I was not close to him personally, but I enjoyed his company whenever I happened to hang out with him at a party or whatever. 

More importantly, I loved his work as an actor.  He was hilarious in “Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!” and “A Night in Vegas” at Theatre on the Square, for example.  I most recently admired him in a more serious leading role in “The Twilight of the Golds” at The Theatre Within this past March.  Selfishly, I am very sorry for this loss to the Indianapolis theatre community and to myself as an audience member.

I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to Dannon’s family and friends.

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

I love to receive theatre-related press releases from “markets” outside the Indianapolis area.  I rarely do anything with them besides read them, and I laugh at myself for letting them make me feel important, but still, they delight me.

I have been saving this one to share with you because even though it is about theatre in Chicago – not Indy – it involves Bryan Fonseca who is, as you probably already know, the head honcho at the Phoenix Theatre here in Indianapolis.

(He is also one of my benchmark directors.  When it comes to any question of artistic leadership or tactful collaboration, I ask myself:  What Would Bryan Do?)

Bryan is going to be one of the judges of the five finalists in The Great Gay Play Contest in Chicago, Illinois next spring.  Here is the full press release (and thank you, David Zak, for sending it to me!)  The bolding is mine:

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Pride Films and Plays Congratulates The Five Finalists Selected In The Great Gay Play Contest

 Press Release December 14, 2010

All five works will be featured in a festival of staged readings at the Hoover-Leppen Theater in the Center on Halsted in March.

Five new plays featuring GLBT characters or themes have been selected as the finalists in the first Great Gay Play Contest sponsored by Pride Films and Plays. All five scripts will be performed in a festival of staged readings March 3 – 6, 2011, at the Hoover-Leppen Theater at the Center on Halsted in Chicago.

The five finalists are:

 False Reality by Joe Lauderdale, Los Angeles, CA

Learn To Be Latina by Enrique Urueta, San Francisco, CA

Save the Date by Tyler Dean, Chicago, IL

Short Expanse by Corinne J. Kawecki, Chicago, IL

The Times by Mark S. Watson, Key West, FL

The final judging in the contest is being done by an esteemed panel of directors and artistic directors including Marshall W. Mason, Jason Moore, Doug Finlayson, Patricia Kane, Jeremy Cohen, Patrick Trettenero, Bryan Fonseca, and others.

The five final scripts will be presented in a festival of staged readings at the Hoover-Leppen Theater in Center on Halsted, Chicago, on the weekend of March 3 – 6, 2011. Details of the performance schedule will be announced on January 1.

“We are thrilled to be assisting with the development of fresh GLBT work,” says Pride Films and Plays Executive Director David Zak. “We believe that all of these scripts are ready to be given serious consideration for productions at theaters across the country for next season.”

Here are the five synopses and authors’ bios :

False Reality, by Joe Lauderdale, Laguna Beach, CA

To deal with his difficult family, Trevor has created a fictional identical twin Aidan whose life is much better. But Kyle falls for Aidan and their intense, tender, romantic relationship is full of good intentions and fraught with mistakes. When Trevor’s fiction and reality collide, the relationship is tested in a terrifying moment of truth in Joe Lauderdale’s new drama.

Joe Lauderdale was the Youth Theatre Director at the Laguna Playhouse for 17 years. He directed or produced more than 70 productions for both adults and youth.  His stage adaptation of Cut, the story of a teenage girl dealing with self-injury, received wide acclaim and his production of The Wrestling Season was presented for a GLAAD Los Angeles special event.

Learn To Be Latina, by Enrique Urueta, San Francisco, CA

In Enrique Urueta’s irreverent new comedy, Hanan Mashalani is beautiful and talented, but she’s Lebanese and that just doesn’t a pop star make. As she’s made over by FAD records to be the next Latin bombshell, she falls in love with an actual Latina. She struggles to maintain the image everyone expects her to be, which ultimately tests her relationship and her own identity.

Enrique Urueta lives in San Francisco and is the author of the plays The Danger of Bleeding Brown, Forever Never Comes, and Get Your Troy On. He has a BA in theatre from The College of William & Mary and a MFA in playwriting from Brown.

Save the Date by Tyler Dean, Chicago, IL

Today is the biggest day of wedding coordinator Bradford Curtis’ career. Not only is he the best man, but the mother of the bride happens to be the editor-in-chief of one of the nation’s most prestigious wedding magazines. When someone from the groom’s past shows up with intentions of stopping the wedding, it’s up to Bradford to make sure everything goes as planned. With mistaken identities, plenty of chases, and double entendres galore, Save the Date is Tyler Dean’s modern twist on a classic farce.

Tyler Dean is a Chicago-based playwright, actor, and sketch comedian. He is a Network Playwright at Chicago Dramatists. His newest play Run-of-the-Mill is receiving its world premiere production in Chicago in February.

Short Expanse by Corinne J. Kawecki, Chicago, IL

It’s 1997 and Chloe’s 10th birthday.  Lydia, Chloe’s swim coach and neighbor, and Colleen, Lydia’s partner of 8 years, have thrown a costume party to celebrate.  David, their friend, and Star, Chloe’s mom, are in attendance.  A happy time … or is it?  Revelations abound and the past changes the future forever in Kawecki’s new drama.

Corinne J. Kawecki’s plays, A Bridge to Something, The Moon, the Lake and Fire, Demons and Monsters, Serious, The Interview, Wishes, and Lesbian Nightmare, have been produced in cities across the country including Chicago, New York, Santa Ana, CA, and Baton Rouge, LA. Corinne is a Network Playwright at Chicago Dramatists and a Member of the Dramatists Guild.

 The Times by Mark S. Watson

 Noah is reunited after 10 years with his college sweetheart Christian. But a wedding announcement in the New York Times brings unexpected comedy, drama, and twists of identity and fate.

Mark S. Watson is a North Carolina native who has resided in Key West, Florida for the past 12 years.  He received his Bachelors in Dramatic Art and Speech Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Mark has performed in regional theatres across the United States as an actor, singer, and dancer.  The Times marks his professional debut as a playwright. 

We would like to thank the many dramatists who submitted work to the festival this year, and to the many readers across the country who helped us select our finalists.

About Pride Films and Plays

Pride Films and Plays was founded in 2010 and is dedicated to comprehending the history of great gay writing and fostering its excellence in new works for the stage and screen.

Pride Films and Plays, based in Chicago, links an international network of writers with professionals working in film and theater.

