2015 SPECIAL EDITION THE TICKET
theTICKET BONU
S
& ARTSURE CULTUE ISS
/ A N I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY B O N U S A R T S & C U LT U R E I S S U E
ON STAGE NOW!
210 ROCK CONCERTS POP-UP GALLERIES CABARET NIGHTS BROADWAY HITS JAZZ ENSEMBLES SYMPHONY SHOWS SPOOKY FILM FESTS AMAZING BALLET GALA OPENINGS EDGY OPERA ...
And More Events You Can’t Miss!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
BANNED BOOKS WEEK, TONIC BALL & HOLIDAY NIGHTS OUT pgs. 16, 38, 80
LET’S GO TO THE MOVIES!
WHY IT’S FINALLY TIME TO DITCH REDBOX pg. 66
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
100 YEARS OF CIVIC THEATRE pg. 29
Fresh Fish. Flown in Daily. Sleek and sophisticated, The Oceanaire provides the perfect setting to enjoy an unrivaled atmosphere where you will indulge in tantalizing chef creations, exceptional wines and exquisite desserts.
Downtown • 30 South Meridian St • Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 955- 2277 • theoceanaire.com Reserve your table today
PRIME STEAKS. LEGENDARY SERVICE. Fine Wine • Private Dining • Exceptional Menu
Downtown | 41 E Washington St | 317- 229- 4700 | mortons.com / indianapolis
Jazz Under the Dome with Indianapolis jazz vocalist Everett Greene Friday, August 21 - Sunday, August 23 West Baden Springs Hotel Call 888-936-9360 or visit frenchlick.com for more information.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
O
our steps quickened as we picked our way through the side streets and alleys of Franklin, on our way to a Saturday-night screening of Grease at the Historic Artcraft Theatre. The sun was sinking low, and it was almost time for the movie to start. Of course, at the Artcraft, you get more than a movie—every show starts with some related tomfoolery on stage, like a quick skit based on the film you’re about to see. Then everyone stands to sing the Star-Spangled Banner as a blackand-white flag flickers across the screen. Then there’s an old Warner Bros. cartoon. It’s all very Americana, and very charming. As we left to the strains of “We Go Together,” we stopped short at the line for the next showing, winding away from the box office, down the street, and around the corner. These were Grease fans who had come late for a special sing-a-long version, ready to hand-jive along with Danny, Sandy, and the gang. Clearly, there is no shortage of love for Rydell High in Franklin, Indiana. The Artcraft, with its whiff of faded old-movie-palace glory, is just one of many wonderful venues in and around Indy highlighted in this year’s issue of The Ticket. We hope you’ll find something new to love this season, whether it’s old movies in Franklin; Taylor Swift at Bankers Life (page 35); a Silence of the Lambs musical (yes, musical—see page 26); Yo-Yo Ma (twice!—see page 44); a gleefully violent art showdown (page 52); or any of the other events that fill these pages. This special issue also takes a look at the cool things that arts groups are doing to grab your attention in an era when every dollar counts. Parties, discounted memberships, cutting-edge plays, inventive movie nights—Marc D. Allan explores it all starting on page 18. If you’re not sure where to begin, consider the ideas shared by local arts types on page 15, where they explain which events they’re most anticipating this season. Or just jump in and pick your own path. After sifting through hundreds of events to bring you the very best, we know we’ll be hitting the town this fall, and hope to see you there.
Kelly Kendall Editor 8 IM | THE TICKET 2015
The Ticket PUBLISHER
Keith Phillips EDITOR
Kelly Kendall ART DIRECTOR
Allison Edwards PHOTOGRAPHER
Tony Valainis
CONSULTING EDITOR
Amanda Heckert
CONSULTING DESIGN DIRECTOR
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CONTRIBUTORS
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Mike Botkin
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theTICKET
PRESENTED BY INDIANAPOLIS MONTHLY
The ISO’s Happy Hour
p. 47
41 Classical
The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra’s new maestro, 10 minutes with Time for Three’s Zach DePue, a classical-musician hair quiz, and the very best upcoming nights out.
47 Visual Arts
Gorgeous prints (by a kind-of Hoosier) at the IMA, iMOCA’s new leader, the pop-up art phenomenon, and your guide to fall gallery happenings.
COVER STORY
Art for All
From cocktail-hour concerts to outdoor shows to chic after-parties, here’s how local arts groups are reaching for the crowds. BY MARC D. ALLAN
18
IN THIS ISSUE
C A L E N DA R L I S T I N G S
8 Letter from the Editor
25 Theater & Dance
Thanks for picking up this special bonus issue of Indianapolis Monthly!
15 Inside Indy
The hottest tickets of the fall season, what’s in store for Banned Books Week, and Michael Feinstein’s must-haves. Plus: Do you know your classic sci-fi flicks?
80 Last Look
Follow the flow chart to your perfect holiday evening.
12 IM | THE TICKET 2015
61 Movies, Books, Etc.
John Waters lectures at IU Cinema, Indy gets a potential new John Green, intriguing film festivals flourish, and the Spirit & Place Festival turns 20. Plus: top film screenings, readings, and other events.
73 Dining & Destinations
Where to find the theaters, galleries, and other spots mentioned in this issue, plus ideas for nearby noshes.
p. 25
An Indiana institution turns 100 this year, an Indy dancer takes Broadway, and Evening With the Stars is poised for greatness. Plus: the best events on stage this season.
33 Music
See a local bassist in the new Miles Davis biopic, get to know Cabaret star Alan Cumming, and look ahead to fall’s top musical moments, from jazz to country to arena rock.
ON THE COVER Model Shelby Susnick, Helen
Wells Agency, helenwellsagency.com. Hair by Amanda Throckmorton and makeup by Taylor Campbell, Studio 2000 Salon & Day Spa, studio2000spa.com. Photo by Tony Valainis.
I N D I A N A
H I S T O R I C A L
S O C I E T Y
VISIT
TODAY
2015-2016 CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS You Are There: That Ayres Look – Now Open You Are There 1816: Indiana Joins the Nation – Opens Sept. 19 A Visual Journey: From AIDS to Marriage Equality – Oct. 10 to Nov. 14 Festival of Trees – Nov. 27 to Jan. 2 You Are There 1948: Communities Can! – Opens March 6, 2016 For a complete listing of events, exhibitions and programs, visit www.indianahistory.org.
IT’S THE INDIANA EXPERIENCE. You Are There as you literally step into historic snapshots to meet people from Indiana’s past. Experience the Destination Indiana “time machine” and interact with virtual journeys through time. It’s a new way to live history!
www.indianahistory.org | ( 317 ) 232-1882 EUGENE AND MARILYN GLICK INDIANA HISTORY CENTER D O W N TO W N O N T H E C A N A L | I N D I A N A P O L I S
Inside Indy OUR CITY, OUR CULTURE, RIGHT NOW
Hot Tickets
Which cultural events are you most eagerly anticipating this season? We asked a few artsy types. KYLE LONG, DJ
“The international dance halls and nightclubs like Chispas and El Venue along Lafayette Road feature some of the biggest acts in global music. On any given night, you can see great musicians performing indigenous Mexican music, Garifuna tribal music from Central America, Dominican bachata, EDM from Monterrey, Colombian salsa, Chicano rap from L.A., or heavy metal from Spain.”
BOB HARBIN, BOBDIREX
“I want to see Silence! The Musical, the musical of Silence of the Lambs, at the Phoenix, and Babes in Toyland at Footlite Musicals.”
15 IM | THE TICKET 2015
POLINA OSHEROV, PATTERN MAGAZINE
“I can’t wait for the Indianapolis Museum of Art ‘Project IMA Fashion Show’ on October 9. It’s truly one of the bestproduced fashion events in our city—a must-see!”
DAVID HOCHOY, DANCE KALEIDOSCOPE
“I’m really excited about IRT’s production of The Great Gatsby—I’m intrigued about how they will put this great American novel on the stage. Also, The Fantasticks, being done by Actors Theatre of Indiana, is one of my all-time favorite musicals.”
DAVE LAWRENCE, ARTS COUNCIL OF INDIANAPOLIS
“The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Indianapolis Symphonic Choir presenting Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis October 9 and 10. It’s a work that doesn’t get performed very often. I’m also excited for The Cabaret’s event that same weekend: a concert version of Jason Robert Brown’s OffBroadway musical The Last Five Years. That is going to be one fantastic weekend of music!”
ALYSSA NEWERTH, INDY READS ACTION JACKSON, DJ AND CO-FOUNDER OF RAD SUMMER RECORDS
“A really cool recurring monthly event is Chef’s Night Off, a self-described ‘ongoing series of pirate dinners prepared by line cooks from Indy’s best restaurants.’ These multi-course pop-up meals are casual and super-fun and have taken place in a variety of locations, from the trendy hotel restaurant Cerulean to low-key bars like the Sinking Ship. I really dig that they give up-andcoming talent a chance to showcase their own creations and ideas!”
“I am most excited about Art Squared in Fountain Square on September 19. The Art Parade is my favorite part of the day. There is a lawnmower contingent, awesome handmade costumes, and usually some chickens that march in the parade.”
QUINCY OWENS, ARTIST
“I’m so excited for IDADA’s First Fridays! There are also tons of great local and regional bands playing, but Deadbeat Sailors (my son is the bassist) and Foo Fighters (my wife and I have a sweet spot for Dave Grohl) are my current top picks. In between, I’ll be at HiFi for a few shows.”
INSIDE INDY
Taboo Titles Banned Books Week is September 27–October 3, and the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library is ready to get the party started. Authors, academics, and performers will converge on KVML to read excerpts from titles under fire and discuss censorship of art and literature. Local restaurants are competing to create the best Vonnegut-inspired entree, and the library will even play music based on books that have been banned (such as Pink Floyd’s album Animals, a nod to Animal Farm). Here are six novels that have faced fights to make it onto library shelves:
MARK TWAIN
This is a perennially challenged book— remember the Family Ties episode where the Keatons fight a potential ban at Jennifer’s school? (Okay, maybe it’s just us.) Brian W. Casey, president of DePauw University, will read from it at KVML’s weeklong celebration. KEY |
The Great Gatsby
Cat’s Cradle KURT VONNEGUT
Invisible Man RALPH ELLISON
F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
Vonnegut’s 1963 novel tackles issues such as the nuclear arms race, science, and religion. In 1972, the school board in Strongsville, Ohio, banned the book without stating an official reason. Notes from the meeting include references to the book as “completely sick” and “garbage.” The ban was overturned in 1976. ?
DRUGS/ALCOHOL/SMOKING
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LANGUAGE
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When it appeared in 1952, this novel addressing the black experience in America was by a complete unknown, but it went on to win the National Book Award. Tyrone Williams of Xavier University will read from it at KVML as part of an Arts Council program highlighting banned African-American books.
The same day a production of this Jazz Age classic debuts at Indiana Repertory Theatre, September 30, Indiana State University professor Michael Sheldon will discuss it at KVML. Apparently the sex scenes in the 1925 book were too hot to handle as recently as the 1980s.
RACISM
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RELIGIOUS MATTERS
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SEXUALITY
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VIOLENCE
Looking for Alaska
SlaughterhouseFive
JOHN GREEN
KURT VONNEGUT
The local author’s first young-adult novel was published in 2005 and there’s now a movie version in the works, thanks to the breakout success of his The Fault in Our Stars. The Alaska hero is often compared to Holden Caulfield, of another frequently banned book: The Catcher in the Rye.
The 1969 satirical novel detailing the experiences of Billy Pilgrim, the man who became “unstuck in time,” is generally recognized as Vonnegut’s most influential and popular book. It has also been banned in at least seven U.S. communities, according to the American Library Association.
| ? UNKNOWN
POP QUIZ
1 2
WAR OF THE WORDS These sci-fi and horror flicks are playing at the Historic Artcraft Theatre’s “Sci-Fright Frenzy” during the witching month of October. Match the movie to the famous quote.
3 4 5 6 7
“If they’re mortal, they must have mortal weaknesses. They’ll be stopped, somehow.” “Take your stinkin’ paws off me, you damned dirty ape!” “They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next, you’re next!” “The menace was gone … so was a great man. But the whole world can wake up and live again.” “They’re coming to get you, Barbara!” “My poor Krell. After a million years of shining sanity, they could hardly have understood what power was destroying them.” “You’re a big fella, ain’t ya!”
a. Godzilla (1954) (7:30 p.m. October 9) b. War of the Worlds (1953) (10 p.m. October 9)
c. Gila! (2012) (1 p.m. October 10) d. Forbidden Planet (1956) (5 p.m. October 10)
e. Planet of the Apes (1968) (7:30 p.m. October 10) f. Night of the Living Dead (1968) (10 p.m. October 10)
g. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) (3 p.m. October 10)
1b, 2e, 3g, 4a, 5f, 6d, 7c 16 IM | THE TICKET 2015
FEINSTEIN BY AJ MAST, ALIEN ILLUSTRATION FROM THINKSTOCK.COM; PREVIOUS PAGE: LONG BY ERIC LUBRICK, HOCHOY BY JAMES YEE, JACKSON BY CHRIS WALKER, LAWRENCE BY JULIE CURRY PHOTOGRAPHY, OWENS BY BOHEMIAN RED IMAGES, OSHEROV COURTESY POLINA OSHEROV, OTHERS BY TONY VALAINIS
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Pineapple “Something in the enzymes makes the throat feel good.”
Comfortable shoes “With specially made inserts so I can go hiking or walking somewhere— that’s my favorite exercise.”
Woody’s Library Restaurant “Because they have a vegan menu. I’ve been a vegan for 12 years.”
iPod “I always have Rosemary Clooney music with me. And Erich Wolfgang Korngold, my favorite composer—he wrote my favorite film score, The Adventures of Robin Hood, which is so majestic.”
Daily Word “It’s a booklet published monthly—an all-encompassing spiritual practice that embraces all faiths. I read an affirmation out of it every day.” MY FAVORITE THINGS
Meditation “Because life is so fastpaced, if I’m riding in a car, or even in an elevator, that’s the time when I’ll meditate. I take any time I have in a busy day to breathe and to relax and to regain energy. It can be 60 seconds.”
6 o’clock “My favorite time of day, depending on the season, is just as it’s starting to get dark. As everything has this burnished glow about it, that’s my favorite time to walk, and I find that I feel good in my skin.”
Michael Feinstein The artistic director of the Center for the Performing Arts shares his must-haves.
Emergen-C packets “I always have Vitamin C. When I travel, I take one for every hour that I fly to avoid jet lag.”
Earplugs “Because the world is very noisy. “
Coconut water “What I try to do is get the fresh coconuts— Thai restaurants will usually open a coconut for you. There’s a big difference between the packaged coconut water versus the fresh. It’s a great thing for me for hydration.”
THE TICKET 2015 | IM 17
ART
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ALL
Cocktail hours! Hands-on shows! Cheap lobster! These are just some of the tools local arts groups are using to attract newer, often younger, crowds. Why this is a new survival skill for them—and what’s in store for you as a result. BY
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Marc D. Allan
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GET YOUR ART ON! Contemporary Arts Fellowship party at The Eiteljorg 1 . Dance Kaleidoscope’s The Next Wave 2 . The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Community Day 3 9 and Happy Hour performance by Time for Three 6 . Indianapolis Opera’s free concert, Crescendo 4 , at The Lawn at White River State Park, and annual fundraiser, Lobsterpalooza 7 . Ballet 101 5 , a Clowes Conversations event. A yoga class during the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s Silent Night 8 .
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IN A wedding reception, Leslie Jones and Kelly Nichols are standing in the center of a lavish hall, surrounded by other well-dressed 20- and 30-somethings. While a DJ spins the greatest hits of the ’50s and early ’60s, they wander among food stations offering samples—Cajun mac ’n’ cheese, an Asian quinoa salad, fish ceviche tacos. And would you like some Stella Artois or Prairie vodka to wash that down? In the next room, an orchestra tunes up. Welcome to Happy Hour at the Symphony, an event the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra created 10 years ago with the idea that a higherenergy, shorter performance accompanied by food and drink would ease young professionals into its world. And wow, has it worked. Nichols, 32, who works in retail, has been many times, and on this evening in late May, she brought Jones along for what turned out to be her first time at the Hilbert Circle Theatre. “I liked the opportunity to check out some different foods and different drinks that I might not normally select on my own if I were at those places,” Jones, 28, an employee in the state’s procurement division, said after attending “The Cocktail Hour: Music of the Mad Men Era.” “And then the music was great. I didn’t really know what to expect—if everyone would be like me or there would be an older crowd. It was cool to see a good mix of Indy residents there just having a good time.” 20 IM | THE TICKET 2015
What the ISO started is something that’s being replicated in one way or another by arts organizations across Indianapolis as they seek to appeal to the next generation of audiences. Free or discounted performances and events, more contemporary and cutting-edge repertoires, increased social media presence, more young blood on their boards—if there’s a way to attract the young-adult element, they’re giving it a try. Arts institutions ignore the young at their own peril, says Sara Croft, 27, who by day is social media and event manager for Easter Seals Crossroads and by night is a member of the Indiana State Museum & Historic Sites’ youngprofessionals advisory group, the 1816 Associate Board. “By 2020, 50 percent of the workforce will be made up of millennials,” she said. “That’s a huge number of people with the time and resources to give to these organizations.”
SO WHAT DOES THE YOUNGER SET WANT?
To be comfortable. To be with friends. To be part of an experience—something more than just a performance. To see something new, rather than the same old stuff. To be offered tickets that are affordable. And of all the arts organizations in the city, none has a harder job attracting new theatergoers than Indianapolis Opera, which canceled its 2014–2015 season because of budget troubles. It’s general director Kevin Patterson’s job to convince the public—young and old—that opera is not “an old, white, elitist art form that you’ve gotta be rich to enjoy.” That effort started in May with a free concert on The Lawn at White River State Park that brought out about 600 people of
THIS SPREAD: COURTESY INDIANAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (ISO); PREVIOUS SPREAD, FIRST ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: THINKSTOCK.COM, JEFF COLLINS PHOTOGRAPHY, CHRIS CRAWL, THINKSTOCK.COM; SECOND ROW: ISO, THINKSTOCK.COM, DENIS RYAN KELLY, JR., CLOWES MEMORIAL HALL; THIRD ROW: ISO, INDIANAPOLIS OPERA, INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART, ISO
SCENE THAT RESEMBLES A HIGH - END
GET HAPPY!
