Dave's Theater Blog

What's Missing

2012-01-25T13:46:00.001-05:00

If you are one of those people that only checks out Style Weekly online, then the beginning of my preview on Henley Street’s “Lord of the Flies” may have you a little confused. That’s because the first couple of sentences of the piece did not get posted online for some reason. Here they are:

Many of the things that make William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” compelling on
the page make it a potential nightmare when bringing it to the stage. “You’ve
got murders, a dead parachutist, people falling off mountains,” explains
director Josh Chenard.

And if you’d like something light-hearted to get yourself through “hump day,” here’s a link to a just-posted collection of Shakespearean Light Bulb jokes, particularly suited to you theater geeks out there. I expect there are plenty out there in the Richmond blogosphere that could post their own worthy additions to this list.

Chautauquan

2012-01-24T14:22:00.002-05:00

We’ve reached that point in the theater season where I am falling behind the curve. That’s not surprising given that I barely keep up with the curve even on a good week. Reviews keep popping up all over the place now. There were two in the T-D this past weekend: one for “Always, Patsy Cline” at Hanover Tavern and the other for CAT’s “Almighty Bob.” GayRVA had a “Two Boys” review on plus some pix from the “Ghost Light After Party” and Mr. Porter’s “Two Boys” review aired just the other day (link over to the right there). Add in two nice T-D articles lately – one on “Lord of the Flies” and another on the Minds Wide Open celebration that kicks off (officially) in March – and you can count me officially overwhelmed.

But, in the midst of it all, one more thing that I’d like to throw out there: this weekend, Clay Jenkinson – the man behind “The Thomas Jefferson Hour” – will be in the Virginia Beach area. I’m somewhat heartbroken that the opening of the Mill’s “39 Steps” and a family commitment will keep me from heading down there to see him. Why does Mr. Jenkinson deserve a mention on this site? Well, besides the fact that my admiration for Thomas Jefferson and my overall history-geekiness make me a devoted fan of the podcast, Mr. Jenkinson is also a Chautaquan, that is an educator who is also a performer, often taking on the guise of an historical figure (at least that’s my understanding of what one is; feel free to correct me if I’m wrong).

Richmond’s place as an important historical locale has allowed many local performers to find work doing re-enactments, perhaps the most enduring situation being Kevin McGranahan’s take on Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty” speech that has been performed at St. John’s Church for decades. In Mr. Jenkinson’s work, there is a great synergy (if I can use such a clichéd word) between education and performance that results in a more complete understanding and appreciation of history and the unique forces that coalesced to form this great country of ours. As the road to the next presidential election becomes littered with debates and speeches and billions of dollars of advertising that is sure to become (more) tiresome, I think it’s worth recognizing the work of under-appreciated actor/educators who really make history come alive again.

And, if you'd like a dose of this kind of refreshing and edifying history on a weekly basis, I highly recommend taking a listen to the Thomas Jefferson hour (it's on iTunes and also runs on WRIR locally on Tuesday mornings). It's a welcome uplift amidst the disheartening barrage of today's politics.

Always Almighty Concern

2012-01-20T15:29:00.002-05:00

This weekend is the first weekend of the year where 3 productions will open, but certainly not the last. In fact, by my figuring, at least 5 productions will raise their curtains the weekend of Feb. 17th if you include the ‘Lion King’ tour. It’s all a little daunting, so much so that I’m preparing for the weeks ahead by heading out to ComedySportz tonight. I need to get a dose of improv before we knuckle down to all of the scripted stuff.

So “Always, Patsy Cline” will be at Hanover Tavern, “Almighty Bob” opens at CAT, and “To Whom It May Concern” graces the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church out in the West End. This last production snuck up on me kind of out of the blue but it’s got some great people in it and it only runs this weekend, which is too bad. A perfect capper to the weekend would be attending the The Ghost Light After Party at Triangle Players, which sounds like a blast.

You’ve probably already seen the reviews of “Two Boys in Bed…” in the T-D but there’s one in Style this week as well (quick turnaround for once!). Also, you can read a GayRVA feature on the production and while at that site, peruse its picks for the best of the Acts of Faith festival.

And for some online theater-related fun, chime in with your thoughts on possible theater sequels. The Spider-Man riffs are particularly amusing.

So Many Questions

2012-01-17T10:47:00.003-05:00

There is never a lack of questions to ask about theater. Among the ones I’ve heard pondered over the past couple of days:

Is it OK to leave a show after intermission? (Aside: I heard that one popular Richmond holiday-time production had many intermission defections.)

Why don’t public intellectuals weigh in on theater these days? (Auxiliary question: are there even any public intellectuals anymore?)

Forget about cell phones, is it OK to eat distracting food like popcorn in a theater?
(OK, I can’t really forget about cell phones: here’s a short compilation of infamous cell phone interruptions.)

Should future arts buildings be engineered differently?

Does video work on stage?

Of course, my reading has prompted some questions of my own:

Did Seattle critics take their inspiration from Richmond in creating a theater critics’ circle? They certainly did a better job in taking the bull by the horns by naming the awards themselves instead of allowing an insidious alternative name take hold…

Why don’t more companies produce this show? With the right person, I expect it could be endlessly fascinating.

Can a graphic novel really be effectively staged?

Would someone (hm, like maybe Style?) do a graphic like this one about Richmond-area theaters?

Finally, if you’d like to offer your own answers to the question: “Is plot or language the soul of Shakespeare?” you may want to check out the planned online conversation between Howard Sherman and Peter Marks. I don’t expect definitive answers but I expect the conversation will be fascinating.

Novembers in January

2012-01-13T09:42:00.003-05:00

If I was being dramatic, I’d say I haven’t had the will to blog since it was announced that Taylor Swift would be Eponine in the screen version of “Les Miz.” It is kind of a recurring punch to the stomach every time I am reminded of this. Don’t get me wrong: Ms. Swift has a fine track record of writing and performing catchy little ditties for the radio. But Eponine…Really? I had such high hopes for the movie but it’s hard to keep the faith in the face of that kind of casting.

There is much more cheerful news closer to home. The T-D rolled out some unusually comprehensive coverage of the Acts of Faith festival yesterday, including not just a feature story and a schedule, but a nice joint editorial from Mr. Crosby and Mr. Ricks. The festival kicks off with a preview tonight at the November Theater. These preview things are usually pretty cool, like a selection of really tasty appetizers, instead of a potentially overfilling meal.

And yes, I said the November Theatre because I guess officially after last night that is what the Empire has become. I happened to be hanging around for the rededication – wing man and entourage for my more-in-demand son – and was exceptionally glad to have witnessed the event. Sure, the drinks and snacks were swell and it’s always kinda cool to rub elbows with happy theater lovers like former Gov. Baliles and Susan Greenbaum (have you heard her new album? Very nice!).

But the real fun was in the performances. Just about everyone who took the stage has had, could have, or should have their own concert performance someday. Dazzling women with big voices dominated the slate – Kathy Halenda, Robyn O’Neill, Debra Wagoner, Stacey Cabaj and the exceptional Kara Harmon. I kept imaging sound guy extraordinaire Derek Dumais having to lower the volume levels with these high-powered folks in the spotlight. They had some awe-inspiring performances and one exceptionally sweet one – Debra’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

It wasn’t just girls though, with Jason Marks giving a stirring reprisal of “Sit Down, You’re Rockin the Boat” and Russell Rowland joining Robyn on “The Girl That I Marry.” Matt Shofner joined Debra and Aly Wepplo on “The I Love You Song” and their pitch-perfect, emotional rendition had me tearing up even totally removed from the context of the show. What can I say, I’m a sucker for that stuff.

Along the way, Bruce Miller remarked that Neil November had a particular affection for Ali Thibodeau and all I can say is that, besides being a successful businessman and an extremely generous philanthropist, the guy has good taste in performers because Ali and Jody Ashworth delivered my favorite song of the night, a sweet, clear and soaring “I’ll Know” from Guys and Dolls.

Paul Deiss provided impeccable accompaniment for the whole event, something he apparently stepped in at the last minute to do, a testament to his talent as well as his generosity. I ended up getting home much later than I should have for a school night, but it was a great time that was well worth it.

I saw Mr. Crosby from RTP for a brief moment at the gathering but I know he had to bolt before the night really got grooving for the opening of “Two Boys in a Bed on a Cold Winter’s Night,” the first pro show of the New Year. Going first in anything can be nerve-wracking but I expect great things from this show. Though it’s blatant sexual nature complete with nudity and profanity may shock and dismay RTP’s fans, it should warm things up nicely around here.

...but some sun will shine too...

2012-01-04T09:15:00.003-05:00

After looking through the gloomy forecast for January yesterday, I went back and looked up this item on the booming box office that closed out the year on Broadway. While this looks like good news, there is a definite cloud associated with this silver lining: a 10% rise in the average ticket price.

I've heard from some artistic directors that a good or bad review can swing total box office for a show by several thousand dollars. I've always been skeptical about this and haven't seen much data that proves or disproves this kind of assertion. So I was very interested to hear about this experiment that will try to track this kind of impact. I expect the results will fuel the debate rather than settle it but still, actual cause/effect numbers to look at will be a good change of pace.

Into every new year, a little rain must fall

2012-01-02T16:23:00.007-05:00

The iconic image of a new year pictured as a baby makes more sense to me than ever this year. My feeling of the past couple of days has been of a year still waking up, struggling a little to find its feet, doing a bit of hesitant crawling before even trying to stand up and a little petulant crying out of frustration for even having to try. Much of this may have to do with shaking off the pleasant malaise of the holidays, emerging from a ridiculously temperate December into a suddenly chilly January. Or maybe it’s all in my head.

Regardless, I was greeted this morning with this not-so-cheerful little summary of the current Broadway scene. The January lull is inevitable but this year’s seems a little bit more dreary than usual. Specifically, I’ll be disappointed if I don’t get a chance to see “Chinglish” which I’ve read great things about and is one of the few mainstream entertainments that dip a toe into Asia-related issues. There is a clear silver lining on this report though: there is apparently a backlog of new shows waiting to hit the boards, which is kind of exciting and personally, I can’t wait to see how “Magic/Bird” turns out.

If you’re “in the biz,” you probably know that Scott Wichmann ships out very soon on deployment to Afghanistan. Please join me in wishing him safe travels, safe service and a safe return.

Echoes of last year linger into this year. Specifically, the issue of “tweet seats” got coverage in this Boston Globe article last week (thanks for the head’s up, Annie!). I’ve spilled way too much digital ink on this already and I’m sure many folks out there are convinced I’ve morphed into a militant tweet seat advocate. Actually, my two main points related to the texting-in-theaters issue have been these: 1) it’s not going to go away so arts folks would do better to give it some conscious thought before simply dismissing it and 2) taking a categorically negative view of the phenomena overlooks the potential positives that other businesses have seen from the explosion in social media. Feel free to re-dismiss these points in the comments if you feel you must.

If you are a Twitter aficionado, I would highly recommend following Howard Sherman on Twitter, an astute theater world watcher and prolific tweeter whose missives have already pointed me to a number of very interesting news stories and blog posts (and thanks, kb, for pointing me in his direction). Sherman's compendium of Best of 2011 columns is definitely worth a perusal. Also, for a great and sometimes weird debate about theater, check out the conversation between Sherman and Washington Post critic Peter Marks from back in November.

A lot of productions wrapped up recently but starting soon there will be another seasonal explosion of new shows. Triangle Players gets a jump on things with “2 Boys In A Bed On A Cold Winter’s Night” next weekend. I’d suggest making reservations now before you get hit by the tsunami of openings: 12 shows (yes, a full dozen) that will open in the less-than-a-month from Jan. 26 to Feb. 23, not to mention several cool one-night events at RTP, an intriguing RichShakes staged reading and the “Lion King” tour. Yikes!

Raving out the year

2011-12-21T08:54:00.002-05:00

Well, though it has been sitting on the shelf for weeks, perhaps it's appropriate that my review of "A Year with Frog and Toad" comes out this week. This way, I end the year with a rave about one of the most engaging productions I've taken in so far this year. Hope everyone out there in the blogosphere has a happy and healthy holiday season!

Beauty and Wrap-ups

2011-12-20T12:50:00.004-05:00

If you missed it, a review of “Xmas Carol for Two Actors” was in Sunday’s paper.

It’s always interesting during the holiday season when the overviews about the year that was come out. We are reminded of gaffes and scandals that now seem like ancient history (Anthony Weiner!) and we are very nearly forced to reflect on the good and the bad of the previous 12 months. I appreciate that Entertainment Weekly chose to recognize a challenging work like “Sleep No More” while also joining the chorus of praise for “Book of Mormon.” The NY Times had two wrap-ups, Brantley’s including several shows you’d expect. I like Isherwood’s largely because of the core message of his piece, summed up as “…while most of the media attention and dollars continue go to the overhyped fare that is more branded entertainment than art, American playwriting that strives to tell subtler if less handily marketable truths is in surprisingly strong shape.”

In the past, I’ve been chided when I comment on the physical beauty of someone in a show. Apparently, this somehow treads into the subjective/objective territory – opening up a critic to the criticism that “he/she only likes shows with pretty girls/boys in it…” Or maybe a critic is only supposed to notice acting ability without any attention given to the actual physicality of the actor. Given that an actor’s body and all of its components are the primary tools he/she has to do their job, this seems a little disingenuous.

There is no escaping the fact that acting is a profession where the way someone looks is one of the most – oftentimes THE most – reason that person is cast (contrary opinions? Let me hear ‘em!) So the question arises, does an actor’s looks become a valid talking point in a review? Personally, I know there are times I have to reflect on whether I liked an actor’s performance because of what they did or how they looked or the magic alchemy between form and function. How much of that should I put in my review?

For Sycamore Rouge’s “Picasso in the Lapin Agile,” I thought the two female leads were/are stunning. I mentioned this in my blog post, but I don’t know if I would have included those kinds of comments in a published review. Somehow I don’t want any actress to be discounted as “just a pretty face,” particularly when her acting is as compelling as Mrs. White’s or Ms. Kuykendall’s was.

I think the attractiveness of the “Picasso” cast made more impact on me than it might have otherwise because of it being a bar show where I could see the actors very up close. Part of the magic of theater is that, sometimes, people who are reasonably attractive in person seem absolutely stunning on stage. Does that somehow mean these people are better actors because the force of their performance is so strong you think they are better looking than they really are?

Beyond “Picasso,” I’m also thinking about this issue because I think the whole beauty thing can cut both ways. My industrious son has been up for parts where we have gotten the impression that what the casting director was looking for was someone a little quirky or distinctive looking, a boy who wasn’t quite so ‘pretty.’ I remember hearing that one of the reasons people like Julia Roberts is that she isn’t a perfect beauty and so therefore more relatable. And that actresses like Charlize Theron haven’t always been taken seriously because they are too beautiful.

In many ways, it’s unfortunate that physical beauty plays such a big part in the acting world. But this is also a good time of year to remember that, while what you look like on the outside may play a part in your success, what you are like on the inside will be what determines whether you are happy or not. Perhaps a little trite but not any less true for being so.

Speaking of the season, this will be my second-to-last post of the year. Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah and tomorrow I will plunge headfirst into the joy and fervent family time of the holidays. But I will take time out enough to post a link to my rave review of “Frog and Toad” which damn well better run in Style this week. Happy holidays, y’all!

Go See These Shows!

2011-12-16T10:54:00.001-05:00

A week ago I was without power, which was annoying enough, but now I’m further annoyed in retrospect because it robbed me of a whole week that I could rave about Sycamore Rouge’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” I saw the bar performance of the production last night and it was a singular experience, unlike anything I’ve been a part of before. If you have any doubts about making the trek down to Petersburg to see this show, get over it and check out this production. If you go this weekend, you’ll have the extra bonus of seeing how the “Lincoln” movie people have totally revamped the streets of Olde Town Petersburg – it’s pretty impressive (if a little annoying from a parking perspective).

Certainly part of my delight with this experience was the environmental theater aspect of it. “Picasso” is set in a bar, Sycamore Rouge has a lovely in-the-round kind of bar area, making it perfect to host this show. I was lucky enough to grab a seat at the bar (ok, I kind of stole it from director Jeffrey Cole, but hey, it was a really good seat!) and so I got to see a lot of the action very up-close-and-personal. Einstein (Adam Mincks) asked me to hand him a napkin; Germaine (Liz Blake) rolled her eyes at me conspiratorially after a particularly grandiose statement by Picasso (Ryan Bechard). It was a little intimidating at times but I definitely felt like a part of the action, and not just a spectator.

Even more exciting was being a few feet away from the actors as they launched into their intense tete-a-tetes. There were moments exchanged between Picasso and Suzanne (Irene Kuykendall) and then Picasso and Germaine that literally gave me goose bumps. I can’t guarantee that these translate as well from the stage as they did in the bar, but if even half the heat that is generated between these actors makes it into the house, that’ll certainly be fiery enough to warm your hot toddies.

Cole has brought together a great cast for this production, and one of the most striking aspects of it as a whole is frankly how striking they all are. Kuykendall and Blake are just knock-out gorgeous, Bechard has that dark smoldering artist thing down perfectly, and David Janosik (as barkeep Freddy), Phil Vollmer (as comic interlude Schmendiman), Larry Akin Smith (as fading lothario Gaston) and Mincks all have the off-hand good looks of great comic actors: affably handsome blokes whose good looks don’t get in the way of them making a good joke.

But more important than just a bunch of pretty faces, this is a collection of great actors. All the principals have monologue moments that they absolutely kill, none more stirring than Blake’s challenging comeback to Picasso about his relationships with women. If there was a highlight reel for this year’s theater season, that moment would have to be on it. What you tend to notice in an environmental performance is how well actors are staying in character and maintaining relationships when they are not in the spotlight. Mincks (who was sitting next to me during much of the show) was regularly reacting to the action going on among other characters; Blake and Bechard exchanged several inconspicuous but significant glances. Also, these actors had the added challenge of a cast of unpredictable extras to play off of and they did so impeccably.

Last night, Elise Boyd was subbing in for Kellita Wooten as Sagot and I felt lucky to catch her in this role because, in my experience, Ms. Boyd is always entertaining. She did not disappoint here. And though I was certainly entranced by the beauty of this cast, that didn’t totally distract me from noticing the fine costume work by Kate Prothemos. Boyd’s period get-up was notable as was the lovely bustier/skirt combination Kuykendall rocks throughout the show.

I have seen “Picasso” at least once before – the production I remember is the one TheatreVirginia did many years ago. I had issues with the script then and I still do. In a show where even the minor characters (i.e., Gaston) are given interesting back stories to play with, the character of the Countess is particularly random (even though Claire Biggers is great in the role – and also very easy on the eyes). “The Visitor” bit seems almost lazy on Martin’s part, a device to wrap the show up, not necessarily to add anything to the proceedings (Kent Holden does fine here, though it’s hard to match the electric charge you expect from who his character is supposed to be).

The challenge for anybody putting on this show is to make the most of the script’s many delights and to obscure the weaknesses and this production certainly does that exponentially better than I remember the TVa production doing. Though I wish hundreds of people could get the benefit of seeing it in its environmental setting, I’m sure the staged version is just as much rollicking good fun. Bravo to Mr. Cole and his creative and comely cast!

And while I’m raving, I have to put in a further endorsement for Theatre IV’s “A Year with Frog and Toad.” I wrote a glowing review of this production a month or so ago and Style still hasn’t run it. This is as charming and engaging a production as you are likely to see, with performances and technical elements that haven’t been pro-rated in any way just because it’s a kid’s show in a modest-sized house. I still remember my amazement at how rich the musical arrangements by Paul Deiss are and that was just the first of many pleasures I found in this production. If you don’t have a kid, borrow one and bring him or her to this show. You’ll be glad you did.

Putting it out there

2011-12-12T12:52:00.003-05:00

One of the great benefits of the new social media is the way it opens up windows into other people's worlds. Two examples:

1) Henley Street Theatre Company re-started their blog a month or so ago and I had occasion recently to go back to it and read about the audience's relationship with actors on stage. If you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend it. I also look forward to reading about some of the thought and insight that is going into the staging of "Lord of the Flies," one of the productions opening up early next year that I am eagerly awaiting.

2) Ms. Saine down at Sycamore Rouge recently posted a Facebook note describing an intense real-life situation involving the balance of art and commerce, leadership and management. It's very interesting and I imagine it as a kind of case study that could be posed as part of theater management classes.

"South Pacific" is very nearly upon us. I believe this is a touring version of a production I saw in NYC a few years ago that had Richmond expat Jerold Solomon in the ensemble. Too many other things going on in town for me to make to this, however. Speaking of which, there will soon be a "Xmas Carol for 2 Actors" slideshow available online that I think should be pretty entertaining. Watch for it!

Powerless

2011-12-09T14:11:00.002-05:00

I had hoped to see “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” last night but I ended up staying home to manage my powerless home as best as possible. The lights came on in my neighborhood this morning after a cold night for me but a hot night for the folks at Sycamore Rouge from what I heard. Here’s hoping no freak storm derails my plans to go next week.

For those looking for something different for a Friday night, Stage B is hosting a holiday celebration tonight at Gallery 5, with music, comedy and dancing. Sounds like a good time.

A review of “Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas” finally showed up, this one in the Herald-Progress. Don’t expect one from Style, still waiting on the T-D. I forgot to mention on Wednesday that Style also ran a review of “The Holiday Stops” this week, the show still running through next weekend. Mr. Porter gave his impressions of “My Fair Lady” on the radio recently, you can hear it here but the text hasn’t shown up on his blog yet.

I’ve been hearing a lot about the stage adaptation of the movie “Once” lately. I heard an NPR piece about it yesterday and then saw reviews in EW and the NYTimes. I had significant reservations about this kind of thing working – taking a quirky, some delicate screen story and putting it up on a big stage – but it sounds like the results may not be horrible. I’m curious about this production in particular after seeing Enda Walsh’s “Walworth Farce” in DC earlier this year. He’s a playwright that can certainly do quirky.

Next week, two dramatically different productions open: the tour of “South Pacific” and Richmond Shakespeare’s “Christmas Carol for 2 Actors.” Think it’s curious that a show set in the tropics shows up just as winter’s settling in here. Perhaps folks who were thinking of taking a sunny Caribbean vacation will just go to the show instead?

Fair

2011-12-07T14:28:00.003-05:00

On the occasion of the recently published review in Style, I’ve tried to write an expanded consideration of “My Fair Lady” about a half-dozen times and, every time I try to organize my opinions and reasoning into something straightforward, it boils down to this: I didn’t buy it. By the end of the show, I didn’t believe that Henry had fallen for Eliza, and I certainly didn’t believe Eliza had fallen for Henry.

What I might believe is that Henry has started – and just started – to stop thinking of Eliza as a “thing” or a “project” and begun to think of her as an individual. I wouldn’t even necessarily go as far as saying he thinks of her as a person because, since she’s a woman, she’s not quite a true person in Henry’s antiquated vision. There are lyrics in his big breakthrough song that reinforce this: “I’m so grateful she’s a woman and so easy to forget / Rather like a habit one can always break…” I know the lyrics speak to the tension Henry is feeling about this but still, the words reflect only the spark of recognition of Eliza’s personhood, certainly not a complete embracing of it.

And Eliza, well, it seems to me she makes a calculation based on her various options, ultimately leaving the potential for “true love” with Freddy behind. There is something fundamentally frustrating to me about celebrating a woman who chooses a man that has repeatedly demonstrated his disdain and disrespect for her, versus choosing someone who – while ineffectual and also swimming in misguided notions – at least seems devoted to her.

Thinking of the show as having these conclusions – a man get an inkling of a clue that lower-class women are people and a woman makes a better-of-two-evils decision – hardly makes it an endearing musical for me. I’m sure people can provide all sorts of alternate analyses of this, but that’s how it came across to me.

The show has some extraordinary songs and, while others have commented on the lack of a full orchestra, I actually enjoyed the more spare orchestration because it let me luxuriate in voices like those of Stacey Cabaj, Jason Marks, and Ben Houghton. The compelling delivery of these great songs certainly makes the production worth seeing…but they still didn’t diminish my discomfort with the show.

Besides the relationship issues, there were niggling class issues that I was annoyed with. I guess there’s something further discomfiting about watching “happy street people” dancing around the gutters of London while Occupy protesters are still in the street protesting income disparity. Also, the endowment being granted Alfred out of the blue made for a fun turn-about at the end but also kind of defies logic. I know, I know: it’s just a show and you are supposed to suspend that whole real world thing while in the theater. Sometimes I am better able to do that than other times.

Side note: I had a similar reaction while watching “Guys and Dolls” recently. It’s also a Broadway classic and tends to sweep the viewer up in its wonderful musical world. But never before had the song “Marry the Man Today” bothered me as much as it did this last time. The fact that the show’s two key romances pivot based on that song doesn’t really fit. Adelaide has wanted to marry Nathan all along, it’s been Nathan who’s been resisting, right? So how does her deciding she can accept him as he is (for now) change that?

Anyway, I’m aware I’m over-thinking things and taking pot-shots at classics while I’m at it. I guess I’m just in a mood.

But, to end on a positive note, there were several moments from this production of My Fair Lady that I will remember very fondly…in addition to just about everything Stacey did. Lauren Leinhaas-Cook’s slow burn during “Why Isn’t a Woman More Like a Man” was a perfect piece of non-verbal acting that totally made that scene for me. Also, the harmonizing among the male ensemble members was really great. To paraphrase Eliza, I could have listened all night.

And just to acknowledge that the “tweeting in theaters” conversation was picked up by yet another national media outlet, you can check out the Washington Post blog post on the issue, written by the lovely and very talented journalist, Maura Judkis (a fellow USC Institute fellow). She’s included some interesting quotes from theater folks. I also enjoyed the comments that the theater professionals on the 2AMt blog have to offer on the subject. Of course, you can check out Andrew Hamm’s post on his blog if you want to read even more thoughts, linked to over there on the right.

