The Reader December 2015 by PioneerMedia.Me

Neighbors Drive Innovative Neighborhood Projects

tephen King received 30 rejection notices before his first book was published. The director of Fred Astaire’s first screen test told the one-time Omahan he couldn’t act, sing or dance. A recording company told The Beatles it didn’t like their sound and that guitar music was on the way out.* History is jammed with stories about people who’ve been told they couldn’t do what they wanted to do and who – despite all the negativity – went ahead and did it. Neighborhoods can learn a lot from these examples, said Julie Smith, One Omaha program manager. “I know people get tired of hearing it, but if you want see change in your community, you have to be willing to work for it and give it a try. You’re bound to surprise yourself!” she noted. Anita and Saul Soto are two of those people. The Sotos volunteered to transform a South Omaha permaculture park into a community gathering space that neighbors could enjoy. Their work in the Dorothy Patach Natural Environmental Area this spring through the fall caught the attention of neighbors. “People would stop by and tell us they appreciate our efforts and want to help,” Anita Soto said. She lists many reasons she enjoys working on the project, including brainstorming about ways to use the space for events. “This is an opportunity to be creative with other creative people,” she said. For more information about their efforts, visit www.facebook.com/DorothyPatachPermaculturePark. There are many people like the Sotos across Omaha. Below are seven examples of Omaha neighbors who wanted to make a difference and did something about it. Abstract Concrete facebook.com/Abstract-ConcreteGraffiti-Throwdown/ The Deer Park Neighborhood Association, the Bancroft Street Market and Black Book Designs host Abstract Concrete each year, a

graffiti throwdown that gives local graffiti artists a chance to compete and have their work recognized as art. Dodge Street Subway Renovation www.dundee-memorialpark.org The Dundee-Memorial Park Neighborhood Association led the renovation of the last remaining pedestrian tunnel in Omaha. The project included new lighting and a mural created by members of the National Art Education Association Chapter at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Keystone Task Force High School Scholarship Program The Keystone Task Force has created a scholarship program that awards small scholarships to graduating seniors from the neighborhood. Sallie Foster Adventure Playground www.giffordparkomaha.org The Gifford Park Neighborhood Association has established the Sallie Foster Adventure Playground – Nebraska’s first adventure playground. It’s filled with nontraditional play items that encourage a child’s instinct to explore, play and imagine. Omaha Peace Project facebook.com/OmahaPeaceProject The Military Avenue Neighborhood Association commissioned Trudy Swanson to create a sculpture for the large traffic island at the start of Fontenelle Boulevard. The artist proposed a steel origami crane sculpture with a community engagement component. Swanson invited the public to fold paper cranes and share their wishes for peace on Facebook. Drop boxes were set up across town. The paper cranes are on display at Ted & Wally’s in the Old Market through February. Ted & Wally’s is creating a “peace” ice cream flavor that will be sold this holiday season. The permanent sculpture will be completed this month.

Sunny Slope-Sunny View Neighborhood Watch The Sunny Slope-Sunny View Neighborhood Association has recruited 30 block captains for its Neighborhood Watch program. Each block in the neighborhood has a block captain. Wednesdays in the Park The Park East Neighborhood Association has established “Wednesdays in the Park.” This annual event runs for six consecutive weeks following the National Night Out event in August. The association encourages residents to come to Park East Park at 548 S. 26th Ave. to eat together and participate in activities. All of these projects started with people talking to one another about ideas they had for improving their neighborhoods. How do you begin to make this type of progress in your corner of the city? Act. l Say “hi” to your neighbors when you see them in their yards or on the street. Make it a point to know them by name, and share your family’s names with them as well.

One Omaha, founded in 2015, is dedicated to actively facilitating the development of neighborhoods in the City of Omaha through communication, education and advocacy. For more information, contact Julie Smith, One Omaha program manager, at 402.547.7473 or Julie.smith@oneomaha.org.

l Sign up for Nextdoor.com, the private social network for your neighborhood. This free online information-sharing platform is currently used by more than 81,000 neighborhoods across the United States. l Don’t know if there’s a neighborhood group in your area? Type your address into http://dogis.org/neighborhoodlookup to find out. If you aren’t represented, contact One Omaha for information on how to start one. l Tap into the services offered by One Omaha. Contact Smith at 402.547.7473 or julie.smith@oneomaha.org. l Reach out to your neighborhood alliance leaders. Don’t know what a neighborhood alliance is or which one to call? Visit www.oneomaha.org/alliances for a list of Omaha’s six neighborhood alliances and their geographic boundaries. *Source: 10 Famous People Who Were Once Told They Couldn’t by Julianne Miao (11.30.2013)

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Independent Contractor or Employee? Make sure to confirm your status as either an independent contractor or an employee with your company. Employer misclassification of workers as independent contractors is widespread. The IRS estimates millions of employees have been misclassified. If this happens to you, you can lose workplace protections, including the right to join a union. You also face increased taxes, receive no overtime pay and are often ineligible for unemployment and disability. Misclassification, according to the Department of Labor, is often intentional. Employers aren’t required to pay Social Security and unemployment insurance taxes for independent contractors. These tax savings, combined with savings from income and Medicare taxes, can save employers 20 to 40 percent on labor costs. Source: dpeaflcio.org Get the Most Out of Career Fairs Here’s how to get the most out of job fairs, including those run by Omahajobs.com. • Bring your resume. You don’t know how many you’ll need, so bring plenty. • Come prepared. Review online the employers present and their job opportunities. • Dress appropriately. First impressions are important.

• Allow adequate time. Come as early as possible. Fairs close promptly. • Prioritize employers. Assume you’ll have to wait to speak with some employers. • Be flexible. If rep lacks specifics, ask for name of someone who does. • Introduce yourself. Be ready to give your “career pitch.” Have your resume ready. • Take notes. Write down names, numbers, emails of other staff to contact later. • Be courteous. Keep questions brief and offer to continue at a later time. • Get business cards. Send your new contacts thank-you notes right away. Source: career.berkeley.edu Some Great Jobs for Introverts Many job seekers struggle with an issue that hurts their chances, particularly if they must deal with the public. Introverts often can’t “sell themselves” to potential employers. Perhaps meet-and-greet positions like customer service and sales are beyond them. But there are jobs where introverts thrive. For example, inventory and stocking jobs are usually done when stores are closed. If the physical demands of stocking shelves are too much, restaurants have many behind-

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DECEMBER2015VOLUME22NUMBER9 08 COVER STORY PHILANTHROPY 17 PICKS COOL STUFF TO DO IN DECEMBER 20 ART NEW GALLERY OPENS 26 HEARTLAND HEALING FUNNY STUFF 28 THEATER PENNY POWER 31 EAT TABLE FOR ONE 34 CULTURE SHINING LIGHT 36 MUSIC GENE THERAPY 38 BACKBEAT NEW DOWNTOWN VENUE 40 FILM STAR WARS: PLEASE DON’T SUCK 44 HOODOO TOY TIME AND MORE 48 OVER THE EDGE SAVE THE SPECHT 50 MYSTERIAN DOCTOR IS IN

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contents

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DECEMBER 2015

We are blessed with an abundance of charity here.

Over the last decade that interest in helping others has deepened its focus and reach as wealth and leadership transfers to new generations and new leadership emerges. So this holiday season, as we all hopefully consider how we can give back, we wanted to share the stories of some our most prominent philanthropists and how they approach giving. We hope this group inspires and challenges your thinking so that whatever the amount in time or money, you can make the best difference. — John Heaston, Editor

swimming upstream Peter Buffett asks the hard questions “T

BY JOHN HEASTON

he Charitable-Industrial Complex.” The title rang through in the 2013 email from the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands, linking to Peter Buffett’s New York Times editorial of the same name. In it he said the unsaid, capturing the quandary only the world’s most affluent society could ignore. “As more lives and communities are destroyed by the system that creates vast amounts of wealth for the few, the more heroic it sounds to ‘give back,’” wrote Peter. “It’s what I would call ‘conscience laundering’ — feeling better about accumulating more than any one person could possibly need to live on by sprinkling a little around as an act of charity.” Vast wealth built on a huge inequality was feeding massive philanthropic colonialism, he added, creating its own $316 billion industry with 9.4 million employees, too often offering top-down, ineffective solutions that weren’t addressing the roots of real problems. “Because of who my father is, I’ve been able to occupy some seats I never expected to sit in. Inside any important philanthropy meeting, you witness heads of state meeting with investment managers and corporate leaders. All are searching for answers with their right hand to problems that others in the room have created with their left.” Few could make that call with such resonance. The career musician, composer and producer became a global philanthropist in 2006 when the world’s most famous investor tasked his three children, Peter being the youngest, with a fortune to manage for philanthropy. Peter calls it his own big bang. His stage had all of a sudden gotten much bigger and his work with Native American

artists and culture -- including work on Dancing With Wolves, Kevin Costner’s CBS miniseries 500 Nations and his own nationally touring musical production Spirit: The Seventh Fire — prepared him to take a different look at his responsibility. “It started with being tied into the native culture for a good decade or so before the philanthropy started so I had a sense of colonialism,” Peter said in a far-ranging interview shortly after that column’s publication that touched on the role of artists, business and government, polarity, zombies, going native and his best tips for charity. “I had a sense of the damage done when you’re disconnected from your home and the truth that you’ve known for a millennia. And that really is why I was so quick to come up with the philanthropic colonialism idea because of my history before we started philanthropy.” That unique viewpoint allows him to continually test ideas, media and charitable investments. All to be taken, he would insist, to be weighed with your own experiences and viewpoints. “Just because I said ’The emperor has no clothes,’ doesn’t make me an expert tailor.”

A Different Story It’s the fable of that child saying what others wouldn’t or couldn’t that helps explain his role as the public reflector and disruptor in the family’s philanthropy next, to the more measured middle brother, farmer and author Howard and largely silent sister Susie. “We do have to find aspects of our child self, where imagination is the most fresh. When we’re young and anything’s

possible, everything’s possible, and we look at everything with new eyes. So tapping into that is crucial.” His artistic mother encouraged the talent. “I said to my Mom, ‘Mom, I want to grow up and be a musician.’ She said ‘Honey, you can’t do both.’ So there you have it.” His website peterbuffett.com is deep with essays, songs, photos, videos and live performances, most recently a performance based on his New York Times bestseller Life Is What You Make It. He also started a podcast series last month titled What’s Next, a conversation with thought leaders his Novo Foundation supports that live the mission of radical imagination as an essential ingredient of progress. Short on answers but long on observations in his essays, Buffet not only challenges the status quo in philanthropy, but also our culture. “I think any time you’ve got expectations of continual growth, it’s got to always be a race that nobody wins because you’re racing towards some increasing number, and if that number is based on maximizing one part of the puzzle, which would be profit and shareholder value and all that, you’re by very nature, trying to minimize cost which often are humans. “Instead of bemoaning the fact that so many live on less than $2 a day, we should all be figuring out how to live on $2 a day. I’d like to flip the whole thing upside down and drop the massive consumer culture altogether, and reconnect to each other and nature, and natural systems and rhythms. Peter sees the artist’s role as critical in that change. “There has to be somebody out there dreaming, and imagining,

“We do have to find aspects of our child self, where imagination is the most fresh. When we’re young and anything’s possible, everything’s possible, and we look at everything with new eyes. So tapping into that is crucial.”

DECEMBER 2015

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cover story

PETER BUFFETT

“As more lives and communities are destroyed by the system that creates vast amounts of wealth for the few, the more heroic it sounds to ‘give back.’”

and sort of synthesizing what’s possible. Then the businesses learn how to monetize the possibility, and then government learns how to regulate the business. So government’s always last in terms of wherever the new beginnings begin. And sort of in that order, things have to come into being.” “I worry that artist is too limited in people’s imagination of what an artist can be. Because they’re everywhere and I think more people need to feel comfortable with that moniker. I think people need to feel emboldened to be artistic in whatever they do.” If the artist’s role is critical in change, it’s also reflective. “I find it fascinating that in pop culture you often see the reflection of what’s going on in society. So in the ’50s, all these alien movies started happening—UFOs and stuff, and it was this outside menace which was basically the Cold War and communism. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that in pop culture now the biggest things are vampires and zombies. And they’re

both obvious, in terms of how they play out, how people feel, how people feel the system is sucking them dry to some extent.” Understanding not only starts with a childlike wonder, but also the ability to really understand the “other.” One of the antidotes to Philanthropic Colonialism is “going native.” “You want to hang with the natives to understand what their world view is like,” Buffet said, “and by that, I really mean listen and experience . . . felt experience is everything . . . being in the environment is what breaks down the potential for misunderstanding and other-ness.” “Being open to the possibility that someone may look different than you, live differently than you, have cultural differences – whatever – but that inside – and this is what I grew up with my parents. This idea that inside, we’re all bleeding the same blood and wish the same things for our kids. The fundamentals don’t change. I mean, I’ve been fortunate enough now to be in a lot of places in the world, and smiles

work everywhere, tears work everywhere. All the fundamental behaviors and emotions are the same.” New outlooks from a shared commonality allow for discovering a new narrative and changing the discourse from fear to fearlessness. “I would say, to me, fear equals scarcity, reductionism— things that contract are going to be fear-based. Things that are fearless are things, again, like if you’re called crazy and you don’t care, that’s a form of fearlessness where you’re trying new things that may fail. You’re not afraid of failure. That’s probably the single biggest thing is you’re not afraid of failure, and therefore, you will try things, try out new ideas with careful abandon. “I won’t say complete abandon because I would like to throw some wisdom into the fearlessness so we get some good results.” In his essay Man-Made Extinction Event, Peter applies the same analogies to our approach to global warming. In it, he hypothesizes a “new theory of social cohesion,” built on blocks of safety and trust. It’s important, he adds in this interview, that those start at ground level. “The short answer is this new code will come essentially from the bottom up, from the ground up, from local experiments, and people that are willing to use their imagination and to be thought of as fringe right now.” Inherent in change and new narratives is a conflict that we must embrace. Rather than finding a common cause, society is being split. “The trick is to somehow recognize that both [sides] exist. I’ve really been wrestling with this because I don’t think it’s some sort of transcendence to say we are all one and everything’s great. It’s actually to say ‘You know what, we’re all necessary and everything’s messy, but that’s okay.’ “We don’t have to really take sides. We can have different points of view and there’s back and forth. Batteries get their power because there’s a plus and a minus. Generally speaking, everything somehow runs because there’s polarity. “Therein lies the potential for transcendence, I guess, for all of us because it’s the polarity that’s got us locked into this thing. It’s the ‘us versus them’. It’s the party versus the other party.” Based on fundamentally challenging assumptions and lessons learned at the highest levels of philanthropy, what are Peter’s best tips for giving back? “I always go back to local. I always go back to somebody you can look in the eye, a group you can visit firsthand. I think our problems started with separation. The more disconnected you are or can be, the less you’re going to really know what somebody else is experiencing and feeling. “So for charitable donations, I go straight to something you can touch, and feel, and see, and experience in some way. And then, of course, from a pragmatic standpoint, you can track progress.” “I would say don’t go too far beyond your own backdoor and really support the things you care about, and it can be a lot of things.” , more PHILANTHROPY on page 10 y

“... I think people need to feel emboldened to be artistic in whatever they do.”

cover story

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DECEMBER 2015

BY LEO ADAM BIGA

maha’s philanthropic community is known for its unusual generosity. Some attribute this largess to the small town feel of a city where relationships still matter and where it’s possible to rally people around a good idea or cause. Others point to the concentration of several wildly successful companies grown here that give back. Then there’s the metro’s large number of wealthy families, some of whom acquired their fortunes through business and others through investments. The latter include those whose trust in a young Warren Buffett to invest their money in Berkshire Hathaway was rewarded beyond belief. Many landmarks and streets are named after early figures whose late 19th century and early 20th century philanthropy built Omaha. Joslyn, Dodge. Kountze. Creighton. Hitchcock. Cudahy. Doorly. Kenefick. As those early givers passed, new figures stepped up such as Leo A. Daly, Peter Kiewit, Walter Scott, Bob Dougherty, Mike Harper, Tom Nurnberger, Dick Holland, the Storzes, the Durhams, the Hawks, Alan Marcia Baer, the Blumkns-Batts. More recently, Susie Buffett, Bruce Lauritzen, Wally Weitz, John Gottschalk, David Sokol. Bill and Ruth Scott, Allan and Dianne Lozier, the Simons and the Smiths have emerged among Omaha’s new generation of major givers. These movers and shakers underwrite some of Omaha’s great

ties markets, found key mentors he tried emulating in his own leadership and philanthropy. One was former Peter Kiewit Sons Construction head Walter Scott and another was former Northwestern Bell head Tom Nurnberger. “Both of these people I trusted a lot. And my wife has probably been one of my best mentors. Yanney and his wife Gail are a team when it comes to their giving. “We really like to do things that will make a difference and we want to do them the best we can. Therefore you don’t pick a lot of projects, you pick very few and you make sure they’re outside of the box and you’re going to have to stretch to get there.” He says giving decisions are not arrived at by accident but by due diligence. “It is something that comes as you see the demand and the opportunity to pick things up.” Youth mentoring is a prime giving area for him. What’s known now as Partnership4Kids has grown from 20 to some 5,000 young people served. “It’s certainly a commitment and we feel it’s working and there’s very good leadership.” The program mentors at-risk kids from early elementary school through college to try and break the cycle of poverty many come from. “Anything we can do to eradicate poverty is going to make a long-term difference to the overall picture and happiness of our community,” Yanney says. Health care, particularly UNMC, is another prime giving area. “We have an absolutely strong feeling that medical cen-

ter is making a big difference to this region. Anything you can do to improve medical research, quality of patient care will make a huge difference.” Yanney doesn’t see an end to the generosity that’s made “Omaha a very unique place,” adding, “I think there’s a very good chance it will continue as long as there’s very good leadership. The money is there but there’re not going to give if the quality of leadership isn’t there.” He says the leadership of Walter Scott, whom he calls “the chairman of the board of Omaha.” will be “very hard to replace” whenever he’s gone. Still, Yanney says, “I’m very optimistic. We’ve really got some great young people moving into the leadership.”

