Local theatrical group celebrates the beginning of the holiday season with a Thanksgiving jazz cabaret

Known for its abundance of community theater opportunities, Fort Wayne boasts an above average number of theatrical companies and organizations for would-be thespians of all ages.

One group, the Indiana Musical Theatre Foundation, continues to expand its reach and output on the local entertainment scene, building on a successful high school summer program created in 2019.

The program, originally known as the Fort Wayne Summer Music Theatre was the brainchild of legendary Fort Wayne theater advocate and educator, Kirby Volz.

It got its start in 1999 with a production of and continues to operate under the IMTF mother ship with an 8-week intensive workshop.

WBOI's Julia Meek reflects on the group's momentum and diversity with executive artistic director, Andrew Sherman, and the scope of current operations including a sneak peek at this season's newest offering, a Thanksgiving Cabaret.

Event Information:

IMTF Thanksgiving Cabaret with Alicia Pyle and Friends at RKF Studios 2446 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne. Nov. 23 Tickets: $35.00

IMTF Christmas on Lake 2024 at RKF Studios 2446 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne Dec. 20-Dec. 21

Find more information and tickets at the IMTF website.

Here is a transcript of our conversation:

Julia Meek: Andrew Sherman, welcome.

Andrew Sherman: Hi, Julia.

Julia Meek: So, you and yours have been mighty musical over at your space in the RKF studios. Before we get that update, would you remind us of the Indiana Musical Theatre Foundation's mission?

Andrew Sherman: Our mission is to create wonderful art, whether it be concerts or theater. We like to foster an environment of inclusion, diversity, accessibility, which is a big one for us, and just knowing the right projects to work on that bring people in, especially volunteers that are looking to make musical theater magic, or music magic in a city like Fort Wayne.

Julia Meek: And okay, Andrew, your IMTF, as we use that acronym, roots do go back, actually, to 1999 thanks to the very visionary and legendary Kirby Volz. That nets you 25 years of amazing achievement, involving 1000s and 1000s more young talents, yourself included. So, what's the motivation behind your mission for such engagement?

Andrew Sherman: That question definitely needs a little back response. 1999 Kirby and Jeanette Walsh started it. It was just a high school program, one show a year. Those kiddos that made up that show, it was kind of the All Stars. And we still think about that in the summertime, any student from any school could audition for and they could spend their summer in the theater.

It was funded by Fort Wayne community schools. About three years later, Fort Wayne Community Schools, you know, that's right when things got really hard, budgetary wise. So they cut the funding. But Kirby and Jeanette had already realized what an amazing foundation they had made. So they were determined to keep it going. And thank God they did.

I first joined the Fort Wayne Summer Music Theatre in 2007, so I'm going on 18 years in the organization, which is crazy. I have to pinch myself when I put that number out there. I started in the tech side of things, and then went to be a student actor, and then on the production team. And, in 2019, Kirby graciously offered me to take it over. He had done us 20 years, and he was ready to have his summers back. (chuckles)

And, you know, I was kind of eager to get my hands on it. And with the help of the Russ Koehlinger Foundation, Leslie Koehlinger Russ, in particular, meeting her, we really wanted to kind of rebrand it and make it not just Fort Wayne. That's why it is now called the Indiana Musical Theatre Foundation. But the Fort Wayne Summer Music Theatre is still a thing, and that is the summer show with all the high school kids.

Julia Meek: Run by you.

Andrew Sherman: Yes, yeah. But the whole scope of it now is a 6-7-8, show season, way past one show a year, and our reach has grown. We have kids coming from Ohio to do our shows every summer.

We have kids that are driving from Goshen to come to our shows to do them, and we're talking like eight week processes.

So our evolution kicked off in 2019 when we, myself and Alex Leavell, my assistant (I hate calling him assistant, because he's so much more than that) when we finally took the reins, we had a mission in mind. We didn't quite know what it was at first, but we know what it is now.

Julia Meek: And you're proving that you know exactly what it is.

Andrew Sherman: Yes, for sure, and we've had a lot of help along the way, a lot of support, a lot of shoulders to lean on, and a lot of what I would call pillars of the community to ask and to gain knowledge of, and that is really what's made our mold.

But that mold is not dry. Every step of the way, every time we approach a, Hey, let's look at this possibility, we add a little bit more to the mold.

Julia Meek: Well done. Now, last we talked across this very mic, you were bringing a very clever and edgy performance to your stage. It was just about a year ago.

Andrew Sherman: Correct.

