Indianapolis Theater Reviews

Review: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre
by Melissa Hall - May 22, 2023

If you want to be reminded of the magic of theater, take a young child to see their first show. It’s nothing short of exhilarating to see their face light up when a story comes alive in front of them. Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s current production of Beauty and the Beast pulls out all the stops. ...

Review: PREDICTOR at American Lives Theatre
by Melissa Hall - May 17, 2023

American Lives Theatre (ALT) closes its strong season with Predictor at the Phoenix Theatre. On the surface, it’s the story of one woman’s fight, but underneath that, the heart of the play lies in the friendship, determination, generational legacy, and so much more that help drive Meg Crane. In the ...

Review: HAMILTON Rises Up at Murat Theatre
by The Marriage Matinee - May 03, 2023

Only a couple of shows recent have received as much interest and praise as HAMILTON. A historical drama, HAMILTON is the creation of Lin-Manuel Miranda that comes with with a dash of comedy and a history lesson presented by outstanding lyrics and exciting music that switches seamlessly from a melody...

Review: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre
by Melissa Hall - April 05, 2023

If you love dancing, have I got a show for you! An American in Paris is on stage for the first time at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. Many will recognize the story from the Oscar-winning 1951 film of the same name. The familiar Gershwin score and songs are lovely and “They Can’t Take That Away From M...

Review: SHAKESPEARE'S WILL at Indiana Repertory Theatre
by Melissa Hall - March 31, 2023

Shakespeare's Will is a one-woman show about the Bard's wife. At a brisk 90 minutes, the show covers a lot of ground. The famous playwright leaves grief in his wake, but Anne Hathaway was a woman with her own story....

Review: LES MISERABLES Returns to Clowes Memorial Hall
by The Marriage Matinee - March 19, 2023

Les Miserables returned to Indianapolis, again, in excellent fasion, propagating its underlying message that theater can suppress the multitudes. It can be ambitious and weighty, thematically sacred, and blatantly tear-jerking....

Review: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS Brings A Tantalizing Whodunnit To Civic Theatre
by The Marriage Matinee - March 14, 2023

There’s a reason that Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time: she sure knows how to write a story. Her works have been immortalized in many ways, and the stage production of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS adapted by Ken Ludwig is another great example of her storytelling prowess come...

Review: FOOTLOOSE Cuts Loose at Beef & Boards
by The Marriage Matinee - February 14, 2023

FOOTLOOSE is a musical born of the beloved film from 1984 starring Kevin Bacon. It made a natural adaptation with its sensational soundtrack and heartfelt message. There is of course the titular song, FOOTLOOSE, but there are also gems like “Holding Out for a Hero” and “Let’s Hear It For the Boy.” B...

Review: THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK Captures Charm and Tragedy at Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre
by The Marriage Matinee - February 14, 2023

What did our critic think of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre? The story of Anne Frank has been immortalized in her own words for decades. Her writings range from the amusing to the dramatic to the tragic, but in their essence, they capture something so fleeting: a girl stru...

Review: WILD HORSES at the Phoenix Theatre
by Melissa Hall - February 06, 2023

What did our critiA one-woman show starring two of Indy’s finest leading ladies, Wild Horses is a fascinating concept with a big payoff. Constance Macy and Jen Johansen rotate nights for their performances in the coming-of-age story. The one-act play flies by because it feels like chatting with an o...

Review: HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING at American Lives Theatre
by Melissa Hall - January 17, 2023

Empathy is often in short supply when it comes to how we feel about people on the opposite side of the political divide. Heroes of the Fourth Turning, a Pulitzer-prize finalist, explores that tricky topic in an intense and memorable way. The show is perfectly in line with American Lives Theatre’s mi...

Review: CLUE at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre
by Melissa Hall - January 03, 2023

Clue, the classic whodunit farce, kicks off Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre's 50th anniversary season. The mystery show takes the famous board game and film and turns it into a play. Each character is given a weapon and a motive and the murders begin. Eddie Curry directs the fast-paced production and...

Review: A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL Brings the Holiday Spirit at Civic Theatre
by The Marriage Matinee - December 06, 2022

A Christmas Story, the Musical reimagines the 1983 holiday movie masterpiece with boisterous songs and dance that brought new life and excellent vocals to the season. Loving fans, rest easy. Joseph Robinette’s adaption, directed by Emily Rogge Tzucker, brightens iconic scenes and characters and enha...

