drama

Famously psychological thriller at Center Stage

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By John Lyle Belden

“Gaslight” (a/k/a “Angel Street”), the Victorian thriller from the 1930s by Patrick Hamilton, is a rather straightforward story of deception, abuse, and murder. However, with the help of its 1940s film adaptations, the title is now a frequently used verb. Center Stage Community Theatre in Lebanon now brings us the original story, both to entertain and to give the pop-psych expression its context.

Jack and Bella Manningham (Daniel Ott and Stephanie Levell) do not have a healthy relationship, even by 1880s London standards. He controls her like a pet on a leash, not physically but with a more devastating verbal barrage, undercutting her self-confidence at every turn, making her uncertain of everything around her. He berates her in front of the servants, Elizabeth (Sarah Kennedy) and Nancy (Lauren Lotzow), and remarks on the beauty of the latter, a young woman whom it turns out he is secretly seducing.

And if Bella expresses her reservations about all this, she is reminded that her mother had gone mad, dying in Bedlam. It’s only a matter of time, he hints and she believes in constant fear, before she goes that way as well.

One night, a strange man (Adrian Blackwell) with a friendly yet urgent demeanor and a Scottish accent arrives while Jack is out for the evening, calling himself Rough, a former Sergeant and current Detective with Scotland Yard. He tells her of mysterious circumstances regarding the home they had not long ago moved into, how it was the site of a murder, coinciding with the disappearance of some precious jewels. In turn, she tells him her suspicions – how she hears footsteps in a locked room, and how the gas lighting dims on its own at certain times.

Given the mental baggage we bring in with the play’s title, especially given our present cynical era, we have to wonder: Is Det. Rough a real person? Is he an actual police officer? Is this Bella’s hope of rescue – or just prelude to institutionalization? And to what degree are the maids, especially eager Nancy, part of the plot?

Considering that clues such as a chair moved out of place could tip off Jack, his poor wife could be doomed, regardless.

Directed by Lori Raffel, the performances maintain the suspense and unreal nature of what is happening, keeping us invested in the outcome. Ott is consistently horrid, played in a way that we can’t be certain of Jack’s exact motive of driving Bella insane – lust, riches, sadism, or some combination. Blackwell, for his part, feels unreliable but at the same time Bella’s only real hope. Levell delivers an achingly compelling presentation of someone so mentally beaten while still nursing a little spark of hope. Kennedy is stoic as a stereotypical British butler, making her feelings and motives inscrutable, while Lotzow is the opposite, enjoying this twisted game.

The titular lights are part of a nice stage design by Christy Summersett and David Wines.

In all, this is an excellent look at a classic thriller, right down to the appropriately disturbing final scene.

Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise; you would like to see “Gaslight.” It is in its second weekend as we post this, concluding Friday through Sunday, May 15-17, at 604 Powell St., Lebanon. Get info and tickets at centerstagecommunitytheatre.com.

Rock solid ‘Amadeus’

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By Wendy Carson

Catalyst Repertory presents “Amadeus,” the Tony-winning drama by Peter Shaffer that imagines a deadly rivalry between composers Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

For anyone who has seen the epic film version of this story (also by Shaffer), the thought of staging it on the small black-box stage of the IF Theater seems like utter madness. However, for director Casey Ross, it was just one more hurdle to overcome. Since the script details memories from the “deathbed confession” of Salieri to destroy Mozart, the need of lavish sets and huge orchestras is secondary to the plotting and intrigue of the story. Ross utilizes a more stripped-down set with gorgeous costumes and minimal props, which forces the actors to display an amazingly high level of skill, with the entire cast was more than up to the task.

The set, designed by Arden Foster Tiede, is like a flight of stairs that also suggests a balcony, an upstairs room or a throne chamber, positioned so as to require a new seating arrangement for this venue. As Ross also demonstrated with her unique staging of “Streetcar” in 2023, using vertical space in this manner profoundly opens up the small stage area, while maintaining its intimacy.

This simplicity helped me focus more on the actual dialogue and caused me to notice things that I had never considered in previous iterations. For instance, the show is titled “Amadeus” because that translates to “love of God,” which is the basis of the story. Although Salieri is convinced he made a bargain with God, these sorts of things fall more into the Devil’s milieu. Plus, since he believes that Mozart has been chosen by God, the desire to destroy such a vessel would just be a devilish delight as well.

For anyone familiar with Tristan Ross (no relation to Casey), and how he dominates every role, it was impressive to witness his ability to fade into the background when necessary and allow others to hold the spotlight as required. However, he also embodies the desperation and rage that his turn as Salieri requires.

