Logan Browning

Hyperion passes Inspection

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By John Lyle Belden

Hyperion Players just presented “An Inspector Calls,” a thriller and modern-day morality play by J.B. Priestley, for one weekend at the Switch Theatre in Fishers.

We open in 1912, during a dinner at the posh home of industrialist Arthur Birling (Christopher Vojtko), celebrating the engagement of daughter Sheila (Megan Fridenmaker) to Gerald Croft (Vincent Pratt), son of Birling’s business rival. Also present are Arthur’s perfectly upstanding wife Sybil (Jennifer J. Kaufmann) and their drunken disappointment of a son Eric (Logan Browning). The evening is interrupted by a visitor, police Inspector Goole (Josh Elicker), who informs them a young woman had just died by her own hand, then interrogates each of these characters to reveal their individual roles in the woman’s demise. It appears only the dutiful maid Edna (Lea Ellingwood) is spared.

From this simple plot, a complex web of secrets and shameful behavior is revealed. The cast all act appropriately pretentious and aghast at every turn. Though set in England, no one forces a fake British accent, which helps keep the performances natural, but still spoken with proper airs so that this could be envisioned as a family of Gilded Age Americans – discussions of impending knighthood, pounds and shillings, etc., aside.

Director Nicole Amsler added the innovation of numerous shadow puppets to illustrate the story of the deceased, set in the background at various scenes throughout the play. The tactic is effective, adding to the overall narrative like flashes of memory in a well-made film. The shadows also add to the noir atmosphere and feel appropriate to a pre-cinema culture. In this way, the late Eva Smith – a/k/a Daisy Renton, a/k/a the false Mrs. Birling – becomes a major part of the drama without us ever actually seeing her face. The 200 shadow puppets were crafted and controlled by Delaney Amsler, assisted by Ellingwood; Lesie Blackwell was stage manager.

Votko has Arthur epitomize the Englishman striving to ever be the ideal gentleman – in his words, “a hard-headed, practical businessman.” He constantly needs to be in charge, so is perpetually perturbed as Goole doesn’t play along. Kaufmann ensures Sybil is never shaken from her elitist perch, though she is severely tested. Browning plays Eric as the man-child struggling to rise but only finding his parents’ disappointment. It is Croft, given the proper stiff upper lip and grinning noble bearing by Pratt, who appears to be the son Arthur hoped for. So, it is left to Fridenmaker to give us a Sheila with a conscience, despite having been rude and spoiled as befitted her upbringing. She gets an opportunity for personal growth, which can make her the audience proxy – aside from what you see in yourselves in the other, less likable roles.   

As our Inspector, Elicker presents an eccentric archetype that would come to life later in the century thanks to writers like Agatha Christie and is practically stereotypical by the lifetimes of us in the audience. In the proper home of a “former Lord Mayor of Brumley,” this mainly serves to keep the occupants nicely off-balance, adding to the humor of a clash of social mores. As there are themes of oppression by the uncaring towards lower classes, Goole gets a bit preachy, but his words have an effect. After he departs, the play’s stunning end scene reveals a very telling test of human nature.

If you’ll pardon a spoiler (maybe you’ll forget this by the time another company stages the play), after the curtain, we are left with the question: Who exactly was The Inspector? Between us, my partner Wendy has her suspicions (something you’d find in the details).

This production gives us another example of how Hyperion Players is bringing us intriguing and thought-provoking, yet quirky and entertaining shows, worth the jaunt for Indy folks to eastern Hamilton County. Their next scheduled productions, “The Woman in Black,” opening Oct. 24, and “The 39 Steps,” opening next March 20, will also be at The Switch in Fishers. Find details at hyperionplayers.com.

Vital to war effort, ‘Fly Babies’ remembered on BCP stage

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By John Lyle Belden

For any fan of history, especially if your knowledge of the “aviatrix” begins and ends with Amelia Earhardt, you need to see “Fly Babies,” playing through Sunday at Buck Creek Players.

Based on the actual Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during World War II, this drama by Rusty Harding, directed by Melissa DeVito, features a portrayal of real-world aviation legend Jackie Cochran, who – among numerous accomplishments – started this civilian corps of women pilots that helped deliver military aircraft around the United States, and train (male) pilots and crew members for deployment overseas. The ever-masculine Army Air Corps kept the program under wraps at the time, with the women only getting their due in recent decades.

At Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, Cochran (Sue Kuehnhold) takes under her wing a flock representing the various types of women aviators who trained for WASP wings: Dotty Moore (Sabrina Duprey), who flew with her father as a crop-duster; Pauline Yates (Cass Knowling), a daredevil barnstormer who keeps on flying despite her husband’s death in a crash; Peggy Taylor (Audrey Duprey), a spoiled socialite whose Daddy had her take flying lessons, then apply for this duty, to buff up the family brand; and Hazel Ying (Maria R. Manalang), representing the few minorities allowed into the program, a veteran of action against the Japanese in her parents’ homeland, China.

Mazy Buford (Alicia Sims) represents one of the less honorable aspects of the story: not even allowed in the all-male Tuskegee Airmen, this experienced African American pilot settled for working as a seamstress and cleaning lady to be as close to the aircraft as she could get.

Adding a little levity and charm is Sgt. Louis Lewis (Josh Rooks), the soldier who can get you anything, and despite his non-stop faulty flirting, is a good and likable guy.

Col. Thomas Evans (Tom Smith) is the officer in charge. He’s not thrilled with the program, but sees its necessity in freeing up men to fly in the War. Less understanding is WASP instructor Cpt. John Whitaker (Logan Browning), a man bitter with prejudice – misogynist and racist – and scarred in mind and body from being shot down in the Pacific. The lone survivor of his squadron, Whitaker took out enough of the enemy to earn a Silver Star, but is too damaged to return to action. He takes no pleasure in training “broads” to fly warbirds, but orders are orders, and he grudgingly comes to admit they are pretty good. The women respect his abilities but chafe at his constant meanness; they flip one of his insults – Fly Babies – into a badge of honor.

