The Reader Omaha Nov 2022

New Giving Tuesday Opportunities Aim to Elevate Generosity in the Metro

Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving.

In this region, it’s the biggest giving day of the year and the most significant oppor tunity to raise support for more than 700 local nonprofits — generating $5.5 million for organizations in 2021. This year, the event is promoted through a partnership of SHARE Omaha and SHARE Iowa, with support from Core Bank for #GivingTuesday402 and TS Bank for #GivingTuesday712.

Participants can find Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington county nonprofits to support at SHAREomaha.org. SHARE Iowa, new to Giving Tuesday events, covers counties in the western part of the state, including Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby counties. Neighbors across the region are encouraged to give money, items and/or time to organizations that matter to them on Nov. 29, and this year, there are several ways for businesses and groups to get involved.

Ways for businesses to give back

Todd Simon, CEO of Omaha Steaks, has made a company commitment and contributed the seed money to spur raising a new six-figure Giving Tuesday bonus fund for participating nonprofits. Together, Simon, SHARE Omaha and SHARE Iowa are calling upon other businesses and executives in the metro area to join in this effort.

The bonus fund will be split among participating nonprofits on Giving Tuesday, encouraging them to help the community surpass the $5.5 million raised in 2021. Nonprofits will receive a percentage of the total bonus fund equivalent to the percentage of donors who give, rather than the amount of dollars raised, up to 10% of the total fund. Bonus dollars empower donors who give in smaller amounts by providing a way for them to boost the impact of their donation. Companies interested in learning more about how to contribute to the bonus fund can contact Marjorie Maas at marjorie@shareomaha.org or for Iowa-based businesses, Donna Dostal at ddostal@givewesterniowa.org

HoW community leaders can Help

Individuals, families and businesses across the region are encouraged to identify a way to give back this season with a Giving Tuesday project. Examples of projects include organizing a blood drive, leading peer-to-peer fundraising for a favorite nonprofit, planning a neighborhood clean-

up, hosting a collection drive for hygiene items or spearheading an advocacy effort.

Dozens of ways to help are promoted at SHAREomaha.org and SHAREiowa.org. Those interested in igniting generosity should email Katie Fourney at katie@shareomaha. org or Catrina Trabal at ctrabal@ givewesterniowa.org.

plan your giving

Prior to Giving Tuesday, take time to explore causes at SHAREomaha.org or SHAREiowa. org and identify organizations to support on November 29. Donors can support up to 10 local nonprofits in one transaction through the SHARE platform. Gifts are processed by PayPal; givers can check out via PayPal account or with debit or credit card, with a low transaction fee that donors may choose to cover. SHARE does not charge any additional fees to nonprofits or givers.

This November 29, all in our region are encouraged to give together, do together and share together for the biggest giving celebration of the year: Giving Tuesday.

Core Bank at ne Diaper Bank on GivinG tuesDay 2021.

photo By Joseph Murphy

oMaha steaks Ceo toDD siMon ContriButeD seeD Money for the GivinG tuesDay Bonus funD. photo Courtesy of share oMaha

BoB kerrey peDestrian BriDGe. photo By Joseph Murphy

publisher/editor

John Heaston john@thereader.com graphic designers Ken Guthrie Albory Seijas news Robyn Murray copy@thereader.com copy chief Michael Newgren spike@thereader.com lead reporter Chris Bowling chris@thereader.com associate publisher Karlha Velásquez karlha@el-perico.com report for america corps member Bridget Fogarty bridget@el-perico.com creative services director

Lynn Sanchez lynn@pioneermedia.me editorial & membership associate Arjav Rawal arjav@pioneermedia.me

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

arts/visual Mike Krainak mixedmedia@thereader.com dish Sara Locke crumbs@thereader.com film Ryan Syrek cuttingroom@thereader.com hoodoo

B.J. Huchtemann bjhuchtemann@gmail.com over the edge Tim McMahan tim.mcmahan@gmail.com theater

Beaufield Berry coldcream@thereader.com

Kurt Vile, a psych-pop multi-instrumentalist from Pennsylvania, visited Omaha’s Admiral Theater on Oct. 20. Known for his off-beat songs and twangy lyrics, Vile played a myriad of new and old songs. The singer-songwriter was joined by Julia Shapiro (of Chastity Belt), who opened the show with an alternative/indie set.

PHOTO BY AMAris stebbing

link to full set

A Simple Immigration Fix

By ArJAv rAwAl

It’s no secret that Ne braska is dealing with a tight labor market. While “help wanted” signs line storefronts, Ne braska’s unemployment rate remains relatively low (2.2% in September, tied for the fourth-lowest in the nation). The Read er has covered the state’s labor shortage exten sively over the last few months — along with the solutions being put for ward. Until now, those solutions have centered on policy at the state and local levels, but there are also federal policies that inhibit expansion of the workforce.

Last month, as part of our gu bernatorial election coverage, The Reader talked to two experts to discuss the economic chal lenges the next governor will have to address. Both cited im migration, a largely federal issue.

Eric Thompson, who chairs the economics department at the University of Nebraska–Lin coln, said the tightening of legal immigration regulations has made it more difficult for Nebraska to attract and retain working-age people.

“There’s more to it than just economics, but if you look at it from a purely economic per spective, it’s slowed the growth of our labor force,” Thompson said.

Chris Decker, an economist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said Midwestern states such as Nebraska can and should influence reform.

“Retirements are on the in crease due to demographics and COVID, and replacement is challenging … Reforming immi gration can certainly help this situation,” Decker said.

According to the 2021 Ameri can Community Survey, Nebras ka is home to roughly 144,000 people who were not born in the United States, about 7% of the state’s population. Of those foreign-born, nearly 57% are not U.S. citizens and approximately 53% come from Latin America.

Current federal policy allows for what’s known as immigra tion registry, a process through

which anyone who entered and remained in the United States before 1972 can apply for per manent residence (known as a green card). This process does not discriminate based on immi gration status, meaning undoc umented immigrants who meet the requirements also qualify.

Because immigration registry requires one to have entered the United States more than 50 years ago, advocates have pushed to change the eligibility to a rolling date. Legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren and Sen. Alex Padilla, both of California, would do just that — changing the criteria for being on immi gration registry to having en tered and remained in the Unit ed States for seven years prior to the application date.

Here in Nebraska, the push is being led by Ne braska Appleseed. Darcy Tromanhauser, who runs the nonprofit’s Immi grants and Communities Program, said the bill would add stability to Nebraska’s workforce.

“These are people who live their lives in two-year increments because of how often their legal status here is at risk, whether it’s court challenges or renewal,” Tromanhauser said.

Tromanhauser has worked in immigra tion advocacy for 20 years. She said the conversation around immigration registry has moved quickly.

“I don’t think I’d even heard of the term ‘registry’ until a cou ple of years ago,” Tromanhauser said.

It’s unclear just how many people in Nebraska the bill would affect, but a press release from Lofgren’s office says the bill would cover approximately 8 million Americans off the bat.

About 60,000 Nebraskans are undocumented immigrants, according to the American Im migration Council, making up 41% of the state’s foreign-born population. A 2017 report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonpartisan

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tax policy organization, said un documented immigrants paid $39.8 million in state and local taxes, and full immigration re form would add $8.4 million.

Data from the U.S. Citizen ship and Immigration Services, the metro area is home to ap proximately 1,400 recipients of DACA, an Obama-era program that allows those who came to the United States as children be fore 2007 to continue living and working here without getting lawful status.

Approximately 1,781 recipi ents of of temporary protected status, the resident program for those who are unable to return home safely due to a country’s situation, live in Nebraska, with most coming from El Salvador, according to data from the Na tional Immigration Forum.

Nobody from Nebraska’s con gressional delegation has signed on in support of the the Lofgren/ Padilla bill. Tromanhauser said

that’s because of timing – it’s a relatively new piece of legisla tion, introduced in July.

“This bill was introduced right before Congress went on the summer recess, so there wasn’t much time to get up and run ning with it. Our delegation has been great at working with us on other things, like the Dream and Promise Act,” Tromanhauser said.

(The Dream and Promise Act, which streamlines conditional green cards for undocumented immigrants, passed the House in 2019. Don Bacon was the only one of Nebraska’s three con gressmen to vote yes.)

The new bill is just one page long. Tromanhauser said that’s intentional.

“This bill was designed to be a simple and elegant way of helping as many people at once as possible,” Tromanhauser said. “It’s not opening the floodgates

— these are people who already live here, work here and are ac tive players in their communi ties.”

The state government’s role in immigration is largely confined to social services, such as offer ing in-state tuition or expanding access to driver’s licenses. Ne braska expanded in-state tuition for the University of Nebraska in 2006. It lifted a ban on giv ing Dreamers driver’s licenses in 2015. Both actions were ap proved by the Legislature and overrode vetoes from Govs. Dave Heineman and Pete Rick etts, respectively.

“Local governments are stuck with this inability to change how many people can come into their cities — they’re forced to rely on Congress to strengthen the fab ric of their community,” Troman hauser said.

The bill currently sits in the judiciary committees of both the House and the Senate, where

they were referred to shortly after introduction. It’s unclear whether any immigration re form is likely, let alone this bill’s passage. But Tromanhauser said continuing the conversation is necessary.

“This used to be a regular dialogue. Congress has, histori cally, updated immigration laws regularly — it’s a relatively recent development that immigration laws have stalled,” Tromanhaus er said.

Community engagement has yielded positive results for Ne braska Appleseed. Often, the group’s presentations can result in surprise and frustration.

“A lot of people assume there’s already a mechanism in place for immigration,” Troman hauser said. “If you haven’t gone through it, you may be unaware of how frustrating it can be. That’s why doing this kind of out reach is so important.”

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Kids walK through a canopy of trees at the BlacK agenda alliance’s eight-acre property in florence.

The Promised Land

A ViSion For A SPAce By And For The communiT y TAkeS ShAPe

AND

At the end of a wide swath of grass, tucked behind a small private pool in Florence, stands a thick wall of green leaves. A crude sign — “Private Property. No Trespassing.” — peeks from a small opening in the foliage — the start of a path leading deeper into the forest, lined with tangled branches and treelings cut, pulled and dragged out along the way.

At a clearing, orange and red leaves hang from tall branches reaching to the clear blue sky while the smell of dirt, fallen leaves and maybe a little sewage fills the air.

The eight acres may not seem like much from the outside. Bordered by Forest Lawn Avenue to the north, Weber

Street to the south and 39th Street to the east, it appears to be an unkept nature refuge in the middle of a residential area in Florence. But to members of the Black Agenda Alliance, the woods look like hope.

“I wanted to do something for the community, our people, our kids,” said Jamar Harris, who helped obtain the land and is a member of the Alliance, a grassroots organization advocating for Omaha’s Black community.

