That Other Theater Company (TOTC) is about to make its Indianapolis debut, featuring its first full-length production, “St. Sebastian.”
Inspired by the work of American Lives Theatre, TOTC is an artist-driven company highlighting the work of LGBTQIA+ theatre artists, which made its initial debut with “Homotherapy: Three Gay Men Give Advice” during the 2025 IndyFringe Festival. Written by Andrew Kramer, “St. Sebastian” is a dark comedy framing the complexity of identity, relationships and communication onstage at the Basile Theatre at IF Jan. 23-Feb. 8.
“If we don’t tell these stories, we’re complicit to what’s going on,” Jay Hemphill, founder of TOTC, told the Recorder. “Arts have always been a place that goes against the grain. I think in times of great strife, artists are truth tellers, whether it be poets, painters, actors, writers (or) musicians. This story is more than the topic that we’re addressing. It’s more about human experience.”
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Directed and produced by Hemphill, “St. Sebastian” follows a white, gay couple consisting of Ben (Eric Olson), a former priest, and his younger “liberal-anti-gun-queer-feminist-PC-sensitivity trainer” partner Gideon (Joe Wagner). The couple leave their cozy city life behind to flip a fixer-upper in a historically Black neighborhood, but their fresh start quickly starts to unravel after Ben hires and befriends local teenager Reuben (Jy’lerre Jones).
“I saw this show three years ago in Chicago, and it stuck with me… I said, ‘if I ever direct, I want to direct the show,’” Hemphill said. “It’s a story that takes a global discussion and puts it within one household. … I think these are conversations that people have in their home when they don’t think anyone is listening.”
Although race is at the heart of this play, the story is largely driven by Ben and Gideon, who are dealing with a generational relationship — one that examines the complexity of DEI discussions within modern relationships and the extremes it can lead to.
“I differ with Gideon on basically his approach in every conflict he ever has,” Wagner said. “This beautiful man just takes it to the craziest degree, very quickly, but in a believable way. … He’s going through a really tough time as the play goes on, because it’s very much a question of identity.”
Ben and Gideon’s back-and-forth ultimately fuels the plot. The characters not only grapple with what it means to be in a gay relationship in this world, but what it means to be a priest having a relationship with younger men, Olson said.
How they are both perceived by their new peers is another prominent theme in the show, as Jones said Gideon and Ben tend to jump to conclusions about how Reuben might respond to certain things based solely on how they think he might judge them.
Despite the conflict, “St. Sebastian” is a “quiet” story, told with no props or gimmicks that might be seen in other plays, Jones said. The scenic design is similar in that regard; designed by Christian McKinney, the set consists only of stacks of moving boxes, encouraging the audience to sit with the anxiety of moving and unpacking and what those nice, neat boxes hold inside.
“It’s very raw, and I feel like that could help make the message more clear to people,” Jones added. “A lot of things are being unpacked.”
People who go to the theatre today are often just looking for escapism or to be entertained for an evening. All that can be found in “St. Sebastian,” too. The play is meant to be funny and aims to present challenging issues in a relatable format.
“You can just sit back and laugh at their situation and choose whether or not you are at a place to engage with it on a deeper level, and if you’re not, that’s okay,” Olson said. “It doesn’t answer anything for you, it doesn’t force a viewpoint on you, it presents viewpoints and lets you make of them what you will.”
Just don’t expect to have all the answers at the end, Hemphill said, as “St. Sebastian” is a powerful play with an open ending.
“St. Sebastian” is onstage at The Basile Theatre at IF, 719 E. St. Clair St., Jan. 23-Feb. 8. The show is 85 minutes long with no intermission and is recommended for audiences aged 16 and up for instances of adult language and situations.
Tickets start at $27. For more information or to view a performance schedule, visit https://indyfringe.org/festival/shows.Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
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