Tim Spradlin: Press

Twice this weekend, the glaring spotlight of Indianapolis media shone down upon the city of Shelbyville, and each evening the focus was a poignant reminder of a community reaching out to support its soldiers overseas.

On consecutive nights (Friday and Saturday) family, friends and music lovers gathered at the Strand Theatre to enjoy a Christmas musical and thank, talk with and send holiday greetings to local members of the 38th Combat Aviation Brigade serving in Iraq.

An especially moving moment came as Saturday night’s moderator Cindy Houpt and the crowd sang a heartfelt rendition of “Wishing you a Merry Christmas,” to the local soldiers gathered in a desert across the globe.

“I felt blessed to play a part in connecting out hometown soldiers with a little bit of home,” said Houpt, a local, featured singer during the weekend’s Christmas Cabaret at the Strand.

This impromptu serenade was a decision made on stage during the live feed, she said. “I thought it would feel good for them to hear hometown voices sing to them.”

The 140 members of the 38th Combat Aviation Brigade began their year-long deployment in August as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit is based out of the Shelbyville National Guard Armory and provides air-to –ground support such as “med-vac flights and battlefield circulation,” among other operations.

“I would like to thank all Hoosiers for their support, especially the people back home,” Staff Sgt. Jeff Lowery said, during Saturday’s live internet feed from the darkened, pre- dawn desert of Iraq to the Strand’s movie screen.

On this night, the magic moment of the evening arrived locally at 9:30 as six- soldiers sitting in a military base half-way across the world were about to begin another day in a combat zone, a long way from home.

The internet connection to the battlefield was provided by Comcast and enabled local soldiers like Spc. Scott Wells, to talk in real-time with family members sitting in the theatre.

“My most rewarding experience is probably getting the opportunity to fly around in the Blackhawk helicopters around Iraq,” he said in response to a question. “It’s quite a sight up there.”

As they sat huddled in the darkness each of the six local soldiers also spoke of missing simple pleasures like “real pizza, home-cooked food and family gatherings during the holidays.”

Friday night’s conversations connecting Shelbyville with Iraq was moderated by Emily Longnecker, a reporter from WTHR in Indianapolis.

These moving images of soldiers sitting in a combat zone and chatting with family and friends choked up the weekend’s featured performer Tim Spradlin, who presented the holiday musical “Stockings by the Fire.”

‘’I couldn’t be more honored to help these soldiers connect with their home,” Spradlin, a 20-year veteran of the stage, stammered as the live –feed concluded and the Christmas cabaret resumed. In fact, Spradlin appeared both awe-struck and reflective on stage after the event which seemed to influence the mood and tone of his next two musical choices: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen ,” and “Someday at Christmas.’

It was a difficult thing to follow up on the emotions of seeing soldiers in the field putting their lives on the line and spending often lonely holidays away from home, but Spradlin and company pulled it off in professional and poignant way.

As both a veteran and a rather unsentimental dude who spent many holidays abroad, I think it is safe to say that the six soldiers huddled in a cold, distant desert –at- dawn were probably very moved to hear hometown voices singing “Merry Christmas” to them. It was a damn nice touch to a rather emotion-filled weekend for the community and its soldiers, especially those who know first- hand the pain and hollow loneliness of duty-filled holidays spent away from friends and family.

Feelings of faith, honor and pride filled the Strand Theatre Friday and Saturday as Indiana National Guard soldiers in Iraq exchanged holiday greetings with family and friends in Shelby County.

Thanks to a satellite connection between Iraq and Atlanta — and an Internet connection between Atlanta and a laptop computer at the Strand — a 6,490-mile separation between Shelbyville and Iraq seemed to disappear for a few minutes.

Like their families and friends in the states, the soldiers of Headquarters Company, 38th Combat Aviation Brigade, were definitely thinking about Christmas. A decorated Christmas tree and an American flag served as a backdrop for the six soldiers.

The soldiers, who were projected on the theater’s large movie screen, could hear but not see the audience at the Strand.

On Friday, WTHR-Channel 13’s Emily Longnecker asked the soldiers a few questions about life in Iraq. On Saturday, Cindy Houpt of Shelbyville asked a few similar questions.

Spc. Scott Wells, whose parents and aunt were in the crowd, talked about his most rewarding experience.

“My most rewarding experience is probably getting the opportunity to fly around in the Black Hawk helicopters around Iraq,” Wells said. “It’s quite a sight up there.”

Wells and some of the other soldiers in his unit plan to come home for a few days during the holiday season.

Of course, all of the soldiers miss their families, but when Houpt asked them which foods they missed the most, the soldiers didn’t hesitate, citing “real” pizza, steak and homemade pecan pie.

Led by Houpt, Saturday’s audience ended the long-distance Web chat with a heartfelt “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The troops returned the wish, and then the short — but powerful — exchange ended.

