play

Play finds a way to have its say

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By John Lyle Belden

Equivocation, the use of language to say something without directly saying it, is a way of “telling the truth in difficult times,” according to the play “Equivocation” by Bill Cain, presented by Southbank Theatre Company, directed by Marcia Eppich-Harris.

In Cain’s drama, he takes actual historical events in the wake of the Gunpowder Plot of Nov. 5, 1605, and adds a fascinating “what-if?” – that King James I (target of the treason), through his advisor Sir Robert Cecil, commissioned William Shakespeare to write – adapting a prepared manuscript – a play on the “True Historie” of the event.

(The “Plot,” now remembered in the UK as Guy Fawkes Day, was to blow up the House of Lords while the King was in attendance for the opening of Parliament. An anonymous letter to one of the Lords warning him to stay away was given to Cecil, who showed it to James. Fawkes was not a principal conspirator but rather the “trigger man,” arrested before he could light the fuse on 36 barrels of powder. The cause behind this assassination attempt, which would have killed hundreds if not thousands, was the ongoing strife between England’s Catholics and the ruling Protestants.)

Shakespeare (Ronn Johnston) turns down the assignment, noting he only writes past events, legends and history, not current events. Cecil (J. Charles Weimer) insists, calling the playwright a master of “the art of cynical manipulation” whose works will outlive him by at least half a century. In this flattery, he could be describing himself, a man physically and ethically bent who helped put the former King of Scotland on the throne, and – especially as a bag of coins hits Shakespeare’s palm – one unwise to refuse.

“Shag,” as the Bard was then known, says he will bring it to his company, the King’s Men, a cooperative enterprise, for a vote. Veteran actor Richard Burbage (Dan Flahive), essentially the company leader, is at first reluctant but they could use the money. Actors Robert Armin (Joshua Matasovsky), Nate Field (Weimer), and young Richard Sharpe (Matthew Ball) readily agree.

In writing the King’s play, Shakespeare encounters a problem: In a story about something not happening, there is nothing interesting to put on the stage. While exploring the questions of what did happen, Shakespeare finds a bigger problem: The truth is not what was written on the pages given to him.

This leads to revealing interviews with alleged conspirators, Tom Wintour (Ball), awaiting execution, and Father Henry Garnet (Flahive), awaiting trial. Garnet was notable for his treatise on equivocation, which Shakespeare begs to better understand.

Also on hand is Shakespeare’s daughter, Judith (Abigail Wittenmyer), whose twin brother Hamnet (their father’s favorite) died in childhood. She lends assistance, though little appreciated, but will have her say.

In the shadow of the gallows, the Bard labors to bring forth a work of honesty that still keeps him off that scaffold. The results will still be remembered, many-times-fifty years later.

Johnston gives us a very human and relatable Shakespeare, exhibiting flashes of his genius along with his frustration at a nearly impossible and dangerous task, as well as his long overdue dealing with a personal struggle. The others flow back and forth smoothly between presenting The King’s Men in rehearsal and the men who serve the King at court. Flahive is masterful in his turns as the gruff master thespian and the clever yet doomed Jesuit priest. Ball also portrays the easily amused yet still intimidating King James, complete with Scottish accent. Wittenmyer makes a potentially overlooked character boldly stand out.

Along the way we sense how tensions then reflect questions now regarding freedom of expression, censorship, and expressing truth to power. These issues are as timeless and relevant, perhaps even more, than the works of the celebrated man at the center of the play.

There remain four more performances of “Equivocation,” Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 18-21, at Shelton Auditorium, 1000 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis (southwest corner of Butler University campus). Get information and tickets at southbanktheatre.org.

New play presents a fateful correspondence

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By John Lyle Belden

There is much to be said for the magic of the theatre, the blurring of space, distance, and communication between characters and to our silent witness, all on the limited confines right in front of us. Thus, our minds easily suspend disbelief, forego the logic that requires more physical and temporal structure expected in cinema or even a novel, all to give us the essence and substance of the story. Put simply, I believe “Wad,” by Keiko Green, could only work on the stage – and the current world premiere production by American Lives Theatre and The New Harmony Project works brilliantly.

