Theater Review: Phoenix Theatre: The Legend of Georgia McBride

An Elvis impersonator, a couple of drag queens and a curmudgeon all meet up in a bar one night ...

Sounds like the beginning of a very bad or very good joke, depending on the ending, right?

In fact, it is the basis for a new production at Phoenix Theatre, Indianapolis. The Legend of Georgia McBride, written by Matthew Lopez, brings in dance expert Kenny Shepard as choreographer, and a few of the best local performers to rip up the stage with antics and talent.

Set in a dying bar, owner Eddie, the straight man in this comedic gem, is played perfectly by Ty Stover. The crotchety businessman is desperate to find that winning live show to draw crowds and save the venue. At first he hires a local guy whose passion is impersonating the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

Elvis impressionist, Casey, played by Sam C. Jones, just isn't popular with local patrons. Although Jones personifies the late music legend superbly, bar regulars aren't entertained. Casey returns home to reveal to his fiancee' (Bridgette Ludlow) he is fired, when she interrupts him to reveal she is pregnant.

Enter new performers Miss Tracey Mills and Miss Anorexia Nervosa --impersonators of a different sort. Drag Queens, to be precise.

Mills is portrayed impeccably by John Vessels. Vessels has wowed audiences in numerous roles and productions, including Smoke on the Mountain,  Hello Dolly and Chicago. As a queen of dressing in women's clothing he is uproarious and outright fabulous.

Tutoring the Elvis he-man into becoming a she-man is seamlessly played by Vessels and Jones, with - let's call them feisty debates - is an interaction of pure joy for the audience.

Add in drama drag queen Anorexia, played royally by Jonathan Studdard, makes it's a performance definitely worth attending. Studdard, who's portrayal can only be described as fierce, is a feisty and welcome change to Indy's stage productions.

Side note: Complimentary parking across the street, intimate venue and efficient box office are pluses for visiting the new Phoenix Theatre.

Other notes: Jim Parsons will produce and star inn the upcoming film version of the same name.

Bottom Line: The Legend of Georgia McBride is an absolute must-see for anyone who has even an inkling of a sense of humor.

Tickets: The Legend of Georgia McBride

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Theater Review: Beef and Boards: ELF the Musical

Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre continues on the path toward reinventing itself by switching its typical variety-style holiday production with a modern holiday classic: ELF the Musical.

The musical (and well known film, ELF (2003), starring Will Ferrell, Bob Newhart and Zooey Deschanel), retraces the life of an orphan human named Buddy, portrayed brilliantly by Dan Bob Higgins, who is raised by elves at the North Pole.

Walter Hobbs, Buddy's birth father, is given top-notch treatment as an insensitive and stressed out corporate executive by Mark Epperson.

Bringing an (at first) subdued-but-increasing exuberance match to the holiday-happy personality of Higgins' Buddy, is Lanene Charters as Hobb's personal secretary Deb. She and the elf are kindred spirits and Charters shines as Buddy allows her to show Christmas spirit once again. Jonathan Fluck is spectacular in his explosive, and too short, appearances as Hobbs' angry boss Mr. Greenway.

Love interest Jovie, a young woman who has stopped believing in anything happy or Christmas-y, is played by Emily Grace Tucker. Tucker knocks it out of the ballpark with her solo, "Never Fall in Love."

A few differences from film to stage include Santa (Doug  E. Stark), rather than the top elf, shares Buddy's tale. Also ... there isn't an angry elf racing across the boardroom table to throttle Buddy. Disappointing certainly, however Peter Dinklage is committed elsewhere these days (Game of Thrones, anyone?).

This zany and delightful production runs through December 31 at the north-side venue. However, if you plan on getting a table, buy tickets immediately. At last check there are verrrry few tickets left.

There's definitely a transformation this season at B&B. New talent, new shows and a new direction aimed at retaining its core audience while attracting the younger demographic. 
Check out the 2019 season lineup by clicking here.

Bottom Line: Beef and Boards' Elf: The Musical is the perfect family show to capture the holiday spirit. Don't miss it.

