KINDAIR AT THE BENSON THEATRE
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Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Benson Theatre aims to address the cultural and educational needs of the community providing accessible and enriching theatrical, educational, and creative experiences, as well as offering a venue to artists and nonprofits to amplify their voices and missions and find their audiences. Through our diverse programming, we seek to engage audiences in thought-provoking programs while also fostering learning opportunities for individuals of all ages.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Mr. K's Clubhouse Live!
Mister K's Clubhouse is Omaha's only live-action, educational preschool series aimed at children ages 1-7 years, created, produced by, and starring Kerron Stark. In this special live version presented on the Benson Theatre stage, Mister K invites us to his Clubhouse, a fun, welcoming placemuch like a daycare classroomwhere children play, sing, and learn. After an interactive sing-along, three of Mister Ks young friendsTyler, Jessica, and Skylerarrive and tell us about the exciting game of pretending they've just come from. Mister K decides he would like to play pretend, too, so he brings out a giant chest full of things that will spark ideas for imaginary adventures. Through the power of imagination, we are transported to a farm, a mechanics garage, and a rock concert!
Dates: August 17th & 18th, 2024
Ageless Artistic Education Series
A way to engage our 55 and older neighbors, the Ageless Artistic Education Series is a free art and entertainment educational opportunity unlike any other in Omaha. Led by expert teaching artists, these 4-week classes span a wide variety of topics including spoken word, preparing monologues, theatrical dance, improv, and how to talk to loved ones about your personal aging journey. The classes are free and open to our 55 and over neighbors who enjoy coming back for new educational experiences and building friendships along the way.
By providing a free space for 55 and older community members to attend classes and build relationships, we expand access to continued learning and exploration of talents, passions, and creativity. We also create more opportunities for the enormous community of incredible teaching artists, helping to sustain arts as a living right here in Omaha.
Theatre for All Presents: The Disability Plays
In collaboration with Queens Theatre of New York, Circle Theatre, and Great Plains Theatre Commons, Benson Theatre will present a showcase of 10-minute plays written by playwrights with disabilities and/or featuring characters with disabilities. By working with national leading expert in authentic casting, Rob Urbinati, we will feature performers and writers who often have their voices marginalized and their lives turned into inspirational quotes rather than truly lived experiences.
Accessibility is often the category of DEI most often left for last, but thats never been the case at Benson Theatre. From the start in construction, we aimed to have a truly accessible space for people of all abilities. Now well showcase the artistic talent of these community members, creating more spaces for them to be at the head of the conversation.
Curtain Call: Community Spotlight Series
From our speaker series with ground-breaking nonprofits like One Omaha to hosting benefits for service-based nonprofits like The Warhawk PTSD Service Dog Organization, to helping community members host fundraisers for the things most heavily impacting our world, we amplify the voices and missions of organizations and individuals doing humanity-centered work as we continue to strive to be a sanctuary for the marginalized members of Omaha and beyond.
We work to meet our mission by enriching the lives of community members with educational opportunities by giving them access to the nonprofits enacting real change in their neighborhoods. By doing so, we act as a beacon for inclusivity and equitable access to the conversations that impact our patrons and surrounding neighbors.
On Writing
An opportunity for Midwest-based authors, playwrights, and poets to engage with the community through an intimate speaker series to uplift and engage the writers of tomorrow while celebrating the diverse talent that comes from our region. This program is in collaboration with locally-owned used bookstore The Book Nook and will feature a range of talented authors with a passion for storytelling in Omaha.
Why at BT? We want to expand our relationship with all art forms, making the theater more than a place for performance art, but a cultural hub for artistic expression, growth, collaboration, and celebration. By bringing successful authors into our theater, we invite the surrounding community to engage with them on a level they wont find in other venues.
Where we work
External reviews
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Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of free performances given
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Average dollar price for performance tickets
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Total number of performances
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Benson Theatre aims to aid in revitalizing the historic Benson neighborhood and budding Creative District, by providing a vibrant community space for arts and cultural experiences. Through our programming, we seek to engage and enrich the community by offering a diverse range of artistic performances, educational workshops, and events that promote creativity, connection, and inclusivity. Additionally, we strive to be a catalyst for economic development and social cohesion within the neighborhood and the broader urban area.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
As a nonprofit theatre, Benson Theatre may not directly tackle all of the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations, but it can contribute to several of them in meaningful ways:
1. Quality Education:
- Providing educational programming such as workshops, classes, and youth theater programs to enhance artistic skills and promote creativity.
