Indy Theatre Habit

If you have been reading my blog regularly, you already know that I have agreed to be an Encore Awards judge starting this fall.  Until last Friday night, I had been to each of the eleven Encore theatres except one: the Hendricks Civic Theatre.   Since I won’t be able to write publicly about any of the Encore theatres once I become a judge, I thought I had better get out to HCT at least once while I could still rant or rave about it on my blog.

So…I drove out to Brownsburg, which is west of Indianapolis, to see “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” as directed by Jeff Van Paris and co-produced by Jan Van Paris and Deena Conway, with musical direction by Rick Gamble and production assistance by Jeff Best, Carrie Carson, and Lisa Decker.

Even though I was curious about the HCT, I wasn’t all that excited about seeing “Joseph” again.  I had already seen this musical version (lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber) of the Bible story in Chicago with Donny Osmond a few years ago.  I also saw it last winter at the Indianapolis Civic Theatre.  (Both pre-blog.)  I loved it both times.  This was going to be an all-volunteer production.  The program even proudly said that it was an “Amateur Production.”  Surely it would be a let-down.  I prepared myself to be polite, and to appreciate the theatre’s community spirit if not the artistic pleasures of its show.

Mind you, there is nothing wrong with community spirit.  In fact, some people would say that the purpose of community theatre is first to build community, with artistic excellence an only secondary goal.  In any case, even before the curtain went up last Friday night, I liked being in the very full Brownsburg Community and Recreation Center simply because of the way it felt.  There was that good vibe in the air that only comes when most of the people in the audience know each other and know the cast.  The vibe that only develops when a whole community has pitched in to make the entertainment happen.

But there was a freshness to the actual show that was exhilarating, too.   At one point early on I found myself thinking, “Hey!  I am really enjoying this.”

I especially enjoyed the fact that the two main characters - Joseph and the Narrator - were completely satisfying and yet also very different from the other productions I had seen.  The actors gave me new insights into the characters through their portrayals.

Susie Harloff plays the Narrator and gives her a sophistication that is sometimes worldly-wise almost to the point of (seeming) indifference.  “Oh, Joseph,” she sings, in so many words, “Don’t worry so much!  We all know how this story is going to turn out.  Relax, babe!  Live a little!  Have one of these yummy fruity cocktails.”  But her nightclub-confident coolness stops short of being brittle.  Under all of the party-girl elegance, there is always a layer of kindness.  She cares quite a lot, actually, about Joseph and his story.

Her voice is strong and beautiful, too.

Tyler Braun’s (Joseph’s) voice rolls richly out of his mouth like a campus dreamboat’s.  And that breathtaking smile!   But he, too, brings a complexity to his portrayal that made me see Joseph as more boyish, more innocently arrogant, and more truly loving than I had in previous productions.  Braun’s rendition of “Close Every Door” brought me to tears.

The show as a whole is one visually appealing, high energy number after another, which was also very enjoyable.   I loved the creativity of the choreography by director Jeff Van Paris.  The smallish stage was often filled with LOTS of people bobbing and twirling and making subtle movements with their fingers and so on, but not only was it all well coordinated and pleasing overall, every detail of it was executed correctly.  Normally when I go to a community theatre musical that has a gazillion people in it, I catch cast members in the back row slacking off because they think no one will see.  Or I see cast members who mean well, but who missed too many rehearsals.  Or something. 

But wherever I looked in this show, each person was doing his or her part and doing it well, doing it skillfully and enthusiastically, as if it mattered.  Which, of course, it did.

After the show I got to chat with Van Paris for a few minutes.  He told me that being able to rehearse in front of mirrors at a local school had made a world of difference.   He taught the performers about “body memory” and they could see for themselves in the mirrors how important it was.  For example, he could tell a performer that his (or her) arm was not at the same level as everyone else’s, but they wouldn’t really get it until they could see it for themselves in a big mirror with everyone else. After they had self-corrected with Van Paris’s help, their body would remember the right way to do it.  And they would make the effort to do it because they had seen for themselves what a difference it made.

(By the way, the dance captain was Alexandria Van Paris, the director’s daughter.  Rehearsal piano accompanists were Bob Boswell and Tracy Damone.  Audition piano accompanists were Bob Boswell, Margaret Humrichouser, and Angie Swincher.)

