comedy

IndyFringe: Something funny going on

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

This is part of the annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe 2026, held Aug. 13-23 in venues around downtown Massachusetts Ave. Information at indyfringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden with Wendy Carson

Reviews of: “All You Can Eat,” by American Lives Theatre; “Boy Meets Musical,” by Matt Day; “Breakneck Midsummer Night’s Dream,” by Timothy Mooney Repertory Co.; “The Matt Kraft Comedy Hour,” by Matt Kraft (and friends); “The Phantom of Diopra, IL,” by Diopra Arts Theatre; “Scouts’ Honor,” by Defiance Comedy; “Unalived & Lowkey Forgotten,” by Betty Rage.  

At IndyFringe, the sure-fire ticket sellers are the shows that make us laugh – sometimes at things we can’t believe we’re finding funny. From Shakespeare to new works, IndyFringe 2026 had quite the selection. Speaking of which:

All You Can Eat

American Lives Theatre gets into the act again with a one-act by Christopher Wittman, directed by Jacob David Lang, set in the first decade of the 2000s at a restaurant of a buffet pizza chain near a shopping mall on Black Friday.

Jaded workers Michelle and Luke (Evangeline Bouw and Dakota Reed), with upbeat young Crissy (Cara Wilson) – who just scored a new iPod Nano – are preparing for what will likely be a hellish shift, made worse by the idealistic new guy, Brandon (Henry Mumaw) being late. Manager Jerri (Zarah Shejule) puts on a brave face, has a sign made saying “No Black Friday Deals” (the buffet is already five bucks), and prepares for the worst (i.e. the customers).

This workplace comedy is an entertaining look at the pains of working fast food, seeking purpose in such employment, the ordeal of a trial-by-fire first day on the job, and the odd but genuine camaraderie these crew members share. Adding to this flavor, while Luke is out on an errand, Reed returns as various interesting and often frustrating customers, including the dreaded “Buffet Killer.”

It’s also a bit of nostalgia (the iPod Nano was introduced 20 years ago) to back when Black Friday and shopping malls were more of a thing, as well as the pizzeria we’ll call “DiDi’s.”  

This ALT production was a world premiere for Hoosier playwright Wittman. We could definitely go back for another slice.

Boy Meets Musical

(Review by Wendy Carson)

Note that you do not have to be familiar with the source material to enjoy this show, but you will miss out on a few of the inside jokes.

We begin with Jess (Elizabeth Enderle) watching TV when the announcement of a freak storm is approaching the area. She turns on her favorite show, “Boy Meets World” to watch.

It’s the start of Corey’s (Edgar Tisdale) senior year. He and the gang, Topanga (Kathleen Cicero) and Shawn (Sean Stroup) are looking forward to no longer having to deal with his big brother, Eric (Ryan Powell) and hopefully avoiding interactions with bullies Joey the Rat (Chase Cornelius) & Frankie the Enforcer (Josh Gregory). However, it seems that there is no escaping Mr. Feeney (Preston Dildine).

Suddenly, there is a strange flash of lightning and our main characters, as well as a few other sitcom stars (Morgan Roof and Zachary Adkins), are transported to the current time and place. They enlist Jess’s help to find out what happened and get them back to where they belong.

Presented by Player 2 Productions, with book, music, and lyrics by Matt Day, this show is a madcap look at our past, present and future as well as a hilarious send-up of all the typical TGIF tropes many grew up with.

Breakneck Midsummer Night’s Dream

The irony of Tim Mooney’s “Breakneck” Shakespeare shows is that while these hours-long plays each get reduced to just under an hour (per Fringe festival requirements), for the audience the Bard’s work gets surprisingly expanded. We come to understand more about the plays than what is given by the staging and dialogue. With historical epics, it’s like an entertaining college lecture.

