MONTHLY
Shari Jenkins and Mark Hagan
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APRIL 2022
TALK ABOUT THE OPENING OF THE TIPSY MERMAID
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19 COVER STORY
Shari Jenkins and Mark Hagan on the Opening of The Tipsy Mermaid We are pleased to feature Shari Jenkins and Mark Hagan on our cover this month. Anyone who has frequented Jenkins’ destination restaurants Noah Grant’s Grill House & Oyster Bar and Salty Cowboy in downtown Zionsville is familiar with Jenkins’ reputation for excellent food and outstanding service. It should come as no surprise to her friends and fans that she is aiming to bring another element of fun and flavor to Main Street with her latest endeavor: The Tipsy Mermaid: Conch House & Cocktails. Bringing the best of Key West to the Midwest, Jenkins and her longtime friend and general manager Mark Hagan have been working on this project for several years and are beyond excited to see it come to fruition by the end of 2022. Writer // Janelle Morrison • Cover photo // Laura Arick
6 Body Outfitters on Investing in Your Health 8 Feinstein’s Opens Its Stage to Live Music From Local Artists 10 Make Good Decisions Celebrates a Milestone Year and
ZIONSVILLE MONTHLY
12 Civic Theatre Presents: ‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical’ 15 Actors Theatre of Indiana Presents: ‘Working’ 17 ZCHS Musical Theater to Expand Its Season 22 Freshly Brewed Provides a Cup of Fresh Entertainment
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Body Outfitters on Investing in Your Health Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Mark Moreland
As we move further out from 2020 and forward toward a new “normal” way of living, I spoke with Mark Moreland, owner and personal trainer at Body Outfitters Personal Training Studio, about how people—especially over the age of 50—are looking to invest in and optimize their personal health.
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ust as many folks are investing in their financial well-being earlier in their lives, there has been an upward trend in taking care of one’s personal health at an earlier age as result of the pandemic. Moreland shared with us his studio’s philosophy on physical health and how he and his trainers have always focused on the holistic health of their clients and not just how often they work out.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF BODY OUTFITTERS PERSONAL TRAINING SERVICES Body Outfitter’s personal trainers have over 40 years of combined experience. They use experience and expertise to create tailored workouts. They have degrees in exercise science from accredited universities with a variety of certifications in fitness disciplines.
Body Outfitters personal trainers offer a variety of personal training services to meet clients’ needs and goals. From one-on-one personal training sessions to training for teams of two to small group training and classes, they help clients discover the best fitness programs for their goals. They provide an environment curated to strengthen your body and mind and guarantee space to move with confidence and execute the best workout for your body. Body Outfitters personal trainers strive to create an experience that is intimate, upbeat and motivational.
POST-2020 PRIORITIES “We have seen a shift in priorities since 2020,” Moreland shared. “We ask our clients if they have ‘feel better’ goals, ‘move better’ goals or ‘look better’ goals. These things are integrated, but there
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has been a huge shift into the feel better goals. It’s moved away from ‘I have pain and I want to look better’—those were the two main drivers in 2017–19. Now most of people’s triggers—2020 and going forward—is yes, the pain, but in general, people don’t feel good, and they want to work at feeling better.” Moreland acknowledged that there has been a lot of factors in our lives that we haven’t been able to control, but he reminded us that there are some factors related to our health that we are in control of. “There are four things that you can control,” Moreland stated. “You can control your sleep or at least position yourself for [proper] sleep. We get into our beds too late and often take our phones into bed. We’re not resting or sleeping when we do that. That’s just one thing that we can control—at least behaviorally—that has a huge impact on feeling better.” Being more active, staying hydrated and proper nutrition are the other three points that Moreland prioritized. “Your activity is what you do during the day,” Moreland said. “And I separate hydration and nutrition. I put those in their own categories because some people are awesome at one and lousy at the other, but they are both unique things. Hydration highly affects your joints and your movement. I’m not a certified dietician or a nutritionist—these people can specifically prescribe meals that are relevant to you, so I move towards the behavioral aspects. First, what are your ‘oops’ [foods and beverages]. Those are the things that you’re already thinking about when I say that word. We’ll talk about what you are eating—are you eating fruits and vegetables? How much bread are you eating? Are you eating carbohydrates—are they the trash kind or are they more of the fruits and things like that? Nutrition is just like a bank account. You have to figure out where your ‘spend’ is going to be. So, in review, it’s about rest, activity, then hydration and food—those are four controllables that we can have a lot of say in.” Moreland added, “I would say that even if you didn’t see a [personal] trainer,
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and you moved in this direction, gave yourself an honest analysis and made a couple of changes—you’d start to feel better fast.”
CARING FOR YOURSELF TODAY TO BE MORE ACTIVE TOMORROW After 50, many folks are transitioning from have dependents to look after and coordinate schedules around and are looking onward at the next phases of their lives. Women, especially, find more time for themselves at this point. Moreland talked about how many of his clients who are over 50 are making the decisions to keep working their bodies so that they can continue doing and even improving on the activities that they enjoy most. “The currency of your health has never been thrown in your face more since 2020,” Moreland stated. “First, be active. Get out of your chair. Schedule walks. Go outside. That’s really important. I think people recognized the significance of that
SHUTTERS
over the last couple of years and realized they needed that.” Moreland continued, “Hopefully, they’ll maintain that. So, outside time with activity is good. Take a 10-minute walk. I still do 10-minute walks, but I also strength train because muscle, joints, connective tissue—they’re all part of the structure of the vehicle that you move around in all day long. It’s your strength and ultimately the ability to move that will dictate what you can and can’t choose to engage in.” Physical health, mental health, emotional health and spiritual health are all overlapping circles. “We know that all of it affects all of it,” Moreland said. “I would say a really safe place to start if you’re looking to start taking care of yourself is with the physical health because it’s a little more objective and you don’t have to ‘unpack’ as much. You can start with moving, and you’re going to instantly start feeling better because the body is designed to do that. You start an upward spiral that helps
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contradict some of the downwards. And hopefully it’s becoming less taboo to see [mental health] counsel. I’m ‘body’ counsel. You see a financial counsel, so seeking that counsel is just wisdom, and it should provide you with a little more peace of mind. We call it the Humpty Dumpty scenario. Sometimes, it takes all the king’s horses and all the king’s men to really help you optimize your [overall] health.” For more information on Body Outfitters and their Carmel and Zionsville locations, visit bodyoutfitters.com.