Tim Spradlin and his holiday show, “Stockings by the Fire,” provided the evening’s live entertainment.

Houpt sang a few solo numbers and joined Spradlin for a couple more.

Being part of the live-feed event thrilled Spradlin. “I couldn’t be more honored,” he said.

Strand board director David Finkel was thrilled and honored to be able to provide a link between Iraq and the community.

Comcast donated an Internet connection for the month, Ron Bush and Steve Dennis got the cable into the theater, and Steve Frazee did extensive testing from the local network to the feed from the military

As always, Finkel encouraged the community to patronize live local events, whether they are at the Strand or elsewhere.

Christmas cabaret celebrates music of the Season

“‘Tis the season” and to commemorate and musically celebrate the holidays, The Strand Theatre hosted a Christmas cabaret; “Stockings by the Fire” performed by Tim Spradlin and friends twice this weekend.

“This is an outstanding facility and I’m proud to be here,” Spradlin said opening Saturday night’s concert, which he promised would be like an old-school Christmas variety show.

Indeed, Spradlin kept his word during this evening of rousing vocals of the three distinctly talented singers and the inspired play of the lone musician on stage, Jeff Kunkel. This eclectic celebration of songs ran a harmonious gamut from cabaret music to blues, funk, and jazz-inspired tunes to two stunning operatic performances by local singer, Cindy Houpt, that hushed the house.

I don’t generally like, nor listen to, Christmas songs or musical theatricals but Saturday night’s show was a very entertaining and lively show that fulfilled Spradlin’s pledge to create a seasonal variety show.

Spradlin, who earlier this year performed a “Beatles Show” at the Strand, seemed a lot more at ease in the spotlight of cabaret music and within the format of stage musicals. He was especially strong in songs building from soft refrains to rousing passions associated with Broadway productions. His vocal range and style of presentation seems suited to both belt out show-tunes and then to sing soft nostalgic laments of remembered love, gone wrong.

One thing that especially caught my mind’s eye Saturday night was the joy and enthusiasm of Spradlin’s willingness to share the spotlight with talents different and more diverse than his own. His unpretentious stage manner was made obvious by the first guest singer he ushered into the limelight of the Strand Theatre: Denise Sherman of Indianapolis.

This rather short woman with a deep- barrel of voice repeatedly channeled up spiritual reincarnations of Bessie Smith, Aretha Franklin and other female blues legends in the course of the evening.

However, for most people in the theatre and even for Spradlin the unexpected highlight and the spotlight of the weekend of performances by Houpt, a singer from Shelbyville.

“If you don’t already know, after tonight you will know what a treasure this community has in Cindy,” Spradlin said introducing her.

Houpt’s first song during the opening set was a sassy, semi-vampy version of “Santa Baby,’ that evoked the jazz-age tone, style and persona of Helen Kane, better known as the voice of Betty Boop.

It was during the second set that Houpt took the stage, first with a sweet sonorous psalm- like version of “Oh Come all ye Faithful.” It was, however, her next song which hushed the crowd and sent chills up –and- down the collective spine of the crowd, according to audience members. In this extended operatic variant of “Ave Marie,” she displayed a divine voice to sing a divine song.

It was a mystical journey into the high art of an unbelievably sweet, rather angelic voice. A voice alone that reaches deep down inside you and grabs your soul and transports it to another world… a bright, resonant world of pure, un-distilled artistry.

Spradlin, in fact, was so impressed by Houpt’s talent that he arranged, rehearsed and then performed a duet with her which brought the crowd to its feet for standing ovation.

Walking in to this seasonal concert I wondered how Spradlin could fuse the often bawdy style of cabaret music with traditional Christmas songs. Later, as I walked out of the Strand Theatre, this didn’t seem to matter; even my inner Grinch was satiated and just happy to have witnessed and enjoyed an exceptional night of magic and music.

Cabaret singer shines in show-tune production to The Strand

Tim Spradlin brought a musical energy and gusto to The Strand Theatre in a two-set cabaret-style performance Saturday night in a show filled with slick, sleek skills honed during a 25-years career.

Accompanied by two very professional musicians, David Meek on keyboards and Bill Myers on bass, Spradlin’s polished production featured a sweeping repertoire of songs culled from past musicals, both on and off Broadway, and several other legendary crooners, showmen and master performers.

“These are all songs from different places in my life,” Spradlin said as he opened the second set with a rather spiritual song and then switched gears and plunged into a mellow, introspective ballad filled with retrospection.

Musically, this song “Lost in a Masquerade”, also evolved into a kind of tone poem as Myers bass lines popped, crackled and jumped as his fingers caressed the strings and Meeks keyboards more than complemented the moody vocals. It was rich, resonate tune of subdued emotion that recalled an old-school German cabaret and vividly displayed Spradlin’s vocal dexterity.

