Zack Neiditch

Phoenix in its Xmas era

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By John Lyle Belden

That Holiday Tradition that’s an alternative to Nutcrackers or Tiny Tim or other Christmassy cliches – except perhaps to mock them – has returned to the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre.

“A Very Phoenix Xmas XVII: Sleigh, Queen, Sleigh!” takes the stage with its various funny and nicely naughty short plays. This time these all-original skits all have common creators – written by director Zack Neiditch with songs by Paige Scott. They are brought to life by Suraj Choudhary, Samantha Lewis, Craig Underwood, Cara Wilson, and Christine Zavakos, who also each give a disturbingly charming (or charmingly disturbing) “Christmas memory” in videos by Zach Rosing.

The various pieces are presented in historical order from past to present, starting with a breaking TV news report from Roman Palestine. A more historically accurate approach is taken in a hilarious look at Christmas in Renaissance-era England. As for the Victorian era, Marley’s still dead. In the 20th century, things really get strange. With more recent decades, be sure to “like and subscribe.”

Note this isn’t all-ages. Mature content includes f-bombs and middle fingers, but no outright blasphemy. Think of it as SNL with HBO standards.

The ensemble work very well together, with most of them interacting in nearly every scene. Neiditch’s knack for comedy and Scott’s for a catchy tune give them plenty to work with.

If this kind of humor fits your stocking, you’ll find it very entertaining with familiar themes taken on like nobody else.  

“A Very Phoenix Xmas” runs through Dec. 21 at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at phoenixtheatre.org.

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.

Indy Shakes’ ‘Errors’ succeeds

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By John Lyle Belden

If one is to genuinely have fun with a work by William Shakespeare, it’s hard to go wrong with “The Comedy of Errors.”

This early work by the Bard is chock full of the kind of confusions that are universal hallmarks of comedy to this day. Therefore – and “wherefore” – Indy Shakes adapted it for their summer outdoor production at Taggart Memorial Amphitheatre in Riverside Park, directed by Rob and Jen Johansen, serious actors who are no strangers to getting goofy on stage.

Taking it perhaps a step further than even crowd-pleaser Shakespeare (who was known to hire clowns), the play also includes members of (and “games” by) Act a Foo Improv Crew, featuring Daniel A. Martin.

The setting is Daytona Beach in 1984. Because reasons to start the plot, interlopers from Venice Beach are not allowed on pain of death. Caught by the police (Martin), Egeon, Merchant of Venice (Zack Neiditch), must either give up 1,000 coins or his head. In a bid for mercy, he tells the ruling Duke (Joshua Owens) his story:

He and his wife had identical twin boys, meanwhile an impoverished woman had such twins of her own, which they took on as companions and servants to their own sons. Later, during a sea voyage, a Tempest split the boat, leaving each parent alone with one each of the pairs of boys. In the process of his long search for his wife, Egeon lost track of his son Antipholous (Andrew Martin) and servant Dromio (Hannah Boswell) in Boca Raton, and thought they may be in Daytona. 

You see where this is going. Conveniently also in Daytona Beach are an Antipholus (Carlos Medina Maldonado) and manservant Dromio (Kelsey VanVoorst). Our young master has a household complete with wife Adriana (Alicia Sims), her sister Luciana (Kelli Thomas), and kitchen maid Luce (Cynthia Collins), who is sweet on Daytona’s Dromio. And remember, thanks to the magic of wearing the same outfit (just go with it), the Antipholuses and Dromios look exactly alike.

It doesn’t take long for this play to live up to its title, with hilarious criss-cross encounters between characters and intrigues that involve others including Ennis Adams as an impatient merchant and Scot Greenwell as Angelo the goldsmith. The gags also take advantage of improvised moments, 80’s and Florida references, and Shakespearean in-jokes like crying “Wherefore art thou, Dromio?!”

Finally, after a botched exorcism and Scooby-Doo-esque chase scenes, sanity is restored by order of the Duke with the aid of a local Abbess (Lynne Perkins).

While this comedy does involve a fairly simple plot for Shakespeare (fine by me, to be honest), I couldn’t help but notice a greater emphasis in the poetic dialogue, of its rhythm and rhyme. Indy Shakes artistic director Ryan Artzberger says this is indicative of Shakespeare exploring the use of verse in his early works, employing rhyming couplets to deliver the punchlines – alongside his famous puns and inuendo.

