IndyFringe '18 The World Needs More Mrs. O'Boyle / Pope Walks Into a Bar

We caught the opening night of The Pope Walks Into a Bar, Father Ned! presented by Clerical Error Productions from Indianapolis, a play "lovingly inspired" by the Father Ned series:

On a remote - very remote - island in the Irish Sea, three misfit priests and their seemingly-innocent housekeeper do battle with the Bishop and each other as the Pope prepares to visit priests working in remote areas around the world. What could possibly go wrong? Featuring cast-composed music. 

Not having ever heard of or seen the television show, we were not sure how much of the play we would be able to follow. We needn't have worried--we were treated to some classic British, sorry, Irish humor of drunk, depraved, disturbed, didactic, and dogmatic characters and some one-liners that floated in the dialog so effortlessly that they often took a moment to process. I must confess, I am not familiar with Irish humor. The show had a distinct yet subtle barrage of jokes that I felt must be indicative of the genre. (I happened to look up Irish humor and found a website with some good examples.)

The capable cast included Jeff Kirkwood, Blake Mellencamp, Kate Duffy Sim, David Molloy, Jim Lucas, Kyrsten Lyster, and Nate Burner, all of whom shared abundant chemistry on stage and kept the show on pace.

A stand out character was Mrs. O'Boyle, the put upon proper maid, who, shall we evolves during the play? Here's one of those times when I hate to give a review of a show because I fear I will give away the best jokes, and really, these fine actors deserve the opportunity to do that. Allow me a bit of social commentary then. There is a scene when Mrs. O'Boyle comes out wearing a black apron, a lacy red bra, some racy tattoos, and high heels. The point of this scene was to push the boundaries of absurdity--very Irish indeed--as Mrs. O'Boyle is on the senior side, and all the priests could not hide their discomfort at seeing their matronly maid in such apparel. But I'm afraid the scene didn't work for me, and that is because Mrs. O'Boyle was smoking hot! Any any of those men would be lucky to even have a glimpse of her! Let's not put sex appeal in a box, people! We need more Mrs. O'Boyles in this world! 

I would also award this play with the Best Stage Strike Ever, which was part of the show itself. I don't want to say what they did because it's best to experience it yourself, not read about it. The audience was howling, and some rose to their feet to participate. Sending the audience out on a high note is a mark of a skilled writer and director.

I caught up with show creator and writer Kate Duffy Sim who also portrayed Mrs. O'Boyle. Kate considers it fate that she happened to work with two actors in previous plays who both loved the somewhat obscure Father Ned series, which went off the air some twenty years ago. "I saw my first episode of Father Ned on Christmas Eve in Dublin," Kate says. "I loved the quirky characters, and I love anything with Ireland. It's one of my favorite places." Kate wrote a script and then shared it with Jeff Kirkwood and David Molloy, who made suggestions. The three of them put a cast together, and as rehearsals went on, each character had a little input until they came up with the final product. "In Ireland, Father Ned is practically a cult. I just hope our show inspires people to go watch and enjoy the series," Kate explains. When asked how she developed her character in the play, she responded, "In the series, there is a proper maid who is written solely as a foil for the male characters, and she's always on edge. I wanted to see what would happen if I gave her a story of her own and pushed her over the edge." Mrs. O'Boyle is edgy all right! So is her carving knife!

Although this is Kate's first time in IndyFringe, she is a veteran of  DivaFest, a juried playwrighting festival sponsored by IndyFringe. She is also active in the local theater scene, having recently been featured in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Kate has lived her whole life in Indianapolis, and when she's not doing theater, she loves taking her grandchildren on adventures around the city, and painting, knitting, and writing poetry. Kate is passionate about theater but laments that there are very few roles for people over the age of fifty, and even moreso for women. "Our show has four actors over the age of sixty! I am proud of that and want people our age to come see for themselves.  If women or men for that matter feel there is nothing out there for them, I encourage them to write their own parts and their own scripts." I think that's great advice for theater and for life, too! Thanks for reminder and inspiration, Kate!

(Here's a link to some Father Ted videos should you want to check them out after seeing the play.)

Kate flashes her endearing, mischievous smile.

The Bishop refusing tea for the seventeenth time.

Jim Lucas and David Molloy spreading cheer on the Avenue.