I also got to chat with co-producer Deena Conway.  She told me that Van Paris had made a sort of “Joseph kit” for each member of the Kids’ Chorus at the start of rehearsals.  The kits included “Joseph” crossword puzzles and supplies to color and cut out a paper “Joseph coat” of their own.  These decorated the cast and crew bios posted in the lobby.   (Lobby display by Deena Conway and Carrie Fillip. Head shots by Dave Humrichouser.)  All of this helped the children to feel a sense of ownership of the show, too.

Back to the show…

Each child, when not dancing or singing with Joseph or the Narrator in the middle of the stage, sits off to the side behind his or her own large, specially decorated, brown paper sack.  The sacks hold surprise after delightful surprise: props and costume items to make the audience laugh and to help embellish the songs and story.  I’ll only give away one - the stick-puppet sheep masks! - because they are too fun not to mention. 

(The vocal director for the Kids’ Chorus is David Turner.  The Kids’ Chorus includes Georgie Baker, Zoie Cason, Abby Chestnut, Emily Damone, Madison Deckard, Adam Decker, Case Estle, Chloe Estle, Madison Fillip, David Gamble, Alexis Green, Tyson Harloff, Adam Hayes, Victoria Johns, Audrey Kays, Rachel Kelso, Jill Koval, Luke Rasberry, Heather Shelley, Priya Shields, Zachary Welch, and Katie Wingler.)

The many adults in this show are fun to watch, too.  Joseph’s brothers, especially, are hams in the best sense of the word.  The antics of these lads - collectively and individually - are a hoot.  Brian Welch plays Reuben; Bryan Padgett plays Simeon;  Christopher Humphries plays Levi; Jeremy Welch plays Napthali; Jake DeWitt plays Issachar; Dane Van Parish plays Asher; Grant Callen plays Dan; Charlie Cronau plays Zebulon; Chase Cansler plays Gad; Bryce Conway plays Benjamin; and Tom Bartley plays Judah.

Some of the brothers lead some of the songs.  I especially admired Simeon’s (Bryan Padgett’s) funny-mournful rendition of “Those Canaan Days” and Gad’s (Chase Cansler’s) contagiously joyful -and persuasive - rendition of “Benjamin Calypso.”

One of the brothers, Dane Van Paris, is also an Apache Dancer with Kaci Gardner.  Their lifts during “Those Canaan Days” are gorgeous.

Buzz Lovko doubles as Jacob (the father) and Potiphar.  I especially enjoyed the W.C. Fields quality that Lovko gives Potiphar.

Potiphar’s Wife (Alexandria Van Paris) is a sinuous, sensuous tease.  I couldn’t see how Joseph was able to resist the invitation to “lie with” her.

The other Wives are vivacious.  They include Jessica Bartley, Tara Carson, Tori Champlin, Kaci Gardner, Kristin Kellermeyer, Lauren Kotarski, Laura Morgan, Lindsey Schaefer, Alexandria Van Paris, Jodi Wingler, and Susan Yeaw. 

Again, everyone moves together well and cares about doing his or her own part well.  I watched one Wife look down, lost for a moment in what she was doing in her dance, and then look up at the audience with a smile, not because some inner voice had reminded her to, but because of the pleasure of it.  It was a pleasure to watch.

Some of the Wives also double as Potiphar Dancers, while some of Joseph’s brothers also double as the “Potiphar Trio.”   Jessica Bartley and Grant Callen also double as the Baker and the Butler, respectively.  I enjoyed their solos, too, and wished they both could have had happy interpretations of their dreams!

The set includes funny inside jokes, such as the crossroads signs that lead to Plainfield (Indiana) as well as to Egypt.  Those Ishmaelites dragged Joseph ALL over the planet!

Smoke billows out impressively near the beginning and near the end.  I laughed out loud at the dust puffing up from the chicken carcass during “Those Canaan Days,” too.  And I admired the deft way a spotlight was used to focus attention as needed.

(Set designed by Jeff Van Paris and constructed by Joan Kimbley, with “artistry” by Liisa Le and Sue Gillock, and props by Rebecca Bowman, Rob Bowman, Carrie Fillip, and Mark Scott.   The stage manager is Jeff Van Paris.  The stage and tech crew includes Dave Benware, Mark Conway, Ryan Deckard, Jeff Decker, Julie Kays, Anita Shelley, and Tom Shelley.  The lighting and sound technicians are Alex Chabra, Tom Cronau, and Dave Humrichouser.)

The costumes are dazzling.  According to the program, they are on loan from Carmel High School and the Indianapolis Civic Theatre.  Costume coordinators include Carrie Carson, Margaret Humrichouser, Nancy Kotarski, Lindsey Schaefer, and Jeff Van Paris.

