For a wheelchair user, I seem to have a weird fascination with everything in the world that's not…read moreparticularly accessible. Case in point? The Irvington Lodge. I love this building. I would never really recommend the building for wheelchair users, though I've managed to get around it fairly well. The building began development in 1921 and was completed in 1922. Like many Masonic Lodges, the ground floor was intentionally designed to allow for retail spaces as this would help support the Lodge. If you're familiar with the Irvington Lodge, then you know that it bears on it the rather ominous "Lodge #666" marking. It seems fitting to have this be in a neighborhood recognized for its many haunted locations, but there's no denying it even creeps me out a bit. The building was rumored to be the host of Ku Klux Klan meetings in the 1920s - KKK Grand Dragon D.C. Stephenson lived only a few blocks away in a mansion on University Avenue. Until 1950, the Lodge also hosted the Irvington Post Office. The Irvington Lodge continues to be an actively utilized building. Retail spaces are taken by Irvington Vinyl & Books, Hampton Designs Studio & Shop, and LVLUP Gaming Lounge. Additionally, Mosaic Church uses the Lodge's entire 3rd floor. Accessibility is most challenging in the 1st floor retail spots, though I noticed during my recent visit that Irvington Vinyl & Books had installed a bit of a ramp trying to help the situation. It's certainly not ADA, though it is an improvement. You can get into the first floor of the lodge. There is an elevator to the 2nd and 3rd floors. The 2nd floor includes a theatre room, reception room, a fully functioning kitchen, and a buffet area. You can rent these facilities and the rates are pretty market friendly. The Theatre Room has over 2300 square feet and many period touches still in place. It's rather stunning. The Reception Room is right about 1400 square feet. The 3rd floor has a couple of large main rooms. Hardwood floors are in place throughout and there's a stunning balcony that would be great for a wedding (unless you're in a wheelchair - then it would suck). This is one of those buildings I can't help but love. I'd give almost anything to have an office here, though it would inherently be a not particularly wheelchair friendly one. You also have close proximity to the Irving and nearby Irvington area businesses. Renting the facilities requires the usual liability insurance in place and a deposit, though rates are pretty friendly. They don't have preferred vendors - so, it offers flexibility that some venues don't. The Irvington Lodge was acquired, I believe, around late 2017-2018 by longtime Eastside resident Yasha Persson and a team. Given the pandemic was right around the corner, it was a challenging time to acquire such a beautiful building. However, here's hoping it continues to be such a beautiful, vibrant part of Irvington.

3rd floor gallery in the Irvington Lodge is a beautiful space! Great light for the artwork and just…read morea gorgeous venue all around. The pinball room is also amazing and a great way to get the whole family out to experience art and entertainment without breaking the bank! It is also perfect for weddings, parties and pop up markets. A true Irvington and Indianapolis gem!!!

The live performance of Come From Away was absolutely…read moreincredibly fantastic. The best event I have been to in years. The cast and the band were amazing. A must see.

We recently visited the IRT for the first time and had a lovely experience. The production we…read moreattended was excellent, and the building is beautiful. There was also an option to buy parking in advance that was quite reasonable. I'll definitely be watching their schedule to find a reason to return.

If you haven't been to the Irving on acoustic night, you're really missing out. Mark Proctor was…read morethere for the local community even during COVID thanks to Dale! It truly is gorgeous there and in the winter open stage is going on inside so it's nice and warm. This gem have some other interesting nights like Rocky horror picture show as well as I heard one time Michael Anthony Hall came, and while they played the movie, he would give his stories about his times in the brat pack. My favorite player at the acoustic night is Mansuper!

I saw an event onYelp's things to do about a performance that was designed after WW2 USO shows…read more It was held in the Irving theatre First the theatre, an historic landmark. It has been completely gutted. Even the ceiling studs are apparent. They have put up clever lighting but it is quite evident the theatre is going through transition. Some old theatre chairs, some church pews, some folding chairs. ( Not for the faint of heart) Upon entering we were greeted my a gentleman in full Army field attire. As I look back he reminded me of a character from MASH, Radar. The show was made up of two very talented singer/dancers. They changed costumes throughout the performance, added historic dialogue and were very entertaining They recognized past Military in the audience with a handshake and a hug They sang songs and acted out various areas of the country representing the whole nation They included the Viet Nam war and had a radio which played news clips of that era. They of course, welcomed all Viet Nam Vets home They ended the presentation with "Proud to be an American". I saw many wipe their eyes As I understand it, they are a fundraising group, supporting entertainment for all branches of the military They play all over the country and recently preformed for "D-Day" in Normandy It was very entertaining and insightful. Glad we went