This dexterity was further enhanced as Spradlin introduced a series of songs from the stage productions of “Rent,’ and then characteristically stood aside to share the vocal spotlight with Meeks and Myers during an extended instrumental and vocal serenades- as- tribute to fallen singers from theatrical history.

Initially, Myers opened with “If I Ruled the World,” a crooner-like tune that recalled a bygone era of big-time Hollywood or Broadway musicals. Next, he then subtly and seamlessly switched his very high-tenor voice into a harmonic duet with Meeks, who simultaneously sang and played with a tingling, jangling verve. It was toe-tapping melody filled with crisp energy, tempo and a pristine professionalism in its full, fluid sound.

Musically, the show gained momentum and built to a crescendo as Spradlin next took the crowd on a journey through the musical styles of such legendary performers such as Barry Manilow and Tom Jones, especially the deep, melancholic, longing anger of lost love on “Delilah.” It was a fine upbeat rendition of Jones’ wild style of entertainment and perfectly capped this evening of show-tunes in a show filled with tunes lifted from the stages of yester-year.

From here, Spradlin continued his vocally driven concert to conclude the evening with a rousing blues number, “The Low Down Blues.”

“I usually close with one my favorite songs,” he said. “But sometimes you just have to sing the blues.”

All in all, Spradlin is a consummate professional who entertains and performs with enthusiasm and showmanship and his show Saturday night was no exception.

THIS WAS IN THE SHELBYVILLE NEWS BEFORE MY SHOW ON THE 11TH AND 12TH.

And to the delight of David Finkel, a Strand Theatre board director, Indianapolis cabaret singer Tim Spradlin will return to the Strand with his popular Christmas show, “Stockings by the Fire” on Dec. 11 and 12 at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets are available at Mickey’s T-Mart, Blue River Printing and Smashed Productions.

Jazz pianist Jeff Kunkel will join Spradlin. Their special guests will be Shelbyville’s own Cindy Houpt and Denise Sherman, an Indianapolis singer and songwriter.

The show features narration and familiar holiday favorites the whole family can enjoy.

During intermission, a live satellite feed will allow attendees to see and talk to Shelbyville-based troops of The Indiana Army National Guard who are currently stationed in Iraq.

Spradlin is excited to be a part of the groundbreaking moment in the Strand’s history.

“I’m ‘over the moon’ about it,” Spradlin said. “I couldn’t be more proud.

Finkel said he feels honored to use the historic theater in a modern way to support local troops overseas.

“It is comforting to know that our 1916 theater can be fully functional in this modern, digital age,” Finkel said.

The special hookup is being made possible by the local Comcast and two Strand volunteers, Ron Bush and Steve Dennis.

Spradlin fell in love with the Strand Theatre when he brought his acoustic Beatles’ music show there in October, so he seized the opportunity to bring his special holiday show to the versatile venue.

Spradlin’s greatest musical influences are Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow, and he has performed one-man tribute shows to both legendary singers.

Spradlin performed for five years at The American Cabaret Theatre in Indianapolis. He has starred in numerous musical theater events such as “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Evita,” “Godspell” and “Sweeney Todd.” Tim is the recipient of an Encore Award for Best Male Vocalist, and Indianapolis Nuvo voted him as one of the top three male vocalists in Indianapolis.

He also produced and performed in the off-Broadway musical “The Last Five Years.”

Spradlin’s CD, “Belt, Ballad and Blues” was released in 2005. For more information about the Indianapolis artist, visit www.timspradlinmusic.com.

As the dark of the night settled on Arts Fest, the Strand Theatre shifted gears and centuries from the virtuoso performances of various classical forms of music to the more modern masters of our contemporary age: an acoustic interpretation of the legendary geniuses of Rock-N-Roll, the Beatles.

An eager audience arrived before the doors opened to listen to and enjoy: the “Beatles Acoustic,” performed by “Tim Spradlin and the Heart and Soul Band.” Essentially, this was a celebratory, nostalgic and historic tour of the lads from Liverpool’s hit-filled careers.

The band’s first, 12-song –set, opened as a kind of narrative journey through the Fab- Four’s early musical styles and influences. Think of the Beatles translated into a cabaret musical and set in a small dinner-theater. One local musician remarked that it was an entertaining “Las Vegas style,” rendition. Spradlin was at his best singing the emotional and soft melodies of songs such as “Imagine,” and his theatrically- inspired version of “Twist and Shout.”

Another local musician in the audience, said that he was particularly impressed by drummer Michael Atwood’s, study and mimicry of Ringo Starr’s percussion style.

