Fears & Phobias is another of Ixion’s fun smorgasbords of short, tasty playlets served up in a theme buffet. Choosing from over 80 play submissions from around the country, Jeff Croff and his Ixion team have continued their mission to create a unique evening of theatre concocted from new short plays. A little humor, a little pathos, a little food for thought…

Directors Nick Lemmer and Heath Sartorius have taken a talented band of actors into an intriguing selection of characters as they go to their scary places. Sadonna Croff, Angela Dill, Ben Guenther, Danica O’Neil, Spencer Perrenoud, Madi Shank and Anna Szabo all play multiple roles. 

The evening begins with an artsy pantomime of assorted silent fears, then launches into the seven playlets, NOT in the order they are listed in the program. 


Rich Espy’s “Killing Trudy” features an overbearing Angela Dill as the personification of every worry in your head, threatening the relationship of Anna Szabo and Spencer Perrenaud. Andra Clardy’s “Code” is a showdown between bureaucrat Sadonna Croff and underling Danica O’Neill in a futuristic big-brother world. 

Kathleen Barber’s “Legs” has a charming Spencer helping fellow amputee Angela come to terms with not being whole. John Minigan’s “Family Planning” challenges mom, Angela, and daughter, Danica with the consequences of a “sick day.” Chris Shaw Swanson’s  “Bunker Bound” pits mother Sadonna against daughter Anna Szabo in her mission to save her and her children from the end of the world. 

The two funniest offerings were “October" where baseball fanaticism/superstition is taken to absurd levels by Ben Guenther and Madi Shank despite the efforts of Anna Szabo — and Jack Karp’s “Donald Trump Is a Racist, Xenophobic, Sexist, Ignorant, Tiny-Handed, Tangerine-Faced Narcissist Who Has No Business Being President and Should Be Impeached” gives us suspicious, agents Ben and Madi challenging and “processing” an audience of “traitors" lured in by an inflammatory title. 
Fears and Phobias continues Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through May 20 at the Robin Theatre in Reo Town.
http://www.ixiontheatre.com
Next year’s theme is “Hope” - Playwrights are invited to submit short scripts about hope - or the lack thereof - each using no more than 4 actors in a simple or abstracted setting, no more than 12 pages long. Include only first initial and last name of author, no bios included, multiple submissions are allowed. Digital submissions only to [email protected] before 5pm September 30. 

Scotland Road is an intriguing Twilight Zone-like experience on Riverwalk’s Black Box stage. You’re not getting “spoilers” from me, as some of the “answers” are debatable… even among cast members! (You WILL learn what “Scotland Road” has to do with the Titanic!) 

Jeffrey Hatcher’s strange script was inspired by tabloid headlines and hoax tales, and gets lost in secret passages of the mind. A mysterious young woman in 19th century clothing is found floating on an iceberg in 1992. She utters one word, “Titanic". Shared obsessions, twists of history… it is, indeed, a psychological thriller, enhanced by sound (Leon Green) and lighting (Ted Daniel) and projections (Matt Ottinger.)

Director Bob Robinson leads a tight cast of six, starting with two deaf attendants, aptly played, complete with sign language (thanks Sadonna Croff) by Mark Polzin and Steven Wulfekuhler. Gini Larson plays Dr. Halbrech with suspicious authority. Jan Lockwood arrives as a feisty, lost-and-found, wheelchair-bound Titanic survivor with her own secret. Cassie Little is the central question mark as the mysterious iceberg rider, starting in silence but blossoming into a partner in Titanic fanatic John’s twisted mental journey. Jeff Magnuson plays John in a remarkable evolution.

Scotland Road continues Thursdays at 7, Fridays/Saturdays at 8 and Sundays at 2 through May 20
http://www.riverwalktheatre.com

​We FINALLy made the trek to Charlotte to see a show at Andromeda Community Theatre: The Actor’s Twilight Zone. We were lured by our friend Micheal Hays (the director) and by the fact that we ARE fans of the uniquely twisted humor of playwright Christopher Durang. It was well worth the trip - and only a 35 minute drive from west Lansing.


This show linked the Durang one-acts, “For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls”, a spoof on The Glass Menagerie, and “The Actor’s Nightmare” where a hapless stand-in is thrust onstage to perform in an unknown play which morphs from Noel Coward, to Shakespeare, to Beckett with surreal, hilarious liquidity.

Debbie Lundeen was graciously funny as "Amanda Wingvalley", trying to spruce up her son for Feminine Caller “Ginny," deaf-ly played by Taylor Smith. Grant Bueschel was the soul of awkwardness son “Lawrence”, devoted to his collection of glass swizzle sticks. Connor Kelly was the sullen, movie loving brother.

Connor broke out of sullen into a vast and fascinating array of emotions from panic to celebration and pretty much everywhere in between as the Actor (but he’s really an accountant!) In The Actors  Nightmare. Connor gets to exercise his impressive mastery of both body and facial expressions - aided and abetted and thwarted and tormented by Stage Manager, Michelle Smith, and role-morphing Maureen Sawdon and Amanda Beuschel (Amanda was particularly adorable in the garbage can scene) Grant Bueschel returned in personas very different from his childish “Lawrence."

Not sure by whom or how the “Twilight Zone” connection was inspired, or who wrote/edited the Rod Serling narrator intros, but they were well played by Frank Boston, and the weirdness was well applied: “There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man … a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination.” ~Rod Serling

This show is very well done and deserves to pack it’s 50-75 max cute little theatre/art gallery. Despite its small “not really a theatre” setting the lighting and sound were excellent. (Tracy Smith.) The gallery also has lots of fun, unusual artwork.
Pre-sale tickets $10 at http://www.AndromedaPlayers.org
or call 269-262-1943
$12 at the door
Windwalker Underground Galleries 125 S. Cochran Ave. Charlotte MI