Sherlock Holmes, as you’ve never seen her before By John Lyle Belden A different, yet familiar, game is afoot at Mud Creek Players with “Miss Holmes,” by Christopher M. Walsh, based on characters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, directed by Alaina Moor…

Sherlock, as you’ve never seen her before - "Miss Holmes" at Mud Creek Players, this Friday through Sunday. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/04/22/s...

Epilogue: A story of loss, discovery, and healing By Wendy Carson Joy is a fairly typical New Yorker. She is a designer who works from home and is still single at 36. What makes her special is that she just received a heart transplant. Like many r…

A donated heart brings healing to more than the recipient in "The Tin Woman" at Epilogue Players, this Thursday through Sunday. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/04/22/e...

CCP presents Grand adventure By John Lyle Belden The play “Men on Boats” by Jaclyn Backhaus is pretty much that – some men who rode on boats going downriver. And yet it is so much more. Produced by Carmel Community Players, di…

The story of the official U.S. exploration of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, with a twist. Carmel Community Players presents "Men on Boats" at The Cat in downtown Carmel. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/04/21/c...

IBTC: True incident inspires Morisseau drama By John Lyle Belden “Southern trees bear strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root…” These lyrics, written by a white activist and made famous by legendary Black singer Billie Holid…

Drama inspired by the "Jena 6" prosecutions, from the perspective of the students, "Blood at the Root" presented by Indianapolis Black Theater Company at the District Theatre Thursday through Sunday, April 23-26.
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IRT: Facing horror with hope and hospitality By John Lyle Belden We all have a story. Those of us who remember – most of us alive at the time do – all have a story of where they were and what they were doing on Sept. 11, 2001. Just the two nu…

Neighborly Canadians bringing kindness to a very dark time - the incredible musical "Come From Away" at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.
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Disney next-generation tale on Epsilon stage By Wendy Carson For those of you who are not familiar with the Disney Descendants franchise, allow me to sum up: All of the classic Heroes and Villains now have teenage kids. All villains (includin…

Does the poison apple fall far from the tree? Epsilon Theatrical Company presents Disney's "Descendants: The Musical" this weekend at Broadway UMC. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/04/15/d...

BCP: The importance of I, You, and We By John Lyle Belden “You’re not really what I expected today.” Those words are by celebrated playwright Lauren Gunderson, in “I and You,” presented by Buck Creek Players. They are spoken by Carolin…

Finding new perspective in old poetry, a girl with health issues completes an important project in "I and You" at Buck Creek Players
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Phoenix presents quirky quest for a dignified end By John Lyle Belden As often happens, we find the way to feel comfortable about a serious topic is through comedy. You don’t get much more serious than imminent death. Welcome to “Wasabia,” a fairl…

Starring two people dealing with death, and two characters who are real pills, Phoenix Theatre presents the serious comedy "Wasabia" through April 12
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CAT: One by one they fall, who is killing them all? By John Lyle Belden For an entertaining, affordable outing that also helps support and encourage local talent, we recommend Carmel Apprentice Theatre performances at (naturally) The Cat. C.A.T. giv…

Cats have nine lives, but C.A.T. plays 10-ish murders in "And Then There Were None" this Friday and Saturday at The Cat in Carmel.
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Asante shows ‘Glory’ of Attucks team By John Lyle Belden The word “asante” is an expression of gratitude used in much of Africa. Here in central Indiana, we are grateful for Deborah Asante and the Asante Art Institute (expanded from h…

Legendary players, legendary coach, a legendary team - all with 'A Touch of Glory,' presented by Asante Art Institute at The Athenaeum Thursday through Saturday, April 2-4. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/03/30/a...

No small parts, just big questions By John Lyle Belden It’s only natural to wonder what roles we fill in the big story of our lives. You feel like the star of your own narrative, but imagine what an unseen audience might think – wha…

No need to flip a coin to decide, it's worth it to go down to Bloomington to see Eclipse Productions' "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" this Friday through Sunday.
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GSC mounts ‘Richard III’ By John Lyle Belden Garfield Shakespeare Company is an exceptional part of the Indianapolis theatre scene. The not-for-profit volunteer company, residing at beautiful Garfield Park south of downtow…

Garfield Shakespeare Company presents ‘Richard III’ - free admission, but reservations recommended - Thursday through Saturday at Garfield Park Arts Center south of downtown Indy
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Tragic depth in half-full bathtubs By John Lyle Belden Fascination with unusual murder has been a pop culture staple for centuries, especially if such stories are true. Through the last century or so, the arts have explored the mind…

Tragic depth in half-full bathtubs, witness "The Drowning Girls" by Main Street Productions in Westfield, through March 29.
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Lessons beyond language in ‘English’ at IRT By John Lyle Belden In the United States, we take for granted speaking one of the most confoundingly complex languages on Earth. Still, for various reasons millions of people around the world insis…

Learning another language has its benefits, but it can challenge your relationship to the speech that helps define you - "English" at the Indiana Repertory Theatre through April 4.
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Civic’s bold ‘Letter’ centers strong heroine By Wendy Carson I have been writing a lot about strong women these days, and Hester Prynne is undoubtably one of the strongest examples of such in American literature. She first entered my consciou…

Brittany Magee excels at playing defiant characters, and shines as Hester Prynne in the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre production of "The Scarlet Letter," through March 28 at the Studio Theater in the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/03/17/c...