Nyce – pronounced “Neese” – (Mollie Murk) is a Ft. Lauderdale teen fascinated with the macabre who finds a program to mail letters to prison inmates on Florida’s Death Row. She selects Jim (Eric Reiberg) and writes to him noting that she has not read about his case beyond being convicted for “double first-degree murder,” that she would rather find out about it from him, from his perspective.  His execution date is five months away.

The black-box confines of the Basile stage in the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre are evenly divided between Nyce’s bedroom and Jim’s cell (set design by Matt Mott). Under the direction of Emily Moler, we see Nyce and Jim communicate across the hundred-plus mile distance via balled-up letters thrown across the center line like paper-wads in a classroom (hence the title). What in reality takes days become flowing conversations, complete with mutual-fantasy interactions across the center line. They enact a history lesson, a meet-cute, and even a puppet show. In addition, they each find themselves revealed as lies are discovered and evasions become useless as time grows ever shorter.

Murk nicely embodies the girl at the cusp of adulthood, naively thinking hard truths will come easy. While she is at a turning point at the start of life’s potential, Reiberg gives us a man facing down his end. He is at first indifferent, but finding a non-judgemental friend gives him a cruel dose of hope. Aided by what we learn about his fate through their correspondence, the conclusion is felt more than seen.

While obviously a drama, there is a fair amount of dark comedy, especially in their early interactions – a blend of adolescent sarcasm and genuine gallows humor. Watch closely for deeper elements, such as both characters being Libras – a hint at the scales of Justice, and the fragile sense of balance throughout the narrative.

In all, “Wad” is a fascinating, thought-provoking, and affecting look at two distinct characters, revealing the humanity they share with each other – and us. Performances run through Sept. 28 at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at phoenixtheatre.org.

‘Mockingbird’ has its say in Carmel

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By John Lyle Belden

Nineteen-thirty-five was 90 years ago, approaching a century, and aspects of our culture then still linger with us today. That’s why “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the novel by Harper Lee (inspired by her childhood), is still important.

Its stage play, dramatized by Christopher Sergel, is on the stage of The Cat in Carmel, produced by Carmel Community Players, directed by Andrea Odle. It’s notable that we don’t have to help promote this as opening night was sold out and ticket sales are brisk for the rest of the run, through Sunday, Sept. 21, including both a matinee and evening performance on the 20th. We know why this story is important; read on for a refresher and to meet those bringing it to life.

Jean Louise Finch (Ashley Sherman) is our narrator and guide to the events of that fateful year in Maycomb, Alabama, memorable for her as a little girl known as “Scout” (Rylee Odle), her slightly older brother Jeremy “Jem” Finch (Drake Smith) and their friend Dill (Jackson Odle-Stollings).  

Scout and Jem’s father is Atticus Finch (Kent Phillips), a middle-aged lawyer who doesn’t appear to do much more than occupy an office all day – embarrassingly sedate to his active children. But they come to learn the man is so much more, with growing respect and pride, when Judge Taylor (David Dessauer) assigns Atticus the defense of Tom Robinson (Jurrell Spencer), a Black man accused of attacking and raping Mayella (Samantha Lewis), a white teen and daughter of unsavory character Bob Ewell (Mark Jackson), who made the accusation.

Sheriff Heck Tate (Mike Sosnowski) is a good friend of Atticus and maintains a neutral if not covertly empathetic attitude towards the accused. We see the same from kindly neighbor Miss Maude Atkinson (Mary Garner). Others are quick to condemn – the N-word is said quite a bit, though sadly appropriate to the setting. This includes town busybody Miss Stephanie Crawford (Jeanne Lewis); poor farmer Mr. Cunningham (Dwayne Lewis) – the irony of him being a past client of Atticus will come into play; and especially the bitter old neighbor Mrs. Dubose (Jean Adams), which will lead to an important life lesson for Jem.

Jada Moon is stern but compassionate Calpurnia, the Finch cook and maternal figure to the children. Austin Uebelhor is Nathan Radley of the house next door, with the big tree with the knot-hole; he cares for his mysterious brother, “Boo,” who never comes out. Sidney Blake is the Rev. Sykes of the local Black church, minister to Tom Robinson and his wife, Helen (Trinity Pruitt). Jim Jamriska plays Mr. Gilmer, the county Prosecutor, smugly confident in his case. Thomas Amick’s roles include Tom’s boss and the Clerk of the court.