In fall 2021, the organization bought this land to give its members, and any other interested people in the community, a place to call home. The Alliance wants to build a headquarters in the rugged terrain and allow kids

to camp, hike, learn wilderness skills, take care of gardens and beehives and promote the organization’s other activities, which aim to strengthen Black autonomy in Omaha.

For Qasam Shabazz Asad, a co-founder and chair in the organization, it’s the realization of an important step. It’s something built by and for Black Omahans and anyone else who wants to be a part of it. And it’s something he and other organization members hope can have a positive effect on the community.

“It’s overwhelming — emotionally overwhelming,” Shabazz Asad said. “It’s something we never really seen ourselves experiencing. So now we have it. And it’s

overwhelming in a good way. But it’s scary at the same time because you don’t want to fail.”

Finding Space

The idea to find a space for the Black Agenda Alliance goes back to its inception. As protests against police brutality and racial inequity gripped the nation in 2020, the Black Agenda Alliance gained recognition among other organizations advocating for change. Part of that change involves political advocacy — among their members is state Sen. Terrell McKinney — but programs for kids are also viewed as a necessity.

That means free activities, such as a youth flag football league, paintball outings and a wilderness training program Shabazz Asad calls the “Urban Survival Club,” which launched Oct. 15. The program is open to all kids and adults of any background, although Shabazz Asad said it will likely serve mostly Black children given the group’s mission and the demographics in North Omaha.

But the mission is bigger than just giving kids something to do. By engaging predominantly Black kids in activities organized and led by mostly Black adults, Shabazz Asad and other members hope it instills a positive message of community and togetherness. It’s also a gateway to other activities, such as the Alliance’s Black studies program, which teaches Black history and literature to kids.

Janae Peak told The Reader in 2021 the organization’s flag football league made a huge impact on her son.

“They make sure my baby is motivated,” Peak said. “They make sure schoolwork is good. You know, they make sure at home he respects his mom.”

“It’s more than football,” said Whitney Jackson, another flag football parent. “They’re trying to make them brothers.”

The group as a whole has not avoided controversy, though. Shabazz Asad and other members stirred debate last summer by showing up to a North Omaha parade sporting firearms. Their rationale was that kids and the community should see Black people legally and responsibly arming themselves, especially when they see police officers do the same.

Parade organizers asked police to stop the Alliance members, who also carried flags with their insignia. Later the confrontation was described as a misunderstanding by the NAACP president, according to WOWT.

Controversy aside, the programs have continued, as has the vision for a place to call their own.

Freedom

Jamar Harris grew up bouncing around the foster care system. Along the way he

said he met some good people and some bad. Occasionally, he ran away from home. Whenever he did that, he knew where he was going.

The woods south of Forest Lawn Avenue held a lot of complicated emotions for Harris. He said he experienced racism and some fights at the nearby High Point swimming pool as a kid, but the wilderness just to the north was a different story. When he needed to get away, he’d spend nights camping here, hiking through the trees and building bridges out of tires. The cinderblock skeleton of a long-abandoned home added to the woods’ mystery. By a small creek, Harris would write stories or song lyrics as he heard the gentle hum of cars passing beyond the tree line.

Simply put, he felt free here.

“It’s a lot of negative memories [tied up in this place], but it’s so fucking therapeutic,” Harris said. “I can’t even explain the joy that it brought me.”

As he grew older, Harris eventually found out these woods weren’t some random oasis — his family actually owned them. Originally, Harris’ relatives bought the land with

An AeriAl view of the Bl Ack AgendA AlliAnce’s l And ne Ar 39th street And f orest lAwn Avenue.

Bl Ack AgendA AlliAnce co-founder JAmes “hArd JAw” henley tAkes A chAinsAw to the overgrowth of the Bl Ack AgendA AlliAnce property A s others Burn Brush.

google mAps

hopes to develop it into a neighborhood, though those plans were abandoned as the woods became overgrown and mostly forgotten, save for kids like Harris who found liberation there.

As his grandfather was dying, his family sold the

property to Harris for a fraction of its appraised value, Harris said.

Now, as a man, Harris is back to walking the wooded hills and low-lying creeks he saw as a child. But now he’s helping cut back brush and overgrown trees to make it into the safe

haven he and other Alliance members imagine it could be. He hopes it can give another generation the same refuge he found as a child.

“It was a place where I didn’t have to get hit no more,” Harris said. “I can be a kid and run wild through here. That’s what

it gave me, and that’s what I wanted to give other kids.”

Passing It On

On a crisp Sunday morning in early October, Shabazz Asad and Harris got to work clearing the property. So far they’d cut, hacked, pulled and dragged debris to make the path that led into the forest.

James “Hard Jaw” Henley, a co-founder and chair of the Alliance, revved the engine of a chainsaw. “Hard Jaw,” a nickname he earned from his days as a boxer, sliced through thick wood trunks, clearing the way for walking paths and unobstructed views of the older, magnificent trees. Wesley Williams, an Alliance member, stood by a fire pit as they burned some of the longdead brush.

Later, a team from Monkey Man Tree Care came through with bigger equipment, wood chippers and more, making a serious dent in the work ahead.

Shabazz Asad said anyone who wants to help is welcome to come — he and at least a few others plan to be there

Black agenda alliance memBer Jamar Harris uses a weed wacker at tHe organization’s land.

every Sunday morning until the first snow of the season. He’s already led a few hikes through the woods, and by next year he hopes they can start gardening or holding more activities, and eventually someday put some buildings on the property to serve as a headquarters.

The task is daunting, but all the men have to do is listen when they put down their weed spray or chain saws as Shabazz Asad’s daughter and a friend play in the woods. As Harris stepped out from the clearing, he saw they’d built a small hut out of long, thick branches.

It may be small, but watching their creativity and imagination at work shows Harris why all this work is worth it.

“I never really had a childhood,” Harris said. “But I feel like my child self here.”

It feels like he’s healing, Harris said, and watching plans

for the future unfold is a big part of that.

“It’s a beautiful thing. That’s what I was doing,” Harris said of Shabazz Asad’s daughter. “That’s what I was able to do over here. Hopefully, we create that place where every kid [can be themselves].”

Black agenda alliance co-founder James “Hard Jaw” Henley (lef T) and memBer Jamar Harris.

A Day In ImmigrationOmaha’sCourt

by Bridget Fogarty

At 8:20 a.m. on a sunny Wednesday in October, about 25 people crowd ed the hallway in a government building on the edge of Oma ha. Three young women chat ting in Spanish leaned against the windows and sat in black metal folding chairs as they waited for a courtroom door to open. In the lobby near the front door, a mother and her son, with his blue-gray Mickey Mouse bomber jacket sagging over his tiny shoulders, walked one by one through a metal de

tector watched by three securi ty guards.

The building that houses Omaha’s immigration court is just off Abbott Drive, the wind ing road that splits Nebraska from Iowa and might be better known as the route to Oma ha’s Eppley Airfield. Five days a week, its halls are crowded with people waiting to appear before an immigration judge for a hearing in which — depend ing on the status of their case — they’ll learn if they can stay

in the U.S. or will be ordered deported.

Omaha’s court is one of more than 60 immigration courts na tionwide, run by the U.S. De partment of Justice. The court serves Nebraskans and Iowans who have been charged with violating immigration law and placed in removal proceedings. It currently has 26,469 open cases on the three immigration judges’ dockets, and those cas es have been pending for nearly three years on average — the second-longest immigration

court backlog in the nation, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), a Syracuse University project.

When people in removal pro ceedings finally get their day in court, system delays, cancella tions and language barriers can further complicate the already confusing immigration system. If they can’t afford legal fees or find a pro-bono lawyer, immi grants have to represent them selves, even though having an attorney typically means better

A depiction of A typic Al immigr Ation court he Aring. IllustratIon by MIchael elIzabeth Johnson.

outcomes. And that’s just the first hearing. Immigrants whose cases closed this year waited 3½ years on average before hearing the final verdict in their case. Obtaining lawful status in the U.S. is complex, and each individual’s case differs in its time, money, emotional labor and outcome.

By 8:35 that morning, the courtroom hallway was quiet and nearly empty. It would have been busier, but an announce ment on the wall opposite secu rity declared one immigration court judge’s day of hearings was rescheduled due to illness. Most people had already piled into courtroom three, where immigration Judge Abby L. Meyer was on the second of about 30 cases on the morn ing’s docket.

Like a cattle-call, the hear ing brought dozens of re spondents, lawyers and family members to the courtroom at the same time. Each case’s time went quickly; respondents were called up one by one to address the charges, file applications for relief and schedule the next hearing. In a final hearing, the judge hears more evidence and testimony from the respon

IMMIGRATION COURT CASES IN NEBRASKA

This map shows The densiT y of immigraTion cases by counT y subdivision. nebraska has one of The largesT backlog of cases in The counTry and some of The longesT waiTlisT s for decisions.

dents, and a representative of the government cross-examines them. Then, the judge deter mines if they’re removable from the U.S.

Over the course of four hours and about 30 cases, Judge Mey er saw multiple families, two of

which had kids under the age of 18. At least eight people had no lawyer. Many who were as signed a final hearing will return in 2023, while others won’t be back to court until 2025.

It’s likely that people who are scheduled two years out will

IMMIGRATION COURT BACKLOG

take the time to file applications for relief or update their work visas, attorney Lauren Schmoke, a partner at Kasaby Schmoke who had multiple family cases in court that Wednesday, said in a phone interview. This is helpful given how long it takes the immigration system to pro cess applications, but it can be confusing for clients in the mo ment, she said.

“It’s very difficult for people to see somebody get a hear ing in 2025, and then be given a hearing in six months and to understand how people’s cases are different when everything is moving so quickly,” Schmoke said.

Many of the immigrants in court came to the U.S. fleeing violence or economic hardship in their home countries. Some entered the country seeking asylum, a legal form of protec tion from persecution that’s statistically difficult to be grant ed. Over the past 20 years in Omaha’s courts, 15% of asylum seekers with legal representa

tion won their cases. It’s even more difficult without a lawyer; less than 1% of asylum seekers in Omaha are typically granted relief.

Joe Lord is a lead attorney specializing in asylum claims at the Immigrant Legal Center (ILC), a nonprofit that provides free legal services, education and advocacy for immigrants in Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. Out of more than 20 asylum cases he’s had in court the past four years, he said only one was granted asylum and two were eligible for other forms of relief. The rest were denied.

Lord said the backlog in cases provides a lot of fear and anxi ety for many of his clients be cause “their cases are basically at a standstill.” On the other hand, the likely years-long wait gives people more time to live

their lives in the U.S. and apply for other forms of relief they may be eligible for beyond asy lum. Statistically, he said, the odds are stacked against asylum seekers — Nebraska’s court has some of the highest asylum de nial rates in the country.

