But I don’t doubt we will be out there again soon. I need to look and see what is coming up on the theatre horizon. Old stalwart Indiana Auditions dot com is still a great resource, isn’t it? Let’s see: there is Company which just opened at CCP… there is Moonlight and Magnolias at take your pick!… How did that show get scheduled at 3 different theatres in a 6 week period? - first at Spotlight (opening Feb 10th/closing Feb 19th), then at CCP (4 weekends! Feb 24th to Mar 11th) , and then at CRT (Mar 8th to the 17th). There will actually be one weekend where it is playing simultaneously at both Carmel community theatres! (Ugh! The people who handle the rights fees for this play must think there is an M&M festival in town!) Titanic is coming to The Belfry, God of Carnage by my favorite playwright Yasmina Reza is coming to IRT (I rarely spend the money to go to IRT but this might be a must-see).

Lots of interesting stuff to try for – so I hope something happens and the weather is good and my aches and pains and maladies take a holiday. I love seeing live theatre, I just have to get some inertia going. I have also started preparing for Life (x3) auditions in April at Spotlight and getting a proposal together for next season’s directing slots. So it’s not like I have been totally vegged and cocooned. I just haven’t wanted to leave the house.

In the category – “Most Impressive Set Design” – the winner is Lori Raffel for her innovative design for “Six Degrees of Separation” (CCP). It was original, functional and appealing to the eye. And it worked extremely well with the director’s choices for blocking. I look forward to working with you again soon, Lori!

In the category – “Most Impressive Costume Design” – the winner is – actually it is a tie (I have several of these), so 2 winners: Patricia Schiro-Long for “I Hate Hamlet” (CCP) and Lindsey Lord for “Greater Tuna” (Spotlight Players). Schiro-Long’s choices were examples of using costumes as extensions of characters and I was very impressed with her designs, especially the evening dresses she picked for the later scenes. Lord’s assignment was to pick a variety of costumes for 20 or so characters. The choices had to be distinguishing (especially with 2 actors playing all the roles) as well as being workable for the quick-change aspects of the roles. This was well-accomplished. Well done, ladies!

In the category – “Most Impressive Newcomer” – the winner is Tempiellen Knuteson, who I saw in her role as Fairy May in “The Curious Savage” (Epilogue Players). At age 16, Knudeson moves about the stage with incredible grace and aplomb. She won an Encore Award for her part in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which I did not catch – but I can believe she was wonderful. I really look forward to seeing her on stage on the coming years. Come audition for me sometime, Tempiellen!

In the category – “Most Impressive Actor in a Smaller Role” – the winner is Shawn Evans for his role as Gary Peter Lefkowitz in “I Hate Hamlet” (CCP). Evans’ extreme energy and physicality turned a so-so role into a sparkling piece of showmanship. He took a lot of chances up on stage and they all worked to his advantage. Evans claimed an Encore Award for this role, as well – so congrats Shawn on a great job!

In the category – “Most Impressive Actress in a Smaller Role” – the winner is Vickie Smith as Justine in “Almost Heaven” (IndyFringe Theater). Vickie portrayed an old man’s daughter, who despite his coarse nature and disregard for her efforts, remained as staunch a supportive person in his life as she possibly could. Her passion for the character’s ideals and her genuine show of hurt feelings for the father’s unhappiness with her showed a wonderful understanding of her role and what the playwright had intended. You were marvelous, Vickie!

In the category – “Most Impressive Actor in a Larger Role” – the winners (another tie) are Damon Dennon as Ross Gardiner in “Visiting Mr. Green” (Spotlight Players) and Larry Haworth for his one-man show “Flowers and Other F-words” during IndyFringe Fest. Dennon mastered a very difficult role with passion and understanding. He was an impressive counter-part to his only costar in the show – David Harold, and delivered one of the years’ most heart-felt monologues as his character divulges what it is like to be gay in his situation, with conflicts from parents, work-mates, business dealings and the like. Haworth’s piece, co-written with Amy Pettinella, was of a very personal nature at times. He stood firm and strong in this most difficult of genres – the one-man show. On stage for a full hour, he regaled us with an impressive variety of characters and the many sides of a man. Super job, both of you!

