Actors Theatre of Indiana to Present AN EVENING WITH JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
The new stage production will honor Hoosier poet's legacy in Carmel, Indiana.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Feb. 03, 2026
A new play by local playwright Keith Miller, centered on a famous Hoosier poet, will be presented this February at The Tarkington Theater, with proceeds benefiting The Riley Foundation.
On Thursday, February 19, Miller, in conjunction with Actors Theatre of Indiana (ATI), will present AN EVENING WITH James Whitcomb Riley. This play, which was first presented in 2025 as part of ATI's LabSeries, was a huge hit with its audience and elicited a great deal of excitement for Miller's debut play.
Miller's play is being performed as a fundraiser for The Riley Children's Foundation. When Miller started his career in sales, from which he is now retired (thus allowing time for playwrighting) one of his first projects was with Riley Children's Hospital.
Although Sutton is no longer with us, Miller, in an effort to honor and repay Sutton's encouragement and mentorship, is sharing his creation and donating the proceeds to the Riley Foundation.
About the play: Most Indiana natives have heard of James Whitcomb Riley. His poems have remained part of early childhood reading classes for decades. But how did this Hoosier poet go from passing a hat after his lectures in little towns across Indiana, to sold out performances in Madison Square Garden in New York City? How did a scandal nearly end his literary career before it had even begun? Why was Mark Twain so apprehensive about performing with Riley?
Evening with James Whitcomb Riley is based on a real event that happened 132 years ago when Mark Twain and James Whitcomb Riley appeared for a sold-out performance entitled A Night with the Gods.
Imagine, long before social media, a simple country poet from Indiana was able to sell out Madison Square Garden. Whitcomb Riley has contributed greatly to the fabric of society, from Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls to the adventures of Little Orphan Annie in both newspapers and radio, and most eventually the hit Broadway musical Annie. This new play explores how a simple country poet, born in Greenfield, IN, became one of the best-selling authors of his time.
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