comedy

CCP: Living in an idealized past not easy

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By John Lyle Belden

“Home, I’m Darling,” by British playwright and screenwriter Laura Wade, is not often seen outside the UK, where it’s set. However, the central character is captured by the nostalgia of the 1950s as envisioned by popular American television and movies, despite her having been born in England in 1980. 

Carmel Community Players presents a unique production of this Olivier Award-winning comedy at The Cat, directed by Nicole Ansler.

Judy (Lori Ann Gerdisch) and Johnny (Kevin Smith) appear to have the perfect happy marriage – if this were a black-and-white sitcom. Puttering around the kitchen in a pretty dress with pearls and a frilly apron, Judy seems happy to cook and clean at a home in which nearly all appliances and furniture date to the 1950s while Johnny, smartly dressed including a hat, goes to work as a real estate agent. The one concession to 21st century living is a laptop for ordering more vintage stuff online. She only listens to old records and watches old films on a disc player wired into a modified old telly, and has embraced the lifestyle to the extent that she rarely swears and finds herself surprised that Johnny’s boss Alex (Brynn Lee) is a woman.

Judy’s best friend Fran (Amalia Howard) is impressed at how clean the home is and notes her husband Marcus (Mike Sosnowski) wouldn’t mind her living a similar life – though she likes her job. On the other hand, Judy’s mother Sylvia (Barbara Babbitt), a diehard feminist, is quick to point out how uncomfortable she is with the whole situation.

This production includes a clever addition: To help intensify the surreal atmosphere – and give the cast more time for costume changes –there are various 50s-60s style TV commercials between scenes, presented with “Mad Men” charm by Tanya Haas and Mark Livingston, with Jason Creighton voicing the announcer. Products include yellow margarine, smooth-smoking cigarettes, and whitening toothpaste for those pesky yellow stains. Written by Amsler after receiving permission from Wade, these bits are among the highlights of the show. Haas even gets to perform an ad jingle.

This retro paradise quickly shows its flaws as money gets tight with Johnny not likely to get the promotion they were counting on. While Fran tries recipes and household hints from one of Judy’s old books, Marcus is caught in a situation that, in these days, gets more serious attention.

“Nostalgia used to be considered a mental disease” is said, and there seem to be deeper issues at play. This is especially true of Judy, whom Gerdisch plays with iron stubbornness tinged with fear. As we learn about her unusual childhood, her attachment to an idealized world becomes clear, edging on cautionary tale.

Meanwhile Johnny is finding himself disconnected from life, stuck more in an acted role than a voluntary lifestyle. Smith, who can’t help looking a bit like Don Draper, shows his manly strength in a rather un-50s manner, with a hope that he can still reach his time-warped wife.  

Howard charms with her supportive personality, though that trait gets sorely tested. While others play at living in the past, Sosnowski’s character Marcus is more of a throwback. Babbitt plays Sylvia as a loving and concerned mother who could grab a sign to join a march. Lee’s Alex is our anchor to the current era – modern suit, cell phone handy – not judging while focused on practical matters.

The choice was made by Amsler, to the relief of the cast, to not attempt British accents. With numerous idioms and references to English cities, there was no attempt to adapt the script to the U.S. (this story is good for practically any English-speaking culture, and has been staged in Australia). I feel this approach works, as it makes the play more relatable, and attempting the accents (especially considering regional dialects) could end up being distracting or even come off farcical, diluting the serious subtext of this already oddball comedy. Besides, the culture Judy is emulating is mostly American anyway.

Assistant directors are Laura Gellin, who is also intimacy coordinator, and Lauren Lotzow, who is also stage manager. The all-volunteer company did an excellent job of rounding up the various era-appropriate props and set pieces (helpers include Tom Smith, Susanne Bush, Charlie Hanover, and Dave Muse). Costume design is by Judy McGroarty.

A fun show with thought-provoking dark edges, “Home, I’m Darling,” has performances 7:30 p.m. Thursday (at a discount price) and Friday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way in downtown Carmel. For tickets, see carmelplayers.org or thecat.biz.