In the category – “Most Impressive Actress in a Larger Role” – the winner is Lina Ricks for her portrayal of Ouisa Kittridge in “Six Degrees of Separation” (CCP). Ricks held down a most difficult role in this production, including moments of unsureness by some of her cast-mates during the show. As impressive as her rendition of Ouisa was (and it was a very excellent job), it was equally impressive seeing her polish as she showed no fear or confusion and more than once got the production back on track after it had jumped the rails. It was a remarkable display of talent and adept craftsmanship in acting and stagecraft.

In the category – “Most Impressive Cast as Ensemble” – the winner is the cast of “Suds” (CCP). What a workout this crew of 4 got into every night of their show’s run. They all got the absolute most out of the piece and their audience. High energy plus great talent equals a remarkable show with an all-out audience participation curtain call, the likes I have rarely seen in community theatre. Jenny Mermelstein, Alexandra Stewart, Carolyn Rae and Darrin Gowan gave it all up and received immediate praise from their audience. This was a stunning and rousing performance by all. Thank you to the cast for the uplifting experience!

In the category – “Most Impressive Direction” – the winner is Rich Baker for “Suds” (CCP). As described in the previous entry (above) this was a stunning production. I give a lot of credit to most any director who takes on a musical – there are just so many extra things to organize and develop when compared to a straight play, but Baker knocked this show out of the park. Every problem was solved, every performance detail was met, every aspect of every production value was covered – and all in a first class, professional way. This was truly one of the best musicals I have seen locally in many years (tied perhaps with Brian Noffke’s “Miss Saigon) and I can only imagine how good Baker’s Encore Award winning turn in “The Producers”, which I missed, must have been. Great job, Rich.

In the category – “Most Impressive Show” – the winner is (again) – “Suds” (CCP). I just loved the show – I loved how I felt after the show, during the show, remembering the show. As stated before, it was a full-fledged hit. I know it broke all the attendance records at CCP’s new theater. It was the most impressive show I saw all year.

Finally, in a special category “Most Impressive Theater Accomplishment” – the winner is Amy Pettinella for her body of work, including this year’s “Flowers and Other F-words” and “Almost Heaven”. Amy has to be one of the most focused and impressively creative people in the Indianapolis theater scene. She writes plays, and directs and produces them. She also runs a small music venue which is home-grown and successful. In past years her plays have found stages in regional and westward areas. I have known Amy for a long time, having met her when writing was just a dream she had. It is a wonderful story how she has never let obstacles stop her growth or block her path. Once she found a key to her talents, writing for theater - it was off to the races. I congratulate Amy and encourage her to keep growing. Amy seems boundless at times. I know she has just barely scratched the surface.

And now onto a fresh year. I look forward to what performances I can include in my coming year, as well as a directing stint I have at Spotlight Players, with “Life x 3″ by Yasmina Reza. I have a feeling that much more Impressive Theatre is on it’s way. Happy New Year everybody!

That also was a problem with this “Tuna”, but I will get to that in a moment.

The solid performances covered an incredibly wide range of characters, with each actor taking on 11 roles. Inventing so many different personae in a rapidly moving script is an intense undertaking. Mostly, these are very well done on both accounts, but having seen this 2 man troupe before, I had the feeling that there was slightly less energy at times or that there was an unsureness in places perhaps due to their coming back to the material after a few days rest. But for the most part it was a stunning variety of great creations on display and indeed, on this night, it got a standing ovation from the audience.

After seeing 2 different shows in the trilogy, I now have my favorite characters. Foxworthy’s Aunt Pearl Burras could become a mainstay in any family – she is sweetly endearing, caring of her uncared for nephew Stanley and she is a rascal to boot as she plots against a bluejay who disturbs her chickens and against the townfolk who cause her pain. LaMonte’s Petey Fisk, the good-hearted-to-a-fault Tuna Humane Shelter worker is a person whom one would like to know. His unfailing good intentions for his herd of unwanted critters is sensitive and loving. In one of the funnier features of this script that herd includes some oddly fierce stable animals.

My opinion about problems: well, there was the usual sensitivity I suffer with over slow pacing (the first act ran over an hour and 10 minutes and didn’t need to be nearly that long) and there was the afore-mentioned storyline problem with the script. Re: the script - I came to the theatre with high expectations after last year’s amazingly funny and clever Greater Tuna. So I guess there was a little disappointment in that this script just didn’t seem to have the same “fun intentions” that the former had. It was more heavily plotted and it’s humor came and went with a much cleaner, funnier (and tighter) second act standing out between the two. I had wished Williams, Sears and Howard hadn’t felt like they had to take themselves so much more seriously when they wrote this sequel. But I am happy that Tuterow, LaMonte and Foxworthy got together to give us a return visit to Tuna.

