comedy

OTP ‘Earnest’ more fun than a Bunbury

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By John Lyle Belden

We have seen local performer Alec Cole on stage since he was a boy (as part of KidsPlay Inc. in Greenfield). Since then, the young man has appeared in area community theatre as an actor and even got to assistant-direct “HadesTown” at Footlite Musicals.

Naturally, the next step was to direct a production himself, and Our Town Players of Franklin agreed to let him helm the popular (and royalty-free) Oscar Wilde comedy, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” which just completed an early-May run.

Judging by the results we saw, we give his debut high marks. It included splendid performances by Theodore Rash as Jack (and “Earnest”) Worthing; Jon Books-Poole as Algernon (call me “Earnest”) Moncrief; Kylie Heagy as Gwendolen Fairfax and Rayne Fort as Cecily Cardew, who both “simply must marry an Earnest;” Jerry Maguire as Lady Bracknell, who sternly forbids the wedding; Beth Popplewell as Miss Prism, Cecily’s governess; Tim Latimer as The Rev. Dr. Chasuble, who enjoys long walks (with Prism);  and James Marietta as the stoic butler (Merriman or Lane, depending on residence).

In a savage satire on Victorian British society that still elicits laughter, the plot centers on the hazards of performing a Bunbury – Algernon’s term for a made-up excuse to avoid a dreaded family or social obligation by needing to be somewhere else (in his case, an invalid friend, Mr. Bunbury, living in the countryside). To disassociate the morally upstanding and roguish sides of his personality, Mr. Worthing is “Earnest in town, and Jack in the country.”  Like any romantic comedy, the pursuit of and overcoming obstacles to the eventual happy-ending marriage propel events.

Maguire, in a wonderfully frumpy yet elegant dress by Sasha Haywood, is wicked fun as the upper-crust lady who won’t let niece Gwendolen marry a man who apparently started life abandoned in a handbag, no matter what his name is.

Making their community theatre debuts, Fort and Heagy each charm as the Earnest-smitten maidens. Whether at odds, or declaring each other “sisters,” they acquit their roles excellently.

We also give scene-stealing kudos to Marietta, who serves with a flourish, and can give almost wordless sarcasm with a glance.  

Cole said his approach to the verbose play was to accentuate Wilde’s words with appropriate movement, keeping the show fun and farcical. Assisted by stage manager Jennifer Feutz, he also credits help from father Dennis Cole (KidsPlay dad and CrazyLake performer); makeup artist and companion, Gemma Rollison; as well as her mother (and Agape staff) Tracey Rollison in finding props.

We confess this was my and Wendy’s first time to Our Town, which uses an excellent venue, AAC Auditorium, in one of Franklin’s city parks. Find out about upcoming productions at otpfranklin.org.

Elementary, ‘Ms. Holmes’ (a study in Summit)

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By John Lyle Belden

A new game is afoot! Summit Performance presents “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B,” by Kate Hamill, at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre.

Those who regularly read these reviews might now be saying, “Wait a minute! Didn’t we just have a female Sherlock Holmes Play a few weeks ago?” In an odd coincidence, there was the Christopher Walsh comedy “Miss Holmes” in April at Mud Creek. However, while that version was set in Victorian London, “Ms. Holmes…” takes place in 2021 – still in London with a flat on Baker Street – and Dr. Joan Watson is now an American.

Watson (Kelsey VanVoorst) has found herself in London, looking for a place to stay for a while, relax, maybe get some writing done. Fate has other plans, as this affordable downtown rental means sharing an apartment with a hyperactive, eccentric young woman named “Sherlock” (Frankie Jo Bolda). If you are familiar with the local theatre scene – especially improv, parody shows, and farcical and Shakespeare comedies – these actors’ names should alert you to the madness that will ensue.

Playing someone who is famously neurodivergent with a 200+ IQ, Bolda also lets Holmes’ id run rampant in a manner that goes beyond recent portrayals (Cumberbatch, Downey Jr., et al) such that it resembles the manic style of “Doctor Who.” Her clothing (boldly designed by Devan O’Malia Mathias) reflects this as well – layered for foggy London, colorful as a panto player. Still, she is no clown. While expressions and actions seem random, her mind and focus are sharp. While others notice her, she notices everything.  

