Founded Jan. 27, 2015, at Fishers, IN Vol. X, No. 27
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Fishers historian digs into the rise and fall of Germantown
By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com
Most people in the Geist Reservoir area are aware that a former town was flooded to create the lake, but Fishers Historical Society
HISTORY
Historian Robert Bowling has delved deep into the history of what used to be Germantown, which was founded in the 1830s and sacrificed almost exactly 100 years later.
Bowling, who has written a book on the topic, gave a presentation about Germantown and Geist Reservoir during a special event at the Indianapolis Sailing Club. He spoke to a group of about 50 who attended to learn some local history and showed a series of slides with photos of Germantown and its residents, along with maps that pinpoint exactly where the former town was located.
Bowling said Germantown was founded March 1, 1834, by three brothers from Ohio: John, Solomon and George Beaver.
“There’s a competing story that Germantown was founded by a group of people from Oaklandan (who left because) they were upset (about) the killing of a Native American,” Bowling said. “We don’t believe that story is true. We believe that might have been like an old wives’ tale that was passed down. It seems more plausible through different researchers that the Beaver brothers were the ones who actually founded Germantown.”
Germantown straddled the Marion and Hamilton county line, he said, and on the Marion County side was the first town established in Lawrence Township.
“There were 20 homes in Germantown, on either side of the county line,” Bowling said. “They did have stuff like a general store, a blacksmith shop, offices, a post office, shoe repair shop and they also had a sawmill. So, it was a pretty good-sized town.”
It wasn’t easy getting in or out of
Germantown.
“One thing about Germantown, when it was in its heyday, there was only one bridge crossing Fall Creek,” Bowling said. “It was a swinging footbridge and that’s all they had. It wasn’t until I think 1902 that they installed a bridge that could also accommodate horses. (Before that), if you had a horse and carriage, to get across Fall Creek you had to go across at the lowest point of the water. During the winter, it would get so icy that you could actually take your horse and buggy across the ice to get over.”
Bowling’s maps included names of people who owned property in Germantown. Some of the last names were familiar, either because descendants still live in the area or locations have been named for those families. The names included Beaver, Kinkaid and Brooks.
Starting in 1929, the Indianapolis Water Co. started quietly buying up large pieces of property around Germantown at low prices, even for that time. Eventually, it was revealed that the area was destined to become a reservoir to serve the water needs for a rapidly growing Indianapolis. Clarence Geist owned the company. The reservoir, which he started planning for following a 1923 water study, was named for him.
Construction of the reservoir was completed in 1943.
Bowling addressed some of the common myths about Germantown and Geist Reservoir.
“I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve heard somebody go, ‘Man, there’s a church steeple underneath the water,’” he said. “I’m like, ‘No, there isn’t.’ All the homes were demolished, taken apart. Most of the wood actually went to Fortville. There was a mill, and that’s where most of that wood was repurposed and used.”
If there were anything left from Germantown buildings, he said, it would be brick foundations, but they would be buried in mud.
Another myth is that a cemetery, with remains, is under the water. Bowling said that, too, is inaccurate. If there had been a cemetery, he said, any bodies would have been moved before construction began.
Bowling added that for about a decade after the reservoir opened, recreational activity and development were prohibited at Geist Reservoir. Water company officials changed their rules after the Indiana Department of Natural Resources threatened to declare the area a state park.
For more local history, visit fishershistory.com or facebook.com/ fishershistoricalsociety.
Fishers Historical Society Historian Robert Bowling displays an old map showing where Germantown used to be before Geist Reservoir was created.
(Photo by Leila Kheiry)
DISPATCHES
Lawrence Oktoberfest tickets available — Tickets are now on sale for the 7th Lagers in Lawrence Oktoberfest, set for Sept. 21. The event includes unlimited samples, a German band, German food, German dancing, wiener dog races and a wiener dog agility course. For more, visit LagersinLawrence.com.
Community Safety Day — The City of Lawrence has scheduled its annual Community Safety Day for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 24 at Fire Station 40, 9530 E. 59th St. The free event includes booths, vendors and demonstrations.
Chamber networking — The Greater Lawrence Chamber of Commerce hosts regular networking events for members each month. During August, the chamber’s regular Water Cooler Wednesdays starts at 7:45 a.m. Aug. 14 at Heartland Film, 8950 Otis Ave. The monthly coffee hour includes time for each attendee to introduce themselves. Chew on This, a monthly lunch meeting, is set for 11:30 a.m. at Fort Harrison Inn, 5830 N. Port Rd. Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt will speak about what government information needs to be available to the public. To register for these events, visit greaterlawrencechamber.org.