Mooney, like the play’s trickster, throws a curve in the formula with his “Breakneck Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Most noticeably the Tim Mooney Repertory Theatre is not just himself solo, but joined by a cast of Fringe all-stars from across the U.S. This includes local actor Matt Anderson, with Chris Bruzzini, Schmoo Cutlip, Maggie Killian, and Beth Byrd-Lonski as Puck.

We get a bit of commentary, spread among the company. However, the play largely speaks for itself. As is done when “Midsummer” is tightly cast, actors reappear as parts of the three character subsets: the noble Athenians, the Faerie court, and the humble Mechanicals rehearsing a play for the first group, while trespassing on the second. The result is bright, funny and entertaining. It’s edited not only to fit time, but also to enhance clarity so that even a first-timer to this comedy gets the full effect.

Compared to other Breakneck works, though, for those of us familiar with the material there is little additional value. It’s like a nice Reader’s Digest Condensed Shakespeare play. I feel there are aspects that could use some context – like why Athens (perhaps for Greek-inspired magic folk?); what would contemporary (1600s) audiences have understood that we don’t; and what’s the deal with “Pyramus & Thisbe” anyway?

Find the wide array of Mooney’s entertainments, from Shakespeare to famous speeches to his original tragicomedy, “Man Cave,” at timmooneyrep.com.

The Matt Kraft Comedy Hour

Local actor Matt Kraft is brilliant in dramatic roles, which could help explain his sharply wicked sense of humor. He has crafted it into an absurd weapon of mass hilarity in “The Matt Kraft Comedy Hour,” his follow-up to past Fringe entries, “Doctors of Sketch Comedy” and comic fantasia “Somebody That I Used to Know.”

Joined by co-conspirator TJ O’Neil, with Anna Himes, Audrey Stonerock , Morgan Morton, and Zachariah Stonerock, Kraft crafts scenes that are both bizarre and side-splitting. He manages to make televised golf commentary less boring, promote devotion to reading a best-seller, give a candy bar gravitas, send up pretentiously precise restaurant menus (“this is why I don’t come to Carmel”), and inquire why Mr. Jones isn’t teaching his class – all in the worst and most (find more synonyms for funny) way!

To top it off, there is what looks like a sort of long-form improv gone hilariously mad: the Oscar-worthy “Scorsese’s Pride & Prejudice.” (Rated R, of course.)

We’re big on hyperbole and talking stuff up here at PWJW, but everyone we talked to – including fellow Fringe funny-man Jason Adams, who said he wants to produce a full-length “SP&P” – agreed in comparing this to renowned professional comedy sketch shows like Kids in the Hall, Mr. Show, Tim & Eric, The State, and In Living Color. Looking locally, I found the situation set-ups much like the short plays of Mark Harvey Levine, but with a lot more adult language.

Matt Kraft must do more of this. He simply must. Please encourage him.

The Phantom of Diopra, IL

Full disclosure: Wendy and I consider Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” to be the most overrated musical ever. However, whether you agree or are a rabid fan of “The Music of the Night,” you would love “The Phantom of Diopra, IL: A Parody.”

Presented by Jordan McQuiston with Elizabeth Enderle, Jackson Lee, Abby White, Anna Meyer, Kelsie Uselman, Chris Enderle, and Aleesia McQuiston, they bring the horror story from an old French novel to a small-town opera house in Illinois. Everyone seems clueless as to how to stop a mysterious masked man’s reign of terror – or clueless, full stop, except for our diva whom the Phantom covets.

We find the limits of love, obsesson, Stockholm syndrome, and the use of copyright works in a parody. For instance, did you know you can sing the alphabet to the ALW score? Also, what happens when you don’t have the budget for the “Masquerade” scene. And it’s not just all for laughs, there is some seriously good singing in this show, as well.

Looking over McQuiston’s body of work, we note he is big on making these serious shows funnier while still entertaining. Add Diopra, IL, to that map.

Scouts’ Honor

(Review by Wendy Carson)

Defiance Comedy has raided the cookies jar and given us a sweet look into the ins and outs of scouting and cookies sales with a healthy sprinkling of courtroom drama added in.

