Crystal Rhodes Play Selected for American Stage Theatre 21st Century New Play Festival

Writing and Winning!

By 

Crystal V. Rhodes

In January 2017,

Crystal Rhodes

I presented a play that I wrote to the Speed City Chapter of Sisters in Crime critique group for review.  The title of the play is The Diary of Annie Mae Franklin.  Sisters in Crime is an international organization that offers networking, advice and support to mystery writers. 

Although I do write cozy mystery novels,  The Diary of Annie Mae Franklin is a play, but it’s not a mystery.  It is a heart wrenching story about an African American family that harbors a fourteen year old Japanese American boy who has escaped from one of the U.S. sanctioned internment camps during World War II.  

I’ve been writing novels for years.  I’ve been writing plays even longer, and presenting my work to this critique group was the first time I ever sought the opinion of those outside the theatrical community about one of my plays.  In my opinion, good writing is good storytelling, no matter the form.   

The members of the SIC critique group are excellent writers.  I respect the talent in this group, and trust their judgment.  Their suggestions are usually right on point, and the suggestions they made about the characters and the dialogue in my play proved more than helpful. 

Writers look for different things when joining a critique group.  Since I’m a versatile writer, one of the things I was seeking in such a group was fellow writers who were open to the challenge of appraising different types of work.  That’s what I consider a winning critique group.  I found what I was looking for in the Speed City Sisters in Crime organization.

Speaking of winning, I entered The Diary of Annie Mae Franklin in  two theatre festivals.  Last year, the play was chosen as one of a select few to be read at the National Black Theatre Festival.  Less than a month ago The Diary of Annie Mae Franklin was selected out of 500 entries as one of the winners of the American Stage Theatre 21st Century New Play Festival!  

From my point of view, being a writer who is a part of a good critique group is a real winner.
_________________________________________
C.V. Rhodes is a member of the Speed City Sisters in Crime chapter and co-author, with L. Barnett Evans, of the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery series.  Visit their website at www.grandmothersinc.com also visit Rhodes’ romantic suspense website at www.crystalrhodes.com.

Praise Pouring in for DEADBEAT.

Deadbeat, the one-act murder mystery play written and produced by Speed City Sisters in Crime, is getting a high praise from the media and audiences alike.  

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR did a feature article on Deadbeat. It was singled out among the 62 performances at this year's Fringe Fest.  To see the article, CLICK HERE

The play premiered on August 16 as part of 2018 Indy Fringe Fest, and will run through August 26.  

ORDER TICKETS, CLICK HERE,  go to www.indyfringe.org or call 317-292-4429 or 317-292-6910

Here are two reviews from those in the audience for the premiere.  

DEADBEAT!  WHAT AN OPENING!

By Crystal V. Rhodes

After more than a year of preparation, the play Deadbeat, written and produced by Speed City Sisters in Crime, opened Thursday, August 16th.  Directed by Deborah Asante, the premiere was filled with drama, and it wasn’t all on stage.

Deadbeat was scheduled to start at 9:00 p.m.  At 4:30 p.m. stage manager, Barbara Michelle Dabney received a message from Alicia Simms, the very talented actress who plays the character of Celeste in the three person play.  Alicia's words were the last ones that anyone associated with a live theatrical production wants to hear.   The actress was stuck out of state and couldn’t get a flight back to Indy in time for the show.  Deadbeat. has no understudies and it was to made its debut in four in a half hours.  What in the world were they going to do?

Michelle Dabney had the answer.  As the stage manager for Deadbeat she attended every rehearsal for the past six weeks.  She knew every line, every stage cue.  When the lights went up on the Opening Night of Deadbeat, Michelle stepped on stage and transformed into Celeste.  The Theatre Arts Major from Indiana State University nailed it.  She didn’t miss a beat.  Together with veteran actress, Gabrielle Patterson, whose command of her part as Abby was flawless, the sheer force of their combined talents brought Deadbeat to life.  The ladies ruled the stage! 

Alicia has returned to Indy and will resume her role as Celeste for the rest of Deadbeat’s run.  Michelle will return to running the show as stage manager, but Speed City Sisters in Crime owes the young lady a very big thank you for stepping up to save a very special day.

DEADBEAT A SKILLED, NUANCED MYSTERY

by Cheryl Shore

If you like your murder mystery infused with convincing psychological elements, you need to see Deadbeat, directed by Deborah Asante, at the Basile Theater as part of Indy Fringe. I was fortunate to see the premier on August 16. 