Figure drawing open studio — An open studio figure-drawing session for ages 18 and older is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Arts for Lawrence Theater at the Fort, 8920 Otis Ave. This is a life-drawing open studio with a live model. No instructor is provided. The $15 fee pays for the model’s time. For more, visit artsforlawrence.org.
Applications open for fall Author Book Fair — Local authors can apply to be featured at the Indianapolis Public Library’s Meet an Author, Be an Author Book Fair, set for Oct. 19 at the IPL Central Library, 40 E. Saint Clair St. The fair provides an opportunity for the public to meet local authors, attend writing workshops and network with published writers, aspiring writers and fans. No registration is required to attend this free event. Featured authors receive free table space to sell and promote books, network with other authors and engage with the public. The application period closes Aug. 26. An application link and more information are available at indypl.org
Lawrence anticipates $3.8 million budget deficit
By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com
The City of Lawrence is facing a budget deficit of nearly $4 million as of June and likely will have to dip into reserves to cover expenses through the end of the year.
GOVERNMENT
Controller Humphrey Nagila gave a presentation to the Lawrence Common Council Aug. 5 and said he would be coming before the council again for its Aug. 21 midmonth meeting with requests for appropriations and budget transfers.
Nagila said the city’s expenses have been higher than anticipated and some revenue appears to be lower. Exact revenue numbers were not yet available, he said, because the city has been waiting for tax information from the state.
“We were anticipating that we would have gotten information by Aug. 1 on some of those shared revenues — the local income tax, the county income tax — (we) still have not gotten any information from the state,” he said. “That’s kind of what we are still waiting for. Us not knowing what they’re going to give us makes it a little bit challenging in terms of revenue projections.”
Councilor Tyrrell Giles (D-District 1) said those numbers are important to the discussion.
“That’s a huge question,” he said. “Really, none of this is relevant now, if we don’t know that.”
Giles asked for more specifics about unanticipated expenses.
Nagila pointed out that the budget was inherited from the previous administration.
“There’s a lot of different requests, different needs and different vision from the new administration,” he said. “For example, right now, we are going through (collective bargaining agreement) negotiations, right? We saw the need to get external attorney firms to help us with those CBA negotiations, because this is a new administration and we have never done this before. That was not budgeted for in the 2024 budget.”
Nagila added that the pension fund likely will need additional appropriations because of more retirements than
anticipated. He said that the city expected the tax information from the state would be received in time to provide better details for the council’s next meeting.
“When we come back midmonth, we’re going to have a more detailed presentation on specific funds and line items that may have budget shortfalls,” he said. “So, for the purpose of this presentation today, it’s just to give you all an overall view of where the city stands financially year to date.”
Some numbers were available, though. Nagila said that through June, when the city’s expenses should have been 50 percent of the total year’s budget, the city had spent about 64 percent of the $27.4 million general fund. That’s about $3.8 million over budget if expenses continue to track as projected.
City code requires a minimum of 20 percent of annual expenses be kept in reserves for emergencies. Nagila said the city’s reserves are now at 26 percent. The 6 percent available to the city is about $420,000.
Nagila said that with the council’s recent approval of general obligation bonds, the city can move some expenses out of the general fund and into the bond fund, which would allow for budget transfers to cover the remaining unanticipated expenses.
The next Lawrence Common Council meeting is 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21 at Lawrence Government Center, 9001 E. 59th St. Meetings also are livestreamed on the city’s Facebook page, facebook.com/cityoflawrencein.
August 24 10am - 2pm
The Lawrence Common Council’s next meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21. (Photo courtesy of the City of Lawrence)
Día Latino de Lawrence planned — The City of Lawrence is planning a celebration of Latino culture from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus. The event will feature food, dance, art and crafts. Vendors can find a registration link at cityoflawrence.org.
Indianapolis Public Library wins award — The Indianapolis Public Library has received the 2024 Marion County Friend of Extension award at the Purdue Extension Annual Meeting. The Marion County Friend of Extension Award is a new award from Purdue Extension Marion County and honors partners whose support and cooperation significantly contribute to Purdue’s success and the success of the community. Over the past two years, The Indianapolis Public Library and Purdue
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Extension Marion County have collaborated to bring STEM education, urban agriculture and healthy living programs to nearly 1,500 youth and families across the city, positively impacting the community’s educational landscape. IPL has two branches in Lawrence.