Images: JulieCurryPhotography.com

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a fine-living, travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, performing arts, wine and restaurant critic. She also is a radio and television guest and host. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Broadway in Indianapolis: 2017-2018 Season

Flying children, a boy with his tongue frozen to poles, and a green-faced young girl are just a few of the reasons Broadway in Indianapolis' 2017 - 2018 season is interesting this year.

Returning for a tour is Rent, new shows are a majority of the list, and the musical numbers are well known in more than one show.

Below is the schedule, with ticket information following.

Broadway in Indianapolis

2017-2018 SEASON SHOWS

Finding Neverland

October 17-22, 2017

Clowes Memorial Hall

Finding Neverland tells the incredible

story behind one of the world’s most beloved characters: Peter Pan. Playwright J.M.

Barriestruggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful

widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. 

A Christmas Story, The Musical

November 28-December 3, 2017

Old National Centre

A Christmas Story, The Musical chronicles young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he

schemes his way toward the holiday gift of his dreams, an official Red Ryder® Carbine-Action

200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle (“You’ll shoot your eye out kid!”).

Beautiful

The Carole King Musical

January 30-February 4, 2018

Clowes Memorial Hall

Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend, she was Carol Klein, Brooklyn girl

with passion and chutzpah. She fought her way into the record business as a teenager and, by

the time she reached her twenties, had the husband of her dreams and a flourishing career

writing hits for the biggest acts in rock ‘n’ roll. It wasn’t until her personal life began to crack

that she finally managed to find her true voice. Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in pop music history.

Les Misérables

March 13-18, 2018

Old National Centre

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story

of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament

to the survival of the human spirit. Seen by more

than 70 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, Les Misérables is still the world’s most popular musical, breaking box office records everywhere in its 32nd year.

RENT 20th Anniversary Tour

June 12-17, 2018

Clowes Memorial Hall

In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway... and forever

changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s Rent

continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the

world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning masterpiece returns to the stage

in a vibrant 20th anniversary touring production. A re-imagining of Puccini's La Bohème, RENT

follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their

dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear,

this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with love.

Wicked

April 25-May 13, 2018

*Old National Centre

Wicked, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz...but from a

different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with

emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood and possessing an extraordinary talent. When

she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the

unlikeliest of friendships...until the world calls one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”

GROUP SALES AND SINGLE TICKETS

Group sales information is now available for all shows. Reservations may be made by calling

Group Sales Manager, Chris Schneider, at 317-632-7469 x 103 or email at

Chris.Schneider@BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com. For more information visit

BroadwayInIndianapolis.com

Tickets for individual shows typically go on sale to the general

public 4-6 weeks prior to the opening of the show.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Theater Review: Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre: Ring of Fire

At first glance, Ring of Fire, opening this past weekend at Beef and Boards, Indianapolis, looks to be a glorious night filled with a guy who sounds and looks a lot like music legend Johnny Cash. Be forewarned. It's not.

It is not a Cash tribute band. It isn't an imitation of the Man in Black, with all of his hits performed fully while you reminisce about the times you saw him live.

Featuring three female and five male performers, the group of eight walk you through his life, via both well known and some lesser known songs written by, sung by, and/or related somehow to Cash. Each musician plays no fewer than two, some as many as five different instruments in the show. Mandolins, fiddles, various guitars, drums and a ukulele are just a few of the instruments used throughout the production. Collectively, these eight are John R. Cash.

The bio-musical skims the more well known personal bits of Cash's life, drug use, and the relationship and eventual marriage to June Carter Cash, delving more into the whys and wherefores.

Melody Allegra Berger, Tim Drake, Brian Gunter, Jill Kelly Howe, Allison Kelly, Jeremy Sevelovitz, Travis Smith and Zack Steele bring their talents together, blending harmoniously with songs such as "Oh Come Angel Band," Standout duets and solos include "Ragged Old Flag" (Drake) and "Jackson" (Steele, Kelly).

Bottom Line: Beef and Boards' Ring of Fire brings forth the more obscure songs of Johnny Cash with a healthy dose of instrumentals sharing the limelight.

 Images: JulieCurry.com


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. 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.

