Crane River Theater is established around the belief that lifting up the arts will only help in creating richer and more vibrant communities. Our mission is to serve the community of Kearney and surrounding areas as a professional theater company providing a home for the presentation, education, and promotion of the arts. Crane River Theater is proud to collaborate with countless organizations in our area to host an array of special events each year, thereby exposing many new people to the joy of the arts.  Stay informed of all upcoming productions, programs and events by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Give Where You Live

Give Where You Live is a special fundraising event that will unite donors from all over to support nonprofits in the Kearney area and improve our quality of life. It is a community effort led by the Kearney Area Community Foundation that allows organizations like Crane River Theater to continually grow and find new donors. 

Give Where You Live will take place on December 1st, 2022. You can find more information HERE.

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Family Fun Fest

Crane River Theater, in partnership with the Kearney Cultural Partners, hosted the Family Fun Fest in August 2022. Stay tuned for the next event in 2023!

It’s a day of free family fun, filled with music, art, theater, dance, culture, and more! Kids can step into a giant bubble, run the obstacle course, meet Disney Princesses, take part in a Shinja, Zumba or Yoga workshop, step inside a fire truck, create balloon animals, jump in the bounce houses, and visit all of our interactive stations. Families can also meet stilt walkers, see amazing fire jugglers, and enjoy special live performances featuring Edgerton Explorit Center, Polka Dot Entertainment, and The String Beans!

Kearney Cultural Partners is a coalition of more than twenty non-profit organizations dedicated to educating and promoting arts and culture in our area. Members include Crane River Theater, Nebraska Firefighters Museum, Kearney Public Library, Merryman Performing Arts Center, Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney Community Theatre, Kearney Concert Association, The Archway, Kearney Symphony Orchestra, World Theatre, UNK Theatre and Dance, Trails and Rails Museum/Buffalo County Historical Society, Classic Car Collection, Kearney Area Children’s Museum, G.W. Frank Museum, Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary, Kearney Area Arts Council, Kearney YMCA, Prairie Art Brothers, Kearney Creates, Kearney Artists Guild, and Downtown Kearney.

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I Spy… Arts and Culture in Kearney!

Visit locations. Spy clues. Solve the phrase. Enter to win prizes!

Take a tour around Kearney, SPY clues, and solve the mystery phrase! Visit participating locations and spy the letter in their window (you will not have to go inside locations). Match the letter to the corresponding logo to solve the phrase. Stay tuned for upcoming dates for this event.

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june 2023

01jun7:00 pm9:00 pmAll in the Timing7:00 pm - 9:00 pm The World Theatre

02jun7:00 pm9:00 pmAll in the Timing7:00 pm - 9:00 pm The World Theatre

03jun2:00 pm4:00 pmAll in the Timing2:00 pm - 4:00 pm The World Theatre

03jun7:00 pm9:00 pmAll in the Timing7:00 pm - 9:00 pm The World Theatre

04jun2:00 pm4:00 pmAll in the Timing2:00 pm - 4:00 pm The World Theatre

19jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

20jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

21jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

22jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

23jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

24jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

26jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

27jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

28jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

29jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

30jun7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

july 2023

01jul7:00 pm9:00 pmThe SpongeBob Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Yanney Heritage Park

25jul7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

26jul7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

27jul7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

28jul7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

29jul2:00 pm4:00 pmShrek the Musical2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

29jul7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

30jul2:00 pm4:00 pmShrek the Musical2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

august 2023

01aug2:00 pm4:00 pmShrek the Musical2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

01aug7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

02aug7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

03aug7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

04aug7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

05aug2:00 pm4:00 pmShrek the Musical2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

05aug7:00 pm9:00 pmShrek the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

06aug2:00 pm4:00 pmShrek the Musical2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

13aug7:00 pm9:00 pmCelebrate Broadway7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

20aug7:00 pm9:00 pmCelebrate Broadway7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

september 2023

28sep7:00 pm9:00 pmThe Odd Couple7:00 pm - 9:00 pm The World Theatre

29sep7:00 pm9:00 pmThe Odd Couple7:00 pm - 9:00 pm The World Theatre

30sep2:00 pm4:00 pmThe Odd Couple2:00 pm - 4:00 pm The World Theatre

30sep7:00 pm9:00 pmThe Odd Couple7:00 pm - 9:00 pm The World Theatre

october 2023

01oct2:00 pm4:00 pmThe Odd Couple2:00 pm - 4:00 pm The World Theatre

december 2023

16dec2:00 pm4:00 pmElf the Musical2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

16dec7:00 pm9:00 pmElf the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

17dec2:00 pm4:00 pmElf the Musical2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

18dec7:00 pm9:00 pmElf the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

19dec7:00 pm9:00 pmElf the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

20dec7:00 pm9:00 pmElf the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

21dec7:00 pm9:00 pmElf the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center

22dec7:00 pm9:00 pmElf the Musical7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Merryman Performing Arts Center