Crew for Kids raises $200K – Indiana-based Crew Carwash recently partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters for its 15th annual Crew for Kids fundraiser. Crew committed to donating 50 percent of the proceeds from all Ultimate Washes sold July 27 at all 48 Crew Carwash locations throughout Indiana and Minnesota to Big Brothers Big Sisters, along with cash and credit donations. Crew for Kids raised $201,786 in total for Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies.
Legislative internships available — The Indiana Senate Republican Caucus is offering paid spring semester college internships in communications, information technology, legal, legislative, page and policy offices for the 2025 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Sen. Kyle Walker (R-Lawrence) announced through his office that qualified candidates may be of any major and must be at least a college sophomore. Recent college graduates, as well as graduate and law school students, also are eligible. Interns earn a $900 biweekly stipend. The full-time positions typically begin with an orientation in late December or early January, concluding at the end of the legislative session in April 2025. For more and to apply, visit www.IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Intern.
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Lawrence starts planning for Pendleton Pike zoning overlay
By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com
A first step toward creating a special zoning overlay along Pendleton Pike was approved during the City of Lawrence Redevelopment Commission’s July meeting.
DEVELOPMENT
Commission members unanimously approved a contract with Indianapolis-based urban design and planning firm REA — Rundell Ernstberger Associates — to lead the planning process with the goal of drafting a plan that eventually will go before the Lawrence Common Council.
Lawrence Economic Development Director Keith Johnson told the commission that the city has been discussing a zoning overlay for Pendleton Pike for a long time and Mayor Deb Whitfield wanted to move forward with making it finally happen.
An overlay would allow the city to curate what kinds of businesses and uses are allowed within the zoning district.
“This is our key artery and gateway to the city,” Johnson said. “We will begin a process to look at the uses allowed and
to consider new design standards and new allowed uses for future use along the Pike.”
Redevelopment Commission legal counsel Russell Brown explained the benefits of an overlay district.
“Instead of going in and changing, parcel by parcel, the zoning that exists on those parcels, you go through and say, ‘Hey, these are the design standards that we want along here,’” he said. “So, any new construction improvements (or) expansions have to meet these new standards. We also would potentially consider eliminating certain uses.”
The City of Lawrence Redevelopment Commission has started a process to create a zoning overlay for Pendleton Pike. (Photo courtesy of the City of Lawrence)
Brown noted that the overlay wouldn’t eliminate existing business. It would apply to future development.
“It is a tool utilized in a lot of places,” he said, “Almost every place that I practiced in the doughnut counties (surrounding Indianapolis), their main corridors, they have an overlay district that says, ‘These are the standards you’ll comply with. These are the uses we don’t want to see there and these are the things that we want,’ and so I think … the City of Lawrence would not be out of step with other communities if this were to be adopted.”
Brown said an overlay would give Law-
rence more control over its own zoning, which is limited because the city’s zoning is primarily controlled by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission.
Johnson said creating an overlay will be a multistep process with opportunities for community engagement. In addition to the Common Council, any resulting plan would have to be approved by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission.
According to the contract, the process will take about nine months. The first phase, which involves research required to draft a plan, will last through October, resulting in a draft plan that will be reviewed and revised through January 2025. Adoption is expected by late April 2025.
The contracted cost for REA’s professional services is $37,000.
For more about REA, visit reasite.com.
The next Lawrence Redevelopment Commission meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at Lawrence Government Center, 9001 E. 59th St. Lawrence government meetings also are livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/@ visitlawrenceindiana; and Facebook page, facebook.com/cityoflawrencein.
INDIANA STATE FAIR FEATURES NEW FOODS, GLOWING ART
The Indiana State Fair previewed several new food items and attractions Aug. 1, including Taste of the Fair treats and beverages and an illuminated art installation. The fair, themed “The Art of Nature & Fun” this year, runs Aug. 2 to 18 (closed Mondays) at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St. in Indianapolis. Learn more at IndianaStateFair.com. (Photos by Ann Marie Shambaugh)
Shane Wagner, owner of Zionsville-based SW Concessions, puts the finishing touches on The Everything Fry, curly fries topped with cheese, bacon bits, ranch, pulled pork and barbeque sauce.