Through readings, contests, classes, screenings and full theater productions, Pride Films and Plays engages artists and audiences in the full developmental process needed to make great artistic experiences.

For more information, visit www.pridefilmsandplays.com.

Pride Films and Plays

3023 N Clark 327

Chicago, IL 60657

pridefilmsandplays @ gmail.com

David Zak, Executive Director

John Nasca, Patrick Rybarczyk

Artistic Associates

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Each of the five competing plays sounds intriguing to me for one reason or another, so I wish Bryan and the other judges good luck in judging them.

‘See you at the theatres…around Indianapolis, definitely, and maybe in Chicago as well!

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

(Logo above provided by David Zak.)

Continuing my end-of-the-year e-house cleaning, I could have sworn that I had an email with information about the feast that will be the 2012 Going Deep Long Traditional Story Retreat, including a call for stories.  However, I must have been too enthusiastic when I was in “delete mode” or something because now I can’t find it.  Here, instead, is the “Request for Proposals” that I found on the http://goingdeepstories.com website.  I have also contacted some of the folks in charge of the event, asking for more information.  I will update this post if I learn anything more.

I wrote about this core-shaking, multi-day, tri-teller event a couple of the times when it was held in Bethlehem, Indiana.  (I attended the first one, too, in 2006, but that was pre-blog.  I blogged about the 2008 and 2009 events.)

I have heard rumors that it will move to Arizona next, but don’t quote me on that.  As soon as I know the 2012 details for sure, I am going to ask for the time off from my day job.  There is nothing like the intensity of healing and personal growth and enjoyment that comes from deeply listening to three epic stories told well in a temporary-yet-intimate community of story-lovers.

Here is information about the Retreat in general, within the Request for Proposals:

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Going Deep Long Traditional Story Retreat

Request for Proposals

The Going Deep Long Traditional Story Retreat is seeking high quality long traditional storytelling performances and workshops for future retreats.

Storytellers selected for this unique retreat will perform on one evening and will give a workshop connected with the story on the following morning.

Important points:

• • We are looking for traditional stories, not personal narratives.
• • Stories must be a minimum of an hour long, maximum three hours.
• • Workshops are three hours and must be participatory.
• • We expect both the performance and workshop to be of high quality.
• • The committee is looking for stories from many cultures.

Storytellers will be paid an honorarium for their work, plus meals and lodging at the retreat. We request that performers commit to attending the entire retreat.

What is Going Deep? Dreamed up by retreat organizers Liz Warren, Olga Loya and Priscilla Howe, the Going Deep Long Traditional Story Retreat is a feast of stories and workshops. Unlike most storytelling events, we present traditional stories that are at least an hour long each. Each evening we enjoy a performance of a long traditional story. After the story, participants gather for dessert and relaxed conversation. The next morning, the storyteller gives a workshop about the story. Workshops may focus on process of learning and telling long stories, archetypal themes in the story, personal connections with the stories, or other topics. Afternoons are unscheduled, with opportunities for storytelling coaching, swaps, massages and art activities (an extra fee may be charged). We begin at supper on Thursday evening and finish after lunch on Sunday afternoon.

Since 2006, we have held Going Deep at the Storyteller’s Riverhouse in Bethlehem, IN. We’re deeply grateful to Cynthia Changaris and Mary Hamilton of Scheherezade’s Legacy for their generosity and openheartedness in growing this project, and to Cynthia for naming the retreat. We plan to hold the retreat in more than one part of the country.

Past performers and stories have been:

Liz Warren, The Story of the Grail

Olga Loya, The Aztec Creation Myth

Priscilla Howe, Tristan and Iseult and Queen Berta and King Pippin

David Novak, Gilgamesh

Megan Wells, Helen’s Troy

Marilyn Omifunke Torres, The Paths of Osun

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For the application itself, please go to http://goingdeepstories.com/posts/

‘See you at the theatres (and in other sacred story spaces!)

Hope Baugh – www.indytheatrehabit.com

(“Pancakes and Campfire” photo, above, was taken by Jude Doyland and shared in the Creative Commons area of www.Flickr.com.)

Here is another piece of Indy theatre news that I’ve been keeping in my mailbox for a while – this one since September (eep!) – but a) I think it is still interesting and b) you may not have heard about it yet and c) there are only a few days left in 2010, so here goes.

I received this “Announcement of Publication” from playwright James Still.  You probably already know that he is the playwright-in-residence at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.  He mentioned this play, “The Velvet Rut,” when I first met him, back in 2008.  Someone pitched it at the annual meeting of the National New Play Network when it was here in Indianapolis a little later that year, and I heard about the world premiere of “The Velvet Rut” when I learned that James had received the Medallion award from the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America.

So I was delighted to learn this fall that “The Velvet Rut” has been published.  Now anyone (directors, producers, theatre bloggers) can buy a copy and read it for themselves. 

Here is the full announcement that James sent me:

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF PUBLICATION

THE VELVET RUT by James Still

“When our world falls apart and our defenses collapse and we have just enough will to resist committing suicide, then a new perception of reality may usher its way into our life in a way we never would have imagined. That perception is what playwright James Still has captured uncannily in his luminescent play, ‘The Velvet Rut.’”

– JOHN TOWNSEND, Special to the Star Tribune/ DAILY VARIETY

Now published by Dramatic Publishing Company

www.dramaticpublishing.com

About the play

Mr. Smith is a high school English teacher who used to know this for sure: he loves his students, his wife, and his poetry. When a single event unravels his world and sends him free-falling into a crisis of faith, a Boy Scout named Virgil mysteriously arrives to take him on a soul-searching trek through a haunted wilderness that begins in an empty church (“Maybe God IS here, I don’t know. But if he is — I think he’s just hanging around to make introductions, to introduce us to ourselves… which makes God more of a good host, a matchmaker — an extrovert.”), continues to a camp out in the woods (“Camping… sounds like Hell.”); and ends on a front porch with a red door (“It’s a modest porch, cozy — more Thornton Wilder than Eugene O’Neill.  The front door is red. The house number is 36.”).

“‘The Velvet Rut’ sometimes feels like a ‘Twilight Zone’ echo of Dante’s ‘The Divine Comedy’ (in which the Roman poet Virgil acts as a guide to Hell and Purgatory). But in James Still’s play, it’s a Boy Scout named Virgil rather than a dead poet who helps Mr. Smith recover his will to live in the aftermath of nightmarish violence on Earth.  ‘The Velvet Rut’ works to derail ordinary trains of thought, prodding us out of comfort by raising questions that are more exciting than the easy answers many plays provide.”