Scout, through whose eyes and memories we see this, is one who matures in her sense of fairness from scrappy to a more gentle understanding, which we see in the performances of Sherman and Rylee Odle. At moments they are even in unison, reflecting the child/woman dichotomy of the character in the book. Rylee’s Scout shows flashes of intuition and a (at one point literally) disarming sense of kindness, while Sherman shows how she hasn’t fundamentally changed not only in her continuing quest to understand 1935, but also her still wearing overalls instead of a dress in 1960 (excellent costuming throughout by Karen Cones).

Children being played by young adults doesn’t prove distracting as all three commit to naively childish personae, including Smith’s impulsive Jem and Odle-Stolling’s eccentric imaginative Dill. (The latter character is based on Lee’s childhood friend, Truman Capote.) Andrea Odle said that casting them, including her daughter Rylee, made it easier to have the characters repeat racially offensive terms, as well as better understand the play’s context.

Phillips brings a nuanced and complex approach to Atticus, his every word and action well considered, his courtroom manner dense with gravitas. Sosnowski brings a complimentary sense of companionship as Tate, while ever aware of his role in events as a guardian of safety and order. Spencer makes the most of his time at trial to make Tom’s case to the jury and to us.

Even the more broadly-drawn characters are solid. Moon incorporates mothering into Calpurnia’s role, avoiding caricature so that even in Jean Louise’s remarks on her disciplining the children, she is remembered fondly. Blake as the Reverend is an appropriate pillar of strength. Jamriska’s Gilmer is slick, grinning as he works a system that practically guaranteed him a win. Jackson’s violently dangerous Bob Ewell is scarily effective, while Samantha Lewis achingly plays a girl trapped by multiple factors including abuse, social stigma, isolation, and the limits of an uneducated mind. Adams, fierce and unrelenting, gives us little to like so we only have Atticus to trust in reasons for his compassion. Uebelhor shows mastery over his brief appearances, especially at the play’s climax.

Odle-Stollings is assistant director, and Amy Buel is stage manager. Simple yet effective sets were designed and built by the Odle family.

Performances are at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way in the heart of downtown Carmel. In the time you’ve read this review, more tickets were sold. See if any are left at carmelplayers.org.

IndyFringe: Dragons and Dungeons – Squid Game

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This was part of the 20th Anniversary Indy Fringe Theatre Festival in August 2025. Review originally posted on our Facebook page.

By Wendy Carson

Theater Unchained once again brings us a new chapter in their beloved tales of a group of adventurers headquartered out of The Folded Ass Tavern.

It’s their young dragon, Rapture’s “Gotcha Day” and everyone’s gathered to celebrate.

For newer patrons, we have some quick backstory and reintroduction of our gang, by the tavern’s owner. They include his brother, Tink, the Artificer; Fig, the Druid; Seren the Paladin; and Crabitha, the Wizard who’s somehow grown a second mustache.

After a minor mishap, Rapture is magically taken aways and we find that Crabitha is actually the evil Collector, and they must play their twisted “Squid Games” to get Rapture back.

The audience assists our troupe by rolling a giant die but some other members were granted the ability to modify or negate their efforts. Good luck to all.

The characters, challenges, and situations are fun for all but be warned, not everything always ends well. We made some very good rolls at first and though our team won the games, not everyone survived.

I really enjoyed the puppetry throughout plus the fact that the cast & crew were all having as much fun throughout as the audience. The whole hour feels more like a party than a show.

IndyFringe: Horse Girl

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This was part of the 20th Anniversary Indy Fringe Theatre Festival in August 2025. Review originally posted on our Facebook page.

By Wendy Carson

Jason Adams once again brings us a spectacularly delightful offering to the Fringe with, “Horse Girl.” It’s an imaginative look at the history of his birth parents by the man who only knew the barest of details about them.

His father was a blacksmith from Liverpool, and his mother was an equestrian rider.