Todd and Betiana Simon

Todd Simon points to the fourth generation of his Omaha Steaks family empire, including his late father philanthropist Fred Simon, as “very inspirational to me personally.” He adds, “It was basically leading by example. That giving back to the community is just something you do both through financial support but also by being on boards, helping with capital campaigns, providing leadership where appropriate. I think it was my uncle Alan who said to me one time, ‘Community service is my hobby,’ and I think that really struck with me. It’s a great hobby to have when you can take something you’re really passionate about and turn it

for the greater good Omaha’s legacy of philanthropy continues in old and new hands public-private places and endeavors. Holland Performing Arts Center. Orpheum Theatre. University of Nebraska Medical Center. UNO. Creighton. Film Streams. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. Durham Museum. Omaha Community Playhouse. Omaha Symphony. Opera Omaha. Great Plains Theatre Conference. Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. And many others. They have skin in the game, too, in things like the United Way and Building Bright Futures, whose greatest benefactor, Susie Buffett, is a notable female exception in what’s otherwise ostensibly a men’s club. These charitable doyens not only give money but provide leadership on boards and committees and lend more informal advice and service. Few donors are as colorful or irascible as Dick Holland (see main story). The 94-year-old represents a dying breed who tells it as he sees it, throwing political correctness out the window, but getting things done, too.

Michael and Gail Yanney

A bridge figure between Holland and today’s new generation philanthropists is Michael Yanney, 81, founder and chairman emeritus of The Burlington Capital Group. Yanney, who came from poverty in small town Neb. to work his way up the ranks of commercial banking and commodi-

“We really like to do things that will make a difference and we want to do them the best we can.”

DECEMBER 2015

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cover story

into something you really want to spend time on.” He says the calculations he and his wife Betiana use in making giving decisions “starts with the heart” and follows with the head. “The question Betiana and I ask is. ‘How can we have the most positive impact on the project, whatever that project is, and on the community that project serves.’ We’ve made the choice to support the arts and human services and obviously those are both really big buckets. Within those we make the decision of how we’re going to support. “We have been focused on doing programming support in the arts and making sure the institutions we’re supporting can do first class programming work. In health and human services we’re more focused on the mission of the organization and in those instances we’re happy to fund just direct operating support because we know so much of the work of these organizations goes right to their beneficiaries.” In weighing an organization and its need, he says, “I try not to over-think it,” adding, “I think what it really comes down to is people give to people and so I look to the leadership of the organizations both from a staff and a board perspective and the question I ask is, Does this organization have the capacity to deliver on their mission? That’s usually a fairly easy determination to make and once I’m confident they can, then we’ll typically feel good about giving. I leave it up to the leadercontinued on page 12 y

MICHAEL AND GAIL YANNEY

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“What we tend to do is find organizations doing a terrific job and we stay with them, not only financially but also from a time commitment perspective. We join the board or participate in a committee or get involved in leadership in some way. That keeps us really connected.”

TODD AND BETIANA SIMON “serves to create a cultural connection around people and a dialogue around important issues – I think that’s true of all of the arts organizations we support.” Annette Smith says such activities enrich the cultural landscape. “It makes our community a more vibrant place to live for everyone.” Paul says they support any arts endeavor that promotes access and diversity “in creating community around art.” Sometimes, their passions for youth and arts overlap, as in the examples of their investments in the Kent Bellows Institute and Omaha Conservatory of Music. He says their giving reflects their belief the arts are integral to a well-rounded life and city. “Imagining our city without these things – without a symphony, an opera, art museums and challenging places where new art is being created – imagines a less interesting, less connected, less enjoyable place to live. So that’s why we think of it as a form of investment when we invest in the arts.” Smith says he and his wife remain “active in the dialogue that exists in our community broadly around these sorts of institutions, so we try to support them not only with contributions but with counsel and service. And sometimes that means a board seat and sometimes it doesn’t.” ,

Read more of Leo Adam Biga’s work at leoadambiga.com.

ship of the organization to deliver on their programming and promises, which they almost always do.” The Simons prefer going with sure things and sticking with them. “What we tend to do is find organizations doing a terrific job and we stay with them, not only financially but also from a time commitment perspective. We join the board or participate in a committee or get involved in leadership in some way. That keeps us really connected. “We kind of want to go deep rather than broad. We’re most effective in our philanthropy when it’s not just about writing a check. “I think the most fulfilling thing is planting seeds and seeing them grow into the community.”

Paul and Annette Smith

Philanthropists sometimes partner on projects. The Simons joined forces with another new era power couple, Paul and Annette Smith, in founding The Impact Circle for Big Brothers, Big Sisters. The Smiths, recipients of the 2015 Sower Award in the Humanities, have used others’ giving to guide their own.

“There are a host of great examples we’ve borrowed from,” says Paul Smith, a founding member of Tenaska Capital Management. “Our approach is probably an amalgam of different approaches we’ve seen with others.” An early influence on them was Howard and Rhonda Hawks. The Smiths divide their giving between youth serving organizations and the arts. In each case, their head and heart enter the equation. “We try to focus on outcomes – on how much impact we’re really having,” Smith says. “I suppose that is the head part but we’re pretty passionate about both of these areas, so there’s a lot of heart in it, too. So it’s some of both for us.” When it comes to young people they look to impact “underserved and disadvantaged youth, especially through avenues that enhance their educational and social opportunities,” Smith says. “What we look for is a real efficacy and real difference made sustainably over time in the lives of young people in our community.” When it comes to the arts, he says, “we’re looking to create cultural assets in our community.” He says they prefer to support programming of the kind that Film Streams does that

“We try to focus on outcomes – on how much impact we’re really having.”

DECEMBER 2015

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PAUL AND ANNETTE SMITH more PHILANTHROPY on page 14 y

ON D N

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DECEMBER 2015

BY LEO ADAM BIGA

maha’s philanthropic heavyweights are generally male, old-monied Great White Fathers whose wealth and influence support health, human services, education and the arts. A veteran of this deep-pocketed fraternity is Richard D. Holland. The Omaha native came from an upper middle class family that produced high achievers. Holland took over his father’s small advertising firm and built it into the metro’s second largest agency but his real fortune came from investing with Warren Buffett. An entrepreneur from the jump, he ran an ice house that fronted for a bookie operation, he probed rail grain shipments, he sold Fuller brushes door to door, he cut lawns and he did janitorial work. “I found out kind of early I didn’t want to work for somebody – I wanted to be my own boss,” he says. He also served a stint in the Chemical Corps during World War II. “It’s obvious I learned a lot as I went along.” “There were disappointments in all the things I did,” he says, but it taught him the resilience he finds lacking in many today. He advises young people that “by trying out things regardless of what they are you begin to gain confidence.” According to the occupational assessment inventory developed by his late star psychologist brother John “Jack” Holland, he’s an investigative, artistic, entrepreneurial type. Those traits, along with some luck, helped him amass wealth. The Holland Foundation he and his late wife Mary Holland established reported assists of $150 million in 2014. Like his first generation philanthropic cronies, Holland’s a

The ultra progressive Holland is a robust Democratic Party political contributor. He proudly proclaims his liberal leanings and Unitarian beliefs by supporting humanistic public policies and rigorously questioning things. Unlike some fellow travelers, he favors giving the undeserved tools or means for success rather than hand-outs. This blend of pragmatist and creative studied art at what’s now the University of Nebraska at Omaha and spent his salad days wooing ad clients. His agency devised campaigns for industrial clients, including Valmont, and political candidates. His philosophy on giving is getting “results,” and “making ideas a reality.” “It’s always great to have ideas but somehow or other somebody has to pay, and pay big in order to get something done.” He does his homework before committing funds. “I’m not throwing money at it.” He says he makes his donations public because “I’ve learned I actually influence a few people. I’m sure if somebody hears I’m into anything big they say, ‘Well, he’s not just playing around.’ I hope it’s true.” He uses the same art of persuasion he practiced as a Mad Man trying to win others over to his way of thinking. “Some of the great lessons I learned in advertising, like how to talk to people to try and convince them of an idea, have served me well.” He adamantly endorses America providing free prenatal care and early childhood education for all at-risk families. He says the presence or absence of that care and education is often the difference between success and failure in school and later in life. “Brain research indicates what happens to a child between 0 and 3 is far more important than anything else that hap-

pens to him in his life in terms of growing up and becoming a productive citizen. It’s a truth I’m trying to get across to the rest of society. Hell, yes, I’m trying to influence public opinion. “ He considers his advocacy for early childhood ed the most important thing he’s ever supported. “Oh, absolutely.” He envisions a large, central funding apparatus to support another passion, the arts, but rues it iall take someone younger to launch it. “I see the future not being so much private but much more public,” says the man for whom the Holland Performing Arts Center is named. “I don’t see the enormous private fortunes coming along in Omaha where they can make $100 million gifts.” Holland points out that some of the biggest local fortunes were made by early Warren Buffett investors like himself and by the heads of dynastic companies. Both groups are dying out and there isn’t necessarily new rich blood replacing them. He says the more cosmopolitan Omaha that’s emerged was a long time coming as the city’s economic base transitioned from blue collar industrial to white collar professional and things like the arts became more valued quality of life measures “We had a helluva time getting over the fact we were a cow town. That was Omaha’s original wealth. We had all the great packing plants. That whole thing just disappeared and a new system or class replaced it.” Like his peers, Holland’s giving includes many education initiatives. He funded the Robert T. Reilly Professorship of Communications at UNO named in honor of his old advertis-

old lion of giving Dick Holland promotes change and progress through philanthropy Great Depression and Second World War product. While they largely operate behind the scenes on capital and building campaigns. Holland’s an outlier who speaks bluntly and publicly about things he’s passionate about. That’s in stark contrast to his peers, who parse words in carefully prepared press releases and sound bites devoid of personality and controversy. Where others prefer uniformity, Holland, a science geek, favors chaos theory. He’s the rogue who says what’s on his mind not only behind closed doors but in interviews and letters to the editor and lets the chips fall where they may. He’s equally capable being a team player or going his own way. For example, when an organization he helped found and fund, Building Bright Futures, balked at doing lobbying and research he favored, he cut ties with it to form two organizations of his own – Holland Children’s Movement and Holland Children’s Institute – charged with those two priorities, respectively. This Europhile’s opinionated critiques of what he deems American lapses can come off as the bluster of a crusty, crotchety old man. Like what he says or not, he puts his money where his mouth is.

“I see the future not being so much private but much more public.”

DECEMBER 2015

| THE READER |

cover story

ing partner. Holland monies established the Cardiovascular Research Laboratories at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He helped found the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. He backed the purchase of a supercomputer at the Peter Kiewit Institute in the Holland Computing Center. He’s equally bullish in his arts philanthropy. “I suppose it really began in the mid-’80s and really got going in the late ‘90s.” His lead donations enabled construction of the Holland Performing Arts Center and renovation of the Orpheum Theatre. “I was on a symphony committee about building a new home and every time we had a meeting we had great ideas and no money. I got to talking to Sue Morris of Heritage Services because I knew about its work with the Joslyn and so on. That was Bob Dougherty and Walter Scott getting together the fat cats. Bob was after me on it and then it was the SAC museum. Coming home from some meeting he and Walter were talking and they said we ought to set up a permanent organization to take on some of these things important to the city,” That something became Omaha Performing Arts and Holland says his two giving buddies “are greatly to be compli-

DICK HOLLAND

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DECEMBER 2015

mented because few cities have this.” He recalls a backstage inspection at the Orpheum revealed an antiquated theater illequipped to accommodate large touring shows. “It was just dismal. I think that viewing of the Orpheum opened some eyes to the need and things began to move after that.” The Hollands made the biggest gift and later gave more but he credits others for actually making the Orpheum project happen. “Without Heritage I don’t think we would have got it done then. Sue (Morris) is a wonderful gatherer. She also understands construction.” Adapting the Orpheum from a vaudeville and movie house into “a full-blown theater” hosting Broadway shows before record crowds paid off. “Hell, we have tours coming that take two weeks to load-in with eight over-the-road trailers. Elaborate damn things. That wouldn’t have been possible without that work. We reseated it, too. Cut out one aisle to make a better line-of-sight. We brightened it up. It’s a lovely place. If you had to duplicate it today you better start with $150 to $200 million. Besides being home to the symphony, the Holland Center hosts dozens of shows a year across the live arts spectrum. He’s proud of how generously Omaha supports its arts, as most recently evidenced by community giving that made the new Blue Barn Theatre possible. But he bemoans the way funding’s done. “Our support of the arts leaves everybody gasping at the end of every year over a lack of funds. This to me we don’t see the arts is an economic engine for the whole damn society. Major donors tend to be heads of companies, corporations and generally they’re not artistics in the sense of having great artistic interests. The net is they dismiss the arts – there’s a lack of understanding of value. “Nobody’s ever nailed down that value but I always think about European cities where they think nothing of putting up millions for operas and symphonies and privately and publicly support them because they recognize a major industry for Vienna or Berlin or Paris is the arts. And it’s not just the performing arts – it’s museums, galleries.” He feels America must move away from its haphazard support to something more consistent and equitable but he concedes that sea change requires a new mindset. “At the present time most of the arts struggle. Funding is dispersed, it’s spread around, there’s no leadership of it. That’s one of the reasons why I think a great coalition is needed.” He says if the city can invest $150 million to build TD Ameritrade Park for the two-week College World Series there’s no reason it can’t invest similarly in arts that serve audiences year-round. It galls him that the public sector leaves the bulk of arts funding to the private sector. He feels Omaha could capitalize more on its existing amenities and perhaps expand offerings to become a regional destination. “It almost defies anybody saying the arts don’t amount to much because of all these things going on and the audiences that go there. In the 10 years since the opening of

DEBRA S. KAPLAN

DICK HOLLAND

“At the present time most of the arts struggle. Funding is dispersed, it’s spread around, there’s no leadership of it. That’s one of the reasons why I think a great coalition is needed.”

