I ended up going to the Fonseca Theater on Friday evening March 15th. The Theater is in the…read moreHaughville location, you can't miss the building with the colorful wrapping on the Theater front windows. Entering, the building there are no stairs, the Fonseca Theater does offer free parking, and once in you'll see the building is older, yet the building has been remodeled. The Theater isn't too big, colorful paintings in the building, does have a small concession stand when have Plays there, you'll need to bring in cash to purchase. However, to get to seating area you'll have to take some stairs for the seating area. All the seats in the Theater comes with a drink cup tray. The Play I had the chance on seeing was Blackademics which was an interesting, truth telling, and a lot of funny parts in the Play. Make sure you checkout the play at the Fonseca Theater.

Don't sleep on this theatre! Just off of IUPUI campus and the cutest little black box theatre. I…read morewas in a production of a local playwrights' version of Beauty and the Beast and loved it!

This was for the first performance of the West Side Story production. The orchestra was awesome,…read moreas was the conductor. Singers were wonderful with most doing a very good job of singing in a broadway vs. operatic style. The only disappointing issue for me was the staging. We bought 3 seats at the $57 blue level, thinking from the site that they would have a fairly unobstructed view of the stage and orchestra. And they would have, except we didn't anticipate that there would really be no stage. With the performance taking place on the same level as the audience, anyone but the first row or tables at the left side really couldn't see a lot. We saw arms for dancing. One time even a duet taking place you couldn't see at all, and knew who was singing only if you knew the score. I will say the tiger giving a rumble shortly before "the rumble" was an unexpected plus. An otherwise excellent production, the staging should not be overlooked!

If you want to hear some fantastic voices, get thee to the opera! The Indianapolis Opera is…read moreIndiana's major opera company and performances are usually of excellent quality (Disclaimer: I've done performances with IO in the past!). It's definitely a performing arts organization to look into! During this IO season, they are definitely making strides to utilize the Basile Opera Center more frequently, rather than just Clowes Memorial Hall, which is awesome! This new facility allows patrons to be right in the action as the space is much smaller and definitely more intimate. There is definitely something for everyone this season, from more traditional musical theater, to family-friendly, to large scale opera! And the prices aren't too bad either, usually starting around $18-25. So, what are you waiting for!? Take in an evening (or afternoon) at the opera, you might just like it!

I think there are those organizations that feel like they are part of the cultural tapestry of…read moreIndianapolis. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is definitely one of those organizations. It's hard to imagine that anyone doesn't know ISO, though I'll confess that even I don't go to their concerts often enough. Every time I do, I'm overjoyed. So, the basics. ISO is Indiana's largest nonprofit performing arts organization with over 200,000 people attending their concerts and educational programs annually. A 12-month season includes around 150 concerts, though they're far from limited to their Monument Circle home (they are based out of Hilbert Circle Theatre, though they're likely just as known for their Conner Prairie shows and their educational programs like Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, Teddy Bear Series, Discovery concerts (kids grade 3-6), and others. ISO was founded in 1930 and is getting psyched up to celebrate its 100th anniversary. They have central values of Inspiration, Unity, Integrity, and Stewardship. If you've ever been to Circle Theatre, or any of their concerts really, you know they emphasize accessibility to music and to their shows (I will admit I have had a couple concerns with the Conner Prairie shows and accessibility). The musicians are not just immensely talented, but it's often quite the joy seeing them interact with audiences - and I love watching educational programs. From stunning classical music to pop culture integration (like the Star Wars shows), I love the creativity and just plain fun of these concerts. Truly, truly truly...ISO is one of Indy's true treasured non-profits.

Something is very wrong with the management here in 2025. Been volunteering as an usher here for…read moreover 20 years and was informed recently my services were no longer needed without explanation. I inquired into this and was ignored. I volunteer usher at over a dozen venues all very happy with me. I am on time, do my job, am friendly with the patrons & tidy up the venue after shows. Please do not patronize a company that treats others like this.

Every summer, the Garfield Shakespeare Company produces FREE Shakespeare shows at the MacAllister…read moreampitheatre in Garfield Park, as well as a spring show in the Garfield Park Arts Center. Admission to the summer outdoor show is free and unreserved, and you don't have to bring your own chairs, as the ampitheatre includes seats. Last year, I saw their performance of Romeo and Juliet; this year, they did Julius Caesar. They're an amateur company, and it's a labor of love, but the shows are quite good (especially for free outdoor Shakespeare!) The actors are also well mic'd, which means that you should be able to hear them even if you're sitting near the back. They're also putting on some less commonly performed shows (such as Richard II in spring 2018), which is very exciting. Check them out in the spring and summer!