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Happy Hour performances were crafted for the younger, professional crowd.
We took the 10 to 12 chestnuts [at] the core of the opera repertoire and we beat the hell out of them. It’s largely like a self-inflicted gunshot wound or a heroin addict who said, ‘That felt good. We sold it out. Let’s do it again.’ We’re not selling it out anymore.
all ages to hear short selections from popular opera, Broadway, and orchestra music from the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. The opera also has moved from 2,200-seat Clowes Hall to the neighboring 450-seat Schrott Center at Butler University and lowered its ticket prices. “Young professionals don’t have the financial resources, so you have to present the model to them in a different way,” says Patterson. A season ticket for four shows can now be had for as little as $75. Similarly, when Indianapo-
lis Opera threw its annual Lobsterpalooza bash in July, it offered both a young-adult ticket price and an even-cheaper “crash-the-party” ticket for drinks, dessert, and dancing later in the evening. When it came to programming the 2015–16 season, the opera chose an unconventional schedule that began in August with The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and continues in January with “Opera’s Rising Stars,” featuring finalists from Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions. Nowhere on the schedule is there any-
thing resembling a La Traviata or Madama Butterfly, despite their past successes. “We took the 10 to 12 chestnuts that made up the core of the opera repertoire and we beat the hell out of them,” says Patterson. “It’s largely like a self-inflicted gunshot wound or a heroin addict who said, ‘That felt good. We sold it out. Let’s do it again.’ We’re not selling it out anymore. We went to that well too many times.” Over at the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, executive director Elaine Eckhart says the orchestra is always conscientious about keeping the music relevant. Last season, the orchestra premiered the first three movements of Peacemakers, a new work in progress by composer-in-residence James Aikman. The remainder will debut in April 2016 at Butler ArtsFest. “You can’t just play the old stuff,” says Eckhart. “We’re trying to build the genre and also keep the genre relevant.” That’s just one of the ways the ICO attempts to attract younger music-lovers. The others include filling its board with them (one-third are under 40), beefing up its social media, playing outdoor concerts (“People won’t necessarily come to us, so we need to go to them”) and continuing a longtime practice of holding post-concert receptions so the audience can mingle with the orchestra members. “It makes the orchestra accessible,” says Eckhart, “and pulls the patrons in to make them feel like they’re part of the family.”
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN ARTS ORGANIZA-
tions could draw an audience simply by opening their doors. But over the decades, they’ve found that an interest in live entertainment is not so automatic. Arts education has dwindled in schools, and some school districts have curtailed field trips to see performances. Millennials carry a world’s worth of entertainment on their phones and iPads, and if they haven’t grown up with live performances, not attending is not a problem. “We can’t rely on people seeing our building and wanting to come in and be a part of it,” says Brandee Bryant, spokeswoman for the Indiana Repertory Theatre. Last year, the IRT established its own Happy Hour series that brought out food trucks and local beers, a program that continues. The thinking, says Bryant, is that younger theatergoers are looking for an experience. Associate artistic director Courtney Sale also has created a new THE TICKET 2015 | IM 21
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PARTY ON
Clockwise from left: The Contemporary Arts Fellowship Party at The Eiteljorg, Dance Kaleidoscope’s The Next Wave, and Indianapolis Opera’s free concert at The Lawn at White River State Park.
Toward that end, DK has made some adjustments to its performances to appeal to younger audiences. Works are limited to about 25 minutes maximum, and 90 minutes for each performance, with a repertoire that Hochoy describes as “meaningful and relatable.” Recent shows have featured choreography to the music of Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Frank Sinatra. Its last show was The Next Wave, featuring the work of four young guest choreographers who “revamped the whole look of the company,” says Hochoy. What not to do? Pander. “Stick to your guns,” says Hochoy. “You’ve got to know what is artistically excellent and you have to stick to that. You can’t water your product down so much that you can’t recognize it. You have to do what you do and do it really, really well.”
BOTH OF CENTRAL INDIANA ’ S MAJOR
performing-arts centers have worked to get younger adults through their doors. Elise Kushigian, who retired this summer after 20 years as executive director of Clowes Memorial Hall, has used a combination of relevant programming and comfort. Additions to Clowes in the past few years have included sippy cups—so audience members can take their drinks into the theater without worrying about spillage—and a series called Clowes Conversations, featuring casual, free discussions that introduced the art form. (One conversation, in advance of Jay Leno’s performance, was “How to Tell a Joke”). The Clowes 2015–2016 season will include Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, a highly interactive
DANCE KALEIDOSCOPE BY CHRIS CRAWL, EITELJORG BY JEFF COLLINS PHOTOGRAPHY, INDIANAPOLIS OPERA BY DENIS RYAN KELLY, JR.
series of shows called The Edge, which begins October 20 with April 4, 1968, a look at one Indianapolis family and their experience surrounding the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and Robert Kennedy calmed tensions here. “We’re really reaching out to the newer demo that I don’t think necessarily wants to see some of the more historic shows, but they want to see some of that new, raw, vibrant talent,” says Bryant. Scott Stulen is 40, a member of the tail end of Generation X, and he doesn’t recall his generation getting this kind of attention from arts organizations. But he understands why it’s happening. “The millennial generation is so large that it can’t be ignored as a demographic,” says Stulen, who was hired in 2014 to be the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s first-ever curator of audience experiences and performances. “Also, the younger generation is not responding in the way older generations may have in the past. Speaking primarily for cultural institutions, if we don’t change—and change dramatically— the way we do business and reach out to our audience and engage that audience and make things more personalized and more interactive, they’re not going to come. And if they don’t come, we’re dead.” Stulen has in mind events that are surprising, revelatory—happenings that change a museum’s reputation so it doesn’t feel stuffy or old-hat. You don’t have to rewrite your organization’s mission to appeal to the younger crowd, he says, but you do have to revise your approach to let them shape their experience. Along those lines, the IMA offered a summer camp for young professionals in August, a kind of “digital detox” that let the campers put away their electronics to play artist in the woods. On October 21, in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the movie Back to the Future, the plan is to turn the IMA parking lot into a mall parking lot with DeLorean cars and big screens and show the first two Back to the Future films. Arts organizations, says David Hochoy, artistic director of Dance Kaleidoscope, have to be like his idol: Madonna. That is, he says, “the essence of good marketing combined with good creativity. “Every decade, she would reinvent herself so that it was always fresh—like a virgin, for the very first time,” he says with a chuckle. “We have to keep on reinventing ourselves and keeping ourselves fresh, because why would people come to see us if we’re stale?”
stration, and held a sake tasting. About 80 people participated. Albrecht says pairings like this make the event attractive. “A lot of people are intrigued about the music that occurs at the Palladium but are maybe slightly intimidated by it,” she says. “Our demographic might not be as familiar with a lot of artists who come to the Center for the Performing Arts, but they’re great performances, and we’re trying to make it approachable for the 20-to-41 group. We want it to be more of a night out, an event that they would want to spend the money for—which is tight in that demographic. We want it to be an experience for them.”
THE EITELJORG MUSEUM OF AMERICAN
If we don’t change—and change dramatically—the way we do business and reach out to our audience and engage that audience and make things more personalized and more interactive, they’re not going to come. And if they don’t come, we’re dead.
performance; Stomp!; and It Gets Better, featuring the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles—all programmed with an eye toward the younger set. “If we do not get them through the front door, then where’s the future audience?” says Kushigian. “So this is for survival.” The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel convened a focus group to ask young professionals what they wanted. Anne O’Brien, vice president of marketing and communications, says the answer, overwhelmingly, was something with a
social component. That has taken the form of pre- and post-event parties, and events coordinated by The Scene, the center’s group intended for people ages 20 to 41. Ashley Albrecht, 32, an assistant Carmel city attorney, is the group’s events chair. She says one of the best events yet occurred in conjunction with a performance by the Japanese drum group Tao. The Scene coordinated with local Japanese-American groups who came in and taught calligraphy, offered an origami demon-
Indians and Western Art also looks to its youngadult group, Agave, to make the museum accessible to others in their age group. Sarah Farthing, the museum’s individual giving and events coordinator, is also its liaison to Agave, whose calendar includes four happy hours a year centered around socializing and learning about an aspect of the museum. For one event, they created a live-action version of The Oregon Trail computer game around the museum—a scavenger hunt that ended with a tour of a new exhibit and social time. This year, the Eiteljorg will also add a youngprofessionals’ component to all major events— meaning a lower ticket price. For the museum’s annual fundraiser, the Buckaroo Bash, on October 10, young adults will have the option of a $100 ticket (compared with $250 for others) and even a $15 after-party featuring a silent auction, desserts, drinks, and entertainment. “They’re receiving the 2.0 version of the event,” says Farthing. “They don’t get to go to the whole thing, but they get to go to the really fun end part.” Farthing is 31, and she says outreach to people in her age group is a must—not only because, as she so succinctly says, “we are the future,” but because “it’s very competitive out there right now, and it’s also very intimidating for this generation. We want to welcome them. We want them to learn to appreciate what we have to offer, but at the same time, do it in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming to them.” The challenge for the Eiteljorg is to let the younger generation know that it presents more than Western art. Farthing says that after a 2013 exhibition of guitars, she heard from a number THE TICKET 2015 | IM 23
ACTING THE FOOL
of people in her age group who said, “Who would have thought you would have had guitars from Kurt Cobain in the Eiteljorg Museum? I didn’t know I could have this kind of experience here.”
E V E N O RG A N I Z AT I O N S T H AT WO U L D
figure to be magnets for the younger, hipper set have to work to make sure they’re in the mix. The Phoenix Theatre, which typically offers some of the most cutting-edge theater in town, has noticed its audience graying a bit. A search of its database confirmed what the Phoenix already suspected: The typical audience member is 45 to 50 years old, living in a household making $80,000 and up. “We’ve always done contemporary, social justice–oriented shows and looked at ourselves as the young rebel,” says Phoenix marketing and media relations director Ben Rose. “But the truth is, our patron base is a very educated, cultured group who aren’t necessarily young people. We’ve been very comfortable because they’ve been very supportive, but we’re just starting to reach out a little bit.” 24 IM | THE TICKET 2015
The outreach included this summer’s production of Green Day’s American Idiot and Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play, a tribute of sorts to The Simpsons. A few blocks away, at IndyFringe, which specializes in short, avant-garde, and inexpensive entertainment, executive director Pauline Moffat says her group is working with the Jaycees of Indianapolis and the Indy Eleven’s Brickyard Battalion, many of whom are young smallbusiness owners and entrepreneurs.
SO , HAVE OUTREACH EFFORTS WORKED
for these organizations? Back at the Hilbert Circle Theatre, Jessica DiSanto, director of communication for the symphony, says it took until 2009 for Happy Hour at the Symphony to truly reach the place the ISO hoped for. That was when the group Time for Three came on board. The trio, which features Zach DePue, Nick Kendall, and Ranaan Meyer playing a kitchen-sink mix of musical styles, opened its residency with a performance called “Who Says Beethoven and Coldplay Can’t Mix?” a mashup of Beethoven’s Third Symphony and Coldplay’s “Fix You.”
DePue says that as concertmaster of the orchestra, he was nervous. “I was terrified because if this doesn’t work, it’s going to be my ass.” But the performance had the intended effect: It brought out a lot of people to see what the event was and whether anyone could pull off that musical combination. “And they left, I think, very inspired and happy,” says DePue. Now, DiSanto says, Happy Hour typically brings in as many as 1,000 people eager to mingle, eat, drink, and listen, and the ISO’s youngprofessionals group Forte uses the events as a springboard to entice audiences to enjoy all the orchestra has to offer. DePue sees the happyhour performances as the way to open the door for future attendance at the Yuletide shows, Symphony on the Prairie, the 40-minute summer Lunch Break concerts, and, eventually, at the Lilly Classical Series. “It’s important for people to have things to do culturally in their life,” says DePue. “If you take away the museums, the Cultural Trail, the investments people have made to make our city a better place, what are we going to do: sit around and wait for the Colts’ eight home games? And the Pacers season? They’re great. But that doesn’t seem like enough.”
PHOTO BY ZACH ROSING
The Phoenix Theatre staged Green Day’s American Idiot this summer.
Theater & Dance PLAYS, MUSICALS, COMEDY, BALLETS & MORE
High Art Maria Kochetkova and Vitor Luiz, both principal dancers with the San Francisco Ballet, struck a gorgeous pose to the strains of Rachmaninoff at the 2014 Evening with the Stars. This year’s annual event, to be staged by Indianapolis City Ballet on October 3 at Clowes Hall, will once again bring the world’s top dance talent to Indy.
PHOTO COURTESY INDIANAPOLIS CITY BALLET/BY GENE SCHIAVONE
BALLET
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CALENDAR THEATER & DANCE
EVENTS
The best of what’s taking the stage this fall
SEPTEMBER
Silence! The Musical THROUGH SEPTEMBER 13
Hannibal Lecter sings! And matches wits with rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling, who’s out to catch a serial killer, in this naughty spoof of The Silence of the Lambs. A singing chorus of floppy-eared lambs narrates the action going down at the Phoenix Theatre. phoenixtheatre.org
South Pacific
THROUGH OCTOBER 4 Both
prejudice and World War II threaten two pairs of lovers in this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, staged at Beef & Boards. Despite the drama, it’s chock-full of hummable tunes, like “Some Enchanted
Evening,” “Nothing Like a Dame,” and “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair.” beefandboards.com
Jeezy’s Juke Joint: A Black Burly-Q Revue
SEPTEMBER 5 The Midwest’s
only all-black burlesque revue, based in Chicago, makes its Indianapolis debut at White Rabbit Cabaret for an evening of song, dance, drag, comedy, “and everything in between.” whiterabbitcabaret.com
Little Women, The Musical
SEPTEMBER 11–26 This new
take on Louisa May Alcott’s 1869 classic novel interweaves the tales of Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy, and Marmee with recreations
Beef & Boards’s South Pacific
Q&A
Ethan Holder
This 12-year-old grand jetéd from classes at the Indiana Ballet Conservatory straight to Broadway—the Indy native is performing in the Tony-winning revival of The King and I as one of the Royal Children. Shall we dance? IM: When did you start dancing? Since I was three. My mom made me do it. But I do like it. IM: What was the audition process for this show like? I have an agent in Chicago that requested I audition. I went to three auditions in New York. IM: How did you feel when you found out that you got the part? I was extremely excited about it, and excited to move to New York. I used to come here for only auditions. Now I get to see the city and have a different perspective of it.
IM: Do you get nervous before performances? I was really nervous for the first show I did and when a big group of my friends came from Indiana to see it. Other than that, I’ve been okay. IM: How do you prepare before going on stage? We have five or six minutes to stretch and warm up our voices backstage. Normally before a show, those who are in the same area as me, we get a in prayer circle and we talk about what we need for a show, like a focus or energy, and we pray for people who might be out or sick. After the Tonys, a lot of people got sick. IM: What’s your biggest dream in terms of performing? I don’t know if I’m going to stay on the acting road. My biggest goal was to be on a Broadway show, so I guess I’ve achieved that goal. I would like to be a physicist at a university. —Meagan Beck
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THE KING AND I BY PAUL KOLNIK, SOUTH PACIFIC COURTESY BEEF & BOARDS DINNER THEATRE, CASA AZUL BY LORA OLIVE, IRT IMAGE BY KYLE RAGSDALE/COURTESY IRT
Theater & Dance Calendar
of the short stories Jo writes in her attic studio. The tuneful stage show is from Civic Theatre at the Tarkington. civictheatre.org
musical comedy at Beef & Boards. Gomez Addams faces the day every father dreads: His daughter, Wednesday, falls in love. beefandboards.com
Enter Love
Compania Flamenca Jose Porcel
SEPTEMBER 11–27 In an inter-
OCTOBER 9 Porcel, Spain’s premier flamenco dancer and choreographer, brings his extraordinary company to the Palladium for an explosion of passionate rhythms, vibrant colors, and breathtaking movement. thecenterfortheperfor mingarts.com
national airport somewhere in the Midwest, dialogue and music spin tales of people meeting at the baggage check, observation deck, arrival and departure concourses, and bar. This musical that examines the ever-changing nature of romantic relationships is the season opener for Theatre on the Square. tots.org
Water by the Spoonful
OCTOBER 9–11, 16–18, 23–24 In
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre’s La Casa Azul
formance poetry competition judged by the audience. It’s a showcase dedicated to creating an encouraging space for writers of all ages. indyfringe.org
The Fantasticks
OCTOBER
Remember” this timeless crowd-pleaser about a pair of young lovers—or discover it for the first time when Actors Theatre of Indiana stages it at the Studio Theater. thecenter fortheperformingarts.org
OCTOBER 1–3 This original musical from Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre tracing the life story and creative journey of artist Frida Kahlo is back by popular demand after its June world premiere at the Tarkington. gregoryhancockdance theatre.org
SEPTEMBER 11–27 “Try to
One Man, Two Guvnors
La Casa Azul
Evening with the Stars
OCTOBER 3 The annual Indianapolis City Ballet production is arguably the city’s marquee arts event—count on some of the biggest current names in ballet from the biggest companies, providing a night en pointe you’ll find only at Clowes Hall. indianapoliscity ballet.org
The Addams Family
the midst of struggling to find his way as a wounded Iraq vet, Elliot must plan the funeral of the aunt who raised him and confront the mother who refused to. The winner of the 2012 Pulitzer for Drama, this is the middle play in a trilogy that explores the journey from war to peace, staged by the Wisdom Tooth Theatre Project at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre. indyfringe.org
National Dance Company of Siberia OCTOBER 11 Fifty dancers from
OCTOBER 8–NOVEMBER 22
Just in time for the spooky Halloween season comes this Tony-nominated macabre
this renowned company show off their original, inimitable style of performing Siberian dances. Their vivid character
SEPTEMBER 24–OCTOBER 18
This musical farce set in 1960s England has swept both London’s West End and Broadway; now see it at the Phoenix Theatre. phoenixtheatre.org
Nice Work If You Can Get It SEPTEMBER 25–27 & OCTOBER 1–11 The madcap 1920s musi-
cal, based on stories by P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton, has a dazzling score by the Gershwin brothers. The Tonynominated show is making its Indy debut at Footlite Musicals. footlite.org
Sometimes Y
SEPTEMBER 27 IndyFringe hosts this curated writers showcase featuring local talent, touring artists, short-form theatrical vignettes, and a per-
DON’T MISS!
