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BUZZER BEATER
Adaptive basketball team offers inclusive opportunity for youth / P14
Zionsville RDC presents year-end report / P5 Shaffer Homes of Zionsville earns top honor / P7
Zionsville committee to lose its ‘PZAZ’ / P11 SCAN HERE
Glide on the Westfield Ice Ribbon located at Grand Junction Plaza, the coolest spot in downtown Westfield! Strap on your skates and enjoy sessions with family and friends.
Additional skate sessions will be available during winter break.
GRIEF
Hospice care offers dignity, remembrance
By Marney Simon marney@youarecurrent.com
Embracing grief and remembering loved ones during the dark days of winter was the theme of the annual Tree of Life event Dec. 8 at Compassus inpatient hospice, 8450 N. Payne Rd. in College Park in Indianapolis.
During the hourlong service, visitors remembered loved ones who died in the past year. The names of the more than 400 people who died at Compassus in 2024 were read aloud while friends and family members placed dove-shaped ornaments on a tree in the hospice chapel.
Compassus Indianapolis hospice Chaplain Christopher Suder said grief plays by its own rules — popping up and invading people’s lives at the drop of a hat. Events like Tree of Life provide a way to embrace those moments.
“The goal is to provide the bereaved another opportunity to honor their grief journey, recognizing that not all things are accomplished with grief at the funeral,” Suder said. “We’re offering ongoing support for them and opportunities for them to remember. Every year in December, we honor and remember those who we have cared for.”
The hospice services are designed to provide end-of-life comfort, peace and dignity by managing symptoms, providing practical help to families and offering emotional support.
BeBe Denton’s family said hospice was a blessing in a difficult time.
Denton’s father, Richard Besore, died as a hospice inpatient in February 2003. Her mother, Carol Jean Besore, died in hospice through Compassus at Denton’s home in May 2023. Denton said her mother had kidney failure and was prepared to die, and hospice care made the experience easier for everyone.
“It was a great experience, frankly,” she said of her mother’s care. “They did a great job. The wonderful thing about Compassus is, they are as involved as you want them to be. So, they have a lot of services, and you can sort of pick and choose what you need or don’t need, what you want or don’t want.”
Denton advocates for everyone to consider hospice care for themselves or a loved one.
“They treat the pain but they don’t treat the illness,” she said. “It’s all about making the person comfortable and taken
care of. It’s just a great thing of celebrating someone’s life while they are dying. It’s a weird thing to say, but I would recommend it. People don’t know about hospice, and I think what they don’t know sometimes scares them. We were very lucky.”
Suder said there is a misconception that hospice equates to the last moments of life, when it can mean extended care for days, weeks or even months.
“One of the things that people don’t
recognize about hospice is that not only are we caring for them physically, we’re also caring for the spiritual and social needs of the patient and their family,” he said. “Hospice means hospitality. It means a resting place on the way to the final journey. It can have a negative connotation, but I think that’s changing. The real benefit of hospice is peace and comfort by recognizing the whole person, not just the physical.”
Learn more at compassus.com.
December 17, 2024
Current in Zionsville currentzionsville.com
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Founded March 20 2012, at Zionsville, IN Vol. XIII, No. 37
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Opinions
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Compassus Chaplain Christopher Suder speaks during the Tree of Life event Dec. 8.
(Photos by Marney Simon)
Visitors at Compassus inpatient hospice in Indianapolis celebrate their loved ones during a tree-lighting ceremony Dec. 8.
Zionsville RDC presents year-end report
By Marney Simon marney@youarecurrent.com
The Zionsville Redevelopment Commission is slated to close on two Creekside properties by the end of the year.
DEVELOPMENT
RDC president David Ober presented a year-end report of the commission’s activities to the Zionsville Town Council Dec. 2.
Acquired in 2015 and subdivided into 15 lots of varying sizes, Creekside Corporate Park is a conservation park with 38 percent of the land dedicated to woodland conservation. The RDC has been working since the acquisition on marketing commercial properties within 42-developable acres of the park.