Continues:

Saturday Aug 25th, 4:30PM

Sunday Aug 26th, 1:30PM

District Theater

IndyFringe '18: Lou Ann Homan Brings Mary Shelley--and Her Demons--to Life! To Life!

One dark and stormy night in October in the haunted city of Indianapolis, storyteller Lou Ann Homan and her friend Carolyn Powers attended Frankenfest sponsored by Indiana Humanities. In case you don’t frequent your public library, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was chosen as the One Story/One State book for 2017-18, and this was the kick off event. (See me after class if you are someone who does not visit your local library! I consider my library card to be the most lucrative currency in my wallet!) 

In addition to the all-day read-a-thon featuring celebrity readers, the 12-hour festival will include a pop-up exhibit of rare anatomical texts, curatorial talks, hands-on art activities, Franken Yard Games, guided tours of the Medical History Museum, a theatrical performance, a “Franks-N-Steins” beer garden with Central State Brewing Co. Beer and King David Dogs for sale and more Frankenstein fun.

You know what, Indy? You are pretty darn cool to host such a frighteningly fun event!

On the long drive back home, Lou Ann and Carolyn decided to apply for a grant to have the Frankenfest in their hometown of Angola, which they were awarded. The festival will take place on October 13, 2018. Congratulations, Lou Ann!

Lou Ann then had an inspiration: “I love Mary Shelley, but we are just talking about Frankenstein here! I should become Mary…I already love her! I should bring her spirit to life!”  I guess you could say that Mary Shelley’s “world was a secret that [Lou Ann] desired to divine!" 

And every night since that night in October, Lou Ann has perched at her desk in her atelier of her purple Victorian by candle light, scribing into the wee hours of the morning to bring Mary to life. And thus “Mary and Her Monsters” was divined to life:

In August of 1816, the stage was set for Mary Shelley to write her classic "Frankenstein" novel. Who was Mary Shelley? What were her own monsters and how did this book come to be? Join storyteller Lou Ann Homan as she portrays Mary Shelley. The story is riveting and none can tell it better.

She's Alive! She's Alive!

Mary and Her Monsters is Lou Ann’s fifth show at IndyFringe. Others include Auditioning for Swan Lake, I Was a Virgin Nudist, Hoosier Roots, and A Baptist Girl's Guide to Sex, Love and the Happily Ever. Mary has been proven to be the biggest challenge: “All the other shows were stories from my life. I loved doing them all, but it is one thing to tell your own stories (although much writing and crafting goes into that also!), but to become someone from history? Research, research, research. Where does Mary fit into my brain? How to become her? Very challenging and chilling,” Lou Ann explained.

I admit, I was surprised about the “chilling” part. I’ve always heard it told that one night on a romantic getaway in Switzerland, Mary Wollstonecraft sat around a fire with her lover, the dreamy poet Percy Shelley and his BFF Lord Byron. As a form of entertainment, they each devised a ghost story to see who could tell the scariest one. If this were a record, someone would be scratching the needle off it right now, because after seeing this show, I realize how wrong I was about that account! Go see the show if you want some real drama. Frankenstein was a drop in the bucket compared to Mary Shelley’s life.

In addition to IndyFringe, Lou Ann is also busy on the storytelling circuit, having attended festivals all over Indiana and the country. Her ghost stories were a hit at  Crown Hill Cemetery, and she regularly portrays Indiana’s literary gem Gene Stratton-Porter at state parks and festivals. IndyFringe, however, holds a special place in her heart: “I love the excitement. I love the nausea before the show (seriously). I love the audience. I love meeting the other performers. I love the goal of bringing a new show to the stage, especially this one,” Lou Ann gushes.

Her favorite show at IndyFringe this year is Nancy Drewinsky and the Search for the Missing Letter by Robin Bady of New York.

Besides IndyFringe and Storytelling Arts of Indiana, her favorite things to do in Indy include seeing shows at The Phoenix theater, seeing movies at Keystone Arts (“Can’t get some of those independent movies in a small town,” she says), and getting a good beer at Chatham Tap. (I wonder if Lou Ann knows that Chatham Tap was previously an art gallery, and once during a Halloween party my friends threw there, we experienced some, shall we say eerie things in the basement!)

