American Lives Theatre

IndyFringe: ‘Another Medea’

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By Wendy Carson

This production was part of the 2025 Indy Fringe Festival in August.

If you recognize the name “Medea,” you may know it* from ancient mythology: A spurned woman who kills her children when her husband leaves her to marry another. However, those who read and study her mythos know she is a far more complex and fascinating character. In fact, not all tales have her as the one who kills her children.

Regardless of your familiarity with the story, playwright Aaron Mark has found a unique spin with “Another Medea,” American Lives Theatre’s Fringe production.

Lukas Felix Schooler brings us the story of Marcus Sharp, a brilliant stage actor whom he idolized for years before his arrest and imprisonment.  They correspond for three years, until, though he had long refused to say a word in his defense, Sharp becomes convinced that he can trust this man to bear his tale.

Schooler then embodies Sharp for the rest of the performance, enacting that fateful prison interview.

Sharp’s story centers around Jason, a wealthy oncologist, with whom he enters into a committed relationship. Jason is supportive at first, but when work opportunities away from their West Village penthouse appear, he finds ways to discourage Sharp from accepting them.

A typical narcissist, Jason insists that his love (and money) is all Sharp will need. However, like so many others who put aside their own careers to be devoted to a partner, Sharp becomes hopelessly bored. He develops a close relationship with Jason’s sister, Angelica, which helps him to feel more useful, and gives him an idea for the perfect gift for his darling Jason’s 50th Birthday.

Since Jason adores children but is unable to have any of his own, Sharp will impregnate Angelica, and the children would be as close to actual genetic children that Jason could have. While Jason freaks out at first, he warms up to the idea and the twins, Grace and Lily soon arrive.

Everything is wonderful again, but after a few years, Jason takes Sharp to a play and spies a handsome young star, Paris, and a new “friendship” begins. Also wealthy, Paris better understands Jason. So, of course, he starts to usurp Sharp’s place in the household and family.

Things escalate quickly from there, resulting in Sharp’s current incarceration. Before he ends the visit, he mentions that the tale would make an excellent one-man show.

Not only does it make a great show, but it is also mesmerizing. Schooler is such a remarkable presence. He invites you on a journey and you fully follow him down every twist, turn, and rabbit hole to the conclusion. Schooler’s master class performance was directed by Jacob David Lang, who assures us that we will be safe from the orange-clad felon as we share this experience.

This is such an amazing piece of theater. I was personally moved beyond words at how vividly the prose was woven into a story that I felt I witnessed rather than just watched. If you missed seeing it, you should really petition American Lives Theatre to see about bring back another staging so you too can experience this harrowing saga.

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(*If you were thinking the Tyler Perry comedy character, she is “Madea,” likely named as an allusion to the myth, but with complications of her own.)

New play presents a fateful correspondence

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By John Lyle Belden

There is much to be said for the magic of the theatre, the blurring of space, distance, and communication between characters and to our silent witness, all on the limited confines right in front of us. Thus, our minds easily suspend disbelief, forego the logic that requires more physical and temporal structure expected in cinema or even a novel, all to give us the essence and substance of the story. Put simply, I believe “Wad,” by Keiko Green, could only work on the stage – and the current world premiere production by American Lives Theatre and The New Harmony Project works brilliantly.

Nyce – pronounced “Neese” – (Mollie Murk) is a Ft. Lauderdale teen fascinated with the macabre who finds a program to mail letters to prison inmates on Florida’s Death Row. She selects Jim (Eric Reiberg) and writes to him noting that she has not read about his case beyond being convicted for “double first-degree murder,” that she would rather find out about it from him, from his perspective.  His execution date is five months away.

The black-box confines of the Basile stage in the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre are evenly divided between Nyce’s bedroom and Jim’s cell (set design by Matt Mott). Under the direction of Emily Moler, we see Nyce and Jim communicate across the hundred-plus mile distance via balled-up letters thrown across the center line like paper-wads in a classroom (hence the title). What in reality takes days become flowing conversations, complete with mutual-fantasy interactions across the center line. They enact a history lesson, a meet-cute, and even a puppet show. In addition, they each find themselves revealed as lies are discovered and evasions become useless as time grows ever shorter.