A Tuna Christmas continues with two more performances tonight and tomorrow (Dec 17 & 18) with an 8 o’clock show this evening and a 6 o’clock show tomorrow. Call for reservations at 317-767-2774.

Saturday night, Mrs. K and I headed to Carmel Community Playhouse in Clay Terrace to take in CCP’s current offering – Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare. The 1990 play is a winner of the Obie Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, and London’s Olivier Award for Best Play. It was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Based on a real life con-man, the play explores Paul, a black man with a penchant for finding his way into people’s homes, lives and sometimes hearts through his amazing talent for deception, his claim to be the son of Sidney Poitier and with a great deal of inside information about his marks.

Director Nick Crisafulli, currently teaching theatre at Franklin College in central Indiana, has assembled an ultra-talented cast from top to bottom, with even the smallest roles being played by very skilled and clever actors and actresses. Each role seems perfectly cast.

The central characters in the tale – Flan and Ouisa Kittridge, and Paul “Poitier” – are convincingly played by CCP newcomer Stephen Ulrich, the talented Lina Ricks, and the not-seen-frequently-enough, Bradley Allen Lowe. This core group weathered the storms of this very talky script, keeping the action moving and (at least until the final 15 minutes or so, when many of us in the audience were just too very full of information and consequences and started looking at our watches) drawing us in to the mystery, the complications and the excesses of the script. This last minute impatience was no fault at all of this trio – but as I said, this is a talky play that not only tells the tale but takes time to illustrate and explore such things as the ungratefulness of grown children, the importance of art, the narrow focus of greed, the lure of the spotlight (even if it is in a vehicle such as Cats), and the shortcomings of parents.

Through these wonderful portrayals, I saw that Flan and con-man Paul were cut from the same cloth, both walking a tightrope, each seeking to advance their positions in life through a certain amount of deception. I saw that for Ouisa the lure of fortune could not trump the lure of a grateful, interesting and loving child. No longer having such a child in her own brood, she is the only one who changes in the play – searching for enrichment outside of her priviledged world, anxiously striving to save the con-man from himself if she can. “We’re a bad match”, she tells her husband near the end.

Ms. Ricks is spectacular in her role, and some of her best scenes are played with the equally spectacular Lowe. Add to this: Steven Marsh and Monika Christensen (also making their CCP debuts) as family friends, Larkin and Kitty – Brenna Campbell, Vince Accetturo, Jamon Randolph and Adam Grandy as the whiny, put-upon children – Dane Rogers and Sarah McGee as a couple from Utah with a dream of success in NYC (both these actors delivered the best dramatic performances I have yet to see them do) – John Mercer, Gregory Dunn, Barb Weaver, Nick Cristafulli and Paul Hanson in vital smaller roles – then add back in Stephen Ulrich’s wonderfully greedy Flan and this is the most skilled large ensemble of players I have seen in a long while. It really is amazing how much talent resides in our theatre community.

Director Cristafulli uses an imaginative staging idea for this play – having offstage cast members at the ready with props and costuming in a very unique way. He also uses some shock techniques in his staging. A fairly graphic simulated homosexual act seems out of place in a play more tilted toward sophistication than raunchy but one might assume that there is a purpose for the departure. The shock of the scene portrays directly the shock on the part of the Kittridges. Either that or it was a direct “in your face” aimed for Carmel audiences.

Regardless, this is a fine production. All the skilled acting is played on Lori Raffel’s amazingly apt set. It is a wonder of simplicity – colorful, striking and utilitarian. Michael Long and the director share lighting credit and it is an addition to the show.

Very recommended – this show continues one more weekend from Nov. 17-20 at Carmel Community Playhouse in Clay Terrace. Go to www.carmelplayers.org for curtain times and reservation information or call 317-815-9387.

The play is set in Otto’s room at the home and follows his encounters with his daughter, Justine: who is faithful to, but disdained by her father – his nurse, LaVerne: who tries to heal his “wounds” to mixed results – the spirit of his dead wife, Claudia: who reminisces about better times – and Mrs. Mayfair: Otto’s dementia-ridden, down the hall neighbor, who wanders about and who briefly believes Otto is her long dead husband.

The Players (from left): Christina King, Joanna Winston, Larry Haworth, Vickie Smith and Mary Zurfas

Veteran actor Larry Haworth takes on the part of Otto and finds a steady measure of cantankerous regret to fuel the role. He is expressive and inward-turned in all the right places as his Otto unhappily rides the situation he is stuck in. The script certainly shows that much of Otto’s problem is himself and we get to know that fully in Haworth’s portrayal.