IndyFringe: Going Solo

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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: “Ambiguous,” by Tiffany Michelle Foster; “Before Breakfast,” by Rachel Kelso; “Father Johnny: I Swear to God,” by John Courtney; “Gollum Girl LIVE,” by Amy Yourd; “The Keeper,” by King Richard; “Maniac,” by Todd Sullivan; “The Perfect Rap Show,” by Cecil Creates; “PsyWrn Simone’s Black Thread: Songs that Nina Taught Me,” by PsyWrn Simone; “Then, Eve,” by Billie Jane; “Starship Napademics,” by Kay Hawthorne. 

An essential element of the Fringe experience is the one-person show. Often, it’s a sort of confessional, telling one’s own story or experience in a way that brings us into their uncomfortable shoes. Sometimes it’s about another person or a topic or idea – like a dressed-up TED talk. Whatever is performed, the performer indulges in a very brave act – regardless of the costume, this person is exposed, standing alone, hoping for our understanding. As Shakespeare wrote, “Gently to hear, kindly to judge.”

Ambiguous

While practically no one-person act involves just one person – there are lights and crew, perhaps a co-writer and/or director – we understand that this is essentially all performer Tiffany Michelle Foster. With the help of friends and fellow artists, she presents video scenes on a stageside screen, setting up a situation she has dealt with throughout her life. It’s easy to say she is a “person of color,” but those who meet her can’t help but be curious of the specifics. Her parents and siblings appear to be Black, while she resembles a Latina. Entering her journey of magical realism to answer the question, “What are you?” – and having accidentally squashed the cricket – she gets a sarcastic cockroach as her guide.

In her first costume, she appears as a perfect live-action version of Dora the Explorer, guided by the singing Map through the Forest of Assumption and along the River of Where Are You REALLY From. The journey will take her through a cartoon interlude in which she appears on stage as Betty Boop, and a horror scene with helpful zombies who guide her to becoming the racially/ethnically fluid “Black or White” era Michael Jackson (she admits this was in part to learn how to moonwalk – which she does well).

Tiffany concludes with a few minutes of standup, in which she answers the big question (ambiguously, of course). She reveals that while by genetic percentage she is one racial identity, by her life experience and the laws of her original home state, she is another. (As she tours with this show and could bring it back to Indy, I’ll leave this for you to find out when you see her.)

The bottom line is that “what” Tiffany Michelle Foster is, is human and funny and entertaining, and a joy to see – whatever label fits at the moment.

Before Breakfast

(Review by Wendy Carson)

Mrs. Rowland (Rachel Kelso) is trapped in a now-loveless marriage. Her husband, once a wealthy heir, is now just a drunken sot. She works her fingers to the bone, but he spends his days drinking and regaling his friends with poetry and stories. Her long-suffering plight is laid out for us while she speaks to her husband, who is hungover in the bedroom.

While they were in love at one point and they both risked the wrath of their families to get married, they are now just going through their paces in a mockery of their union. While nobody could have predicted the conflagration of events that led to their current circumstances, he could at least own up to his responsibility to share the burden of working through them rather than just ignoring them wholesale.

While some may feel her tirade comes of as meaningless nagging, there are moments of sincere sorrow that hearken back to her original feelings for the man. She just wants to know that he still feels anything for her. While her tale is a sad one, in the end, her husband finally does show her a little mercy and gives her the second-best outcome she could hope for.

This classic one-act drama by Eugene O’Neill is dark and sorrowful, but does serve to remind us of how harrowing the past was, as well as the trials and tribulations of adulthood.

Father Johnny: I Swear to God

The subtitle of this standup/storytelling/costume act is more a statement than an interjection, as the good Father, presented by John Courtney, does use some mature language and innuendo – and doesn’t mince words about the un-Christlike nature of those in charge of America. While he has kind things to say about our new U.S.-born Pope, there are some aspects of the Catholic Church he’d like to see improved – a global shortage of priests? Let women be ordained!

He gives us video scenes of odd confessions while changing into old Father O’Saughnessy, a kindly Church Lady, and even J.C. himself. His title character also turns out to be an act – while he attended Catholic seminary, he stopped short of the priesthood, finding the Oath of Obedience to be a step too far.

