On the Aisle With Tom Alvarez | Arts & Entertainment

ISO ‘Maestros’ Pops Concert Is Unparalleled Entertainment

June 12, 2025

I was so completly immersed in the exceptional music, vocals, and atmosphere enhanced by the audience’s electric energy at the Maestros: Jack & Enrico Pops concert, presented by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, that I couldn’t help be reminded  just how thrilling and vibrant live performance... read more

‘The Prom’ Is A Resounding Hit

June 4, 2025

Amidst ongoing culture wars, “The Prom, A Musical” offers a welcome escape with its endearing LGBTQ+ love story, set in red-state Indiana. Presented by Summer Stock Stage at the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts at Butler University, the musical, with its themes of... read more

IBC Shines In Artful Retelling of Classic ‘Phantom’

May 29, 2025

What sets Indiana Ballet Conservatory apart is how it showcases its students in its productions. Friday, I witnessed that distinction while experiencing The Phantom of the Opera, a ballet version created by IBC Artistic Director and founder Alyona Yakovleva. I consider this work to be... read more

‘Noches Calientes’ Sizzles At The Palladium

May 22, 2025

Given my Mexican heritage, I was immediately drawn to attend the Indiana Wind Symphony, led by Jay Gephart, in its presentation of Noches Calientes on Sunday at The Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts. Any concern over cultural appropriation was immediately... read more

Feinstein Concert Shines A Spotlight On Pop Music Classics

May 17, 2025

Five-time Grammy nominee Michael Feinstein headlined “Celebrate the Songbook,” a concert at the Palladium on Saturday that offered a primer on classic popular music. The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Matthew Kramer, accompanied the renowned Feinstein, celebrated as the Ambassador of the Great American Songbook.... read more

KDO Event Sparkles With Irresistible Exhuberance

May 6, 2025

  Of all the annual performing events I cover, the Kids Dance Outreach Event of the Year is among my favorites. This year’s Dreams With Wings was certainly no exception and like previous years, it topped its predecessor. I attended the Saturday performance, which included... read more

‘The Humans’ Depicts Relatable Family Dynamics

April 30, 2025

Now in its 5th Season, American Lives Theatre, led by founder and Artistic Director Chris Saunders, continues to successfully fill its niche on the local theatre scene by advancing its mission that “…engages, provokes and entertains by presenting a mirror reflecting the lives and history... read more