Stage Write

  The Indianapolis Repertory Theatre is heating up these cold snowy days with a sci-fi classic. Fahrenheit 451 is on stage until Feb. 20 on the OneAmerica MainStage. One would hope that this play would become irrelevant in our world, but unfortunately, it’s more important than ever. Earlier this month a school board in Tennessee banned the Pulitzer-prize-winning graphic novel Maus. The book explores the Holocaust through the eyes of the author’s father. The essence of Fahrenheit 451 was born out of Bradbury’s fear that our society would become dependent on technology and lose its ability to learn and think. Now here we are, trapped in a cycle of relying on our screens for all interactions and choosing to remove books that teach the harsher details of our history from schools. It’s a disturbing realization and one that hits close to home when brought to life on the stage.  The original story is adapted by Tobias Anderson. As much as I adore Bradbury’s writing it was distracti...

  Add together one book club, six members, six meetings, and what do you get? The answer is a lot of drama with a big dose of farcical fun. The Book Club Play is a fast-paced look at one group’s love of reading and how it shapes their lives. From Moby Dick to Twilight, the club tackles reads that shine an unexpected light on issues in their own lives.   The plot explores ideas of culture vs popularity. What makes a book a classic? What makes you a snob or a plebian? As a bibliophile, I loved seeing how expectations and preconceived ideas about books can shape your experience with them. I love the text scrolling over the set between scenes. The characters felt a bit one-note at times. There was a Type-A controlling leader, a frazzled introvert, and a confused jock. I would have loved a bit more character depth as the play progressed. Instead, I felt like they leaned into the stereotypes. The strength of the show lies in playwright Karen Zacarías’ ability to pull in the audien...

In 2008 the country was in the midst of a massive economic recession. That year the Indiana Repertory Theatre produced This Wonderful Life, a one-man show that celebrates the classic film, It's a Wonderful Life. It's appropriate that the theatre would return to that joyful play in 2020, a year that has been so heartbreaking. Never before have we so badly needed the reminder that family and friends are the most valuable part of our lives.  Rob Johansen plays the storyteller, recreating the movie with an exuberant performance. He single-handedly brings each character to life. In the blink of an eye, he switches from the evil Mr. Potter to the coquettish Violet. If you know the movie well, you can probably say many of the lines along with Johansen. It’s almost a retelling, but with some added commentary about 1946 and the impact of certain scenes. You can’t recreate live theatre with a recorded performance, but the care that was put into the production is excellent. Benjamin ...