“We can fight the good fight in court, but the reality is it’s a very slim chance that even the best cases will get a(n) (asylum) grant,” he said.

Fifteen-year-old Anthony sat at a courtroom desk and lis tened to the translator’s Spanish through black headphones that rested on his dark brown hair. He drove an hour and 15 min utes from Crete to the Omaha court Wednesday morning with his godmother, who sat next to him at the desk along with his lawyer. His mom is in Guatema la.

“Thank you for bringing him today,” Judge Meyer told his godmother.

Anthony’s attorney explained he filed an application for asy lum and would like time for that to process. Judge Meyer as signed Anthony’s next hearing in 2025 — not yet a final hear ing, giving his attorney time to explore more options for relief.

“The court will designate Guatemala as the country of re moval if necessary,” Judge Mey er said.

Looking for a L awyer

When it came time for hear ings for people without repre sentation, Judge Meyer offered those with first-time hearings a continuance on their case until

2023, Reyna, a young mother, was one of seven given more time to find a lawyer. Feb. 10, 2023 is the next time she and her 8-year-old son, Nelson, will have to be back at court, the judge told her.

“I felt a little nervous; it’s my first time in court,” Reyna said in Spanish after her hearing. She first learned of her case six months ago and said she didn’t have time to find a lawyer.

Sitting on a black folding chair in the courtroom hallway, she held her infant close to her chest. A tint of faded green on the ends of her brown hair rested on her dark-washed blue jean jacket, and a black “Selena” T-shirt peeked out from under it.

Her partner, Tómas, stood with Nelson, who sported NASA pajama pants and an orange

An immigr Ation court c A se comes with lots of wAiting. on Aver Age, pending c A ses in nebr A sk A’s court hAve been open for ne Arly three ye Ars. IllustratIon by MIchael elIzabeth Johnson.

puffer jacket. A bespectacled woman in a Nebraska sweatshirt stood beside them. She’s Mary Beth, a private translator, who drove Reyna’s family from Crete.

Reyna said she wishes she had more time in court to move her case forward like respondents with lawyers seemed to have. Nevertheless, she was relieved to get more time to find legal representation — she thought she might find someone in Lin coln who could help her.

“What’s most important now is to look for a lawyer,” Tómas said.

All immigration court re spondents have a right to a lawyer, but there’s no rule that makes the court provide them with one. High legal fees and lawyers with overbooked case loads mean many immigrants go through the system without legal representation. According

to TRAC data, 43% of Nebras kans’ cases do not have legal representation.

Despite the best efforts of orga nizations like ILC offering free or re duced-price legal services, the need is often far greater than an organi zation’s ability to help, Lord said.

Schmoke feels the same way.

“We really live in an area that’s heavily populated by immigrants,” but the court is too small to meet the growing needs in Iowa and Nebraska, she said.

A spokesperson from the DOJ’s Executive Office of Immi gration Review said Omaha’s immigration court hired two new support staff this year, as

part of a national plan to hire hundreds more immigration judges and sup port staff in immi gration courts to alleviate delays.

Luz, a woman who had the final case of the morn ing, understands what it feels like to go through court on her own. Wear ing a cheetah print dress with match ing print ballet flats, she sat alone at the desk listening to the court transla tor’s real-time Spanish transla tions.

“Your case has been on the docket for 12 years,” Judge Meyer said.

Luz, a native of Mexico, was first issued a notice to appear in court in 2010, according to

documents Judge Meyer read aloud. Luz told the judge she’s working with an attorney out side of court who helped her file for a U-Visa, a special visa for victims of certain crimes who have been abused and have helped law enforcement in their investigations.

The court however had no documentation of any relief filed. Judge Meyer asked Luz to come back a week later with a receipt or some proof of her U-Visa filing; she’ll need good reason to continue the case.

As Luz walked out of the court building into the afternoon sun, she said she’s confused and frus trated about the situation — but she would remain focused on finding proof of her visa filing. In the 12 years of her court case, she’s grown accustomed to the complex and difficult system, despite her best efforts to stay on top of it.

“What’s most important now is to look for a

The DocumenTers

neW ProGrAm LAnDs In omAmA For cIVIc enGAGemenT, PArTIcIPATIon

BY EllE lovE

The legislative chambers of Omaha’s City Hall don’t evoke gravity. They exude bureaucracy with their purple and blue seats, white ceiling tiles and orangish wood typical of so much office furniture. But looks are de ceiving.

This is where local government officials make some of the area’s biggest decisions — and it’s where a new program hopes to employ citizens in a refreshed battle for transparency and civic engage ment.

“When regular citizens want to go and connect the dots, of tentimes it’s kind of late,” said Abbie Kretz, director of Omaha Documenters, a new chapter of a national network that trains and pays citizens to cover their local government. “Things build upon each other right? ... If you’re not really aware of it, it can be hard to figure out how to participate until it’s often too late.”

Omaha Documenters, which launched this fall, is the latest addi tion to a national network started in 2017 by City Bureau in Chicago that has since expanded to Atlan ta, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Fresno, Minneapolis and Omaha. The network also received a Stron ger Democracy Award, along with $10 million which will go toward expanding the network further.

The underlying goal is simple: empower community members to cover local meetings, ask ques tions of their public officials and report back to their neighbors. Each chapter organizes interested candidates, no writing experience necessary, and then trains and pays them $15 an hour to attend meet ings, interview people in their

Everything produced by the program is free to republish. Its repository of searchable, tagged notes gives local media, nonprof

its, grassroots organizations or whomever, a great tool to refer ence old meetings and keep offi cials in check.

It’s a different model from how communities used to stay in tune

with their local goverment. Years ago the responsibility sat squarely with local newspapers. But staff cuts and changing media trends have opened new opportunities for more collaborations and grass roots approaches.

“If we look at newsrooms today, they have been cutting back sig nificantly in the last 10, 20, or even 30 years. We used to cover a full meeting of the City Council right? Well it is no longer happening,” Kretz said Omaha Documenters Director Abbie Kretz.

The first Documenters orienta tion was held virtually on Oct. 13. Kretz said the orientation intro duced the program to people who want to get involved in their com munity. What’s more important, she said, is listening to what they think is important in coverage.

“What do these people want to learn? What are other community partners interested in? And how can we either do more research on it or provide trainings and back ground on that,” Kretz said.

After training, Documenters can sign up for assignments on the program’s website, something that may require note taking, live tweet ing or other skills. Assignments are made based on applicants skill sets and experience. Once Document ers complete assignments, notes are edited and posted on the pro gram’s website.

The initiative all started with the goal of addressing inequita ble coverage in the city’s diverse neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Chicago. City Bureau found many people felt their com munities were undercovered by local media, and when they were featured it often dealt with crime. Chicago Documenters Communi ty Coordinator Natalie Fraisier said the goal was to provide people a new platform to take back that narrative. “Documenters and the

Editor’s Note: The Reader helped fund the Documenters program in Omaha through its nonprofit the Omaha In stitute for Nonprofit Journalism.

communities and research longterm projects about civics.

City Bureau are all about me dia equity and making sure that folks have the informa tion they need to hold their government accountable,” Fraisier said.

Fraisier said one of the best parts of the Document ers program is watching peo ple go from interested in a topic like transportation or policing, to make a difference.

“We had one Documenter, Sa mantha, who started writing about the housing situation in the city and then went and got a job at a housing nonprofit in the city and she recently won a $2 million grant to beautify a park on the west side of Chicago,” Fraiser said. “Stuff like that is what really makes me proud.”

There’s also a huge opportunity to address big civic questions beyond individual meet ings. Noah Kincaide of the Detroit Doc umenters program said their chapter’s voter guide for De troit’s primary elec tions made a big difference — and it all started with a documenter.

“We paid her to build an outline of how the Voter Guide will flow and then some of our editors ... assigned Documenters to write their sections,” Kincaide said. “We broke it down into 10 different chapters, eight of them were writ ten by Documenters ... We put the whole thing together, add artwork to it, made it really nice then put it up online and all our media part ners shared it.”

D’Shawn Cunningham, an Omaha Documenter said the rea

son why he decided to participate is to help implement changes in Omaha. By keeping track of local meetings and documenting plans as they form, this program has a real opportunity to increase trans parency during what Cunningham feels is a critical time for the city.

“A Lot of us in the Document ers program feel like Omaha is at a juncture where we can become a city that is informed and makes its own plans opposed to being a city

that just gets steamrolled by devel opers with politicians in their pock et,” Cunningham said. “If the plans and meetings are not announced or accessible, maybe that’s the project that the Documenters will be taking up.”

To participate in the Document ers program, email Abbie Kretz at abbie@omahaDocumenters. org and fill out an inquiry form on omaha-ne.Documenters. org

abbie kretz, Director of omaha Documenters

More Than a Bunch of Books

STORY BY Fernando antonio Montejano

Let’s imag ine some thing to gether.

You walk into a small build ing. The outside seems small, anyway. The moment you walk in, though, the place feels much bigger. The wooden beams support ing the roof conjure up the coziness of a log cottage with a little fireplace in the corner roaring warmth and comfort. The building is full of gentle faces wander ing about with purpose, no hurried bodies running to finish tasks.

The walls are lined with books of all types, there are cute sections for kids to listen to stories, there are laptops, computers and tablets free to use. As you walk in some one greets you with a kind voice, soft against the muf

fled serenity of this space but just loud enough for you to feel welcomed. You feel safe here, allowed to be vulnerable enough to learn, and free to learn without borders.

This place isn’t some magi cal space that exists in a mov ie wonderland. It’s a library. More specifically, it’s the Ralston Baright Public Library.

BY Chris Bowling

on as Baright’s first artist in residence. It was an excit ing time, and I was thrilled. Not just be cause I would get to work at a library, but also because of the way the staff made me feel. The first meeting I had with Ellefson was when I met Amanda Peña, the director at Baright, who was filled with this overwhelm ing sense of passion, this need to offer more to a grow ing community.

A cozy, little spot tucked away just around the corner from Ralston’s town center. In May, I was contacted by Amy Ellefson, the adult programs coordina tor at Baright. She emailed to ask if I’d be free to run a couple of writing and poetry work shops over the summer. The conversation we had went so well that in July I was brought

During that first meeting I learned that one of the biggest goals the library had was to offer more services. Peña had found out that Ralston’s demographics showed a significant and quickly growing Hispanic/Latinx popula tion — people she noticed were not showing up at Baright. “I started working in libraries when I was 15,” Peña said. “Libraries are

really for everyone and they’re one of the few places in the world that are like that.”