...and on...

2011-12-06T07:52:00.007-05:00

I was embroiled in a Twitter-fest last night and didn't take the time to actually read the USA Today story that the AV Club piece on texting in theaters referred to until this morning. From that story, I particularly noticed these choice bits:

"Hale says there were "no negative comments" from patrons about the tweet seats, located in the back row of the theater to avoid disrupting other patrons."

"Broadway productions...have not used tweet seats. But...the director of promotions for Godspell on Broadway says the production intends to use them."

"Quote: 'Tweeting the CSO's performance was like attending a members-only social event in the midst of a traditionally formal setting.'"

My only purpose in continuing to talk about this is to reinforce the point that social media has fundamentally transformed the way we interact with the world. Even two years ago, I couldn't watch Survivor while simultaneously trading barbs with the show's host via Twitter. I watch the Oscars or the Tonys these days as eager to read the commentary from my Facebook friends as to see what happens on screen. At my work, I am bombarded daily by information on how social media is transforming marketing, sales, and business development. The "rulebooks" for how certain things happen are getting rewritten every day. I'm not advocating for these changes; they are already here.

So, yes, we can all agree that texting can be rude, disrespectful, and totally inappropriate. But, like it or not, it also may be coming soon to a theater near you.

In the meantime, people involved in theater can spend their time making disparaging remarks or value judgments. Or they can look at the issue dispassionately and with an understanding of their audience and make what they consider appropriate decisions. Whether it's zero tolerance or no holds barred or something in between, that's for each company to decide. But I would suggest they make those decisions without a load of inflexible baggage filled with preconceptions about what theater is "supposed to be" or of what their audience is interested in. For some, theater is the highest form of art. For others, it's just one of a dozen options of what to do on a Saturday night.

Theater people are creative people. Certainly they can be creative about dealing with this issue.

And so on...

2011-12-05T21:15:00.002-05:00

Comments on my texting related post just kind of went crazy, though I guess I was responsible for a big percentage of them. As if by some cosmic coincidence, the Onion's AV Club site posted this piece today. I continue to bristle at the overstatement -- apocalyptic, really? -- but now I've been conditioned to know that that's the way the issue is going to be talked about...until it's not.

Many thanks to those who have participated in the conversation. I'm always interested in hearing what people think, even when I don't necessarily agree with them. I know I have a different perspective on this issue than most people and I'm glad everyone refrained from just calling me a babbling idiot. Specifically, I appreciate Jonathan Spivey for offering his lengthy and considerate comments. The "Rocky Horror" production he mentions sounds awesome and I agree that more of those kinds of experiences would be great. Thanks to Augustin for offering a great perspective that seems to overlap with mine to a great extent, i.e., I'm not in support of people texting but, given that they do, it might be worth trying different strategies to deal with it.

It was great to get the input from Lou Harry, too, one of the most knowledgeable theater critics and commentators I've ever met. He organized a theater trivia game as part of the fellowship I did this past summer that was amazing; he has clearly forgotten more about theater than I will ever know. Check out his columns in the Indianapolis Business Journal sometime.

Thanks to kb saine for alerting me to the AV Club article. And, in case you didn't know, Sycamore Rouge just opened "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" and it got a nice review from Ms. Lewis in the T-D. I'm definitely taking the trip south for this one.

Speaking of reviews, has anyone seen one of "Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas?" Has anyone seen the show? What did you think?

Why I Like Critics

2011-12-02T16:41:00.001-05:00

Sure, since becoming a critic myself, my opinion toward critics is much more empathetic than it might have been a dozen years or so ago. And since becoming friends with several critics who I think are pretty nice (and talented and interesting) people, I have developed an outright affection toward many of them.

But beyond the personal aspects of it, I also like critics for two significant reasons. First, they can be incredibly entertaining and smart writers. Sometimes a critic finds a particularly clever turn of phrase or a distinctly insightful observation that both is fun to read but also enhances my enjoyment or understanding of the piece they are writing about.

Second, often critics put into words certain thoughts or perceptions that were rattling around in my brain but that I couldn’t quite find the right verbiage for. After seeing a play or movie or TV show, I like reading reviews and having those “Yes - exactly!” moments where a phrase I read encapsulates just what I was thinking.

I had that kind of moment re-reading Rich Griset’s review of Firehouse’s “Why Torture is Wrong and the People Who Love Them” this morning. I saw the show last night (and didn’t text even once during the production…) and, while the production had some things I liked, I didn’t come away particularly liking it. In particular, there was something that bugged me about the attitude toward women I sensed in the show (still feeling echoes of dislike for the “My Fair Lady” attitude). The way Mr. Griset put it was “Durang's use of violence against women as a shallow metaphor for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is more offensive than illuminating.” Yes – exactly! Beyond being a little uncomfortable with the aggression and disdain voiced toward women by the father character and Zamir, I don’t feel like it was effective in illustrating anything. How much more interesting and complex would the character of Zamir been if he had been just as shady and unknowable but also had an outright affection toward women?

But that point to another problem with the play IMHO: it isn’t about the interaction of characters but of caricatures. I loved Irene Ziegler’s portrayal of the theater-obsessed mom but even she was trapped in a strictly two-dimensional construct. I think Arash Mokhtar is probably an excellent actor but I didn’t get enough shadings from this play to really know for sure. And I felt the worst for supporting players Lisa Kotula, Steve Organ and Stephan Ryan who are all talented but weren’t even given 2 full dimensions to play in this show. I came away most impressed with Eva DeVirgilis who, as Griset says, is very likeable in her role. That may seem like faint praise but, amidst oddities in this show that tend to push viewers away rather than make them empathize with anyone, it’s actually an exceptional achievement.

Another “yes” moment for me in rereading the Style review was the characterization of the set. The whole turntable design is actually very impressive. But I agree Griset when he says, “While the setup works brilliantly for scenes such as the parent's living room and kitchen, the apartment scenes and the conclusion at Hooters are on the homely side.” I think of the depth that Slipek brought to sets like the one he did for “Something Intangible.” He was able to do great things with some of the turntable thirds, but others were pretty bland.

I most enjoyed the last ¼ of the show, the meta-comic aspects of the story when Felicity starts and stops the action. There was actually some clever stuff in there. Unfortunately, this part came after much that just didn’t work for me (Hildegard’s underwear? Why?).

Of course, Mr. Maupin and the Firehouse deserve kudos for bringing a fairly whacky – and potentially controversial – work to the local stage. I certainly appreciate the effort, just didn’t love the results.

OMG indeed

2011-11-30T10:56:00.003-05:00

Michael Hawke posted a link to an article about the new Tateuchi Center being built in Washington state and its announced policy to allow cell phone use for texting and tweeting during live performances (note: the policy still restricts phone calls). The responses to his post were understandably reactionary – the move was called dumb, idiotic, etc. Personally, I think it’s smart and visionary.

Look: I spent a chunk of my life resisting new technologies that seemed ridiculous to me at the time. More than 20 years ago, I fought moving to a “windows” based computer system at my work, wondering why anyone would want to do more than one task on their computer at once. Shortly thereafter, I put off adopting an email system, again not grasping what the benefit of text-based communication system would be given that so few people I knew could even type. Ever since these first experiences, I’ve flipped completely. New technologies are consistently reshaping our lives whether we like it or not. Resistance is futile.

A key line in the Tateuchi Center article is this: “this isn't giving in as much as moving on.” I understand that cell phone use in certain contexts can be incredibly obnoxious, and you can ask my teenage daughters about how I’ve railed at them about this at various times. And I’ve had enough infuriating experiences (some of which I’ve detailed in this space) at live shows with inconsiderate patrons to write a book about it.

But I have to be honest: I have texted during plays. As often as I’ve shot accusatory glares at others for talking loudly during a show, I’ve also been that guy trying to get a last text out before the lights go down at the start of the second act. I keep my phone with me nearly all the time and, between the demands of my work and home life, have found the near constant state of engagement valuable.

I am getting very close to 50 years old. Planners and theater professionals need to realize that, if this state of cell phone engagement is not uncommon in someone my age, it’s the absolute norm for those in their 20s and 30s. As the article says, "There's an inevitability to evolving cultural norms.” Those norms now involve cell phones as a vital and persistent aspect of life.

Embracing these changes isn’t just an issue of management for live theater; it’s an issue of survival. Among the broader population, live theater still sits near the bottom of the totem pole of cultural relevance these days. Audiences are aging, the image of “a night at the theater” as a special event that old people get dressed up for (and spend too much money on) persists.

Shows written for the stage have consistently evolved to conform to the tastes of new audiences – incorporating everything from rock music to adult themes to irony over the decades. If the content of theater has changed, doesn’t it make sense that the actual theater experience should evolve as well?

Playing Fair

2011-11-29T13:33:00.003-05:00

Even though celebs from the “Lincoln” shoot have been hanging around town for a while, you might check out this photo gallery of cast members so you can keep your eyes peeled for these folks at your local coffee shop or restaurant.

Ms. Haubenstock’s rave about “My Fair Lady came out yesterday, a day after the feature about the production appeared in the Sunday paper. I was a little surprised that the coverage of the tree lighting at the Jefferson” in today’s paper didn’t mention MFL because I know the cast was there performing. Perhaps after the previous two stories, there was a moratorium on MFL coverage at the T-D?

I expect more reviews of this show will be popping up shortly, including mine in next week’s Style. I’m glad Ms. H had such a good time at the show, and I expect several folks will have a similar experience. I don’t know how to couch this exactly so I’ll just come out and say that, overall, I didn’t love “MFL.” I’m feeling a little sheepish about this because I really wanted to love it and I thought there were many individual aspects of the production that were truly exceptional. But my overall experience of the evening was only so-so. I’ll give more details when my review comes out – and prepare myself in the meantime for the pointed contradictory opinions.

With the annual “Drifty” show opening down at the Mill, I feel like we are truly entering the heart of the holidays as far as local theater goes. Perhaps it’s appropriate that “Torture” winds up at the Firehouse this weekend. It’s doesn’t exactly seem like a show for the season. Of course, neither does “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” and that opens at Sycamore Rouge on Saturday. Go figure. The attraction of this production, for my money, is the bar performances. Nothing like being that close to the action.

Finally, thanks to the person who forwarded me this link to the Arena Stage “Music Man” casting call. Though my little thespian will have to miss this event, I expect there are many others in town who might want to give it a shot. Could result in a nice little holiday gift, yes?

Catching Up and Looking Forward

2011-11-23T13:41:00.001-05:00

There’s been a scad of theater reviews published out there in the media world over the past week and I’ve only really caught up on them today.

That rarest of local productions – the world premiere – opened last weekend in the form of “The Holidays Stops.” Ms. Haubenstock weighed in early in the week but, curiously, GayRVA has only posted this preview to the production, not putting up a full review yet as far as I can see. If you missed it (I did, unfortunately), you can get at least one impression of the other world premiere in town recently with this review of “Brew” that ran on GayRVA.

The Style that came out this week has a review of “Why Torture is Wrong, etc.” written by Mr. Griset. You can also check out Mr. Porter’s review of this show by clicking on his blog link over there on the right.

“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” has been reviewed both in GayRVA and in the T-D. Also of interest, theater reviewers Mr. Griset and Mr. Miller take looks at the opera “Hansel and Gretel” in their respective publications.

I also enjoyed Mr. Griset pointing out the cell phone issue in this week’s Style. I would extend his bottom line assertion about the responsibility of the next generation beyond cell phones. We tend to mythologize technology as being somehow inaccessible for people over a certain age and for some reason, the older generation buys into it. This is a generation that had to drive double-clutch manual transmissions and somehow the myth is that they can’t send a text? I don’t buy it and I think we (all of us) would be better served by enabling the older folks in mastering the technology that enhances all of our lives.

As far as the impending holiday goes, there is certainly one very obvious thing to be thankful for this year: the incredible bounty of live theater in Richmond. Not only do we have a bevy of shows open right now but this weekend Barksdale will open a couple of highly anticipated productions. I’m looking forward to a holiday season where any free night can be enlivened by a nifty locally-produced stage show. While fighting off the turkey coma this weekend, take a minute to plan for the month ahead or it’ll pass by and some great shows will have passed you by.

Grant

2011-11-18T14:10:00.002-05:00

I know I'm a little late in posting about this but I'm glad the Times-Dispatch did a story on Grant Mudge's departure from Richmond Shakespeare. To me, Grant has been synonymous with the company for the entire time I've been writing about theater and something in me still rebels at the thought of him not being there. If I can gather my thoughts (now as ever scattered like so many late fall leaves...) I'll have to write a more coherent tribute. Sorry to see you go, Mr. Mudge. Best wishes on your future endeavors. You can bet I'll be carving some time into my December theater schedule to take in your "Xmas Carol" one last time.

Leaves

2011-11-17T14:02:00.002-05:00

My lawn’s a mess. Just as I was finally going to get a chance to maybe get some of the zillions of leaves up, the rain started. And that made even more leaves fall and accumulate and now I’m feeling fairly overwhelmed just at the thought of pulling out the rake.

I’m feeling similarly about theater in town. After being proud of myself for actually going out to see two shows last weekend, this week I’m getting a rush of feeling totally overwhelmed by how much is going on in town. In this week’s Style, I write about the new Life is a Cabaret series down at CenterStage that sounds pretty cool. But, at the same time, “Torture” is at the Firehouse, “Fences” is still running out at Pine Camp, “Grease” is at VCU, SPARC is doing “Smokey Joe’s Café,” “Raisin in the Sun” is at University of Richmond and my pal John Porter’s doing a reading of his play, “It’s a Fabulous Life” on Sunday. And that’s just the stuff I can think of off the top of my head; I’m sure there’s even more going on that I’m forgetting.

One thing that was further crowding my dance card was Jason Marks’s one-person show but, due to illness and the impending opening of “My Fair Lady,” Mr. Marks has postponed that show until next In other viral news (yuk yuk), I understand Mr. Wepplo has been seriously ill and that the opening of “Blue Mtn Xmas” will be delayed as a result. Please join me in sending “get well” thoughts to Jason and Aly; here’s hoping they feel better soon.

The Blue Mtn postponement is only one of many challenges Barksdale / Theatre IV is dealing with right now. I don’t know what else to say about that except that I’m wishing the best for everybody associated. Like in many arts organizations, there are lots of good people working under lots of pressure there. I guess I’m a Pollyanna at heart: I just hope it all works out with minimal damage to anyone.

Charm

2011-11-14T15:04:00.000-05:00

First off, Mr. Griset’s review of “Fences” snuck online at Style last week. These online only reviews sometimes sneak by without anyone seeing them so take a look if you’re interested.

I had occasion this weekend to consider ‘charm’ as a viable critical attribute. On Saturday, I went to “Loosely Based on a Real Girl,” the one-woman show by Jennifer Lemons, better known as The Checkout Girl. On Sunday, I took in a high school production of “Guys & Dolls” put on by Ampersand, which is a collaboration of St. Catherine’s and St. Christopher’s drama programs.

There’s no denying the power and impact of a big-budget theater production. Even if the material itself is pretty lame (consider “Spider Man”), it’s hard not to leave the theater with stars in your eyes when you’ve been treated to lots of well-orchestrated music, scads of well-choreographed dancers, and the high-sheen of many polished performances, pretty set pieces, and fancy costumes.

However, there is also nothing like a small budget show put on by well-meaning people. Both of the shows I saw were not polished, were sometimes plagued by extended stage silence, and were not exceedingly glamorous (though the costumes at G&D were pretty awesome). But they were both very charming.

What I appreciate most about Ms. Lemons’ show was that she didn’t seem to panic in the face of her dialogue occasionally escaping her. She paused, sometimes retraced her steps, even turned to the audience for support. As a result, the audience was not only entertained by Lemons’ honest exploration of her varied sexual history but also charmed by her open and accessible personality. There is often talk in theater circles about the energy and connection generated by the interaction of a live audience with a performer. Rarely, though, is that connection as palpable and plainly realized as the Saturday night performance of “Loosely Based.”

At the Ampersand production, some of the performers were a little awkward, several of the singing voices were not the strongest, and there were a couple of interesting technical glitches. However, that did not take away from the success of the performance. In fact, hearing the backdrop being raised in a series of cranks, for instance, made clear the effort that was going into the production. Not only did the audience empathize with the performers but with the crew.

There was something incredibly charming about the budding romance between Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown in this context. I’m not sure about the 1920s but these days, a person’s first big love is more likely to happen when he or she is a teenager, not in their 20s or even 30s as per “G&D.” Preston Cochran had a streak of a very young Frank Sinatra in his portrayal of Sky Masterson (I know it was Brando as Masterson in the movie but Cochran had a Sinatra vibe) and Hazel King was sweet and appropriately tremulous as Sarah with a surprisingly strong soprano voice.

Everyone on stage was not a theater veteran but they all committed to their roles and created some excellent ensemble numbers. Even amidst such a large cast, some of the exceptional performances really popped. Alex Najarian was a hoot as Harry the Horse, making the gender switch work to the character’s benefit and Keaton O’Neal as Nicely Nicely Johnson was consistently winning. Of course, for my money, Jessie Jennison as Adelaide was the absolute highlight. If you’ve paid attention, you’ve seen Ms. Jennison in shows at Theatre IV and SPARC before but she really stepped to the fore in this role, worldly but not coarse, spunky but not cartoonish, and with a simply lovely clear voice. Am I biased because I know Ms. Jennison is a great kid offstage? Probably. But you don’t need to know her to recognize her talent. It was self-evident here.

Given my role as a critic, you might think it’d be my job to point out the weaknesses of these productions. Instead, these were two productions where at least some of the weaknesses contributed to that somewhat ephemeral concept of “charm.” Perhaps a more hard-hearted critic would simply dismiss productions such as these, wouldn’t waste his or her time even talking about them. But doing so would disregard what a good portion of the audience goes to a show for, not necessarily to be wow-ed by money and talent strewn about the stage, but to be charmed by the commitment and humanity of regular folks brave enough to put on a show.

Checkout Style

2011-11-10T09:26:00.000-05:00

This week’s Style has my preview of the first stage show by The Checkout Girl, Jennifer Lemons. If you only know her through her funny and sometimes ribald tweets, you may be surprised to know that she is thoughtful, smart, and insightful in conversation. I’ve interviewed stand up comics that are either non-stop joke-making talkers (a la Robin Williams) or shut-down obviously angry people who work out their angst via comedy (a la…well, perhaps I’ll keep that to myself). Ms. Lemons is neither, just a sassy and sex-positive writer who’s taking her act to the stage. I’ll be there Saturday to see how it turns out.

Also in Style this week are a review of VCU’s “Grease” and a short preview of Stage B’s “Brew.” It’s a perfect time to see some of these not quite on the beaten path offerings since the beaten path is going to be thick with holiday shows any day now.

Just a few links

2011-11-08T13:54:00.000-05:00

I saw “A Year with Frog and Toad” this past weekend and it was, in a word, brilliant. That one word review will have to suffice for a while since I haven’t written my review for Style yet and it won’t appear in print until the end of the month (sorry!).

In the meantime, the Times-Dispatch reviews of both “Frog and Toad” are online now, as well as Ms. Lewis’s take on AART’s “Fences.” I’ve got to figure out when I can see this production since I’m particularly interested in what Director dl Hopkins does with this piece.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Beatles tribute show, “Rain” was in town over the weekend, down at CenterStage. GayRVA had a review of that production. Just yesterday I talked to CenterStage Exec Dir Richard Parison about their cabaret series, which debuted last month and has another performer lined up for next weekend (Lumiri Tubo who will focus on Nat King Cole standards). It sounds like fun even if you aren’t a NKC fan and it’s certainly worth keeping an eye out for in the future: the January show will feature Richmond fave Kathy Halenda, RTCC award winner for her appearance in last season’s “White Christmas.”

A Little "Akimbo" Gush

2011-11-04T13:55:00.003-04:00

My wife and I snuck out to see “Kimberly Akimbo” last night and I was glad we did. It’s an odd little story and I was more impressed with both “Fuddy Meers” and “Rabbit Hole” in terms of the script. What David Lindsay-Abaire does with this piece, though, is provide some fairly delicious acting challenges for talented people to dig into.

And to take on those challenges, director Anna Johnson pulled together an exceptional cast. There are many criteria one can use to evaluate a cast. Here’s a simple one: 2 out of the 5 cast members have received RTCC awards, 4 out of the 5 have been nominated. Clearly, these are people that have done notable work in the past.

There is plenty to applaud about this production (Terrie Powers’ set being a wonder of making a small space embody at least 4 different locations) and about the performances of the people you’d expect to be great (aforementioned nominees). But one of the most delightful components of this show for me was the fantastic performance by Matthew Mitchell as Kimberly’s geeky suitor, Jeff. Even without considering the 180 degree difference between this character and the one he played in “Legacy of Light” last season, Mitchell excells here by totally disappearing into this performance. As my lovely wife so succinctly put it afterwards, this characterization seems built thoroughly from the inside out. Every aspect of Mitchell’s performance – voice, posture, affect, mannerisms – was consistent and worked together to project a truly three dimensional character.

Johnson reinforces the quality of this performance with the help of costume designer Lily Lamberta and I expect Mitchell benefitted from having such talented fellows around him to work with, particularly Irene Zeigler who manages a wonderful balancing act as Kimberly (her scene in the “grandmother’s” outfit was a genius bit of compounding acting dissonance – an older actress playing a young character dressed older but not really playing older…). Still, put that aside and you’re still left with a singularly impressive performance, one I may start using as a benchmark for supporting performances for the rest of the season.

So there are something like 2 nights left of this show’s run so, if you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend doing so. Even if Mitchell doesn’t wow you like he did me, you’re sure to find something to admire and enjoy in the work of Zeigler, Richard Koch, Debra Wagoner, and Jill Bari Steinberg. Each is given a beguiling opportunity with their role and each makes the most of it.

PS: I'm not ignoring the news announced by Richmond Shakespeare yesterday, just haven't had time to fully process it. Good luck in all of your future endeavors, Mr. Mudge! You've done some amazing things in this town.

Money Talks

2011-11-03T16:39:00.002-04:00

So the biggest news this past week – at least in pure dollars and cents terms – was the big chunk of change the exceedingly magnanimous Novembers bestowed upon Theatre IV / Barksdale. Just to get some perspective on the size of this gift: someone who worked for one of the smaller local theater companies told me a few years ago that their entire budget for the year was around $60,000. Times may have changed since then but, based on that one factoid, it stands to reason that the November’s gift could fund a small theater company for something like 25-30 years. Wow.

I think the November gift is great news for local theater. The gift bolsters the area’s biggest live theater outlet and helps bring attention to the vitality of the local scene, while also adding an additional dose of energy into that scene. Sounds like a win-win all around.

The town has certainly been abuzz these days with the “Lincoln” filming. Almost every media outlet has some ongoing feature involving the production. Of more interest to theater fans is the fact that numerous local stage faves have landed small to medium-ish roles in the production. I’m already looking forward to the film coming out so I can play “spot the Richmonder” with other audience members.

In the run up to and aftermath of Halloween, I missed the slew of reviews that came out of CAT's “Home Fires.” Mine showed up in this week’s Style, Ms. Haubenstock’s appeared over the weekend, and Mr. Porter’s broadcast review is available online. As you can read / hear, all of us critics had quibbles about the script.

This week’s Style also had a nice piece on “Planet Shakespeare” and its program for homeschoolers. It’s great to see a different (if familiar) byline on a theater story – the more writers that are writing about theater, the better. And Mr. Foster knows how to work the wordplay opportunities that a name like Planet Shakespeare provides.

Among the things that are hampering my regular blogging activities are the forays of my thespian-oriented son, some of which were recently posted over on TVJerry’s site. As folks who may be working on “Lincoln” or who have had past film experiences, the movie world is a wacky one, full of its own ins-and-outs, nomenclature, little secrets that everyone else seems to know, and specific tools that come into play. Just one example: I was introduced to the “Day Out of Days” report just a couple of weeks ago – sometimes abbreviated DOOT (I guess?) I’m gaining a great second-hand education through this process. It doesn’t relate to theater except in the most tangential way, but it’s pretty fascinating just the same.

I’m happy that I’m going to get a chance to see “Kimberly Akimbo” before another wave of new openings hits this weekend, with AART’s “Fences,” Theatre IV’s “Frog and Toad,” “Brew” at Stage B and “Grease” at Theatre VCU all raising their curtains any minute. And it won’t be long until the holiday stuff starts rolling out. Hang on to your hats!

Lax

2011-10-26T12:07:00.001-04:00

I’ve been exceedingly lax on the whole blogging thing since the RTCC awards two weekends ago, trying to regain some perspective on the rest of my scattered life. I am tentatively and somewhat gingerly stepping back in the saddle because there is just so much activity going on, I can’t refrain from writing about it.

If you were one of the unfortunates (me included) who missed the Henley Street Bootleg Shakespeare event last weekend, here’s a nice write-up at RVANews. Though the write-up is pretty comprehensive, I’m sure it’s no substitute for having been there. I hope everyone had a raucous good time.

Style has an interview with David Lindsay-Abaire this week, signaling that time is running out on seeing “Kimberly Akimbo,” which I keep hearing is excellent.

I dropped in on “Home Fires” at CAT last weekend, a review of which should show up in print next week. It’s a hard show for me to give a capsule review of. I enjoyed much of the show, and truly loved Rebekah Spence’s performance as a single mom making ends meet during World War II. I have issues with Jack Heifner’s script, which I thought was a bit unfocused and layered with subplots that didn’t necessarily coalesce into something bigger than the sum of its part. Those expecting shades of “Comfort and Joy” or “Key West” are going to be disappointed, but those who appreciate an interesting slice of Americana with some potent emotional moments will love it.

