Jennifer Poynter

No place like Mud Creek ‘4’ the holidays

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By John Lyle Belden

For those who don’t know, “X” is, aside from part of the English alphabet, the Greek letter “Chi,” which is traditionally used as a shorthand for “Christ,” thus making “Xmas” an acceptable abbreviation for the holiday. In American vernacular, of course, using that spelling usually indicates a less-serious take than any formal religious celebration.

Behold “4 X’mas,” a collection of five works (four short plays and a monologue) by George Cameron Grant, presented by Mud Creek Players through the first weekend of December.

Grant is a popular playwright and “hope peddler” (according to his website) notable for his one-acts. In fact, one of the pieces in the current production – about a set of tree ornaments in their cardboard box – may be familiar to those who saw it in a past edition of the “Phoenix Xmas” show.  

Directed by Andrea Odle, the cast of Rina Baker, Mary Garner, Mason Odle, Oscar Otero, Jennifer Poynter, and Jurrell Spencer charm their way through various holiday-themed happenings.

  • Baker and Spencer get caught up in each other after an “Office Party,” but what will happen when Richard (Otero) comes home?
  • Redemption comes to Hell’s Kitchen in “Santa’s Clara” as a teen on her own (Garner) encounters a shabby Santa Claus (Mason Odle) who knows her too well.
  • In “The First Noel,” a homeless woman (Baker) tells of her life full of “zingers” and how she can’t return to her childhood home, unless it’s for Chinese take-out.
  • As noted, there are some holiday “Balls” (Baker, Garner, Odle, Otero, Poynter) waking up early from their storage space to find how fragile their existence truly is.
  • Finally, “Santa Comes to the King David” brings together – at the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge – a helpful woman (Garner) and a man (Odle) whose holiday tradition has been to play Santa Claus at the Hannukah Bush in a home for Jewish seniors. This includes a sweet appearance by Poynter as his Jewish “aunt.”

Their performances in these little plays deliver a sense of whimsy and romance with hilarity and heart. Some innuendo gets a bit PG, but otherwise this is a great holiday show for everyone.

Andrea Odle is assisted by Lexi Odle-Stollings, with Kathy Jacobs as stage manager. Costumes are by Judy McGroarty with props by Jessica Raine.

Take some time “4 X’mas,” Friday through Sunday, Nov. 28-30 and Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 4-6 at the Mud Creek Players Barn, 9740 E. 86th St., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at mudcreekplayers.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.

Mud Creek drama worth the ‘Wait’

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By John Lyle Belden

One thing that tends to be tricky in live theatre is suspense. This is why the thriller “Wait Until Dark” by Frederick Knott is a popular choice for community companies, like the present production at Mud Creek Players, directed by Andrea Odle.

A pair of ex-cons are searching for a particular priceless doll – valuable not for its porcelain face or music box, but for also containing a highly valuable stash of uncut heroin. The woman bringing it into the country passed it to an unsuspecting photographer, Sam (Zachary Thompson), and her accomplices Mike (JB Scoble) and Carlino (Trever Brown) are in his lower-level apartment searching for it. However, the person who called them to be there is Mr. Roat (Kelly Keller), who has smoothly taken charge of the entire caper.

Sam’s wife Susy (Lexi Odle-Stollings) comes home and our criminals note that she is blind, so they can easily evade her. She hears something, and notices furniture has been moved, but blames it on Gloria (Evelyn Odom), the bratty girl who lives upstairs and often comes down to do errands for her.

Preferring finesse to violence (for now), while Sam is away on a bogus assignment, Mike pretends to be his old Marines buddy to talk Susy into divulging the location of the doll. Carlino plays a detective, and Roat adds two roles to the ruse, as the tension builds and their patience wanes. This is set in 1963, so a phone booth just down the block is a vital plot element. As Susy’s necessary attention to details starts to clue her in on what’s happening, how will she get out of this situation? Note the play’s title.

The cast also includes Sidney Blake and Thomas Burek.

Odle’s own attention to detail aids the atmosphere, taking advantage of the fact that the Mud Creek Barn isn’t a large venue, aiding our trapped feeling with lower than usual lighting. Jennifer Poynter is assistant director, and Amy Buell is stage manager.

Odle-Stollings delivers an excellent performance of a woman familiar with fear as she had been blinded only a couple of years before, still, knowing she must rely on her own strength and wits – every day to get around, and on this night as a matter of life and death. She received help from the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired to effectively and respectfully portray an unsighted person.

The fact that Keller is such a nice guy offstage helps make his turn as ruthless Roat all the more disturbing. His villainy is enhanced by his own sense for detail and preparation. Scoble and Brown add a bit of humor to the mix, but we come to see the hardened criminals they play take this all very seriously.

