Theatre Unchained’s “Herding Cats”

reviewed by Daniel Shock

Amid the chaos of our morning preparations for a road trip to Chattanooga, our cat decided to make a statement by throwing up in our open suitcase. This incident left us half-amused, half-frustrated, and fully convinced it was a calculated act. This moment coincided with my need to gather my thoughts about the unpredictable charm and occasional mayhem pets bring into our lives for this review of Theatre Unchained’s production of Neil Martin’s Herding Cats. Unlike our little saboteur, the feline characters in Herding Cats may not resort to villainy, but they certainly weave their own unique brand of mischief into their owner’s life.

Herding Cats tells the tale of several cats: Stella (Angela Dill), Buddha (Julien Lyons), and Lupin (Aspen Harnishfeger), along with their animal-loving owner, human Kelly (Jenny Williams). Their easy life is disrupted when Jenny unexpectedly brings home a (gasp!) dog (Hannah Hoffman) named Charlize to foster. As the cats get to know and negotiate territory, they listen in on Kelly’s phone conversations, which reveal problems with her employer. Fearing the loss of the loving home they know, they join forces to try and help Kelly keep her job.

Jenny Williams as Kelly doses her pet Stella, played by Angela Dill

The cast has a great time taking on the personas of their animals. Any pet owner will recognize the behaviors and personality traits displayed here with great comic effect. Angela Dill, as the kitty Stella, is wonderfully funny and has mastered quite an array of cat sounds. Julien Lyons, as Buddha—the Dr. Frasier Crane of cats and Stella’s brother—is hysterical and has some of the very best snooty cat material to work with. Completing the trio, Aspen Harnishfeger plays Lupin, a ‘street cat’ with charm and swagger. All three cats have great moments and keep the audience in stitches. Hannah Hoffman plays the sweet newcomer, Charlize the pit bull, with an earnest joy that makes you want to scratch her ears and ask, “Who’s a good girl?” Pet owner Kelly the human is played by real-life human, Jenny Williams, with natural authenticity, perfectly capturing a young adult navigating the stresses of life and the joy of pet ownership.

Julien Lyons as Buddha and Hannah Hoffman as Charlize

Megan Ann Jacobs, the director, costumer, and sound designer, has put together a funny and charming show. I don’t always mention costumes in my reviews, as some shows depend on them more than others. However, the costumes by Ms. Jacobs wonderfully bring out the personalities of the animals with ears, paws, and tails. My favorite has to be Buddha’s all-white fuzzy outfit that really highlights his snooty prince persona. The set by Kurt Watkins is also fantastic and whimsical, with giant-sized cat towers, beds, and toys.

Aspen Harnishfeger as Lupin deals with Hannah Hoffman as Charlize

Overall, the show is a winner and an audience pleaser for animal lovers of all ages. The one negative aspect of the show is its length. It’s possible that there were some behind-the-scenes issues that caused the show to run long when I saw it on Friday night. It did start a bit late. I took my seat at 7:25 (start time was supposed to be 7:30), and the lights came up at 10:27. I mostly place responsibility for the length on the script. A lot of the first act felt redundant, and a few cuts could tighten it up and move things along at a better pace. The audience didn’t seem to mind the length, loudly laughing, hooting, and hollering through the whole show up until the end. But, you might need to take the run time into account when you are paying for parking on Mass. Ave.

Herding Cats runs at the IndyFringe – Basile Theatre at 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis – Saturday and Sunday, March 23rd at 7:30 pm and 24th at 3:00 pm. And then next weekend, Thursday, March 28th at 7:30, Friday, March 29th at 7:30, and Saturday, March 30th at 7:30. Tickets are available online by clicking HERE https://indyfringe.org/performance/2024-unchained-herding-cats/ or at the door.

• photos by Rob Slaven – Indy Ghost Light Photography

Theatre Unchained’s “Love/Sick” at Theatre at the Fort

reviewed by Ken Klingenmeier

Last night, Mrs. K and I traveled to Fort Ben to take in opening night of Theatre Unchained’s latest production – John Cariani’s Love/Sick. The play has been called a “dark cousin” to Cariani’s Almost Maine, and indeed it is. While Almost Maine celebrates love-sweet-love, Love/Sick covers love’s more painful side. Both scripts are extremely nuanced and hilariously funny, and they show Capriani’s incredible understanding of both play-crafting and human nature.

