Month: July 2023

‘Somewhat True,’ definitely entertaining

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By John Lyle Belden

“The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood,” by Mary Lynn Dobson, is a perfect play for teen and tween actors, and Main Street Productions does it proud on their Westfield stage.

Historians can tie themselves in knots trying to figure out who the “real” English folk hero was, but that absolutely does not matter here. From the title onward, we are treated to something like the atmosphere of a Muppet film, or Monty Python, or a sort of G-rated “Deadpool.” Essentially, they are in a story, and know it, are just fine with it, and as things progress, they take advantage of it.

I’m tempted to call this “the Yeater brothers strike again.” It is upon Owen that is cast the enormous responsibility – and ego – of being Robin, “a great character of literature,” he reminds us. To strike the karmic balance, slightly younger bro Quinn is the conniving Sheriff of Nottingham. (Big brother Mason is stage manager, their little brother was in the audience.)

For true “Boo, Hiss” evil (we are encouraged to shout along), there is Harrison Coon as dastardly Prince John, sharply performing like a demented Benedict Cumberbatch. On the noble side of the coin, there is our Lady Marian, Rachel Bush, fortunately talented enough to avoid being upstaged by her scream queen Lady in Waiting, Ella Crites.

Robin manages a band of Merry Men (of any gender), manically played by Maile Alpizar, Nora Gapinski Coon, Sammy Geis, Neil Hackman, Isabella Hasseld, Kaavya Jethava, Owen Lockert, Anna Pfeiffer, and scene-stealing Zach Harvey as (actually little) Little John – all armed with spoons (I’m guessing an homage to the Costner film?). They are co-led by Sister Tuck, Kaelyn Harvey, armed (naturally) with a ruler.

Hackman and Pfeiffer also play guards at Prince John’s Court, which is attended by a trio of highly entertaining Fawning Ladies: Chaya Flicker, Tatum Meadors and Sophia Musick.

As for the story, you likely already know it – except maybe the part about bowling, and the essential role of the Town’s Guy (Teddy Epstein), our narrator and the characters’ link to the all-important Miss Technical Director (Megan Mramor, according to the Crew list).

Also, you can tell it’s Medieval England because the footwear is all by Sir Chuck Taylor (those are the rules, I guess).

Directed by Nikki Lynch and Becca Bartley, saying this is delightful seems to sell this show short, but it truly is a hilarious delight to see kids taking history and “great literature” on such a fun ride, complete with cheeky “you get that?” after-school special moments.

As I post this, there is a matinee today (July 30), as well as performances Aug. 3-6 at the Basile Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St., downtown Westfield. For info and tickets, see westfieldplayhouse.org.  

Summer Stock ‘Chorus’ dances into our hearts

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(This production is by Summer Stock Stage Mainstage, not its Eclipse program as originally stated in this review.)

By Wendy Carson

This summer has been very special for John and myself. We have both had two productions of our favorite musicals staged (“Godspell” for him and “A Chorus Line” for me). I am especially delighted at the fact that each production of my fave was so vastly different, so if you saw Footlite’s, “A Chorus Line,” you really need to check out the version produced by Summer Stock Stage’s Mainstage company as well.

Director/choreographer Andrew Winans and co-director Emily Ristine Holloway bring us a longer presentation that includes more of the original script and heavily highlights the dancing abilities of each of the actors. A Tony and Pulitzer-winning “sensation” in 1975, the plot revolves around the various characters desperately vying for a job in a new show, bringing the tales of why and how each one became a dancer as well as why they continue to pursue this path as a career.

Nowhere are these skills better highlighted than in the two solo dance numbers.

Mike (Jacob Richardson) bounds out of the gate with his spectacular version of “I Can Do That” explaining how he took over his sister’s place in dance class, giving us tap, jazz, and acrobatic moves that wow the whole audience.

Anna Seitz brings the sad desperation of past Broadway featured dancer Cassie’s attempt to get a job no matter how demeaning. Her performance makes her dance during “The Music and the Mirror” seem effortless despite the fact it is one of the most complex and physically taxing numbers in this show.

Ivan Figuerora as Paul has the lone soliloquy and brings every bit of the emotional rawness of the story of his journey to becoming a man who is fully comfortable in his own body and soul.

Destinee Rodriguez as Diana, not only saps every drop of sorrowful beauty of the show’s one breakout hit, “What I Did For Love,” but also shows the struggles all students (performers or not) can face against a headstrong and uncaring teacher in “Nothing.”