Performances are first-rate throughout the cast. Martin makes a major contribution with his minor role. I’ve seen Maldonado excel wherever he’s cast – from serious stuff to kids’ shows – and he naturally knocks it out of the park here. Edges of drama here and there, such as Greenwell’s nervousness with Angelo on the hook for a lot of money (a gold chain being on the neck of the wrong Antipholus) or Sims and Thomas as sisters feeling they are being played for fools, enhance the comic stakes for greater hilarity. Boswell and VanVoorst thrive in the absurdity.

Pardon my burying the lead here, but admission to this outdoor spectacle is free! Indy Shakes does need patrons to register their tickets for their headcount, and for a price, VIP tables are available. Remaining performances are Thursday through Saturday evenings, July 31-Aug. 2. For information and to register, visit indyshakes.com.

Little extras make Z&Z ‘Rocky’ an ‘absolute pleasure’

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By John Lyle Belden

It’s been a few years since we looked in on the Zach & Zack (“Zachk”) production of “The Rocky Horror Show” (not the movie, the original Richard O’Brien stage play) and “Brad, I’m so glad” I returned for this year’s edition.

If you are reading this, odds are you know the story – a super-campy musical tribute to the spooky “science-fiction double-feature” of decades past. If you don’t… well, “virgins,” this isn’t just a play, it’s an experience. Just roll with the weirdness and shout along when prompted.

That’s one of the cool things about this production: The audience prompts are flashed above the stage. It keeps everyone mostly in unison, though it standardizes the shouts and we are asked not to add more if we know additional lines (I said quite a few, normal-voiced, at my table, surprised by how many I remembered).

Producer Zach Rosing and director Zack Neiditch have assembled an excellent cast of joyous freaks. In charge of this menagerie is the incomparable Tim Hunt as Dr. Frank N. Furter, the “Sweet Transvestite” and our host as “a-hole” square Brad (Suraj Choudhary) and naïve “slut” Janet (Logan Hill) arrive at his castle looking for a phone but instead finding a mad experiment – bringing life (itself!) to the muscular Creature, Rocky (Johnnie Ray Hughes). Overseeing this mayhem are Matt Branic as Riff-Raff, Elizabeth Gee as Magenta, and Matthew Altman as a marvelous trans Columbia (it completely works, especially when the costume malfunctions).

Steven Ryan Crays appears as unfortunate Eddie and returns as the noble Dr. Scott. The funky phantom ensemble are Alexa Abbott, Megan Arrington, Kelvin Burzon, Brittany Michelle Davis, Danny Kingston, and Kendrell Stiff.

Most impressive to me was the interludes with our dramatic Narrator, Craig Kemp. While initially shown on the nearby screen in the expected stuffy study, his performance literally goes all over the place. You never know where he and his faithful videographer will appear next as he expresses in solemn tones the goings-on and how imperiled our (sorta) innocent couple truly are. This aspect of the show adds to an already immersive experience, raising the entertainment value, especially for us jaded “Rocky” veterans.

A Halloween treat for mature audiences with immature tastes, “The Rocky Horror Show” runs through Nov. 2 at the Athenaeum Theatre (due to its historic nature, no bringing “props” allowed), 401 E. Michigan in downtown Indy (corner of Michigan, New Jersey, and Mass Ave). For tickets, go to rockyhorrorindy.com.

IndyShakes: ‘Caesar’ as seen by CNN or C-SPAN

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By John Lyle Belden

Julius Caesar. If you didn’t sleep through World History or Western Civ in high school or college, you are familiar with his name and his brief reign over the Roman Empire. Thanks mainly to the tragic play by William Shakespeare, his fate is forever part of popular culture – especially in mid-March, when the man becomes a meme on your smartphone.

What if those early 21st century devices were available in the 1st century BC? In the common practice of adapting the Bard to different eras, Indy Shakes and Zach & Zack present Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” in a tech-savvy Rome complete with 24-hour social media and news cycle. In the big black box of the Basile stage of the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, we get a multimedia blitz of projected talking heads, Tweets on X, and smartphone video streams, with our players front and center enacting the familiar story with the freshness of breaking news. Diverse casting of race and gender, along with modern dress with hints of official robes, help make ancient times feel like today.

