A Beef and Boards Christmas

Beef and Boards presents their annual Christmas spectacular, A Beef and Boards Christmas, through December 23. This variety show features classic holiday tunes, dancing, extremely coordinated outfits and, of course, the man in red himself: Santa. For an entertaining evening of Christmas cheer without agenda or message, head to Beef and Boards for their annual holiday pageant.

Eddie Curry acts as master of ceremonies for this variety show that clocks in at just under two hours. Laying the cheese on thick, Curry makes no apologizes for the groans that echo throughout the theatre after his corny comedy. His ownership over this shtick tickles the funny bone in an unexpected way, as the audience unites in expectation of the next bad joke.

The incomparable Christine Mild returns to the Beef and Boards stage delighting eardrums with the soothing tones of her voice. Christopher Dickerson reprises his rendition of "O Holy Night," and once again takes the prize as the sexiest baritone in Indianapolis this holiday season. Rounding out the singing ensemble this year are Traci Blair and John Vessels. While Vessels provides his own brand of comic relief, Blair is largely unmemorable in her performance. However, when the four take on some of our favorite holiday tunes together, cheer seems to ooze from every corner of the room.

Kenny Shepherd and Deb Wims don the roles of pseduo Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, providing numerous dance solos and a bit of vocal prowess. The two friends are undoubtedly adorable together, as they reunite on stage for their annual tradition. It is impossible to keep your toes from tapping as they showcase a variety of dance styles including a very skilled tap dance. When backed by the chorus of six rockette-like dancers, Shephard and Wims lead some of the best dance numbers on stage at Beef and Boards all year.

For an easy night of celebration and a trip through classic Christmas carols, don't miss A Beef and Boards Christmas on stage now through December 23.

White Christmas at Beef and Boards

Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre kicks off the Christmas season a bit early this year with their production of White Christmas. Fans of the film beware, the staged production varies greatly from the beloved musical numbers performed by Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen. In effect, the adaptation strips the main characters of valuable relationship building moments to make way for big ensemble numbers.

The show heralds the return of Christine Mild to the Beef and Boards stage, who blew audiences away earlier this year with Always. . . Patsy Cline. I could seriously listen to the warming tones of her sentimental voice for hours on end. And while the show fails to truly feature her vocal talent, it was a pleasure to hear her sing again. Unfortunately, pleasure was not gleaned from the voice of Curt Dale Clark as Bob Wallace. While Clark has solid vocal chops, he largely fails to capture emotion as he sings, opting instead for the dreaded musical theatre smile and mug to the audience.

Tim Ford does an honorable job of filling the shoes of Phil Davis. The brilliance of Danny Kaye's portrayal of the part creates a hard shadow to creep out from, yet Ford manages to make the role his own. He explores the womanizing and romantic depths of the character, rather than donning the clownish aura Kaye made famous in the film. As Judy Haynes, Erin West is simply a doll. The dance stand-out of the show, she captures the essence of greats like Ginger Rogers as she two-steps with her partner Ford.

The difficulty in staging White Christmas is two fold. First, the actors cannot escape comparison to such a wonderful holiday film, setting them up for almost immediate failure when they rightly choose to deliver differently built characters. Secondly, it just can't feel like Christmas before we've even worn the ghoulish masks of Halloween. However, Eddie Curry's direction creates a sentimental piece easily enjoyed when expectations are checked at the door.

Cabaret Poe at the Historic Irvington Lodge

Cabaret Poe at the Historic Irvington Lodge is a must see show for this Halloween season.  Creative, catchy and delightful, the cast of four takes audiences on an unforgettable journey through the work of Edgar Allen Poe.

Here is my review originally published in NUVO.

Director, composer, lyricist and star of Q Artistry's Cabaret Poe, Ben Asakywee, transforms the literature of Edgar Allen Poe into a snappy pop musical, with just the right amount of somberness and humor. Tim Burton-inspired designs seamlessly represent the collision of Poe's macabre writing with the tongue-in-cheek of Asakywee's adaptation and direction. Spot-on dead-pans from Asakywee, Julie Lyn Barber and Renae Stone, who join him on stage, create ripples of giggles through the audience as they tackle the genius of one of America's greatest storytellers through song and dance. With a confident use of direct address and audience interaction, the trio of actors is thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end. The Historic Irvington Lodge provides the perfect backdrop for a Poe parlor show. Through Oct. 31; 677-5318, www.cabaretpoe.com.