“At the Ballet” highlights the desolate family lives and strong singing abilities of three of our characters: Savannah McClure as Shelia whose father’s distance is overcome by finding self-esteem through dance. Savannah McCarthy is Bebe, whose lack of physical beauty is at odds with her talent. Tess Holloway’s spectacularly voices Maggie who overcomes her father’s desertion by finding solace in the arms of dance partners.

While each cast member gets an individual moment to shine, their skill as dancing in a cohesive unit might be overlooked but is a far more difficult skill than one might expect. They include Fiona Curtis as Val, Hillary McGuire as Judy, Nina Abel as Connie, Keira Himes as Kristine, Clive Guidry as Al, Fletcher Hooten as Richie, Collin Alber as Mark, Cory Wilcher as Bobby, Keilyn Bryant as Don, and AJ Thomas as Greg.

Matthew Conwell, as Zach, the director/choreographer with their fate in his hands, and Justice Harris as Larry, his assistant, show such command of the dance steps you can believe their characters came up with them.

As I have said with every other production of the show, I would honestly attend every single performance if I could. Sadly, there are only two more opportunities for you to experience it: tonight and Sunday (July 29-30) at the Ayres auditorium of Park Tudor High School, 7200 N. College, Indianapolis (note there are street construction closures on College in the Broad Ripple area, south of Park Tudor). For tickets, visit summerstockstage.com.

Fonseca: Play’s college gives bold lesson

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By John Lyle Belden

Founding father Thomas Jefferson’s proudest achievement was the 1819 founding of the University of Virginia, an institution of higher learning open to (if Wikipedia can be believed) “students from all social strata, based solely on ability.” It admitted its first woman in the 1890s, and the first Black student – after a lawsuit – in 1950. Of course, it’s widely known now that Jefferson was an Enlightenment thinker who opposed the slave trade, yet owned hundreds of people of color himself, including Sally Hemmings, who – with little choice in the matter – was his mistress with whom he fathered a few children (who essentially got nothing from his estate).

In “tj loves sally 4 ever” by James Ijames, presented by Fonseca Theatre Company, directed by Josiah McCruiston, we step to the 200-year-old walls of Commonwealth of Virginia University (next stop over in the theatre multiverse from UVA, not to be confused with Virginia Commonwealth, a totally different college). It was founded by Founding Fathers and, until recently, honored them with statues that have been removed. On the stage set by Kristopher D. Steege, the monuments literally leave their shadow on the school. There is an appropriately diverse student body, with a Black Greek scene and hip-hop at the Homecoming events, but there are tensions. So many tensions.

Our guide (the fourth wall is very thin) and central character is Sally (Chandra Lynch). You can guess at the last name – but this is “now,” not back then, if it matters. She is furthering her studies as a research assistant to dean Thomas Jefferson (Eric Bryant) – not “that” one from ages ago, just a descendant. To make this digestible in a 90-minute (no intermission) comic drama, we have the rest of the students represented by these souls: Harold (Atiyyah Radford), a student activist who is always right, in principle anyway; and Annette and Pam (Shandrea Funnye and Avery Elise), two Sisters of Beta Beta Epsilon who smile through gritted teeth as they give tours of campus buildings with names of past slaveholder and anti-integration families by day, and in the evenings Stomp the Yard and speak their minds. As scenes and discussions require some elaboration for the audience, Annete and Pam quietly slip in to offer “Footnotes.”

All this happens during a memorable Homecoming week where different views of history are on inevitable collision course – including a certain white man’s feelings for a young black woman in his employ.

In McCruiston’s hands, this production is a cautionary love note to academia, a reminder of what “getting woke” meant originally (the play premiered in early 2020): to awaken to past injustices, acknowledge them and move forward with respect for all, without attempting to gaslight those who know too well the painful past that it wasn’t “that bad.” A hoop skirt might look good on a Black body, but it hearkens to a time when that flesh was property. Issues of both race and sex get a hard look in this play.

Lynch seems to make Ijames’ words her own, giving depth of both feeling and understanding to the often odd goings-on. Radford goes from angry-young-man to shuck-and-jive comic with entertaining alacrity, but without yielding a gram of dignity (even when relieving himself on the wall). Funnye and Elise reminded me of cast members of HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” with sharp delivery of simultaneously comic and enlightening moments. As for Bryant, he holds his own as the guy who just assumes he understands race, but we see far more of his lily-whiteness than anyone needs to.

Funny and thought provoking – like practically every play at Fonseca, but it maintains the high standard – “tj loves sally 4 ever” runs through August 6 at 2508 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at fonsecatheatre.org.