Everyone is in the dark at the beginning of the one act play, literally and figuratively. When the first light shines on the stage, we see the body of a man (Matt, the “deadbeat”), and two frantic women (Abigail and Celeste). Each of the two women is convinced the other committed the murder. The dialogue between Abigail and Celeste helps the audience understand the characteristics of the deceased and each woman’s conflicted relationship with him. The voice of the dead man helps develop the possible motive and gives more of the backstory concerning the trio.  

The true character of each woman, and the complex relationship between them, is revealed through their conversation. By the play’s conclusion the audience knows the Who and the Why behind the murder.  

Deadbeat’s actors were skilled in revealing the nuances of characters. Barielle Patterson played Abigail and Zach Hyatt played Matt.  On opening night, Barbara Michell Dabney stepped in and played Celeste without missing a beat. 


This is an intriguing whodunit. Be sure to see it before the final performance on August 26! 

Get Your Tickets NOW! DEADBEAT Is a Winner!

DEADBEAT is a WINNER for SISTERS IN CRIME

By Crystal V. Rhodes

Deadbeat is a winner!  

The One Act play written and produced by Speed City Sisters in Crime mystery writers will make its debut at the 2018 Indy Fringe Play Festival on August 16th, and my predication is that Deadbeat is going to be THE play for Fringe audiences to see!

The Speed City Chapter is making history! The Indiana Chapter is the first chapter of the international Sisters in Crime organization to write and produce a theatrical production. 

TO ORDER TICKETS, CLICK HERE,  go to www.indyfringe.org or call 317-292-4429 or 317-292-6910

Am I biased?  Yes.  I am a member of Speed City Sisters in Crime. It’s hard not to crow over such an achievement, especially after having the pleasure of attending a recent DEADBEAT rehearsal.

Under the skilled direction of Deborah Asante, founder and Artistic Director of the Asante Children’s Theatre, DEADBEAT has made quite a transition from the page to the stage. 

Described as a “one act play of murder, malice and mystery” with a touch of humor, audiences can expect to experience a myriad of emotions as the talented cast infuse layers of nuance into their characters in ways I didn’t expect. The experienced cast of local actors includes Gabrielle Patterson (Abigail), Alicia Simms (Celeste) and Zach Hyatt (Matt)   

Although familiar with the script, I was surprised by the depth of my response to some of the lines delivered by the actors.  The acting is on point.  Added to that is how well music is used to set the play’s mood.  

Yes!  I’m sure that DEADBEAT is a winner. I'm certain that audiences will think so too’

The 2018 Indy Fringe Festival starts next week, running from August 16th through August 27th.  DEADBEAT will be presented for SIX PERFORMANCES ONLY at the Indy Fringe Basile Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair St. in Indianapolis:

THURSDAY            AUGUST 16     9:00 P.M.

SATURDAY            AUGUST 18      9:00 P.M.

MONDAY               AUGUST 20      9:00 P.M.

THURSDAY           AUGUST 23     7:30 P.M.

FRIDAY                  AUGUST 24      6:00 P.M.

SUNDAY                 AUGUST 26     7:30 P.M.


Tickets can be purchased online at www.indyfringe.org.  By phone at 317-292-4429 or 317-292-6910 or at the Indy Fringe Box Office located at 719 E. St. Clair Street, Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Free Parking for the Fringe Festival will be available at Bottleworks, which can be entered off Massachusetts Avenue between College Ave and Edison.

______________________

C.V. Rhodes is the co-author of the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery series, written with fellow author, L. Barnett Evans.  Visit their website at www.grandmothersinc.com.  Rhodes is also the author of the romantic suspense Sin Series and the recently launched Stillwaters Series.  Visit her website at www.crystalrhodes.com.

Speed City SinC Star on WFYI's NO LIMITS; Streaming Interview Available Online

Front row: Michael Dabney, Crystal Rhodes & Diana Catt in WFYI Studios

Three members of Speed City Sisters in Crime talked for an hour WFYI-FM host John Krull on his weekly show NO LIMITS.

Michael Dabney, Crystal Rhodes and Diana Catt talked about the Sisters in Crime Organization, the value of joining writing groups, and the Chapter's upcoming major event, writing and producing a one act mystery play.

The play will be performed six times between August 16-26 as part of Indy Fringe Fest.

The one-hour show is available for streaming on line.  To listen, Click HERE

WFYI's "No Limits" Focuses on DEADBEAT, Speed City SinC; Tune In July 31 at 1 p.m.

WHAT:     No Limits Interview about DEADBEAT & Sisters in Crime
WHEN:    Tuesday, July 31 at 1 p.m.
WHERE:  WFYI (90.1 FM), Indianapolis

WFYI'S July 31 No Limits program will feature an hour-long discussion about Speed City Sisters in Crime and its latest project, the one-act play Deadbeat, which is scheduled for six performances during Indy FringeFest.

