Weekly View » IRT

“Noises Off” at the IRT

Weekly View — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 05:09:02 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s season finale, Noises Off by Michael Frayn, is a lusciously silly comedy that serves up generous doses of heat-inducing laughter. Called “the funniest farce ever written,” Noises Off, a British term for off-stage sound effects, presents a manic menagerie of actors who are rehearsing a flop called Nothing On where everything goes wrong. The show runs through May 20 at various times. The cast features the familiar faces of Ryan Artzberger, Ashley Dillard, Mehry Eslaminia, and Robert Neal, as well as some new faces including Will Allen, Heidi Kettering, Hollis Resnik, Jerry Richardson and Rob Riley.

Tickets and performance schedule available at IRTlive.com.

“Appoggiatura” a Notable Achievement

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 05:09:09 +0000

Set in a city known for bridges, canals, gondolas, confusing piazzas, romance — and the fact that it is slowly sinking into the ocean — Appoggiatura at the Indiana Repertory Theatre explores the depths of loss and remembrance through the lens of a family looking for resolution. “Appoggiatura” is a musical term for a note that leans into a another note, creating tension and delaying the final notation.
Helen (Susan Pellegrino), Silvie (Andrea San Miguel), and Aunt Chuck (Tom Aulino) arrive at their Venice hotel jet-lagged and without their luggage. The hotel doesn’t look anything like the Web photos, and the “tour guide-er” Marco (Casey Hoekstra) isn’t exactly what Helen expected. They are there to commemorate Gordon, Helen’s ex-husband and Aunt Chuck’s lover, by dumping his ashes in one of the canals. Gordon’s ashes are in the lost luggage, naturally. Marco leads and misleads the trio through the piazza’s and across bridges, through the crowds of tourists, until all are lost. Helen loses herself to memories (or is it memory?) of Venice as her younger self as a newlywed, remembering an adventurous Gordon and hope and promise. Aunt Chuck wanders the bewildering streets and bridges, remembering his love lost to Alzheimer’s disease. Sylvie connects to her lover at home as well, realizing that marriage to the woman she loves might not be what she truly wants at this particular time. Three musicians, Andrew Mayer, Paul Deboy, and Katrina Yaukey, do able service as a chorus to the story unfolding along the canals of Venice.
James Still, playwright of Appoggiatura, is at his most lyrical in Appoggiatura. The first two plays of this cycle, The House That Jack Built and Miranda, were produced at the IRT as well — and Appogiatura completes the stories of grief and loss and how they ripple through families. Peter Amster’s direction of the small cast deftly weaves a complex emotional story with depth and understanding. Set designer Lee Savage cleverly recreates Venice with sliding walls and moveable bridges.
A great cast, mainly from Chicago and new to the IRT, brings balance and nuance to their roles. Hoekstra’s Marco is a standout, bringing humor with his Italian accent one moment, then emotional depth to the sensitive role of a young Gordon in flashbacks the next. San Miguel plays the young romantic-minded Helen in flashbacks, then the tough Sylvie with grace. Aulino as Aunt Chuck conveys a fragility and yearning that the text requires. Pellegrino’s Helen makes the best of a tough situation, but is subtly damaged by her losses.
Appoggiatura remains at the IRT through March 31. Tickets are available online at irtlive.com or by calling the box office at 317-635-5252.

