IndyFringe 2022

IndyFringe: My Grandmother’s Eyepatch

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Welcome to the memorial service for Mamie Lee Ratliff Finger, beloved wife, mother and grandmother.

Julia Finger VanderVeen, Mamie’s granddaughter, has brought us all to pay tribute to the life of this remarkable woman. Through stories told by several attendees and Julia herself, we discover much about Mamie’s life and times.

For some strange reason, we learn almost as much about Julia throughout the course of our event. Perhaps this portion of the show was meant to be for the several Agents who RSVP’d but did not actually show up.

At one point, Julia becomes so bereft that when a message with instructions for resurrection of a loved one finds its way to us, she makes an attempt. Whether it is successful, I must leave for you to discover.

I could go on to try to describe exactly how great this show is, but words cannot fully express the sheer level of hilarity Julia reaches with her dry wit and physical humor. Suffice to say, you will regret not seeing this show.

Yet, while her grandmother’s time is through, there is still time for you. The show returns for the last weekend of Fringe, 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, and 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, at the Indy Eleven stage of the IndyFringe Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair.

IndyFringe: Glad Libs with your Hostess, Jan Shirley Ann

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Janai Downs has created her own brand of comedy, which she has named, AutoBioComedy comprising on several very funny stories about her past. Growing up in Gary, Indiana. in the shadow of the Jackson family makes for great story fodder.

Her life is a mixture of opposites: She has gone on nine different mission trips but she doesn’t care for being outside in nature (it’s dangerous); she wants a pet monkey but is terrified of monkeys; she’d love to own a moped but would never drive it anywhere.

Perhaps her biggest desire, though, is to host a game show. Now that she has an audience, her wish is coming true – and we are all a part of it.

Yes, “we are all a part of it” means that there is audience participation. While I know this can freak out several people the means of playing are simple and fun for all. 

Our hostess reads out a characteristic (someone without holes in their jeans, someone who has a dog, someone without a Facebook account, etc.) and all the audience members who fit in that category raise their hands. She then selects two players to come up.

Once you are at the podium (make sure you don’t look at her notes!), she will simply ask for you to give her some sort of word and will use whatever the fastest person to ring in says. This is much like a game you might have heard of where you input parts of speech so you can’t get the answer wrong.

After all of the blanks have been filled, the resulting story is read out to the delight of all.

This show is a fun family event for all ages. Remaining performances are Friday evening and Saturday afternoon at the IndyFringe Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair.

IndyFringe: Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Local youth ensemble Agape Theater Company goes with something more whimsical than their usual serious projects with “Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales,” a musical by Mary Hall Surface and David Maddux that presents familiar fairy tales as they would be told in the mountains of rural Virginia or North Carolina.

This show is also a little different for Agape as it highlights its younger performers, which enhances the innocent fun of the stories’ presentation. In this production, we get three tales you’ve heard before, but not quite like this:

In “Jack and the Wonder Bean,” directed by Brynn Hensley, crafty Jack (Rachel Majorins) climbs the beanstalk to encounter a huge Giantess (Anastasia Lucia, with puppet support by Nate and Jacob Osburn) and escapes back home to his Ma (Harmony Quinn), bringing goods including a magic Hen (Caroline Hildebrand) and enchanted Fiddle (Evangeline Hillebrand).

In the hoe-down song-and-dance number “The Sow and Her Three Pigs,” directed by Kiron Branine and Rebekah Barajas, narrators Ellie Barajas and Rachel Majorins tell of a Mama-pig (Laney Ballard) who worries what her offspring will do after she is gone. Martha (Nora Moster) and Mary (Joanna Barajas) go cheap on building materials, while Nancy (Eden Majorins) finds something even stronger than bricks. Here comes the Fox (Flannery Partain), hungry for bacon. The simple set includes a cloud-wagon for deceased piggies to sit on while awaiting their relatives’ fate, while most of the cast get involved in the do-si-dos (the dance, not the cookie).

Finally, we get the Cinderella variant, “Catskins,” directed by Grant Scott-Miller. An orphan girl (Lacey Pierce) finds a home with a Farmer (Aubri Cottrell) and his Wife (Harmony Quinn). When the Wife dies, the Farmer, embittered by grief, becomes abusive. The spirit of her adopted mother comes to Catskins’ aid with the help of a magic trunk, and the girl ends up a servant to a fine Lady (Anastasia Lucia) and her Daughter (Flannery Partain). It happens that in that land, a Rich Boy (Jacob Osburn) is holding fancy dances to find himself a bride. Our heroine is a bit crafty and doesn’t need talking mice to help her in this interesting version of the old tale.

The presentation is fun and entertaining, and the Giantess puppet is impressive. Remaining performances are 1:45 p.m. Saturday and 5:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27-28, in the Basile Auditorium at the Athenaeum.

IndyFringe: In the Company of Women

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Though (as I’ve often noted) I’m not expert on dance, I have long appreciated the works of Crossroads Dance Indy. And once again, they did not disappoint with their latest Fringe festival offering, “In the Company of Women.”

