Anastasis Theatre Co.

Mission

The Mission of the Anastasis Theatre Co. is to lift unheard voices in our community. Our plays bring together diverse groups to highlight the beauty of our differences and reveal the common thread of our humanity.

Values

We believe that story is an essential part of the human experience. The stories we tell as a culture impact how we understand ourselves and others. Those who tell the stories of our community have the power to shape our knowledge of the past, our current reality and what is possible in the future. We are left wondering, who is telling our story, and whose voices still need to be heard.

Anastasis Theatre Co. is committed to giving new voices a platform to share their stories and shift the narrative that directs our community. We hope to connect underserved communities with the transformative power of storytelling and theatre. When we give new voices the opportunity to be heard we change what is possible for individuals and the community.

In an increasingly isolated world our theatre-making process focuses on the power of human connection that is only possible when we share space and meet face- to- face. Every aspect of our work is a collaboration with the community we are serving. From story circles and interviews to creation and performance of the play, community members are at the heart of every step.

We are dedicated to creating new plays that engage our wider community in dialogue with new voices from underrepresented groups. Live theatre has the unique ability to connect audience and performers in a shared experience that promotes empathy and broadens our understandings. We hope to help weave new stories into the fabric of our community and build momentum for positive change.

Our story

In the spring of 2018 Colleen O’Doherty and Haley Haas reconnected at the Great Plains Theatre Conference. They had briefly worked together years earlier on a couple theatre projects. After catching up they realized they were currently working on similar projects and decided to meet for coffee to talk about possible collaboration. Colleen had recently graduated with a Masters in screen and play writing and was gathering stories to create a play to tell the stories of people affected by homelessness. Haley was working with a group of inmates at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, using theatre and story circles to help the men share their personal stories and experiences. By the end of their first meeting Colleen and Haley realized their skills complemented each other and they decided to team up for both projects.

By the end of their first meeting Colleen and Haley realized their skills complemented each other and they decided to team up for both projects.

After their first night working together at the Open Door Mission Haley suggested they start a theatre company to lift unheard voices in the community and Anastasis Theatre Co. was born. We partner with communities in our region that have historically had less access to the arts and provide them with the opportunity to create plays based on their own lived experiences, involving the community in every aspect of the process from story gathering to play creation to performance. This allows each community to experience the transformative power of theatre. We believe our community is stronger when everyone’s story has a place to be heard.

Haley Haas is a native of Yankton, South Dakota and holds a BFA in theatre from Creighton University. In addition to her work with Anastasis Theatre Co. she also works as a teaching artist and facilitator with the Union for Contemporary Arts, Omaha Community Playhouse, WhyArts, and Creighton Medical School. Haley worked for 15 years as an actor and the Training and Education Director for R.E.S.P.E.C.T., a touring educational theatre company. Favorite regional shows include: Silent Sky (Henrietta) for which she won the Theater Arts Guild award for Outstanding Lead Actress, The Dresser (Irene), and Six Degrees of Separation (Elizabeth) at the Blue Barn Theatre, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Honey) at The Circle Theatre.

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Colleen O’Doherty is a writer based out of Omaha, Nebraska. She has her MFA in playwriting from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Her plays have been part of many festivals, including: Bold Dorothy, Retired, as part of Br!nk Briefs at Renaissance Theaterworks, 2017; Elevated and Swipe Right at the Bar as part of Cone Man Running Productions’ Five-Minute Mile 2017; Northern Bound as part of Station Hope at Cleveland Public Theater; Meet Puberty won “Festival Favorite” for the Funky Little Theater Company’s 2018 Spectrum festival. Her play, Stripped, was a quarterfinalist for ScreenCraft’s 2018-19 stage play competition.

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