Indy Theatre Habit

I love what former Indy Star critic Jay Harvey wrote in response to my recent post welcoming him to the world of arts blogging.  Here is a direct link to his smart, delightful post entitled “And worth every penny, too: The mixed pleasure of being an unpaid writer”: http://jayharveyupstage.blogspot.com/2013/05/and-worth-every-penny-too-mixed.html.

A few years ago I was trying to figure out how to do what I wanted to do (i.e., write more thoughtfully and usefully about live theatre) without going back to school.  Much as I would love to get two more master’s degrees – one in journalism and one in theatre – I probably won’t ever be able to afford to, for a number of reasons.

I discovered the American Theatre Critics Association and thought, “Ah-HAH!”  I couldn’t afford to do the ATCA’s “critics’ boot camp” right then but I can see it, or something like it, happening for me in the near future.   It sounds like heaven! 

In the meantime, I read as much of the ATCA members’ work as I could, looking for models.

Two of the members had retired from their paid careers as newspaper theatre critics and started their own theatre review blogs.  Both had abandoned their blogs after a while, saying it just felt too much like drudgery when they were no longer getting paid for it and/or being formally published by someone else.  (I’m sorry I can’t remember the writers’ names to quote them exactly, but I don’t want to take the time to look for them again.)

So…when Jay Harvey said he was leaving the Star and starting his own blog, I wondered if he would eventually feel as they did.

But…maybe for him, something else will happen.

Blogging is hard work, even when it’s fun.  And sometimes it’s a tool for influence (with all of the responsibility that comes with that.)  And sometimes it’s a sort of spiritual practice, like meditating.  I’m also beginning to think an independent blog about the arts can become a work of art in its own right. 

Or maybe that is just what I want mine to become.

Anyway, I’m still figuring it out as I go along.  And I look forward to reading more of Jay’s posts!

‘See you at the theatres…

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com and @IndyTheatre on Twitter.

In 2008, I was upset when the Indianapolis Star managers fired theatre reviewer Whitney Smith and gave his beat or whatever you call it to music reviewer Jay Harvey to cover as well. 

Here in 2013, when I hear that Jay resigned from the Indianapolis Star (his last day was Friday, May 17), I just sigh and hope that the Star’s head honchos will hire someone good to replace him. 

I’m afraid that they won’t hire anyone, not even a hodge-podge of freelancers.  I’m afraid that the Star will see this as an “opportunity” to just stop covering local performance art all together.

That would be horrible for Indianapolis’ arts organizations and a shame for the city itself.  It would also be a further erosion of the Star’s already low trust capital.

But I can’t control what the Star managers do, so I’m going to focus on the good news in Jay’s resignation:

Jay has started his own arts blog: Jay Harvey Upstage. 

Jay hasn’t said anything about monetizing his blog, only that he sees himself “thriving on this blog, responding to the arts scene around me, making it clear that I’m not in love with my opinions (I hope), but that my perspective after so much practice of cultural journalism in central Indiana might contribute fruitfully to the arts conversation.  I like to think I can encourage people to develop their own thoughtful responses to the arts just by modeling that behavior. I’m dreaming that ever more significant numbers of people will join me.”

How cool is that?! 

Even if he doesn’t have to worry about earning a living, Jay may get tired of writing for free once the rush of writing whatever he wants to write wears off.  And he may find that he simply wants to try doing other things.  He wouldn’t be the first “retired” professional journalist to have started a blog and then given it up.  There is no shame in that. 

But as long as Jay keeps writing his blog, I will keep reading it because I love the way he writes and thinks.  I wish him the very best with it.  I encourage you to give it a look, too.

‘See you at the theatres!

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

©2013 Hope Baugh

The other morning I found myself telling my doctor about how good “Menopause the Musical” had made me feel.  It has been around since 2001 but I saw it for the first time on April 2, 2013 at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre on the northwest side of Indianapolis.

Continue Reading »

A few Saturday nights ago I drove over to the United Methodist Church at 29^th and Fall Creek to see Stageworthy’s production of “Nocturne,” written by Adam Rapp and directed by John Kastner.

It was a treat.