Although Lou Ann’s second home is Indy, and many people think she lives here, Angola is her true love. “I love living in a small town. I am involved in as much as possible. I live in the middle of town so I can bike everywhere. I love being part of the humanities department at Trine University. I love serving on boards, the Downtown Coalition and the Historic Preservation Commission. I love a place where everyone knows your life…the ups and downs, and people who appreciate the work I do. I love being on the road, but always make a swing around the circle [in the center of town] when I come home, always with a sigh of happiness.”

Hearing Lou Ann make such declarations about Indy, Angola, and creating “Mary and Her Monsters, I’m reminded of a phrase in Frankenstein: “There is love in me the likes of which you've never seen.”

Now, who’s up for a field trip to Angola in October to see their version of Frankenfest? As for us, we’ll stay at Angola’s finest inn: The House at White Picket Gardens. 

To get to know Lou Ann better, visit her blog where she tells the delightful comings and goings of a simple life that is full of stories, friends, family, flowers, books, homemade bread, mouthwatering pies (true story: she once thwarted a greedy IRS agent with a slice of her famous pie), and some good ol' Americana where she believes we should all “Live, and be happy, and make others so.” (Shelley)  It is a breath of fresh air!  

One of Mary Shelley's favorite places to write was beside her husband's grave. That Percy Shelley: what a monster he was! (Go to the show to learn more!)

Lou Ann, stage manager Melia, and narrator Jacob McNeal. Lou Ann was adamant that this was "their" show, not "her" show. She met Jacob after he performed in MacBeth at

Trine University. You have got to hear this guy's reverberant voice and see his unbelievably shiny hair! Lou Ann credits Melia with creating the mood for the play. "All I had was one lights up and one lights down, and Melia, this seventeen year-old girl running a light board that was two generations old said to me, 'This is Mary Shelley. We must do better. Do you trust me to design some light and sound cues for you?' and I said, "I do." 

When we go to Frankenfest, we will stay at White Picket gardens, where the lovely and doting hostess spritzes the sheets with lavender water and regales her guests with stories by candle light!

Continues:

Friday Aug 24th, 10:30PM

Saturday Aug 25th, 7:30PM

Firefighter's Union

IndyFringe '18 Let's Play A Freakin Board Game with Act a Foo!

A seat at the Fun Table!

Mark Cashwell, Shannon Sampson, Larry Haworth, Joshua "Girth" Owens, Daniel Martin, and Andrea Lott-Haney gear up to win some big fake Monopoly money!

One of my favorite aspects of IndyFringe is seeing artists support other artists. Performers can see shows on standby, and although they do not pay for their tickets, having their energy in the audience is something that many fellow performers enjoy. Performers are also great for free PR for other shows. I was happy to see two performers (Ty Stover and Paige Scott) encouraging a patron to see a show with which they had no affiliation: “There Ain’t No More,” by a group from Little Rock, Arkansas, and first-timers to IndyFringe. They wanted to be sure this new-to-IndyFringe artist would get a fair shot. This is what you call Good Vibes, and I have always been proud to be a part of this giving community.

Prior to that I had an idea to write about this camaraderie. I put a plan into action. Act a Foo’s motto always stood out to me: Come Play With Us. It’s all about being inclusive. And then I spotted another show that sounded interesting: Let’s Play A Freakin’ Board Game by local comedian Mark Cashwell:

All my friends are "too busy" to play board games with me, so you should totally play with me instead! Come and play your favorite board games, where the rules are improvised, the game pieces are mixed up, and have a drink or two as well!

I liked how both shows were centered around playing with strangers. I put a call into Daniel at Act A Foo to ask if he could join us for the board game show, then contacted Mark Cashwell and asked him to join us for Act A Foo’s show, right after his. Everybody was on board (haha). I figured I could write about their interaction and learn more about this mysterious energy that performers give other performers.

What could go wrong, right?

Daniel and Joshua “Girth” met us at the theater and brought along our mutual friend Andrea Lott Haney, who did some time at ComedySportz as an improv instructor.

Mark, in full “Monopoly Guy” regalia greeted audience members as they took their seats and set the tone for a fun a game of audience participation Monopoly. (Every show will feature a different board game.) Turns out, Monopoly Guy has a name: Rich Uncle Pennybags. Mark created a back story for Pennybags, and regaled the audience with funny and tragic stories about his life between rolls of the dice.

Remember when I asked what could go wrong?