We’re coming up on perhaps the most theatrical of holidays and, among the many other events going on, you might consider checking out the [vampire]Medea show happening at VCU’s Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre. Beyond the promise of a spooky take on an already gruesome tragedy, among the attractive elements of the production is the admission: free! (Production details are here.)

Beyond that, I don’t know of any other shows opening this weekend so it’s also a good chance to check out currently running shows like “Becky’s New Car,” “Akimbo” and “Home Fires” before the curtain rises on a slew of new shows in November.

Tie

2011-10-19T09:51:00.003-04:00

Before I let the 2011 Artsies fade in the rear-view mirror, here’s one more award-centric post to tie up some loose ends. In case you didn’t see it, the T-D printed a correction to their initial story on the event. Also, here’s the link to a recap of the awards from someone not wrapped up in the theater scene like so many of us. It makes me feel good that we could entertain someone at least moderately even if they didn’t get all of the inside jokes and references. (UPDATE: Style's recap of the event is in this week's edition.)

Oh, also, before I move on: the T-D had a review of “Kimberly Akimbo” yesterday. Definitely worth checking out.

So as with every year’s awards, the final results did not always reflect my personal choices (e.g., I thought Nick Aliff should’ve received at least a nod for “Love Kills” but that’s just me). Still, I continue to have the utmost respect for the process we critics go through to arrive at a final recipient for each category. There is contention amongst us, of course, but I think it is always tempered by two important things: 1) respect for each other’s opinion, and 2) an understanding that when we get down to the end, all of the nominees did great work and any qualitative difference between many of our choices may be infinitesimal and highly subjective. The high caliber of the options we are choosing from can make for difficulties in reaching a final selection.

The clearest example of the difficulties involved in our process is the tie for Best Musical this year. As a group, we tried several different ways to come to a final choice. We looked at all of the nominees collectively. When voting resulted in a deadlock, we considered just the final two in a few different ways, trying to get past that deadlock. Ultimately, we had serious discussions about whether ending in a tie was OK, discussions that included researching the Tony Awards and finding out that their selections have sometimes ended in a tie.

My perspective on the eventual result was summarized very nicely both by Phil Crosby and Bruce Miller in different ways. There was a glitzy musical full of big moments and technical excellence. And there was a small, uniquely intimate musical full of self-referential wackiness. Both of them had exceptional performances. Phil called them the biggest and the smallest shows of the season; Bruce called them David and Goliath. Another way to look at it is that these shows were like apples and oranges and, among us 8 critics, 4 of us ended up enamored with the apple while the other 4 couldn’t be budged off the orange. After weeks of agonizing, a tie seemed like the only way to go. It’s not a situation I’d like to land in again but it seemed like the best solution.

As to other comments I’ve received: we members of the Circle are always open to constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement. Both the Best Ensemble award (now the Ernie McClintock Award) and The People’s Choice award arose out of suggestions we’ve received. So please feel free to send them on, either posted here or emailed to me personally.

To folks who won awards and may want them engraved: I'd recommend K2 Awards (2221 Dabney Road, 804.784.7298) where I think it's still just $8 to get your name inscribed.

To Mr. Deiss (whose contrariness I respect and appreciate): I definitely understand your frustration and disappointment at the Mill not receiving any awards. I also expect there was a similar frustration felt by supporters of Chamberlayne Actors Theatre, which did not receive any nominations this year. I don’t think anything I can say can really alleviate those feelings. However, by way of explanation, I can say that we evaluate every category individually and the results never reflect any bias toward or against one company or another, even if the final results seem to indicate one. I know several Mill nominations had strong advocates but in each case they were outvoted by other choices.

I would also reiterate what Heather said in her opening this year: “Any single one of the nominees could easily have gone home with this year’s awards and for every person nominated, there were several others could have been nominated just as easily.” Those aren’t just empty words; having trudged through the nomination and final selection process, I know it’s true.

Clearly, the People’s Choice award needs some fine-tuning. Tying it to an onsite raffle was done mostly to raise funds – and add fun! – but also to limit anyone from stuffing the ballot box. I’ve heard there was still confusion about how often you could vote and that shows not nominated for anything were probably not voted for because people associated with those shows weren’t in attendance. These are good points and ones that we’ll need to think about as we go forward. Still, I thought the award added a new and interesting twist to the night and resulted in perhaps two of the most persistent benefits of the evening: 1) the Roop-Lauterback video that loses little entertainment value upon repeated viewings and 2) the new necklace for Carol Piersol that I hope she will wear with pride!

While it’s true the event runs long – too long in some people’s perspective – the 3 ½ hours felt pretty svelte to me this year. We packed in 6 musical performances, 20 awards, a couple dozen silly jokes, several special recognitions, 2 intermissions and 1 angry bear into that time. I think 3 hours is probably a good target but, as big and fun as the night is, I wouldn’t want to cut it much shorter than that.

Finally, thanks again to everyone who came together to make the night a success. Bryan and the band were incredible; Chase, Wendy, Hans, Andrew, all of the bartenders and everyone working that night at the Empire did a great job; the crew of teen volunteers were crucially helpful; the singers were exceptional; the presenters seemed game for anything; the audience was boisterous but generally well-behaved; and my producer and partner-in-crime Amy was as calm and cool-headed as always. I’ve received a lot of very nice congratulations, which I very much appreciate, but it took quite a big team to make it all happen and the credit goes to all of them.

So I think I’m ready to call it a wrap (though recommendations and suggestions continue to be welcome). Time to focus on what’s next. I hear CAT’s opening their season with “Home Fires” this weekend…

Stats and stuff

2011-10-18T08:30:00.002-04:00

The twin patinas of exhaustion and excitement from Sunday night have started to melt away which has allowed me to focus on a couple of things besides eating and sleeping. Among those are the various statistical reckonings that can be done in the aftermath of this year’s RTCC awards.

First off: attendance. According to the Barksdale ticketing system, 472 people officially attended the event on Sunday. However, my understanding is that the Governor’s boxes live outside the official system and there were 8 people distributed between the two boxes. Also, I had an incredible crew of teenage volunteers working the show and the 9 of them shared 3 seats between them, meaning that there were really an additional 6 attendees, meaning that in my own personal accounting attendance was more like 486. Why do I care whether it’s 472 vs. 486? I don’t really but I expect to be telling people that “nearly 500” people attended and this is my public justification for that claim.

The awards have been held at the Empire twice before. Official attendance was 395 last year and 469 the year before that. So however you slice it, attendance was up this year, which makes me very happy.

Also, I reviewed the People’s Choice vote last night and was pretty amazed at the broad range of selections. Twenty-four different productions received at least one vote, plus there was a vote for Hairspray (which wasn’t officially eligible), one vote in general support of Swift Creek Mill Theatre, and one vote that didn’t actually have any production selected. I also know that a couple individuals used the People’s Choice voting just to make donations, as the money collected exceeded the number of votes – thank you generous people!

There was a total of 101 votes cast and the top five productions in order were This Beautiful City, [title of show], Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Once on this Island. While the popularity of these productions didn’t surprise me, it was interesting to note what shows were tied for 6th: Dog Sees God and Theatre IV’s The Velveteen Rabbit. While those shows didn’t garner a lot of love from us critics, the productions clearly had their fan bases.

I’ve just started to peruse some of the pictures on Facebook from the evening. And while it was mentioned several times on Sunday what a great and supportive theater community we have here, I’d just like to add that it’s a pretty damn attractive crowd as well. Later today or tomorrow, I’ll address some of the questions and comments that I’ve fielded in the wake of the awards. And then I expect it will be time to (reluctantly) move on…

And the 2011 Artsie award goes to...

2011-10-17T09:51:00.002-04:00

Wow. What a night. I was trying to think this morning of what I would highlight about the evening if I were trying to recap it for someone who wasn’t there and realized that there were so many exceptional moments both big and small that it would be impossible. I’d basically just have to recount the entire evening and try to capture just a fraction of excitement and fun and fellowship I felt throughout the evening.

There are things that probably could use some ‘splainin’, the tie for Best Musical being one big example, highlighted in the Times-Dispatch article this morning. But I’m still a little too exhausted for cogent thought so I’ll talk a little more about that perhaps later in the week.

In the meantime, I’d just like to extend a huge heartfelt thanks to everyone who played a part in making last night work out. There are literally dozens of people who came together and did incredible things all focused on the success of last night. All of their work is very deeply appreciated.

Finally, below is the list of Artsie award recipients that were announced last night. Congratulations to those honored for some well-deserved recognition. But even greater congratulations to the community at large for coming together and supporting this event. I probably won’t know the final numbers for a couple weeks, but I expect we raised somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,500 for the Theater Artists Fund last night, 2.5 times what we raised last year and 3 times what we raised to years ago. A good time for a great cause – it doesn’t get much better than that.

2011 RTCC Award Recipients

Best Play
Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Best Musical
Tie: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels & [title of show]

The People's Choice Award
This Beautiful City

Best Direction - Musical
Chase Kniffen, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Best Direction – Play
Rusty Wilson, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best Actor in a Leading Role – Play
Alan Sader, King Lear

Best Actor in a Leading Role - Musical
Scott Wichmann, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Best Actress in a Leading Role – Play
Laine Satterfield, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best Actress in a Leading Role - Musical
Rachel Abrams, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Play
J. Ron Fleming, Jitney

Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Musical
Andrew Hamm, This Beautiful City

Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Play
Maggie Horan, Legacy of Light

Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Musical
Kathy Halenda, White Christmas

Ernie McClintock Best Ensemble Award
Jitney

Best Choreography
Leslie Owens-Harrington, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Best Musical Direction
Sandy Dacus, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
Brian C. Barker, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Lynne Hartman, Legacy of Light

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
J. Theresa Bush, Legacy of Light

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Derek Dumais, White Christmas

Special Awards:
Outstanding Achievement in Puppetry
Terry Snyder

Liz Marks Memorial Award
Michael Gooding
Don Warren & Jay McCullough

Where the action is

2011-10-14T08:09:00.002-04:00

I've spent much of the last week swamped under RTCC awards related stuff and an unexpected bout of single parentage but I'm emerging just a tad, at least enough to show up on the noon news at NBC 12 WWBT to talk up the awards show. But luckily while I've been submerged, my pal Mr. Porter put out a good summary of some of the things that are going on around town. It's worth a peruse because, damn, there's just a lot going on.

Hope to see you on Sunday, if not before!

Richmond Magazine

2011-10-10T16:25:00.000-04:00

I know I don’t usually promote Style’s “competition” but there are so many reasons to pick up this month’s Richmond magazine that I can’t be quiet about it (also, as a glossy monthly, I don’t actually think of RichMag as the competition but anyway…)

First off, right there on the cover is a picture of U of R basketball coach Chris Mooney (and some other coach you’ve probably heard of too…) Coach Mooney will be presenting an award at the RTCC awards with co-presenter Susan Greenbaum. So if you check out the magazine you’ll have a preview of who this guy is and will be able to spot him sidling up to the bar on Sunday.

Also, you’ll see that this month’s issue announces the winners of the Theresa Pollak awards (and there’s an awards ceremony tomorrow –Tuesday – night if you’re interested. I don’t have the details, but maybe someone out there does???). Among the honorees is the inimitable Scott Wichmann who just celebrated the premier of the movie “Lake Effects” where he costars with Ben Savage and Casper Van Diem, among others. He also is continuing to celebrate, I’m sure, the ongoing success of his latest directorial effort, “Lend Me a Tenor.” Scotty is of course in contention for an RTCC award for Best Actor in a Musical so be sure to come on Sunday to see if this week will include a hat trick of big wins for Mr. Wichmann.

Finally, there is a sister publication called Dine included with this month’s RichMag that has a great article called “Dinner and a Show.” In this piece, several local theater folks give their recommendations of where to go to eat before seeing a show. It’s a great piece and one that I’ll be keeping around for reference.

And if I haven’t mentioned it enough already, go ahead and get your tickets for the RTCC awards already! If you are nominee and want to be there to collect your award (potentially), you need to get a ticket! If you are a performer, you still need to get a ticket! If you are a critic, you still need to get a ticket! Thanks to our grant this year, everything you spend associated with the event should go directly to the Theatre Artists Fund so get those tickets and come out and celebrate with us!

Additions, Corrections

2011-10-05T08:07:00.004-04:00

Can you tell I'm distracted these days? Mr. Griset's review in this week's Style is for "Suddenly Last Summer," not "Becky's New Car." I did get the subject of my review right, it's for "Merchant of Venice."

Also, yesterday I mentioned the video piece I did this summer but forgot the link to it.

Finally, I went to see "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" over the weekend but haven't had a chance to write out my thoughts. It's a very good production, though, and my quickest capsule review would be: if you thought Alan Sader and Adrian Rieder were incredible in "King Lear" this past summer (which they were IMHO), they're even better in "Cat."

Suddenly

2011-10-04T12:23:00.001-04:00

Luckily, others are keeping track of this stuff more closely than I am. Reviews of "Suddenly Last Summer" are currently available at the T-D website and on GayRVA.

ArtStars, Amazing and other things that start with A

2011-10-04T10:32:00.004-04:00

I went through the summer thinking about how crazy-busy it was, what with more shows opening in the traditional “down” time than I can remember. But now that we’re really getting into the heart of the fall, I’m realizing I had forgotten how truly crazy-busy things are once the summer’s over. Among the things to talk about:

The Dominion ArtStars awards are being handed out today, perhaps even as I write this. Arts organizations from all over the state were given recognition and cash awards as either “Shining Stars” or “Rising Stars.” Several theater companies were among the winners, including central VA’s Sycamore Rouge (congrats, kb!), Signature in NOVA, and Staunton’s American Shakespeare Center. It’s a great program that Dominion’s kicked off and I hope they keep it up.

The Amazing Raise starts tomorrow. The folks at Henley Street have been getting the word out about this. It’s an online event where leading non-profits can be awarded $10K based on donations of others. If you want to help groups like Henley Street, Gallery 5, Theatre IV, SPARC, the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen and others get a shot at that payoff, check out the Amazing Raise website.

My review of “Merchant of Venice” should be out today as well as Mr. Griset’s take on “Becky’s New Car.” I’m still waiting for the first words on “Suddenly Last Summer.”

Among the Broadway news is that Billy Elliot will be ending its run on the Great White Way in January.

As if there weren’t enough shows out there right now, the “Wicked” tour lands here again, opening tomorrow night. In the past two days, I’ve heard two people who I would never imagine in my life going to a musical say “I’m taking my wife to ‘Wicked.’” It reminds me of this little video piece I did out in California asking people going to “Les Mis” if they were aware of local theater. Some things never change.

I enjoyed my little online chat with James Ricks about artistic issues related to “Merchant.” It has often occurred to me that Shakespeare might lend itself better to talk-backs BEFORE the show, to allow people to get some education on the play’s background. I think it would enhance their enjoyment of a show where they are more than likely going to have trouble parsing the language, let alone separate out the social, political and metaphysical issues.

And of course finally, we have the Artsies. Please get your tickets and please come. I think it’s going to be a good time. All the pieces are in motion, the question will be whether they all fit together before next Sunday. Come and find out! Oh, and tell your friends to come too!

Rosh Hashanah

2011-09-28T13:06:00.002-04:00

Mr. Griset has added to the chorus praising “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” with his review this week. Sycamore Rouge kicked off its season last weekend with the Langston Hughes-oriented joint, “Simply Heavenly,” that received a less than stellar assessment from Ms. Haubenstock.

The folks at Henley Street are initiating what sounds like an intriguing series of talk-backs this weekend and their “Merchant of Venice” is a great show to kick it off with. This is a show that almost demands conversation and processing. I really admire James Ricks and his company for choosing this show to produce and then really committing to a serious re-imagining of the work by placing it in a modern context.

My review in Style is going to be fairly short – once upon a time I would have had 500 to 600 words for a review. This one had to be trimmed to 350. It’s the sad reality of print journalism these days and particularly brutal when you are trying to cover any Shakespeare, let alone this Shakespeare. So I may talk about “Merchant” a couple of times in this space to flesh out some of my thoughts.

First off, it’s kind of astounding that the show will be running through the Jewish high holy days (Happy Rosh Hashanah, y’all!) The anti-Semitism in the play is bracing, there’s no getting around it. Mr. Ricks has said he has put the most clear anti-Semitic sentiments in the mouths of the lowest class characters, making the issue a bit more about class rather than overall cultural prejudice. I don’t know that this choice comes across so clearly, particularly in the modern context where, even though there are clearly class lines, we are told and taught that they don’t exist.

I also found the secondary characters laughing during Shylock’s “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” speech disconcerting. Beyond this being one of the more famous monologues in the canon, this speech is also a universal plea for understanding (and a little vengeance) on behalf of all victims of persecution. This seemed like part of the lower class idea, given that the snickerers were patrons at a bar, and as such was consistent in theory. But in practice, I simply didn’t like it.

However, on the flip side, there were many ways I thought the anti-Semitism issue was handled masterfully. Jeff Clevenger’s performance is exceptional. I saw his actions not at all as a rabid anti-Christian but as a battered individual, pushed by the last straw of his daughter’s elopement to try to exact brutal retribution against a world that had stolen his wife, employee, dignity, and finally, his daughter. Clevenger never lets you forget Shylock’s basic humanity.

Also, the infamous court scene had a significant change from the original text (unless I missed it somehow) in that Shylock was not forced to convert to Christianity, among all of the other indignities he is forced to submit to. Finally, there is the issue of Jessica. Her deportment at the play’s end is distinctly different from Jessicas I’ve seen in other productions. I won’t spoil this for you in case you haven’t seen it but it isn’t expected given her economic situation at the play’s end.

And, in the end, this is a play largely about economics, or the “commidification of relationships” as Mr. Ricks says in his director’s notes. As such, I think making Antonio into a female character is also a masterful change and one I may talk about further in another post.

But before I sign off and since I have “merchants” on my mind, I really am overdue in giving a shout out to the sponsors of the RTCC awards this year. We’ve really had a great stepping up of people in commercial ventures who are supporting the event. Among those who are helping us this year are Style Weekly magazine, which is giving us a bunch of advertising both online and in print as well as hosting the pre-event reception; 103.7 The River, a radio station guided by the fabulous Melissa Chase who has promised to put the word out about us this year; Gay RVA.com, which is also providing us with scads of online advertising; Popkin Tavern, which is hosting the pre-event reception this year; Carreras Jewelers, which of course donated the great raffle prize of a gorgeous diamond necklace; and the extremely talented Jay Paul who is once again donating his photographic services to help memorialize the event.

Given how many “merchants” we have on board this year (not to mention the non-profits also supporting us, which I will at some other point), I’m a little surprised at the somewhat anemic ticket sales so far. Are people holding out until the last couple of weeks? Or have the awards kind of run their course and the excitement has passed? I’m really curious.

Regardless, I’m still excited about the big night and, while I’ll be disappointed if fewer people come than last year, I’ll also have a better chance at going home with that little Carreras bauble…

Institutional

2011-09-26T09:36:00.002-04:00

All three of the Times-Dispatch freelancers who cover theater were busy this past weekend. Ms. Haubenstock reviewed Henley Street’s “Merchant of Venice,” Ms. Lewis took a ride in “Becky’s New Car” out at Hanover Tavern and Ms. Wren gave some context to the Mill’s “Keep on the Sunny Side.” That’s a pretty impressive flurry of theater coverage.

I’ll be offering some thoughts on “Merchant” as early as tomorrow, perhaps, but I also want to put out a quick endorsement of the local university shows. Both VCU and U of R are kicking off their seasons with extremely interesting productions, “Shakespeare’s R&J” at the former, and “Trojan Women” at the latter. The U of R show, with a cast that includes the enthralling Alex Wiles from last year’s “Arcadia” at Richmond Shakespeare, runs for a tragically short one-weekend run. If you want to get some sense of what you’ll see if you go, see this interview with the insightful and interesting Dorothy Holland.

I know it’s a crazy busy season but these are a couple of productions worth checking out. Pass on the “X Factor” (you’ve see it all before anyway) and go see one of these shows instead!

Sunny Side

2011-09-23T13:01:00.004-04:00

You have to forgive me not writing (ok, you don’t have to, but I ask you to), but I’ve had so much reading to do. A review of “Keep on the Sunny Side” came out in the T-D yesterday and also in the Progress-Index (signaling the premiere I believe of actress-icon Una Harrison as a critic).

Reviews of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” showed up at GayRVA and on WCVE (or John Porter’s blog). JP’s rave about “Lend Me a Tenor” – complete with a general endorsement of farce -- aired last night while my “Tenor” review was oh-so-eloquently dismissed as a “book report.” Those anonymous commenters – they’re so insightful!

Also out there to read up on has been the previews of “Merchant of Venice,” which I’m looking forward to this weekend. This promises to be a production unlike any other “Merchant” you might have seen before and it’s in a new space for Henley Street, two significant endorsements for sure.

I promised to talk about “Sunny Side” but I won’t go on too much because Ms. Haubenstock expressed most of my thoughts for me. The heart of her review includes the phrases “historically interesting,” “musically delightful,” and “limp drama.” I think that encapsulates the show for me. The voices musical director Drew Perkins leads through the Carter Family canon are all excellent – I think I would have loved this show if it had been just a tribute concert. But I don’t think it works great as theater. There are a few too many “…and then this happened…” kind of transitions and not enough meaty interpersonal business to work through. This weakness was not helped on the night I saw the show (the last preview on Friday) when there were numerous lines of dialogue either dropped or repeated.

But there were unmistakably magic moments, too, most of them when stage novice Jackie Frost was given room for her voice to reach its full-throated glory. I was introduced reluctantly to old time music decades ago by my lovely wife and have since come to appreciate the simple beauty of Carter Family standards like “Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow” and “Worried Man Blues.” Most of the songs are delivered with energy and clarity by gifted musicians like Emily Cole, David Janeski and Lucas Hall. Multi-instrumentalist Ms. Cole should think about a putting a concert together; I know I’d go.

Each of the cast members has his or her strength. Mr. Hall has a great scene to really chew some scenery as Dr. Brinkley and he makes the most of it. As I’ve expressed here before, I adore Ali Thibodeau’s voice and she kicks off the show with a great take on “Will You Miss Me?” But since she’s playing one of the next generation Carters (Janette), she doesn’t get as much front-and-center performing time, which is too bad. Mr. Perkins does a fine job as the somewhat drifty patriarch A. P. Carter, though I think it’s a curious challenge to give a focused performance of a distinctly unfocused character. Still, at the show’s end, his transition into the elderly A.P. is subtle but distinct.

One of the things I will remember most about this production is the gorgeous set. Director Tom Width has outdone himself with this set design, with a big assist from Adam Dorland and his vibrant scenic backdrop, not to mention the typically lush lighting by Joe Doran. The rendering of a log cabin’s front porch looks so cozy it’s hard not to want to join the cast on stage and spend some time working the rocking chair.

Susie also mentioned “historically interesting,” and I have to admit that one of the first things I did when I got home was Google the Carter Family. It was also great to see the neat YouTube clip that Emily Cole found of the real Sara and Maybelle Carter introduced by Johnny Cash. So, while it may not have invigorated me with dramatic intensity, “Sunny Side” certainly provided some diverting songs and a sparked interest in a slice of music history.

If your bent is historic, you have two shows opening this weekend that should appeal, the previously mentioned “Merchant,” plus “Simply Heavenly” at Sycamore Rouge, which is grounded in the historically significant stories of Langston Hughes. If you just want comic drama, “Becky’s New Car” out at the Tavern may be a better choice. Regardless, there is kind of an embarrassment of riches on local stage right now. What better way to spend a rainy weekend then at a show or two, no?

In the Interim

2011-09-21T10:16:00.002-04:00

Here's a link to my review of Barksdale's "Lend Me a Tenor." Still nothing from the T-D on "Keep on the Sunny Side." However, at the T-D site you can find a link to this news story on a new musical in development based on the film "Diner," significant among other things for the foray of Sheryl Crow into the stage world.

What a difference a valet makes

2011-09-20T08:41:00.002-04:00

The season of Tennessee Williams is now in full force. Both Style and the Times-Dispatch have done stories on the Williams festival in the past week and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” has opened to at least one largely positive review. How can you not love it? Big characters and intense stories and all sorts of interpersonal craziness. A fall full of Williams will make us all grateful to be able to go home to a relatively quiet and normal life after the curtain falls.

I’ve yet to see a review of “Keep on the Sunny Side,” the cheery and tuneful musical that opened at the Mill this past weekend. I caught the last preview on Friday and will talk more about the production on Thursday. My review of “Lend Me a Tenor” should show up in this week’s Style (crossing fingers, still haven’t had it confirmed by my editor…) Ms. Tupponce chimed in on “Tenor,” adding to the chorus of those who have enjoyed the rollicking farce. The mini-blogosphere-firestorm that erupted after the first “Tenor” review seems to have died down, though I’m still fielding any comments on the objectivity-subjectivity discussion. If you want to just bash people, I’d prefer you’d go elsewhere but I’ll field those comments as well.

Some additional news on the RTCC front: we have secured a donor to subsidize valet parking for the awards event. So if you don’t want to wander up and down Broad Street looking for a space on that Sunday night, you can just pull up to the under-construction Empire Marquee and stroll right in, leaving the search-n-park job to someone else.

It may seem like a small thing but valet parking is one of those little amenities that make an event seem more special, a little more luxurious, and a lot more convenient. It also means that that extra 10-15 minutes that you usually budget to find a parking spot and walk to the theater can be spent IN the theater, voting for the People’s Choice award, catching up with friends and colleagues, or enjoying a refreshing beverage. Won’t that be nice?