Choreographed by company members Brittany Gaither, Nicole Dean, Sammi Kindler, Daniella Conti, Paisley Gibson, and Katie Porras, CDI pays tribute to womanhood, as well as specific women.

The beginning piece weaves in words suggested by audience members describing the women in their lives. The number that follows highlights the various professions and roles that women take in life and the workplace. At the center is the Teacher, who helps make the others possible. And in a world that allows women to do more than teach, we see the Executive, the Healer, the Fighter, the Caregiver – all beautifully rendered.

A tribute to Jane Goodall portrays a woman standing alone, not conforming to the human jungle, and finding empathy with the denizens of the natural world. A tribute to Julia Child reveals kitchen activity to be more fun than drudgery, reflecting Child’s upbeat attitude and brave life.

Dean created a duet for Taylor Brown and Lindley Hipsher inspired by the hypnotic style of turn of the 20th century choreographer Loie Fuller, which is a wonderful highlight of the show.

Another great piece portrays how the patriarchy of the 1940s and ‘50s saw Rosie the Riveter and Susie Homemaker to be opposites, a choice of giving up one for the other. As the music gives way to an old radio show, “What Makes You Tick?” the Rosies and Susies unite to confront shallow, outdated attitudes.

The company also includes Hope Frey, Alexis Julovich, Nicole Kelter, Clarice Nolan, Hannah Scott, and Ashleigh South.

Crossroads dance gives an inspiring performance, with the grace, flow and energy I’ve come to expect from this dancer-driven company. They take joy in what they do, and so will you.

Upcoming performances are Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon, Aug. 25 and 28, in the Basile Auditorium at the Athenaeum.

IndyFringe: I Think We Are Supposed to Be ‘Coming of Age’ by Now…

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Lily Conforti brings both her LCcreations Collective dance troupe and the band Oister Boy with her from Minneapolis to literally rock our world.

With the band playing energetic original music that we should be hearing on the charts any day now, the dancers perform for us stories of the joys, sorrows, and struggles of various social interactions representative of the journey of young adulthood, in “I Think We Are Supposed to be ‘Coming of Age’ by Now…”

This show is an amazing experience and deserves your time.

While the various songs and dances portray various coming-of-age stories, the dance style is such that they are each open to your own personal interpretation. The whole thing felt to me as if I were watching the filming of a long-form music video.

Oister Boy is certainly a band to keep a watch on. Their songs are reminiscent of bands from early Who to current radio stars. Save for their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Rhiannon, the numbers are all original compositions, and they really rock. Also like a rock concert, this show is LOUD (earplugs are provided and I suggest you use them). Even with the earplugs in, the music was rather loud but so enjoyable. They also partake in in some of the dances, making them even more impressive.

Now for the dancing. From the opening number, it is clear that these kids have classical training in ballet, jazz, and modern dance. However, they incorporate these skills into a more hip-hop, street version of the disciplines. Their sheer physical abilities are breathtaking and I found myself in awe of them all.

I generally take copious notes at performances to help me remember what I’ve seen so I can better communicate the show’s intent. I found myself unable to write almost anything about the show because I was so awestruck with every second of it.

I honestly don’t know the words to express my adoration of this show (they only have two more performances, and I would see both of them again if I could). While the cast of the whole show totaled around a dozen, they outnumbered the opening night crowd three to one. These kids are amazing and deserve a much larger audience.

NOTE: while the show does have and “Adult Language” warning, it consists of two “F Bombs” in the song lyrics and I think it’s appropriate for teens and up.

Please, please, please see this show and support these artists. I really want to see them return and will be personally devastated if they do not due to lack of audience support. Performing 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 (today, as we post this), and noon Sunday, Aug. 21, at the Athenaeum Basile Auditorium.

IndyFringe: When Jesus Divorced Me

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Laura Irene Young has had an unusual relationship with Jesus.

I’m not referring to Our Lord and Savior – she says that will be the topic of another show. She actually married a man who portrayed Christ in an Orlando Christian theme park; ironically, he forsook her for the woman playing Mary Magdalene.

Laura relates her story in “When Jesus Divorced Me,” which she makes a musical with the help of her ukulele.

With ambitions of Broadway, Laura got into a professional summer-stock company, where she met Pharoah – rather, a guy playing the role in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” As she put it, “Did you like someone so much, you wanted to vomit?” She managed to keep her stomach but lost her heart. After the summer, they had a long-distance relationship that got much closer, and eventually, to Florida.

I’ll leave the rest for you to find out, as she tells it much better than I ever could. Despite his presence in the title, we don’t learn as much about unnamed ersatz-Jesus as we do about this interesting woman and her interesting life, told with engaging candor. Find out how “God’s plan” involved a lot of crying, that new hobbies aren’t always good, and how she knows he still has their wedding presents.

Presented by Magic Feather Productions, this lovely one-woman show is only during the opening weekend of IndyFringe, with performances 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 (today, as I post this), and 1:45 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, in the Athenaeum.

IndyFringe: ShMILF Life

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

“ShMILF Life” is the true story of Ms. Penny Sterling of Rochester, N.Y., and her journey of becoming a trans woman late in life.

