Stage Write

  A remote country manor, a murderer on the loose, and a blizzard; put them together and you’ve got a classic Agatha Christie story. Beef & Boards opens its 2026 season with The Mousetrap and it is a delight. As the snowstorm worsens, the tension builds and the guests can’t help but question everyone’s alibi. Eddie Curry directs and the story clips along throwing red herrings in every scene. It’s perfectly paced, which should be no surprise as the world’s longest-running play has kept audiences entertained since premiering in 1952 in London. Audience members are famously asked to keep the big reveal a secret so every person who sees the shows gets to experience the twist themselves. The casting is wonderfully done. Newcomer Malia Munley nails the role of Mollie Ralston, the timid guest house owner who finds her inner steel as the danger draws closer. Crowd favorite Jonathan Cobrda was electric as Christopher Wren, a troubled young man who vacillates between whimsical and di...

On Golden Pond is the quiet story of an elderly couple who return to their lake house in Maine to relax for the summer. The Indiana Repertory Theatre is closing its 43rd season with a subtle exploration of the family dynamics between three very different generations.  The play has a sweet, slow rhythm. It's in no hurry to introduce the audience to all the characters or even the main heart of the play. Those who have seen the Oscar-winning movie will recognize all the characters: the cantankerous Norman, about to celebrate his 80th birthday, his patient wife Ethel, and his daughter Chelsea who keeps her distance because of bitter childhood memories. Then there's Chelsea’s boyfriend, a polite dentist and his feisty 13-year-old son who might just be exactly what Norman needs. The set was excellent, with high-arching beams and the view of a lake stretching out in the distance through the windows. Robert M. Koharchik’s beautiful design has a rustic charm and looks comfor...