Catalyst Repertory: Arcadefire! [The Redemption of Billy Mitchell]
This is an upgraded, full-length version of the IndyFringe Festival show from this past summer.
Billy Mitchell, the 1982 Donkey Kong world-record holder and Video Game Player of the Century, had it all until a 2007 cult-classic documentary brought the public gamer back into the public eye. Years after the explosive premiere of King of Kong: Fist Full of Quarters, Billy faces a new challenge — the worst accusation a competitive gamer can face: They’re saying he cheated. When his scores are removed from the record boards and the “MAMEing” begins, it’s up to video gaming’s most polarizing figure to start dodging some barrels. Arcadefire! [The Redemption of Billy Mitchell] is a musical theater and gaming experience unlike any kill screen you’ve witnessed.
Level Up, along with Team Scorechasers and Videogamepalooza bring Play-Play POPcade (that’s an Arcadefire! Pop-Up Arcade) experience to Irvington at Level Up Lounge before and after every performance. Gaming contests, celebrity appearances, drinks, food, and the hot sauce will be flowing! The King of Kong, Bil l Mitchell will return (with friends!) to Indy for opening weekend only!
- Feb. 8-17, Fridays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
- $20. This ticket allows you into ONLY the production Arcadefire! This ticket does not include access to extra events and meet & greets.
- Tickets for Play-Play POPcade Passes are $35. These weekend passes allow you full access to the Level Up Gaming Lounge events and after-parties, as well as your entry for any desired tournaments and meet & greets. Team Scorechasers creator Sid Seattle will moderate fast-paced tournaments, while legendary gamers play and stream … for a good cause! (Find out more about supported charities through the website link below).
- Historic Irvington Lodge
- For a full schedule of events, tournaments, celebrity guests, and available game consoles visit https://uncannycasey.wixsite.com/arcadefiremusical
Civic Theatre: To Kill a Mockingbird
Scout, a young girl in a quiet Southern town, is about to experience dramatic events that will affect the rest of her life. She and her brother, Jem, are being raised by their widowed father, Atticus, and by a strong-minded housekeeper, Calpurnia. Wide-eyed Scout is fascinated with the sensitively revealed people of her small town, but, from the start, there’s a rumble of thunder just under the calm surface of the life there.
- Feb. 8-23, Thursdays-Saturdays at 7 p.m. (except the last Saturday at 5 p.m.) and Sundays at 2 p.m.
- $43; $25 students
- http://civictheatre.org
Beef & Boards: Grease
Welcome back to 1959 and Rydell High. Greaser Danny and new girl Sandy try to relive the romance of their “Summer Nights” as the rest of the gang sings and dances its way through songs like “Greased Lightnin” and “We Go Together” in this rollicking musical!
- Feb. 7-March 31
- http://www.beefandboards.com
Storytelling Arts of Indiana: “Come Sit on My Front Porch” featuring Josh Goforth
Goforth was just a boy when he played the fiddle in the 2000 feature film Songcatcher. The movie, starring Aidan Quinn and Emmy Rossum, among other big names, is about a musicologist who stumbled upon the Scots-Irish ballads of Appalachia, beautiful and unadulterated, handed down through generations of families secluded by the mountains. The musicologist wants to share this “discovery” with the world but is met with resistance from musicians and singers who want to preserve their proud heritage. These are Josh Goforth’s people. You’ll hear their stories and songs at his show.
- Saturday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m.
- $20
- Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
- https://storytellingarts.org
And don’t forget about the Indy Story Slam next Tuesday, 7 p.m. at IndyFringe with its theme of “The Agony & Ecstasy of Love.” Whether you’re feeling amorous or alone this Valentine’s, there’s a story for you.
The Alley Theatre: Picnic
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play takes place on Labor Day Weekend in the joint backyards of two middle-aged widows. Flo Owens lives in one house with her two maturing daughters, Madge and Millie, and a boarder. Helen Potts lives with her elderly and invalid mother. Into this female atmosphere comes a young man whose animal vitality seriously upsets the entire group.
- Feb. 7-9 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 10 at 3 p.m.
- $10
- Central Christian Church, Anderson
- www.thealleytheatre.com
Buck Creek Players’ After the Fair ticket sale
Receive 25% off all tickets to the FINAL WEEKEND of the Indianapolis premiere musical when using coupon code AFTER online at http://www.buckcreekplayers.com/what-is-playing.html.