Well, one of the contestants totally Monopolized (haha!) the game, and things did get a little chaotic for a bit. However, contestant Daniel Martin rallied the troops to take the Spotlight Hog down, and a very deserving woman who went by the stage name of “Well, Shit, I Don’t Know” took the game and a bounty of free, brand new board games! Now that’s pretty cool!

The chaos was fun and lasted right through Act A Foo’s show, and by the time I got to meet up with Mark, the guy looked exhausted, as if he’d been run over by a train. Well, that might have been because he had this funny bit in his show in which every time a railroad was bought or sold, the contestants had to do a train dance around the theater. His wily contestants kept pulling that card just to do the dance.

But the story must go on. I had to resort to emailing Mark to learn more about him, and I’m so glad I did, because he was just the nicest guy. I look forward to seeing more of his shows! Thanks Mark and Thanks Foos for playing with us!

I really don’t like Q&A interviews, but Mark has a show tonight, and it sure would be nice to get this article posted before then.

If you don’t mind, here is some Q&A.

1. How you came up with show idea?

 Every time I come up with a new idea for Indyfringe, my main overarching goal for the show is to answer the question, "What is something that I would go see and would I have fun as an audience member?" With that in mind, I always go back to times where I really have fun with friends, in a not-theatre atmosphere. I suffer from social anxiety, and one of the best way to get past that is through a board game for me. They give you exact instructions on what to do, and it gives you something to distract you from anxiety and allows you at the same time a channel to interact in a safe way. I thought that had great potential to be a medium to incorporate improv, and simply replace the board game rules with tenants from improv that are always good to progress conversation and in general a positive way to interact with others too.

(Psst, hey Mark…that social anxiety you mention…I hear you, brother!)

2. How each show is different?

Every show is a a different board game that I have borrowed from Kingmakers down the road on Mass Ave. There are a total of 3 board games that I rotate between the shows, but even then it is always a new show based on the suggestions given and the different players. The three main board games are: Monopoly, Clue, and Battleship. The general theme throughout is me being the host/dungeon master to an extent who helps guide the players through the game but can also have the minor "plot" in the background. At its simplest form, the show is dungeons and dragons meets truth or dare. All have different challenges for the players to complete in order to get ahead in the games. I also try to incorporate as many performers from others shows in the Indyfringe festival as I can but still always have two or more audience members to balance out that equation. 

3. Where do you get those brand new games you give away at the end?

It turns out board game companies are really freakin' awesome if you reach out to them! When looking for prizes I knew it had to be board games, and I wanted to reward those who went through the show and were awesome enough to brave the stage. I sent emails to all my favorite board game producers asking them if they could help out, and explained the shows concept. They were happy to help with a donation and sent me boxes of board games to give out, and some with awesome drawings for me too! For some of the others I got to meet the creators at Gencon when it was in town, and instead of email asked in person and they too were into the concept and were happy to help out!

4. How long have you lived in Indy? 
I have been in Indy for about nine years now. Wow its been awhile! Before Indianapolis, I was a Kentucky guy.

5. How long have you been performing in IndyFringe? 

As a performer in the festival, this is my second year. Last year I performed an improv talk show called “Tonight, Tonight." Before then, I was actually a tech for two years as well.

6. Have you plans to create new shows? 

Oh, always! Inspiration comes at the most random of points! Originally I had an idea for an interactive improvised video game, that morphed into board games instead. At the heart of a concept, it should always serve the audience a good time and allows for some type of story to take place. Also it needs to be a bit quirky. I enjoy traditional story telling as a medium, but for Fringe I want to see the eccentric, I want to see concepts that are experimental at their base. So who knows what we have planned for next year, but I promise it will fit the bill and make sure my audience is engaged and has fun!

7. What is your favorite thing to do in Indy besides Fringe? 

One of the best things about performing in the Csz arena, as we call it in Comedysportz, is that I get to do improv there as well as one of the ensemble members during Comedysportz matches. Improv is one of the most freeing, fear inducing performance mediums. Anything can happen but in the end you know that your teammates “have your back” and that takes away fear and helps develop a really welcoming family. I enjoy that a lot especially after a stress induced day, its nice to play a silly character or do some groan worthy puns. Also I love cos-playing at the local cons, especially Gencon when it comes to town!