Justine, is masterfully played by Vickie Smith, who shows a deep range of emotions as she reacts to and parries with her dad. We see the dismay of dealing with the difficult father who discounts her visits and longs instead to see her departed sister and impossibly busy brother. She is steadfast in her caring for this unfair Dad and we can feel her sorrow in a moody performance of Justine’s frustration and sorrow. Ms Smith leads us to an emotional high point with action and voice. It was a very enjoyable performance.

Joanna Winston as LaVerne and Christina King as Claudia are effective in their roles, but I did not think the script gave them enough of a circumstance to make their turns as dynamic as Ms Smith’s since we lack the conflict we have in the first scene. For the most part, Otto gets to repeat what we already have heard about him, with some variances of course, but not many. Ms. Winston’s facial expressions as she reacts to Otto’s density and disgust expand her role a good deal and Ms. King’s airiness and hot pink toned, breezy costume added to the enjoyment of her portrayal.

The final visitor, Mrs. Mayfair, is played by Mary Zurfas, who does a good job with a brief, one-faceted role. Her visit results in a bit of turnaround for Otto, but it comes from a not very emotional giving over of self on his part.

You might be able to tell I was disappointed by a lack of depth in this uneven script. The first scene showed so much promise and emotion, but the following scenes unfortunately did not live up to that promise. This is Otto’s story and the 3 later scenes do not advance that story with many new meaningful facets or information. There is a lack of shape to this part of the play and I am afraid I was expectant of more of what we saw in the first scene.

Also, pacing was uneven in many places, unnecessary slow in others. At first I thought it might have been to set up Otto’s older, slower inner pace, but if that was the idea, it did not carry.

One possible solution might have been for the playwright to have recruited another theater-savvy person to direct this work. Often that can provide the second set of eyes needed to uncover possible problems and inspire changes. And it is especially nice when the playwright is on hand to work side-by-side with a director.

It isn’t that I did not enjoy these characters and the theater experience. The first scene between Otto and Justine alone was worth the price of admission (a very thrifty $10, by the way). I just think that there could have been more there. I believe the script needed more time to gel.

Almost Heaven continues through the weekend with shows Saturday night at 8 pm and a Sunday matinee at 2 pm. The theater is located at 701 E. St Claire St. in Indianapolis. Doors open one half hour before curtain and parking is available behind the theater.

Last night, Mrs K and I headed over to Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis to attend the annual Encore Awards Presentation. We have attended most years since 1998, when I was first nominated in 2 categories for On Golden Pond at Westfield’s Main Street Players. It has always been a fun evening and we really enjoy ourselves every year – seeing old friends, catching up on everyone’s projects and just generally enjoying the awards.

I have won a few times and been nominated and lost many others -and I have always felt that it is an honor to be nominated, as our area is awash with theatre talent and many outstanding performances and shows. It is really like nowhere else I have ever done theatre before.

I do not usually review this event. It is regularly a highlight on the theatre calendar, but this year especially, it had qualities that just outdid past versions.

First there was the remarkable opening by Claire Wilcher. Claire is an amazing singer, and her parody rendition of ”Good Morning, Baltimore” from “Hairspray” lit the audience and got us ready for the evening’s fun. She was quite remarkable in her simply staged solo – full voiced and funny, with a take-no-prisoners energy level that was the perfect kickoff for the show. Then immediately following this stellar performance, came the outrageous cast from Footlite Musicals’ The Producers with their uber-high energy version of “Keep it Gay”. It was not difficult to see why this production came away with the lion’s share of Encore trophies (7 by my count)  including Best Director (Rich Baker) and Best Production. The stage was flooded with campy characters and the laughs and energy took us from the high plain that Claire’s number had left us on out into the stratosphere – we, the audience, were READY! Kudos to Lori Raffel, who directed the entire show, for the choices that lifted us there.

Likewise, kudos to all involved for making the evening zip along at a steady pace – unlike some years past, where we did not exit the theatre until nearly or after eleven pm.