VanVoorst also plays into her strengths as the straight character the comic partner bounces off of. Watson has always been the reader/viewer proxy in these stories, and she gets as frustrated and overwhelmed as we would be, but in a much funnier manner. Few can manage the barely-able-to-speak sputter of a character on the edge like her, and Watson gets plenty of these moments. As the plot unfolds, we find her naturally drawn in towards believable acceptance of this classic odd-couple relationship.

In the roles of Everyone Else: Andrea Heiden nimbly wears many distinctive faces as kindly, understanding Mrs. Hudson, untrustworthy beauty Irene Adler, and others. Clay Mabbit can play likable and slyly evil in equal measure, appearing as Inspector Lestrade, billionaire Elliott Monk, and others, including the introductory narrator.

Holmes fans will readily recognize the first case the women take on, from “A Study in Scarlet” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (his first Sherlock Holmes novel, which also brings the literary Holmes and Watson together). Sufficient liberties were taken with the story to give this a fresh look for the 21st-century version of the detectives. Speaking of the era, there are references to the Covid lockdown, as well as current technology – which Holmes avoids, complaining it makes people intellectually lazy (she has a point, to be honest). She insists on using her mind and magnifying glass, leaving the “Googles” to others.

Other canon aspects of the characters are preserved. Watson has PTSD, while Holmes takes bong hits to calm her ever-spinning brain. Also, where there’s a super-sleuth, there lurks someone in the shadows who could be her equal.

Direction is by Summit founder Lauren Briggeman, who manages to keep the madcap happenings under control while bringing out the entertaining best in the cast. Fight, movement, and intimacy director Jaddy Ciucci is a big help with all the physical comedy and other action throughout. Erin Robson-Smith is stage manager.

Even if you don’t know or care about Sherlock Holmes, this production works as a wildly hilarious British buddy comedy with murderous intent. Even the furniture is funny (rarely has an innocent recliner gotten so many laughs).

Come see “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson” through May 24 in the Basile Black Box stage at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org.

Comedy and Cole do double-duty at Footlite

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By John Lyle Belden

Footlite Musicals gives us a two-for-one courtesy of the Cole Porter musical, “Kiss Me Kate,” with book by Sam and Bella Spewack, and some guy named Shakespeare.

In this show you get a backstage romance set during a Baltimore heat wave, as well as the premiere of “Taming of the Shrew: The Musical.” Fortunately for Footlite director Paula Phelan, they are essentially the same story.

Fred Graham (Aaron Mann) has written, produced, directed, and now stars in “Shrew” opposite, appropriately, his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi (Jessica Hawkins). She plays the title character, fair Katherine, while Fred is Petruchio, the daring gentleman out to woo her.

The musical within this musical also features Lois Lane (Paige Penry), who offstage has been seeing Fred, and who on stage plays the pretty younger sister Bianca. She is in turn wooed by Lucentio, played by Bill Calhoun (Jack Sullivan), who shares Lois’s affections as well as her general lack of scruples, demonstrated by the fact he ran up a big gambling debt and placed Fred’s name on the IOU. This brings on the intrusion of two faux-sophisticated mob toughs (Mitchell Hammersley and Ryan Bridges), arriving to collect.

For those who don’t know or remember the story, “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” and note that things get “Too Darn Hot” as “Another Op’nin, Another Show” doesn’t go “Wunderbar” for Fred and Lilli. It’s enough to make her declare “I Hate Men,” while they strive not to fall “So in Love.” If you are reading this thinking, “Why Can’t You Behave,” dear reader, understand that I’m “Always True to you in My Fashion.” In addition, aside from the Porter hits and big dance numbers, this is also a rollicking comedy with misunderstandings and other farcical elements throughout. This especially includes scene-stealing bits by Bridges and Hammersley.

The big cast includes about 30 additional players, including featured singers Kelly Berryman (“Another Op’nin’…”) and Michael Sherman (“Too Darn Hot”); featured musician Jeremy Kaylor; the practically unflappable Dan Flahive as Harry, who plays Kate and Bianca’s father Baptista; Jeremy Crouch as stressed Stage Manager Ralph; the ever-charming Duane Leatherman as Pops the Doorman; and Kevin Caraher as Mr. Harrison from Washington (Lilli’s fiancé).