In that same weekend I also saw Carmel Community Players’ production of “Steel Magnolias” and the Broadway Across America touring production of “Sister Act.”  I enjoyed those two very much but Stageworthy’s production of “Nocturne” is the experience I want to write about because it exemplifies so much of why I never automatically rule out all-volunteer shows even when I’m looking for art more than community.

Continue Reading »

Friday night I accepted a last-minute invitation from a friend who suddenly had an extra ticket to hear violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter at the Palladium in Carmel, Indiana.  It was part of the Bose McKinney & Evans Classic Series.

I don’t know much at all about classical music and I confess that I had never heard of Anne-Sophie Mutter.  I accepted without knowing anything about the show simply because I wanted to spend time with my friend. 

However, the concert itself was a sublime experience on many levels.  I am in the middle of writing some theatre reviews but I want to write a quick post about this right now in an attempt to capture a few of the details.

Continue Reading »

A week ago Thursday night, a friend and I minced our way over icy sidewalks, clutching our umbrellas against sleet (not snow, not rain, SLEET) to see the opening night of NoExit Performance’s production of “Yellow Wallpaper” at Q Artistry’s venue: the Irvington Lodge.  The weather was so challenging, I think there was only one other paying audience member.

I tell you about the weather not only to brag about our dedication as theatre-goers, but also to tell you that the struggle to get to and from the theatre that night was worth it.  “Yellow Wallpaper” is a treat:  an intense and beautifully done theatre piece that continues to resonate with me a week later.

Continue Reading »

I have had such a good time seeing live theatre shows lately!

However, whenever someone asks me, “Hope, what’s good?  What should I see this weekend?” I hesitate to answer.  I am a professional librarian, so I’ve been trained to never just hand someone a book but to instead ask a few nonjudgmental questions in return so I can understand more clearly what the person is looking for when they come to the Readers Advisory desk.  “A good book” means different things to different people.  It even means different things to one person in different moods or at different points in his or her life.

The same goes for shows.

Answering is made even trickier by the fact that unlike books or movies, live theatre productions are available for a very limited time.  You really have to “seize the day” with live theatre.

So what should you seize, I mean, see next weekend?  I have no idea without talking with you directly. 

And even then, whatever I suggest, you’d still be taking a risk.  Thank goodness!  The risk is part of the fun of having a live theatre habit.

Below are some thoughts about five shows that I enjoyed recently and which will still be on next weekend.  The shows are (in alphabetical order by title):

• “9 to 5: the Musical” at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre (through March 24, 2013)
• “Cinderella: Unscripted” at ComedySportz (Fridays, 10pm through…?)
• “The Musical of Musicals: the Musical!” by Actors Theatre of Indiana at the Studio Theatre in the Center for the Performing Arts (Thursday-Sunday, February 24, 2013 – final weekend)
• “Naked Boys Singing” at Theatre on the Square (through March 2, 2013)
• “Next to Normal” at the Phoenix Theatre (Wednesday-Sunday, February 24, 2013 – final weekend)

Continue Reading »

The Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre’s resident costume designer, Jean Engstrom, died on Thursday, February 7, 2013.  This message appeared on Civic’s Facebook page the next day:

Civic will open THE FOX ON THE FAIRWAY this evening with a heavy heart.  Our dear friend and Resident Costume Designer Jean Engstrom passed away yesterday.  As Bob Sorbera reported to the staff, “In a fashion becoming of a theatrical she passed away at the precise moment that the steel magnolias of the costume shop were raising their glasses in her honor.”  Our condolences to Jean’s family and friends.

I offer them my condolences, too.  I don’t think I ever met Jean in person, but I felt as if I knew her, or at least a part of her, through her beautiful costume designs.  I always looked forward to seeing them and invariably they wowed me.

Here are just a few examples (for most of these, if you click the link you can see a photo or two of Jean’s costumes in the full review):

Continue Reading »

I saw the Phoenix Theatre’s production of “Next to Normal” a couple of weeks ago.  I am still thinking about it, especially as more and more people see it and ask me what I thought of it.  Not everyone likes it, but everyone wants to talk about it.

I loved it.

It is a musical, but it feels like a deeply engaging play with great lines that happen to be beautifully sung.  The music is unusual but the notes fall into place in a satisfying way.  The show doesn’t feel like “Musical Theatre.” (Not that there’s anything wrong with musical theatre…unless it’s not what you’re in the mood for.)