- Partnering with local schools and educational institutions to offer curriculum-aligned arts education programs.
- Offering low-cost tickets and free events to ensure access to theater experiences for students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
2. Reduced Inequalities:
- Ensuring affordability and accessibility of performances and programs for all members of the community
- Fostering diversity and inclusion in casting, production teams, and programming to reflect and celebrate the community's demographics.
- Collaborating with local organizations that serve marginalized or underrepresented groups to provide targeted outreach and engagement.
3. Partnerships for the Goals:
- Collaborating with other local arts organizations, community groups, government agencies, and businesses to maximize impact and reach shared objectives.
- Engaging in cross-sector partnerships to leverage resources, expertise, and networks for the benefit of the community.
- Participating in community coalitions or initiatives focused on neighborhood revitalization, cultural preservation, and social justice.
While our primary focus may be on arts and cultural programming, its strategies for sustainable development can align with broader societal goals by promoting inclusivity, education, and collaboration within the community.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
1. Community Engagement: Benson Theatre has established connections within the local community, allowing us to understand the specific needs and priorities of the area. This engagement enables us to tailor our programming to address issues such as education, inequality, and community development effectively.
2. Artistic Programming: With our expertise in theater production and programming, we can design and implement initiatives that promote quality education, creativity, and cultural enrichment. This includes workshops, performances, and educational outreach activities that engage diverse audiences and foster lifelong learning.
3. Partnerships and Collaboration: The theater can form partnerships with other organizations, including schools, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies. These collaborations allow Benson Theatre to leverage resources, share expertise, and expand its reach to address complex challenges related to sustainable development effectively.
4. Venue and Infrastructure: Our physical space serves as a hub for community activities and cultural events, providing a platform for dialogue, artistic expression, and social engagement. Its infrastructure supports various types of programming, including performances, workshops, exhibitions, and community gatherings.
5. Advocacy and Awareness: As a cultural institution, we can raise awareness about social issues and advocate for positive change through our artistic programming and community outreach efforts. By highlighting topics such as inequality, education, and social justice, the theater can inspire action and promote dialogue on important issues.
Overall, our capabilities encompass artistic expertise, community engagement, partnerships, infrastructure, and advocacy, enabling it to contribute meaningfully to the goals of sustainable development in Benson and beyond.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
1. Increased Access to the Arts: We have expanded our outreach efforts to reach a broader and more diverse audience, including individuals from marginalized or underrepresented communities by creating strong community partnerships with other local nonprofits and organizations.
2. Educational Impact: We have strengthened our plans for educational programs that have a positive impact on participants, including our Ageless Education Series, Youth Programming such as Mr. K's Clubhouse Live!, and our budding partnership with Mammel School of Business for the Business of Art Workshops for artists.
3. Community Engagement: We continue to strengthen our relationships with local businesses, schools, and community groups, including Benson First Friday, Benson Creative District, the Business Improvement District, and the Benson Neighborhood Association, leading to collaborative projects and initiatives that address community needs and priorities.
4. We continue to look for partnerships and equipment that expand our ability to offer a fully accessible space for all community members.
5. Advocacy and Awareness: We use our platform to raise awareness about social issues and advocate for positive change through artistic programming, community-focused events, and partnerships with advocacy organizations.
6. Sustainable Partnerships: We have established long-term partnerships with other organizations, businesses, and government agencies to support our mission and expand our impact on sustainable development goals.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
KINDAIR AT THE BENSON THEATRE
Board of directorsas of 03/04/2024
Mr. Joe DiCostanzo
Lizzie Mensinger
Colliers Real Estate
Emily Andres
Indepedent Development Consultant
Andrea Joy Pearson
Joy Brings Light
John Gessert
Union Bank & Trust
Wayne Brown
Urban League of Nebraska
Kelly Davis
VALO Wellness Spa
Jose Garcia
Mexican American Historical Society of the Midlands
Uroosa Jawed
United Way of the Midlands
Jim Schneider
Kiewit Corporation
Charlie Sullivan
Sullivan Development Company
Deion Wells-Ross
Gallup
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 03/04/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.