Nine local artists created a coloring book to celebrate the 10th run of Cabaret Poe and are for sale at all performances.
In this one-woman show directed by Ed Mobley, Diann Ryan is a powerhouse buzzing with life. She never lets her energy level drop, maintaining Dr. Ruth’s perpetual motion and personality. She pulls the audience in, thoroughly creating the suspension of disbelief—you feel as if you are in the room with this plucky woman. I can only image Ryan bolting down Red Bulls during intermission.
This wild, weird, and wacky variety show features judged performances from some of Indianapolis’s finest and not-so-fine musicians, comedians, dancers, jugglers, hummers, wild animals, and just about anything else that loosely qualifies as talent that will leave you either scratching your head or yelling, “Wowie Zowie!”
Written on the eve of the 2016 election, the stunning play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award–winning dramatist Robert Schenkkan has created a nationwide sensation. Building the Wall lays out the potential repercussions of Donald Trump’s anti-immigration campaign rhetoric. After that policy resulted in the mass roundup of millions of undocumented individuals, the former warden for one facility is now behind bars awaiting sentencing for the horrific injustices that happened under his watch. In a riveting interview with a historian who has come seeking the truth, he reveals how the unthinkable became the inevitable. Playwright Robert Schenkkan had this to say about Building the Wall: “In this play I have imagined a not so distant time to come in which President Trump’s rhetoric has found its full expression. While the current political crisis is extraordinary, it is not new. The question, of course, is not so much what the authorities will do but how we, the citizens, will respond.”
While mental health and sexual assault are both worthy topics of discussion, the script for Hers Is the Head of the Wolf is sketchy and unorganized, with no character development, and the audience is left wondering just what the story was about. We are given little initial information about main character Elise’s situation, and it remains that way for much too long. What has caused Elise (Raven Newbolt) to be in a state of constant fear? What does Danny (Riley Leonard) have to do with it? Why is her therapist, Dr. Hamilton (Michael Tingley), so forthcoming and accommodating? Does Elise suffer from PTSD, schizophrenia, or both? Slowly feeding the audience tiny morsels of information over time is an often-used playwright’s convention to keep us engaged, but there isn’t enough substance here to use that tactic. We are left frustrated and hungry.
Allyn (Ronn Johnston) is, quite literally, out on a ledge. His therapist, Mattie (Veronica Wylie), finds him there and pleads with him to come back inside, but instead, he ends up coercing her out onto that ledge with him.
I never thought “interactive Bingo” could be so much fun, but Betsy Carmichael’s BINGO Palace is a high-camp trip. Reverence for the art that is Bingo, lots of stand-up comedy, and actual Bingo games (with prizes!) come together for a show that even the most introverted (such as myself) can enjoy (even if I am glad that I wasn’t one of the audience members brought on stage for Bingo balls arts-and-crafts or the Bingo wedding).
Any member past or present of the SCA or fan of LARPing will sympathize with the characters in Paper Swords. Named for the homemade armaments ubiquitous in such groups, the play depicts two factions within a single kingdom being forced to fight over their land, cleaving the kingdom after the battle.
The Globe is an all-female Shakespeare company. Out of the blue, its founder, Bella (Fawzia Istrabadi) is fired, soon to be replaced by a man coming in from out of state, James. Coincidentally, that night she has a Tinder date with Jackie (Spencer North), who happens to be a friend of James and is helping him get settled into his new apartment.
Garret Mathews (Carmel, Indiana) took a subject most people find insane — snake handling — and crafted a funny and thoughtful piece of theater from it.
So, if Shakespeare hooked up with the writers of Dawn of the Dead …
Author’s note: I am the wife of a Navy veteran. However, he was lucky enough not to serve in wartime (and he did serve before our relationship). So this is not me being callous. Just the opposite. Thinking that something similar to this could have happened to him if the circumstances of his service had been different freaks me the fuck out. Thankfully, the worst thing that happened during his enlistment was that he hit a whale while “driving” the submarine. Needless to say, this is something that my friends and I have mined for many, many jokes at his expense.
