Take a plunge through an enchanted wardrobe into a world of wonder, whimsy and warfare.
Audiences attending Agape Theater Co.’s production of “Narnia” will follow along as four school children are transported to the titular realm, where they join in an epic battle of good vs. evil.
The musical is based on C.S. Lewis’ classic novel “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” enhanced with a unyielding score and inspiring musical numbers. The magic of the story, and the beauty of the song and dance elements, truly creates a performance unlike anything Agape has done in the past, said Kathy Phipps, artistic director for Agape.
“It’s a beautiful show and a beautiful story. It’s a show with strong characters, a strong ensemble and absolutely beautiful music,” she said.
Agape, a Greenwood-based performing arts group, will bring their version of “Narnia” to one of the most eclectic and fun events in central Indiana. The group has been invited to be part of this year’s Fringe Fest, an annual celebration of independent artistry featuring a collection of the most off-the-wall, quirky yet still thought-provoking performances local theater has to offer.
To be part of such a unique festival, with the opportunity to put on a truly magical show, is an honor the actors are not taking for granted, Phipps said.
“We are thrilled to be part of a theater festival that brings people in from all over the country,” she said. “We’re really delighted to have that opportunity. It’s a wonderful event for our cast, because people who are in the IndyFringe shows get to see the other shows at no cost. So it’s a great chance for them to see other theater productions, and young people to grow in their understanding of theater.”
Fringe Fest is an event organized by IndyFringe, which was founded in the early 2000s to bring the existing Fringe culture to Indianapolis. The Fringe movement stretches back to the 1940s. Performers who found themselves out of the mainstream started showcasing their talents on the outskirts of established art festivals in Scotland.
The appeal of an alternative to straight-up theater appealed to a wide number of people, and the idea spread to Australia, Canada and eventually the U.S.
Indianapolis joined the mix after then-Mayor Bart Peterson formed an arts campaign to help bring more young people to the city. Nonprofit groups such as the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the Central Indiana Community Foundation provided funding. Fringe festival organizers from Minneapolis and Atlanta came to help with the organization and setup of the event.
More than 20 groups performed that first year in 2005. The slate has grown to 50 acts with 250 performers celebrating creativity, comedy and drama in central Indiana, and anyone with an act is welcome to participate. The festival runs for three weekends: Aug. 19 to 22, 26 to 29 and Sept. 2 to 5.
Phipps, who has a long and active career in the local theater scene, has been familiar with IndyFringe for years.
“I always thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for our group to participate,” she said.
Agape Theater Company regularly puts on ambitious musicals and performances, with past shows including “Les Miserables,” “Newsies” and “The Sound of Music.” The organization has also been invited to take part in another Indianapolis-area theater festival, Indy Bard Fest, and the troupe performed “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” and “The Tempest” in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
In 2020, they were accepted to be part of IndyFringe. Unfortunately, the pandemic forced the cancellation of the event, so Agape had to wait another year to make their Fringe Fest debut.
“Everybody who was supposed to be in that festival was invited to participate this year, and of course we accepted that slot. We’re delighted to have that opportunity for our young people,” Phipps said.
To fit some of the more artistic qualities of Fringe Fest, theater leadership thought “Narnia” would be an ideal fit. The musical tells the story of four children, who are transported to Narnia and help the rightful ruler of the kingdom, Aslan, battle the evil White Witch.
“I found that this play, which I had directed previously and is usually 2 1/2 hours long, had recently been pared down to a one-hour touring version,” Phipps said. “We talked about it as a board, and thought it would be absolutely perfect for IndyFringe.”
While the shorter version of the musical worked well for the Fringe Fest format, it also presented challenges for Phipps and the production team: co-directors are Aidan Morris and Grant Scott Miller, musical director is Alex Bassett, choreographer is Faith Anthony and technical director Katarina Linnville.
Certain musical numbers had to be cut, and the cast had to be efficient to get such a rich story into a short time frame.
But the format also offered opportunity.
“The heart of the story is still there. The fight between Aslan and the White Witch, and the four schoolchildren’s part in that journey, is all still there,” Phipps said.
To get the cast prepared, Agape is presenting the musical through its summer camp program. They gathered every day for two weeks to learn their lines, rehearse, work on costumes, props and backdrops, and all of the myriad other responsibilities that come with staging a production.
“We’re used to rehearsing a show for eight to 10 weeks, only working on the weekends,” Phipps said. “It’s been an exciting experience for us to meet every day with the cast. That’s helped us with getting a show together in a smaller amount of time.”
“Narnia” is scheduled to be staged Aug. 19, 21, 28 and 29 at the Basile Theatre at the Athenaeum.