This production is directed to a very fine point by Kaya Dorsch, who shows a great perception of the playwright’s style and intent. His five players offer a sharply acted set of nine vignettes which cover everything from Obsessive Impulsive Disorder to a Bride and Groom meeting with spontaneous blindfolds to a man who mustn’t be ‘dazzled’ by goodness – the result being blindness, or speech problems.

In ‘The Singing Telegram’, Lucy Fields plays A Singing Telegram Girl with Kyrsten Lyster as overly expectant Louise Overbee

Standout performances from a cast which covers several different characters apiece include:

In the scene entitled ‘Obsessive Impulsive’ which kicks off the show, Joe Wagner and Lucy Fields are quite amazing as they tackle characters with obsessive impulsive tendencies who are not supposed to have love at first sight but do. The acting is complicated (and very well met) as about 3/4s of the scene is done in unison! Quite impressive…

In ‘The Answer’, a tale of a bride and groom who are very much unsettled about what they are ready (or not ready) to do, Brittany Magee and Joe Wagner meet blindfolded in a bathroom (so as not to see one another before the ceremony) and present a lively recounting of their present situation. The comedy, again based on love’s miseries, is the most physical of the scenes and is very well timed.

Brittany Magee and Kyrsten Lyster team up as a wife and wife with children in ‘Where Was I?’. This is the least comical of the scenes and relates to what is a familiar theme in coupledom, especially after children come into the picture. Ms. Magee’s Abbie is the caretaker of the family home and painfully has lost herself in her everyday tasks. Ms. Lyster’s Liz is the breadwinner. This relatable conflict is emotionally played with a surprising realization at scene’s end.

Perhaps the most unusual comedic material is presented in ‘What?!?’. In this vignette, Ben (Joe Wagner) has fallen in love with Andy (Aaron Henze) and arrives at Andy’s home to tell him so. However, Andy has a condition that renders him deaf or speechless if he is ‘dazzled’. Ben’s good news about love definitely has its effects and we are treated to a well-written, superbly acted scene.

In ‘The Answer’, Brittany Magee plays bride Celia and Joe Wagner does the role of Keith, her husband to be.

Actually, all the actors’ performances are a pleasure to watch. A lot of fine talent has put in a good deal of work on this project and the effort shows. The scant opening night audience loved the show and I hope many of my readers will find time to attend this true gem of a show!

Bottomline: A marvelous script by John Cariani gets first rate interpretation by Director Dorsch and his cast, resulting in a hilarious and heartfelt 100 minutes of theatre. Highly recommended!

Theatre Unchained’s Love/Sick continues at Theatre at the Fort (8920 Otis Ave in Lawrence) through January 21st. For ticket info and reservations go to https://www.artsforlawrence.org/tickets and look for the dated Love/Sick listings.

• – photos by Indy Ghost Light Photography

Theatre Unchained’s “A (Happy) Holiday”

reviewed by Gloria Merrell

As my program was stolen, kissed, and handed back to me with a drag queen’s lipgloss mark in the very beginning of the show, I knew that I was likely going to leave a glowing review.

A (Happy) Holiday is a heartfelt, sensational production from Theatre Unchained, developed by local Indy writers Kaya (Kyle) Dorsch, J.E. Hibbard, Karina Cochran, and Max McCreary is currently showing at Theater at the Fort in Indianapolis. The program describes it as a “campy, genre-switching holiday show….filled with magic, music, and drag, while speaking truth to the pressures we feel during the ‘happiest’ season of all.”

I would describe it as something more than that: This performance is one that leaves you wanting to extend forgiveness, show compassion, and heal from anything dragging you down. Yes, there is a drag queen who uses Christmas carols to haunt the central family until they cave to the “Christmakkuh” spirit, but this show is also a work of art capable of truly transforming the viewer, and a stunning depiction of our cultural zeitgeist.