Odom, already quite active as a Mud Creek volunteer, is also a natural on stage, playing the kid who, despite her attitude, truly wants to help – if that involves breaking things, all the better!

Suspense builds to the final scene. See what happens when the lights go out in “Wait Until Dark,” performances Thursday through Saturday at 9740 E. 86th St., Indianapolis. Get tickets at mudcreekplayers.org.

Songs and their stories at BCP

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By John Lyle Belden

Did you know that the true meaning of “fa-la-la-la-la” is, believe it or not, fa-la-la-la-la? (Just musical filler.) Or, that while the tune of “Greensleeves” dates back to 1500s England, the Christmas hymn “What Child is This?” was written in America in the mid-1800s?

Feel free to share this information, as well as nearly all the songs in “Buck Creek Players Christmas Cabaret,” the company’s holiday offering through Sunday, Dec. 8.

For this original revue, directors Georgie Teipen and Tiffany D. Wilson went with the theme “Public Domain” not just because it’s for a cost-conscious community theatre, but mainly because so much of what we enjoy sharing at Christmas is not bound up in intellectual property restrictions, especially traditional music.

But because by their nature these songs are quite old, the stories behind their creation may be little known. Our hosts Clance LaTurner and Jeremy Teipen present the relevant histories of nearly 30 tunes – sacred and secular – which are performed by Nicole Bridgens, Onis Dean, Scott Fleshood, Jennifer J. Kaufmann, Nancy Laudeman, Gary Life, and Jennifer Poynter, accompanied by Debbie Stafford on piano. Their charming delivery enlivens our spirits; highlights include Life’s “How Far Is It to Bethlehem” (the lone protected song, for which he got permission from the writer!), lively company renditions of “Deck the Halls” and “Twelve Days of Christmas,” and Dean’s stirring “Ave Maria.”

This intimate show is given a “black box” setting, with audience seating on three sides of the stage (a ramp is provided for patrons). Singers appear at any of the four corners throughout the performance. The set-up works quite well, and we hope BCP considers it for any future productions that can benefit from this arrangement. Since we’re right there with the singers, we are encouraged to join them in a couple of the songs.

A good time for fans of trivia and traditional holiday hits, find the Buck Creek Playhouse at 11150 Southeastern Ave., Indianapolis (Acton Road exit of I-74); find tickets at buckcreekplayers.com.

‘Carol’ gets farcical in Westfield

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By John Lyle Belden

We know that a lot of the folks who read our reviews have some experience with community theatre – whether on stage, backstage, or patience-tested family member. For you, “Inspecting Carol” by Daniel Sullivan, presented by Main Street Productions in Westfield, may feel familiar.

At the Soapbox Playhouse, director Zorah (Tanya Haas) and stage manager M.J. (Jennifer Poynter) are having difficulties with rehearsals for the annual production of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Much of the cast have done it year after year, but that’s not much help, especially since their Scrooge, Larry (Scott Prill), likes to go off script. Also, Luther (Tyler Acquaviva), their Tim, isn’t so “tiny,” putting a strain on Phil (Trever Brown) as Cratchit. Dorothy (Cathie Morgan), who has various roles and a real British accent, is hobbling on a broken foot. Sidney (Brad Burns) is ready to play Marley, providing he gets the chains under control. Newcomer Walter (Malcolm Marshall), who plays the ghosts, is uneasy with being the lone “diversity” casting. At least Bart (Gregory Vander Wyden) is capable of handling both some character lines and moving the set pieces.

Then there’s Wayne (Jeff Haber), a stranger who just showed up, claiming to be a traveling actor seeking stages where he can audition. But he’s not in the union and seems oblivious to things a thespian should know.

Business manager Kevin (Jim Gryga) suspects the visitor could be an undercover inspector sent by the National Endowment for the Arts, which has suspended the company’s grant pending a review.

Directed by Kelly Keller, who has a knack for bringing out the funny, this farce reels from one silly situation to the next, likely cathartically familiar to anyone who has dealt with production mishaps, last-minute changes, dropped lines, and looming budget shortfalls. Debbie Underwood completes the cast. Elianah Atwell is assistant director, with Tanya Keller as stage manager.

Hilariously brilliant performances all around, including Haas keeping Zorah’s Lithuanian blood at a low boil, Prill with Larry’s “updated” script, Haber as well-meaning Wayne, and especially Poynter as the cat-herding jill-of-all-trades pushed to her limit. And if a bad dress rehearsal foretells a great performance, this company could have the best “Carol” ever, once they recover.