The Great Gatsby SEPTEMBER 30–OCTOBER 25
One of the Great American Novels comes vividly to life on stage at Indiana Repertory Theatre, its Jazz Age opulence inevitably tainted by lost love, jealousy, and murder. The production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic book, rendered at left by artist Kyle Ragsdale, kicks off IRT’s 2015–16 season. irtlive.com
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THEATER & DANCE CALENDAR
DON’T MISS!
portrayals and fanciful choreography add up to a night to be remembered at the Palladium. thecenterfortheperforming arts.com
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
OCTOBER 13–14 The Tim Rice/ Andrew Lloyd Webber work is one of the most enduring musicals of our time, with more than 40,000 productions since it was written and first performed in 1968. Come see why at IU Auditorium. iuauditorium.com
National Circus & Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China OCTOBER 24 See unique acts
Remembrances
Lewis Black
Optical Popsicle OCTOBER 15 & 17
The details of this annual visual variety show put on by Know No Stranger are “shrouded in mystery until further notice”—but if past programs are any indication, we’re betting on live bands, puppets, skits, videos, dance, and all things whimsical and fun. Free your mind at the IMA. knownostranger.com
OCTOBER 17 Fresh off a
sold-out Broadway run, the curmudgeonly comic brings his The Rant is Due Part Deux show to the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre. livenation.com
April 4, 1968
OCTOBER 20–NOVEMBER 15 An up-close-and-personal look at one Indianapolis family the day
of Bobby Kennedy’s famous speech here on the night of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. James Still, Indiana Repertory Theatre’s playwrightin-residence, loosely based his tale on true stories from people who were there. irtlive.com
OCTOBER 22–NOVEMBER 22 In a virtual paradise of total sensory immersion, a young detective discovers a disturbing realm filled with outcasts and criminals. Should people be free from consequence in their own imaginations? This play at the Phoenix Theatre explores that question and others. phoenix theatre.org
OCTOBER 23 & NOVEMBER 8
Almira Gulch, as supposedly portrayed by Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, was really an actress who appeared in the movie as herself, argues this one-man musical comedy at Theatre on the Square. tots.org
The Game’s Afoot
OCTOBER 23–NOVEMBER 7 It’s
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Sometimes Y
OCTOBER 25 (See September 27
listing.) indyfringe.org
Twyla Tharp Dance Company
OCTOBER 28 For her 50th-
anniversary tour, stopping by IU Auditorium, Tharp and her dancers present a double bill of world premieres showing why she’s become a fixture of film, television, and Broadway choreography. iuauditorium.com
The Nether
Miss Gulch Returns
National Circus & Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China
such as the Great Teeterboard, the Grand Flying Trapeze, Group Contortion, Straw Hats Juggling, and other feats of derring-do, all direct from Beijing, at the Palladium. thecenterfor theperformingarts.org
December 1936, and an actor famous for playing Sherlock Holmes has invited his fellow cast members to his Con-
Ailey II ~
OCTOBER 30 “Clearly, the
future is theirs,” proclaimed The New York Times of this company of the country’s best young dance talent. The troupe will perform Alvin Ailey’s signature work, Revelations, at the Palladium. thecenterfortheper formingarts.org
Pointe to the Cure
OCTOBER 30 Indianapolis Ballet
Conservatory’s annual gala, a day-long extravaganza at the IMA, showcases its award-winning dancing and choreography. indianaballetconservatory.org
OPTICAL POPSICLE BY ALEX FARRIS, NATIONAL CIRCUS AND AILEY COURTESY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, CIVIC PHOTOS COURTESY BOOTH TARKINGTON CIVIC THEATRE
OCTOBER 16–18 This Dance Kaleidoscope concert at Clowes Hall includes two works. First, iconoGlass features DK’s signature pieces, with athletic choreography challenging the dancers. Then Remembrances, a piece by former DK dancer and Butler Ballet grad Brian Honigbaum, explores the atrocities of the Holocaust and makes a plea for why we must never forget them. dancekal.org
necticut castle for a weekend of fun—but when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the revelry in this house of tricks turns dangerous. Civic Theatre stages the lighthearted whodunit at the Tarkington. civictheatre.org
Civic Pride
This season, Civic Theatre turns 100. Here, a scrapbook of its first century—that’s entertainment! 2
1
3
4
9
5
8 7 6 1 Ginger Rogers came to Civic to star in a January 1983 musical. 2 The “New Civic,” then located at 1847 North Alabama Street, where Footlite Musicals now resides, was written up in an undated Indianapolis Star story. 3 Indiana-born composer Cole Porter sent his “heartiest greetings” in this undated telegram from New York. 4 In a telegram sent from Beverly Hills, silent-film star Mary Pickford remarked that “it is to be hoped every city in our great country will follow your example” in developing a strong community theater. 5 In true the-show-must-go-on fashion, a production of Sweet Charity (featuring Holly Stults Haas, pictured here) opened just three days after 9/11. At curtain call, the audience joined the cast in singing a rendition of “God Bless America.” 6 A subscription card for Civic’s very first season, in 1915. 7 H.M.S. Pinafore was part of Civic’s 1944–1945 season. 8 Broadway star extraordinaire Carol Channing said she “wouldn’t think of not doing” the song “Hello, Dolly” at a Civic benefit, according to this undated news clipping. 9 Kathy Jordan and Bill Myers starred in 1986’s Guys ‘n’ Dolls, one of several “ventures in black theater the Civic has undertaken,” said the Indianapolis Star.
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THEATER & DANCE CALENDAR
NOVEMBER
Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker
Bollywood Masala Orchestra
NOVEMBER 28 At this touring
production stopping by the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre, expect luxe touches like life-sized nesting dolls. livenation.com
NOVEMBER 1 Spirit of India
joins together 17 dancers and musicians for a feast of sound and movement at the Palladium. thecenterfortheperfor mingarts.org
DECEMBER
A Christmas Carol
AXIS Dance Company
DECEMBER 5–21 The Beef
NOVEMBER 6
& Boards adaptation of the Scrooge story is a great choice for kids—there are carols, and the whole production is only an hour. beefandboards.com
An ensemble troupe that includes performers with and without disabilities performs at Clowes Hall. cloweshall.org
Maze
A Christmas Carol at the Indiana Repertory Theatre
reography from Motus Dance artists premieres at the White Rabbit Cabaret. The dancers are all exploring the concepts of “mazes.” motusdance.com
U-Theatre NOVEMBER 14
This Taiwanese group fuses drumming, martial arts, dance, and meditation for Sword of Wisdom, a story of courage, at Clowes Hall. cloweshall.org
A Christmas Carol NOVEMBER 14–DECEMBER 26
For the 25th year, Indiana Repertory Theatre is staging a handsome production of this Dickens classic. irtlive.com
a man in love with a woman who happens to be plus-sized. Mocked by his shallow friends, Tom finally comes to terms with his own preconceptions of the importance of conventional good looks. The Wisdom Tooth Theatre Project stages the drama at IndyFringe Basile Theatre. indyfringe.org
Little Shop of Horrors
NOVEMBER 20–21 Audrey, Seymour, and company sing and shimmy their way through this kooky musical from Marian University’s theater department. marian.edu/mutheatre
Babes in Toyland NOVEMBER 20–29 & DECEMBER 3–13 Heroes and villains from
the Mother Goose rhymes pop up in this family-friendly Victor Herbert classic. The Footlite Musicals production boasts a brand-new book by locals Bob Harbin (who also directs) and Claire Wilcher, inspired by Disney’s cinematic version of this musical. footlite.org
Sometimes Y
NOVEMBER 22 (See September
27 listing.) indyfringe.org
8 Reindeer Monologues NOVEMBER 27, DECEMBER 20
Fat Pig } NOVEMBER 19–22 & 27–28
Cow. Pig. Slob. Neil LaBute’s sharply drawn play examines the insults endured by Tom,
Bollywood Masala Orchestra
Dasher, Dancer, Vixen, and company dish on those rumors about Santa and the elves, Rudolph’s little secret, and much more in this comedy at Theatre on the Square. tots.org
A Beef & Boards Christmas NOVEMBER 27–DECEMBER 23
This family musical has been a Beef & Boards tradition for more than 20 years. beefand boards.com
A Christmas Story NOVEMBER 27–DECEMBER 20
All the key elements from the beloved Indiana-set 1983 film are in the stage version at Theatre on the Square: the family’s exploding furnace, the boys’ experiment with a wet tongue on a cold lamppost, and, of course, that leg lamp. tots.org
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The Nutcracker ~
DECEMBER 10–13 Indiana Ballet
Conservatory’s sumptuous version of Tchaikovsky’s classic, performed at the IMA’s Toby, adheres closely to the original 1892 Russian production. indi anaballetconservatory.org
Mary Poppins
DECEMBER 11–JANUARY 2 The supercalifragilisticexpialidocious show is being staged by Civic Theatre at the Tarkington. civictheatre.org
Three Dollar Bill Christmas Show
DECEMBER 12–13 & 19 Be whisked away to a twisted winter wonderland for this series of skits at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre. indyfringe.org
Cirque Dreams Holidaze
DECEMBER 15–20 This Broadway Across America show at the Murat Theatre has an international cast of more than 30 artists performing amazing feats of disbelief. indianapolis .broadway.com
A Very Phoenix Xmas X NOVEMBER 27–DECEMBER 20
Year 10 of the Phoenix Theatre’s holiday show promises to be Xtra special. Traditional holiday tunes join all-new skits plus old faves. phoenixtheatre.org
IRT IMAGE BY KYLE RAGSDALE/COURTESY IRT, BOLLYWOOD COURTESY THE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
NOVEMBER 13–14 All-new cho-
Easton Corbinwith special guest AXIS Dance Company Friday, November 6 – 8 p.m. The Swon Brothers
U-Theatre
Dance Theatre of Harlem Broadway’s Next Saturday, February 20 – 8 p.m. H!T Musical
STOMP
Saturday, November 14 – 8 p.m.
The Tenors – UNDER ONE SKY TOUR Saturday, January 23 – 8 p.m.
Friday, October 23 – 8 p.m.
Friday, February 26 – 8 p.m.
Friday, March 4 – 8 p.m. Saturday, March 5 – 8 p.m.
Turtle Island with special guest Cyrus Chestnut
Special Presentation!
It Gets Better
Saturday, January 30 – 8 p.m.
Cameron Carpenter Saturday, April 9 – 8 p.m.
Friday, April 1 – 8 p.m.
2015/2016 SEASON Single tickets go on-sale September 10th and are available by phone at (800) 982-2787, online at Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Clowes Hall Box Office. Order season tickets and save up to 40%! Visit cloweshall.org for more information.
Music
PHOTO COURTESY IU AUDITORIUM
FROM THE BIGGEST ARENA ACTS TO THE HOTTEST INDIE GROUPS
Horn Star
Quick—how many contemporary jazz artists can you think of who are household names? Wynton Marsalis doesn’t have much company in that vaunted echelon. As it happens, the New Orleans native has also released Grammy-winning classical albums, but he’s best known for playing across the entire jazz spectrum, from its Big Easy roots to bebop to modern stylings. On October 4, he’ll join the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for a night of live music at IU Auditorium. CONCERT
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CALENDAR MUSIC
EVENTS
Music Calendar
Pop, jazz, country, indie rock, showtunes— something for every set of ears
SEPTEMBER
Alan Cumming
SEPTEMBER 5 The country
the Scottish actor-singer on The Good Wife, or co-hosting this summer’s Tony Awards, or maybe in his Tony-winning turn as the Emcee in Cabaret. His one-man show is titled Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs, but expect a naughty and comical evening of music when the Broadway and TV star graces the stage at The Cabaret. thecabaret.org
singer-songwriter’s Sounds of Summer tour includes Maddie & Tae, Kip Moore, and Canaan Smith, playing at Klipsch Music Center. livenation.com
SEPTEMBER 12–13 You’ve seen
Carmel PorchFest
Indy Jazz Fest
SEPTEMBER 10–19 Dig it: Bands
will be playing at different venues throughout the city for this annual event, culminating in a block party at The Jazz Kitchen and Yats on the last day. indyjazzfest.net
SEPTEMBER 13 Stroll Carmel’s uptown neighborhoods in the Arts & Design District for this second annual music festival (last year’s inaugural event drew more than 5,000 people). All sorts of acts, from acoustic to electric to ensemble, perform on porches for this free, family-friendly fest. carmel porchfest.org
Carmel PorchFest
Q&A
Brandon Meeks
We caught up with the Indianapolis bassist, whose musical talents are on display in the upcoming Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead.
IM: How did you land a role in the movie? I went to the audition in Cincinnati. They gave me a segment of the script they wanted me to read. They had me play a few songs on acoustic bass, and they ended up calling me back after that. They have me depicting Ron Carter. The scenes that I’m in, we’re part of Miles’s Second Great Quintet, one of his most famous groups. It had Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams in it. IM: You worked with the director and star of the film, Don Cheadle. What was he like? He’s a regular, down-to-earth guy. No kind of Hollywood attitude about him at all. He was really friendly to the band and thought we all played well. He would talk and laugh with us and was just a really approachable guy. IM: What one thing are you taking away from this? Never assume that an opportunity of that magnitude won’t happen to you. I kind of just responded to the call for auditions on a whim thinking I wouldn’t get it. So just never pass up an opportunity because you think it’s too far-fetched for you to actually get it. IM: What have been your best times playing in Indy? There are just so many stories. I did a two- to three-year stint with Rob Dixon where we played at the Chatterbox every Monday. Those were some really good times. A lot of interesting people would come out. It was a good chance for us to hang out and catch up each week, play some music, and just play whatever we wanted to play. —Brooke Chambers
34 IM | THE TICKET 2015
BENTLEY AND KNOPFLER COURTESY LIVE NATION, PORCHFEST BY BRIAN MCGUCKIN, MEEKS BY KEITH GRINER/PHIERCE PHOTOGRAPHY, SWIFT BY TONY VALAINIS, DECEMBERISTS BY AUTUMN DE WILDE, LAST FIVE YEARS COURTESY THE CABARET AT THE COLUMBIA CLUB
Dierks Bentley
DON’T MISS!
Latin Jazz Fest
SEPTEMBER 13 Part of Indy
Jazz Fest, this celebration of south-of-the-border music takes place at Marian University Theatre. marian.edu/ mutheatre
Zac Brown Band
The Center for the Performing Arts Songbook Celebration
SEPTEMBER 13 Join the hugely popular country act—the Zamily, if you will—at Klipsch Music Center for its Jekyll + Hyde Tour. livenation.com
Mark Knopfler OCTOBER 3
The four-time Grammy winner and co-founder of Dire Straits was ranked No. 27 on Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” Hear for yourself at the Murat Theatre at the Old National Centre. livenation.com
Taylor Swift ~
SEPTEMBER 16 Pop’s reigning
princess stops by Bankers Life Fieldhouse for her 1989 world tour. livenation.com
Ann Hampton Callaway
SEPTEMBER 18 One of the premier singer-songwriters of her generation—and a devoted keeper-of-the-flame of the Great American Songbook— performs favorites from the
conductor Jack Everly and the ISO on stage at Hilbert Circle Theatre, led by the diva-tastic Christina Bianco. You’ll hear blockbuster hits from Les Mis, Dreamgirls, My Fair Lady, Annie, Chicago, and more. indianapolissymphony.org
Barbra Streisand songbook at the Palladium. thecenterforthe performingarts.org
Egyptian Room at Old National Centre. livenation.com
Father John Misty
SEPTEMBER 20 The masterful crooner—or, to the younger crowd, that guy who’s been duetting lately with Lady Gaga—brings his golden voice to the IU Auditorium. iuauditorium.com
SEPTEMBER 18 The American
folk singer-songwriter, guitarist, and drummer plays the
The Decemberists
Tony Bennett
Lotus World Music & Arts Festival
OCTOBER 3 This gala evening begins with cocktails and dinner at tables set up on the Palladium’s new festival floor, along with a live auction. Then host Michael Feinstein inducts the Gershwin brothers and other honorees into the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame with a series of performances. The after-party spreads throughout the venue in themed “nightclubs.” thecenterfortheperforming arts.com
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
OCTOBER 4 Wynton Marsalis plays with this band, which is made up of 15 of today’s top jazz soloists and ensemble players, at IU Auditorium. iuauditorium.com
The Last Five Years
OCTOBER 9–10 Adam Kantor
and Betsy Wolfe, co-stars of the acclaimed off-Broadway revival of this show, do a cabaret version of the beloved musical at—where else?—The Cabaret. thecabaret.org
SEPTEMBER 24–27 Blooming-
ton’s theaters, churches, and streets host this sprawling annual celebration of global culture. It includes ticketed shows as well as free events for all ages. lotusfest.org
The Decemberists
SEPTEMBER 29 The indie folkrock balladeers stop by Murat Theatre at Old National Centre in support of their seventh album. livenation.com
OCTOBER
Broadway Divas
OCTOBER 2–3 Broadway’s brightest leading ladies join
Liftoff!
OCTOBER 11 The new India-
napolis Men’s Chorus season, dubbed “Taking Flight,” launches with a sampling of standards and favorites old and new at Second Presbyterian Church. indianapolismens chorus.org
Josh Groban
OCTOBER 14 You can’t deny
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MUSIC CALENDAR
Rachel Caswell ~
OCTOBER 14 The jazz singer,
A Prairie Home Companion; her latest album, The Big Picture, was recently released by Sony. She’ll play The Cabaret. thecabaret.org
Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn
OCTOBER 23 Fleck, widely re-
garded as the world’s premier banjo player, is joined by his wife, a fellow banjo virtuoso, for original compositions along with folk favorites at the Palladium. thecenterfortheper formingarts.org
a Bloomington native, has performed with the Glenn Miller Orchestra; she’ll bring her improvisational prowess to the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center at the University of Indianapolis. uindy.edu/arts
Soweto Gospel Choir
hits Bankers Life Fieldhouse. livenation.com
Frank Sinatra, Jr.
