Chad Beguelin

Time to dance again: Footlite presents ‘The Prom’

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By John Lyle Belden

It’s not spring; still, any time is good for recognizing we need to let those around us be their authentic selves. In this spirit comes the latest production of “The Prom” at Footlite Musicals.

This Broadway hit – book by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Beguelin, concept by Jack Viertel, inspired by actual 2010 events in Mississippi – is, as I’ve mentioned before, sort of a “Footloose” for our era, with hints of “Cinderella.”

Broadway stars, or at least they used to be, Dee Dee Allen (Karen Frye) and Barry Glickman (Sam Godsey) have their latest show flop so bad, it closes after opening night. Commiserating with their assistant, Sheldon (Isaac Becker-Chamberlin); Angie Dickenson (Abigail Okerson), who has been stuck in the chorus of “Chicago” for years; and unemployed former sitcom star Trent Oliver (Dustin Branum), who constantly mentions attending Julliard; they look for something to improve their public profile.  

In the (fictional) town of Edgewater, Indiana, the High School PTA cancels its Prom after learning student Emma Nolan (Marachey Fowler) plans to bring another girl as her date. While finding herself more bullied than usual, Emma has an ally in the principal, Mr. Hawkins (Shawn Hunt). Together they petition the PTA, led by staunch conservative Mrs. Greene (Katie-Rose Connors), to reconsider. But as they make their case, guess who comes barging in to “save” the day?

The cast also includes Claire Donnelly as Alyssa, Mrs. Greene’s daughter and Emma’s secret girlfriend; Zaylee Jaliwala and Nayima Hall as cheerleaders Kaylee and Shelby; Zaire Gladden-Williams and Conner Becker-Chamberlin as students Nick and Kevin; as well as Kevin Bell, Nate Copleland, Jerry Davis, Nathan DeMyers, Sophie Eastman, Kathleen Fox, Cari Gallagher, Emma Gedig, Josh Hoover, Kerrigan McSweeney, Michael Morrow, Gwendolyn Pickett Kenan, Tinnin, Katie Van Den Heuvel, Jennifer Zotz, and Thomas Zotz.

As events unfold for a teen who just wanted to dance, all characters confront uncomfortable truths, from the New Yorkers’ narcissism to schoolmates’ unquestioned beliefs. The musical was written as taking place in Indiana as a jab at then-Vice President Pence, but having Hoosiers play Hoosiers lends an authentic feel and softens the genuinely funny digs against our state (though the play does make Applebee’s look good).

Frye gloriously goes full diva, reminiscent of Patti LuPone at her most catty, as Dee Dee. Godsey’s Barry is like the sweet hyper child of James Corden and Harvey Fierstein. Donnelly’s dancer, “antelope legs” and all, follows her chorus instincts to help a fellow girl in trouble. Branum makes the most of a unique character with an interesting arc, whose unconventional thinking ends up helping.  Hunt plays Mr. Hawkins steadfast as the fulcrum on which the whole plot turns (I know I said this in a prior review, it still works). Isaac Becker-Chamberlin is charming as the one responsible for wrangling the various celebrity egos.

Connors is daunting as a woman whose mothering instincts have overtaken her compassion. Jerry Beasley, who directed with Claire Slaven, helped guide her actions at the show’s end, which suggest the possibility of healing.

As for the star of the show, Marachey Fowler is amazing! From her first song, she exhibits natural power, control, and stage presence. You can’t help but feel not just for her, but with her, in every scene. We are amazed this is only her second musical, and look forward to seeing whatever she does next.

Donnelly is also excellent, and nails Alyssa’s signature song. Her fellow students also sing well, and wow us with their dancing, choreographed by Thomas Mason.

The orchestra is led by Jeremy Kaylor.

Make a date for “The Prom,” with two more weekends, through Oct 5, at 1847 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at footlite.org.

