Pizza, jazz, live music, drinks, theater, slam poetry, Indie films and dance. The PS Collective Performance Showcase venue offers it all in a mission to combine the arts in multi-dimensional shows.
“I think it’s so secular that actors go to movies and singers to concerts. There is more power in numbers and to support each other,” said Amy Ryan, the owner of PS Collective, located at 6056 Maple St. in Omaha.
The PS Collective opened three years ago as an addition to the Pizza Shoppe that was opened 13 years ago. Ryan opened the venue because she saw all the local talent in Omaha that simply wants to be recognized. The showcases each night range from local and national concerts to comedians and disc jockeys.
“It seems like art today stifles creativity because there is greed, competition and ego. I want people to be able to experience art, not to judge and see only what they like,” Ryan said.
Together, Ryan has combined entertainment and food that brings several crowds in a venue that local artists have helped create. The tables and chairs were painted by people in the community, along with the paintings on the walls and the recycled gutters used for lighting. The end result is a warm, homey setting.
The Pizza Shoppe offers a reasonably-priced menu with pizzas starting at $5.25 and coming in “prince, queen and king” sizes. Their motto: We serve taste one bite at a time.
Nicely priced dinner options accompany the free to average $5 entry fee into PS Collective that goes directly to the artists who perform that night. The venue is open to all ages and walks of life.
“We include people in the arts, in the lower societal economic areas,” Ryan said. Her goal is to become a non-profit venue so she can offer theater workshops and music lessons to urban, underprivileged children.
Ryan also hopes to start a radio channel that will broadcast local band music and theater murder mystery radio shows.
Want to perform live at PS Collective? E-mail [email protected] to schedule an event for free or check out PSCollective.com to see upcoming events and shows, such as the Shiver Shiver performance on April 3.