Ober said the following Creekside properties are near closing:
• Center for Sight — Lots 4 and 5 — roughly 4 acres — are under contract with Frooz Vision, LLC for an outpatient eye surgery center. The property is under contract for $359,000, with closing scheduled before the end of 2024.
Three lots inside Creekside are expected to close in late 2024 or early 2025. (File photo)
• Crider & Crider — Located on 2.5 acres in Lot 2, Crider & Crider — a general contractor and engineering firm based in Bloomington — plans to move its headquarters to Zionsville.
Closing on the $250,000 contract is anticipated by the end of 2024.
• Exclusive Auto Sports — Anticipated to close in the first quarter 2025, the site would host a developmental auto sports team on 3 acres of Lots 7 and 8. The purchase agreement is $294,000.
Ober said although negotiations are underway for Lot 9 with an undisclosed purchaser, a development agreement for
that lot is not ready for approval.
Ober also provided an update on development plans at the vacant lot in front of Zionsville Town Hall.
“We’re continuing conversation with Seake LLC, the entity that owns the lot on the other side about a similar-style office building in that location,” he said.
Ober said that lot is owned by the Town of Zionsville, not the RDC.
Updates also were given on additional developer-backed tax increment finance bond projects moving ahead, including the Wild Air multiuse development at Oak Street and Marysville Road; Sentry Development senior living community at Holliday Farms; and Phase 2 of The Farm at Sycamore Street and Michigan Road/U.S. 421.
The RDC is a six-member appointed board that investigates, surveys and studies areas in Zionsville that need redevelopment. The board is responsible for acquiring areas that need redevelopment or economic development and oversees locally created TIF districts.
Learn more at zionsville-in.gov under the government/boards, commissions, committees tab.
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More than 68,000 children lack access to healthy food.
European Cottage takes top honor
By Marney Simon marney@youarecurrent.com
Five custom luxury homes created by local builders were showcased during the 2024 BAGI Home-ARama at Promontory of Zionsville in September. When the three weekend-long showcase was over, one home stuck out among visitors as the best of the best.
HOME-A-RAMA
The European Cottage, a creation of Zionsville-based Randy Shaffer Custom Homes and Kent Shaffer Homes, was named Home-A-Rama People’s Choice winner.
The 8,741-square-feet home has six bedrooms, five full bathrooms and two half bathrooms. The home’s features include a waterfront view, large-scale windows, floating stairs, an abundance of natural light, a covered porch with motorized screens for year-round usability, a lower-level bar/lounge area and a gourmet kitchen with dual islands.
“I think it was a combination of the decorator, the architect and all the people who had their hands on it — the subcontractors and the carpenters,” Randy Shaffer said of the home’s unique charm that earned the People’s Choice award. “It was a totally different house than any other house in the showcase.”
Shaffer said the house — which was sold before Home-A-Rama began — was coordinated with the architect, the builder and the homeowner in order to meet the needs and wants of its new occupants.
Shaffer said as a custom builder, Shaffer
Homes — established in 1985 — has the ability to focus on the fine points that turn a regular home into a luxury product.
“I think it’s a combination of 40 years of experience and we’re still doing things the old way, but also doing some things the new way,” Shaffer said. “We’re building houses with extreme quality but adding new ideas. I think what people like most is the attention we pay to details — extreme details. I think one reason we’ve been so successful is that we don’t build a lot of houses. We build about five to eight houses a year. That gives the ability to put our time into these homes and the customers.”
Shaffer said home building has become more creative over the past 40 years — easier in some ways, such as technology advancements; but harder in other areas such as implementing highly-detailed designs into a build.
“To me, the quality is better now,” he said. “Building your own home, you’re going to get exactly what you want and you can watch it being built. Building a home is a personal thing. I think that really makes people happy. They can watch their own home be built every single day, then just move in.”
Shaffer said the key to getting that perfect home is making sure you’re working with a builder you like and trust, who has plenty of experience.
“When I started building, I actually built the house. I used a hammer and nails,” he said. “I think a builder with on-the-job training makes a huge difference.”
Learn more at randyshafferhomes.com.
