drama

Breathless pace of ‘Lungs’ at District

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By John Lyle Belden

“That’s what drama is: watching a character make a decision.”

This quote by playwright Duncan MacMillan, from a 2016 interview, fits the style of his first celebrated play, “Lungs,” presented by new company ZED: Teatro at The District Theatre this weekend (Sept. 11-13).

MacMillan, known for his “Every Brilliant Thing,” engages different personal anxieties with this two-person drama which debuted in 2011. It asks, in entertainingly verbose fashion: When one is conscientious of all that is wrong with the world in the early 21st century, is it right to bring another life into the mix?

In the play’s typically minimalist staging, directed by Holly Hathaway Thompson, we witness a Man (Nathan Erdel) and a Woman (Linsey Babrick-Christie) in a very animated conversation. He, a musician, had suggested to her, a PhD student, that they could have a child together. Their shopping day at Ikea is completely ruined.

There follows a lot of “thinking out loud” in emotionally laden conversations and personal reflections. Being citizens of our globally connected era, concerns go beyond themselves to what’s happening with environment and the effects of corporate and political corruption. (MacMillan wisely sensed it would only get worse leading up to today.) There’s only so much one can do, and they are good people – “Are we good people?” – so, would a baby be condemned to future misery, or become the one who helps fix it?

This is more than a single discussion or argument. Time marches through a number of scenes, which follow one swiftly after another much as they will one day in hindsight. The back and forth between them feels natural – nothing resolved, yet ever moving forward as things must. Some humor grows organically from this, especially in “I didn’t mean to say that, well, yes I did…” moments. While there are disappointments, there is no malice.

Babrick-Christie and Erdel nimbly take on what must be an exhausting acting exercise. Moments come on hard and fast, heavy with hope and uncertainty, yet with an undercurrent of love – even when they aren’t acknowledging it. And with this very vulnerable human portrayal, we come to feel they are people we know, or want to.

As this posts, there are performances tonight and tomorrow afternoon in the intimate District Cabaret, 627 Massachusetts Ave., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at indydistricttheatre.org. Find ZED at zedteatro.org.

Born that way? Belfry goes ‘Bad’

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By John Lyle Belden

For more than 70 years, “The Bad Seed” has been one of the most chilling dramas ever held on stage. The 1954 play by Maxwell Anderson, adapted from the novel by William March (prior to the 1956 film), tackles thorny issues of mental health, psychiatry, nature vs. nurture, juvenile development and psyche, trauma and responses to it, parenting, suicide, being blind to one’s assumptions, free will, and more.

All laid bare by a dispute over a school penmanship medal.

The Belfry Theatre production at The Cat in Carmel doesn’t shy away from any of this. Directed by Matt McKee, the story unfolds in a manner that even if you know everything that is going to happen, you can’t help but be drawn into the growing suspense.

Sixth-grader Olivia Cook plays central character Rhoda Penmark, the practically “perfect” daughter of Col. Kenneth and Cristine Penmark (Matt Spurlock and Lisa Anderson). If the name or her charming face in blonde braids look familiar, it may be that last year, she had the lead in “Ruthless,” the musical parody of “Bad Seed” (and “All About Eve”). This time, the singing and campy elements of the previous role cast aside, she proves to be as cold as a Terminator. Cook perfectly embodies the empathy deficit, narcissistic calm with moments of fury, imperfect attempts to be enough of a “nice” girl to get anything she wants, and unhindered calculations to remove obstacles.

Even now, in the era of True Crime programs and podcasts, it’s hard to see this in a cute tween girl; adults in the Eisenhower era didn’t stand a chance.

Lisa Anderson, as increasingly anxiety-ridden Christine, gives us a reminder that she is as capable of award-worthy performance as her husband Matt (who provides a radio voiceover). What starts with a constant vague sense of unease, accompanied by disturbing dreams, grows into ever darker suspicions as each dread becomes confirmed.