Agape ensemble brings ‘Hunchback’ to life

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By John Lyle Belden

God bless those who are less seen.

This applies not only to stories such as Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” but also to Agape Theatre Company, a program of Our Lady of the Greenwood Catholic Church. The company shares the spotlight among its participants, as backstage crew are brought up at every curtain call, and during the run of each production, the understudies get to take the stage.

Wendy and I attended one of the understudy-led matinees of the Disney Theatricals musical of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and, honestly, it was superb.

Perfect for an endeavor that explores the link between faith and classic drama, while giving youth from junior high to college experience in the theatre arts, the “Hunchback” musical – book by Peter Parnell, music by Alan Menkin, lyrics by Steven Schwartz – draws closer to the original Hugo novel for inspiration than the animated movie. Moments of lightness are contrasted with the dominating 15th-century atmosphere of the Paris cathedral of Notre Dame, complete with Church choir and Latin chant. Songs from the 1996 film are kept, including title character Quasimodo’s “Out There,” Romani dancer (and romantic lead) Esmeralda’s “God Help the Outcasts,” the Festival of Fools theme “Topsy Turvy,” and most notably “The Bells of Notre Dame” which is used as an exposition and framing device throughout the show.

Wendy told me, “I keep forgetting they’re understudies.” Given their chance to shine, we got stellar performances by Caleb Wilson as Quasimodo, standing in for Ben Frederick; Ruth Bowen as Esmeralda, in place of Rebekah Barajas (who was Maria in Agape’s “West Side Story”); Jake Hobbs as self-righteous Archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, otherwise played by Aiden Lucas; and Olivia Schemmel as the energetic “Queen of the Gypsies” Clopin Trouillefou, rather than the “King” played by Cyrus Dzikowski. We saw Quasimodo’s unfortunate parents played by Isaiah Haydon, in the place of Jack Tiehen – who instead portrayed Captain of the Guard Phoebus, in place of Wilson – and Hailey Ready, in place of Bowen.

Several in the cast play the plaster Saints and stone Gargoyles, who, rather than being comic relief as in the movie, are Quasimodo’s only true unjudging friends. As the conversations are in his head, we hear the Hunchback speak without impediment, as well as the statuary. In understudy, we saw Sarah Franklin, Rachel Majorins, and Ellie Wooden as the Gargoyles. Also notable was Nate Irskens as St. Aphrodesius.

Directed by past Agape performer Brynn Hensley, assisted by Sofy Vida and under the eye of artistic director Dr. Kathy Phipps, with musical direction by David Turner and stage managing by Mia Joelle Baillie with Joseph Devine, this is solid quality entertainment no matter who is on stage.

Remaining performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (with understudies), 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 28-30, at Lutheran High School, 5555 S. Arlington, Indianapolis.

For tickets and information, including how performers ages 8-18 can join Agape’s Theater Practicum Class and take part in their upcoming Christmas production of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” visit agapetheatercompany.com.

Troy story gets musical treatment, giving the women their say

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By John Lyle Belden

“Troilus and Cressida” is regarded as one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays,” problematic for both its blending of comedy and tragedy, and the unclear resolution of the title characters’ story. But it is set during the myth-shrouded events of the Trojan War – and war is messy.

In crafting “Troilus & Cressida: The Musical” for Southbank Theatre Company, Marcia Eppich-Harris adds to her adaptation a series of songs she wrote and composed, giving the production an operatic feel and allowing her to emphasize the plight of those who suffered most: the women of Troy.

Our narrator is the prophetess Cassandra (Yolanda Valdivia). True to legend, her words are frequently ignored when they don’t say what Trojan (male) leaders want to hear. Therefore, it is up to us to listen.

Seven years into the siege of Troy, the Greeks – led by Agamemnon (Rachel Snyder) with Ajax (Kendall Maxwell), Ulysses (Kevin Bell), Diomedes (Nick Asher), and fights-only-when-he-wants-to Achillies (Brant Hughes) – seek a way to break the stalemate so they can sack the city and go home. A challenge for single combat between champions is offered, and the Trojans – led by Priam (Karen Webster-Cones) with sons Hector (Robert Beltz), Paris (Natalie Marchal) and Troilus (Matthew Walls), and military leader Aeneas (Aaron Henze) – take the bait.

There is also romance: As her father has gone over to the Greeks, Cressida (Amalia Howard) is cared for by her uncle, Pandarus (Paul Hansen), who cleverly arranges her courtship with Prince Troilus. Love blooms – until a prisoner swap nips that in the bud.