– Renee Valois, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Representation:  Chris Till, CAA/New York

Attachment:  Cover art of published edition of THE VELVET RUT.  Cover image by Alex H. Mitchell, cover layout by Isaac H. Mitchell.

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I put a copy of the fun cover art at the top of this post, as you can see.  It makes me want to see the play produced here in Indianapolis even more.

Belated congratulations, James, on the publication of “The Velvet Rut!”

‘See you at the theatres…

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

Oh!  P.S. – When I saw James just before a performance of the show he directed most recently for the IRT – “Mary’s Wedding” – I asked if there was any news about his work-in-progress about Mary Todd Lincoln.  He said that Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC has officially commissioned him to write it!   I was delighted to hear that, too.

With just a few days left in 2010, I am going to follow the “better late than never” rule and quickly share with you a handful of press releases that I found particularly interesting.  Some of these have been sitting in my email box for a while but I think they are still interesting and you might not have seen their theatre-related news anywhere else.

This first one has been in my box since August (eep!) but the person who sent it to me, Lisa Sirkin Vielee, was correct in thinking that I “might be interested in learning about a non-traditional sponsor (The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis) trying to connect kids and performing arts…”  Thanks, Lisa, for sending this to me:

(the bolding is mine)

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The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis Provides 25th Anniversary Grant of $25,000 for Clowes Memorial Hall Arts Education Programs

Indianapolis, August 24, 2010 – The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis announced it has granted $25,000 to underwrite two Clowes Memorial Hall arts education programs, the Student Matinee Scholarship Fund and the Clowes Cash discount ticket program, for two years beginning with the 2011 season. The gift is a one-time contribution made to mark The Health Foundation’s 25 years of commitment to the health of the Greater Indianapolis community.

“Since 1985, The Health Foundation has encouraged innovative solutions that address health disparities and improve the health of people in Greater Indianapolis, especially children in need,” said Betty Wilson, president & CEO of The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis. “The arts are a key component in the development of active and creative young minds. We hope our support of Clowes’ community outreach and arts education will allow more young people and their families the chance to experience the performance arts.”

Clowes Memorial Hall offers a PreK – 12 Student Matinee Series of curriculum-based, culturally-diverse, multi-disciplinary performances and programs each year. The Health Foundation’s grant will underwrite the scholarship program that allows students from participating schools to attend regardless of ability to pay. In the 2009-2010 school year, nearly 35,000 students and teachers from 37 Indiana counties attended a Student Matinee performance. A total of 2,948 scholarship seats were awarded in 2009-2010 for students in 83 Indiana schools in 10 counties.

The Health Foundation’s grant also will be used to support Clowes Cash, the discount ticket program for the Clowes Presents series. In addition, Clowes will use the funding to offer community outreach programs to reach new audiences and encourage learning as well as arts participation. In 2009-2010, more than 1,300 people were served through 35 outreach programs.

“The mission of Clowes Memorial Hall is a dedication to lifelong learning in the arts. We believe this dedication begins with our youngest audiences, and we are grateful that The Health Foundation has granted us an opportunity towards success in that mission,” said Elise Kushigian, executive director of Clowes Memorial Hall.

This is the second 25th Anniversary grant The Health Foundation has awarded in 2010 as part of its celebration of 25 years of providing funding for health issues facing greater Indianapolis’ most at-risk populations. In April, The Health Foundation granted $1 million to Wishard Hospital for the purchase and licensing of the RelayHealth® Virtual Information Exchange (VIE) software service to better coordinate care for pediatric asthma patients.

About The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis

The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis was created in 1985 as the Metropolitan Health Council of Indianapolis with $12.5 million in proceeds from the sale of Indiana’s first Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), MetroHealth. An independent, not-for-profit grant maker, The Health Foundation has been and is still dedicated to preserve and enhancing the physical, mental and social health of the Greater Indianapolis community. Since 1986, The Health Foundation has contributed more than $32.7 million to health-related projects that are not easily funded by other means. From the beginning, its mission has been to support health-related causes, however, its funding priorities have changed as health concerns have evolved. Its current funding priorities are HIV/AIDS, school-based health and childhood obesity.

About Clowes Memorial Hall

For over 40 years, Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University, a professional performing arts facility, has been dedicated to lifelong learning in and through the arts. Clowes’ mission is to educate, enrich and entertain the citizens of Indiana and the Butler University community by presenting, promoting and hosting culturally, artistically and internationally diverse programs, events and collaborations.

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I believe that doses of live performance art, especially live theatre, on a regular basis can serve as both preventative medicine and a source of healing.   How very cool that the Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis believes this, too.  Congratulations to Clowes and to all of the families that will benefit from this grant.

‘See you at the theatres!

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

(The “Medicine Boy” photo above was taken by “makelessnoise” and made available via the Creative Commons area of Flickr.com.)

A few days ago I received a press release from Lori Raffel at the Phoenix Theatre. The news was of their new assistant director internship program.

Reading it brought back good, rich memories of my own assistant director experiences at the Phoenix in the late 1980s, before it was a professional theatre with Equity contracts and all that.  I first assisted Bryan Fonseca when he directed “The House of Blue Leaves,” by John Guare, and then “Bouncers,” by John Godber.  Then I assisted Rock Mers when he directed a show called “Nightbreath,” by Dennis Clontz. 

It was a pleasure and a privilge to work with both of these directors.  I learned a lot about myself as well as how to make theatre art.  I also had a wonderful time.

So…this new A.D. internship program sounds very cool.  Congratulations to each of the seven new interns!

Here is the full press release:

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PHOENIX THEATRE LAUNCHES ASSISTANT DIRECTOR INTERN PROGRAM

Indianapolis – The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis is working with local universities to provide internships for aspiring directors who seek training with theatre professionals. The project will begin with the first production in calendar year 2011, Norway by Samuel D. Hunter, with guest director Gordon McCall and Kristine Lewis from Franklin College. 

The goal of the program, according to Phoenix Theatre Producing Director Bryan Fonseca, is to mentor individuals who want to direct and provide them with meaningful work at the professional level. Seven students have been selected to serve in the program—the first for the Phoenix—from Butler University and Franklin College. “We have worked with interns for years in marketing, development, costumes and props” says Producing Director Bryan Fonseca, who continues “but this is a program created specifically for students who want to be directors.”