As for the titular character of Mozart, Ian McCabe brings the role to life in a delightful manner. Being a child prodigy, it is highly likely that Mozart himself fell somewhere on the Autism spectrum and McCabe hints at this through his candor and confusion of others’ abilities. McCabe shows us a person who never really had a childhood, ironically never fully growing up, and who only desired to earn his father’s love – while easily manipulated into making choices that would prevent him from doing so.

While the story does revolve around the composers, the rest of the cast shines even in the smallest of roles. Michelle Wafford shows that regardless of her character’s commonplace background, Mozart’s wife Constanze Weber was a shrewd businesswoman who was ruthlessly in love with and devoted to her husband’s well being. The spectacularly angelic voice of Shelbi Berry Kamohara as Katerina Cavalieri shines throughout and perfectly compliments the power of Mozart’s music. Reno Moore and Jack Paganelli as Salieri’s spies in Vienna elevate what is normally thought to be lesser roles into vital moments throughout the narrative. Likewise, Yolanda Valdivia as the Cook and Brant Hughes as the Valet prove that one does not require speaking lines to bring forth a solid performance. However, nobody embodies this idea more than Alaine Sims as Teresa Salieri. With her heart-shaped lipstick and a flick of her eyes, she exudes volumes of dialogue unheard but greatly understood.

We also get solid performances from those in the court of Emperor Joseph II (David Mosedale), Mozart’s biggest – and in this company, nearly only – fan. Doug Powers as Rosenberg and Craig Kemp as Von Strack have little patience for the impish young man, while J. Charles Weimer as Von Swieten comes to regret bringing him into Masonic membership.

More allegory than history, the power of this production is tangible in its performance – so incredible that, like the Emperor, all we can say is a bewildered “There it is!”

Performances are Friday through Sunday, through May 17, at the IF, 719 E. St. Clair, Indianapolis. Info at catalystrepertory.org; tickets at indyfringe.org.

Fonseca: Diner serves up potential for redemption

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By John Lyle Belden

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ATI shines with story of faded star

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By John Lyle Belden

Actors Theatre of Indiana gives us a “new way to dream” in an old story, the musical “Sunset Boulevard” by Andrew Lloyd Webber with Don Black and Christopher Hampton, based on the 1950 classic noir film co-written and directed by Billy Wilder.

The movie, which the book of the musical closely follows, starred former silent film star Gloria Swanson (who, unlike her character Norma Desmond, did manage a transition to “talkies”) and William Holden, giving them, Wilder and the film Oscar nominations. It’s also notable for ending with one of the most famous lines in the history of film.

Our Norma is played splendidly by Judy Fitzgerald, joined by the return of fellow ATI co-founder Don Farrell as her butler Max. Being a film noir story, someone will die violently; struggling script writer Joe Gillis (Luke Weber) tells us what leads up to that moment.

After a couple of numbers about the high-pressure hassle of getting a movie produced and made, Joe leaves the Paramount studios – dodging husky repo men after his car – and ends up in the driveway of a large old mansion on Sunset, where he finds an aging movie star about to hold a funeral for her pet chimpanzee.

Promised ample pay, Joe agrees to edit the script Norma has written for her cinematic return (not a “comeback,” she insists). He quickly sees that she is delusional and the pages unfilmable, but he gets to stay at the mansion, so he does. Meanwhile, at Paramount, he works with his friend Artie Green’s (Calvin Bernardo) fiancé Betty Schaefer (Deborah Mae Hill) on an actually promising script for a “Girl Meets Boy” romance.

We also meet various Hollywood folks played by Scot Greenwell, Keith Potts, Megan Arrington-Marks, Brooklyn Stewart, Corey Rudell, Peter Scharbrough, and Eric Olson, who also charmingly portrays legendary director Cecil B. DeMille.

Being set in 1949-50, there are a lot of stage cigarettes. The mood is also set by black-and-white film projections of the era, designed by Joey Mervis. Director Michael Blatt has this typically larger than life musical adapt to the intimate space of The Studio Theater with the help of a flexible set design by Jay Ganz. It hints at the artificiality of Hollywood with pieces at times folding shut like they are part of a backlot studio, other times revealing the worn splendor of Norma’s home.

Musical director is Ginger Stoltz and choreographer is Carol Worcel. Fitzgerald and Weber provide appropriately big bold voices for this big musical, with Farrell’s practically operatic.

