Stage Write

The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s current Mainstage production The Whipping Man takes audiences back to Virginia in April 1865. The play opens with Caleb, the son of a Virginia slave owner, stumbling into his home at the end of the Civil War. He (Andrew C. Ahrens) has been fighting for the Confederacy and returns to his family’s land in the hopes of reuniting with them, but the only man there to greet him is the former slave Simon (David Alan Anderson). The two must try and navigate the minefield of their new relationship. Simon is a free man now but they still feel a deep loyalty to each other. Their shared Jewish faith gives them a common ground as they celebrate the Passover Seder together. The show touches on many issues. What happens when you lose your faith? What happens when the world you know has crumbled? How can people move past bitterness, anger and guilt to join together and rebuild an entire country? Playwright Matthew Lopez deals with each of these topics in a delicate...

The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s 40th season closes with the classic drama, The Miracle Worker. The inspirational play is based on the true story of the blind and deaf girl Helen Keller and her sign language teacher, Annie Sullivan.     The success of the show depends on the performances of its two main characters: Nora Fiffer as Annie Sullivan and Ciarra Krohne as Helen Keller. Both actors are incredible. Krohne is only 12 years old and yet she embraces her role with such abandon that it’s easy to forget you aren’t really watching Keller herself. Fiffer does a wonderful job portraying the young, formerly blind teacher who is haunted by her own demons. She’s rough around the edges, but she’s tenacious and that’s exactly what Helen needs. Their stubborn natures clash as they test each others’ wills. Keller’s parents love her, but their tender care and coddling is more harmful than they realize. It takes Sullivan’s brassy impertinence to stand up to them before things ...

"Crime and Punishment" is currently on the Indiana Repertory Theatre's Upperstage. Three actors and a sparse set greet audience members attending this condensed adaptation of the classic book. For 90 minutes sinners and saints tangle together in the mess that is human life. Andrew Ahrens plays Raskolnikov, a man tortured by his inability to reconcile his intellect and faith. Ahrens' turn as Macbeth earlier this season now feels like a taste of what was to come in this role. Like Macbeth, Raskolnikov's guilty conscience seeps out in all of his actions. Even his health begins to suffer under the wait of his guilt. He is dressed in threadbare rags, the edges caked in mud. The former student finds it easy to postulate about the necessity for great men to break the law for the greater good, but his life falls apart when he attempts to introduce his theory into the real world. The abstract idea of morality is easy for him to discuss, but as soon as he puts himself into ...

"Macbeth" is currently on the Indiana Repertory Theatre's Upperstage. Macbeth is the latest in the IRT's long line of Shakespeare shows that work to make the Bard more accessible to younger audiences. The 90 minute show is brief enough to appeal to Shakespeare novices, without losing the meat of the play. The original language hasn't been altered, just trimmed. In addition to shorten the original play, the production embraces modern dress for the cast, complete with military attire for the men. The set is an original design by Gordon R. Strain. This is Strain's first solo run as a scenic designer and the stage captures the stark, yet restricted feel of the plot. IRT regular Jennifer Johansen plays the manipulative and ambitious Lady Macbeth. Johansen gives a mesmerizing performance as the voice of evil in her husband's ear. Her intense portrayal alone makes the show a must see as her character feeds Macbeth's desperate thoughts. Andrew Ahrens embraces ...