Dearly beloved, gather for ‘The Wedding Singer’

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By John Lyle Belden

Being a Generation X’er, I get mixed feelings about 1980s nostalgia, but some things catch the kitschy spirit of the decade just right, like the Tony-nominated musical, “The Wedding Singer,” based on the 1998 Adam Sandler film.

Presented by the 21st-century actors of Eclipse, the professional-level program of Summer Stock Stage, “Wedding Singer” is on the main stage of the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre through June 16, directed by Kate Galvin.

In 1985 New Jersey, singer-songwriter Robbie Hart (Alex Pharo) is having modest success leading an in-demand wedding band, Simply Wed, with best friends Sammy (Micah Phillips) on bass and George (Matthew David Conwell) on keytar. Robbie is also looking forward to his own wedding, to Linda (Kha’Lea Wainwright), but things don’t go to plan. Meanwhile, Julia Sullivan (Leela Rothenberg), who with her cousin Holly (Dori Salumurovic) are waitresses at the wedding venue, is getting engaged to rich Wall Street boyfriend Glen Guglia (Jack Ducat). Julia has Robbie promise to sing at her wedding – which he eventually will, but not in the way anyone expected.

The plot hits all the expected beats of a typical rom-com, from the meet-cute all the way through to the “go out and get her!” What’s important is how the story goes from here to there, and all the charming, mildly dramatic, and laugh-out-loud moments along the way.

Pharo takes on this journey well, making Robbie a hero to root for, funny and charming without any of Sandler’s mannerisms so the character stands on its own. Rothenberg makes Julia both noble and sweet, the kind of woman worth going great lengths for. She and Salumurovic have a natural chemistry as well, like they grew up as almost-sisters. Phillips, looking like a mad scientist combined Hall and Oates, and Conwell, a sort of Boy George homage, also make memorable likable characters. Wainwright and Ducat give their roles each a flavor of vanity that befits the era – Glen’s especially, as a “greed is good” trader overflowing with hubris.  

Local stage veteran Devan Mathias steals scenes in roles including Robbie’s grandmother Rosie and Julia’s mother Angie. The supporting ensemble get a lot of time on stage – weddings, a bar mitzvah, at the mall, etc. – so get a lot of moments as well, featuring Isabella Agresta, Kayla Mariah Fifer, Fletcher Hooten, Byron Ledford, Hillary McGuire, and Maddux Morrison (who rocks Fake Billy Idol).

The musical, with book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy (from Herlihy’s screenplay), music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Beguelin, avoids the endless headaches of song rights by providing originals with the familiar feel of ‘80s hits, from the catchy “It’s Your Wedding Day” to the charm of “Come Out of the Dumpster.”

Galvin is aided by music director Jerico Hughes, choreographer Phillip Crawshaw and stage manager Rebecca Roeber. Embarrassingly accurate fashion and look by Wendy Meaden (costumes) and Andrew Elliot (wigs, hair, and makeup).

Highly entertaining with a story of love lost and found “Right in Front of Your Eyes,” find “The Wedding Singer” tickets at phoenixtheatre.org.

Teen rite of passage becomes test for all in Civic musical

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By Wendy Carson and John Belden

As you might know, the musical “The Prom” is loosely based on a true incident.* Despite historical  authenticity relative to Disney’s “Pocahontas,” this show – book by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, from a concept by Jack Viertel – presented by Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre, directed by Michael J. Lasley, entertainingly captures the essence of the story, reflecting the attitudes found in more than just one American town.

From their perspective, at least, this is the story of two aging Broadway stars, Dee Dee Allen (Marni Lemons) and Barry Glickman (Chad Leitschuh) with vanity bigger than their talent. After scorching reviews of their latest flop, they desperately need more positive publicity. With the help of their agent, Sheldon Sapperstein (David Maxwell) and a couple of other actors in need a career boost – Angie  Dickinson (Mikayla Koharchik), who can’t seem to get out of the chorus after 20 years, and Trent Oliver (Evan Wallace), a former TV star who never loses a chance to remind you he went to Juliard – they seek to find a worthy cause that won’t strain them too much. 