The play begins with the anthropomorphized version of serotonin (our brains’ happy chemical) stepping onstage in a drag look that pays homage to the ghost of Christmas present, which is exactly as riveting as it sounds. “Sarah” invites us to meet the Abrams family, three generations of women suffering from the recent loss of a father figure. The oldest of these is Barbara “Bunny” Abrams (performed by Wendy Brown), whose spunky and fun-loving nature is sure to keep the audience on their toes. Her daughter “Busy” (played by Jenni White) is the family’s “uptight” mother figure. Busy’s daughter Leigh is the family’s youngest member (played by Wilhelmena Dreyer), and is struggling to trust her mother enough to be emotionally vulnerable.

from left: Jenni White, Wendy Brown and Wilhelmena Dreyer in “A (Happy) Holiday”

The family soon struggles as they find themselves reliving painful memories, finding that “healing” has no universal definition, and it can be difficult to break down the emotional barriers they have placed between themselves and others.

Sarah Tonin is played by Ariel Laukins. Sarah has been humanized in order to “heal” this family, and two elves work with her to assist them in this magical holiday journey. Laukins’ presence and glamour will enrapture you, helping to fully transport you into the world and spirit of the show.

Jenni White’s character as the mother was brought to life so eloquently that it genuinely shocked me to see her out of character after the show. Whether she was bitter, uptight, forgiving, or grief-stricken, it was impossible to miss the talent and depth she brought to the stage. Similarly, Wendy Brown, as Grandma, was a force of nature, delivering hilarious one-liners and often oozing with innuendo.

To me, Ms. Dreyer’s performance as daughter Leigh was the heart of the show. This character was a beautifully crafted representation of so many feelings and struggles that audience members may relate to, holiday season or otherwise. I spent much of last year watching my partner grieve the sudden loss of a father. I think one of the things that can be most difficult for a grieving individual is the feeling of isolation. This play does much to show how a family can come together and support one another throughout the mourning process, but I wanted to note one moment in particular: Dreyer walked onstage in an oversized jacket, shoved her face into it, and said, “Still smells like Dad”. The authenticity and vulnerability of Dreyer’s character shook me in this moment. I applaud the writers for including a detail that elucidates the little ways in which we hold onto the people we love, and I applaud Wilhelmena Dreyer for making this a meaningful and bittersweet moment for those in the audience that might have understood this feeling. Her performance was everything from delightful to gut-wrenching, and it would be difficult to see anyone else in this role.

Ariel Laukins as Sarah Tonin

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention Bradley Lowe, whose performance as Owen was both convincing and sincere as he gave a face to the idealized version of a loved one we may try to hold onto in grief.

And where would the show be if not for Sarah’s little helpers, played by Thomas Sebald and Anja Willis. Thomas blent seamlessly into every moment he was expected to change characters, always convincing and bursting with energy. Similarly, Anja brought delightful mischief to the stage and delivered my new favorite line of all-time: “Is your grandma single?”

Of course, this play would not have been the same without the technical assist of Sound Designer Oz Casile, who convincingly immersed the audience into the characters’ lives. Same goes for Lighting Designer & Board Operator Sue Kuehnhold, who used light color and timing in a way that further exacerbated the characters’ inner struggles, and wonderfully exaggerated the already hilarious character traits we saw throughout the two acts.

The set consists of a tragically barren home, effectively representing the emotional numbness and disdain brought about by grief. However, the Abrams family is quickly gifted a massive storybook, which brings a feeling of whimsy and holiday cheer to the stage. Accolades must be given to Director Max McCreary, whose blocking and direction brought this show to life in an unforgettable way.

The script is a seamless and miraculous blend of the writers’ experiences, struggles, and aspirations. It’s not every day you see an original show that surprises you with thorough entertainment, and it’s not every lifetime that it’s one of the best you’ve ever seen. This play is one-of-a-kind, and I’m grateful to the writers, cast, and crew for the love and heart they put into it. So if you’d like to see a murder confession, a sock puppet show, and a family beginning to acknowledge generational trauma to the tune of “Grandma got Ran Over by a Reindeer”, I would recommend getting your tickets now.

A (Happy) Holiday is presented by the Unchained Theatre at Theater at the Fort (located at 8920 Otis Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46216)  The remaining dates are December 3, 4, 8, 9 & 10.  Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm.  The runtime is 1 hour and 45 minutes with one 15 minute intermission.  You can purchase tickets on the website be clicking HERE.