The European Cottage built by Shaffer Homes was the People’s Choice winner at the 2024 BAGI Home-A-Rama. (Photo courtesy of BAGI)
January 17– 19, 2025
The 2025 Festival of Ice at Carter Green features:
• Professional ice carving demonstrations in the Arts & Design District
• Fast-paced ice carve-off competition at The Ice at Carter Green
• Firehouse chili cook-off
• And more!
A special thanks to Allied Solutions for participation and sponsorship of many of our holiday events.
NEW LIONS CLUB MEMBERS STEP
TO SERVE IN ZIONSVILLE
The Zionsville Lions Club celebrates Thanksgiving during its regular meeting in November, with a meal followed by the induction of five new members — Leo Leighton, Osa Schulte, Alex Nesterto, Terry Anderson and Roxanne Blackwell — to the club. From left, past district governor and membership chair Tom Robbins, Leo Leighton, Osa Schulte, sponsor Gail Robbins, sponsor Ross Miller, Alex Nesterto, sponsor Kurt Eckert, Terry Anderson, Roxanne Blackwell and sponsor Lion Anne DelPozzo. The Zionsville Lions Club hosts events for the community, including the Eggnormous Egg Hunt, the Fourth of July celebration, Fall Festival parade and carnival, Stories in the Park, Diabetes Awareness Day, summer concerts and hayrides. Learn more at zionsvillelions.com. (Photo courtesy of Zionsville Lions Club)
Two Christmas Eve services: a family
Commentary by Jennifer Lawrence
We are in the season of decorating our houses, baking and cooking for loved ones and purchasing gifts for our friends and families! With all the busyness going on, is it possible to think about being green this time of year? Absolutely!
ENVIRONMENT
Before you decorate your tree, consider purchasing a balled tree that can be planted after the holiday season. Purchase LED string lights, and if you have ones that are already not working properly, recycle them at local Great Lakes Ace Hardware or Lowes.
When purchasing gifts, consider purchasing an experience such as cooking lessons, a zoo membership or a family trip. When buying tangible items, place a priority on purchasing local, limiting plastic packaging and wrapping using easily recycled cardboard boxes. Use wrapping paper that is made from recycled materials and that can be recycled again. Wrapping paper with metallics and glitter cannot be recycled; therefore, stick with the basic paper wrap.
Consider reusing last year’s holiday cards as labels for this year’s gifts. For a special adornment, think about using a fresh sprig of evergreen or high-quality ribbon that can be reused again and again. When planning your holiday meals, reduce food waste by planning ahead and cooking appropriate amounts. If you do have leftovers, send them home in containers you have saved throughout the year, such as butter tubs, glass jars and takeout containers. Use reusable dinnerware, napkins, utensils and fun holiday mugs for your holiday table.
It is possible to be green this holiday season, if we really focus on our waste and think about reducing, reusing, refurbishing, repurposing, recycling and rebuying recycled materials, in that order!
Zionsville committee to lose its ‘PZAZ’
By Marney Simon marney@youarecurrent.com
It might have made a quirky acronym. But a committee in Zionsville will get a new name in 2025.
TOWN NEWS
The Zionsville Town Council is expected to change the name of the PZAZ committee to the Zionsville Tree Board.
PZAZ — an acronym for the People of Zionsville for the Aesthetics of Zionsville — is a seven-member appointed board that oversees urban forestry and streetscape beautification for the Town of Zionsville. The board assists in maintaining the town’s ‘Tree City’ designation and acts as an advisory to town departments on matters related to trees and plantings. But the name hasn’t always made the duties of the members obvious.
“A lot of people don’t know what the ‘People of Zionsville for the Aesthetics of Zionsville’ is about,” Councilor Tim McElderry, who sits on the committee, said. “Many people think it’s a dance club or a dance group, but we’re not. So, part
of it is simply clarity. But, part of it is that (the Arbor Day Foundation), which designates (Zionsville) as a Tree City, recommends that we have the name of tree board. It’s really no more complicated than that.”
The committee advises the town council on ordinances on trees and other flora. Among its other duties, the committee sponsors the annual Z’Tree of the Year contest. In October, the PZAZ committee announced a sycamore tree in Colony Woods is this year’s recipient.
Zionsville has been awarded the Tree City USA designation 23 times since 2001. Requirements to maintain that designation include a tree board; a tree-care ordinance; an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita; and an Arbor Day proclamation.
