Stage Write

Beef & Boards launches its 2015 season with the buddy comedy The Odd Couple. It’s the story of two men, unmoored from their marriages, who find themselves as unlikely roommates. One is the fastidious Felix, a worry wart with an anxious disposition and a deep desire to clean. The other, Oscar, is a slob, with no motivation to tidy his home. The Neil Simon comedy is celebrating its 50 year anniversary, which is a tribute to just how timeless this story is.   The production is a perfect showcase for two of Beef & Boards’ favorite performers, Eddie Curry (Felix) and Jeff Stockberger (Oscar). It’s at its best during a silent scene where the two men circle each other after a big fight. They do everything they can to provoke a response, all without words. Both men excel at physical comedy and the bit works well. The set gives the show a farcical feel, which fits in well as Beef & Boards traditional season opener usually falls into that category. Doorbells or phones

Every theatre is unique and the shows that they produce there reflect that diversity. I’m grateful Indy has so many great ones to choose from. There were some wonderful shows in 2014 and here’s a top ten list of my personal favorites. Make sure you keep an eye on these theaters in 2015!   1) The Wars of the Roses performed by the EclecticPond Theatre Company   2) Who Am I This Time? at the Indiana Repertory Theatre 3) A Streetcar Named Desire an Acting Up Production     4) The Tempest a Shakespeare on the Canal performance by HART   5) The Rocky Horror Show a Zach Rosing Production 6) The Book of Mormon at the Old National Center performed by Broadway Across America 7) Petunia and Chicken an iNDYFRINGE performance 8) Tribes at the Phoenix Theatre   9) The Games’s Afoot at the Indiana Repertory Theatre   10) Hamlet an Acting Up Production Photos courtesy of EclecticPond, Acting Up, HART, and iNDYFRINGE  

When Elf (the movie) came out in 2003 people were expecting a goofy Christmas romp. While it was hilarious, the reason it remains a seasonal favorite is because of the sweet message at its core. What could have been pure comedy instead had real heart, encouraging even the grumpiest of adults to find the magic in Christmas. Now the movie is a musical and Broadway Across America has brought the cheerful production to Indianapolis just in time for the holidays.  That unbridled enthusiasm translates well into a stage musical, where bursting into song is expected, but something is inevitably lost with that expectation. We know there will be singing, so it's not surprising when Buddy the Elf starts singing in the midst of Macy's Christmas rush. The musical takes that same plot of the film and adds bubbly songs and gives a few characters a bit more meat. Buddy's new stepmother Emily and his father's assistant Deb both benefit from the changes