“Each director has a different style of working, so they will have different needs from their respective Assistant Directors,” said Fonseca. “I have encouraged each director to contact their AD to discuss their process and how each of them can best be served by the experience.”

In all cases, the student will be invited to attend auditions, production meetings and any post-production meetings. The program is meant to provide each intern with an all-encompassing introduction to directing. The seven students chosen for the inaugural program, their schools and the play and director with whom they will be working are as follows:

 Production                    Dates                Director         Assistant Director School      

Norway                        January 2011    Gordon McCall Kristine Lewis        Franklin College

Goldie, Max and Milk      February 2011  Bryan Fonseca Chris Ziegler         Butler University

The Storytelling Ability of a Boy              March 2011    Bryan Fonseca      Raphael Schwartzman                Butler University

This                             March-April 2011                   Dale McFadden      Amalia Lynn Howard                        Butler University

The Zippers of Zoomerville                    April-May 2011                          Jack O’Hara                                  Wilford Orme    Franklin College

Avenue Q                     June-July 2011  Bryan Fonseca Megan Fuller         Franklin College

With a Bang                  July-August 2011                   Bryan Fonseca      Lauren Thorne                                  Butler University  

The participants are excited about the program and the opportunity to get “hands on” experience before graduating from their respective schools. Raphael Schwartzman is a senior majoring in Theatre at Butler University and will be AD for The Storytelling Ability of a Boy by Carter W. Lewis. Hailing from Columbus, Indiana, Schwartzman is “excited to participate in this program to further develop (his) directing skills and learn first-hand about the production process of a professional theatre company.” He went on to say that Fonseca’s goal that the AD Interns be fully integrated members of the artistic process was a huge part of his decision to participate.

Chris Ziegler is a Butler University Theatre major from Cincinnati, Ohio and will be AD for Goldie, Max and Milk by Karen Hartman. Ziegler professes to being a fan of the Phoenix Theatre and has “greatly respected and admired (the Phoenix) for quite some time.” Amalia Lynn Howard

(1-1-11 update from Hope – Phoenix staff alerted me to an error in this press release:  The name here should be Kristine Lewis, not Amalia Lynn Howard.)

is a junior and double major in Theatre and Psychology at Butler University.  Originally from Brownsburg, Indiana, Howard “was really excited when I heard about the opportunity to be a part of this program because it provides students with real world experience before they even graduate.” The students are looking forward to seeing how a professional theatre program is conducted and how different or similar it is among theatres and in school.

Lauren E. Thorne, also a theatre major at Butler, is from Bristol, Indiana and wanted to be a part of the AD program as soon as she heard about it. “I’m very excited to be a part of putting With A Bang on stage,” said Thorne, who feels the program offers a step-up into the local professional theatre sphere.

Ticket Prices

All seating is general admission on a first-come, first-served basis and all Thursday tickets are $15, thanks to a grant by Duke Energy; Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances are $25. Young adult tickets – for individuals age 20 and under – are $15 for all performances. Curtain times are: Thursdays at 7pm; Friday and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.

 Doors open ½ hour prior to curtain for seating. The Phoenix Pub, located inside the theatre, offers beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and bottled water, as well as treats, and all refreshments may be taken into the theatre and consumed during the performance.

For more information about any Phoenix productions or to purchase tickets, call the Phoenix Theatre box office at 317.635.7529. Tickets may also be purchased online. The theatre’s website is www.phoenixtheatre.org.

ABOUT THE PHOENIX THEATRE
“The Phoenix Theatre has cornered the market on hip new works.” — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

The Phoenix Theatre is Indiana’s only professional contemporary theatre, and has presented productions to challenge and entertain the Indianapolis community for 28 years. An Equity house, the Theatre presents the Midwest and Indiana premieres of many popular Broadway and Off-Broadway plays, and has presented more than 82 world premieres in its quarter century. The Phoenix operates the 130-seat proscenium Mainstage as well as the 75-seat cabaret-style black box Frank & Katrina Basile Theatre. Both venues are housed along with administrative offices in a renovated 1907 church in downtown Indianapolis’ historic Chatham Arch neighborhood, part of the Mass Ave Arts & Theatre District. The Phoenix Theatre is a member of the National New Play Network and the League of Indianapolis Theatres, and is supported by the Indiana Arts Commission, the Arts Council of Indianapolis, and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as local corporate and foundation funders and more than 500 individual donors.

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I am looking forward to seeing all of these shows, too.

‘See you at the theatres!

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com and follow @IndyTheatre on Twitter (one of these days I will figure out how to add the little button to make it easier for you!)

By the way, the photo above is called “My iPad 3G!” and was taken by Robert S. Donovan.  I liked it for this post because a) as an A.D. in the 1980s I always carried a clipboard but b) in (almost) 2011, there are many more options for staying organized!

P.S. – If any of the interns blogs about their experiences, I hope they will tell me so that I can read their blogs!  Amarylliswriter at gmail dot com.

I have so much in terms of Indianapolis area theatre news and reviews to share with you, and so very little free time in which to do it! 

(Keep breathing, Hopie.  Everything that needs to get done WILL get done, in its own best time.  Do your best and leave the rest; angels do no more.)

Self-talk aside, here is a quick but important post to tide us over until I can carve out some more writing time:

Here is an excerpt from an email that I received from Indy Fringe director Pauline Moffat a few days ago:

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Dear Performers,

IndyFringe 2011 applications will be on line this week.     

To make it even easier IndyFringe  will be taking applications via email and payment via credit card!   

Also, IndyFringe is currently seeking applicants for DivaFest. See more information below.

The next most important piece of news is that IndyFringe is raising funds to buy the building which is home to the festival and a low cost rehearsal and performance space all year round.

If you have a few spare dollars please donate to the festival and help us buy the building.

I need to get this done by December 13!!!   Will you help us?

Regards,

Pauline

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I cut out the part that talked about her travel plans because I didn’t know if she wanted that out here on the Internet.  The rest of her email was not in a form that I could cut-and-paste so you’ll have to go to the IndyFringe website to read about DivaFest.  Here is a direct link to that page:

http://www.indyfringe.org/divafest

The big news seems to be that there are applications this year for both 10-minute plays and 1-hour plays. 