Lawrence resident Ammar Atia makes a sample of the Chocolate Caramel Coffee “The Triple C” Float, which will be sold at Hook’s Drug Store Museum during the fair.
on
Carmel resident Shelly Odendahl displays two of Urick Concessions Taste of the Fair entries: Peanut Butter & Jelly Chicken Wings and the All-American Mary. Other new items by Carmel-based Urick Concessions this year are the Cotton Candy Margarita, Cookie Butter Elephant Ear and Bratzilla.
“All the Flowers Are for Me: Turquoise” by Indianapolis-based artist Anila Quayyum Agha will be
display in the Harvest Pavilion throughout the fair.
New Fishers Event Center to host Mudsock game
news@currentinfishers.com
The annual Mudsock rivalry basketball boys and girls varsity games between Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers high schools will be Dec. 20 at the new Fishers Event Center, which is scheduled to open in November.
BASKETBALL
The matchups between the Fishers High School Tigers and the Hamilton Southeastern Royals have been played every year since the 2006-07 school year, when Fishers High School opened. HSE girls lead the series 11-6 and HSE boys lead 10-7.
“The rivalry between Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern is the highlight of the sports season,” FHS Athletic Director Jim Brown stated in a news release. “Every year, the highly anticipated matchup draws a large crowd, creating a vibrant and competitive atmosphere at the venue.”
Hamilton Southeastern Athletic Director Jim Self said it’s exciting to play the annual game at the new center.
“A Friday night prime-time girls and boys basketball doubleheader between the Royals and the Tigers right before the holiday season in a facility that can accommodate over 7,000 fans is going to be awesome,” he stated. “What a tremendous opportunity for our athletes, coaches, fans and the Fishers community.”
Tickets are on sale for the Dec. 20 event, with a 6 p.m. girls game and 8 p.m. boys game, according to the news release. For more, visit FishersEventCenter.com.
The Fishers Events Center is in the final stages of construction before its opening in November. (Photo courtesy of ASM Global)
THREE WEEKENDS
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Fishers native takes new role with Muslim advocacy group
By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com
Community engagement and advocacy come naturally to Fishers native Yaquob Saadeh, and the recent IU-Indianapolis graduate is using those skills as the new community engagement coordinator for the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network.
OUTREACH
Saadeh, 22, attended Eman Schools in Fishers — a private Muslim school — and has been involved in Fishers’ Muslim community throughout his life. He said he loved growing up in Fishers, although there were some challenges.
“As a Palestinian living in kind of a suburban Midwestern town, sometimes you don’t feel like you fit in,” he said. “I’ve seen my mom get treated a certain way because she very clearly identifies as a Muslim with her head scarf. And I think in those instances, I didn’t really know how to react, just because I was so young, but it always kind of made me feel like there needs to be someone or a guiding voice or an organization that is advocating on behalf of Muslims when it comes to that stuff.”
“There’s so many small Muslim communities and so, I want to make sure that I’m reaching out to those communities and involving them in our advocacy efforts.”
– YAQUOB SAADEH
and I just realized my passion altogether lies in working with communities directly and building them up. And so that’s kind of how I transitioned into this role with the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network.”
As IMAN’s community engagement coordinator, Saadeh said he will focus on making connections with various Muslim communities throughout the state, from central Indiana, where the organization is based, to Evansville in the south, Fort Wayne in the northeast and Crown Point in the northwest.
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Saadeh said negative attitudes toward Muslims haven’t really improved since he was a kid. He said his mother and sister still experience reactions to their traditional Muslim attire, including slurs yelled out by people in passing vehicles. One thing that has improved, though, is how the family reacts. Before, he said, they internalized their emotions.
“Now, we have a very open dialog about (how) this person is not secure in his Americanhood, so he’s coming after my Americanhood,” he said. “We know that regardless of how that person feels, we’re just as American, if not more American, than they are.”
As a college student, Saadeh became involved in advocacy for Muslims and Arabs. He founded the Middle Eastern Student Association at IU-Indianapolis and helped start an Indiana chapter of the national American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
“That kind of got me more connected with the student communities,” he said. “I was working a lot with partners and other student organizations and collaborating,
“There’s so many small Muslim communities and so, I want to make sure that I’m reaching out to those communities and involving them in our advocacy efforts,” he said. “We want to make sure that our policies that we’re advocating for are actually ones that affect not just Muslims in central Indiana, but all across the state.”
To accomplish that, Saadeh said he’s been on a listening tour, visiting mosques in various communities. He said he particularly wants to reach out to Muslims who haven’t been involved in the past. He said Muslim citizens need to be more involved if they want to help make positive changes.