Emma Nolan (Kelsey McDaniel) is a high school senior in Edgewater, Indiana, who just wants to take her girlfriend to the Prom. However, the conservative small town district’s PTA, led by Mrs. Greene (Marlana Haig), refuses to allow it, going so far as to cancel the event. Just as it seems that Emma’s ally, school principal Mr. Hawkins (Rex Wolfley), found a way to work the whole situation out, our group of “Broadway Heroes” show up and not only alienate everyone involved, but embarrass Emma.  

Luckily, Hawkins, being a devoted fan of Allen, does not run the whole gang out of town. He even takes the diva to the city’s finest restaurant, Applebee’s.  

After some legal cajoling, the PTA agrees to resume the Prom. Emma plans to take Alyssa (Kaylee Johnson-Bradley), who will finally come out to her family and everyone there. But Emma and her Broadway friends are in for a devastating surprise. 

With the support of our well-meaning heroes, Emma must find a way to take her stand, her way, so that if nothing else, she – and everyone – can dance.

Having only heard a few of the songs beforehand and knowing how the story was handled, we had some reservations as to how this would work out. Would setting the story in Indiana, reportedly as a rebuke to the former Vice President, be a mockery of Hoosiers in general? Fortunately, it’s just gentle jibes we can live with (and have that hint of truth). Rather, the musical’s creators and Lasley’s direction have woven a magical story that is the “Footloose” (with a hint of Cinderella) of our era.  

The whole cast is joyously giving their all in bringing this beautiful event to life. While I am without  enough adjectives to even begin to describe each actor’s fantastic performance, I will say that NYU graduate McDaniel’s powerful voice could land her back in the Big Apple. Broadway’s loss is our gain.

Lemons, Leitschuh, Koharchik and Wallace revel in their license to overact. Haig perfectly portrays the insidious evil of indifference and self-righteousness. Wolfley handles well being the character that is the fulcrum on which the whole plot turns.

Performances of “The Prom” run through Oct. 21 at the Tarkington theater in the Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Carmel. Feel free to bring a date, corsage optional, and arrive early as there is ongoing street construction in the area. Get info and tickets at civictheatre.org or thecenterpresents.org.

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*The true story happened in Mississippi in 2010. (Click here for details) Thanks to Civic for sharing the link.

Holiday favorite ‘Elf’ returns to Civic

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By John Lyle Belden

Just two years ago (what seems a lifetime now), the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre had one of their biggest-ever hits with the musical “Elf,” based on the 2003 Wil Farrell film that is already a beloved Christmas classic.

And as live theatre has returned around central Indiana, so, too, has Buddy and his friends. And – a holiday miracle? – this production is just as wonderful as it was before.

This presents the reviewer with a problem. How do I say practically the same thing I wrote in 2019?

Like this — To save you the click and page-load of a link to the previous review, the following is the same text that still applies, with updated cast and info as needed:

The book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, with songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, allows Buddy the Elf to escape the shadow of Ferrell’s unique talent to make him his own wonderful character — portrayed happily here by Matt Bays. 

As in the original story, Buddy is a human who, as a baby, crawled into Santa’s sack, unseen until the end of the journey. Finding that the boy’s single mother had died, Santa Claus (Parrish Williams) lets him be raised by the elves, allowing Buddy to think he was one of them. 

The truth is inevitably revealed, and Buddy travels to find his biological father — who doesn’t know he exists — in New York City. The dad, Walter (Jack Tanselle), is a workaholic executive at a publishing house of children’s books who is rough on coworkers like good-natured Deb (Nina Stilabower) and neglectful of wife Emily (Carrie Neal) as well as son Michael (Dylan Aquaviva). Naturally, Walter doesn’t believe this strange man in elvish tights is his son, so has him sent away. Since Buddy claims to be from the North Pole, he is dropped off at the next-best thing — Macy’s. There he ends up among the store’s Santa’s helpers, where he falls in love with fellow “elf” Jovie (Emily Bohannon). 