Quick refresher: The death of fellow leader Pompey left Caesar (Andy Ahrens) the sole Consul over the Roman Republic. This worries the Senate, who easily surmise that the man will overtake them as a tyrannical dictator. In Shakespeare’s telling, Cassius (Scot Greenwell), who was close to Caesar and feels him both too ambitious and too weak (the stigma of his epilepsy) persuades Brutus (Jen Johansen), another beloved of Caesar, to join a conspiracy to assassinate their Emperor. Despite signs and warnings, Caesar enters the Senate on March 15 and is slaughtered by his countrymen. Antony (Kelly Mills) plays along with the killers, but when given a chance to address Caesar’s funeral, stirs the people of Rome to action.

Other roles include Morgan Morton as Brutus’s spouse Portia, as well as Cinna the Poet; Carlos Medina Maldonado as Cinna the conspirator and others; Chandra Lynch, Daniel Martin and Immanuel Umoren as conspirators Decius Brutus, Trebonius, and Casca; Kelli Thomas as Brutus’s servant Lucius; Tiffany Gilliam as Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia; and Jacob Barnes as the Soothsayer, and later Octavius Caesar (who will eventually become Emperor Augustus).

From top to bottom, the cast have solid resumes and consistently display their dramatic talents throughout. It is in this adaptation, though, that Johansen’s Brutus stands out, doggedly facing both inner and outer conflict, reluctantly justifying extreme acts, then standing up to the consequences. Ahrens plays Caesar as having noble intentions but too driven to see how his larger-than-life personality could inspire his doom. In today’s U.S. Senate, Greenwell’s Cassius would be that devious deal-maker who would go to any length to advance his agenda, a Ted Cruz with knives. Mills’s Antony manages to come off as the rare honest politician, rising to the occasion like our memory of JFK, or Obama at his inauguration. Zack Neiditch is director, with sound and video design by Zach Rosing. Excellent costumes are by Tony Sirk with Caitlin Davey.

Still, the whole of this production is greater than the sum of its well-executed parts, going beyond just putting old speech in a new setting. In a time when tragic events, including wars, unrest, and celebrities performing to ever-present cameras are constantly on our television, computer and phone screens, this makes historical events feel even more “real” than any attempt to tell the story in its own time.

Two weekends remain of “Julius Caesar,” through May 19, at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get information and tickets at indyshakes.com or phoenixtheatre.org.

ALT: The long laborious birth of a vital test

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By Wendy Carson

The Home Pregnancy Test – it is so ingrained in our lives now that you can even buy one at Dollar Tree. However, it was not so long ago that it was created. Prior to this, women had to go to the doctor and not only convince him to test her but also wait about two months for the result.

American Lives Theater launches the world premiere of the play “Predictor,” by Jennifer Blackmer. It tells the story of Meg Crane, the woman who not only saw the flaws in the current system but also persevered to develop the first-ever home pregnancy test.

As is the case with so much of women’s medicine and discoveries, Crane’s name is mostly lost to history. Blackmer delves into the intense, sexist struggles of one woman who knows what she wants and fights the misogynist barriers thrown up against her every effort.

Brittany Magee embodies Crane as a sweet, yet determined woman who is in no way going to allow her voice to not be heard. She sees that the test, previously confined to laboratories, is actually very easy and develops a simple, convenient package for it out of a plastic paper clip holder. All the men she must deal with constantly rebuff this design – declaring she has no idea what women want.

While the rest of the cast play multiple roles and are referred to in the program book as Chorus # 1-6, each is excellent and does embody at least one prime role within the story which I will use to summarize their efforts.

Christine Zavakos plays Meg’s roommate Jodie, an artist and free spirit constantly encouraging Meg to stand up for herself and fight.

Jen Johansen flows between Meg’s mother and coworker. She portrays the lack of knowledge the generations before her were given regarding their own bodies as well as the fears of this newer generation’s need to change things.

Miki Mathoiudakis superbly brings Meg’s grandmother to life with her even more primitive knowledge of sexual behaviors and morality.

Zack Neiditch not only brings us a charming game show host but also the head of the company Meg works for who at first has no time for silly lady things.

Drew Vidal embodies the most toxic example of male ego in the show. He gives us an advertising executive who sees Meg as nothing more than a secretary who knows nothing about business or how to “play the game” and torpedoes her every attempt to prove herself.

Clay Mabbitt gives us the snarky superiority of the lab tech who insists only a (male) lab tech could possibly check the test results (because looking in a mirror for a circle in the bottom of a test tube is a difficult job). This is balanced by his portrayal of a more insightful executive in the company’s marketing department.