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World Class Cabaret at Carmel City Center May 5
RICHARD GLAZIER Actors Theatre of Indiana is thrilled to welcome back home to Indiana award-winning pianist Richard Glazier as he presents From Broadway to Hollywood. An expert interpreter of the Great American Songbook, Glazier has both personal as well as professional connections to his music. Offering a rich context to the beautiful music of the Great American Songbook, which is at the core of many a Hollywood musical, Glazier’s program is sure to engage as well as educate viewers as then enjoy Glazier’s fine performances and personal stories.
May 19, 20, & 21 FIVE FOR FIGHTING
Singer-songwriter John Ondrasik has spent the past decade writing deeply personal songs that include social messages, invoke the human spirit and make an emotional connection. With the past six albums by Five for Fighting, the hockey moniker stage name under which he performs, Ondrasik has seen multitudes of successes. Five For Fighting’s breakthrough came in 2001 with the Grammy-nominated song “Superman,” and John’s performance at The Concert For New York. Ondrasik proceeded to become part of the American songbook with the iconic hit “100 Years,” “World,” “The Riddle,” “Chances,” and “What If.” John’s music has been featured in over 350 films, TV shows, and advertisements ranging from The Blind Side to The Sopranos. In 2018 John was the musical voice for the CBS hit show Code Black. John has also been deeply involved in supporting our troops. From USO tours, supporting several Veteran oriented charities, and distributing over a million “CD for the Troops” to servicemen and their families around the world.
For tickets go to feinsteinshc.com or scan QR
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ADAM B. SHAPIRO Native Hoosier, Adam B. Shapiro left Indianapolis 18 years ago to chase his Broadway dreams in New York City. In recent years, he has appeared in the North American premiere of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish and as the cantor in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Now he returns to his beloved hometown with stories and songs galore about how the road you think you’re on isn’t always the one you expect. He’ll take you through the pitfalls and pratfalls of children’s theatre, cruise ship work, and close calls, before a leap of faith lands him a job with the National Yiddish Theater, which takes him farther than he ever would have dreamed.
June 7
ATI PRESENTS: OPEN MIC NIGHT! Do you love music and are looking for the right time and place to share your talents with the world? Actors Theatre of Indiana’s (ATI’s) open mic nights are the perfect no-judgement zone opportunity, a place where like-minded fans and artists can appreciate each other and the joy of making music! Now is YOUR chance to sing on the beautiful Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael stage! Actors Theatre of Indiana’s (ATI) co-founders Cynthia Collins, Don Farrell, and Judy Fitzgerald co-host the evening along with Brent Marty on the 88’s, as you choose your favorite Broadway, Hollywood, or song standards. No need to bring sheet music (but you can if you wish) as ATI will provide all their songbooks to choose your selections! All seats are only $15 to enjoy this special evening to make music together!
1 Carmichael Square, Carmel, IN
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Literally and Figuratively Opening Doors to Local Acts
Feinstein’s Opens Its Stage to Live Music From Local Artists Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted
Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael is opening its doors and its stage to live music from local artists and invites you to come check it out! Enjoy the intimate nightclub environment that Feinstein’s boasts, signature drinks and live performances weekly.
“I’m excited to see it take off and am really looking forward to see how it develops,” Nichols expressed. “I’m scheduling single artists, duos and trios that have been reaching out to me on email to play in Feinstein’s. It gives these artists who’ve been wanting to play an opportunity to be on a great stage in a wonderful room, and it’s only a $12 cover at the door. If you’re a hotel guest, it’s free!” Nichols is working with her own industry contacts as well as with the organizers of Carmel’s PorchFest who have given Nichols their list of bands. Nichols added, “PorchFest has been very gracious to give me a list of acts that are on their roster, and it’s an opportunity for me to see people that I’ve never seen or met before. I’m hoping that by bringing in these different bands that have a following, they’ll bring their fans, and we can hit the younger demographic.” All of the upcoming acts will be listed on Feinstein at Hotel Carmichael’s website, but they will not be preticketed events like the Feinstein’s series shows
are. Since it is a “bar” situation, admission for these live shows is 21 and older.
ATI Presents: Open Mic Night! Actors Theatre of Indiana’s (ATI’s) open mic nights are the perfect no-judgement zone opportunity, a place where like-minded fans and artists can appreciate each other and the joy of making music! Now is your chance to sing on the beautiful Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael stage! Nichols shared with me that she is working with ATI on presenting these open mic nights four times this year. These will be ticketed events, general admission, with a $15 cover, but people can choose their seats. “We’re excited to bring this to Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael,” Nichols said. “Feinstein’s/54 Below does a Broadway sing-along series, so I’m really excited that ATI is helping us get something like that under our belt!” Check out feinsteinshc.com for a list of all the incredible acts that are slated to perform at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael and enjoy a nightlife again with your fellow live music enthusiasts!
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to contact 911—by phone call or text. The messages will show information about how Indiana’s Lifeline Law works.
MAKE GOOD DECISIONS Celebrates a Milestone Year and The Bling Pig Is Back in Person! Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted
Indiana Youth Services Association’s (IYSA) special event, The Blind Pig Speakeasy Shindig, benefits the Make Good Decisions Initiative. Make Good Decisions educates teens and young adults about the dangers of underage drinking, drugs, destructive behaviors and the Indiana Lifeline Law.