“A lot of people are just very, very hesitant, especially when you’re speaking from the immigrant point of view,” he said. “A lot of immigrant families come from countries where they feel they don’t trust the government or there’s corruption. They don’t know that they can talk to their officials. Not all of them know that they can reach out.”
Saadeh stressed that IMAN is a nonpartisan organization that advocates for all Muslim Hoosiers, regardless of their ethnic or racial background.
For more about IMAN, visit imanadvocates.org.
Saadeh
By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com
COME SAIL AWAY
Indianapolis Sailing Club has long history at Geist Reservoir
For nearly 70 years, Indianapolis Sailing Club members have been boating on Geist Reservoir. The organization has grown from about 70 members when it was founded in February 1955 to about 330 today; and from leasing its 13-acre headquarters at Geist to owning it outright.
The club recently hosted a presentation at its clubhouse, 11325 Fall Creek Rd., about the histories of Geist Reservoir and the sailing club, giving an inside look at the private organization.
ISC historian Sean Hartwick said he moved back to Indiana from California a few years ago and, even though he previously lived in a coastal state, he never sailed until he returned to the Midwest.
“This has been a fantastic place for me to find,” he said of Geist. “I … live in Fishers here. It’s a short drive for me and it’s a beautiful place for me and my fiancée and friends to come, and we also get to enjoy the activity of sailing.”
ISC offers social opportunities for members on and off the water, Hartwick said. It hosts races spring through fall on Wednesday evenings starting at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoons starting at 1 p.m. There is a group specifically for women, dinners and cookouts for all members and their guests and — if it gets cold enough in the winter — ice sailing.
Hartwick said the club is actually two nonprofits. The original club is a 501 (c)7, which is a nonprofit that provides recreational and social opportunities for its members. The second is the club’s sailing academy, which is a 501 (c)3 — a nonprofit that offers services to the community.
ISC Director Andrea Townsend oversees the academy and said they start training kids as young as 4 years old.
“We have a start-out sailing program for 4- to 7-year-olds, where they go with their parents. That feeds into our summer camp for 8- to 14-year-olds,” she said. “Then within the camp, they graduate to be junior counselors and then lead counselors. Then a lot of those lead counselors are coming back and are paid staff for adult training. It’s incredible how many people come together to make this a very exciting and growing place to be.”
Hartwick said the club was founded in the 1950s by a group of friends — referred to in a news article at the time as “six sad sailors” — who wanted to sail in their hometown. For years after Geist Reservoir was built, it was off limits to recreational activity, but Indianapolis Water Co. reconsidered that restriction when the Indiana Department of Natural Resources threatened to take over the area and turn it into
a state park.
Hartwick said then-president of the water company Howard Morse was friends with one of the “six sad sailors,” Jack Messmer — the club’s first commodore.
“Because they were friends, buddies at the time, Jack was able to kind of convince Morse to allow sailboats to be in the water,” Hartwick said.
The club also negotiated a free lease
with the water company for a 13-acre site next to the reservoir. ISC eventually did have to start paying rent until it purchased the land in the early 1980s.
Jim Jordan, ISC’s public relations committee chair, led a small group on a tour of the club’s grounds. The clubhouse sits on a hill overlooking the lake, with a sloped path leading down through carefully tended beds of native plants toward docks where hundreds of boats are tied up.
Jordan said he’s sailed since the 1970s, but never raced until he joined the club.
“I realized what I was missing all through the years, because it’s really a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun and there’s a lot of strategy involved.”
Part of that strategy — especially for the smaller boats — is how to react when they capsize.
“It’s not unusual if the wind is strong for one of them to capsize during a race and the crews know how to right them — so they self-rescue, basically,” he said. “In fact, during a regatta, they’re not allowed to receive help from outside their boat. If they do, it disqualifies them from the race. So, a lot of the crews will jump out of the boat, flip it back up, bail it out and continue racing.”
As Jordan pointed out boats used for training, a family of swans paddled away from the tour group. Further along, ducks waddled toward the water. Jordan said the club tries to maintain a natural habitat on its grounds to benefit animals.
“There’s great fishing and you don’t need a $50,000 bass boat to catch them,” he said. “You can just fish right off the dock. There’s also a lot of other wildlife out here, like muskrats, turtles. We see a lot of turtles out here.”
Indianapolis Sailing Club Director Andrea Townsend said the club values its history, but part of that history was lost last year. A large oak tree on the grounds finally succumbed to a lightning strike that happened about 15 years ago.
