Over the past few days, we had the privilege of working in the Omaha community and performing at the spectacular Orpheum Theatre. After a more leisurely trip from Miami back to Omaha, we arrived with plenty of time to get a little rest. We checked into the Deco XV Hotel in downtown Omaha, right across the street from the theatre.
Thursday started early and continued throughout the day. The first stop was Quality Life, a rehabilitation facility for individuals with brain and spinal cord injuries. What an incredible place this is. It was a privilege to spend some time with the residents here, visit with some of the therapists, and share a little magic.
The second stop was the ARC of Omaha at the Ollie Webb Center. There’s something very special about spending time in a place like this. People with developmental disabilities are not all that different from you and I. We had a great time sharing magic with the clients here – both performing and teaching them a few tricks.
After lunch, we were on our way to Immanuel Rehabilitation Center. Here, I was able to do a 2-hour workshop for rehabilitation therapists teaching them how to use simple magic tricks as a part of their treatment program.
The final stop of the day was at Omaha Children’s Hospital for a pizza party with the kids and a little magic show! Often, the children with low immunity systems are unable to attend our public performances because they are so vulnerable. This was an opportunity to bring the magic to them and their siblings. After the performance, we took some additional time to teach all of them how to perform a few tricks of their own. It was great to hear them laugh, watch them play, and see them have a new experience.
Friday was the day of the show at the Orpheum Theatre. I had been looking forward to this performance for several weeks.
This is a SPECTACULAR venue building in the 1920’s and restored and renovated to accommodate large Broadway shows. When they did the restoration, they kept the character and style of the building completely in tact.
We backed the truck into the loading dock. The crew was there to meet us – and we were on our way to getting the show fully set and ready!
We had a great audience for the evening show – people of all ages. And the response was fantastic! Thank you Omaha for being an amazing crowd! I’m looking forward to coming back!!