Shana Ngo

Not long ago, we in Indy bid farewell to her. But bringing the human condition of suffering to light and finding the humor within the pain are two reasons she says she couldn’t turn down the role of Sonia.

Including the complexities of when to wear white (“Just never wear white”)and the perplexity of the sleeveless turtleneck (“Are you hot or are you cold? Make up your mind!”).

“I go more for what feels good and what lasts,” says owner Shelly Petrowski, “because I know that these days, what we work out in is our outfit for the entire day.”

Koch and Platt opened their performance as pair called the Polka Dots, who “put the fun back in funeral” at an Indiana-based funeral convention. The two kept the satire local …

The brilliance of this play lies in understanding that, as an audience, we aren’t laughing at the ethnicity, tragedy, or handicap of the characters. Rather, it allows us the chance to laugh at ourselves for our own prejudices and judgments.

The IRT’s performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream continue through May 12, and these two are in the thick of it.

Phoenix Theatre vet and Bloomington resident Diane Kondrat will bid farewell to the Indy theater scene after her role in The Lyons is complete. She recently spoke with IM about why she chose this part as her last before making her next move.

It’s April in 1865. General Robert E. Lee has surrendered, and Southern soldiers are retreating home. For many of them, it takes days and weeks to return from Appomattox.The slaves are freed. And it just so happens to be a time that people of Jewish faith are preparing to celebrate Passover. It is also a sad time for African Americans as they discover President Abraham Lincoln’s passing.

Here, director Tim Ocel speaks to IM about the parallels to draw and complexities to consider among race, war, and religion in Indiana Repertory Theatre’s newest play, The Whipping Man. Ocel’s adaptation of Matthew Lopez’s Civil War–era play deals with these hot-button issues head-on, but, as Ocel explains, it’s important to take an active role in breaking down barriers by having controversial conversations. The Whipping Man, opening tonight, is sure to have audiences talking, but before that, we spoke with its director:

Indiana Repertory Theatre’s newest play, Jackie & Me is the stage adaptation of Dan Gutman’s novel centered around the great Jackie Robinson, the first African American in Major League Baseball, and the racism and adversity he had to overcome to play the game he loved. The novel, geared toward a younger audience, teaches important life lessons about temper control, acceptance, and cultural diversity through the eyes of Joey Stoshack, a hot-headed Polish little-leaguer living in the present day.

Upbeat and perfectly choreographed, the enthusiastic performers and phenomenal orchestra really fill up the small space.

Indiana Repertory Theatre playwright-in-residence James Still talked to IM moments before the recent world premiere of his newest play, The House That Jack Built. Here, Still divulges his inspiration for the play and how it became the platform to tell a story he couldn’t find the words to say himself.

The Indiana Repertory Theatre is touting The House That Jack Built as “the next great American play,” and it opened to a packed house for last weekend’s world premiere. The buzz around this latest work by IRT playwright-in-residence James Still is well-founded: It received the 2012 Todd McNerney National New Play Prize, and Still’s poetic depiction of a Thanksgiving get-together in Vermont is sharp, witty, and modern.

Now in the intimate Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre at Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts, The Woman in Black (through Nov. 10) is a chilling play based on the novel by Susan Hill (and one of the longest-running in London’s West End).

A new lounge aimed at young professionals opened its doors last weekend. Lounge 54, located inside Brewstone Beer Company (3720 E. 82nd St., 317-577-7800), aims to fill a void within Indianapolis nightlife scene by attracting career-minded individuals and local celebrities. Ben Priest, general manager of Brewstone, got in touch with long-time friend John Ban to create an intimate place for young professionals to unwind.