the Holland and the refurbishing of the Orpheum we’ve had millions of people pass through. Those people came from not just Omaha or the outlying districts. We’ve done studies which indicate that maybe 20 or 25 percent and once in a while as high as 40 percent come from beyond. It’s a support for the restaurants, hotels, parking garages-lots, shops and so on. “I think there’s an enormous amount to be gained by making Omaha a Middle Western city that is well known for its arts.” For him, it’s part of the calculus that makes a city livable and attractive. “I think what’s greatly underestimated is why people come to Omaha and want to live here. One of the economic engines is the Med Center. I’ve talked to them about the arts and its effects and one of the things they point out is that when they want to bring in someone to head up a new initiative or an existing section they tell me the key is the wife. The first question she asks is, ‘What are the arts like?’ She’s the key because if she says no it’s no and it doesn’t make

much difference how good the offer is. These decisions are made like that. “The whole cultural scene is a big, big part of a community.” He’s dismayed America forces presenting organizations to be perpetually on the beg and cuts arts ed in public schools. “They cut out the arts in the schools at a time when they’re needed most,” he says about a nationwide patern. “They cut out the arts in a town when they have to balance budgets. This is nearsightedness.” An area he feels Omaha has fallen much shorter in yet is handling its growing poverty population. “It’s neglected its poor people badly. Omaha’s doing OK economically but it is has great difficulty educating poor kids. To me that’s the worst thing Omaha does.” While he applauds the metro’s “highly developed educational system” he says too many children enter school unprepared to learn and too few programs address preparing them. Reading difficulties, for example, get magnified when kids become adults and don’t have the education or skills to get living wage or salaried jobs. “’I don’t see this so much as an intellectual problem as a community problem. We have all kinds of government programs designed to grab these people as they fall off the cliff. The failure is to raise them so they can climb cliffs. There’s no question in my mind it’s going to be a major government project. It has to be.” He insists universal early childhood education is the key to reversing the situation but claims legislators ignore the evidence. “We are terribly ignorant in this country about early childhood. We just plain are dumb. We don’t understand how kids get educated even though it stares us in the face and we are not willing in many cases to turn around and fix this. The proof is all over the place, all you have to do is look at it. There’s no point sitting around speculating about it. If we do it, it will end the problem. It’s very clear. Hell, we can look at all kind of European education systems – you’ll see the same thing.” He feels America may have missed an opportunity with Head Start. “If we had continued to develop Head Start we might have got there.” New models have emerged that show promise. “We have something going on in Neb. headed by Susie Buffett, Educare, that’s a helluva good idea. It’s also expensive. But it is a proven thing now.” “The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation is one of the largest in the United States. What they’re attempting to do in education and the schools through Building Bright Futures is just monumental.” He’s also encouraged by the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and the impact it’s making in raising awareness and standards. The goal is creating holistic after school and daycare programs that are educational and developmentally based, not just caretakers. Holland, whose support of the Child Saving Institute is legendary, says, “I just decided to focus on this problem. It’s dif-

“It’s neglected its poor people badly. Omaha’s doing OK economically but it is has great difficulty educating poor kids. To me that’s the worst thing Omaha does.”

DECEMBER 2015

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NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS, PHOTO CREDIT: MALIA JAMES

Thursday, December 3 THE ENGLISH BEAT WITH THE INTERRUPTERS The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple Street 8:00 p.m., $25 www.waitingroomlounge.com

Friday, December 4 TELECASTER DISASTERS W/ FILTER KINGS, MONDAY MOURNERS, CLARENCE TILTON, AND THE WILLARDS BAND The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple Street 9:00 p.m., $8 www.waitingroomlounge.com Get ready for a shindig of epic proportions. On and off again band The Filter Kings return to the stage to offer their signature souped up smack down of hellbilly fury for a night that will most assuredly have a music stores’ inventory of “Tellies” along with the talent to make them all scream. Joining the twang-fest will be Monday Mourners, Clarence Tilton, and the Willards, all bands that have incredible songwriting talents, mad guitar skills, amazing vocals, and some of the best rhythm sections in the Midwest. It’ll be the perfect night to grab your PBRs and get aurally assaulted by Omaha’s best guitar-slingers and redneck rockers. — Wayne Brekke

THE ENGLISH BEAT

The iconic sound of the English Beat simply never gets old. This band has been bringing the ska, dance, reggae, and pop beats to rabid fans since the early 80’s, showing that one can still have a skankin’ good time with the Birmingham band that spearheaded the pop/ska revival movement. They still play all the hits (and there are many), and they play them with as much exuberance as they did back when there were still VJs on MTV. Opening the night will be California’s The Interrupters, an uptempo outfit that blends frantic punk beats with classic Jamaican sounds for a signature West Coast ska sound. Put on your tie, shine up the creepers, hop on the Vespa, and get your skank on! — Wayne Brekke

Sunday, December 6 FASHION SHOW: CHRISTMAS AT CAPITOL Embassy Suites La Vista, 12520 Westport Parkway 7:00 p.m., $10, $25, $50 www.capitollook.com

CHRISTMAS AT CAPITOL FASHION SHOW

Capitol School of Hairstyling and Esthetics is at it again, the 27th Annual Christmas at Capitol Fashion show will take place at the Embassy Suites in La Vista. This is a Hair, Makeup and Fashion show, attend this event and be awed by all esthetics. There are three levels of tickets you are able to purchase. $10 General Admission will get you into the show, but you will not be assigned a specific seat. A $25 ticket is the Preferred Seating and is in a reserved seating area. The $50 ticket is VIP, which includes two complimentary drink tickets, table seating closest to the auction and a gift bag. During the event there will be a “Drinks for Diamonds” raffle for a $3,400 diamond, $25 buys a flute of champagne and a raffle ticket into the drawing for the diamond. The scene list is incredibly diverse with themes including holidays, decades and elemental inspirations. — Mara Wilson Wednesday, December 9 NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS AS PART OF THE KIWR THE RIVER HOLIDAY SHOW Sokol Auditorium, 2234 South 13th Street 8:00 p.m., $20 www.sokolunderground.com Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats cannot be pinned down to one genre. Folk-based indie, rock, blues, soul, R&B and gospel are what some have tried to define as this band’s genre. Sure, all of these are similar in sound, but Rateliff and his team are not a musical force to be compared against. If you are a listener of KIWR 89.7 The River you may have heard the band’s lead single, on their latest self-titled album, “S.O.B.” jamming its way through your speakers. The first time I heard the song I thought it was a Sunday afternoon during The River’s segment Mountain Stage, where they play music recorded before an audience. Sometimes the songs fall too far in the folk and country genre for my own taste. However, it was not a Sunday and yet this song was being played. The Cutting Edge of Rock, the radio station I have as a preset in the car to get my Breaking Benjamin, Nothing More, In This Moment, Metallica and Seether fix. But then I thought how diverse our rock station truly is and how I love when

they play Twenty One Pilots, Mumford and Sons, Vance Joy, Halsey and Imagine Dragons. I turned the radio up and gave this song a chance. Immediately I wanted to start dancing and not in a traditionally modern way, more so in an uplifting, soulful, hands to the sky, “Hallelujah,” kind of way. After reading about the song, it seems this is what the band was going for, stepping away from their traditional sound to deliver this throwback soul tune. Rateliff ’s lyrics are inventive and his voice the perfect combination between sweet and sultry. Add the instrumentals and it sounds like this band is having a grand old time. Listen for yourself at Sokol. Along with this diverse band will be Satchel Grande, Moth & The Flame and Brad Hoshaw & The Seven Deadlies. — Mara Wilson Through December 20 LITTLE NELLY’S NAUGHTY NOËL ROLLICKS Blue Barn Theatre, 1106 South 10th Street $25-$30, www.bluebarn.org Little Nelly has a problem. She can’t stop coughing. Well, you know, it’s that time of year. The Smith Brothers (Trade and Mark, you remember) have run out of stock, having stocked so many Christmas stockings. So Nelly has to find another solution to get down her throat. But wait! First, there’s a floorshow featuring a song and dance number called “Three Little Dope Fiend Hos Are We.” Alas, The Strombergs have been separated from each other on ice flows, clinging for dear life after having grabbed space by pushing off other occupants including Little Eliza and her infant. But the Ice Fairies may come to the rescue. Shades of Riverdance could shake the floorboards of the Little House on the Prairie, where somebody’s nuts may get cracked. And it looks as if the Stromberg’s adopted bastard son Experience is in for a bumpy ride. Meanwhile, his half-sister Chastity ponders the conception of virgin birth. What the Dickens is this? It’s Little Nelly’s Naughty Noël brought back to life again at Blue Barn. Maybe you shouldn’t take the kids along; better leave the little lambs in the stable. — Gordon Spencer

continued on page 18y

picks

| THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

Gallery Hours: Wed.-Sat. 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. www.gallery72.com

“CALADIUMS XV,” A WATERCOLOR BY ROBERT THERIEN

y continued from page 17 Saturday, December 26 BRAD HOSHAW TRIBUTE NIGHT The Barley Street Tavern, 2735 North 62nd Street 8:00 p.m., $5 www.barleystreet.com Benson Bard Brad Hoshaw has spent the past few years booking the Barley Street Tavern and is moving on to bigger and brighter things. His series of tribute shows have brought together some of Omaha’s finest singers, songwriters, and bands for evenings in honor of the selected tribute. So it seemed fitting that those who have contributed to these musical montage nights come together in honor of the musician that organized them. Hoshaw’s catalogue is vast and extremely popular with local musicians, many who are flocking for a timeslot to showcase their own versions of Hoshaw favorites. As it’s the day after Christmas, the night should be packed with folks eager to get out of the house to celebrate the season with a few beers, a shot of whiskey, and the storied interpretations of one of Omaha’s best songwriters. — Wayne Brekke

COURTESY OF BRAD HOSHAW MYSPACE

Through December 30 MARY MURPHY Sunderland Gallery, 701 North 40th Street Gallery Hours: Tues.-Fri. 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Sat. 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Third Sunday 10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

www.cathedralartsproject.org Mary Murphy’s retrospective painting show, on display now, is a splendid array of work done from the 1980’s to

DECEMBER 2015

2015 both here and abroad. Stretching into every nook and cranny of the gallery east of St. Cecilia’s Cathedral, this show is a must-see for anyone interested in keeping up with high quality painting in Omaha. Hung expertly into groups by the Cultural Center staff, these large and sumptuous oils and acrylics, as well as ink on copper monotypes, enhance one another by their proximity. Throughout her career, Murphy’s paintings have represented the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of her experience, especially travel. “I seek to explore these avenues so that I may create a personal visual syntax,” she explains in her artist statement. Included in this retrospective are works from the Yangtze River Series in 1998 to Memories of Portofino in 1999, ongoing New York work, and Lily & Beets, shown, from her Omaha studio. — Eddith Buis Through December 31 THE BLACK & WHITE SHOW Modern Arts Midtown, 3615 Dodge Street Opens Friday, Dec. 4, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Gallery Hours: Tues.-Sat. 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. www.modernartsmidtown.com The Black & White Show, features 30 of the gallery’s stable of significant regional artists including Catherine Ferguson, Michael Tegland, James Freeman, Teresa Schmidt, Gary Day, Roberto Kusterle and owner Larry Roots, among others. The limited black and white palette with the occasional shock of color, promises a wide array of imaginative offerings, in a multitude of media approaches ranging from drawings to paintings, prints and sculptures. Because of the cohesiveness and tight range of possibilities offered with a whole show of black, gray and white work, the viewer is promised a respite from the tendency of color to dominate so much of contemporary art. Without the siren song of color, one might instead pay attention to other considerations of design such as line, value and texture, which initially might have seemed limiting. We might even begin to appreciate the potential of using neutral black and white along with color in our personal collections, to quiet and unify the array of work in our homes. More Zen! — Eddith Buis Through January 8 4: HANEY, HARRIS-FERNANDEZ, THERIEN AND WILKINSON Gallery 72, 1806 Vinton Street Gallery Talk: Wednesday, Dec. 2, 7:00 p.m.

| THE READER |

picks

As the holidays approach, group shows with pleasing demeanors become the gallery standard, trading on the festive outlook of the season. The larger the show, the greater emphasis on providing something for everyone and less on a taut framework of connectivity. What, then, do the works of Amy Haney, Al Harris-Fernandez, Robert Therien and Shea Wilkinson have in common? It’s not medium—painting, printmaking, watercolor and thread art—as one can readily see in their current group show at Gallery 72. Styles too run the gamut from abstraction to detailed realism. Retired Midlands University professor Therien is renowned for his luminous watercolors and paintings of plants and ponds. Haney, an instructor at UNO and Hot Shops artist, is known for her meticulous bird imagery, rendering isolated avian beauties in her etchings and woodcut prints. Harris-Fernandez may be more recognized as the longtime director of the Sioux City Art Center, but is also a painter who frames space in his works by creating floating clusters of biomorphic and geometric shapes strongly suggestive of both natural and manmade structures. Wilkinson makes freely composed stitched imagery on fabric inspired by variously by nature, whether cosmic or terrestrial, real or imagined. — Janet L. Farber Through January 8 NOLAN TREDWAY Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam Street Opening Reception: Friday, Dec. 4, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Gallery Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov Nolan Tredway, the co-director of Tugboat Gallery in Lincoln along with running his own gallery and studio there, studied art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with additional course-work from the Fundacion Ortega y Gasset in Toledo, Spain. The artist explores both personal and established mythologies, with a particular emphasis on their contemporization and hybridization. Tredway juxtaposes both the classic and contemporary as reflected not only in his subject matter, but also in his style, blending an illustrative approach with Renaissance techniques. His work has earned the Ida M. Vreeland Award and a Nebraska Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship. While primarily a painter and filmmaker, he

‘MILES TO GO,’ BY ARTIST TERESA SCHMIDT, INCLUDED IN “THE BLACK & WHITE SHOW,”

also works in a variety of media from T-shirt to toy design. He is the creator of the marionette short film series, “Milk,” which has been shown nationally, and his paintings have been exhibited internationally. — Michael J. Krainak Through January 21 FRAUKE BERGEMANN: WASSER Garden of the Zodiac Gallery, 1042 Howard Street Opens Thursday, Dec. 10, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Gallery Hours: Tues.-Sat. Noon-8:00 p.m., Sun. Noon-6:00 p.m. www.facebook.com/TheGardenOfTheZodiac German photographer Frauke Bergemann is presenting a new body of digital compositions involving landscape subjects observed over time. Frauke Bergemann: Wasser opens in the Garden of the Zodiac Gallery. Her new photographs are large-scale studies of forest interiors, intimately experienced places where diverse habitats of trees, understory plants and water all coexist. The images are panoramic and richly detailed, the result of the artist’s preferred approach to using digital photography as a means to stitch together views taken of the same place over changing seasons. Additionally, subtle changes in perspective and selective focus result in an immersive, nearly 3D effect. The photocompositions become an analog to one’s experiences of a familiar place, an accumulated appreciation that occurs over time and becomes, in itself, a kind of new reality. — Michael J. Krainak

BY GERMAN PHOTOGRAPHER FRAUKE BERGEMANN

saveayou a seat.) .) (We’ll save(We’ll you seat

Smile

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DECEMBER 2015

GRACEUNDERPRESSURE

DEBRA S. KAPLAN

ART

B Y J A N E T L . FA R B E R

DEBRA S. KAPLAN

Gallery 1516 emerges into Metro art scene with inaugural exhibit, Friends of Kent

artview: Interior views of the metro’s newest art space, Gallery 1516 at 15th and Leavenworth.

DECEMBER 2015

or some time now, downtown drivers along Leavenworth Street have been channeling Tom Waits (“What’s he building in there?”) as they’ve whizzed past renovations happening near the corner of 16th. First came destruction. Signs for Avis car rental were plastered over. Metal garage doors were boarded up. Slowly, the non-descript facade gave way to signs of progress. Simple geometric volumes began unifying the building’s fabric with its lowslung brick neighbor. A new entrance framed by a two-story glass opening was installed. The numbers 1516 next wrapped the corner of a new parapet. Architectural grace emerged, and this fall Metro welcomed a new arts venue.