Brett’s Story Continues to Save Lives
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t’s been 10 years since Carmel residents Norm and Dawn Finbloom lost their beloved son, Brett, who passed away from alcohol poisoning just one week before he was to begin college classes in 2012. Since that tragic time, the Finblooms have been dedicated spokespersons for “Make Good Decisions.” They worked alongside former Sen. Jim Merritt, who expanded Indiana’s Lifeline Law during the 2014 legislative session, and the trio are fierce advocates for the Lifeline Law and for IYSA’s “Make Good Decisions.” Indiana’s Lifeline Law provides legal amnesty from prosecution for underage drinking, and many related drinking offenses, for a person who calls or texts, or for persons assisting, to report a medical emergency, sexual assault or other crime.
Indiana Youth Services Association’s Make Good Decisions Initiative and Sen. Merritt, author of Indiana’s Lifeline Law, have partnered with Indiana’s Text-to-911 services to increase public awareness about the ability to text to 911 in an emergency. The purpose of the partnership is to encourage young people to contact 911 for help when they find themselves or a friend in an emergency, especially those situations that may involve alcohol or a sexual assault, or if they witness another crime. The statewide public education campaign will focus on high school and college students with digital messages delivered on mobile devices (cell phones, tablets, iPads, etc.) with videos and graphics that contain information about Indiana’s Lifeline Law, alcohol awareness and signs of alcohol poisoning, and encourage young people
Celebrating Success While Looking Ahead IYSA and Make Good Decisions representatives are immensely proud of what has been accomplished over the last decade, and they recognize that their work is far from being complete. They acknowledge that their primary fundraiser is transcending beyond the boundaries of Indiana and is making an impact in states throughout the nation. IYSA Chief Advancement Officer Michele Whelchel stated, “We will have a special program this year [at The Blind Pig] to celebrate and honor the past years along with a timeline acknowledging the significant benchmarks that have happened over the last decade.” IYSA Chief Executive Officer David Westenberger added, “We’re glad to be back in person this year. Our plan is to have the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation curate the music this year, and we’re stepping up our game in every aspect of the event. Our sponsors and contributors are also stepping up their gifts due to it being the 10th anniversary. So, we will have 10 big live auctions items in addition to a robust silent auction!” When asked what they are most proud of, Dawn Finbloom replied, “If it wasn’t for the community support and for IYSA, we wouldn’t be at this 10-year point. Like Jim [Merritt] says, we have a new batch of teens every year, and we wouldn’t be in a position to help them, to teach them about the Lifeline Law and most importantly about the warning signs of alcohol and drug poisoning if it wasn’t for the support of our community and IYSA.” Norm Finbloom added, “Part of what we’re most proud of is that Indiana teens
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are taking the message and are spreading it to other states when they go off to college. We know people from other states—Florida, Tennessee, Alabama and others—who are coming the event to support what is being done, and then they will take the messages back to their communities.” Dawn stated, “We’re working with some other states, really targeting to get the information out there, and Michelle’s been working hard on that—specifically with the state of Massachusetts right now, and Jim’s been helping with getting in touch with the legislators.” While being key to the passing of the Indiana Lifeline Law and a staunch advocate for Making Good Decisions, Merritt admits that there is much more work that needs to be done in the way of providing wraparound services to people—especially young people—who are struggling with alcohol and drug addictions. “I’m not going to claim a whole lot of credit for all that’s gone on the last 10 years because it’s been a team effort,” Merritt expressed. “I think one of the reasons
we’ve been so successful is because it’s very personal to all of us. When we relay the stories and situations of tragedy as well as positive results, I think that really comes home to people.” Merritt continued, “Dawn and I have talked about this several times, and that is the idea about having a Lifeline Law for drug overdoses. When we have all these wonderful people together on June 18, we need to be looking towards the future and in a very positive way. We need to provide hope for the future along with a road map of what we need to do next. We’ve done this for 10 years, and we feel like we have a solid body of work and we’ve had success saving lives, but we continue to ask ourselves where are going, and I think that keeps us fresh. And I think it keeps people engaged in the mission, willing to help.” Please join us for this year’s The Blind Pig on June 16, 2022, and if you are interested in becoming a sponsor this year, please visit indysb.org for more details on the event as well as IYSA and Make Good Decisions.
Indiana Youth Services Association Presents our Ninth Annual Special Event
ENJOY Live Music and Friendly Gambling, Heavy Hors D’oeuvres, Live and Silent Auction, All While Supporting IYSA’s MAKE GOOD DECISIONS INITIATIVE. For more information about the event please visit www.indysb.org/blindpig
A speakEasy Shindig
EVERY 44 HOURS A COLLEGE-AGED PERSON DIES FROM ALCOHOL POISONING. MOST TEEN-DRINKING DEATHS AREN’T TRAFFIC RELATED. THEY ARE FROM OTHER ALCOHOLINFUSED ACCIDENTS SUCH AS FALLS, HOMICIDES, SUICIDES AND ALCOHOL POISONING. 9% OF TEEN ALCOHOL DEATHS ARE FROM SIMPLY DRINKING TOO MUCH TOO FAST.
The Blind Pig Speakeasy Shindig will be in person this year! Come enjoy some delicious food and our signature version of giggle juice, “The Bees Knees”! Also included will be some great music, dancing, underground gaming, a silent and live auction and much more! DATES / TIMES June 16, 2022 Doors open for check-in: 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Event: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. LOCATION Columbia Club 121 Monument Circle Indianapolis, IN 46204
100% of the proceeds benefit MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, educating teens and young adults about the dangers of underage drinking, drugs and the Indiana Lifeline Law. The Columbia Club has blocked a set of rooms for our guests at the special rate of $129. To secure a room, please call 317-767-1361 and mention that you are a “Blind Pig” attendee.
Big Pig Sponsor:
You must be 21 to attend the event!