It takes a brave band to translate the Beatles’ eclectic bag of genius songs and an audience’s collective memories, musical and personal, about these English legends of Rock. One thing, however, remains the same across the years: the ability of this music to move people, regardless of their generational differences. What Beatles concert or retrospective would or could be complete without teens moved to dance, twist and swoon to this music and Saturday night’s show was no exception. Repeatedly, throughout the night teen-age girls danced with their mothers, fathers, boyfriends or just by themselves.

On stage the band themselves, rather seemed to enjoy this spontaneous outburst of youth moved to lyric and sensory appreciation.

`Pirates' is a hoot there, matey
MARION GARMEL; STAFF WRITER

MARION GARMEL STAFF WRITER

The Pirates of Penzance 3 1/2 Stars Author: Lyrics by William S. Gilbert, music by Arthur Sullivan. Starring: Tim Spradlin, Noel Outland, Kathleen Horrigan, R. Brian Noffke and Vonda Fuhrmann, directed by Camilla Upchurch. Location: Footlite Musicals at Hedback Community Theater, 1847 N. Alabama St. When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday through May 22. Tickets: $12 adults, $8 seniors and students, $6 children 12 and under. Reservations recommended, (317) 926-6630.

Camilla Upchurch has done it again. The director who won an Encore award for her last musical at Footlite, Pippin in 1995, has come back after a four-year hiatus with a smashing production of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance.

Very much an ensemble operation, this is a show in which everyone involved seems to have been of the same mind, so that every part fits like a glove. The staging, the design, the acting, the singing, the dancing belong together, making for a very satisfying whole.

Already a comic operetta, with a story about a boy who is mistakenly apprenticed to pirates and falls in love with the daughter of a modern major general, The Pirates of Penzance can still be stultifying if you play it too seriously.

Just for yuks

No chance of that here. Everything is played for laughs, starting with the opening scene in which a tiny pirate ship chugs across a backdrop with movable waves lapping at its sides, then slides onto the stage in a life-size version that reminds you of Show Boat.

The scenery, designed by Brenda Upchurch, is wonderful, with painted white brambles on wire mesh to indicate the caves and seashore of the first act and the haunted ruins with statues that sing in the second.

Chris Noffke has outdone himself with the choreography. It's sharp and funny and different for each group - the Keystone Koppish policemen, the Peter Pannish pirates, the twittering maidens (the major general's daughters and wards) who go cheeping and chirping and twirling under strobe lights like something out of a Mack Sennett silent movie.

Mark Allstatt's lights, Stephen Hollenbeck's costumes and the technical wizardry of Bill Taylor bring everything together.

The principals are excellent, with Tim Spradlin's blond and boyish Frederic enhanced by a fine tenor voice and the ability to swivel like Elvis. Noel Outland's strong baritone makes for a commanding pirate king.

And R. Brian Noffke's "modern major general" is a real triumph, a young man playing an old man with a dancer's agility and the ability to create and sustain a real character.

Kathleen Horrigan's Mabel is meant to get carried away with her soprano trills, until Frederic has to stop her with a kiss.

Vonda Fuhrmann mugs her way through Ruth, the nursemaid-turned-pirate maid-of-all-work who mistakenly apprenticed Frederic to a pirate instead of a pilot, and the audience loves it.

So who's perfect?

I wish I could say this was a perfect production, but the chorus sometimes has a tendency to make mush out of Gilbert's rapid-fire lyrics - unusual when John Phillips is music director - although Sullivan's score remains glorious. The large orchestra, conducted by Larry Bonebright, hits it right on the nose.

At one point the pirate king has a sword-to-baton duel with the orchestra conductor, which gives you an idea of the fun everyone has with this production. You'll not only come out laughing and humming, but the two hours you spend in the theater will seem like only one.

When Pigs Fly

4 Stars

Author: Concept and costumes by Howard Crabtree, sketches and lyrics by Mark Waldrop, music by Dick Gallagher. Starring: Graham Brinklow, Kris Clayton, David T. Mathias, Dave Ruark and Timothy Spradlin, directed and choreographed by Ron Spencer. When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through July 1. Where: Theatre on the Square, 627 Massachusetts Ave. Tickets: $18. Call 1-317-637-8085.

This show is not for everyone.

But for those who enjoy watching top talent at work, who love camp and gay humor, or who appreciate gorgeous costumes, Theatre on the Square's production of When Pigs Fly is the pick of the month.

It's the story of Howard Crabtree, the costume designer and actor who made a splash off-Broadway with Whoop dee Doo!, his Ziegfeld Follies-style revue showcasing costumes he designed for plays, commercials, Halloween parties and industrial films. Whoop dee Doo! had its Indiana premiere at Phoenix Theatre in 1996, the same year Crabtree wrote When Pigs Fly.

It basically tells the story of how Howard went from dreamy Idaho high school student to over-the-top performer -- which could only happen, his high school guidance counselor said, "when pigs fly."

