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Frozen Charlottes by Kim Louise at the Shelterbelt Theatre Jan 29-Feb 15 Thu/Fri 7PM Sat 2PM Sun 6PM Four women fear for their safety during Charls Starkweather's 198 killing spree in Nebraska. While confined together during a city-wide lockdown, the women grapple with issues of identity, race, neurodiversity and power, and discover that the threats inside the home may be more menacing than the dangers outside.

Poster for Shelterbelt Theatre's upcoming show Frozen Charlottes. Imaged sourced form Shelterbelt Theatre

Kaydon Webber Headshot

By Kaydon Webber

Local Playwright Premieres Frozen Charlottes at Shelterbelt Theatre

January 26th, 2026

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Shelterbelt Theatre is premiering its upcoming winter-season show, Frozen Charlottes. Frozen Charlottes is an exploration of women’s identities, purposes, and life choices. Written by local Nebraskan playwright Kim Louise, the script has been in development for approximately three years.

“When I was a young girl and I heard the women in my family talking about the work that they used to do—where they would lead their own families and take care of other families,” Louise says. “That stuck with me for a long time, and I knew I wanted to write about it.”

Louise eventually brought director TammyRa onto the project, who amplified the poetic writing and character development in the piece. “One of the things that is most joyful for me is watching TammyRa work,” says Louise. “She has taken a deep dive into why the characters are doing what they’re doing, how they do it, and what the results are. She has just been a treasure to this whole project.”

TammyRa, an experienced director in the Omaha area, has seen significant growth among cast members as they embody these rich characters. Ashley Adams (Nora), Kerri Forrester (Ione), Verla Collier (Jubilee), Roz Parr (Mitzi), and Ben Pearson (Announcer/Police Officer) bring balance to the characters’ highs and lows, prompting audiences to reflect. “There are some wonderful, tender moments in this show, and then there are some that are just so funny,” says TammyRa.

TammyRa also delves into the underlying themes of social expectations placed upon women and how they can cause people to feel stuck in their circumstances. “We don’t have to stay there. We don’t have to be stuck or frozen in the past,” TammyRa says. “I think that’s something we all should know—that there is life after this and that we can continue to move forward.”

Frozen is not forever, and opportunity awaits around every corner.

Frozen Charlottes will be showing at the Shelterbelt Theatre from January 29 to February 15. More information can be found at Shelterbelt.org.

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