OCTOBER 16 Sinatra sings
Sinatra in this multimedia experience incorporating stories, photos, videos, and, of course, music. Excerpts from Sinatra senior’s films, rare family photos, and personal anecdotes round out this night of song at the Palladium. thecenterforthe performingarts.org
Kat Edmonson
OCTOBER 22–23 This retro chanteuse does it all—standards, pop hits, and originals— with a timeless jazz sound. You may have heard her on NPR or
Tanya Tucker
OCTOBER 31 A bona fide star
Here Come the Mummies OCTOBER 23 Groove to “ter-
rifying funk from beyond the grave” when these musicians in full mummy attire return to The Vogue. livenation.com
Tobymac
OCTOBER 24 The Christian
hip-hopper’s This is Not a Test tour, featuring Britt Nicole, Colton Dixon, and Hollyn,
ever since she belted out “Delta Dawn” at the age of 13 and scored a Top 10 country hit, Tucker is known as one of the few females of the “outlaw” country music movement. She’ll bring her distinctive musical stylings to the Palladium. thecenterfortheperfor mingarts.org
NOVEMBER Gordon Lightfoot
NOVEMBER 5 On his 50th
DON’T MISS!
Kenny Rogers with the ISO OCTOBER 23–24
We’ve learned from the Geico commercials that we do not want to play poker with Kenny Rogers—but we’d still love to hear him sing, accompanied by Jack Everly conducting the ISO at Hilbert Circle Theatre. indianapolissymphony.org
36 IM | THE TICKET 2015
anniversary tour, the singersongwriter will play his best-known hits along with deep cuts known only to his die-hard fans. He’ll weave the songs together with anecdotes about his half-century-long career in this performance at the Palladium. thecenterfor theperformingarts.org
Soweto Gospel Choir
NOVEMBER 6 The epitome of South African gospel ensembles, this choir brings performances filled with earthy rhythm, rich harmony, and a cappella numbers, all accompanied by a band and percussion section. Throw in lively dancing and vibrant costumes and you have a feast for the senses at IU Auditorium. iuauditorium.com
Marin Mazzie
NOVEMBER 6–7 An evening of music from Jerry Herman, John Kander, and Fred Ebb is on deck when this threetime Tony nominee takes the stage at The Cabaret. thecabaret.org
Branson on the Road Christmas
NOVEMBER 19 Can’t make it
to Missouri? Missouri comes to you. Enjoy a classic country Christmas when this touring production stops by the Historic Artcraft Theatre. historicartcrafttheatre.org
FLECK & WASHBURN COURTESY THE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, ROGERS COURTESY ISO, SOWETO COURTESY IU AUDITORIUM, CUMMING COURTESY THE CABARET AT THE COLUMBIA CLUB
Groban’s success—his first four solo albums went multiplatinum, and in 2007, he was anointed the No. 1 bestselling artist in the United States. He’ll take the stage at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre. livenation.com
ON STAGE!
WHEN: Sold-out shows
September 12 and 13
Alan Cumming RÉSUMÉ
WHERE: The Cabaret,
thecabaret.org
Actor, singer, and dancer Alan Cumming’s career defines the word “eclectic.” An award-winning Hamlet and Cabaret Emcee, the Scot has voiced a Smurf, twice; made back-to-back films with Stanley Kubrick and the Spice Girls; appeared in a Jay-Z video; written a New York Times bestselling memoir, Not My Father’s Son; and designed an award-winning fragrance, Cumming.
PERSONAL
PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS “The messages are still as important as ever—being very vigilant about extremism and how it can rise very, very fast,” says Cumming. “ I think it should be important to embrace different genders and sexualities.” “For me, it was a total revelation, because I had never been to a prom or a reunion ever in my life,” Cumming has said. “We don’t have them in Scotland … I was seriously busking it in terms of my understanding of the jokes and references in the script. Luckily my character was similarly challenged.”
EDUCATION “Sean Walsh was just so slimy and awful—I loved playing him ,” Cumming has said.
HONORS
REFERENCES
50 years old, vegan, married to Grant Shaffer, grew up in Scotland likes: New York City, dogs, Beyonce dislikes: Intolerance, “Shakespeare inferiority complexes,” circumcision (he’s an “intactivist,” get it? ) THEATER Macbeth in Macbeth (2014) on Broadway. Starred in a tourde-force one-man show.
The Emcee in Cabaret (2014 and 1998) on Broadway. Won the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Theatre World, FANY, New York Press, and New York Public Advocate’s Awards for his 1998 performance. The Emcee in Cabaret (1993) in London FILM Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X-Men 2 (2003)
Sandy Frink in Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997) Sean Walsh in Circle of Friends (1995)
“I was just shocked that something so experimental and kind of dark and weird would come to Broadway,” says Cumming. “It’s really an exciting time on Broadway. It’s not just schlock—people are doing more experimental things.” “I wanted to be dirty and to be shocking, and to look like a drug addict, and to scare people and enchant them at the same time,” Cumming has said of first taking over the role. He tells IM: “I don’t think the Emcee is a villain in any way. It’s not so much that people are bad, it’s that they’ve got more than one dimension. I enjoy doing people that’ve got a bit of complexity.”
TELEVISION Eli Gold on The Good Wife (2009-present)
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow, Scotland (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) graduated: 1985
Awarded an O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire) at Buckingham Palace (1999). Cumming was honored for his contributions to the arts as well as his work as a gay-rights campaigner. Dressed in head-to-toe tartan, he admitted, “Yes, I have no underpants on.” “A frolicky pansexual sex symbol for the new millennium.” —The New York Observer
“You never know what Alan is going to do, then he does it—and he’s absolutely right … He’s irresistible.”
“I was filming in gaps between shooting Burlesque with Cher and Christina Aguilera, in which I play a club-door whore with black nail varnish and Comme des Garçons outfits, so the whole experience was a little schizophrenic,” Cumming has said.
“His waggish persona (is) the elfin party animal with a diamond edge.” —The New York Times
—Liza Minnelli, in Vanity Fair
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MUSIC CALENDAR
The Cabaret Gala Fundraiser
these a cappella superstars, who made it big thanks to YouTube, at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre the weekend of December 11; they’ll return home to the IU Auditorium on December 17. iuauditorium.com
NOVEMBER 20 Have a ball when
you spend the evening with Broadway’s Cinderella, Laura Osnes. The Cabaret begins its gala with a glittering pre-show party including cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction, followed by a performance by two-time Tony nominee Osnes. All proceeds benefit The Cabaret’s artistic and educational programs. thecabaret.org
Jim Brickman
DECEMBER 17 Brickman’s
Comfort & Joy tour will include holiday favorites and his more contemporary hits when he plays the Palladium. thecen terfortheperformingarts.org
Dash Away All
Chimes of Christmas
Wynonna Judd
DECEMBER 4 Judd’s Christmas
Ronnie Milsap ~
NOVEMBER 20 It’s his farewell
tour, so now’s your last chance to bid adieu to country music’s first successful blind singer, the man behind such hits as “It Was Almost Like a Song” and “Smoky Mountain Rain.” He’s credited with 40 No. 1 country tunes and will play many of them at the Palladium. thecen terfortheperformingarts.org
Classic FM: Radio Hits of the Decades
NOVEMBER 20–21 From Aretha Franklin to Adele, Elton John to Chicago, embark on a musical journey through four decades of hits you remember from tuning in on the FM dial. Jack Everly leads the ISO at Hilbert Circle Theatre. indiana polissymphony.org
Indianapolis Women’s Chorus
NOVEMBER 21–22 For its “Voices” concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis, the IWC presents songs from female composers, as well as those that capture women’s voices from different countries and eras. indychoruses.org
38 IM | THE TICKET 2015
tour, stopping by the Palladium, will include holiday classics along with her signature hits. “I love singing the music that inspires me to remember the real reason for the season,” she has said. thecenterforthe performingarts.org
Yuletide Celebration
DECEMBER 4–23 We bet the
kick line of Santas will be prancing with extra gusto for the 30th anniversary of this annual tribute to all things holiday at Hilbert Circle Theatre. indianapolissymphony.org
Chimes of Christmas
DECEMBER 5 The concert at IU Auditorium, led by IU’s Grammy-nominated show choir, The Singing Hoosiers, also features performances by Jacob School of Music groups. iuauditorium.com
Dave Koz & Friends Holiday Show
DECEMBER 11 Expect fresh
arrangements of seasonal favorites when Koz and his jazzy cohorts play the Palladium. thecenterfortheper formingarts.org
Straight No Chaser }
DECEMBER 11–13 & 17 Hear
DON’T MISS!
Tonic Ball NOVEMBER 20
The city’s coolest music festival brings dozens of top local bands to Fountain Square to play the songbooks of Bruce Springsteen at Radio Radio, Pink Floyd at Fountain Square Theatre, Tina Turner at White Rabbit Cabaret, and Beck at the HiFi. secondhelpings.org
MILSAP COURTESY THE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, CHIMES AND STRAIGHT NO CHASER COURTESY IU AUDITORIUM, TONIC BALL BY MICHAEL CROOK
DECEMBER
DECEMBER 18–19 Ring in the holiday season with the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus’s annual razzle-dazzle spectacular for the entire family, featuring show-stopping North Pole favorites and heartwarming sacred songs, at Marian University Theatre. indianap olismenschorus.org
8x10.5” Full Page Indy Monthly Ad Sec
the
2015/2016
SEASON
Sept. 11 - 27 The Studio Theater
Cabaret Series Oct. 9 - 10 @ 7:30 PM The Warehouse
CABARET Nov. 6 - 22 The Studio Theater
Dec. 11 - 27 The Studio Theater
CABARET
Cabaret Series Dec. 17 - 18 @ 7:30 PM The Warehouse
Jan. 29 - Feb. 14 The Studio Theater
Two Cops. Three Crooks. Eight Doors. Go!
Unnecessary Unnecessary
FARCE
Apr. 29 - May 15 The Studio Theater
a new play by Paul Slade Smith
atistage.org
SHOW UNDERWRITERS
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The Next Generation of Ballet in Indiana Photo by Taylor Brandt
Photo by Ian Borgerho Photography
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Mommy & Me (ages 18mos-36mos)
Professional Training Program (by Audition only)
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Pre-Professional Program (ages 9-19)
Adult Classes (all levels welcome)
Day, Evening, & Weekend Classes Available www.IndianaBalletConservatory.org
a 501c3 Not-for-Profit
Classical CONCERTS, GALAS, OPERAS & MORE
IE BASH BLACK-T up the way Dress all polis a n ia d for the In pany’s m Opera co s biggest all, it Opera B ber t, Novem gala even Westin e th t 21 a polis. Indiana
Mad Love Among this fall’s entertainment offerings, the one we’re most curious about is the Indianapolis Opera production of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Based on the 1985 nonfiction book by world-renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks, the opera explores the world of mental illness through the eyes of one man, August 21–23 at the Schrott Center for the Arts.
PHOTO BY MARK MARSTON
OPERA
THE TICKET 2015 | IM 41
CALENDAR CLASSICAL
EVENTS
Classical Calendar Beethoven, Brahms, and not one, but two, Messiahs
SEPTEMBER
Angela Gheorghiu
University of Indianapolis Opening Night Gala
SEPTEMBER 21 Maestro Raymond Leppard kicks off the 35th season of UIndy’s Faculty Artist Concert Series with Mozart, Vivaldi, and the premiere of a new work by UIndy professor/composer John Berners. Leppard will discuss his career of more than 60 years, then lead University choral ensembles and the Festival Orchestra at Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center. uindy.edu/arts
SEPTEMBER 23 One of the most celebrated modern-day opera singers has graced the stages of opera houses and concert halls the world over; now the great soprano performs at IU Auditorium. iuauditorium.com
ISO Opening Night Gala
SEPTEMBER 26 Break out your tux or gown and toast the start of the 2015–2016 season with dynamic musicianship. Krzysztof Urbanski will conduct the ISO at Hilbert Circle Theatre; Joshua Bell on violin and ISO
FREE EVENT!
Q&A
Matthew Kraemer
Meet your new maestro: After conducting stints in Europe and Pennsylvania, Kraemer is returning to the campus of his alma mater, Butler University, to helm the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. He sounded off to us. IM: How does it feel to return to your home state? It’s overwhelming. It is an incredible feeling because the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra was the orchestra that I listened to while I was a student at Butler University. IM: What’s your conducting style? Collegial, collaborative, discerning, and energetic.
IM: What music are you listening to these days? I’m listening to several operas at the moment, including Madame Butterfly and Wozzeck.
Community Day with the ISO SEPTEMBER 27
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra members will perform in and around the Hilbert Circle Theatre. Kids can try out a “You Can Conduct!” experience, go backstage, and even win prizes. indianapolissymphony.org
42 IM | THE TICKET 2015
IM: Pick a Top 40 musician to collaborate with. I don’t know off the top of my head. Adam Levine is with Maroon 5, right? My wife would probably have me say Adam Levine, even though I don’t listen to much Top 40. IM: You’ve talked about how you love cooking in your free time. So what’s your favorite place to eat in Indy? I’m looking forward to finding these incredible restaurants that weren’t here 16 years ago. As a “classic every time that I come back to town,” it’s usually St. Elmo or Harry & Izzy’s because they’re downtown. But Black Market was a wonderful restaurant that I went to with several board members. It was a phenomenal find. —Alexa Goins
KRAEMER BY RICH CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY, ICO COURTESY ICO, COMMUNITY DAY AND DEPUE COURTESY INDIANAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
IM: What are your goals for your first year directing the ICO? To create excitement in the community—to get the name of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra out so that everyone knows that one of the finest chamber orchestras in the country is right at home in Indianapolis.
generally considered one of the composer’s finest works, at Hilbert Circle Theatre. indiana polissymphony.org
Beethoven and Vieuxtemps OCTOBER 10
The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra’s season opener features Tessa Lark, 2014 International Violin Competition Silver Medalist, performing Beethoven’s Romance in F and Vieuxtemps’s Violin Concerto No. 5. The concert at the Schrott Center for the Arts marks the debut of ICO conductor Matthew Kraemer. icomusic.org
ATOS Trio
Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra
OCTOBER 14 This Ensemble
OCTOBER
artists-in-residence Time for Three (Zach DePue, Nick Kendall, and Ranaan Meyer) will join in for Bernstein’s West Side Story Suite and excerpts from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. indianapolissymphony.org
Beethoven’s Missa solemnis
OCTOBER 9–10 Hans Graf
conducts and the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir sings Beethoven’s Mass in D major,
OPPOSITES
Music Society concert features the Trio doing Mozart, Korngold, and Mendelssohn at the Indiana History Center. ensemblemusic.org
Jinjoo Cho plays Tchaikovsky
ner of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis is back, this time as a soloist with the ISO at Hilbert Circle Theatre. Besides Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, you’ll hear works from Mendelssohn and Elgar. indianapolissymphony.org
Kelemen Quartet
OCTOBER 20 Bela Bartok’s
String Quartet No. 5 is the highlight of this Ensemble Music Society concert, which also includes works from Haydn and Kurtag, at the Indiana History Center. ensemblemusic.org
Symphonic Spooktacular OCTOBER 25 Join the ISO for
a special performance just in time for Halloween. The hourlong concert will have just a hint of spookiness and a whole lot of fun with great classical works. Costumes welcome! indianapolissymphony.org
Mahler’s Symphony No. 4
OCTOBER 15–16 Last year’s win-
OCTOBER 29 & 31 Alexander
Shelley conducts and soprano
Zach DePue
The ISO concertmaster and Time for Three violinist on the NBA, hipster style, and plane etiquette. 1 MUSIC YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED I LIKE
Old-school hip-hop on 93.9 MUSIC I CAN’T STAND
Elevator music
2 ALWAYS COOL
Kindness, classical music, and beer. NEVER COOL
The person in front of you on a plane who abruptly leans their seat back. Boom! Just happened to me and NOT COOL, Mrs. Smithinconsiderate.
3 FAVORITE TRIP
South America with the Philadelphia Orchestra, 2003.
WORST TRIP
Japan, 2013. I got deported. Long story; I made the gig in Matsumoto, though.
4 MOMENT OF TRIUMPH
6 STYLE TREND I LOVE
Brooklyn hipster, prep (polo dude never goes out of style), obnoxious golf attire. STYLE TREND I CAN’T STAND
Sibelius concerto at Interlochen, 1995. I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.
Those Affliction T-shirts and skull stuff, I don’t really understand. Goth never attracted me much, either.
COMPLETE FAIL
7
Wieniawski second violin concerto, 2010.
5 SUBJECTS I CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT LATELY
Classical music, NBA (always), Russia (what’s the story there?), and ISO. SUBJECTS I AVOID
Politics, religion, and Russia (ha).
ALWAYS UP FOR
Good times with people I care about, movies, food, music, golf, pool, and any other competitive game. NEVER UP FOR
Practicing the violin, although once I get started I can’t stop. Getting the thing out of the case is the hardest part.
THE TICKET 2015 | IM 43
CLASSICAL CALENDAR
MUST SEE!