Check back here on Thursday for more on “Sunny Side” and, in honor of the positive attitude title song, a few local media-related appreciations.

Responses

2011-09-16T10:27:00.001-04:00

Mark,

I appreciate you taking the time to respond with your clearly stated and rational comments (as opposed to “Humble Opinionator’s” self-important and ridiculous ramblings…but I’ll get to that in a second…) I don’t agree with the bulk of your perspective, however, and I think you hold theater critics to an impractical standard. I remember when reality TV first became a big thing, I read plenty of stories by plenty of TV reviewers whose message was (either explicit or implicit): “god, I can’t wait for this reality TV fad to pass.” Then at some point they all seemed to heave a collective sigh and realize that it wasn’t going to pass and so now they grit their teeth and do their best. You can still read the same kind of bias in reviews of “torture porn” movies like the “Saw” franchise, a reviewer saying, “this stuff is generally crap but this is how this crap rates against all of the other crap.” For a more immediate and local example, Daniel Neman used to call out almost every movie that had some “daddy issue” at it’s foundation. He had obviously tired of those kinds of movies, but he went on reviewing them.

Should editors hire a specific reality TV critic to just cover that beat because every other critic hates the genre? A specific “torture porn” critic to cover those movies? A specific stage farce critic to cover “Lend Me a Tenor?” That would be impractical and that’s why no one does it.

There are three points I think are worth making: first, a theater critic has a job to do. At your job are you often given the liberty to “pass on assignments” that don’t endanger you or aren’t morally reprehensible but are simply not your favorite thing? If you do, I want your job.

Second, yes, I absolutely agree that if a critic has a passionate distaste for a specific genre, they should not review shows in that genre. But if their distaste is so passionate that it impairs their ability to deliver a coherent review, he or she shouldn’t really be a critic at all. Say what you will about Susie’s review, but it is well written and coherent, reflecting careful consideration of technical elements, direction and performance. You may not like the way she did her job but you can’t argue that she didn’t do it. I, like Susie, rank farce near or at the bottom of the genres of theater that I enjoy. That doesn’t mean I (and I expect Susie) prefer being poked in the eye to seeing a farce. I don’t want to be taken off the “farce beat” because farces aren’t my favorite. Why? Because I love theater in general and so an evening spent at even a mediocre “Lend Me a Tenor” (which Barksdale’s production isn’t) would be more enjoyable for me than a night watching, for instance, the best “torture porn” movie in existence.

Third, part of the artistic experience involves surprise. How many men are dragged to a romantic comedy with their wives or girlfriends and actually end up, against every expectation, enjoying the experience? If you asked such a guy afterwards, his summary might be “You know, I don’t generally like these kinds of movies, but this one was pretty good.” I know as a critic I go into a farce bracing myself for the worst. And whether I state it explicitly or not, my review will reflect an underlying attitude of “you know, I wasn’t expecting to love this but I did.” On the converse side of things, I love “Godspell” and “Les Mis” and plenty of other shows and there are times I’ve come out of certain productions feeling “you know, I generally love ‘Les Mis,’ but this production just didn’t measure up to my expectations.” These kinds of reactions are an inescapable aspect of the subjective artistic experience and they can’t be extricated from it, no matter who the audience member is, critic or non-critic.

As far as “Humble’s” extended tirade goes, there are so many ways I could respond that I’m a little at a loss at where to start. Perhaps with: as good a writer as you may be, HO, you’re an awful reader. You title your rant, “An Answer to Some of Dave’s Questions About Subjectivity and the Function of Critics.” I wrote exactly one sentence in my post that could be construed as a question, which was “how exactly [is] a critic…supposed to review a play “for what it is,” in other words, in some completely objective manner.” In all your extended spewing, you didn’t come close to answering that question.

What you essentially did was take the opportunity to randomly and anonymously bash all of Richmond’s critics while taking broad swipes at the local artistic community as well. Bravo! Quite a feat, that!

I would give some credence to some of your comments if they didn’t start from a foundation that undermines everything that follows. You say, “I have seen exactly zero truly critical reviews written with the aesthetic and mastery that is the standard for critique. Very loosely defined, a critic is someone who writes for a publication or blog about what they see.”

By applying some ridiculous standard that nullifies everything I’ve ever written, you have lost my interest in anything you have to say. If I am not a critic by your standards, why should any supposed insight you have about critics apply to me? And furthermore, by misunderstanding the basic idea of a “strictly-defined” critic – that is, someone who is a paid journalist doing a job for their employer, who strictly-speaking only has to answer to that employer and not every idiot with grandiose ideas – your succeeding assertions are essentially worthless. Thanks for playing, though, and as strong as your opinions are, I hope you take a step out from behind your cowardly anonymity and try being a critic yourself some day. I’m sure my fellows in the RTCC could gain a lot of backbone under your guidance.

Subjectivity

2011-09-15T09:13:00.004-04:00

No matter how many raves critics write, they rarely make everyone happy. When they pan something people like, they get called nasty names. When they laud a show someone else doesn’t like, they get dismissed as toadies for the theater company. If they praise something but do it in a way that someone doesn’t like, they still get flack.

I’m not “boo hoo-ing” here: This is the nature of the game, it has been the nature of the game for centuries and anyone who has written anything evaluative or critical for mass consumption should not be surprised by it at all. In the space of just two responses to my post on Tuesday, critics in Richmond were categorized as “not knowing how to write a proper review,” were accused of not having any idea why they like a production, and were called “unethical.” After writing reviews for 13 years, none of this surprises me anymore. The artist / critic interaction is fraught with tension so emotions run high. That’s part of what makes it interesting.

With that perspective, Mr. Miller’s arguably ill-considered response to Ms. Haubenstock’s review of “Lend Me a Tenor” didn’t surprise me. I know theater artists often have a strong reaction to a review even if it is largely positive. The post he subsequently removed had some very interesting and certainly valid opinions.

However, there was one question in it that surprised me. “Why is it too much to suggest that critics should write informed, OBJECTIVE reviews that evaluate each play…for what it is, not for how it appeals to them personally?”

Let’s be clear: all reviews are subjective. To suggest some reviewers write subjective reviews and others write objective ones is simply not accurate. We are all of us shaped by our histories, our genetics, our gender, our race, our religious beliefs, and any number of other factors. Even when these factors are not obvious in something a critic writes, they are there.

Ms. Haubenstock wrote a review where she stated a bias upfront: she doesn’t generally like farces. She then went on to say how good “Lend Me a Tenor” was. As a critical construct, this kind of review is actually a way to amplify a complimentary review. One way of looking at it is to think “Even someone who doesn’t like farces liked this show; it must be really good.” Of course, that isn’t how everyone would choose to look at it.

But imagine if Ms. Haubenstock thought “Tenor” was wretched and wrote a review ridiculing the unbelievability of the plot, the broadness of the acting, and the infantilism of the jokes. Many people would immediately assume “well, she obviously just doesn’t like farces.” There is a Catch 22 here: State your bias and be lambasted for that. Don’t state your bias and have it assumed anyway.

I’m also curious about how exactly a critic is supposed to review a play “for what it is,” in other words, in some completely objective manner. It seems to me that restricting a review to just the aspects that one can be truly objective about – the plot, the technical elements, the reaction of the audience (perhaps), the ability of the actors to remember and recite their lines – leads to the type of “book report” reviews that also raise people’s ire. Another Catch 22: Write subjectively and get criticized for your opinion. Write “objectively” and get criticized for your lack of opinion.

These are just two of the many paradoxes critics get caught in. A comment below wondered how much “professional theater experience” critics in Richmond had. Well, first off, critics are journalists not theater professionals. But put that aside and you quickly get to another paradox: If a critic is too much a part of the theater world, he or she is clearly biased. If a critic isn’t at all a part of the theater world, then they are ignorant and have no business evaluating it.

I was very lucky this past June to take part in a program with 25 other arts journalists from around the country. As part of this program, one of the editors involved in the program, Michael Phillips, gave a talk about criticism and being a critic. Phillips writes about movies for the Chicago Tribune and had a brief stint on the TV show “At the Movies,” taking over for the ailing Roger Ebert. He started the talk with three main guiding principals for critics:
-- Be brave,
-- Be specific (without specifics, reviews are just assertions without backup), and
-- Screw the ‘o’ word (objectivity). Your goal should be informed subjectivity.

The way I choose to interpret what Mr. Phillips said was: there's no way to remove subjectivity from the reviewing process. So the job of a critic is to temper that subjectivity with as much knowledge and clear critical thinking as possible.

I have my own opinions about the critics currently writing in Richmond and, for the most part, they are pretty high. That’s because I know something about most of them and I believe that they are pretty well informed, as well as generally fair in their evaluations, rigorous in their research, and clear in their writing. They take their job seriously and beyond their exorbitant pay (ha!), they do what they do because they enjoy writing and love theater. And just the number of productions they see every year informs them about the Richmond theater scene to a degree well beyond the average arts consumer.

That doesn’t mean I don’t have my problems with certain reviews that get published (those that lean toward “book reports” are far from my faves, for instance). But the one thing I know about every single review I’ve read here (or anywhere else, for that matter): it is the product of an individual’s subjective evaluation. Ms. Haubenstock put her subjectivity front and center in her “Tenor” review. But even when it isn’t stated so plainly, you can rest assured it is there.

On to less contentious matters: two big openings this weekend, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the Firehouse and “Keep on the Sunny Side” at the Mill. Each is the story of a southern family, though I expect with entirely different issues as their central focus. I can imagine an interesting mash-up of the two: “Keep on the Sunny Side of a Hot Tin Roof?” I think Tennessee Williams set to music would be pretty entertaining.

Crossing in Cyberspace

2011-09-13T10:05:00.002-04:00

At about the same time I was posting my entry below, Mr. Miller at Barksdale was posting a pointed response to Ms. Haubenstock's review. I'd check it out soon because it may end up being one of those posts that don't stay on the blog for long. I have some thoughts about Bruce's comments but it'll be a day or so before I have a chance to process them and they may prove ultimately irrelevant. The mulling over begins...

Lend Me a Corkscrew

2011-09-13T09:44:00.003-04:00

While Hurricane Irene and the end of summer combined to knock me off my regular blog posting rhythm, the Barksdale Buzz has been picking up the slack with Mr. Miller posting a number of entries coinciding with the beginning of the new theater season. And then yesterday Barksdale guest blogger Annie Hulcher debuted to much appreciation and anticipation (at least by me). Ms. Hulcher is one member of a delightful coterie of teen theater stars in Richmond, many of who lit up the stage in SPARC’s “Ragtime” this past summer. Beyond her significant talents, she has always impressed me with her quick wit and obvious intelligence (you don’t get into Maggie Walker Governor’s School on good looks alone…) I’m very much looking forward to her fresh and insightful view of the goings-on over at Barksdale / Theatre IV.

Ms. Haubenstock’s review of “Lend Me a Tenor” came out today and she mentions an opening night prop malfunction involving a wine bottle. I make reference to the same incident in the review I filed this weekend that should hit newsstands next week. For those who weren’t there, we are referring to a scene involving opera star Tito Morelli (played by Joe Pabst) trying to open a bottle of wine with the help of Max (Nick Ciavarella). On opening night, Joe and Nick were having trouble getting the cork out of the bottle and, after some effort, ended up stripping it so the cork simply wouldn’t come out at all. At which point, a vaguely confused audience realized without a doubt that the mishap was not scripted.

This set off a mini-maelstrom of improvisation by Mssrs. Pabst and Ciavarella, trying in vain to work around the situation, Nick at one point rushing into the kitchen and offering coffee instead. The ultimate solution involved the actors using the corkscrew as a bludgeon, boring through the cork enough so a piddling stream of wine could finally be shaken out of the pesky bottle.

It was the kind of scene that proves the endless appeal of live theater where you truly don’t know what’s going to happen from one performance to the next. The audience ate it up, hooting and guffawing appreciatively at every effort the actors made to rectify their predicament. It was also one of the supreme tests for a professional actor and both Mr. Pabst and Mr. Ciavarella showed his meddle under pressure. While it was impossible not to concede in their reactions that this was not supposed to be happening, neither one dropped character and their actions were completely consistent with the trajectory of the story. Perhaps my favorite part was when the wine finally started to pour and Pabst said (and I’m paraphrasing as I was laughing too hard to catch it exactly), “That’s a some glass of wine!” which effectively brought the house down.

There are many reasons to recommend “Lend Me a Tenor” – it’s a rollicking farce with a winning cast expertly led through their paces by Scott Wichmann. But opening night provided an extra incentive to see it: in the midst of the madness, you never know what’s going to go awry, and you are certain to be delighted at how the talented professionals on stage will use such moments to generate even more laughs than were originally designed.

And so it begins…

2011-09-09T14:00:00.002-04:00

Tonight is opening night for “Lend Me A Tenor,” which is essentially the first show of the new theater season. For a theater critic, it feels like some mix of the first day of spring and the first day of school: All sorts of fresh material, a giddy excitement about new challenges, and a certain comfort about the constants that carry over from year to year. “Tenor” has a cast made up mostly of very familiar faces and it’s being directed by Scott Wichmann, who really arrived as a director (IMHO) with “Take Me Out” two seasons ago. I’m eagerly awaiting the latest product of his leadership and I’m taking some tough little critics as my companions to see if the appeal of the work is cross-generational. It should be fun.

If you want some background on the logistical reasons why “Lend Me A Tenor” is kicking off this season, I’d recommend reading Mr. Miller’s insider’s story posted on the Barksdale Buzz.

As Bruce mentions, also beginning this weekend is the Tennessee Williams festival, a collaborative effort between Firehouse and Triangle Players. As detailed on the great website they’ve constructed just for the event, “A Streetcar Named Desire” will be showing at the Byrd on Saturday. It’s classic Brando, classic Williams, just about as good as it all gets.

And while I hope you are as giddy as I am about the start of the new season, that’s no reason to forget celebrating the previous one. Tickets are moving for the RTCC awards. Information is now on the Barksdale website and advertising will start showing up next week. So get your tickets now before the best ones are taken!

Also, tune in next week for even MORE exciting details about the RTCC awards event... It just keeps getting better and better!

On with the show

2011-09-07T08:24:00.002-04:00

Style's fall arts issue has a big fat theater section in it, written by Rich Griset and I. The idea was to give as complete an overview of the scene and the companies in it, to re-introduce the live theater options to the Richmond arts-enjoying public at large. In other words, it was a project guaranteed to piss people off in the theater community for any number of reasons. Still, I'm glad we did it and I like the results. Check them out and let me know what you think.

Jackman as Valjean…and other stuff

2011-09-06T15:13:00.000-04:00

Living without power for a week seems to have erased my memory banks and I can’t for the life of me remember if I knew that Hugh Jackman was cast as Jean Valjean for the latest screen adaptation of “Les Mis.” But I was enlightened with that news at the same time reading that Anne Hathaway would be Fantine. I really don’t know what to make of this. I like high-profile stars that will draw audiences to this work – I’m one of those people that actually thought the screen adaptations of musicals like “Chicago” and “Dreamgirls” served the material pretty darn well. But Wolverine as Valjean? Hmmm… Catwoman as Fantine? The mind reels a bit at these thoughts…

One thing I don’t have any reservations about, though, is the opening of the fall theater season with “Lend Me a Tenor” this weekend. I’m really looking forward to the openings this month – it’s a crazy mix of fun and challenging work. I walk by the “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” poster at the Firehouse a few times a week and get a little giddy just at the thought.

Also, keep an eye out for the week’s issue of Style. It should be packed to overflowing with theater-related stuff. Enjoy and let me know what you think of it all (positive or negative – all perspectives accepted…)

Sprucing Up

2011-09-02T12:31:00.002-04:00

The RTCC website has been spruced up a little this week. Check it out to see the full list of nominees, presenters and some info on what's new this year.

The Home Page is here; all of the details are on the 2011 Artsies page.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Ernie

2011-08-31T11:37:00.004-04:00

I hope everyone is recovering from the hurricane OK. To those still without power: I feel your pain. At my house, we’ve been out since 3pm-ish Saturday and don’t have any prospects for being on until this weekend. Good opportunity for practicing those coping skills!

Last I heard, power was still out at Hanover Tavern so “Boeing Boeing” is still tentative for this weekend. I hope the show can go on – people need distractions!

I appreciate GayRVA posting our nominee list last week. GayRVA is going to be one of the media sponsors for the RTCC awards this year so check out their site for a great take on local news and culture.

Since local theater news is relatively scarce in these waning days of summer (restoration started at the Empire, Richmond Shakespeare moved their offices, um, what else?), I’ll blather on a bit more about the awards. One very exciting change this year is we are renaming the Best Ensemble award in honor of Ernie McClintock, the great director and local theater innovator.

It was very sad when Mr. McClintock passed away 8 years ago this week. He had initiated the Black Theatre Festival and his Jazz Actors Theatre was going strong. However, his legacy still lives on. One of his protégés recently starred in the TV series, “The Cape,” and a host of local theater professionals carry on his vision today. Several of them will be on hand at the Artsies to pay tribute to Ernie, including Carl Clay, the writer, producer, and filmmaker who founded New York’s Black Spectrum Theatre.

It’s fitting that this year’s slate of contenders for the Best Ensemble award is perhaps the most competitive ever. Each of the casts nominated was a true ensemble, each cast member shining in his or her own moments but also collaborating with and supporting cast mates to create a uniformly exceptional theater performance. I think Mr. McClintock would be proud. Personally, I can’t wait to see who is ultimately chosen to receive the award.

Stirring things up

2011-08-26T16:37:00.002-04:00

The air is thick with anticipation as I write this. It’s Friday and Hurricane Irene is crawling her way up the east coast, the Richmonders I’ve talked to alternately scoffing at her imminent arrival or hunkering down for the apocalypse. In a theater-oriented sense, we are in that period of anticipation as rehearsals get intense in preparation for September openings. And, in a more specific RTCC-related sense, I’m excited because soon the Circle’s members will get together to decide the recipients of this year’s “Artsies.”

But this year critics won’t be the only ones casting votes. A new aspect of the evening’s festivities will be the People’s Choice award / raffle. Those attending will have the chance to vote for their favorite show of the year among the productions that were considered for RTCC awards (I’ll attach a list of those productions in a comment.) We thought this would be a way to gauge how different the critics’ choices are from the theater-going public…or at least the slice of that public that chooses to attend the awards. We also thought it’d be a fun twist to the night that would shake things up a little.

When you cast your vote, you will be entered into a raffle for a stunning piece from Carreras Jewelers. One vote will be picked at random and the person who cast it will receive the gorgeous necklace shown below. Rejena Carreras donated this star necklace in honor of all of the stars in our theater community. And, just in case you’re wondering, the pendant is 14 carat white gold, it is adorned with 15 differently shaped diamonds, and it is hanging from a white gold chain. It’s an understatement to say that it’s very pretty.

This is a fund-raising event though, so casting a vote (and entering the raffle) will cost $5. That way, not only do you get to state your opinion AND have a chance to win a beautiful piece of jewelry, you’ll also be benefitting your theater friends and colleagues by donating to the Theatre Artists Fund.

If you’ve attended in the past, you know the Artsies event is split into 3 acts with two intermissions. Voting will be allowed until the end of the 2nd intermission and then the winner will be announced during the evening’s final act.

I have no idea how well this will work or what the results might be. But I know that I’ll be casting at least a vote or two as one of the “People” in addition to the ones I’ll be casting as a critic in the hopes of adding another ‘star’ to my household…

And the nominees are…

2011-08-15T00:01:00.001-04:00

This year, the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle has 8 members, our most ever. We had more complete coverage of this past season than any other so far. I can say this with a good deal of confidence because there has been frequent communication between Circle members where we have encouraged each other to see certain productions and take note of specific performances. Our awareness of the process we will be going through at summer’s end is now fairly persistent throughout the season.

Even so – and as I’ve said every year – our process is not perfect and we freely acknowledge that. However, we are diligent in our efforts and we do not take any of this lightly. I would challenge any other group of 8 individuals with widely different perspectives to come together with as much conscientious attention to their work as the members of this Circle.

There are many interesting nominations this year and, as always, a few situations that might have people scratching their heads at least or crying out in outrage at most. Let me state vehemently that it is not a list that denigrates anybody via exclusion. There were several categories where we started out with more than a dozen possibilities, each of which was as worthy of consideration as the final selections.

In my opinion, it was a very good season, one where Richmond theater audiences were the real winners. As a result, there are many categories where it is a true toss-up in terms of who ultimately will receive the award.

So enough preamble…The complete list of nominations is now posted on the RTCC website. Let the fun begin!

By the way, tickets to the event will be available for $15 by calling the Theatre IV box office (282-2620) starting at 10am today (Monday). If you are a nominee and you would like to sit in the area of the house set aside for nominees, please let the box office personnel know. (And a big fat thank you to the Theatre IV box office for its invaluable assistance.)

And be sure to check back here for details about the event as we get closer to the big date (Sunday, October 16th, 7pm – mark those calendars!)

Amen

2011-08-10T16:48:00.000-04:00

So apparently, I can’t get my story straight. I was only going to post once this week but then had to correct myself yesterday. And now I feel obliged to point out that I’ve got a piece in this week’s Style about the upcoming production of “Amen Corner” by Tony Cosby’s Theatre & Co. Sounds like this one is selling out its short run pretty quickly so act fast if you want to check it out.

Hearts Online

2011-08-09T07:20:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I blithely said I wouldn't be attending any live theater in the weeks ahead. Well, call me a big fat liar. I was dim-wittedly forgetting that I'll be seeing the staged reading / singing of the new musical "Hearts Online" at the Firehouse this weekend. Written by Richmond writer and editor Rebecca Elizabeth Jones, the show is a classic romantic comedy brought distinctly into the contemporary world of online dating. It's a very promising script and score (by Paul Bartsch) and, thanks to director Billy Christopher Maupin, the cast for this staging is full of exceptional talents, headlined by the soon-to-be Eliza Doolittle Stacey Cabaj. How can you pass that up?

You Can’t Stop the Beat

2011-08-08T12:36:00.001-04:00

I want to thank the Dogwood Dell production of “Hairspray” for many things. First off, for implanting in my head a whole slate of great tunes that have run like an internal soundtrack for me over the past couple of days. Earworms like these I can handle, particularly happy, up-tempo ones that make the turmoil in the economic world right now seem a little less agonizing.

Also, I’d like to thank this production for re-affirming the obvious: there is ample interest in live theater in this town. When I showed up at Dogwood Dell on Friday, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Granted I got there a little later than I probably should have (8:20ish) but the droves of people that scattered the hillside above the amphitheater and infiltrated the trees bordering house-right was unlike anything I’d ever seen at the Dell before. Clearly, the word had gotten out that this was a must-see production and Richmonders took advantage of a relatively cool night to swamp the outdoor venue. The crowd on Saturday was smaller (yes, I went twice), but showed their vigorous support by staying through a pretty persistent drizzle that ran through the middle third of the performance.

Finally, I want to thank “Hairspray” and director Leslie Owens-Harrington for introducing me to a whole new fleet of talented young performers. The dozens of teens that populated this cast took to Ms. Owens-Harrington’s lively choreography like fish to water and were consistently focused and first-rate in their performances. The major roles were all exceptional, everyone from little Imani Crosby as Little Inez to big gravelly-voiced Todd Schall-Vess as Edna Turnblad. I was surprised by the strong, clear vocals from supporting players like J.R. Booker as Seaweed Stubbs and Ashlyn Landrum as Penny Pingleton. But even more so, I was blown away by the performances from Glennis Crosby as Motormouth Maybelle – her “I Know Where I’ve Been” was a stunner – and of course, Kate Rancka as Tracy Turnblad. Ms. Rancka has a powerhouse voice and a sweet, sincere stage presence that anchored the whole enterprise. For a 17 year old to take on such a responsibility and succeed so completely is really impressive.

As “Hairspray” uncurled at the Dell, long-running “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” closed down at the Empire and “Monique” moved on to greener pastures at RTP. But obstinately, the Richmond theater world won’t stop producing shows, as RTP will open up their “Dirty Little Showtunes” revue on the 18th. Doesn’t anyone take a rest anymore?

“Hairspray” officially closed out the 2010-2011 season as far as I’m concerned and I’ll be taking a breather from seeing anything on stage for a few weeks, at least until the September surge of new shows begins with “Lend Me a Tenor” on Sept. 9th. Looking at my personal statistics, last season I saw 33 professional mainstage productions offered by Richmond-area theater companies. I saw an additional 21 out-of-town or local non-professional productions over the year. This may be the first year ever that I saw more than 1 show a week on average (helped immensely by the unique opportunity to see 8 shows over 10 days back in July). That makes it kind of a landmark for me.

Even in a season where I saw so much, I still rue the key shows I missed. Even in the face of the raves I read or heard, I couldn’t make it the Mill’s “Wait Until Dark” or the Henley / RichShakes co-pro of “The Winter’s Tale.” I’ve seen almost everything Scott Wichmann has been in here but “A Thousand Clowns” escaped me, as did “Romeo and Juliet” starring two of my favorite local actors as the leads. I really wanted to check out CAT’s “Bloody Murder” and several folks talked up “Honk!” to me. It’s all a testament to how much good stuff is going on around here that it’s nearly impossible to see it all.

Do you have any show from last season that you missed that you are kicking yourself about missing now?

Also, be sure and check back here next Monday for the official announcement / listing of the nominations for the 4th Annual RTCC awards. Exciting times!

Whimsy

2011-08-05T11:14:00.002-04:00

I went to see this movie last night – “Crazy Stupid Love” – with a couple of friends. It is a very entertaining movie that is very smartly written. It subverts at least a couple romantic comedy tropes and, in fact, in the one scene that is the most obviously cliché, one of the characters says, “this is so cliché.” It also mixes a kind of standard romantic comedy trajectory with the intertwined plot line sensibilities of dramas like “Crash,” resulting in some great payoffs.

