Weekly View » EclecticPond

EclecticPond Presents “The Cherry Orchard”

Weekly View — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 05:09:59 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS — EclecticPond Theatre Company (ETC) takes its first trip out of Irvington to present their final main-season show, Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, in the beautiful Sanctuary at the Basile Opera Center.
In 1905, Russia’s poor starve, the newly minted middle class struggle to carve out their own lot, and students whisper about revolution. But among the political and social unrest, there are some who just go on eating, drinking, and dancing. Anton Chekhov’s comedy presents the decline of a once wealthy and renowned family as they foolishly cling to the past and to their ailing country estate.
Chekhov’s last play, The Cherry Orchard, was written as a comedy, but is often viewed as a tragedy. ETC Associate Artistic Director Michael Hosp explores both sides of the play.
“Chekhov’s characters move beyond archetype,” Hosp said. “They experience life like we do. Spilling coffee on their new clothes can make them cry, and the absurdity of losing everything they have can send them into a fit of laughter.”
Performances will be on June 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 at 8 p.m. and June 14 at 7 p.m. All performances will take place in The Sanctuary at the Basile Opera Center, located at 4011 N Pennsylvania St, Tickets are $19 general admission, $14 for students and seniors. Visit https://eclecticpond.tixato.com for ticket sales.

EclecticPond Presents “The Speckled Band”

Weekly View — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 05:10:17 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS —Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are on the case in this classic mystery, The Speckled Band, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle based on one of his short stories. Adapted and directed by Thomas Cardwell, EclecticPond’s production is infused with a healthy dose of slapstick and physical humor. There’s a damsel in distress, dangerous discoveries, and deducing detective. Is it a mystery? A farce? A whodunit?
Performances will be held April 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, and 25 at 8 p.m. and April 19 at 5:30 p.m. at Irvington United Methodist Church, 30 N. Audubon.
Tickets are $19 each for general admission, or $13.25 for educators, students or seniors. Visit eclecticpond.tixato.com for advance sale tickets.

Theatre Review: 10 x 10 x You

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 06:09:11 +0000

EclecticPond’s highly original (and sometimes maniacal) production, 10 x 10 x You, is the “son of” 10 x 10, which they have performed the past few years. This time around, audiences took a vote to determine which of Shakespeare’s plays would get the 10 minute edit treatment. The votes came in, the plays ranked, and a cast of dozens put into motion. The results are wildly funny, full of “sound and fury” but making for a delightful evening of entertainment.
EclecticPond vets Kate Homan and Michael Hosp introduce the plays in order of popularity, starting with number 10 (Two Gentleman of Verona) and count down to number 1 (weirdly, Titus Andronicus, possibly the goriest play ever written for the stage). Because of the rush to squeeze complicated stories into about 10 minutes of stage time, things get seriously edited down, sped up (Tom Cardwell’s Macbeth speech played at 78 rpm is impressive), and the boring bits taken out.
The problem of Richard II — long-winded King’s speeches punctuated by action — is deftly handled by having Richard wander about speechifying while the rest of the cast acts out the story with brooms in mime behind him. Hilarity ensues.
There was a tie for 8th place (Love’s Labor Lost and Hamlet) which is resolved by dividing the stage and performing highlights from LLL and Hamlet on different sides, and the cast ducking behind a divider, swapping crowns, and continuing in different characters. It is dazzling to watch.
The greatest difficulty comes from handling what is arguably the most tragic of Shakespeare’s tragedies, King Lear. How do you make a story about an old king who loses his mind, his kingdom, and his daughters (and ultimately his life) because of pride? By giving it the “fight night” treatment — in this corner, Reagan . . . in this corner, Goneril . . . in that corner, Cordelia. Well played.
The final play, Titus Andronicus, also presents an enormous challenge. How do you make a play in which one daughter is raped, her hands and tongue cut off, and a mother eats her dead sons who have been baked in a pie? And do it in 10 minutes? You’ll have to see it to believe it.
With such a large cast playing a number of roles in quick succession, everyone gets a chance to be exceptional. Henry V, though, played by Elsie McNulty, nearly stole the entire show — no mean feat in a cast as talented as this one. Thomas Cardwell and Jeremy Grimmer, with other material from Zack Joyce, took on an enormous task adapting Shakespeare’s works and succeeded.
There is only one more performance of 10 x 10 x You, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. at Irvington UMC on North Audubon. Tickets are only $10 at the door. Don’t miss it, or you’ll have to wait a whole year.
EclecticPond’s next production will be The Tempest: Adrift in Time Feb. 20-March 7 at Playground Production Studios, 5529 Bonna Ave. #10. Find out more at eclecticpond.org