The show focuses mainly on his mother, Matilda (Tilde) McCullough, the descendant of a storied horse family. Details given include the Birth of Dressage and the History of the Fur Trade in Southern Ontario. We are also introduced to the magical horse, Ulysses, who would be her partner in the competitions that cemented her legacy in the horse world .

A small hint of his father’s backstory shows him turning away from the family business of fishing to become a blacksmith who would one day repair a show for Ulysses, thus introducing him to Tilde.

Their brief affair would end with the conception of Jason but due to family pressures, he would ultimately be given up for adoption and come into the care of his true mother, Janet Adams.

This bittersweet tale is told with all the whimsy and charm we have come to expect from Adams. For those of you not familiar with his style, think Winnie the Pooh meets Monty Python.

This show is appropriate for all ages, in fact, some younger audience members will likely be asked to assist with some of the effects.

Adams has grown so much as a storyteller through the years and this show has him at the pinnacle of his talents.

IndyFringe: Up All the Nights

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This was part of the 20th Anniversary Indy Fringe Theatre Festival in August 2025. Review originally posted on our Facebook page.

By Wendy Carson

Clerical Error Productions takes a small step away from their traditional comic wackiness to present a more serious offering that is still filled with absurd situation and humor.

Lucas Waterfill (Christy) is one of the state’s brightest comics and is absolutely brilliant staring in this play revolving around one memorable night of zany antics.

Beginning with Christy & his friends Jason (Nick Roberts) and Zora (Zhandi Kabunga) at a high-schooler’s party, we discover that Jason was robbed by some very strange individuals. One wearing rollerblades and carrying and umbrella, the other wearing an eyepatch. He is now intent on getting a gun for protection.

Since the party is lame, the group hops on a bus to take Christy home, but the bus breaks down and they all go their separate ways. As he’s rolling home (literally, he has Cerebral Palsy and is in a wheelchair), Christy ducks into a local bar and scams a lot of free drinks off of a strange couple but ends up stuck with the check when they leave in a huff.

Finally heading towards home, Christy is set upon by the same thieves who robbed Jason. Given that he has little of value on him, they settle for stealing his phone.

Things then get even stranger from here on.

I found the show to be an insightful look at a slice of life that the average person rarely gets to see. The characters were unusual, to say the least, but their stories and motivations all rang true. It’s nice to see some new points of view reflected at the Fringe.

ALT: What happens in Aspen…

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By John Lyle Belden

One of the biggest surprises for me in seeing “Aspen Ideas,” the new dark comedy by Abe Koogler, is that the Aspen Festival of Ideas is a real thing – an annual gathering of the world’s rich, famous, influential, and otherwise successful in Aspen, Col., where they share various ideas of how to make the world a better place.

This play, presented by American Lives Theatre at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, is not about them.

Also planning to attend Aspen are Rob (Clay Mabbitt) and Anne (Diana O’Halloran). We meet them in New York, where they live, at a party where he hopes to make connections for his money management business. They encounter Jay (Alaine Sims), a woman who seems to be there for people-watching, which intrigues Anne as she herself is not comfortable at this event. They also meet Jay’s partner, Chris (Zach Tabor), who is pleasant but quiet – awkward and eccentric when he does speak (similar to the autism spectrum).

Days later, they all meet at Rob and Anne’s “Dumbo” apartment. Unsuccessfully avoiding this soiree is Rob and Anne’s 16-year-old daughter Sophie (Megan Janning), who, when cajoled into saying something to their guests, speaks frankly of her adolescent angst and resentments.

Rob feels compelled to invite Jay and Chris to join them in Aspen, insisting and offering to pay their way. The scenes that follow are on the plane to Colorado, then locations in and near the resort town.

Delayed by Fringe commitments, we saw this on its second weekend (one more remains), having heard that audience feedback has been mixed. What is the “idea” of what we see on the stage?

Neither the script nor Zack Neiditch’s direction allows these characters to be softened for more laughs. While it’s easy to see, perhaps, one of your friends or relatives in Rob or Anne – generally good persons – they become quite insufferable. Mabbitt and O’Halloran glibly commit to characters who feel like has-beens but are actually never-weres – he a frustrated artist of limited talent, she a dancer whose chorus career was ended by injury. They indulge in a poser lifestyle, not realizing it keeps them mired in their mediocrity.

