Construction of Shirley Tyree Theater on Track for Fall 2023 Opening on North 24th

By Harrison Martin

The last six months have been busy on North 24th Street as The Union for Contemporary Art works to renovate the historic F.J. Carey Block building at 2401 North 24th Street. The building will serve as the new home for The Union’s Performing Arts program and will be named in honor of North Omaha performer, educator, and mentor Shirley Tyree. The building’s historic brick frontage along 24th Street will remain unchanged while new concrete cast walls have gone up, and steel beams outline where a new expansive entrance will go. The construction schedule remains on track, with an opening date slated for the fall of 2023.

The space will expand opportunities for The Union’s Performing Arts program and breathe new life into a building which has served the North Omaha community for generations. Included in the building renovation plans are spaces for a 90-seat theater, lobby and ticketing area, set-design workshop, and an open-format rehearsal/gathering space.

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Union Founder and Executive Director Brigitte McQueen notes: “It is such an honor to be able to help preserve a bit of North Omaha’s architectural history, while also creating a space to celebrate the legacy of Ms. Tyree and uplift the creative practices of our incredibly talented local performing artists.”

The Union’s Performing Arts program is dedicated to the development of professional theatre artists and thoughtprovoking productions that reflect authentic narratives about experiences within the African diaspora. Central to the program is the Performing Arts Collective (PAC), The Union’s Black theatre ensemble dedicated to exploring contemporary theatre. The Union is committed to the creative and professional growth of local storytellers and performers, and provides a home for them to develop their craft.

Since its beginning, The Union’s Performing Arts program has made use of a “Radical Hospitality” model for ticketing. Believing that money should not be a barrier to arts participation, free admission is offered at all performances for those without the means to purchase a ticket.

The new theater’s namesake, Shirley Tyree, was born in Louisiana on February 22, 1939. She moved to

Omaha with her family as a child and attended Kellom Elementary and graduated from Tech High School (now the TAC building). Shirley Tyree was one of the first Black Managers at Northwestern Bell Phone Company and one of the initial members of the Nebraska Black Managers Association. Through her mentorship of countless young people, her many years of service on the Omaha Public Schools Board, and her great talent as a performer on many Omaha stages, Shirley Tyree will long be remembered for her generous and vibrant spirit. Her trailblazing drive was supported by her strong faith in God. She was a longtime member at Morning Star Baptist Church.

It is an honor for The Union to lift up Ms. Shirley Tyree and shine a light on the strong foundation she helped build that we all currently stand on. The Union takes great pride in knowing that its legacy will be connected to a woman who dedicated her life to making Omaha a better place for us all.

Learn more about the Shirley Tyree Theater construction project and The Union’s Performing Arts program at www.u-ca.org/theater