July 30, 1945. The U.S.S. Indianapolis is hit by two Japanese torpedoes, killing three-hundred sailors in the initial blast and leaving nine-hundred men to drift helplessly in the Pacific Ocean. 321 survivors are discovered almost five days later drifting aimlessly in the South Pacific. Twenty-two years later, Charles Butler McVay III, the wrongly court-martialed and disgraced Captain of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, puts a gun to his head after many years of night terrors where specters, human and otherwise, call to him from below. In the Soundless Awe is a horrific and heart-breaking imagining of McVay’s final nightmare before he pulls the trigger.
Filled with iconic music and based on a true story, it relives one of the most remarkable nights in music history. Million Dollar Quartet is set on Dec. 4, 1956, when an extraordinary twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions ever. The four legends gathered at the Sun Records recording studio in Memphis, Tenn., where they’d launched their careers. Word soon leaked out of an impromptu jam session. A newspaper man who was there wrote, “This quartet could sell a million.” Soon, they were dubbed the “Million Dollar Quartet.” This was their only performance, a cultural flashpoint that caught rock ‘n’ roll at the moment of creation. That legendary December night reveals an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal and celebrations that is both poignant and funny. The incredible score includes: “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “Walk the Line,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Who Do You Love?,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Hound Dog,” and more.
SpongeBob the Musical. Josh Groban. I just don’t know about this …
And the cast doesn’t disappoint. Brandon Alstott as Cash, Sean Riley as Perkins, Gavin Rohrer as Lewis, and Adam Tran as Presley nail the mannerisms, personalities, look, and sound of their characters. They recreate these immortal names. If you open your ears and let your eyes slightly unfocus, you can believe you are there in the studio with the real lineup. And not only are their vocals spot-on, but they also play their own instruments. Think about it—lines, songs, blocking, direction, characterization, and performing the score. That’s an impressive load. An impressive heavy load. And they’ve got it. Grok it. On every single song.
At least none that I can find. So avoid the westside like it’s the pit of despair.
In what has become the “Year of the Woman” and in conjunction with the “Me Too” movement, the Genesis Theatre Company will perform their moving production of O Zion — A Musical Tribute to Women in the Bible, which is an original stage play presentation that features nine women who tell the unique and inspiring stories of 24 women from the Bible through musical numbers ranging from gospel, to jazz, to R&B.
This is the first production to open in the Phoenix’s new building! Kurt Vonnegut’s legendary Indiana voice rings out clearly in this cheeky, blazing satire of corruption and goodwill. As his alter-ego Kilgore Trout puts it: “Now we know that giving respect to people who don’t deserve it is possible, too. Since practically nobody is very respectable any more, it has to be one of the most important experiments of modern times!” Musical comedy meets Kurt Vonnegut satire meets the brand-new Russell stage. Expect laughter, witticism, and that new theater smell.
Footlite Musicals spent a small fortune to rent the costumes for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert from the Broadway show, and they are just as fab-u-lous as you would expect from a musical about three drag queens. So visually, Priscilla is a riot of color and outlandish styles.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a story of three Sydney, Australia, drag artists who boldly “Go West” on a roadtrip to Alice Springs to perform at a casino. The ulterior motive of Tick is to reconnect with his young son. Bernadette needs a distraction from her grief after the death of her lover Trumpet. And Adam wants to blatantly disrespect aboriginal sacred land and climb to the top of Ayers Rock in a frock and sing Kylie Minogue tunes. Along the way they have engine troubles, meet hostile locals, and sing 23 ’70s and ’80s dance tunes such as “I Will Survive,” “It’s Raining Men,” “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” and “MacArthur Park.” This production will feature the original Broadway and Academy Award-winning outrageous costumes from New York. *Intended for mature audiences.
DivaFest is a juried playwriting festival sponsored by IndyFringe each year. Nationally, only 19 percent of published contemporary plays have been written by women. IndyFringe is seeking to change that. Over the past nine years, DivaFest has fostered the growth of new works, new audiences, performing companies, and new IndyFringe festival shows.
Judith Rosenstein and Annabelle Strong are two twelve-year-old girls from opposite sides of Indianapolis but their stories are similar. Both girls are growing up without their mothers and both have two very loving fathers and brothers.This play explores the very real struggles and successes of the Jewish community and the black community to unite as one in Indianapolis during this time. It explores in a larger scope, the tumultuous times everyone was living through as they watched in horror the assassination of their leaders.
