Theater Review: Beef and Boards: The Addams Family

The Addams Family, opened this past weekend at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, Indianapolis. Centering around daughter Wednesday (Samantha Russell) becoming secretly engaged to Lucas Beineke (Blake Spellacy), the Beineke family are to have dinner with television's favorite creepy family.

It is no surprise seats were full for the show's opening weekend, not only for the show's popularity but also for the cast, which includes numerous Indy favorite actors.
John Vessels and Sarah Hund keep the hilarity high as Mal and Alice Beineke the uptight and disconnected parents of Lucas. Hund and Vessels play off each other with barbed comments and connect with believable sweetness.

Eddie Curry completely rocks the role of Gomez Addams, a man willing to do anything for the love of his life, Morticia (Erin Cohenour). Curry's (Gomez') passion bubbles to the top, creating an energy on stage the audience can feel.
Although Cohenour's Morticia is technically correct with mannerisms, she lacks the inner sensuality necessary for the matriarch's position. Curry brings out her best, however, and creates a sizzling pace.

Amanda Butterbaugh is priceless as Grandma; her antics keep the audience laughing hysterically. Uncle Fester is portrayed gloriously by Shaun Rice, a veteran to this role, creating a flawless performance without making it stale (through repetition).

Bottom Line: This is easily in the Top 10 Beef and Boards' productions of all time ~ do not miss it.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. She also is a speaker, consultant and trainer for hospitality, travel and luxury businesses, P.R., and tourism groups, as well as a radio and television guest and host. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Theatre on the Square 2015 - 2016 Season Includes Gothic, Gulch and Guns

Theatre on the Square's 2015 - 2016 season brings a fresh look to the tiny theater, as well as the lineup. Recent fundraising efforts have made it possible to revamp the lobby into a cozy area welcoming theatergoers. In case you are not familiar with the Indianapolis staple, its location is 627 Mass Ave., in the heart of theaters, shopping and restaurants.

Enter Love
September 12 – 27

A musical about the ever-changing nature of romantic relationships in the first decade of the 21st century. It is set in an international airport, located in a large city somewhere in the Midwest. The production consists of a series of encounters—with dialogue and music—that take place between an assortment of couples and individuals at various locations—arrival and departure concourses, waiting lounges, baggage check, observation deck, and the central location, a bar—in the airport.

(Read my review of Enter Love here)

CABARET POE – The Musical

(co-production with Q Artistry)

October 3 – 31

Murder, insanity and comedy come together as Q Artistry and Theatre on the Square join forces for the 7th appearance in Indianapolis of this deadly original musical.
(Read my review of Cabaret Poe here)

MISS GULCH RETURNS

October 23 – November 8

Stage Two

Brent Marty revives his one-man/one-woman musical comedy written and originally performed by Fred Barton. It is a loose parody of the character of Almira Gulch from the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz as portrayed by Margaret Hamilton. Blurring the line between fiction and reality, the show builds on the premise that Gulch was an actress - rather than a character portrayed by an actress - who appeared in the film (as herself). Songs include: Born On A Bike, Pour Me A Man, and I Can Be An Icon, Too.

[TITLE OF SHOW]

November 12-22

Stage Two

Jeff and Hunter, two struggling writers, hear about a new musical theatre festival. However, the deadline for submissions is a mere three weeks away. With nothing to lose, the pair decides to try to create something original. Helped by friends Susan and Heidi, Jeff and Hunter write a show about writing a show. [Title of Show] - taken from the space on the festival’s application form which asks for the [title of show]. The musical received a Tony Award® nomination for Best Book of a Musical in 2009.

A CHRISTMAS STORY

November 27 – December 20

Humorist Jean Shepherd’s memoir of growing up in the Midwest during the 1940s follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. All the elements from the beloved motion picture are here, including the family’s temperamental exploding furnace; the boys’ experiment with a wet tongue on a cold lamppost; the Little Orphan Annie decoder pin and Ralphie’s father winning a lamp shaped like a woman’s leg in a net stocking.

8 REINDEER MONOLOGUES

November 27-December 20

Stage Two

Eight reindeer dishing about the real Santa Claus. All those rumors you’ve heard about him and the elves? About Rudolph’s little secret? About Vixen’s story that was leaked to the press? All true. Yes, the reindeer finally speak up and – believe us – they do not hold back.

