INDIANAPOLIS — Clerical Error Productions presents Vaudeville: Calamity Meets Comedy on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the District Theatre, 627 Mass Ave. Tickets are $20 general admission, or $15 for seniors and students. Get tickets online at indydistricttheatre.org
The year is 1922 and a vaudeville company is stranded in Indianapolis, trying to get home to Poughkeepsie, New York in time for the holidays. Mother Benn and Digger Duffy pull the troupe together to raise funds to get them on the way. Magic tricks, singing, dancing, and mime acts make the holidays bright in this production. There will be prize giveaways for the audience and photos with Father Christmas.
Starring Kate Duffy, James Benn, with Matt Anderson, Black Box Bozos, Monica Cantrell, and many more, Clerical Error hopes to revive the great traditions of the vaudeville circuit by showcasing multi-talented performers who don’t easily fit into a niche.
Vaudeville was a very popular entertainment from the late 1800s until about 1930s, offering an affordable variety show in cities and in towns across America. In Indianapolis, there were several vaudeville houses, including the Majestic, the Walker Theatre, and the Lyric. Performers such as Houdinim Burns and Allen, and Jack Benny performed here, thanks to the B.F. Keith circuit.
