Fred Margison

GSC mounts ‘Richard III’

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By John Lyle Belden

Garfield Shakespeare Company is an exceptional part of the Indianapolis theatre scene. The not-for-profit volunteer company, residing at beautiful Garfield Park south of downtown, keeps the spirit of classic theatre alive with quality productions and free admission for audiences.

Starting its 20th Anniversary Season, GSC presents the tragic history of William Shakespeare’s “Richard III.” Based on one of England’s less-liked monarchs, we see how this proud, ambitious, and unscrupulous Duke murders his way to the Crown, then famously ends up losing his horse.

Mallory Ward directs a cast of varying experience, all dedicated to honoring the Bard’s work. Derrick Krober eagerly plays the title role, from the start charming nearly everyone while noting with a grin to us watching that he intends to be “the villain.”

In various roles, the other players include Rayanna Bibbs (her proud Lady Margaret never fooled by Richard); Spencer Dorian Crane (compelling in vastly different ways as sad Lady Anne, a reluctant assassin, and sassy Catesby); Hans Cummings (his Clarence almost talking his way out of dying); Omar El Jordi; Sydney Engelstein; Susan Gaertner; Guy Grubbs (playing both a King and a Mayor); Joni Metcalf Kemp; Miranda Khoury (as Queen Elizabeth, with a sharply delivered speech late in the play); Fred Margison; Tess Smith (parts include the heroic Earl of Richmond); and Chad Yadon (in the pivotal role of Buckingham). Also, the multi-talented Zella Mae Elm plays prince and princess roles as well as performing traditional and original songs – one with Shakespeare’s lyrics – playing the mandolin in lieu of a lute.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (March 26-28) at the Garfield Park Arts Center, 2432 Conservatory Drive. While admission is free, as seating in this indoor venue is limited, reservations are recommended at gscindy.org.

Mud Creek hosts marital mayhem

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By John Lyle Belden

We are cordially invited to a wedding in the quaint and quirky town of Faro, Texas – at least we hope there’s one.

Mud Creek Players presents “Dearly Beloved,” the popular comedy by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten, directed by MCP president Dani Lopez-Roque.

We await the blessed event in a church fellowship hall as the Futrelle sisters – Honey Raye (Lisa Warner Lowe), Frankie (Jennifer Poynter) and Twink (Lea Ellingwood) – must work together to make the wedding of Frankie’s daughter Tina Jo (Breanna Helms) as perfect as possible.

Estranged from her siblings, Honey is welcome to pitch in if she can stop flirting in her search for Husband No. 5. To Frankie’s horror, Twink’s idea of catering is a potluck supper, complete with hog roast in a pit behind the church. Frankie’s husband Dub (Jason Roll) and the bride’s twin sister Gina Jo (Helms) are also on hand to help, as well as friend Raynerd Chisum (Fred Margison) and wedding planner/florist Geneva Musgrave (Laura Gellin). Not wishing to help, or for the nuptials to even happen, is mother of the groom Patsy Price (Marie McNelis).

Unknown to the others, Twink has seen a fortune teller, Nelda Lou (Addie Taylor), who told her if she is to be married herself, she must attend a wedding with her boyfriend Wiley Hicks (Kevin Smith) – which is why her beau is there despite being severely sick, and on way too much cold medicine. Dub also has a secret, which he hopes to reveal later at the reception.

UPS driver Justin Waverly (Stephen Di Carlo) arrives delivering bad news: the minister can’t come to the wedding. However, as he is also a seminary student, Justin can officiate. This is followed by worse news: the bride and groom are headed out of town! Local police officer John Curtis Buntner (Jackson Hawkins) is dispatched to fetch them back.

From the opening scene at Geneva’s Bookoo Bokay all the way to the ceremony at the end, there are practically non-stop laughs, punctuated by all the feelings such a day can summon – love, rage, etc. Still, amongst the flurry of things going wrong, the important stuff goes right.

The entire cast get into their characters, bringing us into the fun. Lowe, Poynter, and Ellingwood exhibit sibling chemistry, both when sparks fly and when they join forces. Roll is sweet as the long-suffering dad and husband. Helms shows a knack for physical comedy, particularly when Gina Jo deals with her crush on Justin. Smith, playing a man who barely knows what planet he’s on, provides some of the wildest moments.

It feels appropriate to have a “barn” at the edge of the city host this charming and hilarious piece of small-town silliness with heart as big as Texas. Performances of “Dearly Beloved” are Friday through Sunday, Sept. 19-21, and Sept. 26-27, at 9740 E. 86th St., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at mudcreekplayers.org.

Hilarious new creation at Mud Creek

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By John Lyle Belden

In the classic comedy style of something simple going wildly out of control, “In the Beginning…” — a new play at Mud Creek Players — God creates the Heavens and the Earth, and immediately regrets it.

At first, the Almighty (Nicole Crabtree) tries to put the Big Bang back into its bottle, or at least mop up it all up with black holes, but alas, once matter and energy exist, they can’t be destroyed. She may as well see what’s happening on the little blue thing, where a bunch of living things are crawling, swimming, flying and running around everywhere. There, she tries to customize a creature that stands upright, with less fur and a big brain — another mistake.

In this silly possibility of how everything came to be, we meet God’s top angels — Michael (Kate Carpenter), Gabriel (Eric Dixon), Lucifer (Connor Phelan), as well as the Voice of God (Craig Kemp) — and Biblical characters including Adam (Kelly Keller), Eve (Tanya Keller), Noah (Fred Margison) and Moses (Alaina Moore). 

Unless you are really devoted to a literal interpretation of Scripture, you should find all this a lot of hilarious fun. If we are made in the Lord’s image, wouldn’t it make sense that — just like when we invent and accomplish things — our Heavenly Parent is also just making it up as they go along?

Crabtree plays that unprepared Mother/Father with the right touch of exasperation and growing love for the critters she brought into being, however unintended. Dixon and Carpenter keep things lively with his urge to “smite” and her love of writing up new Commandments. Phelan’s Lucifer, naturally, is the smartest angel in the room, suave and brash, but eventually resigned to having to deal with all the extra souls that turned sour. Kemp reassures us that, as we all suspected, the commanding voice of the Almighty has a British accent. The humans all have their humanish quirks, especially Eve, who apparently overdoses on the Tree of Knowledge. And young actors Hadley Skinner and Ben Odom get a charmingly amusing moment in featured roles.

The Mud Creek Barn goes high-tech with this premiere production, with visual effects by Stephen DiCarlo that perfectly help the story along. Jay Ganz directs.Crew member Collin Moore wrote the script, and it shows a fair amount of polish for a new play.

Truly, something wonderful has been created. Performances are Friday through Sunday (Feb. 7-9) and Feb. 14-15 at 9740 E. 86th St. (Castleton/Geist area), Indianapolis. Call 317-290-5343 or visit mudcreekplayers.org.