This is part of the 2019 Diva Fest, presented by IndyFringe at 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis, through April 21. All shows are by women playwrights, presented as one-hour one-acts at a Fringe price. For information and tickets, see www.indyfringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

In “Dear Mavis,” by Enid Cokinos, there are big changes happening at the Rustbelt Herald-Times.

The newspaper’s chief editor has stepped down, replaced by the owner’s son, “Biz” Underhill (Spencer Elliott). The young man, fresh from college, wants to make changes, taking aim at the paper’s longtime advice columnist, Mavis (Forba Shepherd). He has her team up with young blogger Mique’ (Ashley Elliott) to write a new point-counterpoint column, and daily rather than weekly. This will not turn out well.

Holly Stults is Luella, Underhill’s assistant and Mavis’s dear friend; and David Mosedale is the elder Underhill, who comes in to clean up the inevitable mess.

Shepherd radiates dignity and wisdom as the disciple of Miss Manners who always has the right thing to say, and doesn’t mind using an old typewriter to say it. Spencer Elliott — .also the play’s director — contrasts well as the guy with big ideas but little sense. Ashley Elliott’s turn as a clueless Millennial edges towards caricature but gets to learn a bit towards the end.

Having been a newspaper journalist, seeing the industry’s changes first-hand, I felt at first that Cokinos had written a work of horror. But for those who don’t bleed India ink, this is a fun look at how sometimes the old ways are best, and can still win through.

Remaining performances are 7 p.m. Friday and 7:15 p.m. Saturday (April 19-20).