Cupid Auditions, Anniversary Waltz, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Table For Two, Don't Mess With The Coffee Girl, Goody Two Shoes, and Christmas Breaks, you'll find tender moments, just comeupances, and laughs to fill your heart, brought to you by a stunning cast of both new and familiar faces, including Zach Barrientos, Bridget Bohuslarsky, John Carlson, Kris Dunbar, Abby Gregor, Liz Heim, Jason Jokerst, Matt Kelehan, Amanda Link, Denny Maddux, Dave Podendorf, Barb Ross, Bart Thompson, Bill Wassem and Meredith White.
• Love is Strange - The Shelterbelt presents its newest and most important production to date. "Love Is Strange" is an honest and merciless look at domestic abuse. Written and directed by Daena Schweiger, the play focuses on the courtship of Mickey and Sylvia, and ultimately the physical and mental abuse that develops in their relationship. Don Nguyen plays Mickey, the abusive husband, Beth Weindel plays Sylvia, Mickey's wife. Amanda Link plays Christina, Sylvia's best friend, and John Carlson plays Phil, Mickey's best friend.
  Producer and actor Don Nguyen describes the play as "A cautionary tale, one that follows the relationship of two people who seemingly have the perfect relationship. As the story unfolds, the audience gets to witness the cruel manipulation involved in the mental and physical abuse of the wife. There will be many tense moments in the play, moments where you can hear a pin drop." Nguyen also adds "we feel this is one of the most important plays we have ever produced. The subject matter lends itself to a certain intense level of drama yet also at a subconscious level, educates at the same time. For this reason, we have made special arrangements to donate our opening night ticket sales to the Lydia House in Omaha."
• Shelterskelter VII - "In October of 2001, 15 people disappeared while performing a Halloween show at a local theatre. A year later, the theatre decided to do another Halloween show....SHELTERSKELTER 7." Omaha's premiere halloween show is resurrected for the seventh time. With brand new original scripts written by various playwrights, Shelterskelter continues it's tradition of chills, thrills and gut busting laughter. Shelterskelter 7 conjures up both the scariest and funniest stories of the maccabre. Our spookfest ends with a special performance on Halloween night followed by our hideously delightful costume party. A talented cast of eighteen includes Theresa Sindelar, Erika Hall, Beth Weindel, Amanda Link, Pat Schwery, Liz Heim, Carly Flagg-Campbell, Cameron Van Cleave, Chrissie Corbin, Mike Coyle, Cody Enicke, Matt Kawa, Fred Kracke, Gini Lawson, Erik Nelso, Debbie Zadina, Ted Serflaten, and John Carlson. Playwrights include Roxanne Wach, Daena Schweiger, Tim Kaldahl, Carly Flagg-Campbell & William Campbell, Joe Basque, Denny Maddux, Bill McMahon, and a short digital film called THE J. DOE PROJECT by Daena Schweiger.

2001

• Precious Few - consists of two loosely related one-act plays, both taking place in heaven, which we learn is only occupied by artists and is ruled over, not by Jesus, but by the Olympian gods. In Act One, Florence Foster Jenkins (1869-1945) has come down to us, with the permission of the goddess of memory, to remind us of her earthly career. She is dressed in an angel costume, of her own design, and immediately regales us with her hilariously awful version of the "Queen of the Night aria". Mme. Jenkins was widely known as the worst opera singer of the 20th Century.
  Act Two begins with the sound of channel-surfing, and suddenly we are in the presence of the homosexual English novelist Ronald Firbank (1886-1926), who is quite startled to receive us, on his heavenly cloud. We discover the nature of heaven and the true gods, and Ronald challenges us on our views of homosexuality, education, and freedom.
  Playwright Terry Sneed, from Chatanooga, Tennessee, creates a world like we've never seen before and writes "Precious Few is located at that spot where opera, performance art, theatre, and literature meet. We may never have been there. In any case, the audience should never have seen anything like it."
  Christine Schwery plays Florence Foster Jenkins, the avid diva of the opera world, Mark Morello plays Cosme McMoon, her loyal accompanist, and Michael Taylor Stewart plays Ronald Firbank, a combination of Oscar Wilde, Aubrey Beardsley and Noel Coward.
• Three Guys Naked From The Waist Down - The Shelterbelt Theatre presents it's first musical, "Three Guys naked From The Waist Down" a musical comedy by Jerry Colker and Michael Rupert. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for best Book, this show is a musical comedy about the rise and fall of the careers of three stand-up comedians who get together and form an act. The phrase "Naked from the Waist Down" is a metaphor for the vulnerability of a stand-up comedian. Three Guys Naked is directed by Don Nguyen, with music direction by D. Laureen Pickle. The cast includes Todd Brooks, Jeff Pierce, and Dave Jackson.
• Shelterskelter VI - This year the Shelterbelt presents stories written mainly by local playwrights Daena Schweiger, Patrick Mahoney, Joe Basque, Don Nguyen, Michael Comstock, Tim Kaldahl, Todd Brooks, and Chicago based playwright Howard Casner. The show is directed by Don Nguyen and the cast includes Tim Herrington, Deb Herrington, Scott Fowler, Erika Hall, Jeff Pierce, Anne Downey, Jan Reardon, Pat Schwery, Christine Schwery, Liz Heim, Amanda Link, Mark Ledbetter, Matt Kelehan, Jason Jokerst & Don Nguyen.

