My mission in writing this column is to shine a spotlight on Central Indiana performing arts organizations and artists. In that spirit, I offer the following list, in alphabetical order, of individual performing arts figures. It is my distinct pleasure to honor this accomplished group of innovative, impactful and representative artists or arts administrators I covered in 2023.
David Commanday – Carmel Symphony Orchestra music director
Adrian Dominguez – Dance Kaleidoscope dancer
Austin Huntington – Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra principal cello
Matt Kraft – actor
Ismael Lara Jr. – Indiana Repertory Theatre associate artistic director
Lakesha Lorene – Naptown African American Theatre Collective Inc. – CEO/founder and actpr
Devan Mathias – actor-singer-dancer
Stephen McCoy – Indianapolis Men’s Chorus executive director
Joseph Perkins – actor-singer-dancer
Marianne Williams Tobias (posthumous) – classical pianist, author, musicologist, arts patron and philanthropist
photo: Josh Humble
About Tom
Tom Alvarez is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, journalist, and arts administrator with an extensive career spanning media and the fine arts. His diverse background as a producer, director, actor, and lyricist provides him with unique insight and access to review the arts across Indianapolis, Central Indiana, and beyond.
For over 50 years, Alvarez has documented theatre, dance, music, and visual arts. His work has been featured in the Indianapolis Star, NUVO, Indianapolis Monthly, and Dance Magazine, among others. A former contributor to WFYI-TV’s Across Indiana, he now hosts a regular performing arts segment on WISH-TV’s Life. Style. Live!. He is also the host and producer of the podcast On the Aisle with Tom Alvarez, part of the All Indiana Podcast Network presented by Circle City Broadcasting.
As a principal of Klein & Alvarez Productions, LLC, he co-created “Calder, The Musical” and serves as the managing director of Magic Thread Cabaret. Additionally, he is an active actor and model represented by the Helen Wells Agency and Heyman Talent Artists Agency.
You can follow his work on social media @tomalvarezartswriter and @tomalvarez1.