With the parallel plots, we not only get a fun mid-20th-century musical, but also a reasonable condensation of the Shakespeare comedy, all complete with a happy ending.

Phelan is assisted by Jerry Beasley and Lauren Werne, with stage manager Melissa Yurechko. Lisa Reynolds is vocal director. Choreography is by Erica Wilkinson, and the orchestra is conducted by Aaron Burkhart.

“Kiss Me Kate” has performances Thursday through Sunday through May 17 at the Hedback Theater, 1847 N. Alabama, Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at footlite.org.  

Fonseca: Diner serves up potential for redemption

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By John Lyle Belden

Regarding the comic drama “Clyde’s” by Lynn Nottage, presented by Fonseca Theatre, a famous 19th-century French quote used by the original Japanese “Iron Chef” series comes to mind: “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”

Or, as the serene chef of this roadside diner puts it, “What’s your favorite sandwich?”

Clyde (Chandra Lynch) is proprietor of the restaurant, of which we only see the kitchen. An ex-offender who doesn’t mind being offensive, she hires felon parolees who find themselves with nowhere else to go. Her demeanor is cruel, even abusive, with a belief that those convicted are forever unredeemable losers that would put Javert of “Les Misérables” to shame.

The zen-like sandwich master Montrellous (Jamaal McCray) raises the crafting of ingredients between slices of bread to art bordering on philosophy. While exacting in his process, he takes pleasure in the simple fact that truckers come from miles around just to have one of his delicious creations. His co-workers come to embrace his approach, desiring to make their own perfect sandwich that “tastes like the truth.”

Clyde, of course, scoffs at this but doesn’t mind the business their unique menu brings in.

Also working the kitchen are Rafael (Ian Cruz) with a robbery conviction and a 12-Step sobriety chip; Tish (Shandrea Funnye) who was busted for drugs while caring for a daughter with medical issues; and Jason (Dave Pelsue) who has a temper, an assault conviction, and Aryan tattoos (which, him being the only White person present, doesn’t go over well with the others).

Director Josiah Ray McCruiston infuses this production with his devotion to good storytelling. We see in every character the distinct fears of the formerly incarcerated, their anxiety over the mistrust and misuse by those they know in the outside world, dealing with the sense that such treatment is deserved, striving to somehow make their lives – if not better – at least worth carrying on. Trust must be rebuilt; anger must be discarded; the act of making something nourishing can be nourishing itself.  

Fortunately, while there are cutlery and dishes, the food itself is mimed. This not only aids the ephemeral nature of its making (and it’ll never look better than it does in our imagination) but also this busy kitchen would generate a lot of food waste over several performances, and the smell would just make us all in the audience hungry. Kudos to Bernie Killian for the set design of this convincingly clean and cozy diner kitchen, complete with order-up window at the back. Paully Crumpacker’s lighting and Ben Dobler’s sound are also commendable.

As I’ve indicated, this is about so much more than making a great sandwich, but it also gets you thinking: What’s your favorite?

Bon Appetit. Performances are Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., through May 17, at 2508 W. Washington St., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at fonsecatheatre.org.

In this comedy, she really slays them

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By John Lyle Belden

As I once heard a comedian say, at some point with a mass murderer’s body count, you’re not sure whether to be appalled, or impressed.

Southbank Theatre Company presents “Hell’s Belle,” billed as “A True Crime Dark Comedy About Indiana’s First Serial Killer,” by Amalia Howard, directed by Becky Schlomann. Local actor Howard’s script was the winner of Southbank’s playwriting contest to determine this season’s closing show.

Based on the true story of Belle Gunness, a Norwegian-born widow who lived on a farm by the northern Indiana town of LaPorte from 1901 to 1908, we get a light-hearted look at a heavy topic. Howard portrays Belle’s sister, Nellie Larson, who narrates the story, speaking through time to today’s audiences, as well as other roles as needed. Ryan Moskalick and Jim Cherry play various men, many of whom do not live long. One exception is Moskalick as the farmhand Ray Lamphere, who survives Belle only to be tried as an accomplice.

As the star of the show, we have Lisa Marie Smith as Belle. She is plain but not ugly, and quite a find for lonely sons of Norway seeking the comfort of the cooking they grew up with. Her kitchen talents were indeed notable, if you don’t mind the strychnine.

