THE CAMERA. ALL RIGHT. AT 850, THE OMAHA COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THE LINEUP FOR IT’S 99TH SEASON AND NOW THAT WON’T START UNTIL AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. BUT WE’RE JOINED TODAY BY KATIE BERMAN, WHO’S HERE TO TELL US WHAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO. KATIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. YEAH, SO START BY TELLING US, WHAT DID THE OMAHA COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE HAVE IN STORE FOR ITS 99TH SEASON? YES. WELL, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT SHOWS. WE’RE KICKING OFF WITH A NEW DRAMA COMEDY STRAIGHT FROM BROADWAY CALLED CLYDE’S. AND CLYDE’S TAKES PLACE IN A TRUCKERS SANDWICH SHOP AND THE PEOPLE MAKING THE SANDWICHES ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. AND THE SHOW IS FUNNY. IT’S FIERY, BUT IT HAS A LOT OF HEART, TOO, BECAUSE WE LEARN THEIR STORIES AND SOME OF THEIR STORIES ARE NOT WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE NECESSARILY EXPECTED. THAT’S GOING TO BE IN OUR HOWARD DREW THEATER. AND THE NEXT HOUR, HUCK’S MAIN STAGE IS BEAUTIFUL. THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL. AND THIS IS ONE THAT EVERYBODY’S REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW CAROLE KING’S MUSIC, BUT THEY DON’T NECESSARILY KNOW HER LIFE AND STORY OR SOME OF THE SONGS THAT SHE WROTE EARLY IN HER CAREER THAT SHE DIDN’T SING AND SOMETHING THAT MAKES BEAUTIFUL SO GREAT IS A LOT OF TIMES JUKEBOX MUSICALS CAN BE A LITTLE FLUFFY IN THE STORYLINE. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE JUST TRYING TO CRAM A LOT OF GREAT SONGS IN. BUT THIS STORYLINE HAS A LOT OF MEAT BECAUSE CAROLE KING’S LIFE HAS BEEN REALLY FASCINATING. AND WE KNOW SHE HAVE AN AMAZING SONG WITH ARETHA FRANKLIN THAT SHE WROTE. SO WE KNOW IF YOU HAVE ONE. YES. SHE DID ONE FOR THE SHIRELLES, TOO, WHICH IS JUST INCREDIBLE. AND YOU HAVE SO MANY AMAZING SHOWS, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT PICKING THESE PLAYS IN THESE SHOWS? WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT’S MADE UP OF STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEN OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS WEIGH IN. AND SO WE START IN MAY AND WE READ SHOWS AND DISCUSS SHOWS UNTIL THE BOARD VOTES IN DECEMBER. SO IT’S A PRETTY LONG PROCESS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO SEE WHAT’S COMING AVAILABLE. AND WITH THE LICENSING COMPANIES, WHAT THE NEW TITLES ARE AND WE KNOW RENT HAD A LONG RUN AND THAT ACTUALLY SOLD OUT. I MEAN, ARE THERE OPTIONS RIGHT NOW FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME SEASON TICKET HOLDERS OR TO GRAB TICKETS NOW? YES, SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE ON SALE NOW FOR SEASON 99, AND IT’S THE BEST WAY TO SEE A SHOW BECAUSE IT’S THE CHEAPEST PRICE ON TICKETS. YOU GET FIRST CHOICE OF SEATS, YOU GET ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTS. AND SO A SEASON SUBSCRIPTION IS A GREAT WAY TO SEE A SHOW. AND THEN ARE PEOPLE STILL, LIKE, AVAILABLE OR HAVE THE CHANCE TO BECOME A PART OF THE CAST AND THE CREWS? YES, WE HAVEN’T AUDITIONED FOR ANY OF THOSE SHOWS YET. THE FIRST AUDITION IS IN MAY AND WE HAVE OPEN AUDITIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE AN EDUCATION IN THEATER. YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. YOU CAN JUST COME AND AUDITION. WE HAD SOME REALLY AMAZING THEATER DEBUTS THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW, DREAMGIRLS CLOSES TODAY AND OVER HALF OF THAT CAST WAS NEW TO THE PLAYHOUSE. AND SOME ARE NEW TO THE STAGE. AND YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT BECAUSE THE TALENT IS AMAZING. SO WHAT I GOT FROM THAT IS YOU TELLING ME I CAN COME IN AND AUDITION DOWN? OH, WE’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU. SO PEOPLE WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE ME ON STAGE. I CAN’T SING OR DANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS ONE DAY, KATIE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. ALL RIGHT. SEASON TICKETS FOR THE 2023, 2024 SEASON ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE. YOU CAN FIND THOSE AT OMAHA PLAYHOUSE DOT COM. KATIE, THANK YOU AGAIN F