The library started making changes and offering services that aren’t exactly traditional but that Peña believes are essential to building community and creating a place for people to find consis tency and safety. “I think we’re one of the few places where peo ple can be vulnerable and ask us questions that they don’t want to ask other people,” she said. “Its simple things like, ‘How do you use a mouse?’ You don’t think about it until somebody asks you. ‘How do I print?’ I think we try to build this environment that is open to everybody and nobody’s stupid and nobody has a bad question, and it’s free.”

I had a chance to speak with Peña and Ellefson, as well as Tif fany Zuerlein, the youth services librarian. The idea of building safety and openness is huge for Baright, but the services it offers are the most exciting part of what the library hopes to bring to the community. Zuerlein hosts many programs for youth in the com munity and is dedicated to creat ing more. “Every day is different,” she said. “First of all, there is a lot of cleaning. I’m in the kids’ room so there’s a lot of cleaning, but outside of that it’s trying to build awesome programs to help these little people.”

Zuerlein is always looking for new things to bring to the youth, not just literature-based activities but all art, and she is especially interested in trying to get more

science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pro grams. “We already have great partnerships with 4H,” she said. “They’ve been amazing bringing in STEM teachers, so these kids get awesome experiences. The symphony, they’ve been coming in and doing story times, and we’ve had a cool cultural event with the Omaha Sister Cities As sociation.”

Ellefson has been working at the library for the least amount of time, but she has been one of the biggest parts of Baright’s new direction. Everyone does an immense amount of work, just to be clear, but Ellefson is the com municator. She isn’t just in charge of adult programming, but she also does the networking to get programs and organizations into

the library. That means she’s al ways on the phone or answering emails, always talking to new people to try to bring as many services to the library as pos sible. “My grandma told me when I was growing up that the only way to truly under stand humanity is to see how other people live,” Ellefson said. “She also said you can do hard things, you just have to figure out who can help you do them. I use that. I want our Ralston community to under stand that the community is changing.”

Ellefson wants to build pro grams that are for everyone, for the new residents who need help learning a different lan guage to the families that have been here for a long time. She

alston Baright PuBlic liBrary.

wants people to know that the multilingual events the library hosts are for everyone, that they can be a chance for cul tures to learn more about one another and build a stronger

sense of community. Ellefson expressed that this isn’t just about cultural lines — she’s using her programs to bring younger and older generations together as well.

Peña said she tries to build an environment in which everyone can feel free to bring ideas. She even said, “As long as it’s not crazy, we can make it hap pen.” Ellefson remarked that sometimes they do try the cra zy ideas, and all three laughed.

Zuerlein and Ellefson go out of their way to find exciting programs to bring to Baright. Zuerlein tirelessly works to

know what is trending with the youth she serves. She is always looking up the new books that kids are into, the shows, music, and trying to translate that into programming for the library.

Ellefson is trying to bring criminal record- sealing ser vices to Baright, to help people seal old records that can keep them from applying for hous ing, getting jobs, and access ing other essential needs that could make life much easier.

Zuerlein enjoys a teen game night that she runs, an event she’s seen as an oasis for stu dents who may not have the best experience at school. “This is their one place, where

are completely free to be themselves,” she said. “They act how they want to, and I love it.” She’s also looking to build a robust offering of STEM

Ellefson, Peña and Zuerlein are a dynamic team on a mis sion. Not just to change the library

the way people see it, but to make Baright some thing else. Or, as they would say: To make it what a library

be. Ellefson wants the Baright Library to be an “ab solutely essential community

resource.” It might be there now. Offering

help, free

over the summer for kids up to age 18, Baright just wants to serve the city

truck

people who make their way into the library.

With

the Ralston Baright Library could wind up changing what librar ies are capable of offering the communities

them, and I’m proud to be a small part of such a massive endeavor.

Diversity on Stage

BY Leo AdAm BigA

Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) creatives are finding new stage opportunities in this era, especially in spaces where diversity, equity, inclusion pledges become practice.

Witness Broadway in New York, where scores of Black shows have opened since last fall. Many of their creators and stars were honored at the Tonys. The question is whether this is the new normal or a blip.

Last spring’s Great Plains Theatre Commons (GPTC) New Play Conference in Omaha continued a trend as nearly half of its featured guests were BIPOC artists. Staged readings of works by and about African Americans and Korean Americans featured ethnically appropriate casts, meaning opportunities for dozens of actors of color.

Omaha natives Q. Smith, Kevyn Morrow and Merle Dandridge are veteran Broadway actors still doing their thing. Regional theater vet John Beasley expects to make his Broadway debut in the musical adaptation of “The Notebook,” which just ended a worldpremiere preview run at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Andre McGraw and Kelcey Watson, who got their starts at the John Beasley

Theatre & Workshop, are following his footsteps as regional theater performers.

A new Omaha cohort is breaking big. Roni Shelley Perez appeared in off-Broadway’s first all-Asian cast show. Yolonda Ross hopes her work in a New York reading of an all-female version of David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” is her entree to Broadway.

Wai Yim and Don Nguyen are forging directing-playwriting careers in Chicago and New York, respectively. Playwright Noah Diaz’s “You Will Get Sick” is at New York’s Roundabout Theatre. His “The Guadalupes” got a GPTC reading last spring. Gospel playwright Llana Smith is produced regionally.

Since the Denver world premiere of her “In the Upper Room,” playwright Beaufield Berry has netted a commission to write the book of a Broadway musical biopic of Josephine Baker. Her “Buffalo Women” got a staged reading in Des Moines and is slated for Omaha and Kansas City productions. “Upper Room” will have a full Omaha production as well.

In 2021 The Broadway League hired Gennean Scott as its first

director of equity, diversity and inclusion. Nik Whitcomb became program director of the Black Theatre Coalition in New York.

“We’re showing out right now,” actress-director TammyRa’ said of Omaha BIPOC talents, including her daughter Nadia Ra’Shaun Williams, who’s earned parts in two consecutive national Broadway touring companies. It may not be long before TammyRa’ joins her in New York. “Andre (McGraw) and John (Beasley) call me and be like, ‘Why are you still in Omaha? What are you waiting for? It’s time to go.’”

Actress-director Kathy Tyree said this synergy of trending stage and screen (Gabriele Union, Amber Ruffin) talent inspires. “Those artists have been committed and dedicated to their craft. It’s good for up-and-coming artists to look at them and realize that can be me, too, if I put in the work and stay dedicated.”

The talent’s always been here, TammyRa’ said, “but more folks are just moving forward in following their dreams.” She appreciates having Smith and Scott as surrogate aunt and mother, respectively, “looking after my baby in New

York. That’s the kind of community we have. We family like that.”

Locally, historic representation is evident at the Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP), for which Tyree became its first Black manager in 2021 as director of inclusion and community engagement. Tyree’s also helmed “Ain’t Misbehavin,’” “The Color Purple” and “Respect” there. She’s directing OCP’s upcoming production of “Dreamgirls.”

She’s since been joined by two more Black managers, marketing director Dara Hogan and associate artistic director Brady Patsy, who’s directing August Wilson’s “Fences” early next year.

Nebraska Shakespeare disrupted its much-maligned homogeny by hiring Tyrone Beasley as artistic director with a mandate to diversify cast-crew-staff ranks. His hip-hop “Romeo and Juliet” and diverse casting of “The Tempest” and “Othello” signaled change.

Opera Omaha, which hosts the Amplifying the Black Experience series, is a producing partner of “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X,” which it staged at the Orpheum Theater Nov. 4 and 6.

A Christmas

Nov. 18 – Dec. 23, 2022

On Sale Now!

Sister’s Christmas Catechism

Nov. 25 – Dec. 23, 2022

On Sale Now!

August Wilson’s Fences

Jan. 20 – Feb. 12, 2023

On Sale Now!

RENT

Feb. 10 – March 19, 2023

On Sale Now!

Dreamgirls

March 3 – 26, 2023

On Sale Dec. 13

Little Shop of Horrors

April 14 – May 7, 2023

On Sale Dec. 13

Pretty Fire

April 28 – May 21, 2023

On Sale Jan. 31

In the Heights

June 2 – 25, 2023

On Sale Dec. 13

Omaha Performing Arts is a DEI leader with its Voices Amplified series, whose 2021-2022 June finale, “Omaha’s Forgotten Century,” enlisted Tyree, playwright Peggy Jones, muralist Hugo Zamorano and Omaha native and New York based-choreographer Ray Mercer for a North Omaha-South Omaha history revue. The 2022-23 series celebrates Latino culture.

“More and more opportunities are opening up for Black and brown artists,” Tyree said. “It’s beautiful.”

“I don’t know they’ve had the opportunity to be able to shine (until now),” said playwrightdirector Denise Chapman, producing artistic director for theater at The Union for Contemporary Art. “The talent’s always been here. It’s just that people weren’t paying attention.” The Union is building a larger, black-box space, the Shirley Tyree Theater, to open fall 2023. “It’s important to the theater landscape for the work to be a healthy representation of the community. It’s about us doing the work and making sure other folks have the opportunity to also do the work.”

Omaha playwrights-composers Justin Payne and Eric Lawson are developing stage works at the Union under Chapman’s guidance. Payne and Dani Cleveland’s “Heaven Come Home” was read at UNO.

The Union and GPTC are catalysts for artists to broaden their work. Tyree credits each with “supporting me early on in my directing career,” adding, “They said, ‘C’mon, we’ve got you, you can do this.’” TammyRa’s following

a similar path. She’s directing “Goose” on Nov. 18-20 at Yates Illuminates and is assistant director for “Fences” at OCP.

“I’ve been doing this 40-plus years,” Tyree said, “and these opportunities are new and fresh in our community.”

“It’s expanding,” TammyRa’ said.

Talent is emerging. “Over 50 people auditioned for ‘Dreamgirls’ and more than half I had never met before,” said Tyree. “Not only was there a good showing, these people were sincerely talented and gifted. Some amazing talent is hitting these stages.”

GPTC’s annual spring conference convenes artists to develop plays and center conversations on pressing issues. Its year-round programs offer safe spaces for diverse artists to discuss and nurture craft. Playwright Kim Louise, whose “Moneychangers” recently got a reading, was a fellow in its two-year Commoners residency. Said Louise,

“It has enriched my writing life. The networking is amazing. I’ve made connections with people I would never, ever have met otherwise. I’ve discovered this whole cadre of people I knew nothing about and now they’re busy, getting work, being paid as they’re becoming more visible.”

Louise goes back to GPTC’s 2006 start. From then till now, she said,

“It resonates with more cultural diversity and is more representative of the people actually writing plays.” The result, she said, is “theater that more authentically mirrors the nation and represents

America in all of its flavors, colors in a way that I think is meaningful.”

GPTC leans into TammyRa’ as a Community Connector. “They ask me what can we do differently or better. It’s a wonderful feeling to be included and to be asked questions. They’re very open to suggestions and ideas. I love that.”