The council was expected to approve the name change Dec. 16.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the United States Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. Learn more at arborday.org.
DISPATCHES
Rummage sale to benefit Haiti — St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church, 1870 W. Oak St. in Zionsville, will host the annual rummage sale to benefit its twin parish, St. Anthony of Padua, in Croix Fer, Haiti. Proceeds directly support needs in Croix Fer. Donations can be dropped off at the church from 2 to 8 p.m. Jan. 22 and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 23. The sale is 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 24 and 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 25. For more information, contact St. Alphonsus
Liguori Catholic Church at 317-873-2885.
Fire department personnel sworn in — Matt Coyner, Andrew Phelps and Dustin Campins were sworn in as fire engineers Dec. 2. Zionsville Fire Department Chief James VanGorder said the addition of new staff reflects the necessary growth of the department. Follow the Zionsville Fire Department at facebook.com/ zionsvillefiredepartment.
PUZZLE ANSWERS
Zionsville athlete more than a passing success at Brebeuf Jesuit
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School senior quarterback Maverick Geske put up some eye-popping numbers during the football season.
“He’s had amazing production in his high school career,” said Matt Geske, his father and Brebeuf Jesuit’s head coach. “He finished in the top 14 all-time in career yards.”
A Zionsville resident, Maverick’s single-season total of 4,039 yards in 2024 is fifth on the IHSAA state list.
“Outside of his production and physical attributes from his freshman year to now has been the leadership, the ability to get his teammates all playing together, the camaraderie, the work ethic, all those things combined has made (him) a special on-thefield player and, more importantly, brought our team along with him,” Geske said.
Maverick, who is 6 feet and 205 pounds, completed 211 of 346 passes (61 percent)
MAVERICK GESKE
Favorite athlete: Baker Mayfield
Favorite TV show: “Succession”
Favorite vacation spot: Grand
Cayman
Favorite musician: Drake
Favorite subject: Social studies
with 40 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. He also rushed for eight touchdowns and caught a TD pass for the Braves (8-3), who reached the Class 4A sectional semifinal before losing to Roncalli.
Maverick threw for 3,084 yards as a junior. He became the starter during his sophomore season, throwing for 1,651 yards while completing 56 percent of his
Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School quarterback Maverick Geske threw for 4,039 yards this past season.
LJ Lesing)
attempts. He was recently named to the Indiana Football Coaches Association’s Class 4A All-State Senior Team.
His production earned him an offer to play football at several schools, including a recent offer from Indiana University.
“Being with a lot of those guys for the past four years in the weight room and offseason, it was pretty fun,” Maverick said. “We got a couple of special things done, like beating Carmel. We didn’t go as far as
we planned (in the postseason) but it was definitely a fun season.”
Maverick said his main improvement has been in leadership
“My leadership has improved drastically over the last two years,” he said.
On the field, he said his decision-making has been another big improvement.
Studying game film helped in that aspect, he said.
Maverick, who will graduate this month, might enroll in college in January to take part in spring practice.
“I want to put on some weight to compete with those (older) guys,” he said. “I want to get a little stronger. My goal weight is 215.”
Maverick, who turns 18 later this month, had a 7-1 record for Brebeuf’s baseball team last season as a pitcher. The Braves reached the IHSAA Class 3A state championship before losing to New Prairie.
“Baseball has been a close second, but football has always been my No. 1 sport,” Maverick said.
To nominate a high school student for Athlete of the Week, contact mark@ youarecurrent.com.