Bearing in mind that standup is always tricky to judge, Courtney’s show is quirky and clever while still feeling rough at points, something a pro like him will no doubt work on. Ever forgiving of the audience, for each line that doesn’t land, he could glibly take up the next to induce some chuckles.

Father Johnny’s blending of the sacred and profane could inspire a few conservative viewers to “arise and walk,” but I think the trinity of Saints Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Bill Hicks would bless it.

Gollum Girl LIVE

(Review by Wendy Carson, as posted to Facebook)

Amy Yourd has embarked upon her own personal quest to educate the world on the glorious wonders of the many worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, the film trilogies of such by Peter Jackson, as well as her love of the true hero of the stories, Gollum.

Growing up different from others, she has always identified with Gollum’s oddities (more of her school mates know her by the nickname of Gollum Girl than her given name). However, she has lived with the nagging fear that at any minute she, like Gollum, would be thrown out of regular society and forced to live in solitude.

Still, she endeavors to find like-minded individuals who might understand her and accept her no matter how odd she seems. Come and witness her story. Find her afterwards and share your own. See her truth and get to know this amazing person who you will surely find some kinship with.

The Keeper

(Review by Wendy Carson)

Come and meet the newest demigod in the modern pantheon, The Keeper (The Keeper of Names being his full title). It is his duty to collect and remember not only the name, but the life story of every person lynched or otherwise killed in a racist act.

Even though he’s been at the job for a mere 10 years, the work is already taking its toll. He knows this is a supreme honor but is frustrated that his own name is lost to himself as well as history. The oath he swore upon taking the role states, “I forget myself, so that I may remember you.”

Witness his story, say their names, forget not that the struggle continues.

Maniac

(Review by Wendy Carson)

Todd Sullivan gives us a unique and interesting take on the motivations and inner workings of a murderer. We are witnessing the trials of a killer and will determine his verdict before the shows end. The first trial is that of Temerity, the second is Veracity, and the third is Rectitude. The trials are quaint and often silly, but they do give us a glimpse of the workings of the accused’s mind.

I must warn those who plan to attend this show that total audience participation will occur. No matter what, at some point you will interact and become part of the narrative. However, the performance I attended, no one seemed to mind even the smallest hint of participation.

Blending actual history, storytelling, clowning, and a bit of magic effects, this show is a rare delight. One that makes you think yet mindlessly enjoy the whimsey of it all. It’s truly a show that could only have been created for a Fringe audience.

The Perfect Rap Show

(Review by Wendy Carson, as posted to Facebook)

Approximately one year ago Cecil wakes up with a groundbreaking idea: “I should quit my job!”

This, added to a seemingly too-good-to-be-true AI assistant, leads him to the vision of taking his music to the next level by live streaming the perfect rap show.

We are here to witness the inception and ultimate performance of this journey as he hones his desires, finds his voice, polishes his marketing and tries to stay true to himself and the music he creates. This is an innovative and enjoyable look inside the creative process for those unfamiliar with it as well as a raw and vulnerable take on the honest struggles of today’s artists.

While some of the language may challenge viewers, I advise you to look past the words and admire the works. This is a must-see for anyone interested in pursuing a music career or just trying to make it online in their own niche.

PsyWrn Simone’s Black Thread: Songs that Nina Taught Me

First premiered during the Indy Black Solo Festival at the end of January, PsyWrn (pronounced “siren,” like one who entices with her singing and can rock your world) weaves her personal story with that of the legendary Nina Simone. Accompanied by Matthew Dupree on an African drum, PsyWrn presents “an appreciation, honoring her spirit,” seeing Nina (the High Priestess of Soul, 1933-2003) as having embodied “the artist as activist.”

In other words, she wasn’t always “Feeling Good.” In fact, Nina is quoted as saying, “first you get depressed, then you get mad.”  

The set includes audio and visual tributes to Nina Simone, including an LED 3-D rendering. PsyWrn also brings her to life in song, from Civil Rights anthems to the uplifting “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” The Black Thread of the title weaves through those who struggled in decades past and continues in those taking up the call to end injustice today. In delivering this inspiring tribute, today’s Ms. Simone also shows herself capable of being legendary.