Shows:

Tuesday Aug 21st, 6:00PM

Thursday Aug 23rd, 9:00PM

Saturday Aug 25th, 1:30PM

Sunday Aug 26th, 3:00PM

ComedySportz

IndyFringe '18: Come Play with Us! "Acting A Foo" with Jim from Speedway

“Acting a Foo” with Jim from Speedway

Local comedy troupe Act a Foo has a welcoming tag line: Come Play with Us! They've been bringing their brand of belly-busting laughs to Indy Fringe for I-forget-how-many-years and inviting audiences to join in on the fun. If you brave the stage, they will treat you like one of their own, and you will laugh for hours to come. Acting a Foo should be a prescription recognized by AMA and the FDA. 

We ran into Jim at two shows on Saturday: Let’s Play a Freakin' Board Game! and Act a Foo. One of the more memorable “volunteers from the audience,” we were thrilled to talk to this player who gave the Foos a run for their money.

Jim grew up in South Detroit and became an accountant with GM, which took him to eight states across the country. He landed in the Speedway area about twenty years ago and is now happily retired, a fact that Act A Foo used as a running joke. Jim has been attending IndyFringe for years. He was drawn to Act A Foo because he has taken improv classes at Comedy Sportz. “I only lasted eight weeks. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done!” he said, laughing. “I did some stand-up comedy years ago around town, and I thought improv was much harder, so I really appreciate what these guys do!” he said indicating to Daniel Martin, Joshua Short, Joshua “Girth” Owens, and Aaron Grinter.

He also offered up a story that he said “has absolutely nothing to do with IndyFringe but it’s one of my favorite stories about my life, so maybe you want to share it.” Of course we do, Jim! Here goes: “A few years back, I went to visit my daughter who was stationed Montgomery Air Force Base in Alabama. A server in a restaurant took a liking to us and asked where we from. When I said we were originally from Detroit, she became excited and explained that she also grew up in Detroit. It turns out that we lived in the same neighborhood, on the same block, in the exact same house, only twenty years apart. I was 900 miles from home and found a person who lived in the same house I did!"

Jim says he lost count of how many shows he’s seen but says that his favorite so far has been Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind.  In addition to IndyFringe, he enjoys volunteering at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway--“the track”--as he calls it and taking his grandkids to ComedySportz "because I know they'll put on a clean show." Thanks for playing Jim! Thanks Act A Foo for reminding us the importance of play, and thanks ComedySportz for the playground!

To learn more about Act A Foo, read this post.

Joshua, Aaron, and Girth take audience suggestions for--I wasn't sure what this was. Might have been a dance move or a video game. 

The Foos have a habit of putting smiles on people's faces

Daniel teaches these audience volunteers the rules of the game. 

Aaron and Joshua sing a hilarious song to Jim about wanting to be his favorite son.

Jim and the Foos hanging out on the Avenue

Left to Right: Aaron Grinter, Jim, Daniel Martin

Front: Joshua Short

"Girth" stepped out of the frame when his phone rang. (His phone is always ringing.)

Act a Foo

Showing:

Friday Aug 24th, 6:00PM

Saturday Aug 25th, 6:00PM

ComedySportz

IndyFringe '18: Spine-Chilling Fun with Loren Niemi and Laura Packer

Haunted: Told and True
Loren Niemi and Laura Packer, Minnesota

With Special Guest: Fringe Veteran Patron “Robin” 

What do people like? People like being scared.
--Loren Niemi and Laura Packer on choosing the topic for their new Fringe show “Haunted: Stories Told and True.” 

Veteran storytellers Loren and Laura return to IndyFringe with chilling true tales of “vampires, monsters, bad relationships, and life gone horribly wrong.” Each night they’ll tell four different ghost stories: three true and one improvised with prompts from the audience. 

On opening night, Loren set the stage with a chilling tale of growing up a Boy Scout in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the Eisenhower era, and the leaders who believed that suffering was the key in teaching boys to be men. Terrifying, huh? On one outing, his pack is tasked to trek day and night in the high desert without supervision and little in the way of food, shelter, and water. When they come across a dead body in a river, things take a turn for the worse. Next, Laura regaled the audience with a true ghost story from Indianapolis. Legend has it that circa 1940s in the Meridian Heights neighborhood, a woman dressed in a grey silky gown walked into a general store, frantically crying, and absconded with quarts of milk. This went on for several days. One day some men followed her…and she led them to the Crown Hill Cemetery to a terrifying scene. Next up, Loren took suggestions from the audience to spin a tale on the spot. His charge: a horse-drawn carriage, a glass-top coffin, and a serial killer. Great suggestions, even better story. I await the cinematic release. Finally, Packer told stories about living in a haunted house in Kansas City and about her husband passing away, then bringing her playful messages from the other side, assuring her was okay.