No Limits is a daily program  hosted by John Krull on WFYI radio (90.1 FM), the Indianapolis Public Radio Station operated by Butler University.  Speed City members Diana Catt, Crystal Rhodes and Michael Dabney talked with Krull about mystery writing and the Chapter's first-of-its-kind play. Deadbeat is the first time any chapter of the national Sisters in Crime organization has attempted writing and producing a play.

Directed by noted local director Deborah Asante, DEADBEAT will have six performances between August 16 and 26 at the 100-seat Basile Fringe Theater, 719 E St Clair St, Indianapolis, IN 46202. The play features an outstanding cast of experienced local actors: Gabrielle Patterson, Alicia Sims & Zach Hyatt

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and adults, with a $1 per ticket service fee for online orders.  Tickets are available now. To Order, click this link:  TICKETS TO DEADBEAT


Remember: Tuesday,  July 31, 1 p.m. on WFYI (90.1 FM).

DEADBEAT Tickets ON SALE NOW !

ONLY 100 SEATS PER PERFORMANCE
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW BEFORE THEY'RE GONE

Tickets for are now available online for  DEADBEAT, the innovative one-act psychological murder mystery written and produced by Speed City Chapter of the National Sisters In Crime.  

Director Deborah Assante

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and adults, with a $1 per ticket service fee for online orders.  To Order your tickets NOW, click this link:  TICKETS TO DEADBEAT

Deadbeat will have six performances between August 16 and 26 at the 100-seat Basille Fringe Theater, 719 E St Clair St, Indianapolis, IN 46202.  Deadbeat is part of the nationally-recognized Indy FringeFest.  

“It’s going to be the adult show to see, said Deborah Asante, the award-winning director of the play. The play features an experienced professional cast: Gabrielle Patterson (Abigail), Alicia Simms (Celeste) and Zach Hyatt (Matt).

Deadbeat is the first project of its kind for any chapter of the national Sisters in Crime organization. The Play was a group project written by Speed City Chapter members with guidance from noted playwright and chapter member C.V. Rhodes. 

Cast Gabrielle Patterson, Alicia Sims & Zach Hyatt

DEADBEAT six performance schedule is:  

THURSDAY             AUGUST 16      9:00 P.M.
SATURDAY             AUGUST 18      9:00 P.M.
MONDAY                AUGUST 20      9:00 P.M.
THURSDAY            AUGUST 23      7:30 P.M.
FRIDAY                   AUGUST 24      6:00 P.M.
SUNDAY                 AUGUST 26      7:30 P.M.

Experienced Cast Selected for DEADBEAT

Outstanding Cast Will Bring DEADBEAT To Life

By

Crystal V. Rhodes

The cast of Deadbeat is complete!  

Gabrielle Patterson (Abigail), Alicia Simms (Celeste) and Zach Hyatt (Matt) have been cast. When the curtain rises and these actors bring their characters to life it should be quite a treat.

The actors for Deadbeat, from left, Gabrielle Patterson (Abigail), Zach Hyatt (Matt) and Alicia Simms (Celeste)

Deadbeat was written by members of the Speed City Sisters in Crime, and is under the skilled direction of multi-talented, Deborah Asante, the Founder and Artistic Director of the Asante Children’s Theater of Indianapolis (A.C.T.).  Deadbeat is a one act play of murder, malice and mystery, with a touch of humor.  

It’s going to take quite a bit to live up to that expectation.  There’s little doubt that these actors will be the ones to do it. 

I’ve been a playwright and author for quite a while and there aren’t that many performers who   impress me, but I’ve witnessed the artistic talents of the actors cast in this play.  Each of them has performed in a theatrical work in which I’ve been involved, and each brought something to their roles that left an impression.  I strongly suspect the same will be true when Deadbeat makes its debut.  Why not attend a performance and see for yourself? 

Tickets for the 2018 Indy Fringe will go on sale in July.  DEADBEAT will be presented at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis, IN

THUR. AUG. 16, 9:00 P.M.
SAT. AUG 18, 9:00P.M.
MON. AUG 20, 9:00 P.M.
THUR. AUG 23, 7:30 P.M.
FRI. AUGUST 24, 6:00 P.M.
SUN. AUG 26, 7:30 P.M.
___________

C.V. Rhodes is co-author of the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery series with fellow author, L. Barnett Evans.  Visit their website at www.grandmothersinc.com.  Rhodes is also the author of the romantic suspense Sin Series and the Stillwaters Series. Visit her website at www.crystalrhodes.com.

Deadbeat: Or How a Group of Speed City Sisters in Crime Wrote a Play (Part 1)

DEADBEAT: An Adventure in Play Writing

By Crystal V. Rhodes 

It’s almost here!  