2000

• Cyber - World Premier! Written by Don Sanders, Directed by Don Nguyen. Disgusted with his wife's chronic habit of falling asleep by eight at night, a prosperous screenwriter named Blaine turns to a computer online service for someone to talk to. He encounters Becky, an impoverished woman from his home state of Oregon. Freed by the anonymous nature of it all, they find they can reveal things about themselves they have never revealed to anyone. After a brief and clumsy try at cybersex, they decide to meet online again. She's worried that it constitutes adultery; so is Blaine, but he reasons that since they're not in the same room, it's just a harmless dalliance. Is it? You be the judge. Cast includes: Alicia McGarr, Don Nguyen, Scott Fowler, Kelcey Watson, Liz Micek, Theresa Sindelar, Christa Miller and Dan Rischling.
• Spider - North American Premier! "Spider" is written by Simon Rolfe, a playwright from the United Kingdom. After touring in Europe by the Abacus Theatre, this play will enjoy it's U.S. premiere with a local Omaha cast at the Shelterbelt Theatre. "Spider" focuses on a political prisoner held in solitary confinement, her crimes unknown. She is comforted in her distress by Joan of Arc, who becomes her friend and advisor as the two gradually get to know, trust and love each other. As the original voices of angels were to the original (real?) Joan, she is to the prisoner. We are introduced to all of this by a street-wise Spider, who acts as guide, interpreter, commentator, interrogator, and other various roles. Simon Rolfe, a playwright living in the United Kingdom and currently involved with the Curved Vision Theatre, weaves a mysterious story based upon extensive research of politics, history, human rights abuses and torture methods around the modern world. This play will haunt you long after the lights go down. The cast includes Matt Martin, Kelcey Watson, Brandy Fioll, Rebecca Jurdado, Kevin Bensely, and David Sindelar.
• Shelterskelter V - We're back! Shelterskelter is back for it's annual ghoulfest, a night of eight halloween plays. Opening October 18 and running through Halloween, Shelterskelter 5 conjures up the scariest and often times funniest stories of the maccabre. A cannibilistic Julia Child, a liberated Bride of Frankenstein, a female bloodsucker, Survivor 2 down under, the untold story of Medea. These are a few of the many one acts to be performed. Some are terrifying, some are gutbusters, all of them highly entertaining. The cast includes Christine Schwery, Scott Fowler, Liz Heim, David Sindelar, Alicia McGarr, Erika Hall, Cameron Van Cleeve, Mike Coyle, Brandi Fish and Matt Martin. Written and directed by Don Nguyen, with writing contributions from Aaron Sawyer, D. Laureen Pickle, Christopher Durang, and Wendy Wasserstein.
• Stocking Stuffers 5 - A holiday variety show that's sure to warm your winter spirits.

