2019
O N
C U E
ANNUAL REPORT
Rehearsal for Real Life
On Cue is committed to teaching life skills to inner city youth in Omaha through participation in the theater arts. Our performing arts program encompasses dance, music, and drama for schools serving under-resourced students at no cost to the school. Letter from the Director Greetings from On Cue! What a wonderful year! The On Cue team witnessed so many exciting moments of growth while working with the students from All Saints Catholic School, Sacred Heart School, and 
 St. Augustine's Indian Mission. This year, the On Cue program provided performing arts opportunities to 119 students, doubling our impact from last year! I am grateful to my dedicated board, teaching staff, and volunteers who passionately believe that our program is changing lives. I especially want to thank Becca Jackson York and Paulette Neuhalfen from Gross High School for allowing us to use their theater for both of our performances. The hospitality shown to our students helped them feel comfortable and added a new level of professionalism to our performances. Thank you for joining us in our mission to teach life skills through participation in the performing arts. Our work would be impossible without your generous contributions, and we are so grateful. Sincerely, Jennifer Cimino Founder and Director On Cue: Rehearsal for Real Life
Board of Directors
2019 Teaching Artists
2019 Volunteers
Jennifer Cimino Tim Cummings Suzanne Macaulay Catie McCarthy Niederee Danielle Thomson
Sue Cimino Michael Cimino Rachel Bielstein Devon Denn-Young Andrea Gilbert Robertson Emily Meier Karli Torosian Scarlett Wedergren
Bob Cimino Dominic Cimino Michael Cimino Kaitlyn Cimino Sue Cimino Mary Catherine Melancon Paul Martin Christine Shuck
2019
ALL SAINTS ON CUE
2017 2019
Long Live the King This year the students of All Saints Catholic School presented Disney's The Lion King, JR. on stage at Gross Catholic High School. All Saints is blessed to have many students from Omaha's South Sudanese community, and our student designers drew inspiration from the traditional dress and face paint of the Nuer, Dinka, and Shilluk tribes to make the production a special tribute to their Lion King was my heritage. Elaborate beadwork is a culturally favorite show! I got to significant part of South Sudanese dress, learn about African so beads were added to several of the culture and sing in costume pieces worn by the students. Following the performance, audience different languages. members even had the opportunity to try South Sudanese food thanks to the parent Student actor, of one student who donated many trays of age 13 delicious vegetarian samosas. During one memorable scene, Mufasa, the slain king, appears in the clouds to advise Simba to remember that he is more than what he has become during his time away from his pride. Students explored this idea during their classroom instruction, writing autobiographical poems that were displayed the evening On Cue is an amazing opportunity for our of the performance. It was students to genuinely experience the Arts. fascinating to learn more Students learn what it takes to put on a about our students through production from start to finish with a this lesson designed and taught by our curriculum group of very talented individuals who consultant, Suzanne truly care. Macaulay.
Terri Bush Principal All Saints Catholic School
This program was made possible in part through a generous donation from The Lady Hibernians. Students from All Saints Catholic School perform Disney's Lion King, JR on May 1, 2019 .
2019
SACRED HEART ON CUE
2019
You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile In August, we started our second year-long program at Sacred Heart School. Open since 1904, Sacred Heart enrolls predominantly African American students from North Omaha who appreciate the approach of individualized education with an emphasis on life skills. Some of the students were quite apprehensive since they had never performed in a musical before, but once the rehearsal process started, their trust in the On Cue is one of the most program began to grow. One student influential and meaningful in eighth grade even declared, "this is the best thing to ever happen to this programs Sacred Heart School has school!"
to offer. The program does a tremendous job of teaching our students cooperative learning, higher order thinking, as well as reinforcing academic skills. Watching our students come together to perform a production that they could take full ownership of has been one of the brightest moments of my time at Sacred Heart School. We are so blessed to have the On Cue team invest in our students and our school!" Mike Jensen Principal Sacred Heart School
The night of the performance was electric. The students could barely contain their excitement as they ate their pre-show dinner of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers and rice krispie treats before changing into their costumes, carefully labelled by our costume director and choreographer, Andrea Gilbert Robertson. After the performance, several audience members commented on the transformations they had seen take place on the stage that night. "You could see them come alive as their confidence grew," one On Cue patron remarked. Or as one student put it the next day during the cast party, "I didn't think I could do it, then I was just out there… doing it! I did it. We did it." This program was made possible in part through a generous donation from The Hearts of CUES. Students strike a pose before taking the stage for the Sacred Heart School production of Annie, JR. May 15, 2019.
