Stage Write

There aren’t many Shakespearean plays where a can dog steal the show, in fact there’s only one: The Two Gentlemen of Verona. It’s one of the Bard’s lesser known works and it includes the infamous dog, Crab. In previous productions I’ve seen the dog played by a stuffed animal, but the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s current production has the real thing and the sweet pup holds the audience captivate every time she’s on stage. As great as the canine performance is, it’s not the only highlight from the show. The IRT opens its 43rd season with a play in honor of Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. The show includes a cast of IRT vets like Ryan Artzberger and Robert Neal (who both starred in HART “The Tempest” this summer), along with some excellent newcomers. Two standouts were Charles Pasternak as Valentine, who vacillates between ardent lover and frustrated exile and Ashley Wickett as both Julia’s maid Lucetta and the sought-after Silvia. The plot itself is not without its problems. Li...

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...

   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...

This past weekend the Indiana Repertory Theatre hosted the world premier of playwright-in-residence James Still’s new production, The House That Jack Built. A family converges in a cozy home in Vermont for Thanksgiving dinner and as is to be expected with the holidays, emotions run high and past grievances and grief lay just beneath the tender surface. I’ve been a fan of James Still’s work for years, but this production truly rises above anything I’d yet seen. He has an incredible talent for writing characters that are completely unique, yet somehow also completely relatable. That contradictory principle makes the people in his plays unforgettable. Overbearing mothers or bickering spouses could become clichés, but in Still’s plays they never are. Their flaws and connections to each other always run deeper than that and this play in particular, is full of beautifully complicated characters.   Jack, the title character, is an enigma that we never meet, though he shaped t...

    The Church Basement Ladies are back for a third time at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. This installment, Away in the Basement, is actually set in 1959, before the other two chronically. B&B’s audiences have grown to love the devoted crew and their playful banter. The ladies, so proud of their Norwegian heritage and Lutheran traditions, keep their churches’ events running smoothly.   The whole cast is back for a third installment with the exception of Lisa Bark, who is replaced by Hillary Smith as Beverly. Karen Pappas returns as Mavis, a hilarious woman with her own particularly style. Vivian (Licia Watson) is the group's matriarch with a strong aversion to change. Katherine Proctor is Karin, Beverly's mother and Vivian's deputy.     The Church Basement Ladies shows are always at their best when the women are supporting each other through both the heartbreaks and celebrations life brings. Vivian shows her softer side in the second act an...

The Lutheran ladies are back with more songs and exclamations of "Uffda!" After last year's show " Church Basement Ladies " proved such a popular musical, Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre decided to offer audiences a second helping. The same cast has returned to bring their characters back to life. Part SNL Church Basement Lady and part sweet Midwestern hometown tale, the plot follows four very different women through a few life changes in 1969 and 1970. One of the show's greatest strengths is the diverse group brought together on the stage. One woman is old, another young, a couple have been married for years, another is a newly wed, another widowed. In addition to the females, there is the pastor, who still trying to find his footing in the church as America moves into a new decade. Each character brings a unique perspective to the table. The cast seem like it's having fun, which is crucial for the success of a show like this. The playful atmosphere th...

The true story of Leopold and Loeb is one that has fascinated people for decades. Two wealthy young men decided to commit the perfect murder in 1924. The cocky college students take down a young boy and assume they've proved their genius with his demise. Quickly their plans begin to unravel as the evidence mounts against them and they find themselves on trial for their lives. "Never the Sinner" is a play based on the murderous tale and it was recently on stage at The Theater Within, located in Fountain Square. The stage is small and unassuming, mere feet from the audience. The set is simple, the cast is limited and yet the director, Rod Isaac, manages to pull off just the right ominous tone. His use of eerie imagery projected on a blank screen to transition between scenes was chilling. Zach Stonerock is excellent as the fidgety and condescending Leopold. He is both incredibly intelligent and socially stunted. He finds the attention he longs for in his relationship with Lo...

"The Giver" is one of the first dystopian books I ever read. I was in junior high at the time and I remember being completely awed by this strange society, where everything seemed perfect at first, but the dark secrets of the community were quickly revealed. The book fascinated me and challenged my thinking, which is why I was filled with both excitement and apprehension when I found out "The Giver" was part of the Indiana Repertory Theatre's season this year. Anytime a book resonates with you it can be difficult to see that story brought to life on stage or film. There's always the fear that it won't be recreated quite like you imagined it and it will somehow mar the integrity of the story. The IRT's version of "The Giver" did nothing but enhance my original feelings. It's an amazing production, condensed to an 80 minute show with no intermission. The set, costumes and acting all played their unique parts in capturing the menace of th...

