Exploring Indy's Cultural Life

A move or trip requires us to explore the local theater scene. We started with the Phoenix, which bills itself as "Indy's Off Broadway Theater." The play was staged in a former church basement that had a bar, a few tables and rows of seats. Once outside a NYC theater I heard a cast member say to another "Time to go in and make a story." I recalled the comment as we watched a story unfold in this intimate space. The play, Norway, was premiering in Indianapolis and Boise. The oldest actor wrote in his bio that his wife was glad that he got the part because it got him out of the house. An observation that I full appreciate.

The next night we were back at the Indiana Museum of Art for dinner and a movie. We saw Key Largo with Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Saturday we went to the symphony. The program included Berlioz's Symphonic Fantastique. Last year we heard it while we were in Prague. I loved it and searched out opportunities to hear it agian. It wasn't quite as magical this time. In Prague we were right over the orchestra so we actually felt the music; in Indianapolis we were off to a side. So the fault may not have been entirely the orchastra's.

On Sunday we heard the Indianapolis Orchestra ensemble play a program at the Central Library. They played klezmer music. It was an energetic hour and wiped out the previous night's disappointment. Despite the gray heads in the picture, the audience was more age diverse than it appears.

The theater, symphony hall, and library are no more than a mile away and very walkable. Downtown living is all that we could want.