However, my friends and I agreed that, as much as we all enjoyed the movie, it had nothing whatsoever to do with how real people interact and carry on relationships. Almost every pairing in the movie was cut from some fairy tale Hollywood model of how people meet, fall into bed, fall in love, fall out of love, etc. It is full of gestures both big and small that only happen in the minds of screenwriters. As one of my friends said, “I remember going to movies hoping to find some message or insight that might be relevant in my life.” As many laughs as this movie provides – and eye-candy moments, thank you Mr. Gosling – it certainly doesn’t provide insight.

Another friend of mine recently used the word “whimsy” in an email. It occurred to me that it’s one of those words that I’ve used before never knowing exactly what it meant. I checked Dictionary.com, which defines whimsy as “extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression: a play with lots of whimsy.” It was an interesting coincidence because the person talking about whimsy was referring to a play, specifically “All’s Well that Ends with Monique.” Given that I also saw “Boeing Boeing” this week in addition to “Crazy Stupid Love,” I’ve pretty much overdosed on whimsy.

“Monique” has several things to recommend it: spirited performances, a very innovative set design, and some great uses of sound and music to support the action. Kristen Swanson totally commits to her self-obsessed character and director Donna Coghill has given her a talented supporting crew. I enjoyed each of Kimberly Jones Clark’s characterizations, Stephen Ryan playing a sock puppet was very funny, and it was a real treat to see BJ Kocen on stage again. I was wondering through the first act whether Mr. Kocen would sing in the show and, when he finally did, it was completely unexpected and delightful.

A lot of clever thinking went into each scene and there are several sharp lines delivered along the way. The way Monique kind of obliviously helps people she interacts with in their lives was a nimble conceit. Even so, my overall impression of the show was of a piece of work that still wasn’t clicking on all cylinders. Some bits didn’t cohere in the way that some Saturday Night Live skits never quite translate into feature films. The show seemed “writerly” to me at times, with characters’ reactions following a written rhythm not necessarily the organic rhythms between people on stage.

In that way, it contrasted with “Boeing Boeing,” which is clearly a work that has been honed over years of productions into a Rube Goldberg device of interactional madness. All the pieces of farce are juggled with precision in this production, directed by Bruce Miller, with potentially disastrous entries coinciding with perfectly timed exits, many doors slammed, and choice bon mots delivered along the way. The three “air hostesses” in the show (Maura Burroughs, Caylyn Temple, and Donna Marie Miller) are all sumptuous beauties that transcend their stereotypes, each with a special spark all her own. Ms. Lewis at the T-D likened Derek Phipps to vintage Jerry Lewis in his supporting role and that’s a spot-on characterization. And Susan Sanford is just so gloriously continental as the French maid, alternately deadpan, world-weary, and flabbergasted. In the midst of it all, Denis Riva holds his own as a man trying desperately to keep his life orderly as it starts to spin out of control.

My reaction to “Boeing” was similar to the one I had to “Crazy Stupid” – many laughs but operating in some alternate reality where people are more like cartoon characters than, you know, people. In the midst of such a whimsy-intensive week, my appreciation for the work did not exactly translate into a love of it.

But maybe I’m just getting old and crotchety. And maybe I’m just prejudicial in my preference for whimsy being kept to musicals where outrageous behavior is commonplace and expected (though two of the musicals I’ve enjoyed most lately – “Ragtime” and “Next to Normal” – were anything but whimsical). I certainly wouldn’t warn anyone away from any of the entertainments I enjoyed this week. I expect there are aspects of “Monique” that could translate into a more completely satisfying work. By all means, go to both “Boeing” and “Crazy Stupid” if you want a laugh-filled, occasionally ridiculous slice of romantic farce.

Personally, I’m in need of a little cleansing of my entertainment palette. Luckily, I came across this little piece to point to potential works of the decidedly unwhimsical kind. Also, at least “Hairspray” marries its silliness to social consciousness and some kick-ass songs so perhaps I’ll emerge next week better able to appreciate the more whimsical aspects of life (and theater).

One Thousand

2011-08-03T08:44:00.001-04:00

According to the blogspot counter, this will be the 1,000th entry I’ve posted on this blog. Wow. That’s a lot of words thrown out into cyberspace over more than 5 years. I haven’t written all of them – Ms. Burruss had a short but lively tenure as a co-blogger and I’ve opened up the space to another commentator or two along the way. Regardless, it’s a lot of verbiage devoted to a fairly narrow subject: an art form that seems somewhat anachronistic in this world full of whiz bang virtual entertainments, in a town that, though beloved by many, still struggles to emerge from second (or third) tier status in the national scene. To some extent, I write this blog in defiance of those preconceptions and perhaps you read it for the same reason.

More important than the words I’ve written are the ones you have contributed to this enterprise. The comments I’ve received over the years – both posted on this site and delivered in person – generally reflect an intelligence and thoughtfulness about theater, theater criticism, the larger theater world, and the place of theater in society. Your responses have challenged me, entertained me, and sometimes enraged me. Whatever their subject or their tone, I’ve always welcomed them. Not because they mean I’ve said anything particularly astute or compelling but because they are proof that there are people out there who share my interest in and excitement for theater. And hopefully, the people who comment are also encouraging others to go see shows and to support the artists who work in this community.

I’m taking the opportunity of this 1,000th post to let you all in some things coming up. I’m planning to post something this Friday (to talk about “Monique” and “Boeing Boeing”) and then starting next Monday, I’m only going to post once a week. You’ll want to check out those weekly posts in the months ahead because the RTCC awards are coming up and the nominations will be announced here on August 15th. I’ll be filling in details about the annual gala event in the weeks ahead, as well as blathering on about the upcoming fall theater season. It’s shaping up to be an intriguing one.

As the post counter trips over into quadruple digits, let me thank everyone out there who reads this blog and, more importantly, who plays an active role in the local theater scene. The theater community here overflows with incredibly creative, dynamic, hard-working and just plain nice people. And while it’s my job to point out where I think a particular effort has come up short or when I think a choice has in some way been misguided, most of the time I am impressed by the level of effort, commitment, and artistry that local theater folks apply to their endeavors. The results are often exhilarating. As the summertime trudges on to a sweaty finish, I look forward to the gifts another theater season will offer with eager anticipation.

Two Gents

2011-08-01T15:25:00.000-04:00

I was able to sneak in to see the last performance of “Two Gentlemen of Verona” this past weekend and clearly the theater-going gods were smiling on me. The temperature came down to the low 80s, I think, and there was even a light breeze. All in all, a perfect night for some outdoor theater.

I’ve mentioned that I saw “Two Gents” a dozen years or so ago, when Grant Mudge started the show with a Baywatch themed scene. It was a clever way to shore up what is one of the Bard’s shakiest plays. Director Molly Hood works a similar ploy by ostensibly setting the show in the 1950s. This strategy does provide some benefit but Ms. Hood’s best decision was the staging of Turio (Tood Patterson) and Proteus (Thomas L. Cunningham) serenading Sylvia (Laura Rikard). The scene becomes a near-perfect mix of sublime (Patterson’s velvet smooth vocals) and silly (Cunningham’s accompaniment).

The production also deserves a great deal of credit for its very briskness. To run through 5 acts of Shakespeare – with the addition of some entertaining dance bits at the beginning and the end – in just over 2 hours including intermission has to be some kind of record. It moved quickly enough to keep the 7 year old accompanying me awake, which is saying quite a lot.

But while Hood provides some great distractions, they can’t quite hide the fundamental issues with this play. Most absurd to me is the denouement when everybody’s motivations and sentiments seem to turn on a dime, allowing for the requisite happy ending. Yes, Valentine (David Janosik) embodies a near-saintly level of forgiveness and understanding about Proteus’s transgressions, but could anyone really turn the other cheek that quickly? And wouldn’t Julia (Laurel Maughan) deliver maybe a good knee to Proteus’s groin first before taking him back so magnanimously?

The cast provided some good performances but only a few really great ones, in my humble opinion. Austin Graham Seay was amusing as Speed and he has an agile physicality that serves him well. I’ll look forward to seeing him in “R&J” at Theatre VCU this coming fall. The laugh-winner award clearly goes to Jonathan Conyers who commits totally and effectively to his wacky role as sad-sack Launce. He certainly deserves props for appearing with an adorable dog on stage and not getting ignored completely.

And some sort of special award should go to Michael Brown for giving the most entertaining and original curtain speech I’ve ever heard. Could every theater employ him to do something similar for every production?

The final impression I left the show with was of a director trying valiantly to overcome some fairly endemic defects in the show. The effort produced some highly original moments and resulted in an entertaining summertime trifle. There are worse things.

Revival

2011-07-29T08:41:00.002-04:00

It’s a weekend of newness: a world premiere of a new play has opened (“All’s Well that Ends with Monique”) and a new staging of “Hairspray” will arrive at the Dell this weekend. But I’d like to talk a little about renewal and revival.

I just recently became aware of Stacie Reardon Hall’s blog, an exploration of weight loss and body image, provocative subjects that she writes honestly and engagingly about. I think the issues she’s addressing are extremely important to tackle because we are pretty fucked up as a society about them. I grew up with three sisters, all who had various forms of body / food issues and, with a wife and two teenage daughters, weight and diet are subjects that are constantly under discussion in our house. I’ve had my own battles with weight, which I used to blog about 5 – 6 years ago as part of my rewarding experience with Weight Watchers and my inclusion in an irreverent band of fellow weight-loss questers called “the Knights of the Round Bottoms.”

But Mrs. Hall is tougher, more eloquent, and more insightful in many ways than we Knights ever were. I love her latest post where she explores the self-perpetuation of negative thinking. And I’m a little scared in anticipation of her letting the boys have it next (a preliminary self-defensive salvo: my most frequent evaluation of most any actress / model I am asked to comment on is “too skinny.” Really. You can ask the kids…) Her attitude is positive and she encapsulates some fundamental truths very well. One of her assertions is now forever stuck in my brain: Confidence is the sexiest thing you can wear. Amen to that.

But to turn this talk of renewal more distinctly toward theater, EW magazine recently ran some pictures from the Rent revival that just opened. They include a few short interesting comments from the director on his approach to the revival. If you go to the EW site, you can check out (and be either heartened by or enraged by) their listing of the “Funniest Musicals of All Time.” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is number 9. Richmond home boy Jason Marks is currently in a production of “The Producers” in upstate New York, a show that EW puts at #4.

Finally, you’re probably aware that there’s a restaging of a revival going on at Barksdale Willow Lawn these days as “Nunsense” gets an extension into the summer. This production has received so many kudos that I had to check it out even though, to be frank, this show has annoyed the hell out of me in the past. As I found out in LA recently, it is a universal bitching point for critics worldwide that they have to see some shows over and over again. A show's very popularity becomes a nuisance.

So I settled in to “Nunsense” with a bit of a stoic attitude that was very quickly melted away by the winning assembly of actresses that director John Moon brings together for this production. At the top of the bill is the flustered, forceful and very funny Cathy Shaffner as the Mother Superior who has a stand-up comedian’s instincts underlying her expert thespian chops. She never reminded me of the iconic Pat Carroll exactly but she certainly had the audience whipped into as much of a comic frenzy as Ms. Carroll used to instigate.

The rest of the cast is just as winning, Katrina Lewis playing Cathy’s wing-nun with an almost regal imperiousness, while Jan Guarino is convincingly world-wise in contrast to Brittany Simmons’s innocence. But big swaths of the night are given over to Debra Wagoner as Sister Amnesia and she certainly makes the most of them. Most entertaining to me was Ms. Wagoner’s easy manner in her interactive moments with the crowd. Not only is Amnesia delightfully ditsy, as Ms. Wagoner plays her, she is as innocent and open as a child. You would have to have a pretty hard heart not to have it melt in her presence.

So, what I’m saying basically is that, in case you don’t have enough theater-going on your schedule already, it’s worth it to fit in a trip to “Nunsense.” Luckily the theater is well air-conditioned, not just because of the heat outside, but because of all the exercise you’re likely to get laughing. Hey, you might even consider including repeat viewings into your weight loss plan.

Goodbye to Essie

2011-07-28T09:25:00.002-04:00

I only knew Essie Simms by reputation, never having the opportunity to get to know her. But by all accounts, she was Richmond's all-time best theater fan. I mourn her passing along with the rest of the local community. For more info., keep up with the Barksdale blog for details on a memorial service and other remembrances.

All’s Well

2011-07-27T09:28:00.000-04:00

My preview on “All’s Well the Ends with Monique” is in this week’s Style. Also, the T-D had a review of AART’s “Langston is my Man” yesterday.

Speaking of “All’s Well” – the Shakespearean version, that is – Playbill has an interesting interview of the Artistic Director of the Public Theater who made a point of taking on the “problem plays” this summer. It provides a little insight into the decision-making process of at least one prominent AD.

A local AD was prominently featured last night as Barksdale / Theatre IV staged a preview of their 2011-12 seasons. As part of Irene Ziegler’s funny and engaging patter, Bruce Miller was the butt of a Muriel McAuley joke, which he himself then reinforced. It’s hard not to be charmed by such willing self-deprecation.

The event as a whole was pretty amazing, providing tantalizing snippets of what’s to come. I would love it if other companies in town did this sort of thing, though I expect it’s not as easy to throw together as Billy Christopher Maupin and the whole Barksdale machine made it seem. The most thrilling part of the night for me was hearing Ali Thibodeau sing a selection from “Spring Awakening” (backed by Robin Harris and Brittany Simmons). It had the exact effect I think the Barksdale / Theatre IV folks intended: I now simply cannot wait to see this show.

The most intriguing interlude of the evening was David Robbins introducing a scene from “Scorched Earth,” the world premiere adaptation of his novel that the Barksdale is preparing. I am hopeful for this show and would love to see it succeed. But centered as it is on a small southern town’s legal process and a black man’s prosecution, it is dangerously reminiscent of other popular entertainments (“To Kill a Mockingbird,” the entire John Grisham canon and its adaptations). It will be a challenge for this show to transcend its antecedents.

The talent Barksdale / Maupin was able to pull together for the night was impressive, with David Janeski and Aly Wepplo appearing often, the two of them making even “Lend Me a Tenor” seem like a promising prospect. The show wrapped up with a medley from “My Fair Lady” and really, any time spent listening to Stacey Cabaj perform is a good time. Nuff said there.

I was entertained by the night’s performances and expect it was an unparalleled success in most ways. I couldn’t help but catch a little whiff of a weird dichotomy about the evening, though. I’d say the average age of the crowd was (by very generous estimate) 65 years old. Ms. Ziegler got some mileage out of joking about texting and Tweeting, prompting laughs from the appreciative older crowd. However, “Spring Awakening” is a relatively in-your-face musical for a distinctly younger generation. “God of Carnage” is peppered liberally with ‘fucks’ and ‘shits.’ And considering that the staffers of Barksdale / Theatre IV are among the most prolific Tweeters I know in town, there was a definite young / old tension in the air, at least for me.

I realize that subscribers (who are always older) are still the bread and butter of many theater companies. And the older folks ate up “My Fair Lady” and “Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas.” But it is my fervent hope that Barksdale / Theatre IV is planning to go balls to the wall in using shows like “Spring Awakening” and “Carnage” to bring new patrons – younger patrons – into the theater and, to that end, using texting, Tweeting, blogging, and every social media possible. These new vehicles need to be embraced, not denigrated, and if your crowd is older, perhaps they need to be gently educated instead of coddled by comforting reassurances about how live theater is still that “old style” entertainment they love. For those wondering how best to do this, I’m sure you could bring Monique in as a consultant.

Costumes

2011-07-25T12:07:00.002-04:00

Here’s a recent quote from an interview of a long-standing Hollywood star: “I like the details of costume a lot. The costume is a very important thing. It speaks before you do…You get a reference and it gives context about other characters and the relationships.” This quote came from such an unlikely (IMHO) person that I’ll give a prize to the first reader who can name the star who made the remark. Hint: it was an interview about one of the summer’s big movies.

I bring up this quote because I gained some additional appreciation for costumes this weekend. First there was SPARC’s “Ragtime” that, in addition to all of the amazing performances I mentioned last week, had some gorgeous costumes put together by Kym Minks. A large percentage of the magic created by that production was thanks to the convincing costumes that, as the quote says, provided so much context and even helped define certain characters – the flirty flooziness of Evelyn Nesbit versus the earnest dedication of Emma Goldman versus the stately elegance of Mother was all communicated and enhanced by Ms. Minks costumes.

Then I took in “Langston is my Man,” the musical that African American Rep is putting on at Pine Camp and that is in turns boisterous and thoughtful, rollicking and historically rigorous. I enjoyed this show a great deal, and much of that enjoyment came from being credibly transported to two different eras: Harlem of the 1920s in the first act, then Harlem in the post-depression 1930s in the second.

During the earlier period, club patrons party and play; during the latter, they work and decry their economic plight. But even before a single actor says a word at the opening of the second act, the audience knows things are going to be different because of the dramatic change in Mara Lynch Cravey’s costumes from bright and decorative to dark and utilitarian.

And in one of director Derome Scott Smith’s cleverest moves, later in the second act he has his actors pull out costume pieces from the first act to remind them of that earlier time. It’s a neat little bit of stagecraft that utilizes the artistry of one of his designers to create a beautiful theatrical moment.

This show only runs one more weekend and I highly recommend it, and not only because tickets are free. Smith has convened a great cast, including a top-notch hoofer with Broadway credits, Eugene Fleming. Fleming, along with fellow choreographers Willie Hinton and LaWanda Raines, have developed several fine dance interludes, most utilizing Flemings prodigious tap dancing skills. And underlying the entire enterprise is a foundation of Langston Hughes’s compelling poetry. It’s a relatively short evening – 90 minutes with intermission – but Smith has packed plenty of entertainment value into that amount of time.

If I was being fussy, I’d say I wished for a little more historical and cultural depth in the show so that I would come away with a deeper understanding of what inspired Hughes’s work. But that is my homework assignment now and Smith does provide more than enough of the broad strokes of history to know where to start. And along the way, the show – bolstered by some great vocal work by the ensemble and powerfully led by musical director David Corey – gets the blood pumping with saucy songs and an extended extravaganza of percussion in the second act. Given the admission price, it may be the best entertainment value of the summer.

Kids and Grown-Ups

2011-07-22T10:11:00.003-04:00

While I’ve been distracted, at least a couple of pieces in this week’s Style have generated a modicum of interesting comments. One is Mr. Griset’s review of “Two Gentlemen of Verona” that prompted a somewhat obscure comment on what a review is and then a few comments that echoed the review’s sentiments.

I was also interested in this week’s Back Page about Eric Cantor. I could get a good political rant going here but I won’t. I just point to this particular piece because of how the current “debate” in Washington has been increasingly characterized as “childish.” Behaviors like tantrums, digging in of heels, name-calling, and “playing chicken” with the economy have been exhibited on both sides.

What confounds me is the contrast between those grown-ups and the “kids” that currently make up the cast, crew and orchestra of “Ragtime” that SPARC opened at CenterStage last night. The professionalism, poise, and commitment these teens (with a couple of adults and pre-teens thrown in) demonstrate in this production are truly phenomenal. It makes clear that calling the stuff happening on Capitol Hill these days “childish” is demeaning to children.

I can’t talk about “Ragtime” without first saying that I simply adore this musical. The story captures so much of the essential character and struggle that defines our great country and it’s all wrapped up in such an electrifying and enlightening package of songs and scenes.

Starting with this fantastic raw material, director Deb Clinton and musical director Blanton Bradley have crafted something extraordinary, using some of the best talent in town. Don’t get me started on Makenzie Mercer as Mother because I just might not stop. A voice that soars expressively and effortlessly, an almost ethereal calm that grounds her dramatic scenes, and much much more. I could go on but I’ll just say that I thought it couldn’t get much better than Debra Wagoner playing Mother in the concert version Chase Kniffen did a few years back. I’d say Ms. Mercer gives Debra more than a good run for her money.

Ms. Mercer is just the tip of an iceberg of remarkable breath and depth. Durron Tyre devastating and brilliant as Coalhouse, Tanner Pippert excelling in the somewhat thankless role of Father, the gorgeous Courtney Jamison as Sarah, spunky Allison Gilman as Evelyn Nesbit, spry and engaging Michael Thibodeau as Harry Houdini, Thomas Nowlin distinguished and steadfast as Booker T. Washington, even a little Timberline child milking the laugh lines as the Little Boy… It’s a cast of exceptional musical theater performers where even the ensemble is bursting with talent.

But two call-outs I must make because they involve performances that both delighted me and surprised me. Sam Brackley gives Tateh such a mature level of gravitas and handles the complicated character arc with such grace that it is unbelievable that he is still a teenager. And Brian Lampley, uncredited as the one who sings at the 2nd act funeral (don’t want to give away any plot points for anyone…), has such a rich and powerful voice that his solo – as poignant and heart-rending as it is – could have gone on forever as far as I’m concerned.

SPARC’s Ragtime may be a “school edition” of the musical but it succeeds gloriously as a truly grown-up entertainment. If I sound a little overwrought in my praise it’s because that’s exactly how the production left me: choked up with emotion, bleary-eyed with tears and nearly breathless in appreciation. And eager to go on the whole adventure again.

Still some Waiting to do

2011-07-21T15:14:00.003-04:00

Somewhere I said that "Wait Until Dark" was closing last weekend. I was just on the Mill's website and the show runs through this weekend. The bad news is I'm still not perfect. The good news is that you still have several more opportunities to see this show.

Tribute

2011-07-21T14:11:00.003-04:00

My critical colleague, Liz Ramsay, has written a heart-felt and even stirring tribute to the Harry Potter series on her blog. As I often am, I’m envious of both the time and talent it took to write such a fine appreciation, since my time has been crunched as of late (even more than usual) and my talent, well, the very existence of that is debatable.

I’m quite a few years older than Ms. Ramsay so my attachment to the HP series comes from a different place: from being reluctantly drawn into a world my children were exploring and having it become just as all-encompassing for me as it was for them. After slowly being introduced to the story reading the first three books to my daughters, I read each successive book in a weekend, even bringing the 4th book with me as I walked the dog around the neighborhood. When the first movie came out, I was the one who bought the tickets online well before the premiere date and left work early to join my children at the theater. When HP7.2 premiered last weekend, I was at a midnight showing, semi-dragged along by my 10-year old.

I love the books, even though my critical instincts were tweaked by some of the clunky prose and the occasional clumsy plot-saving device (e.g., Ron and Harry saved from the spiders by the enchanted car, the whole time-turner thing, etc.) But the series as a whole is plotted with tremendous skill and there are aspects of the 7th book that I think are pure genius, including one of the most satisfying endings I’ve ever read, all the more impressive given the immense pressure on Rowling to deliver something big (compare it to similar high-pressure series endings like “Seinfeld” or “Lost”).

In general, I’ve appreciated but not loved the movies (3 and 4 have been my faves). Most of them have had significant moments of gawking at the special effects or, in the last one, wasted time spent looking over artsy landscapes. The diminishing number of allowances made to those who aren’t intimately familiar with the story has made these last ones confusing for me, even though I’ve read the source material. And the complete bungling of the Harry and Ginny Weasley relationship is a crime (based on the movies, I’d have wanted Harry to end up with just about any other girl in the cast besides Ginny). Still, each movie has had at least one set-piece that was done spectacularly well. In this last movie, I thought the scene with Dumbledore and Harry in the celestial King’s Cross Station was about as good as I could have imagined it.

This is a lot of rambling about books on a blog that’s supposed to be about theater. I could say that Daniel Radcliffe is a Broadway star now so there’s some relevance. But actually the reason I go on is because, as I mentioned below, I saw the last HP movie only an hour or so after the curtain went down on the performance of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” I attended. And I consider them both blockbusters, each with the attendant pros and cons that come with such an enterprise.

There’s no denying the comic tsunami that is Scott Wichmann and the most guffaw-inducing scenes of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” involve his character’s ruses. Add Freddy Benson to the impressive list of characters that Scotty has taken to previously unimaginable comic heights. It would be easy to minimize the contribution of Broadway vet Jeff McCarthy in the face of Wichmann’s prodigious skills but that would be a mistake. McCarthy has a difficult and narrow path to travel. He has to be suave, worldly, confident but also a bit worn and you have to believe that after all of his years, that he actually falls for one of his marks. That I never questioned any of those aspects of his character is a tribute to the skill of the actor.

But unexpectedly, I came away from DRS newly impressed with Rachel Abrams, whose straight-forward but nuanced portrayal of Christine was a marked contrast to her last delightful appearance opposite Wichmann as Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls.” I expected to love the scoundrels, but in the end, the sneaky subtlety of Abrams’ performance was what really wooed me. Speaking of which, I also ended up enjoying the stumbling romance of Andre (Joe Pabst) and Muriel (Robin Arthur) more than I would have thought. Between not-too-heavy-handed writing and fresh performances from the actors, this potentially schmaltzy sidelight actually bolstered the trajectory of the main plotline rather than detract from it.

In one last note on an actor, Nicole Oberleitner certainly makes the most out of supporting role that I imagine is the kind actors love where you get to hit the stage for a brief time, chew up all the scenery in sight, and then move on.

It would take another several hundred words to fawn over the technical elements of the show, specifically Brian Barker’s spectacular set and Sue Griffin’s dapper costumes. Let’s just say that comparing this set and costumes to others in town isn’t quite on the level of comparing apples to oranges but it’s close.