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Gallery 1516, which opened to the public at the end of October with its inaugural exhibition, Friends of Kent, is the brainchild of Patrick Drickey, the result of his singular and unyielding passion. A photographer in both the art and commercial realms, Drickey and his company, Stonehouse, are recognized internationally for his lush, detailed panoramic landscapes that capture the essence of the world’s most beloved golf courses. Drickey has long been an involved in the local art scene, as well as being an early convert to the certain charms of the Old Market. He was a cofounder of the Artists’ Coop in the 1970s, presently serves on the Nebraska Arts Council board, and has maintained a downtown business presence for decades. When the buildings on Leavenworth came

on the market in 2000, he took advantage of a need to relocate. As the newest addition to the cultural fabric of downtown Omaha, Gallery 1516 is a nonprofit and performance space “dedicated to the exhibition, study and promotion of Nebraska and regional artists.” The gallery will accomplish its goals primarily as a visual arts venue, as well as a space willing to host music, opera, dance and performance in addition to its more traditional offerings of changing exhibitions and lectures. The eastern-most building of the complex is what remains of the century-old St. Philomena grade school; fittingly, it had most recently housed the studio of longtime Creighton art professor Frances

beyondlocal: Gallery Founder Patrick Drickey (left, with wife Karen) says his venue will specialize in local and regional artists along with travelling exhibits from the Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney and the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art in David City.

DEBRA S. KAPLAN

Kraft. In time, Drickey transformed part of the space into the state-of-the-art home for Stonehouse, and the upper level into an office/guesthouse/art gallery/event space. Slowly, the venue began hosting arts events. Among them were shows devoted to Omaha artists Leonard Thiessen and Milton Wolsky, whose important contributions to the development of area visual arts, Drickey felt, had been too long obscured. The gallery had also featured recent work by Bill Hoover, Larry Sosso and Joe Broghammer, indicating an interest that would not just be historical. Drickey further teamed with the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) in Kearney, an institution whose mission is to celebrate the accomplishments of artists connected to this state. They were a taste of things to come, because behind the scenes, Drickey was formulating plans to expand into the space occupied by Avis when its lease was up, to turn it into serious, professional galleries that could be made available to Nebraska’s artists to show their work. Now completely renovated, the gallery boasts 6,600 square feet of floor space with over 400 running feet of display along its purpose-built walls and flexible suspended system of vertical hanging screens, an innovation of which Drickey is especially proud. The envelope of the space itself is also a work of art, as its transformation from an 1883 livery stable into a stable-less gallery of art can be enjoyed in the exposed brick walls, wood trusses and corrugated metal ceiling; the new terrazzo underfoot provides a perfect marriage of old and new craftsman-industrial sensibilities. A good gallery, however, is more than a clean, well-lit space. It is a place where returning visitors may expect to see art that enriches, challenges and expands understanding of the creative spirit. Especially important to Drickey, it should affirm the value that artists have in our communities and encourage young people to choose creative careers. The mission of Gallery 1516 is to provide a venue for regional artists to exhibit their work at no charge to the artist, according to its website which further adds “No hanging or exhibition fees are charged to artists, nor commissions charged on work sold from the gallery.” This positions the nonprofit space well apart from commercial galleries, who share in a percentage of sales in return for providing space, promotion and management. continued on page 22 y

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DECEMBER 2015

theartist: Kent Bellows, “Self-Portrait: August, 1995 (Target)”, acrylic & oil on panel.

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The effort to promote economic viability in this way has not gone unnoticed, says Susan Thomas, Omaha Creative Institute’s founding executive director. “As Omaha’s creative landscape continues to evolve, Gallery 1516 is a clever way to be supportive of local artists. Importantly, its nonprofit structure allows the organization to work closely with talented artists striving to be financially sustained through their chosen craft. And the gallery makes local artwork even more accessible to a growing audience.” Artists wishing to exhibit their works submit an online application, which is vetted by Drickey and a small team of curatorial advisors. Because of the space’s flexible display potential, he envisions that several shows may run concurrently, perhaps along a given theme or interwoven context. Also important to 1516’s mission is its pursuit of collaborations with other state organizations. Foremost, it solidifies a relationship with MONA, which will share exhibition programming regularly. “Opportunities like these promote Nebraska art and artists to a broader audience,” said MONA Director Audrey Kauders. She noted that Drickey’s “passion for Nebraska artists parallels MONA’s and this single vision naturally brings us together to showcase, nurture and celebrate Nebraska’s artists.” Drickey has also forged relationships with the Nebraska chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Omaha Symphony and Opera Omaha. He welcomes the potential to partner with the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art in David City and the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln. In this manner, Gallery 1516 steps into a kind of breach in local nonprofit programming. For venues such as Joslyn or Kaneko, programs might include the state’s artists, but it is not a specific part of their brief nor a routine part of their offerings. The Bemis Center has variously made room for locals in its programs, but its cyclical mission realignment has left their role a bit of an unknown. Understandably, the area-focused Union for Contemporary Arts does not maintain an interest in presenting historical perspectives. In Omaha, Gallery 1516 is perhaps closest in spirit to the Nebraska Arts Council’s Fred Simon Gallery, with its focus on the state’s visual artists. Excitingly, Gallery 1516’s first exhibition sets a high bar for the seriousness, professionalism and insightfulness of future endeavors. Entitled Friends of Kent, the show marks the tenth anniversary of the untimely passing of lauded realist artist Kent Bellows by joining a retrospective of his career with the output of fellow travelers Vern Bellows, Stephen Cornelius Roberts, Edgar Jerins, Mark Chickinelli, Paul Otero and Greg Scott. Friends of Kent continues through Jan.1, 2016 and gallery hours and details can be found at gallery1516.org.

DECEMBER 2015

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art

Kent Bellows is one of Omaha’s most recognized artists, with a distinct style, a loyal national following, New York gallery representation, and a considerable persona. Drickey counts himself among Bellows’ inner circle and has made it a point, along with the artist’s family and local admirers, of keeping alive the flame of his legacy. For this show, Drickey joined again with Dr. Molly Hutton, who also served as guest curator for the 2010 Bellows retrospective at Joslyn. For 1516, Hutton assembled a show that reprised many of the iconic artworks—self-portraits as well as penetrating studies of family and friends—plus lesser-known early paintings and an array of nudes that hadn’t quite fit the “family-friendly” rubric of the Joslyn presentation. In all, 55 of Bellows’ works are on view, drawn from area collections. Bellows was known for his keenly observed and meticulously detailed drawings in pencil or charcoal, and for paintings in egg tempera and acrylic on panel. Each has a nearly magnetic attraction, for at the technical level, the artist had a tremendous gift for conveying in exacting detail the texture of a surface or the

plasticity of flesh. Beyond that, Bellows could limn the mood of a place or the demeanor of an individual. All the things that interested or concerned him were injected into his artwork—his love for movies, science fiction and music; the intensity of family life, etc.—in what Hutton describes as “an all-encompassing and necessary process of coming to terms with his own reality through total engagement with the creative act.” It wasn’t just that Bellows could record reality—he created it. He had a knack for turning a portrait into an implied narrative—“little movies that don’t move,” he called them once. The mature works on view especially illustrate that he often sought confrontation, whether in the form of self-scrutiny or veiled psychodramas that were supercharged by his elaborately handcrafted background sets. The cycle he began on the Seven Deadly Sins in the years prior to his death were among the most iconographically, psychologically and visually complex of his career. Bellows’ legacy is not only in the artwork he left behind, but in the lives that he touched, as represented by the works of his fellow artists here. Most of them, like

Drickey, were his contemporaries, though Vern Bellows, represented by a single still life, was Kent’s father. The elder Bellows was an accomplished watercolorist, ad artist and illustrator, and, per the label description, Kent’s “best friend.” Clearly, they shared a love of detail, of the meaning and sentiment that might be invested in ordinary items; Hutton points out that “several of the same still-life elements that appear in his father’s works also appear in Kent’s.” This group of artists also shares the thread of realism. As did Bellows, Otero thrives on highly detailed portrait subjects rendered in graphite. Similarly, he implies narrative by foregrounding his sitters against imaginative backgrounds, sometimes terrestrial, sometimes celestial. If Bellows was an auto-biographer, Otero is a magic realist, in which his dreamscapes merge plausibly authentic interior and exterior worlds. Continuing the metaphor, then, it’s fair to call Roberts the master of non-fiction. An Omaha-based artist whose career also rooted in New York around the same time as Bellows’, Roberts has focused nearly ex-

coldcomfort: Edgar Jerins, “Tom in Winter,” 2014, charcoal on paper

continued on page 24 y

art

| THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

EDITORFAVE:

Stephen Cornelius Roberts, “Painting of M,” oil on linen.

y continued from page 23

clusively on oil paintings of nude subjects. His models are confrontational in a different way—life-size or larger, they stare you down from across the room. This is the serious business of form and color, with no busy backgrounds to distract a shy eye. Yet corporeal as the nudes are, Roberts does not seem to permit his subjects to be the muses of our fantasies, except perhaps for the delightful “Narcissus’ Sister”, a kind of pre-Snapchat wink at exhibitionism. Perhaps the inheritor of the Bellows’ psychologically fraught realism is the younger Jerins, an Omaha native who now lives in New York. Working in large scale in charcoal on paper, he has generated an ongoing series of theatrically lit, emotionally taut dramas both inspired by and featuring members of his family. His pieces have been called “narrative noir” for their tense cinematic qualities, tonal contrasts and sense of foreboding. If Bellows’ work questions the meaning of life existentially, Jerins’ seems to ponder it fatalistically. Rounding out the presentation are the works of two artists who careers have more closely hewn to the commercial ends of the art world, but whose backgrounds and love of art grew from local seeds. Chickinelli has shared his subjects ranging from images of musicians to Western and Native American subjects, the latter of which make interesting counterpoints to Bellows’ early and little known paintings inspired by vintage photographs. Chickinelli is certainly a colorist, and prefers a looser painterly approach to capturing the spirit of people and places. Scott, who had spent many years as the art director for Rolling Stone magazine, has lent several of his pencil drawings. They partake of surrealism, sometimes dark and fantastic, other times spotlighting the humor in odd conjunctions. He takes particular pride in having commissioned a young Bellows to produce a portrait of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick for the magazine, an image that soon became iconic and is featured in the exhibition. Judging by the hundreds of smiling faces at the gallery’s opening on October 22, Omaha is happy to recognize not only its practitioners of realist style but also its new reality—that it now has an HQ for artistic talent of this region. “This is a world-class space,” says Roberts, “and shows great consideration for the financial needs of artists.” “Pat has always done things first class and his vision of presenting Nebraska artists is unique and very helpful,” adds Chickinelli. So what did he build in there? A new artist’s stable, indeed. ,

FACINGPAGE: Kent Bellows, “Mandala,” 1990, pencil on paper

DECEMBER 2015

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art

| THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

BY MICHAEL BRAUNSTEIN

“L

heartlandhealing

augh, laugh I thought I’d die…” In 1964, Norman Cousins lay dying at UCLA Medical Center. Doctors told him his disease was terminal and there was nothing they could do. They were half right. There was nothing they could do. Cousins didn’t accept their prognosis. While in excruciating pain from ankylosing spondylitis, a rare disease that inflamed his spine, Cousins found that after watching a Marx Brothers movie on television, he laughed so hard that it exhausted him and he slept soundly without narcotics for the first time in weeks. Cousins ordered in a film projector — it was 1964 — and all the Marx movies and slapstick comedy he could get his hands on. He improved dramatically. Pain decreased. He slept soundly. And amazingly, blood tests showed his immune system was healing and inflammation went down. Cousins had been editor of The Saturday Review and went on to chronicle his recovery in his 1969 book Anatomy of an Illness, a cornerstone in the field of modern laughter therapy. The entire movie version is free at https:// youtu.be/0LwKd68S15I. For the next 20 years, Cousins gathered scientific proof of his belief. He established the Humor Research Task Force at UCLA, coordinating world-wide clinical research on humor therapy. Like so many common-sense and natural approaches to healing, laughing for health wasn’t new with Cousins’ experience. Laughter is cited in classical Greek civilization as gelotology, using the Greek root gelos — or laughter. Historical, (or hysterical?) physicians in ancient Greece sent patients to humorous shows. In many other cultures, jesters were considered an important part of every royal court. Native Americans used clowns as a part of shamanic ritual. One can hardly drive a mile in the American Southwest without seeing the image of one Hopi symbol of humor, Kokopelli. The work of this mythical mirth-maker is to bring harmony, fertility and joy to the tribe by making the tribe laugh. He often appeared with his sidekick, the Trickster or Coyote. Even the Bible endorses laughter as a form of healing and wellbeing in Proverbs: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” And Ecclesiastes: “A man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, drink and be merry.” The few, the proud, the funny.

HEARTLAND HEALING is a metaphysically-based polemic describing alternatives to conventional methods of healing the body, mind and planet by MICHAEL BRAUNSTEIN. It is provided as information and entertainment, certainly not medical advice. Important to remember and pass on to others: for a weekly dose of Heartland Healing, visit HeartlandHealing.com. .

Patch Adams, M.D, is founder of the Gesundheit Institute and became famous as the doctor who inspired Robin Williams to portray him in the eponymous film. Adams has devoted his life and medical career to the application of laughter and humor as the medicine that can lift the human spirit and act as a source of healing. Adams put aside many of the conventional perceptions of the medical field and has made laughter and humor the primary prescription he and his staff dispense. Since the 1990s, Adams has assembled a militia of funny folks traveling the globe spreading good cheer instead of bullets and bombs. His global outreach efforts have spread to Kosovo and Kabul, Chile and Sri Lanka, continents and countries in every hemisphere. Adams’ current plans include expanding the Ge-

DECEMBER 2015

| THE READER |

heartland healing

sundheit Institute healing center based on holistic medical care extolling the belief that one cannot separate the health of the individual from the health of the family, the community, the world, and the health care system itself. Laughter is the most potent medicine. Fake it ‘til you make it.

In India, another medical doctor has been making headlines with his Laughing Clubs that practice Laughter Yoga. Dr. Madan Kataria organizes group laughter sessions called laughing clubs. Started in 1995, the number of clubs worldwide has grown to 60,000 in 60 countries worldwide, according to the website LaughterYoga.org. Kataria and others emphasize the belly laugh. And he has found that forcing a belly laugh leads to the real thing and both benefit the body. Actor John Cleese visited India and his short video is at bit. ly/amUkaZ Loretta LaRoche works with the Mind/Body Medical Center in Boston. She is also author of Relax: You May Only Have a Few Minutes Left, about using humor to reduce stress and be healthier. She cites numerous studies. Studies done by Dr. William Fry at Stanford University range from 1971 to current and have been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Journal of Biological Psychology. Research by Lee Berk at Loma Linda University School of Medicine also supports the worth of a good laugh. Laughter can improve circulation. Skin temperature increases and we warm up. Blood pressure lowers and heart rate can stabilize. Blood chemistry changes; oxygen levels increase. Laughter reduces tension. COURTESY LAUGHLAB.COM

funstuff

Laughing Your Ass Off: Healing Power of Humor

Laugh your ass off.

Berk found that laughter lowers the level of cortisol in the blood stream. Cortisol is a hormone that increases when a system is under stress. It causes us to gain weight, adding bad fat. Lower your cortisol, lose your fat. Other positive things happen with laughter. The immune system is boosted in other ways. T-cell and killer cell production is elevated. White blood cell activity is increased. According to LaRoche, laughing has been shown to increase the production of other elemental immune system cells and gamma-interferon, suspected of fighting cancer. Those famous neurohumors, (what a perfect name!) endorphins, increase with laughter. They are natural pain-killers often called natural opiates. Ten different muscle groups are exercised when we laugh. They contract and relax and in a very real way perform a sort of visceral massage on our internal organs. One Stanford study plugged catheters into college students and made them watch funny movies. With laughter, white blood cell activity increased immediately. The research tells us that Patch Adams, Dr. Kataria, Norman Cousins and the Bible are right. Laughing is healing. So, don’t worry. Be happy. Laughter is good for you. Be well. ,

| THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

flscenestealer

BY GORDON SPENCER

theater

Theater classic thrives at UNO: Criminals take the stage but they won’t get away with it.