On Golden Pond Closes IRT Season with Laughs, Tears

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 05:09:03 +0000

The Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) last production for the 2014-2015 season, On Golden Pond, brings laughs and tears to the OneAmerica Mainstage through May 10.
Many people may be familiar with the film based on the play, starring Henry Fonda, his daughter Jane, and Katherine Hepburn. On Golden Pond tells the story of Norman (Robert Elliott) and Ethel Thayer (Darrie Lawrence) who have spent nearly 40 summers in their Maine cottage, located on the banks of Golden Pond. But just as Norman — who is experiencing frequent bouts of forgetfulness — starts to lose his zest for life, he receives an unexpected but welcomed visitor who turns his world upside-down.
This visitor, an inquisitive and misled thirteen year-old boy named Billy Ray, Jr. (Griffin Grider) challenges Norman and not only rejuvenates his love of life, but also helps restore a faded relationship between Norman and his daughter, Chelsea (Constance Macy).
Elliot’s Norman is feisty and clever, and Lawrence’s Ethel is his equal in every way. Watching these two flinty New England types verbally square off is a delight, but when Grider’s Billy Ray Jr. enters the mix, the multi-generational chemistry truly begins. One of the highlights of the production is Charlie Clark as Charlie Martin, the mailman who befriends the Thayers and always had a crush on Chelsea. His infectious laughter lights up the stage. Macy, as daughter Chelsea, turns in another fine performance on the IRT stage, struggling between love for her father and feeling inadequate in his eyes.
Director Janet Allen coaxed subtle performances from her actors in this production. The scenic design by Robert Koharchik and great lighting from Betsy Cooperider-Bernstein create just the right ambiance for this emotionally deep play.
People of all ages will enjoy this production of On Golden Pond. Adult tickets are $59-$25; call 635-5252 or visit www.irtlive.com for a full schedule.

Applause!: April 17-24

Weekly View — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 05:08:13 +0000

CORRECTION AND CLARIFICATION: In last week’s article, “Irvington’s Community Space for Arts,” we forget to tell you exactly where the 5547 Project is located. It is at 5547 Bonna Ave. We regret the omission. Thank you to the many readers who called and asked where it was. We corrected it in our online edition (weeklyview.net).
• Indiana Repertory Theatre’s last show of the 2014-15 season is On Golden Pond, showing through May 10. This has been the IRT’s strongest season to date, and performances have been selling out. What you may not know is for every performance there is a prologue, or pre-show discussion, hosted by IRT staff and artists. The prologue begins 45 minutes before curtain and concludes 20 minutes before curtain. They will also have a special Mother’s Day Brunch before the May 10 performance at 11:30 (show begins at 2 p.m.). Tickets are $25-$59 depending on times and dates. Call 635-5252 or visit www.irtlive.com for more information.
• Road construction on Ritter south of Ellenberger Park that prohibits southbound traffic from the Parkway to Washington St. is creating many headaches for drivers — and residents who are reporting increased traffic on side streets. Please be safe when driving — or walking and biking — on the streets around the construction zone.
• The Phoenix Theatre has always been the place for innovative productions, and their World Premiere of Typhoid Mary opening April 30 and running through May 24 promises to deliver another thought-provoking theatre experience. Written by Tom Horan, the show tells the story of Mary Mallon, the cook who became known as “Typhoid Mary.” The show stars Lauren Briggeman, Jolene Moffatt, and Ben Asaykwee. Following the performance on Sunday, May 3, there will be a post-show discussion on the ethics of medical quarantine, and other modern-day issues of medical ethics raised within the play. The show is for adults only. Tickets are $27-$33. Call 635-7529 or through phoenixtheatre.org.
• This year’s Bike to School Day will take place on May 6. Last year’s national Bike to School Day attracted 2,200 schools. National Bike to School Day occurs in coordination with the League of American Bicyclist’s National Bike Month and builds off the momentum of the national Walk to School Day. Several schools around central Indiana participated, including the Center for Inquiry at School 84 in Indianapolis. There is still time for a school to register to participate. If you are interested, more information is available at www.walkbiketoschool.org.
• Thank you to all the hard-working volunteers on the east side who picked up trash on April 11. The Emerson Heights Cleanup Crew came out strong, as did Windsor Park and Little Flower. When good people come together, good things are bound to happen!

What I Learned in Paris at the IRT

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 05:09:58 +0000

What I Learned in Paris, the latest offering by the Indiana Repertory Theatre, is another masterful production in their very strong season. Written by Pearl Cleage, the play is set in 1973 Atlanta, just as the first African-American mayor of a large southern city, Maynard Jackson, was elected. Change was in the air — politically and racially — and the new dynamic seeps into the personal relationships of the principal characters.
The ambitious attorney J.P. Madison (David Alan Anderson) is geared up to make his way in this new world with new wife Ann (LaKeisha Randle), and ex-wife Evie (Erika LaVonn) shows up from her world travels to inspire, comment, and stir up the pot. Campaign workers John (Cedric Mays) and Lena (Tracey N. Bonner) get caught up in their own drama, dreams, and desires with the backdrop of historic events shaping their lives.
Funny and touching in turns, What I Learned in Paris is an entertaining feast of words and ideas. Director Lou Bellamy does a terrific job guiding a strong cast through a verbally dense play. The costume designer, Mathew J. LeFebvre has a field day with the 70s inspired designs, which scenic designer Vicki Smith gets all the details right in the hip 70s apartment that is the sole set (remember those avocado green refrigerators?).
On the intimate IRT Upperstage, What I Learned in Paris runs through April 12. Tickets are $25-$59. Call 635-5252 or visit www.irtlive.com for ticket reservations.