Murk nicely embodies the girl at the cusp of adulthood, naively thinking hard truths will come easy. While she is at a turning point at the start of life’s potential, Reiberg gives us a man facing down his end. He is at first indifferent, but finding a non-judgemental friend gives him a cruel dose of hope. Aided by what we learn about his fate through their correspondence, the conclusion is felt more than seen.

While obviously a drama, there is a fair amount of dark comedy, especially in their early interactions – a blend of adolescent sarcasm and genuine gallows humor. Watch closely for deeper elements, such as both characters being Libras – a hint at the scales of Justice, and the fragile sense of balance throughout the narrative.

In all, “Wad” is a fascinating, thought-provoking, and affecting look at two distinct characters, revealing the humanity they share with each other – and us. Performances run through Sept. 28 at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at phoenixtheatre.org.

ALT: What happens in Aspen…

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By John Lyle Belden

One of the biggest surprises for me in seeing “Aspen Ideas,” the new dark comedy by Abe Koogler, is that the Aspen Festival of Ideas is a real thing – an annual gathering of the world’s rich, famous, influential, and otherwise successful in Aspen, Col., where they share various ideas of how to make the world a better place.

This play, presented by American Lives Theatre at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, is not about them.

Also planning to attend Aspen are Rob (Clay Mabbitt) and Anne (Diana O’Halloran). We meet them in New York, where they live, at a party where he hopes to make connections for his money management business. They encounter Jay (Alaine Sims), a woman who seems to be there for people-watching, which intrigues Anne as she herself is not comfortable at this event. They also meet Jay’s partner, Chris (Zach Tabor), who is pleasant but quiet – awkward and eccentric when he does speak (similar to the autism spectrum).

Days later, they all meet at Rob and Anne’s “Dumbo” apartment. Unsuccessfully avoiding this soiree is Rob and Anne’s 16-year-old daughter Sophie (Megan Janning), who, when cajoled into saying something to their guests, speaks frankly of her adolescent angst and resentments.

Rob feels compelled to invite Jay and Chris to join them in Aspen, insisting and offering to pay their way. The scenes that follow are on the plane to Colorado, then locations in and near the resort town.

Delayed by Fringe commitments, we saw this on its second weekend (one more remains), having heard that audience feedback has been mixed. What is the “idea” of what we see on the stage?

Neither the script nor Zack Neiditch’s direction allows these characters to be softened for more laughs. While it’s easy to see, perhaps, one of your friends or relatives in Rob or Anne – generally good persons – they become quite insufferable. Mabbitt and O’Halloran glibly commit to characters who feel like has-beens but are actually never-weres – he a frustrated artist of limited talent, she a dancer whose chorus career was ended by injury. They indulge in a poser lifestyle, not realizing it keeps them mired in their mediocrity.

Sims and Tabor excellently portray mysterious characters about whom we can only guess their true nature, even when their intentions are revealed at the end. Sims keeps Jay friendly while making you feel that something is a bit “off” about her. Tabor gives off a shy, even timid vibe in Chris’s quietude, which becomes effectively misleading.

Janning plays Sophie as a girl sharp enough to sense that she may not know what she wants, but it’s not what she’s got. She loves her parents, but hates what they represent.

“Aspen Ideas” is an amusing and interesting character study with an ongoing air of mystery. We found the ending of this 95-minute (no intermission) play intriguing and understandable in its context. Depending on what you think Jay and Chris may be, feel free to speculate what exactly happens on this summer day in Aspen.

Performances are Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 28-31, at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org and information at americanlivestheatre.org.

Poolside play with deep issues

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By John Lyle Belden

“Here is a man…”

In the opening scene of “Red Speedo,” a new drama by Lucas Hnath presented by American Lives Theatre, Peter (Alex Oberheide) is extolling the virtues of his brother Roy (Cody Miley), an Olympic-level competitive swimmer to his Coach (Drew Vidal). Peter, who is also a lawyer, has endeavored in addition to represent Roy as his agent – including working out an endorsement deal with Speedo, the famous global swimwear brand.

Our star athlete who (in this narrative) out-swam Michael Phelps in a club event and made headlines by taking a year on a “spiritual journey” to the desert, is overjoyed at his success while anxious about the Olympic trials that weekend. One moment he doubts, the next he explains the sea-serpent tattoo on his back leaves no doubt which swimmer people are watching. He also wants part of the design’s tail that would be under the suit etched across the leg of his special-edition red Speedo.