New scout in town Lacy (Hannah Embree) is on trial for various offenses but insists she is not guilty of any of them. As each of her troop members is called to the stand, we see the various situations that have brought them to this point.

Previous Troop Leader, Mindy (Amy Reader) tells of how she brought stories of all the fancy rewards her previous troop regularly had, which led to her being stripped of her title and Lacy taking it. Veronica (Samantha J. Lewis) tells of the horrible Saturday they had to spend in Mr. Gary’s – you can call him Glen (Clay Mabbitt) – sales seminar. Nestor Clamslammer (Amy Reader), of the Irvington Clamslammers, tells of how he was threatened and kidnapped by Lacy and Debbie (John Kern) for non-payment of his cookie debt. Janice (Kelsey VanVoorst) would just rather be hugging everyone. Meanwhile, Troop Mom (Devan O’Malia Mathais) is so fiercely driven by her money-hungry ways, that her intentions are more suspect than Lacy’s.

Add to this craziness Emily Bohannon as the vindictive Prosecutor, John Kern as the inept Defense Attorney, Clay Mabbitt as the very loud Bailiff and Rob Johnansen as Judge Honeysuckle, who must somehow oversee this craziness, and you have the perfect recipe for a hilarious Fringe Show.

Unalived & Lowkey Forgotten

When Betty Rage Productions goes for laughs, it’s always one heck of a show. For this one, put “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “Grey Gardens,” “Ghost Hunters” shows, and the famous Joan Crawford/Bette Davis rivalry all in a blender, and cover it with an almost-popular podcast.

What we get is “Unalived & Lowkey Forgotten,” the name of a young woman’s pod about people who were once famous but are now merely dead. She has come across the Folly Theatre, where old frenemies Margo and Dottie died in a fire during their run of “Arsenic: The Musical” years ago. They still hang around, of course, keeping the orphan handyman who lives there (the only one who can see them) busy. With the help of some puppets and the magic words “I remember it like it was yesterday,” we learn the whole sad (yet funny) tragic story.

You can tell Callie Burk-Hartz and friends had fun with this one. We get a goofy multiple murder mystery, ghost story, and tale of personal and professional redemption, all served with some (memories of) L.S. Ayres Tea Room chicken velvet soup.

This ranks as Callie’s second-biggest accomplishment of the month – the first being Festival Director of the whole darn Fringe.

IndyFringe: Just making stuff up

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

This is part of the annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe 2026, held Aug. 13-23 in venues around downtown Massachusetts Ave. Information at indyfringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Reviews of: “Ad Libs: The Show: The Experience!” by Cryptid Entertainment; “Improvised Stephen King,” by Mark Cashwell; “Welcome to Nowhere,” by Shelf Sabotage Improv. 

There are performers in central Indiana with a particular set of skills: they will find you; they will get words from you; and they will make you laugh. (Hope you read that in Liam Neeson voice.)

Every Fringe festival has its Improv acts, which are tricky for reviewers like me to write up. By the nature of the show, no two performances are alike, and can have vastly different “plots.” Also, audience participation and energy are vital to an enjoyable show. Skillful performers can salvage reluctant suggestions or feedback, but to really bring the funny, an engaged crowd (the bigger, the better) is a must.  

Ad Libs

The popularity of Cryptid Entertainment and the talents of its actors made this a promising selection for your Fringe ticket. Tony Schaab is a natural as our smarmy host of a long-form improv involving a number of “Who’s Line” style games. There are a few things to help guide the made-up-on-the-spot story his fellow local performers will present. On the way in, there’s a choice of three exotic animals for which audience members can vote. We later find the winner fills in the blank in “The Case of the Missing [blank].” Audience members are also given envelopes, most containing options to choose among to guide the narrative.

The story progresses through games including “Sound Effects,” “Props” (bringing an audience member on stage to select), “Party Quirks,” “Alphabet,” and finally “Survivor,” in which the final scene is reenacted again and again, with fewer actors each time.

