Understanding K & The Red Balloon

Understanding K is an original piece, based on community workshops with children, and is created to shed light on their wisdom, dreams, fears, and desires. With book and lyrics by OmniArts Nebraska co-founders, Daniel Kubert and Dustin Witte, original music by Dan Beard and Laurie Martinez, Understanding K features an ensemble cast of eleven performers.

Please be advised that while Understanding K is a work of fiction, it has been created from stories and creative responses collected from workshops and interviews with people from ages 3-50+, including approximately 75 fifth grade students. Much of the language is used verbatim, taken from statements, stories and impressions these young people shared. While some of the subject matter and language may be difficult and uncomfortable to face, they are issues and language our children are presented with daily. Understanding K tells stories of “kids” we should know, but probably don’t. 

The Red Balloon is an original movement piece, inspired by the 1956 Albert Lamorisse film, The Red Balloon. It is created and choreographed by Daniel Kubert and features a score by Ed Love.  The cast includes professional performers and community members spanning five decades. The piece follows the adventures of a boy who finds a red balloon, which forever changes his life. This whimsical movement piece is dedicated to the dreams we had as children, which swept us away—the dreams we hope may someday sweep us away again.

This is a rental event. For hosted rental events, the Lied Center has limited control over event related activities, content, recording/reproduction, cancellation, and refund policy.