STAGES
American Lives Theatre co-production with The New Harmony Project: “Wad”
“Wad” is a co-production of American Lives Theatre and The New Harmony Project. Photo by IndyGhost.com.
Playwright Keiko Green and director Emily Moler have worked together on the script for years, including at last year’s PlayFest from The New Harmony Project. The play development festival paved the way for a full production. This comedy/drama is about a young woman, Nyce, who becomes pen pals with Jim, a man on death row. As Jim’s execution date nears, he and Nyce live out alternate realities, fantasize about death, tell a bunch of lies, and eventually stumble into something resembling truth. An unexpected and funny exploration of human connection and exploitation.
Southbank Theatre Company: “Equivocation”
Southbank Theatre Company opens their season with “Equivocation.” Photo by IndyGhost.com.
Equivocation: the use of deliberately vague, ambiguous, or double-meaning words to deceive, avoid a commitment, or mislead others. It is also known as the equivocation fallacy, a type of informal logical fallacy where a term’s meaning shifts during an argument, making the argument unsound. Examples include using “right” to mean both a legal entitlement and a moral good, or using “organic” for chemical compounds and agricultural methods interchangeably.
England, 1605: A terrorist plot to assassinate King James I and Parliament has been thwarted. Shakespeare is commissioned to write the “true historie” of the plot and is confronted with the ultimate moral and artistic dilemma: Speak truth to power and perhaps lose his head, or take the money and lie. Is there a third option — equivocation? A high-stakes political thriller with contemporary resonances.
- When: Sept. 11-21
- Where: The main Shelton Auditorium entrance at the rear of the building is closed for renovation. For this performance, you will need to enter through the Fountain Entrance doors.
- Tickets: www.butlerartscenter.org
Mud Creek Players: “Dearly Beloved”
Mud Creek is closing out their season with “Dearly Beloved.” Photo by IndyGhost.com.
Mud Creek closes its 75th season with hilarity, Texas style! An over-the-top wedding, three feuding sisters, and a church full of small-town eccentrics. What could possibly go wrong? In this fast-paced, laugh-a-minute comedy, the Futrelle sisters of Fayro, Texas — Frankie, Twink, and their estranged sister, Honey Raye — are thrown together to pull off a family wedding. But it is not going well. Frankie’s oldest twin daughter is marrying the son of the queen of what passes for high society in Fayro, and Frankie is desperate to make this wedding an elegant affair. It soon becomes obvious that Fate has other plans … This joyful Southern-fried Jones Hope Wooten comedy about love, marriage, sisterhood, and 300 pounds of good, ol’ Texas barbeque will have you laughing all the way down the aisle!
- When: Sept. 11-27
- Tickets: Pay-What-You-Want Preview on Thursday, Sept. 11, no ticket necessary; www.mudcreekplayers.org
Epilogue Players: “A Jukebox for the Algonquin”
A humorous play by Paul Stroili about elderly residents in a New York senior care home who decide to raise money to buy a Wurlitzer jukebox for their recreation room, named “The Algonquin,” to recapture their youth. To fund their goal, they resort to selling marijuana grown from plants left by a deceased resident, leading to comical and thought-provoking situations as they navigate aging, friendship, and desire for more life.
Storytelling Arts of Indiana: “Who Gets to Call this Home?” featuring Susan O’Halloran
Susan O’Halloran
Sue O’Halloran takes us on a journey from her front porch on the south side of Chicago to the wider world of international refugee crises and big-city racial politics. Through humorous, touching, and thought-provoking original stories, Sue will lead us to celebrate our less-than-perfect families, our own uncertain attempts to make a difference, and some little-known moments in our country’s history that will make us proud. For those of you who saw the show via Zoom during the pandemic in 2020, Sue says the stories will include some old favorites as well as new ones.
Noblesville Shakespeare in the Park: “The Merry Wives of Windsor”
Down-on-his-luck scoundrel Sir John Falstaff arrives in Windsor and sets his sights on wooing two wealthy wives. But Mistress Page and Mistress Ford are on to him … and ready to turn the tables in a whirlwind of wit, mischief, and revenge.
