LOU’S VIEWS: Chicago’s ‘Jungle Book’ goes beyond ‘bear necessities’
Disney’s latest stage show effectively captures the charm of the animated movie classic while also broadening its artistic focus, making it sumptuously theatrical.
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Upstart theater companies struggle to find spaces to call their own
Some of Indianapolis’ up-and-coming theater groups are establishing their identities through recently acquired performance spaces.
Indiana Arts Commission pledges $2.9M in grants for 2014
Recipients in central Indiana will include the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, Heartland Truly Moving Pictures, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Indianapolis symphony gives away old theater seats
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is taking out some 1,700 seats dating as far back as the 1930s as part of a renovation of the Hilbert Circle Theatre, with The Strand Theatre in downtown Shelbyville taking enough to redo its 377 seats.
LOU’S VIEWS: The Once and Farcical King rules in tuneful ‘Spamalot’
The extremely silly musical, based on ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail,’ gets an extremely satisfying local production.
King, Mellencamp break rules with ‘Ghost Brothers’
“Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” which plays in Bloomington and Indianapolis in October, is a musical that’s not quite like anything out there — as you might expect from two of America’s most independent artists.
IRT’s Stolen to exit in swell of arts group departures
Managing Director Steven Stolen will leave the repertory theater for a position with Rocketship Education. Other local performing arts executives stepping down are John Pickett of the Indianapolis Opera and Kirk Trevor of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.
Critical questions follow reviewer’s departure from Indy Star
The state’s largest newspaper is mum on whether reviews will continue after the Friday resignation of its fine arts critic. Arts organizations are taking a wait-and-see attitude.
LOU’S VIEWS: Civic’s ‘Into the Woods’ explores what’s after ‘happily ever after’
Plus thoughts on NoExit Performance’s world premiere of David Hoppe’s ‘Our Experiences During the First Days of Alligators’ in Garfield Park
LOU’S VIEWS: Doing it Ai Weiwei’s way
The eyes of the creative world are on Ai Weiwei. The Indianapolis Museum of Art offers a chance to put your eyes on his works. Plus, thoughts on the IBJ A&E “War Horse” road trip.
Critics conference journal #2: Content and context discussed by out-of-towners
The discussions were lively among journalists from D.C. to S.F. after seeing “The Lyons” at the Phoenix.
LOU’S VIEWS: Catching up with a kaleidoscope of reviews
Thoughts on the latest from DK, Acting Up, and an American Pianists Association fellow.
LOU’S VIEWS: The critics are coming … the critics are coming
Journalists from San Francisco to D.C. and from New Haven to New Orleans descend on Indy for a first-ever critical mass of theater.
LOU’S VIEWS: Say it isn’t so, Diane
When a region stands to lose one of its finest actresses, a critic can’t be too proud to beg
LOU’S VIEWS: ‘The Book of Mormon’ and shock values
Language and content aren’t the only thing shocking about the hit musical, now playing in Chicago.
LOU’S VIEWS: Art + theater made for memorable road trip
George Seurat’s painting “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884” provided the inspiration for the musical “Sunday in the Park with George.” For an Oct. 20 visit to both the painting and the musical, I was in the company of 35 participants in the first IBJ A&E Road Trip, an exercise in arts connectivity.
Carmel theater group pleads for cash to stay afloat
While awaiting word on a possible $75,000 grant from the city of Carmel, Actors Theatre of Indiana made a plea for emergency donations Wednesday afternoon.
LOU’S VIEWS: Two fledgling arts companies take the stage
Initial productions by Indianapolis Urban Theater and Dance Company and Vagabonds’ Bridge Theatre Company inspire hope for the future.
LOU’S VIEWS: Vacationing at the Shaw Festival
In Canada, a top-notch theater festival has been celebrating George Bernard Shaw and company for 50 years. Perfect for a vacation visit.
Performing arts groups rethink marketing subscriptions
The decline in season ticket sales has forced marketing managers to promote each show individually, which is trickier and more costly.