I enjoyed the two shows (“Dash Thirty Dash” and “Madwomen’s Late Night Cabaret“) that I saw during the first DivaFest, earlier this year.  I’ll look forward to visiting this new theatre festival again in early 2011.

And, of course, I have the 2011 IndyFringe Festival on my calendar already:  August 19-28, 2011.  I am already curious about who the performers will be!

There is almost always something interesting going on at the IndyFringe Theatre year-round.   Some day when I am independently wealthy and have a whole staff of writers for Indy Theatre Habit, one whole writer will be devoted to covering the IndyFringe beat.   Wouldn’t that be great?

In the meantime, here is what I am working on:

*** Review of the 2010 Basile Emerging Stories event, plus news of Niall de Burca coming from Ireland to share stories at the Indiana History Center on Friday, December 3 (for families) and Saturday, December 4 (for adults), 2010.  For more info right away, please see www.storytellingarts.org.  I don’t know for sure, but I think “Niall” is pronounced the same as “Neal” or “Neil.”

*** Review of Broadway Across America’s “Dreamgirls” at the Murat, plus news of the 3-days-only ”Cats” coming up at Clowes Hall.  (From the press release:  “CATS will play Clowes Memorial Hall, November 26-28, 2010: Friday at 8:00PM, Saturday at 2:00PM & 8:00PM and Sunday at 1:00PM. Tickets range in price from $22.00 -$62.00 and may be purchased in person at Clowes Memorial Hall, the Old National Centre Box Office of the Murat Theatre, and the Broadway Across America Box Office downtown at 342 Massachusetts Avenue. You can also purchase them online at www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com/shows/cats.html and by phone at 1-800-982-2787. For groups of 15 or more, contact the group sales department at 317-632-5182 ext 103.”)

*** Review of Q Artistry’s ”Perry Haughter and the Magical Musical” at the Historic Irvington Lodge.  Only one more weekend for this fun ”Q-munity” production. (Here are the quick comments I wrote on Lou Harry’s IBJ blog for his weekly “You Review It” invitation just now.  And from the press release:  “Perry Haughter and the Magical Musical” November 12, 13, 19, 20 at 8pm; November 14, 21  at 2pm. Running Time: 2 hours, with intermission.  Q Artistry at the Irvington Lodge, 5515 E Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46219
Tickets $15 for adults,  $13 for children (to age 12), seniors, and groups (10 or more)
Tickets available through Brown Paper Tickets (www.brownpapertickets.com or 1-800-838-3006.)”

Here is a photo from the show, taken by director Ben Asaykwee (left to right – Abigail Wright, Matt Campbell, Ryan Powell):

I also have many, many news items to share with you.  Soon, I hope!

‘See you at the theatres!

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

Holy smokes!  Have you heard?  Phil Van Hest, aka Phil the Void, aka the hilarious, long-time Indy Fringe performer who has been comfortably based in Los Angeles the whole time I have known him, aka the beloved purveyor of gnome saying bumper stickers and BattleCat trading cards,  is definitely MOVING TO INDIANAPOLIS this spring!

Yup, it is TRUE, not just a rumor mentioned by Lou Harry on his IBJ.com blog last August.  Phil and his sparkly, mud-wrestling girlfriend, Noelle, are moving here.  To live.

The rumor about Phil running for mayor is still unconfirmed, however.

I am laughing out loud with delight, just thinking about all of it.  Oh, my, goodness:  Indianapolis will never be the same again.

I think if you follow the massive link below, you will be able to read his whole irreverent newsletter that tells about their decision to move:

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=sxbxs7dab&v=001V1Z8JVJHjI6DzxDJGF7GVjq2exQQX94F9xnSQTeVXD5kp08_uQ38Fcdc7JQbypq4yiq_v9JJkSpjXpgKtQZd7W1duTS-JTJZqxKhO6xBGnZ1Q_OWaugP0PgoYKWrADteP7lExHlzgdA%3D

But if that link doesn’t work, you can go to www.philvanhest.com and sign up for his newsletter.  Maybe he will send you the most recent one right away.

In the meantime, you might be interested to read what I have written about Phil’s Indy Fringe show every year since 2007:

2007 (one of my first official – ie, on a media pass - reviews for Indiana Auditions, pre-blog) – “Phil the Void”

2008 – “Phil the Void: Comedy Over Quality”

2009 – “Phil the Void: the Great Brain Robbery” (scroll down)

2010 – “Phil the Void: Spontaneous Dumbustion” (scroll down)

Holy, holy smokes.  Phil the Void is moving to Indy.

(Seriously, this is great news.  Welcome, Phil and Noelle!)

‘See you at the theatres…

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com and www.twitter.com/indytheatre

My email box is filled to bursting again, but I won’t have time to do another mailbox post until next week, so I want to just quickly mention three, no, four things going on this weekend that particularly appeal to me:

 1)   From an email that Justin Brady sent me from the Indy Fringe:

 MobyDick Tonight!

May 21-22, 7:30 p.m., $10

“Smart and challenging stuff” – Phoenix Fringe

With “Moby Dick Tonight!”, Minneapolis based storyteller Loren Niemi takes narrative to a far place where conventional narrative ends and improvisation meets poetic imagery. Quotes from Melville give rise to shaggy dog stories, off-handed humor, philosophical digressions, improvised travelogues and erotic memoir. With a suitcase full of props and a chair, Loren condenses the great American novel of obsession and doubt while expanding Melville’s imagery with stories that draw on his experience of reading the novel in particular times and resonate places.

Loren is one of the storytellers that brought “Sex, Drugs, and Audience Participation” to the main Indy Fringe festival last August.   I have known him a long time and I would never miss a chance to hear him tell.

2)   From an email that a new contact, Cathy Strauss, Director of Communications and Development for the Indianapolis School of Ballet, sent me:

The Indianapolis School of Ballet is presenting a one-act ballet “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with three other shorter works on May 22 & 23 at 3:00 PM at the Scottish Rite Cathedral Theater. This performance features our pre-professional dancers and 6 guest artists, most notably Chris Lingner who has been touring and performing professionally for the past two years, one of them with the national Broadway tour of “Movin’ Out.”

I remember seeing this group at Penrod last summer.    Normally, it would not fit my parameters of only writing about shows by and for adults, but, hey, I am flattered to have been approached and I did enjoy their Penrod performance.

