Commentary by Amy Pauszek
Where’s Amy snagged a sold-out ticket to the one-night staged reading of “Hoagy On My Mind” performed by Actor’s Theatre of Indiana. Local award-winning playwright Kenyon Brown conceived and wrote the new musical, which delighted and dazzled the audience with his clever story about Hoagy Carmichael, a native of Bloomington. ATI professional actors dressed in black and white, gathered on stage and read the script in a live format while mixing in the songs of Hoagy Carmichael. I was so intrigued by the story and performances of the actors that I forgot I was watching a live-screened, staged version of Brown’s new musical.
The performance gave the attending guests a chance to see a musical in the making and have the opportunity to give suggestions and/or raise questions for the cast, and most importantly Brown. The verdict was clear the audience loved Hoagy and gave it a well-deserved standing ovation. I truly was amazed by the works of Brown and, as always, ATI never disappoints. Keep your eyes peeled for the new musical “Hoagy On My Mind,” it’s a hit. Where’s Amy looks forward to seeing you at the 2016-17 ATI season. For more, visit atistage.org.