Smith gives her enough cleverness and charisma to keep her activities unsuspected, coupled with her unresolved issues around men and the children she desperately wants but can’t keep alive. She also feels the financial pressure that hits hard on single women of the era. Not that this excuses numerous instances of insurance fraud, but then, a girl gets accustomed to a certain standard of living.

While not downplaying the seriousness of the crimes, we get a rather humorous look at these events, especially the circus atmosphere that attends the eventual discovery of her many, many victims.

How many people did she kill? Did she get away with it all, slipping away with what today would be more than a million dollars? These questions are still debated. The evidence is presented for you to make your own guess as well.

Schlomann is assisted by Rachel Serago; Jenn Byers is stage manager. Simple yet comfy set design is by Scott Hall. Costumes and props are by Karen Cones, with the deadly meat-grinder 3-D printed by Tony Troxell.*

For an entertaining bit of macabre Indiana history, attend “Hell’s Belle,” Thursday through Sunday (April 30-May 3) at Shelton Auditorium, 1000 W. 42nd Street (southwest corner of Butler University), Indianapolis. For info and tickets, go to southbanktheatre.org.

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*(Edit after original posting, thanks to producer Marcia Eppich-Harris for giving us Troxell’s name.)

Sherlock Holmes, as you’ve never seen her before

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By John Lyle Belden

A different, yet familiar, game is afoot at Mud Creek Players with “Miss Holmes,” by Christopher M. Walsh, based on characters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, directed by Alaina Moore.

By changing the two lead characters to women – Sherlock Holmes (Kylie Adams) and Dr. Dorothy Watson (Kija Renuka) – other aspects of this Victorian-era story shift a bit as well. Holmes merely has to be her eccentric self to find herself in a mental ward, from which her brother, government agent Mycroft Holmes (Tanner Brunson) has to fetch her. Watson struggled to achieve her medical credentials and can only work at a charity hospital (it is her brother who served in Her Majesty’s Army). The hospital’s director, Dr. Anderson (Jennifer Kaufmann), brings the two together, leading to Holmes and Watson sharing the flat at 221-B Baker St., London.

Holmes’ deductive abilities have been mostly in the service of various women around the city, which brings Lizzie Chapman (Emma Fullen) to visit her about a threatening letter she received. Chapman’s husband Thomas (Brandon Wentz) is an Inspector with Scotland Yard, and known to be quite corrupt, though seemingly untouchable. The noble Inspector Geoffery Lestrade (Aaron Beal) has been keeping an eye on him, though.

Thomas Chapman had been married twice before, both dying under suspicious circumstances. Our detectives visit the mother of wife number two, Mrs. Eudora Featherstone (Jennifer Poynter), who has grown suspicious of everyone. Holmes also investigates the very shady Edwin Greener (Lark Green).

Oscar Otero plays Dr. Stamford, Watson’s suitor, as well as Mrs. Featherstone’s snooty nephew Reginald. Kaufmann also plays Holmes’ fussy housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson. Green appears as a doctor at Bedlam. Fullen also plays other roles.

With an excellent feel for the characters as we’ve come to know them in various media, a bit of sly social commentary, and appropriately cheeky humor, we get what Wendy and I think are one of the best performances of Holmes and Watson (of any gender) we’ve ever seen. Adams presents Sherlock’s quick genius and wit, at times impatient that us lesser brains aren’t keeping up, so well, it was as though Benedict Cumberbatch had coached her. Renuka has Watson prove to be his equal, in character if not in intellect, able to seize some moments herself. The unique bond of friendship they develop feels natural.

Brunson projects a confident air that makes it believable that he is both Sherlock’s brother and the keeper of Her Majesty’s secrets. Wentz is excellent as the villain, as Poynter is as a socialite. The others all acquit themselves admirably in their supporting roles – Green portraying likely the nicest thug you’ll ever meet, and Otero the most accommodating boyfriend.

Wendy adds that the mystery at the heart of the plot was also well presented.

This play felt like a well-made pilot to a series (and I’m happy to find that Walsh did write a sequel), a very entertaining and enjoyable take on the great detective. We highly recommend the services of “Miss Holmes,” performances Friday through Sunday, April 24-26, at the Mud Creek Players Barn, 9740 E. 82nd Street, Indianapolis. Get tickets at mudcreekplayers.org.