3)   Speaking of dance, the professional adult company, Dance Kaleidoscope world-premiered a new show last night called “Pictures at an Exhibition” that sounds intriguing.  I don’t have an email from DK about this show that I can quote you, nor a publicity photo to insert here, so I will just refer you to www.dancekal.org and tell you that I bet this dance piece is worth seeing.

4)   I do have a publicity photo that I can share with you about the show that just opened at the Phoenix Theatre:  “Speech and Debate” by Stephen Karam.  (See above.  Photo by…?)

I had hoped to see this last night, but when I contacted the theatre to make a reservation, director Lori Raffel told me that they had a “house buy-out” for that night.  One of the actors posted on his Facebook page that Saturday night is already sold out, too.  How cool is that!  I am definitely going to see it sometime.  I will share the bulk of the press release below.  If the show appeals to you, I would make a reservation right away.

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Indianapolis – The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis announces the Indiana Premiere of Speech & Debate. Written by Stephen Karam, this play starts Thursday, May 20 and runs through June 27, 2010 in the Frank & Katrina Basile Theatre at the Phoenix.

Sex, secrets and performance-art video blogs with a George Michael beat — just another typical day when you’re a teenage outcast in Salem, Oregon. Solomon, Diwata and Howie are not the typical high school debate team. An aspiring teen journalist, an awkward wannabe actress and the openly gay new kid in town have never met, but when a shocking scandal involving one of their teachers brings them together through an unexpected chain of events, they realize three voices are stronger than one. Maybe starting their school’s first speech and debate squad will be their chance to be heard at last—by the school and even by the world.  

Variety aptly described Speech & Debate as “Bristling with vitality, wicked humor, terrific dialogue and a direct pipeline into the zeitgeist of contemporary youth.” Playwright Stephen Karam creates a hilarious and revealing portrait of the borderland between late adolescence and early adulthood in this clever and contemporary comedy about the life of the un-average American teenager. Full of unbridled dark humor, Speech & Debate tackles issues of politics, sexuality, and self-expression in the digital age. 

Phoenix Producing Director Bryan Fonseca said “Last year when we were selecting plays for this season, Glee had just aired on Fox and was becoming wildly popular.  With a great mix of music, social issues and high school angst, Speech & Debate seemed like a perfect fit for the Phoenix.”  

All three teenagers are played by Phoenix Theatre alums who are also Butler University students. Kelli Johnson, previously seen in June 8, 1968 and The Dos and Don’ts of Time Travel, plays the overly-dramatic Diwata.  Mark Presto plays aspiring journalist Solomon and was previously seen in the Phoenix production of My Dad is in Atlantis.  Rounding out the “teenage” cast is Matthew Van Oss, most recently seen on the Phoenix stage in End Days, who plays recent high school transfer student Howie.  Playing multiple adult parts is Nate Walden, seen in last year’s Octopus.    

In addition to GLAAD Media nominated Speech & Debate, which ran an acclaimed and twice-extended run at Roundabout Theatre Company, Stephen Karam is also the co-author of columbinus (2006 Helen Hayes nomination), which ran off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop following a co-production by Round House/Perseverance Theatres. He is currently working on a new play commission for Roundabout Theatre Company and a screenplay adaptation of Speech & Debate for Overture Films. Karam’s writing has also appeared in The Advocate and online at McSweeney’s. He is a graduate of Brown University. 

Speech & Debate is directed by Lori Raffel, who most recently directed Crimes of the Heart for Carmel Community Players and was Assistant Director for A Very Phoenix Xmas 4: Our Stockings Are Stuffed.   Bryan Fonseca is producing the show. The high school world of Speech & Debate is being created by set designer Robert Broadfoot, who most recently designed the Sunlight set on the Phoenix Mainstage. Nolan Brokamp is designing lights, Tricia Schiro-Long is costume designer and Rachel Sellers is stage manager for the production.  

Ticket Prices

Thanks to the generosity of Duke Energy, our CheapSeats performances have expanded to Thursdays and Sundays, so our prices for the 2009-2010 Season are $15.00 per person on Thursdays and Sundays. The Phoenix continues to offer Friday and Saturday shows for $20.00 per person (down from $25.00 last season) and a youth rate of $15 for those 24 and under. All seating is general admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Performances are Thursdays at 7:00 pm; Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 8:00 pm. and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Doors open ½ hour prior to curtain for seating. The Phoenix Pub, located inside the theatre, offers beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and bottled water, as well as treats, and all refreshments may be taken into either theatre and consumed during the performance. 

For more information about any Phoenix productions or to purchase tickets, call the Phoenix Theatre box office at 317.635.PLAY(7529). Tickets may also be purchased online. The theatre’s website is www.phoenixtheatre.org. 

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I won’t be able to see all four of these shows, nor all of the other shows that I would like to see that are running in the Indianapolis area this weekend.  It’s a good problem to have, isn’t it.

‘See you at the theatres!

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

Follow @IndyTheatre on Twitter.com, too.

As always, there was a lot going on in terms of live theatre in the Indianapolis area last weekend and I have a lot in my email box about events coming up. 

Here is my writing plan for the next few days:

• Word of Mouth and Mailbox (today’s post)
• IndyFringe DivaFest Overview
• Spotlight 2010 – For the Record
• Theatre Review: “Dash Thirty Dash” at IndyFringe DivaFest
• Theatre Review: “Madwomen’s Late Night Cabaret” at IndyFringe DivaFest
• Theatre Review: “Always Patsy Cline” at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre.  (And since this show runs through June 6, 2010, I will tell you right away that whether or not you are a country music fan, this show is a treat.  It is a satisfying musical tribute to the late Patsy Cline, but it also a moving and funny show about friendship and the power of musical storytelling in general.  Plus there are lots of beautiful dresses.)
• If I have time, something related to the copious, compulsive notes I took at the Steven Dietz interview last month and the DivaFest panel of advisors this month.

In the meantime, here are a few items from last weekend’s gallivanting and from my email box, in random order:

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At the Spotlight benefit for the Indiana AIDS Fund Monday night, I ran into Encore Association community theatre judges Jeremy Cales and Karen Webster.  I was delighted to hear that they are both going to serve as judges a second year.  I know from experience that being a judge for the Encore Awards is in many ways a very rewarding volunteer job, but it is also hugely time-consuming, sometimes difficult, and often thankless.  Thank you, Jeremy and Karen, for serving!

I was also impressed to hear that Jeremy has become an Equity stage manager.  He is running shows for Actors Theatre of Indiana.  Congratulations, Jeremy!