“What I Learned in Paris” at the IRT

Weekly View — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 05:09:53 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS — During a year of momentous change in America, Pearl Cleage, nationally recognized author and playwright, was at its center as Maynard Jackson was elected Atlanta’s first African-American mayor. As Jackson’s press secretary and speechwriter, Cleage’s experiences on his campaign serve as the inspiration for her play What I Learned in Paris, a romantic comedy that makes its Midwest premiere on the Upperstage at the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT), March 17 through April 12.
What I Learned in Paris follows five friends and colleagues who have tirelessly worked on Jackson’s campaign and now, in the wake of his election are faced with determining how their lives will change in the days to come. From competing for potential positions on the new mayor’s staff to discovering their true calling, this play follows these individuals as they realize their destinies.
Opening Night is Friday, March 20 and features a live band and 70’s costume party beginning at 6:30 p.m. and champagne toast with the cast after the show. The performance is approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes and includes one intermission. Call 635-5252 or visit www.irtlive.com for tickets.

Theatre Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 06:09:12 +0000

The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s latest offering, The Hound of the Baskervilles, is based on one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous Sherlock Holmes stories. It was adapted for the stage by R. Hamilton Wright and David Pichette, who managed to incorporate Sherlock’s idiosyncrasies into a plot as full of twists and turns as an English rural road, and motivations murkier than London’s famous fogs.
Stunningly crafted sets designed by Kevin Depinet provide a sweeping backdrop for the action in London and Devonshire. Sherlock, played Marcus Truschinski, and Dr. John Watson, played by Matthew Brumlow, find themselves engaged by Dr. James Mortimer about the tragic death of Sir Charles Baskerville at his Devonshire estate, Baskerville Hall. Some are convinced it is the result of a family curse, where family members are murdered by a “hellhound” that lives on the wild moors. Intrigued, Holmes and Watson take on the case, trying to protect the estate’s last living heir, Sir Henry Baskerville (played by Eric Parks) from meeting a similar fate. Watson ventures out to Devonshire, gathering information for his busy friend on Baker Street and sending it back to London. There is a very convoluted plot involving a runaway convict and mysterious neighbors, but finally the eminently logical Holmes discovers the truth.
Clocking in at two-and-a-half hours, The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of the longest and most ambitious productions this season at the IRT. Truschinski gives an adept interpretation of Holmes, playing him with great confidence and an encyclopedic knowledge of everything from walking sticks to pipe ashes. Brumlow gives us an enthusiastic and efficient Watson — one of the pleasures of the original book as well as this adaptation is Watson’s expanded role in solving the mystery. Constance Macy as Mrs. Huson and Mrs. Barrymore is once more a delight to watch on the IRT stage, and Ryan Artzberger as Dr. Mortimer and Selden, the runaway convict, turns in a versatile performance. Director Peter Amster manages to make this production comprehensible and exciting.
The Hound of the Baskervilles runs through March 15 on the OneAmerica Stage. Tickets range from $59 to $25, depending on dates and times. Call 635-5252 or visit www.irtlive.com for reservations.