In fact, I wish I had time to go see this show again, because it includes so many visual treats.

If I could go back, however, I would go very early and make sure I got a seat near the middle.  As I mentioned before, the house on Friday night was nearly full.  The “house” is actually a multi-purpose room.  The pole for the theatre lights is next to a basketball hoop, which is next to a hand-lettered list of “Rules for Adventure Camp.”  The seats are folding chairs that are all on one level.   The stage is recessed into one wall, with a red velvet curtain that someone pulls up by hand.  On Friday night, I found a seat at the far left (where I could see the curtain puller.)  During the show, I couldn’t see some of the things that happened at the back of the stage.  I could only guess at them based on the roars from the audience members who could. 

For example, I missed seeing the Elvis-like Pharaoh (Jeremy Welch) and his Cheerleaders (Sammy Chestnut, Lexie Conner, Grace Fillip, Meghan Gamble, Alix Keller, Nadia Lovko, Katy Synder, and Rachel Troutman) during the whole first part of “Song of the King” because, from my angle of sight, they were behind so many other singer-dancers carrying large props or wearing large headdresses.

However, when Pharaoh came down to the front of the stage and I could see him, I laughed out loud in delight at his pelvic gyrations.  I cheered in enthusiastic approval of his sexiness along with every other woman in the house.  And the Cheerleaders were also Dream Dancers, so I was able to see and enjoy their energetic gracefulness in other parts of the show.   I could hardly stay in my seat during the groovy-psychedelic “Go, Go, Go Joseph” for example.

I also could only catch glimpses of the Ishmalites (Tyler Benware and Zach Decker), the Camel (Dustin Bowers and Justin Stodghill), and the Angel (Susan Yeaw) but what I could see looked appropriately funny.  And all of these people play other roles as well - Guards or a Wife, etc.

The sound system was having problems Friday night, and only the leads and soloists had microphones anyway, so the aural treats were not what they could have been, unfortunately.  However, what I could hear of the singing sounded good.  The orchestra, sequestered behind the stage, sounded smooth and lovely, and it was just right in terms of volume level - neither lost nor overpowering.  The percussion seemed especially skillful.  Also, it was a treat to have live pre-show music.

(The orchestra is conducted by Rick Gamble.  Its members include Bob Boswell on keyboard, Leah Trigg on synthesizer, Bob Burns on reeds, Deb Burns on horn, Jonathan Humrichouser on drums, Donna Johns on bass, and Tom Young and Eric Phillipsen on guitar.)

After the show, a few people started to fold and stack the chairs.  My jaw dropped: they have to set up and put away all those hundreds of chairs EVERY NIGHT?!

“Yes,” one of the chair crew told me.  “And set up and take down the front part of the stage every night as well.   Someone else uses this room during the day.”

I put away five chairs and then decided I would rather be talking to the director.  I wanted to ask him why, in addition to what he had written in his “Director’s Notes” in the program, he liked doing this particular show so much. 

Van Paris said that unlike in other musicals, where the chorus just pops on and off, the chorus for ”Joseph” is on stage almost all the time.   I knew immediately what he meant: you may not have the lead in this show, but you still get to do a lot of fun stuff on stage.

And, as he said in his notes, you do leave the theatre feeling good and humming the songs.  All this week, in fact, as I have been washing dishes or driving to work, I have caught myself singing, “For I have been promised a land of my own…”

Speaking of having a land of one’s own…When I met HCT’s Board Vice-President, Jeff Best, at “Honk” at Buck Creek a few weeks ago, he mentioned that HCT hopes to get a theatre of their own soon, too.  I hope they do.  I know they are grateful for the space they have in the Community Center, but with all the talent they have in Hendricks County…Well, it would be wonderful to have a place where they didn’t have to put away hundreds of chairs every night.

In the meantime, HCT’s “Joseph” is a feel-good, treat-filled show in spite of its technical difficulties.  According to the HCT website, they don’t take reservations.  I bet there will be standing room only this weekend, which is the last weekend in the run, so if you go, be sure to get there early.

Hope Baugh - www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

P.S. - If you live in Indy, you should know that there is construction blocking your way from 38th Street to US-136, so don’t rely completely on MapQuest to get you there.  Leave yourself some extra time for a detour.  However, once you get back on US-136 heading west, there is a green road sign that says “Community Center” and once you turn left there, the building itself has a huge “Community Center” sign on its outside wall.  There will probably be people in rainbow shirts at the door to guide you inside, but in any case, you may ignore the signs on the doors that say “Don’t use this door.”