MAIN EVENT 6:30PM-9:30PM Doors Open for Registration at 6:00pm
Register Here:
Festive Cocktail or Flapper Style Attire
6.16.22
The Columbia Club 121 Monument Circle Indianapolis, IN 46204
RSVP by June 8, 2022
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MEET THE CAST Suzanne Fleenor – Director
Fleenor is no stranger to the arts community or to the Civic Theatre. Fleenor was a member of the Junior Civic when it was located at the original 19th and Alabama St. location and has acted and director numerous productions over the years and directed YAP productions when it was first founded. Fleenor was poised to direct “Matilda” back in 2020 and was three weeks into rehearsal when COVID-19 hit. “It’s an honor and a thrill to be back,” Fleenor shared. “We cast the show two years ago, and of course, we’ve had to recast many roles. Thank goodness some of the major roles stayed with us. I’m so grateful to them, and then, of course, our national treasure Anne Beck, the choreographer. She is an extraordinary and gifted artist as well as a wonderful collaborator.”
Mikayla Koharchik – Mrs. Wormwood
CIVIC THEATRE PRESENTS:
‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical’ THE TARKINGTON // APR. 29–MAY 14 Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of Civic
Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, the Tony Award-winning “Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical” is the captivating masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. With book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin, “Matilda” has won 47 international awards and continues to thrill sold-out audiences of all ages around the world.
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atilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She is unloved by her cruel parents—Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood—but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey. Over the course of her first term at school, Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound effect on each other’s lives as Miss Honey begins
not only to recognize but also appreciate Matilda’s extraordinary personality. Matilda’s school life isn’t completely smooth sailing, however—the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don’t abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts and could be the school pupils’ saving grace!
Note: The May 8 performance at 2 p.m. is designated as an inclusive performance, designed to create a welcoming experience that is intended for patrons who have social, cognitive or physical challenges that create sensory sensitivities. In addition, an ASL interpreter will be available as well as audio description services being provided. Large-print programs are also available for the visually impaired, upon request. For tickets, visit thecenterpresents.org. For more information on the Civic Theatre, visit civictheatre.org.
The narcistic mother of Matilda is played by veteran actress Mikayla Koharchik, who is herself an extraordinary mother in real life. Koharchik shared what it’s been like developing her character. “I’m playing Mrs. Wormwood, who is probably the worst mother in the history of mothers,” Koharchik said. “The line that embodies her is, ‘Looks are more important than books.’ It is humorous, in my opinion, as someone who was an English major and is a teacher who believes in the power of books to play the antithesis of myself. It makes this role an absolute blast. It’s hilarious, and I hope that I don’t have anything in common with [Wormwood] as a mother.”
Evan Wallace – Miss Agatha Trunchbull Looking back at our years in school, we can all think of that one teacher who lifted us up and the one teacher who wanted to grind us down. Evan Wallace shared what one of his reference points was—one particular teacher from his youth who didn’t appreciate his vibe, nor did he appreciate hers. “I’m playing Miss Agatha Trunchbull, and I’m having the time of my life. I was definitely that kid in class that was on a first name basis with the principal. My reference point for Trunchbull is one teacher in particular that I had, and she and I definitely had the ‘Matilda vs. Trunchbull’ relationship. Trunchbull is just ‘done’ being kind because it hasn’t gotten her anywhere. The character is a hoot and a half to play!”
Julia Bonnett – Miss Honey Playing the opposite of Miss Trunchbull is Julia Bonnett. Bonnett shared her insight on the relationship between Matilda and Miss Honey
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CAST Wormwood Miss Agatha Trunchbull Miss Honey Mr. Wormwood Mrs. Wormwood Michael Wormwood Mrs. Phelps Doctor Escapologist Rudolpho Acrobat Child’s Entertainer Henchmen
and how both characters find strength from one another in the course of the musical. “Miss Honey is the opposite of Miss Trunchbull in that she teaches with kindness, patience and love—which is one of her lines,” Bonnett shared. “Miss Honey had a very traumatic childhood, and she relates far more to the children and is more comfortable with them than she is with adults. I think [Miss Honey] sees herself in Matilda. She also sees Matilda’s bravery, intelligence and her feistiness, and I think these are things that she wishes she could have been. It’s her mission throughout this show to lift Matilda up and to support her. In the process, she learns more about herself and grows more as a human and grows stronger because of it.”
Alexis Vahrenkamp – Matilda Wormwood Originally cast as Matilda two years ago, Vahrenkamp shared that she learned more about how to be in the moment and is better prepared for the role now because of the pandemic. She expressed her gratitude to her fellow cast members for their ongoing support and guidance. She is also very excited to portray Matilda for her audiences. “Matilda is so intelligent and has so much charisma,” Vahrenkamp said. “But she doesn’t
know how the world works. Everyone in her life is bringing her down except that spark that is Miss Honey. Matilda gets these stories in head, and that connection becomes so strong within her. It’s just so powerful, and she never knew that she could channel that power within herself and bring it out into the world.” Be sure to join us in supporting the rich traditions and professional artistry that Civic Theatre has provided to audiences for more than a century and get your tickets for one or all of the performances of “Matilda”!
Book by DENNIS KELLY
Cook Lavender Amanda Alice Hortensia Bruce Nigel Eric Tommy Ensemble (Parents, Older Kids, etc.)