Townsend said the tree was a common meeting spot for members. While the tree is now gone, it will not be for-
gotten and a new pavilion has been built in its place.
“I think it was probably six feet around,” she said of the tree. “This was a giant oak tree and we lost it last fall, but we got our new shelter built in less than six months. We’re very proud of it and it’s already become a new gathering spot.”
Jordan said that in addition to training camps throughout the summer, ISC lets Scout groups camp under the trees on the grassy peninsula that juts out into the reservoir.
“They like it because it’s kind of quiet out here,” he said. “There’s not a lot of people and, particularly in the evening, it gets real quiet.”
For more, visit indianapolissailing.org
THE OLD OAK TREE
ON THE COVER: Sailboats docked at the Indianapolis Sailing Club. (Photo by Leila Kheiry)
Visitors tour the grounds of the Indianapolis Sailing Club during a recent outreach event. (Photos by Leila Kheiry.
Sean Hartwick is the Indianapolis Sailing Club historian. He spoke about the club during an outreach event at the clubhouse.
The view from the end of the peninsula on the Indianapolis Sailing Club’s property.
Carmel Community Players set to present rare horror show
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Persistence paid off for Lori Raffel.
Raffel has been wanting to direct “The Woman in Black” since she first proposed the play to Carmel Community Players five years ago.
“The rights have been tied up by a Chicago theater for the past three years and after checking every morning for the past year I discovered it was available and I proposed it again,” she said. “We are the first theater in central Indiana to undertake this production.”
The CCP production is set for Aug. 16 to 25 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel
Raffel said the play centers on a lawyer, Kipps, who is obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the specter of a woman in black. He engages a skeptical young actor to help him tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul. Only two actors are on stage with lines during the entire play.
“It’s not an easy project to take on for me as the director, and certainly for the actors who do most of the heavy lifting with lines and blocking and special effects,” Raffel said. “I have concentrated on the telling of the story because I think that is what theater is about, but there are scary and surprising elements throughout the show. The Woman in Black appears on stage during the show, but she does not speak. Surprisingly, I had six women audition for the part of the Woman in Black.”
The Carmel resident said the play is set in a Victorian theater in London in the early 20th century.
“The stage is set to show that a show recently closed on the stage, so there are set pieces and furniture sprinkled around the stage left over from the last production,” Raffel said. “The characters use these items to create their story, so the intimacy of The Cat stage is perfect for the show.”
Noblesville resident Earl Campbell plays Kipps. He said he was familiar with the storyline as he read the book “The Woman in Black” by Susan Hill around Halloween several years ago.
Campbell said he enjoys the opportunity to play multiple characters within the course of the story. He said he plays characters from Kipps’ memories as he relays the story to The Actor.
The challenge, Campbell said, is the number of lines he and fellow actor Todd Isaac have on stage.
“That’s a lot of lines for only two actors in a 90-minute show, and it’s not just the lines, but it’s the accent and the dense storytelling and descriptions,” Campbell said. “It’s just not how the majority of people speak on a day-to-day basis, not in Indiana. So, it’s been a lot of line repetition — drilling the lines and imprinting them.”
Campbell said he must perform a different variation of English depending on which character he is playing in the show.
Isaac, a Zionsville resident whose character is titled The Actor, said he was only slightly familiar with the play before auditions, reading the script once right before.
The biggest challenge, Issac said, was presenting horror on the stage.
“It’s not an easy thing to do and I was excited to give this a whirl,” he said. “(I’ve) always been a big fan of horror, whether on stage or screen. It’s always been more difficult on stage.”
Isaac said the type of English spoken in the play isn’t easy to memorize.
“Doesn’t roll off the tongue like other shows,” he said.
This is Isaac’s first appearance with CCP.
“I only moved to the Indianapolis area a few years ago,” he said. “I don’t have a go-to theater company. It always depends on the show.”
Megan Janning, from Brownsburg, appears in the title role. Carmel resident Margot Everitt is the producer.
For more, visit carmelplayers.org.
‘LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL’
Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of “Legally Blonde: The Musical” runs through Aug. 25 at the Indianapolis venue. For more, visit beefandboards.com.