In the end, at least at the performance I attended, the platypus from the mall with the J.C. Penney was recovered safely, and in entertaining fashion.

The Cryptids have shown themselves to be excellent at both scripted material and wild improvisation. Weeks earlier, they performed a role-playing-game themed improv (featuring Schaab as Bigfoot) at GenCon.  

Improvised Stephen King

Mark Cashwell is both a great actor and an improviser with a gift for brilliantly playing the host of a game or talk show. This time, he combines these skills to give a deadpan presentation of the Master of Horror himself, complete with dark wig and darker attitude.

Mr. King needs to write another bestseller, and is out of ideas, so he will revisit one of his hits. Using audience response, he chooses among “It,” “The Shining,” “Carrie,” and “Misery.” The rest of the show is a suggestion-guided re-enactment of the selected novel/movie.

The performance I attended did “Carrie.” It turned out very well, in part because the highly talented actor and improvisor Frankie Bolda took on the title role. No pigs were harmed, though some chairs were endangered by bouts of hilarious telekinesis, and Carrie even got to live – at least until the clown with the balloon showed up.

Cashwell has given us a wide variety of improvised adventures over the last several years; this makes an excellent addition, especially for those in a macabre mood.

Welcome to Nowhere

Newer addition to the local comedy scene, Shelf Sabotage Improv, presents a long-form improvisation with plenty of audience input for their several-member troupe. The story involves a quirky small town with a weird name, a unique annual festival, an unusual teen fad, an unconventional varsity sport at the high school, and perhaps an exotic animal on the loose.

Just a normal day in [blank].

The performers did well on picking up on all the often bizarre things we shouted to them, crafting a surprisingly cohesive narrative, complete with occasional callbacks and a satisfying conclusion.  Even when we set up a juxtaposition too weird for the player who had been offstage when we set it up to guess, the results were still funny.

Here’s hoping we see more of Shelf Sabotage.

–

All three of these shows were held in the Arabian Room of the Murat Shrine Club, a regular supporter of the IndyFringe festival.

IndyFringe: The Kids Are Alright

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

This is part of the annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe 2026, held Aug. 13-23 in venues around downtown Massachusetts Ave. Information at indyfringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Reviews of: “Cicada,” by Carmel High School; “JACKED: A Beanstalk Remix,” by KIPP Legacy High School; “Queens,” by University High School of Indiana; “Whatever Happened to Gold D. Locks?” by Sondra E. Hayes Productions.

Fringe festivals are excellent opportunities to develop skills as well as stories, which makes them perfect for high school and youth programs. As with all forms and genres represented in Fringe, the quality and appeal of each performance differs, and with those whom we know up front are learning their craft, we grant more understanding. I have found that once you give that degree of grace, you find a good story, the noble intentions, individual bravery, and even those young persons with the spark and drive to shine on future stages.

Cicada

(Review by Wendy Carson)

Carmel High School brings us another heartfelt offering with this Southern Gothic steamer. Lily (Lexie Palmer) lives alone with her son, Ace (Jack McNalley). However, they are surrounded by the ghosts of those who have also lived there. We meet Lily’s big sister (Jenna Kraus) who died as a child; Granny Duvall (Hadley Wilkinson), who had actually raised her; and Aunt Sister (Lucy Frey) who came to live with her after Lanora passed on.

We also meet their neighbor, Lanora (Lilyanne Nottingham), who is haunted by memories of her husband (Ron Feinberg) and his struggles for the perfect lawn. Ace wonders about his absent father (Ron Feinberg) and conjures his own memories of him.

Maaike Mora is present as the specter who plays the piano and Maisan Hasan is the voice of the preacher Granny Duvall idolized.

Jerry Dye directs this sweeping tale of loss, memories, and hauntings of one kind or another.

JACKED: A Beanstalk Remix

Established in 2019, KIPP Legacy High School has developed a full array of extracurricular activities, including theatre. For the second year, the students present a show at IndyFringe, giving valuable experience not just in performance, but also in mounting a show in a professional environment. This year’s offering shows growing comfort with their expectations.

