1. Remote Karaoke. Remoteoke? Sing with other people from wherever you are. My theater nerd friends and I recently sang heartbreaking Les Miserable tunes across four states and with nine people using an app called Smule. You’ll need $2.99 and a plug in earphones, but it is a small price to pay for an afternoon of fun and built-in music videos.
2. Local Comedy Live Stream. If it’s laughs you’re looking for and you want to keep up with Omaha’s funniest comedians and live performances then you must check out the Backline livestreams on Patreon. Thursday through Saturday you can check out comedy in real time. Visit Backlinecomedy.com for more information and upcoming shows.
3. Donate to Local Theatres. Flattening the curve has also resulted in flattening the income of local theatres that thrive on live audiences. Consider donating to some of your favorites to help tide them over, especially smaller theatres like The Blue Barn Theater, The Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre Company, The Shelterbelt Theatre and SNAP! Productions.
4. Artist Relief. Amplify Arts is asking for community support so they can continue ramping up distributions of Micro Grant awards to those artists who need funding. They are also working with Mid-America Arts Alliance to develop a survey to better understand how far this impact reaches.
5. Theatre Updates. Information about many local productions can be found on the Theatre Arts Guild Omaha Facebook page.
6. A Song In Your Pocket. The Omaha Symphony continues to serve the community through their new digital initiative – Omaha Symphony | Anywhere . You can listen to concerts, learn from tutorials created by orchestra members, and keep engaged with the symphony through their social media.
7. FREE Endorphins! Feel-good moments are in increasingly short supply. Let the Shelterbelt’s “Show Wagon” bring theatre to you, boost your mood and your faith in humankind. Check back for new monologues and songs, as presented by the Shelterbelt’s community of playwrights and actors.