Ralphie’s got a gun … & tap shoes

Playbill.com reports that “A Christmas Story,” the Jean Shepherd-based film that put Hoosier holidays on the pop-culture radar, is being developed as a stage musical. Already in my head, I’m hearing the song “Lick the Pole” sung to the “Little…

Read More

Know your pros

Today I noticed in another publication that a fully-professional arts organization in town was referred to as a “community theater.”

I brought this up at lunch and an arts professional dining with me said something to the effect of “Yes, a…

Read More

An IMA bridge too far?

IBJ reporter Jennifer Whitson has a scoop on developments at the in-the-works IMA  Art and Nature Park. I temporarily turn the blog over to her:

The proposed 1,200-foot walkway and bridge by artist Mary Miss slated to swoop down from IMA’s…

Read More

Artwork in front/drop box in back

Yesterday I had my first encounter with the new Central Library’s conveyor-belted drive-up drop-off box. And in its own small way, it made me like the library even more — especially when I received a courtesy call saying that we…

Read More

You-review-it Monday

For me, the weekend included lots of reading for upcoming book reviews, a visit with Dance Kaleidoscope (review to appear in next week’s IBJ) and screenings of the classic “Mildred Pierce” and the less-than-classic “Horton Hears a Who.”

So what did…

Read More

Arts to the left, arts to the right

David Mamet has stirred lots of debate with his recent column in The Village Voice. The message can be boiled down to his line “I took the liberal view for many decades, but I believe I have changed my…

Read More

On the passing of stage greats

When a great movie actor dies, there tends to be a rush to screen his films. But when a great stage actor dies, there’s not much you can do besides mourn the performances you missed.

Paul Scofield — by all accounts…

Read More

Summer Nights, summer slights?

The Indianapolis Museum of Art’s Summer Nights film series is one of the most popular warm-weather attractions in the city — at least, one where those who want to attend often outnumber the room the IMA has to accommodate them.

This…

Read More

Cows, racecars … and now pianos?

Ever since the Chicago cows appeared in 1999, city marketers and arts folks have been trying to find attention-getting gimmicks to boost awareness of their towns’ coolness. Many of these—including our very own artist-decorated race cars—have been reactive rather than…

Read More

A book by its cover

On my long to-do list for this weekend is to dig into Barbara Shoup’s upcoming young adult novel “Everything You Want” (set for release in April from Flux books).

Shoup is an Indiana writer with a stack of acclaimed books to…

Read More

The ‘SNL’ effect

Much is being made about the impact of “Saturday Night Live” on the presidential election. For the latest New York Times story, click here

According to the argument, the way “SNL” characterize the candidates is the way the public will…

Read More

Clarian art project raising eyebrows

For today, I’m turning the blog over to IBJ reporter Jennifer Whitson. 

——-

Clarian Health Partners is calling on patients, doctors and amateur photographers to submit photographs to help it decorate three new buildings.

Clarian hired locally based Jacqueline Buckingham Anderson LLC to…

Read More

‘Ann’ dances…and annoys

Yesterday, I found myself deliberately not making a left turn on Vermont from New Jersey Street.

My reason: I just didn’t want to see the Julian Opie “Ann Dancing” electronic sculpture.

Now, I’m a big fan of public art. I believe it…

Read More

You-review-it Monday

For me, the weekend included stops at the new gallery at the Stutz Building, a visit to the art spaces at the Murphy Art Center in Fountain Square, and finally exposing my two youngest kids to the movie “Hoosiers” —…

Read More

IRT’s new season

Yesterday the Indiana Repertory Theatre announced its 2008/2009 season and while it’s clearly too soon to pass any judgments – or make accurate predictions – I have to admit that the optimist and the pessimist in me had a field…

Read More

Blu-ray not singing the blues

So Blu-ray won the high-definition format battle, effectively turning HD DVD into this generation’s Betamax.

Personally, this didn’t affect me at all. I managed to stay out of this turf war largely because a clearer picture and movie theater-quality sound are…

Read More

‘Fair’er by far: a winner at Clowes

Blame it on the weather. Blame it on the familiarity of the material. Blame it on the lack of a name star.

But there were empty seats at last night’s opening of “My Fair Lady.”

It’s a shame, because unlike many other…

Read More