With rhymes recited in hip-hop style, we meet Jack – the one with the old cow. Mother tells him to sell her, because she will produce no more milk. However, he considers the animal a pet or even a friend, and when Minka Mysterio comes by with some magic beans and a promise that the cow won’t see a butcher, the famous deal is struck. You can guess what happens next: angry Mom throws away beans; they sprout anyway, making the skyward beanstalk; Jack climbs, discovers a Giant, a talking Harp, and a Goose that lays golden eggs; he opts to steal the bird; the Giant follows him down the stalk – a fatal mistake.

That would be the whole fairy tale, except the show isn’t halfway over.

There is far more allegory here than you, or Jack, expect. We deal with damage from a falling giant; the village being off the gold standard; a more troublesome use for the eggs; as well as the inevitable, upset, Mrs. Giant.

The students work this complex story with upbeat aplomb, making the most of each role. The goose, with a look of frustration and fatigue, gets a lot of amusing expression from her single-word “dialogue.” Minka’s mischief and Jack’s earnestness each shine.

Overall production improvement shows, giving us hope that the school will appear at Fringe for years to come.

Queens

Though the subject matter is the same, this is not “Six.” University High School of Indiana in Carmel presents the story of the wives of England’s King Henry VIII, drawing on historical material, including songs, rhymes and dances of the era, as well as more appropriate costumes.

Henry Tudor is chained to a throne in Purgatory, attended by a Jester, his tormenter. Also on hand are the spirits of all six of his wives to relate the stories of their lives and treatment by their monarch until he truly repents. To relate the events, the women dance or gather through various functions, reflecting the news, speculation, and rumor of Royal society. There is also a Young Henry who each encounters, marries, and deals with his rough temper and selfish pride.

Besides a well-told history narrative, there are lessons for us today, especially in the hazards of obsession. This is most expressed in Henry’s consuming desire for a son to succeed him. When at last one is born, after which his second wife dies, it is declared, “Her life for a boy!” Chained Henry responds, “My soul, for a boy.”

The presentation and choreography are excellent, as well as the various portrayals. The true-to-the-era personalities even included one maiden who enjoyed watching executions.

There were only two performances at the 2026 Fringe, so hopefully this proved a good opportunity for bigger investment in a future festival.

Whatever Happened to Gold D. Locks?

This new take on an old fairy tale was truly a family affair. Written and directed by Sondra E. Hayes, “…Gold D. Locks” is cast with at least three families of parents and their children. Kids get a lot of action and speaking lines, especially young B.B. Bear, whose chair was broken and porridge eaten; the Raccoon crime-watch captain who saw it happen, and the title character, a presumptuous Human who is caught and put on trial in the Woods court.

Before the show starts, every member of the audience is urged to put on a provided animal mask, so that we may observe the trial as the jury. No votes are taken, but we are encouraged, with prompts projected on the back screen, to respond (with animal noises) to the events on the stage.

In their own costumes and masks, we see the court of an Eagle judge with an Owl defense attorney, Badger prosecutor (there is at least one accusation of “badgering the witness”), and Fox sheriff and court officer, with his Kit appearing as the Bailiff to hold the Book of Virtuous Stories for swearing in. (“My Mother told me never to swear!” Gold responds.)

With its added subplots of environment and conservation, as well as admonitions not to judge one another unjustly, this was an excellent all-ages show and perfect for younger children. There were many giggles, from young and old, when the Turtle jury foremen slow-but-steadily made their way up to the stage to leisurely deliver the verdict.