"I want to put on shows and sing and dance and make fancy costumes, with all the other 'dream Curly's' like me from all the other high schools putting on a show, singing all the torch songs," he tells the guidance counselor, referring to the romantic cowboy dancer in the dream sequence of Oklahoma!

Dream Curlys, real show

That's the first costume triumph of When Pigs Fly, with all five male performers in pastel-colored cowboy outfits: Pink, orange, yellow, baby blue, soft green. Oh, yes. The costumes are the originals, designed by Crabtree, with some augmentation by director Ron Spencer's niece, Cheryl Harmon, who owns Costumes by Margie. They are fabulous.

The dream Curlys then put on an outrageous show that Howard dreams up. It include an overweight, topless singing mermaid, a half-man/half-horse who wonders why he's not accepted as "all man," and a sophisticated singer, lounging in his bedroom, singing love songs to images of Newt Gingrich and Strom Thurmond.

All of it is tongue in cheek -- and all of it is terrific. That's thanks not only to the costumes, but to the sweet, hopeful innocence of the story and the five talented performers who bring it off.

Start with Kris Clayton, who plays Howard. He has the good looks and sweetness of everybody's high school sweetheart, plus brains and a fierce determination to make it in his chosen profession. He reminds you of Michael Klass, sorely missed on the Indianapolis theater scenesince his death in 1996.

Graham Brinklow plays the hefty parts, including the mermaid, and he has such a fine voice that you want to hear more from him. David T. Mathias is superb as the lounge singer, among many other roles.

Dave Ruark is the dark-haired hunk whose back half is a common vulgarity. Tim Spradlin completes the cast as the blond hunk who brings down the house, in pink feathers and white boa, singing the praises of big women.

In praise of pride and talent

When Pigs Fly is about being proud of who you are, daring to be "over the top" when you have the talent.

While Crabtree (who died of AIDS shortly before When Pigs Fly opened in 1996) conceived the show and provided the costumes, the sketches and lyrics are by his longtime collaborator Mark Waldrop, and the music is by Dick Gallagher. So when Gallagher is referred to by Ray Lahrman, who orchestrated the songs and plays keyboard for the TOTS production, you'll understand the reference.

Jeannie Logan's music and vocal direction is typically stunning, with tight harmonies that fit the music and the characters. Spencer, TOTS' executive artistic director, directed and choreographed the show.

When Pigs Fly is the final production of the regular season at TOTS -- and it goes out with a bang. And yes, as Howard discovers, dreams do come true, and pigs do fly. Just watch 'em.

Spradlin to bring cabarets to Indy

Indianapolis artist Tim Spradlin will perform a series of four cabarets this summer at Unity of Indianapolis, 907 N. Delaware St.

Popular Indianapolis artist Tim Spradlin will bring big-city cabaret to Indianapolis this summer when he offers a series of four musical evenings at Unity of Indianapolis, 907 N. Delaware St.

Unlike concerts or club acts, cabarets are mini-musicals with songs that share a common topic. Artists often employ interesting and funny stories to help tie the music together.

A longtime staple of American Cabaret Theatre productions, Spradlin will perform at 8:30 p.m. July 13, 20, 27 and Aug. 3. Each show will be preceded by dessert, coffee and tea.

Shows will feature love songs with German artist Ann Laporte; standard songs with guest Denise Sherman; acoustic favorites with guitarist Matt Burmeister; and best of Broadway with Lori Ecker.

Tickets to each show are $10. For more information, call 329-3537 or visit www.timspradlinmusic.com.

“Jane Eyre” by Footlite Musicals
Warning: This review contains several plot spoilers. There is a lot of delicious suspense in this tale, so if you do not know the story, go see the show first and then let’s compare impressions.

On Friday I drove to the near north side of Indy to the Hedback Theatre to see the opening night of ”Jane Eyre: A Musical Drama” as presented by Footlite Musicals. I had never read the novel by Charlotte Bronte, so I was looking forward to improving my cultural literacy. Also, the costumer, Stephen Hollenbeck, had given me a sneak preview of the rich costumes months ago, and I was curious to see how they had turned out.


Well, gentle reader, the costumes are gorgeous, worth the $17 admission price all by themselves.

And I learned that a line that I had heard in various contexts but never known its origin - ”And so, gentle reader, I married him” - comes from Jane Eyre. In the musical, of course, Jane says, “And so, gentle audience…”

Speaking of the musical, the music and lyrics are by Paul Gordon. Book and additional lyrics are by John Caird. Vocal and incidental music arrangements are by Steve Tyler. Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman.

Footlite’s presentation was produced by Debbie Noffke. It was directed by R. Brian Noffke, with vocal direction by John Phillips and Deb Farmer, technical direction by Tom Noffke, and music direction by Deb Farmer. Amanda Lane is the stage manager.