Theater Review: TOTS: Rock of Ages

*Written by guest reviewer, John Simmons:

If you know anything about Rock of Ages, now playing at Theatre on the Square, Indianapolis, then you know that it is by no means a typical musical. In fact, its razor-thin story line merely serves as the backdrop for an over-the-top, absurdly raunchy celebration (falling somewhere between a tribute and a parody) of the excesses of classic 80's Rock 'n' Roll musicians.

What little story there is centers on Drew (Davey Pelsue), an aspiring rocker who works as a bus boy at Sunset Strip's Bourbon Club, and Sherrie (Sarah Hoffman), a small town Midwestern girl who’s come to Hollywood to make it big in the movies.

Throw in club owners, with a secret yet-to-be-revealed, Lonny (John Kern) and Dennis (Dave Ruark), fading rock star and sometime sex addict, Stacee Jaxx (Thomas Cardwell), and two German developers, Hertz (Bryan D. Padgett) and his sexually ambiguous son, Franz (Zach Ramsey) who are intent on buying, and tearing down, the club. Also include city planner Regina (Andrea Heiden) who is vehemently opposed to any remodeling of the Sunset Strip, and Madam Justice (Paige Scott) and the working girls (Jordan Fox, Tessa Gibbons and Katherine Jones) of the Venus Strip Club. The storyline – sometimes artfully, sometimes awfully – weaves in the music of such 80's giants as Journey, Pat Benatar and REO Speedwagon, (among others) to tell its tale.

The stunning renditions of Harden My Heart/Shadows of the Night and Here I Go Again ending Act I – just as Drew is about to give up his dream of becoming a rock star and join a boy band and Sherrie sees no future for herself beyond joining the working girls at Venus as a stripper – are well worth your time. So is the lovely, all-cast rendition of that quintessential 80’s love song Every Rose Has Its Thorn.

If high camp is more to your liking, you’ll enjoy over-the-top performances (and sudden surprises) of Hit Me with Your Best Shot and Can’t Fight This Feeling. Ages’ stirring finale, Don’t Stop Believin’ – in which cast me­mbers break the fourth wall and invite audience members to join them onstage as part of the celebration – will certainly have you on your feet.

Like the 80's rock scene itself, TOTS' Rock of Ages is heavy on the raunch. It’s rough and raggedy, with enough poop jokes, double entendres and simulated sex acts to offend almost everyone, while making you howl with laughter. The show makes no pretenses at being a work of art but, whatever your mood is going in and for however briefly, it will take you away from your problems and have you singing along/dancing in the aisles … and there is a lot to be said for that.

Images: provided by TOTS

John Simmons recently moved back to his hometown of Indianapolis from New York City, where he stage managed or produced numerous off-Broadway shows. John was also General Manager of The Active Theater. Active Theater alumni who have gone on to bigger and better things include Grace Gealey (aka Anika on Fox’s Empire) and Lucy Owens (now appearing in Miss Sloane).

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a luxury, travel, features, food and wine writer, travel, wine and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on television and radio. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Top Events to Check out in Indy April 2016

There are a few upcoming events in the Indianapolis area to keep on your radar and get tickets for asap. One of these is the show, which I will be checking out Sunday at the 2 p.m. performance, called In The Mood.

A 1940s Big Band musical, will perform for two shows only at Carmel's Palladium. The music of an entire generation and our nation’s veterans.The brassy, singing, dancing and all-American 1940s musical highlights Swing music, Big Band and WWII music and dance.

Perfect for taking grandparents, parents and children to help connect multi generations through live music can open discussion on true historical events and help younger generations understand what the older generations went through to keep freedom for this country.

Included in the show is music by: Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Erskine Hawkins, The Andrews Sisters, Frank Sinatra and other idols of the 1940s. Hit songs include Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Tuxedo Junction, Well Git It, On The Sunny Side of the Street, In the Mood and many more.

Venue: The Palladium at The Center for Performing Arts
Day/Date: April 3; 2 pm and 7 pm
Tickets: 317-843-3800 or at TheCenterForThePerformingArts.org.

*******

Also on the Gotta Go line up is this Saturday night ~ to be spent reviewing Beef and Boards' Guys and Dolls on its opening weekend. Having not seen it before (gasp), it will be fun to watch a story line so popular with no idea which way it will turn. I do know there is gambling and romance. I also noticed the buffet contains numerous gluten-free items on it as well.