Malin Christensson sings a program consisting of one of Mahler’s finest works, at Hilbert Circle Theatre. indianap olissymphony.org
newly advanced economic development. iuauditorium.com
Opera Ball
NOVEMBER 21 Indianapolis
Opera, which is doing some exciting new things this season (like Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park in 2016), holds its major fundraising dinner gala at the Westin Indianapolis. indyopera.org
NOVEMBER Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1
NOVEMBER 6–7 This is the first of two consecutive weeks of Brahms’s only two piano concertos, performed by the renowned Dejan Lazic at Hilbert Circle Theatre. It’s conducted by Urbanski, who’s often said that Brahms is his favorite composer. Hear why. indianap olissymphony.org
Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1
NOVEMBER 21 Cellist Inbal
Segev is the star soloist for this ICO concert at the Schrott Center for the Arts. icomusic.org
DECEMBER Festival of Carols
NOVEMBER 18
The world’s best-known cellist has, not surprisingly, won 17 Grammy Awards for his albums. He’ll tickle the strings at the Palladium. thecenterfortheperformingarts.org
A Classical Air
NOVEMBER 8 Classical music
fans, mark your calendars for an afternoon of delights: The Indianapolis Men’s Chorus will explore the more traditional side of choral singing at All Souls Unitarian Church. india napolismenschorus.org
University of Indianapolis Opera Night
faculty in a free concert at the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center. uindy.edu/arts
Elias String Quartet
NOVEMBER 11 Beethoven’s
NOVEMBER 9 Hear highlights
from the opera oeuvre— from Mozart to Donizetti, from Handel to Argento—as performed by the UIndy voice
quartets in F Major and A Minor, along with Donald Grant’s Scottish folk tunes, are the program for this Ensemble Music Society evening. ensemblemusic.org
Yo-Yo Ma: The BRIC Project
NOVEMBER 11 A week before
he plays the Palladium in a solo show, the premier cellist gathers a group of the world’s best musicians for a performance at IU Auditorium. The program includes works from the “BRIC” countries—Brazil, Russia, India, and China—all deemed to be at a stage of
Handel’s Messiah
DECEMBER 13 The Indianapolis
Symphonic Choir and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra join forces for a powerhouse take on this holiday classic at the Palladium. indychoir.org
Handel’s Messiah
DECEMBER 13–14 The ICO performs its biggest show of the year on December 13 at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church—then as a sing-along the next night at Indiana Landmarks Center, with soloists as well as chorus numbers the audience can join in on. icomusic.org
POP QUIZ
’DO TELL
What is it with musicians and fabulous hair? Match the coif to the classical performer, at right.
1 a. Krzysztof Urbanski, ISO conductor b. Zach DePue, ISO concertmaster and Time for Three violinist
2 c. Ranaan Meyer, ISO and Time for Three double-bassist d. Joshua Bell, violinist, soloist
3
4
5
e. Nick Kendall, ISO and Time for Three violinist
1e, 2a, 3c, 4b, 5d 44 IM | THE TICKET 2015
YO-YO MA BY TODD ROSENBERG
Yo-Yo Ma
DECEMBER 6, 18–20 The voices of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir will ring out for its annual holiday concert. The first show is at the Scottish Rite Cathedral; the others are at the Palladium. indychoir.org
INDIANAPOLIS
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
KRZYSZTOF URBAŃSKI, MUSIC DIRECTOR JACK EVERLY, PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR
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SEASON HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: BEETHOVEN'S "EMPEROR" WITH EMANUEL AX
STELLA ARTOIS HAPPY HOUR AT THE SYMPHONY
BEETHOVEN'S MISSA SOLEMNIS
KENNY ROGERS WITH THE ISO
SEPTEMBER 18 & 19
SEPTEMBER 30
OCTOBER 9 & 10
OCTOBER 23 & 24 Special Event!
BRAHMS’ PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1
SINATRA CENTENNIAL
PINK MARTINI WITH THE ISO
BIZET’S CARMEN
NOVEMBER 6 & 7
FEBRUARY 12 & 13
APRIL 8 & 9
JUNE 10 & 12
OUT OF THIS WORLD: COSMOS MUSIC FESTIVAL | JANUARY 22 - FEBRUARY 6 Music in the Cosmos
The Cosmos in Music
BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH & STRAVINSKY’S THE RITE OF SPRING
THE PLANETS
MUSIC FROM 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
JANUARY 22 & 23
JANUARY 29 & 30
FEBRUARY 4-6
BUY NOW AT 317.639.4300 OR VISIT INDIANAPOLISSYMPHONY.ORG.
Visual Arts
IMAGE COURTESY IMA, GIFT OF ANN BAUMANN 2008, ©GUSTAVE BAUMANN
MUSEUMS, SHOWS, GALLERIES & MORE!
Wood Works
Exactly one century ago, German-born artist Gustave Baumann put Brown County, Indiana, on the map with his woodcuts of the area’s scenic beauty. He went on to become the leading American woodblock printmaker and a central figure in the Arts & Crafts movement. You can see a unique collection of his works on paper—including this 1930 painting, Estes Park, Colorado (Mountain Lake)—at the Indianapolis Museum of Art from October 25 through February 14, 2016. EXHIBIT
THE TICKET 2015 | IM 47
CALENDAR
EVENTS
Visual Arts Calendar Artist receptions, new exhibits, and a take-no-prisoners art showdown
ONGOING
Women of a New Tribe
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 17
Warm up your GPS and get ready to geocache for some art. Twelve Hoosier artists, including Robert Horvath, Marna Shopoff, and Leticia Bajuyo, will have miniature pieces hidden all around Fountain Square for iMOCA’s wide-scale scavenger hunt. indymoca.org
Taliaferro’s traveling photography exhibit makes a stop in Indianapolis at the Central Library. The series features the strength and beauty of AfricanAmerican women from across the country, and 10 local ladies will be added to the show here. imcpl.org
The Droops: Long Gone
Michelle Grabner: Weaving Life into Art
of Indianapolis’s newest art gangs, The Droops are six recent Herron School of Art and Design grads uniting their varied skills to create eclectic and irreverent installations. New murals and individual works will grace the walls of iMOCA CityWay. indymoca.org
her first solo exhibition at an encyclopedic museum, Grabner didn’t leave anything at home. She has painting, weaving, video, sculpture, installation, and even a photographic series based on the Indianapolis Colts, all on display at the IMA. imamuseum.org
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 20 One
THROUGH NOVEMBER 15 In
Women of a New Tribe
Q&A
Paula Katz
Katz took the helm of the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art earlier this year armed with some big ideas. From majorly expanding museum hours to focusing more on design work, she’s already making a splash.
IM: What have you learned from being iMOCA’s only full-time employee? One thing you realize when you’re kind of a staff of one is, nobody is going to call AT&T and get you a better rate, or that sort of thing [laughs]. But I will say that I have an incredibly supportive board who is very active and helpful and just a phone call away to run an idea by. So I don’t feel like I’m quite alone on the island. IM: In July, you asked The Droops to paint the CityWay gallery walls like a giant cartoon canvas. Any other plans for making the spaces interactive? It’s always a challenge when you have an exhibition space to make it feel different and innovative, especially with the CityWay space, where we’re really based in two dimensions and two-dimensional work. I hope to explore at some point an artist who will do things from the ceiling. That’s a possibility. So it’s really being about being creative and trying to think about how to use that space and transform it with every exhibition. IM: What do you do on days off? Um, I don’t have days off [laughs]. I love to travel, and I think when you love what you do—I see this with artists all the time—there’s really no line between your lived life and being in the art world. Because when you have “time off,” you’re going to other art events, you’re going to art talks. When I travel, which I love to do, I end up always saying, “I want go to museums or see an art show.” That sounds awful, but it’s true. —Anne Halliwell
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TRIBE BY JERRY TALIAFERRO, KATZ BY TONY VALAINIS
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 27 Jerry
Finders Keepers
VISUAL ARTS CALENDAR
DON’T MISS!
Cutting-Edge Fashion: Recent Acquisitions THROUGH JANUARY 3, 2016
Window-shop your way through the styles of the last century in the IMA’s collection of modern fashions, featuring designs from Christian Dior, Gianni Versace, Alexander McQueen, Issey Miyake, and Christian Lacroix. imamuse um.org
will be pulling out all the stops for the 10th anniversary of its premier Western art show and sale. Opening weekend will involve a swanky dinner, home tours, live music from the Wright Brothers, a new Collector of Distinction award and, of course, a little old auction. eiteljorg.org
Broad Ripple Fall Gallery Tour
Penrod Arts Fair SEPTEMBER 12
Tiffany, Gorham, and the Height of American Silver, 1840–1930 ~ THROUGH JANUARY 4, 2016
To get the most out of this exquisite exhibit of the IMA’s 19th- and 20th-century silversmithing, take a docent tour on Sundays or every third Wednesday. imamuseum.org
Revved Up: Cars in Art THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2016
Missed the IMA’s Dream Cars exhibition? There’s still time to take a spin around some car-inspired art. This display features 17 pieces from the museum collection, each related to the world of automobilia. imamuseum.org
Just about every Indianapolis cultural institution will have a presence among the more than 300 artist booths on the grounds of the IMA for the 49th Penrod. From the ISO instrument “petting zoo” to live performances to the Indiana Craft Beer Garden, you’re sure to get inspired. penrod.org
Ceramic pieces from the country’s current kiln masters, officially designated Living National Treasures, fill out this new exhibition. imamuseum.org
SEPTEMBER Casey Roberts and Tasha Lewis
SEPTEMBER 4–25 It will be a blue evening at the Harrison Center for the Arts with shows from two cyanotype artists, Casey Roberts and Tasha Lewis. Visitors, bring your butterfly nets, as there’s a good chance Lewis’s signature swarm will make an appearance. harrison center.org
William Denton Ray
Tradition Reborn: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics THROUGH JULY 17, 2016 See
what’s new in Japan’s most ancient artform at the IMA.
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SEPTEMBER 4–25 William Denton Ray is adding some “whimsical funk” style to resin, a new medium for him, for an original body of work showing at Gallery 924. indyarts.org/ gallery-924
D.I.Y.
SEPTEMBER 5 This family day
at the IMA is all about making things. So craft a cardboard city at 100 Acres or hand-paint a sign. imamuseum.org
Quest for the West
SEPTEMBER 11–13 The Eiteljorg
avenue as the galleries, shops, and restaurants of the Village open their doors to you with unique exhibitions for their annual fall self-guided gallery tour. Pick up a map at the BRVA office (6323 Guilford Ave.) or just follow the festive balloons to find your way. broadripple gallerytour.org
Art Squared
SEPTEMBER 19 The heart of Fountain Square overflows into the streets for the neighborhood’s most artful day. Wander the 100-percent local artist booths, and don’t miss your opportunity to join in the Masterpiece in a Day competition, as well as the Art Parade. discoverfountainsquare.com
Pattern Fall Launch Party
SEPTEMBER 19 Dress to impress at this launch of the local fashion magazine’s fall edition,
Art Squared
PENROD BY TONY VALAINIS, BEER PITCHER BY TIFFANY & CO./IMAGE COURTESY IMA, REVVED UP ©INGRID CALAME/COURTESY IMA, ART SQUARED BY MICHAEL CROOK
SEPTEMBER 18 Amble down the
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Powerful drama from Wilson’s epic cycle
JANUARY 12 - FEBRUARY 14
Comedy tour de force
APRIL 26 - MAY 22
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A favorite holiday tradition
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Cherished characters and their playful adventures
JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 28
America’s most beloved novel comes to life All art by Kyle Ragsdale
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VISUAL ARTS CALENDAR
DON’T MISS!
“The Makers Issue.” A full bar and DJ round out your evening at the Biltwell Event Center. patternindy.com
MuseumNext SEPTEMBER 26
Art vs. Art
Get a sneak peek of the museums of tomorrow as this major international conference series makes its first appearance on North American soil. Two days of speakers and workshops at the IMA will center around the idea of building inclusive museums. Make sure to include yourself in the conversation. imamuseum.org
SEPTEMBER 25 Prepare to
make decisions of life and death for more than 100 pieces of art as they go head to head at the Vogue, their creators dreading each spin on the Wheel of Death. Mike Wiltrout will emcee the acrylic bloodbath with some help from the Rocket Doll Revue. artvsart.net
SEPTEMBER 25–NOVEMBER 21
The prolific pen-and-ink architectural sketches of K.P. Singh will be a clear highlight of the Indianapolis Art Center’s Fall Exhibition Series. It shows beside Plein Airs: Contemporary Takes on Reality and Realism, along with the Indiana Glass Arts Alliance juried exhibition. indplsartcenter.org
Samuel Levi Jones OCTOBER 2–NOVEMBER 19
Recent winner of the Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize, Jones produces artwork that fights the power by tearing apart things like encyclopedias
and law books and reconstructing them into installations. Try to read between the lines at iMOCA. indymoca.org
Choose Your Own Adventure OCTOBER 2–JANUARY 1, 2016
When the world doesn’t provide a good enough set for photographer Justin Chase Lane, he makes his own— elaborately and in miniature. Explore these new lands at iMOCA CityWay in photos and sketches. indymoca.org
OCTOBER 2–JANUARY 8, 2016
Made in Mexico SEPTEMBER 30–OCTOBER 31
This group show at the Herron Galleries is made up of installation-based work from Herron School of Art and Design alums with roots in Mexico. herron .iupui.edu
OCTOBER Barbara Stahl
OCTOBER 2–30 The painter best
known for her building-size murals in Banker’s Life Fieldhouse and other places around town is scaling it back a notch. Her latest fine art will feature landscapes with a metaphysical twist at Gallery 924. indyarts .org/gallery-924
Nathan Foxton
OCTOBER 2–30 A contemporary
oil painter, Foxton creates wide
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The British Are Coming ~
Barbara Stahl at Gallery 924
To debut its newly remodeled space, the Long-Sharp Gallery is being invaded by art from across the pond in a new exhibition featuring work from Chris Bracey, David Spiller, Russell Young, Wayne Warren, and Alex Echo. longsharp gallery.com
Navajo Rug Auction
OCTOBER 3 Antique and contemporary handwoven rugs from R.B. Burnham & Co. Trading Post will be on display at the Eiteljorg for your ogling and bidding pleasure. eiteljorg.org
Skate or Die
OCTOBER 3 Relive the dream of the ’90s during a skateboardthemed day at the IMA where you can design your own board and watch rad videos CONTINUED ON PAGE 56
LOVE SCULPTURE BY TONY VALAINIS, FALL EXHIBITION IMAGE COURTESY HANS GINDLESBERGER, STAHL IMAGE COURTESY BARBARA STAHL, SIGN IMAGE COURTESY LONG-SHARP GALLERY/©CHRIS BRACEY
Fall Exhibition Series ~
canvases that are bright and somewhat surreal reflections of classic masterpieces that would lend themselves well to a rousing game of I Spy. See what you can see in his new work at the Harrison Center for the Arts. harrisoncenter.org
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VISUAL ARTS CALENDAR
Art’s a-Poppin’!
Now you see it, now you don’t. That’s the nature of the arts pop-up— a transient encounter in an unexpected place. —Ashley Petry it’s the onenight-only gallery in an abandoned factory, or the Shakespeare monologue recited on a street corner. Just as retailers are launching temporary shops and food trucks are mobilizing dining, pop-up artists are spreading their message beyond museums and theaters. “It’s a complete shift in the way art is presented and taken in by the local community,” says IDADA president Nancy Lee. “Pop-up events are one of the key ways that people experience art now.” Earlier this year, for example, the Indy Collective took over a vacant storefront for a four-day exhibition, Wet Paint, Heavy Metals and Broken Records. Five seniors at the Herron School of Art and Design parked five semi-truck trailers at Wildwood Market and transformed them into a one-night exhibition called Grand Illusions. The Indiana Museum of Music and Entertainment popped up briefly in April at Wheeler Arts Community Center. And don’t forget TURF, the groundbreaking exhibition that inhabited Old City Hall in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLVI. In part, the recent recession fueled the pop-up trend. As retail vacancies rose, landlords offered affordable, short-term leases for pop-up galleries. And, as arts organizations struggled to raise funds, they began to perceive pop-ups as a buzzworthy marketing tool. The weak economy crippled Indy’s gallery scene, says Shannon Linker, vice presSTATE OF THE ARTS
Keep Your Eyes Peeled for These Pop-Ups
54 IM | THE TICKET 2015
ident of the Arts Council of Indianapolis. She can list more than two dozen galleries that closed during that time, from experimental collectives to big names. “We have so few traditional galleries now that artists need other places to show, and they have to sometimes take it upon themselves to create those spaces,” Linker says. “So pop-ups are a trend, but they’re also a necessity.” In that way, the recession forced arts organizations to do something they perhaps should have been doing all along: meeting the people where they are. Pop-ups are trendy because they play into our desire for exclusivity and nov-
elty, says Charles Stanton, president and CEO of Classical Music Indy, which pays professional musicians to perform in unusual places, such as farmers markets and grocery stores. “People want the equivalent of a Choose Your Own Adventure book,” he says. “They want unique experiences that no one else is going to get.” Pop-ups are “electric,” says Brandon Schaaf, co-founder of theater troupe Know No Stranger. “It’s engaging in a totally different way, with someone who doesn’t have time to prepare their mind, and their opinions and feelings about what’s happening are as honest as possible.”
1 RAW exhibitions at Old National Centre are one-night-only artistic extravaganzas, bringing together DJs, musicians, visual and performing artists, and fashion designers. rawartists.org/indianapolis 2 IDADA’s biggest annual fundraiser, First in Line, is a pop-up event at an art gallery. Buyers stand in line for the chance to snag $100 artwork that anyone can donate. When an object is sold, it is replaced with a Polaroid of the buyer, creating a whole new artistic statement. idada.org 3 Classical Music Indy’s Random Acts of Music program pays professional musicians to perform in unexpected places—and at select gallery locations on First Fridays. classicalmusicindy.org 4 This fall, the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s new ARTx truck will pop up across the city with hands-on activities, music and drama performances, and film screenings. imamuseum.org
ARTSGARDEN PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS
Where the Art Is Supply and Demand, a pop-up produced by art + space at a former hardware-supply store on Fort Wayne Avenue in April (left). A Gen Con art show popped up at the Artsgarden (right).
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VISUAL ARTS CALENDAR
sure to leave an, um, imprint on you. The best pieces from current students will be on display in the Marsh Gallery. herron .iupui.edu
Inuit Art Show ~
Terence Main
Society will unload its largest trunk show at the Eiteljorg for just two days, when you have the chance to browse and buy more than 300 unique pieces of Arctic art. eiteljorg.org
Putting form before function, Main is a celebrated artist who has been creating sculpture that may sometimes be mistaken for furniture. He’s a Herron grad, class of ’76, and his work returns for a month in residence in Basile Gallery. herron.iupui.edu
OCTOBER 24 The Inuit Art
Gustave Baumann OCTOBER 25–FEBRUARY 14, 2016
Project IMA: Cutting Loose
with a live ska band playing in the background. Bonus: It’s a community day, so the whole museum campus is free and open. imamuseum.org
Project IMA: Cutting Loose
this year with the addition of e-bidding. Lasso yourself a VIP Marshal ticket for the full luxe experience, or skip the formal dinner and make tracks directly to the after-party with an Outlaw pass. eiteljorg.org
Buckaroo Bash: How the West Was Won
OCTOBER 10 The Eiteljorg’s
annual dinner-and-auction fundraiser gets a makeover
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NOVEMBER 6–27 New work
from Ragsdale, no doubt dosed with his usual whimsy, will fill up the Harrison Gallery for the prolific painter’s annual solo show. harrisoncenter.org
OCTOBER 28–NOVEMBER 28
The Herron School of Art and Design printmaking department’s student showcase is
DON’T MISS!