See what I mean at “Inspecting Carol,” Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 7-10, at Basile Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St., Westfield. For info and tickets, see westfieldplayhouse.org.

Mud Creek springs delightful ‘Mousetrap’

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By Wendy Carson

Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” is the longest running play in the world. It opened in 1952 and ran continuously in London until a 14-month absence due to COVID, but is back thrilling audiences every night once again.

The show’s staying power is the strength of its story as well as the characters involved. Christie is known for wickedly cutting dialogue, and this script does not disappoint. Mud Creek Players now gives us the opportunity to get caught up in this “trap” here in Indiana.

The story seems somewhat simple at first – the classic whodunit. In the early 1950s, Mollie (Audrey West) and her husband Giles Ralston (Nicholas Gibbs) decide to turn their newly inherited Monkswell Manor in the English countryside into a lodging house. After a foreboding story of a murder is heard on the radio, the guests begin to appear, each more quirky than the one before.

Christopher Wren (Gideon Roark) is a hyper imp who claims to be an architect (named after the original Wren, famed church designer of the Baroque era). Snooty elitist Mrs. Boyle (Jennifer Poynter) is aptly described as a “perfectly horrible woman.” Major Metcalf (Jason Roll) frequently retreats offstage, and has all that he needs in his little bag. Also arriving is Miss Casewell (Zoe O’Haillin) with her macho attitude and unplacable accent.

There is also the unexpected guest, Italian-accented Mr. Paravicini (Jim Gryga) whose car may or may not have broken down in the snow. Oh yeah, there’s also a huge blizzard trapping everyone inside the house. Finally, Detective Sergeant Trotter (Mike Sosnowski) eventually arrives on skis to question everyone about the aforementioned murder.

When the first body drops in Monkswell, paranoia ramps up as it seems that everyone had the opportunity and motive to kill. A vital clue hints that another will soon die as well.

Director Kelly Keller has taken immense pleasure and care in preparing this exquisite mixture of laughs and chills. The cast aids with steady accents and lovely performances. West and Gibbs make a nice couple, but we see them acting a little secretive at first, and is Giles being suspicious or just showing his British stiff upper lip? Roark has Wren wear his dysfunction on his sleeve – which makes him both suspect and too scattered to have pulled off an elaborate crime. Poynter (a much nicer person offstage) seems to relish being perfectly dissatisfied with absolutely everything. Roll plays the Major as someone unusually curious about everything, but with an easy smile and cheerio attitude. O’Haillin may as well have “I have secrets” tattooed on Casewell’s forehead, and while not unfriendly is frequently on edge and chainsmoking (fake stage cigarettes). Gryga has the most entertaining role, as Paravicini is definitely up to something, and is charmingly up front about how untrustworthy he is, but murder? Sosnowski gives us an engaging “let’s go over this again” style detective, constantly reminding himself – and us in the audience – of the clues.

Genuine Brit Craig Kemp supplies the voice of the radio announcer, quite the honor for those who know “Mousetrap” lore.

Another aspect of this classic is Christie’s brilliant misdirection and final twist. Not only is it satisfying to discover the first time, audiences return with this knowledge to better appreciate the acting and character development. In fact, Mud Creek is offering a $5 discount on a subsequent ticket to the show. However, once you know, longstanding tradition (and Christie’s hatred of spoilers) demands you not tell a soul.

Performances run Thursday through Sunday through May 6 at the Mud Creek Barn, 9740 E. 86th St., Indianapolis. Info and tickets at MudCreekPlayers.org.

‘Curious’ and charming comedy in Westfield

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By John Lyle Belden

If you are around stages long enough, eventually a community theatre will mount “The Curious Savage.” This 1950 gem by popular screenwriter and playwright John Patrick was maybe a little too sentimental for more than a premiere run on Broadway over 70 years ago, but contains a rich variety of themes and subtleties (starting with its title). It is also a gift for a neighborhood playhouse with its single stage set and nearly a dozen fun and interesting characters to perform. Thus, it arrives with Main Street Productions in Westfield.

On a typical day in post-WWII America, we meet people who are intelligent, friendly and a bit eccentric. At The Cloisters, a mental institution, this is the wing of those needing the least supervision. Something is a little off about each of the patients – something that if resolved could lead to their exit. But they take comfort in their present home, and eagerly await a new arrival. Miss Willie (Rachel Pope), the nurse, sends them to their rooms, as head psychiatrist Dr. Emmett (Tom Riddle) brings in Mrs. Ethel P. Savage (Tanya Haas), looking like a normal older woman of the era, carrying a huge teddy bear. She has been committed by her step-children – U.S. Sen. Titus Savage (Steven Marsh), socialite Lily Belle Savage (Jan Boercherding), and Judge Samuel Savage (Ian A. Montgomery) – who claim she has been acting too irrationally since her husband (their father) died. Ethel insisted on becoming (gasp!) an actress, and even worse, wants to take the millions of dollars she inherited and start a foundation to give it away.