In the audience was Fringe patron Robin, someone we had seen at a few other shows over the weekend. Robin began attending IndyFringe six years ago with her husband. After her husband passed away a few years ago, she began inviting friends to join her, and now it’s an annual tradition for the trio. She typically sees about twenty (20!) shows per festival. As fate would have it, Robin grew up in the Meridian Heights neighborhood (now called MerKessler) and identified as the general store in the story as  “Hammacher’s,” which sat where Café Patachou on Illinois Street now resides.

When asked what drew her to Haunted, she said she’s always had a fascination with ghost stories. She was particularly moved by Laura’s sweet and personal story about her husband’s spirit visiting her. Although Robin has never experienced any visits beyond the grave, she offered that her sister sometimes had unnerving premonitions. One such premonition involved a horrible air disaster. Rattled by the image, her sister wound up cancelling a flight from Los Angeles to New York she had booked. Later that day, the news broke of the aircraft bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. 

One of Robin's favorite shows at IndyFringe this year is The Supersonic Suffrage Story You Never Heard in School. Now living on the North side, Robin is a loyal patron of local arts and sits on the board of several institutions, including the Heartland Film Festival and the Indianapolis Museum Art. Thank you, Robin, for supporting local art, and thank you Loren and Laura for giving the people what they want: a good case of heebies jeebies!

Loren, Robin, and Laura discuss the age-old lure of ghost stories

Haunted: Told and True
Showing:
Tuesday Aug 21st, 6:00PM
Wednesday Aug 22nd, 7:30PM
Saturday Aug 25th, 3:00PM

Firefighter’s Union, 1st Floor
Improv Spoken Word Storytelling

IndyFringe '18 Character Study: Tristan Ross / Footworm the Musical

Character Study: Tristan Ross

If you’ve ever sat in the audience of an IndyFringe show, you probably know him. You probably heard him before you saw him. You would know that laugh anywhere. You probably thought he was putting you on. You might have even got angry at him for laughing at seemingly inappropriate places. Phil Van Hest said it best during one of his sets, when a slow maniacal chuckle erupted from the back of the room: “Did someone just turn evil?”

Tristan Ross is a character, and Indy is fortunate to have him in its cast of talented and passionate artists. He is the artistic director of the theater company No Holds Bard, which he founded in 2009, and has been praised for his adaptations, direction, designing, and acting in a handful of Shakespeare plays over the last several years. In addition to Shakespeare, he also recently directed a hilarious rendition of Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco.* He also writes original plays that have been making audiences say, “HUH?” for several years. In 2014, he unleashed the hugely popular Classiest F^#%ing Show Ever, except he didn’t bleep the word. (All of these groups this year at IndyFringe using that word in their titles? They copied Tristan.)

This year at IndyFringe, he offers up Footworm,The Musical:

When a hard-nosed newspaper editor injures her foot in a river, her active lifestyle is put on hold while she recuperates. She is able to take this time to reconnect with her love of Shakespeare and, through that, find a love living inside of her that she never thought possible.

I talked to Tristan earlier this week about his latest creation. Here’s his complete explanation of the premise, his process for development, and his inspiration for creating it.

“Well Noelle got a parasite, and she had some YouTube videos of it being removed, and I thought, ‘Hmm. That would make a great musical.’’

Tristan is a man of hearty room-erupting laughs but few words. Getting him to talk about his own work is like trying to surgically remove a stubborn parasite from its host with an ice cream scoop that kinda stinks on the account of the remnants of the hemorrhoidectomy for which it was just used.

With much cajoling, I finally got him to do something he hates doing: talk about his own work. “Noelle (a close friend of his who has a reputation of being Conan the Grammarian and unnecessarily active in the outdoors) was playing in a river. She cut her foot on a rock, and later her foot swelled up. Turns out she took on a parasite, a round worm to be precise, which caused a nasty infection. There were some YouTube videos of the parasite being removed, and I saw them, and thought, 'Huh. That would make a great musical.'” 