Julia Meek: What have you been up to over there between then and now?

Andrew Sherman: Yes, that was our production of starring Jana Debusk, who is no stranger to the Fort Wayne scene. That was a phenomenal experience. After that we ended our season with our annual Christmas Cabaret, which went off without a hitch.

We opened our 2024 season with a cabaret concert series. We actually like to call it the concert series that is directed by our program director, Alex Leavell, and it is based and celebrated of the Black History Month on February.

So, we always put it in February, and we got to celebrate the wonderful accomplishments of Stevie Wonder. That was also a sold-out show at RKF studios, and there was encores happening those nights.

Julia Meek: I heard that nobody stayed in their seats.

Andrew Sherman: No, at points, people were pushing tables to the sides of the room just so they could dance. It was electric, yeah! Fatima, Washington, Albert Brownlee, all of those, like, really, yeah, big names, and also new names, though, some of which came up from our summer program, so that was a huge success.

Following that, we had the privilege to premiere a production by local playwright and actress herself, Darby LeClear. I've known Darby since middle school. She wrote a show called . She'd been working on it for 10 years. It's always hard to pick the play and we try to get a play in our season. And I came to her and I said, Darby, let's just do it.

So she staged the whole thing. She directed it, and wanted it to be her baby. You know, it's her vision. And oh, Julia, it was so good. It was deep. It dealt with a lot. It dealt with some really serious family turmoil issues. But it was just beautiful.

Following that, our main stage production, this summer, 60 kids from 26 high schools hit the stage at Northside High School. Over 3000 people saw that show. So much fun, electric, just mind numbing entertainment (chuckles) it was so good.

And then following that, a completely sold out production—thank you, Fort Wayne—sold out run of the musical within our partnership at Arena, uncovering some hidden Fort Wayne talent, some gems that we were blessed to have.

And then this next one coming up is the Alicia Pyle concert that we added to our season. More about that later. And then we'll finish out our season with our annual Christmas on Lake Cabaret.

Julia Meek: These large guest productions are crazy fun from the front of the house, I'll tell you, Andrew. How do they go down or come off, I should say, maybe, from your side of things?

Andrew Sherman: From the first rehearsal or the first idea to do the show, it is always what I call a work in progress. We use, and this term is taken from Brad Beauchamp, and if he took it from someone, that's fine.

Alex and I always talk about our productions as a paint canvas. We're painting the picture. And in rehearsals, we are adding layers to that canvas. And it's not until we are circled up, before we go on stage for the first time that we tell the cast, okay, your paint is dry.

So, through the rehearsal process from the director, end, tech, lights, costumes, music or play, it is always an evolving monster or canvas from the start. And no process has ever been the same. Put it that way.

Julia Meek: But it always goes down in layers.

Andrew Sherman: It always goes down in layers. It is just like an onion, but you're doing it in an opposition. You know, you always say you have to peel back an onion of, like a personality.

Well, it's the same thing with a show. You're peeling back the onion, but when you get to the core of it, that's opening night. That's show night.

Julia Meek: Thank you for that. That's a great visual. Now, besides collectively solidifying a rock solid place in the musical community, what's the biggest advantage to this obviously winning strategy that you have developed with this wonderful, large cast of characters?

Andrew Sherman: It is a-we like to produce great art, and we have been blessed with a talent pool that has allowed us to do so. And a big part of that is, you know, respecting your volunteers that come through the door and making sure that they have a safe place to create.

A lot of the adults that are in our productions work a nine-to-five. They all have families and kids and all of that. And I think going back to the core of it is that we really wanted to create a company, but a community.

Julia Meek: It takes a lot of balancing, from everything you've just said, then.

Andrew Sherman: So much balancing. Because, you know, I also have a nine-to-five myself, and my nine-to-five is more like my eight-to-10, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Julia Meek: It is with the school system.

Andrew Sherman: Yeah, with the schools. And this is all technically side work at this point, which I never put that as far as my objective towards it, or my focus on it. I never say that it's the side gig, because it's just as meaningful and impactful for my soul as my day job.

Julia Meek: It's your life, then, in that case. Now, there is something about live music that electrifies and amplifies whatever you're trying to get across. It's also essential to balance it with the plot for maximum flow and effect. Is this difficult to do? And what's your secret, because you seem to do it very well?

Andrew Sherman: Well, is it difficult? Always, especially when you're given or you choose a piece of theater to work on, because someone somewhere has probably done it before. So, there are moments where you're not supposed to reinvent the wheel, okay?