Daughter of criminologist turned radio star Richard Bravo (Jamie Kenjorski, who we’ll meet later), Christine takes advantage of her husband being away on assignment to The Pentagon to pick the brain of current criminologist and author Reginald Tasker (Nate Mecija). Joining them for lunch are her landlady and upstairs neighbor Monica (Desireè Black), accompanied by Emory (Thom Johnson), Monica’s brother.

Monica, whom Black plays with blythe confidence, has undergone Freudian therapy and feels herself an expert on the matter, swiftly diagnosing everyone. Tasker, ignoring her amateur prattle, relates advances in studying psychopaths, finding their conditions as much or more a product of birth than upbringing.

Meanwhile, at the school picnic, Claude Daigle – the boy who won the medal Rhoda not only covets but felt entitled to – mysteriously drowns. While others react as you’d expect, Rhoda comes home and calmly puts on her skates to enjoy her free afternoon. The only one to openly suspect her mood and motives is handyman Leroy (Aaron Beal), who has come to terms with his own neurodivergence and senses a fellow traveler in the girl. Though it is plain, even to a first-time viewer, that this apparently simple-minded man is not the principal villain, Beal’s edgy performance helps keep questions open to his motives.

The question of what really happened comes to consume Christine, especially after she is visited by Rhoda’s teacher Miss Fern (Samantha Kelly). We also meet Claude’s parents, Dwight (Tom Riddle) acting like a turtle wanting desperately to retreat into his shell, and Hortense (Becca Bartley), who has submerged her grief and need for answers in alcohol. The Daigles being working-class, feeling socially inferior, factors into the mother’s slurred rants – which Bartley delivers with perfect pathos – adding to the tragedy of their situation.

McKee’s daughters make big contributions to this production. Ava serves as assistant director, stage manager, and has a moment onstage as a Messenger. Her sister Kayla, who also works the light and sound boards at Center Stage in Lebanon, does so here with growing professionalism (light and sound designed by Bill Miller). Costumes, including some interesting mother/daughter combinations, are by Taylor Moss. Susanne Bush made the most of the Cat stage to design the roomy Penmark living room. Jennifer Poynter wrangled the props (where did she get the medal?). Makeup and hair by Victoria Garcia.

“The Bad Seed” takes root for one more weekend, Friday through Sunday, Sept. 11-13, at 254 Veterans Way in downtown Carmel. (Despite ongoing construction, accessing this street is fairly easy.) Get info and tickets at thebelfrytheatre.com or thecat.biz.

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.

Black Light shines light on Indy history, culture, again

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By John Lyle Belden

Here’s a homework project we can all learn from.

Black Light Training & Development, a program of The District Theatre, presents “The Griot,” a new dramatic work in progress by Celeste Williams, directed by Ronni Watts with Kelly Kel. For the participants, this is an opportunity to develop skills as writers, actors and directors; for the audience, this is also a window into Indianapolis Black history, with a focus on The Indianapolis Recorder.

Founded in the 1890s, The Recorder has been a vital part of what was then and through the 20th century referred to as the “Negro press,” newspapers that served communities of color across the United States, bringing to light the people, stories, and issues mostly ignored by the mainstream (read: white) media. As one line in the play states, to know what was really going on, “this newspaper, and the grapevine, was it!”

To get misbehaving high school students Rosa (Kenyla Bell) and Malcolm (Tyrell) to take history seriously, their teacher gives them a week to make a presentation about the Recorder – something they barely know or care about.

Malcolm remembers it’s something his grandmother “Moms” (Kea Biven-Williams) reads all the time. Noting his interest, she tells how it covered the career of the great Oscar Robinson and his history-making high school title. While her breaking into the Crispus Attucks High “Crazy Song” is a fun audience sing-along, it overwhelms the boy with its hokey-pokey old-fashioned style and he retires to his bed. Meanwhile, in her home and bed, Rosa nods off while Googling the history of The Recorder.  

This is where the spirit world intervenes. Jeli (Destiny Basnight), the essence of The Griot (a traditional African storyteller and history-keeper) brings together the dreamscapes of both youths to meet her and the spirit of George Pheldon Stewart (Terrance Marquis), co-founder of the Recorder.  D’Andrea Brown arrives as “N. Diana Avenue” to enlighten the kids on local history and “Cora S. Pondent” to relate the Recorder’s role in it. Dom Moon appears as the mistress of “Monster Meetings” that brought notable African Americans to speak at the Senate Ave. YMCA, as well as a soldier who wrote to Black papers during World War II to propose the Victory sign become a “Double V” for victory both in the War and on the homefront for civil rights.

