Stage Write

Fairytales are familiar fare at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, but the darker stories in Into the Woods are not. The theatre is currently producing the Stephen Sondheim musical for the first time. The show explores the lives of Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood, Rapunzel, etc. with a much more realistic twist. What happens after the happily ever after ?  Don Farrell and Meaghan Sands play the baker and his wife. The pair is the heart of the show. Their struggle with infidelity drives them into the woods to break a curse. The two work well as a married couple, frustrated with each other and loving in equal measure. Sands is particularly good, providing a grounded center in the midst of chaos. Her vocals are beautiful. Farrell finds his voice during the number “No More”. “Agony” sung by Cinderella’s Prince (Timothy Ford), and Rapunzel’s Prince (Mickey Rafalski), is one of the highlights of the show. For me it blends the production’s tongue-in-cheek humor, excellent singi...

  As mismatched lovers board an ocean liner audience members know there will probably be some partner swapping before everyone gets their happy ending and disembarks. Anything Goes has been entertaining crowds for 80 years and is on stage now at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. The show contains a selection of charming well-known songs, like “It’s De-Lovely” and “I Get a Kick Out of You,” by Indiana’s own Cole Porter. Timothy Ford plays the pining lead, Billy Crocker. He has fallen for a debutante who is out of his league and engaged to someone else. His desperate attempts to win her are sweet, but he seemed to be singing a bit out of his range during most numbers.   Deb Wims plays the brash night club singer Reno Sweeney. Her strength lies in the dance numbers and she’s particularly good in the title song, a big number that closes the first act. Sarah Joy Ledtke’s turn as the ditzy Erma was an unexpected delight. Her performance of “Buddie Beware” turned the throw...

As the season changes from summer to fall there’s only one place you can be sure to find rain right now. Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s current show, Singin’ in the Rain, has brought the storms to the stage. A crowd favorite, this classic musical contains well-known songs like “Make ‘Em Laugh,” “Lucky Star” and the title song. One of my personal favorites, “Moses,” is a playful tap number which highlights the performers’ skills. Doug King, Timothy Ford and Kenny Shepard nail it, having fun, but never failing to stay in synch and hit their marks. Sarah Hund has proven her comedic chops in a dozen roles at B&B, but her turn as Lina Lamont provides a whole new height. She masters the horrible grating voice and adds her own flare to the role. King should also be applauded for his understated role as Cosmo Brown. Always the sidekick, Cosmo provides zingers under his breath, taps his heart out and knows how to take an expert fall with the best of them. King was the perfect choic...