ALEXIS VAHRENKAMP EVAN WALLACE JULIA BONNETT JOHN WALLS MIKAYLA KOHARCHIK MATTHEW WESSLER KENDRA RANDLE MATTHEW SUMPTER MATTHEW SUMPTER MICHAEL HUMPHREY ISA ARMSTRONG ALEX SMITH CAMERON HICKS, MICHAEL HUMPHREY, KIPP MORGAN KIPP MORGAN NYA BECK AURORA MRAS CLAIRE KAUFFMAN MARIA BECK COLE WEESNER LUKE BOYCE JALEN BALDWIN BEN KISTNER ISA ARMSTRONG, KATE BOICE, CAMERON HICKS, MICHAEL HUMPHREY, KIPP MORGAN, KENDRA RANDLE, EMMA ROGERS, PHOEBE SIDEBOTTOM, ALEX SMITH, MATTHEW SUMPTER, JONAH WAGONER, SIYAH WILSON, MATTHEW WESSLER, ROWAN ZABEL
Music & Lyrics by TIM MINCHIN
ROALD DAHL’S MATILDA THE MUSICAL is presented through special arrangement with Musical Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com
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HUMANE SOCIETY FOR BOONE COUNTY
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2022-04-25 4:59 PM 4/15/22 4:44 PM
Actors Theatre of Indiana Presents:
‘Working’ B
ased on Terkel’s bestselling book of interviews with American workers, “Working” paints a vivid portrait of the men and women that the world so often takes for granted: the schoolteacher, the phone operator, the waitress, the millworker, the mason and the housewife, just to name a few. Nominated for six Tony Awards, this classic has been updated for a modern age, featuring new songs by Tony Award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as favorites by Stephen Schwartz, Craig Carnelia and James Taylor. *This show does contain mature themes. Please go to ATIstage.org to order tickets or call the Center for the Performing Arts box office at (317) 843-3800.
Meet the Cast and a Couple of Crew Members I spoke with the director and many of the cast members—some from out-ofstate—on what they hope the audiences will take away from “Working,” and some shared how the musical resonates with their own life stories
Adam Tran Tran is excited to be back working with ATI! You may have caught him previously in “Million Dollar Quartet,” and you may have also seen him in IRT’s “You Can’t Take It With You,” Summit Performance’s “Silent Sky” or a myriad of productions in Cincinnati (including but not limited to his one-man show “Mongrel,” developed and produced at Know Theatre of Cincinnati). “‘Working’ is sort of an homage to my family,” Tran expressed. “All of my family is blue collar, so this [production] doesn’t feel particularly challenging to me. My mom is pushing 60,
Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of ATI
Actors Theatre of Indiana invites you to join them as they wrap up their 2021–22 season with “Working.” From the book by Studs Terkel, adapted by Stephen Schwartz, “Working” is the examination of 26 people from all walks of life, proving that it’s more than just a job for the average working American. and she had me when she was quite young. And because she had me when she was quite young, she didn’t have time to develop new work skills, and she has worked in a factory of some kind or another my whole life. For me, [‘Working’] is kind of about remembering where I came from.”
Allen Sledge Sledge brings years of training and performing with him to this production. Among these are his works in theater, including “The Wild Party” and “Ragtime” with Footlite Musicals and” Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat” with Fort Wayne Civic Theatre. His concerts include performing with Heather Headley in the “Coming Home” concert with Unity Choir in Fort Wayne. “This is really exciting for me,” Sledge stated. “This is my first professional show in a long time, and it’s exciting that I can be where I live and work at this quality level with professionals who are all committed to the same thing and know it out of the park. It’s been fun exploring and looking at the stories of real people who have grown to find purpose and value in what they do. I think that’s something we can all relate to, whether we’re doing our dream job or doing a job that we just like.”
Aviva Pressman Pressman is an actor, singer, clown, comedian, calligrapher and medical educator. Favorite credits include National Tour and Madison Square Garden productions of “Rudolph the Musical,” “Amos & Boris” at South Coast Repertory and “The Composer
Is Dead” at Disney Concert Hall. Her solo show, “Deadlift,” has been produced in Los Angeles and Philadelphia to rave reviews. Aviva toured internationally with Amazon Prime as a singer/improviser for the show “Good Omens.” Her voice can be heard in anime, Netflix dubs, podcasts, commercials and even toys! “What I hope people get out of this is that they have some perceptions challenged,” Pressman shared. “I think there’s a lot of power in the fact that these are real people’s words. You’re seeing something in common with them and are thinking about the ways that we’re all connected. The way that I’m developing my characters at this point is very technical. It’s my job as an actress to make these characters truthful and for the audience to be able to distinguish between them.”
Lillie Eliza Thomas Thomas is incredibly excited to be making her Actors Theatre of Indiana debut! Some Florida productions she has been a part of include “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Guys and Dolls” and as Esmeralda in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” She received the Orlando Sentinel Critic’s Choice for Best Lead Actress in a Musical and for Best Featured Actress in a Musical and was noted as Orlando Theater’s Best of 2021 Leading Actress in a Musical. “I want the audience to respect other people’s journeys and to acknowledge their feelings and emotions and what they go through on a day-to-day basis,” Thomas said. “Honestly, just to recognize that we all have purpose. Your journey is going to be different from somebody else’s, and we can learn from somebody else’s story, so it’s good to have open minds, open hearts, open eyes and open ears.”
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Lysa Fox Fox is excited to be directing for Actors Theatre Indiana for the first time. She is currently the head of musical theatre at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, and has an MFA in acting and directing from California State University, Long Beach. She is a native of Montana and has performed, directed and choreographed extensively in that part of the country. Lysa is a founding member of Venture Theatre in Billings, Montana, where she served as both the education director and artistic director before leaving the area in 2008. “What I love about this [production] is, we sometimes look at some of those jobs and we think ‘grunt work,’” Fox said. “But what is really beautiful in this script is that there’s many people that have these jobs and love them, and
they’re not what you think they are, and they’re not who you think they are because of the jobs that they have. So, I hope ‘Working’ holds a mirror up to people. “I’m very excited to do this show. I was supposed to do “Damn Yankees,” but that got cancelled and ATI graciously kept me on, so this is a couple of years in the making.”
