Agape Performing Arts Company is an award-winning regional youth and community theatre located in greater Indianapolis, Indiana, rehearsing in Greenwood and performing on the Old Northside of Indianapolis at historic McGowan Hall at 1305 N. Delaware.
Striving for excellence, Agape achieves this without sacrificing in relationships or integrity, resulting in a supportive atmosphere where people ages 10-26 can grow as performers and as people.
Agape was awarded Most Impressive Youth Production and Most Impressive Costume Design for Les Miserables in Spring 2017, and chosen as the guest artist for Bard Fest at Indy Fringe in Fall 2018.
Agape is a ministry of Our Lady of Greenwood Church and in a partnership with McGowan Hall.
Agape was founded in late fall of 2015 by Dr. Kathleen Phipps, just under two years before she co-founded her previous theatre. Desiring to work with smaller groups (limit of 75 instead of 120 or more), she sought out a rehearsal space and started work on Agape's first production, Into the Woods, Jr. with a cast of 45 kids ages 8-19 and a Minstrels of Meander preshow with a cast of 14, performing two weekends: four performances at OLG during its annual festival, and the following weekend with four performances at Roncalli High Schoo, both in June 2016.
The following fall, Agape presented Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wondertales, a series of 6 Appalachian fairy tales, in one weekend of 5 performances. Each fairy tale was student-directed after a series of summer classes by Dr. Phipps. The cast consisted of 31 kids ages 8-19. All shows sold out. There was one additional performance given free to students at OLG's school. Dr. Phipps began a Steering Committee near the end of the run of the show to help determine the future direction of Agape.
It was obvious Agape had outgrown the space. The Steering Committee began to look for space, and found McGowan Hall, a historic dance and theatre venue almost a century old that wanted to return to its cultural roots. In a prime location near Indy's vibrant Mass Ave theatre district, and right across the street from the President Harrison Home Historic Site, McGowan was eager to pursue a partnership.
Because of the better venue, Agape was able to think about doing a larger show that required a more elaborate stage and scenery. Agape presented Les Miserables in 5 performances over one weekend in April 2017 with a cast of 75 and 19 tech/crew members and over 300 costumes, with a revolving stage and actual barricade. This is the show that won Agape two Mitty awards.
Fall 2017 brought Scrooge! The Musical to Agape over 2 weekends and 8 performances with a cast of 65 in November.
In late April of 2018, Agape will present Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance over two weekends with a cast of 45 and a crew of 10.
The rest of the 2018 season includes Oliver! in July 2018; Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (as part of the Bard Fest at IndyFringe) in September and October 2018; Michael Card's The Promise in December 2018. 2019 is beginning to shape up with rights for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Newsies secured so far.