He began crafting a plot and put in a call to local actor and musician Davey Pelsue: “Hello, Davey. How are you? This is Tristan. Say, would you be interested in writing a musical with me about woman who gets a worm in her foot?” to which Davey replied, “Yeah!” Tristan reiterated his joy to me: “Davey was down with writing a musical about a parasite! I’m a huge fan of Davey.”

We caught the show on its opening night (sort of-- a Mariachi band mix-up preempted all Fringe shows slotted for that venue on the actual opening night) in a 10:30 pm time slot, by which time we were pretty bleary eyed. While the premise is completely weird, the plot is well crafted, the characters developed and quirky, the pacing swift, and the songs  a total blast. You really did sing a long. It’s one of those shows where you purposely hold back your laughs because the jokes come at you so fast you don’t want to miss one. There were many times when I wish I’d had a PAUSE and REWIND button for this show. In addition to the fantastic writing, the chemistry of the actors was outstanding, and the timing impeccable. I got the feeling that the cast had a lot of input as they worked their way through rehearsals, and the results of their collaborative effort should be applauded.

Tristan takes theater criticism very seriously. To make him happy, I will offer the following criticism: turn the music down because it’s hard to hear the lyrics. The music, “by the by,” as Tristan is fond of saying, is quite lovely. 

Tristan said it best: “By the climax, there are some people who just might cry. My mom might cry.” “Why would they cry? Is it sad?” I ventured. “No it’s just that if my stupid show weren’t so stupid, they might just cry because Davey’s music is so beautiful. I don’t want them to miss that.”

By now it must go without saying that Tristan is no stranger to us. Maybe you want to discount everything we say because of that. Well, then take it from this undisclosed source:

“He has the confidence to know how to get things done, the humility not to brag about his successes, and is always very generous in his praise of others.” As for a review of the show, the same anonymous source offered: “Like anything by Shakespeare, Footworm aims for a wide audience. High-brow jokes come just as frequently as ones about pee.”

Okay, okay, that was also someone who knows him, but you kinda get the picture: when it comes to Tristan, to know him is to love him.

So what else is there to know about him? He spent his early childhood years in Mooresville, a place he called “a wonderful place for a child to grow up. We had this nifty fallen tree in our back yard that looked like a rocket, and I used to love to straddle the tree, pretending I was an astronaut.” He shared this memory in fond wistfulness. Later he moved to Greenwood and then went to college at Franklin, where he studied French and History, “which is why I am so darn rich,” he adds.

You can catch him at his day job at The Indiana Historical Society where he is a character actor, a profession he enjoys very much. His favorite thing in Indy used to be hanging out in Fountain Square “before the hipsters took over,” and I can’t repeat the rest of what he had to say about that here, polite company and all. He would love to see more local theater, expressing a love and respect for his talented community theater. “One of the best pieces I’ve seen recently is J. Eyre by Paige Scott. If Indy is missing anything, he laments, it’s community awareness of all the arts happening here.

What’s next for Tristan after IndyFringe? His company is producing The Laramie Project at IndyConvergence in October on the twentieth anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s murder. “It’s tragic that this kind of thing is still happening, and happening right here.” If you’ve never seen this beautiful piece, do yourself and favor and get tickets.

Footworm the Muscial
Book and direction by Tristan Ross
Music by Davey Pelsue

Starring Tristan Ross, Abbie Wright, and Dane Rogers

Continues:

Tuesday Aug 21st, 9:00PM

Thursday Aug 23rd, 7:30PM

Saturday Aug 25th, 9:00PM

Sunday Aug 26th, 3:00PM

Firefighters Union Hall, first floor. 748 Massachusetts Ave

Adult: $15, Senior Citizen/Student: $12, Under 12: $10

Genre: Comedy, Musical Theatre, Puppetry
Audience Warnings: Parental Guidance *no f-bombs unless Dane accidentally ad libs one again

*thanks Mary Jane Moriarty for reminding me who the actual playwright of Rhinocerous is!

Tristan

Abbie, Gus, and Dane getting ready for rehearsal

Gus, quoting some Don Quixote

Uncovered! Tristan's senior yearbook photo!

"Where there is space, there is wonder." Summit Performance: Silent Sky

Space Equals Wonder

We counted our lucky stars last Saturday night that we were able to reserve tickets for the play “Silent Sky” written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Lori Wolter Hudson, the inaugural production of an exciting new theater group: Summit Performance.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the play from the Summit website:

“When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours” and has no time for the women’s probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love.”