Carol Worcel Worcel is choreographing ATI’s production of “Working.” She played in the National Broadway tours of “42nd Street” and “Anything Goes.” Regional credits include “A Chorus Line,” “Annie” and “Godspell.” Carol co-owns Worcel Shepard Productions (www.WorcelShepardProductions. com) with directing/choreography credits including Sandi Patty’s “Le Voyage,”
the NBA Pacer’s Pacemates, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Circle of Lights, IndyFringe, Beef and Boards, The Indy 500, as well as regional theaters, tours and opening ceremonies for national clients. “The way that I approached the choreography for these numbers is that they are real people telling a story with choreography,” Worcel shared. “So, the choreography is not presentational like most of your bigger musicals. The character has to tell the story, and for me, the lyric is very important because that’s what I’m listening for cue-wise. I told the cast on some of the ensemble pieces where they’re dancing together to bring their own style to this—it’s not a ‘Rockette’ thing. This is telling a story by their character, and we’re having fun with it.”
The Studio Theater April 29–May 22, 2022
THE EXTRAORDINARY DREAMS OF ORDINARY PEOPLE. A vivid portrait of the men and women that the world so often takes for granted. From the book by Studs Terkel | Adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Center’s Fifth Third Bank Box Office at the Palladium, call 317.843.3800 or visit atistage.org.
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ZCHS Musical Theater to Expand Its Season
Zionsville Community High School (ZCHS) just presented its first annual Spring Musical: “Edges.” “Edges” is a song-cycle about four burgeoning adults asking classic coming-of-age questions. This charming, witty and honest examination of adulthood explores what happens when we are teetering on the edges of our lives. The songs cover such universal issues as love, commitment, identity and meaning. Characters deal with confronting emotions, escaping expectations and deciphering complicated relationships. Its most famous song, “Be My Friend,” has come to be known as the “Facebook song.” Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Brick Street Photos
F
ans of the award-winning Pasek and Paul, the duo behind “The Greatest Showman,” “La La Land” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” and even bigger fans of the ZCHS Performing Arts Department experienced the department’s first-ever
spring musical, “Edges,” featuring two performances. And in typical ZCHS fashion, the production was a stellar success, exuding a level of professionalism and talent from the cast and crew that audiences have come to expect from this department.
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A NEW FORMAT FOR ZCHS PERFORMING ARTS The award-winning Pasek and Paul composed “Edges,” a 70-minute song-cycle, as their first collaborative effort while in college. “Edges” tells the stories of coming-of-age characters attempting to discover themselves and is a timely
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CAST
Nina Abel Izzy Casciani Smith David Ben DeBaltzo Aaron Fisher Kaelynn Herbon Claire Hochstetler Iris Jordan Jilayne Kistner Ashley Smitherman Charlie Steiner Haleigh Tussinger
CREW
Allison Soards - Student Director Claire Mitalski - Stage Manager Molly Zucker - Stage Manager Riya Patel - Lighting Operator Thomas Herlt - Projections Operator Charlie March-Gibson - Assistant Stage Manager
SOCIAL MEDIA/ PROMOTIONS TEAM Izzy Casciani Cece Champa Smith David Hailey Gordon Kaelynn Herbon Lucy Mybeck
LIVESTREAM/ FILM CREW Kaitlyn Brake Chris Creech Audrey Schmal
show for the ZCHS cast and crew as senior graduation is only weeks away. The show took a minimalist approach and allowed students to create their own stories and stage their own numbers. Choral and Musical Theater Director Sam Chenoweth previously directed “Edges” in his former role at Carmel High School and is a fan of the unique musical and all that it presents to both the students and the audiences. He was excited to bring “Edges” to ZCHS. “I like this [production] because it’s a good foray into this format,” Chenoweth said. “‘Edges’ is different in that it is a song-cycle, but it’s essentially just vignettes within each song that aren’t necessarily connected with a throughline of a story. Each song has its own story.”
Chenoweth, a beacon of positivity and progress within the local arts community, felt that it was important to let the students ignite their imaginations in terms of developing their respective roles in this production. “I gave the kids some discretion,” Chenoweth shared. “The kids decided who they were in each song and what the role was. They created every detail of their number or numbers, including the physical setting on the stage. I shepherded them to a way that would make the most sense to an audience, to make it more clear to an audience, but they [the students] did all the groundwork. We did a fairly large projection set, and they were responsible for developing the content for that too.”
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Chenoweth added, “It’s the most student-driven show that I’ve done, for sure. We did our first sing-through right before spring break, and the kids were hearing each other’s songs for the first time. It’s a cool ‘Choose your number and your way to connect’ show, but there were a lot of touchstones for people throughout.” As it was the first spring musical for ZCHS, Chenoweth is pleased to announce that it will be the new standard for the musical theater season at ZCHS. “We’re planning on this [spring musical] being an annual event,” Chenoweth stated. “Going forward, there will be a two-show season. We will have the traditional large-scale, large-cast show in the fall and a small-cast and small-scale show in the spring.”
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Shari Jenkins and Mark Haganon the Opening of
The Tipsy
Mermaid Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Laura Arick
We are pleased to feature Shari Jenkins and Mark Hagan on our cover this month. Anyone who has frequented Jenkins’ destination restaurants Noah Grant’s Grill House & Oyster Bar and Salty Cowboy in downtown Zionsville is familiar with Jenkins’ reputation for excellent food and outstanding service.
I
t should come as no surprise to her friends and fans that she is aiming to bring another element of fun and flavor to Main Street with her latest endeavor: The Tipsy Mermaid: Conch House & Cocktails.
Bringing the best of Key West to the Midwest, Jenkins and her longtime friend and general manager Mark Hagan have been working on this project for several years and are beyond excited to see it come to fruition by the end of 2022.