DECEMBER 2015

“W

hat I most want to get across is for everybody to have a good time,” says UNO Professor of Theatre Doug Paterson about his production of The Threepenny Opera, that enduring ground-breaker by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. Clearly, a good time can be had byall in this colorful version full of personality and polish, performed by UNO students. Expect some zingy, funny lines too. The cast conveys an unerring sense of style and sings with constant skill, framed in a superb set created by Robbie Jones. Patrick Kilcoyne gives a standout interpretation of Mr. Peachum and guest actor Dan Luethke’s Tiger Brown has meaningful presence, especially in a memorable rendition of “The Army Song.” Moreover Emily Hill’s su-

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perb singing voice sounds just right for the role of Polly. At a preview, though, I felt that the readings of dialogue often missed the clearest emphases,and that the best meanings seemed lost. Such best-known numbers get their due thanks to a small but truly effective five-member orchestra, led by keyboardist Doran Schmidt, which well carries off Weill’s deliberately breezy, almost tinny period pieces. Such music has often been called jazz-like, a reflection of 1920s pop music. But, by today’s standards, the word “jazz” can only loosely be applied. Such sounds have appealing catchiness. Paterson also cleverly stages some numbers as send-ups of operettas, no doubt in line with Brecht and Weill’s intentions. Although it’s been more than 85 years since the debut of The Threepenny Opera by The Berliner

Ensemble, here we have a remarkably fresh and adept ensemble, meshing as if it has had years together. Paterson’s got it all together. This 1928 legend keeps on coming back, no doubt due to its undiminished fame. This is a chance to experience it afresh or perhaps for the first time. But people less familiar with the tale need to be alerted to not expect the horrors described in what became the pop song hit “Mack the Knife,” which is from this score. But the words refer to Mack’s past, not what awaits onstage. Don’t expect bloody violence. Notorious criminal Mack/aka Macheath seeks respectability by moving up the social scale, marrying Polly Peachum, the seemingly innocent daughter of a highly successful, prosperous citizen continued on page 30 y

WWW.GOODWILLOMAHA.ORG

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DECEMBER 2015

y continued from page 28

who runs a street beggar operation all over town. Mr. Peachum controls major territory, has impressive income and nothing he does is really outside the law. Mack’s past career of murder and other crimes could bring him down but he’s stayed out of prison due to a close tie with police commissioner Tiger Brown, whose daughter, Lucy, Mack also married. There are other women in his life, including the prostitute Jenny. Things go awry and Mack may be hanged. Brecht derived his script and lyrics from German Elisabeth Hauptmann’s translation of Englishman John Gay’s 18th-century ballad opera, The Beggar’s Opera. You might not need to know that, but you should be aware that Paterson uses a version by American composer/lyricist/librettist Marc Blitzstein. Such information isn’t in the program book. Nor are there even direct credits for Brecht and Weill. These unfortunate oversights seem out of place in such an educational institution. On the other hand, Paterson has inserted multiple informative and interesting paragraphs about the background for this classic. Observations and opinions like these have proliferated during the lifetime of this “play with music,” as it was originally defined. Paterson writes that this is “about a criminal state with widespread poverty” where people do what they must “in order to survive.” When talking with me, he commented that Brecht saw this as a fable and “...that he was writing for the working people to get away from the chaos and clamor of daily life, giving them something they could identify with, something dynamic and special. It’s tongue in cheek as well as cynical. But he didn’t want audiences to be distracted by asking too many questions.”

Usually critics and commentators see this as a vehicle for Brecht’s views on politics, history and, most especially, socialism. “Sure there’s stuff about private property and privilege,” notes Paterson. “We’re looking at the characters as types, but more sociological than psychological, in roles forced by their society. Certainly Brecht had messages which are sometimes directly stated, but there are others more in images and performances which speak to audiences on a different level.” As a theatre-goer, you need not look for such elements or expect that you must do so in order to get the essence. You may make your own discoveries, though. Paterson’s program says that this takes place around 1900-1910 in “A town nearby.” In fact, eventually there are even added verbal references to Omaha and Nebraska. Paterson has been fascinated by a period in Omaha history, when, at the end of U.S. frontier days, this city was run by a bunch of crooks, “probably more criminally and tightly than any city in the nation.” From 1905 to 1932 (i.e, during the time that The Threepenny Opera emerged) Tom Dennison was the boss. “He had everything and everyone under his control. Judiciary. Police. City government. He even had his own mayor.” http://www.omaha.com/news/ hansen-omaha-s-al-capone-and-the-trial-that-changed/ article_6d00361f-4d3a-58bf-9e9d-bfbac13f13c8.html You also might be interested to know that Paterson sees his involvement with theatre as choosing to deal with politics and that this script readily relates to today’s “economic disparities.” “With Bernie Sanders bringing up ideas about socialism and capitalism, I’m glad I’ve lived long enough to see this happen.”

“Politics is power. Human beings are always engaged in relationships of power. Our electoral system has a way of sort of trivializing, of over-simplifying and disguising such politics. Some of that lies within this piece. But let’s not go too much into that; it wouldn’t be much fun anymore.” Speaking of politics, like Brecht, Marc Blitzstein was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee. In 1958 Blitzstein testified that he had been a member of the Communist Party about ten years before. That revelation was four years after the opening of the off-Broadway debut of his hit version of The Threepenny Opera which was still running. Brecht, you recall, had been a dedicated Party member. http://www.marcblitzstein.com/ Paterson also has been working for 25 years with a group called Theatre of the Oppressed, a concept begun by Brazil’s Augusto Boal seeking to make audiences active participants in theatrical experience, seeing traditional theatre as oppressive. Boal believed that spectators need to have chances to express themselves, and to collaborate with performers, thus becoming socially more “liberated.” In fact, Paterson spent this past September in a Kurdish region of Iran doing Theatre of the Oppressed workshops with students and performance professionals to create street theatre. http://theforumproject.org/whatisto/ He reports that all went well. No problems. All goes well too at UNO. You’ll enjoy yourself. No problem. , The ThreePenny Opera runs through Dec. 5 at UNO Theatre, Weber Fine Arts Building, UNO, 6001 Dodge Street. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $6-16. UNO students: free. www.unomaha.edu/unotheatre

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DECEMBER 2015

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theater

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eat solosip: Writer Jessica Clem indulges in a Cuppa and the company of herself.

midTOWN: Delice European Bakery & Cafe welcomes solo diners with peace and portion control.

tableforone I

Reclaiming the Enjoyment of Solo Dining BY JESSICA CLEM

n the madness of a digitally connected world, there is beauty in the calm of a meal. Details like the smell of the bread, the marbling of meat, and the connectedness of the food and your pleasure centers become the unwavering star of this small snippet of time. And I am not just talking about having a meal without your phone in hand. I’m talking about the undeniable enjoyment of eating a meal, outside of the home or office, alone. In a recent analysis from online reservations company Open Table, solo reservations are up 62% on a national level, making a table for one the hottest seat around. More and more people want to experience a break from the hustle of daily life and just enjoy an hour alone. This is not to be confused with eating lunch alone at a desk. A rushed lunch does not a relaxing afternoon make. The rise in solo dining isn’t only attributed to more people wanting to experience a meal alone. American households are also shrinking. Over the course of the last 40 years, more than a quarter of households contain just one person. Divorces, the choice to not have children, and simply not wanting to marry are all reasons that contribute to smaller households.

P H OTO S B Y D E B R A S . K A P L A N

So here we single diners are; alone and typically feeling rushed in our everyday lives. Rather than feel ashamed of the single reservation, there is a new movement of solo diners taking back the table for one. Coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg as “The Third Place,” a table for one represents an empowered choice by customers, a place that becomes a hangout where one can people watch and sit quietly, involved in the daily bustle of the café or restaurant, but not being bothered. It is also a choice to literally clear the table of distractions and instead be an observer. This is a very powerful and exciting position to be in. Here in Omaha there are a number of places that appeal to the solo diner. A variety of factors go into accommodating the individual diner: ease of reservations/table access, enjoyable ambiance, portion size, and quality. Taking the time to dine alone is a treat in itself, and having a delicious meal to enjoy along with it brings the entire experience full circle. These are just a few of the many places in Omaha that make dining out, whether in a group or alone, a wonderful experience. continued on page 32 y

eat

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DECEMBER 2015

nochat:

La Buvette boasts fine foods sans forced chatter from your server.

The French Bulldog 5003 Underwood Ave. (402) 505-4633

forvoyers: The French Bulldog offers chef’s eye view of your meal.

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eat

La Buvette 511 S. 11th St. Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 344-8627

DECEMBER 2015

Tucked into a corner near 11th and Jackson, La Buvette is a European style café and wine bar that offers solo diners incredible food, delectable wine, and enough personal space to enjoy themselves. Known for wonderful but occasionally curt servers, diners can expect service that is just attentive enough. “La Buvette is a place I had my reservations about when I was younger, but once I stepped foot in there, I fell in love,” said Lisa Marie Dirks, Salon & Spa Manager at Victor Victoria. “I love going by myself. For one thing the food is delicious, and another is the atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to have a cup of coffee or glass of wine and journal or read a book. La Buvette is always my number one recommendation to clients of the salon who ask where they should eat.” When walking into La Buvette, the first thing you notice is the bottles of wine lining the walls. Small tables are arranged in almost a haphazard manner throughout the space, and there is a gorgeous patio that opens into the activity of the Old Market. What is most striking about being a solo diner here is the noise level. There is always a comfortable, quiet but steady hum of conversation. People

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eat

of all ages come here to have an informal chat over amazing food and wine. The sounds of wine bottles being opened, napkins rustling across laps, and the tearing of fresh, warm baguettes, make dining even more sensory. With the murmurs of conversation, the clink of glasses, it is the perfect atmosphere to enjoy the meal at hand. The menu is handwritten and changes seasonally, and is the perfect portion size. You cannot make a reservation here. There is no sense of urgency or rushed dining. Time becomes a secondary thing. Instead, diners pop in after an afternoon of shopping, or for a glass of wine after a hectic workday. The ambiance encourages stillness, peppered with the sights and smells of true artisan cooking. It can be easy to forget you are still in the Old Market, and not in some cozy corner in Paris. This place is a must visit for those who crave alone time and truly good food.

There are few things more beautiful than a charcuterie plate. This picture of perfection includes in ribbons of fat lazing through slivers of sausage and prosciutto, seductively lying next to a pillowy mount of pork rillettes. Grainy mustards and tart jams bring a pop of color amongst pickled veggies and spicy, stuffed dates. One of the most sought after boards in town is at The French Bulldog, a relative youngster to the corner of 50th and Underwood in Dundee. Though the restaurant itself is a newcomer, owners Phil Anania, Anne Cavanaugh, and Bryce Coulton, have been working in the restaurant business for years. Anania and Cavanaugh are quite familiar with Dundee itself, opening the popular Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob in 2007. There is no wonder why this place has become a Dundee staple. Opened in 2012 in the skeleton of a Subway restaurant, The French Bulldog boasts meats cured in house, along with sandwiches, salads, and entrees that play off seasonal and local produce. Chef Coulton sources the meat from local farmers, and the display of the curing process beside the bar area is enough advertising to keep the restaurant in a constant hum of activity. What makes this place most enjoyable for the solo diner is the wait staff. Preparing plates, salads, and drinks behind the heavy wooden bar, the staff is friendly and inviting. “We have 13 stools at the bar, and you can sit right in front of the cooks preparing your food,” said Coulton. “You can have a similar dynamic with the cook that you would have with a bartender, and you can have a conversation or just enjoy your meal. You never have to feel that you are truly alone.” The bar area itself is great for enjoying a glass of wine or craft cocktail while reading a book. “I never give going to The French Bulldog alone a second thought,” said longtime customer Dr. Sofia Jawed-Wessel. “Their space is intimate but not too formal. I prefer sitting at the bar when I’m

alone. The servers who work there are friendly yet unobtrusive, plus sometimes they throw a little extra cheese your way!” If you come in early enough, stay for happy hour, it is easy enough to score a seat at the bar. On most nights, it is wise to make a reservation. The portion sizes are perfect, even a charcuterie board is great for one person. The whiskey bacon and pork rillettes are enough to make even the shyest solo diner venture out of their comfort zone to enjoy a meal alone. “Being able to take an hour for a meal is a great pathway to spend some time alone. Food is a conduit to taking this time and not feel guilty for it,” said Coulton. “Enjoying a good meal is just a great way to take care of yourself.” Delice European Bakery 3201 Farnam St., Suite 6112 (402) 505-9500

There is something about a good pastry that makes time seem unimportant. For some solo diners, the pursuit of a meal doesn’t necessarily have to be a four-course dinner. A simple coffee, or slice of cake can be the perfect respite from daily life. “I have season tickets for the Broadway series at the Orpheum with my mother-in-law and sisterin-law,” said customer Julie Sebastian. “Afterwards I’m never ready to go home, so I stop by Delice and grab a sweet snack and a cup of coffee. I love the atmosphere of Farnam at night, and the choices of desserts are excellent. There’s just something to quietly savoring the food an coffee while continuing to savor the story I’ve just experienced at the show.” When you walk into Delice, the smell of cookies and coffee is enough to make you grab a chair. Not sure what you want? There is plenty to choose from. Slices of cake, breakfast wraps, and fresh made salads and desserts of all types beckon you from the display case. “I think we are very welcoming to the solo customer,” said owner Karen Tollinger. “I feel we have a warm, welcoming, and comfortable environment. We have a lot of regular customers our staff have gotten to know, and their preferences. Sometimes they’ll start to make the drink for the customer upon walking through the front door, before any words are exchanged! That is what a coffee shop should be like, you never feel really alone.” Many working parents are unable to sneak away for a solo meal during the week. Delice, offering both lunch items and desserts, is the perfect place to take an hour for a quick treat. “We are a coffeehouse/café which lends itself to the solo customer,” said Tollinger. “It’s a perfect place to come and study or grab a cup of coffee before work or a meeting. We have free Wifi here so it’s definitely a draw for individuals who need Internet access.” Designed to appeal to both the pop in customer and the remote worker, Delice is a treasure amongst the storefronts in Midtown Crossing.

dark red cuts of tuna encourage all conversation to cease, save for an occasional “Oh my God” that gets proclaimed towards the ceiling. Many sushi restaurants in Omaha seem crammed with couples or groups, all enjoying their meals during hectic happy hours or lunches. But for the solo diner, Baby Blue Sushi Sake Grill at the Shoppes of Legacy is a welcome escape. It has a completely different atmosphere than other cozy, European style cafes, and instead offers a high-end, posh vibe with delicious sushi to match. The wait staff is polite and attentive, no matter how many people they are serving at a time. “We see a ton of solo diners,” said General Manager Sarah Canfield. “Having a friendly staff is really the key when it comes to drawing guests dining in on their own.” Baby Blue offers more than just a quiet corner to solo guests. “I would say the most desirable part of Baby Blue’s design and ambiance would be having the option of both a sushi bar and {regular} bar to dine at,” said Canfield. “A late lunch is a great time to have a quiet, relaxing meal while catching up on some reading, while a bustling happy hour provides the opportunity to chat and meet new people.” Being able to choose how to socialize gives solo diners a sense of empowerment. Whether you feel like a quick bite and a martini, or a meal with the chance of conversation, Baby Blue is the perfect place to spice up any day of the week. Even in our ever-expanding metropolis, there are still plenty of places to enjoy the company of a meal and our own schedule. Gone are the days when the solo diner was shamed into eating alone at a desk. More and more diners are taking time

for themselves and learning the value of stillness. Along with this is an appreciation for truly delicious food. Writer Jill Neimark perfectly summed up solo dining in a recent NPR story: “Be fascinated by the fact that your food is often sourced from far flung places around the world,” she wrote. “They reach out in all directions to connect to the far-flung farmers, foragers, hunters, truckers, sorters, servers, chefs, and guests who may silently join us at every meal.” nch Onion Soup and Pomme Frites. A beer float is a whimsical twist in such a sophisticated setting, and we agree we could easily enjoy the rest of our evening here- but we leave for one last adventure. ,

sweettreat: The rise in solo dining emboldens workers to sit down to a proper meal — and dessert.

getfifIshy: A view of your sushi chef offers performance art with every meal at Baby Sushi Sake.