There were indeed some special highlights this year – among them: John Kastner, finally winning his first Encore award – actually two! John’s relief and excitement was palpable as he accepted his Best Director – Drama award with a shout about how we cannot compare him to Susan Lucci any more! It was great to see and I am so pleased for John, He has worked so very hard, through many difficulties, to keep his dream of his theatre StageWorthy Productions alive and breathing. He was justified to be so excited as his production of The Sum of Us came through with 4 awards, including 3 of the top catagories – his Best Direction award, the Best Production - Drama award he shared with his sister Angela as co-producers, and the Best Actor – Drama award won by Dan Flahive (who had an amazing double award night as he added the Best Major Supporting Actor - Comedy award for his turn in Duport, Mississippi – also a StageWorthy Productions offering). Add to all this the amazing Renee Pack’s win for Best Minor Supporting Actress – Drama for The Sum of Us, her second such win in two years, and StageWorthy had a memorable evening of recognition – well deserved and too long coming.

Two other highlights for me personally were the award recognition given to my friends Mike Harold (Best Major Supporting Actor – Drama for his work in To Kill a Mockingbird) and Susan Gaertner (Best Minor Supporting Actress – Comedy for The Curious Savage) – both productions at Epilogue Players. These two have done many roles in their community theatre careers, including lots of backstage work,  and I know it meant a great deal to each of them to be recognized for their outstanding turns.

Another bright spot was young actress Tempiellen Knuteson, in her first year of community theatre, winning the Best Major Supporting Actress – Drama for her role in To Kill a Mockingbird. I had seen her in The Curious Savage this past season and thought she was fantastic. I will follow her roles with interest as she is a young actress to keep an eye on.

I was also very pleased for those members of the cast and crew of Greater Tuna at Spotlight Players. They were well honored with 3 of the top comedy awards including Best Production – Comedy (Patrick Becker) , Best Director – Comedy (Jeremy Tuterow) and Best Actor – Comedy (Jim LaMonte) – all well-deserved for their outstanding production. And it was great to see the two young ladies who handled the many backstage costume changes receive a Judge’s Special award for their undertakings.

Last of all – I think – was the intrinsic feeling of family that came out last night. It was talked about several times and it make me think. What an amazing group of theatre people we are here in Central Indiana! There are so many theatres and so many talented and wonderful actors, actresses, directors, producers, singers, musicians, dancers and backstage people. There is so little animosity, and so much community. One never has to feel as if you do not belong – if you venture out to audition at a theatre you have never tried out for – if you attempt to work with a different director; all are welcomed here or there. And don’t think that is so in many other places – it is mostly special to here in Central Indiana and it is a wonderful thing about our community. Friendship is everywhere – I feel it at each of these evenings, from people I may have never worked with but who I have seen in something while they may have seen something I have done. The connection is real and it is to be valued.

Bob Harbin, in his tribute to Standing Ovation Award recipient John Austin Butsch, reminded us to look at the people we were seated near, take note of the talent around us, and enjoy each other. I am pleased to see that we mostly do just that. We have much to be proud about here and the amazing thing is – we get stronger, better and more vibrant each year.  Thank you Encore Association, for bringing us all together every year.

What makes a great show to me? A great cast with total focus on the job to be done. A fantastic crew who does what needs to be done without a prompt or note. And appreciative and sincere audience reaction. In Almost, Maine I was the lucky beneficiary of all three facets. This cast gave it’s all – in such a professional manner. They grew through the 8 performances both through my notes and their own growing understanding of what was occuring in their scenes. It was an interesting and wonderful process to observe.

As a crew leader, Bruce K did everything I asked and more. He was such an asset to the show and to the cast. I have thanked him dozens of times and will likely thank him again the next time I see him.

And the audience was willing to be taken in by the magic of the show. Admittedly, we did not get the attendance numbers we had sought. Reasons given have ranged from poor coverage by new reporters on local and city papers, less reviews (since I normally review CCP’s offerings – that was missing as I directed), and poor name recognition of the play. Although Almost, Maine is gaining prominence in the public eye, it is still mostly an unknown title to the general public.

Regardless, I was pleased with the product, as was the theatre hierarcy, the cast and our loved ones who came to see the show.

Was it a perfect journey? Far from it, but I grew many friendships that will enrich my life and grew in skills for later projects. Thank you to everyone who helped put this production together, especially Lori, Michael  L., my great cast, my wife Donna and of course - Bruce!

I took the audience's picture during my warning not to use flash photography during the show...

Last night we opened and the cast really entertained the medium-sized audience, leaving them smiling and charmed. This script is a wonder of charming. It was wonderful for the cast to have a full audience. I now can look forward to seeing the nightly path of our creation as if grows, changes, and finds different meanings in many places while entertaining, enriching and effecting our audiences before passing away on September 25th after the final performance.

