Several arts groups are expanding their presence in Hendricks County, undeterred by tight budgets and a perception that residents
need to travel to Indianapolis for cultural offerings.
This week, more smoke on the same mountain at Beef & Boards and time going slowly at the Phoenix.
After I discovered it one summer, Lincoln Amphitheatre quickly became one of my favorite theaters in the state. Nestled
in a state park in Spencer County, the covered-but-still-outdoor theater’s anchoring attraction was a show about young
Abraham Lincoln, who spent his formative years just yards away.
Cash-strapped theater group Carmel Community Players has nixed its summer musical, canceled its Summer Camp for Kids, and pulled out of Carmelfest 2009 after being denied the public funding it has received for years.
National CineMedia, the dominant player in movie video feeds, has worked with Indianapolis-based Drum Corps International and many other nonprofits to allow people to view the organizations’ live shows in a theater setting.
Rob Koharchik, 40, has designed sets for local theaters including IRT and the Civic, developing a national reputation along with a keen eye for detail and an uncanny ability to marry form with function.
This week, pirates take over Indianapolis Opera, and a trio of plays isn’t the half of it at the Humana Festival of New American
Plays.
Playwright Christopher Durang can deliver hilarious results, but in the case of InterAction Theatre’s “Durang-O-Rama,” he
disappoints the audience with too much outrageous, exhausting behavior.
This week, an ogre’s beloved, a troubled and troubling mother, and a cad’s catch highlight a sampling of the current Broadway
season.
The Indianapolis Star, the state’s largest daily newspaper, has scaled back its roster
of critics in recent years — a reduction in coverage that put the onus on local arts promoters to get the word out through
other channels, such as blogs.
This week, another stocking stuffer from the Bob and Tom crew and holiday-country music fusion at American Cabaret Theatre.
This week, a return visit is made to review “The Lion King” and a Sendak-ed “Hansel and Gretel.”
Despite its annual appearance for many years during the holidays, “A Christmas Carol” continues to be produced creatively
by fine actors, directors and designers at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.
This week, low-key dynasty dynamics at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and a mismatched couple at the Phoenix Theatre.
This week, two attempts at stage bawdiness — “Lysistrata,” and “The Wild Party,” come up short.
Indianapolis-based Beef & Boards has survived 3-1/2 decades by giving viewers what they want. “We cater to our audience,”
said owner and artistic director Doug Stark. “I have no artistic problem with that.”
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.
Entertainment is a big part of a $480 million development proposed for the south side of downtown–plans include a 3,400-seat
theater to attract the likes of Bruce Springsteen and first-run tours of Broadway shows such as “Wicked.” The question is
whether the city can support another midsize venue.
Local theater leaders are sounding the alarm about a drop in coverage by The Indianapolis Star, saying the lack of ink is hurting attendance and the city’s ability to lure new productions to town.