Summit was founded by local actor and director Lauren Briggeman to serve as a place for women to showcase their theater talents. The shows not only feature women, but they feature women’s stories, as opposed to featuring women who support men’s stories. As much as possible, the scripts, direction, and design will be women-focused as well.

I attended an informational meeting about this new group back in March, and although the intent is to give women a chance in an arena in which they are mostly in the fringes, it is not anti-man, or anti-male. Consider the following statistics, posted under the section “Why a Women-Focused Theatre Company?”
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Gender parity is a major problem in the professional theatre arts across the United States. According to the results of a study conducted by The League of Professional Theatre Women spanning five theatrical seasons (2010-2015), women make up a minority of:

Produced/employed playwrights (30%)

Directors (33%)

Set designers (less than 33%)

Lighting designers (ranging between 8% and 16% over the five seasons)

Sound designers (ranging between 14% and 22%).

This is not only a problem in the United States, but overseas as well.  A study conducted by The Guardian surveyed the top ten subsidized theatres in England over the 2011-2012 season and found similar numbers. They found that women make up a minority of:
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Directors (24%)

Actors (38%)

All ‘Creative Crew’ positions (23%)   (all directors, lighting, sound, and set designers, and composers)
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Interestingly however, in both countries women make up the majority (over 60%) of theatre-goers/ticket buyers.

If it has to be explained to you why the need for such opportunities exist, and you get offended by the word “feminism,” I invite you to revisit the statistics above, particularly the last one. I have heard a bit of whining about IndyFringe’s Diva Fest and Onyx Fest--play writing festivals for women and African Americans, respectively. What I haven’t seen is any men or white people being sidelined in theater or elsewhere for that matter because such opportunities exist for marginalized groups.

This play is getting outstanding feedback from patrons. It is exquisitely written, tightly paced, and full of emotion, punctuated by a minimalist set and poignant sound and light design.

I had a chat with Carrie Ann Schlatter, who portrayed Henrietta Leavitt, earlier this week. Schlatter has been in probably a hundred  plays, and she has said that this was her favorite and the most important of all the plays she's done. Having known her for more than a decade, I have never heard her speak with such urgency:

“It is important for us to do this right now, today, because of the political environment we’re in. We need to improve the way we approach women’s stories. This play would be powerful at any time, but right now, on the heels of the Me Too movement and with the current administration, it means that much more.

“I understand the play might not be considered far-reaching, that it’s not the kind of play that will draw out people who don’t normally attend theater, but the people who are attending are feeling a sense of connectedness.

“I’ve been approached by so many people following our performances--women with teenage daughters who want to show them what passion and determination look like;  women who had similar experiences with families who would not offer moral support when they were shunned for going against societal norms and daring to use their minds. One woman brought her elderly mother who cried through the whole production because it was as if she were watching her own story. Men are connecting with it too, perhaps identifying with a woman they love through the eyes of Henrietta’s experience.

“There is an incredible amount of wonder in the story--we have succeeded in showing that space equals wonder, a fantasy of space. Our production shows that--it collides fantasy with realism. Real feelings, real connections.

“Summit is proud of what we do--allowing women to express their power, highlighting their experience, not just giving opportunity to women, but highlighting women.

All around been it has been magical.”

While she was speaking of space as in astronomy, given the mission of the theater group, she could have just as well been speaking of space as a platform. Summit is giving women space--space to excel without fear, and with that space comes wonder. A wonder it has taken so long to get to the starting line and a wonder what other great things women can do when they take the reins, even when that means inviting scrutiny from those who prefer to see them in the margins.

I have just learned that the final weekend of this play is sold out. I am sorry for your loss if you don’t get to see it, but not to worry, Summit has another production planned for later this year.

Summit Performance

Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center

705 N Illinois St., Indy

https://www.summitperformanceindy.com/

Photos courtesy Summit Performance Facebook Page

Molly Garner, Devian Mathias, Carrie Ann Schlatter, Gigi Jennewein

Adam Tran, Carrie Ann Schlatter

Crew:
Stage Manager: Danielle Buckel
Scenic Designer: Abigail Copeland
Costume Designer: Brittany Kugler
Lighting Designer: Laura Glover
Set Construction: Troy Trinkle
Set Construction/Props: Krista Layfield
Dialect Coach: Chelsea Anderson
Producer: Lauren Briggeman