Did you know that Indianapolis has a thriving drama scene that both brings in outside talent and develops its own unique voice while offering everyone, from senior citizens to children barely out of diapers, a chance to get in on the comedy, excitement, and deep emotion that powers the theater. That just doesn’t sound like Indiana, does it?
Well, that’s exactly what Indianapolis has to offer. From the motley bustle of Massachusetts Avenue to the refined halls of the Murat Egyptian Room, there are dozens of high-class Indianapolis theaters smack dab in the middle of the Midwest. This page offers a quick overview of the wide variety of top-notch centers for Indianapolis performing arts, from the hilarious improv of the ComedySportz Arena to the venerable professionals at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.
American Cabaret Theatre-Considered to be Indianapolis’s primary musical theatre company, the ACT formerly resided in the historic Atheanaum Building, but it has recently moved to The Connoisseur Room on Michigan Street. It features both established productions and original musicals, all of which are steamy and deliciously ribald. It also lends its stage to unconventional performing arts as part of the indyFringe Festival.
Asante Children’s Theatre of Indianapolis-Focusing on children ages 9 to 21, the Asante Children’s Theatre seeks to enhance the understanding of African and African-American culture and experience through the theatrical arts, music, dance performance, and oral storytelling.
The Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre-Not only does the B&B appease your appetite for great Broadway shows like The Producers and A Christmas Carol, it also has a sumptuous, full-fledged dinner buffet to satisfy your more traditional appetite. Beef & Boards also hosts a children’s theatre and many other live Indianapolis events.
Buck Creek Players Theatre-Founded in 1973, the Buck Creek Players Theatre is an award-winning not-for-profit organization that offers professional quality theater productions for community theater prices. Buck Creek also awards scholarships to benefit young actors.
Center Stage Productions is a community theater group in Indianapolis based out of Southport Presbyterian Church. They offer family friendly entertainment at affordable prices.
Clowes Memorial Hall-Housed on the grounds of Butler University, Clowes Memorial Hall offers education in the live arts, world-class entertainment and events hosting for the Indianapolis community. Along with the Murat Theatre, it is one of the two hosts for Broadway Across America Indianapolis productions. It has a highly respected educational program that teaches perfomance arts to kids K-12 and also trains adult teachers.
ComedySportz Arena-This Indianapolis favorite is an improvisation-focused venue that offers entertainment for residents of all ages. It is one of the chosen venues for the indyFringe Festival.
Emerson Theater-The Emerson is a classic Indianapolis all-ages music venue, featuring both national and Indianapolis music groups on its enormous stage. It is the go-to place for live music of all kinds in Indianapolis. It has featured well-known artists like The Get Up Kids and Black Eyed Peas, as well as top-notch Indianapolis groups like The Mudkids and Summon the Destroyer.
Epilogue Players Theatre-Founded in 1980, this community theatre focuses on developing actors and actresses who are 50 and over and holds open auditions for its cast members.
Hedback Theatre-Home of Footlite Musicals, the Hedback Theatre was formerly the Civic Theatre of Indianapolis. This long-standing theatre puts out a musical every six weeks. It also offers courses in both onstage and backstage subjects.
Hilbert Circle Theatre-Built in 1916, Hilbert Circle Theatre is a great example of a lavish movie house. Since its inception, it has become the home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Indiana Repertory Theatre-Founded in 1972, the historic Indiana Repertory Theatre puts on nine shows every year and is a “Theatre Laureat,” as designated by the Indiana General Assembly in 1991. (IRT), located on Washington Street in Indianapolis downtown, produces first-class stage plays and concerts, and also provides a teaching ground for promising actors and actresses. Grand scale sets and technically superb productions are the norm in this premier, non-profit theatrical facility. Just a half-block from the Circle Centre Mall.
Indianapolis Civic Theatre-The ICT is one of the top ten largest civic theaters in the United States, and is the nation’s longest continuously-run civic theater. Located in Marian College, the Indianapolis Civic Theatre provides great performances and also educational programs to nurture growing Indianapolis actors and actresses.
Madam Walker Theatre-Celebrating art forms from the African-American perspective, the Madame Walker Theatre showcases new and emerging artists, offers educational programs, and hosts a variety of live events from various performers. They also feature the Youth in Arts program, which inspires music, poetry, dance, and other art forms in children.
The Mud Creek Players: It all began during the World War II gasoline shortages, when imaginative people were looking for cheaper entertainment close to home. They would read plays together while sewing for the war effort. Volunteer work became inextricably linked with theatre, and today this group produces plays, potluck dinners and generally lays the groundwork for social conciousness in Indy.
Murat Theatre-One of Indianapolis’s oldest performing arts venues, the Murat Theatre is one part of the Murat Centre. It boasts gigantic towers, roofs made of copper, intricate brick patterns, stained glass windows and arched entryways and halls throughout. It takes part in the indyFringe Festival every August, and is also one of two hosts (the other is Clowes Memorial Hall) for Broadway Across America shows.
Oaklandon Civic Theatre-Tracing its roots all the way back to 1850, the Oaklandon Civic Theatre is one of many historic landmarks in Indianapolis. The Theatre serves as an outlet for local playwrights to display their work and to provide the community with access to the performing arts through entertaining and enlightening stage productions.
The Paramount Theatre Centre and Ballroom-Located north of Indianapolis in the up-and-coming suburb called Anderson, the Paramount consistently finds its way to the official list of the 25 favorite Indianapolis attractions. An “atmospheric” theater in the grand old style, the Paramount also boasts a 6,000 square foot ballroom and banquet area for those memorable public gatherings such as wedding receptions.
The Pheonix Theatre-One of only three central Indiana theatres with Actors Equity Association status, the Pheonix Theatre is a professional contemporary theatre with two intimate-sized perfomance spaces. It features a number of issue-oriented plays each year and is part of the indyFringe Festival. The Phoenix Theatre grew to maturity at their present location in the turn-of-the-century church in the Mass Ave district where Jim Jones once plied his trade. As you might expect, they have a reputation for edginess. One of the must-see’s on your list of Indianapolis things to do.
Strange, hairy, and imminently thought-provoking are all apt descriptions for the ShadowApe Theatre Company. The company usually produces only one show a year, choosing different venues around Indy, gathering their players and crew from some of the best in the state. Nobody who knows anything about Indianapolis theater would ever miss one of these unique events.
The Theatre on the Square-One of the most prominent theaters on Mass Ave, The Theatre on the Square has won wide acclaim with its energetic, high-quality, and prolific productions. It features two different stages that both offer a wide variety of original plays, and is a participant in the indyFringe Festival.
The Theater Within produces socially conscious theater in an attempt to spark conversation among the people of Indianapolis.
The IndyFringe Building is a newly renovated performance space owned by the indyFringe Festival and available at low-cost to performing arts groups.
When you think of Indianapolis, the first things that come to your mind are probably great Indianapolis sports teams like the Indianapolis Colts and the Indiana Pacers. If you’re not a sports fan, your mind will probably wander to all the historic and beautiful landmarks and Indianapolis attractions that the city has to offer. You might not think of Indianapolis as a great place to experience the beauty of theater, but hopefully after perusing this list you’ll see that the Circle City has much more to offer than you ever expected.
Check out some of the most popular Indianapolis events venues.
See other Indianapolis theaters here.