SKYLIGHT

January 22 - February 13, 2016

Kyra is a young woman surprised to see the son of her former lover at her apartment in a London slum. He hopes she will reconcile with his distraught, now widowed, father. Tom, a restless, self-made restaurant and hotel tycoon, arrives later that evening, unaware of his son’s visit. Kyra, who was his invaluable business associate and a close family friend until his wife discovered their affair, has since found a vocation teaching underprivileged children. Is the gap between them unbridgeable, or can they resurrect their relationship?

KILLER JOE

February 19-March 5, 2016

Stage Two

Hired by the dissolute Smith family to murder the matriarch for insurance money, Killer Joe takes the daughter to bed as a retainer against his final payoff which sets in motion a bloody aftermath as the “hit man” meets his match. The first play by the author of August: Osage County, which premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf before going on to acclaimed productions in London and New York. 

PASSION

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

March 11 – 26, 2016

Set in 19th century Italy, this dramatic musical concerns a young soldier and the changes in him brought about by the obsessive love of Fosca, his Colonel’s homely, ailing cousin.

PORNO STARS AT HOME

April 1- 23, 2016

Stage Two

All those people who live fantasy lives up there on the not so silver porno screen ~ what might they be like at home, away from the tacky lighting and cheap interiors of their workaday world? What might they fantasize about? One wants to be discovered as a serious actress; one, a star of gay porno, is actually heterosexual and wants to be recognized as such; another wants a child. At Georgia Lloyd Bernhart’s birthday party which wish, if any, will come true?

BATBOY: The Musical

April 29 - May 28, 2016

Inspired by a series of tabloid headlines published in 1992 by The Weekly World News, a group of spelunking West Virginian teenagers discover a creature and the sheriff brings it to the local veterinarian’s home. He begins to assimilate to human life and become a part of the Parker family while trying to keep his penchant for sucking human blood under control. When Edgar tries to ingratiate himself with the townsfolk of Hope Falls, he is quickly rejected, and he and Dr. Parker’s daughter (who fall in love) run away together. After a single night of joyous freedom, tragedy strikes when Meredith finds them and reveals the dark secret of Bat Boy’s origin.

TIME STANDS STILL

June 17 - July 9, 2016

Sarah and James, a photojournalist and a foreign correspondent, are trying to find happiness in a world that seems to have gone crazy. Theirs is a partnership based on telling the toughest stories and, together, making a difference. But when their own story takes a sudden turn, the adventurous couple confronts the prospect of a more conventional life.

RENT

July 15 - August 13, 2016

20th anniversary of RENT on Broadway! Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme.

Tickets and details are available at TOTS.org

Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. She also is a speaker, consultant and media trainer for businesses, P.R. and tourism groups. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

2015 Symphony on the Prairie Schedule Includes Blues Traveler, Ol' Blue Eyes and Boogie Nights

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s 34th annual Symphony on the Prairie season includes Blues Traveler, Ol' Blue Eyes and Boogie Nights.

Beginning June 19 and running through Sept. 6. This year the orchestra performs the first six weekends and brings in their musical guests for the remaining shows of the popular summer series.

Located at Conner Prairie, the outdoor music series is perfect for families, friends and company outings. Grassy areas are available for those wishing to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Tables for 10 are available at an additional cost. Food, alcohol and candles are allowed also.

2015 Symphony on the Prairie Schedule

June 19-20

College & Alumni Night, Friday, June 19

70s: Disco Days & Boogie Nights

Jack Everly, Conductor

Opening weekend at Marsh Symphony on the Prairie puts the 1970s front and center. No matter what crowd you ran with during that era, Jack Everly’s got the music to match—from disco anthems like “I Will Survive” and monster rock hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody” to the singer-songwriter tunes like “American Pie.”

June 26-27

Pictures at an Exhibition

Fawzi Haimor, Conductor

Nareh Arghamanyan, Piano

Experience the soaring music of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition performed by the ISO under Fawzi Haimor, resident conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

July 2-4

Salute to America’s Military – all three nights!

Star Spangled Symphony

Alfred Savia, Conductor

Celebrate America’s birthday with the ISO’s annual patriotic performance and salute to our military service members. All the traditional favorites return, including a spectacular fireworks show to cap off each concert.

