Stage Write

A Christmas Carol is back at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. This holiday tradition is an audience favorite for a reason. New this year, Priscilla Lindsay directs and brings so much humor into the show with playful moments between the cast members. The set and plot are familiar but there are always unique elements. It feels like a well-oiled machine (in a good way) with a quick pace, smooth changes between the scenes, and a cast that’s wonderfully in synch. The chorus of actors narrating the story in Dickens’ own words works so well. I loved seeing the addition of a shadow show that helps flesh out Scrooge’s childhood scenes and adds joy to a sometimes bleak moment. Ryan Artzberger plays Bob Cratchit and his sweet interactions with Tiny Tim add a tender layer to the show and make the child’s fate all the more poignant. The costumes are absolutely lovely and including mannequins on the stage for quick coat changes worked well. I loved the displays on the second floor of the lobby which...

The Indiana Repertory Theatre currently has John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play "Doubt" on its main stage. The 90-minute production touches on many of the controversial issues that tend to be hot buttons in our culture. Though it's set in a Catholic school in 1964, the topics of race, religion and abuse are timeless in their application. The plot follows Sister Aloysius as she accuses a priest, Father Flynn, of abusing a student. He denies it and she vows to find the truth. Though the initial description may sound like an uncomfortable sermon, it's nothing of the sort. It sheds light on subjects often left in the dark. The thin line between holding someone accountable for their actions or just accusing someone of a crime without proof are tested as the characters struggle with their own views. This is a show influenced by whatever religious background or beliefs that each individual brings with them. The play must first filter through th...