internet

Center Stage: #PrideAndPrejudice gets upgrade

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By Wendy Carson      

With all the various Holiday shows on stages right now, Center Stage Community Theater brings us an alternative with a rollicking interpretation of a Jane Austen classic, “Pride @ Prejudice,” by Daniel Elihu Kramer. The show presents a more internet-savvy version of the story including clickbait asides, historical tidbits, and even merchandise for sale. It felt something akin to a Fringe Festival production.

The cast consists of five actors, all portraying various characters in the novel, except for Trinity Pruitt in the single role of main character Elizabeth Bennet, while Adrian Blackwell plays the snide Mr. Darcy and the sleezy Mr. Collins – though there are a few times that a cardboard standee also portrays Mr. Darcy. Given the plethora of characters remaining for Kat Krebs, Todd Isaac, and Tanya Haas, director Matt McKee opts to elevate stage manager Ava McKee to also portray various servant roles and show scene changes.

The story remains unchanged but with frantic pacing and rapid narration, bring about some background commentary that might change your feelings towards some of the characters. The script also incorporates letters from Jane Austen herself to further flesh out the times and situations. Therefore, the show is a very good primer for those unfamiliar with the novel. However, Austen purists made find the irreverence to be off-putting.

Overall, the show is a delight, and the entire cast is fantastic. Highlight performances, for me, were Krebs as Lady Catherine, Blackwell as Mr. Collins, Isaac as Mr. Bingley and Mr. Gardiner, Tanya Haas as Miss de Bourgh, and, of course, Pruitt as Elizabeth.

So, if you’re looking for something different yet still enjoyable this season, head over to Lebanon and catch this top-notch offering.

Performances are Friday through Sunday, Dec. 12-14 and 19-21, at 604 W. Powell St., Lebanon. Get information and tickets at centerstagecommunitytheatre.com.

Storefront: Online issues more than black and white in new drama

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By John Lyle Belden

In today’s social media world, more than your banking information is at risk.

In local performer and playwright Paige Scott’s new drama, “Black Hat Duncan,” presented by Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis, a regular internet user – adept, but not a coder – gets caught in a bizarre trap.

Deidre (Carrie Ann Schlatter) finds herself drunk-texted by Mandy (Miranda Nehrig), a young woman she has never met. After dealing with some naughty photos, and later, a costly scam, Deidre finally tracks down her apparent attacker, only to find that Mandy was hacked as well.

Between scenes with the women, the mysterious Black Hat (Joshua Ramsey) presents himself to the audience. He’s wearing a mask, of course, but he is confident you will never find him. Still, he can find you. In true gloating-villain style, he presents his nihilistic reasoning, twisted justification for his psychopathy, and how he so easily accomplished the “punishment” of his latest victim.

And we find that he is not the only one with misdeeds and secrets.

Directed by Chelsea Anderson, this cast is a wonderful blend of actors who seem to enjoy playing a little dark, energizing their performances in this very of-the-moment story. Scott’s cautionary tale fascinates and entertains, presenting an online underworld that reveals just how close our tech is to a Mission: Impossible adventure. Just hope the agent you’re working with wears a White Hat.

Projected images of cell and internet activity include some lingerie shots, so audience members must check their own phones in a secure box kept by Storefront staff during the performance, to prevent life from imitating this art.

One weekend of this world premiere of “Black Hat Duncan” remains, Friday through Sunday, July 21-23, at 2416 E. 55th Place (across from the North Keystone Meijer), Indianapolis. All tickets are pay-what-you-can. For info and reservations, go to storefrontindy.com.

Review: Online life taken to disturbing depths

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By John Lyle Belden

In the near-future, the Internet evolves into the Nether, where people log on immersively to work, go to school and be entertained. Some never leave. This world is explored in a disturbing new drama, “The Nether,” playing through Nov. 22 at the Phoenix Theatre, 749 N. Park Ave. in downtown Indianapolis.

A detective (Sarah McGee) investigates “Papa” (Bill Simmons), who has developed, within the Nether, the Hideaway, where residents can indulge the most depraved of urges – but if it’s virtual and all participants are adults, what’s the harm? When desires that are dangerous in the real world are fulfilled to your five senses, even if no one is physically hurt, does it still chip away at something within you?

Deep, uneasy questions are explored, confronting the dark possibilities of our online culture. Sure, in the bright and happy musical “Avenue Q” we sing that “The Internet is for Porn,” but when Papa says it in a firm voice of affirmation, it no longer seems so amusing.

The impressive set splits the stage between the cold sterile interrogation room and a beautiful Victorian parlor within the Hideaway. The lush virtual world is in contrast to the ruined outside world hinted at in conversation — with references to an environment with few trees and little natural beauty remaining — a world it would make sense one would want to escape, maybe even permanently.

Rich Rand plays a Hideaway user, and Paeton Chavis and Scot Greenwell portray Nether avatars; they, Simmons and McGee all give compelling performances. Unless easily offended or triggered, mature audiences should welcome the challenge of this play. Info and tickets at 317-635-7529 or phoenixtheatre.org.