Malcolm and Rosa are shaken from their apathy by discovering the rich history in their own city, learning of success stories, like that of Madam C.J. Walker; events like the visit by Martin Luther King Jr., five years before his “Dream” speech; and the horrors of lynchings across Indiana, murdering “young people like us.” In the process, Rosa confronts questions about her own future, while Malcolm feels he must deal with his own troubled past. Appearing at ease on the stage, Bell and Tyrell show their own talent and potential.

The adults acquit themselves well, too. Basnight’s delivery balances charm and culture to stay above caricature. Biven-Williams is endearing as the grandmother. And Marquis entertainingly brings to life the rather dashing photos of Mr. Stewart, presenting a classy no-nonsense newspaperman.

As in past Black Light productions, we get deeper insight into Indiana’s past as well as an opportunity for future cultural icons.

Overall, the 90-minute play gives a good first public showing with great potential. See what we mean and encourage its development by seeing it 7 p.m. tonight (as this posts) or 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, in the District Blackbox, 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis. For tickets and information, see indydistricttheatre.org.

Find Black Light Training & Development on Facebook. The Indianapolis Recorder is available in newsprint, online, and provides a weekly email newsletter.

IndyFringe: A Distant Sound of Thunder

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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 Wendy Carson

In August 2025, a record heat wave causes a huge blackout in New York City. In hopes of finding some sort of relief, the locals throw an ersatz block party. When past resident Hector (Ian Cruz) shows up asking a few too many questions, things really get heated.

While recent retiree Bill (Steve Kruse) is delighted to see his old neighbor and catch up on recent changes, Mary (Karin Stratton) doesn’t trust him at all. It seems that numerous people, all of foreign descent, have been mysteriously disappearing from the building, and throughout the city. Since Hector is giving varied stories as to how his arm was broken and is overly interested in their new Trans neighbor, Enchante (Lucy Fields), perhaps Mary may be right.

Producer and author Eric Bryant gives us a true potboiler full of deception, paranoia, intrigue and humanity. Under the direction of Carrie Ann Schlatter, the cast deftly presents these captivating characters leaving the audience to decide for themselves the truth of each person’s story.

Performances were held on The District Theatre mainstage.

IndyFringe: LOLCow

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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. 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

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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. 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.

For the troubled teen in all of us

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By John Lyle Belden

Summer Stock Stage has taken on the recent Broadway smash hit Best-Musical Tony-winning “Dear Evan Hansen” with brilliant results.

Note that as this posts, there are very few (if still any) seats left for this production, through Sunday, Aug. 9, at Schrott Center for the Arts on the Butler University campus (next to Clowes). See summerstockstage.com.

Centering on teens who see the impending end of high school as a source of relief, this drama is like the old “afterschool specials” but for the current generation. Its set-up could be played for bigger laughs, but this musical, with book by Steven Levenson, music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, takes the feelings of its characters seriously. The absurdity of dealing with life and death issues at 17 provides ample honest humor to propel the plot.

Evan (Preston Angus) starts his senior year with a cast on his arm (he fell from a tree) and familiar, friendless anxiety. His single mom Heidi Hansen (Emily Ristine Holloway) encourages him the best she can, privately feeling inadequate while dealing with the stress of her job as a nurse and her college classes. Meanwhile, in another stressful scene, Larry and Cynthia Murphy (Eric Olson and Katy Gentry) are dealing with their kids, surly son Connor (Alden Duez), a senior, and daughter Zoe (Erin Rosenfeld), a junior.

In a first for a “Dear Evan Hansen” production, Zoe is deaf (as is the actor) and accompanies speech with sign language – in fact, some songs feature the cast all incorporating ASL in their choreography, and even Evan does some signing as he has long had a crush on her. Accompanying Rosenfeld at all times is Isabella Agresta as a sort of twin who provides her singing voice. Their coordination is flawless, so that understanding that there is just one girl represented becomes easy – especially considering that another character will frequently appear even though he is not really there.

