You heard it here first.

Indy Actors’ Playground is returning in April.

And, coincidentally, it will be our 100th play reading.

For those who weren’t around for the previous 99, here’s a recap.

More than a decade ago, actor/director Bill Simmons and I were lamenting the fact that there were many public play readings to attend in Indy. And those that did occassionally happen were there primarily to benefit the playwright.

But, we thought, what about actors? Unless they are self-producing or happen to be on the artistic staff of a theater, they rarely get the chance to curate the work they do. Instead, they are at the mercy of directors (casting, artistic, or otherwise) when it comes to being paired with roles.

Why not have a play reading series where, each month, a different professional actor gets to select a play they are burning to do? Further, why not have the actor select the rest of the cast?

And that’s how Indy Actors’ Playground was born.

From our first reading in early 2013, we stressed that IAP is about the actor’s bliss. No other consideration should step on that, except that it couldn’t be a play recently done or on any upcoming schedule in Central Indiana (we didn’t want to created any conflict) and it had to be a play that has been professionally produced somewhere (we didn’t want actors actually just helping their playwright friends).

We never announced what the play was going to be, since we didn’t want the actor concerened at all with drawing an audience.

Of course, we loved having an audience. And we often had full houses of adventurous theatergoers who never knew what they were in. All that we leaked was the name of the lead actor and and what the general genre would be (“a period comedy,” “an underrated gem by a noted playwright,” “an intense family drama”). We’ll be keeping that tradition going.

Need trigger warnings? Ask privately and we’ll let you know.

All of those live readings were done at the former Mass Ave,. site of Indy Reads Books, and we were thrilled to introduce many folks to Indy Reads, the wonderful organization that does so much in its efforts to make Indianapolis 100% literate. While the readings were and will continue to be free, folks have been encouraged to bring books to donate and/or do some of their book shopping while there.

Back to the story.

When Bill Simmons stepped away for other responsibilities, actor Paul Hansen stepped up to partner and carried IAP through until the pandemic shutdown, when we shifted to online for a few. Like most everyone else, it seemed, Zoom fatigue set in, and we put the whole project on hold.

Until now.

This time, I’m thrilled that my partner on the project is theater artist Kelsey Leigh Miller. She’ll be helping coordinate the actor lineup as we return to Indy Reads, this time at its new Fountain Square bookstore (in the spot formerly occupied by the Fountain Square branch library).

The plan is for us to host a reading the second Monday of every month, beginnign April 8. Time TBD.

And to celebrate the return and the 100th reading, we’re going to continue another IAP tradition: The Cold Cold Reading.

Unlike our regular monthly readings, at this once-annual event, none of the actors will know what the script will be. We’ve selected a lively one and will be casting it ourselves, with actors only finding out the play and their part once they are onstage in front of the audience and open their sealed script envelopes.

This once-a-year event is our way of kicking off our once-a-month series. The traditional, actor-selecting-the-play format will get rolling in May.

I’m thrilled that Indy Actors’ Playground is returning, not just for what it adds to the local arts scene, the joy it brings to the actors involved, and the important connection to Indy Reads.

But also because, selfishly, some of the best theater I’ve seen in town has been at these readings.

Seriously.

There can be magic when actors get to follow their bliss.

I hope you can join us for Indy Actors’ Playground version 3.0. For now, the best way to stay in touch is to follow the Indy Actors’ Playground page on Facebook.

Onward,

Lou