(Photo courtesy of
Geske
Werkstatt
Dec. 16-24, Anja Werner, Plauen Woodworking Artist
Kinderecke
Dec. 16-20, Woodworking with Deeply Ingrained
Spielhaus
Dec. 17, 4-9 p.m., Storytelling & Roz Puppets
Dec. 20, 12-3 p.m., Music & Dance with Copper Z Wellness
Dec. 21, 4-7 p.m., Snow Queen & Happy Snowman
Dec. 22, 12-6 p.m. & Dec. 24, 12-4 p.m. Santa
Entertainment
Dec. 17, 6-7 p.m., 6-7 p.m., Dianna Davis and Mario Joven
Dec. 20, 7-9 p.m., 7-9 p.m., Duke Tumatoe & The Power Trio
Dec. 21, 4:30-5:30 p.m. & 8-9 p.m., Mike Schneider Band
Dec. 22, 12:30-1:30 p.m. & 3:30-4:30 p.m., Mike Schneider Band
November 23 - December 24
BUZZER BEATER
By Marney Simon marney@youarecurrent.com
Adaptive basketball team offers inclusive opportunity for youth
Embracing Indiana’s signature sport — basketball — while offering a chance to learn the basics in an inclusive environment is not necessarily something Brittany Gaynor of Zionsville thought she’d find for her 12-year-old son, Easton.
But using social media to meet other parents with children of different physical abilities led the Gaynors to the Hoosier state’s only youth wheelchair basketball league, based in central Indiana.
RHI Racers is an adaptive basketball program sponsored by the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana. Children ages 7 to 18 compete in wheelchair basketball tournaments across the nation. The sport is part of an overall adaptive sports program offered by RHI that includes basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, baseball and water sports.
Gaynor’s son Easton has spina bifida and is in his second year with the team. The basketball season runs from September through April. On Dec. 7-8, the team held its home tournament at Butler University.
“We’re the only Indiana wheelchair basketball team. We have practices weekly but for our games there are tournaments,” Gaynor said. “This one (at Butler University) is our home tournament, but we’re always traveling out of state to other places. They’ll go to Atlanta, Ga., early next year. Tennessee, South Carolina, they’ve gone to Wisconsin and Ohio.”
Players use special adaptive chairs that allow them to quickly maneuver around the court. Not all players utilize a wheelchair in their daily lives, but they learn to use the specialized equipment during practices and training.
Although Easton is not a full-time wheelchair user, he uses a borrowed chair during play. The game is played with traditional basketball rules, adjusted slightly to accommodate the wheelchairs on the court. For example, players are allowed to stroke their wheels twice before they must dribble.
“It’s just really good, fun, competitive basketball,” Gaynor said. “I don’t want people to get the impression that it’s easy. It’s tough basketball. They sometimes tip in their chairs. There are still rules they have
to follow. It’s just Indiana-good basketball, and it’s really fun, too.”
Andrew Stachel of McCordsville is in his fourth year as head coach of the RHI Junior Racers and is in his seventh year overall assisting. He said although players use wheelchairs on the court, the game is no less aggressive than any other.
“It’s something they have to adjust to as they get older — the level of aggressiveness that they have to have,” he said. “We try to teach that aggressiveness, because that’s part of the attitude of how to go out there and play.”
Stachel said the team consists of youth
of different physical abilities — some use a wheelchair fulltime; some are amputees; some utilize walking aids; and some use a wheelchair parttime.
“We have kids with brittle bones, kids with spina bifida, scoliosis. It’s really just a great way to get them all involved,” Stachel said.
Those kids also train like any other athlete would.
“The fundamentals are similar, but we do a lot of rolling instead of running,” Stachel said. “So instead of sprints, they roll. I have them pull parachutes. They have to toughen their hands for quick stops and to turn
ABOUT RHI RACERS
RHI Racers basketball teams are part of the RHI Adaptive Sports Program sponsored by the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana. The program serves youth and adults with spinal cord, orthopedic, neuromuscular and visual impairments by providing activities to help enhance quality of life and promote physical fitness.
Developed in 1996 by two therapists who created an adaptive water ski clinic, the program continues to grow. RHI Adaptive Sports Program Director Karen Lawrence said the program’s best advertiser is word of mouth.
“People realize how amazing it is,” she said. “People want to get their kids involved, or after someone has been injured they want to continue their life and do a variety of different sports. No one has to go through RHI to participate — it’s just adaptive sports for the community.”
The program includes competitive and noncompetitive sports for all ages, with 30 to 40 recreational clinics offered yearly.
Learn more at rhirehab.com under the Our Programs tab.
sideways. Some of them will learn how to use their core. And then there’s a lot of repetition — layups, shots and we really focus on teaching them defense.”