- When: Sept. 17–20 at 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Federal Hill Commons Park
- Tickets: FREE
Carmel Community Players: “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Scout and her brother, Jem, live with their widowed father, Atticus Finch, in a sleepy Alabama town during the Great Depression. The facade of the seemingly peaceful town begins to crack when a young Black man is accused of a terrible crime. Driven by an unshakeable moral conviction, local lawyer Atticus defends the man in a trial that sends violent waves through the community. Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, this hard-hitting work explores prejudice, compassion, and the courage to do what is right.
PlayFest Indy: “One Party Consent” by Omer Abbas Salem
Throughout the 2025-26 season, five of America’s most dynamic playwrights will collaborate with five leading Indianapolis theater companies to bring brand-new plays to life. Each development week will culminate in public, concert-style readings that invite audiences to engage directly with the playwrights and their evolving work. All performances are ASL interpreted. “One Party Consent” is hosted by American Lives Theatre.
About the play: Trust is tricky. “One Party Consent” follows Fola, a non-binary MFA directing student of color, who secretly records a volatile meeting with their white dean, only to face unexpected consequences. The story explores equitable representation in academia, power, privacy, and allyship through a sharply contemporary queer lens.
About the playwright: Omer Abbas Salem is a Chicago-based actor and playwright whose work has been developed or produced by Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, Jackalope, About Face, and more. His play “Mosque4Mosque” premiered at About Face in 2022, and “Happy Days are Here (Again)” was named one of Chicago Tribune’s Top 10 Plays of 2024. He’s the recipient of the 3Arts Award, the Cunningham Commission, and First Floor Theatre’s Blueprint Commission. Current commissions include new works for Steppenwolf, Audible Theater, and Goodman Theatre’s New Stages.
Dance Kaleidoscope: “Now Vol. 1: Launch”
Dance Kaleidoscope opens with “Now Vol. 1: Launch.”
Let go, give in, and get ready to kick off DK’s 54th season with “Launch,” featuring “Cloudline,” a company premiere by acclaimed guest choreographer Robyn Mineko Williams. “Cloudline” is a stunning, dreamlike work that combines exquisite movement with 30-foot-wide silk that floats, twists, and transforms across the stage. The dancers don’t just move to the music — they move with the silk, creating a shifting, ethereal landscape that feels like watching poetry in motion. “Launch” will also feature “Quorum,” a seductive, pulsating world premiere by Broadway and Alvin Ailey alum Sean Aaron Carmon. “Quorum” is an urgent dance work that unfolds as a debate of physicality. Through sharp contrasts of resistance and unity, this ballet unapologetically reflects on the hyper-polarized political climate, where questions of power, representation, and accountability loom large.
“The Witcher” in Concert
A cinematic live show celebrating the 10th anniversary of “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt,” featuring a live orchestra and special guest performers from “Percival,” who play and arrange the game’s iconic music while synchronizing it with stunning in-game visuals and gameplay footage. The experience offers fans a chance to relive the world of the open-world RPG through its award-winning soundtrack, enhanced by a professional ensemble and the original co-composers of the score.
Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations. Immerse yourself in the emotional music of the British songstress, performed by a string quartet whilst surrounded by hundreds of candles.
Opera in the Park
In collaboration with Friends of Garfield Park, the 51st season begins with the eighth annual free Opera in the Park concert. Hosted by opera superstar soprano Angela Brown and Maestro Alfred Savia, the concert features an incredible lineup of special musical guests, including baritone Rafael Porto and soprano Cara Collins, performing alongside the Indianapolis Opera Resident Artists and Chorus. Experience captivating performances and topnotch vocal artistry while enjoying the spacious park, where food trucks, beer, and wine are available for picnicking with friends and family.
- When: Saturday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.
- Where: MacAllister Amphitheater in Garfield Park
- Tickets: FREE, donations accepted
“This Woman’s Worth” presented by Ronni Watts
Get ready for an unforgettable night of drama, healing, and raw emotion. “This Woman’s Worth” is a gripping original stage play that tells the story of Raina, a devoted wife, mother, and woman who seems to have it all together on the outside, but is quietly crumbling on the inside. When betrayal, emotional abuse, and deep family secrets come to light, Raina is forced to confront the truth, stand in her power, and choose herself for the first time.