While artists are sure of the diversity-equity-inclusion (DEI) commitment of Great Plains, the Playhouse, Omaha Performing Arts and The Union take a wait-and-see attitude about Broadway. Omaha’s own Gennean Scott is tasked with holding producers accountable.

Despite gains, Tyree and Co. said efforts to make theater more equitable involve heavy lifting and nuance in the face of continued pushback or inertia.

“What puzzles me is the consistent opposition to it that surfaces,” Tyree said. “It’s just a reminder that, yeah, we are no way close to there yet. We’ve made some wonderful strides. A lot of good work has been done. A lot of good intention. We need more work to measure up to that intention. I keep reminding myself institutional racism and racist practices have been in place for hundreds of years. It’s not going to change overnight. It’s up to those of us that have taken up the charge to continue doing this work and having these uncomfortable conversations, unapologetically. It’s by no means fun work, but it is very meaningful and necessary work.”

She sees enough progress to be guardedly hopeful. “I can attest to the fruits of that labor

I’ve seen the past year with more and more BIPOC artists getting opportunities,” she said. “Not just on the stage but off-stage.”

As doors open for established artists like herself, Tyree feels called to advocate. “One of the keys to all of this is to uplift and pour into each other,” she said. “With every opportunity gifted to me, I have a responsibility to gift others. That’s how we continue to develop and grow fresh, new talent.”

“We have built this community now where the support system is strong among actors, writers, directors,” said TammyRa’.

Strength in numbers can open doors.

“Just the connections alone you make are a huge gift. You get connected to artists from other parts of the country. It’s a pathway into the theater world,” said Tyree, who parlayed those relationships into an audition with a regional theater company that resulted in her earning her first regional theater role.

Besides getting your name and voice known in theater circles, networking provides a community of like-minded artists and potential collaborators.

“We look out for each other,” TammyRa’ said. “We welcome new people in. We don’t want to hold anybody back. We reach out, work together, share ideas. It’s like, ‘Hey, I’ve got a play, I need a director and some actors.’ If nobody wants to give us work we’re going to create our own. We won’t be limited.”

Actress-director

K Athy t yree

Pl Aywright-director denise chAPmAn

Pl Aywright Kim louise

Actress-director tAmmyrA’

The current mixedmedia exhibit of artist Thomas Whar ton, an adjunct professor at Midland University and Metropolitan Community College, provides a per plexing puzzle, but rewards with craft, concept and dis covery.

“Windows and Keys,” Wharton’s exhibit at the Garden of the Zodiac Gal lery in the Old Market, fea tures more than two dozen photographs paintings and sculptures, exploring con cepts of light, transforma tion and perception.

The artist has taken a simple and rather mundane thing – a dimmer switch –out of its comfort zone and trans formed it into an icon, a symbol,

an essential tool. Transformed into a graceful, sleek, sculptured “spindle,” this new, fertile muse becomes a guide, a “Key,” to the translation and dis section of each enigmatic piece, the “Window.” This modern take on the ivory plastic knob to which we are all accustomed, be comes elemental to every work in the show, which ends Nov. 27.

The most notable piec es, if only because of size, are eight framed color photos, roughly 5 feet by 4 feet each, that are initial ly puzzling, almost indeci pherable. The subject of the photos is not obvious, nor is the vantage point. Aside from a few recogniz able nuances, they simply look like an interesting ar rangement of blue, white and grey rectangles, bi

sected at times by a sharp angle or line, and randomly sprinkled with recognizable shapes or things.

The very symmetrical, minimal ist arrangements of rectangles, in fact, begin to reveal secrets that lead to partial solution: hints of perspec tive and vantage point; a shadow re minds you of a tree branch, or a roof line; a reflection takes shape as a cloud; this looks like snow; a black mark becomes a paw print. And, in defer ence to the muse, a central shadow be comes a distortion of the spindle.

In these, Whar ton has taken shad ows and shapes, patterns formed

by rectangles, punctuated by circles, and continued them out to the frames, in corporating the frame into the piece. Through use of stains, paints, and inlaid wood, the frame is married permanently to the image; nuanced tapers mirror sim ilar shapes withing the im age.

Many artists tend to try this at some point in their careers, only to come up short with a cloying inter ruption in an otherwise enjoyable image. Wharton’s understanding of subtle ty, line and composition, along with his skills as a wood smith, let the frames become part of the image. Moving on, and keeping with the rectangle theme, you will find six smaller photographic works –

to panels – that are in

Garden of the Zodiac Gallery: “WindoWs and Keys” by thomas Wharton, 2022

set into a canvas or linen “frame,” and onto which Wharton has car ried the patterns of shadow and light via soft charcoal renderings of shadow and light elements. The collage is simply one photo set into another, and the whole could have easily become chaotic had it been more complex.

The central photo, collaged or not, is by itself a strong min imalist image, but the surround ing drawing joins it back the themes of the show. This style of repetition framing, reduction and expansion of the light/shad ow elements within the original scene, is right at home here, and rendered without pretense.

DISH ARTS

Interspersed through the front room are three “pair ings,” each consist ing of a pedestal sculpture and a wall piece – a minimalist photo inset into a painted background. Each pair creates an elegant maquette, a simple mirrored cu rio stand displaying a spindle, and an atmospheric photo of the same spindle. The artist chose to list each work in the pair as separate pieces, but they work so well together, one would be remiss in separat ing them.

Continuing with the sculptural, the back room contains three model-like constructions or maquettes. Each is set upon a table-like pedestal; one, “Black Pond,” helps greatly in decipher ing the large photos mentioned earlier. The two others, “Shad ow Table” and “Spire Light,” are electrified luminaires controlled by their own spindle, which then becomes the focal point of each piece.

With the artist’s stated phi losophy and objective, it might have been exciting to see more of the electrified sculptures. This is one of the most complete and cohesive exhibits you may see in a while.

If you need dropped names

for further reading, see Gyorgy Kepes, Roger Ballen, Zeke Ber man. Wharton’s work is admitted ly more minimal, but it is also me ticulously constructed. Wharton delves into other mediums with out apprehension. His result is af fecting in its thorough dissection and derivation of an idea, com bined with adept craftmanship.

Three small, photorealist oil paintings provide a needed contrast by examining alternate perspectives and asymmetrical views. These might have been stronger had the three been larg er, but the contrast is needed to break up the symmetry and rep etition of shape prevalent in the rest of the show.

Though very different, the first piece in the show may be one of the best. It is a wall-hung shelf featuring three spindles upon a transparent, plexiglass shelf. The overhead track lighting not only lights the piece, but shows through the plexiglass shelf, cre ating interesting shadows below. Of course, if someone were to

purchase this, the resulting shad ows would change, but that may be partly the essence of the mes sage.

Thoreau said: “It’s not what you look at. It’s what you see.” Whar ton’s work is challenging at first, but the reward is a short course in seeing. It is photography about photography, art about art, and it is a solid examination of an idea.

“Windows and Keys” is a co hesive presentation from this Omaha-based artist and teacher, showcasing his interests and skills in woodworking, painting, pho tography and sculpture. If you are lucky, you may even catch the art ist on a folding chair in the corner of the gallery, providing pleasing ambiance from his Spanish guitar.

“Windows and Keys” shows through Nov. 27. The Garden of the Zodiac can be found inside the Old Market Passageway. It is on Facebook and can be reached at 402-341-1877, or email gardenofthezodi ac@gmail.com.

Morgan Fields: Barbed Labyrinth

Petshop Gallery

Using her art to dig deep into life’s thornier realities, multime dia artist Morgan Fields presents a new installation of sculpture and prints at Petshop, with a First Friday opening on Nov. 4, 7-10 p.m., and continuing through Dec. 30.

Fields will create a disorienting, cave-like experience from spires of woven barbed wire and fabric. Evoking the five stages of grief, the labyrinth communicates both

themes in her work.

The show includes “Life in Purgatory,” an ongoing series of photopolymer intaglio prints. Fields intends them to create an abstracted space to connect with the void in preparation for glory.

Check out www.bffomaha.org/ petshop for more information.

— Janet Farber

Heaven, Hell, and Everything In-Between Hot Shops Art Center

In-Between,” another of his large group shows featuring Omaha artists, opening Nov. 5 at Hot Shops Art Center.

“Like ‘My Dreams, My Nightmares’ show James incited back in 2015, ‘eclectic/eccentric’ is the best way to describe (this exhibit),” collaborator Susan McGilvrey said. Also “established, emerging and existing” describes the art ists’ list: Kristin Pluhacek, Reagen Pufall, Paula Wallace, Barb Sim coe, Becky Hermann, Jim Butkis, Mica Lilith Smith, Emily Stokes, Yun Shin, Freeman and McGilvrey, among others.

— Mike Krainak

Death From Above 1979

Slowdown

The Omaha Jewish Film Festival

Omaha Jewish Community Center

The Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater will host the Oma ha Jewish Film Festival over four nights throughout November and early December.

The festival at the Jewish Com munity Center has been break ing ground for 20 years, and this year’s theme is “views of the world through Israeli eyes.”

Each of the four films starts at 7 p.m. They are “A Lullaby for the Valley” (Nov. 8), “The Museum” (Nov. 22), “In Search of Israeli Cuisine” (Nov. 29) and “Kiss Me Kosher” (Dec. 6).

Tickets are $10 for each show ing.

— Matt Casas

Death From Above 1979 will visit the Slowdown in early No vember in support of their latest full-length LP, “Is 4 Lovers.” The album dropped in 2020.

The show is more exciting news for fans who loved the band back in the day (the mid-2000s) and wondered if the drum and bass/synth duo would ever return from calling it quits shortly upon releasing their bombastic debut. The band regrouped in 2011 and has released three more stellar al bums.

Van Gogh (1991)

Film Streams

Though James Freeman owns his dark and surreal vision, it’s not the whole story, something he “shares” with other artists as well. To that end, Freeman offers “Heaven, Hell, and Everything

Joining them on the highly an ticipated Canada-UK-USA tour is The OBGMs (Canada).

Tickets for this all-ages show are $25-$30.

— Matt Casas

Film Streams will screen “Van Gogh” on Nov. 9.

The indie cinema and the Jos lyn Art Museum will partner for this one-of-a-kind showcase of the French film by Maurice Pialat, lauded for NOT romanticizing the demise of the Dutch painter, played by Jacques Dutronc.

Thirty minutes before the mov ie, there will be a meet and greet,

French food, adult drinks and conversation with the chief cura tor of European art from Joslyn.

Joslyn and AFO members can get a $5 discount on admission. The event runs from 5:30-8:30 p.m., with the film starting at 6.

— Matt Casas

2022 Regional Photography

Biennial

November 12-13

Midsummer’s Night Dream

Scottish Rite Masonic Center

trancing underground and main stream crowds since the mid1990s, and building a dedicated fan base here in Omaha.