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CREATING A TRIFECTA OF CULINARY EXCEPTIONALISM One could argue that Jenkins—a lifelong resident of Zionsville—has the Midas touch when it comes to operating food and beverage establishments. But for those who have worked alongside
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The menu will feature our ‘Four Wives of Hemingway,’” Jenkins stated. “It’s a ceviche flight made with mahimahi, conch, scallops and shrimp. Each one is going to be tied to each of Hemingway’s wives.”
procure fresh ingredients such as conch, Jenkins noted that it isn’t a challenge for her because she has developed strategic relationships with quality vendors over the many years that she’s been in the restaurant industry. Her only issues are the remodeling of the existing building that will eventually house The Tipsy Mermaid and the fact that the cost of food and supplies have doubled since 2020, which is impacting all proprietors in that industry—nationwide.
INFLUENCED BY CULTURES AND HEMINGWAY her at her two existing restaurants over the years, they know that it’s Jenkins’ standards of quality and superb work ethic that have awarded her success and distinguishment in the culinary scene in Indiana and throughout the Midwest. Jenkins along with her staff have created night life along the historic brick street and have created a hip vibe for locals and visitors to enjoy year-round. When asked about the inspiration behind The Tipsy Mermaid, Jenkins said, “Key West is hands down my favorite city. I spend a lot of time there. The food is so different down there, and it’s eclectic—there’s so many different cultures that I want to bring here [Zionsville]. It’s unique, and there’s nothing around here that has Bahamian, Cuban and Keys cultures. It will be nice to have another fun and upbeat place to go and still get quality food on Main Street.” Just as Noah Grant’s is famous for its oyster bar, The Tipsy Mermaid will be known for featuring appetizers and dishes featuring conch. Often recognized for the decorative spiral shell, conch can be consumed raw, fried, steamed and stewed. It is a popular ingredient in ceviche, salads and sushi dishes. “For me, it’s a texture thing,” Jenkins said. “I love texture, which is why I love calamari and scallops. Just like those, conch has to be prepared and cooked properly so that it’s not too chewy. It’s a fun ingredient. There will be a lot of conch on the menu including conch fritters, conch ceviche and items that you don’t find around here.” When asked if it was difficult to
The Tipsy Mermaid experience will offer exquisite food and top-shelf cocktails as well as quality cigars for enthusiasts. We got a sneak peek at the work-inprogress menu—lunch and dinner offer the same fare—that Jenkins has been developing for nearly four years. It will contain delectable fare such as conch fritters served with guava marmalade, horseradish and key lime mustard and “Drunken Beer Shrimp,” a half pound of beer-steamed peel-and-eat shrimp served with a tequila cocktail sauce, and the “Havana Hipster,” Cuban pulled pork in a mojo marinade with crispy shoestring potatoes and, of course, conch chowder. Another detail we noted while perusing the draft of the menu was the overarching Hemingway theme. “The menu will feature our ‘Four Wives of Hemingway,’” Jenkins stated. “It’s a ceviche flight made with mahi-mahi, conch, scallops and shrimp. Each one is going to be tied to each of Hemingway’s wives.” Jenkins jested, “And didn’t you know— I’m Hemingway’s fifth wife?” Something else that is also very new to the area and to the Midwest in general, Jenkins will be introducing her signature take on a Key West staple: Fish Dip. “I’m super excited about this fish dip because nobody does a smoked fish dip up here and every place in Key West has a smoked fish dip recipe. And I’ve finally nailed that recipe,” Jenkins expressed. “Fish dip is a cool and creamy dip topped with pickled onions and rep peppers. We will serve it with blue corn chips.” Again, the menu is heavily influenced
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by Cuban, Bahamian and Keys’ flavors and traditional recipes with Jenkins’ own special twist. We look forward to also trying the Cuban Po’ Boy, the Mahi-mahi on the Beach tacos, the Blue Macaw quesadilla, and the “305”—an entrée named for the Keys’ area code. It features squid ink pasta, Key West pink shrimp, Bay scallops, grate tomatoes, basil and a creamy Burrata cheese with white wine, garlic and lemon sauce. The brunch and dessert menu are equally as tantalizing. The Tipsy Mermaid will offer brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Patrons can look forward to a Blue Macaw Bloody Mary and Duval Street Hangover tacos, along with a Key West Cuban Breakfast Sandwich: pulled pork, honey ham fried eggs, guacamole, Swiss cheese, horseradish, lime an key lime mustard served on Cuban bread with crispy potatoes and chimichurri sauce. Jenkin’s will offer several enticing desserts, such as her take on a Key Lime pie with rum whipped cream, and a slew of themed cocktails, including a Key Lime Pie martini.
RE-CREATING A FAMILIAR SPACE The Tipsy Mermaid will be located at 135 South Main Street—formerly the location of Serenity Café & Tea Room. The website is currently under development. Jenkins and Hagan shared with us the current plans for the remodel that will begin after the first of June. Because of her reputation for building strong teams and paying her staff well, Jenkins isn’t concerned about having the proper staff in place in time for the grand opening. “This is going to be a brand-new experience for our guests,” Jenkins said. “The Tipsy Mermaid will be an 18 and older establishment—18 years along with a parent. It will be bar-centric, and you are going to see a lot of color. The new addition that is going in where the patio currently is will boast a 25-foot-tall vaulted ceiling along with a rope light that we’ve commissioned and will be a focus of art when you walk in. When asked why she selected Hagan to be the general manager of her latest endeavor,
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she replied, “Because [Mark] is perfect. He’s smart and hardworking and pays attention to details. We go to Key West all the time, and he knows the Keys through my eyes as well as his own eyes, so I don’t have to teach him the culture of the Keys. And we’re best friends.” Hagan has been with Jenkins since shortly after Salty Cowboy opened. He is also a full-time firefighter with the Whitestown Fire Department. Hagan looks forward to serving the community in another capacity, one in which he gets to help create memorable and fun experiences for his patrons to frequent The Tipsy Mermaid. “I’ve never worked at any other restaurants before, so I have nothing to compare it to,” Hagan stated. “But Shari’s restaurants are fun environments. The best part of this, I get to help put it all together from the start and have my stamp on this along with Shari’s. And it is my hope that The Tipsy Mermaid
will whisk people away for the couple of hours that they’re with us, transport them out of Zionsville and allow them to make believe that they’re in Key West and near the ocean.” Both Jenkins and Hagan expressed their sincerest appreciation for the community’s support over the years. Jenkins is especially grateful to her patrons who have seen her through some pretty difficult challenges that include the fire that displaced Noah Grant’s and, of course, the pandemic. “For me, it’s all about community, creating memories and enjoying life experiences,” Jenkins emphasized. “I am excited to bring another level of fun and excitement to Main Street and look forward to bringing the best of the Keys to share with Zionsville and our surrounding communities.” Be sure to follow The Tipsy Mermaid on Facebook for updates on the establishment’s grand opening.