July 10-11

Police and Firefighter's Night – Friday, July 10

The Music of Journey

Brent Havens, Conductor

Guest conductor Brent Havens is back with a symphonic rock tribute to the band Journey. The ISO will have you swaying to some of classic rock’s greatest hits like “Open Arms,” “Don’t Stop Believin,’” and “Any Way You Want It.”

July 17-18

Teacher's Night – Friday, July 17

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons

Daniel Meyer, Conductor

Anne Akiko Meyers, Violin

While enjoying the evening sunset, travel through the idyllic sounds of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, one of the best known and most beloved of the composer’s works.

July 24-25

Scout's Night – Friday, July 24

Music of John Williams

Stuart Chafetz, Conductor

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performs all the hits by the maestro of cinema, John Williams. Williams wrote and composed music for more than 80 films including such classics as Jaws, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and the original Star Wars trilogy.

*July 31-Aug. 1

Nurse's Night – Friday, July 31

The Music of Genesis Starring Daryl Stuermer

Daryl Stuermer, guitarist for both Genesis and the Phil Collins Band, performs some of both groups’ biggest hits in this concert with his own live band. Relive the music of the late 70s, 80s and 90s, including “I Can’t Dance” and “Throwing it All Away.”

*Aug 7-8

Classical Mystery Tour: Music of the Beatles

The Classical Mystery Tour is back with their annual Marsh Symphony on the Prairie tribute to the band that changed rock and roll forever. Be sure to make your way to the stage to dance and sing along to your favorite Beatles classics.

*Aug. 14-15

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

They’re back! Big Bad Voodoo Daddy returns and brings its high-voltage sound and feel-good energy to the stage. You are guaranteed a show that blends jazz, swing, Dixieland and big band into a night to remember for the whole family.

*Aug 21-22

Steve Lippia’s Centennial Celebration:

A Frank Sinatra Tribute

Steve Lippia, Vocalist

Nothing says classy and cool like the songs of Frank Sinatra. Join crooner Steve Lippia for an evening of magical “Ol’ Blue Eyes” hits, including “Strangers in the Night,” “Summer Wind” and “My Way.”

*Aug. 28-30

Blues Traveler

The chart-topping blues/folk/southern rock band Blues Traveler makes its debut at the Conner Prairie Amphitheatre. Look for the Grammy Award-winning group to present a mix of favorites from their 25-year career, including “Run Around” and “Hook,” and songs from their newest album, Blow Up the Moon, – all led by the signature harmonica playing of lead singer John Popper.

*Sept. 3-4

The Hit Men:

Studio Legends of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons

Back by popular demand, the former performing and recording members of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons take audiences on a walk down memory lane to the 60s, 70s and 80s with mega hits “Oh What a Night (Dec. ’63),” “Sherry,” “Bad Bad Leroy Brown,” “You’re so Vain,” “Mony Mony” and many more.

*Sept. 5-6

The King: A Tribute to Elvis

Elvis Presley changed American music forever, and this tribute concert honors that legacy. These are no Elvis impersonators, but four singers dedicated to honoring the entire range of Elvis’ music with new arrangements of iconic rock ‘n’ roll classics.

*The ISO does not perform in these concerts.

Single tickets go on sale Monday, April 20 the following ways:

• Marsh Stores: Discount adult tickets may be purchased at all Indiana Marsh locations for $24, with a Marsh Fresh Idea Card.
• Online at IndianapolisSymphony.org $25/adults $12/children
• Conner Prairie Amphitheater Gate: $29/adults, $14/children
Single tables: $69

Single tickets for premium concert weekends

For the Star Spangled Symphony and Classical Mystery Tour: Music of the Beatles concert weekends, advance single tickets can be purchased at Marsh and the ISO Box ~ $31/adults, $12/children. Premium gate: $35/adults, $14/children

Premium tables: $89 

For more information on all Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra indoor and outdoor presentations, contact Hilbert Circle Theatre at (317) 639-4300 or at IndianapolisSymphony.org.

