Indianapolis theatre celebrates Flanner Family legacy in new play “They Call Me Genêt”

Submitted

A new stage production celebrating the life and legacy of Janet Flanner, a trailblazing writer and the daughter of the founder of Flanner Buchanan, a family-owned funeral home that’s been proudly serving the Indianapolis community since 1881, is set to premiere at The District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, reconnecting Indianapolis with one of America’s most influential literary figures.

They Call Me Genêt, written by playwright D. Paul Thomas, brings to life the story of Flanner, an Indianapolis-born writer who went on to become one of the most impactful correspondents in The New Yorker’s history. For more than 50 years, Flanner was known to The New Yorker audiences as “Genêt,” whose reports on European culture, politics, art, and society shaped how generations of Americans envisioned the Parisian life.

The production begins with Flanner’s roots in the American Midwest, a daughter of Frank W. Flanner, Indiana’s first licensed embalmer, who had dedicated his life to caring for his friends and neighbors in Indianapolis. Janet would go on to serve her community in her own way, initially starting her career working for The Indianapolis Star before becoming a founding voice for The New Yorker.

“Janet Flanner was one of the most important journalists of the twentieth century, yet many people in her own hometown don’t know her story,” said Pauline Moffat, Managing Director of The District Theatre. “Through this play, we are reclaiming an extraordinary Indianapolis voice that helped interpret Europe to America for half a century.”

From July 16 to 19 and 23 to 26, Indianapolis is invited to discover someone who is more than a cultural icon, who helped shape American perception of everything from café society to the rise of fascism during World War II. They’re invited to meet the woman behind the byline and an integral member of the Flanner Buchanan family who has long cared for the Indianapolis community.

“Thomas has captured Janet’s iconic personality in this work,” said Bruce W. Buchanan, a relative of Janet’s. “The play will appeal to anyone interested in how a creative writer embodies their thoughts into elegant prose. She was an extraordinary talent!”

“This is not simply a play about a journalist,” Moffat said. “It is about a woman from Indianapolis who stepped into the world and helped explain it back to us.”

Tickets for They Call Me Genêt are on sale now on The District Theatre’s website, indydistricttheatre.org.

To ensure that even more Indianapolis families can meet “Genêt,” Flanner Buchanan will be raffling off tickets on their Facebook page.

About Flanner Buchanan
Founded in 1881, Flanner Buchanan is one of Indiana’s most respected and innovative funeral service providers. Family-owned with locations throughout central Indiana, Flanner Buchanan provides a full range of funeral, cremation, cemetery, and preplanning services, blending tradition with creative celebrations of life. Learn more at flannerbuchanan.com.