Baby Blue Sushi Sake Grill 16939 Wright Plaza (402) 547-5959

It isn’t difficult to get lost in a plate of truly lovely sushi. Buttery strips of salmon nigiri and rich,

art

| THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

culture

shininglight T

News of Omaha Star publisher’s illness spurs admiration for her stewardship BY LEO ADAM BIGA

he Omaha Star has given African-Americans a voice for 77 years. The newspaper is not only a vital mouthpiece for locals, but a valued hometown connection for natives living elsewhere. It became an institution under the late Mildred D. Brown, a force of nature who became an icon with her ever-present smile, carnation and salesmanship. She charmed and challenged movers and shakers, near and far, with her insistent calls for equality. Through the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War, the late 1960s riots, it never missed an issue. Upon Brown’s 1989 death, niece Marguerita Washington, who worked at the paper as a young woman, took over the helm. She reportedly used her own money to pay off debt her aunt accumulated. Despite financial shortfalls, this grassroots, advocacy, activist, community-minded paper has never missed a beat. Not through the 2008 economic collapse or the decline of print and concurrent rise of online media. While circulation’s

DECEMBER 2015

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culture

dropped and the Star’s now published bi-weekly instead of weekly, its social conscience, watchdog, give voice-to-the-voiceless roles remain intact. For the first time though since Brown’s death, the Star’s future is unclear because Washington, the woman who’s carried the torch lit by her aunt, is now terminally ill. The 80-year-old Washington was diagnosed earlier this year with lung cancer. The cancer spread to her brain. Meanwhile, there’s no direct heir to inherit the Star because she never married and has no children. Star advertising and marketing director Phyllis Hicks has been acting managing editor and publisher during Washington’s health crisis. Hicks began at the Star in 2005 and grew to be Washington’s closest colleague. “It was a growing relationship that became more of a personal one than a business one,” Hicks says. Along with Girls, Inc. Executive Director Roberta Wilhelm, the two formed the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center as a vehicle for preserving the paper’ legacy and the Junior Journalists program to

encourage youth to enter the field. The pair obtained historic status for the Star building at 2216 North 24th Street. Brown’s brash, bigger-than-life style lent the paper panache and edge. By contrast, the quiet, unassuming Washington, an academic with a Ph.D., exhibits a “walk softly and carry a big stick” tone,” said Hicks, adding, “Marguerita is not one to be vocal and take the lead and sound off, but she’s going to support from the background to do what she can to make it happen.” For each woman, the Star became a labor of love. Washington’s never drawn a salary as publisher and maintainer of a historic line of female leadership that made it the longest continuously published black newspaper owned and operated by women. “The role of the Omaha Star in the history of this community cannot be overstated,” says Gail Baker, dean of the School of Communication, Fine Arts and Media at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. “The Star, like other black papers, is key to developing and maintaining the community. Under both Mildred Brown and Marguerita Washington, the Star’s voice has been loud, clear and critical. Whether championing the rights of African Americans, calling the community to action, covering the stories others did not see fit to print or just shining a light on what is important to its readers, the Star is that beacon of light leading the way. Its place in Omaha is without parallel.” Chicago Crusader editor-publisher Dorothy Leavell writes in an email about Washington, “I appreciate all of her support of things I hold dear. I love her loyalty, sense of humor and dedication to the Black Press as well as the fighting spirit of Mildred Brown that we shared memories of. I know she is putting up the good fight…” Hicks, who shares power of attorney for Washington, has watched her friend endure radiation and chemotherapy to try and arrest the cancer. She and other friends of the paper are weighing what might happen to the Star in the absence of Washington. Discussions have grown more urgent as doctors recently discontinued treatment. Washington is cared for at a northwest Omaha assisted living facility. Hicks and others close to the situation have been selling off some of Washington’s possessions and are looking for a buyer for her home. “We’re dealing with her business, we’re dealing with her and her doctors and we’re trying to sell her things and her home so we can have money for her care,” Hicks says. “I guess at one time she was quite wealthy but with all the money going into the Star and her never taking a salary her wealth has dwindled. My goal is trying to make sure she’s safe for the remainder of her life.” A means to continue the paper, including finding a buyer-publisher, is also being discussed. For folks of a certain age the Star is part of what makes North Omaha, North Omaha. It’s a touchstone for those who reside here and for natives who left here. More than any other institution it holds fast the community memory of a people and a district. Those who grew up with the publication are bound and determined to do whatever it takes to keep it alive even as its leader nears the end.

“It’s my goal and her goal as well the paper remain in North Omaha and remain black owned if we can sell it,” Hicks says. “Some mention female owned. That’d be nice but I don’t have any desire to own and run a paper. Lots of folks have approached me and asked what’s going to happen, and it’s not up to me to make that determination. I’m power of attorney with one of her nieces in Kansas City.” Asked if she sees any scenario in which the paper would close, she says, “I’m hoping that with the amount of people expressing interest and working towards its survival that that won’t happen. It’s my hope that somebody or somebodies will come forth. “The officers of the Study Center are working on coming up with a plan. We’re looking at avenues and ways. We’re even looking at if the nonprofit Study Center could own the paper as a for-profit arm.” Omaha Economic Development Corporation executive director Michael Maroney says, “A lot of people want to see it survive, that’s for sure. There will be a solution found, we just don’t know what it is yet. I’m quite confident it will survive in some form or fashion.” “Now is a pivotal moment for the Omaha Star and the Near North Side community,” says Amy Forss, author of the biography, Black Print with a White Carnation: Mildred Brown and the Omaha Star. “I am emphatically stressing the need for a successor because if the Omaha Star ceases to exist, then the longest-running record no longer exists and neither does the regularly published voice of the black community and that would be a piece of history you cannot replace.” Omaha native Cathy Hughes, a national media czar through her Radio One and TV One companies, has credited Mildred Brown and the Star, for whom she worked, as a direct influence on her own entrepreneurial communications career. She says much as Ernie Chambers has been its militant voice in recent years through his column, the late Star reporter Charlie Washington once served that “rabble rouser” role. “Charlie and the Omaha Star actually showed me the true power of the communications industry,” she recalls. “The Star took the mute button off of the voice of the black community in Omaha. It was more than just advocacy, it was a safety net. It has fostered and nurtured and promoted progress. It glorifies the success and accomplishments of Africa Americans in that community, which says to our young people, ‘You too can do it.’ It has been a vehicle for inspiration and motivation. “I think that’s why it’s been able to successfully survive all these years and I pray that it will continue for many decades more.” Hughes admires what Washington’s done. “She could have done a lot of things with her life,” she says of the publisher, “but instead she came home because. It’s in her blood.” “I believe it was commendable of Marguerita to take up the banner. I think she understood and saw the need of what it meant to the community and she also had the desire to continue her aunt’s legacy,” OEDC’s Maroney offers. Retired photojournalist Rudy Smith says, “To her credit she continued the legacy, integrity and mission of the Omaha Star. Mildred Brown was a pio-

neer and a trailblazer and it’s hard to follow a pioneer but Marguerita was able to do that..” According to community activist Preston Love Jr., who pens a column for the Star, “There was pretty much a transparent and no wrinkle transition from Mildred to Marguerita. It happened without much of a blip in terms of the paper being published. I think Marguerita’s played several roles. To some degree early she played a caretaker role. Then she emerged to take more of an editor-in-chief role and she has moved into the role of publisher. So while the paper’s made a transition she has, too. She’s made some tough editorial decisions as well. All of that is a testament to her stewardship.” Like her aunt before her, Washington’s been much honored for her work, including last summer by the Urban League of Nebraska. More recently, the City of Omaha proclaimed Tuesday, December 1 Marguerita Washington Day for her “commitment to the community and issues that have impacted AfricanAmerican people” and for “her great sense of social justice and social responsibility.” Her empowering marginalized people continued a long, unbroken line. “The paper has been a staple to me and the community for generations.,” Love says. “Other African American newspapers have come and gone here over the years but the Omaha Star endured. In my generation it’s something we all grew up with and hold in very strong endearment.” Love sold the paper as a boy and was Mildred Brown’s driver summers during college. His late father, musician-educator-author Preston Love, sold advertising for the Star. The son says it’s been a link for blacks here and who’ve moved away “like no other link – you can’t overstate how important that link is.” If the Star should close, he says, “what would be lost is part of the personality of North Omaha. Embedded in that is history and culture.” Hicks says blacks would lose a valuable platform for “telling it like it is in the community without having to always be politically correct.” The Star may not have the readership or pull it once did, but that’s a function of these times. “When I was growing up in Omaha the Star was all that we had,” Hughes recalls. “Now everyone is in the black lane competing for that black consumer market. When my company went into the cable industry 10 years ago there were two choices for black folks watching cable – BET or TV One. Now every cable and broadcast television station has some type of black programming, which makes it that much more difficult for us to secure advertising dollars. “Well, Marguerita has really had that problem with the Omaha Star. When her aunt was running it Mildred could candidly say to the head of the electric company, ‘The only way you’re going to reach these black folks is through me.’ Well, that no longer is true, they can reach ‘em in social media, in a whole host of other ways.” It may not be the presence it once was but Hughes leaves no doubt it’s meaning for her. “When I was on the front page of the Omaha Star I called up and ordered two dozen copies – I was sending my Omaha Star out to everybody. And I laughed at myself and said, ‘Boy, that’s the little girl still in you.’ It was like hometown approval. It’s

more than just the hometown newspaper to me, it’s the approval of the folks in Omaha, it’s the cheering, it’s the you-did-good, we’re-proud-ofyou vehicle It inspired me then and it still does today.” Preston Love says such deep sentiments about the Star are not just based on its rich past but its vibrant life today. “The contribution the paper is making today should not be overlooked. So it is not just historical but the present and the future. What it does to provide a platform for columnists, churches, businesses, community organizations and individual accomplishments is all right now.” He says he and other concerned observers “will

fight tooth and nail” any transition not deemed in the best interests of North Omaha. Having arrived at this each-one-to-teach one and it-takes-a-village juncture, the Star’s fate is in the people’s hands as never before. Rudy Smith says the fact the Star is both a historical treasure and a still relevant and resonant voice bodes well for it continuing. “Marguerita put in building blocks that will allow the Star to continue even after she’s gone. Years ago Marguerita and I had talks about the future of the Star and she told me, ‘My goal is for the Star to live beyond me.’ I know for a fact there are things in place now that will allow the Star to continue. Marguerita started preparing the community to embrace the Star years ago. “I think the community is rallying around the Star more than it ever has because the Star is a community institution and if it dies part of the fabric of the community dies. The community will not let it die. I’m familiar with some of the things going on now (behind the scenes) to ensure its survival and I’m encouraged.” Somewhere, Mildred Brown is smiling that people care so much about the fate of the paper to which she and her niece devoted their lives to. ,

payingforward:

Marguerita Washington and Phyllis Hicks formed the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center as a vehicle for preserving the Omaha Star’s legacy and the Junior Journalists program to encourage youth to enter the field. The pair obtained historic status for the Star building at 2216 N. 24th St.

Read more of Leo Adam Biga’s work at leoadambiga.com.

culture

| THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

music

genetherapy S

Artist TKO is ready for his closeup B Y TA R A S P E N C E R

itting at a table in Aromas in his Benson neighborhood, drinking a white chocolate mocha, Gene Poindexter, aka TKO, is more softspoken and humbler than his songs and onstage persona would have you believe. Sitting across the table from me wearing a backward Nebraska hat and a Pepsi T-shirt, he talks about his family, his work and his music. He said his onstage moniker is derived from the boxing term, technical knockout, but has also been said to mean “True King of Omaha.” “I don’t really like to use that too much,” he said. “That kind of sounds arrogant.”

While he may not want to sound overly confident, the 34-year-old husband and father of three certainly has every reason to be. Though he didn’t emerge on the Omaha hip-hop scene until 2013, he came out swinging, releasing two albums, TKOmaha and GENEius, and a mixtape, “God King,” in just over one year. While he’s been writing his own raps since he was 15 and recording them since he was 24, he said he was basically just doing it for himself. He has more than 1,000 songs in his arsenal. “I just didn’t do anything with them. I didn’t know there was a hip-hop scene.” TKO said his friend, fellow performer Danell Taylor, started pressuring him to put himself out there a few years ago. The two met while working together at TD Ameritrade and Taylor now runs Small Guy Promotions. Though he could have started performing a long time ago, TKO said he’s happy with where he’s at. “I think it was really good timing, because my music had gotten to the point where I was so comfortable with it that it wasn’t like starting out as an amateur.” TKO said Michael Pointer, aka Saint Mic, another local rapper known for battling, was a big influencer in his decision to start performing. He said he saw one of his battles on YouTube and contacted him. “I reached out to him, and he invited me to a show,” he said. “Ever since then, I’ve been to every single show I could go to.” Seeing one of TKO’s shows, most people probably wouldn’t realize he’s only been performing for a couple years. He seems confident and comfortable in his own skin while onstage, talking to the audience and sometimes cracking jokes. His performance at the Slowdown for The Screamer’s Ball was short, but it made an impact. Even though most of the crowd wasn’t really there for a rap show, by the third song, a look around the room confirmed that the crowd was feeling it. “I really like this,” said a friend of mine, in a voice laced with surprise. TKO said he’s worked really hard to make music he considers “good” and he’s working hard for the music scene here in Omaha. Despite the recent shooting at Slowdown, just a couple weeks after his performance at the ball, he said there’s never been an incident like that at one of his more than 50 shows. “There’s a lot of good music out here. I’d like these shows to really become something,” he said. “There’s a lot of people — family guys — guys that work hard and love what they do that are putting out really positive shows.” “Just come to one show,” he said. “I guarantee you’ll want to come back.” , TKO has an upcoming show at The Waiting Room Thursday, Dec. 17, and his new album, The Punisher, is available online at https://bluboimuusic.bandcamp.com/album/punisher

DECEMBER 2015

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HOP YOUR SHOP YOUR METOWN HOMETOWN SHOP YOUR the hhidays FF the hhidays HOMETOWN FF the hhidays

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www.shhlocallaha.cl JOIN THE MOVEMENT @shoplocalomaha #shoplocalomaha

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DECEMBER 2015

‘back’beat R

adio isn’t dead. It just lives somewhere else. It’s a well-known fact that terrestrial stations offer stale programming from a short list of spoonfed “hits” with DJs mostly manning the buttons or creating shows that have little to do with the actual music. College stations offer more variety and personality, but have limited audience reach. The cutthroat radio industry has left many DJs either chained to a strict format or unemployed over the years, taking out all the magic that once captivated audiences. Today, there are many alternatives for listeners to catch their favorite tunes or talk shows. Internet radio, like podcasting (no, they are not the same thing), has seen its share of ups and downs. But as terrestrial radio sits comfortably in its preverbal rocking chair and podcasting becomes more a part of everyday life, audiences are looking to internet radio to take up the slack. RadiOmaha hit the internet-airwaves in September of 2015 with a goal of creating something developers thought our local area was missing. A community of current and former radio jocks, as well as local music enthusiasts banded together under a common focus to revitalize radio programming in Omaha. While most stations do offer streaming and even podcasting options, RadiOmaha is a passion project that encourages “on-air” talent to take the mic and run. It’s not a new idea as there have been a few local internet radio stations, but it’s a project that hasn’t taken off in the area at this level until now. “People have been talking about this for many years,” said contributor and local music guru MarQ Manner.

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ficult because it’s costly. Trying to get the kind of money from the state and the nation to really look after these children is just plain expensive.” He says even as Building Bright Futures, Partnership4Kids and other education efforts have scaled up their impact “is tiny in terms of the need,” “Five thousand-plus kids enter the Omaha Public Schools each year and half of them are probably not ready to learn, which indicates a serious problem,” he says. “Multiply that over some years and these kids are more likely to have problems becoming productive citizens. That describes in Omaha the size of the problem. It’s enormous.” Mentoring is another thing he supports. “It’s been shown that even after this bad beginning if we get a hold of a child and mentor him properly we can get him higher up in the education scale.” Holland wants America do something overarching, like the New Deal or the Marshall Plan or the Great Society, to once again assert leadership that’s inspirational at home and

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“We’d get hyped up about it then it was kind of hurry up and wait. Not because people were dragging their feet, but it was getting all the technical stuff done, getting Bellevue University on board, stuff like that.“ RadiOmaha has put together quite the list of contributors as well. Many notable names from local radio have jumped on board including diver Dan, Fred Ramzey, Victor Hahn, Ryan O’Connor, and Rick Galusha. DJs use the studios at Bellevue University to create their shows, recording and editing in commentary and/or music, then the shows are added to a rotating schedule. “We have a license to play music on the internet legally,” Manner said. “We have about 75,000 songs that had to be encrypted in a certain way to go through this licensing system. We’re ASCAP/BMI etc.” But the station is not all just about the music. There’s a wide variety of programming with something for everyone including music shows, talk shows, political shows, and even a few classic local music and comedy shorts with bits by Otis XII, Diver Dan, The Old Curmudgeon, Jodi Jorgensen, Rick Cowger, Rick Jensen, and Brad Thiel. Manner includes in his shows updates and happenings of local events, while, ‘concert announcements’ are offered from former Voice of South Dakota NPR, Candace Walton. Other shows include hip music shows from Joe Francis, Anxious Frank, Matthew Goddard and Dann Dunn. Hosts are encouraged to talk and share their knowledge of music, events, or other interesting tidbits that listeners don’t get on regular radio. It might be a personal experience, or the backstory of a song. Putting a personal touch on each show seems to be key in engaging the audience and making each show feel produced by people who are passionate about their music or show topic. “I try to tie in the Omaha community,” Anxious Frank said. “I might talk about a local businesses I go to, or a new this, or a new that. It’s nice to give props to what makes Omaha, Omaha.”