There is also a fair amount of humor, mainly directed at the foibles of the movie biz. Norma’s mental decline, meanwhile, is taken more seriously, a contrast that aids the slow-boil suspense.  And it will all lead to that iconic spoken line.

For a look at the dark side of the movie biz, where even “the Greatest Star” can become left behind, see the beautifully tragic “Sunset Boulevard,” Wednesdays through Sundays through May 10 at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Carmel. For tickets, visit atistage.org or thecenterpresents.org.

Fateful decisions divide father and son in ALT drama

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By John Lyle Belden

We all have feelings about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. We all have opinions. In “Fatherland,” the intense 90-minute drama by Stephen Sachs, the only ones that matter belong to two men – a father and son from Texas. One was the first up a set of Capitol steps that day; the other contacted the FBI.

Based on actual proceedings, evidence, and public statements in a U.S. District Court trial, American Lives Theatre presents this play at the IF Theatre, directed by Jacob David Lang, assisted by Madison Pickering.

The main set piece is the witness stand where a 19-year-old man, played by Matt Kraft, testifies against his father, portrayed by Scott Russell.  Built by Josh Morrow and Tony Board, the wooden structure seems solid, but its cracks are evident and reveal in splendid visual metaphor the slow fracture of the father-son relationship as past events are recalled. Various jagged pieces open and stay that way, like unhealed wounds.

The production is aided immensely by video projections, including footage of the Jan. 6 events, which were designed by Paully Crumpacker, assisted by Preston Dildine.

Jenni White portrays the U.S. District Attorney prosecuting this case. Confident and feeling the facts are on her side, she guides the son’s testimony, which in turn narrates the story of what brought us all to this point. Joshua Ramsey plays the Defense Attorney, smugly trying to confuse and discredit this principal witness.

Kraft gives an excellent portrayal of a young man deeply conflicted. He feels the division in his family, he fears what his father might do – to others, to himself, and to him – and above all he feels guilty. Regardless of whether the guilt for turning in his father is justified, it feels real to him.

Russell presents a complex man who has been reduced to a simple ideology. He is intelligent, widely traveled, and until recently successful as an oil well engineer. A reduction in active production left him without work, without purpose. Accepting without question that Donald Trump was as successful as portrayed, a copy of “Art of the Deal” ever in his hand, he not only embraced the MAGA culture, but also joined the Texas Three Percenters. The radical far-right organization intensified his fears for the future of America and primed him for the possibility of violent conflict. Russell gives us a man with cocky energy, a growing fanaticism he mistakes for patriotism, feeding his already-present anxieties. Through his son’s words, we see the slow but steady process that led to this man – convinced he would be a hero – joining the mob assaulting the U.S. Capitol.

Unlike other courtroom dramas, the most important aspect of this production is the examination of what brought these two men to the place we find them in 2022, their feelings, beliefs, attitudes, as well as what has changed – and hasn’t. Not noted, as it happened more recently, is that any guilty verdicts have been negated by Presidential Pardon in 2025.

Still, we do hear the results. The jury, in fact, includes us in the audience. We aren’t literally called on to vote, but are given much to deliberate on as we exit the theatre.

One weekend remains of “Fatherland,” an important piece of theatre for which we are grateful to ALT artistic director Chris Saunders for bringing to Indy. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, May 1-3, at the IF (home of IndyFringe), 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis. Get tickets at indyfringe.org, info at americanlivestheatre.org.

CCP presents Grand adventure

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By John Lyle Belden

The play “Men on Boats” by Jaclyn Backhaus is pretty much that – some men who rode on boats going downriver. And yet it is so much more.

Produced by Carmel Community Players, directed by Samantha Kelly, this is about the 10-man excursion on the Green and Colorado Rivers in 1869, the first U.S. government sanctioned expedition to and through the Grand Canyon in present-day Arizona. For this manly feat of bravery, persistence, and luck, the play is cast with all women actors.

Seeing them acting as men, their demeanor as serious as the characters they portray regarded their mission, works in a curious way. It helps that we are accustomed, in the arts as well as in life, to seeing women being strong for each other and intrepid when faced with challenges. It bypasses any sense of machismo, making this adventure more human and relatable. It also gives the character of expedition leader Maj. John Wesley Powell, who lost an arm in the Civil War, a sort of maternal aspect as he led by his wits and wisdom rather than physical prowess.

