Jack Zerbe (pictured left) playing Bernard and Emma Howell (pictured right) playing Rory in the Shelterbelt Theatre's production of The Net Will Appear. Images sourced from the Shelterbelt Theatre.
By Kaydon Webber
Generational Friendship: Shelterbelt Theatre Premieres The Net Will Appear
June 24th, 2026
A new local Omaha work has taken to the stage at the Shelterbelt Theatre. The Net Will Appear is a two-person, heartwarming show that follows an unlikely friendship bridging generations. The play follows the friendship between two neighbors—an elderly man and a young girl—as they confide in each other about their struggles at home and discover they have more in common than they realize.
Daena Schwinger, the director of The Net Will Appear, says, “You have the 75-year-old neighbor, the nine-year-old girl. Each one of them is dealing with moments of isolation in their families.”
The show is particularly interesting because it takes place on the roofs of the two characters’ houses. This setting physically illustrates both their isolation from one another and the separation they feel from their own lives. Schwinger says, “These types of stories aren’t necessarily mainstream stories, but they’re stories that need to be told.”
The two actors behind these roles are Emma Howell and Jack Zerbe. Having previously participated in script readings at Shelterbelt Theatre, Howell reprises her role as the young Rory in this production. Zerbe also takes on the role of Bernard in this production, with both actors working to find the truth behind the characters’ words.
“The script, by putting the actors in a confined space where there’s no physical interaction and very little movement, focuses everything on the two characters and the relationship between them,” Schwinger says. She adds, “The play continues to grow every night, and it’s just a wonderful thing to watch.”
The Net Will Appear will be showing at Shelterbelt Theatre through June 28. More information can be found at shelterbelt.org.