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My Google alert emails are usually pretty bizarre and useless but every once in a while the service tells me about an actual person quoting a review from Indy Theatre Habit and/or linking to it.  This is usually just a simple ego boost for me, but recently, when I learned that costumer Karen Witting had quoted me, I was also delighted to go to her website (http://karenwitting.com/Portfolio.html) and find a fun slide show of some of the shows she has costumed.  Thanks, Karen!

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News of a show (with photo – yay!) AND a new-to-me theatre award, came to me from Bobbi Van Howe and an all-volunteer theatre in Westfield, Indiana.  Here is an excerpt from her email:

…if you are a dues paying member of Main Street Productions, (only $10.00) your attendance is very important.  As a member you have the opportunity to vote in September for acting awards for the previous season.  See all the shows from September to August then vote for who you feel is best actor, actress, minor supporting roles, director, production, child performer, etc.  We then present awards (the Westie) to the performers that receive the most votes.  This is show #3 for our season.  Have you seen them all?

Just a reminder to call in those reservations!  This is very fun show that you don’t want to miss!

WHAT:    Wrinkled Rebellion – a play by Indiana’s own Ron Schnitzius

WHEN:    May 7-9, 14-16    Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sundays 2:30pm

WHERE:  Westfield Playhouse  1836 West SR 32, Eagletown, IN- 3 miles west of North US 31

COST:     Adults $12.00     Senior/Student  $ 10.00       

RESERVATIONS:  317-896-2707  seating is limited

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An email from the Indianapolis Civic Theatre’s Ulrike Steinert says that this is her last week as Marketing Director there.  She is “moving on to other endeavors.”  Ulrike was one of the first theatre marketing people to say “yes” to my requests for media passes, back in 2007 when I was writing as Amaryllis Jones for IndianaAuditions.com.  I have enjoyed working with Ulrike.  I wish her good luck!

“A Flea in Her Ear” opened at the hybrid (partly volunteer, partly paid professional) Indy Civic last week.   Here is one of the photos with captions that Ulrike emailed me before she left:

“Mongrel! Snake! Reptile!”

Ian Cruz (holding gun) is jealous husband Don Carlos Homenides de Histangua, who erroneously thinks his friend Victor Emmanuel Chandebise played by Paul Hansen is having an affair with his wife in Indianapolis Civic Theatre’s production A FLEA IN HER EAR closing the Theatre’s 2009-2010 season May 7 through May 23, 2010. In true French farce fashion, there are plenty of complications, mistaken identities, revolving beds, a great many doors and unbridled passions in this Georges Feydeau classic, superbly translated by Sir John Mortimer. The show is directed by Robert J. Sorbera. More information at www.civictheatre.org.

Actually, I can’t resist sharing two photos from this show, because the costumes seem so gorgeous.  I assume they were designed and built by Indy Civic’s resident costumer, Jean Engstrom:

“I’ve got the stuff! A bottle of Scarlet Woman…”
Christine Kruz(left) is suspicious wife Raymonde Chandebise who concocts a plot—based on a perfumed letter—to catch her alledgedly filandering husband Victor Emmanuael at the Hotel Coq d’Or in Montretout, and Carrie Bennett Fedoris Lucienne, her best friend and co-conspirator in Indianapolis Civic Theatre’s production of A FLEA IN HER EAR closing the Theatre’s 2009-2010 season May 7 through May 23, 2010. In true French farce fashion, the scheme misfires when everyone shows up at the hotel, complicated by confused identities, revolving beds, a great many doors and the fact that the stupid hotel porter, Poche, is the exact double of Victor Emmanuel in this Georges Feydeau classic, superbly translated by Sir John Mortimer. The show is directed by Robert J. Sorbera. More information at www.civictheatre.org.

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Bryan Fonseca from the all-professional-artists Phoenix Theatre sent the following email to my more private email address.  It is a conversational email, not a press release, but I am sure that he sent it to more people than just me so I think (I hope!) it will be okay to share here.  I was touched by its warmth and it made me curious about the show: 

Hey there

I’ve been working on and off on a pet project for a couple of years and it’s finally coming to fruition. I’m a huge fan of John Prine. His music speaks to me. Lyrically, he is a great story-teller and poet. There is genuine warmth and wisdom in his songs. But mostly I’m attracted to his quirky, folksy humor. I don’t want to make a comparison to a storyteller or folk singer because he is that unique.

So I’ve fashioned a play using only his songs to tell the story. There is no dialogue. It’s only his music – played live. It’s sort of folk opera. Six distinct characters come together to share tall tales, hidden desires and quite a few beers at the local bar. (This takes place on the wonderful set of Yankee Tavern.)

Tim Brickley, Jenni Gregory, Tim Grimm, Bobbie Lancaster, Jan Lucas and Michael Shelton make up the cast, Laura Glover is doing the lighting and I’m staging the event.

Hope to see you there.

7 performances only – make a reservation early. I really think you’ll enjoy it.

Bryan

*****

Both Gabe Gloden and Holly Holbrook from the Bloomington Playwrights Project sent me info about an exciting series going on in Bloomington.  Here is the scoop, with  logo (I usually only post cast photos, but isn’t this a pretty logo?):

2010 BloomingPlays Festival

Staged Readings Series

Free & Open to the Public

09/10 BloomingPlays Development Series Participants

Wednesday, May 19th at 8pm

Student New Play Showcase

Wednesday, May 26th at 8pm

at the Bloomington Playwrights Project

107 W. 9th St.

812.334.1188

newplays.org

Bloomington, IN — The Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) announces the 2010 BloomingPlays Festival Staged Readings Series featuring two free showcases of theatrical performances. 

On Wednesday, May 19 at 8pm, the BPP will host readings of three plays developed over the past season at the theatre from local Bloomington playwrights:

Things to Believe In by Josie Gingrich & Gayle Gingrich

A young woman’s offhand question about JFK’s assassination sends her mother on a path of remembrance about her own childhood.  Written by a mother-daughter team, Things to Believe In is about parenthood, finding your place in the world, and above all, hope.

The Good Daughter by Brenda Hiatt Barber

When their aging mother appears to be slipping mentally, three daughters argue over who will take care of her. At first, they try to top each other’s excuses but then, when they’re given a substantial financial incentive, they compete to be chosen as her caretaker. However, Mom gets the last laugh.

