A one-woman show starring two of Indy’s finest leading ladies, Wild Horses is a fascinating concept with a big payoff. Constance Macy and Jen Johansen rotate nights for their performances in the coming-of-age story. T he one-act play flies by because it feels like chatting with an old friend who’s regaling you with stories from her past. From first crushes to alcohol concoctions only the underaged would dare to drink, the show captures the electric, reckless feel of youth. The night I attended, Johansen was in the driver's seat and she kept up the break-neck pace for the entire 80-minute show. Solo shows rest entirely on the shoulders of the actor and Johansen was perfect for the role. She imbued each scene with humor and heartbreak. She was full of energy and captured the emotional peaks and valleys of adolescence. She skips easily between half a dozen impressions and voices as she tells the story of the summer when she was 13 and the world was both full of excitement and cru
Empathy is often in short supply when it comes to how we feel about people on the opposite side of the political divide. Heroes of the Fourth Turning, a Pulitzer-prize finalist, explores that tricky topic in an intense and memorable way. The show is perfectly in line with American Lives Theatre’s mission to provide provocative and entertaining plays to Indy. With a cast of five people, director Andrew Kramer tackles a difficult premise. Former students and friends from a Catholic college in Wyoming reunite to celebrate an old professor. Late at night the talk turns to politics and even though it’s a very conservative group, emotions run hot as the lines that divide them become evident. I loved how each new pairing offered a unique point of view. Individuals popped in and out of the house allowing for conversations to shift and new tensions to appear as they challenged each other’s beliefs. The set, designed by Daniel McCullough, is incredible. The IndyFringe’s normal layout is toss