Nathan Brown

Old play’s themes are ever current

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

Was there ever a good time to be 15 years old?

For an answer, there is the hit Broadway musical “Spring Awakening.” Based on a controversial 1891 German play, it presents the Teutonic teens of the 1890s with music styled from the 1990s (by Duncan Sheik, lyrics and book by Steven Sater), because, aside from the Latin lessons, it’s all essentially the same. Put aside the cultural and technological differences, and the themes ring familiar.

The musical, now at the District Theatre, is presented by Fast Apple Artists, founded by Kelsey Tate McDaniel, an Indianapolis actress and recent New York University graduate. Mack Fensterstock directs.

Wendla (McDaniel) is becoming aware of feelings and mysteries which her mother is hesitant to explain. Her upbringing has been idyllic, which is good, except she’s feeling uncomfortably naïve. The other girls, especially Martha (Sophie Sweany) and Ilse (Eden Franco), wish they had such quiet homes; Anna (Adrian Daeger) and Thea (Lauren Lewis) muse over which boys they will eventually marry.

As for the boys, Moritz (Kendrell Stiff) is struggling, with no adult willing to cut him any slack. His best friend, Melchior (Dylan Kelly), is a budding intellectual growing frustrated with the status quo. Georg (Nathan Brown) lusts after his piano teacher. Hanschen (Jim Melton) and Ernst (Parker Taylor) quietly lust for each other. Otto (Kipp Morgan) just lusts.

For much of the play, we get glimpses into their lives and conversations, with the microphones coming out when characters let their hormone-fueled inner selves express their questions and frustrations. As we move into the second act, we see what happens when a lack of guidance and support brings our youths to hard – even tragic – lessons.

As the production’s trigger warning notes, “Spring Awakening” deals with issues of sexuality, abuse, assault and rape, firearms, suicide, teen pregnancy, abortion – stuff we’ll likely still be singing about in the 2090s.

The cast includes Jennifer Simms in Adult Woman roles and S. Michael Simms in Adult Man roles, as well as Bailey Rae Harmon, Katie Kobold, and Alexis Koshenina in ensemble parts.

The players, especially with being not much older than the persons they portray, give a powerful performance that we feel as much as hear. The simple stage set (recycled from the District’s former “outback” stage) puts the emphasis on the emerging personalities they present.

Following up on last year’s acclaimed production of “Heathers,” McDaniel and company establish themselves as a welcome new facet in the jewel of Indy’s stage scene.

Performances of “Spring Awakening” are Thursday through Saturday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons, at 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis. Get tickets at indydistricttheatre.org. Learn about Fast Apple Artists on McDaniel’s website.

Footlite: Dancers put it all on the ‘Line’

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

Footlite Musicals opens its 2023-24 season with a summer Young Adults (college-age) production of the 1975 Broadway phenomenon, “A Chorus Line.”

With original concept and direction by Michael Bennett, book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban, the musical collected 9 Tonys (of 12 nominations) and a Pulitzer, and became the longest-running show on Broadway, prior to “Cats.” This might not be news to you, but I mention it anyway to note this is a major undertaking for any company, especially considering it has a cast of 19, all with song parts and lines, plus another eight in support. And at points, they are all on stage, dancing for their lives.

This is the story of those who call themselves Broadway “gypsies” (given modern sensibilities, I won’t repeat that), the working dancers who strive for parts in the chorus, backing up the stars everyone actually came to see.  On a rehearsal stage, empty save for dance mirrors, some very talented people are sought to blend into a perfect dancing background for an unnamed star in an upcoming major musical production. They vary in age (though all look in their 20s), background and ability. Zach (Kendrell Stiff) has one day to sort this out – “four boys, four girls.”

With the help of assistant Larry (Parker Taylor), the line is trimmed to 17 hopefuls. To Zach’s astonishment, they include aging former featured dancer Cassie (Julia Ammons). He feels this is beneath her; she feels she badly needs a job.