Review: A (Happy) Holiday: A Festive Season Reimagined
by The Marriage Matinee - December 06, 2022

It’s the holiday season and all reviewers are going to their required holiday shows... You know... Elf, A Christmas Story, A Christmas Carol. It's the same stuff, different year. Not this show. This is a brand new show by a unique writers' room collaboration called A (Happy) Holiday. Feeling down or...

Review: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE At Beef & Boards: A Sparkling Holiday Classic
by The Marriage Matinee - November 28, 2022

The holiday season brings with it many familiar sights, sounds, smells, and of course, beloved cinematic and stage treasures like IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. Beef & Boards chose a true gem to get every audience member into the right spirit while always recalling what’s truly important and truly worth fig...

Review: Caves and Worlds of Wonder in ALADDIN at Clowes Memorial Hall
by The Marriage Matinee - November 22, 2022

For all those growing up watching Disney movies, and for the kids who absolutely loved Aladdin, the Genie and Princess Jasmine or even Abu, this is a must-watch! Big band, big sound, big show — with enough energy to light up a few thousand lamps....

Review: ALADDIN at Broadway Across America
by Melissa Hall - November 17, 2022

Broadway Across America does big musicals well. Obviously, the trend of movie-to-musical has touched every genre, but Disney musicals tend to translate well in that medium. Aladdin is no exception. Everything is big, bright, sparkling, and bursting with color. The special effects don’t disappoint. T...

Review: Have You Heard? ANASTASIA Brings Indy Audiences to Their Feet
by The Marriage Matinee - October 20, 2022

The rumors are true: ANASTASIA has finally made its way to Indianapolis. You may be thinking it’s just another movie turned musical, but there are new twists and turns to this rendition of the beloved animated film. There’s the romance, the legend of Anastasia, the glittering costumes and crowns, bu...

Review: TICK, TICK…BOOM! at Phoenix Theatre
by Melissa Hall - October 18, 2022

The story resonates with any artist who has questioned their future. By the end, you feel like you're part of the tight-knit trio as they navigate the difficult passage from their 20s into the next inevitable stage....

Review: They're All Together Ooky and Applause-Worthy: THE ADDAMS FAMILY at Beef & Boards
by The Marriage Matinee - October 12, 2022

From the moment you hear those familiar four organ notes, you are caught up in the fun of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. This musical features the beloved and morbid family many have enjoyed in television and film for decades. Embark on an adventure with these endearing spooks as they try to spend a night, just...

Review: KING JOHN at Shelton Auditorium
by Melissa Hall - October 10, 2022

What did our cOne of the highlights of this year‘s Bard Fest is the rarely-produced King John. There are whispers of other Shakespeare plays echoing in the heartbreaking history All the classics are there but presented in a show that’s often overlooked. There are warring families, devious brothers, ...

Review: TASTE at Theatre Unchained
by The Marriage Matinee - September 30, 2022

It's hard to comprehend a more unusual and nauseating narrative than the one re-imagined in Taste, Benjamin Brand's reality-based drama about a contract between a man with cannibalistic aspirations and the willing victim he solicits on the internet. The genuine event - preserved by the perpetrator o...

Review: THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT at American Lives Theatre
by Melissa Hall - September 06, 2022

The show is a beautiful reminder of what we all love about theater. When the show ends, the discussion begins....

Review: Cheers to Singing Away at ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE at Beef & Boards
by The Marriage Matinee - August 23, 2022

Jimmy Buffet is a beloved part of the musical fabric of America, and so it makes complete sense that JIMMY BUFFET’S ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE is just as endearing and just plain fun. This musical is a great way to feel transported to the simplicity of a beach vacation and live awhile on “island time....

Review: HONKY TONK ANGELS Charms at Beef & Boards
by The Marriage Matinee - July 18, 2022

The beat of the drum and the twang of the guitar are calling you to HONKY TONK ANGELS at Beef & Boards. When a band of three women are flung together by chance, the results are a series of both charming and hilarious antics strung together by some of country music’s greatest hits....