Indy Theatre Habit

(Last updated 3-1-11)

Here it is February already, and I am only now posting my 2010 directory of shows I have seen.  Ah, well.  Each year I improve my organizational skills a teeny bit.  In 2009, I didn’t get my directory started until mid-year, and I didn’t even start my 2008 directory until 2009!

This post will quickly get pushed down by newer posts, but it will be easy to find again through the category “Annual Directories of My Reviews” – see link at left.  I will add to it as I go through the year.  I know from experience that in some ways it will be much more useful than the search box that came with this WordPress template.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know the drill:  

Below is a list of the shows that I have seen so far in 2010, grouped by performance company and then alphabetized by show title, with links to the companies and links to my reviews of the shows if I wrote about them here on Indy Theatre Habit.  Performance companies are also labelled according to whether they are:

**  ”professional” (all of the company’s artists and staff are paid)

** “all volunteer,” (none of the company’s artists or staff are paid)

** a “hybrid” (the company has a mixture of paid artists/staff and volunteers)

I will be the first to say that “professional” does not necessarily mean high quality and “all volunteer” does not necessarily mean disappointing quality.  And in late 2009 my friend Greg also raised my consciousness over dinner one night by saying that really, the only professional theatre is one that offers its actors enough performances per week to make a living wage.  By that definition, only the Indiana Repertory Theatre and Beef-and-Boards Dinner Theatre are professional around here, other than touring companies.  That makes sense, but I am sticking with my general categories for now.

The companies are also labeled according to location.  All theatres are in Indiana unless otherwise noted. 

If you see any errors and/or know of an affiliation with which I should have tagged any of these companies, please let me know.  If you would rather remain anonymous, please feel free to email me privately with info about a company rather than leave a public comment.  My email address is amarylliswriter at gmail dot com.

ACTORS THEATRE OF INDIANA - professional; Carmel

• “Nunsense“
• “Rounding Third“
• “Tuning Concert” at the Palladium – not for review, although I did tweet about it a little that night

BEEF AND BOARDS DINNER THEATRE - professional; Indianapolis

• “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee“
• “Always…Patsy Cline“
• “Camelot“
• “Footloose“
• “The Foreigner“
• “Hello, Dolly!”
• “White Christmas“

BOBDIREX – hybrid?  Indianapolis (Athenaeum Theatre)

• “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” – no review, on sabbatical

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA - professional, touring; Clowes Hall and the Murat Theatre, Indianapolis

• “The 101 Dalmatians Musical“
• “A Chorus Line“
• “The Color Purple“
• “Dreamgirls“
• “Jersey Boys” – no review, on sabbatical
• “Mary Poppins” – no review, saw with my father on vacation

BUCK CREEK PLAYERS - all volunteer, Indianapolis

• “Ghosts”-  no review, on sabbatical

CABARET AT THE COLUMBIA CLUB - regular shows – professional, open mic nights – hybrid; Indianapolis

• “That’s Brentertainment!” – open mic night hosted by Brent Marty and featuring Su Ours; brief comments only

CARDINAL STAGE COMPANY - professional; Bloomington

• “The Grapes of Wrath“
• “The Santaland Diaries“

CARMEL COMMUNITY PLAYERS - all volunteer; Carmel

• “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof“
• “Crimes of the Heart” – no time for a review, but a cast photo and quick mention is here.”
• “Dead Man’s Cell Phone“
• “An Evening with Ben Vereen” – fundraiser for CCP – no review but I live-tweeted this event from a hiding place on the balcony at the Carmel High School auditorium.
• “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some)” – no time to write a review; I just enjoyed it and tweeted about it a teeny bit that night.
• “How I Learned to Drive” – no review, on sabbatical

CARMEL REPERTORY THEATRE - all-volunteer; Carmel, Indiana

• “The Pirates of Penzance” – no review, on sabbatical

COMEDY SPORTZ - professional improv company, all artists are paid; Indianapolis

• “A Christmas Carol Unscripted” – no time to write a review; I just enjoyed it and tweeted a bit about it that night.
• “Oz Unscripted: An Adult Trip” – no review, on sabbatical