After nearly a year of preparation, the Speed City Chapter of the Sisters in Crime Mystery Writers will be participating in its first Indy Fringe Play Festival, which runs from August 16th through August 27, 2018.  It has been a long haul, one that began in May 2017 when the Speed City Chapter made the decision to write a play and enter it in the Indy Fringe Live Theatre Festival as a fundraising event.  

This was a historic decision!  Out of the 40 plus chapters of Sisters in Crime, throughout the United States, the Indiana chapter is the first to try such an endeavor and our daring members delved into this endeavor with creative fervor.

The Sisters in Crime Playwright Workshop created and those involved crafted a One Act play that it named Deadbeat, a comical “who done it” with a twist.  It took more than eight drafts, two readings and close to a year for the play to be completed but it did happen, and finally the day the membership had been waiting for arrived.  On May 28th, Memorial Day, the six dates on which Deadbeat would be presented at the 2018 Indy Fringe Festival were revealed to our Chapter President in an email:

DEADBEAT will be presented at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis IN

THURSDAY            AUGUST 16 9:00 P.M.
SATURDAY            AUGUST 18      9:00 P.M.
MONDAY               AUGUST 20      9:00 P.M.
THURSDAY            AUGUST 23      7:30 P.M.
FRIDAY                  AUGUST 24      6:00 P.M.
SUNDAY                 AUGUST 26     7:30 P.M.

The fact that we finally received these all-important dates is terrific, but can you believe that we will be presenting a theatrical production on a Monday night?  At 9:00?   Yes, folks, somebody at the Fringe office put on a blindfold and threw darts at a board and the Speed City Chapter of Sisters in Crime was presented with some very challenging dates and times for Deadbeat.  Despite this, the Speed City Chapter is composed of a group of resilient trailblazers who dare to think outside the box!  We mean to make this production of Deadbeat a success.  So, over the next few weeks I will be sharing the Speed City Chapter of Sisters in Crime’s daring foray into the exciting World of the Indy Fringe Festival—the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (and let’s hope there won’t be any of the latter). 

Stay Tuned.  It might turn out to be a bumpy ride!  
____________________
C.V. Rhodes is co-author of the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery series with fellow author, L. Barnett Evans.  Visit their website at www.grandmothersinc.com.  Rhodes is also the author of the romantic suspense Sin Series and the Stillwaters Series. Visit her website at www.crystalrhodes.com.

Conner Prairie Features Work of Speed City Playwright Crystal V. Rhodes

The work of Speed City Sisters in Crime author and playwright Crystal Rhodes will be featured at four performances during February at Conner Prairie.  "Black Hoosiers: Untold Tales" will be presented at 7 p.m. on February 3, 10, 17 and 24 at the Lilly Theater in the Conner Prairie Welcome Center. 

The program is billed as a series of performances highlighting African-American playwrights, followed by a dialogue about issues of race, history and identity. Facilitators will be Ernest Disney-Britton of the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Tamara Winfrey-Harris from the Central Indiana Community Foundation.

Admission is $6 for the general public and $5 for members. Tickets can be purchased in advance at connerprairie.org or at the door, subject to availability.

Speed City Sisters in Crime Play "Deadbeat" Chosen for 2018 Indy Theater Fringe Festival

Post by M. B. Dabney

Deadbeat, a play collectively written by the Speed City Chapter of Sister of Crime, has been chosen for the 2018 Fringe Fest in Indianapolis. The play is the first project of its kind for any chapter of the national Sisters in Crime organization.

The one-act play will premiere in the 2018 Indianapolis Theater Fringe Festival, which is held every summer in August. There will be six performances of the two-woman dark comedy. The specific dates have not yet been set.

The play is about two middle-aged women who discover the dead body of their ex-husband – and each thinks the other is the killer.

As the rights owner and producer of the play, the chapter plans to use it as a fundraiser. The play’s running time will be roughly 40-45 minutes.

The chapter started the play last June at the suggestion of chapter member Crystal Rhodes, herself the author of numerous plays. As the chapter pulled together a group of writers to work on the play, Crystal served as the project’s mother superior and guide, directing, suggesting and correcting where needed but allowing the project to move forward in its own way.

Crystal and her sometimes writing partner Lillie Evans, who’s also a chapter member, provided invaluable insight into the structure of a play and how it should be presented. The chapter owes them both a great debt.

IndyFringe is a “riotous celebration of theatre old and new, edgy and not-so-edgy.” Held over an 11-day period in the Mass Ave. Cultural District in Indianapolis, the festival will host 64 performing groups on eight stages for a total of 384 performances.