2019
SUMMER AT ON CUE
2019
Summer Program On Cue returned to St. Augustine's Indian Mission for the second year to provide a week long theater camp. The students worked hard to perform several of Aesop's most famous African folk tales including "The Lion, the Mouse, and the Hunter" and "The Giraffe and the Monkeys." We were thrilled to see several returning campers as well as many new faces. Campers learned about stage craft by making dioramas of African ecosystems and helping to create several of the props used in the performance. They also made their own board games out of clay based on the traditional South African game, Morabaraba. Thankfully the sun was shining throughout the week, so we were able to "On Cue has been an play several African playground games incredible experience for that turned out to be a big hit! Both our our students. The staff is campers and our On Cue interns enjoyed wonderful and works great learning about the different stories and traditions of Africa, and I wouldn't be with our children. On Cue surprised to learn that there are some gives them an opportunity students who still play "Mamba!" to find a voice to express whenever they have recess.
themselves and a chance to discover talents they may not realize they have otherwise." Deacon Don Blackbird Principal St. Augustine Indian Mission
The evening of the performance was a lot of fun for the students and their families, thanks in large part to the wonderful picnic provided by Deacon Don Blackbird and his wife, Cathy. We are already looking forward to returning next summer! This program was made possible through a generous donation from Mark and Mary Catherine Melancon. Students from St. Augustine's Indian Mission jump for joy before performing Stories from Africa June 21, 2019
2019
Student Profiles If you were in the audience for the Sacred Heart production of Annie, JR., you would have never guessed that the leading lady was making her stage debut! Following her star-making turn as Annie, Chevonnie sat down for an interview to discuss her experience with On Cue.
How did you feel when you found out you would be playing Annie? I felt kind of worried and excited at the same time because I got a big part but I didn't know if I could handle it all. I think it's normal to be nervous when you're trying something new! Did the rehearsal process help you feel less worried? After I started learning more about what we were doing I felt more confident because I started to feel like I was improving at my part. Do you feel that playing a large role taught you anything about being a leader? Yes, it taught me how to be a better person and a better leader because I got to show people that you can do it no matter how hard it is. Let’s talk about the night of the performance. How did you feel right before the show? Before I went on stage I was feeling really scared and nervous, but at the same time I had a lot of confidence in myself.
And how did you feel when you were on stage? When the audience was clapping I felt happy because I knew I was doing good. It felt good to have my classmates with me, too, because they cheered me on. Plus, it's more fun to have friends there! It sounds like playing Annie turned out to be a great experience! What are you looking forward to this year with the Sacred Heart production of High School Musical, JR.? This year I am playing a cheerleader and a brainiac, and I'm excited to do my best! I want to improve on how I did last year. I feel like I can keep learning and growing with each experience. Is there any aspect of On Cue that you feel prepares you for life outside of the classroom? I think that On Cue teaches you how to be a better person both mentally and physically. On Cue teaches that if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything!
Chevonnie's Statement of Hope The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow! How can I be a light of hope for others in my community? I can help my friends have hope by cheering them up when they are feeling bad. I can help my brother have hope by helping him with his homework and making sure he's doing the right thing so he doesn't get into trouble. I can help my neighborhood be a hopeful place to live by not littering and being respectful of public spaces.
2019
Obadiah, an On Cue veteran, sat down for an interview following his performance as Timon in the All Saints Catholic School production of Disney's The Lion King, JR. Obadiah made his stage debut last year when he appeared as a tap dancer in Aladdin, JR.