Review: Holes at the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT)

Originally published on The Examiner.com.

The Indiana Repertory Theatre presents Holes on their main stage now through November 6. This delightfully mysterious children's tale, by Louis Sachar, comes to life through the eyes of a rag-tag gang of six boys sentenced to a horror-filled work camp. Through a series of flashbacks, the fate of one young prisoner becomes clear. An ensemble of eight adult actors don various characters and accents as easily as costumes, working to move the play through centuries of time with enigmatic storytelling. Directed by David Bradley,  

Holes at the IRT offers a live action glimpse into the whirlwind mind of famed childrens author Louis Sachar.
Based on Sachar's 1998 novel of the same name, Holes has been adapted for the stage and the screen both by Sachar himself. Because of this the script manages to adhere to the essential storytelling elements that make Sachar's work so unique including his ability to make believable far-fetched characters and to prolong suspense even as he jumps from the Old West to the modern day Texas.

The cast is easily divided into two parts, adults and kids, with each team working equally to further the plot in very different ways. While the cast of kids explore the gentle dynamics of teenage relationships among boys, the adults jump from character to character, each more outrageous than the last. The juxtaposition of realistic characterization in teen characters and the caricature like jumps each talented adult makes captures perfectly the way adults can sometimes seem so zany to kids.

An impressive set from Rob Koharchik, complete with about a dozen holes from which endless theatre magic seems to spring, the dry, dusty landscape that sets the modern day scene easily translates to a variety of locations throughout time and around the world. With ample help from Lap Chi Chu's lighting design, the show becomes a veritable flying carpet. Wendy Meaden's costume design also make impressive transformations throughout the show.

While Louis Sachar's novel is most popularly read by school children, the IRT's production of Holes is appropriate for kids of all ages. Enjoy this truly magical theatre production with family and friends, a great opportunity to introduce you kids to live theatre. Catch it through November 6 at the Indiana Repertory Theatre bring Indianapolis theatre to downtown.

Wit at Theatre Within

The Theatre Within in Fountain Square presents Wit for one more weekend only. This heavy drama by Margaret Edson, shares one literary professor's lonesome struggle through cancer as she navigates a careless medical system. A thoughtful play with humor throughout, director Ruth Hawkins elicits interesting performances from her cast. With a script, and a main character, that are ever aware of there own dramatic devices, Theatre Within's production finds a strong balance between the wit and the sentiment of Wit.

Susan Pieples as Vivian Bearing, the cancer ridden lover of John Donne poetry, carries the show through direct address monologues that gently walk a line between snide know-it-all and sympathetic victim. Though I didn't like the character very much, Pieples manages to evoke an emotional response from her audience due simply to her sickly circumstances. Left alone in the world through a series of self-alienating life choices, the character comes to illuminate the importance of human interaction through her lack thereof.

Making the jump from behind the scenes to onstage, Rod Issac takes on the roll of the monotone Dr. Kelekian, whose strangle-hold over his fellow Jason Posner (Thom Turner) makes for a comedic exploration of the shortfalls of the medical world. Paired with RN Susie Monahan (Eryn Bowser), the difference between nurses and doctors when it comes to actual care in the most literal sense of the term, provides interesting food for thought. Hawkins plays up the hamster wheel of a hospital cleverly through blank faced doctors moving with Tetris like precision.

Though I was disappointed by emotionally manipulative musical choices throughout, which show both a lack of faith in the actors' ability to act and the audience's ability to receive, I split hairs. The show retains a sense of cohesiveness throughout, meditating on the end stages of life without becoming too heavy handed. Overall, a wild success for Theatre Within and a worthwhile Indianapolis theatre production. Catch it for one more weekend: September 24 and 25 at 8:00 pm.