However, there is an issue: Performance-enhancing substances have been found in the Club locker room. While a fellow swimmer is implicated, Peter knows that suspicion could fall on everyone, Roy in particular.

Events are further complicated with visits by Roy’s ex-girlfriend Lydia (Paige Elsse), who lost her license as a sports therapist for an unrelated drug-misuse case – an event when Roy and especially Peter were not helpful.

“I wanna be a real person,” Roy laments at one point. But that is not to be. He is a swimming machine with no other skills and an education hindered by spending every spare moment at the pool, putting it all on the line with the singular goal of Olympic medals and the marketing riches that follow. A dancer with Dance Kaleidoscope, Miley does well as an actor in a role requiring a lot of speaking and emoting – his other skillset only displayed by his mostly-visible well-toned body. It’s hard to portray one who may not have quite the wisdom or intellect of those around them without devolving into stereotype, and Miley manages this with minimal “dumb jock” vibes. His odd life carries real consequences, as we witness his struggle for some sort of “normal” he can live with.

Oberheide nimbly portrays a man of noble intentions but slippery morals, swiftly finding his plans on the edge of collapse just as he (and Roy) are about to make it big. Vidal’s Coach is a bit more principled but finds himself tested as well – especially when his own future is on the line. Elisse’s Lydia is the good person who justifies doing bad things for those who she loves, including an interesting twist on two wrongs maybe making a right.

ALT founder Chris Saunders directs, giving us a thought-provoking examination of ethics and human behavior that happens to involve a swimming pool. Speaking of which, a real water-filled pool is set up at the front edge of the Russell Theatre main stage in the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre (set design by Matt Mott). It mostly provides the appropriate setting atmosphere, though does feature in a couple of important moments. As Saunders reassured us, there is no “splash zone” for audience members to be concerned about.

Shout-out as well to artist Phoenix Woods for Roy’s “ink.”

“Red Speedo” runs through Feb. 16 at the Phoenix, 705 N. Illinois St. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org, info at americanlivestheatre.org.

In new drama, girls seek meaning in naive ‘game’

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By Wendy Carson

Growing up is hard. Add to this living in a small town with only an abusive single parent, and an overactive imagination. Such is the situation of Rae and Molly, two best friends struggling to save each other from their collective traumas in “The JonBenèt Game,” a drama by Tori Keenan-Zelt presented by American Lives Theatre at IF Theatre.

The production is part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere, directed by Jenni White who has been in workshop with the playwright to develop it first for Indianapolis (including a reading last year). In the coming months it will premiere with other companies across the United States as part of this new work’s development.

Remembered in flashback by adult Rae (Molly Bellner), the 12-year-old girls fantasize about running away to Chicago (their ideal big city) and Molly (Cass Knowling) becomes obsessed with the 1996 murder of six-year-old JonBenèt Ramsey, “the most famous Cold Case of our time.” Studying a 1999 book on the case like a bible, the two act out various scenarios of how the young girl lived and died. When their at-first harmless play-acting takes a dark turn, they are ripped apart and reviled throughout the town.

Rae is now an adult, trying to redeem herself as a guidance councilor at the Christian school she attended during that period. However, her life is again thrown into chaos by Hazel (Knowling), Molly’s adolescent daughter who has found her mother’s book on the Ramsey case.

Senior counselor Miss Kay (Lynne Perkins), whose decision it was to give Rae this chance at redemption, offers to take Hazel as her own charge, but life intervenes and Rae forms a bond with Hazel, who begins her own obsession, her own turn at the “game.”

At the crux of all this turmoil lies an all-important question: If you had a chance to relive one of the most defining moments of your life, knowing the costs, would you do anything differently?

In compelling performances, Bellner and Knowling present complex troubled characters. Bellner is our bridge between generations, unsure of her way at both ends and striving to understand. Rae, while seeking to help her best friend and that friend’s daughter in any way she can, finds that the physical scars she hid from her mother’s attacks are not nearly as painful as the monster she harbors deep within herself. Knowling portrays girls on the edge, frantically searching – Molly desiring a route to escaping her mentally-abusive mother, Hazel seeking answers in the shadow of her own Mom, perhaps hidden in a well-worn true-crime paperback.

Perkins gives us the adult in the room, ironically proving powerless as the forces of trauma overtake innocence – portrayed further in a moment as JonBenèt’s despairing mother.