IndyFringe: The ‘pwocess’ of Magic

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

This is part of the annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe 2026, held Aug. 13-23 in venues around downtown Massachusetts Ave. Information at indyfringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Stage magic has always been a big part of IndyFringe, though it was a little harder to find in 2026. Aside from longtime Fringe favorite Taylor Martin (and his various personae) busking on Mass Avenue, there were two performers seeking to amaze and amuse, each in their own unique way:

Real Magic

Fringe veteran Jordan Allen returns with a fairly traditional array of illusions, but this time he presents less familiar feats of prestidigiditation. During the preview, he revealed his magical light bulb, which – while easy to say it’s a magic-shop prop – he presents in a manner that invites a little wonder that is sustained by much harder-to-guess tricks.

His thesis in this show, reflected in the title, is that the “real” magic is that aspect of our minds that is open to small impossibilities, like a coin popping into the sealed bottom of a bottle with a neck too narrow to allow it in from the top.

There are cards, and kerchiefs, and a 1999 half-dollar that just won’t stay put, worked with well-practiced sleight of hand and professional presentation. In addition, he takes on a bit of mentalism with the words audience members write on slips of paper.

Allen admitted at the top of the hour that these are fairly new bits for his act, so there was a slip or two, but we all had fun being his test subjects. His evolution doesn’t take him away from the familiar magic wand and nice jacket, while showing us that he’s not quite an old dog and there is always room for new tricks.

Based out of Louisville, Ky., Jordan Allen performs throughout the region. Find him on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Mr. Ow

Making a first-time appearance at IndyFringe is Tozy, a magician/clown/etc. from Reno, Nev., as Mr. Ow, a big pink brain worm with a positive attitude and an Elmer Fudd accent.

As she resides “in your bwain” this is an entertaining hour of whimsical mentalism, flavored with cheeky humor. Faced with a room full of people with minds to dazzle, she does a fair amount of audience interaction, bringing three people down to the stage for more fun. With the help of her tarot-esque deck of “thought” cards, and written answers to specific questions, she progresses from mental marvels to a “silly game” with what feels like serious stakes.

Even the tricky nature of the plastic worm costume works into the act. When a card or other prop is knocked to the floor, she reassures us with a smile that it’s never an error, just part of her magical “pwocess.” And there is more to her tubular garb than first appears.

Presented with audacious charm and peppered with affirmations and encouragement, this was one of the best magical soft clown invertebrate shows I’ve ever seen. Here’s hoping Tozy – in whatever form – makes her way back to Indianapolis soon.

IndyFringe: Cowboy Meg’s Saturday Morning Roundup

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

This is part of the annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe 2026, held Aug. 13-23 in venues around downtown Massachusetts Ave. Information at indyfringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Come on out, Little Buckaroos, and join a live taping of “Cowboy Meg’s Saturday Morning Roundup”. Meet the regular cast members: Morning Grind (Paige Vanzo), Postmaster Malone (Kevin McLane), and Bessie the Cow (Kielynn Tally or Kelsey VanVoorst), as well as some new visitors including Mr. Undertaker (Vanzo).

Although it seems that Cowboy Meg (Meg McLane) may have lost a step and a few things seem awry, the Stage Manager (Jamie Rich) is always there to help get things back on track or play a commercial to keep us entertained. All in all, this is a rip-roaring good time for all, and an excellent showcase for local actor and improv comic Meg.

So, when you get the chance, round up all of your own little buckaroos and give this show a big “Yee Haw!”

IndyFringe: I Came Out (Not Ahead)

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

This is part of the annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe 2026, held Aug. 13-23 in venues around downtown Massachusetts Ave. Information at indyfringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Jeff McKinney is no stranger to the IndyFringe stages, but he seems to have hit his stride with “I Came Out (Not Ahead): The Wheels of Misfortune,” in which good friend Kristi Zobel interviews his about his long, crazy – but fun – road to his current success..

Or, as he puts it, his “rags to paper towels and slightly better toilet paper” story.

We meet Uncle Pooder, Aunt Fizz and the others who shaped his childhood. Learn about the 4 D’s (dinner, drinks, drugs, and dicks) as well as the fact that he has earned a PhD and was a teacher for more than 20 years. There are so many stories he has to draw upon, and they will all keep you entertained.