Mary Lou Dooley Waller ~
NOVEMBER 6–27 Bright, expres-
sive, and abstract, Waller’s work is easily recognizable around town. Gallery 924 hosts a new showing of her oil paintings. indyarts.org/gallery-924
On the Flip Side
“Secrets on the Back of Paintings,” this IMA exhibit offers a 360-degree look at framed artwork to show how hidden details can reveal big secrets about their history. imamu seum.org
Kyle Ragsdale
Proof It
OCTOBER 9 The latest in clothing design will come down the catwalk at the IMA’s annual fashion show; for this year’s event, designers were encouraged to “cut loose” from the past and look to the future by submitting work that’s experimental and inventive in concept, construction, or materials. The Behind the Seams After Party, co-presented with the Fashion Arts Society, will be the place to see and be seen. imamuseum.org
OCTOBER 9–30 Subtitled
NOVEMBER
Secrets
Monument Circle Art Fair OCTOBER 10
For this all-new event, the Circle will be mostly shut down and taken over by 70 artist booths, food trucks, and live performing artists, including jazz violinist Cathy Morris. monumentcircleart.com
NOVEMBER 7 Shh! Don’t tell anyone, but the IMA is hosting a covert family day where you can be a secret agent and stealthily tour secret parts of the museum. Just make sure you know the passcode. ima museum.org
Veteran’s Art Day
NOVEMBER 7 To salute both veterans and active-duty military for their service to our country, the Indianapolis Art
PROJECT IMA COURTESY IMA, MONUMENT CIRCLE COURTESY ANDREW BURIAN, INUIT ART COURTESY EITELJORG, WALLER IMAGE COURTESY MARY LOU DOOLEY WALLER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52
A renowned color woodblock printmaker, the Germanborn Baumann carved iconic landscapes, including several of Brown County when he called that place his home. The IMA opens its extensive collection of his work for this new exhibition displaying 104 pieces. imamuseum.org
OCTOBER 28–NOVEMBER 28
VISUAL ARTS CALENDAR
MadeIN
Center is offering free glassblowing, painting, photography, sculpture, and jewelry-making classes. So grab your favorite service person and march on over. indplsartcenter.org
DECEMBER 5 The IMA celebrates Hoosier makers for this family day, and that includes you. Make some goods and bring a few pieces from home for an art swap. imamuseum.org
Herron Undergraduate Exhibition
Winter Market
NOVEMBER 18–DECEMBER 16
The best young talent will be on display at Herron School of Art and Design’s annual Undergraduate Exhibition. Work will be shown in Herron’s Main Gallery and the EFAC Galleries, with shuttle service available between the buildings. herron .iupui.edu
DECEMBER 5 They say handmade gifts are from the heart, but they never said your hands had to be the ones to make it. Pick up some unique, handcrafted pieces at the Eiteljorg’s annual sale featuring more than 30 regional artists. eiteljorg.org
jorg to watch seven trains weaving through meticulously handcrafted replicas of the Old West and Indianapolis icons— including the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument and Lucas Oil Stadium—made from twigs, nuts, and other natural materials. eiteljorg.org
Silent Night ~
Winter Art Sale
TINY IV at Gallery 924
NOVEMBER 21–JANUARY 18, 2016 All aboard at the Eitel-
Black Tie
DECEMBER 4–25 Paint it black
for this year’s annual color show at the Harrison. Then cheer up at the Handicraft Exchange going on in the gym. harrisoncenter.org
Marco Querin DECEMBER 4–JANUARY 23, 2016
Get strung along by the Italian artist to his new site-specific installation on the walls of iMOCA involving copper wire and yarn. indymoca.org
DECEMBER 11–12 The Indianapolis Art Center will be laying out its best wares from 30 faculty artists, including handmade glass, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, prints, and ornaments. Plus, creative activities will keep the kids busy so you can shop in peace. indplsartcenter.org
TINY IV
Winter Exhibition
DECEMBER 4–JANUARY 8, 2016
DECEMBER 11–JANUARY 30, 2016 The galleries at the
It’s an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny art show at Gallery 924 with 200-plus pieces less than six inches in any direction. Perfect for stuffing an artophile’s stocking or decorating any doll houses you have lying around. indyarts.org/gallery-924
Indianapolis Art Center will be filled with an eclectic mix of work from Amelia Toelke, Katie Hudnall, and Sean Derry, along with the annual Supportive Mentoring Through Art Exhibition. indplsartcenter.org
NOVEMBER 28 Find your
heavenly peace surrounded by still, quiet sculptures rather than bustling shoppers. For the second year, the IMA offers slow-looking tours, personal headphone concerts, and meditation and massage spaces to start your holiday season right. imamuseum.org
DECEMBER
Monster Drawing Rally
DECEMBER 3 You’ll need to be quick on the draw for this IMA event. Local artists have one hour to sketch as many drawings as they can and spectators need to be the first to grab a finished piece to be able to take it home. May your fingers be swift, friends. imamuseum.org
58 IM | THE TICKET 2015
DON’T MISS!
Eiteljorg Contemporary Arts Fellows NOVEMBER 14–FEBRUARY 14
This year, the Eiteljorg honors Mario Martinez, Luzene Hill, Brenda Mallory, Da-ka-xeen Mehner, and Holly Wilson as premier Native American artists. Snag a ticket to the opening preparty to see the work first and meet the artists. eiteljorg.org
SILENT NIGHT COURTESY IMA, TINY IV BY PAUL D. BEST, CONTEMPORARY ARTS FELLOWS COURTESY EITELJORG, QUERIN BY MARCO QUERIN/COURTESY IMOCA
Jingle Rails
Join Us in Celebrating a Generation of Song October 30 Music of the Night November 1 December 18–19 March 13
Sweet Melodies Angels Sing, Celebrate the Season, Sounds of the Season Voices of Youth, Tapestry of Song
April 30 30th Anniversary Concerts June 17
Choral Festival
Henry Leck, Founder & Artistic Director
For more information on purchasing tickets, please visit icchoir.org/icc30
#ICC30
Movies, Books, Etc.
READINGS, FILM FESTS & ONE-
OF-A-KIND EVENTS
Still Waters John Waters, the gleeful auteur of all things trash—from the most notorious film of 1970s American independent cinema, Pink Flamingos (1972), to the candy-coated kookiness that is Hairspray (1988)— presents a public lecture at IU Cinema on October 2.
PHOTO COURTESY IU CINEMA
LECTURE
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CALENDAR MOVIES, ETC.
EVENTS
Movies, Books, Etc. Calendar
SEPTEMBER
Penelope Spheeris Film and Lecture Series SEPTEMBER 10–12 Spheeris,
who’s been dubbed a “rock ‘n roll anthropologist,” presents a public lecture on September 11 at IU Cinema. A few of her films will be screened over the course of a few days, including Wayne’s World (1992) on September 12. cinema.indiana.edu
Yelp’s White Night
SEPTEMBER 13 Monument Circle gets decked out en blanc for a fancy pop-up dinner party for 1,000—it’s free, and you’re invited. A quartet of ISO players sets the mood to “sophisticated.” yelp.com
The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
SEPTEMBER 11–12 This silent
Lon Chaney classic comes to life accompanied by the Franklin Chamber Players at the Historic Artcraft Theatre, whose Art Deco trim may be peeling at the edges but hasn’t lost its magnificent movie-palace charm. historicartcrafttheatre.org
Aaron Michael Morales
SEPTEMBER 14 The novelist is also the author of a pop-culture composition textbook, The American Mashup: A Popular Culture Reader. He’s giving a free talk at University of Indianapolis. uindy.edu/arts
The Phantom of the Opera at the Historic Artcraft Theatre
Q&A
Francesca Zappia
Hey, John Green, there’s a new young-adult lit phenom in town. Zappia, 22, is fresh out of college—and hot off the presses with a widely acclaimed debut novel, Made You Up, that explores teen schizophrenia. IM: Does Indy show up in your book? Mostly just the south side of Indianapolis, because that’s where I’ve lived my whole life. The town that “Alex” lives in and both of the high schools that she went to, they’re all made up. But they were kind of based off of my hometown and, like, the schools I went to. People who went to Franklin Central will read the books and be like, “Oh, yeah, I know this.” IM: How did you develop your writing style? I think for any writer, it’s kind of a combination of all the things you like. Like for me, I read Harry Potter a bunch of times when I was growing up, and that’s how I learned to write characters. And I like anime, and a lot of people have been saying that the beginning of Made You Up kind of reminds them of an anime show. IM: Was it hard to find an agent while living in Indy? Actually, the living-in-Indiana thing didn’t affect it that much. It might have been better if I had been able to go to a lot of writing conferences and book conferences—we don’t have very many of those here. But most people get their agents by just emailing out cover letters and manuscripts. That’s what I did, and that worked out pretty well for me. IM: You’ve been called the next John Green. What do you make of that? I mean, it’s cool. I certainly will not say no to that. IM: He gave you a shout-out on Twitter once, didn’t he? Yeah, the day [the book] came out, he just said, like, “Happy book birthday.” That was really cool. I didn’t think that was real at first. —Lexia Banks
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PHANTOM COURTESY IU AUDITORIUM, ZAPPIA BY SAMANTHA STANLEY, BREAKFAST CLUB POSTER COURTESY THE HISTORIC ARTCRAFT THEATRE, HISTORIC ARTCRAFT THEATRE BY ANGIE’S LIST, OATES BY DUTSIN COHEN
Fab flicks, filmmaker appearances, author visits, and random happenings we just had to include
Nikky Finney
SEPTEMBER 14 The winner of
Wounded Galaxies Festival
The Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin
the 2011 National Book Award for Poetry, for Head Off & Split, kicks off Butler University’s Visiting Writers Series at Clowes Hall. butler.edu
OCTOBER 7–11 This five-day
fest at IU Cinema celebrates experimental music, film, and performance art. Events include a John Zorn Jorgensen lecture on October 7 and a series of short flicks from Derek Jarman on October 8. cinema .indiana.edu
The Breakfast Club (1985)
SEPTEMBER 18–19 Don’t you
forget about the ’80s Brat Pack classic—go see it at the Historic Artcraft Theatre. historicart crafttheatre.org
Sci-Fright Frenzy
OCTOBER 9–10 (See page 14 for
more information.) historicart crafttheatre.org
mainstream films include CryBaby (1990), which screens October 1, and Cecil B. DeMented (2000) and Serial Mom (1994), both showing October 2. Waters’s magnum opus, the infamous Pink Flamingos (1972), also screens October 2. cinema.indiana.edu
Shonda Buchanan
SEPTEMBER 23 The poet, memoirist, and fiction writer, author of Who’s Afraid of Black Indians?, gives a free talk at University of Indianapolis. uindy.edu/arts
Diabolique International Film Festival
SEPTEMBER 24–27 Get a jump
on October creepiness with this international movie series, which has been recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of “13 Horror Film Festivals to Die For,” at IU Cinema. cinema .indiana.edu
OCTOBER
John Waters Film and Lecture Series
OCTOBER 1–2 The director who rose to fame with gloriously trashy underground films in the ’70s and once said that “to me, bad taste is what entertainment is all about,” gives a public lecture at IU Cinema on October 2. Some of his more
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
OCTOBER 2–3 Kick off Halloween month with this tale of magic and muggles—the one that started it all—showing at
the Historic Artcraft Theatre. historicartcrafttheatre.org
Indiana Short Film Festival ~
Gerald Stern and Anne Marie Macari
OCTOBER 6 Stern, winner of
OCTOBER 9–11 Flicks under 40
the 1998 National Book Award for Poetry, was appointed New Jersey’s first poet laureate in 2000. His companion, Macari, is a renowned poet in her own right. The two are speaking together at the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts as part of Butler University’s Visiting Writers Series. butler.edu
minutes are screened at this fest, which showcases short films from around the world in every genre. The fourth annual event, formerly known as the Film Festival of Hendricks County, is at the Royal Theater in Danville. inshortfilmfest.com
Laila Lalami
OCTOBER 13 The Moroccan-
born novelist and essayist was
DON’T MISS!
Joyce Carol Oates SEPTEMBER 28
The writer is as prolific as she is acclaimed—in the last year or so, she has put out two novels, four novellas, and two volumes of stories, the most recent of which is Lovely, Dark, Deep. Her laurels include the National Book Award and the Norman Mailer Prize for Lifetime Achievement; she’s also a five-time Pulitzer Prize nominee. Oates will speak at Clowes Hall as part of Butler University’s Visiting Writers Series. butler.edu
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MOVIES, BOOKS, ETC. CALENDAR
DON’T MISS!
a 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist for her latest novel, The Moor’s Account, which also landed on “best books of the year” lists from The Wall Street Journal and NPR. She’s speaking at Atherton Union at Butler University as part of the school’s Visiting Writers Series. butler.edu
NOVEMBER VonnegutFest
TedX Indianapolis OCTOBER 20
OCTOBER 16–17 Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester star in this famously hair-raising tale perfect for the month of October. The Historic Artcraft Theatre is screening it in all its black-andwhite glory. historicartcraft theatre.org
B2TF Night: Back to the Future Films 1 & 2
OCTOBER 21 Remember the end
of Back to the Future (1985), when Marty, Jennifer, and Doc jump into their DeLorean and depart for a future date?
Keep it simple, stupid. Okay, the organizers of this annual thinkfest left off that last word, but the rest of it is the theme for this year’s event. What began as the TED Conference in California 26 years ago has mushroomed into a global platform for spreading ideas, attended by the world’s leading thinkers and doers. This year’s speakers at the Indy offshoot will tackle “simplicity” at the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center. tedxindianapolis.com
That day was—you guessed it—October 21, 2015. Mark the moment the future arrives with a screening of that film and its first sequel in the IMA parking lot. imamuseum.org
Dennis James accompanies IU Auditorium’s Phantom
Blackmail (1929) with Live Orchestral Accompaniment
NOVEMBER 7 One of Alfred Hitchcock’s early thrillers was originally shot as a silent film; then the studio had Hitch reshoot parts as a talkie, and two versions were released to British cinemas. The film is screened at IU Cinema with a live orchestra and the U.S. premiere of a new musical score. cinema.indiana.edu
Gremlins (1984)
OCTOBER 23–24 Don’t feed them after midnight! Phoebe Cates fans, rejoice in this screening of the camp classic at the Historic Artcraft Theatre. historicartcrafttheatre.org
Ann Katz Festival of Books & Arts
OCTOBER 28–NOVEMBER 16 An evening with drummer Kenny Aronoff kicks off this threeweek festival featuring local, national, and international authors, filmmakers, and performing and fine artists at the JCC Indianapolis. jccindy.org
The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
OCTOBER 30 This playfully
spooky movie comes vividly to life thanks to IU alum Dennis James on the organ and theremin, accompanying the
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NOVEMBER 6–7 On the first day of this third annual festival, a panel (including the author’s chum Dan Wakefield) will discuss “Vonnegut and Religion.” At the next morning’s Breakfast of Champions, hear readings from the latest edition of So It Goes, the literary journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library. vonnegutlibrary.org
Cartoons for Cans
NOVEMBER 7 Bring a canned good to donate to the Franklin Food Pantry and get in free to see animated classics at the Historic Artcraft Theatre. historicartcrafttheatre.org
Denis Johnson
NOVEMBER 11 Johnson, best
known for his short-story collection Jesus’ Son and his novel Tree of Smoke (2007), which
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FRANKENSTEIN POSTER COURTESY THE HISTORIC ARTCRAFT THEATRE, TEDX COURTESY TEDXINDIANAPOLIS, JAMES COURTESY COURTESY IU AUDITORIUM, BLACKMAIL COURTEY RIALTO PICTURES
Bride of Frankenstein (1935) ~
film that began his illustrious career. James’s Halloween performances of this and other silent masterpieces have become IU Auditorium favorites. iuauditorium.com
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FILM FESTIVALS & EVENTS CALENDAR
MOVIES, BOOKS, ETC. CALENDAR
Cinema Paradise
OCTOBER 16–25
Heartland Film Festival heartlandfilm.org (Look for year-round programing: Heartland Film Roadshow) NOVEMBER 13–15 Indianapolis LGBT Film Fest indylgbtfilmfest.com
Forget Redboxing it—audiences are rediscovering the joys of going out to the movies. —Natalie Atwell in the age of netflix, Hulu, and HBONow, where a movie night usually means sitting on your couch with a remote in hand, film-going is a becoming a lost art. But thanks to a growing number of film festivals and a dedicated group of local cinephiles, Indianapolis has been finding its joys all over again. Heartland, Indy’s flagship festival, got its start at a time when such an event was unheard of here. “Back in ’90, it was hard,” says Jeff Sparks, founder and president emeritus of Heartland Film. “People were like, ‘What’s a film festival? Why would I want to go?’” Fast-forward 25 years: Heartland Film Festival topped 23,000 for attendees at screenings last year and has expanded to include year-round programming. They, along with Indy Film Fest, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and half a dozen smaller film festivals, are filling Indy’s calendar with movies. What’s drawing people out is how these groups are adding another dimension to the films they show, no glasses required. Whether it’s Heartland bringing in more than 100 filmmakers who’ll chat with you over a beer about the years they spent making their indie film, or Indy Film Fest’s Roving Cinema showing Field of Dreams at Victory Field, these aren’t just movies—they’re happenings. The IMA, which just marked its 40th
NOVEMBER 20 Internet Cat Video Festival imamuseum.org DECEMBER 10 B-Movie Bingo imamuseum.org JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2016 Winter Nights imamuseum.org APRIL 2016 Indianapolis Jewish Film Festival indianapolisjewishfilmfestival.com APRIL 24–MAY 3, 2016
Italian Film Festival italianfilmfests.org/indianapolis JUNE–AUGUST 2016
Summer Nights imamuseum.org
JULY 2016 Indy Film Fest indyfilmfest.org (Look for year-round programming for events like Film to Fork, Popped Up!, Rock + Reel, Roving Cinema & Cereal Cinema) JULY 2016 Indiana Black Expo Film Festival indianablackexpo.com JULY 2016 48 Hour Film Project 48hourfilm.com/indianapolis AUGUST 4–7, 2016 Gen Con Film Festival gencon.com
WE ASKED THREE LOCAL FILM BUFFS
What’s so great about movies?