DANCE KALEIDOSCOPE - professional dance company; Indianapolis

• “Love Is…”

FOOTLITE MUSICALS - all volunteer; Indianapolis

• “Oklahoma” – I enjoyed this show but I didn’t make time to write  a review because a co-worker from my day job was in it and it is just too weird to blog about co-workers.
• “The Producers” – no review, saw with my father on vacation
• “Tony Awards Viewing Party” – no review, on sabbatical (and anyway, it was a party, not a show)

2010 ENCORE ASSOCIATION AWARDS CEREMONY

FRANKLIN COLLEGE THEATRE - students/professors/college staff/townspeople; Franklin

• “Three Sisters“

HEARTLAND ACTORS’ REPERTORY THEATRE (HART) – professional, various venues around Indianapolis

• “Two Gentlemen of Verona” – White River State Park – no review, on sabbatical

HENDRICKS CIVIC THEATRE - all volunteer; Longstreet Playhouse in Danville plus other locations in Hendricks County

• “Grace & Glorie“

INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE - professional; Indianapolis

• “Around the World in 80 Days“
• “Becky’s New Car” – I saw this one three times!
• “Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol“
• “Holes“
• “Mary’s Wedding” – no time to write a review
• “Romeo and Juliet“

INDIANAPOLIS CIVIC THEATRE  - hybrid (designers and staff are paid, performers are volunteers); Indianapolis; also known as the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre.

• “Annie” – not a full review, but partial comments here
• “The Belle of Amherst“
• “Bus Stop“
• “Carousel“

INDIANAPOLIS SENIOR CENTER - hybrid: paid director (center staff), the rest volunteers; Indianapolis

• “Harvey” – no time for a full review, but a brief mention is here.

INDIANAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - professional; Indianapolis

• “Generations of Rock” with Michael Cavanaugh – no review, on sabbatical

INDY FRINGE FESTIVAL (August 19-29, 2010) – hybrid, Indianapolis

• Tweet Highlights - summary of my first responses to all of the IndyFringe shows I saw this year, whether I had time to write full reviews of them or not.
• “Andrea Merlyn’s Book of Magic“
• “Another 55 Minutes with Loren and Howard”
• “Archy and Mehitabel”
• “Before Tomorrow”
• “Bill & Erin: One-Night Standards“
• “Blizzard Rewind“
• “The Boy in the Basement” – Also saw and wrote about the longer version at the White Rabbit a few days later.
• “A Brighter Shade of Blue“
• “Deep in Love/For Adults Only“
• “The Four Food Groups“
• “Gilgamesh“
• “Grind: the Musical“
• “Lot o’ Shakespeare”
• “Madwomen’s Late-Night Cabaret” – This was my second time seeing this show.  I wrote about the first time, at the IndyFringe Theatre during Diva Fest, here.
• “Not a Peep“
• “Ophelia’s Revenge“
•  ”Phil the Void: Spontaneous Dumbustion“
• “Please Don’t Use My Flannel for That: a Memoir“
• “Queue”
• “The Screw You Revue“
• “Swan Balloon” – no written review, but a short video conversation with the performer is here.
• “The Tale of Mephisto”
• “Teen Jesus“
• “They Touch in Flood”

INDY FRINGE THEATRE - hybrid; Indianapolis

• “Jabberwocky – Once Upon a Time” – co-produced by Storytelling Arts of Indiana and Indy Fringe
• “Jabberwocky – One Book” – co-produced by Storytelling Arts of Indiana and Indy Fringe – no review, on sabbatical
• “Jabberwocky – Stories of Writer’s Block“ - co-produced by Storytelling Arts of Indiana and Indy Fringe
• “Madwomen’s Late Nite Cabaret” – DivaFest winner
• “Moby Dick Tonight“
• “The Santaland Diaries” – see” Cardinal Stage Company”, above
• “Thirty Dash Thirty” – DivaFest winner

MERRY MAC PLAYERS - all volunteer; Martinsville

• “Those Crazy Ladies in the House at the Corner” – no review, on sabbatical

NORTHWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH – all volunteer; Indianapolis

• “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” – no review, church fundraiser

OAKLANDON CIVIC THEATRE - all volunteer; Indianapolis

• “I Take This Man“
• “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940″ – no time to write a review; I just enjoyed it.