Note this work comes with content warnings for suicide and self-harm, as well as the titular killing.

An exploration of grief, trauma, and dealing with coming of age or its denial, “The JonBenèt Game” runs through Jan. 26 at IF, home of IndyFringe, 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis. For tickets, go to indyfringe.org.

Based on a True Story

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By John Lyle Belden 

There is funny, “ha-ha;” there is funny, “strange and/or wrong” – and there is a bold combination of these, “Funny, Like an Abortion,” a dangerously dark comic drama by Rachel Bublitz at IF Theatre, home of IndyFringe.

A co-production of Theatre Unchained with American Lives Theatre, this intense movie-length one-act is directed by TU’s Megan Ann Jacobs and ALT founder Chris Saunders. 

Set in the near future, Monroe (Alicia Ana Hernandez-Roulet) is setting up a surprise party for her bestie, Jade (Rachel Kelso), at least that’s what appears on her social app accounts and is known by her household smart device, Butler (voice of Thomas Sebald). However, once she feels free of any eavesdropping, Monroe springs the real surprise – it’s an “abortion party!” To Jade’s astonishment, the numerous gift bags each hold or represent a means of ending Monroe’s unwanted pregnancy. Legal and therefore safe abortion is a thing of the past, so they must choose the least-bad option to be executed that night, before anyone else can catch on.

In this portrayal of how elements of “Nineteen Eighty-Four” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” could easily come about in today’s high-tech culture, the mood is lightened by laugh-not-to-cry dark humor and moments of game-show presentation, juggling, and a tap-dance break. Hernandez-Roulet and Kelso take on this challenge earnestly as relatable and entertaining characters. Monroe stays upbeat, even manic, to keep ahead of a creeping despair, as Jade feels her way through being both a true friend and an accomplice to a serious felony.

They are also Alicia and Rachel, two actors breaching the Fourth Wall to remind us that while all the methods given in the play are actual abortion tactics (some going back centuries), they are all dangerous and not to be attempted by anyone.

While Bublitz wrote this prior to the Dobbs v Jackson decision that ended the protections of Roe v Wade, the play does anticipate it happening and we do get from the cast a rundown of the various restrictions put in place across America since the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling. With the results of recent elections, including the likely enacting of Project 2025 measures in the coming year, something like the events portrayed could soon come to pass.

Enlightening and alarming in what it portends, this show is recommended for those who understand to bring friends who need to know – which, to be honest, is all of us.

“Funny, Like an Abortion” has two more weekends, Nov. 15-17 and 21-23 in the Blackbox (formerly Indy Eleven) stage at IF, 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at theatreunchained.org or indyfringe.org.

ALT, Phoenix present meaningful production

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By John Lyle Belden

For us Americans, we are asked from the time we first learn about it in school what we think about the United States Constitution, but, honestly, what do we know about it? What does it do, has it done – has it not done?

American Lives Theatre and Stage Door Productions present “What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck on the main stage of the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre in downtown Indianapolis. This play is a unique blend of (mostly) one-woman storytelling and memoir, compelling lecture, and on-stage debate with elements of improv and audience response.

In its award-winning Off-Broadway run, Schreck recalled how she earned her college tuition as a teen winning prizes at speaking contests on the Constitution held by the American Legion. The narrative comes to more recent times with personal stories and taking notice of how the Supreme Court has upheld – or possibly failed – America’s foundational document.

In the current local staging, highly talented stage veterans Claire Wilcher portrays Schreck while Ben Tebbe is on hand as Heidi’s friend Danny Wolohan, who assists by portraying a Legionnaire contest moderator whom Schreck recalls fondly. In the second act, Jada Radford, a local performer who also participates in Speech and Debate as a student at Marian University, comes out as herself to take a side against Schreck/Wilcher on a constitutional issue chosen at random. Audience members are free to submit topics, as well as questions for the performers, which will be used at the next performance.

Wilcher’s manner is so natural and earnest that any line between her and Schreck vanishes. We readily absorb her recollections, as well as facts and history that may not be common knowledge but affect us all. We delve deeply into the vital Fourteenth Amendment, as well as the cryptic Ninth Amendment, and their role in recent decisions, as well as cases before the courts today.