Check back early next week for my review ~

Venue: Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre
Date: March 31 - May 15
Tickets: 317-872-9664 or BeefandBoards.com.

********

The Naptown Roller Girls roller derby organization takes to the rink again at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Proving women can take the pain of roller action, the Tornado Sirens and Warning Belles vie for a victory at this family friendly event.

Image/JoanMarcus

Venue: Indiana State Fairgrounds

Date: April 2, 7 p.m.

Tickets: BrownTickets

*********

Broadway in Indianapolis will have Indy laughing it up again in The Book of Mormon. Returning for an encore performance, plan on the show to sell out quickly so get your tickets immediately or expect to be out of all the fun. Read my review from the original showing in town. I will be on hand to review this go 'round because you simply do not want to miss something this great.

Venue: Old National

Date: April 12 - 17

Tickets: BroadwayinIndianapolis.com

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.

Theater Review: Actors Theatre of Indiana: Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd (Don Farrell) and Mrs. Lovett (Judy Fitzgerald)

Actors Theatre of Indiana, Carmel, opened the much-anticipated Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street production this weekend.

Familiar to fans of Stephen Sondheim, musicals and Broadway hits; the story became even more well known with the 2007 hit film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street starring Johnny Depp. As good as the movie is, there are some stories which are best to experience via live theater ~ this is one of those shows.

Don Farrell as Sweeney Todd

Don Farrell takes on the title role of Sweeney Todd, in the black comedy with a sensationally sinister performance. Keeping the murderous role from becoming simply a serial killer on the loose, Farrell brings a vulnerable side of his character to light during, "The Barber and His Wife," allowing the audience to witness the happier youthful version of himself prior to losing his wife and daughter to the corrupt local Judge Turpin (Paul Nicely).

John Vessels as Adolfo Pirelli

Accompanying Todd in his razor-sharp removal of loathsome people is Mrs Lovett, played magnificently by Judy Fitzgerald.  Fitzgerald portrays the pie-making enabler with absolute abandon, sharing her contagious delight in the creative solution of her floundering meat pie cafe and Todd's need to slit throats of unworthy folks.

John Vessels is a pure delight as Adolpho Pirelli, the self-proclaimed, "King of Barbers," creating a larger-than-life caricature with his comedic talents. Vessels proves his vocal talent, as well, in the first victim's solo, "The Contest."

Caleb Wertz plays Tobias Ragg, abused waif and assistant to Pirelli then Lovett, with a maturity beyond his years. Craig Underwood takes sleazy to a new level with his portrayal of The Beadle.

The entire cast of this production is seamless and smooth, both in working with each other and portraying their individual characters, with all but the two leads portraying more than one character during the two-act play.

Bottom Line: Sweeney Todd is the best show I have reviewed at Actors Theatre of Indiana and is an absolute must-see for anyone in the Indy-metro area.

Tickets: TheCenterforthePerformingArts.org

Costumes: Katie Cowan Sickmeier

Images: Zach Rosing

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 Children's Wish Fund: Christmas in the Kitchen 2015 to be held December 11

One of Indianapolis' (if not THE) top foodie fundraisers annually is gearing up for its holiday event: Christmas in the Kitchen at the Hyatt Regency downtown Fri., Dec. 11. There is no fundraiser I look forward to more than this one, folks. It's a chance to dress up, have an insider's look at the chefs' world, and give to a worthy cause, all while sipping fabulous cocktails and wine, and nibbling your way through the smorgasbord of gourmet cuisine. The Indiana Children's Wish Fund receives the money raised through tickets and an extraordinary silent auction.

The event will be overseen by William Hawkins, Hyatt's executive chef. Working for a Washington D.C. congressman, a country club, and as far away as South Africa, the east coast bred chef explains why this opportunity to give to the local children means so much to him.

"As chefs and cooks, it is inherently in our nature to show a great deal of pride in the work that we do and the food that we create, I think that just knowing the good that this dinner does helps to push us to produce the absolutely best over the top function we can create. It's something my cooks begin talking about as far as six or seven months in advance and we look forward to every year.