1999

• Brave Young Savages - An interactive show involving audience participation that will put a group of talented actors on stage who will improvise a show based on your suggestions. A comedic soap opera of sorts, this show promises to entertain and delight you and is brought to you by the man who wrote such Shelterbelt favorites "Road To Ensinada", "Touchback", and who could forget the crowd pleasing Shelterskelter piece, "Mr. Sex Machine." Get ready to laugh!
• Neon - A struggling artist and a former prom queen, both from the same high school, cross paths one night and start a reunion of their own. This play explores broken dreams and the ideals of success and what happens when your life doesn't necessarily turn out the way you thought it would.
• Sunset / We Don't Serve Mexicans -
  "Sunset" written by Margy Schneider, a local Omaha Jewish playwright, explores the relationship between a Rabbi and an embittered woman who lost her eye to Cancer. A semi-autobiographical tale which takes place at a beach house where Sarah, a woman living with cancer, meets a dead mystical Rabbi. Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, as he is introduced to her, wishes to engage her in a search for her own spirituality. "Light the Shabbat candles" he says, wanting her to rejuvenate her soul, while Sarah tries to make sense of what's happening. She wonders if he is real or if all of this is just in her head. The encounter transforms Sarah from a bitter and painful victim, to a woman wants to let go of her pain and anguish. The beauty of the play lies in the mysteriousness of Rabbi Nachman as well as the deep layers of Sarah's inner conflict. The cast includes David Sindelar, Alicia McGarr, and Hugo Gonzales.
  "We Don't Serve Mexicans" written by Creighton University professor, Dr. David A. Lopez, centers on a heartfelt discovery between Ricardo, a highly decorated war hero and his son Daniel, a college professor, when they embark on a trip to Washington D.C to visit the Korean War memorial. Ricardo, suffering from post traumatic stress disorder typical amongst war veterans, reaches far back into his past, which inevitably forces Ricardo to reveal himself to his son, not as a decorated war hero, but a man who returned to a piercing, unforgiving reality. The same country that he so willingly served, now, was not willing to serve him. This play focuses on ethno-racial issues of the past and present and gives us rare insight into the reality of Latino service in wartime. The cast includes David Sindelar, Zach Barrientos, Amanda Link, Tonya Ward, Joanne Lopez, Misty Hoffman, and Mike Christensen.
• Three To Beam Up - What would you do if your father believed he was the captain of a starship? How far would you go to find the truth? Beginning August 27, one man will journey to the far reaches of the galaxy in search for answers that will lead him to his destiny. Written and Directed by Don Nguyen, this new play focuses on the journey of a man who believes he is a federation starship captain from the future and the family that will fight to keep him from stepping off the ledge of sanity. The story begins with Sam Wisher (L. Scott Blankenship) arriving home to aid his sister, Jules (Jennifer Stephens), in helping their father re-grasp the vines of reality. Their father, John Wisher (Bill Henjum), believes he is the captain of a starship whose duty it is to set off on a rescue mission to save a woman he does not know. After giving up on all doctors, Sam finds a strange and mysterious Dr. Von Heizenberg (Kelcey Watson) who specializes in treating Star Trek fanatics. The doctor agrees to help Sam and his father, but little does the doctor know, this may be the strangest case he has ever treated. Nguyen says this about his show, "This play is not a parody on Star Trek, though it draws plenty of humor from well known Star Trek characters, the intention of the play is to utilize the universal themes of Star Trek in order to explore various topics such as family, abandonment, sacrifice, and ultimately the inseparable bond of love.
• Shelterskelter IV - The Season wouldn't be complete without the annual favorite, Shelterskelter 4. This show promises to be the best one ever. From it's inception four years ago, Shelterskelter has proven to be a Halloween favorite amongst the Omaha community, scaring and entertaining to sellout crowds every year.
• Stocking Stuffers 4 - a holiday variety show, will open at the Shelterbelt Theatre on Friday, December 3 and runs through December 19. This production consists of several sketches written in the spirit of the holiday season. This year, audiences will enjoy "A Shelterbilly Branson Christmas" where two Branson performers engage in a clogging competition. Other sketches include the Shelterbelt's own version of "The Nutcracker" which will leave audiences rolling, as will "A Y2K Christmas" just in time for the new year. All this and many more make up Stocking Stuffers 4, the theatre's last show of the century. Christa Miller is the producer and director of this production. The cast includes Bryan Poole, Patty Wees, Christa Miller, Liz Micek, Hugo Gonzales, and Jay Hannah.

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993