Sophia Sweeney

This reviewer praises CCP young artist production

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By John Lyle Belden

Carmel Community Players presents the fantastical tale “This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing,” an internationally popular play for young actors and audiences by Finegan Kruckemeyer, the CCP Rising Star Production performing through this next Sunday at The Cat in Carmel.

Starting with a Grimm premise – a woodcutter father abandons his triplet daughters in the woods – we get a story with more whimsical adventure than grown-up reality, which works just fine in a work as entertaining as it is allegorical. A talented cast ages 13 to 18, directed by Amber K. Roth, keep the mood light with a fair number of laughs at the play’s little absurdities.

From the “once/twice/thrice upon a time” that they are born, the title characters are played – from girls to women – by Sydney Weitz as Albienne, the one who loves sweets and, seeing the abandonment as an opportunity, laughs and heads out towards the west; Maile Alpizar as Beatrix, the one who loves the sun and, resolving to find their Papa to understand what happened, dries her tears and heads out towards the east; and Vivienne Thibodeau as Carmen, the one who tends to carry the weight of the world for others, feels this is a perfect time to unshoulder the burden and make the most of where she is.

Events are described through with the aid of a cast of Narrators who also play supporting characters including various villagers, “Vickings,” and woodland creatures: Maggie Croddy, Lucy Cooper, Amelie Thibodeau, Emmy Bobenmoyer, Sophia Sweeney, Delaney McWilliams, and Corbin Cowles, whose roles include a romantic interest or two.

There is also a lighthouse with a perplexed keeper (Bobenmeyer), a sword, a cheeky badger (Cooper, who also plays Papa), some cherry trees, and a boombox, all in a triple-shot globe-circling journey that will somehow bring things back to where they began. The moral of the story is quoted on the cover, “Life is not for going back;” for the lessons, truly applicable to all ages, you need to see this for yourself.

Performances nicely carry the narrative forward with appropriate youthful energy. Weitz plays her character as one with an appetite not to consume for its own sake but to savor – even if it’s the thrills of a different vocation. Alpizar wears her freckles with pride, shining like an intrusive sunbeam into every situation. Vivienne Thibodeau aptly portrays the arc of an empath learning how much of a regard for others is too little, too much, and just right.

Roth is assisted by Student Dramaturg Anna Pfeiffer. Samantha Kelly is Stage Manager, assisted by Grace Kelly.

A jam-packed 75 minutes – not too much for the young, worth the ticket for the rest – follow “This Girl…” Thursday through Sunday at The Cat, 254, Veterans Way, downtown Carmel. Get tickets at carmelplayers.org or thecat.biz.

CCP’s Rising Stars bring ‘Green Gables’ to life

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

By John Lyle Belden

Carmel Community Players chose well in its summer Rising Stars production for performers ages 8 to 18, a show with plenty of youth roles: Lucy Maud Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables,” adapted by Joseph Robinette, directed by Amber K. Roth.

The classic turn of the 20th century story tells of Anne Shirley, an orphan sent to be adopted by siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who had requested a boy – to help at their farm in rural Prince Edward Island – but feel persuaded to keep Anne instead. She dislikes her name but can’t get anyone to call her “Cordelia.” She hates her red hair and freckles, and anyone who mocks them. But aside from the flashes of temper, she is energetic and endlessly talkative with a wild, romantic imagination, and a positive attitude to the point of adoration. Carolyn Noneman embodies this famous free spirit perfectly, in look and tone, as though she had stepped out of the pages of Montgomery’s novel.

Aided by some “aging” makeup, high-schoolers Lincoln Everitt and Luciana Lindner embody middle-aged Matthew and Marilla with the necessary maturity, he with his wise easy nature and she with her caring fastidiousness.

Lucy Cooper is more charming than frustrating as the village of Avonlea’s biggest busybody (and neighbor of the Cuthberts), Rachel Lynde, as entertaining a gossip as one is likely to encounter.

Lilah Cross plays the well-behaved perfect counter to Anne’s force-of-nature personality as her “bosom friend” Diana Berry, while 10-year-old Lucy Isles shows great star potential as Diana’s little sister Minnie May. The Berry children live with their mother (Claire Moeller) next door to Green Gables.