You're supposed to do it as written. You know, even stage it in a particular way, as written. The difficult and kind of inspiring, I guess is a better word that I would use, is that we really approach our projects, productions with you know, just because it was written that way doesn't necessarily mean we need to do it that way, stage it that way, block it that way, unless it is towards the plot.

Now, with the concerts, they are very much formatted in a different way. We want to have variety. We want to have flow. But at the same time, we are not trying to create a story with it. So concerts, in general, it's a whole different monster and a different approach, because they're not always themed or storylined.

Julia Meek: And in fact, the music is the plot, if you will.

Andrew Sherman: Correct, the music is absolutely the plot. And more so, we want the audience to be like, Oh, they're about to sing that one! Oh, I can't wait!

And it's not necessarily that we've made it up, because we certainly didn't, but that is really its own energy and excitement of just being able to do that number with a local talent and knock it out of the park.

Julia Meek: So, cabarets, generally speaking, are such crowd pleasers because it is the whole element of sitting in a fun club and having fun with music.

Andrew Sherman: Absolutely.

Julia Meek: You have an extra bonus cabaret coming up in this year's season, if you will, a Cabaret with Alicia Pyle and friends. How do you take it and run with it, especially this time of year that's so full of so many fun things to do?

Andrew Sherman: And that's exactly it. We wanted to put something in this season, in November. We didn't really have an idea when we announced the season. We didn't put something there. Well, I was conversing with Alicia Pyle, and I said, Alicia, you are one of the most renowned jazz musicians in town. Would you come join us for just a night of fun at our studio and just let's rock out like you guys do?

Julia Meek: How hard was it to convince her to do that?

Andrew Sherman: Oh, so hard! (both laugh) Oh my gosh, she is a tough cookie. (chuckles) No, the school that I work at, she has a lot of our voice students, so she comes to our things, and she's always, you know, complimenting.

And I've always kind of been a fan girl of Alicia Pyle (chuckles) and so it was awesome just to finally get to sit down and talk to her, and I said, Alicia, will you do this for us? And she said, Absolutely, I'd love to be able to help.

Because she knows IMTF and she knows our mission. So yeah, it's been wonderful to put it together, but I've really given her kind of the reins as far as the music goes.

Andrew Sherman: She is such a generous advocate for all things local music.

Andrew Sherman: Oh my gosh, yes.

Julia Meek: So, tell us the formula. How does her own "Pyle Style," as well as that of her many friends that she does have compliment your own mission this time of year?

Andrew Sherman: It's a new works. It's a new thing that we have not done. And this time of year, we're always trying to plug something in there that people, your regularly scheduled programming, we'd like to get away from that this time of year. (chuckles)the holidays are on the horizon.

That's stressful for a lot of people. So, the whole approach to this was, let's just have some fun. Yeah, she has assembled some of the best musicians, Sean Parr, Brad Kuhns, Matt Schuler, and then going back to, like, the jazz standards, but ones that were all in our houses, even me growing up.

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis, Jr, that's what you're gonna hear all these reviews with this talented cast, with her on keys and this awesome band. And beverages and hors d'oeuvres and a cool, like you said, in a kind of a cozy nightclub.

And we're gonna transform our studio so you feel as though you are in that type of an environment.

Julia Meek: Got it. A cold November evening, a warm, warm Cabaret going on, for sure. That is fantastic. And after that, yet another cabaret on the agenda. this is the Christmas Cabaret, the last one of the year. And one big gift that you always give everybody there is the reveal of next year's season. Not asking for spoilers, of course (chuckles) but what can you tell us about it, Andrew?

Andrew Sherman: The Christmas on Lake is what we call it, because it is at our home studio. RKF. It is an evening of feel good Christmas music, and it's right before Christmas, it's the 20th-21st. We put together a set list of all of the ones that you want to hear.

And what's awesome about it is that half of the cast is made up of returning high school kids who are home for college, so their parents come and they get to hear their kiddos sing after a semester or months away of not getting to see their kids perform.

And it's just a blessing that they come back to us. But, over the past couple years, that's evolved with our adult series. So we have members of the communities, members of our production of Chicago, going to be a part of it this year.

And yes, our little ending of, a "little big ending" of our opening night of that production, is we always unwrap, is what we call our next season, so our 2025 season, is going to be revealed at that time.

Julia Meek: Anything you can tell us?

Andrew Sherman: Oh man, Julia, let's just say we're not slowing down. (laughs) So if you've been keeping track of our last several seasons, and we've put some really ambitious shows on there, all I can really say at this point is we're not slowing down.

