Stage Write

 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...

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...

Six the Musical does not disappoint! The 90-minute, no-intermission show is a pop concert mashup with Tudor history. The women are the six wives of Henry VIII and are competing to see who has had the worst life. Their stories are no joke. Despite the humor that’s dominant, there are elements of sorrow woven throughout. Many of these women lived lives dictated by greedy men and their fates made that clear. That said, this show is blistering with energy and sass. It kicks off with attitude and passion, swinging seamlessly from power ballads to a German rave while keeping the audience engaged. Each solo number gives a queen a chance to shine while a completely female band provides live backup. The lyrics pack centuries-old history into each song, conveying the women’s stories with eloquence. The costumes, designed by Gabriella Slade, are a true work of art. Each queen has a distinct color, gold, green, black, red, pink, and blue. Their outfits are gorgeous creations, bedazzled, and stud...

  Nina Simone was one of the most impactful voices of the Civil Rights movements. This play gives audiences a glimpse at her struggle to use her lyrics to fight during that horrific time. Her story is woven in with the 16th St. Baptist Church bombing in 1963. The set is built around a piano which provides live music throughout the show. There are stained glass windows, burned carpet, and collapsed pews, immediately pulling the audience into the tragedy. The success of this production rests on the voices of the actresses and what a success it is! Without incredible singers, the rest falls flat. Each of the four give beautiful performances, but it was the voices of Akili Ni Mali as Nina Simone and Jamecia Bennett as Sarah that brought the house down. Packed with such passion and incredible skill, they make the show pulse with righteous anger and sorrow. Bennett’s rendition of “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” feels like a portal into a church service. Akili’s fury is a sight to behold as...

Lovers facing an impossible obstacle, catchy pop song medleys, and epic Parisian sets, what more could you want? Moulin Rouge is the story of a courtesan with a secret and a young artist blinded by love. It’s a premise that’s hard to resist. Fans of the original movie (2001) will recognize many of the big numbers, but in this new iteration, the songs have been updated. Brittney, Beyoncé, and Adele’s work are all present, but lesser-known songs from artists like Regina Spektor make surprisingly delightful appearances. The unexpected pop hits could’ve been gimmicky, but it works because the performers nail their vocals and the audience cares deeply about the characters.   After a whirlwind opening in the nightclub, the show finds its footing as we slow down and meet our Bohemians. In the classic style of RENT, La Boheme, and Les Mis, we fall for the poverty-stricken artists with big dreams. There’s so much playful humor, even in their stark tawdry world that the overarching feeling i...

  I love a locked room mystery, but put that room on a train mired in a snowstorm and you’ve got a classic. Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is the perfect mix of fascinating plot and exciting twists and turns. Even when you know the final reveal it still entertains. Ken Ludwig’s adaptation is particularly excellent; tightening the story, dropping clues in every scene, and pulling the audience in quickly. In the opening moments an eerie voice over adds a layer of creepy intimacy to the story. It sets the stage for the mystery that’s about to unfold. The real kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby provided the inspiration for this mystery, which gives it an added gravitas. Once we are on the train, the sets are beautiful. The bar car is particularly splendid and William Mohoney’s design uses space well with a turntable and an additional set on a balcony. The cast is full of Beef & Boards favorites like Eddie Curry, Suzanne Stark, Devan Mathias, Scott Greenwell, and Ben...