The University of Indianapolis Department of Theatre (performing as UIndy Theatre Company) debuts at the Indy Fringe festival Aug. 16, 2018, with a revival of the cult hit from Chicago, “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind,” by Greg Allen. With performances scheduled at the District Theatre Stage II through Aug. 25, audiences will have ample opportunity to catch this raucous collection of 24 short plays delivered in a frenetic 48 minutes.

Audience participation is a key component of the show, explained James Leagre, assistant professor of theatre, who is directing the production. The order of the plays is determined by the audience, who shout out numbers that correspond to each play – meaning that each performance is unique and unpredictable.

“These are thought-out, written plays, from drama to comedy to performance art to absurdism. And the audience gets to control it,” Leagre said, pointing out that it’s not sketch comedy or improv.

“Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” is a perfect fit for Indy Fringe, which takes place along Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis every August with 11 days of 400 shows by more than 80 groups at numerous venues.

Featuring seven UIndy Department of Theatre students and alumna Morgan Jackson ’16 (theatre) as assistant director, the production provides professional experience and community connections.

Mary Schreier ’19 (theatre) will perform multiple roles in the production. After playing one of the lead roles in the Department of Theatre’s production of Lauren Gunderson’s “I and You” in the spring, Schreier said she is looking forward to the comedic vignettes and fast pace of the Indy Fringe performance.

“You’ve never seen anything like it before in your life!” Schreier vowed.

The original show at Chicago’s Neo-Futurarium promised 30 plays in 60 minutes. The UIndy Theatre Company condenses the original to 24 plays to fit into the Indy Fringe format. Other elements of the show pay homage – including complimentary, fictitious name tags and free pizza for the audience if the actors don’t deliver on time.