Welcome to the weekend – April 24, 2026

NOW IT’S TIME FOR WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND. IT IS FRIDAY TIME TO WELCOME YOU TO THE WEEKEND AND JOINING US WITH GREAT IDEAS. AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE JASMINE GOODWIN WITH A VISIT OMAHA FOR SOME REALLY COOL THINGS GOING ON THIS WEEKEND. WE’VE GOT SOME FUN ONES. ONE OF YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITES, BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH AND BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE. YES. OPERA OMAHA AND THE OMAHA SYMPHONY ARE PAIRING TOGETHER FOR TWO POWERHOUSE PERFORMANCES TONIGHT AND TOMORROW. SO BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH, WE ALL KNOW THE DUN DUN DUN DUN. THAT IS LEGENDARY. SO THAT’S ALWAYS A GREAT SHOW. AND THEY’RE GOING TO KICK KICK OFF THE NIGHT WITH THAT PERFORMANCE. AND THEN WE GO INTO BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE, WHICH THIS STORY IS SO INTERESTING. SO JUDITH AND DUKE BLUEBEARD ARE NEWLYWEDS AND JUDITH STARTS EXPLORING THE HOUSE AND GOING INTO FORBIDDEN ROOMS, AND SHE STARTS LEARNING ABOUT HER HUSBAND’S DARK SECRETS. WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS FIRST THREE WIVES? SO IT’S A ONE ACT OPERA, BUT IT’S GOT LIKE, THIS WHOLE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER THEME TO IT. THERE. I TOLD YOU FOR THAT. OKAY, WHAT IS THE GREAT RACE? THIS ONE WE’RE STILL TALKING ABOUT PERFORMANCES, BUT NOW WE’RE GOING TO THE ROSE THEATER, WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN OMAHA. SO THE GREAT RACE TELLS THE STORY ABOUT THREE NEIGHBORS WHO KIND OF HAVE A FALLING OUT, AND THEN A GRANDMA TELLS A STORY ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC. SO THERE’S A LEGENDARY LEGENDARY RACE THAT TAKES PLACE, AND THE OUTCOME KIND OF DICTATES THE ORDER OF THE ZODIAC SIGNS. AND THEY USE THESE INNOVATIVE PUPPETS TO TELL THE STORY, INCLUDING A COOL CHINESE DRAGON. AND IT ALSO COVERS THEMES OF FRIENDSHIP, TEAMWORK, AND BULLYING, AND JUST COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS. AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE ASPECTS ABOUT THE ROSE THEATER IS THAT ON THEIR WEBSITE, THEY HAVE SHOW GUIDES, WHICH GIVES PARENTS A POST AND PRE AND POST SHOW QUESTIONS THAT THEY CAN ASK THE KIDS TO KIND OF GET THEIR MINDS READY FOR THE THEMES THAT THEY’RE GOING TO. AND ALSO, THERE’S GOING TO BE SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES TO KIND OF DRIVE EVERYTHING HOME. SO YEAH, THIS WILL BE A FUN SHOW. AND IT’S ONLY AN HOUR. AND THAT’S ANOTHER GOOD THING ABOUT THE ROSE. THEY KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT. THEY GET IT. EARLIER THIS WEEK, EARTH DAY AND THE CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE. YES, THE CELEBRATION IS TOMORROW. SO FINGERS CROSSED FOR THE WEATHER BECAUSE YOU GOT TREE CLIMBING ACTIVITIES. THERE’S OVER 70 SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATIONS THERE WITH KIDS ACTIVITIES TO GETTING THEM EDUCATED ABOUT HOW THEY CAN HELP SAVE THE PLANET, BUT ALSO LIVE YOGA, DANCING. THERE’S A LOT, A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. ELMWOOD PARK. AWESOME. YEAH. TOMORROW, ALL AFTERNOON, LIKE 11 TO 4. PERFECT. AND IT’S FREE. HEY, YOU LIKE THAT? VISIT OMAHA HAS SEVERAL OTHER EVENTS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THIS WEEKEND IF YOU MISSED ANYTHING, DON’T WORRY, IT’