Of course, I do have a quibble list and first on it is the sound. I heard most of what I wanted to from those on stage but I heard from several other audience members who didn’t (and that also seems to have been one of Mr. Miller’s at GayRVA’s chief complaints). Every modern musical struggles with the infamous “catchy” conundrum – creating songs that fit in context but also somehow stand-alone enough to be memorable. There were some good songs here – “Great Big Stuff” and “Dirty Rotten Number” specifically – but they suffered a bit from being more percussive and punchy versus melodic and catchy. This does present the opportunity to praise Sandy Dacus’s musical direction though: the big, brassy numbers in particular were sparkling and stirring and a delight to listen to.

My final quibble is more esoteric and, on some levels, perhaps not even appropriate given the subject. It also brings me back to Harry Potter. One of the things Rowling did with the HP books was reinforce some pretty steadfast and even stodgy values – the importance of loyalty and friendship, the fact that our choices define us, etc. – in a way that was actually uplifting instead of pedantic. The movies, even with their whiz-bang effects and some fabulous acting by some of the best Brits around, never really communicated those fundamentals in a convincing way. And perhaps it’s impossible for a big budget summer entertainment to do so.

Similarly, as fabulous as all of the aspects of DRS were (and shoot, I didn’t even mention all of the amazing dance numbers…), I didn’t leave with a sense that it all added up to much. I was entertained – thoroughly so – and I congratulate director Chase Kniffen for engineering such a bedazzling evening. I would even consider going back to get that thoroughly entertained again. But when the show ended, I wasn’t enlightened or emboldened in any way. Perhaps it’s too much to expect to be. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting it.

Wrecked

2011-07-15T10:14:00.001-04:00

I’m a bit wrecked this morning. Did a doubleheader last night of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and then “Harry Potter” at midnight. Up and out to work at 8am this morning. Running on caffeine and doughnuts. Gearing up for another gamut tonight. Never a dull moment…

I’ll be ruminating over DRS this weekend and expounding next week. However, I thought it was ironic that I took in Richmond’s blockbuster musical and Hollywood’s blockbuster event on the same evening. My initial reaction to both of them was “Wow!” There is a lot of pizzazz and amazingness in both and scenes that I could not imagine being done any better. And I had a few quibbles with both – minor things that, if I was a grading man, would only knock back an A to an A minus.

But I also have that slight self-critical uneasiness of thinking that the quibbles I have are like being given a delicious feast with variety and enchantment and not being satisfied with the silverware. Both DRS and HP deliver spectacle, wonder, laughs (a hell of a lot more in the former then the latter), and charm. Both are incredibly satisfying entertainment extravaganzas. And I’m really glad I saw both of them – though I’m paying the price this morning.

Which is all preliminary to my real message for today: last chances to see “Wait Until Dark” and "The Odyssey" this weekend and ONLY chances to see “Reasons to be Pretty” by the newcomers at Stage B and the New Voices readings at SPARC. Harry Potter’s going to be running for weeks so, if your time is limited, skip it for now and go see a play.

Next to Normal

2011-07-12T16:43:00.011-04:00

Pick up this week's Style for Mr. Griset's reviews of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and "Wait Until Dark." Time is running out on seeing "Wait" so don't....wait, that is, to get tickets.

I'm trying to think ahead -- looking forward to finally seeing DRS this week plus taking in some of SPARC's New Voices readings this weekend. But part of me is still stuck in this past weekend. See, my wife and son had talked up “Next to Normal” for months since they saw it in New York last summer. So I was giddy with anticipation when I took my seat in a Kennedy Center box (it was the back row of the box but still, I’d never seen a show at the Kennedy Center so it worked just fine for me). Just the N2N set is enough to peak your curiosity – it’s many levels and staircases giving it a modern, almost techno look.

The opening number (“Just Another Day”) didn’t disappoint – one of those openers in the classic musical mode that introduces most of the characters and their essential conflicts in an efficient but original manner. I was instantly impressed by Emma Hunton who plays the daughter Natalie and whose voice resonated clear and crystalline. All of the young performers were exceptional, propelled by a driving light-ish rock score.

But starting with the third song, “Who’s Crazy,” and really coming to the fore with “I Miss the Mountains,” there was something odd about lead actress Alice Ripley’s voice. At first, I just thought she had a weird pronunciation thing – an odd way of articulating specific words that I’ve since found out that others have commented on. But as the show continued, it became clearer that Ms. Ripley’s voice just wasn’t on par with the other singers in the cast. Again, there have been others on the Internets who have remarked on this situation with more depth and clarity than I really want to get into.

When the performance ended, I definitely had an appreciation for the power and originality of the show. There were many thrilling moments, most of them having to do with Ms. Hunton. As a parent, I felt a little weird to be identifying so completely with the teenage daughter and having little or no sympathy for the parents and a lot of that had to do with being annoying at Ms. Ripley for not singing better.

In the Washington Post review of the show, Peter Marks calls Ripley “tired.” In my opinion, that is an understatement. My somewhat stronger feelings on the matter are reflected in this review by Alice Kaderlan of the Seattle PI.

I'm a pretty easy-going guy and so, afterwards, I rationalized to myself that all things considered, it was a fine experience. I liked the music, I thought the story was challenging in many good ways, and there were some excellent performances. Perhaps more important, it was a good family outing spent traveling together, sharing conversation over some good food, and enjoying each other's company. But on another level I'm still sort of seething. I spent a whole day and a not-insignificant chunk of money to see a show that had a major defect in it. And it wasn't just that an artistic choice was made that somehow rubbed me the wrong way. There was/is a element in the show that is not working right. A colder, more pragmatic person would make the analogy that if a lighting instrument had burnt out during the course of a show, you'd replace it. Why hasn't someone made a similar replacement of the faulty piece of "Next to Normal?"

A Monday on the Links

2011-07-11T16:36:00.001-04:00

The reviews for “Two Gentlemen of Verona” have started to appear, Ms. Haubenstock weighing in this weekend and Mr. Miller’s analysis hitting the GayRVA site today.

For those who do not have enough theater to take in this summer already, you might be interested in the first offering from Richmond’s latest company, Stage B. They’ll be opening “Reasons to be Pretty” at the Richmond Triangle Players theater this weekend.

I spent some time last week updating the RTCC website. Besides the basic details on this October’s gala event, I’ve uploaded pictures from the 2008 and 2009 ceremonies. I’ve got to organize my 2010 pictures and will have them up soon. Before long, news on presenters and nominees will start to appear on the site. Stay tuned.

This past Saturday, I saw “Next to Normal” at the Kennedy Center. I’ve already posted some of my opinions about this production on Facebook but I’ll summarize by asking, ‘what’s up with Alice Ripley’s voice?’ More on this tomorrow…

Last night

2011-07-08T10:03:00.000-04:00

Last night was the opening of Richmond Shakespeare’s “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” When I saw this company do this show about a dozen years ago, the “two gentlemen” first came on stage wearing bathing suits to the sounds of the “Baywatch” theme. It was an irreverent and innovative way to make the Bard vital and new and it immediately engendered an affection for Mr. Mudge and his company that has never worn off, regardless of the ups and downs since. Their “Lear” was such a powerful production; I’m curious to see if they can pull off a true one-two punch this summer.

And speaking of “Lear,” did you read the blog-review Monique wrote about the production? It’s good for a laugh and, as such, I’ve added a link to Ms. Monique’s site to keep it in sight for future droll hilarity.

I didn’t spend last night at the Shakespeare opening. Instead, I answered the very kind request of a camp teacher at St. Catherine’s to watch the final production offered by their summer theater program. She thought they’d get a kick out of a “professional” review and I was happy to give them one. Since writing it took up any time I would have had to blog (I know, you’re heartbroken….ha!), I’ve included it below. Happy weekend!

Alice in Not-So-Wonderful Land

It stands to reason that a modern day Alice wouldn’t be traipsing around an English garden but rather dosing off in the midst of middle school detention. That’s only one of many amusing updates that playwright Don Zolidis has packed into “Alice’s Adventures with Poorly Cooked Cafeteria Seafood,” his highly entertaining script which received an energetic staging as part of St. Catherine’s Brilliant Summer camp program.

Unlike Lewis Carroll’s absurdist lampoon of all things British, Zolidis takes aim at a more specific contemporary target – the cult of excellence that drives American education – and his subversive lunacy sounds just right coming out of the mouths of these young performers.

Molly Berger headlines the show as the hapless Alice, constantly denigrated for not excelling in her scholarly pursuits the way her pushy, nerdy little brother Waldo (Tim Webb) does. Landing in detention after daring to stand up to the comically abusive biology teacher, Mrs. Snodgrass (Abigail DeLuca), Alice wanders through a low-rent looking glass (callouts to the lack of a production budget provide several laughs) to meet an array of wild and fairly mean creatures.

Some of these oddballs are simply entertaining: a Griffin (Maddie Ownby) and a Ninja Turtle (Anna Woodworth) provide nice Abbott-and-Costello-like banter. Others have a sly message hidden in their rhetoric, like Jeri Newman’s Catepillar, satisfied in her slackerhood and not at all eager to blossom into a butterfly. At least a couple of the creatures she meets seem determined to get in her way, the in-your-face March Hare (Sarah Wells) and the not-so-secretly violent Cheshire Cat (Rebecca Houck).

In her search for the elusive White Rabbit (Megan Deibel), Alice is offered a modicum of assistance by a cheeky Mouse (Isoke Wright). She eventually finds the Mad Hater (also Tim Webb) who points her to the Red Queen (also DeLuca) who, in turn, threatens her with execution. Only when Alice asserts her self-worth despite her mediocrity does she defeat the Queen and return to her other reality with a renewed sense of empowerment.

All of the St. Catherine’s actors give wholehearted performances and maintain their composure (for the most part) in the midst of the madness. Berger is a winning narrator and sympathetic protagonist, wearing her wide-eyed frustration well. As the villain of the piece (in both of her guises), DeLuca snips and snaps at those around her convincingly. The March Hare doesn’t get much stage time, but Wells makes the most of it, infusing the bunny with a quick wit and contrary attitude.

Wright plays a spry and cheerful Mouse and Newman is delightfully laid-back as the Catepillar. I would have enjoyed seeing more of Deibel who showed good range in portraying both the determined White Rabbit and the clearly-playing-favorites Mother. Woodworth’s forgetful Ninja Turtle prompted many laughs, and her concerned refrain of “The Children!” was a great counterpoint during the Mad Hater’s rampage. And Houck gets a nicely sinister gleam in her eye as the Cheshire Cat explains her proclivity toward mayhem.

Two performances stuck out to me for completely different reasons. Webb’s over-the-top rants as Waldo were funny and surprising but also a bit much. At least that’s what I thought until he really let loose as the Mad Hater and then it was downright disturbing in a way that lifted the production above youngsters playing at theater into a realm of social commentary of the most eye-opening kind. On the complete other end of the spectrum was Maddie Ownby’s pitch-perfect off-hand energy as the Griffin. Her performance showed how, in a production full of extreme weirdness, the simple and straightforward can work exceptionally well.

I attended this production of “Alice” expecting a bunch of kids struggling with their lines and stumbling across the stage. Instead, I was treated to a wry and wonderful evening of laughs and insubordination. Many thanks to director Tony Scarsella (and fellow theater teacher Christina Bellew) for lifting both my spirits and my hopes for the next generation of young thespians.

Trouble

2011-07-07T11:47:00.001-04:00

I realized late yesterday that I gave short shrift to “The Odyssey,” just talking about its setting and not the show itself. Chalk it up to getting back into the swing of things coming off of a holiday weekend.

According to the Wikipedia, Odysseus means ‘trouble’ in Greek. I had been planning to use this factoid as part of my review because, while the Greek hero certainly had trouble thrown at him, he was also responsible for a fair amount of the trouble he faced. Similarly, the Sycamore Rouge production has some challenges thrust upon it, but also some of its problems are self-generated. Even so, as I mentioned in my review, there were many scenes where I got caught up in the action and the drama unfolding on stage. And I applaud the actors and production people who make the production work as well as it does, despite the challenges.

Certainly the trains are an issue. The performance I attended was interrupted 3 times by a train passing. The first time was kind of charming, the second time was still endurable, but by the third time, I was getting annoyed. The Rouge can’t control the trains, I know, so I don’t blame them. But I can’t deny that I found a fourth interruption in the action (including intermission) detrimental to my enjoyment of the experience.

I spent the first act of the show as close as possible to the stage. For the second act, I moved back to a back row on the lawn and that’s when I started hearing music from elsewhere. Again, not Sycamore Rouge’s fault but distracting for me.

I mention the episodic nature of the story. Much of “The Odyssey” unfolds as a series of misadventures and a dramatic arc such as one might expect in a modern-day drama doesn’t quite cohere. This also hampers character development to some extent. Some of Odysseus’s motivations didn’t quite work for me. Where does his pride in taunting the Cyclops come from that causes him such trouble with Poseidon? And after being away from home for decades, could he really keep his identity hidden from his son and wife for so long? The last quarter or so of the show where Odysseus has returned to Ithica takes entirely too long in my opinion.

There were some minor things that misfired at the performance I saw. The red ribbons signifying deaths were a great idea that were a mixed bag in practice – I didn’t even notice them until later in the show when the ribbon was curiously hanging out of Cyclops’ eye before it had been gouged. The occasionally awkward dialogue prompted some presentational performances, a bit stilted and forced at times. And there was a little pet peeve of mine that got tweaked when the gang of “suitors” at Odysseus’s home were often laughing and carrying on with no clear motivation. When characters just look at each other and start guffawing, it always takes me out of the action.

But putting all of that aside, there was plenty to cheer in the production. I enjoyed director kb saine’s modernizing touches – the “eyes on you” gesture Ms. Lewis mentioned, the come-ons from the Sirens, etc. Having the actor who played Zeus (Risegun Bennett-Olomidum) also provide sound effects enhanced the atmosphere at many key points. In my review, I called out Ms. Linas for her performance, which I enjoyed a great deal, but I did not have space to heap adequate praise on Ashley Maurisa Davis who infused her roles as Eurycleia and Calypso with delightful liveliness (including a musical “island” accent for the latter). Shanea Taylor brought her usual forcefulness to bear as the petulant Poseiden and Claire Biggers was entrancing throughout as narrator and Athena.

Zac Moon was a prime example of an actor who overcame the boundaries of the dialogue and made his Telemachus the most believable and natural character in the show. He was the reason I enjoyed many of the Ithica scenes the most. And of course, Jeff Cole managed to be the wild range of things the story required him to be convincingly and gracefully. He was prideful, sad, tormented, triumphant, tricky, and determined. And in perhaps the most effective scene of the show, he was wrenched emotionally as he chose between taking his boat into a whirlpool that would kill them all or into the clutches of a 6-headed beast that would devour one crew member for each head.

I hope the Rouge continues to do shows at Battersea Park because it is a beautiful location and there is a dearth of nice outdoor venues in the area (the Dell, Agecroft, and…am I missing something?) Next summer’s planned Battersea show is “Darker Face of the Earth,” which sounds like a perfect convergence of ancient source material, more modern situations, and an appropriate setting (i.e., an antebellum plantation). So I’ll definitely be back.

Sheer Volume

2011-07-05T23:56:00.006-04:00

My review of Sycamore Rouge's “The Odyssey” is in Style this week. Battersea Park is a charming place to hang out for a few hours and the weather was lovely when I went there; it was downright chilly by the time the show wrapped up. I’d definitely recommend bringing a picnic but leave some room for the sweet kettle corn that the concessionaires are selling. Yummy.

I continue to be staggered by the sheer volume of theater happening in the summer time these days. Theatre IV’s “Little Red Hen” opened last weekend (a link to Ms. Lewis’s review is over there on the right) and the next Richmond Shakespeare offering, “Two Gentlemen of Verona” premieres this weekend. And, while I knew Dogwood Dell would have “Hairspray” at the end of the month, I just became aware of perhaps the most exciting development of the summer, a world premiere of “All’s Well that Ends with Monique,” which will hit the RTP stage at the end of the month. More on this soon…

In conjunction with my other piece in Style this week about the dovetailing of Firehouse’s Festival of New Plays and SPARC’s New Voices, I’m also surprised and delighted at the level of talent that is involved in staging these new works. I’m more aware of what’s happening with New Voices than the Firehouse festival and the casts of the shows being produced by SPARC reads like a who’s-who of local theater. The performers will include Andrew Boothby, Jeff Cole, Larry Cook, Lauren Leinhaas-Cook, Thomas Cunningham, Matt Hackman, Chris Hester, Audra Honaker, Dean Knight, Emma Mason, Jen Meharg, Daniel Moore, Jay Welch and that’s just pulling the names of actors I recognize as recently (or currently) starring in local professional productions. And they’ll be led by 8 impressive directors, most of whom also have professional credits under their belts.

Personally, I’m still trying to catch up on the shows that are already open. Where can we petition to make every summer weekend last three days so a poor ragged theater lover can see all of the shows in town?

Holiday Media Bonanza

2011-07-01T11:58:00.002-04:00

I feel I’ve been playing catch up since I’ve been back from L.A., missing out on some of the big celebrity news (some of it summarized in this CBS news piece). Alicia Keys joining the ranks of producer should be a boon for those wanting more female perspectives and younger energy in the big-time professional stage world.

One of my NEA fellows was a bright and talented writer / editor named Grace Suh who has done a lot of thinking and writing about gender issues in theater. You can see some of that thought in this piece about the theater gender gap and this one where she asks some prominent theater people about this question.

Grace was also our go-to person for all things Julie Taymor. If you are interested, you can check out her coverage of Taymor’s time out in LA in this piece, arguably more comprehensive than this NYTimes piece on the recently embattled director.

There was plenty of local news to ponder, as well, and shows like “Pirates of the Chemotherapy” that I almost forgot were going to happen. Luckily, the T-D did some good work in reporting on that production.

And for other interesting reporting, you can check out Matt Miller’s interview with “King Lear” director, James Alexander Bond in today’s GayRVA. I particularly appreciate that Mr. Miller asked about the sexuality in his production (which I commented on in this space yesterday)and Mr. Bond's thoughtful response.

And to whet your appetite, Mr. Porter promises more coverage than his normal 3 minutes at his blog today. Check back to see some real analysis from someone who thinks about theater with more depth and experience than I’ll ever have.

Personally, I’ll be spending the long holiday weekend with family, getting too much sun and drinking too much beer. I hope you have a fine celebration of your own and manage to fit in attendance at a local show while you’re at it!

Lear

2011-06-29T23:40:00.004-04:00

My enjoyment of Richmond Shakespeare's King Lear started the moment I sat down. I was soon approached by Thomas Cunningham in his guise as The Fool and was chatted up nicely. I think I was a boring subject but he soon moved on to other much more entertaining victims and provided a personalized and charming introduction to the play for many patrons. As per usual, RichShakes makes even waiting for their shows to start something interesting.

The production itself was fabulous with a boldness and sense of gravitas that begins and ends with Alan Sader's performance as the title character. His voice, his composure, even his regally shaggy mane of gray hair made his royal stature unmistakeable and his eventual descent into madness palpable. I loved the way director James Alexander Bond staged the first scene with the king and his daughters, Lear's directive for flattery seeming almost off-hand and casual. Oh, but what a tragic series of events springs from this simple command. Jai Goodman is quietly heart-breaking as Cordelia and her performance provides a tender frame to this otherwise dastardly mean-spirited play (and I mean that as praise), her scenes at the beginning and the end providing a window into a more sedate and loving time in Lear's reign.

Adrian Rieder was impressive as Edmund but there was also a bit more swagger in his performance where I might have wanted more anger or even hurt (at being so unfairly diminished by his father). Still, there's no denying the agility with which he navigates the moments he bounces between Goneril and Regan -- simply delicious. A still greater challenge falls to Charley Raintree whose Edgar starts noble and clueless, falls into pantomiming madness with incredible zeal, and then emerges noble once more but with a worldliness and an anger that gives his character even more depth than Lear. Raintree's performance really captivated me.

Rounding out a truly outstanding trio of dark, passionate, and handsome types was Ryan Bechard as Cornwall. Could this really be the same actor who played the washed-up alcoholic from RTP’s “Devil Boys?” I never would have believed it, his smoldering power-lust was like a physical force at times, propelling the emotion of many scenes and apparently inspiring near-constant passion from Regan.

In the midst of so much excellent stuff going on, it is easy to pass over other great performances, which would include Cunningham as The Fool (that he can be so hammy and erudite at the same time is really a gift) and Foster Solomon as Kent. It's true that in a few years, Solomon himself could be a darn good Lear (he's already been a damn good Hamlet) but he does fine work as Lear's most loyal and therefore most crestfallen acolyte. Agustin Correro projected just the right level of disdain and sometimes comic bitchiness as Oswald; I wonder when we’ll see Mr. Correro in a lead role that will display the full range of his gifts.

I found myself liking the mean daughters somewhat less than I expected to, particularly since I’m a fan of both Kerry McGee and Sarah Jamillah Johnson. Certainly, they both were satisfactorily callous to their father, oftentimes getting downright nasty. But I found Regan’s pawing of her husband, sometimes in the middle of his lines, distracting. Perhaps this was Mr. Bond’s choice and maybe it’s more evident in the text then a realize but it was a bit odd on stage. I also found myself confused at times whether their rebuke of their father was out of political gamesmanship, familial hurt (for being overlooked for the favorite Cordelia, in parallel to the Edgar story), or just ingrained badness. It could have been all three but their motivations at specific points as the drama unfolded were sometimes obscure to me.

I found myself noticing the lights at Agecroft (lighting design was by Maja White) more than I had in the past, which is mostly a good thing. The actors were all illuminated well without distracting shadows (a relief after some recent frustration at the Firehouse) and the light-play that enlivened the storm was first-rate. There was at least one time when I was confused about a reference in the play to it being night, however, because it seemed awfully bright. That’s probably a tough balance in an outdoor venue.

The Cairns / Hoskins teamwork on the costumes resulted in some exceptional outfits. The king and the members of his court were finely decked out, of course, but I found myself noticing small things, too, like how Poor Tom’s rags were barely there and yet securely covered everything needed to keep the show family friendly. Also, the garb Jai Goodman wore as a peasant helping Gloucester along the path was nicely simple.

I’m sure there’s plenty else I could say but this is a production that is rich with gifts and I can’t really enumerate them effectively. So I’ll end where I began, with Mr. Sader and Mr. Bond. As a director, Bond has once again shown he has a firm grasp of the oeuvre and can make Shakespeare vital and entertaining. And, if for no other reason, this is a show that’s worth seeing for Sader.

Required Viewing

2011-06-28T11:49:00.004-04:00

A review of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” by Mr. Miller is up at the GayRVA site, a review that may incite some conversation.

I’m adding another little feature to my navigation over there on the right. One thing that my eyes were opened to when I was in Los Angeles was the number of people out there in cyberland who are covering theater. So I am adding a little sidebar with links to other websites that I have – or will start to – access for the latest “News and Reviews” on Broadway and theater around the country (or the world).

The first link is to an online publication called Arts Journal. One of the highlights of my L.A. experience was the opportunity to work with Doug McClennan who is a true visionary when it comes to the effect of the internet and new media on the arts. He did a talk at the TCG conference called “The Community Formerly Known as the Audience: Who They Are, What They Want, and What to do About It” (you can – and should! – pull up the livestream of the talk. Doug actually starts talking at about 6:11 so go to that point for the beginning and skip all of the milling around. And if you watch, yes, that’s me up there on the dais providing what tech support I could during the talk).

While the talk was going on, Doug was also taking questions from the audience in the form of texts and there was a Twitter feed with responses to the talk being broadcast live on the screen behind him. It was a truly brilliant conflagration of interaction and response that characterizes the inter-connected world of today.

This talk should be REQUIRED viewing for artistic and managing directors at theater companies across the country. If you want to understand how to align yourself with the audiences of the future, listen closely to what Doug says.

One of the most telling moments of the talk was when someone Tweeted that they didn’t like how people were laughing at anecdotes and stats related to how often people text or tweet or use Facebook or are involved in other new media. This comment was re-tweeted about a dozen times and Doug finally addressed it in his talk. Texting and Facebook and everything are not “cute.” As someone with two teenagers, I can tell you from first-hand experience that these are all integral aspects of life for a new generation of young people, AKA a generation of potential audience members. Tittering about this behavior is akin to scoffing at the appeal of that wacky new box called the television back in 1940s.

If you have suggestions for more websites for me to list as theater-specific news sources, please include them in a comment. Thanks!

Of Kings and Kids

2011-06-27T12:31:00.001-04:00

Reviews of Barksdale’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and Sycamore Rouge’s “The Odyssey” have appeared in the T-D already. I expect other outlets to have their takes in print or online soon, so stay tuned.

I knew this past weekend was going to be a busy one, but I had no idea just how crazy it was going to be for some of the theater folks in town. The Cultural Xpo at the Science Museum had people from multiple companies readying displays and performances and even flash mobs. The production to benefit the Massey Cancer Center, “The Pirates of the Chemotherapy,” a show that got edged over to the periphery of my radar screen, came back front-n-center as I started to hear good words from people who attended.

My focus for the weekend was on the SPARC 30th anniversary gala, in part because of my close personal connection to one of the performers, but also because of the incredible display of local talent I knew was going to be on-hand. The crew of rising teen actors that SPARC has groomed never fails to delight and the reprise of songs like “Money” that they had performed as part of “The World Goes Round” back in January looked great on the big Carpenter Center stage.

But though I knew a bit of what I was going to see beforehand, I was surprised (always pleasantly) by many of the performances, including Chase Kniffen doing a bit from “Oliver!” Jason Marks commanding the stage with his powerful “Memory,” and a charming collection of SPARC parents rolling out a rag-tag version of “Kids.”

There was even a moment early on that gave a glimpse into the versatile talent that SPARC employs. During a rendition of “Hard Knock Life” by SPARC’s “rising star” students, the performers started to waver from the tempo the onstage band was setting. With a skill that only years of handling similar situations can hone, music director and pianist Paul Deiss eased the band into matching tempo in time for the song to end perfectly. That kind of in-the-moment flexibility exemplifies not just Mr. Deiss’s talent but the quality of most all of SPARC’s teachers.

