The Center Stage Project

06/02/2026

GO! Just go! Support our neighbors in the arts!

We are very proud to announce our very first show!
Lawless Disorder.
Improv comedy based on your s**t luck. 🪩

We take your stories about the most unbearable humans and situations in your life and turn them into completely improvised scenes, characters, and public emotional damage.

This will be the first ever performance in our brand new venue! This show will be performed only once a month so don't miss this dumpster fire. Every show is different because every audience has fresh trauma to unpack.

June 25th, 2026
Doors @ 6:30pm
Showtime 7:00pm
1220 Central Avenue, Unit 3
(Rear south entrance)
Our shows are 16+ 💃🏻

This first show will be FREE WILL DONATION. But we only have seating for up to 60 ticket holders so grab them NOW through this EventBrite link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1989886096882?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or by calling us!
402•417•2619

05/20/2026

Congrats to everyone in Fake Friends Improv!

If you haven't checked them out, give them a follow and explore the world of performance with this awesome group of people, too!

Our Final Form. 🪩

These are your new FAKE FRIENDS. Everyone in this picture has been working so hard and we are really putting together something special.

BIG announcements coming soon.
First LIVE show in June.
Venue. Website.
Unhinged live improv right here in Kearney, Nebraska. 👯‍♀️

05/19/2026

🕺 KICK OFF YOUR SUNDAY SHOES, KEARNEY! 🕺

The wait is officially over, and we are cutting loose with excitement! Huge congratulations to the incredibly talented cast of Crane River Theater’s upcoming production of Footloose! 👏🎉

We are absolutely thrilled to see such an amazing mix of talent taking the stage:
✨ Local faces we know and love!
✨ Returning Crane alumni we can't wait to see back in action!
✨ Brand-new talent we are so excited to welcome to the CRT family!

To the entire cast and crew: the whole neighborhood is already cheering you on! We know how much heart and energy you’re going to pour into this show, and we can’t wait to be the loudest audience in town.

Grab your dancing shoes and let’s do this—everybody cut Footloose! 🎭✨

05/19/2026

This is what theater is all about not to mention Sergei...you did a great job! We almost thought you were the murderer in the show. 🤔

Kearney Community Theater does another great round of casting. 🥹🥹

Now...if Sergei had that great of a time...go audition for their next show!

You never know until you come audition!
And we have some auditions tonight at 7 PM for Groundhog Day!

We are looking for 9 women and 11 men (18+) to have a fun filled summer with us! Come on out tonight and give it a try! All the details are on our Facebook event page.

Thanks for the shout out, Sergei (Major Hector Blunt)!

05/17/2026

🎭 THE SHOW MUST GO ON! 🌪️
We have got to tip our absolute highest top hats to the incredible cast and crew of *Alice in Wonderland Jr.*!

Talk about true theatrical professionalism. When a possible tornado interrupts your show and forces a mid-performance break, it would be easy for anyone to lose their focus. But not these Horizon Middle School students.

They didn't just handle the unexpected with grace—they brought us right back down the rabbit hole, stepped back onto that stage, and delivered an absolutely amazing, unforgettable performance. Their energy, resilience, and dedication to their craft left the entire audience completely awed.

To the brilliant cast, the hardworking crew, and everyone behind the scenes: you proved that no matter what happens, the theater magic alive at Horizon can't be shaken. We are so incredibly proud of you all. Way to steal the show! 🌟👏

Rock

05/16/2026

🎭 DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE WE GO! 🐇🎩

Okay, so we might be a tad bit late to the tea party and missed the official Opening Day post—but as the White Rabbit says, "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" Luckily, we aren't completely out of time! ⏰✨

Horizon Middle School’s absolutely wonder-ful production of Alice in Wonderland Jr. officially opened yesterday, May 15th!

The good news? You haven't gone entirely mad yet, because you still have ONE MORE CHANCE at 7:00 PM to catch this incredible cast and crew before they close the curtain! 🌹🃏

Don't paint the roses red by missing out on supporting the amazing youth theater right here in our community. Grab your tickets, don't be late for this very important date, and go show these talented kids some love!

Break a leg to the cast and crew on your final performance! We know you're going to knock it out of the Wunderland park! 🎪👏

05/07/2026

Setting the stage for a masterpiece! ✒️🔎

The Center Stage Project is wishing a "Killer" opening night to Kearney Community Theatre! Bringing an Agatha Christie classic to life is no small feat (or should we say, no small confession?).

To the cast: You’ve got the motive and the talent.
To the crew: You’ve got the means.
To the audience: You’ve got the opportunity to see some amazing local theater!

Break a leg, KCT! We’re dying to see it.

05/02/2026

Showtime 🤩 watch our MC girls, Avery and Sophie, dance the night away at the UNK For The Love Of…. dance concert at the Miriam Drake Theatre starting at 7:15! Good luck to all the dancers on such an exciting night!

05/02/2026

Go check out Frozen at Kearney high! Remaining showings are May 2 and may 3 .
Link on where to get the tickets: https://kearneyhs.booktix.com/dept/main/e/Frozen

05/02/2026

Hello from the Wings!
I’m introducing myself to those I haven't met and saying "hey" to those I have. I’m Dillon Nelson, "The Daydreamer" of The Center Stage Project.

I grew up in a small Nebraska town with a great education but exactly zero theater programs (though our one-act team was legendary thanks to Candace Cain!). My world changed in 2008 at UNK when I landed my first role in *Oklahoma!*—a show my Grandma Shirley absolutely loved. I had a major case of culture shock, but I was hooked.

I quickly learned that theater isn't just about jazz hands; it’s about community. I’ve been lucky to gain amazing friends who allowed me to perform in their organizations. A huge shout-out to Steve Barth (one of the best humans ever) and Crane River Theater** for those opportunities! Theater even let me return to my "home stage" at UNK a few times, which was a full-circle dream.

Those connections are so deep that I’m actually on a plane to NYC right now to see theater friends I met years and some just months ago! The arts belong to **all of us**—you, me, and even your grumpiest neighbor. (Quick ADHD side note: I get to work with my best friend of 17 years, and my dear friend Peg—who has taught me so much—finally shared the stage with me this past December!)

Why The Center Stage Project?
I know there’s room in Kearney for one more "small" project. We’re a group of self-proclaimed "misfits" dedicated to genuine connection. Massive thanks to **Affiliated Brokers Insurance** for being our first sponsor! (Heather, thanks for the warm welcome—we’ll see you in a project soon, right??) Also, thanks to the Kearney Area Foundation for helping us keep the lights on.

Two quick favors (one neighbor to another):
1. Stalk us (the legal way): Like, follow, and share our content! Help us convince the algorithm we're cool.
2. Spare a buck? We have a project in the works with lots of local faces. If you can help—even just $1—search for "The Center Stage Project" on the Kearney Area Foundation site. We’ll celebrate a single dollar like we won a Tony Award.

Thank you for supporting the arts! We are only here because of you.