The Marriage Matinee - Page 4

Audience members of all ages hurried eagerly into Beef & Boards on Saturday night, my wife and I included, with dreams of a fun evening ahead but unsure of what would take place. We've all seen the movie, especially with being from Indiana. The orchestra began to play the overture, and the show began. We quickly found out that the next two hours would be filled with hilarity and delight. From the very first song, Counting Down to Christmas, we knew that we would be in good hands watching A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT has all the key ingredients for a smash hit: Andrew Lloyd Weber, Tim Rice, crazy costumes, emotional highs and lows, humor, and lessons learned. Many may even recall Donny Osmond's portrayal of Joseph, including a VHS version that perhaps graced their shelves. It has a timeless element to it, but more importantly, it's just plain fun. The Biz Academy of Musical Theatre was certain to bring that fun to the fore, and it made for a memorable evening for all.

The original book and musical, a?oeInto the Woodsa??, by James Lapine harkens back to oh-so-common cultural classic children's stories including a?oeLittle Red Riding Hood,a?? a?oeCinderella,a?? a?oeJack and the Beanstalk,a?? a?oeRapunzel,a?? and a?oeThe Baker and his Wife,a?? among a few others. Lapine wove these iconic characters and stories into one of his own. It's a new and perverse story line controlled by a spiteful giantess and a egotistical witch. Stephen Sondheim's musical additional punctuate the tale and gave depth to characters from other tales such as the Big, Bad Wolf and two love-struck princes and the witch herself.

John Pielmeier's mind-bending drama, ''Agnes of God,'' started as a successful play on Broadway and was later turned into a movie starring Jane Fonda. On the surface, ''Agnes of God'' is about a psychiatrist who longs to understand herself and opinions on the world. While working, the court has appointed that she take on Agnes (Katie Marie Eaker), a case of a nun who has gave birth in a convent and has been charged with infanticide. Dr. Martha Livingstone (Jesi Brown Friedly), psychiatrist, longs to discover the truth hidden behind Agnes's shrouded and cloistered mind. A psychological conflict ensues between Dr. Livingstone and Mother Miriam Ruth (Tina Valdois-Bruner) over Agnes's mental and spiritual health, and the show became a myriad of contrasting opinions between science and religion, the temporal and spiritual, and what is fact versus faith.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is a quirky and offbeat musical beloved by off-Broadway fans for decades. Its irreverent comedy but relatable story lines make it easy to love. However, it comes with its challenges, especially the technical aspect of making a plant behave as a character without showing the operator on stage. And how does someone give voice to such a character? Beef & Boards takes on these challenges and conquers them with ease in their production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.

Refreshing a cherished, old-time musical can be a daunting process and undertaking. You have to choose what directions you'd like to goa?? Should you keep the faith with longstanding traditions, or should you try something new and risky? If you want to go for some of both, how much of each should you incorporate? It's difficult to strike that perfect balance a?" it's almost like you're a fiddler on the roof.

After being in a show for over 300 times, how to do you keep it fresh? For Kelly Gabrielle Murphy in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, it's all about the relationships built along the way a?" with the audience and her fellow performers.

HAIRSPRAY is such a likeable musical, full of catchy upbeat tunes and 60's flair. It is nearly impossible to resist the urge to tap your toes or bob your head as Tracy wheels her way around the dance floor. But the latest production of HAIRSPRAY at Beef & Boards brings more than what the musical has to offer on its own. It has heart and soul that cannot hide, even behind the misty clouds of Ultra Clutch hairspray.

Monument Theatre Company is celebrating its inaugural season with a play that encapsulates so much of its mission. They have entered the Indianapolis theater world to challenge and trouble some of the fixed mindsets that the average theater-goer may have developed. 1984 is the perfect vehicle to bring that goal to life and to create a strong impression on its audiences, leaving more questions than answers.

Nostalgia can be big business, especially in musical theater. Harking back to some by-gone, golden age permeates both politics and pop culture now, but nostalgia has always been rose-tinted and shines above and beyond any hardships, struggles, and even life. Beef & Board once again hits the nail on the head and has successfully recreated classic rock and roll in BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame is an internationally recognized symbol, a mammoth structure of stone and priceless art, some of which suffered from the ravages of fire in April. But it is so much more. It is the building that bears witness to the faith and failures of countless people who come to it every day, and Footlite Musicals gives you a window into some of those deep themes with their production of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME.

What would it be like to live "under the sea"? Beef and Board's THE LITTLE MERMAID provides the audience with a fantastical glimpse into the world of King Triton and Ariel along with her friends in this colorful, bubbly show now showing at Beef and Boards from now until June 30th.

Reading the synopsis of CHILDREN OF EDEN leads you to believe you know exactly what's to come. The story of the Book of Genesis is one many people have at least a passing familiarity with. However, this musical makes the stories come to life in new ways and provokes questions and thoughts that are as relevant today as they were in Biblical times. A journey through the Garden of Eden becomes a whirlwind of music, movement, and moving moments that goes far beyond the words on a page.

Based on songs by ABBA, Mamma Mia! is established in a Greek island where a young lady named Sophie Sheridan is about to get married. Getting married without her birth father giving her away is deeply troubling her, so she sets to remedy that. However, she really has zero clue who he is, so she invites three men who were amorously involved with her mother some 20 years ago to the wedding. When they arrive on the island, Sophie's mother, Donna Sheridan, is brought back memories of love and heartbreak.

At first glance, WAITRESS has a deceptively simple surface plot. Woman in a bad marriage hangs with gal pals encouraging her to do better for herself. That may be the bare bits of this musical, but its complexities and melodies are as enticing as one of Jenna's famous pies.

We had the privilege of interviewing Steven Good, who plays Dr. Pomatter in the upcoming tour of WAITRESS coming through Indianapolis. We had to ask him what this musical is able to serve up, other than pies, and he had some great insight to share with us about this fun and touching musical.

Razzmatazz, glitz, glamour, intrigue: 42ND STREET is filled with these classic themes, which is why it still thrills audiences decades after its premiere.

The musical, THE KING AND I, accounts the experience of widow Mrs. Anna Leonowens (Anglea Baumgardner), an English school teacher, who was take on as a main driving factor in the King of Siam's push to modernize Siam in the late 1800s. Anna and her young son travel to Siam where she teaches the royals about culture, customs, and the modern world. With the King also being thought of as "a barbarian", Anna also prepares a formal party for English diplomats with hopes they will change their tune about the King.

The draw is easy: Joshua Henry, Broadway star, with a meteoric rise which includes HAMILTON. Enough said, right? But therein lies the beauty of the setting of a cabaret.

THE KING AND I has the power to evoke many iconic songs, images, and fond memories. It has become a designated Broadway classic. However, what do the classics have to offer us in this modern age? Timothy Matthew Flores fills us in on how this national tour has breathed new life into the classic, showing its timeless qualities.