Stachel’’s son, Max, has been playing since he was 7 years old. Now 14, Max uses a day chair in his everyday life. He said the sport has built his confidence.
“You get to be with kids who are like you, and they make you feel like you belong and you’re not so out of place,” Max said. “It took some time, when I was younger, I was only out there for 30 seconds at a time. And I cried the whole time. Over time, I got bigger, stronger and faster. That propelled me to do better.”
And just like any sport, practice makes perfect.
“With the younger kids, we play games,” Stachel said. “Tag, keep-away, developing the skills to use the chairs. In tag, you have to be fast, so that’s like conditioning. They’re building up their strength. It’s a big deal for a kid to make their first basket. They can play two or three years before they can do it, before they’re strong enough to get the ball to the rim. It takes years of them learning, and that’s why for some kids if they get a shot, the crowd goes wild. It’s a big moment.”
For Easton Gaynor, his favorite parts of being on the team are travel and camaraderie.
“My favorite part is to feel included,” Easton said.
Brittany Gaynor said although Easton is still learning and growing in the sport, he shows no signs of slowing down.
“We love it because it’s actually a sport that he can play and keep up with other kids,” Gaynor said. “It’s hard for him to just go and do typical sports. They really boost their confidence because they’re able to actually play. They also get social experiences from being with kids with similar experiences. If there’s another kid having difficulties or a disability playing with him, he’s just learning about teamwork and confidence and learning from his mistakes and how to do better. It’s just very inclusive.”
ON THE COVER: Members of the
RHI Junior Racers compete against players from Cincinnati Dec. 7 at Butler University. (Photo by Marney Simon)
RHI Junior Racers practice during halftime of a game at Butler University Dec. 7. (Photo by Marney Simon)
Songwriter Berlin’s rare piano on display
Submitted by Great American Songbook Foundation
As the air fills with the familiar strains of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” – the bestselling pop single of all time — the Great American Songbook Foundation is unveiling a piece of music history once owned by the man who wrote it.
Irving Berlin, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, revolutionized American popular music with many classic songs that have become part of the fabric of our culture: “Blue Skies,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Anything You Can Do,” “Happy Holiday,” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” and even “God Bless America,” to name a few.
His success came despite interesting personal limitations: Berlin did not read or write music, and as a self-taught pianist, he preferred playing on the black keys, corresponding to the key of F-sharp. As time went on, he commissioned piano makers to build transposing instruments — pianos with mechanisms enabling the player to shift the keyboard left or right and play in any key without changing hand position.
One of those rare instruments was donated recently to the Songbook Foundation’s vast Songbook Library & Archives by Berlin’s family. Built circa 1955 by Sohmer & Co. of New York, it is a well-constructed but simple upright piano with a twist: a transposing lever mounted under the keyboard.
After some restoration work at Piano Solutions in Carmel, the unusual instrument is back at the Songbook Library & Archives, near the Songbook Foundation’s headquarters at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Later this month, it will be publicly displayed for the first time in conjunction with Civic Theatre’s production of “White Christmas” at the Center’s Tarkington theater, a musical adaptation of the 1954 Bing Crosby film that features 17 songs by Berlin.
(“Moon River,” “Hooray for Hollywood”) and Richard Whiting (“On the Good Ship Lollipop,” “Ain’t We Got Fun?”).
Kept in the songwriter’s New York office, the piano was one of three Sohmers left to Berlin’s three daughters after his death in 1989. His daughter Mary Ellen Barrett died in 2022 and passed it down to her daughter Elizabeth Matson, who donated it to the Songbook Foundation.
“I learned about the Great American Songbook Foundation a few years ago, and knew right away it would be the perfect place to donate this treasured family heirloom,” Matson said. “There could be no better place for Irving Berlin’s special instrument than in this museum devoted to celebrating the legacy of all the Great American Songbook writers.”
Songbook Foundation Executive Director Christopher Lewis said the priceless artifact will receive the respect and attention it deserves.