FEINSTEIN’S CABARET
Barracuda: America’s Heart Tribute is set for Aug. 16, followed by Bubbles Up! Let’s Celebrate Jimmy Buffett Aug. 17 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. Performances start at 7:30 p.m. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com
SYMPHONY ON THE PRAIRIE
Hollywood Nights: A Bob Seger Experience concert is set for Aug. 16, followed by Let’s Sing Taylor: A Live Band Experience Aug. 17 at Symphony on the Prairie at Conner Prairie in Fishers. Both performances start at 8 p.m. For more, visit indianapolissymphony. org. SYMPHONY ON THE PRAIRIE THE STRUTS
The Struts will appear with opening act Barns Courtney at 7 p.m. Aug. 16 at Rock the Ruins at Holliday Park in Indianapolis. For more, visit rock the ruins. For more, visit rocktheruins.com.
DISPATCHES
Emmylou Harris to perform at Palladium — Recently added to the 2024-25 Center Presents schedule is legendary singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, who has released more than 25 albums. She will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 3, 2025, at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Harris is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and 14 Grammy Awards. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.
Country rock group Alabama set for Fishers Event Center — Multi-platinum selling country rock group Alabama has announced its “Roll on 2 North America” tour will include a stop Dec. 9 at the new Fishers Event Center. The concert will feature special guest Lee Greenwood. Tickets are now on sale at FishersEventCenter.com.
Todd Isaac, left, and Earl Campbell rehearse for “The Woman in Black.” (Photo courtesy of Samantha Kelly)
Face 2 Face at Conner Prairie
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Billy Joel understands one day his touring career will be over.
CONCERT
So, Mike Santoro said when he met Joel, the 75-year-old piano man offered support for Santoro’s tribute act.
“The way he said it, we are keeping his music alive because he won’t be doing it forever,” Santoro said. “When he’s off the road and fans see one of our shows and they’re buying a record or downloading music, they’re not buying from us, they’re buying from him.”
The Face 2 Face tribute act, with Santoro as Joel and Ronnie Smith as Elton John, will perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 24 at Symphony on the Prairie at Conner Prairie in Fishers.
Santoro and Ronnie Smith formed Face 2 Face in 2010. Santoro also performs as Billy Joel in a solo act called The Stranger.
“We come out together with the band and play four songs,” Santoro said. “Then Elton would exit and I would do a set for 40 minutes. Then he would do a set for 40 minutes, followed by a short intermission.
Mike Santoro performs as Billy Joel in a Face 2 Face tribute show. (Photo courtesy of Mike Santoro)
Then we come back to do an hour and 15 minutes Face 2 Face. That’s what we’re doing (at Conner Prairie).”
Santoro, 55, said they have played Symphony on the Prairie several times. The concert stays true to the live music performance of both performers.
Santoro has seen Billy Joel and Elton John perform live, but never saw the duo together when they toured at Face to Face. Their last tour together was in 2009-10.
“We patterned the show on how they did it,” Santoro said. “It worked for them and we hoped it would work for us and it has.”
For more, visit indianapolissymphony.org and face2facetribute.com.
FREE EVENT LATE NIGHT ON MAIN
Feeling strapped for cash but still want to have some fun? Each week, Current helps you find things to do without breaking the bank. Here’s what’s on tap this week:
Carmel Porchfest presents Late Night on Main with Midnight Red Eye Band. The street party, 1 E. Main St., Carmel, begins at 7 p.m. while the music starts at 9 p.m. Learn more at carmelporchfest.org.
OTHER FREE AREA EVENTS
COOL CAREERS — Learn what it takes to become a film or television producer from experienced film and television manager/producer Jennifer A. Haire. The hourlong event is presented by Hamilton East Public Library-Fishers and is at 6 p.m. Aug. 15. Free registration is required at hepl.libnet.info/event/10933027
Caffé Buondi, 11529 Spring Mill Rd. in Carmel, offers a variety of European-inspired breakfast, brunch and lunch options, including frittatas, smoothies, salads, crepes and more. Guests can also enjoy an espresso bar and other drinks featuring Lavazza coffee. Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Learn more at caffebuondi.com.
Ickx (Buckwheat galette folded with Nueske ham, Swiss cheese and a sunny-side up egg). (Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)
MOST POPULAR MENU ITEM: Signature frittatas RECOMMENDED DRINK: Pistacchio Cappuccino and Fragola Fresca cocktail.
CHEF’S FAVORITE: Rafa (spinach pasta layered with hard-boiled eggs, bacon, provolone and bechamel. Topped with gorgonzola cream).
Lawrence doughnut shop opens
By Conrad Otto conrad@youarecurrent.com
Pana Donuts and Boba Tea has opened its newest store at 11720 Fox Road in Lawrence, the eighth in the greater Indianapolis area.