That would be Connor, who displays serious mental health issues. Seeing Evan as also alone and troubled, he signs his cast. Evan had just printed out a letter to himself (“Dear Evan Hansen…”) that he wrote as a therapy assignment, but seeing Zoe mentioned, Connor lashes out, takes the paper from Evan and runs away.

We later discover that Connor takes his own life (no details given) and his parents find the letter. Seeing it addressed to Evan and signed “me,” they assume it was a last message between friends. Evan, feeling trapped and only wanting everyone to feel better, plays along. His anxiety feeds his talkativeness until an entire best-friends scenario is spun and he is trapped as the only source of solace for a grieving family.

Helping him in this charade is smart-aleck family friend Jared (Jack Diamant) and desperate overachiever classmate Alana (Aubrie -Mel Rubel). As the memory of Connor’s passing fades, they take it upon themselves to start The Connor Project to remember their (fictional) friendship and possibly help others.

If you’ve seen promotions for the musical when it was on Broadway, you likely saw the song “Disappear,” in which the Connor Project goes viral. We see various people reacting and posting on numerous screens hanging over the stage. While the moment feels triumphant, it is only the climax of the first act – there is much more to this story, including an inevitable reckoning for the title character.

Directed by Lauren Morris, we get characters in a situation that seems unreal, yet as messy as real life. Angus plays Evan with constant nervous energy, unsure of what he wants or where he fits. At first embodying the old question of, “if a tree falls and no one is there, was there a sound?” he struggles next with finding what feels like real belonging in a false situation. He commits fraud without malice, adding to his inner turmoil. Rosenfeld presents Zoe in her own whirl of confusion, forced to see a new aspect of her “monster” brother while finding affection for Evan. Olson and Gentry play a couple who were on the brink of dissolution, hanging their hopes on what they desperately want and need to be true. Ristine Holloway brings Heidi’s own struggles into the mix, desperate to keep some connection with her son.  Diamant is as close to comic relief as the show gets, while showing Jared’s own hidden issues. As Alana, Rubel is a girl seeking meaning in activity, seeing an opportunity to be the hero until the inconsistencies start to add up. Duez as Connor gives a great performance as a character who was and is always a cypher, even to himself.

I have seen a number of past criticisms of the musical for the way Evan seems to get away with his acts, and the treatment of issues like mental health and suicide, but at least in this production I see a measured handling of complex problems, with situations ending not tragically or happily-ever-after, but in a manner that allows for healing. Whatever our destinies, with honest effort, they “will be found.”

Eclipse: Circumstances shake certainty

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By John Lyle Belden

Reminding us that current controversies have deep roots, Eclipse Productions of Bloomington presents the drama “Doubt: A Parable” by John Patrick Shanley, directed by Kate Weber.

Set in the 1960s, Catholic school principal Sister Aloysius (Ellen Snyder) hears a sermon by popular young pastor Father Flynn (Michael Allen) that increases her suspicions of serious and too-familiar misdeeds. A private conversation with 8th-grade teacher Sister James (Morgan McMillan) deepens her concern, and now the younger nun is also noticing things.

Like a silent jury, we hear the Sisters mull over evidence of… what? They hardly dare to consider that which, if not investigated, would be betraying the students’ trust and innocence. We also get glimpses of the priest; what we see unsettles rather than resolves. Inevitable confrontation delivers no clarity, especially as the principal’s own beliefs and biases are brought into the discussion.

Important but unseen is a young black student at the center of the issue. His mother (Minka Wiltz) arrives to fiercely deliver her perspective, deepening both the stakes and context.

Issues of race relations, “Vatican II” reforms, and Church structure and bureaucracy factor here. To a degree, they echo today while members of all denominations, both past and present, still wrestle with accusations, speculation, and evidence of crimes – destroying lives and shaking congregations.