For more details visit the Theatre Within's website.

Camelot at Beef and Boards

Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre presents Camelot through October 10. This Broadway musical, which premiered in 1960, shares the legend of King Arthur (Doug Stark), Queen Guenevere (Krista Severeid) and Sir Lancelot (Tony Lawson). An epic love triangle, Beef and Boards' production features gallantry, sword fights and knights dancing. . . what could be better? With strong contributions from both Severied and her real life husband Lawson as two-thirds of the love-triangle, the production shimmers with forbidden love and catchy tunes. And though Stark sing-speaks most of the beloved songs, his contribution as the chivalrous and kindly king is simply heartbreaking.

In the role of a life time, Doug Stark captures King Arthur's temperament nearly perfectly. Making the transition from the dull Wort to the noble King, Stark is lovable in this lead role. When paired with Severeid as Guenevere, the two create a realistically charming relationship. And Severeid's voice simply soars in her vocal solos. Tony Lawson's ego-centric Lancelot, complete with a snooty yet sexy French accent, delicately navigates the waters between total ass and miracle maker. The three lead hit every relational nuance they can, without brow beating. Underplayed emotions align with medieval mores. As their age-old love triangle builds, its is impossible to keep from intertwining your own emotional response with the difficult situation at hand.

As usual, Jeff Stockberger is spot-on as comedic relief in the role of King Pellinore. Snorting and barking his way through scenes, with some help from a gigantic four-legged friend, he steals practically every scene he is in. A delight to watch, Stockberger pulls double duty as Merlyn in the first scene of the play, effortlessly grasping the aged wisdom of the famed wizard. As Mordred, Danny Kingston is an evil scream. A good six inches shorter than most other players on stage, he establishes himself quickly in the second act as the ruthless heir with a larger than life presentation. The ensemble shines vocally, particularly in the climatic song of the play "Guenevere."

Director Eddie Curry creates a magical homage to the legend of Camelot on stage now at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre. For lovers of grand musicals, this Indianapolis theatre production is one to catch.

Annie at Indianapolis Civic Theatre

Nina Samaan as Annie at Indianapolis Civic Theatre

I took my sister, Maggie, to see Annie at the Indianapolis Civic Theatre last weekend. On opening night we took our seats for this Indianapolis theatre production, settling in to enjoy Maggie's favorite musical ever. Something about the whimsical little orphan, whose optimism is the only thing she has in abundance, seems to touch a chord with children upon first sight. And in fact, on our way out that evening, a little girl, no more than six, twirled in the lobby singing "Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow." It was as if we were hearing the song for the first time and imagining our rags to riches dreams once again through her.

The story hasn't changed at all since it first premiered in 1976. But the idea of clinging to hope in the midst of depression, economic or otherwise, is as fresh as ever. Never had the song "We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover" rang so resonantly with me before. I found myself wondering why no one had yet parodied the tune replacing Herbie with Georgie. Yet as we suffer through the worst economic recession since the 1930s, the important lesson the little orphan has to teach is the real point.

Civic Theatre's production of Annie offers a highly polished design concept, allowing the cast to travel to the many locations called for in the show. Despite a few costuming hiccups, namely a hat that shadowed the face of the Rising Star in "N.Y.C.," each member of the cast was picture perfect. Famous for his lighting and scenic design throughout the city, director Ryan Koharchik played to his visual strengths to create a truly beautiful production.

The cast pushed themselves to the comic limit, doing justice to their cartoon origins in the Sunday funnies. As the devilish Rooster, Paul Hansen elevated those around him, even helping to flesh out his sister Mrs. Hannigan's (Carrie Neal) character. Singing from Daddy Warbucks (Dan Scharbrough) and Annie (Nina Samaan) fell flat. Yet I couldn't get enough of the songbird voice of Mikayla Reed in the role of Grace Farrell. But the most impressive sound, by far, came from the ensemble who sent shivers down my spine on more than one occasion.

For a healthy dose of adorable orphans, particularly Annie Cushman as Molly, check out Annie at the Indianapolis Civic Theatre. Read the NUVO review, written by yours truly here.