She begins in a coffee shop writing on her computer. This is how she spends much of her time as her desk at home has itself transitioned to a makeup table and her cat insists on sitting on her keyboard whenever it is visible. Today, however, she is here awaiting a date.

We are now privy to her story of realizing, at the age of 54, that she was no longer happy living as a man and allowed her to exist as her true self. Some of her friends and family are confused about this, but she valiantly tries to make them understand.

My favorite example is when her male friend points to a lovely woman and says, “When I look at her, I want to have sex with her.” Penny at first echoes the idea, but then realizes that it’s not really true. She then launches into a long, detailed criticism of the woman’s fashion choices, both positive and negative.

She goes online to try dating and gets many short responses, sometimes accompanied by smiley faces, hearts and produce (think eggplants and peaches).

She is very open about the highs and lows of her explorations of being a totally new person. The scariness of putting yourself out in public whether at a bar, online or just in general. Beginning her transition at such and advanced age means that she missed a lot of the learning and growing encompassed in being a woman, still she is persevering.

Her talent as a storyteller and comedian helped keep the evening light and hopeful. I am honestly hoping that the sparseness of her audience was only due to being the late slot on a Thursday evening. She deserves a larger group to speak to, and her voice should indeed be heard.

Do yourself a favor and give this show a shot. Just two performances remain, noon Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20-21, on the cabaret stage of the District Theatre, 627 Mass. Ave.

IndyFringe: QAnon The Musical!

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Congratulations!  You have scored a ticket to the taping of the hottest children’s show, “The Truth Team.” After learning about the ozone layer last week and how fast we will all cook in the sun without it, we are excitedly turning to this week’s topic, QAnon.

Stage manager Kate (Jaddy Ciucci) wrangles everyone together and the show is off and running. The Truth Team (you can trust them) consists of Joe (Joe Cameron), Brendan (Brendan Hawkins), Ryan (Ryan Richards), and their lovable Rhino Eugene (Noah Cameron).

After we sing about our feelings, we begin breaking down the world that is QAnon and the mysterious “Q” that is behind it all.

Q is described as like The Wizard of Oz, but with less credibility. He puts the Myth in Mythological, then removes the Logical. We also learn the three vital components to all QAnon Conspiracy Theories: (1) a Celebrity; (2) a Class “C” felony (those hit the sweet spot and aren’t too severe to not be believable); and, of course, (3) say anything about Antifa. The more insane the conspiracy, the better.

We also have a brief interlude by their science man to teach us about electricity, but we are then reminded that QAnon does not believe in science. Q says that only Pedophiles listen to science.

We also have insights into the personal stores of the cast during the multitude of two-minute breaks. The most entertaining of these are the ones dealing with finger-guns. The sheer hilarity of these sections alone is worth seeing the show.

Throughout the various songs and scenes, we are reminded that life is hard, choices must be made, and we are all vulnerable, yet strong. The story culminates with Eugene breaking the sacred rule of mascots and giving an impassioned soliloquy about the fact that saying crazy stuff is part of what created our country, but we shouldn’t let that stoke our hatred.

Presented by Un5gettable, “QAnon: The Musical” is a delight for all ages (they keep the language clean). The cast supremely embody the sweet charm of children’s show hosts without ever being condescending to their audience.

Bring the whole family out and catch this show. Word is getting around, and I expect sell-outs for most if not all of their remaining performances, Aug. 20, 27 and 28, Sept 1 and 3, on the IndyFringe Basile stage, 719 E. St. Clair.

IndyFringe: Spontaneous Tales of Science-Fiction

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Stroopwafel Improv are a group that does silly strange things that make you go “ha ha” and “wha?” and “did they just say…” and more “ha ha.” And it is different at every performance.

This time around, there is an attempted theme – science fiction. However, weirdness knows no limits of time and space, so we get physical humor, odd relationships, and odder jobs, but probably on a future Earth. To aid their quest, aside from the regular audience suggestions (feel free to make it challenging) they have a performer from another Fringe show as a special guest. This person won’t be roped into an embarrassing game, but asked to give a possibly embarrassing monologue, from which ideas will be culled for the next series of comedy bits.

And be warned, even an odd throwaway reference in the opening improv game could become a bizarre recurring bit, as these folks take to it like a dog with a bone, gnawing at it in callbacks until all the humor marrow is extracted. (That sounded so weird, I won’t be shocked if it ends up in a sketch – my apologies.)

They are freewheeling with the entendres and occasional naughty word, so this is for teens and up, but do look them up, and see how truly weird and funny the future can be. Performances are Aug. 21, 26 and 27, and Sept. 3-4, in the Athenaeum.

IndyFringe: The Reluctant Mind Reader

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Magician and mentalist Brendon Ware has just two performances left of The Reluctant Mind Reader before jetting off to his next gig in sunny Spain (he doesn’t seem too reluctant about this, though).

While you can, see him probe the minds, and pockets, of various audience members. This Indy Magic favorite also has a twist on the old “slamming the hand down on empty cups” routine in which he risks literally getting egg on his face.

I feel no need to hard-sell this show. You – and likely he – already know you are going to see this, Saturday noon and Sunday evening, Aug. 20-21, at the Athenaeum.