FOOD
Owner Aaron Sok said he had a goal to expand the store after successful openings in Fishers and Indianapolis. On July 25, the Lawrence location opened.
“Through social media, there’s a lot of customers saying, ‘This is a good doughnut,’” Sok said. “All the people welcomed us in the community; we are so happy to see them.”
Sok said Pana’s most popular items are apple fritters and crullers. Its boba teas are milk-based or fruit-based and vary in flavor with different boba pearls, which are bite-sized, chewy tapioca spheres.
The restaurant also serves breakfast sandwiches, cappuccinos, coffees and smoothies.
Sok said that on opening day, Lawrence Mayor Deborah Whitfield stopped by to welcome the new store and bought three boxes of doughnuts. Sok said he appreciat-
ed her support, as well as the city’s social media posts about the new location.
“I can’t really describe it, but I’m happy and excited,” Sok said. “Being busy on the first day of the grand opening and the mayor stopping by, I can’t really describe how to be so happy.”
Learn more about Pana Donuts at panadonutscoffeeandboba.menufy.com.
Pana Donuts owner Arron Sok with some of the many doughnuts for sale at the new Lawrence store. (Photo by Conrad Otto)
Across
The “M” in TMI
MashCraft brewing needs
10. Rating for many HBO shows
14. On the briny 15. Amazed 16. Hurries
17. Site of the Dan Quayle Vice Presidential Museum
19. Picnic pests
20. Kuaba Gallery display
21. Food plan 22. Alley howler
24. Mr. Clean rival 26. Floral neckwear 28. Peace symbol
Mont. neighbor
Country singer Kenny
Part of NBA (Abbr.) 38. A University of Minneso-
athlete
“Science Guy” Bill
42. “It’s ___ Late”
43. Site of the RV Museum and Hall of Fame
44. Historic period
45. IU conference foe
46. Cause
47. ___-friendly
48. Difficult
50. Siesta
52. Simple shelter
53. “Hold on a ___!”
56. Replies to an invitation, briefly
60. Aesop’s stories
63. UIndy grad
65. Regret
66. Sandwich cookie
67. Site of the Insane Asylum Museum
70. KFC offering 71. Bumbling
72. Type of dancer
73. Lord’s wife
74. Sculptor’s subject
75. Prayer ending Down
1. Taj ___
2. Loan shark’s practice
3. Pennies
4. Boater or bowler
5. Skirt length
6. Christmas tree topper
7. Roasted in the Village order
8. Blue billiards ball
9. Dispatched
10. London’s river
11. Site of the Indiana Military Museum
12. Facebook’s parent company
13. Aide (Abbr.)
18. One way to stand by 23. Out in the open
25. Possess
27. Phased-out Apple messaging tool
30. Stares at the Colts
cheerleaders
32. White River wader
33. “Jane ___”
34. 12 months
35. Oodles
36. Meh
37. Site of the Studebaker Museum
39. Approves
40. PU prof’s degree
43. Make happy
47. FedEx alternative
49. Leppert Mortuaries oration
51. “A Farewell to ___”
54. Gung-ho
55. Applauds
57. Indy 500 sound
58. Rid of impurities
59. ___ Hall University
60. Feathered friends
61. Indianapolis Opera highlight
62. Narrow opening
64. Golden Rule word
68. Lennon’s love
69. Sports org. hidden in
“championship game” Answers on Page 20
•TEAR OUT / REPLACE FREE ESTIMATES CALL 317-491-3491
SR. SOFTWARE ENGINEER
BorgWarner PDS (USA), Inc. seeks a Sr. Software Engineer based out of our office at 2151 E Lincoln Road, Kokomo, Indiana 46902. Note, this is a hybrid position whereby the employee will work both from home and from the aforementioned office address; from our technical center, 13975 BorgWarner Drive, Noblesville, Indiana 46060; and from home. Hence, the employee must live within a reasonable commuting distance of the aforementioned office address. Note, this position does not require travel. Design and implement embedded software solutions for automotive controllers, among other duties. Email resume to ccregar@borgwarner.com and reference job number R2024-1124.
PUZZLE ANSWERS
Glaziers / Glass Installers –Gatsby Glass of NW Indianapolis is now hiring! Join now to support our rapidly growing business – apply by email at GG135@gatsbybyglass.com
The Envision collection is available as a sectional, sofa, chair, or ottoman. Choose fabric, arm style, seat depth, back height, silhouette, back pillow and seam detail, base and wood finishes. Custom order yours today!
