Edyvean Repertory Theatre to Close in Indianapolis

• Published in: Knight Ridder Tribune Business News p. 1
• Main Author: Garmel, Marion
• Format: Newsletter
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Tribune Content Agency LLC 19.02.2002
• Subjects: Artistic directors; Edyvean, Alfred R; Kleiman, Rose; Theater; Theological schools; West, Emily

Founded by Alfred R. Edyvean as the Repertory Theatre at Christian Theological Seminary in 1966, the theater was housed there, at 1000 W. 42nd St., for 31 years. It moved to the University of Indianapolis on the Southside in the summer of 1998 after a new seminary president, Edward L. Wheeler, decided to expand the seminary's theatrical programming. "For 35 years it maintained a tradition of producing thought- provoking theater that was philosophically based," West said. While other theaters now present thought-provoking theater, none has the commitment to "theater with a purpose" that Alfred Edyvean voiced for the ERT, she said. Jim Ream, head of the University of Indianapolis theater department, said the university worked very closely with the ERT to avoid the closing, "but obviously we just were not successful." Ream said the loss was very personal for him because he came to Indianapolis to study at the seminary and met his wife on its stage.