OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Jan. 19, Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) and the Omaha theatre community lost their dear friend, Megan Kuehler, who died from stage four colon cancer.
Kuehler worked at OCP from 2012 to 2019, where she first started as a stitcher, which is part of the costume shop team.
While working at the playhouse, she was called in on an emergency basis to run the wardrobe for the tour of Nebraska Theatre Caravan's production of “A Christmas Carol.” Megan oversaw the whole touring production, maintaining costumes, and wigs, and getting the touring company actors dressed.
She also designed the costumes for OCP’s productions of “Eminent Domain” and “The Bridges of Madison County: The Musical.”
Kuehler later became the costume shop manager at the playhouse, where she hired former co-worker, Lindsay Pape, who is now the resident costume designer at OCP.
Pape had first met Megan at Nebraska Shakespeare in 2009. Kuehler was only a student and worked alongside Lindsay as her assistant.
“She was just full of great ideas and was always ready to jump in and solve the problem,” said Pape. “So, she was creative and also organized.”
When Lindsay and Megan worked together at the playhouse there was never a dull moment between the two. They would take work trips every year to shop for fabrics for some of the shows at the playhouse, they went to Chicago, they went to New York and would buy new fabrics. Every trip was jam-packed with learning, work and fun.
“She kind of taught me never to wait to have fun,” said Pape. “Every day at work should be fun.”
Pape said her job has been more fun since she started working with Megan.
In 2019, Megan decided her time at the playhouse was done. Although she was leaving OCP, it didn’t stop her from setting the person after her up for success. Kuehler made sure this person had all the information necessary, she wrote a handbook for them, and made sure they were better prepared when they took over.
“Megan was the kind of person who left her job at the playhouse better than she found it,” said Pape.
Lindsay said Megan was a forward thinker who was terribly creative and had tons of friends who will miss her terribly.
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