INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indy Fringe is coming to a close, but there’s still time to be part of the fun. One performance in particular, a play inspired by the beloved 1993 film “The Sandlot,” will be “swinging for the fences.”

“The Sandbox” is a classic baseball tale that aims to capture the nostalgia of childhood friendships and adventures, much like the original film.

“It’s honestly really surreal,” Rai Ortman, co-director of the production, said. “This is the first show that I’ve written, and so as somebody who grew up loving the movie ‘The Sandlot,’ I was excited to write a parody.”

A movie inspired by “The Sandlot” wouldn’t be complete without a big junkyard dog like “The Beast.” To fill that role, puppet designer and cast member Ade Shreve created dog puppet out of burlap, complete with movable joints and expressive features.

“He is a massive dog. He’s huge. His mouth moves. His brow can go up. And then he has a chain that comes undone because he has to chase (the players) around,” Shreve explained.

The play also features a character who plays the ball and travels from the bat to the glove.

Ortman says the audience’s responses to the dog puppet and the ball character have been overwhelmingly positive.

“I want them to walk away and be like, ‘Wow, these kids are really having fun.’”

“The Sandbox” has two weekend performances: Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Both plays are at the Athenaeum’s Basile Theatre, 401 E. Michigan St.

Click here for event and ticket information.

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