By Mark Ambrogi
Jean Arnold enjoys doing comedic roles and that’s a good thing.
“They’re challenging but they are done a lot more frequently,” Arnold said. “Sometimes it’s easier to sell tickets to comedies because we have enough drama already in life. People are more apt to see those kinds of shows.”
“The Game’s Afoot” will be presented by Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre from Oct. 23 to Nov. 7 at the Tarkington in Carmel.
“This is the third Ken Ludwig show that I’ve done there,” said Arnold, who plays Madge in “The Game’s Afoot.”
The Indianapolis resident was previously in Ludwig plays, “Moon Over Buffalo” in February and “The Fox on the Fairway.”
“The show has a lot of physical humor in it, which is fun but it’s challenging to get choreographed to where it looks like it is not choreographed,” Arnold said. “My role is a little departure from my usual. She is a little more of a tough broad. This take place in 1936 so I’m trying to channel (actress) Eve Arden. I’m paired up with my good friend Bill Book again. We enjoy working together. We have a great rapport on stage.”
“The Game’s Afoot” is a comedy mystery.
“It’s familiar territory to walk through because Ludwig has distinct style of writing and creating characters,” Arnold said. “I always seem to get the role of the jilted wife, not sure why that is. We have to unravel a whodunit and it’s fun getting to the bottom of it all.”
Arnold also performed in “Steel Magnolias.” “Guys and Dolls” and “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” for the Civic Theatre.
The shows are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sundays.
For tickets, visit civictheatre.org or call 843-3800.
About Jean Arnold
Arnold, who teaches yoga and does interactive voice recordings, acted for a living when she was in Otterbein University and after college she moved to New York City. She performed in a couple of off-Broadway shows and several other plays before returning to Indianapolis in 1995. She acted in a show in 1996 and then took an acting break until 2011. Arnold, who lives in Washington Township in Indianapolis, grew up in Indianapolis and is a Broad Ripple High School graduate.