“Few artists exemplify the American Songbook more than Irving Berlin,” Lewis said. “We are eternally grateful to the family for entrusting us with this historic instrument and to the Piano Solutions staff for their expertise in helping us to preserve it. This piano will soon have a prominent place in our Songbook Exhibit Gallery at the Palladium and it ultimately will be a highlight of our planned music museum and visitor experience.”
Piano Solutions owners Greg Durthaler and Brian Hostetler have serviced several historic pianos for the Songbook Foundation, including instruments owned by songwriters Harold Arlen (“Over the Rainbow,” “Stormy Weather”), Johnny Mercer
Despite their decades in the business, however, the Berlin instrument was the first transposing piano they had worked on. They described the project as a “conservation” job, returning the long-dormant instrument to its original working condition with a minimum of replacement parts. The piano had to be dismantled to a large extent, with the keyboard removed to reveal the machinery within. The meticulous work included reglueing joints and cleaning and lubricating scores of small parts, rebuilding rather than replacing any broken or worn elements. The wooden case was deep-cleaned and treated for mildew but not refinished.
The first priority was to figure out how the transposing mechanism was designed and how to get it working again. Hostetler deduced that the piano’s central pedal had to be pushed all the way down to allow the lever and the keyboard to move freely, sliding left or right in increments to cover the 12 keys of Western music. A small brass plate with markings indicates the current key.
“It’s ingenious, but it also can cause problems if you’re not really careful with it,” Hostetler said. “Over the years, the device can actually break parts that you don’t want broken.”
Now fully functioning, the Berlin piano will be viewable publicly for the first time during the Dec. 20-21 final weekend of Civic Theatre’s “White Christmas” at The Tarkington. The lobby display also will include other relevant items from the Songbook Library & Archives, including an original promotional poster for the movie, a written arrangement of “White Christmas” owned by co-star Rosemary Clooney and a snow globe gifted by Berlin to Clooney as a memento of the production.
The piano also will be employed for a tune at the Songbook Foundation’s upcoming presentation Songbook Academy Sings the Songs of the Season, with two sold-out concerts by Songbook Academy alumni scheduled Dec. 22 at the center’s Studio Theater.
‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’
Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Story: The Musical” runs through Jan. 5 at the Indianapolis venue. For more, visit beefandboards.com.
FEINSTEIN’S CABARET
“A Sinatra Christmas” is set for Dec. 18, followed by “Deception: An Evening of Magic and Lies: Dec. 19 and Frank D’Ambrosio Dec. 21-22 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. The performances start at 7:30 p.m. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.
‘WHITE CHRISTMAS’
Civic Theatre presents “White Christmas” through Dec. 24 at The Tarkington at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.
‘FESTIVAL OF CAROLS’
Indianapolis Symphonic Choir’s “Festival of Carols” is set for 8 p.m. Dec. 20 and 3 p.m. Dec. 21-22 at the Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.
‘SEUSSICAL’
Carmel Apprentice Theatre’s production of “Seussical” runs through Dec. 22 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way. For more, visit thecat.biz.
DISPATCHES
‘Voices of Christmas’ concert set — The Indianapolis Opera’s “Voices of Christmas” concert is set for 3 p.m. Dec. 22 at the Basile Opera Center, 4011 N. Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis. The concert includes the Indianapolis Opera Chorus and a special appearance from the Indianapolis Youth Orchestra. Tickets are $25.
Foxworthy to perform in Fishers — Renowned comedian Jeff Foxworthy will perform live at the new Fishers Event Center Feb. 21, 2025, for the first Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation Legacy Celebration. Tickets are on sale at FishersEventCenter.com. A portion of proceeds benefit staff and students of Hamilton Southeastern Schools. For more, visit jefffoxworthy.com.
SONGBOOK FOUNDATION
Songwriter Irving Berlin’s Sohmer transposing piano was donated recently to the Songbook Library & Archives in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of Songbook Foundation)
‘Nutcracker’ returns to Murat
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Indianapolis Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” has been a holiday fixture at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre in Indianapolis for several years. Althought the story remains the same, it’s always a new look.
INDY BALLET
“The production is staged every year in a similar way, but it is never the same as it is a live performance,” said Victoria Lyras, Indianapolis Ballet’s founding artistic director. “It is a wonderful time of the year to share the love for this art form with our audiences through this magical production.”
