Production company steps in to help dozens of Nebraska Theater Caravan members stranded after bus crash
Right now, dozens of cast and crew members from the Nebraska Theater Caravan are still working to get home from Maine.
Thirty-eight members of the team were on a bus Tuesday when it crashed near Burnham, Maine. The group had been on tour since late November, traveling across the country performing "A Christmas Carol."
"I was in disbelief when I heard about it," said Omaha Playhouse Executive Director Katie Broman. "It was really a gut-punch for all of us because this is happening in Maine, where we can't get to them easily."
Broman tells KETV the Omaha Playhouse has decided to cancel the remaining 10 tour days for the Nebraska Theater Caravan.
"We certainly didn't want to let down any of the communities and any of the venues," said Broman. "But we really had to make the decision to cancel the tour because that was the best decision for our company members."
Broman says her company has wired every cast and crew member $500 for travel arrangements, along with paying for hotel accommodations until everyone can purchase a flight out of Portland, Maine. The executive director also says the Omaha Playhouse has paid out everyone's salary and per diem for the rest of the tour. Broman says some cast or crew members are under 18 and if their parents have to fly out to Maine to get their children, those plane tickets will also be covered.
"We told them if the money that we sent them was not enough to please let us know," Broman said. "We said if we can help with those travel arrangements to let us know."
This year marks the 41st year the caravan has traveled across the country on tour. Broman says she believes the tradition will continue for years to come.
"We'll have conversations and address areas that need changing, but I don't have any reason to believe that the tour won't happen in the future," said Broman.