The director, R. Brian Noffke, also designed and lit the versatile set, using the stage floor door in a clever and new (to me) way. As the audience enters the theatre, the mostly empty stage is dimly lit only by gas lamps on the darkly painted walls. There is a huge(!) portrait of a beautiful woman hanging from the ceiling. (This and another larger-than-life portrait were painted by Ed Trout and Paul Campbell.)

In the play, people say repeatedly that Jane Eyre is not pretty, but the woman in the portrait is, and so is Brenna Campbell, the actor who plays her. Beauty is subjective, of course, but also, blindness turns out to be an important theme in this story.

Anyway, the audience entering the theatre also sees that the stage floor door is propped open. Soon we learn that the opening in the floor is meant to be stairs leading up to an attic. It will lead to more than one attic, actually, but at the beginning, the adult Jane Eyre looks back on her unhappy childhood at Gateshead Hall. Her aunt, the horrible Mrs. Reed (Betsy Bullis), and her cousin, the bratty John Reed (Kurt Green), were relentless in their abuse of the orphaned Jane. The plucky young Jane (Maggie Williams) often escaped (or was banished to) the attic.

Once we are firmly established in the past, in a fit of pique, Mrs. Reed sends the young Jane to a restrictive boarding school. Here she meets Helen Burns (Shari Raper.) Her new friend, Helen, sings to her about the importance of forgiveness. Helen sings this even after being whipped with a strap by the formidable headmistress, Miss Scatcherd (Julie Dutcher) as the equally reprehensible headmaster, Mr. Brocklehurst (Bernard Wurger), looks on.

Like Jane, I struggle with the concept of turning the other cheek. (What thinking Christian doesn’t?) I was moved to tears by Raper’s singing.

The Schoolgirls, some of whom are quite young, do a good job singing “Children of God.” The Schoolgirls include: Gabrielle Baker, Madeline Coffey, Danielle Colucci, Tess Hannon, Amanda Kennedy, Abbie Wineland, Allie Wineland, Amanda Wenz, Teresa Schrader, Paige Ferise, Yasmine Mhedhbi, Georgie Baker, Carly Butz, Bayley Godzeski, Molly Oates, Kara Oates, Lauren Raker, Lauren Butz, Hannah Bosell, Maggie Venturella, and Ella Spoerle.

Eventually, the now adult Jane Eyre decides she wants something better than living the rest of her life as a teacher at the school, and with the help of the Narrators, she sets off down the road. The Narrators include: C. Keith Leavell, Josh French, Jeremy Brimm, Dale Cheetham, Mike Jones, Andrew Reddick, Farrah Westerfield, Shari Raper, Betsy Bullis, Julie Dutcher, Kelly Perillo, Kristin Hanlon, and Katie Drake.

Some of the Schoolchildren and Narrators also double as Servants at Thornfield Hall, where Jane finds herself a governess job. The Servants include: Karen Webster, Gabrielle Baker, Elena Marr, Tess Hannon, Amanda Kennedy, Danielle Colucci, and Hannah Bosell. Kurt Green is the Bootboy. Nils Nordell is the straight-faced and sometimes hilarious butler, Robert.

One of the many things I like about Footlite is that they offer performing opportunities to a lot of people, both theatre rookies and veterans. They also offer individual actors opportunities to play more than one role in a single production. In “Jane Eyre,” somehow, all of these people move smoothly together on stage, even though they are in hoopskirts and long coat-tails. I can only imagine the well-organized pandemonium that is backstage as all of these people haul dresses over wigs and race back to their places and so on, but from the audience everyone appears calm and professional.

In fact, at one point on opening night, one of the actors dropped a glass on stage. It shattered loudly and there was liquid everywhere. By this time, Jane Eyre and the master of Thornfield Hall, Edward Fairfax Rochester (Tim Spradlin), were already falling in love. Brenna Campbell and Tim Spradlin just kept singing to each other over in their well-lit corner, and after a moment or two, one of the maids came out with a dustpan and broom and swept up the mess in the darker area of the “hall.” Perfect! Properties mistress Carol Kirk will have to come up with another glass, but that is probably okay.

Getting back to Thornfield Hall…Jane meets her new charge, a French girl named Adele (played with exuberance by Claire Cassidy) and the manager of the house, the semi-deaf Mrs. Fairfax. Kathleen Clarke-Horrigan is funny and warm as Mrs. Fairfax. However, sometimes I could not understand what she was singing, so I think I missed several opportunities to laugh.

Jane also meets the master of the house, Edward Rochester. Supposedly, Edward is as unattractive as Jane: moody and arrogant and rough. But by the end of the play, I was starting to think of the long-haired Spradlin as Fabio-esque. His rich voice made me swoon.