Jack Levine is young Gilbert Blythe, who earns Anne’s wrath early on and spends the rest of the story hoping to win her forgiveness. Others in the cast, some in multiple roles, are Spencer Rees Bland, Amelia Fine, Mitchell Ried, Madeline Sappenfield, Greta Shambarger, Sophia Sweeney, Amelie Thibodeau, Edward Wilson, Owen Yeater, Quinn Yeater, and Eliza Graefnitz, whose roles include Diana’s Great Aunt Josephine, who finds herself charmed by Anne as well.

Various events from the book are enacted, including the “raspberry cordial” incident, the hair disaster, the game of “dares,” the Queens Academy exams, and the night Anne must save a life. My impression of this performance was that it not only tells the story wonderfully, but also could make one interested in reading the book to see what else happened.   

Roth is assisted by Melina J. Degolyer and student director and dramaturge Annabelle Pfeiffer. Hats off to the cast and crew, including Ghost Morrow, Erin Wilson, stage manager Elinah Atwell and assistant stage manager Ava McKee, for their valiant efforts at making the intimate stage of The Cat into multiple settings in frequent half-light scene changes. Roth’s stage design is also notable for its triangular rotating walls, with Montgomery’s text surrounding the scenes in the background.

While it is the Fourth of July weekend, consider spending a bit of it with a classic of Canadian literature. “Anne of Green Gables” has performances Friday and Saturday (Sunday is sold out), July 5-6, at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel. Get tickets at thecat.biz or carmelplayers.org.

IndyFringe: Peter / Wendy

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

As you might surmise, given my name, I have seen quite a few iterations of the Peter Pan story in my time. Indiana Drama Club, in collaboration with Arts for Lawrence, has brought us one of the most charming versions I have ever seen, “Peter/Wendy,” by Jeremy Bloom.

Once you enter the theater, the Lost Boys come around to audience members asking for happy thoughts, which they then write all over the set pieces. In the directors’ notes, Amanda Gwin and Rai Ortman mention an eraser wiping a chalkboard to a blank slate. To further compound this metaphor, the entirety of the set pieces have been decorated with chalkboard paint.

We begin with Peter (Isaiah Owens) not able to remember any of his adventures with Wendy (Teagan Cortez), therefore, she recounts them for him (and us).

We begin with her parents. Mrs. Darling (Sophia Sweeney) longs for a child but Mr. Darling (Malachi Adcock) worries that since they barely have enough money to cover their bills now, a child might bankrupt them. However, Wendy Darling’s arrival in the family is met with much love and joy.

Wendy grows up, saddened that everything must age and die. She wishes she could keep her favorite flower beautiful, and it would never age. Thus enters Peter Pan, the boy who can never grow up.

Peter promises to take her to a magical land where nothing ages. How can she resist? With a bit of pixie dust from Tinker Bell (Zoey Hornback), they fly off to Neverland.

Wendy meets Tiger Lily (Maggie Winnings), a human embodiment of the flower; the Lost Boys (Kaelynn Dussia, London Shallon, and Julia Jackson), who expect Wendy to be their new mother; and a mermaid (Lucy Meyers).

We are also introduced to the villainous Hook (Will Swigart) and his bumbling assistant Smee (Michael Morrow). They not only have a grudge against Pan, but also want to capture Wendy to be their own mother.

From here, the story plays similarly to other variants but is never really dark or foreboding. Owens brings forth the cocksure nature of Pan; Dussia, Shallon, and Jackson show the fierce desperation of children who just desperately want a mother; Winnings brings to Tiger Lily a mother nature vibe to give her a power beyond just being a pretty thing; while Meyers’ mermaid is not a major character, she makes her sweet and memorable.

Sweeney and Adcock show not only the love of the Darling parents but also the sadness and betrayal felt after she abandons them. Swigart especially stands out, as he milks every comic moment Hook has for all it’s worth while Morrow manages to hold his own against him.

Cortez shows Wendy as the adventurous girl who is ecstatic to be living out all of her dreams but also worries about getting back to her parents before they find she is missing.

I especially compliment everyone involved with bringing Tinker Bell to life. From her pixie form (as twinkling lights in a bulb) to her marvelous jingling speech (chimes attached to her ruffled skirt), added to Hornback’s feisty portrayal makes this the most delightful version of the character I’ve seen.

This production just wrapped with sellout performances at the IndyFringe Theatre. For more information on this program for young thespians, grades 6-12, visit IndianaDramaClub.com.