Stage Write

The endearing musical "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" is on stage now at Clowes Memorial Hall, presented by Broadway Across America. Based on the classic 1968 film starring Dick Van Dyke, the musical includes all of the whimsical elements audience members will remember from the movie. It has elaborate sets, kooky characters and a clean story that makes it a perfect treat for families. It’s “Mary Poppoins” meets “The Love Bug;” an odd blend, but it works. The plot follows an eccentric widower, Caractacus Potts, who cares for his two children in England. His simple life is turned upside down when he meets an opinionated woman,Truly Scrumptious, and buys an old jalopy. As he fixes up the old car he discovers it has a mind of its own and a few hidden abilities as well. Along for the ride are two clueless villains attempting to steal the car for the juvenile Baron of Vulgaria. Their cheeky humor will have the adults laughing right along with the kids. The entertaining production has che...

The Indiana Repertory Theatre and Dance Kaleidoscope recently presented a fascinating collaboration they had work-shopped for only one week. The performance was not to raise money or to garner attention for the groups. It was produced for the sole reason of trying something new. The production was based on Margaret Atwood's novella, "Penelopiad," which tells the story of the Greek adventurer Odysseus' wife. It was a brief 25 minutes that left audience members wanting more. The two organizations were experimenting with a combination of dancers and actors working in tandem for the single piece. As a result, the dancers were given a voice and the actors became much more aware of their movements in each scene. The show was exhilarating. It was something new and original in a time when many theaters are embracing old stand by shows, which are sure to sell tickets. It was a reminder that not only is theater entertaining; it is something that fuels conversation and creativit...

Cries of "Shiver Me Timbers" will be emanating from Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre for the next month as the theater hosts the Midwest premier of "Treasure Island." The production is a musical take on the adventure tale. The story's central character is young Jim, a boy on the cusp of manhood. The show opens with the death of his father, after which his life quickly takes a turn from the ordinary. Soon he finds himself sailing the seas in search of treasure with a ship full of mutinous crew members. The show, based on the classic novel, was written by Curt Dale Clark, who also stars in the production, and Marc Robin, who directs. The musical seems to be struggling to be both a whimsical story of pirates and a serious tale or morality and friendship. Though at times the show's emotional songs feel forced, it hits a solid note with other cheerful ballads. The infamous Long John Silver is played by Jamie Jackson. He gives the nefarious captain a sweet side no...

When a community theater decides to produce a big, well-known musical, there is always a risk that its production will unwittingly beg comparisons with other versions of the same show audience members have seen in the past. It's next to impossible not to picture the other dance sequences or compare the actors' voices in your mind. The Indianapolis Civic Theatre's current production of "West Side Story" does just that. It's a fun show in its own right, but it's definitely not a big budget production. Half of the men in the Sharks gang were caucasian. The Sharks' tense relationship with the rival gang, the Jets, is based on the fact that it is made up of Puerto Ricans who recently immigrated to America. Inconsistencies like that can be distracting. The best part of attending shows at a theater made up of avocational actors is seeing a break out star. The musical's Maria, played by Angela Nichols Manlove, is the perfect example. Her obvious talent ris...

Audiences often go to the theater expecting dour, deep plots that challenge their thinking. Though thought provoking, the shows can sometimes be exhausting. Sometimes it's great to see a show like "The Ladies Man." It's refreshing to laugh at frivolous misunderstandings. With its current mainstage production, the Indiana Repertory Theatre has reminded audiences that it is not only OK to laugh while at the theater, it's encouraged! With slamming doors and swirling skirts the characters fly through each scene compounding the confusion with each jumbled explanation. Dr. Molineaux is exasperated as his young wife and her mother try to pin him down on the details of his night of indiscretions. His friend and former patient Bassinet, a happy-go-lucky fellow, appears at the doctor's home and unknowingly forces the situation to come to a boil. The Prussian soldier, played by Mark Mineart, is enormous, both in size and sense of humor. Using his own unique phrasing, he ...

Performers often tread the boards at Clowes Memorial Hall, but they rarely stomp them. The eight-member percussionist troupe, known throughout the world as "Stomp," is on stage now, presented by Broadway Across America. The talented musicians bring a whole new meaning to the word rhythm. Using everything imaginable, including the kitchen sink, they make music. They turn the simplest actions, like flicking open a lighter, into music. By simply banging on trash cans and sweeping with brooms they create beats that shake the hall and incite crowds to cheer. The show, which at first seems hectic, quickly makes it clear that every movement is perfectly coordinated to create a seamless stream of sound. The multi-level set looks like an abandoned junk yard. It's strewn with metal parts and plastic barrels that become the instruments of choice throughout the show. The energetic performers climb ladders and swing from harnesses, enthralling audiences with their antics. In addition ...

"Crime and Punishment" is currently on the Indiana Repertory Theatre's Upperstage. Three actors and a sparse set greet audience members attending this condensed adaptation of the classic book. For 90 minutes sinners and saints tangle together in the mess that is human life. Andrew Ahrens plays Raskolnikov, a man tortured by his inability to reconcile his intellect and faith. Ahrens' turn as Macbeth earlier this season now feels like a taste of what was to come in this role. Like Macbeth, Raskolnikov's guilty conscience seeps out in all of his actions. Even his health begins to suffer under the wait of his guilt. He is dressed in threadbare rags, the edges caked in mud. The former student finds it easy to postulate about the necessity for great men to break the law for the greater good, but his life falls apart when he attempts to introduce his theory into the real world. The abstract idea of morality is easy for him to discuss, but as soon as he puts himself into ...