Julia Meek: That's a teaser worth taking, and we will take that, Andrew. And now, a word on our many wonderful local theatrical organizations. You're a veteran in the business. Why do you think Fort Wayne is so blessed?

Andrew Sherman: There is a place for everyone in Fort Wayne. There is a community of artists. And no matter what their background is, what I would say, what their cup of tea is, there is an organization in this city for someone.

I dread, I hate, I'm going to use that word. It's a strong word. I hate when people say there's nothing to do in Fort Wayne. There is always something to do in Fort Wayne, from the Brass Rail to, you know, a rock concert to, you know, the ballet. There is always something to do-the art museum, the stuff that comes through here at the Embassy.

We are just a blessed community now. We have a very talented pool of talent here that are just community members, that are nine-to-five workers, and we have some untapped potential and tapped potential of talent in this city that the theater organizations are blessed to be able to have.

Julia Meek: Another thing, our community seems to be gifted with an abundance of playwrights as well as performers for them and platforms. Now, IMTF takes advantage of that as well. What's the biggest challenge, and then, flip side, the biggest thrill of doing premieres?

Andrew Sherman: The biggest thrill of a premiere is, or the hardship of it is, you don't know how it's going to be received. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, so it's always a leap of faith.

And even if it's a written title that was performed on Broadway, but we're the first people to do it here, you don't know how it's gonna sell. You don't know if you're gonna get talent to show up at auditions. That is always the hardest part of a premiere.

The flip side of it is it is so rewarding, when someone comes into a show, and they see something that they have never seen before, and it is under our company, or any company, and someone walks out of there being like, gosh, I cannot believe I never saw that. Or I cannot believe that we have someone in Fort Wayne that has written that, and just how they react to it.

That's the thrill. That is really the thrill of it. But it is one of the more nerve-wracking experiences to go through, because, you know, you can plan with certain shows, your trajectory. With premieres, all bets are off.

Julia Meek: Sounds like you have to be a little bit of a thrill seeker, and then, of course, work very, very hard to make it happen. Then the rush is worth it.

Andrew Sherman: Gotta be willing to take the chance. Yeah, gotta be willing to take that chance. (both chuckle) And there's a lot of art that is what I would say in the bubble. And we're an organization that is not afraid to push the envelope a little bit, whether that be known shows or works of art or original.

Julia Meek: Now I am curious, Andrew, with such an alumni roster in such a theater-friendly city, what's the biggest, baddest power that that strength in numbers offers you, because you're not afraid to take on massive numbers of people to put a show on.

Andrew Sherman: We are blessed with our talent pool, from on stage to off stage. It allows us variety. It allows us versatility. It allows us to be able to not be stuck in the, okay, we can only do these shows because this is all we have the talent for.

We're able to have the ideas, and if it's a new idea, we're able to try it and have the support from our performers, designers, team members along the way. That is one of the biggest blessings as a newer company, as IMTF has come to notoriety and notability.

That's one of the biggest blessings of all, to be able to have that talent pool, and really to be able to grow it every single year.

Julia Meek: You've earned it, and it's not easy to earn, so good for you.

Andrew Sherman: It takes an army. It takes a team of dedicated individuals, of which we have at IMTF who believe in our mission, the supporters, board members, all of it.

So many people don't know what goes into a not-for-profit organization, and you've got to have the support from your board, from your team, and then from your community.

Julia Meek: And, Andrew, at the end of the day, what is it that you want everyone to know and love about live musical theater, especially yours?

Andrew Sherman: We are in it to have a good time. We are in it to create opportunities for actors and for audience members to have an out of mind or out of body experience.

There are pieces of theater that we're going to do that the intention is for you to feel something really strong, or to walk away from that piece being like, Oh man, that was, that was exhausting, but in the best way. But on the flip side, it's so awesome to be able to work on a piece that's mind numbing entertainment.

Our lives are overrun right now with our daily routines and our, our safe routines, and what we're doing and who we're watching in our reality TV shows. I love being able to approach a piece, especially this last season that we did with where we're not trying to change your life with these pieces of theater, we're wanting you to come in and have a dang good time.

And really just have, in a good way, mind numbing entertainment, while being able to appreciate the talent that's on stage, knowing that it's the talent right here from Fort Wayne.

Julia Meek: Andrew Sherman is executive artistic director of the Indiana Musical Theatre Foundation. Thank you for sharing your story and your musical passion for it with us, Andrew. Have a great Cabaret. Carry it on.