“We want our radio station to feel Omaha,” says Manner. “That’s the problem with a lot of radio stations these days is that you don’t feel like you’re listening to a local station. So we’re talking about places from the past, places we’re going to now, issues in the state. We want to be branded as an Omaha station.” The list of contributors and shows has increased quickly with new talent including Jodi Lee, Papa Ric, Glen Bauer, and Basement Guys. Talk shows include Right Leaning with Michael Kelly, Left Leaning with Jonzy, and LBGTQ Talk with Eli Rigatuso. Currently organizers are looking for someone to interview local bands and offer news and updates on the music scene here in Omaha. Programming on RadiOmaha is open for those wanting to explore, and it’s not just about the music. Organizers are open to pretty much anything that comes their way if it fits into their station model. This could include specialty music programs, politics, and sports as well. “We do a little bit of sports for Bellevue University where coaches come on and talk,” says Manner. “I’d like to see another sports show on here. I’ve had some people come and talk to me about that. It’s just a matter of connecting them to the people that make the decisions.” Local bands can submit their songs for play on RadiOmaha by sending information and Mp3s to MarQ Manner at: marqmannermusic@gmail.com. The beauty of RadiOmaha is in the diversity of its contributors. It’s a community effort bringing people together under an umbrella that covers a wide range of subject matters and musical genres. There truly is something for everyone. Unlike regular radio, this station encourages its hosts to bring their passions to each show, offering more than just the same 10 songs on repeat. It’s a station on a mission of exploration, offering content that is entertaining and informative. Like the name implies, RadiOmaha is a station that’s worldwide, but at its heart, created for Omaha. Listeners can tune in 24/7 to RadiOmaha by finding them online at RadiOmaha.com

abroad. “We’re beginning to see we have to make some changes but the changes I’ve seen so far are not nearly as drastic as I think they should be. I’m more and more positive it’s going to take a revolution.” The old ad man in him tells him “we haven’t really been able to sell the benefits of doing something like this even though it would be far better than the cost of not doing it.” “We have more than two million people in prison in the United States, leading the world, and not realizing this is our own fault. We think they’re just bad people. They weren’t bad when they were born, I’ll guarantee you.” He’s concerned the American Empire he came of age in is eroding. “I’m worried about it terribly. I think our national government and even our state governments are not using their ability to think about the good of the country and to work together to improve it. Hell, everybody and his brother knows about it that pays any attention.” Compounding the problem, he says, is America’s own policies. “We have not reformed our immigration policy.

We’re getting fewer immigrants as we make stupid requirements to get a person into this country anymore. That’s backwards because immigrants are highly motivated people who work hard to succeed.. “We don’t tax the wealthy or anything like that. We don’t seem to have any ability to take a look at a good country in Europe and realize that those people pay much higher taxes than in the United States but they’re better educated, they’re happier, they have decent transportation systems, they have universal health care.” He’s not sure the country has the will to do what’s right. “I used to think of the United States as affinity. In the post-World War II era we dominated the world. One of my great disappointments is that we’re not leading the world, we’re responding to problems.” Better sooner than later for him that America take action. “I want it to happen now. What the hell, I’m 94.” ,

theater

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Read more of Leo Adam Biga’s work at leoadambiga.com.

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DECEMBER 2015

Pleasedon’tsuck A

s the proud owner of a freshly minted Doctor Who tattoo on my forearm, my time cloaking “extreme nerd” status is behind me. So here goes. Confession time: I bought tickets to see Meet Joe Black just to watch the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace trailer and didn’t stay for the movie. I also bought all of the toys before seeing any real footage and waited for about 24 hours to get good seats for the first screening. While in line, I played chess against a man in full Jedi regalia and narrated a lightsaber battle between two grown men. And then The Phantom Menace sucked, and I regretted being alive. Do you remember when you first realized it was bad? It wasn’t right away, was it? I remember the euphoria of that first screening masking the stank a bit. Except for JarJar. Ain’t no Febreezing Jar-Jar. But slowly, it crept in… Star Wars…wasn’t good anymore. By the time it was over, they made Darth Va-

DECEMBER 2015

der lame. Darth Vader! When I was little, my uncle owned a professional Darth Vader costume and would occasionally “appear” in our living room to “scare us.” And suddenly that man in black was a weepy, emo robot who couldn’t mindfreak Criss Angel. A whole generation went into pop culture PTSD. Not to make light of that very real condition, but the analogy works, as the mere mention of the prequels to this day is still enough to send passionate former fans into a frothed-mouth rant. It sounds silly and small, being that angry over “just a movie.” But Star Wars wasn’t, and isn’t…and shouldn’t be for that matter, “just” a movie. And we need this new one to be good for just that reason. It’s hard to think that being a nerd was once a very real social issue in an era when primetime TV is filthy with superhero and sci-fi goodness. But I’m telling you, it used to be that playing Dungeons and Dragons, reading comic books and generally dorking out would sometimes get you physically bullied.

| THE READER |

film

Why we need Star Wars to be good again B Y R YA N S Y R E K

Star Wars was the great equalizer. It was so magical, so overpowering, that me and Jimmy Football both watched it until the VHS tape broke. Darth Vader was the unofficial diplomatic negotiator between all of nerdkind and “regular” people. You saw the news story about the man who got to watch Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens before passing away. People don’t make “see a movie” the last thing on their bucket list very often. It’s something more. It has to be. There is a very specific way that Star Wars used to make everyone feel. And I mean everyone. This is a global thing. Neil DeGrasse Tyson recently tweeted how he wished for a time when humanity would be more obsessed with finding life on other planets than taking lives on this one. What he meant was that he wished there was some unifying passion that could distract us from our seemingly endless quest to harm each other. Star Wars, my friends. Star Wars was and can be that kind of cross-culture thing.

Will it end wars? No. But sharing a mutual love of something is how people from vastly different worlds can understand one another. Young people now aren’t at a loss for big, epic movies. They have their blockbusters every summer. Heck, we had one of the biggest ever (Jurassic World) just this year. And yet none of these juggernauts have what Star Wars had or did what it could. Do you know how many careers were influenced by that franchise? Not the people involved in making the movies, I mean the ones watching it. Mine was, at least in part. When I got older and learned that the series is little more than a riff on the classic themes best summed up by Joseph Campbell’s “Hero With a Thousand Faces,” it sent me down a path pursuing storytelling, leading to a graduate English degree—which, yes, I still use, thanks. The love of movies it started is why I’m writing this now, all those years later. The number of special effects engineers, scientists, robotic specialcontinued on page 42y

313 N. 13TH STREET / LINCOLN, NE

SHOWING IN DECEMBER

Blue Velvet 1986

Critics’ Choice

The movies that made them love movies.

Blue Velvet 1986 (R) Dec 6, 7 & 9 Selected by Dennis Lim | critic/curator Passion Fish 1992 (R) Dec 12 & 14 Selected by Leonard Maltin Max et les ferrailleurs 1971 Dec 13 & 15 Selected by Scott Foundas

Badlands 1973 (PG) Dec 19, 20 & 23 Selected by Nick Pinkerton | Freelance Omaha Steaks Classics CALL OR CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR MOVIE TIMES AND PRICES

The Muppet Christmas Carol 1992

Forever Young

A film series for kids of all ages. Akeelah and the Bee 2005 (PG) Dec 3, 6 & 10 The Muppet Christmas Carol 1992 (G) Dec 12, 13 & 17 It’s a Wonderful Life 1946 Dec 19, 20, 24 & 25

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All showings at Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater. Info & tickets at filmstreams.org. | THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

‘cutting’room

■ I love it when high-brow and allegedly “low-brow” things get their “chocolate into peanut butter” and “peanut butter into chocolate.” On Saturday, Dec. 5, at Film Streams, The New Philharmonic and the Omaha Symphony will present two showings (at 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.) of Disney’s Alice comedies with live scores! Yeah, so it’s the cartoons, but it’s the cartoons all fancy like! The movies are a series of shorts loosely based on Alice in Wonderland. Walt Disney produced them early on, back before Disney owned literally everything. Live orchestral music is always phenomenal, but now you don’t even have to imagine mental images to go with them. You can just, you know, look and listen! ■ “Mystery Science Theater 3000” or (MST3K, as all the sexpots call it) is coming back! This is good news for people who like to laugh. A Kickstarter campaign has resurrected the show. See, not all public-funded stuff is gross garbage or useless! New host Jonah Ray of the Nerdist Podcast will be the human alongside goofy robotic characters mocking bad movies. They still need more money to be able to make more episodes, with the hope that if they make about 12, it will be enough to shop to a network. As someone who used to delight in this programming, I give a big thumbs up to relaunching the Satellite of Love! ■ Look, we knew it was going to happen. They’re branching the Fast and Furious series into a “universe.” As in, there will be core movies featuring the whole team and spinoffs set in that “world.” I hope one is straight up science fiction and explores how in F&F world, physics are a state of mind and some people can fly. As it stands, I’m amazingly and outstandingly totally indifferent on this. I can only hope that we get a serious, touching picture devoted to understandign why Tyrese really misses his buddy so much. —Ryan Syrek 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 Movieha!, a weekly half-hour movie podcast (movieha.libsyn.com/rss), catch him on the radio

y continued from page 40 ists and on and on that came from Star Wars fandom is insane. But more than that, the franchise defined an era in which optimism and hope reigned as driving thematic forces behind popular culture. Sure, there were always the doomsday movies and disaster flicks, but Star Wars was the big shining star raining down positivity and light as the beacon to follow. This generation? This generation’s pop culture is The Dark Knight. It’s Jurassic World’s devouring of innocent theme park attendees. As the calendar has ticked towards December 18 (17, if you got in on the advanced screenings like I did, tee hee!), I’ve noticed a sense of optimistic unity developing again. It’s small, tenuous, nervous. The internet is abuzz with tiny little prayers, statuses and tweets on social media like candles lit for worry. “Please be good,” they whisper from Beijing to Omaha. There are fathers I know praying that this means they’ll be able to share the first story that ever moved them with their sons. There are mothers out there hoping their daughters will see in Daisy Ridley’s Rey what they saw in Carrie Fisher’s Leia.

DECEMBER 2015

And yet, there is even more at stake than just the happiness of nostalgic nerds. The leads in this bold new series are a young black man and a woman. If this film can capture a teeny-tiny portion of the magic the original series did, it means a generation of people of color will grow up following a hero who looks like them. It means a generation of women will come of age knowing that the lead in the biggest franchise in all of fiction is just like she is. You cannot possibly measure the impact of such a thing on young people. Hell, you can’t imagine the impact of that on old, crotchety bigots plunking down dollars to watch it for the third time. So do not dismiss the fate of Star Wars as simply a matter of box office dollars and Tshirt sales. Movies are the cultural currency of this point in time. For the could-be dreamers and creators who could be “awakened,” for the cultural bonding, for the much-needed popular optimism, for the young people of color and girls around the world, for the nerds in lock-step with jocks, please…please Star Wars. Please be good again. ,

| THE READER |

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| THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

afternoon event at The 21st Saloon is Sunday, Dec. 6, with music starting at 3 p.m. featuring Hector Anchondo, Lash LaRue & The Hired Guns, Little Joe McCarthy and the Rex Granite Band featuring Sarah Benck. Friday, Dec. 11, the Toy Drive moves to Benson’s Reverb Lounge with performances by Matt Cox, The Prairie Gators and Lash LaRue & The Hired Guns. Saturday, Dec. 12, the Waiting Room hosts the final Toy Drive concert event with Satchel Grande, Vago and Bazile Mills. Admission to the concert events is $10 or a new, unwrapped toy of equal or greater value. To learn more or contribute to this year’s Toy Drive see toydriveforpineridge.com/announcements.htm.

hoodoo

RON PETERSEN

21st Saloon Blues

CHIP DUDEN

HOODOO focuses on blues, roots, Americana and occasional other music styles with an emphasis on live music performances. Hoodoo columnist B.J. Huchtemann is a senior contributing writer and veteran music journalist who received the Blues Foundation’s 2015 Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Journalism. Follow her blog at hoodoorootsblues.blogspot.com and on www.thereader.com.

holidayJOY D

ecember marks the annual effort by Omaha roots musician Lash LaRue to bring toys and holiday cheer to the children and families on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Conditions on the reservation are harsh, with one of the worst rates of poverty in the U.S., high drop-out and teen suicide rates. People face a variety of health issues including increased rates of diabetes and cancers. Since 2003 the Toy Drive for Pine Ridge has worked to give the youth on the Reservation some hope and joy at Christmas. When asked about how the Toy Drive has grown, LaRue, also known as Larry Dunn, was thoughtful. “I was thinking earlier this year about that first year and realized, the kids we met that year are now college age! The first year it was just my friend Steve and myself with a pickup load of toys and now we take a Mack truck full of toys, and a crew of between 5 and 10 people to help distribute. We also have branched out with the propane fund and are helping a local school. We are also looking into starting a college scholarship fund.” LaRue remains dedicated to the Toy Drive for several reasons. “The children, obviously. Once you’ve done something like this and spend time with the children and see their faces when they get gifts, it’s hard to not

DECEMBER 2015

| THE READER |

Lash LaRue’s Annual Toy Drive for the Pine Ridge Reservation and a Zoo Bar Show by Jon Dee Graham Are Among December’s Joys BY B.J. HUCHTEMANN

keep going. The other thing that keeps me going is all the people who have helped and donated and really invested themselves in this cause. It amazes me every year to see the numbers and diversity of the people who are touched by this cause and also to see how their lives are touched by participating. I really like being a part of the catalyst for that sort of thing. “And also, my daughter. I was single with no children when I started the toy drive. Now I am married with a three-year-old daughter and a stepson. That changes many things in a person’s life. I think about how I would feel if I couldn’t have gifts for them at Christmas and I also have the great responsibility to teach them about giving and looking out for your fellow human beings.” This year’s events launch with our annual appearance on KIWR 89.7 The River and Rick Galusha’s P.S. Blues radio show Sunday, Dec. 6, 9 a.m.-noon. Each year The River and Galusha are generous enough to turn some air time over to LaRue to spread awareness and raise donations for the Toy Drive. We’ll be joined by in-studio musical guests and it is always one of my favorite days of the year. The rest of the Toy Drive events include the Blues Society of Omaha Holiday Party and Toy Drive show. The

hoodoo

COURTESY JONDEEGRAHAM.COM

toytime:

Anticipation and gifts become a happy reality for children who otherwise would have little joy at Christmas. Since 2003 Lash LaRue and the Toy Drive for Pine Ridge have been making the holidays brighter for the youth on the reservation.

The 21st Saloon Thursday Blues Series continues bringing great touring blues bands to Omaha with a line-up that includes the rockin’ blues of Texans Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat Thursday, Dec. 3. Suhler brings a versatile guitar firepower to his original tunes with a band that is equal parts charisma and musicianship. They always rock the house. Charles Wilson performs Thursday, Dec. 10. Hard-charging Chicago blues band Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials hit the venue Thursday, Dec. 17. Ed has played the blues on Conan O’Brien’s TV show and the band is a two-time Blues Music Award winner for Band of the Year. The 21st’s Thursday shows take place 6-9 p.m. A few special shows also happen at The 21st this month from the Dec. 6, 3 p.m., Toy Drive for Pine Ridge show to a special Saturday show Dec. 12, 8 p.m., with popular blues-rock guitarist Mike Zito and his band The Wheel. Zito is another audience continued on page 46y

fearlesshope: Iconic Austin musician Jon Dee Graham brings his joyous and uplifting take on everyday life to Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Dec. 16.

| THE READER |

DECEMBER 2015

Kansas, and recently signed with Alligator Records, which will release the band’s label debut in spring 2016. See morelandarbuckle.com.