Then, Eve

(Review by Wendy Carson)

Billie Jane gives us a novel retelling of the Genesis story that resonates with our current times:

While their main job of naming all the animals seemed wonderful at first, their sheer numbers (there are over 4,000 different beetles alone), eventually made it drudgery. She wants more and can’t understand why her companion is so satisfied with so little.

There is also a lot of confusion within the task at hand. Why are the females of the species so ugly? Why did that bird sit on that white rock? Was the baby bird trapped inside the white rock? Do the rabbits have to constantly do THAT. Should we be doing that? Why did God put a tree here that we aren’t allowed to have anything to do with?

After a while, her companion deserts her so she becomes best friends with Caterpillar. This leads to another batch of questions as her buddy goes about his metamorphosis. She feels that she needs to transform herself but doesn’t know how. She tries talking to God but to no avail. She sets off to visit Lillith but that only makes her feel worse about her situation. Why does paradise feel so much like a prison?

Since she is miserable, she might as well end it all, so she steels herself and goes to the forbidden tree. Picking a fruit, but not yet eating it, she returns to see Butterfly destroyed by a flash of lightning. This seals her fate and she eats of the fruit, gaining the Knowledge of Good and Evil as well as the reality of her true self.

Jane weaves the story line so brilliantly that you are almost blindsided by the novel twist at the end of it all. This was truly a remarkable and thought-provoking look at an age-old tale.

Starship Napademics

Kay Hawthorne has her home in Indianapolis, roots in Africa, and her eyes on the stars. She invites us along on an Afrofuturism journey, embodying two personas. Nessa the stewardess informs us that all within this little theatre are about to embark – be ready for a change of gravity.

Once on our way, we meet her principal self, Napademics, with stories of discovering other worlds through books of science fact and science fiction by Black authors; the music of Sun Ra, Parliament-Funkadelic, and OutKast; and songs of her own she sings for us. The set is hand-made low-tech with high-tech aspirations, like the child who dreams of the Mothership on her way to applying for NASA.

She takes us by Sun Ra’s home of Saturn, and Napademics’ own planet, Mercury, in word and song. She notes that the mostly white scientific community seems to fear Dark Matter, but she doesn’t, adding “you miss so much that you see Black as empty.” However, we have nothing to fear as Nessa will welcome us back to Indy, safe and sound – and a little more funky.

Footlite lands fantastic production of ‘Pippin’

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By John Lyle Belden

Things across the world are rough now, but Footlite Musicals is partying like it’s Seven-hundred Ninety-Nine with its spectacular production of “Pippin,” the Tony-winning classic by Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson with contributions from Bob Fosse.

To explore the timeless human pursuit of “glory and meaning,” a troupe of performers presents a story very loosely based on the oldest son of Charlemagne (medieval ruler of much of Europe, a/k/a The Holy Roman Empire). Not letting history get in the way, the Leading Player (Anya Andrews) declares that the prince is not a hunchback (like the real Pepin). Our handsome Pippin (Parker Taylor) instead bears an affliction of the spirit, always feeling empty and unfulfilled.

Charlemagne (Edward Trout) is not really concerned, expecting that his likely heir will safely pursue intellectual things while he and his brawny son Lewis (Jack Sullivan) go to war. Pippin insists on going along – the first of many searches for his “Corner of the Sky.”

Meanwhile, Lewis’s mother Fastrada (Shari Jacobs) plots to get his son on the throne.

We also have an entertaining encounter with Pippin’s exiled grandmother Berthe (Miki Mathioudakis). Eventually, we also meet kindly widow Catherine (Nicolette Màntica) with her son Theo (Oliver Barszcz).

And canine actor Shadow Vest is “not a duck.”

The musical’s scenes are further brought to life by the ensemble of Leon Benbow-Blomberg, Dustin Branum, Nate Copeland, Skye Fuller, Xaviera Kuissi, Kylie McGuffey, Kerrigan McSweeney, Jed Otterson, Gwendolyn Pickett, and Louie Rivelli – all doing their Fosse-est.