Images: provided by ISO

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic, as well as writing two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Theatre on the Square 2014 - 2015 Season Includes Calendar Girls, a Sister and Dr. Ruth

Theatre on the Square
2014 - 2015 Season

Calendar Girls 

September 12 – October 11, 2014

Based on a true story ~ when Annie’s husband John dies of leukemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow WI members to pose nude with them for an “alternative” calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence. The news of the women’s charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie’s friendship is put to the test under the strain of their new-found fame.

Lightning and Jellyfish 

October 17 – November 8, 2014

Set in a rock-and-roll poster shop in the ’80s, Lightning and Jellyfish takes a realistic one-set play and explodes it, taking us into the hearts—and futures—of its characters. It’s about an evening in the life of a young woman on the brink of change–change that she’s trying to convince herself that she’s ready for. Realism vs. romanticism. Youth and frustration. Coming-of-age as a process rather than as moment. It’s about what we forgive in others and ourselves.

Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical 

November 14 – December 20, 2014

It’s Christmastime in the Armadillo Acres mobile home community, and everyone is filled with visions of kegnog and beer. In this sequel to "The Great American Trailer Park Musical," you’ll meet new residents of north Florida’s premiere mobile home community, including Darlene (the neighborhood Scrooge), her boyfriend Jackie and Rufus (a redneck with a heart of gold). Longtime Armidillo Acres residents Betty, Lin and Pickles are back with voices as big as their hair, but when a freak accident strikes Darlene, everyone’s Christmas cheer will be put to the test.

Late Night Catechism 

January 2 – 24, 2015

Catechism classes are never as much fun – or as hilarious – as when led by Sister. A piece of theater taking audience members back – sometimes nostalgically, sometimes fearfully – to the children they once were. Sister teaches an adult catechism class to a roomful of “students” (the audience). Over the course of the play, Sister goes from benevolent instructor, rewarding the “students” for correct answers with glow-in-the-dark rosaries and laminated saint cards, to authoritative drill sergeant. These abrupt mood swings are bound to strike a resonant chord with everyone who survived the ups and downs of going to school, with an omniscient authoritarian at the helm.

Wolves 

January 30 – February 28, 2015

In Wolves, two men’s folie à deux overtakes their small apartment and spills out onto city streets. When ex-boyfriend Jack brings a strange man home to woodland-obsessed Ben’s apartment, the Narrator can barely keep a lid on the looming violence. This “deconstruction” of the Little Red Riding Hood story is a darkly comic, predatory fairy tale for adults that explores the conflation of sex and fear in modern culture, the comfort of lava lamps, and the dangers of a handy axe.

An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein

March 6 – April 4, 2015

Welcome to the darkly comic world of Shel Silverstein, a world where nothing is as it seems and where the most innocent conversation can turn menacing in an instant. The 10 imaginative plays in this collection range widely in content, but the style is unmistakable.

Rapture, Blister, Burn 

April 10 – May 2, 2015

After grad school, Catherine and Gwen chose polar opposite paths. Catherine built a career as a rockstar academic, while Gwen built a home with her husband and children. Decades later, unfulfilled in polar opposite ways, each woman covets the other’s life, commencing a dangerous game of musical chairs—the prize being Gwen’s husband. With searing insight and trademark wit, this comedy is an unflinching look at gender politics in the wake of 20th-century feminist ideals.

Becoming Dr. Ruth

May 8 – 30, 2015

Everyone knows Dr. Ruth Westheimer from her career as a pioneering radio and television sex therapist. Few, however, know the incredible journey that preceded it. From fleeing the Nazis in the Kindertransport and joining the Haganah in Jerusalem as a scout and sniper, to her struggles to succeed as a single mother coming to America, Becoming Dr. Ruth is filled with the humor, honesty and life-affirming spirit of Karola Ruth Siegel, the girl who became “Dr. Ruth,” Americaʼs most famous sex therapist.

The Perfect “10” - A Dramatic Comedy with Music

June 5 – July 4, 2015

After a separation from a long-term relationship, a hilarious, self-foiling sexual conquest ensues in hopes of recapturing lost years chasing fantasies of youthful beauty in this semi-autobiographical story loosely inspired by the classic 1979 film starring Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews and Bo Derek.