While there is a fair amount of humor, disturbing truths cannot be avoided. Director K.T. Peterson admits in a program note that “this play is upsetting,” but sees that as a good thing. Difficult topics include domestic abuse, abortion, and civil rights, especially for women. Wilcher-as-Schreck doesn’t get angry, yet pulls no punches in her delivery, a from-the-heart pleading from both women in unison.

Tebbe is supportive and good natured, playing it aptly more as an ally than a co-star. Radford is simultaneously brash and charming. She nimbly blends her stage and forensic skills, even winning the debate in the performance we attended.

So, if anyone tells you something is not in the Constitution, tell them, “Penumbra.”

Want to know why? Find out “What the Constitution Means to Me” in performances through Sept. 22 at the Phoenix, 705 N. Illinois St. Audience members also each get their own copies of the Constitution to take home. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org and information at americanlivestheatre.org.

Desperate straits of addiction in ALT drama

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By John Lyle Belden

American Lives Theatre concludes its 2023-24 season as bold as ever with the drama “Spay” by Madison Fiedler, directed by Jen Johansen.

The setting is a recent September in Williamson, West Virginia (an actual town, hidden away on the Kentucky border). Noah (Jaddy Ciucci) has returned from the hospital, where she had been recovering from a very public heroin overdose, to the home of her half-sister Harper (Shawntè Gaston), who has custody of her pre-kindergarten son Benny (offstage).

The pains of withdrawal and pangs of addiction still rage in Noah, but she insists this time she can stay clean – as she had been for nine months prior to the recent incident. Harper, a no-nonsense kindergarten teacher, insists on assurances that this time will be different. Noah will live there, and in turn she pledges to break up with her boyfriend (and dealer) Jackson (Matt Kraft).  We soon see how thin her resolve is on that point.

As the days start to cautiously pass without a relapse, a stranger comes to Harper’s door while Noah is at work. Aubrey (Julie Dixon) has come from a city hours away to offer help in the name of an organization that specializes in aiding young women with addiction. Harper is naturally slow to trust, but Aubrey confides that she had lost her own daughter to addiction and brings up a lot of valid points and advice, forcing Harper to seriously consider more aspects of her situation.

However, this voice of reason also comes with a choice that seems unreasonable – at least, at first.

It has become widely known the alarming degree to which opioid addiction has ravaged the coal country of Kentucky and West Virginia (part of a nationwide epidemic). This fact, plus an excellent stage set (designed by Zac Hunter) with running water and comfy furniture, aid excellent performances to help the audience, seated on three sides around the Phoenix Basile stage, feel right there with these characters.

Ciucci employs her whole body in a convincing portrayal of near-constant physical and mental pain. Her manner of speech and expression, a variety of moods as damaged and disordered synapses keep her on a perilous edge of self-control, are convincing, while generating a surprising amount of situational dark humor. In her deceptively calm moments, there is the sense they will not last.

“This is a survival town.” That line by Harper sums up the feeling of a desperate need for stability and control that Gaston ably portrays. She has deep affection for her sister but finds herself forced into constantly employing it as tough love. And she is readily a fierce defender of Benny.

Kraft plays Jackson as a charming, means-well, naïve redneck. He seems to care for Noah, but a close listen to his words shows signs of narcissistic control, wanting her as both the girl addicted to him and the loving woman he wants to marry, seemingly blind to the contradiction. His often-infuriating presence adds to the humor.

Dixon plays Aubrey as a gently-revealed enigma, leaving it to us to resolve if she is more savior or bargaining devil. According to ALT artistic director Chris Saunders, organizations such as the one she represents do exist.

Given her long-time presence on numerous stages, it is surprising that this is Johansen’s directorial debut. She has brought her experience with the actors’ perspective to bear to bring out the best in this talented ensemble.

Also notable is the musical soundscape by Todd Mack, with its haunting Appalachian tones.

The play ends on a fraught note, with a decision made but the consequences yet to be seen. This would be infuriating in a movie (begging a sequel) but on the stage a common device to open dialogue about what was just seen and our feelings about it. Still, it was a bit of a stun, the cautious applause when the lights came up snapping us out of a trance, delivering us swiftly back from two states away. Still, those issues, we realize, are here in Indiana as well.

A stunning, engrossing look at a widespread problem brought home to the individuals mired in its depths, “Spay” runs through June 30 at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center, 705 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org, information (including ALT’s coming 2024-25 season) at americanlivestheatre.org.