Applause!: Dec. 12-19

Weekly View — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 06:08:11 +0000

• Despite the cold rain on Dec. 5, the Irvington Holiday Open House put on by the Irvington Merchant’s Association saw a nice turnout. Thank you to the merchants and shoppers who made it a success!
• EclecticPond, the east side’s classic works troupe, recently announced they will have a new home in the Irvington Coal Factory. They will be leasing 2,800 square feet in the facility, allowing them to develop a new black-box theatre. In the meantime, EclecticPond will hold their 2014-2015 performances at the Irvington United Methodist Church, 30 N. Audubon. Their next production is 10 x 10, which opens Jan. 10 for two weekends — go see this unique production of 10 of Shakespeare’s plays given the 10 minute treatment. Tickets are only $10, and available online at http://etc10x10.bpt.me/
• East Village Business Owners and ReCycle Force are holding a near east E-Cycle Collection Drive on Sat., Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the curb at 1825/1827 E. New York St. Old electronics (toys, lamps, toasters, cordless phones, modems, printers, keyboards, monitors, TVs, etc.) for safe and eco-friendly recycling.
• Join your neighbors at the The Benton House, Monday December 15th at 7 p.m. for a spirited reading of the classic Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol, adapted from the 1942 Basil Rathbone radio play. Violin and rattling chains accompany the voices of Scrooge, Marley, and more in the parlor of the beautifully restored Benton House, built in 1873. The event is sponsored by Bookmamas and is free. The Benton House is located at 312 S. Downey Ave. in Irvington.
• Once again, there seems to be a rash of burglaries from garages and cars on the east side, especially in Emerson Heights and Irvington neighborhoods. Thieves are looking for unlocked cars, homes and garages — crimes of opportunity. If you see suspicious people, please call 9-1-1 with descriptions of vehicles or persons. The police can only be in so many places — we can help be their eyes and ears. You can remain anonymous by telling the dispatcher up front that you don’t want to divulge your name.
• The Phoenix Theatre recently received a National Endowment for the Arts grant to support their “Heritage” series of three plays by or about artists of color. The three part series includes River City by Diana Grisanti, Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea by Nathan Alan Davis, and a new play with music based on Mexican folk tales, to be developed by the Phoenix and presented in English and Spanish in November of 2015. The Phoenix does some ground-breaking theatre; visit them at www.phoenixtheatre.org for current shows and tickets.
• The Alternative Gift Fair, now in its third year, will be held Dec. 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Irving Theatre, 5505 E. Washington St. Lots of local, handcrafted gifts for everyone on your list. Admission is free.