Sims and Tabor excellently portray mysterious characters about whom we can only guess their true nature, even when their intentions are revealed at the end. Sims keeps Jay friendly while making you feel that something is a bit “off” about her. Tabor gives off a shy, even timid vibe in Chris’s quietude, which becomes effectively misleading.

Janning plays Sophie as a girl sharp enough to sense that she may not know what she wants, but it’s not what she’s got. She loves her parents, but hates what they represent.

“Aspen Ideas” is an amusing and interesting character study with an ongoing air of mystery. We found the ending of this 95-minute (no intermission) play intriguing and understandable in its context. Depending on what you think Jay and Chris may be, feel free to speculate what exactly happens on this summer day in Aspen.

Performances are Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 28-31, at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org and information at americanlivestheatre.org.

IndyFringe: Operation!

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This is part of the 20th Anniversary Indy Fringe Festival, Aug. 14-24, 2025, in downtown Indianapolis. For information and tickets, see indyfringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

This has nothing to do with the board game, though we do get a bit Medieval with a body lying on his back. The self-described “silly girls” of Disgusting Brothers Company created and perform this comedy set in the medical school of the University of Bolognia in 1303, where many had surgery done – some patients even surviving their procedures.

Also, that was a very eventful year for Pope Boniface VIII. Just saying.

Professor Alderotti (Elyse Rohn) and assistant Mondino (Elysia Justice) prepare for the day’s medical procedures, including surgery on a mysterious guest. Cardinal Francesco (Connor Buhl) arrives in full arrogance to announce the patient is his uncle, His Holiness Pope Boniface VIII (Vicci Simich). Months earlier, the Papal dispute with King Philip IV of France had led to Boniface being abducted and held briefly by the French, and he wasn’t doing too well. The 70-something year old Pontiff appears, shaking and mentally out of sorts, which his doctors have attributed to “melancholy.” Francesco insists that Alderotti perform a surgery to remove this condition; the Doctor and Mondino state it can’t be done; Francesco’s Vatican authority, and his dagger, say otherwise – prepare for surgery!

This show is a hilarious trove of historical humor. The set-up scene between Rohn and Justice already had us nearly rolling. The presence of the addled Pope, wonderfully portrayed by Simich, contrasted by the impatient menace of Buhl’s Francesco, only adds to fun. Elements of that era such as pomp and ceremony, and surgeons required to operate without looking upon His Holy body, also factor in the funny. Even pieces of flatbread become punchlines. Based loosely on actual history, this fantastic farce was written by Justice and director Hania Moktadir.

Performances in the IF Theatre Basile Stage continue Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Aug. 22-24.

IndyFringe: El Traje Nuevo Del Emperador

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This is part of the 20th Anniversary Indy Fringe Festival, Aug. 14-24, 2025, in downtown Indianapolis. For information and tickets, see indyfringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Now that it has completed its three-day visit to the Vision Loft space at IndyFringe, a few words – in English, please excuse me – about this wonderful piece of Teatro Juvenile:

Presented by Juan Francisco Ramos Aguilar of El Salvador, you are treated to a mask-and-puppet production of the fairy tale fable also known as “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” This story was popularized by Hans Christian Andersen, though its source can be traced back to Spain. Still, its familiarity helps us who don’t speak Spanish as our jester narrator/puppeteer does the show entirely en español, full speed, as though entertaining children in his own country.

That’s right, no English. Not a word. You must pay close attention to the flow and the words that sound familiar, as well as the broad hand gestures and other cues that young listeners rely on as they learn more of their own tongue. For me, this enriched the experience, pulling it out of literary cliché so that I can experience it like its intended audience. I welcomed the chance to stretch my poquito “Sesame Street” understanding of Spanish. The colorful masks, costumes, puppets, and décor further enhance the scene.

Aguilar is the parable-teaching Jester, as well as the Conman seeking oro (gold), as well as the old Prima Ministro who takes El Rey (the King) to see the alleged miracle fabric. At points, His Majesty approaches the audience, asking our opinions. It’s best – no matter what he says or how little you understand – to respond with an emphatic “Si” lest you arouse his royal bluster.

