Omaha has produced a surprising number of Hollywood names. Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando, Henry Fonda, Gabrielle Union, Adam Devine, JoJo Siwa — the list goes on. For a mid-sized Midwestern city, that’s a remarkable track record.
But it’s not luck. Omaha has something many cities don’t: accessible arts infrastructure that gives young performers real opportunities to develop their craft before they ever leave Nebraska. From the nation’s largest community theater to youth talent competitions and robust school programs, the city has built a foundation that consistently launches careers.
The question isn’t whether Omaha produces talent. It’s how a city this size keeps doing it, generation after generation.
The Omaha Community Playhouse: A Century of Launching Careers
The Omaha Community Playhouse isn’t just a local theater. Founded in 1924, it’s the largest community theater in the United States, and it’s been a launchpad for major talent since its earliest days.
Henry Fonda got his start there in 1925 when Dorothy “Dodie” Brando — Marlon Brando’s mother and a founding member of the Playhouse — recruited him to audition. Fonda was a shy 20-year-old file clerk at the time. That first role changed everything.
“Do Brando had more or less nudged me onto the stage of the Omaha Community Playhouse, and I discovered this magic of the theatre that I hadn’t known anything about,” Fonda said decades later while accepting the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award in 1978.
Dorothy McGuire began her career at the Playhouse at age 13, appearing opposite Fonda in the 1930 production of “A Kiss for Cinderella.” Both went on to legendary Hollywood careers. Today, the Playhouse’s top acting award each season is named the Fonda-McGuire Award in their honor.
The Playhouse operates two theaters — the 558-seat Hawks Mainstage Theatre and the more intimate 200-230 seat Howard Drew Theatre — and produces over 10 shows per year. What makes it special isn’t just its size. It’s the access. Community theater means auditions are open, ticket prices are affordable and the barrier to entry is low enough that a shy file clerk or a 13-year-old can walk through the door and discover what they’re capable of.
How Millard South High School Shaped Adam DeVine’s Career
Adam DeVine graduated from Millard South High School in 2002, but his path to comedy stardom started in the school’s theater program.
DeVine enrolled in theater arts his freshman year, though he didn’t take it seriously until junior year. That’s when drama teacher Robin Baker changed everything.
“My drama teacher at Millard South High School, Robin Baker, was just awesome,” DeVine told Omaha Magazine. “She was cool, and she knew people that were actually working actors in Hollywood and people who were producers and writers and people that were actually doing it — not just on the small level, but actually making careers out of it.”
Baker didn’t just teach. She believed in DeVine’s potential and showed his comedy videos during classes and rehearsals. She encouraged him to branch out from comedy into dramatic roles his senior year, expanding his range as a performer.
DeVine’s comedy also served another purpose. At age 11, he was hit by a cement truck while crossing Harrison Street in Omaha. He spent two years relearning how to walk and faced bullying when he returned to school. Humor became his defense mechanism.
“We had this caller who would do bits on our night show — just call in and be funny. We loved it, but we had no clue who he was,” said Pat Safford, longtime Omaha radio personality and host of “Pat and JT” on the Hurrdat ONE network. “Years later, Adam DeVine’s all over TV and we realize that was him the whole time. He was honing his comedy on Omaha radio before any of us knew his name.”
That combination — supportive teachers, accessible theater programs and personal resilience — helped launch the career of a comedian and actor who’s now known for “Workaholics,” “Pitch Perfect” and “The Righteous Gemstones.” Omaha even declared November 10 “Adam DeVine Day” in 2018 when he returned to perform at the Orpheum Theater.
From Show Wagon to National Stages: JoJo Siwa’s Omaha Start
Before JoJo Siwa became a Nickelodeon star and pop culture phenomenon, she was a 9-year-old competing in Omaha’s Goodfellows Show Wagon.
The Show Wagon was a traveling youth talent competition that ran from 1952 to 2010, stopping in parks across Omaha to showcase young performers. Siwa competed in the 2009 finals, dancing to “You Are My Sunshine.”
“Show Wagon was something we looked forward to every summer,” Siwa and her mother Jess said in a statement years later when Show Wagon was revived as the Omaha Mobile Stage in 2022.