Elect to experience this ethnic exploration By John Lyle Belden Comedy draws a lot of laughs from discomfort, but what if it could be you in the audience who is feeling it? In “The Hispanic / Latino / Latina / Latinx / Latine Vote,” by Berna…

Funny, but people are more than an assumption about soccer or spicy food - also funny: "The Hispanic / Latino / Latina / Latinx / Latine Vote" at Fonseca Theater through March 29.
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Treadwell tragedy retooled by Southbank By John Lyle Belden It’s enticing to explore the mind of a killer, but to only define the person that way misses the point and prevents understanding. In 1927, a woman – an unhappy mother possibly …

A fascinating examination of a woman broken in the works of "Machinal," presented by Southbank Theatre Company at Butler's Sheldon Auditorium
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Local ‘Greatest Star’ in Footlite ‘Funny Girl’ By Wendy Carson The musical “Funny Girl” and Barbra Streisand are so connected in most people’s minds that it’s honestly hard to picture anyone else in the part. After all, Fanny Brice was a force …

Hello, Gorgeous! Footlite Musicals presents fantastic 'Funny Girl' through March 22 playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/03/11/l...

Belfry: Story of growing up and growing apart By John Lyle Belden Do you miss your high school days? Or were you thankful to leave them behind? These questions come to mind as we watch the three ladies of the play “Vanities,” the Off-Broadway …

The Belfry Theatre presents "Vanities" at The Cat in Carmel, Friday evening and matinees Saturday and Sunday (March 13-15)
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Indy Drag’s crowning achievement By John Lyle Belden “Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived.” Divas – Bedazzled – Live! If there was ever a Broadway show perfect for Indy Drag Theatre parody treatment, it’s “Six.”…

Queens as Queens! Indy Drag Theatre presents "Six: A Drag Parody Musical" in IDT's new home, the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, through March 15. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/03/09/i...

Fresh serving of ‘Spitfire Grill’ in Hamilton County By John Lyle Belden A balm for hard times, Carmel Community Players returns us to Gilead, Wis., with a new production of “The Spitfire Grill” at The Switch Theatre in Fishers. Based on the 1996 fil…

Something's cooking at the ‘Spitfire Grill,’ presented by Carmel Community Players at The Switch in Fishers, through Sunday, March 8. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/03/01/f...

Lots to unpack in Center Stage rom-com By John Lyle Belden A good comedy skit relates the concept of past relationship “baggage” to literal suitcases. A good play takes that idea and makes it so much more. Center Stage Community Theatre…

Switched luggage leads to an unlikely pairing in "Baggage" presented by Center Stage Community Theatre in Lebanon, through March 8.
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Cryptid ‘Bats’ another hit By John Lyle Belden Part of the genius of Dakota Jones is that through Cryptid Entertainment he and his accomplices do masterful work in the space where comedy, horror, schlock, and camp intersect.…

You can trust an outfit called Cryptid to bring "Bat Boy: The Musical" back to an Indy stage. Tickets selling fast!
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Mud Creek brings the chaos of ‘Carnage’ By John Lyle Belden When as parents we advocate for our children, ironically, it’s too easy to become childish ourselves. That’s the serious premise of the Tony-winning comedy “God of Carnage” by Y…

When it comes to our kids, it's hard to talk things through like adults -- chaotic comedy "God of Carnage" at Mud Creek Players this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 20-21)
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Don’t tell her it’s ‘About Nothing’ By Wendy Carson and John Lyle Belden IndyShakes brings us the World Premiere of Lavina Jadhwani’s clever play, “Ado.” In what would be her last theatrical work before being taken by cancer in Septe…

Making "Hero" the Hero of her own story, a fresh perspective on a Shakespeare story in the World Premiere of "Ado" presented by Indy Shakes at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/02/15/d...

BCP: Convent winery spilling secrets By John Lyle Belden I suspect Catholic orders are nowhere near as fun as they are portrayed in stage comedies. Still, welcome to the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing in “Drinking Habits,” the hilarious …

In Vino Very-Silly -- "Drinking Habits" at Buck Creek Players this weekend. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/02/10/b...

GHDT’s ‘crowning’ achievement By Wendy Carson Gregory Glade Hancock constantly brings new and innovative dance experiences to the stage, and his latest, “The Pageant,” is certainly a triumph. In The Florence performance space a…

These dancers will do anything to win "The Pageant" - even speak and sing! Presented by Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre for two more weekends. playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/02/10/g...

Lessons impact more than students in ALT drama By John Lyle Belden Home Economics education was a normal part of growing up female in America for most of the 20th century. Colleges took it a step further with degree programs and entire departme…

Loosely based on real events, ALT presents "Borrowed Babies" at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/02/10/l...

Chekhov’s fun: Epilogue presents Durang hit By John Lyle Belden Celebrated American playwright Christopher Durang, notable for his comedies, gave us in 2012 an instant classic – “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” – inspired by the legacy …

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and Epilogue Players, oh my! playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/02/09/c...

‘Almost’ feels just right By John Lyle Belden In troubling times, it is good to take a moment to relax, have a smile or even a laugh, and just look at the Northern Lights. Welcome to “Almost, Maine,” that quirky township on…

Love is a funny thing. Visit "Almost, Maine" by way of Main Street Productions in Westfield, through Feb. 15 (including Valentine's Day!) playswithjohnandwendy.com/2026/02/09/a...