“Next to Normal” nails so many things about mental health and grieving and family patterns over generations and the medical profession and buffers and invisibility and denial and happiness and fidelity and more…without being black-and-white or even too judgmental or prescriptive about any of it.  It invites emotional response AND intellectual discussion.

It is intense and it made me cry, but it isn’t depressing.

The ensemble cast under the direction of Bryan Fonseca and musical director Kevin D. Smith is splendid.

Should you go see it?  Of course you should, if for no other reason than it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama plus some Tony Awards.  Go see it and form your own opinion.  I bet it will be a strong one.

The show runs Wednesdays-Sundays at the Phoenix for two more weeks, through February 24, 2013. While you’re at the theatre, I’m going to write the rest of what I want to write about this show without worrying about spoilers.

Seriously, it’s better if you go see the show first and then come back and read the rest of this post.

If you don’t like spoilers, don’t say I didn’t warn you about the spoilers below.

Continue Reading »

This is my fourth week of an eight-week “Intermediate Improv for Adults” class at ComedySportz in downtown Indianapolis. 

What I Love About the Class

I love that the class is teaching me about story crafting as well as about acting.  It is not a writing class, but it makes me want to try writing fiction again.

I love that the class is teaching me about generosity, boundaries, and community on stage.  It’s too soon to tell if these lessons will affect the rest of my life, but I bet they will.

I love that the class is both mentally and (for me) physically demanding but not crushing.

I love that the class is thoughtfully structured, with a notebook of lesson plans that the instructors refer to, but within that structure, the instructors make each night unique.  They respond very specifically in the moment to our attempts, pulling from their own years of improv experience to offer advice.  I love that the instructors take the work seriously without taking themselves seriously. 

I love that the fifth rule of improv at ComedySportz Indy is “Have fun.”

“There’s no way to do this wrong,” instructor Michael Davis said on the first day.  “However, there are always choices.  Some choices are stronger than others, so I’ll be giving you feedback to help you learn how to make the stronger choices more often, but don’t worry about…” making a mistake, being imperfect, looking foolish, whatever.

I “failed” again and again that first night (and in the nights since) but it was in an atmosphere that made me want to keep going, keep trying, keep working, keep playing.

The Rules

There are actually all kinds of rules in improv, but here are the five we started out with:

1.   Pay attention.  (For example, if your scene partner mimes putting a chair in the middle of the stage, don’t walk through it a few moments later.)

2.   Agree. (For example, if you enter a scene thinking you’re going to be in a garden shed and your scene partner says, “Welcome to Disneyland!” then just go ahead and turn your imaginary rake into an imaginary mouse balloon or whatever.)

3.   Put the ensemble first. (Don’t judge or blame.  Do contribute.  Don’t overwhelm.)

4.   Commit. (For example, if you find you’ve become a frog in a scene, then hop your little heart out.  Use all your energy.)

5.   Have fun.

6.   There are no rules.

Other rules that have come up along the way so far:

• Don’t ask questions.  Michael said that asking questions is what we’ve all been trained to do, socially, to show that we’re interested in other people, but in an improv scene it just means you are making your scene partner do all the work.  So, for example, don’t say, “What are you holding there?” say, “I love that machete you’ve got there.”  Don’t say “What are you going to do with it?” say, “Boy, I hope you’re planning to use that machete on the weeds in the back yard rather than on my neck” or whatever.  If you forget and do ask a question, fix it yourself by turning your question into a statement.
• Begin in the middle.  Use names and other things to show that you and your scene partner have pre-established relationships.  The “hi, nice to meet you” stuff is boring. 
• Get out the names, place, and situation as soon as you can.
• Don’t block other people’s ideas. (Wait, that’s the same as the Agreement rule.)
• Listen, watch, remember.  (Wait, that’s the same as the Pay Attention rule.  Hmm.  Maybe everything is a version of those basic five rules after all.)

Warmups and Tools

So far, we have had three instructors: Michael Davis, Jon Colby, and Ed Trout, all excellent.  I think Michael will be teaching most of the rest of the sessions but it is nice to work with other gurus once in a while. 