Many indie-heads are familiar with the Boston band from its 2006 song, the jangly “Satellite” — but the Guster discography boasts staying power, thanks to records like “Keep It Together” (2003) and “Ganging Up on the Sun” (2006).

Tickets are $30. The show starts at 7 p.m., with doors open ing at 6.

— Matt Casas

November

Into The Woods

Now that it has established a biennial program of juried exhibi tions open to Nebraska-affiliated artists, Gallery 1516 introduces a new format for its in-between years. The “2022 Regional Pho tography Biennial,” opening Nov. 11 and running through Jan. 29, is its inaugural show and is limited to a particular medium — pho tography — and open to artists connected to Nebraska and its six contiguous states.

The exhibition features 93 works selected by jurors Diego and April Uchitel. Viewers will see a stylistic range of approaches to street, landscape and nature pho tography, photojournalism, hu man and animal subjects, as well as abstract/conceptual composi tions. Works in the exhibition are available for purchase.

The event is from 6-9 p.m. For information, go to www.gal lery1516.org.

— Janet Farber

The Heartland Youth Ballet will perform “Midsummer’s Night Dream” for two days at the Scot tish Rite Masonic Center.

Critics classify the 430-year-old play as a Shakespearean comedy, but it’s a rom-com (and an underrated fantasy) set 800-900 years ago in Athens, Greece.

The story is filled with the bard’s trademark characters, iro ny, love and mischief, plus oth er-worldly elements: fairies flub the days of four Athenian lovers and a group of actors, but even the sprites have love problems.

Tickets range from $10-20, with 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. start times.

— Matt Casas

November 17

Risograph Basics

Union for Contemporary Art

“Into The Woods” will run for seven dates at UNO, with univer sity students and non-enrolled cast from around Omaha.

The musical comedy was written in 1987 by the great 20th-century mastermind Ste phen Sondheim and the innova tive James Lapine.

November 13

Guster

The Admiral

The Union for Contemporary Art will host a Risograph Basics class on Nov. 17.

This 18-plus workshop intro duces newcomer artists to Riso printing, a high-end digital pro cess of “duplication” that com bines copying and screen print ing to transform sketches into prints with unique and striking styles and textures.

This hands-on class combines traditional and digital printing techniques for the best educa tional experience.

Tickets are $25, and the event runs from 5:30-7 p.m.

Using familiar Brothers Grimm fairy-tale characters, it is an orig inal story full of love, tragedy and magic, with a childless couple try ing to help break a curse.

Tickets are $10-$20 for the 7:30 and 2 p.m. shows, and UNO students receive free admission with a MavCARD.

— Matt Casas

November 18

Curio by Gabriella Quiroz

Guster is gearing up to play

The Admiral this November with special guests Ratboys.

The alt-rocking four-piece has been kicking up dust on stages with kaleidoscopic tunes, en

Email your image to info@u-ca. org beforehand, bring one to the class in print or digital form, or create a spontaneous sketch.

— Matt Casas

Nebraska Arts Council Fred Simon Gallery

The Fred Simon Gallery invites you to its exhibit, “Curio,” by Ga briella Quiroz. An opening recep tion for the artist is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 18, from 5-7 p.m.

The exhibit continues through Jan. 11.

Quiroz, an award-winning, Omaha-based artist, works as a fine artist and commercial illus trator from her studio in the Hot Shops Art Center. Her work has been featured in numerous group and solo exhibits.

Quiroz works primarily in oils and colored pencils, finding inspi ration in flora and fauna – its life stages, structures and remnants. This show builds on her search for beauty and human connection in the commonplace and discarded.

For more information, go to www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov

— Kent Behrens

The Lemonheads

The Waiting Room Lounge

The Boston alt-rockers originat ed as a late-’80s punk band and are most notable for the 1992 album “It’s A Shame About Ray,” their major label debut, and its closely related single, their cover of “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel.

Lemon’s sound has not soured, boasting fulfilling, guitar-driven music that tastefully balances hard-rocking, pop sensibilities and softer acoustic anthems.

Music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30-$35 before fees.

— Matt Casas

Art Battle Omaha Culxr House

don, and Tyler Walsh — will head line the Backline on Nov. 26.

The post-Thanksgiving show punctuates a month-long set of Backline showcases and open-mic events with all the spice of variety and humor some may need after a long holiday weekend with fam ily.

Or not. Bring your family and friends to this post-festivities eve ning so everyone can pile on the laughs and delicious drinks.

November

Dinner Drinks and Drag!

Funny Bone

Culxr House will host an install ment of the worldwide competi tive phenomenon known as Art Battle on Nov. 26.

As an all-ages night of enter tainment at the inner-city-focused hub, the faceoff will come down to three 20-minute rounds of improvised canvas painting, and in the end, the audience helps choose a winner.

At the close, there will be an anonymous auction in which you can bid to take the rad art home.

To compete as an artist, apply at artbattle.com/artists

Admission costs $20-$30, doors open at 6 p.m., and the battle begins at 7.

— Matt Casas

Tickets start at $10, but no one under 18 gets in. The show be gins at 7 p.m., with doors open ing at 6:30.

— Matt Casas

November

The Movement Slowdown

The Lemonheads will play the Waiting Room on Nov. 21, sup porting the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough during a fullon grunge explosion.

Visit the Funny Bone on Nov. 23 for a night of drinks, eats and entertainment with some of Oma ha’s finest LGBTQ+ performers.

The drag entertainers and Mid west divas dance to elaborate routines featuring popular num bers onstage and excel at crowd interaction while performing for tips.

All the while, the premiere comedy venue has a full bar and restaurant that will dazzle the rest of your senses and contribute to a rad Wednesday evening event.

Tickets are $20 for this 21-andover show. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., with a 7:30 start.

— Matt Casas

November

Thanksgiving Leftovers

The Movement will lay it down at the Slowdown on Nov. 30, with support from Mike Love.

Hailing from South Carolina, The Movement is an alternative, reggae-rooted band that made an impact with their 2008 album, “Set Sail.” “Habit” and the title track remain among the group’s most streamed songs. Their sixth record topped the Billboard Reg gae chart in 2019.

Opening artist Mike Love — no, not the one from The Beach Boys — is Hawaii-based and describes his reggae-intoned sound as “rev olutionary consciousness music.”

Tickets are $20-$25 for the all-ages show, which starts at 8 p.m.

— Matt Casas

November Notes

BY B.J. HuCHTEMANN

Some notable events hit at the beginning of the month.

There’s a benefit for Lincoln guitarist Benjamin Kushner on Friday, Nov. 4, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at The B. Bar. Kushner plays with both Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal and Mezcal Brothers. Alt rock fans will recognize Kushner as a former guitarist for The Millions. Kush ner is battling a return of cancer. The benefit features Omaha rock abilly favorites The Mercurys and the Mezcal Brothers with a lineup change in light of Kushner’s current health. Gerald Lee Jr. opens the show with an acoustic set. Look for the “Rock-a-Benny” event on Face book for more details. The Omaha show follows an October event in Lincoln that featured multiple bands at two venues, launching ef forts to raise support for Kushner’s medical and living expenses.

At the Benson Theatre on Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. Kris Lager hosts a rock ‘n’ roll variety show present ing Kris Lager & The Assembly of Assassins, a special eight-piece band with a horn section. Other featured guests are Héctor An chondo and Enjoli Mitchell. The event will include comedy by Nick Allen, a DJ MC, a magician, spoken word and Josh Audiss painting during the show. Look for ticket details at facebook.com/krislager band

BSO Presents

The Blues Society of Omaha shows for November feature a special Club Crawl at the Capitol District on Thursday, Nov. 17, starting at 5 p.m. Horn- and keyboard-driven Wisconsin band The Jimmys play at Beer Can Alley at 5 and 7:45 p.m. Minneapolis-based vocal ist Joyann Parker, described as “saucy and sexy … with an intel ligent and intriguing style,” per forms at The Jewell at 6:30 and 9 p.m. Admission is $15 per venue

or $10 at the second venue with a wristband from the other partici pating venue.

The month starts with Alligator Re cords guitar star Jarekus Single ton at The Strut on Thursday, Nov. 3, 6-9 p.m. High-energy Texas gui tarist Hamilton Loomis plugs in at The Jewell on Thursday, Nov. 10, 6-9 p.m. John Primer & the Real Deal Blues Band bring Chicago blues to The Strut on Thursday, Dec. 1, 6-9 p.m. Visit facebook. com/bluessocietyofomaha for the latest events and blues news. You’ll find a curated list of local blues and roots music shows at omahablues. com

Toy Drive for Pine Ridge Update

The Toy Drive for Pine Ridge is changing its mission to focus sole ly on raising money for the emer gency propane fund that serves families in need during the bitter winters on the Pine Ridge Reser vation. “The heating fund con tributes greatly to the health and well-being of many families on Pine Ridge, and has the potential to save lives every winter,” founder Larry “Lash LaRue” Dunn said

in a Facebook update in which he thanked everyone who has sup ported the events through the years. Find out more or learn how to support the cause at facebook. com/toydriveforpineridge.

Jon Dee Graham

Recovering from a Stroke

Hoodoo hero and Austin, Texas, roots-music legend Jon Dee Gra ham suffered a stroke in August. He is slowly recovering and unable to manage more than his weekly Continental Club performance. There’s a Go Fund Me for anyone wishing to help with Graham’s ex penses while he rehabilitates and recovers. Search for Jon Dee Gra ham at gofundme.com. Graham has also made available for sale a limited-edition book collection of his bear art, “Bear Witness 20082022,” along with the children’s book he authored at the beginning of the year, “Bear: The Search for a Hug.” Both can be found on Am azon. Follow Graham’s recovery at facebook.com/jon.d.graham

Hot Notes

Popular Nebraska band The OK Sisters play The Jewell on Friday,

Nov. 4, 7:30-10:30 p.m. The Jewell regularly presents a variety of jazz, blues and special solo acoustic events, such as Héctor Anchon do on Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m. See the calendar at jewellomaha. com/shows

The documentary about Lincoln’s iconic ‘80s chicken restaurant turned rock club, “Remember the Drumstick,” has a one-week run at The Ross theater on the UNL campus beginning Friday, Nov. 4. See facebook.com/remember thedrumstick and theross.org for details.

Grammy-winner Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives are as good as it gets. They play two nights at The Waiting Room, Thurs day, Nov. 10, and Friday, Nov. 11. Both shows start at 7:30 and a twoshow ticket package is available. See waitingroomlounge.com for tickets.