Normally we work behind the scenes so this banquet is unique in that we open the doors of our kitchen to the public, we set up numerous stations around our kitchen, and we encourage our guests to interact with us, to have a look around and peek behind the curtain at what we do. There’s an awesome feeling of connection their and were extremely proud of using our talents to give back to the community that has done so much for us."

Along with specialty cocktails, wines and after dinner drinks, the menu will include a wide array of gourmet meats, desserts, appetizers and seafood. Just a few items include: babaganoush, blue point oysters on the half shell, ceviche shooters, stout and citrus braised beef short ribs, smoked pork cheek, cornmeal dusted walleye, rosemary and horseradish crusted prime rib, smoked maple and Siracha brined heritage pork loin, charred herb-crusted lamb chops, mint and sorrel chimichurri, egg nog crème brulee, mint cheesecake, coconut cake, candy cane fudge and cranberry bread pudding.

Festive live holiday music by Blair Clark will be provided throughout the evening.

Individual tickets are $150 (admittance into the event with seating) or $100 per person (admittance into the event without seating). They are almost sold out, so get them quickly.

Indiana Children’s Wish Fund, established in 1984, grants wishes to Indiana children, ages 3-18, who suffer from a life-threatening illness. To date, the organization has granted more than 3,200 wishes to Indiana children.

Reservations are limited. To purchase tickets, contact Indiana Children’s Wish Fund at (317) 913-WISH or visit IndyWish.org. 

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Personal Lifestyle Adviser on Indy Style, WISH8 (CBS). Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in print. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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.

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.

Theater Review: Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT): The Great Gatsby

Every year, Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) opens its season in a big way and 2015-2016 season is no exception. What better way to welcome its 44th season in Indianapolis than with the glamour and glitz of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby?

Attendees were encouraged to don era-appropriate fashion and join in on the festivities, including the Champagne toast afterward. Arriving in 1920's-inspired attire, flapper-styled ladies and bow-tied dapper-clothed men mingled in the historic lobby creating an energy unlike any this critic has seen before at the theater's season opening night. In fact, I am uncertain how this gala will be topped next year, but will be eager to watch the attempt.

The story of people's lives spinning out of control in a world of excess, money and glitz centers on the theory that everyone cheats at something in their lives. Moral compass Midwesterner (and distant cousin to Daisy) Nick Caraway is portrayed by Zach Kenney. Kenney brings a quiet energy to the role, filled with anticipated excitement at living among the wealthy and ready to be one of them.
Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker are brought to life marvelously by Hillary Clemens and Teagan Rose respectively. These lifelong best friends are full of mischief, secrets, desires and love for each other's happiness. Whether lounging on a chaise sipping illegal liquor, looking for passion in their lives or giggling over an inside joke, Clemens and Rose shine as wealthy women of the post World War I era.

Tom Buchanan, husband of Daisy, is portrayed by David Folsom with slick, polished manners toward everyone except his ill-fated mistress Myrtle Wilson (Angela Ingersoll). Folsom creates a Tom with a thin pleasant veneer which he keeps in check except when his hot temper slips out for all to see. The actor's ability to portray a successful businessman ~ physically abusive bully ~ manipulator is a thrill to witness.

The mysterious Jay Gatsby's lies, a desire to break through the wall around the "beautiful people" and a desperate need to finally capture the heart of small town beauty Daisy Buchanan, are seamlessly portrayed by Matt Schwader. His lies become delusions, his need for the "perfect" love of Daisy an obsession and his drive to become rich a lifelong attempt to rewrite history.

Bottom Line: Everyone should catch IRT's The Great Gatsby twice. Once for the glitz and glamour and the second time for the moral of the story and wonderful performance. I predict this show will be on more than one Top 10 List for 2015.

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.Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Phoenix Theatre 2015 - 2016 Season Includes a Merman, a Butler and a Hunter

The Phoenix Theatre, 749 Park Ave., Indianapolis, opens its doors for the 32rd season with a British farce set in the 1960s. Also included in this year's offerings are Ethel Merman, dolphins and the traditional holiday presentation of short skits and loud laughter from the audience.                                                                              Check back here for theater reviews.

