Alumnae Spotlight
Robyn Helwig M’22
As a teaching artist at Omaha’s Rose Theater, Robyn Helwig M’22 taught in summer camps, after-school classes and the Every Single Child program, which was designed to allow every elementary and middle school student in Omaha to take part in at least one meaningful theatrical experience each year.
But she soon realized she wanted to use her theatre experience as a tool to teach in the classroom. That’s when she found College of Saint Mary’s Master of Arts in Teaching program. She earned her master’s degree in 2022 and began teaching kindergarten this past fall at Central Park Elementary School for Omaha Public Schools. Her theatre skills are useful, too.
“It is like a constant performance just trying to keep all 20 of them entertained enough to listen to what I say,” said Robyn, who graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 2015. She moved to Omaha in 2016.
When she’s not in the classroom, Robyn can be found on stage at the Backline Comedy Theatre as one-half of the improv duo Pandemic! @ The Disco. Robyn and her comedy partner Matt Johnson perform an hour-long musical improv show on the first Friday of every month.
“The two of us found a form that we just really loved,” she said. “We love playing together. That’s where it took off.”
The duo takes audience suggestions for a hero, played by Matt, including their name, where they are from and their tragic flaw. With those three suggestions, they then go on a hero’s journey.
“Matt stays whatever character they’ve been assigned by the audience, and I play every other character and do all of the accompaniment,” Robyn said.
After a 30-minute first act, Robyn and Matt turn to the audience for what will happen next.
“The real challenge is in the second act,” Robyn said. “We try to incorporate everything the audience asked for in some way.”
Pandemic! @ The Disco has enjoyed success and recognition from the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards, winning the award for Outstanding Comedic Ensemble in 2020 and 2021. They also were nominated in 2022.
At the Backline Comedy Theatre, the duo holds second place for the longest winning streak in the weekly “Arena” competition series, where the audience votes on who can come back the next week. Pandemic! @ The Disco has won 14 weeks in a row.
Robyn is also part of “Biscuits,” an improv show that performs every fourth Friday at Backline. She also coaches the Backline’s musical house team and teaches musical improv workshops throughout the Midwest.
