Stage Write

The show begins with a warning, "If you're looking for 'A Christmas Carol,' this isn't it." They aren't kidding. "A Very Phoenix Xmas" is on stage now at the Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis. The comedy show is presented annually, but with new sketches every year, written by Phoenix playwrights and submitted by audience members. Taking snatches from Christmas tales and holiday movies the writers have melding these elements together to make a completely original creation. Featuring skits about the island of recalled toys and the tragedy of a broken Christmas cookie the show is both entertaining and a little strange. Any Christmas show that includes a song called "Don't Eat the Baby" definitely falls into the "out of the ordinary" category. Everything from local fast food eateries to 'The Wizard of Oz' is fair game at the Phoenix. The six person cast does a great job bringing each story to life. Michael Shelton and Sa...

Rarely do we Hoosiers get a chance to see something fresh from Broadway. New plays tend to make their way from the New York stage across the country slowly. They typically trickle through a dozen other states before making their way to Indianapolis. 'The Little Dog Laughed' is an exception to this trend. It's now on stage at the Phoenix Theatre, it's very first show since Broadway. The play premiered on Broadway in 2006 and was nominated for the 2007 Best Play Tony award. That being said the show is definitely not for everyone. Accolades aside the show has very adult themes and contains some nudity. The comedy gives the audience and glimpse into the life of a Hollywood movie star who is a closeted homosexual. Mitchell Green, excellently played by Michael Shelton, has a career dependent on his ability to appeal to women, as his agent Diane so frequently reminds him. His story is a fictional representation of the many stars that have dealt with the same dilemma, includin...