You are now in your final year of the program. How have you grown during your time with On Cue? I feel like I've grown a lot because it has introduced me to a lot of things. I never expected to act and sing in front of people. Tell me about being in The Lion King, JR. What was your experience playing Timon? It was fun playing Timon because he was a really funny character. He actually kind of reminded me of me! Before you played Timon, you were a tap dancer in Aladdin, JR. Was there anything about playing an ensemble role that taught you about working on a team? Yes! You have to be organized and make sure everyone understands what to do together. If everyone has the steps down, the dance will be good. Absolutely! How did you feel when you received the part of Timon? Did playing a large role teach you anything about being a leader? As a main character, I knew I had to take extra time to prepare. If I do something wrong it might mess up other people on stage so it's my job to know my part.
How did you feel before the show started? Right before I walked out I got really, really nervous! I was sure I was going to mess up, but it helped to have my side kick, Pumbaa, and the other people in the cast to support me. How did you feel when you were on stage? When I'm actually on stage it feels awesome. When people clap, it makes you feel like you are doing a lot of stuff right and entertaining the crowd. Do you have any plans to continue performing after you graduate? At first when I started doing On Cue I didn't think I would be good at it, but now I think, wow! I can do this, and I might even do it in the future. Do you think that On Cue helped prepare you for high school? I think so. It helps you practice responsibility and time management. It also helps you to memorize, which will be helpful when I need to study for a test!
Obadiah's Autobiographical Poem Courageous, happy, nice, and awesome
Who is a son, brother, middle child, cousin, godson, and grandchild
Who likes basketball and video games, dislikes golf and washing dishes
Who feels happy when I play basketball and mad when something is hard
Who fears snakes, heights, tight spaces, and pit bulls
Whose accomplishments include basketball championships
and no missed school days
Who wants to be a pro basketball player, lawyer, or engineer
Who dreams of going to UCLA or Villanova
Who lives in Omaha and goes to church at St. Francis Cabrini
Who is Sudanese, Shluk and Locoya
2019
Student Reactions Being the backstage captain taught me that I can be a manager of people.
On Cue taught me to project my voice and be proud.
Being in Annie I learn a lot about myself when I am on taught me that I stage. It makes me feel happy and proud! don’t really I learned that even if have stage On Cue taught things are hard at first, fright. me that I can you can learn them if you pay attention.
do things I never thought I could do.
When I'm on stage I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be.
On Cue taught me that if you mess up it’s ok. Just On Cue taught me not to be scared keep going. because I can do anything!
I learned that trying my best I learned that I can be rewarding. should be confident in myself and to try I learned that I am fearless and can my very best. do whatever I put my mind to.
Student quotes taken from our end of year surveys.
A N N U A L
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
2019
Financial Overview Last year we exceeded our original fundraising goal by 33%! With the addition of our annual fund and our growing donor base, On Cue was able to provide a comprehensive performing arts education to 119 students and part time employment to 11 theater arts educators. As we continue to grow our program, our goal for 2020 is $50,000.
Income $278
Amazon Smile and TAGG
$23,500
Major Gifts Omaha Gives!
$8,882
Private Donations
$8,503
Private Donations Amazon Smile and TAGG Major Gifts
Omaha Gives! Student Lead Fundraising Events
$9,980
25% 36%
$10,208
Sacred Heart Program
$9,570
St. Augustine Program
$1,867
Operating Costs St. Augustine Program
1% 2%
Operating Costs
Total expenses
23%
$45,438
Money Out
All Saints Program
52%
$873
Student Lead Fundraising Events Total income
22%
$3,402
Annual Fund
$31,625 All Saints Program Sacred Heart Program
6%
34%
2019
All Saints Program
Operating Costs $38.00 $762.00
$308.00
$28.00
$1,373.00 $3,680.00
$3,180.00
$5,000.00
$2,682.00
$740.00 Head Staff Salaries Publicity Other
Suport Staff Salaries Materials
Sacred Heart Program
Classroom Materials Costumes/Sets/Props Other
St. Augustine Program $69.00
$234.00 $2,454.00
Educator Salaries Designer Stipends Performance Expenses
$1,425.00
$2,780.00
$300.00
$299.00 $1,200.00
$1,113.00 $2,989.00 Educator Salaries Costmes/Sets/Props Other
Classroom Materials Performance Expenses
Educator Salaries Support Staff Salaries
Classroom Materials Costumes
2019
One of the ways that we track the success of our program is through student surveys administered at the beginning and end of the school year. We were excited to see how many students showed confidence in their performance ability by the end of the year and more enjoyment in their school experience overall. Beginning of the Year Survey
End of the Year Survey
I like going to school.