On our preview night, the final “rehearsal” before our opening, we left a four person audience of invited friends charmed and happy. They loved the show and I felt good for the actors to finally get the laughs and the pensive silences that cannot come in all the empty house rehearsals that lead up to that. It was an interesting show – with a bunch of little mishaps – gaffs, mistakes, disfunctions and oversights. (There is an axiom that goes around in theatre – “Bad dress rehearsal, good show” – and that seemed to hold in our case.) Some of the actors felt bad about the mishaps, all of a sudden feeling a little bit less prepared than they thought they were. But I told them this – we were now into the realm of live theatre and as always was and will be: things happen and you just roll with it and create the magic onstage in a different, albeit unrehearsed, way. Then afterward, you look at your mishap, relearn what you forgot and make the effort to not let that particular one happen again. Because – there will be a new mishap the following performance and what you do not want is a 20 mishap crash happening on the highway that is your show. They corrected the preview set of mishaps – crossed them out – and went forward with a really clean, clear opening, performance. There may have been a fumbled word or two, but nothing like the night before.

I have always been amazed by actors (and even as an actor) about how the performer’s mind works in those onstage crises that spring themselves upon the action. The actor’s mind hears or sees the error, rates it as a mistake, thinks about what appropriate measures are needed to accommodate the necessary change(s) and delivers the change into the action flow. Usually in a matter of a split second! It is truly a miracle in a way.

So we settle into our run. Second night performances can be a bit less sharp than openings, so I will alert the cast to that and expect that they will energize their tasks so we do not have a drop in performance level. Experience tells me that all short runs of shows, our run is only 8, have a best show, a worst show, new mishaps, new understandings of lines and circumstances, and differing levels of performances that merely mirror the everyday energy changes we have in our lives. It is what I expect to happen and so I will not let my enjoyment of what we created be affected by these things. The show goes on – as it must!

The stage is ready for "Almost, Maine" at CCP

Ready. Finished. At last!

After much hard work, and daily help from Bruce K (although at times, I am not sure that it was not: me, helping him), the set is built, painted, decorated, festooned, covered, snowed upon, and done. So finally the show is ready – and with not a moment to spare as tonight is final dress, tomorrow is preview night and Thursday is our opening.

The actors have been ready for a while. After Sunday’s short 2 1/2 hour tech rehearsal – they have had 2 nights off and should be ready for the big week of shows. They are an amazing group, I must say. Full of talent, but ultimately very directable, they have shaped and honed their performances together into what should be a very memorable show. Ericka Barker, Carrie Schlatter, Daniel Shock, Joshua Ramsey, Gavin Rulon and Tamara Rulon are all to be much admired for the work they have put into this show.

But it all starts with the great script by John Cariani. The humor and touching sweetness that he has created in this work is a wonderfully balanced literary piece which is bound to please our audience. The cast, as I have said before, rocks! And I must say, I am very proud of our set. Bruce and I have tried to create an outdoor/indoor presence onstage and from my vantage point, it seems to have worked.

So finally I can relax. Oh, I have the responsibility of running the lights and sound – but the hard work is finished and the enjoyment has yet to begin. I hope that if you possibly can, you will come to see our show.

Carmel Community Players, Carmel Community Playhouse, 14299 Clay Terrace Blvd., Carmel IN, Sept 15,16,17,18,22,23,24 & 25. Call for reservations at 317-815-9387

Last night’s rehearsal showed definite progress. We are very close to having every single thing nailed down performance-wise. We had a costumed rehearsal and the colors and looks sure added a lot, as they always do.

Naturally, we had another setback. I swear this one is a new one on me. Our masking curtains (a pair of 20 foot long black curtains on stage right) were whisked away by the theatre group that owns them. Seems they need them for their stage. So now all our stuff on that side is exposed, the stored pieces, the movement, everything. The powers that be from the theatre have been working on getting some replacement curtains, and I am trying not to get too frustrated with this setback as it is a theatre problem and not a production problem. But my fingers are breaking in their crossed and recrossed state.

I have a few pictures to share:

"Story of Hope" with Gavin Rulon and Tamara Rulon

"This Hurts" with Carrie Schlatter and Daniel Shock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Getting it Back" with Ericka Barker and Gavin Rulon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Seeing the Thing" with Joshua Ramsey and Carrie Schlatter