Around the midpoint of the story, the narrator also gives us a quick hand-puppet skit with Punch-and-Judy style characters.

The overall experience was fascinating, and for someone like me an immersive opportunity to follow another language. For those in the audience who could speak Spanish, it was good to have a live performance that appealed directly to them.

Hopefully, this show or something like it can make its way to our city again.

CCP: A bitterly arousing ‘American’ story

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By John Lyle Belden

One of the cruelest linguistic tricks of the last 10 years is how the meaning of “woke” has been thoroughly obscured from its use by African Americans notably at least since the start of Black Lives Matter in 2013 and increased to a crescendo with the racial events of 2020.

This loose definition (coming from Black communities rather that formal institutions) is mainly the awareness – gained from living in an environment, or by exposure to that environment – of the hard truths of social, judicial, and political conflict around ethnicity and especially race, particularly the Black experience taking into account over four centuries of American culture. Being or becoming “woke” should not be trivial, as it addresses issues and events that continue to alter and destroy people’s lives. (Any expansion of meaning – to Latinx or LGBTQ, for instance – should be to broaden the tent, not tear it down.)

It is in this brutally honest reckoning that one should consider the characters portrayed in “American Son,” the 2018 drama by Miami attorney and acclaimed playwright Christopher Demos-Brown, presented by Carmel Community Players through Aug. 17, directed by Bradley Allan Lowe.

Though the word is never used in the play, how “woke” are each of the adults we see?

The mother, Kendra (Zarah Shejule), a Black college professor, would certainly think she is. She senses the worst when contacted at 3 a.m. by Miami-Dade Police, only told “there has been an incident” with her 18-year-old son Jamal’s car. Waiting for nearly an hour in the MDPD waiting room where the play is set – while told nearly nothing – doesn’t help.

Young white Officer Larkin (Joshua Matasovsky) comes off as the opposite, though at first trying clumsily to bridge the gap. At first he plays the know-nothing rookie, stalling for time until the AM Public Affairs Officer arrives. When Jamal’s father, Scott (Earl Campbell), a white FBI agent, enters, Larkin sees the badge and divulges far more information – to him, mistakenly believing he is the officer they are waiting on.

In Kendra and Scott’s conversation, ranging from scathing to bittersweet due to the circumstances of their separation, we learn that Jamal was raised with all the best conditions their parents’ social and monetary privileges could arrange, including an exclusive prep school and an upcoming place at West Point military academy. However, in recent weeks he has questioned his own sense of identity, leading to his angrily venturing out alone the evening before in the nearly-new car given to him by his father.

Social media enters the fray in a bystander video Scott receives of that vehicle with three young black men in a police stop.

Frustrated tempers reach their fever pitch during the arrival of PAO Lt. Stokes (Brian G. Ball). Bringing calm at this point is nearly impossible – Stokes being Black leads to a certain slur that you know will eventually be said – but information is divulged, piece by piece, none of it getting any better.

The factors of this incident get ever more complex – how a Black child is raised; a provocative bumper sticker; privilege and its lack; someone (not Jamal) with an outstanding warrant; marijuana (still illegal in this time and place); involvement of the Gang Intelligence Unit (just referred to casually as “GIU” by the officers); when Black wears “Blue;” the disturbing sounds on the video.

Solid, deeply felt performances by all four cast members never let us off the hook. Lowe provides not only directorial guidance but also designs both sound and an uncomfortably accurate set. This being a single 90-minute act aids the necessary tension.

Also, in this drama the road to hell is paved not with intentions but assumptions made by everyone involved, both within this room and in “the incident” that brought us here. These portrayals will (and should) inspire a lot of conversations after the show and for some time onward. The story is fiction, however the background of the playwright, as well as what we’ve all seen in the news, indicate it is based on the true experiences of many who have had long sleepless nights.

As we awaken each day to a nation where, in practice, skin tone becomes “probable cause” for law enforcement, “American Son” retains its importance as a mirror to our attitudes and public policies. Performances are Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 14-17, at The Switch Theatre, Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy, 10029 E. 126th St., Fishers. Get info and tickets at carmelplayers.org.