Kindred by Cairril Adaire & Lori Garraghty

One’s on the board of the Junior League.  The other volunteers at a homeless shelter.  Two sisters, living opposite lives, are forced to examine their past as well as their future in light of their mother’s pending return from the hospital.

The following week on Wednesday, May 26th at 8pm, the BPP will host a showcase of new plays by Indiana student playwrights from Hanover College and Indiana University.  Continuing its initiative to develop and encourage new works by Indiana playwrights, the BPP has chosen four of the best local student playwrights for this year’s Student Showcase.  The night will feature works by playwrights Abbey Guthrie and Caitlin Willenbrink from Hanover College, and Clayton Gerrard and Kelly P. Lusk from Indiana University. 

An Evening Bath by Abbey Guthrie (Hanover)

Diane and Warren have been married for decades, but now Warren’s jealous because his wife his playing fantasy dress-up with someone else – the dog

What Goes Up Must by Caitlin Willenbrink (Hanover)

Jack and Jill went up the hill and met Jill’s secret lover.  Jack would frown, throw off his crown, as Jill went after another.

Gerald and Jinny by Clayton Gerrard (IU)

A one act play about a couple, coffee, and art:  She gets him.  He gets her.  They get it.  Gerald and Jinny.  That’s who they are.

The Day We Fell in Love by Kelly P. Lusk (IU)

What are you supposed to do when you’re young and in love?  And what if you’re not loved back?  Three adolescents search for the answers in sex, paint, a dead deer, and a gun.

Admission is free and open to the public.  No reservations are required.  Visit www.newplays.org for more information about the 2010 BloomingPlays Festival.

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Shayla Kenworthy, Director of Special Events & Communications for the Wayne Township Education Foundation, sent me the following cast announcement for the all-volunteer Wayne Township Community Theatre’s production of “Man of La Mancha.”  The show doesn’t open for a little while, so I should probably hold this email until a later Mailbox post, but I was excited to see that some of my destination actor/vocalists are on this list, so I’m sharing it:                              

Wayne Township Community Theatre is proud to announce the Man of La Mancha! cast list.

Cast List:

Cervantes/Don Quixote: Paul Nicely

The Manservant/Sancho: Jeremy Brimm

Aldonza: Linda Heiden

Dr. Carrasco/Duke: Andrew Dillon

Governor/Innkeeper: Rory Shivers

Lt Governor/Stable Master: Ray Middleton

The Padre: John Phillips

The Housekeeper/Innkeeper’s Wife: Adrienne Reiswerg

Antonia: Libby Adams

Housemaid/Innkeeper: Jo Ann Klooz        

The Barber: Nathan Erdel

Captain of the Guard:  Scott Cline

Pedro: Aaron Cleveland

Guillermo: Jake DeWitt

Rosalita: Erica Freeman        

Luisa: Alix Keller         

Helena: Megan Lamar        

Rosa: Janis Schoo

Staff List:

Producers: Scott Cline & the Wayne Township Education Foundation

Director: Stacy Embry        

Music Director:  Deb Farmer

Assistant Director: Edie McDonnel        

Production Assistant:  Sami Hertenstein  

Performances will run Thursday – Saturday June 10-19, 20010.  All shows begin at 7:30 p.m.  General admission tickets are $10, Senior tickets $8 and Student tickets $7. You can reserve your tickets by calling the Wayne Township Education Foundation at (317) 390-0363 or purchase your tickets at the door.

For more information regarding Man of La Mancha please visit our website www.wayne.k12.in.us/wtef.

All Wayne Township Community Theatre shows are in conjunction with the Wayne Township Education Foundation.  All WTCT proceeds benefit teacher and student grants in MSD Wayne Township.

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And from Rann DeStefano, the following info and photo (yay, publicity photos!) from the all-volunteer Epilogue Players:

EPILOGUE PLAYERS

1849 N. Alabama

Indianapolis 46202

Title of Show:”Dr. Cook’s Garden”

Author: Ira Levin

Director: Beverly Gray

Cast: Ken Klingenmeier as Dr. Cook, Bob Willsey as Dr. Jim, Ethel Booth as Bea, Pat McKinley as Dora and Steve Demuth as Elias.

When: Three Weekends, May 7 thru 23, 2010

Fri. & Sat. 7:30 PM – Sun. 2 PM

Ticket Prices: Reg. $10; Members & Seniors: $9; Children (12 & under) $8

Reservations are required:  Call (317) 926-3139 or email epilogue.players@yahoo.com

This show is a powerful drama about an idyllic, contented small town in Vermont. Caring for its people is the beloved elderly Doctor Cook. Trouble brews when a former protégé of Dr. Cook comes for a visit and questions just what is going on with medical practices and procedures and in his home town.

Elias (Steve Demuth) welcomes Dr. Jim (Bob Willsey) as Bea (Ethel Booth) and Dora (Pat McKinley)  look on.

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If Indy Theatre Habit had a staff, I would send someone to report on the following, but since I am the only ITH staff member at the moment, I’ll just share the announcement:

Carmel Community Players proudly announces its 2010 Annual Members Meeting.  It will take place on Wednesday, May 19 at 7:00pm at the Carmel Community Playhouse located at 14299 Clay Terrace Blvd., Suite 140 in Carmel.  Doors open at 6:45pm for check-in and refreshments.

The meeting is open to anyone.  Attendees may establish or renew their CCP memberships that night ($25 minimum annually). If you are a member and cannot attend, you may send a written proxy assigning your voting privilege to another attendee.

The evening’s agenda includes Officers’ annual reports, elections for members of the Board of Directors and the announcement of CCP’s 2010-2011 season.

Carmel Community Players opened the doors of its classy 130-seat venue at Clay Terrace on October 15, 2009.  Since then, over 7,000 people have attended CCP productions and other events in the Playhouse.

For directions, go to http://carmelplayhouse.com/directions.

For further information, call 317-815-9387 or go to www.carmelplayers.org.

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Whew!  That is all I’m going to share from my mailbox right now, but I also want to mention that Nuvo is running its annual “Best of Indy” reader survey through June 11, 2010.  There is a place to write in your favorite local niche blog if you are so inclined…

Or, you know, you could just send me a birthday email on June 6 with the phrase “Hope, I love reading your blog!” and that would be great, too. (amarylliswriter at gmail dot com)

‘See you at the theatres!

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

Follow @IndyTheatre on Twitter.com, too!