The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra made its debut in 1984 under the name Musicians of the Cloister…read more In 1987, the organization changed its name to Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. In 2007, ICO joined the Indiana State University Contemporary Music Festival as Orchestra-in-Residence - this is an honor that continues to this day. In 2012-2013, it also became Orchestra-in-Residence for the Butler University Schrott Center for the Arts. In 2015, ICO released its first commercial CD "Momentum 21." I've seen ICO more than once - most recently at Garfield Park, an ideal location for this smaller orchestra as they played beautifully surrounded by the sounds of nature and an absolutely stunning day. ICO has nearly 2,500 supporters, nearly 40 seasons, 235+ performances played, and 34 musicians. ICO's mission is to advance and promote music composed for the small orchestra through professional concert performances and education programs. They have a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion on their website and in their practices. As I began exploring their concert season for this year, I was impressed that they openly had references to accessible seating. As a wheelchair user, I'm often used to the idea that I have to go hunting for the information. The Schrott Center for the Arts is quite accessible. You can buy season tickets or individual concerts. They also do educational programming including virtually. Matthew Kraemer is the music director and principal conductor. While ISO gets an awful lot of attention here in Indy, I actually really love ICO with its smaller orchestra and more intimate sound. There's a passion that comes alive that I really appreciate and these artists have unique programming and a true sense of adventure in terms of what they'll perform. If you've never been to an ICO performance, I highly recommend it.

We went to a performance at Butler of the ICO. They played three sets (sorry if it is not called a…read moreset). Each set was with a different mix of instruments. Our favorite was when the grand piano was on the stage, but they were all great!

I recently had the positive experience of producing an evening of stand-up comedy with fellow…read moreYelper Rick G., an event that also benefited a non-profit effort that I'm putting together and was held at Khaos Company Theatre, a small but growing operation out of the Near-Eastside's Brookside Industrial Centre at 1775 N. Sherman Drive. A new professional theatre aiming to provide emerging artists both production opportunities and an affordable venue, Khaos Company Theatre was birthed out of the academic experiences of Kaylee Spivey Good and, in fact, derives its name from a play she scripted called "Khaos." Incorporated as an LLC in 2014, Khaos Company Theatre began life in the Rivoli/East 10th Street area before moving into its current home a little over a year ago. While an office park may seem like an odd location for a growing theatrical company, the location offers Khaos the urban feeling that it desires while also providing the option for ample free parking and room to grow. Khaos offers three stage options: 1) The Cabaret Theatre seats 30 plus offers standing room and rental starts at $50. 2) The Elevated Stage seats 50 and rental starts at $100. 3) The Mainstage seats 75 and rental starts at $150. Generally, Khaos rentals start at 3-hour blocks with additional hours incurring additional fees. In our case, we rented The Mainstage for 5 hours - $190. Added to this cost? They sell snacks and light refreshments with all proceeds staying in-house, while Khaos also keeps 20% of the door receipts. While the 20% is potentially a bit steep depending upon how you handle your tickets, it does include the fact that Khaos supplies tickets, has online ticketing and also has someone at the theatre during the show to handle ticket sales. I was a tad concerned given that we were doing tickets by donation, an approach that could have led to a large chunk being taken out of donations intended for charity. In fact, I will note that I consider the ticketing aspect to be Khaos's major flaw as a business concept. Khaos is largely wheelchair friendly with a couple accessible parking spaces, a curb cut and a wheelchair accessible restroom available. As near as I could tell, only one of the three staging areas was truly accessible, the Mainstage, though it would take very little to make the Cabaret wheelchair friendly. As one can tell from the photos, there's a raw, urban feel to the staging and these spaces really are geared toward the indie artist. As we were recording the event we held, we had a near disaster when the electric went out in the Mainstage, but much to their credit the folks at Khaos had their tech folks respond quite quickly and the problem was resolved. I enjoyed this experience, though I'd be more likely to return to Khaos either for one of their own shows or for a more straightforward production. While Khaos does host benefits, I found the fee structure less friendly to smaller non-profits and doubt I would host one of my typically smaller events in the space. This may change, however, as the organization grows and better defines itself. Still, Khaos Company Theatre is a very welcome addition to the Indy stage scene and offers emerging artists opportunities for performance and exploration of their talents. The people were terrific to work with, the space affordable and the spaces easily adapted to a wide variety of staging needs. Khaos already offers a variety of shows including Shakespeare, an alt-facts improv tour, an annual playwriting competition and much more. If you're an indie artist looking for opportunities, I'd check them out.

Khaos is both a venue and a production company. They put on plays (including Shakespeare), improv,…read morecomedy, and open mic. Check out their web site. They have real artist type people. You can tell they are artist type people because they wear black. BTW, Yelper Rick Garrett will be performing humor Fri Aug 4th, 2017, at 7pm. You ought to go see it. Www. Rick Garrett. Net

Great group with great shows! Friendly and welcoming staff, great place to see live theatre!read more

I love going to Wilkerson Dance Studio. They offer classes for many styles of dance, including…read morejazz, tap, ballet, madern, contemporary, and hip hop. There are many friendly teachers, and they are very encouraging. If you don't understand a step, they will go over it until you get it. You learn 2 dances, one for the spring recital, and one for the Christmas recital. Some classes will also learn a short Halloween dance to perform at the Riley festival. The studios all have the wall in the front of the room covered with a mirror, so that you can see how well you are doing and what you need to improve. Also, all of these classes are offered for ages 3 and up, with classes for adults as well. I will always love dancing at Wilkerson Dance Studio! -Lexi P.