If you asked me a week ago what I knew about Indiana’s direct involvement in the Civil War, you would have been met with a blank stare. Then I was part of the regiment that helped kick the raiding party out of Indiana as part of the new “1863 Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana” interactive exhibit at Conner Prairie.
Greetings from California, where the question of the week was, “Is L.A. a theater town?
It’s impossible for those of us who have raised kids with the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis to imagine what it’s like to enter it, as a child, for the first time.
The R-rating-worthy, ‘Sesame Street’-style show gets its regional theater premiere at the Phoenix.
While his official tenure doesn’t begin until September, Krzysztof Urbanski’s unofficial coming-out party came May 20-21 when he led the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for the first time since being named music director.
Even if most of them aren’t showing off any talent beyond waving from a car on the parade route, there’s no denying that celebrities visiting Indy for the 500 add a kick to the month of May. Of course, one person’s celebrity is another’s “Who’s that?”
With the Miller House open, Columbus becomes even more of a design draw.
Thoughts on Actors Theatre of Indiana’s in-your-face production of the Kander and Ebb musical. Plus Butler University’s Chekhov variations.
There’s a blissfully funny sequence in the first act of the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s production of “The 39 Steps,” the local premiere of the Broadway hit.
Benefactor’s presence strongly felt at opening of new arts center.
Thoughts on Savion Glover at the Palladium, ‘This’ at the Phoenix, and ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ at Beef & Boards.
The coffee smell dissipates. The signs drop from 25%-50% off to 40%-60% off. Shelves of books migrate from soon-to-be-closed-off sections to empty shelf space elsewhere, causing category labels to lose their meaning. Customers linger, wondering if a novel unworthy of their $24 might be worthy of $12. This is how it ends for Indianapolis’ only downtown full-service bookshop.
When word went out that one of the three Indianapolis Opera presentations this season would be a production of “Carmen,” sans chorus, sans full orchestra, sans biggie-size sets, and sans Clowes Hall stage, it was perfectly understandable that some patrons may have lowered their expectations.
Is theater dead? Three different productions from three different companies over the past few weeks point to some ways to counter—or at least hold off—the decline.
Thornton Dial created his own artistic rule book; the results are stunning.
Three leading Indiana institutions—the Indiana History Center, the Eiteljorg, and the IRT—look at volatile moments in American history.
If intent were all that mattered, I would be writing in praise of Hoosier Bard’s “Young Hamlet.”
Plus thoughts on “Diary of Anne Frank” and Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra meets Chaplin
I’m not ready to use the word “perfect” but, in my lifetime, I honestly don’t expect to hear chamber music in a better-sounding venue than I did Jan. 30.
As someone addicted to the arts, I’ve seen a lot of talent on stage. Every once in a while, though, I see star power.