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Freshly
Brewed
Provides a Cup of Fresh Entertainment Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted
I recently learned about Freshly Brewed from Zionsville resident Amelia Wright, who is a senior at Butler University. Wright is a former Choralaire and Royalaire at Zionsville Community High School. She is completing her studies at Butler, majoring in health sciences, and is the current president of the female a cappella group that was established in 2006. Freshly Brewed is the premier female a cappella ensemble at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. This ensemble is composed of women with all different majors, interests and backgrounds across Butler’s campus.
F
reshly Brewed arranges all of their own music and covers everything from Miley Cyrus to Van Morrison. As a way to stay in the game, so to speak, Wright auditioned for Freshly Brewed her freshman year and has performed with this ensemble of talented young women throughout her collegiate journey. Wright shared with me the purpose of Freshly Brewed and how the group has “rebooted” itself coming out of
the pandemic shutdown and restrictions to bring joy and excitement back to its live audiences.
SINGING WITH PURPOSE “I’ve been singing since I was in middle school,” Wright shared. “Coming into college, I was looking to see how I could continue singing [without being a vocal performance major or minor]. Freshly Brewed is the only student-run singing organization with the exception of the
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men’s a cappella group. I auditioned for the group and got in. It has been amazing. Since my freshman year, there has been a lot of ups and downs because of COVID-19.” Like countless other performers, Freshly Brewed wasn’t able to meet or perform due to the pandemic-related restrictions. Luckily, the group was able to meet in person again in January of 2021. “We’ve kind of rebooted Freshly Brewed after not being able to perform
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for more than a year,” Wright said. “We have one concert at the end of every semester, and then we also do gigs throughout the semesters. And that can be anything from a sorority or fraternity philanthropy event, domestic violence fundraisers or it could be events like Carmel’s PorchFest.” Wright continued, “It’s a fun group to be a part of. We have lots of talented people. We typically only have one to two vocal performance majors, so most of us don’t have the opportunity to sing outside of this group and that’s kind of what makes Freshly Brewed special.”
get inspiration. We’re always like, ‘Wow, these people are so talented.’” Freshly Brewed prefers to perform medleys and has an extensive song list featuring a variety of artists. “We love to perform medleys,” Wright said. “This semester, we’re doing a ‘Pitch Perfect’ medley. There are so many different songs, and there’s a lot of opportunities for soloists so people can be featured in different ways instead of having a fullsong solo. It’s nice to be able to feature a lot of the members of the group because we do have 14 members this year.”
INSPIRED BY A CAPPELLA PHENOMS
Freshly Brewed holds auditions at the beginning of the school year in August or early September. Ladies who are interested in becoming part of the ensemble will sign up at the annual campus block party where all of the university’s clubs meet up and interface with potential members. Following the sign-ups, Freshly Brewed will hold a call-out and a two-day audition and will then vote on the incoming members based on those auditions. Because the group is never larger than 15–16 members and has an average of 40–50 ladies trying out, it can be an arduous task narrowing down the talented auditioners to fill the less than handful of available spots.
I spoke with Wright about the influence that nationally renowned groups like Straight No Chaser and Pentatonix have had on the renewed relevancy of a cappella groups. Straight No Chaser originated in 1996 at Indiana University and Pentatonix originated from Arlington, Texas, formed in 2011, and are the third-season winners of NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” “Straight No Chaser and Pentatonix have done so much for a cappella,” Wright agreed. “When we’re rehearsing, sometimes we’ll take a break and watch a performance of theirs. It’s kind of a ‘hype-up’ thing, and we’ll watch them to
GET INVOLVED OR BECOME A FAN
“We have a lot of talented people audition,” Wright expressed. “It gets hard because we usually only have two to four spots available to fill the group. We don’t want to get bigger than 15 or 16 [members] because it gets too hard to coordinate and navigate schedules. And it’s fun to be a smaller group.” Freshly Brewed is for hire and provides musical entertainment for all types of events. In addition to their semiannual concerts, some past performances include Butler University Men’s Basketball National Anthem, various fraternity philanthropy events and opening acts for other musical groups and invitationals. The ensemble’s repertoire is high energy and equally appropriate for business and nonprofit events, such as galas, meetings and conventions. When asked how it feels to be performing for live audiences again, Wright replied enthusiastically, “It’s been so cool to see how [live performances] are reconnecting people and not just the performers but the audience members as well. The audiences have been able to come back together and enjoy some joy just from the performers’ hard work and talent.” For booking or other general information on Freshly Brewed, visit freshlybrewed.wixsite.com/acappella. You can also email Freshly Brewed at freshlybrewedbusiness@gmail.com, attention Maya Joseph. Become a fan of Freshly Brewed and follow them on Instagram @fbacappella and on Facebook at Freshly Brewed Women’s A Cappella.
FRESHLY BREWED MEMBERS
Current Butler students: Amelia Wright, Camille Gaudet, Colleen Kirby, Eleni Tzougros, Gabriella Tzougros, Kate Denaut, Kaylee Johnson-Bradley, Lindsay Hiller, Lindy Howard, Maya Joseph, Michaela Belden, Rebecca Kural, Sophie Mullinix, Martha Clifford. Recent Butler graduate: Kealy Welage
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