Love, Loss and What I Wore

(fundraiser for TOTS)

July 10 – August 1, 2015

Written by Nora and Delia Ephron and based on the book by Ilene Beckerman, the show is a scrapbook of stories about unfortunate prom dresses, the traumatic lighting in fitting rooms, high heels, short skirts and the existential state of having nothing to wear. Accessorizing these tales — which are mostly comic but often sad or sentimental too — are the mothers who disapprove, the men who disappear, the sisters who’ve got your back.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. She also is a speaker, consultant and trainer for hospitality, travel and luxury businesses, P.R., and tourism groups, as well as a radio and television guest and host. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Phoenix Theatre 2014 - 2015 Season Includes Gable, Streisand and Typhoid Mary

Phoenix Theatre, located in the Arts District of Mass Ave, Indianapolis, is a year 'round theater. Starting its 2014 - 2015 season lineup with a dark comedy, the schedule continues with twisted holiday offerings and shows to make you think.

Check back here for reviews.

For tickets and complete details, visit PhoenixTheatre.org.

Phoenix Theatre

2014 - 2015 Season

Clark Gable Slept Here

September 18 - October 19

As one of the silver screen's brightest stars charms his way through the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, his staff tries to figure out what to do with the dead male prostitute in his hotel room at the famed Chateau Marmont. This glamorously dark satire explores the make-believe world of Hollywood, where nothing is ever what it seems and closets are used for so much more than hanging up your tuxedo.

Old Jews Telling Jokes

October 23 - November 23

This Off-Broadway hit comedy pays tribute to and reinvents classic jokes of the past and present. Think you’ve heard them all before? Not this way. If you’ve ever had a mother, visited a doctor or walked into a bar with a priest, a rabbi, and a frog, Old Jews Telling Jokes will sit in the dark, give you a second opinion and ask you where you got that. You'll laugh 'til you plotz.

A Very Phoenix Xmas 9: Flashing Through The Snow

November 28 - December 21

Share your holiday with us! We’re back with another round of all-new sketches, songs and dances! We’ve got everything on your list: traditional holiday music, madcap comedy skits, and some very talented people to help you celebrate this most joyful—and stressful—time of year. We turn the holidays on their head with local and national playwrights putting a new spin on all things traditional. An Indy favorite!

River City

January 8 - February 1

Shaken by her father's death, Mary sets off to uncover three generations' worth of family secrets buried in the West End of Louisville, Kentucky. Mary's journey spans four decades and investigates race, memory, and the ghosts that haunt one American city. River City is a fascinating and funny story about how you find your “people” when you check more than one box to define your cultural heritage.

The Cripple of Inishmaan

February 5 - March 1

When a Hollywood director visits a remote Irish island to cast his latest film, the locals clamor for their once-in-a-lifetime chance at movie stardom. But it's Billy, a frail young man with the odds stacked against him, who has the biggest Hollywood dream of them all. Direct from a smash-hit run on Broadway, this dark comedy features a cross-eyed look at Irishness and what it means to follow your heart, twisted as it may be.

Buyer and Cellar

March 5 - April 5

Alex More has a story to tell. A struggling actor in L.A., Alex takes a job working in the Malibu basement of a beloved megastar, Barbra Streisand. One day, the Lady Herself comes downstairs to play. It feels like real bonding in the basement, but will their relationship ever make it upstairs? This hugely successful Off-Broadway hit is an outrageous one-man comedy about celebrity, the oddest of odd jobs and the pursuit of utopia.

Dontrell Who Kissed The Sea

April 9 - April 26

18-year-old Dontrell Jones III decides that it is his duty and destiny to venture into the Atlantic Ocean in search of an ancestor lost during the Middle Passage. But his family is not at all ready to abandon its prized son to the waters of a mysterious and haunting past. Blending poetry, humor, wordplay and ritual, Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea is a present-day hero’s quest exploring the lengths and depths we must go to redeem history’s wrongs.

Typhoid Mary

April 30 - May 24

You’ve probably heard of “Typhoid Mary,” but most of us are unfamiliar with Mary Mallon, the cook behind the name. This quirky, anachronistic telling of the discovery of Mary’s peculiar disease, as well as her forced quarantine, unfolds in front of a backdrop of changing notions of medicine, morality and cleanliness – Did she willfully infect others? Was she a victim of a misguided medical authority? Or is the truth even stranger?

Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play

July 9 - August 9

What will endure when the cataclysm arrives—when the grid fails, society crumbles and we’re faced with the task of rebuilding? This imaginative dark comedy propels us forward nearly a century, when what begins as a simple reminiscing of foundation a past episode of The Simpsons eventually leads to the development of the of a new civilization. Mr. Burns is a vibrant exploration of how the pop culture of one era might evolve into the mythology of another.

Images provided

Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. She also is a speaker, consultant and trainer for hospitality, travel and luxury businesses, P.R., and tourism groups, as well as a radio and television guest and host. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Buck Creek Players 2014-2015 Season Includes Champs, Ghosts and A Few Good Men

Besides the plays I performed in (including portraying Tiny Tim at the age of 12), throughout middle and high school my first live theater experience was at a community theater. Immediately hooked on this way of immersing myself into a story, I was forever hooked on live stage performances.

Buck Creek Players' 2014-2015 season has drama, comedy and holiday spirit to please everyone. And, being located near Buck Creek Winery is an added bonus ~

No, I didn't write a review back then, I simply sat enthralled at the tale coming to life before my young eyes. The story has remained dear to me ~ Harvey. Lighting, shadows and talented performers created the six-foot, three-and-one-half-inch tall pooka that looked like a rabbit with a protective and quirky attitude.

Community theaters are a wonderful addition to any town, providing a creative outlet for those with "day jobs," working on progressing to the big leagues and people who want to give back in their own way. I encourage everyone to support community theaters by attending at least one performance throughout the upcoming season. Check back here for theater reviews.

Buck Creek Players

2014-2015 Season

For tickets, location,and show times, visit BuckCreekPlayers.com

THINGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

October 3-12, 2014

Olivia and Gabe have just packed all of their belongings and driven halfway across the country to start a new life together in Chicago. Moving day doesn't go exactly as planned, though, and things become slightly more complicated when all of their parents show up to help.

A DICKENS’ CHRISTMAS CAROL

December 5-21, 2014 

From the bonny shores of England comes a stuffy old traveling troupe embarking on their 15th annual farewell tour of the Dickens' tale. The company diva pretends to be ill, certain the production will be cancelled. Mayhem ensues as this professional company scrambles to keep the show going, and everything that could possibly go wrong does…to hilarious, ridiculous results.

COLD STORAGE

January 30-February 8, 2015 

This intimate masterpiece and dark comedy examines health care and end-of-life issues at a cancer hospital. This cynical, life-affirming, and absurdly humorous Dramatists Guild award-winning play focuses on two patients at Hope Memorial Hospital, as they coax and banter their way toward the meaning of life. 

A FEW GOOD MEN

March 27-April 5, 2015 

The story of military lawyers at a court-martial who uncover a high-level conspiracy in the course of defending their clients, two United States Marines accused of murder. This riveting courtroom drama investigates both the nature of our military mentality and the Marine code of honor.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

June 5-21, 2015

An eclectic group of six mid-pubescent children vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves. At least the losers get a juice box.

THE MUSIC MAN

July 31-August 2, 2015

Quickly becoming an audience favorite, the Play-A-Part Fundraisers separate themselves from traditional productions in that all roles are "won" through an online silent auction with no required auditions. Veteran musical theater performers join first-timers to give this classic musical a comedic twist much like The Carol Burnett Show. 

Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. She also is a speaker, consultant and trainer for hospitality, travel and luxury businesses, P.R., and tourism groups, as well as a radio and television guest and host. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) 2014-2015 Season Includes Gentlemen, Spirits and Hounds

Indianapolis theater staple Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) opens its 2014-2015 season with William Shakespeare's comedy about a love and heartache. Also included in the schedule are dramas, its traditional holiday show and a mystery. As one of my recommended Top 10 best things to do in downtown Indy, IRT continues to create a lineup with a variety that connects with everyone. Check back to this site for reviews throughout the season.

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

September 16 - October 19

The grass is always greener, especially in Milan. Best friends Valentine and Proteus are in love with the same woman: will it destroy their friendship or teach them a lesson? Join us for an adventure in laughter and frivolity as we meet a circus of outlaws, a cross-dressing heroine, a dog-loving clown and two friends who discover that love isn’t an easy game to play. 