- When: Sunday, Sep. 14, 3 p.m.
- Where: Indiana History Center
- Tickets: eventbrite.com
Visiting Writers Series: Victoria Chang
Victoria Chang’s most recent book of poems is “With My Back to the World,” published in 2024. It received the Forward Prize in Poetry for Best Collection. A few of her other books include “The Trees Witness Everything,” “OBIT,” and “Dear Memory: Letters on Writing, Silence, and Grief.” She has written several children’s books as well. She has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Chowdhury International Prize in Literature, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. She is the Bourne Chair in Poetry at Georgia Tech and Director of Poetry@Tech. Audience Q&A and book signing will follow the author’s reading.
- When: Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Schrott Center for the Arts
- Tickets: FREE, tickets are not required
Indianapolis Women’s Chorus: “The Power of The Voice”
IWC’s magical and powerful sound isn’t an accident; it’s the product of careful teaching by beloved Artistic Director Meagan Johnson, in collaboration with the 120 voices that make up the chorus. Join them for an unforgettable afternoon of music and insights as IWC Artistic Director Meagan Johnson shares how she combines her experience as a classically trained soprano and voice instructor with her passion for empowering IWC’s voice and get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into IWC’s sound and community. Meagan will perform a solo set with songs that demonstrate and celebrate the power of the human singing voice and that features soaring classical selections, including music by influential women of the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as musical theater favorites. Plus, you can learn about the “Crescendo: Growing IWC’s Future” funding campaign and enjoy a post-event reception.
Festival 451 Indy: Annual Ray Bradbury Writer’s Talk
An evening with “USA Today” bestselling author Mary Robinette Kowal, four-time Hugo and Nebula Award winner, podcaster, proand fessional puppeteer. Known for “The Calculating Stars,” “The Spare Man,” and “The Glamourist Histories,” Kowal blends wit, research, and imagination to craft stories spanning spacefaring adventures, magical regency dramas, and reimagined histories. Presented as part of Festival 451indy, this signature event honors Ray Bradbury’s legacy by spotlighting contemporary voices of curiosity and imagination. Books will be available for purchase from Tomorrow Bookstore, with a signing to follow.
OTHER STUFF
Festival of Faiths
Discover the heartbeat of our city’s spiritual and cultural diversity at the 2025 Festival of Faiths. From joyful music and dance performances to thought-provoking interfaith dialogue, interactive booths, and delicious local eats, this free, family-friendly event invites you to connect, celebrate, and learn. Whether you’re part of a faith community, exploring new perspectives, or simply looking for a vibrant way to spend your Sunday, there’s something here for everyone.
- When: Sept. 14, 1-5 p.m.
- Where: University Park
- Tickets: FREE; RSVP
20th anniversary celebration for FIDO
Indulge your taste buds at a diverse lineup of food trucks serving delicious treats that cater to every craving. Lace up your walking shoes for a lively, fun walk, perfect for enjoying the great outdoors with your furry companions. Delight in a variety of engaging games designed specifically for both pets and families, ensuring fun for everyone involved. Browse through a selection of unique vendors showcasing their merchandise and services, all while enjoying the sounds of live music that will keep the atmosphere vibrant and festive.
- When: Saturday, Sept. 13, 10 a.m.
- Where: Brookside Park
- Tickets: FREE and does not require a ticket
Bucks for Balls Drag Brunch
Drag performers, brunch, raffle baskets, and more. Have a great time and help Indy Dog Advocates raise money for the Bucks for Balls spay/neuter program for low-income dog owners.
Lego show for ICAN
Come see a cool Lego show and support ICAN dogs. See Lego builds, buy Legos, and win prizes.
- When: Saturday, Sept. 13, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Where: Fatima Event Center 1040 N Post Rd Indianapolis.
- Tickets: $3 per person, $15 for the family
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nuvo.net ’