BCP: The importance of I, You, and We

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By John Lyle Belden

“You’re not really what I expected today.”

Those words are by celebrated playwright Lauren Gunderson, in “I and You,” presented by Buck Creek Players. They are spoken by Caroline, a girl uncertain which will come first – the end of her senior year of high school, or the end of her life.

The words that take on the most meaning are in verses by 19th-century American poet Walt Whitman. Caroline (Piper Williams) is greeted by them – “In this mystery here I stand” – said by unexpected visitor Anthony (Braeden Adams).  They are classmates, though they have never met. She mostly lives in her bedroom, having spent her life in bad health and now needing a liver transplant. He says he is her project partner in American Lit class, needing to make a presentation on the use of “I,” “You,” and “We” in Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.”

She is furious at first, untrusting, rejecting. But he persists that he’s just there to complete the assigned homework and eventually gets to stay. She has no interest in old poetry, then becomes intrigued. He states she should be able to relate to it, a regrettable statement as it hints at the topic of her health. Their verbal dance gets more intricate as it goes along, addressing her condition, getting to know other aspects of each other, learning about his own heartbreak.

Williams and Adams are brilliant in this dramedy pas de deux, directed by Cathy Cutshall, assisted by Scout Dunlevy.

Cutting and catty, Williams gives us the girl in a frustrating situation few can relate with, not so much afraid of death but tired of years of staring it down. She has low tolerance for those being “nice” as she has long learned to sense its shallow cover for others’ discomfort.

With kindly persistence, Adams gives us the boy who likes girls but not interacting with their various moods. This situation has paired him with someone who intrigues him, and whom he can’t help liking – though cautiously. He seems willing to open up, sharing aspects of his life and the things he enjoys, though we sense a bigger secret in his demeanor.

Complete with a treasured Turtle and an energetic air-piano solo, we see this important project through to its end. The result is uplifting, heartwarming and memorable.

As always, all work here is volunteered, including the excellent set design and build (Carolyn’s neatly decorated upstairs bedroom) by Susanne Bush.

BCP is also involving the Indiana Donor Network with an ad in the program and a table in the lobby. For information on becoming an organ donor, visit donatelifeindiana.org.

Performances are Friday through Sunday, April 17-19, at Buck Creek Playhouse, 11150 Southeastern Ave., Indianapolis (Acton Road exit off I-74). See buckcreekplayers.com.

All the Rage

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By John Lyle Belden and Wendy Carson

It’s been a busy month or so for Betty Rage Productions and its founder, Callie Burk-Hartz. The independent company, dedicated to, in its words, “telling interesting stories, creating original comedy, and making sure there is always a bad-ass role for a woman,” has managed all three quite well.

In the first weekend of March, Betty Rage presented an excellent production of the Noel Coward comedy, “Blithe Spirit,” with a cast for whom acting comes as natural as breathing, including Burk-Hartz herself. This was done in cooperation with the Indianapolis Scottish Rite, which provided more than a venue.

“They have been so supportive,” Burk-Hartz said. The relationship started a few years ago, when she found herself seeking a location for her next play. Having relatives in Masonic organizations, she called the Scottish Rite, which happily provided a beautiful theater, technical help, and even props.

Later in March, Betty Rage presented another one-of-a-kind revue of “Lady Bits” at IF Theatre. Drawing from a variety of local women performers, they bring all manner of comedy “bits” including sketches, improv, and standup. The talent is exceptional and the result is wonderful. (See our review of the January show.) “Lady Bits” returns on June 12-13.

The month ended at the IF with Betty Rage hosting FemmeFest, presenting four original one-hour stage productions written and acted by women. As a development venue for these shows, they often felt raw, but with great potential. You may see one or all of these as polished gems in the future:

“BS Conversations” – The Uncut Diamond Alicia Sims presented a one-woman show, or “Monodrama,” performing about a dozen distinct characters who find themselves on a broken-down bus. As they await repairs, surprising connections are made and discovered among these personalities. The result is funny and engaging, and audience members were impressed with her nimble character work.

