Jack Paganelli

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.

Bard Fest takes another look at Trojan War

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By John Lyle Belden

If the title of Shakespeare’s “Troilus and Cressida” sounds familiar, that’s because just this last July there was a musical adaptation, presented by Southbank Theatre. This time around, the war story/comedy/tragedy is presented by Indy Bard Fest on the stage of the Cat theatre in Carmel.

Director Zach Stonerock approaches this play as a satire of the Trojan War (and thus war in general). As battles tend to “trash” the landscape, the stage looks like a modern salvage yard, the players like a band of hobo thespians acting out the Bard’s work to pass the time. For junkyard scavengers, knowing who plays Ajax is easy if you can find the plastic bottle.

Thersites the Fool (Sarah Heider) welcomes us and introduces the war, already seven years in progress (these events are prior to the legendary part with the big horse, which is hinted at). Young Trojan prince Troilus (Jack Tiehen) is seeking to woo fair Cressida (Hannah Embree), whose father has defected to the Greeks, leaving her with uncle Pandarus (David Mosedale), all too eager to play matchmaker. Trojan troops, led by older princes Paris (Tristan Montgomery) and chivalrous Hector (Ryan Powell), and general Aeneas (Tim Fox), return from battle frustrated at the continuing stalemate. They consider whether it would be best for Paris to return Helen (Abigail Simmon), whom he had stolen from the Greeks, starting this whole mess. It would at least quiet the ravings of princess Cassandra (Audrey Stonerock). But proud Troilus helps talk Hector out of that plan, which leads to an even more audacious one.

Meanwhile, on the Greek side, King Agamemnon (Jeffrey Stratford), Menelaus (Mosedale), Diomedes (Jack Paganelli), and Ulysses (Tristan Ross), are frustrated that their best warrior, Achilles (John Kern), is refusing to fight, staying in his tent with his boytoy Patroclus (Montgomery). Under truce, Aeneas arrives with a proposed challenge – Hector vs. a champion of their choice in single combat. The Greek leaders accept and decide to name less-able soldier Ajax (Austin Hookfin), confident the insult to Achilles should rouse him to battle.

Lest we forget the title, there is more intrigue with Troilus and Cressida, who decide on a quick tryst before being formally wed. But the morning after brings news that the girl has become little more than a bargaining chip.

The cast also includes Brittany Magee as Hector’s wife Andromache, yet another woman whose feelings are disregarded.

Though the trappings of this telling are a bit comical, the story is deadly serious. Tiehen gives a solid performance, with the looks and aggressive romantic bluster of a Romeo but a little smarter and less suicidal. Embree also plays her lead admirably, a young woman getting by on cleverness until she can’t, then realizing she is her only salvation, even if it means hurting one who loves her.

Stratford plays an amusing monarch, but not one to be trifled with. His portrayal, along with Kern and Montgomery’s haughtiness and Ross’s deadpan, reflect how the early scenes play out like a Strangelovian comedy. Powell, who easily slips into roles both comical and serious, plays Hector as both nobly earnest and absurdly genteel. Heider, for her part, revels in her role. As the play progresses towards bloodshed, however, the tragedy and waste of war come to the fore.

An intriguing example of how all’s un-fair in love and war, “Troilus and Cressida” has three more performances Friday through Sunday, Oct. 13-15, at the Cat, 254 Veterans Way in downtown Carmel. Get tickets at indybardfest.com.