I wasn't sure what to expect with the Indiana Repertory Theatre's season opening show, "The Heavens are Hung in Black." The play focuses on Abraham Lincoln's presidential term and in less gifted hands it could have become a dry historical drama. Instead it's a portrait of a tortured man. A man wracked with grief, who is forced to make some of the toughest political decisions of all time, all while desperately trying to hang on to his sanity. The play was originally commissioned by the Ford's Theatre, where Lincoln was assassinated, in Washington D.C. This being the bicentennial year of Lincoln's birth, there's no better time to bring it to an Indiana stage. It's relevance is obvious on that front, but its deeper significance becomes evident as the show progresses. America has a black president for the first time and Lincoln was the the man behind the Emancipation Proclamation which gave slave their freedom so many years ago. The show is written...

The Indianapolis Civic Theatre kicked off its 2009/2010 season with a big Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, but not with a Midwest regular like "Phantom of the Opera" or "Cats." Instead the ICT chose "Evita," the story of a real woman from Argentina who became an icon to her country during her short life. Evita, whose real name was Eva Perón, lived a rags-to-riches, fairy tale life. Though her country was racked with rebellion and discontent, she managed to climb the society ladder from her start in a poor family to becoming the country's first lady. She married Argentina's president, Juan Perón, and won over the people's hearts with her political activism. The choreography and costumes were two stand out elements in this show. Each scene was filled with constant movement, making the most mundane scene fascinating with delicate dances between the characters. The costumes captured the 1930s glamour and poverty. There were glorious hats, gloves and go...

"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is one of the rare musicals that was made into a movie long before it ever reached the stage. It was released in theaters in 1954 and become a stage musical in 1985. It is on stage now at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre for the first time in almost a decade. Seven brothers live alone up in the mountains. Their house is full of men and in desperate need of a female hand. The eldest brother, Adam, goes into town and returns with a wife, Milly. Soon all of the brothers want their own wives. Inspired by an old Roman tale, the brothers decide to steal their wives from the local town. The show's lead couple, Tony Lawson, who plays Adam, and his wife Milly, played by Krista Severeid, are a couple in real life and will marry two weeks after the show closes. Their chemistry is clear on stage and whether fighting or courting, they are delightful to watch together. The camaraderie between the seven brothers works well. Fun dance sequences and a con...

There are few things as magical as watching Shakespeare's work being performed outdoors. Even the Globe Theatre in London was designed to recreate the original roofless Globe, combining the Bard's beautiful words and starry nights. The Heartland Actors' Repertory Theatre presented a weekend of Shakespeare on July 31st and August 1st. The show, "Much Ado About Nothing" was performed on a simple, yet beautiful set in White River State Park. With the river created the perfect backdrop and the performers shared barbs and banter as the sun set. When performed without a sense of humor Shakespeare can feel stale and archaic, especially a comedy like "Much Ado About Nothing." HART's performers took the classic material and brought it alive, embracing the author's wicked wit. The cast included seasoned actors like Charles Goad and Mark Goetzinger, talented HART regulars Ben Tebbe, Michael Shelton and Diane Timmerman, a few newcomers and many others. They ...

For the third year in a row Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre has filled its July show slot with the music of the Sander's family. This third installment of "Smoke on the Mountains" has the Sanders family performing their hymns and bluegrass songs on Christmas eve. Set in 1941, the Sanders family returns to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church for a Christmas performance. The country has just gone to war and one of the Sanders' own, Dennis (played by the incredibly talented musician Andrew Ross), is set to ship out in a few days. Fans of the past two shows will not be disappointed this year. Those who are new to the Sanders family's antics are sure to love the "Sanders Family Christmas." The same cast returns with the addition of Laura Goins and Lynne Perkins, portraying Dennis' twin sister Denise and Vera, the group's matriarch respectively. Sarah Hund returns as June, the member of the Sanders clan who is "skilled" in sign language. June coul...

For its final show of the season the Indiana Repertory Theatre presents the world premier of "Interpreting William." The fascinating play is the work of the theater's playwright-in-residence, James Still. It splits its time between the life of frontiersman William Conner, of Conner Prairie fame, and the present day character Bill Montgomery, who is a professor attempting to finish his book about Conner. Anna is a caffeine-addled, former professor who inspired Bill during his days as an undergrad. Her life has since disintegrated in many ways, but her razor sharp wit has not dulled. She is wonderfully written and brought to life with perfect execution by Carmen Roman. Her quick quips are captivating to watch and clearly cover a deeper pain. The show is at its best when Anna and Bill are conversing. They have a perpetual student/teacher dynamic that fuels discussions. Still's greatest strength in this show, as well as in his past IRT productions, is his ability to captu...