“Female Troubles” – A sort of cabaret revue by Elle Tyler, directed by Ana Hammersly, in which five women gather to express their blues. Performers are Maria Meschi, Abby Morris, Skye Walker, Anna Zimmerman, and Tyler on piano. They all helped collaborate on their original songs, presented with energy and humor. And honesty – we found ourselves thinking “that was like if you had said, ‘describe Maria in a song’” after her number. The overall feel is reminiscent of the popular “Menopause: The Musical,” but relating more to one’s 20s and 30s, including experiencing motherhood.

“Out of Yard Signs” – This dark comedy by Jacqueline Lidberg Larabee, directed by Ebony Chappel, is a peek behind the scenes of a political campaign in a major city. Headquarters for Major Brooks is reeling after her competitor, Henson, lands an endorsement from a minor celebrity. However, her powerful campaign manager feels that she can overcome this situation, without resorting to one-upping each other with B-list celebrities. Add to this a perky and very motivated intern who also has to deal with a delusional “supporter” who only wants a yard sign to get her husband off her back, and you have a recipe for hilarity and a nice educational lesson on the current political discourse. Hopefully, this show will turn up again with a little more added (we really want to see the results of the impending press conference) as it is a smartly written look at women and race in the current political climate. Performers were Gabrielle Patterson, Andrea “Sapphyre” White, Ezri Braid-Grizzell, and Erin Moore.

“The Shared Stage” – Presented by Robin Kildall with Karin Stratton, Brandi Metzger, Anna Himes, Kait Burch, and Rachelle Martin, this is a series of six 10-minute plays that all entertained well and we hope some of them might be expanded to become a fringe-length offering.

  1. “American Gurl” – Arden, formerly Olivia, brings his fiancé Hannah home for Thanksgiving. While there, Hannah is going to finally get to see the oft-talked about collection of American Girl Dolls Arden grew up with. However, she is unaware that the dolls actually come to life and interact with people, until they suddenly mistake her for their owner. This makes for some delightful whimsy and interesting backstory.
  2. “Railing it Uptown” – Two women, one in black and one in white, are taking the subway home from a day’s excursion in the city. Their interactions are absurdist at times and quaint at others but show that you can never know what a stranger has to offer.
  3. “Still Life, In Zombies” – A retired zombie hunter is pursuing some of her hobbies when a zombie ends up at her door. It’s not one from the labs her daughter runs, so she locks it in the closet for later. After her best friend and another zombie show up, things get a little more complicated. Still, it looks like at least one of her ideas may actually bring about a possible solution to the situation.
  4. “There Once Were Two Clouds in the Sky” – Two clouds, on roller chairs, interact with each other during their short but interesting lifespan. It’s a sweet take on the fleetingness of a lifetime and one’s purpose in the universe.
  5. “Chicken Shoot” – A girl and her stepsister find the remains of the government complex where their father worked. They try to somehow connect with their always distant father, who was more obsessed with his life’s most important project (The Chicken Shoot). While the actual project was both vastly important and truly absurd, it was a part of their lives, however tangentially, and must be acknowledged as must their roles, however secondary, in his life.
  6. “Carole’s, Cuts, and Dyes” – It’s just before Christmas at Carole’s Salon and everyone has some secrets to share. Between the idea of who has known a murderer, Christmas sex, and the true meaning of Christmas, we are taken on a whirlwind of laughs and food for thought that will keep you reminiscing for a while.

For information on what the Bettys are up to, see bettyrageproductions.com.

Phoenix presents quirky quest for a dignified end

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By John Lyle Belden

As often happens, we find the way to feel comfortable about a serious topic is through comedy. You don’t get much more serious than imminent death.

Welcome to “Wasabia,” a fairly new play by Wendy Herlich presented by the Phoenix Theatre, directed by Brian Balcom.

In her senior community apartment, 73-year-old Vivian (Jan Lucas) receives a surprise visit from 19-year-old Carla (Hannah Luciani) who works with a hospice (helping people facing the end of life). During the brilliantly awkward comic encounter, we find that Vivian isn’t dying soon. However, with the onset of Alzheimers, her mind could go at any time.

The stars of this show, though, are Val and Di (Arika Casey and Jennifer Johansen), short for Valium and Digoxin, the principal components in a cocktail of drugs used in physician assisted death; in their words, “your last best friends.” These pharmaceutical personifications wear the best costumes (designed by Brittannie McKenna Travis) and enlighten us on their importance in ending one’s life with dignity. They play attendants at a Terminal for the final destination, as well as game show hosts of “The Suffering Contest.”

