Weekly View » Theatre on the Square

Theatre on the Square Space Gets New Name, Manager

Weekly View — Thu, 03 May 2018 05:09:54 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS — The building formerly known as Theatre on the Square has a new name and a new theater operations manager. After a competitive proposal period, IndyFringe has been selected to serve as the theater operations manager for a minimum of two years at the newly named, The District Theatre. The announcement comes after Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) took the lead in reviving the space in 2017 — creating a new not-for-profit and assuming ownership of the building — in a bid to preserve arts and culture in one of Indianapolis’ most important cultural districts.
IndyFringe has 14 years of theater management experience plus a history of creating space for diverse audiences and performers. It is best known for its annual IndyFringe Festival, which has returned $1.4 million back to area artists since 2005 through a portion of its box office sales. The organization will maintain its current location on the “fringe” of Mass Ave. in addition to operating the space at The District Theatre.
After nearly 30 years as a mainstay in the Indianapolis arts community, Theatre on the Square faced costly building repairs and other issues that threatened the survival of the space. In August 2017, it announced a temporary closure and teamed with CICF to create a plan for long-term sustainability, including funding for several repairs. The District Theatre board of directors will now focus on creating a long-term strategic and sustainability plan, as well as additional facility upgrades, while IndyFringe manages the day-to-day programming and operations. For more information about The District Theatre, watch IndyDistrictTheatre.org.

Cabaret Poe Moves to Mass Ave, Q Artistry Expands

Weekly View — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 05:10:22 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS — Q Artistry will expand programming to Mass Ave by offering Cabaret Poe in partnership with Theatre On The Square this fall. The production has appeared at the Q Artistry “home space” in the Historic Irvington Lodge since 2009, but will make the move to downtown with the original cast but with new set design and lighting.
“The opportunity to work with Ben Asaykwee and Q Artistry is something that Theatre on the Square just couldn’t pass up,” states Lori Raffel, Artistic Director of TOTS. “Ben and his team are so talented and original — Cabaret Poe is the perfect element for us to add to our season.”
Along with performances throughout the month of October, the partnership will also host school shows during the day. In 2014, over 800 high school students from all over the state came to Indianapolis to see the show. This year, they expect that number to grow. “We couldn’t be more excited to join forces for this,” says Ben Asaykwee, Artistic Executive Director of Q Artistry and creator/composer of Cabaret Poe. “TOTS is an Indianapolis institution and we are thrilled to appear in their groundbreaking lineup of a season.”
Q Artistry performances will then return to Irvington for the wildly popular Q-munity show in November, Al In Boogie Wunderland, and holiday shows in December.
Cabaret Poe will run Oct. 3rd through Oct 31st. More information is available at qartistry.org, tots.org, cabaretpoe.com. For information on booking school shows, please e-mail ben@qartistry.org

Theatre Review: Defending the Caveman

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 06:09:41 +0000

Defending the Caveman by comic Rob Becker has the distinction of being the longest running one-man show on Broadway — and now it’s here at Theatre on the Square for an open-ended run.
Kevin Burke is the Caveman telling the Indy audience the reason men and women are different — it goes back to caveperson days, when men evolved to hunt, and women gathered. To hunt successfully, men had to develop single-focus minds, while the ladies developed a more all-encompassing “gathering” state of mind. This has led to difficulties in understanding the opposite sex.
Burke does a fine job outlining the basic issues that separate the sexes and the regular misunderstandings between husband and wife. While women expect cooperation to get what they want, men negotiate to get what they desire —delightfully illustrated by a scene at a party when the chip bowl gets low.
The script also explores the male need to protect and defend, regardless of the individual’s ability to fend off a foe. Burke notes that men don’t necessarily think the whole plan through, especially when pursuing an aggressive driver.
The monologue is delivered on a set reminiscent of the Flinstone’s living room, with a little bit of real caveman art. Replicas of the Venus of Willendorf, the carving of the Great Goddess of Laussel, and artwork from the caves of Lascaux, France complete the stage.
Much of the ground covered by Defending the Caveman has been the subject of books like Women are From Venus, Men are From Mars. Nevertheless, Burke makes a charming caveman who is blessed with self-awareness and the ability to convey his appreciation for both the hunters and gatherers without portraying men as complete idiots and women as total airheads.
Because of some adult language, the show is not suitable for youngsters. Catch Defending the Caveman at TOTS through March. Tickets are $30; visit www.tots.org or call 685-8687 for days and times. TOTS is located at 627 Mass Ave. in the heart of the Mass Ave. Cultural District.