We get some interesting characters, each with their quirks: Kristine (Sarah Tewes) and Al (Thomas McEvilly) are married; Connie (Jocelyn Evans) is short; Val (Taylor Moss) is – um – stacked; Mike (Sam Schultz) “can do that;” Sheila (Kelsey McDaniel) puts up a tough front, but softens in “At the Ballet” with Bebe (Isabella Davis) and Maggie (Alanna Porter); aspiring actress Diana (Mayi Reyes) is no-nonsense; we also have Judy (Sierra Shelton), Richie (Kipp Morgan), Don (Cordale Hankins), Mark (Samuel Smith), Greg (Nathan Brown), Bobby (Tyler Williams), and Paul (Troy Bridges) who brilliantly gives us one of the best non-musical moments. The initially cut dancers, played by Bailey Rae Harmon, Katie Kobold, Bailee Davis, Wayden Wagoner, Jim Melton, Peter Valentino, Tyler Swinford, and Jared Harris, reappear in various musical numbers, especially to back up the others’ personal stories. Director-choreographers Rick and Chris Barber didn’t let any of this immense talent go to waste.

In an ensemble, it’s tough to give individual praise, but where the story lands on a person’s shoulders, each ably handles the load with a song and a step-kick, or a refreshing punch line. Stiff is solid as the enigmatic director who presents a cold façade, but a genuine curiosity about and concern for the auditioners. Shiny hats off to Ammons for handling the exhausting song-and-dance of “Music and the Mirror,” and especially to Reyes for keeping the wide-ranging hit “What I Did for Love” wonderfully under control.

Dare I indulge the cliché? This Chorus Line is the “One” to see. (A “singular sensation!”) Performances run through July 9 at 1847 N. Alabama St. in downtown Indianapolis. For info and tickets, go to footlite.org.

Footlite brings on teen hit

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

“Bring it On: The Musical,” based on the popular movie, is about more than cheerleading and the fun of being in a dance crew. Aside from being about friendship, acceptance, honesty, dedication and keeping everything in perspective, it is an immersive look at teenage life.

A Young Artists Production of Footlite Musicals, the entire cast are teens playing high school students. There are no onstage adult roles, placing the audience solidly in the kids’ world, where what they feel, experience and want is all that matters. For Campbell (Sierra Shelton), that means a lifetime of dedication towards one goal: to lead her cheer team to a championship at Nationals. 

But fate — or perhaps something more — has disrupted her plans, and Campbell goes from cheer Captain at posh Truman High to one of the new seniors at Jackson High, a gritty school that had disbanded its cheerleading program. What Jackson does have, though, is a dedicated Dance Crew, led by Danielle (Sophia Araceli Hughes). Could this be Campbell’s ticket back to her “one perfect moment?” 

At this point,  one could predict all the teen-movie plot beats, and likely understanding this, writer Jeff Whitty (“Avenue Q”) and songwriters Tom Kitt, Amanda Green and Lin-Manuel Miranda toy with those expectations. The show is somewhat by-the-numbers to keep it comfortably entertaining, with enough tweaks to keep us engaged and help turn some tropes on their ear. One can recognize Miranda’s driving rap-patter in some numbers, but it works and adds to the contemporary feel with his present fame.

Shelton and Hughes are each solid in their leadership roles, great in voice, step and charisma. However, our hero is Erin Vaughn as Bridget, who goes from cheer-wannabe who has to settle for the mascot costume at Truman to becoming fully accepted into her class and Crew at Jackson — becoming a hottie without a cliche “makeover.” 

Supporting roles are well-played, despite less depth in their scripting. Addison Bartley as Eva is the most complex of these, cheerfully chewing scenery as the girl-next-door who isn’t as nice as she first seems (yes she goes to expremes, but didn’t we all as sophomores?). 

Fellow Truman squad members include Katherine Felli as Skylar, who frankly enjoys playing the blonde stereotype to the hilt; Bailey Harmon as her minion, Kylar; and Maxwell Catlow as he-man with a gooey center Steven.

The Jackson students feel a bit more real, including Nathan Brown as Randall, the school DJ; Devin McDuffy and Devon Cummings as Cameron and his best bud Twig, who has the hots for Bridget; and Jaelynn Keating and Evan Vaughan as Nautica and La Cienega, Danielle’s sassy crewmates. The show broke ground with the first transgender high school character on Broadway, and most refreshingly La Cienega is completely accepted in the Jackson High culture, with only one fleeting reference in the dialogue; Vaughan plays it all with attitude, but naturally.

This fun show was packed with cheer and dance fans on Sunday, and the momentum could carry over to its second (and final) weekend, Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 15-18, at 1847 N. Alabama St. Get info and tickets at www.footlite.org.