Andrew Martin plays Brody, nephew of the person Carla was supposed to work with before accidentally going to Vivian’s door. Goofy but well-meaning, he becomes critical to the plot.

Lucas plays Vivian like the role was written for her, giving a master class in playing a stubborn curmudgeon with wisdom and dry humor that plainly argues her perspective. Her sharp copy-editor brain is her most prized possession, slipping away, and she desperately seeks to personally complete her story’s final draft.

Luciani gives full dimension to a young woman with issues of her own, mainly from losing her mother to cancer months earlier. She understands giving comfort in the face of death, but reacts as many of us would at hastening its arrival. In her own way, she is reaching a threshold in dealing with inner pain.

Casey also cameos as Wanda, a former hospice nurse. In addition, Jackie Mahon (assistant to stage manager Denielle Buckel Klein) appears in a Val & Di song-and-dance number.

Balcom, a widely accomplished director and no stranger to personal challenges, strikes an excellent balance between the humor and pathos, the former giving insight into aspects of the latter.  Herlich gave him excellent material derived from, in her words, “deep engagement of the topic” both in research and personal experience.

You likely have your own feelings on death with dignity laws and practices (an authorizing bill in the Indiana state legislature apparently failed). This play should be part of the important national conversation around it.

The title? Referred to obliquely, it’s apparently somewhere you don’t want to be trapped, though many of us are headed there. “Wasabia” runs through April 12 in the Basille black box stage of the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org.

Lessons beyond language in ‘English’ at IRT

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By John Lyle Belden

In the United States, we take for granted speaking one of the most confoundingly complex languages on Earth. Still, for various reasons millions of people around the world insist on learning it.

“English,” a light-hearted drama on the serious pursuit of another language, was an MFA thesis project for Sanaz Toossi, the American daughter of Iranian immigrants. Since the play won a Pulitzer Prize in 2023, we presume she was awarded her degree. The Indiana Repertory Theatre now presents the local premiere on the intimate Janet Allen Stage, directed by Persian American educator Azar Kazemi with a mostly Iranian-American cast.

The setting is a classroom in a city near Teheran in 2008. Marjan (Neagheen Homifar), a teacher who had spent some years in the U.K., is instructing an “advanced learners” course to prepare for the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, a necessity for finding work and other opportunities in English-speaking countries.

Elham (Natasha Behnam) has an adversarial relationship with English, having failed the TOEFL before, but needs it to pursue medical studies in Australia. Roya (Leyla Modirzadeh) wants to better communicate with her grandchildren in Canada. Omid (Revon Yousif) has cousins in the States. Goli (Emelia Maryam Mosay) is just 18 and looking to expand her horizons.

“English Only,” Marjan writes on the dry-erase board. This is not only typical of an immersive language class, but also a hint at the way dialogue is portrayed in the play. When we hear accents and stilted speech, it is these characters’ speaking in classroom English. When they converse more freely (in English), it is what we hear translated from Farsi (modern Persian, the language spoken in Iran).

There is a brief exchange in actual Farsi late in the play, helping us experience not just the isolating effect of a very different tongue, but also to note its flowing poetic nature. The characters treasure it for this, while Goli notes that English presents more function than flavor, like rice in a meal.

While for audiences, relating to current and past international events is unavoidable, such controversies are outside the scope of the play. The adversary for these students is not the people of other lands, but their language which has overtaken global communication. They struggle with pronunciations and wrestle with idioms. Not all of these pupils will finish the course. In this way, the themes of this drama become more relatable – especially the feeling of abandoning or even betraying their culture in learning to converse and even think as those outside their world do.

Homaifar as Marjan keeps the classes upbeat, often fun, with classroom games and even the use of American and British films to learn linguistic quirks. Her patient encouragement reminds us of favorite educators from our youth. Still, moments of uncertainty about her work creep in.

Benham and Modirzadeh each portray bitter pessimism sharpened by cultural pride. Mosay  is eager and open. Yousif’s Omid seems more fluent than he lets on, as his motives grow suspect.

A simple classroom delivers numerous lessons for all of us in “English,” running through April 4 upstairs in the IRT, 140 W. Washington St. in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. See irtlive.com for tickets and information.