Beyond The Stage

When Squires was recruited to lead Omaha Performing Arts in 2002, the organization was newly formed and construction had not yet commenced on what would become the Holland Center. She said that two decades ago, she didn’t foresee the emergence of a performing arts campus. 

“Then, I would never have imagined today,” she said, adding that, nevertheless, “We keep reinventing. We want to stay current and relevant and continue our evolution so that we’re reaching audiences and artists and continuing to make sure that we’re bringing the best.” 

Much of that “best” comes thanks to Squires’ tireless arts advocacy.

“Joan has incredible vision and energy, coupled with passion for the arts that, combined, make it hard for people not to want to be involved, and want to say yes to what she sees as the potential for what is possible,” said Metro Omaha Medical Society Executive Director Carol Wang, who’s been involved with O-pa community resource groups over the years. “She is also a collaborator and is always forging partnerships with business leaders and community leaders to offer the best in programming and to make arts accessible to everyone.” 

Gennean Scott, O-pa’s  former vice president of human capital and inclusion and current chief diversity and inclusion officer for The Broadway League Inc. in New York, had similar praise for Squires’ leadership. 

“I spent seven years at O-pa, and I swear it felt like I took a leadership class every day. I learned so much just by watching how confidently she dealt with the complexities of nonprofit management, all while keeping donors happy and the community engaged. She’s got this incredible talent for building teams and pushing boundaries, and her fundraising skills are out of this world,” Scott said. “She is a fearless visionary.”

The one-time colleague describes the O-pa culture that Squires has fostered as centered around innovation, collaboration, and excellence. This, she explained, has been a key factor in keeping the organization continually improving, evolving, and moving forward. “Joan ensures that Omaha Performing Arts remains a staple locally and nationally,” Scott said. “She thinks beyond traditional norms, creates new paths, and keeps the organization relevant and forward-thinking.”

Ananias “Markey” Montague, minister of music and fine arts for Salem Baptist Church, agreed. “I believe that Joan’s passion—not only for arts, but passion for people—is one of her strong qualities. Joan and O-pa are always looking for a way or ways to strengthen and empower the people within our community.” 

Montague sees Squires’ determination as a major benefit for the city. “I expect Joan to lead this community of fine arts with the same drive that she has over the last almost two decades. There is constant growth of the arts and not just with new buildings. But O-pa is expanding in various communities and touching various ethnic backgrounds. I see nothing but growth. She is making Omaha and the surrounding areas better.” 

That success has raised Omaha’s profile across the country. 

“I’m proud of the national profile that we now have for performing arts…I used to go to New York and people would look over my shoulder about who else they could talk to—‘Omaha where?’—and they would wander off,” Squires said. “Now, I’m on the board and executive committee of the Broadway League. We were leaders through COVID. We’re leaders in many of our programs. We are seen as a resource.” 

Indeed, not only has O-pa’s team earned respect for its work on a national level, but Omaha has also emerged as a city that continues to move forward to reinvent and impact the community in a significant manner. “Omaha is really recognized for the performing arts,” Squires said, “and I think we’ve just taken it to another level.”

The president emphasized that she is not solely responsible for Omaha Performing Arts flourishing. She is quick to credit the organization’s success to O-pa staff, its volunteer corps, the artists on the three venues’ stages, the board of directors, generous philanthropists, and the community as a whole. 

“We are envied around the country for the depth of corporate, foundation, and individual philanthropic support that we receive, as well as robust ticket sales,” she said. “People have really shown up and demonstrated that they care about the shows that we bring in, and it enables us to continue to grow.”

That growth extends to Omaha. Squires said she wishes more people realized O-pa’s economic impact, estimated at $61 million annually and expected to increase further now that Steelhouse is operating and even more when the Tenaska Center opens its doors. 

“It’s not just the performances, but it’s hotel nights, visitors and restaurants, and parking and employment—all those activities that our organization generates,” she explained. 

O-pa has played a part in enhancing the metro’s overall quality of life, too, she added—far beyond what she envisioned 20 years ago. 

“I think we have been a large contributor to giving people reasons to move here and stay here, and work here. That aspect is really important to be able to attract businesses and to help us attract and retain a workforce,” Squires explained. “I know we’ve touched people’s lives in our education activities, our engagement opportunities in the community, or just the quality of the Broadway shows, for instance. All of those really helped make people’s lives better.”

So, what’s next for O-pa? 

Steelhouse is now open with an ever increasing roster of concerts, so continued growth in that building is a short-term goal as O-pa continues to announce more shows to come. The completion of the Tenaska Center for Arts Engagement will involve developing programs and activities with a longer-term goal of broadening the organization’s education and engagement activities. “We have a lot of plans right now and are starting to implement some of those so that when the building opens in early 2026, we’ve got all those activities up and running,” Squires said. “We’re out of space now; we have a lot more plans, and the new center will enable that.”

Wang is impressed with the plans Squires has in mind. “I think the arts education center that she has had her heart set on will make a substantial impact in our community for generations in bringing the arts to audiences of all ages,” she said. “I can’t even imagine where her focus will take her to next, but I know if she’s at the helm, it will be successful and it will be transformational.”

It’s that transformation that drives Squires, even if the public is sometimes unaware that she’s the woman behind the curtain.

“There’s nothing I like better than standing in the back and watching a performance and people’s response, or having someone stop me in the street and tell me about some special moment, or how much it meant to them to bring their children to a show or for us to go out into the community and provide an experience that they wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Squires shared. “It’s very gratifying to be able to get that feedback.”

O-pa’s president pauses and reflects on her 20 years at the helm. 

“I love what I do, and it’s a joy to come to work every day,” she said. “This is not a 9-to-5 job by any means. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes. But you know, that doesn’t matter when, at the end, you’re really standing back and realizing everything came together and it worked…People really deserve to have a good experience from the time they buy the ticket to when they enter, get a beverage and sit in their seat. And that will go seamlessly. No one’s thinking about the behind-the-scenes work that it took—not just for months, but sometimes years—to bring them shows. But that’s okay. They had a great night.”

For more information about Omaha Performing Arts’ performances, educational programs, and community outreach, visit o-pa.org.

This article originally appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of B2B Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.