The Indigo Girls perform at The Orpheum on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m. See ticketomaha.com

Three-time Grammy-winning guitar virtuoso Steve Vai rocks Lincoln’s Bourbon Theatre on Sat urday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m. See bour bontheatre.com

Grammy and Americana Award-winning artist Amanda Shires is scheduled at Barnato on Sunday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m. See barna to.bar/events.

Lincoln’s historic Zoo Bar contin ues to present multiple great tour ing shows each week. November shows include Jackson Stokes, Friday, Nov. 11, 9 p.m. Stokes is known for his work with the Dev on Allman Band. His new CD was produced by Luther Dickinson. Keep up with the schedule at zoo bar.com and follow face book.com/zoobarblues.

Wisconsin-based

Gluten for Punishment

Go AheAd And Get Gluttonous for the Gluten-free foods omAhA Is servInG

by Sara Locke

with a bowl of loaded baked potato soup.

le voltaire

569 N 155th Plaza

Fine dining should have never been just for those iron of stomach. Rich, decadent, and a feast for the eyes, French cuisine is anything but lean. Gluten-free diners are wel comed to enjoy the fresh flavors, ro bust bouquet, and tantalizing tastes of the fine art of French dining … but hold the baguette.

your breakfast is anything but bor ing. Enjoy bright flavors, sweet and savory toppings, and a cocktail list to brunch about.

omaha tap house

579 N 155th Plaza

(Pepperwood Location only)

november is National Glu ten-Free Diet Awareness Month, and The Reader knows there are a number of reasons diners may choose a wheat, rye, barley, and oat-free existence. Regardless of the reasons, restaurants and their staff are growing increasingly aware of just how serious a gluten allergy or intolerance can be.

A decade ago, telling someone you were allergic to spaghetti would probably get you a snicker or an eyeroll, but a gluten reaction is more than a pain in the butt. And it is also a pain in the butt. These days, asking wait staff about gluten-free options comes with a Master Class in cross contamination, shared fryers, and designated prep spaces.

This month, The Reader took a look at ten of our favorite establish ments where diners can feast with out fear. Inflammation has left the station, let’s sink our teeth into this delicious list.

Gravy train ‑‑ scratch Biscuits and Gravy

1911 S 67th St. (Inner rail)

Blend Food Hall (online ordering only)

My first swing at writing a glu ten-free dining guide for Omaha years ago was a desperate list of plac es that served a lot of plain meat on a stick. Even some meat wasn’t safe, as flour and fillers are used in a lot of gyro meat, loaf meats, and near

ly every sauce and gravy you sink your teeth into. Gravy Train found er Meghan McLarney decided that even those with allergies deserved to be uncomfortably full on the har diest, most savory, stick-to-your ribs dishes without the inflammation that often follows. biscuits and gravy may be the ultimate comfort food, and Gravy Train has made it a lot more comfortable for those with celiac, Crohn’s, or food allergies.

Blue & fly AsianKitchen

721 S 72nd St.

The gluten-free options at blue & Fly are just as decadent and immer sive as the rest of the impeccable menu. you’ll find something to satis fy any appetite, and you can eat until your stomach is satisfied instead of swollen. The meals are as beautiful on the plate as they are on the palate, and taking away the gluten doesn’t take away the sense of celebration you get dining on these delicious dishes.

Burning Bridges

Food Truck (Trucks & Taps)

5402 S 108th St.

Gluten intolerance means you have had to become a picky eater. Gone are the days of ordering chick en tendies and fries. Or are they? Give your inner child, your actual child, or your childish eater a treat and sink into a gluten-free chicken finger basket, snack on savory glu ten-free cheese curds, or warm up

Pitch Coal‑fire Pizza

5021 Underwood ave. 17808 Burke

you know Pitch has set the stan dard for high-quality ingredients and a firing technique that’s tasty and unique, but Omaha’s gluten-free elite know the vegan cauliflower crust is a must. Make any pizza gluten free without making it taste like your togo box. Inventive salads, an extensive wine list, and a seasonal menu that keeps everything fresh in more ways than one make Pitch Omaha’s go-to for a pie you can’t deny.

texas de Brazil

1110 capitol ave.

New to Omaha, but a veteran of the Gaucho game, Texas de brazil has more than a mouthful of options for gluten-free diners. A quick conversa tion with the team has, on more than one occasion, resulted in a personal tour of the buffet to point out every item that’s safe for consumption, even if you’re not consuming grain.

early Bird

3824 Farnam (Blackstone)

7775 olsen Drive (Shadow Lake) coming soon to 108th and Pacific (regency)

From granola to waffles, Early bird’s gluten-free menu will ensure

The Northwest location is the only one with the capacity to accommo date a fries-only fryer, allowing even those with celiac to enjoy the fries at this can’t-miss grill. burgers can be served on a gluten-free bun, and glu ten-free beer is available.

While the downtown location offers gluten-free bread, it cannot guarantee a gluten-free cooking surface or that cross contamination won’t happen.

edge of the universe

6070 Maple

A night out on the town, girls’ day out, romantic date night, or just an excuse to have a whimsical time without taking a literal flight of fan cy, Edge of the Universe delivers it all from its cute and convenient ben son location. This magical café hosts book clubs, trivia nights, and themed events year-round, all with a menu of creative concoctions and opulent op tions that are gluten free and vegan.

veg.edible

Vegan and Gluten-Free catering

Chef/owner Stacie Vancleave is no stranger to the pitfalls of dining with food allergies. The dairy-wary food artisan grew so tired of working for restaurants that belittled diners for their food sensitivities that she decid ed to begin a business of her own. While one bite might suggest that flawless flavor is Veg.Edible’s No. 1 priority, it falls far behind Vancleave’s passion for transparency and food safety.

be sure to follow us on Instagram (@readeromaha), where we will be highlighting gluten-free options in Omaha through November.

The gluTen-free dedicaTed display looks jusT as TempTing as iT s gluTinous counTerparT aT edge of The universe.

Thanks Omaha for voting us BesT

BrewpuB, AgAin

Proud pioneers of the fermenter-to-table movement.

It would be wrong to say the freshest beer is automatically the best beer. But the best beer almost always tastes its best when it is, in marketing speak, at the peak of freshness.

And it’s hard to get any fresher than beer brewed thirty feet away from your table. And it’s doubly hard to get any better than when that table is here at Upstream. But we suspect you already knew that.

Thanks to You, 2022

EvEn CinEmatiC GratitudE is Hard tHis YEar

by Ryan SyRek

Once cal endars were made of peb bles, but we carry these recent years like boulders. We bear their weight in un seen backpacks that slump shoulders and break backs. Their heft de mands the work of every muscle, in cluding our tongues. We’re too heavy to say, “Thank you.” We’re too afraid of what’s next to show reverence to what (or who) has passed. We’re too tired to count bless ings. We’re too busy screaming because there’s too much to be loud about.

Gratitude, however quiet, is always, always, always worth the work.

Don’t laugh.

I am so thankful for movies. The silent focus they demand is the only meditation that I have mastered. They are scheduled solitude, compartmentalized escapism. They are so necessary to my sanity that I found a way to require myself to see at least one weekly. This isn’t a job, it’s a self-treatment plan. I can’t ex

plain how many times cinema has pulled me back. How often my anxiety quieted when the theater lights dimmed. How an alyzing plot contrivances does more than just distract.

This year, I am so grateful for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” At a time when the very concept of finding a “purpose” in life feels more cruel than quix otic, along came a movie that turned nihilism into a bear hug. Containing literal multitudes, the film demands we appreciate immediacy; that we celebrate stupid, fleeting, silly love; that we see the absence of divine

agenda as liberating agency to be and love whoever we want.

This year, I am so grateful to every local theater still open and to those that shut their doors. Many married couples had their first date at the Alamo Draft house Midtown. Somebody in town went with the family to see something at the Westwood Cin ema 8, and it was the first time they laughed together in years. Long after those bricks and mor tars are home to another restau rant or store, those memories will be carried.

This year, I am so grateful for The Reader. More now than ever. Our relationship turned 20 in

March, within months of our leader, John Heaston, fight ing cancer. Just as he has made our community better, stron ger over these past decades, he has chal lenged me to grow as a crit ic, writer, and citizen. “Thank you” feels like Hallmark inade quacy. Just hav ing a space to think on paper, a reason to do so each week, has fundamen tally shaped me. Soon, the scales will tip, and I will have worked for The Reader for a longer portion of my life than I didn’t. I didn’t get an emerald for my 20th anniversary, just the first award nominations and first win for my criticism. They mean so embarrassingly, impossibly much to me.

These things don’t make the year any lighter. They don’t make the dark any brighter. They don’t make the future any clear er. but they will be what I keep. They will be what I choose to zip up and protect in that invisible backpack. They will be treasured long after the weight lifts.

opEN roAd fIlMs

You down w ith R-o-P? Yeah, it’s no hotd

BY Ryan SyRek

Relax. Here there be no spoilers: Unless you were unaware that George R.R. Martin loves in cest more than he hates deadlines. When deciding whether to watch Amazon Prime’s “Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” (ROP) or HBO’s “House of the Dragon” (HotD), simply ask whether or not you get ancestry. com and Tinder con fused.

ROP is a graceful, majestic symphony of grand fantasy themes that finally pushes to ward at least minimal basic diversity and inclusivity in its cast. HotD is about banging folks who have most of your DNA. ROP prompts conversations about the intended and unintended evils of colonialism.

Someone in HotD mastur bates out of a window. ROP has present-day implications about how ignoring smoldering, fas cist evil allows it to ignite at any moment. HotD filmed an uncle sleeping with his teenage niece set to flourishing romantic mu sic.

ROP has a “mystery box” component about the secret identity of one of its characters. HotD had to put out a press re lease saying, “We made the ep

isode so dark that it was no lon ger visible on purpose.”

They’re basically the same show!

If you ask people why they like HotD, why they may prefer it to ROP, you’re almost certainly going to get some version of how they love the tension and the politics. After all, what is watch ing copious, explicit incest, if not the price we pay for enter tainment about fake kingdoms at fake war? Others may say that the acting in HotD is incredible, which is sometimes true. Pad dy Considine does a fabo job as King Viserys Targaryen, who rules over an empire at unrest while his daughter, Rhaenyra (played first by Milly Alcock and

then by Emma D’Arcy), copu lates with his brother, Daemon (Matt Smith). As a “Doctor Who” fan, I’ve seen Smith work harder and do more acting opposite a severed robot head.

Alternately, the knock against ROP is that it is too similar to Pe ter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings,” which is a hilarious complaint. Yes, the new live-action series that adapts the works of JRR Tolkien is very similar to the de finitive live-action adaptation of JRR Tolkien. The other criticisms seem to arise from drooling reprobates who pause Joe Ro gen just long enough to bang out a screed on why Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) shouldn’t be doing cool fight moves because she’s a lady elf or that no fairy

tale creatures should be anything other than white skinned. If you’d like an Aryan character color pal ate, HotD stands at the ready.