Directed by Claire Slaven with Jerry Beasley and Zac Speer, this show is fascinating from start to finish. We get mesmerizing performances by Andrews and Taylor, the former as befits a circus ringleader and the latter as the fresh-faced searcher with charming naivete. Trout gives us a no-nonsense ruler and rather understanding father. Jacobs is appropriately devious. Sullivan makes an oddly charming meathead. Mathioudakis makes the most of her prestige role. Màntica comes in as a beautiful voice of reason – much to the Leading Player’s chagrin – making Catherine’s love feel genuine.

Choreography is by Thomas Mason, with McSweeney and Taylor, preserving the Fosse style while bringing a unique vision for this production. For instance, when Pippin is exploring carnal pleasures, the ensemble remains mostly clothed with maneuvers as graceful as they are sensuous, resulting in “sex” that’s almost G-rated.

Vocal director is Ben Rose, the orchestra is conducted by Jeremy Kaylor, and stage manager is Melissa Yurechko, assisted by Cagney Gladden. Lyndsey and Laura Vest wrangle the props, as well as perky Shadow.

The cast and crew have plenty more “Magic to Do” with performances Thursday through Sunday through Oct. 4 at 1847 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis. Tickets, which are selling fast, are available at footlite.org.

At Center Stage, mature folks don’t always act that way

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By John Lyle Belden

Things don’t feel as perfect when you are past sixty.

“Morning’s at Seven,” the title of a popular comedy by Indiana-born writer Paul Osborn, is a line from the Robert Browning poem that famously says, “God’s in his heaven – all’s right with the world,” reflecting a moment of perfection.

Presented by Center Stage Community Theatre of Lebanon, directed by Jan Jamison, the play presents the story of four sisters of a certain age still living in the same neighborhood (three of them sharing a back yard) in the 1920s.

In the home on stage left (audience right), Cora (Cathie Morgan) lives with husband Thor Swanson (Sydney S. Loomis) and never-married sister Arry Gibbs (Elizabeth Young-Collins), who was invited to stay with them 40 years ago, and circumstances just never changed.

On the other side of the stage is the home of Ida Bolton (Beth Popplewell), husband Carl (Scott Stockton) and son Homer (Ryan Moskalick). Up the street somewhere backstage is the home of oldest sister Esther (Molly Kraus) and her husband David Crampton (Rick Sharp), a retired college professor with a very low opinion of his wife’s family.

The opening scene conversations show these folks making a lot out of what little goes on in their lives, setting a tone of gentle eccentricity. This gets even odder with the arrival of Homer with his girlfriend of the last 12 years (the last five engaged), Myrtle Brown (Amy Keitt). He is 40, she 39, and there is even a house in town prepared for them, yet there seems to be no hurry for marriage and Homer moving out of his old room.

This atmosphere of general silliness contains some very serious issues. Esther makes a surprise visit in defiance of her controlling husband’s insistence she never see them. Meanwhile Carl has severe depressive “spells” in which he questions his whole life’s purpose. David arrives and haughtily declares his wife can no longer live on the main floor of their house. But with his background in philosophy, David takes interest in Carl’s laments and starts to mentor him – while exploiting his home-improvement skills to make his “crystal fortress” into a duplex.

As this goes on, Thor finds himself caught between Cora’s desire to have a future only with him and Arry’s fear of growing older alone. This hints at a deeper secret, which the other sisters feel they have figured out.

By the next morning, we wonder, will all be right with their world again?

This juxtaposition of issues that feel modern with the quaint atmosphere of early 20th century Americana makes for a narrative both charming and intriguing. Jamison relished the opportunity to give seven of the nine roles to older actors, who show themselves quite lively and capable of the ironic immaturity called for in a good comedy. Each presents their long-set quirks in entertaining fashion, even the “younger” roles. Moskalick’s Homer is practically a caricature of a “mama’s boy” (we’d see him as a bit on the spectrum nowadays), while Keitt’s Myrtle maintains impeccable manners and finishing-school charm while working to bring about her long-deferred nuptials. Throughout we see that age doesn’t alleviate fears, just reshapes them.

Performances of “Morning’s at Seven” are the evenings of Fridays and Saturdays, afternoons of Sundays, through Oct. 4 at 604 Powell St. in Lebanon. Get info and tickets at centerstagecommunitytheatre.com.

IndyFringe: Something funny going on

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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

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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

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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.