Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre
| By Patricia Rettig Nic Nightingale says his Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre debut in The Play That Goes Wrong is a “full-circle moment.” “Growing up in the Indianapolis area, my family would often take trips up to see shows at Beef & Boards, and I have very fond memories of seeing shows when I was young such as Beauty and the Beast, Charlie Brown, and Singin’ in the Rain. The theater has such a strong sense of community, and it has felt very nice to be welcomed in with open arms as this is my first time performing here.” The Greenwood native, who now lives in Chicago, also enjoys coming home to Indiana. “It has felt great to come back for the summer to a place that feels familiar, yet with a brand-new opportunity and a new set of more experienced, and aged, eyes,” he said. A 2016 graduate of Center Grove High School, Nightingale began performing at a young age. “My first experience performing (was) with the Missoula Children’s Theatre, they are a traveling group that puts together one-hour youth shows over the course of a week. They came to the Center Grove Schools a few times while I was young and I got to be a part of shows such as Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book, and The Wizard of Oz.” Later, urged by his family to find something to keep him busy during the summer, Nightingale took a weeklong summer camp at ComedySportz Indy, led by local actor/director Claire Wilcher. “I was hooked,” he said, adding he’d return to that camp every summer until he graduated high school. He even helped to establish a ComedySportz team at Center Grove, and served as the team captain his senior year. Not surprisingly, he was also involved in the school’s productions of Mary Poppins, All Shook Up, and Charlie Brown. “The school had many opportunities for performance and great facilities that allowed all the students to shine.” From there he would attend Bellevue University and continue his passion for theatre and improv at The Second City, Chicago. He’s worked around the world with Disney contracts, including three years at Walt Disney World, a year at Tokyo Disney Resort, and two contracts aboard Disney Cruise Line. He’s also honed his comedic skills with his own weekly parody news show on Instagram. Now Nightingale’s talents come together in his role as Chris Bean in The Play That Goes Wrong. Chris is the director of the Cornley University Drama Society, which is attempting to stage The Murder at Haversham Manor. But things quickly go from bad to utterly disastrous. “I got to see the national tour back in 2020 when I was living in Orlando, Florida, and I thought it was a blast and such a fun show,” Nightingale noted. “I’m very excited that I get to be a part of it now.” “The show is so very clever on many fronts, and there is something for everyone,” he added, “…physical comedy and slapstick, clever and witty writing, (and) an actual murder mystery plot to tie it all together.” Tickets for The Play That Goes Wrong are currently on sale exclusively through Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre at beefandboards.com or by calling the box office at 317-872-9664. Patrons are advised that tickets purchased from third-party sellers may not be valid for performances and may include additional fees. The Play That Goes Wrong falls apart through Aug. 23. Regardless of the catastrophe on stage, Beef & Boards’ tasty dinner buffet is just right, and always included – along with coffee, tea, or lemonade. Gourmet desserts and bar beverages are available for purchase. The Play That Goes Wrong is rated PG for mild adult themes. |  Greenwood native Nic Nightingale plays Chris Bean, the director of the play within the play in The Play That Goes Wrong at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre)  |
RSS Feed