RED

(Upperstage)

October 14 - November 9

It’s 1958 and abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko had just landed the biggest commission in the history of modern art. With the help of his assistant, Rothko frantically struggles against his insecurities while trying to create a definitive and moving body of work. Electrifying and captivating, this winner of the Drama Desk Award and Tony for best play investigates the conflicts inherent in the tension between a great artist’s desire to be understood and respected.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

November 13 – December 24

The beloved classic of loss and redemption returns to IRT’s snow-covered stage as Dickens’ characters bring new life every season in this faithful, fanciful and frolicsome adaptation. It’s Indy’s favorite holiday tradition. Experience it for the first time all over again.

GOOD PEOPLE

January 7 – February 1

Single mother Margie Walsh may be on her last leg financially, but she hasn’t lost her sense of humor. Could reconnecting with an old sweetheart be the answer to all of her struggles? In this intensely observed portrait of a poignantly brave woman down on her luck, Pulitzer Prize-winning David Lindsay-Abaire lights up the stage as he considers whether it is strength of character or just plain luck that ultimately determines our fates in today’s America.

THE GIVER

January 20 – February 22

No pain. No desire. No choice. Sameness reigns in a utopian society set in the not-too-distant future. But for 12-year-old Jonas, his controlled and predictable life is unraveling before his eyes. Based on the award-winning book by Lois Lowry, this complex and controversial story forces us all to question the dangers of conformity and the power of truth.

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

February 18 – March 15

Join Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as Baker Street’s fabled detective duo investigate a deadly threat to the heir of the Baskerville estate. Will Victorian London’s keenest mind deduce the source of the monstrous mongrels before they claim another victim? Family secrets, haunted hounds, romance, and mysteries abound in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s timeless tale of supernatural suspense. 

WHAT I LEARNED IN PARIS

March 17 – April 12

1973 Atlanta. The politics of race, class and gender are rapidly transforming as the city elects its first black mayor. What better time to begin a romantic escapade than during the eve of an historic election? Old loves rekindle and new loves ignite in this expertly funny and delightfully urbane love story. 

ON GOLDEN POND

April 14 – May 10

As Ethel and Norman return to the familiar summer ritual of their tranquil vacation home on the water, they get a surprise guest in the form of their daughter’s young stepson-to-be. This tender tale paints an honest look at the labors and liveliness of a couple in the midst of their twilight years. This beloved Tony Award winning play reminds us that each moment we receive is a gift we share with those we love.

About the IRT

Founded in 1972, the IRT is the largest and leading fully professional not-for-profit theatre in the state and has grown into one of the leading regional theatres in the country. The IRT continues to be one of the top-flight cultural institutions in the city and state, providing experiences that engage, surprise, challenge and entertain.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. She also is a speaker, consultant and trainer for hospitality, travel and luxury businesses, P.R., and tourism groups, as well as a radio and television guest and host. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet 2014 Stage Schedule

The seventh annual Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet takes place in Millennium Park Sept. 27-28. It offers a schedule of programming designed to showcase Chicago’s culinary talent, deliver the latest epicurean trends and to satisfy the hungry minds (and stomachs) of attendees.

In the beginning, I listed the restaurants, chefs, sommeliers, etcetera. This foodie event has grown too big for me to continue that practice and there are so many other details for you to check out so here is the link.
For a complete list of restuarants click here.

Two days of food from favorite and famous restaurants; wine and spirits tastings courtesy of Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois; beer sampling; celebrity chef demos; educational seminars; book signings, culinary competitions and more. Attendees have the chance to rub elbows with hundreds of culinary and beverage experts.  including Bon Appétit magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport and Restaurant and Drinks Editor Andrew Knowlton, more master sommeliers than ever before and renowned chefs like Carla Hall, Morimoto, Rick Bayless, Tony Mantuano, Stephanie Izard, Mindy Segal, Jeff Mauro, Takashi Yagihashi and Carlos Gaytan.