• – photo courtesy of Theatre Unchained

Theatre Unchained’s “Coping with Autumn”

reviewed by Ken Klingenmeier

Coping with Autumn by Megan Ann Jacobs is a hell of a good play and an equally amazing production. Powerful, pointed, creatively fresh, structurally innovative, and cast with a striking array of talented performers, the show had its premiere last evening at Theatre at the Fort and left a good-sized opening night crowd with plenty to talk about. Mrs K and I are very glad we were among them.

Autumn (Kyrsten Lyster) receives a gift from boyfriend Steven (Thomas Sebald)

Coping with Autumn conveys the inner story of a sensitive young woman who gets caught up in an abusive relationship. Using direct monologue along with a series of dramatic scenes, we are informed about her at-home problems, her high school experiences, her difficulty making friends, her chance meeting in college with an attentive guy who makes her feel special (finally!) and the resulting caustic days of abuse which lead up to Autumn stabbing her boyfriend to death. There is no unveiling set of scenes to reach knowledge of that final event. We are matter-of-factly told of the murder at the play’s onset as we meet Autumn sitting in a psychiatric facility, awaiting her trial, which is presented in Act 2.

In an interesting creative twist, three actresses are employed to represent Autumn’s inner coping mechanisms during her various experiences. They are named Dee, Joy and Vera. Dee is innocent and silently protective, Joy is fun-loving and daring, while Vera is coarse and reactionary, and saves Autumn from situations that overwhelm her. The way these characters are written and portrayed brings new understanding to not only Autumn’s inner self, but also to how many of us operate in this crazy world.

from left: Dee (Maresa Eileen Kelly), Joy (Ethany Reeder Michaud), and Vera (Roci Contreras) help Autumn (Kyrsten Lyster) through a crisis

Ms. Jacobs directs her play with a certain keen edginess, offset by smooth transitions and a sharp clarity of the play’s ideas. An appealing mix of reality and symbolism, the action is set on an empty stage, with effective lighting playing an important role to set emotions and places. Scant furnishings come and go to illustrate Autumn’s memories of events and locations.

Talent abounds in the cast. Kyrsten Lyster leads the way with an absolute tour-de-force performance as Autumn. She effortlessly mixes her character’s heavy dramatic facets with light comedy, often going from harsh or difficult scenes to an audience-focused narrative with polished skill. Ms. Lyster attains many emotional highs and does so in a completely honest and believable way.

Autumn (Kyrsten Lyster) is overcome by her depression in a scene from “Coping with Autumn”

Autumn’s three internal features are very well-delivered by Maresa Eileen Kelly as Dee, Ethany Reeder Michaud as Joy, and Roci Contreras as Vera. They guide Autumn, encourage her, and protect her – until her love for her boyfriend trumps their effectiveness completely.

Rachel A. Snyder is perfect as Autumn’s imperfect mother, Brittany Magee shines as Autumn’s high school and college friends Dakota and Kasey, Joe Wagner relates well as high school boyfriend Jake and helpful defense lawyer Alex, while Kelly Keller is a patient psychiatrist, Dr. Weber, offered alongside the trial judge role.

An enraged Steven (Thomas Sebald – at center) is confronted by Autumn and all her levels of coping

Perhaps most dynamic of all is Thomas Sebald who creates Autumn’s abusive boyfriend Steven. Scripted as the stereotypical kind and generous guy who becomes a controlling, insolent abuser, Sebald takes his portrait of the troubled man to a fiercely sharpened level, dispatched with fearsome intensities. Sebald couples this role with that of the prosecuting attorney, making for the playwright’s well-thought-out and effective connection to the victim boyfriend.

Bottomline: Coping with Autumn is an amazingly expressive undertaking by all involved. It is articulate, poignant, and delves into matters of depression, abuse, suicidal actions, and parental challenges with a powerful insight. Its form is unique in style and presentation. It is far beyond what Mrs K and I expected when we came to see a show about depression and a young woman’s coping tools. I cannot express how impressed I believe you will be if you attend. It is a highlight of the theatre season.

Theatre Unchained’s Coping with Autumn continues at Theatre at the Fort (8920 Otis Ave in Lawrence) through May 21st. For ticket info and reservations go to https://www.artsforlawrence.org/tickets and look for the Coping with Autumn listings.

• – photos by Indy Ghost Light