After the relatives depart, the inmates (who had been eavesdropping) introduce themselves. Fairy May (Phoebe Aldridge) is gregarious and thoughtful, and constantly embellishing “facts” about her life. Hannibal (Thom Johnson) is a statistician, replaced by a calculating machine, who convinced himself he can play violin. Florence (Jennifer Poynter) dotes on her five-year-old son, the doll she carries in place of the child she lost in infancy. Veteran Jeffrey (Josh Rooks) carries his survivor’s guilt as an invisible (except to him) facial scar, and vaguely remembers he played the piano before the War. Mrs. Paddy (Lisa Warner) an aspiring seascape painter, was once told by her husband to “Shut up!” and she did, never speaking a word except, when emotional, she lists the things she hates – including electricity, which she gave up for Lent.

This wonderful, gentle comedy takes no cheap shots at the disordered. Enterprising methods of exercise, for instance, look silly but contain their own rational intent. While entertaining, we also see how their eccentricities become limiting, demonstrating their need for treatment. Where the “crazy” comes in is when the trio of Savages arrive to attempt to force Ethel to reveal what she has done with the family fortune. As Lily Belle betrays her classlessness, Samuel his whimpering indecision, and Titus his blowhard bluster (Marsh looks like his head will literally explode), the residents appear downright sane.

Haas keeps Ethel endearing, yet sly, charming, and conniving like a “Mame” or “Dolly” character in captivity. Her housemates also work their way into our hearts as they go to great lengths to maintain perpetual happiness. Pope and Riddle show the genuine concern their characters have for everyone’s wellbeing.

Director Nancy Lafferty has done an outstanding job with this American classic. Remaining performances are Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 6-9, at the Basile Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St. For info and tickets, visit westfieldplayhouse.org.

A toast to Belfry’s convent comedy

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By John Lyle Belden

It seems nuns are an easy target for entertaining and eccentric characters who also have the noblest of intentions. We get another fun take on this trope in “Drinking Habits” by Tom Smith, presented by The Belfry Theatre in Noblesville.

The Sisters of Perpetual Sewing are a small but important order in the Catholic Church. If the Pope pops a button, the garment gets sent to the little convent somewhere in the U.S.A. to get fixed right up. But the sacred stitches don’t raise quite enough funds to keep the lights on, so Sisters Augusta and Philamena (Jennifer Poynter and Cathie Morgan) have let the grape juice ferment and are selling the wine in town. This is kept secret from Mother Superior (Barb Weaver), who is so anti-alcohol, she won’t even allow the words for such beverages to be said aloud.

Thus we get some interesting euphemisms: Devil’s Delight, Satan’s Mouthwash, Lucifer’s Libations, etc.

Fortunately, the secretive Sisters have always-helpful second-generation groundskeeper George (Bryan Gallet) to help.

But local newshounds Sally (Sarah Powell) and Paul (Jeff Haber) have gotten a tip about the secret vineyard and are infiltrating the convent to investigate. It happens that the Order is expecting the arrival of a new member, so Sally becomes Sister Mary Mary, while Paul becomes Father Paul, her brother. Then the actual nun, Sister Mary Catherine (Sarah Eberhardt), arrives, and things start to get confusing. Add to the mix the neighboring priest and amateur magician Father Chenille (Chris Taylor) and word that the Vatican has sent spies to ensure all its facilities are worth keeping open, and confusion, mistaken identities, multi-layered lies, and other farcical elements rule the day.

Aside from quick entrances and exits from multiple doors, the cast also mines comedy gold from the Order’s ritual of keeping silent at random points during the day. (Apparently, wild gesturing and miming is not a sin.) The goofy goings-on crescendo to a wild ending of revelations (and matrimony!) that would make Shakespeare’s head spin.

Direction is by Belfry board president Nancy Lafferty.

Poynter and Morgan are wonderful in a study of opposites – quick-thinking, fast-talking Augusta, and nervous Philamena, who literally can’t tell a lie. Gallet is handed a challenge in keeping George easy-going and kind without coming across as too simple-minded – he’s the average-sharpness knife in the drawer. Powell and Haber ably portray two people in a situation way over their heads, while also working through unresolved feelings. Weaver has Mother Superior cool and in control, but isn’t too sharply stern, and manages to be out of the loop of what’s going on without looking foolish. Taylor makes Chenille charming in a way that gives the Father “dad” vibes. Eberhardt is so much fun to watch as situations, and Mary Catherine’s growing guilt, put her continually on-edge.

