Stage Write

Less than a month after the world tuned in to watch the British royal wedding, dubbed a "Cinderella story," Beef & Boards’ audiences can see the original Cinderella musical for themselves. This past weekend the theatre was filled with tiny princesses wearing crooked tiaras and bouncing in their seats with anticipation. Knowing their about to see a "real" princess is too exciting for words. The set is designed with a rotating centerpiece that becomes first a courtyard, then castle and finally a simple country home. Glowing turrets complete the fairy tale atmosphere and set the magical mood. The most interesting difference between this version of Cinderella and others is the casting of the step-sisters. Instead of women, two men are undertaking the roles. B&B’s regulars, Jeff Stockberger and Doug King, have been transformed into the hideous and hilarious step-sisters. At 6’ 5” (plus a huge wig) Stockberger towers over his fellow actors, while lots of extra pa...

The Actors Theatre of Indiana has finally found a permanent home. Their latest production, Chicago, is on stage now at the Studio Theatre in the Carmel Center for the Performing Arts. The intimate setting is just right for the talented group and fans of their work will now know exactly where to find them. Chicago starts, and ends, with a bang. The sexy show is set in the 1920s when booze and jazz were “corrupting” the youth in the big cities. Roxie Hart, a young married woman, kills her lover and finds herself first in jail and then in the newspapers as she plots to get herself a verdict of not guilty and a big vaudeville show. Velma Kelly is another singing murderess with high hopes and rough ways. The two women look out for # 1, as does their lawyer, Billy Flynn. One of the best aspects of the show is the wonderful live band which provides the well-known jazz songs throughout the show. The choreography (by Michael Worcel) is also topnotch. There's not a dull moment as the tirel...

The 39 Steps is about a man accused of a crime he didn’t commit. The Hitchcock movie of the same name has a dark tone, but anyone expecting a moody mystery is in for a shock. The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s production of The 39 Steps is more Monty Python than suspenseful drama and delightfully so. The whirlwind play features only four actors, but between them they take on the roles of a man on the run, police officers, a newsboy, underwear salesmen, a Scottish farmer and his wife, spies, a milkman, a performer, a dead body or two, and more! The show makes liberal use of simple props, which adds to the constant stream of laughter. Getting the audience to enjoy slapstick comedy and cheeky jokes for two hours can be a difficult task, but the IRT maintains the hilarious high throughout the show. Tom Aulino and the always excellent Rob Johansen deserve massive kudos for their nonstop performances. Both men pull on costume after costume, donning wigs and various hats, to portray the majori...

The 1980s never claimed to be subtle and Rock of Ages is no exception. The show embraces every ‘80s cliché with relish, which is part of the fun. There’s lots of leather and lace, big hair and bad mullets, but there’s a lot of laughter too. Broadway Across America’s production of the show is currently on stage at Clowes Memorial Hall. The story focuses on a young woman who moves to L.A. to become and actress during that infamous decade. The story really isn’t the point though; it’s simply a vehicle for providing a concert of hits from the ‘80s. This is NOT a family show. I stress this mainly because I saw multiple families leave before the intermission. This is clear from the opening seconds when you see a neon Live Nudes sign on stage and an announcer tells everyone not to text during the show because it makes them look like a d*bag. The production is also loud, like any good rock show should be. It’s a lot of fun for adults, but it’s not appropriate for kids. The ‘80s really did put ...

If you hear gunshots coming from Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, don’t be alarmed. The theatre is currently hosting a production of the classic musical Annie Get Your Gun. Tiana Checchia plays the scruffy, backwoods tomboy Annie Oakley. She brings sweetness and spunk in equal measures to the role. She shoots game and looks out for her kid siblings while at the same time swooning over Frank Butler, a sharp shooter in a Wild West show. There are some well-known, fun songs from Annie Get Your Gun that are still a delight, like “Anything You Can Do” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” Both songs showcase this particular cast’s talents sublimely. The competitive chemistry between Checchia and Curt Dale Clark, who plays Butler, sparks beautifully and Jeff Stockberger and J.R. Stuart make a great comedic duo. Ellie Oates, an adorable 5-year-old, steals every scene she’s in as Annie’s younger brother Little Jake. Her older sister Molly, along with Brielle Boynton, both do a great ...

The Indiana Repertory Theatre is currently hosting the world premier of The Gospel According the James. The powerful show tells the story of the horrific lynching that happened in Marion, Ind. in the 1930s. Two individuals who were involved in the event, Mary and James, reconnect after 50 years and find that their memories differ in some drastic ways. The line between fiction and truth blurs with time and perspective and that is never clearer than when you’re comparing your memories with another person. Playwright Charles Smith’s dialogue sparks with life in every line. One of the best aspects of the show is the dual nature of each character. There is no clear hero and villain in the traditional sense. Instead each person feels real, with conflicting desires and selfish decisions which cause them to act the way they do. The production, artfully directed by Chuck Smith, is perfectly cast. Each of the talented actors, many of whom hail from Chicago and are new to the IRT, bring life and ...

Grease seems like it was made for the stage. The original movie had big dance numbers, bright costumes and melodramatic love stories and if that’s not Broadway fodder I don’t know what is. The show is on stage, presented by Broadway Across America, at Clowes Memorial Hall. Danny, a bad boy from the T-Birds gang, falls for the innocent Sandy. The T-Birds female counterparts, the sassy Pink Ladies, have a hard time accepting Sandy because of her sweet nature. If you’ve seen the movie, you certainly know what to expect; horny teenagers trying to find the balance between love, sex and peer acceptance while singing great 1950s style songs. Old favorites, like “Greased Lightning” and “We Go Together” transition perfectly from the silver screen. There are also a few new numbers added to the mix, all in that same ’50 Top 40 style. “Beauty School Drop Out” actually seems better suited for the stage production than the movie. In the movie it’s an odd deviation from the main story, while in this ...