Let’s do this right and proper and quickly review both, starting with the age-old adage “worst first.” HotD is set almost 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” a show that ended so poorly that it is now rated TV-PTSD. Ostensibly a look at battles over the Iron Throne during the rule of the Tar garyens, it so rarely features dragons. They are the coolest, and they get Dame Judi Dench in “Shakespeare in Love”-level screen time. The show is mostly people talking about babies, pouting, and whispering. Everyone is always very serious all the time, espe cially when they want to hump children and extended family.

Although historical evidence of incest in royal families most certainly exists, many things that really happened are not pleasant to watch and hold no significant value. Were HotD the show that others claim it to be, with Machiavellian scheming, enthralling betrayals, and omi nous prophecies, it may actually rival ROP. All of that comprises

a minimal amount of running time, with the vast majority de voted to nonsense that vacillates between boring and grotesque. Smith has had a few redeeming moments, the dragons get a pass, one battle was fairly cool, and everything else is evidence why prequels are doody.

ROP is set like 5,000 years before Bilbo got his “Hobbit” on and explores the resurfac ing of Sauron after his initial defeat. Galadriel is the only elf who seems sus about what the pointy-headed evildoer is doing. Meanwhile, dwarves have found a new metal substance, humans are being attacked by Orcs, Har foots (hobbit ancestors) have discovered a mysterious stranger during their migration, and the birth of Mordor is shown. With out that, Sean Bean wouldn’t talk about walking into Mordor, and we’d have so many fewer memes.

The show juggles a huge cast but features episodes that feel like mini movies. They are bright and visually stunning, with the kind of flawless CGI you can get only with Bezos money. The characters pop, growing and changing over the course of the season, with some evolving out of being calloused, narcissistic jerks and others inching closer to their full Goddess form (Cate Blanchett). Intraspecies and in terspecies politics are in play, wartime demands are discussed, and yet nobody diddles a cousin.

ROP is comfort food. HotD is whiskey and milk. ROP is inspira tional. HotD is exhausting. ROP is among the best shows of the year. HotD exists to fill a void ev eryone should leave empty. Also, I’ll learn to roll every “R” in a Tolkien name before I ever both er to distinguish between 12 hu mans named something Egon.

Grades:

CUTTING ROOM

By Ryan SyRek



A theater that featured a big display of the Iron Giant was always going to break our hearts, right? Silence your phones and pour one out for Alamo Drafthouse Midtown. Without much warning, the location showed its final flick on Oct. 10, citing lingering fallout from that whole pesky pandemic thing. It opened in 2019, a blissful time when the CDC recommended routinely French kissing strangers. At least, that feels like how life was back then. Alamo Drafthouse La Vista is still powering ahead, almost certainly with whatever the movie theater equivalent of phantom limb syndrome is. At least there’s still one place in town to see films where un ruly patrons are openly mocked and threatened, as the Lumière always intended.



The death of its twin won’t stop Alamo Drafthouse La Vista from celebrating “Mag ic Hour.” No, that’s not a special hour set aside for you to French kiss strangers. I don’t know why you keep bringing that up. On Nov. 30, a happy hour (from 5:30-6:45) filled with promos and a prize raffle pre cedes a 7 p.m. screening of Teton Gravity Research’s “Magic Hour.”

The ski documentary is billed as “a culmination of powerful moments

in some of the most beautiful, wild places on the planet.” I can only assume they mean the luscious hills of Iowa. If you’re into nature and ac knowledge and appreciate gravity, you’ll fall head over heels for this one. That counts as a science joke, so don’t judge me.

In mid-October, climate change activists threw tomato soup on a Van Gogh painting. I mean, it’s an oil painting, I guess? Hey, it got attention for something we should all care about, and “Sunflowers” now probably tastes as delicious as it looks. In less skunk-smell-removing news, Film Streams is collaborating with Alliance Francaise of Omaha for a screening of Maurice Pialat’s “Van Gogh.” The documentary was released in the halcyon days of 1991, when people hosted group parties where you could French kiss strang ers. Note: I will not be making that joke in the next blurb. Following the screening on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m., Taylor J. Acosta, PhD (chief curator and Willis A. Strauss curator of Euro pean Art at Joslyn Art Museum) will discuss the historical and cultural footprint of the “Starry Night” nav igator and how Pialat’s biopic func tioned as a foil to various cliches that still follow the artist. Here’s hoping you are as touched as the “Vincent

and the Doctor” episode of “Doctor Who,” as I’m tearing up just thinking about it.



Sometimes I get to include important film stuff that requires no snark like, say, when there’s a screening of a film about Nazi atrocities at the Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE). Given the rabid antisemitism casually dis played recently by crazed musicians and politicians, it seems like a really good time to watch “Escape from Treblinka,” a film about Joseph Po lonski’s harrowing journey from an extermination camp. The IHE says he eventually settled in Omaha, and two of Polonski’s children, who have been invited to speak, will attend the screening at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6. With the Holocaust falling out of living memory, it is incumbent upon us to remember, and events like this certainly help. See, no snark.

Cutting Room provides breaking local and national movie news … complete with added sarcasm. Send any relevant information to film@thereader.com.

Check out Ryan on KVNO 90.7 on Wednesdays and follow him on Twitter @thereaderfilm

VaN GOGh’S leGaC y GOeS beyONd CReaTiNG TaRGeTS f OR TOmaTO SOup. a CONVeRSaTiON

aT film STReamS Will TaCKle hiS CulTuR al aNd hiSTORiC al impaCT, hOpefully aNSWeRiNG The queSTiON: “WhaT el Se WOuld be ON dORm ROOm Wall S WeRe iT NOT f OR him?” IMAGE: StudIo C AnAl

Garry Trudeau

Jeffrey KoTerba

Jen SorenSen

Catching Up withSaddle Creek Records

BY Tim mcmahan

So before I begin talking about Saddle Creek Records’ latest releases, here’s a little background on your hometown record label, an outfit I’ve written about since it was founded 29 years ago.

The label’s original “crown jewels” were Omaha bands Bright Eyes, Cursive and The Faint. After gaining national (global?) attention in the early aughts, all three bands left the label (though The Faint wandered back for their last formal release, “Egowerk” in 2019). Other notable bands that released albums on Saddle Creek include Desaparecidos, The Good Life, Spoon, The Thermals, Rilo Kiley, Azure Ray and Eric Bachmann.

In recent years, Saddle Creek quietly continued to stoke a reputation for breaking young, important indie artists. It signed one of today’s most lauded indie acts — Big Thief — only to see them jump ship for a larger label. Saddle Creek’s current biggest names are Indigo De Souza (729,000 Spotify monthly listeners), Hand Habits (429,000 monthly listeners) and Tomberlin (386,000 listeners). None is from Omaha.

Though the label still has an office in the Slowdown complex downtown, Saddle Creek seems to be doing most — if not all — its A&R work from its Los Angeles office. The last local release on Saddle Creek was last year’s “Culxr House: Freedom Summer” collection featuring hip-hop innovators Marcey Yates and XOBIO.

So far in 2022, Saddle Creek has released seven LPs and nine singles or EPs. Among them:

Palm, “Nicks and Grazes” — Signed to the label this past

July, Palm is a Philadelphiabased fourpiece that’s been together for a decade. Their last LP was released in 2018 on boutique label Carpark Records. Their rep is for playing inventive art-rock, and they live up to it here. The first single, “Feathers,” opens to the din of hammer on sheet metal before breaking into a bouncing celebration of throbbing bass and guitarist Eve Alpert singing “I don’t wanna be a passenger / I don’t wanna see you calendar / Ima make it up as I go.”

An invitation or a warning?

For every modern, progressive rock song there’s a dissonant noise collage, like “Suffer Dragon,” which will have you lurching for the “forward” button after 20 seconds. Hold on. It can be a rough ride, and for some, worth it. Pitchfork, the bible of indie music taste-makers, graced the album with an 8.0 rating out of 10, calling it “a totalizing vision for the band as an artistic unit, one that organically builds on everything they’ve done so far.” Saddle Creek’s next big hope?

Young Jesus, “Shepherd Head” — Also cast as an ex perimental outfit, the Los Angeles act that signed to Saddle Creek in 2017 has since dissolved to only its founding member, John Rossiter, on this eight-song collection of sonic meditations, some you can dance to. Rossiter’s

angel coo falls somewhere be tween Anohni and Bon Iver on the album highlight, “Ocean,” which features guest vocals by Tomberlin. There’s noth ing experimental here at all, and it’s better for it.

Disq, “Desperately Imag ining Someplace Quiet” — Signed to Saddle Creek in early 2019, the Wisconsin fivepiece is a throw back to the indie rock the label was known for in the ear ly aughts. On this sophomore effort, bassist Raina Bock shoulders for ward as a sort of co-leader, thanks to quirky tracks like bouncy “Cujo Kiddies” that recall Wet Leg. Isaac De Broux-Slone, meanwhile, continues to churn out steady rockers (“Meant to Be”) that re mind me of Teenage Fanclub. Steady as she goes.

Tomberlin, “I Don’t Know Who Needs to Hear This…” — Sarah Beth Tomberlin joined the Creek team in the sum mer of 2018 and fits nicely among the current wave of critically ac claimed singer/ songwriters that includes Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, and label mates De Souza, Adrianne Lenker and Meg Duffy (Hand Hab its), who continue to dominate indie music. On her sophomore LP, Tomberlin fills out her sound despite arrangements as timid as her breathy, lonely voice, singing lyrics as personal as diary entries.

Pendant, “Harp” — Pendant, a.k.a. West Coast producer/ songwriter Chris Adams, joined the Creek team in June 2021 and may be its oddest recent signing. Adams started in hardcore and noise-punk but switched to electronic/shoegaze pop that sort of recalls Madchester days … sort of.

Shalom, 7-inch singles — Sha lom could be the label’s next big thing. Born in Mary land, raised in South Africa, living in Brooklyn, she’s re leased two singles since joining Sad dle Creek this year, each with a B-side cover (by Glass Animals and Hov vdy). The gold is in the originals, “DTAP” and “Agnes, bass-driven heartbreakers created in partner ship with Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth, whose “Quarter-Life Crisis” album was released by Sad dle Creek in 2020. Can’t wait for the full-length.

It’s an impressive list, and I didn’t even touch on the Desaparecedos and Neva Dinova reissues. As Saddle Creek heads toward its 30th year, the label continues to be a trendsetter in a business in which trendsetting is the only way to survive.

Over The edge is a mOnTh ly cOlumn by reader seniOr cOnTribuTing wriTer Tim mc mahan fOcused On culTure, sOcieTy, music, The media and The arTs. email Tim aT Tim.mcmahan@gmail.cOm.