Stage Write

There aren’t many Shakespearean plays where a can dog steal the show, in fact there’s only one: The Two Gentlemen of Verona. It’s one of the Bard’s lesser known works and it includes the infamous dog, Crab. In previous productions I’ve seen the dog played by a stuffed animal, but the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s current production has the real thing and the sweet pup holds the audience captivate every time she’s on stage. As great as the canine performance is, it’s not the only highlight from the show. The IRT opens its 43rd season with a play in honor of Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. The show includes a cast of IRT vets like Ryan Artzberger and Robert Neal (who both starred in HART “The Tempest” this summer), along with some excellent newcomers. Two standouts were Charles Pasternak as Valentine, who vacillates between ardent lover and frustrated exile and Ashley Wickett as both Julia’s maid Lucetta and the sought-after Silvia. The plot itself is not without its problems. Li...

  In a city that rarely sees a production of Shakespeare without an easily recognizable name, the EclecticPond Theatre Company (ETC) has become a welcome respite. The group, which was founded in 2010, has embraced some of the Bard’s lesser-known works, with productions like “The Comedy of Errors” and “Shakespeare Wrote What? and “10x10.” Now, about to close its third season, ETC decided to tackle something big.   Their latest endeavor is the most ambitious to date, “The War of the Roses” covers eight of Shakespeare’s histories using on eight actors. The shows will be spaced over the course of four weekends with different batches shown on different days. Audience members will have the opportunity to see the shows all in one day, two at a time or four at a time. This unique experience, which has been in the works for more than a year, begins in June. The cast and crew are excited to see how this new challenge unfolds. There are three directors sharing the responsibilit...

EclecticPond announces its new season with a variety of shows to celebrate Shakespeare’s 450th birthday in 2014. Shakespeare Wrote What...? IndyFringe, Aug 15th – 25th Sure, you’ve heard of Hamlet, or seen Romeo & Juliet, but what about Cymbeline, King John or Titus Andronicus? ETC presents not one, but FIVE of Shakespeare's lesser known plays, in the madcap, irreverent parody style loved by audiences who saw 10x10, and at last year’s Fringe, Dracula: The Panto. R&J September 13th – 28th  You all know the story - "Two star-crossed lovers...," their feuding families, and (SPOILER ALERT), they both die at the end. But, this isn't your school textbook Verona. Originally conceived for student audiences, ETC is excited to share R&J with the entire community. Which family will you choose? 10 x 10 December 7th – January 4th Back by popular demand! After a sold out run last year, 10x10 returns...with a vengeance. This year promi...

Flowers are beginning to bloom and love is in the air. The Indiana Repertory Theatre is closing its season with the classic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Young lovers’ blossoming relationships run amiss when they cross paths with a forest full of fairies led by the warring King and Queen of the fairies, regally played by Ryan Artzberger and Jennifer Johansen respectively. This production shows us the well-known story of A Midsummer Night’s Dream seen as a dream of a young boy. I must say that if it is all happening inside his head then he’s got a pretty advance view of romantic drama. It’s a unique twist on the play, and garnered easy laughs from the audience. The show embraces the silliness of the situation with physical comedy and features a Puck that is a bit more goofy than clever, but it works as seen through the eyes of a child.   Nick Bottom, played by Henry Woronicz, is the perfect fool. His inflated sense of his own talent makes his transformation into an a...

  There’s always something new and exciting at the American Players Theatre in Wisconsin and this season is no exception. APT’s core players never disappoint and the younger performers provides a wonderful suffusion of energy and passion to each production. One of the best aspects of APT is the way it highlights its performers in multiple shows throughout each season. At any given time audience members can see a single performer in a modern drama, a Shakespearean comedy and a tragedy in the same weekend. Both Brian Mani and Greta Wohlrabe performed in all three shows I was able to see. They showed their comedic side in Twelfth Night, took on tragic roles in Troilus and Cressida and then portrayed the complex relationship between former lovers in Skylight. APT defies typecasting, allowing its performers to stretch and grow with each role, juggling multiple shows each season with apparent ease. APT always does a fantastic job with each element in its shows. The sets, wh...

In 2010, four of the plays performed at the Globe theatre in London were filmed for the big screen. Now they’re being shown across the nation. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing two plays live at the Globe in London and both were amazing. I can’t wait to see these. Shakespeare’s Globe London Cinema Series consists of four in-theater events: -Monday, June 27th – The Merry Wives of Windsor -Monday, August 1st – Henry IV Part 1 -Thursday, August 18th – Henry IV Part 2 -Thursday, September 15th – Henry VIII The following Indiana theaters are participating in this event; Galaxy 14 - INDIANAPOLIS IN 46256 Eastside 9 - LAFAYETTE IN 47905 Hamilton 16 with IMAX - NOBLESVILLE IN 46060 Metropolis 18 - PLAINFIELD IN 46168 Portage 16 with IMAX - PORTAGE IN 46368 Valparaiso Commons - VALPARAISO IN 46383 Photos from here.

There are few things as magical as watching Shakespeare's work being performed outdoors. Even the Globe Theatre in London was designed to recreate the original roofless Globe, combining the Bard's beautiful words and starry nights. The Heartland Actors' Repertory Theatre presented a weekend of Shakespeare on July 31st and August 1st. The show, "Much Ado About Nothing" was performed on a simple, yet beautiful set in White River State Park. With the river created the perfect backdrop and the performers shared barbs and banter as the sun set. When performed without a sense of humor Shakespeare can feel stale and archaic, especially a comedy like "Much Ado About Nothing." HART's performers took the classic material and brought it alive, embracing the author's wicked wit. The cast included seasoned actors like Charles Goad and Mark Goetzinger, talented HART regulars Ben Tebbe, Michael Shelton and Diane Timmerman, a few newcomers and many others. They ...