Powell (Barb Weaver) arranged for four boats, fully provisioned, for the journey. He brought along his older brother, Walter “Old Shady” Powell (Wendy Brown), as well as hunter John Colton Sumner (Kelly Hutchings), who led the first boat; William Dunn (Desiree Black), who becomes a sort of second-in-command; George Young Bradley (Sarah Arthur); O.G Howland (Katarina Zack); Seneca Howland (Victoria Garcia); William Robert Hawkins (Nick Chase); Andrew Hall (Kenzie Wright); and English adventurer Frank Goodman (Ozzie Buttler). While the lands they passed through were familiar to many of European ancestry, with some (including Mormon pioneers) already in settlements, they would be the first to traverse through on the river (rediscovering what Native peoples had seen for millennia), provided they survived the voyage.

Based on Powell’s journals, there is no need for fictional drama as the rapids and falls they traveled over provided plenty. The loss of one of the boats and dwindling provisions provided plenty of tension, with multiple discussions – and arguments – over whether to continue. Powell held firm in his resolve, strengthening most of the others, and respected the wishes of those who left the party.

The cast’s sincere portrayals, with the clever use of “boatveralls” (boat representations designed and built by Kristina Lawyer and Broden Irwin) to perform their movement on the rough waters, help us feel the rush of riding rapids and waterfalls, as well as maneuvering potentially deadly hazards. We get the quirks of individual personalities, including Sumner’s mountain-man mystique, Goodman’s constant nervous chatter, and Old Shady’s campfire songs.

It’s sometimes said that the best man for the job is a woman. See an entertaining take on that concept in “Men on Boats,” with performances Thursday and Friday evenings, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, April 23-26, at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way in downtown Carmel. Get info and tickets at carmelplayers.org.

IBTC: True incident inspires Morisseau drama

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By John Lyle Belden

“Southern trees bear strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root…”

These lyrics, written by a white activist and made famous by legendary Black singer Billie Holiday, lend a theme to a drama by acclaimed playwright Dominique Morisseau, “Blood at the Root,” presented by Indianapolis Black Theater Company at The District Theatre, directed by Daniel A. Martin.

The plot is heavily based on the 2006 “Jena 6” controversy in which six Black high school students were tried as adults after arrests for beating a White student. The altercation was part of a series of events that suggested racial tensions were a factor. Morisseau’s play is set at Cedar High in a fictional Louisiana town standing in for Jena, a city of around 3,000 located in the Mississippi River Delta region north of Baton Rouge.

Raelynn (Kelly Kel) wants to do something bold for her senior year. With the encouragement of her best friend Asha (Morgan Damato), she decides to run for class president, which if successful would make her the first Black student in the office. She also decides to go sit under Old Devoted, a huge old oak tree where the “cliques” (“White” is unsaid but understood) hang out. Two other students join her.  

At the student newspaper, reporter Toria (Samantha Resnick) is constantly in trouble for seeking controversial topics – adding her opinions in the process – in her zeal to become a “real journalist.” Justin (Matt Ball), the student editor, sees her as talented but her work as unusable, risking the school ending the program.

Raelynn’s brother, Deondre (Marcus Elliott), is a star running back on the football team and a college prospect. The quarterback is Collin (Parker Taylor), a recent transfer student who is White – and gay, a secret that proves difficult to keep.

The next morning, three rope nooses hang from the oak tree. Black students are upset, but the school insists that it is no more than a tasteless prank. Days later, in the high school cafeteria, Collin is beaten by six of his Black teammates, including Deondre. Arrests follow.

The cast also includes Clarissa Michelle, Jay Fuqua, and Evangeline Bouw.

The mighty tree, designed and built by The Sapphire Theatre Company, dominates the back of the stage, a reminder that the emotions and dark legacy of the Civil Rights era were not left behind in the 20th century. Students coming of age in the 21st now have to reckon with this, finding that what once seemed like normal teenage trouble can take on serious consequences, especially in the Deep South. Reflecting today’s culture that is surrounded by music, the play includes moments of song and movement reflecting a scene’s actions and feelings. It avoids classification as a musical, though, so that nothing shown seems light or trivial.

Every character is boldly presented, and each will have their say. Kel’s Raelynn and Elliott’s Deondre present familiar archetypes, a young Black woman and man seeing possibility in their future while dealing with opposing tensions brought about by just being themselves. In Deondre’s case, what would be no more than a blemish in another student’s record becoming his entire future denied by the decision of an unjust system. Demato’s Asha, a girl with White skin and Black relationships, and Ball’s Justin, a Black student bullied by peers for reading and good grades, express their frustrations at social expectations and rules around “blackness.” An idealist from a politically liberal family, Resnick’s Toria is learning the hard way to carefully deal with the facts, and her tact. Parker’s Collin shows how the (also valid) struggles of queerness further complicate existing tensions.