THE BON APPÉTIT MAIN STAGE LINEUP
 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

12-12:30 p.m.	Mexican Takeover Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill/Topolobampo/XOCO), Carlos Gaytan (Mexique)
1-1:30 p.m.	Simple Meal Ideas from the Late Summer Farm Harvest Stephanie Izard (Girl & The Goat/Little Goat Diner), Jamie Bissonnette (Coppa)
2-2:30 p.m.	The Whole Fish  Masaharu Morimoto (Japonais by Morimoto)
3– 3:30 p.m.	Carla’s Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World  Carla Hall (“The Chew”)
3:45- 4:15 p.m.	Chicago’s Classic Italians Jeff Mauro (“Sandwich King”), Tony Priolo (Piccolo Sogno/Piccolo Sogno Due)
4:30-5 p.m.	James Beard Award Winners Jimmy Bannos Jr. (The Purple Pig), Justin Aprahamian (Sanford Restaurant)
5:15-5:45 p.m.	A Classic Chicago Roast Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia/Terzo Piano/Bar Toma/River Roast), John Hogan (River Roast), Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven/The Purple Pig)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

12:30- 1 p.m.	Pastry Pillars Michelle Gayer (Salty Tart), Della Gossett (Spago Beverly Hills)
1:30-2 p.m.	Chicago’s Top Restaurateurs Donnie Madia (One Off Hospitality), Rohini Dey (Vermilion), RJ Melman (Lettuce Entertain You), Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm (BOKA Restaurant Group)
2:30-3 p.m.	Trans Atlantic Experiments Sergi Arola (Arola), Homaro Cantu (Moto)
3:30-4 p.m.	A Trotter-Inspired Dish Graham Elliot (graham elliot/g.e.b.)
4:30-5 p.m.	Culinary Travel Inspiration Bill Kim (bellyQ/urbanbelly/Belly Shack), Mindy Segal (Mindy’s Hot Chocolate) WHAT’S NEW IN 2014

Primetime Pavilions

BBQ Pavilion, in partnership with the Illinois BBQ Alliance: Including Chicago q, Bub City, Old Crow Smokehouse, Sweet Baby Ray’s, Smoque BBQ and others.

Green City Market Pavilion: Featuring Farmhouse Craft Tavern, 2 Sparrows, CICCHETTI, Spritzburger, Karyn’s on Green and more.

Centennial Pavilion (in celebration of the Illinois Restaurant Association’s 100th Anniversary): Featuring Mike Ditka’s Chicago, Gibsons Restaurant Group, The Signature Room at the 95th, The Berghoff, Italian Village and others.

Neighborhood Pavilion: Featuring Hash House A Go-Go, Nana, Autre Monde Café and Spirits, Marion Street Market, The Chop Shop and more.

Mariano’s Pavilion: Featuring Trenchermen, Three Dots and a Dash, Piccolo Sogno Due, The Bristol, Three Aces, The Radler and others.

Street Eats. Travel the world at the newly added Global Street Food Market, developed in collaboration with Chicago’s Sister Cities, located in the South Promenade. Featuring internationally-loved foods from China, Ireland, Africa, Columbia, and 11 of Chicago’s sister cities, highlights include offerings from Bolat, K-Kitchen, Shokolad Pastry & Café, Vermilion, Red Butter, Spencer’s Jolly Posh Foods and several others. The Global Street Food vendors share the pavilion with breweries, a newly added entertainment stage and an artisan market presented by Artizone featuring Chicago vendors selling their wares.

Craft on Draft. Beer geeks can ‘hop’ their way through the festival, and enjoy a refreshing offering of craft brews. Stella Artois, Goose Island, Lagunitas Brewing Company and New Belgium will be on hand to present pairings, tastings and extensive beer knowledge to interested attendees.

Glittering Grand Cru. The ultimate food and wine experience, the Grand Cru, offers attendees the opportunity to taste more than 90 of the finest wines in the world, as chosen by the event’s impressive and largest line up of Master Sommeliers. During these select tastings, each day from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Harris Theater Rooftop, these leading wine experts will pour, present and discuss their picks.

Beard-Worthy Bites. Guests holding a golden ticket to the Grand Cru will also indulge in food pairings from the James Beard Foundation’s elite. Heralding from restaurants championed both locally and throughout the United States, the talent includes esteemed chefs recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Visiting chefs have been paired with a Chicago-based counterpart who will present a side-by-side showcase.

Tickets: ChicagoGourmet.org.

To follow: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. She also is a speaker, consultant and trainer for hospitality, travel and luxury businesses, P.R., and tourism groups, as well as a radio and television guest and host. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.