McKinney’s Jeff Kidding Me Comedy presents shows from time to time at The District Theatre, and provides leadership and communications expertise through his talents. See jeffkiddingmecomedy.com.

School is such a Drag in parody musical

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

By John Lyle Belden

Twenty years later, it can by forgiven to forget what an outright phenomenon the 2006 Disney Channel movie “High School Musical” was. Featuring a clever script by Peter Barsocchini and the rising talents of Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale, this teenage tale of defying expectations soared far above typical Disney Channel fare, winning Emmys, Teen Choice Awards, and devoted fans, leading to sequels and more.

Indy Drag Theatre, phenomenal in its own way, apparently gave it a look and said, “b!tch, let’s do this!”

To keep the litigious Mouse at bay, IDT fiercely presents “Night School Musical: A Drag Parody” at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, directed by Natalie Port Ma’am and Madison Avenue with choreography by Meadowlark Lane.* This cast of drag queens and kings lip-synch the original musical – playing it more-or-less straight, so to speak – with some fabulous enhancements including surprise song additions and “Glee” references to keep it all in campy parody mode.

Dragnar Johnson portrays Troy, the star of the Wildcat basketball team and son of its coach (played by Maurice Mantini), who happens to sing well and considers trying out for the Winter Musicale to get with cutie Gabriella (A.J. Thoma), who aspires to be more than a math-nerd. Having rivals for the lead roles does not sit well with Broadway-obsessed Sharpay (April Rose) and her brother Ryan (Tad Strange); fortunately, theatre teacher Ms. Darbus (Norah Borealis) is on their side.

Schoolmates are portrayed by Sydnie Blair, King Kairi, Lollypop Lyx, Iliana a la Mode, Taron Closeoff, Eli Rose, Rodick, Long Schlong Johnson, Canila C, Caroline Rogers, Jakkie Lupia, Gayle Thyme, and Manatea.

The look and style of drag add just enough magical realism to get us into this fantasy of high school life, where championships on the line are as high-stakes as it gets, and cliques and assumed roles can be overcome by song-and-dance numbers. Earnest professional performances by all rekindle the magic that makes this such an enduring hit.

Credit where due: Costume design is by Maria Fruit; makeup design by Calyko Magick-Waffle; wig design by Oriana Peron with Mackenna Mullins as wig tech; set design by Miss Kay-Ottic with props by Alish Forner; lighting design by Pauly Crumpacker; and stage manager is Brian Kitta, with stage crew Tricera Tits and production manager Mason Veselsky. Superlatives all.

Want to get in on the act? Before the show there is a VIP raffle to win a moment on the stage during one of the scenes.

This is in the main stage of the Phoenix, 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis, but all those seats will likely fill fast, Friday through Sunday evenings and Saturday and Sunday matinees, Aug. 28-30. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org and info at indydragtheatre.org.

–

*(Note: Out of respect for the art form and its performers, they are identified by their Drag names as given in the show program.)

IndyFringe: LOLCow

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

This is part of the annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe 2026, held Aug. 13-23 in venues around downtown Massachusetts Ave. Ticketing and other information at indyfringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Casey Ross is not only a long-time Fringe creator, but she is also known for her brilliant ability to portray dialogue as a true conversational art form. However, since her personal tastes sometimes run only somewhat adjacent to the mainstream, she is not as well known as she deserves to be.

“LOLCow,” her latest offering, is a brilliant diatribe on Influencer Culture, the power of the internet, the price of fame, and trust in today’s world. Sadly, I feel most of her audience will not see this. Those who take the play at face value could miss the delicate nuances of the script.

While on the surface it is the story of two somewhat awful people abusing themselves and each other for their own purposes, it shows how the 24/7 news cycle and internet culture have led to the monetization and prevalence of the worst of society for the enjoyment of others. (The title references the urge to “milk” a meme for more online fame.)

I will admit that this show is not for everyone, but I request you do consider watching it, bringing an open mind and an inquisitive eye to try to catch the real message underneath the “spectacle.”

