A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri, Eric Bernsee has enjoyed residing in Greencastle for more than 25 years. Years of consuming McDonald's iced teas, Dairy Castle flurries and Marvin's GCBs have helped make him the man he is today.

‘Shear Madness’ fun first before Beef & Boards gets ‘kinky’

Posted Sunday, January 9, 2022, at 8:55 PM

Beef & Boards is back and better than ever with a full house the first Saturday of the current run of comedy, “Shear Madness.”

Having been bitten by the Covid bug in 2020, the venerable Indianapolis venue canceled its theater season, put the buffet away and stayed idle until this past summer when it brought the musical “Newsies” to the stage and followed that splendid romp through the yellow journalism days of New York publishing with an outstanding fall presentation of “Phantom of the Opera.”

Now as Beef & Boards begins its 49th season, it’s comedy ruling the stage as we start 2022 with the return of “Shear Madness” in which the audience helps decide whodunit in the murder mystery.

Stealing the show are Daniel Klingler as beauty salon owner Tony Whitcomb and Beef & Boards’ resident everyman, Jeff Stockberger as Nick O’Brien, the questioning cop who takes queries from audience members before the production goes to intermission and continues the interaction to nearly the end when the killer is revealed. It can be a different culprit each night, which is part of the charm of “Shear Madness.” Never the same show twice.

“Shear Madness” is on stage through Feb. 5 at the intimate dinner theater off Michigan Road at I-465 on the north side of Indy.

After “Shear Madness,” strutting onto the Beef & Boards stage for the first time is the high-heeled hit “Kinky Boots.” Based on true events, “Kinky Boots” tells the story of two people who have nothing in common – or so they think. Featuring 16 original songs by pop icon Cyndi Lauper, “Kinky Boots” kicks off Feb. 10 through March 27.

It will be so nice to have “Hello, Dolly!” back on stage starting March 31. The blockbuster Broadway hit bursts with humor, romance, high-energy dancing and some of the greatest songs in musical theater history, including of course, the famous title tune. “Hello, Dolly!” is on stage through May 15.

Next, the beloved Disney musical “Mary Poppins” arrives May 19 for some supercalifragilisticexpialidocious family fun. Nominated for seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, and based on the beloved Disney film, it will be on stage through July 10.

New to the Beef & Boards stage is “Honky Tonk Angels,” opening July 14 and featuring 30 classic country tunes by Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Tanya Tucker and more. Three gutsy gals from different backgrounds take charge of their lives and follow their honky tonk dreams to Nashville. It will be on stage through Aug. 14.

Also making its Beef & Boards debut in 2022 is the show all Parrotheads have been waiting for. “Escape to Margaritaville” opens Aug. 18 featuring both original songs and Jimmy Buffett classics. A part-time bartender and singer falls for a career-minded tourist in the musical comedy that is on stage through Oct. 2.

Then things get altogether ooky as “The Addams Family” creeps onto the Beef & Boards stage for the spooky season. But Gomez Addams faces a nightmare when his daughter, Wednesday, falls in love. The Tony Award-nominated macabre musical comedy haunts Beef & Boards Oct. 6-Nov. 20.

The holiday favorite “It’s A Wonderful Life” comes to the stage in a heartwarming play starting Nov. 25. Based on the beloved Frank Capra film, it tells the story of George Bailey, who is taken on a journey of self discovery by his guardian angel. Enriched with holiday music, It’s A Wonderful Life is on stage through Dec. 23.