Thomas Dorsey, a self confident composer and self-taught pianist, is determined to make his mark. In his early twenties he was well on his way to being one of the most prolific composer in blues history and was sought after by some of the top blues artist of his time. But, what’s gospel have to do with it? His vision is to marry church music with blues rhythms — it was called gospel. Pressured by those around him, he is unable to choose between the blues he loves and the secular music he was striving to change. The answer comes at a heavy price but heralds a song that anointed Dorsey as the “father of gospel music.”
The Masks We Wear explores the very real challenges faced by those who suffer from depression, anxiety, and the societal stigmas surrounding them. The show was created and written by Indiana native Adam Allen, a 2016 graduate of Ball State University and owner of Fierce Little Bird Productions. Through his own life experience, Adam Allen has created a poignant exposé on the challenges of living with anxiety and depression. Through his recognition of the impact these disorders have within our society, he has created a unique and powerful message for those who suffer from these sometimes crippling mental health disorders. The Masks We Wear brings together eight performers who, through the power of contemporary musical compositions and a brand-new song called “The Masks We Wear,” strive to open up a more informed conversation about the realities of living with mental health disorders in our world. The show is endorsed by 
Directed by Ansley Valentine, Milicent Wright, one of Indianapolis’ most multi-talented actors, takes on the role of Principal Wadley. (She was most recently seen in the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s superlative staging of 
So, I kept telling myself it was hyperbole to use this word, and kind of cliché really. But then I thought about Footlite Musicals as a theatrical entity: 
The Bridges of Madison County chronicles the four-day affair between an Italian war bride and a traveling National Geographic photographer who comes to Iowa to shoot the area’s fabled covered bridges. Based off of the bestselling novel written by Robert James Waller, Bridges tells of how the sadness of Francesca’s solitude is broken when her husband and children leave for the 1965 Iowa State Fair and a weary Robert Kincaid stops to ask directions for his assignment. The pair’s connection is instant and deep, yet short-lived. But that liaison will haunt them both for the rest of their lives.
Carmel Community Players is currently producing its last show on its Clay Terrace stage: David Mamet’s American Buffalo. Buffalo was a special addition to the company’s season, and it was slated to run only two weekends, a coincidence that is almost prescient of CCP’s unexpected upcoming move. CCP is looking for a space to complete its season—Ragtime, Is He Dead?, and Kitchen Witches—as well as a permanent home.
Dinner: A Romance in Four Courses
A playful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel follows the fortunes (and misfortunes) of the Dashwood sisters—sensible Elinor and hypersensitive Marianne—after their father’s sudden death leaves them financially destitute and socially vulnerable. Set in gossipy late 18th-century England, with a fresh female voice, the play is full of humor, emotional depth, and bold theatricality. Sense & Sensibility examines our reactions, both reasonable and ridiculous, to societal pressures. When reputation is everything, how do you follow your heart?
A mysterious gift of foresight is imposed on Eleanor. The secret to unraveling its mystery, Eleanor realizes, is embedded in her mother’s newfound visions of the future.
John Webster was a contemporary of Shakespeare’s who wrote one of the most haunting and disturbing plays in the English language. The Duchess of Malfi is the true story of Giovanna d’Aragona, a widowed Duchess of the 16th century who was horrifically persecuted by her brothers, one of them a Cardinal, for marrying for love.
In a season of giving thanks, eating, cooking, and talking about food are the ingredients to connect family, friends and strangers alike. Hear professional chefs, foodies, and other share their stories from the kitchen and beyond.
This one-woman play performed by Susan Bennett and written by Timothy Taylor is a moving and compelling story delving into the secret pain that is often just under the surface of family relationships. The story is set in Indianapolis, 1968. Three generations of women in a Jewish-American family look back on the first decades of the twentieth century, and struggle with the signs and ghosts of the past. Racism, prejudice, anger, and fear have threatened to destroy them, but bonds can never be broken. The Juniper Tree premiered at IndyFringe Festival 2016. Following the play, the audience is invited to join in a discussion with Bennett and Taylor.
Indianapolis Theater Reviews 