The Show Wagon gave kids across Omaha — regardless of neighborhood or income — free access to a real stage and a real audience. Siwa went on to appear on “Dance Moms,” launch a music career and build a massive social media following, but it started with a free community talent show that gave her early stage experience.
The modern version, Omaha Mobile Stage, continues that tradition. Operated by the nonprofit Partners for Livable Omaha, it brings free performances and youth talent competitions to neighborhoods across the city, just like the original Show Wagon did for nearly 60 years.
Why Omaha’s Size Actually Helps Young Performers
Omaha isn’t Los Angeles or New York, and that’s not a disadvantage. It’s actually one of the reasons the city produces so much talent.
In oversaturated markets, young performers compete with thousands of others for limited stage time. In Omaha, a talented high schooler can land significant roles in community theater productions, perform in citywide competitions and get noticed by teachers and mentors who have the time and resources to invest in their development.
Less competition means more opportunity. More opportunity means more stage time. More stage time means better skills. Better skills mean a stronger foundation when performers eventually move to bigger markets.
It’s also easier to stand out. Adam DeVine wasn’t one of 10,000 aspiring comedians in Omaha. He was a Millard South student whose teacher knew industry professionals and could help him believe a career was possible.
Omaha’s Music Scene: From High School Bands to National Tours
Omaha’s music scene has produced major acts, most notably the rock band 311 and indie icon Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes.
All five members of 311 — Nick Hexum, Tim Mahoney, Chad Sexton, P-Nut (Aaron Wills) and SA Martinez — grew up in Omaha in the 1970s. Hexum, Mahoney and Sexton attended Westside High School together, while P-Nut and Martinez went to Bryan High School. They formed the band in 1988, played their first gig in Omaha in 1990 and built a grassroots following in the Midwest before relocating to Los Angeles. Their 1995 self-titled album went triple platinum.
Conor Oberst, the creative force behind Bright Eyes, was born and raised in Omaha and graduated from Creighton Prep. He co-founded Saddle Creek Records, an independent label that became a cornerstone of Omaha’s indie music scene and launched bands like Cursive, The Faint and Bright Eyes. Oberst still owns Pageturners Lounge in Omaha and regularly returns to perform in the city.
Both 311 and Bright Eyes credit Omaha’s supportive local music scene with giving them space to develop their sound before seeking national attention. Omaha’s venues, from Sokol Auditorium (now The Admiral) to smaller clubs, provided stages where young musicians could experiment, fail and grow without the pressure of major-market expectations.
A Legacy That Spans Generations
The list of Omaha natives who’ve made it in entertainment stretches back over a century. Fred Astaire, one of Hollywood’s most iconic dancers, was born in Omaha in 1899. His sister Adele was also a performer. Johnny Carson, the legendary host of “The Tonight Show,” grew up in Nebraska and got his start in entertainment here.
Marlon Brando was born in Omaha in 1924 — the same year the Omaha Community Playhouse was founded. Though his family left when he was six and he never performed there, his mother Dorothy was a founding member who helped launch Henry Fonda’s career.
Other recent names include Anne Ramsey, Nick Nolte, Gabrielle Union and even athletes who crossed into entertainment like baseball legend Bob Gibson and boxer Terence “Bud” Crawford.
What Makes Omaha Different
Three things set Omaha apart when it comes to developing talent: access, infrastructure and community support.
Access: Programs like the Omaha Community Playhouse, Show Wagon (now Omaha Mobile Stage) and strong high school theater and music programs are open to anyone. There are no prohibitive costs or exclusive auditions that keep talented kids on the sidelines.
Infrastructure: Omaha has built and maintained arts institutions for over a century. The Playhouse has been operating since 1924. Saddle Creek Records has been supporting independent musicians since 1993. These aren’t fly-by-night programs — they’re deeply embedded in the city’s identity.
Community support: Omaha shows up. Audiences fill community theater seats, attend local concerts and support young performers. That creates a sustainable ecosystem where arts programs can thrive and young talent can see that pursuing creativity is valued, not dismissed as impractical.
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