Fall Theater & Art Season Gets Underway

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 05:11:32 +0000

Exhausting. Exhilarating. Provocative. Those are a few words that linger after a marathon of IndyFringe13 attendance where I saw 30 shows (Paula saw 35, because I was down for the count on Saturday) over 11 days. Thirteen was a lucky number for Fringe this year, where they saw record-breaking attendance, and a 16 percent increase in ticket sales. Of the five top-grossing shows, four of them were local productions: ShadowApe, Three Dollar Bill Comedy, NoExit Performance, and Dance Kaleidoscope. Indianapolis audiences are clearly hungry for quality, locally produced productions.
September is the traditional start for the theater season. To get a preview of what the Indiana Repertory Theatre season, they will be hosting an Open House on Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. They will offer guided tours back stage and in the costume and scene shops. Upcoming shows at the IRT include The Crucible from Sept. 17-Oct. 13, An Iliad from Oct. 16-Nov. 16, A Christmas Carol from Nov. 16-Dec. 24. Dance Kaleidoscope will perform at the IRT Oct. 24-27 with “New Dimensions” and “American Rhapsody” Jan. 9-12. Season tickets are available, as well as single tickets. Visit www.irtlive.com for information about prices, discounts, and more. The theater is located at 140 W. Washington St. Call 635-5252 to order tickets and get show times.
The Phoenix Theatre will host eight more performances of Love, Loss and What I Wore Sept. 5-15 from their 2012-13 season before moving on to Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, the Tony award winning play Sept. 19-Oct. 20. The Phoenix is known for bringing high-quality contemporary theater to its space. They are located at 749 N. Park Ave. Call 635-2381 or visit www.phoenixtheatre.org for a full line-up of plays and ticket prices.
Buck Creek Players at 1150 Southeastern Ave. is celebrating 40 years of quality productions this year, and kicking off the 2013-14 season with the comedy Rumors Sept. 27-Oct. 6. They’ll follow it with The Little Town of Christmas Dec. 6-22. Tickets range from $18-$16 depending on the production. Visit www.buckcreekplayers.com or call 862-2270 for more information.
Epilogue, a small community theater doing good work will open their 2013 season with Getting the Gold, a story about 80 year old Cammy Cobb and a murder. Shows begin Sept. 6 and run through the 22nd. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. for Friday and Saturday shows, and 2 p.m. for Sunday shows. Reservations are required; call 926-3139 or e-mail epilogue.players@yahoo.com for more information. In November, they will feature Bubble Gum & Bobby Socks.
Q Artistry is bringing back Cabaret Poe, the full-scale musical based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, for this October for the 4th year. Tickets go on sale Sept. 1. The show sells out fast, so be sure you make reservations as soon as possible by calling 677-5317 or visiting qartistry.org. They perform at the Irvington Lodge, 5515 E. Washington St.
EclecticPond, which also performs at the Irvington Lodge, will kick off their 2013-14 season with Shakespeare’s R&J, which was originally created for student audiences. Shows will run Sept. 13-28. Contact them at 207-2080 or visit them online at eclecticpond.org for a full schedule. They’ll revisit the very popular (and funny) 10×10 Dec. 27-Jan. 4.
Mud Creek Players on the northeast side of town will start the theater season off with Shakespeare in Hollywood Sept.13-28. Visit www.mudcreekplayers.com or call 290-5343 for ticket information. Mud Creek has been around for about 60 years; they are located at 9740 E. 86th St.
In Beech Grove, the Spotlight Players have been making a name for themselves. They’ll be presenting Torch Song Trilogy Oct. 10-20 at the theater located at 524 E. Main St. Shows are at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $15 general admission. Call 767-2774 or visit www.spotlight-players.org for more information.

Stanley Sees Kay’s Look: Stanley Banks (Jeff Stockberger) realizes how happy his daughter Kay (Lisa Ermel) is as she talks to her fiancé in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of Father of the Bride, now on stage through Sept. 29.

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre is currently presenting Father of the Bride through Sept. 29. Now in its 40th year, Beef & Boards offers comedies and musicals throughout the year, all accompanied by dinner buffet. Beef & Boards also offers children’s programming, including Winnie the Pooh from Oct. 11-Nov. 9. The next adult offering will be Les Miserable, beginning Oct. 4 and running until Nov. 24. Beef & Boards tickets range from $37.50-$62.50 and include the buffet. Discounts are available for children and groups of 20 or more. The theatre is located at 9301 N. Michigan Rd. Call 872-9664 or visit www.beefandboards.com for more information about their upcoming season or for ticket availability.

