Skip to main content

Posts

Les Misérables

  Hamilton’s “You’ll Be Back” might as well have been written about me and Les Misérables. There will never be a time I’m not drawn to this show. I think we often forget that musicals and plays that have become commonplace to us are still new to the next generation. Bringing my nine-year-old daughter to see the show for the first time was a beautiful experience. I remember seeing it in London for the first time at 21 and being blown away. The depth of the story, the beauty of the songs, the range of the vocals, it was a revelation. Seeing the same response from her made this production particularly special for me. Broadway Across America included this show in its season two years ago, and many of the lead actors, including Javert (Preston Truman Boyd), Valjean (Nick Cartell), the Bishop of Digne (Randy Jeter), and others, all remain the same. Their powerful performances could carry the show alone, but the large supporting cast is full of standouts. Alexa Lopez does a beautiful job ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

The 39 Steps

It’s not often you get a peek behind the curtain as an audience member in the theater. I was able to glimpse behind the scenes of the Indiana Repertory Theater’s latest production The 39 Steps. It’s impossible not to have a greater appreciation for a production when you see the actual hammering and sewing that it takes to make it happen. This particular show was done by the IRT in 2011 and many of the sets were saved. The theater-within-a-theater design and creative use of ladders and trunks made for a versatile set. It was easy to morph from a train to a plane with minimal shifts.   The show relies heavily on the gag of four people playing a huge cast of characters. Much of the heavy lifting lands on the shoulders of Ema Zivkovic and Michael Stewart Allen who each play a revolving cast of characters with enthusiasm. Often, they play multiple roles in the same scene, swapping wigs or jackets for a pipe and hat. The pair bring such energy to the play that you can’t help watching t...
Post a Comment
Read more

IndyFringe Festival Preview

  The IndyFringe Festival is back and it’s celebrating its 20th Anniversary! Attending for the first time can feel intimidating because there are six venues, 69 unique shows, and almost 250 ticketed performances from Aug. 14 th to the 24 th . But the team at Fringe has made it as user-friendly as possible. To start, there is a preview night TONIGHT! You can get a glimpse of shows and decide which ones interest you the most. Info here: WHAT :  IndyFringe Festival Preview Night WHEN : TONIGHT, Aug. 13,2025, Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Show starts at 6:00 p.m. WHERE : Then Athenaeum Basile Theatre, 401 E Michigan St., Indianapolis COST : Pay-what-you-can tickets can be purchased  online  or at the door.  For the actual festival, here are some helpful facts: Week-night shows typically run between 6:30PM & 10:30PM and weekend shows may run between 11:00AM – 11:00PM. Shows are all 45-60 minutes long and they all start on the same 90-minute intervals a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Waitress

  Waitress is one of the rare non-musical movies that transitions to the stage with ease. The show is currently on stage at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre and features a score by Sara Bareilles, filled with heart. It tells the story of a woman, trapped by her circumstances, who longs for another life. Keirsten Hodgens plays the lead, Jenna, with a palpable sense of loneliness. The show takes off with the song, “What Baking Can Do”. Just like her pies, Jenna’s life can be sweet or tart, and that song shows us the daily hustle she handles and the sadness that sits just below the surface. But in the midst of her pain is the life-giving force of female friendship. Chanel Edwards-Frederick (Becky) and Grace Atherholt (Dawn) play Jenna’s two best friends and fellow waitresses at the pie diner. They are polar opposites and a perfect sweet and sour balance. Becky is full of sass and fierce loyalty. Dawn is all encouragement and smiles. The women provide the found family that Jenna so...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wicked

At this point in Indy, there are those who haven’t seen Wicked and are dying to experience it, and those who can’t wait to see it again. It has stood the test of time since its 2003 premiere more than 20 years ago. With the release of the first half of the film version, there are whole new legions of Wicked fans excited to see it live. Two different women take on the role of Elphaba during the Indianapolis run of the show. The performance I attended featured Olivia Valli as the rebellious witch. Valli is an incredible singer, which should come as no surprise considering her past Broadway performances and her lineage (granddaughter of Frankie Valli). She demonstrates how painful it can be to go against the grain when you stand up for what is right instead of fitting in. She's vulnerable and broken in equal measures when she discovers unexpected love and then loses the dreams and family she held so dear.   The effervescent Zoe Jensen as Glinda is the perfect counterweight to Elphaba’...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Little Mermaid

 The Beef & Boards annual family show is the perfect way to kick off the summer. There are a few big moments in the production with the wow factor, including an aerial ribbon dancer and a mermaid soaring through the sea. Beef & Boards nails both and it’s a treat to watch jaws drop on tiny faces in the audience. MSTS Costumes took it to the next level with this show. Sea creatures of every variety are on full display with shimmering scales and flowing skirts. Those new to the show will recognize numbers from the original Disney movie, but there are also added songs created just for the musical, and some work better than others. “If Only” is a lovely addition, while Positoovity” is completely unnecessary. Scuttle is just a tough character to translate to the stage. Sarah Daniels plays Ariel, and infuses a big personality into the role. Prince Eric’s role is limited, but Josh Alvarez does as much as he can with it. He is earnest and enthusiastic. Michael Ray Fisher’s Sebasti...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Play That Goes Wrong

Sometimes you don’t realize how badly you needed to laugh until your sides are aching, and your face hurts. The Indiana Repertory Theatre is certainly ending its season with a bang, in the form of a collapsing set and an abundance of laughs. The Play That Goes Wrong is known for inducing fits of hilarity in the audience. The plot follows a local community group putting on a murder mystery, but nothing seems to go as planned. Even before the show starts cast members dressed as stagehands frantically scramble to put things right. And it doesn’t stop there, things just snowball as the production progresses. For anyone who is used to attending theater, there’s an added layer of humor, if you understand the behind-the-scenes efforts that are cleverly portrayed with lighting and sound mishaps.  One of the most impressive aspects of the show is the elaborate set. It has to appear defective while remaining safe for all the performers. Christopher and Justin Swader are the scenic designer...
Post a Comment
Read more