"Annie" is the latest family-friendly show to grace the stage at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. The familiar musical includes songs like "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard-Knock Life." A few lesser known songs, like "N.Y.C.," provided highlights as well. A young girl, abandoned by her parents, refuses to give up on finding them. She endures much before falling into a two week visit at a millionaires home for the holidays. Despite their drastic differences, Oliver Warbucks, the millionaire, and Annie develop a unique kindred relationship. Annie's sweet optimism has a softening effect on the business titan and he finds himself wanting to adopt the unfortunate adolescent. "Annie" has a talented and enthusiastic ensemble cast from the ragamuffin orphans all the way up to the President of the United States. A few particular stand outs were John Vessels as the smarmy radio host Bert Healy, Cynthia Collins in the role of the perpetually ...

From the first moments of the show there is an overwhelming feeling that you've stumble into someone's house and you're overhearing their conversations. That atmosphere, aided by the homey set, lends an air of authenticity to the actors' emotions. "Rabbit Hole" is the story of the intense pain of four very different individuals; a married couple, the wife's mother and her younger sister. Even though their heartbreak comes from the same loss, no one deals with it in the same way. The play has something everyone can identify with; family relationships, spousal tension, life's shattering disappointments and the struggle to overcome them, the ache of not knowing how you will possibly make it through another day. When people experience pain to this extent it's almost impossible to believe that anyone else's pain hurts as much as yours. They inevitably compare and critique each other's grief in an effort to understand their own. In one particular...

The endearing musical "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" is on stage now at Clowes Memorial Hall, presented by Broadway Across America. Based on the classic 1968 film starring Dick Van Dyke, the musical includes all of the whimsical elements audience members will remember from the movie. It has elaborate sets, kooky characters and a clean story that makes it a perfect treat for families. It’s “Mary Poppoins” meets “The Love Bug;” an odd blend, but it works. The plot follows an eccentric widower, Caractacus Potts, who cares for his two children in England. His simple life is turned upside down when he meets an opinionated woman,Truly Scrumptious, and buys an old jalopy. As he fixes up the old car he discovers it has a mind of its own and a few hidden abilities as well. Along for the ride are two clueless villains attempting to steal the car for the juvenile Baron of Vulgaria. Their cheeky humor will have the adults laughing right along with the kids. The entertaining production has che...

The Indiana Repertory Theatre and Dance Kaleidoscope recently presented a fascinating collaboration they had work-shopped for only one week. The performance was not to raise money or to garner attention for the groups. It was produced for the sole reason of trying something new. The production was based on Margaret Atwood's novella, "Penelopiad," which tells the story of the Greek adventurer Odysseus' wife. It was a brief 25 minutes that left audience members wanting more. The two organizations were experimenting with a combination of dancers and actors working in tandem for the single piece. As a result, the dancers were given a voice and the actors became much more aware of their movements in each scene. The show was exhilarating. It was something new and original in a time when many theaters are embracing old stand by shows, which are sure to sell tickets. It was a reminder that not only is theater entertaining; it is something that fuels conversation and creativit...

Cries of "Shiver Me Timbers" will be emanating from Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre for the next month as the theater hosts the Midwest premier of "Treasure Island." The production is a musical take on the adventure tale. The story's central character is young Jim, a boy on the cusp of manhood. The show opens with the death of his father, after which his life quickly takes a turn from the ordinary. Soon he finds himself sailing the seas in search of treasure with a ship full of mutinous crew members. The show, based on the classic novel, was written by Curt Dale Clark, who also stars in the production, and Marc Robin, who directs. The musical seems to be struggling to be both a whimsical story of pirates and a serious tale or morality and friendship. Though at times the show's emotional songs feel forced, it hits a solid note with other cheerful ballads. The infamous Long John Silver is played by Jamie Jackson. He gives the nefarious captain a sweet side no...

When a community theater decides to produce a big, well-known musical, there is always a risk that its production will unwittingly beg comparisons with other versions of the same show audience members have seen in the past. It's next to impossible not to picture the other dance sequences or compare the actors' voices in your mind. The Indianapolis Civic Theatre's current production of "West Side Story" does just that. It's a fun show in its own right, but it's definitely not a big budget production. Half of the men in the Sharks gang were caucasian. The Sharks' tense relationship with the rival gang, the Jets, is based on the fact that it is made up of Puerto Ricans who recently immigrated to America. Inconsistencies like that can be distracting. The best part of attending shows at a theater made up of avocational actors is seeing a break out star. The musical's Maria, played by Angela Nichols Manlove, is the perfect example. Her obvious talent ris...