There is also comedy: Agamemnon’s Fool, Thersites (Anthony Nathan at his goofy best) takes up no sword but employs his rapier wit, and juggling, to survive and mock the senseless goings-on.

There is definitely tragedy, such as the lengths Achillies’ servant and lover Patroclus (Will Harris) will go to for his master.

And never forget the women, as Cassandra, Cressida, Hector’s wife Andromache (Jennifer Kaufmann), and Helen (Carolyn Rae Lynch) for whom the Greek ships arrived, lament their position – even in nobility – of being little more than property.

Lane Snyder is unforgettable as Agamemnon’s daughter Iphigenia, especially in the role she takes on in the second act (the Bard’s five acts are condensed to two).

As in the Shakespeare original, the play ends with little more than death and disillusionment. The legendary climax to the war – a kingdom for a horse, as ol’ Will would say – is only hinted at. For its moment, though, Eppich-Harris’s musical lets us dwell on the grinding endlessness of human conflict, and the innocents (and innocence) destroyed.

Four performances remain: Thursday through Sunday, July 20-23, at Shelton Auditorium on the southwest corner of Butler University, 1000 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis. For information, see southbanktheatre.org. Tickets are available through Butler’s site.

Storefront: Online issues more than black and white in new drama

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By John Lyle Belden

In today’s social media world, more than your banking information is at risk.

In local performer and playwright Paige Scott’s new drama, “Black Hat Duncan,” presented by Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis, a regular internet user – adept, but not a coder – gets caught in a bizarre trap.

Deidre (Carrie Ann Schlatter) finds herself drunk-texted by Mandy (Miranda Nehrig), a young woman she has never met. After dealing with some naughty photos, and later, a costly scam, Deidre finally tracks down her apparent attacker, only to find that Mandy was hacked as well.

Between scenes with the women, the mysterious Black Hat (Joshua Ramsey) presents himself to the audience. He’s wearing a mask, of course, but he is confident you will never find him. Still, he can find you. In true gloating-villain style, he presents his nihilistic reasoning, twisted justification for his psychopathy, and how he so easily accomplished the “punishment” of his latest victim.

And we find that he is not the only one with misdeeds and secrets.

Directed by Chelsea Anderson, this cast is a wonderful blend of actors who seem to enjoy playing a little dark, energizing their performances in this very of-the-moment story. Scott’s cautionary tale fascinates and entertains, presenting an online underworld that reveals just how close our tech is to a Mission: Impossible adventure. Just hope the agent you’re working with wears a White Hat.

Projected images of cell and internet activity include some lingerie shots, so audience members must check their own phones in a secure box kept by Storefront staff during the performance, to prevent life from imitating this art.

One weekend of this world premiere of “Black Hat Duncan” remains, Friday through Sunday, July 21-23, at 2416 E. 55th Place (across from the North Keystone Meijer), Indianapolis. All tickets are pay-what-you-can. For info and reservations, go to storefrontindy.com.

See why everyone went bananas for Baker

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By John Lyle Belden

Like, I suspect, many others, most of what I knew of Josephine Baker was that she was an early 20th-century performer who chose continent-wide fame in France over being just “a Negro” in America. And, knowing she was being adored rather than belittled, she indulged in and claimed power over stereotype with her infamous “Sauvage” dance wearing little more than a string of bananas.

But any cursory look at her biography shows that Baker is so very much more than the first African-American international superstar. “Josephine: A Musical Cabaret,” presented by Dynamite Lunchbox Productions and starring co-creator Tymisha Harris, at The District Theatre in downtown Indianapolis, presents her life story in a most entertaining fashion, letting Baker herself tell it between timeless songs of her era.

Harris brings the diva to life in non-stop flirtatious mode – remembering, relating, dishing, confessing. One moment she dances in pasties, the next she feigns modesty to a gentleman she addresses (including a few she sees in the audience). Yet even at her most exotic, she maintains that tasteful line one had to toe in that time when even the Folies Bergère had its limits. Thus, consider this a pushing-it PG-13 or light R rating for teens and older.

That flirting was with both men and women, as recent biographers have revealed and our Baker freely admits, making her an LGBTQ icon, as well as a war hero and Civil Rights activist – both of these are also addressed.

Also co-created by Michael Marinaccio and Tod Kimbro, this production runs a full two acts rather than the Fringe Festival-length performance seen elsewhere on the tour. Remaining dates are tonight (as I post this) and Sunday at the District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis. Get tickets at indydistricttheatre.org and info on the show and tour at josephinetheplay.com.