OFF-MAIN STREET PLAYERS - all volunteer; Zionsville

• “The Odd Couple” – I enjoyed this show, especially since I had never seen this play produced before, but I didn’t make time to write  a review because a co-worker from my day job was in it and it is just too weird to blog about co-workers.

PHOENIX THEATRE - professional; Indianapolis

• “Call Me Boricua!”
• “The Housewives of Mannheim“
• “In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play“
• “My Name is Asher Lev“
• “Pure Prine: The Music of John Prine“
• “Reasons to Be Pretty” – saw twice, no review, on sabbaical
• “Speech and Debate” – no review, on sabbatical
• “Sunlight” – brief comments only; I went on a whim with no time to write a full review
• “A Very Phoenix Xmas 5: Regifted“
• “Yankee Tavern” -I saw this twice!

Q ARTISTRY - hybrid (actors and some others are paid, depending on the show); Indianapolis

• “Cabaret Poe” – I saw this one twice! (only reviewd once though)
• “A Christmas Qarol Cabaret” – no time to write a review; I just enjoyed this and tweeted about it a bit that night.
• “Perry Haughter and the Magical Musical“
• “USO: Songs of War” – no review, on sabbatical

RICKS-WEIL THEATRE COMPANY - all volunteer; Greenfield, IN

• “Hello, Dolly!” – no review, on sabbatical

SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY - professional; Washington, DC

• “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” – no review, on sabbatical

SPOTLIGHT 2010 - This annual gala to benefit the Indiana AIDS Fund features a variety show to which a wonderful mix of local performance arts group contribute.

SPOTLIGHT PLAYERS - all volunteer; Indianapolis (Beech Grove)

• “Parallel Lives” – no review, on sabbatical

STORYTELLING ARTS OF INDIANA - professional; Indianapolis

• “A Feast for the Eyes,” told by Peter Cook
• “Disquieting, Disturbing, and Dreadful Tales” – five Indiana tellers
• “Basile Emerging Stories 2010: Jennie Kiffmeyer and Celestine Bloomfield“
•  Bil Lepp’s family concert, filling in for Niall de Burca in December - no time to write a review; I just enjoyed it.
• “Jabberwocky – Once Upon a Time” – see “Indy Fringe Theatre”
• “Jabberwocky – One Book – see “Indy Fringe Theatre”
• “Jabberwocky – Stories of Writer’s Block” – see “Indy Fringe Theatre”
• “Nepantla: Between Worlds,” told by Olga Loya
• “Root Doctors, Midwives, and Fried-Mice Pie: Medicine in Early Indiana,” told by Susan Grizzell

STUDIO THEATRE - professional; Washington, DC.

• “American Buffalo” – no review, on sabbatical

THEATRE ON THE SQUARE - hybrid; Indianapolis.

• “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” – no review, on sabbatical
• “Spring Cleaning” – Eight plays by Indiana Playmakers

THE THEATRE WITHIN - all volunteer; Indianapolis

• “The Twilight of the Golds“

THREE DOLLAR BILL COMEDY COMPANY - professional; Indianpolis, usually at ComedySportz.

• “Pre-Existing Conditions” – I enjoyed this set of sketches but just went on a whim and did not have time to write a review.

VICTORIAN THEATRE BY CANDLELIGHT - all volunteer; Indianapolis at the President Benjamin Harrison Home

• “Murder and Mystery in the Mansion“

WAYNE TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY THEATRE – all volunteer; Indianapolis at Ben Davis High School

• “Man of La Mancha” – no review, on sabbatical
• “Once Upon a Mattress” – no review, on sabbatical

WHITE RABBIT CABARET - hybrid; Indianapolis

• “The Boy in the Basement“
• “Grand Opening Performance” featuring the house group, Hassenpfeffer – I tweeted about this eclectic show a little bit that night, but did not have time to write a full review.

‘See you at the theatres!

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

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