Indianapolis Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” will be presented Dec. 19-22. The production has been at the Murat since 2016 except for 2020, when the performance was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In this year’s production, we feature three ballerinas as the Sugar Plum with three different Cavaliers,” Lyras said. “We also have three Snow Queens with their three Snow Kings. Clara is danced by a student from the Indianapolis School of Ballet and ‘The Nutcracker’ is performed by three different dancers in the company.”
The Nutcracker Tea, featuring characters from the performance, is set for noon Dec. 21 in the Tunisian Room at the Murat Shrine. Those buying Nutcracker Tea tickets receive a 20 percent discount on the same-day matinee tickets.
“The Nutcracker Tea is very popular, especially combining it before our Saturday matinee,” Indianapolis Ballet Executive Director Don Steffy said. “Families receive two holiday experiences in one afternoon — the Tea and the performance of the full-length ‘Nutcracker.’”
For tickets, visit indyballet.org.
‘Festival of Carols’ returns
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Mary Jo Wright has been with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir for 11 years, but being a member never gets old.
CONCERTS
“I love singing with the choir because it just provides an outlet to do really beautiful music with people that love music as much as I do,” the Carmel resident said. “I’m not professionally trained, but that is not a requirement to be in this choir, although you do have to go through an audition every year for quality control. I love that part of it and it’s challenging.”
There will be three performances of the ISC’s “Festival of Carols” at the Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The performances are at 8 p.m. Dec. 20 and 3 p.m. Dec. 21-22. There will be a 7:30 p.m. performance at the Schrott Center for the Arts in Indianapolis.
Wright said the music changes every year, but the group always performs Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” from the “Messiah.” The ISC also performs “The Dream Isaiah Saw” each year.
Lyras Wagaman Wright
“We get our Christmas music in October and we start working on it,” Wright said. “It really is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s music we all love and people come to hear it.”
“We usually end the concert with those two songs because it’s a very poignant part of the concerts,” Wright said.
Wright said they are revisiting “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” with longtime award-winning journalist Debby Knox doing the narrator’s part. The Lawrence Central High School choir will do two pieces and join for the final two songs.
Alden Wagaman, a 25-year-old Noblesville resident, is in his first year with the choir.
“It’s something I wanted to do my whole life as a young aspiring musician,” he said. “Being in the Symphonic Choir has been amazing.”
Wagaman, the director of choral activities at Lincoln Middle School in the Pike schools system in Indianapolis, said ISC Artistic Director Eric Stark creates a good grouping of sacred and secular songs.
“There are fast and slow tempos. There is a nice wide variety,” Wagaman said. For tickets, visit thecenterpresents.org.
1. Swindle
5. Exam for Butler MBA hopefuls
9. “Come again?”
13. Nepal setting
14. Prime 47 steak option
15. Sound of laughter
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DORMITORY
18. Change one’s story?
19. I-465 road goo
20. “Once ___ a time...”
31. Autocrats of old 33. In no way 36. Beat at the Mini
42. “We Have the Meats!” advertiser
43. Pen filler
44. Fishers-to-Omaha dir.
45. Colts stats
46. Arm bone
48. Europe’s longest river
50. UIndy instructor
51. Beatles: “___ the Walrus” 52. Leg hinge
Depressed
CBS forensic franchise
Put on WTHR
Photo finish
Dog’s warning
23. Ex-Pacers coach: Slick ___
24. Buries in a vault
25. Locale
43. Company’s receivables
47. Some artists’ studios
48. Easley Winery container
Late Chinese leader
Beach Boys: “I Get ___”
One of the five Ws for a
Peter, Paul and Mary: “If
49. Rolex rival
26. It may give a hoot on a farm
27. Using the soapbox
28. Channel with “Family Feud” reruns
30. Calamitous
32. Proofreader’s mark
34. On the road
35. California coastal region
36. Short race, for short
38. Annapolis inits.
50. Annoying one
51. Tabloid pair
52. Col. Sanders’ chain
53. Indy Eleven’s zero
54. Sense of self
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59. Slangy assent Answers on Page 11 NOV. 23 - JAN. 5
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41. Bygone airline
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