Phoenix Theatre 2015 - 2016 Season

One Man, Two Guvnors

September 24 – October 18

Welcome to 1960’s England. Francis Henshall finds himself trapped into working for two bosses who are connected to each other in wildly improbable ways. He just has to keep them from discovering each other. Easy, right? One Man, Two Guvnors will have you falling out of your seats in hysteria, as Francis leads you through this topsy-turvy farce of love triangles and mistaken identities. His quest for love, a sandwich and keeping his two guvnors happy swept both London’s West End and Broadway with its hilarity and campy wit.

The Nether
October 22 - November 22

Welcome to The Nether, a virtual paradise of total sensory immersion. Just log in, choose an identity and indulge your every whim. When a young detective uncovers a disturbing realm within this virtual world filled with outcasts and criminals of society, she wonders on what level fantasy meets reality. Are some private dreams too dark and disturbing? Should people be free from consequences in their own imagination? Immerse yourself in this sci-fi thriller about a battle over technology and human desire.

A Very Phoenix Xmas X: Oh, Come Let Us Adore Us
November 27 - December 20

It’s year 10 of A Very Phoenix Xmas, and this year will be X-tra special! We’re back with another round of all new sketches, songs and dances, and in honor of this anniversary year, we may even bring back a few favorites. 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.

Butler

January 7 – February 7, 2016

It’s the beginning of the Civil War, and lawyer Benjamin Franklin Butler has just been promoted to Union General at Fort Monroe, a Union hold-out in the state of Virginia. He soon finds himself face to face with Shepard Mallory, an escaped slave seeking asylum at the fort for himself and other slaves. Sworn to uphold the law, Butler prepares to return the slaves, until Mallory forces him to question whether what is legal is actually moral. Inspired by real events, Butler is part comedy, part historical drama.

Pulp

February 11 – March 6, 2016

In 1930’s Los Angeles, washed-up Private Investigator Frank Ellery takes on the strangest case of his life. A noted literary agent has been gruesomely murdered, and the four suspects are his remaining clients, all writers for different pulp magazines. Frank dives into the mystery, and his world turns upside down as life begins to imitate literature. In this new comedy, science fiction, romance, adventure and horror combine with one down-on-his-luck gumshoe who’s about to learn what really lurks between the lines.

On Clover Road
by Steve Dietz

March 10 – April 10, 2016

Kate Hunter has been searching for her daughter for more than four years. Now that she’s been located, Kate must carefully extract her from a cult by trusting a complete stranger to de-program her daughter at an abandoned motel on Clover Road. Will mother and daughter happily reunite? Or will the shadow of a memory she’s held on to for the past four years be all that Kate has left of the daughter she once knew?

Leyenda 

April 14 – May 1, 2016

Spanish for “legend,” Leyenda is a live adaptation of Latino folk tales, based on interviews with members of the Indianapolis Latino community, with performances in English and Spanish. Leyenda includes traditional music and dancing, and explores explanations of happenings in nature, life and mythology. The original play is part of the Phoenix Theatre’s Heritage Series, which explores the history, mythology and cultural inheritance of people of different races and cultural backgrounds, and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts-Art Works.

Book of Merman
May 12 – June 12, 2016

The hit Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon, meets the First Lady of Broadway in this new comedy. When two Mormon missionaries ring Ethel Merman’s doorbell, they have no idea of the surprise awaiting them. With some dazzling parody music and Schwartz’s original songs, laughter ensues throughout The Book of Merman, catapulting you to places you didn’t know you wanted to go. Learn how to “Be a Merman” in this parody musical that will leave you smiling for weeks to come.

TBA

June 16 – July 17, 2016

Every season, we’ve got our eyes and ears on Broadway, with a mission of bringing the nation’s biggest hits to Indianapolis. Sometimes those plays win big awards - ahem, Tony’s - extending their run on Broadway, and delaying our negotiations. As soon as we have the rights, you’ll be the first to know.

