INDIANAPOLIS THEATER REVIEWS

High school is a different world from what many of us experienced growing up. Now, social media is an integral part of life and that fact is evident from the scrolling feeds presented on the hanging panels of the Dear Evan Hansen set. The story of a community coping with the suicide of a teenage boy...

Two years ago this play, The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin, was deep in rehearsals at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. It was set to open in March 2020… and then the world shut down. Miraculously, the entire original cast has returned for this production....

A huge draw of live theater is the touch of nostalgia, that craving for the classics and a different era. That is exactly what you can expect at HELLO, DOLLY!, now on the stage at Beef & Boards. This timeless musical brings you the heartwarming charm of years gone by, complete with swirling period c...

For me, musical adaptations of movies can be either a hit or miss with no in-between. I am happy to say that the musical version of Mean Girls, based on the cult classic 2004 movie, was maybe more fun than the movie itself....

If the name didn’t give it away, this is not your average Beef & Boards production. The Broadway hit roars onto the stage with drag queens in stiletto heels and a whole lot of sass. Based on a true story, the musical’s message of accepting people for who they are is more timely than ever....

There is always an inherent risk to taking a classic movie and trying to redo it in some way. That risk pays off with PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL. This production has charm, humor, and that all-essential romance we love from the film. Missing out on this touring show would be a big mistake. Big. Huge....

The Indianapolis Repertory Theatre is heating up these cold snowy days with a sci-fi classic. Fahrenheit 451 is on stage until Feb. 20 on the OneAmerica MainStage. One would hope that this play would become irrelevant in our world, but unfortunately, it’s more important than ever....

The 1970's rock opera JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR celebrated its 50th anniversary this year and the anniversary tour is currently at Clowes Memorial Hall in Indianapolis. This iconic musical has always been one of our favorites, and we've have lost count of how many times we've seen it. This touring pr...

Comedy, crime, and quick wits describe every minute of SHEAR MADNESS. This piece is the longest running play in American theater for a reason. It combines a little of all your theatrical favorites with some location-specific additions and even audience participation....

Have we ever needed a return to this cozy tradition more? The familiar landscape of fake snow and glowing lanterns welcomes new and old audiences to the Indiana Repertory Theatre's A Christmas Carol. There are many new elements in the production this year giving it a fresh feel, full of hope and pro...

It’s officially December, and the holiday season is upon us! Twinkle lights and vibrant colors are starting to fill up windows form stores to homes. Luckily, this holiday frenzy has spread to Beef & Boards. A BEEF & BOARDS CHRISTMAS is a winning tribute to the sounds, sights, and smells of this fe...

The finale of this year’s bard fest is Elizabeth Rex, a play based on the true story of the execution of the Earl of Essex, the Queen’s lover, for treason. This fictionalized account takes us into a barn holding Shakespeare and his players on the eve of the execution. They receive a visit from t...

Nothing compares to the joy and freedom of pure imagination, and that is what CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY brings to the stage. It is an unbridled celebration of the enduring power of the creative mind to make the world ever more expansive and astounding. And the greatest source of that power ...

Add together one book club, six members, six meetings, and what do you get? The answer is a lot of drama with a big dose of farcical fun. The Book Club Play is a fast-paced look at one group’s love of reading and how it shapes their lives. From Moby Dick to Twilight, the club tackles reads that sh...

If you’re a fan of musical theatre, then you have had some exposure to the deeply dark and moving tale of the Phantom who lived in the bowels of the Paris Opera House. However, you’re most likely thinking of the version by Andrew Lloyd Weber. While that musical is iconic in its own ways, there i...

Now's the time to seize some tickets for Beef & Board's showing of NEWSIES. This fun and high-energy show provokes a nice balance of laughter and thought, as the newsies of New York take on 'the big guys.'...

After a long time away from live theater, “Smart People” was the perfect show to return to. As an artwork, it has a supreme blend of moments to make you laugh, cringe, and question. As a performance, it has the actors with the chops to make this daring piece come to life in riveting ways....

Tonight, the classic musical, The Sound of Music, opened as the second offering of The Muny’s 103rd season. According to the show’s director, Matt Kunkel, The Sound of Music, is a show about love of God, family, and country. Kunkel is helming his first full scale production after serving as a Mu...

Don’t let the comically large nose fool you, this one is a heartbreaker. The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s minimalist production of the classic Cyrano features just three actors. It’s a quiet romance about Cyrano (Ryan Artzberger) and his unspoken love for Roxane. There are a few sword fights, c...

In 2001 an unarmed black man was killed by a Cincinnati police officer. A peaceful protest turned dangerous in the following days as the city erupted into riots. If that sounds a bit too familiar to you, you aren’t alone. The subject matter is achingly relevant....

In 2008 the country was in the midst of a massive economic recession. That year the Indiana Repertory Theatre produced This Wonderful Life, a one-man show that celebrates the classic film, It's a Wonderful Life. It's appropriate that the theatre would return to that joyful play in 2020, a year that ...

Less than a week ago I saw Murder on the Orient Express at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. The set was opulent and the murder was crackling with tension and humor... and no one else will get to see it. Since that night the IRT, along with almost every arts organization in the city, has decided to can...

The premise is simple: a theatrical group who comes together in the hopes of producing their first a?oeprofessionala?? performance, a dramatic murder mystery. The action of it is far from simple as everyone's best intentions turns into everyone's worst nightmares. THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is burgeon...

We were lucky enough to get to speak with Chris French who plays Jonathan Harris in THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG opening at Clowes Memorial Hall February 25th. He had plenty to say about what makes this show something special and why it's a fun departure from the musicals most patrons are used to from B...