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Tim Irwin, Heartland Film Festival: “People connect with stories. Film takes the best aspects of everything from painting and music and writing and acting, drama—all these different things are essential for film.”
season of the Summer Nights film series, has been kicking things up a few notches under the direction of Scott Stulen, curator of audience experiences and performance. “What we’ve asked is, how do we make film something where it becomes an overall experience?” says Stulen. Recent crowds have sat in kiddie pools to watch Jaws and posed in a Psycho shower photobooth. “I look back at growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, pre–widespread Internet,” says Stulen. “We had the same channels that everybody watched, we had the same movies everybody watched, and those became key cultural shared experiences. Maybe our parents’ generation in the ’60s had more important cultural landmarks, but in the ’80s, rather than sharing Woodstock and the civil rights movement, we watched Knight Rider and ALF, ALF and those became our shared things.” So, from raucous nights in the outdoor amphitheater watching Heathers to debating the airspeed velocities of various sparrows, when these fans get together, it’s like a giant reunion of long-lost cinema soulmates. “And then these wonderful things happen,” says Stulen. “The audience embraces it and takes it a step further than you would have anticipated.” During the IMA”s sold-out al fresco showing of Fargo on one chilly evening this past January, the entire front row came armed with casseroles to share in an impromptu potluck. For Cereal Cinema, Indy Film Fest’s latest series, where you can watch a classic kids’ movie and munch through a full cereal bar, executive director Craig Mince says, “we’re starting to see birthday parties, which just blows my mind. That was never part of the idea, but I love it.” So grab a popcorn refill and mark your calendar. “Movie-watching is a social activity,” says Mince. “You’ve got to put your pants on. You’ve got to get in the car and drive somewhere and sit in a dark room with hundreds of other people and have a shared experience.”
Craig Mince, Indy Film Fest: “You can take just about any movie at any time, and you can get a really good gauge of what’s going on at that time in society and culture, and that’s always fascinated me.”
Scott Stulen, IMA: “What film does better than any other cultural experience is that it gives you a moment of joy. And we don’t have that many of those. Film lets us turn off the world to just be in that moment.”
ILLUSTRATION FROM THINKSTOCK.COM
-----------------------
18TH ANNUAL BUCKAROO BASH “HOW THE WEST WAS WON” SATURDAY, OCT 10 Proceeds benefit the museum’s education programs that serve school-age children. To see what this year’s Bash has to offer and to purchase your tickets early, visit buckaroobash2015.eventbrite.com. For more information, contact 317.275.1333.
NOV 14, 2015–FEB 14, 2016
OPENING CELEBRATION AND CONTEMPORARY ARTS PARTY NOV 13 For information and tickets, call 317.275.1333. Indianapolis | visit us at eiteljorg.org
PRESENTED BY:
Holly Wilson (Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma/Cherokee), Belonging, 2014, bronze and geode Photography by Hadley Fruits
SPONSORED BY:
IceMiller Legal Counsel
MOVIES, BOOKS, ETC. CALENDAR
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won the National Book Award for Fiction, is speaking at Butler University’s Atherton Union as part of the school’s Visiting Writers Series. butler.edu
Tracy Kidder
NOVEMBER 12 The author’s
University of Indianapolis appearance will focus on his acclaimed 2003 work Mountains Beyond Mountains, which traces efforts to fight infectious diseases around the world. uindy.edu/arts
film is the occasion for two days’ worth of discussion at IU Cinema to assess its legacy. The Black Film Center/Archive at IU presents speeches by international film scholars; three panels exploring the film’s relation to modern-day issues in race relations, immigration, and inequality; and a roundtable discussion on D.W. Griffith’s controversial movie. The 35mm print, preserved by the Museum of Modern Art, will be screened with live piano accompaniment. cinema.indiana.edu
The Birth of a Nation
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) with Live Piano Accompaniment
NOVEMBER 13 The original film
The Birth of a Nation (1915) Screening and Symposium
NOVEMBER 12–13 The centennial of this seminal American
based on the novel by Indiana General Lew Wallace was the most expensive film of the silent era. When it screens at IU Cinema, keep a sharp eye out for extras—they include John Barrymore, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Joan Crawford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Mary Pickford. cinema .indiana.edu
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? (1967)
NOVEMBER 13–14 Spencer Tracy! Katharine Hepburn! Sidney
Poitier! The cast alone makes a trek to the Historic Artcraft Theatre worth your while. historicartcrafttheatre.org
Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival
NOVEMBER 13–15 The IMA hosts a series of flicks by, for, and about the LGBT community. Some of the features, shorts, documentaries, and documentary shorts hail from abroad. indylgbtfilmfest.com
Dean Young
NOVEMBER 17 Young’s Elegy on
Toy Piano (2005) was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. Hear him speak at Atherton Union at Butler University as he concludes the school’s Visiting Writers Series for the season. butler.edu
DON’T MISS!
NOVEMBER 20–21
Those YouTube clips you used to peek at during work are now art, thank you very much. The movie series that has become an international sensation comes to the IMA, where festival creator Scott Stulen now works as a curator. Expect a new selection of feline videos selected by Will Braden, the auteur behind the “Henri, le Chat Noir” series; a special appearance by Bloomington’s own breakout kitty star, Lil’ Bub; and more. imamuseum.org
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Scott Russell Sanders ~ NOVEMBER 18 Sanders, author
of 20 books of fiction and non, including A Private History of Awe and A Conservationist Manifesto, gives a free talk at the University of Indianapolis. uindy.edu/arts
Elf (2003)
NOVEMBER 27–28 Will Ferrell’s contemporary Christmas confection comes to the Historic Artcraft Theatre. historicart crafttheatre.org
DECEMBER
A Christmas Story (1983)
DECEMBER 4–6 Will Ralphie finally get that Red Ryder BB
LIL BUB COURTESY MIKE BRIDAVSKY, NATION COURTESY EPOCH AND THE KOBAL COLLECTION, SANDERS BY JIM KRAUSE
Internet Cat Video Festival
Indianapolis City Ballet’s
EVENING WITH THE STARS Saturday, October 3 at 7PM Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University
See Principal Dancers from at least six major international companies in Classical and along with other amazing guest artists.
One Night Only! Get your tickets now:
TicketMaster.com 800-982-2787 or in person at Clowes
www.IndianapolisCityBallet.org
Photo of Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside courtesy of Gene Schiavone
cuuing-edge Contemporary Works
MOVIES, BOOKS, ETC. CALENDAR
gun? Will the leg lamp stay firmly put in the window? Find out at the Historic Artcraft Theatre, which is showing this classic Indiana flick five times due to demand. historicart crafttheatre.org
dance partner, and the two romance Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. The finale version of Irving Berlin’s title tune remains rousing. historicartcrafttheatre.org
B-Movie Bingo
DECEMBER 10 What started
in Portland has now been franchised to the IMA: an interactive game based on the best clichés ever committed to celluloid. Grab a bingo card and try to fill squares like “Teamed Up with a Rookie or Animal” and “White Suit or Tropical Ending,” while watching some of the best-worst movies of all time. imamuseum.org
White Christmas (1954)
DECEMBER 11–13 Thanks to popular demand, the Historic Artcraft Theatre is showing this Bing Crosby classic five times. Danny Kaye is his song-and-
Christmas Vacation (1989) ~
DECEMBER 18–19 Ed Helms and Christina Applegate, who? Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and crew celebrate the holidays in this wryly funny look at family visits, hauling home a Christmas tree, and making sure your home glows the brightest on the block, at the Historic Artcraft Theatre. historicartcrafttheatre.org
DON’T MISS!
Talk of the Town The Spirit & Place Festival—the program that makes public lectures hip—turns 20
SPIRIT. PLACE. The relationship between those two words was the subject of a robust debate among three literary lions—Kurt Vonnegut, John Updike, and Dan Wakefield—in 1996 at Clowes Hall. And thus was born Indy’s coolest lecture series, whose wildly different events over the course of 10 days are each intended to spark conversation around one theme. This year’s: “Dream.” The goal remains the same: to get the whole city talking. From November 6 to 15, exhibits, performances, workshops, and more will fill venues all around the Indy area. A range from panel discussions to potlucks have been employed at past festivals to get the chatter started. Here are three highlights from this year’s lineup of 29 events:
1 This is Not a Program
November 6 at Glendale Branch Library To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Spirit & Place is kicking things off with a 1920s-style surrealist-themed party. Costumes and general wackiness are encouraged.
DECEMBER 12
You know the story. You can hum the songs. Now’s your chance to warble ’em loud and proud, celebrating your favorite lines and lyrics from the 50-year-old classic. Costumes (and audience participation) are highly encouraged at this IU Cinema event. cinema.indiana.edu
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2 Spirited Chase
November 14 For this “mystery tour,” attendees will be given directions to various spots all over the city that each connect to Spirit & Place’s “Dream” theme.
3 Public Conversation
November 12–13 at the Indiana Medical History Museum After a screening of the 1946 film A Matter of Life and Death: Neuroscience on the Silver Screen, about a WWII pilot dealing with hallucinations after a near-death experience, neuroscience experts will, um, dissect the film for how it deals with the brain ... all in a building that actually houses brains in jars. spiritandplace.org
THE SOUND OF MUSIC COURTESY 20TH CENTURY FOX AND THE KOBAL COLLECTION, ILLUSTRATION FROM THINKSTOCK.COM
The Sound of Music (1965) Quote-a-Long
WOODED ACRES AWARDED IN
SCHOLARSHIPS FROM COLLEGES
SPORTS & EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
We believe your child is ready to take on the world. Come see the International Baccalaureate education in action and
Take a tour to see the world. 200 W 49th Street | 4330 N Michigan Road Indianapolis, IN 46208 | (317) 923-1951 | www.ISIND.org IM_ReloGuideAd.indd 1
7/20/15 3:52 PM
Dining & Destinations ARTS VENUES & NEARBY NOSHES
BITES
Dinner and a Show
“MY SECRET FAVORITE POST-SHOW SPOT is Burgerhaus 4 . Located on
1
the canal, it’s off the beaten path from the theater district, so it’s a delicious alternative to long lines close to the theaters.” —Georgeanna Smith, NoExit Theatre Company
2
“I LOVE TO GO TO La Margarita 5 in Fountain Square after a First
3 4
Eight locals share where they love to eat before or after a performance.
“THIS FALL you’ll see me ride a Pacer’s Bikeshare on the Cultural Trail to The Cabaret (feels just like NYC cabaret), and then bike back to Fletcher Place for a latenight bite at Bluebeard 6 (uber-affordable oysters and perfect pies) with a final nightcap at Hotel Tango. Cardio, cabaret, and cocktails—huzzah!” —Michael Pettry, Indianapolis Symphonic Choir
“MY FAVORITE THEATER DAY
is Sunday, because I’m usually at TOTS on Friday and Saturday, so I love having brunch first at Mesh 1 followed by a matinee theater performance.” —Lori Raffel, Theatre on the Square
5
“ROOK is my go-to for nights
downtown and all points south. It’s like a quick, tasty trip through Asia. When I’m heading north for a show, Twenty Tap 2 always gets my business. So. Much. Good. Beer.” —Marisol Gouveia, Indianapolis Zoo
PHOTOS BY TONY VALAINIS
“MY TWO FAVORITE PLACES
to eat before or after a show are Sakura Japanese Restaurant 3 for sushi and hot sake or Major Restaurant, which serves Ethiopian cuisine, including a traditional honey wine. It’s well worth the drive—I’m hungry just thinking about it.” —Keesha Dixon, Asante Children’s Theatre
6 7
Friday show. If you’re lucky enough to grab a seat outside, snuggle up at the fire pit and try a flight of tequila.” —Ashlee Wilson Fujawa, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
8
“ROOK’S 7 steamy bowl of seasonal Ramen in Fletcher Place recently saved the day after a late show at Hilbert—thank you, late hours! I’m also a sucker for carryout curry from Siam Square 8 .” —Brittany Smith, Yelp “I LOVE PLACES on Mass Ave,
including the Chatterbox, especially when I start my First Friday tour. Siam Square is a favorite in Fountain Square, where I visit iMOCA and the Murphy Building, along with the pop-up galleries.” —Anila Quayyum Agha, Herron School of Art and Design
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DINING GUIDE
EATS
Dining Guide
Restaurants and late-night cocktail spots in some of the city’s artsiest areas, from Indianapolis Monthly
Nearby venues: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, The Cabaret, The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Hilbert Circle Theatre, Indiana History Center, Indiana Landmarks Center, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Long-Sharp Gallery, Murat Theatre, Old National Centre
Adobo Grill
MEXICAN Impressively poured margaritas and guacamole mixed tableside add a level of showmanship to a restaurant already full of drama, thanks to soaring ceilings and a wrought-iron balcony. Dishes such as flatiron steak with potatoes, chorizo, and a creamy ancho salsa deliver south-of-theborder flavor with Midwestern heartiness. End with a slice of airy guava cheesecake studded with coconut chunks. Lunch Mon.–Fri., dinner daily. 110 E. Washington St., 822-9990. $$
Napolese
PIZZA This spot dishes out restaurateur Martha Hoover’s (of Cafe Patachou fame) take on pizza—thin-crusted, blistered Neapolitan-style, and iconoclastically topped. Longtime Patachou chef Tyler Herald offers light-andearthy numbers like the T Bone Burnett, with fennel, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, and chevre. Affordable quartinos of vino rule, along with the housemade gelato. Lunch Mon.–Fri., dinner daily. 30 S. Meridian St., 635-0765. $$
The Oceanaire Seafood Room
SEAFOOD Luxury dining takes
the form of stuffed trout in
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tomato-chive butter, Panamanian cobia served Oscar style, and whole fried fish rising off of the white plate at this high-end chain housed inside a section of downtown’s former L.S. Ayres department store, an Art Deco gem. And even if you just stop in for fresh oysters and martinis at the curved bar, the Baked Alaska dessert, with its flaming meringue crown, makes for a spectacular finish. Lunch Tues.–Fri., dinner daily. 30 S. Meridian St., 955-2277. $$$$
Spoke & Steele
CONTEMPORARY Located in the newly renovated Le Méridien boutique hotel (formerly The Canterbury), centerpiece restaurant Spoke & Steele features sleek flourishes and a playfully ambitious menu dreamed up by executive chef Tyson Peterson, recently of legendary chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s J&G Grill in Park City, Utah. The Meatloaf Nugs small plate offers a row of sweetand-spicy meatballs perched on smashed fingerling potatoes, and the Hash Tag frites—thick, seasoned wedges—sit on the plate in the familiar crosshatch pattern. Modestly plated mains—like a dry-aged pork chop and the Crispy Skin Striped Bass on a mound of smoky-sweet creamed corn—show as much kitchen finesse as the silken espresso creme brulee. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. 123 S. Illinois St., 737-1616. $$$
St. Elmo Steak House
STEAKHOUSE This century-old
institution serves as the unofficial ambassador of downtown—walls carry decades’ worth of celebrity
Bakersfield Mass Ave
photos, the burnished bar harks back to an earlier era, and the servers remain starched and bowtied. The drill remains the same as well: a generous martini; a shrimp cocktail with the infamously hot sauce (the only appetizer available); the bean soup or tomato juice; the wedge; and one of the large steaks. There is a porterhouse that nearly tips the table and a tomahawk cut that ranks among the noblest steaks in town. Finish the evening with an Elmo Cola in the lounge upstairs. The glass Coca-Cola bottle comes with fun accessories: a side of Kentucky bourbon, imported Italian maraschino cherries, and vanilla beans. Dinner daily. 127 S. Illinois St., 635-0636. $$$$
OLD NORTHSIDE Nearby venues: Footlite Musicals, Gallery 924, Harrison Center for the Arts, IndyFringe Basile Theatre, Murat Theatre, Old National Centre
Bakersfield Mass Ave
TACOS & BOURBON This hip spot, done up (or done down) with splintery timbers, steel beams, bourbon barrels, and dangling Edison bulbs, does a nice job with
all the late-night standards: booze, raucous music, and tacos topped with the likes of achiote-braised pork, pickled red onions, and habanero salsa. Plenty of customers wash down the pretty little tacos with PBR from glass boots—and even giant 32-ounce cans of Miller High Life—but more-spirited regulars look past the watery brews and opt for one of the 50 bourbons or 50 tequilas. Lunch Fri.–Sun., dinner daily. 334 Massachusetts Ave., 635-6962. $$
Black Market
CONTEMPORARY In a long, spartan dining room with communal tables as the center point, servers present handcrafted dishes like ale-steamed mussels, pork schnitzel, and a daily pickle plate featuring snacks such as watermelon
KEY TO SYMBOLS $$$$
Entrees priced $30 and up Entrees priced $20–$30 $$ Entrees priced $10–$20 $ Entrees priced under $10 Reservations accepted Kitchen open after 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
$$$
PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS
DOWNTOWN
rind and boiled eggs. Dreamed up by chef Micah Frank, the plates have a rustic edge that makes diners feel like they have just wandered into a well-provisioned farmhouse. Lunch and dinner Tues.–Sat. 922 Massachusetts Ave., 822-6757. $$$
FOUNTAIN SQUARE
Pizzology