I didn’t know until Saturday that there were a whole slew of follow-up activities that SPARC was hosting on Sunday, so I missed all of that. But I hear that they were lots of fun and included a bunch of fine performances as well. Me, I went to see “King Lear” at Agecroft Hall and, while I might contest those that say it’s the best thing Richmond Shakespeare’s ever done, it certainly is a rousing production with a wide array of exceptional performances. In fact, there’s so much to say about it that I’m going to have to collect my thoughts over the next couple of days and get back to you with a more complete assessment later in the week. I will say that the Sunday performance was a near-sell-out so I would not procrastinate if you want to see it.

The Underwriting on the Wall

2011-06-24T16:36:00.003-04:00

To address yesterday’s teaser: I found out earlier this week that the generous folks at the Carpenter Foundation have granted the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle the necessary funds to underwrite this year’s “Artsies” event. When I found out, I let loose with an enthusiastic (though quiet – I was in a room full of people) whoop of excitement. It’s a major burden off us organizers of the awards not to have to worry about money. But it’s also a good thing for the local theater community as a whole.

Hm. You look skeptical so let me explain. With all costs covered, every cent of the admission you pay to attend the event will go to the Theatre Artists Fund, which in turn benefits all local theater artists. Even if you don’t attend, more of the proceeds from the event will end up going to the Fund, which will in turn benefit the community as a whole.

Also, built into the budget that is now being underwritten is a smallish chunk of money for advertising. If we are able to advertise a little more broadly, we might reach more people who will come to the event, get a glimpse of how good the local shows are and will consequently be more motivated to see more shows in the future. We also set aside some money (again, a smallish amount) to cover expenses for any “big name” presenters who we might invite in from out of town. The hope would be that the big names would likewise build excitement for the event, incite more people to attend, they get a glimpse of how good…, etc. etc.

These last two bits might be a little pipe-dream-ish, I know, but still, they fit in with the general mission of the event: to build interest in and excitement for the local theater scene. To the extent that the event does that, everybody wins.

With that in mind, there are a couple shows opening this weekend -- “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” at the Barksdale and Sycamore Rouge’s “The Odyssey” down at Battersea Park -- not to mention "Wait Until Dark" at the Mill, the Charlie Brown duo wrapping up at the Firehouse, and of course "Lear." Sounds like a winning weekend all around!

Leftovers

2011-06-23T16:09:00.002-04:00

Don’t let this blog post’s title put you off; after all, leftovers are sometimes the tastiest dish of the week, right?

Here’s an overdue link to the T-D review of “Wait Until Dark,” a qualified recommendation, I’d say. There’s also a little preview of “Wait” in this week’s Style which seemed to celebrate my absence by printing a virtual cavalcade of theater-related stories: you have Mr. Griset’s review of “Lear,” Ms. Burruss’s preview of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” focusing on Mr. McCarthy, and a spot by Ms. Lehman-Rios about SPARC’s 30th Anniversary Gala (big question: will Jason Mraz show? My bet: no).

As you undoubtedly know, “Scoundrels” is in previews until this weekend, a fact that dusted up a little bit of a brouhaha over at the Barksdale Blog. My question: is a small brouhaha just a brouha? Or is that just the sound I make on Friday after my visit to the local Beer & Wine shop: “Brew! Ah….”

Also in the category of leftovers, I forgot to mention one other story I wrote while out on the left coast. I saw a staging of the straight play of “Spring Awakening” and wrote this piece comparing it to the musical, using Jonathan Franzen’s criticism of the musical as my hook. While it’s another story spurred by the Fringe festival, it has some nominal interest to those who might be “Spring Awakening” fans (I know y’all are out there!)

I met a big “Spring Awakening” fan as part of the NEA fellowship, an enthusiastic and smart young guy named Jesse North. He did this webshow during the program, notable mostly for its fun tone and great production values, but also for subsuming the little snippet I did on “what is devised theater?” In his regular life, Jesse runs the website StageRush.com which has become one of my regular stops in my perusal of Broadway-related news and that I would recommend to you as well.

Speaking of Broadway, didja hear about the folks at “How to Succeed in Business…” cancelling their performance yesterday because of a stagehand’s overdose? The event seems to beg for snarkiness in the face of tragedy but as a former backstage-r myself, all I can say is “Yikes” and my thoughts go out to the poor guy’s family.

Teaser: Check this space tomorrow for some great news, not just for me but for the whole local theater community. Really!

Processing

2011-06-22T18:35:00.013-04:00

The main computer system I use at work occasionally gets bogged down, the little chipmunks that make it run taking a lunch break or something, and when it does the system displays a message that says "Processing," and continues to flash that message over and over until Alvin and the gang get back to work.

I'm on a flight back from Los Angeles and I feel like that's what's happening in my head right now. I can't quite articulate anything about the experience of the last 10 days, the system is just processing...processing...processing...

While that's going on, I plan to read up on some of the stuff I've missed over the past week and a half and, if any of it still seems relevant I'll link to it here.

I wrote a fair amount of stuff while in L.A. But the piece I'm most proud of is this 'man on the street' video segment I did. I like it because I feel like you might get the same results if you approached people convening to see a big tour in Richmond and asked them about local shows. I also shot the video, edited it myself, and had it up on the site all within about 4 hours (with just a smidge of Engine28 tech help). So the world of video doesn't seem nearly as intimidating to me as it might have just a week or so ago.

The first bit of content I contributed to the site was this smallish rant in response to a panel the L.A. Times held to discuss "is L.A. a theater town?" featuring big names like Beth Henley and Tim Robbins. As you'll see if you read, I don't have much patience for that kind of navel-gazing.

The story that was the most fun to write - reflecting the enjoyment I had having the experience itself - was this story on seeing 4 shows in one night. It was a wacky night, only a fraction of which I could capture in the piece. Again, I like the aspect of universality in it; I expect many people could write a similar piece about any other kind of intense festival, whether it centered on music, film, theater, or dance.

The most interesting discussion / presentation I attended was the RADAR L.A. symposium that I reported on in this story, consisting of presentations by some of the most fervent, intelligent and articulate arts professionals I've heard speak. Associated with that story, I shot some other "man on the street" footage that became a little piece on people defining "devised theater." I can't find it on the site anymore, unfortunately. It was pretty funny, mostly because of the ingenious way the engine28 video gurus edited it.

I also did a story about L.A. actresses, prompted mostly by sitting next to an incredibly nice and chatty young woman at the L.A. Times panel who has done voice work in the "Land before Time" cartoons for years. It was eye-opening to hear stories from someone who has been on the inside of the movie and TV business for so long and yet didn't really have a clue about how the theater scene worked.

Finally, I did one straight review of a show called "Brewsie and Willie," a production that design-wise was pretty cool but content-wise didn't really deliver. The best part about doing this review was that I got to work one-on-one with Howard Shapiro, an incredibly learned and passionate critic who gave me some great insights into improving my critical writing. Also, I came up with the headline which I was proud of in that geeky self-satisfied way that writers can get when they think they've come up with something clever (that probably annoys the heck out of those around him, particularly spouses...)

So that's a taste of my fellowship experience, or as much as can be gleaned from the writing I did out there. More info and details may (or may not...) be forthcoming...

(UPDATE: Went through and corrected the more obvious grammer/spelling mistakes. Clearly, I've got some settling in to do before the blog flows as freely...and correctly...as before.)

Good, with some Grief

2011-06-15T02:38:00.003-04:00

I'm out of town but the Style machine keeps rolling along, with my review of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" in this week edition.

It's been a bit of an insane time in LA, attending a panel tonight that included Tim Robbins and Beth Henley. The NEA program's site goes live in about 20 minutes. Check it out here.

Both the T-D and GayRVA love "Lear." Though I'm not exactly looking forward to the heat of home (it was about 73 in LA today), I am excited about seeing this production. Looks like a winner for Richmond Shakespeare!

I'm Off

2011-06-12T11:48:00.003-04:00

The NEA Fellowship program starts tomorrow. It's been a frantic week thanks to an astounding convergence of events and situations but here it is and I'll be on a plane heading west in a few hours. I'll be sorry to miss all of the goings on here over the next 10 days or so -- the big Tonys party at RTP, Richmond Shakespeare's first Agecroft show of the summer, a staged-reading at the Firehouse narrated by my pesky, constantly-involved son, etc. etc. I'll read what I can from a distance and hope people will fill me in on things when I get back.

I doubt I'll be posting much in the next couple of weeks but, if you are at all interested in goings-on at the TCG Conference and other things LA-theater related, you can follow the work of my fellow fellows and I here. Cheers!

Dog Sees God

2011-06-09T11:20:00.002-04:00

The extremes of "Dog Sees God" can be off-putting. The early scenes practically pummel the audience with surrogates for the beloved Peanuts characters getting drunk, smoking dope, and snorting coke. It's not long before the crudest sexual innuendoes are pantomimed and unexpected sexual impulses acted on. I had very adventurous high school years but even at their most free-wheeling they weren't as debaucherous (sp?) as this. Charlie Brown seems to have matriculated into Sodom and Gomorrah High School.

But I think Bert Royal does this for more than shock value. In a clever way, I think he's honoring the perspective of the original Peanuts cartoons. As in those more innocent depictions of childhood, a world swirls around "CB" that he only sporadically engages in and seems relatively clueless about. As with the kids in the cartoons, the teens of "DSG" are precocious, but when you're in high school precociousness isn't just restricted to deep thoughts about Buddhism but can also devolve into manipulating people's emotions in order to get laid.

And in the midst of the carnal and chemical pleasures of "DSG," the sweet and simple relationships between CB and Beethoven, and more poignantly, CB and his little sister, are strikingly honest and clear. Oh, they're messy, with none of the people involved quite understanding what's going on, but isn't that how life is? Full of confusion and missteps and messy misunderstandings?

There are many specific pleasures in the Firehouse's production, most of them having to do with the exceptional performances. Kyle Cornell makes a great CB, not the full-blown blockhead he might have been as a kid, but still a little adrift. Ben Hill fully embraces the aggressively sexual teen role; he reminded me of a couple guys I knew in high school who acted in nearly the exact same overboard way. The "mean girls" were an entertaining sidelight and, while I continue to love Liz Blake White in just about everything I've seen her in (including her underwear!), I'll also be adding Maggie McGrann to the list of actresses I'll be looking forward to seeing on stage again.

In the end, the chemistry between Cornell and Audra Honaker as CB's sister sold me on this production. In the last several scenes, Honaker strips away the affectations that have characterized some of her more extreme roles in the past and plays it straight, to great effect. These are siblings that don't always click but, in their own way, they still love each other, and Honaker and Cornell make you feel that.

The technical elements of this production are all solid, with Adam Dorland's scenic design a nice departure from anything cartoon-y you might expected. The technical wizardry that enhances the final scene is impressive and surprising.

"DSG" is certainly very funny, a fact that the shout-laugher who was sitting behind me last weekend would certainly attest to. But what may be most surprising about the show is that on one level, it's a tale of empowerment. There is tragedy involved but instead of maximizing the melodrama that the final events could present, the show focuses on CB's ongoing journey toward self-awareness. Some folks could quibble that Beethoven (an intense and effective performance by Lucian Restivo) is given short shrift by the plot and that homosexuality is not embraced as triumphantly as you might expect. The orientation of several characters is not firmly established at the show's close. But CB has taken a devastating but significant step towards a sort of redemption. Linus, er, I mean Van the Buddhist would be happy.

As If

2011-06-08T13:23:00.003-04:00

I have a Twitter account but still hardly ever use it. Due to time constraints, however, I’m thinking of this post as if it were a series of tweets. So here’s several 140 character or less slices of theater:

Nice piece in Style this week about the Tony Awards viewing party. Good times, good deed, doesn’t get any better right?

Review of “Charlie Brown” in the T-D and reviews of both the Peanuts-inspired rep shows in GayRVA. Both pluses and minuses highlighted (highlit?).

I saw the same shows as Mssrs. Miller and Lewis. My take: Liked “DSG” a lot, details to come. “Charlie Brown:” good, not great but Shofner’s awesome!

Last chances to see [title of show] this weekend. Don't miss out!

The cool and crazy Saines in Petersburg have started blogging! Keep up with them here.

A “Rocky” musical. Really? I’d be more skeptical if the creative team wasn’t so impressive. But then again, so was “Spiderman’s.”

1-2 Punch

2011-06-03T09:18:00.003-04:00

I seldom have a clue what is going to get people talking. Apparently my “Casting Games” post on Wednesday struck a nerve of some kind because more than a dozen folks have chimed in with their thoughts. I love it when people are talking/writing because that means they care and/or think about theater and that’s the whole point of this thing here. (Update: you might want to check out Mr. Miller's recently-posted discussion about casting on the Barksdale blog.)

Style had two stories this week tangentially related to theater that you might have skipped over if you were only looking for theater reviews. One is this week’s cover story on the VCU library’s comic book collection – one of the largest in the country – that was written by the other Style theater reviewer, Rich Griset. The other is Ed Slipek’s architectural review of the still-relatively-new theater space that the Richmond Triangle Players has developed in Scott’s Addition. It’s an interesting piece, and not only because it’s twice as long as the typical Style theater review these days (no, I’m not bitter). This gives me the opportunity to point out that “[title of show]” has been extended until next weekend so hustle up and make reservations if you haven’t seen it yet.

(PS: Style also snuck in a quick story on the Conciliation Project’s latest production yesterday. Check out a preview of “Stolen Land” here.)

In other news, an eclectic group of theater folk has organized a Tonys Awards viewing party at the RTP theater as a benefit for the Theatre Artists Fund. This is a great idea and one that I would be totally there for if I wasn’t headed out of town. Still, you lucky folks who are here should waste no time making your reservations because I wouldn’t be surprised if this shindig sells out.

Finally, the Charlie Brown double-play has opened at the Firehouse. In an effort to take full advantage of the “rep” situation, I’m going to try and see both shows this weekend, perhaps to see if either production somehow informs the other. I’m also curious to see how a troupe of actors cast for a straight play has adapted to a musical. A few folks from the cast were on Virginia This Morning earlier this week. I can’t figure out how to link to the specific videos but both an interview and a performance from the appearance are available here. Judging from just this brief sneak preview, it seems they have adapted fine.

Casting Games

2011-06-01T14:51:00.003-04:00

I haven’t linked to them explicitly before now but John Porter’s reviews of “[title of show]” and “Bloody Murder” were both posted relatively recently. For that matter, I didn’t link to the T-D review of “Murder” either – click here for Ms. Lewis’s take.

When the Barksdale “Signature Season” announcement came out a couple of weeks ago, one of the entries was listed as “rights pending.” Apparently, the rights for “God of Carnage” have come through and so now it’s their official “Acts of Faith” entry for next year, definitely an exciting development.

One of the fun things about season announcements has always been playing the casting guessing game. I know when word first started circulating that Barksdale was doing “Spring Awakening,” the speculation among “SA” devotees (e.g., my lovely wife) about who in town could / should play each part began in earnest. Now the same thing can happen with “God of Carnage.” The stars who originated the lead roles on Broadway definitely put distinctive stamps on them, making it hard for me to immediately plug local actors into each slot. It’s also interesting that the roles in this show have sometimes been swapped by the leads in each gender before so perhaps the specific person is not as important as someone who is just a damn good actor. Hmm.

The Barksdale shows aren’t the only ones that lend themselves to this game (“My Fair Lady” being precast took that one out of the running). Firehouse’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” certainly was rife for speculation (though not anymore since casting has been finalized). I’m still fascinated by thoughts of who among the extremely talented local youngsters will be tapped for Triangle Players’ “Stupid Kids.” Certainly, someone of substantial skill will need to play Shylock in Henley Street’s “Merchant of Venice.” Sycamore Rouge’s “Topdog / Underdog” should spark some intense competition for the two leads. And even Theatre IV’s season generates conjecture: who, for instance, would be appropriate to step into the shoes – or webbed feet, as it were – of either Frog or Toad?

This kind of casting conjecture happens all the time for movies: anyone remember the strum and drang over the casting of the "Twilight" leads? Similar anticipation followed the announcement of an American adaptation of the "Dragon Tattoo" series. More recently, the producers of "The Hunger Games" got a lot of press for their decision to make Jennifer Lawrence their Catniss (an excellent choice, IMHO). The final decisions are always the director’s, of course. But even so, it’s fun to imagine who might be perfect for a specific role. Anyone out there want to offer up your thoughts for upcoming Richmond shows? You'll probably have a better chance guessing who'll be Richmond's Stinky Cheese Man than Hollywood's Lisbeth Salander.

Fourth Wall

2011-05-27T09:39:00.001-04:00

A month or so ago I stated in a review that “silence is one of the scariest things in live theater.” At the other end of the spectrum, one of the most fun aspects of live theater – and sometimes the trickiest – is the fourth wall. Just to heap a little more praise on “[title of show]”, I think the way the show doesn’t break the fourth wall outright, choosing instead to have the actors often give knowing looks or skittish glances that telegraph their awareness of the audience, is another one of its many charms.

From what I hear/read, CAT’s latest production, “Bloody Murder,” does break the fourth wall and, like “[tos],” has characters that know they are characters in a play. But while the musical’s characters were mostly happy to be there, the characters in “Bloody” are understandably none too thrilled about the plotline of their little drama and rebel against it. It’s a fabulous premise for a show and I really hope CAT can bring it off well. With a cast that includes talented vets like Emma Mason and Bob Murphy, the production certainly has good raw material to work with.

I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend. It won’t be long before Richmond’s stages are replete with scoundrels, Peanuts, epic battles and tragic kings, so brace yourself for the eminent onslaught of new productions.

Hilarious

2011-05-26T14:06:00.002-04:00

What might not have been obvious about my review of Triangle Players’ “[title of show]” that I linked to yesterday is that it’s a bit more than just another rave about a cleverly directed, enthusiastically acted, and well-designed production. For one thing, it’s a review that I suggested be titled “Rave About Musical” to keep with the spirit of the show but my own little meta-effort apparently did not make the cut.

The review was also a bit of writing exercise for me. For much of the performance, when I wasn’t laughing out loud, I was smiling broadly or giggling softly. A show as consistently funny as that begs to be called “hilarious.” But ‘hilarious’ is one of those words that is notoriously overused in reviews. Sure, there are plenty of other options: ‘funny,’ ‘amusing,’ even ‘gut-busting,’ ‘side-splitting’ or ‘uproarious.’ But few words fit the bill as consistently as ‘hilarious.’ I thought a show as good as this one deserved a little extra effort on my part so I consciously avoided that one adjective. I was helped, so to speak, by a somewhat reduced word count on the review assignment but still, even with less space to fill, it was a challenge.

And that’s largely because this production is truly hilarious. It contains many clever little bits (the texting of potential stripper names), a few wonderfully ribald touches (I love the term ‘procrastibater’), some Richmond-specific shout-outs (yay, RTCC!), and even a crass prurient moment of semi-nakedness (Ms. Farmer’s scene may not have been this straight guy’s favorite moment but it was close!) The real genius of the piece, however, is how it maintains a logical narrative flow while also expertly walking the weird tightrope of meta-comedy. From small things like the impossible movement of chairs between apartments to the big concepts like the take-over of the show by secondary characters, “[tos]” does indeed push “meta to the max” and has a great time doing so.

So I succeeded in my little writing experiment but that was not nearly as impressive as this production. Each performer is spot-on – as my wife said to me, it’s now a show that’s hard to imagine with any other actor playing each part. But this is also one of those productions where I am more aware of the director’s skill than many others. Part of it is just a pacing thing – the show moves along at a great clip – but there is also a vision clearly guiding the production, an encouragement not to overplay certain parts while staging other scenes to maximize comic potential. So many kudos to Mr. Amellio for his accomplishment.

Finally, if you read this blog, then you ARE a theater geek and, while my review specifically said the show’s appeal transcends theater geekiness, it is a particular pleasure for the stage aficionado. Passing mentions of Dinah Manoff and shows like “Ruthless!” may be beyond the knowledge of even the most fervent geek, but the alternating excitement and drudgery of the perennial understudy or chorus filler will be familiar to many.

I really enjoy smart shows but, unlike intellectually overstuffed pieces like “Arcadia” (which I also loved, BTW), “[title of show]” has such a playful accessible intelligence that everyone can love it. It inspired me to try to write smarter; maybe it’ll inspire others to stretch new intellectual or theatrical muscles. Or, at the very least, to go see more shows.

VCU

2011-05-25T09:47:00.003-04:00

I think the day after my review of “[title of show]” appeared in Style is a good time to give an overdue shout out to Theatre VCU. If there was any doubt as to the importance of this local university’s program to the local theater scene, a scan of the recent graduates should alleviate that. Looking just through the list of MFA recipients, I see at least two RTCC award winners and perhaps two other RTCC award nominees. And, thinking back on this past season, I wouldn’t be surprised if at least two more of the listed MFAs don’t snag a nomination before the year is over.

Not that the RTCC awards are the be-all-and-end-all but they are one convenient measure of the impact of these individuals specifically and the Theatre VCU program generally. It’s also worth mentioning that the folks who taught these graduates also participate regularly in the local professional scene, perhaps none more prolifically than Patti D’Beck (featured in this graduation ceremony picture).

I’ll admit to being too blasé about Theatre VCU in the past. I don’t make going to its productions a priority, though my colleague, John Porter, has encouraged me to do so several times in the past. This in the face of the fact that some of my favorite theatrical experiences over the past couple of years (“Chicago,” “Tommy,” etc.) have been at their productions. I don’t always scrutinize the school’s upcoming season when all of the other local companies are announcing theirs, even though this September they’ll produce the intriguing “Shakespeare R&J” directed by Keri Wormald, a fabulous director who’s been at the helm of some of the best pro productions in Richmond history (IMHO). And to complete the litany of inadequacy, I didn’t make it out to “The Bluest Eye,” the VCU co-pro with Barksdale, which I heard very good things about second-hand.

So I am going to do better in the future. For a start, I’ll add the fun and informative Theatre VCU BackStage Pass blog to the roll on the right. This should keep me (and any of you that care) apprised of some of the VCU goings on. And come next season, I’ll carve out the space required to see the VCU shows, something that won’t be chore by any means given shows like “Grease!” and “Arabian Nights” on their docket.

For those of you who pay attention, the Drama Desk awards were announced over the weekend and seem to give a good indication of how the Tonys might go, that is, lots of recognition for “The Book of Mormon.”

A few people have asked me about the NEA fellowship thing and I realized that I’ve probably confused some folks. I went to LA a few weeks ago as part of my 9-5 job, not for the fellowship. The NEA Institute begins two weeks from this Sunday and I’m alternately excited and terrified. Since I’m going to have to act like a real journalist while I’m there, I’ve been trying to pay more attention to how theater is covered. There’s no better place than the NYTimes to go for that and I was particularly impressed a couple of weeks ago at this little slideshow about “Catch Me If You Can.” It’s a great deconstruction of the choreography of a scene. I’ve always been a fan of journalism that’s instructive as well as informative and this piece definitely fits the bill. Now, if I could only make my blog posts just as good...

30, 31, 32

2011-05-18T10:08:00.004-04:00

Reviews of “[title of show]” came out over the weekend, both Ms. Haubenstock at the T-D and Mr. Miller at GayRVA seeming to like it quite a bit. I finished up my review yesterday and it should be in next week’s Style. The best capsule review I can offer is also the simplest: don’t miss this show or you’ll be sorry you did.

This past weekend was a little weird in that seemingly all of a sudden, a big slew of shows were all closing. “Art,” “Honk!” and “Quilters” all wrapped up and, to complete the slew of one-word titles, “Shorts” opened and closed. (For those of you who might have missed it, Ms. Lewis in the Times-Dispatch wrote up “Shorts” and Mr. Miller weighed in on “Honk!” last week). I’m always more aware of openings and those occasional weekends when several shows arrive at the same time and there’s a buzz of new possibilities in the air. Now it’s like a big deflation as I look around and rue the shows I didn’t get a chance to see.

My recent out-of-town adventures allowed me to take in my 30th and 31st shows of the season. Several years ago I started keeping track of the local shows I’d seen during a season and this year I expanded my little spreadsheet tally to include any production whatsoever, including staged readings and out-of-town shows (I only counted the Radio City Xmas Spectacular once, even though I saw most or all of it at least 4 times). So “[title of show]” became the 32nd production I’ve seen this season, the 23rd local professional production.

Twenty-three was the total number of local pro productions I saw last season so I’m certainly going to beat that number this year. I’m looking ahead and thinking I could possibly make it to 30, particularly given that the Firehouse will have two shows in rep that I haven’t seen (thanks, Firehouse!). Even if I make it to 30, that’ll mean 39 productions overall for the year which will fall short of the 2008-2009 season when I saw 35 local pro productions and 5 non-pro ones.

Forty productions. That means that, on average, three weekends out of the four in the typical month I went to see a show. I’m not tooting my horn here or anything. It’s just a little staggering when I look at the numbers. Even more staggering to me is that I know people whose theater consumption dwarfs mine (looking at you, Ms. Haubenstock!) How do they find the time?

Spent

2011-05-13T13:10:00.001-04:00

Sorry, blog-land. This week has been a killer for me in many ways and anything I would have written about would have been of the personal rant variety. Many companies are coming out with their 2011-12 seasons with some very interesting productions planned. I’ll try to get it together enough to write about that soon but, in the meantime, feel free to leave your comments.