Presented by Catalyst Repertory, performances are 12:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22-23, in the Basile Theatre at IF (719 E. St. Clair).

IndyFringe: Teeny Tiny Tempest

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

This is part of the annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe 2026, held Aug. 13-23 in venues around downtown Massachusetts Ave. Ticketing and other information at indyfringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Consummate local favorites Paige Scott and Jason Adams once again bring their talents together for this delightful retelling of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” Using simplistic props and traditional storytelling methods, they mine both the humor and the utter whimsy of their source material.

Never have I been more entertained, by the story or its presentation. This show highlights every nuance and skill of both actors while keeping the audience so engaged you dare not blink lest you miss a second. This is truly the best show the two have ever attempted and fully deserves the huge crowds it keeps drawing.

Luckily, there are still three performances left in which to experience the exquisite pleasure of the duo and their abilities. Presented in the Barnes & Thornburg Blackbox Theatre at IF (719 E. St. Clair), see them at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22-23, appropriate for ages 13 and up. Miss them at your own peril.

Neighbors take offense while building a fence in CCP comedy

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

By John Lyle Belden

It’s said that “good fences make good neighbors,” but that depends on where the fence is.

At least that’s the case with “Native Gardens,” the comedy by Karen Zacarias presented by Carmel Community Players at The Cat, directed by Lori Raffel. Set nowadays in a nice Washington D.C. neighborhood, near-retired couple Frank and Virginia Butley welcome young couple Pablo and Tania Del Valle, who buy the home next door.

Frank (Larry Adams), who worked for the General Services Administration and does consulting from home, takes pride in the yard and flowerbed he has crafted with great care for years, hoping to finally rise above Second Place in the local gardening competition.

Virginia (Vickie Cornelius Phipps) is a strong-willed woman from a Polish-American family, now a top engineer with a major defense contractor. She doesn’t hesitate to speak her mind.

Pablo (Oscar Otero Ortiz), who was disowned by his wealthy family in Chile for marrying a poor “United Statsian,” worked his way through law school and has been accepted to a major D.C. firm. He hopes to make partner.

Tania (Yolanda Valdivia), from New Mexico – her family was there when it was just “Mexico” – is about to complete her doctorate in Social Work as well as her obvious pregnancy. Her plans for the Del Valles’ back yard are a bit different from what’s on Frank’s side: keep the big oak tree, no pesticides, and all plants native to the area.

One thing both couples can agree on is that the chain-link fence between them must go!

Replacing this barrier with a nice wooden fence must happen quickly, as Pablo impulsively invited his fellow attorneys – including a named senior partner – to his backyard for a barbecue the next weekend. However, when work begins, a routine property survey leads to a bizarre “border war.” How neighborly!

What could start out as a bit of a fish-out-of-water situation soon becomes a meditation on precisely whose “water” this is. Being near the nation’s Capital, there are political overtones – the Butleys are right-of-center, more Bush-era Republicans than the current strain; while the Del Valles are more left-of-center (New Mexico is demographically Democratic) and Tania considers herself Latinx. This informs their actions regarding what each one feels entitled to, as they work within their differing paradigms to be good people.

Our four actors deliver great examples of being bitter without becoming unlikable, as each flashes from friendly to comically enraged at a moment’s notice. As words are said (including a swear in Spanish), acorns are thrown, and legal action threatened, there seems to be little actual malice.

Katherine Floyd, Jacob Slager, and stage manager Susan Yeaw work efficiently as “Mr. Mow It All” yard services, doing the fence removal, survey, contract work and scene changes.

Kudos to Joyce Pendleton for her set decoration of the beautiful flower gardens and realistic tree.

“Native Gardens” is like a fun sitcom with lots of subtext about differing views of land and our relationships to it and each other. It points not to a position of right or wrong, but rather – however we individually see things – to being good neighbors.

Performances run through Aug. 16 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way in the heart of downtown Carmel. See carmelplayers.org or thecat.biz.