LOVE Broadway in Indy, but I want to offer a warning regarding Clowes, specifically the box seats…read more Previously Clowes was our favorite venue for Broadway in Indy. We have box seats but they recently "upgraded" the boxes. The "upgrades" on the seats have ruined the experience almost completely. They added plexiglass at the railing between the viewer and the stage so that you get a glare from the walkway lighting. But the bigger issue is that the seams and top of the plexiglass prefectly obscure/block your line of sight to the stage. On our side of the theater (left), you either have to lean over and bend down to the right to see below the top and to the side of the seam OR lean over and almost stand up to the left to see over the top and around the seam. And then there is the fact that you are a live event and having to watch it through a window, which renders the live experience moot. It's horrible, so much so that I'm glad we only have two more shows there this season. If you are attending any events at Clowes, absolutely do NOT buy a seat in a box. They are among the most expensive tickets and are now basically obstructed view seats not anywhere near worth the money you're going to pay. I am not sure what engineer or architect thought this plan was a good one, but I feel confident they never watched a show with the present setup. If I want to watch an event through plexiglass I'll watch hockey. If we renew our Broadway tickets next year, we'll be moving to different seats if the setup is the same, but this has actually made us question renewing at all.

*Round of applause for Broadway in Indianapolis!* I can't thank you enough for bringing such…read moreinsanely professional talent to our city. I've been blessed to see Les Mis, The Lion King and School of Rock, all of which, were completely life-changing. Seriously! The set in Les Mis was beyond stellar, the costumes in The Lion King were creative beyond belief, and the children in School of Rock were nonstop the whole show - playing their own instruments and doing stellar choreography. (By the end of School of Rock, the whole audience was clapping to the beat and laughing with their rows - so fun). For a Broadway show, the prices are good. No, they're not cheap, but the talent, staging, costumes and more that you'll be witnessing deserves the ticket prices. PS: Drinks/concessions will be expensive so eat before you go!

If you get a chance to see Ben Asaykwee perform, please do. He's versatile. Funny and dramatic.read more

I love art and I don't claim to be too artsy so a chance visit to a theater show left me…read morespellbound. Both by the actors and the space itself. Phoenix Theater is in the heart of downtown and this being my first visit I was amazed by the contemporary building which wasn't too huge but just the right size where we enjoyed a 2 hours long show around some really impactful issues in the world. The space seems to be non profit driven and built going by the donations wall and it's kept really clean and spotless. The staff is very friendly and they maneuvered effortlessly through the show. I saw people from all parts of the world, and professions attend the show and had invigorating conversations in the end. Definitely check out the shows and plan some especially during the colder season.

I'm not sure it's possible to say you love live theatre in Indy and not absolutely adore one of our…read moretrue gems- Phoenix Theatre. A not-for-profit theatre started 38 years ago by Bryan Fonseca, one of Indy's true theatre legends who passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, Phoenix Theatre has always been at the cutting edge of Indy's contemporary theatre scene. Phoenix Theatre actually kicked off the year I graduated from high school (If you say anything about my age, I will hunt you down). It's original home was at 749 N. Park Avenue in a 1907 church where the not so legendary, but certainly infamous, Jim Jones once preached. In May 2018, the Phoenix Theatre moved into its new digs at 705 N. Illinois in what is accurately known as the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre. The Phoenix Theatre champions what they call IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) for all. While they worked hard to make their old space accessible, the truth is a 1907 building would never be completely accessible and the new space is a major improvement. Phoenix is a member of the National New Play Network and League of Indianapolis Theatres. It produces around 10-12 plays/shows per year and now also offers its spaces for rental. Spaces include the Christel DeHaan Grand Lobby, Odyssey Room, Multi-Purpose Room, Basile Stage, Russell Theatre, and the outdoor Park at the Phoenix. While I wouldn't quite say rental fees are "affordable," they are quite reasonable. Phoenix really stressed accessibility with its new location. The building itself is described as completely ADA accessible. The third Sunday of each show offers an ASL interpreter and blind/low-vision services. The website even includes information on public transportation and IndyGo (Indy's accessible bus service that is fairly pathetic but better than nothing). While they do address accessibility on their website, I would encourage them to be more open about seating options for wheelchair users and those with mobility impairments (It's not bad, but being up front helps people plan better). Phoenix does have its own parking lot, somewhat of a rarity downtown, and there's also metered parking around it. Phoenix does lean toward contemporary and often progressive stage productions. There are gender-neutral bathrooms and it's not uncommon to see stage productions across a variety of topics. This ain't your Grandma's Sunday School stage performances - this is thought-provoking, challenging, and culturally aware live theatre that truly lives into the Phoenix's IDEA. I now drive by Phoenix every day on my way home from work. I smile each and every time. It's a marvelous theatre and a true icon that has survived on the Indy scene for nearly four decades. While others have come and gone, the Phoenix survives and thrives even through having to adapt during the pandemic. There are certain Indianapolis theatres that I consider "must see." The Phoenix is undeniably one of them.