Theatre Review: The Giver at the IRT

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 06:09:40 +0000

The Giver, adapted from the Young Adult novel by Lois Lowry by Eric Coble, is currently playing at the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Upperstage through Feb. 21. The story takes place in a near-future in a highly structured society designed to create a conflict-free world, at the expense of individual emotional freedom. Twelve-year-old Jonas (Grayson Molin) is on the verge of his “Twelves,” when his future is selected for him by the Elders in the community. While his friends are given other paths from his, he is selected to be the Receiver of Memories, the individual who carries the memories of society. He learns how to collect these memories from “The Giver” (David Alan Anderson), and is in turn overjoyed to experience the joys of the collective, and shocked at the truths the memories expose. Jonas comes to the realization that sameness and conformity are just as destructive as conflict, and chooses a path out of it. The ending is ambiguous, leaving the audience with the question “does he make it?” unsolved.
Good performances by the younger cast members Joseph Hock, Lola Kennedy, and Jordan Pecar bring the dystopia to life. Bill Simmons as the Father is suitably friendly but distant from his “children” (Jonas is not his biological child), and Katie deBuys as the Mother and Chief Elder is gently persuasive. Anderson as the Giver puts in his usual emotionally powerful performance as the mysterious, semi-magical Anderson — Anderson has been a stand-out in several recent IRT productions, including The Mountaintop, and The Whipping Man.
With a spartan set that includes 228 drawers and little else, the scenic designer Robert Mark Morgan cleverly expands a small area to fit the big themes of The Giver. Added to superb lighting by Betsy Cooprider-Bernstein and sound design by Tom Horan, the entire production is tightly knit and spare.
For information about performances of The Giver and ticket prices, visit www.irtlive.com.

IRT Announces Collaboration with Local Artist

Weekly View — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 05:09:10 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS — Artist Kyle Ragsdale has partnered with the Indiana Repertory Theatre to create unique works for each of the plays they will present in the 2014-15 season. “For the work I did for the IRT I wanted the viewer to be a part of the storytelling, purposely only hinting at what the play represents and allowing each person to be drawn in and become interested in the play. The plays this season are amazing and I really wanted my work to be awesome — not only for me and the IRT, but for the audiences,” said Ragsdale.
Single tickets for the 43rd season go on sale August 18th.The season includes The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare (Sept. 16-Oct. 19), Red by John Logan (Oct. 14-Nov. 9), Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol by Tom Haas (Nov. 15-Dec. 26), The Velveteen Rabbit, adapted by James Still from the story by Margery Williams (Nov. 25-Dec. 13), Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire (Jan. 7-Feb. 1), The Giver, adapted by Eric Coble from the novel by Lois Lowry (Jan. 23-Feb. 21), The Hound of the Baskervilles, based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and adapted by R. Hamilton Wright & David Pichette (Feb. 18-March 15), What I Learned in Paris by Pearl Cleage (March 17-April 12), and On Golden Pond (April 14-May 10).
Call 635-5252 or visit www.irtlive.com for more information about the shows or order tickets.

Theatre Review: Who Am I This Time?

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 06:09:07 +0000

The Indiana Repertory Theatre is currently showcasing the works of Indiana native Kurt Vonnegut in the latest production, Who Am I This Time? (and other conundrums of love). Written by Aaron Posner, these adaptations of three early Vonnegut stories revolve around the theme of love: getting it, keeping it, and losing it.
The stories are from Vonnegut’s collection Welcome to the Monkey House: “Long Walk to Forever,” “Who Am I This Time?,” and “Go Back to Your Precious Wife and Son.” The acts are set in fictional North Crawford, Indiana. The first story, about an AWOL soldier visiting his hometown to tell his childhood friend that he loves her (on the eve of her wedding to another man, no less), is more sweet than humorous. The second, about a community theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire, and how it brings out the inner Stanley and Stella in two misfits, is both funny and poignant. The third story is about the failing marriage of a movie star who moves to North Crawford, and how the local handyman inadvertently gets involved.
An able cast glides through the stories, weaving them together with good humor and a semi-folksy charm. Matthew Brumlow is wonderful as Harry Nash in “Who Am I This Time?,” a shy hardware clerk who clearly needs the stage to let loose his “real” personality and to get the girl. While Vonnegut’s later work was tainted with sarcasm and some bitterness, newcomers unfamiliar with his early works will be pleasantly surprised to find the author could also turn his pen to a little heartfelt romance.
Russell Metheny’s clever stage easily transforms from a community theatre to a small town main street to the interior of a movie star’s home with just the movement of a few props.
Who Am I This Time? runs through February 23 on the OneAmerica Stage. Tickets are available online at www.irtlive.com or by calling 635-5252.