This show is Bridget Haight’s directorial debut, and she has done a great job of bringing us the story of a woman’s perseverance in the 1970s world of business (like a more-sexist “Mad Men”). The story is a vital piece of women’s history that was destined to be lost as Crane was only given a patent on her test design. The actual test itself was sold to another company, which sat on the rights to it for ten years before it finally made it to the market, the corporation taking full credit for introducing this important tool for women’s health.

Performances run through May 28 at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at phoenixtheatre.org, or americanlivestheatre.org.

Note that this weekend, the real Meg Crane will be in attendance. She will be part of a pre-show program 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 13, as well as “Mom, Mimosas and Meg” for Mother’s Day, May 14, available for questions after the performance.

Phoenix goes bananas for ‘Xmas’

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By John Lyle Belden

You know, it’s just not Christmas season without a visit from Anna Banana!

..Said no one ever. (But don’t tell Anna!) Now that she’s the fourth-most-popular female holiday icon (since most people can’t think of more than three) she gets to host “A Very Phoenix Xmas 13: Merry Superstitious” at the Phoenix Theatre.

As you can already tell, the oddball tone of the previous 12 incarnations of this holiday tradition is still very much alive. However, this edition — directed by quirky Q Artistry founder Ben Asaykwee — features an all-female cast. Past Phoenix stars Jolene Mentink Moffatt, Phebe Taylor, Jaddy Ciucci and Jenni White are joined by Shawnte P. Gaston, the powerhouse presence of Tiffanie Burnett, the instrumental prowess of Beef & Boards regular Sarah Hund and the manic energy of ComedySportz star Frankie Bolda.

While they all play multiple roles, it’s Bolda in the banana outfit, and Ciucci makes a feisty Virgin Mary. But while the comedy is a bit irreverent, the content doesn’t get sacrilegious or too mature. Something amiss does happen to Santa, though, that reverberates through the show.

The series of sketches has numerous authors, including Asaykwee, Jean Childers-Arnold, Lou Harry, Steven Korbar,  Zack Neiditch, and Steffi Rubin. Mariel Greenlee choreographed a touching dance scene, performed by the ensemble, inspired by a historic holiday event.

There are also witches, a history lesson, a look back at a (sorta) famous kick-line, breaking news, surprising mashups, and (in Harry’s contribution) what could be described as “Law & Order: Scriptural Victims Unit.” Plus, the cast tell us what’s on their wish list this season.

For an unusual — What other Christmas show has a talking banana? — funny and fully entertaining holiday treat, check out this “Very Phoenix Xmas,” with performances through Dec. 23 on the mainstage at 705 N. Illinois St. in downtown Indianapolis. Call 317-635-7529 or visit phoenixtheatre.org.

Zach&Zack ‘Rocky Horror’ at Athenaeum – ’nuff said

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By John Lyle Belden

I could probably skip the synopsis on this one – Anybody here know how to Madison?

“The Rocky Horror Show” (note the omission of “Picture,” this is the live stage version) has returned to Indianapolis like a Halloween tradition, gracing the haunted stage of the Athenaeum,

Presented by Zach&Zack – produced by Zach Rosing, directed by Zack Neiditch – the play greatly resembles the movie scenes and songs, with a few differences (no dinner scene, for instance). The opening theme is a brilliant tribute to the film, complete with cast credits. But the actors here have made these characters their own: for instance, Dave Ruark plays sassy “Sweet Transvestite” Frank N. Furter, not an impression of Tim Curry in the role.

Adam Tran and Andrea Heiden are fun as Brad and Janet – the pair of squares thrust into a night of “absolute pleasure,” and Joe Doyel has stage presence to match his pecs and flex as muscular Rocky (the Creature). But the scenes are not stolen but outright owned by Davey Pelsue as Riff-Raff, combining his considerable acting chops with his rock-star charisma. Also wonderful are Anna Lee as Magenta, Alexandria Warfiel as Columbia, and Josiah McCruiston as Eddie and Dr. Scott.

But is it fair that while Adam Crowe is excellent as the no-neck Narrator, his scenes are pre-recorded so that he can actually see this great show from the audience, while the rest of the cast can’t? And where did his neck go? I blame aliens.

Kudos also to Erin Becker for her “big mouth.”

Perhaps I’m not taking this review seriously enough, but then consider what I’m supposed to be critiquing here. For crying out loud, the best lines are typically shouted by the audience! (And yes, you can do that – just no props allowed, by theater policy.) The bottom line is that this is not just a “play” or even your typical musical, it is an experience. And with this competent crew, you are assured a very good time. (Like a – everybody now – “Science fiction, double feature…”)

Of course, tickets are selling fast. Remaining performances are Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 1-3 at the “A,” 401 E. Michigan in downtown Indy. Get info at ZachAndZack.com (or their Facebook page) and tickets here.