From there, the story is Buddy’s struggle for acceptance and belonging, along with a chance to save Christmas for his father’s family, and the whole world — when Santa is stranded in Central Park, his sleigh too low on the Christmas Spirit that fuels it (PETA nixed his reindeer a while ago). Other notable roles include Jonathan Studdard as the stressed-out Macy’s Manager, Dick Davis and Kelsey VanVoorst as hapless children’s book writers, and Jeff Angel as Mr. Greenway, the curmudgeonly owner of the publishing company, who wants a new hit Christmas story from Walter — or else!

The feel of the show throughout is best described by one of its song titles: “Sparklejollytwinklejingley.” The mood is perpetually sweet, even when characters aren’t “Happy All The Time.” And even when they feel that “Nobody Cares,” there’s a fun dance break. 

Directed by Michael J. Lasley and Anne Beck with choreography by Beck and musical direction by Brent Marty, this is a magical ensemble effort. Seeing it on a matinee with an audience of mostly children, I noticed they were all entranced and swept up in the spirit of it all. 

Just as sweet and special as spaghetti with syrup, “Elf” is yet another holiday must-see in central Indiana, playing through Dec. 24 at the Tarkington theater in the Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Carmel, right next to the Christkindlmarkt. (Arrive early for hope of parking.) See www.civictheatre.org or thecenterpresents.org for info and tickets.

Magical ‘Elf’ at Civic

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

By John Lyle Belden

A new Christmas classic was created in 2003 with the film “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell, which has since become an even bigger spectacle as a Broadway musical, now presented by the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre.

The book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, with songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, allows Buddy the Elf to escape the shadow of Ferrell’s unique talent to make him his own wonderful character — portrayed happily here by Matt Bays. 

As in the original story, Buddy is a human who, as a baby, crawled into Santa’s sleigh, unseen until the end of the journey. Finding that the boy’s single mother had died, Santa Claus (Parrish Williams) let him be raised by the elves, They let Buddy think he was one of them, even when he grew much taller than his adopted family. 

The truth is inevitably revealed, and Buddy travels to his father — who doesn’t know he exists — in New York City. The dad, Walter (J. Stuart Mill), is a workaholic executive at a publisher of children’s books who is rough on coworkers like good-natured Deb (Mary Margaret Montgomery) and neglectful of wife Emily (Carrie Neal) and son Michael (Ben Boyce). Naturally, Walter doesn’t believe this strange man in elvish tights is his son, so has him sent away. Since Buddy claims to be from the North Pole, he is dropped off at the next-best thing — Macy’s. There he ends up among the store’s Santa’s helpers, where he falls in love with fellow “elf” Jovie (Emily Schaab). 

From there, the story is Buddy’s struggle for acceptance and belonging, along with a chance to save Christmas for his father’s family — and the whole world, when Santa is stranded in Central Park, his sleigh too low on the Christmas Spirit that fuels it. Other notable roles include Jonathan Studdard as the stressed-out Macy’s Manager, and Jeff Angel as Mr. Greenway, owner of the publishing company, who wants a new hit Christmas story from Walter — or else!

The feel of the show throughout is best described by one of its song titles: “Sparklejollytwinklejingley.” The mood is perpetually sweet, even when characters aren’t “Happy All The Time.” And even when they feel that “Nobody Cares,” there’s a fun dance break. 

Directed by Michael J. Lasley with perfect choreography by Anne Beck and musical direction by Brent Marty, this is a magical ensemble effort. And seeing it on a matinee with the audience mostly children, I noticed they were all entranced and swept up in the spirit of it all. 

Just as sweet and special as spaghetti with syrup, “Elf” is yet another holiday must-see in central Indiana, playing through Dec. 28 at the Tarkington theater in the Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Carmel, right next to the Christkindlmarkt. (Arrive early for hope of parking.) See www.civictheatre.org or thecenterpresents.org for info and tickets.