ALT presents interesting ‘Case’

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By John Lyle Belden

The title is “A Case for the Existence of God,” but this is not an academic lecture. Playwright Samuel D. Hunter, who also wrote the drama “The Whale” and adapted its screenplay, seeks the Divine in unusual yet beautiful places, like Idaho.

In the American Lives Theatre production of “Case,” Eric Reiberg and Eric Thompson play Ryan and Keith, two Twin Falls residents with little in common, except for a specific melancholy.

Keith is a mortgage broker, and Ryan desperately wants to acquire acreage that used to belong to his grandparents. They met at a daycare, each dropping off a daughter to which he has tenuous claim. Most of the play takes place in an office cubicle where Ryan’s iffy credit tests Keith’s talents and patience in securing a loan. In a series of smash-cut scenes over the course of the 90-minute play, we see their relationship develop. They understand little of each other at first, yet simultaneously something deeper. From this we get awkward humor, sparks as issues arise, some unintended bonding, and perhaps a path to the title proposition.

Each actor effectively presents his character’s individual quirks and struggle. Ryan dreams and wants, but has trouble with action and follow-through, often hinting at an undiagnosed mental issue that invisibly disables him. Reiberg plays him with wide-eyed earnestness, the kind of guy you want to root for despite obvious risk.

Keith carries the understandable shoulder-chip of the “queer black boy” who grew up in small-town Idaho, but strives to toe the line, doing the right thing in a job where the numbers always add up, following the rules to fulfil his dream of a family – despite the capricious whims of real life. Thompson plays him with dogged optimism, though it seems no good deed goes unpunished.

Directed by Andrew Kramer, the play presents an interesting and engaging portrait of unlikely friendship, with struggles that challenge and evolve the idea of what it is to be a man in today’s America.

However, does it prove the Case? That is up to the viewer. Performances are Fridays through Sundays through April 28 at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center, 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org, information at americanlivestheatre.org.

ALT: Big issues in small-town meeting

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By Wendy Carson

Small town politics is much more important than it appears. As we see in “The Minutes,” by Tracy Letts, a lot can happen in a single meeting, and missing it could change your whole standing within the community itself.

Such is the plight of Mr. Peel (Josh Ramsey), who missed last week’s City Council meeting to attend to his dying mom. He knows something major occurred from overhearing the others talk but only discovers it resulted in the removal of Mr. Carp (Charles Goad) from the council.

His queries to Mayor Superba (Stephen Roger Kitts II) and clerk Ms. Johnson (Susannah Quinn) get him nowhere. However, Mr. Hanratty (Scot Greenwell) is willing to help him shed a little light on the matter in return for support towards his proposal.

The council is filled with a plethora of quirky characters. Mr. Blake (Ian Cruz) is a paranoid schemer who is overly confident of the success of his bill regardless of its practicality. Mr. Breeding (Raymond Kester) is “The Weathervane” of the town but has no desire to make waves of his own. Ms. Innes (Suzanne Fleenor) has some good points to make but buries them inside a tangle of poetry and nonsense that annoys even the most even-tempered in the room. Mr. Oldfield (Len Mozzi), who served on the council the longest, has a tendency to ramble and forget things. Mr. Assalone (Tristan Ross) is “The Junkyard Dog” of the group and made even more imposing by his brother being Town Sheriff. Finally, Ms. Metz (Paige Scott), while physically present, pops so many pills that we have no idea where her mind actually is.

With the Big Cherry Heritage Festival rapidly approaching and its planning the most important thing that the Council actually does, Mr. Peel finds the unexplained absence of last week’s minutes – as well as where Mr. Carp is – to be of far greater import.

Directed by Chris Saunders for American Lives Theatre, this comic drama shows Letts’ ability to connect with and in a relatable manner reflect the personalities of small-town America. While there is much hilarity within these scenes, there is an equal amount of reality as to the inner workings of city government.

The talent level of the cast is spectacular and under Saunders’ steady hand, none of them overshadow each other and perform as a well-oiled machine.

So, who is the real hero of The Battle of Mackie Creek? What is more important, truth or the status quo? Why is the town named Big Cherry? These questions and much, much more will be answered (mostly) at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis, through Feb. 11. For tickets and information, visit phoenixtheatre.org or americanlivestheatre.org.