Stage Write

American Lives Theatre (ALT) closes its strong season with Predictor at the Phoenix Theatre. On the surface, it’s the story of one woman’s fight, but underneath that, the heart of the play lies in the friendship, determination, generational legacy, and so much more that help drive Meg Crane. In the 1960s she invented the home pregnancy test. This is her story and it should’ve been told decades ago. I’m so grateful to playwright Jennifer Blackmer and ALT for sharing it with us now.   The show moves fast with quick scene changes and wheels on every desk and chair that makes up the set. There is an incredible crew of individuals, from the set designer to director Bridget Haight that make this whirlwind piece possible. The supporting six cast members flip between their many roles in a matter of seconds. A lab worker, roommate, mother, coworker, the list goes on and this hard-working cast keeps pace! Brittany Magee takes on the role of Crane. She is passionate and infuses the performanc...

  Over the past 25 seasons Diane Kondrat has performed in dozens of roles at the Phoenix Theatre. Now she can be seen for the final time in the Hoosier state playing the handpicked role of Rita Lyons, the matriarch of a dysfunctional New York family in the Frank and Katrina Basile Theatre. This part is perfect for Kondrat, offering her a chance to showcase both her comedic timing and dramatic prowess. The Lyons provides a tightly-wound look at the unique intricacies of one family’s dynamics. It’s a black comedy providing wildly funny lines, but each clever barb cuts another character to the core.     Rita is a piece of work. In the opening scene she discusses her design ideas for a new living room with her husband. Quickly you realize she’s asking her husband what he thinks of these new ideas with the full knowledge that he’ll be dead soon and won’t be around to enjoy it. There is no love loss between the two. Though the couple has been married for 40 yea...

   What does it take to be a good writer? Is it harrowing experiences or is it a unique perspective or way of life? Is it something that can be taught or can good writing only come from natural talent? These questions and more are discussed in the Phoenix’ current production: Seminar. The play premiered on Broadway in November 2011 with a stellar cast. Less than a year later the Phoenix was able to snag it as part of its 30th season. It’s currently onstage in the intimate Frank and Katrina Basile Theatre. Four aspiring fiction writers scrape together $5,000 each to hire an accomplished author to teach a 12-week writing seminar. Their teacher, Leonard, is a misogynistic jerk with a palpable self-loathing and a particular talent for crushing dreams. Played with relish by Bill Simmons, Leonard embodies a failed artist, lashing out at others who are just beginning their careers. He stumbles around as if drunk or high while spouting self-absorbed nonsense afte...