We get outstanding performances all around. Especially of note is the way the actors handle the rural Louisiana accent and way of speaking – akin to both Cajun and Deep South syntax and cadence – flowing naturally, clear and easy to follow.

Presented with the energy and humor of youth, as well as the raw emotion of hard-hitting news, we find that bitterness still comes from a society with “Blood at the Root.” Performances are Thursday through Sunday, April 23-26, at The District, 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis. Get tickets at indydistricttheatre.org.

IRT: Facing horror with hope and hospitality

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By John Lyle Belden

We all have a story.

Those of us who remember – most of us alive at the time do – all have a story of where they were and what they were doing on Sept. 11, 2001. Just the two numbers, “9/11,” conjure feelings and/or flashes of memory. While people around the world watched on their televisions, many individuals had more personal stories. Among them were thousands aloft on various airlines, unaware what had happened to four other passenger jets that day.

This is their story.

The Indiana Repertory Theatre presents the regional premiere of “Come From Away,” the musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, based on real events and real people involved with the emergency landing of 38 planes (including a jumbo 777) on the remote airfield at Gander, Newfoundland, Canada. All air traffic in and around the U.S. was grounded for days while authorities investigated the terrorist attacks in New York; Washington, D.C.; and Pennsylvania, making certain no other aircraft were involved. To the friendly and very hospitable Newfoundlanders, their only concern was that a number of people that equaled the local population had unexpectedly come to stay for a while. “Welcome to the Rock!”

Directed by James Vàsquez, this production is suffused with the welcoming spirit of the Canadian Maritimes and its folk traditions, set on a simple performing-hall stage partly surrounded by musicians on fiddle, pipes, guitars, and percussion. Wooden chairs and tables suffice for the scenes, as the story is told and enacted by a cast in which every actor has at least two roles.

Gander Mayor Claude Elliott (Brian Ray Norris) coordinates the town’s efforts with the assistance of policeman (of a two-man force) Oz (David Kirk Grant), teacher Beulah (Terra C. MacLeod), new local TV reporter Janice (Hannah Embree) and others, including getting a local school bus driver (Brett Mutter) to put the drivers’ strike on hold to help. Bonnie (Bets Malone) of the local SPCA adamantly seeks out animals in the aircraft holds that need care.

Meanwhile, on the jumbo jet, impatient passengers wonder what’s going on.  This includes Mutter and Jesse Bhamrah as gay couple Kevin and Kevin; Larry Raben as Nick from England, who gets to know Diane from Texas (Crissy Guerrero); Will Mann as Bob from New York, and later as an African traveler; Laraisha Dievelyn Dionne as Hannah, whose son is a New York firefighter; and Embree as a harried flight attendant. Up front is Beverley Bass (Jean McCormick), who was the first woman captain for American Airlines. Bhamrah also plays Ali, a Muslim passenger who gets looked on with suspicion by the others.

No doubt due to the plethora of stories gathered to make this musical, along with the talent and dedication of Vàsquez and the cast, this is an outstanding ensemble effort that still manages to give so many individual perspectives. We get the full range of feelings, from the fear and apprehension, as well as the shock as each character realizes what had happened, to the gratitude and good humor from and in reaction to the Islanders’ generosity. The local flavor includes a sort of Newfoundland initiation so that those “from Away” feel more at home – see the displays on the balcony level of the lobby to learn about the Cod and the Ugly Stick.

Music Director is Angie Benson; especially notable in the band are Liz Browder-Bohall on fiddle and Landon Thomspon on percussion (including the Stick).

Personally, this brought a lot of feelings from that time back for me. I could relate in a small way to what it was like for the people portrayed, as while the 9/11 attacks didn’t happen to them directly, it had a profound effect on their lives. The world had changed, and even after the emergency had passed and the aircraft left, no one would be the same afterward. I hope that some of that impact is impressed on those who can only see this as just a historical event from a quarter-century ago.

There is also a relic from the World Trade Center on display in the IRT lobby, on loan from the Indianapolis International Airport.

If you can, go to “Come From Away,” running through May 10 on the main stage at 140 W. Washington St., in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Tickets and info at irtlive.com.

BCP: The importance of I, You, and We

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By John Lyle Belden

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All the Rage

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By John Lyle Belden and Wendy Carson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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