If you have been paying attention, “Spiderman” turned off the dark recently (having been dark for three weeks). I’ve only read one recap of the differences in the newly imagined production. I’m somewhat amazed to read how much they’ve changed, particularly re-engineering the entire second act. It’s definitely a wise move based on what I saw but it also makes me glad that I saw the show before it was revamped. Perhaps what producers are counting on is people who will come back to see it again every time it goes through a facelift.

I’m looking forward to seeing “[title of show]” this weekend. Any of y’all seen it? Ms. Haubenstock at the T-D liked it. What did you think?

Stories

2011-05-09T16:36:00.003-04:00

Our stories define us: tales from childhood retold at family reunions, nights of reverie recalled at high school reunions, the stories of courtship and marriage that parents tell their children. But at what point do these stories enslave us – trap us in roles from years past, encapsulating what is complicated and mutable into something pat and repeatable?

These is one of the meta-questions that lie behind “The Walworth Farce,” a production at the Studio Theatre in DC that my lovely wife and I took in a while back. But it won’t occur to you until at least midway through this disturbing slice of Irish darkness that is also fast-paced and intermittently funny. You’re likely to spend much of the first act just wondering what the heck is going on.

An old man sits in a beat-up armchair in the middle of a crumbling apartment, one younger man is in the next room ironing a dress, another nervously unpacks groceries in the kitchen. The old man, Dinny (Ted van Griethuysen), starts a tape recorder with peppy music from decades ago and the two younger men, who you soon find out are Dinny’s sons, fly into a bizarre series of interactions. Only a good way into the first act does it become clear that the boys, Sean (Alex Morf) and Blake (Aubrey Deeker), are acting out scenes from the last day Dinny spent in Ireland.

The play-within-a-play is a baroque farce involving two scams, two funerals, and a lot of quick costume changes (Blake plays all of the female parts). The boys’ agitation is palpable, and we discover why when Sean suffers the consequences of messing up some of the key props. He has had a conversation with a clerk, Hayley (Azania Dungee), at the grocery store and this contact with anyone outside the isolated apartment has totally unnerved him. When Hayley ultimately insinuates herself into this weird world, the results are disastrous.

Within its limited, strange little structure, “Walworth” is quite brilliant and presents prime opportunities for every actor involved to chew a healthy amount of scenery. As Sean, Morf has to surf between the three levels of reality in the play: Dinny’s fantastical story, the real-life relationship between a father and his sons, and the bigworld outside beyond their apartment door. Van Griethuysen’ Dinny is imperious and unhinged but also charming in places. Deeker makes Blake physically imposing but emotionally fragile, and the drama eventually turns on a decision his fevered mind must sort out. Dungee is unfortunately forced to sit and watch a lot of the action but she projects a breezy and appealing personality in her first scenes with Morf.

As the tension escalates, “Walworth” gets trapped in some frustrating scene constructions that you might expect in a bad horror movie. By late in the second act, you might find yourself asking, “Why doesn’t Hayley just use the knife prominently at hand in the kitchen?” Or “Why does Hayley’s cell phone ring for SO long?” For a show that teeters on the edge of plausibility as it is, these moments threaten to push it over the edge.

But even with its structural faults and overall weirdness, “Walworth” is fascinating in its exploration of the stories we tell ourselves and how they can ultimately determine our fate. A one-set show with only four actors, it’d be a prime candidate for production by the Firehouse or one of the fringier companies in town. The playwright is the recently celebrated Enda Walsh, a challenger to Martin McDonagh’s realm of idiosyncratic but amazing plays and a name I’ll be watching for in years to come.

Puncturing pretense

2011-05-06T23:20:00.002-04:00

On the third day I was in Los Angeles, I finally realized that the Fox Studios backlot was only 2 blocks from my hotel. For two days, I had turned left out of my hotel toward Santa Monica Blvd (a street I can't even say in my head without a melody line, thanks to Sheryl Crow) whenever I went walking or jogging. The last day there I turned right and boom, there was the Fox lot. Not that I could just run right in and wander around, but on my jog that day I did circle around the whole compound and took what opportunities I could to peak in. Mostly, it was lots of golf carts puttering around and lots of numbered buildings. However, when I finally got around to the front gate where people who work there were driving in, I saw someone who looked distinctly like Amber Riley (Mercedes from "Glee") drive right in front of me. That's the story I'm sticking with even if it wasn't her.

This happened the morning after I had several bona fide celebrity encounters at the performance of "God of Carnage" with the original Broadway cast. After the show, I was heading down to retrieve the bag I'd checked and nearly ran head first into John Stamos. I said "excuse me" and sidestepped just in time, but not before taking in his very chiseled good looks and the scary fact that he doesn't look a day over 35 in person even though he is exactly 2 days OLDER than me. Oy.

I inadvertently went by the stage door as I was leaving the theater (I was going to find the bus; I guess all the beautiful people went in the opposite direction). Unlike Broadway where stage doors are swamped after a show, there were only 5 other folks hanging out at the Ahmanson waiting for autographs. So I joined them and soon Jeff Daniels (taller than expected and nice but perfunctory to the fans) and Hope Davis (warm and personable and a little weary perhaps) came out. After another 15 minutes, Marcia Gay Harden came out and seemed like she couldn't light up a smoke fast enough. She had a distinct kind of "old broad" attitude that was refreshing and funny and, even though she was carrying two large handbags full of stuff, she wouldn't accept any help.

As for the show, I'm going to go ahead and do something like a full length review of it because I've got to warm up in preparation for my fellowship thingy in June. I've realized that I'm so stuck in a 400 word box that I'm not sure whether I can write anything longer. So what follows is something close to what I'd write if I was writing for the LA Weekly or some such thing. Feel free to skip it if you've got better things to do.

Though I've only seen two of her plays, it seems clear to me that Yasmina Reza is determined to deflate high-minded intellectualism, exposing, as it were, the Bugs Bunny cartoon that lies just beneath the surface of every opera. "Art" is precipitated by the consideration of sophisticated modern art but devolves into various hijinks and pratfalls. Similarly, "God of Carnage" begins with the most civilized of discussions between well-mannered adults but it quickly become clear how close each of the four characters is to the edge of barbarism. The infamous (and impressive, stage magic-wise) hurl at the show's midpoint is just one sign-post leading inexorably from blithe discussions of recipes to childish destruction of ornamental flowers.

You probably know the basic story: two couples have come together to discuss a fight between their children. The 11 year-old son of Alan and Annette (Jeff Daniels and Hope Davis) has taken a stick to the son of Michael and Veronica (James Gandolfini and Marcia Gay Harden), knocking out a couple of his teeth. There is no denying the entertainment value Reza skillfully draws from the tension that boils intensely beneath this simple set-up. But her brilliance truly becomes evident as allegiances fray and re-form during the course of the evening, demonstrating a remarkable depth of psychological insight into the dynamics between men and other men, women and other women, and married people of varying degrees of mental health.

Though filled with stars familiar from TV and movie screens, the cast of this production brings an intense theatricality to their roles, none more so than Daniels, who I found mesmerizing as the most nakedly assholish member of the quartet. Playing a lawyer trying to guide a pharmaceutical company through a potential lawsuit, Daniels uses the cell phone calls that regularly interrupt the evening to establish his profoundly cynical personality, which sets the stage for him to bond with kindred spirit, Michael. Gandolfini successfully escapes the bonds of his most famous role; when Michael finally untucks his shirt - a move that could be threatening coming from Tony Soprano - it's a signal of his resignation and frustration, not of impending violence.

Davis is slight and brittle on stage (seeing her afterwards in jeans and a loose sweater was like meeting a different person) and she traverses the highest highs and lowest lows here while never losing her bearings. Perhaps it's because her character ends up being the only one who doesn't seem to lose sight of the children that prompted the meeting in the first place. Harden has a somewhat thankless role, her Veronica clearly Reza's stand-in for deluded, righteous, and oversensitive do-gooders everywhere. Honestly, though she was excellent in the role, I'm surprised she was the one that one the Tony.

I laughed often and heartily throughout "Carnage" and not just at the slapsticky moments but also at Reza's unflinching disdain for pretense. However, I also tasted a little bile of bitterness seeping in by the play's conclusion, never a charming sensation. Michael's lament that "children devour your lives, and then they kill you" seems overwrought when he says it. But later you realize it's just a precursor to soften you up for the ugly epithets that will fly before the end. I think I would like Reza's plays better if I felt she left even the residue of sympathy somewhere in her characterizations. That the audience comes to consider Alan the only vestige of restraint is telling.

The production shines from a technical stand-point, with the subtle lighting design a particular stand-out. It was satisfying to me that even a big fancy Los Angeles theater can have trouble with sound design, as I heard a few people complain on the way out about not being able to hear certain lines.

In the end, I feel pretty profoundly lucky to have seen this production. I may not worship at the temple of this particular "God," but I had a fabulous time visiting it just the same

I get a-round

2011-05-04T20:56:00.004-04:00

My review of "Circle Mirror Transformation" is in this week's Style. Better late than never, right? Mr. Griset's review of "Art" also appears this week, which is a cool coincidence since I just saw another of Yasmina Reza's works last night. More on that tomorrow.

It's always interesting for me to go back and read a review of mine a couple of weeks after I've written it. There's a way that a show settles into my consciousness: my initial impressions age and mature and don't always end up where they started. Sometimes this process results in a bolstering of my opinion of a show. After I saw "Avenue Q" the first time, my feelings about the show just got more and more positive (enhanced by repeated plays of the soundtrack) to the point that I was actually a little disappointed when I went and saw it a second time.

I wouldn't take back anything I said about "CMT" in my review. I enjoyed this show but it hasn't aged as well in my memory as other shows. Trying to think about it analytically, I suspect it's because this is a show of moments, usually small ones, subtle and simple character turns that are intriguing but also fleeting. At the performance I saw, the audience was older and relatively impatient about the pauses and stretches of silence. In the face of that, I felt a sense of defiance on behalf of the actors. I wanted to turn to the talkers in the crowd and say, 'pay attention -- there's good work going on here!' I also wanted to get pedantic and say, 'theater isn't always about rapid-fire dialogue!' So while I highlighted the pauses in my review, the rest reads to me now like a defense of the actors who utilize the open spaces in the script to fully inhabit the characters they play.

As I think back on it, I would put "CMT" in the category of plays that I appreciate more than I love. The lack of an intermission is a problem experientially. Some of the scenes are pretty indulgent (like the one where people portray the items in Schultz's room) and I'm not sure what they added to the play as a whole. As my colleague Mr. Porter suggests, there is also a fair amount of telling not showing going on thanks to the monologues where each character lays out another character's back story. For a show with less dialogue than many, the proportion of telling to showing seems high in retrospect.

There are other smaller issues that have popped up in my reflections about the show. I have ended up feeling frustrated with the Marti character. There is obviously a lot going on with this character but, more so than with any of the others, I think she gets short-changed by the play. I came away feeling like I wanted to empathize with her, particularly as portrayed by the always-winning Kelly Kennedy. But in the end, I don't think she really earns much empathy, seeming kind of rigid all the way to the end.

My appreciation of certain scenes has increased over the weeks, however. The "telling secrets" scene in particular is kind of stunning. I can pretty clearly remember each character's reaction as each secret was read. This is not a testament to my memory but to each actor's clarity in their almost entirely non-verbal response. Beyond being specifically impressed with Mr. Flannagan's performance, I thought he and Erin Thomas-Foley had a very compelling, very authentic chemistry, both as their relationship was heating up and as it frayed. In fact, every interaction between Theresa and another character had an energy a notch above the others, a reflection of Thomas-Foley's unique skills as an actress.

As I think back now, the scenes that most succinctly reflect how I ended up feeling about the show are the "lying in a circle, counting" scenes. I appreciate their purpose in the context of the play and there were some funny and/or interesting moments in them. But they also tended to go on too long and the pay-offs we're sometimes minimal. I can see how people with an abiding interest in theater and who happen to be fascinated by actors might be particularly enamored with "CMT." However, I can also see why some patrons, like the one who I overheard as I filed down the stairs at the Barksdale, might wonder, "...but what was it about?"

Out of town adventures

2011-05-03T01:23:00.003-04:00

I haven’t really known what to post today, my mind still reeling a bit from the momentous news of last night. I’m also hanging out on the left coast this week so am fairly discombobulated thanks to that. After things settle a bit in my head, I’ll be able to regroup and post something more interesting. I have lots to talk about; Saturday I saw a weird and wonderful piece of work at The Studio Theatre in Washington called “The Walworth Farce” and on Tuesday, I’ll see “God of Carnage” with the original Broadway cast out here in L.A.

In the meantime, Ms. Lewis’s review of “Honk!” came out on Sunday and looks like another winner for Theatre IV. The Broadway in Richmond series for 2011-12 was announced and honestly, I'm not too impressed (I saw "South Pacific" on Broadway and, while wonderful, I don't think I need to see it again. Perhaps I'll take the opportunity to finally see Blue Man Group...) Also, the Tony nominations will be announced in about 7 hours as I write this. Since they’ll more than likely be out by the time you read this, who do you think is likely to collect a trophy? Were you shocked or disappointed by any of the noms?

UPDATE: The nominees are...

It was 20 years ago today

2011-04-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

This is not a post about the Beatles or Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Twenty years ago yesterday my lovely wife and I got married. As I’ve probably mentioned in this space a dozen or so times, my wife and I first met while we were both involved (she was onstage, I was backstage) in a production of “Quilters” at Theatre IV some 25 years ago. This year, history (and Swift Creek Mill’s season) conspired to allow us to revisit the show that brought us together so many moons ago. We brought our 4 kids along with us so they could see what we had been yammering on about for so long.

I believe the whole clan was pretty much entranced by the experience. In my memories of the songs and the stories, I forget sometimes what a great historical piece “Quilters” is and that the show is built upon a solid “girl power” backbone. I was glad for my girls to see that (though you never know how much that sinks in). One of the central metaphors in the show really hits home with me now that I’m older: basically, that life will throw many things at you but it’s how you put those things together that defines you. As the matriarch Sarah says (paraphrased): “The piecin’ is your business.”

The Mill’s production is truly top-notch with a cast of very talented actresses. I can’t offer a true review. I think I could if I had to, it just wouldn’t be easy. So ingrained is this show in my memory that I have to work really hard to put out of my mind the specific line readings and blocking and choices that were made in the production I saw and heard dozens and dozens of times. And last night wasn’t about work so I let those memories come forward to enrich and confuse the performance I was seeing. I was listening intently to Jackie Jones say her lines, but I couldn’t help hearing the echo of Chris Bass Randolph. Ms. Jones was sweet and warm and motherly in places where Ms. Randolph was gruff and stern and commanding. Both actresses were great in their own way, making the choices that worked best for them.

I had those kinds of feelings through the whole night: Audra Honaker’s sneaky schoolboy with a snake was very funny and made me think back to Dawn Westbrook’s similarly mischievous scamp. Emily Cole’s “I never married” monologue is a heartbreaker and she delivered it expertly in what might have been my favorite moment of the show. And it reminded me how Jody Strickler never failed to break my heart as well in the same scene. T’arah Craig’s “Green, Green, Green” was sweet and clear and made me remember how night after night I was entranced by a similarly lovely young actress named Holly singing that song.

So again, I can’t offer a true critical review because I spent the night just soaking it all in. I can say that Tom Width’s set was exceptional, rustic and utilitarian with cool little cutouts for the different quilt patterns. And Paul Deiss did a fine job as both musical director and in the key (and underappreciated) job of sound effects guy. Sometimes it is the subtle sounds that are essential in setting the atmosphere for this show.

The voices of this cast really come together beautifully, making a song like the already gorgeous “Never Grow Old” absolutely ache with tenderness and intensity. I could have listened to them sing that one song all night. It was great to have the opportunity to see two actresses I don’t remember seeing before: Brittany Simmons who has a knock-out voice and delivered an emotional punch early on in her “Little Babes That Sleep All Night” scene and Katy Burke who has a great comic flair – I loved her as Lavinia Hall.

As I mentioned above, Ms. Cole’s performance – not just in the “Never Grow Old” scene but throughout the show – may have been my favorite of the night. But I can’t wrap up without gushing a little about Ali Thibodeau who shows tremendous range in this show. From the flirtatious Pru to the caring “prairie nightingale” to the studly cowboy dreamed up during “Quiltin’ and Dreamin’” Ms. Thibodeau imbued each of her characterizations with a specific, organic energy that felt exactly right for each scene.

As my family and I were driving to the Mill last night, we caught sight of a beautiful rainbow and we watched it as it grew in intensity during the nearly half-hour trip down 95. As I rolled along with my great family heading out on what proved to be a very entertaining evening, it was a striking reminder to me of how lucky I am. A production of “Quilters” was a key event – perhaps the essential element – that set me on the path to where I am today. Last night I was reminded that, beyond being just a pivotal life experience for me, it’s a pretty darn good show.

And the links...

2011-04-27T16:16:00.002-04:00

Best Local Actor

Best Local Actress

Best Local Theatre Company

Best Local Comedy Group

A short piece that I wrote using a story from fellow critic, John Porter.

And finally, a little toot of my own horn.

It’s Huge

2011-04-27T09:41:00.001-04:00

I know, “that’s what she said.” (Farewell, Mr. Carell! “The Office” won’t be the same without you.) But if you’ve checked out the Style rack at your local retailer, you’ll notice that this week’s edition is massive because it’s the “Best Of Richmond” issue, sure to be an instigator of quite a lot of conjecture and speculation and time spent randomly combing through the various categories.

Last time I checked, there weren’t links to individual stories on the Style website but I’ll do you this service, loyal reader. All the theater-related stuff is pretty much consolidated on page 33, with some performance-related items spilling over on to page 35. Many congratulations to the companies, actors and actresses listed.

I wasn’t surprised by the list of actors, a nice trio of accomplished pros, all of whom have a mix of recent appearances and well-received past roles (though I can’t remember the last thing I saw Mr. Joy in – “The Wire” perhaps?) The actresses, however, surprised me across the board. I have no dispute with the list – each of the four listed has done truly exceptional work. Mostly, I’m curious what performances stuck in people’s memories enough to make them vote. Was it her recent portrayal of Juliet that put Ms. White on the list? With Ms. Satterfield’s relatively-recent splashy role in “Virginia Woolf,” I might have expected her to place higher. I also would have thought Kelly Kennedy would make the list given her current appearance in “Circle Mirror Transformation” and her well-reviewed turns in “Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming” and “On Golden Pond” over the past year.

The top two actresses are truly excellent choices but, again, I wonder what performances inspired people’s votes. Ms. Honaker was out of town for a spell but has come roaring back with “Dog Sees God” and the current “Quilters.” Is that what inspired votes or was it memories of older shows like “Urinetown” or “tick, tick…Boom!” Ms. Price is a fantastic actress (one of my favorite Queen Gertrude’s ever) and more than deserving of recognition. But did enough people see “Facing East” to put her tied for first? Or is it her indelible portrayal in “The Goat” that still lingers for theater fans?

Of course, it occurs to me that perhaps I’m selling people short to think it’s one or two or even three performances that got them to vote for somebody. Maybe more people than I realize actually have a sense of the entire bodies of work of different local actors. If that’s true, I think companies should be doing even more to highlight certain actors in their marketing materials. Because clearly there are folks out there that are paying attention.

Star Connections

2011-04-26T08:48:00.003-04:00

“Regrets…I’ve had a few…but then again…” OK, enough singing to myself. And besides, this post is about at least one regret that I’ll mention. This past Saturday, my lovely wife and son took a leave of absence from our family time together to spend some time with members of another Richmond family. And by spend time with, I mean watch the eldest son of the family command the new Liberty University stage as the lead character in “The Phantom of the Opera.”

If you’ve seen any number of productions by the Theater Company at Fort Lee or CYT or even Theatre IV’s “Peter Pan,” you know the T. Davis Mercer is a significant talent. But according to my wife, he’s only improved since heading off to school. And she also reports that both the Christine (Rachel Day) and the Carlotta (Erica Mini) of the production were exceptional. That’s not surprising given Ms. Day’s reverse lineage – her little sister starred in Theatre IV’s “Annie” just a couple of years ago.

I had the opportunity to go see this show (video snippet available here) but I decided to spend my afternoon hanging out in the sun, getting a not insignificant amount of sunburn and eating and drinking too much. In retrospect, I should have gone to see the show. For one thing, the still-fairly new Liberty University stage is apparently a gorgeous $7 million facility. Also, I’d be able to go into more detail about what was so good about Mr. Mercer’s performance (moral: don’t send a civilian to do a critic’s job). And finally, I’d be able to check off “Phantom” on my life “must see” list (yes, that burden continues…).

In some local news, Barksdale officially announced over the weekend that the lead in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is going to be Jeff McCarthy who may be familiar to some folks from his regular stints in “Chicago.” But he’s got some geek cred for appearing on the best of the many Star Trek series, “Next Generation.” Plus, he’s got a connection to Richmond expatriate Emily Skinner for his appearance in the original cast of “Side Show.” So there are any number of reasons to be excited about that casting news.

Triangle Players also just announced their season for 2011-12 and it includes many intriguing entries, including Tennessee Williams’ “Suddenly Last Summer.” But the one that caught my attention first was “Stupid Kids” – and not just because it’s a phrase I regularly mutter under my breath. There are so many extremely talented teens in Richmond – a bunch who are going to be in SPARC’s summer production of “Ragtime” – that I would love to see a few of them step up to a truly mature acting challenge. It sounds like there will be plenty of those involved in this show and I hope whoever directs the show is willing to take a chance on a rising young talent.

PS: I almost forgot: the reading of "The Water Principle" at Firehouse tonight has a cast of very talented local stars. Check out Andrew Hamm's blog post (link over to the right) for details!

After midnight

2011-04-24T00:26:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter, y'all! Since it's a vacation weekend, I'm up late hanging out with family and happened to check for the T-D review of "Art," and sure enough it's up. Starting next weekend, this'll be another interesting situation where a show playing at Sycamore Rouge was staged somewhere else first. That's gotta be some kind of a record right, twice in one season? Anyway, can't wait to see the show once it gets to Petersburg.

Art First

2011-04-23T12:52:00.001-04:00

The first review of "Art" came in yesterday, care of Matt Miller at GayRVA. Check it out!

Existential

2011-04-22T13:51:00.001-04:00

I have really great memories involving “Waiting for Godot.” Decades ago when I was in college, my friends and I would get together and read from existential and absurdist plays just for entertainment. Beckett and Ionesco were our favorites. I remember us not being able to get through more than a few lines of “Godot” without cracking up. There may have been some chemical enhancement involved.

For that reason, I have been eager to see the current Henley Street production but the number of possible nights for me to see it dwindled quickly. So I was happy that the smart folks at Henley did an industry night on Tuesday. Even so, I could only manage to get there to catch the first act. I was very disappointed not to be able to see the whole thing, but I also felt that, barring a radical reinterpretation from Mr. Ricks, I wasn’t going to miss any surprise ending. I really hope no one associated with the production read any kind of affront into my early departure; my reasons for leaving had nothing to do with the quality of the show.

I enjoyed the first act but I also feel like time may have hardened my sensibilities just a bit against existentialism. Perhaps it’s having much more of a stake in the real world that makes getting into that existential space more difficult. Or maybe it’s the lack of chemical enhancement. But one thing I hope I will always appreciate is the ability of Beckett to look at even the most serious things with a skewed view, his healthy way of not taking it all (particularly himself) so damn seriously. After all, as Christine Walters recently told me, life should be fun, even the serious parts.

As my colleague Mr. Griset said, I can’t really think of a better production of the show. Bob Nelson and Bob Jones both seem like natural comedians and one great aspect of the production is the unique quality of each of their voices, which adds new and unusual comic notes to already wacky dialogue. And speaking of voice: Foster Solomon is a fantastic Pozzo, using both his size and his booming voice to bring a larger-than-life stature to that character. Jerome Weiss manages to be both heartbreaking and very funny as Lucky, also incorporating his stature – exceedingly lean and athletic into his characterization, and young Mr. Millman does a fine job in his short interlude on stage.

All of the elements are there for this production but I found myself growing a bit impatient with the course of the “action,” even during just one act. But this is Beckett and, to borrow a phrase from the show, there’s “nothing to be done” about the source material. It is brilliant and challenging and distinctive and sometimes just odd. Mr. Ricks mines it well and, particularly if you haven’t seen “Godot” before, it’s worth checking out.

USC, NEA and extreme giddiness

2011-04-20T10:31:00.002-04:00

I found out yesterday that I am being given an all-expenses paid 11-day trip to Los Angeles in June. But that’s not all: while I’m out there, I’ll be able to see shows nearly every day, sometimes day and night, including events that are part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, the Radar LA Festival and the Asian American Theater Festival.

And possibly best of all, I’ll be accompanied by a couple dozen other theater geeks (or journalists, if you prefer) from all around the country, working together with them and learning from them as we meet with leading theater professionals from all around the world.

Which is all a roundabout way of saying that I’ve had the extreme good fortune to be offered a fellowship for the 2011 NEA Arts Journalism Institute in Theater and Musical Theater at the University of Southern California. It’s an insanely amazing program and, with the support of Style and my lovely wife and family, I applied this year and was accepted. My heart hasn’t stopped racing since I got the email last night.

This kind of total immersion experience just sounds like a dream to me. And less than 8 weeks from now, that dream is going to come true. The logistics both job-wise and family-wise will probably be complicated but, when I am able to push those aside, I just feel extremely giddy with delight at this incredible opportunity.

As soon as I am able to focus again, I’ll be able to talk about things like Henley Street’s “Waiting for Godot,” which both Mr. Porter and Mr. Griset reviewed recently and that I caught only the first act of last night. I’m also primed to dig into Barksdale’s “Circle Mirror Transformation,” but in the meantime you can read Mr. Miller’s review at GayRVA.

But for now, my energies will mainly go into regulating my breathing and wiping this fool grin off my face.