This show is very funny and well worth the drive up to Noblesville, playing through Sunday, July 3, at Ivy Tech Auditorium, 300 N. 17th, St. Get information and tickets at thebelfrytheatre.com.

And, just a thought for a future season: Smith also wrote a “Drinking Habits 2.”

IF welcomes you to ‘Pooh Corner’

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By John Lyle Belden and Wendy Carson

Most of us have spent at least part of our childhood in the Hundred Acre Wood, or even in an acre of our own with some dear plush pals. Return to that wonder-filled place at “The House at Pooh Corner,” presented by Improbable Fiction Theatre Company at the Ivy Tech auditorium in Noblesville.

In pajama-esque costume, Winnie-the-Pooh and friends from A.A. Milne’s books come to life, adapted by Bettye Knapp, directed for IFTC by Dana Lesh. 

Today’s adventure starts with an Emergency Meeting, with much to address. Eeyore is tired of standing out in a field at 3 a.m. and wants a house. A mysterious and frightening new creature has appeared, wreaking havoc on Pooh’s chair and Owl’s home. Who or what is the mysterious “Backson”? Most concerning, though, is that Christopher Robin’s parents are intent on sending the boy away to “Education.” 

This calls for action – perhaps an excursion to the South Pole, as the North Pole has crocodiles.

In this production, what would have been just a charming experience for young audiences has been made truly exceptional by near-perfect casting: 

  • Daniel Shock has not only the constantly contemplative look but also the familiar classic voice of Pooh Bear down solid. 
  • Diann Ryan masters Piglet’s mix of energetic, neurotic, and eager-to-please. 
  • Scott Prill exudes all the gentlemanly gravitas of Owl. 
  • Jennifer Poynter is endearingly maternal and germaphobic as Kanga, dealing with Sean Wood as hyper and eager-for-fun Roo. 
  • Barb Weaver has the take-charge attitude of Rabbit, who also watches over bunny relatives Early (Evelyn BeDell) and Late (Paxton Shock). 
  • Geoff Lynch embodies the blustering braggart force of nature that is Tigger, complete with animated giggle.  
  • Ryan Shelton brays as discontented, depressed Eeyore so well, it’s a wonder he isn’t on the others’ nerves. 
  • Gabrielle Morrison seems to have stepped off the page as Christopher Robin. The voice of his father (one of “them”) is provided by Jeff Bick. 

The commitment by the actors to their plush alter-egos helps immerse us in the whimsy of their world, making this a nice experience for theatre-goers of any age. As an added treat, the cast comes out to greet and take pictures with fans at the front of the stage after each performance. 

Visit “The House on Pooh Corner” April 22-24 – 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday – at Ivy Tech, 300 N. 17th St., Noblesville. Find information and tickets at iftheatrecompany.org.

Mud Creek: Where ‘Almost’ seems exactly right

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By Wendy Carson

On the heels of their hilarious Christmas show, (“Inlaws, Outlaws, and Other People Who Should Be Shot”) Mud Creek Players give us another sweet laugh-fest with their latest production, “Almost Maine.”

The title comes from the “not-quite” town in extreme northern Maine, small in population, but overflowing with quirkiness.

There are two people who are either close together or vastly far apart; a woman whose defenses keep her from seeing what’s right in front of her; a misspelling possibly leading to love; the answer to a question asked a very long time ago. Plus, you have two people literally falling in love, the other shoe literally dropping, a couple literally returning their love for each other, a man who literally feels no pain, and an actual broken heart.

All this happens on a cold, wintry Friday night. Those of us of a certain age will feel like we are watching a romantic update of “Northern Exposure,” with all the whimsy on display under the Northern Lights.

This series of scenes is brought to life by Matt Harzburg, Kyrsten Lyster, Lexi Odle, Mason Odle, Jennifer Poynter and Jackson Stollings in multiple roles, directed by Andrea Odle with Amanda Armstrong. They all embrace the charm, wonder and weirdness of the stories, aptly acting as though these odd northwoods happenings occur every day. Thus they make the accompanying feelings seem natural – and somehow relatable to us, watching from a “barn” in the woods near Geist.

While this is a perfect show to bring a date, singles and families will find it just as enchanting. Also, each lady in attendance was given a long-stemmed rose. So brave the cold, and warm up to the sweet charm of “Almost, Maine.”

Performances run through March 2 at 9740 E. 86th St.; call 317290-5343 or visit www.mudcreekplayers.com.