Acid Dolphin Experiment

July 14 – August 14, 2016

Acid Dolphin Experiment tackles the life of Dr. John C. Lilly, a mid-century American neuro-scientist famous for exploring the nature of consciousness, and using isolation tanks, dolphin communication and psychedelic drugs … sometimes in combination … and frequently experimenting on himself. As a scientist, he risks his career, relationships and sanity, to decipher the subjective experiences often dismissed as “mere hallucinations.”

Ticket prices for 2015-2016 season
$20 Cheap Seats weekend (opening weekend)

$27 Thursdays and Sundays for remainder of run

$33 Fridays and Saturdays for remainder of run

A Very Phoenix Xmas X:
Oh, Come Let Us Adore Us ticket prices:

$22 Cheap Seats weekend (opening weekend)

$30 Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays for remainder of run

$35 Fridays and Saturdays for remainder of run

Wednesday and Thursday performances begin at 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m.
Sunday performances begin at 2 p.m.

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, wine 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 and media trainer. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) 2015-2016 Season Includes a Gatsby, a Mockingbird and a Mousetrap

Downtown Indianapolis' Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) opensits 44th season with a flourish ~ as always. Known for opening annually with a dramatic production, this year will be no different.

The remainder of the season, which ends May 22, 2016, offers the glitz of the 1920s, the confusion of the '60s, the depression of the '30s and the opportunities of the '50s.

The Great Gatsby

September 30 – October 25

Mainstage

A theatrical adaptation of what some consider the Greatest American Novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Opulent parties, romantic affairs, jealousy and murder come to life in this powerful and vivid tale of American bravado, lost love and war recovery in the Roaring Twenties.

April 4, 1968

Upperstage

October 20 – November 15

IRT’s playwright-in-residence shares an intimate look at one Indianapolis family and their personal experience surrounding the events of April 4, 1968, which include Bobby Kennedy’s history-making speech on the night of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.

A Christmas Carol

Mainstage

November 14 – December 26

Indy’s favorite holiday tradition comes to life again for its 25th year on the Mainstage. A Christmas Carol celebrates the universal story of redemption as literature’s most infamous “Scrooge” learns to love after a walk through Christmas past, present and future.

Peter Rabbit and Me

The Cabaret

November 21 – December 20

In this classic tale,13-year-old Beatrix Potter creates her own exciting world as she invents such beloved characters as Peter Rabbit, Flopsy, Mopsy & Cottontail and their playful adventures in Mr. McGregor’s garden.

The Mystery of Irma Vep

Upperstage

January 12-February 14

A hilarious mash-up of chilling Gothic horror story and passionate Victorian bodice-ripper. Two actors play a mysterious archeologist, a flighty new bride, a saucy housekeeper, a loveable werewolf and an Egyptian mummy, in a dizzying quick-change marathon.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Mainstage

January 29 – February 28

The story of how two siblings, Scout and Jem Finch, and their father, Atticus, changed the way many American’s perceived race and prejudice in the country. Coming of age in a small Depression-era community in the mid-30’s, the Finch siblings learn about social injustice as their lawyer father defends a man wrongly accused of a heinous crime.

Fences

Mainstage

March 9 – April 3

Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Play, Fences is the most widely acclaimed play from August Wilson’s towering 20th Century Cycle. A former Negro League baseball player, thwarted in his dreams of a Major League career, struggles to provide for his family and break free from the boundaries imposed upon him. Set in 1957, at the intersection of old prejudices and changing opportunities.

Bridge and Tunnel

Upperstage

March 29 - May 1

An open-mic poetry night becomes a celebration of American diversity in the Tony Award–winning Bridge and Tunnel. One woman plays more than a dozen characters of both sexes, many races and all ages, as life stories are shared and dreams are dared.

The Mousetrap

By Agatha Christie

Mainstage

April 26 – May 22

The Mousetrap is the world’s longest running stage play, celebrating its 64th birthday in 2016. It is the classic Agatha Christie mystery thriller, with a houseful of strangers trapped by a blizzard and stalked by an unknown murderer. Part drawing room comedy and part murder mystery, this timeless chiller is a double-barreled whodunit full of twists and surprises.

Tickets

Contact the ticket office at 317-635-5252 or visit irtlive.org.

All performances are at the Indiana Repertory Theatre building located at 140 W. Washington Street in Downtown Indianapolis.

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.