No matter who is teaching, each week we first stand in a circle and stretch and chat a bit.  Then we play games in a circle:  to warm up our mouths and vocal chords; to raise our energy; to focus our attention; and to hone our imaginations.

Then we take turns getting up on the tiny ComedySportz stage and doing various kinds of scenes.  Michael said this week that both the warm-ups and the scene work are meant to give us tools that will come in handy with any kind of improv work.  I think they will come in handy with life, too, but as I said earlier, it’s too soon to tell.

My Take-Aways So Far

Each two-hour class is filled with experiences and ideas.  Here are some things that particularly resonated with me:

Week One:  Most people that do improv will tell you that “Yes, and…” is the most important thing to remember.  I realized as we worked that first night that this expression does not mean “be a doormat.”  The “and” is as rich and important as the “yes.”  Yes, I accept what you’re saying and doing AND I’m now saying and doing such-and-such to help us move forward in the story.  The story on stage or the story of our lives.

Week Two:  Today is the day that _____ happens.  ComedySportz shows are funny but actually, improv work is not about being funny.  This surprised me.  Improv is about being honest and open and strong and vulnerable and present in the here and now.  People like to laugh, but even more, they like to watch authenticity.  Also, people like to watch someone going to the place where they want to go but are reluctant.  Improv is about the unusual, even the unique. If it happens every day, why show it?  In improv, today is the day that a meek man tells off his boss, asks out his neighbor, takes a voyage, whatever he wants to do but would normally not do because of his inhibitions.  And what an optimistic, exhilarating approach to real life, too!  Today is unique! Today is the day a drunk man stumbles into our class, thinking ComedySportz is a bar, and our instructor, Jon, says firmly, “Yes, and I need you to leave now.”  Today is the day a gorgeous man offers strong, independent me his hand to help me down a tricky set of stairs, and I accept and am simply grateful for the help.  Today is the day that _____ happens.  I wonder what the “blank” will be today!

Week Three:  We worked hard this week on discovering and developing characters, first by “walking them” and then by using their inner and outer wants to drive scenes.  We practiced building tension with silence, too, and other improv tools.  It was all fascinating and more complex than anything we had done before, and by the end of the night I was exhausted and very aware of the opportunities I’d missed in our scene work.  Ed said, “Forgive yourself.  If you missed opportunities, eh, it’s improv.  You’ll never have to see it again.  Of course, the reverse is true, too.  If it was brilliant, you’ll never get to see it again, either.”  In either case, that’s just life.  I mean, improv.

Week Four: This week we continued to work hard.  Michael told us afterwards that the black notebook calls this lesson “Keeping the Story in the Scene.”  We did “freezes” – where two people do a scene for a few moments until Michael says, “Freeze!  Hope, change places with ___.” Then I go up on stage and put my body in the exact same position as my classmate’s. She or he leaves the stage and then my other classmate and I start a new scene from that frozen position.  We also practiced doing 3-person scenes in which the first two people give the 3^rd person usable information about himself (or herself) before he enters, through their conversation.  It is much more helpful to say something like, “you know, my friend Joe that limps” than “my friend Joe who has brown hair,” for example.  We also practiced paring down minute-long scenes into 45 seconds, then 12 seconds, then 6.  Then we practiced expanding a 6-second scene into a minute, which was much harder to do.   I realized that even though I am taking this class for personal growth rather than from any desire to get back on stage for a paying audience, I am still interested in the artistry of the work as well as the therapy of it.  Michael said, “One difference between doing improv and just playing make-believe on the playground is that in improv you say, ‘Later, at the barn’ or you open an imaginary door and walk out to the barn.  You don’t just appear there.”  Improv is a lot of fun, and it offers food for thought about life, but it is also worthy of respect as an art form.

Homework (aka Icing!)

This 8-week, 2-hours-per-week course cost $195, which is a bargain in and of itself, but guess what else?!  Everyone in the class received a handful of free passes to ComedySportz shows so that we can go to them for observation and enjoyment as “homework” in between classes!  What a treat!

‘See you at the theatres, including Comedy Sportz…

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com and @IndyTheatre on Twitter.

(Photo above taken by me with my trusty old iPhone.) 

© 2013 Hope Baugh