MODERN COMFORT Adventurous
PIZZA Neal Brown’s Neapolitan-
style pizzeria delivers an artfully condensed menu of refined pies with thin, lightly charred crusts topped with hand-pulled cheeses and innovative pairings. Morestraightforward varieties like margherita and four-cheese please risk-averse patrons, and the spinach-and-pancetta penne bathed in Parmesan-butter sauce lures regulars away from their beloved pizza selection. Lunch and dinner daily. 608 Massachusetts Ave., 685-2550. $$
Tinker Street
CONTEMPORARY Seasoned diners have waited more than a decade for Tinker Street to open. That’s how long it took co-owner Peter George—who pioneered chef-driven fine dining in Indianapolis from the mid-’80s to the early-’00s with Peter’s, Chops, and Bistro 936—to resurface with this snug HerronMorton spot that puts equal focus on experimentation and execution. Guests pack shoulderto-shoulder into the dining room while efficient servers bring out plates of chef Braedon Kellner’s precisely flavored creations (from rich braised-lamb cottage pie to a full selection of vegan options), and George himself works the room. Dinner daily. 402 E. 16th St., 925-5000. $$
Union 50
GASTROPUB With all the glass-block charm of an old blue-collar dining hall, this subtly retro addition just off Mass Ave’s restaurant row showcases playful, rib-sticking cuisine. Sticky chicken wings and kimchi meatloaf were immediate hits. The dishes are served in a dining room decked out in rough wood and sweeping banquettes— the kind of restaurant where Skee-Ball machines don’t look out of place, and live bands add to the rock-star din on select evenings. Dinner daily. 620 N. East St., 6100234. $$$
Nearby venues: Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art, Primary Colours, White Rabbit Cabaret
Bluebeard
diners get their fix at this bustling Fletcher Place spot that has taken on such seemingly challenging nibbles as grilled octopus, gourmet pork cracklings, and pig-face Asian buns. The dishes are executed almost flawlessly by a kitchen staff whom you may reward with a round of PBR (it’s actually on the cocktail menu) and presented by delightfully low-key servers who will not bore you with every little detail about your sweet-potato orzotto, but probably know enough about it to write a dissertation. The menu, which changes daily, lists the smallest portions on top, building up to entree-size offerings, such as a strip loin plated with root-vegetable hash. Share multiple items with the table. Better yet, take a seat at the Bread Bar so that you can chat with the staff over a quartino of red wine. Lunch Mon.–Fri., dinner Mon.–Sun. 653 Virginia Ave., 686-1580. $$
Revolucion
site lemon-roasted potatoes. Fans of strong coffee will want to finish with a cup of the Greek version (and a spoon). Lunch and dinner Mon.–Sat., dinner Sun. 1417 E. Prospect St., 917-1117. $$
Thunderbird
COCKTAILS A brief menu of
Southern-inflected small plates and snacks—like fried black-eyed peas, a grilled pimiento-cheese sandwich, and cheddar-spiked shrimp and grits topped with salsa verde—provide some table-crowding sustenance at this Ed Rudisell– backed watering hole. But boozy concoctions like the rum-andamaro sipper named Joke About Jamaica and a glamorously pink Slapped Actress get most of the attention. Deservedly so; co-owner Joshua Gonzales, formerly of Ball & Biscuit and Libertine, oversees the bar. Dinner Tues.–Sun. 1127 Shelby St., 974-9580. $$
BROAD RIPPLE & BEYOND
Nearby venues: Butler University, Clowes Hall, Indianapolis Art Center, Schrott Center for the Arts, The Vogue
Bent Rail Brewery
MICROBREWERY This 12,000-squarefoot space occupying a former commercial laundry follows the utilitarian taproom formula— cavernous room, shiny tanks out in the open, concrete floor, pool table—but transcends it with a lamb terrine, the most gourmet item on the roster of elevated yet low-fuss sandwiches. The terrine, a moist slab of tender meatloaf, comes topped with sweet tomato jam, whipped goat cheese, lamb bacon, and arugula on soft rye. Chef Craig Baker (who, along with fellow restaurateur Derek Means, is responsible for both Bent Rail and The Local Eatery & Pub) puts all the kettle chips in one basket by focusing his attention between the local artisan bread. These right-sized sandwiches (including a cured-meat panini with heat, a beautifully burnished pulled pork, and a pork-belly Cuban) are fermentation-forward, with lots of pickled veggies and tangy aiolis. There is no list of sides to choose from, but you’ll fork up every fallen bit of crisp, oniony apple-cabbage slaw. Lunch and dinner daily. 5301 N. Winthrop Ave., 737-2698. $$
Thunderbird
CANTINA This funky Fountain
Square cantina run by Radio Radio mastermind Tufty Clough is decorated in three acts: a Lucha Libre–themed dining room, a surf-inspired back room, and a grass-skirted tiki bar out back. The menu is brief but appropriately filled with a selection of tacos stuffed into double tortillas and served basket-style with fried chicharrones de harina pinwheel chips. DIY squirt bottles of hot sauce provide a full range of firepower. Dinner Tues.–Sat. 1132 Prospect St., 423-9490. $
Santorini Greek Kitchen
GREEK/MEDITERRANEAN Owners Taki and Jeanette Sawi load plates with heaping helpings at this popular standby. Tomato balls and spaghetti with gyro meat shine, and an app combo is more than enough for a meal with creamy hummus, buttery tiropita, and baba ganoush. Luckily, many entrees come with a side of exqui-
THE TICKET 2015 | IM 75
DINING GUIDE
Delicia
the sleek dining room, an open cooktop has been swapped for an expansive marble sushi bar where chefs pack innovative maki rolls with juxtaposing flavors, such as the Apple Blossom’s apple, jalapeño, and spicy salmon. Desserts are traditionally Asian, including the subtle sweetness of steamed pears drizzled with honey atop a butter cookie and banana spring rolls swathed in ginger-chocolate ganache. Lunch and dinner Mon.– Sat., dinner Sun. 12505 Old Meridian St., Carmel, 810-1737. $$
NEW LATIN With ambient lighting,
glass arched accents, whiteglazed brick walls, and exposed woodwork, this is not your typical Latin spot; the more-upscale fare melds all the styles of that culture, not representing just one country or cuisine. Every meal starts with sancocho, a tasty shot of broth flavored with chicken and pork. Regional wines and cocktails dominate the drink menu, including prickly-pear cactus juice and not-too-sweet margaritas. Among a variety of rotating dishes, these emerge as winners: the rich, delectable queso fundido with chorizo, melted Chihuahua and panela cheeses, and a tomato-poblano sauce; a trio of juicy scallops wrapped with Serrano ham and topped with matchsticked radishes, and a fantastic lemon-cava sauce; and the velvety, not-toosoggy tres leches sponge cake. Dinner Tues.–Sun. 5215 N. College Ave., 925-0677. $$
Eat + Drink
COCKTAIL LOUNGE Located in a
tight slot next door to its sibling, Taste Cafe, this fresh, young hangout from SoBro pioneers Marc Urwand and Deidra Henry repurposes an actual shipping container as part of its industrialchic decor. The two-level cocktail lounge completes the look with a glassed-in vestibule that opens onto a seating area of deep chairs and clear-block tables containing old spray-paint cans, the universal urban motif. Downstairs, the mood is darker and more mature, with wood accents, a crackling fireplace, and low mood lighting that goes well with the list of classic craft cocktails. The menu is brief and casual, favoring items that don’t require a knife or fork. Lunch Sat.–Sun., dinner Wed.–Sat. 5168 N. College Ave., 925-2233. $$
The Northside Social
CONTEMPORARY A respectable (grownup) alternative to the nightclubs of Broad Ripple, swanky Northside Social offers cocktails and comfort cuisine with equal panache. Sip a colorful martini while perched atop a stool at the bar, or sink into an upholstered bench in the dining room to nosh on seared, stuffed pork chops, beef-and–bleu cheese
76 IM | THE TICKET 2015
The Pint Room
Eat + Drink
fondue, and creamy mac ’n’ cheese made more mature with pancetta, prosciutto, and peppered bacon. Dinner daily. 6525 N. College Ave., 253-0111. $$$
Recess
PRIX FIXE Every night, at chef-
owner Greg Hardesty’s one-meal/ one-price eatery, a different four-course lineup is explained briefly on a paper-slip menu and then fleshed out with competent flourish by servers dressed casually in jeans. Recent hits included a buttery hunk of king salmon on a puddle of sweet guajillo squash puree, a pair of seared scallops in a truffled potato broth that called for slurping down to the last drop, and sweetbreads tangled in fresh pasta with capers and currants. Expert wine pairings with each course are well worth the upcharge. Dinner Tues.–Sat. 4907 N. College Ave., 925-7529. $$$$
CARMEL
Nearby venues: The Palladium and The Tarkington at The Center for the Performing Arts
Crust Pizzeria Napoletana
PIZZA With its sprawling industrial decor and throwback Godfather imagery, Crust lights up its Old Meridian spot like a street-side Naples tribute. Chef-owner Mohey Osman churns out Neapolitanstyle pies such as The Atlantic, with smoked salmon, capers, and
cream cheese underneath a bed of arugula. The menu plays it safe in traditional combinations like the wonderfully spicy Soprano, adorned with hot Italian sausage, pancetta, and pepperoni smothered in homemade sauce made with Stanislaus plum tomatoes and blistered in the 750-degree oven. Lunch and dinner Mon.–Sat. 12505 Old Meridian St., Carmel, 810-1777. $$
Divvy
SMALL PLATES With at least 80 shar-
able dishes, this lively City Center favorite is no place for the indecisive (or kids—patrons must be at least 21). A good rule of thumb is to order two or three items per person over the course of a full meal. The crock of rich, slightly spicy corn creme brulee is now legendary, and pork drumettes— more like individual meaty ribs with sweet blackberry barbecue sauce—will be soon. The Toppers page alone offers a choice of nine spreads and 12 “foundations” (from English cucumbers to fried biscuit bites) for 108 possible combinations. Lunch and dinner Mon.–Sat. 71 W. City Center Dr., Carmel, 706-0000. $$
Miracle Sushi & Modern Asian Cuisine
ASIAN Once a beloved Korean eatery in Fishers, E. Miracle gets a lot more than a trendy name change at its intimate new post in Carmel. At the focal point of
FAMILY PUB This Ohio-based eatery validates its name with 124 craftbeer titles scribbled on miniature chalkboards affixed to the main wall. Nearly 50 of those offerings spotlight preferred local suds like Sun King’s Wee Mac and Upland’s Wheat Ale, while the other choices introduce unfamiliar brews like the super-citrusy Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat tinged with zest and the peppery New Holland Dragon’s Milk. The straightforward menu of playful burgers and sandwiches is just as diverse, ranging from a salty-sweet PB&J take swiped with strawberry preserves to the Italian Stallion, heaped with tender piles of succulent prosciutto, creamy mozzarella, arugula, and fried sage. For your side, move past the kettle chips and hand-cut fries to the crisp sweet-potato fries. Lunch and dinner daily. 110 W. Main St., Carmel, 571-8400. $$
Woodys Library Restaurant
CONTEMPORARY Old-town Carmel has grown up around Kevin Rider’s warm, bookish restaurant housed in a renovated Carnegie library (circa 1913). Though pork chops and steaks headline the entrees, the menu—itself a bit of a tome—continues to evolve in surprisingly delicious ways. Most intriguing is the chapter on comfort food. Homemade potpies place a delicate puff pastry atop rich, well-seasoned stew with baby carrots, onions, and green beans. Lunch and dinner daily, brunch Sun. 40 E. Main St., Carmel, 573-4444. $$$
See IndianapolisMonthly.com/ Dining for full restaurant listings.
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DESTINATIONS
Venue Guide
How to reach the theaters and galleries listed in this book All Souls Unitarian Church
5805 E. 56th St., 545-6005, allsoulsindy.org
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
The Historic Artcraft Theatre 57 N. Main St., Franklin, 736-6823, historicartcrafttheatre.org
Murat Theatre
(See Old National Centre)
Old National Centre
125 S. Pennsylvania St., 917-2500, bankerslifefieldhouse.com
Indiana History Center
450 W. Ohio St., 232-1882, indianahistory.org
502 N. New Jersey St., 231-0000, oldnationalcentre.com
Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre
Indiana Landmarks Center
The Palladium
Biltwell Event Center
Indiana Repertory Theatre
9301 Michigan Rd., 872-9664, beefandboards.com
950 S. White River Pkwy. West Dr., 916-6000
Butler University
4600 Sunset Ave., 800-368-6852, butler.edu
The Cabaret
The Columbia Club, 121 Monument Circle, 275-1169, thecabaret.org
The Center for the Performing Arts 355 City Center Dr., Carmel, 843-3800, thecenterfortheperformingarts.com
The Central Library
40 E. St. Clair St., 275-4100, imcpl.org
Clowes Hall
1201 Central Ave., 639-4534, indianalandmarks.org
140 W. Washington St., 635-5252, irtlive.com
Indiana State Fairgrounds 1202 E. 38th St., 927-7500, in.gov/statefair/fairgrounds/
Indianapolis Art Center
820 E. 67th St., 255-2464, indplsartcenter.org
Indianapolis Museum of Art
4000 Michigan Rd., 923-1331, imamuseum.org
Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art
1043 Virginia Ave.; CityWay, 216 E. South St.; 634-6622, indymoca.org
(See The Center for the Performing Arts)
The Phoenix Theatre
749 N. Park Ave., 635-7529, phoenixtheatre.org
Primary Colours
1043 Virginia Ave., Ste. 217, 721-2780, primarycolours.org
Royal Theater
59 S. Washington St., Danville, 745-1499, royaltheaterdanville.info
Schrott Center for the Arts
Butler University, 610 W. 46th St., 940-2787
Scottish Rite Cathedral
650 N. Meridian St., 262-3100, aasr-indy.org
Second Presbyterian Church 7700 N. Meridian St., 253-6461, secondchurch.org
Butler University, 4602 Sunset Ave., 940-9697, cloweshall.org
IndyFringe Basile Theatre
The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
IU Auditorium
500 W. Washington St., 636-9378, eiteljorg.org
1211 E. 7th St., Bloomington, 812-855-1103, iuauditorium.com
The Tarkington
Footlite Musicals
IU Cinema
Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis
1847 N. Alabama St., 800-838-3006, footlite.org
Gallery 924
719 E. St. Clair St., 478-7848, indyfringe.org
1213 E. 7th St., Bloomington, 812-855-7632, cinema.indiana.edu
Tabernacle Presbyterian Church 418 E. 34th St., 923-5458, tabpres.org
(See The Center for the Performing Arts)
615 W. 43rd St., 283-4760, uui.org
924 N. Pennsylvania St., 631-3301, indyarts.org/gallery-924
JCC Indianapolis
University of Indianapolis
The Harrison Center for the Arts
Klipsch Music Center
The Vogue
Herron Galleries
Long-Sharp Gallery
1505 N. Delaware St., 396-3886, harrisoncenter.org
735 W. New York St., 278-9400, herron.iupui.edu
Hilbert Circle Theatre
45 Monument Circle, 639-4300, hilbertcircle theatreindy.org, indianapolissymphony.org
78 IM | THE TICKET 2015
6701 Hoover Rd., 251-9467, jccindy.org
12880 E. 146th St., Noblesville, 776-8181, klipschmusiccenter.org
50 W. Washington St., 866-370-1601, modernmastersfab.com/long-sharp-gallery/
Marian University
3200 Cold Spring Rd., 955-6000, marian.edu
1400 E. Hanna Ave., 788-3368, uindy.edu/arts
6259 N. College Ave., 259-7029, thevogue.com
The Westin Indianapolis 50 S. Capitol Ave., 262-8100, westinindianapolis.com
White Rabbit Cabaret 1116 Prospect St., 686-9550, whiterabbitcabaret.com
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ON THE GO
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last look
l Love! Shows Yule
Find just the ticket to your perfect holiday evening, from sketch comedy to song-and-dance spectaculars. For more info on these events, see Theater & Dance and Music listings. Chimes of Christmas (Dec. 5) Led by IU’s Grammynominated show choir, The Singing Hoosiers.
Glee!
Straight No Chaser (Dec. 11–13 & 17) Aca-awesome! These international a cappella superstars play two venues.
pitch perfect!
Glee or Pitch Perfect?
both!
The Nutcracker (Dec. 10–13) Indiana Ballet Conservatory’s version will thrill the kids (several are performers).
amazing!
awful!
Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker (Nov. 28) See said rodent at this lavish touring production.
A threeheaded rat king sounds …
Give me lords aleaping!
Nope.
A Christmas Carol (Nov. 14–Dec. 26) A favorite Indy tradition marks its 25th year at Indiana Repertory Theatre.
What?
A Christmas Carol (Dec. 5–21) This Beef & Boards adaptation comes complete with holiday tunes and clocks in at just one hour.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze (Dec. 15–20) Gingerbread men flipping mid-air! Toy soldiers marching on wires! Rediscover your sense of wonder.
80 IM | the ticket 2015
No way!
Yuletide Celebration (Dec. 4–23 ) The ISO pulls out all the stops for this annual toast to the holidays.
Love it!
START
Got a short attention span?
Bah, humbug.
I’ll get something after.
A Christmas Story (Nov. 27– Dec. 20) Yes, the indecorous leg lamp makes it into this stage version of the holiday film.
Feeling a little Scrooge-y, are we?
Do you like people singing and dancing for no reason?
hate it!
A Beef & Boards Christmas (Nov. 27–Dec. 23) Dazzling dance, heartwarming songs, and even a visit from Santa himself fill this family musical.
Fancy dinner with your show?
I’m starving!
always.
Nope.
Are you bringing the fam along?
A Very Phoenix Xmas X (Nov. 27–Dec. 20) All-new comedy sketches and seasonal songs to get you through the holidays.
Branson on the Road Christmas (Nov. 19) Settle in for a good, oldfashioned Christmas jamboree.
Music’s OK, but none of that “nine ladies dancing” stuff.
Which radio station do you listen to?
country.
Jim Brickman (Dec. 17) Expect holiday classics as well as the musician’s more modern hits.
adult comtemporary.
Jazz.
Do you own an ironically ugly holiday sweater?
I do, and it’s glorious.
how do you like your Tv: comedy or reality?
Dave Koz & Friends Holiday Show (Dec. 11) Koz and his cohorts jam at the Palladium.
With a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time!
Never!
SNL!
Real Housewives!
No, I’d shoot my eye out.
Do you want a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas?
Three Dollar Bill Christmas Show (Dec. 12–13 & 19) Don your black tie (or not) for this R-rated sketchcomedy party.
8 Reindeer Monologues (Nov. 27, Dec. 20) North Pole gossip alert! Rumor and innuendo abound in this comedy.
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