Zach & Zack’s ‘Angry Inch’ measures up

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By John Lyle Belden

Once again, internationally ignored superstar Hedwig Robinson takes the stage in Indianapolis, fronting “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” The German glam goddess tells her story while shadowing former partner Johnny Gnosis, who is on another stage, reaping the benefits of scandal.

“Hedwig,” the acclaimed Off-Broadway musical, is a transcendent sensory experience when done right — and Zach (Rosing) & Zack (Neiditch) may have succeeded with this month’s production on the Epilogue Players stage.

That’s right, this punk youthquake is in the little corner theatre that typically showcases older actors. But on the other hand, given her Cold War backstory, the character of Hedwig isn’t so young anymore. The show was originally performed and set around the year 2000, so to keep the story fresh this play blurs the last 20 years into a spacetime setting of its own — not hard to reconcile for folks like me for whom the 20th century feels like yesterday, but might require some don’t-think-about-it for younger viewers.

Tim Hunt is Hedwig, with face, voice and attitude much like the show’s creator and original star, John Cameron Mitchell. Her look is made complete by exquisite costumes and headpieces by costumer Beck Jones, especially during “Wig in a Box.”

Hedwig’s present husband, Yitzhak, is portrayed perfectly by Kate Homan, from his sulking resentment and grudging fidelity to an outstanding transformation at the end.

They are backed by a solid onstage band of Jacob Stensberg, Matt Day, Steven Byroad and Andrew McAfee. They perform on a punk-aesthetic stage complete with cleverly used discarded-but-functional televisions.

As fans know, the “Angry Inch” refers to more than the band; it’s the result of the botched sex-change operation in East Berlin when young Hansel Schmidt became Hedwig. So, needless to say, there is mature content in this show (but no nudity). And as the historical context slips further into the past, and it being less unusual to see a Trans entertainer on stage, we are confronted with the other, larger, more universal theme of the play — the personal search for completion.

This world’s foundational myth (in the “Origin of Love”) is that humanity was only content when each “person” was a complete set of two individuals fused together. But in the longing for finding one’s other half, they ironically lose or give away parts of themselves. This is Hedwig’s journey — losing her “parts” to gain a man, yielding her creativity in the attempt to hold another, then denying Yitzhak his own completion for as long as her own soul is fragmented.

As the many puzzles presented come together, we all share in the completion of a beautiful experience, a feeling no one can tear down.

Performances are Thursday through Sunday (Jan. 11-14) at 1849 N. Alabama St. Click here for info and tickets.

Zach & Zack’s ‘Great Bike Race’ returns to TOTS

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By John Lyle Belden

I’ve heard friends in Fringe shows say it’s hard to constrain a whole play to 40 minutes, so it must have been a relief for writer-director Zack Neiditch to let “The Great Bike Race.” his 2014 IndyFringe comedy hit, play out a full 70 minutes on the stage of Theatre on the Square, weekends through June 24.

The Race of the title is the 1904 Tour de France. After the success of the inaugural Tour the previous year, the ’04 bicycle race attracted a lot of attention and opportunistic riders. It became infamous for its widespread sabotage and cheating – including a competitor using a train as a “shortcut.”

Bringing that action to today’s audiences, Neiditch and Zach Rosing present a “cleverly anachronistic” (their characters told me to write that) play with the aid of antic actors, pantomime bicycles and a big projection screen.

Much of the Fringe cast returns, including Frankie Bolda as noble teen Henri Cornet. Paige Scott and Ben Asaykwee are the race front-runners and bitter rivals, Hippolyte Acoutrier and Maurice Garin. Carrie Bennett Fedor and Evan Wallace are Jean-Baptiste DuFortunac and Llucien Portier, two men who like each other very, very much. Sonia Goldberg is the only woman playing a woman, Alois Catteau, but she’s pretending to be a man. John Kern and Craig Kemp play other riders, while Josh Ramsey plays three from three different countries, whom at one point all get in an argument while trying to beat each other to the front of the pack.

For those who’ve seen it before, this version doesn’t feel padded-out at all. It’s still manic fun throughout its course, complete with contested Victory Dance.

Who wins? You do, by getting to see this hilarious show (whether again, or for the first time). Call 317-685-8687 or visit tots.org for tickets.