I like to hear what people think of my school work.
I understand the rules in my classroom. 0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Percentage of students who agreed with the following statements in the end of year survey
I like performing in front of an audience.
I like dancing in front of an audience.
I like making up dances.
I like playing theater games.
I like acting out a role.
I like learning new dance moves. 0%
22.5%
45%
67.5%
90%
2019
Upcoming Events
Guess Who with On Cue March 6, 2020 at All Saints Catholic School Join the On Cue team for a night of murder and mayhem to solve the Whodunit style mystery! All proceeds from this event will benefit On Cue: Rehearsal for Real Life. Tickets can be purchased at OnCueOmaha.com.
May 1, 2020 at Marian High School The students of Sacred Heart School present this toe-tapping Disney favorite.
May 15, 2020 at Creighton University Lied Center The students of All Saints Catholic School present this tale as old as time.
2019
Support Our Mission Providing a comprehensive performing arts education to our students would not be possible without our generous benefactors. Join us in our mission today. Sponsor a Student - $100 Your donation will provide enough funding to cover the cost of teaching materials, a script, and a costume for one student. Sponsor a Teaching Artist - $300 Your donation will provide enough funding to cover the cost of a guest teaching artist to share their expertise with the students. Sponsor a Production - $1,250 Your donation will provide enough funding to cover the cost of the show kit and licensing rights for one performance. Contributions of any size are appreciated to cover our operating costs.
To make a donation, please return the enclosed envelope or visit our website at OnCueOmaha.com.
2019
2019 Donors Circle Mr. and Mrs. Craig Athen Backstage Dance Studio Patrick Borders Ryan and Paige Bowder Terri Bush Jesse Chappell Christopher Michael and Associates Dr. and Mrs. Bill Cimino Dominic and Kaitlyn Cimino Dr. John and Holly Cimino Michael Cimino Dr. Peter Cimino Dr. and Mrs. Ray Cimino Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cimino Rick and Patty Cornish Danielle and Travis Davey Dr. Meghann Dietz Lester and Megahan Disney Dr. and Mrs. Tom Dobleman Drs. Pierre and Maya Fayad Christian and Kelly Gabriel Robert and Theresa Gabriel Andrea Gilbert Robertson Anna Gilgenast Mary Grace Godfrey Ann and Ron Grummert Mari Anne Hartman Mark and Jane Hasebroock Drs. Ralph & Yasmin Hauke Ralph Hauke John and Patti Heller Brendan and Liz Huss Maria Rotella Jacobsen Mr. and Mrs. Tom Jenkins Amanda Jorkest Karen Kearney Joe and Catherine Kelly Tyler Keifer
Drs. Laura Codzilo-Kelsey & Matt Kelsey  Doris Kirke Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Klug Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lacy Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Suzanne and Mike Macaulay Gretchen Mack Kathryn and John Martin Mary Mattingly Letitia McCarthy Mary Catherine and Mark Melancon Kathy Miklas Keith and Beth Morse Carol Nigrelli Catherine & Ben Niederee Corinne and Gregory Ponzi Cathy and Jim Porter Martha Calcutt Powers Joseph and Angie Radicia Mrs. Dennis Raynor David and Ellen Scholl Christine and J.B. Shuck Grace Sossoukpe Vince and Kami Struble John Theisen Peter Thomson Tom Toretti Rick & Mary Treinen Sheila and Rick Volk Mr. and Mrs. David Waggoner Shelley Wedergren Dr. Erin and Nick Wessling Dawnetta Westman James Whalen Margret and Tim Wilson Mr. and Mrs. Bob Woltemath Dr. Elizabeth and Eric Zydb Jan Zimmerman
We are extremely grateful to all of our patrons who help make On Cue possible. Thank you for your generosity!
Rehearsal for Real Life