By Amber C. Nore
Capital City, Carson Theater at The Lied Center for Performing Arts, Thursday April 9, 2026
On the evening of April 9, 2026, the Carson Theater at the Lied Center for Performing Arts was filled to near‑capacity with an audience eager to witness something unique: the world premiere of a theatrical interpretation of Mari Sandoz’s provocative novel, Capital City.
What unfolded over the next 80 remarkable minutes was nothing short of astonishing.
The production, a collaboration between the Lied Center and New York-based Animal Engine Theatre Company — the creative partnership of artistic directors Carrie Brown and Karim Muasher, with collaborator Jay Dunn — brought Sandoz’s 1939 tale to life with a physicality and emotional intensity that felt both timeless and startlingly relevant.
With just three actors onstage, Capital City conjured an entire Midwestern metropolis caught in the grips of the Great Depression — from high society balls and backroom political deals to the desperate struggles of workers and families. The actors became every citizen, every moment of joy and pain, with such specificity that even the most fleeting character — like a young man quietly eating ice cream at the state fair — made a vivid impression. This is the power of physical theatre at its finest: storytelling not through elaborate sets or costumes, but through disciplined movement, presence, and clarity of intent.
Minimal props, no makeup, and a single screen displaying sparse headlines instead of literal settings could easily have felt barren — yet in this staging, restraint became strength. The simplicity allowed the audience’s imagination to fill the world, guided by the actors’ remarkable precision and emotional truth.
Each transformation — from rich government official to struggling laborer to hopeful citizen — was clear, direct, and astonishingly convincing. If minimalism ever looked lush, this was it.
What makes this adaptation stand apart is not just the inventiveness of its staging, but the depth of its heart. As the story reached its climax, a hush fell over the room. By the final moments, tears were visible across the auditorium. The emotional current running through Capital City was raw and real, a reflection of human resilience and the costs of societal fracture. In a time when headlines seem dominated by division and distrust, Sandoz’s narrative — and this production’s interpretation — feels tragically and beautifully alive.
Sandoz’s story examines power, class division, and civic fracture in a fictional Midwestern capital during the Great Depression. Watching it unfold now, the themes felt immediate rather than historical. The questions at the heart of the novel—what people will do to protect what they have, and what others must do to survive—landed with force.
The piece is directed by Melinda Jean Ferraraccio, whose background in physical theatre and expressive arts is evident in the clarity and flow of the staging. Her direction allows the performers’ movement vocabulary to carry the storytelling without clutter or distraction.
Lighting and sound design played an essential role in shaping the emotional landscape of the performance, carving out spaces that felt intimate one moment and expansive the next. The projected headlines functioned as punctuation rather than decoration, grounding the audience in time and place while leaving the imaginative work to the performers and the viewers alike.
This production has been years in the making. After the success of their Willa Cather–inspired Henrietta Solway in 2023, Animal Engine was invited back by the Lied Center and commissioned to create a new work inspired by Sandoz. A summer residency at the Lied helped develop the piece that has now premiered here and will tour Nebraska as part of the Arts Across Nebraska program.
After the show, I had the privilege of speaking with Brown and Muasher. They shared that their journey to this moment was years in the making, born out of a deep respect for Sandoz’s voice and a long-standing relationship with the Lied Center. Carrie Brown, a Lincoln native and University of Nebraska–Lincoln alum, spoke with heartfelt pride about bringing this play to the very city that shaped Sandoz and, decades later, welcomed her story back home.
Both artists described the honor of performing Capital City in Lincoln, in the space where the original novel was written — a profound homecoming and artistic milestone.
Don’t miss Capital City while it’s here. Even on opening night, only a handful of seats remained open, and audiences left buzzing with emotional resonance. This production is an experience — theatrical, human, and unforgettable. Go see it.
If you go: Capital City runs April 9-12, 2026 in the Carson Theater. Ticket information at https://www.liedcenter.org/event/capital-city
Amber C. Nore is an actress, singer & writer who has performed locally with Angels Theatre Company, TADA, OmniArts Nebraska, Pinewood Bowl and Lincoln Community Playhouse as well as nationally with Spokane Repertory Theatre and Rogue Players. Her favorite roles have been Stage Mom to her daughter, Chloe and Show Choir Auntie to Marsiline, the niece she adopted. Amber is the Founder & Curator of Magnolia Art Project. She is a two-time Top Five Finalist for “Excellence in Non-Profit” in the Inspire Awards and proud recipient of this year’s “Heart of the Arts” Award from The Lincoln Arts Council.
As always, if you liked this content and want more, please join our email list and like us on Facebook!