In the course of their training, Dotty seeks to rectify the injustice done to Mazy, infuriating Cochran, who understands, but also knows pushing the issue could jeopardize the whole program. Meanwhile, some gremlin has been defacing and damaging the WASP training planes. Whitaker insists it’s just harmless “hijinks” by some of the men on the base, but how far will such pranks go?

Dotty in later years is played by Sarah Latimer, in scenes that bookend the story. Stage manager Lauren E. Ruddick steps in as her nurse.

Performances are strong all around. An aviator offstage, Sabrina Duprey adds that confidence to her already impressive talent. Real-world sister Audrey is no slouch either, playing the girl who must become an independent woman who serves not just her family, but her country. Knowling shows no rust in taking her first stage role since high school, giving us one of the more well-rounded characters in the cast. Experienced performer Manalang charms in her first major drama role. Sims brings an important character to life, ranging from expressing the joy of flight to the supreme irritation at how the country she wants to defend treats her. 

Smith plays an apt representative of Army brass, working from tolerating to appreciating to defending the unit he commands. Browning manages to lend some degree of humanity to a very damaged man. Rooks doesn’t take his Radar-esque role too far, projecting a clear sense of duty under the goofy exterior, as well as honest affection. Kuehnhold plays Cochran as both mission-focused and a mama-bear, rock steady always.

In this high-stakes high-pressure environment, the story does take tragic turns. Social attitudes of the era cannot be avoided, either. Appropriate in context, but disturbing to modern ears, there are some racial-ethnic slurs against both Blacks and Asians. DeVito says these parts of the dialogue were discussed with the cast, who agreed it would be more impactful to be true to the period.

Though overall an imagined story, “Fly Babies” is true to the history and shines a light on a nearly forgotten part of America’s effort in winning WWII. Opening-night turnout was surprisingly low. Hopefully more will come out to see this inspiring play, 8 p.m. Friday or Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday (April 8-10) at BCP, 11150 Southeastern Ave. (Acton Road Exit off I-74), Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at BuckCreekPlayers.com.

Touching treatment of Steinbeck classic in Westfield

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By Wendy Carson

There was a comedian who once said he doesn’t like “Star Wars” because growing up he saw the movie “Spaceballs” first and was disappointed by the lack of comedy. Growing up with numerous Looney Tunes cartoon shorts parodying various high-minded subjects, I feel the same way about “Of Mice and Men.” I liked the comedic versions I grew up watching. However, I have learned that with local theater offerings, a great production can change your opinion of a show — and that is the case here.

Main Street Productions in Westfield has on stage a remarkable version of the John Steinbeck novel. George Milton (Brian Coon) and Lennie Small (Joe Wagner) are two drifters in search of a small stake they can use to purchase a small house and farm in order to “live off the fat of the land.” This brings them to the barley farm that proves to be their salvation and undoing.

Once they arrive in the farm bunkhouse, they meet our somewhat usual assortment of characters: the gruff, no-nonsense Boss (A. Mikel Allan) and his hot-headed son Curley (Jake Hobbs), who recently married and seems to always be searching for his flirty wife (Audrey Duprey). For the actual working members of the crew, we have Slim (Robert Webster Jr.), the mule driver and de facto supervisor; Candy (Chris Otterman) a crippled, aging farmhand with a dog (Meeko) about as broken as he is; Crooks (Austin Hookfin), the black stable-hand who gets his name from his injured back (NOTE: As the script was written in 1937 and takes place during the Great Depression, certain racist terms are used, in context); as well as the other farm hands Carlson (Logan Browning) and Whit (Nathaniel Taff).

Coon does a great job of balancing George’s ambitious dream of the future with his concerns for Lennie’s actions erasing all hope of it. While Wagner seemed to take a little bit to fully get into character, once he settled in, his Lennie emulates all of the sweet naivete and simplicity of purpose that the character struggles with in his desire to just hold and enjoy the feel of something soft in his hands.

Otterman’s performance is perhaps my favorite. He manages to keep Candy upbeat while embracing the character’s desolate vision of his pathetically painful demise on the farm. He takes on the hopefulness of joining George and Lennie on their farm, trusting them to “take him out back and shoot him” when he is no longer viable. He even manages to upstage Meeko, whose debut turn as Candy’s Dog makes him a rising star to watch for in future roles.

Chris Otterman aptly brings out Curley’s obsessively neurotic desires to keep his wife happy, yet under control, at any cost. As Curley’s wife, Duprey delicately treads the line between the lonely woman who just wants companionship and the “tart” out to make trouble among the menfolk for her own pleasure. Webster does an admirable job of subtly showing Slim as a man just wanting to keep peace throughout the workforce without encouraging any of them to fall for the “honey trap.”

Hookfin gives us a window to the struggles people in his skin had in that era, even in the otherwise egalitarian world of the farm worker or ranch hand.

James H. Williams directs, and Ian Marshall-Fisher provides an excellent bunkhouse/barn design for the stage. Coon also created the lighting design.

While the show is a heady mixture of the stark realities of life, it does manage to portray the human struggle for hope and happiness throughout. Whether you liked the novel or not, you should certainly give the play a viewing. It will help open dialogues regarding its message and why it remains a classic of literature that should continue to be taught in our schools.

One weekend of “Of Mice and Men” remains, though Sunday, Feb. 20, at the relatively new Basile Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St., Westfield. Info and tickets at www.westfieldplayhouse.org.