Allen gives Flynn charming charisma, making him both believable and highly suspicious, depending on your own perspective. Snyder’s Aloysius is the kind of (literally) old-school nun parents respect and children fear – and she likes it that way. McMillan’s James reflects the newer attitudes, leading with compassion, though it’s possible she’s too credulous.

In a more secular setting, you could find yourself on an actual jury, sorting through the circumstantial evidence. This play is notable for its conversation-starting, thought-provoking nature. We highly recommend this exercise in judgement, Eclipse’s arena to wrestle with “Doubt.”

Opening with the most cleverly appropriate curtain speech (kudos to Jeremy Weber’s solemn delivery), performances continue Friday through Sunday, July 30-Aug. 2, at the Waldron Firebay (first floor of Waldron Arts) 122 S. Walnut St., Bloomington. Get info and tickets at eclipseproductionscompany.com.

‘Extreme’ measures test family in need

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By John Lyle Belden

In the wake of tragedy, we often have the wish that we could start over, have a new life, even a new house. For a select few, at least the latter happened, aired on national television. A desperate Texas family seeks to join that number in the drama, “Extreme Home Makeover,” by Makasha Copeland, presented by American Lives Theatre at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre.

The title references the ABC television show, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (using its common nickname to avoid trademark issues). The process of being chosen, among hundreds of applicants, involved making a video recording to audition by showing both the necessary home renovations and the worthiness of the homeowning family. Scenes here are frequently played to an unseen camera, putting the audience in the position of the mysterious producers who could decide the family’s fate.

Three generations are crowded into this Kingsville, Texas, home: Valentina (Sofia Salgada), her mother Guadalupe (Caroline Lee Sanchez), teen son Marco (Diego Sanchez-Galvan), and 10-year-old daughter Lupe (Laila Matuk). Valentina’s husband, David, recently died, leaving her struggling to keep the house and unable to afford its upkeep, including a broken toilet.

Guadalupe is not thrilled at all about this bid for televised fame. She sees it as yet another insult to the honor of a family who lived on the land since it was part of Mexico two centuries ago, since then being made to work it for the benefit of non-Latino owners. Valentina, however, is practically blinded by hope, insisting on getting the audition just right so that a new home can help rectify their tenuous situation. The children, eager to please both Mom and Abuela, try hard to do their part in the scheme. Marco applies for his first job, while Lupe – who talks to “Aybeecee” like a friend she’s trying to impress – seeks to prove she’s not as useless as she feels.

Local actor Carlos Medina Maldonado directs. He saw the play in development while a student at Texas Tech, noting it reminded him of his own family, with aspects we can all relate to. Intertwined with the themes of hard times and holding on to one’s culture is the universal experience of grief, made more intense when it is the family patriarch who is suddenly gone. Aside from some clothes and possessions, their principal reminder of David is a video of him at Lupe’s last birthday – his singing to her embarrassing then, but treasured now.

The cast’s familial chemistry, combining personalities that are distinct and natural, draw us into their world, feeling both their loving bonds and growing need. Even when they clash, each acts from their perspective of love. Salgada’s Valentina is driven, barely hiding her growing desperation while feeling it is up to her to make everything right. Sanchez’s Guadelupe is a bit of a curmudgeon but adopts a softer touch to help mend their growing crisis, coming through as only a loving grandma can. Sanchez-Galvan’s Marco feels the weight of man-of-the-house expectations, though he’s not feeling quite ready to grow up yet. Matuk, who is over twice the age of the girl she plays, maintains Lupe’s sweetness and innocence, along with a naïve grit of one who doesn’t know what she allegedly can’t do – showing that where there’s a will, there’s Google.

The stage, brilliantly designed and built by Carlos Teeters, has no visible walls and audience seating on two sides, showing the fishbowl environment brought about by private spaces being exposed to judging strangers. We see the floor plan, while the people upon it show what makes a house a home.

Note the dialogue is a Spanglish mixture that would be genuinely heard in a home like this, yet not too hard to follow for non-Spanish speakers.

An emotionally engaging and inspiring story of a family needing to make some changes, “Extreme Home Makeover” runs through Aug. 2 in the Basile black-box stage at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org, and information at americanlivestheatre.org.