September 24, 2018
I heard a lot of advance positive buzz about “Bright Star,” the musical created by comedian-musician Steve Martin and singer-songwriter Edie Brickell, which I saw Saturday at the Phoenix Theatre. Much of the anticipation was due to the fact that founding Phoenix member Suzanne Fleenor, who... read more
September 14, 2018
When does news become old? Of course, that was my main concern as I was deciding whether to publish this story about “Start With Art,” presented by the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Indy’s preeminent arts event kicking off the fall arts season and major fundraiser... read more
July 26, 2018
When it comes to Summer Stock Stage productions, I have noted previously that I always feel like I am seeing the musical theatre stars of tomorrow when I review their productions. The fact is, there are SSS alums who have gone on to perform on... read more
June 11, 2018
It was August of 2015 when I last laid eyes on actor Lisa Ermel, a former Indy resident. We met at the Starbucks on Mass Ave, where I conducted an “exit interview” with her the day before she left for Los Angeles to enter the... read more
May 27, 2018
It was yet another emotional occurrence Friday at the new Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre when I attended “The Pill,” the inaugural production on the 75-seat, cabaret-style, black-box Frank & Katrina Basile Stage. I had hoped to review Phoenix playwright-in-residence Tom Horan’s world-premiere work on its... read more
May 11, 2018
Another Phoenix Theatre historic milestone was made when the 35-year-old organization previewed “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater” on the mainstage at its brand-spanking-new Cultural Center located at 705 N. Illinois Street in downtown Indianapolis. Having missed the April 28 goodbye ceremony, parade and ribbon cutting... read more
May 7, 2018
When thinking about how I would preview Kurt Vonnegut’s “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater,” the debut production, opening May 11, of the brand-new Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center, located at 705 N. Illinois Street in Indianapolis, one person came to mind almost immediately. One of my... read more
April 19, 2018
The popular annual fundraising event that features a cavalcade of Indianapolis artists representing various performing arts organizations and benefits the Indiana Aids Fund, a program of the Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, is just days away. This year’s “Deborah J. Simon Spotlight” will take place... read more