Mind you, Rochester creeped me out a little when he repeatedly called Jane his “slender, childlike creature” and his “little elf.” If it had been me, I would have kept Rochester for my fantasy life and gone to India with the pragmatic St. John Rivers (whose proposal was beautifully and eloquently sung by Jeremy Brimm.) Ah, well. Perhaps I am not “brave enough for love.” I cried during that song, too.

Also, I felt sorry for Rochester’s demented wife (played with disturbing believability by Molly Godzeski), whom he kept shut away in the attic. Her attendant, Grace Poole (Susan Smith), with her chilling cackle and her grey braid hanging down in front of her face, made me shudder. I was very glad that the wife’s brother, Richard Mason (played compassionately by Dale Cheetham), spoke up for her and that the equally compassionate Vicar (Mikes Jones) refused to marry Edward and Jane while Edward was still married to someone else.

However, Campbell and Spradlin did make me believe that Jane and Edward are each other’s “secret souls.” My heart broke when theirs did, and I cried again in congratulations when they finally, finally, finally found happiness together.

I wonder what happens to the fashionable gold-digger, Blanche Ingram, and her stuffy family? (James Andrew Reddick plays Lord Ingram and Julie Dutcher plays Lady Ingram.) I don’t feel sorry for Blanche, giving up her plan to marry Rochester, because she never even liked him much, let alone loved him, but I’m curious about her. In any event, Farrah Westerfield portrays her delightfully. Westerfeld sings like an opera star and has delectable comic timing.

Stephen R. Hollenbeck’s individual costumes, as I mentioned before, are stunning. The rich fabrics! The exquisite attention to detail! They are even more gorgeous when their wearers twirl gracefully around the stage in choreography by Elena Marr.

The show is not without flaws. Sometimes the microphones “pop” and crackle distractingly. Sometimes the orchestra, which sounds lovely on its own, overpowers the actors, especially when they are speaking rather than singing. The beds and other set pieces that roll on and off stage are distractingly noisy. I didn’t quite understand why smoke billows up the stairs at a certain point. Is it supposed to represent the hellfire of Rochester’s guilt and torment or is the house itself already on fire? Some of the songs sound too much alike. I think this is what makes the show feel a little too long. I am not talking about the songs that are actually repeated. The repetition of “Forgiveness” near the end, for example, is quite powerful.

In any case, for me, the numerous museum-quality costumes, Brenna Campbell’s beautiful musical storytelling, the romantic story itself, and many, many other elements make this show a satisfying one, well worth my time and money.

By the way, when the ushers helped me to my seat, I was delighted to find myself surrounded by actors. I enjoyed talking with Dane Rogers and Sarah Hoback about their work on “Frankenstein.” This show will be presented by Ghostlight Players and Entropy Productions at the International School of Indiana and is due to open on March 21.

I also enjoyed meeting and chatting with Brian Kennedy about his recent portrayal of Junior Turpin in “Dearly Departed” in Martinsville. It was fun to hear how proud Kennedy is of his wife and daughter. His wife, Cindy Kennedy, is working crew for “Jane Eyre” and his daughter is one of the Schoolgirls.

After the show, I was surprised to find cucumber sandwiches and other English treats available for a donation in the lobby. Several people told me that Footlite always offers a reception for everyone, including the audience, after opening night. This is something to keep in mind for future Footlite shows!

Footlite’s production of “Jane Eyre: A Musical Drama” continues at the Hedback Theatre through March 22, 2008. To make a reservation, please call 317-926-6630.

Hope Baugh - www.IndyTheatreHabit.com

Jane Eyre
by Josefa Beyer Mar 12, 2008

Three stars
Footlite Musicals;
directed by R. Brian Noffke

Paul Gordon and John Caird’s musical adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre goes too far to include every plot twist from Bronte’s morally charged gothic romance. Several singing narrators usher us from Jane’s cruel childhood home, to her prison-like orphanage, over the moors to the mysterious Thornfield Hall and on and on. With a three-hour run time, they can fit it all in, but what fun is it if Jane’s pained longing for her charismatic boss is just one more thing to fit in? The lyrics are more expository than enlightening, the melodies only occasionally moving. Still, there are many delights to be found in R. Brian Noffke’s visually restrained production. Brenna Campbell’s crystal clear voice matches Jane’s unflinching honesty and righteousness. While Tim Spradlin is more brat than brooding hero, he lends to Rochester a powerful tenor. The excellent supporting cast includes Shari Raper as Helen, Jane’s sweet-voiced moral compass; Jeremy Brimm as Jane’s second suitor; and Kathleen Clarke-Horrigan, whose near deaf housekeeper provides comic relief from the much-sung-about “secrets of the house.” The young Maggie Williams and Claire Cassidy provide wonderful contrast as the defiant young Jane and the perpetually delighted Adele. As gold-digger Blanche, Farrah Westerfield dances up and down the musical staff in a humorous rapture about Rochester’s riches. Unfortunately, this string of “best of” moments can’t compare with the novelist’s graceful layering of emotion and event, of passion and suspense. Through March 22; 317-926-6630.