Theatre Review: On the Fringes

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 05:09:11 +0000

This, the ninth year of IndyFringe, means that the festival is becoming better known (and attended). As each year passes, audiences set the bar a little higher for performances — which is great, because it keeps the folks who put on the show on their toes.
Of the shows I’ve seen so far (16), only two disappointed, and one was due to a technical problem more than anything else. The odds are good you’ll find something enjoyable/enlightening/funny/challenging to see any given night. Expect long lines at shows that have been getting good buzz, and you may not get in unless you pre-paid. Have a back-up show for that time slot if you encounter this problem.
Outstanding shows we’ve seen on the circuit include:
• Shakespeare Wrote What . . . ? — EclecticPond’s take on five of Shakespeare’s lesser-known works (Titus Andronicus, Troilus and Cressida, King John, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Cymbeline) is fast-paced and funny, giving you a taste of why these are the lesser-known works (where even English majors such as myself feared to tread). A great cast and script makes the hour fly by.
• De Sade — The Marquis de Sade’s depraved imagination and philosophy is the basis of this Q Artistry production. It starts out naughty and flirty, but takes a very dark turn at the end. The songs and costumes are a delight, and a strong cast makes the piece work. Be warned that this show is pretty graphic.
• The Beast, The Lady, and the Sanguine Man — NoExit uses 1920s silent film drama devices to tell a supernatural tale. The production is innovative and clever, with a cast that doesn’t overstate the case.
• Welcome to the Monkey House — Based on Kurt Vonnegut’s book of stories, ShadowApe takes the best of the stories and makes funny and touching theatre.
• Menagerie Macabre: A Theatre du Grand Guignol — Julie Lynn Barber’s singing is spectacular, and the Eastern European folk songs she sings weave three horror stories together. If you love gothic horror stories, this is your show.
• Electric Romeo — You will have to buy tickets in advance for this show, as the lines will be around the block. Dance Kaleidoscope’s interpretation of “Romeo in Juliet” through movement. Brilliant is the only word that comes to mind . . . just go see it.
• Underneath the Lintel — Pat O’Brien’s performance as the Librarian in Glen Berger’s play is riveting in this one-man show. Another one that you may need a pre-paid ticket for to get in.
• I Named My Penis Linda — Stewart Huff’s stand-up show last year was a sell-out at almost every performance, and it looks like this year will be no different. This year, he sets his sights on why he got pulled off the stage at the University of Kentucky, and stealing penguins. Hilarious.

Ethel Winslow/Weekly View
Street performers and IndyFringe performers drum up business along Mass Ave.

Buy a Backer Button for only $5 at the Art Bank on the corner of E. St. Clair and Mass Ave. and pick up a program. Pick your show(s), and make sure you have cash to pay for tickets ($10 per show) at the individual theaters. You can buy tickets in advance at the Art Bank (2 hours before the show). Fiver passes are a good deal; for $40 you can get into five shows (buy them at the Art Bank as well).
The best part of IndyFringe is seeing people from all walks of life enjoy real theater together. Old, young, rich, and not-so-rich, IndyFringe has something for everyone. Between shows, it makes for great people-watching as well.

Indy Fringe Bigger, Better Than Ever

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 05:10:42 +0000

This year marks 9 years of Indy Fringe taking over the theatre scene in Indianapolis. Over the years, the Fringe has expanded, added more acts, gotten more daring and inclusive at the same time — and attracted larger crowds. Last year’s Indy Fringe broke all records for attendance, and organizers are confident that this year’s numbers will equal or surpass last year’s.
This year there will be 64 shows over the 10 year period, Aug. 15-25. Indy Fringe has also added a new venue, the BABECA Theatre at 919 N. East St., which within walking distance of ComedySportz, Theatre on the Square, The Phoenix, and IndyFringe Basile Theatre along Mass Ave. and East St. Clair (there is a shuttle to the Cook Theatre at Indiana Landmarks). Shows begin at 6 p.m. on weekdays, and at 1:30 p.m. on weekends for the two weeks. Revenues from the shows goes directly back to the performers, helping to support independent theatre in Indianapolis.
Indy Fringe features music, theatre, dance, cabaret, comedy, magic acts, multimedia, drama and much more over the 10 day period. Buy a Backer Button for $5 (a one-time purchase) and tickets are only $10 per person for each one hour show (students are $8 and kids under 12 are $5 per ticket). There are also specials and passes available, and Fringe-goers can buy tickets online up to 2 hours before each show by visiting www.indyfringe.org. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time by calling 869-6660.
This year, the eastside theatre group Q Artistry is following up their smash hit BOT with a decidedly more adult show, De Sade, a musical based on the writings of the Marquis de Sade (over 16 only). EclecticPond will be presenting Shakespeare Wrote What . . .? which features five of the Bard’s lesser-known works in fast-paced parody style. Both eastside groups will be performing at the Phoenix Theatre Mainstage at various times.
Other noteworthy local acts include Welcome to the Monkeyhouse, based on Kurt Vonnegut’s novel, presented by Shadowape, local magician Ryan Siebert’s show, The Con, at the Cook Theatre; Danny Russel in Abraham Lincoln: Hoosier Hero, and Shakespeare’s Follies, both at Theatre on the Square; NoExit Performance is presenting The Beast, The Lady, and the Sanguine Man.
For trailers of most of the shows, visit the Indy Fringe Facebook page or visit their Web site.