Actor embraces ho-ho-holiday gig
Ty Stover is not your average mall Santa. From his real beard to his jolly laugh and rosy pink cheeks, he is a living, breathing
version of St. Nick.
Arts & Entertainment
Articles
A&E dining: before and after
Last Friday, after catching the musical “Assassins” at Hedback Theatre, I barely made it to the new Meridian Bar and Restaurant in time for a late dinner.
What I want to talk about now, though, isn’t the show (that review will…
Live … from the big screen
A few weeks back in my IBJ Daily A&E e-mail blast (you can subscribe for free here: http://www.ibj.com/2k6_2/forms/regform_nh.asp), I wrote about a recent presentation of a LaScala opera on screen at the Rave movie theater at Metropolis.
Last night, at…
A new ISO marketing move
Just yesterday, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announced a new addition to its schedule–a Tuesday night preview concert of music excerpts from upcoming shows. The Jan. 8 coming-attractions evening ticket price is $5, which also includes a 2-for-1 offer for a future show.
Getting…
IBJ movie night: “The Savages”
If you picked up your tickets to see the preview of “The Savages,” the first IBJ Night at the Movies, please share your thoughts on the film after Monday night’s screening.
And look to “Lou Harry’s A&E” for information on future…
Price points
One of the productions I’ll be reviewing in the next IBJ is “Assassins,” the Stephen Sondheim musical staged by the new Indy-based company Lowbrow Productions (information at www.lowbrowproductions.org).
Something I probably won’t be mentioning in the article: The fact that…
End Times/Good Times
Today, “I am Legend” opens in theaters and “The Mist” is still lingering. I’m hoping to see both this weekend.
Next month, “End Days” opens at the Phoenix Theatre, and Spotlight Theatre will stage the apocalyptic “Early One Evening at the…
Mellencamp in the Hall of Fame
Just moments ago, it was announced that John Mellencamp will be inducted into Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A celebration of the honorees will occur March 10 at the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC.
Is it too early for Mellencamp? Too…
The Broadway series: What’s next?
A decent enough production of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is being presented this week at Clowes Memorial Hall as part of the Broadway in Indianapolis series (my review will appear in the upcoming IBJ) and lobby speculation at Tuesday’s opening had…
Ballet in Indy: Another nut to crack.
For a town where dance lovers are still mourning the 2005 loss of Ballet Internationale, Indy seems to have an overabundance of sugar plum fairies this season, with Butler U.’s, Gregory Hancock’s, and the Indiana Ballet Co.’s all going toe…
$24M makeover readies Historical Society for new era
Indianapolis Historical Society leaders are taking the next step in the evolution of the archival-research-based group. The
group’s 8-year-old facility, the Indiana History Center, is getting a Disneyesque makeover, as is its programs.
The Art of the Blog
Welcome to the IBJ A&E corner of the blogosophere—a salon of sorts where arts and entertainment issues large and small, local and national, low-, medium- and high-brow, will be discussed, debated, argued about and wrestled with.
It’s a place I hope…
Payne paved way for Cultural Trail project
If the idea of building a $50 million, 7-1/2-mile pedestrian and biking trail through the streets of downtown Indianapolis
is indeed crazy, Brian Payne might be considered the Indianapolis Cultural trail’s mad scientist. His leadership, persistence
and passion for the project are the key reasons the first leg of the trail is due to open this month along Alabama Street.
Gambles paying off for Centaur CEO
Through persistence and sheer pluck, Rod Ratcliff has become a player in the gambling industry–one many businesses try to
break into, most without success. On Oct. 30, his Indianapolis-based company, Centaur Inc., closed a $1 billion financing
deal that will fund gambling projects in three states.
Arts Council offers more help directly to artists
When Shannon Linker went to work for the Arts Council of Indianapolis in mid-2002, it was a typical pass-through organization–re-granting
city money to local arts groups. Now Linker is director of an artist-services program for the council that is on par with
those offered in communities like Seattle and New York City but few other places.
Indiana themed food trails will court culinary tourists
The Mississippi Delta has its hot tamale trail. Alabama and Texas boast a Southern BBQ byway. Now Indiana is getting in the
game with planned candy and pork tenderloin trails. State boosters are looking to tap into a growing travel industry niche:
culinary tourism.
Cincinnati ballet troupe might open regional office here
The Cincinnati Ballet is taking an exploratory step toward a regional ballet company, announcing plans to stage a six-show
“Nutcracker” production here this December. The idea of a collaboration–where the two cities would share production and administration
expenses–has elicited mixed response.
Chakaia Booker tire art might replace Opie’s
As Julian Opie’s pop art sculptures get carted away this week, officials are in talks with New York City artist Chakaia Booker
about featuring her work in next year’s public art blowout. Booker’s shtick-sculptures created entirely from used tires.
After putting $25M into Conrad, city finally will conduct audit
The city plans to hire an outside auditor in the next few months to review the books of the Conrad Indianapolis Hotel and
determine how its investment is performing. It’s a routine process, Mayor Bart Peterson said. But it’s one hotel-industry
experts say is overdue.
States stake their tourism claims to Lincoln
With the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth approaching, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky all are fighting for
a share of the bicentennial limelight. Each has a valid claim to the 16th president: Lincoln was born in Hodgenville, Ky.,
on April 12, 1809, moved to a southern
Indiana farm with his family at age 7, then moved to Illinois at 21.