COURTESY OF JOSH HOYER & SOUL COLOSSAL FACEBOOK

Austin Legend Jon Dee Graham

NYEbash: Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal end a solid year of touring and recording with a hometown New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball at Lincoln’s Bourbon Theatre.

DECEMBER 2015

y continued from page 44 favorite whose rockin’ blues guitar and vocals were also an integral part of the original line-up for Royal Southern Brotherhood. The 21st closes out the month with a New Year’s Eve show that should appeal to all kinds of music fans: Moreland & Arbuckle. Their swampy, harddriving roots-blues mixes raw traditional North Mississippi hill country, Delta and Chicago blues sounds with roots and folk traditions, all spun with rocking energy. The band is based in nearby Wichita,

| THE READER |

hoodoo

Lincoln’s Zoo Bar brings music from local and touring favorites, including Hoodoo favorite Jon Dee Graham, who takes the stage Wednesday, Dec. 16, 6-9 p.m. His music is passionate, joyous and optimistic in the face of obstacles. He is an extraordinary songwriter and guitarist who is a three-time Austin Music Hall of Fame inductee. He also is a recipient of the Musician of the Year in the Austin Music Awards. Graham’s career as a guitarist includes stints in the seminal Austin punk band The Skunks and he was one of the three fiery guitars in another extremely influential Austin band, the True Believers. It was in the Believers that band mate Alejandro Escovedo started pushing Graham to sing the songs he was bringing to the band. Roots songwriter Jason Isbell says “Jon Dee Graham is the Titan of American songwriters.” While up and coming singer-songwriter John Fullbright raves “Jon Dee Graham is the silver lining, reluctant as he may be about it. He’s humor in heartbreak and tears at a wedding. He’ll break the fifth (and sixth) wall and pull you with him to a world of darkest nights and brightest days. In two words: sucker punch.” Graham’s most recent disc, Do Not Forget, is a curated collection of “fan-sourced bootlegs” of live performances, most of them from independent tapers across the world who have been recording Graham’s shows since 1992. Included on the CD is an appearance by Lincoln’s own Josh Hoyer,

featured on one of Graham’s most notable compositions, October. See jondeegrahamco.bandcamp. com/album/do-not-forget and jondeegraham.com. Graham is on tour with Mike June, a singersongwriter whose music reflects the 200-plus nights a year he is on the road performing in small clubs, house concerts and other grassroots venues. June says he spends a lot of time on highways and in conversations with mostly for working-class folks whose stories and struggles he reflects alongside his own in his music. His lastest disc is Poor Man’s Bible. See mikejune.com. Hot Notes

Other Zoo Bar shows of note include The Bel Airs (Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11 and 12), Mike Zito & The Wheel (Tuesday, Dec. 15), Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials (Friday, Dec. 18) and Brave Combo (Saturday, Dec. 19). Touring acts on the local schedule include Booker T. Jones (the Booker T. of historic Stax artists Booker T. & The M.G.s) at the Bourbon Theatre Sunday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m. The funky horn-driven soul sounds of Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats fire up Wednesday, Dec. 9, 7 p.m. at Sokol Hall with Brad Hoshaw & The Seven Deadlies opening. Jason Isbell plays Sokol Hall Saturday, Dec. 12, 8 p.m. Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal host a special New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball at Lincoln’s Bourbon Theatre. Keep an eye on the digital-only Hoodoo updates for more options for celebrating with music this holiday season. ,

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DECEMBER 2015

overtheedge

thesPEcht TIM MCMAHAN

‘saveit!

A crowd of supporters showed up for a rally Nov. 22 to oppose the feared demolition of the Specht Building.

DECEMBER 2015

History Vs. Development BY TIM MCMAHAN

he TV news reports varied on how many were actually there. One station said 300; another quoted someone saying more than 500. From my perch across the street from the Specht Building, leaning over the brick overpass in Gene Leahy Mall, the crowd at its height appeared to number around 150. They held hand-made signs with slogans like “Omaha is My Homaha” and “Honk for History” and “ReSpecht Our Architecture” while people drove past along Douglas Street tooting their horns in support or acknowledgement. Toot toot! About a month earlier I was walking my dogs, Evie and Gilda, on a route we humbly refer to as the Rich Walk. The byway glides down through JE George Boulevard south to Dodge then up toward haughty Fairacres Road, where we were met by banner after banner that said, “Shame on Avi Morrison. He is tearing down 525 Fairacres Road.” It reminded me of Curb Your Enthusiasm. “I steal forks from restaurants.” Google it. Despite the neighbors’ attempts at public shaming, the wrecking ball had arrived a day or so earlier. The old mansion, which had been in a state of disrepair for years, had been transformed into a towering pile of bricks and dirt. A front-end loader stood next to the wreckage like a poacher posing alongside a fallen elephant. Somewhere on this bright, early fall morning, Avi Morrison was sleeping just fine. Let’s start with this fact: Everyone loves old buildings. They remind us of a bygone era we’ve never experienced except in the movies. The beautiful facades with their ornate cornices and decorative detail. Yes, function was important, but these structures were designed in an era when every aspect of a building’s appearance mattered, right down to the crown molding. If you cropped the image just right you could imagine Model Ts or even horse-drawn carriages rolling past the mighty time capsules. Old buildings are like old people standing strong in a world they never made, as everything around them changes. They give us hope that something we grew up with will be here after we’re gone; hope that if we’re lucky, maybe even something we’ve created ourselves will outlast the memory of our own existence, like these buildings. So when one of these sentinels gets destroyed, it not only breaks our hearts, it crushes our dreams. The wrecking ball is a reminder that all too soon they’ll be shoveling dirt atop our caskets, and the earth over our graves will quickly be leveled, just like the concrete will pour to make way for yet another parking structure. And yet… When does saving an old building take away the right of the people who own it to do what they want with their property? As much as it sucks for you or the neighbors in Fairacres, it was Morrison’s building, and he could do with it what he wanted. Why the rich folk in Fairacres chose to get upset over the Morrison building instead of the last three

| THE READER |

over the edge

Fairacres mansions that were demolished is unclear; regardless, if they really wanted to save that old mansion they could have pooled their money and made Morrison an offer he couldn’t refuse. But apparently they could only scratch together enough money to buy a lot of banners. The most successful efforts to save old buildings are the result of concerted efforts to purchase them. The Benson Theatre, for example. A group of neighborhood citizens who wanted to see the old theater return to its past state of grandeur got together, formed a nonprofit agency, raised money and purchased the building located at 6054 Maple. Now they’re raising money to turn it once again into an operating theater. Hurrah! Then there’s the Dundee Theater. We’ve all been biting our nails wondering what would happen to our beloved neighborhood movie house at 50th and Dodge, which has been “closed for remodeling” for more than two years. Then last month word leaked that Susie Buffett had taken interest in buying the entire block where the theater sits. If she does, the next steps no doubt could involve figuring out how to operate the projectors again. On the other hand, we learned the hard way one method to keep old buildings standing that doesn’t work. Have it designated as an “historic landmark.” Who, like me, foolishly believed landmark status meant something, only to find out that our city council can sweep away the designation with a simple vote? Goodbye Clarinda-Page buildings, hello weed-covered empty lot. The Specht Building also has been designated an historic landmark, but now we know better. Its fate is in the hands of Omaha Performing Arts (OPA) — the folks who run The Holland Performing Arts Center — who will acquire the building and the block it stands on in a move resembling a Monopoly game land swap with two other players — the City of Omaha and global architectural firm HDR, Inc. If the deal’s approved, everyone assumes OPA will tear down the Specht and its less-interesting sister buildings to make way for more parking. Protestors say there’s already plenty of parking downtown. Apparently none of them actually work downtown or they’d know about the long waiting lists for monthly parking at all the nearby structures and lots. Parking sucks downtown except for those who don’t work there. Despite the rally and petitions, it’s probably too late for the Specht and the other buildings. Suggestions that OPA can devise a way to incorporate them into their future plans takes into account everyone’s vision but OPA’s. But you never know. The Specht’s probable demise is the price we pay for insisting that corporate headquarters be built downtown instead of in West Omaha, where most people who work in corporate offices live. Hey, there’s one way to keep the wrecking ball at bay — insist all new development take place out in the ‘burbs. But no one wants that. So in the face of downtown corporate development, the only way to protect beautiful old buildings is to buy them, or figure out a way to have them recognized not just as historical landmarks but as untouchable national monuments. Because isn’t that how we view them? , Over The Edge is a monthly column by Reader senior contributing writer Tim McMahan focused on culture, society, music, the media and the arts. Email Tim at tim.mcmahan@gmail.com

DECEMBER SHOWS DEC 3-6

GREG WARREN

Has been building a strong fan base with his act inspired by stories from his Midwestern upbringing. Greg attracts a diverse audience spectrum, performing on networks such as BET & CMT. Greg received an invitation to the prestigious Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal in 2002, where he performed as one of their featured New Faces of Comedy. Greg has an arsenal of characters that he brings to life in his act.

DEC 10-13 JOHN MORGAN

Got a question? Problem? Need advice? The “Ragin’ Cajun” is here to help! Get your head out of the dark and help yourself with John Morgan’s Comedy Therapy. WAY cheaper than a shrink and definitely more affordable than an attorney! John’s confident demeanor and honest approach to life is refreshingly original. John dares to talk boldly about real issues. Whether he is speaking about children or relationships, his comedy comes from the heart. Although his material may push some limits, it is never derogatory to any race, sex or creed.

DEC 17-20

VIC HENLEY

DEC 23

OMAHA’S CLASH OF THE COMICS

Using his good Southern “good ol’ boy” persona to first charm his audience, Vic Henley wins them over entirely with his well-crafted humor. His improvisational ability, quick wit, and high energy have earned him the reputation as one of the country’s fastest rising comedians. His appearance has been described as “a cross between Opie Taylor and Don Rickles, or a potent concoction of innocence and devilment.”

Local and regional comedian’s give the best 5 they have - winner at the end of the evening gets a one night paid spot in front of a nationally touring headliner right here at the Funny Bone!

DEC 26-27, 30 TRIFECTA OF FUNNY!

Starring Johnny Beehner, Keith Bender and Nick Hoff! You’ve seen them on comedy tours and Comedy Central, now see them LIVE! Too funny to miss!

NEW YEAR’S EVE: AN EVENING OF LAUGHTER! SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT

DEC 31

Ring in the New Year with laughter! Here to entertain you for the evening will be Johnny Beehner, Keith Bender, and Nick Hoff! The 7pm show will feature a special menu and all the laughs you can handle! The 10pm show includes party favors and a champagne toast at midnight! *Please note: Food and beverages are sold separately and are not included with your ticket purchase.

COMING UP: JAN 8 & 9 ROB SCHNEIDER!!!

TUESDAY DEC 1 Billy Troy

FRIDAY DEC 11 Secret Weapon

TUESDAY DEC 22 Billy Troy Christmas Show

WEDNESDAY DEC 2 The Brits

SATURDAY DEC 12 Envy

WEDNESDAY DEC 23 Bozak & Morrissey

THURSDAY DEC 3 Knucklehead

MONDAY DEC 14 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band

SATURDAY DEC 26 Charm School Dropouts

FRIDAY DEC 4 On The Fritz SATURDAY DEC 5 Red Delicious MONDAY DEC 7 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band TUESDAY DEC 8 Chris Jones WEDNESDAY DEC 9 The Persuaders THURSDAY DEC 10 Bob Fields & Swing Time

TUESDAY DEC 15 Scott Evans & Friends WEDNESDAY DEC 16 The Grease Band THURSDAY DEC 17 Clark & Company FRIDAY DEC 18 Rough Cut SATURDAY DEC 19 The Six MONDAY DEC 21 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band

| THE READER |

MONDAY DEC 28 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band TUESDAY DEC 29 Scott Evans & Friends WEDNESDAY DEC 30 Daybreak

THURSDAY DEC 31 NEW YEAR’S EVE Eckophonic in Ozone Bozak & Morrissey in the Grand Ballroom

DECEMBER 2015

Yesterday’s past tomorrow

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Look for a strange new trend in science fiction: Instead of setting stories in the future, they will be set in the past. But they will be set in the past that much older science fiction thought would be the future. So, as an example, a new science fiction novel might take place in the year 2001, but it would be the 2001 Arthur C. Clarke envisioned in his book “2001: A Space Odyssey,” where there are intelligent computers and a moon colony. Other books will go back even further, to the 1960s that the 1930s thought we would experience, and even books set in the 1920s, but written in the way Victorians imagined the 1920s would be like. This genre of fiction will be called Retro Speculativism, and will be unexpectedly popular. Indeed, many fans will dress and decorate their homes in a distinctively retro style, but with elements drawn from this sort of sci-fi, as though living in one of these novels.

Inside the Movie

Soon you will be inside the battle for the future of the universe. The next big trend in home entertainment will be virtual reality. The technology is already in place for entertainment that places the viewer inside the action, allowing them to look around the world of the film, as though they are present at events as they occur. Some VR stories will include the viewer as a character, but many will simply place them in the scene, a ghostly viewer. This technology will prove so popular that older films will be adapted to VR. You will be able to stand on the deck of the Titanic as it sinks, or plummet to the earth with King Kong, or fly through space in the Millennium Falcon. This will be possible through complex, computerized post conversions that literally build the world of the film around the filmed image, and it will be so convincing as to seem like the film was originally made for VR.

www.megamates.com 18+

DECEMBER 2015

| THE READER |

Other Worlds

This world is not the only one. We soon will discover that the universe does not just consist of the world we inhabit, but many parallel worlds, all existing on top of one another, but unaware. These pass through each other, inhabiting the same space, sharing the same timeline, but are radically different from each other, and utterly alien to each other. It will take centuries for us to understand these worlds, and to connect with them, but we will discover the most extraordinary thing: There is also life there, although not life as we know it, and intelligence, although not intelligence as we know it. It will confirm what we have long suspected: That the universe teems with life, although life beyond our imagination, beyond our understanding.

Trick or Treat

Tomorrow’s Halloween will be a return to the chaotic, anarchic Halloweens of the past. Thanks to a global financial meltdown, America will be filled with orphaned and homeless children living in small groups on the outskirts of cities. They will survive through criminal schemes, and on the night before Halloween -- traditionally known as Devil’s Night -- they will begin a reign of terror that will last through to the end of the traditional Mexican Day of the Dead. These feral children will engage in relentless pranking, as well as acts of vandalism and violence. It will be possible to avoid experiencing this by paying the children a bribe -- the traditional “trick or treat.” But for those who don’t, it will be open season, and they will suffer arson, destruction of property, physical attacks, and even murder at the hands of hundreds of costumed children. For more on these predictions and others by Dr. Mysterian visit www.thereader.

A Season of Events Thanksgiving Lighting Ceremony

Wells Fargo Family Festival

Thursday, November 26, 6-6:30 p.m. Gene Leahy Mall, 14th & Farnam FREE Holiday lights will be illuminated every evening 5 p.m.-1 a.m. through January 3, 2016 Gene Leahy Mall Lights sponsored by Aetna

Making Spirits Bright Holiday Concert

Celebrate the Holiday Lights Festival and help Shine the Light on Hunger.

Thursday, November 26, 7 p.m. Holland Performing Arts Center, 13th & Douglas FREE

Family activities and entertainment Sunday, December 6, noon-5 p.m. Venues • Wells Fargo, 1919 Douglas St. • Omaha Children’s Museum • Durham Museum • Joslyn Art Museum • W. Dale Clark Library • Omaha Police Mounted Patrol Barn, 615 Leavenworth Ollie the Trolley provides transportation between sites FREE

Sounds of the Season

Features choral groups from youth to professional performers Saturdays, November 28-December 26, 7-8 p.m. Gene Leahy Mall and the Old Market

MAYOR JEAN STOTHERT & Downtown Omaha Inc. Foundation EV ENT SP ONS ORS

M E D IA SP O NS O R S

SHINING STAR SP O NS O RS Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation