Brynn Hensley

Agape ensemble brings ‘Hunchback’ to life

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

IndyFringe: Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales

PWJW_Indy IndyFringe, Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Local youth ensemble Agape Theater Company goes with something more whimsical than their usual serious projects with “Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales,” a musical by Mary Hall Surface and David Maddux that presents familiar fairy tales as they would be told in the mountains of rural Virginia or North Carolina.

This show is also a little different for Agape as it highlights its younger performers, which enhances the innocent fun of the stories’ presentation. In this production, we get three tales you’ve heard before, but not quite like this:

In “Jack and the Wonder Bean,” directed by Brynn Hensley, crafty Jack (Rachel Majorins) climbs the beanstalk to encounter a huge Giantess (Anastasia Lucia, with puppet support by Nate and Jacob Osburn) and escapes back home to his Ma (Harmony Quinn), bringing goods including a magic Hen (Caroline Hildebrand) and enchanted Fiddle (Evangeline Hillebrand).

In the hoe-down song-and-dance number “The Sow and Her Three Pigs,” directed by Kiron Branine and Rebekah Barajas, narrators Ellie Barajas and Rachel Majorins tell of a Mama-pig (Laney Ballard) who worries what her offspring will do after she is gone. Martha (Nora Moster) and Mary (Joanna Barajas) go cheap on building materials, while Nancy (Eden Majorins) finds something even stronger than bricks. Here comes the Fox (Flannery Partain), hungry for bacon. The simple set includes a cloud-wagon for deceased piggies to sit on while awaiting their relatives’ fate, while most of the cast get involved in the do-si-dos (the dance, not the cookie).

Finally, we get the Cinderella variant, “Catskins,” directed by Grant Scott-Miller. An orphan girl (Lacey Pierce) finds a home with a Farmer (Aubri Cottrell) and his Wife (Harmony Quinn). When the Wife dies, the Farmer, embittered by grief, becomes abusive. The spirit of her adopted mother comes to Catskins’ aid with the help of a magic trunk, and the girl ends up a servant to a fine Lady (Anastasia Lucia) and her Daughter (Flannery Partain). It happens that in that land, a Rich Boy (Jacob Osburn) is holding fancy dances to find himself a bride. Our heroine is a bit crafty and doesn’t need talking mice to help her in this interesting version of the old tale.

The presentation is fun and entertaining, and the Giantess puppet is impressive. Remaining performances are 1:45 p.m. Saturday and 5:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27-28, in the Basile Auditorium at the Athenaeum.

Bard Fest: Agape gets wyrd with ‘Macbeth’

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

Though it is the most familiar Shakespeare work in this year’s Bard Fest, the adaptation of “Macbeth” (“the Scottish Play” to the superstitious) by director Dr. Kathy Phipps for Agape Theater Company makes the famous tragedy fresh and fascinating. 

From the opening moments, we see the production has gone all-in on the “Wyrd Sisters.” Aside from the principal three Witches – Mary Zou, Hailey Ready, Laura Sickmeier – and Queen Hecate (Sylvia Seidle), we have a full coven, with Mia Baillie, Rebekah Barajas, Ashlynn Gilmore, Anastasia Lucia, and Maggie McKinney, as they make full use of song and movement to add atmosphere and propel the plot. They are envisioned as Wood Sprites, which gives them a clever supporting role in the play’s final battle. 

But don’t put the blame for what ensues on the Witches. As always, Agape (a youth theatre program of Our Lady of the Greenwood Catholic Church) delves into human morality and the consequences of men’s – and women’s – actions. Temptation can tell us things, but it is up to us how we use the information. Heroic Macbeth (Aidan Morris) and comrade in arms Banquo (Nathan Foster) are told that the former will become King, while the latter is father to monarchs. Banquo senses something troubling in the sprites’ words. Macbeth, seeing part of the prophecy fulfilled, eagerly embraces the rest. And upon hearing of this, Lady Macbeth (Brynn Hensley) immediately goes into murder-mode.

We get solid work from the mostly high school- and college-age cast, including Jake Hobbs as prince Malcolm; Nathan Ellenberger as Macbeth’s rival, Macduff; Kyle Hensley as Banquo’s son Fleance; and Doug Rollins (an Agape parent usually working behind the scenes) as doomed King Duncan. Sickmeier also plays Lady Macduff. Notable in support are Virginia Sever as Ross, Grant Scott-Miller as Lennox, and Carter Thurnall as Angus. 

Morris takes on the title role with gusto, part of a tradition of Shakespeare leads who charge headlong into action before thinking it through. When he does hesitate, however, his wife is there to remind him to “screw (his) courage to the sticking place.” That brings us to Brynn Hensley; the Lebanon High School senior may have put in the best performance in a festival full of strong women in strong women’s roles. She makes the most of an arc that goes from power-mad to just plain mad, even bringing out in just a word or sharp glance the play’s dark humor. 

Other touches are well-served, like frequent appearances of the unsettled dead, a murder in silhouette (part of the excellent stage design by Ian Phipps), the effective use of banners to quickly change scenes, and even a nice “reenactment” in an early scene. Agape cast and crew have taken great care to give this cursed classic it’s due. A work of “sound and fury,” as always, but with some significance after all.

Remaining performances are Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 28-30, at Theater at the Fort, 8920 Otis Ave., in Lawrence. Get info and tickets at www.indybardfest.com and www.artsforlawrence.org.