A 'Jane Eyre' musical? Surprisingly, it works
BY WHITNEY SMITH WHITNEY.SMITH@INDY.COM

With its plain protagonist, bizarre characters and brooding conflicts between faith and cynicism, the 19th-century English novel "Jane Eyre" may seem an unlikely prospect for a stage musical.

Paul Gordon's adaptation preserves Charlotte Bronte's hopeful, if improbable, rags-to-riches story about an outspoken orphan girl who is abandoned by her aunt and becomes a governess, then the object of a nobleman's affections.

Gordon coaxed out most of the main characters, in all their eccentricity.

Even with annoyingly chronic sound system problems at Friday's opening show, Footlite Musicals' production of "Jane Eyre" seemed largely successful. R. Brian Noffke's pacing moved along, and Stephen Hollenbeck's costumes offered an elegant visual feast.

Better still, the cast features enough standout singing voices to carry the show.

Brenna Campbell's title character is multilayered -- invariably honest, strong at times, deferential at others. She is so dour it might be nice to see her smile more, especially in scenes with her beloved Edward Rochester. I swear I saw just one smile.

Her singing voice is straight-toned and appealing, but on Friday, she seemed to fight to keep the pitch from going flat.

As Rochester, Tim Spradlin's big, dramatic, colorful voice went a long way toward making this his show, but he is a smart ensemble player who did not tend to overshadow.

Kathleen Clarke-Horrigan's Mrs. Fairfax was wonderfully dotty. During her quickest songs, her throaty accent and tendency to move around a lot sometimes muddied diction.

Farrah Westerfield's Blanche Ingram, a gold digger interested in Rochester, offered a snooty demeanor and a high, lovely, quasi-operatic soprano. Helen Burns, a friend of Jane's in her youth, was a minor character, but Shari Raper's sweet characterization and fine singing voice made her a standout. Dale Cheetham's dark, forbidding tones seemed just right for Richard Mason, a man with a dangerous secret.

As musicals go, "Jane Eyre" -- complete with its cruel schoolmaster, typhoid epidemic and house fire -- is on the dark side, to say the least. At nearly three hours, Gordon's version could probably use a little trim.

Still, this version is also an intriguing alternative to the vast multitude of empty-headed musicals. In this time-deprived, multi-tasking society, it's also a way to gain access to a classic that some of us always meant to read, but frankly, never have.

Call Star reporter Whitney Smith at (317) 444-6226.

Buy mp3 At GreatIndieMusic.com

Hit parade
Tim Spradlin's cabaret showcases top-selling '50s and '60s songs
By Jay Harvey
Posted: March 5, 2009 A Tim Spradlin will keep the hits coming in a new cabaret show opening Saturday at Unity of Indianapolis, 907 N. Delaware St.

Titled "The Number One Songs," the musical revue will cover top-selling songs of the 1950s and '60s by the Platters, Doris Day, the Drifters, the Supremes and, of course, Elvis Presley -- who will get an extensive salute all to himself.



A veteran of the old American Cabaret Theatre cast in the 1990s, Spradlin will inaugurate his third year of cabaret shows at Unity. Spradlin, holder of a community-theater Encore Award for best male vocalist, has also produced and performed in the off-Broadway musical "The Last Five Years" at the Wheeler Community Arts Center.

He has starred in local productions of "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Evita" and "Sweeney Todd."

Spradlin will be joined by jazz and cover-band vocalist Heather Ramsey, who came to Indianapolis in 2001 and has since performed with Tom Mullinix, Chris Rutkowski, Frank Smith and Kenny Phelps -- all of them instrumental in the 2008 release of her CD, "So Many Stars."

Other performances in the seven-show Unity series include "The Men of the Motown Era," with guests Jimmy Guilford and Jim Washington, on April 18.

Besides the 8 p.m. show, the ticket price of $12 includes dessert (served at 7:15 p.m.), coffee and tea. For more information, call (317) 329-3537 or go to www.timspradlin.music.com.
Call Star reporter Jay Harvey at (317) 444-6402

(FATS AND UBIE) "TIM SPRADLIN'S LOW DOWN BLUES A TORCHY TOUR DE FORCE HAD US DAZZLED.

(HOLIDAY CABARET) "SPRADLIN POURED A LOT OF LOUNGE-SINGER OOMPH INTO A BLUE-EYED SOUL BALLAD" (PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS)

(OLD TIME ROCK'N'ROLL) A HIGHLIGHT IS TIM SPRADLIN HITTING THE HIGH NOTES ON ROY ORBISON'S CRYIN'.